The two thugs behind the counter, now having experienced one of the their own being taken out then the complete destruction of the androids that they might have considered their protectors, hesitate, weapons still raised at Bishop and the heroes who have now entered the place, but even they must know what little good the firearms will do to stop their enemies. But they stand their ground, like good soldiers, their faces are gnarled in determination, trained against showing fear. Their laser cannons would surely appear formidable, but only to anyone who hasn’t seen combat against such a high-tech organization.

While their focus is still trained on Bishop and Storm, the one in front yells out. “Back! Stay back, mutants!”

Emotional attack (intimidation) on Bishop & Storm:
Team     2d8
Personal Desperation    d8
From Doom Pool    d8

Pizza-Place Agents rolled 3,5,5,2 using d8,d8,d8,d8 ((3,5,5,2)).

Total: 10, Effect: d8 (each)

Physical powers cannot be used in reaction. Menace (not Psyche) Specialty can be used to defend

Doom Pool: d6, 7d8 -d8 = d6, 6d8

Reactions Needed: Bishop, Storm
Next Action: Wolfsbane

 

Mutants

The man could have stopped at ‘Stay Back’, but he had to single them out.  Like he hoped that the extra word would create some sort of invisible barrier to separate him from them.  In some ways, it did.  

Mutants

The word echoed in the recess of his mind.  On every occasion he heard that word, since being a boy, it was associated with something bad.  Dirty.  Dangerous.    Would these humans try to push him into the ovens too, if they had power over him? 

He didn’t have to give them that chance.  He had power over them now - he could end both their lives, like snuffing out a candle, and their feeble attempts at intimidation sounded more like pleas than actual threats.   Turning his attention away from the smoldering android heaps back toward the agents, he started walking slowly at their direction with the intent of putting them down, a faint scowl on his tattooed face the only thing indicating that he took the affront personally



OOC:
Team 1d8
Dark Future Survivor 1d8
Menace Expert (1d6, 1d6)
Today: Bishop rolled 6,5,7,6 using 1d6,1d6,1d8,1d8 with rolls of 6,5,7,6.  Resist intimidation.
Total 12, Effect 1d8 – Intimidation Resisted

New PP total: 3+0=3

"Oh? You want us, what, here?" Storm pointed to a spot nearby. Mostly she was trying to engage in banter as this pair had gotten the drop on her, and she wanted to stall a bit. Her pulse raced as she found herself in danger, indoors. Why couldn't the bad guys do bad things outside, under the bright sky? Or rather under a cyclone of Storm's making where she could call a dozen lightning bolts on their heads with ease?

OOC: So if I understand correctly, only mental powers and Menace specialty can be used here? Interesting.

Unless I miss something that severely limits the possible dice pool. Storm will activate two distinctions, one at d4 (just to have another die to throw).

Team; d10
Strong-Willed leader: d8
Mercurial: d4

16:55, Today: Storm rolled 3,4,2 using d10,d8,d4 with rolls of 3,4,2.  Resist Menace.

Total: 6 Effect: d10

I believe that steps down the effect die from d8 to d6 as the effect die of the reaction is higher than the emotional attack.

PP: 3 PS:00 MS:00 ES:d6
This message was last edited by the player at 00:01, Thu 23 May 2019.

Storm is less prepared for a battle indoors than she had supposed before entering, but it surely will not take long for the wind-rider to reacquire her balance and confidence.

Rahne was still prowling in the misty darkness outside.
Knowing that there were enough allies taking the front line ... going in hard and obvious ... Wolfs bane was still holding to her plan to get inside without being seen.
A hidden 'ace up the sleeve' for her team.

Through the cloudy mist, she looked to enter the building via a higher storey window.   Spotting a valid opportunity up a nearby external  firestair, she deftly used her Covert skills and Enhansed Reflexes to acrobatically leap, climb and swing up and in.

She knew that God would guid her to where she needed to be.

Attempting to Increase 'Hunter Unnoticed d10' to maximum value.
d10 : Solo
  d8 : Faith in God
  d8 : Enhanced Reflexes
d10 : Covert Mastery
d12: 'Cover' Asset created by Storm

- rolled 6,4,8,7,5 using d10,d8,d8,d10,d12 with rolls of 6,4,8,7,5.
Total: 15    Effect: d12

Current PP: 3

Next: da Bad Guys

Doom Pool (d6, 6d8) reaction to Wolfsbane's attempt to increase Hunter Unnoticed Asset, Total: 15, Effect: d12:

Watcher rolled 1,4,1,5,4,6,3 using d6,d8,d8,d8,d8,d8,d8 ((1,4,1,5,4,6,3)).

Total: 11, Effect: d8

2 Opportunities (available first to Wolfsbane)

Asset increased

Wolfsbane finds her way into the building, giving not even the smallest alert that she is there. She has a perch at the height of the place's ceilings and a view of the action below and what is left of what was once a restaurant. Much of the interior has been wrecked, and the scuffle is still not done. The mutant recognizes her own, Storm and Bishop, and Spider-Man is familiar to anyone in New York. The apparent danger that remains is the pair of armed agents behind the counter, and possibly the homeless-looking man, who, in not moving from the chair, has not established which side he's on.

Next Action: Justice, Iceman

Vance pushes himself off the ground and kneels to steady himself from falling again. His voice is just loud enough for the heroes near him to hear. "Nita... I'm... fine," he says, though the strain it takes for him to get out the words would challenge his statement. "Get in there. Fight the fight. The world is depending on us." He takes as deep a breath as he is able and raises his chest in an exhausted effort to look noble. "Make Cap proud... of both of us."

Justice loans Combat Expert d8 to Namorita for next physical action in the pizza place

Iceman steps to where Justice is kneeling, keeping an eye on the top of the building. "You can go ahead in there and I'll take care of him," he says to Namorita. "I can also create a shield that will stop anyone from getting out, like Cap might say to do." And he starts to do so, creating an ice barrier by waving his hands and freezing the air around them. A structure builds under his guidance, with a wide enough base that in moments it can surely cover the entry- and exit-points of the pizzeria.

Eliminates Justice Down Scene Complication
Releases Ice Mastery Scene Asset

Next Action (new round): Namorita

She hazarded a moment Vance's urging for her to get into action, and to leave him there.  But, once Iceman used his incredible power to defend him, as well as to keep the threat contained to the pizzeria, she knew she was no longer needed out here.

"And for pizza," she told them, nodding sagely.  "Let's not forget what's really at stake!"      So spoken, Nita was off and flying, intent on getting inside before the icy barrier made that a tad more challenging.

The Mercury-esque wings on her ankles propelled her forth --  though, not in the way some might think.   They were foci for an energy conversion process -- distinctive of her own mutant biology, that was so alike that of her more renown cousin.

Hurtling into the place, the goons immediately become her target --  or more truly their guns.

"Don't we feel all macho with our big honkin' guns!  Hope this won't hurt your self esteem!"   

Rushing them, she tried to crush the barrels of both guns, one with each hand -

Team D10
True Sub-Mariner D8
Superhuman Strength D10
Flight D6*
Combat Expert D8
Combat Expert D8  (on loan from Justice)

Namorita rolled 3,6,4,6,7,5 using D10,D8,D10,D6,D8,D8 with rolls of 3,6,4,6,7,5

Total = 13   Effect = D10 and D10** -  disable both guns

2 PPs spent  --  1 = extra power trait*, 1 = extra effect die**

1 PP gained -- surrendering Defend Justice asset

2 PPs = total remaining

Next up- Bishop!

Defend from Namorita's attempt to disable Weapons, Total: 13, Effect: d10, d10:
Team     2d8
Low-Level Flunkies   d4
(step up Doom Pool die)
Body Armor    d6
Combat Expert    d8

Pizza-Place Agents rolled 6,7,2,5,8 using d8,d8,d4,d6,d8 ((6,7,2,5,8)).

Total: 15, Effect: d8

Doom Pool: d6, 6d8 (-d6/+d8) = 7d8

Namorita charges through Storm's cloud, bursting into the pizza place in a blur. The pair of agents that are her targets have only a split-second to react and, whether it's through their training or utterly dumb luck, they manage to twist away from the lady from Atlantis just as she crosses the counter to them, keeping their weapons from her grasp. Once she moves by them they have just enough room to turn and aim their weapons at the former New Warrior, placing her in their sights, close enough to blast her to bits! "No self-esteem here, witch!" one of them barks.

Option I: Incinerate the two men with a beam of concentrated energy
Option II: Break their bones

Bishop wasn't averse to killing when the situation called for it.  But the two weren't deserving, seeing that he was the one to kick their front door open and come in shootin'.

Breaking their bones it is then; at least that way they would survive.

Launching himself at the closet agent, he grabbed his arm and yanked him toward him with all his strength, tossing him like a rag doll over the table and into the brick wall at the opposite side of the room.

Or rather - tried to:

Team: 1d8
Unrelenting: 1d8
Superhuman strength: 1d10
Combat Expert: 1d6, 1d6

13:12, Today: Bishop rolled 7,3,2,1,3 using 1d8,1d8,1d10,1d6,1d6 with rolls of 7,3,2,1,3.  Physical attack vs agents.

Spend 1 PP to add a die to the total
Total: 7+3+3 = 13  Effect: d10

New PP total: 3+1-1=3
This message was last edited by the player at 19:02, Tue 04 June 2019.

Add d6 to Doom Pool from Bishop's Opportunity

Always be sure to pick the Next Action at the end of your turn

Defend from Bishop's physical attack, Total: 13, Effect: d10:
Team     2d8
Low-Level Flunkies    d4
(add d6 to Doom Pool)
Body Armor    d6
Combat Expert    d8

Pizza-Place Agents rolled 5,5,4,6,7 using d8,d8,d4,d6,d8 ((5,5,4,6,7)).

Total: 13, Effect: d8

Eliminating one agent, for a Team d8

Doom Pool: 7d8 +d6 +d6 = 2d6, 7d8

Bishop's strike is solid: With a move so smooth it looks practiced, Bishop sends the barking agent across the restaurant's kitchen and into the wall, toppling a metal rack holding pizza dough, sending all things, including the agent's inert body, crashing to the dirty floor then coming quickly to stillness. This leaves one opposing combatant and a ready weapon. As much as the last agent has the chance to hesitate, he also has the opportunity to pull his trigger at the two heroes that are now much closer!

Next Action: Wolfsbane

Wolfsbane was on the hunt.
This ‘Suspicious store-front’ certainly was suspicious ... but what was it a front for?

Her allies here were assaulting the front gate ... ‘Storm’ing the castle, in a sense ... but Wolfsbane had slipped in through the proverbial fog of war, and was at large within the place.

Somewhat solo and alone at the moment, she applied her Supernatural Senses*, her Super Reflexes (spend 1PP), and her Covert Mastery to slinking through this place ... determined to ‘locate their hidden secrets’.

Whatever this place was a front for, she wanted to find out what: and where it was.


Action: create Asset ‘Find their hidden secrets’
D10: Solo
D8:   ‘Suspicious store-front’ distinction
D10:  Reflexes
D10: Senses*
D10: Covert Mastery

- rolled 9,1,1,8,7 using d10,d8,d10,d10,d10
                        Damn the Dice Roller Hayes this character!
Total: 17
Effect: d10
Opportunities for Watcher: 2

Current PP (spent 1, gained 1): 3

Next up: the bad guys
This message was last edited by the player at 13:22, Wed 05 June 2019.

Add d8 to Doom Pool from Wolfsbane's Opportunities

Doom Pool (2d6, 7d8) reaction to Wolfsbane's attempt to create Find Their Hidden Secrets Asset, Total: 17, Effect: d10:

Watcher rolled 6,2,7,5,7,8,5,1,5 using d6,d6,d8,d8,d8,d8,d8,d8,d8 ((6,2,7,5,7,8,5,1,5)).

Spend d8 from Doom Pool to add third die to Total
Total: 22, Effect: d8

1 Opportunity (available first to Wolfsbane)

Attempt failed

Doom Pool: 2d6, 7d8 +d8 -d8 = 2d6, 7d8

The agent, surrounded by heroes and with his partners felled, foregoes hesitating and rushes out whatever attack he can manage. With his eyes wide and googly in a state of desperate madness, he screams as he opens fire on the nearest hero. "Hail Hydra!" he calls while he blasts Bishop just inches from the end of his weapon's barrel.

Physical attack on Bishop:
Solo  d8
Personal Desperation    d8
Small Arms    d6
Combat Expert    d8

Pizza-Place Agents rolled 8,4,6,2 using d8,d8,d6,d8 ((8,4,6,2)).

Total: 14, Effect: d8

Reaction Needed: Bishop
Next Action: Storm

It wasn't brave to look down a barrel of a gun he knew couldn't harm him.  It was brave to point said gun at Bishop. Or indeed, mad.

Team: 1d8
Uncompromising: 1d4
Godlike durability (+everything I've got): 1d12, 1d12
Combat Expert: 1d8

Today: Bishop rolled 5,1,11,12,4 using 1d8,1d4,1d12,1d12,1d8 with rolls of 5,1,11,12,4.  Resist Agent's Attack.
Total: 23 Effect: 1d8
New PP total: 3+2=5
Stepping up strength to 'Godlike' from SFX
This message was last edited by the player at 13:00, Thu 06 June 2019.

Add d6 to Doom Pool from Bishop's Opportunity

Doom Pool: 2d6, 7d8 +d6 = 3d6, 7d8

The very air seems to come alive with electricity as Storm makes her presence known.

"You have a lot of courage. At least I think it's courage? Maybe that's not the word I'm looking for." She looked about with bright, white eyes for help. "Idiocy? Is that similar to courage?"

The electricity that had begun to charge through the air gathered between Storms fingers as she recovered from her momentary fright and the Goddess of the Storm shrugged as her gaze returned to the agent. "The correct response was Don't Tase Me, Bro."

Electricity lept from Storm's fingertips as she attempted to knock the fellow out with the help of a few electrons. She just had to get the voltage and amperage right. The resistance coefficient of air was what again?

OOC:

Trying to knock this fool out.

Team: d10
Mercurial: d8
Electrical Blast: d10
Combat Expert: d8
Emotional Link: d6

09:26, Today: Storm rolled 9,4,4,1,4 using d10,d8,d10,d8,d6 with rolls of 9,4,4,1,4.  Subdue Agent.

Total: 13
Effect: d10

1 opportunity. Plus an additional d6 added to the doom pool for use of Emotional Link.

PP: 3 + 1 = 4

Need Reaction from Pizza Place Agent
Next up: Spider-Man

Add d6 to Doom Pool from Storm's Opportunity

Add d6 to Doom Pool from Storm's Emotional Link

Defend from Storm's physical attack, Total: 13, Effect: d10:
Team    d8
Low-Level Flunkies    d4
(step up Doom Pool die)
Body Armor    d6
Combat Expert    d8
Storm's Emotional stress    d6

Pizza-Place Agents rolled 6,3,4,7,1 using d8,d4,d6,d8,d6 ((6,3,4,7,1)).

Total: 13, Effect: d6
1 Opportunity (available first to Storm)

Pizza-Place Agents Mob eliminated

Doom Pool: 3d6, 7d8 +d6 (-d6/+d8) = 3d6, 8d8

The electricity flows from Storm along an invisible line directly into the agent's body. Immediately his body jerks and spasms as the jolt passes into him and blue lights flash around him, and he drops his weapon. As his eyes turn white like the wind-rider's, from shock, not power superiority, he mutters one weak "Hail -- " before slumping to the dirty floor behind the counter.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:09, Wed 19 June 2019.

"Was this it?" Spider-Man asks seeing the agents being knocked out. He's still on guard, trying to use his danger sense to pinpoint if any other danger is around.

OOC: Is there any other obvious danger around?

The interior of the restaurant starts to darken as a giant of a figure walks out from the back of the place. "I doubt it," the figure says, striding into the trashed kitchen, revealing itself to be the Not-Often-Savage She-Hulk, all 6'7" of her. "Chances are it's just the tip of a poisonous iceberg."

Hawkeye steps in from the doorway. "An iceberg is bad enough as it is," he says, stalking into the kitchen with an arrow ready in his bow. "It doesn't have to be poisonous too." The archer moves less toward his giantess teammate than the large, steel walk-in cooler door in the center of the prep-area.

The darkening of the inside of the place levels as its source comes clear: The door opening and the windows are now covered from the outside with an icy, translucent layer. Iceman has done his job of sealing off any entry- or exit-ways with his considerable ice powers. If the minimal amount of light coming through his ice is any indication, escape will be nigh-impossible. The heroes are trapped but so are their prey.

The bearded transient is on his feet, eyeballing each hero, either surprised or scared or suspicious or sinister or a combination of all of them.

Next Action: any

Storm let the mist that had been covering the approach dissipate - it seemed everyone that was going to join them had already done so.

"I agree with Jennifer. Let's look around for something that leads elsewhere." She gestured toward Clint. "That freezer door is one option. Did anyone see stairs? Internal doors? Trap doors? An oddly shimmering portal that likely leads to a pocket dimension? Stairway to Heaven? Nature Trail to Hell?"

The options were near-infinite. They just needed a quick regroup, a little organization, and some direction. This place wasn't that big.

OOC: I assume it's okay to talk now and then without taking an official action?

Bishop straightened up as the last of the agents went down.  And once he confirmed that whomever just entered the room wasn't hostile, he turned his full attention back to the bearded man who was still sitting on his chair, completely undisturbed to the battle that waged around him.  If he was an innocent bystander, he would have tried to flee the place a long time ago, or duck under one of the tables with his hands over his head.  He didn't, and that meant he wasn't all that concerned with the fighting.  And that made him dangerous.

"Speak" he commanded him once he was close enough, towering over him
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Sun 23 June 2019.

Hawkeye creeps toward the walk-in door. “We just need a quick regroup, a little organization, and some direction," he says, not taking his eyes off the door. "Who’s down for this?”

She-Hulk eyes the door with caution, her mighty fists ready.

The place offers only two doorways: the front where most of the heroes entered, and the one in back that She-Hulk must have come through. What looks from the outside to be a second story is actually the high, vaulted ceiling in the dining room. There are no stairs visible inside. The interior is the dining room and kitchen, and barely those from the looks of it.

The old transient stands on shaking legs and slowly holds out the gnarled fingers of one hand toward Bishop. He turns his face up toward the tall mutant in front of him and looks through a curtain of dirty hair with eyes glazed and milky. His dirty beard parts horizontally but his mouth is barely visible. “I’m none too good at hearin’ and I c’n barely see you,” he says, his words as unsteady as his stance. “But I hope you’re here to take care'a the strange happnin’s.”

OOC: It is always okay -- if not encouraged -- to talk without taking an action for it!

"There's nothing else in the place", came the dark canid-human as Wolfsbane descended the stairs, "I've been through everything upstairs.  If there's anything else here, its down".

She also looked at the walk-in door.
There was only one way to find out ... but if 'the heroes' wanted to stop for a breather and chat, she'd not deny them that.