We pick up in NYC one in-game week after Carnage's death. Please establish where your character currently is and what they're doing, and give some detail about how they're faring physically, mentally, and emotionally since that fateful night.

Parker Residence

Felicia Hardy has a ring of purple bruises around her neck. They look nasty but those go away.  The memories Carnage put in her head?  She has that dream every time she goes to sleep.  She trashed a Renoir in her apartment when she freaked out during the nightmare the first day.

She's been trying not to sleep.  She makes arrangements for the shield.  Should be taking a break after a big job, but she's doing break-ins that are too small for her in between the parties.  Anything to keep busy.

Days of this and she's exhausted.  Needs a safe place to crash.  Without anything priceless to break, and with someone to shake her awake if she gets trapped in the nightmare again.

So she lets herself into the Parker residence. It's not breaking and entering if you know which window he leaves unlocked.  Might even have a key somewhere if he never changed the lock.   Not that it would make a difference if he did.

Spider was there that night.  He'll understand.  There's no sign of him, or anyone home when Felicia lets herself in.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:52, Fri 04 Mar 2022.

He landed in the alley to the satisfying crunch of a human femur, as the punk in the red-and-black mask took the brunt of his fall. Moon Knight ignored the scream, even as the punk's friends all whipped around to see why their companion was suddenly bellowing in pain. They all wore the same mask. It wasn't even the first time Moon Knight had seen it that week. It was everywhere.

Carnage.

"M-moon Knight," said one of the masked thugs. That stammer was like gold to Moon Knight: precious and not really all that rare. Behind his own mask, Moon Knight grinned. The mask grinned with him. It did that now.

"There's six of us and one of him," said the largest one. He had a gun pointed at Moon Knight, but his eyes said he lacked the will to use it.

"Five," Moon Knight said. He ground his heel against the fallen punk's leg, eliciting another scream, to remind the gang that one of their number had already fallen. They cringed, and it was beautiful. Then a white tendril whipped out of Moon Knight's side and slammed another punk into the brick alley wall hard enough that there was another crunch of bones. "Four."

Two more of the punks ran. He'd have to track them down, but that would be as easy as anything else he'd done so far.

"Two," he amended.

"He eats faces!" shouted the smaller of the two. He had pulled a knife, but was he was holding it so limply that he was more likely to drop it than use it. He did neither, though. Instead he ran, just leaving the one punk with the gun.

"I don't eat faces," Moon Knight said, edging closer to the last punk. At some point during his abandonment by his comrades, he'd lost the rest of his own nerve, and he froze now. Moon Knight got nose to nose with him, and hissed in a cold rasp, "I keep them."

There was a small thud as the gun hit concrete. The punk had dropped it, more by terror than by intent. He dropped to his knees.

"Please don't kill me," he whispered.

"Take off that mask," Moon Knight demanded.

"Huh?"

"The mask," Moon Knight demanded. "The Carnage mask. Take it off."

"I'm not—"

"Take it off!"

"I'm not wearing a mask!" the punk screamed. He covered his face with his arms. "Don't eat my face!"

Moon Knight grabbed his arms and pulled them away from his face.

There was no mask.

Again.

"Damn it," Moon Knight muttered. "Run away now."

"Wh-what?"

"I said run away!"

The punk ran. The one with the broken leg just lay there and whimpered. He wasn't wearing a mask, either.

"Third fucking time this week." Moon Knight grumbled. He turned and went up the wall. "Shit."

Eddie Brock was a failure, a predator, a loser, and a monster at least in his opinion. But as he accepted a bowl of soup and a slice of bread in a soup kitchen he was a teacher. As he sat as most did alone he tore the bread into pieces and held it in his palm as it vanished into the darkness of his sleeves, "This is a step up from the lowest being a villain took Venom and me. Remember how little it seems to be at first how gaunt some of my fellow humans are getting this maybe once a week. Humanity at its most bent and near broken. We have to protect them give them room to recover away from those that would prey on them."

He walks out after he has finished, "The old lady wasn't there again, it has been a week...," echoed from his jacket's hood. "I asked she had an ambulance outside her house... we'll go check on her the kids loved her candy." With that, a web tendril fires and Shepard Venom swings towards the hospital.

Flushing Cemetery

April Parker had seen her father three times this week, but he hadn't seen her. At least, he hadn't recognized her. Mary-Jane Watson-Pa-- Watson had many more admirers in her short life than Peter Parker or even Spider-Man, and if a handful of them should have visited the family plot to pay their respects over the course of a week... that would no more trigger his Spider-Sense than his own flesh and blood.

April hadn't been there for him. Eventually, he'd exhausted his own grief-- for the moment-- and left April mercifully alone with hers.

She reaches within herself and pulls out a wreath of flowers to lay across Ben and May's grave, and then sits on Mary-Jane's, tracing the engraving on her cenotaph with her fingertips. Born the year Mayday was born. Died... the same year we died. It doesn't make sense.

She hadn't brought a wreath for her mother. She'd refused to believe she needed one.

It just doesn't make sense.

She leaps into the air and webslings herself to the one place on Earth she's most afraid of.

Home.

Parker Residence

The door to her childhood home opens without a sound, and April reforms a couple of dainty little tentacles into her right hand; she doesn't close it behind her, because it always drove Peter and Mary-Jane crazy... and April would give anything for another disappointed lecture. Just one more. She doesn't turn on the lights.

She drifts like a ghost through the brownstone, her hand hovering over her father's personal effects... the detritus of a life that was only almost familiar to her. She opens the refrigerator and peruses Peter Parker's sparse selection of condiments and dearth of actual food. Dad... She closes it behind her and drifts her way up the stairs to the bedroom she'd shared with her sister... for a few months... before she'd ruined everything.

It had been Mary-Jane's office while she was alive, and now an unintentional shrine to her varied careers and interests. Mary-Jane's face, impossibly young, smiles down at April from a framed magazine cover.

April stares back up at it in awe.

And then she drifts out of her bedroom again and... looks in on... Dad won't be home for hours.

She peeks at the bed, and then sits gently on the corner of it. When she speaks, her voice has genuine mirth-- but there's a brittle edge to it as well.

"Hey, Goldilocks, wake up. I think someone's been sleeping in my mother's bed."

Parker Residence

The champagne in the fridge should've been the first hint.

Felicia is sleeping wearing one of Peter's t-shirts, clutching a plush cat.  She's not slept soundly.  The dreams are a little different here.  The Spider being murdered, mostly instead of her father.  It's not really easier.

She jolts awake at the voice, sweating and breathing heavily.  Claws puncture the pillow and retract back into normal fingernails.  There's fresh scratches on the wall too.

"Not the first time that's happened." is the first thing she says.

Followed by "I dunno if you noticed, but there's only one person who lives here, and it's definitely not your mom."  She blinks at April.  She notices the resemblance to Peter immediately, if she didn't already pick up on it the other night.

"He never told me he had a kid."

Parker Residence

April stops. Blinks. "I- I don't think he did. It's not his fault. They kept our crib, you know? After Mayday came home, they kept it, in her room. After I came home... they kept it. They moved it downstairs, so I could have a bed, but they kept it."

Carefully, gently, she takes one of the pillows; she holds it up to her face and sniffs deeply. "I can't smell her anywhere in this house. Even in her shrine." She offers the pillow back to Felicia. "She's... been gone a long time."

"Mom told me about you and Dad. Some." She gestures vaguely, at a loss for words.

"Yeah you're too old to be Red's kid.  So it's some dimensional rift thing?  Explains Cap America Barbie too.  Every day is something like that with him."


She tosses the pillow aside.  She doesn't need it.

She sounds wistful as she continues "I miss that excitement sometimes.  So this is not actually what it looks like.  The Spider and I broke up before Red.  Fundamental incompatibilities.

In my dreams, it feels like Kassady's still there.  I needed a safe place where someone would wake me if I get stuck in the nightmare again.  So I'm here as a friend."

There's a slight pause and then "I guess friend with benefits might be on the table.  For him." just in case the kid misinterpreted that.

"You're not who I expected but thanks.
What time is it?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:48, Sun 06 Mar 2022.

Parker Residence

"It's... uh, it was almost midnight when I left the cemetery. And I think... I was looking for the same thing you were, when I came here-- minus the booty call, obviously-- but you found it and I... there's nothing for me here. I'm sorry I woke you up." April looks down at her hands. "Guessing you wouldn't consider me real 'safe' right now, but I'm probably not going to try to eat your brain in the next couple hours. You want me to stick around awhile... just, uh, until Dad gets home?"

"I think he needs a friend right now, too. And I think having me around is the last thing he needs... and I think that's kinda mutual. But maybe I can be here while you get some sleep, and gone by the time you wake up, and I can try to figure my life out somewhere else in the morning."

Parker Residence

Felicia blinks and rubs her eyes.  Whatever interactions April has had with Felicia in her world, the chances she's seen her without makeup before now are nonexistent.  "That means I just slept for 10 hours.  That's pretty good even if I need to catch up."

She looks at April.  "Carnage was a monster.  You're just a teenager with alien goo."  Felicia is pretty sure hating all symbiotes is racist.  Even if she's been having very visceral dreams about blood turning into Carnage's tendrils and then crawling down her throat.  Besides, she liked it on the Spider.  And Eddie's not that bad any more.  Pretty weird but well... who does she know that isn't.

"It's... fine.. Mostly fine.  "I am glad your goo isn't red, at least.  You did good that night.  If you're his kid you're safer than most people I know.  You want me to order something to eat?  He doesn't have anything.

I can see how he might not want to see his non-existent daughter if he's all mopey about your mom.  If it was what I think happened, it wasn't his fault."

She stands up and stretches.  The shirt is long enough on her to be decent.  Barely.

"You grew up in this house.  I think he should ditch it and live in Avengers tower without pizza stains on the sheets.  Spider outclasses half of them and still he wants to spend half his time as boring old Peter Parker.  I'll never understand that." 
This message was last edited by the player at 14:48, Mon 07 Mar 2022.

Parker Residence



"But good luck telling him that, right?" April sighs heavily. "I'm not a kid anymore. Or I'm a kid again... but I've had decades to try to figure it out. I've never... really been Dad's daughter. Mayday was his little girl, and I was just a monster cooked up in a lab to hurt him. The fact... the fact that I'm not that to your Spider-Man is a blessing in disguise."

She thinks for a moment. "He wasn't wrong, you know. Mom and Mayday always believed in me, but they didn't live long enough to see me prove them right. Or maybe they did, maybe they're alive right now, maybe they're laying flowers on an empty grave wishing I was there. I don't know. It's complicated."

"I could eat," she belatedly replies. She's now holding a roll of bills, held together with a rubber band. "I can chip in. I thought I was rich when I lifted this, but everything's so much more expensive than I thought."



April actually smiles at this. "My dad had to be Peter Parker full-time, and he hated it. He denied it, but he kept his old police scanner-- that one!" she points at, indeed, the shiny new police scanner on Parker's dresser, "-- and every time one of his old punching bags made an appearance, he'd just... twitch, like it was all he could do not to jump right out the window." She even... laughs. A little.

"I wonder if you're onto something, though. His leg wouldn't really have stopped him, if he still wanted to keep fighting. Couple of times someone came after Mom or Benji, Dad was almost as good as he ever was. Hell, he was still almost as good as Mayday, and she... she..."

"A lot of the old guard Avengers, the survivors, and the old X-People before Professor Lee... they always said Dad had been the best of them. And... in my time, that's what everyone said about Mayday, too. She was the best."

"Dad's problem, whether he's Spider-Man or just Peter Parker, is half the time he doesn't know what he wants, and the other half of the time, he doesn't believe he deserves it. That's why Mom was so good for him... she was the only person strong enough to stop him from punishing himself."
This message was last edited by the player at 07:22, Tue 08 Mar 2022.

"It's covered". Felicia pushes away the money.  She grabs and pulls on her black leggings that were lying on the bathroom floor.  They aren't part of her Cat suit but they'd work for it in a pinch.  She doesn't bother changing out of Pete's shirt.

"I'm getting Thai.  You want the same thing he'd get, just double portion for the Klyntar?"  Symbiotes always seem hungry.

She washes her face and starts putting on eye makeup while thumbing the order into her phone.  She makes a face regarding the cleanliness of the bathroom.  "So you're as bad with money as your dad, and much older than you look.  I'd ask about your skincare routine but I think I already know." 

"He doesn't need all the baggage, he's new at this parent stuff.  Definitely don't lead with the 'you had three kids but I'm talking about them in the past tense' thing.  Let him get to know April."  She finishes with the mirror and turns back towards April.

"Almost all the heroes that went to space didn't come back.  If he wants to blame himself I'm glad he's still here to do that."

"Sure, that sounds great." April picks up a picture frame off of Peter's nightstand. "You know..." she begins, then pauses, "... I'm not actually a host like Eddie. Or like Dad and Cape Guy or everyone else that night. I'm actually part klyntar, like, thirty-two percent; I still have some of Eddie's nightmares."

"I don't think Osborn even had a plan. He just knew these things freak Dad out."



"What happened up there?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:21, Thu 10 Mar 2022.

"Yeah, don't lead with that one either."  No surprise old man Parker was freaked out about her.  Girl needs to learn to filter the information.



Felicia shrugs.  "Sorceress Supreme can tell you.  Think it's where she got the job.  I try to keep it to kicking mobsters and guys dressed like animals, or at least tech I mostly understand.  I come across artifacts of great mystical power, I sell them to Strange.  At least before he bit it.  Whatever it was killed him plus three of the Four, Cap, Mar-vell, Vision, Hulk, Pym, Van Dyne, and Logan."

A slight pause.

"I thought the Wolverines were immortal.  I guess if Jubilation is head of the X-men in the future you know better too.  After that people started disappearing everywhere.  If Spider wasn't the best before, he is now.

The future you lived in, where he's only Peter Parker?  I don't think this world survives that one.  Much as I want to know what it holds for me.  The Black Cougar?"

Snap list: https://docs.google.com/docume...iuO0QJenM73kYG-yS6qk
Spider-woman is on the list so that should be figured out at some point.  our PC Spider-woman is established as Jessica Drew (though her identity is private and probably only known to a few of the PCs but I don't know if she's established as this timeline's Jessica Drew or if that list should be tweaked.  Julia Carpenter would be an easy swap.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:54, Thu 10 Mar 2022.

"I guess we had our own version of 'gone to space', while I was still enjoying a womb with a view in Osborn's Swiss chateau. Loki tried to get all his old enemies to kill each other, hands forever stained with blood!--" she rolls her eyes as she slips into the worst Bela Lugosi impression humankind has ever witnessed, "-- and the Hulk and Loki got banished to Limbo, Cap gave his shield to Shannon and turned into a constellation, and the Five lost Reed and Franklin."

"All the old-timers hung up their tights after that. Professor Lee--" April puts up a good fight, but breaks into giggles here, "Jubilation, really? You're kidding, you gotta be messing with me." She takes a deep breath. "Professor Lee took over the X-People, Shannon and Mayday took over the Avengers."

She frowns, and then ages before Felicia's eyes. "In the end... it was just me and Cassie, Zayne and Torus. And Carnage."



"Nah, you hung that up before me and Mayday were even born, started working the other side of the street. Private investigator, security consultant. 'It's just like burglary', you said, except the mark's the one that pays you. You helped me and Mayday take some bad men off the street, Cat." Her face takes on a hard cast and the picture frame she was looking at shatters in her hands; she lays it back down on Peter's desk. "After she died, you begged me to turn myself in. You and Felicity both. And then you begged the Avengers and SHIELD to take me alive, listen to my side of the story."

She coughs, and her eyes stop watering. "I'm sorry, Cat. You made a very good life for yourself, and you helped a lot of people. And you always made it look so easy. Much as you want to deny it... you're more 'one of us' than I ever was."

Felicia listens intently, raising a few eyebrows for most of it.



At this she goes completely still.  The only thing she says is "Felicity?"

Eddie sat on the roof of the hospital his feet dangling off the side. To his side sat a bucket of chicken and a family-sized empty soda bottle, "We made her comfortable it was the best we could do. For a few moments, you guys were her hero." He pauses and he chews a chicken leg, "We can't save everyone as Venom said but it was good to try." He looks over at the bucket and finds it is empty, "Break time is over it seems."

Eddie stands and his clothes turn to a multi-colored liquid and change into his Sheppard persona, "Honestly I'm also surprised we haven't run into the others by now as well even if we stick to the slums." And then they swing off into the night.

"Oh... uh... right. Yeah, that makes sense. Sorry." She falls silent for several seconds, processing her thoughts.  "Felicity Thompson, in case... y'know... you thought this was a lifetime low." She stifles a laugh, more or less, and grows younger as she recounts her years in high school, "I was curious why Coach was always harping on her to work on her rebounds." She stifles this laugh... less. "God, I'm so sorry. Felicity was the Scarlet Spider for a little while, blackmailed Mayday into letting her wear Uncle Ben's costume and be her little sidekick. Made all of her own gear, did her own patrols when Mayday wasn't available."

"She was so good at it, though. Even better after she hung up the tights and started working for you. She saw all the pieces, she saw how they all fit. She must have gotten that from you."

She laughs openly this time.

"Speaking of always trying to get into our tights, Gene was always a little shit-- sorry-- but I think he might have been the only person on Earth who liked me better. Diana told me once, when we were dating, that Gene would 'grow into himself' once he got away from that whole high school/varsity culture." She sobers up again, drifting back through middle age. "I would have liked to have seen that."

"I couldn't possibly be describing your future, Felicia." She waves a delicate, frail-looking hand around the room. "Any more than this could possibly be my past. I hadn't realized that yet, I didn't want to admit it... but this world will never become the one that Mayday and I grew up in."

"Thank you, dearie. Life's too short to worry about histories that never happened and destinies that never will."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:00, Fri 11 Mar 2022.

What April just said is apparently hilarious.  Felicia lights up and speaks, explaining slowly.

"Sweetie,
You are telling me
That my daughter
Is a Spider.
And everyone thinks
That
Flash
is her father?"

She takes a moment to burst into laughter here.

"I only dated that guy to make the Spider jealous."  A little more laughter.  Flash was pretty athletic for a regular person, but a military guy was not a good match.  She couldn't tell him what she really did, and she tried to talk about sports with him but he had the nerve to tell her that gymnastics wasn't a real sport.

"I mean, Gene is probably his.  I wouldn't have let one of you date your half-brother.  Not if I liked you.  Or him.
And obviously your mom is not that gullible.  Not unless the Scarlet Spider's identity is ironclad.  Spider wouldn't while they were together.  So there's a missing piece.  Happened before, your parents on a break, something like that.

My money is on door number three.
Ben Reilly.
She even wears her father's costume.  This is brilliant.
I wonder if Flash ever figured it out.  Does he fucking hate me?"

The food arrives, and Felicia pays the delivery person with a hundred dollar bill.  If this seems like way too much to April, it's because it is.  She notices the door ajar.  Looks all over the room.  She points to it and mouths to April totally silently "Was that you?"

OOC: Felicity's father being Ben Reilly isn't MC2 canon but this makes the most sense to Felicia as she is now, and I think a smart MC2 writer would have at least hinted at it... It's been a while since I read the Spider-Girl series but notably Felicity's last name is Hardy while Gene's is Thompson.  I don't remember which of them is older, and the wiki doesn't help there.  I think they're both +/- one year from Mayday's age.

April laughs along with Felicia, since none of this even matters. "You know, some people said that a three-year marriage showed a lack of commitment in your part. As God as is my witness, I'll never let them say it again."



"Oh, Coach Thompson definitely hated you, but my dad and your kids didn't have anything to do with it. And... you know, Felicity never really had any powers that me or Mayday knew of. Uncle Ben's son... that's a story. Was that really the real M--" April seems to realize she should be a little cagey, "-- Daredevil in Yankee Stadium with us? I thought it was my cousin Reilly until he started talking."



April shakes her head 'no' a moment before she becomes Mayhem, and Mayhem drops into a low and liquid crouch a moment before she becomes invisible. The takeout containers arrange themselves on the coffee table like they were caught mid-meal... and a few moments after that, the upstairs toilet flushes.

The clock ticks agonizingly slowly... and then April reappears. "Oh, yeah. Sorry."

She closes the door firmly, locks it, and offers Felicia an embarrassed shrug.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:43, Fri 11 Mar 2022.

Felicia visibly relaxes when April admits to leaving the door unlocked.  Her hands relax and dangerous-looking claws disappear back into her fingertips.  There's no lecture.  Felicia is not her parent, after all.  "It's a miracle no one bombed this place when he took that mask off." is all she says.

Then she heads over to the food.  There's an extra container that she sets to the side, and she pops one claw back out to scratch a stick-figure spider into the center of, then a cat into the top-left corner as if it's a return address.

"No powers.  That sounds like Bad Luck."  It's not convincing Felicia.  Makes sense to her that their powers might interact to cancel out, or leave Felicia's dominant.

"There's only one Devil of Hell's Kitchen.  Unless the ninja steps in, but you'd definitely notice her."  Felicia doesn't know if Electra is still around, but she's kind of terrified of her.   "Easier to avoid the neighborhood.  Not worth it."  Felicia will get over it, but she's a little mad that Daredevil saved a seemingly dead Urich over a definitely alive Cat who was trying to help him.  A few minutes later he preached to her about how every life matters when saving Killgrave.  Some more than others, obviously.
She picks up her chopsticks and takes a few bites of her noodles.  "Do you happen to have any pictures of them?"  Her kids.


OOC: 616 Felicia has her claws as implants at least in Jed MacKay's run and I love the idea.  They are still functionally gear that can be shut down/malfunction.  In this scene I would assume that they're the only cat suit power she has access to right now.  Other than that, her gear should be the same as what she uses in the PS4 game (which has a much more practical costume than the main universe)

Felicia probably doesn't know Daredevil's secret identity or any of the other PCs that aren't public even though she's possibly dealt with Matt Murdock in the past.  (Spidey and Eddie have theirs as public and those are the most likely ones she'd know.)
This message was last edited by the player at 21:54, Fri 11 Mar 2022.

Sheppard looked down as the cops loaded folks into their cars and the paramedics worked on a few of the more unfortunate ones, "Good job everyone. Purple you did great on keeping the kids calm. What?" He pauses and chuckles, "We'll have to okay it with their parents first. Got to remember the rest of us aren't clowns though kiddo." He nods, "Indeed Venom little brown was very effective with his takedowns of the guy with the gun. The proper amount of fear and force. I did notice you rack the gun to scare him after you ate the bullets Venom. That is the first fellow I've seen pee himself by sound alone."

He chuckles as they swing away, "And Brown managed to snatch the pee-pants pocket so they get to pick Chicken or Pizza for dinner!"

Parker Residence



"Uh... maybe?" April concentrates for a moment, and a long-obsolete smartphone extrudes from the palm of her hand. She frowns at the cracks in the screen, but it eventually powers up and April starts thumbing through the photos. "Oh, here's one of me and Gene." She hands the phone over to Felicia.

"I don't think it works anymore... in this timeline, I mean. I'm going to have to get a new one before, well, before I have anyone I need to call. Do you think you could hold onto it for me, until I get back?"

Parker Residence

Felicia thought she was going to have to snap a photo of the screen with her phone, but April is just... giving it to her?  Unlocked?  No one trusts the Black Cat that much.  And they shouldn't.  I mean April should be aware that Felicia just stole American Dream's shield.  Although April obviously doesn't have any accounts or anything to protect in this dimension.

She looks at the photo, trying to see herself in the teenager's face.  She never thought she'd be much of a mother.  Now she's wondering.  At least one of her kids in that timeline took after her, sort of.

"You sure you even want this brick back?  This things's what, first-gen?"  It's so heavy.

"I can get you a working one, with your files on it.  Until then, I have business.  You see your dad, tell him I'll be back in a day or so.  Or just let him figure it out."
The only question in Felicia's mind is whether she's going to be able to pull everything off that phone herself, (probably, it's not like it's alien tech or anything.) or if she'll need to show it to the Tinkerer.

Felicia hasn't exactly tried to hide her presence in the apartment, in addition to her distinctive hair in the bed, she's left scratches on the bedroom walls, a makeup bag, the food, and likely more.

She heads back into the bedroom and changes into her own clothes.  Then the Cat leaves, via the same window she used to come in.

Slums

Felicia lands on a rooftop right next to Venom.  "Hey Eddie.  Pretty weird out there still.  I heard some guys saying somebody tried to eat their faces a couple hours ago.  I'm not sure if he was serious or on something.  That's not you, right?  Or your... herd?"  What even is the word for a group of Klyntar, she wonders.

Attackers don't typically sit overlooking the paramedics while they work.  And Eddie's a hero now right?  More hero than Felicia is.  "I'm actually glad I ran into you.  I think I know someone who could use your help."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:31, Tue 15 Mar 2022.

Parker Residence



"Sure, Cat. I'd... appreciate that. Thank you."



"Guess you're going to see him before I do. Tell him..." She frowns. "Tell him... She frowns harder, and her hair starts turning white again. "Don't tell him anything, I guess. If he even asks, tell him I'm in Mexico on family business. He'll either know what I'm talking about or he doesn't deserve to."



There's exactly as much security on April's phone as you'd expect from a reckless teenager; the only concession to secret identities is the absence of pictures of people in partial costume, or groups of heroes in-and-out of costume, probably imposed by those heroes themselves, and probably only after-the-fact.

Her contacts list is interesting, though it's the Watcher's call if any of the phone numbers match up to this timeline. (Please? It'd be way more interesting if they did.) Unfortunately, it's also about as organized as you'd expect from a reckless teenager: "dad", "mom", and "mayday" are pretty obvious, but the rest might as well be encrypted-- and most of them refer to people who don't exist.

Bus Station

April passes the time until her bus leaves by buying a stack of magazines about celebrities, superheroes, and current events and reading them cover-to-cover. They are the only luggage she has, or needs, for the loooong three-day bus ride to El Paso.

Eddie turns his head and smiles, "So you are what got Venom riled up." He chuckles, "Yeah Venom was teaching the kids how to ensure a person looks over their shoulder forever after he got mouthy in front of a kid." Deep voiced chuckles are heard from his hoodie as its eyes wink, "Could not let Brown show me up either. "

Eddie rolls his eyes and looks back to Black Cat, "Bravado aside I figured you weren't out for a stroll. The slums don't have the shinies a classy fem-fatale like you tends to hunt. What can we help you with?"

"You'd be surprised how much stuff gets stashed here."  She shrugs.   "Even if it smells like pee.  Everybody just looks at the outside."

"Any of those symbiotes up for adoption?  Not for me."  She looks away from the multicolored cloak of goo for a moment.  She's pretty used to Klyntar.  Lots of time with the Spider back when he was the Venom host.  But the dreams she's having are bad enough without sharing her head with an alien.

"You remember Flash?  Pete's friend?  He lost his legs in Afghanistan."
She waits for him to at least nod in response.

"I had a talk with April.  She was telling me about her timeline and I think maybe he'd be good at this stuff.

Just... don't tell him it was my idea."  In this timeline, Felicia had dated Flash for a couple months before ghosting him.  Being Felicia Hardy around him all the time and not the Black Cat had been exhausting.

The other Flash had probably been boring too.  But if he'd raised the Scarlet Spider he's probably not all that bad.

"Spiderman knew of this Flash...they were not pleasant memories," emanates from Eddie's hood. "He was a dumb kid big guy. We'll check him out. No promises though. The kids aren't ready to deal with PTSD-related symptoms. But if he's not doing what my stupid self used to do and drink myself stupid we'll look him up."

He blinks, "April? Fuzzy on some names since the kids and Venom kinda trapped me to make Sheppard possible. Whos future kid or cousin is she?"

In reply to Venom (msg # 30):

"And yet the Spider hung out with him on purpose all the time.  I guess when most of your friends try to kill you it's harder to manage."

"I was sure you'd noticed when she showed her face yesterday."  It's been a week, but Felicia's only slept sporadically.  Days are hard.

"April Parker.  Her and her sister aren't gonna exist here, her mom disappeared.  That's gotta mess you up.  She's Venom's kid too.  Or grandkid.

Nothing's ever simple with the Spider, of course."  Felicia loves that part.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:49, Thu 17 Mar 2022.

Eddie sighs and rubs at the bridge of his nose, "Which means she had to grow up with all my lethal protector delusions in her head....and all that hate. Poor kid."

He laughs at the final line, "True he can't go five feet without saving something and pissing off some super-powered weirdo by accident. The kid gonna be okay? I got an apartment sitting vacant near the park if she needs a bolthole. Likely needs a clean up, can't bring myself to revisit all the ghosts there."

A purple mass raises out of his shoulders in the vague shape of a cat that lays down as if on a flat surface to nap, "And purple wants me to offer it to you as well. Just please don't hide loot there, half the lease is in my ex-wife's name. Keys are inside in a safe, never needed to walk considering Venom."

He looks out over the city, "If you see the Spider let him know we are gonna stick around the slums and keep pot from boiling over. But someone is raising prices for goods for the kitchens. We are keeping trucks safe but we aren't detectives."

"I think she turned out ok.  She's got someone out of town to visit."

She shrugs.  "I'll let her know about the place when she gets back.  I'm crashing with the Spider for a few days.  Need someone I can trust around when I sleep right now."

If Felicia relays that message to the Spider she's gonna get caught up in fixing this thing pro-bono.  She could just speak up now and get a cut.  "The Kingpin hasn't been seen since the incident.  Someone's still running that org but a bunch of wannabes probably think this is their chance." 

The Venom swarm aren't detectives.  Alternate future Felicia is.  Working with whoever she left Flash for, a person that 100% can't be the father.  Helps her go straight, but ironically.  None of the queer girls Felicia knows fit that bill.  "I might take a look later.  You see me out of costume, act like you've never seen me before."

It won't be worth it, but none of the jobs she's done lately have been, except the shield.  Staying busy keeps her from what's in her head.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:31, Fri 18 Mar 2022.

Eddie nods and chuckles, "Someone like me was always far too low on the social ladder for a gal like yourself. And we don't get out of costume anymore. Not sure if the kids left anything human behind back at the big fight."

He walks to the edge of the building's roof again looking out, "Keep an eye on him cat. Killing really digs into him and he lets it stew. Make him take you somewhere normal or something vacation style. Anyway, we got to move, haven't seen the truck for St. Elizabeth's go by yet, and its an hour late."

A tendril shoots out from his shoulder to connect to a nearby building, "The kids say it was good to see you." And he swings away into the night.

"I'd ask him, if I thought he might go." she says, sadly.

"I'll text you if I find anything."

And then the Cat is off in the other direction.

He stood alone on the rooftop, listening to the wind, and the noises it carried. The city wasn't silent, but it seemed largely at rest for the moment.

I missed Purim, Moon Knight thought, suddenly. Even he wasn't sure where the thought came from. But suddenly the voices in his head were all silent, as though expecting a response.

They didn't have long to wait.

That's one of your Jewish holidays, Khonshu replied in his mind. The one with the cookies and the costumes, right?

Behind his mask, Moon Knight rolled his eyes and sighed.

Sure. It's the one with the cookies and the costumes.

You wear a costume every night, Khonshu replied, although if Moon Knight had ever dared call his sacred raiment a costume, Khonshu would have had words. Do you want me to buy you a cookie?

No, I do not want you to buy me a fucking cookie, Moon Knight snapped. I was just thinking about how it was my favorite holiday as a kid, and now I don't even pay attention to when it comes around.

You serve a different God now, Khonshu said, coolly.

I serve you. I don't worship you.

You make it sound like there's a difference. You do great works in my name.

I still don't worship you.

And why is that, exactly? I have given you power and wealth beyond the imaginings of the average man. That is what most people pray for. So why do you withhold your devotion from I who have raised you from the very dead — more than once — and bestowed upon you all my gifts?

Because my god kicked your ass.

Khonshu fell silent for a moment, and when he spoke again it was with an unfamiliar tone to his voice. The God of the Moon was laughing.

Very well. Keep your God, and your religion, and your stupid little cookies.

Fine. I will.

Fine.

All the cool Gods have cookies.

I heard that.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:40, Fri 25 Mar 2022.

The most likely reason that Moon Knight can hear Daredevil shuffling on the asphalt across the roof is because Horn-Head lets him. Regardless of accident or intention, Daredevil is on the other side, about 20 feet away, well out arm's range even with a lunge, and enough distance that a projectile could be dodged in plenty of time. When Daredevil notices Moon Knight noticing him, he steps slightly out of the shadows and the lights of the city bring out the red in what few parts of his costume he chooses to reveal. Still, the tone of his voice is casual, almost conversational. "How's it look from up here?" But he doesn't step farther from the section of the roof he's requisitioned, in the shadows of the city and his maybe/maybe-not ally. Unless Moon Knight can see in the dark, Daredevil's hard and ready grip on his billy club is hidden.

Moon Knight doesn't flinch as Daredevil reveals himself. The red-clad hero might be able to sneak up on Moon Knight, but it takes more than that to startle the Fist of Khonshu.

"The city sleeps restlessly tonight," he said, looking out across the rooftops. "The mark of Carnage is everywhere still."

Daredevil stays where he is and still but he might be looking at the same spots in the city that Moon Knight is. "Are you planning to murder everyone else with it?"

"Murder?" Moon Knight didn't turn to face Daredevil yet. Instead, he looked up at the moon, which was full and bright. "I didn't murder anyone. I enacted justice, as mandated by the God of Vengeance.

"That's a little holier-than-thou coming from the man who threw Bullseye off a building. The only difference between us is that you failed to kill your enemy."

Felicia's Penthouse
Luckily, phones from this alternate future use an older version of USB and transferring everything to a waiting burner just needs an adapter.  At a quick glance of the phone the biggest surprise (other than what kind of name is Sabreclaw) is that the contact list has Felicia's actual number.  Not one of the burners that she uses for Black Cat business... those change monthly.  Her real number.  The one she talks to her mom on.  No one's called that since all the disappearances.

She'll look through the rest of the phone later.  For now, she needs a job to keep her mind off of everything else.
Eddie wants to figure out who's squeezing the shelters.  So she may as well investigate.  Felicia finds a brown wig and some clothes that are way too big for her and puts them on over the cat-suit.  She's not going in there without her gear.  It's bad enough she can't wear the mask.

Bus Station
While April is waiting for the bus, a man approaches her, asks "April?" and hands her an envelope with a cat sticker and her name.

Inside is a new phone, charger, and bluetooth headset.  A sticky note says "PIN is his birthday."  It requires an immediate change.

April's photos are already there.  The contact list consists of two items:

Cat
Eddie

A text from Cat reads: Eddie says you can crash at <address> if you need a place.

Inspecting closely will reveal that all new files are being sent one-way to an email address associated with "Cat."

St. Elizabeth's
With some worn clothes, her lack of sleep, and the ring of purple bruises around her neck, it's easy to look like she needs help.  She tells them her name is Katia, pretends to only speak French (to avoid prying questions) and offers to help out in the kitchen.  If she gets a chance, she'll setup a few cameras.

The darkness and Moon Knight's apathy hides Daredevil's very slight flinch at the words. "That was... a long time ago. The difference from this being that I had run out of options then. Killing seemed to be the only option you had any interest in," Daredevil says. "Now you seem like you would be more concerned about a holiday from seven months ago than the fact that you took a life. Do you even care?"

Eddie sighed as he cleared road debris, "You know I never really looked into who gets paid to clean up after all these so-called hero battles." One of the chunks splinters into smaller chunks as a red tendril flicks out slashing at it, "Nice shot red! Right between the rebar!" Eddie lifts the now smaller chunk tossing it into a nearby dump truck without looking towards it and wipes at his brow with a rag put into his hand by a purple tendril, "Well we got the road clear in time for another patrol. Let us hope the goons tonight are carrying enough for a bucket of chicken."

Eddie laughs as multiple tendrils yank him into the air towards their normal patrol routes, "I knew that would motivate you!"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:50, Fri 15 Apr 2022.

"Every life I take is etched on the few remaining tatters of my soul," Moon Knight replied to Daredevil. "But killing Carnage...? No, I don't really care. Someone should have done that a long time ago. Spider-Man, probably.

"How do you feel when you let a killer live, and he goes on killing? Do you even care?"

Mexico City

After three days on a bus... and two more days under a bus... it felt good to walk in the sunshine again. Stretch her legs. Slap some people around. Her Spanish had been a little rusty-- poor, brave Luis-- but it was coming back to her. This city... This city was magnificent. I wish I'd gotten to see it like this. She spent a couple of days just walking the streets, riding the public transit around in circles, and talking to people.

Tracking an international assassin wasn't easy. Not even for an experienced crimefighter. Not even for someone who knew him as closely as any other living being-- not even Mayday, who knew and cared about everyone. April had burned through all of her American blood money in a hurry and replaced it with Mexican blood money, which proved to be no less flammable; this suited April's purposes perfectly, as earning money would bring her prey closer to her even faster than spending it would.

Case in point, the half a dozen men in unmarked military fatigues and facemasks, strewn about her cheap motel room like forgotten toys. "Estoy. Buscando. La Tarántula. You assholes are not--"

RAT-A-TAT!

An automatic rifle lit up April's back, far worse then her neglected spider-sense. Serves me right. Mayday's begging me to pay more attention.

April lashed out with a tentacle, slapping the soldier-- metaphorical or literal? both? doesn't matter-- in one direction and his rifle in another. "Stay down, puto, or the next one's sharp." She stretched upright and rolled her neck. "I don't care one way or the other about your dirty money. You've gotta make a living, right? But you tell me where to find the Tarantula, or you tell the Tarantula where to find me, or I'm going to start making myself at home right in the middle of your territory. All up in your business. Forever."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:36, Thu 28 Apr 2022.

"There are processes in place to stop those from killing. The system has its faults, but it's better than wanton murder by fools with capes that should never have been allowed out of their cells," Daredevil says to Moon Knight. "Your intentions to kill by killing ultimately don't protect lives and apparently any consideration to save anyone doesn't even give you pause, not leaving much value in what you call a soul. You consider yourself a killer even as you excuse yourself from culpability. What is to stop some warped clod from taking judgment and murdering you in the name of some pathetic sense of self-righteousness? What happens to your sad heroic self-righteousness then?"

As Daredevil droned on, Moon Knight yawned, bored as he was with the hero's blather. There were processes in place? He sounded like a lawyer. Worse, he sounded like an idiot. Killers like Carnage thrived on these supposed processes, letting the law keep them alive just to kill again. Moon Knight briefly considered saying some of this, but decided against it. Daredevil had clearly made up his mind.



"I never claimed to be a hero," he said when Daredevil finally stopped. "And if someone who does decides to kill me...? I've been dead before. It didn't stick.

"You bore me, Devil. You preach at me like a Catholic priest on a Sunday morning, but you're not actually going to do anything about it. I wasn't the only one who had a hand in killing Carnage. Or are you going to try to drag us to jail for our sins? Or worse, are you going to lecture us all on the virtues of letting killers live?"

Mexico City

Four... Five... Six... April had cased the little café already, but she took advantage of the opportunity to feel-- perhaps even savor-- the inconsequential threat the cartel's snipers posed to her. Her elusive quarry made eye contact from across the room; like her father, he was so much younger than she remembered him. She gave the killer-for-hire a smile and a shy wave of her hand... and immediately felt like an idiot.

She crossed the room, pulled out a chair, and sat across from... who is this man, really? Who is he to me?

"Chocolate caliente, por favor." She held up two fingers to the waiter. "Thank you for meeting with me, Tarántula. Kaine."

Kaine hid behind his coffee cup. "You're well-informed. And your approach doesn't scream 'law enforcement'. Who are you?"

"My friends call me 'April'."

"And your enemies?"

"I don't have any enemies."

Kaine blinked in surprise, and almost laughed out loud. "You've spent the last two weeks tearing up the entire Mexico City underworld. You've got three different cartels with three different bounties on your head, you're wanted by the federales, and I'm thinking about killing you myself."

April frowned. "Yeah, fair. But none of them are really my enemies; they're just keeping me from getting what I want. I could kill them all if I wanted to, but I just want them to get out of my way so I can stop hurting them."

"Sure, that's totally not disturbing at all. Who are you?"

"It's complicated." April sighed. Here we go. "You... don't know me yet, but I've known you all of my life. We go way, way back... and kinda sideways. It's complicated, I said."

"You said. Make it simple."

April rolled her eyes. "Fine. Once upon a time, there was a young couple-- let's call them Peter and Mary Jane, and in this story, they were married and they had a little baby named May. But one dark and stormy night, an evil goblin stole her away. They searched and they searched, but they could not find where the evil goblin had hidden their baby. Peter's friends were Earth's mightiest heroes and the kingdom's cleverest spies, but they could not find Baby May."

That, at least, had finally garnered Kaine's full attention.

"But Peter had a brother, an evil twin that nobody talked about. Peter hated his evil twin as much as he loved him, and the evil twin loved Peter as much as he hated him. He tracked the evil goblin to his lair and slew him. He found Baby May and he carried her home to Peter in his arms. And then he disappeared again, for many years, until Baby May grew up and needed a grizzled old mentor to help her follow in her father's footsteps."

Kaine did laugh this time. "That is one impressive line of bullshit. But Pete and MJ never got married. Never had a kid. And if they did, she wouldn't have ended up leaving a trail of destruction through Mexico City to ask me to be her Mister Miyagi. I can't give you what you want, kid, but I'll give you airfare if you promise to leave Mexico tonight and never come back... and maybe I can keep my associates from following you home."

"I already told you... I'm not May. She was the best of us. I'm just a defective copy. I'm nothing but her you, Uncle Kaine."

Kaine stared at her, speechless.

"I want you to come home with me. I can help you. These were the worst years of your life, and I can help you get away. I know you want that more than anything... but I can't make you trust me, I can't make you come with me. So, if you want to stay here and keep fighting for someone else's drug money, I'll leave you alone. But I'm taking Ben's hoodie with me. One of us is going to wear it again."

[-FIN-]

Some people know La Tarantula is Kaine. Some people know Kaine is a clone of Spider-Man, and that there was another clone named Ben who died. Nobody knows that Kaine has been holding on to Ben's hoody for all these years.
This message was last edited by the player at 08:47, Sun 01 May 2022.

Their wounds still fresh from the deadly ordeal with Carnage, the heroes of that night each dealt with the fallout in their own ways. Some, like Domino and Spider-Woman, chose to lay low. Having ensured Kasady was down for the count, they departed with whatever spoils they had earned and went back to their private lives. Mayhem left NYC for Texas, searching for an answer of what to do with the life she had regained. This world she had arrived into was both different and familiar, and she soon found a potential guide in the hard-boiled Kaine Parker. Though Kaine had been like family to April in her universe, they were strangers to each other in this one. Still, she hadn't come all this way to find him only to return to NYC alone, had she...?

Back in New York, the Black Cat was wracked by horrible nightmares brought on by her encounter with the Ghost Rider. Whether unable or unwilling to reckon with whatever inner demons the experience had stirred up, she was eager for a distraction. Perhaps that was why she struck an unlikely crime-fighting partnership with the reformed Venom. Since bonding with the symbiotes he freed from Kasady's control, Eddie Brock's abilities had changed in ways he was only beginning to understand. But despite the vast power at his fingertips, Brock remained ever focused on becoming a friendly neighborhood hero. He was as likely to spend his nights helping the homeless as he was fighting supervillains. And now he and Felicia Hardy were going undercover to nab the mysterious culprit who was ripping off the local food banks...

As for the mettlesome Moon Knight, he seemed to have responded to the stress of his encounter with Cletus Kasady by throwing himself into his work. With the new powers granted to him by his alien symbiote, "Lunacy", he took his crime-fighting to new levels, earning a fearsome reputation amongst the supervillains of New York. Word had gotten around that he'd played a major role in Kasady's defeat, even killing one of Carnage's "Family" members during the course of the night-- the brutal "Bushman". No doubt it was this murder that had gotten the attention of the virtue-preaching vigilante, Daredevil, who even now confronted him atop a moonlit rooftop...

Continued in my next post.

Moon Knight's question to Daredevil hangs in the air for a good, long moment. At first, it might seem that the horned hero is merely considering his response. But if one were to look closely, they might notice a subtle, almost imperceptible change in his body language. From the slightest shift in his posture, an astute observer might realize that there is something else in the environment diverting his attention from the moonlit mercenary. It the smell of something burning. Even if Marc hasn't yet noticed it himself-- and he may well have-- he certainly couldn't miss the sound of Khonshu's derisive laughter...


Next, something for Venom and Black Cat.

Felicia Hardy's first day undercover at St. Elizabeth's, where she had planned to investigate the mysterious theft of food and charitable goods, begins with a rocky start. In fact, unless she awakens very quickly, her first shift may not begin at all.

Another Carnage nightmare. This time, she's re-watching the moment when the black-suited Spider-Man pinned Cletus Kasady to the ground in Yankee Stadium, a balled fist poised to pound the killer's exposed face into bloody pulp. At first, Felicia is all but cheering him on, as he hits Cletus once, then twice, and three times. Again and again, Kasady takes the blows, laughing in his maniacal way all the while.

In the far reaches of her unconscious mind, Felicia remembers: Daredevil will step in right about now. He'll talk the Spider down, and we'll all do this dance a while longer until Ghost Rider holds Carnage still and Domino finally--

No. Wait. Something's wrong. This time, the Devil isn't here. And Kasady is no longer laughing. Instead, the only sound to be heard is that of a broken man gargling his own blood and shattered teeth. Why won't the Spider stop hitting him? It's too much. Way too much. Felicia tries to call out, but finds she can't even make a sound.

The next time Spider-Man raises his fist, it hangs in the air for trembling eternity. Felicia tries to call out to him: No! Peter! but she still can't form the words. And so she watches helplessly as the hero's symbiote-covered fist changes into a blade. A red spray wets the grass as Peter drives it straight down into the killer's exposed face.

*SHUNNNK*

As Felicia wakes with a start, she can still hear his voice, choked with sobs: "Why? Why didn't you stop me, Felicia? You just stood there! Did you ever even care?"

By the time she gets her breathing under control-- long enough to realize she's late for her first shift-- she can't help but curse the fact that her powers only cause bad luck for others, and not good luck for herself. C'est la vie, eh, "Katia"?

But then again, it's only a couple of minutes past her start time... and this is volunteer work, not a typical nine-to-five. They're probably thankful for whatever help they can get, even coming from someone who's less than punctual. If she hightails it, she thinks, and plays up the confused immigrant girl angle, she might just sweet-talk her way into the good graces of her new boss. What was her name again? Mimi? Mary?

Whatever. She'll find out when she gets there.

I'll be setting up Venom's scene next, along with everyone else's, and then we'll get to rolling dice. Thanks all for your patience and continued interest.

Ok, calm down Felicia.  The noise you heard was you knocking over the nightstand while you were were in the nightmare.  You're safe.  He's safe.  Probably.  Safe-ish, at least.  You're in the Spider's bed.  Well, you were and you're on the floor now.  Smooth.  Carnage is dead.  Breathe.

The Parker residence was supposed to be a safer space to sleep than Felicia's penthouse, because there'd be someone to help her if she was trapped in the nightmare.  The list of people Felicia trusted wasn't long these days (hence the crashing at her ex's place) and she needed this.

So far, it wasn't quite working out that way.  Exhibit A, upturned nightstand.  Exhibit B, empty bed.  Felicia had slept here for two mornings now.  Last time she'd seen the daughter that isn't going to exist in this world.  Still no Spider today.  Sure it was a slightly more complicated that she was sleeping from Dawn to Noon but it's not like he keeps normal hours either.  Today there were some traces that there had been someone sleeping on the couch.

God he's an idiot sometimes.

It took longer than it should have to get her breathing under control.  Felicia is supposed to be trained to keep her breath and her wits in situations worse than this.  Has to be, to stay ahead of her super-powered enemies.  Particularly the ones that are also her friends.  The sleep loss must be catching up with her.

She'll have to deal with the mess she's made later.  Hope that lamp wasn't important.  It's certainly cheaper than any of the things she's broken at her own place this week.

Felicia gets her disguise ready in a hurry and checks that the cameras she wants to set are in her bag.  She'll have to make a little use of her grappling line to get crosstown in a reasonable amount of time.  Felicia usually tries to keep that to the evening, but as the Spider says, nobody ever looks up in this city.

She just needs to get there, figure out what sort of scum steals from a goddamn shelter, and sort them out with Eddie.  At least she's staying busy.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:34, Fri 12 Aug 2022.

"We're done here," Moon Knight said, in a tone that said he'd had more than enough of the holier-than-thou Daredevil. He turned and headed in the direction of the smoke he could smell on the breeze. He gave no further thought to the scarlet-clad vigilante as he leaped to the next rooftop.

Daredevil had paused not from disinterest but from the very dangerous stimulus his senses suddenly picked up. He had been looking at Moon Knight, silent while he tried to piece together what was going on. But before he could say anything, the opposing vigilante has already turned to go. Daredevil picks up the urgency in his occasional ally’s sudden motion, but the incongruity of what is happening with standing up here in the dead of night caused him longer to pause than it should have, and he decides on a warning an instant too late, reaching out as if it could extend the distance or volume of his voice. “Marc!” the man without fear called. “Your cape!” And only hoped that his frenemy would put behind his haughty impatience to be able to notice, possibly what he thinks he’s running after.

Moon Knight stopped at the sound of Daredevil's warning.

"What...?" he asked, turning over his shoulder to look at his cape. If Daredevil had taped a KICK ME sign or something to his back, Moon Knight would be furious.

Eddie Brock sits on a bench in the park across the street from St. Elizabeth's. In his hooded "Symbiote Shepherd" guise, he attracts little attention from passerby. With the unkempt beard he's grown over the last few weeks, one might believe him to be a person experiencing homelessness-- just like those he currently seeks to aid. A caring-- if oft-misunderstood-- vigilante, he figures someone who's ripping off charity goods for the homeless can be only the lowest of the low. And with the Black Cat's help, he intends to put a stop to the rash of thefts. Tonight.

Or, well, that was the idea. Where is Felicia Hardy, anyway? It's almost fifteen minutes past when she was supposed to show up here. Without the intel she planned to get from working in the church, he's not sure what he should be looking for. And so, he's left to decide-- should he go inside himself? With his current appearance, he could no doubt pass as a local transient seeking food and shelter. But on the other hand, he isn't the same Eddie Brock he was just one week ago. In addition to Venom, he now has a small army of symbiotes under his control, and it would be child's play to send them off to stake out the area. There have been some bumps in the road with their training, of course-- after all, it's only been a week since they were freed from Carnage's control-- but they seem to trust Brock and want to earn his approval.

What to do...?

Venom, please let us know whether you plan to go into the church or hang outside until Felicia arrives. At this point, we're still framing what everyone is going to do in the scene before we start rolling dice.

Next, I will set the scene for Tigra and Spider-Woman.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:28, Sat 27 Aug 2022.

Eddie looks around and scratches the fake cat shape that was once his sleeve, "Yeah she is late and we don't get to eat again until we figure this out." He stands and slumps in on himself a bit and shuffles forward towards the church,  "Let us see if this old homeless man can get some help in the night."

Greenwich Village

Wong treads the halls of the Sanctum Sanctorum, tending to the dusting and re-arrangement of the many treasures lining its walls. Pausing to examine one in particular, he frowns as he inspects it: a crescent-shaped dagger with a ruby-encrusted hilt. It is the same blade that was used by Moon Knight to pierce Cletus Kasady's heart just a week ago, inadvertently infusing him with the demonic power that transformed him into a towering menace.

"I wonder what became of the Moon Knight after that battle," Wong murmurs, turning to look at a cloaked figure standing at the window. "You have not mentioned him since he helped us save the city from Carnage and his--"

The figure, which might have appeared to be Tigra, instead resolves itself into the blackish form of a symbiote devoid of any host. It cocks its head at Wong with questioning eyes.

"Ah, it's only you, Symba. Where is the Sorcerer Supreme? Sleeping in today, as usual, when she promised to help me with the cleaning?"

Holstering his feather duster, he turns and begins heading toward Greer's private chambers.

"It is a shame Ms. Drew did not wish to stay longer after we destroyed Carnage's body. She was a most helpful house guest. But I can understand if a young mother has greater responsibilities that merit her--"

CRASH!

Wong jumps as the noise reverberates down the hallway. He turns to see a Mindless One holding a broom standing next to a shattered glass cabinet. Magical trinkets spill onto the floor as the sorcerer gives a sigh.

"I almost forget we keep you guys around. It feels so long ago that we liberated you and your kind from the dread Dormammu's control. I know you are trying to help, but please be careful when standing near the Orb of-- AGH!"

Suddenly, the golem-like creature lumbers toward the green-robed sorcerer and takes a swipe at him with its heavy wooden broom. The blow catches the wizard by surprise and he goes down, clutching at his mid-section in pain.

"OOF! Hey, what are you doing?!"

More and more of the Mindless Ones advance from adjacent hallways, clutching their own makeshift weapons. Silent as ever, they surround the sorcerer and begin to strike at him en masse. As Symba goes to his aid, the pet symbiote is likewise swatted with an assortment of household cleaning tools. With the pair suddenly battered from all sides, it is all Tigra's loyal partner can do to give a desperate cry to whoever is listening: "HELP!"

That help can be from Tigra and/or Spider-Woman if she's around. If Jessica's player is reading this, please let me know if you prefer to enter into this scene, or we can frame you in another one before linking you up with Greer.

Mindless Ones added to the scene as a Mob 4d8.

Actions Available: Tigra, Spider-Woman

Next: Circling back to the scene with DD/Moon Knight, and then Black Cat/Venom. More Watcher posts inbound.

Scene Distinctions for Tigra/Spider-Woman:

- Broken Glass
- Narrow Hallways
- Cleaning Supplies

The Doom Pool starts at 2d6.

Each hero begins with 1 PP.

The scene begins with a "Sorcerer Surrounded" d12 Scene Complication, to represent Wong being trapped by the Mindless Ones. The complication will remain until either he is freed (by rolling against the Complication + Mob dice), or all the Mindless Ones are defeated.

Hell's Kitchen Rooftops


"Oh, crap! We're on fire!"

As the exclamation from Moon Knight's symbiote cuts through the still night air, Marc whirls around to see the blaze. Sure enough, red flames are eating away at the edges of his symbiotic cloak. But where did they come from, and why didn't he notice them earlier?

"Sorry, boss. I can't explain it, but I don't even feel us burning!"

As the flames suddenly fan bigger, it becomes clear that trying to stamp or smother them won't do much good. A quick glance at his surroundings, however, would remind Marc that a large water tower stands adjacent to this rooftop, moonlight reflecting off its silvery exterior. And on top of that tower, to his surprise, sits a human figure silhouetted in the moonlight. The woman's voice calls out to the heroes in sing-song rhythm, in the tune of "Hey Diddle Diddle":

"Hey Devil Devil
The King found his vessel
The knight whose god is the moon
This prisoner had her fun cut short
But she will kill again very soon!"

Laughing, the woman stands and takes a running leap into the night! With the headstart she has on both heroes, catching her may prove no easy feat...

The chase is on!

Scene Distinctions:
- Moonlit Rooftops
- Fire Escapes
- Water Tower

The Doom Pool starts at 2d6.

Daredevil and Moon Knight begin with 1 PP each.

Moon Knight starts this scene with a "Burning" d6 complication.

Moon Knight's attacker is currently represented by a "Fleeing Villain" d12 Scene Complication. This complication may only be targeted by actions including a movement-based power (Swingline, Gliding, etc.).

Actions Available: Daredevil, Moon Knight

Next: Getting back to Black Cat and Venom.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:55, Wed 02 Nov 2022.

Damn it. Whatever these weird flames were about, they probably represented at least as much danger as real fire did. His symbiote wasn't afraid of fire like many others were, but that might not mean much if these flames had some sort of mystical property or anything else that was credibly dangerous about them. If this woman was the source, then she would probably have the solution as well. Either way, Moon Knight wasn't about to let her get away.

He ignored the flames for the moment. This wasn't the first time he'd been on fire, and it wouldn't be the last. He'd just have to hope that he could fix the problem before it started doing damage.

He fired a web-line at the roof of a nearby building and swung after his fleeing quarry. His goal was to tackle her and then get some answers.

[Attacking 'Fleeing Villain' complication]

Buddy d8
Fist of Khonshu d8
Superhuman Strength d10
Web-slinging d8
Combat Master d10

Moon Knight rolled 1,2,6,2,6 using d8,d8,d10,d8,d10 ((1,2,6,2,6)).

Total: 12
Effect: d8

Opps: 1
PP remaining: 2

Washington Heights

Felicia's trip to the shelter goes off without a hitch. Traveling by use of her swingline, she makes up for lost time (and beats quite a lot of traffic). By the time she makes it to the front door of St. Elizabeth's, in her "Katia" guise, Eddie is already in the lobby speaking to an elderly woman holding a pile of stacked boxes in her arms piled all the way up above her head.

"No, no," she's telling the hooded Mr. Brock. "I may be getting on in years, but I can handle moving these, at least until my assistant gets here. I'm sure she must be running late for a good reason. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, poor thing."

Whether he persists in trying to aid her, the disguised Venom's offer of help is complicated by the naivete of his symbiotes. Suddenly, one splits off from Brock's leg, appearing in the form of a dark-haired cat. Purring, the alien feline rubs up against the shelter worker's leg, accidentally startling the lady who can't even see where she's going for all the boxes in her arms.

"Oh my!" As she jumps, the boxes topple from her grasp, spilling their contents to the ground. Canned food, clothing, blankets and more fall onto the hard wood floors. And looking down at the mess with an exasperated expression on her (no longer obscured) face is none other than Peter Parker's Aunt May.

"Strange," she says. "I didn't see a cat come in here." Then, noticing the new arrival, she smiles. "Oh! Katia, I'm so glad you're here!"

Having been equally startled, the stray symbiote scurries back to Eddie's side, subtly rejoining with him and the rest of his newly acquired symbiotes. The "black cat" communicates its recognition of their ally to Brock as it looks toward "Katia" and meows before disappearing into the shape of Eddie's thick coat.

No dice actions yet, but the scene is open for roleplay.

Next: Tigra/Spider-Woman have actions available, so I will get on that reaction to MK. DD should have a post up soon too, I think.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:09, Sat 12 Nov 2022.

A King Vessel? What would a genie owned by a Dungeon Capturer have to do with anything? Daredevil doesn’t think about it long before he gets moving. It doesn’t take supernatural senses to get that there’s something odd going on suddenly -- and someone might be on fire -- but since DD can do it, he can kick his radar sense and super-hearing into motion and get to the bottom of this, which will first involve getting to whomever just lit a fuse -- rather literally -- and ran. He could figure out how this figure connects to a King Candidate later.

"If you're okay, MK," DD calls after his maybe-ally but not pausing to check if he hears, "Four feet are better than two!" Then he leaps from the building and hopes he can find a fire escape for his billy-club swingline to attach to on the way down.

Attacking Fleeing Villain Complication:
Buddy    d8
Fire Escapes (if there are any)    d4
(+1 PP)
Billy Club/Swingline    d6
Hypersenses/Radar Sense/Superhuman Senses    d10
Crime Master    3d6

Daredevil rolled 3,1,6,7,6,4,6 using d8,d4,d6,d10,d6,d6,d6 ((3,1,6,7,6,4,6)).

Total: 13; Effect: d8
1 Opportunity

PPs: 1 (starting) +1 (negative Distinction) +1 (rolled Opportunity) = 3

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 62):

Eddie sighs and kneels down to clean up the mess, "Cats are tricky like that. I've gotten a few to be friendly to me." After a moment he looks up, "Go catch up with your assistant, I'll get these sorted and you can show me where you want them." He chuckles as he sorts the items to pick them back up and speaks out loud to himself and his flock, "One saint in a sea of sinners."

If he was okay?

"I'm on fire," Moon Knight replied, still doing his best to ignore the flames which didn't actually seem to hurt anyway. "I'm fine."

Felicia hasn't actually spent much time with May Parker - she wasn't the girl he brought home to his parents, after all.  But she recognized her right away.  How could she not.  She inwardly curses a little for borrowing the ratty sweater from him, hoping his Aunt doesn't recognize it.  There wasn't time for a shopping trip.

Felicia - Katia smells too nice to seem like she needs help from St. Elizabeth's even in her disguise, but her tired face and ring of purple bruises on her neck tell a story and pretending not so speak English keeps the questions low.

Her plan is to spend as much time here as possible and figure out what's happening.  When she gets a chance she'll set up some cameras.

"Bon Matin, May" she tells her new boss.
She takes two thirds of the boxes from Eddie, turning to May and saying. "Laisse-moi les avoir."

If her words aren't understood, grabbing the boxes should tell enough of the story.

OOC: Please forgive any language mistakes as my French is pretty bad but Felicia should be fluent.

Also a temporary portrait change to reflect disguise.

In reply to Moon Knight (msg # 61):

Moon Knight fires off a length of symbiote webbing, using it to draw himself into a speedy pursuit of his assailant. Though he's more than accustomed to chasing down common street thugs, this mysterious woman seems to represent a more unusual level of threat. And, for some reason, she seems to have it out for the Fist of Khonshu...!

Reaction to Moon Knight attacking the "Fleeing Villain" complication (Total: 12 / Effect: d8).

Fleeing Villain d12
Doom Pool 2d6

18:06, Today: The Watcher rolled 6,5,2 using 1d12,1d6,1d6.  Watcher reaction to Moon Knight's attempt to pursue his attacker.

Total: 13 (-1d6 doom for 3rd die)
Effect: d4 (default)
Opportunities: 0
Doom Pool: 2d6

The scene complication wins out, though MK takes 1 PP for his troubles.

"Ah, so that is a symbiote you're wearing," the strange woman remarks with a click of the tongue. Gazing at the web-line attached to the nearby rooftop, she pauses mid-stride.

"Pardon the whole 'setting-you-on-fire' thing. Just had to be sure."

As she seems to focus her gaze on the web-line, the portion affixed to the rooftop suddenly bursts into flame. With the sole anchor point destroyed, the whole length of webbing sags and falls away, leaving Moon Knight to plummet toward the streets!

Meanwhile, Daredevil has likewise given chase, relying on his trusted billy club to bear him aloft. As he dives from the rooftop, his senses reach out to find the closest fire escape he can snag with the swingline...

Reaction to Daredevil attacking the "Fleeing Villain" complication (Total: 13 / Effect: d8).

Fleeing Villain d12
Doom Pool 2d6

19:19, Today: The Watcher rolled 4,3,3 using 1d12,1d6,1d6.  Watcher reaction to Daredevil's attempt to pursue the assailant.

Total: 6
Effect: d12
Opportunities: 0

Extraordinary Success/Higher defending effect die cancel out, leaving DD with a d8 effect. Fleeing Villain scene complication steps back to d10.

*KA-CHNKKK!*

With an expert toss of the swingline, the Man Without Fear secures his grappling point onto the neighboring fire escape. The cold night air rushes past his cheeks as he travels his arc, releasing the line at the apex as he launches onto the next rooftop. He can sense the woman up ahead readying herself to dart to the next rooftop, as she casts what must be an amused glance over her shoulder.

"Hmm. It's been a while since we've done this, hasn't it, Devil?"

Next: Checking in on Tigra/Spider-Woman. (Do we still have a Tigra/Spider-Woman?)
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:25, Thu 08 Dec 2022.

“Mary! Stop!” Daredevil calls through the hot, night sky. His swingline connects to a building outcropping ahead of where the woman is running, and swings into a wide, deep dip that sweeps into an equally wide, high arc, giving him the momentum to leap from the line then nose-dive to just past where her stride will take her in the next two seconds. The swing should take him to where she is, though with such velocity he won’t be able to tell if he’s flinging himself into a trap until it’s too late!

As Moon Knight dips toward the street, he hears Daredevil's cry: "Mary! Stop!" With a grunt, he breaks his fall against the outer wall of a neighboring building as his partner goes on ahead. Being bonded with a wall-crawling symbiote has no shortage of benefits, it seems, even if Marc is still adapting to his new powers. With a couple of quick moves, he knows he can redouble his pace and catch up to his companion. But then, from the corner of his eye, he spies something in the streets up ahead. It's a small gathering of obvious criminals-- three men. One is a common thug holding a Carnage mask, like the ones Marc encountered earlier tonight. The other two are supervillains. And though he did not battle them in the late Cletus Kasady's deadly sports game, he knows well enough the chaos they created prior to his own arrival into that nightmare: countless innocents held hostage by a malicious manipulator's mind-control. Police and emergency personnel struck down by killer supervillains as they tried to intervene. The live footage broadcasted out from Yankee Stadium had served as a perfect distraction for Carnage while he tortured Frenchie, ransacked Marc's headquarters, and did... whatever else he was aiming to do, before Marc and "Domino" arrived to stop him.

Jack O'Lantern is the gangly, black-suited one with a flaming pumpkin for a head. And the one in baggy green clothes with a leather sack over his face can only be Scarecrow. Moon Knight remembers the costumed identities of all the lowlifes who joined Carnage's twisted "Family" during the villain's killing spree. At the conclusion of the baseball game, these two-- along with other escaping villains-- had nearly been blown to smithereens by a missile launched from the hijacked Mooncopter. Which might have served them right, except that by some stroke of luck, they narrowly escaped the explosion. And now, whatever she might have intended, this "Mary" had just led Marc right back to them.

From a quick observation, it seems the two villains who recently made a name for themselves are giving discipline to the low-level henchman caught between them. As the thug-- not much more than a kid, really-- protests being made to wear a Carnage mask, Scarecrow tells him he's cramping the group's style. Jack, apparently the one in charge, questions if the young man would prefer instead to have his head engulfed in flames to match his leader's appearance. That seems to persuade the thug, who picks up the mask and obediently puts it on. "That's what I thought. Carnage may be dead, but you'll understand soon enough that keeping his legacy alive is good for business."

As Daredevil swings toward Mary, she executes an impressive leap of her own that carries her right past him. Nimbly, she reaches the edge of the building before turning back around to face him where he stands. "I know what you're probably thinking," she chuckles. "You're thinking ol' Scarecrow and the Pumpkin-head had me bait you two into a trap. But no. It's those two I want to see caught like the dirty little rats they are. Hope your friend takes his sweet time with them." She cups her hands and calls to the pair down in the streets: "Yoo-hoo, boys! I know you kicked me out of your little 'Family,' but the kid is right. Carnage is old news." She points back in the direction of the obscured Moon Knight. *"Just ask the guy who killed him!"

Freezing in their tracks as they spot Daredevil above them, Jack and the Scarecrow go on high alert. But are they more afraid of the horned hero, or the lethal vigilante whom Mary is calling out into the open? As each player in her game considers their move, the assassin takes her opportunity to slip away, leaning back until she plummets toward the city streets beneath her. "See you around, Devil," she says with a wink. Meanwhile, as her targets Jack and Scarecrow consider how to react, Daredevil observes their heart rates suddenly spike. He knows they have just entered "fight or flight" mode, and that he's faced with a choice: try and bring down these two wanted mad-men-- ideally, before the murderous Moon Knight gets his hands on them-- or go after the villainess who just escaped his grasp?

Add Jack O'Lantern, Scarecrow, Typhoid Mary, and Mook in Carnage Mask d6 to the scene.

"Fleeing Villain" scene complication remains at d10. Moon Knight still has his "Burning" d6 complication.

Available Scene SFX: Play The Hero. Players may target the Doom Pool to remove or step down doom dice, if describing how they protect bystanders or limit collateral damage. However, the Doom Pool can never fall below 2d6.

I also forgot to add doom for player opportunities in Msg #61 and #63, so doing that now.

Doom Pool: 2d8

As an experimental rule, I've been thinking it would be beneficial for me to lay out the "win conditions" for players during Action Scenes, to better frame the stakes and to hold myself accountable to the outcome. Let's try that here:

Win Objectives
If using Buddy:
- Stress all villains out of the scene. (1/2)
- Remove the scene complication, "Fleeing Villain". (2/2)

If using Solo:
- Stress out the other PC(s) present. (1/3)
- Stress all villains out of the scene. (2/3)
- Remove the scene complication, "Fleeing Villain". (3/3)

Daredevil and Moon Knight will use Buddy Affiliation if working together, and Solo Affiliation if working against each other. Scene ends if PC's are stressed out or 2d12 doom is spent to end the scene on the Watcher's terms. Scene doesn't necessarily end in failure if not all win conditions are met.

*Additional note: Due to the chaotic circumstances around Carnage's death, rumor and hearsay have been spreading over the last week in-game. The villains here believe Moon Knight killed Carnage, although it was actually Domino who dealt the killing blow. I expect she'll make an appearance soon enough and the record will be set straight one way or another...

Player Actions Available: Daredevil, Moon Knight
Watcher Actions Available: Jack O'Lantern, Mook in Carnage Mask d6, Scarecrow, Typhoid Mary
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:30, Fri 24 Mar 2023.

Elsewhere in Hell's Kitchen...

Domino cruises along on her repurposed glider, admiring the new paint job applied over its metal exterior. Only a week has passed since Neena slew the Demogoblin and commandeered his vehicle, paying the monster back in kind for his airborne ambush on that night. Her superficial burns from the exploding pumpkin bomb are all but fully healed, along with the stab wound given her by Kasady. That spot on her lower back didn't even look like it would scar over-- lucky, as usual. Tonight, her intel is suggesting that two more members of the Carnage Family have just been spotted in the vicinity of Hell's Kitchen. On her glider, it's only a short distance from the penthouse Neena is occupying. Feeling a bit cooped up there anyway, she decides that taking down a few costumed clowns would be a good way to stretch her legs, field-test her new gear, and maybe do a little community service-- paid, of course.

After all, Osborn's bounty contract is still in effect, and Mr. Mayor has proven to be a man of his word. The payout from the Carnage job-- half a million smackaroos-- has been kind to Neena's bank account. (Wade, for whatever his contributions were, made out with the other half a million dollars... although he already managed to spend it all, somehow.) And though the bounty on the other Family members is smaller than the price tag on Kasady, it's still good money as far as Neena is concerned. So while this job tonight isn't really a matter of Domino needing the cash, it's a good chance for her to do what she's good at. And, zeroing in on her targets as the glider's low-noise engine carries her high above them, she surely does feel damn good at her job. There they are on the roof down below-- a couple of sitting ducks.

Jack O'Lantern and the Scarecrow. Intel states that these two are responsible for a litany of crimes committed over the last week: armed robbery, assault, and running a protection racket, among other things. But all of that pales in comparison to what they did the night Carnage ran loose: taking over an entire sports stadium with their deranged little ball game, and dragging God knows how many innocent lives into it. Neena had cursed her rare bad luck when they managed to slip through her fingers, escaping her missile strike launched from the "Carnage-Copter." Now it was time to get even.

As she draws closer, the memory of Carnage's bloody killing spree-- and the disgust inspired in Neena by his sycophantic Family-- might well have persuaded the mercenary to do this job regardless of pay. Anything to help work the lingering stress and anger out of her system at having been propositioned to join that murderer's death cult. What was it he had seen in Domino, anyway? They weren't alike, and she knew that– no matter how much Kasady had tried to get in her head. Being good at violence– and directing it toward productive ends– was not remotely the same as spreading pain and death for some sort of sick thrill.

No, Neena and Cletus were certainly not alike. But Kasady's woman, "Shriek"... she and Domino had a startling amount in common, odd or disturbing as that may have seemed. Both mutants. Born survivors. And yes, killers. They had even borne a strange resemblance in their very features. Chalk-white skin. Jet-black hair. A spot-- or a scar-- over one eye. Domino had played that similarity to her advantage with some mind games of her own, sharing a kiss with Shriek's beloved Cletus, whose life she eventually took with a well-deserved bullet to the head. (A femme fatale mercenary never earns her rep for nothing.) As for Shriek, she had wound up trapped in some dark place beyond space and time, never to return… and that served Neena just fine.

Anyway, she can dwell on her thoughts later. Right now, she is almost on top of her targets. In the dark of night, their silhouettes seem close enough to a match. A thin, black-suited man with glowing eyes-- Jack? And a man in dark, baggy clothes with a hood over his head-- surely the Scarecrow? If she's going to keep her advantage, Neena knows she ought to open fire on them first, neutralizing them before they ever see her coming. Not that she would mind the exercise a quick fight could bring. But a nagging thought stays her hand– for now. Shouldn't Jack be wearing a pumpkin on his head, like in his bounty mugshot? Sure, he could have just taken it off, or left it at the dry cleaners... But what if it's not really him? There are certain rare things in life, Neena knows, that cannot be left to luck or chance. And this is one of them.

Donning a pair of high-tech goggles-- thank you, Kasady money-- Domino's vision fills with multicolored infrared heat maps of the area. Toggling between that mode and the night-vision setting affords Neena a better view of the villains standing on that darkly lit rooftop down below. Meanwhile, a sophisticated, AI-assisted heads-up display reads out information on the mercenary's surroundings, fed through her private intel channel:

STEVEN LEVINS. ALIAS, JACK O'LANTERN... IDENTITY MATCH NEGATIVE.

EBENEZER LAUGHTON. ALIAS, SCARECROW... IDENTITY MATCH NEGATIVE.

So then, who the hell are these two? Why does it look like one of them has the other tied up? And is that a third guy laying passed out on the ground in between them? That one is wearing a Carnage mask, but he looks more like a common thug than any supervillain Neena is hunting. Domino clicks a button on her headset, sifting through the info feed. It would be good to get a better understanding of the situation here, before she makes a choice to either intervene or get on her way.

SUBJECT #1. IDENTITY: UNKNOWN MALE. SUGGESTION: CIVILIAN. STATUS: UNCONSCIOUS.

SUBJECT #2. IDENTITY: UNKNOWN MALE. SUGGESTION: MUTANT. STATUS: RESTRAINED/UNCONSCIOUS.

It's not much to go on, but it's something. And the third one-- the one that's on his feet-- he looks oddly familiar. But who is he, and is there a bounty on his head? As Neena's eyes speed over the info read-out, they widen a bit as her new target suddenly jerks his head around. His red eyes narrow as he spots Neena aboard the glider, as if her very presence there is a challenge to him. Raising his head skyward, he lets out an ear-piercing screech in her direction.

SUBJECT #3. IDENTITY: PROCESSING. SUGGESTION: HUMAN MUTATE. STATUS: AGITATED.

SEARCHING IDENTITY DATABASES...

PROCESSING RESULT...

COMPLETE.

100% VISUAL MATCH: DR. MICHAEL MORBIUS. ALIAS, THE LIVING VAMPIRE.

BOUNTY OUTSTANDING.

Add Morbius to the scene, and a Scene Complication: "Mysterious Circumstances" d8.

Scene Distinctions:
- Domino's Glider
- High-Tech Goggles
- Darkly Lit Rooftops

Available Scene SFX: Play The Hero. Players may target the Doom Pool to remove or step down doom dice, if describing how they protect bystanders or limit collateral damage. However, the Doom Pool can never fall below 2d6.

Doom Pool: 2d8

Win Objectives
- Stress all villains out of the scene. (1/1)

Player Actions Available: Domino
Watcher Actions Available: Morbius

I will give to Domino first, since her Superhuman Reflexes d10 exceed Morbius' Enhanced Reflexes d8.

Domino, given this new information, had been momentarily inclined to simply investigate this situation ... perhaps even parlay a little ... to find out what was going on.

But the moment the 'living vampire' attacked her without regard ... and the fact that she could claim a bounty, even if it wasn't on any of Cletus's Crew ... got her adrenaline pumping.
And suddenly, this was a challenge.  A challenge that she intended to accept, and prevail over.

As the her new glider swept to the left, and dipped, her guns came fluidly into her hands ... but instead of firing, Domino used these split seconds to draw Luck in about her ... like donning her own personal armour for this COMBAT.

Going Defensive to start this combat:  set myself up for some success (hopefully).

Action:   Create Asset  'Lucky Grrl'
d8   Solo
d8   Femme Fatale
d8   Probability Manipulation / Luck
d6  SFX: Let the Luck Run Free.
         Add a d6 and step up your effect die by +1 when using PROBABILITY MANIPULATION to create assets.
d10 Combat Master

- rolled 4,5,8,3,10 using d8,d8,d8,d6,d10.
Total: 18
Effect: d10 Asset 'Lucky Grrl'   ... stepping up effect die by +1 for 'Let the Luck Run Free'
       Spend 1PP to make this Asset persistent for this Scene

Washington Heights, Manhattan
St. Elizabeth's Church
Temporary operating site of F.E.A.S.T.

"Oh, Katia, I'm sorry," May says, struggling to gesticulate the meaning of her words. "My French is a bit rusty." Furrowing her eyebrows, she pieces together a broken sentence in the foreign language that Felicia can't make much sense of: <<"Pretty... Cat... Did you... Steal?">>

Chuckling softly, one of the other volunteers remarks from the far corner of the room: "May, I'm pretty sure she didn't voler-- steal-- that sweater. If you meant trouver-- where did she find it-- I've seen the same one at Target on clearance. And it's a pretty 'chandail' in French." As she turns around, the young woman's blue eyes light up when May laughs and politely thanks her. Giggling, Peter's aunt asks what other vocabulary error she had made. While the volunteer sets down an empty soup bowl and the ladle she was holding, she smiles and turns to look at "Katia" from across the room. Brushing a strand of her long blonde hair aside, she answers: "You said 'chatte'. It means 'cat'."

Felicia could be forgiven if she was a bit preoccupied with all this. Those damn Carnage nightmares had been throwing her off her game lately, and were probably the only reason she hadn't had time to figure out the identity of her new "boss" prior to meeting her. Unexpectedly coming face to face with May Parker-- while wearing one of Peter's old sweaters, no less(!)-- was a potential pitfall in her plan to do some covert crime-fighting in this place. And now this random volunteer was jeopardizing Felicia's "confused immigrant girl" act, too?

<<"Don't over-do it, new girl. Here, I'll take some too.">>

The blonde girl-- okay, not a "girl," Felicia observed, but someone close to her own age-- had been arranging items on a table in the corner when Felicia arrived. She hadn't elicited much notice when the disguised Cat first glanced around the church foyer. But as she strides over and reaches for some of "Katia's" boxes-- the really heavy ones full of canned goods-- her voice seems annoyingly familiar in Felicia's ears, even when speaking flawless French:

<<"Name's Shannon. I'll walk with you. Supply storage is this way.">> And before Felicia can do much in the way of protest, her new "friend" leads her in that direction. Watching them go, May praises the idea of using the buddy system, saying something about how thieves have been spotted in the storage room a couple of times recently. Shannon confidently reminds their boss that she's scared them off before, and she'll protect "Katia" if there's any trouble.

But Felicia's soured mood is something she'll have to deal with all by herself. The Black Cat may have fallen off her A-game lately, but she is no fool. Just a victim of yet another damnable coincidence, it seems. And she might be perturbed by the sudden realization that's dawned on her, if she hasn't skipped straight to being annoyed. Because she can certainly recognize the American Dream walking beside her, even if "Shannon" has lost her stars, her stripes, and her shield.

Oh, right. Fisk's shield, thanks to the Cat.

<<"So. What's your story, Katia?">> Shannon asks.

Add "Shannon" to the scene.

Add Scene Complication: "In Disguise" d8

Win Objectives
- Stay in disguise by keeping Mental stress below d12+. (1/2)
- Stop the thieves (likely going to be a Mob). (2/2)

Doom Pool: 2d8

Available Scene SFX: Play The Hero. Players may target the Doom Pool to remove or step down doom dice, if describing how they protect bystanders or limit collateral damage. However, the Doom Pool can never fall below 2d6.

Black Cat's Affiliation is Buddy (with American Dream), and she switches to a separate sub-scene from Venom:

Church Supply Room

Scene Distinctions:
- Boxes, Boxes, Everywhere
- F.E.A.S.T. Volunteers
- Equipment Van

Player Actions Available: Black Cat
Watcher Actions Available: American Dream

Turning it over to "Katia" first. Lying to Shannon about her identity would be a Mental attack or a complication. Telling the truth... well, that could get ugly!

Next Watcher post will move the spotlight over to Venom, back in the Church Foyer. (Hey, more French!)
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:30, Fri 31 Mar 2023.

"<I had an unfortunate situation and needed to get away."> Felicia says.  She tries to cover up the bruise - it's supposed to help with her cover.  "<It's a bit embarrassing. ">. It is supposed to stop people asking prying questions wby making them think she's fleeing from an abusive partner.

"<That woman is the Spider-Mother isn't she?  It must be very safe here.  She is very famous since that day with the...">. She makes an unmasking motion.

If 'Shannon' is distracted while carrying all those boxes and drops a few things, that's just bad luck..  Maybe it will keep her mind on something else.

Today: Black Cat rolled 3,4,8,9 using D8,d4,d8,d10.  Buddy, no hero (d4), covert expert, bad luck. – 3,4,8,9<

Let's try to give Shannon a 'preoccupied' condition.  17/d8

This message was last edited by the player at 18:19, Mon 03 Apr 2023.

Daredevil winces at the mention of his ally being a murderer, but that’s something he’s already convinced himself he’ll have to get used to. Hopefully he might mitigate some of its terrible magnitude by stopping it from happening again.

Just as the horned hero can acknowledge the clear dangers on the street below, his other concern heads the other way, splitting his attention and intention. Taking even a second to decide means she gets farther away from him. “Moon Knight!” he yells to the street, hardly having time to turn toward the target of his call. “Take care of those three until I get back.” And try not to kill them, he almost says, but Mary was already out of sight by the time he could turn to head toward her. Maybe the number of people MK is attacking would stop him from going all the way with them.

“Mary!” Daredevil hollers in the direction she went. “Let’s just talk,” he continues, and maybe that would even happen. Though if getting physically closer to her will lead to violence or intimacy, he can only guess. He sprints to the opposite side of the roof, his skin only faintly feeling the disruption in the air of a figure moving downward through it and his radar sense blocked by the edge of the building, not tracking where she's going past the brim of the structure underfoot. He can only hope he has the opportunity to catch up to her -- or catch her. He wouldn’t expect her to purposely let herself fall to her death, but he would rescue her if it came to that. After all, real heroes save lives, not take them.

Mental attack (persuasion) on Fleeing Villain Complication:
Buddy    d6
Blind Justice    d4 (can't see where she's going from where he is)
(+1 PP)
(Do we have any Scene Distinctions for this Scene?)
Hypersenses/Superhuman Senses    d10
Psych Expert    d8

Daredevil rolled 1,4,3,2 using d6,d8,d10,d8 ((1,4,3,2)).

Total: 7; Effect: d8
1 Opportunity

(Since this is a mental attack I didn’t include any physical powers, so I hope she is unable to defend with any (if not rolling against the Doom Pool).)

PPs: 3 (starting; from msg #63) +1 (negative Distinction) +1 (rolled Opportunity) = 5

Next Action: Moon Knight

Moon Knight doesn't stop to think about his own problem — his cape being mysteriously on fire — he just launches himself into battle. He leaps from the high ledge, a flaming meteor clad in white, aiming himself to land on a dumpster right next to Jack O'Lantern. While it might be possible to take the enemy out with a single blow from this height, Moon Knight decides to play things Daredevil's way, and just scare the crap out of him.

As he falls, the Lunacy symbiote shifts into a thing out of nightmares, with fangs, claws, tentacles... and more of the same.

Solo d10
Fist of Khonshu d8
Shapeshifting d10
Menace Expert d8

Moon Knight rolled 5,3,4,1 using d10,d8,d10,d8 ((5,3,4,1)).

Total: 8
Effect: d10

Eddie is busying himself with his own armload of boxes when he notices a man watching him from the far corner of the room. Seated in an armchair nestled among yet more cardboard containers, he's been so quiet during the conversation that one might not have noticed he was there. Behind shaggy hair and a bushy, gray-blonde beard, his tired blue eyes watch Brock with some unknown emotion. It could be warmth, suspicion, or perhaps a strange blend of the two.

Eddie, why does this guy remind us of you? one of Brock's symbiotes remarks, the non-verbal sentence echoing inside the part of Eddie's psyche which they all share. Eddie recognizes it as Riot, the former leader of the Life Foundation symbiotes and longtime rival of Venom. So far, Eddie has been having a rough go of trying to make the two rival symbiotes work together. Venom ruthlessly defends his status as the self-proclaimed "alpha" of the symbiotes, a move that has fueled the insecure Riot's jealousy and anger. And Venom-- rather than do anything to ease these tensions-- never passes on an opportunity to put Riot in his place, and remind him of the great debt he owes Eddie for having freed him from Cletus Kasady's control.

As if on cue, Venom snarls: Hey! We were going to say that!

Well, our host has been letting himself go lately, another laughs, ignoring the tension. That would be Phage, the immature troublemaker of the group. It's only been a week and his beard is totally out of control, just like this guy's.

Eddie, could he perhaps be your long-lost brother?" the perceptive Agony ponders. Hmm, no, no, the conniving Scream voices her objection. Our host is much too good-looking for them to share such a close relation. Perhaps this is a cousin?

Ugh, will you all shut up already? moans the short-tempered Lasher from somewhere inside the mental cacophony. We can't think when we're all sharing the same host like this!

Then feel free to separate yourself! Venom barks. Eddie was our host first!

Somewhere in the mind of the "Symbiote Shepherd", Riot turns on his rival. Don't you talk to my brother like that! Just because we are your offspring, you think you can speak to us however you please?! As they all begin to war with each other within Eddie's psyche-- not an uncommon occurrence over the last week-- it takes Eddie great effort not to lose his composure while the stranger is watching. As he grapples with the voices in his head, Brock may not even have the wherewithal to notice the stranger get up, cross the distance between them, and reach right toward him. The mental storm is brewing so fast-- and with such force-- that Eddie can barely decide on his own emotional state, let alone the stranger's. Did the symbiote's silent outburst somehow trigger the man to become agitated himself? Is he about to attack?

Thump.

The stranger lays a hand on Eddie's shoulder... and the voices stop.

"Better?" the man smiles. "Did the voices finally quiet down?"

Add "Eddie Brock Look-alike" to the scene.

Add Scene Complication: "Inner Voices" d8

Win Objectives
- Stay in control by keeping Mental stress below d12+. (1/2)
- Stop the thieves (likely going to be a Mob). (2/2)

Doom Pool: 2d8 (+2 Opp's from DD and MK) = 3d8

Available Scene SFX: Play The Hero. Players may target the Doom Pool to remove or step down doom dice, if describing how they protect bystanders or limit collateral damage. However, the Doom Pool can never fall below 2d6.

Venom's Affiliation is Solo, and this takes place in the:

Church Lobby

Scene Distinctions:
- Boxes, Boxes, Everywhere
- F.E.A.S.T. Volunteers
- May Parker

Player Actions Available: Venom
Watcher Actions Available: Eddie Brock Look-alike

Alright Venom, I'm turning it over to you, and this is the same deal as with Black Cat. If you want to tell the truth to this stranger (That Eddie has... "voices"... in his head), it's a free action. If you want to pass it off as *something else, I need you to say as such by rolling a Mental/Emotional attack or complication against this guy, representing your attempt to deceive him.

*For some reason, the old Pepto-Bismol jingle comes to mind. Heartburn, nausea, indigestion, upset stomach... well, hopefully not that other one.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:38, Fri 14 Apr 2023.

Eddie smiles as he looks up, "For the moment. But it doesn't help them learn if they can't ask questions. We are all learning together so it can get a bit hectic." He chuckles, "They weren't meant to live like this, but this is the best way to keep them from being abused or lost in the system." He pats a box of food supplies, "Human and otherwise."

He looks warily now at the man, "If you are here to cause trouble this is a safe place so we'll need to take a walk. But if you want to talk grab a box, certainly enough of them to go around."

Eddie tries to talk in his head, If you can still hear me stay calm. Everything will be okay. V and I have had weirder things happen.

Hell's Kitchen.
Active Scene Distinctions:
- Moonlit Rooftops
- Fire Escapes

Jack O'Lantern takes a step back as Moon Knight leaps onto the scene. As Marc's symbiote adopts the form of a writhing, multi-clawed horror, the villain stares evenly at the vigilante from behind his pumpkin mask. He seems to be standing his ground instead of running-- which would have been the smarter option-- but for how long?

19:06, Today: Jack O'Lantern rolled 7,6,3,4 using 1d8,1d8,1d6,1d6.  Jack responds to MK's attempt to intimidate. (Total: 8 / Effect: d10)

Total: 13
Effect: d6
Opportunities: 0
Doom Pool: 2d8

Attempt to intimidate does not succeed.

Jack shakes his head: "After what Carnage put us through, Moon Knight ain't nothin' in comparison. And I know all about that symbiote of yours, ya freak!"

He motions for Scarecrow and his masked henchman to get into position. As they surround Moon Knight, Jack appears to be reaching for a weapon.

"Remember, just like we practiced! Fire ain't gonna hurt him, so we'll have to do this the other way!"

When Jack withdraws the hand from his belt, he's clutching a high-tech pistol with a flared barrel. He points it at Marc and fires...!

Jack targets Moon Knight with a sonic weapon.

Team d8
Ruthless Mercenary d8
Weapon d8
Combat Expert 2d6

19:23, Today: Jack O'Lantern rolled 6,3,6,5,2 using 1d8,1d8,1d8,1d6,1d6.  Jack targets Moon Knight with a sonic weapon.

Total: 17 (-1d8 doom for 3rd die)
Effect: d6
Opportunities: 0
Doom Pool: 1d8,1d6

Reaction Needed: Moon Knight

Following up with Daredevil next.

The sonic weapon would have been an excellent choice versus Venom or Carnage, but Lunacy — Moon Knight's personal symbiote — didn't have that vulnerability. Strange how they knew it wasn't vulnerable to fire, but failed to know this. They'd know soon enough, though.

Solo d10
Fist of Khonshu d8
Superhuman Reflexes d10
Superhuman Durability d10
Combat Master d10

Moon Knight rolled 6,3,8,10,10 using d10,d8,d10,d10,d10 ((6,3,8,10,10)).

Total: 20

The loud blast washed over Moon Knight like an air horn from an unruly hockey fan: loud, annoying, but hardly dangerous.

Moon Knight laughed.

TW: Suicidal ideation.

Hell's Kitchen. Rooftops.

Daredevil reaches the end of the building, expecting to take another running leap in his pursuit of Typhoid Mary. But then his senses deliver an unexpected realization, which is that his quarry is no longer running. Having come to a stop, she stands teetering on the precipice, as if contemplating trying to lose Murdock in the urban jungle far beneath them. Only the finest superhuman senses on the planet can surmise that this is not actually her intent. Only Murdock's sharp hearing picks up that small sigh that escapes her lips-- that moment where she steels herself, in preparation to jump from the edge... and meet the ground far below.

"I'm sorry, Matthew. I didn't want you to be here for this part."

But when Matt's cry reaches her ears-- "Mary! Let's just talk."-- something causes her to turn around. Perhaps she desires one final look at what might be the only man who truly loved her. Because even after all this time-- with all that has changed between them since their last dance upon these rooftops-- there is still something in the sound of Matt Murdock's voice which she cannot easily refuse.

Reaction to Daredevil's Mental persuasion attack on the "Fleeing Villain" scene complication.

"Fleeing Villain" Scene Complication d10
Typhoid Mary's "Lustful" d4

20:08, Today: Typhoid Mary rolled 1,1 using d10,d4.  Roll to see if Mary will stop and chat.

Total: 0
Effect: d4 (default)
Opportunities: 2 (Available first to DD, or MK)
Doom Pool: 2d8

Daredevil succeeds with an extraordinary success. DD's d12 effect die eliminates the Fleeing Villain complication and nets him a "Mary's Support" d6 Asset.

Each second crawls by as Typhoid's mind and body seem torn between jumping into the abyss and staying put. What started as a mission of revenge against her former "Family" is now dangerously close to ending in tragedy. Is this suicidal leap a sudden impulse-- something brought on by an explosion of guilt over what she did on the night she served Carnage? Has she truly spent the last week planning to end her life at the moment of her vengeance?

Only Daredevil's superhuman senses give him any indication of the silent war taking place inside her heart. Even with so few words spoken between them, the world seems to come to a stop as their unspoken emotions rage-- Murdock's firm entreaty coming up against the violent tempest of Typhoid's hurt and shame and anger-- the true details of which he can only imagine. But even now, Matt knows she has to remember what they were to each other. She has to know that he's here for her.

There it is.

Her heartbeat slows as the storm of her emotions finally begins to break. Her small fists slowly unclench where her bloody nails had been digging into her palms. When she finally steps back from the ledge, Murdock knows the metaphorical angel on her shoulder-- in this case, a man dressed like the devil-- has finally won out.

Typhoid sniffles as she goes to embrace Daredevil. As she rests her head against his chest, he can smell the tears on her cheeks that rain might hide from ordinary sight. Typhoid is still with him, but where a moment before, she had been as close to self-destruction as she has ever been, she is at last coming back to herself.

"Okay, Devil," she says, donning a genuine smile as she wipes her tears away. "I suppose it has been a while since we 'talked.'"

DD, you can use that Asset on any action for the duration of the scene where Mary's support can be of use.

Next: Reaction to Domino's post. (Msg #71)
(Apologies for my incredible delay!)
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:07, Sat 27 May 2023.

Elsewhere in Hell's Kitchen.

Active Scene Distinctions:
- Domino's Glider
- High-Tech Goggles

Domino reaches into her own psyche, feeling around for the familiar sensation that luck is, as ever, on her side. She knows that to try and bolster it prior to entering a fight might run counter to how her power operates-- after all, her luck ability has always been oddly dependent upon her actively engaging in an ongoing dangerous situation-- but maybe fortifying her fortune *before* things kick off could prove to be a successful experiment.  After some of the strange mishaps she suffered the night of Carnage's demise, she might even feel like her power owes her this much...!

Reaction to Domino's attempt to create "Lucky Grrl" Asset. (Msg #71, Total: 18 / Effect: d10)

Doom Pool 2d8 (as of Domino's post in Msg #71)
Domino's Glider d8
"Mysterious Circumstances" d8

18:11, Today: The Watcher rolled 8,6,7,3 using d8,d8,d8,d8.  Doom Pool/Scene reaction to Domino's attempt to create "Lucky Grrl" asset.

Total: 21 (-1d8 doom for a 3rd die)
Effect: d8
Opportunities: 0
Doom Pool: 2d8 - 1d8 = 1d8

Attempt to create asset does not succeed.

Domino can faintly feel the tingling sensation-- the "mouse running down her spine" that signals her luck power affecting her nervous system-- but it's waiting for her to take action. Maybe using the experimental glider, and facing the mysterious circumstances before her, are also bringing too many unknowns into the equation for right now. She knows it was worth a try-- and at least she has some bad-ass gear and her fearsome rep backing her up in whatever comes next.

Next, we'll check in on Black Cat.

Washington Heights, Manhattan
St. Elizabeth's Church: Hallway.

<"I see,"> Shannon replies. <"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. Don't worry, May's a good woman. Yes, she's stressed out... overworked... and worried sick about her nephew all the time. But she'll make sure you're taken care of. I promise.">

Though Shannon's words are kind, the steely look in her eyes betray the American Dream's concern-- more than that, anger-- about Katia's bruises. She looks as though she is about say more, when suddenly her eyes dart back to the tower of boxes in her arms. Despite her firm grip and steady pace, the highest box-- the one with the fine china inside-- is suddenly wobbling, about to fall...!

Shannon reacts to "Katia's" attempt to put a "Preoccupied" complication on her. (Msg #73, Total: 17 / Effect : d8)

Buddy d6
Outstanding Mettle d8
Enhanced Reflexes d8
Psych Expert 2d6

19:51, Today: American Dream rolled 2,6,7,1,6 using 1d6,1d8,1d8,1d6,1d6.  American Dream's reaction to Black Cat attempting to put "Preoccupied" complication on her.

Total: 13
Effect: d6
Opportunities: 1 (Available only to Black Cat)
Doom Pool: 1d8

Black Cat wins. American Dream takes a "Preoccupied" d8 complication.

As the highest box tips and falls, Shannon ducks forward and kicks a leg behind her. Without looking, she catches the box in the crook of her leg. Shifting the entire tower of heavy boxes onto one hand, she takes the one that fell-- its contents miraculously intact-- and offers it to Katia.

<"Here. This one has all the pretty, expensive stuff in it. Maybe you should hold onto it in case I get clumsy again.">

But when Shannon peers past the stack of boxes, the "confused immigrant girl" is already gone, having taken the chance to slip away.

<"Katia?"> Shannon calls from somewhere down the corridor.

Next, we'll peek in on Venom and those symbiotes.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:06, Thu 22 June 2023.

Meanwhile, in the Church Lobby...

Active Scene Distinctions:
- Boxes, Boxes, Everywhere
- F.E.A.S.T. Volunteers

The stranger considers Brock for a moment. With a kindly look in his eye, he shakes his head. "Trouble? No, we don't want any of that. Not when we've made so much... progress... lately."

From a quick once-over of the stranger's unkempt appearance-- long hair, scraggly beard, and worn-out clothes-- it could be difficult to guess exactly what sort of "progress" he is referring to. But Eddie can get the sense that, whatever he is talking about, he means it in earnest.

The man glances at a pile of boxes near he and Eddie. "Um... How about this one? Yeah, that'll do." He picks up a container stacked full to the brim with gardening magazines. The cover of the top-most issue displays a wilted bouquet, with the caption detailing something about reviving a dead garden. Something about the image seems to both fascinate and sadden the stranger as he gazes at it, having seemingly forgotten about Eddie for the moment. This would be an opportune moment for Brock to reach out again to his symbiotes, with the man seeming ready to follow in whatever direction he's led, but in no particular hurry himself. It's only a short walk to the church supply room, in any case.

From across the room, May clucks her tongue. "Robbie there is one of my best volunteers. I hope you aren't giving him a hard time over there, Mister..." She pauses organizing the contents of yet another box. "I'm sorry, dear, what was your name again? I swear, this memory of mine is getting harder and harder to work with."

She peers over at Brock, waiting for his reply. Eddie of course remembers that this "volunteer" business is only a cover for he and the Cat to bust some thieves. Now, what was that alias he came up with, again?

May rolls to create Mental stress on Venom.

Team d4
F.E.A.S.T. Supervisor d8
Psych Expert 2d6

19:45, Today: May Parker rolled 1,1,5,4 using 1d4,1d8,1d6,1d6.  May asks Venom for his name/alias (Mental attack).

Total: 9
Effect: d4 (default)
Opportunities: 2 (Available only to Venom)
Doom Pool: 1d8

Reaction Needed: Venom
Action Available: Venom (last action of the round)

@Venom Note that this is a reaction roll for Eddie to remain undercover, but I also need an action roll from you. I'll suggest that your action could be rolling against the Doom Pool to re-establish the link with your symbiotes. You can also choose who takes the first action in the new round. I plan to narrate a bit more so everyone is clear on what the current threat/conflict is in their respective scenes.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:44, Sat 24 June 2023.

Eddie looks at May and shakes his head, "Not your memory Miss Parker. Honestly glad I look different enough to make you not recall me." He shifts the box to hold it under one arm, "Going by Sheppard now."

Internally to himself, 'I appreciate the moment but is everything okay?'




OOC:
Vs May
Total 8
ED: d10
Opps: 0
PP: 0

d10 Solo
d8 Forged by Adversity
d8 Menace Expert
11:13, Today: Venom rolled 4,8,5 using d10,d8,d8 ((4,8,5)).

Vs Doom Pool
Total: 6
ED: d10
Opps: 0
PP: 0

d10 SOlo
d8 We are Sheppard/Venom
11:50, Today: Venom rolled 2,6 using d10,d8 ((2,6)).

Next Action: Shannon?
This message was last edited by the player at 15:53, Fri 30 June 2023.

@Venom Looks like you had the option of a 13 total on the reaction, so we'll use the higher number. Eddie wins the reaction and takes no stress. (Take that, RNG!)

Doom Pool reaction to Venom's attempt to mentally reconnect with his symbiotes. (Total: 6 / Effect: d10)

Doom Pool 1d8

02:52, Today: The Watcher rolled 3 using 1d8.  Doom Pool reaction to Venom checking in on his symbiotes.

Total: 3
Effect: d4 (default)
Opportunities: 0

Venom wins. Symbiote link re-established.

"Sheppard," May repeats, smiling. "I can't put my finger on it, but it suits you somehow." She piles a few more items onto Eddie's load of boxes, giving him a sharp, friendly pat on the back. "Alright, Shep-- can I call you that? You and Rob head on down to the supply room with those. Shannon will show you where to put them. I've got to get this lobby cleaned up for our special guest coming by later." She turns away, darting around the place with various cleaning products in hand.

"Down that hall to the left," Robbie nods, not looking up from his magazine as he falls into place behind Eddie.

Though Eddie might appear perfectly confident as he heads in that direction, his inner thoughts are buzzing. His call-outs to the Flock go unanswered for some time, echoing deep in the vast expanse of his own mindscape before there is finally some sign of life. It is the raspy, guttural voice of Venom-- and it brings Eddie a sense of relief to hear it.

"Well, that was... strange. Do not worry, Eddie. They are safe... only sleeping. When Robbie touched us, it was like the world suddenly went all... warm and fuzzy. Like the entire Earth was at peace, with no conflict or violence. It was... disgusting."

The symbiote gives Eddie a firm nod before he snaps back to reality. "We will rouse them from their slumber. Just get us to the right place and we will be ready."

Next Action: Shannon

St. Elizabeth's
Church Hallway

As Shannon walks down the hallway, trying to figure out where "Katia" went, a group of fellow F.E.A.S.T. volunteers-- headed in the opposite direction-- suddenly rounds the corner, cutting off her path. Even as the Dream sees them coming and tries to move out of the way, an inattentive young volunteer knocks into her, toppling the tower of boxes and their contents all over the hallway. It's a bit of misfortune only the departing Black Cat's bad luck powers could have engineered.

KRASSHHH!! goes the fine china as it hits the floor.

The silvery-haired young man-- barely more than a boy, really-- quickly apologizes as he helps Shannon to her feet. "I'm so sorry," he says with radiant warmth. "Here, let me help." As he piles the loose items back into their boxes, he gives a casual introduction: "I'm Noah."

The Dream offers a curt acknowledgement as she does the same: "Thanks. Shannon." He nods: "Um... Guess I better get a broom to clean up the rest. Be right back." He kindly refuses the other volunteers' offers of help as he brushes past them. "No, no, it's my fault. I didn't look where I was going."

If any of the young man's friends give a suggestive grin-- perhaps thinking Noah wants to be left alone in the hall with his pretty new friend-- he waves them off good-naturedly. The young volunteers scatter as May issues a pointed interruption from the lobby: "Hey, what's going on in there? Was that the new china?"

"Um, May, I can explain..." Noah can be heard saying before things trail off. As they converse, Shannon is left standing in the hallway, directing any other newly arrived volunteers to step carefully around the broken bits of china. Her search for Katia will have to wait, for the moment.

The sound acoustics in the church are such that both Felicia, who has made it to the supply room, and Eddie-- currently on his way-- have more or less heard the entire conversation. Brock could be forgiven if he is too preoccupied to pay it much mind. But behind him, Robbie raises an eyebrow, looking up from his magazine as he gives an amused snort:

"Hmph. 'Noah,' eh?"

Going to rule that Shannon takes no action this round due to her "Preoccupied" d8 complication.

Next: I will set the Supply Room scene for Black Cat and Venom.

Out in the hallway...

Noah returns several minutes later, broom in hand. "Sorry, had to look everywhere for this thing. It was out in the garden for some reason, all covered in dirt. Took me a while to clean it off."

Robbie looks up from his gardening magazine with a quizzical look. "Oh. Um. Sorry. Spilled some soil out there while I was planting flowers." He reaches into one of his boxes and offers a dustpan to Noah. "Uh, here."

"Flowers? Thought you were supposed to be planting fruits and vegetables? You know, for charity?"

"Uh, well..." Robbie mumbles, fumbling his sheepish reply.

Noah just gives him a teasing look as he busies himself cleaning the loose shards. Meanwhile, Shannon stands around, her demeanor polite even though she still seems to be distracted by Katia's sudden disappearance.

"Real talker, isn't he? Hauling boxes around isn't his favorite thing," Noah explains, throwing a nod toward Robbie. "People just expect him to do it all the time 'cause he's so big and strong." He empties the full dustpan into a nearby trash receptacle-- "There,"-- before he returns the broom and dustpan to his large friend.

"Go ahead and do your gardening, Robbie. I'll take these to the supply room." But as Noah receives the tower of boxes from the giant man, he nearly collapses under the sudden weight. "No-- worries-- everything's-- fine!" he assures his companions through gritted teeth.

"Are you sure?" Shannon asks, alarmed. "Hey, don't drop those!" As they bicker over the offer of help-- and a chivalrous impulse to refuse said help-- Venom takes the opportunity to sidestep past them, heading to the supply room.

"Hmm," Shannon remarks, craning her head around as he passes. "That guy looks kinda familiar..."

***

Church Supply Room

Having successfully ditched the Dream-- for the moment, at least-- Felicia has had full run of the supply room for the last few minutes. For a skilled thief, it's all the time she needs to do a quick yet thorough inspection of her surroundings. Sturdy metal shelves line the walls of the supply room, stocked with the same F.E.A.S.T.-labelled boxes that her, Eddie, and all the other volunteers have been hauling around. The contents are organized by item type, with canned goods, clothing, and medicine making up the three biggest categories.

The supply room is also equipped with a thick metal garage door, with someone having backed an unmarked white equipment van into its parking spot inside. Obviously, it could be used to deliver charity goods directly into the supply room, but Felicia's instincts might tell her it's just as likely being used by an unscrupulous "volunteer" to transport them out. Perhaps her security cameras will tell her who that person is...

But then-- footsteps. Someone's coming. Too heavy to be the Dream. Maybe her Hulk-sized friend, "Robbie"?

Wait. No. It's Venom, covering the door while she gets the job done. Whatever Felicia is planning, she has only a few moments to do it. Time to move!

Turning it over to Black Cat and Venom. @Venom, if you want to roll for an Asset to represent your support, Black Cat can use it in her roll.

@Black Cat, you can roll against the Doom Pool to set up the cameras in a way that doesn't arouse suspicion.

Actions Available: Black Cat, Venom
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:50, Sat 01 July 2023.

Eddie smiles, "Hey Rob did we have anything to keep out the sewer rats? Saw some droppings earlier." Then to Venom, 'That isn't as bad as you make it out but I hate being surprised like that. Just you guys make some rat-like noises then come back to me unseen the house cat is making a move to help.' With that said he'll start putting the contents of the box on a shelf near the door Black Cat is behind.



OOC
rolled team d6 not buddy d8
Lethal Protector d4 +1 PP
Mob 3d8
Crime Expert d8

Total: 15
ED: d8
PP: +1
Opps: 0

20:29, Today: Venom rolled 5,3,4,8,7,2 using d6,d4,d8,d8,d8,d8 ((5,3,4,8,7,2)).

Venom's symbiotes oblige him, taking the form of small rodents as they peel off to go create a distraction. Meanwhile, Robbie had been standing around awkwardly, torn between helping with the boxes and heading out to the garden as Noah suggested. Eddie's question seems to give him new purpose. "Yeah, I can hear those rats squeaking again. May should have some non-lethal traps around here somewhere. Don't want to hurt the little guys." He heads back to the lobby to go find them, leaving only a few stray volunteers in the hallway other than Shannon and Noah. They're still too preoccupied with the boxes to pay "Sheppard" much mind, though Eddie catches the young woman casting a curious look in his direction once or twice.

Doom Pool reaction to Venom's attempt to create "Eddie's Distraction" asset for Black Cat.

Split 1d8 doom into 2d6.

Doom Pool 2d6
F.E.A.S.T. Volunteers 1d8

14:21, Today: The Watcher rolled 6,1 using 1d6,1d6.  Doom Pool reaction to Venom's attempt to create asset.

14:23, Today: The Watcher rolled 3 using 1d8.  Forgot the Scene Distinction in reaction to Venom's roll.

Total: 9
Effect: d4
Opportunities: 1 (Available to Venom or Black Cat)

Venom wins with an extraordinary success. "Eddie's Distraction" d10 asset is created and passes to Black Cat.

Next: Black Cat
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:47, Mon 03 July 2023.

Felicia has just realized she's technically a donor at this place.  Not out of any sense of altruism, of course.  He'd said something about how we're not supposed to profit from stopping supervillains.  Total bullshit.  The Avengers must get a paycheck to live in that tower.  Still, the jealous looks she'd inspired at the gala had made it worth it.  She tells herself this one isn't free.  Having Venom owe her a favor is worth more than money.

Setting up the cameras is same as always.  Setting up to prevent a heist is odd, but not fundamentally different.  Eddie's right though.  These people are vermin, stealing from people that have nothing.  Good thing there's a Cat to take care of it.

15:35, Today: Black Cat rolled 7 using 1d10.  eddie's distraction. – 7
23:43, Sun 02 July: Black Cat rolled 4,5,5,8 using D8,d8,d8,d8.  Buddy, World class thief,enhanced senses,crime expert. – 4,5,5,8

15/d8

On the way out of the room, she says to Venom, "Le piège à vermine est prêt."

No sense breaking cover, if someone is watching them.  He can figure out the meaning.

"Attends."

The vermin trap is ready
Just wait

She heads back to where she last saw 'American Dream' and asks her <"have the crashing noises stopped?">
Shannon is a wrinkle in this easy job that Felicia really doesn't need.  Spending the afternoon with her is either going to be painful physically or emotionally.

Matt (as Daredevil) pulls away from Typhoid as he senses her last tear drop on the asphalt below their feet like striking a bass drum in his ears. He can’t read her mind but he can tell the signs of her emotions that broadcast her thoughts from feelings. Her tendency toward self-destruction -- literally playing with fire, high above the city dancing with the devil (literally) -- wasn’t so complete that she would put herself so close to the line to end it all. It had to be a ploy to bring him nearer when she knew he wasn’t far, and this is the perfect night for such an emotional trap. Through the heavy, humid air he could smell the pheromones in her sweat rising on her skin in anticipation of being near to him and a heat that raged outside on her skin as well as inside her, down deep and low. She would be ready for his body as she had been before, for them to join together here under the hot, summer moon, like they had done countless times before, possibly even on this self-same roof. But no. This is not the time for catching her as she surrendered to the unbridled compulsions of her heart and body. DD can only trust that Moon Knight was unharmed in his own situation, at an angle that blocking being able to tell from his radar sense and the clamor of the city putting him out of range of super-hearing. But the fact that Mary is here in addition to the other ne'er-do-wells on the street could only indicate that something sinister was afoot, and that either hero present could be pulled into a trap. His only hope is to get ahead of it, to go straight to the source, or at least one of its tributaries, and Typhoid could be the main initiator for whatever was happening, or at least know why there were so many of them here, together.

But suddenly his time is running out. The moment he pulled from her he could sense her body cooling. Even someone in tune with the exact temperature of a person's physiology might not be able to detect the subtlety of bodily heat dropping by a fraction of degree, but the man with the superhuman senses can pick it up, and it would only go downhill from there. If Typhoid switches to Mary -- sometimes a transformation that is as unpredictable as it is swift -- the change in personalities would lose the information held by the former. “Typhoid,” he barks in her face. “Tell me what’s going on here.” When she becomes the one pulling away he grabs her arm hard enough to cause her to shudder. “Why are you here?” Mary does not deserve the violence, but it could be what draws Typhoid back, and that is whose level he can come to, and whose consciousness from which he could snatch something, to know what wicked deed is unfolding here, and then to stop it.

Eddie blinks at Felicia's statement and just nods and closes the door behind her but in his head, "What did she say?" Eddie moves to continue moving boxes as the little ones return after having caused some light havoc, "Man I wish I had learned French in school, ladies sound so elegant speaking it. But she most likely said I needed a bath."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:23, Fri 18 Aug 2023.

Doom Pool reaction to Black Cat's attempt to set up the surveillance system. (Msg #90, Total: 15 / Effect: d8)

Doom Pool 2d6
F.E.A.S.T. Volunteers d8

12:23, Today: The Watcher rolled 5,6,4 using 1d6,1d6,1d8.  Doom Pool reaction to Black Cat's attempt to set up the surveillance camera system.

Total: 11
Effect: d8
Opportunities: 0

Black Cat wins. "Vermin Trap" d8 asset is created.

The plan to transform the F.E.A.S.T. supply room into a vigilante duo's sting operation goes off without a hitch. With the Dream out of her hair-- now attended to by the ever-helpful "Noah" -- the disguised "Katia" finds all the time she needs to set up a surveillance system that is both reliable and inconspicuous. There are enough storage racks and junk in this high-ceiling supply room that she has her choice of hiding spots to place them in. Eddie, meanwhile, is the perfect doorman, able to redirect supply room visitors away from the crime scene without arousing any suspicion. If his gruff appearance isn't reason enough for other volunteers not to strike up conversation, the distractions created by his symbiotes are highly efficient in steering them away. At some point while Felicia is finishing her task, the Spider's aunt May can be heard commenting on the sudden strange occurrences over the last few minutes: squeaky mice, plumbing leaks, and household items going missing. Perhaps, in their eagerness to assist their "Shepherd", those symbiotes are going a bit farther than is really needed. But still, no one seems the wiser, and Felicia is able to confirm that her camera feed is online. Now, they need only wait until the thief is caught in the act-- and swoop in at the right moment.

Domino
Hell's Kitchen Rooftops

Morbius' battle cry is interrupted as a familiar voice calls from nearby: "Michael! Control yourself!" Appearing from the fire escape leading onto the roof is a thin hooded figure recognizable to Neena as Carrion. Gone are the grayish rags he had been wearing the night of Carnage's killing spree. In their place is a pristine white lab coat, as one worn by a doctor treating a patient... and rubber gloves that hide his decaying hands. Neena's high-tech goggles offer a helpful reminder of his abilities: "SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT CAUSES RAPID DISINTEGRATION OF AFFECTED TARGET'S BIO-MASS." In this case, Neena knows she was perhaps wise not to rush into what might well be an ambush.

Or is it? The strange figure quickly paces to a spot on the roof in between the living vampire and the airborne Domino, trying to fence them off from each other. Recognition dawns in the eyes of Morbius as, after a pause, his ragged breathing seems to calm. "Mal...colm..." he rasps.

"Apologies. He gets testy when he hasn't had his dinner." It's odd to see the spooky-looking man give a rare smile-- and even more strange that it doesn't appear to be a malicious one. As Carrion speaks, he gestures to a metal case he's holding. The lid bears some sort of corporate logo: HORIZON LABS.

"I know about the bounties, Miss Thurman, and why you must be here. I know we both did terrible things that night." Neena could have room to interpret whether he is referring to he and Morbius... or perhaps he and Neena. "We all lost a part of ourselves to Kasady... some of us more than others."

He sighs.

"I regret it all, I hope you know. I've lain awake at night wishing I could take it all back. The people I... hurt. I can't, of course... But I thought maybe, before I turn myself in, I could do this one small bit of good. Yes, I've been trying to help Dr. Michael Morbius find his miracle cure. We already have the treatment ready--" He gives a quick glance to the restrained and covered figure which Neena's infrared goggles previously identified as a male mutant-- "But you, Miss Thurman, just might be the miracle we need. By all calculations, my previous attempts to eradicate the patient's vampirism were held back only by... How should I say...?

"Shit... luck?" Michael grins.

"Ah, yes. That," the doctor smiles. "We are not all so blessed to be as... fortunate... as Miss Thurman. I could not blame her for turning us into the authorities and collecting our rather sizeable bounties. But I think I speak for both doctor and patient when I say we would most appreciate your help, Miss Thurman."

Domino, you can roll either to try and help Carrion cure Morbius... or to bring the former Carnage Family members to justice.

Next: Will set up the final Epilogue rolls for the remaining players.

Domino considered this a moment, as she hovered there in the night sky.
Then, she called out in reply to Carnage,  "I'm about to make you an offer, Carnage.
It goes against my nature to do this, so if you screw me over, I'll make it my personal mission to make you pay".

She let that hang in the air a moment, before continuing, "I'll lend you what support I can, for this night.
But come sunrise, you come with me and allow me to hand you in for the reward".

Domino knew she was taking a very big risk here:  and that she was putting aside [possibly] money and [definitely] safety to do something noble.
But maybe, just maybe, old dogs could learn new tricks.    And she wasn't just taking about Carnage and Morbius here.


If Carnage agreed, Domino would honour her part of the deal by returning with them to whatever lab Carnage had, and assist with what process she could.
Neena's Checkered Past had often seen her help out in the Lab, using her Luck to aid in the production of one chemical concoction or another.   This would be little different
Come morning, she'd expect the two villains to honour their part of the deal.


Action:   Create 'Help out in the Lab' asset for Carnage
d10   Affiliation: Buddy   (temporarily 'sleeping with the enemy')
d8     Distinction:  Checkered Past
d8     Power: Probability Manipulation / Luck
SFX   Let the Luck Run Free. Add a d6 and step up your effect die by +1 when using PROBABILITY MANIPULATION to create assets

- rolled 9,1,6,2 using d10,d8,d8,d6.

Total: 15
Effect: d6 upgraded to  d8
Opp: 1

+3 XP when you put aside money and safety to do something noble.

In reply to Domino (msg # 95):
Doom Pool reaction to Domino's attempt to create "Help Out in the Lab" asset for Carrion (Total: 15 / Effect: d8).

Doom Pool 2d6
Pseudo-Vampirism d8

00:56, Today: The Watcher rolled 2,3,7 using 1d6,1d6,1d8 ((2,3,7)). Doom Pool reaction to Domino's attempt to create "Help Out in the Lab" asset.

Total: 10
Effect: d6
Opportunities: 0

Domino wins with an extraordinary success. Effect die steps Asset up to d10.

NOW


A long pause ensues as Carrion mulls over the bounty hunter's words. At last, he nods and waves a hand. "Yes. That is even better than what I deserve, after all that I have done. It's no wonder you see me as no different than him." As he hangs his head in shame, he doesn't need to say the name "Carnage" for it to be clear who he is talking about. His thin, wispy voice falters a bit as he seems pained by the realization.

However, Neena's clipped tone tells him he cannot dwell on the thought for long. "Fresh air helps the patient's... urges," Carrion replies, changing the subject as he follows her gaze again toward Morbius. "But my lab is where the real treatment will take place. Come." He beckons to Neena, flinging open a door and heading down the staircase leading from the fire escape. He casts a glance back over his shoulder at the restrained, covered mutant, as well as the Carnage mask-adorned man lying upon the ground. "It is safer for our other... volunteers... if they remain here." The remark leaves Neena to ponder what kind of "treatment" has been going on here... or soon will be.


LATER

The building's inner levels are all but abandoned. Light flickers only from the one central room marked "LAB". The trio has set up there and gotten to work, with Carrion poring over a jumble of notes, scientific instruments, and complicated equations. Occasionally, Morbius nods at some question or comment from the doctor. But for the most part, his eyes remain on Neena, filled not with suspicion, but what appears to be gratitude. However good that might make the mercenary feel, she isn't about to drop her guard. She notices a security camera feed on a nearby screen, showing the building's roof. Neena knows she should be keeping an eye on those unexplained guests, no matter how late it's getting... and how sleepy all this boring lab work might be making her.

"Our heavily restrained 'volunteer' up there is the mutant called Sabretooth," Carrion tells Neena, surmising her curiosity. "I have already taken a sample of his blood, but I found it... safer... to keep him off the streets. After that night, he became even more savage. In return for my saving that troubled young man from becoming Victor's latest victim-" He nods toward the security camera feed and the gangly Carnage impostor- "He agreed to serve as lookout while Michael and I worked on the cure. Though, regrettably, I cannot approve of his using Cletus Kasady's image to carry out his petty crimes... or his frequent dozing off on the job."

Carrion sighs.

"No matter. He will soon be relieved of his duty, for we are going to complete Michael's cure tonight. I believe Sabretooth's healing factor- among other things- holds the key to counteracting Michael's pseudo-vampirism. You may take custody of Sabretooth and collect his bounty, as well, when we are done here- provided you have the means to transport him. He has been heavily sedated, but it would be imperative not to dally on your way, as his healing factor will burn off the drugs in his system by tomorrow afternoon. And I must warn you that he has spoken of a particular hatred for you, Miss Thurman."

He cocks his head slightly, as if trying to recollect. "Yes... Something about a 'black box' from that destroyed helicopter-- could someone hand me that needle?-- and something he found in the system logs. I believe the on-board camera feed indicated-- don't worry, Miss Thurman, the needle is for me-- a missile launch by someone other than Cletus Kasady." Carrion jabs the needle into his arm and presses down on the plunger. Sickly, bluish blood fills the clear tube as he winces slightly. "Mind you, all us Family members nearly died in that horrible explosion at the stadium. Victor should count himself blessed- as I did- that Spider-Man was there to save us. But then again, he always was one to hold a grudge." He shrugs, returning to his notes... and leaving Neena to ponder on the latest new enemy she has made, whom she can almost feel staring back at her from the camera feed...


EVEN LATER

"Arm, please." Neena could be forgiven if she jolts- either from pain, sudden alertness, or both- as the hypodermic needle jabs her skin. Just how late has it gotten, with Carrion still busy as ever with his endless work? "Not to worry, Miss Thurman. As with any blood donation, we simply need to ensure a type match between donor and recipient. And the success of my serum depends upon that 'lucky' blood of yours. Or didn't you know the source of your own power- that the luck literally runs in your veins? I could understand if this comes as a shock to you."

Whether Neena believes him or not may have to wait for later. Whatever lingering mistrust she might feel, she could be in too deep now to suddenly back out of this- and anyway, keeping a tough image means one doesn't shy from needles. Even when he comes back for the second jab: "My apologies. Missed the vein that first time." Drawing a bit of blood from Neena's arm, Carrion proceeds to examine it under a microscope. He fiddles with the hi-tech instrument some more as he continues: "Fortunately, you and Michael do indeed seem to share the same blood type. Perhaps that stroke of luck is an omen of our success."

As he chuckles softly, the room begins to feel cold...

A BIT LATER STILL

"Well, Michael. Miss Thurman. It appears we are ready to begin the procedure."

Shuffling through his notes, Carrion suddenly turns to Neena again. "My apologies. I haven't even properly explained the procedure, have I? Where should I begin...? He gestures to a newspaper clipping affixed to the wall behind him: "HEROES OF NEW YORK END THE CARNAGE". The article features an on-the-ground photo of Daredevil, Moon Knight, Black Cat, Venom, Spider-Woman, Mayhem- and Neena herself- as they faced off with the giant-sized Carnage. "That night, Spider-Man saved my life. You heroes saved New York. And I witnessed your power, Miss Thurman, to create your own miracles. I was at my lowest point... grieving the loss of my brother, the Demogoblin... when suddenly, I was struck with inspiration. I still had a brother- Michael- who had had joined our Family in search of a cure. What we discovered at the Life Foundation building- where Carnage gathered his army of symbiotes- was of no use to us. But as Michael and I turned against Carnage... as we fought side by side, sharing in common our curse of living undeath... I began to think that perhaps- pardon my cliché- the cure could have been inside us all along. Yes, that's right. My Carrion virus that attacks organic matter- if it could be delivered via a serum and targeted at specific cells in the body- could cure Michael's body of its mutated, pseudo-vampiric cells. The only problem is the overwhelming probability that the blood-serum interaction will cause the Carrion virus to spread uncontrollably throughout the body... a slow and fatal prognosis, as you see with our young test subject up there on the rooftop."

A closer look at the security camera feed shows Neena all she needs to see- indeed, what she might have preferred not to see. That the young man in the Carnage mask who appeared to be napping on the roof is, in fact, no longer among the living. All that remains is a Carnage mask sitting atop a pile of dust and loose clothing flapping in the breeze... as Carrion's "cure" finishes its gruesome work.

Having said so much, he gives Neena a moment to process what's been said before he continues. "Yes, in all my calculations... no matter how many test subjects I infected, or how I ran the tests... the odds were never better than two-percent. For reasons known only to science, my cure had only a one-in-fifty chance of being recognized by the body for what it is. And it's not as though I have an infinite supply of human test subjects, though the ones I've gone through will not be missed. Yes, it's only ever a matter of time before some nosy 'hero' shows up and ruins everything... as you know all too well yourself."

His eyes gleam madly as he goes on, gesticulating wildly. "I knew if I could just get a blood sample from one person whose body responded positively to the cure... someone lucky enough to beat those terrible odds... well, their blood could be injected into Michael and he might be saved. But every test subject I've treated so far responds as though they've been infected with a virus... and not long after that, they expire. Only Sabretooth has survived the dual process of being made a living vampire, and then infected by my cure... all thanks to that incredible healing factor of his. But even so, one couldn't call him 'cured'. His terminal prognosis has only been... indefinitely delayed." Carrion gestures to Neena. "But that, Miss Thurman, is where you come in. Your unique power to turn the odds of any situation to your favor is just what we need to ensure the success of the procedure. And now, we're finally ready."

Stroking his chin, he takes a moment to consider Neena- her cold, shivering condition.

"Can you feel it, Miss Thurman? I imagine it's the same cold that he and I feel. Yet, in a way, you feel more alive than you ever have before, don't you? Yes, living death is such a... strange sensation, isn't it?"


NOW, AGAIN

Neena can breathe a sigh of relief. That clusterf**k of a night is finally over, and she's still in one piece. Better yet, she has not one- not two- but three bounties she can collect on, if she so chooses. And despite what she just went through, those bounties ought to offer enough compensation for any sane mercenary to believe it was worth it. Even if Carrion- bastard that he was- lied to her, just as she might have known he would.

"I apologize again, Miss Thurman. Infecting you with Michael's condition was the only option we had. There was no other way for the cure to work."

No, that needle hadn't drawn "lucky blood" out of Neena's arm. It had infected her with Morbius' own pseudo-vampirism- and that second jab delivered Carrion's experimental cure straight into her bloodstream! The cure had worked of course- all thanks to Neena's incredible luck- yet it certainly wasn't an experience any sane bounty hunter would be eager to repeat.

"I hope you can appreciate that my intentions were for the greater good, Miss Thurman. If collecting the bounty on my head isn't payment enough, then allow me to share with you the knowledge I obtained from those *Project Armageddon files. My true understanding of how your luck power operates has nothing to do with your blood and everything to do with your subconscious mind. Yes, this probability-altering power of yours is triggered when you are in a stressful situation- a subconscious telekinetic effect that emanates from your body, causing events to go in your favor and shielding you from harm. It is largely participatory, requiring that you engage in an action with an outcome you can affect. But perhaps, with practice, it can become directed at will... such as what you demonstrated just a moment ago, when you directed your luck power upon your own immune system. Who knows just what the true limits of your ability could possibly be? You should experiment with them as often as you can... for science."

Carrion extends to Neena a metal case containing his mobile lab equipment. He also offers her the needle from earlier, ideal for drawing a sample of the perfected cure from Neena's bloodstream. His pale eyes are full of pride in the group's shared accomplishment. "Your luck may not actually run in your veins, Miss Thurman... but as of right now, the cure for yours and Michael's vampirism does. Whether he deserves his cure, after what we have both put you through tonight, I leave to you entirely. I told myself I was being selfless... trying to save my brother from a fate I cannot escape myself... but in the end, I suppose I am still but a mad scientist trying to play God."

There is enough ammo in Domino's gun to put an end to all the participants in this medical conspiracy right now, if she so chooses. Or enough room on her glider to get all three to the Raft so she can collect their bounties, before they rot in cells for the rest of their strange, undead lives. But perhaps, as the sun slowly rises over the horizon, the glitter of that needle catches her eye. Michael is the most innocent party in all of this, isn't he? And he only needs one small bit of her blood in order to have his cure...

Whatever her next move, Domino will face it with money in her bank account... the choicest of bounty-hunting gear... and the best luck a girl could ask for.


*Mentioned on Domino's character sheet as being behind the experiments that bestowed her luck powers upon her. How Carrion knows about it is anyone's guess!

Thanks so much for indulging my wackiness as I attempt to narrate ourselves out of the spot I got us into so many months ago. I hope that wasn't too many big changes to a PC inside of one post, and please know that nothing that happened here necessarily need be permanent. I started writing this spooky conclusion as Halloween was approaching, which is maybe why it turned out so... dark. It was inspired by Batman: TAS as well as Gail Simone's Domino 2018 run that gave us a fun li'l storyline featuring Neena and Morbius: https://static.wikia.nocookie....st?cb=20181109184101

Further Epilogue conclusions are to follow for the other PC's, and thanks so much all for waiting on me. Grad school continues to take up much of my free time, but I think weekly Friday updates are a go as far as getting this thing moving again.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:19, Sat 18 Nov 2023.

Washington Heights, Manhattan
St. Elizabeth's Church: Supply Room.

Doom Pool reaction to Black Cat's roll to catch the F.E.A.S.T. burglar. (Total: 15 / Effect: d8)

Doom Pool 2d6
Boxes, Boxes, Everywhere d8

17:56, Today: The Watcher rolled 2,3,3 using 1d6,1d6,1d8 ((2,3,3)). Doom Pool reaction to Black Cat (and Venom) attempt to catch the F.E.A.S.T. burglar.

Total: 6
Effect: d6
Opportunities: 0

Black Cat wins. Extraordinary success steps effect die up to d10.

THE PLAN:

After setting up the surveillance cameras, Black Cat and Venom spend the rest of the week engaging in volunteerism by day... and vigilantism by night. "Katia" monitors the camera feed in between helping May with various projects around the makeshift F.E.A.S.T. center-- as well as deflecting the woman's attempts to pry deeper into her past. Having rebuffed the pesky American Dream's clumsy attempts at friendship, Felicia forms a working relationship with her "co-worker" that is cordial enough. Fortunately, Shannon is busy enough wrangling the aloof "Robbie" and chipper "Noah" into May's service that Felicia can skate by without much notice... or further questions. With so much work going on here, it's clear that May is grateful she can count on her.

Meanwhile, Venom's flock of symbiotes are ever-alert and eager to patrol the rest of the church for any sign of a thief. Occasionally, it is all Eddie can do to restrain an overzealous symbiote-- usually, the trigger-happy Riot-- from chasing down a hapless volunteer toward whom the alien harbors a fleeting suspicion. Only Eddie's focus and leadership keep these near-mishaps from snowballing into something worse, with Venom helping its host to keep the "newbies" in line. The restrained Agony and Scream can usually be counted on in a pinch, but impulsive Lasher and Phage are another story. And yet, despite all their differences, they each have promise. After all, Eddie has seen firsthand that the "Flock" is much greater than the sum of its parts.

Regardless of how Eddie and Felicia are each faring on a personal level, tonight is already shaping up to be another disappointing night in the "Case of the F.E.A.S.T. Burglar". Roads quiet. Alleyways empty. No signs of a disturbance. Just dark streets, cold moonlight, and the sounds of their own breathing as each one watches and waits in a place of their choosing. Tonight, Felicia and Eddie are baiting the thief with a new prize: a fresh case of vaccines for that virus that's been circulating for far too long. Whoever the thief is, they have demonstrated a particular preference for stealing medical supplies-- an egregious act during even the most "normal" of times, let alone in the midst of an ongoing public health crisis. What good could possibly come of stealing life-saving medicine that volunteers were planning to distribute to the sick and needy? Or was the thrill of the crime enough of a motive?

For reasons of her own, Felicia might not want to dwell too much on the question. But it's not like she had-- or would-- ever stoop so low. There was a world of difference between petty larceny and depriving someone of life-saving medicine. If Felicia was feeling any differently about it, it was probably just because the lack of sleep and those nightmares had left her so rattled lately.

Nonetheless, the image of a red-and-blue striped shield sitting in a glass display case might pass into her mind. She might recall the Kingpin's look of pride as he paid her the sum and hefted the priceless artifact in his big hands. And she might think about the Dream's words as she had helped her with some task May had asked the two of them to complete together: May's done a lot for me, but she's not my family. That shield was the closest thing to family that I had. Losing it... is like losing a piece of myself.


THE BREAK-IN:

Unfamiliar face detected.

The sudden alert on Felicia's phone jerks her from whatever thought or activity presently occupies her. Soon, she has passed the info to Brock and the two make their way to where they need to be. The half-converted church lobby-- currently serving the dual purpose of F.E.A.S.T.'s volunteer headquarters-- is dead silent at this hour. As with breaking into just about any building, Felicia has already gotten used to coming and going from the place at her leisure, with any security systems quickly neutralized for the moment. Together, she and Brock make their way toward the supply room. Two vigilantes. Two exits to cover. One thief to catch.

It's dark inside the supply room, except for the light from a mini-fridge in the far corner of the room. The sounds of rummaging and ransacking are growing louder, but the activity isn't quite as brazen or careless as either vigilante might have expected. Whoever is helping themselves to the vaccine cold storage box is actually showing a certain care in handling the vials. The burglar only does a cursory check of each one's label and contents before giving a quick nod to no one in particular and placing it inside a dark-colored backpack. Far stranger, the backpack almost seems to meld with the figure's body as the burglar puts it back on.

That will have to wait. For now, Eddie and Felicia are each in position. Both exits are blocked, and the thief has nowhere to run. What's more than that is all three people in the room seem to know it. As the vigilantes quickly close in on the burglar-- whether having announced their presence or not-- their target reacts with blinding speed. Executing an acrobatic flip, the spry thief lands atop a nearby shelf. For an instant, the intruder seems to consider the threat. But rather than fight, the burglar turns and bolts straight for an exit... only to be caught in the multicolored strands of a great web, spun courtesy of Eddie's Flock.

Bingo. The plan went off without a hitch. Except... Just who is this burglar?

Eddie is the first to realize that the thief is wearing a symbiote: Venom's identical "twin" that he encountered the night Kasady died. If he recalled correctly, it had something to do with the Life Foundation and some kind of cloning process. While Eddie still bore the original Venom, Spider-Man's new black suit had seemed to be a perfect copy in every way. Eddie recalls that the Ghost Rider's judgement had purged the symbiote from Parker's body-- caused it to flee its host entirely. Or so it had seemed.

Felicia, too, is having a hard time processing the moment-- but for different reasons entirely. All she knows is that this "burglar" is the same person from her nightmares. The ones she has been having ever since Kasady ran amok. Imprisoned within Brock's web, the black-suited Spider stares back at Felicia with wild eyes. Extending from his outstretched fist is a symbiotic blade-- the same as the one he plunged into Cletus Kasady's screaming face. In her mind, Felicia knows that only happened inside a bad dream. But somehow that doesn't fix the cold sweat on her brow, or the sound of her own heart racing. Not that anyone in the room can tell.

A moment passes as nobody speaks. Felicia blinks, and now sees that the "symbiote blade" is just a vaccine the Spider is holding. As he struggles to be free, Peter clumsily drops it. "Uh... I know this looks bad, guys. But really... I can explain."


THE AFTERMATH:

"-- and that's the whole story. I know it's-- I'm-- so, so stupid. But, look, I know you can both understand. Aunt May... these volunteers... you guys all do so much good work at F.E.A.S.T.. Taking care of people. Giving them a hot meal, some clothes to wear, a nice warm bed. You guys are saving lives out here. And I would be busting my butt too, volunteering here right alongside you... if my aunt didn't believe that, right this moment, I'm out of town on some vacation she planned for me. The one she insisted on, after the night Cletus Kasady-- after-- " He rubs the back of his neck apologetically, seeming even more worried that Eddie and Felicia are going to tattle on him. "Let's just say that ever since she found out I'm Spider-Man, her 'self-care' lectures have gotten a lot more... intense. And that, as great as a vacation sounded on paper, my nightmares about Carnage really put the kibosh on it. Had to find a way I could stay busy."

He looks sheepishly between Eddie and Felicia, perhaps wondering whether either of them can relate. "As for breaking in here... stealing the supplies... I know. Stupid. But there are certain things people need as soon as they can possibly get it. Things that, for whatever reason, are just beyond their reach. Things that could actually be the difference between life and death. Like these vaccines. I know it sounds... arrogant. But with my powers and this black suit... well, I can distribute these things faster than May and her volunteers can. A friendly neighborhood Spider-Man can get them into the hands of the people who need them without having to wait for F.E.A.S.T. to organize in their part of town, or spend what little money they have on a bus ride to come all the way here. Sometimes... I guess... being responsible means bending the rules a little. I promise you that I was going to tell May... and that I'm going to replace all the stuff I took."

Yes, it would seem that even becoming a burglar was only ever a way for Spider-Man to help people in need. Wearing that shapeshifting symbiote costume was only a way for Peter to blend in with the other volunteers-- to trick passerby into thinking he was just another face in the crowd. With its ability to craft any disguise, he could even fool his Aunt May, who would otherwise recognize her nephew's appearance in a heartbeat. "And I promise that after this-- after tonight-- there'll be no more after-hours "volunteering" for this Spider. Me and this weird symbiote are going right back to our vacation. I'd ask you to pet-sit, Eddie, but it looks like you've already got your hands full with six or seven alien slime-monsters of your own."

He bids them both a quick farewell. "I'll see you both around. Keep an eye on things for me while I'm gone, will you? New York may not have Avengers, but at least it still has heroes." And with that, Spider-Man gives Eddie and Felicia a quick salute... and web-slings off into the night. It will be up to the two vigilantes to sort through their feelings after this encounter. Have they truly earned the Spider's trust? After tonight's events, does he still deserve theirs? And just what more could that hero's faith in the Cat and the Shepherd end up asking of them? Only time will tell...!


I've had this ending in mind for a good while now, and hope it managed to be surprising while still at least somewhat logical. Thanks Black Cat and Venom for your incredible patience in getting this epilogue over the finish line. We're going to wrap up Daredevil and Moon Knight's next, and then we're all but ready to start the next adventure at long last. More coming soon.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:43, Mon 04 Dec 2023.

Domino considered hard a moment.   It had certainly been a strange night;  and just as she'd kept her word, it seemed that Carrian was going to do the same.

Looking at Michael Morbius, Domino handed the kit back to Carrian, "Give him the dose he needs.
You are, all, coming with me, as agreed", she explained, "But he ought to have the treatment he needs before you all spend some well-earned time away from society".

When the Living Vampire had been injected, she took the dosage assigned for herself back.

Then, followed through on their earlier agreement, plus one.    All three were delivered to the authorities, and handed over for the bounty they represented.

“I came here…” Typhoid whispers. “I came here to…” Her facial muscles strain as she tries to resist- not in giving an answer to the Man Without Fear, but in fighting off her “alter’s” violent struggle for control. “No!” Mary suddenly pleads, as the composite personalities battle for dominance. “She’ll find out you told! She’ll punish us!” Yet, steeling herself as she grips Daredevil’s arm, Typhoid gradually- painstakingly- mightily- reasserts control. With a supreme effort of will, Daredevil’s ally forces “Mary” out, casting her other self down into the dark reaches of her own mind where she falls ever silent.

Slowly, Typhoid reopens her eyes. “Sometimes, doing the right thing means being afraid. You taught us that, a long time ago. I only wish Mary could understand.” Cupping a hand to her temple, the weary Typhoid casts a glance toward the street, where Moon Knight faces off with Jack, the Scarecrow, and their henchman. “Devil, you were right. It’s a trap. You’ve got to get back to him, quickly. She’s coming for him. For all of you. And this time-” She looks past him, paralyzed to speak.

Having long suspected this conclusion, Daredevil could hardly be shocked at the information Typhoid offers. But to see the hardened woman so unnerved could be cause enough for apprehension. Still yet, there is scarcely time to consider a response- whether to return to Moon Knight’s side, or press Typhoid further- before Daredevil’s senses buzz rapidly with new information.

A rush of ozone- from where? The nearest beach isn’t for miles, so where did this cold ocean breeze suddenly come from? While the Man Without Fear’s superhuman senses puzzle out the equation, Typhoid pulls closer to him, as though bracing for a coming fight. Whatever lust for battle she has displayed in the past, her heartbeat plays an unfamiliar symphony of terror to Daredevil’s ears. It is some time before Matt’s senses can piece together a most illogical conclusion: that the source of the rushing air is only some yards away, with the gusting current spilling forth from… nowhere at all. The nearest time he experienced anything like this sensation would have been one week ago, with that feline sorceress and her ability to conjure those mystical portals. But gifted with superhuman senses, Daredevil might well suspect that the one responsible is someone else entirely. There is no familiar, warm crackle of embers from this dimensional aperture- only icy cold darkness flooding ever forth.

“Ah,” a woman’s voice speaks. “There you are, daughter.” An even stronger whoosh of air spills forth as the portal yawns wider still, and the figure steps out onto the rooftop. There is an air of weariness and wisdom about her, a far cry from the devil-may-care attitude she displayed on that night. Shriek’s eyes dart from Daredevil, to Typhoid, to the cluster of figures fighting in the streets odd yards down and away. The few surviving members of the “Carnage Family” appear to welcome her arrival, re-focusing their hostility on Moon Knight with renewed vigor. This time, Scarecrow spearheads a two-pronged attack.

Scarecrow attacks Moon Knight with a psychic blast, assisted by his flock of pecking crows.

Team d6
Homicidal Maniac d8
Psychic Blast d8
Pack 3d6
d6 from SFX

SFX: Peck Your Eyes Out. Add d6 to your dice pool for an attack action and step back the highest die in your pool by –1. Step up physical stress inflicted by +1.

14:22, Today: Scarecrow rolled 3,4,14 using 1d6,2d8,4d6 ((3,3,1,4,3,2,5)). Scarecrow attacks Moon Knight with psychic blast/crows.

Total: 8
Effect: d8
Opportunities: 1
Doom Pool: 2d6

Reactions Needed: Moon Knight

Action Available: Moon Knight

“I take it you’re having second thoughts,” Shriek addresses Typhoid. “That’s a pity. Of all the Family, I had such high hopes for you. A natural killer, just like her 'father'. Before he was… taken from us.”

Her eyes hang on Typhoid as the portal behind her abruptly blinks out of existence. All at once, the rush of air suddenly ceases. “They say grief is a process. That everyone handles it differently. And I have had far longer than most to dwell on the fact of his death.” She touches a hand to her face, older somehow than it was before. Where only a week has passed, one would get the impression Shriek has not set foot in New York for ages- that her journey to here and now lasted many years. Even her choice in attire has changed, with the chaotic get-up she wore on that night traded for dark rags and a cloak. The hooded garment enshrouds her body from head to toe, wreathing her pale form not only in embroidered fabric, but a strange black smoke seeping from its folds. It rises off of her continuously as she gazes at her enemies from where she stands.

“My poor Cletus. One moment, he was like a god. The next…” Her voice falters as she struggles to get the words out. “Gone. Desecrated. Burned like worthless trash. All at the hands of you self-righteous ‘heroes’.”

However pointed are her words, her demeanor is ever cold and passionless. Once a mad dog at the side of one even madder than herself, it is as though she has achieved a self-mastery that was once far beyond her reach. Or so it feels now, as she begins to gather her great and terrible energies. Pressure, as well as what must be light in Daredevil’s estimation, emanates from the woman’s left eye as a tempest begins swirling around her, whipping those upon the rooftop with violent force.

“I’m going to take back what’s mine,” she seethes, casting a glance toward the faraway Moon Knight. "He has no right to mock me, wearing it like that. But first, a hug- for the daughter I’ve so missed.”

The shadowy cloak ripples and extends, as clawed tendrils of darkforce streak toward Typhoid!

Shriek attacks Typhoid (and Daredevil, by extension) with darkforce constructs.

Team d10
Darker and Colder d8
Sonic Storm d10
Darkforce Control d10
Combat Expert d8
Area Attack d6

SFX: Area Attack. Against multiple targets, for every additional target add a d6 and keep an additional effect die.

14:27, Today: Shriek rolled 9,6,7,9,1,6 using 1d10,1d8,1d10,1d10,1d8,1d6 ((9,6,7,9,1,6)). Shriek attacks Daredevil/Typhoid with sonics/darkforce.

Total: 25 (-1d6 doom for 3rd die)
Effect: d8
Opportunities: 1
Doom Pool: 1d6

Reactions Needed: Daredevil

Action Available: Daredevil
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:50, Fri 09 Feb.

“Nooooo!” Daredevil cries as he hurls himself into the path of the monster’s attack on his ally/enemy/lover/complication. Though he is ultra-sensitive to sonic strikes due to his hyper-hearing, he would not hesitate to risk his own protection for that of another. At the same time, he pinpoints where Shriek is near them with his radar sense then twists his body to make his next movement that of a counter-strike, assuming his brains aren’t scrambled when his eardrums burst from the unrelenting attack!

Reaction to Shriek’s attack on Typhoid, Total: 25, Effect: d8:
Buddy    d8
Man Without Fear    d8
Hypersenses/Radar Sense/Superhuman Senses    d12 (with potential reroll)
(-1 PP)
Acrobatic Master    d10

Daredevil rolled 2,5,8,5 using d8,d8,d12,d10 (reroll).

-1 PP to add third die to Total
Total: 18; Effect: d8

PPs: 4 (starting; from msg #703) -1 (Radar Sense SFX) -1 (to add die to Total) -1 (second Effect die) = 1
This message was last edited by the player at 23:39, Sun 18 Feb.

A psychic attack... and birds? Moon Knight grunted with mild amusement at the kinds of crazy crap some villains thought could be effective. Scarecrow would never make it off the B-list this way. Moon Knight's reputation for being crazy ought to preclude the psychic attacks, at the very least, even if nobody knew the full extent of his psychosis. It was hard to mentally hurt someone who was three people at once. He let his Dissociative Identity Disorder act as his psychic defense while he physically defended against the birds. He began swatting them out of the air.

Solo d10
Who is Marc Spector? d8
Superhuman Reflexes d10
Superhuman Durability d10
Combat Master d10

Moon Knight rolled 8,8,2,7,8 using d10,d8,d10,d10,d10 ((8,8,2,7,8)).

Total: 16
Effect: d10


Soon a pile of broken birds littered the ground around his feet. Some heroes might feel sorry for the unfortunate animals. Moon Knight wasn't some heroes. He didn't do 'sorry'.

He didn't even approach Scarecrow. Instead he used his new stretching ability to deliver a haymaker punch to the villain's face from twenty feet away.

Solo 10
Fist of Khonshu d8
Superhuman Strength d10
Stretching d8
Combat Master d10

Moon Knight rolled 1,7,10,4,9 using d10,d8,d10,d8,d10 ((1,7,10,4,9)).

Total: 19
Effect: d8