Avenger Assembled

Date: March 15, 2010 Blake was just coming home from school one fine March Friday afternoon when he noticed a peculiar thing in his uncle's driveway: a luxury car, a black Lexus, with an unfamiliar license plate. Hurrying to his front door, he made out through the porch windows a distinguished-looking older gentleman in the living room, sitting with his uncle and drinking instant lemonade. They were talking in low, controlled voices, and he could just make out a mention of his name.

Edge volunteers!

I have no problem with anything here. I commend your intellectual purity in using Lionheart. APPROVED

More questions were asked by some of the other students, some verifying that yes, the inhibitors did work on all powers, whatever their origin, and that attempting to crack open the inhibitors and figure out how they worked would "require technical expertise that I don't recommend you feign, Anthony." Mark listened to everything, his confidence warring with the uneasiness he'd felt since he'd gotten wind of just what this project was about. He was more than just his powers, he was sure of that...but the thought of going without them made him uneasy. Mark bit his lip briefly, and then raised his hand. "I'd like to volunteer to go first, sir, ma'am." He walked over to the two adults, shook Mr. Summers' hand reflexively, and then stood there and watched with wide eyes as Ms. Harcourt fit the anklet on him. Though Mark felt a faint tingle as the field snapped on, all the people watching saw was just his face briefly paling before he gave everyone a big thumbs up and added, "It feels good!" With that, he turned and walked back to the others, looking a bit subdued.

The Warhammer 40K of Batmen! Strikes me you could work the Ushers into his background somewhere, or use a survivor of the family as a potential antagonist. I like the idea that the Year One Batman would actually have a lot of trouble operating in a city like Freedom, which I think you've touched on OK. Could you work up some sample skill-sets for him, to show how the VP will work?

"Sonofa..." Avenger wiped his forehead, one of the reflexive gestures he'd kept even after undeath. "We did it!" He looked around wildly, scanning the room intently, and would have celebrated more if not for the dead body in the other room. "Too late," he added, a grave look on his face. "And too fast. That bastard. Is everybody OK?" He moved quickly to Taylor's side.

Once in the grotto, Mark and Faith commenced to the making-out. Mark could tell Faith hadn't done this a lot, but she was real enthusiastic and he liked that a whole lot. He wasn't much for a lot of talking in a romantic cliche, and so when things started going further, he didn't say anything, just took his time and enjoyed the moment. In his experience, if a girl didn't like what he was doing, or wanted to do less, she'd say something. That had always worked out well for him, so he kept at that here. If she was happy with what they were doing, why ruin the mood?

AA's Note: Here is the Modern Age Lady Liberty as a PL 10 starting character. She's a fun build, I think. This could work as a Lady Liberty Year One build, or as a successor if the current one retires or dies. I folded most of her powers into arrays and made her less doofy in combat.

Optimized Freedom City Character Build #2: Rogue Grue AA's Notes: OK, here's my attempt at a Rogue Grue. I moved the Shapeshift to Continuous so he can stay disguised even while sleeping or unconscious; he's a very good infiltrator! He can also do his Mind Reading while shapeshifted, though he should probably add a Subtle feat to it while he's in action. Tough to build a shapeshifter or other VP user on base PL while keeping him distinctive.

Optimized Freedom City Build #1: Ultiman Exile AA's Notes: It's tough building an Ultiman on PL 10 (150). They've got a lot of abilities! I simplified this by combining most of his powers into one big Cosmic Energy Control array. I dropped his Regeneration way down and put Healing in his Cosmic array. He can't be killed permanently (if you use FCPBP's Resurrection rules) and can always just heal all his injuries when he's recovered enough to do it. He's a poor fighter, but then again he's never been outside Hyperborea and has probably never been in a real fight.

My (belated) sympathies as well, alder. That's a very tough time.

Reluctantly, a drowsy, cranky Avengemouse flew out of hiding to land next to Foalcrum, his leathery wings spread out behind him lik. Crouching low, he glared up at his massive, hideous counterpart, peering at him through near-sighted, night-adapted eyes. "He looked like something out of a bad horror movie. His eyes, his face, bespoke nothing furry. But looking deep inside, at the man within, I recognized the beast in me." He then added, "Hmmph. Shorter than I thought you'd be. Can you do this?" Avenger stared at the two for a moment before saying simply, "I like the cut of this fellow's jib. I'll be right back." And with that, he disappeared.

"Yes," said Jack. "But I can't help but think that a hallucination would logically know everything I know, and meet my various expectations perfectly." He thought for a minute, then seemed to come to a decision. "All right. I'll buy your story. I'm familiar with the Factor Four. What do you want from me, exactly?"

Jack stared at the horrible horse-headed abomination that had landed on the ground before him, his eyes widening as his grip tightened on the briefcase in his hand. Perhaps he'd finally gone mad? Or was this some sort of blood-substitute freakout? Curse Archeville and his fool science anyway! "Hello there," he said, as if speaking to a madman, "it's a pleasure to meet you. You're from another dimension, you say?"

"The inhibitors will take effect immediately," said Ms. Harcourt, earning a gulp from several of the students. "After all, these are the units designed to restrain superpowered prisoners during their confinement. The only difference is that the battery will run out after twenty-four hours. That's why we haven't asked anyone who is dependent on their special abilities for survival to join us today." "There is one more difference," added Summers. "You can take your inhibitor off at any time during the day. This is not an exercise, not a punishment. But if you remove your anklet, it cannot be replaced, and you will not receive credit."

"Foolish man." Shirtless, his pale chest magnificently muscled like something from a cheesy romance novel cover, Avenger faced Dark Star fearlessly, gesturing in the air to catch the spaceman's attention. "You tamper with beings far beyond your puny comprehension! Surrender now, and I shall spare your mortal life!"

I look into his eyes Children of the night, what music they make! DC 33 Will save. Surging to do all that in one round, since my Mind Control is a full action.

"Well, we could go flying," said Mark innocently, "but I know the wings don't last that long. Not that they're not really cool," he added with a smile. "Why don't we go back out to the beach?" he suggested. "The water's still cold, but that little grotto at the edge is warm enough with James heating up the place." He studied Faith, who was real cute and seemed willing to do all sorts of things to pass the evening. He liked that. "I don't think we'll be in the water that much."

"It's, you know, important," said Mark to Chris, a little diffidently at what they were discussing. "I don't want to think I don't have anything to contribute but my powers." When the last of the children arrived, Duncan Summers wasn't long behind, escorted by the school's science teacher, who carried a big suitcase full of the same ankle-mounted power nullifiers the kids recognized from pictures of Blackstone, the supervillain prison. Most of the kids fell silent as the headmaster slowly made his way into the center of the equipment-filled room to study them all, a hard-to-read look of concentration on his lined face. "May I have your attention, please." At his words, the last kid talking fell silent. "I'm glad to see so many of you here. Welcome to Special Powers Training. I'm sure all of you are curious about what that means." He looked around the room, his gaze unflinching. "For the next twenty-four hours, all participants will be without their metahuman, magical, or other enhanced abilities." He took a breath, and looked more paternal for a moment. "I know many of you are used to your special abilities, some of you have come to depend on them. The prospect of losing them, even for a day, is a frightening prospect." He spared a single, brief glance down at his bad leg and the walking stick he leaned on, before looking up and adding, "But today is about overcoming a disability, not being ashamed by what you've lost. Or being frightened by it. It will be difficult. If any of you want to leave now, by all means, do so."

Blinking back fatigue, Avengemouse was incredibly grateful when he spotted the man that must be his double, walking along a sidestreet with a briefcase in his hand. Big fella, isn't he? Jack Farbatti was tall for a member of his species, looming over even some dogs. But this guy, this weird pink-skinned shaved ape, was a good foot taller than he was. I thought fast, and turned to my colleague for help. "Foalcrum. Better if you talk to him. Hard to confront your double. Can lead to...misunderstandings." And with that, he dipped down neatly into the darkness of the alley, enjoying the blessed quiet. Maybe just a little nap...

"Your band of namby-pamby do-gooders is in the bottom of a very deep hole," said Thunder proudly. "And when I get out of these stupid plants, I'm going to kill you, and then we're going to take this planet for ourselves." He grinned. "Or maybe not. You can't tell me that Mr. Kirk Danger doesn't want to get in on a little action. Aren't you tired of bending over whenever these obnoxious children try and push you around? You're a lot older, and a lot smarter, than they give you credit for."

Jack kept his face nearly impassive, but reached out to squeeze Taylor's hand supportively. "I never doubted that for an instant," he said, and it was one of the tinier lies he'd told in the last several months. "And what do you mean alive?" He smiled at Taylor, not wanting to leave her hanging, and mouthed, "It's good news. I think."

Easter break meant a quiet campus around Claremont Academy, though by no means an empty one given the large number of kids who lived in the city or who didn't have a good home to which to commute for the holidays. But fortunately Duncan Summers always had a project in mind for the kids, though it wasn't always one they liked. Still, extra credit was extra credit, not to mention their civic duty. Between the goody-two-shoes, the kids looking to pass their next test, and the small detention crowd, there were a surprising number of Claremont kids waiting around in the science lab when Mark arrived. Looking around at the small crowd, he gave a cheerful, though somewhat diffident hello, before looking around for his friends.

The thread where the Claremont kids learn the true meaning of pain.

Freedom Angel shook his head, flapping his wings a few times to get himself further in the air. "The wrath of the Almighty would cleanse this universe as it did the Egypt of legend, clearing away the wheat and the chaff with the fires of Creation itself." It might have sounded like a threat from anyone else, but the angel just sounded tired. "But humanity is safe from that wrath, Arrowhawk. You may trust that the Almighty bears no ill will towards his Creation." Or any other will, for that matter. "Do you have business in the district? Or are you finished for the night?"