April

Phaedra recovered the horns she brought with her and settled them back on her head, which gave her time to consider--and reconsider--the answers to the sudden rush of questions that came her way. The smile left her eyes, and they narrowed slightly, for a moment at Huang's comment but when nobody else picked up on it she relaxed. "Yes, they're real," Phae said. "And I can fly with them, though that's not really suitable for the indoors." She shrugged, wings rising and falling. "Keeping them hidden for any length of time feels like, well, say your arms were bound behind your back. It's not painful, but uncomfortable."

"Some, upstairs in to kitchen, feel free," Min answered Dimitri, gesturing toward the stairs with a free hand, though her attention didn't leave Talya. The look on the ancient guardian's face, as pleased as the expression was when Min caught sight of Talya, was one of concern. Fingers traced up the probably-ex-thief's neck and lightly lifted her chin. "Tell me," Min quietly insisted.

"This attack is ill-advised." Willow said, looking unfazed by the large hole that appeared at her feet, her head swiveling to look at The Beast and The Fire. There was a dangerous look in the dryad's eye as she looked on their opponents, and though her voice was as pleasant and lyrical sounding as ever, JIll and Bombshell could detect an undercurrent of anger. "I won't ask you to surrender," she continued, leaping over the hole in the ground and closing the distance with The Beast. "I have been at wits' end for over an hour now. Frankly, I need this." With that, she joined the others in attacking the Beast.

Move Action: Get all up ins The Beast's face. Standard Action; Unarmed Attack: 1d20+12 27, if that hits it is a DC 27 Toughness Save.

Pausing in the stairwell while Talya spoke, the ancient guardian recognized the voice of the person her blond paramour was speaking to but she hesitated to intrude upon the conversation. She thought of continuing on her way but the tone of the Englishwoman's voice had Min moving in her direction before she realized what she was doing. "Hello Frost," Min said with a casual wave to the thermovore. "I find it best to not dwell too much on the past, dear heart," Min told Talya, her voice sympathetic, "It is easy to become lost."

Ardent Monster Mash Blue Fox Leave a Mark The Traveler in the Dark Nightingale Blood Drive Willow Count Your Blessings So Great a Cause (2015) Old Fiends

In order to make sure the Refs accurately count all your IC posts and award you the due amount of power points, please post with a list of all the threads in which your character, NPC or sidekick posted IC this month (including the News forum). This topic will automatically close on the seventh day of the following month at Midnight EST. And if you are GMing something, list those threads, too. GM posts count as full posts, and can be assigned to whichever of your characters needs a 'push' to get up in post numbers. 1-14 IC posts = 1pp 15-24 IC posts = 2pp 25-49 IC posts = 3pp 50-99 IC posts = 4pp 100+ IC posts = 5pp When you make your list, please post a link to the IC threads -- preferably to the top of the page where your first post for that month appears (or the post itself) -- so we can jump right to it. When you start a thread, make sure IC is the first tag and topic prefix of the In Character thread, and OOC is in the first tag and topic prefix of the Out Of Character thread. It's not required, but additional tags including the major players and locations are viewed as a courtesy. Please list your threads in alphabetical order. Please clearly note any threads in which you are both player and GM/running an NPC. Please list your threads in a timely manner (1 week after the month is over is pushing it.) If you've done any "extracurriculars" -- artwork, HellQ, 20 Questions, NPC, Vignette, Wiki work, etc. -- please be sure to list them along with your active threads. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in your post counts being postponed or skipped completely. If you missed the deadline, see this thread.

Initiative: 1d20+2 19

"I have more than a little," Phae groused. "The 'something to be said' is that it is a pain in..." The redhead stopped mid sentence, suddenly aware of what she was saying and silently cursed herself. It was Huang's fault, of course, she reasoned. He was too damned easy to talk to at times. "The costume wasn't wrong," she said to Jimmy with a sigh. "It was accurate, to a certain degree." Phae plucked the horns off her head and shrugged out of the fake wings that she was wearing; these she handed to Huang. There was a spray of blood as a pair of large red-tipped black feathered wings erupted from the hybrid's back, stretching wide only to fold up neatly. She cracked her neck, making a contented sound. "Much better."

"We're still working out location," Eve said then went into detail on the options they were considering, namely between the shoulder blades or below the navel. The Frenchwoman was careful with her language, while she would generally be a bit more frank about the discussed pros and cons, she knew her girlfriend was a bit more prone to embarrassment. "That's the basic idea," Eve concluded. "We want matching locations, even if the tattoos themselves will be different. Some claw, or scratch marks on me and fox paws on Becky." She bit her lip a little, "not the flashiest work you'd have done Lane, but it'd mean a lot to us."

"Phaedra," the new arrival said offering her hand to Cathy. The redhead cocked her head to the side to regard Cathy; albinism was unheard of in Throne so Phae was curious but she reasoned it'd be impolite to comment (or stare), especially in public. Instead, she smiled and gestured to the Headmistress. "I was about to be shown my rooms, and receive my class schedule." She nodded at Robin and added, "After I was hoping to get to know all of you."

The assembled heard the sound of Phaedra's heels on pavement before the redhead stepped into the light and company of her peers. Her costume was that of an angel, of sorts, but it was one that leaned a lot closer toward the adult side of things with a skirt that was just long enough. Curiously, instead of the typical halo that accompanies this sort of costume, Phae went with cute pair of devil horns. "Hello," the redhead said with a smile. "Oh, I love your costume Matt. It was Matt, right?"

Phaedra looked around the campus and gave a small shrug "There are worse places," she offered, her smile faltering for a heartbeat as she thought of home. Though it was a hell dimension the young half-breed missed Throne, and she missed it even more since she could not speak of it. Not here, not on this world. "Please," she continued, recovering. "I am to live and learn here at this Academy, so in all likelihood I will be seeing you often. I would prefer if you called me Phae, for that is the name my friends use."

"Phaedra," the redhead said, her face splitting into a warm smile. "It is a pleasure, Riley." She made a vague gesture which took in their surroundings. "I can not speak to whether this is, as you said, crazy-town," she continued turning her attention to Robin. "But it seems safe enough." Phaedra glanced at the hatchet on Riley's hip. "Unless I should arm myself?" She looked at the Headmaster and Heyzel, eyebrow raised in question.

"That remains to be seen, Uncle," Phae carefully stated. "Certain things will always be denied to me, that is something I can not change. But yes, I hope they will be proud of me one day." She brushed a strand of red hair behind her ear and looked around the campus, grey eyes taking note of the few students that were around. Some had stopped to look at the new arrival, others had simply shrugged at the flashy entrance and moved on. "I have brought all I possess," Phaedra indicated the duffel slung over her shoulder. "I am eager to find my lodgings."

"Then we will keep them in Blackstone," Min stated, then shrugged. "Or consider alternatives if that is not possible." Min looked around at the table, meeting the eyes of the assembled, before turning her attention to the food in front of her. The dryad didn't need to eat and she usually didn't unless it was her husband, or Talya, preparing the meals. It was, in a small way, a way to show that she appreciates what they do for her as well as a way to spend time with them. That said, she only nibbled at the burrito in front of her. "It's not a secret," she said looking at Talya. "But I do not want it to come as a surprise to you. We are in autumn now, but winter is coming and in winter I can be..." she trailed off, looking a question at Erik, hoping he could explain or finish the thought better.

The young woman at Heyzel's side smiled and inclined her head in greeting to the headmaster, saying something in a language few mortals have ever heard. She waited a few moments, the smile slowly sliding off her face replaced by a look of worry, before her cheeks flushed. "Sorry, English. Uh, Hello," the embarrassed young woman said with a nervous chuckle, "I am Phaedra. Phaedra Morningstar." "I am here to live, and to learn, if it pleases you Headmaster."

Being worried for Erik was making the dryad a little testy and it took a tremendous amount of willpower on her part to not snap Dragonfly's or Miss A's heads off, verbally and physically. This technology stuff was outside Willow's comfort zone, she knew that and acknowledged that, but being treated like a mere beast of burden brought back some uncomfortable memories. Still, she remained silent and did what was asked, grabbing the heavy cable and moving it where it needed to go as effortlessly as carrying her own child. The armor that had encased her, by this point, told a different tale of her ire. It was sleek, with a dark bark covering and razored thorns while small purple flowers--foxglove--wove themselves into her hair.

Ardent Power Level: PL 10 / 14 185/229 PP Trade-Offs: None Unspent PP: 44 In Brief: Girl from Hell doing Good, and also her homework Real Name: Phaedra Morningstar Identity: Secret Birthplace: Throne the Red City Occupation: Student Affiliations: Claremont Academy Age: 16 Gender: Female Height: 5'9" Weight: 145 lbs. Eyes: Grey Hair: Red A tall and slender young woman, the grey-eyed Phaedra's near flawless appearance is owed more to her heritage than concerted effort. Phae's red hair is usually kept short, the longest it ever gets is just barely touching her shoulders. She doesn't confine herself to one particular fashion or style, wearing what she feels like, but she prefers rich colors accented with jewel tones. Generally though she's a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, maybe a jacket or sweater since she likes layers, but she avoids skirts unless it's part of her cheerleader uniform--skirts are bad for fliers. When drawing on the more demonic parts of her heritage the color of Phaedra's eyes shift, the iris becoming a burning crimson and the whites of her eyes bleeding away to inky black. In addition her red hair starts to glow slightly taking on the appearance of fire, her nails start to resemble claws and her canine teeth (upper and lower) become just a little longer and sharper. History The young woman known on Earth as Phaedra Morningstar began her life in the hell dimension known as Throne. The massive city, from which the dimension gains it's name, was founded by Fallen and though other denizens would arrive in time it was they who ruled. Among the first to arrive in Throne were the exiled, self or otherwise, who were useful to the Fallen and though few in number filled a role of mediator between them and those that were still Loyal. Phae's mother, Laphrael, was one such exile. Her father was a demon, a quite ambitious one who was unsatisfied with the position his kind held in Throne, who sought won the service and support of an exile--Phaedra's mother. A compassionate being by nature, Laphrael worked with Phaedra's father to improve the lot of the infernals that lived in Throne, using her position as a mediator to win concessions from the Fallen. That changed she gave birth to a daughter. For a time Phaedra's existence was kept hidden from Throne, and she was raised independently by her mother. However nothing stays secret in the Red City for long, and the young half-breed was soon thrust into the middle of the delicate political situation. Taking harder and harder measures to protect her child, Laphrael called in a favor to an old friend to see her child away safely. Personality & Motivation There are very few things that scare Phaedra, but the idea that someone may discover her heritage--and judge her accordingly--sits high on that list. When the subject comes up the young angel/demon hybrid practically shuts down, becoming evasive and stand-offish, growing angry if pressed. It's not because of shame, both of Phaedra's parents still have her love and loyalty, but more that nobody would understand. Phaedra makes an effort to be friendly and approachable, but even on her best days she's slow to trust. Trust was a precious commodity when she was growing up, and the young half-breed can be a bit stingy with it even in a relatively safe place like Freedom City. Though she was raised with a strong moral center, she's seen the cost of maintaining it in the face of absolute darkness; even beings with the most noble of intentions can't walk away from Hell unchanged. Ultimately Ardent wants to do good, to right wrongs and to triumph over evil. The how is a matter of some debate. All too aware that evil acts were done on her behalf, Ardent want to balance the scales. And hopefully, some day, restore her mother to the person she once was. Powers & Tactics Phaedra would prefer to not fight at all, using diplomacy, guile or outright intimidation to end a conflict before it gets too far out of hand. Mainly this is because Ardent is reluctant to call upon the more obvious aspects of her infernal heritage, limiting her tactics to teleportation and melee combat. Some circumstances might render such reservations dangerous, in which case she would her to call up the full aspect of her infernal heritage; revealing her wings to fly and slinging about hellfire being some common examples. Complications None. Lots. I'll fill this out later. Abilities: 12 + 4 + 14 + 6 + 4 + 14 = 54 Strength: 22 (+6) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 24 (+7) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 24 (+7) Combat: 12 + 8 = 20 Initiative: +2 Attack: +6 (+10 Infernal Magic, +10 Soul Glaive) Grapple: +12 Defense: +10 (+4 Base, +6 Dodge Focus, +2 Flat-Footed) Knockback: -5 Saving Throws: 0 + 3 + 6 = 9 Toughness: +10 (+7 Constitution, +3 Protection) Fortitude: +7 (+7 Constitution, +0) Reflex: +5 (+2 Dexterity, +3) Will: +8 (+2 Wisdom, +6) Skills: 56 Ranks = 14 PP Bluff 13 (+20, Skill Mastery) Concentration 3 (+5) Diplomacy 3 (+10, Skill Mastery) Gather Information 8 (+15, Skill Mastery) Intimidate 13 (+20, Skill Mastery) Knowledge: Arcane Lore 2 (+5) Knowledge: Theology & Philosophy 7 (+10) Language 1 (Ascended Speech [Native], English) Notice 3 (+5) Sense Motive 3 (+5) Feats: 17 PP All-Out Attack Distract (Bluff) Dodge Focus 6 Fearless Power Attack Quick Change Skill Mastery (Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Intimidate) Takedown Attack 2 Taunt Uncanny Dodge (Auditory) Well-Informed Equipment: None Powers: 28 + 17 + 5 + 6 + 3 + 6 + 6 = 71 Array 12 (Infernal Magic, 24PP, Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Powers 2) [28 PP] BP: Damage 10 (Hellfire Bolt, Extras: Range [Ranged], Feats: Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Improved Range, Incurable) [24 PP] AP: Damage 10 (Hellfire Blast, Extras: Area [General, Cone], Feats: Incurable) [21 PP] AP: Teleport 6 (600 ft./move, 20 miles/full, Extras: Portal) [24 PP] Array 7 (Soul Glaive, 14PP, Feats: Accurate 2, Alternate Powers 1) [17 PP] BP: Damage 4 (Extras: Penetrating, Vampiric, Feats: Incurable, Mighty) [14 PP] AP: Nullify 10 (All Magic, Flaws: Range [Touch]) [10 PP] Flight 3 (50 MPH, 500 ft./round, Drawbacks: Restrainable) [5 PP] Immunity 6 (Aging, Environmental Conditions [All]) [6 PP] Protection 3 [3 PP] Super-Senses 6 (Darkvision, Divine Awareness [Visual], Infernal Awareness [Visual]) [6 PP] Teleport 2 (200 ft. Extras: Castling, Feats: Change Direction, Turnabout) [6 PP] Drawbacks: -0 DC Block Attack Range Save Effect Unarmed Touch DC 21 Toughness (Staged) Damage Hellfire Bolt Ranged DC 25 Toughness (Staged) Damage Hellfire Blast Touch/Area (Cone) DC 25 Toughness (Staged) Damage Nullify Magic Touch DC 20 Will Nullify Soul Glaive Touch DC 25 Toughness (Staged) Damage Totals: Abilities (54) + Combat (20) + Saving Throws (9) + Skills (14) + Feats (17) + Powers (71) - Drawbacks (0) = 185/230 PP

Min blinked, looking from Talya and Erik to Ellie and Steve. "Makers, Preserve me," Min said with a rueful sigh and a shake of her head. "You all where totally having a... a thing." The way Min pronounced thing made it sound like both a curse and a source of amusement. She absently tucked a strand of white hair behind an ear, showing off its subtle inhuman point. "That will be enough of that," Min stated evenly. "There are no secrets in this family, there is no time for it."

Cheeks flushed a bright red at Becky's bold statement, Eve opened her mouth only to close it without speaking, giving her shoulder a little shrug and flashing a sheepish grin at Lane as she settled back into Becky's embrace. "We both are," the Frenchwoman said after a moment, tilting her head back to look up at her girlfriend, giving her a faint smile. "We were discussing tattoos," she added. "Think you can hook us up?"

"I am not human," Willow stated from beside Bombshell. She opened her mouth to add more, specifically about the ArcheTech presence, but silently closed it without comment when she noticed Miss A's mannerisms. Instead, she took a look around the parking lot--and the scant little plant life--but figured that there was enough of it present for the task at hand. With a gesture the plants and shrubs that filled the small islands of greenery erupted, growing wildly and rapidly to surround the portal, the heroes and the ArcheTech vans. Thorns sprouted from the thick barrier, sharp and dangerous looking. Reflective of the dryads mood.

"Nonsense," Min murmured, her attention still largely on Talya. Capturing the other woman's hand in her own, the dryad closed what little distance remained to kiss the Englishwoman lightly on the lips. Brief though the contact was, it was evident to those watching that it was more than just a gesture of friendship, especially with the satisfied smile that Min sported when she withdrew. "You shouldn't have to live out of a bag, not here. I know our lodgings are modest compared to what you are use to, but your home is here now with the people that love you." "Right?" Min said, looking up at Erik. Then she looked over at Ellie, "It's the same with you and Mara, I know you have some things at her place. Help me talk some sense into this woman."

Min shortly joined the other heroines carrying Mia in her arms and preceded by her eldest daughter. The look on her face was that of a carefully crafted mask of neutrality but Talya could see the concern lurking in her amber eyes. Talya knew Min well enough by now to realize it was more than mere concern, the dryad was barely holding it together as one of her greatest fears was playing out. "Do you have Gina's address?" she quietly asked, afraid to raise her voice above a whisper for fear of losing control of it.

"No, I'm not pregnant," the woman in question answered airily as she breezed into the kitchen. Min's superior hearing and vision was one of those things often overlooked by her fellow Interceptors, even after all this time of repeatedly demonstrating this fact. When combined with the numerous plants that filled the building both upstairs and down, and the dryad's ability to communicate with those plants, nothing done or uttered in the home or dojo escaped Min's notice. "I cleared out some closet space for you," Min said looking at Talya. "I don't really wear much clothing so there was just a bunch of stuff taking up space. So I'll donate that and you can hang up some of your things." Looking thoughtful for a moment she added, "Does one donate underwear? I cleared some space in the dresser too."