West Coast Avengers #38
& Defenders #2 - "Ouroboros"
Written by MikeinMKE
Edited by GarganisScorpion

From thousands of miles away, he sat alone and watched. Even without audio, the video equipment Tony Stark had installed on the Avengers’ quinjet made it clear that the Avengers’ battle against Kulan Gath and his serpentine minions was fierce.

He shook his head. “I hate magic,” he said quietly to himself. “I’m glad I’m not there.” No-one else was in his expansive lab to hear him. It was good, he thought to himself, that he hadn’t gone to Atlantis with the Avengers – not only because Kulan Gath’s inexplicable powers made him uneasy. It was also because he was still not completely healthy.

Medically, Tony Stark had made a wondrous recovery, although it had taken several months after he had been declared dead just to regain the use of his legs. (See WCAvengers #15 for the dramatic conclusion to the Armor Wars story) The remotely controlled suit he had employed in the emergency of the Masters of Evil’s invasion of the Avengers’ mansion had been a stop-gap measure loaded with limitations. (See WCAvengers #30) The latency issues made the utilization of a remotely operated suit on Atlantis unfeasible in light of the distances involved. In the end, he was physically still not in top form, as much as he had been training – and he had been training diligently.

Tony glanced up. One monitor showed the interior of the quinjet where Rhodey, wearing the Iron Man suit, was capably piloting the craft. The other monitor showed the view from the camera mounted on the quinjet’s exterior. After the Avengers had vanquished the encamped allies of Kulan Gath on the shores of Atlantis, the sorcerer himself seemed to disintegrate in a cloud of necrotic dust under the assault of innumerable ants.

Could he trust Hank – or Wanda – or Simon? They had been with the Avengers since Tony had established the west coast branch of the team, in other words, from the beginning. Could he tell them? How would they react?

If he let Wanda or Simon in on his secret, then what should he do with regard to Moon Knight or Tigra? Tony had investigated their respective pasts as much as he had been able, but not discovered very much. With Tigra’s origin among some mystical or mythical Cat People, could Tony be certain of her ultimate loyalties? And Moon Knight remained a mystery. He had seemingly fallen under the control of some Egyptian god, disappeared for a few months, then returned just as unexpectedly.

There were arguments not to trust each of his former teammates. Hank had made Ultron – even if the robot’s turn to evil had been an unpredictable accident. Both Simon and Hawkeye had been enemies of Stark’s enterprises before joining with Iron Man. Wanda was, in the end, a mutant and consequently had divided loyalties by definition, didn’t she?

Tony glanced over at his most recent Iron Man suit. The refinements he was constantly working on brought a slight smile to his face. It would be a joy to employ the suit … when the time came.

**********

Patsy Walker stood in a darkened room. She had found a dark corner of an abandoned residence in Atlantis. It was near the center of the capital but still quiet, as many of the city’s residents had fled to the familiar safety of the sea, even if that left them temporarily homeless. “This is a good location,” Hellcat whispered to herself, but it was not her volition. She could hear her own familiar voice, but a second, deeper and masculine voice sounded simultaneously in her head. It was unnerving, but Hellcat was unable to do anything about it. That voice had been with her for more than a week now.

She swept a pile of dust together with her feet and hands. She began to draw in the dust with her forefinger; geometric forms and shapes she had never seen before. She was not consciously moving her finger.

Soon, minute particles in the dust disturbed by the motions of her finger rose into the air and did not settle back to the floor. They floated for a moment, impossibly suspended above the ground – motionless. Then, even though the room had no open windows or doors, the particles began to move, to swirl, to take on a pattern in their motion.

Patsy watched in fascination and horror, unable to retreat. The dust and dirt acquired more mass and started to take on a humanoid shape. Within a minute, the sorcerer Kulan Gath had rematerialized before Hellcat.

Kulan Gath stretched his spindly arms, and the movement reminded Hellcat of something unnatural, as if the sorcerer were not entirely sure that he was in possession of all of his limbs. “Yesss,” Kulan Gath hissed, “you have served me well.” Patsy’s skin crawled, but she was rooted to the spot. “Now, I have another task for you.” Kulan Gath walked slowly around Hellcat, looking her up and down. After his inspection, the sorcerer added, “Your feminine form would not be adequate…”

**********

The Avengers had returned to their quinjet and flown to Atlantis. Ant-Man hoped to join up with the Atlantean security forces and coordinate their efforts against the Lemurian invaders and serpent soldiers. Before Rhodey put the fantastic vehicle down on a vast square in front of a large, official-looking building, Namor had seen their approach and waved in welcome. Next to Namor stood a being whose skin was reflective silver. He was hairless and inhuman, yet humanoid, and he held in his arm a similarly silver plank or board more than two meters in length.

Namor instructed his soldiers to accompany those Avengers injured in the previous battle to an Atlantean medical facility nearby. “There are few beds left,” King Namor said, “but we will make room for your warriors. I am grateful for your assistance, Avengers.”

The Scarlet Witch and Wonder Man exchanged brief uneasy glances. Both he and Wanda recalled quite vividly the first time they had met Namor, back when Atlantis had assaulted the surface world. The Avengers had been defeated and sentenced to an interminable imprisonment in the Trench of the Dead, from which they had only escaped thanks to Sersi. (See WCAvengers #1 (of July 2005!) and WCAvengers #2)

Hawkeye, too, remembered the Avengers’ defeat and ensuing hardships. The archer glared at Namor with tight lips, not easily able to accept that their old foe was now a friend. Then again, Hawkeye had a rather checkered past himself, so who was he to judge?

The point was moot, as it turned out. Clea stepped boldly forward from behind Iron Man and approached Namor, clasping his muscular arm. “No time for that now! Namor, Stephen is gone from the Earth! It falls to us to stop the vile wizard Gath."

The sea king's already stony features darkened further. He had suspected as much, when Kulan-Gath had come to menace Atlantis unopposed by Earth's Sorcerer Supreme. He should not be surprised, knowing that Strange, the Hulk and the others had challenged the mad god Thanos directly. Still, the hidden corner of his heart that had held on to hope for his allies was saddened to hear it. But he would not let his pain show through... not now when his kingdom was relying on him to be strong.

“We should be able to mop up the remaining soldiers,” Iron Man said, attempting to calm the frantic silver-haired sorceress. “Now that we beat Kulan Gath.”

“But Kulan Gath lives!” Clea retorted. Her eyes were wide open, and her face bore an expression of alarm. “He cannot be so easily defeated. He has lived for centuries.” She looked from Namor to the Avengers as if this fact were obvious to anyone with eyes, despite just watching the man crumble to dust. She took a breath and added, “If he were truly dead, then Atlantis would have returned to the waves.”

“That’s right,” came a new voice. From behind Namor and the Atlanteans, Patsy Walker bounded onto the scene. "And he's not going to just give up either. Not with his snake-god this close to Earth. He hasn't been this close to breaking through to our world since the Hyborean Age!" Patsy went on, and Clea wondered just how much mystical knowledge she had managed to pick up during her travels with Dr. Strange. She was not in her Hellcat costume, dressed instead in rugged gear fit for exploring a jungle or mountain in. It took a moment for Clea to recognize her.

It was surprising to find another of Stephen's old allies here in the middle of the ocean, particularly one who could not fly, teleport, or otherwise had any means of getting there. Her confusion was secondary to Patsy's claim however. "I've been keeping an eye on the Snake-people that broke off from the main camp to surround the city. They keep sending in small scouting parties into Atlantis, like they are looking for something. The only way we can rest easy is if we find whatever they're after first."

"Like the one we dispatched," the Silver Surfer observed, recalling that morning's encounter outside of the royal palace.

The slits of Moon Knight’s eye opening narrowed as he considered this woman’s sudden appearance and claim. Tigra, too, sniffed at the air, as though Patsy bore an unfamiliar or unnatural scent.

Namor paused for a moment, the clues laid out before him coming together in a chilling puzzle. If Kulan Gath had the power to raise Atlantis, then surely he had the power to pull down meteors or other sure destruction upon the city if he simply wished it destroyed. But he hadn't. Namor thought back to the stories that Dr Strange had once unearthed from the archives of ancient Atlantis (Defenders Vol. 2, #13), stories that made mention of Kulan Gath as a young wizard's apprentice to the mighty Thulsa-Doom. How Kull, first king of the dynasty that Namor himself was now scion of, had stormed Thulsa-Doom's temple and interrupted the summoning of the snake-cult's god. That very same temple lay even now deep below modern Atlantis. Or perhaps not so deep any longer, thanks to Gath's magic.

“Could the myths have been true? Strange, how I wish I'd heeded your words..." Namor bemoaned, but shook his doubt off quickly. "To the catacombs then. Kulan Gath already has his spells, and the serpent crown. The only thing left is the sacrificial alter in the forbidden ruins of Old Atlantis below our feet."

Namor guided the Avengers into the palace but avoided the throne room and the ballroom. Instead, he proceeded down a set of stairs in the rear of the building, and they then descended narrower steps and corridors. It took nearly fifteen minutes until he spoke again. It was dark, and only an occasional torch in a wall sconce provided smoky light. “These are the vaults of Old Atlantis,” Namor began. “Atlantis rests upon innumerable layers of prior settlements, and the ruins of prehistoric Atlantis are below.”

Tigra again sniffed at the air. She curled her nose in displeasure. The Vision impassively analyzed his surroundings, but managed to glean little through the dense basalt that made up the pillars of the catacombs. But the keenest senses of all were those of the Eternal, Sersi. "Be wary... I sense Apophis' coils are already slithering through the cracks between dimensions. Even without the Serpent Crown to free him fully, his influence could be dangerous."

“You will need to watch out for our hidden defenses as well,” Namor warned, clearly impatient to return to his soldiers and the fighting in the streets above. “The old kings built these vaults with many layers of protection to deter foolish thieves looking to loot gold from our tombs. I cannot say which seals have survived the sinking and raising of Atlantis, but even after many centuries it does not pay to doubt Atlantean craft. Tread lightly, but make haste."

West Coast Avengers
V Iron Man (Xplosion) 189 [Gadgets, Sharp Senses, Super Strength, Armor]
V Wonder Man (Mutant Mayhem)## 132 [Super Strength X2]
V Hawkeye (Fantastic Forces)* 84 [Gadgets]
V Scarlet Witch (Fantastic Forces)** 62 [Magic]
R Giant Man (Hank Pym) (Avengers) 82 [Gadgets, Tiny, Scientist]
E Tigra (Chaos War)**** 57 [Sharp Senses]
V Moon Knight (Avengers) 38 [Gadgets OR Magic OR Super Strength, one turn per game at a time of your choice]
V Mockingbird (Sinister)*** 34 [None]
U Sersi (Critical Mass)# 76 [Magic, Sharp Senses, Super Strength]
R Vision (Supernova) 65 [Armor, Scientist]
E Wasp (Infinity Challenge) 33 [Tiny]

Defenders
V Namor (gg203) 100 [Super Strength X2]
V Silver Savage (Mutations & Monsters) 96 [Armor, Super Strength]
V Hellcat (Ultimates) 38 [Always avoids any random selection]
R Clea (Secret Invasion) 59 [Magic]

Map: Atlantean Catacombs
*Double-base tokens are used to indicate blocking terrain
**All blocking terrain is considered indestructible, and cannot be passed though with phasing/teleport.
***Starting zone for the heroes is Row 1-2, A-H
**** Avengers receive 4 actions per turn, Defenders receive 3 actions per turn.

Scenario: Choose your heroes! Both players may select any or all of their characters to begin the journey into the dungeon, using whichever (non-) dial they choose for each character. If you choose to leave a character on the surface to heal their wounds simply do not include them in your setup. Be mindful however that, depending on your success in this scenario, characters left on the surface may not be available for squads in the following issue. Make note of the character traits listed for each, as these will be important in the scenario to come.

The hazards are varied and many! End of round 1 and every second round thereafter, at the end of the second player's turn, reveal the next spoiler-tagged challenge that the heroes must face. If there are enemy figures on the map their player will take their turn after the challenge is revealed and resolved.

Destroy the sacrificial alter... seal Apophis away forever! The goal is the printed hindering terrain in column W (the "Alter"). If the heroes can reach this before the end of round 20, they may be able to stop Apophis from breaking free into the mortal plane of existence. If they are too slow, or lack the strength when they arrive, then the release of the evil into our world will be bad news for Atlantis indeed.


Challenges

Round 1

Round 3

Round 5

Round 7

Round 9

Round 11

Round 13

Round 15

Round 17

Round 19:


When the Alter is Reached
Reveal this text when any character reaches the Alter.

wild! thanks for all the work you've done on this, Gargan!... another challenging scenario... It is definitely also interesting to note the changes and additions you made to my intro narrative. Some of that I couldn't've known very well, other bits you clearly wanted included.. and it's just great to note how well it flows - even though we both were working on the same section...

Initiative: 3+6=9


Is it okay if I go with the squad I posted at the end of the previous issue? -->

U Iron Man (Mutations and Monsters #200) 100
R Scarlet Witch (Chaos War) 50
V Tigra (Fantastic Forces) 54 + Sneak 5
LE Marc Spector (Critical Mass) 35
U Sersi (Critical Mass) 76 + Life Model Decoy 12
R Vision (Supernova) 65
===> 397 points

Yes, that's still acceptable, I just wanted to give you an opportunity to change your team around after you found out that this was not a standard sort of scenario.

I will be bringing all the Defenders. Is this map considered an indoor map for this scenario?

This is a good question.

Also, if we are working together, are 'my' Avengers and these Defenders considered 'friendly?'...

Yes, and yes, to answer your questions.

I actually thought that this map was always an indoors map? But if it isn't normally, than it is here. Sorry I didn't explain that directly, but the intention here is to simulate a crawl through underground tunnels heading downward, which is why Vision can't just phase his way to the end. So being able to fly over the blocking would defeat the point of that.

And yes, Avengers/Defenders are effectively one force here. But the teamwork comes from making your decisions together; there will be points in the story where your team is tested or a sacrifice is required, and you may have to work out between you which character(s) you can most afford to lose if you want to keep your odds of stopping Apophis high.

This looks like a lot of fun! I'd like to play the villain if everyone is ok with that.

"sacrifice" ?!? eek!...

welcome to villaining, swerve... let's see an Initiative roll from Rollin, and then we can start...

INT roll 6,4=10
INT roll in case of tie 5,4=9
I guess I'll set up and go after your set up, so happy to waste those great rolls right away.

Ok, here is Defenders set up. Also I notice that both E row and F row are marked E row on the map FYI.

WCA:

1) U Iron Man (Mutations and Monsters #200) 100
2) R Scarlet Witch (Chaos War) 50
3) V Tigra (Fantastic Forces) 54 + Sneak 5
4) LE Marc Spector (Critical Mass) 35
5) U Sersi (Critical Mass) 76 + Life Model Decoy 12
6) R Vision (Supernova) 65
===> 397 points


Defenders
1) V Namor (gg203) 100(7/7) E-2
[Super Strength X2]
2) V Silver Savage (Mutations & Monsters) 96 (9/9) E-1
[Armor, Super Strength]
3) V Hellcat (Ultimates) 38 (6/6) D-2
[Always avoids any random selection]
4) R Clea (Secret Invasion) 59(6/6) F-2
[Magic]
Team Total: 293


HO:S-10, K-20
LO: C-8

http://www.ianparmenter.com/hcutils2...3&w2=x524y-324

If you want me to move over mike let me know. What do you think about leap frogging our turns so when the events occur one of us has moves coming? Just a thought but I'm good with whatever you want to do.

That's not the only problem with the digital rendering of this map, I see.... For example, the digital rendering has the columns K and L in the wrong order... In other words, that HO you placed in K20 might be K20 on the digital map, but it's L20 on the paper map... We'll have to be careful in this regard...
Also, the paper map does not have a 2x2 area of blocking terrain in the center of the map surrounded by a ring of squares of hindering terrain all the way around. Instead, it has a 4x4 area of blocking terrain in the center of the map. ... How should we play this?...

I've switched the order of the teams in the RECAP because you rolled higher for Initiative.


Defenders
1) V Namor (gg203) 100(7/7) E-2
[Super Strength X2]
2) V Silver Savage (Mutations & Monsters) 96 (9/9) E-1
[Armor, Super Strength]
3) V Hellcat (Ultimates) 38 (6/6) D-2
[Always avoids any random selection]
4) R Clea (Secret Invasion) 59(6/6) F-2
[Magic]
Team Total: 293

WCAvengers:
1) U Iron Man (Mutations and Monsters #200) 100 C2
2) R Scarlet Witch (Chaos War) 50 B1
3) V Tigra (Fantastic Forces) 54 + Sneak 5 D1
4) LE Marc Spector (Critical Mass) 35 C1
5) U Sersi (Critical Mass) 76 + Life Model Decoy 12 B2
6) R Vision (Supernova) 65 A2
===> 397 points


HOs:S-10, K-20, T15
LOs: C-8, O14, J9

http://www.ianparmenter.com/hcutils2...3&w2=x524y-324

Let me know if there is anything specific you want me to do.

"I shall enter first." Namor said confidently. "Perhaps I can spot any Atlantean traps ahead."

1A:
1) Namor carries Silver Savage ends in D-8 Savage in D-9.
2) Hellcat leaps to A-9
3) Clea Phasese to A-8.


Defenders
1) V Namor (gg203) 100(7/7) D-8@
[Super Strength X2]
2) V Silver Savage (Mutations & Monsters) 96 (9/9) D-9
[Armor, Super Strength]
3) V Hellcat (Ultimates) 38 (6/6) A-9@
[Always avoids any random selection]
4) R Clea (Secret Invasion) 59(6/6) A-8@
[Magic]
Team Total: 293

WCAvengers:
1) U Iron Man (Mutations and Monsters #200) 100 C2
2) R Scarlet Witch (Chaos War) 50 B1
3) V Tigra (Fantastic Forces) 54 + Sneak 5 D1
4) LE Marc Spector (Critical Mass) 35 C1
5) U Sersi (Critical Mass) 76 + Life Model Decoy 12 B2
6) R Vision (Supernova) 65 A2
===> 397 points


HOs:S-10, K-20, T15
LOs: C-8, O14, J9

http://www.ianparmenter.com/hcutils2...3&w2=x524y-324

WCAvengers turn 1b

The Avengers advanced boldly into the cavern, the fliers helping the others speed their movement. Sersi kept a cold gaze, examining the area, while Iron Man seemed a bit distracted, as he was likely monitoring the data from his advanced armor's sensors even as he flew and placed Tigra back on the stone floor.

Tigra, for her part, wanted to stay close to Patsy. It was not some sort of feline affinity that prompted her to do so, but rather a creeping suspicion of something indefinite.

The Vision carried Scarlet Witch forward, and Wanda found herself surprised. 'I thought he was more like a machine,' she thought to herself, 'but his touch is so light and gentle...'


- Iron Man uses Carry, moving to C10 and placing Tigra in B9.
- Sersi uses Carry, moving to C8 and placing Moon Knight/Marc Spector in C7.
- Vision uses Carry, moving to A7 and placing Scarlet Witch in B6.



Defenders
1) V Namor (gg203) 100(7/7) D-8@
[Super Strength X2]
2) V Silver Savage (Mutations & Monsters) 96 (9/9) D-9
[Armor, Super Strength]
3) V Hellcat (Ultimates) 38 (6/6) A-9@
[Always avoids any random selection]
4) R Clea (Secret Invasion) 59(6/6) A-8@
[Magic]
Team Total: 293

WCAvengers:
1) U Iron Man (Mutations and Monsters #200) 100 C10 @
2) R Scarlet Witch (Chaos War) 50 B6
3) V Tigra (Fantastic Forces) 54 + Sneak 5 B9
4) LE Marc Spector (Critical Mass) 35 C7
5) U Sersi (Critical Mass) 76 + Life Model Decoy 12 C8 @
6) R Vision (Supernova) 65 A7 @
===> 397 points


HOs:S-10, K-20, T15
LOs: C-8, O14, J9

http://www.ianparmenter.com/hcutils2...3&w2=x524y-324

Okay, now to reveal that first 'spoiler!...'

It says, "The oppressive darkness of the moist tunnels are claustrophobic and disorienting for those more accustomed to life on the surface. Randomly select three characters; if they do not have the "Sharp Senses" trait, give them an action token (dealing pushing damage normally)." hoo boy...

That means (for my team) Scarlet Witch, Moon Knight/Marc Spector, and Vision get action tokens... and all four of the Defenders get actions tokens....