April

"That hasn't been my experience with power," the green-eyed girl replied. "Not to say that the ideal is wrong," she added, "but humanity always fails to measure up." My mother is proof of this, she thought. "Since having no power at all is not an option, perhaps registration is the wiser course?" It was a statement contrary to her peers, and one she had just made, but it was a thought that started to gnaw at her. "Considering the numerous moral failings of man, can anyone with power truly be trusted without being watched?" She looked thoughtfully at Kam and Veronica and shook her head a little, less at what they said and more the idea of civil disobedience. "Mother would not tolerate any dissenters," she quietly murmured, not noticing she spoke out loud.

"I believe it would have a chilling effect similar to Moore Act in Freedom City," Abigail added quietly, looking up from the notebook she'd been doodling in and brushing some of the hair out of her eyes. "But setting that aside, how would that work with visitors from other nations or governments?" She didn't really know the other people in her group, and they didn't really know her. if not for the fact that they were at Claremont she wouldn't know any of them had the potential to be a superhero. She shrugged. "I'm... Canadian." That was a lie, sort of. "Would I have to declare at the border? My government might object, insisting I have a right to privacy. Never mind the sheer logistics involved in assessing everyone that lives here, let alone visits. I mean let's face it, America is reluctant to pay for the health of it's own citizens there is no way a program like this gets funded without serious blowback."

Abigail looked at Pan's proffered hand and then down at the burden she carried in her arms. She took on a thoughtful expression as she did a quick glance around and let go of her books to take Pan's hand into her own for a brief shake, before turning the hand toward Elizabeth. The books, meanwhile, floated silently and obediently where she left them. "I'm not sure how tall a 'Jack' is suppoed to be," she said, giving Elizabeth a faint smile, "I have not met many."

"Ah, Danica, hello," called out a tall and slender young woman walking toward the group from the collection off buildings to the southeast. She would have waved, but one hand was holding her shoulder bag steady and the other held a couple of thick books. She gave the Segway riding girl a friendly smile and picked up the pace a little to close the distance, her long black hair flowing behind her as she moved. "Oh, new faces," she said, hesitating a little and suddenly looking a bit shy. "Uh, hello, hi." She raised an eyebrow in Danica's direction, "Tour?"

It took Nicola some time to leave Bedlam (her girlfriend could move at super speed but she could not), but a few trips along the rails later had her train arriving at Wading Station. Aside from the attempted (and immediately halted) mugging on the Bedlam leg of the trip it was all in all uneventful. She had her luggage, a phone to get in touch with Anna, and a smile on her face when she saw her best friend and sister-in-death Lucy. "Hey girl," the vampire said, folding Lucy into a hug. "Nice ride."

As a returning student Abigail Storm knew it wasn't worth the time or energy speculating about Headmistress Summers actions or intentions. They would be revealed at the moment of the Headmistresses choosing and not a moment before. Instead she focused on the book in her lap and was subsequently ignored by the other students in turn. She tucked a bookmark to hold her spot when Summers took the stage. She took a brief moment to glance around the room, noticing it was filled up a bit more than one of last year's assemblies, before turning her attention up front.

Feats: Skill Mastery (Bluff, Concentration, Knowledge: Arcane, Notice, Sense Motive) Combat: Fixed Format/Parsing error to reflect actual Ranged Attack Bonus (+10) Powers Fixed the typo.

Arcana Power Level: 10 [12] (157/194 PP) Trade-Offs: None Unspent PP: 37 In Brief: Just a girl, torn between two magical legacies, writing friendfic and posting it to tumblr. Alternate Identities: Abigail Storm (Secret), Abigail Eldrich (Secret) Birthplace: the Netherworld Occupation: Student, Apprentice Mage Affiliations: None Family: Una the Unrelenting (Mother), Adrian Eldrich (Father), Daniel Storm (Adoptive/Surrogate Dad) Age: 16 Gender: Female Height: 5'7" Weight: 140 lbs. Eyes: Green Hair: Black Abigail is taller than average with a lithe build. She has narrow, silver-flecked emerald green eyes and freckled, lightly tanned skin. She has hip-length, raven black hair tucked neatly behind her ears. She has a delicately featured, heart-shaped face, well-defined hawkish nose and classically elegant, chiseled high cheekbones. She favors dark clothing and wears little in the way of jewelry, with the exception of a simple silver pendant depicting a circle inside of a triangle. Her outfit as Arcana is transmuted from her own clothing, and is a dark grey hooded cloak with a silver threaded hem over a similarly colored bodysuit. Woven into the shoulders of her mantle is the symbol of The Modrossus while an enchantment on her outfit causes the cloaks cowl to completely obscure her face, rendering it as a black silhouette with glowing green eyes. Motes of light dance around her when she wields her magic, shifting in hue and luminosity depending on the elemental nature or strength of the spell. History: Much of Abigail's early childhood was being honed into a weapon, or at the very least a tool, to crack open the defenses of Earth Prime and open the way for her mother. It wasn't a nurturing environment in the traditional sense but Abigail, like her sisters, didn't know anything else and so they lived for the approval of their mother and mentor. When Abigail was around eight she was sent to Earth Prime to foster among Una's supporters in the magical community, those that thought they would have a place of power and authority in the Netherworld but that never happened. Instead Daniel Storm of True North, Phantom the Gatekeeper and Eldritch the Master Mage of Earth Prime (and her own father), intercepted Abigail's arrival. She spent several years living with Daniel Storm, even adopting his surname as a cover identity, and learning through his gruff tutelage how to be a kid before eventually moving to Freedom City to live with her father and attending the Nicholson School before moving on to Claremont Academy. When her father died and Phantom took over his Mantle, Abigail felt a little adrift, but the new Master Mage and her family as well as Daniel Storm (and his collection of misfit "children") served to anchor her. She still struggles with the loss, but her mother didn't mold her into someone that gave up easy. Personality & Motivation: Abigail just wants to live her life on her own terms. She realizes that, considering who her mother and father are, this is an impossible dream but that just makes her more determined to make it true. Someone will always have designs for her future, either her own mother (and her supporters) or former foes of her father that believe she'll pick up where her father left off. For now she merely wishes to be a good student, both of the Claremont Academy and of the current Master Mage. Abby is generally soft-spoken and uncomfortable in the spotlight, even if she's still rather personable and quick to make friends. Her secret pleasure is to write stories and make little drawings of her friends or personal heroes, though she'd probably die from embarrassment if some of her more private works got leaked. Powers & Tactics: Arcana attempts to stay at range and blast the target and otherwise shape the field of conflict to aid her allies and hinder her enemies. She relies entirely upon her magic, and isn't really capable of defending herself in a melee or in a scenario where she can't employ spells. While she is capable of raining down considerably destruction, she prefers a more precise application of power though in the end her thought process is very pragmatic when it comes time to do battle. Complications: Crowned: Whenever Abigail drifts towards emotional extremes, a phantom image of Una's Three-Flames Crown appears above her head. Keystone: As the child of Earth Master Mage and the Queen of the Netherworld many believe Arcana to be a conduit that could allow them access to those dread powers and even allow the Netherworld to subsume Prime. They may be wrong, but that doesn't make them any less likely to entertain nefarious designs involving her. Netherborn: To the magically aware Arcana's spells have an otherworldly undertone to them. Her magic would feel familiar to those that know (and have possibly encountered) Una. Reactions would be varied but invariably it would be attention that Arcana would not want. Wallflower: Abigail doesn't do well in front of, or in the middle of, crowds and has a tendency to freeze up especially if the situation is stressful. This carries over to finding non-violent confrontation difficult to handle; she has a tendency to misspeak when trying to deescalate things and ends up making them worse. Abilities: -2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 22PP Strength: 8 (-1) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +2 Attack: +6 Base, +10 Ranged (+6 Base, +4 Attack Focus) Grapple: +5 Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -7 Saving Throws: 4 + 4 + 6 = 14PP Toughness: +10 (Impervious 5) (+2 Con, +8 Force-Field) Fortitude: +6 (+2 Con, +4) Reflex: +6 (+2 Dex, +4) Will: +9 (+3 Wis, +6) Skills: 48R = 12PP Bluff 8 (+10, Skill Mastery) Concentration 8 (+11) Diplomacy 4 (+6) Knowledge: Arcane 8 (+11, Skill Mastery) Knowledge: Theology 8 (+11) Notice 4 (+7, Skill Mastery) Sense Motive 4 (+7, Skill Mastery) Sleight of Hand 4 (+6) Feats: 25PP All-Out Attack Attack Focus: Ranged 4 Dodge Focus 4 Eidetic Memory Equipment 3 Fearless Luck 2 Power Attack Precise Shot 2 Quick Change 2 Skill Mastery (Bluff, Knowledge: Arcane, Notice, Sense Motive) Teamwork 3 Equipment: 3R = 15 EP Headquarters [15EP] (Toughness 15 [2EP]), Size: Medium (Huge Inside) [3EP], Features [10EP] (Concealed [DC +10], Dimensional Portal, Dual Size, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Personnel, Security System [DC 20], Self-Repairing, Workshop Powers: 29 + 13 + 3 + 5 + 10 = 60PP Array 13 (26PP, Feats: Alternate Powers 3) [29PP] (Arcane Arsenal; magic) BP: Damage 10 (Extras: Range [Ranged], Feats: Indirect 3 [Any Point, Any Direction], Variable Descriptor 2 [Any Magic]) [25PP] (Arcane Blast, magic) AP: Damage 10 (Extras: Area [General, Shapeable], Feats: Variable Descriptor 2 [Any Magic]) [22PP] (Arcane Wave, magic) AP: Create Object 7 (Extras: Duration [Continuous], Feats:Precise, Selective, Variable Descriptor 2 [Any Magic]) [25PP] (Arcane Construct, magic) AP: Move Object 10 (Feats: Precise, Variable Descriptor 2 [Any Element]) [23PP] (Elemental Manipulation, magic) Protection 8 (Extras: Force Field, Impervious 5) [13PP] (Spell Shield; magic) Super-Senses 3 (Magic Awareness [Mental]) [3PP] (Arcane Acuity; training) Teleport 1 (100 ft; Feats Change Direction, Change Velocity, Turnabout) [5PP] (Blink; magic) Variable Power 1 (5PP Variable Pool, Any Combination of Traits, Extras: Action 2 [Free]) [10PP] (Cantrips; magic) Obscure 5 (One Sense [Normal Vision]) [5PP] Environmental Control 3 (Light; Extras: Independent, Total Fade, Flaws: Range [Touch], Feats: Slow Fade 2 [5 Minutes]) [5PP] Comprehend 2 (Speak All, Understand All) [4PP] Drawbacks: -0PP None DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 14 Toughness (Staged) Damage Arcane Blast Ranged DC 25 Toughness (Staged) Damage Arcane Wave Touch/Area (Shapeable) DC 25 Toughness (Staged) Damage Totals: Abilities (22) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (14) + Skills (12) + Feats (25) + Powers (60) - Drawbacks (0) = 157 / 194 Power Points

Arcana Assemble! Out For A Spin And Carnal Forbearance Ardent Blue Fox Chance Nightingale Road Trip.... of the Damned! Willow

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 player 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. Also list any threads which you are GMing. GM posts count as double and can be assigned to whichever of your characters needs a 'push'. 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, post a link to your first post for the month for each IC thread 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. Extending the deadline one week into the following month is already a grace period. If you've done any "extracurriculars" -- artwork, HellQ, 20 Questions, NPC, vignettes, guidebook pages, etc. -- please be sure to list them along with your active threads. For more information on ways to earn power points, see Character Advancement and Awards in the House Rules section of the Guide. 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.

Abigail is on her way so I am using this thread as motivation to finish! Name: Abigail Eldrich Codename: Arcana Year: Sophomore Pronouns: She/Her Roommate: Totally down for this. Goal: Survive another school year at Claremont (trust her, the Academy is a bit.. wild). Make new friends. Favorite High School Movie: Does Dead Poets Society count? Maybe The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

"Count on it," Nicola said, smiling. The vampire stood up from her stool, drained the rest of her drink and then folded Lucy into just as large an embrace as she received not moments before. She held it for a while, just enjoying the comfort of contact with one of the few people Nicola, in her current unlife, considered more than a friend but family. She gave Lucy a quick peck on the cheek and stepped back, still smiling. "I need to head back," she said, thought it sounded like she didn't want to. "The sooner I knock a few things off the to-do list the sooner we can start that road trip."

Nicola rested a hand on Anna's arm, and gave it a little squeeze of reassurance. The vampire explained to Anna some time ago that she could sense when people were frightened or.. otherwise.. due to the scent of blood and certain physiological reactions that brought it closer to the surface or resulted in it rapidly oxygenating. Granted, it wasn't described in such clinical terms and the context at the time was far more intimate, but the point stuck. Smiling, Nicola climbed out of the taxi after her girlfriend. She flashed a curious look at Merge, but inclined her head in greeting while thanking her for the compliment. She looped an arm through Anna's and waited to be escorted into the club.

Chance looked thoughtful. "Never met one of them," he said. He didn't elaborate on which one, but Rosa knew the rumors that surrounded the gambler, so he could only be referring Medea or Eris. "Should be fun," he said, flashing Rosa a grin. "We should have enough time before the game for me to freshen up. Helps to make a good impression for these sorts of things." By that he meant get them to see what he wanted to them to see.

Chance inclined his head toward Xavier and gave him a small wave. Now that everyone had left for the evening the club was quiet, except for the hum of refrigeration behind the bar counter. Flashing the others a quick smile he produced a cellphone and started to make some phone calls. To the others it looked like a simple bit of slight of hand, but to Alice's trained eyes the phone simply appeared in the club owners hand. Pacing away from the bar and back, Chance made the calls and called in the favors as promised. His accent and demeanor changed between calls, even his posture and gait changed. The snippets of conversation the crew heard had Chance speaking as or speaking to persons that might have been familiar to some of them, informants, elected officials, fences and the like.

It felt strange to be back in Freedom City after what was about two years in Bedlam. There was some business she had to attend to while she was in the city, but she could put that off until later. They made quite the pair, the dark haired and pale skinned woman next to the older blonde, but the vampire didn't really care what other people thought. She even secretly enjoyed the cab ride. It was so wonderfully normal and mundane, in sharp contrast to the rest of her existence.

Ardent Blue Fox Chance The Aces and Eights Job The Black Luck Job Nightingale Soul Food Double Date Willow

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 player 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. Also list any threads which you are GMing. GM posts count as double and can be assigned to whichever of your characters needs a 'push'. 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, post a link to your first post for the month for each IC thread 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. Extending the deadline one week into the following month is already a grace period. If you've done any "extracurriculars" -- artwork, HellQ, 20 Questions, NPC, vignettes, guidebook pages, etc. -- please be sure to list them along with your active threads. For more information on ways to earn power points, see Character Advancement and Awards in the House Rules section of the Guide. 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.

"OK," the gambler said, dropping his eyes from the ceiling back to Rosa. "I'm your man." He rubbed his chin. "How much time do we have, and what do you know about the other players?" He briefly toyed with the idea of taking out the players before they ever reached the table but he wasn't sure if the tiny, and energetic, woman in front of him would be open to that. She didn't seem the type. He thought about reaching out to rest of his.. whatever the hell they were. Might be too conspicuous though, so he dismissed the idea.

Nicola grinned then pulled her shirt up and over her head, casually tossed it aside, and then leaned in to continue the this that Anna wanted to do. ... The sun had reached its peak hours ago, and the vampire watched the afternoon shadows slowly cross the ground over the shoulder of Anna. She was snuggled up against the blond, at some point they made it to her bedroom, and just luxuriated in the warmth of Anna's skin. I could get used to this, she thought. "So," she breathed into Anna's neck. "What do normal people do when they go... steady?"

"Makes sense," Chance mused, leaning back in his chair and gazing at a spot on the ceiling. "Death has a way of warping what crosses its path. Mix in superstition that eventually becomes belief and you get yourself a talisman of sorts." He snapped his chair back up, and favored Rosa with a smile. "I imagine you want to.. liberate.. this deck and ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of individuals of dubious character?

"I have not, my dear Doctor," Chance said, leaning back in his seat and watching Rosa pace. He couldn't help but smile at the energy and enthusiasm on display. "Please, educate me. You will find I am a most eager student." His thoughts briefly turned to another card game played a long time ago, one that altered the trajectory of his life--for good or ill--forever. If this Dead Man's Hand was anything like the Hand of Fate, then there was significant cause concern.

Chance grinned at Sophia. "Oh, is that all?," the blond languidly asked, raising an eyebrow at Xavier. "I thought when you'd call in that marker that it'd be for something a bit more... oh I don't know... fun?" Chance shrugged and made a vague gesture encompassing the club. "You're free to rest your weary and harried heads here, of course." "It's not just the club around here that is mine. Give me a list of what you need, and an hour--two tops--and I'll see it done."

"Ah." Chance stood up from his leaning position and gestured at another employee to take over. "Right this way Doctor Thorne," the blond said, as he moved out from behind the bar and indicating that she should take the wine with her. He lead her to a set of stairs that lead up to an office that overlooked the club. It was richly decorated with memorabilia that seemed old-fashioned compared to the club's modern stylings--there was even a set of old revolvers in a glass case! The office was also conspicuously empty of anyone but the blond barkeep and the good doctor. "Tell me more about this poker game," Chance said, settling into a chair behind his desk and indicating a seat in front of it. "Just how high are the stakes are we talking here?" From the way posed the question, the higher the stakes the more interest he had.

Eve said nothing from her place at the table, occasionally she turned to look at someone as they spoke or glance expressionlessly at Tarva, but the bulk of her attention was focused on the report in front of her. On the tablets screen was the current headcount as well as supply tally, but despite Eve's attention she wasn't really seeing it. Instead her eyes were unfocused, and all she could do was fidget with her wedding ring.