Avenger Assembled

I'm in!

Jack hesitated a fraction of a second before taking her arm. "Yes," he said cordially, "let's. You'll find I can be good company." He was flirting, he realized after a moment, an automatic reflex with an even vaguely-attractive woman in an uncomfortable situation. "And you can introduce me to your charming friend," he added, "the one with the wonderful toys."

"Suggest we research these." Avenger displayed the scraps of paper to Scarab, the little pieces fitting oddly in his big, bloodied hands. "Appear to be necessary components of demon-summoning. Each tied to a particular demon." The words didn't exactly fit the broken-sentenced speech pattern of Avenger, but then Jack had already risked enough to show the other hero the man behind the mask. "May be too much for the boy."

Avenger is a dangerous man. The scary, brutal vigilante in the hockey mask has put a considerable number of criminals in the hospital, though none in the morgue. He's on the edge of acceptable behavior for heroes in Freedom City, though surprisingly has managed to work with a considerable number of street-level heroes of various sorts.

Hi all. This is the draft bio for an NPC-possible Gold PC I'm tossing around for a character that fills the niche of the Silver Age Spiderman in Freedom City. Lemme know what you think: Simon Benjamin Salter (born May 10, 1946) was the son of Martin and Rita Salter, who worked as atomic scientists at Freedom City University. Despite his parents' intelligence, Simon preferred more physical pursuits like gymnastics, boxing, and the track team. A bit of a slacker and hot-rodder as a teenager, he often goofed off and rarely studied, much to the ire of Martin and Rita. Still, they were loving and supportive parents, and encouraged him to find his own path in life. In 1960, Simon joined his parents at a nuclear rocket test launch, where an accident exposed the boy to tremendous cosmic energies from an unknown source. (Actually, the rocket was an attempt to reverse-engineer captured Grue technology.) The mysterious radiation transformed the scrawny 15-year-old into a slightly-less-scrawny 15 year old able to leap thirty feet in the air and lift a car over his head! His parents were exposed to the radiation as well, with no apparent effects. At least at the time. This was just before the birth of the Freedom League. Superheroes as such weren't in again yet. Simon initially set out to find fame and fortune, winning a match while wearing a makeshift disguise against professional wrestler Smasher Johnson. He attempted to interest a television network in the idea of featuring him as a costumed hero (with the advantage that he could actually do the things his character can), and created the Captain Freedom name and costume. After quickly becoming a minor celebrity, Simon appeared on a television special, only to have his first appearance interrupted by Hades' 1961 invasion of Freedom City! A frightened boy confronted by a god's army, Simon fled the station as it burned and hid in the Waterfront, belatedly going to his parents' rescue when he realized that a monster was loose in the South Side! He saved his mother from the rampaging cyclops, but it was too late for Dr. Martin Salter. Grief-stricken over his father's death, Simon joined the fight to drive the last of the monsters out of the city. Seeing the Centurion in action was as much of a change as his father's death, and the young man vowed to do all he could to make both his heroes proud. This mix of selfless obligation and self-recrimination brought about by his father's death made up Captain Freedom's moral core. Simon Salter attended Joseph Clark High School. He unmasked to the Freedom League after the events of Hades' invasion. Deeply concerned at the idea of a 15-year-old boy fighting crime, the League told him to stay in school...but didn't tell him to stop fighting crime. After all, it was a different, more innocent age. Simon occasionally teamed up with the Centurion, who was very protective of the boy hero, and his role as an occasional pupil of the Raven helped persuade the dour Duncan Summers that there was something to the idea of teenage superheroes. A young man inclined to let his mouth run off with him, Captain Freedom always had an uneasy relationship with the press, fueled partially by his cowardice at his debut. After his father's death, Simon got a part-time job as a stringer for the now-defunct Daily Star selling line items to N. Noah Nathan, confronting the Blood Eagle for the first time this way. Blood Eagle would ultimately prove to be Captain Freedom's most persistent foe. A high-tech scientist turned mercenary adventurer with a flair for the dramatic, Blood Eagle plied his trade at everything from industrial espionage to pure old-fashioned murder. His command of the air meant that he could usually get away from Captain Freedom, but Freedom's speed, athletic ability, and resilient hide meant that he could usually drive off his enemy before he did whatever wicked scheme was on his mind. While working at the Daily Star, Simon dated co-worker Sally Smith and clashed with his high school rival Speed Winchester (whose girlfriend Vicky also later developed a crush on the handsome Simon, which further served to infuriate Speed). Winchester was brain to Simon's brawn, the hard-working, studious boy popular with his teachers (including Simon's parents!) in the age of science education. He encountered many of his most famous enemies for the first time during this period, including such foes as Luna Moth, Lenore, Fear-Master, Doc Holiday, Madame Zero, and Nero. Upon graduating from high school, Simon enrolled at Freedom City University as a journalism student, where he met Jimmy Richards and Glory Ferguson. His mother introduced him to Rita June Holmes, whom he dated for a short time, but Simon soon fell in love with Glory. Meanwhile, Jimmy became Simon's roommate and best friend, but started using illegal drugs. Simon's relationship with Speed also changed, and they slowly become close friends over time. His mother died while he was in college, passing away from cancer caused by her years of exposure to radioactive chemicals. For all of Captain Freedom's solo adventures, he amassed a great deal of allies as well including the likes of the Freedom League (of which he was a part of a replacement team for when the original team went missing), the Raven, and Lady Liberty I. He fought Omega in 1965 (his disappearance to fight in the invasion ultimately delaying his high school graduation by three months) and the Grue in 1969, a happy, laughing rogue with the courage of a dozen men. He got stronger and faster as he aged and went through puberty, and by the end of the decade was leaping tall buildings and running faster than a speeding bullet. He never quite got around to joining the Freedom League, though he was among its most important reservists. He graduated from college in 1967 with a degree in journalism, and went to work full-time for the Star, immensely proud that his mother had lived just long enough to know that her son was graduating from college with a bright future ahead of him. In 1970, Jimmy Richards' father, Anthony Richards, was revealed to be the Blood Eagle and discovered Captain Freedom's secret identity. Not long afterwards, Captain Freedom first fought August Roman during a successful rescue of the Centurion from one of Roman's more fiendish plots. After Glory's father Fire Marshal Harold Ferguson was killed in a battle between Captain Freedom and Nero, Glory's relationship with Simon was put on hold when she traveled to England. Shortly after her return in 1973, the Blood Eagle apparently threw Glory Ferguson from the new Pyramid Plaza; either from shock or physical trauma during Captain Freedom's rescue attempt, the falling woman died before hitting the ground. The Eagle was killed in the ensuing battle with Captain Freedom. Grieving Glory's death, Salter withdrew from his social circles, both normal and superheroic. Weeks later, Salter discovered that one of Glory's professors, Rhodes Burroughs, had cloned Glory and Simon from tissue samples that he'd taken in class some months back. It was the clone who died, and the real Glory that Simon rescued from her suspended animation just before his own disappearance. Unknown to Captain Freedom, by now Jimmy had discovered his father's identity and become the second Blood Eagle. He attacked Captain Freedom just as Simon was reviving his clone, and a terrific battle ensued as a horrified Glory Ferguson looked on. Together the two men plunged into the depths of Burrough's underground fortress, the subsequent explosion destroying the building and nearly crippling Glory Ferguson as she ran for her life. She identified the bodies of Jimmy Richards and Simon Salter a few days later, later going on to her own heroic destiny. The League helped cover up Simon's secret identity, as was his standing request, and the young man was buried alongside his father and late mother in the South Side. Captain Freedom, circa June 1973

Avenger opened the window, gazing up at Arrowhawk with flat, implacable eyes behind his mask. I have no idea who this is. Crap. He cocked his head, looking back at the others. "Did one of you drop the note? Though Avenger didn't sound at all pleased about that, he looked up at Arrowhawk anyway. "Can't complain. Be hypocritical. Come in."

Normally I'd be inclined to let Wesley make the check, but since Arrowhawk's on the ledge, it's better to move on with the action. :D

I need a Notice check from everyone. I won't try it myself, since I can't make it. :D

Having stopped Wells' torture, Avenger had few reservations about emptying his wallet. I'll donate this to that nice homeless shelter guy by the mall. And buy myself that new DVD.With the money his, he stopped to look over the strips of paper, studying them with an odd light in his blue eyes.

"He's gone." Avenger looked down at his hands, irritation burning in his ragged voice. "Probably for the best. Didn't want to fight a god." He flexed his gloved hands, shooting a glare over at a zombie pianist. "Suggest we burn the room. Destroy the drugs. The dead. Call the fire department."

Through the link she'd established with him, Jack provided a few details to make the experience more convincing; the feel of soft flesh giving way before claws and teeth, the sharp smell of blood in the air to a vampire's senses, the orgasmically sweet way it tasted sliding down the throats of the dead. When the deed was done and Dave was licking imaginary blood off his lips, Jack told him with a wicked smile, "Go home, Dave. Tell Melinda what we did. I'll finish up here." Dave nodded at that, a satisfied look in his eye, and parted ways with Jack, licking his hands and face clean before heading back and away from the party. Alone in the alley, or so it appeared to anyone else, Jack stood by himself, looking down at hands still tainted with traces of Scarab-blood. What the hell; he licked a few times, wincing at the taste.

"Worry about yourself, boy. You have more enemies than you know." Samedi fixed his gaze directly on Nightrival, boring directly into the man's soul, before darkness poured from him and down over his body. Despite Avenger's best efforts to hold onto Samedi, the god of death and darkness disappeared in a curl of shadow, leaving behind a zombie band still tooting away, lots and lots of drugs, and a room full of unconscious thugs.

When the deed was done and Elena was concealed, Jack neatly took out his cell phone and dialed Dave's number. "Dave. Gonna do the deed. Come down here." He spoke in English for Elena's benefit, pitching his voice loud enough for her to hear. Dave, no dummy, didn't respond. Both men hung up, Jack neatly placing his cellphone back into his pocket. He had blood on his hands, but he was experienced at dealing with that. A few minutes later, the kitchen doors opened, and the furtive figure of Dave emerged. His mind was surprisingly strong, but no match for Scarab's mental powers.

Oh yeah, I forgot to roll to Search. Meh, I'll just say Jack failed the check.

Hey quote, the more I think about it, I don't really have anything interesting for this thread. Sorry to bail on you, but better to let you know now than keep jerking yer chain. :(

"Will carry him in the sewers." Avenger gathered up boy and mutilated costume both, nearly disappearing into the shadows before he added, "Or Scarab could fly us. Suggest we meet back here in the morning. Must eat. Must sleep."

Sixtus gave Belphegor a look that was hard to read. There was decidedly something odd about the cultist, a look in her eyes and in the way she carried herself, a fragile mortal on the edge of something new. "I didn't meet them. But the ones I met showed me things." She blinked, hard. "There is death beyond death. Things that lie beyond the edge of entropy." Her fingers tightened around the staff in her hand. "You enjoy the pleasures of the flesh. Why?" A few moments after Belphegor replied, Rochambeau stepped into the dining room. Dressed now in magnificent black robes emblazoned with two blood-red hands on his massive sleeves, the cult leader was a figure of great dignity and arcane power. "We're ready for the ceremony. Will you join us, Bride and Groom?"

OK, hmm. Well, rather than fool around with it, I'll just drop the power feat for now.

In the fancy streets of North Bay, Scarab saw a dark star. Not her friend, but a malevolently glowing form of necromantic energy that shone to her mind's eye to a near-blinding black light. Focusing her perceptions, she saw a woman's form standing in the middle of a misty field of psychic energy. The energy that cut through the obscuring field came from a mystic artifact, a staff glowing with obscene supernatural power, and was shaped to match the form of its wielder. Scarab was easily able to recognize the outline of Sister Sixtus.

Hmm. Why put in unnecessary text and space? Avenger's Toughness all fits in one line this way.

Better you don't know. The thought was a red-edged one. Even burning, painful blood was still blood, and there certainly was a lot of it scattered around right now. He tried to tell himself that it was just red-hot sauce, but the memories of old hungers didn't help matters nearly as much as he might have hoped. When it was done, when Elena's blood was all over the floor, Jack took a step back. "What a terrible party," he said distinctly. "All right. All right, I'll get Dave down here. You...make yourself scarce."

Yes, Jack agreed. Part of him wanted to ask Elena if she really thought he had no idea how to bleed someone. Or something. But he didn't like those memories, especially not in the presence of his friend who had trusted him. They are a gesture of trust. Whatever arguments we've had, I know you've always... He slashed her on the arm, a finger-claw cutting a long slash along Elena's left arm from wrist to elbow, blood pooling down her arm. ...trusted me. He waited a moment for Elena to compose herself, almost licking the back of his hand before he remembered the nasty taste of Elena's blood.

Spending that fancy new HP on the Precise power feat for Jack's Strike.

I would like to rework Avenger's powers slightly this month, having had some time to test them out in play. Powers: [3 pp, see below] Protection 8 (Impervious) [impervious not vs. blessed/silver/magic] [this costs 12 pp with the flawed extra, and requires 2 pp with the points already there] Drain Con 4 [Requires Grapple] [this costs 2 pp with the flaw, and costs 1 pp with the points already there] Skills: [1 pp] 1 rank of Stealth to make it 16 (+21) 3 ranks of Intimidate to make it 13 (+15) Feats: [1 pp] Stunning Attack

"Weaker than it looks," growled Avenger as he pulled away the sliced-up remains of the suit. "Suggest we take it with. Leave it in his room. As an omen. Not useable now." When the suit was in pieces, several pieces, Avenger neatly replaced the knife. "Deed is done. Replace him, then find Fox?"