*The game has started. Please check the status tracker for info on the current turn order, scene distinctions, doom pool size, etc.

Maximum Carnage

Cletus Kasady is at large! Following his escape from Ravencroft Asylum, the symbiote-bonded serial killer is on a rampage! Joined by his twisted "family" of Shriek, Doppelganger, Demogoblin and Carrion, Carnage is determined to paint NYC red with blood! Can the Secret Avengers rally to stop him in time? And what lengths will they go to in order to bring Kasady down?

Available Player Characters:
Short List
American Dream Taken
Black Cat
Captain America (Bucky or Sam)
Cloak
Dagger
Daredevil Taken
Deathlok
Domino Taken
Firestar
Ghost Rider
Hawkeye
Iron Fist
Luke Cage
Mayhem Taken
Moon Knight Taken
Morbius
Nightwatch
Spider-Man Taken
Spider-Woman Taken
Tigra Taken
Venom Taken

... Or any appropriate street-level character not found on this list:
https://docs.google.com/docume...JenM73kYG-yS6qk/edit

Event Milestones:
HERO OR VIGILANTE?
1 XP when you call out an ally, either for crossing the line or for not having the stomach to do what must be done.

3 XP when you let a member of Carnage’s Family go so that you can help an ally, or abandon an ally to pursue a member of Carnage’s Family.

10 XP when you refuse to kill a member of Carnage's Family (or prevent an ally from doing it), or kill them (or convince an ally to do it).
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:08, Sun 08 Aug 2021.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 1):

Midnight in NYC...

Panic grips the city. Police sirens pierce the air for miles around as mobs of rioters loot and pillage their way across town. Makeshift barriers of wooden planks fall easily to the clawing hands of the enraged citizens, who break into stores to steal whatever loot they can get their hands on. The businesses are long empty, any valuables deserted in the owner's hasty exit. The absence of any potential victims only serves to drive the mob into a greater frenzy. More than anything worth stealing, what they truly desire are more victims. They fight each other over the spoils of their ransacking anyway, hardly knowing or caring why yet giving into their violent urges all the same. Those few citizens unaffected by the madness gripping the city have long since shut themselves indoors, fortifying their residences with whatever makeshift barriers they can erect. They know they are in for a long night at this mercy of the madness. All they can do is pray that someone- anyone- is coming to deliver them from this evil.

And speaking of evil... Strolling down Pennsylvania Plaza at this very moment is the madman responsible for this night of terror. Clad in his trademark extra-terrestrial garb, Cletus Kasady mumbles to himself, hardly even aware of the chaos around him...
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:28, Sun 22 Mar 2020.

In reply to The Watcher (msg # 1):

“Now where have those so-called 'heroes' gone off to? I'd really hate for them to think I've been slacking off for the past few months!” Pausing for a moment, Carnage tilts his head back to look at a massive TV screen affixed to the side of a skyscraper. Staring down at him is the enlarged image of mayor Norman Osborn. "Now what's this?" he mutters, Some good old-fashioned emergency broadcasting? How soothing. I'm feeling calmer already!

"-and that is why it's essential for all citizens to stay indoors," the mayor is saying, although Carnage is hardly listening. "Authorities are monitoring the situation as it evolves. Do not panic. And remember to report any sightings of vigilantes to your local-"

"Good ol' Ozzy," Carnage laughs. "Can't risk letting those pesky Avengers get all the credit for bringing me in. What's a little blood on your hands if it means you get to swoop in and play the hero for a while? After all, that was part of our deal, wasn't it?" As if responding to what Carnage had said, the news program suddenly flashes to an image of the Iron Patriot, Osborn's well-known public persona. Yes, when this was all said and done, the "heroic" mayor would be taking full credit for cleaning up Carnage's little mess. And Kasady had given his word to play along, all in the interest of bettering Osborn's precious public image. Those hero-types must have really done a number on him recently for him to be stooping to such a desperate, pathetic little plan.

"As a wise madman once said, Normie, the fun part about being insane is the selective memory that comes with it. For all I remember, you and I never had this silly little 'deal.' You sprung me from prison, sure... Set me loose on this town so I could get my revenge for them locking me away... Now maybe you thought this was all some little game where you could make all the rules... But you should know by now that in the real world... there are no rules!"

Noticing a pair of figures huddled in a nearby side-alley, Carnage turns his attention away from the TV and toward them. "Out for a little stroll, were we? Fresh air really does a body good, doesn't it?"

His eyes narrow as he raises a clawed hand, fingers elongating into razor-sharp blades fit to peel flesh from bone. "Me, I always found a little fresh blood was what really did the trick!"

Before the eyes of any passerby, Carnage prepares to make his next kill!
This message was last edited by the player at 09:38, Sun 22 Mar 2020.

The alleyway Carnage is standing in is adjacent to a wide city street. In a four-way intersection nearby, a city bus lies smoldering on its side amid multiple wrecked vehicles. Garbage fires dot the sidewalk on both sides of the street and there is trash everywhere. There are multiple vantage points (rooftops, telephone poles, traffic lights) where an alert hero might be observing Carnage as he threatens the cowering elderly couple. But anyone seeking to intervene will first need to fight through the crush of rioting civilians who flood the city. As though sensing the intention of any nearby do-gooders wanting to intervene, the mob converges on any heroes in their midst. Those down on the streets might want to head for higher ground to avoid the surging mobs, while those perched up high already find the rioters clawing and climbing up to try and reach them. No matter where the heroes are, there is no hiding from the mobs for long. The city truly has fallen.

Scene Distinctions:
Smoldering Ruins
Overturned Vehicles
Debris-Strewn Streets

Mob of Rioters 5d6
Psychically Manipulated d4
Swarm d8
Area Attack 5d6

02:29, Today: Mob of Rioters rolled 5,3,5,3,3,1,4,6,1,6, 4,2,3 using d6,d6,d6,d6,d6,d4,d8,d6,d6,d6,d6,d6,d6 ((5,3,5,3,3,1,4,6,1,6, 4,2,3)).

Total: 12
Effect: d8 to Tigra, d6 to Dagger, Daredevil, Domino, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Spider-Man

I still need to get Tigra, Hawkeye, and Dagger's players set up on RPoL, but they will roll this reaction once they join in. For now, Daredevil, Domino, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, and Spider-Man can roll their reactions. One of them should also roll an action (doesn't matter who goes first), then pick one of the other four (or Carnage) to go next.

2 Opportunities available

Doom Pool 26 + 1d6 = 3d6

Reactions Needed: Tigra, Dagger, Daredevil, Domino, Hawkeye, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, Spider-Man

Next Action: Daredevil, Domino, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, or Spider-Man

*Note: Everyone starts with 1 PP. Please remember to list your total/effect die, remaining PP amount, opportunities rolled, and to choose who goes next at the end of your turn. XP for milestones will only be awarded the first time each goal is hit, but everyone can use both milestone sets on their character sheets or swap out one of them for an event milestone set. Message The Watcher if you need help taking your turn.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:28, Sun 22 Mar 2020.

As she stood watching the carnage below, she wasn't surprised to see Carnage among it.
She'd been watching him for a minute or so now, as he'd wandered down the street ... taking the time to talk to the big TV screen overhead, as though Mayor Douchbag could hear him.

And she was considering what to do about him, when it came to her attention that a bunch of slavering idiots were spilling over the fire escape lip onto the rooftop behind her.
Turning, casually bringing her guns around to face the oncoming hoard, killing the first few and therefore bulwarking the fire escape ladder below with the falling dead bodies.

Reaction: to Mob attack
d8:  Solo
d8:  Femme Fatale
d10: Probability Manipulation: Superhuman Reflexes
d10: Combat Master

- rolled 3,1,2,3 using d8,d8,d10,d10 ((3,1,2,3)).
Total: 6
Effect: d10
Opportunities: 1  equals  +1PP for me
SFX: Second Chance. If your pool includes a Probability Manipulation power, spend 1 PP to reroll.
- rolled 8,3,3,4 using d8,d8,d10,d10.  Probability Manipulation Reroll.
Total: 12
Effect: d10
PP = 0

Then, she returned her attention to the chaos below ... glad the the silencers on her guns had likely made very little impact on the situational noise down there.

Seeing, now, that the Symbiotic Goon had taken a shine to some cowering innocents, the hardened Mercenary in Domino rose up.
War was one thing, but slaughtering innocents was something that even her blackened soul didn't take well to.

Taking aim, she decided to put a bullet or two into the freaky alien mother**ker ... maybe get his attention, preferably claim some first blood.

Action:  Shoot symbi-idiot in the back
d8:  Solo
d8:  Hardened Mercenary
d8:  Guns
d10: Combat Master

- rolled 7,2,7,10 using d8,d8,d8,d10 ((7,2,7,10)).
Total: 17 hoping to catch the guy by surprise (shooting him in the  back, from on high)
Effect: d8

PP: 0

Next: Carnage!

Luke Cage came looking for trouble. After what Carnage did to him, after what he himself might have done to Jessica--or their baby girl? Luke wanted payback, and Sweet Christmas if he wasn't going to extract some.

And so Cage stomped the street, defiant and seething. When the infected scrambled towards him, the Hero of Harlem pressed forward to meet the threat head on!

"Come GET SOME!" Luke Cage snarled, his jaw clenched into a vice. He brought his fists slamming onto the pavement. Luke reasoned that a show of overwhelming force might give these feral creatures pause, force them back and away so he could get back to the business of finding Carnage.


Reaction to the Mob
Intent: Show of force to intimidate the mob into backing off.

Solo d8
Come Get Some! d8
Superhuman Strength (Versatile SFX) 2d8
Menace 2d8

Dice Pool 6d8
07:00, Today: Luke Cage rolled 29 using 6d8 ((1,2,6,8,6,6)).
Total 14, d8 Effect, 1 Opportunity

1 PP. Waiting for my turn.

Danny stood on the corner of the building's roof and looked down at the mayhem.  The city had been through so much and the citizens were meant to be sympathized with.  They didn't have training--they didn't have abilities.  When you did, you took action.

Danny leaped off the roof and kicked off the brick wall as he fell and landed in an easy roll.  But a mob was unpredictable.  And Luke's fists were stronger than the pavement, which meant the mob moved when he moved the ground and the cars on it.  Danny moved from flipped car, to crashed car, and tried to keep over the mob's head, but their hands were ever grasping despite his training and his abilities.  He held himself back from attacking, and they did--or could--not.  It was the kind of injury a citizen couldn't ignore, but he'd faced a dragon and won.  He would prevail here, too, but for now, how could he disperse a mob without hurting them.  They didn't know what they were doing!


Solo d8, <scene distinction> Overturned Cars d8, Enhanced Reflexes d8, Acrobatic Master d10 (as 2d8)

11:14, Today: Iron Fist rolled 5d8 (8,3,4,2,2).  React to Mob.

REACTION
Total: 12, effect d8 (no Opportunities)
PP: 1
This message was last edited by the player at 19:27, Mon 23 Mar 2020.

Tie goes to the attacker? I would ask this in an OOC thread, but there isn't one.

Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man was wondering where his friendly neighborhood was. "People! Please go home! The TVs you're stealing will be obsolete by next year anyway!" he shouts as he hops, swings, and dashes nimbly to escape the mobs grasp. He didn't want to hurt anyone so he wasn't about to go then back, instead doin everything a spider can to keep out of harms way.

He had argued against killing Kassidy, and he always would, but it would be best to stop the madman before he hurt anyone else. The only question was where to look and the answer was unfortunately obvious. Just go wherever things were the worst.


Reaction pool
Solo d8 + Friendly Neighborhood Hero? d4 + Superhuman Reflexes d10 + Swingline d8 + Acrobatic Master d10

Spider-Man rolled 33 using d8+d8+d10+d10+d4 with rolls of 7,7,7,8,4.  Reaction vs Mob.

So that's 15 with a d8 effect. Gain one PP for using a distnction at d4

For the sake of simplicity, we'll be using the same house rules as the other MHR campaign on here as listed in the rules thread. This means player heroes win ties rather than the attacker (attacker still wins ties if it's PvP). I'll be posting Carnage's turn shortly.

I have also created an OOC discussion thread-- thanks Luke Cage for reminding me.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:03, Mon 23 Mar 2020.

As the pair of civilians cower before him, Carnage turns to look at the new arrivals on-scene. "Well lookie here, folks, the little heroes have come out to play! I'm disappointed there aren't more of you! Didn't the others get my invites?"

Craning his head up at the sound of gunshots, the killer's eyes light up when he spots Domino emptying bullets into a crowd of rioters.

"Say, Shriek didn't mention any new groupies joining our little murder circuit. But killing those poor civvies in cold blood... I like your style, sister! I don't suppose you've got time for a job int-- hey, watch it!"

He tries to duck as Domino turns her guns upon him next, unleashing a barrage of bullets...

Team d6
Sneaky d4 (He's just standing around in the open)
Superhuman Reflexes d10
Combat Expert d8

12:56, Today: Carnage rolled 3,2,5,8 using 1d6,1d4,1d10,1d8 ((3,2,5,8)).

Total: 13
Effect: d6

Domino's attack succeeds and Carnage takes d8 Physical stress.

"ACK!" Carnage turns, lifting a clawed hand up to shield himself from the incoming projectiles. Although he quickly forms a defensive shield from his red symbiote-suit, enough of the bullets strike him in the back to stagger him.

He turns his attention to the two elderly city folk now trying to run away in the confusion. Propped down on one knee from his injury, Carnage rolls his eyes at the sight of them ambling away.

"Is a little help too much to ask for, people? I'm the one throwing this party! The least you could do is show some gratitude to your generous host!"

With that, he stretches out a tentacled arm and scoops up the old woman as a human shield. The man (who bears an odd resemblance to Stan Lee) shouts and begins beating Carnage with his cane. "Put her down, Venom!"

"Venom?!" Carnage laughs, "You gettin' me mixed up with that little wuss? All this excitement must have you confused, gramps! Time for your nap!" The supervillain then brushes the man forcefully aside, causing him to hit his head against the brick wall lining the alley. As he drops to the ground, Carnage turns back to the heroes with a wicked grin, pulling the old woman close and positioning her in front of him.

"Putting down some rabid rioters is one thing, 'heroes,' and your friend up on the roof there seems pretty good at it. But looks like even with all the work I done to drive this city mad, poor Granny here still ain't in the mood for murder... No, she don't look like the type to hurt anybody. You gonna let Dollface up there put a bullet in this nice young lady next?"

He meets Domino's gaze as if inviting her to open fire, his eyes darting side to side to keep the other heroes in his periphery as his hostage struggles...

The next acting hero can make a reaction against Carnage to try and block him from sending his effect die into the doom pool. Doing this doesn't count as that player's action. The rules are a little fuzzy on villains grandstanding, but this seems fair to me.

Team d6
Murderous d4 (He's making himself a target in the process of causing terror)
Tentacles d8
Menace Master d10

17:53, Today: Carnage rolled 4,3,4,8 using d6,d4,d8,d10 ((4,3,4,8)). Grandstanding to build up the doom pool.

Total: 12
Effect: d8

Buying Luke Cage's opportunity to step up 1 doom die. Stepping up remaining 2 doom dice via Carnage's use of the Sneaky d4 distinction in his reaction roll and the Murderous d4 distinction in his action roll. Spending 1 d8 to add Shriek to the scene. 3d8 - 1d8 = 2d8

"Sorry I'm late, honey!" a cackling voice suddenly calls from down the street. "Traffic was murder!" A blaring horn pierces the air and suddenly, any hero looking that direction notices a large blue semi-truck barreling down the street, heedless of the dozens of civilians in its path!

Doom Pool: 2d8
Opportunities: 0
Next Action: Luke Cage
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 01:13, Tue 24 Mar 2020.

Spider-Man successfully leaps clear of the mobs, dodging and darting away from dozens upon dozens of clawing hands. A few hastily-created weblines allow him to stay out of the enraged citizens' reach for the time being. Iron Fist is also successful avoiding them, his equally sharp reflexes carrying him up and away from the surging bodies and to relative safety atop an overturned vehicle. Luke Cage takes a different approach, slamming his mighty fists on the pavement in an explosive show of force that rattles the nearby rioters enough that they stumble back in shock. But it may not be long before each of the heroes finds themselves at the mercy of the sheer number of yet more rioters converging on the area...

As we are going with the hero-wins-ties rule, every hero was successful in their reaction thus far. I have to say this is off to an exciting start-- thanks everyone for joining in!

Daredevil blinks and shakes his head. "Oh, wow," he says to no one in particular since whatever group arrived here are suddenly separated enough as to not be able to communicate between them. The feeling like he has been plopped in to the middle of the action without warning is disorienting, but it isn't the first time he's had to fight his way out of an abrupt and precipitous situation. At least this crowd seems like ordinary citizens and not, say, ninjas (even if something seems off about them, to say nothing of the rage sweeping through them for no reason he can discern. For later, he tells himself.)


Reaction to Mob attack, Total: 12, Effect: d8:
Solo    d10
Man Without Fear (overconfident, as usual)    d4
(+1 PP)
Billy Club/Swingline    d6
Hypersenses/Enhanced Reflexes    d8
Acrobatic Master    2d8

Daredevil rolled 5,1,3,1,5,4 using d10,d4,d6,d8,d8,d8 ((5,1,3,1,5,4)).

-1 PP to add third die to Total
Total: 14; Effect: d6
2 Opportunities

PPs: 1+1-1= 1

The first order of business is to get out of harm's way. Once he gets to higher ground he can assess the situation. He feels the familiar weight of his billy club in his hand, but not for long before flicking his swing-line to an open hole busted a few stories up in the side of a building nearby, hearing it attach, then pulling himself up the line and over the heads of the rioting crowd, missing their assault by inches. "No photos! No photos!" Daredevil calls, with a smirk, as he swings away.

Once he lands inside the hole in the building he retracts his line then turns to survey the action on the street. While it's dangerous for him to be in a building that could fall apart at any moment, it affords the best perch on which to study the scene below. When he gets an idea of what is going on, DD turns his attention to any innocent bystanders. With so much happening all at once, he has to keep priorities.

Daredevil swings clear of the mobs, gaining a high enough vantage point that his radar sense has a full sweep of the area. Through the dense scrum of bodies, he can sense pockets where non-rioting citizens are being threatened by the violence around them. In addition to the two being menaced by Carnage, there are at least four more scattered about in the roiling crowds. And those are to say nothing of the many more standing directly in the path of Shriek's vehicle, who are mere moments from being flattened!

Buying Daredevil's opportunities to step up both dice in the doom pool to 2d10.

Going forward, we should all be using Team for affiliation now that we're all in the same scene together. There will be opportunities to split up pretty soon if players decide to.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:47, Tue 24 Mar 2020.