New Gladiators #8: Season of the Witch

[jkcarrier]

New Gladiators
Episode 8:
"Season of the Witch"
Played on 10/29/2022
Inspired by:
"Terror By Night" (V&V module by Steve Crow)
"Halloween III: Season of the Witch" (1982 film)

Roll Call:
Claw Master
The Dude (with Donny Kerabatsos)
Hulk
Sonic Boom
Walter Sobchak
Weather Wizard

I had not planned on doing recaps for this new Mighty Protectors campaign (because lazy), but one of the players requested it, so here goes. I didn't keep notes on the first few sessions, so we'll be jumping in at Episode 8.

Our story so far: Our aspiring new heroes arrived in Cincinnati, Ohio to attend the open try-outs for the legendary superhero team The Gladiators. As a result of a supervillainous plot, the old school Gladiators had their superpowers wiped out. So now the newbies have taken over as the New Gladiators, settling in at the team's headquarters in the old Union Terminal building.

Our Heroes:

Claw Master
[Ice Abilities, Lightning Control, Natural Weaponry, Super Speed, Psychosis (Paranoia), Reduced Cool]

Sonic Boom
[Armor, Disintegration, Heightened Endurance, Super Speed, Distinctive (Noticeability), Psychosis (Paranoia)]

The Dude
[Arsenal (typically carries Density Change, Force Field, Heightened Agility, and Invisibility), Devitalization Ray, Experience Levels, Summoning (Donny Kerabatsos), Diminished Senses (Imperceptive), Uneducated]

Walter Sobchak
[Armor, Heightened Agility, Heightened Expertise, Power Blast, Diminished Senses (Totally Color-Blind), Low Self-Control (Compulsion)]

Hulk
[Adaptation, Experience Levels, Heightened Attack, Heightened Strength, Distinctive (Noticeability)]

Weather Wizard
[Chemical Abilities, Density Change, Regeneration, Weather Control, Low Self-Control (Compulsion), Nemesis]

The Gladiators were doing a bit of public service by attending the Halloween festivities at a local elementary school, passing out candy and signing autographs. While that was going on, a bouquet of roses was delivered to one of the teachers, Mircala Morris, along with a rather alarming note:

"Do not deny me
You will be mine
or the Children will suffer"

Mircala told the heroes that she had felt someone following her several times in the past few days, and even thought she saw someone lurking in her bedroom last night. But when the police arrived, the intruder was gone, and they found no sign of forced entry. The officers dismissed her fears as her over-active imagination.

Just then, a trio of trick-or-treaters suddenly transformed into the creatures they were dressed as:

Frankenstein's Monster
[Armor, Lightning Control (Electrical Field), Heightened Strength, Size Change (10'), Phobia (Fire)]

Ghost
[Death Touch, Flight, Non-Corporealness, Paralysis Ray, Phobia (Religious Symbols)]

Witch
[Arsenal (Potions - Emotion Control, Poison/Venom, Transmutation), Flight (Broom), Invisibility (Cloak), Light Control (Laser - Wand)]

Loot Drop:
Witch's Brew [2 uses each of Emotion Control, Poison/Venom, and Transmutation]

The frightening trio proved to be no match for the Gladiators. Upon defeat, the creatures turned back into children -- physically unharmed, but comatose. The heroes questioned their parents about their recent activities; the only common thread was that they had all purchased their costumes from a factory outlet store called "Silver Shamrock Novelties".

The heroes made sure the children got medical attention, and turned the threatening note over to the police to see if they could do a DNA match on the bloodstains. Suspecting that the two threats were related, they opted to go investigate Silver Shamrock first, promising Mircala that they would be back to watch over her house before nightfall.

The Gladiators located the Silver Shamrock factory in the Northside neighborhood, and it appeared at first to be deserted. However, one of the loading dock doors was open, and inside were a quartet of threatening characters:

Headhunter
[Heightened Agility, Siphon (Super Abilities), Special Weapon (Axe), plus Heightened Endurance and Heightened Strength bonuses from the heads hanging on his belt]

Manslaughter
[Heightened Attack, Heightened Endurance, Heightened Strength, Invisibility, Special Weapon (Chainsaw), Willpower (Pain Resistance), Distinctive (Unattractive)]

Sludge
[Chemical Abilities, Density Change, Heightened Strength, Stretching Abilities, Lowered Intelligence (Non-Sentient)]

Styx
[Death Touch (Scythe), Heightened Endurance, Heightened Expertise, Non-Corporealness]

Loot Drop:
Headhunter's Axe [5 uses of Special Weapon]
Sludge's Slime [3 uses of Oozing and Plasticity]

Unsure if they were facing more transformed children, the Gladiators nonetheless set to battle, and quickly defeated them. These turned out to be mercenaries, hired by Silver Shamrock's owner, Thomas Priest "in case people like you showed up". When asked where they could find Priest, Headhunter informed them that Silver Shamrock was the sponsor of tonight's big "Fright Fest" celebration at the King's Island amusement park, so he would likely be there.

Shortly afterwards, the heroes received a call from the police with the blood test results. The DNA matched that of a Thomas Priest -- not the Silver Shamrock owner, but rather his grandfather, who had died many years ago.

Torn between confronting Priest and protecting Mircala, the team decided to invite Mircala to accompany them to the park. She agreed, reasoning that her stalker wouldn't try anything while she was in the middle of a crowd, never mind standing next to a bunch of superheroes.

Arriving at King's Island, the Gladiators (plus one) were greeted by a massive crowd of partygoers, most in costume. The park's iconic Eiffel Tower replica had been fitted with a jumbotron screen, counting down to midnight. Standing on the Tower's lower deck was Thomas Priest, dressed up as a Lugosi-esque vampire, addressing the crowd via the jumbotron. He promised that tonight would be "the most memorable night of your life...and possibly your last!" The crowd, thinking this was part of the show, cheered and applauded.

Priest spotted Mircala in the crowd, declared her his "bride-to-be", and insisted that the heroes surrender her to him. They refused, and Priest ordered his minions to emerge from the crowd and attack.

Boogeyman
[Heightened Defense, Flame Abilities, Heightened Senses, Natural Weaponry, Distinctive (Unattractive)]

Lamia
[Chemical Abilities, Cybernetics (Special Weapon - Tail, Adaptation - Gills), Heightened Agility, Heightened Endurance]

Madame Macabre
[Arsenal (Spells - Flame Abilities, Flight, Force Field, Lightning Abilities, Mind Control, Paralysis Ray), Heightened Agility, Heightened Intelligence, Invulnerability]

Shadarkos
[Darkness Control, Disintegration, Willpower (Pain Resistance), Transformation (Black Eagle)]

Wereworg
[Animal/Plant Powers (Heightened Endurance, Heightened Senses, Heightened Strength,
Vulnerability - Fire), Heightened Agility, Natural Weaponry, Speed]

Wither
[Devitalization Ray, Flight, Heightened Endurance, Invulnerability (Biochemical)]

Meanwhile, Priest, who revealed himself to be an immortal vampire whose real name was Baron Von Heinrich, assaulted the heroes from afar, summoning a swarm of bats to harrass them and battering them with high winds

Baron Von Heinrich
[Heightened Defense, Mind Control, Non-Corporealness, Siphon (Hit Points), Summoning (Swarm of Bats), Transformation (Bat), Weather Control, Special Requirement (Blood), Susceptibility (Religious Symbols)]

Loot Drop:
Baron Von Heinrich's Cloak [3 uses of Heightened Defense]
Boogeyman's Glove [6 uses of Flame Blast]
Shadarkos' Ring [4 uses that allow a Hero to instantly wake up if knocked out with Hit Points remaining]

The Gladiators plowed through Von Heinrich's servants, then scaled the Tower and took on the vampire himself, finally scoring a victory. With the monster and his minions down, they were able to calm the crowd and make sure the kids all disposed of their Silver Shamrock costumes, before they could be transformed at midnight.

And so, a very scary Halloween turned out to be a happy ending for Mircala Morris and the other innocents of Cincinnati.

[The characters received 3 Character Points, giving them each a total of 133]