The Ennead: As for any who shall enter this tomb in their impurity: Their bones shall be turned to fire. Their name shall not exist among the living. They shall know no freedom from pain. Their soul shall be a meal for Ammut the Devourer. Death comes on wings to the one who defies the Nine.
Ermine: I know the sitch with these looneys—they pretend they’re all-powerful mummy gods that can shrivel you with a quick glance, but they’re really just a bunch of failed tomb robbers that got their big magic mojo from some shiny loot they found. And what other thieves can steal, I can steal from them, even faster and with a lot more style.
Kaargra Warfang v. Gloomweaver
The leader of the Bloodsworn leaned forward eagerly. The battle taking place on the sandy floor below was heating up. The strange purple-robed cultists had formed a defensive circle, keeping her gladiators at bay while several humans at the center of the circle chanted and gesticulated over several odd-looking items. A glowing green miasma began to coalesce over the colosseum.
Vaulting over the railing and into the arena, Kaargra kicked one cultist in the face and tossed another into the wall with bone-breaking force. The Bloodsworn rallied to her as a colossal skeletal claw emerged from the summoning circle.
The crowd roared.
The Chairman v. Wager Master
Utter and complete chaos dominated Rook City. Burning buildings toppled into the streets below. Bizarre, cartoonish creatures brawled with heavily armed criminals on every street corner. Reality itself seemed to be twisting in sanity-bending spirals.
In his soundproofed office, far above the chaos, the Chairman weighed his options. Reaching out, he slowly slid a black knight forward, removing a white pawn. Graham Pike looked across the board and smiled, ever so slightly.
“Your move.”
Akash’bhuta v. Mad Bomber Blade
Akash’bhuta: (inarticulate rumbling reminiscent of far-off thunder interspersed with the sharp *crack* of breaking stone; plant life nearby sways as if in a strong breeze, though the air is completely still)
Mad Bomber Blade: How do you defeat a primordial entity of nature, you ask? Well, my long-term plan involves increased consumption of fossil fuels, the clear-cutting of rainforests, and the placement of large magnifying lenses in orbit. For now, however, I plan to use unreasonable amounts of high explosives to deal with this mountainous behemoth. (maniacal laugh)
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
OK, seeding is now done! Voting for the first round will start in a day or two. If you want to make a full bracket or just a Final Four prediction now is the time.
Are we waiting for the story write-ups for each of the rounds? If we are that sounds great I just want to make sure I am not totally missing the form to start voting for the first round since you said this on the 11th and its the 15th.
I did plan on waiting for the stories, as I think they are a great way to see the match-up (great job!). However, I will post the first voting form tomorrow night. The general idea will be to have 48 hours of voting, with a 24 hour break in between.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Krystal Lee stood panting, her hands on her knees, as she watched the cosmic juggernaut demolish another high-rise. Her muscles twitched restlessly from extreme exertion and leakage from the speedsuit. Friction briefly reviewed the situation. Revenant was down, presumably dead. Argentium was still reforming after the last blast he took. Highbrow’s devices had proved nearly useless. And the Hippo… Krystal winced.
But it would be a cold day in hell before she let some lump of space clay beat her. Taking a deep breath, she charged back in.
Plague Rat v. Spite
Edgar Grimes watched in horrified fascination as the two monsters clashed in the alleyway outside. Peering through his filthy window, he saw one of the creatures rip a mouthful of flesh from the other, only to have it regrow almost instantly. When the two beasts had emerged from the manhole, one had been wearing a red hockey mask and the other had had a long, worm-like tail trailing behind it; now, however, it was almost impossible to tell the two combatants apart.
Wet, tearing noises, shrieks of agony and rage, flashes of strange purple light, and the smell of blood, offal, and ozone filled the night. Edgar fought to keep his phone trained on the scene below as his hands shook uncontrollably. This video was going to get so many hits.
Infinitor v. Fright Train
“Pulling in to the station! Ready to unload a cargo of fresh-cut lumber and—“
“Nightmare eyeballs. Gathered from sleeping islands of whispered memory.”
“—And, uh, nightmare eyeballs! Toot-toot!” Steven Graves guided the translucent, glowing green model train to a stop, making “chuggachugga” noises with his mouth. Infinitor giggled like a child, the sound weirdly amplified and distorted by the skull-like mask he wore. The model train track manifestation twisted and warped in mind-bending spirals.
Sighing, Fright Train rose to his feet and stretched. Joints popped. “Well, I s’pose we ought to get this over with. Doesn’t feel right, beating on someone who’s not all there, but that’s the ticket we got, Hugh.”
“All the little people riding the train into a mouth. Soon, it bites and chews and swallows and no more little people train.” The train track shattered like glass. Horrific creatures began to take shape in the shadows behind Infinitor. “Hugh’s going away now, Steven.”
Graves lowered his head behind the massive helmet. “G’bye, Hugh.”
Grand Warlord Voss v. Omnitron mk. I
Rainek Kel-Voss: Pfah. A machine that believes it can be a warrior. What absurdities this backwater planet produces. Shall I tell you why my grand army does not consist of automata? They have no spirit, no drive, no instinct to guide them in the press of combat. You cannot reason your way through battle. This glorified appliance may be able to produce vast amounts of weaponry, but I shall show the galaxy that weapons do not win battles. Warriors do.
Omnitron: FACTORY PRODUCTION INCREASED 403.6% DRONES DEPLOYED TO PROJECTED LANDING SITES PRELIMINARY NEGOTIATIONS ONGOING WITH UNIT “TCF CONQUEROR” AND UNIT “TCF STALWART” RESPONSE TO UPGRADED SENTIENCE MATRIX ENCOURAGING ACTIVATING COMBAT CHASSIS… HOW ABOUT A NICE GAME OF THERMONUCLEAR WAR?
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Captain Cosmic had faced many foes in the universe, and this one that could change his form and unleash pure energy was no big deal. "If he wants to see Energy in different forms he's in the right place," he thought. But there was something different about him, something new, and yet ancient, and very, very dark.
The Scholar reached deep inside, he could feel the dark energy, he struggled to control it. But most of all, in the back of his mind, he longed to unleash it. Perhaps this contest would be fun after all.
Chrono Ranger vs. The Argent Adept
This opponent could be tricky. His magical showed great resilience and had great disruptive potential. Jim had a lot of tricks up his sleeve too. This match would be a strategic one for sure, and catching the Adept would require Jim to be at the top of his game.
This ranger had a lot of tricks, but that all of them could be countered. The problem was getting the ranger to give him an opening to attack. The Virtuoso of the Void was not traditionally attack oriented, but the power they wielded could do the job well enough.
America's Finest Legacy vs The Naturalist (desperate prey)
Paul knew of this enemy, knew not to underestimate the ferocity of this man if he was backed into a corner, but he also trusted his strength, and his resolve. Nothing would stand in his way. He carried the weight of his legacy proudly, and he would prove to everyone, once again, that he was worthy of it.
The man was fading, the beast rising up. It was becoming difficult to separate man, gazelle, crocodile and rhinoceros. Hopefully this contest would help him find balance, and fortunately his first opponent was one he didn't fear unleashing on.
The Wraith vs Expatriette
Amanda Cohen was deadly, and she didn't miss. A formidable opponent. Fortunately for The Wraith she was also without super powers, and The Wraith's technological advantage would be a nightmare for her adversary. It is hard to shoot that which you cannot see.
Amanda had a good sheet on this Wraith, no superpowers, only gadgets. No obvious angles to exploit, no overconfidence to take advantage on. "Probably has a lot more than this on me," thought Amanda. That would be alright though, she'd faced much worse odds than this, and she wasn't a girl who took losses.
Absolute Zero vs Mr Fixer
Seriously, an old blind man? This sadly wasn't a joke, although something about falling on the ice was practically telling itself. "Man, I'm going to end up looking like a huge jerk for this."
Ryan Frost had some very high-tech equipment, he'd gotten his hands on some of it once. High-tech just meant easier to break. Fortunately the Freedom 5 had the resources to repair it.
This round will last until 7:00PM CDT Wednesday 3-18.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
It is very interesting to see which matches are close and which aren't.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Some of these were tough, but the decisions only got tougher as I was filling in my bracket. We'll see how well my chosen hero and villain champions do...
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
That's it for round 1. Some interesting matches there. All three Legacys made it in, but no of them made it to round 2.
Round 2 will start tomorrow!
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Citizen Dawn: It’s a shame that we gifted must constantly bicker like this. This man Ivan—his powers were discovered by short-sighted flat-scans, and what did they do? Froze him for study. *tsk* Proletariat may believe that he represents the will of “the people,” but I’m going to have a long discussion with him about what he’s fighting for after we grind him into the dirt.
Proletariat: Yes, this woman commands army of чудеса, eh… “marvels.” They have great power, yes. But the core of her power is rotten. She fights for selfish motives, to rule world and shape it as she wishes. And these comrades that follow her—it is said she has killed several to keep others in line. This army of slaves will never prevail against a free man.
Matriarch v. Skinwalker Gloomweaver
The avian horde swarmed around the corpse that Gloomweaver had possessed, pecking at eyes and tearing away scraps of flesh with mocking caws. Lilian Corvus sat on a park bench nearby, composing a new poem as she watched the demon-zombie flail its arms frantically. The purple-robed cultists had fled some time ago, nursing bloody wounds. “The night can have but one monarch/ One ruler—“
Suddenly, there was a wet ripping sound and a flash of sickly green light from the center of the cloud of birds. As the demonic essence of the dark god burst from the borrowed corpse, a wave of entropic energy washed over the Matriarch like ice-cold mud. Dead birds fell from the sky like black snow.
Fists clenched, eyes burning with magic and rage, Lilian strode towards the Rotting God. “Oh, it’s on.”
Iron Legacy v. Deadline
Paul Parsons VIII, the world’s Final Legacy, cast aside the shattered pieces of the Atomic End-Glaive. His face held no pity, no curiosity, not even anger—only a terrible determination that had etched deep lines there. The dim glow of the lava made him appear carved out of stone.
Tarogath raised one hand, reluctant to bring the full force of his technological armory to bear on this lone human. “Wait. You are an intelligent man, I see. Let me help you understand why it is I must do this thing.”
Legacy advanced toward the alien despoiler. “As an insightful man once said, there are two ways to deal with a mystery: uncover it, or… eliminate it.”
Cosmic Omnitron v. Spite, Agent of Gloom
Cosmitron: OPEN FILE: DONOVAN, JACK AKA SPITE. ERROR: SUBJECT DECEASED. SEARCHING… SUBJECT REANIMATED BY EXTRADIMENSIONAL BEING SUBJECT CHARACTERISTICS: PSYCHOLOGICAL TERRORISM, DRUG ENHANCEMENT, ENERGY PROJECTION FORMULATING ANTISERUM… FORMULATION COMPLETE. MANUFACTURING ANTISERUM FLECHETTES… SEARCH “HOW TO KILL A ZOMBIE.”
Spite: Straight from the divine to the soulless, eh? Well, this overgrown can-opener won’t be much of a challenge. Machines—they think you can think your way out of anything, anticipate my moves before I make them. Dya know what happened to the prison shrink who tried to get in my head? Sucked on a shotgun after a week of sessions. Heheh. And that was before I met the boss. This toaster’s in for a world of hurt.
Out of curiosity, has anyone reconsidered a match-up because of one of the write-ups? After phantaskippy's description of the Fixer/AZ fight, I changed my mind and voted for Mr. Fixer (though that didn't do him much good).
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Now this was a fight! Somehow, those strange humans had created a stone temple in the middle of the arena, complete with obelisks and statuary. It set a nice tone for the match; the crowd loved groups with a good theme. Blasts of fire, bolts of lighting, and weird mystic energies had sent her gladiators reeling for cover. Kaargra mused that these odd beings would make fine Bloodsworn. Those that survived, that is.
But the snake-headed one had strayed from his fellows. A fatal error. Warfang leaped down behind him, ready to deliver a crushing blow. She felt the tickle of a breeze across the back of her neck, and suddenly the star-eyed woman was standing before her.
“We are the Nine that are One. Master of the Arena, you would be wise not to trifle with such powers.”
That was a challenge if Kaargra had ever heard one. She grinned wolfishly and snapped her fingers. Portcullises ground open, and more Bloodsworn gladiators poured into the arena.
The Chairman v. Mad Bomber Blade
*click*
“Good evening, Mr. Pike. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ivan Grigori Ramonat, better known in this country as Baron Blade. No doubt you are wondering how this disk came to be on your desk. Perhaps your vaunted influence over the criminal underworld is not so great as you claim.
“I am told you are something of a gaming man, Mr. Graham Pike. Shall we play a game together, then? Spread among your vast holdings here in Overbrook City, I have placed a number of explosive surprises. These gifts will—“
(The click of a door shutting softly)
“Eh? Hmm. As I was saying, these packages will explode at the stroke of midnight, giving you less than fifteen hours to—“
(Footsteps, followed by a metallic clink)
“Fool! You think to catch me unaware! You should—“
(Several seconds of sustained fire from an automatic weapon. A wet *snick*, then the sound of a body hitting the floor.)
“I’m disappointed, Mr. Pike. Maybe… *cough* next time… you will be a bit more creative.”
*click*
Progeny v. Spite
Progeny: The cosmic juggernaut, embodying the most destructive elements of the natural world...
Ok, guys. I just can’t bring myself to make a fight between the world-slaying herald of the Big Bad and a drugged-up serial killer who likes to pick on kids all that interesting. If you really think Spite has a chance, then vote that way, but… c’mon. Progeny’s had it pretty easy so far.
Infinitor v. Grand Warlord Voss
The dark side of the moon was illuminated by flickering bursts of light: green, red, purple—a kaleidoscope blend of color. In orbit above Earth’s satellite, Rainek Kel-Voss frowned as his lieutenants reported on the battle below.
“Swarms of the energy constructs have nearly annihilated the Mubbloxian platoon; the survivors are in full retreat. On the right flank, the Maerynians have broken through the energy field and engaged the human directly, though they’ve suffered heavy losses. Also, we’ve had to put down many of the Psi-Weavers. They went berserk and started attacking other platoons.” Vyktor swallowed nervously.
The Grand Warlord’s frown deepened. He stood abruptly and strode away from the viewscreen. “Order the shock infantry to engage the human at close range. Keep him from flying away again. Then have the Conqueror and Stalwart target the location with beam weapons. Maximum power, ten-second pulse. Assemble the Guard in Landing Bay Aleph. I am flying down to make absolutely sure that this human slime dies.”
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
One I find surprising that made it to round 2 is Spite. It seems regularly often that there are threads staing Spite needs fixed and how all matches are boring.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
I agree Spite all drugged up would be a rough match for any villain in a fight. I can still feel that it's odd. To be honest I voted moreso based on how much I liked playing a villain or how much I liked their theme.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Finally got to a computer, and round 2 voting is now closed. Round 3 voting will be up in a day or two.
Interesting, here are the seeds that are left:
Heroes: 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 15, 21
Villains, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Looks like there will be some very close battles in the next round. AZ vs. Tempest and Haka vs. Visionary on the heroes side and Iron Legacy vs. Cosmitron and Progeny vs. Voss seem like they could all go either way. Who knows, maybe someone (anyone) will actually vote against Progeny this round....
Next round will be the final four for the heroes. Those final four will face the final villain to determine the Multiverse Champion.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Who knows, maybe someone (anyone) will actually vote against Progeny this round....
To be fair, Progeny (a cosmic level threat) has gone up against Friction and Spite so far, neither of whom are really heavy hitters. Spite's a nasty villain, but even in One-Wing-Angel mode, he just doesn't seem to wield the power that Progeny can.
At least, as I see it.
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
That's intereting. We also have our four hero team that will take on the villain champion. We are getting close to the winner!
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Anyone think it's odd that the 4 heroes who made it this far are all from the base set, while the villains are from 4 separate sets (Base set, Infernal Relics, Shattered Timelines, and Wrath of the Cosmos)?
I noticed the heroes, but not the villains. Thanks for pointing that out!
Also, none of the final four come the the hardest set.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Progeny is a powerful foe, and its relentless attack makes short work of most everything it encounters. However, the strength of The Ennead lies in their numbers. Even with their backstabbing ways, they know each other well and work together nigh seamlessly when in great danger. And no danger is as great as that of Progeny. Many of The Ennead fall to the onslaught of the colossal titan, but when the smoke clears, a few of The Ennead remain standing - they are the true victors this day.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
The Ennead would certainly be a match for Citizen Dawn alone; she is mighty, but not overwhelmingly so. However, she is also a match for them, and backed by her Citizens, I fear she is far too strong for the nine Egyptian demi-gods. The Ennead, all nine together, are a terrifying force. Enough power to take down Progeny, even! However, if they get all nine, then Dawn gets all her Citizens, and that's a super-powered army.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Hmm... So is Christopher saying that Citizen Dawn is about on the same equal level as all nine members of The Ennead combined? So she's also about as powerful as Progeny then? Jeez, Citizen Dawn really is a powerful character, considering Progeny was able to beat the tar out of Legacy while leaving The Visionary and NightMist to watch in horror!
Edit: I wish we had more ties...
Edit2: Look at that, you can play the match on the Vdeo Game!
I don't think he's going that far, I get that all nine Ennead together are stronger than Progeny, and that Dawn wouldn't just get crushed by the nine, she'd give them a fight. However, with her citizens the numbers flip, and the Ennead would lose.
So I would say Progeny is stronger than Dawn, but if she had her Citizens Progeny would be toast.
It seems to me that all nine Ennead together is a rare thing, and terrifying when it happens.
Look at that, you can play the match on the Vdeo Game!
I saw that too, which makes my job even harder.
Also, both #1s, won.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
It seems to me that all nine Ennead together is a rare thing, and terrifying when it happens.
I could be wrong, but I think that is the idea of the Challenge Mode, that they are all working together.
Challenge Mode wrote:
The Ennead “Eternal Spellcraft” All of The Ennead act together. • Every Villain One-Shot has all three symbols as keywords:
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Battle Commentary! Villains, part 3/4
The Ennead v. Ermine
The Ennead: As for any who shall enter this tomb in their impurity: Their bones shall be turned to fire. Their name shall not exist among the living. They shall know no freedom from pain. Their soul shall be a meal for Ammut the Devourer. Death comes on wings to the one who defies the Nine.
Ermine: I know the sitch with these looneys—they pretend they’re all-powerful mummy gods that can shrivel you with a quick glance, but they’re really just a bunch of failed tomb robbers that got their big magic mojo from some shiny loot they found. And what other thieves can steal, I can steal from them, even faster and with a lot more style.
Kaargra Warfang v. Gloomweaver
The leader of the Bloodsworn leaned forward eagerly. The battle taking place on the sandy floor below was heating up. The strange purple-robed cultists had formed a defensive circle, keeping her gladiators at bay while several humans at the center of the circle chanted and gesticulated over several odd-looking items. A glowing green miasma began to coalesce over the colosseum.
Vaulting over the railing and into the arena, Kaargra kicked one cultist in the face and tossed another into the wall with bone-breaking force. The Bloodsworn rallied to her as a colossal skeletal claw emerged from the summoning circle.
The crowd roared.
The Chairman v. Wager Master
Utter and complete chaos dominated Rook City. Burning buildings toppled into the streets below. Bizarre, cartoonish creatures brawled with heavily armed criminals on every street corner. Reality itself seemed to be twisting in sanity-bending spirals.
In his soundproofed office, far above the chaos, the Chairman weighed his options. Reaching out, he slowly slid a black knight forward, removing a white pawn. Graham Pike looked across the board and smiled, ever so slightly.
“Your move.”
Akash’bhuta v. Mad Bomber Blade
Akash’bhuta: (inarticulate rumbling reminiscent of far-off thunder interspersed with the sharp *crack* of breaking stone; plant life nearby sways as if in a strong breeze, though the air is completely still)
Mad Bomber Blade: How do you defeat a primordial entity of nature, you ask? Well, my long-term plan involves increased consumption of fossil fuels, the clear-cutting of rainforests, and the placement of large magnifying lenses in orbit. For now, however, I plan to use unreasonable amounts of high explosives to deal with this mountainous behemoth. (maniacal laugh)
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Are we waiting for the story write-ups for each of the rounds? If we are that sounds great I just want to make sure I am not totally missing the form to start voting for the first round since you said this on the 11th and its the 15th.
I did plan on waiting for the stories, as I think they are a great way to see the match-up (great job!). However, I will post the first voting form tomorrow night. The general idea will be to have 48 hours of voting, with a 24 hour break in between.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Battle Commentary! Villains, part 4/4
Progeny v. Friction
How do you outrun the end of the world?
Krystal Lee stood panting, her hands on her knees, as she watched the cosmic juggernaut demolish another high-rise. Her muscles twitched restlessly from extreme exertion and leakage from the speedsuit. Friction briefly reviewed the situation. Revenant was down, presumably dead. Argentium was still reforming after the last blast he took. Highbrow’s devices had proved nearly useless. And the Hippo… Krystal winced.
But it would be a cold day in hell before she let some lump of space clay beat her. Taking a deep breath, she charged back in.
Plague Rat v. Spite
Edgar Grimes watched in horrified fascination as the two monsters clashed in the alleyway outside. Peering through his filthy window, he saw one of the creatures rip a mouthful of flesh from the other, only to have it regrow almost instantly. When the two beasts had emerged from the manhole, one had been wearing a red hockey mask and the other had had a long, worm-like tail trailing behind it; now, however, it was almost impossible to tell the two combatants apart.
Wet, tearing noises, shrieks of agony and rage, flashes of strange purple light, and the smell of blood, offal, and ozone filled the night. Edgar fought to keep his phone trained on the scene below as his hands shook uncontrollably. This video was going to get so many hits.
Infinitor v. Fright Train
“Pulling in to the station! Ready to unload a cargo of fresh-cut lumber and—“
“Nightmare eyeballs. Gathered from sleeping islands of whispered memory.”
“—And, uh, nightmare eyeballs! Toot-toot!” Steven Graves guided the translucent, glowing green model train to a stop, making “chuggachugga” noises with his mouth. Infinitor giggled like a child, the sound weirdly amplified and distorted by the skull-like mask he wore. The model train track manifestation twisted and warped in mind-bending spirals.
Sighing, Fright Train rose to his feet and stretched. Joints popped. “Well, I s’pose we ought to get this over with. Doesn’t feel right, beating on someone who’s not all there, but that’s the ticket we got, Hugh.”
“All the little people riding the train into a mouth. Soon, it bites and chews and swallows and no more little people train.” The train track shattered like glass. Horrific creatures began to take shape in the shadows behind Infinitor. “Hugh’s going away now, Steven.”
Graves lowered his head behind the massive helmet. “G’bye, Hugh.”
Grand Warlord Voss v. Omnitron mk. I
Rainek Kel-Voss: Pfah. A machine that believes it can be a warrior. What absurdities this backwater planet produces. Shall I tell you why my grand army does not consist of automata? They have no spirit, no drive, no instinct to guide them in the press of combat. You cannot reason your way through battle. This glorified appliance may be able to produce vast amounts of weaponry, but I shall show the galaxy that weapons do not win battles. Warriors do.
Omnitron: FACTORY PRODUCTION INCREASED 403.6%
DRONES DEPLOYED TO PROJECTED LANDING SITES
PRELIMINARY NEGOTIATIONS ONGOING WITH UNIT “TCF CONQUEROR” AND UNIT “TCF STALWART”
RESPONSE TO UPGRADED SENTIENCE MATRIX ENCOURAGING
ACTIVATING COMBAT CHASSIS…
HOW ABOUT A NICE GAME OF THERMONUCLEAR WAR?
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Hero matchup part three.
Captain Cosmic vs Scholar of the Infinite.
Captain Cosmic had faced many foes in the universe, and this one that could change his form and unleash pure energy was no big deal. "If he wants to see Energy in different forms he's in the right place," he thought. But there was something different about him, something new, and yet ancient, and very, very dark.
The Scholar reached deep inside, he could feel the dark energy, he struggled to control it. But most of all, in the back of his mind, he longed to unleash it. Perhaps this contest would be fun after all.
Chrono Ranger vs. The Argent Adept
This opponent could be tricky. His magical showed great resilience and had great disruptive potential. Jim had a lot of tricks up his sleeve too. This match would be a strategic one for sure, and catching the Adept would require Jim to be at the top of his game.
This ranger had a lot of tricks, but that all of them could be countered. The problem was getting the ranger to give him an opening to attack. The Virtuoso of the Void was not traditionally attack oriented, but the power they wielded could do the job well enough.
America's Finest Legacy vs The Naturalist (desperate prey)
Paul knew of this enemy, knew not to underestimate the ferocity of this man if he was backed into a corner, but he also trusted his strength, and his resolve. Nothing would stand in his way. He carried the weight of his legacy proudly, and he would prove to everyone, once again, that he was worthy of it.
The man was fading, the beast rising up. It was becoming difficult to separate man, gazelle, crocodile and rhinoceros. Hopefully this contest would help him find balance, and fortunately his first opponent was one he didn't fear unleashing on.
The Wraith vs Expatriette
Amanda Cohen was deadly, and she didn't miss. A formidable opponent. Fortunately for The Wraith she was also without super powers, and The Wraith's technological advantage would be a nightmare for her adversary. It is hard to shoot that which you cannot see.
Amanda had a good sheet on this Wraith, no superpowers, only gadgets. No obvious angles to exploit, no overconfidence to take advantage on. "Probably has a lot more than this on me," thought Amanda. That would be alright though, she'd faced much worse odds than this, and she wasn't a girl who took losses.
Absolute Zero vs Mr Fixer
Seriously, an old blind man? This sadly wasn't a joke, although something about falling on the ice was practically telling itself. "Man, I'm going to end up looking like a huge jerk for this."
Ryan Frost had some very high-tech equipment, he'd gotten his hands on some of it once. High-tech just meant easier to break. Fortunately the Freedom 5 had the resources to repair it.
Round 1 voting is open!
This round will last until 7:00PM CDT Wednesday 3-18.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Having to choose between Parse and Guise in the very first round hurt me deep in my soul.
It is very interesting to see which matches are close and which aren't.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Some of these were tough, but the decisions only got tougher as I was filling in my bracket. We'll see how well my chosen hero and villain champions do...
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
That's it for round 1. Some interesting matches there. All three Legacys made it in, but no of them made it to round 2.
Round 2 will start tomorrow!
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
I am excited to see more as the rounds progress. Though I did somewhat poorly with my choices for who would make it to round two.
ROUND 2
Villains, part 1/2
Citizen Dawn v. Proletariat
Citizen Dawn: It’s a shame that we gifted must constantly bicker like this. This man Ivan—his powers were discovered by short-sighted flat-scans, and what did they do? Froze him for study. *tsk* Proletariat may believe that he represents the will of “the people,” but I’m going to have a long discussion with him about what he’s fighting for after we grind him into the dirt.
Proletariat: Yes, this woman commands army of чудеса, eh… “marvels.” They have great power, yes. But the core of her power is rotten. She fights for selfish motives, to rule world and shape it as she wishes. And these comrades that follow her—it is said she has killed several to keep others in line. This army of slaves will never prevail against a free man.
Matriarch v. Skinwalker Gloomweaver
The avian horde swarmed around the corpse that Gloomweaver had possessed, pecking at eyes and tearing away scraps of flesh with mocking caws. Lilian Corvus sat on a park bench nearby, composing a new poem as she watched the demon-zombie flail its arms frantically. The purple-robed cultists had fled some time ago, nursing bloody wounds. “The night can have but one monarch/ One ruler—“
Suddenly, there was a wet ripping sound and a flash of sickly green light from the center of the cloud of birds. As the demonic essence of the dark god burst from the borrowed corpse, a wave of entropic energy washed over the Matriarch like ice-cold mud. Dead birds fell from the sky like black snow.
Fists clenched, eyes burning with magic and rage, Lilian strode towards the Rotting God. “Oh, it’s on.”
Iron Legacy v. Deadline
Paul Parsons VIII, the world’s Final Legacy, cast aside the shattered pieces of the Atomic End-Glaive. His face held no pity, no curiosity, not even anger—only a terrible determination that had etched deep lines there. The dim glow of the lava made him appear carved out of stone.
Tarogath raised one hand, reluctant to bring the full force of his technological armory to bear on this lone human. “Wait. You are an intelligent man, I see. Let me help you understand why it is I must do this thing.”
Legacy advanced toward the alien despoiler. “As an insightful man once said, there are two ways to deal with a mystery: uncover it, or… eliminate it.”
Cosmic Omnitron v. Spite, Agent of Gloom
Cosmitron: OPEN FILE: DONOVAN, JACK AKA SPITE.
ERROR: SUBJECT DECEASED.
SEARCHING…
SUBJECT REANIMATED BY EXTRADIMENSIONAL BEING
SUBJECT CHARACTERISTICS: PSYCHOLOGICAL TERRORISM, DRUG ENHANCEMENT, ENERGY PROJECTION
FORMULATING ANTISERUM… FORMULATION COMPLETE.
MANUFACTURING ANTISERUM FLECHETTES…
SEARCH “HOW TO KILL A ZOMBIE.”
Spite: Straight from the divine to the soulless, eh? Well, this overgrown can-opener won’t be much of a challenge. Machines—they think you can think your way out of anything, anticipate my moves before I make them. Dya know what happened to the prison shrink who tried to get in my head? Sucked on a shotgun after a week of sessions. Heheh. And that was before I met the boss. This toaster’s in for a world of hurt.
Out of curiosity, has anyone reconsidered a match-up because of one of the write-ups? After phantaskippy's description of the Fixer/AZ fight, I changed my mind and voted for Mr. Fixer (though that didn't do him much good).
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Oh ho! Paul Parsons quoting Andrew Ryan? I never thought I'd see the day...
"Your goodness must have some edge to it — else it is none."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Ennead v. Kaargra Warfang
Now this was a fight! Somehow, those strange humans had created a stone temple in the middle of the arena, complete with obelisks and statuary. It set a nice tone for the match; the crowd loved groups with a good theme. Blasts of fire, bolts of lighting, and weird mystic energies had sent her gladiators reeling for cover. Kaargra mused that these odd beings would make fine Bloodsworn. Those that survived, that is.
But the snake-headed one had strayed from his fellows. A fatal error. Warfang leaped down behind him, ready to deliver a crushing blow. She felt the tickle of a breeze across the back of her neck, and suddenly the star-eyed woman was standing before her.
“We are the Nine that are One. Master of the Arena, you would be wise not to trifle with such powers.”
That was a challenge if Kaargra had ever heard one. She grinned wolfishly and snapped her fingers. Portcullises ground open, and more Bloodsworn gladiators poured into the arena.
The Chairman v. Mad Bomber Blade
*click*
“Good evening, Mr. Pike. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ivan Grigori Ramonat, better known in this country as Baron Blade. No doubt you are wondering how this disk came to be on your desk. Perhaps your vaunted influence over the criminal underworld is not so great as you claim.
“I am told you are something of a gaming man, Mr. Graham Pike. Shall we play a game together, then? Spread among your vast holdings here in Overbrook City, I have placed a number of explosive surprises. These gifts will—“
(The click of a door shutting softly)
“Eh? Hmm. As I was saying, these packages will explode at the stroke of midnight, giving you less than fifteen hours to—“
(Footsteps, followed by a metallic clink)
“Fool! You think to catch me unaware! You should—“
(Several seconds of sustained fire from an automatic weapon. A wet *snick*, then the sound of a body hitting the floor.)
“I’m disappointed, Mr. Pike. Maybe… *cough* next time… you will be a bit more creative.”
*click*
Progeny v. Spite
Progeny: The cosmic juggernaut, embodying the most destructive elements of the natural world...
Ok, guys. I just can’t bring myself to make a fight between the world-slaying herald of the Big Bad and a drugged-up serial killer who likes to pick on kids all that interesting. If you really think Spite has a chance, then vote that way, but… c’mon. Progeny’s had it pretty easy so far.
Infinitor v. Grand Warlord Voss
The dark side of the moon was illuminated by flickering bursts of light: green, red, purple—a kaleidoscope blend of color. In orbit above Earth’s satellite, Rainek Kel-Voss frowned as his lieutenants reported on the battle below.
“Swarms of the energy constructs have nearly annihilated the Mubbloxian platoon; the survivors are in full retreat. On the right flank, the Maerynians have broken through the energy field and engaged the human directly, though they’ve suffered heavy losses. Also, we’ve had to put down many of the Psi-Weavers. They went berserk and started attacking other platoons.” Vyktor swallowed nervously.
The Grand Warlord’s frown deepened. He stood abruptly and strode away from the viewscreen. “Order the shock infantry to engage the human at close range. Keep him from flying away again. Then have the Conqueror and Stalwart target the location with beam weapons. Maximum power, ten-second pulse. Assemble the Guard in Landing Bay Aleph. I am flying down to make absolutely sure that this human slime dies.”
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Why is Guise masquerading as Parse in round 2?
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Parse perceived Guise's weakness and introduced him to TV Tropes. He never made it to the battlefield.
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Or he got distracted by his potential appearance in bottom of the 9th
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Round 2 voting will begin tomorrow night.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Round 2 is up! Submissions due by 7:00PM Tuesday 3-24.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
One I find surprising that made it to round 2 is Spite. It seems regularly often that there are threads staing Spite needs fixed and how all matches are boring.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Which Spite are you talking about? Original Spite or Gloom Spite?
Original Spite specifically.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Doesn't mean he wouldn't win a fight. Legacy is boring but he's also insanely powerful.
I agree Spite all drugged up would be a rough match for any villain in a fight. I can still feel that it's odd. To be honest I voted moreso based on how much I liked playing a villain or how much I liked their theme.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Finally got to a computer, and round 2 voting is now closed. Round 3 voting will be up in a day or two.
Interesting, here are the seeds that are left:
Heroes: 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 15, 21
Villains, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Original Spite got demolished this round. No votes at all against Progeny
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Looks like there will be some very close battles in the next round. AZ vs. Tempest and Haka vs. Visionary on the heroes side and Iron Legacy vs. Cosmitron and Progeny vs. Voss seem like they could all go either way. Who knows, maybe someone (anyone) will actually vote against Progeny this round....
yeah, Voss and his horde vs all that AoE damage, Voss has to hope he overruns the planet before that damage turns irreducible.
Next round will be the final four for the heroes. Those final four will face the final villain to determine the Multiverse Champion.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
To be fair, Progeny (a cosmic level threat) has gone up against Friction and Spite so far, neither of whom are really heavy hitters. Spite's a nasty villain, but even in One-Wing-Angel mode, he just doesn't seem to wield the power that Progeny can.
At least, as I see it.
"To such simple minds, my advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic!"
Round 3 Form is up. Submissions due by 7:00 PM CDT Monday 3-30.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Round 3 is over, and round 4 is starting. Submissions due by 7:00PM CDT Wednesday 4-1.
Seeds left:
Heroes: 1,3,4,7
Villains: 1,2,3,4
That's intereting. We also have our four hero team that will take on the villain champion. We are getting close to the winner!
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Anyone think it's odd that the 4 heroes who made it this far are all from the base set, while the villains are from 4 separate sets (Base set, Infernal Relics, Shattered Timelines, and Wrath of the Cosmos)?
I noticed the heroes, but not the villains. Thanks for pointing that out!
Also, none of the final four come the the hardest set.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
No more than I've found some of the victories surprising throughout the course of the event :)
I love Ra in the final 4. When we used to pvp hero decks only AZ and Legacy beat Ra regularly.
I love Dawn vs. Iron Legacy. That's a comic series I would love to read.
Me, too!
Hi. My name's Andy. Feel free to call me Andy, since, ya know, that's my name. (he/him/his)
If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If not now, when? If I am for myself alone, what am I? -- Hillel
So, how do we resolve ties?
Will Progeny finally fall before the onslaught of the Ennead? Will a recount be necessary to decide the fate of the Multiverse?
Stay tuned!
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
That's awesome.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Round 5 is ready for voting! Submissions due by 7:00PM CDT Sunday, 4-5.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
And now we wait for the tie-breaker vote....
I'm guessing Citizen Dawn wins. Both sides have numbers but Dawn can bring back fallen allies.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Info about the final battle will be coming soon.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
Hmm... So is Christopher saying that Citizen Dawn is about on the same equal level as all nine members of The Ennead combined? So she's also about as powerful as Progeny then? Jeez, Citizen Dawn really is a powerful character, considering Progeny was able to beat the tar out of Legacy while leaving The Visionary and NightMist to watch in horror!
Edit: I wish we had more ties...
Edit2: Look at that, you can play the match on the Vdeo Game!
I knew Citizen Dawn would win. Now to play that matchup in the app.
Crush your enemies, drive them before you, and laminate their women! - Guise, Prime Wardens #31
I don't think he's going that far, I get that all nine Ennead together are stronger than Progeny, and that Dawn wouldn't just get crushed by the nine, she'd give them a fight. However, with her citizens the numbers flip, and the Ennead would lose.
So I would say Progeny is stronger than Dawn, but if she had her Citizens Progeny would be toast.
It seems to me that all nine Ennead together is a rare thing, and terrifying when it happens.
I saw that too, which makes my job even harder.
Also, both #1s, won.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
I could be wrong, but I think that is the idea of the Challenge Mode, that they are all working together.
Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.
-Robert E. Howard, "The Tower of the Elephant"
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