The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
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Davies
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

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L'Évêque
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In the Montreal neighborhood of Saint-Michel, there can be found an old, worn-down church, tended by a middle-aged priest known to all in his community as Father Michel Saint-Juste. He's a well-respected member of the community, often seen walking about the neighborhood offering words of encouragement and advice to his neighbors. Even though few of them attend church anymore, they are generally glad to see him, as he has been a figure of calm and patience for as long as many of them can remember. Some wonder about his origins, for he speaks French with a decidedly non-Quebecoise accent, but none have any complaints. "He's a good man, Father Michel," is often said.

They could be more mistaken, but only if he was something other than a man. First of all, he's not actually a priest. He has managed to keep the old, worn-down church, long since deconsecrated, from its date with demolition through some rather sizeable bribes paid to the company responsible. Those bribes were paid from money collected from a racket of protection payments, drug deals, and human trafficking that spans the entire island and parts of the mainland as well. Nearly every criminal enterprise in Montreal pays homage, directly or indirectly, to the man they call L'Évêque -- the Bishop.

Long ago, he was a soldier. He's largely put those days out of his mind, but he does recall that he was chosen -- Or did he volunteer? -- to take part in an experimental super-soldier program in his native France. The experiments were painful beyond his previous understanding of the term, but they succeeded in granting him abilities beyond those of a man. But they took away something else, something he can't really remember having. Call it a conscience, perhaps. And without a conscience, he also had no loyalty, and so he deserted.

He wandered for a time, engaging in petty cruelties as it took him, and yet unconsciously searching for a purpose to his existence, now that he was no longer a soldier. At some point, he spent a while in study of theology, and encountered the concept of the problem of evil. As a being who could only be considered evil, he was naturally interested in an answer to the question of why an all-powerful being would allow him to exist, and did not find what was considered the simplest answer (said being does not exist) to be satisfying for some reason. The notion that evil exists as a mean to bring about goodness appealed to him considerably, and he developed the theory that if someone set out to become a great evil, this might bring about a great good. Thus justified, he set out to become that great evil.

After the Schemer, L'Évêque is probably Canada's second most powerful criminal mastermind. While his brain is unable to compete with his rival's schemes, he is far more ruthless and much more of a charismatic leader, able to inspire his followers in ways that the Schemer cannot. He has also been fortunate enough not to be blessed with a successful local superhero, having patiently eliminated a number of would-be champions who emerge in his territory. So far, their respective organizations have not gone to war with one another, but that could change any day now. Ultimately, L'Évêque is much more concerned with causing as much suffering as he can, in furtherance of his dream.

L'Évêque - PL 8

Abilities:
STR
4 | STA 5 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 9 | INT 4 | AWE 5 | PRE 7

Powers:
Healing Factor: Immunity 1 (aging); Regeneration 5 - 5 points
Shielded Mind: Immunity 20 (mental effects), Limited to Half Effect - 10 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Benefit 4 (millionaire, mob boss), Connected, Contacts, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Equipment 8, Fearless 2, Great Endurance, Inspire 2, Languages 3 (Cantonese, English, Latin, Russian, Spanish, Vietnamese, others [French is native]), Ranged Attack 4, Set-up, Well-informed.

Equipment:
40 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Deception 6 (+13), Expertise: Criminal 10 (+14), Expertise: Streetwise 8 (+12), Expertise: Theology & Philosophy 6 (+10), Insight 6 (+11), Intimidation 6 (+13), Investigation 4 (+8), Perception 4 (+9), Persuasion 4 (+11).

Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +9 (Close Damage 4)

Defense:
Dodge 7, Parry 9, Fortitude 6, Toughness 7/5, Will 9

Totals:
Abilities 78 + Powers 16 + Advantages 31 + Skills 27 + Defenses 10 = 162 points

Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Methodical and Slow to React. Secret (criminal mastermind, also not a real priest).
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Davies
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

In the event that anyone has any objection to my use of any piece of art in this thread or other ones elsewhere, please let me know privately and I'll see to its replacement.
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Voltron64
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Voltron64 »

I don't, in fact I'm typically amused by the reference.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

<quietly points at Gamebook's thread>
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Black Shuck
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Unlike most of his comrades in the United Superheroes of America, Ralph Preston was already serving in the military when he developed his powers. The exact circumstances under which his unit of the National Guard encountered a space-warping phenomenon, shortly after Cerebron's attack, remain highly classified, but the results were that Sergeant Preston developed the ability to alter his phase state to either become intangible or to transmit himself short distances. A certain amount of specialized training, overseen by the Department of Defense, revealed that he also had the heightened reflexes that often accompany teleportative abilities.

He was a natural choice for the team that took form shortly after, and served as its second-in-command, under the alias Black Shuck (after the hound of ill omen from folklore.) Privately, Preston wasn't all that thrilled that what he'd thought was a temporary commitment, intended only to last for the duration of a national emergency, was turning into a lifetime career, but he adjusted once he realized that he'd become a celebrity. Unfortunately, that didn't last too long, and once the team was disbanded, he ended up assigned to assist Army Ranger operations around the world. By 2009, he was considering deserting when his unit, operating in Vietnam in support of the government, stumbled onto an improvised explosive device.

Preston saved their lives at the cost of taking serious injuries, and received a medical discharge from the army. Which was nice, but he was left without real prospects after he completed his recovery in a Veterans Administration hospital. Thus, he was (to his mind) forced to accept the offer to become one of the charter members of Heroic Enterprises. Freed from military discipline, he became a much more volatile operative, while also actively courting the press, deliberately engaging in 'bad boy' antics that were very far from the spotless image that Thomas Dore had in mind. Ultimately, he wound up fired from the team in 2014.

Ironically, given that he'd wanted to get out of this life a short time before, the Black Shuck has continued his somewhat notorious activities, and is contracted by the city government of Boston as their local superhero. To the mild horror of all who are familiar with him, they are even considering recruiting a group of teenaged supers to learn from him, in imitation of Philadelphia's Minor League. It's possible that the responsibility of that task will cause him to be less of a showboating jerkass. Possible, but not terribly likely.

Black Shuck -- PL 10

Abilities:
STR
2 | STA 2 | AGL 4 | DEX 3 | FGT 4 | INT 1 | AWE 2 | PRE 2

Powers:
Enhanced Reflexes: Enhanced Advantages 6 (Defensive Roll 2, Evasion 2, Improved Initiative 2); Enhanced Defenses 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4) - 14 points
Phase-State Teleportation:
  • Phasing: Damage 8, Accurate 3; Continuous Insubstantial 3 - 1 point
  • Teleporting: Accurate Teleport 9 (2 miles), Turnabout - 28 points
Advantages:
Close Attack 2, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 5, Evasion 2, Improved Initiative 2, Move-by Action, Ranged Attack 5, Startle, Teamwork.

Equipment:
Utility Belt: Array (12 points)
  • Bolos: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 4 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobilized), Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 12 points
  • Boomerangs: Strength-based Ranged Damage 1, Accurate 2 - 1 point
  • Explosives: Ranged Burst Area Damage 4 - 1 point
  • Meta-Taser: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 4 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated) - 1 point
  • Tear-Gas Pellets: Range Cloud Area Affliction 4 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed and Visually Impaired, Stunned and Visually Disabled), Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 1 point
Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+8), Athletics 8 (+10), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+8), Expertise: Military 6 (+7), Insight 5 (+7), Intimidation 8 (+10), Investigation 5 (+6), Perception 7 (+9), Stealth 5 (+9).

Offense:
Initiative +8
Unarmed +10 (Close Damage 2)
Phase Touch +12 (Close Damage 8)
Bolos +8 (Ranged Affliction, Resisted by Dodge)
Boomerangs +12 (Ranged Damage 3)
Taser +8 (Ranged Fortitude 4)
Tear-Gas Pellet -- (Ranged Cloud Area Fortitude 4)

Defense:
Dodge 13/9, Parry 11/7, Fortitude 6, Toughness 7/2, Will 8

Totals:
Abilities 40 + Powers 43 + Advantages 15 + Skills 26 + Defense 18 = 142 points

Complications:
Thrills--Motivation. Old Injuries. Temper.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Bravo
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Perhaps the most ringing endorsement for the abilities of the mystery man known (in the English-speaking world) as Bravo comes from the Emperor of Korea. Normally, even the most trusted agents of Gan In-Geun are carefully subjected to loyalty conditioning that makes it impossible for them to consider betraying their master, or working for another party, save under false pretenses -- and not even then, in some cases. Yet this conditioning also creates a certain mental inflexibility that has at times caused the failure of these agents' activities. When Bravo works for the Emperor, he does so on his own terms, and under no loyalty programming. His talents are too great to risk damaging.

Just where he came by those talents is a significant part of the mystery that envelopes the man. Darkwing, who has never directly crossed paths with him but observed recordings, believes that he recognizes some of the more fundamental moves that Bravo uses as being basic lessons taught by the Shadow School of Kageyama Sarutobi, a Japanese martial artist and self-proclaimed ninja who led a small community of Luddite followers through the early eighties and into the mid-nineties. Bravo's ability to camouflage himself also points in this direction, as it is a direct expression of the School's philosophy. This doesn't tell as much about Bravo's origins as one might expect, as the Shadow School was not particularly xenophobic and welcomed anyone who was willing to obey the community's strictures.

Bravo's earliest recorded activities using his current masked identity occurred in 2011, roughly four years before his first confrontation with Trouble, his most frequent adversary. He was working for the Emperor on that occasion, sent to deal with an individual who had repeatedly refused to sell their company, involved in researching countermeasures for mutant powers. Trouble involved herself in the affair, attempting to rescue Bravo's target, and they fought their first duel in a burning building.

It was a fight unlike any in Trouble's extensive experience. Whatever configuration of technological advantages she brought to bear, Bravo would respond with an ability that could counter them. When she struck hard, he would either soak up the hit as though it was the touch of a feather, or avoid it like some sort of ghost. When she moved fast, he moved just that slightest bit faster. Nothing he threw her direction actually hurt her, but she couldn't take him down as effortlessly as she always had. For a few terrifying moments, she found herself reverting to the heartless Concrete Angel that she'd been as a gladiator, caring for nothing save the fight ... but then the cries of trapped civilians reached her, she disengaged from the fight and went to their rescue, leaving Bravo free to complete his mission, which he did.

Their subsequent encounters have gone much the same way, with neither of them ever quite overcoming the other. On one occasion, Trouble was able to knock him unconscious, but only at the cost of disabling herself, as well, leaving her helpless to prevent other agents of Bravo's current employer from removing him from the field. On another, he left her all but wrecked, but was limping away from encounter, preferring flight to avoid capture over bringing things to a final conclusion. Eventually, Trouble believes that one of them will hand the other a defeat that they can't walk away from, but she is in no way certain that it will be her or his.

And something inside of her yearns to find out that answer, no matter what it costs.

Bravo - PL 11

Abilities
STR
3 | STA 3 | AGL 6 | DEX 4 | FGT 13 | INT 3 | AWE 4 | PRE 2

Powers:
Art of Invisibility: Continuous Concealment 10, Blending, Partial - 10 points
Master of Many Styles: Variable 2 (martial arts abilities), Free Action - 18 points

Typical Variable Sets:
Default Setting: Strength-based Damage 2; Enhanced Advantage 8 (All-out Attack, Defensive Attack, Improved Critical [unarmed], Improved Smash, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Skill Mastery (Athletics), Weapon Break) - 10 points
Naked Kill: Enhanced Advantage 10 (Throwing Mastery 10) - 10 points
Ox-Body Stance: Immunity 20 (bludgeoning effects), Concentration - 10 points
Rapid Strike: Selective Burst Area Damage 6, Tiring, Check Required (Athletics, DC 12) - 10 points


Advantages:
Agile Feint, Assessment, Close Attack, Defensive Roll, Equipment 5, Evasion, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Initiative, Improvised Weapon, Languages 3 (many), Leadership, Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 8, Takedown, Teamwork, Trance, Uncanny Dodge

Equipment:
Body Armor (Protection 3) and 22 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+14), Athletics 8 (+12), Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+15), Expertise: Criminal 10 (+13), Insight 8 (+12), Intimidation 12 (+14), Investigation 10 (+13), Perception 8 (+12), Stealth 8 (+12).

Offense:
Initiative +10
Unarmed +16 (Close Damage 5/3, [Crit 19-20])

Defense:
Dodge 12, Parry 13, Fortitude 9, Toughness 9/7/6/4, Will 9

Total:
Abilities 78 + Powers 28 + Advantages 30 + Skills 38 + Defenses 16 = 190 points

Complications:
Professional--Motivation. Enemy
(Trouble.) Secret Identity. Vulnerability (becomes defenseless after a successful Deception-based feint, rather than vulnerable.)
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Voltron64
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

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Davies wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 12:16 am
Just where he came by those talents is a significant part of the mystery that envelopes the man. Darkwing, who has never directly crossed paths with him but observed recordings, believes that he recognizes some of the more fundamental moves that Bravo uses as being basic lessons taught by the Shadow School of Kageyama Sarutobi, a Japanese martial artist and self-proclaimed ninja who led a small community of Luddite followers through the early eighties and into the mid-nineties.
Were they connected at all to the group of self-taught ninja who trained Akane?
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Davies
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Voltron64 wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 12:24 am
Davies wrote: Tue Dec 01, 2020 12:16 am
Just where he came by those talents is a significant part of the mystery that envelopes the man. Darkwing, who has never directly crossed paths with him but observed recordings, believes that he recognizes some of the more fundamental moves that Bravo uses as being basic lessons taught by the Shadow School of Kageyama Sarutobi, a Japanese martial artist and self-proclaimed ninja who led a small community of Luddite followers through the early eighties and into the mid-nineties.
Were they connected at all to the group of self-taught ninja who trained Akane?
They may have been inspired by what they read and heard about the Shadow School's practitioners, but there was no direct connection; those actors were not particularly anti-tech, either. Akane's ninjas were content to live in the 21st century, the Shadow School tried to pretend that it was still the 16th.

This is the primary inspiration for Bravo.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

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Zero
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One of the last hires that Heroic Enterprises made before it was forced to shutter its operations in California, Mike Ransom was also one of the first to be let go soon after the team relocated to Detroit. There wasn't any discipline problems, as with other members of the team; Ransom was an exemplary employee in most respects. Unfortunately, not only did he not have seniority, his particular form of superheroics presented special challenges for an organization trying to regain its footing in an increasingly challenging market. Basically, the powered armor that allows him to act as a superhero, rather than an individual with powers who's easily dispatched by anyone with a pistol, requires expert maintenance that would keep Doctor Sapien, for example, out of action for long periods of time.

In late 2011, Ransom was a recently graduated Navy SEAL assigned to a still-classified operation conducted in the Yellow Sea. (It is believed that they were attempting to recover biological samples from a kaiju which had recently been eliminated by secret weapons of the Empire of Korea, in order to gain intelligence on those weapons.) The team was captured by Korean forces and accused of conducting operations inside the Empire's territorial waters, and thus held as spies. A show trial was held, with a predictable conclusion, and the operators were sent to a prison complex in a remote part of the peninsula.

There, all of them were subjected to a number of scientific tests, with Ransom receiving the most interest from the scientists. He soon realized, from his observations of the tests they conducted on him, that they had discovered he had a superpower, something he himself had never known due to its nature: he could generate a field in which mutant superpowers generally did not not function. Ransom immediately realized that this was an incredibly useful talent, but not one which could help him with the immediate problem of escaping from captivity. And his circumstances were not such that he had the opportunity to experiment with the power in order to learn to use it to his advantage.

After a few months of this, the prison was visited by the ruler of Korea, and Ransom's abilities demonstrated for him. After some discussion that Ransom's rudimentary Korean could not possibly let him follow, the Emperor actually spoke to him. "Know, young man, that you have played a role in giving the world into my hands ... and so I shall thank you by giving you and your associates the gift of your lives." (In his recollections of the episode, Ransom fires back a pithy response to this. In reality, he was too terrified to say anything.) The very next day, the SEALs were told that they were being returned to the United States as part of a prisoner exchange.

Back in the United States, it was quickly determined that none of the team had committed no treasonous acts, but Ransom's situation concerned the brass. He considered telling them what he'd found out, but feared the consequences if he did, as his cooperation with the tests had not been completely involuntary. He chose to accept a medical discharge from the Navy, as he'd come to the conclusion that he could not meaningfully oppose the evil that he'd encountered within the service.

Ransom spent the next two years engaged in private study of his powers, learning to perceive the field that he could generate, and from there to extend it further, and to channel it as a more focused and powerful 'beam' of visible energy. Unfortunately, it was clear that his power did not come with any physical enhancements, so while he would be able to shut down any supervillains that he faced, he'd be as vulnerable as any other human being against normal criminals. This didn't seem like the beginning of a heroic career, and so he was stymied.

Then he happened to watch a TV interview with the American Angel, who spoke about how he believed that there were many more potential heroes in America than anyone knew, just uncertain how to use their gifts, and how Heroic Enterprises sought to train and equip people to do so. Mike showed up at the office the next day, eager to begin that training. He was a bit annoyed to learn that this had largely been hype, but after a week, management came up with a solution to the challenge that his situation presented.

They contacted Marc Bolton, the president of Cadmus Enterprises, and contracted with him to design a bare-bones suit of powered armor for Ransom. It didn't need a particularly strong exoskeleton or built-in weapons, as it was simply intended to keep him alive so that his innate powers could do their job. The challenge appealed to Bolton, and he agreed to provide technical support for the suit at a reasonable rate. So Mike could finally make his debut as Zero, the power nullifying hero ... just two weeks before the business with the bridge, which was not his fault.

Relocating to Detroit wasn't a problem for him. Unfortunately, it was a bit more of a problem for the company, as the change of circumstances allowed Bolton to renegotiate the terms of his contract for technical support, greatly increasing what he was paid due to the expense of travelling half-way across the country for the purpose of maintenance. And without Bolton's assistance, they faced other problems, as described above. Ransom isn't happy that he lost his job, but he can't really blame Heroic Enterprises' management for making the call that they did.

He has responded to the situation by going into business for himself. Operating out of Washington D.C., he's managed to find enough clients willing to pay to have someone who can negate superpowers on retainer, and thus enough to employ one 'Cog' Cosgrave as his full-time maintenance staff. However, Mike is aware that he may not have vetted his client list as well as Heroic Enterprises used to, and is concerned that he might have put himself in the employ of some very morally questionable parties. So far, he hasn't been asked to do anything against his ethics, but he's not sure how long that will last, or what he'll do if the situation changes.

Zero -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR
2 | STA 3 | AGL 1 | DEX 2 | FGT 4 | INT 2 | AWE 2 | PRE 2

Powers:
Battlesuit: Removable (-9 points)
* Armored Shell: Immunity 10 (life support); Impervious Protection 8 - 26 points
* Jet Pack: Flight 7 (250 MPH) - 14 points
* Power Knuckles: Strength-based Damage 4, Inaccurate - 2 points
Power Nullification: Array (61 points)
  • Null Beam: Nullify Mutant Powers 12, Broad, Simultaneous, Sustained, Precise - 61 points
  • Null Field: Burst Area 2 Nullify Mutant Powers 10, Broad, Concentration, Simultaneous, Subtle - 1 point
Power Stunts:
EMP Emulation: Burst Area 2 Nullify Technological Powers 10, Broad, Concentration, Simultaneous
Nullify Mystics: Nullify Mystical Powers 12, Broad, Simultaneous, Sustained


Advantages:
Defensive Attack, Improved Initiative, Interpose, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Redirect, Teamwork

Skills:
Athletics 5 (+7), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+8), Expertise: Military 4 (+6), Insight 4 (+6), Intimidation 4 (+6), Perception 4 (+6), Ranged Combat: Null Beam 5 (+7), Technology 3 (+5), Vehicles 3 (+5).

Offense:
Initiative +5
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 2)
Power Knuckles +6 (Close Damage 6)
Null Beam +10 (Ranged Will 12)

Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 9, Fortitude 5, Toughness 11/3, Will 6

Totals:
Abilities 36 + Powers 96 + Advantages 10 + Skills 18 + Defenses 19 = 179 points

Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Dependency
(maintenance, Powered Armor powers become Unreliable without it.) Fear (Empire of Korea.) Patriotic.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

The Slough
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For as long as he could remember, Jerry Haskell had been aware that he just didn't feel things in the same way that most children did. And not just in the way that he never really cared what happened to the people around him, except for his mother, for whom , jhe felt some affection, based mostly on the fact that she ensured he never missed any meals. He didn't really experience physical pain, either; he had a sensation of impact, but from the way that the other kids talked about how badly certain things hurt, he compared it to gazing at a light bulb through eyes firmly shut.

Thus, despite the fact that he was a fairly unattractive and extremely unathletic boy, he was never subjected to much in the way of bullying from the other kids. Those who tried soon found that it was no fun to try and beat up someone whom they couldn't hurt, especially since they often wound up hurting themselves trying, even though he never tried to fight back. On the other hand, he didn't ever make many friends either, aside from a small gang of kids his own age who lived in the same apartment complex and attended the same school, thus finding themselves stuck together regardless of their wishes. (That said, some of them who were almost as callous as Jerry soon reached the conclusion that it might be best to keep him close, if not closer.)

In 1997, Jerry's powers evolved to their next stage. He could now enhance his already great toughness with a field of energy around himself that made him practically invulnerable, and also slowed people around him down. Finally, his friends, who were starting to engage in various forms of larceny, found that they had a reason to hang around with him, as he could ensure that anyone who tried to mess with him ended up moving too slowly to be any threat. However, he was basically just a tag-along on their various crimes, rarely trusted with any tasks beyond the one that his powers facilitated. Of course, being the sort of person that he was, he began to view himself as the group's mastermind and leader, a delusion that his 'friends' were happy to encourage. They called him the Slug, behind his back.

After three years of this, the gang was hired to pull a major job in Downtown Miami's Jewelry District, just as the relatively inexperienced Blue Bolt passed through the region. Jerry thus became the first real super-powered villain to square off with the newbie superhero. While he was able to sap the Blue Bolt's speed, the interaction of their respective powers meant that the Bolt wasn't completely halted in his tracks, but able to fight off the attacks of the rest of the gang. But Jerry was invulnerable and he knew it, and told the Blue Bolt that, smugly.

The Blue Bolt decided to explain a few concepts to Jerry that he'd missed by sleeping through science class -- namely 'inertia' and 'momentum'. Once the Bolt got away from Jerry, his powers would return. And then he could run far, far away from his opponent, then dash towards him. Sure, Jerry could nullify the Bolt's ability to move so fast, and slow him down -- but could he really be sure that he'd be able to slow him down enough that he wouldn't suffer any injury when the Bolt's body slammed into his own? Unnerved by that thought, Jerry surrendered.

He was given a comparatively light jail sentence, as they could only get him on aiding and abetting the other guys, as well as the relatively minor charge of using a non-damaging, non-dominating ability on people. The defense was also able to portray him as having used those powers to protect people who'd gotten caught up in their activities, which he didn't remember doing, but they had videos of people surviving certain death falls around him to back it up. He still got about a year in jail, but the rest of the gang definitely took more.

And he didn't even end up serving that sentence, as he was broken out of the transport taking him to jail and taken to meet Jolene, Miami's semi-legendary female criminal mastermind. Actually, he'd met her once before, but had only been a few weeks old, when his mother agreed to go to work for one branch of Jolene's organization. While his mother pleaded with Jerry to give up his life of crime, Jolene flattered him by saying that she saw potential in him that intrigued her. Since it had been a while since he'd had any of his mom's home cooking, he went with Jolene's request, becoming her pupil, occasional toy and operative.

She encouraged his mind, helping him to add keen planning skills to his resume. He fought the Blue Bolt several more times in the years that followed, but Jolene discouraged him from wasting energy on unproductive things like grudges. Therefore, he doesn't really view himself as one of the Blue Bolt's nemesis, but as someone who runs into a variety of superheroes, usually while passing through Miami on their way to somewhere else. He found out what his so-called friends had been calling him, and sought to reclaim the name by calling himself 'the Slough', instead, with his motion-dampening field acting like a swamp mess that surrounded him. He also added the ability to use his protective field to encase his fists like a pair of brass knuckles, making him more of a match for the Bolt.

In the last few years, the Slough has slowly reached the conclusion that he's gone as far in Jolene's organization as he'll be able to, and that he needs to strike out on his own. So far, he's hesitated to do so out of misplaced concern that Jolene will kill him if he tries. Well, not totally misplaced, she probably will if he manages to annoy her in the process, but she wants to see the next stage in his development as much as he does. He has big plans, only some of which she suspects.

The biggest is the idea of making another team of crooks to take over another city like the Combination took over St. Louis. He did a fair amount of go-between work for Jolene and Kingfisher, and believes that he could do just as well, if not better. But which city, and which group of potential ally/pawns? He's still working that out, but things might not go so well in Albuquerque, in the next few years ...

The Slough -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR
1 | STA 4 | AGL 0 | DEX 0 | FGT 2 | INT 3 | AWE 3 | PRE -1

Powers:
Basic Protection Field: Impervious Protection 4 - 8 points
Enhanced Protection Field: Linked Sustained Immunity 10 (life support); Linked Sustained Impervious Protection 8; Strength-based Damage 5; Quirk (Hindered while active) - 30 points
Movement Dampening Field: Linked Burst Area Touch Nullify Movement 11, Broad, Simultaneous, Sustained; Linked Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 11 (Resisted by Will, Overcome by Fortitude; Hindered & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Immobile), Concentration, Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 99 points

Advantages:
Benefit 2 (independently wealthy), Extraordinary Effort, Favored Environment (planned situation), Improved Defense

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 5 (+7), Deception 8 (+7), Expertise: Criminal 6 (+9), Expertise: Streetwise 5 (+8), Insight 4 (+7), Perception 2 (+5), Stealth 6 (+6).

Offense:
Initiative +0
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 6/1)
Movement Dampening Field - (Burst Area Nullify 11 and Will 11)

Defense:
Dodge 3, Parry 5, Fortitude 6, Toughness 16/8/4, Will 9.

Totals:
Abilities 20 + Powers 137 + Advantages 5 + Skills 18 + Defenses 14 = 193 points

Complications:
Greed--Motivation. Ambitious. Physical
(diminished sense of touch, Disabled on tactile perception checks and some Technology checks.) Temper.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Davies
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Manifest
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It's been said that information wants to be free. That's not literally true, of course, for information cannot desire anything and freedom is a nebulous concept. What information does tend to do is spread beyond the confines of its origin point despite the best efforts of people to contain it. A good example, or at least the one most relevant to the current discussion, is the knowledge of the experiment which created the Omnivore, which was in its turn intended to replicate the transformation of Stardust. Despite the failure of the original experiment, it was tried several more times, never producing the dramatic results. Over time, the focus of the experiments shifted to the study of how certainly highly exotic particles, volatized by the phenomenon, interacted.

One such experiment was conducted in New Delhi in 2007, under the supervision of Professor Vikram Bhargava, a relatively undistinguished physicist. Those who knew him as a student have described him as having always had something of a chip on his shoulder about the way that Hyperbrains had come to dominate every major research facility, believing that patient and methodical study that could be conducted by anyone was greatly superior to supposed brilliance available to only a few. He was not a pleasant or well-liked individual, but nevertheless competent in his field.

The accident, if that's what it was, has been analyzed quite a bit in the last decade. Sabotage was initially ruled out as a cause, then ruled back in again after certain evidence was re-evaluated. Regardless, the testing chamber began to buckle under the stress of the experiment, and Bhargava ordered the evacuation of the facility while he attempted to stabilize the reaction. He clearly failed, and it exploded before he could get to safety, reducing him to a lingering cloud of ionized particles ... which regained consciousness an hour or so later.

Transformed into an energy being, able to communicate with others but not physically interact with them, Professor Bhargava supervised the construction of a containment suit which would theoretically restore some physical substance to him. It was a success, and he was startled to realize that, with his particulate form providing the suit with power, it actually made him physically stronger than he'd ever been. Four years after the accident, after going through several iterations of the containment suit's design, he was finally ready to debut as India's newest superhero, प्रकट (Prakat) or Manifest.

While perfectly willing to fight criminals, supervillains and monsters, Manifest's primary goal is to prevent the sort of scientific accidents that transformed him, and also to stop deliberate attempts to induce super powers. He believes that his own experiences grant him the best possible perspective on the subject, and has had frequent, heated debates with other scientific heroes on the subject with different opinions. It's been noted that he still has something of a chip on his shoulder when dealing with Hyperbrains, and is not considered a pleasant or well-liked individual in the superheroic community, either.

That said, he is respected, and was invited to join the Powerhouse in 2014. He turned down their offer of membership, preferring to focus on his own agenda rather than being distracted by other affairs, but has maintained ties to Paragon and Supergiant, often passing along information about (what he considers to be) dangerous experiments that he's discovered through his own sources that would be completed before he could interfere. He has closer ties to them than he does most of India's other superheroes, who often embrace mysticism, playing up parallels between themselves and India's legends to a degree that makes him uncomfortable. That his actions in preventing scientific origins ensures that there are fewer scientifically themed superheroes in the subcontinent is not something that makes him happy, either.

Inertron -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR
8/-- | STA -- | AGL 2 | DEX 2 | FGT 6 | INT 4 | AWE 1 | PRE 1

Powers:
Energy Being: Flight 9 (1000 MPH); Immunity 30 (Fortitude Effects); Insubstantial 3, Switchable (Sustained Duration to turn off); Regeneration 1; Senses 8 (darkvision, extended vision 2, vision penetrates concealment) - 72 points
Energy Containment Suit: Removable (-15 points)
* Energy Direction: Array (33 points)
  • Energy Blasts: Ranged Multiattack Damage 11 - 33 points
  • Energy Burst: Burst Area Damage 2 Damage 11 - 1 point
  • Energy Wave: Cone Area Damage 2 Damage 11 - 1 point
* Physical Substance: Enhanced Strength 8; Impervious Protection 12 - 40 points

Advantages:
Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Diehard, Inventor, Languages 2 (Bengali, English, others [Hindi is native]), Move-by Action, Power Attack.

Skills:
Expertise: Science 8 (+12), Insight 8 (+9), Intimidation 8 (+9), Investigation 6 (+10), Perception 10 (+11), Ranged Combat: Energy Direction 8 (+10), Technology 8 (+12)

Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 8)
Energy Blasts +10 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 11)
Energy Burst -- (Burst Area Damage 11
Energy Wave -- (Cone Area Damage 11)

Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 6, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 12/0, Will 6

Totals:
Abilities 12 + Powers 122 + Advantages 8 + Skills 28 + Defenses 11 = 181 points

Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Obsession
(prevent superpowered accidents.) Temper.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Sangeet ("Musical Interlude")
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One of the things that the cinema of the Indian subcontinent is best known for is the frequency with which their films include song and dance numbers. Even gritty crime dramas have included scenes where one of the characters dreams themselves into a scene like this, where they sing about how happy life would be if they were successful in love. They are quite popular with the audience, who often sing along with them. But not everyone in India is all that happy with this aspect of their film industry.

Ranjeet Sangha was a film critic with one of Mumbai's larger papers, as well as a published author and blogger. And he absolutely hated song and dance numbers. He felt that they had long since reached a point where they were nothing but clichés that were presenting a ridiculous image of Indian culture to an increasingly international audience, that they slowed down the films' plots and added nothing of substance, and that most of them were poorly sung and choreographed. He was not shy about expressing these views.

It has been said that every critic is a frustrated artist. Sangha had certainly had aspirations to work more directly in the film industry, but these had come to naught, something that always annoyed him. So when a director he had lambasted in the press contacted him, laughingly admitting that he'd made some good points in his most recent article, and offered him the opportunity to act as an assistant director on his current film for a few days, Sangha let his aspirations overrule his suspicion.

He showed up at the set, chatted with the director, and then took the chair to watch the rehearsal. Only then did he realize that he'd been asked to direct a song and dance number. He'd been had! Everyone was snickering up their sleeves at him. Outraged, he nonetheless decided to make the best of the situation and not go storming off like some petulant child. He watched the scene preparations with a terrible scowl, and when the time came for the cameras to roll, he gritted his teeth for a full minute before giving the order to start the film rolling.

And then something strange happened. The music that played was not what had been playing in rehearsal, and everyone on the set, not just the actors, started doing a dance utterly unlike that they'd rehearsed, singing all the while about how much song and dance numbers were really terrible and how ashamed they felt to be doing what they were doing. At first Sangha thought that this was some elaboration on the joke that had been sprung on him, but then he saw the obvious confusion and bewilderment on their faces, and realized they didn't know what was going on. The realization came suddenly -- he was doing this. He was controlling the action far more directly than any director ever had, and they were expressing his thoughts.

The power went to his head immediately. He made them all dance until they collapsed of exhaustion, then laughed his head off. One studio staffer who'd been lucky enough to be outside the area of his influence managed to call the police, but Sangha was long gone by the time that they arrived. He knew that he could never go back to his old life, but didn't care. He'd found a new calling in life, to directly demonstrate the silliness and inanity of song and dance numbers by showing people what they were really like, and in the process enrich himself.

Normally, संगीत (Sangeet) works with a crew of hired criminals who go masked, unlike him, and also wear sound mufflers. He activates his power, often in public areas, and his associates proceed to move among the dancing people, pocketing their wallets and valuables while they're too focused on singing and dancing to stop them. On rarer occasions, they use the routines as distractions to commit burglaries, and on a few have kidnapped victims of the song and dance to hold them for ransom. Sangeet isn't a particularly violent criminal, though, and is actually something of a Robin Hood figure in India, often donating a portion of his takings to charity. However, he's also associated with the Indian branch of Hadron's organization, and sometimes commits acts in support of their goals. So far, his career has not taken him out of India, but he would actually like to engage audiences on a more global scale than he already has.

Sangeet - PL 10

Abilities:
STR
0 | STA 0 | AGL 0 | DEX 0 | FGT 0 | INT 1 | AWE 2 | PRE 0

Powers:
Song and Dance Number: Linked Independent Illusion 2 (auditory); Linked Burst Area 2 Perception Range Progresssive Affliction 10 (Resisted by Will; Entranced & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Compelled, Controlled), Extra Condition, Concentration, Limited to making people sing and dance - 84 points

Advantages:
Beginner's Luck, Defensive Roll 2, Languages 2 (English, others [Hindi is native]).

Skills:
Expertise: Performance 8 (+8), Expertise: Pop Culture 6 (+7), Insight 5 (+7), Perception 5 (+7), Stealth 6 (+6).

Offense:
Initiative +0
Unarmed +0 (Close Damage 0)
Song & Dance Number -- (Burst Area Perception Range Will 10)

Defense:
Dodge 4, Parry 3, Fortitude 2, Toughness 5/0, Will 6.

Totals:
Abilities 6 + Powers 84 + Advantages 4 + Skills 15 + Defenses 13 = 122 points

Complications:
Revenge, Greed, Power, Really It Varies--Motivation. Temper.


Author's Note: This is a character that I originally came up with Project Freedom, which was going to have a 'Music-Meister' inspired sequence at one point. That never came to anything, but the character has stuck with me ever since.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Voltron64 »

Davies wrote: Wed Dec 02, 2020 9:16 pm Author's Note: This is a character that I originally came up with Project Freedom, which was going to have a 'Music-Meister' inspired sequence at one point. That never came to anything, but the character has stuck with me ever since.
Personally don't feel it meshes too well for most of A World Less Magical (World of Freedom, sure) tone-wise, but whatever works for you I guess.

I do think the character works best for a surrealist supers campaign inspired by Doom Patrol and Umbrella Academy amongst others.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Parovoy
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The mysterious Russian vigilante known as паровой (Parovoy, "Steam") is often compared to America's Darkwing -- and boy oh boy did he get tired of that almost immediately. It should be obvious to anyone who bothers to study the situation that he is a much more capable and effective crimefighter, since he operates without any assistance from the incredibly corrupt police force in Moscow and has been hunted by them since his debut in 2004, unlike certain individuals who are practically deputized by the police in their region. He's a better fighter, a better scientist, and a better investigator -- the comparisons should go the other way, but just because Darkwing happened to start a few years earlier, he gets all the good press!

Pavel Kuznetsov's view of matters should probably not be confused with reality. While not actually delusional, he has a decidedly paranoid view of his existence. Part of this is for obvious reasons -- the authorities actually are out to get him -- but part of it has another source that he's unable to accept or admit. He is a brilliant scientist, quite probably Darkwing's peer in at least that area, but Pavel never had the opportunity or resources to seek out the sorts of physical training that Darkwing has done. So he had to use his brilliance, particularly in the area of chemistry, to give himself an edge.

He refers to the substance as Velikolepiye, "Splendor", and it is the closest that any inventor on Earth has ever come to a universal super-soldier treatment. Calibrated for Pavel's own physiology, it would produce the same strength- and reaction speed-enhancing effects on roughly one in ten thousand other human beings who took it. For nearly two thirds of those who would not receive these enhancements, however, it is a lethal toxin with no known treatment. It is relatively simple to determine who would be affected, however, by giving the subject with a microdose that will produce a statistically insignificant muscular enhancement, no effect at all, or fairly severe but not life-threatening nausea.

If Pavel had devised Splendor almost anywhere else in the world, he would be able to write his own check with big pharma, who would probably engage in quite a bit of distillation to make it a bit safer before selling it to the military. Unfortunately, he came up with the stuff in Russia, and fully expected to be murdered for the formula before he started taking it, and its side effects, as you will probably guess, include a decided tendency towards psychosis.

He came by these problems naturally, as well. Orphaned during the street-fighting of the Soviet Union's collapse, he was taken in by one of the nation's newer think tanks, and was actually happy there despite the constant pressure to produce results. Unfortunately, a number of the older boys there viewed his talents as a threat to the hierarchy they'd established, and conspired to frame him for crimes against the staff, resulting in his expulsion. Pavel finished his education in a more conventional manner, completed his compulsory military service, and then found a job as a janitor at Moscow State University, taking advantage of his access to its facilities to advance his knowledge of science. Despite his bitter opinions of all this, he nonetheless decided to use his talents to avenge crimes rather than commit them.

Parovoy works alone, trying to be as mysterious and easily vanished as his alias. His most noteworthy accomplishment was preventing Saturn from seizing control of Russia -- thus upholding its wonderful status quo -- in association with Baba Yaga and others, and has worked with the master spy on other occasions since then, but it is a tense and difficult partnership on both sides. Even when working with others, he usually speaks as little as possible, rarely using people's names -- since he usually suspects that whatever name they've given him, or others, is a lie. Interestingly, he has never actually met Darkwing, despite his anger and annoyance at the other man.

паровой (Parovoy)/Steam -- PL 10

Abilities:
STR
5/2 | STA 2 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 4 | INT 8 | AWE 3 | PRE 2

Powers:
Armored Costume: Immunity 10 (life support); Protection 4; Removable (-3 point) - 11 points
Splendor: Enhanced Advantage 18 (All-out Attack, Close Attack 5, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Diehard, Evasion, Extraordinary Effort, Fearless, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Initiative 2, Move-by Action, Takedown 2); Enhanced Defenses 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Enhanced Strength 3; Leaping 2 (30 feet); Quickness 2; Speed 5 (60 MPH); Activation—Move Action (-1 point), Removable (-8 points) - 33 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Close Attack 5, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Diehard Eidetic Memory, Equipment 4, Evasion 2, Extraordinary Effort, Fearless, Great Endurance, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Initiative 3, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Language 2 (English, German, others, [Russian is native]), Jack-of-all-Trades, Move-by Action, Skill Mastery (Technology), Takedown 2, Uncanny Dodge

Equipment:
Underground Lair: Size Huge; Toughness 14; Features: Communications, Computer, Concealed 2, Defense System, Holding Cells, Isolated, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, Security System, Workshop - 20 points

Skills:
Athletics 7 (+12/+9), Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+10), Deception 10 (+12), Expertise: Science 4 (+12), Insight 9 (+11), Investigation 6 (+14), Perception 10 (+13), Sleight of Hand 7 (+10), Stealth 10 (+12), Technology 5 (+13).

Offense:
Initiative +14/+6
Unarmed +15/+10 (Close Damage 5/2, Crit 19-20)

Defense:
Dodge 12/8, Parry 12/8, Fortitude 5, Toughness 8/6/4/2, Will 9

Totals:
Abilities 52 + Powers 44 + Advantages 14 + Skills 37 + Defenses 19 = 166 points

Complications:
Justice--Motivation. Hunted by the Authorities. Paranoia. Rivalry
(Darkwing).
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Koschei
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He's not called that because he's the deadliest man alive. (By all accounts and excluding supers of any moral persuasion, that's probably the Reaper.) He's not even considered to be the most effective assassin active today, because there are plenty of stories of him failing to service the target, whether due to effective defensive preparations on their part or the intervention of factors beyond anyone's control. They gave him the name because of those stories, because just like the stories of Koschei the Deathless always end in his defeat and demise but always begin with him inexplicably alive again, no matter what sort of horrific fate he encounters on his missions, the latter day Koschei always comes back.

In his civilian identity, he lives a comfortable and quiet life just outside of Honolulu under the name Jim Lee. He almost doesn't remember the name under which he was born, and under which he nearly died, along with his birth family, during Cerebron's attack. But he was rescued by Li Yin-Sau, a Chinese hitman who happened to be in Hawaii on business and found himself returning to old patterns of behavior in the aftermath. (In the 80s, before a disgrace he never discussed, he had been a police officer in Hong Kong.) With the boy orphaned and no distant relatives interested in taking him in, Yin-Sau found himself in the unexpected role of a father, and did his best.

While he trained "Jimmy" in the arts of assassination, it was more because he didn't know what else to teach him than because he hoped that his foster son would follow him into the profession. He was a bit startled at how well the kid ended up taking to these lessons, and how willing and able he was to discuss the ethics of being a hired killer. When Sau-Yin finally passed away of an illness in 2007, his eighteen year-old son waited a year before contacting his father's old fixer and seeking employment. The man passed along a task almost as a joke, expecting to never hear from him again -- it wasn't like there could be another Mathilda, or something like that -- and was stunned when it was completed.

Since then, he has operated across Eastern Europe and Asia, especially in Russia -- hence the name. Koschei follows a set of ethics that he and Sau-Yin worked out together in their discussions. The first rule is that he doesn't work through cut-outs. If someone wants to hire him to end another human being's life, that someone can and will tell him to his face that this is what they want -- and why. The second rule is that if the client lies to him -- omissions are sometimes acceptable, deliberate falsehoods never are -- the contract is cancelled immediately. The third rule is that he will not kill people for being, but only for doing. He doesn't have any delusions of serving some higher purpose in his actions, but he does have standards.

Thus, he actively avoids contracts with Saturn, even though they could be very lucrative, because of the danger involved and the fact that he'd be killing people for being super-powered, which would no better than killing them for the color of the skin or the people with whom they have sex. Despite his understandable desire to avoid conflict with superheroes, he's ended up fighting them and usually meeting his apparent end as a result many times. In particular, he's crossed paths with Baba Yaga -- their respective aliases almost ensured that -- quite a few times, usually as an adversary but sometimes, interestingly, as an ally. He was as bewildered by these circumstances as she was, but found they actually worked well together. It was ... nice.

Now in his early thirties, and feeling much older than that, Koschei really wants to get out of the game and permanently retire to the house in Hawaii. It's a pipe dream, though, and Yin-Sau warned him that the notion of the 'one last job' is always a trap. Still, he's avoided traps before, and maybe it will be the same this time. Incidentally, the notion of him as a genuine immortal has attracted some unwelcome attention, resulting in him being 'interviewed' by seekers after that mirage. They've all either reached the correct conclusion, that it's a myth resulting from clever planning and lots of luck on his part, or they've reached a different sort of conclusion.

Koschei -- PL 8

Abilities:
STR
2 | STA 3 | AGL 3 | DEX 4 | FGT 5 | INT 2 | AWE 3 | PRE 1

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Benefit (Alternate Identity), Connections, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Equipment 8, Evasion 2, Improved Aim, Improved Critical 2 (Sniper Rifle), Languages 3 (many, [English is native]) Power Attack, Precise Attack 2 (Ranged; Cover and Concealment), Takedown, Ultimate Aim, Uncanny Dodge.

Equipment:
Concealed body armor (Protection 1, Subtle) and 17 points of equipment as needed.
Arsenal: Array (16 points)
  • Flash-Bang Grenades: Ranged Burst Area Affliction 4 (Resisted by Fortitude; Vision & Hearing Impaired, Vision & Hearing Disabled, Vision & Hearing Unaware) - 16 points
  • Heavy Pistol: Ranged Damage 4 - 1 point
  • Sleep Gas Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Affliction 4 (Resisted by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Asleep) - 1 point
  • Smoke Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Concealment Attack 4 - 1 point
  • Sniper Rifle: Ranged Damage 5, Improved Critical - 1 point
  • Tear Gas Grenades: Ranged Cloud Area Affliction 4 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed & Visually Incapacitated, Stunned & Visually Disabled, Incapacitated), Extra Condition - 1 point
Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+11), Athletics 8 (+10), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+9), Deception 9 (+10), Expertise: Military 6 (+8), Expertise: Streetwise 8 (+10), Insight 8 (+11), Intimidation 6 (+7), Perception 8 (+11), Ranged Combat: Guns 7 (+11), Sleight of Hand 6 (+10), Stealth 9 (+12), Technology 8 (+10), Vehicles 5 (+9).

Offense:
Initiative +7
Unarmed +9 (Close Damage 2)
Pistol +11 (Ranged Damage 4)
Sniper Rifle +11 (Ranged Damage 5, Crit 17-20)

Defense:
Dodge 10, Parry 9, Fortitude 5, Toughness 6/5/4/3, Will 7

Totals:
Abilities 46 + Advantages 24 + Skills 50 + Defenses 17 = 137

Complications:
Professionalism--Motivation. Ethics (skewed ones, but his.) Reputation (the killer who cannot die.) Secret Identity. Wants to Retire.

"Sometimes, dogs are better than men."
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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