Khellendrosiic

"Captain! We've got trouble near the north wall! A cape has shown up and-kzzzzt!" the call was cut off mid-sentence.

Sullivan checked the power levels of his Shivan arm. Due to the relative quiet that had fallen over the outside walls of the Zig its power remained mostly at the same level as when he last checked. Pressing a recessed button on the left side of his helmet, Sullivan opened a channel to his men.

"I am temporarily abandoning my position along the east wall. Shift your positions so we can keep overlapping fields of fire. And make sure that the emergency Crab Spider team is ready to deploy at any moment. I have a hero to take care of." He spoke into his mike.

After replies and affirmitives filtered in from his command, Sullivan leaped from the wall, landing lightly on his feet, and started running toward the last known position of his squad. If there was a hero then a radiation core blast should at least knock him out and Sullivan could detail a clean-up crew to the rest of this.

"Damn but I hate my job." Sullivan muttered under his breath.

Black Scorpion: Package for you, boss.

Lord Recluse: Open it, will you? I'm a bit busy kicking Mojo Jojo's [censored].

Scorpion: *rolls eyes* Ok... *opens package, silence* This looks an awful lot like a Power Ranger action figure.

Recluse: Oh good, put it with the others.

Scorpion: Others?

Recluse: Yeah, in the room with the red door. Put it in between the Blossom doll and the pretty pink unicorn.

Scorpion: Wait...I though that place belonged to Widow.

Recluse: What made you think that?

Scorpion: Uhh....nothing, boss. Next to the unicorn it is.

Recluse: Damn right it was nothing. Damn you Mojo Jojo!

Lieutenant Daniels of the Arachnos Pilot Corps watched the flaming wreckage of Troopships 5 and 9 tumble past his assault dropship. The Lieutenant signaled the other troopships that were his charges to scatter and avoid contact with the hero that had downed those two. Utilizing the stealth function and VTOL thrusters of his ship he coasted up behind the hero who was still hovering in the air. A single word from his gunner indacted that the hero was in his sights.

"Burn him down." Daniels ordered.

Two powerful spotlights lanced out from each wing on the dropship and illuminated the hero, who turned around with a look of shock on his face. The four chain guns opened fire at that instant, yellow tracers zipping towards the hero. He dove down, weaving back and forth, trying to avoid the bullets. But before the hero escaped behind a pile of rubble he got nicked by one of the bullets, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"We got the [censored]!" crowed Daniels' gunner.

"Finish him off." said Daniels coldly.

The gunner nodded and, smirking, launched six rockets that blew the pile of rubble sky high. Judging his job as being done, Daniels punched the rotor and ascended back into the sky, eyes sharp on the sensor panel that would alert him if a hero showed up. Not that it had helped with the last one though.

OOC: Just so you know, you don't have to be blown up. After all, Mr. Pilot didn't check, now did he?

Archlich's fist clenched and a nimbus of blue energy surrounded it.

"Do not think to insult me. I was around when the so called gods that you compare yourself to walked the earth. I will still be around when the inheritos of this planet are walking over your grave. I have crossed the boundries of the dimensions and bent all but the most powerful of demons to my will. Do not presume to compare yourself to me!"

The blue glow had spread to the rest of Archlich's body and it seemed able to burst forth at any moment.

"Only a conclave of the world's most powerful mages defeated me and even then they did not have the power to kill me! They may have managed to strip me of most of my powers but rest assured, Iron Fist," Archlich spat out the name like a curse, "Rest assured that when your plans ultimately fail, I will be there to pick up the pieces and ensure that good will never triumph."

Archlich turned away and stalked off, releasing the spell that had caused the aura to form around him.

I have made a powerful enemy today but all shall be well as long as he does not learn how far I truly have fallen. I shall have to inform Toy about this.

OOC: Just so we're clear, Archlich is an actual skeleton. Although now that he has his armor on you can only see his bare skull. Oh yeah, and he's 5' 8". Which is pretty short when you really think about all these other tall villains wandering around.

BIC: Archlich was just entering his trance when he heard the female prisoner next to him mention Brass Monday and something about Nemesis dying. Archlich moved one of hands away from his eyes and looked closely as the villains standing next to him. The female one looked unfamiliar but then again so did the two men. Although...Archlich felt as though he should recognize the large one. Then it hit him. A year ago Toy Dispenser and Brutish Ghoul had traveled to Paragon City during Brass Monday and together with some other heroes and villains had killed the mighty Nemesis. Toy Dispenser had entered the descriptions of the heroes and villains that had worked with him into the base's database and the large man matched the description of Iron Fist, the mastermind that had vanished when Toy would have most needed his help.

"Iron Fist." hissed Archlich loud enough to be heard over the racket, "Toy Dispenser had always wondered what had happened to you. I'm glad I shall be able to tell him how the mighty have fallen."

As Archlich was saying this he had moved forward and shouldered Vim out of the way. He glared up at Iron Fist, the blue pinpricks that served as his eyes widening slighty.

-------------------------------------------------------

Captain Sullivan smashed his fist into still another Longbow face, spraying blood and teeth everywhere and making another cosmetisist a very happy man. Sullivan then blocked an energy blast from the last Longbow around him and then channeled it back through his arm and fired it back powered up five-fold. The blaster fell from the sky, dead before he hit the ground if that foot wide hole in his chest was any indication.

This experimental Shivan arm is a blessing in disguise. It may only have about an hour left but I've been able to handle everything that has been thrown at me so far. If this keeps up, Recluse might actually let me retire this time.

Sullivan looked at the blasted landscape around him. Several red and white bodies lay about, proving that mediporting technology is still not perfect. A report from one of the patrolling dropships indicated that several heroes were incoming. The sudden breaking of that transmission only proved that these heroes were not to be trifled with, it took more than a couple run-of-the-mill heroes to take down an Arachnos dropship. Fingering a device at his belt, Sullivan teleported atop the wall surrounding the Zig and watched the heroes fly in.

"A little welcoming gift." said the soldier as he ordered his men to open fire.

A dozen Surface-to-Air missiles shot forth from the couple of Arachnos positions along with tracers from the SMGs of those soldiers that didn't have rocket launchers. Aimed by the electronic sights built into his helmet, the missiles shot unerringly toward the lead two heroes.

Archlich slipped and skidded down the tiled corridor since, believe it or not, bones didn't have very good traction on smooth floors. The undead mage mnagaed to avoid sliding past his destination by snagging its door handle with his hand, arresting his motion.

"That was not a dignified method of transportation." droned Archlich as he pulled himself to his feet.

"You'll be even less dignified with a hole in your ugly [censored] skull." growled a voice from behind him.

Archlich's mouth gaped open in what would have been a sigh as he turned to face the guard. Unused to skeletal body signals the guard took Archlich's expression as one of fear.

"That's right bone head. Down on the ground and your hands on your head if you want to un-live another day." the guard chuckled at his own cleverness.

"If I were at my full power you would be like an ant before me." said Archlich as he quickly reached forward and knocked the gun's muzzle off course.

The guard swore and tried to kick the lich but was avoided by a quick twist that put Archlich on the opposite side of the gun that the guard was still trying to bring into play. Archlich spat out a word of power and solid energy leapt from his hands to slam into the guard. The guard was merely staggered by the first barrage but the second put him down.

Archlich leaned against the wall, trying to will his drained reserves back into usefulness before he stepped through the door into the armory. The room was relatively small, about the size of a locker room with crates and lockers lining the walls. It appeared as though several enterprising villains had been through here already judging by the mess on the ground and the several shattered crates. Casting his senses out, Archlich located his armor in a locker near the back of the room.

It took him but a moment to force open the locked door and a minute or two to don his black armor. He traced the dark red runes that covered his armor from shoulder to toe and then reached into the locker to pull forth his crown. Buffing the family crest on it with a scrap of cloth from a discarded shirt Archlich placed it on his skull, where it fit snugly. Placing the crown on his head activated the powers of his armor, flooding long hoarded stores of magic into his body. His eyes flaming with his newly recovered power, Archlich stalked back down the corridors to the hole where he had planned to meet Kairaishi.

Archlich watched several orange clad prisoners rush through the hole and consult with an Arachnos operative before exiting through the sewer gates at the end. Deciding that Kairaishi could survive well enough on his own, Archlich walked calmly through the tunnel and climbed through the sewer pipe after dismissing the soldier's entreties with a shake of his head. Emerging into the well-lit darkness outside, Archlich was struck between the eyes with a sledgehammer of sound. Screams and explosions ripped through the night air as prisoners darted too and from the shadows like orange ghosts. Archlich staggered over to one side and clutched his skull. He had grown used to the relative quiet of his cell block, magical prisoners were not apt to make much noise, and he needed some time to reaquaint himself with the louder world.

Spotting a few figures standing in one of the few patches of ground that looked clear, Archlich moved over as unobtrusively as possible and tried to get in a light trance so he could focus himself.

OOC: Not all of the villains have powers that are affected by drugs. Most of them would be completely up to snuff once they aquire something that was taken from them. Like Kairaishi's disabled armor or Archlich's...armor. And the Arachnos aren't some run-of-the-mill peons like usual.

BIC: Archlich looked over in the direction of a prisoner would seemed to be directing his other orange clad brethern to various locations. He pointed him out and Kairaishi said that was Jimmy. About a minute later Archlich and Kairaishi were standing in front of Jimmy with a trail of unconsious or moaning prisoners behind them. For a pile of bones Archlich still had quite a punch.

Jimmy glanced down at Archlich and then looked back at the Troll that he had been speaking with. He did a quick double-take and pointed at the skeleton.

"Yes, I'm real and not some figment of your demented imagination." Droned the skeleton, crossing its arms, "I'm sure you wouldn't be surprised how many people think that when they see me."

"Uh...Yeah. Now, uh, not to piss you off or anything but aren't you a magic mask? I deal with the guys that lost their tech, not the ones that need a voodoo doll or something." Jimmy said after he waved the troll away.

"I require my armor. It is the source of most of my powers and was taken from me upon entering this Abyss blighted place. Also, my companion here requires some technical apparatus to inable him to power his armor without magical aid." Archlich replied.

Jimmy squinted his eyes and looked at Kairaishi. He walked around the hatted human and looked over his backpack. Jimmy nodded and walked back in front of the two.

"Your thing should be in the second armory. Look for a large black box with a radioactive symbol on it. I don't know if everything in that box is dangerous but that's where they put your thing." He tapped his head, "I saw them put it there myself. Now, as for Mr. Skelie, I'd try Armory 1. That's usually where they put armor and weapons. Ok, that's it, thanks for stopping by, next!"

Archlich and Kairaishi were pushed aside by a massive brute of a man demanding to know where the guards had put his mechanical arm. As Jimmy began telling the one armed man where to go, Archlich tapped Kairaishi on the shoulder and walked away from the chaos surrounding that one prisoner.

"If I remember correctly," He said, "Then your objective is up those stairs and then around for two lefts. Mine is on this floor but a bit deeper in. Meet me over there," Archlich pointed to a huge whole in the ground that could be seen through a doorway, "Meet me there and then we shall escape. Unlike the rest of these maggots we should be able to easily escape Longbow's clutches."

Archlich pointed once more toward the stairs that would lead Kairaishi to the armory and then dashed down a different corridor.

-----------------------------------------------------

Captain Roger Sullivan of Archnos' Wolf Spiders flexed his robotic right arm and drove his fist into the face of the Longbow quick-response scrapper. The unfortunate hero was propelled into the thick wall of the Zigursky prison and collapsed into a little heap. An instant later he was teleported away to the nearest hospital. Sullivan clenched his living hand.

He'll be back. They always are.

Something slammed into his back and knocked him forwards, sprawling out on the ground. He rolled onto his back and blocked the next energy blast from the blaster in his right hand. The red painted arm glowed white hot and then fired a beam of pure energy back at the hapless Longbow, snatching him from the sky and dashing him against the ground. Again, the hero was teleported away before one of Sullivan's snipers could finish him off. Clambering back to his feet, the Wolf Spider watched one of the big troopships take off, its hold filled with more so-called 'Destined Ones' that Recluse had been going on about.

"The manias of the powerful are not for me to understand." He muttered as another pair of Longbow charged at him.

A gravity grenade from his belt held the tanker immobile while the blaster was downed by the rocket launcher contained in his shoulder. The chain gun in his palm took down the cursing tanker and Sullivan looked at the escaping prisoners for a moment before turning to take down another hero just as quickly as the last two.

OOC: Over-powered by Archnos experimental weapons, heroes will have to get through Captain Sullivan and his minions before getting to the villains, who won't go down without fights of their own as well. While this thread is indeed mainly for villains I would like to see some heroes join as well. After all, Sullivan can't catch you if you teleport past him.

Archlich flicked a bit of blood off of his rib and then rolled the man over to where his backpack was. Archlich checked it over and tapped it in several places.

"It mystifies me as to why they did not simply remove your armor as they did mine. Regardless, I can see that they shut down your power plant and removed what served as your ignitor. If you remain still long enough I believe I can cast a spell that would give your armor life enough to find your missing part."

He pinned the man down with one foot, to make sure he didn't roll away, and began chanting nonsense words under his (theoretical) breath. Several glyphs took form in the air in front of him and shot into the backpack, causing it to glow a bluish-white light. Archlich tapped the backpack twice and said a final word before rolling the man back over and offering his hand.

"My alias is Archlich, my real name is long since forgotten. Come, quickly now, for we have much to do and not much time to do it in."

--------------------------------------------------------

The sleeper agent kicked the prone android and then punched a quick burst of bullets into its head.

"I won't be getting a damned repeat of last time." Muttered the guard as he rubbed his throat. A patter of footsteps caused the guard to look up. What he saw caused him to [censored] his rifle menacingly.

"Move along boys," He said to the prisoners that were moving toward him. "Your exit's over thataway."

He pointed to grate and turned to walk away.

"But that guy in black said to go down that other way..." muttered one thick-browed tough.

"Shut it." Shot back a smaller thug, "I'd trust what that guard said, he didn't want us to kill him, so he told us the way out."

"Okay." said the big guy, "I believe you, Captain Chandlers, just be careful, kay?"

The former Sky Raider flicked the big guy the bird and dove into the grate and possible freedom.

As the guard walked away he heard the grate cover hit the floor and grinned.

OOC: One year later, eh? Last post then.

BIC: Toy Dispenser, Brutish Ghoul, and several other members of LMOUSVEV were sitting in the main living room, watching the televised broadcast from Paragon City. Ghoul was once again regailing the Malevolith and the Refurbished One about how many Nemesis he had taken down, a number that had grown expenentially over time. Toy, Outlaw Jack, and Cpt. Commie reclined on the big sofa, occasionally making comments regarding the foolishness of heroes in general and Paragon City in particular. As Jack and Commie laughed at one of their jokes Toy moved a bit closer to the TV and grabbed a keyboard of one of the computers he had strewn about the base.

A few minutes of typing and Toy was controlling the camera whose feed was on channel. Since the camera was a hover drone, one of the expensive types, there was no human operator to force it back into place and Toy had locked the station's controls. As he heard the reporter's cry of annoyance he panned the camera over the crowd, picking out here and there a few of the heroes that he assisted on Nemesis' last Monday. He also caught Physic's departure and smirked inwardly. Relinquishing control before the authorities could even be alerted, Toy stood up and walked back to his workroom. He had seen what he needed to.

Soon, soon this will all come to an end.

OOC: I like those kinds of ending lines. And ditto as to what Bagle said, a pleasure working with all o' ya.

OOC: Hmm...We might have some continuity issues then. In this thread I'm going to have the appearance of Toy Dispenser, he was the android that got zapped, and the appearance of Iron Fist after the Brass Monday event would make things interesting. I blame time rifts. Soooo, let's just ignore that. I said nothing about Toy Dispenser. That android is no longer him. I'll make something else up.

BIC: The skeleton punched aside a Circle of Thorns prisoner and made his way out of the magic ward of the Zig. Archlich's eyes burned with the unholy flames of his anger as he gazed upon the few guards getting mauled by other prisoners whose powers had returned. Archlich was six feet tall but due to his thinness, most prisoners overlooked and consequently tried to run through him. They learned to stop after the fourth Hellion wanna-be was left moaning on the ground, molten ice drippping from his clothes.

As Archlich turned to leave this inferior on the ground, something bumped into his leg, almost toppling him. Looking down, Archlich saw a horned human curled up in a ball trying to roll past him. Archlich reached down and grabbed the human, rolling him onto his back.

"A comprimising situation you are in." said the lich in a dry, sepulcheral voice, "If I assist you, will you aid me in aquiring my armor? If you do so I can lead us out of the prison without such bumblers-," Archlich gestured to the scrambling inmates, "-without such bumblers bothering us."

OOC: First attempt at starting an RP thread here. Wish me luck.

BIC:Welcome to the Ziggurat, a maximum security prison for super-powered criminals and their ilk. Arachnos is about to stage a break out of unparalleled proportions, freeing hundreds of prisoners and leaving the rest for the Longbow units that will respond. The only question is: Where were you when the villains escaped?


Three Arachnos assault dropships screamed down on the massive Ziggurat prison. Behind them came a dozen under armored troopships that would land and evacuate the escapees after the first trio dealt with the on-site defenses. Cloaking fields disengaged as missiles ripple fired from pods under the dropship’s wings, blowing a hole in the prison yard wall and knocking the few Longbow Chasers out of the sky. Automated AA guns swiveled and locked onto the approaching ships, firing flak in an attempt to knock them from the sky.

Within the Ziggurat a patrolling android halted and cocked its head at an inquisitive angle. Reports from the few outward facing cameras and the auto-defense guns flooded its cybernetic brain with warnings and damage reports. Performing as it was designed, the android took control of the turrets and linked them into its own net, allowing them to more effectively target and destroy incoming threats. The Arachnos dropships would have died, no matter how good their armor or their pilots, if it wasn’t for the agent that had been following the android and waiting for just this time.

The guard, in actuality an Arachnos sleeper agent, kicked the small drone that stood guard over its immobile master and slipped a small device out of his pocket and into the android’s neck. As the virus left its container and began to infiltrate the android’s systems it cut off all extraneous tasks to focus on the defense of its primary software. This disruption caused the turrets and every other defensive system tied into the android’s neural net to be thrown into disarray, allowing the dropships to land and dispense their troops.

The guards confused, the prisoners rioting, the Arachnos soldiers forcing their way in, and Longbow on their way. What next? Do you escape with the rest of your fellow crooks or assist Longbow in containing this break out?

OOC: Maybe yes, maybe no. Toy Dispenser tries to stay away from the whole PvP thing. What with all the heroes targeting him and not his minions while flying in the air so that said minions can't hit them. Although if you want, I could arrange a fight.

BIC: Ghoul was about to draw breath to speak again when Toy's hand clapped down on his shoulder. Ghoul's breath whooshed out and he sagged a bit before turning toward his boss. Toy's electrical discharges had picked up, crackling red lightning over his body more often than usual which meant that his power plant was working over-time which meant that he wasn't happy.

"Quit the lolligagging, Ghoul. We have to go, now." said Toy and to illustrate his point he pointed to a Longbow agent that Combat Toy had stunned and several figures approaching from the distance.

Ghoul's brow furrowed with the effort of hard thinking and then his eyes widened.

"I bet that's that positive cape."

Toy nodded, "Positron, yes. It is most likely him and other heroes that were trapped outside when Nemesis blocked the highways. His arrival must coincide with our departure so go stand next to Block, I'll be with you in a moment."

Ghoul nodded and, casting one last glance at the now Damsel, headed over to Toy's minions. The mastermind then turned toward Physic and made a short bow. He flicked his wrist and a business card appeared in it which he handed to Physic.

"It has been an honor and a pleasure serving with you and your group. If you ever have need of our services you may contact myself or another of my compatriots using the information on that card." he said as he began backing toward Ghoul.

"Farewell, fair heroes. I fear the next time we meet may not be as profitable for me as this turned out to be. I wish you luck when Recluse makes his bid."

A press of a button and Toy, Ghoul, and the six robots were gone in a flash of light.


The card read:
The Legion of Mismatched or Otherwise Unorthodox but Still Very Evil Villains official calling card.

If you wish to ask for our services, burn this card and wait ten to twenty minutes for a reply.

If you wish to curse the name of one or more of our constituants, drop this card in a carbonated beverage.

LMOUSVEV, long name, quality villainy.

OOC: And that is that for me as well, unless someone says something that pertains specifically to me. Otherwise, see you in the Zig, whether you're in it or guarding it.

If Toy Dispenser could smirk then he would be doing so right now. Just before one of the heroes had teleported the whole group away, Toy had managed to toss a transporter bug on Nemesis' carcass. He flipped open a control panel on his wrist and pressed a button, feeling a nice glow of satisfaction as numerous wrecked machines and the remains of Nemesis teleported to his base. Judging from the looks on the faces of the heroes around him they hadn't noticed the adrupt teleportation, which was for the best as Toy did not think he and Ghoul could silence them all. Gathering his minions to him, Toy prepared to make his evil monolouge and glanced around for Ghoul.

Then he sighed.

Trust that imbecil to make things more complicated then they need to be.

Ghoul walked over to where Knight was lying on the rubble next to Physic and Hidden and stopped a few feet away. He scratched his bald head and looked away before focusing on Knight again.

"Hey, uh, no hard feelings about before, ok? Toy always tells me to, you know, restrain myself, but I don't do that good when I'm fighting." He said nercously, "Sooo, before we go and Toy does that speech thing he likes to do I just want to say-"

Ghoul stuck out his hand.

"It was really nice to meet you." He said with a smile.

From next to Toy, Mini Bot snickered. Combat Toy bonked him on the head.

Identity: Toy Dispenser
Model: Droid Control Prototype Mk 2
Threat Level: High

NOTE: Subject is an android. Most distinguishing characteristics are useless.
Height: 7' 0"
Weight: 250 lbs.
Hair: None, a pair of satellite link-ups on side of head
Eyes: Glowing Blue, normally covered by blast protection face plate
Distinguishing Marks: The Prototype has painted its chasis in a variety of garish colors, much like a child's toy. Occasionaly emits red electricity due to damage to its power plant. Consider its threat level undiminished regarding this.

Last Seen: The Ziggaraut, where it was reprogrammed by an Arachnos operative
Wanted For: Multiple accounts of theft, murder, and possession of government property.

Known Powers: A complete schematic of the DC Prototype can be found in UN classified files, what follows is a brief description. The Prototype was created to link with and coordinate autonamous defenses in the defense of a fixed position. A pair of force field generators were built into its wrists for additional defense. A factory satellite in orbit is under control of the Prototype, resulting in almost unlimited supplies of replacement drones which are the Prototype's main armament. A secondary variable tech laser rifle is the Prototype's personal weaponry.

Suggestions: This officer suggests finding a way to neutralize the Prototype's drones. Preferably by destroying the factory satellite. Unfortunately, the satellite has deviated from its previous orbit and has proven extremely difficult to find.

Compiled by Investigations Officer Albert Waynewright

Needless to say, Toy Dispenser and Ghoul were a bit thrown off by the sudden disappearance of Iron Fists's troops. Thankfully, the remaining enemy soldiers were easily mopped up, leaving Ghoul to agonize over the incompletion of his bet and Toy to wonder what the hell was going on. Toy's newly summoned minions following behind, Ghoul and the android ran back to where Iron Fist was last seen and witnessed the real Nemesis fighting four other heroes that Toy hadn't seen before.

"Hey! Crazy lady!" shouted Ghoul at Knight, "Get your friends over here! We've found the mother lode!"

The undead brute grinned and charged up his energies once more. He stomped once on the ground and leapt at the Prussian Prince. He managed to hit Nemesis between repulsion fields and landed on his head. Ghoul got in a few good hits that mangled Nemesis' head before the field came back up and knocked him and one of the slower heroes away. While Ghoul was doing his best frontal assault tactics Toy was able to quickly deduce that if Nemesis' repulsion field could be negated, then the prince would go down. A set of hasty commands sent his own minions circling around behind Nemesis to keep him in one place. Then, when Nemesis brought up his shield again Toy reversed the polarity of his shield generators.

His wrist flanges glowing red from the power overload, Toy shoved his hands into the shield and began to pry it apart.

"Get him while he's not expecting it! Go!" Toy shouted.

Never one to let an opportunity to smash something escape him, Ghoul dived through the hole in the shield and rolled between Nemesis' feet. He located a previously weakened patch of armor and shoved his fist into it, pulling it back out clutching a tangle of pipes and wires. Nemesis' leg sagged as its hydraulic pressure was released.

Don't think I'll roleplay with him much, but this guy is my first successful hero.

Alias: Solid Shot
Real Name: WinBot Security Droid Model 5D-5T #33670 (Obsolete)

Background: Solid Shot was a security robot created to make use of the demand for effective protection from the new Rikti threat. Developed and created by WinBot, a subsidiary of Microsoft, the 5T-5D model was made using that best known methods at the time. Number 33670 was purchased by a wealthy individual in Illinois as a guard for his mansion, well away from any substantial Rikti activity. #33670 performed its duty with the typical unthinkingness and efficiency of any robotic minion. That is, until a routine software upgrade.

When #33670, dubbed 'Solid Shot' by its owner's teenage daughter, was being upgraded to WinBot 9.0, an unforeseen error occured. Solid Shot's defensive perimeter was accidently widened from just the mansion grounds to the entirity of the world. Being the robot that it is, Solid Shot must follow its programming which now called for protecting the entire world. Searching its databanks for a way for a lone robot to guard the world from disaster, Solid Shot came across a reference from an overheard conversation about a place called Paragon City which the Rikti War had hit the hardest and another reference about the Freedom Phalanx, which was the premier hero organization. Solid Shot decided that its best chance was to travel to Paragon City and assist the belaugered city in whatever way possible. Solid also predicted a high chance of being noticed by the Phalanx if it performed an exemplary job at defending the city.

So then, amidst the startled cries of the WinBot service team, Solid Shot activated his anti-gravity unit and jet thrusters and made its way to Paragon City.



Been wanting to write that for a while.

Toy Dispenser sat in the rear of the advancing column, furiously shouting at someone on his wrist communicator.

"What the hell do you mean you don't have another AR unit operational? ... Then get it off the damn rack! ... Yes! Those too! ... You keep this up and you're soooo fired!"

Toy flipped shut the annoying little comm device and looked at his surviving bots, a protector bot and a recently repaired battle drone.

"Alright you two, here's the deal. Zach is going to sat drop some new guys into the sewers. I know this'll get ugly but the thinnest roof area is just ahead past that next group of baddies. Toy Bot: I want you to get to Ghoul and tell him to break us a path. Lego Bot: Go to Iron Fist and inform him that I'll shortly be dropping some troops in the enemy's rear. Got that? Good. Get going."

As the two robots ran off, Toy Dispenser slotted a fresh battery charge into his laser rifle and moved to the front, dropping shields on soldiers that looked to be almost beat and shooting the hell out of everything else. He dropped a photon grenade on a lone Vahzilok abomination that had somehow wandered in and moved past Iron Fist who was talking to one of the heroes and Lego Bot.


Ghoul stuck his fist into the 5th Column soldier's chest and extracted the man's life force, healing the remander of Ghoul's wounds. As new gray skin covered up the black sludge that was now nominally his internal structure something tapped him on the shoulder. He listened to the battle drone's report and clapped it on the shoulder.

"Stay behind me, little bot." said the undead brute, "Toy can't afford to lose another of you."

"Affirmitive, sir." replied Toy Bot as it trotted alongside the brute.

Ghoul reached the front and flexed his arms, causing black energy to engulf them up to his forearms. Ghoul shouldered and shoved his way up his where Knight was fighting and announced himself by punching a Fake Nemesis in the head, splitting the thing in two and causing the robot to fall with a loud crash.

"Let's start things off on the right foot." Ghoul said to Knight as he backhanded another soldier into the wall, "The name's Brutish Ghoul and the last person to reach the end of this tunnel forks over a hundred bucks."

Ghoul launched a flurry of punches that sent another Nemesis flying and battered down two others. He looked back over at Knight and grinned a very predatory grin as he added, "You up for it? Or is little miss armored pants too afraid to get her hands dirty?"

OOC: Ain't Ghoul just the best?

Toy Dispenser slapped Large Toy on the back and pointed at Combat Toy. The massive assault bot was tangling with an equally large Fake Nemesis and was currently on the losing side. The protector bot nodded and charged up the large tesla coil on its back. A pair of seeker drones were spit forth and the nasty little machines homed in on the Nemesis. The detonations stunned and overloaded the sensors of the enemy robot and gave Combat Toy enough time to blow gaping holes in the Nemesis with a missile barrage.

As the two robots shifted targets to softer Nemesis infantry Toy turned to see how his allies were doing. His three battle drones and Ghoul were handling an annoying combo of a pair of flame troopers and several jaegars but things seemed well in hand. Toy was about to motion his second proc bot, Lego Bot, forward, when a large crunching sound came from the right of the embattled Ghoul.

A giant metal ball attatched to the Warhulk that exited from a side passage slammed into Mini Bot, crushing the small drone's right side and sending it hurtling toward Combat Toy. The assault bot, Large Toy, and several of Iron Fist's men had been holding the left flank against the various enemies they had come across. When the demolished battle drone knocked the assault bot flat on its back the Nemesis troops were quick to take advantage of this break in the line.

"We've got problems over here!" shouted Toy as his bots were buried under the sudden charge. He froze one soldier in a detention field and opened fire on the rest, firing until his laser rifle was close to overheating. And then the soldiers retaliated, sending the robotic mastermind reeling.


Ghoul had been enjoying himself until the Warhulk had shown up. Not only had Toy's robots run off for some reason but only that annoying hero with the mace was near him.

"Let's see if you can keep up, hero!" shouted Ghoul as he lowered his armored shoulder and rammed the Warhulk. The machine staggered, or at least as much as it could stagger in such limited confines, and tried to take aim at Ghoul. The brute channeled his dark energy into his hands and grasped the gun arm. He wrenched it so that it was pointing at the Warhulk's head and then turned toward Knight.

"What d'ya think of that, hero?" gloated Ghoul moments before the Warhulk slammed him to the ground with its wrecking ball.

"Damn it!" he roared as he dug at the thickly armored arm with his hands.

OOC: If I got anything wrong about Nemesis armaments chalk it up to the fact that I've never fought them.

When you say origin stories, do you mean how a hero got his or her powers, how they arrived at Paragon City, or some combination of the two?

Toy Dispenser watched Physic hurry ahead and then followed after she had gotten a bit of a lead. Toy signaled for his bots to continue forward and assist the front ranks of Iron Fist's men. All of the bots except for one battle drone, Mini Bot, which refused to leave Toy alone.

"You always were an odd one." Said one robot to another as Toy made his way to the entrance of the sewer with Ghoul tailing along.

The multi-colored android went into the sewer, nodding at Physic and her companion as he passed. Ghoul shot a longer stare at Knight before he too went into the entrance.

"Awfully friendly, isn't he?" muttered Toy Dispenser to Ghoul and Physic.

That guy is crazier then some other guys I know. Heh. He and Psymon would have some nice little conversations together.

Toy shrugged off any misgivings he might have and turned toward the hero. He scanned her briefly to confirm her gravatic powers and check to see if she was a registered hero. She was. Toy then back tracked through his memory until he found the proper file.

"Greetings, madame hero." bowed Toy, "I am, as you may have heard, Toy Dispenser, and my collegue here is known as Brutish Ghoul. It shall be both a pleasure and an honor to work with such esteemed company."

At least until I no longer have a need to be civil.

OOC: How do you guys do Player vs. Player battles here? I've been in forums where one player attacks and then the other player reacts and back and forth and I've been to forums where one player attacks, the GM decides what happens, and then the second player attacks. How do things work out here?

Toy walked over to where Iron Fist and the hero were standing with his gun over his shoulder. The mastermind has several bullet holes in his armor and the robots that were deployed around him were battered but he seemed to have come out of the battle relatively unscathed. Toy Dispenser heard what the hero said to Iron and recalled an offer the other mastermind made a few minutes ago.

"What she said." said Toy as he hooked a thumb at Physic, "I'll stick with you as far as it takes to take down Nemesis. Normally I'd ask for pay but some of the salvage rights for what we find will be fine with me. Ghoul will follow my lead well enough. And if you're thinking about that old 'There's no honor among thieves' crap, relax. Betrayl is bad for business."

A Nemesis soldier landed in front of Toy in a crumpled, bleeding heap.

"Sorry!" shouted Brutish Ghoul as he ran over, "Didn't watch where I threw that."

Ghoul reached down and hurled the dead soldier away into a pile of wrecked mechs. Toy Dispenser shook his head and had his robots stand down until he got Iron Fist's reply.

Brutish Ghoul landed next to Toy Dispenser as Iron Fist caused the giant statue to destroy itself. Ghoul cheered the victory along with the other soldiers as Toy called in his big guns. There was a trio of bright flashes as two Protector Bots and his Assault Bot teleported in. The three of them used low velocity aerial insertion most of the time and would have been shot down before getting within a mile of Paragon City if they tried that.

"The battle isn't even close to being over." said Toy as his wrist flanges flared and enclosed a charging vampyre in a detention field.

"Yeah yeah." Muttered Ghoul as he leaped throught the air to land on a small firing line of 5th Column. He grabbed one soldier and channeled dark energy into his body, causing it to twitch and jerk in its death throes. The massive zombie fell back as one soldier fired an RPG right in his face.

OOC: Finish the rest of this later.

OOC: First RP in these forums for me. This should be interesting.

BIC: Up in orbit around the earth a satellite whirred and focused it's camera on Paragon City. As higher detail lenses flicked on it eventually saw the scene of devastation that had overcome Steel Canyon. Nemesis forces fighting heroes and some other army in the streets, large explosions, and a noticable lack of police or military presense. The satellite retracted its camera and used its positioning thrusters to rotate back into its original place as the foreign operator left its systems.

Back down in the Rogue Isles a humanoid figure got up from the bare metal chair and pulled a wire out of its neck. It left the computer filled room that is was in and stalked down various corridors, hall lights flashing off its multi-hued metallic body. Eventually it reached the teleporter room and began flicking switches and pressing a few buttons.

"I'd always been saving this trick for a rainy day. But I think it'll be well used in this instance." remarked the figure to itself in a harsh, vox produced voice.

As the teleporter hummed to life the android turned and shouted down the hall. "You coming, Ghoul? Won't be much of a party without you!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Huffed the gray skinned brute as he ran into the room, hurridly strapping on his lone right arm pauldron. "I saw the vids you sent me. Is Paragon City really that messed up?"

"Apparently. Now come. This might be a chance for me to get a hand on some of that tech I've been looking for."

"But that doesn't seem like a very good reason to go." Muttered the some-what thick skulled zombie.

"You're right. I've got my reasons."

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With a dull flash the two villains appeared on a building in central Steel Canyon where the two giant burrower Jaeger's were busy defending a swarm of Nemesis soldiers that filed up from a giant hole in the ground. The multi-colored robot turned to Brutish Ghoul.

"Here's the deal. For now we're going to help those heroes fight off Nemesis. The teleporter loophole I've used to get us here will expire in about an hour. So until then use these transponders here," A small metal box was thrust into the brute's hand. "Use the transponders here to teleport a severely damaged or destroyed Nemesis bot to the base. Don't go for the big ones, go for pieces of the big ones."

"You got that, Toy." Grinned Ghoul. "I've been looking for a chance to take down some of these old style goons."

That being said, Ghoul bent his legs and leaped off the building, landing on top of one of the giant Jaegers. He proceeded to summon the negative energy he could control into his hands and started ripping his way into the Jaeger's body.

Back up top, Toy Dispenser activated his anti-grav unit and flew into the fray. He landed beside an apparently wounded villain and fired a few blasts with his laser rifle into the nearest Nemesis. As the soldiers recoiled from this sudden assault a trio of metal crates slammed down into their midst. The three Battle Drones emerged from their entry capsules with their lasers blazing, felling the small squad in short order.

"Mind if we lend a hand?" asked Toy of the reviving villain.