AndyC

Mechwarrior: Disposable Heroes

“ Shut up, Takka.” Aroxy whispered before addressing the colonel. “ Colonel, are you sure it’s wise to post Steel Rain to Mission Alpha? Such an urban locale isn’t good tank country and we’re liable to lose valuable war material in the process.”

@Bork Lazer

"Your concerns are valid," Colonel Wayne answered, "but I should clarify. The area on the far side of the dam is populated, but sparsely. The fishing villages are spread across a fairly wide area along the coast. And the area on the near side is mostly heavy woods and rolling hills. There is the possibility of collateral damage, but it's not likely. As long as you keep Merry-Go-Round's main turret pointed away from the dam, there shouldn't be much to worry about."

"As for why I selected you for Task Force Alpha," he continued, "I do share the same concern about the Von Luckner's primary weapon in this mission. But its secondary weapons are why I chose it. The short-range missiles should pack enough punch to dispatch any vehicles the Heavenly Sword sent in, with less chance of a stray shot going too far afield and endangering civilians. And the machine gun and flamer can make quick work of infantry and light vehicles. Unless they've got heavier equipment than they showed off in Yuzhny Portveyn, in all likelihood you won't need to fire off the autocannon at all."

Mechwarrior: Disposable Heroes

To keep the good news going, Marit could hardly be happier about the mission she was assigned to. Close to the new base, striking at loons spoiling to commit a massive war crime, with Jon on hand to share knowledge of the site and best of all, she wouldn’t have to get out of the ‘Mech. Only way it could be better would have been not having to defend something. Another thing that put a damper on the mood was the Crimson Fists presence. At the Depot raid, the CF lance that attacked them was reported further away than this one, yet they still managed to intercept them, likely due to their intel placing the Fists somewhere they weren’t. And a target this important - the dam, though no doubt they’d hear of their presence as well - was unlikely to go ignored. And they’d be coming from the North, meaning that if they arrived before the Knights got away, they’d have to go through them. ”Sir, do we know anything about forces stationed at the dam and the CF lance at Golf 12? Composition, how old that position report is…?” She supposed running into a different lance than last time was a safe bet, with the Fire Witch perhaps still being down a Raven, though the last one surprised them with a Longbow. What was this going to be? The Battlemaster? Some SLDF royal ‘Mechs they dug up from whatever forgotten bunker? A Steiner scout lance? ”And do we have any indication of what the Sword are bringing and from which direction?”

@Starlance

"The forces stationed at the dam itself are little more than a few Aqua Vitae security teams," the Colonel addressed Marit's questions first. "Rent-a-cops with small arms, at the very most a few jeeps with machine guns. While the company is politically neutral, we can safely assume they won't open fire on us unless we cause damage to the dam itself. That said, at the moment we can't rely on them as allies in the fight-- as I said, politically neutral, and technically non-military."

Colonel Wayne knew that Cassandra was playing a very dangerous game by even approaching the Green Knights, so expecting her to thrown in with all of her influence just yet would be a longshot. At best, the Knights would have to ask the AVC security teams to kindly step aside until the shooting was done.

"The Heavenly Sword are an irregular militia force," he continued, "who favor asymmetrical warfare. Their weapon of choice is suicide bombers, civilian vehicles loaded up with high explosives. If they want to blow open the dam, they'll likely need something big, so keep your eye out for heavy machinery. A lot of loyalist forces and even some Espian Guards apparently abandoned their hardware when the fighting in Yuzhny Portveyn ended, so it's possible that they've acquired some light tanks or missile platforms, but direct confrontation doesn't seem to be their style."

As he looked at the fist logo in sector Golf 12, he scowled.

"As for the Crimson Fists," the Colonel said, "By the last report, taken approximately eight hours ago, the Crimson Fist lances were all headed northwest, towards our current general area. It's unlikely they'll be able to turn around and reach the dam once fighting does break out. And by the time they arrive, we'll be long gone. However, it'll be vital to stay on your guard. The lance in sector Golf-12 appears to be their heavier assets. Haven't gotten any visuals on them, but seismic sensors were able to isolate at least one in the 70-ton range. Given the availability of Battlemechs in this region, in all likelihood that either means an Archer or a Warhammer. Either one is trouble we don't want just yet, but if everything goes right, they'll be hundreds of kilometers away."

Raven Rivers

Raven bowed down a little in respect and said, "A mission which plays well to my bleeding heart and the others' talents; thank you, Colonel." He then continued, "I echo Marit's question; the Heavenly Sword should be down to Infantry and Suicide Trucks, right? But just in case they have an old IndustrialMech hid away or the Crimson Fists decide to show their ugly mugs, I think we should keep ourselves ready for a heavier fight. I also presume that we are not using lasers or incendiaries, considering your instructions on collateral damage. Also, is there a map of the civilian areas close to the dam, the areas most frequented by workers and engineers?"

Life was returning to his expression and his voice, that much was clear. He was eager, but not too eager, his judgment, somewhat more clear. And he demonstrated that he didn't miss anything obvious when he turned to Jon and said, "So, it seems you're a MechWarrior as well or otherwise acquainted with vehicles, considering the way the Colonel talked about you; perfect."

Then back to the Colonel for one last question, "Will we be departing immediately, or will we have a few hours to prepare?"

@Starlance@AndyC@Pilatus@Bork Lazer

@Letter Bee

"The dam is large, but access is limited to two roads: one at the top of the near side connecting to the northern end, the other at the coastal side of connecting to the southern end. Given that the Heavenly Sword are probably going to be striking out of Yuzhny Portveyn, the southern road is their most likely route. As for civilians, there are a number of fishing villages on the coastal side of the dam. If the Heavenly Sword manages to destroy it, those villages will be wiped out in the ensuing flooding. The stretch between the dam and the ocean is primarily dirt roads and very little proper infrastructure, so a quick evacuation isn't going to be feasible.

"Chief Aadil's team is going to blow open the tunnels in twelve hours' time. Your task force will be the first ones in, since you've got the furthest to travel and the heaviest firepower in case we encounter trouble. Until then, get your 'Mech's prepped, and pack some rations, water, and whatever comforts you might need, because you're going to be spending the following 48 hours or more in your cockpits."

Age of Marvels - A Marvel Comics Roleplay [CLOSED]

Sorry if folks have been waiting on me for the event; this week has been a bit insane. Gonna try and get an FF post up tomorrow.

Mechwarrior: Disposable Heroes

M I S S I O N B R I E F I N G

"Green Knights, attention!" Colonel Wayne called out.

The mine had been a buzz of activity as the technicians and crew prepared to mobilize, loading equipment onto transport vehicles, strapping down every piece of equipment and ammunition they could bring with them, trying to make sure their various creature comforts weren't going to be left behind. There was no word yet as to where they were headed or what they were going to be doing, but for many, a change of scenery was going to be welcome no matter what.

The Green Knights Mechwarriors, tankers, and infantrymen gathered in front of the Mobile HQ, where Lt. Lyons and Cadets Higgins and Windham had just finished setting up a projector display.

At the Colonel's gesture, the projector switched on, showing a map of the main Espian landmass.

Political Map

"This is the current political lay of the land," Gaius began. "As you can see, the deck is still very much stacked against us. Thanks to the Heavenly Sword's attack killing Governor Xiu and his inner circle, the last of the loyalist forces in Yuzhny Portveyn have fallen. The Espian Guards have moved a majority of their forces to secure the city, primarily now fighting with Heavenly Sword insurgents. Meanwhile, the Free People's Army have split the bulk of their forces into two smaller cells, one now operating in South Nui Awa, the other in Geum Haebyon. The cities of Nui Awa are the planet's major financial hubs, while Geum Haebyon is the largest industrial center. Because of this, you can expect the Espian Guards to dig in tight in both cities, while the FPA will do anything to break their hold."

The Colonel pointed out the new logos on the map, icons showing a drop of light blue water.

"These are the four main hubs of the Aqua Vitae Corporation, who control the desalination platforms that allow for anyone on this planet to have drinkable water. When Federov seized control of the government, he assumed the AVC would fall in line, but thanks to Director Jeong and a few of her like-minded board members, the company has yet to declare one way or another. If we can persuade a majority of the board that the Green Knights can be trusted more than the Crimson Fists should be feared, we have the potential for some massive financial and political influence."

Lastly, he highlighted the three logos of a red fist.

"These are the last sighted locations of the Crimson Fists," he said, a hint of a snarl in his voice. "While they are still operating as three separate Lances rather than concentrating as a whole Company, their movements are confined to a smaller and smaller area. To put it bluntly, they're closing in on us. If we don't move before they zero in on our location, they'll come at us all at once and wipe us out."

As gratifying as it was to have given the Crimson Fists a bloody nose during the supply raid, there was still the fact that the Knights were simply outnumbered at least two to one just in Battlemechs, and the Fists had an entire army at their disposal as well. Without a major change in the balance of power, a direct fight with the Crimson Fists was still near certain death.

"Fortunately," he continued, "Thanks to our visitor, we now have some vital intel that nobody in Federov's regime, Malenkov's command, or the Fists' company has. Ms Jeong?"

The Aqua Vitae board member approached the projector screen, acting as if she had always been part of these briefings. In truth, she had given so many business presentations over the course of her career that she could do them in her sleep, so a military presentation wasn't too much of a stretch for her.

"Thank you, Colonel Wayne," she said, careful to make sure she was addressing him by his proper rank, deferring to the fighting man when on his territory. "As the Colonel has already stated, the Aqua Vitae Corporation controls the largest commodity on Espia, that being fresh water. The Jeong family, however, has fortunes beyond that, having played a vital role in the planet's terraforming several centuries ago, and in the early mining operations that led to the discovery of Espia's neodymium deposits. Both of these ventures required a significant amount of infrastructure that became obsolete as soon as the air here was breathable."

"In particular," she said, making no effort to suppress a sly grin, "These early terraforming operations required a network of subterranean tunnels to transport heavy machinery across the continent. Tunnels big enough to move excavators, atmospheric processors, fleets of IndustrialMechs...or, say, a reinforced Lance of Battlemechs."

She mimicked Colonel Wayne's gesture to Lieutenant Lyons, who switched the projector screen to the next slide. It was the same map, but now crisscrossed with thick white lines.

Tunnels

"These are the tunnels used by the Star League Department of Mega-Engineering in the 2500s to settle Espia," she stated with pride, "Overseen by Executive Director Valten Jeong, one of my direct ancestors. After the Star League lost interest in this world, his grandson Dae-Sun Jeong founded Bari Gongju MetalWorks, expanding the tunnel networks for mining neodymium and other precious metals. In 2750, when the Capellan Confederation annexed Espia, BG MetalWorks was nationalized, and Michelle Jeong-Dulka bought into the Aqua Vitae Corporation. Thanks to House Liao's history of mismanagement, the MetalWorks quickly went under, but the Jeong family continued to make use of the tunnel network for mining and other business ventures, carefully editing public records over time to ensure their existence would become more or less a family secret."

She pointed out the white lines on the map, some interrupted by crack marks, and the red and green icons that punctuated each line.

"As I'm sure you can already surmise, the white lines represent a part of the tunnel network large enough to transport the Green Knights and all of your equipment. The green tunnel icons are entrances to the network that I know are still usable. The red tunnel icons, on the other hand, are no longer usable, destroyed by cave-ins or blocked by later construction. The crack marks are places where the tunnels have caved in, and will need to be cleared with demolition charges before they can be used."

"This will let us relocate without the risk of exposing ourselves to enemy fire," Colonel Wayne piped back in. "However, there's a risk of tipping our hand. If the enemy finds out about the tunnel networks, they'll start using them too."

As the Colonel stepped forward, Cassandra realized her portion in this presentation was over, and casually stepped to one side.

"The tunnel network is going to allow us not only to slip out from under the Crimson Fists, but will also allow us to conduct multiple operations at once."

Gaius gestured to Lyons, who again switched the projector to the next slide.

"Within 24 hours, we will use demolition charges to clear an entrance to the tunnel network and relocate. Our new location is in Sector J-13: an industrial scrap-yard known called 'Uncle Mack's.'"

The slide changed to an image of the scrap yard.

"Uncle Mack's is officially owned by Maxwell Metals, which in itself is owned by the AVC. Unofficially, 'Maxwell Metals' is comprised almost entirely of the Maxwell and Morozov families, two tribes of rather eccentric indig folks. In addition to a good 21 acres of spare parts and scrap metal, it also hosts a small team of Powerman and Loader King IndustrialMechs, meaning that it has fully functioning 'Mech bays, and that the seismic activity of our own 'Mechs moving about has a good chance of being mistaken for theirs."

"The Maxwells and Morozovs are both very welcoming families, as well," Cassandra added, "and have converted rather large portions of the old storage warehouses and the yard itself into living quarters. Do keep an eye open, however- not to perpetuate nasty stereotypes, but some of the Maxwell men have a habit of procuring new scrap in, shall we say, questionable ways."

"Thank you, Ms. Jeong," the Colonel said with a nod. "Strategically, Uncle Mack's scrap-yard is within easy access of both the cities of North Nui Awa and Geum Haebyon....as well as Fort Tie Shan. At this point a direct assault on the fort will still only get our people killed, but when the time comes, it will make for an easier extraction."

Nobody wanted to storm the fort more than the Colonel himself, but they had to find the right way to crack it first. Besides, there was more work to do on this planet.

"As our technicians and crew relocate to our new base of operations, you yourselves will deploy on three separate missions, which will go down concurrently."

The slide changed back to the world map, with three areas designated A, B, and C.

Mission 2 A, B, and C

"Mission Alpha: there is a large hydroelectric dam in Sector I-16, on the mouth of the Tie Shan River. This provides power to both cities of North and South Nui Awa. Comms chatter picked up by Ms. Jeong's employees, and corroborated by Lt. Lyons and Cadet Windham, suggest that elements of the Heavenly Sword are planning to attack this dam within the next 48 hours. If they succeed, not only will they cut off the power to both cities, but the destruction of the dam will cause a tidal wave that could kill countless civilians.

Task Force Alpha will consist of Family Man, Steel Rain, and Giggles, as well as Sergeant Dalton's infantry platoons. Our new associate Mr. McCord will also be joining you, as the dam is AVC property. The orders are to lay low until operatives of the Heavenly Sword are spotted, then drive them away by any means necessary. If reasonably doable, your secondary objective is to take at least one insurgent alive for questioning, but neutralizing the threat is far and away your primary objective. Collateral damage is to be kept to a minimum, so make your shots count."

Moving his pointer westward, he highlighted the 'B' icon.

"Mission Bravo: there is an information broker in North Nui Awa who goes by the alias 'Stiletto,' who we have reason to believe is working with the FPA. Between what Ms. Jeong has told us and what we've been able to decipher from intercepted comms chatter, Stiletto is embedded with Espian Guard soldiers, gets whatever intelligence they can from them, then sells the intel to FPA operatives. Their most recent whereabouts are a dive bar in the far end of the city called the Diamond in the Rough.

Task Force Bravo will consist of Ramrod, Wyatt, and a fireteam from Sgt. Dalton's platoon. Your objective will be to identify and contact Stiletto, see what sort of intel they can give us regarding our enemies, and if they can get us in contact with the FPA. We have a small nest-egg of C-Bills we can access if Stiletto wants cash, but you are not to give away intel regarding the Green Knights. This bar is frequented by Espian Guard soldiers, so be on your guard. If things get hairy, Dalton's fireteam will pull you out."

The pointer then moved far north, near the top of the map.

"Mission Charlie: the spaceport near the capital city of Balya Gora has been under the control of the NPDRE, but some transmissions indicate at least one DropShip has arrived from off-world since the coup. It is very likely that whoever the Crimson Fists are working for, they're also providing new hardware for the Espian Guards. We need to know what is coming off of that ship, and who is sending it to them.

"Task Force Charlie will consist of Alley Cat and Desperado. The Raven can scout out the spaceport at range, with the Phoenix Hawk providing cover if needed. If a full scan of the spaceport proves not possible from a distance, or there is no approach without giving away your position, ditch the 'Mechs somewhere safe and approach on foot. Your priorities are to get sensor scans, photographs, captured documents, anything to give us an idea of who is supplying Federov and his cronies, and what they're sending against us. This is strictly reconnaissance, so do not engage the enemy unless absolutely necessary."

The slides ended, and the Colonel stood before his Knights.

"These missions have a lot of moving parts, and I need to know you're up to the job. If you've got questions or concerns, I want to hear them now."

DC Comics Roleplay: Fall of Justice

Superheroes will literally fight intergalactic warlords before admitting they should go to therapy, let alone actually go to therapy.

@Lord Wraith

Isn't that basically Batman's entire career?

DC Comics Roleplay: Fall of Justice

All around me is wreckage and death.

The air is choked with smoke and dust, heavy with the roar of fresh flames, the wail of sirens too far away, and the screams and cries of the dying.

_{"Momma, you've gotta get up!"} I hear a young girl cry as she pushes at the body of her mother, the older woman's glazed-over eyes staring vacantly into nothing. _{"Please get up! Why won't anybody get uuuup?"}

My ears pound from the hammering thrum of my own pulse. One eye is swolen shut, my nose is a ruin, and my mouth is filled with the copper taste of blood.

My left arm hangs uselessly by my side, broken in three places. It may be easier to count which of my ribs are not broken or cracked, grinding against each other and sending bolts of white-hot pain throughout my body with every breath.

To even stand is agony.

But I've done it. I've beaten him. I've won.

My right arm holds the Sword of Athena, and its point is at the throat of the alien monster Despero.

"...stop....wait...I..." he sputters in between ragged breaths, his enormous frame oozing deep purple ichor from slashes across his torso and deep into his arms and legs.

The brute's power is unbelievable, possibly greater even than that of Superman himself. Even fighting as one, the Justice League could not contain his might.

For a few moments, he had managed to split me away from the group, perhaps hoping to kill me in single combat before doing the same to the others. Despero's strength was unreal, his technique formidable, and his strategy sound. But for just a moment, the gods smiled upon me, and I managed to turn the tide.

A desperate counter which cost me the use of my arm allowed me an opening, and I took full advantage, carving into him with my blade. Muscles split and tendons gave way, taking away Despero's ability to fight, to stand. A slash across his third eye took his psychic powers.

Now, all I have to do is bring the tip of my sword forward another two inches to pierce his throat, and this madness ends.

Just two inches.

Despero looks up at me, and with his two remaining eyes I see something that hadn't been there before, that perhaps had never been there: fear.

"...p-please..." he begs.

My lifetime among the Amazons tells me the course is clear. Despero is a monster, a butcher of the innocent. To let him live would jeopardize the lives of everyone in this world.

And yet, I cannot bring the point to bear.

My time among the heroes of the world of Man has changed me. The Justice League preserve and protect life; they do not dole out judgment and death even against their enemies. We fight the forces of evil, but we will not be their executioners.

"Yield....now," I order him, the tip of my sword drifting away from his throat. "You will face justice for your crimes, on this world and the others. But I will grant you this mercy. You will leave this world, and never return. Whatever fate awaits you, yield now, and face your justice with honor."

Despero places his hands up in submission. "I....I yield...."

I can choose victory now. I can choose to end this madness.

I instead take the road that Kal, Bruce, and the others would choose.

I choose mercy.

I choose justice.

My sword lowers....

....and only too late, I see his wounds knitting shut, his third eye restored, and a cruel smile split his face.

"I yield....to NO ONE!!!!" Despero roars, sending me reeling with a powerful psychic blast.

I tumble end over end, head and limbs smashing against ground and rubble, before finally I come to a halt half-buried in the wreckage of an apartment building.

My head is in a daze, as I hear Despero's triumphant laughter.

"That is for your 'mercy!'" he mocks as he rains down blows upon me. "That is for your 'justice!'"

Finally, he picks up my limp form and slams me into the pavement.

For a moment, I look to where the young girl and her mother had been. All that remains there is a pile of debris, and a dark red smear.

My vision blurs, and I hear the battle rage anew as the other members of the League rush to take my place.

I try to join them, but my strength gives out...

...and darkness takes me.

---

I wake up in a cold sweat.

"Hnnnnh," Steve stirs in his sleep as I rise from our bed. The chaos and horror of that day fade as I regain my bearings. "Something wrong, Di?"

"Just...having trouble sleeping," I say, trying to ease his worry as I head toward the bathroom and turn on a cold shower.

"Bad dreams again?"

I don't answer.

Four years have gone by.

I am in the penthouse suite of the Themysciran embassy in Washington, D.C.

The threat of Despero has long passed.

The wonderous work of Amazonian healers had restored in days wounds that should have taken years to mend. Even so, I am scarred.

I shower to shake off the nightmare, wash myself as clean as I can. Still, I feel stained inside.

Steve says I beat myself up too much for what happened. None of the League placed the blame for the deaths of innocents on my failure. My sisters called the defeat of Despero a great victory, regardless of the cost. Even when I told my mother I was unworthy of bearing the title of the Amazons' champion, she claimed I bore no shame.

Despite their praise and their platitudes, I know what truly happened that day. I chose the high road, and countless died because of it.

After a few minutes, I step out of the shower and dry myself off. Coming back into the bedroom, I see that Steve is seated at the foot of the bed, the sleep gone from his eyes, but not the concern.

"Di, we've been through this," he begins, gently but with certainty. "There's nothing wrong with seeking counseling. Etta's offer still stands, and I think-"

"Steve," I interrupt him, "I thank you...but I doubt my issues can be resolved with a few sessions of talk therapy."

"Then maybe some action can take your mind off of things?" he says with a grin.

"I'm really not in the mood for--"

"I meant combat action," Steve chuckles. "There's an ARGUS operation in south Rhelaysia going down in the next twelve hours. They're targeting a guerilla group that they believe has ties to Kobra. Intel says the operation is feeding a chop-doc, an underground surgeon who experiments on trafficked victims to turn them into metahuman soldiers."

"Immoral human experimentation, weaponized metahumans," I say with a touch of scorn. "Is that not what ARGUS is known for?"

"What they were known for," Steve says defensively. "You and I can keep them honest now."

"Of course," I say, only half-convinced. In truth, we had both labored hard over the years to help turn the metahuman response team into something more noble, rather than another shadowy organization for mad scientists and warmongers. Sometimes I wonder if we have made any real progress, but to discredit Steve's efforts would be to dishonor him.

"Anyway," he says, "Officially, this op is top-secret, and me telling a foreign diplomat about an ongoing military operation is a compromise of national security tantamount to treason. Unoffficially, if Wonder Woman just happens to arrive in a situation with lives in danger, well, that's just a superhero doing what superheroes do. How about instead of staying up all night beating yourself up, you take it out on some truly bad guys?"

I look to the far corner of the room, to the rack where my armor and weapons are placed both for display and for easy access.

"Truly bad?" I say, raising an eyebrow.

"The worst," Steve answers, knowing he has my attention. "These people kidnap women and children, do terrible things to them, then cut them up to see if they can make living weapons for Kobra. You want to cut loose a little? This one's guilt-free."

I'm sure if Kal or Bruce were here, they would have some harsh words to say, some high-minded idealistic lecture to prevent me from indulging in the darker parts of our nature.

But Kal and Bruce aren't here.

And we already saw where high-minded ideals got us.

"We will take the jet," I say as I head towards the armory rack. "Give me a moment to get changed."

---

The next few hours are spent in a blur.

The chatter of machine guns.

The pained groans of foes as they fall before me.

The shock of impact up my arm as my fist smashes into an armored tank.

The elation of rescuing victims who are still alive.

The cold fury of finding those who are not.

The fire of vindication as I wreak vengeance for the dead upon their killers.

The electric thrill of Steve Trevor's kiss as I take him in the back of the invisible jet.

Needless to say, my blood is up when I hear a whistle, and recognize the call of Hephaestus.

---

"Diana. We seem to have a disagreement here. Please straighten this gentleman out."

@Hound55

"Watch your tone, Hephaestus," I say with a fair amount of indignance. "I am no hireling to act at your beck and call. And I am in no mood for nonsense."

"Hey, I'm just asking you to help me de-escalate a situation here," the deformed weapon-smith says, putting his hands up in mock innocence. "And I was just thinkin you might be willing to do me a solid since, y'know, I made pretty much your whole kit--"

"I seem to recall more than one of my enemies wielding weapons that bear your signature as well," I glare at him. "Still, I will speak with this visitor. If his reasons for coming here are more just than yours for calling upon me, then you and I will have words."

Hephaestus backs away, knowing better than to prod at me too much. Then I turn to see his visitor.

The first glance tells me he has a similar arsenal of divine weapons, though they appear to be of Roman make rather than Greek. He wears the garb of a centurion, a worshipper of Mars. The Roman iteration of Ares.

Given my past experiences with Ares and his various incarnations, challenging me to a fight would be a spectacularly poor decision, even were I in a better humor.

"Now then," I address the stranger, my left hand resting on the Lasso at my hip, my right hand slowly reaching for the pommel of my sword, "I would recommend you explain your reason for being here, and I would very strongly advise you speak only the truth."

Mechwarrior: Disposable Heroes

Nearly two hours passed as Colonel Wayne and the enigmatic Cassandra Jeong spoke in the Mobile HQ. An air of uncertainty hung over the Green Knights' camp, as everyone awaited to see what decision the Colonel would make.

Eventually the Colonel emerged, his face still as hard as granite. Cassandra followed after, barely revealing a satisfied grin.

"Green Knights, listen up!" Gaius bellowed. "I want everyone to begin preparations to mobilize. And make sure you include a breathing mask in your gear; this place is going to get very dusty, very fast. Chief?"

Deck Chief Solomon Aadil perked his head up. "Sir?"

"I want an inventory of the munitions captured in the supply raid that are not compatible with our 'Mechs. Anything that doesn't fit into one of our missile racks or cannons, I want disassembled, and the warheads converted for blasting charges."

Without even taking the time to register the near insanity of that sentence, Chief Aadil nodded and set about shouting to the crew. "You heard the man! One way or another we're making some holes with this shit! Now move!"

As the technicians scurried about to their tasks, the Colonel called out to his combat assets.

"Mechwarriors! Sergeant Dalton! Chief Techs! Mission briefings begin in ten minutes! That's missions, plural! We're about to get very busy."

DC Comics Roleplay: Fall of Justice

W O N D E R W O M A N
W O N D E R W O M A N

^{"If loss makes you doubt your belief in justice, then you never really believed in it at all."}

C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y C H A R A C T E R S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ Princess Diana of Themyscira _________________________________________________________ Amazon / Demigoddess | Princess of the Amazons, Protector of Humanity _________________________________________________________ Themyscira | Sovereign City-State | Mediterranean Ocean C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S _________________________________________________________ [+] - P O W E R S A N D A B I L I T I E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ►Superhuman Physiology: As a demigoddess, Diana wields tremendous physical strength, speed, and durability, easily able to bend steel in her hands, lift dozens of tons overhead, dodge or deflect bullets effortlessly, and survive impacts from nearly all conventional weapons. ►Divine Weaponry: Diana's abilities are enhanced further by her arsenal of weapons and armor forged by the gods themselves. Her trademark weapon is the Lasso of Hestia, an unbreakable rope that compels those bound by it to speak only the truth. Recently, however, she has relied more on the Sword of Athena, a blade sharp enough to cut the skin of a Kryptonian, and the Aegis, the indestructible shield of Zeus. In addition, she wears Bracelets of Submission, a symbol of her servitude to humanity, which can deflect all but the most powerful of blows. ►Amazonian Training: Having been raised among a race of elite warriors, Diana is a master of combat. Combined with her innate abilities and magical weapons, Wonder Woman is nearly unbeatable in single combat, but she is just as adept at coordination and strategy. Her expertise reaches far beyond the bounds of warfare, as she is also a masterful diplomat and negotiator, as well as an expert in antiquities, arcana, and history. A L L I E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ►Steve Trevor: A former Navy SEAL and current agent of the counter-metahuman task force ARGUS, Steve Trevor was the first outsider Diana had ever met. Having crash-landed on Themyscira years ago, he was the one who convinced the Amazons to send an emissary to Man's World. Since then, Trevor has been Diana's most steadfast ally, most trusted friend, and on-and-off lover. ►Donna Troy: A younger clone of Diana made by the villainous sorceress Circe, Donna was originally created to kill Diana and take her place as Wonder Woman. However, over time, the real Wonder Woman was able to break her of Circe's control and help her choose her own destiny. Still distrusted by many as a former "evil doppelganger," Donna tends to avoid other superhumans unless absolutely necessary. ►Cassie Sandsmark: Diana's teenage protégée, Cassie was an unassuming high-schooler until learning that she was the last living direct-bloodline descendant of Zeus. She has only recently begun discovering her own divine abilities, and Diana has taken her under her wing to protect and train. While Diana has strictly forbidden engaging in heroics until her training is complete, Cassie has on multiple occasions disobeyed her mentor to save lives and fight evil as 'Wonder Girl.' - P O S T C A T A L O G P O S T C A T A L O G _________________________________________________________ [+] - P O S T C A T A L O G ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ -

C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T C H A R A C T E R C O N C E P T ________________________________________________________________________________________ For thousands of years, the Amazons of Themyscira thrived in peaceful isolation, until a stranger washed ashore on their island. An outsider, a soldier named Steve Trevor, had crashed his plane on a vital mission to save innocent lives. To learn how much the world of men had changed in their exile, the Amazons chose to send a champion and emissary to return Trevor to his home. A contest was held to see who would be their champion, and much to the shock and surprise of the Queen Hippolyta, the winner was none other than her daughter Diana, who had entered the contest against her mother's wishes. Having proved herself worthy of the task, Diana was granted weapons forged by the gods, vowing to protect not just the Amazons, but all of humanity, from the forces of evil. Upon arriving in Man's World, she was dubbed 'Wonder Woman,' and was surprised to find herself just one of many costumed champions of good. For several years, Diana fought the good fight, joining forces with the alien Superman, the vigilante Batman, and many others to form the Justice League, in the hopes of being a guiding light for all in dark times. She won victory after victory, defeating the forces of the sinister war-god Ares, the bestial Cheetah, the brutish Giganta, the diabolical sorceress Circe, and even her own magical clone Donna Troy, eventually helping her duplicate redeem herself and become a hero in her own right. These victories, however, would amount to precious little when the alien conqueror Despero came to Earth. Wonder Woman was one of the first to engage the brute, and initially had him defeated, offering to spare his life if he left the people of Earth alone. Despero would take advantage of this momentary act of mercy to blindside Diana, leaving her nearly crippled and out of the fight, helpless to watch as thousands died in the ensuing battle. Blaming herself for Despero's rampage, Diana has spent the past four years pushing herself harder than ever. Even as she exhausts herself trying to make up for the blood she believes to be on her hands, she now finds herself questioning the mercy that Despero had exploited, and has begun to wonder if humanity truly needs another 'hero,' or if what it really needs in these times is a warrior. This version of Wonder Woman has been operating as a superhero nearly as long as Bruce and Clark, and given the weirdly timeless nature of Themyscira, has probably been training and studying for far longer. In terms of her powers, she's roughly on par with her movie counterpart, strong enough and fast enough that she can perform incredible feats, but still has to rely on her skills and her weapons to contend with the real heavy hitters. Ever since the dissolution of the Justice League, she has kept fellow heroes at arms' length, even ones she had once considered dear friends. She has been in a crisis of confidence since then, wondering if the high-minded idealism of the League was ever a good idea. This is an especially precarious point, as she's now also responsible for the impressionable young Cassie, and has to decide what kind of lessons she is going to teach her protégée. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) ________________________________________________________________________________________ Wonder Woman is a character that I feel suffers in a solo setting, since no two writers can ever seem to agree on the finer points of her mythos or her supporting cast. Because of that, I want to make her a roaming character, able to wander in and out of events with other players and play off of them. I also think that given the nature of this game's premise, Diana is probably the best character DC has to play around with the relationship between superheroes and death. Like, we know Batman is never going to kill the Joker, so it feels almost like a waste of time when they bring it up. People get up in arms for years when Superman puts down a genocidal maniac in a movie, to the point where it's haunted the character for nearly a decade now. It's been hard-etched in stone that Batman doesn't kill, and Superman shouldn't kill. But Wonder Woman? She just might. And what's more, she might be completely right to do so. While I have no intention of turning Diana into a bloodthirsty warmonger (she's an Amazon, not a Klingon), I think she's the right character to explore the concept of powerful people having the power of life and death, and can make a persuasive argument for either side without coming off as a preachy, meta-aware lecture.

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DC Comics Roleplay: Fall of Justice

IC is up, woo!

Also, my Diana app is at the 3-day mark. Any word on that?

DC Comics Roleplay: Fall of Justice

"A day? I'm living that boxing life."

@Master Bruce

Plot twist: MB was actually applying for Ted Grant the whole time.