Ari

"I do indeed!" came the merry response "But, of course, I must be sure to send you to the right one. By my estimate there are several thousand different Earth's where such devices as that bus were invented and put to wide-scale use. Tell me, was there a man or woman in your Freedom City called 'The Centurion'? Did they wear blue and gold, fly through the air, possess great strength, and have a talent for making allies? Did they call themselves 'the Praetor' and wear red with gold armor? Did they gather people to them through fear and pain? Did they fight a harbinger of entropy naming itself 'Omega', perishing in the attempt? What is your Freedom's history, as far as you know?" it was evident that the being was almost as curious about what was going on in their world for the sake of news as for getting them home. After he had asked those questions, he gave a start at nothing anyone could observe. A slight look of gloom passed over Sandan's face for an instant, and he appeared to listen to something, nodding every now and then. With a sigh, he turned and held out the keychain to the empty air. With a sudden jolt of sound like a thunderclap, a massive Arabian horse was standing before him. It took the keys from Sandan's hand and walked to the front of the bus, where it tied its massive tail to the bike rack somehow. Sandan shrugged "Pirwa will carry your vehicle to the gate, it seems" he started again, listened and added with a slight note of embarrassment "Pirwa's emissary, pardon me. Pirwa is at the Great Skull of Tiamat racing against the goddesses of air. If anyone on board is strong enough, however, the emissary would be deeply grateful for the aid"

For reference, Yellow Eyes(a.k.a Sandan, Hittite god of lions and fire, often seen with a lion sporting goat horns nearby) smells like a mix of lion and wine, with an undercurrent of deep joy. He wears a green robe cut so that his legs from the knees down are bare. He is about 8 and a half feet tall, and has short brown curly hair, a deep tan, and a genial smile.

Marceau felt a feeling of deep distaste at the Don's embrace. While, as a fellow human, he felt empathy for somebody under threat against their life, he couldn't forget so easily who the man was and what he did and was responsible for. He didn't allow it to show however, there was still a lot of work ahead that needed taking care of. "Glad this plan meets your approval Mr. Driogano. When can we start the necessary arrangements for setting the trap?" Turning to Rene he added "Mon ami, what times will you be available for setting up the decoy Don? Will you need to be nearby to make sure of your art?"

Ayeup! Let's say a Theology check of 16. And I apologize for the weird way I said that: I meant, what Jubatus can detect, like his smell or body language and such.

If you'd like the reason for this odd(andshort-livedIsweartoyouguysbyallpermissable) turn of events spoiled infallibly, check the spoiler below. If you'd prefer for Jubatus to be as suspicious as all get-out of this new apparition based on his own experience and not what he knows of Yellow Eyes' true nature, ignore it.

"I'm positive, Miss Zap" declared Brandtford firmly "I've gone to three alternate universes with that thing. That none of them were inhabited by supra-normal entities, though, makes this a highly irregular case. Nothing dangerous to us however, so yo-" with a dull whine, the Channeler jolted at the combined powers being fed it, a strange, almost sickening sound filled the bus, and in the distance, ghostly howls could be heard, presumably from the spectral inhabitants of the Schattenwelt. The new passenger's scream of terror was drowned out by the cold, discordant noise emanating from the rotund disk, followed soon after by seemingly every other sonic vibration anyone present was capable of hearing, replaced by the the horrible, ponderous groan. With a sudden jolt, the bus was lifted up, evidenced by a sudden sense of weightlessness, followed by a burst of speed that sent everyone except Zap and Jubatus flat against the nearest surface behind them. The force would likely have caused serious injury if it hadn't stopped almost the moment it began. The Dimensional Channeler(patent pending) abruptly ceased its din, the lights deactivated, and the bus slowly returned to earth. With a snapping sound, the windows were flooded with light. A rush of noise flooded into the hush that had just arisen, and the familiar sounds of Freedom City could be detected loudly and clearly. Martin picked himself off the floor of the bus and smiled happily at the two heroes by the Channeler. "Thank you both for this! Now we can all get back to our proper business! Mr. Xavier, I dare say you'll be happy to know that I took the liberty of taking a few readings from your recent uses of your time-warping powers. As they were entirely spontaneous, I'd say they will be quite useful in determining the true nature of how this distortion works" he glanced out the window at the buildings outside, and the smile vanished. They were back in Freedom, but a film covered everything, a thin fog seemed to wrap itself around everything, lending an unreal aspect to every otherwise familiar sight detectable. The sounds themselves were in fact not nearly as loud as they had first seemed, they were now almost tinny. With a sudden rumble, the world turned to a vast desert. A wave of heat blasted those in the metal bus, a piercing glare shot from a burning sky, and the cheerful salutation was almost loss in the cries of horror and confusion. A tall, genial-looking man wearing a long robe of an unusual cut, a narrow curled beard and blazing yellow eyes was standing outside the back door, shooing away a lion that had begun to paw at one of the tires. He waved a ring of strange-looking keys and called out anxiously, in a voice that sounded like clashes of cymbals but translated perfectly into English, "Hello there! I saw you becoming entrapped by the Fatherdark, and took you from its grasp. You've burned it pretty horribly, so we best get moving as soon as we can. Where are you headed? I can send you nearly anywhere, no problem"

Your result for The Fantasy RPG Class Test ... The Silver Hand 22% Strength, 22% Bloodlust, 22% Intelligence, 48% Spirit, 47% Vitality and 28% Agility! The Silver Hand The Silver Hand is both a martial arts expert and a master of light magic. Specifically Silver Hands either use their magic to launch blasts of powerful light based energy from their fists, or they us it for healing and restoring life to those whose lives are fading. With the ability to cure any illness or disease, Silver Hands are often viewed as gods to those around them. As one of the most pure and benevolent classes, Silver Hands almost solely walk the path of good rather than evil. However, because of their proficiency with life and moon magic, it is not uncommon for them to occasionally use their powers for the side of darkness. Just as they can give life, they can also drain it and absorb it as their own thus becoming even more powerful. By absorbing another's life energy they are literally absorbing their power, spirit, and will and are able to use it to enhance their own power. Furthermore, their moon magic can be used to transform themselves and others from humans into ghastly creatures of darkness. Congratulations on reaching this high class! You have not mastered any Hidden Power granted by the Genie.

Bowing politely, Marceau did as he was bid, taking an unoccupied chair from a nearby table and seating himself across from The Don and Tarot. "Thank you, Mr. Driogano, Mz., for lending me your ears. The plan I and my associate have put together is as follows: like I said a moment ago, the chances are high that this(what did you call him? 'The Silencer'? Ominous) will return here for a second assault. It would be highly inadvisable to come here following this recently-established pattern, and breaking routine will mean neither party here will be sure how to get to the other. Thus, you will drop rumors amongst your lower-ranked followers about how you're never going to come here again. For reference, I'd like to know what kinds of food you like to order here, as my friend here" he gestured to Rene "Will get a double to act as you in your stead, who will draw the Silencer's fire when he attacks here again. Now, I dare say this fellow will be cunning enough to detect obvious traps like what I've just described" Marceau glanced unconsciously at the Don's hair, wondering is the Silencer was really like that... "-so while you're telling your rank-and-file about how you're never coming back to this place, I'd like you to tell your higher-ranking subordinates about how you're certain that the Silencer is not going to return so quickly. Therefore, if this guy has a penchant for following leads among your lower-ranked followers, it's likely he won't try striking at you here so quickly. On the other hand, if he has contacts among your more-trusted subordinates, he will be sure to come here again. Supporting him coming back is the fact that he may be frustrated by the nearness of his failure, and he might just try to walk in and blast you, or anyone who looks like you, rather than making such a complicated setup again" he looked from one to the other, knowing that he would need the acceptance of both the imposing Don and his slighter seer to have a chance of getting his plan approved, if the Don's words and glances meant anything, Lady Tarot was even more integral to the mobster's decisions than he had dreamed.

Deftly taking a suitable cloth from a nearby table, Marceau cleaned up the spilled coffee as he spoke. "Mr. Driogano, I have actually just eaten quite well, so I must decline your suggestion. The reason I've approached you is not to make your life more difficult, but rther less". having managed to clean most of the filtered drink fom the top of the table, the janitor switched to the underside where, as he had suspected, a conglomeration of the stuff had begun to spill down to the floor in short drops. Wiping energetically, Marceau continued "As you are aware, this place was attacked by a poisoner. Said poisoner had assumed the role of a kitchen cleaner" Marceau described the man with the sonic rifle as best as his memory allowed "this man then began an abortive attempt at more hands-on chaos with the aid of a sort of sound-gun, which I managed to take from him. The weapon is now in the custody of a laboratory which will be invaluable in bringing this man in. Now, the purpose of this visit-" he had finished cleaning the table and stood at ease, his hands in his lower pockets "-is to make a proposition to you. I think it highly likely that something very like this(but more lethal) will occur in the near future. The would-be assassin is going to be frustrated and angry by his mishap here, and will, I warrant, try to strike at you directly. I say 'you', Mr. Driogano, because you are easily the one man in this room most probable as the intended target of this attack. From what the owner, monsieur Verdoux has told me, this is the second time you have taken refreshment here, and an assassin's work is greatly aided by an observation of the target's routine, which can lead the target into a trap without their knowing it in the least, and you are, I dare say, a man who has a considerable number of enemies who would eagerly grasp at any semblence of a routine to try and entrap you" he turned and bowed slightly to Lady Tarot "If you, Don, and you, lady, are willing to hear me out, I have a plan for how to capture this assassin that requires your co-operation"

I see no problem with it. Thanks for writing it up. Should I make a Diplomacy roll to try and convince the Don of the validity of Marcy's plan? Or how are we doing this? If it's a Diplomacy check, here's King's: 23.

DONE BY SHAENTHEBRAIN Alright, here's a marginally changed Ecalsneerg Costumed Detective sheet. Hopefully less of an eyesore. [b][u]Player Name[/u]:[/b] Arichamus [b][u]Character Name[/u]:[/b] King of Suits [b][u]Power Level[/u]:[/b] 10, 161/161PP [b][u]Trade-Offs[/u]:[/b] +4 Attack / -4 Damage (melee), +2 Attack / -2 Damage (ranged), +4 Defense / -4 Toughness [b][u]Unspent PP[/u]:[/b] 0 [b][u]Progress To Bronze Status[/u]:[/b] 11/30 [b][u]In Brief[/u]:[/b] French crime-fighter come to Freedom City to test and improve his abilities and help anyone he can. [b][u]Alternate Identity[/u]:[/b] Marceau Suvou [b][u]Identity[/u]:[/b] Secret [b][u]Birthplace[/u]:[/b] Aude, France [b][u]Occupation[/u]:[/b] Janitor [b][u]Affiliations[/u]:[/b] [b][u]Family[/u]:[/b] Masud Suvou(father), Kioni An-Sallah-Suvou(mother) [b][u]Age[/u]:[/b] 27 [b][u]Apparent Age[/u]:[/b] 27 [b][u]Gender[/u]:[/b] Male [b][u]Ethnicity[/u]:[/b] Moroccan/Kenyan [b][u]Height[/u]:[/b] 6' 5" [b][u]Weight[/u]:[/b] 158 Lbs. [b][u]Eyes[/u]:[/b] Blue [b][u]Hair[/u]:[/b] Black [b][u]Description[/u]:[/b] In his regular attire Marceau is a largely forgettable figure in drab earth-toned coveralls and running shoes. In-costume, he wears a 'typical' black and red cape-and-cowl with the insignia of one of the four card suits emblazoned on the chest in attractive white shades. He keeps his hair short and at a remove from his face, giving him a high forehead, which combined with his far-spaced eyes gives him a look of constant apprehension. His nose is also short and blunt, his mouth is thin and often pursed grimly, and he wears a a short, bristling beard. His voice is low, deep and grumbling. [b][u]Power Descriptions[/u]:[/b] Marceau no longer possesses any powers beyond training and skill and small gadgets, and thus relies on stealth to fight. [b][u]History[/u]:[/b] [spoiler]The Suvou family tree stretches southwards all the way to the southern-most coast of Morocco, where in ages past they were called the Swaarao. They served as diplomats to foreign lands, including embryonic Dakana. In 204, however, economic self-destruction seemed inevitable, and the family left for the (comparatively) stable lands of Europe, buying a village a few dozen miles west of the Alps in what is today France. There, they settled and became, if not prosperous, stable and financially secure. They were good at dealing with people, and passing barbarians were treated kindly enough and given enough in gifts that the Eurasian emigrants felt it unnecessary to burn the place or ravage the inhabitants. Thus, and by the steady fortification of their village, plus their careful method of keeping on the good side of anyone strong enough to harm them, left their region of land untouched by war for several centuries. They even managed to survive the fall of the Roman Empire in 476, sheltering travelers and refugees in their relatively peaceful abode. They held onto rule of the town for around 400 years, until 866, when their power was undermined by a cabal of merchants, who foresaw(with perfect accuracy) an upcoming struggle that the then-Savoro family's machinations couldn't stave off. The family smarted from this loss, as they had in the centuries beforehand enjoyed almost unbounded success in their efforts. By one of those fatal accidents that crop up in history with appalling regularity, the matriarch of the the line happened to be passing the house of a family friend, Janus Amblaeth, a reclusive astrologer who had an unparalleled knowledge of the medium, when she commented angrily that she wished "All the princes were [their] kin! We would have true power then". By itself this incident wouldn't have caused any harm, but Janus heard it in the midst of checking over his star-chart for inaccuracies, and he happened to glance at the sign that heralded the birth of a king's child. It should be noted here that there are other stellar marks which signify the birth of a woodsman's child, a pirate queen's child, and even a shepherdesses child. These ones however, aren't much noted, as the birth of a woodsman's child wasn't exactly a matter of political importance. What he saw that gave him such impetus to follow the wish of the matriarch (Plautia Savoro) was that he had an epiphany, and saw that those with(magical) powers often were born under this-or-that star. Thinking fast, he saw that if he could get the right people to have the right children at the right times, he could make one of the most powerful beings in existence! Janus realized that this also was a way to get the matriarch(and the rest of the family, if they were as honest as she)'s wish. He was a magician of some power, able to influence the fates and actions of others by introducing elements that would encourage them down one path and render another forbidding and potentially even dangerous. So he set out at once to figure out, from as many vantage points as he could, when and where the children of the monarchs of the next two thousand years would be born(taking into account stellar drift), so he could get them to intermarry(or just breed, he didn't care) in more frequency and with greater...variety among houses. He managed to convince the majority of the non-isolationist royals within 30 years, laying spells on the houses of far-off lands that he couldn't get to himself to safely. Ironically, the matriarch's anger over the matter of her and her family being dethroned proved short-lived, as she found the business of guarding the river and trading with passing boats(the job the family took up after their fall from power) was both helpful to the community around the Aude river and let them take the active role in the area's well-being she had wished all along. The family lived in peace for many years, weathering the perils of the Early Medieval Era under the attacks by the Turks and repeated invasions by the Vikings, not mention the manifold Continental powers that frequently attacked the city of Carcassonne. In 1793, however, the year the French Revolution broke out, twelve aristocrats, fleeing the violence of the country, found themselves in Janus's ancient villa. In the catacombs of the place, they found the perfectly (and magically) preserved map of the relationship between the royal lines of the world. Their lessons in Latin payed off handsomely for them, as they managed to decode the map and unravel exactly what Janus (who signed his name in the map's lower left corner) had planned on doing. Unfortunately for our hero's family, they failed to notice that Janus had explicitly done his work by magic, rather than physical action. As they had no idea that everything was in fact proceeding quite smoothly for Janus's plan, and that they would do more harm than help to it if they intervened, they stuck their oar in and began traveling the countryside of Europe digging up as much dirt as they could on all the royals they could find. What they did with said dirt need not be explicated. Their aim was to create the world's strongest super, like Janus. But their reasons for doing so boiled down more or less to snobbery and a proto-eugenic idea that such a being would be invaluable as a source of other supers. Christening themselves 'The Januii", they spun their webs and meddled as far as the thrones of China in things they had no understanding of, passing the job onto their children as they died. Anyway, in 1987, on the same bank of the same river that his family had lived on for more than a millennium, Marceau was born to two people of very different backgrounds. His mother, Kioni, was of the ancient Sahelian Kingdom line, and a recent immigrant from Kenya. His father, Masud, on the other hand was of the same branch that the family patriarch Abelo had led, and had lived in France all his life. The joy that his parents felt at his successful birth was short-lived, however, as the agents of the Januii arrived only hours later, and demanded to Masud (who had answered their knocking) that he surrender his child. When he refused, they shot him unceremoniously, the Januii having forgotten to tell them they wanted no deaths if it could be avoided. Kioni, hearing the gunfire, grabbed whatever valuables she could along with Marceau, and escaped out a window and down a hill-side, taking the small sailboat she and Masud owned, she sailed across the sea to the coast of modern Algeria. Thinking it would be best to travel incognito, Kioni used some of her and Masud's assets to buy a camel and some random goods, which she carried along with Marceau across the Sahara in the direction of Timbuktu, where she had relatives with rumored supernatural powers. She managed to get within about twelve miles from the city, dodging the raiders and desert bandits the Januii hired to chase them up until October 31st, 1987. Kioni and Marceau were finally caught while gathering water at a temporary oasis by thirteen desert bandits, all of whom had been hired by the previous assassins to finish the job. After a half-hour-long gun battle(Mrs. Suvou had also bought a rifle and several dozen rounds) around the oasis, Kioni had killed all but the scout who had discovered them and led the bandits to their location, but was herself mortally injured twice over. As the scout was beginning to aim his pistol at the lamed and slowly dying mother, he was stabbed in the back of his neck by a long knife. As the scout fell, killed instantly due to the damage to his brain stem, newlyweds Mossar and Erran An-Sallah, who had been drawn along with the small crowd of outskirt-dwellers by the gunfire, bent over Kioni. They saw that she was wounded almost to death by then, and in her last minutes she told them with agonized slowness of what had happened. Pledging to care for the child, the newlyweds buried Kioni in their family grave site. They raised the child as best as they could, and did a commendable job of it, raising him to be responsible for his actions from the age of 7, which was when his latent powers manifested, and to keep a tight rein on his powers until they grew beyond what the two were capable of keeping in check. However, they never told him he wasn't their son, though they gently discouraged him from making that assumption by the subtlest of distances. When Marceau turned 9, the local super-team, the 'Cercle de la Fratrie'(4 shape-shifters and 2 air-controllers)., who policed the city of Timbuktu and most of North-Western Africa, agreed to train him in the finer usage of his powers. By the age of ten, he could incapacitate(with some effort) a fully grown adult human without outside help, so long as the other guy didn't have any aid himself. As he was returning to his home after a training session, he saw two armed men holding his adopters at gunpoint. A quick sneak attack laid them both out on the ground, stunned, and he destroyed their guns before their eyes. It turned out that the Januii had found out about their assassins' slacking, and had sent two of the original twelve to kill the child(the current leader was the son of the previous, and hadn't known Marceau was wanted alive). Realizing that if the Januii could send assassins to their door, the An-Sallah's s asked Marceau to leave, and keep danger from their door, telling him at last the event that led him to their hearth and home, and begging him to ask the Cercle for help, as they were themselves only low-ranking electrical technicians, and unable to defend him against hired killers. The Cercle couldn't take him either, as they were often required to travel vast distances, and thus couldn't count on always being there to protect him. After much consideration, they decided to send Marceau to a super team in Guangzhou called the "Zanghonghua Weidui', or 'Saffron Guard(2 flying bricks, an amphibious water-controller and 3 speedsters), by boat. Thinking he would be safer going the long way around, they got him a job on a freighter, the Sangerkrieg, bound for the city and carrying a couple hundred thousand tons of coal. His job was the simple, thankless yet necessary job of cleaning the sides of the tanker of barnacles and the occasional limpet. The sea voyage passed uneventfully, practically the only part of Marceau's Eurasian odyssey that did. He lived only a few years in Guangzhou, as the Saffron Guard was swamped by calls for aid from all over the province of Guangdong. They decided(after the eighth time a wanna-be Dr. Sin tried to blow up their headquarters with Marceau in peril as a distraction) to send him south to the Laotion team Fifty Trumpets(fifty members, none with powers greater than slight emotion control). However, when he got to the rendezvous point in northern Cambodia, he joined for a time(or so he thought) the counter-revolutionary soldiers called the Tiger's Claw. They were(as he learned later) actually the Fifty Trumpets in disguise, to lend deniability to this operation. Their aim was to break the power of a warlord named Teng Zsi, and free the peasants under the rule of him and his minions. There, in the dense jungles filled with hungry tigers( he had the dubious pleasure of seeing a banteng cow get torn open by one), he developed a terror of forests that haunts him still, with him seeing to this day a luminous pair of green, hungry eyes in every bush. Not helping with his mental health was the fact that the Tiger's Claws used distinctly martial avenues of ousting Teng, The resultant hails of gunfire, impromptu introduction to the horrors of war, and the fact that he was barely a teenager, all conspired against him ever leaving the murderous jungle. The saving grace that kept him safe from Teng's minions for most of the sixteen-month conflict was his rapidly-developed tactical mind, not to mention his carrying capacity began to increase exponentially during his time in Cambodia, leaving him far more useful as a tactical consultant and courier of soldiers and gear than as a sniper. During a break in the gunfire, Marceau and three others chanced upon the mansion of one of Ace Danger's old foes from the 20's, whose house had become haunted by the spirit of a disgruntled servant. After exorcising it, a great trove of treasures( to Marceau's eyes) found, including his first-ever exposure to silent film and fine statuary. He still has around a dozen small statuettes, and an entire door from the mansion. His wanderings after the Fifty Trumpets melted back into Laos upon completion were much less focused after that. The 'Trumpets passed him off to the super-groups in the 'Stan's, where Marceau learned he had a good throwing arm through games of pick-up baseball. He lived in India for half a year with the super-team "Eyara Janakarom", or 'Air-Watchers'(flyers all) who then passed him off to a super-team in Russia, where he learned endurance against the cold equal to that he had acquired against the heat of the desert. He arrived(after passing through Greece) in Kosovo in 2005, in which year he met and became the apprentice of the Ace of Suits. The Ace of Suits was a protege of the second Raven, a martial-artist who had assisted in the cleanup of a slavery ring in 2001, and had at the encouragement of the Raven taken up the cape and cowl to defend the Balkans against all evil-doers. He met Marceau when the latter was being threatened by a group of ten gun-wielding hooligans, and the young man had been running from them for around fifteen minutes. Exhausted, Marceau was gathering himself for a surge of power that likely would have killed him as well as his enemies when the Ace of Suits sprang onto the scene. The Ace knocked eight of the ten unconscious in around four seconds, leaving the last two blasted into a wall by the surprised but grateful Frenchman. The Ace revealed his assumed title, and offered the younger man a place in his gang of crime-fighters. Eager to repay the Ace's kindness, Marceau readily agreed, and spent until the June of 2007 working under the intrepid crime-buster. at long last he took his leave of the super-team House o' Suits, arriving back at his birthplace in Aude a month later. The first thing that happened upon his arrival, annoyingly enough, was that a small squad of mercenaries tried to kill him in the half-abandoned hotel he was staying at. The placed a number of explosive charges around his door, and called on him to show himself when they heard him stirring within. Our hero had, fortunately enough, heard one of the conduttori when he tripped over a fold in the hall carpet, and had observed the setting of the charges through the spy hole in the door. When called upon, he told them that he knew who they were(not actually a lie, they had called each other by name several times), that he knew who sent them, and that the charges they had set were not nearly enough to kill him. He then, having affixed his bed sheets to the door, pulled it open and jumped out the window, grabbing onto another line of bedsheets hanging out of said window. He had landed lightly and watched in amusement as the sell-swords ran in a blind panic. He was less amused when he had to stay at the hotel and work off the damage to the hotel. While still in Auden, he happened to find the ancient villa owned by Janus, and found the star map still within, the Januii having made rough copies of it. They had also left behind a small book that translated the various symbols Janus had used to sort out who had what child with whom, and through it, Marceau abruptly found his place in the puzzle: the second-to-last. As it turned out, the Januii had badly mucked up the plan. They had gone with the idea that the time of conception didn't matter, and that all that was needed was to have two astrologically-compatible people have a child together and that was all. As a result, Marceau, who had been scheduled to be the father of the strongest creature the world had ever seen, was not only impotent(childhood accident easily foreseeable through his stars), but bound to a much slower process of attaining his powers, meaning the timescale was utterly broken beyond all repair. He also found, in a crevice overlooked by centuries of visitors, a metal mask in the shape of a grinning face eerily like his, nearly unbreakable, which he wears to this day as a disguise, with no idea of its true power to strike fear into the hearts of others, though that day approaches. Taking the map with him, as a curio, Marceau then set himself to work finding gainful employment. It wasn't hard, but due to his lack of official education, it was greatly limited in what he could do. One thing he did do, however, learn English, hearing that the land of America was a place brimming with wealth, and eager to employ anyone with the right education(it should be noted that his source wasn't exactly infallible). Thinking it would be a good idea to start fresh, Marceau set sail for America in 2008, and spent most of that year near starvation. He wandered south from Maine, slowly picking up an increasing 'posse' of homeless, harmless crazies and the generally unlucky in life. Today, he works as a janitor at an office building, a humble job that just barely pays enough for the needs of him and his gang. He is not nearly satisfied with this state of affairs, however, and knows that many others suffer as much if not more than he, and thus takes to the streets of Downtown Freedom City bearing the cloak of the House of Suits, a hunter of those who prey upon the unfortunate, the King of Suits. In mid-summer of 2011, for some reason his powers vanished without a trace, and his specialized weapons were destroyed in a rather embarrasing accident, forcing Marceau to rely much more heavily on his training and skills, with what small arnaments he can acquire until he can replenish his weaponry.[/spoiler] [b][u]Personality & Motivation[/u]:[/b] Marceau is usually brisk and cheerful, seeing no reason to dwell on misfortune or become over-demonstrative of one's feelings, although he is still as vulnerable as any other human to irrational emotional responses. He tries to deal with the smaller aspects of crime-fighting that are sometimes forgotten such as mundane theft, and is now much more cautious now that his powers have vanished without a trace, something he is ambivalent towards, as while it has given him more time to his training, his people skills have suffered slightly. [b][u]Powers & Tactics[/u]:[/b] Marceau's favored tactic is to make his way to a suitable hiding spot and launch a sneak attack against any opponents he can manage, disarming any with firearms he can beforehand. If caught in the open he'll try to fight his way out of a crowd [hr][/hr] [b][u]Complications[/u]:[/b] Phobia: Terrified of forests, as he lived most of his life in them throughout Southeast Asia. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: His nerve-wracking months in Cambodia have not failed to leave their mark on Marceau's psyche, sharp clashs of metal, gunfire, and just being near a forest can cause him to suffer flashbacks to those days, often causing him to act in an outwardly irrational manner. Responsibility: Caring for the needy, especially his 'posse' of sundry homeless, harmless lunatics and underemployed vagrants who have latched onto him as their protector against street-gangs and minor organized criminals. If any threat comes against them, Marceau feels honor-bound to aid them. [b]Secret:[/b] Identity. Struggling: Maintenance work doesn't pay much. [b][u]Abilities[/u]:[/b] 8 + 10 + 8 + 10 + 0 + 4 = 40PP Strength 18 (+4) Dexterity 20 (+5) Constitution 18 (+4) Intelligence 20 (+5) Wisdom 10 (+0) Charisma 14 (+2) [b][u]Combat[/u]:[/b] 16 + 16 = 32PP Initiative: +9 Attack: +8, +12 boomerangs, +14 unarmed Grapple: +12 Defense: +14 (+8 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Knockback: -2, -3 with costume [b][u]Saving Throws[/u]:[/b] 5 + 8 + 11 = 24PP Toughness: +6 (+4 Con, +2 costume) Fortitude: +9 (+4 Con, +5) Reflex: +13 (+5 Dex, +8) Will: +11 (+0 Wis, +11) [b][u]Skills[/u]:[/b] 132R = 33PP Acrobatics 10 (+15) Bluff 8 (+10) Climb 6 (+10) Diplomacy 4 (+6) Disable Device 5 (+10) Escape Artist 5 (+10) Gather Information 13 (+15) Intimidate 13 (+15, Skill Mastery) Investigate 10 (+15, Skill Mastery) Knowledge (streetwise) 10 (+15, Skill Mastery) Knowledge (tactics) 10 (+15) Languages 8 (Arabic, English, French [Native], Greek, Hindi, Malay, Mandarin, Russian, Serbian) Notice 10 (+10) Search 10 (+15) Stealth 10 (+15, Skill Mastery) [b][u]Feats[/u]:[/b] 32PP Attack Specialisation (boomerangs) 2 Attack Specialisation (unarmed) 3 Challenge (Fast Startle) Dodge Focus 6 Equipment 3 Evasion Improved Initiative Jack of all Trades Luck 2 Master Plan 2 Power Attack Quick Draw Sneak Attack Skill Mastery (Intimidate, Investigate, Knowledge [Streetwise], Stealth) Startle Takedown Attack Throwing Mastery 2 Well-Informed [quote name="Equipment 15EP/15EP"] Utility Belt Array 4.5 (9pp array, Power Feats: 1 Alternate Power) [10PP] Base Power: Blast 2 (boomerangs, Power Feats: Improved Ranged Disarm, Mighty 4) [9PP] Alternate Power: Obscure 4 (visual, 50' radius, Extras: Independent) [8PP] Costume: Protection 2 (Power Feats: Subtle) [3PP] Grappling gun: Super-Movement 1 (swinging) [2EP] [b][u]Powers[/u]:[/b] 0 + 0 + 0 = 0PP [b][u]DC Block[/u]:[/b] [code]ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 19 Toughness (Staged) Damage Unarmed (Sneak Attack) Touch DC 21 Toughness (Staged) Damage Boomerang Range DC 21 Toughness (Staged) Damage Boomerang (Sneak Attack) Range DC 23 Toughness (Staged) Damage Abilities (40) + Combat (32) + Saving Throws (24) + Skills (33) + Feats (32) + Powers (0) - Drawbacks (0) = 161/161 Power Points DONE BY SHAENTHEBRAIN

[Nothing of value was here, so removing what was here is hardly a problem for anyone].

Marceau smild and clapped quietly at Rene's magic, gratified that at least something good would come of the largely unfortunate occaision. odds are this 'Lab' Rene referred to would have little trouble tracking down the poisoner. his eyes gleamed eagerly when the elderly magician reminded him of what he had just seen. "<Of course! Monsieur Verdoux, what sort of dishes does the Don order here? If we knew that, we could just have the, ah, decoy>" he winked to Rene "<Seated at the Don's place eating the sorts of things he would if he were here himself, and no potential attacker would be the wiser. Also, I think your other patrons would have little to fear from a second assault unless they tried to stop this maniac personally, as he will likely be frustrated by his subtle approach not working, and just charge in for an all-out assault. But first, I must get the Don's permission. Rene, if you'd like to come, i would be glad to have your cooler head nearby to keep me from saying foolish things." so saying, he bowed slightly to the two, and walked over to the table holding the food and drink of the most powerful man in Freedom City's organized crime, and his far-seeing associate.

King of Suits will be trying to organize the people in the Fens and helping them build barricades to ward off the attacking monsters while forming armed bands to try and mount coherent counter-strikes.

Marceau listened attentively to Rene, eyes flickering between the Don and the Lady as the painter explained some of the weightier issues involved in the situation he'd become embroiled in. "<So, I ought to try and be tactful to Driogano about this mishap, and his potential role as future bait, and the Lady Tarot might well have the powers I've heard she has? Understood>" he glanced at Verdoux "<Does the Don come here regularly?If so, I could get a decoy or something to take his place here, and catch whoever that was who attacked here today if he comes back>" he took a glance at the gun he was still holding : "<Also, err, what should I do with this thing?>"

Marceau slipped on his poncho and metal mask, calling out softly as he walked silently out the door"I'm going to go out there and find a good hiding spot where I can strike from concealment. I'll put up a smoke field around the Command Center so we can escape into it if pushed back" suiting action to the word, he crept off into the night. crouching against the side of one of the newly-built houses, tossing a smoke-grenade to the ground next to the Command Center. After seeing the cloud rise a billowy grey, he relaxed slightly, satisfied that at least now they wouldn't have to worry about being totally visible to any prying eye. Now, he would just have to make sure nobody saw him until he was needed somehwere else.

Going to keep this on the low-down for now, I guess, to provide a better chance of catching the Silencer due to him thinking nobody took him seriously as a threat.

"Monsieur Verdoux" murmured Marceau, "I think I know how to solve this problem of yours" he turned to Rene and said flatly in French to keep anyone but Verdoux from easily guessing the import of his speech "Rene, I'm going to try and convince the Don to keep this issue quiet. Do you have any advice for how I ought to approach such sorts for bargaining, or something that keeps that tack from being a good idea? I'm entirely open to suggestions here. What I plan to do is convince the Don that keeping this matter quiet will make whoever that was that attacked think they can try again and that they aren't viewed as a threat. Thus meaning I can set up an ambush for him which will let us catch this guy before he can try anything like this again. Does that sound reasonable?"

Right, right, sorry about that. Yes, using rank 4 Obscure on the Command Center. As for location, I'm moving Marceau to the left-hand side of the crowd(his left) to an obscured corner of one of the bungalows that has its back facing the crowd. Stealth roll:19.

I sorta get the idea that most of the players want to get past this obstacle and get back to the inter-character interaction, so this basically the last few minutes(if that) we're going to spend in the Schattenwelt[/i Also, the Big Knockoff isn't actually covering the bus, he's just removed the landscape that was there a moment ago, hence his comment about the hills. The 'hand' thing is metaphorical, not like that bit in Journey to the West when the Jade Emperor tested Sun Wukong. Though I admit it isn't exactly obvious just what's going on outside, and Jubatus can't see through solid darkness to discover this.

Marceau followed Rene's nod, and unconsciously nodded himself at the explanation for why the Don was the most likely target for the attack. "An odd coincidence indeed, my friend-" ge glanced over apologetically "If that is not too familiar, Rene" At Monsieur Verdoux's request for his name, he gave it quickly "Suvou, monsieur, and it was a pleasure to be of service to you and yours, you may rest assure that neither I nor monsieur de Saens would dream of sullying your establishment's reputation" He added after glancing around the room to the proprietor:"Has anyone called the police? I have the poisoner's weapon still with me, and I haven't removed any of his fingerprints, and I as well and monsieur de Saens can provide an accurate description of the attacker, which your kitchen staff can corroborate"

First, Move Action into a concealed place within sight of the crowd. Should I roll a stealth check, even though the crowd is paralyzed? If not, I'll put a rank 4 Obscure over the Command Center and the rest of an area 400ft. long wide and high and make a sort of 'safe zone' we can retreat into in case we need to.

Marceau watched with glum interest as the image of himself blended into his body. Being a part of magic was a rather more unnerving feeling than he had thought it would be. At the mention of free food(not to mention the possibility of having made an ally of such a good restaurant), Marceau's head lifted and a gleam came into his eyes. "Oui, monsieur Rene, I concur wholeheartedly. We must take care we aren't too eager to partake of our hosts' generosity, however delectable the result may be". It wasn't easy for Marceau to keep from worrying in the present situation, and after a moment of peaceful chuckles, he turned back to the older man, asking nervously "Do you know who the intended target was, or do you think this was just a random act of terrorism?"

"Alright then, Mr. Xavier" said Martin, skipping back a yard or so after tapping a few of the buttons on the Channeler, "Got the thing tuned to what I believe to be your time-space distortion field(if that is what it is), so just step near the device, don't touch it for the love of St. Peter, and let 'er rip. Besides, that thing" he jerked a thumb at the walking void "Would most likely seriously injure itself even trying to stop us, if what happened to that poor guy when you shone that flashlight at his head is any indication". With a sudden shudder, the bus was blanketed with darkness again, and the voice the occupants had heard earlier sounded again: " Oh, very well. Since you have so little interest in being in another dimension, I won't bother you with showing it to you. I spent simply ages on those hills, you know..." a vague sound of slithering was heard outside with a far-off mutter of Ingrates...let's seem them even try to escape my hand, and with a sudden "pop" the pale young man was dumped unceremoniously into the interior of the vehicle. He took one look around and crawled under one of the seats, shivering uncrontollably and staring into space with chattering teeth.

"No" even the voice's owner was taken aback by its bitter regret "I lost him in an abandoned complex of some sort. Missed him by inches, Rene, mere inches" he leaned against a wall, looking earnestly at the old painter "Are you alright? Did anyone need medical help?" remembrence came over him suddenly "Oh! Are the police here? I still have that man's weapon, and it's a safe bet his fingerprints are still on it. That and the thourough description we can give should lead quickly to his arrest and punishment" Glancing into the dining room, Marceau blinked in surprise at the copy of himself, then suddenly laughed quietly, murmering(closely to Rene's ear) "I had no idea you were such a subtle magician, Rene, Well done indeed"