Doc_Triumph

Maybe we can set up a rematch between the Robot Pirates and Zombie Ninjas between now and the end of the year.

Hero Dawn will be revisiting one of our favorite themes next week, as well as changing the day.

Come help us give thanks for the barbarian pack!

Join us on Sunday, November 27th at 10 P.M. Eastern for our "Masters of the Universe" costume contest at the Steel Canyon University.

As always, there will be trivia and at least 350 million inf in prizes.

I hope to see you there.

Our next costume contest is going to be "It's Over 9000!" an Anime themed costume and trivia contest. It will be held in Faultline near Mirror Spirit on Monday, November 21st at 10 P.M. Eastern.

I hope to see you there!

We're going to be switching our weekly costume contests to Sundays after this one.

I'll provide more details as they become available to me.

Tonight inside the PI Vanguard Depot.

I'd like to thank everyone who came out last night for "It's Alive!" As always, it was a great time.

Up next week is: "It Came From Outer Space!"

Our alien themed costume and trivia contests will be held on Monday, November 14th at 10 P.M. Eastern. We'll be holding this one inside the Peregrine Island Vanguard Depot.

I hope to see you there!

Tonight is the night for our "It's Alive! Adventures in Mad Science." costume and trivia contests at the Founder's Falls train station. It starts at 10 P.M. Eastern.

I hope to see you there!

Coming up next:



Come as a Mad Scientist or one of their creations!

We hope to see you there!

“You pack your lunch in that bag too, Gray?”

It’s 2 a.m. at the old Carlisle Foundry. Captain Shwan and The Gray Huntsman have just fought a tough skirmish with the Malta Group. A large Portal Corporation style dimensional portal thrums in the center of the foundry floor.

Off to the side, Gray sits on the remains of a Zeus Class Titan; and rummages through his pack. Shwan stands nearby.

“Yeah, I always brown-bag it when I’m on patrol. I’m on a fixed income, you know?”

“No, I didn’t know that.”

“The War Department gave me a check for sixty five years worth of back pay when I showed up last year, but that’s it. Unadjusted. I gotta be careful with my money.”

The Huntsman reaches into the bag and takes out a sandwich. He tosses an apple down to Shwan.

“So I pack my lunches. I went down to E.L.I.T.E. there in Atlas Park and signed up for their ‘Keep ‘Em Flying’ program. They give me a stipend for my gear and my ammo. Otherwise, I couldn’t afford to do this. Although, I met this guy, Saul who gave me a card and said …”

“Wait, they give you a stipend for ammo?”

“Sure, some of those specialty rounds are what four or five bucks a piece maybe? You fight one zombie horde or alien invasion or one of a hundred other crazy things happen in this place every day, and all of a sudden you’re worried about how you’re gonna pay your electric bill. Nobody can afford to pay for that out-of-pocket… You pay for that out-of-pocket?”

Silence.

“Jeeze kid. We’ll go down tomorrow and fill out the paperwork for you. Of course, that’s providing we don’t get killed tonight or end up stuck on the other side of that time portal. “

“You think that’s a time portal Gray?”

“I know that’s a time portal Shwannie. What’s taking them so long?”

“Backup’s in the works.”

The Huntsman removes a flask from his hip pocket. He takes a nip and tosses it to Shwan.

“I hope they bring a med-kit. Hey Shwannie, you know about the ‘Houses for Heroes’ program, right?”
__________________________________________________ ______________

“Well, backup is en route. We’re still pretty thin, so they’re sending a couple reservists: Angel Guard and Brimstone Blaze. Were you able to figure anything out Gray?”

The Gray Huntsman stands at a console attached to the portal. “I don’t think I know those fellas. Wait a minute… Isn’t Angel Guard that kid from the Junior Captain Shwan Fan Club? He won that promotion they ran, so they made him an honorary member of Hero Dawn Reserves.”

“What? No!”

“Well, what am I thinking about then?”

“I don’t know Gray. I have no idea what you’re thinking about.”

Gray turns back to the console. “I don’t really know what I’m looking at here.”

“Angel Guard and Brimstone Blaze reporting for duty sir!”

Gray turns to face the newcomers as Shwan fills them in on the situation.

Angel Guard is a younger man dressed in black and sporting a beret. The overall look is reminiscent of the Guardian Angels “safety patrol” group. Brimstone Blaze is wearing black BDU type pants, a white t-shirt and a black bandana. Both men are carrying assault rifles.

“At ease Angel. We got a call that the Malta Group was assembling stolen Portal Corporation technology at this location. We arrived to find this and witnessed several Malta operatives stepping into the portal. We need to go through, take a look around and assess the situation. You have anything to add Gray?”

“Yeah. The portal is stable, so coming back shouldn’t be a problem. We’ve got an unknown force on the other side; and they’ve had plenty of time to regroup. Expect it to be hot when we go through. What’s wrong with your leg Blaze?”

Blaze clears his throat. “I had a fight with some Freakshow tonight. Ionia checked it out and said I’m duty-ready.”

Shwan continues the briefing. “Blaze, you’re going to hold the position here. Anything could come through that portal, so stay sharp. Gray’s on point. Angel Guard and I will drop smoke to cover you.”

The men move to the portal. “Say when, Gray.”

Gray reaches into his pack and comes out with two metal spheres, each about the size of a tennis ball. He stands stock still and then takes in a deep breath followed by a long exhale. “Angel, do you still have your club decoder ring in case we need it?”

“Say again?”

“Nothing. Go!”

Shwan and Angel Guard pitch their smoke grenades through the portal. Gray follows up with his “seeker drones.” He draws his pistols and, for the second time tonight, steps forward into the unknown.

"What did he say about a ring?"

We're going to take a break this coming week for Halloween.

I'll have my son out Trick-or-Treating that night and I'm sure all of you parents out there will be doing the same.

No kids? Go out and party while you still can!

Have fun and be safe everyone!

"It's" going to be the subject of our next few costume contests.

Monday, November 7th: It's Alive! Adventures in Mad Science (double prizes on this one).

Monday, November 14th: It Came from Outer Space

Monday, November 21st: It's Over 9000!

More details to come.

((Here's something that I wrote some time ago. I'll post more if there's interest. -Doc))

“All I’m saying it that I think it’s time you upgrade, Gray.”

The Hero Dawn base. Captain Shwan and the Gray Huntsman have pulled the overnight watch. The two stand in the group’s armory. It’s gear check time.

“Look at what you’re carrying around in that rucksack. You’ve got mines, those little gas bombs, robot drones… state of the art gear. But, you choose to arm yourself with a those busted-looking old revolvers. You need a couple 9 millimeters. Something more reliable with a higher shot capacity. What the hell else you got in there? Is that a coffee grinder?”

“Well, I like fresh brewed.” The Huntsman finishes with his gear and shoulders his pack.

“I’ve had those pistols since before you were born kid. Trust me. They’ve served me well; and I know them like the back of my hand.”

The room falls silent as Captain Shwan finishes assembling his assault rifle. The two make for an odd scene with Shwan in his next generation powered battle armor and the Huntsman in his vintage circa 1940 gear.

“How many hairs do you have on the back of your hand, Gray?”

“God damn it Shwan. Why am I always drawing duty with you? Huh?
I’d rather pair up with that rat guy who ate my shoe!”

“He ate your shoe?”

“He ate my shoe; and he was better company than you are.”

“Hey, I don’t make the schedule. If you have a problem, you can go…”

Shwan is interrupted by a computerized voice over the PA, “Incoming Alert.”

__________________________________________________ ______________

The communications room is lit up by a large wall-mounted video monitor. On the screen is an imposing man in a red three-piece suit.

Our duo stands side-by-side in front of it.

“Captain Shwan, this is Agent Crimson. We have a situation. Our mutual friends have been busy helping themselves to the contents of a certain Portal Corporation warehouse. I don’t know what they have in mind, but they are building something in the old Carlisle Foundry in ‘Boomtown.’ It is imperative that we find out what they are doing and shut them down. Time is a factor.”

The screen goes blank as Shwan begins typing at one of the computer terminals. “All of our folks are tied up, so it looks like it’s us.”

“Sounds good, Shwan. Ionia’s next on the list, so I’m gonna wake her up to babysit the monitors.”

The two then move in unison to the teleporters.

“You know what I don’t get, Shwan? That guy has to lead off with ‘This is Agent Crimson’ every time. What do we talk to him three or four times a week? Does he think we keep forgetting who he is maybe?”

Captain Shwan glances back with a grin as he steps into the teleporter and disappears.

The Huntsman draws his .45s and steps in behind him.

__________________________________________________ _____________________

The scene on the other side is chaos.

Captain Shwan stands on the side of a doorway. His assault rifle is deafening as he fires down the hall. At least a dozen muzzle flashes answer from the darkness.

“Ambush. Malta knew we were coming.”

The Huntsman quickly moves to the doorway opposite Shwan.

“You think so? Jeeze, they shot me Shwannie.”

“They just winged you. Reloading.”

The rattle of Captain Schwan’s assault rifle is replaced by the staccato of the Huntsman’s pistols.

“Winged means shot. Reloading.”

“Well, of course you’re reloading…”

“Jeeze, now? You gotta start in with that now?” The Huntsman reaches into his backpack. “Who wants coffee? This is taking so long; I figure we’ve got time.”

Shwan fires off another volley.

“Hey kid, the key is to hit what you’re aiming at. Maybe you wouldn’t need so many rounds…”

“They keep reinforcing, jackass! We don’t have time for this, Gray.”

Gray twists the top of his “coffee grinder.” “Covering fire!”

The Huntsman pitches the cylinder deep into the hallway. “Cover up!”

The explosion rocks the building as shrapnel flies through the doorway.

“What do you think? It’s my own blend.”

__________________________________________________ _____________________

Shwan peers down the hallway as the ringing fades to silence. “Let’s move.”

“Hold on kid, I’m bleeding pretty good here.”

“Well, don’t you have a med-kit in that pack of yours?”

“Pfft. Who needs a med-kit?”

“You do Gray. You need a med-kit. Can you think of a better example of someone needing a med-kit than you right now?”

“Do you have a med-kit Shwan?”

“Yeah, but it only works on me.”

“Just help me tie this around my arm please. Do you mind? Thank you!”

A low thrumming begins from deep within the foundry.

“Break time’s over Shwannie. You go left. I’ll go right and we’ll meet up wherever that noise is coming from. Divide and conquer right?”

“That’s not what that means, Gray.”

The Huntsman is already gone.

__________________________________________________ _________________________

Gray Huntsman works his way quickly through a maze of corridors. It’s getting closer now. Louder anyway.

Three quick shots and the Huntsman drops a Malta patrol in their tracks without breaking stride.

“It’s funny how they always travel in threes.”

Coming to the main foundry floor, he sees a large metallic circle with a shimmering curtain of energy at its center. A squad of Malta operatives stands at its base.

“They built a portal.”

Several figures step into it as Gray begins firing.

A few fall to the floor near the portal. The rest are gone.

The Huntsman suddenly spins around raising his pistols. He is standing face-to-face with a Zeus Class Titan, a hulking assault robot used by the Malta Group. The sound of its plasma cannon cycling up is unmistakable.

Click… Click Click Click. Empty!

As the Huntsman backpedals, the titan lights up in a hail of bullets.
It collapses in a heap as Gray looks up and spies Captain Shwan hovering near the ceiling on the opposite end of the work floor.

Our heroes meet at the center of the room.

“What happened there, Gray? Did you run out of ammo?”

“Thanks for the assist, kid.”

“Anytime, pop.”

“It’s your decision Shwannie. Do we pursue or wait for backup?”

"We wait. I’m calling it in right now.”

Shwan keys up his radio communicator. “This is Shwan, we need backup at the Carlisle Foundry. Couple bruisers and at least one techie. Oh yeah, bring a med-kit.”

“You might want to think about upgrading, Gray.”

Reminder: Tonight is the night for our Swords and Sorcery CC and Trivia at the Croatoa University. That's 10 PM Eastern.

Next Monday is Halloween, so we may be changing the day/time for that one. What do you all think?

Great contest tonight folks!

Coming up next week:

Reminder: We're just a couple days away from our non-themed costume contest and trivia at the Kings Row train station. That's going to be Monday, October 17th at 10 P.M. Eastern.

We'll be resuming our regular themed contests on Monday, October 24th.

We're not ready to reveal the theme for that one yet, but it will be dedicated to all of those who know the pain and humiliation of stepping on a d4 with bare feet

Last night was a lot of fun. Thank you to everyone who participated.

Next week we'll be at the Kings Row Train Station for a non-themed costume contest.

Monday, October 17th at 10 P.M. Eastern.

I hope to see you there.

Last night was a great contest as always. To those who dressed as rock... We salute you.

Next week we're back in First Ward for, "We Gotta Get Out Of This Place," an animal themed costume and trivia contest.

That's going to be of Monday, October 10th at 10 P.M. Eastern.

I hope to see you there!

We're starting our "Mineral Rights," CC in First Ward in about 10 minutes.

Reminder: We're just a couple days away from our "Mineral Rights" rock/gem/mineral costume and trivia contest in First Ward. Monday, October 3rd at 10 PM Eastern.

Let's get ready to rock (or mineral)!

To the best of my knowledge that was the first player-run event in First Ward.

So, we had some true pioneer flora there.

I'm really enjoying my Plant/Poison Controller.

Seeds of Confusion gets everything bunched up nicely for Poison's debuffs.

I can get up close for Venomous Gas and then in with the raspberries.

I love the look on Riot Girl's face.

Great contest as always!

The plants have had their time in the sun.

Next week join us for:



"Mineral Rights," rock/gem/mineral themed costume and trivia contests in First Ward.

10 P.M. Eastern in on Monday, October 3rd.

We're about 20 minutes away from our plant themed costume and trivia contests in First Ward.