M&M - Heroes of the Shield [Group Full]

[Insight]

After some discussion during the last session, and my desire to cut down on the number of heroes (a bit much of a headache for me at this point), we are now down to four players. Blue Blitz left on his own, owing to scheduling problems. We have also decided to let Pitch Black go, mostly because he has missed two sessions in a row, and the last one with no prior notification or anything. We need people to be here for the games, and that's the bottom line.

Anyway, we're taking a week off, then starting the next adventure 9-24-04. Be there around 9 PM Eastern US!

 

[Insight]

Also, with the reduction in heroes, we also have some roles on the archetypal list of hero types that are not filled with the current set of characters. Not that this is necessarily a problem, but I wanted to offer the existing players an opportunity to use a different character if you would like. Using a new character does not mean you can no longer play your existing character - it just gives you another option at the outset (or perhaps during) and adventure. While I won't generally allow you guys to play more than one character at a time, certain adventure scenarios may arise where a certain character type would make more sense than another.

Basically, the Shield is going to gather some more heroes to supplement the team. When I have completed them, I will post their stats and you can feel free to use these as alternate characters should the need arise. I am NOT looking for new characters from the players at this point.

 

[Insight]

New Feat - Meditate

This is a martial arts related feat that you need Trance to use.

MEDITATE
Your trances are focused on broadening the mind and repairing the body.
Prerequisite: Trance.
Benefit: While using the Trance feat, you also cannot worsen from Disabled to Dying. This allows you to use powers to heal yourself if you wish, without the risk of worsening to the Dying condition. In addition, you gain a +2 bonus to Will Saves and Wisdom based skill checks for a duration equal to the time spent in meditation. This duration begins as soon as the trance ends.

 

[Insight]

I have finished 4 out of the 5 new NPCs that can be used as alt characters. They are Flashpoint, Lotus Fist, Machinehead, and Portent. I am still working on the final extra character.

I am still working on their backgrounds and personalities, but the stats are there. For some reason, our Rogues Gallery thread has been archived, but you can still find it by clicking the link in my signature or by going here

 

[Insight]

Freedom City Daily Herald, Part One

I thought it would be cool to create an edition of the Daily Herald, the main newspaper for Freedom City. The events described below occurred between the last game and the start of the next one.

THE DAILY HERALD​

Truth, Honor, Freedom​

Front Page/Global News
Blackstone Breakout: Rumors are flying that there has been yet another breakout at Blackstone Prison. Correctional officials deny any breakout occurred. Contacts in law enforcement report that an investigation has begun at Blackstone Island. Issuing a statement, warden Joshua Drummer states that, "There has been no breakout at the Blackstone Island Penitentiary. All inmates have been searched and questioned, and all of the population has been accounted for."

African Famine Reaches Record Levels: Sub-Saharan Africa has suffered yet another setback in its socio-economic recovery from the recent drought of 2002-04. Reports have surfaced that an African super-villain, Famine, is responsible for some of the drought conditions. The Freedom League, who have visited the region in the past to do battle with Famine, reportedly have no plans to return to sub-Saharan Africa any time soon.

Shuttle Endeavor Returns Safely: The space shuttle Endeavor safely returned to Edwards AFB in California following a harrowing return from orbit. NASA officials reported that the shuttle ran into some unknown disturbance during re-entry, and that an analysis has begun on data collected during the return to Earth. Star Island officials had no comment on the re-entry incident.

Atlantean Accords Due To Expire: The United Nations' 1998 Trade Accords with Atlantis are due to expire this month, and representatives from both sides expect a fresh set of negotiations to begin soon on a new agreement. Atlantean officials did not reply to requests for interviews, as is typical with their government. UN Global Trade Commissioner Alcorn Davis of the UK said recently that, "We fully expect a renewal of the robust trade agreement we enacted four years ago. The agreement was good for both sides, and economic data will continue to show improvement should Atlantis bargain with the UN in good faith."

Freedom City News
Boardwalk Fires Still Unsolved: Freedom City Metro Fire Department is investigating a string of fires in the old Boardwalk site. X-S Entertainment, which had purchased the site in hopes of redeveloping it into an add-on for the current Boardwalk, has brought in Titan Security to help in the matter. Both the MFD and Titan Security have stated they plan to work together to solve these mysterious fires.

Happanuk Hill Restoration Resumes: Following an 18-month layoff due to financial problems, the restoration of Happanuk Hill has resumed. The Happanuk Burial Grounds, a sacred Native American site, was closed to the public nearly three years ago in an effort to redesign a more suitable public visiting area. With the help of the Happanuk tribe, architects created a state of the art facility, but shortly thereafter, the funding had dried up. Plans are now underway to have the Happanuk Hill Burial Grounds site completed by summer 2005.

Teacher Helps Capture Suspect: Alvaro Molina of the Claremont Academy aided police in a wild car and motorcycle chase that ended near the school. Police officials lauded Molina for his efforts in helping to chase down the suspect, Terry Jackson, who had fled the scene of his crashed truck and ran across Claremont Academy grounds. Molina is due to receive a special commendation from Police Commissioner Kane this week for his efforts.

Judge Rules On Cathedral Dispute: Judge Mortimer Biels issued his final decree in the case of Lawrence Dubrick vs. the Freedom City Diocese, ruling that St. George's Cathedral was responsible for his medical bills and moved the matter to a civil case, which is now pending. This landmark decision, which will undoubtedly be considered at the State Supreme Court on appeal, is expected to be overturned by the higher court. Dubrick, a carpenter and general contractor, had agreed to resurface part of the cathedral's parking lot when he was struck by a car. The diocese had refused to pay his medical bills, leading to the suit.

 

[Insight]

Freedom City Daily Herald, Part Two

Opinion
Mayor Has Lost Control Of The City: Opinion column by John Rewtham, Executive Director of CODE, Freedom City Chapter. With the rise of crime, especially crime of a super-powered nature, Freedom City's Mayor O'Connor has lost control of his city. Continued reliance on super-powered 'heroes' such as the Freedom League and the Atom Family is a little like letting the foxes guard the hen-house. Rewtham goes on to back Nathan Moore, O'Connor's opponent in the upcoming mayoral election, claiming that Moore will put an end to the super-hero franchises in Freedom City.

Crisis In Charity Scandal: Opinion column by Arthur M. Stromberg, CEO, Rath & Stromberg Investments. The rise in corruption in many Freedom City charities is driving donors to national concerns and away not only from the crooked charities, but also from the good ones, who continue to do a fine job serving the Freedom City community. Stromberg advocates a largescale investigation of all Freedom City charities, and an accounting not only for those with corruption in the ranks, but also recommendations for donors who prefer to give on the local level.

Business
NovaComm And NHM Discuss Deal: NovaComm and New Horizon Media, the two giants in Freedom City communications, are in talks to merge some of their core businesses. Such a deal would require federal anti-trust approval, a condition stemming from last year's decision to deny NovaComm and NHM's proposed merger. The latest proposal includes streaming NHM content on NovaComm's cell phones. New Horizon Media, the country's #2 media provider, owns television and radio stations, as well as newspapers, magazines, and Horizon Studios, last year's #7 movie studio. NovaComm is the nation's #3 mobile phone provider.

Tourism Edging Higher: The city has experienced an upturn in tourism, according to a new report from the Commission on Economic Development. "Freedom City has experienced a 27% growth in the tourism and hospitality industries", says Arthur Stromberg, commissioner of the special study. "We expect that trend to continue into next summer, and possibly beyond." Commissioner Stromberg added that hotel development in the downtown area is critical to maintain a high level of city tourism.

Yacht Club Reopens: Following a nine-month renovation, the North Bay Yacht Club is once again open for business. The club, heavily damaged during a battle between two super-powered menaces, was nearly forced to shut down completely when a new investor, Fletcher Beaumont II, stepped in to cover the expenses in rebuilding the aging facilities. Beaumont hopes to eventually expand the club to a few more sites by 2006.

Sports
Rebels' Avila Retires, Stuns NFL: Bad news for the Freedom City Rebels continues. Following the Rebels' disappointing ouster from the playoffs, a shocking admission that Curtis Avila, the Reb's star running back, had developed super-powers. Avila immediately announced his retirement from the NFL. Neither Rebels nor NFL officials could not be reached for comment. On the day of Avila's official retirement, the Rebels issued a statement, claiming no prior knowledge of any super-powers on Avila's part, nor any admission by the running back during the season. It is unknown what impact this admission will have on the Rebels' season for 2005.

Patriots Recruiting Continues: Coach Burns continues to land top-flight prospects for the 2005 college football season, adding two more in-state recruits to an already talented Patriots class. Per NCAA policy, FCU cannot officially confirm any agreements with recruits, but recruiting expert Charles Donnely says that Rayshon Deeds, a 6'1", 190 lb. cornerback from Glenchester High and Nate Horvath, a 6'3", 265 lb. defensive lineman from Roosevelt High right here in Freedom City, had verbally committed to FCU for next season.

Rayguns Signing At Millennium Mall Today: Milt Ranier, Stanley Smith, and Olkwamie Obu of the Rayguns will make an appearance today 2 pm at Millennium Mall. Basketball fans have already started to line up for the special appearance, where the Rayguns players are expected to sign autographs and speak briefly before a showing of highlights from the 2003-04 season.

Currents & Arts
Harper Concert A Sell Out: As expected, Tabitha Harper's concert date at the Liberty Dome has sold out about a week before the show. Harper, who moonlights as Harpy of United Heroes fame, is one of a few super-powered entertainers. While supremely popular with the teenage and early 20s crowds, Harper has drawn fans from other demographics as well. Her latest album, 'Dream On', has gone quadruple platinum and her 'Open Eyes' tour has been the most successful of the summer concert tours. Freedom City is Ms. Harper's final date of the American leg of the tour, and expects to hit Europe in a few weeks. Jeremy Rhodes, Harper's current love interest, is said to be accompanying the superstar during the final dates. While Harper's reps have denied an engagement between the two, paparazzi have snapped the pair visiting more than a few jewelry stores in the past few weeks.

Symphony Plays Final Concert At Liberty Park: Beset with financial woes, the Freedom City Symphony is due to play its final concert at Liberty Park this weekend, ending prematurely the popular fall series, Picnic with the Pops. Symphony Director Marshall Jameson hopes that advertisers will help pick up the slack for the summer 2005 season. If not, Jameson worries that the symphony may have struck its final note in Freedom City.

Society Column: Column by Angela Beaudrie. Word is that Fletcher Beaumont II is making a comeback in the social circles. He has kicked his alcohol addiction and has been seen escorting Callie Summers to a recent charity event. Heironymous King chaired a recent event for the opening of a new wing at Port Regal Medical Center, named for King of course. Spotted at the event was King's daughter, Eve, who recently turned 18 and has been attending Freedom College. King has been keeping Eve out of the spotlight until recently.

 

[Silverlion]

Full Page Ad:

" Wealthy philanthropist Conrad Gallant would like to invite you to the "Heroes against Famine" dinner. A Silent auction will be held including a donated cape from a certian lady heroine, among other assundries gathered from the most private of collections.

The dinner is 1000 a plate and all funds collected will be donated to relief efforts around the globe with 75% being donated directly to assist Africa. Guests will include: Mayor Michael O'Connor, Geoffrey Van Dyne (aka The Shield), Maximus Atom, the Bowman,Vector, lead scorer Esteban Coolidge of the Freedom City Rayguns, and many others. So show your true colors help feed the world, be a hero of your own. No tights needed. Call 534-555-HAFE for tickets"

 

[Insight]

Known Heroes & Villains of Freedom City

In addition to those Heroes and Villains described in the Freedom City book, the following supers are also known to exist in town:

HEROES
The Alchemist: A recent graduate of the Claremont Academy, the Alchemist, along with his entire graduating class, decided not to become the Next-Gen 'B' team and instead formed their own team, the Brat Pack. It has since disbanded, and the heroes are flying solo.

Bubbles: Asian superheroine and former member of the Junior Freedom League. She has strange powers involving the creation of bubbles, hence her name.

Bug: Another former Brat Pack-er, Bug secretes an organic glue that enables him to snare opponents and climb walls.

John Doe: This amnesiac hero's powers are growing at an alarming rate and he's not sure how to control them. He was taken in by the Freedom League for a while, but has since returned to solo work.

Flux: A former member of the Brat Pack, Flux cannot control his height or density. He is often super strong and tall, but the instability of his powers is becoming a problem.

Glow: A superheroine and former member of the Brat Pack, Glow has a permanent energy field that she cannot turn off.

Ground Pounder: This young hero is super strong and tough, and was formerly a member of the Junior Freedom League before it disbanded.

Lycanna: A former member of the Brat Pack, Lycanna is thought of as a werewolf, but in reality, she cannot change forms.

Neon: This solo hero is also a member of the rock band, Drastic Change, and is very popular both for his music and superheroing escapades.

Razzle Dazzle: This former leader of the Brat Pack is now a solo hero, though he maintains ties to his past teammates.

Recoil: A reformed criminal, this hero generates a repulsion field that protects him from harm and can be used as a kinetic blast against foes.

Reverb: With the power to generate and control vibrations, this solo hero's popularity is growing after stopping an unknown villain with earthquake powers who was threatening to destroy Liberty Park.

Sparkler: A former member of the Junior Freedom League, she has struck out on her own as a solo heroine.

Vector: This hero, once a member of the Junior Freedom League, has flying powers, but can only move at full speed, though he has gained some control since his days with the JFL.

Vitalizer: Seen briefly around the city, this hero energizes objects, making them into weapons that he wields in battle. He has unknown affiliations, if any.

XO: A refugee from a failed government project, XO has worked with other solo heroes in the past, and was a temporary member of Next-Gen for a time. She wears an exoskeleton that enhances her strength and agility.

VILLAINS

The Flasher: This villain uses a combination of charm and blinding light to perpetrate his dastardly deeds. Currently on the loose.

Gremlin: With the ability to control machines of all types, this villain is a particular menace to heroes with technological powers and gear.

Icemonger: Menacing the city last summer, Icemonger and his Frostmen are now safely locked away in Blackstone Island, thanks to Next-Gen.

Invinci-Bull: This bullying villain is very tough and strong, but nonetheless has been put away through the recent actions of the Heroes of the Shield.

Kid Unknown: A precocious child with mass confusion powers, this villain often causes mass chaos in crowded settings. He is currently on the loose.

Montezuma: This crazed villain took over Millennium Mall in an effort to raise awareness to the plight of the Mexican American in this country. He has since been incarcerated in Blackstone, thanks to the Freedom League.

Pinwheel: This villainess with mental powers was recently captured by the Heroes of the Shield, and is now serving time at Blackstone Island.

Poltergeist: This longtime enemy of The Shield has been in hiding for some time now. He was famous for his many hidden gadgets and mental powers.

Rapture: This villainess with the power to control pheromones has the ability to control others, but has no real attack powers of her own. She is known to have had a relationship with The Shield in the past.

Johnny Rave: A crazed super-powered brawler with the ability to turn invisible and incorporeal, Johnny Rave has disappeared following a recent battle with the Heroes of the Shield.

Razor: Wearing an exoskeleton of advanced polymers, covered with razor-sharp spines, this villain has been a menace for some time. He was captured by the Heroes of the Shield, and is now incarcerated.

Sara Silver: This strong and tough villainess was involved with Talos' plot to destroy Freedom City, but escaped capture and is known on the loose.

Supernova: This alien villainess has threatened Freedom City on more than one occasion, and was last stopped through the actions of The Shield and the Freedom League. She is on the loose.

Warrior Alpha: A one-time ally of Invinci-Bull and Johnny Rave, Warrior Alpha is now a solo villain, prowling the streets of Freedom City, looking for trouble. He is a brawler with growth powers.

While there are indeed unknown heroes and villains, both in Freedom City and around the country, these are the ones (in addition to those in the book) that are best known to Freedonians.

 

[Insight]

Before next week's game, I need to have updated character stats from the following characters: Doc Hazard, Hinder, and Water Dragon. This should include the pp I gave out from last time. Your characters should all have between 154 and 156pp at this time. Please email me your revised stats as soon as you can so I can update my records. If you have unspent pp, list that as well so I can properly add up your characters.

Hinder: The last stats you sent me only add up to 147pp (Stats 60, Skills 13, Feats 14, Powers 60), so I figure you have about 8pp left to spend.

Also, can you please check the Rogues Gallery post for your character to make sure it is correct, and if not, please email me what changes need to be made.

Thanks all.

 

[Insight]

Full Page Ad:

" Wealthy philanthropist Conrad Gallant would like to invite you to the "Heroes against Famine" dinner. A Silent auction will be held including a donated cape from a certian lady heroine, among other assundries gathered from the most private of collections.

The dinner is 1000 a plate and all funds collected will be donated to relief efforts around the globe with 75% being donated directly to assist Africa. Guests will include: Mayor Michael O'Connor, Geoffrey Van Dyne (aka The Shield), Maximus Atom, the Bowman,Vector, lead scorer Esteban Coolidge of the Freedom City Rayguns, and many others. So show your true colors help feed the world, be a hero of your own. No tights needed. Call 534-555-HAFE for tickets"

The full list of super-powered guests who have RSVPed: Maximus and Tess Atom, the Bowman, Nereid, and Sonic of Next-Gen, and the solo heroes Reverb and Vector. The Atoms and Next-Gen have contributed items for the silent auction.

Other dignitaries include Mayor Michael O'Connor, Esteban Coolidge and Milt Ranier of the Rayguns, Coach Russell Mills and Third Baseman Paul Walker of the Comets, and Geoffrey Van Dyne (aka The Shield). There is also a rumor that Heironymous King and/or members of his family may attend.

Major media outlets have indicated they will cover the event, which is to be held at the newly renovated North Bay Yacht Club.