Dedonus

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Good posts. That is all.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Just want to drop this in here as an FYI. ;)

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Create a Hero RPG Application (NPC Character)

Screen Name: Dedonus

Original Creator: Johnny Blaze

Character you have created: Kensei
Alias: Demon's Bane (alias); Hunter of the Gods (alias); The Celestial Samurai (alias); Izanagi's Chosen (alias); The Swordsman (alias); Miyamoto Musashi (true name)

Speech Color: Teal, Bold

Character Alignment: Hero

Identity: His true name is known only to a select few, and his existence is debatable as most believe he is merely a legend in the same vein as Beowulf or King Arthur.

Character Personality: Kensei is a honorable warrior who puts the lives of others ahead of his own. He is a stoic figure, rarely opening up to people, save his only friends (described later in supporting characters). Kensei tends to be blunt and to the point, which can rub people the wrong way at times. Due to his training he is a respectful man, but it is difficult to gain his trust. Once gained however, you will find Kensei to be a generous, good hearted soul with, surprisingly, a decent sense of humor though he rarely lets it show.

Uniform/costume: Standard Samurai Armor

Hider

Origin Info/Details: He is the ancient Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi, and his life story is the same as that of his real world self. However, he did not die as he appeared...at least not as we perceive it.
His spirit traveled to Takama-ga-hara, The High Plain of Heaven, and was met by the god, Izanagi. The Sky-Father of the Japanese pantheon was here to honor the swordsman for his deeds on the mortal plane. Though he did not die in battle, Musashi was still an honored warrior and was spared a life of eternal rot in the Yomi (the Underworld). Izanagi was going to grant Miyamoto Musashi a great honor, one never before bestowed upon a mortal.

Izanagi granted him the title of Kensei, sword saint, for his prowess in battle, and offered for Musashi to become his agent on Earth. Musashi could not say no to a god such as the Primordial Sky, and agreed to the offer. Izanagi smiled and placed his hand on Musashi's spirit form, imbuing him with the power to carry out his mission. Musashi would become Izanagi's hand on the mortal plane. He would be the Hunter of the Gods, seeking out the evils of the world and sending them back to Yomi.

Musashi's spirit was taken by Izanagi and rushed back to the material plane where it entered the young body of a recently slain samurai on a now quiet field of battle as an enemy was about to take it's head. Musashi sudden awakening upon returning to the mortal coil, caused the trophy-seeking samurai to waver and flee in terror of what he believed was a demon. Musashi payed him no heed, instead the warrior took in his surroundings and found a sword laying before him on a cloth of silk. The sword was of amazing quality and bore no signs of wear or battle damage. The weapon seemed to glow with a faint white aura as a single ray of bright sunlight beamed down upon it.

Musashi heard a voice in his head, the voice of the sun goddess, Amaterasu. She bade him to take the sword as a gift from her and the gods. The sword was the legendary Kusanagi (Grasscutter Sword), and would be a great asset to Musashi in his quest. Musashi graciously accepted the weapon and placed it in his belt. When he returned his gaze to where the sword was, he saw that the silk and sunlight were gone. The warrior did not dwell on this, in fact he did not have time to. The samurai who ran off had returned with a small band of his allies to "slay the demon". Musashi did not wish to harm them, and quickly ran away at speeds no mortal man could hope to match.

Musashi's travels took him to Echizen Province where he was taken in by a single father and his two daughters. When asked his name, Musashi thought on it and replied "Kensei", the title given to him by Izanagi. Over dinner, Kensei learned that the village he had taken refuge in was being terrorized by giant lizard-like creatures. The monsters would come in the middle of the night when the moon was high and terrorize the villagers. As they rampaged throughout the village, they would destroy crops, tear down buildings, and viciously kill any who got in their way. They were cold, remorseless creatures who came down from the mountain caves. Kensei listened to the man's tale and agreed to aid the peaceful village in it's plight. The man was grateful, but scoffed at Kensei's claim, wondering what good one warrior will be against the monsters.

Night soon came, and Musashi quickly found out the man's story had been true. A dozen lizard-men stormed into the town leaving death and destruction in their wake, but they soon found themselves face to face with Kensei. The battle was bloody, but quick. When the dust settled only Kensei still stood, peices of the lizard creatures strewn around him. He had slaughtered them all.

The man and his family along with the rest of the village slowly made their way to the site of the slaughter. Looking upon Musashi's handiwork, the villagers were both jubilant and horrified. Despite what he had done for them, none would approach Kensei out of fear. For no man could do what he had done. Finally though, the man who had took him in moved to stand before Kensei and thanked him, calling him a gift from the gods. Kensei cut him off though. It wasn't over. It wouldn't be over until he hunted down the rest of the beasts and sent their dark spirits to Yomi.

Kensei tracked the creature's path through the forest. Somehow he could sense where these things dwelled. It was as though he could feel the evil aura these creatures emitted. Soon Kensei came to a small cave, the presence of evil simply pouring from it assaulting his senses. Kensei entered, and a great battle ensued. One by one, the Hunter of the Gods stalked his prey and slew them. Soon he confronted the leader of the creatures, a great serpent demon. The demon attacked Kensei, mortally wounding him. But, to the serpent's amazement, Kensei's wounds soon healed and the samurai soon attacked once more. The battle was brutal, but Kensei finally claimed victory when he lopped off the demon's head in one, clean stroke.

Kensei returned to the village and informed them that they did not have to fear the night any longer. That night they presented him a small feast in his honor, but Kensei quietly departed when no eyes were upon him.

Kensei traveled the land of Japan, slaying all manor of Oni and monsters, and saved hundreds of lives. Musashi slaughtered the Nue that tried to take the health from the Emperor, he defeated the Ama-no-jaku after it had killed and impersonated the melon-princess, and slew the Bake-kujira which haunted the coast of the Shimane Prefecture. There was no evil too great or too minor that escaped his divine wrath. As Japan grew older and became more modern though, the hero Kensei quickly fell into obscurity and his adventures into legend. He now makes his home in Yokohama where his gathered wealth has bought for him a large property on the city's outskirts. He lives on this property in a modernized version of a large pagoda in seclusion save for visits from his only friends and allies, Hideyoshi Kenshin and Ami Kenshin, whom watches over the property when Kensei is away.

But, despite this his quest did not end.

Musashi continues his work for the god Izanagi, slaying the creatures and followers of darkness wherever he may find them. He has survived through the centuries, a ghost in the modern machine. He does not exist, and it is debatable whether he ever did. His mission is never-ending, but his methods have taken a more secretive approach due to the technology of this new age. It does not bother him though. Kensei does not seek glory or fame. All this legendary samurai wishes is to perform his task for his master and to save the innocent lives at peril.

And as long as there is evil in the world, Kensei will live on to eradicate it from existence.

Power Level: World Level

Powers: Granted powers by the Sky-Father of the Japanese pantheon, Izanagi, to become his chosen champion of the Earth: super-human physical abilities; ability to sense evil around him (30 ft radius) as well as follow the trails of evil beings (provided the trail is still fresh as after an hour it will grow cold and dissipate); a healing factor (think wolverine); wields the Kusanagi (bronze-age style sword, double-edged straight blade blessed with divine power: can cut through anything, even magical enchantments (think Marvel's Ebony Blade); bonded to Kensei's spirit allowing the samurai the ability to summon the sword to his hand as long as they are both on the same plane of existence; enables Kensei to command the winds when in his possession from a simple breeze to a hurricane-force gale)

Attributes
Strength Level: Class 20

Speed/Reaction Timing Level: 30 Mph (but bursts of up to 50 Mph are possible over short distances, but Kensei is unable to keep this speed for long)

Endurance at MAXIMUM Effort: 2 hours (Kensei was given super-human stamina by Izanagi to perform his task of killing otherworldly creatures)

Agility: 5X peak human

Intelligence: Average (sciences & technology); genius (supernatural myths and legends, demonology, battle tactics, leadership, and the arts of war)

Fighting Skill: Mastered (Kensei is arguably the greatest swordsman that has ever lived, and is a master in many forms of armed and unarmed combat)

Resources: Large (over the centuries Kensei has acquired enough wealth and connections to allow him to further his mission without worry along with a handful of minor mystical artifacts he has liberated throughout the centuries*)

Weaknesses: None really, but, despite being blessed with divine might, Kensei is still a human at his core. He must eat, sleep, breath the air...everything a normal man must do. Thus he is susceptible to attacks that effect his breath (suffocating, gases, etc), as well as being able to be knocked unconscious as a human would (it'd just take a lot more force to do it). He can be killed, though it is uncertain what will happen to him if his death truly does occurs...

Supporting Characters: Kensei grew tired of seeing those die around him a long time ago, so he has tried to distance himself from people to spare the pain of loss. Despite this act, Kensei has had an ally in his battle against the forces of evil in the form of a family of monks devoted to the gods of old. Through the centuries, Kensei has allied himself with the children of each generation once they come of age.

Currently, his main allies are a man in his late 20's called Hideyoshi Kenshin, and his sister, Ami Kenshin. Hideyoshi is a fully trained martial artist being taught the ways of his family's duties and history by their father, Ryo. Hideyoshi is a care-free individual in appearance, possessing a strong sense of optimism and humor. Hideyoshi is always trying to look on the bright side of things to brighten his friend's day and get him to loosen up. When the time calls for it though, Hideyoshi can become one of the most serious people you will ever meet. Like Kensei, Hideyoshi puts the lives of others above himself and will do anything to keep his sister from harm.

Ami Kenshin, while still taught the family discipline, took a different path. Instead of focusing on hand-to-hand combat, at a young age it became apparent that Ami was adept in the ways of magic. So she was given proper guidence and training in The Art, and soon became a skilled sorceress. Though not as powerful as some of the other mystics of the planet, Ami Kenshin was able to conjure many wards and enchantments to keep Kensei's place and the artifacts housed inside protected. Ami is a beautiful young women in her mid-20's with rare jade-colored eyes. When she first met Kensei she immediately felt an attraction to the noble warrior. At first Ami dismissed it as the fantasies of a young girl, but those feelings soon grew into something more. However, Ami is reluctant to tell Kensei how she feels for him, though Kensei knows. He has the same feeling towards her, but is afraid to get close to someone in a relationship. Ami is a caring person, and, like Kensei and Hideyoshi, puts the well-being of others over herself. She is a shy person, but tries to keep that from getting in the way of her duties.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Aubrey Adkins

“Speaking of baseball, I’ve heard that Aubrey here has quite the swing.”

Was he trying to blow my cover? Sure, I might have opened myself up to his snark, but at least what I said was somewhat public knowledge. Unless he was referring to something other than our little incident during D-Day, although I’m not sure how he would know anything else without doing some internet stalking (or using any dirt that STRIKE might have dug up on me before those Hounds of Humanity terrorists blew them to kingdom come), he was putting my secret identity if anyone were able to put two and two together. If this were not a formal event staged for remember the deceased, I would totally show him how my swing looks.

“You played softball, Aubrey?” Emily asked me, which at least showed that she was not privy to the fact that I was Arachne.

“Well…” I was lucky that Chris prefaced his “swing” remark with some comments about baseball so that it would prompt questions about that sport rather than my status as a metahuman. “I was on my high school’s varsity team.”

“You should SO sign up for the annual Celebrity Charity Softball Game!” Emily told me.

“I would not be surprised that game would have its best TV ratings ever. I’m sure the sight of you scrabbling around the outfield would get a particular demographic glued to their televisions.”

“I played catcher in high school.” I glared at Chris as I responded to his comment. “Anyways, I think I need another stop at the open bar. Need something, Emily?”

“Sure. Just get me the same thing that I just had.” Emily handed over her glass to me before I began to weave my way back to the bar across the room. Although it seemed like Emily was trying to end our conversation because of the hostility between me and Chris, she was more than happy to keep chatting with him when I stepped away. I have no idea what’s up with her.

Once the bartender had finished Emily’s and my drink orders, I took a sip from my glass before I turned to head back to where Emily was, hoping that she might have moved on from Chris by then. However, when I turned around, I found Maya standing a foot or two behind me. Since I was not expecting her to be so far away from Chris, I almost spilled some of the alcohol in my hands.

“What’s your beef with Chris?” Maya demanded. She had her arms crossed and a stern expression on her face.

“Can’t a girl just hate someone’s guts for no reason?”

“No.” Maya answered. God, am I going to hate this girl as much as that Archangel bitch? Archangel had such unwavering and naive dedication to Chris that she believed that I was the one in the wrong for decking Chris, while he was in his armor, instead of Chris, who had previously kidnapped me along with those two Albany kids on the behalves of S.T.R.I.K.E. Sure, you shouldn’t be going around punching people and two wrong don’t make a right, but I am pretty sure that kidnapping is a more severe crime than punching someone. I have this feeling that Maya might have this same mindset. Great.

But the real problem is how am I going to explain my grievances with Chris without exposing my identity as Arachne? All my problems with the guy stem from our interactions in our superhero alter identities. Besides the whole kidnapping thing, which is probably my biggest gripe, there is also that one time when Archangel trapped me under some sort of electrified net for decking Chris. Athena had to bail me out by nullifying the device that was holding me down! Plus, he sent War-Pulse to recruit me for the Pax Metahumana crisis. War-Pulse of all people! And don’t get me started with that elevator in Sherman Center. Searching for silicon-based lifeforms. What a load of bull crap.

However, before I could even begin making some sorry excuse so that I would not have to reveal myself as being Arachne, I heard some screams come from the general direction where Chris and Emily were standing. When I got a glance at what was happening, I saw a man, who was dressed up like the servers who were catering this event, was standing close to Chris. He worn a mask over his face to conceal his identity and he held a gun up to Chris’ side. I didn’t need to hear what he was saying to know he was agitated, since his body language jerky and skittish.

Then, I felt myself being yanked back away from the commotion. Behind me stood Athena, the Greek Goddess of Wisdom. However, after seeing her, I suddenly realized that I was no longer holding onto the drinks that I had ordered for myself and Emily. Why didn’t I hear some sort of crash from the broken glass? I then discovered a few feet away from me why I didn’t have the drinks anymore. Where I had been standing, beside Maya, I saw a woman who looked identical to me.

“Athena.” Alright, I know I should not be that freaked out by this, since those Pax Metahumana villains had a shapeshifter, but I cannot lie. This feels extremely uncanny. “If I’m here, then who’s that!”

“That is a nephic apparition.” Athena cleared things up in a matter of fact way. And when I say ’cleared things up’, I mean that it did not help at all.

“English please?”

“I was speaking in English.”

“You know what I mean!”

“Oh, you mean dumb people speak.” Athena cracked a smile at my own expense, “It is a cloud that has been transformed into a duplicate of yourself. I use them all the time to run Chris’ company, since the pathetic role of a glorified secretary is beneath me. But that’s enough about the apparition. You need to change.”

“Wait, why haven’t we used these things more often?”

“Because there has not been a need until this moment.”

“I beg to differ…”

“So, you would rather have a petty argument with a goddess while Chris is in a position where he might get shot?”

“Now that you say it in that way…”

Athena glared at me, knowing that I was inferring that I would actually continue what she called a petty argument and let Chris get shot. However, since I assume that she probably would put me through the ringer if I allowed that to happen, I guess I probably should help. But while I distracted by this, Athena reached over and deactivated my power nullifier, causing my drider appearance to reemerge and my Arachne costume to replace my dress.

“What the hell?!?” I yelled at Athena as I glanced around, looking to make sure no one saw my transformation. “We’re in public! I might as well go around and introduce myself as Arachne!”

“My powers have shrouded us from human sight. No one can see us.”

“How convenient.” However, when I began to take a step towards Chris and whoever was threatening him, I heard some more remarks from the peanut gallery.

“You can’t just jump into the fray.”

“And why not.” I said, turning towards Athena and place my knuckles on my hips.

“You would seem as if you had appeared out of thin air. Instead, you need to make an entrance, such as from that balcony over there.” Athena pointed at a balcony behind me that led outside.

Why me? Just why?

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Christopher Arthur III | Maya Hoffman

An expensive sports car pulled up in front of the red carpet that acted like a crimson road to the Roy Walley Convention Hall. From the driver’s side door, Christopher Arthur stepped out. Dozens of camera flashes sparkled in his direction, just like fireflies blinking in the night. Even though it was long past dusk, Chris had sunglasses on and the reason for the shades was obvious to anyone who observed the camera shutters clicking away.

“You do realize that you went around the block three times, right?” The valet told Chris as he approached towards the car in order to open up the passenger’s side door.

“Well, I had to give this bad boy a spin.” Chris pulled off his sunglasses and slip them into a pocket in his sport’s jacket. He then tossed the car keys over to the valet “But don’t get any bright ideas.”

Chris circled around the car to help Maya out of the vehicle. Although Chris almost seemed to enjoy the limelight that came with being both a celebrity and a genuine superhero, Maya was entirely unaccustomed to the attention. As they walked down the velvet carpet, she clung to Chris’ torso, as if she were shrinking away from the attention. It did not help that it took the two almost an hour to get inside the convention building due to the paparazzi’s excessive desire of information and exclusives.

Even Minerva was even there, waiting to bug him with ‘official’ business. Ever since the Hounds of Humanity severed the head of S.T.R.I.K.E., their core leadership, the spy organization was thrown into chaos and its secrets became instantly vulnerable.

“A word, Mr. Arthur.” Minerva commanded him with her usual cold tone.

“Oh, come on! This night has once already been interrupted by supervillainy, twice if you count the whole Hounds of Humanity thing!”

“Are you not the least concerned?”

“Nah. They’re big boys. They can handle it. And I’ve put into place some safety features just in case things take a turn for the worst.”

Chris was referring to the database of metahumans and other persons of interest that S.T.R.I.K.E. had been compiling for the last several months, if not longer. Chris knew that this sort of information would be dangerous in the wrong hands. Therefore, he embedded deep in the system’s code a kill switch that would wipe the system clean if anyone ever tried to access it remotely or if S.T.R.I.K.E. Before Chris had left for this event, he double checked to make sure that his kill switch had worked as planned. The only copy of this information that remained was in Chris’ possession.

“But go ahead and alert some of those nice agents that I might be hiring soon.”

Chris and Maya finally walked into the convention hall, where they were first greeted by Daniel Emerson. This fundraiser was organized to commemorate those who had recently died and to help support their loved ones in this dark time. Although he had plenty of resources to cover the expenses for his diseased relatives, unlike many of the other families, Mr. Emerson made sure that his brother, sister-in-law, and nephew were recognized, just for commemoration.

“Chris, I’m so glad you were able to make it.” Mr. Emerson offered his hand to Chris, which he immediately shook. “It really means a lot to me. And I’m sure it means just as much to them, too.”

Mr. Emerson then turned towards the display that had been set up for his deceased relatives. There was not a jar set up in front of it, since Mr. Emerson did not require the financial support, as I have already mentioned.

“Oh, it was nothing. You were there when my parents died, so it just seems fair to repay the favor.”

“Well, we can talk some more later. I still need to do some more rounds about this place and I don’t want to keep you social butterflies from the party.”

After Mr. Emerson strolled away to greet some of the other guests, Chris and Maya began to weave through the crowded reception hall. Unbeknown to them, two women, one dragging the other behind her, were fighting against the mass of guests to get to Chris. The first women, a brunette, who was in the lead, had a nature beauty that was perfect for a model from the 40’s and 50’s. The girl who she was dragging behind her, a blonde, was more focused on not spilling the drink in her hand.

“Excuse me. Mr. Arthur?” Chris turned around to find the brunette woman standing there. When he saw the second girl, he immediately recognized her. In fact, he had forgotten that she was living out on the West Coast.

“Yes?” The brunette held a small book in her hands, holding it out in front of herself.

“Could you sign this for me?” The woman asked him. Chris agreed and received the book from the woman. When he flipped it open to find an empty page to sign, Chris noticed that there were several signatures from the various members of the Avenger’s movie cast.

“You do realize that I’m not Iron Man, right?”

“Of course, I know that!” The brunette rolled her eyes, “I think people can easily distinguish you from Robert Downey Jr.”

“You would be surprised.” Chris then pulled a pen from his jacket pocket and scribbled his signature inside the small book that belonged to the brunette women. “So, do you want me to write anything else?”

“Oh, just put down ‘To Emily’, or something.” Emily replied.

“Do you want me to also include Aubrey over there or just you?”

“You know Aubrey?” Emily gestured to the blonde girl standing behind her.

“Well, I have dated some Viera models in the past.”

“In your dreams.” Aubrey took a gulp from the drink that she had been holding onto for this entire time.

“You can just put my name down.” Emily tried to quickly switch the subject because the tense situation that was developing because of Aubrey’s obvious dislike of Chris. She then turned towards Maya, who had been standing beside Chris the entire time. “But who’s your date? That’s a beautiful dress.”

“Thanks.” Maya blushed as she replied to Emily.

“This is Maya Hoffman.” Chris quickly interjected, since he assumed that she was being a little overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the entire event.

“So, what happened to the armored chick? Just the flavor of the month?” Aubrey chimed in on the conversation. While she was waiting for Chris’ answer, she took a sip from her drink again.

“Um…” Chris pondered on how he should respond to that answer. Aubrey had made her question vague enough for everyone else not to guess that she is actually the metahuman known as Arachne, but since Chris knew this information, he understood that she was referring to Archangel. “She kind of turned out to be a killer robot.”

Aubrey had to cover her mouth with her hand to make sure she did not accidentally spit up her drink. She almost laughed at the absurdity of that idea that Archangel was a robot. However, when she noticed everyone else was not taking it as a joke, she made sure to repress any urges to laugh at the irony.

“Wait, you’re serious?”

“In the world that we live in, how is that surprising?”

"But still, you got cat-fished by a computer? And I thought you were supposed to be smart or something."

“Well, thanks for the signature!” Emily finally told Chris. After seeing the hostility building up between Chris and Aubrey, she knew that she had to cut the conversation short lest the tense moment escalates any more than it already had. “I hope you enjoy your stay in Pacific Point.”

“We’ve been meaning to watch the local baseball team play, but things have been so hectic around here that we’ve have not had a chance to do so. But at least it is not like Lost Haven, where it seems like a world-ending crisis is just the average Thursday.”

“Oh, the Pacific Point Pythons are quite fun to watch. Aubrey and I went to a game a few weeks ago. For some strange reason. baseball is so much more enjoyable in person than on television.” Emily noted.

“Speaking of baseball, I’ve heard that Aubrey here has quite the swing.”

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

<Snipped quote by Hound55>

Everyone, QUICK, spam the IC!!!

@Fallenreaper

I will hopefully have an IK post up tonight. So I'm doing my part!

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

I was getting a 505 error message, but it seemed to be fixed now. I was starting to get worried when I was getting an "cannot reach this page" error for RPG.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Is Discord down? I'm getting an error when I try to get on.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Kelly Brown | Samantha Kadowsky | Zac Wilson

Zac, Kelly, and Sammy gathered up their dinner plates while they listened to the evening news. They each took a different task so that they could get everything put away in a quick and orderly manner. Kelly took care of pots that they had used to cook dinner and set aside any leftovers for a future meal. Meanwhile, Zac first began to wash their dinner plates and then the pots when Kelly was through with them, while Sammy got the easy job of drying the tableware off. Working like a well-oiled machine, the three young metahumans were whipping through the dishes.

“The Albany Police Department is still trying to get to the bottom of the attack that happened yesterday at Washington Park. Local doctors have tried to administer the antidote that was used three months ago during the Pax Metahumana crisis, to the few effected individuals brave enough to search publicly for treatment. However, the antidote was not effective and doctors and patients alike are still scrambling for a cure, if one exists.” The news anchor reported. “The Hounds of Humanity has leaked information that claimed that supremacist metahumans and witches were responsible for yesterday’s incident and that it were events like these that have forced their hands to orchestrate numerous terrorist strikes this evening. The APD has stated that they will not confirm or deny this theory until they have conducted a thorough investigation.”

“I feel so sorry for those victims.” Kelly told the other two while she put away some pots in the kitchen cabinets. “I can’t imagine what it’s like to experience that transformation alone. Maybe we should do something, like a support group? “

Before either Zac or Sammy could give their opinions on Kelly’s idea for helping out the people who had been affected by the incident in Washington Park, the three of them heard the doorbell ring. Neither Zac nor Kelly were expecting a package, so it could not possibly be the mailman or a delivery service. Who could be knocking at their door at this hour of the night? Most people by now would probably be home, finishing their dinner, if they had not already done so.

“I’ll get it!” Sammy volunteered herself, tossing onto the kitchen counter the towel that she had been using to dry off the plates that the three of them used for dinner.

While Sammy hurried over to the front door of their apartment so that whoever was there would not be waiting forever, Zac finally gave his opinion on Kelly’s idea.

“While I don’t think that your idea is bad, I am a little worried about it potentially ousting me as a metahuman.” Zac admitted his concern to Kelly. He was hesitant at first to even bring this issue up, fearing that it might make him seem selfish. Nevertheless, Kelly’s response showed that she didn’t see it that way.

“Well, you can always be the supportive, unbigoted boyfriend who loves his girlfriend despite her insectoid appearance.” Kelly suggested while trying to convince her boyfriend into supporting her idea. “Or you could dress up in your superhero costume and we would have to come up with a story on how we met so that it’s not obvious that we’re a couple.”

“Either of those would work. We can pick one whenever we decide to actually set one of these meetings up.”

This moment, however, was spoiled by a terror-filled scream and the heavy thud of a door slamming. Everything seemed to Zac and Kelly to have happened so fast that, before they knew it, Sammy was sprinting away from the door and back over where they were standing in the kitchen. Her face was pale, almost as if she had seen a ghost.

“What’s wrong?” Kelly asked her best friend.

“It’s after me!” Sammy told Zac and Kelly while she cowered behind them.

“What thing?” Zac inquired.

“The goo that I step in the park!” Sammy then turned her attention back toward the door. "It was just an accident! I didn't mean to step on you!"

“What?”

“It probably was just a prank in the front of our apartment. There’s nothing to be worried about.”

“Really?” Sammy questioned Zac and Kelly’s good-intentioned attempts to calm her down. “If it was just a figment of my imagination, then what’s THAT!”

Sammy then pointed towards an apricot colored blob clumsily sliding across their apartment floor. When it bumped into the coffee table that was in front of the couch, the gooey mass climbed up the leg and side of the furniture. When it reached the surface of the table, it knocked over a half-full glass of water that one of the three young metahumans had left there and had forgotten to take it over to the sink. The water spilled over the table, although the blob absorbed most of it, which seemed to have increased its size.

“Zac, do something!”

“Like what?”

^{_{“Need water”}} The three young metahumans suddenly heard a faint voice plead. A cold chill ran through the spines of each of their backs when they heard that voice.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Aubrey Adkins

Emily and I finally gained entrance to the Roy Walley Convention Hall where the fundraiser event was being held after we were stopped out front by the paparazzi. No doubt they wanted to get snap shots of all the celebrities and millionaires who were attending this event. Once inside, we saw an expansive reception hall that was filled with a sea of people. In every direction, there were arches that lead to smaller rooms could move around and view some art exhibits that were rented for the fundraiser. While the two of us headed toward one of the several open bars in the reception hall, we pasted a small orchestral band that was providing some instrumental music as background noise.

While we were waiting for our drink orders to be filled, we briefly took a look at the nearby displays. The fundraiser organizers had made little memorials for the men and women whom the world prematurely lost. Each one had a bowl where people could leave donations to help out the families of these men and women. The contents Inside these glass containers ranged from dollar bills to personal checks. When we finally got to Helen’s display, I decided to throw a few bucks into the jar. Whether I did it because it was the right thing to do or that I felt guilty replacing her, I wasn’t quite sure. Maybe a little of both.

After I had tossed the money into the jar, the bartender called out our drink orders, which we promptly picked up. Since my superhuman physiology breaks down alcohol at a faster rate than a normal person, I would have to hit the bottle extremely hard in order to get drunk. The unfortunate side effect of this is that I’m now limited to fruity or good tasting liquor. It turns out that a third or fourth beer doesn’t taste quite as good while sober.

Anyways, once we had our first round of drinks, Emily and I began to wander around the convention center. Part of the time, we were just people-watching, which can be quite amusing when you’re bored (and sober). The rest of the time, Emily dragged me around while looking out for any famous celebs.

“I almost have the signatures of all the Avengers.” Emily mentioned as we weaved through the crowd at the charity event. “I just need Robert Downey Jr. and I’ll have a complete set, or at least until they introduce more Avengers in the movies.”

While Emily was scouring the place for ‘Iron Man’, I felt my phone vibrate, alerting me that someone had sent me a text message. One of my old roommates from college, Felecia had sent me a text with a link to an article.

You might want to take a look at this. Her text message read. Once I clicked the link, which pulled up my phone’s web browser, it brought up an article about this terrorist organization called the Hounds of Humanity who claimed responsibility for several bombing attacks that were reported that night. These terrorists had declared a war against anyone who wasn’t normal, anyone who was not purely human. But what was the most shocking thing that they claimed was that they took out S.T.I.R.K.E.”

After I thanked Felecia for the heads up, I immediately texted Kyra. The irony, especially since we thought that this was going to be a slow night.

I’m calling the others Kyra texted me back. We can handle this situation for now. You don’t need to run out of the charity. Might cause some suspicion.”

While my eyes were glued to my phone’s screen, I suddenly felt someone yank on me. Since I was taken by surprise by this sudden motion, I almost splashed someone in the face with my drink. That would have been awkward Thankfully I was able to keep all the liquid in my glass. Emily had grabbed my arm and started pulling me.

“What now?” I asked, still a little embarrassed by almost throwing my drink in another person’s face. “Did you finally find RDJ?”

“Oh no.” Emily shock her head, “But I found the next best thing!”

Oh joy.

Create-A-Hero: A Superhero RPG Season 2- New Horizons (Closed)

Undisclosed S.T.R.I.K.E. Facility in the Atlantic

Agent Banks strolled down the prison corridor, examining the cells on each side of the hallway. Although S.T.R.I.K.E. had numerous containment facilities for dangerous individuals, whether metahuman, supernatural, or otherwise, around the United States, this one was considered the hole where no one ever saw the light of day again. Some of the most notable and notorious inmates at this facility were some of the culprits of the Pax Metahumana who had been captured after that coalition of heroes successfully put a stop to Doctor Diplodoc’s plans.

Banks was the faculty’s head medical advisor. It was his responsibility to ensure that any of the inmates with powers had their abilities negated. If this was not possible, then he would have to turn to other methods to pacify the prisoners. The Silver Sorceress posed a real conundrum for Banks. Unlike the other collaborators of the Pax Metahumana crisis, her powers did not have their origin in Doctor Diplodoc’s serum. While S.T.R.I.K.E. did develop a proto-type device that acted like a lightning rod to magical energies, Banks was not comfortable relying on a proto-type that could fail at any moment. Therefore, he turned to more conventional methods. If she was drugged with enough sedatives that would put an elephant out, the Silver Sorceress would not pose a problem.

At the end of his rounds, Banks would always check up on the Silver Sorceress to ensure that the facility staff made sure that they were keeping her on the meds that he had prescribed. When he examined the sign-in sheet next to Silver Sorceress’ cell, the complexion of Banks’ face changed to a ghostly white. Either the last shift was careless enough to forget to document their arrival and departure or they failed to show up in the first place.

“Code Red!” Agent Banks shouted into his two-way radio. “Repeat, Code Red! The Witch is off her meds! I repeat, the Witch is…”

However, Agent Banks did not have an opportunity to complete his distress call, since the glass that contained the Silver Sorceress within her cell suddenly was shattered by a blast of magical energy. This wave of mystical energy, along with the shards of glass, slammed into Banks, knocking him unconscious against the wall, along with inflicting countless lacerations from the glass.

The Silver Sorceress stepped out from her cell. The ground began to shake, while the air within the prison started to swirl around, which tossed the Silver Sorceress’ hair about. A silver aura eradiated from her body, with her eyes glowing like two silver suns.

A dozen or so S.T.R.I.K.E. agents decked out in tactical assault gear hurried to the scene where the Silver Sorceress had broken free from her cell. They unleashed hell upon her when they let thousands of bullets rain out of their semi-automatic assault rifles. However, with one wave of her hand, the Silver Sorceress turned these bullets into dust.

Then, it was her turn to retaliate. The gear and weapons that the S.T.R.I.K.E. agents had suddenly transformed into venomous snakes and giant insects. Some men were quick enough to toss these creatures off themselves and flee in terror. Others, who were not so lucky, squirmed on the floor as they were overrun with these animals. The Silver Sorceress casually strolled past the leftover men, since any other onlooker would have seen men rolling on the floor with helmets, protective vests, and firearms scattered on the floor, revealing that the snakes and insects that the S.T.R.I.K.E. agents saw were just illusions.

Once the initial response force had been dealt with, the Silver Sorceress used her magical abilities to shatter the glass containing the rest of those who were involved with the Pax Metahumana crisis. Leo and the Silver Sorceress’ sister, Sumac, were the first to depart from their cells. With a flick of her wrist, the Silver Sorceress disintegrated the wristbands on Leo and Sumac that were suppressing their powers.

Her sister rushed over to the Silver Sorceress, embracing her with a hug. This caused the Silver Sorceress to suppress the rage that caused the silver aura to appear around her. The last time the Silver Sorceress saw her sister, she had been severely burned by one of War-Pulse’s attacks during the heroes’ invasion of their base in West Virginia. After several months in the infirmary, Sumac had finally made a full recovery. However, even though her sister was well now, the Silver Sorceress still swore that she was going take vengeance on the heroes. Her rage would not only be focused at those who had hurt her sister, but against all the heroes.

The Silver Sorceress, still in an embrace with her sister, then turned her head toward the cell which had housed Doctor Diplodoc. Despite the chaos that had been happening in that prison corridor, the doctor still sat in his cell, sipping on a cup of tea.

“It’s time to go.” The Silver Sorceress barked at him. She was not so amused that he was taking his jolly old time.

“You worry too much, Victoria.” Doctor Diplodoc told his associate, “Everything is going according to plan. Effigy was able to infiltrate the staff at this faculty so that you might coincidentally miss a regiment of the sedatives that S.T.R.I.K.E. was using to keep you down. And I have the same faith that Jaws and Black Widow are gathering up more followers as we speak.”

After he took one last gulp of his tea, Doctor Diplodoc stood up from his cot and walked out of his cell. When he had joined his three associates, the security monitor that was located nearby suddenly turned on. For the next few minutes, they watched the Hounds of Humanity introduce themselves and announce their crusade against all non-human entities; metahumans, supernatural beings, and anything else unnatural were all fair game. When the figure on the screen mentioned that they had taken out S.T.R.I.K.E., it suddenly made sense why they faced so little resistance. It is hard for the body to act when the head is severed.

“Interesting.” Doctor Diplodoc muttered before the four of them made their escape out of the S.T.R.I.K.E. faculty.