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NutritiousSnack
Jul 12, 2011


It wasn't something out of the future, it was what humans dreamed and hoped the hereafter would bring them. Bright silver panels lined everything, simple geometry like circles and ovals making up the furniture and control stations. Minimalist, but far more than functional. The satellite or research station, according to this '13th Level Intellect' it was something else but functioned as both, responded to your needs as you thought or felt them. Monitoring screens, cooking implements, fridges and freezers, and produce. Hell the thing even provided directions to where it's hangers were, what room you needed to go to when you got lost, and 'the Mother Box control center'. Some of you, like the White Lantern, had seen technology before during meetings with highly advances space faring species and races, but never so splendidly and elegantly done.

Most of you had worked on a team before, not unlike the Justice Society of America almost a century ago. But that was at the Hall of Justice back on Earth, in Metropolis, not in space. Others were plunked from wherever you were or what you were going or doing, when a man in a floating chair took you to the void, sized you up and laid out his sales pitch, and the dropped you off here. It was quite the view, any of you who glances to your left could see Earth and to the right, a pale snowy moon, but a far more impressive display of power...even if it all was consensual. When all of you walk into one another, a long rectangular grey table raises from the ground, along with egg shaped chairs, like the floor was liquid and these were just glass shapes. You all seemed to have been lead individually and subtly into this room.



My apologies for how sudden this is and how limited my own involvement can be, but i hope this New Genesis 'Cloud' I purchased will be of assistance to the tasks at hand. He says, not sounding concerned or apologetic at all. "Even giving you this though, stripped of all its armaments, bends the Great Pact more than I wish to continue, as is my visits to you are going to much shorter than I wish. Still no doubt, you have questions, and I have a little more to inform you of.

NutritiousSnack fucked around with this message at 02:58 on Jan 18, 2019

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NutritiousSnack
Jul 12, 2011
Reserved

Epicurius
Apr 10, 2010
College Slice
Superman

Superman steps forward. "I have a question. Just who are you, and why did you bring us here? In fact, what is 'here'? I'm sure any of us would be glad to help you if you asked, but I, for one, don't like being taken places against my will or being ordered to do things."


quote:

Solo d10, Buddy d6, Team d8

Superman (Clark Kent, Kal-El)

Last Son of Krypton
Truth, Justice and the American Way
Big Blue Boy Scout

The Last Kryptonian
Superhuman Senses d10,
Superhuman Stamina d12
Godlike Strength d12
Godlike Durability d12,
Blast d10 (Heat-Vision)
Blast d8 (Super-Breath)
Superhuman speed d10
Enhanced Reflexes d8
Superhuman Flight d10


SFX: Area Attack: Target Multiple Opponents. For every additional target, add d6 to your pool and keep a +1 effect die
SFX: Versatile: Split Godlike Strength into 2d10 or 3d8 on your next roll
SFX: Multipower, Add more than one "The Last Kryptonian" power to your pool. Step back each Last Kryptonian die in your pool once for each die beyond the first
SFX: Invulnerability – Spend a Power Point to ignore physical stress or trauma
SFX: Immunity – Spend 1 PP to ignore stress, trauma, or complications from fire, cold, pressure, radiation, drowning, or vacuum.
SFX: Freeze breath – add a d6 and step up effect die when using Super-Breath to inflict frozen complications.
Limit: Kryptonite. Shutdown Kryptonian powerset in presence of Kryptonite. Inflict d4 Physical stress. Step up stress each round until beyond d12. Gain 1PP for each step-up of stress.
Limit: Magic. Step-up any effect die applied from magic sources. Invulnerability does not work against magic.

Combat Expert. Journalism Expert. Cosmic Expert. Psych Expert


Man of the People
1 xp…When you save innocents from harm.
3 xp…When you defeat a super-powered villain who is threatening innocents.
10 xp…When you put love ones, your happiness or your identity at risk to defeat a grave threat to humanity, or put yourself first instead.

Last Son of Krypton

1 xp- When you learn something new about Krypton or your Kryptonian heritage
3 xp- When you encounter a living Kryptonian or a piece of technology from Krypton
10 xp- When you decide to embrace your Kryptonian heritage or reject it for your new home of earth.

Dachshundofdoom
Feb 14, 2013

Pillbug

Green Arrow

Oliver goggles at his surroundings. If you'd told him yesterday he'd end up on a space station he'd have laughed in your face, and he had an uncomfortable feeling this wasn't going to be last insane event in the near future. He runs down a mental list of a thousand questions and picks a few more or less at random.

"Alright, Metron, was it? You said something about Apokolips's agents already being here. Let's hear more about that. How are they getting away with breaking the rules of your 'Great Game,' why do they want Earth to begin with, and what exactly do you think we can do about it?"

quote:

Green Arrow/Oliver Queen (Secret)

Playboy Billionaire
Daring Deadeye
Guilty Conscience

Solo d10
Buddy d8
Team d6

Master Archer
Weapons d6
SFX: Deadly Aim: Add a d6 and step up the effect die when inflicting Physical Stress with Weapons.
SFX: Trick Arrows: Add a d6 and step up the effect die when inflicting Complications or creating Assets with Weapons.
SFX: Hail of Arrows: Add a d6 and keep an additional effect die for every additional target.
SFX: Spot Weakness: Step up or double Weapons against a single target. Remove the highest rolling die and take 3 dice for your total.
SFX: Archer's Focus: If a pool includes Weapons, you may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 step larger.
SFX: Shoot Down: Weapons may be included in reaction pools. Spend 1 PP to add Weapons to another character's reaction dice pool. When doing this, if that character takes Physical Stress, take d6 Mental or Emotional Stress.
Limit: Gear: Shut down Weapons and gain 1 PP. Take an action vs the Doom Pool to recover, or recover during a Transition scene.

Zen Training
Enhanced Reflexes d8, Enhanced Stamina d8
SFX: Ignore Pain: Instead of spending 1 PP to convert Physical Stress into Mental/Emotional Stress, add an equivalent die to the Doom Pool.
SFX: Find an Opening: On a successful reaction using Enhanced Reflexes against an enemy attack, convert your opponent's effect die into a Master Archer stunt or step up a Master Archer power for your next action. Spend 1 PP to use this SFX if your opponent's action succeeds.
Limit: Off-Balance: While stressed out, asleep, or unconscious, shutdown Zen Training. Recover Zen Training when you recover that stress or wake up. If you take Mental or Emotional trauma, shutdown Zen Training until you recover that trauma.


Acrobatic Master d10, Business Master d10, Combat Master d10, Covert Expert d8, Crime Expert d8, Menace Expert d8, Tech Expert d8

Looking Out for the Little Guy
1 XP when you express doubts about the Justice League's direction.
3 XP when you put yourself, the team, or the mission at risk to protect civilians in the short-term.
10 XP when you decide that you'll stay on as the Justice League's social conscience, or when you quit to fight crime with a more personal touch.

The Thrill of the Hunt
1 XP when you express confidence in the face of danger.
3 XP when you stress out a superhuman opponent or win while significantly outnumbered.
10 XP when you come to terms with your thrill-seeking side and accept the risks, or when guilt (real or perceived) drives you to quit vigilantism.

Dachshundofdoom fucked around with this message at 04:17 on Jan 18, 2019

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

Blue Beetle



The Blue Beetle is having a Bad Time. A pair of long blades form over his hands before vanishing back into him. "No - no, stop that! Stop that, I don't care! Ugh..." He looks up, then around. "So...are we in space? We're in space, right?" Pause. "Yeah, thought so, thanks. That's...cool, I gues. Why are we in space?" He rubs the back of his head. "Um, how long is this going to take? I kind of, uh, I have to be home by nine tonight barring emergencies."

Pause.

"I mean, I guess space is an emergency?"

quote:

Affiliations
Solo d10
Buddy d6
Team d8

Distinctions
Rookie Hero
Blue Beetle Symbiote
Strong Support Network

Powersets
Scarab Armor
Flight d6
Enhanced Durability d8
Technology Influence d6
Intangibility d8
Enhanced Reflexes d8
Superhuman Senses d10
Superhuman Stamina d10
Superhuman Strength d10
Mental Resistance d8
SFX: Rerouting Power: Shutdown any Scarab Armor power to step up another Scarab Armor power by +1. Recover the power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.
SFX: Full Defense: Spend 1 PP to ignore stress, trauma or complications from electricity, radiation, poison or direct physical attack.
Limit: Power Overload: Shutdown any Scarab Armor power to gain 1 PP. Recover the power by activating an opportunity or during a Transition Scene.
Limit: Of Two Minds: Mental Resistance provides defense only against telepathic or mind control effects, not direct psychic blasts.

Reach Infiltrator
Metamorphic Weaponry d8
Energy Blast d8
Supersonic Flight d10
Superhuman Durability d10
SFX: Tactical Advice: Add a d6 to your dicepool for an attack action and step back the highest die in the pool by -1 to step up Physical Stress inflicted by +1.
SFX: Combined Arms: If a pool includes a Reach Infiltrator power, you may replace two dice of equal size with one die +1 step larger.
SFX: Khaji Da - Assuming Direct Control: Step up or double any Reach Infiltrator or Scarab Armor power for one action. If the action fails, add a die to the doom pool equal to the normal rating of that power.
SFX: Nuclear Option: When making a reaction pool using a Reach Infiltrator power against a pool with a d12 in it, step up Emotional Stress to step up or double your highest die.
Limit: Tactical Disagreement: Change any Reach Infiltrator power into a complication and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity or remove the complication to recover the power.
Limit: Reach Technology: Earn 1 PP when affected by Reach-specific Milestones and tech.

Specialties
None.

]Milestones
Enthusiastic Inexperience
1 XP: When someone gives you advice or warns you about something you don't know.
3 XP: When your enthusiasm gets you into serious trouble.
10 XP: When you manage to defeat a villain despite some serious blunders or you are taken under the wing of another hero for intensive training.

My Mom Didn't Raise Me Like That
1 XP: When you refuse to do something or stop someone else from doing something because it's not right and your family wouldn't approve.
3 XP: When you refuse to inflict physical trauma on someone after stressing them out.
10 XP: When you accept the Scarab's advice and use lethal force or when you take a stand and actively try to save the life of a doomed enemy.

NutritiousSnack
Jul 12, 2011
Metron just folds his hands underneath his chin, as his chair floats above the heroes. "Blue Beetle, while I would categorize the end of freedom and even thought as an emergency, I do not pretend to able to even being interested in reading your parent's minds to learn their opinions in this matter. My mastery of Psychohistory applies to movements and cultures, not individuals. I wouldn't be too worried, while you are currently in orbit over your home world, and will be transported to Central City, Illinois if you so choose, with the Boom Tube technology you should be home in Texas at around six."

He offers no expression to Superman whatsoever. But we have Kal-El, even if you don't remember it in your conscious mind anymore. It takes many minds, my own included, awhile to master the effects time dilatation has on the mind. What you do from here is up to you however. I think the concept of your adopted home being plunged into hell would work as a excellent motivator, but the concept of a Crime Bible and fanatics facilitating the acquisition and a religion based on a tomb containing the books of Hitler, H. H. Holmes, and Caligula, laying out every sin as their new ethos."

"Bending, not breaking." Metron answers Green Arrow. "The Pact does not confine the denizens of both worlds to their homes; they are free to travel anywhere as long as they don't interfere with local politics or endanger local stability. That second qualifier means almost nothing and is open to a million and one interpretations; this treaty was designed by partly Apokolips too and they ensured there were hundreds of such loopholes such as those to exploit. As for what they want...New Genesis no doubt just thinks of your world as another resource center for Darkseid, King of Apokolips, to exploit. I however think while symbolism is overrated, it isn't to such a superstitious ruler. Mars, your sister world, invented the Life Equation and acts in his eyes as a parallel to New Genesis, Earth acts as one to Apokolips and must somehow be connected to his lifelong ambition: the Anti-Life Equation. The mathematical proof itself is simple."

A holograms dances up from the table, showing the formula.

Loneliness + Anger + Fear + Despair + Self-Worth ÷ Mockery ÷ Condemnation ÷ Misunderstanding × Bigotry × Shame × Failure × Judgment + Z= Fascism> Love and Freedom.

The result is even simpler: all sentient life and all the divine forces of the universe bowing to Darkseid's will of their own violation, as he asserts that his evil is the only just and correct way for the universe to be run.Metron says, for the first time emoting. Disgust. As for what you do about it...well, defeat them and stop their schemes, while I highly doubt what he wants can be found here, as remarkable as this planet is, the fate of this world would be worse that what you conceive hell as. The last thing he wants is another war with New Genesis, as win or lose it would make impossible to complete his goal, making it impossible to take this world but by conquest, in most circumstances should be enough to dissuade him

NutritiousSnack fucked around with this message at 04:30 on Jan 18, 2019

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

Blue Beetle

“That...probably counts. Especially if I can say I was helping Superman.”

Jaime nods, then...stares.

“Man, you know, you come from a wordy planet. But, uh, I did real well in algebra and I’m pretty sure that’s not math. I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m on board for stopping...the evil alien overlord of the planet named Apocalypse, whose name is Darkside...”

Pause.

“Is all of space full of this kind of names?”

Dachshundofdoom
Feb 14, 2013

Pillbug

Green Arrow
PP: 1 | XP: 0

Oliver breathes in deeply and shuts his eyes, rubbing his forehead for a few seconds. It was a lot to take in.

"Alright, so if I'm following you here, an interplanetary dictator from a hellworld is going to try to destabilize and conquer Earth as part of his lifelong quest to mathematically prove the superiority of evil. Why can't guys like this pick a healthier hobby?"

NutritiousSnack
Jul 12, 2011
Metron smirks at Ollie's comment. "When you live for eternity you run out of amusements and distractions quickly, only playing God can hold a New God's attention. New Genesis and it's peoples', as well as I, do so as well with more worthwhile pursuits. Unlike Highfather, I am a very selfish man, but trust me when I view Darkseid as a overgrown child looking for his father's gun to play with and only wish to avoid the avoid unnecessary casualties and damage would result in him hijacking reality."

"Trust me, your names as for where your worlds' gods rest is just as amusing to us."Metron says, that grin becoming a smile at Jamie's own comments."Though I believe both our genealogies trace back to your Norse mythical figures. Maybe that is why I am as overwrought as your Odin or Loki in my speeches as they are in their sermons. Though allow me to answer you simply here: yes it is. Metaphysical thought might be Divine Algebra is just that.

Epicurius
Apr 10, 2010
College Slice
Superman

"Well, it's time to show this Darkseid that he's not God, then." Superman frowns. "If he thinks this anti-life equation is here, he'll no doubt be sending his people here to look for it, if he doesn't come himself. What sort of people are we going to be facing? Who exactly lives in this Apokolips?"

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!


White Lantern
XP: 0 | PP: 1

"That isn't even the silliest I've heard. Interstellar translation can get kind of... kooky.", Susan says to Beetle. She looks at her ring for a long moment, then looks up to Metron. "Wait, Mars 'invented' a 'Life Equation'? What does that even mean? Are you saying life originated on Mars in this Solar System?", she says a little skeptically. "And what's 'Boom Tube' technology? It's... safe, right?" She rubs her neck. "See, this is what I mean about translation..."

pre:
White Lantern					Susan Delancy (secret)

Affiliations	Solo d10	Buddy d6	Team d8

Distinctions	Looking to the Future
		Preserver of Life
		Scientific Thinking

Power Set	White Lantern Ring

		Life Sense d10			Enhanced Stamina d10
		Space Flight d12		Superhuman Durability d10
		Teleport d12			White Light Supremacy d12

SFX:	Area Attack. Against multiple targets, for each additional target add a d6 and keep
	an additional effect die.
SFX:	Prismatic Mimic: Step up your emotional stress to change White Light Supremacy to
	another emotional spectrum supremacy power (except Black) for a scene. Lose access to Lifeweb Sense
	and Healing while mimicking that power, but add a d10 power and SFX appopriate to 
	that emotional spectrum powerset for the scene.
SFX:	Healing. Add White Light Supremacy to your dice pool when helping others recover
	stress. Spend 1 PP to recover your own or another’s physical stress or step back
	your own or another’s physical trauma.
SFX:	Immunity. Spend 1 PP to ignore stress or trauma from death-related powers or
	effects, radiation, pressure, or vacuum.
SFX:	Multipower. Add more than one White Lantern Ring power die to a pool. Step back
	each White Lantern Ring power die in that pool once for each die beyond the first.

Limit:	Gear. Shutdown White Lantern Ring to gain 1 PP. Take an action vs. the doom pool to
	recover White Lantern Ring.
Limit:	Mood Swings. When using Prismatic Mimic, both 1 and 2 on your dice count as
	opportunities, but only 1s are excluded from being used for totals or effect dice.
Limit:	Ring Capacity. Shutdown any White Lantern Ring power to gain 1 PP. Activate an
	opportunity or participate in a Transition Scene while you have access to the White
	Lantern Battery to recover that power.
Limit:	Wormhole Generation. Teleport may only be used across interstellar or intergalactic
	distances.

Specialties	Combat Expert d8		Medical Expert d8
		Psych Expert d8			Science Expert d8

In Brightest Day

1 XP	… when you try to impart hope or inspiration.
3 XP	… when you use Healing to help somebody recover stress or trauma.
10 XP	… when you pull a fellow hero or opposing villain from death or near-death, or
	  choose to let somebody pass on to the next world.

In Darkest Night

1 XP	… when you talk about being chosen as the Lantern or about the Life Entity.
3 XP	… when you seek out or confront a known murderer or embodiment of death.
10 XP	… when you take an action against your moral code at the request of the Life
	  Entity, or defy the Entity's request and risk losing the ring.


Character art by Psuedofolio

Epicurius
Apr 10, 2010
College Slice
Superman

"There was intelligent life on Mars, but as far as I know, they're all dead now.", Superman says to the White Lantern. "If you track down the Manhunter, he can tell you more."

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

Blue Beetle

“Space is weird, I guess.” Pause. “Wait, there’s a guy called Manhunter? What kind of evil stuff does he do?”

Epicurius
Apr 10, 2010
College Slice
Superman

"Last I heard, he was in Brazil, trying to fight overlogging and exploitation of the Amazonian tribes. He might have moved on since then, though."

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!


White Lantern
XP: 0 | PP: 1

"Just when I need some info, now you're silent?", White Lantern says rather quietly to her ring with a sigh, and the looks to Superman. "I'll have to ask them, if life and supervillainy gives me a moment. Maybe I should take a second look at Mars, too... but I guess we've got a new crisis on our hands, one way or the other." A slight pause. "And, uh, it's an honor to meet you.", she adds with a more embarrassed tone, putting her hand to her chest.

Epicurius
Apr 10, 2010
College Slice
Superman

"The honor is mine, Lantern. From what I hear, not just anybody gets to wear a Lantern ring. To be able to work with someone who has, that's a privilege indeed."

Lager
Mar 9, 2004

Give me the secret to the anti-puppet equation!


The Writer
1 PP, 1 XP, No Stress

Standing in the back of the room, Grant has been quietly observing the god-like beings in whose presence he has found himself. It's been twenty years since he made the mistake of writing himself into the narrative, and yet seeing them like this just never got old.

"Actually, there's been a number of Manhunters over the years. Most of them were heroes, but only one from Mars." As the Scotsman speaks, he steps forward to join the rest of them.

Compared to the others, Grant is almost completely unassuming. Wearing casual clothes and carrying a laptop on a little tray strapped to his chest, he is physically unimpressive. His only real unusual trait is his complete lack of skin pigmentation, despite his dark hair.

He smiles a bit to the young Beetle. "I agree it's a bit of a creepy name, though." Turning to Superman, he stares up at the man for a moment. "I'm...well, I'm The Writer." He extends a hand to the man of steel, shaking slightly. "A Writer, anyway. I'm not sure that I'm the only one now. Call me Grant."

quote:

The Writer
Grant Morrison

Distinctions
Solo d10
Buddy d6
Team d8

Distinctions
Only Nothing is Impossible
sometimes it's Only Madness that Makes Us What We Are
The interior of our Skulls Contains a Portal to Infinity

There's a Palace in Your Head
Reality Control d10
Transmutation d10
Fiction Senses d10

SFX: Embellish the Narrative. When you activate an opportunity to create a resource, step up that resource die. In addition, you may step up that resource by a die type when adding it to a roll, after which the resource is lost.
SFX: Write My Way Out. Spend 1 PP to ignore stress, trauma, or complications from non-targeted or environmental hazards.
SFX: Retcon. Spend 1 PP to add Fiction Senses (or step up if already in your pool) and reroll all dice on a reaction.
SFX: If I Can Write It, I Can Be It. Spend 1 PP to gain a specialty at Expert for this roll, or step up a resource until the end of the current Action Scene.
SFX: Write it Big. Against multiple targets, for each additional target add a d6 and keep an additional effect die.
Limit: Writers Block. Change any There's a Palace in Your Head power into a complication and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity or remove the complication to recover the power.
Limit: Broken Laptop. Shutdown There's a Palace in Your Head and gain 1 PP. Roll against the Doom Pool to recover.

Specialties
Media Master d10
Psych Rookie d6
Business Rookie d6
Covert Rookie d6

Milestones

It All Derives From Superman
1xp - When you meet Superman, Clark Kent, or any version thereof.
3xp - When you work with Superman and either disappoint him, or are paid a compliment.
10xp - When you either sacrifice yourself to save Superman, or when you realize that you will never measure up to his goodness and decide to take a different path.

Adults Struggle Desperately With Fiction
1xp - When you explain the nature of your powers to a member of the team.
3xp - When people stop questioning your sanity and begin to suspect that you might be right about the nature of the world.
10xp - When you prove the fictitious nature of the world to your team, or when they finally decide you really are crazy.

Lager fucked around with this message at 15:55 on Jan 18, 2019

Epicurius
Apr 10, 2010
College Slice
Superman

Superman takes the outstretched hand and, smiling, shakes it. "Hello, Grant", he says. "I'm Superman. I've always been a little jealous of good writers. I dabble, but being able to write well is a true art, and making a living from it takes remarkable skill."

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

Blue Beetle
1 PP, 0 XP

"...huh. Well, okay." He's not about to argue with Superman, after all. "Nice to meet you guys. I'm the Blue Beetle. You can call me Jaime if you want." Superman's trustworthy, after all, so these guys should be okay to reveal himself to, right? "I'm, uh, I'm kinda new at all this stuff."

ibntumart
Mar 18, 2007

Good, bad. I'm the one with the power of Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen.
College Slice


Black Adam

Adam lets the mortals speak. He paid attention when Metron first came to him, and he pays attention now rather than waste time with banter or idle questions. In any case, it's always best to let Superman get the heroic puffery and simple questions out of the way first.

Instead, he takes his measure of the room. Admittedly, Superman would be a useful ally against this strange alien threat. And a Lantern of whatever color could prove a skillful warrior. But the Green Arrow and the Blue Beetle? Adam cannot help a small sneer. And the man in the other black uniform with a lightning bolt... they will need to have words soon. The man in the laptop and no costume or uniform at all, though. Adam's gaze stays on him. Something about him... unnerves Khandaq's champion.

Finally he speaks. "This is not one of your cocktail parties, Kal-El," he says with a dismissive air. "Your penchant for idle chatter with strangers can wait. Metron! You choose your champions wisely---for the most part---and have equipped us with a fortress in space. Let us discuss strategies against this Darkseid and his army. First, why should we wait for him to come to us? Tell us how to get to him and we can scout his movements, and work to bring the fight to him. And second, though you are constrained by this foolish pact, we are not! Where shall we go to acquire weapons worthy of our new citadel?"

pre:
The World’s Other Mightiest Mortal
Centuries of Experience
Towering Rage

Solo D10
Buddy D6
Team D8

SHAZAM!
Stamina of Shu, Speed of Heru, Strength of Amon, Wisdom of Zehuti, Power of Aton, Courage of Mehen

Enhanced Reflexes D8
Enhanced Senses D8
Godlike Durability D12
Godlike Stamina D12
Godlike Strength D12
Magic Lightning Blast D10
Mental Resistance D10
Superhuman Flight D10
Superhuman Speed D10

SFX: Berserk. Spend 1 PP to add a die from the doom pool to one or more attack actions. After the action, step down the die by one and return to the doom pool.
SFX: Dangerous. Add a D6 to your dice pool for an attack action and step back highest die in your pool by –1. Step up Physical Stress inflicted by +1.
SFX: Versatile. Split Godlike Strength into 2 D10 or 3 D8.
SFX: Multipower.  Use two or more Shazam! powers in a single dice pool at -1 step for each additional power.
SFX: Invulnerability.  Spend 1 PP to ignore Physical Stress or Trauma.
SFX: Immunity. Spend 1 PP to ignore stress, trauma, or complications from drowning, vacuum, starvation, thirst, poison, or disease.
Limit: SHAZAM! by uttering his magic word, shutdown Shazam! power set and gain 1 PP. Activate an opportunity to recover. 

Combat Expert D8
Menace Master D10
Mystic Expert D8

Milestones

Meet the New Gods, Same As the Old Gods
1 XP when you talk or interact with a citizen of New Genesis or Apokolips.
3 XP when you form a friendship or strong person rivalry with a New God.
10 XP when you marry a member of the New Gods or otherwise ascend to the status of a New God or stay on Earth and mingle with humanity.

Figuring Out This "Team" Thing
1 XP when you provide an asset for a member of your team for the first time in a scene.
3 XP when you successfully perform a support action for a member of your team.
10 XP when you learn a lesson in humility at great personal cost to you, or when you manage to succeed yet again despite going against the team's plan, and you sever 
all ties to the heroes you once worked with.

Ferrosol
Nov 8, 2010

Notorious J.A.M


Black Lightning

Black Lightning turned away from the mesmerising view of the Earth. It was easy to forget when you were down there amongst the weeds that the planet was drat beautiful and worth fighting for. Turning to the group he frowned. "So let me get this straight, we've got an incredibly powerful god-like alien being who wants to enslave and torment us for his sick kicks. You can't take him directly because then the metaphysical nukes start flying. So you need proxies. Which is where we come in. Attacking him directly would be suicide but what information do you have on his army there's got to be something there we could use"

quote:

Name:Black Lightning/Jefferson Pierce (Secret)

Distinctions
Former Olympic Athlete
Family Man
Community Leader

Affiliations
Solo d10
Buddy d8
Team d6

Powers

Bio-Electricity

Electric Blasts D10, Electrical Control D8, Enhanced Leaping D8, Enhanced Durability D8, Enhanced Reflexes D8 Enhanced Stamina D8 Enhanced Senses D6

SFX: Area Attack. Target multiple opponents. For every additional target, add d6 to your pool and keep +1 effect die.
SFX: Immunity. Spend 1 PP to ignore stress or trauma from extremes of electricity.
SFX: Multipower. Use two or more Bio-Electricity powers in your dice pool, at–1 step for each additional power.
SFX: Unleashed. Step up or double any Bio-Electricity power for one action. If the action fails, add a die to the doom pool equal to the normal rating of your power die.

Limit: Conscious Activation. While stressed out, asleep, or unconscious, shutdown Bio-Electricity. Recover Bio-Electricity when you recover that stress or wake up. If you take mental trauma, shutdown Bio-Electricity. until you recover that trauma.
Limit: Metagene. Earn 1 PP when affected by Metagene-specific Milestones and tech.

Specialities:
Acrobatic Master D10, Combat Expert D8, Psych Expert D8, Crime Expert D8

Milestones

Those that can, Teach
1 XP when you offer a less experienced hero advice or help.
3 XP When you offer to take a less experienced hero under your wing and teach them what they need to know.
10 XP When someone you've taught goes on to do great things or the advice and training you've given them gets them seriously hurt or killed.

Justice, like lightning
1 XP When you threaten someone who is causing trouble.
3 XP When you take direct action against someone who is causing trouble to your community
10 XP When you take down a villain who is a major threat to your home or you walk away from your responsibilities and admit you can't protect everyone

Dachshundofdoom
Feb 14, 2013

Pillbug

Green Arrow
PP: 1 | XP: 0

Green Arrow takes a seat and starts thinking. This wasn't the inner circle he would've assembled to face an interstellar threat, but then again, he wouldn't have included himself in the first place. Superman and a Lantern? Sure, those are obvious choices. Black Lightning was competent from what he'd heard about him, although they had never met. Grant the Writer was an unknown. But the Beetle over there was just a kid, and as for Black Adam, the man was exactly the kind of person Green Arrow spent a lot of time agitating about. Powerful, but completely untrustworthy. Certainly no hero. When a gap in conversation comes up, he decides to clear up at least one of his concerns.

"Everybody, if we haven't met, I'm Green Arrow. I'm sure you can guess what I do. So, Grant the Writer and Blue Beetle: what's your deal? If we're going to be working together, we need to know each other's strengths."

Dachshundofdoom fucked around with this message at 22:33 on Jan 18, 2019

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

Blue Beetle

"Oh, I've got...well, a lot, honestly. I still don't know everything I can do." He Pauses. "Yes, I know you're telling me when I ask, but you still never told me I could track genetic markers. That was kind of creepy." Pause. "Anyway, I'm pretty hard to hurt, and I can pop out...just about any weapon I want? Like this." He lifts a hand, and the suit flows around it, growing a sharp, viciously curved blade, which then melts into a truncated, stump-like blaster. "Which..."

He pauses, and coughs. "Well, I'm not the best at using." Pause. "No, I'm not following your advice! You keep telling me to kill things!" Pause. "No, I said we're not doing that." Pause. "...anyway. I...can see a lot of...stuff?" He waves the blaster vaguely as it melts back into a hand. "Like...energy. If I look for it I can sense all kinds of energy and...and information about things. And I can...feel electricity. Like a smell? Like, I can smell how all this place is wired...ish. It's...it's weird."

He looks at something that isn't there, poking at the air in front of him with a finger. "...wow, this place is big. Are all those things weapon mounts? Did it really need that many weapon mounts? And...what even is - no, never mind. Uh. I can fly, too. That's cool. I like the flying."

NutritiousSnack
Jul 12, 2011
Metron remains silent during most of the introductions, but answers to new set of questions asked of him

Alien Rope Burn posted:

White Lantern

"That isn't even the silliest I've heard. Interstellar translation can get kind of... kooky.", Susan says to Beetle. She looks at her ring for a long moment, then looks up to Metron. "Wait, Mars 'invented' a 'Life Equation'? What does that even mean? Are you saying life originated on Mars in this Solar System?", she says a little skeptically. "And what's 'Boom Tube' technology? It's... safe, right?" She rubs her neck. "See, this is what I mean about translation..."

"You're a Lantern correct? You should know, on your plane of existence in this universe, life is believed to have start on Oa. No, the Martian's Life Equation proved that...and this is a loose translation, the Life Equation has been lost for one million years and is more fragmentary than the Anti-Life Equation: Theocratic-Anarco-Communism= Love + Hope> Hate + Wrath= Fascism. You're mythologies tell of golden periods of peace, correct? The Garden of Eden, before Sin. Man when Prometheus gave them fire, but before Pandora's Box? All true before the Martians somehow failed to uphold it or somehow lost it. I'm curious if the Manhunter knows of this, but it happened way before he himself was born." Metron says, glancing at the White Lantern in particular for a moment, but his eyes then set on everyone. " Boomtubes are a creation of mine and great sage of Himon of Apokolips and one of only two men Darkseid fears; he also was the inventor of the Mother Box that runs the Watchtower, please be careful with it as you would with a member of your own family: it is just as alive, sentient, and loving to you all as a child or parent. It's a teleportation device with almost no limit or restriction outside of another Motherbox, Fatherbox, or 13th level intellect technology or magic or size of the Boom Tube in question. It should allow a small group of about ten to travel anywhere in reality at the point in time that you leave.

"A shame for you that Himon couldn't make it himself to help you. In all of this universe, I can think of none of can challenge my intellect like he could, and he is more interested in technological and military matters. Sadly, not only is he leading the resistance on Apokolips, but his presence here would lead him to break the Pact almost instantly. The one weakness that man has is seeing others' being exploited or harmed and not moving to respond to stop it to a very irrational and counter productive degree. A weakness you're lucky I do not share."

ibntumart posted:


Black Adam

Finally he speaks. "This is not one of your cocktail parties, Kal-El," he says with a dismissive air. "Your penchant for idle chatter with strangers can wait. Metron! You choose your champions wisely---for the most part---and have equipped us with a fortress in space. Let us discuss strategies against this Darkseid and his army. First, why should we wait for him to come to us? Tell us how to get to him and we can scout his movements, and work to bring the fight to him. And second, though you are constrained by this foolish pact, we are not! Where shall we go to acquire weapons worthy of our new citadel?"


Ferrosol posted:


Black Lightning

Black Lightning turned away from the mesmerising view of the Earth. It was easy to forget when you were down there amongst the weeds that the planet was drat beautiful and worth fighting for. Turning to the group he frowned. "So let me get this straight, we've got an incredibly powerful god-like alien being who wants to enslave and torment us for his sick kicks. You can't take him directly because then the metaphysical nukes start flying. So you need proxies. Which is where we come in. Attacking him directly would be suicide but what information do you have on his army there's got to be something there we could use"

"You seem to have the jist of it, but supplying you with intelligence of Apokolips army would be considered arming your world and loosing you on Apokolips forces, a direct violation of the Pact and though I am a lone actor and not of New Genesis, force Highfather to protect me and start a war that would rock cosmos again." Metron says, before that odd smile returns to his face."However if I were to just visit this world and tell you yarns about current events that may or may not effect the stability of your planet and mayhaps tell you about the visitors from Apokolips to Earth, without informing you of their location or aiding in capturing them, then who can say I'm interfering at all? Indeed for boring you, it would be only fair to leave behind a useful friend that can indirectly help you on your various adventures. If you happen to collide with Apokolips's various tourists with their help, why it's their own fault from coming here in the first place! Likewise arming this first, the Watchtower, would be your own prerogative, as long as you didn't let the various governments on your planet vivisect or reverse engineer them."

From Metron's chair, the picture of a man and a woman hovers and dominates this room.



"Big Barda, the leader of the Female Furies --Bodyguards, Assassins, and Wives to the royal family of Apokolips-- and possibly the greatest warrior Apokolips has produced outside of the direct royal family. She, like her sisters, was fanatically devoted to Darkseid, killing her parents when she was 12 to be allowed entry, and helping slaying entire armies and crushing planetary governments to prove her mantle time and time again. She shows no mercy and excepts none, but as this is more spy work at this point, I find it unlikely she is more than the muscle of the pair on Earth. No, that role belongs to..."



"Mister Miracle: adopted son of Darkseid, husband to Big Barda, and probably the one man in the universe with the most knowledge of the Anti-Life Equation. It will be difficult to capture him, he is the God of Escape after all, but once you do, you can demand both of them to return home and ban further such visitors from your world once and for all, as they are the most ranking members of Apokolips outside of Darkseid, who is almost entirely forbidden to. Metron continues.

The holograms of the couple are replaced by a picture of a large Tome with a blood stained rock as it's cover. As it opens are pages made of a strange leather and written in scarlet ink. There are various books, like those of the regular bible inside it, bearing the names of Cain, Hitler, Caligula, H.H Holmes, Empress Dowager Cixi, Christopher Columbus, and various other tyrants and serial killers from history. Each page lists sins and the 'perfect' why to carry them out, at least from what you can read as the pages whisk by open and closed.

"The Crime Bible, a religious and practical doctrine on how to commit every sin and crime on your world: for profit and divine favor. It's said who carries out every word of this book correctly will be become the False King, The Three Headed Beast, and rule your world for a thousand and one years; they will also know of their counterparts throughout the universe and treat with them at will. Only one complete copy exists, though fragments are numerous. Intergang's leader Bruno "Ugly" Mannheim is an adherent to the scripture and already through his study of it found riches and a way to speak with Darkseid, a master of his own path and ready teacher. The complete text rests in the Central City Museum of History and will shortly be moved illegally to Metropolis and in Ugly's hands. "

NutritiousSnack fucked around with this message at 00:12 on Jan 19, 2019

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!


White Lantern
XP: 0 | PP: 1

"It's good to meet you too.", Susan says to Black Adam with half-lidded eyes. A slight shake of her head, and she gives Green Arrow a half-wave. "White Lantern, I guess I'm here to fill out the leftover shades of the rainbow."

And finally, she adds to Blue Beetle more quietly. "... voice in your head, huh? Maybe we can talk about that later."

Mors Rattus
Oct 25, 2007

FATAL & Friends
Walls of Text
#1 Builder
2014-2018

Blue Beetle

Jaime nods to White Lantern. "Something like that."

Then he stops and stares at Metron and his holograms for several seconds.

"Y'all need Jesus, esé."

Teenagers.

NutritiousSnack
Jul 12, 2011
Metron just shakes his head at Jamie's comment. "One half the picture, Blue Beetle. New Genesis's Supertown is the proverbial city on the hill. Most of you would quite like the Highfather."

Epicurius
Apr 10, 2010
College Slice
Superman

Superman sits down. "This Crime Bible. . .what if we got our hands on it first? The idea of destroying books is reprehensible to me, but if this book has the power you say it does, it's too dangerous to be out there where it can get in the wrong hands."

Ferrosol
Nov 8, 2010

Notorious J.A.M


Black Lightning

"Seriously? they couldn't come up with a better name than the crime bible? For a book of ultimate evil that seems rather... unoriginal. Still questionable name choices aside it's safer with us than it ever would be with them." Black lightning added. "Now Bruno is going to be a problem, I've heard the name, and those intergang guys are trouble. When we get back home I could shake a few trees see if any of my contacts know where they might be keeping something like that. "

Lager
Mar 9, 2004

Give me the secret to the anti-puppet equation!


The Writer
1 PP, 1 XP, No Stress

Epicurius posted:

Superman

Superman takes the outstretched hand and, smiling, shakes it. "Hello, Grant", he says. "I'm Superman. I've always been a little jealous of good writers. I dabble, but being able to write well is a true art, and making a living from it takes remarkable skill."

Grant almost blurts out a reference to Clark's Pulitzer, but thinks the better of it. Best not to reveal that he knows the man's secret identity, after all. "I'd be very interested to read your work, you have a...unique perspective." He looks to his hand then as the handshake ends, and an odd expression overtakes his face. He reminds the others almost of a schoolboy who decided he's never going to wash his hand again.

Dachshundofdoom posted:

Green Arrow

"Everybody, if we haven't met, I'm Green Arrow. I'm sure you can guess what I do. So, Grant the Writer and Blue Beetle: what's your deal? If we're going to be working together, we need to know each other's strengths."

The Writer frowns a bit, trying to think for a moment. "Well, to be honest, it's all in the name as well - just like with you." He gestures to the laptop, "You see, I write here..." He starts to type, and points over to the far wall. "And then things happen." As he points, a mysterious, ghostly hand appears and writes the words, 'Hello World' on the wall. Turning the laptop around for the others to see, they see that the screen clearly reads:

quote:

"Well, to be honest, it's all in the name as well - just like with you." He gestures to the laptop, "You see, I write here..." He starts to type, and points over to the far wall. "And then things happen." As he points, a mysterious, ghostly hand appears and writes the words, 'Hello World' on the wall.

He turns the laptop back around, then. "It's all just fiction, but it still happens."

Dachshundofdoom
Feb 14, 2013

Pillbug

Green Arrow
PP: 1 | XP: 0

Oliver raises an eyebrow at the Writer. Some kind of reality warper or illusionist?

"That's one hell of a trick, Grant. Glad you're on our side. Anyway, this Crime Bible, it doesn't sound like the kind of thing that needs to exist. Doesn't seem like a great idea to have a manual of all possible evil floating around with that Anti-Life Equation on the horizon. But I'm guessing that we wouldn't be the first people to come up with destroying it, so... does this book have any powers of its own, or does it give powers to a sufficiently dedicated bearer, anything like that? I just like to know what I'm walking into."

NutritiousSnack
Jul 12, 2011
Metron bristles at the talk about book burning, but nothing more. "I prefer preserving books, rather than destroying them, but that's because I believe any form of knowledge is neither good nor evil. Various harmful manifestos are just tirade of bigotry or blue prints to genocide, but they are also how those ideas spread and why they can appeal to people: therefore how to stop it, but it's your prerogative. In the wrong hands it's obviously dangerous to the whole world.

"Destroying it is possible, certainly for you, but if you were still confined on the surface of the Earth it would be impossible. That stone cover, splattered in blood, is the very one Cain used to kill Abel. The first words of the book were whispered into his ears by Satan and Lilith. The Catholic Church, Saladin, Randolph Carter, and the first Mister Terrific destroyed it, only for it to return somewhere else a few years later, in some cryptic place. Every bit of it exists a little bit in humanity's hearts, and together compose it. Hence why people began just throwing it storage and locking it away."
Metron says, frowning. "Of course, in space it's no longer connected to the men and women on your planet. Give it awhile and if you leave it out in the open on the Watchtower, the pages made of Abel's skin will fade away to dust."

Metron doesn't face Green Arrow, but he pauses for a moment at his question. Not in combat situations no, but the Crime Bible has a will of it's own and wants to survive and be read. Low level, but continuous probability manipulation. Making sure to check everything twice would be a good precaution. It's value lies in both it's nature as a manual and philosophical-religious text and the rewards of following it brings."

If you have anymore questions, I don't mind and you still have time. But the two New Gods may be involved in this robbery, though probably in some advisory role of some sort, and in any case your biggest clues to stop whatever their plans are, start there.

Alien Rope Burn
Dec 5, 2004

I wanna be a saikyo HERO!


White Lantern
XP: 0 | PP: 1

Raising an eyebrow at Grant's display, Susan says, "Huh." She eyes the computer. Some kind of device like her own? Well, she still has other questions.

Looking to Metron, she says, "Sounds a lot more like symbolism than science. A book that gives a way to communicate across... worlds? Dimensions? Like, does it have blueprints, or it a ritual, or...?" She frowns slightly. "It all sounds... pretty esoteric."

Dachshundofdoom
Feb 14, 2013

Pillbug

Green Arrow
PP: 1 | XP: 0

"Well, I'm satisfied, or as close as I'm likely to get today. Find the evil book to find the New Gods, deal with them, and hopefully keep Apokolips off our planet for good."

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Lager
Mar 9, 2004

Give me the secret to the anti-puppet equation!


The Writer
1 PP, 1 XP, No Stress

Grant gives a somewhat whimsical smile to Green Arrow, then listens to Metron describe the crime bible's abilities. He looks over to the White Lantern and replies, "Literature is some of the oldest and most potent technology available. It sounds as though the 'rituals' are all about embracing the dichotomy of good and evil, distilling the concept of the latter into its purest possible form. This book may allow its adherents to ascend to a higher plane of existence, communicating across Order and Chaos. I don't think it would be enough to read this book. Men like Bruno live it."

Turning back to Green Arrow, Grant frowns a bit, "It would never be for good, no. Apokolips will be driven back, but it will return to threaten Earth again. It's a cycle, you see - one that has happened before in countless other variations. Still, though, yes - for the time being that should be our objective."

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