Mutants and Masterminds: The Found IC

[Raynn]

Eiko:

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Eiko sees that the other students had been removed from the simulation one by one, at difficulties far beyond what she assumed the test was meant to be set to, seemingly Grey knight's simulation was simply the last to increase in difficulty to remove him as the others had been removed in no specific order. Eiko locates a method of contacting the others but can only get audio, unable to access any visuals of their simulation. Eiko notes that the glitch corresponds to a safety program activating and then being shut down for no known reason.

As grey knight turns the corner he sees more the white armoured individuals around an unprotected pitfall in the middle of a room. From inside the deep pit he can hear the hum of the stations massive engines.

Around the group of guards are several tech staff but they seem to pose no threat as they work at consoles that seem extremely outdated for such an advanced vessel.

[smuchmuch]

Eiko take a hold of Grey knight arm before he goes into the fray.
"Wait. Do what you will, but I must warn you: The program eliminated on purpose the other students by pitting them against scenarios they couldn't possibly win. Things are probaly not as simple as they appears. Maybe the escape ship will not function, maybe there is a trap ? And even if you do win this simullation, it is probable we will be transfered into another of much greater difficulty. so I recommend taking you time before blowing that reactor"

Then she'll divert her attention and open an audio canal to The Tokyo simultion. after listenoing for a while to the audio feed, she focuss on Wisp.
"Wisp-dohai, it is Eiko. Please tell the others, the simulation has been altered. It will probably try to eliminate you by giving you a challenge of much greater difficulty than expected. I believe loosing will not return you to reality but get you trapped. Keep acting naturally but do not feel the need to take any necessary risks to beat the scenario. I have no more information at the moment, I will contact you further when I know more."

[Arq Kujos]

***************Under Claremont-Reality***************************
The metallic beasts nods and speaks again "Mountains will crumble and temples will fall, and no man can survive its endless call. What is it?"

Great, another riddle. Sentinel scratched his head for a moment. This one was much more difficult. "Is it time?"

[Raynn]

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The team gets the message from Eiko.

The metal beast steps forward so that it's large form comes to about stomach level with Sentinel and nods again Give me food, and I will live; give me water, and I will die. What am I?

[Arq Kujos]

Sentinel was finally annoyed. "The answer is fire. Now, tell me what this place is, who built it, and why you are here!"

[Raynn]

The metal beast looks as you for a moment as if you were a child having a tantrum and walks away towards an exit you didn't notice before.

It leads you to a large domed room, hewn from the rock, symbols are etched across the walls in a language you don't understand. A large black stone slab, a monolith stands in the center of the room. Atop it sits an orange metal lantern, the only thing pouring light into the massive room.

The creature motions towards the monolith and then the lantern "What you want."

[Arq Kujos]

"My name is James Richardson. I am the Sentinel, protector of Claremont Academy. I guard the students there and help them learn to use their powers for good. I want to know what this place is, who built it, and what you two are."

[Raynn]

It looks at you up and down for a moment, motioning to the Monolith and to the Lantern again "Not question, all life seeks fire and time. . ."

It steps towards the Monolith motioning to it, more specifically the writing on it "time, what is to come."

It arches back to raise its head as high as possible towards the lantern "fire, the living orange light."

It turns and motions to Sentinel "Plant, life, you."

It sits and looks about the room as it speaks "in the beginning the old ones came to seal away the light, and they did, but men grew and stood. . . and felt. The orange light could not be hidden, the old ones knowing they would not live much longer used their blood and red light to see what was to come, and wrote it here, so that the light would be ready for the second war."

It walked up to Sentinel sitting again "all things seek the lantern, all living things, but they could not destroy it for it would be needed in the second war, so they sealed it away here with a guardian that was not truly alive, a construct, myself. The Terra King discovered this place and his follows hew this city from the rock around it. After he and his followers were cast out from this place the old Raven knew nothing of what was buried here but so that no one else could enter this city he built Claremont atop it, accidentaly guarding the orange light and ensuring only the worthy would find it."

He motions again to the monolith "the old ones final act was to write the book of the 3 wars, it is now here for you."

[Shyftir]

"Yeah, I was just kidding you, Eiko. Sure, I'll be careful." Dylan said quietly. His tone doesn't do much to encourage you, but he does appear to be acting slightly less cocky.

Dylan continues to hide just around the corridor until one of the stormies is in a good position then uses his Psionic Pull, (or Push) ability to drop the hapless trooper into the open pit in the center of the room. Then pulls himself back around the corner hoping to avoid notice.

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I try to do it in a way that makes it seem that he stumbled. Trying to disguise the cause of his fall.
Attack roll to push/pull him: (1d20+6)[11]
Stealth roll to not be seen/hide back around the corner:(1d20+8)[21]

[Sinistral]

"So the simulation is giving us situations far beyond our capabilities. Really. I hadn't noticed." He lets the rampaging radioactive monster behind him make his point for him. "I feel we need to revise our plan now. Electrocuting myself seems the very definition of unnecessary risk. I'll do it if there's no other way, but I'd really rather not." Collin was terrified. He had no idea what this computer could do to him, or his friends. He had to get them out of here.

[Raynn]

It doesn't quite knock the trooper into the pit but he didn't notice the origin of the attack so Eiko and Grey knight are still hidden.

[Arq Kujos]

It looks at you up and down for a moment, motioning to the Monolith and to the Lantern again "Not question, all life seeks fire and time. . ."

It steps towards the Monolith motioning to it, more specifically the writing on it "time, what is to come."

It arches back to raise its head as high as possible towards the lantern "fire, the living orange light."

It turns and motions to Sentinel "Plant, life, you."

It sits and looks about the room as it speaks "in the beginning the old ones came to seal away the light, and they did, but men grew and stood. . . and felt. The orange light could not be hidden, the old ones knowing they would not live much longer used their blood and red light to see what was to come, and wrote it here, so that the light would be ready for the second war."

It walked up to Sentinel sitting again "all things seek the lantern, all living things, but they could not destroy it for it would be needed in the second war, so they sealed it away here with a guardian that was not truly alive, a construct, myself. The Terra King discovered this place and his follows hew this city from the rock around it. After he and his followers were cast out from this place the old Raven knew nothing of what was buried here but so that no one else could enter this city he built Claremont atop it, accidentaly guarding the orange light and ensuring only the worthy would find it."

He motions again to the monolith "the old ones final act was to write the book of the 3 wars, it is now here for you."

OOC: Sorry, short post, but this monolith has caught my attention.

Amazed at what he saw and had heard, Sentinel looked the monolith over. "What does it say?"

[Raynn]

The metal beast looks back to you "ancient language, language of the old ones, long lost but. . . the lantern can explain, but careful touch but do not feel, must control yourself if you wish to use it to read the monolith but not call upon it's power. . ."

[smuchmuch]

Trusting Grey Knight to handle the fighting and blowing things up, Eiko is still on the computer system, examining the code off the tokyo simulation in order to find information that may be helpfull forthe rest of the team.

-Is there a way to get out of the simulation without beating it (a backdoor to the White room, that could be activated without alerting the BrainIac otr whatever virus might be in control)

-If not, does the simulated Godzilla has any particular weaknnesses, is electrocuting him as proposed by dan a plan that could work..

-What exactly are the victory condition of the Tokyo simulation. Eiko think that if there is no simple way to beat the beast, maybe there might be a way to triuck the simulation into thinking the team beated it, therefore opening the exit door. But since there is a risk that would get undue attention, she prefers to see if there is no other simpler way to do that.

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OOC:
Usual computer roll (1d20+15)[30]

[Arq Kujos]

The metal beast looks back to you "ancient language, language of the old ones, long lost but. . . the lantern can explain, but careful touch but do not feel, must control yourself if you wish to use it to read the monolith but not call upon it's power. . ."

Sentinel was confused. One moment, he was casually watching a ribbon cutting ceremony in his chair, sipping his coffee, and recovering from his hangover. Not long after, he was now the chosen one, or something like that. God my head still hurts. Does this thing really expect me to believe all this? Sentinel looked away for a moment as his headache seemed to worsen.

He staggered for a moment, and then regained his balance. Something was causing his head to hurt worse and worse. Sentinel grabbed his head in a futile attempt to drown out the ringing in his ears, but it continued. Finally, all he could hear was the ringing. Unsure of what else to do, Sentinel reached out and grabbed at the lantern.

[Raynn]

The lantern floods Sentinel's mind.
"YOU WANT IT ALL."

Sentinel feels hunger like never before and his mind his flooded with the whispers of the lantern "The power." "You feel it don't you?" "The Strength and the hunger of the orange light?" "Claremont should be yours, the world should be ours, the universe!"

You light up with orange flame, as the orange seeks to wield you and not the other way around.

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Make a DC 15 will save to keep control of yourself.

*

All that Eiko can discover is that electricity will likely down the beast, as the program was designed to test planning under pressure it is likely that that solution was put in place to be used by anyone tested.

[smuchmuch]

Eiko cals back the team to confirm the water tower plan is a good one, and adds a short excuse for wasting everyone times, before deciding to logg off fomr the computer system, from wich she feels she has learned everything for now, and interest herself to the simulation she's in. Taking a peek around the corner (if possible, in a way the trooper doesn't see her), she scanns the generator's room, starting by the walls, looking maybe for balcony or vantage points were sniper's could be posted, then lower to the generator itself and the spaceship for any sign of an ambush otr something of the like.

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Mental shapeshift (5pp)
-Notice +12 (11)
-Sense motive +4 (3)
-Asses

Notice (1d20+11)[19]

[kpenguin]

Hikaru coughs and speaks quietly.

"If Eiko is right, our plan is sound. However, conducting the electricity may not be an entirely safe option for Collin. Furthermore, defeating this simulation is now no longer our primary object."

Hikaru's voice falls to barely a whisper.

"Survival is."

He looks to Collin.

"Are you willing to take the risk?"

[Raynn]

Eiko sees no spots where snipers or ambushes could hide due to the room's streamlined design there are few places where even a single trooper could hide from view.

[Sinistral]

Collin looks away form Hikaru. There had to be a better way. A way that didn't involve a large amount of electricity being channeled through his body. But how long would he spend looking for this better way? Who knows what the computer could do him and his friends in that time searching for this 'better way'. Could he risk Hikaru's life on that? Daniel's? Eiko's? I'll find another way. I don't need to do this.

"I'll do it."

Damn hero complex.

[kpenguin]

Hikaru frowns.

Tell him he doesn't have to do it. Tell him that his life is as valuable as any other. Tell him...

Hikaru's eyes brighten, and in the usual human sense and not the superhuman glowing pupils sense.

"Wait. I have an idea."

Hikaru closes his eyes and calls out to his mentor, Langston Albright. Albright's bond with Hikaru was more than simply that of teacher and student, but of two light-bearers. Through the power of Light, their minds could communicate with each other but with a thought.

So long as Albright were on the same plane of existence as Hikaru and their connection not somehow blocked, Hikaru could consult his mentor.

<Mister Albright? Mister Albright! Are you there? Something's gone horribly wrong with this combat simulator I.... we.... the other students and I are in. Please call the school and tell Principal Athena Dire that something's gone wrong>

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Using the Mental Communication Link with Langston Albright. Hopefully they're in the same universe as each other.

[Raynn]

As Hikaru tries to contact Albright he gets the neural equivalent of white noise, it seems being hooked up to the machine cuts him off from being able to contact him.

Godzilla closes in and with little time to think of a plan Collin undertakes the plan Godzilla feels most of the shock but collin is not unstruck by it.

Godzilla tumbles to the ashphalt as a new red door forms to the white room behind the group.

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DC 20 toughness check for Collin and a hero point for the GM fiat for speed sakes

[smuchmuch]

//situation analysis: Nothing.//??//querrydoes that make me paranoid ?Answer: better safe than sorry.

"I believe I may have misjuged the situation. I would still like to do one last verrification, if you'll allow me."
Eiko form start to shimmer than restabilize as she morph as one of the trooper.

In that disguise she moves to the reactor. Then she moves to the ship and takes a small walk inside before getting back to the corner.

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Mental shapeshift
-Bluff +8(10)
-Disguise +2 (4)
-Notice 10 (9)

Disguise check (1d20+24)[32]

[Raynn]

Eiko goes undetected as she moves about before returning to the corner. It would seem that BrainIaC has let the programs run normally, most likely due to increased processing stress, the computer equivalent of diverting his attention to something else, whateve that 'else' is Eiko does not know.

[smuchmuch]

//Completing ituation repport............. Loading. calculating best course of action: Direct action.
Eiko is worried, if an AI with the computational power of the brainIaC cannot afford to multitask, then it means whatever it is focussing on is heavy.
"After analysis of new information, I believe there no risk off aditional danger. In fact now is the ideal time to strike. I am sorry for holding you back"

Preparing assault routines//Powering up primary attack systems.//
Her hand crackle with electrecity "At your signal"

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When GK gives the signal to attack, Eiko will follow.
Electrical blast (1d20+7)[17]

Forgot to roll iniative.
Leaving the initiative to GK.

[Arq Kujos]

The lantern floods Sentinel's mind.
"YOU WANT IT ALL."

Sentinel feels hunger like never before and his mind his flooded with the whispers of the lantern "The power." "You feel it don't you?" "The Strength and the hunger of the orange light?" "Claremont should be yours, the world should be ours, the universe!"

You light up with orange flame, as the orange seeks to wield you and not the other way around.

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Make a DC 15 will save to keep control of yourself.

Fire filled his mind as Sentinel's senses are sent reeling. No...I..must...stay...in...CONTROL!

His mind lit up with images. Old girlfriends. Lost promotions. Failed missions. Luxuries and fortune. All things he had given up at one point or another for the Sentinel project. All things he could have again.

(d20+4)[17]

[Raynn]

Sentinel sees his gauntleted hand shoot out of the lantern, an orange ring bound to his gauntleted finger, small flames dances over its surface. Sentinel is almost sure he sees a look of surprises on the metal beasts mechanical face.

"The ring. . . you can wield it. . . for now. It has no power other than it's most basic functions at this moment but if you ever call upon its full power it will most likely take control."

As you glance upon the monolith you can only understand some the symbals, the others appear to you as blank stone, likely the ring has for some reason been made to hide the rest of the translation at this time.

There will be a great fall, a war across worlds
And those who stand will be named Legion,
For they will be many.

Hidden among them a threat, revealed by
he who fell the farthest. A god must fall by
mortal hands.

So is written the first verse of the book of the
three wars, so it will be.

[Arq Kujos]

Sentinel sees his gauntleted hand shoot out of the lantern, an orange ring bound to his gauntleted finger, small flames dances over its surface. Sentinel is almost sure he sees a look of surprises on the metal beasts mechanical face.

"The ring. . . you can wield it. . . for now. It has no power other than it's most basic functions at this moment but if you ever call upon its full power it will most likely take control."

As you glance upon the monolith you can only understand some the symbals, the others appear to you as blank stone, likely the ring has for some reason been made to hide the rest of the translation at this time.

There will be a great fall, a war across worlds
And those who stand will be named Legion,
For they will be many.

Hidden among them a threat, revealed by
he who fell the farthest. A god must fall by
mortal hands.

So is written the first verse of the book of the
three wars, so it will be.

Sentinel's minds was on fire. A ring had been forged onto his armor, and yet it felt like he was wearing it without anything between his hand and the ring.

Sentinel felt hot, his mind cloudy and tired. He removed his helmet, hoping to get some fresher air, even though common sense told him that it would be impossible in this cave.

"What is this ring? What 'powers' are you talking about?" Sentinel then turned back to the monolith. "What does all of this mean?" Somehow, Sentinel knew he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

[Raynn]

"The Ring channels the orange light of Avarice of the emotional spectrum; it is currently at approximately 0.0001% of its normal power levels. It can communicate with anyone in this solar system, scan nearby areas, translate every known dialect in the galaxy and drain the powers of certain other emotional auras, it should also allow you to survive in base thought I doubt it has the energy to enter hyperspace."

The mechanical beast circles the new Orange lantern for a moment the aura of the ring has spread and now tints Sentinels armour a burning orange, the symbol of the orange light burns on his chest.

"I do not know more of the book then you now do, but know this, you have back but a fraction of the rings power do not think yourself its master. . . yet."

It goes to leave into the catacombs when it turns and says "There was a message left for the bearer of the orange light by the Old ones 'Sentinel of Earth, BrainIaC will soon complete its body, your charges do not have much time."

With that the creature races away back into the tunnels.

[Sinistral]

"That... wasn't quite as bad as I expected." He quickly examines himself for damage. Fairly minor damage. I guess I got lucky.

"Hey, Dan? The next time you come up with a plan that involves electrocution, how about you volunteer. OK?" Collin looks down, then grudgingly adds, "It was a good plan, though".

Collin walks over to the new red door. "Looks like we're still stuck in here. On the bright side, the computer can't throw anything much worse then Godzilla at us, right?"

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Damage: Bruised 1