The HHL
Golem - A-Lister. Transformed, experimental drug to solve a degenerative disease, turned him into a walking powerhouse. (Reed Richards as the Thing)
(Kid Kool’s person)
(Roy’s Mentor)
The Magus, or, in this incarnation, “The Silver Sorcerer” … “Because I’m a silver fox.” Support role. “I mean, Gandalf sits around and smokes a lot – how do I specialize in that.” Also occasionally performs with his band, Electric Wizard. (Christopher Lee, but not terrifying)
Powertronic … A-Lister in presentation, but not taken that seriously by the team.
Sigrun the Valkyrie - (flying brick Bull) … (Wonder Woman from Justice League: War) … very popular with paparazzi.
Black Bird (flying brick Protege/Beacon)
(Notes on folk from Whither the HHL? and HHL Rumors [Background] [Prep], though these are from the Last Game’s Universe)
We’re Goin’ to a Party!
Once he regained consciousness, Roddy was pretty chuffed for not missing his invite to Powertronic’s shindig.
Powertronic’s invite: “Come hang out … tour … might be a thing going on there that day … taste of your destiny …”
Masks-616 #11 - "When Comes ... the Tomb Patrol!"
Roddy gets simultaneous messages from Powertronic and Joe.
“How many people are coming on Saturday?”
“Six.”
The group. Plus Gothwitch. To whom he wants to show off.
R - Hey, Joe! Powertronic says to come over. There will be canapes. See ya Saturday!So intermingled threads of conversation.
J - What are you talking about I am talking about Arizella at lunch??!!
R - CANAPES!!!
Encouraging everyone to spruce up … in uniform!
K - Why do we have to wear a uniform?
J - (deadpan) In case we have to jump into action.
Costume Time!
Friday night … showing off our “official” costumes.
Kiln - Had heard from Alex the need to put together super-uniform, identifiable attire. Haven’t gotten to that unit in Home Ec yet. Normal outfit, swapping out the red PA bootleg t-shirt of “K-CHOW!”, the motto of the car-themed speedster.
Alex - Dark hoody.
Mette - Jillian has been influencing her - combo of karate gi, with a lycra yoga outfit beneath.
Joe - Form-fitting athletic / biking shorts in the PA orange/gray-brown colors, with TOMB up one leg and PATROL down the other.
Roddy - Classic superhero body suit, plus a domino face mask. TOMB and PATROL along the sides.
To a Deluxe Hero HQ in the Sky!
Image of slow motion walk through the lobby …
Powertronic is definitely hanging there, chatting with the security guard, sees us, goes over to Roddy, big smiles … “Phoenix Academy … in the house! Right on time! Sync, introduce me to everybody …”
Smooth and slick and mirror shades and finger guns …
Joey stumbles over his own name.
P - Hey, Pilates! What’s your name? Excellent, well-met, Mette!
P - serious hesitation with Kiln. “Love it – you’re kilning me with that shirt.”
P - What happened to 6? I remember 6! [Gothwitch]
R - 6 had a thing.
Alex assesses the sitch. ==> 10!
(No, you can’t End This Quickly)
Seems kind of weird. Weird vibe.
- What can I use to hack in? – Lots of hardlines. Security desk. Elevators. Set up to be touchless. (Will target elevator)
- What is in the greatest danger? – Lots of folk in the lobby are only disguised as visitors. Expecting shit to go down. Makes out a squad of AEGIS covert response team in the lobby.
Unleash Powers ==> 9!
Roddy is distracting Powertronic with incessant chatter (Team). “So, is Blackbird going to be here?” (Rumors of them dating, then not.) “Might be, might be. She’s usually very busy. Very complicated woman. Talented. Professional.” … [interview mode]" … changing it to a 10! - Extending sense … there is somebody in custody in the building … and not sure they will keep them if there’s a concerted break-out attempt.
When doors open … “… and she’s surprisingly good at kickball.”
Gives the quick subject-changing tour.
- P - Food first? Or tour of all the cool stuff?
- R - Tour of the cool stuff!
- J - (finger raised, mouth open)
- K, M - (gazing longingly at the buffet table) (“But the chicken tendies …”)
It’s kind of Open House day. Guest room floor, “Skid Row” ha ha ha. One room with en suite bathroom. Cafeteria, dining hall … this floor, the gyms, plural! Gotta love plural! Basketball / handball / convertable floor. Workout gym – stuff from floors, ceiling, weight room, cardio area, rooftop track, 11 laps to the mile … oh, and this!
The tribunal / board room. Not a horse shoe, comes to a point, because no head chair. Huge windows with fantastic view. Wanna sit in a big chair?
Roddy is already making a bee line. Mette is checking out the mechanics. Joe finds chairs that will fit him?
P - Don’t worry, it’ll adjust … Golem sits in here, Mighty Boulder, St George used to.
J - (sit gingerly)
And then things go terribly, terribly wrong …
Kiln - (people coming up hallway, hushed tones, definitely not a casual tour during a party; two women, low, heated, tense conversation, 120 steps / minute; one a corporate executive voice, one a warrior that calls people to arms – Black Bird and Sigrun)
Unleash Powers to make out what they’re saying … ==> 3!
In their day, Kiln’s knighthood object of devotion was … Brava, their sword brother, went through training, were out in the field together until he was lost.
And when they glance down the hallway, Black Bird is so projecting the sense of Brava … attitude, the gestures – it’s a huge shock, and drives home how far from home they are. → Hopeless.
They’re enmeshed enough in conversation, don’t realize they’re there. “Status,” Sigrun snaps off – displays pop up at seated chairs, windows polarize …
Alex - slapping passive devices under chairs, more break-ins.
Roddy - (HUD comes up … only for a second. Shot of a holding cell. ) (Gothwitch (Tiffani) … “She had a thing” … looking terrified) (Expression on his face … about to do something … precipitous …
A - (Seeing this, too)
S - (sees us. “Display OFF.” On Powertronic. “What is going on?”
BB - (moving to one of the chairs.
Joe - (didn’t see anything on the screen except a brief blip … satellite view of the city, maybe? But Roddy’s face … “Rod-um-Sync?”
Mette, 21st C Studies ==> 7! (+1 to act on forward)
- What does the future know about this moment?
This is … the moment where … the Preeminent Superhero Organization of Halcyon City is … canceled. - What here is in the greatest danger?
Roddy, the person who caused this calamitous fall from power, dies.
Roddy - “Oh, shit, Tiffani!” (Is that Tiffani? In a cell? That’s an HHL cell … glances at 3 adults.) “Why the hell is Tiffani in one of your cells?”
And then things get worse …
Sigrun looking lightning bolts at Powertronic.
P - (glances at us, back at S, double-takes to Roddy … “Who?”
BB - (absolutely knows who “Tiffani” is.
S - (not listening to Roddy.
BB - (typing even faster on the table interface, annoyed and tense.
A - (She’s going through the motions for a full building lockdown and pulling up the intercom.
A - (ping support@aegis.gov, the local folk: shit is happening.
R - (knows where the holding cells are, because he is a True Fan) (Goes there … Unleash Powers ==> 13!
- As soon as he’s up and out of the chair, slides UNDER the table, running … BB gets up, backward elbow-check, Roddy skids under on one knee then keeps running, anticipates all her moves and dodges on off chance she does them. “That didn’t work on Red Hunter, it won’t work on me!”
A - (Was going to keep the doors from closing)
BB - (Two more steps, then turns back to table)
Mette, Joe, Kiln … Alex is being ignored
S - (Becoming aware of us hedgehogs
J - (Defend Roddy, smash the keyboard right in front of BB ==> 11
Keep them safe. My guilt is cleared.
S - (Now aware of us hedgehogs.
P - (Jump. Shrieks like a girl.
M - (Was getting up when Roddy was first in danger … runs to follow him, while kicking her chair over at S. Unleash Powers ==> 1!
Enough is Enough
Sigrun - ENOUGH! (over two panels. eyes glow red, just like the lettering)
(She has influence over us – Mette: Condition: Afraid!
You children are interfering with the greater works of your better. You will sit down and be silent, like the infants you are, or consequences will become blazingly clear.
(Everyone! +Mundane, -Danger)
- Alex (sure, whatever)
- Joe (impressing Mette) ==> 7! - +Danger, -Mundane – Getting bigger, too.
- Kiln (nope! ==> 7! shakes head … +Freak, -Mundane, as that magical glow kicks in …
Powertronic - Backs away from Sigrun, out of LoS.
- Roddy - (bounding parkour down the stairwell, counting floors as he goes …
End of Session
- Sync - Closer to the team (everyone has my back, esp. Joe!) → +Savior, -Freak (can’t -Mundane)
- Roddy - Closer (Roddy, hero!) → +Soldier, -Savior
- Joe - Closer (Roddy, hero!) → -Danger, +Freak (can’t drop Mundane)
- Mette - Closer (Roddy, hero!) → -Mundane, +Freak
- Kiln - Closer (Roddy, there for him) → +Modern, -Danger
Roddy gets an advance, too. Permareject Influence from Powertronic!