“Hola, Johan,” Diana said in the casual Amazon greeting. She crossed her bracelets in Amazonian fashion. Then, she lowered her arms by her side. “I am Diana of Themyscira, the island that some call Amazonia’, and a blessed few call Paradise’.”

Diana nodded at the satyr. “Greetings, son of Pan! Did you also receive the summons, or are you chasing a dryad through these woods?” She asked playfully, a good-natured joke for a race known for mirth and ribaldry.

Peter stepped around the corner, having just come off a cart that had brought him down from Manhattan. While his clothes were nothing fancy, he was dressed nicely in cloth slacks of a tannish hue and a cotton tunic of a sky blue color. Tucking his coin purse on the inside of his tunic, Peter nodded in greeting to the others present, starting with the tallest woman he's seen yet in his life. "Greetings good folk, nice night for a gathering is it not? At least the weather is cooperating with us for the moment. I don't know about all of you, but I prefer not to be soaking wet if it can be avoided."

An... Amazon?!? He'd only heard stories of them, never met one that he knew of. And the outfit, the name, this was the fabled Woman of Wonders! Malkos was, for the moment, bothered that he could not smell the reek of holiness that ought to accompany such a virtuous and accomplished person. But that was part of the price he seemed to pay for possessing, he reckoned, that certain of his own attributes were overlain by those of the host body.

His host, on the other hand, barely paused upon being so addressed, answering Diana with a merry grin and bringing the barbat in front of himself with both hands. Strumming quietly, he fingered a chord, "Aye, fairest one! Greeting, fair meeting. Indeed, you could say that I 'twas summoned." His eyes twinkled in mischief and merriment, both the satyr on the outside and the demon within amused by the subtle joke that they had said.

Johan was about to say something to Diana when she pointed out the satyr. Then the kid showed up out of no where. Granted he had heard about Satyrs luring away young women into the forest with thier music, but this one seemed disoriented. It had a glassy unblinking stare. Then again they where famous drunks...but then it spoke. And sounded even more drunk then Johan thought.

"Ok...this is a little strange. I can guess why Diana is here. But why the rest of us? I mean, unless the Bat Man of Gotham wants music lessons from him, riding lessons from me, or someone to talk about the weather...no offense kid...this seems like a very odd request."

Of course, even as he said it, he realized why the Bat Man of Gotham wanted him here. Or...not Johan Blaze anyways. A chill went through his blood as he thought of it.

He thinks he can control the Rider? He must be mad. No one controls it...least of all me. Yet men had tried.

The arrogance of man would indeed believe that the hurricane could be tamed. Or a Volcano could be talked down. Or a plague could be bottled for use. Johan knew men like this even before he handed over his soul to a monster.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:00, Sun 14 June 2020.

"It is because there is more to all of us than what seems," Jhonen said, seemingly stepping out of thin air. He wore his usual human face and plain roughspun garb, seeming indeed far less than he truly was. "Amazonian strength, for example, or my own ability to go unseen."

His stance was easy and open, posing no apparent danger to anyone. His voice was deep and smooth, with no hint of menace. He was just a man.

Peter shrugs off the remark of him being needed only to talk about the weather. But he gives a big start when the man appears from out of nowhere. He'd almost jumped out of his skin, though that's not his typical reaction to surprises. Or at least he hopes it isn't. He isn't going to be much good to anyone if he can't control himself better than that. "Don't sweat it pal. I've been accused of being useless too many times to count, mostly by my good for nothing father. But we weren't brought here to talk about him. So does anyone have any idea why we were brought here tonight?"

“The Bat Man would never summon you without good cause. If you are here, it is because you are needed.” While Diana started at the sudden appearance of the man, she swiftly regained her steeled composure. She cocked an eyebrow, intrigued by the latest newcomer’s magic. “You are accomplished at Witchcraft? Your invisibility spell hid you most ably from our sight.

What other magicks do you command?”

Katherine had to wait for the perfect time to leave Castle Deerfield. And she would have to come up with the perfect excuse for being absent, if her father discovered that she was not in her quarters. It was a busy day for the Duke. Perhaps he would not expect to see her. Katherine crossed her fingers.

Grabbing some parchment, a quill and inkwell, Lady Katherine informed the night's guard commander that she would be in the east courtyard, doing some studying. She knew of the gate behind the bushes at the wall. Few did anymore, the flora growing past the unused portal. For safety's sake, the gate was locked. But Katherine had found a key long ago. Sneaking out was easy enough.

The journey to Southland was not long. Katherine dressed herself in modest black, matching the outfits of other women in the area. They were well off, but not as much as her father. Being a Duke had its advantages. The daughter of one was a blessed position.

When Katherine nearly arrived at the spot of the meeting, she confirmed the location with the invitation. It wasn't really necessary. Others had already made it to the meeting. But where was the Batman? Katherine nervously swallowed and slowly approached the others. She gave a short wave as she scanned the others.

"Good evening," said a voice. Everyone looked up.

In the branches of a tree that only had any leaves on one side, because of how it'd been struck by lightning, was a human form.

...Wasn't it?

"I see you're all here..."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:44, Sun 14 June 2020.

"Let it suffice to say that I am unusually strong of both mind and body," Jhonen replied. He didn't like to speak of himself, least of all to brag about his abilities, of which there were several not in evidence. "Perhaps once we are better acquainted..."

And then the Batman was there. Surprisingly, Jhonen's ability to read minds did not detect his approach. His must be an exceptionally strong mind to remain hidden from Jhonen's power. He was tempted to press harder to see what lay inside such a mind, but that would have been rude and counterproductive.

"Indeed," he said instead, "we are here. To what end, sir?"

"The League and the Avengers generally allow one another to mind their own territory, but something has come up that requires... cooperation. In the Invisible College, there is a book. Someone was caught in the act of trying to steal it. When questioned, they revealed nothing. When questioned magically, they died. The book must be moved to this city, where the protections at the new campus are even stronger, and where the Avengers stand ready to deal with any difficulties right away, should those protections not be enough."

"Multiple groups will be going to the Invisible College, and leaving again, each taking a book. But those groups will not be clandestine. Yours will be, if you agree. Wonder Woman and Spider-Man will act as representatives of each of our two groups-- each of them can pass for normal humans." He glanced at Wonder Woman. "An inconveniently tall and beautiful human, in one case, but close enough."

"Diana, you and Spider-Man haven't heard about this before now not because you weren't trusted, but simply because of the aspect of secrecy. It's because you are trusted that we ask you to do this thing."

"The idea is that anyone wishing to intercept the book will target those of us making an obvious target of ourselves-- let alone that they'll have to divide their forces between the League and the Avengers."

"Are you all willing? Or at least, willing to hear more?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:26, Sun 14 June 2020.

In reply to The Batman (msg # 18):

Johan was about to answer the kid...when one stranger showed up out of nowhere-apparently invisible...and then another kid-but this one well dressed.

Finally, the Bat Man of Gotham decided to make an appearance, and Johan had pretty much run out of his ability to be surprised anymore tonight. A legion of demons could show up under his feet the drag him to the underworld and he may just shrug it off. He would still be upset of course.



Johan's eyes narrowed. He looked like he wanted to say something, but glanced at the two kids and Diana. "Yeah-I am willing to hear more. My question is...do you know who you have called here?" He left it at that. Granted he did not know any of these others very well, but he rather doubted they had his...issues.

Then again he could be wrong. They all could be monsters of some kind or another. That being said, the Bat Man of Gotham clearly did not trust anyone but Diana or whoever Spider-Man was. He rather doubted it was the invisible one or the Satyr, but that just left the kid talking about the weather.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:25, Sun 14 June 2020.

The Batman looked Johan in the eyes. "...I know."

Then he looked back at the group. "Again: anyone want out, before I go on?" he asked.

“It’s good to see you again, Batman,,” Diana said with a quick salute of her bracelets. Although she usually paid no attention to comments about her looks, Diana couldn’t resist a tiny smile at Batman’s compliment. The mission sounded urgent, and she nodded when Batman designated her as a representative. “Of course I will aid you, Batman!

Knowledge is sacred, and as is our duty to keep it from the hands of evildoers.” Diana thought of other occasions when humanity lost important sources of knowledge. A burning library in Egypt that her sisters failed to protect. “Tell us more of this mission.”

The satyr listened, attending closely even though his hands were still bent to making soft music on the strings of the instrument he held.

The voice that spoke in answer to the Batman's question, however, was not the same voice that the satyr had spoken before. "While I might question why I would called when there are many more qualified and adept, I am in complete agreement with Diana that knowledge has great and grave value, and needs to be kept safe from those who would misuse it. I do not wish to depart, but will stay and heed your dark guidance," Malkos said through his host's lips.

"I will stay, and lend my service." Jhonen kept his own agreement short and to the point. He had a great many questions, but it was his experience that most questions get answered without actually being asked, if one was patient and listened properly. "Do please continue."

"I will hear more of this mission, Batman. As a representative of the Avengers, I'd like to help out where I can. Even if it means leaving Manhattan to other superheroes to protect for a while." Peter outed himself as Spider-Man to the rest of the group gathered there, if they had been paying attention to what had been said earlier. To add to this outing, while mentally kicking himself for not arriving in costume, Peter began changing into his costume and pulled on his mask last. "That's right gang, it's me, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."

"Oh" Katherine softly muttered when Peter revealed his alter ego. She was somewhat sad that she didn't have one. She was who she was, without a special name. Perhaps, with more experience, she could develop one? The notion gave Katherine a pleasant thrill.

She looked up at Batman. Although she couldn't tell if he was looking her way at all, she believed that she could see him. Katherine gave him an approving nod. It was time that she put her abilities to use, to protect right. Lady Katherine continued examining the others.

The satyr quirked one eyebrow, then both, a bemused look on his face as Peter changed. Neither of him knew what to make of this faux pas.

"I ought not to mention this when composing any ballads" the satyr asked of Spider-man quietly; his question a rhetorical one as the soul knew not to reveal the secrets of his betters openly.

“Perhaps you might compose a different ballad?” Diana watched the satyr with a curious eye. His voice changed back to the earlier mellifluous tone. They all had one secret or another, but she wondered if this seemingly benign satyr harbored the most. The Amazon couldn’t voice any concerns without further proof. She would keep her silence for the moment.

He knows. Johan thought to himself. He knows...and he still wants me here? Johan was not sure weather to be flattered or terrified.

He needed to talk to the man...in private. However, it was clear now who Spider-man was. A kid slightly younger than Johan had been joining the 7th calvary. Worse, the nearly silent well dressed kid in the back also seemed on board. So was Master Invisible and the voice changing Satyr. Of all of them, only Diana seemed capable of this.

Certainly not Johan and his...inner passenger. While he was fairly sure the Rider would not turn on any of them, trusting the thing to cooperate had always been a mistake. Certainly using it as a guard dog for a book sounded...well, insane. It was more likely to accidentally burn the thing while chasing down some murderer.

Of course, nobody seemed to question the famous 'Bat Man of Gotham'. He did seem to know the League of Justice and the Avengers. Certainly Johan had only heard the town criers speak of thier expoilts...which he assumed where just fables.

Johan had not always been so cynical, but none of those people had been around when he needed them. Or when his family had. No...the only offer to help was a thing from beyond promising vengence.

Yeah...where the hell was the Bat Man when we needed him!? I bet that guy had never lost anyone important to him...ever! Even as he thought it, he grabbed hold of the ring that hung on a cord around his neck, just under his shirt. His face becoming grim.

Still...he had to come along. Someone needed to watch out for the two kids now at risk. If this was a war, they all needed to know about it.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:45, Mon 15 June 2020.

In reply to Wonder Woman (msg # 27):

The satyr nodded his horned head, agreeing with the Amazon. "I am certain that being around you, fairest one, I will witness any number of goodly and heroic deeds to celebrate in song and poetry." A wiggling of his tail was smothered by the breeches covering it, but the grin her way and goat-like bleat were not.

“Fight evil and injustice wherever you find it, and I will feel just as honored.” Diana walked toward Spider-Man. She stood before him, the towering woman warrior giving him an appraising once over. “I am pleased to at last meet the Spider-Man of New York.”

Suddenly, Diana beckoned the Lady keeping her silence in the back. “Sister, would you come closer, that we may know you?” Diana motioned Lady Katherine over with a radiant smile. “Who are you, Sister? Do you also live in the vibrant city of New York?”

"It's nice to meet the Woman of Wonders, myself. Though the stories one hears didn't mention you were so tall. Or so pretty. Mostly they just focused on your heroic deeds and left out the finer details." Spider-Man seemed to have trouble to get himself to stop talking now, but it seemed to be a common problem for him around pretty women.

"Yes, please no ballads about who I really am. There are those that wouldn't believe it, but too many would and that would put my family in danger. It's why I decided to wear a costume in the first place. I chose to do this work and risk my life and limbs, my family and friends didn't." Spider-Man turned to see who Wonder Woman was talking to and saw the young girl. She was younger than him even and that was saying something. Still, who was he to say who could or couldn't be a part of this? He was just a smart-assed kid from New York with a few cool powers. Take those away and what's left?

"I suppose that in the spirit of fairness, I should also reveal my more well-known self," Jhonen said, stepping forward. His image rippled and grew and changed. In a quick moment he was a foot taller, broader of chest and limb, and bright emerald green. His roughspun workman's clothes had been replaced with battle garb.

There were whispered legends of this being. Most who claimed to have seen him were thought mad. Now he stood among them, towering over all but Diana (whom he was still taller than, but not so much) and muscled like a god.

"In my other form I am Jhonen Jhonez, Peacekeeper First Class for the city of New York. As you see me now, I am called the Manhunter."