Heroes Combat Shivan Menance In Bloody Bay!
On May 9th, 2012, several heroes investigated the island of Bloody Bay after all communication with the population there mysteriously stopped. Arriving with Longbow reinforcements, the heroes found the island overrun by Neo-Shivans, the same creatures responsible for the destruction of Galaxy City in September of 2011. The heroes engaged the hordes of creatures, and in doing so, discovered that the regular Shivans normally found on the island oppose the stronger, more menacing Neo-Shivans. The fighting lead the heroes to the Dead Coast where they battled not one, but two giant Shivan Obliterator monsters. Working together, the heroes defeated the huge beasts within moments of one another, freeing the populace of Bloody Bay from the danger they presented.
The members of the team responsible for liberating Bloody Bay were: Acroyear, Blood Keeper, Gilford The Guardian (all members of the Justice Force), Major Meltdown (member of the High Society Order), and Srra’ Koth (member of the Snails of Power).
Congratulations to these heroes on earning the Sibling Rivalry, Sidereal Researcher, and Brotherly Love badges!
Paragon City And Rogue Isles Under Siege By Nemesis!
Fallen Thunder
April 28th, 2012
Atlantic Ocean
Approx. 39.76 Latitude, -70.70 Longitude, 700 feet below the surface.
Aboard the Prussian Prince submarine
The steady ping of the brass plating of the Prussian Prince expanding as it gradually ascended from the depths 5 miles from the brightly glowing lights of Talos Island was like a metronome.
Ping...
Each sound signified another 33 feet...he calculated the depth of the submersible vehicle by marking the passing of the metallic report. Where other's would have synapses firing, silently relaying commands to his body to properly adjust the dials and valves controlling the ballast levels, there was instead the steady whirring and clicking of gears and the steady hissof steam powering his every move.
660 feet
Small crystals of ice delicately broke away from his body, blanketing his chair with a thin layer of frost. The chill of the airwould have made his breath visible...that is, if he still drew breath. It had been many years since Gerhardt Eisenstadt had last drawn air, having made suchhuman concerns unnecessary well over a century ago. Whatever remained of his flesh had long since decayed, replaced by the more reliable and stronger Clockwork bodies of his own design and construction. These bodies were the purest incarnation of his genius... his brilliance... the same genius that struckfear in the hearts of all who heard his name. No longer Gerhardt Eisenstadt; He was now Lord Nemesis, and his infamy spanned generations!
The story of his conquest to bring the whole of the United States of America under heel was still told in hushed tones by those who survived the national nightmare. Washington D.C., and most of the U.S., had been his, held in the palm of his enormous brass hand. The populace had been no match for his clockwork army and with their vaunted superheroes spread acrossthe globe fighting the Second World War in Europe and Asia, they were powerless to stop him.
Until Marcus Cole.
Always Marcus Cole.
396 feet
Every time Lord Nemesis was on the cusp of global domination, on the verge of his final victory, ready to take his rightful place, Marcus Cole... no... Statesman would foil his grand design. There were others over the years, so many others, but it always came back to Statesman. The man was unkillable, not for a lack of trying. Of course, this made the notion that one as simple as Darrin Wade could succeed where he had failed...inconceivable. The theft of Rularuu's powers was simply adding insult to injury.
It had been tempting to join the Heroes and "Villains" (there was after all only one true villain) in their fight against Rula-Wade. The very presumption that a fool such as Wade had the right to rob Lord Nemesis of his victory... well... This was his victory. He was to be the one to extract the life essence from the broken and battered body of Statesman. Victory was to be his, the plot was written, it was put in motion, it was all to happen... exactly... as... he... planned.
Wade was lucky. This was the only plausible explanation. He had obviously used his obscurity and lack of being an actual threat to accomplish the improbable.
Of course this occurrence was not entirely unforeseen by Nemesis. Even something as unpredictable as Wade dispatching Statesman could not fully escape his genius plans. His robotic feet clanged across the iron floor of the Prince as he walked over to the antique filing cabinet. He delicately slid the door open, flipping through the manila folders until he came across the one he was looking for: Operation Fallen Thunder.
The outer folder was dusty, the paper starting to soften and fray from the passing of time. Hand typed on a Smith-Corona typewriter decades before, the plan was simple when compared to his recent, more elaborate plots. He thumbed through the pages... yes... there it was. He would capitalizeon Cole's death (any fool would), but on a far more massive, and final, scale: He would attack all of Paragon City, spreading their defenses so thin that even the combined might of the city's Heroes would be unable to stop his automaton army. Finally, he would avenge the humiliation he suffered in Washington D.C. so many years ago. Yes, Fallen Thunder would be the lynchpin, a catalyst for other similar plots in the unlikely event it didn't succeed.
Gears whirred and steam hissed as his mind calculated the probabilities of success, taking into account a single possible outlying factor: Tyrant was not a consideration when the plan was originally conceived. While still a threat, calculations showed that he would soon be irrelevant. The erstwhile ruler of Praetorian Earth was quickly losing his grasp on power due to the multiple incursions of immensely powerful Incarnates (Note: Investigate probability of conquering an alternate dimension.) What was not immediately clear was the alternate Cole's end game. His notes observed a 5.7% chance of complete surrender and a 6.33% chance of simply detonating a weapon of mass destruction over his own city. There was a significantly higher likelihood of him fighting to the death, less so the chance he would abandon his seat of power. No matter. All of these possible outcomes meshed well with his simple,yet masterful plot.
Lord Nemesis reached over to the brass intercom bell.
132 feet
The Nemesis Invasion has been underway in Paragon City and the Rogue Isles for the past several days and is reported will continue on for the month of May. Those heroes or villains who best the real Nemesis during the invasion will earn the A Nemesis Plot badge.
Crystal Of Serafina Stolen From Circle Of Thorns!
On May 3rd, 2012, in an effort to seek favor from Arachnos villain Scirocco, several villains from the Injustice Force formed Strike Force Windswept. Under direction from Scirocco’s servant Ice Mistral Strike Force Windswept undertook the task of stealing the Crystal of Serafina from the Circle of Thorns. Members of the Justice Force, also seeking the Crystal of Serafina, joined forces with Strike Force Windswept in order to accomplish their shared goal.
Strike Force Windswept soon discovered that the Circle of Thorns had broken the Crystal of Serafina into several shards. Traveling around the Rogue Isles the Strike Force recovered all of the shards from the mages, stopping them from creating a crystalline psychic network that could produce mass mind control effects on those within range of the vibrations of the crystals. Before reporting back to Ice Mistral the members of Strike Force Windswept each secretly took a piece of the crystal so that they may possess asmall portion of Serafina’s power.
The members of Strike Force Windswept were: Cutchop McSlice, Moray, Phorcy (all members of the Injustice Force), Acroyear (leader of the Justice Force), and LongRange (member of the Justice Force – Reservists).
Congratulations to all members of Strike Force Windswept for earning the Crystal Keeper badge!
Issue 23: Where Shadows Live Overview The Praetorian War comes to a dramatic conclusion in Issue 23: Where Shadows Lie! The Heroes and Villains of Paragon City, still reeling from the deaths of the legendary Statesman and Sister Psyche, must rise to stop the ruthless Emperor Cole of Praetoria before his mad plans can shatter the dimensions. New Zone: Night Ward
Quality of Life Upgrades
Improved Free Player Chat and Grouping: Now all players (VIP, premium, and free) can join a new serverwide Looking for Group chat channel that allows them to communicate freely with each other. Free and Premium players can also now join Super Groups, regardless of their status in the Paragon Rewards program.
Easy Portal Travel: The new Interdimensional Tunnel System makes getting from one world to another quick and easy. Get to outlying areas like Praetoria and the Shadow Shard easily with a quick dimension jump through conveniently located portals. New VIP Content and Benefits Signature Story Arc Series 2: "Pandora's Box": Both Heroes and Villains are being supercharged with new uncontrollable powers. Heroes team up with the remnants of the Freedom Phalanx to discover the secretmenace behind the chaos, while Villains lay the groundwork for a new organization to rival the power of Arachnos.
New Mecha Armor Tier 9 Costume Set: The Mecha Armor costume set turns you into the sleek giant robot or high-tech warrior you've always dreamed of. Select from a new sword, rifle, backpack, and wings offered in this latest free costume set available only to VIP players as part of the Paragon Rewards program.
New Chain Mail and Leather Armor Costume Set: All VIP players have access to the Chain Mail and Leather Armor costume set. Look the part of a crusading knight, yeoman archer, or a rowdy barbarian in this versatile set.
New Incarnate Powers: Level 50 VIP players can now unlock the Hybrid Incarnate Tree, which grants them new powers based on the core Archetypes in City of Heroes®. You can choose a style that shores up aweakness, or one that further strengthens existing abilities. The Assault Tree increases your damage, the Control Tree raises your ability to lock down foes, the Melee Tree increases your defense and status protection, and the Support Tree grants bonuses to you and your teammates.
Time Traveling Strike Force Topples 5th Column!
On April 10th, 2012, a small group of supervillains came together to undertake a series of missions which required them to travel to the recent past and investigate the overthrow of the 5th Column by the Council. Guided by Mender Lazarus of Ouroboros, the villains of the time traveling Strike Force set in motion the events that lead to the downfall of the 5th Column several years ago. The villains also participated in the final battle of the 5th Column, taking down the organization's major leaders, Maestro, Vandal, and Requiem.
The members of the time traveling Strike Force were: Baron Bone, Chill Out, Phorcy (all members of the Injustice Force), and Crimson Mayhem (member of The House Of The Forsaken).
Flames of Prometheus Pilfered!
On March 28th, 2012, several super beings from the Injustice Force, The House of the Forsaken, Justice Force, and Justice Force – Reservists, undertook a daring quest to obtain the Flames of Prometheus, a spark of Incarnate power in the possession of the hero Positron.
Blackmailing the Midnighter Mortimer Kal by kidnapping his daughter, the super beings forced the wizard to assist them in their mission. As Strike Force Torch the super beings ambushed the heroine Numina of the Freedom Phalanx within the underground city of Oranbega, and trapped her within a magical artifact known as the Soul Catcher. Defeating Inferno, Numina’s ally in the Vindicators, the Strike Force fled Oranbega and moved on to the next phase of their plan.
Since the Flames of Prometheus were power beyond what mere mortals could possess and could not simply be picked up and carried off, the members of the Strike Force needed a magical artifact with which they could use to safely acquire the Flames. Learning of one such artifact from Odysseus, leader of the Warriors, the Strike Force set out to steal the Fists of Vulcan. Breaking into Odysseus’ warehouse in Talos Island where the Fists of Vulcan were stored, the Strike Force encountered the Midnight Squad, who had figured out what the super beings were trying to accomplish. It mattered not as the Strike Force defeated the Midnighters, as well as Odysseus and his Warriors as they arrived to try and stop the theft.
With the Fists of Vulcan in hand and Numina as the key to entering Positron’s lab in Steel Canyon, everything went according to plan until Positron’s security systems alerted him to the presence of the Strike Force. Positron attacked the would-be theives, utilizing the Flames of Prometheus against them, but Strike Force Torch overcame the hero. Unfortunately the presence of the Flames had a profound effect on the Soul Catcher, and it fractured, allowing Numina to escape and whisk herself and Positron to safety. Additionally, the Fists of Vulcan where consumed in the acquisition of the Flames of Prometheus, but nonetheless, the super beings were successful in their mission!
Strike Force Torch consisted of Injustice Mantle, Phorcy, Widow Knight (all members of the Injustice Force), KAOS-219 (member of The House Of The Forsaken), Acroyear (leader of the Justice Force), and Li Waishing (member of the Justice Force – Reservists).
To Strike Force Torch congratulations on earning the Promethean badge!
Icons Of Justice!
Since its inception the Justice Force has had hundreds of heroes join its ranks. Some have risen to greatness, some have fallen from grace, and some have simply faded away. And a very few have become Icons of Justice.
To recognize those members who have served with distinction, whose actions have made a positive impact on this supergroup, and who have become synonymous with the name “Justice Force,” the special honorary title of Icon of Justice will be bestowed upon select members. Every few months three new Icons of Justice will be chosen. Those bestowed this honor will receive:
The newest Justice Force members inducted into the Icons of Justice are: Blood Keeper, Purple Kitten, and Stingman.
Blood Keeper: The being known as Ba’luhd Khee’par is a mystery, not only to those he calls friends and teammates, but to himself as well. Upon awakening within the underground city of Oranbega some years ago, Ba’luhd Khee’par found himself within a rune circle painted and carved into the stone floor, although the circle had been severed along one arc, the symbols smeared and wiped away. Surrounding the rune circle were the unconscious forms of many men in dark robes, who upon examination showed no signs of physical trauma, although he somehow sensed their minds had been broken. Confused and disorientated, Ba’luhd Khee’par had no recollection of how he came to be in this place. In fact, he had no recollection of anything about himself nor his past other than his name.
Making his way out of Oranbega, Ba’luhd Khee’par found himself on the border of Paragon City, a place containing a bewildering variety of beings who, like himself, possessed super powers. Although his appearance indicated he was not human (or perhaps, no longer human), Ba’luhd Khee’par seemed to blend in somewhat amongst the hundreds of unusual-looking super beings that inhabited Paragon City.
Soon after establishing himself within the city he determined that the robed figures that he encountered upon awaking were members of the group known as the Circle of Thorns. This same dark organization made several early attempts to lure him into traps and capture him, though to what end remains unknown.
As he spent time in Paragon City Ba’luhd Khee’par observed numerous super beings selflessly position themselves between the machinations of those individuals and organizations with less than honorable intentions (like the Circle of Thorns) and the hordes of innocent that dwell within the city. Ba’luhd Khee’par came to admire these “heroes” quite a bit and took to assisting many of them in their sometimes herculean tasks. It is during this time that Ba’luhd Khee’par came to be noticed by Acroyear, the leader of the Justice Force, and was offered a position on the team. Ba’luhd Khee’par accepted, and in doing so, forge a place for himself amongst Paragon’s mightiest heroes.
Ba’luhd Khee’par’s first and foremost motivation is unraveling the mystery of his origins. He spends a great deal of time on his own tracking down one criminal group or another in pursuit of information regarding the Circle of Thorns or any other sources of leads about his origins. While some might note the overzealousness of his actions while on these personal missions, they are often willing to overlook this side of Ba’luhd Khee’par due to the work he does when assisting his teammates within the Justice Force.
Ba’luhd Khee’par always refers to himself by his full name, although he has no issue with answering to either part of it when addressed by others. As a matter of fact he has given up trying to correct how people pronounce his name, and has been come to be known amongst his teammates and general populace as “Blood Keeper.” Evidently, with most human beings having tiny round ears and thick clumsy tongues, they can neither register nor duplicate the subtle inflections that comprise “Ba’luhd Khee’par.”
Blood Keeper represents truth within the Justice Force. As a living mystery, he never ceases his quest to discover the truth of his origins and learn his place in this world. His dedication to uncovering these facts is unwavering, and no matter what those truths may hold for him, be they dark and ugly, or bright and beautiful, Blood Keeper will press on until they are revealed to him. As a member of the Justice Force his reputation for bold honesty has often proved invaluable to his teammates, as Blood Keeper can be counted on to give his unbiased and spot on assessment of any situation, be it regarding something mundane or life threatening. For these reasons and more, Blood Keeper is a true Icon of Justice.
Purple Kitten: The young woman known only as Purple Kitten was orphaned at the age of eight when her parents were caught in the crossfire of a skirmish between Loyalist and Resistance forces on Praetoria. Adopted by a single woman soon afterwards, Kitten was showered with love and affection by her new mother. Much to Kitten’s surprise her adoptive mother was secretly a witch, and soon began teaching the little girl the ways of witchcraft. Kitten was eager to learn and had a natural talent for the craft, eventually surpassing her mother’s abilities, as well as those of their small coven, by the time she was a teenager.
Kitten’s teen years were wrought with angst and misunderstanding, and she spent much of her time as a loner. Eventually she made a few friends with other outcasts such as herself, and grew so close to them that she would at times use her magic to secretly punish those schoolmates who bullied or harassed those under her protection.
Once out of school Kitten became swept up in the Resistance, aiding them against Emperor Cole’s tyrannical rule of Praetoria. Kitten, having given herself the code name “Purple Kitten”, fought long and hard against the Loyalist forces, but eventually she, along with her Resistance friend and ally NightNova, fled to Primal Earth to attempt to avert a war between the two worlds.
Shortly after arriving on Primal Earth in the Fall of 2010, Purple Kitten and her friend NightNova were recruited into the Justice Force, one of Paragon City’s most prestigious supergroups. Purple Kitten quickly became one of the team’s most active new recruits at the time, using her witchcraft abilities to battle crime and injustice wherever it appeared.
As her time spent crimefighting increased, so did her power. In fact, so quickly did her power level grow that at times she was unable to restrain her witchcraft, and her own magic threatened to consume her. Her teammates in the Justice Force have often speculated on Kitten’s ability to master her powers; does she truly controls her dark magic, or does it control her. As Kitten enters her adulthood, she wonders which side will finally win her over.
Purple Kitten represents the strength of willpower of the Justice Force. She is a young woman who greatly desires enough power to command her own destiny, but yet at the same time struggles to resist being consumed by the vast power she possesses. Although young, she has shown incredible fortitude in maintaining the difficult balance of control between the two due to her strong and resilient willpower, and for this reason, she is a true Icon of Justice.
Stingman: A clumsy and awkward intern of Insect Biology, William Gray was working late one evening inside the Paragon City University laboratory when Professor Armstrong, the head of the department, burst in and revealed to the young man a remarkable scientific discovery. After years of research and testing Armstrong had created a serum capable of transferring the DNA of insects into willing human hosts, thus combining the abilities of the insect with that of a human being.
This amazing discovery intrigued William, and he requested to be the first full-fledged test subject. At first Professor Armstrong was hesitant to agree to his student’s request as more preliminary testing was needed before a viable human could subjected to the serum. Eventually William wore down Armstrong’s reserve, and received an injection of the serum containing the DNA of a yellow jacket. The serum coursing through his veins William fell to the floor as his body transformed from a thin and gangly to fit and muscular. Upon recovering from the initial shock to his system, the young man found that he had gained the speed and agility of the yellow jacket, as well attained an increased intellect and fierce, strong-willed demeanor. It was not long before William decided to put his new found powers to use as a superhero protecting Paragon City. Thus, Stingman was born!
After enjoying a brief solo career as a crimefighter, Stingman was invited to join the Justice Force in the summer of 2008 by the team’s leader, Acroyear. He has served faithfully ever since, becoming one of the team’s core members. During his many years of service with the Justice Force, Stingman was singled out for his bravery in the field, earning himself the rank of captain within the team.
In mid 2011 Stingman developed a special social program to help reform super powered teens who had fallen into trouble with the law. As members of the S.T.A.R.S. (Students in Trouble Attitude Reformation System) program a select group of super powered youths would finish out their juvenile hall sentence assigned to mentors within the Justice Force who would help them to become productive crimefighters within Paragon City.
Stingman represents the fearlessness of the Justice Force. No matter how deadly the threat or how powerful the foe faced, Stingman always proceeds with no fear, inspiring his teammates to follow suit. There is no situation too dire nor too dangerous for Stingman, as his resolve only becomes more steadfast the greater the threat. For these reasons and more, Stingman is a true Icon of Justice.
Time-Traveling Strike Force Assassinates President Marchand!
On March 14th, 2012, members of the Injustice Force and Shadow Wolves joined together to form a time-traveling Strike Force to ensure that Lord Recluse would assume power over the Rogue Isles in the past of 1963. Through trials of misinformation, a mulish contact (Mender Tesseract), and surviving three fates worse than death, the Strike Force proved its dedication to Lord Recluse and finally made it to the Marchland Building in St. Martial where they completed their mission and ensured Lord Recluse’s reign.
The members of the time-traveling Strike Force were: Baron Bone, Blood Ravan, Miss Brain Freeze (all members of the Injustice Force) and Baroness Shadowlore (member of the Shadow Wolves).
Double XP Weekend Returns!
You've been keeping your super-keen eyes and ears peeled for word of the date for the next Double XP Weekend, and now it's almost here! Mark your calendars, because from 10:00 a.m. EST on Friday, March 16th, 2012 to 10:00 a.m. EST on Monday, March 19th, 2012 players will receive double the experience points, influence, and prestige for defeating enemies, completing missions, and collecting badges that give XP! Get ready to level up your characters twice as fast, starting March 16!
Issue 22: Death Incarnate Released To Live Servers!
A re-envisioned Dark Astoria beckons its bony claw! Issue 22: Death Incarnate, introduces new powers and costumes, exclusive VIP content, and expanded endgame features, and reintroduces Dark Astoria, a zone corrupted by evil magical forces. Click here for the complete patch notes, and watch the videos below to see what this issue has to offer!
Strike Force Raider Storms Temple Of The Waters!
On February 29th, 2012, several villains, rogues, and vigilantes were recruited by Operative Renault to form Strike Force Raider, a unit whose purpose was to locate and recover a piece of the Eye of the Leviathan for the arch-villain Captain Mako. Legends say that the Eye of the Leviathan was made of living coral and was reputed to possess the powers of an ancient sea goddess. Strike Force Raider undertook a series of missions to locate the Coral Key, an item the lore masters of the Legacy Chain claimed could be used as a compass to lead the team to the Temple of the Waters where the Eye of the Leviathan was rumored to rest. It seemed however, that Captain Mako was not the only Arachnos arch-villain seeking the Coral Key; so was Ghost Widow. In order to make reparations to Ghost Widow for stealing the Coral Key from her grasp, Strike Force Raider was forced to recover the artifact known as the Death Rattle from within a graveyard overrun by the undead of the Banished Pantheon, and turn it over to the spectral villainess. Before raiding the temple itself, Operative Renault informed the Strike Force that Captain Mako’s lieutenant Barracuda had procured weapons to fight the temple guardians and needed them picked up from a warehouse in Port Recluse. At the warehouse the villains encountered Family mobsters intent on receiving payment for the weapons, but after dealing with them found only a single sub-machine gun. Barracuda and her Arachnos guard ambushed Strike Force Raider in an attempt to eliminate the team so she could seize the power of the Leviathan for herself! The team defeated the traitorous Barracuda, and returned to Operative Renault for further instructions. After conferring with Operative Renault, Strike Force Raider proceeded with the raid on the Temple of the Waters. Deep within a set of sea tunnels lay the temple where Calystix the Shaper presided over a mass of Coralax Hybrids. An epic battle was fought, but just when it was thought Calystix was defeated, he used his powers to bring the Eye of the Leviathan to life! In the end, the Eye was defeated by Strike Force Raider and a piece of it brought to Captain Mako. The members of Strike Force Raider were: Miss Brain Freeze, Phorcy, Sinister Claws (all members of the Injustice Force), Poison Lips (member of The House Of The Forsaken), Acroyear, Tazmuria (both members of the Justice Force), and Srra’ Koth (member of the Snails of Power). To all members of Strike Force Raider congratulations on earning the Leviathan badge!
Nexus Of Thorns Stolen!
On February 15th, 2012, a foursome of superhumans met with the demon Sparcetriel, whom was willing to share its secret knowledge as part of its revenge against the Circle of Thorns. The first thing the beast wanted was for the team to prove its ability by defeating members of the Circle, a task easily accomplished by the superhumans.
Next, the team was tasked with stopping the united forces of Longbow, Wyvern, and the Legacy Chain from interrupting the team’s planned attack on the Tree of Thorns with a strike of their own. The team defeated the operation’s leaders, clearing the way for their forthcoming assault.
Finally, with the team members’ abilities proven and the heroic forces out of the way, the foursome attacked the Thorn Tree and stole the Nexus of Thorns. With its power, each of the four superhumans are able to reshape themselves into more powerful, deadlier beings than before!
To the “Power Thieves” Animus Khan, Dark Medusa (members of the Injustice Force), KAOS-219 (member of The House Of The Forsaken), and Acroyear (leader of the Justice Force) congratulations on earning the Thorn Robber badge!
Love Is In The Air!
Spring is just around the corner, and Cupid's arrows are nocked--it's almost time for the annual Spring Fling celebration!
This time, the matchmaking cherub has gone all out with new missions, badges, and temporary powers! In addition to the yearly co-op tasks of fighting Arachnos to retake tainted water from the Well of the Furies, retrieving Aphrodite's Girdle for the god Eros, and stopping that dimension-hopping Red Cap, Snaptooth, this year's Spring Fling introduces two brand new holiday missions, with new rewards!
Widow in Red
Ms. Liberty (Heroes) and Arbiter Hawk (Villains) have recruited you for a secret mission involving the infamous Red Widow, Lord Recluse's long-deceased love. This mission is available for characters level 30 or higher, and awards the Widow Maker badge for completion!
Valentines
No Valentine's Day would be complete without the exchange of love letters, but many of these heartfelt confessions have gotten lost throughout Paragon City, the Rogue Isles, and Praetoria! DJ Zero has charged you with finding these Valentines and delivering them to their intended recipients, but that doesn't mean you have to: if you're feeling mischievous, you can misdirect the letters!
These Valentines drop from eligible mobs in Paragon City, the Rogue Isles, and Praetoria during Spring Fling. Players must be level 20 or higher, and have completed an attunement mission from Ganymede (Heroes) or Scratch (Villains). Completing a Valentine mission rewards you with new temp powers Arrows of Romance, which increases regeneration of allies and placates foes; or Arrows of Jealousy, which increases damage dealt by friends and confuses enemies. Completing Valentines missions will also award the Match Maker or Missed Connection badges!
The Spring Fling event begins Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. EST (7 a.m. PST / 3 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. CET) and ends on Monday, February 27th, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. EST (7 a.m. PST / 3 p.m. GMT / 4 p.m. CET)!
Strike Force Buzzsaw Slashes Sky Raiders!
On January 31st, 2012, several villains along with a rogue and vigilante undertook a series of missions aimed at crippling the Sky Raiders organization, which had become very powerful of late and threatened Arachnos’ control of the Rogue Isles. Under the direction of the Arachnos super villain Silver Mantis, these super beings formed Strike Force Buzzsaw and interfered in several of the Sky Raiders’ missions in order to undermine their attempts to gain additional power for their group. Eventually Strike Force Buzzsaw took the battle straight to the Sky Raiders’ new headquarters, a heavily fortified sea base, which was reduced to burning scrap metal by the might of the team. The Sky Raiders’ leader, Colonel Duray, was also defeated at the sea base and turned over to Silver Mantis for questioning, which pleased the leaders of Arachnos very much.
The members of Strike Force Buzzsaw were: NetherStar, Phorcy, Veratrex (all members of the Injustice Force), Crimson Mayhem (a member of The House Of The Forsaken), and Acroyear (leader of the Justice Force).
To these villains, rogues, and vigilantes, congratulations on earning the Air Pirate badge!
A Eulogy for Statesman By Positron
It falls to me to speak a few paltry words about my fallen friend and comrade, Marcus Cole, the man known as Statesman. He was a beacon of strength, moral fiber, and inner will, a bastion of strength that protected Paragon City. This larger than life man, whose years have spanned further than many realize, was a hero, a paragon. He was also a steadfast family man, a tenderhearted and protective husband, father, and grandfather.
Husband. Father. Grandfather. Hero. Paragon. The man who championed Paragon City as Statesman has been all those things and more. As Marcus Cole, Statesman loved and married Monica Richter, sister of his best friend, Stefan. Monica and Marcus reconnected shortly after he returned to Paragon City in the 1930s. At that time, Marcus revealed to the world that he had unlocked his inner will, and he took on the persona of Statesman. He protected Paragon City alongside with the original members of the Freedom Phalanx from Nemesis's failed invasion on Brass Monday, cementing his place in history.
In the 1940s, Statesman led the US war effort in Europe, fighting for the Allies in World War II alongside Maiden Justice and the rest of the Freedom Phalanx. Allied with the British super group, Dawn Patrol, Freedom Phalanx pushed back the Axis powers on the western front. But Statesman's efforts didn't stop there. He was also seen operating in the Pacific theater on occasion. Whether those sightings were simply tall tales told by GIs to boost morale is unknown, but Statesman certainly did use his power to help no matter where on the globe he was needed.
As he continued to champion and safeguard Paragon City, Monica and Marcus welcomed a daughter into the world. This girl, Alexis, went on to become Miss Liberty in the 1960s. Alexis Cole-Duncan was killed in the disputed territories of Warburg after a peace conference came to blows. Marcus Cole, saver of countless lives, grieved immensely for not being able to save his own daughter, and conflicting reports link Alexis's death to the events surrounding the Statesman's death.
In the late 1980s, I [Positron] recruited Statesman to rebuild the Freedom Phalanx. Together, we fought off Arachnos. Statesman went on to lead the Freedom Phalanx throughout the '90s, and we were instrumental in fighting back the Rikti during the first Rikti War. He led the Alpha Team of heroes, fighting off the Rikti from our side of the Rikti dimensional portals while Hero 1 led the Omega Team and sealed off the portals from the Rikti side. Thousands of heroes died in that battle, but Statesman's team, due to his bravery and unfailing mental and physical strength, came through relatively unscathed.
Statesman only reluctantly let new heroes risk their necks in the perilous streets of Paragon. After the rebuilding of Paragon City, the influx of heroes moved to live in and protect Paragon City swelled, inspired by Statesman deeds and his principles. Paragon City earned the nickname "City of Heroes" primarily due to the influence Statesman held over new heroes. They flocked to fight by his side.
A few years back, Statesman went missing. It wasn't the first time he dropped off the radar, but his close friend and confidante, Maria Jenkins, had a suspicion that he wasn't simply on vacation (as some suggested). Maria enlisted a young, trustworthy, but experienced hero who looked up to Statesman. That hero uncovered a plot by Tyrant, a Statesman from an alternate Earth, to kidnap and steal our Statesman's power to augment his. It was only due to the valiant efforts of the hero Maria recruited that was Statesman was able to be with us in the years that followed to once again mentor his close family to see one of them become a hero of Paragon City. Statesman's granddaughter, the Vindicator known as Ms. Liberty, started off her career as Statesman's sidekick, but she quickly blossomed into a strong leader. Ms. Liberty vowed to continue her grandfather's tradition of mentoring and training new heroes, and her dedication to that continues to this day. Statesman spoke to me several times about how proud he was of his granddaughter, who has grown up to become a role model that is looked up to herself.
Statesman also made a positive impact on many villains, prompting them to shed their former lives and rededicate themselves as heroes in Paragon City. Statesman operated without a sidekick for quite some time until the demon summoner Desdemona crossed his path. This misguided villain believed that Statesman was responsible for the death of her mother. She confronted Statesman only to learn the truth behind her mother's death and that Desdemona had been living on a foundation of lies all her life. Statesman took the distraught young girl under his wing as his new sidekick, and she has quickly followed in his footsteps to prove herself as a full-fledged hero.
We may never know exactly how Statesman died. He was a great man, a great hero, and he doubtlessly died true to himself. Statesman's hand was a hand that lifted us up with inspiration. His back was the strong back of a sheltering protector. His wisdom, that of an insightful teacher and leader. His confidence, driven by a profound optimism about the human spirit.
Paragon City will never see the bright flash as he swoops by against a blue sky once more, never hear him rally us in the face of an uncertain future again, never fight side by side with him to stand for what we believe in our hearts. Yet in reality, we will see him, hear him, experience him in the faces of his family and friends, and in our hearts and minds forever.
Statesman is now one with the spirit of Paragon City. Godspeed, my friend.
Issue 22: Death Incarnate Overview A reenvisoned Dark Astoria beckons its bony claw! Issue 22: Death Incarnate, introduces new powers and costumes, exclusive VIP content, and expanded endgame features, and reintroduces Dark Astoria, a zone corrupted by evil magical forces.
Features
Dark Astoria Reincarnated
Mysterious forces have twisted parts of Dark Astoria into a bizarre, nightmarish land! The undead are now stronger here than ever and new menaces brood within the area.
Zone Level Increase: Dark Astoria transforms into a Level 50 Incarnate co-op zone, with missions that can unlock Incarnate abilities for both Heroes and Villains. Dark Astoria is also now accessible from both Peregrine Island and Grandville.
Repeatable Missions: Dark Astoria repeatable missions feature rewards befitting an Incarnate, including Incarnate Experience and Thread Components.
Ephram Sha of the Midnight Squad has tasks befitting Incarnate-level Heroes in Dark Astoria. Help him push back the forces of Mot!
The Circle of Thorns has an interest in the dark magics swirling around Dark Astoria. It has sent Maharaj, a powerful Soul Mage, to help Incarnate Villains sow chaos in the ranks of their foes.
Content for All Levels
Dilemma Diabolique Incarnate Trial: Diabolique, the evil sorceress, plots to become an avatar of death by seizing the powers of the banished god, Mot. With them, she can bring the living world to its knees! She seeks nothing less than to dominate all life and hold the fate of the many dimensions in her grasping hands. Heroes and Villains must unite to protect our dimension from this terrible fate.
Drowning in Blood New Low-Level Trial: The Shivans that decimated Galaxy City are now attacking Bloody Bay! Using the Team Up Teleporter, groups of up to eight players can fight off this alien invasion. Heroes and Villains each have a separate trial. Drowning in Blood is a PvE encounter available for all characters of level 15 and higher.
New Mission Arcs: Steel Canyon and Cap au Diable feature new mission arcs. Heroes can encounter the latest conflict between the 5th Column and the Council. Villains face off against the Longbow and the Luddites.
New Adamastor Zone Event: Adamastor has broken free of Dark Astoria! Prevent this Giant Monster from going on a rampage in Talos Island and Sharkhead Isle by finding the Ritual of Summoning and using it to summon and defeat the creature.
New Darkness Power Sets and Olympian Guard Costumes
Darkness Control (Free for VIPs): Command the shadows to terrorize your foes, devastating them with spectral minions. The Darkness Control power set is a primary power set for Controllers and Dominators. This new power set is free for VIPs. You will also be able to buy it in the Paragon Market™.
Darkness Affinity and Dark Assault (Free for VIPs): Two more power sets are now available to Controllers and Dominators. Controllers can access Darkness Affinity as a secondary power set, and Dominators can access Dark Assault as a secondary power set. Darkness Affinity and Dark Assault are free for VIP's. You will also be able to buy them in the Paragon Market™.
Olympian Guard Costume Set (Free for VIPs): The technology-themed Olympian Guard costume set is free for VIPs. You will also be able to buy it in the Paragon Market™.
Expansion of the Team Up Teleporter: In addition to granting access to the new Bloody Bay Trial, the Team Up Teleporter can now be used inside missions and to organize groups for existing task forces and strike forces. Characters on solo or group missions can queue up for trials from within those missions. You can also use the Team Up Teleporter to queue up for a task force or strike force.
New Teleporter Pad: The new Hacked Telepad and Magicked Telepads are available for bases. These new telepads cost more Prestige to build, but allow Super Group members to teleport to six zones per telepad instead of two.
Changes to Powers
Controllers
Gravity Control: Increased the damage of Singularity's Lift by 63%.
Controllers/Dominators
Gravity Control: Added a bonus mechanic to player character versions of Lift and Propel. These powers now deal a small amount of additional damage (called "Impact!") to targets that you have recently held with your Gravity Distortion power. In addition, Propel's cast time has been reduced and its projectile speed has been increased.
Stalkers
Stalker Buffed Max HP modifier has been increased from 1 to 1.3. This results in Stalker's potential Buffed Max HP increasing from 1,606 to 2,088 at level 50. This allows powers like Dull Pain and Frostworks, as well as +Max HP set bonuses, to have a greater potential effect.
Assassin Strike (All Versions): This power now functions differently while you are not Hidden. When attacking a foe when Hidden, it behaves normally, dealing tremendous damage with a chance to demoralize nearby foes, but it can be interrupted. However, when you use the power while you are not Hidden, it deals Superior damage and is uninterruptible. While you are not Hidden, Assassin Strike has a base 0% chance to crit.
Assassin's Focus: All damaging powers found in the Stalker's primary power set, other than Assassin Strike, have a chance to grant you a stack of the Assassin's Focus buff. This buff increases Assassin's Strike's chance to critically hit (for +100% damage) while not Hidden by 33.3%. Assassin's Focus stacks up to three times. Using Assassin's Strike when you are not Hidden removes all stacks of Assassin's Focus.
Strike Force Anubis Defeats Arch-Demon Bat-Zul!
On January 10th, 2012, a quartet comprised of two villains, a rogue, and a vigilante sought out Virgil Tarikoss, a mysterious mystic of the Rogue Isles in need of those of questionable ethics to aid him in completing his secret master plan. Forming Strike Force Anubis the team first proved their worth to Tarikoss by defeating scores of Legacy Chain members who sought to uncover the secret plans of the dark mage by performing a powerful augury ritual.
Once their usefulness had been determined, Tarikoss sent Strike Force Anubis to discover the reason the Circle of Thorns had attacked the Power Transfer System, the system that powers all of the Rogue Isles using a dormant volcano for it’s source of energy. The investigation by Strike Force Anubis uncovered that the PTS suffered a massive drop in power, as if the Circle of Thorns had disconnected it from the volcano, even though that was not the case.
Learning that the Legacy Chain were close to discovering his master plan Tarikoss next sent Strike Force Anubis to eliminate the Chain’s lead investigator and retrieve a journal written by an 18th Century French monk that could help the mystic heroes stop his plot. With is dying breath the Legacy Chain’s investigator warned that Tarikoss would betray the team.
Before turning over the journal to Tarikoss, Strike Force Anubis read the book, seeking to learn what exactly they were helping Tarikoss accomplish. Realizing it was time, Tarikoss revealed his master plan to the Strike Force; he would share untold power with each of them if they helped him rebind the great Bat’Zul, an Arch-Demon that has been sealed within the volcano of Cap au Diable for centuries.
The mages of the Circle of Thorns had also learned of Tarikoss’ plan, and hoped to duplicate it for themselves. Attacking the Thorns in their lost city of Oranbega, Strike Force Anubis discovered that the Circle of Thorns had separated Bat’Zul from the Cap au Diable volcano in hopes of keeping him away from the Strike Force while they swayed the demon to their cause.
Magically duplicating Portal Corp technology, Tarikoss was able to transport Strike Force Anubis to the dimensional prison cavern of Bat’Zul. There the Strike Force battled the Legacy Chain lead by the hero Infernal, whom hoped to stop the rebinding of the arch-demon, but fell before the might of the team. Next the team fought and slew scores of mages from the Circle of Thorns and Bat’Zul’s demon spawn in order to free the arch-demon from his prison. Once Bat’Zul was freed the Strike Force descended upon him, seeking to destroy his physical form and rebind him to their will. Although Strike Force Anubis did defeat Bat’Zul, they learned from the arch-demon that Tarikoss had betrayed them, intending all along for the team to be defeated and left imprisoned with Bat’Zul for eternity. With the demon sealed once again within his prison, and with no power obtained from doing so, Strike Force Anubis disbanded.
The members of Strike Force Anubis were: Injustice Mantle, Phorcy (both members of the Injustice Force), Scythus (leader of The Reaper's Assembly), and Acroyear (leader of the Justice Force). To them, congratulations on earning the Binder of Beasts badge!
Home For The Holidays!
On December 29th, 2011, the Justice Force held its annual Holiday Party at Justice Force Headquarters. This year was a quiet celebration as many team members are off-world on a mission across the galaxy or away on holiday vacation. As there were not enough attendees to participate in the planned costume contests and games, those events were set aside in favor of good conversation over hot drinks in the Justice Force Lounge. A freak snowstorm occurred during the festivities as well as a party-crasher in the form of a wandering snow beast (Acroyear plans to have the air condition unit and security systems double checked!).
The evening continued at the Pocket D Ski Chalet where the heroes joined in on holiday missions and attempted to break some speed skiing records.
Thanks to Amy Avalon, Blood Keeper, Destructeon, and Justice Mantle for coming out for the festivities and fun!
Happy Holidays from the Justice Force!
Being able to sip a cup of tea by the blazing fire pit in the Ski chalet or zooming down the ski slopes at dizzying speed are a sure sign that the Winter Event has started! The Winter Event is indeed back starting today, Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 and going until 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012, and will allow you to get your fill of holiday cheer with presents and snowmen galore! If that's not enough, a couple of new additions will do the trick! Instant Snowstorm will summon a harmless snowstorm that will follow you for a spell, while Duplicating Gift will perpetuate the gift giving tradition... as long as the person you use this power on uses it on someone else and so on and so forth, so keep passing it on! For more details on the Winter Event 2011, check out our Events section later today! For some serious wintry fun, though, jump in game now!
Praetorians Pushed Back!
On December 7th, 2011, heroes and villains of Primal Earth formed a task force to push back the invading Praetorians with the help of a robot named Tin Mage Mark II. Christened Task Force Cantu by Tin Mage, the team traveled to Nerva Archipelago to retake Crimson Cove from the Praetorians. It was there that the heroes and villains discovered a secret base where War Walkers were being manufactured by the Praetorians. Task Force Cantu destroyed the base and also defeated Director 11, one of the enigmatic members of Malta’s council of Directors, whom was seeking to steal Praetorian technology for his organization.
Tin Mage then set the team of heroes and villains to guard a conference between members of Longbow and members of Arachnos, whom were attempting to form an alliance against the invading Praetorian armies. As expected, the War Works attacked the conference, but Task Force Cantu were able to push them back and secure Portal Corp (their second target) just in time.
Tin Mage then alerted Task Force Cantu that the Praetorians were planning to launch their full army through a portal in Neutroplis. Traveling through the portal at Portal Corp, the heroes and villains attacked the heart of Neutroplis, defeating both Neuron and Bobcat, as well as their initial force of Goliath War Walkers, thus putting a halt to the Praetorians’ initial invasion plans. The war may not be over, but now Emperor Cole knows there are forces on Primal Earth that he cannot easily swat down!
The members of Task Force Cantu were: Acroyear, Blood Keeper, Kay B. Powell (all members of the Justice Force), Kablooypow (member of the Justice Force – Reservists), Dark Medusa (member of the Injustice Force), Crimson Mayhem (member of The House of the Forsaken), and Scythus (leader of The Reaper’s Assembly).
To these heroes and villains congratulations on earning the Alpha Struck badge!