Kavonde

Detective Jao stared at Marceau with the half-concerned, half-resigned look of a veteran police officer addressing a harmless lunatic. "Look, no one's in trouble yet. We're going to take statements. I'm betting this place has insurance. Freedom City, it happens." Volcano looked at the King of Suits with a very similar expression, but he turned it into an amused grin. "Not much of a disappearing act, man." Sirens were still getting closer. A large, dark blue, heavily armored Abrams tank cleverly disguised as a STAR van rumbled around the corner and pulled to a stop alongside the detectives' cars. A squadron of uniformed and helmetted STAR officers piled out; their leader approached, giving Jao and the gathered heroes a quick nod. "What've we got?" Detective Jeff gestured towards the trapped Herne. "Haven't got the full rundown." "Crazy viking biker guy," Volcano supplied. "Got force fields an' a sharp-ass sword." "Only two of my nigh-limitless powers!" Herne shouted, his voice a bit less slurred. "Cower before me, mortals!" "Shut up." The STAR officer nodded. "Any more inside?" Volcano shrugged and looked at the others. "Me an' Jello were kinda out here dealin' with Lord Crazypants. Glow, King?" "Just give us a full report," Detective Jao interjected, crossing her arms and looking annoyed.

Detective Jao's took a surprised step back as Jello-man's head materialized, before he expression turned into an annoyed glower. "Great. Jello-man. That's that this city needed." The male detective, Jeff, cleared his throat. "A STAR Squad van's en route. We were jus' in the neighborhood." "So you and Volcano subdued this guy and took out a small army of, let's see, Mob goons, Southside C's, and...vikings?" She stopped and stared for a moment, shaking her head. "This city." Volcano glanced at Glowstar. "Uh, we had some help. Guy in a playin' card suit. Took off before ya got here." "He the one who blew out the windows and knocked all these guys unconscious?" "Uh..." Mike stammered a bit, looking for words. Man, I don't wanna get this kid in trouble...but all the civvies in the restaurant saw him...crap. "Uh. There was this fog, an' I couldn't really see anything..."

Volcano very carefully stopped the King of Suits from shaking his hand, but watched him go with a bemused grin. "Mysterious vanishin' act, nice." The first police car arrived shortly after, an unmarked sedan with a flashing light stuck on its roof. The driver was a fit, middle-aged Asian woman in a blue T-shirt, brown parka, and jeans; her partner was a man in his 20's, large and muscular, with a severe crew cut, a green dress shirt over jeans, and a black leather jacket. Both stepped out of the car the moment the headlights went dim, the woman producing a police badge from inside her parka. "Detective Jao, FCPD." She stopped to stare at the wrecked restaurant, the unconscious assortment of criminals, and Herne the Hunter, delirious and floating in gelatin. "We're going to need an explanation." "Hey, Jeff," Volcano said, tilting his head at the male detective. "Mikey," he replied with a nod. "Volcano, I'm guessing," Detective Jao said with a frown, looking the magma man over. "Okay, you, I've heard of." She turned to Glowstar and crossed her arms. "And you? You the one who put this guy in a Jell-o mold?"

"No mortal prison can hold the great Herne!" the captive viking proclaimed, his words slurred and indistinct. The wail of sirens became noticeable in the distance, quickly approaching the scene of battle. Volcano stood silently by his chartreuse companion, listening to them, before wandering over to the restaurant to poke his head in. "Hey, cops are comin', if anyone needs ta do a mysterious vanishin' act. Not countin' the bad guys, anyway." He paused, taking in the destruction, and giving an impressed whistle. "Man, and I was worried about me causin' property damage!"

Volcano's fist finally slammed into the side of Herne's skull, pounding the helpless viking-biker deeper into Jello-man's saccharine self. The forcefield crackled to life, but couldn't do much to stop the impact, and Herne's eyes crossed and became unfocused, his bell solidly rung. "You dare...strike...a dog...? Herne mumbled, nearly incoherent. "Wait...tha's not righ'..." "Sorry," Volcano said apologetically to Jello-man, shaking his hand out. "Wanted ta make sure I didn't miss this time. You good draggin' him around 'til the cops get here? Or, hell, the news guys. That'd make a good picture for ya, Herne stuck inside an' all. Maybe you could kinda pose him, too. Have him wave." Inside the restaurant, Nina nodded at the King of Suits' request, and pulled a phone out of her back pocket. She quickly dialed 911, and calmly began explaining to the dispatcher what had happened. Some of the knocked-out mooks scattered around the restaurant began to groan, weakly moving their heads or arms.

Volcano performs a Coup de Grace on the helpless Herne. (It took two full actions due to concealment.) Herne's Toughness (1d20+14=22) (vs DC 32; staggered + stunned) Looks like he's still awake, but I think we can leave combat initiative. Resume normal posting!

Carl finally got his mouth working. "YOU'RE HIRED!" he shouted, startling everyone around him. His mouth worked wordlessly for another few seconds, and then he turned to huddle against the wall, sobbing quietly. Nina looked at him, shrugged, then looked back at Glowstar. "See you tomorrow, then. Um, sounds like there's still fighting outside..."

The man in the suit and the name tag pronouncing him "Carl" stared at Glowstar, his mouth opening and closing slightly. One of the waitresses, a pretty Asian girl of sixteen or seventeen whose badge said "Nina," looked from the hero to the shattered windows and missing chunks of wall, and gave him a sardonic smile. "I don't know, I think we might be doing renovations for the next couple weeks..."

It's Sustained, but I've been operating under the assumption that it still is.

Heh, nice. I edited my last post in the IC thread, which means Rav is up and ready to kill-steal! Oh, also, after Glowstar's turn, it's Jello-Man. All the mooks and secondary villains are K.O.'ed.

Herne struggled and strained in vain against the green goliath's gelatinous grip. "Unhand me, creature! I am Herne the Hunter! I shall not be restrained by your vile tendrils! And I DO NOT TASTE LIKE SOCKS!" "Don't worry 'bout it, you'll get plenty'a showers in Blackstone, buddy," Volcano rumbled, stepping forward through the mist. "Jus' hold onta your soap." Volcano's obsidian left hand clamped around the helpless Herne's throat, sizzling and sparking as it made contact with the Hunter's force field, and his right hand closed into a fist. He lifted the viking-biker as far as he could without loosening Jello-Man's grip, and reared his fist back for a massive haymaker. Herne struggled mightily against his bone-powder bonds, putting all of his strength and fighting skill into his efforts... ...but Jello-Man held on with all the tenacity he could summon, keeping Herne pinned down and utterly helpless to avoid Volcano's inevitable fist.

Volcano sets up for a coup de grace. (Due to concealment, it takes 2 Full Actions rather than 1.) Herne tries to escape Jello-Man's grapple: Herne's Grapple (1d20+14=31) Need an opposed roll from Limos!

Herne's Toughness (1d20+14=26) Herne's Grapple (1d20+14=17)

The woman was slammed to the floor with enough force to splinter the wooden boards; the shimmering, azure aura surrounding her fizzled away, and she lay still except for deep, shuddering breaths. The Southside C leader was smashed out the window and halfway through the engine block of one of the black sedans parked outside. His hand rose in a futile gesture of determined defiance, and then fell limp to his side. The civilians, still cowering behind their makeshift barricade, stared at Glowstar with open awe.

Blaster Lady's Toughness (1d20+10=18) (vs. DC 40. Ring the bell, ladies and gentlemen. She's done, she's done.) Southside C's Toughness (1d20+14=23) (vs. DC40...yep.)

The Southside C caught the King of Suits' blast on his forearm and seemed to bat it away. "Hey, I ain't here to fight you! I'm takin' down this Mob chick and then that crazy viking mofo! You want some of me after, wait your damn turn!" Ignoring both heroes in the restaurant, he easily ripped a table from its bolted-down support, reared back, and hurled it at the woman with all his strength. She saw it coming and dove for cover behind a booth, but still took a bad hit on her shoulder that nearly put her out of the fight. "Damn it!" Outside, Volcano blinked at the obscuring mist in confusion, a bit disoriented after his hit. "Hey! What's with the fog?! Hey, crazy viking guy, you still standin' where you were?!" "Your allies have not yet moved me from this spot, obsidian one! Instead they flee like cowards!" "Cool, thanks!" The magma man reared back and hurled his best haymaker in the general direction of where Herne was last standing. The punch soared straight toward Herne's face...or rather, where Volcano assumed it was. He nearly fell over as his fist ripped through empty air, and spat an annoyed curse. "I thought you said you didn't move!" "I said they had not moved me! Taste steel again, mortal!" "Did I really just get outsmarted by a freaking viking?" "No, fool! You just got outsmarted by a freaking GOD!" Crimson light flashed in the air as Herne's sword rose again and chopped down with tremendous force...and hit nothing but fog. "Hey!" "Yeah, sucks, don't it?"

Southside C Powerhouse Guy's Attack (1d20+8=18) (Hit!) Mafia Blaster Lady's Toughness (1d20+11=21) (Failed; Bruised) Volcano's Attack (1d20+8=26) (hit...maybe) [Oh, and -1 to that for the Bruised, my bad.] Volcano's Miss Chance (51+ hits) (1d100=5) (nope!) Herne's Attack (1d20+12=27) (hit!) Herne's Miss Chance (51+ hits) (1d100=13) (nope!)

Southside C Powerhouse Guy's Toughness (1d20+14=32) (saved) The dice really like this guy >< Then again, he hasn't attacked yet...

Glowstar's bolts of crimson energy found no shortage of targets. Mobsters in expensive suits, Southside C's in yellow jackets and hoodies, and Hounds in full viking-biker regalia with axes and swords held high. Each of them were blasted back by the impact of the bolts, over tables and counters or into eachother. One unfortunate soul was blasted onto an active stir-fry grill, but rolled off before he could burn too badly. They went down like human dominoes, and in a moment, all was quiet. Two waiters, a stir fry chef, and an Asian man with a suit and a nametag reading "Carl (Assistant Manager)" are huddled together in a corner, behind a flipped over table. On one side of the room, near the kitchen and surrounded by fallen mobsters, was a woman with long, straight black hair, glasses, and a businesslike suit. Her eyes glowed with the same azure light as was flashing inside the restaurant earlier. She was doubled-over from the impact of one of the bolts, clutching a table for support. Across from her by the main entrance was an African American man in a black denim jacket with a yellow T-shirt underneath. He was bald and roughly the size of an Abrams tank, and was holding an unconscious mobster by the collar of his suit. He grinned at Glowstar, clearly unphased by the attack. "That all you got?" The woman began to stagger away, clutching her stomach in pain. "Kid, this guy is a maniac!" she called as she backed into the kitchen, pointing at the Southside C's leader. "You have to stop him!" The gangster just grinned and pounded his fist against his palm. "You ain't runnin' from me, lady. Southside C's gonna OWN Southside!"

All the mooks fail their saves. Mafia Energy Controller Lady's Toughness (1d20+12=17) (vs. DC30; staggered + stunned) Southside C Powerhouse Guy's Toughness (1d20+14=33) (vs. DC30; saved)

Herne's Attack vs. Jello-Man (1d20+12=13) Suh-wing and a miss.

"Aha! Hiding in the mist like cowards, better to evade the wrath of mighty Herne! Fear not, mortals; my blade shall find you regardless!" Beneath the cover of the mist, however, Herne couldn't see Volcano. The magma man's wound was already starting to patch over as the lava inside him began to flow to the surface and cool. He slowly rose to his feet, popping his neck and rotating his battered shoulder. Herne, meanwhile, patted his belt and his pockets for a moment before snarling in annoyance. "My horn! That foul sorceress made me drop my horn! Bah, a minor annoyance for one such as me; stand and deliver, o lime-flavored lackwit!" The viking-biker roared a challenge and took a massive swing at the place he last saw the tasty titan, but his sword smashed into the ground instead, with enough force to nearly shake it from his grasp. Herne glared at the empty spot of fog where he was sure Jello-Man should've been. "Curses!"

Just for posterity's sake, Herne's Bluff check to counter the Assessment was a 10.

And Herne's reflex: Herne's Reflex (1d20+6=20) (vs DC 17)

The field of energy around Herne flickered into solidity just as Glowstar's blasts struck him, absorbing the impact fully. He staggered back a step, then looked up at the young hero with momentary surprise that turned into a fierce grin. "I think not, whelp." Inside, there was a clash of steel and a few screams as the bikers drew their weapons and started hacking at everyone within reach. The screams were interrupted by another blast of azure force and a biker and a young, black man in a yellow jacket flying through a window and crashing into the street, unconscious. "Hey, what the hell you doin', girl?!" a voice inside demanded. "Hey, he pulled your guy in the way!" a woman's voice shouted in reply. "Oh, I don't think so!" "Oh, screw this! Kill them all!" Gunshots began barking within the restaurant, along with the clanging of steel weapons and an increased number of screams.