PC Comics: The Vanguard

[Lucio]

We start with a sunny Patriot City Saturday. Like 65% of their fellow Americans, two of our to-be-heroes are out spending this glorious morning in the shops - the shopping mall in Little Hudson, to be exact. For the last few weeks, the mall has been advertising it's fantastic new wasp exhibit to entertain mall visitors - two connected glass domes, one containing abuntant flora and the other a large rock formation, topped with an impressive wasp's nest. Most mall patrons barely give it a glance as they trundle past, but many observe it from the food tables or stand and watch the wasps go about their business, buzzing from one dome to the other. A few people seem actively uncomfortable about it. Mostly those afraid of wasps.

Spoiler

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Let's check in with our heroes and see what they're up to.

[Onno Quist]

Onno Quist was staring fasinated at the large wasp nest. He had been looking at it for the better part of the morning, taking a quick break to fetch a cup of green tea and a small biscuit and relocating himself to the second floor(B3) to get a better view. You need tea and a biscuit if you are to do any real observing and hieght is never wrong, atleast if you ask Onno.

[Underlord]

Mark Walker had just exited "A Girl's Best Friend" the resident jewelry store for the Little Hudson Mall (S11). He was rather pleased with his purchase of a delicate white gold bracelet studded with a small array of precious stones. This how ever was not meant to be the gift rather it was the box that encased the bracelet. The finely crafted wooden box had many whorls and patterns etched painstakingly across its surface, it was his grandmother's and he was going to present it to his wife of 5 years for their wooden anniversary. A fact the young female attendant, with a chronic lack of vowels, did not find at all pleasing.
"Honestly kids these days don't applicate a good fact or even a half decent form of language." he muttered to himself while slightly glowing with pride at the thought of having raised his kids properly. No kidding he was actually glowing slightly though no one noticed in the brightly lit Mall.
He was distracted from his thoughts by the sudden buzzing over the din of the crowded Saturday morning. He had almost walked into the barrier of the upper floor (B9) but the buzzing had brought him to his senses just in time. He gazed upon giant globe housing the, he had to admit, pretty impressive wasp display. "I wonder if this would be classed as a fire hazard?" He thought to himself. His firefighter instincts obviously finding it easy to slip into his brain which was already back on its lazy morning pattern.

[Lucio]

A sudden SMASH reverberates around the mall as the front doors (at A7) are rent asunder. A bizarre sight greets the mall patrons - a man with metallic skin stomps into the building. His helmet is shaped like a metal mockery of a wasp's head, and mechanical pincers twitch impatiently. The... thing raises it's left arm to point at the exhibit, and in a crackling voice declares:
"The insect revolution - STARTS NOW!"

A band of white light glows around his wrist, and the glass exhibit cracks. Then it shatters, releasing the entire nest. A security guard in A6 pulls his gun - the metallic villain swings his arm around and the wrist glows white again. The guard is flung back, smashing into the doorway of Foremost Shoes. He doesn't get up.

One person in the stunned crowd screams, and chaos ensues. Your typical panic situation, really...


(The first round starts now, and the heroes have initiative. The bad guy is in A5, almost on the A5/6 border. Post yer actions!)

[Underlord]

Mark spent barely a moment to curse his bad luck before hoping the barrier and falling towards the ground (A9). While he did so he pulled the hood from the back of his suit which he wore underneath his regular clothes and over his face. This was the less strange of the two actions he performed. The second being he started to grow. So before the fall had gathered barely any momentum he had grow enough to take it in his stride. As he grew his clothes ripped and torn revealing his dark blue suit underneath. The white bands along his arms glowing and the 7 stars upon his enlarged chest glowing brighter still.
Giving a passing thought to ruining a decent set of clothes and to not crush the box and the trinket within that he still held he began reassuring the current residents of the mall.
"Do not be alarmed. I am HERO. Please make your way to the exits while I apprehend this villain." His voice reassuringly boomed over the screams and the buzzing.
He then glared at the Mall's aggressor through the wreckage of glass and plants before pulling his suit a little further down to hopefully better cover his nose and kept his mouth closed.

[Onno Quist]

Onno quickly took in the situation, calm as ever and walked with a quick pace into Loston & Trichican.(S3) On his way in he throws the tea close to a wall so that nobody will get burned or slip on it. He then took a quick turn and went behinde the window display. Once there he uttere a few short words and made a fast hand sign. His clothing melded away into nothingness and was replaced with a deep purple suit and cape with black trims and a domino mask. All of it had a few occult symbols on them.

[Lucio]

"HERO?!? None can defeat the Wasp-Man! Attack, my pretties!"

The wasps form into six coherent swarms, and spill out from the ruins of the exhibit into A2, A4, A6, A9, A10 and A12. Each swarm is swarming over an innocent civilian, stingin' and stingin'.

Some people have listened to HERO and retreated into the shops. Not many though, and the wasp attacks are only making things worse.

(Vanguard has won initiative again, so post your actions)

[Onno Quist]

Onno, now dressed as Sorcero runs back out. as fast has he can. When he reaches the railing he starts to chant loudly in Hebrew. He looks over the mass of people and reaches out to thier minds atempting to calm them down with his magical powers.

(d100)[55]

[FEAT roll]
Spend Karma to raise the result to Yellow, maximum of 20

[Underlord]

The swarms where everywhere. So many people needed his help. He needed to distract that Wasp-Man.

(d100)[81]
(Psyche at Good)

(If over 46)
"LIGHT!"
The stars on his chest grew to a painful intensity before unleashing a shaft of light directly at the villain. Hopefully hitting it square in the visor.
(d100)[29]
(Agility at Re)


(If under 46)
...but he just could not. He moved towards the nearest victim and tried to pick him/her up while shielding him/her with his other hand and place them on the upper floor behind him.
(d100)[13]
(Fighting at Ex)

[Lucio]

Sorcero succeeds in calming the mall patrons down somewhat - most of them make for the relative cover of the shops or out of where the front door to the mall used to be. A few are still attempting to help their wasp-covered friends. Unfortunately, that seems to just be leading to the swarms attacking them as well.

HERO's blinding beam overshoots, hitting the above-door sign for the 'vIzz-nIzz' clothing shop. Wasp-Man turns, and fires white-wrist-thing at HERO.

"Foolish mammal! Feel my Sonic Stinger!"

It's a 'sonic stinger', then. Fortunately, his aim proves as shoddy as HERO's, managing to shatter the front windows of the store to HERO's left.

Sorcero: Spent 7 Karma, but minimum spenditure of 10 means you spend 10. You're therefore at 80.

--Round Three-- (Initiative won by villains)
Wasp-Man crouches, and the Sonic Stinger fires again. Not that it helps him, as this time the shop to HERO's right loses it's front windows.

Post your actions for Round 3, heroes.

[Guldan]

Overclock fly’s thought the front entrance to the mall (A7)
I love the mall. It's always got such a... buzz.
Overclock scans the area to look at the damage and notices the security guard on the floor and then turns to the man in the metallic mask
I see you’re the one causing the commotion, Lets see if you’re as easy to kill as a normal bug
Move to (A6) and then fire the laser at Wasp-Man [roll]d100[/roll]
(use karma to make the rol a minimum of 26, if needed)

[Underlord]

HERO was momentarily disappointed by his miss before being surprised by the large battle suit's dramatic entrance but seeing it head after the wasp villain hedecided he could give it the benefit of the doubt for the time being so he could put the innocent lives first.

HERO moved towards the stricken civilian and tried to shield then from the wasps while lifting them to the upper floor of the mall away from the commotion. Hopefully swatting many of the wasps in the process.
"Keep calm. I shall protect you."

(d100)[18]
(Fighting at Ex)

[Underlord]

(OOC: It appears trying to be competent is not my style. *Grins*)

Trying to protect a panicked citizen from something you can barely see when enlarged to such a size was more difficult than he had anticipated. He had to dig deep, a person's life could be at stake.

Use 18 Karma to succeed in this task.

[Onno Quist]

Sorcero looked at his new won allies and screamed to them: You take care of that idiot in wasp suit and leave the real wasps to me!

All while he was doing this he was weaving patterns in the air with his hands. He would not let the inocent come to harm. He would paralyze them all, swarm by swarm.

(d100)[4]

[Lucio]

Overclock's laser blasts into the Wasp-Man, knocking him off his feet with a "Neeyargh!".

HERO is able to swat away the wasps for long enough to hoist the two civilians up and onto the second floor. That wasp swarm now starts to swarm around the giant-sized HERO.

Sorcero carries on his chanting, his arcane utterings nearing their completion.

Spoiler

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Overclock is down to 60 Karma (due to the 10 Karma minimum spend)

HERO gains 20 Karma from the rescue (it's seperate and heroicly-intended enough to give him that) - so he's now at 62 Karma.

I've no idea what Sorcero was doing, so I've played it as a not-finished-yet rather than a failure. Ad, you need to actually say what power you're using/duplicating and what the target is.

[Onno Quist]

Sorcero swore in a hushed voice to himself.What was I thinking? I need to think more clearly. I need to be more like HERO.

All while mumbeling he was focusing on HERO's mind trying his best to make a copy of it and merge with it.

(d100)[80]

[Guldan]

OverClock thought to him self which would be the best move, looking at his enermy he could only tell a theme, not any actule powers he may own.
Move towards the injured guard. Turn and fire at the man in the bug mask.
think that was all i had? (fire laser) (d100)[60] at the man in the bug mask.
Overclock turns to the officer Are you okay sir? Can you move at all, this place isnt a good place to be in your condition

[Underlord]

After saving those civilians and finding that this wasp villain was otherwise engaged by the newcomer in a robot suit, HERO moved to the aid of the civilians just left of him (A10) and tried again to lift them to safety.
"Here let me help you.."

(d100)[27]
(Fighting at Ex)

[Underlord]

Once again struggling against such tiny foes and being followed by the previous swarm, HERO called upon his reserves to protect the innocent.

Spend 14 Karma to get the job done.

[Lucio]

Sorcero is overcome with a strange sensation as the duplicate-HERO-mind melds with his own.

Spoiler

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It's more obvious now that protecting the innocents is what's important. Very important in fact! Gotta get down there now an- and find that scientist. Which scientist? Dunno. There isn't a scientist, you learnt you magic from a tome. But there is one and you need to go stop him! But first the innocents the need saving! Can't let people die!

As a result of the mind meld, Sorcero needs to start make Psyche tests to resist the complusion to get down there and physically pull people out, regardless of his own safety. He is, however, also able to study his foes and gain a combat advantage over them.

Overclock's laser hits the Wasp-Man again, turning another patch of metallic skin a crispy black colour. The smell of singed metal hangs in the air for a second as the villain staggers.

The security guard looks up, clutching his chest. He seems short of breath, and is rasping a little, but is not too injured. "I'll be fine - go give that freak one from me!"


HERO easily hoists the two teenagers up to the relative safety of the second floor. The two vaguely coherent wasp swarms circle him - they seem to be trying to prevent him from moving to help any others. Looking across, HERO can see the Wasp-Man looking over at the swarms (as he kneels in pain from two laser shots to his back), the 'eyes' of his helmet flashing tiny sparkles of light. It looks like a regular pattern, like a code of some sort...


(That was Wasp-Man's action for the turn, in HERO's results.)

Round 5-ish, initiative won by heroes. Post away.

[Guldan]

Theres more than one way to kill a bug
Overclock moves towards the wasp man (A5) and move into melee combat, attack him once.
Lets see what you are realy made of

[Guldan]

(d100)[47] sorry forgot to put it in above post

[Onno Quist]

Do not fear, Sorcero is here! I will save you from these wasps!
Sorcero launches a mind blast towards the wasp swarm closest to himself.

A puzzled look appears on his face. Wait... What did I just say?

[Underlord]

HERO, having secured the innocents in his vicinity, turned his attention to the source of all these threats: the wasp man.

"You have toyed with these peoples lives long enough. It is time to end this!"

With that he tried to charge through the swarms of wasps and the remains of the exhibit towards the villain, hopefully slamming him into the wall or floor.

Against Wasps:
(d100)[37]
Endurance at Remarkable

Against Wasp Man:
(d100)[69]
Endurance at Remarkable

[Lucio]

Overclock jets forwards, fist pulled back for the punch, as HERO dives through the horde of insectoid pests and makes a beeline (ho ho) straight for the Wasp-Man. The battlesuit's mighty blow smashes the Wasp-Man straight into the path of HERO.

The supervillain hits the floor with a CRUNCH, and moves no more. The bulbous metal eyes glow white once more, then fade. Even as he attacks it, Sorcero can feel the controlling intelligence ebb away. The wasps clumsily return to the nest in the ruined exhibit. A little too convient, if you ask me...

In the aftermath of the fight, surrounded by grateful citizens, although most are still in shock, the soft wail of police sirens can be heard. A sharp glance to the hole where the door once was reveals the presence of at least two cop cars and what look like unmarked black vans. With tinted windows. Two men in suits come into view, hands on holstered pistols.

"Federal agents! Freeze, and identify yourselves!"

(Coupla talkin' bits, and then you guys get the Karma, Popularity and a base.)

[Guldan]

I go by the name of overclock. Though why be so hasty on the introductions?
Overclock bows forward to the agents.
I think we have done a fine exstermination job here officers, Though i belive youll be the ones with paper work for all this
Overclock laughs to himself and then retracts the laser which had been on his arm and then folds his arms.

[Lucio]

One of the agents, the more grizzled and slightly older one, replies to Overclock by flashing his badge.

"AMIT. American Metahumans Intelligence Taskforce. You mighta heard of us."

You most certainally have. Everyone and their dog knows about AMIT from back in the Victory America days. They tended to act as a legal (and constitutional) backup, formally arresting the supervillains after the superheroes had taken 'em down and working on the proviso that as long as the heroes were doing good, the fact that they were technically vigilantes would be ignored. (Basically, they're like SHIELD, except slightly less trusting and less directly involved in the smashy-smashy.)

"If you boys want to keep doing this kinda thing, that's fine. Patriot City needs that right about now. But you boys need your hero names... and group name. Fancy telling me real quick so I can get on with arresting that nut on the floor over there?"

[Underlord]

"I am HERO. I protect and serve the people." HERO said in his booming. charismatic voice whilst still towering over everyone in the mall.

[Onno Quist]

Sorcero walks purposefully down from the second floor towards the agents. Halfway down he bows down his head and make a few short arm gestures and casts Speech-throw. As he continues to walk towards the agents they hear someone speak, each word comming from a different direction. I am the mystical and benevolent Sorcero. I will do all in my power to keep people safe.... And books, they are also important.

[Lucio]

"Hrnh. Well. We'll be seeing you again."

The two agents move over to the vanquished Wasp-Man, AMIT-brand metahuman-restraining-devices in hand.

Leaving the mall, our three heroes stop at the horrific sight outside. Reporters. Dozens of 'em. At the sight of the heroes, it seems like they all start firing and screaming questions, trying to get heard over the cacophony.