rpgronin

GM Seizing the opportunity amongst the madness and confusion at the sudden appearance of a masked man in a fetching suit, Jessica snags her bag and makes like a madwoman to the nearest clothing store, dipping into Freedom Apparel with backpack in hand as she finds a secluded, lockable changing room to don her heroic duds away from prying eyes. The madmen don't even seem to notice their female hostage take off, far too busy being distracted by the clearly insane fellow hiding behind a sushi stand as they train their weapons on him. In the meantime, Kid Cthulhu - now betentacled and much more intimidating - turns his ire to the two thugs in black who'd so callously threatened him and his female counterpart. Firing off a pair of blasts wreathed in mystical fire, the pair of men turn from the man hiding behind the kiosk just in time for their eyes to go wide in horror, the energy striking them both square center in the chests and sending them flying with concussive force over the second-story railings. The rest of the armed men and women, now thoroughly alarmed and shocked to see not one but two odd entities attempting to thwart them and their unknown plans, seem thoroughly confused as to what to do. "I didn't sign up for this!" one of the female terrorists screams, dropping her pistol in fear as she begins to flee after the mute mammoth of a man and the bulk of the remaining two-dozen hostages downstairs. The remaining armed fellows aren't quite so cowardly, however, as they stand fast to face their aggressors behind veiled black masks and eerie, somewhat mystical-esque robes. ------------------------------------------------------------ Meanwhile, back in the hallway, Corbin's well-aimed blast strikes true, catching the surprised mook right in the back. The blast sends the poor, pistol-brandishing man flying through the air, hitting the ground hard on the second-floor as he slides a little ways before slumping over unconsciously even as the sounds of combat erupt further down the way, near the food court. Looks like trouble's brewing not too far elsewhere in Ashton Mall! Whirling around, wide-eyed but no longer surprised, the second terrorist armed with a handgun gets a good glimpse of the hero in blue, eyes narrowing and brow furled clearly even through the mask he wore. "A cape!" he screeches, bringing his weapon to bear on the Cobalt Templar from afar. "You can't stop us! Not now!" Oblivious to the terrorist, a pair of hostages come careening down the second-story walkway, panicked and disorganized until they see Corbin and one of the dispatched madmen. In terror and uncertainty, they dive into a nearby sporting goods store to avoid being seen by the brutish thug and attempt to get out of harm's way.

"Why won't you fall down?!" The fiery foe was taking a beating, but he was still kicking! How much more punishment could this thing possibly take? He'd been blasted, smashed, wet down... it was like the thing was nigh indestructible! His own attacks were futile at best, and given the rather harsh beat down he'd received first-hand from the flaming monstrosity, it seemed unlikely another hit like that would be good for his health. Struggling with what else to do, Momentum deigned it best to fall back on what had been working for him thus far: supplementary hit-and-run tactics; particularly those that helped the helmeted hero beside the creature! "I've got your back, guy." Noah exclaimed before pouring on another burst of speed, zig-zagging all about the sixth floor before going in close for an in-tandem assault with Cannonade. Rippling kinetic energy in-hand, Momentum swung hard to distract the incendiary foe before zipping off to safety, playing his speed card to the fullest effect he could muster. If he could just give the other heroes present a chance to really dish out some damage, maybe - just maybe - they could wrap this up before any other weird things cropped up. After all, there was still the talking red-aura-thing engulfing the casino to deal with...

Round Breakdown Move Action: Using Momentum's Speed 10 (10,000 MPH/100,000' per Round) to start zipping around the sixth floor before moving into melee with the Flaming Bad Guy Standard Action: Using Momentum's Move-By Action, he'll make an All-Out (+2 Attack/-2 Defense) Aid Action against the Flaming Bad Guy to give Cannonade another +5 to hit via Teamwork 3. Move Action (Cont'd): Finishing Momentum's Move-By Action by having him use his Speed 10 (10,000 MPH/100,000' per Round) to get down to a lower floor where he'll be at least marginally safer from the Fire-Whatever.

With the appearance of The Courier in the middle of the food court, your distraction has been solidified... so to speak You may now roll initiative. The majority of the hostages are being escorted by the big fellow to the ground floor, while a small number of patrons are now madly scrambling to escape. KC and Ironclad fall into the group of the latter, thus affording Ironclad an opportunity to grab her gear before the fracas begins proper. As for Cobalt Templar, he has the element of surprise still, which I feel warrants automatically winning initiative should he fail to dispatch both men before they have a chance to react, if he so chooses to attempt such a course of action. Current Food Court Initiative Order Round #1 Ironclad - 16 Kid Cthulhu - 10 Pistol Mook #2 - 9 Pistol Mook #1 - 6 The Courier - 5 Shotgun Mook #2 - 5 Pistol Mook #3 - 4 Shotgun Mook #1 - 4 Pistol Mook #4 - 2 Current Hallway Initiative Order Round #1/Surprise Round Cobalt Templar - 22 Pistol Mook #1 - 11 Pistol Mook #2 - 10 EDIT: Bleh. Terrible initiative rolls for the mooks.

GM Peering through the crack of the heavy metal emergency exit door, Cobalt Templar catches a pair of armed thugs making their rounds towards him atop the second floor, armed to the teeth with cheap handguns as they peer into the adjacent shops. They were oblivious to the outrageously tall gentlemen watching them, their eyes vexed elsewhere and their attention focused more on murmured chit-chat than real work. The element of surprise was Corbin's; all he needed now was to act before his location was duly discovered. Suddenly, however, Corbin picks up on a sudden outburst of indecipherable speech from further down the catwalk... it sounded as if it was coming from the food court! Whatever it was, it was certainly enough to earn a reverse glance from the pair of armed men formerly heading towards Cobalt Templar. --------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, back in the food court, things take an unexpected turn for the worst. Certainly, the armed men had been content to simply bully and intimidate their hostage through gun-toting jibs and jibes, but the situation dramatically becomes even more tense as an individual poofs into existence behind one of the many stalls lining the public eatery. It's no surprise really that everyone inside the mall looks, an amalgam of surprise, relief, and anger as the masked fellow peeps from over the stall etching across their faces - or at least those that had their faces exposed. "Is that a cape?!" one of the hooded goons shouts, earning a cursory glance from the gargantuan mute man from afar even as his comrade opens his mouth as he points towards the equally masked man in the dapper suit. "The boss didn't say anything about heroes! Get him!" Now panicked, the group of thugs and miscreants turn to face their new aggressor whilst some - chief amongst them the large, unspoken man by the teriyaki stand - began rallying up their prisoners in small groups as the terrorists begin heading down to ground level, lead by their behemoth of a leader as he silently directs his forces. A half-dozen mooks remain, however, as they train their firearms on the kiosk The Courier found himself pinned behind. In all the confusion, a number of the mall-goers-turned-hostages seize their opportunity amidst all the chaos and surprise to make a break for it, scattering like rats on a sinking ship. It looked like things were about to get hairy.

"Yeah..." Noah hummed in agreement with Wander, still bouncing thoughts about through his head as he glanced her way with a modest sense of skepticism as Dyne sailed off into the night. Despite the sudden weirdness the conversation had spontaneously taken - much of which, he thought, was his own fault for opening his yap - it was at least nice to get a decent tour of the once unfamiliar locale from a first-hand aficionado of the area. Granted, it might have been more prudent if he'd payed more attention to his surroundings than failing miserably at networking, but sometimes that's just how things go. Fishing his cell phone out again and checking the digital display, his fears as to the hour was confirmed. It was getting late, and if he wanted to avoid getting grounded indefinitely, he'd need to get busy booking it back home. Goodness knows he didn't want to have to hear his sister taunt him in his imprisoned state. "So... uh..." Momentum began again, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'm not, like, any good at this sorta stuff, but I mean, I don't really know a lot of... um... y'know, superheroes. Not really, anyway." he said, steeling himself in an attempt to feign some sort of confidence in the wake of the more experienced duo still present. "But look, if you guys ever, y'know, need help or whatever... not that you, uh, probably will... you can hit me up on Twitter. Same name, all lower-cased, switch out the O and E for a zero and three." Pausing for a moment, Noah can't help but consider just how stupid that sounded. Professionalism? In his dreams maybe, but definitely not here. "I mean, just in-case. Or something."

"Alrighty!" Momentum exclaimed, chipper as ever to be done with the fiasco at hand. No doubt once all this nonsense was over, there would be a very nasty blog post on the internet regarding women, dinosaurs, and crazy-ass machines of an indeterminate understanding. Or at least, Noah planned on doing so most thoroughly. With another burst of speed, Momentum charged through the underwater lair, fists flying as kinetic force-against-metal rang out in succession one after another, machines fizzling, sparking, and exploding with each decisive blow as the youth sped onwards. He might not have understood wholly how they worked, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to deduce that with enough force, anything was breakable. It isn't long before the mechanical marvels are little more than a flaming, smoking shell of their former selves, Momentum panting heavily from the extreme exertion of force as he came to a stop beside Dyne and Knight. "I... I think that's the last one..." he wheezed out, wiping his brow once more of sweat as the zippy kineticist caught his breath.

GM Peering around, Corbin spies with his little eyes something black and humanoid. The bottom floor of the mall was massive, and on the southern tip of it from whence Corbin had thus far remained undetected, he spots a pair of individuals creeping down the hallways with firearms in hand, idly chattering as they made their rounds. Every now and then, they seemed to stop at one of the many shops lining the ground floor, stepping inside, and rummaging loudly about as if looking for something - or someone - with pious devotion. It was odd really, the way they tore through the boutiques with reckless abandon, frantically turning up everything and anything less obvious that people could be hiding in or under. It was like they were madmen- and women possessed, yet blind to searching the more obvious spots for stragglers in their impromptu coup' d'etat; at least for the time being, at any rate. Higher up on the second floor, the situation seems much more controlled. A small handful of the nutjobs in black toting cheap guns patrol the second story of Ashton Mall at a leisurely pace, occasionally stopping to chit-chat with one another, but from where Corbin stands he can't quite make out what they're saying. This all seemed highly organized... someone must have spent a large amount of personal time constructing this elaborate take-over, having planned every nuance of this shenanigan with loving care and attention. In fact, it almost looked like the second floor of the establishment was the centerpiece for something, given the almost guard-like patrols by the armed terrorists; no doubt there to make sure the civilians herded upstairs are kept in check. There's something more here than meets the eye, but without a clear visual indicator, it's impossible to say for sure what it is... --------------------------------------------------------------- Upstairs fairs no better where Ironclad and her counterpart sit, victims of circumstance by the masked and hooded vigilantes. There's quite a few of them stationed within the food court, no doubt intent on keeping their duly appointed guests right where they are. Many of the patrons are outright terrified, to which many of the antagonists make sure to enforce with glowers, taunts, and jeers. One of them in particular stands out amongst the crowd though, a good six-foot-eight and undisguised, a rippling mass of muscle and physical intimidation by the quaint teriyaki stand. Mutely he stands, simply staring with ominous intent at the mass of hostages present in the food court. "This was so easy." the heroes overhear one of the black-robed men mumble to one of his compatriots, a masked slender woman standing opposite him by the railing leading to the northern end of the mall. "Just like she said, there wasn't even a hitch. Soon as she's ready, we'll get our p--" "Shut up." the female terrorist rebuffs, pointing her pistol at the man's masked face. "Don't talk about it. You'll jinx it. Don't you know how all this stuff works?" "Alright, alright! Jeez! Touchy." There was something very odd about all this. Very organized, very efficient... and by someone either incredibly clever, bold, or reckless. Even as the young and old cried alike, panicked in solemn silence, or were outright bitter and angry at the entirety of the situation, the armed thugs continued to goad and attempt to instill fear in their trapped prey... and our un-costumed heroes were no exception as a pair of the goons approached them, shotgun and pistol in-hand respectively. "You scared, little girl?" one of them chided, pointing his pistol towards Jessica with malicious intent. "You should be. Oh, I can't wait to just splatter that pretty little face all over the floor." "Maybe we'll do your boyfriend first. Make you watch." the other jibs, his threat as hollow and devoid of emotion as his comrade as he brandishes his shotgun. "But not yet. Not after the party." And with their threats espoused, the two mooks saunter off, content to yuck it up amongst themselves as they return to terrorizing the rest of the assembled hostages.

OOC Thread for Saturday Night Spooks. Thread is up, and characters are free to make their introductions. If you've got questions, feel free to inquire herein and all that jazz.

GM Saturday, October 16th, 2010; 8:14 PM In the dim moonlight on the West End of Freedom City, trouble has once more reared its ugly head. News vans and amateur reporters line-up outside of Ashton Mall, its entrances locked with heavy-duty gates and a small barricade erected by Freedom City's finest men in uniform with their patrol cars, their lights silently flashing a tell-tale warning for all those curiously approaching to investigate the scene. The situation had already been plastered all over the news, and it's no wonder all the onlookers seemed so awed by the spectacle they now bore witness to. "This is Amy Feng from the Channel 3 Action News Team reporting." a familiar female personality says with practiced poise and feigned sentiment, the chilly autumn wind ruffling her hair as she stands beside a gaggle of policemen taking cover behind their cars in front of Ashton Mall. "We're now entering hour two of the Ashton Mall Stand-Off. For those of you just joining us, earlier this evening a large group of armed men stormed West End's mall, barricading the building and taking an unknown number of hostages inside. As of now, no demands have been made, and the situation remains at a stand-still as police struggle to establish contact with the supposed terrorists inside." A series of murmurs erupt from the crowd as a lone woman inside the mall comes running up to the second-story window, banging feverishly on the glass as she screams for help. Tears stream down her face as various policemen shout into their radios, trying desperately to organize some sort of assistance. But alas, they are too late. From behind, a figure sporting an ominous black robe simply hoists the woman up and carts her off, much to the victim's obvious dismay and distress. The crowd quiet down as they begin to exchange discourse among themselves solemnly, eyes still affixed on the building ahead. "And we have breaking news! A young woman thought to be a hostage has recently been spotted on the second-floor of the Ashton Mall, only to be taken back by a man in a hood as police tried to organize help." Miss Feng continues, a hand cupped over one ear as she leans into the camera. With a harsh shove, one of the nearby pedestrians shoves the stunning reporter aside, hijacking her airtime as the distressed middle-aged female passer-by gripped the camera firmly to center it on herself. "Where are the 'heroes?!" she cries, panic rife in her voice. "Those people need help! My daughter needs help! Why isn't any--" but her words are cut short as a pair of policemen cart the belligerent woman off, escorting her back through the crowd and away from the newshounds even as Amy Feng signaled her cameraman to cut the feed. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. If someone didn't do something quick, there was no telling what might happen...

Not exactly PL10, but Momentum's all for spamming Teamwork and such in the impromptu role of sidekick, if you're willing to have him :)

I've received enough interest, and thus will not be accepting any more applicants. For those of you whom were still considering joining but didn't voice interest, I must apologize, as I don't think I'm comfortable enough with the system to take any more than what I've got now. Should a slot open up, I'll consider re-enlisting players if they are still interested, though given how brief I suspect the adventure will be, I don't want to get your hopes up. To the four players whom voiced their interest, thread will be up sometime tomorrow morning whilst I'm at work or early in the afternoon afterward, with a PM notification sent out upon its inception to notify you. Thank you for your interest.

Momentum blinks. He just... stands there and blinks, face scrunched into an odd amalgam of awe, confusion, and disbelief. What could he possibly say to that, assuming it was all true? Dimensions full of Nazis? Talking animals? Alternate Momentums? His head swam as the bombardment of concepts tried to beat their way into his skull. It all sounded implausible, if not outright impossible. Then again, some pretty strange stuff had been going on since the begoggled hero arrived in Freedom City. Maybe she really was telling the truth. "Oh." is all he can muster out though, still wrapped in a burlap sack of confusion and tossed into a churning sea of warped perceptional reality. "That's... uh... um... wow..." Noah continued to stammer obliviously, still fumbling with how such a thing was possible before giving up on his endeavors to understand the principles of multi-dimensional travel, or how one did so to fight the extremely odd entities therein. He then falls silent, unsure what else to really say.

"I guess..." Momentum sighs, his recollection of all his butt-whoopings still fresh enough in his mind that he could readily recall every single nuance of his embarrassing career since his arrival in Freedom City. There was something almost humorous - and most certainly sad - about being able to count both the number of fights he'd been in and the number of fights where the hooded boy had been decked on the same hand. "So, what about you, Wander? You must have, like, had all sorts of really weird stuff happen to you here in Freedom." the inexperienced youth inquires, curiosity rife in his northern accent, content just to have someone vaguely within his own age group to relate to. "I mean, where I'm from it was nothin' but, like, convenience store robberies and junk like that. Then I moved here, and... yeah..." he trails off, the wiry kid rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "Can't say I've... uh... got a good track record going and stuff, if you know what I mean."

Saturday, October 16th, 2010 Freedom City is a place where the wild and fantastic regularly happens. Whether it be giant robots rampaging through the clean city streets, or a rogue team of supervillains with everything to prove causing wanton destruction and larceny to further their own vile agendas, it's rare indeed to find a page in history where the splendid locale was ever in any real danger given its abundance of super-powered heroes and crime-fighters. But even with so many allies, even sometimes the most benign of circumstances err, and situations arise wherein grave danger is to be had. Now is such a time, as two immortal entities war with each other over the bleak domain of death. Worse, however, is not the increased drug activity, or the scourge of undead brought about as a byproduct of all the macabre dealings therein; the worst part is all the nutjobs that seem to have come out of the wood-works in its wake! It was an early Saturday evening in West Freedom - peaceful and picturesque in its scenic glory, some might say - when the news broke all over televisions across Freedom City: Ashton Mall had been taken over by some crazy guys in black robes in a daring coup'! With hostages inside, the police and criminals at a stand-still, and no demands made, the already tense situation is reaching a boiling point. If something isn't done soon, there's no telling what the madmen inside might do... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a brief adventure aimed towards heroes in the PL7 to PL9 range. While I'd like to take characters within those ranges, a lone PL10 might be able to weasel their way in if there's a certifiable lack of interest. I'm looking for four, maybe five characters at most to take up their heroic mantles and are willing to attempt the liberation of Ashton Mall before something foul transpires.

Blinking, Momentum isn't really sure what to say. He... honestly wasn't expecting the malign and morose suit to try and supposedly take over the world. Not that it mattered much, as the foreign substance was hurled beyond sight and reason that Momentum could possibly fathom. First it was giant dinosaurs, then Noah was a fish, followed by a crazy scuba-diving lady, and then this. It was just... seriously, what the hell? "Dudes, this has to be the weirdest day I've ever had. Ever." Noah finally says, still blinking in confusion as to the scene he'd just witnessed. Pausing for a moment, the young teen ponders about the the stuff Dyne had so callously hurled away. Would it come back down? Probably. Maybe. He hoped not. Whatever. At least it was gone, the nutso broad was still down for the count, and there was only one order of business left before all this weirdness could be put to rest... "So... uh... right... eggs and stuff." he continues, aptly dismissing the absolutely bananas scene and attempting to move on to greener pastures. "Any, y'know, ideas there, guys?"

"Holy crap! What is that thing?!" the speedster screeched in terror, the inky black substance recoiling as it tried to entangle his slender, young physique. It was like some sort of B-Movie nightmare come to life as it squirmed and wriggled its way towards Dyne, enveloping him in its sinister, shadowy stuff. Jumping back and away from the gravity guru in shock and awe, Noah watched from afar, a perplexed look plastered on his face. What was that thing? How did it slither off of the crazy chick? Why didn't it try and latch onto him? What, was he not good enough for it, whatever it was?! Now thoroughly panicked, Ashley freezes, uncertainty gripping his inexperienced personage. What could he do against something covering one of his comrades?

Reflex Save = 9; With Evasion 2, Momentum still only takes half-whatever.

Coming to a sudden stop by the unconscious heap of a woman, Momentum loomed over their female foe skeptically. Really, he wasn't sure what Dyne saw in her - assuming he saw anything at all except some weirdo with a fetish for eight-foot-tall purple dinosaurs - as she lay motionless, wiping his brow of all the excess sweat he'd generated in conjunction to his still-sopping attire. All and all, however, he was just glad this whole fiasco was over and done. But then came the big question as the young, unscientific boy peered at all the fancy gizmos and gadget-doo-hickey-matrons littering the undersea den of evil full of unhatched eggs. "Uhh..." Momentum stammered out, rubbing the back of his head quizzically. "So, what are we, like, supposed to do about all this stuff and junk? I guess we just smash it all up, maybe make some giant omelets or whatever?"

"One who creeps out all her boyfriends!" Momentum quipped, ceasing his movement as he narrowly dodged a counter-attack by the vile woman. It was pretty close for comfort... a little too close. Noah surmised it might be best to slow down a little; take his time and watch himself. She might be easy to poke fun at, but she was still hella-mean! With another burst of kinetic energy, Momentum streaked through the underwater laboratory, a red hue in an otherwise stark and sterile environment as he circled around the femme fatale in the inky black suit again. Cocking back another fist, he let loose a second blast of energy at his easily-goaded opponent before rushing off again to find some more suitable cover. "Bee-tee-dubyah, your taunts totally suck too!"

Round Breakdown Move Action: Using Momentum's Speed 10 (10,000 MPH/100,000’/Round) to get into Melee Range as part of his Move-By Action. Standard Action: All-Out (+1 Attack/-1 Defense) Power (+1 Damage/-1 Attack) Blast 7 @ Black = 23 EDIT: URGH! Listed it as Strike AGAIN. *facepalm* It's a Blast. Really. Move Action (Cont'd): Continue using Momentum's Speed 10 (10,000 MPH/100,000’/Round) to get some distance and cover from Black as part of his Move-By Action.

Sharing his sentiments with his strange bedfellows, Momentum nodded in concurrence with his comrades as he clenched his fists in preparation for a wanton assault. "What he said!" the teen hero cries out in agreement. Laying down a burst of speed, Momentum rocketed towards the eerie woman clad in black, fist afire with raw kinetic force as he made a passing blow at her slender, but still really creepy body before dipping off to find protective cover. No doubt she was still a bit furious with his verbal lashings, given her use of his allies as blunt instruments to try and wail on him with. That being said, getting something between him and her seemed like a really good idea!

Round Breakdown: Move Action: Using Momentum's Speed 10 (10,000 MPH/100,000’/Round) to get into Melee Range as part of his Move-By Action. Standard Action: All-Out (+2 Attack/-2 Defense) Power (+2 Damage/-2 Attack) Penetrating Strike 7 @ Black = 16 Move Action (Cont'd): Continue using Momentum's Speed 10 (10,000 MPH/100,000’/Round) to get some distance and cover from Black as part of his Move-By Action.

October Character Edits for Momentum: Spending September's 7pp on the following things: Bumping Attack Bonus from +5 to +7 (4pp) Adding Alternate Power "Quickness 20 [Extras]; Flaws: Physical Tasks Only [-1]" (1pp) Taking "Takedown Attack 2" for Feats (2pp) Other Amendment and Change Requests: Would like to switch out "Equipment 1 (5ep)" for "Move-By Attack" purely on the grounds that I've yet to even really use any Equipment, and could seriously put that 1pp to better use by taking Move-By Attack instead. Would like to add "Flaw: Distracting [-1]" to Momentum's "Move Object" power, and bump its effective rank to 14. Corrected Momentum's Flat-Footed modifier to +2, when it was originally +4. All of the above changes may be found mechanically implemented into the coded block below. [b]Power Level:[/b] 7 (112/112PP) [b]Trade-Offs:[/b] None [b]Unspent PP:[/b] 0 [b]Gold Status:[/b] 7/30 [b]In Brief:[/b] The new Canadian super-kid on the block with a lot to prove as an up-and-coming hero-to-be. [b]Character Name:[/b] Momentum [b]Alternate Identities:[/b] Ashley Noah Childers [b]Identity:[/b] Secret [b]Birthplace:[/b] Bancroft, Ontario [b]Occupation:[/b] High-School Student/Fledgling Hero [b]Affiliations:[/b] Franklin D. Roosevelt High School [b]Family:[/b] Dr. Daniel Childers (Father; Age 41), Sarah Childers (Mother; Age 39), Peter Childers (Younger Brother; Age 3 Months), Katelyn Childers (Older Sister; Age 18) [b]Age:[/b] 16 (DoB: September 3rd, 1994) [b]Apparent Age:[/b] 15 – 17ish [b]Gender:[/b] Male [b]Ethnicity:[/b] Caucasian/French-Canadian [b]Height:[/b] 5’6†(1.5m) [b]Weight:[/b] 135 Lbs. (61kg) [b]Eyes:[/b] Brown [b]Hair:[/b] Brown [u][b]Physical Description:[/b][/u] Always having been a bit on the short end of the stick, Ashley has always been the quintessential little guy, lean and wiry in build; the latter likely due to his parentally-enforced vegan diet coupled with frequent but less-than-extreme physical activity. Suffice it to say that the French-Canadian isn’t exactly an intimidating figure, barely heavy enough to avoid being confused with a chronic bulimic. His young visage bears a smattering of slight freckles on the cheeks of his lightly sun-kissed face inset with muddy brown eyes, a full-head of short but forever-messy hair of a greasy, tussled persuasion crowning Noah’s precious little head in a style reminiscent of a traditional Caesar cut. While operating out-of-costume, Noah typically sports a very casual style of dress: practical tee-shirts of various styles, slacks or jeans, so on and so forth. When out and about as Momentum, he becomes quite the spectacle. Lacking the actual talent to craft a truly befitting costume of a heroic nature on his own, the young Canadian hero-in-training simply opts for donning an outfit derived from pre-made garments: a hoodie adorned with thick red and white stripes over a white t-shirt, worn black jeans, and his red-and-white high-tops. He looks completely ridiculous, though to be fair he’s still fairly new to this whole superhero nonsense. His actual disguise isn’t much better, simply donning a pair of cheap steampunk-esque goggles from a Halloween now years passed and pulling the hood on his sweatshirt over his head. [u][b]History (Abridged):[/b][/u] Ashley Noah Childers lived the prototypical suburban teen life growing up in Ontario: his loving parents were outrageously lame, his older sister Katelyn was a self-centered raging prima donna, school was that strangely distinct amalgam of both suck and awesome, and all of his friends were just as awkward and immature as he was. It was a simple life for the Bancroft-born Canadian, and a good one that Noah reveled in. Things might not have always gone his way, but in the end they always worked themselves out. More importantly though was the fact that Noah was content with what he’d been given, taking both the good and bad aspects in stride with his go-getter, up-beat attitude. Things got a little weirder when Noah was fourteen, and not in that classic teenage sort of way. Strange things began to happen around him; it was minor at first, occasionally having objects move just a few inches from his fingertips as Noah grasped for them, or having an unusual pep in his step during his morning trips to the bus stop, all of which Noah dismissed as little more than coincidence or flukes. It wasn’t long after these minor incidents, however, that these coincidences revealed they were anything but. After accidentally blasting a kitchen shelf full of canned goods in a gross display of raw kinetic energy at home, it became painfully obvious that Noah was no longer just a normal, boring, every-day teenager. In a flash, his life had gone from ordinary to extraordinary with the sudden emergence of latent powers, instilling an overwhelming sense of fear and uncertainty in the young man. It was a gradual inundation over the next year, one which Noah took great pains to keep squirreled away from his loving parents and dearest friends, terrified of what they might think of him lest his powers manifest in front of them. As time passed and the young mutant discovered more and more of his abilities through random happenstance and earnest interest, they gradually became easier to obfuscated and control, affording him a sense of modest certainty at the least with which to keep his secret from flaring up and alarming the community. Beyond that though, it instilled in the boy thoughts of grandeur and dreams of being more than just an abnormal boy trying to feign normalcy. He’d seen them on the news numerous times; those dashing heroes and heroines who always saved the day, their altruistic sensibilities and desire to do the right thing resounding with conviction for each speech made. Using their unique abilities and talents, these individuals took it upon themselves to do more with what they’d been given or achieved for the community-at-large. Inspired by the heroes he’d grown up watching from afar, Noah took the moniker Momentum for himself, even going so far as to hash together an impromptu costume to hide his identity as he took up the mantle of a hero. His initial success was denoted as bumbling at best; barely able to thwart lesser criminals though frequently failed to bring them fully to justice. With practice, however, Momentum steadily grew into his role as a vigilante for good. Through a careful balancing act of friends, family, school, and his newfound heroic antics, Noah had finally found himself in a nice niche, his life far more exciting and purposeful while still retaining some sense of normalcy in his day-to-day routine. It wasn’t perfect, but the fledgling superhero was content with how things had turned out for him so far, and wanted for nothing. It was no secret to neither Noah nor his sister that their mother was pregnant with her third child, a fact quickly announced by their father when it was discovered. What Noah failed to notice, however, was how little space there was in his modest home to accommodate another person, let alone raise a child. As luck would have it, Noah’s father had been offered a job at ASTRO Labs in Freedom City, with an ample supplement for his currently modest salary. It was soon settled upon that accepting this offer was a necessary decision, and that the family would soon be relocating from their comfortable home on the tip of the Canadian Shield for the hustle-and-bustle of New Jersey. Just like that, Noah’s life as he knew it came to a close. A month after Noah’s mother gave birth to Peter; the family began preparations to leave Bancroft behind for greener fields. Once Noah said his solemn good-byes to his closest comrades, he bade farewell to his home near the York River and its quaint charm with his parents, departing by plane for the superhero-flooded city of Freedom City. Like every dark cloud, there’s always a silver lining, and this one was no exception. It’s only been a few weeks since the family arrived in Freedom City, taking up residency in the Midtown area, but the fledgling would-be hero has already taken a liking to what he’s seen thus far of what was once the center of the Terminus Invasion, not to mention the current home of the Freedom League. With his arrival in such a hero-centric locale, the opportunity to really put what little he’d learned dealing with minor criminals back home and put his mettle to the test. A new school, a new city, and a whole new world from the one the young Canadian left behind: nothing Momentum can’t handle! Or so he hopes. [u][b]Personality & Motivation:[/b][/u] An optimistic and extroverted individual, Noah’s all for living in ‘the now’: trying new things, meeting new people and making friends. Neither particularly interested in nor dissuaded from academic pursuits, the young teenager much rather prefers to spend his free time doing what most kids his age do: trying to socialize, fit in, and indulging in his own personal hobbies, particularly in relation to the ever popular trends in social media such as music and film. Noah's also still got a lot of growing up to do, and with that comes its own problems; such as determining who he really is and what direction he wants his life to go in once he's out on his own. Immature and impatient, there's a lot in life that Ashley isn't emotionally or psychologically prepared for. Of note, Noah openly admits that he's not ready for an "intimate" relationship of any kind, the subject of which makes him highly uncomfortable if brought up in conversation. On the heroic front, having been one of only a few ‘capes’ back home by comparison to Freedom City and dealing with equally as few members of the criminal element, Momentum didn’t exactly have a prime cut in the vigilante business; an occupation he’s taken a liking to ever since he discovered his unique powers about a year prior. Freedom City – being a proverbial hive of scum and villainy – now serves as the ultimate in training exercises, no doubt rife with potential experience for someone who’s eager to join the heroic scene. While Momentum might not fully comprehend the magnitude of what a ‘hero’ truly is beyond bashing criminals in the face for the greater good, he’s at least optimistic and makes an effort towards trying to discover what that means on his own whilst attempting at the very least to do his part, fighting the good fight out of a sense of personal obligation brought on with the manifestation of his powers. But there's always that fine degree of uncertainty: is this really a lifestyle Momentum wants to lead for the rest of his life, or simply a passing phase triggered by teenage dreams of grandeur? [u][b]Powers & Tactics:[/b][/u] While a proper wordsmith could probably elaborate more effectively in regards to the formulated tactics involved in using raw, kinetic force to thwart evil-doers, miscreants and ne’er-do-wells, the simplest form of explanation is to summarize Momentum as such: a one-trick pony with an easy to perform trick. With a variety of kinetic powers at his disposal, the most basic form of defeating evil in any of its incarnations is to – as Noah would so adequately state it – “… punch them from really far away until they stop getting up.†Granted, there’re more tricks up his sleeve and abilities at his disposal therein, but that’s about the basics of it. With only a smattering of experience in the (recently self-employed) field of crime-fighting, Noah lacks the distinct time in the field (and overall patience) necessary to truly formulate overarching, complex schemas in terms of his current power set, and thus rarely plans ahead, preferring to charge-in like some sort of semi-deranged action hero, slugging it out till’ either he’s down for the count or they are. [u][b]Complications:[/b][/u] What Do You Mean I’m Not Old Enough?! (Age): Being underage means that certain freedoms afforded to the general populace are, for all intents and purposes, barred to Noah due to his status as a minor. This makes it particularly daunting to enter certain facilities such as bars and clubs that have a minimum age requirement as well as other more mundane things such as admittance into certain venues, not to mention impossible to vote. Homeroom at Eight O’Clock Sharp (Responsibility): As a teenager, Noah has a lot on his plate, not even counting his shenanigans as a superhero. Being a full-time student trying to fit in at Franklin D. Roosevelt High and generating some form of social life is hard enough as it is in a new town, and Noah has little time during the daylight hours to do much in the way of heroics. This isn’t to say he doesn’t try, but eventually his ‘sudden absences’ and ‘missed classes’ are no doubt eventually going to catch up with him. You’re Grounded, Mister! (Responsibility): Being a teenager living with his parents is hard enough, but multiply that with Momentum’s own responsibilities as a hero and now you’ve got a real situation. While showing up late for dinner now and then is generally acceptable, sneaking out at night (even if it’s for the greater good!), breaking curfew and blatantly lying about where he’s been all day treads upon a dangerous line, especially when it paints him in a bad light. Getting caught could be problematic for numerous reasons, such as his parents discovering his double-life, or losing faith and trust in him if they discovered Noah was a mutant and had been keeping it a secret from them. With this in mind, Noah must frequently find ways to make time for not only school and heroics, but for his family as well, attending functions if necessary, lending a hand when it’s asked of him, so on and so forth lest he face the consequences of grumpy parental units... and potentially put them all in grave danger. It’s a Secret To Everyone (Secret): As a superhero (in quintessential training), Momentum has certain obligations he has to attend to. Chief amongst these is maintaining his secret identity as Noah Childers, lest his enemies take advantage of his various vulnerabilities: friends, family, so on and so forth. Failure to do so could have disastrous consequences, though he’s thus far managed to hide his super-powers from both his aforementioned former friends and family at home. [b][u]Abilities:[/u][/b] 0 + 0 + 2 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 6pp Str 10 (+0) Dex 10 (+0) Con 12 (+1) Int 10 (+0) Wis 10 (+0) Cha 14 (+2) [b][u]Combat:[/u][/b] 14 + 8 = 22pp Initiative: +8 (+0 Dexterity + 8 Improved Initiative) Attack: +7 Grapple: +7 (+14 Move Object) Defense: +6 (+4 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -3 Saving Throws: 4 + 7 + 4 = 15pp Toughness: +7*/+5 (+1 Con, +4 [Impervious Force Field 4], +2* [Defensive Roll 1]) Fortitude: +5 (+1 Con, +4) Reflex: +7 (+0 Dex, +7) Will: +4 (+0 Wis, +4) Skills: 28r = 7pp Bluff 4 (+6/+11 Cool) Concentration 4 (+4) Gather Information 5 (+7) Knowledge [Popular Culture] 6 (+6) Language 1 (English [Native], French) Notice 4 (+4) Perform [Percussion] 4 (+6/+11 Cool) Feats: 17PP Challenge (Fast Bluff Trick) 1 – Mastermind’s Manual, pg. 43 Cool 2 (Bluff, Perform) – Hero High, pg. 20 Defensive Roll 1 Diehard (Free) Distract (Bluff) 1 Dodge Focus 2 Evasion 2 Improved Initiative 2 Move-By Attack Takedown Attack 2 Teamwork 3 [b]Powers:[/b] 19 + 8 + 22 = 49PP [b]Kinetic Control 7[/b] ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; [i]Extras[/i]: None; [i]Flaws[/i]: None; [i]Power Feats[/i]: Alternate Power 5; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None) [19pp] [list][u]Alternate Power[/u]: [b]Boost [Movement] 7[/b] ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; [i]Extras[/i]: Total Fade [+1]; [i]Flaws[/i]: Affects Others Only [-1]; [i]Power Feats[/i]: None; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None) [u]Alternate Power[/u]: [b]Deflect [Slow & Fast Projectiles] 7[/b] ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; [i]Extras[/i]: None; [i]Flaws[/i]: None; [i]Power Feats[/i]: None; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None) [u]Alternate Power[/u]: [b]Move Object 14[/b] ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; Maximum Load: 25,000 Tons; [i]Extras[/i]: None; [i]Flaws[/i]: Distracting [-1]; [i]Power Feats[/i]: None; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None) [u]Alternate Power[/u]: [b]Nullify [Movement Powers][/b] 7 ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; [i]Extras[/i]: None; [i]Flaws[/i]: None; [i]Power Feats[/i]: None; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None)[u [u]Alternate Power[/u]: [b]Strike 7[/b] ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; [i]Extras[/i]: Penetrating [+1]; [i]Flaws[/i]: None; [i]Power Feats[/i]: None; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None)[/list] [b]Force Field 4[/b] (Descriptors: Kinetic, Mutant; Extras: Impervious [+1]; Flaws: None; Power Feats: None; Drawbacks: None) [8pp] [b]Speed 10[/b] ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; [i]Maximum Speed:[/i] 10,000 MPH, 100,000’/Round; [i]Extras[/i]: Affects Others [+1]; [i]Flaws[/i]: None; [i]Power Feats[/i]: Alternate Power 2; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None) [22pp] [list][u]Alternate Power[/u]: [b]Leaping 20[/b] ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; [i]Maximum Distance[/i]: 12,000 Miles (Running Long Jump)/6,000 Miles (Standing Long Jump)/3,000 Miles (High Jump); [i]Extras[/i]: None; [i]Flaws[/i]: None; [i]Power Feats[/i]: None; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None) [u]Alternate Power[/u]: [b]Quickness 20[/b] ([i]Descriptors[/i]: Kinetic, Mutant; [i]Extras[/i]: Affects Others [+1]; [i]Flaws[/i]: Physical Tasks Only [-1]; [i]Power Feats[/i]: None; [i]Drawbacks[/i]: None)[/list] [b][u]Drawbacks:[/u][/b] Frequency 3 + Intensity 1 = 4pp* Impatient (Taking 10/20 is treated as Taking 6/16 respectively; Frequency: Common; Intensity: Moderate) [-3pp] *This calculation includes the Power Drawback "Full Power" associated with Momentum's Kinetic Control (M&M2E Rulebook, pg. 126). [b][u]DC Block:[/u][/b] [code] ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC15 Toughness Damage (Staged) Kinetic Control Ranged DC22 Toughness Damage (Staged) Nullify [Movement Powers] Ranged DC17 Will Nullify Strike Touch DC22 Toughness Damage (Staged) Abilities (6) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (15) + Skills (7) + Feats (17) + Powers (49) - Drawbacks (4) = 112/112pp Doktor'd, with a few small changes in formatting.

"As if." comes the sharp retort. Show up at the front door with some guy representing some sort of law enforcement agency? Yeah, real good idea. Noah cringed again, this timefrom the imaginary looks he perceived his parents having were any of this to be brought up. "I get the idea, like, my folks wouldn't get the whole 'dress-up-and-fight-crime' thing; so no, they totally don't know. Probably best to keep it that way, y'know?" Sniffling a little as he rose to his feet, Momentum bit his lower lip as he poised himself in his staggered condition. At this point, the young teen just wanted to go home and go to sleep. He'd had enough punishment for the day; much as he didn't want it in the first place. God knows he wasn't looking forward to the mocking banter of his sister if he got home late and was grounded. "So... uh..." Noah began anew, readjusting his goggles as he awkwardly considered whether or not to speak before swallowing his pride. Even if he could survey the entire area, it probably wouldn't help since it was all foreign turf to the displaced Canadian. "... do you, um, know which way it is back to Freedom City?"