N/A

Yes. Exactly. I could have sworn I saw it mentioned somewhere that you guys ruled that those feats can't apply to an entire array, just one power in it. Maybe I was mistaken.

There are precedents for Benefit feats that allow the substitution of one Ability modifier for another, but they all limit that substitution to a specific task.

Honestly, I think the application of feats like Attack Specialization and Improved Critical is a bit too narrow and strict in FCPBP as it is. I see no reason why either one couldn't apply to an entire array of attack powers based around a central item or theme.

The Scarab will pop her lone Hero Point for 5 temporary ranks of Investigate, putting her at +9. Whew! She got a 16.

The Scarab will use Postcognition, focusing on the robbery itself. She'll take 10 for any relevant Notice or Search checks (25).

"Thank you." "I am The Scarab. I have recently returned to Freedom City after a long absence." "There are several items missing from Beaumont's collection. Most of them have disasterous potential in the wrong hands. Most of his pieces are merely mundane antiques and art objects, but a few are more than meets the eye." The Scarab gives a brief description of the items she remembers which are unaccounted for, then kneels down on the ground, supporting herself with one arm while the other touches her forehead. "Pardon me for a minute. I'm going to find out what happened here. Avenger, if you would be so kind as to watch my back, I think you 'know the drill.'"

I'm stuck out of town a bit longer than expected due to inclement weather, but I did manage to steal a few minutes here to catch up on FCPBP. I should be home in a day or two.

Actually, Scarab and Avenger have been acting like they know each other, at least a little. Avenger and I agreed on that at the beginning of the OOC thread. If you're planning on having Jos turn up in TRIRR, that could create weird retcons. But that's almost entirely up to you.

Yes.

"I helped found the League, before my...long absence. I am no longer affiliated with them. They are not the League I worked with. And I'm afraid I don't have the influence to get you an audience with them, if that's what you were hoping." The Scarab turns to Slamdance as they follow The Good Doctor into his lab. "I'm sorry. I assumed this was your first case. It appears that you've already made something of a name for yourself. And that I was right to trust you."

No. It looks significantly different. The original Scarab wore your basic red and yellow spandex, like Superman with a full face mask. The new Scarab's costume looks more like armor. The character sheet linked in my sig has a picture at the top.

I've been searching, but I can't find them. Have these new threads started up yet?

Once the alarm is shut off, Scarab uses her Telekinesis to open every door in her way from the inside. If she comes across one that can't be opened or unlocked by any mechanism she can see, she'll just yank it off its hinges (effective STR 60), but put it down gently, as to minimize the noise factor.

The Scarab flew back down to the lobby of the Beaumont Building, but the accented man was nowhere to be found. Hmmm. Maybe I scared him off. Just as well. One less factor in the equation to worry about. He can come back another time. She flew directly to the alarm control panel, then down to the vault. She punched the keys in the alarm panel by looking at them. I must admit, being a telekinetic certainly is convenient. I almost don't have to wear gloves at all. Looking through the windows, she used her mental powers to open every door in her path from the inside. Hold on just a little longer, Avenger. I'm almost there. No more heroes blood on your hands, Meinhoff. Gods help me, I just may kill tonight, if that's what it takes to stop you...

Not trying to godmode you, Razorback. Just saving you a walk down the stairs and giving us a dramatic entrance. :D

"I'm sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances, Doctor. Your reputation proceeds you, however, and we require someone with your expertise." The Scarab levitates up off the stairs, bringing Slamdance along with a wave of her off-hand, and floats the two of them directly down to the floor next to Archeville. "We are investigating a murder. The prime suspect is a supernatural entity from another plane of existence. And she left some traces the police missed." She reaches into a pocket and pulls out the plastic bag with the demon's hairs. "We have other contacts examining their mystical properties. But I was hoping you could provide a more scientific analysis." She offers the bag to Archeville. "And we would be happy to compensate you for your valuable time."

Yeah, that's fine with me. I'm surprised the whole gender-confusion thing lasted as long as it did.

Excellent, thought The Scarab. Just as weak-willed as I hoped they were. Not that it's a good thing in the long run for security to be so lax, but it suits my purposes for the moment. She turned her attention back toward her dark-clad associate. "Avenger, I've got the layout of the building and the alarm codes. Luckily, most of the security systems have been brought off-line since the original break-in. I'm coming in."

She isn't going to any great lengths to hide her gender, no. But her speaking voice is slightly altered while in-costume, in the same way that Kevin Conroy used slightly different voices for Bruce Wayne and Batman in the DCAU. But she take it anywhere near as far as, say...Avenger. And said costume, while form-fitting, isn't ridiculously so. It doesn't look painted-on. It downplays her curves somewhat. And the chest pieces create something of a "sports bra effect," scooping around and pushing down, rather than lovingly sculpting around every contour of each individual breast like most comic book "armor." Her chestplate doesn't have cleavage. So, given female superhero fashion trends, you'd probably think she was male at first glance. But no, it isn't difficult to figure out her gender.

And I think that's as far as we should take it until Razorback gets a chance to chime in.

"I am The Scarab. We apologize for the late hour, but we require Doctor Archeville's scientific expertise in an urgent matter. Lives have already been lost, and more are at stake."

The Scarab touched down on Archeville's front porch, and waved vaguely at the door. The old-fashioned knocker rammed the door thrice, seemingly of it's own accord*. *Yes, I'm going to use that phrase to describe her telekinesis. And I'm going to use it a lot.

That one time will make all the difference for now. Scarab flies up to the roof and activates her ESP/Telepathy. After glancing at a campus map in the lobby, she's looking for the campus security station. Once she finds that, she searches for an on-duty guard, and starts rooting through his mind looking for alarm codes, locations of keypads, and general procedural information that will allow her to access the building without alerting the authorities. She gets an 11 on the Mind Reading check, and takes 10 on the relevant Search checks (25).

"No, I've merely returned after a long absence." The Scarab took his hand and shook it. "I'm afraid I don't have that information. The situation is developing as we speak. We have an agent inside assessing the situation, but right now, we can't guarantee your safety. It's possible that the objects you came to appraise were among those stolen. I can't confirm that yet. But I can confirm that whichever official you were supposed to meet with is not on-site. I'd prefer it if you didn't contact them just yet. We don't want to involve the non-powered authorities until we've assessed the threat. No sense endangering them by sending them into a situation they're not equipped to handle. For now, we have the scene contained, and we'd like to keep it that way." "Please stay in the lobby for now. I'll be right back." The Scarab flew up to the top of the Beaumont Building, crouched down, and once again concentrated on extending the reach of her awareness beyond its grasp. Campus security must know the alarm codes. And what they know, I know...

Heh. I figured as much. "Just in case" and all that.