Dr Archeville

The Hispanic woman's eyes stay locked on Nightrival, and he feels another sharp pain, this time along his arm. Almost in the exact same spot as the large burn mark is on her arm. (A DC 21 Will save this time.) Heavy shifts back and forth as he tries to size up were the Giant Bat-Monster will swoop next. "C'mon... c'mon!" 'Twitchy' Pete keeps whirling, whirling towards... well, one would be hard pressed to tell, really. He whirls about a bit, almost smacking into Grimalkin a few times but jerking away at the last instant, and then heads up the stairs. Or, at least, he tries to -- once he gets to the stairs, he falls over himself. If anyone were in a position to see, they'd see him sorta tumbling up the stair case. But Grim isn't worried about that, at least not overly much, because she is totally focused on the Hispanic woman, the one who seems to be giving her partner/'boss' some discomfort. The woman does not appear to see her, allowing Grim to land a solid blow on the woman's back with her wicked claws. The woman freezes, then begins convulsing and writhing, but from the look on her face Nightrival can see she's not in agony, she's in pure ecstatic bliss. She slumps back against the inside wall, face flushed, breathing quickly and heavily, and sorta slide off a few feet to one side, leaving a smear of blood on the wall. ManBat's sonic blast hits Heavy almost right between the eyes. Heavy reels back, clearly injured, but does remain -- if just barely -- on his feet.

And so here is your second approval.

Looks mostly alright, though there are a few things I'd like to see tweaked. A) Rearrange the Skills and Powers so they're listed alphabetically. (Makes it easier on us to find things.) Under Skills, for the Languages entry, put what his native tongue is. Again, makes it easier on us to know at a glance exactly what languages a char speaks. C) Under "Complications," add "Secret Identity".

Do note that some of the above are my own personal interpretations and are not, and so may not be agreed upon by all the Refs.

"Ask it..." he says, then pauses a moment. "Ask it... if it has anything it vould like to say." What would it say? What could it say? Archeville's Electromagnetic Screwdriver has seen countless wonders and horrors in the years he's worked as a 'super-scientist-hero,' and there was no telling what it might utter. Would it speak softly, or in a proud and haughty tone? In English, in German, or some other language? The thing held components from every continent -- circuitry from Asia, Daka crystals from Africa for lenses and emitters, metal alloys from North and South America, polymers made from Antarctic petroleum, software and interface elements from Europe, and a power supply from Australia -- but would that matter? Would it laugh? Scream? Cry? Sing? Speak in one voice, or many? Archeville was as curious as Quark. [[ I'll leave it to you to determine what it 'says,' though if you'd like to bounce some ideas off me I'd suggest we do it via private message. ]]

Time in play-by-post games (and in comics) rarely flows the same way it does in the Real World. As an example, an adventure I'd started, "The Creeping Killer(s)", has an in-game start date of May 20th, though my first post made for it was done on April 1st. It's now September 12th, over five months later, and the adventure's still going... in fact, it's still the same evening in-game! (And most adventures here don't have solid 'in-game' dates.) But that doesn't mean the character can't be active in other things. So, yeah, have a ball, be active in as much as you'd like and can handle! If it seems like there's a conflict between adventures, talk with the Refs and we'll work it out.

"Vell," the doktor began, pausing to take a sip of the tea provided by their hosts, "I vould still like to put on a 'super science show' for de kiddies, partly to educate, but primarily, as you said, to entertain. Perhaps a showing of some of my minor house-bots, or a laser-light show, if ve do dis in de evenink. Or perhaps just offer de kiddies a ride mit de Flying Doktor. Maybe some of my magnetically-cooled ice cream, too"

Could you flesh out her history and personality and such a bit more? Seven sentences isn't much for someone who's been around for 400 years. What does she want in life? What are her goals?

My, that's a lot of questions.... There will always be unpleasant surprises. Nature of the beast AFAIK there are no current plans or stories involving the Scarab or his successor, so that part's good. However, if you are going to play a reincarnation of the Scarab, you should keep his powers and abilities very close to what the Scarab has, even if they are "messed up". Otherwise, you're not really playing a new Scarab, you're playing something that just calls itself the Scarab. That's very good to hear We're using the UP version. It works the way UP says it works: Standard action for surface thoughts, Full action to probe deeper. They get saves for each interval that passes on the time table, with a cumulative +1 bonus per save, like a Concentration (Lasting) power. 99% of the time, if the description of a power says something that seems to conflict with the categories & descriptions given at the beginning of the book, go by what the power's description says. The design philosophy would seem to be to keep the effect the same as speaking (i.e, an ability to exchange information), just changing the way it's done. Thus, it's as taxing as speaking: you still need to wait for the person you're talking to to form a reply, even if it is thought rather than spoken back. If you want near-instantaneous mental communication, a possible way might be Super-Senses (communication link), along with a similar power Useable By Others so that you & they can both have a communication link with each other. That's something all the Refs would need to decide. See above Telelocation, like ESP, is not a sense itself, it's just allows you to use your existing senses further. If you don't have any Accurate mental senses, then Telelocation won't be, either. Actually, no. If you switch to a different AP, you're no longer maintaining the Mind Control, so you cannot issue new commands. They'll keep doing what you last ordered them to do. Since we use UP, they can start breaking out. You cannot issue new commands (since you stopped maintaining), but they will continue doing what you last ordered until they break free. Both and neither. Applying Alt Save/Will to Transform makes it a Mental Transform, but the Range is still Ranged, not Perception. Best not to make exceptions. Just keep it at Sustained (Lasting), and at a high rank so that it takes a long time for them to break out. Where do you get that? There's nothing in the Game Rules thread about us not liking Uncontrolled. And there is always a Ref to make sure things go smoothly and as they should. Refs are always watching. :twisted: That being said.... This sounds like you could just use the Inspiration function of Hero Points to do this. You are right on that I'd suggest you just stick with the two feats. Less bookkeeping, less trouble.

None from me.

Ooooh... I want this! There could be... I don't know... ancient Druidic secrets in here... and at the very least, it's just nifty! And look how well-preserved it is! Ooooh.... wait, wait, no, no, I can't just run off with this, I still want to see what else this kid can get, what else he can lead me to. Jos is fully engrossed in the book, only pausing to move the glass of ice water the waitress brought out to the sidewalk so the table was clear. He laid the book out on it, tilting it this way and that as he looked at it under the noon(-ish) sun, delicately turning the pages with just the tips of a pen from his shirt pocket. "This is remarkable, Mr. Vulpes, remarkable indeed! I do see some similarities to assorted Celtic items -- the binding is reminiscent of some 12th century manuscripts, though I cannot begin to guess at how it has stayed in such relatively good condition... and this border work, here," he pointed to some pages which some knotwork along the edges, "looks like some of the earliest knotwork, which would mark this as 7th century! But... but most of this -- especially the language -- I have no idea! Oh, this is a rare treasure indeed! Where on Earth did you find this?" Waitasec... is that a fox on the cover? A fox with flames? Could this be tied to the pup from last night? Oh, curioser and curioser....I've got to find someone to translate this thing, or at least someone who knows more about Celtic and Gaelic stuff than I do!

29 July 2008 (Tuesday) I got to thinking the other day about Daedalus (why won't he return my calls?!?!?!), and his suit of powered armor. Which lead me to thinking about powered armor in general. I've been asked, more than once, why I rely on disparate gadgets, why I don't incorporate several of my inventions into one wearable suit. There are two major reasons for this: 1) Putting everything into one device would actually increase my vulnerability. With a suit of powered armor, when the power is knocked out or otherwise disrupted, you lose everything. But with a group of unconnected devices, one can be taken out without affecting the others. 2) Vanity and Safety. Like most people, on some level I do seek out fame and recognition, and I can't really do that in a face-obscuring suit of armor. I want to be the one receiving accolades, not some armored alter-ego. Equally important, in case I do ever 'go mad,' I want people to know who it is, and thus how best to counter me. However, I believe I have found a way around this second part: Invisible Armor. Or, to be more specific, Force Field-Based Armor. The idea came to me while working on my Gravimetric Belt. Recent advances in force field technology, by myself and others, allow for the generation of force fields which can be shaped in most any way, and even "embedded" into solid materials to strengthen those materials. By dispersing force field generators throughout a breastplate, boots, gauntlets, belt, and open-faced helmet (or, with a bit more work, just a headband), I could create a suit of "armor" made entirely of force fields. More importantly, with proper calibration the fields can be used to fulfill the standard functions of most powered armor suits: focused beams of force to ensnare, manipulate, or pummel; enhanced strength via a "tactile range" telekinesis-like force effect; "flight" (more accurately, jumping & gliding) on wing-shaped planes of force and propelled by backwards-directed blasts (or just create force platform under my feet, or true flight via gravity manipulation); life support in the same way my own Gravimetric Belt provides it, with the field compensating for changes in pressure and radiation levels, thermal regulating elements in the belt and a well-insulated force field, and an atmosphere supply in the armor held in by the airtight force fields. I may even be able to incorporate true energy beam weaponry, if I can use force fields as "lenses" for the beam; altering their shape, thickness, and configuration would permit unprecedented alteration of the beams. If I can get the micro-wormhole generator from my Gravimetric Belt incorporated into this, I could also teleport. The one thing I'm stymied on with this is communications and sensors. Sure, I could incorporate standard equipment into the gauntlets and helmet/headband, optic-enhancing visors and auditory-enhancing ear-cups... but surely there's some way to use the gravity- and force field-manipulation capabilities for these functions. I can use gravity pulse technology to send messages, but few people on the planet can receive them. I suppose I could use projected force fields to tap out messages in Morse code, but that's a bit unwieldy. As for sensors, I could probably create a way to generate a radar-like low-level force "pulse" that bounces off objects and can then be interpreted by the armor. Trickier still would be to use the "force field lens" technique mentioned previously for sensory enhancements: generate fields that can cause infrared or ultraviolet light going through them to be shifted up or down to something more visible, or which capture and focus light like a telescope or microscope, or force field-based auditory enhancers which capture and focus sound waves and can 'translate' ultrasonic and subsonic pulses to a more detectable frequency. But, if I can use force fields & gravity manipulation to render myself invisible (by warping visible light and other forms of electromagnetic energy around me), this should not be too huge an obstacle to overcome. The is, as always, a downside: force fields can be made opaque just as easily as they can be made transparent (slightly more easily, actually), and if I do go mad and become a supervillain then it would be easy for me to alter the suit so the fields obscure my identity, allowing me to live some Jekyll & Hyde-type life. Which is just about the last thing I'd ever want.

What the?! Jos looks over the photos, clearly fascinated by them. "That is very peculiar, very peculiar indeed. The script looks vaguely similar like a few ancient Celtic items I've seen... or, at least, what I remember of it. Fascinating!" Fascinating indeed. Where did you get this item, boy? And where is it? "I don't suppose," he said as he continued examining the photos, "you'd be willing to share just what sort of item this is, would you? An amulet or pendant? Something with a fire motif?"

You'd better stay in touch! *shakes tiny fist*

To use some more directly relevant examples: you, the player (like an actor in an improv troupe), control your character. The character is in a bad situation, so you, the player, decide to have him use his Luck Control to help him out. From your PoV, this is a wholly conscious thing you have done, and it always will be. But for your character, it gets a bit trickier. Whether he consciously & willingly activates his powers, or they just go off "when needed" without any input from him, or they go off "when they're needed" and also when he wills them to, is largely a flavor/descriptor thing. What matters is that they go off when you, the player, want them to. And that's the thing about powers in M&M, or any point-buy system: they're built to represent what they actually, objectively do, not the way your character believes or thinks they do. And they will always work when the player wants them to, barring a) some effect in place that hinders them, like Nullification, some form of GM Fiat (the director of the improv troupe stepping in), or c) taking the Uncontrolled flaw on the power.

Be forewarned, I only agreed to do the villains for this particular adventure. Street-level stuff isn't usually my forte, but I like being helpful, and to test my own boundaries/limits. I'm not to committing to GMing all the villains for this merry band. Shadowboxer, try posting this in your .sig box (under Edit Profile, at the Control Panel): Shadowboxer (PL 12 Hero)

Shadowboxer, were you still planning on posting for Grim?

Doesn't Possession make your body disappear?

And so the quartet of mighty heroes heads east, towards the Hanover Zoo. The winds soon shift a bit, and Wesley no longer feels assailed by the scents of the zoo. Vigor then realizes -- and shares with the others -- that, from where they are now, the zoo is about two miles away. Unless they all find some other means of transportation, it will take them well over an hour to get there.

Archeville grins and begins rummaging around in his own labcoat pockets, "vell, den, I'd be very curious to see what your little technologieübersetzer -- er, 'technology translator' -- would do if applied to... oh, vhere did I put... ah, here ve go!" The doktor pulled forth a slender wand-like object, studded with numerous tiny buttons and diodes all along the length, with some sort of emitter on one end. Quark, and most everyone else present, would know what it was (if not necessarily how it functioned): the doktor's "Electromagnetic Screwdriver," a wondrous bit of super-technology that, while not very powerful, had an unprecedented scope of capabilities. "I've had this for almost a decade, Herr Cale. I'd bet it vould haff much to say, don't you?" He held the device out, then quickly jerked it back and gave Quark a dead-eyed stare, "of course, if your machine breaks it, I shall be very cross." He then burst into a small fit of laughter, and laid the 'screwdriver' down on the table.

Jos arrives a few minutes after Sirius. He's in a casual-dress outfit, dark khakis and a burgundy shirt with the top two buttons left undone. He's smiling broadly as he walks over and joins Sirius. "Ah, good, so good to see you have made it! Have you ordered yet? I hope I did not keep you waiting long, I was tied up on the phone." Good, he did show up: my trip's not wasted. And he's still here despite my delay. Could be a sign of a solid work ethic, or it could just be a sign of his curiosity. He sits and orders a glass of ice water, "unfortunately I have not yet been able to get in touch with as many linguists as I had hoped -- some of my contacts were in very chatty moods! I did manage to get a few solid leads, though, and I will be following them this afternoon, after some of my people talk with some of their people." "Now, about those photos...."

Archeville is quiet for what feels to Quark like an eternity. His eyes flick back and forth, from the PDA to Quark. He strokes his chin, tilts his head to one side then the other, then, after agonizing moments, finally says, "Ja, please, do!"

For Dr. Archeville: After having seen Hannibal Rising last year, I can think of no one else but Gaspard Ulliel to portray Archeville. For Belphegor: Johannes Heesters for the human form, Rutger Hauer (with some sfx work on the voice) for the demonic form.

Uncontrolled may not be what you want. Consider: are the luck powers something the character has no conscious control over, or something the player has little conscious control over? If you (the player) have control, but the character doesn't, that's probably just a descriptor for the powers.

Yes to which? Yes, everyone's moving east to the zoo? Yes, everyone's continuing southeast? Yes, the party's splitting up?