In reply to Shriek (msg # 315):

"Well, darling, I was hoping our friend Domino here would join our little family," Kasady grins. "But as we've seen, she only cares about that silly little hit-job Mayor Osborn's put on me."

He turns in the pilot's seat, his mask withdrawn as he takes a good look at Domino through the transparent divider.

"Smart girl like you's gotta know it's a scam, right?" he murmurs. "Don't you know he's using his clout to keep all the soldiers and Avengers outta this city while Shriek and I have our fun?"

Shriek nods her head at Cletus' words. "Thinks he's gonna clean our little mess up himself so he can look good on TV. But he's got another thing coming if he thinks he can cage us again."

"Bingo," Kasady agrees. "And I get the feeling Domino here don't even care about the money anyhow. No, a killer like her only cares about the challenge of it all. The sport."

He hits a button on the aircraft's control console, and it begins to hover in place. Hidden within the clouds, its cannons are still poised to strike the unwitting occupants within the stadium.

"So tell me, Domino," he goes on. "If it was you in this seat, what would you do?"

Transition Scene continues.

As we head toward Act III, here's a quick recap of where we're at (and a couple of new developments):

Moon Knight
With Moon Knight, Cloak, and Dagger having disappeared into the darkforce dimension, there is still no trace of the vigilantes anywhere in the city. Though Cloak's power ought to have brought them instantly to Yankee Stadium, they have not yet re-appeared-- a development that surely does not bode well! Unknown to the other heroes, they face off with a horror beyond imagining!

Domino
Above Yankee Stadium, a grave threat looms in the sky-- all the more dangerous for the fact that it is hidden from sight. The Carnage-Copter hovers in the clouds overhead, ready to rain destruction upon heroes, villains, and innocent civilians alike! Only the mercenary Domino's answer to Kasady's question might stay the villain's hand for now...

Daredevil
Up in the press box at Yankee Stadium, Daredevil has managed to free his friend Ben Urich from a deadly trap. To his dread, the journalist isn't breathing. And not far away, the Black Cat continues to struggle for her life! She's trying desperately to croak out a word, but she can't do it for the chain around her neck. It seems as if she's trying to warn DD of something...?!

Tigra
On the ground below, the symbiote-clad Tigra examines her reflection when suddenly, she hears a demonic voice inside her head:
"Sorceress Supreme... When you're quite done examining your foolish new appearance, I believe an ally may be in need of your help."
Greer feels a crackle of ozone, and then, without ceremony, she is quickly spirited away! The many portals she had opened abruptly close, with the remaining citizens cut off from their exit!

Spider-Man
Having seen to it that the escaping villains can be tracked properly once this is over, Spidey takes a moment to go to Venom's aid. Doppelganger also seems to have taken a shine to the web-head, though whether he will be more help than trouble remains to be seen. If Spidey could only catch a moment to focus, he might realize his spider-sense is beginning to tingle...

More to follow.
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:58, Wed 09 Sept 2020.

Daredevil gingerly lays Ben on the floor, whispering "Hang on, Ben," then quickly shifting to a position to give CPR when Black Cat swings back into the immediate perimeter of his radar sense. She's clinging to life, but strongly enough that he knows she has the fleeting moments that, given to Ben, might mean the difference in saving a life, but hearing a pained gurgling, as if her attempt at saying something is reduced to a single grunt, imperceptible to anyone else. He knows she's facing him, and maybe her spasm-like shaking isn't hanging on to life but trying to get his attention. In just that second -- maybe less -- Daredevil decides to chance it and leaps up to grasp the chain attached to Black Cat's neck and pull it down in the same fashion as he saved Ben from hanging. "This better be important," Daredevil hisses, but low. Once he has Black Cat down, and even before she starts breathing again, he turns back to Ben, silently praying that those distracted moments weren't the ones that sealed his friend's final fate.

                                    So does that mean that I am not getting into the Locked Artillery Case'?


Domino stopped working on the Locked Artillery Case a moment, and looked up at the Dastardly Duo.
For a moment, she seemed ready to either turn her attention back to the artillery case, or say something smart-ass.

But she stopped, and said instead, "Why don't you let me into that seat, and we'll find out?"

"How... amusing," chuckles a voice from within the darkness. The laughter is like twisting, crunching bones in Moon Knight's ears. "This one believes there are others in his head."
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:17, Thu 10 Sept 2020.

Taking a step forward with his fists outstretched, the Wall-Crawler issues a challenge to the gang of villains surrounding Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends.

"Hey! Doppel's shown me he's got more intestinal fortitude than all of you dime-store Halloween rejects put together! If you want to pick on anyone, pick on this spider! Why, I oughta..."

Spidey's words stop suddenly as he realizes his Spider-Sense is tingling. He quickly looks around to discern the looming threat, keeping his battle stance and one eye on the goons surrounding them.

"Any other spider-types sense that?"

"Who is this loser?" Moon Knight demanded of Cloak. This dark hole in the universe was his playground; he should know what bullies liked to lurk by the sandbox. "And do I stuff a magnesium flare up his ass, or down his throat?"

In reply to Domino (msg # 319):

Correct-- you didn't succeed this time, but you'll have another chance to open the Locked Artillery Case on a future roll.

Kasady's face lights up in delight as he slowly nods his head in response to Domino's suggestion. "Say, now there's an interesting idea!"

He turns to Shriek, who is still by the rear window observing Domino. "See, I told you there was more to Little Miss Mercenary here than that 'Femme Fatale,' 'Combat Master,' routine."

"Well," replies Shriek, folding her arms. "It helps that she can't pull that full auto trick against us right now. Not without those precious guns of hers."

"Ah," says Carnage, lifting a finger. "Guns, guns... Hey, whatta you say we give Neena here some time alone with the ol' 20mm cannons? She's earned it!"

If Shriek is surprised by Carnage's proposition, she doesn't show it. Instead, she simply smiles and walks to a control panel adjacent to the window.

"Well, darling... if you insist." Slowly, gingerly, she reaches up and taps a button on the console. There is a hiss of air as the metal-framed plexiglass slides up into the ceiling.

And then, just like that, there is an open passage in front of Domino where before there had been a thick-plated metal hatch. Her keen senses detect no sign of any tricks or deceit.

"Ask and you shall receive," the villainess says, nodding to the mercenary. "Consider it some good old-fashioned Carnage Family hospitality."

Carnage jumps on top of his seat in excitement, rocking on the balls of his feet as he points to something beyond the cockpit's window.

"Hey, looky here!" he cries. "It's that mama's boy Carrion and the Loser Brigade! After all my hard work to set that game up, those little leaguers couldn't even hang on for two innings!"

He cocks an eyebrow at Domino.

"You want a shot at 'em, cowgirl? We've got fresh missiles in the tank!"

If Domino were to follow the madman's gaze, she would see it immediately: a semi-truck full of villains racing across the stadium field, making a clean getaway that only she can stop!

Hadn't her contract stated she'd get a bonus for any additional villains terminated? It couldn't hurt to take out a few, could it? And Moon Knight DID say to help herself to his equipment.

But to do so would mean to ally herself with Cletus Kasady, if only for an instant. Domino might live her life in a moral gray area, but even she knows some things are a bridge too far...

What's a mercenary to do?

Domino takes the first turn in Act III, and gets to choose who goes next.

Act III begins. Please see the message in the OOC thread re: spending XP during Act III. Players who haven't already done so may spend XP on their first turn to increase their amount of starting PP's up to the normal cap of 5. Everyone starts with 1 PP by default unless otherwise noted. Good luck in Act III and congrats on making it this far!

Domino watched the scene play out in front of her, with quirked curiosity.
This was not what she had expected.

But she rose to the occasion, rising and looking past the villains at the pilot seat beyond ... wondering if she was actually going to be allowed to get there, or if this was some kind of trick.

A plan was already forming in her head, along the lines of the proverbial 'two birds ....' theory.
But there was something that she needed to do first.

Smiling at them, with a look of 'are you actually going to let me do this?', she began to move forward between them.
But her smile and movement were as distraction, as much as a direction.
Her nimble fingers had slipped that tracking device that she had just previously acquired, from her belt as she brushed passed them.

Before moving beyond the two, she stopped.
With a big, shit eating grin at Shriek, Domino hooked one hand in under Carnage's arm, and leaned in to kiss him.
Action: place Tracking Device on Carnage, to create Asset 'Bugged Symbiote'
d8   Solo
d8   Checkered Past
d10 Superhuman Reflexes
d10 Covert Mastery
- rolled 7,8,4,3 using d8,d8,d10,d10.  create Asset 'Bugged Symbiote'.
Total: 16
Effect: d10

Spend 1PP to create secondary Effect:  Emotional Stress  upon Shriek.

Her Checkered Past and recent life of Covert operations had made her quite the pick-pocket and legerdemain; and she had used these skills and her delicate, Superhuman Reflexes now to draw the tracker ... and place it in Carnage's armpit ... as she'd slipped her own arm under his.   Very few people checked, or stood a chance of noticing, anything in the armpit, and it was a great place for such a tracking device.
She might, indeed, be working Solo, but if they were thinking that lessened her threat rating?  Well ....


OOC: yes, next stop is the pilot seat, to shoot them thar 'fish in the barrel'.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:43, Mon 14 Sept 2020.

In reply to Domino (msg # 325):

Carnage seems confused as Domino draws near to him, her expression softer than before. He can tell the mercenary's up to something, but can't quite figure out what...

"Hey, what are y-- mmf?!"

Buddy d8
Sneaky d4 (He's pretty good at playing people, but this time he's getting played)
Superhuman Reflexes d10
Covert Expert 2d6

21:30, Today: Carnage rolled 5,1,6,6,3 using 1d8,1d4,1d10,1d6,1d6 ((5,1,6,6,3)). Carnage reacting to Domino's attempt to covertly place the tracker on him.

Total: 12
Effect: d8
Opportunities: 1 (Available first to Domino)

Domino wins and successfully creates a "Bugged Symbiote" d10 asset. Adding 1d6 to the Doom Pool for Carnage's use of his "Sneaky" distinction at d4.

As Domino leans in and plants a kiss on Kasady's lips, she peeks one eye open and slips her tracking device onto his person. As it vanishes beneath the surface of the symbiote, Domino can see its red LED light softly blinking. That tells her the device is active-- and it blends into the red-colored symbiote so well that one would have to know it was there to have any hope of spotting it!

Shriek's reaction coming next.

That IS the part I am looking forward to seeing the most.  Though, in truth, it might just get Dom killed here and now.

Shriek had been watching from afar, but gives a sudden start as Domino moves in on her man. The villainess shoots to her feet, and with a small sonic boom! she launches forward!

"Hey, I didn't sign up for this!" she cries. "Hands off my man!"

Buddy d8
Carnage Groupie d8 (Ain't no one's stealing her Carny!)
Leaping d6
Menace Expert 2d6

22:05, Today: Carnage (oops) Shriek rolled 8,2,2,3,2 using 1d8,1d8,1d6,1d6,1d6. Shriek reacting to Domino's attempt to inflict Emotional Stress by kissing Carnage.

Total: 11
Effect: d8
Opportunities: 0

*Domino wins. Shriek takes d10 of Emotional Stress.

Though she'd appeared ready to blast Domino through the window, Shriek does a double-take as she realizes Carnage has already pushed the mercenary off of him. Kasady holds up a hand.

"Sorry doll, this man's taken," he laughs. "Ol' Kasady here's got a family to think of... killing!"

Seeing Cletus shrug off the mercenary, Shriek puts on a brave face and gets control of herself. But she can't resist giving Domino her iciest glare, jabbing a finger in her direction.

"Pull another stunt like that, and I'll be playing dominoes on your grave," she says darkly.

*That was a 15 total for Domino, yeah?

Next Action: The Watcher

"Shriek, baby, you know I only got eyes for you!" laughs Kasady, pulling the villainess into an embrace. "You're the only murder to my mayhem!"

He holds out a hand toward her and small tentacles emerge from either side of his palm, forming a crude heart-shape. In the center, drizzling ooze spells a small set of initials: "C + S".

Recovery action: Carnage uses his turn to apply his "Tentacles d8" die toward Shriek's Emotional Stress d10, stepping it back to d8.

Next Action: Shriek

"Hmph... OK, snookums. I'll play nice," says Shriek, brushing a hand against Carnage's cheek.

"But I hope Domino here behaves herself," she says. "She's already got one black eye, I'd hate to give her another."

Shriek uses her turn to grandstand, adding 1d8 from "Menace Expert" into the Doom Pool.

Doom Pool: 2d6 + 1d6 from msg #326 + 1d8 = 3d6, 1d8

Next Action: Purple Man (Yeah, he's back)

Daredevil braces his heels against the floor as he rears back, exerting every ounce of his might against the chain holding the Black Cat. As he grits his teeth and strains, the ceiling buckles and eventually gives way before his adrenaline-fueled strength. There is a quick snap! as the chain comes loose and Felicia drops to the floor. She catches herself in a slight crouch as she draws in a loud, ragged gasp. Trembling slightly as she regains her breathing, she rubs at her neck where the chain had suspended her. What must have been several minutes without oxygen must have seemed to her like eternity.

Then, for a long moment, there is no other sound in the press box except for Daredevil's rapid chest compressions and quick breaths performed upon the fallen Ben Urich. DD knows Ben's a fighter-- he's had to be to last this long in his career. No doubt he's here to get to the truth of what's happening on this night of madness. If there's a bigger story going on here than what DD already knows, no doubt Ben will have uncovered it. But first, Matt's got to save his life.

Matt performs more compressions, then focuses his hearing. There is only the sound of his own heartbeat and that of Felicia's-- still rapid from her harrowing ordeal. He gives Ben more air, then still more quick chest-thrusts with his palms. Raw determination fuels the Man Without Fear in this moment of crisis. He's not going to let another friend be taken from him. Not like this.

And then, his ears pick up the sound. Faint, to be sure, but it's there. A third heartbeat!

"... Matt?" croaks Ben, his eyes slowly flickering open.

As the Black Cat is at last able to speak again, Daredevil can hardly get a reply to Ben before he hears her cry of panic:

"He's on the roof!"

In the near-silent press box, a voice suddenly fills the room:

"My, Shriek really did a number on those senses of yours, didn't she?" laughs Killgrave. "I was getting bored up here waiting for you to notice me."

There is a thump from above as his boot kicks in the damaged roof section torn loose by Daredevil. Though the vigilante can't see it, the Purple Man smirks at him as he peers into the room.

"I suppose it's more satisfying this way anyhow. Now you can have the honor of killing your little friends with your own two hands. Now, who should we start with?"

He lets out a small chuckle, rubbing his hands together with malice.

"Oh, I know!"

He leans casually against the short railing set up around the roof, ready to enjoy the show.

"Daredevil... kill the journalist."

And with that simple command, DD can now feel Killgrave's pheromones working to bend him to the enemy's will!

Solo d8
Schemer d8
Mind Control d10
Psych Master d10
d6 from SFX:

SFX: Psychoactive Pheromones. Add d6 and step up your effect die by +1 when using Mind Control to inflict persuasion-based complications or mental stress.

21:07, Today: Purple Man rolled 5,7,9,10,4 using 1d8,1d8,1d10,1d10,1d6 ((5,7,9,10,4)). Purple Man attempting to inflict a Mind Control complication on Daredevil.

Total: 26
Effect: d8 stepped up = d10
Opportunities: 0

Spent 1d8 from the Doom Pool to add a 3rd die to the total (d8 that rolled 7).

Doom Pool: 3d6

Reaction Needed: Daredevil

Next Action: Daredevil

DD, I'm leaning a bit on the narrative here to explain why you didn't notice Purple Man earlier. You can spend that unused PP from last scene to give yourself a useful Resource here if you'd like.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:37, Thu 17 Sept 2020.

In the recap (msg. #317), you didn't mention the Purple Man being in the room so I'd assumed he'd escaped or left.

A brutal roll. But fair. Depending on what you do with Ben, I have an idea for this. I'm looking forward to seeing this play out.

Only now does it catch up to Daredevil his folly at missing the Purple Man in the room. In the rush to save his friend, Daredevil's vaunted super-senses did him little good when he disregarded all but one, failing them more than they failed him. And now he pays for it, falling into the Purple Man's trap, even worse that his senses, sucking up the Purple Man's unique pheromones, makes him all the more sensitive to their abhorrent power. Shutting out all distractions like he was taught in his darkest days, he focuses on mental and physical stillness, relaxing his muscles in an effort to resist having them wrenched away by a force beyond his control. But for all he can do, it may not be enough, not nearly.

Reaction to Purple Man's Mind Control attack, Total: 26, Effect: d10:
Buddy (presumably, with Black Cat)    d8
Focus/Man Without Fear & Psych Expert    d10
Hypersenses/Radar Sense/Superhuman Senses    d12* (with potential reroll)
(-1 PP)
Power Stunt/Superhuman Stamina    d8
(-1 PP)
Protective Charm Complication    d6

DD rolls 8,2,8,7,6 using d8,d10,d12,d8,d6 ((8,2,8,7,6))

-1 PP to add third die to Total
Total: 23; Effect: d10
(Taking a 21/d12, with my Effect die stepping down the attacking Effect die, would arrive at the same place)

PPs: 2 (starting; from msg #261) -1 (Radar Sense SFX) -1 (Power Stunt*) -1 (add third die to Total) = 0
* -1 XP, to convert to PP



The suggestion falls over his conscious mind: It actually would be a good idea to kill the journalist. Why not? What does the thrill of killing someone feel like? Surely it's sweet. Elektra did it, and regularly. It could happen just this once. Actual heroes get away with worse.

Daredevil shudders, to shake it. But which is the journalist? It's a weak attempt. It's a weak attempt. Kill him anyway. It would be good to be a friend to the Purple Man, and friends help each other, and he needs Ben killed, and the world won't miss another newsman, it might even thank him. And who would even know? He could get away with it. It's probably a good idea to kill the Black Cat too.

His body spasms in his attempt, with every fiber of his being, to resist but it's utter futilely. With any last remaining free will and effort, his final willing action is to grunt two words as he is already turning to his friend: "Ben," Daredevil says, a darkness taking over his voice. "Run."

In reply to Daredevil (msg # 335):

Daredevil takes a d10 "Mind Control" complication.

Thanks for being a good sport about it, DD. Here's what happens next:

Ben's voice trembles as he staggers to his feet, terribly unsteady after the ordeal he's just survived.

"Y-yeah," he stammers, "OK, Matt." It's clear he doesn't want to leave DD behind, but he seems to grasp the danger he's in. He turns to run, only to hear a slam! as the door shuts hard.

"More of Kilgrave's guards," Felicia groans. "They've locked us in. Shit."

She gets to her feet, moving between Daredevil and the journalist whose murder the Purple Man has tasked him with.

"The window," she nods to Ben. "It's your best shot. Hurry!"

While he hesitates a moment, one look at the shaking, teeth-baring Daredevil is enough to convince him. Ben drops his shoulder and takes a running leap at the window overlooking the field!

*CRASH!*

Turning it back over to DD for his action.

Down in Yankee Stadium, the remaining heroes do their best to assess the situation...

After saving the young boy caught in the path of Carrion's runaway truck, Iron Fist is helped to his feet by Luke Cage and Misty Knight, with the three of them enjoying a small reunion.

"Looks like he's alright, Luke. But what about DD?"

Of Daredevil, there has been no sign since he entered the press box to confront the Purple Man. Then, there is a crash as someone smashes through the window and falls into the bleachers!

"Hurry!" the Black Cat can be heard telling the man. "Get out of here!"

But as the man goes to run, he suddenly finds the civilians in the stands moving to surround him!

As Spider-Man watches, he realizes this is what his spider-sense was warning him of! Now the civilians they just saved are turning on the heroes, and Carnage has them all right where he wants them! Just like at the scene of the deli fire earlier, these citizens are growing agitated and bloodthirsty with no clear sign of why...?

"Yo, Spidey!" calls Luke. "It's Carnage's girlfriend and those freaky powers of hers! She's gotta be the one doing this!"

But how could that be true, with no sign of Shriek anywhere in the area?  Unless...?

Then the heroes are greeted with a truly ominous scene. In the pitch-black darkness, the outlines of the dozens of remaining civilians can be seen shambling toward them. The silly Carnage-themed garb they were forced to wear makes them seem more monstrous in the darkness, with their slitted eyes and eerie grins. Behind their plastic masks, their eyes bulge with madness, their teeth gritted in violent rage as they clutch baseball bats, broken bottles, and all manner of makeshift weapons!

"These jerks ruined the ball game! LET'S GET 'EM!"

Crowded close together in the throng of bodies, Spider-Man and Venom suddenly find themselves on the defensive!

d10 "Confused Civilians" scene complication goes away and Mob of Rioters is added to the scene.

Team 5d6
Psychically Manipulated
Swarm d8
SFX: Area Attack. Target multiple opponents. For every additional target, add d6 and keep +1 effect die.

18:59, Today: Mob of Rioters rolled 4,2,3,4,6,5,6 using 1d6,1d6,1d6,1d6,1d6,1d8,1d6 ((4,2,3,4,6,5,6)). Mob of rioters attacking Spidey and Venom down in the stadium.

Total: 12
Effect: d8 to Spidey, d6 to Venom
Opportunities: 0

Reactions Needed: Spider-Man, Venom

Next Action: Still Daredevil (Then please pick Spidey or Venom to go next)

Venom growls as the group converges, "This is your fault Spider! You are still too weak to defeat our spawn!" And tries to web everyone that gets close to him to stop them without hurting them.



Affiliation: Buddy d8
Distinction: Lethal Protector d4 +1 PP
Power set - Web-Slighing d6 & Superhuman Reflexes d8
Specialties: Combat Expert d8
+1 PP for distinction & -1 PP to activate SFX Multipower which lets me use 2+ venom powers but each one past the first is at a -1 step

+3 xp when you refuse to hurt a civilian who is causing you to an ally stress?

Total: 13
Effect: d8
Opps: 0


22:48, Today: Venom rolled 7,2,2,6,8 using d8,d4,d6,d8,d8 ((7,2,2,6,8)).
This message was last edited by the player at 02:52, Tue 22 Sept 2020.

Daredevil grits his teeth until they ache, holding back as much as he can until Ben gets through the window. He didn't say when to kill the journalist only lasts so long until the horned vigilante finds his body moving without his consciousness, following well-honed moves, to dive out the shattered window after his prey.

Ben has gotten to his feet already, letting the shards of glass fall from him. The sound of the particles hitting the ground isn't enough to throw Daredevil's senses, and the once-hero takes off after his former friend at full tilt. The pace proceeds through the bleachers, around whatever revelers there left, but not enough for Daredevil to willingly avoid finding his target.

"Run, reporter!" Daredevil seethes. "Run like your very life depends on it!" If only he could outrun himself. He tracks the man with his superhuman senses, but unfortunately, instead of assuring that the journalist is not dead, it only exhort that he's still alive.

Emotional attack (intimidation) on Ben Urich:
Solo    d10
Man Without Fear (at a time when it might help to have some)    d4
(+1 PP)
Hypersenses/Superhuman Senses    d10
Menace Expert    2d6

Daredevil rolled 1,2,1,2,2 using d10,d4,d10,d6,d6 ((1,2,1,2,2)).

Total: 4; Effect: d4
2 Opportunities

PPs: 0 (starting; from msg #335) +1 (negative Distinction) +1 (Opportunity) = 2

Next Action: Venom