Greywind

The bits posted in here, like I said in the first post, may or may not see use, and they run through the timeline. One post following another may have little to do with the post preceding it or following it.

One of the things I also like about DragonQuest is magic system. Just wish there were more spells.

“Oh, wow,” Lisa said quietly when Dove walked into the training room. White body armor covered her; white knee-high boots with guards, gloves that covered her arms almost to her elbows, and a loose hooded cowl shaded her eyes. In her hands she carried a long, heavy bladed spear. “Kris...” Warren started, but seemed to have lost what he had intended to say. She gave him a gentle smile. “It's okay, Warren. I know what I'm doing.” “You sure?” Ash asked. “I'd hate to think you've given up on your oaths.” Dove shook her head gently. “I haven't, Ash. I know what I'm about.” Giving the winged woman in white an appraising look, Spellbinder said, “Kris, I want you here.” She pointed out on the outside of the circle she had made in chalk on the floor. “Stand here and face the circle.” Kris moved to where the sorceress indicated and noticed the faint pentagram inside the circle. Spellbinder moved around the circle counter clockwise to the next point of the star. She closed her eyes, said something under her breath and when she looked up, her eyes seemed to give off light. With her Witch Sight active she looked on the others. She thought for a bit. “Warren. You here, please. At the right hand. Face the circle.” Warren moved to where she indicated while she moved on to the next point. Without breaking her stride, she said, “Dani, here. Same as the others.” She stopped at the fourth point and turned her gaze from Trese to Ash. “Well, that's an interesting development.” Trese looked nervous. Ash shrugged. “Something wrong, Addie?” she asked. “Just a development that I hadn't expected. Nothing I can't work with. Trese, here, please. Ash, you take the left hand point.” They stepped to where they were wanted. Spellbinder moved behind Kris. The incantation started slowly, quietly, almost like a chant. Spellbinder moved, almost dancing, around her friends. The butt of her staff left a light blue trail of magic that settled into a circle around the five and the pentagram. Light shone from the pendant Dove had hanging from a black choker. When Spellbinder made her way behind Warren, the light of the pendant shot out like a laser beam to Warren's ring. Spellbinder's song and dance continued until she was behind Dani. Light shot across the pentagram from Dove's pendant to Dani's. Spellbinder continued. A beam of light snapped into being between Dove and Trese, and between Trese and Warren. Spellbinder continued on to close the outer circle. When she was done a crimson beam went from one stone to another, binding all five into a star. Warren brought his hand up unconsciously so that the star was level around chest high. Spellbinder passed through into the circle. The beams she passed through never broke, maintaining their connection as she passed. In the center of the circle, in the heart of the star, she set her staff to rest. When she took her hand from it, it remained standing upright. As one, the beams snapped to the crystal set into her staff, causing it to glow red. She finished the incantation and reached for the staff. Information came to her in that moment. “Arena est a pythonibus,” she said quietly. “'Arena eat a python on a bus'?” Nightwing asked, confusion evident. Warren shrugged. “It must run through the Congo.” “It isn't in the Congo,” Spellbinder said with some annoyance. “It's Outside. It means 'Arena of the Wizards',” she explained. “It is known by many different names, but that is the one that I learned of it by. If Jason is there, someone must have shown him a gate. I question who and I hate to find out why.” “Why does it sound like that 'outside' was capitalized?” Warren asked. “Because it is, Warren. It is in a pocket that is outside of the astral. It is outside of time and space as you know it.” “It's an arena. Means it should be a good place for a brawl,” Nightwing said. “No!” Spellbinder, Dove and Ash said in unison. “We aren't looking for a fight, Brad,” Kris said. “We're looking to keep one from happening. Warren, get changed. Brad, if you can't do this, say so and you can remain here.” “There are rules for the Arena. Say nothing. Do nothing. Everything will be weighed there,” Spellbinder told them. “Who is going along for the ride? Step inside the circle.” Jenny pulled her mask over her head and slipped her contact case into a glove pocket. She stepped next to Spellbinder without any hesitation. Trese slipped her jacket off and tossed it to the side, leaving her in her red and blue uniform. “If you are not looking to do battle, I will remain behind,” Warstar rumbled deeply. Spellbinder nodded at him with a tight-lipped smile. Lisa's eyes flashed solid white. “I dare not go, Addie,” she said quietly. Her eyes shifted back to normal. “I understand, Lisa,” Spellbinder told her gently. “Brad? You in or out?” Nightwing inhaled deeply, held it, then let it out. He snapped his cowl into place. He crossed into the circle. “Alright,” she said letting out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. “Face outward. How we are here is how we will appear there.” “Okay, everyone. Hold on.” Spellbinder chanted and the outer circle began glowing again. Power surged and blue lightning flashed. When the glare faded and Lisa could see again, she and Warstar were alone in the training room. “Godspeed,” she whispered.

“So, if Jason has already moved ahead with his plans, how, exactly, are you planning on finding him?” Ash asked Spellbinder. “I don't plan on finding him, Ash. I expect Jason to point out where he is. Exactly.” Spellbinder gave the blonde woman a small, amused smile. Ash was confused. She looked around to the rest of her teammates and then back to the sorceress. “I don't get it.” “It's simple, really.” Spellbinder used the butt of her staff and pointed it towards Ash, who gave it a wary look. Spellbinder slipped it beneath the chain around Ash's neck and lifted her pendant free. “I'm going to use you, Kris, Dani, Trese, and Warren. Between the five of you, I'll know exactly where he is. It will only take about five minutes. Then I'll use him as a beacon and send us to him. I will need a space big enough to do that, though.” “Training room, Addie. Plenty big enough,” Warren said. “How long to set up?” Spellbinder thought for a few moments. “Give me a half hour to set up the circle. That will give you all time to get ready.” “Ready for what?” Trese asked. “Things are moving where Jason is involved. He has Kaneda and Titania working with him. If he is slipping into darkness the way Lisa suggests, then we may only have one shot at this. You need to figure out who is going to talk him in off the ledge and that person needs to figure out how they're going to do it.” “He's my best friend,” Warren said quietly. “I should be the one to talk to him.” Standing up, Kris gave him a long look. “What?” Kris gave him a sad smile and the winged woman walked out into the hall. “What was that all about?” Warren asked quietly.

Technically, he has JARVIS as a follower. JARVIS has duplication and multiform, as evidenced by the various suits of armor that he operated.

I work with 5th. No complications that way.

Attacks do at least as much STUN as they do BODY.

But you can't touch this.

That's only good around the holidays. Thor needs something about his hammer. Maybe if Princes said something about "hammer and head held high".

Bases and vehicles usually take Limitations/Disads/Complications of their own to reduce the overall cost to the character. Taking the limitation on the character's point expenditure for the item isn't usually done.

No, but "that was the best dollar eighty I ever spent."

The ability to die is why I prefer DragonQuest for fantasy.

I could see Justin Hammer in parachute pants when he unveiled them.

Dani The golden Palomino crested the top of the hill. The view made Dani think she could see all the way to Canada. The hill was the highest point, and Dani's favorite place on her grandfather's ranch. She patted the horse and stroked its neck. “It's been far too long, Sunny,” she told the horse. “C'mon, Blondie! Race ya back to the barn!” a boy's voice, closing on manhood, called out to her. The boy and the gray he was riding streaked past. Sunshine answered the challenge before Dani ever urged him on. “Let's go, Sunny. Let's show Cody that an old Rain Cloud can't outrun the Sunshine!” Dani's golden tresses flowed behind her in the wind. Sunny raced down the hill picking up speed and was gaining on Cody and Cloudy. Stupid name for a horse! By the time Dani had caught up to Cody, they were running neck and neck through the woods. “Gonna beat you there, Blondie!” Cody called out. Dani's only response was laughing. Sunny moved ahead of the other horse. They tore into the paddock with Cloud's nose pacing Sunny's hindquarters; Dani and Sunny obviously the winners of the race. They slowed the horses to a walk and Cody came up alongside. They neared the barn and Dani slipped down from her saddle. From there, things went quickly. The horses were led into the barn and curried. Dani slipped Sunshine a few sugar cubes. Fresh hay was laid in and the horses were were settled into their stalls. Equipment was cleaned and put away. “Something on your mind?” Dani asked as she put her saddle away. Cody turned his eyes away. “No. Why?” “'Cause you've been looking at me kinda funny all day,” Dani teased. “Got a lot on my mind is all, Blondie. I was kind of hoping we could talk.” Cody sounded nervous. Not at all like his usual confident, devil-may-care attitude. Dani tossed her hair into a tail to keep it out of her way. “You're sounding serious, Cody.” Cody looked down like he was checking out the tops of his boots. “It kinda is to me, Blondie.” He looked up at Dani. Deep brown eyes caught her hazel ones. “I'm not going to be here Friday to take you out.” “Oh?” “I kind of enlisted in the Marines, Blondie. I'm shipping out Tuesday,” he told her. “And I realize, this may be kind of sudden and all, but I was hoping that maybe you'd wait for me. I realize that you still have to graduate and all. That's still another two years away, I know, but I was hoping...” “Cody Baines! You're asking me to wait two years for you? For what? It's not like we've even kissed!” Cody was standing in front of her now, making her have to look up to him. His hands cupped her face. “Well, as for that, I was planning on taking care of that now.” Dani was nervous. In all her flirtations she had yet to kiss anyone seriously. Cody settled that. Dani felt hot. Cody broke the kiss. “Wow. That was...” “Dani! The stable is on fire! I'll get the horses! You open the door!” Cody dashed towards the stalls. The fire raced him. And just like Sunshine, the flames won. * * * * * “Dammit!” Dani said. She slid out from under Trese. “It didn't happen like that. It was the equipment barn that burned. Nobody got hurt.” “Dani?” “Go back to sleep, Trese.” Theresa sat up. “My shoulder hurts. Is there anything for the pain?” Dani gave her a fleeting smile. “Sorry, Teke. Caught up in my own little nightmare. I'll see what Kris has for you.” Theresa smiled back. “Don't leave yet.” She caught Dani, kissed her passionately, and pulled her down on top of herself. “I don't think we should. Your shoulder,” Dani said breathlessly. “I'm okay. I'll let you know if it gets to be too much,” Trese said with teasing kisses along Dani's neck. Dani surrendered. Her fingers started working the buttons of Theresa's blouse loose. “Dani?” “Hmm?” she mumbled into Trese's flesh through her kisses. “Dani! The bed is on fire!”

Once you change powers, the Advantages no longer apply, because the power isn't active.

It would depend. In a lot of cases once the points are reallocated, the active power would just cease to operate altogether.

Water sluiced through Jason's short cropped hair and over his body. The water was hot; just short of scalding. He stood with his hands braced against the shower wall. Already he felt the knots in his back and neck loosening under the heat. Hearing the door open and feeling the chill of cooler air, let Jason know someone had come in. He lifted his face to the streaming water. “Are you okay?” It wasn't a voice Jason was expecting. In fact, being in the shower with an “occupied” sign on the door, he wasn't expecting anyone. “I'm fine,” he said turning around. “You do know that there's another shower right next door, don't you?” Ashleigh gave him a shy smile. “I wanted this one.” She slipped the lock into place. Jason let the water run over his head and stared at the blonde woman. He didn't bother trying to cover himself. Her hair was cut in a short shag. Her sapphire eyes threatened to drag him in. She had on a short robe and her legs were bare. “Can I ask you a question?” Jason gave the merest hint of a shrug. “Are you... seeing anyone?” Jason didn't respond. “Dating? Engaged?” An echo of old pain, not yet fully healed crossed over his face. “No. There's no one.” Ashleigh gave him a nervous smile. Her fingers slowly pulled at the sash of her robe. “If you want me to go, I will. I was thinking maybe, I could wash your back and you could wash mine.” She opened the robe and let it slip from her shoulders. She felt his gaze travel her naked body as if it were an electric touch. She quivered, sucked in her breath and took the plunge. It was all of three steps to join him under the falling water. She smiled up at him and said, “I'm usually not so forward.” “Ashleigh...” “Just 'Ash' is fine.” She reached up and pulled him down, her lips meeting his for the first time.

Ash Draping the towel over the bar, Ash reached for the v-neck t-shirt she had chosen to sleep in. One of these days, she told herself, I'll have to remember to get my hockey jersey from the loft. The shirt was several sizes too big, hanging down to just above her knees. It had been Jason's once, and he hadn't minded that she had taken it. She opened the bedroom door on the way past to check on Trese. The injured girl's head laid on Dani's chest. Dani held hands with Trese in sleep, and had an arm around the girl's back, hand resting on her hip. Trese grumbled in her sleep. Whether from pain or a nightmare, Ash didn't know. Ash frowned. Impromptu training sessions were part of the fun, like little kids playing “cops and robbers”. They had unspoken rules that helped them to decide the winner and the loser of a given match. They didn't have Mentor to keep score in the field. Leah had tossed all the rules out. Warren was right. She had misfired. Kris had done the right thing cutting her off. No one was going to call Sparx off the bench to play until Kris gave her okay on it. Too much was an unknown with Leah right now. Ash sighed and silently closed the door. The door to Warren and Kate's bedroom was open, so Ash popped her head in there to check on Leah. Leah and Kate both had their backs to the door. Ash could tell from the way the covers lay that Leah had her legs drawn up. Kate had one arm laying limp across Leah. She gave them a sad smile and made her way around the railing to the room she shared with Kris. She stopped to look out the window. The night was warm and the breeze seemed to make its way through the window and out the door just fine. Ash was tempted to take her shirt off. She lay down on the covers of her bed. * * * * * Thunder jarred her. She felt restrained; neither her arms nor legs would move. Water crept slowly over her. Ash's eyes snapped open. A reptilian face peered down at her. Slitted eyes held her gaze and forked tongue slipped out to test the air. It placed a breathing mask over her face. The creature's mouth lifted into a malicious smile. The frame holding her sank into the tank of chemicals. She tried to scream as the lid to the tank, seeming too much like a coffin, was set in place. She dimly heard the whir of the tool driving the bolts home. Once sealed, the tank upended. Through the mixture and the glass she saw the flag with the stylized cobra head hanging on the wall. Pain lanced through her when the tank was charged and the chemicals activated. She closed her eyes and screamed in agony. Not again. Please, not again. “You okay?” Water poured over Ash's head. She raised her face to the shower head. “I'm fine,” she said spitting water. “You realize that there's another shower next door?” “I wanted this one.” She turned when she heard the door lock. Jason dropped his towel on the seat and joined her in the shower. This is different. Jason tilted his head from side to side, looking at her. She gave him a shy smile. There was a hardness in his eyes that she had never seen before that gave her pause. Without pretense or preamble, he grasped her breast painfully. She knocked his hand away. “What the hell is wrong with you? That hurt!” She tried to push him away and all she got to show for it was a cruel smile from him. He grabbed her arm and pain shot through it. She screamed. He shoved her roughly against the wall of the shower. She heard something crack. Whether it was the tiling or something in her, she couldn't be sure. All she knew was that hitting the wall had hurt. Ash turned away trying to protect herself. She cradled her wounded arm. There wasn't a lot of room to move in the shower. Jason's hands pinned her against the wall. “What are you going to do?” she asked. She was scared. She hadn't felt this helpless before. Ever. Jason thrust himself into her roughly. * * * * * Ash fought with the blanket that had wrapped around her legs. Must be why I thought I was helpless. She tore the covers free and stumbled towards the door. She ran her hand along the rail going down the stairs. She smelled bacon and her mouth watered. At the bottom of the staircase she turned towards the kitchen and snapped the newel post cap off in her hands. Crap! “Sorry, Warren,” she mumbled. “I'll fix it later.” She tossed the cap on a nearby table. “Don't worry about it, Ash,” Warren told her from in front of the stove. “Can you do me a favor and put the baby into her highchair? Breakfast is just about ready.” “Yeah. Sure.” Ash yawned. Warren looked at her. “You okay?” You okay? The question echoed in her mind. “Yeah. Just some really twisted dreams last night. Things that really happened, but it was like they went into the Twilight Zone and stayed there. Okay, you little devil. Aunt Ash is here to put you in your chair.” She reached down to pick up the baby. She felt something crack in her hand. She hadn't squeezed that hard, had she? The baby hung limp in her hands. “Oh, god,” she whispered. “Oh, god! Warren!”

In the case of Ray Palmer, I'm pretty sure that when he shrinks, his Atom outfit automatically appears. Kind of like an instant change effect.

As pointed out, OIHID is a "can't". Not a "won't".

There's a point to this thread? I must have done something wrong, then.

“Just waiting on the game plan, Teke. Oh, hey! Look who else got a new outfit,” Dani said looking Jenny over. Jenny blushed. She had on what looked like a medium blue leotard over a lighter blue, almost white, body suit, with boots and gloves that matched the body. Her hair was pinned up and a full mask was in her hands. “It feels weird,” she said. “You look pretty hot,” Dani said with a wink at the girl. “Hey! That's my sister you're ogling!” Nightwing snarled. “I don't know, Brad. She looks pretty damned sexy to me.” Charley glared at Nightwing in challenge. “Enough!” Kris snapped. “Brad, you've ogled every woman in the building whenever you've gotten the chance, so don't you think that you're being just a little bit hypocritical? And your sister is wearing more than some of us do.” Pulsar moved so that Marlene was in front of him and put his arm around her shoulder. She reached up and put her hands on his arm. “How does it fit?” he asked her. Jenny shrugged. “Like I said it feels weird.” “I asked how it fits. Not how it feels. You'll get used to it. It's a light-weight armor. It will stop small calibers. I wouldn't chance anything heavy if you can avoid it. I took your abilities into account.” She nodded. “It fits okay. It's similar to what I wore doing floor exercises. It just feels... weird.” “You'll get used to it,” Trese told her reassuringly. “Did you go over the layout sheet, Jenny?” Ash asked. She nodded again. “There's a zippered pouch in each glove. A compartment in the outer side of each boot,” she pointed to indicate it. “There are hidden clasps here,” she pointed at the front of her hips, “for a belt, or for a backpack if I so choose, using the hidden clasps on my shoulders, as well.” She smiled at them. “What else?” Kris asked. “I've got my hair done up tight, to fit under the mask, so that it can't be grabbed in battle by an enemy. I've got a communicator,” which she pulled out of one of her gloves and put it in place, “which will be held in place by the mask.” Ash nodded. “Anything else?” Jenny was thoughtful for a moment and then shook her head. “That's all I can think of.” “Alright, then,” Ash said. “Get your mask on and let's get down to the Ready.” Jenny gave them a nervous smile and pulled the mask on over her head. She picked her head up and looked at Ash. Her world tilted and she stumbled. Charley held her steady. Jenny pulled her mask back off and said sheepishly, “And the lenses are ground to scrip. I'll be right back. I need to take out my contacts.” She turned, stepped past Charley and jogged down the hall.

"Low powered" and "Superman" used together is generally considered an oxymoron.

For me, Superman is just a straight up Champions game. Doesn't matter which incarnation you look at.

Cruel to be kind?