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Stesha had a problem. Actually, Stesha had a lot of problems, some of which would work themselves out with time, some of which she would have to entrust to other people, and some of which she would deal with herself. But at the moment she had two problems she didn't know what to do with, and there was really only one solution. She needed a lawyer. It wasn't as though Stesha had never used a lawyer before. She'd gone to one of the League's attorneys just a few months ago to help her with the messy and unpleasant business that was even the simplest and most drama-free of divorces. She'd tried to do it herself, but had needed the help when it turned out that the court had problems figuring out jurisdiction when neither of the involved parties made their primary home on the planet. The briskly efficient League attorney had done some kind of legal wizardry involving domicile and precedent and degrees of contact, and it had all worked out in the end, but she kind of never wanted to see that lawyer again, friendly and professional though he'd been. She needed another lawyer. A little asking around in the hero community netted her a good possibility. Lucy Harker was not exactly an average lawyer, being a superhero on the side, but she had her own office on the West End and was open for business. Stesha hoped that, being a superhero and all, she'd be flexible enough to help deal with her two unusual problems, or at least point her in the right direction. She called and made an appointment for Fleur de Joie, then set herself to gathering documents. Lots of documents.

March 20, 2015 It wasn't that Erik Espadas was expecting trouble, not really, but he subscribed to the idea that it paid to be the one carrying the biggest stick. Or to be friends with the people carrying the biggest sticks, anyway. When they'd worked out the rough schedule for Min's pregnancy nobody had been particularly surprised to find her due date landed on the vernal equinox. After the unexpected 'visit' by his extended family in the House of Swords for the birth of his first daughter, though, a whole different sort of planning had seemed in order this time around, just to be safe. Stesha had offered to host them on Sanctuary, of course, but even with one or two super-powered healers on hand the idea of being in a whole different reality from the closest modern hospital made Erik a little nervous. If he were being completely honest with himself there was also the fact that he wanted his second child to be born in Freedom City's West End just as he had. If was their home and he wasn't about to let anyone chase them out. That said, even if they weren't going to an earth goddess, the earth goddess could still come to them. A good section of the first floor of the Espadas School of Self-Defense and Swordsmanship (!) was covered in toys where Stesha was keeping watch over Eden and Amaryllis laughing and playing, chatting amiably with Gina. Nearby Mara and Liz were engaged in an animated discussion of tweaks and improvements to the building's security over a folding table covered in computer equipment including a laptop displaying Vince's neon-green suit wearing avatar. They'd sent Chris out to get food mostly because it seemed like the only way to keep him from standing watch on the top of the building in full costume while Steve had insisted on standing guard, gargoyle like, outside of the second floor apartment where Ellie was making her sister-in-law comfortable. Yolanda had taken up a position across from Steve, solemnly following the taciturn bald man's example. It was, all told, a small army of love and support. Not that that stopped Erik himself from pacing back and forth with nervous energy, his gaze jumping back and forth between the stairs, the clock and Eden, hands clasped behind his back.

Stesha's House, Sanctuary December 26, 2014 12:30pm Local Time Between the late hour of the Communion's attack on the Lighthouse, the time the fight had taken, the cleanup, the debriefings, and a quick power nap, it was well into the day after Christmas before Gabriel had a chance to head to his second home. He'd debated coming immediately after the debrief, but he needed a shower, and when he got to his apartment he ended up sleeping for a fair bit of time. The up side was that not only did he come out of it more rested...Stesha would hopefully have had time to calm down. He'd missed all the "drama"; he'd been in the medbay getting patched up and looked over for his collection of minor wounds. There had been a metahuman healer present, so he shouldn't get any scars. From this fight, anyways. No way to ditch the other scars at this point, not without actual surgery, and he didn't care enough about that. But as soon as he'd walked into the debriefing and seen Dark Star in his energy form, a complete absence of Fleur de Joie, and the incredibly awkward atmosphere in the room as the meeting started, the young Irish man knew something bad had gone down. It turns out, no one else knew many details, either. So that is how he found himself, dressed in civilian garb, with a thermos in one hand and a bottle of Bailey's in the other, knocking on Stesha's front door and deciding if it would be blasphemy to curse being the most gifted diplomat on the planet when your ability had been granted by an Archangel. Even if it would be it was starting to look mighty tempting.

The battle was finally over, even if the damage would take weeks or months to clean up. Stesha didn't know if some parts of the Lighthouse were even repairable, but at the moment she couldn't bring herself to give a damn. She'd heard that the outer system fighting was over as well, and the skirmishes on Earth were just mop-up operations at this point, but it was all rumors until she met up with the rest of the extended League for debriefing. Her mind was numb right now, concentrated on the mundane chore of dissolving the large tangles of vines and roots that marked her battles along the corridors of the space station. As she approached one of the less-mangled docking bays, she heard voices, friendly human voices. "And then I swooped in from behind and drilled their nacelles with a laser beam!" Max Atom enthused, sketching his story in three dimensions with his hands as he entered the corridor. Behind him Johnny Rocket and Captain Thunder listened with patient amusement, occasionally chipping in details. There were a half-dozen heroes spilling into the corridor, a good chunk of the contingent who'd fought the outer-system battle, heading for the command deck where there'd be food, showers, and the League meeting. "And then one of those antibody ships started to buzz me," Max continued, "but Dark Star was right there and just pancaked it, like it was made of paper!" Stesha froze at the sound of the name, seconds before the man himself came into view around the corner from the bay. He looked exactly as she remembered of course, a velvet-black hole in the world, edged with just a faint trace of white light in the shape of a man and two glowing-white eyes set in the featureless face. "Derrick," she murmured.

The Southern Queen was somewhat ideally situated (near 76th & Wading), or so thought one Maybelle McQueen. Though technically in the North End of Downtown Freedom, it was just as close to Parkside and Lantern Hill. Meaning even people from the West End or Midtown came in sometimes. But, mostly it was the college crowd mixed with the odd person who actually lived in the North End. The people who ate there more than once swore by it. The food wasn’t of any particularly style. In fact, the menu itself was more of a list of suggestions than a hard list. The Head Chef was known to produce virtually any dish on request, provided the Queen (or the customer) had the ingredients on hand. That said, the menu itself was full of generic fare. The kind of thing you could find in almost any home kitchen in America. There wasn’t a drop of fussiness or fancification about it. It was the dinner rush, but Maybelle was prepared. Honestly, the cooking was finished for everyone currently seated. So, she was doing her “pretend to be a waitress†thing. Most of her customers had no idea what the Head Chef looked like, or even what her name was. Not that either thing was a secret, but really, how many people going out to eat really care about that sort of thing? The Queen was the draw, not Maybelle herself, and she liked that just fine. She wandered around the dining room, quietly making sure everyone was currently satisfied with their meals. Like every night, there were some dissatisfied customers. Can’t please everyone, after all. But that was all right. Maybelle smiled and smoothed things over. The staff swooped in. The problem got solved. A normal, everyday night.

December 5, 2014 2:00 pm Village of Mayberry, Sanctuary There was a light dusting of snow on the ground of Sanctuary as the visitors popped out of the hickory tree-shaped dimensional portal their host had conjured up for them, but the weather this afternoon was clear and cold. The place where they'd arrived looked like the edge of a large garden, with rows of berry bushes still fruiting nearby, and nut trees clearly ready for harvest all around them. Stesha was waiting for them as they stepped out, her cheeks pink despite the puffy brown fleece jacket with matching knit hat and mittens she was wearing. It looked a little like a cold weather version of her costume, if one squinted just right. "Hi guys!" she greeted them cheerfully. "It's so good to see you, feels like it's been forever! Ammy, come say hello!" There was a rustling behind a nearby tree, whose branches parted to allow Amaryllis to come rushing through them without so much as slowing down. She was bundled up like her mother, except all in pinks and purples, and her hat was askew on her green curls. "Hi!" she chirped, finally slowing down just before she plowed into Erik. "Merry Christmas!"

The Lighthouse November 10, 2014 The transportation platform of the Lighthouse flashed, as an incoming transport arrived from Earth. Velocity materialized on the platform, fully dressed in her costume, although she was still feeling the lingering effects of sleep. The alert that had come over her League communicator had awoken her well before her alarm was set for. But she had wasted little time in getting up and responding, getting over to Freedom Hall and then beaming up to the Lighthouse. Standing near the pad, awaiting her arrival was the cloaked form of Dr. Metropolis. "Good morning Velocity." The enigmatic figure stated in his deep, rumbling voice. "The others have already started to gather in the main meeting room." "Morning, Doctor." Velocity stated with a small smile. "Thanks. I'll get right over there, but first will want to make a small stop for some coffee." The speedster was then off in a blur of yellow, heading towards the space station's galley. A few moments later, she had coffee mug filed with the hot liquid and then made her way to the main meeting room. As Dr. Metropolis had indicated, there were already some League members gathered. Captain Thunder was there, looking a bit tired and worn and seated at the center seat of the large table that was at the center of the meeting room. Johnny Rocket was also sitting along one side of the table, doing his best to patiently wait for everyone to arrive. Standing off to one side were Daedalus and Star Knight talking. Maria had her helmet off at the moment, and looked rather upset. "Good morning Velocity." Captain Thunder said in greeting. "Please have a seat, hopefully the others will not be too long."

November 1, 2014 Sanctuary It was midnight and the bees were SCREAMING. Comrade Frost, as awake as ever, was sitting outside in a small clearing, looking up at the so-bright stars overhead and thinking of the past. It had been a strange week, particularly since it had begun with Fleur de Joie approaching him and asking for help. Thousands of domestic animals had been brought to her adopted homeworld by the recent refugees from Entropy; thousands of unvaccinated animals in primitive conditions without access to 21st century medicine. There were veterenarians in Freedom City, it was true, but none with his experience, none with his training, and none with the willingness to drop everything to travel to another world to conduct perhaps the fastest rinderpest vaccination campaign in history. In the last few days, he'd been calling on the skills of Dimitri Peshkov far more than Comrade Frost, among these people who had no idea there had ever been a Russia. So he sat beneath the half-Moon and sipped a hot drink, and thought about the past. When he turned around and saw the earth-walled barn behind him and heard the snoring of the cattle, when he looked further to see the ramshackle dwellings in which the farmers hereabouts lived, it was like he'd stepped back in time. To another place, another life. Then the bees started screaming. Frost jumped to his feet, his drink set aside, and watched for a moment in shock as gigantic cries erupted through the half-grown forest - and a moment later the sound of fiery eruptions and the glow of red and orange stood out on the smoky clouds that dotted the sky above. "Pizdets!" he swore as a gigantic insect body, lit from the fires below, swooped up again and then straight down as if dive-bombing something. Without hesitating, he left aside the past and erupted forward into the forest, a cloud of icy mist racing towards the apian creatures and their distress.

Okay, IC thread is up I am going to say that Velocity is listed as available to be called for any alerts, though she is off in England. Of course, that hardly means it will take her long to get back to FC and where she needs to go. I will leave it to Electra and Fox to determine where Fleur and Gaian/Tiamat are, although, might be helpful if both were off in Sanctuary, so it would not take long for Fleur to dimension portal them all back to Earth Prime. Totally up to you two.

GM Freedom Hall, City Center Freedom City, New Jersey Wednesday August 6, 2014; 5: 35 PM The late afternoon was a rather typical weekday in Freedom City, although the rush hour traffic was a touch lighter than normal, as vacations had helped cut back on the numbers of office workers starting their way home after a long day. The heat of the day was passed, but the air was still heavy with the humidity so common at this time of the summer. In the heart of the City Center, just a few blocks west of Centennial Circle, traffic made its way slowly past the slightly pyramid shaped form of Freedom Hall. Set off from the sidewalk and behind a seven foot walls, the headquarters of the Freedom League was a familiar sight to those that lived and worked in this part of the city, to the point that most hardly noted it as they made their way past. Today found the interior of Freedom Hall more deserted than typical. Of course, "Cynthia," the League's robotic receptionist, was present in the lobby, as was always the case. The only other two occupants were in very different parts of the building. Comrade Frost was up on the rooftop landing pad of the building, lying back in a deck chair with a sun tanning reflector, enjoying the last bit of sunshine before the sun passed too far to the west. Gabriel was in the Hall's monitor room, keeping an eye on the mostly quiet communications while he worked on the lesson plan for the class he would be teaching in the fall. However, his concentration was interrupted as a voice came over the AEGIS/US Government frequency. "This is Major Ellis, United States Army, with a priority alert. We are in need of the League's assistance, please respond."

Wading Way, Freedom City, New Jersey Friday, November 1, 2013 10:04 AM The Wading Way was best known for the towering office buildings that dominated the Freedom City skyline, the most easily recognizable being the three towers of Pyramid Plaza, but even it had a few small greenspaces wedged in among the business that dominated the area. While miniscule compared to Liberty Park, the Promenade or even Riverside Park, they still had plenty of trees, bushes and other plants to provide a discrete location for Stesha Lumins (more widely known as Fleur de Joie) to make a discrete appearance. One of Stesha's teammates on the Freedom League, Megan Howell (better known as Velocity) had called yesterday asking to meet with the greenhaired woman at Megan's apartment in this part of town. That building stood just across the street from the park Stesha arrived at, rising up over forty stories into the air. Megan's was up on the thirty seventh floor. It had been several months ago that Megan had come to visit Stesha at her home in Sanctuary, to talk about Megan's recent encounter with a former lover (a man named Robert Harrow) and learning that she might someday have a son with Robert who would have powers that allowed him to seemingly destroy entire timelines. In large part based on some of Stesha's advice, Megan had renewed her relationship with Robert, and had Stesha had gotten a number of reports about how well things seemed to be going over the intervening months. There had been an incident in early June where pieces of some sort of prototype to the Stopwatch that Robert had wielded during the earlier encounter in February that had led to Megan learning about their future son. But Megan had been able to handle gathering the fragments of that prototype Stopwatch with the assistance of an android named Hronos that had powers allowing it to control time, as well as Robert and a female archeologist/adventurer named Heather Steed. Since that incident, everything Stesha had heard from Megan seemed to suggest that things were continuing to go well. Early in October, the younger woman had even indicated that she and Robert were investing together in a property on an island in Fiji. In fact, Stesha had not seen Megan in well over a week, as Megan had gone to spend some time with Robert at their new home on the South Pacific island. But then Megan had called yesterday, stating she needed some advice and to talk, though the young speedster had not provided much else in the way of details.

Feel free to ask for any information you think should reasonably be part of their briefings and make and Knowledge or Gather Information checks you'd like now, before they head out.

Freedom Hall Monday, September 30th, 10:23 AM For all its international presence the Freedom League could sometimes be viewed as American ambassadors in questions of law and often more importantly public perception. Questions of jurisdiction became very muddled very quickly in the wide and wild world of superhuman powers, brightly coloured costumes and brass tacks politicking. When it came to the Igneous, a thriving subterranean civilization with settlements and tunnels far, far below the surface of much of North America and north-eastern Asia, the question of borders turned suddenly difficult. Thus it was that a team of Leaguers, including their resident Russian liaison, had been requested for a joint mission with the representatives of the nationally funded Canadian super team True North to respond to a reportedly tense and escalating situation deep within the section of the Rocky Mountains that crossed the 49th parallel. Besides Comrade Frost, who had had some dealings with the underground culture when the Kola Superdeep Borehole had found a little more than it had expected in the 1970s, the geokinetic Gaian Knight had been a natural choice, along with the famously diplomatic Fleur de Joie. The team gathered about a conference table littered with briefings on the area's geography, past encounters with the Igneous and the members of True North they'd be meeting with, familiarizing themselves with all of them before departing.

For rolls and such! Feel free to make whatever Knowledge, Gather Information or Sense Motive checks seem appropriate.

April 1, 2013 In downtown Freedom City, the shops about the base of Pyramid Plaza bustled with customers looking to make up for the day prior's holiday. The spring weather meant lighter jackets than the receding winter chill had necessitated but the light cloud cover kept the breeze cool as shopping bags were juggled and grumpy children coming down from an excess of cheap chocolate added to the general din of the street. That noise was abruptly overshadowed by a booming rumble in the skies above, the clouds directly over top the towering Plaza darkening into storm clouds without warning. Another peal of thunder sounded almost immediately, lightning flashing amidst the slate coloured sky, red-tinged and angry. A city all too familiar with the malicious exploits of Dr. Stratos and similar villains glanced upward warily, the more cautious among the shoppers already looking for the shelter of overhangs or awnings. Even they were surprised, however, when a streak of blindingly crimson lightning speared downward and struck the middle of the street, sending bits of pulverized pavement flying outward. There was just enough time for panicked screams to register as vehicles were abandoned and pedestrians fled backward from the manhole cover sized crater before another bolt struck the same spot, accompanied by another boom of thunder. The next bolt came more quickly, then another even sooner after, building to a column of white hot fury searing a red after-image into the vision of those brave or foolish enough to still be watching. Just as suddenly the barrage from on high stopped, nearby shopfronts still vibrating from the reverberating thunder. At the center of the cracked street and the circle of hastily vacated cars stood a young man looking inquisitively about with piercing grey eyes. Appearing no more than seventeen, he had a slim, well defined build amply displayed by his lack of shirt and a skirt of overlapping white cloth bordered with red. Simple sandals adorned his feet while ornate gold armlets stood out against flawless skin bronzed from the sun and thick dreadlocks of deep red hair. Black markings framing his eyes completed the look of someone who had just stepped out an Ancient Egypt exhibit at the nearby Hunter Museum. Placing his hands on his hips, the figure offered the stunned crowd a broad, self-assured grin. "Hail, mortal realm!" he greeted them resoundingly, a note of laughter in his voice as he threw his arms up into the air. "Tis good to be back!"

Player Name: Electra Character Name: Fleur de Joie Power Level: 15 (244/250) [262] Trade-Offs: -5 Attack / +5 Damage, -5 Defense / +5 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 6 In Brief: A plant-controlling heroine who is rehabbing a planet and single-parenting a toddler in her spare time, Fleur de Joie believes in the power of networking to get the job done right. Alternate Identity: Stesha (Madison) Lumins Identity: Secret, but not well-kept Birthplace: Evanston, Illinois Occupation: A florist by profession, currently busy with planetary rehabilitation, parenthood and hero work. Affiliations: Sanctuary, Freedom League Auxiliary Family: Derrick Lumins (Dark Star): husband, Amaryllis Lumins: daughter, b. 06/03/11. Father: Paul Madison, Mother Annie (Lispzyanka) Madison, Sisters: Grace (b 1975), Chloe (1987), Brothers: Basil (1978), Jasha (1980), David (1983) Description: Age: 27 (DoB: May 1, 1985) Apparent Age: 27 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5'3 Weight: 160lbs Eyes: Blue Hair: Green, thigh-length, kept up in braids and crowned with flowers Under normal circumstances, Stesha is about the most harmless-looking person you're ever going to see in your lifetime. Small in stature, with a soft-edged, curvy body and an open, guileless face, she's the person most likely to be ignored or overlooked in a fight. Her most distinctive feature is her extraordinarily long green hair, which she generally keeps in intricate braids pinned close to her head, and accented with a plaited ring of live flowers. In her civilian life, she favors blue jeans and sweatshirts or t-shirts, depending on the weather, with soft makeup whenever she can manage the time. Her costume is a loose green tunic and matching slacks, brown boots and gloves, a belt with many pouches, and a brown cowl-coat that buttons to the bottom of her rib cage in front and hangs to her calves in back. Power Descriptions: All Stesha's powers are of the magic descriptor, and can also be affected by anything that affects plants. History: Stesha's childhood wasn't idyllic, but it was reasonably close. She grew up in Evanston, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago and the home of Northwestern University, where her father was a professor of botany. Her mother was also an avid gardener, as well as a complementary medicine practitioner and midwife, so growing up, Stesha had plenty of exposure to the science any mysteries of plants. With five siblings, she also had plenty of company and competition in every walk of life. All those brothers and sisters meant someone was always around to share the work or the blame, to tell a secret to or take on an adventure. Most of the time she enjoyed her big family, but as she grew up, the problem of dating when one has three overprotective brothers became increasingly annoying. An avid learner, Stesha followed in her father's footsteps and studied plant biology at Northwestern. She enjoyed biology and did well, but soon discovered that her passion was elsewhere. Science was great, but she preferred the magic of a gorgeous flower in full bloom to the colorless data extracted from a crushed and dissected plant specimen. She got her degree in biology, but her minor was in art, and as soon as she graduated, she decided to become a florist. She was able to get an apprenticeship at a highly-regarded shop in Chicago, and discovered a knack for it that she'd never had for lab work. Before long, she was caught up in the life of her community, providing flowers for celebrations and consolations, gifts and gardens, parties and patios. It was very rewarding! She'd been working at the shop for about a year when a shipment arrived that would change her life. Called the Fleur de Joie blossom, the rare specimen was said to bloom only once ever hundred years, and then only for a matter of hours or days. In order to fully capture the event, Stesha and her coworkers set up round-the-clock watch to be on hand for the opening. When it did finally open, very late one night, Stesha happened to be standing right in front of it. The blossom heaved, then released a cloud of shimmering pollen, all over her! She choked and passed out, and when she woke, she felt... different. When her hair began turning green days later, it sealed the deal. The plant had given her powers, and she wanted to know what to do with them! After some cautious experimentation in Chicago, she decided that the best thing to do would be to move to Freedom City, where she could become a real superhero. It didn't take more than a few days in Freedom City for Stesha to realize she was in way over her head. Her powers were useful and fun, but they didn't take her very far if she got into trouble. Luckily, she started making friends almost immediately. With allies like Phantom and Divine, she didn't feel nearly so vulnerable in her hero work, and gradually became braver and more skilled. Divine also introduced her to a friend of hers named Dark Star, who in civilian life was a shy, gawkily handsome man named Derrick Lumins. Stesha and Derrick hit it off right away, an affection that quickly deepened into love. Stesha knew that Dark Star was a cosmic hero who did a lot of his work off Earth, but in those early days he took pains to be around as often as possible, and she convinced herself it wouldn't be a problem. Practice and training broadened Stesha's skills, and eventually she discovered the ability to reach other dimensions through the plant life common to each. While training with Phantom, she came across an Earth that was blasted and dead, obviously from some kind of war decades ago. She thought it looked like a great place to get away from Earth Prime and practice all the plant-growing techniques that just didn't work in the middle of a city. She christened it Sanctuary and made it her home-away-from home. It wasn't long before a situation arose where her nemesis, Beekeeper II, unleashed a swarm of giant bees on the population, then got himself promptly thrown into jail. Once pacified, the bees had nowhere to go, so Stesha took them in on Sanctuary, creating a meadow full of giant flowers for them and asking her friend Gaian Knight to build them a hive of earth to live in. Later on, she discovered a small group of human survivors on the planet as well, and began working with her friend and neighbor Gabriel to give them a better quality of life in a village on her reclaimed land. As the number of inhabitants grew, the Sanctuary project began to take up more and more of her time. Back on Earth Prime, things were busy for her as well. She and Derrick were engaged to be married, but a series of emergencies in deep space kept him off planet for months, to the point where she called off the engagement. He returned with promises that he wanted to be close to Earth and close to her, and the wedding was back on. A rather surprising result of their reconciliation was Stesha's pregnancy, but it was a good surprise for the most part. Stesha wanted children ,and when Derrick finished freaking out, he seemed very excited too. His missions off-planet continued calling him away, though, and his nights on Earth were few and far between. After calling off the wedding once, Stesha was too embarrassed to walk it back again, plus there was a baby to consider now, so despite some misgivings, everything went ahead. It was a lovely wedding and Derrick managed to attend, which was quite a relief. Stesha was surprised and honored to be tapped for membership in the Freedom League Auxiliary, along with her friends Ace Danger, Freedom Angel and Dr. Archeville. She had to dial back her participation in dangerous missions for awhile, but luckily she wasn't the sort to be mixing it up in combat anyway. Her participation in the League, as well as her ongoing project to beautify Freedom City's parks and bolster the spirits of the new heroes who could often be found patrolling there, were ties that kept her very active on Earth Prime, but eventually she moved her main residence to Sanctuary. She built herself a home of leaves and plants, with help from some friends on the fine work that couldn't be done with the local flora. It gave her space, peace and quiet, and most importantly a second bedroom for a nursery. Derrick's presence had decreased from "sporadic" to "all but nonexistent," but they still kept in touch by phone, at least. The work he was doing was very important, and she tried to be understanding. Stesha was haunted by a brief trip to the future she'd taken during a Freedom City timestorm, when a Derrick from a thousand years in the future wept to see her and told her he was sorry for what was going to happen between them. Futures are mutable things, but it didn't bode well. Stesha's daughter Amaryllis was born in June, 2011, after a memorable final encounter with Beekeeper II. Ammy had green hair and a sunny disposition like her mother, and despite Derrick's continuing near-absence, Stesha's many friends meant that she rarely lacked for a helping hand or a babysitter. Sanctuary continued to grow by leaps and bounds, and Stesha settled into a comfortable routine in both her worlds, content if not entirely all the way happy. Personality & Motivation: Stesha is a very sociable person with an optimistic outlook and a generalized desire to make the world a better place. She enjoys meeting new people and making friends, and takes particular pleasure in befriending and mentoring brand new heroes. She takes her many responsibilities seriously and works very hard taking care of them all, but she also tries to take time for fun and relaxation whenever possible. Although she makes herself available as a sounding board for others, she is reticent to discuss her own concerns, and is much more comfortable hiding her personal problems than sharing them with anyone but her closest friends. Powers & Tactics: A plant-controller through and through, all Fleur's powers involve the manipulation of greenery. Oftentimes she'll start out by throwing a handful of seeds wherever she wants to work, then growing them instantly into mature plants she can use. Her powers are often subtle and indirect; she is a fan of keeping a villain distracted with words while a vine creeps up behind them. Her first impulse is generally diplomacy, a fight avoided is a fight won in her book. If diplomacy doesn't work, she typically moves to attempting to clear the field with her snares and dimensional pocket. Despite her subdued fighting style, she can definitely put on a heck of a show when she wants to. In her element or on her planet Sanctuary, her displays of power can be awesome and landscape-changing as she raises forests in seconds or turns acres of scrub into piles of mulch with a wave of her hand. When she was pregnant with Amaryllis, she began forming fairy rings of flowers and mushrooms wherever she stood or sat, even indoors, but that has tapered off, much to her relief. Complications: I Need You, Baby: There are a lot of people counting on Stesha for their very survival. First and foremost is her little girl Amaryllis, who is still a toddler and wholly dependent on her mother. The giant bees also count on her to provide the giant flowers that are their primary sustenance, and the humans in their village need her healing powers and plant magic to help them survive and grow their small population. Getting away from it all is not really an option Caught in a Bad Romance: Stesha loves her husband Derrick, but he is literally never around anymore. This fact can be depressing and distracting, especially when she is reminded of it by seeing other happy couples. With Flowers in Her Hair: Stesha's long green hair is actually alive, and an important component of her powers. The last six inches or so are dead cells and can be cautiously trimmed, but anything above that is part of her body and will cause pain and damage if cut. If too much of her hair is damaged or lost, she will not be able to use her immunities to food and sleep, nor will she be able to regenerate her health. Where Everybody Knows Your Name: Stesha technically has a secret identity, but it's a very poorly kept secret. There isn't much she can do to hide her highly distinctive coiffure, and she's not great at maintaining an air of mystery. She doesn't always even need to be in uniform for people on the street to know who she is, one more reason she spends a lot of her downtime on Sanctuary. Let Them Not Pass Like Weeds Away: A naturally compassionate person, Stesha's first inclination is to safeguard all life, even of people who are trying to kill her. It is also very hard for her to accept that sometimes you can't save everyone. What You Give is What You Get Returned: Stesha is friends with many, many, many superheroes, and she knows that if she's in trouble, she can call on them for help. On the flip side, if one of them calls her for help, she will do anything she can to assist. She's also a member of the Freedom League Auxiliary, which carries a whole other set of responsibilities that she strives to live up to. But there are only so many hours in the day! Abilities: 0 + 0 + 14 + 4 + 4 + 10 = 32PP STR: 10 (+0) DEX: 10 (+0) CON: 24 (+7) INT: 14 (+2) WIS: 14 (+2) CHA: 20 (+5) Combat: 16 + 16 = 32PP Attack: +8 (+10 Flower Power) Defense: +10 (+2 Dodge Focus, +4 Flat-Footed) Initiative: +8 Grapple: +8, +28 w/Move Object Knockback: -10/-3 Saving Throws: 3 + 10 + 8 = 21PP Toughness: +20/+7 (+7 Con, +13 Protection) Fortitude: +10 (+7 Con, +3) Reflex: +10 (+0 Dex, +10) Will: +10 (+2 Wis, +8) Skills: 112R = 28PP Bluff 15 (+20) Skill Mastery Concentration 8 (+10) Diplomacy 15 (+20) Skill Mastery Gather Information 16 (+21) Skill Mastery Knowledge (Life Sciences) 8 (+10) Skill Mastery Medicine 8 (+10) Skill Mastery Notice 13 (+15) Skill Mastery Profession (Florist) 3 (+5) Skill Mastery Sense Motive 13 (+15) Skill Mastery Stealth 5 (+5) Survival 8 (+10) Feats: 28PP Accurate Attack Benefit (Freedom League Member) Connected Dodge Focus 2 Equipment 10 Improved Initiative 2 Inspire 5 Interpose Luck 2 Skill Mastery 2 (Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Info, Knowledge (Life Sciences), Medicine, Notice, Profession (Florist), Sense Motive) Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Well-Informed Equipment 10PP = 50EP Headquarters: 47EP Size: Planetary (18EP), Toughness: +20 (3) Features: Animal Pens, Computer, Defense System 3 [blast 15 [bEES], Snare 15 (entangling vines), Stun 15 (stun flowers)], Gym, Holding Cells, Infirmary, Isolated, Living Quarters, Personnel, Pool, Power System, Sealed, Self Repairing, Think Tank, Workshops Powers: ESP (3), Impervious Toughness (1), Super Senses (1) ESP 9 (visual and auditory; Extras: Duration [Continuous], Simultaneous; PFs: Rapidx10, Subtle) Impervious Toughness 15 (Active/Sustained) [15PP] Super-Senses 1 (Communications Link w/ Fleur) Masterwork Commlink: [1EP] Masterwork Flashlight: [1EP] Masterwork PDA: [1EP] Powers: 2 + 63 + 3 + 3 + 14 + 2 + 6 = 92PP Feature 2 (Distinguish Seeds By Touch Instantly, Instantly Make Flowerpots) [2PP] Flower Power Array 24 (48 pp, PFs: Accurate, Alternate Powers 14) [63PP] BE: Snare 20 (entangling vines, PFs: Indirect 3, Obscures Senses 3 [Visual + Audio], Reversible, Subtle) {48/48} AP: Create Object 15 (plant shapes, Extras: Duration [Continous/Lasting], PFs: Precise, Selective, Subtle) {48/48} AP: Dimensional Pocket 5 (inside Flora, Extras: Duration 3 [Continuous/Lasting], Range [Ranged], Feats: Indirect 3, Progression [Cargo] 10 [1,000 tons], Subtle) {44/48} AP: Damage 13 (Extras: Linked +0, [Drain], Range 2 [Perception], Flaw: Limited 2 [plants]) {13/13} + Drain Toughness 13 (Extras: Affects Objects +1 Linked +0, [Damage], Range 2 [Perception], Flaw: Limited 2 [plants]) {26/26} (PFs: Incurable, Precise, Reversible, Split Attack, Subtle) {13+26+5=44/48} AP: ESP 8 (Flora's gaze, Visual + Audio Senses, 2,000 miles ["Same Continent"], Extras: Duration [sustained], No Conduit, Simultaneous, Flaws: Action [standard], Feats: Dimensional 3 [Any Dimension], Subtle) {44/48} AP: Healing 13 (medicinal plants, Extras: Action [standard], Total, Flaws: Distracting, Feats: Persistent, Regrowth, Stabilize) {42/48} AP: Healing 13 (plantsboon, Extras: Area [Targeted, Burst, 65ft radius], Range 2 [Perception], Total, Flaws: Distracting, Limited 2 [Plants], Feats: Persistent, Regrowth, Stabilize) {42/48} AP: Move Object 20 (mobile vines, Effective STR 100, Heavy Load: 12288 tons) (PFs: Indirect 3, Subtle) {44/48} AP: Nullify 10 (photosynthetic mastery, All "Air" Powers, Extras: Area [General, Burst], Effortless, Selective, Flaws: Range [Touch], Feats: Progression [Area] 3 [500ft radius], Subtle) {44/48} AP: Snare 15 (nature's grasp, Extras: Area [General, Shapeable], Selective, Flaw: Distracting) {45/48} AP: Stun 20 (stunflower, Extra: Range [Ranged], Flaw: Action [Full], PFs: (Indirect 3, Sedation, Subtle, Variable Descriptor 1 [any plant]) {46/48} AP: Super-Movement 3 (plant dooors, Dimensional Movement 3 [Any Dimension], Extras: Duration 2 [Continuous], Portal 2, Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy, Progression [Portal Size] 5 [250ft x 250ft], Turnabout, Subtle) {28/48} AP: Teleport 9 (plant doors v.2, 900ft per Move Action, 20,000 miles per Full Action ["Anywhere On Earth"], Extras: Accurate, Affects Others, Flaws: Medium [Plants], Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy, Progression [Cargo] 12 [500 tons], Turnabout, Subtle) {44/48} AP: Teleport 9 (plant doors v.3, 900ft per Move Action, 20,000 miles per Full Action ["Anywhere On Earth"], Extras: Accurate, Linked [super-Movement], Flaws: Medium [Plants], Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy, Progression [Cargo] 14 [2,500 tons], Progression [save DC] 5 [DC24]) [40PP] + Super-Movement 2 (Dimensional Movement 1 [To/From Earth-Fleur], Extras], Flaws: Medium (Plants)) [4PP] {40+4/44/48PP] AP: Transform 10 (plant mastery, 1,000 lbs., Extras: Duration [Continuous/Lasting], Feats: Innate, Subtle) {42/48} Immunity 3 (ambrosial, Aging, Disease, Poison) [3PP] Immunity 2 (plant physiology, Critical Hits, Sleep) [3PP] Immunity 1 (photosynthesis, Suffocation [CO2], Extra: Affects Others) [2PP] Protection 13 (lignin skin, PF: Subtle) [14PP] Regeneration 2 [ambrosial, Resurrection 2, 48 hours] [2PP] Regeneration 10 (botanical rejuvenation, Recovery +2 [+9], Recovery Rate: Bruised 3 [No Action], Staggered 1 [20 minutes], Injured 2 [5 minutes], Disabled 2 [1 hour], Flaws: Source [sunlight], Feats: Regrowth) [6PP] 32 + 32 + 21 + 28 + 28 + 93 = 244/250PP ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC15 Toughness (Staged) Damage Dissolve Plants Perception DC23 Fortitude (Staged) Drain Toughness Perception DC28 Toughness (Staged) Damage Entangling Vines Ranged DC30 Reflex (Staged) Entangled/Bound Grow Plants Ranged DC20 Fortitude Transform Magic Flower Ranged DC20 Reflex Dimensional Pocket O2 Burst Ranged/Area DC20 Reflex 1/2 Effect Ranged/Area Contested vs Power Rank/Will Nullify Step Through Plants Touch DC24 Reflex Teleport Stun Flower Ranged DC30 Fortitude (Staged) Dazed/Stunned/Unconscious Vines (Thrown Object) Ranged DC35 Toughness (Staged) Damage

For dice rolling as it pertains to

Tuesday, February 26th 4:18 PM The observation deck at the top of Pyramid Plaza was empty, save for one woman. No one else wanted to be in there right now, except for the people who were paid to be there. Around twenty minutes ago, the young woman had entered the observation deck. There wasn't much odd about here - sweatshirts, jeans, sneakers, short and somewhat untamed hair. She stood before the windows of the deck for about five minutes, not moving. And then she'd started pressing her hands against the glass, and slowly, it had begun to crack. The visitors began to move back when they saw what was happening, while the guards quickly moved forward. They didn't get within ten feet of the girl - she looked at them, and within seconds, they were asleep, passed out on the ground. In two minutes, she was the only person left at the top of the Pyramid. In five, the glass on all sides had cracked, with nothing but air surrounding the frame of the peak. For ten minutes, she stood up there, looking out over the city. Looking out... and waiting. STAR personnel were sweeping over the scene, keeping their rifles trained on the pyramid in case anything happened. The heroes would be arriving soon enough; if nothing went haywire until they arrived, maybe this could end peacefully.

A thread for finding folks with rarely-applied skills. OOC for thread.

January 15 It was not a good day for getting commlink messages in Freedom City. It seemed like every message that came in heralded some new disaster in the city, another hero replaced by a robot double, another fire that needed put out somewhere. In the middle of the parade of messages assailing the communications array of Dragonfly's suit on a day when she was already considerably distracted, one message managed to stand out, for its oddity at least. The message was in text, bald blinking letters that scrolled across the screen of her suit. <> That was one voice who had been silent through the tumult of the day, Miss Americana had been nowhere to be found during all the rescue work, though there had been word of her at Blackstone Prison early in the morning. What followed the message header, though, was no description of danger or location, but rather a long string of scrambled letters and complex equations.

January 15, 2013 Morning West End There's a man in a giant robot suit marching down the street, calling down vengeance on all who have oppose him. Just another day in Freedom City. "Fools!" boomed the voice of the giant automaton, the pilot just visible inside. "Everyone always said old Jerry Craven wasn't ever going to amount to anything, but look at me! I've got a giant warsuit! Now I'm big, and YOU PEOPLE ARE SORRY! AHAHAHA!" He laughed manically and stomped forwards, people fleeing in terror as he made his way from the warehouse that he'd simply walked his way out of, heading in a leisurely fashion towards the sea. His suit was big, towering as tall as the small tenements on either side, and wide enough that he nearly brushed them on both sides as he went. This was a big problem for the neighborhood; one false move in that big suit and the whole thing would come crashing down on the neighborhood!

September 21, 2011 Freedom Hall Under normal circumstances, Freedom Hall might be evacuating through the teleporters rather than through the garden, but then it was only recently that Freedom Hall had gained the services of the famous Fleur de Joie. Lacking the power to journey into space, and having freshly returned from his unsuccessful visit to Heaven, Freedom Angel was focused on the people now, moving through the small crowd of citizens who had been called up as part of the League's emergency evacuation program: there were heroes' families here and dependents, a sampling of survival experts and doctors, anybody who could help set up a camp on an alien world and maintain it long enough for the heroes of Freedom City to save the day. "God is watching everything we do," Freedom Angel assured the small group of families; mostly Navy families from Lonely Point, who were next on the list, "and He watches over us even now. Have no doubt that with His guidance and with the courage and skill of the Freedom League and the other heroes of the world, we will save this planet and everyone on it." "So why do we have to go?" asked a combative-looking girl of about 12, giving the angel a suspicious look. "If everything's going to be okay, why can't I stay with my mom?" Her dad was holding her, hands on her shoulders, but it looked like he had questions for the angel as well, and even as he heard the little fwoop that signaled a successful transfer of the other group, the angel knew he had to say something to satisfy these frightened people. "Because we need your mom to help save the world," replied the angel seriously. "The base at Lonely Point is helping coordinate the League's war with the Gorgon and her creatures in the depths of space. And if your mom knows, and if all your families know," he added, speaking now to the larger group, "they'll be able to concentrate on helping save the world, not just worrying about the ones they love. It's a tough duty," he added. "I know you would rather stay here with the ones you love. But this is a sacrifice we have to make the world that we know and love can be guarded. Sanctuary is a fine, green place," he promised the others as he opened the garden door. "You will love it. Fleur, are we ready for the next group?" he called.

September 20-27, 2011 Fleur, Freedom Angel, Psyche, Phalanx, Dark Star deal with the evacuees to Sanctuary

Dark Star broke away as soon as he could. But there were quite a few briefings to do, well present really. As one of the foremost experts, and he used that term loosely, he'd had to explain what he knew several times over. But as soon as he could, he had something very important to do. He flew through the portal to their home on Sanctuary. Once his senses picked up where she was, he flew directly to her not wasting a moment. Pulling to a stop, he settled to stand before her. He didn't waste time with his normal happy greeting upon seeing her. "Stesha, we have a problem. It seems that the planet eater, Gorgon, is heading in the direction of Earth. 'She' will be there in roughly one month. This is going to be a massive effort amongst the world's heroes but...I needed to tell you. I just left a briefing; first moment I could get away really."