[M&M 3e] Defying the Future IC

[Zelphas]

Nope takes the device from Ariadne and makes his way stealthily towards Raphael, his footsteps silent on the mossy carpeting. Pressing the silvery metal disc to Raphael's shoulder, he taps the green button. Instantly, pale blue light expands out of the edges of the disc where it touches Raphael's fur, expanding into a film of bluish radiance that overwhelms Raphael's green bioluminescence and seems to freeze the massive ox in a moment of time.

...For about a second, that is. The green glow of Raphael appears at her hooves and travels upwards in a wave, shattering the pale blue light of Watcher's attack into motes of blue-green light that hover in the air for a moment, then disappear. When the green light reaches the disc, it solidifies into the same thin greenish creepers that hang in the air all around the area, warping and tarnishing the silvery metal until the device itself crumbles into dust and disappears, taking the creepers along with it.

With a loud bellow of fear, Raphael rears up on her hind legs, stomping into the ground with earth-shaking force. The ground in front of her shudders upwards into eight distinct hummocks of moss, which split apart to reveal the round, teardrop-shaped pale green bodies of Saplings, unfurling from their hidden rest. They rise up on their squat, root-like legs in unison, their arm-like branches spreading wide to block the way between the danger and their lady. Each of their four eyes chooses a different hero to focus upon; the blue eye snaps to Ariadne, the brown eye to Helios, the grey eye to Nope, and the green eye to Floral, watching all of you at once. The blue-veined, dark green leaf at the top of each pointed head quivers.

Saplings are living creatures; therefore, they must eat. Their name and general shape suggests that Saplings "eat" like plants do, taking in nutrients from sun, soil, and water and converting that to their energy. The four of you are given a possible reason to dispute this general belief today, as the front of all eight Saplings split open to reveal a lopsided maw coated with thick strings of sap. The creatures of Manchineel let loose a bubbling growl, the oddly inorganic sound hissing through broken spurs of wood that could possibly pass for teeth.

For her part, Raphael wheels on her enormous hooves, lowers her massive head, and begins to charge... directly away from the group, heading for the trees on the other side of the small clearing.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Raphael

Free Action: Swap Ox of Helios Array to Call Protection.

Standard Action: Use Call Protection, summoning 8 Saplings.

Move Action: Shift to AM17.

Music

Map, once again.

As the battle begins, two quick notes:

Life's Wellspring: As long as Raphael is on the battlefield, her Saplings gain a measure of protection due to her overwhelming healing energy. Saplings do not fail Resistance Checks as Minions so long as Raphael is within 300 feet of them; instead, they take a -3 to all Resistance checks.

Flight, not Fight: Raphael is attempting to escape the battle, but her Teleportation only works if she is in contact with a tree that has at least a 10' diameter. It will take her two rounds to reach such a tree from where she is on the field right now.

All PCs are on turn.