Dreams of Power

[Quellian-dyrae]

It's been on the news for the past three days. A Hero's family had been murdered, targetted by the Hero's enemies. It was a very rare event, although members of Hero Corps had more than their share of enemies. Fighting Hero Corps was rarely the wisest course, but Dreamers and sleeper criminals alike still tried it. What few dared try was to target their loved ones to get at them. Hero Corps made their stance on any such tactics perfectly clear: it would provoke a full scale siege by the entire Corps. Basically, you'd have to be a fool to try it. Apparently, someone in the Ragnarok Arms Ring was very foolish indeed.

Darius Embers, Code Name: Warden, Regional Commander of Hero Corps, stepped up to the podium. Behind him, over a hundred Dreamers were bustling about, discussing strategy, gathering equipment, fueling vehicles, and otherwise preparing for the mission. "Thank you all for coming," he said to the assembled reporters, "This sort of thing thankfully doesn't happen very often, and we want to take the time to reassure everyone that even though Hero Corps is focusing its attention primarily on this mission, we are not leaving our people defenseless; we have reached out to numerous registered independents who are going to be stepping their efforts into high gear to take care of any dangers that require a heroic response. And as is our protocol in these situations, some of those Dreamers are being asked to stand in as Heroes On Call. Each region will have a small force of combat-capable Dreamers on call and with access to Hero Corps teleportation technology in the event of a threat that needs an immediate response."

"I've been personally going through our database seeking the best candidates possible for this position, and I believe I have settled on a roster of heroes that will be able to ensure that no one should even notice that Hero Corps is occupied for the week or so we expect this mission to take. Of course, there are still some more files to review and I haven't yet met any of them to confirm them, but we're looking to have the region under the protection of several or all of the following."

"First, I have received the personal assurances of the Morgenstern family that they will be active and coordinating with the Heroes On Call as necessary to ensure safety. Based on our last conversation, at least one of them will also be represented in the Heroes On Call. Word is it might even be August."

That sparked a bit of a flurry of questions, but Warden just held up a patient, forestalling hand. "We've also contacted Nolan Caerus. We've been watching reports of his recent work as an independent hero with interest, and we're hoping he'll lend his expertise to this cause. I've talked to a few members of the Corps who have supplemented their own lack of heavy defensive powers with his forcefield technology, and the assure me it's a match for any Dreamer power."

"The independent Shift is also someone we're getting in touch with. Over the past six months, he's come to our attention as a top-notch combatant."

"SIDE has also given me a strong recommendation for the Gentleman Avenger. He hasn't worked with us before, but he has a reputation as an investigator and combatant, and his experience with SIDE should help the team coordinate with them as needed, so we're hoping he agrees to give us a shot."

"We're also trying to get in touch with the independent who goes by the codename Evil-Smasher. I know he hasn't been active long and hasn't made any media appearances, but his work so far speaks for itself. Man is hard to get in contact with, though, his registry only includes a codename, and the woman who picks up at the number we have on file doesn't seem to know him. So hopefully he's watching this!"

"Likewise, if it's at all possible to do so, we're trying to contact the Ghost. I'll admit I wasn't sure about her with her first appearances, but from what I've been hearing, she seems to be mellowing. I'm hoping we can convince her to help us out here, register properly, and see her taken off the vigilante list."

"Like I said, I have a few more names to sort through; there may be an addition or two before we move out, but that's the team we're hoping to assemble as it stands. Are there any questions?"

-----

We begin at the Halls of the Dreaming, a former university campus that has been retrofitted to serve as a regional headquarters of the Assembly of Dreams for this part of the country. Each of you has been contacted through whatever channels are most appropriate by a representative of Hero Corps, basically asking you to assist Hero Corps by acting as Heroes On Call for the region while the Corps itself is busy basically disassembling the Ragnarok Arms Ring. It's standard protocol, albeit a rarely needed one, and there usually isn't any trouble, because frankly, when Hero Corps mobilizes in full, most villains and criminal or dangerous Dreamers? Basically keep their heads down. You've been requested, if you wish to participate (or at least hear more about it), to go to building H, room 9 at noon.

The campus is fairly open and sprawling, but there's a good bit of foot traffic as well as interactive computerized directory maps to help get you where you need to go. Aside from the people - mainly sharp-dressed lawyers, publicists, and other business types rather than backpack-toting college kids - the place looks from the outside like the college it used to be. Once you get inside Building H, though, it's a whole other matter, with people bustling all around forming plans, grabbing weapons and devices, and otherwise preparing for the massive mission that is sweeping Hero Corps all throughout the country. In room 9 is a big oak table that is even now covered with maps and documents. Darius Embers is waiting in the room, sitting opposite the door, and as each character enters, he greets you and offers for you to take a seat anywhere. A staff member over to the right also comes over to ask if you would like any refreshments.

Perception DC 15:

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As you make your way through the campus, you notice decently-hidden security cameras at various points.

Technology or Expertise (Science) DC 20:

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You recognize them as also incorporating Dreamtech Scanners, one of the first inventions created by IDEA. Not dissimilar from facial recognition technology, they can scan a Dreamer to detect broadly what powers it has. Many are also connected to extensive databases; the Assembly's are usually linked to its own registry.

Evil-Smasher:

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Shhhhhh...

And in case you're wondering, no, I'm not going to basically recycle plot points from the other thread with names changed to protect the innocent. This just happens to be a really convenient way to get the party together. Also adds a bit of continuity between the games, which no one but you and I will likely notice, but still.

[TheThan]

The Ghost

The Ghost drifts silently through the halls of building H. Invisible and incorporeal as usual. She’s unused to being out during the day since most of her activity is nocturnal. Thinking back, she was surprised to see a Hero Corps representative show up at her door. Most people avoided the abandoned mansion she's chosen as her new home because of its status as “haunted”, which it is, by her.

Having no reason to kill the intruder she was surprised when she failed to frighten him into leaving. He simply stood his ground and delivered his message. That intrigued her enough leave her haunt, at least temporarily. Maybe you just get accustomed enough to the oddities of Dreamers that nothing shakes you, maybe he had been briefed on what to expect from her, it didn’t matter really.

Eventually the Ghost stops at the room labeled “9” and stopped. Without bothering to knock or even open the door, she simply phases through the heavy door and appears on the other side. Once through she glances at the clock, she’s a little early.

If anyone can see her, they'd see her visibly brace as she prepares to interact with the living.


She drops her invisibility, becoming visible to anyone else in the room. She however stays intangible and floats about half a foot off the floor.
To anyone inside the room, The Ghost is an average sized woman, with long black hair and stunning features. The Ghost is covered up with a white shroud and shawl. Although she glows faintly with a blue/white light, and is a partially transparent, you still can’t see her appearance underneath shroud and shawl.

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claiming purple as talk and thought color.

[Dorni]

Nolan Caerus

A man walks into the room. He isn't a young man. Somewhere in his late 20s, perhaps his early 30s. Regardless, he seems at ease in the tense environment. In his black pants, button-up shirt and tie, he looks more like one of the professional types bustling about the building than a Dreamer. The only sign of something amiss comes comes from the black gloves he is wearing. The tips of the fingers are cut off, and a second look shows that the wet-suit like material turns into a small but unmistakably dark metal gauntlet. He takes in the room with a glance and recognizes Darius Embers at the head of the table.

"Hello Mr Embers. Its a pleasure to finally meet you in person, although I do wish it had occurred under better circumstances. As I promised when your office first contacted me, I want to assure you that the Hero Corps will have my full cooperation for this operation."

Nolan takes a seat at the table and folds his hands on the table top. "How can I best be of assistance?"

[HopeHubris]

After seeing the press conference,

Flying down from the sky in all of his big, buff, heroic looking glory, Evil-Smasher approaches someone on the campus "Greetings citizen, I require your assistance, could you direct me to building H?" he asks, with a big, tooth-sparkling smile, awaits the answer, then flies off to get to the most important of appointments, "You have my thanks, citizen, and remember The Righteous are Always on Watch!"

Having received directions, he proceeded to room 9, making sure he avoided the cameras
"Wow, Warden! I'm your biggest fan!"
"I mean... Greetings fellow heroes!"

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Perception (1d20+2)[18]
Tech (1d20+3)[10]

[crazydude369]

Shift

Brad walks casually into the building, idly twirling his condensed staff around his fingers. As he strides in, his mind absently wanders:"Well, I sure hope this isn't a waste of time. Just like my messed up brain; leave one team of stiffs, then hop right into another. Nah, come on Brad, cut that kinda thinking out. Helping the city is what matters the most right now, what with The Assembly so short-handed. And I guess I'm more likely to fit in with a rag-tag group of Dreamers than I ever was with those SIDE tight-asses." He smiles to himself and chuckles slightly, ''No offense dad..."

He suddenly stops and refocuses his vision, realizing he's at the end of the hallway. Brad had walked right past room 9. "Crap." He looks over his shoulder and quickly ports back to the door, flipping his staff one more time in the air before holstering it on his belt. Entering, he does a quick look around the room, gives a slight nod, then grabs a can of soda and slumps down into a chair, chugging it heavily.

[18th Avenger]

Jerry Kings, Gentleman Avenger

In contrast to the general buzz and hubbub of the 'campus', Jerry Kings, the Gentleman Avenger mentioned by the Warden during the press conference, was the picture of serenity as he walked towards Building H. His red Mantle flapped and flowed idly as he seemed to glide through the dark suits and uniforms with the grace of a dancer. His cane, topped by a stylized letter G, tapped the asphalt with every step of his right foot while his left hand firmly grasped a paper bag which emanated a fragrant scent.

He got to Building H with little to no trouble, other than winking at a pretty harried (and quite pretty) publicist chatting on her phone. Jerry flashed the ID SIDE issued to all its 'consultants' to the guard at the front and was soon making his way to Room 9.

There were others who'd arrived before him, Jerry realized. The task force SIDE had recommended his name too. Never was there a bunch more unsuited towards teamwork, thought the Gentleman Avenger as he looked over them with a practiced eye. He pushed down a chiding feeling from the back of his mind and took a seat, making himself comfortable while asking the staff member for a rather large soda.

Jerry opened his paper bag and pulled out a little cardboard box of takeaway food and a pair of chopsticks, filling the room with the scent of fried rice, spices and beef as he tucked in with gusto.

Perception

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(1d20+12)[23]

[TheThan]

The ghost drifts to the corner of the room. Not taking a seat or accepting any refreshments, being corporeal made her feel vulnerable, and she no longer needed food or drink anyway. As the others came in, she observed each one carefully. The first man to enter the room seems completely mundane and boring. The second one however is almost laughable, the big and heavy man with looks that could best be described as “heroic”. The press probably eats this guy up for breakfast. It’s pretty easy to guess what his powers are. The other two are fairly generic and appearance, your typical Dreamer. With the exception of the technopath and the ridiculous “hero”, their powers are fairly hard to determine by casual observation.

[LordHavelock]

August arrived dressed sharply in an expensive but somewhat subdued suit and tie, nodding to the other dreamers in the room before he takes seat. He had been initially hesitant about accepting such a high profile case from the Hero Corps, but the death of loved ones and family had struck a particular chord with him, and besides, it was time he began facing the public again. He hoped that many had forgotten the particulars of his heyday as Augur, but knew he still had a good cult following, and was worried how they might surge anew once news of his renewed activity as a hero hit the grid. It was inevitable though, if he was truly dedicated to his new goals, his new path in life, and if he wanted to make real change for Dreamers and Sleepers alike, he would need the support of people. Maybe the first changes should even be to those who so avidly followed him . . .

Still, he had taken steps to distance himself from his previous persona. He was August now, and he had forgone the use of his costume (much to the chagrin of his parents, who told themselves and the press it was only because he was cooking up something new and bigger). He wanted to present a more professional appearance, wanted to be someone to relate to, not just worshiped. Now though it was time to listen, there was more at stake in the moment than his reputation.

[Quellian-dyrae]

There was no denying a hint of surprise, even concern, on Warden's face when the Ghost suddenly appeared, but he nonetheless greeted her with a polite, "Thank you for coming."

Nolan he welcomed with a respectful handshake, replying to him, "The pleasure's mine, Mr. Caerus. Your assistance is much appreciated."

He did his best to choke down a laugh at Evil-Smasher's exuberant, though quickly suppressed, greeting. Nonetheless, he met his gaze earnestly and clapped him firmly on the shoulder (well, on his illusion's shoulder), saying, "Glad to have you on the team."

He responded to Shift with his own upnod, "Glad you could make it," he told him.

He didn't speak when the Gentleman Avenger came in, welcoming him only with a nod and an appraising look, taking the measure of the Sleeper that SIDE had recommended so highly.

But none of them did he examine with the same piercing intensity he gave August. He had worked with him in the past, knew how arrogant he had been off-camera, where the fact was that had it not been for the disaster and his subsequent power loss, there was a good chance that August would have been the Regional Commander welcoming them today. He really was curious if this new demeanor of his was a sign of true change, or just another media facade.

Even so, he greeted him with a perfectly friendly, if slightly teasing, "Welcome back, Goldenboy."

Once everyone was settled, he got down to business. "First, I want to thank you all for coming. It means a lot to me and to all of Hero Corps that we can count on the Dreamer - and Sleeper," he added with a nod to Nolan and Jerry, "communities to back us up when we need it."

"We're not expecting any major trouble while you're here. Current intelligence suggests this mission won't take much more than a week. SIDE and independents are going to be doing their normal jobs. What you guys are on hand for, is to provide a rapid response in the case a threat level of seven or greater comes up. Even on the regional scale, those are rare. If it does happen, though, you'll have access to our teleporters to get you where you need to go."

Anyone with an Expertise skill in Popular Culture, government, law-enforcement, heroing, or similar areas can roll DC 15; August, as a former Hero Corps member, you automatically succeed:

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Threat level 7 and above specifically details threats where there is both significant risk of loss of life or massive property damage, and not already emergency personnel capable of handling the situation.

"So most likely, you won't have any problems, but if one does come up, it'll be serious. Lives will be hanging in the balance, and response time will be critical. We'd like at least one of you in the command center, and at least three of you in the building, at all times if possible. Oh, and payment is five-thousand credits each."

"Hero Corps gets Building H; the rest of the campus is basically other Assembly stuff. We have a lot of support staff next door in Building G, though, so if you have any questions or problems, they can help you over there. Or just ask August, protocols and things haven't changed since his time. Rooms one and two are open to Corps personnel only. Three and four are the armory. Five's command center, six and eight both lead to the training room, seven has the teleporter. Nine and ten are meeting rooms. Eleven through fourteen are bunks, fifteen and sixteen showers. Seventeen and nineteen are kitching an dining room, eighteen and twenty are storage."

"Either Richard or Lucy will be at the teleporter at all times. Protocol is not to use it for personal reasons." He said so sternly...but quickly added with a smirk, "so bring them something nice when you do."

"Hmm...I think that's the long and short of it. I might be able to pop in now and again to check up, but I wouldn't bet on it. You'll pretty much be on your own. Any questions?"

[18th Avenger]

Jerry Kings, Gentleman Avenger

Knowledge (Pop Culture) Roll

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(1d20+10)[27]

"Anything-" Jerry asked without preamble as he snarfed down a helping of meat and rice. The staff member returned with a can of soda. He gave it a look and asked for another, just in case. "Ya wan' ush to do firsht? Ya know," The Gentleman Avenger swallowed and reached for the can of soft drink and popped the tab off one-handed, the move seemingly long-practiced. "Get the ball rollin'."

Knowledge (Dreamer Lore) Roll (Who is the Warden?)

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(1d20+11)[29]

[Quellian-dyrae]

Warden gave that some consideration. "I...don't believe so. Most Hero Corps missions are reactive and fairly immediate. I mean, we do have some ongoing ones that are on hold, but they're mostly recon, protection, things like that. We have some military operations active with our allies overseas, but you guys being out of the country would be missing the point. I do believe there's a joint mission or two with SIDE, I'll check on if they're waiting on us and have them get in touch with you if they want to make a move."

Jerry:

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Warden's a paragon-style hero. Super-strength, nigh-invulnerability, also adds teleportation and projected senses into the mix. He tends to focus on targeted missions, high-profile things like fugitives, assassination attempts, and so on, where he can scry the target from afar and teleport in to protect or apprehend.

He has very classical views on the heroic code. Stands strongly for justice, refuses to kill under any circumstances, and so on. His first response to danger is usually to teleport the threat somewhere that it can't hurt anyone rather than beat it to a pulp, and he has been known to teleport villains to a remote island and spend a few hours trying to rehabilitate them himself before bringing them in to serve their time.

So, very strong respect for the law and moral codes. Less so for organizational and company protocols. And with your high check result, you also know that he has very little life outside his work, much as he sees it as his responsibility to keep tabs on potential threats, blink around helping as many people as he can, and so on. He's had a few incidents now that suggest he's sometimes teetering on the edge of burnout, not that that stops him.

[TheThan]

The ghost simply drifted in the corner of the room, paying as much attention as she could. Much of it went a bit over her head, threat levels, response times etc, she had little connection to the hustle and bustle of the living, and she never had the same sort of fascination with dreamers as some do.

This reactive heroism seems rather silly, and a bit new to her. Since she was used to actually going out and battling villains. Maybe this hiatus from her usual activity will draw out her enemies or at least let them get a little careless.

she speaks up for the first time, a tiny voice in the corner of the room, she wasn't used to talking.

I guess I can haunt this place for a few days, if you feel you really need me here. I'm still not joining your little heroic social club though.

[Quellian-dyrae]

Warden gave a light chuckle. "Of course. I will, however, strongly recommend taking the opportunity to register your powers and status while you're here. They can walk you through it in building B, and it really is a good idea for Dreamers in general, and people like you who use their powers to help and protect others in particular."

[crazydude369]

"And uh, why exactly is that such a good idea chief?" Shift responded with a hint of derision.

[Dorni]

Nolan Caerus

"Well, for starters, the organization you're working with won't have a responsibility to arrest you," was Nolan's wry reply. It went unsaid that openly working with vigilantes would undercut SIDE's public stance against vigilantism.

Nolan turned his attention back to Mr. Embers, his gaze lingering briefly on
August. He'd heard of the famous Augur, but he couldn't recall ever seeing him out of costume before. He also hadn't worked with the man before either.

"Although, Mr. Embers, that does bring up a fair point. When you say we're going to be acting independently, to what degree are we permitted to act in SIDE's name? In the event that a situation does arise, are we to control the scene until SIDE agents arrive, or are we to apprehend and arrest suspects ourselves? More importantly, will we have the authority to make these decisions ourselves?"

[crazydude369]

Shift snorted quietly at Nolan's response. "Oh great, a goody-goody. And here I thought the point was to just lay down some uninhibited Dreamer help, not memorize even more rule books..."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Pretty much, although we wouldn't be arresting you. Hero Corps' stance is to not directly interfere with vigilantes unless they're a greater threat than they are a help. Of course, when SIDE goes to arrest them, we don't like to get in the way of that, either. Registration just clears away a lot of legal hurdles that Dreamers face, especially the ones like us. And it can provide some serious - though, to be fair, indirect - benefits with regards to public perceptions."

"In answer to your questions, Mr. Caerus, while we do work with SIDE on occasion, and fulfill a similar role, Hero Corps is part of the Assembly. That means a few things; most importantly, that we're not connected to the government in either a military or law-enforcement capacity in any way. That's a large part of the reason ninety-plus percent of our missions are reactive; our stated purpose is rapid threat neutralization. We learn about a crime, or Dreamer attack, or disaster in progress, and try to stop it before anyone gets hurt. When it is a crime, yes, we detain the suspects until SIDE arrives to make the arrest and process them."

"It's a lot of politics and wordplay that I only wish I didn't have to understand, but the uptake is that it lets us go out there, fight the good fight, and help people, without being restricted by protocol and bureaucracy the way SIDE sometimes can be. And most importantly, it means that yes, you can act on your initiative. We try not to antagonize SIDE or step on their toes too much, but there's actually a pretty small list of things that we're actually prohibited from doing if the threat warrants it, and those are mostly common sense - don't hurt someone who's not a threat, avoid killing, don't be a bigger danger to people than the threat you're trying to stop, things like that. And, to be frank, the list of things that they'd be willing to take on Assembly lawyers for is a smaller subset still."

"Now, as far as your ability to act in the name of Hero Corps...that basically comes with the territory. I'm not sure how much you've all been paying attention to the media, but the Assembly's media team has been putting on quite the show about this mission for the past few days. Once we're done here, and I let them know if any or all of you have accepted the job, you can bet your names will be out there. This time tomorrow, the public will be seeing you as the Heroes On Call, temporary representatives of Hero Corps."

"And to be perfectly honest, for most of you, that's probably not going to be a huge change. I think our most recent poll said that about eighty percent of the public don't distinguish between independent heroes and official Hero Corps members, and about sixty percent don't distinguish between Hero Corps and SIDE." There was a bemused tone in his voice, and he gave a shrug.

"Sadly, that's the short version. Does it answer your questions sufficiently?"

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On a side note, his comment about registration was mainly towards the Ghost. My assumption is that the rest of you are registered, if not through the Assembly then directly with the government. Registration is a fairly significant thing for combat-capable characters in this setting - as in, if you're not registered, you'd be well within your rights to note it on your character sheet as a Complication.

[HopeHubris]

"Hey, aren't you Augur? Wow, I haven't seen you on TV in a while, where's your costume, and is that Shift and Nightcap?" still in his deep heroic voice, Evil-Smasher continues, "Will we be working with you at all, Mr Warden?"

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Expertise (Pop Culture) (1d20+5)[18]

Also, I'm registered, but as a Paragon, not illusionist, would that get me in trouble at all, should my powers become known?

[Dorni]

Nolan Caerus

Nolan gave a hint of a smile as he leaned back in his chair. Warden's amusement wasn't lost on him. "Aye, it does."

On balance, Nolan reflected, it was a beneficial offer. Each of us at the table would get to keep doing what we've been doing, only now we'd have the Hero Corps backing. If it were a trick to get hooks into us, they wouldn't be publicizing how temporary the arrangement is.

Nolan nodded once. "I'm in, but please understand that I cannot simply stay on this campus all week. How can we stay in touch?"

[HopeHubris]

"Oh, right, about that, I can't stay here either, I have stuff to do on weekdays, I'm free on weekends though, and I can come here after sch- after three on weekdays"

[Quellian-dyrae]

"How you all handle shifts is up to you. The more often the more of you can be here is generally better, since it'll give you more flexibility if situations come up - or allow you to bring more power to bear, if you go that route. But as long as at least someone is on hand at all times, it's fine."

He looked at Evil-Smasher with a slightly rueful grin. "Afraid not. I'll count myself lucky if I even get a few minutes to pop in and check up. Mission like this, my powers are going to be in high demand."

[TheThan]

The Ghost Floats back into the corner of the room, as she tries to absorb the bombardment of speech thrown at her by Warden’s seemingly well practiced speech about Assembly. Usually, most of the people who talk to her are either screaming, or well screaming threats, like “die!, or “ I’ll kill You!”. It’s unusual for someone to talk to her as if she’s well a person still. The experience is unnerving and catches her off guard.

I… I’ll think about it.

She manages to stammer out in response to Warden.

[crazydude369]

"Well, as long as we're throwing out schedules, I'm pretty much good to stay here the whole time." Shift leans forward slightly, "But uh, are these er, servers, going to be here the whole time too?" he adds, gesturing to the staff member doling out refreshments.

[18th Avenger]

Roll Knowledge (Dreamer Lore) - The Voice In The Corner (Ghost)

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(1d20+11)[26]

Roll Knowledge (Dreamer Lore) - The Yuppie (Nolan)

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(1d20+11)[29]

Roll Knowledge (Dreamer Lore) - The Big Cheese In The Knock-Off Warden Costume (Evil-Smasher)

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(1d20+11)[23]

Roll Knowledge (Dreamer Lore) - The Suit (August)

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(1d20+11)[14]

Roll Knowledge (Dreamer Lore) - The One Chugging Just As Much Cola (Shift)

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(1d20+11)[20]

Jerry had now moved on to a little plastic container full of spring rolls while the Warden gave them the rundown. As the little rolls disappeared down his mouth with a machine-like efficiency, the Gentleman Avenger took the time to sneak glances at his erstwhile companions, trying to recall any information SIDE might have had on any of them.

"I've got no questions," Jerry responded at length before the other half of his beverage joined the last of the rolls. "You laid all the cards on the table and we know what we're getting in to." A gloved hand withdrew another little takeout box and he began tossing this from hand to hand idly. "Unless SIDE has a job for me or something grabs my attention, I'm at the Corps' disposal 24/7."

"And by the way, scout," he addressed the man whose shoulders were at equal height to Warden's, the one the media called the Evil-Smasher. "Wrong Avenger. The 'Cap was my teacher. I'm Jerry the Gent." The masked man flashed a crooked smile before opening it as well. "And this is my costume. But it's cool; people make the mistake often."

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August and Warden might remember the Nightcap; a tall and scarecrow-thin man with the fussy airs of a scholar upon whom the ragged red Mask and Mantle draped over like a bedsheet on a dummy. He was also one of the finest Sleeper minds recognized by IDEA.

As Nolan is pretty tight with the research department of IDEA, he might remember an HR hiccup that resulted in the madness and destructive outburst of a former employee, Dr. Helmut Friesching, which resulted in the Nightcap's death. The 17th Gentleman Avenger and his apprentice were investigating a thievery in one of IDEA's many laboratories when Dr. Friesching, aka The Kaiser, wired himself into an experimental mutagen-powered battle suit and promptly began to wreak havoc.

Currently, Friesching is under lock-down in one of SIDE's more heavily-guarded installations.

[Quellian-dyrae]

"Glad to hear it. And all of our support staff will be around, but most of them will be next door if you need them. Richard and Lucy aside, of course."

[Dorni]

Nolan Caerus

Nolan nodded in acknowledgement to Jerry. "Since we're all going to be working together, I'd appreciate it if you just called me Nolan."

Turning back to Warden, "Thank you for the explanation of the facilities. I'd like to take a look around," he raised a questioning eyebrow, "Unless there is something else to discuss?"

[HopeHubris]

"Aww" Evil-Smasher's disappointment at not being able to work alongside his hero is tangible, really, you can actually feel it, "Well, at least I got to meet you, and I've never worked on a team before, this'll be fun!". Turning to the Gentleman Avenger, "Huh, I thought you looked weird, not as skinny as Nightcap, what happened to him?"

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Expertise (Dreamers) (1d20+3)[18]
Info about the Gentleman Avengers

[18th Avenger]

"He came down with a terminal case of 'dead'," Jerry replied without rancour. The chopsticks were making slower trips from the carton to his mouth. He was also taking the time to chew and swallow properly. "Him and me were at Ground Zero when this IDEA egghead got the pink slip and took out his resulting wrath on everything around him." He scratched his chin with his chopsticks when the staff member came back with his second soda. "Me and the 'Cap were on the case of a couple of thefts which coincidentally all led back to the egghead, some huckster named Friesching. Guess we struck it lucky that he made a move."

The Gentleman looked back at anyone listening as he popped another helping of food. "Don't feel too bad. 'Cap was getting old and he knew the risk." Jerry laughed without humor. "We sent him off well. Now you're stuck with yours truly."

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From what you know thanks to the Internet and the media, the Gentlemen Avengers have been around for a pretty long time, some say as far back as 0 PA. Maybe even farther, but those theories are from kooks. Those would also be the same kooks that believe the tattered Mask and Mantle have been created by one of the first Dreamers (though these anonymous faces are more than able to back up this argument).

The GAs, as they're unofficially called in image boards and places like that, are usually Sleepers of extraordinary talent and training. A few times, they'd even been Dreamers. But what makes them all similar is that they have foresworn their old identities and take up the trademark red Mask and Mantle. Their goal is to be first eyes, and fists, where ever trouble starts to boil.

The one sitting before you is the 18th Gentleman Avenger, a happy-go-lucky individual by the name of Jerry Kings. He has some pretty big shoes to fill. Apart from having a hand in some high profile cases against a circus-themed assassin cult called the Danse Macabre, he has yet to cut his teeth on anything substantial. This would be his chance to prove himself.

[crazydude369]

Shift looks around the room, "Well, if we're all done getting acquainted," He stands up, slowly and loudly cracking his back, then neck, then knuckles"I'd like to get a look at that control room, see how everything works in there."

[Quellian-dyrae]

"All right then. Again, thank you all for your help here," Warden said. He'd stay around for a few minutes in case of any other questions, but once everyone seemed situated, he'd just vanish with a soft pop.