World of Freedom 3.2 - Whatever Comes To Mind

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
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Davies
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Davies »

Aeron Gwynn
AKA Druid

Image

The first thing you should know is that he absolutely hated his code name. He was bothered by the implied arrogance of proclaiming himself 'the Druid' when he was well aware that he was only a druid, and not a particularly notable druid at that. Also there was the practical side in that, if they were supposed to use these names in combat, wasn't announcing 'hey, he can do stuff with plants and elements and stuff' perhaps not the best tactical idea ever? Still, though he always encouraged people to just call him by his real name, he didn't make any attempt to change his alias to something more clever. That would cost him later on.

The second thing you should know is, while he believed in meeting his destiny with a calm heart, he was not above giving a sigh of relief when that destiny turned out to be postponed. When he saw Seven storm away from Claremont, he truly believed that the next time he saw her would be when she returned in even greater fury, when he would have to stand his ground against a much greater magic-user than himself. That this didn't happen, and that they ended up working together to repair the damage caused when the Vengeance Spirit broke free, was a pleasant surprise. It seemed that the dark destiny he foresaw was a mirage. Or at least that it was now more distant.

He was never a member of any of the teams, official or otherwise, that came out of Claremont during his time there. Instead, he made it known that he would provide mystical assistance to any of them when necessary, and found himself called on quite a bit. He even made his services available to groups like Project Freedom when they were without mystical personnel, and apparently knew about the secret life of Dr. Metropolis long before it was discovered by his friends on the Freedom League.

When he graduated from Claremont, in 2010, he returned home to Wales by a slightly more conventional method than he'd used to travel to the United States. There he continued his studies as both a mundane student and a druid, and was genuinely surprised to learn that he'd progressed much further along his chosen path than many others, even those who, like him, had studied for much longer than a human lifetime. The Ministry of Powers sought him out to have him work for them, but while he would assist them in their investigations into phenomena in his homeland, the thought of working for them full time made him uncomfortable. Druids are supposed to be neutral, after all.

In 2013, he felt the world grow colder, and prepared for the worst. As it happened, the worst was yet to come, and before it did, he was the first mage that Zalman sought out for instruction in the intricacies of Earthly magic. Always willing to help a student, especially one whom he judged to be a potential ally against the growing darkness, Aeron spent many days working with the mage, as they discussed the distinctions between the ancient, "Atlantean" magic that Zalman sought and the relatively younger style that Aeron practiced. They finally parted as friends when Zalman determined that he needed to go deeper than Aeron was willing to go.

A few months ago, after a confrontation between Zalman and the dark druid Blackthorn which ended inconclusively, Blackthorn sought to take vengeance on the mystical support system that Zalman had claimed to represent. He could have chosen many targets, from all over the world, but the arrogance of the one called Druid particularly offended him, and so Aeron became his first target. Zalman arrived just in time to recover Aeron's form from the lake where he'd been drowned, a death from which his powers would not allow him to recover. He has since been more successful in protecting his other friends, but has not yet been able to achieve either justice or vengeance on Blackthorn himself.

The third thing you should know is, there will be a reckoning.

Aeron Gwynn -- PL 10

Abilities: STR 3 | STA 6 | AGL 2 | DEX 4 | FGT 6 | INT 1 | AWE 4 | PRE 4
Powers: Magic (Array: Ranged Damage 10, AP: Comprehend Animals, Languages, Plants 6, AP: Summon Animated Plants 6, Controlled, Mental Link, Variable Type, AP: Burst Area Selective Cumulative Affliction 4 [Resisted and Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile], Extra Condition, Limited Degree, AP: Ranged Burst Area Affliction [Resisted by Fortitude; Impaired, Disabled, Unaware], Limited to Hearing, AP: Accurate Extended Teleport 10, Limited to Extended, Medium [plants], AP: Environment 9 [2 points of effect], Variable [weather], AP: Environment 4 [4 points of effect], Variable [weather]), Natural Ruggedness (Immunity 4 [cold, disease, heat, poison]; Protection 4), Pass Without Trace (Movement 1 [trackless]), Sixth- And Seventh-Senses (Senses 3 [acute mystical awareness, direction sense]), Strength of the Earth (Immortality 1, Limited if separated from the ground), Wildshape (Variable 6, Limited to animal traits).
Advantages: Diehard, Fearless, Language (English, [Welsh is native]), Ritualist.
Skills: Expertise: Magic* 8 (+12), Expertise: Nature 8 (+9), Perception 6 (+10), Persuasion 6 (+10), Ranged Combat: Magic 5 (+9), Treatment 7 (+8), Stealth 4 (+6).
* Based on Presence.
Offense: Initiative +2, Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 3 or by Wildshape Damage effect), Levinbolt +9 (Ranged Damage 10), Plant Control -- (Burst Area Affliction 4, Resisted by Damage), Thunderclap (Ranged Burst Area Fortitude 10).
Defense: Dodge 8, Parry 10, Fortitude 8, Toughness 10, Will 12.
Totals: Abilities 60 + Powers 77 + Advantages 4 + Skills 22 + Defenses 20 = 183 points.
Complications: Responsibility--Motivation. Heeds Omens. Stubborn.
Last edited by Davies on Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:28 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Davies »

FuzzyBoots wrote: Mon Nov 27, 2017 1:15 pm Cow Tools

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Yeah, I remember that one now. :oops:
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Davies »

Larry Smalls
Formerly known as Gravity Master

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Lawrence Smalls was pretty much born to lose. While unquestionably a genius, his socialization lagged far behind his intellectual gifts. Duncan Summers had seen this particular pattern many times before, and he accepted Smalls as a student at Claremont Academy in the hope that the school's structure would work to prevent the boy from going down the path of so many mad scientists before him. It didn't work out that way, and there was no real question in anyone's mind that Lawrence was going to graduate and become a menace to society.

And then in 2009, everything changed. Claremont Academy entertained a most unusual guest speaker, one Takeshi Solo, the 'reformed' mad scientist better known as Doc Otaku. (Summers was less than enthused about letting him talk to his students, but allowed himself to be persuaded by Daedelus, who in his turn had decided to accept his former protégé's change of heart without any visible reserve.) Takeshi talked about what it had been like for him as a student who imagined he already knew everything, why he had embraced crime, and what it had been like to be a mastermind.

"It sucked," he said. "I went into it to get the respect I wasn't getting, but nobody respected me. They were afraid of me, and yeah, I was willing to lap that up, but when I finally had the chance to think about it seriously, I realized that they would have been afraid of anybody who could come up with the crap that I did. And there were plenty of people who could! Nobody cared that it was me who did it. Nobody cared about me. And that sucked. So I got out. And for your own sakes, I really hope none of you get sucked in to that spiral, because it sucks."

Smalls saw his own future talking to him, and he came to a few realizations in that moment -- helped along by Takeshi's subsequent hints that he was able to get away with way more now that he'd gone legit. He knew that he wasn't respected, and he knew that he wanted respect, but he knew no way to get it. So he was going to have to learn something, and he began to study the people who were respected on campus.

They all seemed to be in good physical shape, so he underwent a crash program to get him into better condition. It was agony, but by the time he graduated, he'd turned himself into a well-toned individual, having used his singularity belt's control of gravitational fields to train under higher gravities. His personality grew a bit more tolerable in the process, since he was no longer being mocked quite as much, and even complimented from time to time. When Gravity Master made his professional debut, he soon found himself a respected superhero.

It took him three years to realize that he didn't really want to be a superhero, however well-respected. So he made a big show of early retirement after what was actually a fairly minor injury, and went to work for Takeshi Technologies, which welcomed him with open arms. He's currently the director of their gravitonic research division, and engaged in some scheming that could have him seizing control of the company from its founder. How well that is going to work out for him remains to be seen ... but he's happier than he's ever been, and that's nothing to be sneezed at.

Larry Smalls -- PL 8

Abilities: STR 1 | STA 1 | AGL 0 | DEX 0 | FGT 0 | INT 10 | AWE 1 | PRE 0
Powers: Singularity Belt (Feature 9 [dimensional pocket]; Flight 8, Subtle; Sustained Impervious Toughness 8; Array: Ranged Damage 8, AP: Ranged Autofire Damage 8, AP: Burst Area Damage 8, AP: Cone Area Damage 8, AP: Line Area Damage 8, AP: Environment 8 [high gravity], AP: Environment 8 [low gravity], AP: Move Object 8; Removable)
Advantages: Benefit 3 (millionaire) Improvised Tools, Inventor, Power Attack, Skill Mastery (Technology).
Skills: Expertise: Business 5 (+15), Expertise: Science 5 (+15), Ranged Attack: Gravity Control 6 (+6), Technology 8 (+18).
Offense: Initiative +0, Unarmed +0 (Close Damage 1), Gravity Blast +6 (Ranged Damage 8), Gravity Pulses +6 (Ranged Autofire Damage 5), Gravity Burst -- (Burst Area Damage 8), Gravity Wave -- (Cone Area Damage 8), Gravity Beam -- (Line Area Damage 8).
Defense: Dodge 6, Parry 4, Fortitude 3, Toughness 9/1, Will 7.
Totals: Abilities 26 + Powers 52 + Advantages 7 + Skills 12 + Defenses 16 = 113 points.
Complications: Greed--Motivation. Still Kind of an Asshole.
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Voltron64
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Voltron64 »

What's unmentioned in above but still a noticable moment in Larry's life was also him angrily calling out his mother for her excessive helicopter parenting and enabling of his worst behaviors.
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Arkrite »

Davies wrote: Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:25 pm The third thing you should know is, there will be a reckoning.
Indeed!

Davies wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:05 am Larry Smalls
Complications: Greed--Motivation. Still Kind of an Asshole.
I laughed a bit at that last part ;~)
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Davies »

Arkrite wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 4:06 am
Davies wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 12:05 am Larry Smalls
Complications: Greed--Motivation. Still Kind of an Asshole.
I laughed a bit at that last part ;~)
Thanks! :lol:
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Voltron64 »

I'd also like to mention that the fairly minor injury that happened to Gravity Master is kind of underselling it.

I mean, he was stabbed through the hand by a henchman dressed as Santa.

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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Davies »

SuperHD

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Quentin Rodriguez loved Claremont Academy. Not so much being a student, but he was completely stoked about having the opportunity to use his illusion-casting powers to do special effects for the school theatre and the freedom to do performances and improvisations of his own. He also thrilled in his never-ending prank warfare with Anthony Andrews (aka Whoop-Ant) even though it frequently ended up with them both in detention. But no matter how much fun he had, always on his mind was the fact that all this was just a prelude to the excitement that he was going to have when he went to work in Hollywood.

And then, in 2010, he obtained an interview with a major Hollywood producer to show off his stuff. The producer admitted that he was genuinely impressed, but gave Quentin some very bad news -- there had been a lot of attempts by illusion-weaving supers to break into the entertainment industry, and none of them had ever gotten anywhere, thanks to the entrenched power of the VFX union. If he wanted to use someone like Quentin in one of his movies, he'd still have to pay a lot of visual effects artists for their time, to the point where it was probably cheaper to not have the illusionist working for him in the first place.

Stumbling out of this interview, his dreams in ashes, Quentin then discovered that Whoop-Ant was apparently going to be graduating with honors in a month or so. Something snapped in Quentin, then, as he saw what he believed to be the truth behind Claremont Academy. For all its pretense of trying to give kids with superpowers training so that they could find a place in the world, the behavior that it truly rewarded was superheroism. Someone who'd gotten into just as much trouble as he had was getting honors, while Quentin was looking at a grim future of unemployment, all because he had no interest in being a superhero.

Well then. There was really only one way to rebel against a system like that, wasn't there?

Whoop-Ant's graduation ceremony was interrupted by the debut 'performance' of SuperHD, only the first time the two former friends have clashed over the last five years. Anthony still believes that Quentin can be reformed, and it's true that so far the Illrigger of Illusions has avoided crimes that would seriously harm or kill anyone. But the fact that he's worked for the Crime League (his ego would insist on claiming that he worked with them, but he'd be kidding himself) has pretty much convinced everyone else that there's no going back. This failure weighed heavily on Duncan Summers' mind in the last few weeks of his life ...

SuperHD -- PL 8


Abilities: STR 1 | STA 2 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 5 | INT 2 | AWE 2 | PRE 4
Powers: Massive Illusions (Array: Illusion 8 [all senses], AP: Linked Illusion 5 [all senses], Limited to One Target, AND Perception Range Damage 5, Insidious, Variable 2, AP: Perception Range Cumulative Burst Area Affliction 8 [Resisted by Will; Impaired, Disabled, Unaware]), Illusory Concealment (Concealment 10, Resistable by Will).
Equipment: Armored Costume (Protection 3), and up to 47 points of Equipment for any given operation.
Advantages: Defensive Roll 2, Distract (Deception), Equipment 10, Redirect, Second Chance (resistance to illusions), Set-Up, Taunt.
Skills: Deception 6 (+10), Expertise: Actor 2 (+6), Insight 4 (+6), Perception 4 (+6), Sleight of Hand 6 (+9), Stealth 6 (+8).
Offense: Initiative +2, Unarmed +5 (Close Damage 1), Illusory Attack -- (Perception Range Damage 5), Sensory Overload (Perception Range Will 8).
Defense: Dodge 8, Parry 5, Fortitude 5, Toughness 8/5/2, Will 11.
Totals: Abilities 42 + Powers 52 + Advantages 17 + Skills 14 + Defense 18 = 143 points
Complications: Revenge--Motivation. Desire for Fame. Reluctant to Kill.

Author's Note: In reality, the VFX/SPFX industry is not that unionized, just like the AMA doesn't go after unlicensed doctors. Earth-Prime is different from reality in a lot of ways.
Last edited by Davies on Thu Nov 30, 2017 1:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Voltron64 »

Poor HD, to go from upbeat kid with powers we here at the forum really wish we had to ersatz Mysterio.

And if it had ever occurred to him to go indie....
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Davies »

Voltron64 wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:16 pm And if it had ever occurred to him to go indie....
Well, unfortunately, he was more about the Benjamins than the purity of his art, which is understandable, considering his background. And to his credit, he sends a good chunk of his loot home to mom ... who promptly turns it over to the police, somewhat ruining the gesture.
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Shock »

Davies wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:37 pm And to his credit, he sends a good chunk of his loot home to mom ... who promptly turns it over to the police, somewhat ruining the gesture.
Wow. That's the saddest part of it all
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Davies »

Shock wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:38 pm
Davies wrote: Wed Nov 29, 2017 10:37 pm And to his credit, he sends a good chunk of his loot home to mom ... who promptly turns it over to the police, somewhat ruining the gesture.
Wow. That's the saddest part of it all
Inspired by a bit about the Sandman, to double up on the Spidey-villainousness.
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Davies »

Author's Note: Going to be busy tomorrow, so have a second entry today.

Elite II

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Shinnosuke Koyama was the first and so far only student to be admitted to Claremont after discovering its secret for himself. A genius level hacker and gadgeteer, he seemed to excel at any task to which he turned his hand, and proved to be extraordinarily popular with everyone. He was the living embodiment of cool, from his crooked little grin to his heterochromatic eyes.

The words 'too good to be true' were invented for people like this.

Just what his real name might be is unknown, possibly unknowable. There's no guarantee that he originates from any version of the Japanese archipelago on any world, much less any world's Asian continent. The Murder League has the technology to change any aspect of their operatives' appearance in the name of their mission, and he's a master of disguise, even beyond that.

His mission was one of infiltration, to insert himself into the milieu where their former operative, now using the name Elite, had taken shelter. He betrayed a bit of sadism by taking the alias 'L33t' for himself; from his perspective, he was all but shouting the truth of his nature as 'Elite's' dark reflection. But nobody noticed. Really, this world was so soft.

Eventually, he received new orders. He was to wait until Elite was at his most comfortable, his most complacent, his happiest, and only then strike to ruin that happiness in whatever way was possible. He waited until 2009, when he finally saw some signs of that comfort, and struck at the small family Elite had formed for himself in the Next Gen. When it was done, and that family was shattered forever, L33t delivered the reminder that the Murder League was coming for Elite ... and that when they came, Elite would envy his dear friend who lay cold and dead.

He was genuinely surprised that Elite didn't flee to yet another parallel world in the aftermath of this shattering. They have clashed again and again, over the years since then, with L33t always just a little bit better, a little faster and tougher, rarely captured, never held. When Elite disappeared and the new Raven made his debut in New York City, L33t let out a sigh and abandoned that name for one he truly deserved ... in preparation for the day when he will able to dance in his enemy's skin.

Most recently, the new Elite has learned of the plague of monsters affecting the Raven's city, and begun to wonder whether the master of those monsters would welcome the services of the Murder League. It's a good idea. He'll think it over. Who knows what he'll do?

Elite -- PL 11

Abilities: STR 4 | STA 4 | AGL 4 | DEX 4 | FGT 8 | INT 7 | AWE 4 | PRE 4
Powers: Datajack (Enhanced Advantages 4 [Contacts, Eidetic Memory, Jack-of-all-Trades, Well-Informed]; Array: Radio Communication 4, AP: Perception-Range Move Object 8, Limited to Machines, AP: Perception Range Affliction 8 [Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled], Limited to Machines; Easily Removable), Nanoglove (Array: Strength-based Damage 4, Improved Critical 2, Reach 2, AP: Enhanced Dodge 4, Enhanced Parry 4; Enhanced Advantage 1 [Improvised Tools]; Removable), Nanosuit (Visual Concealment 4, Blending; Movement 4 [safe fall, wall-crawling 2, water-walking (only when moving)]; Protection 4; Removable).
Advantages: Benefit (Alternate Identity 5), Close Attack 6, Contacts, Defensive Roll, Eidetic Memory, Improved Initiative 2, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Jack-of-all-Trades, Well-Informed.
Skills: Deception 9 (+13), Intimidation 8 (+12), Investigation 9 (+16), Stealth 8 (+12), Technology 14 (+21).
Offense: Initiative +12, Unarmed +14 (Close Damage 4), Nanoglove +14 (Close Damage 8).
Defense: Dodge 12/8, Parry 12/8, Fortitude 9, Toughness 10/8/4, Will 9.
Totals: Abilities 78 + Powers 33 + Advantages 16 + Skills 24 + Defenses 14 = 165 points
Complications: Cruelty--Motivation. Obsession (the Raven).
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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Post by Voltron64 »

Davies wrote: Thu Nov 30, 2017 2:47 am His mission was one of infiltration, to insert himself into the milieu where their former operative, now using the name Elite, had taken shelter. He betrayed a bit of sadism by taking the alias 'L33t' for himself; from his perspective, he was all but shouting the truth of his nature as 'Elite's' dark reflection. But nobody noticed. Really, this world was so soft.
But that's the thing, the Murder League doesn't realize that such softness is really more that of a velvet glove concealing an iron fist.

Rule #1 with superheroes, do not mistake kindness for weakness.

Also, I do wonder if the Murder League has had any business with Omega and the Terminus among others.

I don't doubt that Syzygy and the Huntmaster have either worked and/or fought with them.
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