Revision as of 05:21, 25 October 2014

The Adventurers Leader(s): Red Spider Base of Operations: Subterranean Command Centre Concept: Classic costumed heroes & street fighters fighting gangs & organized crime. Founded: 14 February 2014 Website: Click Here Members: Red Spider, Fox, The Hand of Babylon, Talons, Jason Leander, Lady Justice, Mark of Power, Juggernette, Dreamweaver, Blur, Hornett, Mantis

The Adventurers is a team of costumed heroes from Millennium City. Small in number, but strong in determination and skill, they work together to keep the city safe.

Story Arcs

The Smuggling Ring

Issue 1 - "Scuttled"

Red Spider discovers a weapons smuggling ring in late 2013. Stowing away on a smuggling ship in Millenium City, she hopes to ride it to its next port to find out more about who is running the smuggling ring. Upon discovering her, the ship's masters decide to scuttle it -- in hopes of taking her with it!

Issue 2 - "Tracking Ghosts"

With the help of Fox (aka Zero), Red Spider began tracking threads on possible smuggling ring participants. Using Fox's past identity as a renowned international assassin to try to set up a gun buy. Red Spider, inexperienced with the nuances of black market deals, sprung into action too soon, but together she and Fox managed to take down the bad guys.

Issue 3 - "The Adventurers"

A loose association of heroes -- Cryo-Talon, Ocelot, and Black Asylum, Fox (Zero), and Red Spider -- banded together to face the threat of organized smuggling. Other members soon followed.

Issue 4 - "Icy Reception"

Red Spider stumbles onto the smuggling ring in action. She is overwhelmed by its leader, Doctor Killowatt. She later wakes up under -- and narrowly escapes from -- a giant ice cube meant to melt free of its suspension and crush her.

Issue 5 - "Showdown at WCOC"

Alerted to a disturbance at WCOC studios, Guidelight and Red Spider battle Doctor Killowatt and his well-trained henchmen. Guidelight is injured while weakening Killowatt's suit. Killowatt and his men escape with a kendrium-based backup electrical supply

Issue 6 - "The Lab Ruse"

The Adventurers respond to a laboratory attack which turns out to be a trap! Several team members are nearly killed in an industrial smelting machine. A few common items are stolen from the laboratory, leading Red Spider and team ally Night Terror to suspect that it was all a ruse.

Issue 7 - "The Gathering Storm"

Team member Artifex helps confirm through computer research that Doctor Killowatt is probably the alter ego of one Doctor Anthony Kozhan. It also comes to light that the Doctor's "thefts" were actually a ruse! The real objective was to distract attention from the fact that he was using those sites to drop off ammunition to his buyers, and counting on investigators to worry more about what was missing than what was present.

Fox, Guidelight, Red Spider, and Illusion responded to an attack at the MC Light and Power Building. While the Adventurers fought valiantly, Red Spider was taken prisoner by Killowatt's agents, and Fox & Illusion were injured.

Issue 8 - "The Bad Doctor"

Fox and Guidelight strike out to locate Killowatt's hide-out, tipped off by Night Terror on a possible location. Meanwhile, Red Spider is tortured with a probe meant to scramble her memories so that she will cease to be a threat to Killowatt. The rescue goes well, but Killowatt decides to scramble his own brain rather than be taken alive -- possibly to avoid implicating a well-connected backer known only as "The Chairman."

The Chairman

Adventurers Annual #1 - "Dock Bomb"

New member Talons joins Red Spider as they take on her enemy Kingsnake. Kingsnake, who has been linked to "The Chairman," plants explosives on a major pier. After a furious underwater fight in an environment that favors Kingsnake, Talons and Red Spider are unable to stop a thermite reaction from severely damaging the pier.

Free the Beast

Issue 9 - "The New Adventurers"

After a long period of inactivity, with Adventurers having gone their separate ways, Red Spider is almost ready to shut off the lights at Adventurers HQ -- that is, until a chance meeting with fellow costumed hero Blue Wonder leads her to meet Lady Justice. The trio in turn meets the inexperienced meta-human Mark of Power, and with the sudden return of existing members Zero (Fox), Jason Leander, and Talons, the team is renewed.

Issue 10 - "Syndicate"

While enjoying a night at the home of Cassandra (Red Spider), the Adventurers witness an attack near city hall on a motorcade of foreign dignitaries. The team of Red Spider, Jason Leander, Mark of Power, and Fox battles Bedlam and Totentanz on the streets, with a late arrival by Blue Wonder. Bedlam is defeated and arrested, Totentanz escapes, and Zero (Fox) is critically injured by Bedlam in the villain's last throes.

Issue 11 - "Infection"

Blue Wonder, Mark of Power, and Lady Justice clean up a riot at the prison, with Red Spider a late arrival. Members of Syndicate monitor a press conference afterward in which the Adventurers are shown live on camera, and the villains strike! After a brief rooftop battle, Red Spider is abudcted by Volantas and taken to a secret lab. Lady Justice quickly locates the lab, but Red Spider has already been infected with something by the evil Dr. Skala which has enhanced her physical abilities -- and caused her to become a wrathful rage monster!

Issue 12 - "Red Spider Unleashed"

Volantas barely saves his Syndicate comrade Razorwing from being torn apart by the enraged Red Spider, who has amazingly broken the chains holding her. Dr. Skala activates the lab's auto-destruct and the Syndicate escapes. Red Spider is taken back to her apartment where team members keep an eye on her. She exhibits signs of changes -- strange turns in behaviour, voracious appetite for protein, a rapid heartbeat that should be fatal, and skin that is becoming 'calloused'. Blue Wonder is appointed as the temporary team leader.

Issue 13 - "Burst Forth"

Red Spider's hunger grows beyond what the team can sustain. She breaks free of her penthouse and rampages through the street, attacking many and drinking the blood of several. Blue Wonder fails to locate Red Spider after a vigorous all-night search. Lady Justice uses her detection powers to locate Red Spider by her erratic heartbeat. Red Spider eludes capture once before the combined effort of Lady Justice, Mark of Power, and Illusion are able to take her and contain her at Adventurers HQ. Lady Justice deals with a police stand-off during the monster's capture.

Issue 14 - "Rage in a Cage"

Lady Justice, Mark of Power, and Illusion recover from the brutal pursuit of Red Spider, Illusion nearly having reached her limit containing Spider. Fox arrives to see his old friend. Illusion takes it hard that she could not prevent harm coming to Red. Tension erupts as the heroes try to decide if Red Spider can safely be fed, or if they must not risk opening the security field holding her. Starved and losing energy to sustain her rage and speedy metabolism, Red Spider's human personality briefly resurfaces and advises the team.

Issue 15 - "The Next Stage"

After days without a plan, the team is faced with a terrible challenge when Red Spider mutates to a new stage. Strengthened beyond measure, this monster strains and undoes the energy field keeping her contained. As a last ditch effort, Mark of Power throws his birthday cake in her face, and combined blasts from Blue Wonder and Lady Justice subdue the creature enough that Mark can force her back into the cage. A brutalized Lady Justice succumbs to her injuries in a cliffhanger ending.

Issue 16 - "Survival"

Lady Justice's armor activates medical countermeasures to revive her from clinical death. Blue Wonder briefly spites a recovering Red Spider for the harms her monster form inflicted, but later recants. Lady Justice later proposes a bold but dangerous option: medical nanites. After a few tentative doses, Red Spider is finally 'cured'! Later, Mark of Power is apprehended at the gym by members of the Syndicate.

Issue 17 - "The Bedlam Dilemma"

With not enough time to celebrate Red Spider's liberation from her mutation nightmare, it becomes clear that Mark of Power has been abducted by the Syndicate. Lady Justice helps capture a Syndicate affiliate named Lazarus, who reveals that Mark has been 'broken' by the Syndicate and is leaking information. Syndicate members make to contact and offer Mark as a bargaining chip in exchange for the release of Bedlam. With Bedlam firmly in UNTIL custody, the team debates if they can bargain with UNTIL to release him, whether they must steal him from UNTIL by force, or whether Mark must be sacrificed. In the end, Jason Leander convinces the team to cooperate. Red Spider offers to register her secret identity with UNTIL to ensure they take the bargain seriously.

Issue 18 - "Prisoner Exchange"

Lady Justice and Blue Wonder arrive at UNTIL to escort Bedlam from their custody. They arrive at a downtown park where Red Spider dismisses them. Using a burner cell phone, she coordinates the exchange with a Syndicate member. Soon, Bedlam is sent on his way over a tall, arching bridge, and Mark limps over it moments later. Red Spider swings with Mark a safe distance, but realizes there's a bomb strapped to him. Blue Wonder offers to fly it safely to the river and dispose of it. The issue ends with Red Spider threatening to pour rubbing alcohol over Mark's terribly cut up hand, to learn which of their secrets he exposed while captured.

The Aftermath

Issue 19 - "Moving On"

Mark is taken to hospital after revealing that the location of the HQ and Lady Justice's actual first name are the only things he was coerced into sharing with the Syndicate. Fox and Lady Justice set about the demolition of the Adventurers cave, as it is no longer safe. Meanwhile, Red Spider and Blue Wonder take Mark to a hospital. The next day, Red Spider apologizes to Mark for threatening him. Mark is shown to have some psychological scars from what was done to him.

Issue 20 - "The Southern Vacation"

Featuring special guest character Night Terror! Red Spider and Night Terror discover a clone facility with a disturbing link to the Chairman. Adventurers members Cassandra (Red Spider), Emily (Blue Wonder), Allison (Lady Justice), and Mark (Mark of Power) fly to Vibora Bay to enjoy some much needed rest. New member Juggernette is recruited to the team!

Out of Time

Issue 21 - "Always Too Sudden"

The return of Bedlam sees a battle in Renaissance Center! Many of the Adventurers are defeated as the villain makes a show of his increased power. Blue Wonder is mortally wounded and the hospital is unable to revive her. Each team member grieves in their own way, with Lady Justice's violent reaction being particularly of note. Red Spider receives Blue Wonder's cape.

Issue 22 - "Funeral"

Double-size issue! A colorful cast of heroes turns out for the funeral of Blue Wonder. Impassioned speeches from Lady Justice, Mark of Power, Red Spider, and Blue Wonder's mother -- Americana -- send off the fallen hero. The next day, Red Spider unmasks herself on television, and announces her intention to become the Red Wonder in honor of her slain friend. The internet slows to a crawl as people start searching for info on 'Cassandra Olsen'.

Issue 23 - "Out of Time"

Disguised Crimson Force, Red Spider, and 'Snake' (invisible) discuss their infiltration at a dockside shanty town in Issue 24.

The future! Jumping ahead to 2034, it becomes clear that the Adventurers are resistance fighters on the run -- from Lady Justice herself! A bleak chain of events has led to a world where LJ is almost in total control of the globe, and it all began with the death of Blue Wonder.

Intelligence comes to the team from Night Spider and a new, younger Red Spider that Lady Justice is assembling a time machine with designs to use it to put down the resistance once and for all! A tense relationship exists between Mark of Power (now called Crimson Force) and some of the team members, but they follow his lead to obtain the plutonium that Lady Justice needs for her time machine.

The team leaves their secret submarine headquarters, and heads to the southwest desert to seize refined plutonium. There, fighting against mutates, and coming dangerously close to Grond, they encounter a former VIPER agent calling himself 'Snake' who is willing to ally himself with the Adventurers to take down Lady Justice. The mission is a success.

Issue 24 - "The Time Traveler"

Setting: 2034. Red Spider (Jesse Weaver) continues to process the data stolen from Lady Justice. Reading through a list of Justice Legion properties, she finds a warehouse that on paper holds nothing of interest yet draws more electricity and more security than it should. Thinking it is a site for the assembly of a time machine, Crimson Force takes Snake (Serpent Master) and Red Spider as a small team to land at the heavily-guarded Millennium City and infiltrate.

After carefully negotiating roving bandits in the area of the piers, the trio discovers the warehouse. Waiting within is Fox, who trades barbs with Mark. Mark's telekinetic barrage hurling all of the crates in the room at Fox reveals one that is well-shielded. Once Red Spider has a chance, she moves in to examine the shielded case, and discovers that it is not a time machine it all. The case holds a frozen person: Emily Taylor, the Blue Wonder! What's more, systems attached to the case indicate that Taylor may be alive!

The team is able to fight Fox. Fox snares Red Spider and tries to use her to leverage Crimson Force and Snake to surrender, but the fight continues. Soon Fox teleports away. Mark uses his telekinetic power to lift Blue Wonder's cryogenic container and they escape to a waiting mini-sub ... not realizing that Lady Justice was present in stealth the entire time, and is now aware of their base.

Issue 25 - "Heating Up"

Night Terror lends his expertise to preparing a safe transition out of cryo-sleep for Blue Wonder. Her case's automatic systems kick in and bring her swiftly but safely back to life. In minutes, she is awake. Mark is first up to answer her questions about where she is, and what has happened. Red Spider (Weaver) brings several items passed down from Blue Wonder and Red Wonder kept in Night Spider's possession, to show the full sequence of events. Red Spider implores Blue Wonder to be the savior this bleak future needs -- which gets Blue Wonder to her feet.

The submarine is attacked by Lady Justice and Fox, having been tracked by nanites leaked from Blue Wonder's cryo-case. After a length period trading barbs, Blue and Mark tell Red Spider to make a run for it, and she dashes to the mini-sub. Lady Justice and Blue Wonder engage in combat, as do Mark and Fox. After battling to a draw, Lady Justice disengages. Fox is unmoved by Blue Wonder's attacks at his pride, and Lady Justice seems ambivalent about Blue Wonder being alive again, though she seems to want to keep her alive for the time being.

Fox is dispatched to capture the Red Spider, with Blue Wonder in pursuit of Fox.

Issue 26 - "Predictions"

In what may be the final, grim days of the resistance, Crimson Force, Night Spider, Blue Wonder, Juggernette, and other resistance heroes band together in a secluded cave to debate their last strategy.

Meanwhile, Red Spider (Jesse Weaver) awakens in a sleeping tube in a strange, sterile facility. Walking out, she pushes a button on a console which shifts the dome above her to reveal that she is on the moon, looking into space. She is invited to speak with Lady Justice, who sits alone at a massive computer. Red Spider tries to dissuade Lady Justice from her plan to use a time machine to control the future, but Lady Justice only speaks in riddles about her intentions.

Just as Lady Justice predicted, the Adventurers arrive to rescue Red Spider. Lady Justice smiles, as everything is going according to what the time machine has shown her.

Issue 27 - "Just In Time"

Night Spider radioes in to the team that she has a chance to disable the moon base security and allow the Adventurers to get to Lady Justice without interruption. She flies her space shuttle straight into a power supply for the station, sacrificing herself. The team spares a moment for sorrow.

The team takes on a very well-prepared Lady Justice. Red Spider begins hacking the main computer system -- finding it easier than she expected. Fox emerges and combats Crimson Force and Juggernette. Fox and Juggernette in particular work to tear one another apart, echoing their past encounters. In the end, Juggernette gets the upper hand, and mercifully dispatches Fox.

Blue Wonder fights Lady Justice until LJ is down on the floor, dying literally from a broken heart -- her mechanical heart has failed, and she is moments from death. The older team members mourn her passing, but Red Spider makes a discovery: the time machine was never meant for time travel. It can project a mind to any point on the user's own lifespan, past or future. And it had been set up so that only two people could use it: Lady Justice or Blue Wonder. The team briefly debates whether they should accept this victory over Lady Justice and begin restoring freedom to the world, but it becomes clear that they prefer to send Blue Wonder back to the day she was killed by Bedlam, and attempt to avert the whole sequence of events. This, it would seem, was the outcome Lady Justice had been trying to drive them toward.

Blue says her goodbyes to Mark, Juggernette, and Jesse Weaver -- promising to look out for young Jesse.

Issue 28 - "The Old Familiar"

Blue Wonder uses the time device on LJ's space station and scans through her life like it were a film strip. She finds the right 'frame' and inhabits her past self. The future as she had known it breaks off, and she begins her life anew. With foreknowledge of the Bedlam fight, she is able to avoid dying. Rather than keeping secret the aberrant timeline that followed her death before, she immediately begins to share her experience -- and some of her team mates are unsure if she is not merely suffering from a head injury!

Adventurers Annual #2 - "True Heroism"

A vigilante's bomb meant to only vaporize inanimate objects like drugs, guns, and clothing accidentally misfires and triggers a more deadly explosion. He appears to survey his handiwork, he makes an "ends justify means" speech. The Adventurers - including Fox, Blue Wonder, and Dreamweaver - battle him. A device on his head is damaged, and the vigilante suddenly has no recollection of where he is or what he has done. Blue Wonder sees that he is turned over to UNTIL. Red Spider hopes that cooperating with UNTIL will help ease the Adventurers' troubled relationship with that organization.

American Clone

Issue 28 - "American Clone, Part 1"

At a seemingly normal gathering of the team outside of Club Caprice, team mates begin to notice Americana acting abnormally. Dreamweaver becomes concerned at Americana losing her hair and otherwise looking tired. Team mates try to find different want to prove if this is really Americana. Lady Justice scans her body and reveals that Americana is subject to rapid aging, and may only have hours until death, if that. Red Spider collects Americana and carries her quickly to base, with the others not far behind.

Issue 29 - "American Clone, Part 2"

The clone deteriorates rapidly in the team's base, falling apart in an almost zombie-like way with whole sheets of skin falling to the floor. The Adventurers present must watch in horror. Red Spider distracts herself by investigating who could create such a sophisticated clone, as that may lead to the real Americana's whereabouts. Lady Justice focuses on keeping the clone comfortable. Red Spider is about to leave to pursue a lead, but as its painful deterioration worsens, Red Spider decides to mercy kill the clone with a quick turn of the neck. This decision is not popular with all.

Issue 30 - "American Clone, Part 3"

The team spreads out through the city looking for leads on Sherri Crowe AKA "Scary Sherri", a geneticist and mad scientist whom Blue Wonder / Americana had apprehended in the past, recently escaped from prison. Eventually the team including Blur, Red Spider, and newcomer Hornett, attempt to apprehend Scary Sherri, but she entraps them in a dangerous standoff. The team has no choice but to let her leave.

Issue 31 - "American Clone, Part 4"

The team gets a lead on Scary Sherri's robbery of a rare item from the museum. Giving pursuit, they track Sherri to a location deep in Westside. Lady Justice takes the lead in attacking Sherri. In the end, Sherri is apprehended and given over to UNTIL agents, whom Jason Leander calls in. The real Americana - who was captured before the name change, so actually Blue Wonder - is found in Sherri's hideout. She bears some injury to her psyche, but Blue Wonder is mosty herself.

Issue 32 - "Halloween Special"

The team comes to Blur's home. Many of the team members become inexplicably ill and leave suddenly. Soon, Mark of Power dies while waiting for the elevator to leave Blur's condo. He reanimates in moments as a zombie-like creature, attacking Red Spider and Dreamweaver. Blur leaves to get help, but finds at Adventurers HQ that Blue Wonder and Lady Justice are fending off a headless knight! Soon, all is revealed to be part of a horrible set of illusions from a demon named Walker, who was hired by the Purple Gang to destroy Blur. She manages to break the illusion and reveals that the team are all still present in her condo. The team moves swiftly to apprehend Walker and end the attack on Blur.

Issue 33 - "Serum"

Red Spider investigates rumors of an unstable serum that gives its user meta-human augmentation for a short time, being distributed by drug dealers. It leads her and Blur to scour the Westside port. They come upon a drug deal that may have a lead, but upon cornering a head crook at the scene - Jason "Teeth" Rowe - he jabs himself with several needles. Becoming bestial and nigh unstoppable, he manages to subdue Blur and Red Spider.

Issue 34 - "'Teeth'"

Rowe takes the unconcious Blur & Red Spider to a warehouse with thoughts that he can profit by turning them over to a gang. When the heroes awaken, they find themselves bound back-to-back crudely with duct tape, but it is effective enough to keep them easily escaping. They coordinate and manage to manually reset Red's team communicator, and call in Fox. With Fox's help, they get free and capture Teeth, who is suffering withdrawal and is much weaker than when he captured the two heroes earlier. In questioning him, the Adventurers learn of Source Biotech Enterprises, which seems to have manufactured the serum Teeth used.

Adventurers Team Roster

Joining the Adventurers

Do you think you have what it takes? We may not be big, but we're small - and that's the point! We aim to share a quality roleplaying experience together, with a well-balanced team of characters played by skilled roleplayers.

Recruitment will be by appointment/interview only, with final approval from the team leader.

Considerations

Preferred character types

These are guidelines - exceptions have been made on occasion, but that is at the discretion of the team lead.

• Silver Age-type heroes - think Spider-Man, Flash, Iron Man, Dare Devil, Batgirl

• Science-based - did you get your powers from a chemical accident/tech armor/intensive training?

• Characters who wear a mask to protect their normal-ish human life & loved ones

• Characters who have vulnerabilities which can be exploited for a richer story

What the Adventurers is experience is about

• Patrols & combating gang activity
• Taking on science-based super-villains played by player characters as part of story arcs
• Solving crimes based on clues
• Escaping deadly situations through a blend of wits and hero abilities
• A small team feel - it's about the quality, not the quantity of members.

Things we want to avoid with our RP experience

• An abundance of RP emotional drama which intrudes onto team activities
• Team characters who are designed and/or played to steal the spotlight
• Over-powered team characters trying to get an 'instant win' over our RP villains (aka, god modding)
  • Be prepared to lose sometimes - adversity reveals character
  • Much effort can go into recruiting a player to be our villain, so let them have victories - the Adventurers always win in the long-run!
• Being a social club - if all you want to do is hang out, why not go to Club Caprice? You don't need to be an Adventurer in order to be friends with some of them!
• Poor communication skills - noting that we all make typos, but when you can't communicate effectively in basic English, it can sink the experience for others. Examples:
  • do u talk 2 ppl like this lol?? cant use punctuation or hit the 'shift' key or corerct ur spelling?
  • Do you $#*%ing swear every %$(%ing second or third #%(@ing word or TYPE IN CAPS A LOT???!?!?

Recruitment

• Start by sending an in-game mail to team leader Red Spider@historiphile expressing interest
  • Powers
  • Traits (ie, Strengths/weaknesses)
  • A brief background on your character
  • Anything else you think is worth knowing

We will try to meet you and assess if your character would be a good fit for the team. It is fine to ask other Adventurers to write the team leader with a recommendation for you, but by no means does having friends on the inside assure your membership.

As much as you've put effort into building your character (we hope!), please understand that much effort has gone in to making this team, too. We will not admit everyone who asks to join just because. Try not to take it personally if we don't accept your character - it probably has more to do with the character, not you as a person playing it.