Remove ads

Project Prometheus (Original Setting Superhero Quest)

Reader mode
Remove ads
Issue #2.3: Concordat pt. 2
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Plan: Intrigue Specialisation
    -[X] Inform Wolong of Project Prometheus. 15 points.
    -[X] Facilitate a purchase of one of Mendicants Symbiotes to heal Arc. (Justice Unlimited will not be able to purchase symbiotes from Mendicant for two issues, New Dawn will provide the funds). 7 points.
    -[X] Commit to discovering information about Monarch. (Lady Leizi must take personal action "The Spider's Web" and choose Monarch next issue.) 2 points.
    -[X] Offer Black Swan's one-time assistance with patrols in the Uni District (Black Swan will not be available for one mission next issue). 5 points.
    -[X] Commit to finishing mission "Long Shadows of the Night". (Must finish mission in three issues, not counting current issue. Mission will cost 1 AP.) 1 point.
    -[X] Commit to finishing mission "Grand Theft Person". (Must finish mission in three issues, not counting current issue. Mission will cost 1 AP.) 1 point.

    You wet your lips and choose your words very, very carefully. Every instinct you have screams at you to not do what you're about to. Information is a weapon. Information is power. Information is most valuable when you're the only one who has it.

    And yet.

    You wonder if Nora felt like this, all those years ago, when she asked you to help her fight the Defiance Unit. Or when she reached out again to have you join NuGen. You'll never know, but you push aside the burbling feeling of trepidation and force yourself to speak.

    "Gabriel. . . what if I told you that I didn't have to find hope. What if I told you it was left for me?"

    Wolong looks back at you, unsure of what expression to make. His face flashes between a hopeful and guarded expression, like a man dying of thirst who's scared this pool of water is just another mirage.

    "I would ask exactly what you meant by 'hope', Lady Leizi," he says slowly.

    "Precisely what it sounds like, Gabriel," you reply, "Now, is there somewhere more secure we can discuss this?"

    * * *​

    Wolong escorts you to a room near the top of Zenith, watching you out of the corner of his eye, as if he's afraid you will vanish into thin air. You follow him as he leads you to a massive office with a glass floor that gives a clear view of several floors below. You can just make out Black Swan and Menagerie Witch with Gentleman James and Palisade. Black Swan looks like she's trying to make conversation, but Menagerie Witch makes a great show of seeming bored and pulls out her screen to start playing a game.

    Brutal.

    The office is as spartan as they come, Wolong goes behind the great desk that is the sole piece of furniture before hitting several switches. The glass polarizes and becomes opaque and there is a faint hum of white noise around the perimeter of the room.

    "Novalight's old office," Wolong explains, "I've just activated the privacy suite. You're welcome to search the room for bugs if you feel the need."

    He says the last bit with a smile that becomes fixed as you do just that.

    "You can't be too careful, darling," you say as your search comes up empty. Well, nearly empty. The bugs you had placed were still here, though they only had ever worked in the rarest of circumstances.

    "Is . . . the matter that sensitive?" Wolong askes as he pulls out a chair for you.

    "The most sensitive," you say and sit opposite the desk as Wolong. Once he's settled, you speak again, "First things first. Justice Unlimited would be happy to lend whatever assistance is necessary to deal with our collective 'pest' problem. What targets are most pressing?"

    Wolong blinks but quickly recovers. "The safest targets right now are Shroud, Third Person, and Abarimon. Of those three, Abarimon is the least volatile. He's still the only person to ever ask to be put in Wonderland."

    "Unable to control his powers, correct?"

    "Unfortunately," Wolong confirms," He's remained stationary which is best for everyone. Of our other targets, nearly a dozen bodies have been found the last three weeks with injuries matching Shroud's modus operandi. The last three victims were found on consecutive days—he's accelerating."

    You wrinkle your nose. You detested serial murders. "I have an infiltration specialist who is the perfect person for the job. Now, Third Person?"

    Wolong raises a brow at the mention of another new member of Justice Unlimited, but lets it go. "Third Person is up to his usual rampage near Roswell University. However, he's apparently very upset about the length of his 'ban' and is killing his hosts immediately at the sight of any 'mod'. We've had to stay out of his view."

    "Tch, psychic parasite," you hiss, in distaste. That is someone to keep far, far away from Black Swan. "Perhaps there is something in the Apiary that can deal with him. Failing that, Menagerie Witch's constructs are not sentient. If we could isolate him, perhaps we could disable his hosts with them."

    "Ah, she's quite powerful then?"

    "Intelligent as well. All of our new members are," you say with a hint of pride. "Speaking of which, we'll lend you Black Swan for some patrols near the NID. The sight of someone that powerful should give Monarch second thoughts about any unwise action."

    "Is she truly that strong?" Wolong questions, "It's a generous offer to be sure. . ."

    "Wolong, she's the most powerful metahuman in this building by several orders of magnitude. If it were not for the fact that Floating Venom Morpheme was near an inhabited area, she could have dispatched it in one strike," you say, looking over your glasses, "And patrols will be good for her. One day she'll be the leader of Justice Unlimited—she must learn what the work at the very bottom is like."

    "Too true," Wolong says, stroking his mustache. He wants to ask you more, but he's displaying remarkable patience.

    Patience that you will soon reward. But first: "What intel do you have on Monarch?"

    "Precious little. I have more questions than answers when it comes to her."

    You shake your head, "Allow me to rephrase. What intel would you like on Monarch. My information network is at your disposal."

    "Her source of funding," he says immediately. It seems he knows not to look a gift horse in the mouth. "She has a considerable ability to purchase resources: weapons, armor, entertainment for her more hedonistic followers. I can't trace where it's coming from, but cut it off and we'll have dealt her a mighty blow. Aside from that, any information about her lieutenants or what she's planning. Her movements have been hidden for far too long."

    You nod. A tall order, but something you were likely going to look into regardless. You approach the next matter delicately.

    "Gabriel, don't take this the wrong way, but have you looked into metahuman means to heal Arc?"

    Wolong frowns. "The side effects of Lethal Anodyne's serums are more than Arc could survive, even if I was willing to addict her to save her life. And Mendicant has disappeared. Even if I could find them—"

    "They're in the Apiary. Last I saw them, they were rebuilding Radiant Silvergirl's terrariums. Gardening is something of a hobby of theirs, apparently."

    You wish you had a picture to preserve the look on Wolong's face. Then it changes to something like a painful, desperate want and you feel guilty for your whimsical thoughts.

    "They've been in the . . . Apiary? This whole time?"

    "Valiant Silver offered it as a safe haven should they ever need it. They were waiting for us to return. What's more, they're willing to sell directly to Justice Unlimited. If it will help Arc, I'd be more than happy to facilitate a—"

    "Please," Wolong breathes before catching himself. He swallows a lump in his throat. "Please. It would be greatly appreciated."

    "Consider it done." Which only left one more matter for you and Wolong to discuss.

    Before you say anything, he slides back into his chair, exhaling. "Mendicant was at the Apiary . . . I see what you mean about help being left for you."

    "Not precisely, darling."

    Wolong chuckles, "Are you next going to tell me you have the second coming of King in the wings as well?"

    "Not yet."

    He laughs again, but, when he sees you don't return his mirth, he grows serious. "Lady Leizi . . .?"

    "Gabriel," you start, "What has always been the most challenging part of building any kind of lasting heroic organization?"

    "Membership," he answers easily, "Metahuman powers take time to develop. By the time they do, most of the stronger metahumans have been scouted by corporations, turned to crime, or found means of employment other than heroism. Why do you ask?"

    He eyes you shrewdly. He's started to figure it out. Better to not leave the poor dear in suspense.

    "Because what if there were a way to give someone fully developed metahuman powers? What if they could be bestowed to those who already wished to be heroes?"

    Wolong is very, very still. "If that were the case, then that would change everything."

    You smile. "Indeed. Gabriel, let me tell you about an initiative called Project Prometheus. . ."

    * * *​

    "Wonderful! Wonderful!" By the end of being read into Project Prometheus, Wolong has risen to his feet and furiously pacing the room, torn between elation and rage at New Dawn's former leader, "The difference a leader can make! Yelena left us nothing but a hollowed out husk, a monument to her own ego! And all the while, the leaders of Justice Unlimited—the very people her arrogance drove from our breast—were perfecting the means of creating heroes."

    Wolong runs his hand through his hair several times, getting himself under control again.

    "Black Swan . . . she's a result of Project Prometheus, isn't she? She was made with Yelena's DNA."

    "Partially," you admit, "We did add a few things to compensate for Novalight's weaknesses."

    Wolong laughs again, a harsh sound. "How that would rankle her, knowing that those she looked down on could use her powers better than she ever could."

    He collapses in his chair, the very image of a condemned man granted clemency. He rubs at his right eye with his palm, an oddly intimate, vulnerable gesture.

    "Time," he breathes, "We just need to buy a little more time. Help is coming. We've found hope."

    "No," you say gently, "It was given to us at a dear price."

    "Yes, yes of course," he agrees, "You need the DNA of deceased metahumans, correct? New Dawn lost most of its members. Their DNA should be on file. I'll forward you a copy of our medical records at once."

    Your eyebrows nearly leave your head. "You're certain?"

    "Did you think I would try to use them as a bargaining chip?" he questions, "Perhaps demand new metahumans of my own? No. One way or another, New Dawn has seen its last day. Yelena condemned this organization the day she cast NuGen out."

    "Gabriel . . . Wolong—"

    "No need for formalities now, Lady Leizi," he says, "The name on the building means nothing compared to the intentions of the people inside it. Heroes will live on in Horizon. That is enough."

    "Then call me Zixuan," you say, "And it sounds as if you've given up on the very idea of a New Dawn?"

    "No, Zixuan," he says, shaking his head, "That was done well before I was a member. Perhaps when Valiant Red died, or when Cisma allowed Novalight to take charge. Either way, it is best if the entity known as 'New Dawn' ends. Too many ghosts."

    He gives you a bittersweet smile. You don't know what to say.

    "To that end, the Zenith is yours. There are enough unused floors you could come and go as you please without anyone noticing. We'll also provide material support. Our contract with the Uni District is still active; we'll have to maintain operations here, but there will be an excess left over. Finally, I would appreciate it if you would include our remaining members on missions where you think they would be useful. Whether they one day join Justice Unlimited, go independent, or remain the last vestiges of New Dawn, they're excellent heroes who should know the next generation."

    Wolong stares at his hands as he makes his decision. He looks pained, but as if a great weight has been taken off his shoulders. You cover his hand with your own, and he gives you a grateful smile.

    "The strategist of a doomed Empire," he laughs bitterly, "A more literal emulation of my namesake than I would prefer."

    "It doesn't have to be the end," you say, pulling back.

    "No, it must be." He shakes his head. "But enough navel-gazing. There is something I should warn you about. Our medical records here at the Zenith are incomplete. The rest were stored at the Mill, Steelheart's lab and factory. That is where the records of the founders and members with private civilian identities—like Heavenly Astrologian—are kept."

    "If memory serves, the Mill is in the NID. Is it still intact given Monarch and the destruction of Wonderland?"

    "I would bet on it. It would take King himself a great deal of effort to get through all of Steelheart's defenses. I should be able to gain us access, but only once we've dispatched Monarch and the other Wonderland escapees."

    You sigh. Yet another task on your plate. Still, one must not be overwhelmed by the sight of the mountain; climb one step at a time.

    But that does remind you of one thing. "I suppose now you'll trust me enough to share your plan for a second Wonderland?"

    "Ah, yes, I cannot let you be the only one with earth-shattering revelations today, can I?" Wolong says, "Tell me, Zixuan, what lies between the NID and Corporate Playground?"

    You pause and think, "Nothing, except the—Gabriel, you can't be serious!"

    He grins at your reaction. "Yes, The Frozen Throne."

    The Frozen Throne was a nightmare of frozen, warped space that the rest of Horizon politely pretended didn't exist. The area itself appeared to be sapient—those inside the land governed by the Throne were subject to its whims. It fed off the people inside of it and required that one of them always be sitting on it. Years ago, it lured people in with promises of treasure and wealth, but nowadays even the most foolhardy would not take a single step inside it.

    To make it worse, the area covered by the Throne was expanded every year. True, the expansion was only ever a few inches at most—except one memorable year when it was a whole foot—but it was slow and inevitable all the same. Not that it mattered to the people inside. For the space the inside where Throne occupied was ever shifting, ever changing, and ever expanding.

    Steelheart once famously deployed a high-tech observation drone to attempt to map the interior of Frozen Throne, with the idea that documenting it would prevent it from changing. He deployed his drone from above the Throne where it fell for over 8,000 miles before running out of power.

    The diameter of the earth is only 7,917.5 miles. The drone never hit the ground.

    "Are you quite mad?" you ask, genuinely worried he had cracked under the stress.

    His grin never changes. "Mad like a fox. Tell me, have you ever met Baba Yaga?"

    "Catherine? Yes, she's retired, isn't she?"

    "She is," he confirms, "But she also has the ability to warp and control the space inside any object she can occupy for longer than 24 hours. And she has spent the last months building a second prison facility inside of one of her Domains."

    Wolong activates a holographic display and pulls up a map of Horizon.

    "We've tested it extensively. The Frozen Throne can't reach inside her Domain." He taps the map where the Frozen Throne touches the NID. "The area on the perimeter of the Throne is by far the most stable. We place Catherine's Domain just inside the Throne and connect it to a second Domain outside. Prisoners are placed in the Domain inside the Throne . . ."

    "And if they escape, it takes care of them for us," you finish. You don't know how you feel about it. It's brilliant for certain. It's also dangerous. "You'd willingly put people inside that place?"

    "Only the worst of the worst," he says, "Only those whom the only other alternative is execution. I'll be happy to give Justice Unlimited a veto on anyone being admitted. It's not my preferred solution—"

    "Say we recover Cisma's DNA and are able to recreate their power," you interrupt, "Would that be a preferable outcome?"

    "Yes, absolutely," he agrees, "But we need something now."

    You don't say anything to commit either way. You need time to think about it.

    "You'll have to be introduced to the rest of Project Prometheus," you say, changing the subject, "Your power will be invaluable in predicting the outcomes of dosages of Ambrosia."

    "Of course," he agrees, "So much to do. Too much to do."

    You can empathize with that feeling. "Agreed."

    C-Class Powers

    Name: Multiplex, Ahn Jin Soo
    Power: Transformation
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 1
    Ibis' Notes: Multiplex had the somewhat underwhelming power to change his form to a copy of any inanimate object who did not exceed his body's mass. He kept himself overweight as a result. He was more of an infiltration specialist, but did stop a robbery by turning into a particularly vicious roomba on one memorable occasion. He was well-loved in the community for his jolly nature and commitment to the kayfabe of being a hero.
    "Kayfabe". Ha! I've been getting into professional wrestling lately! I've become such a well-rounded person.

    Name: Millions Minefield, Russel Whitney
    Power: Energy Manipulation
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 1
    Ibis' Notes: Millions Minefield was a member of New's Dawn's first-response team for metahuman attacks, Denial, and was something of a one-trick pony. Note to self: create a one-trick pony. Preferably with fangs.
    Millions Minefield was usually the first member to respond to a scene. He could redirect and absorb energy that he then could store in orbs and deploy over an area like, well, a minefield. His job was to arrive at a fight and immediately take control of the battlefield while suppressing enemy attacks. The orbs would detonate if physical contact was made with them or Millions Minefield chose to have them explode. He could change the size of the mines, but the force of the blast was in proportion to its relative size. So, often he would hide larger orbs and then deploy smaller, harder to see orbs that could chain react and trigger their larger counterparts.

    Name: Hydrocity, LaTrell Johnsmith
    Power: Elemental Manipulation
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 1
    Ibis' Notes: Hydrocity was a case of hyperhidrosis gone wrong. His body was always emitting fresh water from various . . . places. He could control where it came out of, but it had to come out of somewhere or the build up would cause it immense pain. He could not manipulate the water once it was produced, and, while the water was potable, there was nothing special about it.
    That is how metahuman powers work. Sometimes you get the ability to level mountains and fly. Sometimes powers are intrusive and horrifying. And sometimes they're just weird and uncomfortable. Hydrocity would have been a joke if Wolong hadn't hand picked him to serve on Denial. While Hydrocity himself was no fighter, Denial's leader, Umibōzu, was a powerful hydrokinetic but one who could not produce water ex nihilo. Hydrocity's synergy with Umibōzu became an iconic feature of Denial and won him many accolades. His sense of duty prevented him from staying out of the QZ when the Leviathan awoke.

    Name: Eastwood, Charlotte Martin
    Power: Emotional Manipulation, Construct Creation
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 2
    Ibis' Notes: Ever have a good day and say to yourself, "Wish I could bottle this feeling?" Well, Dr. Mammoth Ibis has been saying that more often! I'm considering dating again! Wait. Then John Henry, Sandra, myself, and my paramor could double date! Genius!
    Anyway, that was essentially Eastwood's power. She was another member of Denial and could "store" an emotion for later in a physical form and then deploy it. She could even mix more "volatile" emotions together and create explosions. She was most commonly used in a non-lethal context, causing enemies to surrender with bombs made of apathy and despair.
    Now, to set up my dating profile . . . name? THE Dr. Emeril "Mammoth" Ibis. Sex? Sure, why not? Ha! I'm hilarious.

    Name: Sewer Rat, ???
    Power: Transformation, Enhanced Senses, Self-Enhancement
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 3
    Ibis' Notes: Sewer Rat was a mammalian, dysmorphic metahuman whose body resembled, well, a large bipedal rat. His head was entirely human however, making his appearance all the more upsetting to the feeble-minded. He was an affiliate member of New Dawn, no doubt too "unmarketable" to allow him onto the team proper.
    His primary abilities were his incredibly sensitive hearing and smell, as well as his ability to control his hair like a prehensile limb and harden it until it was more durable than steel. However, his most frequently used trick was his ability to shrink himself down to the size of an actual rat with the strength of a human, making him a potent infiltration specialist.

    Name: Antaeus, Doug Matthews
    Power: Invulnerability, Energy Manipulation
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 3
    Ibis' Notes: Following his defeat at the hands of Adamant, Antaeus tried to join New Dawn. He never got past probationary status, likely because he insisted on not changing his name.
    Antaeus was invincible with the ability to generate earthquakes from where he stood, but with the condition that he was touching the ground. Why he chose the name of a mythological figure with the exact same weakness is a mystery not even the great Dr. Mammoth Ibis can solve. His earthquakes grew in magnitude the longer he stood still, eventually reaching the upper limits of the Richter scale. He could generate similar forces in substances like concrete, but to a lesser effect.

    B-Class Powers
    Name: iSpy, Iolanda Guedes Bosco
    Power: Clairvoyance, Invisibility
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 4
    Ibis' Notes: iSpy was one of New Dawn's espionage specialists. Unlike many samples in our system, her death did not occur in the QZ, but rather was the result of her cover being blown. iSpy could "tag" up to a dozen people and then, at will, perceive the world through their senses. She would hear what they heard, feel what they felt, smell what they smelled . . . if she wanted to for some reason. That, coupled with her ability to turn invisible, put her on the top of the hit list for all clandestine criminal elements. Unfortunately, it seems one caught up to her.

    Name: Chatroom, Yolando Gibbons
    Power: Clairvoyance, Ally Empowerment
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 4
    Ibis' Notes: Chatroom was a support type metahuman, who never was on the frontlines. Unfortunately, her power was necessary at the QZ and she was killed by a rough Named-Behemoth, Frigg of the Dancing Mistletoe. Chatroom could link an unlimited number of allies together telepathically, allowing them to instantaneously communicate and share images and feelings with one another. She had to be within several hundred yards to maintain the effect, but it was invaluable in the heat of battle. I just wish she didn't insist on solely communicating through metal "emojis". I can't even use them on my screen, let alone in reality!

    Name: Nephthys, Hana Antar
    Power: Construct Creation, Ally Empowerment, Energy Manipulation
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 5
    Ibis' Notes: Nephthys was another member of Denial, and had an "Egyptian necromancer"theme to her which Madeline has told me was "Archmage as hell". I don't know what that means and I'm too scared to ask. Madeline acts demure in front of Lady Leizi, but she's a clear social alpha in the Apiary and I'm going to respect that!
    Nephthys could revive the bodies of deceased animals and command them to do her bidding. The control only lasted a few days, and it's my understanding Denial had their own industrial freezer marked "Animal Corpses, Do Not Eat". She denied being able to manipulate human bodies, but her records clearly indicate that she could, though metahuman puppets did not retain their powers. She mostly contributed to Denial with hordes of disposable shock troopers.
    Wait, someone with an Egyptian goddess theme on "Denial"? I just got that! Hilarious! Hey, Madeline, listen to this joke—!

    Name: Lightstep, Lloyd Morgan
    Power: Enhanced Speed, Invulnerability, Enhanced Senses, Enhanced Strength
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 7
    Ibis' Notes: I know about him now! I do! I watched a boxing match with John Henry and he told me all about "Lightstep Morgan"! Former professional heavyweight boxer and world champion. Well, okay, his championships were stripped from him after his status as a metahuman became public, but there's never been proof he cheated! He retired because he had nothing left to prove and wished to help New Dawn recover after the Susurration. By all accounts he saved their public image, but many claim he was to blame for the change in organizational ethos afterward.
    Lightstep was able to accelerate his movements to supersonic speeds for brief moments. When he did, his body grew invulnerable and his senses became stronger to compensate. He could devastate opponents with just one jab—in and out of the ring! No one could survive a lightspeed punch from the Lightstep!

    Name: Umibōzu, Shishiro Ami
    Power: Elemental Manipulation, Construct Creation, Enhanced Senses
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 7
    Ibis' Notes: Umibōzu was the leader of New Dawn's task-force, Denial, and was an extremely potent hydrokinetic. She and Uiara had a famous rivalry; for some reasons hydrokinetics never seem to get along. Such unnecessary competitiveness! Dr. Mammoth Ibis would never have a petty rivalry with a peer merely because we shared the same power, believe that!
    Umibōzu differed from Uiara in that she needed a source of water to control, and her control was finer, if not capable of feats on the same scale. Her preferred method of attack was to fire narrow streams of water at extremely high speeds that could pierce opponents and cut metal like paper. She could create "sentries" of water that could also fire jet streams of water and through which she could see. She was a tactical genius and staunch supporter of Wolong, which is likely why her career stalled out. She, along with Uiara, fought most of the aquatic Behemoths in the QZ before meeting her end.

    A-Class Powers

    Name: Man o' War, Julio Câmara Meireles
    Power: Autonomous Creature Creation, Self-Enhancement, Invulnerability, Enhanced Strength
    Faction: New Dawn
    Potency: 8
    Ibis' Notes: Man o' War was a violent brute who somehow found himself gaining membership in New Dawn proper. I say "somehow", but it's very clear why: he was happy to follow orders and restrain himself so long as he could harm others to his heart's content when the time came. His powerset matches that of a famous villain who terrorized the Corporate Playground, and said villain disappeared around the same time Man o' War first debuted. Rumor has it he cut a deal to keep himself out of Wonderland, and I believe it. He was firmly in Novalight's faction, which only adds further evidence to the pile.
    Man o' War could manifest extra limbs from his body that appeared with a melee weapon chosen at random—swords, axes, spears, nets, tridents, a golf club once, what have you. The arms moved autonomously and were masters of their chosen weapon. The more arms Man o' War manifested, the stronger and more durable he became. Pfft, growing extra arms? That's nothing! Dr. Mammoth Ibis could give you all the extra arms you could want!
    . . . is that anything? I'm working on my flirtatious small talk. I'm not very good at it!

    * * *​
    Horizon, City of Leviathan's Rest – Apiary– December 14, 2067

    As spectacularly as the meeting with New Dawn went, the next day there is a frisson in the air at the Apiary.

    In two days, you're parlaying with The Four Seasons. A meeting you know is a trap. A trap you're willingly walking into in order to save the one person who risked their life to warn you—Hiver.

    You can't say it's not the right thing to do, but the faces at the table around you are grim.

    "Can't I just fly in there and blast 'em?" Black Swan says, "We can grab Hiver and run?"

    "No," Chaucer says, "We don't know the nature of the danger he's in. For all we know it's something remotely activated. We'll have to feel out their intentions first."

    You don't say anything, but you agree. If only it could be as easy as Black Swan wished it.

    "The good news is, we got an ace in the hole," Handyman says, looking much better than he did after the fight with Floating Venom Morpheme, "Yours truly. No one knows I exist. And I can be anybody."

    He changes into a perfect replica of you, right down to your coat. "Imagine they try something while I'm LL? That will be one hell of a nasty surprise."

    You smirk involuntarily at the image. It is tempting but . . .

    "I know Été and Primtemps well, darling. And they know me. One slip up from you and they'll immediately realize something is wrong."

    Menagerie Witch raises a hand, "Well, what if he went as Black Swan?"

    "No way!" Black Swan protests, "I wanna blast them."

    "That's the problem!" Menagerie Witch says, exasperated, "You're dangerous at close range—to everyone! Including Lady Leizi. It's better if you're with me on overwatch and can swoop in if we need you to."

    "With you?'" you ask, "You intend on coming, Menagerie Witch?"

    She stubbornly crosses her arms and frowns at you, "Yeah, I've been making clones since we got the Apiary back. I have a bunch saved up. I can distract everybody if you need to escape. Plus you need Nevermore to fly, or did you forget?"

    You raise your hands in mock surrender. "Very well, but I don't want you near any fighting."

    "I still think I should be there in person," Black Swan argues, "I'm the only one who can take hits without worrying about dying."

    She says that last bit with a pointed look at you and Handyman.

    "Where is this meeting anyway?" Dr. Ibis asks, bored.

    "Some place called 'Balthazar'," Handyman answers, "Fancy French cuisine, that sort of thing. They asked us to come after hours, so we'll have the place to ourselves."

    "Balthazar?! I love that place! They make this grilled salmon that's—"

    "Anything helpful to add, Doctor?" you say archly. You're still cross with him over his comments about Rosemary in his notes.

    "Ummm, there was a 'help wanted' sign in the window last week?"

    "Wait, that's actually not nonsense," Handyman says, "I could go ahead in disguise and get a job on the graveyard shift. Be a man on the inside."

    "You'll be away from the main event in the best of situations," you say, "But you could arrive before the rest of us. It has merit."

    You tap your arm. You're going in with less information than you'd like, but not totally blind because of Hiver. You can't waste the chance he's given you.

    ______________________________________________________________________________

    Who will you bring to the meeting? Choose as many of the following as you wish. Specify where they will be. Lady Leizi must attend in some capacity. You have three shield generators. You may assign some, all, or none to each of your heroes. A hero may only have one generator equipped at a time.

    [ ] Lady Leizi

    [ ] Black Swan

    [ ] Menagerie Witch

    [ ] Handyman

    What is your general strategy at the meeting?

    (Write-in, subject to QM veto) [ ]


    Gained +1500 income per issue!

    Gained control of Uni District!

    Gained Zenith as a base!

    Gained +1 AP!

    Gained +1 Global Action!

    Gained Wolong as an affiliate member!

    Once per issue you may deploy up to two New Dawn heroes with you on a single mission, beginning next issue!
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Maddie broke Wolong so hard I didn't make you roll during this update.

    You'll get stat blocks for the New Dawn heroes next issue. My eyes hurt right now after all of those profiles.

    This update brought to you by: denial and acceptance.

    EDIT: Front page updated.
     
    Last edited:
    Honestly, I feel good about this choice. Wolong and New dawn may have been rivals, Competitors or what have you, but at the end of the day they are also People who are trying their hardest to help, to make a difference. To see them so beaten down sucked, And giving hope like this feels good.
     
    Bitterman said:
    Maddie broke Wolong so hard I didn't make you roll during this update.

    You'll get stat blocks for the New Dawn heroes next issue. My eyes hurt right now after all of those profiles.

    This update brought to you by: denial and acceptance.

    EDIT: Front page updated.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    I was wondering why you didn't ask for a roll after the vote closed. Guess that answers that
     
    Ok, so just in case I'm remembering wrong, @Bitterman, from what I remember, at the moment our heroes' health stats are the following: Black Swan and Menagerie Witch are at full health, while Lady Leizi and Handyman are both at Superficial Injury, with Handyman being there because his Autobiokinesis counts as a Regeneration and he was allowed to rest while we met with New Dawn.

    Is that correct, or did I get something wrong?
     
    ReaperofInterest said:
    Ok, so just in case I'm remembering wrong, @Bitterman, from what I remember, at the moment our heroes' health stats are the following: Black Swan and Menagerie Witch are at full health, while Lady Leizi and Handyman are both at Superficial Injury, with Handyman being there because his Autobiokinesis counts as a Regeneration and he was allowed to rest while we met with New Dawn.

    Is that correct, or did I get something wrong?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Handyman is at full health, or will be when next turn starts. He healed two this round because he was benched. LL has one injury level.
     
    Ok... so what's the most discreet creature with flight / shield capabilities we can think of to sneak into the grounds ahead of time?

    (Keeping in mind that shadow creatures with red eyes are not subtle - put them in Handyman's pocket?)

    @Bitterman Just to check, Menagerie's power only works on living objects, and thus stuff that Handyman was manipulating (eg: Pile bunkers) are not a valid target right?
     
    Last edited:
    Potato12345 said:
    Ok... so what's the most discreet creature with flight / shield capabilities we can think of to sneak into the grounds ahead of time?

    (Keeping in mind that shadow creatures with red eyes are not subtle - put them in Handyman's pocket?)

    @Bitterman Just to check, Menagerie's power only works on living objects, and thus stuff that Handyman was manipulating (eg: Pile bunkers) are not a valid target right?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    That's correct.
     
    I like sending Handyman in first to infiltrate the place. He's perfect for the job and can get us valuable information on the nature of the danger Hiver's in, and how Scarlet Maturity and Gwen plan to spring an ambush on us.

    The 3 Shield Generators go to everyone not named Black Swan. She has invincibility and regeneration, so she needs it the least. Meanwhile, the rest of the team are much squishier, and squishy is not something you want to be when Scarlet Maturity is around.
     
    Potato12345 said:
    Great. Next thing:

    What are the (IC knowledge) powers of the people who may be there (including those of their Faction?)
    Cos I was thinking of maybe having Black Swan dig through the ground far far away and power walk her way over slowly, assuming that there aren't pipes / wires that will get in the way.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Ete makes weapons out of fire she can grant to other people to weild. Printemps grows plants that shoot seeds like bullets, and can make them giant. Hiver is the other person who you know will be there IC.
     
    Bitterman said:
    Hiver is the other person who you know will be there IC.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Alright. Out Of Character, what do people publicly know of Scarlet Maturity's Powers? (We can take the previous lineup if it comes to a fight, although that's unlikely to help given the Espionage-style problems that are likely to be present)

    ===

    Also, there will almost certainly be Ops Checks upcoming - it is safe to bring people to help with that?
     
    ... how easy would it be for LL and handyman to smuggle constructs inside the restaurant? Cuz If they don't need to breath, handyman could just hollow out his chest and fill it with crows, and maybe LL can hide a snake beneath her jacket
     
    Bitterman said:
    "You'll be away from the main event in the best of situations,"
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Given this guy has Espionage 9, do you think making up a reason to ditch during the actual event would go well, or is his presence for the entire time before the event there what's necessary for there to be intel gained?

    Bitterman said:
    Not sure what you mean? Generally rolls are with everyone who's there unless it doesn't make sense in the scene.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Stat Checks - our current vibes are basically having Leizi go alone (where others can't reach her w/o blowing cover, unless electronics are available)
     
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top