[IC] Hall of Mirrors [M&M]

Thomamelas

Timeline:

1930 - First reports of a masked vigilante attacking mobsters. The newspapers take the lurid details of killings and splash them all over the page, noting in particular that every one of the mobsters appeared to be dry withered husks.

1935 - Mr. Amazing appears in the middle of Skyline City. His strange clothes and powers cause a sensation. Quickly the people of Skyline City adopt him as their own. Even going so far as to make him the mascot of their baseball team.

1940 - Lady Liberty is first spotted during the evacuation of Dunkirk. Her actions manage to keep the losses in the BEF down to under 5,000. English morale skyrockets.

1943 - The Iron Legion headquarters was attacked by the combined forces of Mr. Amazing and Lady Liberty. The Nazi scientists make a desperate gamble and replace the test subjects in the shells with themselves. The manage to fight the paired heroes to a standstill. Much of the war would be spent by them keeping the Allied Heroes occupied.

1944 - The Golden Agent breaks up a ring of Nazi spies and sympathizers. A few weeks later he mysteriously disappears. To this day conspiracy theorists believe a Nazi metahuman took his revenge on him.

1945 - Believing it to be too unsafe to attempt a direct bombing, the Allied Air Command drafts Uncle Sam to deliver a new top-secret weapon to Tokyo. The radiation of the blast proved to be lethal, deadly gamma rays being faster then even the hero's top speed. Devastated by the, Japan surrenders immediately.

1949 - The major world governments meet. Understanding the potential devastation the new heroes could unleash, the US and USSR declare that an attack by metahumans would be treated as an attack by any weapon of mass destruction. The Treaty of Orleans is signed. The Cold War begins.

1951 - Doctor Sand is apprehended by Mr. Amazing. Believed to be the first American Super Villain.

1969 - The Radical faces off against the Heroes Three in San Francisco. The Heroes Three managed to stop him from destroying a massive index of available draftees. The Radical escapes however and begins a campaign of terror against perceived Establishment targets.

1972 - Last sighting of The Radical.

1979 - Tense moments as a metahuman special operations team is almost trapped in Iran. The USSR attempts to pass a security council measure censoring the US for use of weapons of mass destruction. The measure fails.

1980 - Justice Inc is founded. An attempt to be a worldwide peacekeeping organization combined with Metahumans to deal with high powered threats to the world. At first it's greeted with suspusion but after it's revealed that Justice Inc Team Leader would be Mr. Amazing, the world begins to cheer for them.

1985 - Doctor Sand leads a return from the dead, waves of undead villains and heroes attempt to wipe out the population of Carmine City. The combined forces of Justice Inc and the Heroes Three manage to stop him, but at great cost. The Heroes Three are banished to the realm of Hell.

1992 - The UN votes to allow Metahumans to join the forces of Operation Desert Shield after it's revealed that Saddam is being supported by a fraction of the Querle Warriors, an alien race bent on Universal domination.

1999 - An explosion of heroes and villains appear on the scene. Many believe the end times are upon them.

2001 - People get over the End Times thing.

2011 - New Justice is formed.

OOC thread

Bio's and Character sheets:
LIKYMNIOS sheet and bio

Maga sheet Bio to come

Golden Agent Sheet Bio

Loom Sheet Bio to come

Mountian King sheet and bio

Since the horrible televised death of the Alpha Kid at the hands of the Servants of Evil, Justice Inc has declared that they will step in to provide mentoring and supervision to the young heroes of today. To accomplish this, they are forming New Justice. A group of young adult superheroes to be trained and prepared as a reserve force for Justice Inc. The world has waited with baited breath as they await Justice Inc announcing who is going to fill the roster of the new team. Speculation has run rampant across the internet. The news networks have been playing the news non-stop. Millions of dollars is preparing to change hands in Vegas on the outcome of this announcement. The stock price of Justice Inc's mundane security division is up sharply.

Each of you is approached by a uniformed courier. No matter where you are, the courier finds you and hands you a bulky parchment envelop and demands your signature. The envelop is sealed with a wax seal with the figure of two knights riding a horse. Inside the envelop is a wristwatch and a terse note written in formal script addressed to each of you. The paper has the weight and heft of age.

"You have been invited to join New Justice. If you wish to accept, then at 3 pm the enclosed device will beep. Place it on your wrist and say "Teleport One". This will transport you to the Justice Inc headquarters for your swearing in. Congratulations, we hope to see you soon. The dress code is capes and tights, please attend in uniform." By the time you look up, the courier is gone as if they had vanished into the air itself. About a minute after you read it, the paper, the envelop and the wax seal all disintegrate to dust, falling away and to the ground. The wrist watch stays intact.

The time is now 2:50.

Captain Carrot

"Cape and tights? Are you kidding me?" Aaron says scornfully. Is this really something worth arguing about? Remember our deal. I'm not saying I won't do it, I just think it's dumb. Plenty of heroes don't wear either. Just put them on. They didn't say you had to don only those garments. However, I imagine you'll catch some criticism from then for it, so unless you have a real problem with it, just do as they say. Remember the power of first impressions; you can always adopt your own costume later on, after all. Aaron struggles with it, but yields to Mercury's logic, and dresses as requested, holding his own clothes folded over his left arm. He straps the watch to his wrist and waits for the beep to rattle off "Teleport One."

Underlined text is Mercury's thoughts, italicized is Aaron's.

Mazzyx

Taking his time reading through the note twice to make sure he understands it. "I guess this is what the prophecy means by protecting the meek. But, I wear my armor both for its strength and to show the respect to the gods. I shall not remove it. They will get no more than this cape, for it maybe warm in the cold winter months." Putting the watch next to the one already on his wrist, "Te...Tele..*cusses in ancient greek something about a dirty language* Teleport One."

Jacobkosh

On an elm-lined side street in a pleasant Chicago suburb, Frank Garrett stares at the letter he has just received in awe, a disbelieving smile spreading across his lips. "They want....me...." His backpack drops to the ground, forgotten. "Hahaha, yes!" Frank jumps into the air, pumping his fist in triumph, just as two girls from Evanston High round the corner and stop short, staring at him. "Oh, I, uh...hi, ladies..."

Snatching up his forty-pound backpack like it was light as air, he resumes the walk home, barely noticing where he is going. "Oh man. Oh man. I wonder if Scotty Blaze will be there. Maybe he can take me out parasailing or whatever. I wonder if..." he glances at his watch. "2:53? Shit! Shit! Shit!" The walk turns into a run as he bolts across Old Man Hernandez's yard and vaults the six-foot wooden fence to his own backyard in one swift leap. "Hope nobody saw that...gotta change, gotta change, gotta change..."

Fortunately, practice has made mostly perfect, and in five minutes Francis Henry Garrett is standing on his back patio in the thick kevlar-padded black-and-gold union suit and dashing cowl of The Golden Agent, stuffing his street clothes into the backpack as he fumbles for the watch. 2.59.

Suddenly, the house groans and shudders with the familiar sound of the garage door opening. "Oh Jesus, don't tell me dad's home early. Teleport one! Teleport one! Goddamn it, work! Teleport one!"

desc

Sanjay Mansfield signs for the package, regards it with uncertainty, and opens it while walking back toward his dorm room. He finishes reading the letter, looks around himself in all directions, and begins sprinting to his room.

2:56: He closes his door behind him, opens his closet and announces, "Plenty of time."

2:58: He finishes molding a blue shirt and brown slacks into a fairly superheroic bodysuit. Sanjay regards his betighted physique in the mirror with some doubt and decides that "tights" is a category of attire moreso than a strict tailoring description. He adjusts the clothing to leave more to the imagination and pulls a darker brown wool coat over the costume. (Maybe best to leave open the option of changing the coat into a cape after assessing the dress code in person.)

2:59: Carefully adjusts the watchband.

3:00: Smirks.

Elldren

Janie stood in the girl's room at St. Barbara Academy and adjusted her tights under her skirt. She much preferred stockings but for whatever reason the letter had specified tights. The pair she had borrowed didn't fit nearly as well as she'd like.

She looked herself over in the mirror, then at the strange watch she had been given.

2:57

"Right. Here goes nothing." She pulled her amulet out, held it tight and concentrated. A flash of light (and one exhaustive transformation sequence) later she looked back up, adjusted her hat and bodice, and examined her new demi-cape. "Weird requirements, but it's for the sake of Justice."

Don't forget the contract nagged a small voice inside her head. She caught a glimpse of some small animal in the mirror out of the corner of her eye.

"This is for everyone! I can protect more people like this. That is why I agreed to your contract."

You have an obligation

2:59

"I don't have time! Urgh. I will fulfill my part of your contract. My way."

She slipped on the watch, waiting for the beep. "Teleport One"

Thomamelas

At 3:00 pm there is a beep from the teleporter, and after a brief sensation of being torn apart, you appear in the hidden lair of Justice Inc. However, no one is there to greet you. In fact it looks like there has been a battle inside the fortress. You can smell the acrid smoke of burnt electronics, you can see the holes in the wall where people have been punched through them. Inside the teleport room, you can see a few dozen figures sprawled out on the ground. Most appear to be wearing the common color theme of the Servants of Evil. Others are in camouflage but without unit markings. Others still appear to be television personalities or guests. What you don't see is any trace of Justice Inc. There are several rooms coming off of this one. Two with actual doors, one with a hole in the wall.

Captain Carrot

Shield up, I think. Not a bad idea, Aaron agrees, uneasy with the situation. Mountain King's eyes flash blue, and small shards of ice appear all around his body, orbiting slowly. He sees the other people around him, half of them sticking to the dress code assigned, and grumbles internally. "I'm guessing you all got that letter too?" he asks cautiously.

Impervious Protection activated, with 4 ranks currently applying.

Mazzyx

Looking around, Liky(I am going to shorten it) reaches for his spear shaped necklace and says a short prayer in ancient Greek, dropping the illusion on his armor. Looking at the now ice covered man next to him with a big smile, "I didn't think they would invite us to a party." With that he kneels for a second and says another prayer to Ares to guide his his spear and shield so that he may send his enemies to Hades.

Illusion dropped, armor, shield and weapon activated. Currently looks like a hoplite.

desc

Loom materializes and looks around in confusion. Trotting over to the other people materializing, "Hey, what's .. Uh, what's going on?"

Jacobkosh

What the...my God. Welp, I wanted into the big leagues, didn't I?

Reaching into one of the myriad pouches that line his belt and shoulder harness, the Agent produces a thick, stubby brass-colored tube that, with a barely-visible flick of the wrist, telescopes into a truncheon. He gestures with it toward the doors.

"Something's happened. Fan out. Cover those exits." A soft electronic hum as the yellowish-tinted goggles on the Agent's cowl polarize to a slightly radiant purple. He races to the nearest body, muscles pistoning smoothly under the generous Kevlar-weave cut of his suit. "We need to see to these casualties. Someone might still be alive - might be able to tell us what happened."

Truncheon activated, switching cowl to infravision. Are any of these bodies still warm?

Thomamelas

The bodies are still warm. Some are much warmer then others. A closer look at the body nearest to you shows the person is unconscious and in need of medical attention. A variety of injuries appear to be visible on the Servants of Evil, the civilians appear to merely be unconscious.

Captain Carrot

"You're taking charge, huh?" Aaron asks skeptically, then shrugs. "All right. I'll check the hole - if need be, I can close it in a hurry." He moves cautiously towards the wall with the hole, ready to fill it with several dozen pounds of ice if something menacing shows up. You think it's wise, abdicating responsibility like this? He wants to give the orders, and I'll let him, for now. He wouldn't be here in the first place if he were a fool.

Mazzyx

"And you are in charge why? Let those who have gifts of healing deal with these, I feel the battle must still be raging and that is at least where I belong." Looks around to see which way the battle went.

Notice roll: 1d20+3=22

Jacobkosh

"Any of you know anything about first aid? This person needs help." Kneeling next to the body, the Agent checks for wounds and breathing. Under his cowl, his jaw sets grimly. Kept putting off that CPR class...stupid.

Untrained Medicine check with Jack of All Trades: 1d20+3 = 12.

Captain Carrot

Aaron sighs. "I can, but I'll have to change to do it, and changing back is a pain in the ass, so I'd rather not unless nobody else has any training." Aren't you doing all this to show people what heroism is like? Wouldn't a hero do it without asking? I just want to make sure that I don't expend power unnecessarily. What if I need to be soft and fleshy soon for some reason?

Notice check while he's watching the hole: 1d20 + 15=23

Jacobkosh

Frank softly exhales through pursed lips, trying not to show his relief that someone else here might know what they're doing. Nobody's attacked yet; now might be a good time to take stock of the situation. This was his first time out with other heroes, but he'd barked orders so smoothly, without even thinking; has his great-grandpa Francis's training sunk in so deep? Or is he just in over his head?

Still crouched over the body, he swivels his head slowly around the room, trying to assess these accidental teammates of his. The big Greek guy seems every bit as surly as Achilles in the book; Frank hopes he won't be a problem. The ice guy looks to have his head on straight, while the other one still seems a bit bewildered by events. You and me both, buddy.

And then there's the girl in the teleport circle. He hadn't noticed her coming in. Has she always been there? And what's with that hat and cape? Not that Frank minds, but... Shit! Don't stare. Just...go back to looking at the bleeding person.

What do you guys look like, anyway? Besides Likymnios, anyway. IMMERSE ME!

(I will post a picture of Golden Agent soon.)

Thomamelas

Frank realizes that the unconscious people are fairly well off, but the dying are probably beyond help. It's clear even to a layman that most of them have multiple fatal injuries, ranging from collapsed chests to small holes all of the way through the body right where the heart is. Some of them aren't quite dead but that's more due to stubbornness then medical viability.

Likymnios, you can hear voices coming from the hallway. And one of them is loud and getting louder as he gets closer.

Jacobkosh

Frank gets up from the unconscious people and jogs over to the Greek and the ice guy. "I think they'll be all right...for now, anyway. I can't believe this is happening, though...all those bodies..." He shakes his head clear. "I'm called the Golden Agent, by the way. Your granddads have probably heard of me."

Mazzyx

Pointing towards the hall with the voices. "We have something coming from that direction. I recommend you prepare yourself for combat. Likymnios readies his spear to be thrown if he sees an enemy comes from the hallway.

Spear ready for a thrown attack.

Captain Carrot

"If you say so," Aaron shrugs. "Mine died before I was born, so I wouldn't know. I took the name Mountain King - I'd shake your hand, but, well..." He gestures at the ice on it, then looks back at the hole. "It occurs to me that it might be best to seal that now, rather than waiting for trouble to come that way. Anybody got a better material for that than ice? After all, I'd rather not inflict water damage on Justice, Inc's HQ before we're even junior members." You worry too much.

"Trouble's coming, huh? Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. What're your powers, Agent?" Aaron asks, hoping to have enough time to form a rudimentary plan.

desc

Loom steps up to the wall. "I can fix this."

He holds up his hands, palms outstretched, and the wall begins to knit itself back together.

"There's still two doorways, however." He glances towards the ceiling and at the floors, "There may be other access points. We're really not safe here if those aren't Justice Inc. members coming."

Under transforms it notes "Inanimate targets transform automatically, so long as you can affect their mass." Thom, I assume for something well within my mass capabilities while out of combat, you don't want me to roll?

Elldren

Maga steps forward, mouth set in a scowl. So many people hurt or dying.

"If those are Justice Inc members we shouldn't trap them in there either."

All boys, her age or older. She wasn't used to dealing with that. "Maga" she stammers in response to the gangly kid in the goggles. Was he staring at her?

She moves in front of the left door, walking with as much poise and dignity as she can muster.

Jacobkosh

"Powers? None. But I've got these." From another one of his seemingly endless pouches, the Agent produces a small gold-colored coin, and turns it side to side for Mountain King to see; the coin is embossed with his (slightly more filled-in) profile on one side and a raised art-deco A on the other. He squeezes the coin and the eye on the profile starts blinking red.

"Triggered explosives," he says by way of explanation, sticking one to each door with a small dab of tacky stuff. "If we don't like the looks of whoever comes through these doors, well...we won't have to worry about them for long."

Setting triggered explosives on the doors, attuned to detonate on a command from my battle cowl.

Mazzyx

"Uhh, what does the drachma do? Are you paying their toll before battle even starts?" Likymnios says while keep his spear at the ready. "And, why is there a women here. Are you an amazon little sister?"

Captain Carrot

"I hate to burst your bubble, man, but judging by the destruction here, two mini-bombs are not going to hurt whoever did this very much," Aaron says bluntly. "I mean, go right ahead, they're liable to be of some help, but don't expect the fight to be over once you trigger them." He thinks for a moment, and muses, "I wonder if I can ice up the floors beforehand..."

Are the doors flush with the floor, or would the ice slick be able to flow underneath?

Thomamelas

As Loom reshapes the wall, everyone can begin to hear the voice grow louder. Just as the wall seals closed, you can hear the heavy, ominous pounding of someone very heavy running. As the wall seals, there is silence again. The doors in the room can be closed, but the hinges are damaged, they won't stop very much at all. As you all talk there is a sudden "BOOM" coming from the repaired area. You can see the wall visibly deform before there is another "BOOM" followed by a rapid third and fourth "BOOM" and the hole reappears and the room is sprayed with debris. In steps a man in a lime colored t-shirt with forest green trim and forest green Ouroboros on the chest, and long baggy forest green cargo pants. He is tall, muscular and broad shouldered, with the hair and face of the stereotypical surfer. Before you stands the feared and well known villain "The Brute", the second in command of the Servants of Evil. Well known to all of you from the television footage of him snapping Alpha Kid's neck.

The expression of savage glee on his face is very much at odds with his surfer look as he takes his two massive hands and begins to loudly crack his knuckles. "We expected to be out of here before the little leaguers got here. But since you're here...."

Roll for initiative!

Mazzyx

"Come villain so I may see you to Hades! You are nothing but a mortal, but I am the son of the god of war!" With a great roar, his armor begins to glow as his eyes also begin to glow.

Initiative roll-1d20+12=18

Elldren

Maga turns to face the thug, her frown turning into a scowl. Her voice hovers somewhere between an accusation and a question "You did this"

Initiative (1d20+4=23)

Jacobkosh

"Careful, he's stronger than he looks!" Golden Agent whirls to face their adversary, careful to keep the big-looking Greek guy between him and the Brute. He palms another explosive coin from his belt pouch and breathes once, deeply, through the nose.

I wanted this. The big leagues. Here we go.

Initiative: 1d20+4=19

Captain Carrot

Aaron is startled, having been examining the floor next to the doors. "Whuh?" He whirls around, confused.

1d20+2=3

desc

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2905798/ 1d20+5 = 10

Can't really type a clever IC post at work right now.

Thomamelas

Initiative Order:
Elldren
Jacob
The Brute: D :1 F:10 R:7 W:6 T:14 Immunity: Magic
Mazzyx
Desc
Carrot

Elldren

Maga glowers as she pulls an ornate ebony-stocked snaplock musketoon from seemingly nowhere, aiming it at The Brute's chest. "Where are Justice, Inc?" she shouts at him, keeping her weapon trained.

delaying my action until just after his

Jacobkosh

"Hit him hard! This is for Alpha Kid, you son of a bitch." Frank throws the beeping golden coin at The Brute; it whirs past Likymnios and connects with the Brute's chest, exploding in a loud concussive roar.

Attack roll: 1d20+10 = 12. Hit, barely, with a penetrating Blast 8.

Thomamelas

"Heh, that was cute kid. Maybe next time you'll pull a trick out of your bag that will work." Leering at Maga "Oh, I didn't do it alone. I had help. " Turning to Likymnios. "You must be the heavy." And with that line, The Brute swings his fist into Likymnios's chin with a mighty thud, leaving him reeling from the blow. "A bit of a lightweight for a heavy."

Mazzyx, you failed your fort roll by 11. You are staggered and stunned but you keep your feet.

Elldren

Maga pulls the trigger on her musketoon, the lock snapping down and a violet orb sailing from the muzzle.

"Stop you meathead!"

The magic bullet hits The Brute square in the head as Maga tosses the spent firearm over her shoulder. The longarm dissipates in a flurry of violet sparkles.

To her dismay, so does the bullet. The shock on her face fades to gritted teeth as she hops back a few steps.

"What are you?"

Attack (1d20+8=15), not that it particularly matters

Mazzyx

"No body calls the me weak!" With a giant roar a golden light encompasses Likymnios' skin. "I will not fall today, not to you. I fought monsters who were more power as children than you." With that he stabs his spear at his The Brute with all the force his bruised body can handle. "You spirited will be feasted upon by the kindly ones in the underworld tonight!"

Okay, spending my hero point to remove the stun condition, someone made Liky mad. And using my standard action to use my strike attack power on the spear.

Attack: 1d20+5=16 which is a hit
Damage:I think I am reading this right, but it is Strike(5)+Strenght(5)+spear(3) so a total of 13.

Thomamelas

The Brute stumbles a little bit from the hit. "I felt that you little shit."

The +3 from the spear is just as a weapon. So you can take Mighty Strike or the strength bonus + weapon bonus. I assumed you wanted the better of the two. And you manage to inflict a bruise.

desc

"Okay, this isn't good. Think fast. Think fast."

Loom steps backward from the fray and then glances at the floor.

Attempting to make a pair of steel shackles to slow him down:

Create object rank 10: 16 (6+10)

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2907017/

Would this be versus reflex since i'm trying to form them around his ankles while he moves around?

Captain Carrot

Well, that should restrain him. Time to do some damage. I guess so. Anything else is likely to hurt my companions as well, in these closed quarters. Aaron moves back and scowls. "You're responsible for all this, right? Maybe it's time for you to get a taste of your own medicine." He claps his hands and holds them about an inch apart, a spike forming between his palms. Once it's big enough to satisfy him, he hurls it out, and strikes the Brute square in the jaw.

5-foot step back
Blast versus his Defense: 1d20 + 5 = 23 versus 1 + 1d20
Damage 10 (ranks)