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

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Davies
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Warlord Schatter
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If Hallandar's estimation of the time scale involved is correct, then Abraxas' foremost general entered his service around the Earth year 1977. Hallandar believes that his archenemy was already a cyborg commando at that point, one of many who protected his home world from invaders. The Warlord-to-be fought against Abraxas, challenging him personally, and was soundly defeated. For whatever reason, Abraxas offered to spare his life if he would become his servant, and Schatter accepted with the plan of growing powerful enough to destroy his supposed master.

Obviously, that has not happened. Despite possessing the Instrument of Destruction and also the Moebius Armor, he is still much less powerful than Abraxas, and could only defeat his master if the latter were weakened by conflicts with other forces. Hallandar, who has encountered Warlord Schatter on several occasions since their first meeting, and always attempted to read his mind, has come to believe that Schatter views his conquests as practice for the day that he finally becomes powerful enough to challenge and overcome Abraxas. Having done so, he will then challenge the entity he knows as Ananke, Daath's true ruler ... and be annihilated, ending the burden of his existence.

However, he regards this as the less frightening possibility when it comes to his enemy's motivation. While Hallandar is able to read Schatter's mind, he has not always succeeded in doing so, and suspects that what he sees there is an illusion at least some of the time. That would indicate that Schatter's supposed desire to destroy Abraxas has become nothing more than a lie that he tells himself to justify his otherwise meaningless devastation of worlds and peoples, and that what he truly desires is to never stop doing any of this.

Regardless, he was recently handed his first genuine defeat when the Last Men Standing and the Powerhouse joined forces for the first time. However, they were unable to hold him prisoner, for his armor's teleporting mechanism engaged once he was incapacitated and returned him to the invasion fleet's mother ship, which then withdrew from the system it had been attacking. What, if anything, Abraxas has done to his failed servant is not clear, but he has not been seen leading the forces of the Dark Side for quite some time.

Warlord Schatter -- PL 15

Abilities:
STR
16 | STA 14 | AGL 1 | DEX 6 | FGT 10 | INT 8 | AWE 5 | PRE 6

Powers:
Great Might: Enhanced Strength 10, Limited to lifting; Impervious Toughness 10 - 20 points
Instrument of Destruction: Array (30 points); Easily Removable (-14 points)
  • Basic Blast: Ranged Damage 15 - 30 points
  • Blast Barrage: Ranged Multiattack Damage 10 - 1 point
  • Blast of Light: Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 15 (Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware), Limited to One Sense - 1 point
  • Blast Burst: Ranged Burst Area Damage 10 - 1 point
  • Disintegrating Strike: Linked Damage 15 and Weaken Toughness 15, Affects Objects Only - 1 point
  • Overwhelming Blast: Cone Area Damage 15 - 1 point
Moebius Armor: Removable (-22 points)
* Armored Shell: Impervious Protection 6 - 12 points
* Comm Gear: Radio Communication 4 - 16 points
* Life Support: Immunity 12 (aging, life support, need for sleep) - 12 points
* Psychic Shielding: Impervious Will 9 - 9 points
* Quantum Computer: Enhanced Advantage 1 (Technomancer) - 1 point
* Teleport: Easy Extended Teleport 10, Change Direction, Change Velocity, Extra Mass 16, Triggered 2 - 60 points

Advantages:
Assessment, Close Attack 2, Diehard, Fearless, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 8, Seize Initiative, Startle, Technomancer

Skills:
Expertise: Military 7 (+15), Expertise: Galactic 7 (+15), Insight 8 (+13), Intimidation 10 (+16), Perception 8 (+13), Technology 6 (+14).

Offense:
Initiative +1
Unarmed +12 (Close Damage 16)
Basic Blast +14 (Ranged Damage 15)
Blast Barrage +14 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 10)
Blast of Light -- (Burst Area Fortitude 15)
Blast Burst -- (Ranged Burst Area Damage 10)
Disintegrating Strike +12 (Close Damage 15 and Weaken Toughness 15)
Overwhelming Blast -- (Cone Area Damage 15)

Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 10, Fortitude 18, Toughness 20/14, Will 10

Totals:
Abilities 132 + Powers 129 + Advantages 16 + Skills 23 + Defense 16 = 316 points

Complications:
Nihilism--Motivation. Electrical (becomes Dazed, Stunned, and Incapacitated when subject to Nullify Electrical.) Subject to Orders. Weakness (all atmospheres are alien without life support).
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Davies
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Hypnos and Aergia
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Hypnos
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Aergia

The overwhelming majority of the Hyperbrains who were conscripted for the Think Tanks in the 1980s came out of them in the late 90s and early 00s in a perfectly normal fashion, and live quiet lives of research and study. But many of those who did not, who were twisted by a combination of loyalty conditioning and pressure to produce, have gone on to become notorious. Such is the case with Mortimer Pheasey, better known by his alias Hypnos, after the Greek personification of sleep. (He considered going by 'Morpheus', but decided that was too close to his real name for some reason.)

Pheasey's studies in his Portchester-based Think Tank focused on neurochemistry and psychology, specifically how to induce suggestive states. He was never quite able to crack the mystery of conscious mind control, but something he discovered along the way was almost as useful -- a non-habit forming, non-toxic hypnotic drug. It could have revolutionized the pharmaceutical industry, except for one little problem. Instead of coming in a convenient pill form, it had to be administered as an inhalant. And also there was the whole non-habit forming thing. The people from the company didn't like that at all.

One might have expected Pheasey to have been outraged by this rejection. In fact, it rather pleased him, as he had already started to think of other, less medical applications for his discovery, particularly when combined with a talent that he possessed and had managed to hide from the Think Tank staff. He could cause sleeping people to rise and move like somnabulists, completely under his control. And with the sleep dust he'd created, he now had the ability to produce large numbers of sleeping people. With that in hand, what couldn't he do?

Well, among the things that he couldn't do was make a safe or prosperous career as a criminal mastermind in the U.K., and eventually he fled to the United States, specifically Chicago, where he managed to carve out a niche for himself as an occasional opponent of Darkwing. He managed to hide the fact that the ability to control sleeping minds was an innate one, rather than the product of his devices, through several bouts of imprisonment from which he was easily able to escape as a result.

In the course of one such getaway, Hypnos encountered Aggie Penelope, who'd been arrested for driving while under the influence. She actually hadn't been drinking or using any drugs; instead, her problem was that she suffered from a strange neurological condition that left her unable to actually sleep while still suffering from the effects of fatigue. Her mental and physical exhaustion caused her to frequently engage in erratic behavior, which included using her own wild talent to put people to sleep just by looking at them.

Fascinated by this young woman, Hypnos persuaded her that her interests were best served by joining him in his life of crime. She missed most of what he said, but the prospect of getting out of lockup did appeal. Thus, she became his chief henchperson, under the alias Aergia, after the Greek personification of laziness. The fact that she has a remarkably high degree of resistance to pain, possibly due to her usually half-asleep state, has been of some assistance in this new career.

Hypnos' greatest weakness is probably his view of himself as a supremely cultured and intellectual individual. He doesn't consider himself the greatest genius in the world or its most formidable criminal mind, but he does the Chicago Tribune's crossword puzzle in pen every single day, and his speeches are filled with obscure historical and literary references. Suggesting that he might have erred about such a reference is an excellent way to get him to forget about whatever scheme he's engaged upon and start ranting and raving.

A peculiarity of his ability is that its victim, if super-powered, never displays any of their unusual abilities while they are active as his 'sleepers', even if those abilities are innate to their physiology. People who are super-strong become no stronger than the human average, people with steel-hard skin demonstrate no resistance to injury. The Morrison Institute has suggested that this is because, rather than acting on the brain of a sleeping individual, Hypnos' power is actually a form of psychokinesis that surrounds the individual with an invisible force field under his control. Of course, Hypnos is not about to turn himself in to allow himself to be studied in detail, so this theory remains untested.

Hypnos -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR
2 | STA 1 | AGL 3 | DEX 2 | FGT 6 | INT 6 | AWE 5 | PRE 4

Powers:
Command the Sleepers: Summon Sleepers 2 (as Mind-Controlled Zombies, Deluxe Gamemaster's Guide p.156), Active, Horde, Multiple Minions 5 (maximum 32 sleepers) - 28 points
Sleep Dust: Cloud Area Progressive Affliction 9 (Resisted by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Asleep), Removable (-7 points) - 29 points

Advantages:
Connected, Contacts, Defensive Roll 2, Languages 3 (many including Greek [English is native]), Set-up, Sidekick 16, Well-Informed

Skills:
Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Crime 7 (+13), Expertise: History 3 (+9), Expertise: Literature 3 (+9), Expertise: Science 6 (+12), Insight 8 (+12), Intimidation 8 (+12), Investigation 6 (+12), Perception 6 (+11), Persuasion 6 (+10), Technology 7 (+13).

Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 2)
Sleep Dust -- (Cloud Area Affliction 9)

Defense:
Dodge 7, Parry 8, Fortitude 5, Toughness 6/1, Will 9

Totals:

Abilities 58 + Powers 57 + Advantages 9 + Skills 34 + Defense 14 = 188 points

Complications:
Greed--Motivation. Intellectual Vanity. Power Loss (cannot Summon Sleepers if no one in the area is asleep.)

Aergia -- PL 8

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

Powers:
Sleepless:
Immunity 1 (need for sleep); Protection 5 - 6 points
Slumber: Perception-Range Cumulative Affliction 8 (Resisted by Will; Fatigued, Exhausted, Asleep) - 32 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Equipment 2

Equipment:
Light pistol (Ranged Damage 3), smart phone, and 2 points of equipment as needed

Skills:
Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+5), Perception 4 (+4), Ranged Combat: Guns 4 (+5), Stealth 4 (+6), Vehicles 4 (+5).

Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +1 (Close Damage 1)
Light Pistol +5 (Ranged Damage 3)
Slumber -- (Perception-Range Will 8)

Defense:
Dodge 5, Parry 3, Fortitude 4, Toughness 5, Will 6

Totals:
Abilities 14 + Powers 38 + Advantages 3 + Skills 10 + Defense 15 = 80 points

Complications:
Boredom--Motivation. Tends to Doze Off During Explanations.
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Davies
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Fortuna Imperatrix
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Perhaps the most recent of Darkwing's nemeses, the woman who calls herself Fortuna Imperatrix is also one of the most mysterious. She came out of nowhere in 2011 to take over the illegal activity formerly controlled by noteworthy members of the Outfit who'd suffered mysterious accidents and sudden illnesses. Since then, she has engaged in constant struggles for power and influence with Jack and other superhuman crime lords, while avoiding permanent incarceration by Darkwing and cultivating a cult of personality among her followers.

The best theory about her prior life is that she may have been Felice Stavrinidis, a graduate student in Classics at Northern Illinois University who disappeared in January of 2009. Ms. Stavrinidis was last seen having an argument with her boyfriend at a DeKalb bar, which she left after throwing her drink in his face. A transient claimed to have seen her being forced into a black van later that same night, but his account is muddled and contradictory. When shown photos of Fortuna, Ms. Stavrinidis' family were divided as to whether or not they recognized the two women as the same. However, they are uniform in their agreement that she was a fan of Carl Orff's Carmina Burana.

Fortuna, who claims to believe herself a goddess, possesses extremely versatile powers of probability manipulation, and is able to cause extremely improbable events to occur as an act of will. She mostly uses this power for self-defense -- bullets go astray, weapons fail to function, injuries turn out to be less severe than they seemed -- or as the threat which allows her to engage in extortion. While generally preferring to have people alive and terrified of her rather than dead, she has demonstrated no hesitation in ending lives in the past.

However, she has a decidedly capricious side to her, and frequently bestows benefits, either materially or through the use of her powers, on those who amuse or interest her. One account claims that she once noticed a man putting a car up for sale, bought the vehicle on the spot and then gave it back to the seller as a present. While such episodes are often followed up by tragedies that she causes, this is not universally so -- the case of the car sale didn't involve one. Of course, that could be because she hasn't gotten around to it yet.

Fortuna's minions are a mixture of ordinary criminals and cultists dedicated to her. While she doesn't engage in magic herself, she has drawn a few ambitious would-be practitioners into her sway, who -- whether sincerely or opportunistically -- grant her the worship that she craves. Suggesting that she's not a goddess won't anger her, as such denial of an obvious reality is to be pitied. Suggesting that she's unworthy of worship despite being a goddess, on the other hand, will earn the full force of her anger.

Fortuna Imperatrix -- PL 11

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

Powers:
Probability Manipulation:
Continuous Variable 8 (luck), Free Action -- 80 points

Typical Settings:
Default: Enhanced Advantages 2 (Evasion 2); Enhanced Defenses 16 (Dodge 8, Parry 8); Healing 7, Limited to Self, Subtle; Sustained Impervious Protection 6, Subtle - 40 points
"Just Minding My Own Business": Concealment 10 (all senses), Passive - 10 points
"Shame if Something Happened to It": Perception Range Damage 11, Indirect 4, Subtle 2, Variable Descriptor 1 (accidents) - 40 points
"Shame if Something Happened to You": Perception Range Affliction 11 (Resisted and Overcome by Will; Impaired and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Disabled), Extra Condition, Indirect 4, Insidious, Limited Degree, Subtle 2 - 40 points
"Sometimes Things Just Happen": Perception Ranged Move Object 8, Indirect 4, Precise, Subtle 2; Senses 10 (Radius Vision Counters and Penetrates All Concealment), Limited to Targeting Move Object - 36 points

Advantages:
Assessment, Benefit 4 (millionaire, crime lord), Connections, Equipment 10, Evasion 2, Fascinate (Deception), Improved Initiative, Jack-of-all-Trades, Luck 5, Ranged Attack 4, Skill Mastery (Insight), Taunt, Uncanny Dodge, Well-informed.

Equipment:
Light Pistol (Ranged Damage 3) and 44 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Deception 9 (+13), Expertise: Criminal 4 (+12), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+12), Insight 8 (+12), Investigation 4 (+12) Perception 7 (+12), Persuasion 8 (+12)

Offense:
Initiative +5
Unarmed +2 (Close Damage 1)
Light Pistol +6 (Ranged Damage 3)

Defense:
Dodge 14/6, Parry 15/7, Fortitude 6, Toughness 7/1, Will 6

Totals:
Abilities 44 + Powers 80 + Advantages 22 + Skills 20 + Defenses 20 = 196 points

Complications:
Greed--Motivation. Capricious. Must Be Worshiped.
"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 »

Montana
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In 2015, Nicole Harmon was a high school drop-out and hanger-on to a group of petty criminals operating in Great Falls, Montana. Aside from a few citations for disorderly conduct, she had avoided any serious criminal charges herself, and that would become important later on. Furthermore, she became the victim of crime when her so-called friends turned her over to a local mad scientist, one Dr. Kyouichi Sakamoto, in exchange for a supply of thionite[1]. Sakamoto, a former employee of Project Chokyojin, had sold secrets of the project to British intelligence and was now engaged in an attempt to duplicate the project's results for his own purposes.

He succeeded, to a degree, in that his painful treatments granted Nicole the ability to grow in height to a height of roughly fifty feet, comparable to that of Super-Giant, though without the hero's armor or other abilities. Exactly how he managed to do this was lost when he became the first victim of Nicole's pain- and anger-filled rampage through the streets of Great Falls. Twelve people died, and fifty were injured, before the Blue Bolt and Polymorph were able to bring a stop to Nicole's rampage, holding her still long enough that she reflexively returned to her normal size, and promptly broke down crying.

At the trial, Nicole was portrayed as having been literally out of her mind with pain and confusion when she was grown, and not responsible for her actions. Super-Giant himself testified that he had also been extremely confused following his first enlargement, and could have easily suffered a similar breakdown if he hadn't been carefully restrained. Nicole's lack of a criminal record and her cooperation with the authorities in the aftermath were also noted.

In the aftermath, she was given a suspended sentence and three thousand hours of community service. In a statement to the media, she pledged to accomplish this without using her super-powers. Completing that task took up most of the next two years, and she managed to keep up her pledge, further convincing everyone that the entire episode had been a sad aberration.

Suckers, she thought, as she made her last report to her probation officer. Yes, she'd been angry and in pain, but she'd also been in full control of her actions through the entire ordeal. And besides the doc, eight of those twelve had either been her so-called friends or other people who'd annoyed her before everything happened. The survivors of that little gang of theirs had been too scared or too blitzed to testify about how she'd targeted them, and now she was free as a bird. So how was she going to use her freedom, now?

The answer came as a genuine surprise. Following an embarrassing episode in San Francisco, Heroic Enterprises had become persona non grata in California, but the state populace still wanted around the clock super-powered protection, especially from kaiju. So the governor's office reached out to Nicole with a job offer to become California's government-employed superhero. The pay was good, and they told her that she'd probably only have to go into action once a month, if that. It sounded to good to be true.

So of course, it was. Montana, as she styled herself, ended up going into battle on a weekly basis. While she got back-up from California's non-government-employed superheroes, like Basilea and Cadmus, it was much more of a hassle than she'd expected it to be. She didn't mind the violence, she just didn't think she was getting paid enough for it. Naturally, she started looking for ways to supplement her income.

When she was contacted and offered to get paid in order to steer the fights in certain directions, and throw them occasionally, it sounded like the best thing in the history of history! Sure, it meant that people would probably get killed, but, hey, they lived in earthquake country -- they should've known that the risks would catch up with them eventually! And most of them weren't real Americans anyway, so, you know, screw 'em.

So far, nobody has tumbled on to her occasional mistakes as being deliberate, but there are those who have suspicions. Eventually, this cushy gig is going to come to an end, but her shadowy bosses have promised her that as long as they get the results they want from her activities, they'll get her out of town when that happens. She figures the odds are good that they're telling the truth. And if not, well, she'll figure out where they are and step on them.

Montana -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR
14/2 | STA 13/1 | AGL 1 | DEX 0 | FGT 6 | INT 1 | AWE 1 | PRE 2

Powers:
Giant-Size:
Linked Continuous Growth 12 (+12 Strength, +12 Stamina, -6 Dodge, -6 Parry, +6 Intimidation, -12 Stealth, +2 Speed); Linked Impervious Toughness 12*; Linked Immunity 10 (life support), Quirk (30 minutes at a time) - 69 points
Strength Tricks: Array (22 points)
  • Boulder: Ranged Damage 14, Removable (-6 points) - 22 points
  • Foot Stomp: Line Area Damage 11 - 1 point
  • Shockwave: Burst Area Affliction 11 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated) - 1 point
  • Super-Breath: Cone Area Move Object 11, Close Range - 1 point
  • Thunderclap: Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 11 (Resisted by Fortitude; Auditory Impaired, Auditory Disabled, Auditory Unaware), Limited to One Sense - 1 point
* She has one rank of Impervious Toughness per rank of Growth active.

Advantages:
Chokehold, Great Endurance, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Power Attack

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+8), Deception 6 (+8), Expertise: Criminal 8 (+9), Intimidation 2 (+10/+4), Perception 6 (+7), Ranged Combat: Thrown 8 (+8), Stealth 0 (-11/+1).

Offense:
Initiative +1
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 14/2)
Foot Stop -- (Line Area Damage 11)
Shockwave -- (Burst Area Fortitude 11)
Thrown Boulder +8 (Ranged Damage 14)
Thunderclap -- (Burst Area Fortitude 11)

Defense:
Dodge 8/14, Parry 8/14, Fortitude 13/1, Toughness 13/1, Will 9

Totals:

Abilities 28 + Powers 95 + Advantages 5 + Skills 16 + Defenses 29 = 173 points

Complications:
Greed--Motivation. Petty and Small-Minded. Secret (ongoing criminal activities.) Temper.

[1] Thionite is a nickname for a form of cocaine manufactured from coco leaf that was grown in soil treated with theonite, the rare earth element which interferes with Paragon's super-powers. Because of the expense of its manufacture, it is believed to be a form of super-cocaine. In fact, scientific study has shown that it has no effects on the human body beyond those of ordinary cocaine.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Voltron64
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Voltron64 »

Davies wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 7:08 am [1] Thionite is a nickname for a form of cocaine manufactured from coco leaf that was grown in soil treated with theonite, the rare earth element which interferes with Paragon's super-powers. Because of the expense of its manufacture, it is believed to be a form of super-cocaine. In fact, scientific study has shown that it has no effects on the human body beyond those of ordinary cocaine.
El Diablo Rojo responsible for the spread of this narcotic or at least has a major hold on it's production?
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Davies
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Voltron64 wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 7:11 am
Davies wrote: Wed Aug 26, 2020 7:08 am [1] Thionite is a nickname for a form of cocaine manufactured from coco leaf that was grown in soil treated with theonite, the rare earth element which interferes with Paragon's super-powers. Because of the expense of its manufacture, it is believed to be a form of super-cocaine. In fact, scientific study has shown that it has no effects on the human body beyond those of ordinary cocaine.
El Diablo Rojo responsible for the spread of this narcotic or at least has a major hold on it's production?
Yep.
"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 »

Bonus Edition of Dubious Canonicity

Back at the end of Hallandar's write up, I mentioned that the Lasters were planning on sending a group of their younger members to Earth to study the planet's superhuman populace and learn from them. This was intended as a plot hook for a group of PCs, so I wasn't ever planning on writing up that group. And then I had an idea. Green Ronin's "StarRaiders" team covered most of the archetypes that I'd use for such a group, and could be easily adjusted to fit the setting. So I sat down and banged the following character sheets out. They will probably not be referenced again except in the most general terms.

Captain Cutlass -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR
1 | STA 2 | AGL 2 | DEX 4 | FGT 6 | INT 0 | AWE 2 | PRE 4

Powers:
Gravity Boots: Movement 3 (environmental adaptation--zero-g, wall-crawling 2); Removable (-1 point) - 5 points
Laser Sword: Damage 4, Penetrating 4; Easily Removable - 6 points
Omni-Blasters: Ranged Damage 8, Split Attack, Variable Descriptor 2 (technological); Easily Removable (-8 points) - 11 points
ORACLE Eyepatch: Senses 5 (analytical vision, darkvision, direction sense, distance sense); Removable (-1 point) - 4 points
Space Armor: Immunity 7 (cold, disease, heat, radiation, suffocation, vacuum); Protection 4; Removable (-2 points) - 6 points
Swashbuckling Style: Feature (can make a Laser Sword attack and a rank 4 Omni-Blaster attack against a separate targets as a single action) - 1 point

Advantages:
Beginner's Luck, Defensive Roll, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Luck, Move-by Action, Quick Draw, Redirect, Set-up, Taunt

Skills:
Acrobatics 9 (+11), Athletics 6 (+7), Close Combat: Swords 4 (+8), Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Criminal 6 (+6), Expertise: Pop Culture 8 (+8), Perception 6 (+8), Persuasion 5 (+9), Ranged Combat: Blaster 6 (+10), Vehicles 8 (+12).

Offense:
Initiative +6
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 1)
Laser Sword +10 (Close Damage 4)
Omni-Blaster +10 (Ranged Damage 8)

Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 10, Fortitude 7, Toughness 8/6/4/2, Will 7

Totals:
Abilities 42 + Powers 28 + Advantages 11 + Skills 33 + Defenses 21 = 135 points

Complications:
Thrills--Motivation. Heart of Gold. Unfamiliar With Earth Culture (or rather with how much has changed in twenty years.)

Kate Curtiss is from Seattle, and she and her parents were abducted by the same slavers who took Logan Stormstrider. They were all sold to different owners, and Kate has no idea where her parents ended up. She was purchased by an Imperium noble who moonlighted as a pirate, but decided to flee the Imperium when things got a bit too hot for him thanks to a certain pirate hunter. Kate became a mascot for the ship, and then a member of the crew, and then, after they ended up in the middle of a battle between the Lasters and the Dark Side, the ship's new captain. Joining up with the Lasters seemed the best choice in the aftermath, and now she finds herself heading back to her home world after nearly two decades.

Ceph -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR
7 | STA 8 | AGL 2 | DEX 1 | FGT 2 | INT 0 | AWE 4 | PRE 0

Powers:
Psychic Abilities: Array (18 points)
  • Thought Probe: Mind Reading 9, Dynamic - 18 points
  • Stunning Probe: Perception Ranged Concentration Affliction 6 (Resisted and Overcome by Will; Dazed, Stunned), Limited Degree, Dynamic - 2 points
  • Mind Link: Mental Communication 3 - 2 points
  • Psychokinesis: Perception Range Move Object 5, Precise - 2 points
  • Psychic Healing: Energizing Healing 6 - 2 points
Tentacled Enigma: Elongation 2; Extra Limbs 3; Immunity 10 (life support); Movement 3 (environmental adaptation--zero-g, slithering, wall-crawling); Swimming 4 (8 MPH) - 29 points

Advantages:
Animal Empathy, Diehard, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Grab, Inspire.

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+8), Insight 5 (+9), Persuasion 6 (+6), Stealth 5 (+7)

Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +8 (Close [30 foot] Damage 7)
Stunning Thought -- (Perception Range Will 6)

Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fortitude 8, Toughness 8, Will 9

Totals:
Abilities 48 + Powers 55 + Advantages 4 + Skills 11 + Defense 17 = 135 points

Complications:
Family--Motivation. Obvious Alien. Unfamiliar with Earth Culture. Unusual Manner of Communication.

No one knows where Ceph came from; he showed up with Syd, and Syd has told several different stories about how they met. (The one about them being prisoners in a galactic museum of the strange has been repeated a few times.) Any similarity between Ceph and Kthulu is surely a coincidence. Surely.

Quarry -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR 10 | STA 11 | AGL 1 | DEX -1 | FGT 4 | INT 2 | AWE 0 | PRE 1

Powers:
Crystalline Physiology: Immunity 12 (cold, electricity damage, heat, pressure, radiation, suffocation, vacuum); Impervious Toughness 9; Regeneration 2; Senses 3 (infravision, psychic awareness, ultravision) - 26 points
Psychic Focus: Variable 2 (psychic powers), Affects Others Only, Limited to Augmenting Existing Powers, Uncontrollable - 10 points

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Diehard, Improved Grab, Improved Smash, Interpose, Power Attack, Weapon Break.

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+7), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+8), Intimidation 8 (+9), Expertise: Pop Culture 6 (+8), Ranged Combat: Throwing 8 (+7), Treatment 8 (+10).

Offense:
Initiative +1
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 10)

Defense:
Dodge 5, Parry 7, Fortitude 11, Toughness 11, Will 7

Totals:
Abilities 58 + Powers 36 + Advantages 7 + Skills 20 + Defenses 14 = 135 points

Complications:
Discovery--Motivation. Obviously Alien. Unfamiliar with Earth Culture. Valuable Properties.

His home world was taken over by a cult from the Technate which views psychic powers as gifts of the star gods, who were then massacred by the Dark Side, with Quarry and Zok-Ten getting away by the skin of Zok-Ten's teeth. While he wants to explore the universe, and is the most excited about their current mission, he also wants to liberate the planet where he originated.

Syd -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR 0 | STA 6 | AGL 4 | DEX 4 | FGT 6 | INT 0 | AWE 2 | PRE 1

Powers:
Arsenal: Array (25 points)
  • Railgun: Ranged Multiattack Damage 8, Accurate - 25 points
  • Singularity Launcher: Ranged Burst Area Damage 8 - 1 point
  • "Tommy": Ranged Damage 12 - 1 point
Gun Bunny: Enhanced Skill 4 (Technology 8), Limited to weapons and explosives - 2 points
Platypus: Feature 1 (waterproof fur); Immunity 1 (drowning); Senses 7 (accurate ranged detect electromagnetic fields, danger sense, direction sense, distance sense); Permanent Shrinking 4 (-1 Strength, +2 Dodge, +2 Parry, +4 Stealth, -2 Intimidation), Innate; Swimming 4 (8 MPH) - 18 points
Venomous Spurs: Cumulative Affliction 4 (Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Hindered, Immobile, Paralyzed), Secondary Effect - 12 points

Advantages:
Defensive Roll, Evasion, Fearless, Improved Initiative, Quick Draw, Takedown, Uncanny Dodge.

Skills:

Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+8), Expertise: Streetwise 7 (+7), Ranged Combat 2 (+6), Stealth 0 (+8) Technology 2 (+10/+2), Vehicles 5 (+9)

Offense:
Initiative +8
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 0)
Venomous Spurs +8 (Close Fortitude 4)
Railgun +8 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 8)
Singularity Launcher -- (Ranged Burst Area Damage 8)
"Tommy" +6 (Ranged Damage 12)

Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 10, Fortitude 7, Toughness 8/6, Will 7

Totals:
Abilities 48 + Powers 59 + Advantages 7 + Skills 9 + Defenses 12 = 135 points

Complications:
Greed--Motivation. Cute Little Animal! Hatred (being viewed as a cute little animal.) Unfamiliar With Earth Culture.

See under Ceph. He has a dozen different stories about his own origins, too.

Zok-Ten -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR 0 | STA 2 | AGL 3 | DEX 0 | FGT 0 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 2

Powers:
Electrokinesis: Array (27 points)
  • Sensor Hack: Remote Sensing 9 (auditory & visual), Medium (electronic sensors), Simultaneous - 27 points
  • Sensor Override: Illusion 5 (all senses), Affects Objects Only - 1 point
  • Shock Web: Cumulative Ranged Affliction 8 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned Paralyzed), Affects Insubstantial 2 - 1 point
  • Shutdown: Perception-Ranged Nullify Technology 9, Broad - 1 point
Technopath: Radio Communication 2; Comprehend Machines 2; Enhanced Advantage 1 (Technomancer), Senses 5 (Acute Analytical Technology Awareness, Radio) - 19 points

Advantages:
Defensive Roll, Eidetic Memory, Equipment, Precise Attack (ranged, cover), Skill Mastery (Technology), Speed of Thought, Technomancer, Well-Informed

Equipment:
Body Armor (Protection 3), Computer, Toolkit

Skills:
Expertise: Science 6 (+11), Insight 6 (+12), Investigation 6 (+11), Ranged Combat: Shockweb 10 (+10), Technology 8 (+13).

Offense:
Initiative +5
Unarmed +0 (Close Damage 0)
Shock Web +10 (Ranged Damage 8)

Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 8, Fortitude 6, Toughness 7/5/4/2, Will 12

Totals:
Abilities 36 + Powers 50 + Advantages 7 + Skills 18 + Defenses 24 = 135

Complications:
Freedom--Motivation. Obvious Alien. Overconfidence (in his intelligence.) Unfamiliar With Earth Culture.

He was basically enslaved by the Luminescent Mind Way, and his big secret is that, after exposure to a strange device on Quarry's planet, he's become able to engage in technomancy without needing a computer. This would be a much bigger deal in a Technate-based campaign than an Earth-based one.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

The Corsair
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Sometimes, things just happen.

Up until 2009, Edward Horton was a moderately successful member of the underworld in London, Ontario, a bit smarter and more canny than many, but certainly not a supervillain. And then he was hired by the Schemer to pull a job designed to distract Paragon from affairs going on at another location. This particular job involved dressing up like a pirate and commanding a group of other crooks dressed up like pirates while operating a flying pirate ship (actually an anti-gravity platform with a facade of a galleon built around it.) As a bonus, this was all talking place on International Talk Like A Pirate Day. All this was outside of Horton's normal method of operations, but the money was better than he'd ever made before this, so he went along with it.

But Horton had the strangest feeling when he put on the costume, with its pistols (modern ones made up to look like flintlocks) and cutlass, and looked at himself in a mirror. It was as though he'd just become something larger than life, something that was a better version of himself. Setting such bewildering and unfamiliar notions aside, he boarded the ship and sent it flying out of the hangar and towards downtown Toronto, with the men singing a sea shanty as they flew along.

Naturally, Paragon showed up to try and end the party, and that was when things took the strangest turn yet. Watching the Eternal Man knock out his crew with light taps infuriated Horton for some reason, and he found himself challenging Paragon to a duel, fist to fist, captain to captain. Humoring the man, Paragon agreed and even let him have a free punch. He was almost as shocked as Horton was when that punch sent him sailing off the side of the ship and into Lake Ontario.

Horton and his men completed their mission and returned to their base unhindered. That was not at all part of the Schemer's plans, but he adapted and praised his new colleague's "ingenuity", offering Horton a bonus for good work. Horton declined the bonus and asked to retain possession of the flying ship, instead. Naturally, the Schemer agreed to this -- he'd been planning on dismantling the thing for parts, after all. Then he watched the Corsair and his fire-forged crew fly off with a somewhat bemused expression, wondering what was going to come of this.

The Corsair refers to his ability to duplicate other people's superhuman powers as 'power piracy', since much like 'software piracy', he makes a copy of something that the original owner can still use. And before you ask, there was no radiation accident or experimental prototype involved, and he'd never shown any signs of superhuman powers before this. It's possible that the thrill of living out some half-forgotten childhood fantasy of being a pirate awakened capabilities that would otherwise have lain dormant for the whole of his life, otherwise. Subsequent encounters between the Corsair and Paragon have usually not gone the same way, as he does not always 'pirate' super-strength.

Regardless, he keeps sailing his ship to raid and plunder, having learned enough about technology to keep it in good working order, and pays his men (frequently replaced when they realize that their boss cares more about being a pirate than being a successful criminal) out of his own pocket. The Schemer keeps hiring him, even though the mastermind has reached the conclusion that the Corsair is not a well man. He makes for one heck of a distraction, after all ...

The Corsair - PL 10

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

Powers:
Power Piracy: Variable 10 (powers and superhuman abilities of one person he can accurately perceive) - 70 points

Advantages:
Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Equipment 10, Evasion, Improved Initiative, Inspire, Leadership, Ranged Attack 6, Skill Mastery (Persuasion), Takedown

Equipment:
Sword (Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical), pistols (Ranged Damage 4)
Bloody Jack: Size Gargantuan; Strength 13; Speed 5 (air); Defense 6; Toughness 11; Blaster Cannon (Ranged Damage 8) - 38 points

Skills:
Acrobatics 7 (+11), Athletics 8 (+9), Close Combat: Sword 4 (+12), Expertise: Criminal 7 (+8), Insight 7 (+9), Intimidation 8 (+9), Persuasion 9 (+10), Stealth 6 (+10), Technology 6 (+7), Vehicles 6 (+7)

Offense:
Initiative +5
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 1)
Sword +12 (Close Damage 4)
Pistol +7 (Ranged Damage 4)

Defense:
Dodge 11, Parry 13, Fortitude 5, Toughness 3/2, Will 7

Totals:
Abilities 38 + Powers 80 + Advantages 26 + Skills 34 + Defense 21 = 199 points

Complications:
Compulsions--Motivation. Reputation (crazy.) Uncontrolled Power (chooses when it activates, but cannot choose which powers are 'pirated'.)
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

Tritonic
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As mentioned under Shockwave's profile, the gill folk of Atlantis have a slightly lower rate of natural mutations than surface dwellers, but some still happen to them. They also have no innate resistance to transformative events that grant unusual abilities, though they do happen much more rarely for many different reasons. Their response to such events, unfortunately, is universally to treat their transformed brethren as outcasts. Altered gill folk know that this will happen, and so typically abandon their homes and live isolated lives.

This is the case with the individual dubbed "Tritonic" by the media, though it seems likely that he has other reasons for his actions. Until 2016, Gulluhga was a well-respected adept of Atlantis and a scholar of his people's history. The incident occurred while he and other Atlanteans were excavating a sunken ship off the northwest coast of Africa -- not far, it should be noted, from Hespera. Whatever they were expecting to discover, what they found was an ancient metal trident, both shaft and tines preserved from rust.

Gulluhga picked it up ... and promptly increased in size until he was larger than any of the other gill folk present. He then delivered a speech to the effect that he knew now that his place was no longer with them, and that his destiny lay elsewhere. Despite attempts to restrain him, he departed the ship and swam away much faster than any of them could follow, clutching the trident close to him.

The next time he was seen, it was by the passengers of a cruise ship sailing to Greenland, which he assaulted using water controlling powers greater than any used by Atlantean adepts, or by Nereus for that matter. He demanded a ransom from the passengers for the ship's release. More accurately, he demanded that they give him their 'precious things', expressing disgust (in a very physical manner) when one of them attempted to give him cash. On an impulse, one of the passengers gave him a cheap watch and claimed it as a precious heirloom, and Tritonic accepted this valuation rather than pressing for more obvious treasures.

Once he had gotten enough of what he wanted, he departed with his ill-gotten gains and released the ship. Only a few people were injured and no one was killed. This has not been the case in subsequent episodes. Tritonic has clashed with Nereus and other aquatic heroes many times, without a conclusion being reached -- he has been stopped, but never captured. A group of Argus agents have recently tracked him to his lair, located in the Baltic, and discovered that his treasure has just been left in a pile within the undersea cavern, rotting and rusting. He does nothing with it.

Owing to the fact that the Atlanteans told Nereus of Tritonic's origins, he and others he has told about operate under the assumption that if the renegade is deprived of his trident, his powers will diminish to their former levels. This is completely untrue. Whatever the trident was before he picked it up, all that it is now is a weapon. While he will fight furiously to reclaim it if it is taken from him, he will do so with his full powers. As yet, this hasn't happened -- or if it has, no one who attacked him survived the experience to reveal the truth.

Tritonic -- PL 13

Abilities:
STR
6 | STA 6 | AGL 3 | DEX 1 | FGT 7 | INT 4 | AWE 3 | PRE 4

Powers:
Aquatic: Immunity 3 (cold, drowning, pressure); Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation: aquatic); Senses 1 (low-light vision); Swimming 8 (120 MPH) - 11 points
Water Control: Array (32 points)
  • Blinding Splash: Burst Area Ranged Affliction 10 (Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware) - 1 point
  • Hard Water Objects: Create 16 (hard water) - 32 points
  • Move Water: Perception Range Move Object 16, Limited to Water - 1 point
  • Stormy Weather: Environment 16 (impede movement 1, visibility 1) - 1 point
  • Water Blast: Ranged Damage 16 - 1 point
  • Water Burst: Ranged Burst Area Damage 10 - 1 point
  • Water Snare: Ranged Affliction 16 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Immobile and Defenseless), Extra Condition, Limited to Two Degrees - 1 point
Water Shield: Sustained Impervious Protection 10 - 20 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Diehard, Equipment 2, Favored Environment (underwater), Languages 2 (Danish, German, Norwegian, Swedish, [Atlantean is native]), Power Attack, Startle

Equipment:
Trident (Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical, Improved Disarm, Reach)
Lair: Size Medium; Toughness 6; Features Concealed, Isolated, Living Space - 4 points

Skills:
Athletics 4 (+10), Close Combat: Trident 6 (+13), Expertise: Magic 6 (+10), Expertise: Military 5 (+9), Insight 6 (+9), Intimidation 8 (+12), Perception 8 (+11), Ranged Combat: Water Control 9 (+10).

Offense:
Initiative +7
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 6)
Trident +13 (Close Damage 9)
Water Blast +10 (Ranged Damage 16)
Water Burst -- (Ranged Burst Area Damage 10)
Water Snare +10 (Ranged Affliction 16, Resisted by Dodge)

Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 10, Fortitude 12, Toughness 16/6, Will 11.

Totals:
Abilities 68 + Powers 59 + Advantages 9 + Skills 26 + Defenses 22 = 184 points

Complications:
Collection--Motivation. Obsessions (Trident, protecting his hoard). Weakness (lack of regular exposure to water).
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

I do have one more villain to post in this series, but recent events leave me in no mood to do so. I'll be back on Monday with a character crafted in tribute, followed by the active membership of Heroic Enterprises.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

The Ghost Hunter
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At the end of the nineteenth century, during the construction of what is now known as the Uganda Railway, a pair of man-eating lions attacked and killed a number of the railway workers. Contemporary reports claimed that more than a hundred people died at the claws and teeth of these rogue males before they were themselves killed; more recent studies suggest that they killed roughly thirty. The mystique of these deadly lions has attached itself to the costumed crime-fighter known as the Ghost Hunter (Roho Wawindaji in Swahili) whom some view as a lion who walks like a man.

The truth is that Daniel Mutua is just a very fine detective and fighter, who has promised himself to strive every moment of his life to make himself better and better, to the best of his ability, that all may profit by it. Unlike many superheroes, he had no trauma or tragedy driving him into this life. While his parents are dead, they both died of old age long after he began his activities, in 2003. Even Cerebron's attack didn't have much to do with his choice; while there were a few attacks in the north of the continent, Kenya, like everything south of the Sahara, was spared that assault.

In addition to his several siblings, who all help him out whenever they can, the Ghost Hunter also receives help from many other people in Nairobi and Mombasa, whether supplying him with the gear that he uses or keeping it in good maintenance. He doesn't have a particularly warm relationship with the authorities, who generally just ignore him, but he does have friends in the various branches of the National Police Service. Despite these ties, he generally works alone, lacking any close confidants, and Argus has had difficulties attaching a handler to him as a consequence.

The Ghost Hunter's most famous weapon is an electrically powered net that both entangles its targets and runs an electrical charge like that of a meta-taser through them. It's a weapon of his own design, adapted from one of Richmond Enterprises' most famous products. For the most part, however, he prefers to use off-the shelf equipment, or that which he improvises on the spot. The possibility that other unique weapons could quickly become much less unique and end up in the hands of his opponents is something that greatly concerns him.

Similar concerns were behind his decision to decline the offer of membership that the Powerhouse extended to him in 2008. Initially uncertain about the prospect of extending his mission from his homeland to the entire world, he made up his mind when they explained the logistics of the operation to him. The thought of a teleportation device hidden somewhere in Nairobi, where anyone could stumble on to it, convinced him that the idea was a bad one. That said, he never hesitates to assist other superheroes on those occasions when their operations take them to Kenya, and has developed a very good working relationship with Basilea in particular.

The Ghost Hunter - PL 10

Abilities:
STR
3 | STA 4 | AGL 4 | DEX 4 | FGT 6 | INT 5 | AWE 5 | PRE 3

Powers:
Electro-Net Launcher: Linked Ranged Affliction 8 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile), Diminished Range 3, Extra Condition, Limited Degree, Quirk (must be recovered after each use); Linked Ranged Affliction 8 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Diminished Range 3, Quirk (must be recovered after each use); Removable (-5 points) - 19 points

Advantages:
Agile Feint, Assessment, Beginner's Luck, Chokehold, Close Attack 4, Connected, Contacts, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Equipment 6, Evasion, Fast Grab, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Improvised Tools, Improvised Weapon, Languages 4 (English, French, Kikamba, many others [Swahili is native]), Move-by Action, Ranged Attack 7, Redirect, Takedown, Tracking.

Equipment:
Body Armor (Protection 2, Subtle), Motorcycle, and 17 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+12), Athletics 8 (+11), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+10), Deception 8 (+11), Expertise: Survival 6 (+11), Insight 6 (+11), Intimidation 7 (+10), Investigation 6 (+11), Perception 8 (+13), Persuasion 7 (+11), Sleight of Hand 6 (+10), Stealth 8 (+12), Technology 6 (+11), Vehicles 6 (+10).

Offense:
Initiative +8
Unarmed +14 (Close Damage 3)
Meta-Taser +11 (Ranged Affliction 8, Resisted by Dodge and Fortitude)

Defense:

Dodge 12, Parry 12, Fortitude 9, Toughness 8/6/4, Will 10

Totals:
Abilities 68 + Powers 19 + Advantages 42 + Skills 47 + Defenses 24 = 200 points

Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Prefers to Work Alone. Secret Identity.
Last edited by Davies on Mon Aug 31, 2020 7:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Voltron64 »

Good tribute, Davies.

Good tribute.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

It's okay. I could probably do better if I'd given myself more time, but ...
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

Post by Davies »

The American Angel
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When Thomas Dore was six years old, his father was kidnapped by agents of the Pythonian Insurgency. This was the first time his pleasant suburban life had been disturbed by the terror that was gripping the nation and indeed the world, and it shook him to his core. While he was returned to them within a week, William Dore had to spend a long time in the hospital recovering from injuries sustained in his rescue. Eventually, Thomas would learn that his father had been targeted because his older brother, Jack Dore, was a commander in the Joint Special Operations Task Force which opposed the Insurgency, which had used William as a mind-controlled soldier to try and break his uncle's nerve. It hadn't worked.

(It never would have. Jack Dore despised his younger brother as a coward for not following him and their father into the military, and welcomed the opportunity to beat him up without getting in trouble with the law. While a courageous soldier and a capable leader, Jack Dore was not a nice person. Thomas doesn't know about this.)

As a result, Thomas came to idolize his uncle, perhaps the more so because they never actually met in person and communicated only through letters. Through them, he came to learn about his grandfather and their family's legacy of heroic military service. As anyone would expect, Thomas decided on the military as his career fairly early on, and the disapproval of his parents didn't dissuade him from this course; rather the contrary. After his high school graduation, he attended West Point.

Three years into his four year program, Jack Dore was killed in action during Cerebron's assault on Cheyenne Mountain. Thomas turned his grief and anger into fuel to propel him onward in his career, and graduated a year later at the top of his class. He followed this with Airborne Training and was accepted into the 75th Ranger Regiment. His own drive, and his family's association with the weird, led to his selection as a candidate, in 2004, for the most recent of the US Army's super-soldier programs. Knowing that he would likely die in great pain if he went through with the procedure, Thomas nevertheless volunteered in hopes of becoming the hero America needed so desperately.

He got very lucky, or so it seemed at the time. He became stronger, faster and tougher than he'd ever been, and two great wings grew from his shoulder blades, allowing him to fly as fast as a jet plane. Dubbed the American Angel, he was assigned to be the field commander and point man of the United Superheroes of America, intended to compete with the Powerhouse. He relished this, and though the two teams were able to cooperate, Thomas was always looking for the signs of weakness, either moral or material, that he was sure were present within these so-called heroes.

Three years later, however, his team was disbanded by presidential order, leaving him very much at loose ends. His ability set was ill-suited for covert operations, and he wasn't nearly experienced enough as an officer to be hired by a defense contractor. On hearing that his teammate Minuteman had been recruited by the Powerhouse, however, he let out a sigh of relief. Surely, despite the way that they'd clashed in the past, they'd recognize his talents and invite him to join as well.

It never happened. Frustrated by this, his woes increased when word reached him that his father had passed away at the ridiculously young age of fifty-four. He returned home for the funeral, and endured the coldness with which his family friends and even his mother treated him. (She actually claimed that she couldn't even recognize her son in the man he'd become.) He inherited the bulk of the fortune his father's real estate business had made him, however, leaving him financially secure and then some. Whatever the shambles of his life were now, he had the ability to take a moment to think about what he wanted to do next.

The answer was simple -- he wanted to be a superhero. But he wanted to be a different sort of hero than the Powerhouse were, in the way that they were accountable to no one. Memories of what his uncle had told him about his grandfather's exploits with the Office of Scientific Investigations came to him, and he started to think bigger than just his own individual heroism. What he needed to create was a way that he could gather others under his wing, to guide their ... heroic enterprises.

It took him three years to gather enough investors to create this new business and to find other willing and available recruits. Heroic Enterprises opened its doors in 2011, ten years to the day after the start of Cerebron's attack, advertising a new paradigm of superheroic activity. Instead of sending distress calls into the atmosphere in the vague hopes that the Powerhouse would come to their assistance, communities (and other businesses) could make a contract with the company to ensure that a priority response team would be dispatched whenever needed.

The group has gone through several ups and downs. Of the five members initially recruited by the American Angel, only one is still a member, with the rest either fired or resigned. They have been replaced, but the current membership is somewhat inexperienced, and generally much lower powered than their distinguished competition. Worse, they've actually been evicted from their original California headquarters and forced to operate out of Detroit.

A good part of the challenges that the company faces as it approaches its tenth year of operations are down to the fact that, while Thomas Dore has become an excellent field commander, he's not a particularly good businessman, and relies heavily on his associate Alan Prince for that. (Gemerald has also started to take an interest in the financial side of the group's affairs, and has been trying to call his attention to some problems she's noticed.) Whether he and the rest of his team will overcome these challenges, or simply end up a team of costumed thugs who care more about appearances than action, remains to be seen.

The American Angel -- PL 10

Abilities:
STR
5 | STA 6 | AGL 6 | DEX 5 | FGT 13 | INT 1 | AWE 6 | PRE 1

Powers:
Augmented Physique: Immunity 1 (cold); Impervious Toughness 4; Senses 1 (extended vision) - 6 points
Breathing Gear: Immunity 9 (life support), Removable (-2 points) - 7 points
Winged: Flight 8 (500 MPH), Winged - 8 points

Advantages:
Agile Feint, Benefit 3 (millionaire), Close Attack 2, Evasion, Favored Environment (aerial), Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Power Attack, Ranged Attack 3, Skill Mastery (Perception), Takedown, Tracking

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+12), Athletics 6 (+11), Deception 7 (+8), Expertise: Military 8 (+9), Insight 6 (+12), Intimidation 7 (+8), Perception 7 (+13), Persuasion 9 (+10).

Offense:
Initiative +10
Unarmed +15 (Close Damage 5)

Defense:
Dodge 12, Parry 13, Fortitude 8, Toughness 6, Will 10/8

Totals:
Abilities 88 + Powers 21 + Advantages 18 + Skills 28 + Defenses 12 = 167 points

Complications:
Recognition--Motivation. Overly Serious. Responsibility
(Heroic Enterprises.) Rivalry (Powerhouse membership.) Temper.
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Re: A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

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Doctor Sapien
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The story of his origins that Ronald Silverberg used to tell was that, while touring Kenya, he was abducted by a group of evil witch doctors who forced him to consume a potion that caused him to turn into a gorilla-like humanoid who should have been under their control; he was able to escape and gain control over his transformations. Fortunately, he's come to realize that this story perpetuates some rather harmful stereotypes, and tells more of the truth these days. The group was actually a very sophisticated criminal and scientific organization, supported by interests from the Empire of Korea, which only employed a patina of mysticism as part of their operations.

Likewise, while they expected their treatment to eliminate their test subject's intelligence, they took clever precautions to prevent his escape, and he had to be rescued by the Ghost Hunter, who helped to break up the group and arrest most of its members. (One did get away, and Silverberg sometimes worries about the prospect of him seeking revenge.) After regaining his human form, Ronald returned to the United States and got back to working on his degree, graduating with a Ph.D. in 2008. Thereafter, he found work with a number of chemical companies, rarely using his 'power'.

He had reported it to the authorities, however, as he considered this his duty as a law-abiding citizen, and would have been willing to put it to public use if ever called upon. It wasn't, though, but his voluntary registration ensured that he was one of the first people that Thomas Dore contacted when he was putting together the first team of Heroic Enterprises operatives. As Ronald had been an admirer of the United Superheroes of America when they were active, he was quite pleased to be working with him and other former members of the team.

He's not as happy to realize that he's the only one of them who's stuck with the American Angel through all of the years that have followed, but as he still genuinely respects and likes Thomas, he has no intention of ever quitting. Doctor Sapien is an important part of Thomas' support structure, always trying to get his boss to calm down and live a little. He also provides the soft touch to the lieutenant's hard fist, and maintains what friendly relationships Heroic Enterprises has with the Powerhouse and Argus.

While he doesn't advertise it, and stays in his ape-like form most of the time during missions, the treatments he endured gave even his human form very high levels of strength and endurance. Consequently, he's put a lot of research hours into studying those treatments in hopes of being the scientist to finally crack the code of a functional 'super-soldier' treatment. It's been more than a decade and Ronald suspects he's no closer to a working prototype than he was at the start, but he'll keep plugging away as long as he can.

Doctor Sapien -- PL 10

Abilities:
STR
8/4 | STA 6/4 | AGL 6/2 | DEX 6/2 | FGT 12/6 | INT 6 | AWE 2 | PRE 1

Powers:
Go Ape:
Activation, Standard Action (-2 points)
* Bestial Enhancement: Enhanced Agility 4; Enhanced Dexterity 4; Enhanced Fighting 6; Enhanced Stamina 2; Enhanced Strength 4 - 40 points
* Bestial Movement: Leaping 3 (60 feet); Movement 3 (safe-fall, wall-crawling 2); Speed 4 - 13 points
* Bestial Senses: Senses 3 (low-light vision, acute and tracking olfactory) - 3 points

Advantages:
Agile Feint, Assessment, Beginner's Luck, Equipment 3, Improved Initiative, Improvised Tools, Instant Up, Language 2 (French, German, Russian, Spanish), Move-by Action, Uncanny Dodge

Equipment:
Goggles (+2 circumstance to Fortitude checks against visual sensory afflictions) and 14 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+10/+8), Athletics 4 (+12/+8), Expertise: Science 6 (+12), Insight 8 (+10), Investigation 2 (+8), Perception 7 (+9), Persuasion 6 (+7), Sleight of Hand 5 (+11/+8), Technology 6 (+12), Treatment 5 (+11), Vehicles 5 (+11/+7).

Offense:
Initiative +10/+6
Unarmed +12/+6 (Close Damage 8/4)

Defense:
Dodge 12/8, Parry 14/10, Fortitude 10/8, Toughness 6/4, Will 8

Totals:
Abilities 54 + Powers 54 + Advantages 13 + Skills 26 + Defenses 18 = 170 points

Complications:
Discovery--Motivation. Friendship (American Angel.) Patriot. Straightforward and Truthful.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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