New Gladiators #14: Troubleshooter

[jkcarrier]

New Gladiators
Episode 14:
"Troubleshooter"
Played on 2/3/2024
Inspired by:
"Alone Into The Night: Troubleshooter" (Villains & Vigilantes module by Ken Cliffe)
"Super-Crooks and Criminals" (V&V villains book by Ken Cliffe)
"Most Wanted, Volume 1" (V&V villains book by Jack Herman)
"Organized Crimes" (V&V module by Ken Cliffe)
"Mercenaries" (V&V villains book by Darren Tenor)

Roll Call:
The Dude (with Donny Kerabatsos)
Hulk
Walter Sobchak
Weather Wizard

After a rough day of crimefighting, our heroes decided to take in the midnight showing of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at the Esquire Theater. A good time was had by all, although an obnoxious drunk practically climbed all over The Dude as he slipped by to get to the exit towards the end of the movie. As the credits were rolling, they heard a scream that was definitely not part of the presentation.

Racing outside, the Gladiators saw the same drunk who'd annoyed The Dude. He was lying face-down in a puddle of blood, apparently dead from multiple bullet wounds. Overhead, they saw what appeared to be a WWI biplane circling the area. Suddenly, three other costumed figures emerged from the alley, saying something about "getting rid of witnesses".

BLUE MAX
[Heightened Cool, Heightened Expertise (Biplane weapons), Special Weapon (Knife), Special Weapon (Pistol), Vehicle (Biplane)]

BORA
[Invulnerability (Entropy), Regeneration (Usable only on Whiteout), Weather Control]

STALLION
[Heightened Agility, Invulnerability (Kinetic), Natural Weaponry (with Paralysis Carrier), Speed, Weakness Detection, Susceptibility (Drugs and Biochemical attacks have random effects)]

WHITEOUT
[Death Touch, Heightened Endurance, Light Abilities (Glare), Regeneration (Power Points, Usable only on Bora), Vulnerability (Heat Energy damage)]

Blue Max circled the battlefield in his plane, strafing with his machine guns. Bora and Weather Wizard stymied each other by constantly switching the weather back and forth, so the rest of the team targeted her, and she quickly fell (deeply upsetting her husband, Whiteout). Stallion attempted to use his incapacitating nerve-strikes, while Whiteout liberally employed his deadly chilling touch, but the heroes proved to be made of sterner stuff. Eventually, the three ground-based villains were unconscious, and Blue Max beat a hasty retreat.

[Loot Drops: Blue Max's Moustache (Experience Levels), Stallion's Chainmail (Invulnerability: Kinetic)]

The captured assailants were not forthcoming with any information -- they were apparently more afraid of their employer than of the heroes. But the Gladiators did uncover some clues: A search of the victim uncovered press credentials, identifying him as Paul Anderson, a reporter for the CityBeat newspaper. He was also carrying a scrap of paper with an address in the Price Hill neighborhood.

In addition, The Dude realized that when Anderson had brushed up against him, he'd slipped a thumbdrive into his pocket. The drive contained an audio recording, seemingly implicating Pioneer Oil CEO Stewart Rhodes in a scheme to collude with local organized crime figures to embezzle funds from his business rivals. The heroes realized that his recording alone was not sufficient cause to arrest Rhodes, but they were determined to investigate and gather more evidence.

The address in Price Hill turned out to be a small house, badly worn and barely standing. Parked outside was a vintage convertible done up like something out of "Mad Max", with armor plating and machine guns mounted in front. Repeated attempts to knock on the front door were met with cries of "Get lost!", until finally a mysterious caped figure appeared behind the heroes and demanded to know why they were here.

NIGHT RAVEN
[Flight (Cape), Heightened Endurance, Invulnerability (Energy, Cape), Natural Weaponry, Willpower (Fortitude), Low Self-Control (Won't back down from a fight), Reduced Cool]

It seemed Night Raven had a grudge against Stewart Rhodes himself. The other inhabitants of the dilapidated house were part of a gang called the "Concrete Savages", who had previous worked as enforcers for Rhodes, but were now (with Night Raven's help) trying to go straight.

RAMPAGE
[Heightened Expertise (Crossbow), Natural Weaponry, Special Weapon (Crossbow), Special Weapon (Dagger), Special Weapon (Pistol), Willpower (Fortitude)]

SCOURGE
[Armor (Leather harness), Heightened Expertise (Shotgun), Special Weapon (Hatchet), Special Weapon (Shotgun)]

SPOILER
[Armor (Leather chestpiece), Grapnel (Bolas), Heightened Expertise (Boomerang), Natural Weaponry, Special Weapon (Boomerang)]

The Gladiators convinced Night Raven of their noble intentions by playing him Anderson's recording. Raven shared with them that he had discovered a secret private office downtown where Rhodes did all his dirty deals. There would no doubt be incriminating evidence kept there, but he had never been able to get past the heavy security measures Rhodes had in place. "Maybe you'll have better luck," he said, fading back into the shadows.

[Loot Drops: Night Raven's Medallion (Willpower: Fortitude), Rampage's Crossbow (Special Weapon)]

Rhodes' secret office was on the top floor of the Gwynne Building, at the corner of 6th and Main. Hulk leaped up to the rooftop, while the others snuck around back to look for a fire escape. On the way, Donny heard muffled cries coming from a nearby dumpster. Inside was the bound and gagged form of a woman calling herself Stormstress.

STORMSTRESS
[Invulnerability (Heat Energy, Cold Entropy), Weather Control]

Once freed, Stormstress complained that someone had jumped her from behind. When she realized that she'd been rescued by the Gladiators, she began running up the fire escape in a panic, yelling, "Boss! Boss! The cops are here!"

The heroes followed, and soon they were in the top floor office, containing Rhodes, a trio of bodyguards...and a second, identical Stormstress! While the twin Stormstresses stared at each other in confusion, Rhodes ordered his other minions to kill the Gladiators.

STEWART RHODES
[Armor (bullet-proof vest), Heightened Expertise (Machine Pistol), Special Weapon (Machine Pistol)]

CELESTE
[Heightened Cool, Illusions, Natural Weaponry, Paralysis Ray (Pistol)]

SIREN
[Emotion Control (Love), Linked Abilities (Heightened Defense, Super Speed), Sonic Abilities (Sonic Blast)]

VINDICATOR
[Disintegration Ray (Pistol), Heightened Cool, Heightened Defense, Speed, Reduced Endurance]

Vindicator turned out to be the most effective opponent, putting holes in everyone with her disintegrator pistol. Celeste's stun gun and Siren's bewitching melodies failed to penetrate the heroes' defenses [i.e. they kept making their saving throws]. Whenever Weather Wizard or the one Stormstress tried to harness the weather, the second Stormstress would undo their efforts, maintaining a clear, cool night. She seemed to find this highly amusing.

Finally, when it was down to just Rhodes and the two Stormstresses, he fled. One Stormstress went with him, while the other ran in the opposite direction. The latter finally dropped her illusion, revealing Weather Wizard's arch-nemesis, Mirror. "Nothing I enjoy more than thwarting you, darling. See you soon!"

MIRROR
[Heightened Endurance, Heightened Intelligence, Multi-Function Gear (Bodysuit: Illusion, Invulnerability (Energy), Life Support, Light Control (Laser)), Weather Control (Wristband, Clear only)]

The Gladiators opted to chase Rhodes, knowing that Mirror would inevitably return another day. They caught up to him easily, and a search of his office provided all the information needed to put him away for a very long time. Although, as Weather Wizard pointed out, it would probably be in some luxurious "country club" prison. But still...victory!

[Loot Drops: Stewart Rhodes' Pistol (Special Weapon), Vindicator's Pistol (Disintegration Ray)]
[The characters received 3 Character Points, giving them each a total of 157]