Artwork by Gregory Scott James – Used and Altered without Permission
Location: Above Center City in a Megalopolis PD Helicopter near midnight
“Uggh!” Black Orchid groaned. She bent over grabbing her head. Sweat appeared on her brow.
They heard a voice from outside the sphere. A voice from the grave. A voice that fear and death followed. “Someone dares to control darkness in my presence? You dare steal from me?
The darkness sphere dispersed in a gust of wind and fury.
Before them was the Hauntress.
Having hefted the car up over his head with ease Emerald Dragon grunted at the darkness suddenly going away and noticed the villains around the area.
"Arrgh!" The Black Orchid was clearly madder at herself for being caught off-guard than being temporarily beaten. Black Orchid saw a child in baseball uniform running toward her. Surprise showed on her face when she realized it wasn’t a child. It was a man that as 3 feet tall.
“Eyes on the ball, Crushers!” He yelled as he ran toward the group. “Center City is our house. No one comes into our house and wins!” Shortstop picked up speed as he ran. Soon he ran faster than was humanly possible. “I’m checking out their bench” he said. The diminutive Crusher ran into Phade’s portal.
Starbolt didn’t know which surprised him more. That the Shortstop had traveled through the portal or that he could hear the banned ballplayer running up behind him from the direction where the helicopter sat. Shortstop passed Starbolt in a blur. He had two baseballs, one in each hand. They weren’t ordinary baseballs, these had spikes on them.
Shortstop threw both at Emerald Dragon and yelled, “think fast!”
Thunk! Thunk!
Both spiked baseballs hit. {GM Note: Even though holding the car, Emerald Dragon could roll with the damage. Baseball #1:12 points damage, -9 to power and -3 to Hit points. Baseball #2: 9 points damage, -8 to power, and -1 to Hit points.} Shortstop informed the Crushers there was another superhero on the other end of the portal and the Megalopolis PD’s Crusher Task Force. “We need to eliminate their bench.” {GM Note: Shortstop did not spot Manta Lad}
Crater swooped over toward the portal opening. She executed a twisting barrel roll. Raising her hand, she fired a disintegration ray into the portal. ZZWWT! The portal collapsed on itself, closing.
In the Megalopolis PD Helicopter, Manta Lad stared in shock. He had just seen a kid wearing a baseball uniform run out of Phade’s portal. He circled around Phade twice and then ran off in the direction that Starbolt and Black Orchid had gone.
The teen hero covered his eyes when a ray blasted out of the portal. The disintegration ray struck Phade, knocking him unconscious.
Curiosity got the best of the kid, Manta Lad floated forward to see what was going on, and he saw Centurion's back! The armor was stolen, so its blueprints could be public domain at this point. The techie teen used his smart phone to google the armor's schematics. Manta Lad was wrong. The company had not released the blueprints to the public instead they were attempting to recover the suit. He opened his search parameters and once again made his own luck.
{GM Note: 1 Luck Point used, 1 remaining in Pool}
Emerson Electronics, rightful owner of the power suit, had contacted Carter Manning for help in figuring out a way to disable the suit. His mentor hadn’t found any weaknesses but had devised a method the suit could be depowered. His recommendation outlined how to do this and the need for Manta Man to perform it. Because Manta Man’s suit had the ability to take control of devices from the distance, he would be able to control Centurion’s power suit and depower it. Emerson Electronics accepted the outline but turn down using Manta Man. They stated they would create their own controlling device.
Manta Man’s sidekick quickly memorized the outline. For the first time he was glad that the aquatic superhero had insisted on Shane having the same powers as Manta Man.
Manta Lad attacked the armor from behind with his Lightning Control powers attempting to wirelessly override control of the armor! It required a little luck. Manta Man’s sidekick did it. The power suit was now under his control.
{GM Note: 1 Luck Point used, 0 remaining in Pool}
The teen techie executed the outline. He easily grasped how he had to reverse the polarity on the battery feeds and turn off the generator. The dexterity required surprised Manta Lad. He fumbled with the second reversal, sending a shock to Centurion. Besides causing pain to the Crusher, it overloaded the electrical system. The power suit shut down discharging all the internal batteries and taking the generator offline.
The Centurion collapsed on the ground powerless. He looked at Manta Lad, “Emerson Electronics hired a kid to capture me?” The powerless Crusher yelled a string of profanities against Emerson Electronics, Heroes for Hire, and how the youth of today were ruining everything.
Black Orchid instead of attacking back immediately, however, moved between Hauntress and the police car, steeling herself for another attack. Starbolt, watch the other side." Looking toward Hauntress, "How dare I? Who are you to judge me?"
“I am the harbinger of your death” Hauntress reached for Black Orchid with her hand. The revenant touched the lady superhero’s shoulder. Black Orchid screamed in pain as her willpower fought off the death touch. The mistress of the vacuum dropped to her knees. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Slowly her breathing returned to normal and her body relaxed. With a grim smile, Black Orchid stood up and faced her would be killer.
{GM Note: Black Orchid made both saving throws!}
With glowing eyes, Starbolt said, "I would suggest you surrendered now before we are forced to get rough with you." Manstar flew toward where Starbolt was standing. He hovered in front of the stellar sentinel. “Personally, I love a good rumble. I’m your huckleberry.” Manstar fired a flame blast which Starbolt barely ducked causing the shot to miss.
ZAKOW!
Starbolt blasted Manstar, knocking him upwards 30 feet. Manstar came to a stop in mid-air. Starbolt watched in wonder as Manstar tumbled in the air for 5 feet before stabilizing himself, keeping himself in flight. The flaming Crusher held his side and flinched in pain.
BLAM!!
Starbolt looked in the opposite direction of the way Manstar had tumbled toward the sound of the rifle. He wondered how far off that shot had come from and if Det. Broyko had brought in a SWAT sniper to assist them.
{GM Note: Phantom had made a 200 yard shot from the other ambush site, hitting Manstar}
Black Orchid faced her would be killer."Steal from you? Darkness is only the absence of light. This is the absence of everything!" she let loose with a vacuum blast.
AARGGH! The revenant of darkness cried as energy was drained from her body. The Hauntress’s body wavered for a second then appeared as it did before.
[GM Note: Black Orchid’s blast which strips energy from a being appeared to almost have caused an ectoplasmic disruption in Hauntress.}
Emerald Dragon leapt straight into the air with the car, his wings beating furiously to move him out of range of the attackers as he got the car out of the battle area to safety. He hoped that the others covered him, not because he was concerned about damage to him but to those in the car if it is hit or knocked from his hands. He landed next to the Crusher Task Force Helicopter and gently sat the car down. He signaled the car was all Detective Broyko’s. Stretching his wings wide, he lifted off, heading back into battle.
Emerald Dragon flew hard toward the easiest foe to find, the flaming Crusher. Gaining enough altitude to make a diving attack, the reptilian roughhouse prepared his Acid Spray Breath.
SPLUSHED!
The spray of acid covered Manstar. The flaming Crusher’s flames went out. He dropped from the sky incapacitated.
<Due Date: September 14th, Actions? Replies?>
Current Conditions:
Black Orchid Hit Points: 30 Power Points: 84 Willpower Defense active
Emerald Dragon Hit Points: 77 Power Points: 81 Acid Breath: 26 Doses
Manta Lad Hit Points: 20 Power Points: 65 Luck Points Pool: 0
Phade Hit Points: 8 Power Points: 58 Invulnerability: 0 Unconscious (see last email at bottom)
Starbolt Hit Points: 34 Power Points: 74
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GM
For those interested here is the original artwork by Gregory Scott James from the Superhumangames.com V&V Card Game Gallery, entitled “MUST FOCUS”.
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Manta Lad
OOC: Thanks Tom. Great stuff, as always.
Where is ML in relation to the map? And can you please send out a higher rez jpeg of the map? When I zoomed in to read it, it pixelated.
Thanks,
Jeff
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GM
I created a large map which should be easier to read. If you would like me to resend the issue with the new map let me know and I will do it.
Thanks
Tom
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Manta Lad
Curiosity getting the best of the kid, Manta Lad floated forward to see what was going on, and he saw Centurion's back!
The armor was stolen, so its blueprints could be public domain at this point. The techie teen used his smartphone to google the armor's schematics.
Whether he could locate them or not, Manta Lad would attack the armor from behind with his Lightning Control powers to attempt to wirelessly override control of the armor!
OOC:
Intent:
Movement priority (from highest priority to lowest)
1) Sneak "south" on map to just get into range of attacking Centurion.
2) Search for schematics of stolen armor online and among Manta Man's records
3) Continue to monitor Crusher's communications, if possible. If this isn't possible, that's okay.
"Attack":
Use Lightning powers to get control of Centurion's armor, even if he can't find the schematics.
Not sure how this might work, so the intention is to shut down the armor (ie: make it so that it has no more charges available)
If that isn't possible, he would disable its weapons.
If the schematics reveal some other weakness or flaw that would debilitate the armor, he would do that instead.
Thanks!
Jeff
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Manta Lad
PS: The meta-monkeywrench will spend a Luck Point on getting control of Centurion's armor.
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Black Orchid
"Arrgh!" The Black Orchid is clearly more mad at herself for being caught off-guard than being temporarily beaten."Starbolt, watch the other side." To Hauntress, "How dare I? Who are you to judge me?" Instead of attacking back immediately, however, she moves between Hauntress and the police car, steeling herself for another attack (Willpower). If she has another action, she will let loose with a vacuum blast. "Steal from you? Darkness is only the absence of light. This is the absence of everything!"
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Starbolt
Starbolt will watch the other side as Black Orchid suggested. If the villains attempt to attack, he will return fire. Directing his conversation towards the villains that are present, the Stellar-Powered super-hero states in a matter-of-fact tone "I would suggest you surrendered now before we are forced to get rough with you." Starbolt will allow his eyes to glow while saying this.
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Emerald Dragon
IC: Having hefted the car up over his head with ease Emerald Dragon grunts at the darkness suddenly going away and notices the villains around the area. He leaps straight into the air with the car, his wings beating furiously to move him out of range of the attackers as he tries to get the car out of the battle area to safety. He hopes that the others cover him, not because he is concerned about damage to him but to those in the car if it is hit or knocked from his hands.
OOC: So his plan is to burn as much of his movement in his 1st action (don't know if he can burn it all) to get the car out of dodge so he can come back and kick some ass.
Jan
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GM
While I don’t like having to declare Phade inactive but it appears that more important issues are requiring Wayne’s time. If his schedule ever frees up so he can again he will be welcomed back with open emails.
For those curious, here is a timeline of our communications.
April 12th: Wayne submitted turn for Phade
May 7th: Around May 1st his town, if not his home, was hit by tornado, he was without power for week and internet week and half.
July 2nd: Wayne still having trouble with power, sounded like more tornadoes had hit.
July 3rd: Wayne submitted turn for Phade.
Sept 4th: Place Phade on inactive status.
While I send individual emails on each due date to find out how his situation is and if he thought he would be able to pick up the game again. July 3rd was the last time I have heard from Wayne.
May 7th: Around May 1st his town, if not his home, was hit by tornado, he was without power for week and internet week and half.
July 2nd: Wayne still having trouble with power, sounded like more tornadoes had hit.
July 3rd: Wayne submitted turn for Phade.
Sept 4th: Place Phade on inactive status.
While I send individual emails on each due date to find out how his situation is and if he thought he would be able to pick up the game again. July 3rd was the last time I have heard from Wayne.
Tom
