Ever since I read about an external procedure that can alter one's morality (
http://news.mit.edu/2010/moral-control-0330), Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), where a high-powered magnetic field is used to rewrite the magnetic pathways of the brain, I wanted to explore a super-criminal having this happen to them by a well-meaning criminal-psychologist. The criminal-team on probation is the perfect venue for this. I've always wanted to see how her story would play to completion. I've also been fascinated by the nature of duality and the idea that the original psycho personality is in there and watching this do-gooder in horror. Will she earn redemption? Will some villain find away to cause the original to resurface or pull it out entirely to a separate being prompting a fight like in that Superman movie we all pretend doesn't exist? Who knows?
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Her parents having died in one of the many super-powered fights that occurred in and around the city Margaret Francis Kane was orphan and ward of the courts, in and out of the system and foster homes and generally harboring a growing hatred for the world from an early age.
Her psychic powers emerged when her petty criminal boyfriend, just having robbed a convenience store in order to impress one of the city's many criminal gangs, and driving recklessly to avoid capture by the cops, wrapped his car around a telephone pole. Though her boyfriend was killed a vaguely reddish-blue force seemed to surround Margaret keeping the jagged metal and broken glass off of her. She fled the scene, finding that she could take to the air on broken parts of the engine block, and finding that bullets mostly bounced off the shield surrounding her.
She resented the big gangs as much as the cops and avoided recruitment attempts, keeping to small gangs of rougher and rougher people, lending her powers to more and more daring heists. She enjoyed the terror in her victims' eyes almost as much as tearing vault doors off their hinges and killing alarm systems. She took the name 'Violet' after the color that her powers manifest as, and how similar it sounded to 'Violent'. She discovered a thirst for killing and torture. Her psychopathy knew few bounds.
Eventually she was caught, though not before using some of Shining Knight's own equipment to sever and wrench his lower back, paralyzing him for life, it's said shards of metal are still in there, in inoperable locations, preventing even magical healing from restoring the hero. Violet was locked away in a facility for powered criminals. Soon, a psychiatrist, Dr. Paul Harris, armed with a Trancranial Magnetic Stimulator and... result-driven ethics, discovered that he could tamper with the magnified magnetic fields of Margaret's mind. Over several months he reversed the polaric pathways of her brain and found her becoming less violent and less anti-establishment driven. A previously lazy ethic became hard-working and driven. She discovered remorse and asked for the chance to work *with* the law enforcement as 'Magenta' - an eager to be helpful reformed "honest" member of society. This process took 8 months in which she was removed from the prison's GenPop where she had earned a reputation as not-to-be-messed-with else blood would spill.
The woman that she is today is cheerful and eager with an almost too-wide smile that, which, when she's gone too long between treatments, starts to crack around the edges. She's been studying psychiatric nursing to be able to help others as she's been helped.
Magenta/Violet
Just after her arrest.
Today, after months of successful treatments.
Complications:
Reputation - Some people remember her deeds as Violet. Especially damning in the Public's Eye was her savage crippling of one of Earth's most beloved superheroes, Shining Knight. Overcoming those prejudice's may be too much to bear. Many may assume she's elaborately faking, unable to fathom how a psycho can turn such a drastic new leaf. Many still call for her death.
Recognizable - Although MUCH more readily identifiable in her mylar suit, the criminal justice system did nothing to preserve any semblance of privacy surrounding her publicized trial. Even without being suited up she may be recognized.
Treatments - Margaret needs weekly, possibly more (if under stress) sessions in the TMS machine.
Dr. Paul Harris - Margaret thinks the best of Dr. Harris but who knows what his full agenda might be. It is intense admiration and trust and a crush on her part that the doctor is too noble/professional (in her skewed opinion) to act on.
Violet - there is still that needling dark voice of Violet in her head. It could distract her at key times.
Law abiding - her Flight and many of her powers require metal in the environment. Magenta's law-abiding nature make her hesitant to use Traffic signs, fire hydrants, and otherwise cause destruction of private or city property. If she does use any environmental metal, she'll try to put it back (however mangled) at the end of it's use.
Magenta PL8, 120
ST 8 DX 16 CN 14 IN 10 WS 14 CH 10 [12pp]
{Maggie, especially after months of her emotionally and mentally draining treatments, is waif-thin, but still decently hardy with a natural grace and hand-eye coordination.}
Offenses/Defenses:
init: +7
Grapple: +1
Saves: Ref 3+3=6 Will 2+5=7 Fort 2+3=5 [11pp]
Attack (Max6) 2[4pp] / +4 Ranged / +6 Accurate ranged
Defense (max 8) 4 [8pp] +4shield, 2 if flat footed
Damage(Max10)
Toughness (Max 8) 2con+6ionforcefield
Feats: Attack Focus-Ranged 2, Luck, Attractive, Well-informed, Improved initiative, Move-By-Action, Second Chance^ (Mind Control) [8pp]
{^ due to the chaotic psychic landscape of her mind, attempts at control have much more to content with.}
Skills: Knowledge-Current Events 2, Gather Information 8(+8), Diplomacy 8(+8/+12), Bluff 8(+8/+12), Notice 4(+6), Concentration 8(+10), Sense Motive 6(+8), Disable Device +10, Medicine 2(+4) [14pp]
Magnetic control Extras Area- burst, Selective Attack, Feats: Subtle, Precise, PR8 [34pp+ 7AP]
AP: Extend my metal Will; Move Object, Extra: Damaging, Feats: Accurate, Subtle, Precise, Improved pin, Ranged Pin, Drawback: requires Metal pr10
{Magenta uses metal to surround, cradle, or manipulate other things. She can also hit, Grapple, Trip, or Disarm with her metal objects.}
AP: Blast, Extras: Autofire, Feats: Accurate, Indirect 3, Precise, Drawback: requires Metal pr10, {many small pieces of jagged metal fly toward target at bullet speed.}
AP: Blast, Extra Penetrating, Feats: Accurate, Precise, Affects Insubstantial, improved critical {19-20}, pr10 {A bolt of Magnetic Force slams into target.}
AP: Transcranial Magnetic Scramble; Stun, Extras: Area-Cone, Secondary Effect, Feats: Reversible, Affects Insubstantial 1, Free Modifier: Alternate Save (Will), pr 8 (34pp)
{Knowing how Magnetic fields affect the brain, she can set up a finely-tuned cone field that can scramble the thoughts of selected folk within}
AP: Cloud – Obscure, Visual, Radio 3/r, Extra , +1Link, +0Independent, Feat: Selective pr3 (12pp+1feat)+ Environmental Effects: Concentration DC15, 3/r Extra +1Link, +0Independent, (12pp) pr3 + Environmental Effect: Hampered Movement ¼ 2/r, +1Link, +0Independent, (9pp) pr3.
{A cloud of spinning metal engulfs a 25ft. radius area, large pieces at the bottom make it hard to move, minor collisions from all sides make it hard to think, Small shards flying about make it hard to see, and the magnetic area makes radios stop working. These affects can also be used individually or all at once, and the obscure can be selected visual and/or radio. Each effect lasts about a minute, reducing in size after 4 (or 3 in the case of movement) rounds.} (Total 34)
AP: Snare, Extras: Area-Shapeable [Targeted]; Feats: Reversible, Accurate, Tether, Chokehold, Obscures sight, Indirect, Drawback: requires Metal, Weakness: Snares take +1DC Dmg from electricity; pr10 (34pp)
{A tentacle of loose metal bits writhes out from Magenta seeking to bind those within.}
AP: Create Object, Extras: Continuous, Moveable, Feats: Innate, Precise, Progression (8x10ft cubes), Tether, Drawback: requires Metal, Weakness: Electricity (Barriers take +1DC dmg from electricity) pr8 (34 pp)
{Using metal objects in the environment Maggie can create domes or ramps or even detailed sculptures. There may not be enough metal usable without acts of Vandalism which could trigger her complication.}
Ion Force Field: Protection pr6, Drawback: Noticeable (faint reddish-blue field unless turned off), Feature: Can be consciously nullified/suppressed* [6pp], Impervious (limited: Physical damage, limited: metal descriptor only) [2pp] {Impervious rank 6 against physical attacks of a metal nature}
+LINK+ Immunity: Suffocation, high pressure, vacuum, [4pp] {Ionizing force surrounding Magenta holds her own pocket of atmosphere and stable pressure inside.}
+LINK+ Enhanced Feats: Evasion 2, [2pp] {The field can harden in response to incoming area attacks, possibly showing a link between her telekinesis and an unconscious precognitive sense}
{*The Feature represents something that is always on unless she exercises will to suppress it. If she's in disguise, for example, and doesn't want the noticeable glow of her ionic field visible she has to willingly take it down. If she's startled or stunned and fails the Concentration check to keep it off it make turn back on at an inconvenient time.}
Dancing metal: Shield 4, Drawback: requires metal [3pp]
{When active, Pieces of metal constantly orbit her and respond to incoming threats.}
Flight 3 (50 mph) [3pp] Drawback: Reduced Load- no more than Light -2, Drawback: requires Metal
{Maggie can wrap metal in a harness about her and bear herself aloft.}
Detect Metal (Mental), Ranged, Acute, Accurate, Radius [6pp]
Device: Thermal-Mylar Suit; Hard to lose, Restricted - Those with Magnetic manipulation [5pp]
Quick Change
Immunity Cold Environment, Hot Environment, Radiation Environment
Feature: Provides some metal for her abilities via the suit itself or various pouches containing ball bearings, wire, etc.; Flight(suit itself), Shield(cape), Blast(ball bearings), Small uses of Move object (wire)
{Violet stole an experimental solar weather balloon, meant for very high atmosphere work from JPL. It is an incredibly thin, light, and insulated metal fabric that works well with her powers. It folds incredibly small and fits into an undergarment pouch around her waist but in a moment's notice she can use her powers to unfurl it and wrap it about herself. So far since her capture they haven't wanted it back.}
Drawbacks:
Vulnerability Electricity (common, Moderate, +50% affect) -3
Power Loss (ongoing electrical damage disrupts Magnetic control Array, uncommon) -1
Power Loss (ongoing electrical damage disrupts Flight, Any electrical hit necessitates Concentration check for flight, uncommon) -1
Attributes 12 + Offenses/Defenses 23 + Feats 8 + Skills 14 + Powers 72 - Drawbacks 5
tacks or when caught unsuspecting.
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!?!