The New Titans #19
“The Way Home”

By Lightshear



“--And we demand that you release us!” Nightwing said, defiantly pointing a finger at the chest of the tall, regal man called Neron.

“Very well then,” he smiled. “You’re free to go.”

Nightwing was stunned. He’d expected a fight-- an argument-- something. But simple acquiescence? And so quickly?

“What are you playing at?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. Batman had trained him too well to believe the words of a man like this. If he even was a man…

“No games, I assure you,” Neron chuckled, holding his hands out in mock surrender. “Frankly, you have no business here. None of you number among the deceased - and even if you did, only specific souls find their way to this place.”

“Sinners only?” Arsenal sneered. “I don’t buy that hypocritical bull, so try another line.” His resentment toward religion made him a liability in a place like this, and Nightwing had hoped he would remain quiet. He should have known better.

“Nothing so trite, I assure you,” Neron said, still smiling and polite. “Believe me when I say that your concepts of the heavens and hells of the hereafter and the next life lack more than a little in their understanding. But it isn’t for me to explain it to you, nor for you to comprehend, it simply is.”

He turned, then, so that his glowing green eyes bore directly into Arsenal, suddenly growing serious. “And I promise you that it would continue to be even without your permission, Roy Harper.”

“Alright, enough,” Nightwing stepped in. “If we’re free to go, then let us out.”

“Not quite that simple, I’m afraid,” Neron said, his affable smile back in place.

“I knew it,” Beast Boy grumbled.

“None of my agents or powers will rise to stop you, but others likely will. There is a portal that remains open to your world a short distance from here. It will remain open until someone enters it.”

“And we aren’t the only ones trying to get through, are we,” Cyborg said, more statement than question.

“Just so. A force of demons and their overlords is looking to exploit this particular portal, and I think all of us here can agree that would be very bad. If you and your friends get through first, it will close behind you and they’ll be stuck.”

“And if they get through first?” Starfire asked.

“Then you will be stuck.”

“If you don’t want them going through, then why not stop them yourself?” Dove asked. “You clearly have a large army, here, and plenty of options besides us. Why is this our responsibility?”

“Because nothing comes for free,” Neron nodded. “Not here. Everything has a price, and you must pay it. Those are the rules. And because it would be… problematic for me to be personally involved.”

“I do not like this,” Starfire whispered to Nightwing. “There is too much we are not being told.”

“If you have a problem with my offer, you’re free to walk out of here and find your own way home.”

“This is our best chance,” Nightwing said, speaking softly but firmly to his team. “I don’t like this any more than the rest of you, but--“

“Speak for yourself, man,” Hawk said. “I don’t care how we get outta here, I just wanna get gone.”

“Your friend is wise,” Neron smiled. “I’d listen to him, if I were you.”

“Alright, fine,” Nightwing said, making no secret of his displeasure. “Tell us where the portal is, and we’ll make sure we get through first.”

Neron arched his eyebrows as his grin grew wider.

“Wonderful…”
________________________________

“That’s a lot more than I thought,” Dove sighed when they saw the massed creatures moving toward the distant portal. “Are we sure we can do this?”

“I’ll let that go, since you’re new to this business,” Hawk shrugged. “But we can always do this. Whatever ‘this’ is, I mean. You know what I mean.”

“What he means is we’re a team,” Cyborg said. “And now that we’re together again, we’ve finally got a real shot at going home. I don’t care how many of those things I’ve gotta smack down - they are not getting to that portal before us.”

“Let’s move it, Titans,” Nightwing said, rushing forward. “We’ve gotta move quick, and hope we can rush the portal before they spot us.”

“Too late!” Arsenal sighed, sending an exploding arrow arcing high into the sky. When it burst, embers hurtled down on the heads of the creatures that were now rushing to cut off the Titans, and those embers lit into explosive bonfires.

“Their lines are broken,” Nightwing called out. “Keep running!”

It was becoming clear that they couldn’t outrun the creatures that were chasing them. A fight was going to be had, and it was coming fast. As they neared the large, glowing portal, the ground shook and mounds rose up like large anthills ahead of them. Their tops cracked open and more of the creatures climbed out. From the rear of the enemy lines, Cyborg’s enhanced hearing picked up the commanders ordering their forces to defeat the Titans before anyone entered the portal.

“Nightwing, head’s up,” he called to the team’s former and current leader. “They won’t move on the door until they’ve beat us down.”

“Then we don’t let them do that,” Nightwing nodded.

“If we can crush those mounds, we can stem off their reinforcements,” Arsenal said. “They’re sending their people in from the underground.”

“Alright, focus fire on the anthills, people,” Nightwing ordered. “And if anybody falls, get them to the edge of the portal right away! We don’t leave anybody behind! Titans-- together!”
________________________________


The Titans:

R Nightwing* - 42
R Arsenal - 28
R Starfire - 62
R Cyborg** - 44

* w/ Stunning Blow - 10
** w/ Nanoarmor - 6

Total: 192

Vs.

Escaping Hordes:

Horde Master (R JL Firestorm) - 91
Shapeling (E JL Creeper) - 45
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) - 14
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) - 14
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) - 14
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) - 14

Total: 192

Mound 1 (10/10) H-J/11-12
Mound 2 (10/10) Q-R/17-18

Map: DR - Institute Grounds http://img71.imageshack.us/my.php?im...roomout1kl.jpg

Scenario Notes:

 Players must set up on the left or right side of the map, not the top or bottom.

 There are two mounds, represented by the two buildings in H-J/11-12 and Q-R/17-18. These buildings can no longer be climbed, and are considered blocking terrain. Each round on the Villain’s turn, in place of one of his actions that turn, he can spawn a new Grunt in any space adjacent to one of the mounds. He may place as many as he has actions in a turn, but may never have more in the game at one time than twice the number of conscious Titans - though they may exceed their beginning point total.

New Grunts can not take an action on the same turn as they are spawned.

The mounds can be destroyed by the Titans if they take damage exceeding their noted totals. Characters ignore the effects of hindering terrain and other figures for LOS with ranged attacks against the Mounds.

 Whenever a Titan is KO’ed, place a special marker in their space. Any other Titan may pick up the fallen teammate as part of any action (while adjacent to that marker or in the same square). While carrying their friend, they may act as normal, but have a -1 to attack.

Unconscious allies can be handed off to an adjacent teammate as a free action, and can be removed from the board by getting them to any space in Column 8-17 of Row A. Once removed, they are safe and sound, and the character who saved them gains 1 IXP.

 So long as one Titan remains on the board, the team is safe. If all KO’ed Titans are moved off-board by allies, and the final Titan is KO’ed, the others will pull him to safety at the end of the match. If there are 4 or more KO’ed Titans on the board at the end of the match, there will be negative consequences.

Ok, I'm in for the villiany

Initiative is 3+1 for 4
Objects 2+2 for 4

Thanks, Turtle

Initiative is 6+3 for 9
Objects 5+2 for 7

Since map is picked, you pick sides and set up man!

I'll take the left. Time for the Titans to get out of here.

The Titans:

R Nightwing* - 42 H2
R Arsenal - 28 J2
R Starfire - 62 I2
R Cyborg** - 44 G2

* w/ Stunning Blow - 10
** w/ Nanoarmor - 6

Total: 192

Vs.

Escaping Hordes:

Horde Master (R JL Firestorm) - 91
Shapeling (E JL Creeper) - 45
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) - 14
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) - 14
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) - 14
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) - 14

Total: 192

Mound 1 (10/10) H-J/11-12
Mound 2 (10/10) Q-R/17-18

Objects:
HO: K12, L12
LO: Q10

I think you have the first move!

The Titans:

R Nightwing* - 42 H2
R Arsenal - 28 J2
R Starfire - 62 I2
R Cyborg** - 44 G2

* w/ Stunning Blow - 10
** w/ Nanoarmor - 6

Total: 192

Vs.

Escaping Hordes:

Horde Master (R JL Firestorm) L-23
Shapeling (E JL Creeper) M-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) N-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) K-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) L-24
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) J-23

Mound 1 (10/10) H-J/11-12
Mound 2 (10/10) Q-R/17-18

Objects:
HO: K12, L12, K-17
LO: Q10, Q-9, S-12

Titans Turn 1

"They look like they're coming out of those mounds. Lets see if we can slow them down a bit."

Free) Nightwing gets a 3 for leadership. Only 2 actions this turn.

1) Starfire picks up Arsenal and flies to H-6, firing a starbolt at the nearest demon mound. She sets Arsenal down at I-6.

2) Cyborg runs to L-6

The Titans:

R Nightwing* - 42 (5/5) H2
R Arsenal - 28 (5/5) I6
[4] R Starfire - 62 (6/6) H6@
R Cyborg** - 44 (6/6) L6@

* w/ Stunning Blow - 10
** w/ Nanoarmor - 6

Total: 192

Vs.

Escaping Hordes:

Horde Master (R JL Firestorm) L-23
Shapeling (E JL Creeper) M-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) N-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) K-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) L-24
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) J-23

Mound 1 (6/10) H-J/11-12
Mound 2 (10/10) Q-R/17-18

Objects:
HO: K12, L12, K-17
LO: Q10, Q-9, S-12

Oh, I forgot to mention-- you get IAP/TAP for damage done to mounds (though no extra for destroying them).

Woot!

First move is pretty easy, I'll use both my actions to spawn two new grunts in J-10 and K-10.

===========================================

The Titans:

R Nightwing* - 42 (5/5) H2
R Arsenal - 28 (5/5) I6
[4] R Starfire - 62 (6/6) H6@
R Cyborg** - 44 (6/6) L6@

* w/ Stunning Blow - 10
** w/ Nanoarmor - 6

Total: 192

Vs.

Escaping Hordes:

Horde Master (R JL Firestorm) L-23
Shapeling (E JL Creeper) M-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) N-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) K-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) L-24
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) J-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) J-10
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) K-10

Mound 1 (6/10) H-J/11-12
Mound 2 (10/10) Q-R/17-18

Objects:
HO: K12, L12, K-17
LO: Q10, Q-9, S-12

New Titans Turn 2

"Roy, you know what to do."

"I'm on it, fearless leader."

1) Arsenal takes an exploding arrow from his quiver and shoots it at the grunt in J-10. Needs a 6 to hit both grunts. Gets a 6 and the grunts take one each from the explosion.

2) Nightwing jumps to D-7.

The Titans:

R Nightwing* - 42 (5/5) D7@
[2] R Arsenal - 28 (5/5) I6@
[4] R Starfire - 62 (6/6) H6
R Cyborg** - 44 (6/6) L6

* w/ Stunning Blow - 10
** w/ Nanoarmor - 6

Total: 192

Vs.

Escaping Hordes:

Horde Master (R JL Firestorm) L-23
Shapeling (E JL Creeper) M-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) N-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) K-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) L-24
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) J-23
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) (3/4) J-10
Grunt (R Hydra Footsoldier) (3/4) K-10

Mound 1 (0/10) H-J/11-12
Mound 2 (10/10) Q-R/17-18

Objects:
HO: K12, L12, K-17
LO: Q10, Q-9, S-12

I'd really like to get a ruling on this first.

Seems that was a bit easy

Turtle's right, Jack - no EE on terrain. Nice try, though

Phew, thought this was gonna be a scenario with me having very little chance of making it a good game.

Ok, so I suppose you'll need to re-do the turn before I take mine.

Man. I was like "Yay! 12 IAP for Arsenal!"

Does EE affect terrain? As in would my attack do 2 damage to the mound or none at all?
I'll just switch the attack to the nearest Grunt and re-roll real quick...