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[Begin a Session: Flashback reveals an aspect of another character, place, or faction]
Plot Thread: Coup at the Academy
Oracle: Evade Superstition
One year ago.
Aiden Bell enjoys the quiet of the Academy around midnight. The new students are settled in at the dorms. Days earlier, they had attended a speech from one of the Victory Vanguard founders, Master Destiny. Bell had chatted briefly with the seemingly immortal man, elderly during World War II and looking unchanged in 2024. Master Destiny mentioned how the Book of Destiny became lost inside the Academy during The Whisper’s siege of the grounds in the late 1970s. Master D had also mentioned rumors of a secret arcane library that had grown organically but is said to only be visible to those it wishes to find it.
Had Headmaster Bell seen anything fitting the bill, Master Destiny wondered aloud. The conversation lulled soon after, and the veteran hero was off. To where? No one quite knows. He hadn’t been seen since, but when he was needed, the Master would return. In the meantime, Bell becomes obsessed with the location of the arcane library, and through a series of panels, we see him studying in secret in his hidden laboratory in the sub-basement.
One late night, he strikes across a ritual to open a person’s eyes to magically concealed thresholds. Bell finds where he suspects the entryway would be and slices his own arm, letting the blood drip onto the carpet and smearing it. Very slowly, the outline of a door appears, and after a few minutes, a large mahogany door with a gargoyle carving prominent placed is visible. Bell knocks on the door three times, and it opens up. Within is a vast library, and in the center of it all, on a glass-covered pedestal, is The Book of Destiny.
Plot Thread: Coup at the Academy
Fulfill a Vow: Battle with Cortex – [Weak Hit: 5 + 9 + 0 = 10 vs 10 | 1]
Cortex has escaped the grounds; her whereabouts are currently unknown. The way Euphoria tells it to Kismet, Cortex had pierced his chest with a tentacle, and then a bright light filled the hangar. When it receded, a sizeable metallic cocoon floated in place of where the young hero and the villain stood. Silver Sentry had been able to scan the structure and determined that Kismet was within and alive. He and Nano worked together and hacked the cocoon into opening up. That’s when they found Kismet with his right arm missing, replaced by liquid metal.
Panthra has notified Exemplar and the rest of the Victory Force that Cortex is on the loose. The VF was en route to the center of Forge City, where the large red-skinned alien was continuing to create havoc.
Sojourn – [Miss: 3 + 3 + 0 = 6 vs 7 | 10]
[Pay the Price: You are delayed or put at a disadvantage]
Kismet is badly injured and can barely walk. Using a wheelchair, he makes his way to the Academy’s infirmary only to find no one there. It seems most of the faculty and some of the student body have left campus to fight the alien attacker in downtown Forge City. Euphoria has joined them; her emotion-manipulating power will likely come in handy against the foe.
Kismet attempts to administer pain meds and antibiotics himself, fumbling around the medical supplies to find what he needs.
Heal w/Wits – [Weak Hit: 1 + 2 + 0 = 3 vs 1 | 5] – Lose -2 Momentum
Kismet successfully injects himself, but the drowsiness caused by the meds, plus his own fatigue, causes him to pass out. He sits in the wheelchair, staring at the strange liquid metal arm where his own used to be, realizing he can increase or decrease its density. Things blur, get dark, and sleep hits.
“What in the hell happened here?”
Kismet’s eyelids flutter, and he sees a dark, blurry shape before him. A few moments later, he sees an irate Headmaster Bell. Kismet is still in the infirmary, where he passed out. The Headmaster glares, waiting for Kismet’s response.
“We found your secret laboratory, Bell,” Kismet growls. “And the plans to hand us students over to the police? That plan leaked, too. You’re done for Bell. You might as well pack your bags and leave before everyone returns.”
Oracle Question: How does Bell react? Overwhelm Fear
“That’s impossible!” Bell demands. “The Book…it said…” He glares at Kismet. “Where is she?”
“I assume you’re talking about Cortex?” Kismet responds. He raises his liquid metal arm. “She bolted somehow and left behind a souvenir.”
Bell’s eyes widen. He seems to realize something as a result of Cortex being free. “You’ve already done it, haven’t you? You’ve changed things when you linked up with her!”
Kismet isn’t sure how Bell could know this. “I did get pinballed through time when we linked consciousnesses. But I don’t see how you would know anything about that. You weren’t here.”
Bell grins. “I found the Book…the Book of Destiny. I saw what was going to happen and made sure it didn’t. My other…self caught her in the Quantum Zone and…that means you’ve already set things in motion to become who it is you’ll become.”
Kismet felt a shiver up his spine. He’d never spoken much with Headmaster Bell, and suddenly, he felt that the school leader knew way too much about him. And the Book of Destiny? That thing was lost to history. How did Bell find it? What else did he know?
Kismet feels the chrono-particles crackling through his nerves. He’s definitely not rested enough yet to make any jumps, but he’s not beyond a light show to try and intimidate Bell into backing off.
Compel w/Iron – [Weak Hit: 1 + 2 + 0 = 3 vs 8 | 2] – Gain +1 Momentum, Must accept counteroffer
“Calm down, kid,” Bell says, playing it nonchalantly as Kismet’s crackling fist quiets. “I would think someone who is fucking around with time as casually as you are would be asking for a look at the Book of Destiny. Why don’t we go check it out, eh? I’m curious to see what your meddling has done to it.”
Kismet doesn’t want to let Bell out of his sights until everyone returns, but he knows this man will kill him given the chance. He’ll just have to stall for time. Kismet nods, and Bell wheels him back to the elevator and the hallway where the hidden door appeared.
Interlude: Plot Thread: Alien Tech Aftermath
Incognito has made herself look like a Forge City PD officer – middle-aged, belly over the belt, walrus mustache. She listens to their tactical conversation working with the U.S. military forces still stationed in Forge City. She masterfully backs away, no one really noticing, and slips into an alleyway, shifting back to her standard form and reconnecting with Panthra, Grail, and the other Academy people. In the distance, explosions can be heard as other heroes directly engage with the attacker.
Oracle: Obscured Fleet
Incognito explains that satellite reconnaissance has picked up a hidden ship on the moon’s dark side. The previous evening, an object had launched from there and crashed in the outskirts of Forge City. Silver Sentry reasons that if he can somehow uplink his AI mind to the attacker’s ship, they’ll likely determine how to defeat him. That’s easier said than done. Grail helps with her mystic lance to boost the android’s range. Nano uses her knowledge of the attack fleet and its ships to help encrypt the security systems.
Oracle Question: Can Silver Sentry connect with the alien ship? Odds: Almost Certain. [Ask the Oracle: Yes]
“Contact!” shouts Sentry as his mind merges with the ship’s network.
Back to: Coup at the Academy
Kismet wheels himself into the large arcane library, a massive structure hidden in a pocket dimension with a gateway in the Academy. He wonders what other books are here, who built this thing, and why connect it to the Academy? Those questions remain unanswered as Headmaster Bell points out the Book on a pedestal under glass.
“There she is,” he begins. “Do you think her pages have been rewritten since you and Cortex had your little jaunt? Can it even be rewritten? Maybe everything you attempted was for nothing. The universe, she sets herself back on the right course despite interference.”
Kismet thinks about this, too. If his actions could alter something as powerful as the Book of Destiny, he has begun to frighten himself. Bell removes the glass case, gently placing it on a nearby table. He then takes the Book of Destiny down and sets it in front of Kismet.
Kismet reminds Bell that he’s never seen the Book of Destiny. It makes more sense for Bell to find the relevant passages to see if they have changed. He’s hoping the Headmaster will see the logic in this, and Kismet can wheel himself away from the Book, worried about what will happen if he’s close to it.
Secure an Advantage w/Shadow – [Strong Hit: 6 + 1 + 0 = 7 vs 2 | 5] – +2 Momentum and +1 on the next roll
Bell takes this and realizes the kid is right. Kismet wants to know what is going to happen before it does. He focuses his mind, though he knows this will push him to the brink. He wants to peer ahead just a few minutes.
Time Travel – Take -1 Spirit
Gather Information – [Weak Hit: 5 + 2 + 1 = 8 vs 5 | 9] – Take +2 Momentum
Oracle: Remove Protection
Kismet is shocked that when he peers a few minutes into the future, he gets flashes of images of powerful entities protecting the arcane library. They obscure his ability a bit. Instead, Kismet feels that things will be okay, but they will get more intense, and unknown threats will rise from what they see in the Book.
Bell cracks open the Book of Destiny and…
Oracle: Protected Faction
Bell reads for a moment. His face drops. Kismet manages to peer over his shoulder to see what is happening. The page has a drawing of Silver Sentry in front of an army of people—robots and androids. Sentry is lifting Captain Quantum off the ground by the throat. Aiden Bell’s alter ego looks lifeless in the drawing.
“What did you do?!” Bell screams. “What did you change? This wasn’t here before!” He swings around, fury in his eyes, ready to attack. Kismet rolls forward, shifts the wheelchair brake into the locked position, and feels himself flying from the seat towards Bell.
Battle w/Heart – [Strong Hit: 1 + 3 + 0 = 4 vs 1 | 2] – Take +2 Momentum
Kismet feels his liquid metal fist increase in density and slugs Bell across the chin before the Headmaster can react. Bell staggers back, but the weight of the punch sends him to the ground unconscious. Kismet feels his legs giving out underneath him, and he hits the carpeted floor of the arcane library hard. It takes a few moments for him to catch his breath. He has to leave this place before the doorway becomes hidden again; he’s certainly not waiting for Bell to wake up.
[Mark Progress: Coup at the Academy :2 boxes]
Face Danger w/Iron – Burn Momentum – [Weak Hit: 5 + 2 + 0 = 10 vs 10 | 8]
Kismet pushes himself despite the pain screaming through his body, using the liquid metal hand to get a firm grip and pull his body towards the doorway. It takes a lot out of him.
Suffer Harm – Take -1 Health
Kismet goes through the doors, slamming them shut behind him. He’s slumped against the wall across from the doors and, minutes later, watches them fade from view. Is the threat of Headmaster Bell finally over?
Fulfill Vow – Coup at the Academy – [Miss: w/a Match 2 + 2 + 0 = 4 vs 6 | 6]
Aiden Bell wakes up in the arcane library and finds the doors have also vanished on his side. He chants the incantation he learned to open them from the Academy side, but nothing happens. Bell staggers deeper into the library than he has ever gone before. The stacks seem to go on forever, an impossibility made manifest.
Oracle: Alien Being
There are voices and the sounds of footsteps. Bell ducks behind a shelf and watches five robed figures move past him. He follows along, using the shelves as cover. They come to a pair of large iron doors and put their weight into them, pushing them open. Bell skillfully slips across the way and peers inside. A horned figure Bell is unfamiliar with sits on a stone throne at the center of the room. The robed figures bow before the person. The being’s eyes flare with a green light, and it looks directly at Bell, who realizes he can no longer move.
“Ah,” it says with a voice that seems to shake the foundations of reality. “We have an interloper. We’ll make use of you.”
A force pulls Bell into the room, and the iron doors slam shut behind him.
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