The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Red Ronin! Netsuko Nishimura! Rinako Saeki! Fujiko Yoshihara! Masaru Kido!)

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EternalPhoenix
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Devil Hunter Society

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Devil Hunter Society

Overview

Theme Song: Spark, by Fabvl

. . The Devil Hunter Society is over three thousand years old and it is, in fact, an off shoot of a earlier organization in China. The Yayoi people brought the trappings with them when they migrated over to Japan. China’s relative instability compared to Japan over those three thousand years caused the original parent organization (itself a splinter group) to splinter over and over again until no sect had any special relevance. The Society itself was relatively tiny and insignificant, only operating on a very local scale through all of the Yayoi and Kofun periods. Yet even in these very early days they operated on something resembling the modern superheroic ethos through a marked Buddhist influence on their philosophies. The Asuka period saw growth and incorporation into the government. Demons were a problem for the consolidating Imperial government, and the Society had the expertise to combat them effectively. By the Nara period, Devil Hunters, though still relatively few in number, could operate with impunity as long as they were doing their job. Unfortunately, two smallpox epidemics and the distrust of the powerful Fujiwara clan in the early Heian period led to the Society’s ouster as official civil servants and tighter restrictions on their operations. This, in turn, led to the creation of the Society’s alternate dimensional headquarters. This was prescient, as the warring between the Taira and Minamoto clans over control of Japan would have forced the Society to pick a side and contribute warriors…if they had not already vanished. The Society had as little to do with recorded Japanese history as possible, from this point onward. The decentralization of Japanese government into a feudal system was actually quite helpful in this regard. Being known to the ruler of one province did not mean they would be known to the ruler of the next. And periodic civil wars meant that who those rulers were could change from one decade to the next.

. . So what was the Society up to, as the Kamakura period gave way to the Muromachi period which in turn gave way to the brief Azuchi-Momoyama period? Expanding. The wars left many orphans in their wake, and the number of demons and devils that were taking advantage of the carnage was large. However, the larger the organization, the more difficult it becomes to hide its footprints. There is some evidence that Oda Nobunaga knew of their existence, but not where or how to find them. Toyotomi Hideyoshi certainly knew of them and probably where to find them, but still not how to do so. It was Tokugawa Ieyasu who figured out that last part, but he waited until after the battle of Sekigahara. For the first time in literal centuries, the Society Supreme Commander and his 17 Clan Commanders met with the leader of a mostly unified Japan and his entourage. Tokugawa, and by extension his shogunate…were not fans. Though in their defense, an army of highly skilled warriors and/or powerful magicians that numbering nearly ten thousand strong and can show up on the doorstep of literally any city or castle is kind of a nightmare scenario no matter their stated intentions. Especially if they refuse to be controlled by you and you have literally no way of forcing the issue, as their base of operations is completely unreachable to you. With that said, while the Tokugawa Shogunate clamped down on the Society like they did a lot of things, the common people had long known better than to get the people who slew the demons who appeared periodically to murder and/or eat the common people. Additionally, the Society’s operations had greatly expanded in the preceding centuries. While most of Europe was held in an iron grip by the Catholic Church’s Paladin Order, much of Asia and Africa saw repeated visits from Devil Hunters on missions ranging from demon extermination to knowledge seeking to recruitment. The Islamic proscription against magic was a rude surprise, and so operations in Middle Eastern and other Islamic nations was kept low.

. . And then Kiske, of the Thousand, launched his revolution. The Society experienced a dramatic philosophical shift into pragmatism and ruthlessness. While it remained a Society in name, in practice Kiske turned it into his own private demon killing army. He sought knowledge, power, and the annihilation of all demonkind. He deemed that the sacrifices to obtain such things would no longer be paid in the blood of Devil Hunters. Combat training ramped up, as his minimum standards were high. Recruitment missions were slashed in numbers, as the number of potential recruits that could meet his standards were low. Extermination missions were also reduced to prevent casualties among those who did not meet his standards. And a new type of mission appeared to replace knowledge seeking entirely. Requisition missions. It was a new name for the same thing, except no longer would the Society take no for an answer. Furthermore, Kiske didn’t care at all about the Paladin Order or Islamic law, and increased operations in all of Europe and every Islamic nation. He also took the opportunity the Meiji Restoration afforded and destroyed the Tokugawa Shogunate’s records on the Society, along with expanding operations to the Americas.

. . Today, the Society numbers approximately five hundred warriors with ten times that in support staff. The numbers drop off was not from casualties, not really. Though the Headquarters increases the longevity of those who dwell in it, they still age. And Devil Hunters on active status are in the field (and thus aging normally) as often as they are at home. Combined with those who left the Society or merely retired in disgust at Kiske’s methods and a miniscule recruitment rate, the Society’s numbers dwindled to their current state. As no Devil Hunter seeks fame for their actions, it has taken until the modern age with the internet for them to become anywhere near widely known. Even now, they’re only really known among the global magical community. Interpol is in Oda Nobunaga’s position of old, where they know an organization calling itself the Devil Hunters exists but where they come from is a giant shoulder shrug. Heroes trying to stop them from doing all the crime stuff will have their work cut out of them. Then again, isn’t that what heroes are for? Doing the highly improbable, if not outright impossible?

Headquarters

Devil Hunter Society HQ

Equipment Points Spent: 25

Toughness: +10

Features: Concealed 2, Dual Size, Gym, Holding Cells, Infirmary, Isolated, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Personnel, Power System, Sealed, Workshop

Powers:
Communication 9 (sense type: magic; Omni-Directional Area)
ESP 9 (affects: 2 types, inc. visual - visual & auditory; No Conduit; Limited)
Inhabitant Longevity (Features 1)
Teleport 9 (20000 miles as full action; Accurate, Portal; Anchor (Society Headquarters ), Long-Range)

Size: Awesome

Totals: Abilities 0 + Skills 0 (0 ranks) + Feats 0 + Features 14 + Powers 4 + Combat 6 + Saves 1 + Drawbacks 0 + Equipment 0 (0 ep) + Weapons & Armor 0 (0 ep) = 25

. . You know, I call it a headquarters but it’s really a full sized town, albeit mostly empty. Nestled in a small valley in rural Japan, and basically completely forgotten is a blast from Japan’s past. The buildings here evoke Heian period Kyoto in the interior, but the exterior is just a sleepy farm town surrounded by plenty of rice paddies and other fields. There are no cell or smart phones. There is no electricity or modern machinery. A visitor, unlikely as that may be, would feel like they just stepped back in time several centuries. Until said visitor notices their first spell casting. Everyone who lives here is a member of a Clan, and can cast spells. Granted, the civilian population/support staff is generally pretty weak, but there’s no need for flint and tinder when a little blast of fire will do. Irrigation is easy when you can create water with a small spell. Who needs a flashlight when there’s a Fire Clansman (Light Subclan) in the neighborhood? Etcetera. The interior has a training academy, various practice grounds, and quarters for all the actual Devil Hunters. There’s meeting halls and offices for Kiske, Zuki, Rina, Kino, and their Lieutenants. But the overall vibe is kind of…sad? Fifty five hundred living in a town that could effortlessly accommodate ten times that number is really sad. Step off the beaten path and you’ll find homes and businesses abandoned for decades, if not over a century. There are no children in the interior. It is literally an armed camp, on a perpetual war footing. However, it’s got everything the Devil Hunter need to do what they do, and thus they call it home.

Tactics

. . Let’s start with a quick chart.

Experience Level . . . Power Level . . Sword Atk Bonus/Damage . . Magic Atk Bonus/Damage . . Defense/Toughness
Rookie . . . . . . . . . . 6 . . . . . . . . . 9/3, 8/4, or 7/5 , , , , , , , , .5/7, 4/8, or 3/9 . . . . . . . . 9/3, 8/4, or 7/5
Graduate . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . . 10/4, 9/5, or 8/6 . . . . . . . . 6/8, 5/9, or 4/10 . . . . . . . 10/4, 9/5, or 8/6
Veteran . . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . . 12/4, 11/5, 10/6, or 9/7 . . . 6/10 or 4/12 . . . . . . . . . . 12/4, 11/5, 10/6, or 9/7
Senior Veteran
Support Lieutenant . 9 . . . . . . . . . 13/5, 12/6, or 10/8 . . . . . . . 8/10 or 6/12 . . . . . . . . . . 12/6,10/8, or 9/9
Combat Lieutenant . 10 . . . . . . . . 14/6, 13/7, or 12/8 . . . . . . . 10/10, 8/12, or 6/14 . . . . . 14/6, 12/8, or 10/10

. . Good. Each of the three Clan Commanders has two Combat Lieutenants and one Support Lieutenant. Both Combat Lieutenants are supported by a Senior Veteran. The rest of each Clan is made up of a mix of Veterans, Graduates, and Rookies. Each Combat Lieutenant commands either Sword or Spell Squad, which identifies the specialty of the Squad. Typically, the Power Level of the other ability (Magic for Sword, Sword for Spell) will be one or two lower and thus not as used in combat. Each Support Lieutenant commands the Support Squad. Now, their magical capabilities can be quite broad, depending on Subclan. The three main Clans are Fire (fire controllers, naturally), Frost (cold controllers, generally without the Create Object power), and Shock (electricity controllers, of course). However, many have a Subclan (formerly a full Clan before numbers dwindled too far and forced a merger) Fire has Sun (parts of fire, light, gravity, and radiation controllers), Light (pure light controllers) Fang (animal mimics). Frost has Water (water controllers, naturally), Forest (plant controllers), and Ki (life controllers). Shock has Metal (magnetism), Storm (weather), and Thunder (bits of sonic, air, and kinetic controllers). Earth (pure earth controllers), Sound (pure sonic controllers), Might (pure gravity controllers), Night (darkness and dream controllers), and Moon (illusionists/mimics with bits of light control) are currently extinct, with the only example of the latter being Kiske himself.

. . …I’ll probably end up making the Lieutenants at some point, bleh. Anyway, teams are five strong with the team leader being the strongest member. No ties allowed. Small scale missions will only a single team, commanded at least by a Veteran. Moderate scale missions will have three teams, and at minimum are led by a Senior Veteran with a Veteran commanding each of the other teams. Large scale missions will see a five team layout, and at minimum are led by a Lieutenant and seconded by a Senior Veteran (theirs if a Combat Lieutenant). The Senior Veteran will have their own team, and the other three will be led by Veterans. Massive scale missions are dramatic endeavors featuring anywhere from seven to twenty five teams. They typically feature multiple Clans, their Commanders, and multiple Lieutenants. However, mission scale is not the sole determining factor in who leads a mission and its teams. What’s listed above is for a low relative threat level.. The higher the threat level, the higher ranked the mission leader and his subordinates are. It’s not unheard of for high threat level but small scale missions to feature a Clan Commander, both their Combat Lieutenants, and both of their Senior Veterans. So you as GM have a certain flexibility in putting a group together to oppose your heroes.

. . Additionally, in the Phoenixverse those who have reached PL 12 have earned a special free Benefit feat that slightly alters the rules on Extra and/or Extraordinary Effort for them. They are detailed below.

One Thousand Spells (Kiske, of the Thousand)-Kiske does not need to have an action readied to counter magical powers. He may simply do so. Normally, this would require a Hero Point (or in this case, granting one to the hero being countered). For him it does not (and no HP is granted to the hero being countered). The opposed power check, however, is performed as normal.

Thunderclap: Divine Cleft (Zuki, the Thunderer)-When attacking with his sword, Zuki may use Extra Effort to double the positive effects of All Out Attack or Power Attack. Meaning that Defense may be traded for Attack Bonus or Attack Bonus for Damage at a 1:2 ratio. This effect only lasts for the round it is used in. He may not do it for both feats with one use of Extra Effort. To do both at the same time, Extraordinary Effort is required.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:27 am, edited 6 times in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
The Archetype Blendarama!
You, Dear Reader, may comment on any build at any time. I will be happy regardless.
User avatar
EternalPhoenix
Posts: 1858
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:42 am
Location: The Land of Mary

Zuki, The Thunderer

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Zuki, The Thunderer

Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 255/255

STR: +3 (16), DEX: +5 (20), CON: +3 (16), INT: +3 (16), WIS: +5 (20), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +9, Fort: +9, Ref: +15, Will: +9

Skills: Acrobatics 10 (+15), Diplomacy 7 (+10), Gather Information 7 (+10), Knowledge (arcane Lore) 12 (+15), Knowledge (history) 7 (+10), Knowledge (physical sciences) 2 (+5), Notice 10 (+15), Sense Motive 10 (+15)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Attack Focus (melee) 2, Attack Specialization 2 (Awoken Slash (Strike 6)), Benefit (Demon Hunter Commander), Challenge - Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus 6, Evasion 2, Improved Critical 2 (Awoken Slash (Strike 6)), Improved Initiative 7, Improved Trick, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Redirect, Ritualist, Second Chance (Concentration checks to maintain powers), Takedown Attack 2, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Enchanted Durability (Protection 6) (+6 Toughness)

Immortality (Ageless) (Immunity 1) (aging)

Immortality (Regenerative) (Regeneration 10) (recovery bonus 6 (+6 to recover), recovery rate (disabled) 1 (recover 1 / 5 hours), recovery rate (injured) 1 (recover 1 / 20 mins), recovery rate (staggered) 1 (recover 1 / 20 mins), resurrection 1 (1 week); Persistent, Regrowth)

Last Second Parry (Luck Control 1) (force a re-roll; Limited 2 (attacks against Zuki))

Lightning Magic (Array 17) (default power: blast)
. . Chain Lightning (Blast 9) (Array; DC 24; Autofire (interval 2, max +5); Accurate 3 (+6), Indirect 3 (any point, any direction), Precise)
. . Lightning Bolt (Blast 15) (Default; DC 30; Indirect 3 (any point, any direction), Precise)
. . Lightning Flash (Dazzle 9) (Array; affects: visual senses, DC 19; Perception Area (General); Sense-Dependent (Visual); Indirect 3 (any point, any direction))
. . Lightning Form (Linked)
. . . . Affects Corporeal on Awoken Slash (Features 9)
. . . . Concealment 10 (Linked; all senses; Limited (to miss chance))
. . . . Insubstantial 3 (Linked; Energy)
. . Lightning Storm (Blast 9) (Array; DC 24; Shapeable Area (9-18 cubes of 125 cu. ft. (5x5x5) - Targeted); Accurate 3 (+6), Indirect 3 (any point, any direction), Progression, Increase Area (area x2))
. . Stunning Bolt (Stun 9) (Array; DC 19; Range (ranged); Accurate 3 (+6), Indirect 3 (any point, any direction))

Omnilingual (Comprehend 3) (languages - read all, languages - speak all, languages - understand all)

Sword Supremacy (Probability Control 1) (Minimum Result: 1; Limited 2)

Thunder Flash, Divine Dream (Device 14) (Easy to lose, Only you can use)
. . Awoken Slash (Strike 6) (DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Awoken Slash (Strike 6)); Autofire (interval 2, max +5) [3 extra ranks], Penetrating; Mighty)
. . Lightning Movement (Super-Movement 5) (air walking 2 (full speed), wall-crawling 2 (full speed), water walking; Limited (to while moving))
. . Lightning Proof (Immunity 5) (damage type: Electricity)
. . Lightning Quickness (Quickness 14) (Perform routine tasks at 50000x speed)
. . Lightning Reactions (Enhanced Trait 8) (Traits: Evasion 2 +1 (+2), Feats: Improved Initiative 7)
. . Lightning Speed (Speed 14) (Speed: 250000 mph, 2200000 ft./rnd)

Attack Bonus: +9 (Ranged: +9, Melee: +11, Grapple: +14)

Attacks: Awoken Slash (Strike 6), +15 (DC 24), Chain Lightning (Blast 9), +15 (DC 24), Lightning Bolt (Blast 15), +9 (DC 30), Lightning Flash (Dazzle 9) (DC Fort/Ref 19), Lightning Storm (Blast 9), +15 (DC 24), Stunning Bolt (Stun 9), +15 (DC Fort/Staged 19), Unarmed Attack, +11 (DC 18)

Defense: +15 (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -4

Initiative: +33

Languages: Icelandic Native

Totals: Abilities 44 + Skills 17 (65 ranks) + Feats 27 + Powers 111 + Combat 36 + Saves 20 + Drawbacks 0 = 255

Age (as of Jan 2019): Unkown (known to be at least 200 years)
Height: 5’ 7”
Weight: 150 lbs.
Ethnicity: Icelandic
Hair: Strawberry Blond
Eyes: Hazel

Background: Zuki, The Thunderer was there. He was a green, wet behind the ears rookie when Kiske took over their demon hunting society. He wasn’t involved, and doesn’t know what Kiske actually did, but he was there. He remembers his teammates. Tana, of The Waves. Isora, of Beast Blood. Nika, The Heartfire. How was it that he rose to stand beside Kiske as his right hand, while so many others fell away? Isora, who fell in combat as he’d always wished. Tana, who departed in disgust as Kiske’s new methods and likely died of old age. Nika, the girl Zuki loved, who followed her brother Tana into exile. The old guard, the mighty warriors Zuki looked up to in those days? Where did they go? Time is ever merciless. To a select few did Kiske grant his knowledge of functional immortality. To the ones he would have stand by his side for the rest of time. But Zuki is troubled. Because he was there. He remembers. These days their society is an armed camp full of serious professional warriors, but before? He remembers the laughter of children and old men. Lovers necking in quiet corners. It was a happy place full of light and life and hope. They are so few now, where before they were so many. 17 clans, collapsed into just 3. And these days they are so violent. Killing demons is important, he agrees. Protecting their own is important, he agrees with this too. But outsiders are no longer regarded as friends unmet, but as enemies unrevealed. He remembers the old teachings. And he is troubled. Kiske having steered everyone wrong is an impossibility. He is a good and virtuous man. A brilliant hero who has saved more lives than anyone will ever know. Zuki knows this to be true. He believes it with all his heart. Moreover, Kiske is the man who raised Zuki up from nothing. Who taught him so much about swordsmanship and magic. Kiske is his mentor and his personal hero. He looks up to him both literally and figuratively. But he remembers, and he is troubled. The truth his eyes have seen and the memories of his earliest days war with loyalty to and faith in one great man. And even if Kiske were somehow removed, what happens next? Who leads them?

. . At any rate, Zuki leads the Shock Clan. It’s a broad tent, these days. The remnants of the actual Shock Clan are the most numerous, but bits and pieces of Metal, Storm, and Thunder remain within it. Zuki himself is Shock Clan through and through, however. He never had any intention of rising this high. Hell, he thought he’d be killed long before he became anyone who mattered at all. He was some dumb kid who got in bad debt with loansharks (thanks to certain unscrupulous and gold digging women) and ended up on the other side of the world from his home, lonely and afraid. But his sensei believed in him. Tana also held to his faith even when Zuki didn’t deserve it. Isora…was mostly an asshole. And Nika was mute, but kind in small ways. But none of them died. None of them became corrupted. Tana was a shining light. A beacon. Isora was a savage warrior, slicing all foes in his path. And Nika too, contributed. Her sobriquet was accurate, as she was the beating heart of the team and unfailing support right when they needed it. And so, for such good friends, for justice, and for honor, Zuki found his strength and started walking beside them. They were never invincible. They were wounded, beaten down, poisoned and/or otherwise messed up often enough. But they always pulled through. They survived. But Kiske, their shiny new leader supreme commander, was changing things. He wasn’t wrong. No squad or team had ever come back unharmed, and they came back short one with depressing regularity. It wasn’t all the time, or even most of the time. But the rookies were thinned out by combat against demons. Nobody was ever failed out for not measuring up. Those actually inept were reassigned to support duties even the deeply mediocre were sent on missions just like the top of the training class. They were expected to behave with dignity, compassion, and honor. Even in the face of a gruesome, horrible death and/or failing their missions. Zuki and his squad were whole…but he knew several that weren’t. Horrific permanent injuries, maimings, and of course the ones who simply never came back at all. Kiske wasn’t wrong. It didn’t need to be so horrible.

. . He should have never said anything to Tana. The conversation turned into a debate which turned into an argument which turned into their team breaking. They were veterans now. Tana had been growing more and more visibly uncomfortable with the changes Kiske had instituted. After the argument with Zuki, Tana had a blazing one with Kiske himself. And the next day he was leaving. Nika was horribly torn, but she couldn’t abandon her brother. Isora and Zuki couldn’t abandon their home. The latter two were reassigned to different teams. Isora died shortly thereafter, chainsawing his way through a horde of demons. And Kiske began personally mentoring the heartbroken Zuki. Zuki’s abilities and his perception of himself improved. Time went by, and the old Shock Clan commander retired. The Clan held a vote, and Kiske approved the results. Zuki, the Thunderer, was their new commander.

Powers & Tactics: Zuki is both a master swordsman and a expert magician. He has a potent enchanted sword, the symbol of his group, and his body is also well enchanted. Thunder Flash, Divine Dream can only be properly used by him. For anyone else it is an ordinary Damage 3 (Might, Improved Crit) Sword. This is because it was originally drawn from his soul in a rather intense magical ceremony and corporealized into a nigh unbreakable blade with a special magical ability. It is much more effective than normal swords in his hands, having more power, more sharpness, and the ability to cut several times with one swing. The special powers of his society’s swords traditionally fall into the realms of Flame, Frost, or Shock. He is no exception to this, being fully fledged Shock Clan. And so his special power is literally being as fast as lightning. Full on hypersonic speedster style. Up walls, across water, and even through the air itself (albeit at half speed ascending or descending) He’s also immune to electrical damage.

. . As a magician, he does lightning. Not electricity, lightning. Lightning Bolt is literally that, and just as powerful as the real thing. Chain Lightning is weaker, but strikes repeatedly and is more accurate. Lightning Storm maintains the accuracy, but spreads it over a wide area. Lightning Flash blinds the hell out of anyone who can’t close their eyes in time. Stunning Bolt is for when more polite violence is required. And the last of his regular arsenal is his absolutely amazing Lightning Form, in which he transforms himself into living lightning. He is virtually untouchable in this form, and his sword still works on the corporeal. And these are just the Thunder Flash half of his magic. The Divine Dream half remains unawakened. He is not aware of this.

. . The enchantments to his body are relatively subtle by comparison. His physical durability is significantly higher, he can speak, read, and understand all languages, and he is effectively immortal. That last one is something of a big deal in the Phoenixverse. Agelessness is difficult enough to acquire, but the ability to return from death (even if it’s after a week) is vanishingly rare. The list of (former) mortals who can do that is short indeed. It was Kiske who learned of the method, and performed the ritual on his top lieutenants. Like Zuki.

. . Tactically, Zuki can come off as closer to a god than a man. Faster than most can perceive and casually summoning ridiculous amounts of lightning. His eyes glowing with energy and his body sparking with electricity. His first move (with +33 Init, he tends to go before everyone) is to flash step in and take advantage of everyone else technically being Flat Footed to start chopping foes down with his sword and Takedown Attack 2’ing his way through the rest. Many a demonic mook squad has been annihilated by this. Even humans are not immune, though he never uses lethal damage against them. Lightning Storm can also be very effective in clearing mobs. Lightning Bolt is the heavy artillery, with Chain Lightning swapping in when accuracy is needed at range. Lightning Flash has turned the tide of many a group battle. For more difficult opponents, Lightning Form and his sword generally suffice. With that active, he is genuinely impressively difficult to hit. And that’s without getting into the fact that he has Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Improved Trick, and Redirect. All of which, along with Move By Action, he uses liberally. All Out and Power Attack are also on tap. They are particularly impressive with used in tandem for a +5 with Lightning Storm. Or that opening strike with his sword, if he only has one opponent. He will retreat if combat is going badly, but his Clan comes first. He is technically capable of power stunting, but the use of that would be a narrative device to show that his the Divine Dream half of his magic exists. Otherwise he won’t power stunt at all.

Personality: Zuki is defined by a lack of self confidence. He just doesn’t see himself the way others do, or the way he actually is. It’s better than it was in the old days. It’s like…when he was a green, wet behind the ears rookie. He still saw himself as a helpless civilian who’d die easily on the battlefield. Even when he had the courage to stand beside his old friends, he still didn’t see himself as any more skill than one of said rookies. Despite this being demonstrably untrue. Even now, when he’s a godlike badass, he doesn’t see himself as any better than one of his rank and file veterans. He does know he’s fully competent, but amazing? Spectacular? No. This is because he’s comparing himself to the Tana and Isora of his memories and the Kiske of now. Anyone would feel inadequate next to that group. Outside of this he’s actually a startlingly good guy. He keeps his Clan well stocked with compliments and praise, but shrugs off any directed at him with self depreciating humor. Outside of combat he’s a friendly, easygoing guy who sadly remains a sucker for a pretty face. In combat he’s the wrathful god of lightning, serious as a heart attack. He cares a lot for his Clan and the Society in general. The only reason he qualifies as a villain at all is his loyalty to Kiske. Otherwise he’d absolutely be a hero. Of course, Kiske knows this and so doesn’t ask him or his Clan to directly participate in any truly unsavory business. One of the other two Clans will be the main force, with Shock running interference. This does not mean that Zuki has never killed anyone. He has done his very best to avoid it, but a lightning bolt striking a tank or assault helicopter has predictable results for the crew inside. They were military. They knew the risks of getting into a fight with superhuman opposition, and they did it anyway. This does not make him feel better. Neither does the fact that he saved members of his Clan in the process.

. . Which means, naturally, that Zuki is the point where savvy heroes can redeem the entire Devil Hunter Society. If the heroes can get Zuki to fully believe in and trust himself at last and turn on Kiske for being evil af, his Divine Dream magic will awaken and he’ll be both willing and able of handing the arrogant bastard his ass on a plate. Zuki flipping will flip Rina, which will flip Kino, which flips the whole Society. Getting him to believe in and trust himself is easier said than done, and getting him to turn on his mentor and personal hero may well be even harder. It’s going to be a long and tedious process of becoming his friend and gathering evidence against Kiske. But like the saying goes, easy isn’t for heroes, is it?
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Wed Apr 13, 2022 3:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
The Archetype Blendarama!
You, Dear Reader, may comment on any build at any time. I will be happy regardless.
User avatar
EternalPhoenix
Posts: 1858
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:42 am
Location: The Land of Mary

Rina, The Iceheart

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Rina, The Iceheart

Power Level: 11; Power Points Spent: 240/240

STR: +2 (14), DEX: +3 (16), CON: +3 (16), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +9/+14, Fort: +8, Ref: +8, Will: +14

Skills: Acrobatics 12 (+15), Concentration 12 (+15), Diplomacy 7 (+10), Gather Information 7 (+10), Intimidate 12 (+15), Knowledge (arcane Lore) 13 (+15), Knowledge (history) 8 (+10), Knowledge (physical sciences) 3 (+5), Knowledge (tactics) 3 (+5), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 8 (+10), Notice 12 (+15), Sense Motive 12 (+15), Stealth 7 (+10)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Attack Focus (melee) 2, Attack Specialization 2 (Heartsong Strike (Strike 6)), Attractive (+4), Benefit (Demon Hunter Commander), Challenge - Improved Demoralize, Challenge - Improved Startle, Evasion, Improved Critical 2 (Chill Wind (Blast 8)), Improved Critical 2 (Heartsong Strike (Strike 6)), Improved Critical 2 (Ice Bonds (Snare 14)), Improved Critical 2 (Ice Javelin (Blast 14)), Improved Critical 2 (Snowblind (Dazzle 14)), Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Ritualist, Set-Up, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Intimidate, Notice, Sense Motive), Startle, Takedown Attack 2, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Enchanted Durability (Protection 6) (+6 Toughness)

Ice Wind, Heart Song (Device 12) (Easy to lose, Only you can use)
. . Chilling Field (Force Field 5) (+5 Toughness, Feats: Attractive (+4); Impervious [6 extra ranks])
. . Coldproof (Immunity 10) (common descriptor: Ice/Cold)
. . Heart's Song (Emotion Control 11) (DC 21; Perception Area (General), Secondary Effect, Selective Attack; Limited (to current emotion felt), Range 2 (touch))
. . Heartsong Strike (Strike 6) (DC 23, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Heartsong Strike (Strike 6)); Mighty, Precise, Subtle (subtle))

Icewind Magic (Array 16) (default power: blast)
. . Flying Platform (Flight 8) (Alternate; Speed: 2500 mph, 22000 ft./rnd; Platform)
. . Howling Blizzard (Obscure 8) (Alternate; affects: visual senses, Radius: 1000 ft.; Selective Attack)
. . Chill Wind (Blast 8) (Array; DC 23, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Chill Wind (Blast 8)); Alternate Save (Fortitude); Accurate 3 (+6), Homing (1 attempt), Improved Range (200 ft. incr), Progression, Increase Range (max range x2, 2000 feet))
. . Chilling Burst (Paralyze 10) (Array; DC 20; Burst Area (50-250 ft. radius - General), Duration (concentration); Action (full); Progression, Increase Area 2 (area x5))
. . Hailstorm (Blast 10) (Array; DC 25; Cloud Area (50 ft. diameter, lingers - General); Indirect 2 (any point, directed away))
. . Ice Bonds (Snare 14) (Array; DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Ice Bonds (Snare 14)); Homing (1 attempt), Precise)
. . Ice Darts (Blast 8) (Array; DC 23; Autofire (interval 2, max +5); Accurate 3 (+6), Improved Range (200 ft. incr), Precise, Progression, Increase Range (max range x2, 2000 feet))
. . Ice Javelin (Blast 14) (Default; DC 29, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Ice Javelin (Blast 14)); Homing (1 attempt), Precise)
. . Icewind Burst (Move Object 10) (Array; Strength: 50, Carry: 4.3 tons / 8.5 tons / 12.8 tons / 25.6 tons, DC 25; Cone Area (100-500 ft. cone - General), Damaging; Range (touch); Progression, Increase Area 2 (area x5))
. . Snowblind (Dazzle 14) (Array; affects: visual senses, DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Snowblind (Dazzle 14)); Precise)

Immortality (Ageless) (Immunity 1) (aging)

Immortality (Regenerative) (Regeneration 13) (recovery bonus 6 (+6 to recover), recovery rate (disabled) 2 (recover 1 / hour), recovery rate (injured) 2 (recover 1 / 5 mins), recovery rate (staggered) 2 (recover 1 / 5 mins), resurrection 1 (1 week); Persistent, Regrowth)

Omnilingual (Comprehend 3) (languages - read all, languages - speak all, languages - understand all)

Attack Bonus: +8 (Ranged: +8, Melee: +10, Grapple: +12)

Attacks: Chill Wind (Blast 8), +14 (DC Fort 23), Chilling Burst (Paralyze 10) (DC Staged/Will 20), Hailstorm (Blast 10) (DC 25), Heart's Song (Emotion Control 11) (DC Staged/Will 21), Heartsong Strike (Strike 6), +14 (DC 23), Ice Bonds (Snare 14), +8 (DC Ref/Staged 24), Ice Darts (Blast 8), +14 (DC 23), Ice Javelin (Blast 14), +8 (DC 29), Icewind Burst (Move Object 10) (DC 25), Snowblind (Dazzle 14), +8 (DC Fort/Ref 24), Unarmed Attack, +10 (DC 17)

Defense: +8 (Flat-footed: +4), Knockback: -12

Initiative: +3

Languages: Japanese Native

Totals: Abilities 32 + Skills 29 (116 ranks) + Feats 20 + Powers 106 + Combat 32 + Saves 21 + Drawbacks 0 = 240

Age (as of Jan 2019): Unknown (at least 150 years)
Height: 5’
Weight: 95 lbs.
Ethnicity: Japanese
Hair: Black
Eyes: Dark Brown

Background: Rina, The Iceheart is in an awkward position. She herself was not yet born during Kiske’s rise to power. She has no personal knowledge of how much things have changed. Her older brother (who adopted her into their family) however, was a Clan leader at the time. He retired specifically because he did not agree with the changes. Also Kiske kicked his ass in a non lethal duel. Byakusei, of the Blossoming Storm (his name) pulled her out of a crowd of rookies. She got there the old fashioned way. She volunteered. When you’re barely into your teen years and all but one of your equally orphaned childhood friends have died, well. Few people cared about destitute peasant orphans during the Meiji Restoration. Survival was a constant struggle, but they had each other. Until slowly, they didn’t. Disease, lack of food, and cruel winters took all but her and Rokuro away one by one. They were too old to steal like they did as children. The punishment should they be caught would be much more severe. Their choices were few, and all bad. But the Devil Hunter Society promised room and board, as long as they were willing to fight supernatural menaces. Everything else promised either a pittance of cash, or virtual enslavement to a trade’s master. They could not wait too long to decide, either. Rina’s cold beauty had been noticed, and Rokuro’s life meant nothing to such unscrupulous men. Either they would decide their futures now, or they would be decided for them. A heavy thing to place on barely more than children. Of course, they joined the Society as recruits. They trained diligently and well.

. . Rokuro had some talent with a sword, but his deficiencies with magic kept him in the normal classes. Rina, however, progressed well in both categories and was admitted to the elite training courses. Where Byakusei noticed her. It was Rina’s decision to join his family. A better home. Better food. Better training. And, of course, Rokuro would be freed of having to look after her. Rokuro, for his part, kept his objections to himself until it was much too late. That house was a cold and lonely place. But the accommodations were better than the recruit dorms, which were a big tent with a bunch of cots in it. One for the men, one for the women. The food was of better quality and more plentiful. One bowl of rice made for a poor meal, but it was all the recruits got. Occasionally there was fish at dinner, but still. And Byakusei directed her training himself. The Storm Clan Commander was a far better teacher than rank and file veterans who drew the short straw or “volunteered”. Even if he was a bit hands off, she learned a lot. But training ends, and field work begins.

. . Kiske took notice for her progression as time went on, and began offering her more and more prominent missions. He was curious to see if she would excel, and when she did he was well pleased. He did not serve as a trainer, but as a mentor figure. Further down the line, when Frost Clan needed a new commander, it was his recommendation that clinched the win in the vote for her. She’s settled into the role rather nicely. But her position remains awkward. Two men who she has great respect and gratitude towards have diametrically opposed views. Deciding between them was impossible. So instead she covered her heart with layers of ice, and has done her best to follow orders. What the society does under Kiske’s command is sometimes evil. However, the goal is always good. She’s deeply conflicted and trapped in decision paralysis. So she is The Iceheart.

Powers & Tactics: Rina is both a expert swordswoman and magician. She has a potent enchanted sword, the symbol of her group, and her body is also well enchanted. Ice Wind, Heart Song can only be properly used by her. For anyone else it is an ordinary Damage 3 (Might, Improved Crit) Sword. This is because it was originally drawn from her soul in a rather intense magical ceremony and corporealized into a nigh unbreakable blade with a special magical ability. It is much more effective than normal swords in her hands, having more power, more sharpness, and more precision. It even shrouds Rina with just enough frost to disguise her slashes as breezes to unkeen eyes. The special powers of her society’s swords traditionally fall into the realms of Flame, Frost, or Shock. She is somewhat unique to this, being fully fledged Frost Clan hybridized with the currently extinct Sound Clan. Therefore she has two special abilities instead of one. This is, needless to say, highly unusual. Chilling Field uses the power of absolute zero (where all matter ceases movement) to drain the energy of any attack directed at her. This makes her considerably more durable than her peers. Heart’s Song can force whatever emotion she’s currently feeling onto anyone who can hear her sword sing said song. This is less useful than it sounds, as her sobriquet of The Iceheart is not inaccurate. Early on, she had trouble controlling it. Combined with her other nonpower related issues, she earned her sobriquet.

. . As a magician, she does ice, cold, and wind. She has a wide variety of ways to do damage. Ice Javelin is high damage and single target. Ice Darts is weaker, but more accurate while using multiple hits. Chill Wind does its best to freeze its target solid, bypassing armor from equipment, devices, or superhuman powers. Hailstorm is exactly that. Chunks of ice fall from the sky and batter the enemies across an area. Icewind Burst combines damage with the ability to move things or enemies. She has a few spells that have more exotic effects, as well. Ice Bonds can bind a target in ice, and Snowblind can, well, blind people. Chiling Burst is arguably the best of them, as it exposes an area to such intense cold that anyone within it slowly loses the ability to move. Her final regular spell slot is occupied by two options. Frozen Platform she can ride to fly around at hypersonic speeds, while Howling Blizzard blots out vision in a thousand foot radius.

. . The enchantments to his body are relatively subtle by comparison. Her physical durability is significantly higher, she can speak, read, and understand all languages, and she is effectively immortal. That last one is something of a big deal in the Phoenixverse. Agelessness is difficult enough to acquire, but the ability to return from death (even if it’s after a week) is vanishingly rare. The list of (former) mortals who can do that is short indeed. It was Kiske who learned of the method, and performed the ritual on his top lieutenants. Like Rina.

. . Tactically, Rina can seem more like a goddess of winter than a mortal. She shows a decided preference for ranged combat, which helps a lot in that impression. Aside from that, it’s Ranged Combat 101 with her. Area attack for groups of enemies, single targets once they’re whittled down. Collateral damage really isn’t her thing, so she’ll be careful with that. Chilling Burst is her favorite area spell. Ice Javelin and Ice Darts are tied for favorite single target spell. One of her favorite things to do, when with a full Frost Clan team, is unleash Howling Blizzard to blind the opposition while her team does its work. And there’s nothing like a Demoralize and Startle combo (one of them Improved), used with Set Up, to let her underlings rock a tougher opponent’s world. Her underlings or Zuki and Kino should they be fighting together. She is very protective of her Clanmates and makes sure they get out safely. And just because she prefers ranged combat does not mean she can’t slice a roomful of demons to ribbons in seconds with Takedown Attack 2. With massive nine spell options at her command, she doesn’t power stunt often.

Personality: Rina comes across initially as emotionless to the point of sociopathy. This is the direct opposite of the truth. She cares a lot. About her Clan. About the Society. About right and wrong. But she’s caught in a grey area. Like Kiske, she doesn’t want anyone in her Clan or indeed in the Society to die. So they have to be stronger than and more ruthless to their enemies. For the former, that means there’s knowledge and artifacts that they absolutely need, regardless of whether or not the current owner is willing to surrender them or not. This has, inevitably, made them many human enemies. Enemies that cannot be allowed to harm the Clan or the Society. So when the two sides clash, she must do everything she can to prevent casualties to her own. And that means killing people. She is deeply uncomfortable with stealing and killing, but she cannot see a better solution. She knows it’s wrong, but the alternative is burying more and more friends. So she piles the ice high on her warm and caring heart, and gets on with what needs to be done. Without complaint.

. . As stated in Zuki, the Thunderer’s entry, flipping him to the hero side will flip Rina. This is because she thinks herself alone in her reservations and as such dares not speak them aloud to anyone. Zuki going to war with Kiske shows her that no, she’s not alone. This melts the ice piled on her heart and breaks her decision paralysis. No more. She sides with Zuki in that how they treat others is more important than preserving their own lives at all costs. And it is seeing the two of them stand against Kiske that makes Kino get to thinking, and change sides himself.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Wed Apr 13, 2022 3:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
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EternalPhoenix
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Kino, of the Stars

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Kino, of the Stars

Power Level: 11; Power Points Spent: 225/225

STR: +4 (18), DEX: +4 (18), CON: +4 (18), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +2 (14), CHA: +2 (14)

Tough: +10, Fort: +9, Ref: +12, Will: +9

Skills: Acrobatics 11 (+15), Bluff 13 (+15), Diplomacy 8 (+10), Gather Information 8 (+10), Knowledge (arcane Lore) 8 (+10), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 8 (+10), Language 1 (+1), Notice 8 (+10), Sense Motive 8 (+10), Sleight of Hand 1 (+5), Stealth 6 (+10)

Feats: Accurate Attack, Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Attack Focus (melee) 4, Challenge - Improved Feint, Challenge - Improved Taunt, Dodge Focus 3, Evasion, Improved Critical 2 (Blazing Fire (Drain 10)), Improved Critical 2 (Blazing Strike (Strike 6)), Improved Critical 2 (Dazzling Beam (Stun 8)), Improved Critical 2 (Fire Blast (Blast 14)), Improved Critical 2 (Fire Bolts (Blast 8)), Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Bluff, Sleight of Hand, Stealth), Takedown Attack 2, Taunt, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Blazing Sun, Burning Soul (Device 12) (Easy to lose, Only you can use)
. . Blazing Sword (Linked)
. . . . Blazing Fire (Drain 10) (Linked; drains: single trait - toughness, DC 20, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Blazing Fire (Drain 10)); Affects Objects)
. . . . Blazing Strike (Strike 6) (Linked; DC 25, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Blazing Strike (Strike 6)); Penetrating [5 ranks only]; Mighty)
. . Burning Regeneration (Regeneration 24+1) ([Stacking ranks: +1], recovery bonus 5 (+5 to recover), recovery rate (bruised) 3 (recover 1 / round without rest), recovery rate (disabled) 6 (recover 1 / round), recovery rate (injured) 5 (recover 1 / action), recovery rate (staggered) 5 (recover 1 / action))

Enchanted Durability (Protection 6) (+6 Toughness)

Immortality (Ageless) (Immunity 1) (aging)

Immortality (Regenerative) (Regeneration 1) (resurrection 1 (1 week); Stacks with (Burning Regeneration (Regeneration 24+1)); Persistent, Regrowth)

Omnilingual (Comprehend 3) (languages - read all, languages - speak all, languages - understand all)

Sunfire Magic (Array 16) (default power: blast)
. . Blinding Burst (Dazzle 10) (Array; affects: visual senses, DC 20; Burst Area (50-250 ft. radius - General), Selective Attack; Range (touch); Progression, Increase Area 2 (area x5))
. . Crushing Gravity Field (Move Object 10) (Array; Strength: 50, Carry: 4.3 tons / 8.5 tons / 12.8 tons / 25.6 tons, DC 25; Burst Area (50-250 ft. radius - General), Damaging; Limited Direction (Downwards); Progression, Increase Area 2 (area x5))
. . Dazzling Beam (Stun 8) (Array; DC 18, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Dazzling Beam (Stun 8)); Range (ranged); Accurate 3 (+6), Improved Range (200 ft. incr), Precise, Progression, Increase Range (max range x2, 2000 feet))
. . Fire Blast (Blast 14) (Default; DC 29, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Fire Blast (Blast 14)); Precise, Ricochet (1 bounce))
. . Fire Bolts (Blast 8) (Array; DC 23, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Fire Bolts (Blast 8)); Autofire (interval 2, max +5); Accurate 3 (+6), Improved Range (200 ft. incr), Precise, Progression, Increase Range (max range x2, 2000 feet))
. . Fire Bomb (Blast 10) (Array; DC 25; Burst Area (50-250 ft. radius - General); Progression, Increase Area 2 (area x5))
. . Gravikinesis (Move Object 10) (Array; Strength: 50, Carry: 4.3 tons / 8.5 tons / 12.8 tons / 25.6 tons; Burst Area (50-100 ft. radius - General); Progression, Increase Area (area x2), Selective)
. . Gravity Warp (Teleport 9) (Array; 900 ft. as move action, 20000 miles as full action; Accurate; Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy, Progression, Mass (carry 250 lbs), Turnabout)
. . Regenerative Sunlight (Healing 10) (Array; DC 20; Action (standard), Range (ranged); Limited to Others; Persistent, Regrowth)

Attack Bonus: +8 (Ranged: +8, Melee: +12, Grapple: +16)

Attacks: Blazing Fire (Drain 10), +12 (DC Fort/Staged 20), Blazing Strike (Strike 6), +12 (DC 25), Blinding Burst (Dazzle 10) (DC Fort/Ref 20), Crushing Gravity Field (Move Object 10) (DC 25), Dazzling Beam (Stun 8), +14 (DC Fort/Staged 18), Fire Blast (Blast 14), +8 (DC 29), Fire Bolts (Blast 8), +14 (DC 23), Fire Bomb (Blast 10) (DC 25), Unarmed Attack, +12 (DC 19)

Defense: +12 (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -5

Initiative: +4

Languages: English, Swahili Native

Totals: Abilities 36 + Skills 20 (80 ranks) + Feats 21 + Powers 94 + Combat 34 + Saves 20 + Drawbacks 0 = 225

Age (as of Jan 2019): Unknown (at least 100 years)
Height: 5’ 11”
Weight: 175 lbs.
Ethnicity: Sub Saharan African (tribe unknown)
Hair: Black
Eyes: Dark Brown

Background: Kino, of the Stars doesn’t remember a lot about his life before the Society. World War I’s African theatre was somewhat sparse on action compared to Europe, but he remembers soldiers passing through his village (Town? City? He doesn’t quite remember.). His next memory is of being sick. He knows this was the influenza epidemic that started in 1918. The Spanish flu that killed millions of Africans. He is quite certain it was about to kill him, too, were it not for the intervention of Kiske and the Devil Hunter Society. According to the Society’s records, a pestilence demon was thriving on the outbreak, making it worse than it would have otherwise been and drawing others of its ilk to the area. Kiske killed it personally, and a Zuki, The Thunderer led squad (his first mission as Shock Clan Commander) killed off the rest. A support squad from Frost Clan (featuring Rina, The Iceheart as a leader of a bodyguard squad) lent medical aid through means both mundane and magical. Kino survived. Others did not. Kino wanted to join such cool people. Mighty warriors with great magic. Great heroes, with a dashing and intelligent leader. It wasn’t a recruitment mission (they had come to exterminate the demon specifically), but Kiske liked the look of the boy. The long sickness had destroyed his memory of who he was, and nobody stepped forward to claim him as their own. So when Kiske and the Society left, Kino went with them.

. . The boy trained hard, but he was no prodigy. Quite ordinary, really, as recruits went. The only thing that set him apart was not merely just the capacity for, but the determination to endure body and soul crushing amounts of hard work. Kiske had many other matters to attend to, but he checked in on Kino and the recruits from time to time. Zuki remembered the spirited lad, and checked in sometimes himself. Kino’s determination not to die back in Africa had made a small impression on Rina, too, and she checked on him sometimes as well. It wasn’t mentorship, not really. And those three weren’t alone. But still. He graduated training, and was assigned to a rookie squad. Zazie, the Steel Wind. Yuki, the Quenched. And his rival Delun, of the Journey. In times past, one or two of them would not have survived to make veteran status. Under Kiske’s rule, all four did relatively unscathed. As veterans, with their changeable squad compositions, the four worked together much less often. Time went on and on. Zazie became one of Zuki’s Lieutenants. Yuki became one of Rina’s shortly after she became Frost Clan Commander. And both Kino and Delun became one for the Fire Clan Commander.

. . However, nothing lasts forever. Akiko, the Phoenix, died suddenly and surprisingly permanently. A new Fire Clan Commander was needed. To Kino’s surprise, Delun gave him his recommendation and stepped aside. The rivalry was well and truly buried. The other two Clan Commanders had been tracking his career if not actively mentoring him, and let their preference for him be known. His former squadmates spoke well of him, after all. But it was his hero of a century ago, Kiske, who shocked him out of his shoes by convincing the other Fire Clan Lieutenant to also stand aside. With only one candidate, the vote was a foregone conclusion. Kino, thrilled to his toes, now got to stand beside the heroes from so long ago as their equal. For the most part. Kiske as still the boss. This suits Kino fine, as his first mission as Commander was to annihilate the demon whose curse had stole Akiko’s life. It was, naturally, a complete success.

Powers & Tactics: Zuki is both a expert swordsman and a expert magician. He has a potent enchanted sword, the symbol of his group, and his body is also well enchanted. Blazing Sun, Burning Soul can only be properly used by him. For anyone else it is an ordinary Damage 3 (Mighty, Improved Crit) Sword. This is because it was originally drawn from his soul in a rather intense magical ceremony and corporealized into a nigh unbreakable blade with a special magical ability. It is much more effective than normal swords in his hands, having more power, and more sharpness. It also emits a heat so intense there is likely nothing in the world it cannot cut. The special powers of his society’s swords traditionally fall into the realms of Flame, Frost, or Shock. He is a slight exception to this, being fully fledged Sun Clan. The Sun Clan was subsumed into the Fire Clan before Kino’s arrival, but all the same. His special ability is rapid regeneration. His injuries literally burn out of existence, as flames incinerate any trace of physical injury. It’s quite the spectacle, even if it does require a little conscious effort for the most part. He’s hoping to fix that soon.

. . As a magician, he is extremely versatile. His Sunfire Magic has produced fire, light, and gravitic effects. It’s possible he could use radiation or a limited range of magnetic or even electric effects one day. At any rate, he uses fire purely for damage. Fire Blast is the big shot. Fire Bolts do less damage but is more accurate and strikes multiple times. Fire Burst is the crowd control, doing damage over an area. It is important to note that this is stellar and therefore nuclear fire. Effects that counter normal fire will have no effect on it. His main focus with light spells is disabling the opponent. Blinding Burst (which can disable the visual senses of everyone in an area) and Dazzling Beam (which simply overwhelms the target with light and color, essentially inducing a non-physical seizure) support this. However, Regenerative Sunlight is a healing spell that only works on other people. It opens up all sorts of interesting questions about what his magic can do with light beyond photonic manipulation. His gravitic spells through more fuel on this fire, as they’re all quite different. Crushing Gravity Field is literally that. Anything caught within the area is subject to damage and being pressed to the ground unable to move. Gravikinesis allows him to move a selected amount of objects within an area. It can be used on people, as well, but cannot do direct damage. Gravity Warp bends spacetime to its will with raw gravitic force, connecting two points and permitting him to effectively teleport over potentially vast distances.

. . The enchantments to his body are relatively subtle by comparison. His physical durability is significantly higher, he can speak, read, and understand all languages, and he is effectively immortal. That last one is something of a big deal in the Phoenixverse. Agelessness is difficult enough to acquire, but the ability to return from death (even if it’s after a week) is vanishingly rare. The list of (former) mortals who can do that is short indeed. It was Kiske who learned of the method, and performed the ritual on his top lieutenants. Like Kino.

. . Tactically, Kino can seem like a wrathful god of the sun than a mortal. He shows a decided preference for his sword. This is fair, as one swing tends to either cripple or outright kill most opponents. This generally permits him to Takedown Attack 2 his way through a large amount of opponents. And with Gravity Warp, he can approach from unexpected angles. But he is a competent battlefield strategist. Thus larger groups can get hit with Blinding Burst, Crushing Gravity Field, or Fire Bomb. And some enemies have auras or reaction damage, so Dazzling Beam, Fire Blast, and Fire Bolts can be effective in those situations. Gravikinesis and Regenerative Sunlight allow him to be effective is a support role, as well. A Feint or Taunt (Improved version, naturally) can swing things in his favor, as well. And nothing yet has survived a full +5 All Out Power Attack with his sword. Gravity Warp also serves a second purpose. Burning regeneration requires a standard action to remove most damage conditions. So it can give him a quick breather to remove Disabled and/or Staggered before charging back in. Like the other two Clan Commanders, he takes very good care of his Clan and team, protecting them as much as possible. He is always the last one to retreat because Gravity Warp’s long range option is an easy escape.
There’s actually a lot of power stunts Kino can do, as befits his magic’s versatility. Fire Blast, Fire Bolts, and Fire Bomb can have the Fire descriptor replaced with Laser (for light) or Gravitic (for gravity) if a foe is immune to fire damage. Blinding Burst and Dazzling Beam can swap feats, extras, and total ranks to become Blinding Beam and Dazzling Burst. He can even turn Blinding Burst into Fireflash, which is an effect descriptor swap from Light to Fire. He’s even got a Maser Blast, which resembles Fire Bolts with Autofire and the Fire descriptor swapped out for Alt Save (Fort) and the Radiation descriptor, respectively. In the support arena, he’s got Low-G Zone, which is Super Strength 10 (Feats: Progression [Increase Area], Selective; Extras: Affects Others, Burst Area; Flaw: Duration [sustained]). So everybody he wants within a 50-100 foot radius suddenly has +50 lifting STR and a max load of over a hundred tons. For when you absolutely, positively, gotta carry smething ridiculously heavy with all your friends, accept no substitutes. And that’s the story here. All of his power stunts are very situational. He won’t pull one of these out unless it’s been proven necessary.

Personality: Kino is a hardworking and dependable guy. He’s a nice guy with an appealing if simple personality and people just tend to like him. He feels like the luckiest person in the world, getting to work alongside his heroes from his early days. His determination is more than superheroic. He just doesn’t know how to give up, because the only thing he’s ever been truly great at is working hard. His is a simple creed. Work hard, be kind to others, and protect those important to you. The main problem with him, the thing that makes him a villain at the present time, is that he doesn’t see people from outside of Devil Hunter Society as, well, people. In fairness, he’s spent about 90 percent of his life with the Society, has spent all that time hero worshiping them as the people who saved his life, and encounters with outsiders almost always involve said outsiders being deliberately obstructive and/or getting violent. He quite literally doesn’t know any better than to consider outsiders almost as bad as demons and combat them accordingly. So surprisingly enough, the youngest member of and newcomer to the Clan Commanders has the highest personal body count. Basically he’s a shonen protagonist except on the wrong side.

. . As noted in the entries for Zuki, the Thunderer and Rina, the Iceheart, flipping them from villain to good will flip Kino. Because he’s not a sociopath or anything. He has a conscience, and it works just fine. As stated above, he just doesn’t know any better. But Zuki and Rina do, and it’s quite literally the first time in his life he’s been confronted (from someone he’d listen to) with this idea. That outsider doesn’t necessarily equal enemy. He’s neither blind nor stupid. Outsiders are humans, too. And in an instant, he’s angrier than he’s ever been in his life. Genuinely goddamn furious. Kiske is such a bastard. Using Kino. Manipulating Rina and Zuki. And for what? To protect everyone? Bullshit. The Society isn’t everyone. There are those out there just as weak and vulnerable as he was a century ago. Outsiders are not all enemies. Some are people, as worthy of protection as the Society’s own. With all three Clan Commanders against him, Kiske’s rule over the Society is broken. What happens next is entirely up to you, GM. Dismantle the whole org? Throw everyone in prison? Let them atone as true heroes once again? The choices are boundless and all yours.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Wed Apr 13, 2022 3:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
The Archetype Blendarama!
You, Dear Reader, may comment on any build at any time. I will be happy regardless.
User avatar
EternalPhoenix
Posts: 1858
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:42 am
Location: The Land of Mary

Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: Blackgate Pirates, Devil Hunter Society)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Turgenev Mercenary Group

Overview

The Turgenev Mercenary Group has gone through many iterations. Ruslan Turgenev is, obviously, the founder and longest serving member. There is no distinct founding date, and dozens of members have come and gone (to their graves or life sentences in prison). In fact, without Ruslan as the point which they all have and do orbit, it would quickly fall apart. Thinking of them as a private military corporation, with ranks and offices and a whole management side is completely incorrect. Despite having an official name, it is primarily a loose affiliation of mercenaries all taking advantage of Ruslan’s reputation for brutally murdering anyone who attempts to screw him over, screw with him, or otherwise mistreat him. It’s less an organized group and more a glorified protection scheme. Ruslan, naturally, doesn’t mind. Mainly because he’s the one who started it. Anyone who claims to be one of his and isn’t, well…most of the time he just has to say so, and it blows up in the liar’s face. Often spectacularly literally. But every now and again he takes care of the matter himself, just as a reminder to any other would be liars out there.

. . The contracts Group members take run the gamut. They’re basically muscle for hire, though this can be flashy or subtle. And killing costs extra. A contract may not be altered once accepted and each Group member may have only one contract active at a time. Ruslan takes the most jobs of the listed four. Tatsuya has a code of honor that prevents any sneaky business. Bellona wouldn’t know subtle and/or patient if it bit her on the ass. And Reyna only takes jobs from legitimate national organizations. Terrorists and organized crime she will never help. Ruslan himself has none of these issues, and neither do most of the generic membership. They’re all PL 5 Soldiers or PL 6 Elite Soldiers, with a handful of PL 5 former Government Agents. As befitting the loose organization of the Group, they have no headquarters of any kind. Hell, finding more than a handful in the same general area at the same time likely means they’ve been contracted by the same client.

Tactics

Again, as befits the loose organization of the Group, there are no real established team tactics. Reyna and most of the generics have professional modern combat training, however, and do operate well as a unit when called upon to do so. Cover fire, aid actions, you know how this works. Tatsuya and Bellona, on the other hand, do whatever the hell they want. Tatsuya does look after his less capable allies, but on his own terms and with his own methods. With Bellona, though, they’re on their own. Ruslan is the only one who can corral them all into a proper fighting unity, but in practice they’re just doing the above under his supervision. He does, however, keep the generics out of fighting enemies that may or actually do threaten the named Group members. This includes sending Reyna to look after them as they retreat, as he is actually unaware of her PL of 12. He thinks of her like the PL 9 she mostly operates as offensively. Similarly, he overrates Tatsuya slightly, seeing him as a PL 13 instead of the 12 he is. This goes the other way with both Tatsuya and Reyna, with them seeing Ruslan as a borderline unstoppable PL 16 instead of a 14. Bellona doesn’t think this deeply about anyone.

Additionally, in the Phoenixverse those who have reached PL 12 have earned a special free Benefit feat that slightly alters the rules on Extra and/or Extraordinary Effort for them. They are detailed below.

Hellish Might (Ruslan Turgenev)-Ruslan may temporarily gain the Bracing and Countering Punch powers feats from Super Strength without use of Extra Effort or granting a Hero Point. Furthermore, he does not need to do anything special to use Countering Punch. He may simply use the feat if he can take actions.

Countering Slash (Tatsuya Gushiken)-This is similar to the Countering Punch power feat from Super Strength. Tatsuya uses the damage rank from his swords (+9) as his normal Strength bonus before Super Strength applies. No Extra Effort is required to access this. However, normal countering rules apply. He must ready an action, grant a Hero Point, or use Extra Effort.

Savage Onslaught (Bellona Accardo)-Bellona may use Extra Effort to apply Autofire to all powers in her Divine Weapons Array for the rest of the current combat. For Divine Assault Rifle and Divine Blades, this reduces the degree of the attack roll’s success required to raise damage DC by 1 from 2 over Defense to 1 over Defense. For Divine Grenade Launcher, for every 2 the targets fail the reflex save the damage DC increases by 1. Divine Sniper Rifle uses Autofire normally.

Ghost In The Machine (Reyna Oleastro)-Reyna may use Extra Effort to automatically succeed on any Computers check, no matter the DC. Furthermore, she may function like a “universal remote control” in relationship to machines that include such capabilities, turning them on or off or controlling them like a regular remote would. This second part does not require Extra Effort.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Wed Apr 13, 2022 3:00 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Tatsuya Gushiken

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Tatsuya Gushiken

Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 210/210

STR: +5 (20), DEX: +5 (20), CON: +5 (20), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +5/+9, Fort: +8, Ref: +15, Will: +10

Skills: Acrobatics 10 (+15), Craft (artistic) 3 (+5), Diplomacy 7 (+10), Intimidate 17 (+20), Knowledge (art) 3 (+5), Knowledge (current events) 3 (+5), Knowledge (streetwise) 3 (+5), Knowledge (tactics) 8 (+10), Language 6 (+6), Notice 12 (+15), Sense Motive 12 (+15)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Assessment, Attack Focus (melee) 6, Challenge - Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Challenge - Improved Cunning Fighter, Challenge - Improved Demoralize, Challenge - Improved Startle, Cunning Fighter, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus 6, Evasion, Improved Critical (Black Dragon Shock (Strike 4)), Improved Critical 2 (Black Dragon Cutter (Drain 9)), Improved Critical 2 (Black Dragon Cutter (Strike 4)), Improved Critical 2 (Black Dragon Secret Technique: Infinite Worlds (Strike 4)), Improved Initiative, Lionheart, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Intimidate, Notice, Sense Motive), Startle, Takedown Attack 2, Ultimate Effort (Toughness saves), Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Black Dragon Style Training (Container, Passive 6) (Custom 2 (Container 5.6))
. . Leaping 2 (Jumping distance: x5)
. . Protection 4 (+4 Toughness)
. . Quickness 2 (Perform routine tasks at 5x speed)
. . Speed 2 (Speed: 25 mph, 220 ft./rnd)
. . Super-Movement 1 (slow fall)
. . Super-Movement 1 (wall-crawling 1 (half speed); Limited (while moving))
. . Super-Senses 3 (accurate: Normal Auditory, danger sense: Mental)
. . Super-Strength 6 (+30 STR carry capacity, heavy load: 12.8 tons; +6 STR to some checks)

Black Dragon Swords (Device 7) (Easy to lose, Only you can use)
. . Black Dragon Techniques (Array 15) (default power: strike)
. . . . Black Dragon Cannon (Blast 9) (Array; DC 24; Autofire (interval 2, max +5); Accurate 3 (+6))
. . . . Black Dragon Cutter (Linked)
. . . . . . Black Dragon Cutter (Drain 9) (Linked; drains: single trait - toughness, DC 19, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Black Dragon Cutter (Drain 9)); Affects Objects)
. . . . . . Black Dragon Cutter (Strike 4) (Linked; DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Black Dragon Cutter (Strike 4)); Mighty)
. . . . Black Dragon Gust (Linked)
. . . . . . Black Dragon Gust (Move Object 9) (Linked; Strength: 45, Carry: 4.3k / 4.3 tons / 6.4 tons / 12.8 tons; Cone Area (90-180 ft. cone - General); Limited Direction (Away), Range (touch); Progression, Increase Area (area x2))
. . . . . . Black Dragon Gust (Trip 9) (Linked; Cone Area (90-180 ft. cone - General), Knockback; Range (touch); Improved Throw, Progression, Increase Area (area x2))
. . . . Black Dragon Secret Technique: Infinite Worlds (Strike 4) (Default; DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Black Dragon Secret Technique: Infinite Worlds (Strike 4)); Autofire (interval 2, max +5) [5 extra ranks], Penetrating [3 ranks only], Secondary Effect [5 extra ranks]; Affects Insubstantial 2 (full power), Mighty)
. . . . Black Dragon Shock (Linked)
. . . . . . Black Dragon Shock (Emotion Control 9) (Linked; DC 19, Feats: Improved Critical (Black Dragon Shock (Emotion Control 9)); Shapeable Area (9 cubes of 125 cu. ft. (5x5x5) - Targeted); Limited to Emotion (Fear), Range 2 (touch))
. . . . . . Black Dragon Shock (Strike 4) (Linked; DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical (Black Dragon Shock (Strike 4)); Alternate Save (Will) [5 extra ranks], Shapeable Area (9 cubes of 125 cu. ft. (5x5x5) - Targeted) [5 extra ranks]; Mighty)
. . . . Black Dragon Twister (Move Object 9) (Array; Strength: 45, Carry: 4.3k / 4.3 tons / 6.4 tons / 12.8 tons, DC 24; Cylinder Area (45-450 ft. radius + height - General), Damaging; Duration (concentration); Progression, Increase Area 3 (area x10))

Sword Supremacy (Probability Control 1) (Minimum Result: 1; Limited 2 (Swords))

Attack Bonus: +9 (Ranged: +9, Melee: +15, Grapple: +20/+26)

Attacks: Black Dragon Cannon (Blast 9), +15 (DC 24), Black Dragon Cutter (Drain 9), +15 (DC Fort/Staged 19), Black Dragon Cutter (Strike 4), +15 (DC 24), Black Dragon Gust (Trip 9) (DC 19), Black Dragon Secret Technique: Infinite Worlds (Strike 4), +15 (DC 24), Black Dragon Shock (Emotion Control 9), +15 (DC Staged/Will 19), Black Dragon Shock (Strike 4), +15 (DC Will 24), Black Dragon Twister (Move Object 9) (DC 24), Unarmed Attack, +15 (DC 20)

Defense: +15 (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -4

Initiative: +9

Languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Japanese Native, Russian, Spanish

Totals: Abilities 46 + Skills 21 (84 ranks) + Feats 34 + Powers 53 + Combat 36 + Saves 20 + Drawbacks 0 = 210

Age (as of Jan 2019): 27
Height: 5’ 9”
Weight: 185 lbs.
Ethnicity: Okinawan
Hair: Dark Green
Eyes: Dark Brown w/ faint Red glow

Theme Songs: Three Sword Strike, by Rustage & Three Swords, by Rustage featuring Sl!ck & Shao Dow

Background: Tatsuya Gushiken (Gushiken Tatsuya in the Japanese ordering) is a man on a mission. He has one purpose in life and one purpose only. To become strong enough to defeat the World’s Greatest Swordsman and take that title from him. There’s one small problem with that goal, however. Jin, the owner of that title and servant to the sun goddess Amaterasu, formally retired a year ago due to injury. And his primary rival, the man who calls himself Daimyo, actively refuses to take it up. So it’s been a free for all across the world as swordsmen and women fight to the death for the right to call themselves the World’s Greatest. The qualifications are simple enough. You can’t have any superhuman powers or devices that boost your abilities. And you can never, ever, lose to another sword user who qualifies except the acknowledged World’s Greatest. It was harder to determine who was the World’s Greatest before the advent of the telegraph. It’s only gotten easier since, with radio, telephones, and the internet. Tatusya is on the shortlist to take the crown, but he’s not there yet. There’s a whole lot of dueling left to be done.

. . It all started way back when he was a kid in a rural village in Okinawa. Young orphan boy and his even younger little sister (Yuzumi), taken in by a kindly kendo dojo master and his young daughter Katsumi. Even in those days, Tatsuya had his eyes on his goal, but Katsumi had the same goal. And so they trained until the two were the strongest in the dojo, despite being 8 (Tatsuya) and 12 (Katsumi) years old. Those who witnessed both agreed that Katsumi was the better of the pair. The idea of being subordinate to anyone rankled Tatsuya, and he challenged Katsumi. She beat him. He challenged her again, to a midnight duel with real swords. She beat him again, without cutting him at all. He tried a third time, with two swords to her one. If anything, he lost faster. Katsumi was a kind girl, but one hell of a prodigy in swordsmanship and perfectly happy to prove it at any time. Tatsuya was dejected the next day. A old friend of the dojo master was visiting. A very old woman named Samantha, who wore three swords in casual defiance of Japan’s laws. When she was leaving, she took a little time to sit with the poor boy and chat with him a while. Well, more like relentlessly tease and mock him for being so damn serious at his age. He did not know it, but she was the former World’s Greatest Swordswoman and a grandmaster in the Black Dragon sword style. She showed him a few moves to amuse herself, but the exertion quickly exhausted the very old woman. With a warning to never get old, she departed in the dojo master’s car. The lesson that Tatsuya took from this was that three swords were better than two. Katsumi showed him that night that he was very wrong. Though Tatsuya’s desperate, frustrated tears Katsumi reminded him that she was 4 years older and that as a boy he would most likely grow up to be bigger and thus physically stronger than she ever would be. Skill and finesse were important, yes, but size, reach, and strength settled more fights than not. This did not entirely sooth Tatsuya, but it did make the two firm friends. It was an idyllic life. Until shortly after Katsumi’s 13th birthday, when she tripped and fell down the stairs. She broke her neck in the fall and died. It broke both Tatsuya and Yuzumi’s hearts. Her eually heartbroken father at last managed to pry the truth out of Tatsuya.

. . Tatsuya sought the pinnacle of strength for one reason. To protect his little sister. To protect Yuzumi. Their parents knew the details better, but they were dead and beyond talking. All Tatsuya knew is that his sister was special and powerful people wanted her for that specialness. The dojo master sighed…and decided to induct Tatsuya in the Black Dragon sword style that he was a master of. It was training straight out of hell. Black Dragon Style is, of course, a three sword style. One sword is held in each hand, and one in the teeth. The training was long, grinding, and brutal. Stronger. Faster. Tougher. More accurate. Better dodging. The training was kept from Yuzumi. She had a kind, gentle, and reserved temperament. Tatsuya didn’t want to tell her that she was a fugitive and that her beloved brother was undergoing what could only charitably described as voluntary torture to gain the power to protect her. Tatsuya, you see, was normal. He was not a prodigy, not really. Just a hard worker with plenty of free time on his hands. He had no special physical aptitudes. The training wasn’t merely to increase his abilities, but to increase all of his natural talents and aptitudes relating to swordsmanship. His very genetics and natural physiology had to be forced into compliance. Many terrible things happened in that oversized basement beneath the dojo. Basically every type of physical training under the sun. The very best of modern pharmacology and alchemy. A few discreet surgical procedures. And the power of the titular Black Dragon, or as it was better known to mystical types all over, the world, the Dragon of Shadowed Flames. Typically it was referred to as an evil, corrupt spirit or demon. This was inaccurate. Only the spirit part was correct. It was not evil or corrupt. Rather, it was amoral, offering power at a brutal price.

. . In that basement, during those hellish years, all the physical, mental, and spiritual weakness was burned out of Tatsuya. At 17 years of age, the dojo master finally deemed him ready for the final challenge. Here’s your swords, kid. Now you fight the Dragon. It was not quite so simply as slashing it enough times. The battle was physical, mental, and spiritual. It was arduous, and taxed him to his newly gained uttermost limits. It was not, in the end, a battle he could or was even supposed to win. But the Dragon found him his sacrifices acceptable, and granted him a small measure of power. Minor physiogical alterations, so that the results of his training would stick with minimal effort. But the big thing was blackening Tatsuya’s swords. They were rendered nigh indestructible compared with normal blades, and with them the various techniques he had learned would be much more effective. Normal steel tended to, well, break under the strain of performing Black Dragon Style techniques at full power. Even limiting the force put in only put off the inevitable snapping. And the edges needed continual maintenance beforehand. And then he went upstairs. It had been three days. He was exhausted and covered in sweat. His hair and eyes had changed.

. . He returned to chaos. In those three days out of the few thousand he’d been living at the dojo, the ones seeking Yuzumi had found her. Much had been revealed, and many dojo students were badly injured. Even the master himself was not currently able to stand from the beating he’d taken. The story was simple. Yuzumi was an astonishingly powerful cryomancer, and the infamous Agency wanted her to be their latest weapon. As usual, whether she or anyone else was willing to allow this or if she was even that type of personality were completely irrelevant to them. Minds could be altered. Opposing forces could be killed. They’d hired a powerful mercenary, assembled a combat squad, went where she was, and took her. It took Tatsuya a week of killing his way through the Japanese underworld looking for Agency employees to find her. The lab was buried in a remote section of the Hokkaido mountains. But there was something wrong. As Tatsuya approached, a huge man smashed the massive front door completely off its hinges with one punch. The young man prepared to fight, but Ruslan Turgenev only greeted him and told him Yuzumi was inside. There were no closed doors, let alone locked ones, and no one to block his way. Why? Ruslan completed his contract, to deliver the girl. Payment was delayed, which annoyed him. And the pointless cruelty and sadism of the Agency scientists and researchers annoyed him further. Especially because it wasn’t just directed at Yuzumi. They thought they’d make Ruslan listen to her screams and desperate pleading, and he’d do nothing. They were wrong. Seconds after his payment was finalized, he started killing all of them. They’d only finalized his payment because she’d stopped screaming and pleading. Ruslan did not have a heart made of stone, despite his reputation. The mercenary walked away. Tatsuya wasn’t willing to let him at first, but Ruslan brought up the excellent point that the dojo’s master (who was still stronger than Tatsuya at this point) lost to Ruslan. What was Tatsuya going to do? So Tatsuya let him leave, and rescued his sister. Unfortunately, Yuzumi didn’t remember him. She didn’t remember much of anything. Her personality had not been changed, but her memories had been wiped. Posing only as a friend, he took her back to the dojo to recover. A few days later, Ruslan visited with an important reality check. The Agency was absolutely going to return, and they would hire someone with even less scruples than Ruslan next time. Probably more than one. As it was, Tatsuya would not be able to protect her. He and everyone at the dojo would be killed. However, Ruslan had a solution. A protection contract. Ruslan didn’t need to physically remain at the dojo, either. Crossing the old mercenary carried a steep, steep price. He had a reputation, after all, especially when it came to completing his contracts. Tatsuya didn’t have money, but he didn’t need it. He could work for Ruslan until such time as his own abilities and reputation were enough to protect Yuzumi on their own. Lest anyone think Ruslan was getting soft, this deal benefited him, too. The fight with the dojo’s master had impressed him, and if the boy was likely to surpass the aging man in a few years. Such a warrior by his side would be very profitable. Tatsuya didn’t hesitate. He was in. All of his goals would be furthered in this, and all he had to do was train and fight? No thought was required. He left Yuzumi thinking of him only as a friend of the dojo, not her older brother.

. . Today, Tatsuya is the longest serving member of the Turgenev Mercenary Group. Ten years of traveling the world for mercenary contracts and battling swordsman and women. Others have both come and gone…either to the grave or prison. Yuzumi is living a quiet life at the dojo’s town. She has married a certain redheaded idiot and former delinquent. Their first child, a daughter, was born last year. But it’s not enough yet. Tatsuya cannot rest until he is the World’s Greatest Swordman. For his sister, for long departed Katsumi, and for himself. So when someone calls with a contract offer or a opportunity to duel presents itself, he ties his black bandana to his head and leaps at the opportunity to further hone his skills and advance his reputation. Meanwhile, Yuzumi is starting to remember her past…

Powers & Tactics: Tatsuya has no superhuman powers of any kind. He has no special devices of any kind. The Black Dragon Swords may be three regular (if virtually indestructible) Damage 3 (Improved Crit, Mighty) swords in anyone else’s hands, but the effects he can use with them are a result of his masterful sword skill and extreme training. The same is true of his Black Sword Style Training abilities. The Dragon of Shadowed Flames only made it easier for these abilities to be gained and maintained. It did not grant them at all.

. . The Black Dragon Techniques can technically be performed with ordinary swords, but performing them at full power breaks them irreparably. Even limited power causes significant to severe damage, depending on sword quality. It is the Black Dragon Swords that permit Tatsuya to use the full power of the techniques without worry. A fraction of the power of the Dragon of Shadowed Flames has been imbued into them, rendering them virtually unbreakable. Black Dragon Style Techniques are performed with the use of three swords. One in each hand, and one clenched in the teeth. A ventriloquism trick allows the swordsman to speak. The closest to a basic attack in the Techniques is Black Dragon Cutter. Finely honed technique permits the user to cut through just about anything with one slash. Even mighty adamantine will be cut. Black Dragon Shock is a literally terror inducing attack that strikes directly at an group of opponent’s minds. Even if they resist the fear, they may still take damage from it. Black Dragon Gust is a lightning quick slash of the air that knocks away anyone and anything in a cone shaped area from the swordsman. Black Dragon Twister takes this up a notch (being a lightning fast spinning slash of the air), to a fully fledged tornado that features razor wind. It can pick up, hold, and throw things, too. Although especially skilled, strong, or flexible opponents can get out of it. Black Dragon Cannon is, surprisingly for a swordsman, a ranged attack. He slashes the air so hard, fast, and precisely that a razor sharp blade of wind is generated and flies at the target. However, the crown jewel is the Black Dragon Secret Technique: Infinite Worlds. A seemingly endless storm of blades descend on the opponent. The more it is used, the more endless the parade of slashes and cuts seems.

. . Black Dragon Style Training essentially turns Tatsuya into somewhat of a super soldier analogue. He is faster, quicker, and can jump further than any “normal” human. His body can endure significantly more damage, he can wall run with the best of them, and his hearing and sense of danger are enhanced. However, the real showstopper is his carrying capacity. It is blatantly superhuman, taking several tons to even slow him down. He has probably reached the limits of what strength he can achieve. However, his speed, quickness, and leaping can likely still improve.

. . Tactically, Black Dragon Gust is basic “you aren’t a threat to me, go away” selection. When it works, it blasts enemies at least a thousand feet away. Next up in threat level is Black Dragon Shock. He doesn’t use lethal damage with this one ever, as that’s not the point of it. Moving up one level is Black Dragon Twister. He does use lethal damage with this, but only with actual military. Civilians like law enforcement or superheroes he keeps it a nonlethal attack. At this stage, Black Dragon Cutter is standard, with Takedown Attack 2 on tap if the others didn’t clear out the riffraff. Again, this is a nonlethal attack against law enforcement and most superheroes, but lethal against the military or superheroic sword users. Black Dragon Secret Technique: Infinite Worlds is at the top of the hierarchy. This is always a lethal attack. Black Dragon Cannon stands outside the hierarchy, as it’s exclusively for enemies he can’t reach for whatever reason. Keep in mind that these are his standard tactics. He responds to taking lethal damage by inflicting some of his own if he wasn’t already. A personal grudge/vendetta may change his damage to lethal against a specific hero. Conversely, a lack of respect for a specific hero’s abilities may result in nonlethal instead. Moreover, this is all subservient to the terms of a contract. If the client doesn’t specify their preferences, all of the above applies. If the client does, expect him to obey to the letter. Keep in mind that he’s a warrior, not an assassin. If he’s on a killing mission, the target(s) is/are armed and/or in possession of superhuman powers and thus capable of defending themselves. Or the client has lied and now the heroes have to protect someone entirely different than expected.

. . With that said, with the Improved versions of Acrobatic Bluff, Cunning Fighter (ATK bonus used to Feint), Demoralize, and Startle in his toolkit, most people can say goodbye to their dodge bonus. He’s unique among the highly accurate in that he’ll still use the +2 version of Accurate Attack at times. In fact, he’ll change his tradeoffs with that, All Out, Defensive, and Power Attack fairly frequently. He seeks cover against ranged opponents, naturally, and seeks to get in melee range with his versatile movement capabilities. The most surprising thing he has is Ultimate Toughness. More than one opponent has smashed him to the ground with an attack no human should survive, let alone endure, only for him to rise again and cut them down.

Personality: Tatsuya is a warrior. A stoic, badass man of honor. He’d have been just as at home if he had come of age for the Mongol invasions of Japan or the Sengoku period. His entire life is oriented around becoming the World’s Greatest Swordsman. He’s a villain because he’s not an especially moral person. The lives of strangers and enemies mean nothing to him. This does not mean he’s an immoral person, either. Rather, he’s largely amoral. His friends and allies he will protect, certainly, and he’s not some asshole who’s impossible to get along with. He can drink, dance, and tell stories at the tavern/pub/bar with the best of them. But make no mistake; he is a predator in human form. All that lovely humanity can disappear in an instant and all that left is something resembling a demon. One who’d be more than happy to fight you to the death. Said demon may only be unleashed in response to appropriate challenge, but it is still there. For he has a strong code of honor. There’s no honor in killing the weak or those who never had the ability to defend themselves, but soldiers are putting their lives on the line by the nature of their profession. It’d be dishonorable not to kill them when they choose to fight. He’s not a mindless contract completing automaton, either. Heroes can dodge fighting him at all if they come up with a clever plan that lets him technically fulfill his contract.

. . Ultimately, Tatsuya isn’t someone you redeem, exactly. He’s been killing people for a decade. He is not and never will be one of the good guys. And even if the heroes completely take apart the Agency (a task worthy of a full campaign on its own, as detailed in The Agency’s section), protecting his sister Yuzumi from them is the only reason why he’s working for Ruslan. It is not the only reason why he’s pursuing becoming the World’s Greatest Swordsman. He’s also doing it for his fallen childhood friend, and for his own pride as a swordman. With that said, if the heroes can find another way to keep his sister protected, and assist her in remembering him…the reunion would mellow him, some. He doesn’t want his kind gentle sister to know he’s a killer of hundreds and feared as a god of war. To see him as covered in blood as he is. Her eyes widening in horror and disgust haunt his nightmares. Not that that would happen, mind. It’s all in his head. What would actually happen is that she would accept him. Completely. And tell him he didn’t need to work so hard for her sake anymore. Thus he wouldn’t. No reason to work for Ruslan, hence no real villainy. His only killing would be in defense of his life or the lives of those he cares about. He’s made his fair share of enemies, after all. Or, you know, in duels to determine who is continuing on the road to becoming the World’s Greatest Swordsman. Because that’s how that works. Did you think he’d stop? Silly heroes.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:31 am, edited 3 times in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
The Archetype Blendarama!
You, Dear Reader, may comment on any build at any time. I will be happy regardless.
User avatar
EternalPhoenix
Posts: 1858
Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2022 6:42 am
Location: The Land of Mary

Bellona Accardo

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Bellona Accardo

Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 210/210

STR: +7 (25), DEX: +7 (25), CON: +7 (25), INT: +0 (10), WIS: +2 (14), CHA: +5 (20)

Tough: +15, Fort: +12, Ref: +9, Will: +9

Skills: Acrobatics 13 (+20), Intimidate 15 (+20), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 5 (+5), Language 3 (+3), Notice 8 (+10), Sense Motive 8 (+10)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Challenge - Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Challenge - Improved Demoralize, Challenge - Improved Startle, Improved Critical 2 (Divine Assault Rifle (Blast 9)), Improved Critical 2 (Divine Blades (Strike 2)), Improved Critical 2 (Divine Sniper Rifle (Blast 9)), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Startle, Takedown Attack 2, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Bellona's Divine Armor (Protection 8) (+8 Toughness; Impervious [7 ranks only])

Bellona's Divine Arsenal (Array 16) (default power: blast)
. . Divine Assault Rifle (Blast 9) (Default; DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Divine Assault Rifle (Blast 9)); Autofire (interval 2, max +5); Accurate 3 (+6))
. . Divine Blades (Strike 2) (Array; DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Divine Blades (Strike 2)); Autofire (interval 2, max +5) [7 extra ranks], Penetrating [1 extra rank], Secondary Effect [7 extra ranks]; Accurate 3 (+6), Affects Insubstantial 2 (full power), Incurable, Mighty)
. . Divine Grenade Launcher (Blast 9) (Array; DC 24; Burst Area (45-2250 ft. radius - General); Progression, Increase Area 5 (area x50))
. . Divine Sniper Rifle (Blast 9) (Array; DC 24, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Divine Sniper Rifle (Blast 9)); Penetrating [3 ranks only]; Accurate 3 (+6), Improved Range 2 (450 ft. incr), Progression, Increase Range 2 (max range x5, 4500 feet), Subtle 2 (unnoticable))

Immortal War God (Linked)
. . Immunity 2 (Linked; aging, disease)
. . Regeneration 23 (Linked; recovery rate (bruised) 3 (recover 1 / round without rest), recovery rate (disabled) 8 (recover 1 / round without rest), recovery rate (injured) 6 (recover 1 / round without rest), recovery rate (staggered) 6 (recover 1 / round without rest); Persistent, Regrowth)

Attack Bonus: +9 (Ranged: +9, Melee: +9, Grapple: +16)

Attacks: Divine Assault Rifle (Blast 9), +15 (DC 24), Divine Blades (Strike 2), +15 (DC 24), Divine Grenade Launcher (Blast 9) (DC 24), Divine Sniper Rifle (Blast 9), +15 (DC 24), Unarmed Attack, +9 (DC 22)

Defense: +9 (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -11

Initiative: +11

Languages: English, Greek, Latin, Italian Native

Totals: Abilities 59 + Skills 13 (52 ranks) + Feats 11 + Powers 77 + Combat 36 + Saves 14 + Drawbacks 0 = 210

Age (as of Jan 2019): 23
Height: 6’ 2”
Weight: 250 lbs.
Ethnicity: Italian
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Grey

Background: Bellona Accardo is both mentally ill and a terrible, terrible person. Her original first name was Isabella, and all of her life she has been obsessed with combat. At first she took her meds, and was just one hell of a delinquent. Size and age difference didn’t matter to her at all. She picked fistfights with anyone and everyone. It wasn’t an anger management problem. It wasn’t excessive sadism or masochism. She was kind of born in the wrong century. She’d have fit in well enough when civilization was young. Naturally, her parents had no idea what to do with someone who gloried in the thrill of the fight. They got her into amateur boxing and kick boxing, but those had rules. One had to keep it together, maintain a cool head. Isabella thought of them as pitiful. She reveled in instinctual violence. Rules were for the weak. And so while she was probably the strongest under 18 fighter in Europe, after a short while she was essentially banned from boxing and kick boxing. This, however, led her to underground fighting. And oh, boy, the money you can get from that. But it was never about the money. It was about the fight. She won, mostly. The rewards for victory could be more than money, however. One tournament was dedicated to a Roman goddess of war. The violent and savage Bellona. The Roman pantheon hadn’t had a lot to do with mortal affairs since the Empire had spurned them in favor of Christianity centuries before. This did not, however, mean that they weren’t paying attention. Bellona observed young Isabella, and she liked what she saw. The gods, by edict of Nick Phoenix, could not directly interfere with mortal affairs. This left a vigorous goddess like Bellona bored out of her mind. But a partnership with a mortal was allowed. And so a god offered a mortal power beyond her wildest dreams, if only she would continue to be herself in the process. Isabella accepted, and shed her mortal name. She was Bellona Accardo, now.

. . At least, that’s the story she tells. She was not taking her meds at the time. That tournament did take place. She is wielding divine power. And the goddess Bellona has not noticeably objected to someone wielding divine power in her name. The truth? Isabella had already begun to believe herself divine while still only human. At the tournament the similarity between her nickname of Bella and the name of the goddess further confused her. The reward of divine weapons from the tournament took her over the edge into believing she was Bellona reborn. The goddess herself does not object. Why would she? People are remembering her name again, far and wide. With her new powers, the former Isabella was much too powerful for the underground fighting circuit. But Ruslan Turgenev was present at the fight that proved how powerful she had become. Whoops, killed that guy in a blow. He recruited her on the spot.

Powers & Tactics: Bellona is using divine weapons implanted into her body. They allegedly belonged to the Roman goddess of war Bellona in a very long time ago. Whether that’s true or not I’ll leave up to you, Mr. GM. Immortal War God is a silver cylinder inside her torso that grants her a complete lack of aging and near instantaneous wound recovery. Bellona’s Divine Weapons are silver bracelets integrated into her wrists between skin and tendons. They can theoretically summon any weapon she wants. In practice, she summons mostly modern weaponry. An assault rifle. A grenade launcher. A sniper rifle on rare occasions. Or going old school with a pair of Roman gladii. Bellona’s Divine Armor is a small silver ball nestled into the cleft of her collarbone. It strengthens her physiology immensely, and even renders her immune to mundane man portable weaponry.

. . Tactically, she goes in guns blazing. Ruslan has made it known that bodyguard contracts are a remarkably poor idea for her, and she’s not really an assassin either. But as a force multiplier for whatever nation or criminal organization can afford her rates? Hell, yes. She is not a complicated combatant. Improved Acrobatic Bluff or Improved Startle can remove Dodge Bonus on single targets. Apply Divine Assault Rifle (if at range) or Divine Swords (if in melee) until dead. Rinse and repeat. Divine Grenade Launcher is for groups when at range, otherwise it’s Swords time again, this time with Takedown Attack 2. Really far away? Divine Sniper Rifle I guess, whatever. All Out Power Attack is used liberally. She’s really quite reckless. But she heals from the most grievous injuries in seconds, so she doesn’t really care. Enemies are allowed to both surrender and retreat.

Personality: Bellona (or rather, Isabella) genuinely believes she is the reincarnation of the Roman goddess. She is imperious and savage in equal measure, glorying in blood shed in combat. It doesn’t matter if it’s hers or (as is more often the case) someone else’s. It’s about the fight. Struggle for your life. Test your skill and might. And if you are found wanting, die gloriously. A complex personality, Bellona is not. In the middle of combat is very clearly her element. She grins savagely, feeling immense joy at attacking and being attacked in return. If combat is about to happen, she is visibly thrilled with anticipation. But if it’s normal noncombat activities, she’s just as obviously bored and antsy. With that said, she isn’t a murderer. Killing in combat against an enemy that is both willing and able to fight back is to be admired, even glorifed. Remove the “in combat” or the “willing and able to fight back” and it’s nothing more than shameful, dishonorable murder.

. . One thing, however, must be made very clear. Her schizophrenic delusions are the source of her recklessness, not her battle hunger. If you’re an invincible war goddess, you have no reason to fear mortals at all. Her desire to fight and her moral code (strange as it is) belong to Isabella. So getting her properly medicated would actually make her more dangerous, not less. Because Isabella Accardo is only flesh and blood and can die. While she wouldn’t mind dying in glorious combat, exactly, she’s also in absolutely no rush to do it either. She’d integrate proper modern battlefield tactics instead of mostly Leeroy Jenkins’ing it. There is no turning her to modern heroic morality. She is who she is. But she can be reasoned with, and potentially convinced not to take contracts from criminal organizations. That is, of course, if she is properly medicated. Getting that to happen is a challenge and a half, as why would a goddess listen to what mortals say? Enough talk! Fight or flee!
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Wed Apr 13, 2022 2:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Reyna Oleastro

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Reyna Oleastro

Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 225/225

STR: +10 (30), DEX: +3 (16), CON: +0 (-), INT: +6 (22), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +0 (10)

Tough: +0/+10, Fort: Immune, Ref: +14, Will: +8

Skills: Acrobatics 12 (+15), Computers 9 (+15), Craft (electronic) 9 (+15), Craft (mechanical) 9 (+15), Disable Device 4 (+10), Drive 2 (+5), Knowledge (life sciences) 9 (+15), Knowledge (physical sciences) 9 (+15), Knowledge (tactics) 9 (+15), Knowledge (technology) 9 (+15), Medicine 7 (+10), Notice 12 (+15), Search 4 (+10), Sense Motive 12 (+15), Stealth 12 (+15)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Attack Focus (ranged), Attack Specialization (Unarmed Attack), Beginner's Luck, Challenge - Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Dodge Focus 7, Eidetic Memory, Equipment 4, Evasion, Improved Initiative, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Jack-of-All-Trades, Master Plan, Master Plan 2 (tactics), Move-by Action, Power Attack, Skill Mastery 2 (Acro, Comp, Craft (elec & mech), KN (tactics), Notice, Sen Mot, Stealth), Takedown Attack 2, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Cyborg Body (Container, Passive 12)
. . Enhanced Trait 2 (Feats: Beginner's Luck, Jack-of-All-Trades)
. . Immunity 30 (fortitude saves)
. . Leaping 3 (Jumping distance: x10)
. . Protection 10 (+10 Toughness)
. . Quickness 3 (Perform routine tasks at 10x speed)
. . Regeneration 5 (recovery bonus 5 (+5 to recover))
. . Speed 3 (Speed: 50 mph, 440 ft./rnd)
. . Super-Senses 4 (infravision, radio, ultravision)

Neuro-Cyber Interface (Linked)
. . Comprehend 2 (Linked; machines / electronics - speak to, machines / electronics - understand)
. . Datalink 9 (Linked; sense type: radio)

Polyglot (Comprehend 3) (languages - read all, languages - speak all, languages - understand all; Limited (to languages with at least a million speakers))

Equipment: Arsenal (Assault Rifle, Custom Sniper Rifle, Flash-Bang, Fragmentation Grenade, Masterwork Heavy Pistol)

Attack Bonus: +12 (Ranged: +13, Melee: +12, Grapple: +22)

Attacks: Assault Rifle, +13 (DC 20), Custom Sniper Rifle, +13 (DC 20), Flash-Bang, +13 (DC Fort/Ref 14), Fragmentation Grenade, +13 (DC Ref 15), Masterwork Heavy Pistol, +14 (DC 19), Unarmed Attack, +14 (DC 25)

Defense: +14 (Flat-footed: +4), Knockback: -5

Initiative: +7

Languages: Spanish Native

Totals: Abilities 34 + Skills 32 (128 ranks) + Feats 29 + Powers 76 + Combat 38 + Saves 16 + Drawbacks 0 = 225

Age (as of Jan 2019): 45 (chronological), late 20s (appearance)
Height: 5’ 6
Weight: 250 lbs. (appears approx. 125 lbs, because synthetic body)
Ethnicity: Mexican
Hair: Variable (swaps regularly between Dark Brown, Blue, and Purple)
Eyes: Variable (swaps regularly between Dark Brown, Blue, and Purple)

Theme Song: Torukia, from Ghost In The Shell

Background: Reyna Oleastro was nobody. Just another girl in Merida, Yucatan State, Mexico. She was smart. She did well in school. She applied to college, and got in. The Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan, or the Autonomous University of the Yucatan. Clever girl that she was, she had a double major. Criminal Justice and Cybernetics. Still, after her Bachelor’s in both was achieved, she focused on Cybernetics. This was because she joined the Yucatan State Judicial Police as a uniformed preventative officer. She’d always had a strong desire to help people, and this was the way to do it. She excelled enough in both her work and her studies that by the time she earned her Master’s the Federal Police (these days merged into the National Guard, but in those it had just been formed) took an interest and hired her away from Yucatan. Leaving home was difficult, but the thrill of far away Mexico City (the hub of all things Mexican, in many ways) lured her away. At this time she was arguably Mexico’s foremost cyberneticist, not that there was a lot of competition for the title. Cybernetics is a demanding discipline, requiring high level knowledge of biology, chemistry, medicine, electronics and mechanical engineering. And she was Mexico’s shining star. Under her watch and stewardship, several experimental modifications were made to Federal Police volunteers injured in the line of duty. She was more and more successful, returning many of the officers to functionality, if not full duty. However, her greatest project aspired to put a naked brain into an android body. There were, however, no volunteer for that. And then her own neurology began to fail her. The cartels had found out the source of their recent woes with cyber-augmented policemen and moved to get rid of her. She was too well protected, deep in Mexico City, for a gunman or a bomb. But a poison? Administered by one of the few they could corrupt so deep inside the hierarchy? It could be done. Her brain was fine, for now, but her the rest of her nervous system was slowly shredding. And so her greatest project found a volunteer. Herself. It was a complete success, and the Federal Police found a powerful new officer willing to fight on the front lines against the drug cartels. She performed well in both sets of duties, but a new Mexican President was elected. One who’d campaigned on getting the military off the streets, including the ones with visible cybernetics. The writing was on the wall. Her department was being phased out. The National Guard was going to take a very different approach. She had reached the rank of Chief Inspector a few years back, and has very recently met the requirements to be promoted to Inspector General. But her life’s work was being disassembled before her eyes, and her position in the new organization had not yet been decided. Everyone she spoke with was sympathetic and said all the right things while carefully telling her nothing of substance at all. She quickly got the feeling all of them wanted what happened to Mexico’s shining star of cybernetics and small unit tactics to be someone else’s PR problem. So she took early retirement and solved the problem for them. Keeping her systems maintained took money, however, so she took her combat skills to the open market. She could not take her cybernetics skills there, as her designs were made for and owned by the Mexican government. And she was still loyal, even if it seemed like they didn’t want her around anymore. Enter Ruslan Turgenev. His reputation would help prevent her from being forced into taking contracts she didn’t want, and she’d make him plenty of money. It was not an easy decision. Ruslan was a well known international criminal. But she needed the money and he was equally well known for being a man of his word. She comforted herself by saying he’d never been so much as charged with a crime in any court.

Powers & Tactics: Reyna is an android. Or a gynoid, as the terminology may be. Most of her, anyway. Her brain is contained inside the head, as you might expect, but the rest is a wonder of electronics and mechanical engineering. As such she is completely immune to most mortal concerns. No need to eat or breathe to keep her body functioning, and environmental concerns don’t matter at all. Technically her brain requires a nutrient solution of pure distilled water, glucose and various vitamins and minerals, and it also requires a steady oxygen supply. However, she replaces the nutrient solution once a week purely out of practical paranoia. Theoretically she could go a whole month, but why risk neurological degradation? A subsystem filters a week’s worth of oxygen out of the air and stores it inside her. She could manually adjust the infusion rate and get double or triple that time, but again, why risk neurological degradation when she doesn’t have to? Naked brains also require a constant supply of various hormones the body normally produces with various glands, but the quantities are so minute that the supplies stored inside her alone will last years.

. . On the surface she appears completely human in every way. The illusion is quickly dispelled whenever she uses her abilities. She has superhuman strength, mobility and quickness, a surprisingly tough chassis and frame, vision in the full light spectrum, and even radio wave detection. A side note on her senses. Touch and smell, unlike most synthetic beings, are fully operational. Taste is not, unfortunately. Subsystems even work together to repair damage, though it’s much easier if she or someone technically minded is helping and lost or ruined parts need to be replaced. The Neuro Cyber Interface (surprisingly, an co-innovation with Zuberi Wafula, currently of the Blackgate Pirates [through published papers; they’ve never actually met]) means that her body is connected to her brain not through direct wired hookups, but a version of the same technology that powers the wireless internet and smartphones. She can and has been weaponizing this to hack systems from ones in the same room to ones on the other side of the planet. When you speak fluent computer code, hacking most systems is a breeze. It’s the same thing she’s doing to run her body, after all. This is, admittedly, a potentially dangerous vulnerability. A master hacker might able to take control of her body from her…except she’s one so that’s easier said than done.

. . She is an expert martial artist and markswoman who routinely carries a small arsenal in the field. Flash bang and fragmentation grenades. A masterwork Heavy Pistol. An assault rifle. And a customized sniper rifle with suppressor (Subtle) and scope (Improved Aim).

. . Tactically, Reyna is primarily doing the actual private military contractor style work. Training others. Bodyguarding. Bounty hunting. Extractions. Assassination. The difference is that she works for nations. Their militaries. Federal law enforcement agencies. Intelligence agencies. So when she’s doing something illegal like kidnapping or murder, the job is sanctioned, if disavowed. With that said, she’s a tactical genius. She only meets PL 9 caps with her weapons, but that’s normally good enough fo the thugs, criminals, and terrorists she normally deals with. Between a Stealth’d first attack and Improved Acrobatic Bluff her Assault Rifle can be extremely dangerous. Especially with a little Power Attack added to it. Her Custom Sniper Rifle adds Improved Aim and Subtle, making chances of assassination success go up while chances detecting her go down. However, when faced with superheroes and/or law enforcement, she’s very reluctant to resort to violence except in self defense. Her Inventor feat can be quite helpful with this, adding 15 PP of temporary upgrades to her body. By far her most common uses of this are for Visual/Auditory Concealment, Super Strength, or Impervious Toughness. Failing that, there’s nothing wrong with simply talking it out. While with assassination this may not work so well, with bounty hunting/extractions/kidnappings the target is generally scum evading justice. So the heroes may be on her side…as long as they don’t inquire too closely as to who her client is and what they want with the person. The spy game is a dirty business. Finally, she can, of course punch and kick the crap out of people. It’s what she’s best at. Don’t forget unleashing a Master Plan when she needs a boost in combat.

Personality: Reyna is…tired. Old and tired. Not physically, naturally. But spiritually. For so long she has held the flame of justice high, only to be betrayed by the government and people she swore to protect. There is no greater political inconvenience than yesterday’s hero. She gave them everything. The fruits of her genius. Twenty years of her life. The very flesh she was born into. And yet now…it feels…futile. She is not angry. How could she be angry at the people and land she loves so much? She never married. She did not have children. The work was all. She did so much good. Saved lives and brought evil to justice. And it ends like this, with a miserable whimper? No. She will wait. They will sort out this National Guard, and in time they will call her back to them. They must. Otherwise, she has nothing. Is nothing. But a foolish old woman who is more dead than alive. Nothing more than a brain in a fancy box. She is distinctly uncomfortable with some of her work, but she is a polished professional. It does not matter. She is not a criminal. These are not crimes. She is not betraying her own ideals for survival, as she betrayed her humanity once before. No. She is doing nonevil works and biding time. That is all. It has to be. It has to be. God, if you listen to the prayers of a disembodied brain, please. Let it be so.

. . Reyna is…complicated. She’s a villain in game terms, absolutely. In terms of how your heroes should feel about her? The world is messy. Being a hero doesn’t pay the bills. And when you’re a naked brain stuffed into a bleeding edge cybertech gynoid, the bills are too damn high for normal employment to cover. Especially when you can’t use your main field of expertise because someone else holds all the patents to your work from the ground up. She is a good and moral person, but she needs a boatload of cash just to survive month to month. So she makes little compromises, rationalizes as hard as possible, and waits for a call that is likely not coming for some time. If at all. She should play a Catwoman style role in your campaign. Sympathetic, helpful at times, not a bad person at all. Your heroes ought both like and respect the law enforcement veteran. But she’s routinely involved in shady business, and there’s a trail of bodies leading to her for those who know how to look. Government sanctioned assassination is still murder, Reyna. Extracting someone from a place they don’t want to leave is still kidnapping. That he’s wanted for murder and/or drug trafficking is beside the point. There are rules to this.

. . The easiest way to remove her from villainy is to have a uber-wealthy hero cut her an enormous check for her maintenance costs or hire her and pay her what she needs plus some extra. Of course, not every group has one of those. So there’s also talking the Mexican government into either rehiring her properly in the National Guard, or into releasing some or all of her patents. A third, much more esoteric method, is to dig up her original flesh body, clone it, and have a top class surgeon put her brain (or a powerful and skilled telepath transfer her mind) into it.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Mon Jan 29, 2024 11:38 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: Bellona Accardo, Reyna Oleastro)

Post by greycrusader »

Hey, very good, solid stuff! And you’re really prolific in creating material. Kudos on your setting.

All my best.
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OWN (Operatives Without Names)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

OWN (Operatives Without Names)

Overview

Daisuke Uehara is slowly dying. And he’s just one man. Without allies, there was little chance of successfully acquiring and then completing orders long term. As this was all he had to do, this was troubling. Fortunately, Nagesh Malik had a solution for the young man. And so Operatives Without Names was formed. Daisuke was and is keenly aware that Nagesh is a treacherous piece of shit using OWN for his own ends, but mostly doesn’t care. Aiden Killian was the first major recruit, and other ones followed. It’s not a particularly large organization, in fact being quite small as to remain limber and mobile. They’re hired to do basically ninja stuff. Spying, theft, sabotage, kidnapping, and the odd assassination. They don’t just do with against civilians, as well. They’re available for hire even against most superheroes. In fact, Daisuke has the most hero kills of anyone in the League of Seven or their associates. Granted, these were all rookies or journeyman heroes with under five years experience. Five Year Vets tend to have acquired their own rather…possessive set of enemies. But any day now, someone’s going to decide on expedient rather than personal vengeance and put Daisuke or one of the others up against a real veteran hero. They’ll probably even win and kill the hero. The consequences of that, well…heroes of that stature have made a few to several allies in the community. There’ll be fireworks for sure.

Tactics

Stealth. Lots of stealth. Not necessarily a lot of subtlety, but lots of stealth. Their primary work is as spies, thieves, and saboteurs. That, and the organization’s small size means they only send a few operatives at most on jobs. A priority is placed on escaping to try again another day over causing unnecessary havoc and drawing attention. So any knock down drag out battles happen far away from prying eyes. Unless the opposing heroes are absolutely insistent on having their big flashy battle in the middle of a crowded major metropolitan area for some reason, and use powers/tech/magic to force this to happen. Minion archetypes include Assassin, Ninja, and Swat Officer. Please note these are very likely not their backgrounds, with the natural exception of the Assassin.

Additionally, in the Phoenixverse those who have reached PL 12 have earned a special free Benefit feat that slightly alters the rules on Extra and/or Extraordinary Effort for them. Normally, no one in this group would qualify, however Nagesh has qualified in the past and so retains the option to have one.

Snake Father (Nagesh Malik)-Through Extra Effort, Nagesh may summon his previous level of power for three rounds. Increase STR and CON by 6 each, Base ATK & DEF by 3, and boost all powers in Poison Magic by 3 ranks. He may use Extraordinary Effort to do this a second time in a single scene. He may not do it a third.
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Nagesh Malik

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Nagesh Malik

Power Level: 9; Power Points Spent: 240/240

STR: +2 (14), DEX: +3 (16), CON: +2 (14), INT: +3 (16), WIS: +2 (14), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +2/+6, Fort: +9, Ref: +12, Will: +9

Skills: Acrobatics 12 (+15), Bluff 12 (+15), Craft (artistic) 12 (+15), Craft (chemical) 12 (+15), Diplomacy 12 (+15), Gather Information 12 (+15), Intimidate 12 (+15), Knowledge (arcane Lore) 12 (+15), Knowledge (art) 2 (+5), Knowledge (current events) 2 (+5), Knowledge (history) 2 (+5), Knowledge (life sciences) 7 (+10), Knowledge (physical sciences) 12 (+15), Knowledge (streetwise) 12 (+15), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 12 (+15), Language 4 (+4), Medicine 3 (+5), Notice 8 (+10), Sense Motive 13 (+15), Stealth 12 (+15), Survival 3 (+5)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Artificer, Challenge - Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Challenge - Improved Demoralize, Challenge - Improved Feint, Challenge - Improved Startle, Challenge - Improved Taunt, Defensive Attack, Improved Critical 2 (Short Sword Strike (Strike 2)), Improved Trick, Inventor, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Redirect, Ritualist, Skill Mastery 2 (Acro, Bluff, Craft (chem), Diplo, Gather Info, Intimidate, Sen Mot, Stealth), Startle, Takedown Attack, Taunt, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory), Well-Informed

Powers:
Enchanted Snake Physiology (Container, Passive 6)
. . Comprehend 2 (animals - speak to, animals - understand; Broad Group (Snakes))
. . Immunity 10 (common descriptor: Chemical; Limited - Half Effect)
. . Immunity 5 (poison, uncommon descriptor: Acid, uncommon descriptor: Gas)
. . Protection 4 (+4 Toughness)
. . Regeneration 4 (recovery bonus 3 (+3 to recover), resurrection 1 (1 week); Persistent, Regrowth, Reincarnation)
. . Speed 3 (Speed: 50 mph, 440 ft./rnd)
. . Super-Movement 2 (slithering, trackless)

Focus Items (Device 2) (Hard to lose)
. . Focus Items (Array 3) (default power: features; Stacks with (Poison Magic (Array 9+3)))
. . . . Adds Area (Burst) (Features 6)
. . . . Adds Area (Cloud) (Features 6)
. . . . Adds Autofire (Features 6)
. . . . Adds Indirect 2, Subtle 2, and Triggered 2 (Features 6)
. . . . Adds Secondary Effect (Features 6)

Poison Magic (Array 9+3) ([Stacking ranks: +3], default power: blast; Incurable)
. . Agony Inducing Poison (Stun 6) (Array; DC 16; Range (ranged))
. . Blindness/Deafness Poison (Dazzle 6) (Array; affects: 1 type + visual, DC 16)
. . Burning Acid (Blast 6) (Default; DC 21; Penetrating)
. . Choking Poison (Blast 6) (Array; DC 21; Alternate Save (Fortitude))
. . Death Inducing Poison (Drain 6) (Array; drains: any trait, DC 16; Range (ranged))
. . Paralysis Poison (Paralyze 6) (Array; DC 16; Alternate Save (Fortitude))

Short Swords (Device 2) (Easy to lose)
. . Short Sword Strikes (Strike 2) (DC 19, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Short Sword Strike (Strike 2)); Penetrating [2 extra ranks]; Accurate (+2), Mighty)

Attack Bonus: +12 (Ranged: +12, Melee: +12, Grapple: +14)

Attacks: Agony Inducing Poison (Stun 6), +12 (DC Fort/Staged 16), Blindnes/Deafness Poison (Dazzle 6), +12 (DC Fort/Ref 16), Burning Acid (Blast 6), +12 (DC 21), Choking Poison (Blast 6), +12 (DC Fort 21), Death Inducing Poison (Drain 6), +12 (DC Fort/Staged 16), Paralysis Poison (Paralyze 6), +12 (DC Fort/Staged 16), Short Sword Strike (Strike 2), +14 (DC 19), Unarmed Attack, +12 (DC 17)

Defense: +12 (Flat-footed: +6), Knockback: -3

Initiative: +3

Languages: Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, Hindi Native, Spanish

Totals: Abilities 30 + Skills 47 (188 ranks) + Feats 24 + Powers 68 + Combat 48 + Saves 23 + Drawbacks 0 = 240

Age (as of Jan 2019): 54 (chronological), 32 (current biological)
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 170 lbs
Ethnicity: Indian (Northern)
Hair: Jet Black
Eyes: Yellow (irises are like a snake’s, not a human’s)

Theme Songs: Venom II, by Fabvl featuring Daddyphatsnaps & The Poison, by Divide Music

Background: Nagesh Malik stands more or less alone among the League of Seven and their subordinates by putting the villain in super villain. He is a remorseless and relentless goddamn bastard. Just a completely despicable piece of shit. Yet even he did not start out that way. He was born in the Indian state of Uttarakhand (its casual name for a long time and official name since 2006; it was officially renamed Uttaranchal when it became a state in 1998 and prior was a part of the state of Utter Pradesh). It’s a beautiful place. Mostly mountainous and heavily forested. Filled with Hindu temples and pilgrimage centers. 10 million people spread over 20.5 thousand square miles. The north is actually part of the Himalayas, and as such is much less habitable than the southern regions, which encompass everything from grassland to swamps. He was born into a village of martial artists and magicians. He has changed his name since then, naturally. He proved to be an incredible prodigy at both. He, like all of his teachers and trainers, thought he’d be a superhero. And indeed, he was one for a little while. But the rules chafed, ever so slightly. He was just clever enough to see that it was a life of perpetual warfare in service to people who would never know your name, against enemies that would never relent in their efforts to subvert and destroy. Enemies whose often more effective tactics you could not appropriate, as they were immoral. And it was as likely as not that you would receive nothing but a gruesome, horrible death for your great virtue and altruism. Nagesh did not want to die at all, let alone in such a manner. And so it chafed at him, but not enough for him at actually do anything about it. Then, it happened. A terrible asura (Christianity would call them demons, but that’s only accurate as far as their alignment on the good/evil axis) escaped to Earth, and his entire village turned out to defend against it.

. . The bloodshed was apocalyptic, from his perspective. Yes, they had won, but at such cost. Legends lay slain. A fate they had willingly chosen. And it seemed as if everyone left was all too willing to do the same should it prove necessary. He could no longer do this. He didn’t mind helping people, not really. But like hell was he ever going to die for anyone. If he had his way he’d never die at all. He left the village and superheroics for good. He delved deep into magical lore, seeking ways to defeat death. But it is not so easy, to become immortal. Sacrifices must be made. Prices must be paid. And like hell was any of it coming from him. He became a thief. He became a murderer. He found he didn’t really mind hurting people, either. And at long last, he had the ritual he needed. It had been a long road, but this master magician would never permanently die. Well, as soon as he was done with the ritual, anyway. But he had left a trail of breadcrumbs for clever superheroes to find, and they burst in to stop him at his moment of triumph. Ain’t that always how it goes? Thirteen terrified people were lined up to have the life ripped out of them to feed his spell. The heroes put in excellent work, but not nearly fast enough. Because he fought them with everything he had, three of the people died before they were able to defeat him. His rage was enough to surge his powers beyond all reason. No jail cell could contain him, and his violent revenge scheme ended up with a hell of a battle in the heart of Delhi. His revenge was arguably successful. Every hero who’d interrupted his quest so cruelly was either dead, horribly maimed, or permanently crippled. His getting away with it, less so. Because he sustained such severe injuries that even the best trauma hospital in India couldn’t save him. Ironically, the man who didn’t want to die saving people died killing some.

. . Two weeks later Nagesh looked out at the world through a new set of eyes. His ritual had worked, partially. He had reincarnated in the body of one of the ten that had been saved. This, unfortunately, meant a complete reboot on his magical and martial powers. But it didn’t matter. He was indeed immortal. He had succeeded. …now what? Hmm. Well…hmm. That…that was a very good question, actually. Oh. It was obvious. While he could always reincarnate now, he needed to learn the limitations of this power while regaining his own abilities. Because he had time, now. Time to research and seek raw power. Reincarnation was excellent…but he had to die to do it, and that was unacceptable.

. . Since then, Nagesh has been a continual threat, growing ever more evil, sadistic, and cruel while seemingly impossible to permanently get rid of. And he knows it. He’s vastly improved regaining his abilities after each reincarnation, now taking days to accomplish which took months the first time. He’s not just a solo threat either anymore, as he sells poisons he makes to the highest bidder. The money doesn’t last long. Seeking new routes to magical power is expensive, in both blood and coin. A few years ago, this business led him to Daisuke Uehara. The young man needed a mentor and a partner desperately, and Nagesh was only too happy to oblige. Honestly, it’s Nagesh that keeps Operatives Without Names running. Daisuke is, at best, an uninterested figurehead…not that anyone but these two actually knows that.

Powers & Tactics: Nagesh actually has multiple things going on. He’s a snake man, he slings literally poisonous magic, and he has some self crafted focus items to enhance said magic. And that’s without mentioning the twin short swords h uses with expert skill. His sword shorts are fairly normal, if very sharp. His snakeman-ness is a result of magic. He can speak and understand snakes, he’s virtually immune to all manner of chemicals, acids, gasses, and poisons, snake scales make him tougher than he looks, he’s as fast as a car in the city, and he can slither like a snake and leave no visible trail. This is also where his reincarnation is, though it functions a bit differently. Though Ritualist, he can mark any number of potential persons to reincarnate into, but he currently has no control over which one it will be. When it happens, that person’s soul is extracted and Nagesh’s is inserted. That person is not inside, fighting to get free of Nagesh. They are dead, their soul sent to the afterlife. It would take ultra rare and potent magic to restore them afterward. Naturally, this never happens to PC heroes without permission. All NPCs, however, are fair game.

. . His Poison Magic isn’t on it’s own excessively dangerous. Burning Acid does damage that cuts through armor. Choking Poison targets not the airways, but the oxygen (or whatever) absorption process in the blood. Blindness/Deafness Poison can dazzle those senses. Agony Inducing Poison, well, induces an phenomenal amount of pain in the target. Paralysis Poison can slow or even paralyze. Death Inducing Poison can rip the strength out of any part of the target’s body or mind. It is the focus items that increase the danger factor significantly. Adding Burst Area means civilians could be hit. Cloud Area is the same, but as a lingering gas. Autofire can add extra hits. Secondary Effect means the target must resist the poison or acid twice. And Indirect 2, Triggered 2, and Subtle 2 mean the target probably won’t even notice they’ve been hit or that Nagesh has done anything until the poison trigger condition is met.

. . Tactically, Nagesh operates on a simple philosophy. Blood is red, your skin is blue. Omae wa mou shindeiru. He’s a poisoner at heart, you see. Take careful note of the fact that he has Artificier, Inventor, Ritualist, and Well Informed. Getting into a fight with enemies who haven’t already been worn down by poisons, traps, and poisonous traps just isn’t his style. And he probably knows who said enemies are and their general modus operandi. Basically, he cheats with wild and furious abandon. He’s not a genius master planner or overwhelmingly powerful, so he has to be as creative (and often as vicious) as possible. Your heroes can expect their weaknesses to be ruthlessly exploited. Whether it is a substance, compassion, honor, or whatever else. Nagesh has no shame and no guilt in using it to kill. And when I say creative, I mean it. From Silver Age nonsense like mind control venom (used on NPCs, naturally) to evil Iron/Modern Age shit like poison gas bombing a civilian target (like a school) with a not immediately lethal agent to either get the heroes out of his way (while they get the civvies help) or get them to do his dirty work (because, of course, he says he has the antidote to it [whether he does or not is up to you, Mr. GM]).

. . The actual fight with Nagesh is almost secondary to overcoming his convoluted scheme. At which point one of his Poison Magic spells fulfills their Triggered condition on each of the heroes. I said he cheats. He doesn’t favor any of his spells over another, however. He does prefer to remain at range and use his Poison Magic over his Short Swords. He’s not afraid of melee combat by any stretch, and if he has the advantage as a result of said Magic he’ll chop heroes down with no problem. Keep in mind that he has Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Improved Feint, and Improved Startle to remove Dodge Bonuses. And Improved Demoralize and Improved Taunt to lower saves. And and Improved Trick and Redirect to bob and weave if the heroes’ accuracy sucks. He’s not the type to stick around if the battle’s going poorly for him, either. Especially if the heroes have decided to use lethal damage.

Personality: Nagesh is a a snake. Arguably he was never a hero to begin with. He was just raised to be one, and it didn’t stick. He is a vicious, sadistic, and cruel bastard…but only when it suits his purposes. Primarily he’s treacherous, slippery, and hard to pin down. He’s also a really happy guy. If heroes aren’t thwarting his plans he’s usually having a very good day. And even then he’ll still smile. It’s just no longer a nice smile. He’s a very selfish person. The life of everyone who is not him means very little to him. Him reincarnating alone is an act of intentional murder. Since he chose that method instead of finding another one and several deaths later still hasn’t even so much as attempted to change it. At the core of him is a man who doesn’t want to die, yet it’s strange. Actually dying is nothing but funny now…

. . Obviously, there’s no saving or redeeming Nagesh. There’s also very little hope of permanently getting rid of him, either. Killing him obviously doesn’t work. Imprisoning him requires a constant, unwavering suicide watch. Or a magic nullifying space in which you can keep his corpse in literally forever. Otherwise he’s coming back with better intel on the heroes. Even if Operatives Without Names is taken apart. Even if Daisuke Uehara is saved and redeemed and the other two are imprisoned. Nagesh will always be a threat. That’s just how it is. He’ll always be back unless extreme measures are taken that the mundane authorities simply don’t have access to.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:37 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: Bellona Accardo, Reyna Oleastro)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

greycrusader wrote: Sun Feb 20, 2022 5:16 am Hey, very good, solid stuff! And you’re really prolific in creating material. Kudos on your setting.

All my best.
Oh, man. I'm kind of honored. The legendary (to me) commenter I've seen so much of. Gilliam, Davies, Jab, and now greycrusader. Suppose I'm doing something right here. Which is just so very validating. You all have no idea. I've been working on and off on the current version of everyone since late 2018 / early 2019. But yanno, if nobody's apparently paying attention, well. Shouting into the void isn't very motivating. It probably would have taken me most of this year to finish the League, instead of a coupld months. So the view numbers going up and the occasional comment, man...I feel like I'm not wasting my time here. But let's not get too mushy.

Thanks for stopping by, please come again, etcetera. :D
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Aidan Killian

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Aidan Killian

Power Level: 10; Power Points Spent: 210/210

STR: +10 (20/30), DEX: +5 (20), CON: +5 (20), INT: +5 (20), WIS: +2 (14), CHA: +0 (10)

Tough: +5/+10, Fort: +10, Ref: +10, Will: +7

Skills: Acrobatics 10 (+15), Bluff 10 (+10), Intimidate 10 (+10), Language 4 (+4), Notice 8 (+10), Sense Motive 8 (+10), Stealth 10 (+15)

Feats: Accurate Attack, Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Defensive Attack, Evasion, Improved Initiative 5, Jack-of-All-Trades, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Notice, Sense Motive, Stealth), Takedown Attack, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Cyber-Electrics (Array 15) (default power: blast)
. . Cybernetic Might (Linked)
. . . . Autofire on Strength ((Strength Bonus) Strike 10) (Linked; Autofire (interval 2, max +5))
. . . . Enhanced Strength 10 (Linked; +10 STR)
. . . . Super-Strength 5 (Linked; +25 STR carry capacity, heavy load: 25.6 tons; +5 STR to some checks)
. . Electro Blitz (Blast 10) (Default; DC 25; Autofire (interval 2, max +5))
. . Electro Burst (Blast 10) (Array; DC 25; Burst Area (50 ft. radius - General))
. . Electrocution (Blast 10) (Array; DC 25; Duration (concentration))
. . Shock Blast (Paralyze 10) (Array; DC 20; Alternate Save (Fortitude), Range (ranged))
. . Taser Blast (Stun 10) (Array; DC 20; Range (ranged))

Cybernetics (Container, Passive 10)
. . Enhanced Trait 5 (Feats: Improved Initiative 5)
. . Immunity 10 (common descriptor: Electrical)
. . Protection 5 (+5 Toughness; Impervious [5 extra ranks])
. . Quickness 10 (Perform routine tasks at 2500x speed)
. . Speed 10 (Speed: 10000 mph, 88000 ft./rnd)

Attack Bonus: +10 (Ranged: +10, Melee: +10, Grapple: +20/+25)

Attacks: Electro Blitz (Blast 10), +10 (DC 25), Electro Burst (Blast 10) (DC 25), Electrocution (Blast 10), +10 (DC 25), Shock Blast (Paralyze 10), +10 (DC Fort/Staged 20), Taser Blast (Stun 10), +10 (DC Fort/Staged 20), Unarmed Attack, +10 (DC 25)

Defense: +10 (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -10

Initiative: +25

Languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English Native, Irish, Spanish

Totals: Abilities 44 + Skills 15 (60 ranks) + Feats 11 + Powers 85 + Combat 40 + Saves 15 + Drawbacks 0 = 210

Age (as of Jan 2019): 18
Height: 6’
Weight: 180 lbs. (165 lb appearance)
Ethnicity: Irish
Hair: Dark Brown (White when using powers)
Eyes: Electric Blue

Theme Songs: Straight to the End, by Fabvl featuring Zach Boucher & Outcat, by Divide Music featuring Laur Lindmae

Background: Aidan Killian is the youngest member of the reclusive Clan Killian, the premier Irish assassin family. Please note that this is assassin. Not hitman, not bomber, not even serial killer. Assassin. A certain level of skill and professionalism is expected, and Clan Killian has always delivered. Their training methods were brutal and cruel. But you know what? Aiden didn’t mind that. The various literal torture methods used to weaken his pain response? Having to fist fight his father or older siblings at the drop of a hat? The psychological brainwashing sessions to break and reshape his mind? The incredibly invasive surgical procedures to implant his cybernetic and biological implants? Nah, they were fine. Every family has their traditions and weird practices. They wanted him to be the best ever at the family business. They cared enough to give him the very best in training and technology. Fair enough. No, what bothered 12 year old Aiden was that he wasn’t allowed to decide a bloody thing for himself. His entire life was under his family’s complete control. And really, fuck off with that. He escaped and stared bumming around the world. Of course, his family wanted him back pronto, But finding a kid who can run at hypersonic speed and has three continents to disappear in…well. Needle, meet haystack. It took them three months.

. . Daisuke Uehara was in the market for a new ally, and liked what he’d heard about the Irish preteen. As much as the “ninja ideal” could like anything, anyway. More importantly, Nagesh Malik (who had just snaked his way into Daisuke’s confidence) thought he was pretty rad. So Daisuke killed the man attempting to kidnap or murder (it wasn’t clear and honestly it didn’t matter) Aidan in Prague, and offered the young boy a job. They’ve been together ever since. The Killian family is still trying to recoup the expensive tech in his body. Whether their preference is for him to continue using it or…you know…have someone else use it varies depending on who’s giving the orders. You’d think they’d back off after a certain point, but nope. It’s weird. It’s like he’s getting a heavy training session at least once a month. Even after he’s gotten away from them, they still find a way to control part of his life. Bloody goddamn aggravating. So he’s killed the last few rather brutally, lately, and his family is about to declare him outcast. That’d mean it’d be open season on him for all the other assassins and killers bearing a grudge against the Killians. Meh, fuck ‘em anyway. He gave ‘em 12 years of obedience. If they can toss him out so easily, they were never really family to begin with. But you know, at least he’s got his best mate Baoli. He’s a bit nuts, but he’s loyal and he gets Aidan’s frustrations with his family.

Powers & Tactics: Aidan is in an interesting position. He’s a metahuman augmented with cybernetics and biological implants. His metahuman power is enhanced electricity generation. Unfortunately, without any way to emit said electricity. And prior to his enhancements, it was quite weak and undetectable. It was after his full suite of implants came online that it kicked into high gear. His implants were designed to work with a battery system or an outside generator. He requires neither. In fact, he’s outproducing the design specs. The bio-implants mutated and the bleeding edge cybernetics adapted to the superior energy source. Now he has subdermal armor to make him bulletproof even to vehicle mounted guns. Enough strength to juggle several of said vehicles. Hypersonic speed. And enough sheer electrical output to power an entire neightborhood. Or burn one down. He can emit this electricity in a variety of ways. The multi hit combo of Electro Blitz. The area devastation of Electro Burst. Shock Blast stuns the nervous system, rendering the opponent unable to move. Taser Blast will just KO them outright. But it’s Electrocution that’s particularly nasty. It isn’t a single blast, but Aidan directly connecting his target to the flow of energy from inside him. It’s very well named, and generally he won’t stop until his target’s flesh starts to noticeably carbonize. Only the very unlucky are in any way still alive at that point. Naturally, he’s immune to the harmful effects of electricity entirely.

. . Tactically, he’s deceptively simple. All he can really do is punch or blast. And what he picks is highly situational. As is whether or not he simply runs away. At Mach 13. He’s even got all four cap shifting feats to muddy things further. Shock Blast is extremely dangerous, and he knows it. It’s probably he favorite opener. Electrocution is primarily a finisher. Everything else gets tossed in as needed. Like Move By Action. Don’t forget he’s an incredible grappler, and that he’s very far from an idiot. He’s not going to take on a full squad of heroes by himself. That’s stupid. He’s a courier and an assassin, not some mindless thug. He doesn’t know what a power stunt is, unfortunately.

Personality: Aidan is startlingly normal. A cheerful, extrovert young man who enjoys the company of others. You can find the type just about anywhere in Ireland. Then he kills a man, and absolutely nothing changes about him. Like it didn’t matter at all. Because to him, it didn’t. His training has rendered the lives of strangers and acquaintances entirely without meaning to him. Even friends and family can be killed without hesitation, if not without regret. And his genial good mood never quite fully reaches his eyes. They’re always somewhat cold and dead, representing the cold and dead place instead where his humanity would normally be. That was “trained” out of him before his age needed a second digit. Honestly, he’s not a bad guy really. You know, if you can ignore the ability and willingness to casually kill.

. . As such, there is absolutely no saving or redeeming Aidan under normal circumstances. Kick his ass, deactivate his tech, and throw him in the slammer forever. Now if the heroes want to take the time out of their busy heroic lives to deprogram, disarm, and defuse the formerly-a-tyke bomb, they can have at it. It’s not impossible, just a lot of work over a lot of time.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:41 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Shanyuan Baoli

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Shanyuan Baoli

Power Level: 10; Power Points Spent: 180/180

STR: +2 (14), DEX: +3 (16), CON: +2 (14), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +2 (14), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +12, Fort: +8, Ref: +8, Will: +8

Skills: Acrobatics 7 (+10), Intimidate 12 (+15), Knowledge (arcane Lore) 3 (+5), Knowledge (earth sciences) 3 (+5), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 3 (+5), Language 5 (+5), Notice 8 (+10), Sense Motive 8 (+10), Stealth 7 (+10)

Feats: Accurate Attack, Improved Critical 2 (Sand Dehydration (Blast 10)), Improved Critical 2 (Sand Trap (Snare 10)), Improved Critical 2 (Sandblasting (Blast 10)), Power Attack, Startle, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Desertproof (Linked)
. . Immunity 2 (Linked; environmental condition: Cold, environmental condition: Heat)
. . Immunity 6 (Linked; custom: Sand Effects 5, starvation & thirst; Limited - Half Effect)

Sand Armor (Protection 10) (+10 Toughness; Impervious; Subtle (subtle))

Sand Demon Powers (Array 16) (default power: move object)
. . Infernal Sand Control (Move Object 10) (Default; Strength: 50, Carry: 4.3 tons / 8.5 tons / 12.8 tons / 25.6 tons, DC 25; Damaging, Range (perception); Custom (Medium (sand)); Indirect 2 (any point, directed away))
. . Sand Dehydration (Blast 10) (Array; DC 25, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Sand Dehydration (Blast 10)); Alternate Save (Fortitude))
. . Sand Objects (Create Object 10) (Array; Max Size: 10x 25' cubes, DC 20; Impervious, Range (perception); Feedback; Progression, Object Size 2)
. . Sand Trap (Snare 10) (Array; DC 20, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Sand Trap (Snare 10)); Regenerating)
. . Sandblasting (Blast 10) (Array; DC 25, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Sandblasting (Blast 10)); Autofire (interval 2, max +5))
. . Sandstorm Level 2 (Strike 10) (Array; DC 25; Burst Area (50-250 ft. radius - General), Duration (concentration); Progression, Increase Area 2 (area x5))

Sand Platform (Flight 5) (Speed: 250 mph, 2200 ft./rnd; Platform; Subtle (subtle))

Sandstorm Level 1 (Obscure 6) (affects: visual senses, Radius: 250 ft.; Selective Attack; Range (touch))

Attack Bonus: +10 (Ranged: +10, Melee: +10, Grapple: +12)

Attacks: Infernal Sand Control (Move Object 10) (DC 25), Sand Dehydration (Blast 10), +10 (DC Fort 25), Sand Trap (Snare 10), +10 (DC Ref/Staged 20), Sandblasting (Blast 10), +10 (DC 25), Sandstorm Level 2 (Strike 10) (DC 25), Unarmed Attack, +10 (DC 17)

Defense: +8 (Flat-footed: +4), Knockback: -11

Initiative: +3

Languages: Chinese (Mandarin) Native, English, Hindi, Korean, Russian, Uyghur

Totals: Abilities 28 + Skills 14 (56 ranks) + Feats 4 + Powers 81 + Combat 36 + Saves 17 + Drawbacks 0 = 180

Age (as of Jan 2019): 18
Height: 5’ 5”
Weight: 145 lbs.
Ethnicity: ½ Uyghur, ½ Han Chinese
Hair: Black w/ dark red undertones
Eyes: Light brown

Theme Songs: Monster, by Divide Music featuring Daddyphatsnaps, Rage, by Daddyphatsnaps & Love, by Divide Music featuring CG5

Background: Shanyuan Baoli (Baoli Shanyuan in the Chinese ordering) has a very familiar tale. A small village of heroic martial artists and magicians. A horrible attack by a supernatural being. Terrible casualties, and the being could only be sealed inside a newborn baby. In this case, the village was on the edge of the Gobi Desert in China. And the supernatural being was a sand demon. Another difference is that the attack was provoked, and the sealing the plan the entire time. The Chinese government, since the Communist takeover, has taken a very dim view of any superhuman powers or skills in or adjacent to its territory that it did not control. Ditto cultures different from Han Chinese. Observe the treatment of Tibet. The Uyghurs of this small villiage had done several divinations. They knew their turn would come. They needed a weapon against the Glorious Radiant Heroes (or whatever name they would be using at that time) and Chinese military. So they made one. Unfortunately, they adhered firmly to the other part of the story. They treated young Baoli terribly. He was not to be a person, with his own will and desires. The only purpose of his existence was to murder the shit out of anyone who came to take away the village’s sovereignty. Outside of that he was nothing more than a monster and a demon to be feared and hated.

. . Humans don’t work like that. They need people. There was one woman who was better. She fed Baoli. She clothed him. She sheltered him. She trained him in the use of his infernal powers. He loved her dearly. She was pretending the entire time. He found out when she tried to murder him as his graduation from training. He absolutely fucking snapped. Less than an hour later, the entire village was buried in sand and everyone was apparently dead. A literally hellish sandstorm had destroyed everything. Baoli continued living in that area, and massacred a detachment of Chinese infantry sent to find out what the hell had just happened out there. This drew the attention of Nagesh Malik, who brought Daisuke Uehara and Aiden Killian along. The first two massacred a second detachment and their superpowered associate, while Aiden connected with Shanyuan. Both Daisuke and Nagesh knew it had to be a genuine connection to recruit the boy. Daisuke wasn’t capable of the connection part. Nagesh wasn’t capable of the genuine part. But Aiden needed a buddy to keep him grounded. Now he had one. In the three years since, Baoli has earned a terrifying and murderous reputation. The other members of OWN might show something that appears to be mercy. You know, if you squint and tilt your head sideways. They’re killers, sure, but sometimes it’s just more expedient to leave people alive. But everyone who’s pitted their self at Baoli has needed a closed casket funeral. At this rate, he’s rapidly ascending Vincent Mortelini’s list of people to kill soon.

. . However. What Baoli thought he did and what he actually did are two different things. Two thirds of his village’s people survived being buried in sand, and simply moved their village underground. A lesson was learned. If you treat someone like a monster for long enough, they lose any reason not to act like one.

Powers & Tactics: Baoli is is possessed by a sand demon. He can spontaneously generate and control vast quantities of sand direct from Hell. He is just about desertproof, as the heat of day and chill of night have no effect while he has much less need for food and water than a unpowered human. Armor made of sand coats his skin, masquerading as said skin. It can tank artillery fire with no problem. He can ride a flying platform made of sand at highway speeds, and manifest a sandstorm approximately a tenth of a mile in diameter that blocks out vision for anyone he wants. It is this last one that hints at his attacking powers, as he can make this sandstorm turn steel-shreddingly violent. He can emit rapid fire steel shredding sand blasts, restrain targets with semi solid sand, put up sand objects as durable as his own armor, rip the water out of bodies with excessively dry sand, and his personal favorite move/grapple/crush things with sand. Here’s your sand coffin. Crunch. The sand fades away after a while.

. . Tacticallly, that is Baoli’s go-to move, and very effective. Sandstorm Level 1 is excellent cover, grab with Infernal Sand Control, crush with Damaging extra until dead, move on to next target. Of course, that doesn’t always work and thus the other array settings come out. Not every target needs to see. Not every target can be held by Infernal Sand Control. Which is what Sandblasting, Sand Trap, and Sand Dehydration are for. Sandstorm Level 2 is how he buried his village. He hasn’t used it in a populated area. Yet. Sand Objects is for the rare occasion when killing anyone is automatic mission failure. Walls to block access, constructs to trap people, defensive barriers for his allies, you know how this works. Since his Toughness and Impervious is so high, failing a Toughness save despite rolling reasonably well (10 or better) excites him. Worthy opponents are a relatively rare occurrence. He never power stunts, despite knowing what that is and being capable of doing it.

Personality: Baoli is…complicated. Outside he’s an emotionless killing machine, as that’s what he was meant to be, right? Inside, though…he’s a vulnerable young man. Angry, grieving, guilt ridden, and confused about who he even is really. He’s a big fuckin’ ball of teenage angst. He doesn’t want to be the emotionless killing machine. He doesn’t want to be this wicked, evil person. But no other options have been presented, and he sure as hell can’t think of any. Honestly, what else is a demon possessed person supposed to be, other than horribly evil? And so he keeps on going. The emotionless killing machine. A murderer, burdened with sin. Angsty and conflicted.

. . The heroes can’t save or redeem Baoli on their own. They’re just more targets throwing themselves at his sand to be killed. The most likely outcome is either the heroes pounding him down and imprisoning him, or Vincent Mortelini dropping a goddamn building on him and crushing him to death. However. If the heroes have saved Nayan and dismantled the Blackgate Pirates, the duplicating martial artist is the one person on the planet who both understands what Baoli is going through and can reach past that emotionless exterior. They’ll also have to seek out his home village and prove most of them are still alive, navigating the treacherous waters of internal Chinese politics in the process. It’ll be a hard road, but with the help of Nayan and Baoli’s village, the angsty young man can be turned to the side of good.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Thu Jun 15, 2023 12:45 am, edited 2 times in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
The Archetype Blendarama!
You, Dear Reader, may comment on any build at any time. I will be happy regardless.
greycrusader
Posts: 1179
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 11:25 pm
Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: Bellona Accardo, Reyna Oleastro)

Post by greycrusader »

EternalPhoenix wrote: Mon Feb 21, 2022 5:04 am
greycrusader wrote: Sun Feb 20, 2022 5:16 am Hey, very good, solid stuff! And you’re really prolific in creating material. Kudos on your setting.

All my best.
Oh, man. I'm kind of honored. The legendary (to me) commenter I've seen so much of. Gilliam, Davies, Jab, and now greycrusader. Suppose I'm doing something right here. Which is just so very validating. You all have no idea. I've been working on and off on the current version of everyone since late 2018 / early 2019. But yanno, if nobody's apparently paying attention, well. Shouting into the void isn't very motivating. It probably would have taken me most of this year to finish the League, instead of a coupld months. So the view numbers going up and the occasional comment, man...I feel like I'm not wasting my time here. But let's not get too mushy.

Thanks for stopping by, please come again, etcetera. :D
Thank you very much for your compliments. Nagesh Malik is a nice example of the Faux Affably Evil villain, one without much in the way of sympathetic, let alone redeeming traits, yet who can play the role of a gentleman, only committing vile acts when necessary for his heinous plans, unlike a Joker or Carnage, who perpetrate atrocities on a whim. Campaigns need a few utterly despicable antagonists who nonetheless aren't complete psychopaths. I enjoyed his back story-something of an inversion of the origin story of Iron Fist (or earlier heroes such as Human Thunderbolt or A-Man).

I might give one word of advice: you're obviously very creative and have also thought out your characters and setting quite well. However, you've presented a big chunk of material at once, so interested readers on the forum may need a little time to catch up and comment. Early on, when I began writing again, I also tended to post a LOT at a time; slowing the pace got better results in terms of getting feedback. But I do admire your enthusiasm and discipline in presenting all this.

Thanks again. All my best.
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