Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 9 Chapter 3 Subject: Re: AAE 9: Cosmic Slight of Mind... On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 21:33:32 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00011250 >Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00011248 > >Fuzzy Generates a 1.5 foot Diameter Round Shield on his Right Arm, > Looks Like Boiling Silver-Grey Clouds, > With a Crackling BlueWhite Corona. > >Looking Around >"Ok, > Who's First?" As he throws himself clear of a Mega-Rod blast, Rob notes, /that's right, but we don't have time for baseball now.../ Since there's no practical way for him to palm his forehead in the middle of a fight, he settles for sending a packet apology. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Storm Rising (VLong!) On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 21:53:53 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011251 >On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 00:52:41 -0700 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00011236 > >>On Wed, 08 Oct 2003 20:41:24 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011222 > >Neither duelist comes away _completely_ unscathed, but neither the >cut on Kanto's off-hand nor the cut on Marivale's forearm bleed to >any noticable extent. > >> Kanto's smile both broadened and became more sardonic as he >>parried the riposte. "Ah. Excellent. I was hoping to face a duelist >>who could keep me from getting bored without resorting to mental >>legerdemain." > >Marivale smiles tightly. "You refer, I assume, to such tactics as >using one's off hand to fight? 'Tis passing strange, Sirrah, but I >was thinking much the same thing." With that, he pulls a parrying >dagger from his belt with his left hand and brings it into position. >"Shall we continue?" "In point of fact, I was referring to actual psychic manipulation." Kanto's smile becomes slightly condescending. "I suppose you would call it 'magic.' By all means, let us continue." Kanto very deliberately arches his arm to hold his hand back over his head. He does this in a very dramatic manner, clearly showing it open in a "nothing up my sleeve" sort of way. >(OOC: One of Marivale's favorite tricks is disarming his opponent and >having Geoffery levitate it/mage hand it/'port it. The parrying >dagger is there to give him an edge in the disarm attempt, which is >where this is heading unless the GM says otherwise.) OOC: Hm. Against Kanto? His skill is absolutely obscene. Such a trick might work, temporarily. However, we are talking about a being who is a god of swordsmanship, after a fashion. Also, he's faced with this sort of stunt often. Then again, succeeding in such a trick might be the worst possible occurrence, IMO. Kanto is Darkseid's _assassin,_ and if he decides that fighting fair is no longer of any interest to him...well, let's just say he's got _plenty_ of tricks up his sleeve. Your call. >> "Well. Effective." Eric saluted and dove away as Steppenwolf >>"roared" ineffectively. The parademons hovered, confused. The >>General of Apokolips typed a few commands on his aero-cycle, and >>wheeled around. The parademons whirled in perfect unison. > >Harlock mutters "or not..." as he hunkers down, waiting for DCs >permission to pirate his broadcast. Erindrea, meanwhile, has taken a >moment to change rings and is back to sniping at parademons, although >she doesn't seem to be aiming for the half-mile shots that she was >making before. OOC: Actually, you've just prevented Steppenwolf from giving complex orders, or transmitting orders to the entire army, which he was doing. (Yes, even while he was fighting Eric. He _is_ that good. ) You've sent the entire invasion into mild disarray. Simple gestures and other contingencies for the din of battle are to be expected in someone this good, though. >> Steppenwolf glared at Erin and Harlock's sniping spot, as if he >>_knew_ where they were from how the arrow had struck him. (OOC: If >>they're not hiding, please let me know. ) > >(OOC: Well, Harlock is, but Erin isn't. And she's still wearing a >ball gown, to boot.) OOC: ROFL! Okay, rewrite... Steppenwolf starts in surprise to see the beautiful young woman in the ballgown, with the bow, in the direction from which the arrow came. He glares and grits his teeth, throwing a very clear 'I'll deal with you later' look at her. Then he rockets off towards the heart of the battle, the parademons following in mindlessly perfect formation behind him. >> "WH-?!" Desaad, ever the coward, assumed that if a creature is >>firing such primitive weapons at his Dark Walker, then they must be >>capable of doing him some harm. (Not only is Desaad familiar with >>super-archers like Green Arrow, he rarely thinks in terms of someone >>being heroically foolish, at least in the heat of battle.) > >(OOC: Who said anything about foolishness? ) Well, I didn't say that _Veren_ was being foolish... ;^) >>Turning, he sprayed the apparent origin point of the attack wildly >>with Killing Glove bolts. Large chunks of Central Park exploded... > >... as Veren steps out of an oak tree over a half-mile from the one >he entered and surveys the destruction. He growls like a wolf-bitch >with threatened cubs. [There was a wilderness in the middle of this >crazy place and that bastard just destroyed a good chunk of it. He's >*DEAD* But let's not be too hasty about this...] Desaad quivers in fear for a moment, waiting for a second attack. With none immediately forthcoming, he relaxes _slightly_ and does a scan of the area, which he pores carefully over. >After the assault on Central Park dies down, Veren does the trick >with the trees again, arriving some 180' behind the Dark Walker, then >ghosting in to a better vantage point while fingering something in >one of his belt pouches. When he finds a spot he likes (next to yet >another oak tree) he casts the Tree Stride spell yet again, then >fires a single arrow at Desaad and bolts into the tree. "Warning warning warning" the Dark Walker intones rapidly. Screens light up, showing Veren's rapid appearance and disappearance. "AAGH!" Desaad fires wildly through the machine's giant hands, only to strike a moment too late. >(OOC: the arrow, BTW, is a shocking burst, icy burst, anarchic, >thundering adamantine arrow. Veren's been saving that one for a >*special* target.) Well, most of it would be utterly ineffective against something as powerful as war armor of Apokolips. "Anarchic," on the other hand, changes the whole equation... The arrow just _happens_ to find a joint in the torso, which just _happens_ to be an energy conduit, which just _happens_ to transmit the power of the Killing Gloves... Lightning causes massive short-circuits throughout the arms, large chunks of ice spread throughout the system (right up to coating Desaad's own hands in frost), and the sound of thunder all but deafens Darkseid's head scientist/torturer. "AAIEEEEE!" Desaad screams in pain and fear. "ENOUGH!" He reroutes several systems and shoves a bastard version of a Mother Box into a slot in the cockpit. Several systems reroute, and three overlapping energy fields spring up around the Dark Walker. At roughly the same time, eight War Dogs (giant metal hounds that look somewhat like furless wolves, if you could keep a furless wolf from looking like an abomination) lope up to Desaad. "We come to serve, Master Desa-" "Good! Seek and destroy!" Desaad downloads the brief scan he received of Veren to the War Dogs. (OOC: Up to you to determine how well they track him. If they do, they're just big, strong, tough, and fast, with nasty teeth and energy turrets in the center of their backs. Have fun. 8^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Storm Rising (VLong!) On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 22:12:50 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011252 >On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 06:15:41 -0700 (PDT) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00011238 > >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011224 >> >> Bernadeth sighed. "Harriet. Lashina. Attack." She turned back to >>Kell. "Try not to scream. Harriet likes it when you scream, and I >>doubt you want to encourage her." She raised her Fahren-knife for >>another attack as Stompa maneuvered for another chance to flatten >>the man with one well-placed boot. Meanwhile, Mad Harriet, Lashina, >>and Granny unleashed their power on Quantum... > > A moment later, Rob hit the ground, sword in hand. As Kell engaged >Bernadeth, the street fighter tripped Mad Harriet, sending her power >spikes to destroy a mailbox. "Oh, that was not nice, dearie, not nice at _all!_" Imagine the Joker crossed with one of the Furies of myth. Then give her super-technology. That's Mad Harriet. And you just pissed her off. >Then he rushed Stompa, parrying an attack from the Fahren-knife as he >went, and lunged, missing the heaviest Female Fury and striking the >unconscious Jaguar instead. > "Hmph," Stompa grunted. "Clumsy." Then she felt her ankle shift in >an unpleasantly wrong way, bone grating on bone, as the Bastet took >her foot in an iron grip and -twisted-. Unfortunately, New Gods are _tough_ -- and Stompa's one of the toughest. The grating sound was not bone on bone, only the components of the boot shifting. Stompa winced and backed off for a moment all the same. > "I don't know," Rob replied before kicking Stompa's jaw, "when the >sword's name is Woundhealer, things work differently." Sheathing his >copy of the Sword of Mercy, he glanced at Jaguar. "Four-on-five seems >much better than one-on-four, don't you agree?" Jaguar grinned. He didn't seem completely healed (he's a natural regenerator, and _that_ wasn't working), but he definitely looked better than he did before you got here. "Entirely." He loped over towards Bernadeth, claws gleaming. "Excuse me..." he growled. Granny looked the situation over. She wasn't happy. "Bernadeth! _Do_ something!" Bernadeth sighed in annoyance. With a quick series of gestures, the Furies were each on a target. Stompa immediately aimed at Jaguar again, eager for revenge. Lashina struck out at Rob, attempting to entangle his arms with one metallic whip and snap his neck with the other. Bernadeth lunged at Kell, re-engaging him. Granny aimed her wand at Quantum again, expecting Harriet to join her. Except Harriet's pissed at Rob. "I hope you like the wonderful taste of my Power Spikes, dearie, because you're about to get a bellyful!" Harriet screeched, firing dozens of the things with insane speed at the martial artist. Quantum smiled slyly. "Sucker." Easily parrying Granny's attack again, she took aim at Mad Harriet-- --and went spiralling into the sky, clutching her head! "Enough," Suli intoned, and the air around the techno-witch rang like a bell. She glared at Granny. "My lord and love wants this _world,_ Granny Goodness. I strongly suggest that you do not fail him." Granny swallowed and nodded, turning to take aim at Jaguar... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Darkseid Rising On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 22:46:44 -0700 Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00011253 Nemo appears several places at once. He appears in midair near Qwsp. "I know hoew you like to play games. Here are some dice to help you." He tosses a handful of glittering poly hedra to the 5th-dimensional imp. They appear much like the "jewel dice" sold in gamings stores. But only at first glance. As they rotate, they shift odd. A sufficiently intelligent and informed observer will realize that they are more than 3 dimensional. Qwsp looks oddly at them until he suddenly notices the numbers... The die whose 3 dimensional cross section is a tetrahedron is currently showing an "8" on the side nearest him. And he suddenly realizes that these dice must extend into *at least* 7 dimensions.... Elsewhere, Nemo appears in fron of Desaad. And anyone who has encountered him in the past would be amazed to see him struck be Desaad. And in obvious pain and even... terror? Desaad, being Desaad, gloats and starts inflicting *more* pain and fear upon his victim. And in the process slackoing off on attacks to everyone else in the city. But all is not as it seems... And yet another Nemo allows Granny goodness to attack him. And capture him. (OOC: boy are those last two in for a surprise... ) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Cosmic Storm Rising On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 23:04:15 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011254 >On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 13:00:08 -0700 >Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00011244 > >>On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 11:30:35 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011241 >> >>>On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 03:42:03 -0700 >>>Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00011237 > >Sky Lord Looks like 00 "The Mean Machine" from The Wacky Races, > http://www.hotink.com/wacky/ Near the Bottom of the Page, > Except the 00 has become the Infinity Symbol, and > "W" Logo is some Strange Sigil. > He may be treated as an Autobot. OOC: Cool! 8^) Odd, but cool. >>>[Given the The StarDragon in Proximity to An Avatar, >>> Can Invoke The Adversary, >>> And that there are at least Three More Avatars on the Planet... >>> Shudder...] > >/If it comes into direct contact with The StarDragon, > It will no longer Need a High Lord casting the "TORG" Spell, > To Allow The Adversary Entrance to Reality, > I Must Prevent that Happening On an Inhabited World, > If at all Possible.../ /All things considered, we would appreciate that _not_ happening,/ Roland notes. Morgan notes that the lack of a right brain makes his humor even drier than usual. >> Six others. >> Don't worry, they're the Darkness Devices, and they're >>_really_obvious_ to cosmic beings that are looking for them. > > OOC: Yes, but at least you know exactly what to keep him away _from._ 8^) Also note that while the Adversary cannot come through a Darkness Device without help (either Stardragon-sized assistance or Torg power), Devices react to Starspawn. The Anti-Life Equation is fairly unique as an animate Device, but apparently even it cannot simply obliterate a world without an intermediary, namely Darkseid. OTOH, they can (and will, given half a chance) take shots at the Starspawn. Yes, this is my mechanic for keeping the Starspawn from levelling the playing field...literally. >> The Anti-Life Equation stops its motion, quivering in place. Its >>reaction is difficult to read, but it seems...frustrated? >>Interested? Not mere relief, that much is certain. > >That's Ok, > Fuzzy will Play with it in a Moment. OOC: Okay, you asked for it... >>>If Fuzzy can Turn The StarDragon, >>> Both will shift out on the Universe, >>> Fuzzy will get the StarDragon Settled a Few Universes over, >>> And ask it to wait to be called, >>> Before Returning... >> >> The ALE "follows" Fuzzy's movement through the multiverse with >>considerable interest. It is definitely preparing to do >>_something_... > > I will try convince the StarDragon it is Playing Hide and Seek, > Better It should Suprise The ALE, > Than the other way around.> OOC: Well, I figure that between Fuzzy, Nemo, Oracle, and Aurora, this would be obvious. So I thought I'd mention it. 8^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Cosmic Storm Rising On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 23:53:50 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011255 >On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 06:34:46 -0700 (PDT) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011239 > >In the stratosphere above New York City, well short of the Boom Tube, >gleaming teardrops suddenly filled a rather large part of the sky, >coming through in a perfectly arranged wall of battle, a V-shape >pointed at the current battle. Incredible beams and planes of force >began to strike cutting down defenses and dragging unlucky enemy >ships into the main range of the Galactic Patrol's wall of battle. Darkseid looked up from where he'd buried the Beta Club in Dhyrclhanc's neck (proverbially speaking, of course; it's only denting the scales slightly) and frowns. It appears that someone has finally managed to catch him off-guard. >The Lady-Knight of Amber concentrates, seizing whatever loose >Possibilities not already in some other Reality-Twister's control. >Things abruptly begin to exhibit enhanced Murphy's Law properties >everywhere and anywhere around the enemy. Everything from >misfotunately localed bananna peels to loose screws, from a sneeze at >the worst possible moment to old feuds suddenly breaking out anew. >Machinery became instantly back-biting, electronics were savaged by >suddenly bad weather, and salt water began to leak into places it >Really Shouldn't Be. Suli looked up in annoyance, and gestured. Quantum slammed into a building, which collapsed in on her. Another gesture brought a "bound" Mother Box into her hand, and magical Source flows echoed around them both. "This must be undone." At that precise moment, Steppenwolf floated to a halt in front of her, gesturing wildly at himself to explain his plight. A glance told her more than she wanted to know. "By the Source! Am I the only member of the Ruling Elite that knows her _duty?!_ Be still!" She began gesturing to undo the spell of silence woven on Steppenwolf... >"She was a dark and stormy knight in shining armor, and of all the >gin joints in the world, she hadda walk into mine." Zia deadpans. >Howls of anguish joing the laughs from the Regulars. She bows (as >much as one can in full armor), and moves on. Morgan threw a few peanuts at Zia in honor of her stinker. >Finding Tink, Morgan, and the wounded Roland, she pauses a moment. >Fortunately, Roger isn't here - he knows her well enough to translate >the half-frown Zia gives the harm that has been done Roland. Roland blinked in mild surprise. Then again, pretty much everything he does is mild at the moment. >"Sorry to be fashionably late but I was preventing the interruption >of a play. Nemo and I collected a few friends to invite to the party, >which delayed us." Zia quips; the humor fails to warm those ice-blue >eyes. "Actually, I would call your timing fortuitous. Not that I should be surprised by this," Roland said with a gentle smile. "All the same, I am glad that you chose to come." >"From Nemo's arms and armoring of me, I'm assuming I should join the >fray directly. Roland's smile fades away. "I am...not entirely competent to judge, at the moment. I make a suitable database of Apokoliptic lore and a passable anti-parademon weapon emplacement, however." >I think that Suli woman would be entertaining. Just make sure that >whomever needs evac is brought to my attention, if you will?" This >last is addressed to Morgan. "I'll fetch here, unless you want >elsewhere?" Morgan considers for a moment. "I'm not sure the Place is the best choice for a MASH unit. I'd prefer to use a location on Earth-9 itself." "We should also be getting back," Roland adds. Nodding, Morgan pondered. Someplace on Earth-9, close enough for Roland to coordinate and to act as a med-evac station... "Of course. Champions Island. If things go too far south, we can move the whole island out of the way." She looks up at the Amberite. "And thanks, for coming. Every extra hand is appreciated." (OOC: After any further conferring...) Roland sends a flicker of electricity to the X-Window, and it spawns a new one, opening to the large ready room of the Champions. After only a brief hesitation, he steps through, Morgan almost welded to his right side as she accompanies him. (OOC: Once more into the breach, dear friends, once more... aka, come on in, the reality's fine! Well, sure, there's this invasion and all, but other than that...) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Cosmic Slight of Mind... On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 00:02:41 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011256 >On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 21:17:18 -0700 >Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00011248 > >^When The StarDragon Wakes Up, > We can Direct Its Attention to Its New Paint Box, > Hint that It may want to Hide It's Art, > Until it is Ready to Show Off... > That should Hide it From These Avatars, > And If I have to Fight The Great Adversary Again, > It has a Few Features That Will Give Me an Edge...^ > > If so I will Probably have to Retire him after this.> OOC: I'm not planning on letting things get that dire. The Darkness Devices are primarily Starspawn-counters and plot devices; they don't target anything smaller than 300-mile-to-a-side triangular chunks of reality, normally. > Is there a Matrtian on Planet?, > And If So What is the Status Of Mars?> OOC: Okay, this is just a touch on the complicated side, but it's not bad. There are basically _two_ Martian realities in the Earth-9 universe. One is the barren, lifeless rock of modern science. The other, its etheric/spiritual reflection/pocket universe, is basically Barsoom, complete with John Carter. Who is an Eternal, basically, though he doesn't have Roland's vast power range. On the other hand, he could take Morgan two falls out of three in swordplay -- and that's _saying_ something. 8^) No Barsoomians on Earth at the moment unless you want it otherwise. The Warlord of Mars has a very isolationist policy, though relations are warming due to recent events. (He likes that Phoenix kid. And his wife reminds him of a certain beloved Red Martian. 8^) >Fuzzy Generates a 1.5 foot Diameter Round Shield on his Right Arm, > Looks Like Boiling Silver-Grey Clouds, > With a Crackling BlueWhite Corona. > >Looking Around >"Ok, > Who's First?" > >Roland Let me Know, > If I can See any Wepon which is Clearly AntiLife Based... Only what Darkseid is wielding, though Brimstone has a touch of the ALE suffusing him/it. Darkseid is currently busy doing his damndest to turn Dhyrclhanc into dragon chow, and Brimstone is busy doing his Godzilla impression... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Storm Rising (VLong!) On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 01:57:05 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011257 >On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 21:53:53 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011251 > >>Marivale smiles tightly. "You refer, I assume, to such tactics as >>using one's off hand to fight? 'Tis passing strange, Sirrah, but I >>was thinking much the same thing." With that, he pulls a parrying >>dagger from his belt with his left hand and brings it into position. >>"Shall we continue?" > > "In point of fact, I was referring to actual psychic >manipulation." [Eep. Thank goodness for my ring, then. I've been Dominated more often than I care for...] >Kanto's smile becomes slightly condescending. "I suppose you would >call it 'magic.' By all means, let us continue." Kanto very >deliberately arches his arm to hold his hand back over his head. He >does this in a very dramatic manner, clearly showing it open in a >"nothing up my sleeve" sort of way. Marivale scowls slightly, then springs to the attack once more, looking for a chance to disarm this preening popinjay (OOC: never noticing the irony involved in that mind-set, of course...) His first attempt is blocked. As is his second, and his third...but he is a Saevil of House Saevil, he is Oerth's finest swordsman, and he will. not. fail. Finally the blade pops loose. Geoffery, who had been waiting for just that cue, casts a levitation spell on it to get it out of the way. Unfortunately for the home team, Kanto's reflexes are quick enough to catch the blade (by the hilt, yet) before it rises out of sight. He no longer looks amused. (OOC: Hey, why should Roland be the only one who's obviously hip-deep in alligators? ) >>Harlock mutters "or not..." as he hunkers down, waiting for DCs >>permission to pirate his broadcast. Erindrea, meanwhile, has taken a >>moment to change rings and is back to sniping at parademons, >>although she doesn't seem to be aiming for the half-mile shots that >>she was making before. > > OOC: Actually, you've just prevented Steppenwolf from giving. >complex orders, or transmitting orders to the entire army, which he >was doing. (Yes, even while he was fighting Eric. He _is_ that good. >) You've sent the entire invasion into mild disarray. Simple >gestures and other contingencies for the din of battle are to be >expected in someone this good, though. OOC: I kinda figured as much, once I got to thinking about it, but all Harlock sees is the parademons still in formation. > Steppenwolf starts in surprise to see the beautiful young woman in >the ballgown, with the bow, in the direction from which the arrow >came. He glares and grits his teeth, throwing a very clear 'I'll deal >with you later' look at her. Then he rockets off towards the heart of >the battle, the parademons following in mindlessly perfect formation >behind him. Of course, since Erindrea's currently busy shooting parademons, she doesn't even notice Steppenwolf's brief glare. Harlock, however, does. [Damnation. Kell's in trouble, yon gent with the axe wants Erin's hide for a rug, and I'm sitting on my hands waiting for DC to respond. I wonder if any of my TSM comm gear can override his broadcast...at least to things which normally accept radio signals...] The Bard starts rummaging in his pouches, looking for his tesseract storage device. >>(OOC: the arrow, BTW, is a shocking burst, icy burst, anarchic, >>thundering adamantine arrow. Veren's been saving that one for a >>*special* target.) > > Well, most of it would be utterly ineffective against something as >powerful as war armor of Apokolips. > "Anarchic," on the other hand, changes the whole equation... > The arrow just _happens_ to find a joint in the torso, which just >_happens_ to be an energy conduit, which just _happens_ to transmit >the power of the Killing Gloves... > Lightning causes massive short-circuits throughout the arms, large >chunks of ice spread throughout the system (right up to coating >Desaad's own hands in frost), and the sound of thunder all but >deafens Darkseid's head scientist/torturer. (OOC: Heh. I like.) > "Good! Seek and destroy!" Desaad downloads the brief scan he >received of Veren to the War Dogs. > (OOC: Up to you to determine how well they track him. If they do, >they're just big, strong, tough, and fast, with nasty teeth and >energy turrets in the center of their backs. Have fun. 8^) (OOC: Hmm...what kind of scan data did Desaad get, and what kind of sensory input do the War Dogs rely most on? Because Veren is currently under the effects of a Forestfold spell, which gives him obscene bonuses to Hide and Move Silently, but he would still be mother-naked to radar --which I assume is what picked him up--sonar, and scent. Not that he intends to pop back up anywhere closer to Desaad than the _other_ end of Central Park, mind you. He figures if the shot killed Desaad, the "construct" is likely to go berserk, and if he didn't...well, he only had one arrow _that_ good--somebody else can harrass Desaad, thank you very much. OTOH, if I do allow the War Dogs to track him down, what is the GM's ruling on the use of a Mace of Smiting--critical hit destroys constructs, no save? Or for that matter, Arrows of Construct Slaying?) ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Sword Dancing (was Cosmic Power) On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 04:01:04 -0700 (PDT) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011258 >On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 23:53:50 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011255 > >>On Thu, 9 Oct 2003 06:34:46 -0700 (PDT) >>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011239 > > Darkseid looked up from where he'd buried the Beta Club in >Dhyrclhanc's neck (proverbially speaking, of course; it's only >denting the scales slightly) and frowns. It appears that someone has >finally managed to catch him off-guard. >>"From Nemo's arms and armoring of me, I'm assuming I should join the >>fray directly. > > Roland's smile fades away. "I am...not entirely competent to >judge, at the moment. I make a suitable database of Apokoliptic lore >and a passable anti-parademon weapon emplacement, however." Zia's frown becomes slightly more grim, but she nods her acknowledgement of Roland's currnet contretemps. "Well, if you have a hint to throw my way, please do. Otherwise, I'll muddle along as I usually do." >>"I think that Suli woman would be entertaining. Just make sure that >>whomever needs evac is brought to my attention, if you will?" This >>last is addressed to Morgan. "I'll fetch here, unless you want >>elsewhere?" > >Morgan considers for a moment. "I'm not sure the Place is the best >choice for a MASH unit. I'd prefer to use a location on Earth-9 >itself." "Ah. I just had a Trump for here. I don't suppose...well, if it's in the same Shadow, that won't require much effort." > "We should also be getting back," Roland adds. > >Nodding, Morgan pondered. Someplace on Earth-9, close enough for >Roland to coordinate and to act as a med-evac station... "Of course. >Champions Island. If things go too far south, we can move the whole >island out of the way." She looks up at the Amberite. "And thanks, >for coming. Every extra hand is appreciated." "An actress is well aware that applause is always welcome." Zia grins. "I'll go with you, since I need to see the place to get to it faster." > Roland sends a flicker of electricity to the X-Window, and it >spawns a new one, opening to the large ready room of the Champions. >After only a brief hesitation, he steps through, Morgan almost welded >to his right side as she accompanies him. other than that...) Ziactrice follows, gets her bearings in whatever odd way only an Amberite's senses can, and she nods to them before walking around a corner. She walks around another corner in New York City the next instant, unlimbering the katana and wazikashi at her side. "You know, between you, the Furies, and this Granny woman, I'm ashamed of my gender. What miserable, shameful examples! I think I'll have to beat you." The womanly, short figure in black and silver plate scoffs lightly at Suli, completely ignoring Steppenwolf's presence. Zia doesn't wait for Suli to react, to draw a blade, or put down the Mother Box. She closes in a winking blizzard of cera-titanium blades - at about forty strikes per second. The first dozen or so aimed at cutting what equipment and clothing away she can as she closes the distance to body-contact range. Opponents who are brilliant swordswomen in Western styles sometimes still have trouble fighting hip-to-hip, skin-to-skin she has found. She absently spares Steppenwolf a severe kick to the face that could have flipped a rhinocerous end-for-end without letting up in the attack on Suli. She does have to block a few return blows with her wazi-kashi, but Zia retaliates by trimming the other woman's clothing back to the minimum allowance of the Comics Authority. /Hey guys? Do we haveta fight one on one, or woulda coupla youse guys like to team up with me, and knock em down one at a time? Eric? Rob? Anyone else who would rather have a partner to dance with? Nemo's tagged Qwisp and Granny, I think, and he can have 'em./ Among the enemy's forces, things once again begin to Go Wrong in 1,001 Odd Little Ways, now that Ziactrice is back in this Shadow. It isn't even something that requires any significant concentration on her part, although it is not exactly of great impact. The Galatic Patrol, on the other hand, are making their usual significant dents in the enemy's air power, even as individual Lensmen begin to fight against the ground forces in their one-man ships. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Storm Rising (VLong!) On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:29:27 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011259 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 01:57:05 -0700 >Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011257 > >>On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 21:53:53 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011251 >> >> Kanto's smile becomes slightly condescending. "I suppose you >>would call it 'magic.' By all means, let us continue." Kanto very >>deliberately arches his arm to hold his hand back over his head. He >>does this in a very dramatic manner, clearly showing it open in a >>"nothing up my sleeve" sort of way. > >Marivale scowls slightly, then springs to the attack once more, >looking for a chance to disarm this preening popinjay (OOC: never >noticing the irony involved in that mind-set, of course...) OOC: LOL! 8^) >His first attempt is blocked. As is his second, and his third...but >he is a Saevil of House Saevil, he is Oerth's finest swordsman, and >he will. not. fail. Finally the blade pops loose. Geoffery, who had >been waiting for just that cue, casts a levitation spell on it to get >it out of the way. OOC: Quick question -- where's Geoffrey at this point? >Unfortunately for the home team, Kanto's reflexes are quick enough to >catch the blade (by the hilt, yet) before it rises out of sight. He >no longer looks amused. Indeed, Kanto looks downright furious. "I see. You wish to play such games, then, when I offered you the opportunity for a pure duel." His face turns into a horrifically malicious grin (though he can't match Granny or Darkseid for sheer *eep* factor). "As you wish." And he vanishes. The *whoosh* of his blade, however, is clearly evident, as is some of his motion -- he's attempting to use his invisibility to get behind Marivale and literally stab him in the back. Kanto has decided to revert to his job as assassin, and as Darkseid's top assassin, he's _very_ good at his job. Meanwhile, three spheres with Kirby dot-and-line decoration fly from the spot where Kanto turned invisible (presumably leaving his person just before he tries to flank Marivale) and careen toward Geoffrey, crackling with Kirby-dot cosmic energy... >(OOC: Hey, why should Roland be the only one who's obviously hip-deep >in alligators? ) OOC: Hah! Very nice. Good to see the fine folx of the Place taking this lot seriously... >> Well, most of it would be utterly ineffective against something >>as powerful as war armor of Apokolips. >> "Anarchic," on the other hand, changes the whole equation... >> The arrow just _happens_ to find a joint in the torso, which just >>_happens_ to be an energy conduit, which just _happens_ to transmit >>the power of the Killing Gloves... >> Lightning causes massive short-circuits throughout the arms, >>large chunks of ice spread throughout the system (right up to >>coating Desaad's own hands in frost), and the sound of thunder all >>but deafens Darkseid's head scientist/torturer. > >(OOC: Heh. I like.) OOC: Thank you. I'm here 'til _Thursday._ Try the meatloaf! ;^) >> "Good! Seek and destroy!" Desaad downloads the brief scan he >>received of Veren to the War Dogs. >> (OOC: Up to you to determine how well they track him. If they do, >>they're just big, strong, tough, and fast, with nasty teeth and >>energy turrets in the center of their backs. Have fun. 8^) > >(OOC: Hmm...what kind of scan data did Desaad get, Just a cursory one. >and what kind of sensory input do the War Dogs rely most on? Typical ultra-tech scanners, probably multiple frequencies of radiation and some obscenely advanced version of radar. >Because Veren is currently under the effects of a Forestfold spell, >which gives him obscene bonuses to Hide and Move Silently, but he >would still be mother-naked to radar --which I assume is what picked >him up--sonar, and scent. No sonar or scent, I'd say, and the "radar" scan was only cursory. Evading them should be challenging but far from impossible. >OTOH, if I do allow the War Dogs to track him down, what is the GM's >ruling on the use of a Mace of Smiting--critical hit destroys >constructs, no save? Or for that matter, Arrows of Construct >Slaying?) I worry less about how powerful a critter is than about whether it's a major player or not, though I try to apply logic as much as possible. In both cases, the War Dogs are fair game. The Dog Soldier pilots won't be particularly harmed by the effects, though they'll be wondering why they're sitting in piles of scrap when the magic kicks in... ;^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Sword Dancing (was Cosmic Power) On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:56:29 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011260 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 04:01:04 -0700 (PDT) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011258 > >>On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 23:53:50 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011255 >> >> Darkseid looked up from where he'd buried the Beta Club in >>Dhyrclhanc's neck (proverbially speaking, of course; it's only >>denting the scales slightly) and frowns. It appears that someone has >>finally managed to catch him off-guard. > > OOC: I figure that they were expecting the CAoL in its current configuration, more or less. They didn't figure Zia into that equation. _OOPS._ >>Morgan considers for a moment. "I'm not sure the Place is the best >>choice for a MASH unit. I'd prefer to use a location on Earth-9 >>itself." > >"Ah. I just had a Trump for here. I don't suppose... well, if it's in >the same Shadow, that won't require much effort." Morgan smiles. "Not only the same Shadow, but the same city. It should be line-of-sight from much of the battlefield." Roland perks up as the right side of his head ripples and pushes back out slightly (helmet shifting to permit this). "And if it's not, it's a _flying_ island, so it _can_ be." >"You know, between you, the Furies, and this Granny woman, I'm >ashamed of my gender. What miserable, shameful examples! I think I'll >have to beat you." The womanly, short figure in black and silver >plate scoffs lightly at Suli, completely ignoring Steppenwolf's >presence. Suli, annoyed at Steppenwolf, doesn't notice the Amberite as she completes her unweaving of the spell and an anti-magic protection fields around him. "Now get _out_ there and--" she begins. >Zia doesn't wait for Suli to react, to draw a blade, or put down the >Mother Box. She closes in a winking blizzard of cera-titanium blades >- at about forty strikes per second. Suli _does_ notice, now. "Aah!" she gasps. Steppenwolf's eyes bulge, and he quickly draws his Electro-Axe (now repaired by New Gods' self-maintaining science). >The first dozen or so aimed at cutting what equipment and clothing >away she can as she closes the distance to body-contact range. >Opponents who are brilliant swordswomen in Western styles sometimes >still have trouble fighting hip-to-hip, skin-to-skin she has found. Suli is clearly a sorceress, not a swordswoman (as Morgan proved handily). The first thing she does is try to retreat to Source-slinging distance. For a moment (to let the next neat bit work 8^), she's too flummoxed to do so. The Mother Box falls at Zia's feet, radiating gratitude at the rescue. Steppenwolf, a warrior ancient by almost any standard, is far more ready to deal with this sudden arrival. He's already barking orders to the invading forces as he slashes at the petite Amberite. >She absently spares Steppenwolf a severe kick to the face that could >have flipped a rhinocerous end-for-end without letting up in the >attack on Suli. He thinks to parry this with the flat of his blade. Though the New God is strong, he's caught rather off-guard by the sheer force of the kick, sending both general and aero-cycle sliding back through the air. >She does have to block a few return blows with her wazi-kashi, but >Zia retaliates by trimming the other woman's clothing back to the >minimum allowance of the Comics Authority. Suli gapes, trying briefly to protect her modesty in the time-honored (and virtually useless) manner of covering her body with her arms. "DARKSEID!" she cries. Darkseid, still gloriously engaged with Dhyrclhanc, frowns. His eyes flicker. "Brimstone," he intones. A fifty-foot-tall demon-man of flame and shadow-bone steps around a corner. Seeing her opportunity, Suli flies back (literally) onto its shoulder, though her state of undress ensures that she stays a good yard or so off of its skin. "Humiliate the consort of a High Lord, will you?" Suli snarls. And Zia realizes something. Suli is insane. Not "total supervillain psychosis" of the Joker/Mad Harriet variety, though. Her pattern is damaged, somehow, and it has affected her mind. OTOH, while I don't want to make assumptions about Zia's capabilities, based on whatever her limits are she _might_ have to decide how to split her time between fighting bad guys and analyzing Suli's condition... >/Hey guys? Do we haveta fight one on one, or woulda coupla youse guys >like to team up with me, and knock em down one at a time? Eric? Rob? >Anyone else who would rather have a partner to dance with? Nemo's >tagged Qwisp and Granny, I think, and he can have 'em./ Eric, until now, was wearily slaying his way through Dog Soldiers and parademons, when he hears this. /ZIA!/ echoes like a roar through the link. Within a few moments, Eric is between Zia and Brimstone, his body a Roman Candle of Essense and solar light. The image of a golden oriental dragon cascades around him. He looks very determined...for a moment. Then he looks up. And keeps looking up for a while. When he reaches the thing's head, Brimstone roars. "/That's a big demon,/" he says in his trademarked dry tone. >Among the enemy's forces, things once again begin to Go Wrong in >1,001 Odd Little Ways, now that Ziactrice is back in this Shadow. It >isn't even something that requires any significant concentration on >her part, although it is not exactly of great impact. Suli immediately begins to try and counter this, though for all her skill and power, she clearly isn't Zia's equal in this subtle work. Even better, she has to work a lot harder to do what she _is_ doing. >The Galatic Patrol, on the other hand, are making their usual >significant dents in the enemy's air power, even as individual >Lensmen begin to fight against the ground forces in their one-man >ships. Steppenwolf floats up, maintaining control over his forces as he considers that accursed black-clad mortal and the woman who dared attack Darkseid's consort. For the moment, however, he sticks to observing. "You sure know how to show a man a good time," Eric says, managing to be wry and sincere simultaneously. "Any ideas?" ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Cosmic Slight of Mind... On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 12:26:37 -0700 Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00011261 >Fuzzy and/or Nemisis Said As CAoL Message # 00011248 > >^Oracle, > I Am arrainging a Distraction for The StarDragon, > If you could have a StarSpawn Pick up {}, > At My Castle and Drop it Between Universes, > Nearby but Away from The Storm Bridge Paths. > It Will Hatch a Small Universe Full of Varied Energy Fluxes.^ ^I've just spoken to Failsafe, Fuzzy. He will take care of it. I've also suggested that he arrainge that, when The Stardragon bursts the mono-block, the child is ejected into the pocket Universe where Failsafe will be waiting. He will have the Child... *prepare* some surprises for any undesireable guests.^ Oracle answers. >^When The StarDragon Wakes Up, > We can Direct Its Attention to Its New Paint Box, > Hint that It may want to Hide It's Art, > Until it is Ready to Show Off... > That should Hide it From These Avatars, > And If I have to Fight The Great Adversary Again, > It has a Few Features That Will Give Me an Edge...^ ^Failsafe will see to it. Be warned however. When The Stardragon wishes to *hide* even *I* can't see or find it. The ONLY access to it and the universe it is hiding in will be through the CAoL Lens link, and through the CAoL Sigils. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Getting into the fray, or, Hip deep, and no On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 15:40:08 -0700 Patrick O'Shea Said As CAoL Message # 00011262 > At this, a synthetic humanoid creature of some sort leaps up as >Hunger Dogs and parademons go flying. "What's this?" It/he asks as >blasts and chi-stunts fly fast and furious. "Ah! _Bedlam!_ Then I'm >right at home!" With a laugh, he throws a large capsule at the >swordsman, which bursts into sickly yellow smoke... It's close; between his own healing abilities and the fact that there were still a lot of 'Dogs and Parademons, all breathing heavily on the field around him, Patrick gets off relatively lightly, still panicking as he tries to find a way to escape. It's still enough to get him smacked around for a few seconds by the now panicked/enraged mob of invaders. One Parademon bursts through, grappling the Kai by the throat. "K......KAI BLAST!" Fear pushing the psychic blast to new heights, Patrick's Mindforce stabs at the Parademon, dropping it in its tracks. "That was...cathartic..." Patrick mutters, still a bit freaked by the gas attack. Looking back, he sees that the rest of the Hunger Dogs have fallen on each other, blinded by panic. Of the twisted Doctor Bedlam, there is no sign, save for the occasional puff of acrid yellow smoke in the distance. [Better make my way to the rest of the defending forces. I might be more use there. I don't think I can manage another Kai blast like that for a while.] ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Sword Dancing (was Cosmic Power) On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 17:20:09 -0700 (PDT) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011263 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:56:29 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011260 > >>On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 04:01:04 -0700 (PDT) >>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011258 > > Roland perks up as the right side of his head ripples and pushes >back out slightly (helmet shifting to permit this). "And if it's not, >it's a _flying_ island, so it _can_ be." "That's one way to find a place to park." Ziactrice replies, deadpan. "If a bit flam...Buoyant." > /ZIA!/ echoes like a roar through the link. Within a few moments, >Eric is between Zia and Brimstone, his body a Roman Candle of Essense >and solar light. The image of a golden oriental dragon cascades >around him. He looks very determined...for a moment. > Then he looks up. And keeps looking up for a while. When he >reaches the thing's head, Brimstone roars. > "/That's a big demon,/" he says in his trademarked dry tone. "/Mmmm? That'un? Not really. Nice entrance,/" Zia says with absent but professional respect. "/Been eating your Wheaties - and a few other things, have you?/" > Steppenwolf floats up, maintaining control over his forces as he >considers that accursed black-clad mortal and the woman who dared >attack Darkseid's consort. For the moment, however, he sticks to >observing. > > "You sure know how to show a man a good time," Eric says, managing >to be wry and sincere simultaneously. "Any ideas?" Ziactrice stoops and picks up the Mother Box, popping it into a handy katana-space for now. She laughs. "As this actress once said to Bishop; the time and show depend on the man. Let's dance." Zia says, managing to waltz with him despite her having both hands full of swords. She moves them both two steps to the left, quickly. Just as a nine foot tall, foot diameter, steel cylinder of welder's acetylene (that was knocked over earlier during the initial falling of buildings in a garage behind them) slips under the jarring of the demon's arrival. It falls toward the floor. The nozzle is sheered off by a sharp-edged wheel ramp laid nearby. The pressure within blows the cylinder through the brick wall of the shop, through the space recently occupied by Eric, and completely through the body of Steppenwolf's aerocycle, removing most of the guts of the mechanism. Zia laughs again, the sound of it full of dark delight in battle, like nothing Eric's ever heard from her before. Although elswhere in the battle, Nemo might suddenly get a shiver. The street gives way under one of the demon's feet, plunging one flaming, twenty-foot leg hip-deep into the tunnels underneath. The demon momentarily flounders like a child in a similar predicament involving a deep snowbank. "The axeman first. He's the cannon fodder's C.O." She says, leaping to the attack even as she speaks. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Sword Dancing (was Cosmic Power) On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 19:15:29 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011265 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 17:20:09 -0700 (PDT) >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011263 > >>On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:56:29 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011260 >> >> Roland perks up as the right side of his head ripples and pushes >>back out slightly (helmet shifting to permit this). "And if it's >>not, it's a _flying_ island, so it _can_ be." > >"That's one way to find a place to park." Ziactrice replies, deadpan. >"If a bit flam...Buoyant." Morgan looks at Roland. "Moah peanuts?" she asks in a Fudd-esque manner. "More peanutth," Roland agrees with a Daffy lisp. 8^) 888888888888888888888 >> /ZIA!/ echoes like a roar through the link. Within a few moments, >>Eric is between Zia and Brimstone, his body a Roman Candle of >>Essence and solar light. The image of a golden oriental dragon >>cascades around him. He looks very determined...for a moment. >> Then he looks up. And keeps looking up for a while. When he >>reaches the thing's head, Brimstone roars. >> "/That's a big demon,/" he says in his trademarked dry tone. > >"/Mmmm? That'un? Not really. Nice entrance,/" Zia says with absent >but professional respect. "/Thanks,/" Eric replies with a steady grin. >"/Been eating your Wheaties - and a few other things, have you?/" "I gained the notice of Those In High Places," Eric quipped, dropping the lens link for _that_ comment. >> "You sure know how to show a man a good time," Eric says, >>managing to be wry and sincere simultaneously. "Any ideas?" > >Ziactrice stoops and picks up the Mother Box, popping it into a handy >katana-space for now. She laughs. Suli glares. Steppenwolf watches warily as he continues barking orders. >"As this actress once said to Bishop; the time and show depend on the >man. Let's dance." Zia says, managing to waltz with him despite her >having both hands full of swords. She moves them both two steps to >the left, quickly. Apparently, Eric doesn't mind allowing the lady to lead; he flows with her movement, though even with her providing cues, he _still_ looks more like a martial artist than a dancer as he "follows." >Just as a nine foot tall, foot diameter, steel cylinder of welder's >acetylene (that was knocked over earlier during the initial falling >of buildings in a garage behind them) slips under the jarring of the >demon's arrival. It falls toward the floor. The nozzle is sheered off >by a sharp-edged wheel ramp laid nearby. "UHHRRRR?" Brimstone...uh, says. ;^) Suli blinks, feeling the strands of fate with uncertainty. (Yes, physically -- after a fashion. Her fingers twitch, following the paths of chance and destiny.) Too busy trying to smooth out other problems, however, she misses... >The pressure within blows the cylinder through the brick wall of the >shop, through the space recently occupied by Eric, and completely >through the body of Steppenwolf's aerocycle, removing most of the >guts of the mechanism. OOC: ROFL! I don't know that I'd normally allow a mundane piece of metal like that to damage New God tech, but a) there's the Pattern, and more importantly, b) that was just too damn COOL not to let happen! Steppenwolf does _not_ hang in the air for a moment in shock, which feels...wrong, for Earth-9. Then, the current reality isn't exactly Earth-9's. Which Steppenwolf probably regrets as he plummets to the ground, teeth gritting as his entire body shudders from the impact. The aero-cycle crumples around Steppenwolf, partially burying him in metal. When two parademons immediately fly down to examine their leader, one quickly goes flying as Steppenwolf punches his way free, slamming it in the jaw. "Rrrr...accursed fate witch!" he snarls as he rips his way loose. >Zia laughs again, the sound of it full of dark delight in battle, >like nothing Eric's ever heard from her before. Although elswhere in >the battle, Nemo might suddenly get a shiver. The street gives way >under one of the demon's feet, plunging one flaming, twenty-foot leg >hip-deep into the tunnels underneath. The demon momentarily flounders >like a child in a similar predicament involving a deep snowbank. "GRAAH! Brimstone will DESTROY you!" The burning monster lashes out wildly, trying (ineffectually) to extricate itself. Suli is too busy staying out of the flailing monster's way to comment. "What a woman," Eric says admiringly. >"The axeman first. He's the cannon fodder's C.O." She says, leaping >to the attack even as she speaks. "Never argue with a woman," he quips, sounding somewhat like Pierce Brosnan but more like one of her husbands, "they're always right." /Though considering how hard of a time he gave me _last_ time, I am open to suggestions,/ Eric notes calmly, still blazing with yellow-white light as he advances... ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Heavy Weather On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 19:59:25 -0700 (PDT) Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00011266 >Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011258 > >She absently spares Steppenwolf a severe kick to the face that could >have flipped a rhinocerous end-for-end without letting up in the >attack on Suli. She does have to block a few return blows with her >wazi-kashi, but Zia retaliates by trimming the other woman's clothing >back to the minimum allowance of the Comics Authority. (OOC: Spelling flame: That's 'wakizashi.') >/Hey guys? Do we haveta fight one on one, or woulda coupla youse guys >like to team up with me, and knock em down one at a time? Eric? Rob? >Anyone else who would rather have a partner to dance with? Nemo's >tagged Qwisp and Granny, I think, and he can have 'em./ /Love to help...but...ticked off too many people...YIII!/ >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011252 > > Bernadeth sighed in annoyance. With a quick series of gestures, >the Furies were each on a target. Stompa immediately aimed at Jaguar >again, eager for revenge. Lashina struck out at Rob, attempting to >entangle his arms with one metallic whip and snap his neck with the >other. Rob drew a pair of jitte and deflected the lash aimed at his neck, while parrying the other, when something went *SPANG*. Dropping the shattered jitte, he mumbled, "Probably past it's warranty anyway..." (OOC: Sorry, Dhyrclhanc - something had to give, and your metallurgy lost to the Apokoliptian version.) >Bernadeth lunged at Kell, re-engaging him. Granny aimed her wand at >Quantum again, expecting Harriet to join her. Kell parried Bernadeth's attacks steadily - eight, nine, ten, damn. [She learns fast - and thank goodness for my fire protection,] he decided, and shifted to the attack. A child of Waterdeep, he had taken the twin sword style that originated there and evolved a two-weapon style of his own. Now, Bernadeth faced a tempest of steel, and failed to parry a stab from a dagger that had been howling for the blood of a non-mage since Kell drew it. > Except Harriet's pissed at Rob. > "I hope you like the wonderful taste of my Power Spikes, dearie, >because you're about to get a bellyful!" Harriet screeched, firing >dozens of the things with insane speed at the martial artist. Unfortunately for the Female Fury, there were two things she didn't know. First, insane speed is the hallmark of the Psycho Storm style. Second, Rob had another wind. (By now, he'd learned not to count how many he went through when in a CAoL battle.) The first of the spikes was within a few feet when he spoke: "Beamsplitter... BARRAGE!" Dozens of golden crescents flashed out, each one shattering or deflecting a power spike. > Quantum smiled slyly. "Sucker." Easily parrying Granny's attack >again, she took aim at Mad Harriet-- > --and went spiralling into the sky, clutching her head! > "Enough," Suli intoned, and the air around the techno-witch rang >like a bell. She glared at Granny. "My lord and love wants this >_world,_ Granny Goodness. I strongly suggest that you do not fail >him." Rob grfed. [So that's the way of it, hm? Time to take the larger view, then.] A flick of his hands sent a small spell flying at Suli. /That's the best I can do, Zia./ The spell was simple; Suli expected her automatic defenses to wipe it away without her having to lift a finger. Then she realized it was completely unfamiliar. For a half second, her world turned inside-out, as six concentric rings of force whirled in her inner ear, before she shattered the magic. But nothing can calm a chaotic system. Another half-second would pass before the vertigo wore off. (OOC: One second. What can happen in one second? :) ) > Granny swallowed and nodded, turning to take aim at Jaguar... Just then... >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00011253 > >And yet another Nemo allows Granny Goodness to attack him. And >capture him. As the Nemo approached, Rob did a double-take. [That's Nemo...I think. Play it like it lays, then, and trust in teamwork.] /Morgan: Relay to Quantum and Jaguar: 'Double-team Lashina until she kisses asphalt.'/ Next, he shifted the power around his hands to yellow, and used what he hoped would be the best choice. "Howling Fury!" A storm of white noise averaging over one hundred twenty decibels washed over Stompa. [She's tough, but that ought to slow anybody down.] Then Mad Harriet crashed into him, power spikes flailing away. By the time Rob managed to separate himself from the melee, he had a torn sleeve, a scratch across his right hand, a small nick on his cheek, and a big problem. [I can't get through her attacks without taking one, and I don't dare take a hit. Think, dammit, think...] ================================= Subject: AAE 9: The War Map, v.1 On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 20:00:06 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011267 Roland and Morgan step through the X-Window, and arrive...home. The island's systems greet them with recognition and acceptance protocols, and immediately light up several screens. As Roland steps through, his head begins to distend, and he clutches the wounded section with his remaining arm. "That's going to get better soon. In the meantime," he groans, "Roland _dizzy._ Oy." "SIT," Morgan commanded somewhere between her Mom and nurse voices. Meanwhile, she took her own advice and started hitting the keyboard, checking incoming reports on three screens at once. Solitaire paled as she realized what was happening. An army of orcs, led by wizards and black-armored monsters riding wyverns, were invading Britain and Norway. Southern Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Turkey were also under attack. Magic-wielding pirates and armies of Restoration-era mercenaries swept across the Mediterranean, with another flying island in the heart of it all. In both areas, modern technology was simply not working in the face of the anachronistic attacks. In Egypt, an army that seemed to have emerged from a cross between Casablanca, the Mummy, and the Maltese Falcon had overrun most of northeast Africa in a matter of hours, only having stalled in a push across the Red Sea. Apparently, Mecca had stopped them cold. Like the first two invasions, technology wasn't working, though some older equipment (and a few devices that worked on older principles) continued to function. The invaders, however, had a few examples of advanced and bizarre science of their own, straight out of Flash Gordon. Even worse, if that was possible, was the fate India (and chunks of Pakistan and China) had met. TIE-fighters, literally millions of Stormtroopers, and elite warriors clad in red had overrun the entire nation after New Delhi was covered by the shadow of a Star Destroyer. Strange blue-gray aliens with metallic body parts, unknown to any Star Wars buffs, were accompanying the invaders. Most of Japan (save Hokkaido), all of Korea, and a small chunk of Manchuria had been covered by the storms as well, though no invading armies had struck yet. Skirmishes were being fought throughout the region. Finally, in the heart of eastern Siberia, Yakutsk had almost literally disappeared, swallowed by a sea of darkness that had enveloped the sky. A few escaping survivors told nightmarish tales of horrors in the shadows and monsters coming down on them like an unstoppable wave. Even as far off as the Verkhoyansk mountains were, a Victorian manor the size of a large town could be spotted, seeming to loom over them. These tales were matched by stories of terror ranging from San Francisco to New Orleans to Haiti to Rio de Janeiro to Capetown. Roland swallowed. "We're in trouble," he said, stating the blindingly obvious (again). OOC: Have fun. 8^) We're not going to be ABEND, quite, but it's looking to be a busy weekend. It's okay to run NPCs, subject to the previous provisions (don't take out Darkseid, Suli, or the ALE, and don't kill any of the major players). Take care, ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Storm Rising (VLong!) On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 20:09:17 -0700 Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011268 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:29:27 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011259 > >>On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 01:57:05 -0700 >>Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011257 >> >>Marivale scowls slightly, then springs to the attack once more, >>looking for a chance to disarm this preening popinjay (OOC: never >>noticing the irony involved in that mind-set, of course...) > > OOC: LOL! 8^) OOC: Thin queue. Thin queue veddy much. ;) >>His first attempt is blocked. As is his second, and his third...but >>he is a Saevil of House Saevil, he is Oerth's finest swordsman, and >>he will. not. fail. Finally the blade pops loose. Geoffery, who had >>been waiting for just that cue, casts a levitation spell on it to >>get it out of the way. > > OOC: Quick question -- where's Geoffrey at this point? OOC: Lurking invisibly in the background. His purpose in life is to help Marivale, not to be a hero himself. And it's Geoffery, BTW...non-standard spelling, to be sure, but conventions are so _boring._ >>Unfortunately for the home team, Kanto's reflexes are quick enough >>to catch the blade (by the hilt, yet) before it rises out of sight. >>He no longer looks amused. > > Indeed, Kanto looks downright furious. "I see. You wish to play >such games, then, when I offered you the opportunity for a pure >duel." His face turns into a horrifically malicious grin (though he >can't match Granny or Darkseid for sheer *eep* factor). "As you >wish." > And he vanishes. "Oh, bother. He's gone and turned himself invisible." Marivale sounds...bored? > The *whoosh* of his blade, however, is clearly evident, as is some >of his motion -- he's attempting to use his invisibility to get >behind Marivale and literally stab him in the back. Kanto has decided >to revert to his job as assassin, and as Darkseid's top assassin, >he's _very_ good at his job. Unfortunately for Kanto, invisibility is a tactic that is appallingly common on Oerth. As such, Marivale usually goes into battle wearing a custom-made Robe of Eyes (jacket, really, and nowhere near so hideous as the standard model) As soon as he sees what Kanto is attempting, he sighs, then steps backward with an elbow to the solar plexus just as Kanto gets into position. "How banal." (OOC: did I forget to mention that Marivale has monk levels? Silly me. ) > Meanwhile, three spheres with Kirby dot-and-line decoration fly >from the spot where Kanto turned invisible (presumably leaving his >person just before he tries to flank Marivale) and careen toward >Geoffrey, crackling with Kirby-dot cosmic energy... Geoffery *eeps* and Dimension Doors out of the way, ending up on the other side of the building. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Sword Dancing (was Cosmic Power) On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 20:33:25 -0700 (PDT) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011269 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 19:15:29 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011265 > >>On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 17:20:09 -0700 (PDT) >>Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011263 > > <"znip" to the chase 8^)> >>"/Been eating your Wheaties - and a few other things, have you?/" > > "I gained the notice of Those In High Places," Eric quipped, >dropping the lens link for _that_ comment. "You'll _have_ to tell me the whole story. Later." She says, with a delighted chuckle. "Though you drawing notice seems rather more expected than not." >>The pressure within blows the cylinder through the brick wall of the >>shop, through the space recently occupied by Eric, and completely >>through the body of Steppenwolf's aerocycle, removing most of the >>guts of the mechanism. > > OOC: ROFL! I don't know that I'd normally allow a mundane piece of >metal like that to damage New God tech, but a) there's the Pattern, >and more importantly, b) that was just too damn COOL not to let >happen! OOC: Heh. Glad you liked it! I rather did myself. Trying to use Zia's powers in combat is a challenge to the imagination! Thanks for letting me 'get away with it' this time. :) >>"The axeman first. He's the cannon fodder's C.O." Zia says, leaping >>to the attack even as she speaks. > > "Never argue with a woman," he quips, sounding somewhat like >Pierce Brosnan but more like one of her husbands, "they're always >right." > /Though considering how hard of a time he gave me _last_ time, I >am open to suggestions,/ Eric notes calmly, still blazing with >yellow-white light as he advances... /First, we make him really _mad_./ Zia explains. She watches him punch a parademon, and she sniffs in disdain as he calls her a mere fate-witch. Hah! /Good start on that part./ /Second, we engage him, but I play the heavy. Third, you'll see some sort of opening while we're in the thickest part of the fight. Not sure what; my power isn't specific most times. Take it. Fourth, I smack him real well while he tries to retaliate on your first blow./ /Fifth, you _laugh_ at him for being knocked down/stunned/whatever by a _woman_. Sixth, while he is attempting to flatten me over that insult, I fight a running retreat while you get Tink and Nemo to mess up his communications./ /Sixth, you and some others pull me out from under him, or I run for it and lure him off Earth-9, though I don't think we can make him angry enough to fall for the 'Let's Get REEEALLY Lost' ploy, but I'll do it if he does./ /Good 'nuff?/ The petite Amberite closes on her chosen foe. This space is not behaving as the Shadow she knows as Earth-9 did before. When James was here, the Pattern was never visible in effect. Now, the power of the Pattern in her Blood suddenly blooms like tame lightning, etching her armored form into the background with an achingly sharp realness. Her swords gain terribly blue lambent fire, as well, fierce enough to keep the color and burn the lingering gaze, even within the brightness of Eric's own light. "You can't even fly? You think I'm a mere witch? This is a New God?" Ziactrice taunts Steppenwolf, her voice a mixture of a cruel, terribly casual confidence and absolute _boredom_. Though her thoughts to Eric on the link show her knowledge of the enemy's hazard to them both, no trace of that shows in her outward bearing. She slices the remaining parademon in two. It doesn't even cry out; it is simply _gone_. ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Dark Reflections On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 21:06:27 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011270 >On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 22:46:44 -0700 >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00011253 > >Nemo appears several places at once. > >He appears in midair near Qwsp. Qwsp immediately locks on to Nemo as his intended playmate. His manic glee spreads wildly. >"I know hoew you like to play games. Here are some dice to help you." "Eh?" Quisp asks, clearly curious. >He tosses a handful of glittering poly hedra to the 5th-dimensional >imp. > >They appear much like the "jewel dice" sold in gamings stores. But >only at first glance. As they rotate, they shift odd. "oooOOOooo," Quisp replies, fascinated by the "dice." >A sufficiently intelligent and informed observer will realize that >they are more than 3 dimensional. Well...informed, anyway. ;^) Okay, okay, intelligence and sanity are not prerequisites of each other. >Qwsp looks oddly at them until he suddenly notices the numbers... The >die whose 3 dimensional cross section is a tetrahedron is currently >showing an "8" on the side nearest him. > >And he suddenly realizes that these dice must extend into *at least* >7 dimensions.... As a fifth-dimensional being, this fascinates him to no end. He reaches out cautiously, tremulously -- then snatches them out of the air and, well, rolls the dice. 8^) OOC: So, does anything odd happen to him? As Quisp/Qwsp toys with the dice, a painfully thin figure manifests nearby. He looks very much like a Nemo with almost all muscle and fat sucked out, leaving barely enough between skin and bone to look like a human being that isn't _quite_ starving to death. He's also disgustingly punctilious in appearance, wearing a very severe Victorian dress suit, a pair of round glasses with wire-thin frames, and carrying a book in one hand, which he is reading. "Ah. Standard Nemo tactic, distract powerful cosmic infant with cosmic-level magpie target." He/it closes the book with a *snap.* "Still, one cannot argue with its effectiveness in this instance, can one?" The moment the thing appeared, Nemo knew two things immediately. One, it does not exist below the quantum level, in a manner almost but not quite identical to the same Nemo-ish anomaly. Two, it is WRONG. It is a wrongness like very, very few wrongnesses that have ever been. >Elsewhere, Nemo appears in fron of Desaad. And anyone who has >encountered him in the past would be amazed to see him struck be >Desaad. And in obvious pain and even... terror? Desaad, already badly rattled, recoils and fires Killing Glove blasts at the new target immediately. He's pleasantly surprised to see the opponent go "down." "Ahhhh," Desaad says in a disturbing 'Hannibal Lecter' sort of satisfaction. "That is _far_ more acceptable. Tell me, mortal creature (OOC: assuming that Nemo is concealing his/its immortality), where is your foolish leader? Rest assured, he will suffer less if he yields to Almighty Darkseid now." Desaad's tone indicates that _he_ would be just as happy if Defender preferred to do it the hard way. Well, except that delivering Roland will make Darkseid happy, which will mean rewards for Desaad. Win-win situation, really... >But all is not as it seems... > >And yet another Nemo allows Granny goodness to attack him. And >capture him. Granny was panting in fear and exhaustion, leaning against a wall trying to figure out what to do. Suli was _not_ happy, the Furies were heavily engaged, and she was very short on backup -- aside from some dog soldiers and a handful of parademons. Old Granny was proud of the work she did on them, of course, but -- let's be honest -- they're morons. And then Nemo appears, moving to attack. Granny lashes out with her battle rod, and to her great satisfaction (though not surprise), her target falls, writhing in pain. "Oh, good, another child for my special school," she gloats horrifically. "Come, dearies, come, pick him up," she says to the dog soldiers, who look confused. "NOW, dogs!" she howls, and they leap to obey. "And be sure to make him UNcomfortable," she cackles, prodding him painfully with low-intensity cosmic force bolts. "We'll see how well these meddlers like poor old Granny _now,_ with a hostage in her hands. Darkseid should be very pleased, oh yes." (OOC: Heh. There you go, Nemo -- one briar patch to order. 8^) ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Reflections On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 01:12:26 -0700 Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00011271 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 21:06:27 -0700 >Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011270 > > As a fifth-dimensional being, this fascinates him to no end. He >reaches out cautiously, tremulously -- then snatches them out of the >air and, well, rolls the dice. 8^) > OOC: So, does anything odd happen to him? Not yet. If Qwsp accepts the offer to "play a game" Nemo will create an N-dimensional maze/"dungeon"(in the D&D sense) and a game will ensue. > The moment the thing appeared, Nemo knew two things immediately. >One, it does not exist below the quantum level, in a manner almost >but not quite identical to the same Nemo-ish anomaly. Two, it is >WRONG. It is a wrongness like very, very few wrongnesses that have >ever been. Nemo observes the being cautiously, but make no hostile moves for now. He'd rather like to avoid having to report "to save the planet it was necessary to destroy the planet" (reference to an infamous statement about a village in Vietnam) > "Ahhhh," Desaad says in a disturbing 'Hannibal Lecter' sort of >satisfaction. "That is _far_ more acceptable. Tell me, mortal >creature (OOC: assuming that Nemo is concealing his/its immortality), >where is your foolish leader? Rest assured, he will suffer less if he >yields to Almighty Darkseid now." Desaad's tone indicates that _he_ >would be just as happy if Defender preferred to do it the hard way. >Well, except that delivering Roland will make Darkseid happy, which >will mean rewards for Desaad. Win-win situation, really... The human does appear to be more than a bit damaged. skin torn, burns, but nothing immediately serious. But he's barely recognizable to even friends. If Desaad ever bothers to "look" carefully, he'll realize that Nemo can't be an ordinary human. An ordinary human would be dead or raving. But Desaad has never been known for looking beyond the obvious... Nemo cowers and pleads in *exactly* the manner that will most satisfy Desaad. "I d-don't know... Please don't hurt me..." Desaad cannot resist "toying" with this creature and absorbing the energies given off by its pain and terror. But as he absorbs them, he also absorbs the merest trace of something else. Something that will slowly begin to warp him. But the warping is ever so slow, and, to stay indetectable, it may take days. Nemo resigns himself to being this creature's "toy" for as long as it takes for this gambit to play out. > "Oh, good, another child for my special school," she gloats >horrifically. "Come, dearies, come, pick him up," she says to the dog >soldiers, who look confused. "NOW, dogs!" she howls, and they leap to >obey. "And be sure to make him UNcomfortable," she cackles, prodding >him painfully with low-intensity cosmic force bolts. "We'll see how >well these meddlers like poor old Granny _now,_ with a hostage in her >hands. Darkseid should be very pleased, oh yes." Again, the "victim" has picked up a fair bit of superficial damage. Funny about that... With Granny, it's necessary to be still more subtle, as she doesn't directly tap the energies of her victims. But like Desaad, she has a sort of "anti-empathy" that she uses. And that provides the backchannel. She finds herself finding something charming or perhaps endearing about the way he writhes and moans. And contplates keeping him for entertainment as well as training. After all, he can't be that important if he was defeated so easily. Meanwhile... the CAoL and strategic people among their allies receive a private telapathic contact. Private, yet simultaneous. ^Attention. These () people have been captured and should be treated as if they are "low level" prisoners. People it'd be nice to have back, but that you can't justify making any significant trades for. And if they are offered for any sort of exchange, the exchange *must* fail.^ Those with the experience to tell the difference realize that it was NEMO, not Nemo who sent this. And anybody who can't shield well will no longer *conciously* remember the messagre after receiving it. When there's a moment where it won't distract here Nemo contacts Zia. ^Zia. There are a couple of me that I've let be captured. I'm trying for a Nadrek on the emotional level with a couple of sadists. Wish me luck.^ There's a sensation of a gentle kiss. ^wish it was you instead of these clumsy fools.^ > (OOC: Heh. There you go, Nemo -- one briar patch to order. 8^) Yep, and the results should be interesting. Gonna try the tactic of giving a couple of sadists the masochist of their dreams. Right up to the point where *they* start getting bothered... which is what the subtle manipulations are for. ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Reflections On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 10:52:35 -0700 (PDT) Ziactrice Said As CAoL Message # 00011272 >On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 01:12:26 -0700 >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00011271 > >Nemo observes the being cautiously, but make no hostile moves for >now. He'd rather like to avoid having to report "to save the planet >it was necessary to destroy the planet" (reference to an infamous >statement about a village in Vietnam) Ziactrice, mid-sword battle with her hands quite full, mutters 'oh, shit' with _much_ feeling under her breath in a tone previously demonstrated to make _Roger_ go pale on hearing it. >When there's a moment where it won't distract here Nemo contacts Zia. > >^Zia. There are a couple of me that I've let be captured. I'm trying >for a Nadrek on the emotional level with a couple of sadists. Wish me >luck.^ ^Break a leg.^ Zia replies, grimly holding her own emotional reaction back so she can keep fighting, but how intensely hates this comes clearly. ^If they give you _any_ lasting hurt, I am going to -^ >There's a sensation of a gentle kiss. ^Damn it.^ She sends much more softly, then she sighs and returns the sensation. ^Must you always prove how smoothly you can manipulate me?^ She demands, but with a feeling that makes clear she enjoys it even when it is not as part of more pleasant activities. >^wish it was you instead of these clumsy fools.^ There is a pause, despite her mind's discipline, he can sense just how severely something about what he said took her aback. But she recovers quickly, not hurt but she is quite mentally jarred. Waiting until she was free of other distractions was a good idea. ^So do I.^ The petite Amberite admits, letting the boundless depths of her feelings for him flow. Her unmistakably intrigued amusement and several other emotions are quite stirred up by this. She resorts to humor, to recover her wits at least somewhat. ^And you are going to _pay_ for calling me a sadist! The grotesque mental images you just evoked! Even though it was a compliment. You have some truth on your side, but ... Granny naked is enough that I'm asking you take it back OUT of my head, later.^ The theatrical shiver of horror that comes with this is _not_ feigned in the slightest. >Gonna try the tactic of giving a couple of sadists the masochist of >their dreams. Right up to the point where *they* start getting >bothered... which is what the subtle manipulations are for. The not-very-subtle manipulation of Zia so she doesn't lose a gasket and come to your rescue was so smooth! Has Nemo been taking lessons from James?! Or giving them? ================================= Subject: AAE 9: Indecision and Intervention On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 20:23:20 -0400 (EDT) Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00011273 Tink stood almost ready to move, but not. She'd been mulling over the situation on Earth-9, which looked more grim all the time. Not insurmountable, her logical side tried to tell her, but very grim as her emotional side would inevitably counter. /Aunt Zia, Uncle Nemo, I don't know a thing about Apokolips technology, and to learn anything would put David at risk right now, so I'll have to leave it in your capable hands, uncle. I'd suggest seeing what Uncle Dhyrclhanc's group can do, someone there ought to know something about how to jam that stuff, might not even require Uncle D personally to set it up./ She hated leaving like this, David hadn't been showing any signs of problems, so she could technically stay, but she felt more and more irresponsible for exposing him to this. She suspected he was fine, but she couldn't know for sure. But suddenly she felt David stiffen as he held onto her shoulder from within the futuristic parka-baby-carrier. She directed her attention to where he was and saw two figures coming in through the big door with the crack down the middle. "Moonstone, been a while!" "Tink? Wow, you shot up!" Moonstone said in amazement. "Been three years my time. This is David, peeking out over my shoulder, my little uncle." Moonstone awwed at the little part-human, part minbari child, but the woman next to her took a step back. For Karma, seeing the toddler David brought back a flood of memories, a dance partner and man she'd loved, and at the same time, the memory of a man almost like him in appearance, but diametrically opposite in his treatment of her. There was an escape, a desperate spell cast to find the man she loved, this man, only to die (figuratively) in his arms. And there was an impulse, her last thought, to go somewhere beyond those two men's reach. Something about that made her remember David's stories of this place, which had brought her here. In a new body, as a new life. [Is this far enough away, little one?] Karma thought, smiling at the toddler. In reply, something in her head seemed to indicate that while David had been surprised, he did think this was far enough away. [Well, given the circumstances,] Karma thought to herself, [looks like we were destined to be nothing more than friends.] "Just as well," she murmured under her breath, "That was another life." A peanut sailed out of a bowl and lightly struck her in the center of the forehead. "David!" Tink scolded, "That's only for puns!" Karma shook her head, "It's okay, I think he knew I just did. Friends, David?" David smiled one of those innocent baby smiles and ducked down a bit shyly. Karma grinned, "He's going to be a hit with the ladies one of these days. I'm Karma by the way, and yes, my parents were hippies." "That's cool, I think a lot of our regulars still are," Tink replied, "Fair warning, along with the puns, don't ask a prying question in here, lest you find yourself blackjacked and chucked in the dumpster out back. The rest of the customs become clear pretty quickly. (Ooo, I forgot to warn CJ about that!) Other than that, this place is pretty safe." "So where's your gang now?" Moonstone asked. Tink gestured toward the X-windows. "Defending Roland and Morgan's homeworld from invasion. Which looks worse than we thought at first." "Good grief, do they need help?" "If you've got it to give," Tink said. "This one's a lot like the first world I think you went to with us." Moonstone winced, "Ugh, the superhero one?" Tink nodded. Karma looked over at Moonstone, "If you need to go pitch in..." Moonstone shook her head, "I don't want to leave you here alone, not that you'd have a problem, but it'd be rude of me." Karma smirked, "Who said I was staying here, I'll go with. The more I hang out around you, the more I seem to be remembering, besides, what sort of roommate would I be if I just split when things got tough?" Tink winced. David patted her shoulder, ^Go bye bye now, we in way. No help, be safe, let think, no worry bout me.^ Tink sighed at that. "Okay, Moonstone, Karma, I'll call ahead. I'd suggest this window, leads to Champions Island, it's a safe spot right now. You can get a feel for everything from there then go in if you feel comfortable." /Okay, gang, David's telling me I have to go now, Moonstone just stepped into the Place though, and is volunteering to help, she brought a friend with her named Karma. Visuals of Moonstone (human) (dragon) and Karma (human) just in case anyone didn't meet them before. I've directed them to the Champions Island X-window, they're stepping through... now./ Which the two twenty-something women did, arriving in the main command room with Roland and Morgan. Tink and David vanishing from the bar and the mini-lens link moments after. "Hey, guys," Moonstone said, then caught a good look at Roland, winced, but moved on, "Came to lend a hand, where can you use a featherweight dragon and a human who's impressive with gun and sword?" Moonstone had brought her pack, and started digging around in it, pulling out a roman short sword and an old handgun, circa World War I, plus clips, and a bullet-proof vest. She passed all this to Karma. "What about... oh, right," Karma started to ask, then grinned, "Bullets aren't as big a deal with you." "You got it." ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Heavy Weather On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 21:10:47 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011274 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 19:59:25 -0700 (PDT) >Rob N Said As CAoL Message # 00011266 > >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011252 >> >> Bernadeth sighed in annoyance. With a quick series of gestures, >>the Furies were each on a target. Stompa immediately aimed at Jaguar >>again, eager for revenge. Lashina struck out at Rob, attempting to >>entangle his arms with one metallic whip and snap his neck with the >>other. > > Rob drew a pair of jitte and deflected the lash aimed at his neck, >while parrying the other, when something went *SPANG*. Dropping the >shattered jitte, he mumbled, "Probably past it's warranty anyway..." Lashina smiled. It was somewhere between darkly satisfied...and inviting. Which made it creepier than Granny's (though she couldn't match Darkseid for sheer menace, mercifully). "What's the matter, handsome, don't you want to play any more?" She redoubled her attacks. >>Bernadeth lunged at Kell, re-engaging him. Granny aimed her wand at >>Quantum again, expecting Harriet to join her. > > Kell parried Bernadeth's attacks steadily - eight, nine, ten, >damn. [She learns fast - and thank goodness for my fire protection,] >he decided, and shifted to the attack. A child of Waterdeep, he had >taken the twin sword style that originated there and evolved a >two-weapon style of his own. Now, Bernadeth faced a tempest of steel, >and failed to parry a stab from a dagger that had been howling for >the blood of a non-mage since Kell drew it. Bernadeth winced and retreated, parrying several more attacks with ferocious speed. (OOC: If the dagger has any other magical effects, please let me know.) She played defense as she observed the battle, somehow watching the other fights as she fought Kell. >> Except Harriet's pissed at Rob. >> "I hope you like the wonderful taste of my Power Spikes, dearie, >>because you're about to get a bellyful!" Harriet screeched, firing >>dozens of the things with insane speed at the martial artist. > > Unfortunately for the Female Fury, there were two things she >didn't know. First, insane speed is the hallmark of the Psycho Storm >style. Second, Rob had another wind. (By now, he'd learned not to >count how many he went through when in a CAoL battle.) > The first of the spikes was within a few feet when he spoke: >"Beamsplitter... BARRAGE!" Dozens of golden crescents flashed out, >each one shattering or deflecting a power spike. Harriet hissed in fury, filling her hands with half a dozen power spikes. "Lashina! Harriet! Switch with me!" Harriet howled in fury. "BUT--" "NOW!" Bernadeth roared, leaping at Rob. Lashina paused for a moment, then decided now was not the time for a power grab and lashed at Kell's sword the same time four power spikes flew out at the dagger. (OOC: No, I don't expect to destroy Kell's weapons, nor would I want to. But this is how those two characters operate -- and given the destruction of the jitte, it makes sense tactically.) > As the Nemo approached, Rob did a double-take. [That's Nemo...I >think. Play it like it lays, then, and trust in teamwork.] /Morgan: >Relay to Quantum and Jaguar: 'Double-team Lashina until she kisses >asphalt.'/ Unfortunately, Quantum hadn't gotten up, and Jaguar was still dealing with a stubbornly resilient Stompa, when: "HEEEELP!" An exquisitely beautiful blonde woman hung from the edge of a rooftop, a dark figure with a burning lance hovering over her. He smiled as he raised his weapon for the killing blow... "Wyrm spit," Jaguar cursed, leaping onto Stompa's face to slam her one more time as he launched himself up at the Pursuer. *EXCELLENT,* the woman sent, as Jaguar's eyes went blank. He landed on the rooptop and pulled her up. She smiled down at the Furies and their targets, clearly calculating what to do next. Bernadeth didn't need to think long. With a vicious grin and a quick gesture, she summoned Stompa to her, and the powerful Female Fury strode towards Rob with toe jam on her mind... > Next, he shifted the power around his hands to yellow, and used >what he hoped would be the best choice. "Howling Fury!" A storm of >white noise averaging over one hundred twenty decibels washed over >Stompa. [She's tough, but that ought to slow anybody down.] Good timing for _Rob._ Stompa isn't used to being vulnerable to much of anything, but she gets an earful, and falls back with her hands covering her head. She performs a pro forma foot stomp to throw Rob off balance, but it does little more than shake up the battlefield for everyone. > Then Mad Harriet crashed into him, power spikes flailing away. By >the time Rob managed to separate himself from the melee, he had a >torn sleeve, a scratch across his right hand, a small nick on his >cheek, and a big problem. [I can't get through her attacks without >taking one, and I don't dare take a hit. Think, dammit, think...] Bernadeth glared at Harriet, who had left Lashina to face Kell alone. "Fine," she hissed. "Your funeral." And with that, she leapt to Lashina's side, sparing the whip-wielding warrior a suspicious glance before engaging fully. Lashina worked to restrict Kell -- and destroy his weapons -- while Bernadeth looked for her chance to land the killing blow before Harriet and Stompa screwed up... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Storm Rising (VLong!) On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 21:18:03 -0700 Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011275 >On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 20:09:17 -0700 >Harlock Said As CAoL Message # 00011268 > >>On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 10:29:27 -0700 >>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011259 >> >>>On Fri, 10 Oct 2003 01:57:05 -0700 >>>Harlock - Bard Extraordinaire Said As CAoL Message # 00011257 >>> >>>>On Thu, 09 Oct 2003 21:53:53 -0700 >>>>Roland X Said As CAoL Message # 00011251 > >Unfortunately for Kanto, invisibility is a tactic that is appallingly >common on Oerth. As such, Marivale usually goes into battle wearing a >custom-made Robe of Eyes (jacket, really, and nowhere near so hideous >as the standard model) As soon as he sees what Kanto is attempting, >he sighs, then steps backward with an elbow to the solar plexus just >as Kanto gets into position. "How banal." (OOC: did I forget to >mention that Marivale has monk levels? Silly me. ) Kanto grunts, falls back, and become visible again. Once again, he smiles sardonically and salutes. "True enough. Of course, your trick deserved little better." With that, he becomes a dozen Kantos. "Not that this particular bit of deception is any more original." The Kanto Twelve quickly circle Kell, swords pointed directly at Kell. "Perhaps if you survive _this_ machination, I will favor you with a genuinely clever demise," they say in echoing unison. >> Meanwhile, three spheres with Kirby dot-and-line decoration fly >>from the spot where Kanto turned invisible (presumably leaving his >>person just before he tries to flank Marivale) and careen toward >>Geoffrey, crackling with Kirby-dot cosmic energy... > >Geoffery *eeps* and Dimension Doors out of the way, ending up on the >other side of the building. The spheres are somewhat confused and delayed by both Geoffery's invisibility and his teleportation, but neither is particularly unheard of on Apokolips _either._ They continue to follow, clumsily but relentlessly... ================================= Subject: Re: AAE 9: Dark Storm Rising (V.2.5)(Long!)(Sorry!) On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 00:06:12 -0500 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00011276 >On Wed, Oct 8th, 2K3, "Roland X" writes... > >>"Dhyrclhanc" wrote... >> >>BTW, how are these "Apokoliptian aquatic forces", as you call them, >>stopping the jet fighters and combat helicopters from joining in on >>the fracas happening ashore? > > OOC: Well, that depends. If they can launch from under water (or >you have any surface carriers), they can indeed join the fray. OTOH, >the Deep Six are trying to sink the subs, and are certainly working >to prevent them from surfacing and/or landing. OK, maybe I'll go into this into more detail in a separate post, but as Rob said, even if the bulk of the forces of Darkseid's troops have the Inteligence, Intuition, Imagination and Cognitive abilities of a pot of cold oatmeal (and that actually be an insult to the pot of oatmeal ) even they would be able to tell that the once the subs drop off the vehicles, they're heading _away_ from the battle and they'll eventually dissapear in the scintillating effect of Federation-type transporters. However, if you're saying that the subs were never able to surface to begin with, then several wings of the flying subs will be able to be launched from the smaller sub while it's still submerged. So almost 20 of the "Manta-Ray" air-subs will join the battle a little later than originally planned. OTOH, the rest of them, which need the subs to surface to be deployed, will be even a little later than that. Although, the battle between the three subs and the Apokoliptian aquatic forces may still not take as long as all that. The two larger subs, the USS Sea-Wolf and Dragon-Ray, aren't all that different than contempoary 20th ans 21st century subs, aside from the fact that their armor is 3x the toughness of Admantium Steel and their underwater weapons (Heavy Torpedoes, Mini-Torpedoes and Blue-Green Lasers) can punch at least a 2" diameter hole through a foot of solid granite. The smaller sub, OTOH, The USS Triton, is about half as tough, but its weapons (more standard torpedoes, and particle beam weapons) are almost twice as powerful. >>Dhyrclhanc, on the other hand, is a 447-year-old-and-some-change >>Dragon, with more than some little measure of near-god-like power, >>grace, style and charisma of his own, and stands 21' foot tall, not >>counting the length of his tail and the width of his, albeit folded, >>wings. Dhyrclhanc is 447-year-old-and-some-change and effecively an Exalted Penultimate Dragon. > After judging his opponent for a moment, Darkseid races in on his >aero-disc, Omega Beams and both weapons firing full force. The >secondary beams track with the Omega Beams, making all three >extremely difficult to dodge. Worse, however, are the _sigils_ on the >weapons -- the moment he fires them, both light up with impressive >magical power! Neither is the equal of the Big Guy's epic magical >items (like the Eye of Agamotto or the Starheart), but Darkseid has >clearly taken that front into account... Dhyrclhanc does have this strange habit of letting his opponent get in the first swing durring the initial part of any hand-to-hand combat he's engaged in however most people who knew him tended to chalk it up to the dozen or so Martial Arts schools that went into his fighting style, and figured it was something of a manner of honor for him. However, this time things went slightly differently, possibly in due in part to the fact that by the virtue of Darksied having made the preliminary attack against Earth-9, Dhyrclhanc had considered the first strike already having been made. Either way the initial moments of the battle went something like this... Several Minutes before the energy beams from Darkseid's club and rod weapons, along with his Omega Beams struck Dhyrclhanc, Dhyrclhanc's Green Lantern Ring, powered by the mystical force of the Starheart (or what some people referred to as the "Green Flame of Life") came to life and wrapped the Sentinel-Lensdragon in the huge suit of powered armor that was generated by his ring, adding an additional 14' to his height. Then, at the last seconds before the energy beams struck, the immortal, Exalted, super-annuated adolescent hatchling lensdragon teleported away. Replacing his bulk, in less than a split second, with a huge mass of stone roughly the same size as he was in his armor, that was previously minding it's own business somewhere on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. The beams from the oversized staff-like Kirby-tech weapons immediately impacted upon the rock, easily vaporizing at least half of the stone's mass. What makes the Omega Beams so insidious is the fact that they actively search out their targets and are, at least in part, consciously guided by Darkseid to do so. However, for the moment at least, Dhyrclhanc was nowhere to be seen, so the Omega Beams also were spent on the stone reducing whatever had been left of it to a cloud of so much atom-sized ash. Only after Darkseid finished spouting a stream of invectives, most of which made several doubtful suggestions about Dhyrclhanc's ancestors, that could strip paint off of several walls from behind him, Dhyrclhanc's mental voice could be heard. *THAT was your first mistake, "Prince Uxas", not realizing that the turtle moves!* Dhyrclhanc's Green Lantern Ring blazed to life once more and, off several miles to the right of were both Darkseid and Dhyrclhanc a life-sized ring-construct of Gamera (the 1996 version, thank you *very* much) appeared in an explosion of green flame, which then sent several giant-sized green plasma fire-balls at Darksied in a rapid-fire series of pulses. Dhyrclhanc's hope was that he could at least knock the New God off of his aero-disc but if he actually does damage, he figured he could be happy with that, too. The fire-balls, BTW, do about three times the damage as if Darkseid had been trapped in an exploding warehouse full of chemical explosives. =================================