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OOC thread for this thread. Justice gets in touch with her spiritual side. @RocketLord Initiative, please. Using the Warrior Demon from the Core Rules to represent the Monster. Taking 10 on its roll, for 11.

GM October 31st, 2018, 6.45PM University Hill, Emerald City, Oregon, USA The Halloween party had barely started, and it was already over. All around a young woman streamed university students, faculty, and staff of the God House, flavor of the year for Emerald City University's trend-chasing contingent. Screaming in inhuman fury, something in a horse-headed suit of armor kicked over a lovely gilded reproduction of some Madonna, trampling and smashing its way through altar tables, shrines of menus and wall-fountains as it swung now-bloodied fists, gnarled and bigger around than the young woman's head. Its wails and howls were nearly drowned out by the shouts, directions, shrieks and crying of its prey, the terrified Munchkins only barely keeping the presence of mind to avoid trampling each other thanks to regular earthquake and volcano drills had since kindergarten. The horse head turned to the woman, seeing in her the only meaningful challenge to be found, and charged.

Guidebook Interview Reputation Table HellQ Origin Vignette: Birth of Justice Theme Music Eros Unlimited Profile Vignettes - Justice vs. Injustice - Meet Miss Step

So now that the Shrike has been approved, I'm thinking about having a grand opening sale at the new Silberman's location in the University Hill section of EC-OR. This would be an opportunity for any EC-based PCs to check out the new used books and records store in town, and meet Gretchen in their civilian identities. Sign up here if you're interested!

Herein lies a tale, a tale of two cities...

Player Name: Heritage Character Name: The Shrike Power Level: 10/12 (180/198PP) Tradeoffs: Defense +3/Toughness -3 Unspent PP: 18 In Brief: Snarky barista/musician wielding magical artifacts. Alternate Identity: Gretchen McDaniels Identity: Secret Birthplace: Portland, ME Area of Operations: Emerald City, OR Occupation: Barista/bookseller/personal crime-fighting assistant Affiliations: Grimalkin, Silberman's Books Family: Evelyn Woolsey (mother, deceased), Mark McDaniels (father), Caroline Clement (aunt), Lynn Epstein (girlfriend) DOB: November 21, 1991 Gender: Female Height: 5'1" (5'4" in costume) Weight: 113 lbs. Hair: Brown Eyes: Blue Gretchen is an attractive young woman in her mid-twenties; she tends to keep her brown hair loose, and has a lightly-muscled athletic build. She has several tattoos on her body, including bars of music on both forearms, inspirational lyrics on various parts of her torso, and the words 'The Future Is Unwritten' on the four knuckles of her left hand. Her ears bear multiple piercings, mostly a mix of rings and ear spikes. Gretchen usually doesn't wear much makeup, but she experiments with lips gloss and eyeliner. As far as clothing goes, she sort of falls into the 'hipster chick' look, mostly because she just hits the same resale shops she favored as a FreeSA student, so comfortable jeans, hi-tops, combat boots, fatigue jackets, plaid shirts, t-shirts, vests, etc. When she's feeling frisky, she'll show some skin (typically a more revealing top), but if she's feeling antisocial, she'll dress down. She often wears rings and bracelets, but always has a silver ring with a large red stone on her left index finger. The Shrike is a mysterious figure wrapped in black; her costume is a mostly black armored jumpsuit with silver accents, topped with a hawk-like silver half-face mask bearing a large ruby in the middle of her forehead. Her heavy reinforced boots add three inches to her height to make her slightly more intimidation, and her gloves are padded for extra protection. A black hooded cloak reaches down to her ankles; the hood helps to hide her features a bit better, and the cloak softens her outline in the shadows. A small carbon fiber shield is strapped to her right arm, which she keeps on her back when not in use. A silver ring with another ruby is visible on the index finger of her left gloved hand. History: For most of her life, Gretchen McDaniels has been disappointed; by a father who abandoned her mother to raise a child alone, by a world that seems more concerned with money than reducing human suffering, and by a music industry obsessed with churning out catchy crap. Growing up in Portland, Maine, young Gretchen was drawn to the performing arts from an early age; her mother Evelyn was a successful attorney specializing in labor law, and though their family was small it was full of love, and the budding musician never lacked for love and encouragement. There were piano lessons and violin recitals, and Evelyn couldn't be prouder. But then when Gretchen was fourteen, her mother was killed in an accident while driving home in a New England ice storm; with her father nowhere in sight, it was decided it would be best for the girl to live with her free-wheeling aunt Caroline in Freedom City. Moving to a much larger city during her freshman year of high school, especially right have her mother's tragic death, proved to be particularity painful for the introverted girl, and she began to slowly build walls around herself. However Caroline, who was also musically inclined, offered something to Gretchen to help with the pain: classic punk rock. The anger, passion and energy of the music struck a chord with the unhappy girl, and even though she often struggled to express her grief and frustration through words, she could always turn to punk to feel better Eventually graduating from FreeSA with a degree in Musical Performance, Gretchen found her BFA opened a few doors but didn't lead to steady employment, so like many recent college graduates she turned to the world of retail to make ends meet. She frequently found herself 'working with idiots to serve idiots', and her dry humor and rather surly demeanor did little to enamor her to either her coworkers or customers. In time she got a job at Slberman's Books in the West End, and her life has never been the same. Due to a rather bizarre set of circumstances, Gretchen now bears the Gifts of the Magi, once borne by Lynn's great-grandfather Ira Silberman, aka the Amazing Al-Kazar; these two magical artifacts adapt to their user, so her costumed identity is very different from her predecessor's. After having been in a committed, very intimate relationship with Lynn for over two years, Gretchen felt the need to make a change; it's not that her feelings for Lynn had lessened; in fact, they'd grown more intense. But Gretchen nonetheless felt the desire to get some space, to work through some things, and do some solo crime-fighting on her own. After much discussion over the course of a long summer road trip, Gretchen and Lynn came to an agreement. Gretchen would help open a new Silverman's Books location in Emerald City, under her own management and operation. The two would still remain dating, but had permission to see other people, though they would still be very much a couple connected by strands of magic. This whole situation is very new, but Gretchen hopes it will help her shake off the feeling that she is being smothered by someone she loves. After a year, both parties will review the situation and go from there. Personality & Motivation: Gretchen is keenly aware of life's injustices, but for most of her life, she felt powerless to do anything about it; but now, inspired by her mysterious employer Lynn Epstein, she found that she can make a difference in small ways, and as the equally mysterious Shrike, she can do even more! Her attitude is frequently seen as caustic or sarcastic, but it secretly hides a big caring heart that she tries to wall off from the dangers and disappointments of the world. Though she doesn't like to use labels like 'bisexual', Gretchen has dated both men and women in her life; she finds men to be uncomplicated and easier to get along with, but women to be more challenging and rewarding in the long run. In any event, she's never been very good at maintaining long-term relationships, due to her extremely guarded and somewhat negative attitude. Powers & Tactics: The Shrike's combination of flight, stealth and ranged attacks make her an ideal infiltrator and combat 'sniper', and the psychokinetic power of the ring allows her to grab and detain foes as well as move objects and remove obstacles with ease. The Gifts are now better attuned to her personality, unlocking several new powers, including creating a sort of 'magic grenade' and allowing her to become immaterial, abilities that greatly increases her combat flexibility. Since losing the Cloak of Mystery, Gretchen's supplemented her magical devices with tactical gear, including armor and several varieties of handmade, non-lethal grenades. Complications: Give a Guy a Break: Gretchen has a tendency to not take men super-seriously, seeing them as rather uncomplicated creatures; this underestimation may cost her. I Don't Like Labels: Gretchen has dated both men and women in her life, though never for very long; this attitude may bother those with more traditional values. Secret Identity: The Shrike has been told how important it is to maintain a secret identity, especially if you're not a shapeshifter! The Distance Between Us: Gretchen and Lynn are attempting maintain an open, long-distance relationship assisted by magic. It's challenging and very much I'm work in progress Abilities: 2 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 4 = 26PP Strength: 12 (+1) [Heavy Load: 130 lbs.] Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 12 + 24 = 36PP Initiative: +3 Attack: +6 Ranged, +6 Melee, +10 Ring of Power Grapple: +7, +16 Ring of Power Defense: +12 (+13 w/Shield) Knockback: -10 (-1 without Cloak) Saving Throws: 8 + 7 + 8 = 23PP Toughness: +2/+7 (+2 Con, +2 Defensive Roll, +3 Protection [EP]) Fortitude +10 (+2 Con, +8) Reflex +10 (+3 Dex, +7) Will +10 (+2 Wis, +8) Skills: 152R = 38PP Bluff 8 (+10) Computers 12 (+15)* Craft: Chemical 2 (+5) Craft: Electronics 12 (+15)* Disable Device 12 (+15)* Drive 2 (+5) Gather Information 3 (+5) Investigate 7 (+10) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 2 (+5) Knowledge (Current Events) 2 (+5) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 7 (+10) Knowledge (Streetwise) 2 (+5) Knowledge (Tactics) 2 (+5) Knowledge (Technology) 7 (+10)* Medicine 3 (+5) Notice 8 (+10) Perform (Keyboards) 13 (+15) Perform (Singing) 13 (+15) Perform (Stringed Instruments) 13 (+15) Search 7 (+10) Sense Motive 8 (+10) Stealth 7 (+10) Feats: 8PP Attack Specialization 2 (Ring of Power) Defensive Roll 2 Improvised Tools Inventor Precise Shot Skill Mastery* Equipment: 0PP (40EP from Rewards) Silberman's Northwest (PL10 HQ) [15EP] Size: Small [0EP] Toughness: +5 [0EP] Features: [15EP] Communications Computer Cover Facility (Bookstore) Fire Prevention System Library Living Space Powers 6 (144PP, see below) Security System 2 (DC 25) Workshop  Shrike's Gear Armored Jumpsuit 3EP Small Shield 1EP Laptop 1EP Tactical Harness [20EP Utility Belt] Tear Gas grenade (ME: Dazzle 4 + Nauseate Explosion 4) [18EP] Flash-Bang grenade (AP: Dazzle Burst 4) [1EP] Smoke grenade (AP: Obscure 2 [visual])[1EP] Powers: 17 + 32 = 49PP (All have Magic descriptor) Device 4 (Helm of Truth, Magical Helmet, 20PP, Power Feat: Subtle. Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [17PP] Comprehend 2 (All Codes and Written Languages) [4PP] Super-Senses 16 (Danger Sense, Magic Awareness [Visual, Analytic, Extended, Tracking], Vision Counters Concealment, Illusion, and Obscure [All]) [16PP] Device 9 (Ring of Power, Magical Ring, 40PP, Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [32PP] Magic Blast Array 10 (23PP Array, Feat: Alternate Power 3) [26PP] Base Power: Ranged Damage 10 (Power Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2, Precise) [23PP] Alternate Power: Ranged Burst Damage 6 (Power Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2, Selective, Triggered 2) [1PP] Alternate Power: Move Object 10 (Strength 50, Heavy Load: 12 tons. Power Feats: Precise, Subtle) [1PP] Alternate Power: Insubstantial 4 (Power Feats: Selective, Subtle 2) [1PP] Dimensional Pocket 1 (Flaw: Limited [Storage only], 100 lbs.) [1PP]  Flight 5 (250 mph) (Power Feats: Subtle 2) [12PP] Super-Senses 1 (Communication Link [with Grimalkin]) [1PP] DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC16 Toughness Damage (Physical) Blast Ranged DC25 Toughness Damage (Physical) Flash-Bang Ranged DC14 Reflex Dazzled Magic Bomb Ranged DC21 Toughness Damage (Physical) Smoke Grenade Ranged - - - Obscure (visual) Tear Gas Ranged DC14 Reflex Dazzled and Nauseated TOTALS: Abilities 26 + Combat 36 + Saving Throws 23 + Skills 38 + Feats 8 + Powers 49 - Drawbacks 0 = 180/198 Power Points

Venomax Power Level: 10 (158/163PP) Unspent Power Points: 5PP Trade-Offs: None In Brief: Child of a Mercenary making the most of what he's inherited Catchphrase: None Theme: Playlist Alternate Identity: Vernon Bilker (Secret) Birthplace: Freedom City Residence: Emerald City Base of Operations: Emerald City Occupation: Lab Intern Affiliations: Family: Brad Bilker (Estranged Father) Friends: Description: Age: 19 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5'11 Weight: 84 Kg Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Appearance Vernon is a tall and wiry young man with sharp features, brown eyes look out from beneath thin and elegant eyebrows, his short black hair features a prominent widows peak. The Venomax costume consists of a purple bodysuit with a cool blue visor; a green line design accents the undersuit running down the sides and black polymer armour is layered on top, his applicator gauntlets are made from the same material featuring six prominent in chamber's on each not dissimilar to that of a revolver or a rotary grenade launcher, are the pipes that pump his secretions into the devices inner workings to create the wide variety of concoctions he makes regular use of. History: The son of Brad bilker AKA: the infamous gas man has lead a hard life, his mother was much too young and far too in love and clung to the idea of her lover returning long after he'd given up hope of ever meeting his father and spent his early life watching his only parent slowly destroy themselves with grief over someone who clearly didn't care about them in the slightest even on her deathbed she clung so tightly to the hope that he would return that she saw her own son as his father. playing along to help his mother pass with ease he felt himself being wracked with guilt wondering if it had been his own mutant gifts that had sapped her strength and eventually killed her mixed with burning rage at the man who had abandoned him With nothing left to stay in freedom city for he found himself leaving for Emerald city with nothing but the clothes on his back to make a new life far away from his villainous old man Personality & Motivation: Motivated by Loss and Pain Vernon can come off as quite harsh to those who don't know him, displaying a great distain for things and weilding his mutation with a coldness close to callousness but in truth he understands that his abilities can be effected by his emotional and physical state so does his best to control both to avoid causing lasting harm and focus his mind to the strain that comes with using them. Vernon takes his self appointed responsibilities very seriously and has chased criminals across country before now believing that they are his burden, dragging them personally to the local authorities or even blackstone by hand. Powers & Tactics: Vernon is a cold, calculating and cunning combatant who fights with sudden and brutal applications of force and poison he will attempt to quickly and decisively remove as many combatants as possible from the situation whilst causing as little collateral damage as possible, though he looses little sleep over those few who do suffer his venom, he will pursue fleeing opponents relentlessly across vast distances limited only by his funds and obligations. His powers come from the unique organ in his abdominal cavity capable of synthesizing various chemicals from what he ingests running the gamut from Bee venom all the way to nitroglycerin or other far less savory concoctions though he refrains for anything that causes unessicary lasting harm. Power Descriptions: Though his Chemical synthesizing organs are inborn to him he has augmented his usage with the applicator gauntlets on his suit allowing him to project the secretions at a distance, aerosolize them , combine them with an adheisve binder or create a two staged dosage Complications: Gut Rot: perhaps due to the peculiar diet (necessary to keep his abilities stocked) or even some sort of irony Vernon has a sensitive stomach and is often plagued with cramps, nausea and other gastrointestinal problems whilst these are in themselves a problem, having to run off to use the bathroom at random times can prove inconvenient which is to say nothing of the mockery and embarrassment someone with his unique power-set faces. I hate you, Dad!: Vernon hates his father Brad Bilker with a biblical passion for abandoning him and his mother and will actively seek out opportunities to interfere in his business, embarrass and otherwise cost him financially or socially, though he refrains from inflicting physical harm to honour his mothers dying wish he find some kind of peace with the man and of course, Brads immunity to all known forms of chemical and biological weapons includes his sons powers. Guilt: Vernon believes that it might've been his own toxic Secretions that killed his mother, though he has never dared to find out, it is something that can be used against him by particularly cunning villains such as his callous father. Breaking Bad: there are several parties who would like to aquire Vernon and use his unique gifts to produce dangerous chemicals or metahuman enhancement compounds such as MAX and Zoom without having to go through the labyrinth. Largely Immune: Though immune to his powers in the dosages and concentrations in which he uses them his siolated Specialized Organs contain far more potent concentrations, enough to overcome his resistance to the effects, they might be damaged or forced to empty their contents by various means they will affect him normally. Doctoring Dosages: Vernon has carefully learned the safe dosages and dilutions for use on other humans but anything out of the ordinary is purely guess work on his part, the more alien or extreme the difference the more he has to guess either using too little to have an effect or more disastrously too much as well as of course different concoctions affecting radically different biologies in entirely unforeseen ways. ABILITIES: 8+4+8+4+4+0 = 28pp Strength 18 (+4) Dexterity 14 (+2) Constitution 18 (+4) Intelligence 14 (+2) Wisdom 14 (+2) Charisma 10 (+0) COMBAT: 20+12 = 32pp Initiative: +2 Attack: +10 Grapple: +14 Defense: +10 (+6 base, +4 dodge focus) +3 flat-footed Knockback: -5, -2 out of Costume SAVES 4+4+6 = 14pp Toughness: +10/+4 (+4 Con, +6 Protection) Fortitude: +8 (+4 Con, +4) Reflex: +6 (+2 Dex, + 4) Will: +8 (+2 Wis, +6) SKILLS: 12pp (48 Ranks) Craft (Chemical) 8 (+10) Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 8 (+10) Knowledge (Technology) 8 (+10) Medicine 4 (+6) Notice 6 (+8) Sense Motive 6 (+8) Stealth 8 (+10) FEATS: 9pp All-Out Attack Dodge Focus 4 Move-by Action Power Attack Precise Shot Take down Attack POWERS: 37 + 8 + 16 + 1 + 1 = 63pp Descriptors: Chemicals, Mutation Chemical Synthesis Organs 15 (30 point Array; PFs: Alternate Power 7) [37pp] BE: Emotion Control 10 ("Toad Toxins"; Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Contagious, Secondary Effect; Flaw: Range [Ranged]) {30/30} AE: Damage 10 ("Nerve Agents"; Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Poison) {30/30} AE: Damage 10 ("Acidic Sweat"; Extras: Contagious, Secondary Effect) {30/30} AE: Drain Ability Scores 10 ("Malady Mixtures"; drains any ability score one at a time; Extra: Poison) {30/30} AE: Obscure Olfactory & Visual 10 ("Pepper Spray Sweat," 1 mile radius) {30/30} AE: Paralyze 10 ("Spider Venom"; Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Poison) {30/30} AE: Snare 10 ("Cobra Spit"; Extras: Suffocating) {30/30} AE: Stun 10 ("Toxic Shock"; Extras: Poison) {30/30} Damage 2 ("Caustic Venom Overcoat"; Extras: Aura, Duration 2 [Sustained]) [8pp] Device 4 (Venomax Costume; 20 Points; Flaw: Hard to lose) [16pp] Additional Descriptor: Technology Applicator Gauntlets 5 (10 point Array; PFs: Alternate power 4) [14 DP] BE: Feature 10 (adds Area [General, Cloud, 50 ft. diameter] Extra to chemical effects) {10/10} BE: Feature 10 (adds Area [General, Cone, 100 ft. long] Extra to chemical effects) {10/10} BE: Feature 10 (adds Contagious Extra to chemical effects) {10/10} BE: Feature 10 (adds Range Extra [Touch to Ranged, Range to Perception] to chemical effects) {10/10} BE: Feature 10 (adds Secondary Effect Extra to chemical effects) {10/10} Protection 6 (ballistic weave) [6DP] [20/20DP] Feature 1 (produce useful chemicals) [1pp] Immunity 1 (Own Powers) [1pp] DC Block Name Range Save Effect Acidic Sweat Melee DC25 Tough Damage Cobra Spit 100ft DC20 Reflex Snare Toad Toxins 100ft DC20 Fort Confusion Malady Mix Melee DC20 Fort Drain Nerve Agents Melee DC25 Fort Damage Pepper Spray 100ft N/A Obscure Spider Venom Melee DC20 Fort Paralyze Toxic Shock Melee DC20 Fort Stun Totals: Abilities 28 + Combat 32 + Saves 14 + Skills 12 (48 ranks) + Feats 9 + Powers 63 + Drawbacks 0 = 158/163 Power Points.

OOC thread for this thread. The ur-haunted house, go get that file! @Supercape @Tiffany Korta @Zeitgeist Blue Knowledge rolls, preferably Current Events, Arcane Lore, Technology and Pop Culture.

GM 1st January, 2018, 4.45PM Emerald City, Oregon, United States of America, Earth-Prime By the time everyone was where they had to be, night was already fallen. For those used to rising with the eastern Sun and seeing it vanish behind the distant western mountains, it was a faint shock to see that old stalwart's final moments, dragged slowly into the cold, grey mists of the Pacific. In its place a vibrant silver supermoon glared down, stark light reflected from the agless stone mirror. The world was light and shadow, the forbidding mass of the Elysian Forest brooding just beyond the flashing police lights and the searchlights of the near-noiseless choppers and drones hovering overhead. By comparison, the horror show that had burst into being that morning was a comforting reminder of normalcy. Never a very large building, or more than meekly grand, Bethlehem Heights Mental Hospital & Historical Society crouched atop its high and lonely hill like a forgotten child of the gleaming silver-green metropolis just a mile away. What remained of its classic Young Victorian design was covered in spiked and grisly chains that gleamed in the ruddy light spilling from the occluded windows. Only its front door was open, and then just a crack, revealing nothing. If you listened, very hard, the sea breeze coming in off the bay sounded remarkably like you were shrieking in purest agony. At 7.28AM, Pacific time, Mayor Amanda Talbot had made a general call for assistance on national television, radio and internet channels. The directness and candor of it had been a surprise, referring to a "deadly paranormal entity" that "has already claimed the lives of twelve dear friends in the Emerald City Police Department." Usually, you couldn't even get a straight answer about where all the homeless people kept vanishing to. Captain David Wrath, sweaty and wide-eyed, greeted them at the edge of the police cordon, stepping through the simple holographic "tape" to give them a fervent handshake. He was a big man, built like a bison with a mustache like a square bracket, but at that time under that cold cosmic stare, he looked as small as could be. "Wrath, ECPD, do you know what this is?" He pointed one brawny arm covered in carbon fiber armor at the dismal thing silhouetting dozens of officers in the blue and green of Columbia's Keenest. The low brick wall that wouldn't keep out a determined cat was more than enough of a barrier for the people milling behind it. "That place took twenty of us before we pulled back at 5 this morning. They walked in, and...just vanished. Not even a scream over the radio. Gone." Wiping his steaming forehead to spread the sweat more evenly, the police captain said "Tried to scan through the walls, blew out the truck. Tried to use echodrones to get a sonic picture, shot the waves back so hard they shattered the things. Please, if you can figure out anything..." he shook his head "I can't go tell Mitsy Shin's not coming back and I don't know why. Even if it's demons or something, I gotta know."

Bethlehem Heights Psychiatric Hospital has served the mentally ill of the greater Columbia Basin with compassion and skill that has gone largely unrecognized outside of the professional medical world, thanks largely to being located in the conspiracy theory capital of the USA. For close to two and a half centuries after its founding 'Bedlam Heights' has been dogged with rumors of monstrous malpractice and evil government experiments, demonic influence and even psychic tampering with patients. Not helping matters is its use as a convenient place to shuffle inconvenient relatives, spouses or co-workers. No matter how diligently the hospital and its beleaguered legal staff uncover and expose fraudulent doctors, forged medical papers and suspicious court orders, public opinion remains firmly against the ill-funded and decaying institution, which hasn't been in the black since 1971. Now, the rumors appear to have come true. On New Year's Day, 2018, dawn revealed a dramatic shift to the staid Victorian manor on its high, lonely hill. The building is wrapped in spiked chains, the walls splattered with blood, an eerie red glow emanating from indoors and the faint sound of screams coming from somewhere inside. Its staff and patients are trapped inside, hopefully alive. Emerald City, Oregon's Mayor Amanda Talbot has given an open call to anyone who can help find out what's going on, why, if it can be stopped, how, and what it will cost them to do it. WHO: 2-3 PL8-12 PCs, of any sort. Preferably magical, but doesn't have to be. They will be joined by the Nightwatchman, a mysterious NPC whose mysteries are unknown. WHAT: Depends on how they approach the building and the interests of the players. WHERE: Emerald City, on the Oregon side of the Columbia delta, a bustling and colourful mini-metropolis majorly influenced by steady Asian immigration, whose burgeoning reputation as a center of technological development and application is well-earned. Like if a US Vancouver had some of Silicon Valley.

Summer 2017 It was a beautiful summer day in Emerald City, Oregon - especially if you stood here on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, far from the noisy, delicious minds of the city and enjoyed the peace and solitude of crashing waves at the base of this seaside cliff. The beaches here weren't like the ones Sensus had known back on the Jersey coast, much rockier and colder, but they had a wild beauty all the same. "Excuse me, miss. Did you need some help?" Turning behind her, silhouetted by an east-rising morning sun, Sensus looked up to see Citizen - the most famous superhero in Emerald City. For his part, Citizen's early morning flight had let him spot this girl by the edge of seaside cliffs that had taken the life of more than one young man or young woman in the last few years. There was a fence - but it wouldn't be hard for someone that small to slip underneath it. At first glance, he'd assumed this was a lost child - but she clearly wasn't too far from his own early twenties, though his black costume and glowing blue chest symbol marked him as a superhero.

Here's the OOC

Reputation Chart 20 Questions

Player Name: Ari Character Name: Mag-Might Power Level: 7 (105/111PP) Trade-Offs: None Unspent Power Points: 6 In Brief: Upper-strata Magmin bruiser, dispatched to the surface on an impossible quest. Catchphrase: "MRGH!" Theme: Alternate Identity: Magh'kee/Maggy (Secret: nobody knows Maggy is Mag-Might) Birthplace: The Glasslands, Sub-Terra Residence: An apartment complex in downtown Emerald City, Oregon Base of Operations: The Emerald Cities Occupation: Underwater welder/ knight of the Chasm Affiliations: The Chasm, Sub-Terrans, the Oregon Welder's Union Family: 3000 brothers and sisters born from the same sorcery. Description: Age: 53 (DoB: 1964) Apparent Age: N/A Gender: Woman Ethnicity: Green obsidian Height: 4'6"/1.5m Weight: 330lbs/150kg Eyes: Opal Hair: dark green/black strings Maggy is stocky, a vaguely human-shaped block of green and blue obsidian crystal, burning inside with a never-ending green flame. Her eyes glow, her crystal skin is warm to the touch and slight wafts of flame lick from her mouth when she's angry or excited. Her long strings of glassy hair is shaped into small, numerous loops that frame her head like an elegant crown. Her hands are huge and powerful, and her feet are little more delicate. She's slightly top-heavy, with broad shoulders and a disproportionately large head. Most of the time, she wears large coats and hats to disguise herself among humanity. Sometimes she remembers to wear shoes. On the job, she wears proper protective gear. As Mag-Might, she wears nothing at all. History: Magmin are born from sorcery, transformative spells laid on humans, sub-terrans, morlocks and lemurians. Maggy was born from from fire and volcanic glass, what she once was a mystery never to be revealed, not that she's interested. She had a new life to live. She joined the communities of upper-strata magmin that dwell far above the seething magma flows and smoking lava tubes of their blazing brethren, in the dazzling gardens and wide, pitch-black meadows of razor-sharp. She learned the ways of war by endless skirmishes in broken ruins, ambushes in the depths of sunless seas and one-on-one duels at the blinding mouths to the overworld. Despite the violence and fear, she was content. There was the clan, those who meant it harm, and her, who stood between them. The Chasm was her home, with all its beauties and horrors, and that was all the world she needed. For fifty years Maggy lived like this, and the few times she saw people from the surface she kept well-hidden, her bright eyes watching the slender, frail creatures with awe and pity. Then came Lord Quake and the stonekin. A race of giants who could mould and reshape the very world around them, gods with fiery eyes and an endless hunger. Lord Quake named himself the King-Under-The-Mountain, the Black Spear of Justice and the Saviour of Monsters. He brought hundreds of surface creatures with him, pitiful things not meant for the deep, and made them lush and peaceful homes in the great Chasm. He made a new sun, one that even the morlocks could bear to see by, carved out palaces, reactivated long-forgotten technology that protected all in his dominion, banished or slew terrible monsters and named all Sub-Terra as his rightful domain. He told the people of the underworld of the evils of humanity, their rapacious greed and the need to band together to survive. He demanded peace between all who would join him. The morlocks and the magmin were the first to break this truce, a squabble over tunnel rights leading to a pitched battle which boiled over into Chasm's tiers. Both sides found themselves separated within moments, and forced to confront the fury of Lord Quake. He spoke softly, but in his wrath he forced a terrible price on the feuding peoples: to each give up one of their number in a mission to the surface. Two were chosen, one of them Maggy, who hadn't even been in the fight. They were charged with finding an ancient artefact which was rumored to control the flow of continents, giving one the power to cause or avert earthquakes at will. They had a year to succeed. Training was swift and to the point, instructing the pair in surface politics, culture and language relevant to their mission in the Emerald Cities. They were dismissed with enough money and legal cover identities for their sojourn amongst the humans, aided by a strange fact about the Emerald Cities. For decades they had become a haven for metas and mutants with no interest in heroics or villainy. As a result, truly strange appearances and minor powers weren't as uncommon as they are on most of the surface. Maggy found herself a job helping in the underwater construction of the city's new wave-power generator, with more than enough money coming in to support herself and her strange, chatty partner. Now all she needs to do is find a mysterious mystical weapon, bring it back to Lord Quake, and all will be back to normal. She hopes. Personality & Motivation: Maggy is a straightforward and uncomplicated person. She's the muscle of the operation, a role she's inhabited for half a century, one she understands and enjoys. She's mildly curious about the strange world of humanity, but always as a tourist attraction rather than as a place to really appreciate for its own sake. It's still relatively the same routine as her old life, but the stakes are higher. Deep inside, she relishes this as a jolly, inconsequential adventure. She doesn't entirely trust Lord Quake, but in her own calculations it would be much riskier to defy him than to obey. Her relationship with Mo is one of strict lines and boundaries. He deals with all the things with talking and making problems go away, she steps in when things can't be talked out. She doesn't see Mo as a friend so much as an invaluable tool for their mutual success. Powers & Tactics: By and large Maggy charges in and punches, then punches again. Then breathes fire by venting the inner furnace that powers her crystalline body. Then punches some more. She's a competent but uninspired fighter, with the additional mobility of creating launchers out of the ground. She's confident that if she gets into real trouble she can just regenerate her way out of it. Power Descriptions: All crystal and fire, Maggy is an upper-strata magmin with the power to partially reshape herself and the world she stands on. All the elements that make up her body are, in a real sense, part of her no matter where they are or how scattered throughout the crust. They can be summoned into a fragile pillar that rockets her into the air, used to repair her crystalline lattice and even bolster her already prodigious strength by partially bonding her to the planet. Her inner fires let her create light in deepest darkness and can be concentrated into white-hot bolts or great green waves of fire. Her crystal body lets her ignore most mundane concerns, but has drawbacks. She must eat, sleep, avoid cold places and is totally incapable of human-style speech. Complications: Code: Unlike Mo, Maggy operates on a very strict code of ethics. She can't refuse a challenge, must keep her word under any circumstances and must never reveal the secret of the Sub-Terran Chasm. Mission: To find the Claw of Ghorummaz, a powerful artefact. To protect her ally 'Mo'. To serve the mighty Lord Quake. Secret: To most people she's encountered, Maggy is just a weird mutant with a disfiguring condition and severe disability. That she's kin to the magmin of Sub-Terra must be kept secret, to avoid a LOT of awkward questions and scrutiny her mission can't survive. The Thinnest Veil: Keeping the secret that she's not Mag-Might is impossible in the long-term. Abilities: 10 + 0 + 8 - 2 - 2 + 6 = 20pp STR 20 (+5) DEX 10 (+0) CON 18 (+4) INT 8 (-1) WIS 8 (-1) CHA 16 (+3) Combat: 10 + 8 = 18pp ATK: +5 (+7 Unarmed, Blast) DEF: +7 (4 Base, +3 Dodge Bonus, +2 flat-footed) Init: +8 Grapple: +10/ +20 w/S-STR Saves: 3 + 5 + 6 = 14 pp TOU +7 (+4 Con, +3 Protection, +7/+0 Impervious) FORT +7 (+4 Con, +3) REF +5 (+0 Dex, +5) WILL +5 (-1 Wis, +6) Skills: 6pp = 24r Intimidate 9 (+12) Language 3(American ASL, English, Igneous, Sub-Terran(native)) Notice 6 (+5) Sense Motive 6 (+5) Feats: 10pp Attack Specialization (Unarmed) 1 Dodge Focus 3 Improved Initiative 2 Luck Power Attack Second Chance (Intimidate checks) Uncanny Dodge (tactile) Powers: 1 + 1 + 7 + 5 + 7 + 3 + 2 + 2 + 17 = 45 pp Burrowing 1 (1MPH) [1PP] (Earth/Rock) Environmental Control 2 (10ft radius, Light, Flaws: Range [Touch]) [1PP] (Fire/Heat) Immunity 7 (All Suffocation, Hot, High-Pressure, Radioactive Environments, Disease, Poison) [7pp] (Earth/Rock) Immunity 10 (Fire Damage, Heat Damage; Flaws: Half-Effect) [5PP] (Earth/Rock) Impervious Toughness 7 [7 pp] (Earth/Rock) Protection 3 [3 pp] (Earth/Rock) Regeneration 4 (Bruised 3 [No Action], Resurrection 1 [1 Week]; Power Feats: Regrowth; Flaws: Source [stone]) [2PP] (Earth/Rock) Super-Senses 2 (Tremorsense) [2pp] (Earth/Rock) Mantle Array 7 (14PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 3)[17PP] BP: Blast 6 (Feats: Accurate, Precise) [14PP]( Fire/Heat) AP: Damage 7 (Extras: Area [Cone]) [14PP] (Fire/Heat) AP: Damage 2(Extras: Penetrating 2, Feats: Mighty [DMG7]) [5/14PP] (Earth/Rock/Slashing) + Super-Movement 3 (Wall-Crawling 3) [6/14PP] (Claws/Slashing) + Enhanced Burrowing 2 (to Burrowing 3(5MPH); Extras: Penetrating 1) [3/14PP] (Earth/Rock/Slashing) AP: Super-Strength 10 (+50, 70 (+effective STR; Flaws: Duration [Sustained]; Feats: Groundstrike [50ft radius], Shockwave [50ft max range, DC20 TOU]) [7PP] (Earth/Rock) + Leaping 7 (x250 jump distance (3,750ft long-run/1875ft long-stand/937ft vertical) (Earth/Rock) Drawback: -4 pp Disability (Cannot Speak) (Very Common, Moderate) [-4] Vulnerable (Cold) (Common, Major(x2 DMG rank)) [-4 pp] Cost: abilities 20 + combat 18 + saves 14 + skills 6 + feats 10 + powers 45 - drawback 8 = 105/111PP

Mo Player Name: Exaccus Character Name: Morris "Mo' Locke" Power Level: 7 (105/105PP) Trade-Offs: -3 Damage / +3 Attack; -2 Toughness / +2 Defence Unspent Power Points: 0 In Brief: Telepathic Morlock, dispatched to the surface on an impossible quest. Alternate Identity: MorahnsuIdentity: SecretBirthplace: SubteraniaOccupation: Private DetectiveAffiliations: Subterrania, Lord Quake, Emerald City, Family: Description:Age: 36Apparent Age: 30's Gender: Male (CIS)Ethnicity: Psionic MorlockHeight: 6'5"Weight: 140lbsEyes: BlackHair: Grey Appearance Tall and slender with sharp angular features and neat but sharp teeth, Morahnu Is considered to be of average appeal in so far as mating requirements go, lacking the bulk of of his elder brother and the sleek beauty of his younger sister he is in every manner of the word average by morlock standards Power Descriptions: What stands out about morahnu most is his gift with mind speech or telepathy as the surface dwellers call it, though he is of middling strength he has an uncanny cunning for applications of the gift, there are very few subtle indications of his powers being in use other than strange behaviour of his targets and changes of facial expression when he concentrates. History: Born the middle child of a Noble clan in morlock society was the only thing that had saved Morahnu from a life as a tunnelling thrall, for he had inherited his ancestors talents in mind speech in spades and whilst his brother learned the art of subterranean warfare and his sister the ways of statecraft and leadership he was largely left to his own devices studying and practising his gifts in whatever way he saw fit. His early life was one of quiet self reflection and isolation from his would be peers and siblings for it was believed that emotional connections weakened mind-speakers abilities to influence others and as his sole desirable trait his family did everything in their power and understanding to cultivate it, both so that he might marry and produce stronger still offspring and to increase their own standing in morlock society. For his own part, he cared extremely little for his cultures strange traditions and the socio-political manuverings of the upper eschelons of the clan and instead preferred to delve into the depths of his own subconscious in search of unparalleled insight of ever greater understanding of the universe and his place within it. This all changed when the clan foolishly opted to ignore Lord Quakes Decree and engage in open warfare over some desolate swath of arable or defensible tunnel and it was demanded that they surrender a member of their house to serve as an agent of the stone throne that he was promptly and unanimously submitted by the majority families outside his own for their own machinations. Personality & Motivation Morahnu is quiet, introverted and prone to long periods of silence and answering questions with questions, he dislikes physical confrontation and would much rather simply compel the weak minded amongst the surface dwellers criminals to surrender themselves without struggle, he is for the most part largely uninterested in returning to subterrania and the seemingly impossible mission he's been given suits him just fine as a form of exile. He greatly enjoys thinking critically and solving problems with his brain, though this is not his sole motivations he is more likely to take cases that interest him than ones that feel too straight forward or petty for him. Powers Tactics When facing Surface criminals Morrison Locke will favor picking off the weaker minds amongst them, forcing them to subdual, surrender or even turn upon their erstwhile allies when faced with sufficiently large numbers, though particularly powerful metahumans he works on damage control, trusting his partner and allies to deal with minds too strong or alien for him to effect. He only resorts to using his not inconsiderable physical strength when faced with aggressive but weak enemies once he has enthralled one amongst them Complications Agent of the Stone Throne Morris "Mo" Locke Is a Morlock, sent on a quest by Lord quake, ruler of subterrania and wanted criminal on the surface world, either of these facts alone with engender mistrust if discovered, both would be catastrophic. The Mo' you know. Morris Locke is a real person in so far as the documentation goes, one with a history, family and all the documentation that goes with and has through his work as a private detective built up quite a social structure around himself complete with friends and colleagues in the ECPD and shadier parts of Emerald city, needless to say it is very important that he keeps some of these things seperate from others, the ECPD would not think kindly on some of his less than legal connections and in turn many of the minor crooks that hold a grudge against the heroes he's helped or even Lord Quake himself would react poorly to seeing one of his agents working against them with their enemies. Blinded By the Light. Though he has become somewhat more adapted to the light of the sun he remains a creature of the deep dark places within the earth and sufficiently bright lights such as flood or search spotlights are still capable of overwhelming him and dazzling or in extreme cases stunning him, even particularly bright days will give him a headache without taking proper precautions. Abilities:: 8 + 4 + 6 + 0 + 4 + 4 = 26pp STR: +4 (18), DEX: +2 (14) CON: +3 (16) INT: +0 (10) WIS: +2 (14), CHA: +2 (14) Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex) Combat;12 + 8 = 20PP Attack: +6 (+6 Base Attack) -Ranged: +6 -Melee: +6 Defense +8 (+4 Base Defense +4 Dodge focus) -Flat footed: +2 Grapple: +10 (+4 Strength +6 Base Attack) Saves: 4 + 5 + 6 = 15pp Tough: +3/+6 (+3 Con +3 Undercover Vest) Fortitude: +7 (+3 Con + 4) Reflex: +7 (+2 Dex + 5) Will: +8 (+2 Wis + 6) Skills: 14PP = 56 Ranks Bluff 4 (+6), Diplomacy 4 (+6), Disable Device 4 (+4), Disguise 8 (+10), Gather Information 2 (+4), Intimidate 4 (+6), Investigate 4 (+4), Knowledge (current events) 4 (+4), Knowledge (streetwise) 4 (+4), Language 2 (Base: Subterran, English, Korean), Notice 4 (+6), Sense Motive 4 (+6), Stealth 8 (+10) Feats: 10PP Attack Specialization 2 (Unarmed Attack), Dodge Focus 4, Hide in Plain Sight, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Uncanny Dodge (Mental) Equipment: 2PP = 10ep Binoculars [1ep] Camera [1ep] Desktop Computer [1ep] Digital Audio Recorder [1ep] Lock Release Gun [1ep] Multi-Tool [1ep] Undercover Vest [4ep] Powers: 2 + 1 + 4 + 11 = 18pp Dark Vision (Super-Senses 2) (darkvision; Biological) [2pp] Super-Senses 1 (danger sense: Mental: Mental BIological) [1pp] Telepathic Communication (Linked; Mental Biological) [4pp] Communication 3 (Linked; sense type: mental 1000' Range) Mind Reading 1 (Linked; DC 11; Extras: Action 2 (free); Flaws: Limited by Language, Limited to Surface Thoughts) Telepathy (Array 5) (default power: mind reading, 10pp array PF: Alternate Power; Mental Biological ) [11pp] BE: Mind Control 7 (Array; DC 17; Extras: Conscious; Flaws: Distracting , Sense-Dependent (Auditory) PFs: Precise, Subtle (subtle)) AE: Mind Reading 8 (Default; DC 18; Extras: Burst Area (40 ft. radius - Targeted), Insidious, Selective Attack; Flaws: Limited to Mind Probe, Range 2 (touch); PFs: Precise, Subtle (subtle)) Totals: Abilities 26 + Skills 14 (56 ranks) + Feats 10 + Equipment 2 + Powers 18 + Combat 20 + Saves 15 + Drawbacks 0 = 105 DC Block Name Range Effect Save Unarmed Touch Damage DC 19 Toughness (Staged) Mind Reading 40ft burst Mind Probe DC 18 Will save (staged) Mind Control Perception (sense dependant: Auditory) Mind Control DC 17 Will Save

OOC for this thread, Levity and Sha'ir deal with sky ghosts. @Sailor @olopi

GM July 30th, 2017, 12.12PM Nolan Airfields, Emerald City @olopi @Sailor Nolan Aerospace's proud and elite cadre of pilots, trained in the rigors of modern search, rescue and survival techniques, were assembled on the airfield for a very abrupt mission. Also in attendance was a smaller team of marginally less-fit people, almost all with glasses and pale skin from a decade or so indoors. "Okay, team, this is the situation!" Carrie Ping had to yell to be heard over the spectral howling that rang in the air. With one hand busy holding her coat's neon orange hood down, she used the one with the tablet to point at the scene right above their heads. An enormous, pulsating cloud of neon green, violet and orange swam and writhed a hundred thousand feet in the air, wrapped and skulming over the chassis of an immobile passenger jet. Sometimes the forms that burst from the cloud, or coalesced within its depths, looked almost human. Like people screaming and struggling to escape. But they always collapsed back into the great morass. The shadows it cast across the Emerald Cities Valley weaved with colour to create some truly unsettling sights. "We have no idea what that is, or what it's doing! ASTRO Labs and Archetech claim it's some kind of partial tear in our dimensional fabric, but even that much isn't for sure! All we know is it burst out of nowhere, grabbed the plane and started screaming!" "J-C Base dispatched some recon craft, but they couldn't even get into the cloud! Archetech has called Citizen, but he won't be here for hours, something's going on over in 'Jersey! Your job is to try and get to the plane, free it if possible!" The screams rose to a howling shriek, like the inner wall of a cyclone. For a moment everyone there had to cover their ears and wait for the rattling in their skulls to stop. "If not-! Sweet Sidda, my ears...if not, evacuate everyone you can! Techs, WestRock probably already told you, but you're needed in case the plane's systems are damaged, and all of it runs on WestRock software!" With a semi-free hand, Carrie pointed to Anne, Jaime and Hakim. "You three! You get to take point! The rest will follow your lead! Jaime, is the Peregrine prepped and ready?" "'Course she is, boss! No thanks to the pilot!" The red-haired woman who'd answered grinned easily and looked thoroughly relaxed, despite the bizarre situation. Putting an arm around Anne's shoulder she squeezed against her "Just my luck I love a sleepyhead!" "That's great!" Carrie gave a thoroughly unenthusiastic thumbs-up "Go with peace, people! We'll be praying for your safe return! Please, please, please do not do anything stupid to try and be heroes!" She gave a sharp wave to encompass the group as a whole "Dismissed! Everyone to your stations! Good luck!"

Preserver Stones & virdian Stones Fragmented remnants of efforts to crystallize raw energy, these relics of Preserver science have lain buried under the Atlas Mountains for millennia, only recently becoming unearthed and exploited. History The Star Stone, power source of the mighty Citadel, its master, the artificial being called Mentor and the famous Star Knights. The Nightstone, gateway to the Schattenwelt and conduit of yet darker secrets, long lost on Zultas and recently come to Earth. The Moonstone, core of Farside City's society and infrastructure, with unimaginable transformative power. These and more were created by the enigmatic Preservers to sustain and empower their creations throughout the cosmos. But, as with all science, there is no clean line from hypothesis to successful result. A small group of gems, enough for one human to count within their lifetime, were preceded by countless failures that had to be shattered to avert catastrophe. These fragments of searing cosmic power could have been dumped into some black hole, but the Preservers had different ideas. Most of these shards had exhibited a loose kind of intelligence, a compatibility and drive to connect with other forms of life. On Earth their experiments in uplifting new intelligences were just beginning to bear fruit and they had already noticed a faint glimmer of what might be psionic potential. The tribes with roughly the strongest strains of this potential were taken to a preserve on the Moon while the Preservers started a little terraforming. Where the Columbia River would one day empty into the Pacific Ocean a mountain range arose, covering a titanic extraterrestrial mineral deposit emitting a subtle psychic pull on humanity. The Preservers then left the deposit be, confident that humans would discover it and be guided further towards a future mirroring the Preservers' own. But all those shards' competing energy impulses slowly warped the shattered, failed cosmic gems. The pull on human minds ebbed to nothing in mere decades. By the time the people who would become the Chinook had moved into the river delta thousands of years ago, their migration had nothing to do with the staggering wealth hidden in the harsh and game-poor mountains. For millennia the Preservers' gambit mutated and fused, until something totally new simmered beneath Mt. Stanley and Mt. Forge as the young volcanoes hurled fire and ash into the sky. One eruption sent a rich vein of viridian scattering over the globe. It's only recently that the so-called viridian Stones have started to come out of the ground and directly into human hands, starting with the 1840's gold rush where the mania swept all the way to tiny Fort Emerald. Though the Atlas Range turned out to have a startlingly rich supply of gold, silver and precious stones, it put Fort Emerald on the map when Viridian Stones were discovered. Their composition by then had bonded with terrestrial chemistry, the lustre and quality of these "Atlas Emeralds" raising many eyebrows. However their still-latent bond to living things made it hard for people to sell or trade them, feeling an irrational attachment to the gems and little urge to find more. That and the trouble and expense of shipping said riches out of isolated Fort Emerald helped slowly kill the mining industry in what shortly became the first Emerald City, though viridian stones have recently undergone a renaissance thanks to a dedicated tourism and heritage marketing campaign focused on the rugged frontier days of the 1800's. In the 1860's Emerald City's one and only brush with the American Civil War occurred when Confederate agents stole stocks of precious metals, gemstones and cash from the Red River Diamond Exchange, including a shipment of viridian stones meant for Freedom, New Jersey. In the modern day viridian stones are usually found in centuries-old heirlooms, chic handmade jewelry, arranged into street art sculptures, or as components in secret supertech labs scattered throughout the Emerald Cities. In the Sub-Terran Chasm(other upcoming Guidebook entry) created by the dimensional reshaping which resulted in the Atlas Range, viridian stones are the universal currency among the Igneous and Magmin kingdoms, as well as the basis for the new technology of the Morlock coalition. They have no psychic impression on non-humans, so the stones trade monsters' hands with ease. What they are A viridian stone is in some ways analogous to one of its greater cousins, a nigh-limitless and effectively infinitely-malleable power source accessible to both technology and organic beings. The chief difference is focus and scale. A viridian stone isn't capable of the same stunning feats as, for instance, the Star Stone, but it is also much less overwhelming and manageable. Physically the viridian stones are, in natural state, raw minerals found nowhere else on Earth. They are smooth and faintly warm to the touch, with obvious jagged breaks where they were shattered and partially-reformed in Earth's volcanic furnace. Polishing and shaping them is easy even for unskilled persons, and a common hobby around the Columbia river delta, revealing an inner light. What they do viridian stones enhance and strengthen existing attributes of the beings they bond to and who bond to them. It makes insightful people more empathetic, the strong-willed are even more unshakable, if superhumans get their hands on them they discover new things about their powers. Some of them are similar to daka crystals and can transmit and store energy in an incredible variety of forms, a quality being investigated by ASTRO Labs. Some people who bond with viridian have their latent powers awakened. But usually the stones cannot spark "real" powers in isolation, most being far too weak. There is a loose correlation between the colour of the Stone and the trait it strengthens, though that varies drastically thanks to humans normally only capable of seeing in the visible light spectrum. Roughly, the most common colours are: RED: Red viridian stones strengthen inner resolve, focusing existing drives and making it easier to push through fears or distractions. Stronger bonds can make one all but impervious to outside influences but at a cost. Some become obsessively fixed on something that used to be a mild interest, given to enormous mood swings or driven at a goal to the point of irrationality. Mechanically speaking, they usually affect Will saves and Will effects along with Concentration checks. ORANGE: Orange viridian stones increase one's attention to detail, to how things work. Most commonly this makes their people better in social situations or in understanding technology, but culture, physics and other areas of academia open up as well. As the bond strengthens innovations and new angles come more naturally and a viridian bearer can get an accurate read on a mark or comprehend alien power systems with a mere glance. The problem is how it tends to push people toward determinism or fatalism, restricting their potential unless the bearer has a powerful will and sense of self. Bearers of orange stones also run the risk of megalomania thanks to seeing around the veil that blinds the world. Mechanically it effects Craft, Knowledge, Notice and Sense Motive checks, gives bonuses to Assessment, Artificing and Invention rolls and can give access to the Analytical(Normal Visual) or Detect Weakness Super-Sense. YELLOW: Stones of this color attract and hold the attention of other beings on its bearer, giving them an imposing and magnetic presence. Bonding with a yellow viridian stone lends itself well to natural commanders or shyer types who hate being talked over. Bearing this stone runs the risk of autocratic tendencies, loss of empathy and otherwise having trouble being a follower and not a leader. Mechanically, it can give bonuses to Intimidate checks, Daze, Fascinate and Startle rolls and enhancement to Emotion-Control: Fear and Mind-Control rolls. GREEN: Verdant viridian stones deepen ones understanding of their own and others' wellbeing and mental and physical state. Closer bonds with the stone even allow bearers to tangibly affect the health of other beings at a fundamental level, and improve their own phsyical capabilities. Stronger ties to greenstones can weaken the sense of humanity as bodies and minds become more under the bearer's control, either aloof and inhuman or savage and bestial. Mechanically they can give bonuses to base Attributes. Handle Animal, Knowledge(Behavioural Sciences/Life Sciences), Medicine and Sense Motive checks and enhance powers with a Constitution or Fort check. BLUE: The most common colour are the sky-blue stones. These tie minds together with thin threads, enhancing empathetic and persuasive traits, artistic skills and deception. Stronger bonds with the stone can turn a merely eloquent speaker into a spellbinder, evoke hope in the depths of utter despair, give insights into the depths of another's thoughts and feelings and radically alter other's perception of the bearer. Mechanically, they give bonuses to Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Perform, Sense Motive and Sleight of Hand skills, at higher levels they add to the bonuses from Aid actions, Distract, Inspires and Fascinate rolls, Mind-Reading, Mind-Control and Morph(increasing the DC on checks to Notice) rolls. INDIGO: The deeper blue expands perception. Bonding with an indigo stone grants eyes eagles would envy, or the skill to feel the tug and ebb of gravitons, the gift of never failing to know where anything you have touched is. Mechanically, indigo stones can give bonuses to Notice, Search, Sense Motive, Survival, Tracking, gain access to the Blind-Fight and Uncanny Dodge Feats, add a bonus to rolls on Perception range effects VIOLET: BLACK: WHITE:

Here we go again with a group of three.

Emerald City, United States Saturday, May 27, 2017 Afternoon The sun beat down on Emerald City, reflecting off the Albian River in all shades of navy and cobalt and sapphire. It was the first wave of spring on the West Coast and the city was enjoying it. Families were playing out in Magic Hill Park or Elysian Forest. The campuses of Arcadia College and ECU were crowded with coeds studying or playing on the grass. The streets of Southern Shore were crowded with people enjoying the bright day. Tona Baudin reclined in a chair outside a coffee shop, tight trousers and a tee giving her the chance to show off her definition. It wasn't just because she enjoyed the warmth as much as anyone and enjoyed showing off the results of her exercise. She finally had a chance to show off Emerald City to her girlfriend; Sam wasn't around nearly as much as Tona wished she was, but now that she was here Tona intended to make up for lost time. "It's called Ghost Sightings," Tona said, frowning as she hunted for something on her phone, "but it's not all about ghosts. It's about a lot of stuff happening around town, like fishermen down the coast turning up monster-sized lobster shells or a rash of disappearances among the homeless. It's a really fun read and a good source of information. I just wish I could find the damn site on my phone..."

I'm looking for a couple of Emerald City PCs in the 8-10 range to help Blue Jay deal with a new crime wave in Emerald City. Magic will be involved. Any takers?

GM May 1st, Monday, 2017, 12.45AM Emerald City, Washington, United States, Fort Brewer Naval Base, Sub-level 2, briefing room "This is the only visual we have on your target, uh...Ms. Masterson" Admiral Henry "Hank" Finley was a fit, imposing man at 6'8", with his close-cut greying hair and constant frown softened little by a short spadehead beard. He also clearly had little experience dealing with superhumans. The darkened room he and the other, conspicuously silent, officers were gathered in had enough Cold War atmosphere to choke somebody from the bright and clear Forties. The lights were dimmed to help accentuate the ten-foot-wide picture humming softly in the air. With a slight cough and a swipe of his fingers, the projected image of a distant, misty lump of grey on a time-stamped horizon sharpened and jumped into focus. Hovering above the conference room table, the picture resolved into an island. An island with towering cliffs for shores, great tangles of hanging greenery and a liberal sprinkling of palm trees. "As you can guess, there's nothing like this on any of our charts. Satellite has nothing, even got Argus down here last weekend to scan. Nada." The Old Man of Fort Brewer folded his arms and looked down into the enigma that had brought Mary Masterson, the Torpedo Lass of World War 2, to far-off Emerald City, Washington. "Sent some scouts out, they got to the spot and swear up and down the thing just vanished. But I noticed something." "The sub crew I dispatched along with the other boats, they say it vanished just a little after the others lost track. Could mean nothing, but," Finley turned to Torpedo Lass, a gleam of cunning in his dark eyes "got me thinking somebody who can go faster than anything we've ever built and do it under the surface might stand a chance of clearing this up." "What we're asking is strictly recon, understand. Just get there, take a look around, come back and give us what you get. We give that to Citizen and he takes care of anything dangerous." the admiral shook his head resolutely, and his tone became one Mary was all too familiar with. "I'm not inclined to risk your safety, miss, no matter how bulletproof they tell me you are. I've got kids older than you." May 2nd, Tuesday, 2017, 8.45PM Liverpool, England, A very nice side-street The hero Dr. Deoxy had needs any human had. Being at the center of artistic life and on the crest of the glittering wave of imagination, for one. So strolling from one dazzling get-together had seemed like a good idea at the time. Just a little shortcut and he'd be back in the circle of greats... Dr. Nathaniel Anderson only knew he was being followed when he felt the sudden shock of lightning, fell spasming to the ground and heard somebody whisper "You. Have been. Thunderstruck!" There was a giddy giggle as the darkness closed comfortably around Nathan's head "Nothing? Aw geez, overjuiced..." A squalid room somewhere The darkness slid away to reveal a room that had once been stark and harrowing. A massive, altar-like table occupied the centre, letting the eye of the Sun in to bathe Nathan in cosmic fire. The rest was gloomy and indistinct, though clearly vast and of the Modernist school. Vines and tree roots reached in through the roof, turning the yellow light a gentle emerald. Other vegetation scrawled across the walls and floor. Somewhere birds chattered and sang. Of more immediate importance was the fact that Dr. Anderson was pinned to the stony bed by some invisible force, preventing movement of any kind. And he wasn't alone. Somewhere close, and getting closer, was the clopping sound of clumsy booted feet making their way towards him...

@olopi OOC thread for this thread. Sha'ir meets some great new friends and gets into wacky vampire shenanigans!

GM March 31st, Friday, 2017, 9.40PM 2150 Hanamaru St, Riverfront district, Emerald City, Oregon, USA Stumbling into the gentle, even glow of Emerald City's streetlights, the prey stopped to catch their breath. The unseasonally warm air, a sign of the impending catastrophe, burned in their frail lungs. The cotton suit was splashed with mud and the leather office shoes were soaked through from running through puddles. The hair that had been curled that afternoon, silky black, reminding the hunter of a smiling, care-worn face above a cradle, hung in tangles. They weren't moving, just slumped, huddled against a staff of the elegant spire of light. The hunter did not dare enter the cursed, white pool. In the southern Emerald their night-time lights caught the Sun's fury and made the streets a Hell of silent fire. But the hunter had other means, greater than any other beast's claws, venom or sinew. With easy grace a human-llike shape swept from the low roof to the alley below. "Come out of the light. Come to me." All it had to do was not turn around- It did. Its eyes met those of the vampire. They were dead before the fangs sank into their neck. April 1st, Saturday, that afternoon Hakim Naifeh could count on a few small blessings in life. Foremost was the nigh-inevitability of having Saturdays off at Westrock. The office was at a convenient location(though really, given the needs of young people in tech, most offices were someplace convenient) with easy access to food and places to relax, but it wasn't the same as taking your own pace where you wanted to be. Today that place was the Library. Since last winter super-activity had exploded, the Emerald City Originals were rapidly becoming a point of tremendous city pride and Sha'ir had been coming into more and more situations needing creative mystic solutions. Which meant time spent poring over the electic collection in his private extradimensional space. But today, from the moment he had stepped into the close, musty air and glanced around the bookshelves twisting and reaching in every direction, something had been off. The first sign was the arch. It had never been there before, a pile of loose leaves arranged haphazardly into a square archway, leading into other, unfamiliar ranks of shelves and cramped desks. These books were arranged, organized with a meticulous hand. They were also mostly in languages that Hakim had never even seen, let alone knew. Harsh runes, cuneiform-like symbols, flowing script that looked like ocean waves. The second were the voices. Coming from down the narrow hallway, arguing over something. A crisp English alto was holding firm, but a bass from the Deep South was tenacious. The books and carpet muffled all sound, but it seemed like just moving a little further would reveal these intruders...

So here's the idea: A series of attacks have been occurring in Emerald City and CoVic where victims have been found cold and drained of blood. Most of them remain dead, but some rise again within a few hours and attack anyone they can get their hands on. I'm looking for two PC's preferably around PL 10 to join in and stop this menace!