A city of wonders... and dangers! (hero arc)

[atpollard]

Maximillian Arikas [Aether]:

Will use his Elemental/Energy Generation [Air]: 30
Elemental/Energy Control [Air]: 30
[can use air to attack - melee attack rank: 60, ranged attack rank: 30, damage: 30

Aimed at Thug #7

Steve Sanderson [Flicker]:

Would use his brawn to tackle Thug #3.

Some clarification please ...
What exactly are you going to do with the air attack?
As I recently learned, normals (including thugs) are pretty fragile things compared to supers ... are you going to 'pull your punches' or 'air blast to knock him across the street' ... or at a 60 point melee attack vs his brawn, are you going to dismember Thug#7?

Did you want to go ahead and roll your own attacks and describe the results?
This is just about having some fun until the Referee is ready to continue the main game.

[atpollard]

Since there seems to be less interest in combat input from the players than I had anticipated, let's just recap the fight, wrap it up, and move on ...

[Panel 1]
Beverly Phillips is arguing with Doctor Gemma Townsend and Madelyn Pate.

[Panel 2]
Beverly Phillips reaches for something in her pocket ... is it a weapon?
Raven "is suddenly next to her, grabbing her arm and looking down at her as he holds her still with dull but watchful eyes, eyes that have no emotion behind them, eyes that are simply there to observe the world and take in everything."

[Panel 3]
The commotion attracts Laron Abbott and his seven thugs who begin threatening everyone and demanding payment.
Raven "releases the girl and quickly shoulders his advanced scoped sniper rifle, being so close he doesn't even need to aim, simply firing at one of the thugs with a baseball bat. The next thing that can be heard is a resounding loud bang as the gun fires one of it's massive bullets, it shoots straight through the thugs head, exploding half of his head by impact alone; the body dropping to the ground in a blood heap. Raven smoothly moves the rifle towards one of the other gang members."

[Panel 4]
Thug 5 falls to the ground, dead.
Laron Abbott yells kill him.
Thug 4 charges in swinging a chain and misses Raven.
Thug 2 hits with his fists and lands a solid punch (10 points of damage) on Raven (who seems unafected).

[Panel 5]
Thug 3, Thug 6 and Thug 7 attempt to surround Raven and attack simultaneously from all sides.
Thug 3 misses with a punch.
Thug 6 swings a bat and connects for 13 points of damage on Raven (who still seems unafected).
Thug 7 lashes at the back of Raven's legs with a chain, inflicting 11 points of damage on Raven (who seems unafected) but fails to knock Raven down.
Thug 1 and Laron Abbott hold back to see how things go for the others but seem excited that the thugs might be holding their own.

[Panel 6]
Maximillian Arikas [Aether]: steps forward and delivers a powerful vortex of air at Thug 7 at point blank range. The thug is flipped into the air like a rag doll and lands hard at Aether's feet. The winded Thug 7 struggles to cach his breath, unable to do much else.

[1d100] = 59
steps forward to deliver a 60 point melee attack (rank 60, roll=59 ... blue-success-pound).
he pulls the punch to avoid killing the thug ... damage=5 but keep the special results.
Pound Result vs Fortitude 6 = Red [1d100] = 71

Steve Sanderson [Flicker]: charges Thug 3, hitting him like a freight train and tackling him to the ground half a block away.
Thug 3 is not struggling.

I'm just a little unsure about a 'tackle', but it seems like a reasonable action, so I am going to roll on the Bash results using Brawn rather than Melee ... to keep the chance to Pound or Concuss.
Tackle [1d100] = 77 (rank 50, roll=77 ... blue-success-pound).
Pound Result vs Fortitude 6 = black [1d100] = 38

[CAST OF CHARACTERS]
Doctor Gemma Townsend: A slightly jaded trauma physician working graveyard shift in one of the local free clinics who refuses to get excited or hurry about anything.

NPC 1 - Madelyn Pate: A tall, fat, elderly, over-zealous retired nurse in her seventies who likes to complain about the disgraceful social decay all around her.

NPC 2 - Beverly Phillips: A twenty year old punk rocker with red tribal tattoos covering her average height but very muscular body, with hair that alternates between short black and long white in wavy stripes from the front of her head to the back.

NPC 3 - Laron Abbott: A tall, muscular twenty-something with ruddy skin, grey eyes and messy brown hair, struts up wearing clothes designed to look like casual civilian clothing, but with the flexibility and padding of a combat uniform.

• THUG-1 (knife): Me 10, Co 10, Br 6, Fo 6, In 20, Aw 10, Wi 3 - Dam 32, For 33, Lif 6, Rep 13
• THUG-2 (boxer): Me 6, Co 6, Br 10, Fo 3, In 3, Aw 6, Wi 6 - Dam 25, For 15, Lif 6, Rep 3
• THUG-3 (boxer): Me 6, Co 3, Br 6, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 3 - Dam 21, For 15, Lif 10, Rep 13
• THUG-4 (chain): Me 6, Co 6, Br 1, Fo 6, In 1, Aw 6, Wi 3 - Dam 19, For 10, Lif 6, Rep 11
• THUG-5 (bat): Me 6, Co 3, Br 3, Fo 6, In 3, Aw 6, Wi 6 - Dam 18, For 15, Lif 6, Rep 17
• THUG-6 (bat): Me 6, Co 3, Br 3, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 10 - Dam 18, For 22, Lif 10, Rep 1
• THUG-7 (chain): Me 3, Co 3, Br 6, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 20 - Dam 18, For 32, Lif 6, Rep 9

So, anyone else want to do anything before I finish up this combat and move on?

[PyroArrow]

Maximillian Arikas [Aether] & Steve Sanderson [Flicker]:

That is pretty much what i wanted to do with the guys above!

[atpollard]

[Panel 7]
Thug 1 is the first to recognize the shift in the flow of combat and recognize that the Thugs were in trouble. His self preservation instincts kick in and he grabs Beverly as a hostage and places his knife at her throat. Using her as a shield against the heroes, he begins to back away.

Laron Abbott becomes furious that his authority is not being respected and draws a chrome plated 38 special (revolver) from his waistband and attempts to shoot at one of the new interlopers. The hammer snags on his coat as he attempts to draw it, and the gun discharges prematurely ... Shooting the ground 6 feet in front of Laron. He begins swearing as he struggles to untangle the gun from his coat.

Thug 6 drops the bat. "I'm outa here" and begins to run away.
Thug 2 and Thug 4 hurry after him.

Thug 3 is unconscious and Thug 7 is too winded to move and continues to lie on the ground and gasp.
Thug 5 is dead, lying nearly headless in an expanding puddle of blood

Thug 1 Melee attack: [1d100] = 89 (Me 10, roll 89) = blue
Laron ranged attack: [1d100] = 41 (Co 6, roll 41) = black

Brief pause in case anyone wants to jump in with an action.

[CAST OF CHARACTERS]
Doctor Gemma Townsend: A slightly jaded trauma physician working graveyard shift in one of the local free clinics who refuses to get excited or hurry about anything.

NPC 1 - Madelyn Pate: A tall, fat, elderly, over-zealous retired nurse in her seventies who likes to complain about the disgraceful social decay all around her.

NPC 2 - Beverly Phillips: A twenty year old punk rocker with red tribal tattoos covering her average height but very muscular body, with hair that alternates between short black and long white in wavy stripes from the front of her head to the back.

NPC 3 - Laron Abbott: A tall, muscular twenty-something with ruddy skin, grey eyes and messy brown hair, struts up wearing clothes designed to look like casual civilian clothing, but with the flexibility and padding of a combat uniform.

• LARON: Me 10, Co 6, Br 6, Fo 10, In 10, Aw 6, Wi 6 - Dam 32, For 22, Lif 6, Rep 20
• THUG-1 (knife): Me 10, Co 10, Br 6, Fo 6, In 20, Aw 10, Wi 3 - Dam 32, For 33, Lif 6, Rep 13
• THUG-2 (boxer): Me 6, Co 6, Br 10, Fo 3, In 3, Aw 6, Wi 6 - Dam 25, For 15, Lif 6, Rep 3 [fleeing]
• THUG-3 (boxer): Me 6, Co 3, Br 6, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 3 - Dam 21, For 15, Lif 10, Rep 13 [unconscious]
• THUG-4 (chain): Me 6, Co 6, Br 1, Fo 6, In 1, Aw 6, Wi 3 - Dam 19, For 10, Lif 6, Rep 11 [fleeing]
• THUG-5 (bat): Me 6, Co 3, Br 3, Fo 6, In 3, Aw 6, Wi 6 - Dam 18, For 15, Lif 6, Rep 17 [dead]
• THUG-6 (bat): Me 6, Co 3, Br 3, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 10 - Dam 18, For 22, Lif 10, Rep 1 [fleeing]
• THUG-7 (chain): Me 3, Co 3, Br 6, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 20 - Dam 18, For 32, Lif 6, Rep 9 [gasping for air]

[atpollard]

[Panel 8]
Madelyn Pate shouts "They are getting away ... Apprehend those ruffians ... and would someone shoot this rabid wolf!"
Doctor Townsend passes by the gasping Thug 7 ... "Just sit there, it's safer." and heads towards the unconscious Thug 3.
Beverly Phillips grabs the knife hand and gouges the shin of Thug 1 with her heels, breaking his grip.

[Panel 9]
Beverly Phillips turns to follow up with a kick to the groin of Thug 1, but misses as he jumps back and begins to run.
She grabs a bat from the ground and chases after him.
Doctor Townsend pokes the unconscious Thug 3 with her shoe, he groans softly. "Eh, he'll live."

Slipping Result - Brawn 6 = Blue (Elude) [1d100] = 91
Bash - Melee 10 = Black (fail) [1d100] = 43

[CAST OF CHARACTERS]
Doctor Gemma Townsend: A slightly jaded trauma physician working graveyard shift in one of the local free clinics who refuses to get excited or hurry about anything.

NPC 1 - Madelyn Pate: A tall, fat, elderly, over-zealous retired nurse in her seventies who likes to complain about the disgraceful social decay all around her.

NPC 2 - Beverly Phillips: A twenty year old punk rocker with red tribal tattoos covering her average height but very muscular body, with hair that alternates between short black and long white in wavy stripes from the front of her head to the back.
Me 10, Co 6, Br 6, Fo 10, In 6, Aw 3, Wi 10 - Dam 32, For 19, Lif 6, Rep 1

NPC 3 - Laron Abbott: A tall, muscular twenty-something with ruddy skin, grey eyes and messy brown hair, struts up wearing clothes designed to look like casual civilian clothing, but with the flexibility and padding of a combat uniform.

• LARON: Me 10, Co 6, Br 6, Fo 10, In 10, Aw 6, Wi 6 - Dam 32, For 22, Lif 6, Rep 20
• THUG-1 (knife): Me 10, Co 10, Br 6, Fo 6, In 20, Aw 10, Wi 3 - Dam 32, For 33, Lif 6, Rep 13 [fleeing]
• THUG-2 (boxer): Me 6, Co 6, Br 10, Fo 3, In 3, Aw 6, Wi 6 - Dam 25, For 15, Lif 6, Rep 3 [fleeing]
• THUG-3 (boxer): Me 6, Co 3, Br 6, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 3 - Dam 21, For 15, Lif 10, Rep 13 [unconscious]
• THUG-4 (chain): Me 6, Co 6, Br 1, Fo 6, In 1, Aw 6, Wi 3 - Dam 19, For 10, Lif 6, Rep 11 [fleeing]
• THUG-5 (bat): Me 6, Co 3, Br 3, Fo 6, In 3, Aw 6, Wi 6 - Dam 18, For 15, Lif 6, Rep 17 [dead]
• THUG-6 (bat): Me 6, Co 3, Br 3, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 10 - Dam 18, For 22, Lif 10, Rep 1 [fleeing]
• THUG-7 (chain): Me 3, Co 3, Br 6, Fo 6, In 6, Aw 6, Wi 20 - Dam 18, For 32, Lif 6, Rep 9 [gasping for air]

[atpollard]

[Panel 10]
S.C.A.M.P.'s ears perk up as he detects the sound coming from around the corner of a building half a block away ... it sounds like someone is being attacked.
Steve Sanderson [Flicker] can roll an Intellect or Awareness check to hear something.

[PyroArrow]

Steve Sanderson [Flicker]:

Intellect: 10
Awareness: 10

Roll: [1d100] = 2

[atpollard]

Steve Sanderson [Flicker]:
Intellect: 10
Awareness: 10
Roll: [1d100] = 2

Let's apply the roll vs intellect (black) ... so Flicker sees and hears nothing suspicious, but let's roll again for "Awareness" to see if he 'senses' something wrong.

[PyroArrow]

Steve Sanderson [Flicker]:

Awarness: 10

Roll: [1d100] = 72

[atpollard]

[Panel 11]
Everything seems normal ... or as close to normal as the situation will allow.

You are all still standing in a dark street at night in the bad part of town with sounds of looting and violence in the distance.
The fires burning in trash cans illuminate the streets with a strange red glow and the lights flickering off the remaining glass in broken windows makes the whole place seem more sinister than usual.

Steve Sanderson [Flicker] tunes out the fleeing thugs and Doctor Townsend's cough and Madelyn's complaints and the angry shouts of baseball bat wielding Beverly as she chases a thug off to the next block.
Everything looks the same ... but something feels wrong ... and Flicker has learned to trust his gut.
Ahead on the left is a dark alley adjacent to a small grocery store with an apartment above.
There is something about that alley that doesn't feel right.

A quick scan reveals a ladder on the near side of the Grocery that can be pulled down and climbed to a metal fire escape that winds up the front of the 3 story grocery store/apartment.
Climbing the fire escape would allow you to look down on the alley.

Past the alley is a four story apartment block.
You could climb the internal stairs to the roof and look down on the alley unseen.

Directly across from the alley is the rusting hulk of a burned out sedan ... a Mercury, you think.
You could hide behind the car and look into the alley.

What does Flicker do?
Does he communicate with anyone else?

[PyroArrow]

Steve Sanderson [Flicker] & Maximillian Arikas [Aether]:

Flicker would motion for Aether to follow him to duck behind the burned out Mercury, scope the alley from there & indicate the fire escape, to go up it, if possible.

[atpollard]

[Panel 12]

Steve Sanderson [Flicker] & Maximillian Arikas [Aether]:
Flicker would motion for Aether to follow him to duck behind the burned out Mercury, scope the alley from there & indicate the fire escape, to go up it, if possible.

Both men are behind the Mercury and see ...
**********
A tall heavy man in his late twenties with ink-black skin and elaborate corn rows hanging past his shoulder-blades in the back (NPC 4) is holding a tall slender man in his thirties with light skin, blue eyes and black hair (NPC 5) against a wall with one arm across the throat.
NPC 4 is holding a fistful of money in his hand and shouting at NPC 5, "Where's the rest of the money old man? There was supposed to be more than this. This was going to be my big score. Where is it? Do I have to hurt you again?"
NPC 4 backhands NPC 5.
As NPC 5 falls to the ground, you can see that he is wearing a blood soaked apron.

[Panel 13]
Flicker rushes towards the fire escape, leaps and grabs the ladder, climbing it as it descends.
When the ladder hits the pavement, Flicker is already running up the metal stairs.
He finds himself on a metal landing for the third floor almost directly above the two men.
**********
Aether circles around quietly and advances unseen to a point just around the corner from the two men.
You hear NPC 4 whisper, "Nothing to say, then I guess I got no use for you."
**********
Looking down, Flicker sees NPC 4 draw a bloody knife from a sheath on his belt and draw it back, holding NPC 5 up by the throat.
**********
Aether and Flicker lock eyes, and ...


[CAST OF CHARACTERS]

NPC 4 - Duval Stuart
A tall heavy man in his late twenties with ink-black skin and elaborate corn rows hanging past his shoulder-blades in the back.
He is cocky and always has some latest scheme to score big and live large. His clothes are garish and filthy.
Duval will do anything for money and enjoys it when he gets to hurt people.
His schemes never work out and he is always in debt to one dealer or hustler or another.
For all of his violence, he is not really in very good physical shape, tending to prefer to shoot or stab someone ... especially in the back.
Attitude [2d6] = 11 ... Enthusiastic.
Injury -1=amped, 0=ok, 1=superficial, 2=minor, 3=serious, 4=critical [1d6-2] = 2-2 = 0 ... No Injury.

NPC 5 - Chad Santana
A tall slender man in his thirties with light skin, blue eyes and black hair.
the local grocer and gets along well with the old people in the neighborhood.
Chad owns the only grocery store in the neighborhood and makes a good living.
He likes his job and is physically fit enough to chase down most shoplifters.
Most people would describe him as a nice guy.
Attitude [2d6] = 2 ... Violent - immediate attack.
Injury -1=amped, 0=ok, 1=superficial, 2=minor, 3=serious, 4=critical [1d6-2] = 6-2 = 4 ... Critical.

[PyroArrow]

Maximillian Arikas [Aether]:
Powers:
Elemental/Energy Generation [Air]: 30
Elemental/Energy Control [Air]: 30
[can use air to attack - melee attack rank: 60, ranged attack rank: 30, damage: 30 - create force fields, lift objects up to 1 ton etc.]
Regeneration: 30
Telekinesis: 40
Astoundingly Wealthy
Teleportation: 40 [lift up to 10 tons]


Hmm, ok Aether tries to telekinesis NPC 4 - Duval Stuart & slam him against a building wall:

Rolls:
[1d100] = 20

[1d100] = 7

[atpollard]

Sorry for the delay in responding ... I was a little unsure how 'Telekinesis' can fail in Superhero/Comic explanations.
I just came up with something ... open to a better idea if anyone has one:

[Panel 14]
Arikas [Aether] concentrates on lifting the armed criminal, but even as his telekinetic grip just begins to take hold, Duval (NPC 4) seems to sense the danger and spins quickly tossing the semi-conscious Mr. Santana (NPC 5) towards the hero.
As Mr Santana falls into the arms of Arikas [Aether], the concentration is broken and the Telekinetic attack abruptly stops.

Steve Sanderson [Flicker] watches from above as Arikas [Aether] gently lowers Mr. Santana (NPC 5) to the ground and Duval (NPC 4) flees in the other direction, down the alley.

(Unless Flicker or another hero decides to act)

[PyroArrow]

Steve Sanderson [Flicker]:

Steve will try to teleport to a spot ahead of Duval (NPC 4), to cut him off:

Teleportation: 30

Roll: [1d100] = 84

[atpollard]

[Panel 15]
Unwilling to allow the villain to escape, Steve Sanderson [Flicker] teleports ahead of Duval (NPC 4).
Steve materializes with his arm outstretched and clothesline Duval leaving him flat on his back and gasping.
A foot on the chest encourages Duval to surrender and he stops struggling.

[atpollard]

[Panel 16]
The crowd gathers at the entrance to the alley near Santana Grocery.
Madelyn Pate (NPC 1) is finally able to limp around with her old cane.
She shuffles over to the new center of attention, occasionally glaring suspiciously at S.C.A.M.P. and gasps at the sight of Arikas [Aether] standing over the bloody body of Chad Santana (NPC 5).
[Madelyn] "Oh my goodness, poor Mr. Santana. What have you done? Where is that lazy oaf of a doctor? ... Where will I buy groceries? "
**********
S.C.A.M.P. herds the defeated Thug 7 along.
Raven steps over the unconscious Thug 3, pausing briefly to look back as a pack of young children begin to loot the body.
They stare back at Raven warily, but continue their task as long as he makes no move in their direction.
He stops and appears about to say something, when the children scatter, fleeing back into the shadows.
Raven stands beside Arikas [Aether] and glances unblinking at Chad Santana (NPC 5).
**********
From the other direction, Steve Sanderson [Flicker] arrives leading Duval Stuart (NPC 4) by the scruff of his neck.


[Panel 17]
Glenn Grimes (NPC 6) bops up from the direction of the fighting on the next block.
He is a skinny man of average height in his late forties with pale skin, light brown eyes and shoulder length, curly hair starting to turn grey.
He is dressed in sensible clothes and good quality shoes, but has visible track marks running up his arm and appears to be some sort of addict.
"Yo ho ho, what have we got here?" he asks in an almost song-like voice.
**********
[Madelyn] "Mr. Grimes, this is no concern of an addled old sot like you.
There is no beer to be had here, so move along!
If you must know, then some ruffians attacked poor Mr. Santana while these ... so called heroes, just stood by and did nothing.
Disgraceful, simple disgraceful.
Clearly city hall isn't spending our tax dollars on training an adequate police force to keep poor old ladies safe from thugs and dangerous buildings and rabid wolves ..."
She pokes her cane in the general direction of S.C.A.M.P. to emphasize her point.
**********
Glenn Grimes interrupts her tirade, "Now there is no sense in getting yourself all worked up Nurse Pate" offers in a calm concilatory voice.
"And there's no need speaking so downright mean spirited to these nice people.
I'm sure that they are just trying to help."
**********
Doctor Gemma Townsend finally shuffles up "Oh my, quite a mess we have here." she says, her eyes following the trail of blood from the pool in the alley to the bodies of Mr. Santana and Mr. Stuart, and the hands of Arikas [Aether].
"Hello Glen, you look skinny.
Are you getting enough to eat?" she asks as she lights another cigarette.
**********
Glenn Grimes responds "I am doing well Doc, Thank you for asking ... but don't you think that you should be doing something for poor Mr. Santana?"


[Panel 18]
Doctor Gemma Townsend looks again at the body "Oh, I suppose so."
She takes out a new glove from the box in her pocket and puts it on.
Turning to Arikas [Aether] she says "Be a dear and drag him out where there is more light."
She begins examining Mr Santana.
She cuts away his clothes and begins probing his wounds. ([1d100] = 12 = black)
Blood comes squirting from a deep arterial chest wound high into the air.
Everyone instinctively steps back to avoid being squirted.
The doctor frowns and begins working with more determination ([1d100] = 52 = red)
She reaches into his chest with a small devise and you hear a hiss, see a wisp if smoke and smell burning flesh ... but the bleeding stops.
She reaches for another tool to continue ([1d100] = 20 = black).
Mr Santana gasps, let's out a long hiss and dies. ([1d100] = 85 = blue)
A miracle seldom witnessed by human eyes happens right before you ... Gemma runs.
She runs to the scooter and returns with her big medical box, removes a small handle with two long probes and stabs Mr Santana directly in the heart.
He convulses, gasps and continues breathing on his own.
The Doctor quickly pumps him full of drugs to stabilize him and performs a series of quick and dirty repairs to some unseen internal damage. ([1d100] = 27 = black)
"I've done as much as I can in the field. This man really needs a hospital ER and a full surgical team."
Further effort will be of no avail ... [1d100] = 12 = black

[CAST OF CHARACTERS]

Doctor Gemma Townsend: A slightly jaded trauma physician working graveyard shift in one of the local free clinics who refuses to get excited or hurry about anything.

NPC 1 - Madelyn Pate: A tall, fat, elderly, over-zealous retired nurse in her seventies who likes to complain about the disgraceful social decay all around her.

NPC 4 - Duval Stuart
A tall heavy man in his late twenties with ink-black skin and elaborate corn rows hanging past his shoulder-blades in the back.
He is cocky and always has some latest scheme to score big and live large. His clothes are garish and filthy.
Duval will do anything for money and enjoys it when he gets to hurt people.
His schemes never work out and he is always in debt to one dealer or hustler or another.
For all of his violence, he is not really in very good physical shape, tending to prefer to shoot or stab someone ... especially in the back.
Attitude [2d6] = 11 ... Enthusiastic.
Injury -1=amped, 0=ok, 1=superficial, 2=minor, 3=serious, 4=critical [1d6-2] = 2-2 = 0 ... No Injury.

NPC 5 - Chad Santana
A tall slender man in his thirties with light skin, blue eyes and black hair.
the local grocer and gets along well with the old people in the neighborhood.
Chad owns the only grocery store in the neighborhood and makes a good living.
He likes his job and is physically fit enough to chase down most shoplifters.
Most people would describe him as a nice guy.
Attitude [2d6] = 2 ... Violent - immediate attack.
Injury -1=amped, 0=ok, 1=superficial, 2=minor, 3=serious, 4=critical [1d6-2] = 6-2 = 4 ... Critical.

NPC 6 - Glenn Grimes
An average height and lightly built man in his late forties with cream skin, light brown eyes and shoulder length, curly hair starting to turn grey.
He is dressed in sensible clothes and good quality shoes, but has visible track marks running up his arm and appears to be some sort of addict.
Glen is sort of a local celebrity and colorful character.
Most of the locals like him and some give him money when he looks like he hasn't eaten in a while.

[Rukellian]

Atpollard, I'm really enjoying the posts you've been making to help past the time for everyone. Your showing a lot of insight into the workings of how a 4c game could be run.

The current approach you are taking, is this something you would like to see implemented in my future postings? Admittedly, I may not be as experienced in describing immediate environs like you do, but it is certainly something that I wouldn't mind putting a lot of effort into, if it means keeping the majority of the players 'in' the game and enjoying it even more.

[atpollard]

[Panel 19]
The crowd stares in silence as Mr. Santana slowly grows paler before your eyes ... he is dying.
ASF agents tightly control the checkpoints to contain the violence in the Industrial Sector.
As a consequence, Industrial Sector Ambulance personnel and the local hospital are overwhelmed with victims and have trouble getting to many streets.
Rescue workers from other areas are stopped at the checkpoints ... the situation is too dangerous to allow more civilians into harm's way.
The seconds drag into minutes that feel like an eternity.
Hope starts to fade.
Everyone begins to mentally prepare themselves for the inevitable ...

[1d100] = 95 ... Suddenly, a siren can be heard and a beat-up old ambulance that looks part Mobile ER and part Armored Car rolls up and screeches to a halt.
Mr. Santana is quickly loaded ... tires squeal leaving a cloud of acrid smoke behind and the ambulance is gone.

[Panel 20]
The sounds of fighting are getting louder ...
The riots appear to be getting closer ...
The cluster of Heroes and Normals exchange glances.
... things are going to get worse before they get better.

Glenn Grimes (NPC 6) whispers "Damn, it is gonna be a long night."
Everyone nods silently.
It sums up the general feeling ...

[CAST OF CHARACTERS]

Doctor Gemma Townsend: A slightly jaded trauma physician working graveyard shift in one of the local free clinics who refuses to get excited or hurry about anything.

NPC 1 - Madelyn Pate: A tall, fat, elderly, over-zealous retired nurse in her seventies who likes to complain about the disgraceful social decay all around her.

NPC 4 - Duval Stuart
A tall heavy man in his late twenties with ink-black skin and elaborate corn rows hanging past his shoulder-blades in the back.
He is cocky and always has some latest scheme to score big and live large. His clothes are garish and filthy.
Duval will do anything for money and enjoys it when he gets to hurt people.
His schemes never work out and he is always in debt to one dealer or hustler or another.
For all of his violence, he is not really in very good physical shape, tending to prefer to shoot or stab someone ... especially in the back.
Attitude [2d6] = 11 ... Enthusiastic.
Injury -1=amped, 0=ok, 1=superficial, 2=minor, 3=serious, 4=critical [1d6-2] = 2-2 = 0 ... No Injury.

NPC 6 - Glenn Grimes
An average height and lightly built man in his late forties with cream skin, light brown eyes and shoulder length, curly hair starting to turn grey.
He is dressed in sensible clothes and good quality shoes, but has visible track marks running up his arm and appears to be some sort of addict.
Glen is sort of a local celebrity and colorful character.
Most of the locals like him and some give him money when he looks like he hasn't eaten in a while.

At this point, if no other players want to interact ... we can fade to black ... and let Rukellian resume the regular mission some time in January.
... the ball is in your court, players.

[Rukellian]

The area in which the heroes are currently at is starting to show signs of stability. The ASF are on the field, controlling the ongoing traffic of the wounded and citizens that were saved from the local gang war. The sound of violence do not wane though as echoes of explosions and gunfire can be heard coming from further down the street. The view is concealed by smoke from the burning wrecks of piled up cars knocked over dumpsters in the distance. The ASF is currently short on manpower and can only handle a small defensive line for the nearby area.

You re-evaluate your surroundings and find that by climbing some of the catwalks that are still intact, you can reach the rooftop a building across the street. The building's doors and windows are all broken down and shattered, a forced entry marked with flames flickering inside. On your side of the street, the alley way behind you heads down a short distance and then breaks off to the left and right, part of the sector's tall wall creating a three way T intersection. Scamp can sniff out a few street thugs in the general direction of the alley, carrying illegal stimulants that can enhance one's senses and adrenaline for a short span of time. Directly on the street, behind the piles of burning wreckage, you can hear the shouts and cries of a group of people that seem to be stuck and need help, children seem to be among them.

Supers from the heart of Atlas City are now flying in to help out, a pair of them in particular fly over the wreckage and descends into the heart of the gang war taking place. Glenn Grimes starts to pack up her equipment and makes her way back to the scooter, at a slow casual place. She jerks a thumb towards the ASF camp and says in a tired tone:

"By all means, don't let an old hag like myself stop you from cracking some skulls." She lights another cigarette as she straddles the scooter. She draws in deeply and exhales slowly, coughing a bit afterwards. "Going to head back to gate to see if I can't get myself a drink, this damn air is making my throat dry!"