[X] Neither: Power has a price. Not one you're so readily to pay. "I'm sorry Maya, I'll have to be enough." While the serum's may be too valuable to destroy, but you can still take the nanites inside. Finish supressing Extremis. Reject your powers advances. Your will is your own. Reject Everything. Return to what you were. In a combination of the old and the new, reforge your old armour – upgraded – but still what you were.
[X] Neither: Power has a price. Not one you're so readily to pay. "I'm sorry Maya, I'll have to be enough." While the serum's may be too valuable to destroy, but you can still take the nanites inside. Finish supressing Extremis. Reject your powers advances. Your will is your own. Reject Everything. Return to what you were. In a combination of the old and the new, reforge your old armour – upgraded – but still what you were.
[X] Neither: Power has a price. Not one you're so readily to pay. "I'm sorry Maya, I'll have to be enough." While the serum's may be too valuable to destroy, but you can still take the nanites inside. Finish supressing Extremis. Reject your powers advances. Your will is your own. Reject Everything. Return to what you were. In a combination of the old and the new, reforge your old armour – upgraded – but still what you were.
[X] Neither: Power has a price. Not one you're so readily to pay. "I'm sorry Maya, I'll have to be enough." While the serum's may be too valuable to destroy, but you can still take the nanites inside. Finish supressing Extremis. Reject your powers advances. Your will is your own. Reject Everything. Return to what you were. In a combination of the old and the new, reforge your old armour – upgraded – but still what you were.
Okay so the numbers look pretty set in stone at this point with Shaper ahead by about 5 votes (both forums). It hasn't been 24 hours yet so I'm going to keep the votes open for a few more hours and then close.
I've done some revisions on how I'm planning the rest of the arc so the next few chapters will be short ones that give you a lot of control while you're at the Mandarin base.
Okay, its been so and so hours, time to close them up.
[X] Shaper Serum – Technopathy Aligned: You'd rather die than be a part of Killian's legacy any longer. Your power made this. This serum is for no one else. Turn Extremis into something more, and take your first step into a new world. Become Something New, Something Exciting. Drink deep from the well of your power, and let it forge armour using technology that this world has never seen! – 30 Votes
[X] Neither: Power has a price. Not one you're so readily to pay. "I'm sorry Maya, I'll have to be enough." While the serum's may be too valuable to destroy, but you can still take the nanites inside. Finish supressing Extremis. Reject your powers advances. Your will is your own. Reject Everything. Return to what you were. In a combination of the old and the new, reforge your old armour – upgraded – but still what you were. – 29 Votes
[X] Perfected Extremis Serum: Better the devil you know. This serum comes from Killian's vision, you'll make it your own. Take this tainted legacy, and use it to do some good for a change. Prove to Maya that she wasn't wrong to save you. Become A Fully Realized Extremis User. Fire is your core. Expunge the nanites and reforge them into an upgraded Extremis variant of your original armour. – 1 Vote
Really close this time, but the winner, creeping out 1 vote ahead is the Shaper Serum!
By picking the Shaper Serum, you have made the nanite tree to focus of your powers. Nanite upgrades will have a higher cap and be easier to access, along with nanites themselves (and any equipment directly created from them) not taking up an equipment slot.
Next chapter you pick your new armour set and I'll finally be able to update the character sheet!
You picked up the vial of Extremis… and set it back down.
Extremis had made you strong. Strong enough to make your power embrace its fire. To become as hot as a volcano at will. To lift a man up by the neck and crush his throat.
But it was a tainted strength. Brought to life by a madman's belief in his own superiority. It was a product of tainted ideals. A tainted legacy. Maya would change that but you wanted no further part in it. For now.
You slotted the second vial into the injector.
This serum was different. Your power created this. You created this. You were sick of being one of Killian's projects. It was time to become something of your own creation.
You held the injector into against arm. Taking a deep breath, you pressed the trigger. There was a hiss, and warm liquid spread through your veins.
The nanites underneath your skin screeched out all at once.
The injector dropped from boneless fingers.
Groaning, you pressed your palms against your head and moved back until you were up against the wall. Its effects were immediate. You felt your cracked skin smooth over. The constant smell of smoke and ash that hung over you for the past few hours dissipated. And unbeknownst to you, the orange shining through closed eyelids lightened to gold. Power, too much power enveloped you. Your own, not from your power. The Extremis within you changing into something meant for you, and no less powerful.
You punched the wall, trying to push the pain away. It didn't work, but you left a crater behind.
You looked at your hands. Gold and green shone underneath your skin. You could sense the nanites buzzing in agitation.
This power, it was too much. You needed to contain it or you would explode!
You slid down the wall and tendrils of metal extended in your wake. They covered you, cocooning you in its smooth embrace. Those few tendrils soon grew into a swarm that covered every part of your skin. And then it layered over you again.
You were glad you activated the autopilot. Was the last thought you had before metal covered your head.
**
The ship was silent save for the noise of the reactor thrumming throughout the ship.
No sound of movement, of motion. The only occupant cocooned in a tomb of metal and nanites of their own making. Hijacking the changes brought on by Extremis for a different purpose.
Extremis had turned you into something not quite human anymore. This serum would bring you back, but not entirely.
You don't know how long it had taken – hours at least – but the process was almost complete. The serum had purged Extremis. Discarded its modifications. All that remained was what was compatible.
You opened your eyes to darkness. The air smelt like sweat and rust. It was suffocating.
You wiggled your arms and pushed against the shell.
The metal held.
You pushed it harder.
The metal held again.
You called the nanites and claws grew from your fingers. You didn't take the time to marvel over how easy it was. After Extremis and this new serum, you don't know what you were anymore. But you knew who you were. And you weren't someone that wasn't going to laze around while you had a promise to keep.
Your claws ripped through the metal like tissue. You twitched your fingers and the claws sunk back under your skin. Another twitch and new silver pushed out from your chest and arms. Gripping the newly made handles, you pushed yourself through the metal.
Smashing out of your cage, you lifted your arm and examined the nanites shaped as a familiar arm. Your other hand brushed against your chest and you felt familiar patterned lines. Your old armour. An incomplete image, you wanted it finished.
The nanites leapt at your command. Silver and then purple flowed, forming into familiar patterns and then familiar equipment. In a couple of seconds, you were staring at a perfect recreation of your original armour.
You clenched your fist and a blue shield materialised.
Huh, responsive. Though you wonder how fast it would dissa-
Your armour sunk back underneath your skin.
-semble.
Okay. Very responsive. "Now come back."
Your old armour reformed, down to the last insignificant detail. It smelt like a new car in here.
You tapped your arm and that nanite pinged back, one out of thousands and you could sense it without issues.
You stopped yourself before you could continue testing. Don't forget you had a job to do. Though it felt good to have your old range back.
You reached out to the ships systems, the connection went straight through and a smile broke out across your face. The nanites had been a foreign presence, obfuscating your senses. But now here was a distinct lack of interference that you'd grown to live with over the past day. Connecting to the ship, you asked for a status update and the information beamed back to you.
The ship was holding steady. You had arrived at your destination thirty-six minutes ago. And since then ship had been hiding cloaked.
Moving the cockpit, you looked out the window. You were next to a mountain, nothing but rocks and the occasional tree. But when you cast out your senses, you could sense part of a security network. There must be a hidden entrance close by. You'll narrow it down when you're on the ground.
You examined your nanite clad hands again. Some of these had come from Extremis. Aldrich Killian's personal contribution. You had adjusted to them, but they weren't a part of you. As a price for saving your life, they had overwhelmed your senses, and influenced your power. But not anymore. You could feel every nanite, pick out any, and feel no strain. Your senses were clear. They weren't a foreign element anymore.
They were a part of you.
Now and forever.
Body of the Shaper: Forged from inferno of Extremis, you have risen to become something more, something exciting. Your body has changed, and it can change more, if you are willing. Self-nanite upgrades are now unlocked.
Sub-Effect – Regeneration: Taken from Extremis, your body is now capable of healing serious wounds almost instantaneously, including up to the ability to regenerate missing limbs.
Sub-Effect – Body of Nanites: They rest in your bones, blood and organs. Though no longer a foreign element, your body can only hold so much before rejection occurs. Current Nanite limit: 25,000. This limit can be raised.
All nanite based equipment no longer consumes an equipment slot.
Nanite Equipment does not take up a permanent slot, instead they are assigned as configurations.
Configurations are the nanite equivalent of blueprints. When you create a new configuration, your armour can absorb it and can deploy it anytime.
Configurations use the same armour slots as regular equipment when deployed. So, for example, you can have three arm configurations, but only deploy two at a time. The benefit of configurations over regular blueprints that you can change between those configurations at will, if you possess the necessary number of nanites.
You can store an unlimited number of Configurations, but can only operate as many as your current nanite total, equipment slots and deployment limit allows.
The deployment limit is a similar but separate mechanic to your equipment limit. In this case, it defines the number of configurations you can support along with your nanite armour.
Your starting deployment limit (including the armour itself) is 3. This can be increased through Body of the Shaper.
Since you had a power source, that source has been modified into a deployable configuration that can be deployed that will add another 3 to your equipment limit while its active.
Nanite armour itself will still have the same Equipment slots as regular armour and can be upgraded in the same ways that regular armour can, the only difference is your required upgrade materials has changed to nanites. Temporary equipment can be mounted on armour slots as normal, but they cannot be converted into nanites or configurations.
Temporary Equipment attached to your armour does not effect your deployment limit.
Nanites are converted from the corresponding material type at a ratio of 1 to 100.
Perk Touch of the Technological God has been absorbed into Mechanical Intuition (New flavour text below) Mechanical Intuition – You possess an instinctive understanding of mechanics – enough to assist you in utilising your abilities. You can sense nearby technology and on physical contact, interface with it. Greater experience will increase your sensing range.
1 Earth Material = 100 Earth Nanites.
Current Nanite Count: 12,000 Earth / 8,000 Chituari
But this armour, now matter how much you wished, wasn't enough. It wasn't enough against Savin, it wouldn't be enough against Jackson, his master or a hundred Extremis users. Your had broken through your limits over and over again these past few days. You had to, if you wanted to survive. And in these few days you had grown more then you had in weeks.
With that growth came ideas.
Your old armour sunk under your skin, and something new replaced it.
You'll get Maya out first.
That was not up for debate. That was all that mattered. Anything else you do will be a bonus. When she is safe, then maybe you'll go back in for this real Mandarin. Though if you rescue her fast enough, you might have enough time to get back and make sure Killian stays down.
Time to move.
[Nanite Memory Retained]
[Vanguard Armour Weaponry Integrated]
[Extremis Weaponry Integrated]
[New Influence Obtained – Previously Influenced Equipment has been modified]
[New Configurations are Now Available]
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Arm Slot. 500 Nanites (Any type)
Attachment Slot: Arms
Boost
Durability: +2 Stages
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Back Slot. 500 Nanites (Any type)
Attachment Slot: Back
Boost
Flight: +3 Stages
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Power Source Slot. 500 Nanites (At least 300 Chituari type)
Attachment Slot: Power Source
Perks
Power Source: Increases configuration limit by three when equipped.
Synergy Booster: Improves all active configurations that uses Chitauri Nanites by one stage.
Power Saver: Does not consume a configuration slot.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Arm Slot. 1000 Nanites (Any type)
Attachment Slot: Arms
Boost
Close Range Combat +3 Stages
Perks
Armour Shredding: Weapon naturally shreds through armour, negating 2 Stages of durability in armoured targets
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Back Slot. 1000 Nanites (At least 500 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Back
Perks
Configurable: Equipment acts as additional [Arm] or [Shoulder] Slot, allowing the carrying of an extra piece of equipment of that type.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Shoulder Slot. 1500 Nanites (At least 500 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Shoulders
Boost
Long Range Combat +4 Stages
Perks
Armour Shredding: Weapon naturally shreds through armour, negating 2 Stages of durability in armoured targets
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Boots Slot. 2000 Nanites (At least 1000 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Boots
Boost
Flight: +3 Stages (+2 Heat Burst)
(Close Range Combat +2 Stages Heat Burst)
Perks
Heat Burst: Equipment can unleash a concentrated burst of fire for additional speed or as an improvised weapon, at the cost of disabling the equipment for a couple of minutes.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Chest Slot. 1000 Nanites (At least 1000 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Chest
Boost
Durability +3 Stages (+3 Overlayed System)
Perks
Overlayed System: Double Layer your shields. Compressing them at the cost of disabling the equipment for a couple of minutes.
You have grown. Take your lessons and use them. Choose your upgraded armour configuration.
[] The Knight: Stalwart and firm, take the fight to your enemies while wielding offense and defence directly.
Deployment Requirements: 15000 Nanites (At least 5000 Chitauri type)
Boost (Base armour stats)
Durability +8 Stages
Close Range Combat +1 Stages
Land Mobility +2 Stages
Perks
HUD: Interface with your tech and your senses in a way that can be put into the English language.
Shield Amplifier: All attached energy shields are improved by an additional stage
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Arm Slot. 2000 Nanites (At least 1000 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Arm
Boosts
+5 Durability (Controllable Shape)
+5 Close Range Combat (Controllable Shape)
Perks
Controllable Shape: Equipment can create shaped energy constructs, offering increased attack or defence depending on the currently deployed construct.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Back Slot. 1000 Nanites (At least 500 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Back
Boosts
Durability +5 Stages
Malus
Mobility -2 Stages
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Shoulder Slot. 1000 Nanites (At least 500 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Shoulder
Boosts
Close Range Combat +3 Stages
[] The Shadow: Silent and deadly, destroy your enemies without being seen and leave before they ever knew you were there.
Deployment Requirements: 15000 Nanites (At least 5000 Chitauri type)
Boost (Base armour stats)
Durability +4 Stages
Stealth +4 Stages (Perma-Stealth Shroud)
Close Range Combat +1 Stages
Land Mobility +2 Stages
Perks
HUD: Interface with your tech and your senses in a way that can be put into the English language.
Perma-Stealth Shroud: This armour is permanently cloaked, passively granting +4 Stealth.
Gecko Pads: The gloves and boots of the armor can stick to solid surfaces, allowing the user to climb walls and ceilings.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Arm Slot. 2000 Nanites (At least 1000 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Arm
Boosts
Close Range Combat +6 Stages
Perks
Omni Shredding: Weapon naturally shreds through armour and energy, negating 4 Stages of durability in armoured and/or shielded targets
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Support Slot. 1000 Nanites (At least 500 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Support
Perks
Shroud Extension: Extend an existing stealth field and boost its effectiveness by 2 Stages.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Full Body Slot. 1000 Nanites (At least 500 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Full Body
Perks
Shocking Wave: Unleash a stored wave of static electricity in a metre around you, stunning all non-augmented targets for a couple of seconds.
[] The Hunter: Fast and patient, why show your face when you're too fast to be seen? Hit your enemies from afar before they even know you're there.
Deployment Requirements: 15000 Nanites (At least 5000 Chitauri type)
Perks
HUD: Interface with your tech and your senses in a way that can be put into the English language.
Intergrated Flight: This armour is equipped with a permanent flight pack that can be boosted by other flight equipment
Aim Assist: All ranged weapons with long range or all range combat gain +1 to long range combat.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Back Slot. 2000 Nanites (At least 1000 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Back
Boosts
Flight +6 Stages
(Close Combat +5 Stages Kinetic Builder/Disperser)
Perks
Kinetic Builder/Disperser: Gathered flight energy can be ejected from the wings, unleashing a multidirectional blast of massive concussive force. The Energy wings cannot build more energy for several hours after a charge is dispersed.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Shoulder Slot. 1000 Nanites (At least 500 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Shoulder
Boosts
Long Range Combat +2 Stages
Perks
Rapid Fire: Flash fabricated missiles allows this weapon the fire continuously without reloading for several minutes.
Heatseekers: Missiles come with inbuilt homing capacities against higher heat signatures. This can be turned off.
Deployment Requirements: 1 Open Arm Slot. 1000 Nanites (At least 500 Chitauri type)
Attachment Slot: Arm
Close Range Combat +1 Stage
Mid-Range Combat +2 Stages
Perks
Tether: Energy rope attached to flail can be used to tie up targets
Manoeuvring Thrusters: Attached thrusters allow precise manoeuvring of flail when thrown
Not so much story here, but a lot of backend stuff written up so I won't have to deal with it after we get out of this arc.
Next chapter you rescue Maya and then can decide whether to leave or to explore more of the Mandarin's secret base.
If you have any questions feel free to ask, but I hope I've covered most of it in the spoilers.
So, the pros and cons of each armor are basically as follows: Knight Armor
+ Most durable by far
+ has 2 power slots, meaning a max of 9 configurations deployed once we have time to build another power core
+ has 2 back slots, meaning we can equip both a flight pack and either the armored shell or morphing platform appendages
+ has 2 full body slots, meaning we could eventually get both the Chituari cybernetics and a full-body shield
+ Provides a boost to all shields equipped
+ Should do okay both for rescuing Maya and for fighting the Extremis army
- Does not provide any advantage to long or medium range combat, aside from being incredibly hard to kill
- Has the least mobility options of the 3 armors.
Shadow Armor
+ Always has stealth
+ has 3 Support slots
+ Has a strong melee weapon (the Vorpal claws)
+ can stick to ceilings and walls
+ Stealth should make it hard to hit at range
+ Likely the most useful suit for rescuing Maya
- Least durable of the 3 armors if hit.
- Less room for weapons compared to the other two armors
- Likely the least useful suit vs Extremis army
Hunter Armor
+ By far the fastest of the 3 armors, at least outdoors
+ Provides a boost to all long-ranged or all-range weapons
+ Built-in flight
+ has 2 back slots, meaning we can equip both the energy wings and morphing platform appendages. Alternatively, can equip 2 morphing platform appendages for the ability to have 2 more arm or shoulder weapons and still be able to fly
+ Most useful suit vs Extremis Army, due to being best at bombarding Extremis users from outside their reach
- probably the least useful suit for rescuing Maya
- Provides no advantage at close range combat, aside from being fast enough to avoid being caught by most enemies.
I feel like I knight armor would be the best choice in universe tbh. We're an avenger and that rarely means any kind of combat other than direct. It gives the most versatility in the long run and unless I'm mistaken, we can always take the time to make a long range option as well as improve our existing mobility
I think we should go for Knight Armor because it allows us to survive a hell of a lot. I expect that if we had knight armor we could have tanked even the theater explosion. Additionally, the Knight armor can mount a larger array of equipment than the other two types, since it can have two power cores, letting it have up to 9 configurations deployed instead of 6. Admittedly, we would probably need to increase our nanite capacity before we would actually have enough nanites to be able to hit our configuration limit.
The thing about the Shadow armor is that in a direct fight, it is worse than the other two. We can't expect to be able to always rely on stealth, IE if we need to keep an enemy's attention, or if we have to fight in a big battle, like how there is a big army of Extremis soldiers who can damage even armor with durability 6.
Hunter armor's problem is that it is much worse indoors than the other two armors.
Just a note: For rescuing Maya we will want to either get in and out fast, or to go in stealthy. If we go with the Knight, then we probably shouldn't try to go for any side rooms, since that will make it much more likely that the Mandarin will catch us.
We don't want the Mandarin to catch us if at all possible. Jackson almost beat us with a single ring, and while we now have proper power armor, the Mandarin has 10 rings of the same level of power as the Ice ring and likely has far more experience using them.
[X] The Shadow: Silent and deadly, destroy your enemies without being seen and leave before they ever knew you were there.
I feel like both knight and hunter roles are filled with our teammates. While we also have Black Widow, she is more of a espionage specialist, not a stealth one.
