# Cascade City: a Mutants and Masterminds Campaign.



## Teflon Billy (Dec 18, 2002)

Hey Folks...this is my first attempt at a story hour, so please bear with me through any little burps and hiccups along the way.

I want to immediately get one thing out of the way: A big fat thanks goes out to *Toren "MacBin" Atkinson* for doing so many of the illustrations that grace this thread. Super Hero gaming goes a lot better with it's own comic art, and Toren has really come through for my gaming group.  Thanks big guy

Anyway, on with the show...

First I'll start with a brief intro to the setting, *Cascade City*. In truth, it's none other than my own hometown *Vancouver, BC, Canada*--only with a superhero bent to it (in much the same fashion that *Gotham* is *New York* with a comic book coat of paint on it )

The City has been the setting for my Super Hero rpg's for ages now, and as such has a lot of history that will likely be referred to by the players (or their GM) in the course of the campaign. I will try and keep obscure references to the past explained, but if at any point something being said isn't making any sense, please feel free to call for a clarification.

*Some Things that will likely come up*


*The 1930's*: The "dirty thirties" were a dark age for Cascade City, as corrupton by organized crime had infected nearly every sector of public service, law enforcement and government. It was in this era that ostensible "heroes" such as *The Cackling Man*, *The Whisperer*, *Black Fedora* and *The Crimson Skull* started waging war on organized crime from the shadows. 

It must be said that the heroes of this age were not the common do-gooders of years to come. These were grim, ruthless men, whose "crimes" were often as not as bad or worse than those they worked against. 

But with the aid of the fledgling newspaper *The Cascadia Chronicle*, public opinion turned, as light was shone on the criminal masterminds who had been running things; *Malcolm Factor*, *Dr. Zombo*, *Deacon Dark*, and *The Fat Man*.

The tide changed dramatically as the civic elections of 1938 saw  slate of candidates running on "Law and Order" platforms. The bravery of these candidates cannot be overstated as attempts on their lives by those in power were virtually guaranteed.

It is now roundly accepted that the changes in the 1938 began due to these officals being elected, and the fact that they _survived_ to serve their mandates can be placed almost entirely at the feet of the era's "Mystery Men"

*The Rise of the Costumed Super Hero*: During WW2, the first recorded "Costumed Hero" appeared on the scene. *Justiceman* spent the entirety of the war on the home front fighting saboteurs and keeping morale (and recruitment) up. *Justiceman* (or JM as he was known familiarly) was the first of a new breed; he did not conceal his face, He did not break the law and he was a charismatic speaker available to the press.

As his fame grew, *Justiceman* assembled a team of like-minded "Super Heroes" (as the press was beginning to call them) including such luminaries as *The Alternator*, *Maxitron: The Robot Avenger*, *Bluejay*, *The Zipster*, *The Atlantean* and *The Cackling man*. 

Together, they became known as *The Freedom Legion* and fought crime, remedied disasters and inspired a new generation of heroes. All but *The Cackling Man* revealed their actual identities to the press.

It was not until years later, in the early 1950's, when they were called before the HUAC and asked to "name names".

*Justiceman* alone did so. At this treachery, *The Freedom Legion* disbanded. *Maxitron*, despite his sentience, was declared a device, and was assigned to the U.S Army, running amok in Saigon during the Vietnam war. He is curently at large.
*The Alternator* retired to a life as a electrician. *The Zipster* died of a drug overdose in the 1960's. *The Atlantean* returned to the sea, occasionally surfacing to aid humanity. 

*The Cackling Man*, alone in posession of his secret identity, returned to his old haunts and continued his war against crime.

The lesson was not lost on the heroes to come.

*The Hoon Invasion*: In the late 1990's The alien shapeshifter race *The Hoon*, set about replacing Quebec politcians and using the usurped positions to press for secession from the rest of Canada. Their eventual plan was to use a seceded Quebec as a staging ground for a full invasion.

The _Super! magazine_ promotional super-team *The Justice Hurricane* (*Battery*, *Windman*, *Mirror Image*, *Brown Bear*, *Kinetica, the Mistress of Motion*, and *Blackwing*) were forced to battle the *Central Canadian Sentinels* (*L'Habitant*, *Loup Garou*, *Fleur De Lys* and *Le Chat*) who had been assigned to bodyguard the "Politicians".

During the battle, one of the Hoon imposters was knocked unconscious and reverted to form in front of the national TV Cameras.

With their plot exposed, The Hoon signalled for a the full invasion to commence, lest they fail entirely.

Long story short, thans to the efforts of the earth's heroes, The hoon were repulsed.

Well, this introductory post has been long enough. Nextt ime I'll post the PC's

Thanks for you time


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 18, 2002)

First off we have *KRONUS: MONARCH of the TITANS*.







In the heart of darkest Africa is a land of magic, where beasts of
legend walk the earth.  The valley of the Titans.

Ancient legend speaks of a lost valley in the shadow of a volcano in the country of Zamboula.  Ruling over this wild land is the tribe of apes known as the Titans.  Though small in number, these apes resemble gorillas, but vary from twice to 10-times the size of mountain gorillas, and are at least as intelligent as humans - some super-intelligent, and capable of psychic feats.  

Known only to a few locals who keep their secret - some say out of fear of the mighty Titans.  They are each gifted with strange powers, some great and some small, and each one different, but all of them possessed of great strength almost unimaginable by mankind.  In days past, they warred with humans for the rich valley and its wonders, but the Titans have always had the might to repel any invaders.

It was into this milieu that the mighty Kronus was born. Blessed by the tribe of spirits of the fiery mountain Stantalla-Bor (the nearest thing to worship the animistic but atheist Titans allowed themselves), Kronus was the ruling son, first amongst the Titans, as his father before him.  

Of the mightiest bloodline, Kronus' power was unrivaled, except perhaps for Hyperion, his misshapen half-brother.  Though the two were fast friends, many shook their head in sadness, knowing that the friendship would end in tragedy.

Kronus gifted a fief to Hyperion, who used his newfound influence to gather a cabal of warriors loyal to him, unknown to Kronus, who saw only the kind face of Hyperion at court, and not the ruthless face of an ambitious despot.  

And though his friendship with the king was sincere in the beginning, years away from his court turned his brother's friendship to simple convenience.

As his brother grew more and more distant, Kronus paid more heed to the rumors of forbidden alliances, that Hyperion sought aid from dark earthly powers of death and decay.  Sensing the king's ire, Hyperion rebuffed his many invitations.  

When the invites turned into a formal summons of he and his vassals, Hyperion knew that the winds had shifted against him.  In a daring act of rebellion, his forces (including the sinister allies now revealed) struck against Stantalla-Bor's tribe of
elemental spirits.  

Their first assault was a ploy, with the dark earthen elementals
apparently acting alone, drawing the kings most loyal warriors to the aid of their ancient allies and symbols of royal power.  But Hyperion's forces struck from ambush with the aid of the dark elementals, destroying the loyal forces and Stantalla-Bor's children alike.

Hyperion attended the ill-defended Kronus, demanding that he relinquish the throne or suffer the consequences.  He refused the generous offer of exile, and was instead sold as a slave to Dr. Tamoken, a human scientist of evil genius.  The forces of darkness became the symbol of the new regime, replacing the elemental spirits of the mountain lord.

Dr. Tamoken used science to master the will of the mighty Kronus, and he fought as one of the AfriCorps in the Hoon invasion.  Later the AfriCorps repelled an invasion of the Republic of the Congo by Hyperion and the Titans.  

Though the Titans were the aggressors, Kronus' people now regarded him as a traitor.  In the fury that followed, Kronus somehow overcame his mental restraints, but was subdued by team AfriCorps.  Imprisoned, he was freed through the unlikely help of the last surviving Stantalla-Borean, *Tephra*

The two escaped, putting as much distance between themselves and Hyperion as they could, eventually finding their way to North America...



> PLAYER: Theo
> HEIGHT: 9'
> WEIGHT: 1600 lbs
> EYES: Red
> ...


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## Piratecat (Dec 18, 2002)

Hey, welcome back!  We missed you; there's even a thread in Meta of Clay stalki -- err, wondering about you.

And this, my friend, is going to be a fun story hour. I'm looking forward to it!


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 18, 2002)

Hey!..Thanks PC

Anyway, next up.....

“Suffering amnesia after crash landing in the Soviet Union in 1949, a stranded star pilot became Nikolai Ulyanov, scientist for the Red Menace.  Granted mastery over magnetism by an act of Communist sabotage, a stranger in a strange land, he yearns to return to a home he has never known…”

Stan Lee fails to present:  * MAGNETIK: THE COSMIC COMMISSAR*










	Vance Stromm woke up in the wastes of Siberia amid the crash wreckage of his spacecraft.  Amnesia left him without a past, the only memories he retained were of space travel and conflict.

	On the verge of death, he was soon captured by the Soviet military and turned over to government scientists, eager to learn about this alien in their midst.  Once they realized the depth of his scientific knowledge, his value in the impending Cold War skyrocketed. 

           His amnesia, coupled with his total isolation, rendered Vance susceptible to Marxist conditioning and he became an active member of the Communist Party.  His Soviet handlers wanted their hold on him to be complete, so a new identity, Nikolai Ulyanov, was invented for him.  As the years passed his already foggy memories faded and his new identity and belief system became more dominant.  While he began to identify himself as Nikolai Ulyanov, loyal Marxist scientist, he still retained lingering memories of a past life that would never leave him.

           Nikolai became an integral, yet secret, part of the Red Army’s aeronautics program.  His vast knowledge of science and technology far in advance of anything known to either the Soviets or their American rivals proved invaluable to early spacecraft production and the space race.

          His often bizarre behaviour stemming from his desire to fly in to space was excused by the government for years because of his value during the Cold War.  As the arrival of such figures as *StarWoman* and *Space Hawk* allowed the American’s to gain the upper hand in the space race, members of the Politburo who wished to purge embarrassing elements from the past decided that Nikolai’s usefulness had had reached it's end.   

The government granted him permission to pilot an experimental rocket they told him was carrying magnetic equipment to disrupt the American Distant Early Warning system and it’s associated communication satellites.  The rocket was, in fact, carrying a magnetic bomb that was detonated in orbit.

        The magnetic pulse wave coupled with Cosmic rays reacted with Nikolai’s alien DNA, pulling a cocoon around him of the rocket’s debris.  This protected Nikolai as he crashed to earth, this time in the United States.

        When he awoke, Nikolai discovered he had gained control over magnetism.  He could manipulate metal, and fly (by manipulating the Earth’s magnetic field) and shoot waves of magnetic force with but a thought. Using his new-found powers to survive in the very new environment of America, Nikolai maintained a low profile to avoid any connection to his past.

     This continued until the Hoon invasion, when Nikolai took up the defence of his new home under a nickname once given to him by none other than Joseph Stalin himself: The Cosmic Commissar.

Though not a hardline communist by any stretch of the imagination. Magnetik does believe in the basic tenet  "from each accoriding to his ability, and to each according to his needs".

He seeks to use his powers to do the greatest good for the greatest number of people, for "with great power comes great responsibility".



> PLAYER: Mike
> HEIGHT: 6'2"
> WEIGHT: 215 lbs
> EYES: Black
> ...


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## Memory (Dec 19, 2002)

This looks very cool!  Of course it's only serving to remind me how much I want to play this game.


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 19, 2002)

Next up is *THE MORMODILLO*.






At the height of the Hoon invasion, *The White Warlock* assembled the greatest sorcerors of the Western Hemisphere (*Rune*, *Mortis*, and *Arcane* amongst others) to summon aid from another dimension – A  figure who would inspire America to fight back against its alien oppressors through a combination of superpowers and symbolic inspiration. There was no hero more appropriate, more perfect for the job in the opinion of the assembled Wizards than the square-jawed *Captain America* of the alternate dimension _Earth: Marvel_. And so, on Independence Day, the Fourth of July, the spellcasters assembled to craft their spell and open a dimensional portal, summoning the personification, the spirit of America.

Pooling their powers, the magicians rent open the fabric of space-time and pulled through – *The Mormodillo*. 

When the smoke cleared, *The White Warlock* was horrified to discover that he had summoned a strange half-humanoid beast clad in a bony exoskeleton and a very peculiar pair of glasses, brandishing a spear dripping with blood. 

Although the Mormodillo was all too enthusiastic to assist in liberating America from its alien oppressors, his arrival was not well-received. The Warlock and his cohorts naturally assumed that Hoon agents had interfered with the Ritual and not, as it later turned out, that the apple pie used in the spell was made partially out of corn flour. There was little the Mormodillo could do for his part as he spoke only Nahuatl, Mayan, Iroquois and Quechua. 

The Mormodillo came from the alternate dimension _Earth: Ballam_ where he was, indeed, the equivalent symbol of *Captain America*, being a Totemic version of the most recognizable indigenous North American animal of the colonial age, armed with the relics of North America's most recognizable indigenous religion: Mormonism (He is armed with both the legendary _Javelin of Teancum_ and the _Seer Stones of Zahrahemla_, which have been fashioned into a pair of irregular glasses)

Rejected by those who summoned him, the Mormodillo nonetheless fought valiantly against the Hoon as he traveled south to Mexico in search of someone with whom he could converse. It was there that he first made the acquaintance of *Senor Misterioso* the famous Mexican hero who taught him Spanish and English and explained the ways of this world. He briefly served on the Mexican super-team, *Los Hombres*, before returning north on a pilgrimage to the legendary (to him) holy site: Salt Lake City, Utah. 

The Mormodillo remains perplexed to this day as to his lack of popularity both with the public at large and those whom he perceives as his natural allies – the Mormon church and American patriots; he has, however, developed a small following amongst Native Americans and is the unofficial hero of the state of Oklahoma. 

Still, this following does not compare to the mass following he enjoyed on _Earth: Ballam_ and the absence of such a following continues to upset him. 

What is more American, after all, than a giant corn chip eating armadillo wielding the holy relics of the Mormon church? 

“Nothing,” the Mormodillo will tell you.



> PLAYER: Stuart
> 
> HEIGHT: 7'0"
> WEIGHT: 800 lbs
> ...


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 19, 2002)

Face Front True Believers!!! It's time for *THE ARC-ANGEL* to make her presence felt.






I think I will let her tell her own story this time...

"I grew up in Cascade City; a Godless place but my home nonetheless.  I never really fit in with the crowd, but that was alright.  I had more important things to do with my time than gossip about boys or hair, like worship.  God is a very real force, if you know how to see his workings. It just so happens that I do.

I spent a lot of my youth in the big old churches of the city, where I would stare up at the archways over the nave, down through the pews to the base of the altar and through incense smoke to stained glass windows soaring high overhead.  Forget Jesus, that blood red glass and spirit soaked wood belongs solely to God; Old Testament God.  I wanted to build it, expand His influence, spread the Word.

So to engineering school I went after high school, where I continued to be the one on the outside, but this time I was the one on the outside with the most information.  Graduated top of my class, and began soliciting church work.  Cathedrals, really.  And within a year I had a contract.

I designed the _Eye of God_ to be the biggest, grandest tribute to the Lord in the city.  It would tower over the other, lesser churches and put the fear of God into the unholy.  Or at least that was the plan, and to a great extent I must say, it has succeeded.  

Midway through the construction I discovered that my contractors were building something that wasn’t in my plans – an extensive subbasement complex with tendrils and tunnels leading off it into the city sewers and (I assume) adjoining buildings.  As you can imagine I was livid, but mostly I was confused.  Who had changed the plans?  Bribed the inspectors?  And the men, to keep them from telling me what was going on?  It was a plan of immense magnitude that amounted to an affront to God and my plans for the cathedral.

I undertook an investigation of the basement without telling anyone that I had found out about it, wanting to see what was going on without letting the cat out of the bag so to speak.  What I found was far more than merely shocking for me.  The basement was the rudimentary beginning of some sort of scientific compound, studying who knows what? Around corners I glimpsed head Church officials running about in strange robes (not of the church), carrying odd instruments and books I could not identify.  Cells had been built, again I don’t know what for, and the beginnings of a security system were already in place.

I was preparing to leave and call the police when the accident happened.  A huge power cable snapped free of its mooring on the ceiling and fell directly onto me.  I don’t remember much except the feeling of the shock and then the burn, and finally nothing.  They tell me I died for a while, but I came to in the ambulance when they used the electro cardio-paddles to resuscitate me. they needen't have bother. the Lord had another plan for me.

I sat up in the ambulance and already I could feel it, the Power.  It surrounded me with a crackling halo of force, making every hair on my body stand up.  I leaned against the wall of the ambulance and I could feel it, the Power, course through me and through the metal walls so that the vehicle stopped where it was and the paramedics leapt away. 

That’s when the memory came back – the memory, and the Message.  I believe it was from the time I spent dead.  It wasn’t an out of body experience strictly speaking, but I had a distinct sense of floating, and a sort of special tangible light that tingled like electricity.  It’s not a very good description but then again, how would you describe a meeting with God?  

I know I’ve been sent back with a purpose, though truth be told I forget the _exact_ wording of the pledge.  I know it has something to do with the number five, and a place or person called Nakamura.  And I know that I have been charged with the responsibility of righting the wrongs against God that occur on this earthly plane.  To this end I have been given the shocking power of God Himself, the flow of killing force that I am entrusted to use to further His goals.

I am not bound by the commandments; I may kill if the sinner has committed a mortal sin so that the sinner can then be sent to their final Judgment.  In this and other ways I am able to act outside the commandments, but that only makes sense, because I am no longer human, and am not bound by their rules.  The wings that grow from my back, and the lightning that courses through my blood tell the whole story: I am no longer human...I am in fact something greater – I have been transformed into an angel, a physical embodiment of God’s might and justice on this earth.  I will root out the occult and eldritch evil that lives under the Eye of God...

...and of course, number five and Nakamura."



> PLAYER: Jessica
> 
> HEIGHT: 5'6"
> WEIGHT: 140 lbs
> ...


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## King_Stannis (Dec 20, 2002)

Hey there T-B! 

I love Magnetik: The Cosmic Commissar - it brought an instant smile to my face. Love the Hoons, too.

I don't get as much time to keep up with story hours as I used to, but I'll try to keep tabs on this one.

Hope all is well with you, too, my friend.


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## Caliber (Dec 20, 2002)

Personally I think the Mormodillo is the best character in the lineup.

Not owning M&M though, I have no idea what the character sheets mean. 

Still, looking forward to the story. The Mormadillo shall conquer!


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## Gospog (Dec 20, 2002)

*Awesome History!*



> Maxitron, despite his sentience, was declared a device, and was assigned to the U.S Army, running amok in Saigon during the Vietnam war. He is curently at large.




Dude, you just made my day!

"We will be following your career with great interest."

This is so cool, thanks for sharing!


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 20, 2002)

Caliber said:
			
		

> *Personally I think the Mormodillo is the best character in the lineup.
> 
> Not owning M&M though, I have no idea what the character sheets mean.
> 
> Still, looking forward to the story. The Mormadillo shall conquer!  *




Hey that's not fair...there are still Four more PC's to come...


*The Fakir*: and Indian Yogic Mystic, with several interesting powers.
*Tephra*: The last _Stantella Bors_ Volcano elemental (Mentioned in Kronus the Mornach's writep.
*Molly Kewlar*: A molecular biologist with Density control powers on the run from a government agency intent on using her medical findings for military purposes.
*Bionic Ninja*: Half Machine expatriate from the alternate _Earth: Nippon_ dimension.

So hold your votes til everyone's entry is in


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 20, 2002)

Ok, folks...I'm not going to wait for the others to get the writeups in. Here are their pics and their Stats.

Writeups to come.

From the depths of Bombay's slums to the heights of Tibet's temples..._Evil Beware_! for here comes the crimebusting Mystical Yogic power of *THE FAKIR* 






I passed my first eight years at Gorakhpur. This was my birthplace in 
the United Provinces of northeastern India. We were eight children: four 
boys and four girls. I, Babu Nath Pranabanandaji, was the second son 
and the fourth child. Father and Mother were Bengalis, of the Kshatriya 
caste. (traditionally, the second caste of warriors and rulers.) Both 
were blessed with saintly nature. Their mutual love, tranquil and 
dignified, never expressed itself frivolously. A perfect parental harmony was 
the calm center for the revolving tumult of eight young lives. 

Father was kind, grave, at times stern. Loving him dearly, we children 
yet observed a certain reverential distance. An outstanding 
mathematician and logician, he was guided principally by his intellect. But Mother 
was a queen of hearts, and taught us only through love. After her 
death, Father displayed more of his inner tenderness. In Mother's presence 
we tasted our earliest bitter-sweet acquaintance with the scriptures. 
Tales from the Mahabharata and Ramayana were resourcefully summoned to 
meet the exigencies of discipline. 

Instruction and chastisement went hand in hand. Father's position was 
similar to that of a vice-president, in the Bengal-Nagpur Railway, one 
of India's large companies. His work involved traveling, and our family 
lived in several cities during my childhood. 

Lahiri Mahasaya initiated my parents in the spiritual practice of Kriya 
Yoga. Lahiri Mahasaya took a definite interest in my birth. Lahiri left 
this world shortly after I had entered it. His picture, in an ornate 
frame, always graced our family altar in the various cities to which 
Father was transferred by his office. Many a morning and evening found 
Mother and me meditating before an improvised shrine, offering flowers 
dipped in fragrant sandalwood paste. 

As I grew, the thought of the master grew with me. In meditation I 
would often see his photographic image emerge from its small frame and, 
taking a living form, sit before me. When I attempted to touch the feet of 
his luminous body, it would change and again become the picture. 

As childhood slipped into boyhood, I found Lahiri Mahasaya transformed 
in my mind from a little image, cribbed in a frame, to a living, 
enlightening presence. I frequently prayed to him in moments of trial or 
confusion, finding within me his solacing direction. At first I grieved 
because he was no longer physically living. As I began to discover his 
secret omnipresence, I lamented no more. 

He had often written to those of his disciples who were over-anxious to 
see him: "Why come to view my bones and flesh, when I am ever within 
range of your kutastha (spiritual sight)?" 

Father and I, in gala spirits, were planning to join the family in time 
for my eldest brother's marriage ceremony. Shortly before the great 
day, however, I had an ominous vision. It was in Bareilly on a midnight. 
As I slept beside Father on the piazza of our bungalow, I was awakened 
by a peculiar flutter of the mosquito netting over the bed. 

The flimsy curtains parted and I saw the beloved form of my mother. 
"Awaken your father!" Her voice was only a whisper. "Take the first 
available train, at four o'clock this morning. Rush to Calcutta if you would 
see me!" The wraithlike figure vanished. 

When we reached our Calcutta home, it was only to confront the stunning 
mystery of death. I collapsed into an almost lifeless state. 

Years passed before any reconciliation entered my heart. Storming the 
very gates of heaven, my cries at last summoned the Divine Mother. Her 
words brought final healing to my suppurating wounds: "It is I who have 
watched over thee, life after life, in the tenderness of many mothers! 
See in My gaze the two black eyes, the lost beautiful eyes, thou 
seekest!" Intense pangs of longing for God assailed me. I felt powerfully 
drawn to the Himalayas. 

One year later, I learned that mother had an experience with a swami 
many years before. She wrote to me the swami's words: "'You are to be the 
custodian of a certain silver amulet. I will not give it to you today; 
to demonstrate the truth in my words, the talisman shall materialize in 
your hands tomorrow as you meditate. On your deathbed, you must 
instruct your eldest son Ananta to keep the amulet for one year and then to 
hand it over to your second son. Babu will understand the meaning of the 
talisman from the great ones. He should receive it about the time he is 
ready to renounce all worldly hopes and start his vital search for God. 
When he has retained the amulet for some years, and when it has served 
its purpose, it shall vanish. Even if kept in the most secret spot, it 
shall return whence it came." 

A blaze of illumination came over me with possession of the amulet; 
many dormant memories awakened. The talisman, round and anciently quaint, 
was covered with Sanskrit characters. I understood that it came from 
teachers of past lives, who were invisibly guiding my steps. A further 
significance there was, indeed; but one does not reveal fully the heart 
of an amulet. 

In my new dignity, I was now openly planning to leave home. Together 
with a young friend, Jitendra Mazumdar, I decided to join a Mahamandal 
hermitage in Benares, and receive its spiritual discipline. The sole 
treasure which had accompanied me from Calcutta was the sadhu's silver 
amulet bequeathed to me by Mother. Guarding it for years, I now had it 
carefully hidden in my ashram room. To renew my joy in the talismanic 
testimony, one morning I opened the locked box. The sealed covering 
untouched, lo! the amulet was gone. It had vanished, in accordance with the 
sadhu's prediction, into the ether whence he had summoned it. 

In the hermitage I met Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, who was to be my guru. 
Years were spent under his tutelage. He did not support my wish to go 
to the Himalayas but I took to the road just the same, until I met the 
Sleepless Saint "Young yogi, I see you are running away from your 
master. He has everything you need; you must return to him. Mountains cannot 
be your guru." Ram Gopal was repeating the same thought which Sri 
Yukteswar had expressed at our last meeting. 

"Masters are under no cosmic compulsion to limit their residence." My 
companion glanced at me quizzically. "The Himalayas in India and Tibet 
have no monopoly on saints. What one does not trouble to find within 
will not be discovered by transporting the body hither and yon. As soon as 
the devotee is willing to go even to the ends of the earth for 
spiritual enlightenment, his guru appears near-by." 

I silently agreed, recalling my prayer in the Benares hermitage, 
followed by the meeting with Sri Yukteswar in a crowded lane. "Are you able 
to have a little room where you can close the door and be alone? That is 
your cave." The yogi bestowed on me a gaze of illumination which I have 
never forgotten. "That is your sacred mountain. That is where you will 
find the kingdom of God." 

His simple words instantaneously banished my lifelong obsession for the 
Himalayas. In a burning paddy field I awoke from the monticolous dreams 
of eternal snows. 

Years passed. On his return from Puri, Sri Yukteswar gave me a pleasant 
surprise. "Your Calcutta studies are now over. I will see that you 
pursue your last two years of university work right here in Serampore." Two 
months later Serampore College became a branch affiliation of the 
University of Calcutta. I was one of the first students to enroll in 
Serampore as an A.B. candidate. 

My father had been anxious for me to accept an executive position with 
the Bengal-Nagpur Railway. But I refused it. As I explained this to my 
Master, I added hopefully, "Sir, will you not make me a monk of the 
Swami Order?" I looked pleadingly at my guru. During preceding years, in 
order to test the depth of my determination, he had refused this same 
request. Today, however, he smiled graciously. "Very well; tomorrow I 
will initiate you into swamiship." He went on quietly, "I am happy that 
you have persisted in your desire to be a monk. Lahiri Mahasaya often 
said: 'If you don't invite God to be your summer Guest, He won't come in 
the winter of your life. 

I am averse to ceremonies," Sri Yukteswar remarked. "I will make you a 
swami in the bidwat (non-ceremonious) manner." The bibidisa or 
elaborate initiation into swamiship includes a fire ceremony, during which 
symbolical funeral rites are performed. The physical body of the disciple 
is represented as dead, cremated in the flame of wisdom. The newly-made 
swami is then given a chant, such as: "This atma is Brahma" or "Thou 
art That" or "I am He." 

Sri Yukteswar, however, with his love of simplicity, dispensed with all 
formal rites and merely asked me to select a new name. "I will give you 
the privilege of choosing it yourself," he said, smiling. "Poojananda," 
I replied, after a moment's thought. The name literally means "Bliss 
(ananda) through prayer (pooja)." 

I will recount here the last words given to me by Bhaduri Mahasaya. 
Shortly before I embarked for the West, I sought him out and humbly knelt 
for his farewell blessing: "Son, go to America. Take the dignity of 
hoary India for your shield. Victory is written on your brow; the noble 
distant people will well receive you." 





> PLAYER: Toren
> 
> HEIGHT: 5'2"
> WEIGHT: 90 lbs
> ...


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 21, 2002)

From the unholy union of *Fire*, *Earth* and _*Magic*_ comes the most powerful Volcano elemental the world has ever seen! 

Behold mortals, and quake in fear at the sight of  *TEPHRA*






In the time of the great "War of the Titans", the being known as Tephra was created. 

Kronus, the true King of the Titans, was sorely besieged by his brother Hyperion the Usurper. King Kronus' arch magician Phaeton saw that Kronus' plight was dire. The loyal Stantella-Bor fire elementals were no match for the battle crazed Earth elementals from Hyperion's army. Slowly Hyperion's forces advanced upon the King's stronghold. 

It was in this moment of desperation that Phaeton conceived a plan. He would use his magic to meld a fire elemental and an earth elemental into one super-powerful elemental capable of fighting back more effectively against the Usurper's army 

With the help of his loyal assistant and lover, a Stantella-Bor fire elemental, Phaeton captured a scout from Hyperion's army, a death elemental. Unable to proceed with his magic in the midst of the warring factions, Phaeton, the Stantella-Bor, and the subdued earth elemental snuck through the vanguard of Hyperion's army, and flew to the relative safety and privacy of the mountain Stantella itself. There, partially within the crater of the smoking volcano Phaeton began to call on his magic. The self sacrificing fire elemental and the angry earth elemental began to meld. 

Tragically, Hyperion had suspected that Phaeton might try to use his magic on behalf of Kronus, and had assigned one of his minions to keep watch on Phaeton. The Henchman had followed the trio to the lip of the volcano and was watching as Phaeton worked his magic. 

Afraid of what might happen should Phaeton complete his spell, the Henchman took careful aim and skewered Phaeton through the heart with a spear at the very climax of the spellcasting. Phaeton was thrown back from the force of the blow, tumbling into the partially melded elementals and causing them to all fall into the molten heart of the mountain. 
Satisfied that his actions had eradicated the threat to Hyperion, the Henchman left to rejoin the troops attacking King Kronus. So it was that no one was witness to what happened next. 

Unbeknownst to the Henchman, killing Phaeton had not diffused the spell at all. In fact, Phaeton's death throes had imbibed the magic with unprecedented force and power. Out of the churning molten mass at the center of the volcano a form began to emerge. 

An anthropomorphic blob of white-hot sentient magma separated itself from the pool bubbling in the crater and proceeded to crawl to the lip of the volcano eventually cooling into an black obsidian female humanoid form with flaming hair and eyes the colour of death. A combination of fire elemental, earth elemental, Phaeton, and unexpectedly the soul of the volcano Stantella itself, Tephra (the scientific name for debris expelled from a volcano) was born. 
Driven by a compulsion (the unswerving loyalty of Phaeton to King Kronus), Tephra tracked The Monarch down and freed him from his imprisonment by the Africorp. 

* Note: Tephra being created from non human sources has absolutely no reverence or interest in human life, and since being in part-volcano, is not known for her restraint. 



> PLAYER: Tea
> 
> HEIGHT: 5'7"
> WEIGHT: 135 lbs
> ...


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 21, 2002)

*MOLLY KEWLER *








> PLAYER: Georgina
> 
> HEIGHT: 5'9"
> WEIGHT: 130 lbs
> ...


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 21, 2002)

*Scene 1: Tephra and The Monarch*

Ok, So without further ado (and without the presence of *Bionic Ninja*, who has yet to get me either his background writeup _or_ his character) I'll start the actual "Story Hour" part of this story hour

As our story begins, We find two of our Heroes *The Monarch* and his volcanic bodyguard, *Tephra* standing atop the Cascade City Municipal Art Gallery.

All about them lay the inert forms of a group of thieves who were clearly, moments before, attempting to force the skylight of the venerable structure.

The giant Silverback gorilla spoke first, his regal purple cape flapping in the breeze....

"Did any escape?" he asked the Volcano Elemental.

"No," Tephra replied, "by the time they realized fighting back was was useless, it was too late to change their minds"

One of the smouldering, battered forms shifted and began to groan. Tephra's arm shot up--her glowing red fist a herald of a stream of scorching hot _scoria_ stones milliseconds away from scything across the rooftop toward the moaning form of the intruder--when, in the blink of an eye, The Monarch's watermelon sized fist closed around her wrist...

"No," he said gently as they locked eyes, "We will question this one. Simply restrain the others please". The Elemental's flame/hair flared a little at the suggestion (a version of "rolling one's eyes"), but she nonetheless dropped her arm and in one fluid motion, extended her other arm, washing the motionless forms of the intruders from head to toe in a thick layer of _lahar_...a volcanic version of concrete.

In the microseconds it took The Monarch to assess what had happened, he flew into action, screaming "NOOOooo!!" as he swiped the thick _lahar_ away the noses and mouths of the unconcious thieves, lest it become their tomb.

He shook his head at his own carelessness. The Volcano Elemental cared nothing for human life, indeed seemed barely capable of distinguishing between objects and people.

He promised himself he would work harder to ensure her body count would remain at zero.

He was about to orate on the subject as they approached the lone conscious intruder, when he interrupted them.

"Please....plea...Ow!...Please don't hurt me", he moaned at the approach of the duo.

The two stared down at the mewling form. Kronus spoke first...

"You have a very few moments to tell me everything about this break-in. The goal, the plan, the brains behind the operation...if I feel that I am not being taken seriously, there will be repercussions that you wuld not like to imagine" Kronus cracked his knuckles meaningfully 

*(OOC: with his skill of +9, his roll on intimidate was a very respectable 22)*

The badly mauled robber paled visibly at the overt threat from the 1600 lb gorilla.

"Look, I need some kind of guarantee that if I talk, I walk..ok? I mean that's reasonable right? *The Cranium* doesn't take well to rats" Turning his gaze past Kronus, he looked to *Tephra* and said "C'mon, lady..help me out here will you? This Gorillla is..."

But the sentence didn't get finished as The Volcano Elemental's hair and eyes flared up, and a toungue of flame shot from her mouth and wiped across her lips. 

*(OOC: Tephra's +12 Intimidate skill added to her roll get her a very respectable 30)*

The robber sobbed uncontrollably for a few moments..taking the opportunity to wet himself before he continued.

"Ok...Ok...Look...*The Cranium* wanted us to get in and nab something called "The Crystal Skull"...it's in there in the Archaeological display. I don't know what he wanted it for. But he was paying top dollar for it..and I mean top dollar. The thing is made of quartz, ok...so I don't know what he wants it so bad for.

*(OOC: both characters failed their untrained Knowledge: villains rolls, and thus have no idea who The Cranium might be)*

"We were supposed to deliver it to warehouse 13A, down in Yaletown. We'd get the money then...that's all I know, that's all I know..." the robber cringed as if expecting a _coup de grace_.

*(OOC: Both characters made their untrained Knowledge: Cascade City rolls, to realize that warehouse 13A) is a government "Special Containment" facility...it's no big secret  and realized that a Villain beiing able to "take calls" there was dangeorus news at best)*

The Monarch and Tephra looked at one another. This time The Volcano spirit spoke first "We should make all haste"

The Gorilla King nodded his agreement as she turned on her heel and made for the ground.

Before following, Kronus leaned down to the injured thief and spoke

"You've caught me in a generous mood. Gather your wits and leave here...now. Do not return and leave your life of crime, for should our paths cross again, under similar circumstances, I assure you, you will not find me so...generous"

"No..No man...I'm done in the business! I'm going straight!" He yelped from behind tightly closed eyes, "I'm through with the life! I'm..."He peeked out from behind pinched eyelids.

But a gust of wind had signalled the Monarch's exit.


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## Sniktch (Dec 21, 2002)

*Praise*

Good stuff, T-B.  Brings me back to the days of 5 cent cover prices.  I love the character pictures and backgrounds so far, and it looks like we have a nice plot being brewed by the nefarious Cranium - can't wait for more!


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 21, 2002)

*Re: Praise*



			
				Sniktch said:
			
		

> *Good stuff, T-B.  Brings me back to the days of 5 cent cover prices.  I love the character pictures and backgrounds so far, and it looks like we have a nice plot being brewed by the nefarious Cranium - can't wait for more! *




Thanks man, more will be on the way later today


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 22, 2002)

*Scene 2: Arc Angel and The Mormodillo*

It had been weeks since the fledgling hero *Arc Angel* had sought out *The Mormodillo*, She needed aid against the Cabal working beneath the _Eye of God_ Cathedral, and had sought the aid of "Holy" warriors like herself.

Her first stop in *New Zion* (Formerly the state of North Dakota), and her subsequent meeting with _The Chosen_ (*The Archangel Michael*, *The Armored Saint*, *Stigmata*, *The Holy Roller*, and *The Jesuit*) left her with a bad taste in her mouth.

Denounced by *The Archangel Michael* as being something other than an actual Angel, he and the others refused to listen to her call to arms. Suspicion bloomed in her mind that it must be * The Archangel Michael* who was, in fact, the impostor. 

She made a mental note to attempt to find out if Michael's earthly last name was "Nakamura"

Her next meeting was back in Cascade City. It was roundly more successful. She had met with *the Mornodillo* over coffee and he had agreed almost immediately to aid her in her cause. Their "detective work" (which amounted to roughing up anyone they felt might have some useful information--*The Mormodillo*'s presence made subtlety less of an option) had led them to a juicy piece of information: A largeish black, dreadlocked woman in odd white makeup and Jewellry had been seen around _The Eye of God_ frequently; speaking with the robed men, being waved in by the armed guards...

*(OOC: Here we go again, both characters missed their Untrained rolls to correctly identify the super villainess Mambo Voodoo)*

...and (one of the dregs the two of them had leaned on assured them) was routinely seen meeting with people at Warehouse 13A.

*(Both characters made their untrained Knowledge: Cascade City rolls to determine the facts about Warehouse 13A...which I'm beginning to beleive may be the worst kept "Secret" in the whole of government secret ops)*

The two of them Decided it was time to pay Warehouse 13A a visit, and so The Mormodillo dove snout first into the pavement and began to dig, tunnelling his way across town as the Lord's Electrical Enforcer folded her wings and followed through the rough-hewn passage.


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## Tortoise (Dec 22, 2002)

*Where does the 800lb. gorilla sit?*

... wherever the 1600lb. gorilla tells him to! 

Nice start TB. 

Having just gotten my mitts on a copy of M&M, I'm looking forward to your story hour for inspiration and entertainment.

Judging by the maxed out dexterity of a number of the characters I almost get the feeling the players are old hands at Champions.


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 23, 2002)

*Scene 3: The Cosmic Commissar, Molly Kewler, and The Fakir*

It was clear to *The Cosmic Commissar* that the dastardly jaibreak from the Super-Penitentiary _Island Z_ had not been entriely an inside job.

Someone had broken *Big Lummox* out. But there had been no clues when they questioned the staff of the prison: none of them could recall the *Lummox* having left, though the monstrous humanoid-shaped hole in the outer wall of the main dormitories left little question as to his avenue of egress.

"I don't understand how he could've just walked out of here without someone having switched off the power nullfier field in his cell..." *The Commissar* mused to his companion, the super-scientist, super-model, super-heroine *Molly Kewler*, in his thick Muscovite accent.

"Well, clearly _all_ their minds have been tampered with; but there hasn't been mentalist of such power loose in Cascade City since *The Awesomes* put *The Bad Motivator* behind bars back in '92"

"Where is she now?" He asked...sensing the answer they were looking for.

"Still safely confined in her Stasis Tube, down on level 6...for 40-odd more years".

"Dammit"

They continued to watch from the sidelines as members of the vaunted *Honor Guard* (The Nightmare Detective: *Black Sabre* and his cohort, the blonde, blue-eyed *Paragon*) drew the lion's share of the attention from the prison staff, the police and the press present.

"Let us--how do you say--"hit the streets", I think we will not have luck here so long as the Honor Guard shows an interest" Magnetik grumbled.

"Not likely" Molly agreed, and they headed for the outside world.

As they took to the air (Molly decreasing her mass to near zero, while The Cosmic Commissar bent the forces of magnetism to his will, affecting the metal in her belt buckle, boots and wristwatch to maneuver her as he flew), avoiding the ferry from _Island Z_, a small figure floated from the mainland toward them.

*The Fakir*, a small, wizened brown man in an embroidered loincloth drifted up next to them in the lotus position.

In Indian-accented English, he addressed the two heroes. "My very good friends!, I would have words with you most promptly when we reach the shore!"

Unsure of what to make of the situation, The Commissar and Molly kept pace with the mystic until the three of them alighted on the ferry dock. The Fakir remained in the lotus position, hovering above the ground, at eye level.

He was the first to speak "My thanks for your generous gift of time, I am *the Fakir*"

"We know who you are" Molly Kewler lied. The Cosmic Commissar nodded his agreement (that is to say: also lied)

The Fakir nodded sagely, "Very good my friends, I too am familiar with the work of The Cosmic Commissar and Dr. Molly Kewler. Now, more to the point, I have spoken with several of your _harijan_ in the area..."

Both Magnetik and Molly hid their mystification at the term behind steely stares.

*(OOC: Harijan are the "untouchables" in the Indian caste system. The Fakir was referring to the homeless in the area)*

"...and they made mention that when the Big Lummox leapt from the Island to the shore, he carried a man with an truly _enormous_ head upon his back. When they landed mere yards from here, they were picked up in van driven by...a gigantic Insect!"

*(OOC: Well 'lo and behold! Will wonders never cease? The Cosmic Commissar made all of the rolls necessary to correctly identify both The Cranium and  The Insectoid from The Fakir's descriptions)*.

From behind his star-field mask, Magnetik spoke; "The Cranium! Looks like our suspicions were correct about a mentalist...and if he's working with The Insectoid, and freeing Big Lummox, that can only mean *Damage Incorporated* has been hired by him."

Molly interjected "Where were they going? Did your "harija-men" have an answer?" she asked excitedly.

Giving her a strange look, The Fakir responded "Your Mr. Cranium was heard to shout at the Insect that he wished him to drive to Warehouse 13A"

*(OOC: I was almost ready to cry. Molly easily made her untrained roll to identify the location as a secret government storage facility. *Sigh*)*

"Warehouse 13A?" Molly said quizzically, "that's  bad news. The government stores "sensitive" items there under lock and key. I think we can expect them to have broken in, or be in the process as we speak!"

"We have a good deal less than a moment to lose I am afraid" said The Fakir in a decent attempt to use a colloquialism.

They all looked at each other for a brief second before taking to the air...streaking toward warehouse 13A


----------



## Sniktch (Dec 23, 2002)

> "We have a good deal less than a moment to lose I am afraid" said The Fakir in a decent attempt to use a colloquialism.




LOL!  Funny stuff, although I think the player should have named him The Half-Naked Fakir


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## jonrog1 (Dec 23, 2002)

Loving the storyline, and as a naturalized Canadian who lived in Montreal, digging the Hoonan.  But my main question is, who's doing the kick-@ss art for your characters?


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## Theovis (Dec 23, 2002)

jonrog1 said:
			
		

> *Loving the storyline, and as a naturalized Canadian who lived in Montreal, digging the Hoonan.  But my main question is, who's doing the kick-@ss art for your characters? *




That would Toren "MacBin" Atkinson, rpg-artist, musician, and Cthuloid afficianado extraordinaire.


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 24, 2002)

*The Fakir*'s writeup has been added.


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 25, 2002)

*Tephra*'s writeup has been added as well (loos like my players are spolingme for Christmas)


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## Sniktch (Dec 25, 2002)

Woo!  A Christmas bonus from Cascade City


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## GreyOne (Dec 26, 2002)

TB - Very Cool.


I just picked up M&M (though not at the place you suggested, I got it in Port Moody).

Anyway, looking forward to seeing references to "Cascade City."


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 26, 2002)

> _Originally posted by GreyOne _*...Anyway, looking forward to seeing references to "Cascade City." *




Would it add any value to the Story Hour were I too just post littleblurbs about *Cascade City* irrespective of the plot (maybe call them "Fodors: Cascade City" or "Let's Go: Cascade City" or something like that)

Cause I have about a half million such tidbits that I could add


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## GreyOne (Dec 26, 2002)

Or Lonely Planet: Cascade City.  


Hopefully there'll be a nefarious super villain plot line involving the kidnapping of the Cascade City Canucks team, right before Game 7 of the Stamley Cup against the Gotham Gargoyles.


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## GreyShadow (Dec 26, 2002)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Would it add any value to the Story Hour were I too just post littleblurbs about Cascade City irrespective of the plot (maybe call them "Fodors: Cascade City" or "Let's Go: Cascade City" or something like that)
> 
> Cause I have about a half million such tidbits that I could add *




Yes please o'great one!


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## Sniktch (Dec 26, 2002)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> *Would it add any value to the Story Hour were I too just post littleblurbs about Cascade City irrespective of the plot (maybe call them "Fodors: Cascade City" or "Let's Go: Cascade City" or something like that)
> 
> Cause I have about a half million such tidbits that I could add *




That'd be a great thread for Plots & Places, or as interludes to the main story.  This thread has already made me want to buy M&M, and I could just go about yoinking Cascade City for my setting


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 26, 2002)

GreyOne said:
			
		

> *Or Lonely Planet: Cascade City.
> 
> 
> Hopefully there'll be a nefarious super villain plot line involving the kidnapping of the Cascade City Canucks team, right before Game 7 of the Stamley Cup against the Gotham Gargoyles. *




Well, you should know that the leader of the *Pacific Sentinels* (The Western-Canadian arm of the Canadian Government's *Sentinels* organization) is headed up by _The Defenceman_, a hockey themed speedster.

So this plot idea of yours could be slotted in pretty easily

Hmmm...if the Canucks keep going like they are currently, it may even be a timely adventure come May or so


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 27, 2002)

*The Requisite Misunderstanding...*

*The Monarch* peered out from the long shadows in the alleyway across from the (apparently well-known) secret government storage facility _Warehouse 13A_. His red eyes reflected what little illumination the flickering streetlights cast.

At his side, *Tephra* the Volcano Elemental had lowered her flames to a  dark bluish-green as she took in the situation.

"I see _nothing_," she muttered to the hulking primate, her voice dripping with venom, "If that parasite lied to you about this place, he will pay dearly" .

"Hold your tongue my loyal retainer. The thief we questioned didn't seem to have the strength of will to mislead us, in your presence...as such, we can assume that this "*Cranium*" is either here, or will be shortly"

A low growl akin to sliding tectonic plates was the only answer he recieved.

At that very moment, the asphalt surface of the street in front of _Warehouse 13A_ began to crack and give way. Before the very eyes of the Gorilla King and The Volcano Elemental a brass spear cracked through the tarmac, followed by a clawed grey hand.

The moment there was enough of an aperature in the street to admit her form, a lithe, winged form vaulted from to the edge of the hole, over the spear, and began scanning the street, her hands crackling with an electrical charge...

*(OOC: It's the Arc Angel folks! She blows her untrained spot roll to notice Tephra or The Monarch lurking in the shadows and remains unaware of their presence)* 

A greyish, beastial head rose from the tunnel, began sniffing the air, and attempted to lever himself out of the tunnel with the spear they had earlier seen...

*(OOC: I would hope that after all the good response he's recieved both here and over at Greenronin.com, The Mormodillo needs no introduction ) He also misses his spot roll, giving The Monarch and Tephra a surpise round)*

*The Monarch* spoke authoritatively to his cohort, "We seem to have found either *the Cranium* or his Vassals. Immobilize them Tephra, and be ready to subdue the winged miscreant. _I_ shall deal with the beast"

The words had barely left his mouth when she stepped forward and unleashed a blast of the volcanic _lahar_ at them

*(OOC: Tephra spends a hero point to add the "Area" extra to her "Snare" attack for this round and rolls well, immobilizing them and adversely affecting their Dexterity Ability and their attack rolls)*

At that same moment *The Monarch* launched himself at *The Mormodillo* (who now appeared for all the world like a severed Armadillo head--with snazzy sunglasses-- lying in the street, as the hole he was in was now filled with concrete). 

Unimaginably fast, Kronus closed the distance and fired dozens of jackhammer punches at *The Mormodillo*'s exposed head...

(*OOC: It's strictly a special effect folks...we thought that the Mach One Punch extra shouldn't represent a single, really fast (hard) punch, but a huge number of normal strength punches. Yes, the physics concerning this is shaky, but if it's good enough for Alpha Flight, it's good enough for me  The mechanics for Kronus', thousand punches is the same as Mach One Punch.)*

...to no discernible effect! Skinned knuckles were not something the King of the Titans was accustomed to, but the bony exoskeleton of *the Mormodillo* had repulsed his most brutal attack.

*OOC: As you had likely guessed, The Mormodillo made a good damage save...Surprise round is over)*

At this point, our camera shifts to *The Cosmic Commissar*, *Dr. Molly Kewler* and *The Fakir* hurtling past the downtown skyscrapers and toward the Yaletown warehouse district...

"How much farther now _tovarisch_?" *The Commissar* asked *Molly* as they soared, the diminuitive figure of * The Fakir* floating behind them in the lotus postion. 

She pointed her long, tapered finger toward a nondescript warehouse below them, "just down there, it's....oh my" Her comment caught in her throat as they all watched the raging battle on the street.

A glossy, faceted woman, head on fire, appeared to be spraying an Angel down some manner of paste, while a 10 ft. gorilla punched at a large animal head lying in the middle of the road faster than the eye could follow. The Sunglasses the head wore rattled from side to side with every punch.

"I LOVE THIS COUNTRY" *The Fakir* shouted with glee, "I am here less than a week nd already i am fighting evil!"

*(OOC: at this point everyone rolls initiative)*

*The Cosmic Comissar*, aware that the fight had to be stopped, but unsure who was on the side of the *The Cranium* and who their de-facto allies were....went with his best guess as he watched the enormous Gorilla pummel away at the Armadillo head...

"He is, how do you say...hitting a guy with glasses!" Calling up all of his magnetic power, he swooped down to a mere 30 feet from the melee (*Dr. Kewler* in tow) and tore a telephone pole from it's moorings, sparks cascading from it's base like a firework. 

The pole hovered in the air momentarily before streaking toward *The Monarch*. En route, at the Commissar's  mental command it took the shape of a horseshoe and was quickly closing around the Gorilla King like a full body shackle.

In the blink of an eye, *Kronus*  left off his jackhammer punching of *The Mormodillo* and, samson-like, pushed mightily against the iron pillar constricting him.

*The Commissar* fought mightily to restrain the Titan, but to no avail... as his magnetic eforts gave out, *The Monarch* cast aside the telephone pole as a child tosses aside a whiffle bat.

*(OOC: The was a grapple attempt by the Cosmic Comissar on The Monarch. The Commissar (Substituting his Energy Control for STR in the equation) made a successful "grab" roll, but failed in the opposed "hold" roll, despite adding a hero point for extra effort.*

*Arc Angel*, enraged by the attack by what she could only assume were the minions of *The Cranium*, summoned the lightning the Lord had enshrined within her angelic form and shattered the concrete shell restraining her...her hands now free, she gestured toward the flame haired demon that lurked in the alleyway...arcing bolts of electricity through her stony form.

(*OOC: Arc Angel uses a free action to activate her damage field--immediately doing enough damage to free her from Tephra's lahar snare. She then attacks with her Energy Blast (Electricity), and damaging the Volcano Elemental. Tephra attempts to make a will save to avoid going berserk and fails.*

*Molly Kewler*, seeing herself positioned correctly above the Geat Ape below, concentrated briefly, causing her mass to double, quadruple, octuple...on and on. Within microseconds she was free of *The Cosmic Comissar*'s tenuous magentic grip, and plummetting toward the Titan like a curvaceous wrecking ball...her molecular density approaching that of battleship plate. She had, unfortunately, not taken *The Monarch*'s inhuman speed into account, and at the last possible moment, he moved fractionally to one side.

She thundered into the ground, sinking a good 12 inches into the pavement.

*(OOC: Dr. Kewler attempts a charge attack from above, and due to some poor luck with the dice, simply misses. She is now prone)*

The battle raged on, *The Monarch* landing a solid series of punches, finally concussed *The Mormodillo*, his eyes going glassy as he still lay trapped in the Lahar concrete.

*Tephra*, now in a bloody berserk rage aimed at everyone on the field but *Kronus* shrieked; her glassy obsidian form cracking as her molten blood forced its way out of her basalt form...the Explosion showered everyone with shards of stone, superheated steam, and molten magma... the glowing crater where she had stood bore mute testimony to the power of a volcanic eruption.

*OOC: Tephra uses her Alternate Form: Explosion power, and everyone is within the area of affect. Only The Mormodillo and Molly Kewler are unaffected.*

*The Fakir* put his lips to his _Pungi Flute_ and began playing a hypnotic tune, attempting to lull *The Monarch* into a stupor. Though the Primate's eyes glazed over for a split-second, he quickly shook his head and regained his wits.

"So," *Kronus* said to his assembled adversaries, "_all_ of *The Cranium*'s underlings would square off against The Mighty *Kronus*!...then so be it. Come jackals, learn your lesson the hard way."

*The Cosmic Commissar*, hearing these words, swooped down above the collected heroes.

"We are not *The Cranium*'s people. We assumed you were."

Momentarily everyone held their breath. 

"If you aren't working for *The Cranium*, the who are you?" *Arc Angel* asked no one in particular.  She took the spare moment to lightning the concrete holding her ally, *The Mormodillo*, releasing him as he regained his composure.

At this point, the characters began sorting out exactly who they all were. Apologies were exchanged for the misunderstanding and *Molly* asked...

"Who was that woman with the fiery hair and the glassy skin?"

"Oh No..." *The Monarch* said, resignedly.

*(OOC: Tephra, currently invisible and incorporeal, attempts a will save to come out of her berserk rage and fails. She takes a free action to reform and immdiately explodes again*

After everyone's damage was calculated from *Tephra's* seond detonation ( ) *The Cosmic Commissar* asked *Monarch* Can she hear us Tovarisch?"

*The Monarch* nodded and began to speak aloud...of the times they had spent watching each other's backs, of how she saved his life many times over and vice versa...and how they are now among friends.

*The Comissar*, feeling a little stupid, but understanding the plan, began to try and "talk her down".

*(OOC: The Monarch spends a hero point attempts to use his Inspire Feat to give Tephra a +2 on her Will save. The Commissar attempts to give her a further +2 using his Diplomacy skill.  Both are successful, as is the Will save.*

As the group gathers around the re-formed (though hardly reformed) Volcano Elemental, they notice a squat, dwarfish man in a black leather jumpsuit standing within the parking fence of _Warehouse 13A_. When he sees he has been spotted he "vanishes" in a puff of coloured smoke.

Everyone succesfully rolls to recognize *The Mumbler*, ex-lackey for *The Cranium*, and current member of the supervillain cabal known as *Damage Incorporated*...

Seconds after he vanished, lights could be seen going on in the warehouse...

*(OOC: We had to knock off at this point and go see LotR: TTT at a midnight showing. More to come when we start playing again after the holidays...*


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## Quickbeam (Dec 27, 2002)

Author!  Author!  Good stuff T-Bill...I can't wait to read more.  This campaign (and the game itself) sounds like a lot of fun!!

I promise to keep tabs on this thread, and personally cast my vote for Tephra being the coolest hero of the bunch .  If you find a little extra time, check out the Holiday Iron DM thread -- there's a surprise inside .


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 29, 2002)

*Lonely Planet: Cascade City...WindMan's Aerie.*

SETTING RELATED, NON PLOT ENTRY 

In the heart of the dilapidated _Gastown_ neighbourhood is the abandoned hulk of the long-closed WoodWard's dept. Store.

In the neighbourhood's heyday (the 1930's), Woodwards was one of the city's reatil juggernaut, employing hundreds of people on it's 12 floors, and anchoring the area in less tangible ways (their Christmas displays were legendary, and drew crowds from all over the city, for example).

Though it wasn't understood at the time, when the Woodward family fell into bankruptcy in the mid 1980's (and their stores shortly thereafter closed city-wide), it signalled the beginning of the steady decline of the _Gastown_ neighbourhood.

The steady influx of drugs, largely supplied by crimelord *Deacon Dark* (and all that is implied by such: higher property crime, more prostituiton, and a sharp increase in the population of super villains) made the lower middle class neighbourhood into slum, with abject poverty and little or no hope for improvement. The extinguishing of the giant rotating "W" on the roof of the Woodwards building was as perfect a symbol as could be imagined.

While the homeless sought shelter in the empty expanses of the old store, the main floor served as an impromptu "market", dealing in drugs, stolen goods and other _less_ savory merchandise.

One day, the giant, neon "W" re-lit, and began turning once again. No one in _Gastown_ could explain why, but it was considered more of a curiosity than a burning mystery.

One morning the "marketplace" was swept clean and out into the street by hurricane force winds. Attempts by the unsavory elements to return to the main floor of the Woodward's building were similarly, inexlicably rebuffed. When a local *First Church of the Cosmonaut* chapter set up a soup kitchen and first aid station for the locals, it was allowed to remain.

When drug dealers attempted to set up in the area and service the crowd drawn by the food and medical treatment; many were said to have been hurled into concrete walls, whisked out to sea and unceremoniously "dropped" or to have met with a variety of other accidents until they moved to more distant locales. 

Word began to spread of the Woodward's building being haunted.

It became known that select members of the community (*Rev. Nate Sloane of the FCtotC* chief amongst them) were in contact with the forces responsible for the neighbourhood's "purge". 

Gossip slowly confirmed that the area was now under the protection of *Windman*

The escaped _SECTOR_ Weather Control experiment had, following his escape from their compound, taken up residence atop the Woodward's building, and upon seeing the squalor of the neighbourhood, had taken it upon himself to improve the lot of the locals (though, as more than one news report pointed out in the months to come, *Windman* was _fighting_ the locals as much as protecting them).

He had returned power to the rotating "W", although imbuing it with a meaning far different from "Woodwards".

*Windman* created _The Aerie_ on the roof of the building, surrounding the sign tower. It is a square, four room prefab structure filled with such incredible crime fighting equipment as a Mainframe computer (donated), a stockpile of blankets (for distribution to the homelss on particularly cold nights), a communication centre (using the sign as an antenna), a lockup (to which the police have turned a blind eye), flashlites, handcuffs, and assorted other mundane equpment.

Shortly before the Hoon invasion, _SUPER! Magazine_ approached *Windman* about joining their promotional team: *The Justice Hurricane*. He did so, donating the lion's share of his wage to aid groups in the _Gastown_ area.

When the Hoon invaded, *Windman*, in a battle aboard a space cruiser, was exposed to hard vaccuum and shocked into a coma. He has yet to recover and is under constant treatment at _St. Paul's Hospital_ in Cascade City's West End.

In his absence, _Gastown_ has slowly begun returning to it's previous squalor. The Soup Kitchen has been largely besieged by drug dealers and fences, with no aid but prayers to *The Cosmonaut* for protection.

*The Aerie* remains untouched due to the difficulty of accessing it without being able to fly, coupled with it's not inconsiderable security systems. Though the "W" is still lit..._Gastown_ awaits another protector.



> *The Aerie*
> 
> 
> Communications
> ...






> WINDMAN (currently in a coma)
> 
> HEIGHT: 6'1"
> WEIGHT: 170 lbs
> ...


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## GreyOne (Dec 29, 2002)

I loved that!  Its impressive how you can get real life places/situations and intermingle them with the superhero setting you're concocting.  Keep it up TB.  I'm enjoying it.


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## Snoweel (Dec 30, 2002)

Awesome.

Gawd, TB - you're blessed with a brilliant group (not to mention how lucky your players are).

I've never been into superhero-type RPG's, but this Story Hour is the first time I've seen it as I assume it was intended to be run. I'm getting some serious ideas for a Sydney-based setting.

And the Mormodillo! F---ing excellent! I assume Stuart is the same Stuart I'm thinking of. His writeup is typical Stuart hilarity - innocent un-PC brilliance.

Kudos to you crazy Canucks.


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 30, 2002)

Snoweel said:
			
		

> *...And the Mormodillo! F---ing excellent! I assume Stuart is the same Stuart I'm thinking of... *




Stuart is known as *Fusangite* on these boards if that clears the waters at all

Nice to see you again Snoweel You spend too little time here


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## Bonehoard Taffer (Dec 31, 2002)

Billy,

glad to see you doing a super hero based story hour.  I am sure that those of us who are fans of the genre will benefit from your years of RPG experience as well as your enthusiasim for super hero gaming.  I know that you had quite an extensive champions campaign going at one time (I don't know, maybe you are still running it).  And of course, you are starting your M&M campaign up.  Thus far I have enjoyed your story hour and I am sure it will continue to entertain me.

Keep up the good work.


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## Teflon Billy (Dec 31, 2002)

Bonehoard Taffer said:
			
		

> *...glad to see you doing a super hero based story hour.  I am sure that those of us who are fans of the genre will benefit from your years of RPG experience as well as your enthusiasim for super hero gaming.*




Well, I hope people get something out of it (if only enjoyment), but I am posting the stats of most stuff relevant to the campaign whenever possible to add to the usefulness of the thread.



> *t you had quite an extensive champions campaign going at one time (I don't know, maybe you are still running it).  And of course, you are starting your M&M campaign up.  Thus far I have enjoyed your story hour and I am sure it will continue to entertain me.
> 
> Keep up the good work. *




Thanks!..now how did you know I had a big Champions campaign?  

We hadn't been playing it for ages, but it was far from "dead" (it still came up in coversation fairly frequently). The Cascade City setting is an amalgam of the settings of every Superhero game I've played since I had Villains and Vigilantes as a teen

Glad you are enjoying it


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## Bonehoard Taffer (Jan 1, 2003)

Teflon Billy said:
			
		

> *Thanks!..now how did you know I had a big Champions campaign?  Glad you are enjoying it *




A couple of things gave it a way, the most obvious being that I recall you mentioning it in another thread a while back.  Another thing was your use of a hero team called the Pacific Sentinels.  IIRC, they were a team of Canadian heroes from a Canadian Champions sourcebook.


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 1, 2003)

Ahh yes

My *Sentinels* organization includes virtually all "Canadian Identity" heroes (which is something any government super team in Canada would require let me tell you  )

SETTING RELATED, NON PLOT ENTRY 

*The Sentinels Organization* is headed by Canadian Forces Lieut. Col. Richard Uppington-Smythe, a career paper pusher.

The Sentinels duties involve very little mundane "Law Enforcement" (as a poll showed that the government using a team of supers to police the citizenry was not apopular concept with Canadians), and more along the ines of dealing with natural disasters, and super villainy.

In truth, *The Sentinels* were created, more than for any other reason, as a  response to the formation of the U.S. President's personal super-team *Executive Sanction*, and are chronically underfunded and poorly marketed.

*The Pacific Sentinels*: Headquarters-Pacific Landmark Tower; Cascade City, British Columbia.


*The Defenceman*: Hockey themed Speedster
*Lumber Jack*: Big, Strong, Axe-wielding bearded man in a Mackinaw jacket, toque and work boots.
*Grizzly*: Humanoid Grizzly bear. Super Strength Super scientist.

*The Central Canadian Sentinels*: Headquarters-Brotherhood Citadel; Empire City, Ontario.


*L'Habitant*: Oar-Wielding, Sonic Power (Singing) hero with a flying canoe for team transport.
*Le Chat*: Human woman with the proportional strength, leaping ability, claws, senses and agility of a cat.  Media darling.
*Fleur De Lys*: Solar Powered Energy blaster.
*Loup Garou*: Mild mannered loafer/Giant Werewolf (can control transformation)

There is also an *Atlantic Sentinels* organization, but they are not well detailed in my campaign, being more along the lines of pulp-level heroes (Atlantic Canada always gets the shaft from our government). The only member ever mentioned was 
*The Maritimer*

...who was essentially a much, weaker version of _earth: Marvel_'s *Sub-Mariner*.

*Executive Sanction*: Headquarters-Fortress XS ; Emerald City, Washington (The new Capitol of the United States since the destruction of *Republic City* by the Hoon's asteroid Mass-Driver.


*G-Man*: Gravitic Powers, Tactical Genius.
*Straight Arrow*: Incredible Archer with a variety of super-tech arrows.
*G.I. Gantic*: U.S. Army Ranger with _Growth_ powers.
*The U.S.Archon*: Flying, super strong super patriot


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 4, 2003)

*Lonely Planet: Cascade city... First Church of the Cosmonaut*

SETTING RELATED, NON PLOT ENTRY 

When Soviet Cosmonaut Vladislav Rubachenko was ordered to pilot the experimental reationless space vehicle _The Soldarity of the Working Class_ on a 6 month mission out past the moon (a mission of the utmost secrecy) it was assumed by all in the politburo that he was not coming back. 

But something happened to Colonel Rubachenko while he was out there. When the _Solidarity_ came limping back to the _Zvezdny Gorodok_ ("Star City") space facility Rubachenko had been...changed.

Though he physically looked much the same as when he left, he was imbued with powers beyond those of normal men. First manifesting as powerful telekinetic abilites, Rubachenko was attached to the Soviet National Super Team (an arm of the Red Army) and renamed *Kosmonaut*.

But this was not an ordinary metahuman. Seemingly with every passing day, *Kosmonaut*'s powers increased, or manifested entirely new aspects (inside of a year of his being attached to the Red Army, he could effect nearly every metahuman power that had ever been observed), and for awhile, the Supreme Soviet was incredibly happy with their *Kosmonaut*.

But with his seemingly ever-increasing levels of power came mental changes that were making it harder and harder for the Russians to "aim" their weapon. The immense levels of telepathy and enhanced senses he was devloping made it next to impossible for *The Kosmonaut* to concentrate on communication with one person, he was developing a truly "global" view of things. 

The Soviet push into Afghanistan, originally so successful with *The Kosmonaut* in the Vanguard (disintegrating entrie cities with but a gesture, striding across battlefields like a titan), simply stalled out (eventually being repulsed by fanatical _Mujahedeen_ guerillas led by the fabled *Lion of Islam*) when he, to all apparent purposes, simply decided to no longer fight.

*The Kosmonaut* attempted briefly to work with elements of *The Honor Guard*, hoping that he might have a place amongst Earth's most powerful heroes, but in very short order, his power growth left even a group this powerful in his wake. It was being speculated by the world media that there was virtually nothing that *The Kosmonaut* _couldn't_ do, and there was little reason to question this position.

Amongst the list of acts attributed to *The Kosmonaut*


Removal of Cancer from every sufferer on Earth (new cancer has appeared since this mass healing)
The conversion of Greenland to arable land (and a subsequent change back to Tundra whe it became clear that the Russians and Americans were going to go to war over it)
The elimination of the moon-sized comet _DaSilva-McIntyre_ as it was about to collide with the Earth.

Without their "Pet God" (as he was known to the Western press), the Soviets were incapable of maintaining the level of control over their territories as they had in the past, and President *Mikhail Gorbachev* began instituting a program of _Glasnost_ ("Openness"), heralding the fall of the Soviet Union.

The world feared the worst when *Malcolm Factor*, the centenarian criminal mastermind, laid a trap for *The Kosmonaut* in the New Mexico desert. *Factor* (correctly) assumed that a Nuclear detonation would draw the attention of Earth's mightiest creature, and (incorrectly) assumed that subsequent detonations would destroy him.

That they weaponry did _nothing_ to him was a surprise to all involved.

It was seemingly without anger that *the Kosmonaut* collected all of the musroom cloud fallout back toward himself as well as somehow (it was, and is, beyond the ken of current science) pulling all of the residual radiation into a 1km square area and containing it therein.

He summoned *Factor* to him (that is to say; materialized him) and in front of the gathered press, made *Factor* _immortal_(forever frozen at age 104), and incapable of suriviving outside of a high radiation environment.

He then tossed *Factor*, through the air into what the press has, in recent years, come to refer to asl the "Factor Zone"....the 1km square area of nuclear fallout and blast debris. *Malcolm Factor* resides there to this day; mad from boredom and loneliness, incapable of leaving due to the excruciating pain involved.

In recent years, *The Kosmonaut* has withdrawn almost entirely from earthly concerns, residing in high orbit in a crystal space station of his own creation (approx. 10km across). Attempts to contact him go unnoticed, attempts to approach _The Cosmopolis_ are gently rebuffed.

In this same time frame, there have been several instances of individuals "praying" to *The Kosmonaut* for aid....and recieving it in some way (though never with a direct intervention).

Across the world, small chapters of the U.S. based _First Church of the Cosmonaut_, have sprung up and are growing in popularity.

It would seem that people have a much easier time with a religion that requires no faith at all; simply belief that there is a higher power for good. Many see the *Cosmonaut* as that higher power.

The Vatican has yet to issue a statement on the existence of *The Cosmonaut*, except to say that "everything is part of God's plan"

*The Chosen*, the leaders of _New Zion_ have not been so diplomatic, going so far as to speculate that *The Cosmonaut* may be the AntiChrist mentioned in the book of revelation, and that they intend to keep an eye out for any attempts to unite the world under his rule (though *The Armored Saint*, in one of his more candid moments, admitted he hd no idea what they could hope to do should tis come to pass).

It was largely the intervention of *The Cosmonaut* that allowed Earth's heroes to mobilize against the *Hoon*, holding as he did some 2000 of the *Hoon*'s Capital Ships immobile in the oort belt,  and alerting (by taking control of every piece of technology on Eath capable of transmitting a voice; Televisions, Radios, hearing aids...) humanity to it's threat at virtually the same moment the *Justice Hurricane* unmasked the *Hoon* Infiltrators on live TV.

The Hoon were reduced to using Troop Transport Saucers without the planned pre-invasion bombardment.

Why *The Cosmonaut* allowed the Troop Ships through reamins a mystery to this day. Speculation ranges from "there _is_ a limit to his power", to "The Cosmonaut works in mysterious ways".



> Stats...
> 
> There are no stats. *The Cosmonaut* is not a character, he is a plot device. Part *Galactus*, part *Dr. Manahattan*.


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## Tear44 (Jan 7, 2003)

bump bump and away


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 7, 2003)

Thanks for the bump Tear44 

We arep laying tonight for the first time since our Christmas/New Year's Hiatus...so there should be anew story post either late tonight or tomorrow...featuring the debut of the long awaited *Bionic Ninja* 

Stay tuned true believers.


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 11, 2003)

Due to circumstances beyond the control of anyone, the players of *Arc Angel* (gone to Scotland with her boyfriend) and *Molly Kewler* (had to work late at her hospital) were absent. To cover this eventuality, we went with my tried-and-true _make no mention of them whatsoever_ plan.

*ahem*

When we last left our heroes (that is, before Christmas ), they had just finished battling one another in the streets of _Cascade City_, out front of the infamous (and suprisingly well-known) _Warehouse 13A_...a government special containment facility.

Short moments after they had realized they were all working toward the same ends (investigating a suspected plot by variously, *The Cranium*, * Big Lummox* or *Damage inc.*), they caught sight of *The Mumbler*, a dwarfish, hunchbacked supervillain of some repute as he walked out into the fenced parking lot off one side of the warehouse. 

Upon seeing them, *The Mumbler* immediately teleported. 

Seconds later, the lights on the third floor of _Warehouse13A_ began going on.

Let's rejoin the action...

Beaten up as the team was from *Tephra*'s berserk,  repeated self-detonation, *Kronus, The Monarch* felt that they could use a few stirring words to hearten them for the what obviously seemed to be the coming battle.

His words cut to the very core of their beings. Drumming up pride, determination, and that elusive quality known as _fight_. The entire team seemed to be standing taller, their eyes somehow a little more steely...as his speech drew to close even the savagely pummeled *Mormodillo* was nodding knowingly at the Gorilla King.

*(OOC: Kronus spent a hero point to trigger his Inspire feat...healing everyone immediately for 3 stun hits)*

*The Monarch*'s words still ringing in his ears, *The Cosmic Commissar*, flush with a renewed sense of purpose, launched himself on magnetic waves of force up the third floor window where the lights had appeared, hurtling through the glass like a cannonball of proletarian fury.

Amid a storm of shattered glass, socialism's standard bearer alighted on the third floor...face to face with an very tall, morbidly, _morbidly_ obese man in a red spandex singlet and matching mask. No sooner had his feet touched the floor than his arm shot forward, releasing a bolt of concentrated electromagnetism at the immense mound of human flesh.

As the shaft of energy blistered the skin of his scarlet-clad "broad side of a barn" the *Commissar* stentorially announced...

"You're going back to _Island Z_ *Big Lummox*...we can---how do you say?--do it easy, or we can do it hard!"

*(OOC: The Commissar flies up to the window, smashes through, and is rewarded with a surprise round. He spectacularly fails his untrained roll to identify the villain he is facing and incorrectly identifies him as Big Lummox, rather than his actual foe, The Fat Maniac. He makes an attack that hits and does a stun hit of damage to the obese marauder. At this point everyone rolls initiative...everyone rolls crap, the highest initiative amongst the PC's being 12)*

Moments after *Magnetik* took flight, *The Mormodillo* dove snout first into the pavement and resumed his high speed burrowing. His head broke the surface inside the massive storage facility (reminiscent of an aircraft Hangar) and he scanned the area.

His eyes swung past crates stacked nearly to the ceiling, spray-stencilled with such labels as _Cancer-Free Cigarettes_ and _undying batteries_...but they were ignored as the fabled _Seerstones of Zahra-Hemla_, their rhomboid forms perched atop his nose in a pair of sunglasses, allowed *The Mormodillo* to peer through the warehouse walls into the street, into the parking lot, and into the _ground floor offices_ of Warehouse 13A!

There, unveiled before his eyes, was a scene that beggared description...

A giant, vacuum tube studded piece of brass machinery stood at the base of a man-sized tranparent cylinder. A shadowy form stood within the cylinder, greyish-green smoke swirling about him. A small team of scientists (guarded by an equal number of submachinegun-wierlding goons) worked feverishly on the odd machinery under the watchful gaze of the stooped, haggard *Mumbler*, and the titanic, cobalt-blue, *Big Lummox* (pictured below)







At that same moment, *The Fakir*, master of yogic mysticism, was levitating above the very spot where he had seen *The Mumbler* vanish mere moments before, hoping to find some residual "vibration" hinting at his whereabouts. When a moment's concentration proved fruitless, he sighed and drifted through the door from the parking lot into the crate-filled hangar area, and to the door that would lead to the first floor offices (one would assume).

*Tephra* (Volcano Elemental and all-around firebrand) stood looking at the three doors facing the street from the front of _Warehouse 13A_two loading bays side by side, and a third more conventional door to the right of them--briefly her eyes darted from door to door.

"The one in the middle" she growled and ran to the central loading bay door, pounding her basalt fists into it's steel facings to create handholds, then (seemingly effortlessly) simply tearing it off it's moorings. Her flaming eyes peered into the crate-filled warehouse and found no opponents.

A low grumble eminated from her as she hurled the gigantic door into the night sky (it was heard to splash into the bay moments later). She returned her attention to the warehouse a d saw the Fakir float across her line of sitight toward a door on the left-hand wall. She began her chrge and arrived moments ahead of him...

(more to come when I have a bit more time)


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## Krellic (Jan 12, 2003)

Good to see an M&M Story hour.  I'm finding the little vignettes that you're adding as interesting as the Story Hour.  This is obviously a background with some depth, and I look forward to plumbing it...


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 12, 2003)

Well, thank  you for the kind words Krellic. More about last Tuesday's game will be posted as I get time to write it


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## Sniktch (Jan 14, 2003)

Whoa, this almost dropped off the first page, can't have that now 

Still really enjoying this one - when's the next update coming?

EDIT:  BTW, Cascade City is definitely getting yoinked for my game once I pick up the M&M book


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 15, 2003)

Sniktch said:
			
		

> *...Still really enjoying this one - when's the next update coming?
> *




Later tonight most likely


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 16, 2003)

Back up on the third floor of the Warehouse's offices, where *The Cosmic Commissar* was squaring off against *The Fat Maniac*, a _third_ participant made his presence felt.

Stepping from behind the *Maniac*'s enormous bulk, came a diminutive man in a grey nehru suit. Pencil-sized veins criscrossed his gargantuan, bald, head. The veins, throbbed to a diameter approaching that of garden hoses as *The Cranium* narrowed his eyes at *The Cosmic Commissar*...

"Freeze", *The Cranium* calmly intoned; and at this suggestion, *The Commissar* found himself unable to move.

"Who the devil are you?" The mental Leviathan asked suspiciously, his head pulsing in a steady rhythm.

"I am here to put a stop to your plan, blackguard! Now Surrender!" *Magnetik* countered.

A wry grin crossed the features of the psionic, "No, I think not. Tell me how many allies you have brought with you...."

"Never!" that paralyzed hero growled through clenched teeth.

"...you just did," was his near-simultaneous reply.

*(OOC: The Cosmic Commissar can't catch a break with Will saves tonight, blowing both his save vs. The Cranium's Mind Control as well as his Telepathy. The Cranium now has the entire roster laid out before him in his head)*

*The Fat Maniac*, all 2000 pound red-spandexed girth of him in a mouth frothing rage at having been attacked (Berserk disadvantage...he is after all *The Fat Maniac*, not just *The Fat...Guy*), charged the inert *Commissar* as *The Cranium* moved toward the stairs down to the second floor. His punch, while of incredible power, failed to penetrate *The Commissar*'s force field. His rage grew to a near unimaginable pitch.

*(OOC:On a related note, a lot of talking got done there for a six second round don't you think? It's because we use the very super-hero appropriate Soliloquy rules. If anyone wants to talk at length, they can do so, and all action stops to accommodate it.

It was taken from my favorite panel of an Avengers comic. Captain America is being attacked by Baron Zemo and his Masters of Evil. One of the baddies throws something at Cap, who proceeds to say aloud....

"Oh no, Zemo has thrown a piece of the machinery at me...no time to get out of the ...*ooof!*"

....as he is hit by the missile. Behold! The magic of the comic-book soliloquy)*

Back out on the street, *Kronus* took action. Hurtling forward at a speed unimaginable to humanity he, at the last possible moment, turned ninety degrees and ran straight up the three story wall and through the window destroyed by *The  Cosmic Commissar*.

Not able to see *The Cranium* exiting the room (the sight line, like many sight lines in the room, was blocked by *The Fat Maniac*), The Gorilla King, faster than the eye could follow, unleashed a barrage of punches at the spandexed behemoth. His arms sinking nearly to the elbow with each hit. 

Though his punches connected with alarming ease, *The Fat Maniac*'s layers of blubber absorbed the punishment with equal ease. If the corpulent crimelord even _felt_ the punches hitting him, he gave no reaction (save the "ripples in a pond" effect from the points of impact across his whole body)

Back down on the ground floor...

As *Tephra* and *The Fakir* sped toward the door from the warehouse and street (respectively), a small crack had appeared in the floor of the street level offices. scant feet away from *The Mumbler*. 

*The Mormodillo*, surveying the entire room from below ground with the magical sight provided by the _Seerstones of Zahra-Hemla_ found his attention drawn to the shadowy figure within the glass cylinder atop the brass machine.

*(OOC: One of the many traits of the Seerstone Sunglasses is penetrating vision*)

As his vision pentrated the smoke within the tube, he gasped with shock. Inside the tube was none other than, Prince Sato Kobayashi, renegade heir to the throne of _Earth: Nippon_; otherwise known as...*The Bionic Ninja*!






*The Mormodillo* had spent many hours at the court of doddering old Ito Kobayashi, before the current machinations of the court of _Earth: Nippon_ had drenched the world in blood.

Young Sato he had not crossed paths with since delivering his mangled body to the mysterious _Roku_ cult of his home dimension, masters of nonu-se disciplines and cybernetics.

But Sato's legend had grown, and *The Bionic Ninja* was a frightening force for good in any world on which he set foot.

But what was he doing here? In the company of such as *The Big Lummox* and *The Mumbler*?

He decided it was past time he found out, and pushed himself through the flooring and into the first floor offices....


More to come when I have time to write it.


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## Bonehoard Taffer (Jan 16, 2003)

::BUMP:: for posterity, and because I like superheroes.


BTW, It's coming along very nicely Billy.  Stan Lee and Bob Kane would be proud.


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## Caliber (Jan 16, 2003)

Hehehe. Bionic Ninja! I can't read that without doing the Bionic Man thing. Sounds great.

The story is defintely starting to get good, and it reads just like a comic (without, you know, the pictures)

I'm waiting for some more Super-Hero whupping.


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## Windman (Jan 20, 2003)

I just wanted to pop in and say how glad i am this thread is here.  Not only does this thread read like  a great comic book, Billy's Games really play like a great comic book!  

I can say this with authority as I am the Original Windman of the Justice Hurricane.  When we traveled between locations fighting crime, I was our chief form of transportation, Picking up most of the other members with the wind and whipping and swirling them around me as we sailed en mass through the air, sometimes riding the jets streams to cross the continent. Hense the "Justice Hurricane" monkier. Great fun.  I wonder what the new team will call themselves, for that matter I wonder what all my non-comatose former team-mates are up to and will they appear as NPCs or guest playersin this campaign?

I have played in a number of T.B.'s games over the past few years, from d&d to champions and more, I gotta say the man is the real deal, the best Gm I have ever played under. Period.  Amoungst his many skills he is fantastic at bringing NPCs to life, and is incredibly good at add-libbing to cover any character unpredictability.  And our old group of regulars in Vancouver (amoungst which Mormidillo and the Cosmic Commissar were regular players [of different characters though]) were definitely eratic enough to keep him on his toes.

I esepcially remember an episode of a vampire game where my character critically fumbled a listen roll and mistook some overheard conversation to think that a nother vampire gang were going to have us killed, so the entire night's episode was an unprepared raid by us that never seemed to be anything but the planned adventure.  

Anways, I wax nostolgic because I am, well Windman man is still in a coma, and I am far from Vancouver, workin in Japan until mid 2004 or so, and as much as I really like my life here, ... there is no regular roleplaying group for me.  So  I check in from the computers at work regulary durring my breaks see what kind of trouble the new group will get into.  Thanx again so much for putting this up on the boards Je... er, Teflon Billy.  You rock.


I did order a copy of Mutants and Masterminds from Amazon.com though, just to read for now. It looks great!


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 20, 2003)

*Fodor's Cascade Ciy:  The Justice Hurricane (and a reply to WindMan)*



			
				Windman said:
			
		

> *...I wonder what the new team will call themselves, for that matter I wonder what all my non-comatose former team-mates are up to and will they appear as NPCs or guest players in this campaign?*




Heh, ask and ye shall recieve.


*Battery*: Kinetic Energy-absorbing two-fisted brawler. After a much publicized breakup with _Super!_ magazine's editor, Heather Hunter, *Battery* left the team. It remains unknown whether he was asked to leave by the magazine or not.

He is presently known to be teaming with his current paramour, *Assault*.

*Brown Bear*: After years of bumbling around with very little idea of how to interact with a world he baely understood, *Brown Bear* has finally found his footing. He currently leads *The Justice Hurricane*, owing to his immense popularity with the public at large, and with other high-profile heroes (he counts *Professor Atlas*, *Lumber Jack* and *Space Hawk* amongst his friends, and has lately been seen in the romantic company of the indigo enchatress, *Ultra Violet*).

*Kinetica, Mistress of Motion*: Her telekinetic powers are equal to those of near anyone on the planet, but *Kinetica*'s true power comes from her endorsement deals. As she is far and away considered the best looking woman on the planet, and has been _very_ careful about which products she lends her image to, Kinetica has become an extremely wealthy woman. Her very presence lends an air of credibility to *The Justice Hurricane* it might otherwise lack. Though it was not well reported, *Kinetica* and *Graham Stern* (the JH's business manager) were married this past fall. Rumours to this effect abound.

*Mirror Image*: The once insanely popular *Mirror Image* found himself in somewhat of a crisis of image following the Hoon invasion. The "Hero Swap" arranged by _Super!_ magazine between Japan's *Zen Team* and *The Justice Hurricane* resulted in Zen Team's leader *Zen Lion*, being sent to team with the JH, while *Mirror Image* was sent to fight at the side of *Zen Team*. It was meant to be, essentialyy, a photo op for both teams. 

The Hoon invasion came during that time, and while *Zen Lion* fought admirably at the side of his new teammates, *Zen Team* was destroyed over an erupting Mt. Fuji at the hand of none other than *Apocalypso*. *Mirror Image* escaped the battle unscathed.

Rumours abound to this day that he abandoned *Zen Team*, that he didn't fight well, that he was secretly a traitor, and a hundred others. 

He left *The Justice Hurricane*  under a cloud shortly after returning to Cascade City, and is still somewhat active on the late-night talk show circuit, and in certain superheroic circles.

*Blackwing and Tyler Bane*: *Blackwing*, in a fierce battle aboard the cruise ship _Pacific Princess_ in Cascade City's harbour, was slain by his own sidekick, *Tyler Bane*. 

Though he was arrested by the police following the incident, no charges were ever laid against Bane, and no statement ever given to the press.

*Bane* is currently for hire as a Metahuman Bounty Hunter.

*Windman*: Comatose.

*Zen Lion*: Current leader of the Japanese *Team Crisis Ninja XDO* (the newly formed Japanese national super-team formed to replace *Zen Team*)





> *I have played in a number of T.B.'s games over the past few years, from d&d to champions and more, I gotta say the man is the real deal, the best Gm I have ever played under. Period. *





Awww shucks 



> *Amoungst his many skills he is fantastic at bringing NPCs to life, and is incredibly good at add-libbing to cover any character unpredictability.  And our old group of regulars in Vancouver (amoungst which Mormidillo and the Cosmic Commissar were regular players [of different characters though]) were definitely eratic enough to keep him on his toes.*





I often wondered why I bothered to prepare adventures



> *I esepcially remember an episode of a vampire game where my character critically fumbled a listen roll and mistook some overheard conversation to think that a nother vampire gang were going to have us killed, so the entire night's episode was an unprepared raid by us that never seemed to be anything but the planned adventure. *





Ahh yes. _"They almost died tonight"_ overheard as _"They all must die tonight"_. 

[


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 26, 2003)

It seemed like days since *Bionic Ninja* had, barely ahead of his _Irridium Clan_ pursuers, finally located the Wu-Jen *Morimoto* and concvinced him to effect magical transfer from his homeland to the alternate _Earth: Image_ dimension.

*Morimoto* had warned (though the transfer would ,in fact, be instantaneous) that his sense of time would most likely be warped during the travel.

He had expected many things from interdimensional travel. Boredom was not amongst them.

There had been virtually no other sensation than that of forward movement since he stepped through the portal. It was as if...

Suddenly, he felt a distinct and unpleasant _sideways_ lurch.

He was suddenly reformed, surrounded by a greyish/green smoke (which strangely did not choke him). As the feeling returned to his fingers, he found them touching a smooth cool surface surrounding him. Some kind of "tube".

He looked out at an enormously, hideously muscled  blue-skinned man with a steel helmet and yellow accoutrements (*Big Lummox*) and a smaller troll-like bespectacled man in a black leather jump suit (*The Mumbler*). Before them were a battery of scholarly types in lab coats, one of them turned to the troll man and said  "well, _that_ isn't him"...

The dwarf replied something unintelligible, despite seeming to believe he was speaking normally.

*(OOC: The Mumbler has the Mute disadvantage, he can make noise...but simply cannot make himself understood. His only verbal communication is an indistinct, medium-volume mumble)*)

He surveyed the room and saw a crack forming in the floor, a brasss spear came through the crack, follwoed closely by a face he recognized!

It was none other than *The Mormodillo*, his father's old friend and confidant!

Beneath his mask, his face broke into a wide grin; perhaps these strange folk were *The Mormodillo*'s allies...

But as he saw the armor plated form of his old friend come into view, he also saw the leather-clad dwarf follow his glance and notice _Earth: Ballam_'s greatest hero...seemingly for the first time.


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## Caliber (Jan 26, 2003)

Nothing like an aborted planar hop to ruin your day.


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 27, 2003)

*The Mumbler* pointed at the emerging figure of *The Mormodillo* and raised the alarm; or rather, gave _his_ version of raising the alarm: pointing excitedly and making a low, senseless noise to which no one paid any attention.

*(OOC: As The Mumbler and Bionic Ninja were the only ones to make their spot rolls to notice The Mormodillo, I decided that Mumbler would spend the round "raising the alarm". One of the players mentioned that he was mute...when you got me, you got me  ) *

With a growing mix of alarm and dread, *The Mumbler* watched the *The Mormodillo* pull back his arm and hurl the legendary _Javelin of Teancum_, at the last possible second he left off poking at the side of *Big Lummox* and combined a sidewise lurch with a reflexive and ultra short-distance teleport, narrowly avoiding the hurtling brass relic.

His elation was as short lived as it was unintelligible. Unaware as he was that the _Javlin of Teancum_ returned to it's owner's hand after every cast, he was unprepared for it to pierce his back and emerge, point first, from his shoulder as it traced it's line back to the Armor-Plated Avenger. He was confused until the moment he hit the ground, unconscious.

*(OOC: Though The Mumbler used his Blink Extra to increase his defense by 5, The Mormodillo still rolled well enough to hit. I debated using a villain point to re-roll his crappy damage save, but decided against it as The Mumber was more of a scout than a fornt line fighter, and frankly the jig was up for Damage Incorporated and their employer.)*

*Bionic Ninja* seeing that he had dropped into the middle of battle, immediately shifted to his Roku Clan-trained _Komori_, or shadow, form.

Passing effortlessly through the glass tube that was mere moments before his prison, he slid up the wall of the offices into a corner of the ceiling, unseen.

At that moment, *Tephra* and *The Fakir* crashed through the door, joing *The Mormodillo* as he clambered out of his tunnel and snatched his returning Javelin out of mid air.

All three of the heroes confronted the awesome might of *Big Lummox* who turned his attention to the trio and growled "puny imbeciles...I WILL DESTROY YOU", and started toward them.

*Tephra* met the charge full on, asking the *Lummox* aloud "I wonder...do you _melt_?", and unleashing a blast of white hot _Scoria_ stones from her outstretched palm.






The stones and flame washed over the lunging form of *Big Lummox*, blistering his blue skin to black in spots and, unexpectedly, causing his muscles to enlarge, his height to increase, and his mass to expand.

*(OOC: Big Lummox has the Absorption power feeding to Growth)*

His enormous blue fist came thundering toward the Volcano Elemental like a ball from a cannon....


More to come....


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 30, 2003)

*Big Lummox*'s blue fist connected with the volcano elemental like a wrecking ball; cracking her glossy obsidian surface and releasing a fine sray of glowing orange magma as she slid several yards away from point of impact.

A thin, reedy tune began to waft through the air as the *Lummox* moved to follow up his brutal assault. All heads swung to the source of the music...

*The Fakir* had his _Pungi Flute_ pressed to his lips, his cheeks billowed as he used the repetitve tune to weave a hypnotic, serpentine, net around *Big Lummox*'s mind.

*(OOC: The Fakir must play his flute like a snake charmer to make use of his Mind Control power. He rolls well, and Big Lummox's will save is simply not up to the task)*

*Big Lummox*'s eyes glazed over, his feral snarl turned to a slack-jawed loll, and his charge evapoated into a gentle side-to-side swaying in time with *The Fakir*'s whining tune.

Clinging to the ceiling in his Shadow Form, *Bionic Ninja* saw the opportunity to strike. Bracing himself in the ceiling's corner, he launched his cyborged bulk across the room, drawing his titanium _Ninja-To_ in mid flight and executing a letter perfect _Monkey Insults The Emperor_ maneuver on The Blue Behemoth.

*(OOC: Bionic Ninja uses his "All-Out Attack" and "Power Attack" feats in tandem, resulting in total of +5 to his Damage, and -5 to his defense. He asks his GM if Big Lummox is aware of his presence. Lummox is not. He adds his "Surprise Strike" feat to the mix. The resulting total is high enough that Big Lummox needs a natural 19 or a 20 to not be knocked out cold. The GM (me--never much of a dice hand) burns 3 villain points trying to get that roll, and fails.*

*The Fakir* watched as a shapeless black form hurtled away from the ceiling and took a recognizable humanoid shape moments before slapping a scabbarded sword deep into the crease where the *Big Lummox*'s tree-trunk neck met his freight-train shoulders.

*Big Lummox* collapsed like a house of cards.


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## Teflon Billy (Jan 30, 2003)

Back up on the third floor...

*Kronus* and *The Fat Maniac* continued to unleash rapid-fire fustigation  and berserk sledgehammer blows (respectively) at one another proximate to a motionless *Cosmic Commissar*

Though both were bruised and bloodied, neither could be said to be carrying the day; *The Monarch*'s speed and agility caused most of the *Maniac*'s powerful blows to glance, and *The Fat Maniac*'s enormous mass cushioned all but the most thunderous of *Kronus*'s strikes.

Slowly the tide turned in favor of *the Monarch*, *The Fat Maniac*'s punches getting slower and less accurate, his rage becoming more labored.

As *Kronus*'s mighty blows sunk nearly to his elbows with each jackhammer strike, The Corpulent Crimelord's towering form began to slowly topple. As *The Fat Maniac* lost consciousness and his immense mass fell to one side, a spray of sticky web flew at all three costumed metahumans from the opposite end of the room.

*(OOC: The Insectoid (pictured below)  had--at The Cranium's command--come up the staircase from the second floor to reinforce The Fat Maniac's position. Seeing that The Maniac had already fallen to Kronus's onslaught, (and unaware that The Cosmic Commissar was inert) The Insectoid elected to spend a villain point to add the "area" extra to his Snare power)*


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## threshel (Jan 30, 2003)

Awesome SH, Telflon Billy!

I am in the process of converting my old Champions campaign to M&M, and once it gets off the ground, starting my own SH.  It's a lot of work, but SH's like yours and MnM_UH's remind me of why it's worth it.

Keep up the good work.

 
J
PS Any hurdles in conversion come to mind?  I haven't seen any so far, but I'd like to hear from someone who has done it.  I don't want to hijack your thread, so email me if you like.  My addy is available in my profile.  Thanks.


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## TheDayKnight (Feb 1, 2003)

Great stuff, as always Billy! 

I love the large background you have for this game. It has the feel of a "universe" in the style of Marvel or DC comics.

I finally got around to posting my M&M game to this board.


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## Teflon Billy (Feb 1, 2003)

*Let's GO: Cascade City...National Super Teams*

SETTING RELATED, NON PLOT ENTRY 

I have been asked by Email whether governments in my campaign world make use of Super Humans. 

*The Short answer* is "No, international law forbids it."

*The Slightly Longer answer* is "Sometimes, there has been more than one Super Human given a brevet air force rank (necessary by national law if they were going to be allowed to perform a rescue mission to a top secret space station), or diplomatic designation (when it became necessary for someone to be recsued from The Embassy in a foreign embassy). 

Occasional slights on the international law for "public good" are generally winked at by the international community.

*The Long answer* is "Yes, they do. But it has to be kept quiet to avoid incident." Nearly all nations are guilty of using superhumans in contravention of international law. The USA has long made use of the Mercenary superteam *The Faction* on an ongoing basis. It is a poorly kept secret (and should they ever be defeated, the US Government would almost certainly disavow any knowledge of their existence), but nothing can ever be proven.

The Chinese government has long used metahumans in all aspects of their government, and is routinely caught doing so. Their constant refrain of "we didn't know they were metahuman, and aplogize" does little to quell the fears of the rest of the world concerning China's standing in the world community.

One aspect that is roundly ignored, despite being in _flagrant_ violation of international law, is the concept of the _national super team_.

Nearly every nation on Earth currently either has a national super team, or aspires to one. So long as they keep away from military action (publically) no mention is made of the national super teams.

The more well-known national teams are listed below...

*The Sentinels* (Canada): Outlined earlier in the thread. A large, poorly funded and marketed organization, used primarily for natural disaster control and battling super-crime.

*Executive Sanction* (United States): 

Executive Sanction (or "XS" as they are known colloquially) were originally a impromptu team formed during the Hoon invasion calling themselves *The Minutemen*. 

Tasked by de-facto resistance leader *Mr. Wonderful* with actually leading the various ground forces to retake strategic cities (once Hoon broadcast power had been disabled by *The Justice Hurricane*) *The Minutemen* found themselves with an incredibly high profile, and a populace that belived them to be the finest example of the American "can-do" spirit. The President, recognizing an "optics coup" when it dropped in his lap, signed them up on national TV.

*XS* are, in all but name, Secret Service agents, tasked with protecting the President. They take orders _only_ from the President (the office, not the man) and deal almost exclusively with super-crime.

Current Roster...


*G-Man*: Gravitic Powers, Tactical Genius.

*Straight Arrow*: Incredible Archer with a variety of super-tech arrows. Arch-conservative.

*G.I. Gantic*: U.S. Army Ranger with Growth powers.

*The U.S.Archon*: Flying, super strong super patriot

Ex-Members...


*The Untouchable*: Pistol Wielding crimefighter. Only active as a *Minuteman*. 

Current whereabouts: Gotham.

*The Revenant*: Insubstantial, fear-inducing creature of the night. Only active as a *Minuteman*. Considered a public relations disaster. Too "borderline" for XS. 

Current whereabouts: Gotham, where residents think of him/her with a mixture of awe and dread. (*The Revenant* is credited with organizing Gotham neighbourhoods into Militias, allowing the city to be the only US state capitol never to  be captured by The Hoon. *The Revenant* effected this with a mixture of terror, threats, bribes and beatings for those who didn't share his/her vision. The people of Gotham _are_ thankful...but they are also wary.

*The Platinum Blonde*: Metal-bodied beauty. Originally recruited for the PR benefit (*XS*, it was felt, needed a woman on the team). Since stealing the *XS* metahuman computer files, *The Platinum Blonde* has turned to super-crime genrally as a henchman for such Luminaries as *The Draconian*, *Sister Fear* and *Hellhound*.

Current whereabouts: Unknown


*Team Crisis Ninja XDO* (Japan): 

Japan’s new national team. Shortly before the Hoon invasion of Earth, a publicity campaign for both the old Japanese nationals (*Zen Team*) and SUPER! Magazine’s manufactured team (*The Justice Hurricane*) involved a “member swap” (*Zen Team* leader *Zen Lion* for hotshot celebrity metahuman *Mirror Image*). 

The Hoon invasion saw the destruction of Zen Team in a battle over an erupting Mt. Fuji (caused by the Disaster Loa, *Apocalypso*). Only *Mirror Image* survived. 

A scant year later, the Japanese government collected the most powerful heroes remaining in their nation and convinced them to take up the reins dropped by Zen Team. 

*XDO* deals mostly with the plague of radioactive monsters that have been attacking the Islands of Japan with regularity since the Atomic Bombing at the end of WW2.

Current Roster...


*Zen Lion*: Team Leader. Aging, respected member of Japan's superhero community. His "Zen Team" Sentai suit is the last one in existence.

*Kabuki-San*: Sonic-Power wielding operatic baritone with a "power naginata", capable of shooting energy blasts when charged by his impressive voice.

*Black Bushido*: Man with high-tech armor, and a mystical sword capable of slicing nearly antyhing, following an ancient warrior code.

*Whispering Lotus*: Incredible, supernatural martial artist. Unproven rumours of her Ninja Clan and Yakuza ties dog her continually.

*Shogun Tsunami*: Son of *The Atlantean* (famed member of *the Freedom Legion*) and a the late Japanese Superheroine *Dynamic Cutie*. In all likleihood, Japan's most powerful metahuman. Second in command to *Zen Lion*.

Ex Members...


*Gomi*: A sentient pile of industrial detritus, capable of forming itself into a variety of shapes/devices. Considered too difficult to direct for continued *XDO* membership.

Current whereabouts: Tokyo harbour.

*Yokozuna*: Super Sumo Wrestler. Slain by *Zorlokk*

*Kid Kamikaze*: Wouldn't change name to show proper respect for Japanese war dead. Incredibly popular with Japanese teens. Considered something of a hearthrob. 

Current whereabouts: Tokyo.


Coming up when I get some meore time *Eisen Schild*(Germany), *Los Hombres* (Mexico), *The Imperials* (England) and *The Faction* (Mercenary).


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## Teflon Billy (Feb 3, 2003)

As *The Insectoid*'s strings of web cascaded over their forms, the unconscious *Fat Maniac*, and the immobile *Cosmic Commissar* were secured to the floor, the walls and each other.

*The Monarch*, however, sped down the length of the room dodging in and out of the rapidly settling web, toward the insect-centaur form of his chitinous adversary. His mighty fists pummelled the carapace of the chittering reprobate to little effect.

Keeping a wary eye out for another blast of web, the Gorilla King missed *The Insectoid*'s scything mandibles, and they bit deeply into his enormous bicep, injecting a poison the effects of which *Kronus* felt immediately. The stiffening in his arm spread to his shoulder, then torso...until finally(all in a matter of moments) he was paralyzed.

*(OOC: The Insectoid has the Paralysis power as an extra on his Natural Weaponry. though it normally has a will save, The Insectoid's version (being defined as poison) has a fortitude save instead. Against all odds Kronus fails the save)*

Seeing the plight he was in, *The Cranium* exerted his mental dominance over the entire building, replacing the Team's memories with the false memory of their being here to re-capture the escaped *Big Lummox*, and the belief that _The Cranium_ is of no consequence whatsoever.

*(OOC: All the PC's except Tephra and The Fakir fail their Will saves, and now must behave as if The Cranium is of no concern. The Cranium, arrogant scoundrel that he is, believes that all are affected).*


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## Teflon Billy (Feb 4, 2003)

Back down on the main floor, the four armed guards, finally snap out of their fugue and open fire on *The Mormodillo*, *Bionic Ninja* and *Tephra*, whom they had seen perform overt, violent actions (*The Fakir*, to all appearances, appeared to be playing a flute)

A deafening cacophony of machinegun fire filled the room; muzzle blast taking the bass notes, and tinkling shell casings filling in the soprano. The four men firing at *Tephra* and *The Mormodillo* flattened bullets against their impenetrable exteriors at a rate that would've caused a platoon of marines in a "mad minute" to blanche at the waste. The lone gunman firing at *Bionic Ninja* suffered a jam the moment he pulled the trigger.

*(OOC: SMG's don't stand a chance of penetrating either of the PC's Protection ratings without a critical hit. None of the gunmen get one; indeed, one of them fumbles)*

As the smoke cleared And it became clear (Largely by the small piles of lead piled at the feet of the heroes) that the guns had done nothing, *Tephra* took it upon herself to make it clear that they had done _worse_ than nothing: they had drawn her ire.

Her hair flamed up into a white hot sheet, her eyes blazed, and flame leapt from her mouth as she howled out "THE NEXT PERSON WHO FIRES A GUN IN THIS ROOM WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES!!!"

*(OOC: Tephra attempts to use her intimidate skill coupled with her startle feat to take the gunmen out of the equation. They all fail their will saves and are freaked into submission)*


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## Teflon Billy (Feb 7, 2003)

*The Mormodillo* led the charge up the stairs, *Tephra*, the spirit of vulcanism, a few scant steps behind him and *The Fakir*, master of yogic mysticism drifting, along behind the both of them.

As he crested the first flight of steps and arrived on the second floor, he saw the diminuitive figure of *The Cranium* standing stock still. *The Mormodillo*, failing to recognize him (due to the mental influence mentioned a few posts back) simply nodded a greeting before continuing up the stairs to see that *Kronus* and *Magnetik* were not unduly imperiled.

*Tephra* ran up and saw him as well. Unaffected by his mental coercion, she nonetheless also fled up the stairs with nary a backward glance at *The Cranium* (concerned as she was for the safety of her liege, *Kronus*)

*The Cranium* chuckled mirthlessly and began moving toward the staircase, intent on leaving this debacle behind him.

*Lord Dire* had charged him with both obtaining the _Dimensional Warp Transmogrifier_ from warehouse 13A and using it to summon the dread _Loa_ of natural disaster: *Apocalypso*. His deific "essence" was to have been the "battery" for *Dire*'s _Disastro-Beam_

To call the mission's failure complete would be a gross understatement.

Firstly: *Apocalypso* had not been summoned. His own hand-picked science team's poor understanding of the machinery had caused--as near as he could figure--the cross-dimensional summoning of *The Bionic Ninja* in the Loa's stead. Not good.

Secondly: *Big Lummox* had been recaptured. There was virtually no way *The Cranium* could see to avoid this simple fact. The *Lummox* would, upon regaining consciousness, likely be _livid_ with he, *The Cranium* personally, and *Lord Dire*'s organization more generally. This catastrophe had removed one of his Lord's premier chesspieces from the board.

Finally: He was likely only going to escape with his life and freedom, and nothing to show *Lord Dire* for his efforts. Not even the _Crystal Skull_ from that ridiculous Voodoo Priestess.

As he approached the staircase, the slight, withered figure of *The Fakir* floated serenly ito view.

"That will be far enough that you are walking, thank you very much" The Yogic Master intoned to the Mental Titan. 

Momentarily shocked that *The Fakir* was able to notice him, *The Cranium* Narrowed his eyes. _Well, if nothing else_, he thought, _I can destroy this imbecile. He is almost certainly the weakest of them, but I will take what small consolation I can from his destruction...._" 

He Telekinetically sealed (*OOC: Create Object extra on his TK*) the staircase to the third floor, ensuring the remaining heroes would stay well away from this trouncing...





.


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## TheDayKnight (Feb 7, 2003)

Ooooohhhh!

I can't wait to see The Fakir kick The Cranium's tail!


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## Teflon Billy (Feb 7, 2003)

TheDayKnight said:
			
		

> *Ooooohhhh!
> 
> I can't wait to see The Fakir kick The Cranium's tail! *




Remember that he (*The Fakir*) _is_ hopelessly outclassed (PL10 vs. PL12)

If he's going to get it done, he is going to have to fight with his mind (and not the way *The Cranium* does)

Stay tuned true believer!


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## Utrecht (Feb 15, 2003)

..........and?????

One can only hold thier breath for so long.  Looking forward to your update Teflon Billy (BTW, have enjoyed it thus far!)


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## Utrecht (Feb 28, 2003)

Teflon Billy,

Is the campaign on Hiatus?????  Curious minds want to know.


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## Teflon Billy (Mar 3, 2003)

No, no...it's going on as usualy, but my family has suffered a loss of my Grandmother. 

There has been a lot going on emotionally and organizationally, for me to send the time necessary to write up the posts in the fashion that I have been up until now would require more effort and time than I can currently spare.

When I get back at it, I will likely just post a big summary bringing the readers up to speed.

Stay tuned


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## Utrecht (Mar 3, 2003)

I understand - my condolances to your families loss and I look forward to the story continuing when it resumes.


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## Teflon Billy (Mar 13, 2003)

Ok folks, my life has returned to a semblance of normalcy, so here is the "summary update" that was promised. I have a _lot_ of material to get through (the game never went on hiatus; Theo, the player of *Kronus* was kind enough to "take the conn" while my turmoil subsided).

Anyway...*on with the Superheroics*

When we last left our heros, the main force of the criminal supergroup *Damage Incorporated* has been soundly trounced. It had all ome down to mystical super-yogi *The Fakir* squaring off against known Dire-crony *The Cranium*.

The rest of the team either had their minds clouded to the presence of *The Cranium*, or were tied up in the battle against the dread *Insectoid* on the floor above.

The battle was more of a chessmatch than anything; *The Cranium* and the *Fakir* trading attempted mental commands (to no effect) and suchlike.

Eventually, *The Fakir* animated a rope and sent it to wrap around *The Cranium*'s eyes. 

Blinded, the master of mentalism was quickly finished off by the *The Bionic Ninja*, who had, virtually at that same moment, smashed through *The Cranium*'s force walls and leapt to the aid of his erstwhile comrade as *Mormodillo* and *Tephra*finished off *The Insectoid* (*The Monarch* having been temporarily stricken by *The Insectoids*'s paralytic venom)

As the dust settled, the Team took stock of their surroundings.

*The Cosmic Commissar* used his _Knowledge: Alien Science_ skill to attempt to puzzle out the strange device used to (inadvertently) summon *The Bionic Ninja*. He determined that although its control mechanisms were basically antique (brass fittings and vacuum tubes), it's actual technology was based on the _Zurg Hyperdrive_...an interdimensional portal generator.

*(The Zurg are the alien race who came to the aid of the humanity at the height of the  Hoon invasion. What an example of their technology is doing on a device from the 1920's is anyone's guess at this point0*

As the team was milling around, spraying the unconscious villains with _lahar_ (*Tephra*'s volcanic cement), another group arrived on the scene...the dreaded U.S. government black-ops mercenaries *The Faction*


*Operative X*: Trenchcoated, ponytailed, robotic legged, Force-Field projecting super-spy. 
*The Cold Warrior*: Highly trained mutant agent with the power to control temperature and make use of ambient moisture in the air.
*Dangerman*: Governemnt experiment in acelerated eugenics.
*the Osprey*: Highly skilled special ops soldier with the head of a bird of prey.

more to come...


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## Teflon Billy (Mar 14, 2003)

The PC's lined up and squared themselves against the *The Faction*, who immediately demanded to know what they were doing in a restricted government facility.

The PC's (largely under the direction of *Kronus*, *The Mormodillo* and *The Cosmic Commissar*) returned the favor; demanding to know who exactly a group of American sell-swords thought they were telling _anyone_ present what to do.

*Operative X* (maybe the most roundly-hated figure in my *Cascade City* campaign--I'm not sure why) stepped forward and presented laminated I.D. signed by none other than *Jean Chretien*, Prime Minister of Canada, and announced "we're Federal"

As the PC's looked at each other, rather unsure what to do (both hating *The Faction* generally and *Operative X* specifically; but still basically law-abiding/enforcing folks) a _third_ group of superhumans arrived on the scene...


*The Defenceman*: Canada's Fighting Spirit! A (somewhat dull-witted) Hcokey-themed speedster.

*Lumber Jack*: Abnormally large, superhumanly strong axe wielding man in a plaid shirt, a toque, steel toed boots and suspenders.

*Lieut. Colonel Richard-Uppington Smythe*: Small, non-descript career miltary attache.

...a unit of *The Pacific Sentinels* had arrived on the scene!


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## Teflon Billy (Mar 19, 2003)

*The Sentinels*, outnumbered by *The Faction* 2-1, still seemed full of confidence as *The Defenceman* skated on *Lieut. Col. Smythe*'s left, while the titanic *Lumber Jack* stood on his right, meaningfully tapping his titanium carbide axe against his palm.

*Smythe* was the first to speak...

"What in Hell is going on here, *Operative X*? You and your cronies are a long way from home."

The super spy was quick to respond, brandishing his newly laminated government I.D., "We are here as representatives of your own national government. Now one side pencil neck, or I'll ensure that standing in my way is your last act as a goverment man...or anyone's man for that matter."

*Lumber Jack* stepped forward meaningfully, as *Smythe*'s arm shot up across his immense chest. "No, Jack, don't bother. Apparently Mr. Chretien's #1 guy here forgot to read his employee orientation manual. You see genius, all metahuman activities are _provincial_ jurisidiction, not federal. So unless you and your bootlickers here..." *Smythe* gestured to the assembled horde of superhumans, "... would like to spend the next 25 years out on _Island Z_, I suggest you start cooperating...firstly: shutting up. Secondly: getting lost."

*Mormodillo* spoke up immediately "We aren't with them" he said, "We defeated *Damage Incorporated* who were trying to use that machine" he gestured to the interdimensional portal generator, "then they showed up and started trying to order us around."

*Operative X* continued as if the Mormon Warrior had not spoken, "I see four of us against two of your guys Smythe..now why don't you just scram back to your little office tower before I arrange for a 'Tragic Misunderstanding'--as the press will refer to the beating--to occur?"

*Big Lummox* began to stir, returning to consciousness; at a speed hard for the human mind to understand *Kronus* hurtled over and rained punches on him, returning him to his state of concussed state.

*Smythe* turned his attention to the assembled heros

"Which of you is the leader of this team?" He asked.

"I am" *The Monarch* replied without hesitation. The others (having made use of his _Leadership_ feat in the battle with *Damage Inc.*) nodded in agreement.

"And what do you call yourselves?"

"We are *The Ascendant*, he replied in his bass rumble.

"Well, I hope you folks won't consider this too forward of me, but I would like to offer you all auxiliary status with *the Pacific Sentinels*. Effective Immediately."

*Operative X* growled at the government man; "Not funny Smythe..."

"We accept" *Kronus* replied. *The Ascendant* were already falling in alongside *The Sentinels*, glowering malignly at the members of *The Faction*.

The odds for *The Faction* had now shifted from 2-1 in their favour to a little over 2-1 agaisnt them...

The tension built...


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## Teflon Billy (Mar 21, 2003)

"Fine," *Operative X* growled through clenched teeth, "but your time is coming Smythe. Take note that your government didn't come to the Sentinels organization when they needed the job done. Ask yourself why"

*The Arc Angel* immediately quipped back "Ask _your_self if you 'got the job one' while you are on your way out."

*Operative X* grimaced as he and the other members of *The Faction* left the scene.

More quick summary now...

The newly named *Ascendant* (which sadly beat out _my_ suggested name: *The Abnormals*) accompanied the *Sentinels* to their headquarters;_Pacific Landmark Tower_...riding herd on the the collected villians being transported in the "Special Operations Transport"; a semi-truck with SuperPower Neutralizing machinery aboard.

It had been noticed too late that *The Mumbler* had made good his escape sometime during the dust-up.

There, they met with the Ursine Super-Scientist *Grizzly*, and had the following happen...


*The Insectoid* agreed to testify against his cohorts in exchange for a reduced sentence.
*Big Lummox* threatened painful vengeance on each and every member of the team he laid eyes on, paying special attention to *the Bionic Ninja* who simply replied "one shot" and held up his index finger.
 *The Cranium* pointed out that this wasn't the end of things by a long shot. *the Mumbler* had escaped and it was virtually certain that he was contacting *Lord Dire* who was "going to walk into this 'fortress' like a grown man walking through tall grass". It was a pretty valid point that shut the team up for a few moments.


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## Teflon Billy (Apr 20, 2003)

Ok folks, I am so far behind on updates to the story hour that I'm afraid I will never catch up, and thus I have chosento place the capstone on this one.

In Summary:

The Main plot that the characters were following was that of the villainous *Lord Dire* attempting to meld Super Science with Super Sorcery by creating what he termed the "Disastro Beam"...a cannon-sized ray gun that could casue natural disasters (Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Vocanic Eruptions and what-have-you).

The only component missing was the very deific (godlike) essence of the Voodoo Loa *Apocalypso*. *Lord Dire* had dispatched *The Cranium* to Cascade City to steal the _Dimesional Warp Transmogrifier_ from *Warehouse 13A* in an attempt to "snatch" *Apocalypso* from his home plane and bind him into the workings of the Disastro Ray. They succeeded in this introdutory adventure.

Shortly after settling in, the Rescue Team that *the Cranium* had promised them was on the way from *Lord Dire* arrived, in the form of _The Revengers_; a team of villanous _Avengers_ analog's from the dimension _Anti-Earth:Marvel_. *Dire* had pulled out all the stops in his effort to rescue the *The Cranium* and *Big Lummox* (the only two operatives he actually valued from *Damage Inc.*). _The Revengers_ were...


*Black Rook*: A homicidal "piinacle of physical human perfection", with a bladed shield and a Chesspice Motif.--Captain America analog
*Armageddon*: A yellow-skinned behemoth prone to fits of radiation induced berserker rage--Hulk Analog
*Mars*: Roman God of War--Thor Analog.
*The Apparition*: a density controlling Android --Vision Analog
*The Gnat*: Miniature, vain, flying woman with signifigant energy blasts--Wasp analog
*The Macronaut*: This was Giant-Man, plain and simple.
*The One-Man Atrocity*: A agglomeration of advanced weapon systems and armors--Iron Man analog.

In a hard-fought battle, the team defeated _The Revengers_ just in time to have the actual *Avengers* show up in pursuit of their villainous counterparts. Kind words were given by *The Avengers* concerning the valour of the PC's before they returned to dimension _Earth: Marvel_.

The time the team spent as auxiliary *Pacific Sentinels* was ill-starred.


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