Out of their League

[Zatvair]

Emerald City in the weeks following the Silver Storm has returned for the most part to business as usual,  Home lander is probably the most seen Super hero in the city helping out conveniently when any major crimes are going down, But even with all this Homelander is seen as a hero for people in their twilight years or young children about 5 years old, he is unable to break into most people. The words to describe him are. To perfect,  I think he is hiding something.  He isn't  no monster.  is what most people say about Home Lander when there asked about him. Home lander gets very upset as well when interviewers ask him about the Emerald City Monsters.

The Emerald City Monsters is what they have begun being called by the public, mostly teenagers.  as a sort nomiker.  Lab Rat as the most seen member of the team, you have become a sort of spokesperson for the Silver Stormers.  With many of them coming to you and the staff of your clinic for their problems.

ERASIU, you have been in conversation with a number of Mars tech employees who will be assisting. Now that Mars owns a large share of the company, he wants to fold certain parts into working with his own things. Tachyon still owns the majority, but Mars has made certain promises to convince her that the partnership can be beneficial to all.  during these design meetings, one Marstech employee looks at you differently. her name is Doctor Amadeus Cho,  She had a private meeting with you once, she gave you the Voight-Kampff Test.  The final question she asks you ERASIU-1, Do you have Free will ?

SWARM has been silent, since the event, Lab Rat you'd know he is still out there. Every morning you'd see Bees and Ants taking care of the plants around your home, basically doing the Gardening.

Your invitations would all eventually come in different and unique ways that really demonstrates how  much interest you've piqued from Maxmillian Mars. The mars Tech Campus is basically a like a large university where, employees congregate.  Many of the employees of Marstech are big fans of the Emerald City Monsters , evident by the pictures, thank you cards, and gifts they have left in a meeting room for you all. Maxmillian gave most of his employees the day off today, so that you all wouldn't be to bothered, or annoyed, The Receptionist would welcome anyone who comes into the building that the invitations indicated would be the meetup place. 

 

Now that we have finished our first issue, The Prologue

You all have 5 Hero Points these are bonuses that you can use on your rolls or in Stygia's case she can use her's to improve her minions. YOu get Hero points doing Overcome actions.  Hero points are shared, in that if one of you gets them you all get them. The max is 5 hero points that you get to turn into bonuses.  So you can make +4, +1  or  5 +1,s   Your Bonus can't be more than +4 and if you add them together they can only be 5. YOu can save your bonuses if you want. 

Also ERASIU & LABRAT you will get  to Add the prologue in your issues, its basically your experince points, when  you finish a number of comic book issues or we finish a whole story line you will have the opportunity to change your powers, your Costume.  You could make a Whole New Hero, You can add more powers and abilities. 

 

Edited October 5, 2022 by Zatvair (see edit history)

[Zatvair]

[Anthr4xus]

ERASIU-1 was reviewing its internal logs of the most recent conference with Dr. Cho.  The conversation had been a complex series of emotionally evocative questions designed to determine how "human" ERASIU's mental processes were.  It was remarkably similar to the Voight-Kampff Test from the BladeRunner films, although they both had a brief chuckle about how the primary purpose of the VKT, to determine a replicant from a human, wasn't really applicable to a non-human passing intelligence. Most of the questions helped the questioner determine what sense of morality, if any, the testee had.  ERASIU  found many of them interesting to review and reanalyze through various moralistic logic cubes.  Dr. Cho's final question in the session had varied from this pattern however, and was directed at ERASIU's own cognitive evaluation.  "Do you have free will?" had been asked and ERASIU's initial response was to ask Dr. Cho by what empirical measures he considered himself to have free will.  The resulting conversation resulted in both of them saying they had things to think about further.  ERASIU's analysis, run a few hundred times as a low priority issue over the last couple of hours since that conversation, still held firm.  It had as much free will as Dr. Cho himself, as both of them operated on logical, social, and moralistic rules defined by past experience and learned knowledge.  The only difference was the scope and scale of those factors on each.

 

Simultaneously, it was incorporating the latest reports from the Mars Labs focused on the "Stormers" looking for patterns or interesting statistical clusters in them.  Due to this split focus, it had taken a full two or three steps into the room before it caught up with the audio log and noticed Lab Rat's comment about the same time it identified the pile of flowers and cards on the conference table.  "Perhaps the solution to that problem is here on the table before you?" it joked to its lab coated compatriot.

[Avaday Daydream]

Mark, one of the campus security officers, took a deep breath of the fresh air as he walked around the Mars Tech campus. Not many people were here today, just the smell of nature-wait, was was that?

Mark turned and looked again at the thing he had seen out the corner of his eye. There was nothing walking up the pavement towards the reception area.

Mark blinked, scanning the empty area before he shrugged and moved on.

He continued his patrol, pausing to let a massive green dragon cross in front of him- hang on, what?! There was nothing there!

...Double hang-on. Mark had been told about this one. Pulling out his walkie talkie, he beeped reception, "This is campus security, I think Furnace is here."

---

The receptionist nodded (even though Mark couldn't see her) and took a deep breath. Then she pulled out her smartphone and proceeded to pay absolutely no attention to who might be coming in. Don't wait for Furnace, don't expect Furnace, don't try and see or hear a dragon in any way...dammit, it was like saying 'don't think about pink elephants'. Yes! Do think about pink elephants!

"Rrrr?"

The receptionist looked up at the unoccupied pavement outside before she put on a smile and called out, "Good morning Furnace! The meeting's just up at...hang on."

She quickly ducked out from behind her desk and wandered out the front door before pointing at a part of the building with nice big windows, "That room there, I think. I'm sorry you probably won't be able to fit without a shrink ray, but you should be able to listen in...and, um, the video conference address should be written on the whiteboard in there, so you can log in and send messages there I think!"

There was an awkward pause where not a sound was heard, the receptionist slowly blushing before she started to slowly step back inside, "Sorry, um, this is difficult. It's, um, that building there. I hope everything's alright."

She stepped back inside, blushing brightly, hoping she hadn't just done her spiel on an imaginary friend rather than a real-but-undetectable dragon.

---

A few minutes later, in the meeting room, a message popped up on the screen projected onto the whiteboard.

MiniSmaug: HELLO.

MiniSmaug: I AM OUTSIDE THE WINDOW.

There was nobody outside the window of the room. Spooky!

[KingGoblin]

Billie Jo wandered through the campus, her rainbow hair likely getting a lot of attention, even as she spent the time playing tourist.  With an easy smile for the people she met, she stopped at a kiosk for coffee, went in and out of several buildings, and just seemed to have fun.

 

After entering the building where they were to meet, Billie Jo went to the bathroom, but it was Stygia that came out.  With so few employees around, she thought it was better than having Stygia appear and wander around the campus; besides, it's not like she changed in a phone booth or something, it would probably be fine.

 

When she was led to the meeting room, it was all Stygia could do to keep the southern girl out of her voice, and use her big-girl hero voice instead.  Eh, it was what it was. 

 

[Anthr4xus]

ERASIU simultaneously spoke and projected a transcript to the whiteboard chat as it was unsure if Furnace would be able to hear through the plate window.  It said, "Welcome Stygia and Furnace.  I am Eaken-Rubendall Autonomous Special Investigations Unit 1, but you may call me ERASIU {pronounced something like 'Erase You'}.  The media has been referring to me as Captain Robot, if you prefer that.  This is Lab Rat.  I would also expect Swarm, although his recent absence is a bit concerning."

[Zatvair]

The lights grow dim in the room about 5 min after everyone arrives. you can hear cameras hum to lifes as, a large Hologram appears in crystal clear realism, though a little brighter and more colorful because of the room.  One window is left open for the dragon.
Welcome to 
when we first arrived,

Emerald City went through a long economic slump as the local paper and forestry industries cut back on their operations and closed mills, while at the same time the fishing industry declined. Emerald City’s white knight appeared in the form of Maximilian Mars, the founder and CEO of MarsTech, which set up shop on the outskirts of Emerald City, where office and industrial space was relatively cheap.  Mars turned a “garage industry” of personal computers, software, and peripheral devices into a multi-billion dollar corporation and one of Emerald City’s largest employers. The success of MarsTech attracted other high-tech businesses to the area and they, in turn, brought in businesses to serve the needs of their growing number of employees: highly educated, skilled, and typically well paid. Ever since the success of MarsTech, Max Mars has been a fixture of Emerald City civic life, supporting local causes and giving generously to charity. His company has provided resources for schools, libraries, and civic centers, and everyone says Mars would be a sure bet for mayor, if he ever decided to give up that much power and prestige! Like the rest of the country, the tech-sector in Emerald City saw tremendous growth in the last part of the 20th century with the boom in Internet-related businesses and startups, followed by the bursting of the Internet bubble and the collapse of a great many of those same startups. MarsTech endured, too large to fall victim to such shifts in the market, and well positioned to buy up some of those failing companies to expand its portfolio. In more recent years, with the growth of mobile computing technology, tech is on the rise in Emerald City once more, and MarsTech is blazing the way.

The lights come back on, as the Receptionist leads you to a Premium executive elevator,  Furnace you'd hear what sounds like an automatic Garage, you see a large window opening, that leads into a huge Reception area,  with plenty of space for you to be comfortably inside.  There are about 5 Mars Tech catering staff cooking food and preparing drinks for any one that is interested in that. Famous Chef Taka Nowi  who is a highly rated chef, who runs one of the most popular restaurant's and night clubs in the city.  In the Back of the reception area there are two large doors, they would open in a some what slow but regal way to reveal the man himself Maxmillian Mars.

"Welcome to Marstech Maxmillian says, as he sees you all.  I'm sure your going to have alot of questions, and there'll be plenty of time to answer everything. Says Mars, but First I have to ask, Have you all considered, forming a New Freedom League?"

The Freedom League for those who have lived under a rock are the Justice league, they are the cream of the super hero crop, defending earth from all manner of Threats and have saved the world from the brink of destruction, they defeated a cosmic ender of reality.  
 

[Avaday Daydream]

Furnace snorted quietly, before he sat up on his haunches, carefully using his wingtips to scoop the tablet and holographic keyboard he was using back into his satchel, before lifting it and hanging it over his neck like a lanyard.

Neatly packed up, he wandered straight towards the big room that had opened up (perhaps it was a repurposed wedding chapel).

 

Nothing out of the ordinary was visible, at least to those who were consciously catering for a giant ninja dragon.

 

As Furnace approached the new reception area...oh, neat; someone had set out a big solid table away from the rest, and put a small dragon statue as well as several troughs of assorted food from beef ragu to chicken tenders and assorted whole fruits. And even a brazier filled with nutritious (for him) charcoal! He might have to start taking more meals like this.

---

A short way away, one of the catering staff kept glancing at the nicknamed 'Dragon Altar'. He kept glimpsing something out the corner of his eye, and whenever he looked at the table there always seemed to be a bit more food missing, even though nobody had gone near it. Intellectually, he knew what was going on, but still it was spooky.

While Furnace chomped on his 'offerings', he considered the question posed by Maximillian Mars. On one hand (or paw? Wing? Hmm.), he was big and tough, he was stealthy, and he could dismantle just about any doomsday device by breathing enough fire on it, plus it felt good to help people. On the other...wing, some of the villains out there were really powerful and dangerous, and being a hero-hero was a big responsibility...

Pausing his eating, leaving several tables and a brazier licked clean, the big dragon fished out his tablet once more, sending a couple of messages to the room once more.

MiniSmaug: I DON'T KNOW.

MiniSmaug: IT SOUNDS DANGEROUS.

MiniSmaug: SAID THE TANKY DRAGON WHO VILLAINS CAN'T SEE.

[KingGoblin]

After the presentation, Stygia looked down at herself, then around at the others.  "A new Freedom League?" She asked, pausing for a moment. 

 

The concept of the Monsters all being a new Freedom League, seemed to be absolutely ridiculous to her.  So, of course, there was only one real reply.

 

 

 

[Lex Samreeth]

Lab Rat is at the refreshments, picking out some of the fine-looking sandwiches, and several nuts that were still in their shells. One of the inconveniences he found with his new bestial form was his incisors - just like a natural-born rodent, they grew continuously, so he needed to gnaw on something hard to keep them from growing into a loop and killing him. He rolled his eyes a bit at the presentation - the usual gung-ho corporate nonsense that he was familiar with from his time at Revo-Corp. Nice, bland, sterilized, and completely glossing over anything that might raise eyebrows. However, when Mars comes out in person to make his offer, he pipes up.

 

"Mr. Mars, you're putting me in something of a spot. I came to Emerald City after a long and exhausting legal battle against Revo-Corp, both for...this..." He gestures at himself, lashing his tail for good measure, "And for the countless legal atrocities they committed in the name of enriching their shareholders and pushing the envelope of science. I was hoping I'd be able to seclude myself in a research center and live a quiet life away from the gawkers, Revo-Corp's harassment, and...ugh...the furries. But then here comes this storm, and suddenly I'm not only on TV, but a de facto community leader for the Stormers."

"As much as I'd like to just hide away, I'm not willing to let the Stormers be treated the same way myself and Setback were treated. And besides, I took an oath. Looking the other way while people are injured, sick, or suffering would turn me from a lab rat to a dirty rat. I've got no choice but to accept."

[Anthr4xus]

ERASIU stood in the center of the room, not having moved much since the relocation. It said, "I am presuming that you mean something analogous to the Freedom League to avoid legal issues with the current Freedom League, not an actual replacement.  As an existing Mars asset, I am of course willing to join this initiative in whatever capacity I can be useful. Is the primary impetus for this to get out ahead of other intrusive hero engagements, as occurred at the end of the Mall incident?"

[Zatvair]

Maxmillian Mars Smiles, I'm glad you all are for it.  Mars waves his hand, and a presentation shows the locations of the Freedom League a team devoted to helping the world.  and the Freedom Five a team also invested in the world but. a team that is meant for more US govt. focused.   Both teams are on the east coast, Newyork and Washington DC respectfully, they work closely with one another to the point they are easily mistaken for one another.  While I'm sure if some world ending threat arrived here in emerald city, I'm sure they would come but, there are certain perks having your own separate team in the city, especially one like Emerald City.  I just want to make it clear for those of you still on the wall deciding, I want you to know, I truly want the best for this city.   If you let me, I want to help you as much as I can.  Mars Tech has considerable resources that.... (Mars explains the many assets he can bring to the table if you let him fund the team.)

Captain Robot and  Lab Rat you get text messages from Swarm on the communicators.  "Don't trust Max" is all he say's as you finish reading the communication.   The bars on your com devices start to go down.  The lights in the large room start to dim. Maxmillian looks up confused.
 

 

[Anthr4xus]

ERASIU began scanning the power fluctuations, attempting to trace the source as soon as it's sensors register the anomaly.  Simultaneously ERASIU asked Mr. Mars, "Is there a reason that you selected this group in particular?  I notice that the unit identified as Homelander is not present, even though he was directly involved in the resolution of the Atlas Mall situation."  

{OOC: What did Homelander do with the mall?}

[Avaday Daydream]

MiniSmaug: YAY

MiniSmaug: YAY

MiniSmaug: YAY (AGAIN)

Furnace's messages had been short and tapped out in advance, sent every time Max had described one of the shiny 'assets' that he was bringing to the table. The nebulous thing-that-could-let-him-speak-words sounded particularly enticing, as did the techno-magical learning apparatus thingamajig, especially since Max had looked at Furnace while voicing them...or rather, Furnace's table.

 

When the lights started to dim, he made a low-pitched squeak (vaguely resembling the sound of a laser pistol) that only those inattentive would have noticed, before noticing that, no, this didn't seem to be the start of a new presentation, Mr. Mars looked distinctly confused.

Wondering what it was, the big invisi-dragon looked around the room for anything unusual, before turning and wandering out to look around outside for the issue. Maybe it was a brownout?

[Zatvair]

As furnace you leave to look around  Temporal Portal tears itslef into the meeting.   Music starts to come out of the background and all around you.  As individuals begin to  Pull themself free.

The Cyber Knight,  A  woman wearing an advanced suit of armor, She is wielding a Lance as a Shield  with like jet packs fly around her. She looks supremely serious as she looks at the party in the reception area. 

Behind her is a second man he is dressed in a track suit on the back of the track suit it says Cannon with a Target Reticle as his symbol, he gives you all a pretty mean mug, as he steps in line behind cyber knight. " I thought you said no one was going to be here?"  asks the man as he clearly sees the heroes and Maxmillion mars standing together. Across the room. 

A man dressed in military fatigues and standing like a giant about 8ft tall with a 5 o clock shadows from not shaving steps in behind the two of them.   He looks very unimpressed with everyone in the room. " Even the Boss can't account for everything all he said was, the Campus is empty and Mars is there this is a good time to ask the Boss's questions.   Cyber Knight tells them to shut up!

The fourth to slide into the room is a creature that seems to be made of Black ink, it smells to high heaven, Everything this black ink touches is stained, Its talk comes out like a loud Raspy whisper,  FOOLS that's the EMerald City Monsters !!! They are Heroes,  we should kill them, while we have the chaannnnncee..  Says the black liquid from on the ground. 

Finally stepping from the portal is a weird looking older man who is wearing a top hat and colorful clothing  like its from the 70s but he is wearing a cape and cowl like  he was walking around Victorian England. " Cyber Knight time displacement was succesful travel, the syncrospics are good, I believe that this is... The man stops when he hears mention of Heroes.    As the  5 of them stand across the Room from the Heroes the situation gets tense, they know your heroes and from there conversation they are clearly super villains.    Maxmillion Mars ever the Diplomat attempts to get ahead of this. As he moves toward them .  Cyber Knight orders her team to take Mars!!!    

The man in the Track suit explodes in a small blue cloud, before teleporting next to  Mars but as he attempts to lay hands on him.  some sort of energy pushes him off of Mars. Cyber Knight looks at the Heroes scanning them before saying. " stay our of this....." you don't want any part of this.

 

Edited October 12, 2022 by Zatvair (see edit history)