{Mutants & Masterminds} United Heroes Limited Series

Foreward
This superhero story is based on the rules from the Mutants & Masterminds RPG from Green Ronin. I will include game stats when appropriate, so if you don’t know the rules, ignore them. They are for mechanics purposes only.

This is a limited series, meaning there will be only 10 “issues”, or stories. They are all based on a central theme, which will be revealed during the telling of the story.

The action starts in San Francisco, in a world not wholly unlike our own. Super-powered heroes and villains are rare, but most people generally accept that they exist, since they have been filmed and photographed many times. The government even has its own team of superheroes.

But this story is about an underground team known as United Heroes. This is a new group, learning to work together and fight supervillains. Some of the heroes have been around for a while, and some of them are new at it.

Here’s the team roster at the start of the series: Electrostatic, Harpy, Iron Dragon, MorningStar, Pathfinder, The Scoundrel, Seraphim, and Torpedo. I will provide M&M stats for each of these characters upon their first appearance, and I will do so for the villains as well.

ENJOY!

Issue #1 - "Spark"

Scene 1: “The Scoundrel Finds a Clue”

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These are the M&M game statistics for The Scoundrel:

The Scoundrel
True Identity Unknown
150 PP
PL 10; Init +14; Defense 28; Spd 45 Run; ATK +9 Melee (+2S Dam, Punch), +12 Ranged (+7L Dam, Hellfire Pistols); SV Dam +1, Fort +4, Ref +15, Will +1; STR 14, DEX 20, CON 12, INT 12, WIS 12, CHA 14; Hero Points 5.
Skills: Acrobatics +10, Balance +8, Climb +3, Drive +9, Escape Artist +8, Hide +11, Jump +4, Language (English, German, and Tibetan), Listen +2, Medicine +2, Move Silently +11, Open Lock +9, Pilot +8, Search +3, Sense Motive +3, Sleight of Hand +8, Spot +2, and Survival +3.
Feats: Ambidexterity, Attack Focus (Ranged), Dodge, Evasion, Immunity – Aging, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, and Two-Weapon Fighting.
Powers: Amazing Save – Fortitude +3 [Source: Mystical; Cost: 3 PP], Amazing Save – Reflex +3 [Source: Mystical; Cost: 3 PP], Combat Sense +10 [Source: Mystical; Cost: 10 PP], Super-Dexterity +2 [Source: Mystical; Cost: 8 PP], and Super-Speed +3 [Source: Mystical; Cost: 18 PP].
Equipment: Hellfire Pistols (2) [Strike (Ranged – Energy/Fire) +7; Source: Mystical; Cost: 14 PP] and Jade Mask [Blind-Fight and Blind-Sight; Source: Mystical; Cost: 2 PP].
Weakness: Amnesia (Cannot Remember Origin of Powers or Recent Events).
Physical Description: In his hero guise, the Scoundrel appears in a leather trench coat, wearing an Asian-style green facemask, and brandishing two steaming revolvers. Beneath the trench coat, the Scoundrel wears a three-piece suit and a tie. He is of Caucasian origin, and looks to be between 28 and 32 years old. He stands 6’1” and weighs 205 lbs., and has short blond hair and brown eyes.

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Something’s not right, the Scoundrel thought as he entered the dark and (supposedly) empty warehouse. I was supposed to meet Grenwaldt here, but he’s nowhere to be found. That Grendwaldt sure is a slippery – (The Scoundrel attempts a Listen check DC 10 – gets a total of 12) What was that? He decided to check out the noise inside the warehouse. There was a door leading into the office, but the simple lock was no match for the Scoundrel’s lockpicking skills (Open Locks DC 15 – gets a total of 19)

“Man, how much are we getting paid for this again?” asked Louis Ackerman, a low-life thug dressed in a nondescript coat and jeans, and wearing a baseball cap.

“Klimordial said 250 Gs,” answered ‘Red’, the de facto leader of the bunch, “and that’s good enough for me.” Red looked pretty much like Louis and the rest of them, except that he wore red-tinted shades, his trademark. “Now we’ve gotta get this crate outta here. Let’s move!”

Five thugs stood around an eight-foot tall cylindrical object that was inside a crate. The object gave off a faint greenish glow in the semi-darkness. A sixth thug stood near the freight entrance, to act as a lookout in case of trouble. The Scoundrel, hearing this talk, realized that his suspicions were justified. He crept through the office, opened a door, drew his two Hellfire Revolvers, and entered the warehouse proper. (Move Silently check is a total of 15)

(The thugs each get a Listen check against the Scoundrel’s Move Silently roll – and four of them make the 15 or better) “Quiet down!” Red spat as he drew his revolver. “Someone’s in here with us.” The rest of the thugs followed suit, drawing their side arms.

(Group Initiative for the Thugs is 13, while the Scoundrel gets a 21) The thugs spread out from the crate, but not outside of visual range. The light inside the warehouse was dim, and these guys did not have night vision goggles or anything of the sort. The Scoundrel got a general idea of where the thugs are, and he saw the odd glowing cylinder in the center of the warehouse floor. I must get closer to that crate; that has to be what they’re after – but why? (Hide check for the Scoundrel is 21) He crept closer, getting cover behind some tall boxes. The Scoundrel spotted a thug, but the thug did not see him. (Spot check against the Scoundrel’s Hide roll – 11 is not good enough)

“OK guys, the party’s over,” the Scoundrel announced as he rounded the corner, within 20 feet of the nearest thug. Marty, that particular thug, decided to turn and fire. The Scoundrel easily sidestepped the shot. (The Scoundrel’s Defense is 28 – Thug gets a total of 12) He leapt atop a large crate across from Marty (Acrobatics check DC 10 – gets a total of 18) and returned fire, striking the thug just below the shoulder, and taking him down. (Thug’s Defense is 11 – The Scoundrel gets a total of 29; Thug must attempt a Damage save vs. DC 23 – since he's a Minion, he is Disabled)

“Holy crud,” exclaimed Red, seeing the Scoundrel dancing atop the crate. “Get that guy!” The other thugs scrambled into visual range, and fired their revolvers wildly at the Scoundrel, all missing him. (The Scoundrel’s Defense is 28 – Thugs get attack totals of 13, 10, 4, and 17) The thug watching the freight entrance, Reggie, moved in closer, but could not get a shot off immediately.

“Come on now,” the Scoundrel said, amused at the inept thugs, “you might as well put away your popguns before anyone gets hurt.” He tried to run and jump off the crate, hoping to land in front of the cylinder, but got his foot stuck in the crate before he could make the jump. (Acrobatics check DC 15 – rolled a 1, automatic failure!) He struggled to free his foot, and as he did, the thugs took some more shots at him. They got close, but all missed as the Scoundrel was still able to weave and bob to avoid their shots. (The Scoundrel loses his dodge bonuses to Defense for the rest of the round, lowering his Defense to 18 – the Thugs get attack results of 13, 9, 17, 16, and 10)

Freeing his foot, the Scoundrel posed as a diver and jumped off the crate, tumbling toward the glowing object and ending up on his feet, facing the thugs. (Acrobatics check DC 15 – gets a 22) As he landed, the hero fired a shot at Louis, who was the closest thug, striking the thug with a fiery blast to the abdomen, and knocking Louis out. (Thug’s Defense is 11 – The Scoundrel gets an attack result of 30; Thug must attempt a Damage save vs. DC 23 – since he's a Minion, he is disabled) The four remaining thugs fired at the Scoundrel as he rolled toward the object, but they missed. (The Scoundrel’s Defense is 28 – Thugs get attack results of 11, 7, 18, and 19)

Now that he was directly in front of the glowing cylinder, the Scoundrel turned quickly to get a closer look at it. The object was definitely metallic, but the inscription on the side was not in a language he knew. I’ll have to get someone to take a look at this, he thought. The Scoundrel back-flipped on top of the glowing cylinder. (Acrobatics check DC 15 – gets a 21) “If you want this thing, you’re going to have to go through me – and I don’t think you can!”

“Hey man,” Reggie yelped, “Klimordial didn’t say nuthin’ about fightin’ so supers! I’m outta here!” With that, Reggie took off toward the freight entrance. The remaining three thugs were not about to give up, and fired at the Scoundrel, all missing. (The Scoundrel’s Defense is 28 – they get attack results of 14, 17, and 12)

I’ve had enough of these guys. I need answers, the Scoundrel thought. He stood his ground and fire both of his Hellfire Revolvers, one at each thug in front of him, striking each thug and dropping him. (Both Thugs have Defense of 11 – The Scoundrel gets attack results of 14 and 27; both Thugs must make Damage saves against DC 23 – since they are both Minions, they are Disabled)

Red, the only thug left, ducked behind a large box. “Don’t shoot man! I’m running!” he exclaimed as he took off for the door. The Scoundrel, disinterested in further conflict, let Red flee. He jumped down from the crate and gave the glowing object inside another once-over. The Scoundrel still had no clue as to what it might be.

The Scoundrel heard sirens near the freight entrance, and realized that he would not be able to lug the crate out of here by himself, so he made for the office through which he originally entered the warehouse. The cops entered the building through the freight entrance, and had apparently caught Red and Reggie as they had tried to escape. Good work, gentlemen.

There were many questions, but none of them would be answered now. Who was their employer, this Klimordial, and what did he want with this glowing thing?

Watch for Scene 2, coming soon!

Issue #1 - "Spark" (Continued)

Scene 2: "Beneath the Waves"

Atlantis had long been a mystery to the surface-dwellers. Since the time of the ancient Greeks, tales of glory and grandeur, mystery and paradox surrounded this missing continent. Many believed that the Atlanteans had destroyed themselves, or perhaps had offended the Gods and had been punished. Were they too proud, hedonistic, or even blasphemous? The mystery stood for many centuries. The modern world came to believe that Atlantis never had existed at all.

But not too long ago, the world came to realize that the eighth continent did indeed exist. Armies of the mad General Dagon marched onto the shores of the Arabic nations of Oman, Yemen, Qatar, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, and onto the African nations of Somalia, Eritrea, the Sudan, and Egypt. General Dagon announced his presence by declaring war on the surface-dwellers and their resource-wasting ways, and to conquer the lands once imagined to be Atlantis' birthright.

Through the aid of superheroes throughout the world, Dagon was defeated, and it was later revealed that the mad general was not representative of the Atlantean people. In fact, Atlanteans generally liked their surface-dwelling cousins, although mistrust for air-breathers did exist within the sea-dwellers. In time, Atlantis came to be recognized as a member of the United Nations and as the official eighth continent. History books were re-written en masse to reflect the change in shared heritage and history. Since Atlanteans are immortal (they do not age), the sea-dwellers had a wealth of history to share with their land-dwelling neighbors, as well as many new facts about the sea and the creatures living in it.

But those that had been attacked by Dagon's armies were not at all amused. They felt betrayed by the open arms displayed by other nations of the world, and planned revenge on Atlantis, in any way, shape, or form. They felt that another attack was inevitable, that this new threat was something to be feared -- and extinguished if at all possible. Rogue nations who were not among the beneficiaries of this newfound knowledge were swayed to the side of the cautious, and eventually, many saw Atlantis as a threat to world peace.

In Atlantis, Dagon had his own supporters, those who believed the land to be Atlantis' domain, and that the surface-dwellers would survive only at Atlantis' behest. Support for General Dagon grew within the undersea communities, until President Markune had Dagon imprisoned permanently for his actions. Still, many of Dagon's lieutenants and minions roam free, perhaps planning to make another attempt on the surface world...

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A figure dressed in traditional Atlantean battle armor stood in front of a crowd of soldiers in full regalia. The armored man stood atop a modest dais, in a large chamber. They were obviously undersea, as evidenced by fish swimming by the windows and kelp farms seen in the distance.

The figure's armor was much like Medieval-style plate mail armor worn by surface-dwellers more than eight centuries ago. The armor was greenish-blue, and polished to a glowing sheen. The breastplate bore the symbol of House Kirakyn, indicating this man as a warrior, and an officer in the Atlantean military.

The man removed his grand-scale helmet, revealing olive-colored skin, rare among the normally blue-skinned Atlanteans. The Atlantean soldiers stood at attention, keen on every word to be uttered by their lord and master.

[The following dialogue is translated from the Atlantean language.]

“My friends, colleagues, and brothers,” the armored figure began. “Today marks the beginning of something entirely new. For too long have we endured a weak government. They refuse to claim what is rightfully ours. We know that the land-dwellers are fearful of us, and justifably so. They realize that their time has come and gone, and the rise of Atlantis is at hand!"

"But no more," the man in armor continued, "Yes, General Dagon is imprisoned, but his ideals and promises are not!” This sparked a cry of agreement from the gathered crowd. The armored figure smiled, amused at the response.

"What do you want more than anything else?" he asked the crowd. "Freedom, wealth, or love? Of course not! As true Atlanteans, you seek power! You crave it, and it is your birthright, your destiny. Come with me, my friends. I will show you the path to power!"

The crowd of soldiers began chanting "Klimordial! Klimordial!", and the armored figure to whom they referred stood in front of them, basking in the moment, his arms raised to welcome the soldiers' enthusiasm.

In an adjoining chamber cloaked in darkness, a figure stood watching the proceedings. This figure was slight, and dressed in an overcoat and a fedora. Only a wry smile could be seen on the figure's face. So it begins, Atlanteans, he thought. If only your small minds could comprehend the path this will take you down. Puppets, all of them. Made to do my bidding. If only they knew...

The figure turned and walked away with a certain confidence in his step. He made his way to another chamber, and then to a docking bay, where a man-sized mini-sub was waiting for him. He climbed into the sub through an open portal, closed the portal, and started the vehicle through the bay and into the open sea, towards parts unknown.

Watch for Scene 3, coming soon!

This looks cool, looking forward to see where this goes.

Issue #1 - "Spark" (Continued)

Scene 3: "Back at Hadley Manor..."

Note: Several new characters appear in this scene. Their game statistics appear below:

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Harpy
Tabitha Harper
150 PP
PL 10; Init +3; Defense 18; Spd 30 Run; ATK +4 Melee (+0S Dam, Punch), +9 Ranged (+6S Dam (Will), Mental Blast); SV Dam +1, Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +12; STR 10, DEX 16, CON 12, INT 10, WIS 18, CHA 20; Hero Points 6.
Skills: Bluff +13, Concentration +7, Diplomacy +14, Gather Information +8, Intimidate +9, Perform +7, and Sense Motive +13.
Feats: Attack Focus – Mental, Attractive, Dodge, Evasion, Fame, Hero’s Luck, Indomitable Will, Inspire, Iron Will, Leadership, Lightning Reflexes, Power Immunity, Psychic Awareness, Talented (Bluff & Diplomacy), and Talented (Intimidate & Sense Motive).
Powers: Amazing Save – Will +6 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 6 PP], Mental Blast +6 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 18 PP], Mental Protection +4 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 8 PP], Mind Control +10 [Extra: Mind Blank; Flaws: Only Male Humans and Limited – Pheromones; Source: Psionics; Cost: 10 PP], Super-Charisma +2 [Flaw: Only Works on Male Humans; Source: Psionics; Cost: 2 PP], and Telepathy +8 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 16 PP].
Equipment None.
Physical Description: In her hero guise, Harpy wears a very skimpy costume, consisting of a red and white bra-top, a lacy chemise covering on the torso, red and white bikini shorts, oversized thigh-high red and white boots, and red and white gloves that go to the wrist. Since Harpy does not maintain a secret identity, she does not wear a mask (she also doesn’t want to conceal her beauty). Harpy is Caucasian and 20 years old. She has shoulder-length jet-black hair and steely blue eyes. She is 5’11” and weighs 130 lbs.

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Iron Dragon
An Leung Lee
150 PP
PL 10; Init +8; Defense 20; Spd 30 Run; ATK +14 Melee (+14S Dam, Punch or Kick), +13 Ranged (+0S Dam, None); SV Dam +6, Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +4; STR 18, DEX 18, CON 18, INT 12, WIS 14, CHA 10; Hero Points 5.
Skills: Acrobatics +7, Balance +7, Concentration +13, Hide +7, Jump +6, Listen +5, Move Silently +7, Sense Motive +4, and Spot +5.
Feats: Attack Focus – Unarmed, Dodge, Evasion, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Rapid Healing, Rapid Takedown, Skill Focus – Concentration, Takedown Attack, Toughness, and Trance.
Powers: Amazing Save – Reflex +3 [Source: Martial Arts Training; Cost: 3 PP], Corrosion +10 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 10 PP], Mental Protection +4 [Source: Martial Arts Training; Cost: 8 PP], Protection +6 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 12 PP], and Strike (Melee – Kinetic) +10 [Flaw: Requires Concentration Check (DC 20); Source: Martial Arts Training; Cost: 10 PP].
Equipment: None.
Physical Description: In his hero guise, Iron Dragon wears a dark grey bodysuit, with a white headband, no gloves, and no shoes, with a white sash. His mask covers the entire head. On the mask’s forehead, there is a Chinese character, meaning “Strength”. Iron Dragon is of Asian origin, and is 27 years old. He stands 6’1”, weighs 225 lbs., has a shaven head, and brown eyes.

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MorningStar
Sarah Wenders
150 PP
PL 10; Init +6; Defense 20; Spd 30 Run, 40 Fly; ATK +5 Melee (+6L Dam, Fiery Touch), +6 Ranged (+8L Dam, Energy Blast); SV Dam +1, Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +1; STR 12, DEX 15, CON 12, INT 10, WIS 13, CHA 16; Hero Points 6.
Skills: Craft (Visual Arts) +6, Drive +4, Gather Information +5, Hide +4, Knowledge (Art History) +6, Move Silently +4, Profession (Artist) +3, and Spot +3.
Feats: Aerial Combat, Far Shot, Hero’s Luck, Immunity – Energy (Fire), Improved Initiative, Move-By Attack, Point Blank Shot, Power Immunity, and Precise Shot.
Powers: Energy Control – Fire +8 [Includes Energy Blast (Extras: Area and Selective); Extra: Energy Field; Power Stunt: Drain Energy; Source: Psionics (Pyrokinesis); Cost: 42 PP], Flight +8 [Source: Psionics (Telekinesis); Cost: 16 PP], Force Field +10 [Source: Psionics (Telekinesis); Cost: 10 PP], Incorporeal +5 [Cold Attacks Affect MorningStar Normally; Source: Psionics; Cost: 10 PP], and Strike (Melee – Fire) +5L [Source: Psionics (Pyrokinesis); Cost: 10 PP].
Equipment: None.
Weakness: Vulnerable to Cold Attacks.
Physical Description: In her hero guise, MorningStar wears a white form fitting bodysuit, with red and yellow flames on the neckline, gloves, and boots, and a mask that covers most of her face, revealing only her nose and mouth, and the top of the head. She often emits harmless flames that make the costume look more intimidating. MorningStar’s costume has small cutouts in several strategic locations. She is of Caucasian origin, and is 17 years old. She stands 5’6”, weighs 115 lbs., has fire engine red hair, and green eyes.

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Seraphim
No Pseudonym
188 PP
PL 12; Init +2; Defense 21; Spd 30 Run, 60 Fly; ATK +11 Melee (+14S Dam, Sword of Truth), +8 Ranged (+0S Dam, None); SV Dam +6, Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +4; STR 18, DEX 14, CON 18, INT 10, WIS 14, CHA 20; Hero Points 7.
Skills: Acrobatics +7, Balance +9, Concentration +6, Diplomacy +20, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (Religion) +17, Listen +7, Sense Motive +8, and Spot +7.
Feats: Aerial Combat, Attack Focus (Armed), Attractive, Detect (Evil), Great Fortitude, Hero’s Luck, Immunities (Aging, Disease, and Poison), Inspire, Iron Will, Leadership, Move-By Attack, Toughness, and True Sight.
Powers: Comprehend +10 [Flaw: Speech Only; Source: Divine; Cost: 10 PP], Flight +12 [Flaw: Requires Wings; Source: Divine; Cost: 12 PP], Force Field +10 [Source: Divine; Cost: 10 PP], and Healing +10 [Source: Divine; Cost: 30 PP].
Equipment: Crown of Glory +8 [Mental Protection and Super-Charisma; Source: Divine; Cost: 8 PP] and Sword of Truth +10 [Strike and Paralysis (Extra: Triggered – When Seraphim Strikes a Liar or Deceiver; Flaw: Touch Range); Source: Divine; Cost: 20 PP].
Weaknesses: Quirk (Utmost Morals, Cannot Lie, Cheat, Steal, or Murder) and Naïve.
Physical Description: Seraphim looks like a typical angel from the Christian faith, as depicted in various artistic works, such as those found in catholic churches or illuminated manuscripts from the Middle Ages. He wears a flowing white robe, has an ornate golden crown on his head, and carries a longsword that glows with the light of day. Seraphim does not wear a mask or make any attempt to conceal his nature. He stands 6’6” tall and weighs 250 lbs., and he has flowing blond hair and light blue eyes. His skin is very pale.

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Torpedo
Markandorim
151 PP
PL 10; Init +3; Defense 21; Spd 30 Run, 70 Swim; ATK +9 Melee (+8S/L Dam, Punch), +8 Ranged (+2 Special, Suffocate); SV Dam +12, Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +0; STR 16, DEX 16, CON 20, INT 11, WIS 10, CHA 13; Hero Points 5.
Skills: Acrobatics +6, Concentration +5, Hide +6, Jump +9, Language (Atlantean and English), Move Silently +6, Sense Motive +3, and Swim +16.
Feats: Amphibious, Attack Focus (Unarmed), Endurance, Great Fortitude, Immunity – Aging, Immunity – Suffocation, Move-By Attack, Rapid Healing, Skill Focus (Swim), Toughness, Ultra-Hearing, and Underwater Combat.
Powers: Strike (Melee) +5 [Power Stunts: Stun or Lethal Damage; Source: Mystical; Cost: 12 PP], Suffocate +2 [Source: Mystical; Cost: 6 PP], Super-Constitution +5 [Source: Mystical; Cost: 20 PP], and Swimming +8 [Power Stunts: Dolphin Leap and Super-Swimming; Source: Mutation (Enhanced Swimming Abilities); Cost: 20 PP].
Equipment: None.
Physical Description: In his hero guise, Torpedo wears a sea-green form-fitting bodysuit, with blue fin-like ridges along the arms, legs, and back of the costume. The entire outfit is decorated with blue and white waves, running vertically up and down the costume. Torpedo does not wear a mask. He is of Atlantean origin, and appears to be around 30 years of age (human equivalent). He stands 6’3”, weighs 250 lbs., has short, white hair, and black eyes.

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Hadley Manor sits atop the Tiburon cliffs above the north side of San Francisco Bay. The estate, built in 1924, was originally the home of Oliver Hadley, a wealthy real estate magnate in the San Francisco Bay area.

Hadley lost all of his money in the stock market crash of 1929, and Hadley Manor then passed through many hands between the Depression and 1953. In that year, Sir Alexander Marston, a British lord, purchased the estate and lived out his years. Marston made many improvements to the estate, including adding modern amenities to the property.

Upon Marston's death in 1967, the estate was in the hands of a probate court, and eventually fell to Marston's niece, Wilhelmina Burton, in 1970. Ms. Burton, never married, and held onto the property until she was too ill to care for herself and checked into a nursing home.

Hadley Manor laid unoccupied from 1981 until 1995, when a dot-com millionaire, Jacob Aames, purchased the estate. Aames' ownership of the property was short-lived however. When the tech stocks started to plummet in 1999, and the dot-com balloon popped, Aames found himself in bankruptcy, and Hadley Manor once again was on the market.

Pop music sensation Tabitha Harper, aka Harpy, purchased Hadley Manor more than a year ago, and she has just finished decorating it to her liking.

In the meeting chamber, Harpy leaned against a table as the Scoundrel finished telling his story about the thugs he found down by the docks and the strange cylinder they were apparently trying to steal. Dressed in an outfit not entirely unlike her superhero costume, listened only faintly to the Scoundrel, whom she did not particularly care for. Seraphim spoke highly of this Scoundrel character, but Harpy had her suspicions about him. He seems to have an awfully good memory now, she thought, as the Scoundrel continued to give details on the warehouse and the thugs he encountered. So why can't he remember where he's been for 45 years?

"I agree that this is disturbing," Seraphim began, "but I'm not so sure what it means." Seraphim was an angel - no, a real one, like from Heaven. Muscular, tall, and very handsome, Seraphim was seemingly immune to the charms of Harpy or any other human females. He wore a white robe, through which his large white, feathery wings protruded in the back. Most of the time, Seraphim wore a thin, golden crown atop his blond locks, and carried a great longsword, though he had it sheathed at the moment.

"I think we should start with this Klimordial fella," Harpy replied, her Southern accent showing through, despite the years of voice coaching to bury it.

The Scoundrel nodded his head in agreement. He had removed the jade Oriental mask he normally wore when on a mission, and his trench coat was unsashed, revealing his sharp suit and tie underneath. "And this glowing cylinder. It is no doubt in the hands of the police now."

Harpy stopped leaning against the table and stood up, walking to a telecom station in the meeting chamber. "Iron Dragon has the most contacts within the SFPD. Maybe I should get him in here to discuss this." She picked up a mobile phone unit and started dialing.

It was summer, so the estate grounds were lively with people, including the pool and deck near the back side of the main house. Laying on a sun chair was MorningStar, in a red and blue bikini, with sunglasses on. She might have been sleeping except for the slight frown on her face.

"Ugh," she said, apparently to no one, "my powers are such a drag sometimes."

A figure broke the surface of the pool, and leaned against the side with his muscular arms bracing himself. It was the Atlantean hero, Torpedo, and he seemed dismayed at MorningStar's comments. "Why do you insist on trying to burn yourself?" he asked.

MorningStar did not move. "Whatever," she replied with some disdain. "You don't understand much about us, Torpedo. We like to look good, ya know."

Torpedo swam back to the middle of the pool. In a single move, he swam rapidly forward, and then leapt out of the pool and onto the deck near MorningStar, some twenty feet away. The Atlantean was bluish-green, and had tiny fins on his wrists and ankles, and gills above his mouth and on his neck. We wore only a speedo as clothing.

"So you would look better with a sunburn?" he asked.

"It's called a tan, Torp," MorningStar replied, laughing. "And yeah, do you think I look better with pasty white skin, or a nice healthy tan?"

Torpedo considered the question. "I'm not sure I can answer that question, not being accustomed to humans and their preferences. You look fine, be assured."

MorningStar lowered her sunglasses, revealing her green eyes, and seemed a little surprised. Torpedo turned to see what she had seen. Iron Dragon, who had been in the gym building, ran across the open space toward the house. Iron Dragon was always engaging in some kind of exercise, but this was not his normal jog. Something was going on.

Torpedo turned back toward MorningStar. "I believe we'd best go inside and find out what's got him concerned," he suggested.

MorningStar was unimpressed. "They'll call us if they need us," she replied. She turned over to lay on her front, exposing her back side to the sun. "If I could only figure out how to lower my resistance to heat..."

The Atlantean was not interested in hearing the rest of MorningStar's complaint and went inside through a pair of French doors leading to the meeting room.

Inside, Harpy, Seraphim, and the Scoundrel were finishing giving Torpedo and Iron Dragon the basics on the thugs at the dockside warehouse and the strange glowing cylinder.

The Asian martial artist, Iron Dragon, stood patiently, picking apart the story for possible clues. I.D., as the other heroes sometimes called him, was bulky but athletic, and was wearing his exercise outfit, which looked much like the traditional Karate uniform. Before he joined the superhero life, Iron Dragon was a detective for the SFPD, and would still have many contacts within the police force.

"I shall use my police contacts to look into the matter of the cylinder," Iron Dragon announced.

"Agreed," Seraphim replied. "I will use my influence with the policemen to look into the cylinder from perhaps a different angle. We must use all of our available methods to learn what's going on."

"That's a good idea," Harpy commented. "Torpedo, you look concerned."

"I'm sure you don't need your telepathy to determine that," the Atlantean countered. "Yes, I am quite concerned. Klimordial, the name the thieves mentioned, is an Atlantean, and a power-hungry criminal. He once commanded a substantial army, but was imprisoned some years ago."

"Maybe he hired these guys from prison," the Scoundrel suggested. "Guys in the slammer here on the surface world do it, so why not in Atlantis?"

"I suppose that's possible," Torpedo replied. "I'd better go to Atlantis and find out whether Klimordial has escaped, or if anyone has seen him."

"Sounds like a plan," Harpy said.

Torpedo took off immediately for the sea, and onward to Atlantis, while Iron Dragon and Seraphim took their own paths to meet with the police. Harpy and the Scoundrel stayed behind to man the phones, just in case, and to await word from the other members of the team. While they waited, Harpy decided to call in MorningStar, who had still not been able to tan, as well as Pathfinder and Electrostatic, who were off the estate.


Watch for Scene 4, coming soon!

Issue #1 - "Spark" (Continued)

Scene 4: "Torpedo's Surprise"

It's a long swim from San Francisco to Atlantis. With his enhanced swimming ability - he is considered a mutant by Atlantean standards - Torpedo can maintain an average of 16 MPH swimming through the open sea. If he's in a hurry, the Atlantean can reach speeds of more than 500 MPH, but he can't maintain these speeds for very long (an hour, tops).

The undersea continent, much expanded and improved since it went below the surface in 887 BC, is located in the Atlantic Ocean (its namesake), near the Canary Islands. In fact, the Atlanteans have purchased the Canary Islands from Spain and have built a few settlements there, which has facilitated better trade with their surface-dwelling neighbors.

Torpedo passed through the Panama Canal unseen, and then into the Atlantic Ocean. He made his way across the ocean and onto Atlantis. The total trip was less than 21 hours.

He arrived at the undersea continent and quickly traveled toward Valmare, one of the largest Atlantean cities, and the site of the capital. Torpedo was good friends with Governor Wayed, ruler of the Atlantean capital (though the overall ruler of the civilization was King Zar), so Torpedo went directly to the Governor's Palace.

The Atlantean hero entered the palace through the docking bay, normally the province of larger marine vessels. He appeared on the platform adjacent to the docking bay, surprising the guards watching the area.

[The following dialogue is translated from the Atlantean language.]

"Hold there!" the sergeant called out, shouldering his rifle and pointing it toward Torpedo.

(The soldiers each attempt an Int check (DC 15) to recognize Torpedo. One of them makes the roll.)

"Wait, Sergeant," a soldier exclaimed. "That's Torpedo!"

The hero smiled at being recognized. He walked toward the sergeant, who now lowered his firearm.

"Ah yes," the sergeant said. "Torpedo, the hero of the surface people." There was a certain amount of bitterness in the sergeant's tone.

"I am here to see Governor Wayed," Torpedo announced.

"Of course," the sergeant replied. "This way..."

**************************************************

Governor Wayed was quite a distinguished politican, and had been for some time. Since Atlanteans do not age past a point between 20 and 30 chronological years (they call this age-stopping point the Alnacha'iri, or Time of Change), Wayed appeared to be a youthful 21. At the same time, Torpedo appeared to be a little older, perhaps 27 years of age. Yet Governor Wayed was more than 500 years old in chonological years, while Torpedo was only 51.

Dressed casually, the Governor waited for Torpedo in his lounge. When the sergeant told him Torpedo had come to visit, Wayed considered this an honor, since Torpedo was known among his people as a hero, and Wayed had known Torpedo's family for many centuries.

"Good to see you, friend," Governor Wayed said, greeting Torpedo as the visitor entered the lounge, escorted by the sergeant. "I am honored by your presence, Torpedo."

The Atlantean hero bowed his head a bit, then pressed his right hand against his left shoulder, an honorific display reserved for diplomatic situations. Governor Wayed cocked an eyebrow at this.

"I don't have much time, your honor," Torpedo began.

Governor Wayed saw that the sergeant was fidgiting standing next to Torpedo. "You may go, sergeant. I will be quite safe now."

Without a word, the sergeant disappeared from the chamber, leaving Governor Wayed and Torpedo alone.

Torpedo crossed to where Wayed stood. "I have grave news, and perhaps a few questions, if I may."

"Please," Governor Wayed replied. "We can discuss this on the balcony...?" The politician waved his wand to point the way.

************************************************

Torpedo walked to the balcony, and Governor Wayed joined him. The balcony adjoined the lounge, and was normally a place where few visitors came. The governor considered it a personal sanctuary. It was a place of beauty, where one could view the sea through a dome-like window covering three-quarters of the balcony's open area. Since Valmare was an agricultural community, vast kelp farms could be seen in the distance. Schools of various varieties of fish would swim by, giving onlookers a show. On occasion, dolphins, sharks, and even whales might also pay a visit.

(Torpedo must attempt a Spot check (DC 25), which he fails.)

"What troubles you, Torpedo?" the governor asked.

"I must ask you about Klimordial," the hero replied.

Wayed laughed. "Yes, what about him?"

Torpedo wasn't sure what to make of the laugh, so he continued with his questioning. "He is still imprisoned, is that right?"

Governor Wayed slapped Torpedo on the shoulder. "Klimordial is in the Deep Vault in Atlantis City," Wayed replied. "He's not about to go anywhere for a long time. Certainly not while King Zar is in power."

"Hmm..." Torpedo mused. "That is troubling nonetheless. One of my colleagues encountered some thugs on the surface who apparently had been hired by Klimordial. Is there any chance he had go-betweens hire these men?"

A large figure, lurking in the kelp beds near the Governor's Palace, moved in for a closer look. He saw Governor Wayed, his target, talking to someone on the balcony. He would have to get closer to recognize the other person. The figure swam with alacrity and grace closer to the balcony, keeping hidden in the kelp bed.

Torpedo -- the fool who lives among the surface-dwellers. The figure realized that this hero certainly posed him a threat. Assassinating the governor will be no easier with Torpedo around, he thought. He moved in closer and considered his options, including calling his employer for guidance.

(The figure makes a Hide check, getting a total of 15. Torpedo, who is looking in the general direction of the kelp bed, must attempt a Spot check to oppose the Hide check. Torpedo gets a 16 on the check.)

"Get down, Governor," Torpedo called out, pushing Wayed to the balcony floor. The balcony had a half-height wall around it, so the governor would be fully covered while lying prone. Someone is out there, in the kelp beds, he thought. An assassin, perhaps?

The figure rushed forward through the water with superior speed, exceeding even Torpedo's burst speed through water. Torpedo recognized the figure as Barracuda, an Atlantean villain and thorn in Torpedo's side for too long.

(Both parties roll initiative. Barracuda gets a result of 4, Torpedo gets a result of 14, and Governor Wayed gets a result of 5.)

Torpedo braced and tried to protect Governor Wayed, awaiting Barracuda's move. Barracuda easily smashed through the glass dome, and the balcony area flooded with the sea. (Barracuda charged the glass dome, making a melee attack roll against the glass. He gets an attack roll result of 20, easily hitting the glass' Defense of 3. The glass makes a Damage save vs. Barracuda's attack (DC 26), getting a result of 14, not nearly enough to resist the attack.)

Since all Atlanteans are amphibious beings, Governor Wayed was not in immediate danger from the onrush of water. The doors to the balcony automatically slammed shut when the balcony glass was penetrated, sealing off the balcony from the rest of the palace. This security measure was designed to protect the governor, but now, it would keep him from escaping the assassin!

(Torpedo held his action, so now he can go. Since he held an action, he will now act after Barracuda in the round sequence, meaning Governor Wayed is first (5), Barracuda is second (4), and Torpedo last (3).)

Torpedo charged toward his enemy, slamming the villain squarely in the chest. (Torpedo makes an attack roll against Barracuda's Defense of 15. He charges, so this adds a +2 bonus to the attack roll, and he gets a result of 28, striking his opponent. Barracuda must attempt a Damage save (DC 17 - lowered by 6 to reflect Barracuda's armor) to resist the attack. The villain gets a result of 18, just enough to resist the damage.) Torpedo's charge pushed both combatants out of the balcony area into the open sea (and further away from Governor Wayed).

The governor swam toward the doors, and then realized they were sealed and would not open for him, no matter what he might try to get them to open. He realized that he would have to swim around to the docking bay.

"You shall not stop me, Torpedo!" Barracuda exclaimed. "Why don't you go back to your air-breathing friends?"

The villain opened his oversized maw, revealing rows of jagged teeth, and chomped at Torpedo, cutting the hero across the arm. (Barracuda makes an attack roll against Torpedo's Defense of 19 (reduced by his charge action last round), getting a result of 26 - a hit. Torpedo must make a Damage save (DC 26), getting a result of 22, not enough to resist the attack, so Torpedo takes a Lethal hit, and is Injured, meaning he will now have a penalty to Damage saves until healed.) "Too easy, hero!" Barracuda called out.

Torpedo recovered nicely from the villain's bite, and counter-attacked, hoping to give Governor Wayed more time to escape. He threw a punch toward Barracuda's belly, missing badly.(Torpedo makes an attack roll against Barracuda's Defense of 15, getting a result of 12 - a miss!)

Governor Wayed, hindered slightly by his heavy robes, swam as fast as he could around the palace toward the docking bay. (This is in effect a Hide check, so Wayed rolls a result of 14. Barracuda will oppose this with a Spot check, getting a result of 18) Out of the corner of his eye, Barracuda caught a glimpse of Governor Wayed fleeing the area, and decided to end his battle with Torpedo before his real target got away.

"I have had enough of this," Barracuda stated. "Play-time is over!" He gnashed his teeth and bit at Torpedo, hoping to give the hero a fatal wound, or at least one that might slow him down. Barracuda's bite caught Torpedo off-guard, and sliced him good across the chest, sending the hero in a crumpled heap to the ocean floor. (Barracuda makes an attack roll against Torpedo's Defense of 21, getting a result of a natural 20, and a critical, since the adjusted total is well more than Torpedo's Defense. Torpedo must now attempt a Damage save (DC 31), getting a result of 18, which would be a failure. He spends a Hero Point for a re-roll, and the second result is a total of 21, still a failure, and Torpedo takes another Lethal hit and is Stunned for one round.)

Barracuda took too long however to cut off the governor, as Wayed made it to the docking bay just as the villain started toward him. Torpedo was only moderately injured, he thought, and Governor Wayed probably has soldiers inside the docking bay to protect him. Barracuda swam away. The mission may be a failure, he thought, but we'll see how laughs last!

The Atlantean hero, groggy, awoke to see Barracuda speeding away through the water. I can't catch him in my condition, he realized. I'd better go check on Governor Wayed.

************************************************
Here are the game statistics for Barracuda:

Barracuda
150 PP
PL 10; Init +1; Defense 15; Spd 30 Run, 80 Swim, 30 Glide; ATK +12 Melee (+11L Dam, Natural Weapon), +8 Ranged (+0S Dam, None); SV Dam +5, Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1; STR 18, DEX 13, CON 16, INT 8, WIS 13, CHA 10.
Skills: Concentration +4, Intimidate +6, Jump +8, Language (Atlantean and English), Survival +4, and Swim +14.
Feats: Amphibious, Attack Focus – Natural Weapon, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Immunity – Aging, Immunity – Suffocation, Improved Grapple, Improved Pin, Move-By Attack, Power Attack, Takedown Attack, Toughness, and Underwater Combat.
Powers: Flight +6 [Flaw: Limited – Gliding; Source: Super-Science (Cybernetic Glider Wings); Cost: 6 PP], Mind Control +8 [Power Stunt: Mental Link; Flaw: Limited – Sea Creatures Only; Source: Psionics; Cost: 8 PP], Natural Weapon (Bite) +7 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 14 PP], Plant Control +5 [Extra: Plant Sense; Flaw: Limited – Sea Plants Only; Source: Psionics; Cost: 10 PP], and Swimming +10 [Power Stunts: Dolphin Leap and Super-Swimming; Source: Mutation (Enhanced Swimming Ability); Cost: 24 PP].
Equipment: Atlantean Battle Armor [Protection +6; Source: Device; Cost: 6 PP].
Physical Description: In his supervillain guise, Barracuda wears a suit of traditional Atlantean battle armor, without the usual helmet (his head is too big). The armor is sea green, which contracts with his bluish skin. He has a huge jaw, and his mouth is filled with jagged teeth. He has red pupils, and almost always a grimace on his face. Barracuda stands 6’8” and weighs 275 lbs.

**************************************************

Watch for the pivotal Scene 5, coming soon!

Issue #1 - "Spark" (Continued)

Scene 5: "Imminent Danger"

***********************************************
Here are game statistics for the last two members of United Heroes, who appear briefly in this scene:

Electrostatic
150 PP
PL 10; Init +15; Defense 29; Spd 40 Run; ATK +6 Melee (+0S Dam, Punch), +12 Ranged (+10S Dam, Energy Blast); SV Dam +4, Fort +4, Ref +15, Will +1; STR 10, DEX 20, CON 18, INT 10, WIS 12, CHA 10; Hero Points 5.
Skills: Acrobatics +15, Computers +6, Disable Device +3, Drive +12, Language (English and German), Profession (Repairman) +3, Repair +6, and Sense Motive +4.
Feats: Attack Focus – Ranged, Dodge, Evasion, Immunity – Energy (Electricity), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Point Blank Shot, and Precise Shot.
Powers: Amazing Save – Reflex +2 [Source: Mutation (Quickness); Cost: 2 PP], Energy Control - Electricity +10 [Includes Energy Blast (Electrical) +10 (Power Stunt: Penetrating Attack); Extra: Energy Field (Electrical) +10; Power Stunt: Drain Energy (Electrical); Source: Mutation (Electrical Control); Cost: 34 PP], Protection +8 [Source: Mutation (Negative Energy Field); Cost: 16 PP], Super-Dexterity +4 [Source: Mutation (Quickness); Cost: 16 PP], and Super-Speed +2 [Source: Mutation (Quickness); Cost: 12 PP].
Equipment: None.
Weakness: Susceptible (Immersion in Water).
Physical Description: In his hero guise, Electrostatic wears a blue, skin-tight bodysuit with yellow lightning bolts on the chest, emanating from the center, and going out to the arms and legs. The same pattern appears on the back of the costume. The mask covers the eyes and top of the head, revealing only the nose, mouth, and chin. The edges of the mask are jagged, going along with the lightning bolt motif. Electrostatic’s costume features white gloves and boots, and the edges of these are also jagged. Electrostatic is Caucasian, and 17 years old. He stands 5’9” and weighs 160 lbs. When unmasked, his medium-length blond hair and blue eyes are revealed.

***********************************************
Pathfinder
130 PP
PL 8; Init +2; Defense 18; Spd 30 Run; ATK +3 Melee (+6L Dam, Coyote Knife), +5 Ranged (+6L Dam, SuperX Crossbow); SV Dam +2, Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5; STR 10, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 13, WIS 16, CHA 10; Hero Points 4.
Skills: Climb +2, Concentration +5, Hide +4, Jump +2, Listen +19, Move Silently +4, Search +15, Spot +19, Survival +17, and Swim +2.
Feats: Expertise, Improved Disarm, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Scent, Skill Focus (Survival), Talented (Listen and Spot), and Track.
Powers: Mental Protection +5 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 10 PP], Microscopic Vision +2 [Source: Mutation (Enhanced Senses); Cost: 2 PP], Postcognition +6 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 18 PP], Super-Senses +8 [Source: Mutation (Enhanced Senses); Cost: 16 PP], and Telescopic Sense (Vision) +5 [Source: Mutation (Enhanced Senses); Cost: 5 PP].
Equipment: Coyote Knife [Strike (Melee) +6; Source: Mystical; Cost: 6 PP], Magical Breastplate [Protection +6; Source: Mystical; Cost: 6 PP], and SuperX Crossbow [Strike (Ranged) +6; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 6 PP].
Weakness: Quirk (Afraid to Fly).
Physical Description: In his hero guise, Pathfinder wears a traditional Navajo feathered headdress, leather pants, and a magical breastplate composed of eagle bones and feathers. He carries a large magical knife on his hip, as well as a crossbow and quiver of bolts on his back. Pathfinder does not wear a mask, gloves, or boots. He is of Native American origin, and is 31 years old. He stands 5’9”, weighs 170 lbs., has long black hair, and brown eyes.

***********************************************

Seraphim flew from Hadley Manor to downtown San Francisco, a flight which took approximately 12 minutes. He enjoyed the trip because he could look out over San Francisco Bay and also see the beautiful skyline. At night, the view was even more breathtaking.

The angel landed on the rooftop of Police Headquarters, as he often did so as not to attract too much attention to himself. Seraphim had quite a fan base now, but he really didn't have time for well-wishers and autograph hounds right now.

Some policemen spotted Seraphim near the helipad and approached. "Hey there," one of them called out. "What are you doing up here?"

Another policeman, recognized Seraphim. "Don't worry; it's that angel guy. He's on our side."

"Good to see the fine policemen of this city still recognize me," Seraphim replied as he walked closer to them. "I must speak with the Police Chief."

"Uh, OK," one of the policemen replied, and opened the door leading to the top level of Police HQ. "Do you know where his office is located?"

"Indeed," Seraphim replied. "Police Chief Myrtle and I are good friends."

The angel entered the staircase and made his way to the top floor, turned right, and followed the corridor until he saw the name plate "Police Chief John Myrtle" on the door. He knocked, and, upon hearing a beckoning from within, entered.

Chief Myrtle was shocked to see Seraphim in his office. He was unaccustomed to having superheroes walk right into Police HQ, though Seraphim was more welcome than others might have been.

Chief Myrtle stood and shook Seraphim's hand. "Great to see ya, Seraphim!" he said joyously. "It's been, what, a year almost?"

"I believe so," the angel replied. "I trust the family is well?"

"Pretty much so," Myrtle answered. "Molly's back in the hospital. I guess her chemotherapy didn't take."

"I am grieved at your wife's illness," Seraphim replied. "I shall pay her a visit at my next opportunity."

"Hey listen, you're not here to talk about Molly, are ya?" Myrtle asked, his policeman's intuition barking at him.

"I am not. Unfortunately, I must speak to you about some criminal activity going on down by the docks last night."

The chief laughed. "Yeah, which one? I had three or four robberies, a stabbing, a rape. Take yer pick."

Seraphim gave the police chief a concerned stare. "I must ask you about a glowing cylinder and some men you may have captured."

Chief Myrtle sat down. "Please have a seat," he offered to Seraphim. "It's a long story."

*************************************************

An Leung Lee (aka Iron Dragon) met with a good friend of his, a detective named Marty Chun, who worked Chinatown. The two met at an open-air market, and discussed their families and common friends. After a while, Lee was forced to start talking shop.

"I understand you guys found an interesting glowing thing down by the docks last night," he asked.

(This is a Diplomacy check. Detective Chun's attitude is Friendly, but Iron Dragon will need to adjust it to Helpful in order to get any useful information. The DC for the Diplomacy check is 20. Iron Dragon gets a result of 7, not enough to change the Attitude. Iron Dragon spends a Hero Point to re-roll, and this time gets a 20, just enough to succeed.)

"How did you hear about that?" Detective Chun asked coyly. Chun was one of the priviledged few that was aware of Iron Dragon's dual identities. "Your boy Scoundrel was on the scene, but he got away before anyone could question him."

Lee smiled. "I know. He told me about a glowing cylinder. Do you know anything about it?"

"Let me buy you a coffee," Chun replied as they walked up to a coffee shop just on the edge of Chinatown.

The pair entered, ordered coffees, and sat down at a booth. Detective Chun made sure no one was within earshot.

"Look, this has to stay between us, OK?"

"Sure," Lee replied.

"Last night," Detective Chun began, "we took two guys into custody, along with some items inside the warehouse, you know, things that they might have been trying to steal. Our guys contacted the owner of the warehouse, and he went through his records to find out which items belonged to which of his customers. Everything matched up except for this glowing thing."

"I assume you've questioned the robbers," Lee asked.

"Yeah, they called for their lawyers, but they did describe their attacker," Chun responded. "That's how we fingered the Scoundrel as being the guy who foiled the robbery."

"So where is the cylinder now?" Lee asked.

"I guess it's still in property downtown," Detective Chun replied. "Do you have any idea what it might be?"

"Not yet," Lee answered. "That's what I hope to find out."

*************************************************

The ballroom at Hadley Manor was alive with music. A thumping not unlike a heartbeat could be heard even from other rooms within the main house. Inside the ballroom, Harpy smiled as Electrostatic and MorningStar stood about three paces from her, their faces slightly critical. Harpy was clearly ecstatic, but the others were not so enthusiastic.

"So what do you think?" Harpy called out above the din of the music.

MorningStar, who was older than Harpy, was clearly not into this genre of music, but placated the younger girl by listening to her main creative outlet. "This is your new single?" she asked.

"It's great!" remarked Electrostatic, who was obviously smitten with Harpy. Like MorningStar, he was probably too old to listen to this sort of music on a regular basis. Electrostatic made an exception for Harpy, however, in deference to his affection for her.

"Hey, Lectro, can you turn it off?" Harpy asked as she was walking out of the room. "I want to call Torpedo and find out when he's going to be back." With that, she popped open the huge double doors and disappeared into the hallway beyond.

Electrostatic concentrated, raising his arm to eye-level. A crackling sound could be heard in his immediate area, and the stereo went silent. "Better than a remote control," he commented.

"Thank you," MorningStar replied. "That was starting to give me a headache."

Walking toward the meeting room where Pathfinder and the Scoundrel were talking about recent events, Harpy called Torpedo, who was swimming back through the Panama Canal at the time. The Atlantean indicated that he should return to San Francisco by sundown, and relayed what he had learned in Atlantis. Armed with this information, Harpy entered the meeting room.

As usual, Pathfinder was dressed in traditional Navajo garb, which doubled as his superhero costume. He sat across from the Scoundrel, as they both discussed the cylinder and this Klimordial person. Both men noticed Harpy's entrance.

"Good to see you again," Pathfinder stated.

"Hey listen, I just heard from Torp," Harpy said. "He'll back back tonight."

"Great," the Scoundrel replied. "I guess everything went OK in Atlantis?"

"Yes and no," Harpy answered. "He learned that this Klimordial is still imprisoned and they don't think he's been hiring anyone since he's not allowed any visitors. There are still rumors that he escaped. Anyway, Torp got attacked by some guy he thinks might have been trying to go after the governor or something."

"Perhaps Torpedo can give us more details when he arrives," Pathfinder said. "This mystery deepens, I'm afraid."

************************************************

Lee said goodbye to Detective Chun and they went their separate ways. He walked back toward where his car was parked, and on the way considered what was going on. Someone wanted that cylinder, he thought. Or certainly, they wanted to make it seem like that was the target. No one came to claim the cylinder as their property. Very strange. A set-up?

(Iron Dragon attempts a Spot check (DC 15), and gets a result of 23 - a success!)

As he passed an alley, Lee spotted an odd figure down a ways, just out of sight for most passersby. He couldn't let this go, as Lee had learned long ago that any clue might be an important one. He started down the alley, taking care to keep out of sight and tried to keep quiet. (Iron Dragon attempts Hide and Move Silently checks. He gets a 27 for his Hide check and a 17 for his Move Silently check.)

He closed in on the figure, and got behind a dumpster so as to improve his chances at remaining hidden. As he listened, he overheard a conversation between this fellow and other person. (Iron Dragon attempts a Listen check (DC 10) to overhear the conversation, getting a result of 15.)

"How much longer are we going to wait here?" one of the figures asked.

"The man said he'd be here, didn't he?" the other figure replied.

One of the men growled, though it hardly sounded like a man growling, perhaps a beast of some kind instead.

"I don't like waiting for anyone!" the growler complained.

Lee had to get a look at these figures, and to ascertain the threat they might pose. Before he could do that, however, he decided to change into his Iron Dragon costume. It was a simple change of clothing, since his costume did not involve heavy armor plating or large items. (This gives both unseen figures a chance to make a Listen check against Iron Dragon's Move Silently check of 17. The first guy gets a result of 8, so he doesn't hear anything, but the second guy gets a result of 20 - he hears something near the dumpster!)

Both figures closed on Iron Dragon's position as he finished changing into his costume. Just as he pulled on his mask, two figures appeared on the other side of the dumpster: the supervillains Bombardier and Fang, and they were none too pleased to have been discovered!


This ends Issue #1 - "Spark"

Watch for Issue #2 - "Ignition", coming soon!

Housekeeping Note

I went back and re-worded the Scoundrel's fight with the thugs in the warehouse. They can't possibly make a Damage save against his attack (even with a 20 on the die roll), so they are automatically disabled. This is only true with Minions, not with supervillains.

Issue #2 - "Ignition"

Scene 1: "Seraphim to the Rescue"

Note: I apologize for the length of this post

Game Note: One of the villains in this scene, Bombardier, uses a lot of Area Effect attacks. There is a discussion on the Green Ronin boards concerning whether or not the Evasion feat enables you to use your Reflex save against the damage of an Area attack. I am allowing the characters in this scene and for the foreseeable future to do so (use a Reflex save in place of a normal Damage save to resist the damage).

*************************************************
Here are the game statistics for the two supervillains that have a major role in this scene:

Bombardier
151 PP
PL 10; Init +4; Defense 18; Spd 30 Run; ATK +7 Melee (+0S Dam, Punch), +11 Ranged (+8S Dam, Nega-Bomb); SV Dam +2, Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +8; STR 10, DEX 18, CON 15, INT 20, WIS 15, CHA 10.
Skills: Computers +13, Craft (Electronics) +20, Disable Device +19, Listen +12, Open Lock +7, Repair +17, Search +17, Sense Motive +5, and Spot +12.
Feats: Far Shot, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Skill Focus – Craft (Electronics), Talented (Listen & Spot), Talented (Disable Device & Repair), and Throwing Mastery.
Powers: Amazing Save – Willpower +4 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 4 PP], Gadgets +10 [Reflects his Vast Array of Grenade Types on Hand; Extra: All Have Area; Flaw: All are Thrown Weapons (Subject to Thrown Weapon Range Increments); Source: Super-Science; Cost: 10 PP], Mental Protection +6 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 12 PP], and Super-Intelligence +5 [Source: Psionics; Cost: 10 PP].
Equipment: Bombardier Armor [Protection +8 and Super-Senses +5; Power Stunts: Darkvision, Immunity – Energy (Cold, Fire, and Sonic), and Immunity – Suffocation; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 16 PP], Nega-Bomb [Strike – Ranged (Energy – Radiation) +8; Extra: Area; Flaw: Thrown Weapon Range; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 9 PP], Neural Bomb [Paralysis +6; Extra: Area; Flaw: Thrown Weapon Range; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 6 PP], and Smoke Bomb [Obscure – Sight +10; Extra: Double Normal Area (to 100’); Power Stunt: Add Scent; Flaw: Thrown Weapon Range; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 11 PP].
Weakness: Quirk (Refuses to Respect Those Less Powerful than Himself).
Physical Description: In his villain guise, Bombardier wears a suit of protective armor that he designed himself. The dark grey armor is constructed of hard plastic plates, and is form-fitting. Across the chest, Bombardier wears a harness that holds the many grenades that he carries and uses in battle. The armor’s helmet covers his entire head, with only a red visor to reveal the eyes. Bombardier is 6’0”, weighs 180 lbs. (220 lbs. in the armor), has short brown hair, and brown eyes. He is of Caucasian descent, and is 42 years old.

************************************************

Fang
121 PP
PL 8; Init +5; Defense 20; Spd 30 Run, 30 Leap; ATK +11 Melee (+11L Dam, Natural Weapons), +11 Ranged (+0S Dam, None); SV Dam +3, Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +2; STR 16, DEX 18, CON 16, INT 8, WIS 14, CHA 8.
Skills: Climb +8, Intimidate +11, Listen +10, Search +7, Sense Motive +6, Spot +10, Survival +6, and Taunt +8.
Feats: All-Out Attack, Attack Focus – Natural Weapons, Dodge, Evasion, Great Fortitude, Move-By Attack, Psychic Awareness, Scent, Skill Focus – Intimidate, and Talented (Intimidate & Taunt).
Powers: Amazing Save – Fortitude +4 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 4 PP], Leaping +6 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 12 PP], Natural Weapon (Fangs & Claws) +8 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 16 PP], Regeneration +5 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 10 PP], Super-Dexterity +1 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 4 PP], and Super-Senses +5 [Source: Mutation; Cost: 10 PP].
Equipment: None.
Weaknesses: Berserker and Disturbing Appearance.
Physical Description: Fang is big and brutish in appearance, something he can no longer disguise. He stands 6’8” and weighs 320 lbs. He is covered in many places with a thick, grey fur, and his heavily muscled arms end in gnarled hands tipped with vicious claws. Fang stoops a bit due to his bestial posture. His head looks slightly canine, and his toothy grin often displays his mighty fangs.

*************************************************

Iron Dragon saw that he was in trouble. Two supervillains stood before him - Bombardier and Fang - about whom he knew little beyond their names. These guys know I was spying on them, he thought. I wonder what they were up to...

"I say kill him," Fang suggested, his toothy maw dripping with saliva.

"Couldn't agree more," Bombardier stated matter-of-factly.

(All characters roll initiative. Iron Dragon gets a 25, Fang gets a 14, and Bombardier gets a result of 11.)

Iron Dragon was pressed up against the alley wall, and there was a large dumpster to his left. Both villains stood directly in front of him, about 10 feet away. First, he pressed a button on the sleeve of his uniform. This would signal the other members of United Heroes that he was in trouble. It would also give each hero a GPS signal, giving Iron Dragon's location. ID knew that Seraphim was in the city, likely downtown, and would be the first to arrive, but not for a little while. I'm going to have to hold these guys off somehow until Seraphim gets here.

Bombardier backed off a little bit. That's Iron Dragon, a member of that new United Heroes team, he thought.

This Bombardier guy looks a little more dangerous, Iron Dragon thought. I'd better take him out first. The hero closed his eyes for a split-second and cleared his thoughts, then sprang at Bombardier feet-first, striking the villain in the helmet, staggering him. Landing on his feet, Iron Dragon turned toward the other villain, Fang.

(Iron Dragon assigns a blanket +1 to his Defense from his Dodge feat. He then allocates a +3 bonus to his Damage, while taking a -3 penalty to his Attack Bonus, resulting from his Power Attack feat. He intends to use his Strike power, so he must attempt a Concentration check (DC 20). His roll results in a 26 - success. Iron Dragon moves 10' to Bombardier, whose flat-footed Defense is 14. He makes an Attack roll and gets a total of 15 - a hit. Bombardier must now resist the Damage (DC 24, counting Bombardier's Armor). The villain gets a result of 5, then spends a Villain Point to re-roll and gets a 19. He takes a Stun hit, and will have a -1 penalty to future Damage saves vs. Stun attacks until healed.)

Impressed with the hero's moves, Fang begins to growl in a most inhuman manner. "You'd better run now, tiny one, while you still breathe!" he screamed as he swiped at Iron Dragon, claws bared. The claws cut across Iron Dragon's chest, and the hero started to bleed. The attack startled ID, who had not yet braced himself for the blow. He reeled backward, but was not down for the count.

(First, Fang must attempt a Will save (DC 20) or go Berserk. He gets a result of a natural 20 - success! Next, he attempts to Taunt Iron Dragon. Fang's Taunt check is 12, and Iron Dragon resists with a Sense Motive check of 13 - he resists the Taunt attempt. Finally, Fang attacks Iron Dragon (DEF 21) using his Natural Weapon attack, getting a result of a natural 20 - a Critical Hit! Iron Dragon must attempt a Damage save (DC 26, adjusted for ID's Protection), and gets a result of 19. Iron Dragon takes a Lethal hit and is Stunned. ID spends a Hero Point to remove the Stunned condition.)

These fools can brawl with each other all they want, Bombardier thought, but I will have no part of it. I've got better ideas. The villain retreated from the two melee combatants and produced a green, glowing grenade from his bandolier. This should do the trick, he thought. Bombardier hurled the grenade near Iron Dragon and Fang, and it exploded upon impact, covering the area with radiation. Both Fang and Iron Dragon, seeing the grenade in-flight, jumped free of the area. Fang did not get quite far enough away, and so was slightly singed by the blast.

"You fool!" Fang yelled back at his supposed compatriot. "Are you blind?"

Bombardier did not respond. Fang's well-being was not his concern.

(Bombardier retreats 30' from the combat between Fang and Iron Dragon. He throws a Nega-Bomb at a square 5' in front of Iron Dragon. The square has a DEF of 10, and Bombardier takes a -2 penalty for range, getting a result of 11 - a hit. Iron Dragon and Fang are in the area of effect, so they both get Reflex saves (DC 18) to try to jump out of the way. Fang gets a result of 20, so he takes half damage, while Iron Dragon gets a result of 26, also half damage. Now, both must attempt Damage saves (DC 19 for Fang and 13 for ID). Fang gets a result of 13, so he takes a Stun hit and is Stunned, while Iron Dragon gets a result of 23 - no damage.)

(This ends the first round of combat.)

Iron Dragon sized up the situation. Fang stood about 20 feet from him after they both dove away from the grenade. He knew that he had the upper hand against the bestial villain, so Iron Dragon charged, flew through the air, and delivered a vicious reverse axe kick to Fang's neck and shoulder region. The woozy Fang dropped like a sack of potatoes, and Iron Dragon landed facing Bombardier, who had retreated some distance away. Here comes another grenade, I guess, he thought.

(Since Fang is Stunned, the villain loses any Dodge bonus to Defense, lowering it to 15. Iron Dragon moves to Fang's position and makes a Concentration check (DC 31 due to the damage he took last round), getting a result of 31 - exactly what he needs! He allocates +3 to Damage and -3 to Attack Bonus using Power Attack and rolls to hit, getting a result of 17 - a hit. Fang can't use Evasion, so he must roll his Damage save (DC 32) using a much lower bonus. This is an Impossible Save (his normal Damage bonus is +3), but he gets a natural 20, however, so he only gets a Stun hit.)

(Fang can only recover from being Stunned this round, and cannot act.)

This is getting dicey, Bombardier thought. I'd better end this quick or get out of here! He produced another Nega-Bomb from the bandolier around his chest, and lobbed it down near where Fang and Iron Dragon were fighting. The grenade struck just where he had planned, and Fang, who had just began moving, avoided the blast, and Iron Dragon once again jumped free.

(Bombardier retreated a little more this time, moving 20' away from where the melee took place. He throws a Nega-Bomb at the square next to Iron Dragon. The square has a DEF of 10, and Bombardier takes a -2 penalty for range, getting a result of 15 - a hit. Fang and Iron Dragon can try to jump free of the area effect attack (Reflex save DC 18). Both Iron Dragon and Fang get identical results of 22 - both will take half damage. Fang must attempt a Reflex save versus the Damage (DC 19) and gets a 24 - no damage. Iron Dragon must attempt a Reflex save versus the Damage (DC 13) and gets a 19 - no damage!)

(This ends the second round of combat.)

That Fang sure is tough, Iron Dragon thought at he stared down he bestial villain. Fang had sustained a little bit of injury, but was weathering it far better than Iron Dragon would have liked. The hero decided to take another swipe at Fang, and perhaps this time would knock the villain out. He closed his eyes to concentrate, but all Iron Dragon could hear was Fang's snarling and deep breathing. Iron Dragon stepped to Fang and delivered a knifehand strike to the villain's solar plexus, staggering Fang and dropping him to his knees. After a second, Fang fell completely prone. That should do it - for now.

(Iron Dragon, as usual, assigns +3 to his Damage and -3 to his Attack Roll, using his Power Attack feat. He attempts a Concentration check (DC 20), and gets a result of 17 - failure. He attacks anyway. Fang's DEF is 20, and Iron Dragon gets a a result of 25 - a hit! Iron Dragon's Damage is less than normal, because he was unable to use his Strike power. Fang must attempt a Reflex save (DC 22) to evade the damage, getting a result of 9 - a failure. Fang takes a Stun hit and is knocked unconscious!)

(Fang is unconscious, and cannot act. He recovers a Stun hit, however, due to his Regeneration power. Fang has 2 more Stun hits.)

Good, concentrate on Fang, Bombardier thought. In fact, why don't you stay right there for a while? The villain produced a new type of grenade from his bandolier, the Neural Bomb, which would paralyze any inside its area of effect. He lobbed the grenade towards Iron Dragon, striking just where he had planned. The hero had been distracted , but saw the bomb at the last moment and tried to jump free. Iron Dragon landed in an alley running perpendicular to the main alley, and did not move again. Bombardier smiled, and moved in a bit to see the results of his handiwork.

(Bombardier throws a Neural Bomb at the square in front of Iron Dragon and the unconscious Fang. The square's DC is 10, and Bombardier gets a -2 penalty for range, getting a result of 25 - a hit. Iron Dragon must attempt a Reflex save (DC 16) to halve the effect, getting a result of 21 - success. Fang is automatically paralyzed since he cannot resist the attack. Now, Iron Dragon must attempt a Will save (DC 9, adjusted for his Mental Protection), getting a result of 8. Iron Dragon is paralyzed!)

(This ends the third round of combat.)

Iron Dragon landed in an adjacent alley, and struggled to move. That must have been a paralysis grenade of some kind, he realized. I've got to will myself to move, or Bombardier will finish me off. His mind recalled a lesson taught to many martial artists - that of the strength of the waterfall. Water is indeed one of the softest of materials, yet in quantity, its strength can move or destroy even stone. Iron Dragon opened his eyes, and found himself able to move once again. He leapt to his feet, and awaited Bombardier.

(Iron Dragon attempts a Will save (DC 9) to break free of the Paralysis effect. He gets a result of 18, so he can act normally next round.)

(Fang is still unconscious. He can try to regain consciousness in 9 rounds.)

Bombardier moved halfway down the alley, so that he could see the corner where Iron Dragon had fallen. He could see Iron Dragon's foot, and knew that the hero could not yet move. Better finish him off now and get out of here, he thought. I can meet up with my employer again later. Bombardier grabbed a Nega-Bomb from his bandolier and hurled it down the alley toward Iron Dragon. It exploded, and Bombardier could see the familiar green energy leaking around the corner.

(With a half action, Bombardier moved 30' to see Iron Dragon. He then threw a Nega-Bomb at a square near the fallen hero. The square's DEF is 10, and Bombardier takes a -2 penalty for range, getting a result of 17 - a hit. Iron Dragon can neither attempt a Reflex save nor evade since he is still Paralyzed until next round, so he must make a Damage save (DC 17) against the attack. ID gets a result of 14 - failure! He takes a Stun hit.)

(This ends the fourth round of combat.)

(Seraphim arrives this round, so he rolls for initiative. He gets a 16, so he slots between Iron Dragon and Fang.)

Iron Dragon stood and in doing so, saw his ally Seraphim hovering overhead. "Seraphim!" he called out. The angelic hero looked down to see Iron Dragon, and started down towards his friend. "No wait," Iron Dragon rebutted. "There's a villain around the corner - Bombardier!"

As Iron Dragon said this, Bombardier looked up and saw Seraphim in mid-air. Another one, he thought. I'm not sure it's worth sticking around here.

Iron Dragon rushed around the corner to see the villain standing not more than 10 feet away. He charged, hoping to strike Bombardier off-balance. Iron Dragon, in the confusion, could not concentrate, but threw a wild hand strike to Bombardier's helmet. The villain laughed, and was obviously unhurt.

(Iron Dragon moved around the corner as a half action, right in front of Bombardier. As usual, he assigns a +3 to Damage and -3 to Attack Bonus using Power Attack. He must attempt a Concentration check (DC 20), but fails with a 19. Iron Dragon attack anyway. Bombardier's DEF is 18, and the hero gets a result of 21 - a hit. Since the resulting damage bonus (+7) is less than Bombardier's Armor ranks (8), Bombardier does not need to roll to resist the damage; the attack automatically fails to damage him.)

Serpahim lurked in the air for a moment to assess the situation. There may be more villains than Iron Dragon told me about, he thought. The angel concentrated for a moment, and felt another presence of evil in the vicinity. "Iron Dragon," he called out. "There is another villain around that corner. I will take care of Bombardier. You see what's lurking down that alley!"

(Seraphim used a free action for his Detect Evil ability. He attempted a Spot check (DC 20) and gets a result of 21, giving him a rough idea of the evil presence.)

Swooping down, Seraphim drew his sword and struck Bombardier, slashing the villain across the shoulder, and then continuing in flight behind Bombardier. The armored villain did not seem phased by the attack.

(Seraphim allocates the +1 from his Aerial Combat feat to his Attack Bonus. He charges Bombardier (DEF 18) and gets a result of 21 - a hit. Bombardier must attempt a Damage save (DC 17) to resist the attack, getting a result of 19 - no damage.)

(Fang is still unconscious, but recovers a Stun hit due to his Regeneration power. He now has 2 Stun hits left. Fang will be unconscious for another 8 rounds.)

Trapped between two of these fools, Bombardier thought. Perhaps Seraphim could be convinced to join my cause... The villain dug into a pouch at his side and produced a Hypno-Bomb. He threw this grenade at Seraphim, striking the aerial hero. Seraphim's eyes glazed over for a moment, but he eventually shrugged off the effects of the Hypno-Bomb.

(Bombardier spends a Villain Point to power his Gadgets ability, producing a Mind Control +10 effect, which he calls his Hypno-Bomb. He throws the bomb at Seraphim (DEF 19), getting a result of 25 - a hit! Seraphim must resist the Mind Control with a Will save (DC 12, adjusting for his Mental Protection), getting a result of 17 - success!)

(This ends the fifth round of combat.)

Upon Seraphim's direction, Iron Dragon left Bombardier and rounded the nearby corner, looking for this mysterious villain he had not yet seen. Was it possible Seraphim was mistaken? If there was another one, I think I would have seen him. He started down the alley, and spotted a figure about halfway down. In the dim light, it was difficult to tell what this figure was up to. Iron Dragon decided to pursue this a little further.

(Iron Dragon takes a half action to move around the corner, makes a Spot check (DC 15), which is a success, and uses another half action to walk further down the alley.)

"Villain," Seraphim announced, "it would be wisest for you to surrender now, before I have to hurt you." Bombardier was not budging, so the hero swooped down on him, slashing at Bombardier and staggering the villain. At the end of the attack, Seraphim was on the other side of his target, checking to see if the villain had been incapacitated.

(Seraphim charges Bombardier again. The villain's DEF is 18, and Seraphim gets a result of 24 - a hit. Bombardier must attempt a Damage save (DC 17), and gets a result of 10 - fails. The villain takes a Stun hit and is Stunned. He is also knocked back 10'. Bombardier spends a Villain Point to remove the Stunned effect. Using Move-By Attack, Seraphim ends up in mid-air on the other side of Bombardier.)

(Fang is still unconscious, and will be for another 7 rounds.)

I've got to get out of here before that winged freak knocks me out cold, Bombardier thought, and took off running. He blazed down the alley away from Seraphim, and past a parked car. Bombadier ducked behind the car, hoping Seraphim would not see him.

(Bombardier double moves down the alley away from Seraphim, covering a span of 60'. He could not Sprint because there were obstacles in the way. The villain makes a Hide check, resulting in a 21.)

(This ends the sixth round of combat.)

Iron Dragon closed on this 'villain', but when he arrived, saw that the figure was only a drunk.

"Got some spare change?" the drunk asked.

"What? I don't have time for this," Iron Dragon replied. He was exasperated at having wasted time chasing down an old drunk.

"Whus goin' on down there?" the old man asked.

"Never mind that," Iron Dragon replied. "You'd better get out of here before you get hurt."

With that, Iron Dragon ran back down the alley toward where the conflict had started, hoping to be able to help capture Bombardier if possible.

The old man pretended to turn away, and watched Iron Dragon out of the corner of his eye. When the hero was well down the alley, the figure changed into a thin man in a pin-striped trenchcoat and a fedora. All that could be seen of this man were his white gloves, and the lower half of his face. "You've thwarted me now, hero," the man murmured. "But we shall meet again."

(Iron Dragon fails to see through the Illusion since he doesn't interact in a meaningful way with the 'old man'. The hero takes a double move back toward where Bombardier and Seraphim were fighting.)

Seraphim could not see Bombardier, but he knew that the villain could not get far. He flew toward where Bombardier had been, and then spotted the villain's foot sticking out from behind a car parked some distance down the alley. Seraphim soared toward the hiding villain, and sliced him right across the helmet, knocking Bombardier down for the moment. Seraphim then landed, intending to question the villain.

(Seraphim must attempt a Spot check to see Bombardier. He gets a result of 21 - exactly what he needs. He then charges Bombardier as before. Bombardier's DEF is 18, and Seraphim gets a result of 29 on the attack - a hit. The villain must attempt a Damage save (DC 17) and gets a result of 9 - failure. Bombardier takes another Stun hit and is Stunned again.)

(Fang is still unconscious, but his Regeneration gives him back another Stun hit, dropping his total to 1. He will still be unconscious for 6 rounds.)

(Bombardier is Stunned, so he cannot act this round.)

(This ends the seventh round of combat.)

"This one bears watching," Seraphim said to Iron Dragon, referring to the downed Bombardier. "I would stay there if I were you, friend," the angel commanded, pointing the business end of the Sword of Truth at Bombardier's helmet.

"I should check on Fang," Iron Dragon stated, and walked carefully down the alley, keeping an eye out for more trouble.

Seraphim's communicator buzzed, indicating that someone back at Hadley Manor was trying to contact him. He took his eyes off Bombardier for a moment, assuming the villain had surrendered. "Yes?" he answered. "This is Seraphim."

"Is everything OK there?" Harpy asked at the other end.

"Indeed," Seraphim responded. "All is under control. Iron Dragon is no longer in danger. There were a few villains, two were dispatched, and I believe a third may have fled."

"Good," Harpy replied. "Bring them back here so we can question them."

While Seraphim had his back turned, Bombardier had recovered from the blow that sent him reeling, and pulled a Smoke Bomb from his bandolier. The villain popped the release and acrid, black smoke started billowing out of the device. Bombardier got up and ran for it.

(Bombardier, having recovered from his Stunned condition last round, used his Smoke Bomb, an Obscure effect covering an area of 100'. Neither Seraphim nor Iron Dragon have any way to see through the smoke, while Bombardier's specially-attuned helmet sensors allow the villain to safely manuever through the smoke and escape.)

Seraphim dropped his communicator and turned in Bombardier's direction, but he couldn't see through the smoke. "He's escaping!" Seraphim called out.

Iron Dragon, who was all the way on the other side of the alley, turned to see the huge black cloud engulfing Seraphim. "Forget it, Seraphim," he called out. "We've got one we can question. Let's go!"

Seeing the wisdom in Iron Dragon's reasoning, Seraphim took to the air, and swooped down to pick up his ally and the captured Fang.

The three flew back to Hadley Manor, where Fang would be questioned about recent events, and a connection to the deepening mystery of Klimordial and the glowing cylinder.

Watch for Scene 2, coming soon!