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

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Davies
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: The Strength Revolution; Methion! Serine! Valine! Katrea!)

Post by Davies »

EternalPhoenix wrote: Thu May 12, 2022 5:45 am Honestly at heart I'm still that kid in his bedroom smashing action figures together.
Ain't we all? :lol:

(I actually wrote an essay on that very subject.)
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: The Strength Revolution; Methion! Serine! Valine! Katrea!)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Davies wrote: Thu May 12, 2022 5:58 am (I actually wrote an essay on that very subject.)
I'd be interested in reading it.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
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Jacob Cross (Holmes)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Jacob Cross (Holmes)

Power Level: 10; Power Points Spent: 225/225

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

Tough: +2/+7, Fort: +8, Ref: +12, Will: +10

Skills: Acrobatics 7 (+10), Bluff 7 (+10), Computers 7 (+10), Diplomacy 12 (+15), Disable Device 7 (+10), Drive 7 (+10), Gather Information 12 (+15), Intimidate 12 (+15), Investigate 12 (+15), Knowledge (behavioral science) 7 (+10), Knowledge (civics) 7 (+10), Knowledge (current events) 7 (+10), Knowledge (streetwise) 12 (+15), Notice 15 (+20), Search 12 (+15), Sense Motive 15 (+20), Stealth 7 (+10), Swim 3 (+5)

Feats: Accurate Attack, Attack Focus (ranged) 4, Attack Specialization 2 (Unarmed Attack), Contacts, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Dodge Focus 2, Equipment 2, Evasion, Improved Aim, Improved Critical 2 (Custom Heavy Blaster Shot (Blast 8)), Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Quick Draw, Second Chance (Toughness saves vs Ballistic), Second Chance (Toughness saves vs Piercing), Skill Mastery (Gather Info, Investigate, Notice, Sense Motive), Takedown Attack, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory), Well-Informed

Powers:
Custom Body Armor (Device 3) (Hard to lose; Subtle (subtle))
. . Advanced Kevlar and Ceramics (Protection 4) (+4 Toughness; Impervious [2 extra ranks]; Subtle (subtle))
. . Bullet and Stab Resistant (Enhanced Trait 2) (Feats: Second Chance (Toughness saves vs Ballistic), Second Chance (Toughness saves vs Piercing))
. . Protected Vitals (Immunity 2) (critical hits)

Custom Heavy Blaster (Device 5) (Easy to lose)
. . Custom Heavy Blaster Shot (Blast 8) (DC 23, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Custom Heavy Blaster Shot (Blast 8)); Penetrating [4 ranks only]; Precise, Ricochet (1 bounce))
. . . . Stun Bolt (Stun 8) (Alternate; DC 18; Range (ranged))

Telepathic (Super-Senses 7) (accurate: Mind Awareness, acute: Mind Awareness, awareness: Mind (Mental), danger sense: Mental, extended: Mind Awareness 1 (-1 per 100 ft), uncanny dodge: Mental)

Telepathic Dodge (Enhanced Trait 4) (Feats: Defensive Roll, Dodge Focus 2, Evasion)

Telepathic Talents (Array 12) (default power: mind reading)
. . Clairsentience (ESP 6) (Array; affects: 2 types, inc. visual - visual & auditory; Simultaneous)
. . Hallucination (Illusion 10) (Array; affects: all sense types, DC 20; Limited to One Subject, Phantasms; Progression, Area 4 (100 ft. radius))
. . Mind Reading 10 (Default; DC 20; Custom (Insidious), Precise, Subtle 2 (unnoticable))
. . Sleepy Vibes (Fatigue 5) (Array; DC 15; Range 2 (perception); Custom (Insidious), Sedation, Subtle 2 (unnoticable))

Telepathic Translation (Comprehend 2) (languages - speak all, languages - understand all)

Equipment: Plot Specific Equipment 10

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

Attacks: Custom Heavy Blaster Shot (Blast 8), +12 (DC 23), Mind Reading 10 (DC Will 20), Sleepy Vibes (Fatigue 5) (DC Fort 15), Stun Bolt (Stun 8), +12 (DC Fort/Staged 18), Unarmed Attack, +12 (DC 17)

Defense: +12 (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -6

Initiative: +7

Languages: English Native

Totals: Abilities 36 + Skills 42 (168 ranks) + Feats 21 + Powers 70 + Combat 36 + Saves 20 + Drawbacks 0 = 225

Age (as of Jan 2019): 42 years old (chronological), mid 30s (appearance)
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 175
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue

Theme Song: Worth Dying For, by Rise Against

Background: Jacob Cross, years ago, was an FBI agent. He worked for their semi-secret Psi-Division. Psionic metahuman powers are relatively common, if generally not overly powerful, and naturally the FBI would have a division to deal with them. And just as naturally such a division would evolve over time into being the FBI’s top investigative unit by sheer necessity. Dealing with semi and minor supervillains (with enhanced strength, speed, resilience, telekinetic, and/or telepathic powers) on a regular basis for decades will do that. And Jacob Cross was their shining star. The golden boy who could do no wrong. Not the top investigator in these United States, but probably the best with a badge instead of a mask. But fate’s a funny thing, ain’t it? After 9/11, the FBI got serious about investigating all possible threats. Not that they weren’t serious before, but nothing like the death of a major superhero (Starman II, may he rest in peace) on the same day as the worst terrorist attack in the country’s history to provide motivation to redouble their efforts.

. . It was a day just like any other. Cross was assigned a case. He got his team together. And they fell down the rabbit hole. Prior to the investigations of Agent Cross and his team, Methion and the Strength Revolution operated with near complete impunity. The multiple moving parts of the Revolution he had successfully masked as entirely independent entities for decades, if not centuries. Other investigators were routinely mysteriously murdered, disappeared, or driven insane from the stress of chasing smoke and mirrors. Other investigators were not Jacob Cross of the FBI’s Psi-Division. The sheer scope of this operation staggered Cross and his team after they started putting the pieces together. Soon after, Cross joined a very short list of people. The list of people who have successfully thwarted Methion and lived to tell the story. And he didn’t just do it once. He did it several times. The mere existence of the Drone Horde was revealed. The then-members of the Special Tactics Group (pre-Nimbus and additional Squads) were exposed as more than mere sometimes allied supervillains. The Military Action Group’s activities took a big hit, with several sub groups being exposed, captured, or killed. Agent Cross was doing the impossible. Showing that the mighty Methion was just a man after all. He could be outsmarted and beaten.

. . For his part, Methion was quite flummoxed. For the first time in a very long time, there was someone who thought like he did, was apparently incorruptible, and possessed of endless courage. A good and righteous man. Oh, right. Methion smiled, a devious idea appearing in his head. If Agent Cross wanted to protect people so badly from those who would harm them, well…there was quite a bit he could do. The world was full of the greed and weakness of mankind. All Methion had to do was point the intrepid Agent Cross in the right direction, and he’d do the Revolution’s work for it.

. . Have you ever felt like you’re being manipulated? There was little new activity in the Strength Revolution case, but there was new information slowly coming out in at least a dozen other cases. Cross was not an idiot; he knew his opposite number wanted him to look into this new information. But even a casual perusal revealed many crimes that had been going unprosecuted or investigated. This was where Jacob Cross started learning the limits of his power and popularity. The world runs on money and power. And when someone with both wants something kept secret, it gets kept secret. Cross learned fast that when he was stopping criminals, terrorists, and supervillains he was the revered golden boy. But when he tried to hold the rich and powerful accountable to the law, he was suddenly persona non grata, transferred from Psi-Division and stuck managing an evidence warehouse. Oh, yeah. Cross was not an idiot. The lesson had been learned, and he’d been played like a fiddle. By the man now visiting him. Methion.

. . This was not where Cross joined the Strength Revolution, and in fact Methion didn’t even offer. Cross would have simply told him to fuck off, and they both knew it. They just talked and gained an understanding of one another. Soon afterward, the Revolution resumed its activities in several big ways, and a frantic global law enforcement and intelligence community begged the FBI to summon their former golden boy from his exile. Cross agreed to come back only under the condition that he actually be allowed to do his job without interference. And the whole situation basically repeated itself. Methion was a bit more competent this time, and he and Cross fought to a draw in their mental chess match. Naturally, Cross’s conditions were ignored when he started once again prodding too deeply into matters certain interested parties would have preferred to remain undisturbed. And then he started dodging assassination attempts, having grown properly paranoid after losing a few colleagues to Methion’s scheming. This was not the last straw. The last straw was the installation of a new FBI Director, who promptly slashed Psi-Division’s budget, replaced their Special Agent in Charge, and transferred key personnel to other divisions. The shining star of the FBI’s attempts to battle superhuman criminals was now a shell of itself. Jacob Cross was, for a third time, not an idiot. The reason was obvious, and for the first time he got angry. Genuinely fucking furious. People were going to die because certain persons with money, power, and influence didn’t feel like going to prison for their many, many crimes. Thus endeth the lesson, said Methion, suddenly appearing next to him.

. . The Grand Wizard didn’t offer anything, and indeed would have left shortly if Cross had remained silent. Cross did not remain silent. Shortly afterward, Cross was slamming his badge and gun on the desk of the FBI Director and telling him and his puppeteers to burn in hell before stalking out. He started and has been running his own Psi-Division within the Strength Revolution for the last 7 years, pursing his own ideals of justice. He gets his targets prosecuted under local law at every available opportunity, but when he can’t…he’s been growing more and more comfortable having his people play judge, jury, and executioner.

Powers & Tactics: Jacob Cross is a metahuman psionic. He has relatively minor telepathic powers. He also has a couple of technological devices that bump up his combat capabilities to superhuman levels. His Custom Body Armor increases his resistance to damage (especially to bullets, arrows, and stabbing weapons), and provides an extra measure of protection against any lucky hits. His Custom Heavy Blaster does as much damage as vehicle mounted firearms, and comes with a stun setting for when he needs more polite violence.

. . His telepathy has several features. He can detect and target anyone with a mind just as easily as if he was using his eyes, and at greater range than any other sense. Said minds also give off split second warnings, making him slightly better at avoiding injury. He can understand and speak any language the person he’s speaking with does. His telepathic talents do not end there. He can read minds without being noticed, create convincing illusions for one person, put weaker minds to sleep, and push his vision and hearing out to a distance of 5 miles virtually undetectably.

. . Tactically, Cross is a surprisingly simple fellow. He still thinks like an FBI agent. Find cover and return fire. However, he never walks into a situation blind. Between Clairsentience and his ability to sense minds from far away, he’s a difficult person to surprise, and he can approach from unexpected angles. He’s not afraid to pull back and reposition. Hallucination and Sleepy Vibes work very well on the rank and file. But he does rely heavily on his team to do more than just “shoot with blaster”. He has gotten pretty good at unarmed striking and can Power Attack, but that’s it. As for power stunts, he can technically use Dazzle, Paralyze, Nauseate, Stun, and even Damage. They’re perception ranged effects with will saves at rank 5 with the Insidious and Subtle 2 power feats. However, him doing this is rather rare. Because while the target may not notice anything wrong when using those powers, anybody with them certainly would.

Personality: Jacob Cross is a man of faith. He believes, and believes hard. In truth. In justice. And in the rule of law. Everyone ought to be equal under the law, and the law ought to treat everyone with equal fairness. Basically he’s a faithful idealist. He knew that there was a gulf between how things ought to be and how they actually are, but the breadth of that gulf is continually surprising and frustrating to him. He went to college to help bridge it. He joined the FBI to help bridge it. He did everything that he personally could to help bridge that gulf; only to find out that he was the strange one. That most everyone else was more invested in keeping the peace than enforcing the law. It…broke him, a little. Realizing that what most people actually want is the illusion that everything is fine, their friends and family are good people, and the wickedness in the world cannot touch them. As long as the world’s troubles are Someone Else’s Problem, folks normally sleep easy. Personal loyalty often trumps actions. And self justification has no limit because everyone is the hero of their own story.

. . Like. Fucking. Hell. Rather than being reasonable like most adults and accept that he must exist inside an imperfect world and do his best within those constraints, Cross has decided on forcing his way. Because Jesus Christ, wrong is wrong. What the fuck is the matter with you people? This isn’t jaywalking, petty theft, or even relatively minor drug offenses. This is murder, child slavery, the theft of millions if not billions of dollars, large scale sex trafficking, fraud leading to the permanent disability or death of thousands, and other such things. Hideous and egregious shit that is just…allowed. Because the economy would crater if they were shut down. Because investigation and prosecution would be politically difficult. Because they’d fight tooth and nail with some of the best criminal defense lawyers money can buy, and we prefer to win and win quickly. It’s all bullshit, and Cross is a man on a mission to prove exactly how bullshit it is. If he has to get into bed with scum like Methion for the resources, so be it. If he’s the only one willing and able to provide the evidence to bring these people down, so be it. And if, in the end, he’s the only one willing to enforce any sort of penalty for these crimes, SO BE IT.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Tue Aug 23, 2022 10:04 pm, edited 2 times in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
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Clive Wesker

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Clive Wesker

Power Level: 6; Power Points Spent: 90/90

STR: +1 (12), DEX: +1 (12), CON: +2 (14), INT: +3 (16), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +4 (18)

Tough: +2/+4, Fort: +5, Ref: +5, Will: +5

Skills: Bluff 11 (+15), Diplomacy 11 (+15), Gather Information 11 (+15), Knowledge (behavioral science) 7 (+10), Knowledge (business) 2 (+5), Knowledge (civics) 7 (+10), Knowledge (current events) 7 (+10), Knowledge (history) 2 (+5), Language 6 (+6), Notice 2 (+5), Sense Motive 2 (+5), Stealth 4 (+5)

Feats: Attack Specialization (Masterwork Heavy Pistol), Connected, Contacts, Dodge Focus 3, Equipment 3, Fascinate (Bluff), Fascinate (Diplomacy), Precise Shot, Skill Mastery (Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Info, KN (behavioral science)), Uncanny Dodge (Auditory), Well-Informed

Equipment: Masterwork Heavy Pistol (Heavy Pistol, Masterwork Weapon), Undercover Shirt

Attack Bonus: +5 (Ranged: +5, Melee: +5, Grapple: +6)

Attacks: Masterwork Heavy Pistol, +8 (DC 19), Unarmed Attack, +5 (DC 16)

Defense: +8 (Flat-footed: +3), Knockback: -2

Initiative: +1

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

Totals: Abilities 28 + Skills 18 (72 ranks) + Feats 15 + Powers 0 + Combat 20 + Saves 9 + Drawbacks 0 = 90

Age (as of Jan 2019): 50
Height: 5’ 10”
Weight: 165 lbs.
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Hair: Black (streaked with grey)
Eyes: Green

Background: Clive Wesker is the PR guy. He’s also not the first one. Technically, he’s Clive Anthony Wesker V, fifth of his line and fifth president of the Wesker Agency. Methion has ever been a clever, forward looking man. The rise of the electric telegraph presaged a dramatic rise in global communications capacity. He needed someone to manage the public image of his various businesses and less than legal enterprises and endeavors. After a painstaking selection process, he chose Clive Anthony Wesker and his fledgling Wesker Agency out of London. Methion would provide the funding required. All the original Wesker had to do was, well, his job. Be the public spokesman for some rather reclusive persons (Methion, Serine, Valine, and Katrea), and make sure that the public reputations of their public names remained as pristine as possible. Weskers I-IV have performed quite well in this, along with portions of the ever expanding Wesker family, with Wesker III moving the agency’s headquarters to New York City ahead of WWII.

. . It is Wesker V who’s had the most trouble. The explosion of the internet during his tenure would have been rocky enough without Jacob Cross and Psi-Division at the FBI exposing much of what his illustrious predecessors had carefully kept hidden. These days much is in the open and Wesker V is a busy, busy man. Not that anyone knows who he specifically is, mind. The benefits of being the boss that you can hire an ever rotating cast of attractive, well spoken people, top class lawyers, and popular celebrity spokespeople to do the actual work. Methion keeps the Wesker Agency carefully insulated. They perform no illegal activity and are not permitted to know of any illegal activity. While Wesker V may know of Methion’s ultimate goals and general methodology, he knows nothing of any specifics. And these days, Methion is far from the Wesker Agency’s only client. It is a large, highly respected public relations firm with a great many clients. This provides no end of frustration for law enforcement and superheroes.

Powers & Tactics: Clive Wesker has no superhuman powers, special devices, or even any particularly high levels of skill or training. He is just an intelligent, charismatic, and well educated man who just happens to carry a Masterwork Heavy Pistol and have accuracy equal to special forces soldiers with it.

. . Tactically, unless the opposing force is coming for his life, Wesker surrenders immediately. He’s done nothing illegal, after all. His lawyers will have him out the same day. Now, if someone’s trying to kill him…as a citizen he is entitled to kill in his own defense. He is capable of Feinting quite well to get a good shot in. But generally someone trying to murder you is good cause to call the police for help and run away if you can do either.

Personality: Clive Wesker is an affable man. People instinctively like him, and are willing to extend some initial trust without any justification on his part. He is a loyal and competent man who loves his family (including his eventual successor, Clive VI) and doesn’t hold grudges. He’s just the PR guy. Don’t over think it.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
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Drone Horde

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Drone Horde

Overview

. . The Drone Horde mainly functions as the intelligence arm of the Strength Revolution. They have access to arguably the biggest and most powerful collection of combatants, however bringing any significant level of them to bear in that way would ruin them as intelligence sources. They’re also the source of the most rampant paranoia concerning Revolution membership. Because the vast majority of Drones have no idea they are, in fact, Drones.

. . Serine is an absolute genius in her specialty of psychic magic, and every drone is her creation. Perfect sleeper agents. Their minds and personalities have been subtly altered, invisible to everyone around them. How this works is somewhat individualized. Most have pre-programmed instructions buried in their psyches that they obey as if they were their own ideas, passing various bits of information on in subtle ways. This is not a continuing sustained spell, either. This is a permanent alteration. Not even killing Serine would undo what she has done, because there is no active effect to undo. The key here is that some of them are aware of doing this and remember it, and some are neither aware nor remember. The ones who remember are the closest thing the Revolution has to active intelligence agents, poking their noses into this and that while remaining absolutely loyal to someone they call The Faceless Queen. Keep in mind that both groups live their lives as normally as possible while doing this, however. There is a sub section that are basically walking bombs waiting to be triggered. These tend to be (but aren’t always) various superheroes and villains who, with a single code word or trigger spell from Serine, will go completely psycho and try to murder everyone in the general vicinity. Only death stops their insane rampage. There is another sub section that is essentially throwaway. Their free will is subsumed beneath the command of The Faceless Queen to complete a certain mission, usually a violent one. These tend to be elite soldiers, and they tend to come in teams. Really, there are Drones for any purpose a GM can imagine. Anything a Special Tactics Group Squad might do, they may be supported or replaced by throwaway Drones if necessary. Throwaway Drones aid the Military Action Group in their missions at need. Keep in mind that no Drone is actually mindless. Even throwaways still have their personalities and memories intact. That’s kind of the point. Any rookie magician can crush wills and control minds. It takes a deft and skilled hand to tweak psyches into obedience to their mistress while leaving only the most skilled observers with any idea of what has been done to them.

. . There are so many Drones that not even Serine remembers them all. They are legion, and they could be anyone. Anyone at all. Anyone who has dropped out of contact for a day or two. Gone off grid on vacation. Or been otherwise isolated for a short time. This includes small groups of mundane civilians and law enforcement. So when I say anyone can be a Drone, I mean anyone. Your neighbor who cuts your grass. Your Uber driver. Your doctor. The clerk at the grocery store. The mayor of your city. Members of your legislature. Your lawyer. That supervillain you’ve heard of. That prominent superhero. Anyone. At. All. Even you, yes you, could be a Drone and simply not know. Feeling paranoid yet?
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: The Strength Revolution; Serine! Valine! Katrea! Jacob Cross! Clive Wesker

Post by Davies »

Always do, but more so right now.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Drone Prime (The Prince)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Drone Prime (The Prince)

Power Level: 15; Power Points Spent: 255/255

STR: +3/+5/+7 (16/20/24), DEX: +3/+5/+7 (16/20/24), CON: +3/+5/+7 (16/20/24), INT: +3 (16), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +6/+8 to +12/+10 to +18, Fort: +6/+9/+12, Ref: +12/+15/+18, Will: +9

Skills: Acrobatics 12 (+15/+20/+25), Bluff 12 (+15/+20), Concentration 12 (+15/+20), Diplomacy 7 (+10), Gather Information 7 (+10), Intimidate 12 (+15), Knowledge (civics) 2 (+5), Knowledge (tactics) 2 (+5), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 2 (+5), Language 4 (+4), Notice 12 (+15/+20), Sense Motive 12 (+15/+20)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Assessment, Attack Focus (melee) 6, Attack Specialization 3 (Chi Scatter Cannon (Blast 6)), Challenge - Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Challenge - Improved Feint, Challenge - Improved Taunt, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus 3, Elusive Target, Evasion, Grappling Finesse, Improved Initiative, Improved Pin, Improved Trip, Interpose, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Bluff, Notice, Sense Motive), Takedown Attack 2, Taunt, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Chi Armor (Protection 3) (+3 Toughness)

Chi Blasts (Array 12) (default power: blast)
. . Chi Blast Wave (Blast 12/16/20) (Default; DC 27/31/35)
. . Chi Scatter Cannon (Blast 6/8/10) (Array; DC 21/23/25; Burst Area (30/40/50 ft. radius - Targeted), Autofire (interval 2, max +5))

Chi Flight (Flight 3/4/5) (Speed: 50/100/250 mph, 440/880/2200 ft./rnd)

Chi Immortality (Immunity 3) (aging, disease, poison)

Chi Strike (Strike 3) (DC 21/23/25; Mighty)

Chi Transformations (Alternate Form 18) (Action (move))

Power Settings:
Super Mode (Alternate Form) (Trait Increases: Attack Bonus +2 (+8), Attack Focus (melee) 6 +2 (+8), Strength +4 (20, +5), Dexterity +4 (20, +5), Constitution +4 (20, +5), Fortitude +1 (+9), Reflex +1 (+15), Attack Specialization 3 (Chi Scatter Cannon (Blast 6+2)) +1 (+4), Acrobatics +3 (+20), Bluff +5 (+20))
Powers
. . Active Chi Armor (Force Field 4) ([0 active, 0/8 PP, 2/r], +4 Toughness; Impervious)
. . . . Enhanced Reactions (Enhanced Trait 8) (Alternate; [0 active, 0/8 PP, 1/r], Defense Bonus +4 (+16))
. . Enhanced Blast Wave (Blast 4) (Stacks with (Chi Blast Wave (Blast 12, to 16)))
. . . . Enhanced Scatter Cannon (Blast 2) (Alternate; Burst Area (+10 ft. radius - Targeted), Autofire (interval 2, max +5), Stacks with (Chi Scatter Cannon (Blast 6, to 8)))
. . Enhanced Chi Flight (Flight 1) (Stacks with (Chi Flight (Flight 3, to 4)))

Ultra Mode (Alternate Form) (Trait Increases: Attack Bonus +4 (+10), Attack Focus (melee) 6 +4 (+10), Attack Specialization 3 (Chi Scatter Cannon (Blast 6+4)) +2 (+5), Strength +8 (24, +7), Dexterity +8 (24, +7), Constitution +8 (24, +7), Fortitude +2 (+12), Reflex +2 (+18), Acrobatics +6 (+25), Bluff +5 (+20), Notice +5 (+20), Sense Motive +5 (+20), Concentration +5 (+20), Survival +2 (+5))
Powers
. . Active Chi Armor (Force Field 8) ([0 active, 0/16 PP, 2/r], +8 Toughness; Impervious)
. . . .Enhanced Reactions (Enhanced Trait 16) (Alternate; [0 active, 0/16 PP, 1/r], Defense Bonus +8 (+20))
. . Enhanced Blast Wave (Blast 8) (Stacks with (Chi Blast Wave (Blast 12, to 20)))
. . . . Enhanced Scatter Cannon (Blast 4) (Alternate; Burst Area (+20 ft. radius - Targeted), Autofire (interval 2, max +5), Stacks with (Chi Scatter Cannon (Blast 6, to 10)))
. . Enhanced Chi Flight (Flight 2) (Stacks with (Chi Flight (Flight 3, to 5)))

Attack Bonus: +6 (Ranged: +6, Melee: +12, Grapple: +15)

Attacks: Chi Blast Wave (Blast 12/16/20), +6/+8/+10 (DC 27/31/35), Chi Scatter Cannon (Blast 6/8/10), +12/+16/+20 (DC 21), Chi Strike (Strike 3), +12+16/+20 (DC 21/23/25), Unarmed Attack, +12/+16/+20 (DC 18/20/22)

Defense: +12 /max of +16/max of +20 (Flat-footed: +5/max of +7/max of +9), Knockback: -3/-4 to -8/-5 to -13

Initiative: +7/+9/+11

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

Totals: Abilities 36 + Skills 24 (96 ranks) + Feats 33 + Powers 114 + Combat 30 + Saves 18 + Drawbacks 0 = 255

Age (as of Jan 2019): Over 1000 years (chronological), mid 20s (appearance)
Height: 5’ 4.5”
Weight: 145 lbs.
Ethnicity: Han Chinese
Hair: Black (Bright Red in Super Mode, Golden Blonde in Ultra Mode)
Eyes: Dark Brown (Blue-Green in Ultra Mode)

Background: There is an old Chinese novel. Most know it. Its name is Journey To The West, and it was based on a true story. The Buddhist monk Xuanzang did indeed travel from China to India and back again. He was gone for 19 years, and even wrote a book about his journey titled Great Tang Records on the Western Regions. This much historians know. What historians dispute is what, exactly, he left out of the book. If indeed he left anything out at all. And exactly how believable what he wrote is. The truth is, as always, somewhere in the middle. There really was a Monkey King, who trained in martial arts and Chi Wizardry hard enough that he became essentially an immortal demigod. There indeed was a pig man, a “river ogre”, and a “dragon prince” that served as Xuanzang’s horse. It’s just that here in the 21st century we’d recognize the pig man as a genetic mutant with nothing overtly supernatural about him, and the river ogre as just a huge ugly guy with again nothing overtly supernatural about him either. The jury is still out on whether or not the horse’s name was Dragon Prince, he was a cursed human prince from a clan named Dragon, or he was literally a shapeshifted dragon. The Monkey King only laughs when asked, and the other three are long gone from this world. They did not meet the mortal human being Siddhārtha Gautama, as he had been dead for over a thousand years. It could have been him after his ascension to Buddhahood, but the truth of this is also unknown. The Monkey King only smiles and changes the subject if asked.

. . The Monkey King himself does not have any name that appears in any records. The powers of a trickster deity are many, even if he is only a demigod. Sun Wukong was someone else, as we will see shortly. Though the fact that each has pretended to be the other at various points over the years has not helped distinguish the two, heh. And he was and is not literally a monkey. His clan lived in treehouses, as the forests in the days of old were mighty indeed. Even if most other clans and tribes mocked them for this by calling them monkeys. After the journey, with Xuanzang safely returned home, the three companions went their separate ways. The Monkey King ruled his people wisely and well, paying tribute to the Tang dynasty when necessary. Eventually, he was married and had a son. And a more arrogant young man there never was. His father taught him well in the ways of the martial arts and Chi Wizardry. The prince became quite skilled indeed, second only to the Monkey King himself. And, as it turned out, one other. One day, while the Monkey King was away at Chang’an, the Tang dynasty capital, a young peasant came to visit. This young man did not know the Monkey King was away, and the prince received him quite rudely. An uneducated peasant dared to think the great Monkey King had any time for him? Ridiculous. And so the prince threw him out. Or tried to. For this was not an ordinary peasant. This was Sun Wukong, son of the Hindu deity Hanuman and a demigod in his own right. For his efforts the prince received a (for him) humiliating beating. The truth of the matter was that Sun Wukong took as much of a beating as the prince, and the fight was basically a Pyrrhic victory for the young man. But the prince’s pride wouldn’t allow such honesty, and afterward it only became worse. Especially after the Monkey King returned home and chastised him for his foolishness while apologizing to his fellow demigod.

. . The next person the prince would antagonize would not be so kind as to let him off with a beating. Because this was the wizard Methion (not the Grand Wizard quite yet; this was over a thousand years ago). He defeated the prince with two spells, leaving him nearly dead on the floor. As recompense for the insult, he demanded the prince’s life. No, not his death. His life. The Monkey King, at this point having had thoroughly enough of his firstborn’s idiocy, acceded to the wizard’s demands with only a token effort at negotiation. Methion turned his new possession over to Serine to be made into something resembling compliant. For the Drone Horde existed even in those days, if much lower in number due to lack of easy communication and travel. But the prince would unexpectedly thrive as a combat Drone, and with the same immortality his father had originally achieved, he would be around for a very, very long time.

. . And indeed, he is. If Serine could be said to have a right hand of her own (being as she is Methion’s right hand), it would be Drone Prime, alias The Prince. Subtle, he is not, yet that is strangely effective in his role. He is the most powerful and destructive member of the Strength Revolution save for Methion himself. As The Prince is, like all Drones, not a known member of the Revolution (though in his case it’s partially because who would tolerate such a prideful asshole for very long?), him wandering in and challenging professional superheroes to a fight (indirectly saving the asses of Revolutionaries) isn’t unusual. Nor is him calling out the most powerful local hero and challenging him to combat on pain of destroying some civilian filled buildings while a Revolutionary squad does some quiet work in the background somewhere. Basically he functions as either a big flashy distraction or an assassin so obvious nobody believes he is one. He’s been imprisoned several times, but never for long. Suppressing Chi without suppressing the target’s actual life force is a tricky business. Erring on the side of caution is advised if one desires not to kill. However, one mistake in the other direction and The Prince is blowing holes in walls and flying away again. How bothersome.

Powers & Tactics: The Prince is an expert martial artist and probably the world’s most powerful Chi Wizard. He’s not especially skilled or versatile (especially compared to the ludicrous nonsense his father can do) because he only cares about “being the strongest”. His Chi enhances his resistance to damage, permits him to fly, and lets him strike considerably harder than his physical strength would suggest. It also makes him immune to aging, disease, and poisons. He can also emit it for ranged damage. Chi Blast Wave is a powerful single target attack capable of smashing through steel. Chi Scatter Cannon, while much weaker, strikes multiple targets in an area multiple times.

. . This would normally be enough, and most martial artists would be satisfied with increasing their skill level to match their power. But The Prince? Never. He has delved deeply into the possibilities of overcharging one’s body with Chi, to the point where he knows how to physically transform, transcending the limitations of mere flesh. The Monkey King continues to laugh at his son’s foolishness, as there are easier ways than brute force to achieve that goal. At any rate, both of his Chi Transformations increases his physical abilities, attack accuracy, flight speed, and Chi emission power. Both allow him to choose between greater defensive ability or greater resilience. Super Mode merely causes his hair to turn red and the rest of him to glow the same color. His power level is incredible in this form, but it is only the first stage. Ultra Mode turns him into something that makes people believe his boasts of being a demigod. His eyes turn blue-green. His hair turns golden blonde. His entire body glows golden. His power in this form is truly phenomenal. If he wasn’t who he was, he’d be a danger to the entire world.

. . Tactically, one would think that The Prince would transform into his most powerful state immediately and wipe the floor with everyone. But no. Not just no, but hell no. In most circumstances he will not transform at all at first. His greater powers must be earned. Why would he waste them on a weakling he could beat without them? With that said, he’s arrogant. Not an idiot. If he’s needed his Chi Transformations before against an opponent or said opponent has a reputation for being powerful, he’ll start appropriately transformed. He can Acrobatic Bluff, Feint, and Taunt all at the Improved level. Taunt is his favorite, especially when he outclasses his foes. He just doesn’t shut up. And he has All Out, Defensive, and Power Attack to do even more damage with. He noticeably doesn’t care about collateral damage or killing by accident. They should consider themselves lucky to have been slain by The Prince. Enemies who prove themselves worthy of a transformation he spares if possible. But if they can’t force him into at least Super Mode? The penalty for their pathetic weakness is death. He considers power stunting beneath him, and thus never does it.

Personality: The Prince is an arrogant, boastful asshole. Seriously, nobody likes this guy once they meet him. Kindness? Empathy? Compassion? Tch, those are for weaklings. He is the crown prince of the Monkey clan. A warrior elite with no equal. Therefore, he can do whatever the hell he feels like doing. That’s it. A complex personality, The Prince is not. Do note that he’s not actively malevolent, just a colossal asshole with an ego that could probably be seen from Pluto. Well. He does have some semblance of a warrior’s honor in that he won’t cheat or take unfair advantage, but that’s part of his endless ego too.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Drone Template

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Drone Template

Surprise! There isn’t one. What Serine does to turn people into Drones cannot be represented with M&M mechanics. In that way, they’re kind of the ultimate sleeper agents. They are only PCs with that player’s permission, naturally, but otherwise they can be anyone at all. Which is what was previously stated in the overview so this is probably a little redundant. But I suppose there’s nothing like making the point completely clear. There is no normal way of detecting, mechanically speaking, the alterations that make a Drone, a Drone. The Mind Reading power can do it, but that’s digging deep into someone’s psyche, not their emotions or surface thoughts. They’re gonna resist with the usual Will save. And even after that, to repair the alterations will require a use of Continuous Mental Transform (which isn’t a power most telepaths of any kind have handy, thus it’s likely a power stunt) and a power check versus the usual 16 ranks Serine uses. So good luck with that. Still, if they succeed, congratulations. You saved one (1) Drone. Of a number so great it can only be called a horde. Well, easy isn’t for heroes, now is it?
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Special Tactics Group Overview

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Special Tactics Group

Overview

. . The Special Tactics Group is rather obviously named. The Drone Horde is the hidden secret weapon and source of paranoia. The Military Action Group runs on mundane weapons and tactics. Leaving the Special Tactics Group to fill the gaps. The original point was for Valine to have basically backup in that role. It was and is a very large world, which was and is full of all sorts of enemies and potential enemies. Sometimes one man with a sword simply wasn’t going to be enough. Now, while the original group was recommended by Methion, Valine and the STG operate autonomously. Methion provides a goal and it is Valine’s job to get it accomplished. Acquiring replacements for fallen STG members has is also Valine’s responsibility, though of course he can and does delegate. And he has gone through quite a few. The number of STG members who have retired instead of being killed is a short list consisting of absolutely nobody. They’re not cannon fodder by any means, but until recently being an STG member meant a life of constantly fighting or preparing for the next fight. Valine thrives in that sort of environment, but not all do.

. . However, as the 21st century rolled on, even Valine had to admit they were being run ragged. The world had gotten too big, too quickly. From less than 2 billion people to over 7 and a half in a mere century. And with the speed of travel and communication going from slow early cars, trains, small flimsy planes, the telegraph, and early wireless radio to the incredible speed of modern transportation and communications technology. There was more to do, yes, but things to do were also being discovered at a blistering pace. 2 centuries ago, the STG might have weeks of downtime, admittedly including travel time. Now they were lucky to grab a few days at a time. Valine hadn’t had his preferred full complement of seven members since literally the 20th century. And more and more he had to split the team, which made their numbers problem worse. So at last, he caved and started expanding the STG.

. . Photophobia helped make Squad B. Aeon helped make Squad C. Primrose teamed up with Methion & Nimbus to help make Squad D. And you know, it’s better. Squads B & C get those small, quiet tactical actions that Valine’s always been a bit ill suited for accomplished. Spying, theft, sabotage, assassination, etc. And Squad D helps keep supernatural issues in check because once again Valine can’t be everywhere at once. This frees up Valine and Squad A to do what they do best. Kick the living shit out of threats the MAG or other Squads can’t handle. No deaths in three years is a damn fine start. The expansion and division of labor is going very well, and Valine has begun to consider a Squad E…

Mechanical Notes: The STG has access to functionally limitless mundane resources. Whatever they need for a mission from a temporary headquarters to vehicles to anything you might find in one of those massive Wal-Marts, they can get on demand. Please note this does not extend to weapons and armor aside from replacement gear. So their Equipment budget as a group is an X trait. Squad A doesn’t normally take advantage of this. Squad D does on a limited basis. Squad B does fairly regularly, however, and Squad C basically is always doing so.
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STG Squad A Overview

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Squad A

Overview

. . This is the STG prior to the big expansion. Valine’s entry has been posted already, so these are the other four. They’re illustrative of how Valine had to work to put together a team. No real thematic unity of any kind, and most of them aren’t nice people. Or people at all, for that matter. But Valine, much like Methion, understands how personalities work and what needs to be said and not said for a team of random strangers assembled separately at different times to work well together. It’s never been quite ideal, but he’s made it work. The expansion has left his original team merely Squad A instead of the entire thing, and all four of them are better off for it.

. . While they do some spying, theft, occasional assassination, and other finesse work, Squad A functions most often as the brute squad. Two exceptional PL 12s, a skilled 10, and two unusual 9s tend to put the smack down quite effectively on any heroes that are succeeding in thwarting the Strength Revolution’s plans. That isn’t all they do, however. More than Squads B and C (but less than D), they function as something resembling superheroes. Battling monsters, demons, and supervillain teamups the local heroes can’t handle.

Tactics

. . It all flows around Valine. He’s a pretty unbelievable tank, soaking up all sorts of punishment without breaking stride. Primrose and Aeon switch on and off being the melee DPS, as Primrose has plenty of other talents and Aeon can work ranged. Distance is effectively meaningless to both of them due to their movement speeds. Photophobia stays in a support role, disrupting opposing teamwork and making the prior two look better than they are, which is an impressive feat. Nimbus hangs back and takes sniper shots at any targets troubling her allies. She can also effectively blind every foe on the battlefield, or function as team bus for quick escapes. She functions as team bus more generally for Valine and Photophobia, who lack any movement powers of their own. Keep in mind that this fivesome has been fighting together for a decade if we count Nimbus, and two decades if we exclude her. Their teamwork is flawless.

. . More broadly, Primrose and Photophobia are the team thieves and infiltration style spies, while Aeon can hack into anywhere and spy that way. Nimbus is the primary assassin when that sad duty is needed, however Photophobia can also serve in this role if a closer touch is necessary. Primrose has the abilities, but finds such work extremely distasteful and will only perform it in direst need without the other two available. Valine functions primarily as information gatherer and diplomat, which is surprisingly quite necessary at times. Aeon is just as capable at gathering information, though via a different method. The main thing to keep in mind here is that these are professionals who’ve been doing this for a long time. They are not prone to mistakes or rash decisions that threaten the entire Squad. Heroes going up against them have to outwit them, not exploit mistakes.
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Primrose (Étienne Miura)

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Primrose (Étienne Miura)

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

STR: +3 (16), DEX: +7 (24), CON: +3 (16), INT: +3 (16), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +3/+8, Fort: +7, Ref: +16, Will: +10

Skills: Acrobatics 13 (+20), Bluff 12 (+15), Diplomacy 12 (+15), Disguise 2 (+5/+30), Escape Artist 13 (+20), Gather Information 12 (+15), Knowledge (arcane Lore) 7 (+10), Knowledge (earth sciences) 12 (+15), Knowledge (life sciences) 7 (+10), Knowledge (streetwise) 7 (+10), Language 9 (+9), Notice 12 (+15), Sense Motive 12 (+15), Sleight of Hand 13 (+20), Stealth 13 (+20)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Attack Focus (melee) 2, Attack Specialization 2 (Foxfire Kicks (Array 8)), Challenge - Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Challenge - Improved Feint, Challenge - Improved Taunt, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus 7, Elusive Target, Evasion 2, Improved Critical 2 (Foxfire Blast (Blast 5)), Improved Critical 2 (Foxfire Blitz (Strike 5)), Improved Critical 2 (Foxfire Soul Kick (Strike 5)), Improved Critical 2 (Foxfire Spin (Strike 5)), Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Trick, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Prone Fighting, Redirect, Ritualist, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Bluff, Sleight of Hand, Stealth), Takedown Attack 2, Taunt, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Air Running (Flight 2) (Speed: 25 mph, 220 ft./rnd)

Foxfire Control (Array 8) (default power: strike)
. . Foxfire Blast (Blast 5) (Array; DC 23, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Foxfire Blast (Blast 5)); Accurate (+2), Mighty 3 (+3 to damage))
. . Foxfire Blitz (Strike 5) (Default; DC 23, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Foxfire Blitz (Strike 5)); Autofire (interval 2, max +5) [3 extra ranks]; Mighty)
. . Foxfire Jets (Flight 8) (Array; Speed: 2500 mph, 22000 ft./rnd; Stacks with (Air Running (Flight 2)))
. . Foxfire Soul Kick (Strike 5) (Array; DC 23, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Foxfire Soul Kick (Strike 5)); Alternate Save (Will) [3 extra ranks]; Mighty)
. . Foxfire Spin (Strike 5) (Array; DC 23, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Foxfire Spin (Strike 5)); Burst Area (40 ft. radius - Targeted) [3 extra ranks]; Mighty)

Martial Dodge (Luck Control 1) (force a re-roll; Limited 2 (Attacks vs self))

Ninetailed Fox Physiology (Container, Passive 6)
. . Fireproof (Immunity 10) (common descriptor: Fire/Heat)
. . Human Form (Morph 5) (morph: single appearance, +25 Disguise)
. . Inhuman Resilience (Protection 5) (+5 Toughness)
. . Nine Tails (Additional Limbs 4) (10 extra limbs; +4 to Grapple when not using Imp. Grapple, Feats: Improved Grapple)
. . Vulpine Senses (Super-Senses 6) (acute: Olfactory, counters illusion: Vision, low-light vision, tracking: Olfactory 1 (half speed), ultra-hearing)

Seed Pouch (Device 7) (Hard to lose)
. . Seed Bombs (Array 16) (default power: snare)
. . . . Phytotoxin (Paralyze 8) (Array; DC 18; Burst Area (40 ft. radius - General), Range (ranged))
. . . . Plant Monster Seeds (Summon 6) (Array; Horde, Type (Broad) (Plant Creatures); Progression, # Minions 2 (5 minions))
. . . . Pollen Bomb (Fatigue 8) (Array; DC 18; Cloud Area (40 ft. diameter, lingers - General), Range (ranged))
. . . . Tanglevine Bomb (Snare 8) (Default; DC 18; Burst Area (40 ft. radius - General), Transparent)

Attack Bonus: +10 (Ranged: +10, Melee: +12, Grapple: +15)

Attacks: Foxfire Blast (Blast 5), +16 (DC 23), Foxfire Blitz (Strike 5), +16 (DC 23), Foxfire Soul Kick (Strike 5), +16 (DC Will 23), Foxfire Spin (Strike 5), +16 (DC 23), Phytotoxin (Paralyze 8) (DC Staged/Will 18), Pollen Bomb (Fatigue 8) (DC Fort 18), Tanglevine Bomb (Snare 8) (DC Ref/Staged 18), Unarmed Attack, +12 (DC 18)

Defense: +16 (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -4

Initiative: +11

Languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French Native, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Occitan, Spanish

Totals: Abilities 44 + Skills 39 (156 ranks) + Feats 31 + Powers 83 + Combat 38 + Saves 20 + Drawbacks 0 = 255

Age (as of Jan 2019): Over 1000 years (chronological kitsune), 55 (chronological human), Early 20s (biological)
Height: 7’ (kitsune), 5’ 10” (human morph)
Weight: 250 (kitsune), 175 (human morph)
Ethnicity: Kitsune (normally), ½ French, ½ Japanese (human morph)
Hair: Blonde (includes fur without human morph)
Eyes: Blue

Background: Étienne Miura is probably the most infamous ecoterrorist on the planet. He’s also been Valine’s strong right hand for over three decades. So it’s safe to say that Primrose is one of the most wanted men in the world. The problem is, he’s not exactly a man. He is a kitsune reincarnated into a mortal human body. Kitsune are basically considered demons in the modern Christian accounting, but the modern Christian accounting is notoriously narrow-minded. The truth is a bit more complicated. Kitsune do not hail from Hell, thus they are not demons. They’re a mystical species native to Earth and surprisingly to the uninformed are fully sentient. They live among humans, mainly in Japan but a small number have emigrated in the modern era. Most are relatively harmless tricksters and pranksters. Some are good and noble, especially those who work for the Shinto rice goddess Inari. Some, however, delight in wickedness and evil. In stealing and killing with impunity. Even so, they are known to keep their promises, repay any debts, and remember friendships. They are really little different than humans. And indeed, eventually wicked and evil kitsune are held accountable for their actions.

. . One of the worst kitsune to ever draw breath upon the face the world was wounded beyond its ability to recover. It had finally gone too far, and mighty warriors and magicians of justice (those dammed Devil Hunters) sought to end the creature at last. With one last spell, it pushed its soul into that a pregnant woman in France, reincarnating itself. When the spell was cast, only Etienne himself knows. And he says nothing on the matter. Which pregnant woman it was, however, is considerably easier to discover. She was the Queen of France, after all. Anne of Austria, wife of Louis XIII. Twin boys. The future Louis XIV was born first, the future Etienne born second. Such is fate. The two boys got along famously until they were 6, when the slightly younger prince was sent away to the Island of Jersey. He grew up there under the name James de la Cloche. He would supposedly later conspire with Roux de Marcilly against Louis XIV, and be arrested in Calais in 1669. Of course, this is nonsense. James and Louis had known of each other’s existence from the start, and maintained a cordial relationship for decades via letters and occasional secret meetings. James would have never betrayed his brother, not because he loved him so, but because deposing the Sun King would have absolutely exposed him to the Devil Hunters looking for him. Relentless bastards. He was “arrested” because he had just about run out of ways to duck said Devil Hunters. Becoming a Jesuit in Rome. Seeking the protection of King Charles II of England as his son. It almost worked, too, except they traced him there, too. It was clear English royal power could not protect him, so he went along with Charles’ idea to conspire against Louis. However, it was James himself who betrayed Marcilly and his conspiracy as a favor to get Louis to help him. And help him Louis did, by making him The Man In The Iron Mask. It was not, however, literally an iron mask. It was black velvet, the easier to remove it to eat. The identical twin brother of the Sun King should not be seen in a raggedy prison. Louis did look after his brother, for when foreigners came asking after the nameless prisoner in the mask (never to Louis in person, but still), he had James moved to a different prison. Unfortunately, neither he nor James could have predicted the greed of Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars. The money that was for James to live in comfort the man stole. And finally, he betrayed James to the Devil Hunters for an even greater sum of money. They murdered him in his sparse cell on November 19, 1703. One would think this would have been the end of the kitsune and thus no Etienne Miura later. But alas, no. He had screwed up that one last spell.

. . He reincarnated into France again a few decades later, into a cadet branch of the House of Polignac. And, again, the Devil Hunters eventually tracked him down and murdered him. He really was quite a bastard as a kitsune, and he was far from a saint as a man. The world would have truly been better off with him gone. But this did not prove his finish, either. He reincarnated again, this time into the rightful Prince of France. Louis Charles, son of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette. Yeah. Great timing. Just fantastic. French Revolution. No more monarchy. Royals imprisoned. Lots of people being guillotined. The prison guards took Louis Charles from his mother and sister on July 3, 1793. He is recorded as having died just short of two years later on June 8, 1795. This was, obviously, not the real Louis Charles. Who it was, Etienne does not know. Perhaps one of his cousins? It matters little, because holy damn did he not sign up for this. He escaped via kitsune magic, fleeing to Couëron, near Nantes. Where one Lieutenant Jean Audubon and his wife, Anne Moynet were staying with their daughter Muguet. He had had two lifetimes to learn how to deceive humans, and the Lieutenant and his wife were convinced to adopt the “poor orphan boy” along with formally making Muguet the daughter of Anne Moynet. They became Jean-Jacques Fougère Audubon and his sister Rose. And in 1803, to escape being drafted into the Napoleonic Wars, the two Jeans forged a passport to get the younger to the United States. And he changed his name one last time, to John James Audubon.

. . In the chaos of the French Revolution and its aftermath, the Devil Hunters did find Louis Charles. But he was thought dead, so they waited for him to reincarnate once more, not knowing he had escaped and lived. It was the only lifetime where he has been that free, and he took full advantage of it. Even so, he was still cautious about it. Indeed, he spent a lot of time out in the field studying nature and birds. He made himself one of the most respected naturalists and ornithologists of his or any other era. And when he wasn’t busy living the life of John James Audubon, the nine tailed fox quietly did as he pleased. The American Civil War did a lot of damage to heroic records of the era. A lot of relentless arguing about the right thing to do, not nearly enough notes on the villains of the period. But even so, that “dammed fox thief” appears now and again in surviving journals, and a similar fox was suspected in shadier business. But because of that rapidly growing and soon to be seismic split between North and South, they never did manage to figure out he was it was the same fox every time, let alone figure out who it was. And so the Devil Hunters were left ignorant. It was a mistake they would not make twice, except for a certain change in leadership that resulted in a change in priorities. Arguably, Audubon did his job a little too well. Alzheimer’s was an ironic fate for a reincarnated wicked fox who had discovered a second passion in his fourth lifetime. 62 years was not nearly enough time. Alas the treachery of the flesh. And so, John James Audubon died on January 27, 1851. He did not remember his own name. Any of them.

. . But even this was not the end of him. In the approximately a century and three quarters since, he has reincarnated twice more, with his current lifetime being the second. And in both of them, he has been Valine’s steady right hand, after the Paladin handed the Devil Hunters coming for his head their asses on a plate. It has taken until this lifetime to figure out how to deage himself with plant life and magic. Because HELL FUCKING NO is he not going through the horror of mental decline again. Ruins of his mind indeed. His last lifetime, however, ended with him screwing it up and dying horribly. Not that that’s as much of a downside as it used to be. He is still, somehow, French nobility. Polignac, again. At least his father was Japanese this time. You have no idea how tired he is of being French. Kitsune are Japanese, dammit. Why an eco-terrorist? He was John James Audubon for heaven’s sake. And he wasn’t lying about how he felt about the natural world in those days. He still isn’t. And have you seen what greedy humans have done to the planet? It’s sickening. Also you know wicked supernaturally powered fox, so ha like hell he’s going to be like Greenpeace or whatever.

Powers & Tactics: Primrose has the soul of a kitsune, not a human being. And over time, he’s altered his physiology via magic so that being a kitsune is his default state. A furry fox man, with nine exceedingly fluffy tails and some superhuman physical abilities. He’s got access to foxfire, which is well, fire. He combines this with his high level of skill in Savate. And between his knowledge of magic and his skills as a self taught naturalist he has some interesting tricks in his Seed Pouch device. In fact, all of his powers are magical in nature.

. . His Ninetailed Fox Physiology renders him immune to fire and heat, enhanced his physical resilience, has of course his nine fluffy tails, and the superior senses of a kitsune. Normal foxes need less light to see, can hear ultrasonic sounds, have a superior sense of smell, and can track with it. Kitsune add the ability to ignore all visual illusions. But the big ticket item here is his ability to casually shift between human and kitsune form. Kitsune may be his default, but he’s just as capable of being 100% human looking. Addtionally, the two forms don’t look a lot like each other so it’s easier to infiltrate places where a fox man wouldn’t be allowed to casually pass by.

. . His Foxfire Control and Savate skills are an interesting combination. He does not attack with his hands at all. He lights his feet and lower legs on fire and kicks people. At least that’s how Foxfire Blitz (multiple kicks), Foxfire Spin (an area full of kicks), and Foxfire Soul Kick (self explanatory, really) work. Air Running is using foxfire to run on air at about 25 mph, and Foxfire Jets amps that speed up to around Mach 13. Foxfire Blast is your typical ranged blast of fire, amplified by the strength of his kick. His Savate skills aid in dodging sure hits with Martial Dodge.

. . His Seed Pouch contains a variety of different supernatural plant seeds, most of which explode. Tanglevine Bomb explodes into, well, tanglevine plants that wrap around anyone in the target area. Pollen Bomb explodes into a cloud of pollen that does best to put everyone in the target area to sleep, while hanging around for a few seconds after the initial detonation. Phytotoxin explodes into a deluge of a paralyzing poison. It too, targets everyone in an area. The seeds that don’t explode are the Plant Monster Seeds. That’s right, Primrose has a set of 5 minions he can summon at any time, and the only limitation on what they are is that they’re literally plant monsters.

. . Tactically, Primrose is quite variable depending on the situation. He is a goonsweeper par excellence, with multiple methods of neutralizing minor enemies. But he’s also an incredible thief and infiltrator. So his tactics depend a lot on the mission, its goals, and who the opposition is. He does have a preference for stealth, guile, and finesse. Valine, and to a lesser extent Aeon and Photophobia are the ones who aren’t particularly subtle. So having him pop up when the team is reeling a bit can be a tide turner by itself. He can use Acrobatic Bluff, Feint, and Taunt all at the Improved level. He has Power Attack to boost damage and Defensive Attack to boost defense. Against weak opposition, Improved Trick and Redirect are just funny to use before he Takedown Attack 2’s his way through them. I mean, he uses area attacks against groups and single target attacks on single targets. He flies and uses ranged attacks on non flying melee foes and closes with ranged only foes. That’s it, he’s just too variable otherwise. He only has one regular power stunt, but it’s a doozy. Off of his Foxfire Control array. Foxfire Illusions. Illusion 4 (Visual Senses; Sustained Duration, Progression Area 4 [100 ft]). He does not power stunt additional Seed Bombs. The Plant Monsters are all PL 8 but otherwise purposefully broad. He can summon basically any kind of plant to his aid, but most common would be a Giant Animated Tree. STR 30 (+10), Melee ATK +6, Toughness +10, Defense +6, Growth 8 (Permanent, Innate). Obviously, as a plant it would be immune to just about anything the heroes would have on hand that targets exotic saves. It is recommended that you, Mr GM, work out what other kind of Plant Monsters he can summon before he sees play in combat. Have fun!

Personality: Ironically, despite his extremely Japanese origins, Primrose is very, very French. Just rude as hell. Loves wine, beautiful women, and the finer things in life. Incredibly vain. And an arrogant son of a bitch who covers all of this above with smiles, a pretty face, and prettier words. The similarities end there. He’s otherwise a ruthless, amoral, and utterly selfish bastard with active disdain for property rights and human life. Multiple lifetimes have not changed the fact that he is at his core a wicked and evil trickster fox.

. . And yet.

. . His loyalty to Valine is made of adamantine. Utterly unbreakable. Part of him clearly doesn’t want to disappoint the man. And he has significant camaraderie with Aeon and Photophobia, joking and teasing just like a person who’s known them for years would. Despite his disdain for human life, he does not kill casually, nor because he merely wants to. He can and does kill people, but it’s always in pursuit of his goals or in self defense, not because he simply can. Perhaps it is a low bar, but it is still a bar some villains fail to clear. Nor is he cruel or vicious, except when the other party has gone so far over the line even few heroes wouldn’t agree they have some payback coming. He is a villain, to be sure, but there are worse ones in the world.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: StrRev! Drone Horde! The Prince! Special Tactics Group! Squad A! Primrose!

Post by Davies »

Scary thing is, as I just found out, that's only a little more crazy than the hijinx surrounding the childhood of the real Audubon. Great work.
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Re: Radical Dreamer

Post by Commander Titan »

So I've read through the Exiles profiles and commentary (I'm partway through NPC Investigations, but I'll wait to comment 'til I'm done):

I really like how you've taken the initial concept and expanded it to be multiple generations, a seeming lynchpin of your setting. I only read a little of the original Runaways run, and none of the later ones, but I feel like it also toys with a similar vibe to the Teen Titans cartoon, emphasizing the teen heroes managing over them simply being anyone's sidekicks. Also, I'm all for found family teams.

Some particular highlights:
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:22 am Radical Dreamer
A great character, and also a perfect plot-device NPC. I've always been a fan of precogs trying to make the most of their skills and outmaneuver other precogs. I also like how clearly he's trying to herd a couple different sets of cats.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:49 am Hummingbird
The whole timewarp aspect is a great "have your cake and eat it too" solution, in perfect comic book style. It feels like a well-executed "oh this is the Earth-2 HeroMan" storyline, which a lot of continuities have attempted but not nailed.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:38 am Barry Holden
I really appreciate the idea of "I was the leader once, I messed up, and now I'm back to try again, older, and wiser, and with a law degree!"
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 5:39 am Steeltoe
Maybe I'm wildly off, but I kept thinking of Pohatu from Bionicle
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 5:50 am Flutter
I really like the "chosen by butterflies" as their avatar! And a great example of what a wikiwalk can fuel.
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: StrRev! Drone Horde! The Prince! Special Tactics Group! Squad A! Primrose!

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Davies wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:39 am Scary thing is, as I just found out, that's only a little more crazy than the hijinx surrounding the childhood of the real Audubon. Great work.
I mean...I was working from the man's Wikipedia page after finding a rando theory on how it was possible but not probably that he was Louis Charles. I do significant research so that it feels realistic wen I dive into history.
Commander Titan wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:41 am So I've read through the Exiles profiles and commentary (I'm partway through NPC Investigations, but I'll wait to comment 'til I'm done):

I really like how you've taken the initial concept and expanded it to be multiple generations, a seeming lynchpin of your setting. I only read a little of the original Runaways run, and none of the later ones, but I feel like it also toys with a similar vibe to the Teen Titans cartoon, emphasizing the teen heroes managing over them simply being anyone's sidekicks. Also, I'm all for found family teams.
Yeah, pretty much. The Exiles are a story of folks who keep having the worst luck on the planet but keep making it through anyway. And if you're into found family teams, well...that's kind of a button I keep hitting in the Heroes.
Commander Titan wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:41 amSome particular highlights:
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 3:22 am Radical Dreamer
A great character, and also a perfect plot-device NPC. I've always been a fan of precogs trying to make the most of their skills and outmaneuver other precogs. I also like how clearly he's trying to herd a couple different sets of cats.
Dreamer is busy as a bee, yes. It's not a couple different sets of cats, it's a couple dozen. :shock:
Commander Titan wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:41 am
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:49 am Hummingbird
The whole timewarp aspect is a great "have your cake and eat it too" solution, in perfect comic book style. It feels like a well-executed "oh this is the Earth-2 HeroMan" storyline, which a lot of continuities have attempted but not nailed.
I said this in the Commentary, but the choice was basically either bring back 'Bird or create someone new. The latter felt wrong, so 'Bird returned. Only I prefer death to be a permanent thing in the Phoenixverse, barring somewhat unique circumstances. So I dug out a workaround.
Commander Titan wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:41 am
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 4:38 am Barry Holden
I really appreciate the idea of "I was the leader once, I messed up, and now I'm back to try again, older, and wiser, and with a law degree!"
Barry's a lynchpin of the team overall. It's a family thing. His legal work is useful, but he's one of the Original 5. The Exiles are family, and family always wants you back. Family will always welcome you home. I ain't talking blood relations, either, as several Exiles can attest to. Family loves and accepts you as you are, and tries like hell to find a place for you among them. So Barry had to come back.
Commander Titan wrote: Fri May 20, 2022 12:41 am
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 5:39 am Steeltoe
Maybe I'm wildly off, but I kept thinking of Pohatu from Bionicle
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 5:50 am Flutter
I really like the "chosen by butterflies" as their avatar! And a great example of what a wikiwalk can fuel.
What I know about Bionicle is that it exists. :mrgreen: Seriously, my knowledge of it wouldn't fill a thimble. My brain's just full of stuff that cross connects. Flutter is literally "a butterfly girl would be cool" plus "oh hey Mexico's got butterfly breeding grounds" with a side of goofy comic nonsense to "justify" it.
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Re: NPC Investigations Commentary: Partners and Senior Associates

Post by Commander Titan »

Having read thru NPC Investigations now --
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:37 pm NPC Investigations
Not a sleight against the Exiles, but NPC Investigations are certainly more my speed! I always love a good detective / mystery, including/especially in a superheroic setting. And they, like the Exiles, clearly have an opening PCs to join, and a very natural campaign structure.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:09 am They’re still relatively small compared with the Exiles and especially the Seawings, who got blown out in the update. But they fit their role in being the most grounded of the current trio of heroic groups. The Exiles and Seawings get up to shenanigans, but NPC Investigations is a business first. They stay street level, with the update taking several cues from the Dresden Files (what I consider to be Angel and the Buffyverse’s modern day successor, in some ways) and Netflix’s Marvel shows (mainly Daredevil, which was consistently good aside from everything involving The Hand). As a side note, I did build Roger Simon (formerly Hayden Streett) and Eve.
I can dig the style, and all interesting source material. While it would probably be right up my alley, I've never watched Angel, or Buffy for that matter, and sadly probably won't now, given the Whedon revelations would damper my enjoyment. But its influence is clearly felt, and the premise works, regardless!
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:09 am I’ll have to go over them again when the time comes, but for now I’m holding off of doing direct enemies. Fun fact, it actually had to be pointed out to me that Nihara, Perkins, and Christian was the same letters as Non Player Character. I swear to god, I didn’t do that on purpose. It just kinda happened, because my brain doesn’t like to tell me things sometimes.
There's something really marvelous, isn't there, when creating and you stumble into something like that? I've sometimes felt that I'm less creating than uncovering an idea that was already out there in the ether, because the pieces fit so well.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:40 pm Penny Nihara
I appreciate her arc there - "You broke it, you buy it (or lead it, as the case may be)" is a good plot development. Its fascinating to see what heroes do once handed control of groups that oppose them - like when Green Arrow or Batman become head of the League of Assassins, or someone other than Nick Fury takes the wheel of SHIELD. Can you change the institution? Or is the momentum too strong?
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:09 am Generally, there’s no mystical bullshit going on with the Phoenixverse ninja. They’re simply very, very good spies and intelligence agents, trained to have no sense of self and only exist for the use of their clan and their clan’s clients. Children indoctrinated into being little more than tools instead of free willed and thinking people.
Dark, but also a refreshing take that these aren't necessarily Highly Visible Ninja, and remember that stealth is important.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:41 pm Carla Perkins
She's my favorite of the whole crew, senior and junior. It seems like she's had such a great arc, plus a real detective background, and the contrast between her powers and her archetype, it's all good stuff.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:41 pm One of her early cases caused her to run afoul of the mad Dr. Chromium, who kidnapped her and her fiancée. He injected them both with a liquid metal serum. Her fiancée died in agony as his blood turned to solid metal. Carla, however, did not die. The agony was beyond description, and when it was over she was no longer a human being. She had been fully transformed into a organic metal person. Her pursuit of vengeance against the mad doctor spanned years, and ended with a violent confrontation. It ended with her arrested for assault, and Dr. Chromium going to prison for the rest of his natural life. Fortunately, the jury didn’t think she should be imprisoned for her actions, and she was acquitted. Otherwise, it’s been an interesting ride.
I can really see the comic panels, or Netflix episode, as the plot lands here. There's also something to seeing what happens to the would-be "one-off victim of a mad scientist" who actually has the means and willpower to keep coming after them.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:41 pm . . Carla is no intellectual slouch herself. She is a virtuoso of a detective, second only to people with actual superpowers that help like Caviezel and Terrifica. Little escapes her keen investigative mind. Thanks to Harmony Perez, she also has an Anti Gravity Belt (that both reduces her weight from nearly three quarters of a ton to something more normal and has a holographic overlay that makes her look like a regular person) and a Heavy Blaster (like a regular Blaster, but a bit more damaging). She still carries her old Heavy Pistol, as well. She remains a crack shot with both, but the Heavy Blaster has some accuracy boosts built in.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:09 am Honestly in the beginning she was still a bad melee fighter, as befit an ordinary human police detective who suddenly got superpowers. So her strength was nice, but not very useful. And her police training made her seek cover despite being bulletproof. I enjoyed the counter intuitive nature of that. You’d think an organic metal powerhouse would wade in with their fists, right? Well, Carla was ducking behind a car and pulling her gun. Less so, these days as she’s gotten used to the powers.
I also approve of the counter-intuitive style. Sometimes people who get powers in media are shown to adapt or lose old, reflexive, behaviors really quickly, so its interesting imagining someone (with actual firefight training) having to unlearn some behaviors.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:09 am Her build is that of a whip smart detective. She knows a lot about a lot, and what she doesn’t know she can find out pretty easily. Really not enough detectives in comics, I think. There’s Batman (plus Batfam), Elongated Man, and Detective Chimp that I can think of. Some have bits of the skill set, but it’s not their identity. Really kind of a shame, as I don’t know what’s scarier to street crime than a superstrong, bulletproof woman who’s also a detective on par with the goddamn Batman.
The Question, maybe? But agreed. I enjoyed the recent Batman film for remembering to make him a detective, but I doubt we'll see The Elongated Man or The Detective Chimp anytime soon to follow up on that!
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:43 pm Edwin Christian
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:09 am But if it was just that he’d be kind of an insufferable Marty Stu, so I gave him a giant flaw in classic Marvel style. He can’t touch people anymore, not without triggering it. And so the one who’s supposed to be the face man is actually the most socially isolated. At the time of his original creation, I had not read the Dresden Files. But during the update, I noticed he was basically a riff on Thomas Raith. So I decided to lean in when writing his entry.
It's a grim background he's had to deal with, but I think you executed it well, and the idea of a psychic addiction is solid. I appreciate that he doesn't get off lightly, but your narrative still treats him with compassion as well.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:44 pm Sonya Harmon
Like you say, important to have a functional and warm receptionist!

A question - the Elemental Lords - these are Fae, in the Phoenixverse? And they are all subject to the Summer Queen? Or is it Earth and Fire under Summer, Water and Air under Winter?
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:58 pm Sofia Harmon
EternalPhoenix wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:24 pm You guys remember Dawn Summers? Buffy’s sister? How she suddenly always existed one day? Yeah, this is that. The original idea was, as I said above, consolation for how the “core trio each gets two understudies” plan did not work out entirely. So Sonya would get one. Decided on another elemental. Obviously, fire was out. Power sets in groups should be unique, or close enough barring like, actual DC style sidekicks, which this was not. And because Sonya was a blaster, I wanted a melee character. Water and wind aren’t too good at that, so Earth it was. Density is fun to play with, so that went in.
Like I said, I haven't watched Buffy, but I have friends who filled me in on this plot and I've always wanted to incorporate it into a game, somehow, but its hard to do to players without feeling like you're being nasty to them. Doing it to NPCs, however? Perfectly acceptable! And its a fun notion because any friction between the two is written off as simple "sibling rivalry" by observers. I also like that (if I understand correctly), where Sonya lived as a human and had to adapt to learning her origin, Sofia got "dropped in" to a human life but with a Fae's memories.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:46 pm Harmony Perez
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:46 pm Harmony Perez was a college student who needed a job. Hayden Street needed virgins to stab with his sacrificial knife to power his magic-I mean, a librarian to manage all his internal documents and books. So they both got what they wanted. Then Hayden Street ceased to exist in favor of Roger Simon. So, no more ritual stabbing. Librarian job was still open at NPC Investigations, though. So she kept on. Of course, she had no memory of being repeatedly ritually murdered to power dark magic (the first spell of the charge was her resurrection, naturally). That would be very uncomfortable for Roger and extremely traumatic for her. So she’s just go a weird scar she doesn’t remember getting and an extreme disinterest in finding out how she got it.
So - maybe it's later in the thread, in which case I apologize for asking now, but what exactly was the relation between Hayden Street (I appreciate the naming!) and Roger Simon - it seems like Hayden was a false personality that wizard Roger took on, for a time, and then... escaped? It sounds like a great plot arc, provided I have a handle on it.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:46 pm It turning out that at least one of her parents is at least part alien bothers her most of all. Because she’s smart enough to know that this is going to come with consequences, and judging by what happens when the pasts of everyone else at NPC come back to haunt them, they’re gonna be intense.
Great wisdom, there! And presumably foreshadowing another "Year of the _____" on some updated timeline?
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:48 pm James Scott
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:48 pm His list of accomplishments literally fills books. There’s a movie series that doesn’t get many of the details wrong (all the names are changed, of course) but has been seriously ratcheting up the destruction lately.
So, who's leaking classified reports to Hollywood?
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Apr 01, 2022 12:09 am When you’re like 10 years old and don’t know or understand why there isn’t an American James Bond because Pierce Brosnan is the freaking coolest and why wouldn’t people want more of that. I really liked Goldeneye, is what I’m saying.
Amen to that!
EternalPhoenix wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:24 pm Individual Build Commentary: Junior Associates
The original idea for the big update was the core trio (Nihara, Perkins, and Christian) getting a pair of understudies each.

A cool way to reexamine the core trio, and then examine what defines them, both by imitation and contrast. I'll have to keep the idea of "understudies" in mind - I've created enemies and sidekicks to contrast my heroes in the past, but "understudies" is a new angle (I think of those 90s replacements like Jean-Paul Valley for Batman or Artemis for Wonder Woman - not full-time successors, like Kyle Rayner as Green Lantern or Wally West as the Flash, but temporary contrasts).
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:53 pm Ricardo Alvarez
Poor guy must have the highest blood pressure pressure at NYPD or NPC. But a good evolution of the "Friend on the Force"
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:55 pm Teresa Maria Amarista-Macleod
EternalPhoenix wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:24 pm You have a favorite book? I do. Well, I have a few that vie for the title. But the one I’m referring to is The Proud Breed, by Celeste DeBlasis. It is a pretty meticulously researched piece of historical fiction. It’s also a somewhat trashy romance novel of doorstopper length running across 50+ years of California’s history. I’m not normally a fan of romance novels, but this one, man. S’good.
Well, I'll have to read that someday. And stealing characters from favorite media, especially non-obvious, non-comics sources, makes for some of the most interesting characters.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:55 pm Also she’s apparently a member of a secret society of telepaths devoted to stopping telepathic crimes?
Hey, if NPC Investigations was a show, that's a whole spinoff pitch on its own right there! "NY-PSI" perhaps?
EternalPhoenix wrote: Fri Jan 28, 2022 11:59 pm Immortia (Tia Hammond) & Agent Zero
EternalPhoenix wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:24 pm Immortia: So I’m down here. I’m short two builds, as the understudies project stumbled. So I get to thinking about old characters I never ended up doing anything with. And I remember Agent Zero and Immortia. To be clear, they didn’t have real names then, and it was just the base set up of Sandstone Golem Soldier betrays his masters and rescues Immortal Little Girl from being experimented on by Evil Scientists and they Go On The Run. Basically a TV pilot pitch of a thing. But this was the big update, moving forward a decade in time from where everyone started. So Immortia couldn’t be a little girl anymore, and I took out Agent Zero temporarily for maximum pathos.
Speaking of TV pitches! I appreciate that what starts as a Logan or The Mandalorian style setup has been allowed to evolve here - the Old Warrior can't protect the Wonder Child forever - eventually the latter has to grow up, as you say. And what a way to make a seemingly harmless, helpful power, utterly terrifying - both for the possessor and anyone "benefitting" from it nearby. These Agency tests remind me of some of the most excessive SCP Foundation logs.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:24 pmThe Evil Scientists were a natural fit for the Agency, as well, and adding yet another reason for heroes to beat the piss out of them was a sweet bonus.
Truly they are a fantastic source of guilt-free foes to tear through. I recall certain memories of blowing away all those Cerberus troopers in Mass Effect...
EternalPhoenix wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:01 am Eiko Takanouchi
EternalPhoenix wrote: Sat Jan 29, 2022 12:01 am She was born (under a different name and without a surname as was common in the period) near the start of the “Warring States” (or Sengoku) Period in medieval Japan.
It shows how poor my grasp of Japanese history that my first thought was "Oh, did she overlap with Tenshi of the Exiles at all then?" before I did some quick research and realized the Meiji Restoration is closer in time to the present day than to the Warring States Period.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Tue Apr 05, 2022 11:24 pm I ponder. Oh hey, why the heck was the very white Eve looking like a Japanese girl anyway? Because she stole her appearance.
My mind also goes to the whole Betsy Braddock/Kwannon / Psylocke mess that recently got resolved. In the Phoenixverse it seems to have avoided a lot of the problematic aspects of the Psylocke scenario, though.
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