MENAGERIE #60 - THE PERIL AND THE POWER!

In Memory of Stan Lee [ Audio Track ] Adam and Alycia and Radiance atop the HHL building conversing with the Concords about imbalances to the humors of the planet. Harry is confessing his personal plans and doubts to Andi in the Twilight Glade. Charlotte was researching in the Twilight Glade. Charlotte discovers who the statues are -- the spirits of our friends in the current day who were somehow trapped in this space and these stone effigies and ... bocce balled back through time, and have been slowly rolling forward. Charlotte yells. Harry runs over. Everyone heads over. Including the Summer-invited Concords. At the Grove Entrance to the Twilight Grove. Alycia is watching the Concords. Summer opens the portal, Adam invites them in. In the entrance zone of the Grove. Tables. Food.  Andi is peering at statues. Charlotte is talking with Mari and Pietro. Any of the statues NOT one of our modern friends? [Assess the sitch: 11!] Who here is in the greatest danger? Mari. Named ponies -- Duskshine, Nono, Powerpony, Pietro. Andi - Also ... Telekinetian. Not Animal or Alloy or Armiger. The statues are functionally blind.  A lot of folks recognizable from school. Not others. All kids. The cluster in the center is more reocgnizable. Pietro. Daph is NOT there (but Marion is) (and a couple of his buds) Not all are super-responsive -- more echoing. No teachers, just students. Several years older.  Alycia / Summer / Adam ... at the first clearing. Alycia texts Harry (since nobody is there) Adam's comfort food. Peanut butter cookies. Adam. "This is our base." Mama Amari makes them. Summer: Ice Cream. Bernie Bots Every Flavor.  There is also on the table ... sesame seed studded hard breadstick bundles. Long.  Stuffed kiwi with some sort of custard.  Poke sticks. Harry gets a text. "Where are you guys." "By the statues" "Is Charlotte under control?" "She's not going crazy, she's just upset. You don't have to come in guns blazing." "If she's upset, are you sure about that?" Charlotte is kneeling before Mari's statue, talking with her.  Alycia has been mostly Pony-adjacent. Summer -- something about Charlotte's position/pose - realizes who Mari is. And ... pose of another one ... smiling but self-effacing but tucking of hair behind the ear ... Nono. Figuring out what's going on. Summer inquires what's going on (and can hear conversation with Mari). (And keyword echoes) M - It's not that we recall, we just have a perfect memory, so we've been used more for research. A function of our form. An effect.  They were trapped in this at ... the prom? Graduation? Not sure how it happened, and then we were immediately moved away back in time. We were here, someone found us, decided we were oracles of the gods, and have been doing that ... and now we're here.  Charlotte leans forward, hugs, we'll figure this out, prevent it from happening. And everyone's there now. Harry's here with Andi.  Introduces Radiance and Charade and Concord.  And the Concordance. The Grove was created as a byblow of a great cosmic conflict.  Charlotte makes a comment about strangling Everard's scrawny neck.  Huh. Wonder where Everard is. Is the big battle *still* going on? Adam calls a team huddle -- wait, family huddle (with Andi). The Concords do not take it as an invitation (except maybe Green, but Red doesn't let them). Adam explains about the Keynome thing (pulls it out) and what the Concordance have said. Oh, and the fight in space with Dr Infinity stuff, it was all powered by Keynome power. (Something seems very wrong about that -- keynomes enforce reality.) Alycia -- they're a foundation. Charlotte -- they're an anchor.  Tied to the Hidden Family and Vyortovia and trying to steal them to help themselves back home, thus worsening the wounds. Radiance - I think I have an X factor that might help. (Has Leo on the phone, left over Dr I tech from that orbit battle, gave it to Leo, who's researching time and space.) Statues susurrus goes up when the Keynome comes out. Mari - Only makes sense the other world wants the keynomes because they got stolen from there in the first place. Have been dealing with minor magi for a long time. Scrambling for power -- figured out how to grab them from elsewhere. Became The Magus, close to a hundred years ago. Borrowed (stole) them from other worlds. Red: See, we told you! There's too many here! (Sorry, we were eavesdropping.) Mari - unclear how connected to Dr Infinity. They've never been here. Dr Infinity has been kind on Earth and Halcyon more often since keynomes were stolen. Also, super-heroes. A correlation between Keynomes and super-heroes? Supersaturation of keynomic energy. And Charlotte realizes that the stone on top of his Magus Everard's staff sure resembles the Keynome that Adam his holding. Charlotte: how many keynomes here? C3 - 12 C - How many should there be? C3 - 9. Maybe 8. 6 would be normal. 3 would be VERY mundane. Any data points from our future about the "next" appearance of Magus Everard and Doctor Infinity? In the next three months, before these people get trapped. (If only Alycia had downloaded some history files.) Mari knows of a point. Around the time the others disappeared. Leo has Infinity tech. Alycia has some future tech. Adam got some sort of readings / info when interacting with Infinity bots (using Keynome power -- *his* keynome). Concordance agents ... tabu! Summer [Pierce the Mask - 11!] Red=Truth! So .. "What would it take to get you to trust us?" Fixing the balance of this place. The ripples of the way things are right now ... they are spreading, and bad enough they will be stronger as they spread. If they become noticed by the greater Concordance, actions will be taken that will benefit no one on Earth. This is our home. [The Cs are human?} Agent Amari had a fully balanced shard -- it was unable to express itself in this environment. By separating onto our colors, able to simplify and be able to function on this world. ... do you trust us enough to help? That's why I asked you along. And Adam does, too, RIGHT?   My Shard was trying to make this a better place. Red - We'll worry about a better place tomorrow. Today, we worry about not being melted down by an armada. S - If you folk have any needs or problems, just talk with our team lead. (points to Alycia) Al - (stares) Yes, that's right. I would be happy to assist in any way that will ensure your cooperation. Green - looks at Red. Red - tactician. Harry - I was just going to retire. Andi - Can't get senioritis yet. Statues.  Andi -- why am I not here? Where are you guys? Where is the next appearance? Walt Disney World! Harry - Field trip. Need to map it out beforehand. Leo has built a jammer to keep them from bopping out for a certain period of time. Leo thinks the bots are resonating with Keynome energy -- the destabilization effort in the future. Infinity has been, maybe, recapturing and relocating the keynomes, and the bots have keynome residue on them. Summer has a clue that Harry is looking to distance himself from the team? [Piece the Mask: 10!] - Are you okay coming with us one more time? Yeah. Of course. You guys are my team. I'll always be willing to help. ... and Harry realizes that's true. - What do you want me to do? ... keep what you're doing. You're a good super-hero. I know you can help a lot of people. ... I don't want to follow in my parents' footsteps and join the HHL. (Use Adam's keynome to power Leo's trap?) (Call in Grandma to watch over the grove.) (And Charlotte wants to comfort & support the statues -- In Good Spirits.) [Freak = 9!] (Summer boosts to a 10) The Greek Chorus wakes up a bit. Give them hope. Scene Wrap-Up Alycia - closer (Summer) -> +Mundane, -Freak   Summer - closer (Harry) -> +Superior, -Freak Harry - closer (Summer) -> -Freak, +Mundane Charlotte - closer (Mari)  Adam - closer (Charlotte) -> +Superior -Freak

Good game, especially happy where it's going.  Is it bad I'm excited to trash Disney World?  I'm sure Alycia's thrilled (getting to destroy a monument to capitalism). Going to watch Avengers 1 & 2 over the weekend to get a good "dynamic super team fight" mentality in mind for next Monday. Finally--just to make sure Doyce is prepared--who has their Moment of Truth ready?  *raises hand*

(Ready-as-in-taken, not ready-as-in-I-know-what-I'm-doing-with-it.)

Is it bad I'm excited to trash Disney World?  I'm sure Alycia's thrilled (getting to destroy a monument to capitalism). Alycia's immediate reaction was "Good Lord, I'm about to be smothered in multi-billion dollar culturally appropriated IP cuteness." After a moment, her reactions become more ... nuanced. I'll cover that in her  recap. :-) Going to watch Avengers 1 & 2 over the weekend to get a good "dynamic super team fight" mentality in mind for next Monday. A1, in particular, does some incredible (and subtle) stuff of long sweeps through the battlefield so we see what each person's doing, then raising the action by doing the same thing only heroes are paired up (Thor and Hulk on the leviathan, Cap using his shield as a mirror for Iron Man, etc.). Aside from problematic disaster porn striking NYC, it's actually an amazing battle. 

Mike said: Finally--just to make sure Doyce is prepared--who has their Moment of Truth ready?  *raises hand* For those who want to see that fight gamed out in another way, I wrote up " Avengers Accelerated " in 5 parts to lay out how to do supers in FAE a long time ago. You can pack a lot of action into a small number of moves, and I'd encourage things like the multi-PC team-up attacks be covered by spending team and the like.

Bill G. said: For those who want to see that fight gamed out in another way, I wrote up " Avengers Accelerated " in 5 parts to lay out how to do supers in FAE a long time ago. You can pack a lot of action into a small number of moves, and I'd encourage things like the multi-PC team-up attacks be covered by spending team and the like. Every now and then I remember you wrote that, which I fondly remember from somewhere in '14-15 when I started playing Fate as one of the things that really made the system click for me in my head (which in turn most likely contributed to making PbtA click) and for just being an entertaining piece of writing.  This is always amusing as I did not piece together that you had wrote that and we played together until like 6 months to a year after we started doing so.  I remember being acutely embarrassed for 1) not being able to remember names of people who wrote things and 2) feeling like I was well past the point that it was socially acceptable to randomly gush at someone that you liked something they wrote years ago.  I've since concluded that you probably won't mind the random compliment and so this post exists.

What Mike said. 

I don't worry too much about a huge climactic battle. Summer will just walk up to Doctor Infinity and Magus Everard, hug them and tell them that they are loved and valued and both have an important role to play in the universe and maybe it could be even better if they played those roles together, and, btw, please don't knock our friends into statuary in the long-distant past, and, oh, who likes snickerdoodles? (Alycia will willingly spend Team to make that happen.)

*** Dave H. said: Summer will just walk up to Doctor Infinity and Magus Everard, hug them and tell them that they are loved and valued&nbsp; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBArXz3cWos" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBArXz3cWos</a>

Mike said: I've since concluded that you probably won't mind the random compliment and so this post exists. In all seriousness, I'm very glad it was useful and it paid off so well.

Hey Doyce, unless you have reservations, I'm going to flesh out the Concordance Trio in writing.&nbsp; Cool?

Bill G. said: *** Dave H. said: Summer will just walk up to Doctor Infinity and Magus Everard, hug them and tell them that they are loved and valued&nbsp; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBArXz3cWos" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBArXz3cWos</a> Or, yeah, you could do that, too. Alycia would pay two Team for that option.

Since Boku no Hero Academia was mentioned: Once you see it, you can't unsee it.

Okay, I've been looking at it for five minutes and haven't seen it.

This is Deku, aka Izuku Midoriya: He's young, but very much a masculine character - imagine a more naive Leo Snow around age 14. But the eyelashes easily turn him into a tomboyish girl character, with surprisingly little else needed.

Ah. Got it. :-)

Relevant:&nbsp;<a href="https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/12/bilbo-baggins-is-a-girl-until-childrens-books-catch-up-to-our-daughters-rewrite-them.html" rel="nofollow">https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/12/bilbo-baggins-is-a-girl-until-childrens-books-catch-up-to-our-daughters-rewrite-them.html</a>

On a side note, Harry also has a moment of truth taken, though that doesn't mean I have any idea what to do with in.

James H. said: On a side note, Harry also has a moment of truth taken, though that doesn't mean I have any idea what to do with in. As a suggestion: what's the thing that Harry's Legacy have either tried and failed to do, or warned him not to do? We've seen him pick up new powers pretty fast - almost the only thing it takes is to believe that the thing is possible, and/or observe it in action. So what will the history books record as the Mercury Maneuver, the one thing he originated?

I've lost track. How many moments of Truth do we have floating around right now?

4, unless Charlotte also has hers; in which case it is a full team Moment of Truth.&nbsp;

I guarantee Charlotte has hers. I don't think she's ever used it and I think she's probably had one for ages. If not that then she has four five advances that she hasn't used and could pick it up instantaneously. You guys could legitimately unmake or remake the universe right now. Which, to be fair, when you're working against both Magus Everard and Doctor Infinity, simultaneously, is kind of what you need to be able to do.

Now I'm picturing everyone, giant-sized, brawling with titanic Doctor Infinity and Magus Everard figures, Ultraman- style, over the skyline of Walt Disney World.

James H. said: On a side note, Harry also has a moment of truth taken, though that doesn't mean I have any idea what to do with in. As the person who's used the most in this game so far... I haven't known what to do with them either until the opportunity presented itself.&nbsp; Best thing I suggest is "What sort of moment do you want have with Harry before the end of the game?&nbsp; Lean into that." Personally, I want to flip the script on the Nova now that Adam's giving up the Keynome and have him try an minimize the collateral damage. Doyce T. said: I guarantee Charlotte has hers. I don't think she's ever used it and I think she's probably had one for ages. If not that then she has four five advances that she hasn't used and could pick it up instantaneously. Charlotte made use of probably the most showy Moment of Truth yet when she summoned up the Dead of the Sepia-verse at the end of Charlotte, Summer, Jason, and Alycia's jaunt over there. *** Dave H. said: Now I'm picturing everyone, giant-sized, brawling with titanic Doctor Infinity and Magus Everard figures, Ultraman- style, over the skyline of Walt Disney World. While I don't think this fits the tone of the game... you have no idea how excited the idea makes me.

Mike said: While I don't think this fits the tone of the game... you have no idea how excited the idea makes me. Oh, I agree it doesn't tonally fit, but it would be awesome. I agree the MoT should be something truly awesome, character, defining, and fulfilling. &nbsp;Jason's I have become Shivananobot, the Destroyer of Minds &nbsp;at the end of his arc was, kinda, everything the character had been building toward, even if I had none of it in mind before we walked through it. The notes in the Legacy playbook about MoT might provide some guidance (or not). From a Speedster perspective, Wally's single-handedly taking down Luthor-Brainiac in the climax of that season of JL might provide an inspiration -- the guy that everyone jokes about, whose power is sometimes useful but not nearly in the same league as the Big Guys, ends up saving the world in a way that they never could (and nearly sacrificing himself in the process). Not saying to do the same thing, just what it will hopefully feel like.

** Dave H. said: (Ready-as-in-taken, not ready-as-in-I-know-what-I'm-doing-with-it.) The Scion Moment of Truth:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehc2x4BleQI&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehc2x4BleQI&amp;feature=youtu.be</a>

Bill G. said: The Scion Moment of Truth:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehc2x4BleQI&amp;feature=youtu.be" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehc2x4BleQI&amp;feature=youtu.be</a> Heh. Thanks for reminding me I need to rewatch that movie. As far as the actual text goes: Both hero and villain, and greater besides. You're overcoming impossible odds in ways no hero would approve of, and no villain could comprehend. But no pressure. :-)