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

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Davies
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

Metalika
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During the early stages of the Anachronic Calamity, Billie Zane found herself hard-pressed in her struggle against those who sought to prevent her from taking her revenge on the reality which had betrayed her so cruelly. She lost two of her collected Cosmic Gems in conflicts with them, and began to suspect that she would lose the rest before she could reverse matters, leaving her armed with only her barely understood psychic powers and brilliant mind. While that would still mean she was vastly more capable than nearly any opponent, gathering additional resources might be well-advised. By an astounding coincidence, some appeared in front of her in the form of a robot that referred to her as "mother".

The robot known as Metalika, created by the Billie Zane of the World More Grim, had finally managed to create a method of travelling between parallel realities just before the Calamity began to destroy that world, and used it to seek out a parallel world version of her creator. Zane was startled to learn that there was another version of herself in existence. (Startled and revolted, to be honest; she had always taken pride in the notion that she was unique.) However, as the robot explained what she sought, Zane saw an opportunity, and agreed to make the modifications necessary to undo the limitations implanted by the other Zane, ostensibly so that Metalika could seek out a means of escaping the Calamity.

Naturally, she betrayed the robot, replacing the programmed personality emulation of the other with a copy of her own personality and memories, but she also removed the limitations just as she agreed. Zane left the robot in standby mode, confident that regardless of her own fate, a copy of her mind in an indestructible body would survive and escape the Calamity. Unless of course she herself succeeded and destroyed all of reality, but that was beginning to seem unlikely by that point.

Exactly what became of the Billie Zane of the World Less Magical remains uncertain. But earlier this week, Metalika emerged from standby mode within a lair formerly occupied by Doktor Makabre and seized by Zane for her own purposes some time before. She experienced a bit of angst over her lost humanity, but took comfort in the fact that she had been freed of dependence on the freakish superpowers that her father had concealed from her. Now she was a purely intellectual creature, the ultimate expression of human rationality, humanity merged with its greatest creation. Who then could be made safe from her?

Metalika no longer has any interest in the goals of "Saturn", and has made no attempt to contact them or bring the organization back under her control. Her goal is to recover the Cosmic Gems, having concluded that those who restored the universe to its pathetic status quo will likely have had neither the courage nor imagination to secret them in different locations. (She is not completely wrong about this. Once that is done, she will become mightier than any entity that currently exists in this reality and find a way to punish those who imagine that they can rule it. What she will do after achieving this goal is not clear.

But she will think of something. In the meanwhile, death and destruction.

Metalika -- PL 13

Abilities:
STR
9 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX 3 | FGT 9 | INT 12 | AWE 7 | PRE 5

Powers:
Force Field:
Sustained Protection 4 - 4 points
Impervium Armor: Immunity 80 (Toughness), Limited to Half Effect; Impervious Protection 13 - 66 points
Reconstruction: Immortality 5 (minimum of one day), Check Required (Technology DC 20) - 1 point
Robot: Immunity 30 (Fortitude) - 30 points
Sensors: Radio Communication 3; Senses 9 (accurate acute extended radio, darkvision, direction sense) - 21 points
Weapon Systems: Array (27 points)
  • Basic Cannon: Ranged Damage 13, Variable (technology) - 27 points
  • Psychic Magnetron: Perception Range Affliction 9 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled) - 1 point
  • Strength Augmentation: Enhanced Strength 4; Enhanced Strength 12, Limited to lifting (800 ktons); Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical 4 - 1 point
  • Tractor Beam: Perception Range Move Object 9 - 1 point
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Chokehold, Eidetic Memory, Equipment 12, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Smash, Inventor, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), Second Chance (Insight checks), Skill Mastery (Technology), Speed of Thought.

Equipment:
60 points needed for any bases or vehicles required for a given operation.

Skills:
Deception 8 (+13), Expertise: Science 5 (+17), Insight 8 (+15), Intimidation 11 (+16), Investigation 2 (+14), Perception 6 (+13), Ranged Combat: Basic Cannon 10 (+13), Technology 6 (+18).

Offense:
Initiative +12
Unarmed +9 (Close Damage 13/9)
Arm Blade +9 (Close Damage 16, Crit 16-20)
Cannon +13 (Ranged Damage 13)
Psychic Magnetron -- (Perception Range Will 9)

Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 9, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 17/13, Will 13.

Totals:
Abilities 78 + Powers 151 + Advantages 28 + Skills 28 + Defenses 15 = 300 points

Offensive PL: 13
Defensive PL: 13
Resistance PL: 13
Skill PL: 13

Complications:
Vengeance--Motivation. Obviously Inhuman. Weakness (becomes Hindered, Immobile and Paralyzed if subjected to Nullify Electronics.)
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Commander Titan »

Ah. Billie Zane in a powerful robotic body hunting down powerful cosmic artifacts. That's horrifying. I love it!

Have I fallen off and missed it, or have you not revealed, then, who is leading Saturn now?

As for the Saknussen Caverns, while in real life the idea of "Hollow Earth" is tied into all sorts of wacky ideas, in fiction and gaming big mystery caves are so much fun and full of possibility.
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

Commander Titan wrote: Tue Nov 08, 2022 1:28 am Ah. Billie Zane in a powerful robotic body hunting down powerful cosmic artifacts. That's horrifying. I love it!

Have I fallen off and missed it, or have you not revealed, then, who is leading Saturn now?
Tania has come out of retirement to lead the organization. So far, the Reaper has remained loyal to the ideology rather than the person behind it, but he may attempt to seize control of it if it drifts too far into straightforward criminality. There are likely a few others who have the same idea if not the same motive.
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Commander Titan »

Oh joy. That's a "fun" pair.
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

Merlin
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Having two sets of complete memories, one of which you know to be an accurate recollection of your personal experience and the other which you know to be an accurate recollection of your current reality, goes beyond being confusing and into the realm of the dangerously frustrating. Still, it is not without its advantages, as it affords him the ability to realize where ... well, he will not admit to having made mistakes, but there have been times when events proved unfortunate. And he can learn from such misfortunes and so avoid them in the future.

In the current series of events, the man known variously as Morgan, Maugris and Merlin (among other names) remembers suffering an almost fatal stroke when -- he now knows -- another being was granted mastery of the extradimensional forces that his own studies had been directed towards understanding. In the history of the World Less Magical, he eventually died as a result of that stroke, though his death took nearly two centuries. But in this altered reality, he was able to escape that fate and bind his essence into the fabric of another plane of existence (as he had on the World More Grim) though this was his final act before descending into a sleep that endured for most of a millennium.

As in that lost world, he and the other Ascendants were finally awakened from that sleep by the Dreamdancer, but in the year 2021 rather than a century earlier. Not only did he lose some five centuries of work, the renewal of his efforts was delayed by another century. This vexes him greatly, but not nearly so much as his discovery that he had not been awakened as the master of his "sphere", but as a decidedly subordinate being to the entity who had nearly killed him when it came into existence, twelve hundred years before!

That will not stand. He is working more closely than ever before with both those ascendants with whom he shares history, and with two of the new Hierarchs, to bring down the obnoxious Abraxas. Of course, he expects to rise into the position that will become vacant with the fall of the so-called "super-wizard", but will rule with greater justice and wisdom. However, these plans may have been dealt a severe blow with the death of the Mnajimu, with whom Merlin had an association of long standing in both this world and the former one. That his old ally may have been destroyed by one of his new ones is understandably concerning ...

For now, Merlin has busied himself by creating a secret, mortal identity for himself as Jeffrey Searle, the headmaster of New Worminghall, a school for wizards located on a hidden island in Loch Shiel. (The school was part of his original reality, though Searle was a separate person with whom he had no connection.) The position has given him a large collection of potential pawns to serve as disposable assets in his schemes. (Blakestone and -- eventually -- Prydwen are not pawns. They are to be a bishop and a knight, eventually.) Of course, it has also brought him into conflict with the secret ruler of the United Kingdom. He does not consider Dracula a serious threat, believing it likely that he can use the creature to his own advantage.

That others have thought the same, and suffered as a consequence, is likely to be a misfortune from which he will eventually have to learn.

Merlin -- PL 13

Abilities:
STR
10/2 | STA 3 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 6 | INT 3 | AWE 5 | PRE 10

Powers:
Immortal: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to mystical dimensions), Standard Action - 10 points
Master of the Mystic Arts: Array (44 points)
  • Healing Word: Perception Ranged Healing 7, Energizing, Resurrection, Restorative, Side Effect (inflicts Damage 7 to target on failed roll) - 1 point
  • Lightning Barrage: Ranged Multiattack Damage 14, Dynamic - 2 points
  • Spellshatter: Nullify Magic 14, Broad, Simultaneous, Precise, Dynamic - 45 points
  • Portal: Extended Only Teleport 11, Portal, Dynamic - 2 points
  • Probing: Cumulative Effortless Mind Reading 10, Subtle, Dynamic - 2 points
  • Scrying: Remote Sensing 8 (all senses), Dimensional, Dynamic - 2 points
  • Shielding: Immunity 80 (Toughness), Concentration; Dynamic - 2 points
Mind Over Matter: Enhanced Strength 8; Continuous Flight 6 (120 MPH); Move Object 8 (6 tons), Subtle; Sustained Protection 9, Subtle - 60 points
Mystic Attunement: Senses 7 (extended 4 mystic awareness, ranged detect immortal) - 7 points
Staff: Environment 1 (light); Strength-based Damage 2; Removable (-0 points) - 3 points

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Equipment 4, Fearless, Improved Defense, Multilingual, Ritualist, Trance.

Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Communications, Concealed, Defense System, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System - 19 points.
New Worminghall: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power (Burst Area 5 Nullify Technology 11), Power System, Personnel, Security System - 1 point

Skills:
Deception 4 (+14), Expertise: History 10 (+13), Expertise: Magic 5 (+15), Insight 6 (+11), Intimidation 3 (+13), Perception 7 (+12), Persuasion 4 (+14), Ranged Combat: Mystic Arts 9 (+12), Treatment 8 (+11).

Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 10/2)
Staff +8 (Close Damage 12/4)
Lightning Barrage +12 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 14)

Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 8, Fortitude 6, Toughness 12/3, Will 16

Totals:
Abilities 68 + Powers 136 + Advantages 16 + Skills 27 + Defenses 20 = 267 points

Offensive PL: 13
Defensive PL: 10
Resistance PL: 11
Skill PL: 10

Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Arrogant and Patronizing. Confused Memories. Secret Identity.

"Once -- but no! That never happened! That is, it did -- but now it did not! I must push such memories forever from my mind -- for that way lies madness."
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Commander Titan »

So, how many people remember the old universe, and is it mostly mystics, cosmic entities, telepaths, or something else, or all of the above, or none of the above?
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

Commander Titan wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 3:06 am So, how many people remember the old universe, and is it mostly mystics, cosmic entities, telepaths, or something else, or all of the above, or none of the above?
All the Ascendants and anyone with the chronal memory feature remember it, with some psychics and mystics (like Metis) having more vivid cases of the Mandela effect than most people are having. Metalika also remembers the original history, but not the current one.

Tomorrow's update will be delayed until sometime around noon.
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

The Horned King
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The gradual seizure of authority by Dracula within Britain during the 1990s did not go totally unnoticed, and not all of those who realized what was going on were destroyed or co-opted. Two individuals, both members of the intelligence community who were practicing magicians, had developed what they hoped would be a plan to counter the influence of the King Vampire in a way insuring that the danger passed unnoticed by the average Briton. Geraint Llewellyn, the less talented of the two, engaged in preparations for the final phase of the plan, which would begin after Christopher Potter succeeded in eliminating Baron Khan and seizing his resources for their own use.

Unfortunately, attempts to do that failed repeatedly and eventually lead to the death of Potter, ruining the plan on several levels. While infuriated by the death of a man he considered a friend, Llewellyn felt helpless to do anything about it -- if someone as talented as Potter had been destroyed by the forces with which they had to contend, what could he possibly do against them? Embittered, Llewellyn returned to his official work and tried to ignore the growing horror that surrounded him.

Roughly a decade later, a new opportunity came his way, as the department for which he worked seized a copy of the notorious Book of the Great Scorpion from the estate of a deceased occultist, one that the analyst who documented the seizure believed to have been in the possession of Dracula himself. Upon learning of this, Llewellyn promptly murdered his co-worker and stole the Book. It would be an exaggeration or even an outright lie to claim that he had developed a new plan but he believed that one would make itself manifest when he studied the Book in detail.

Something like that did happen. Llewellyn discovered a ritual that would supposedly allow him to become a being possessing many of the strengths of a vampire and none of its weaknesses. Thus strengthened, he would finally be able to oppose Dracula and his minions and end their rule over Britain. Of course, that would not be the end of his ambitions; he would make it so that they could never gain that power and influence again. The rise of the vampires had been accomplished through their subversion of the technological and political infrastructure of modern Britain. Only by returning to a pre-industrial and pre-scientific world could they become safe forever. That this would result in countless deaths was simply a necessary sacrifice.

He performed the ritual and was transformed into an undead monstrosity he dubbed Y Brenin Corniog, the Horned King. For the last decade, he has striven to overthrow the current order in Britain, opposed most often by Nick Grey (whom he blames for the death of Potter, rendering their conflicts particularly personal) and Prydwen. An indication of how successful he has been is the fact that Dracula and his agents are barely aware that he exists.

The Horned King -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR
8 | STA -- | AGL 3 | DEX 5 | FGT 7 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 4

Powers:
Anatomical Separation: Summon Head 9, Controlled, Heroic, Mental Link, Side Effect (becomes Paralyzed, always) - 28 points
Call Darkness: Linked Ranged Burst Area Visual Concealment 4 Attack; Linked Ranged Selective Burst Area Damage 11, Limited (will not affect targets with darkvision), Resisted by Will, Quirk (anyone who successfully resists the Damage is permanently immune to it) - 59 points
Darksight: Senses 2 (darkvision) - 2 points
Undead: Immunity 30 (Foritude); Impervious Protection 8; Regeneration 6 - 52 points

Advantages:
Fearless, Improved Grab, Ritualist, Seize Initiative.

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+13), Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Magic 8 (+12), Intimidation 9 (+13), Investigation 6 (+11), Perception 7 (+13).

Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +13 (Close Damage 8)
Call Darkness -- (Ranged Burst Area Damage 11, Resisted by Will)

Defense:
Dodge 11, Parry 13, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 8, Will 11

Totals:
Abilities 66 + Powers 131 + Advantages 4 + Skills 22 + Defenses 19 = 252 points

Offensive PL: 11
Defensive PL: 11
Resistance PL: 11
Skill PL: 8

Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Hatred (technology and "modern" institutions.) Vulnerability (Deception and Intimidation by "mortals".)

Separated Head -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR
6 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX -2 | FGT 4 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 4

Powers:
Darksight: Senses 2 (darkvision) - 2 points
Flying: Flight 2 (8 MPH) - 4 points
Small: Permanent Shrinking 8 (Strength -2, Intimidation -4, Speed -1, Dodge +4, Parry +4, Stealth +8), Innate - 9 points
Undead: Immunity 30 (Foritude); Impervious Protection 8; Regeneration 6 - 52 points

Advantages:
Fearless, Seize Initiative.

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+10), Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Magic 8 (+12), Intimidation 9 (+9), Investigation 6 (+11), Perception 5 (+11).

Offense:
Initiative +0
Unarmed +10 (Close Damage 6)

Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 10, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 8, Will 9

Totals:
Abilities 36 + Powers 67 + Advantages 2 + Skills 21 + Defenses 9 = 135 points

Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 9
Resistance PL: 9
Skill PL: 7

Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Hatred (technology and "modern" institutions.) No Fine Manipulators. Vulnerability (Deception and Intimidation by "mortals".)
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

Shadowjack
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His clearest memory is of waking up in darkness, feeling both weak as a kitten and completely at a loss about what had happened to him and why everything that came before waking up had a weird dreamlike quality. He realized that he was not alone when the darkness spoke to him, with the shadows clearing up to reveal that Darkwing was looking down at him. Not an experience that he had ever expected to have, what with him being a kid from Hell's Kitchen and Darkwing coming from Chi-Town. There was some other person there, with weird reddish-pink hair, but she said nothing, only studying the readout on the machine to which he was hooked up.

Darkwing explained to him what had happened -- during an incident in New York, he had been one of a few dozen people who were injected with an unusual chemical by a mad scientist. ('Jack would later learn that the "mad scientist" was actually a vampire wizard named Yorga.) All of the others who were subjected to this had died, and he himself had only barely survived with medical help from a really good doctor. But he had not been left unmarked by all this. With that, Darkwing hesitantly held up a mirror.

"Oooookayyyyy," said Shadowjack as he looked at his blue skin. "Anything else I should know about?"

There was; he was now a superpower. Not only was his skin an unusual pigment, it was slightly harder than steel. His eyes were capable of seeing in anything less than total darkness, but reacted poorly to daylight. And he could open up rifts in space that he could travel through, send people through, or use to call up ... well, he supposed that they were not really tentacles, since they were made of metal instead of flesh, but they certainly looked like they could be part of some metal octopus somewhere.

None of this was anything that Jack Coleman had ever expected for his life. Darkwing sympathized and offered to sponsor his studies at the Futurian Academy, but Jack had already dropped out of high school once and going back was not an idea that he relished. Unfortunately, a reunion with his parents in New York went incredibly poorly, as they refused to accept that this was their son. Jack returned to Chicago and decided that the only thing he could do with his life was to use his powers to help prevent bad things like this from happening to anyone else, becoming a superhero based out of East Garfield Park, occasionally assisting Darkwing and (somewhat more frequently) receiving assistance from him.

Over the last two years, 'Jack (as he calls himself now -- the ' is silent, but he somehow knows when people are refusing to use it) has developed a reputation as a friendly if somewhat creepy hero in his neighborhood. He is still pretty angry about his transformation and alienation from his family, but channels it in the slightly more productive direction of scaring the local criminal element. He also channels it into his studies of magic, hoping to find a way to reverse what has done to him. It is only recently that he has started to see results in this endeavor, after working alongside Yenova of the Vagabonds on a case. Still no luck in getting back to normal, but even if the game is rigged against him, you only win if you play.

Shadowjack -- PL8

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

Powers:
Altered Senses: Senses 1 (low-light vision) - 1 point
Hardened Body: Protection 6 - 6 points
Mystic Gates: Array (29 points)
  • Crushing Tentacles: Damaging Move Object 9, Indirect 2 - 29 points
  • Gate Attack: Ranged Teleport Attack 7 (.5 mile) - 1 point
  • Gate Movement: Extended Only Teleport 7 (120 miles), Portal, Change Direction - 1 point
  • Grappling Tentacles: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 9 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile), Extra Condition, Indirect 2, Limited Degree - 1 point
Advantages:
Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Hide in Plain Sight, Ritualist, Uncanny Dodge.

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+6), Expertise: Magic 5 (+9), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+7), Insight 4 (+8), Intimidation 6 (+10), Investigation 4 (+7), Perception 2 (+6), Ranged Combat: Gates 4 (+7), Stealth 5 (+8).

Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 2)
Crushing Tentacles +7 (Ranged Damage 9)
Gate Attack +7 (Ranged Teleport 7, Resisted by Strength)
Grappling Tentacles +7 (Range Affliction 9, Resisted by Dodge)

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

Totals:
Abilities 54 + Powers 38 + Advantages 5 + Skills 18 + Defenses 10 = 125 points

Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 8
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 5

Complications:
Justice--Motivation. Strange Appearance. Vulnerability (light-based visual Afflictions.) Weakness (daylight leaves him Impaired on most checks and Visually Disabled.)
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

The sole survivor of a group of people injected with a strange chemical by a mad scientist? In NYC? My, that sounds vaguely familiar. 😁

Also, new font color. Interesting.
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Commander Titan »

Britain really is a nightmare, isn't it?

Nice to see the... Wing-Family? Dark-Family? (I don't know the best name for it...) expand!
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

EternalPhoenix wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 10:10 pm Also, new font color. Interesting.
I'm not sure what you're talking about, here.
Commander Titan wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 5:18 am Britain really is a nightmare, isn't it?
Well, living lives of desperation and all that. :twisted:
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Davies wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 6:57 am
EternalPhoenix wrote: Thu Nov 10, 2022 10:10 pm Also, new font color. Interesting.
I'm not sure what you're talking about, here.
That shade of blue is apparently lavender on mobile. At least for me. I am not sure how I never noticed before, but it wouldn't be the first time something glaringly obvious like that escaped my attention. :sweat_smile:
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

The Judge
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Professional killers are not generally eccentric, or at least they rarely express such eccentricities in their work. They focus on quickly eliminating their target -- almost always a single individual -- and then escaping from the scene, rather than looking "cool" or using an elaborate (and thus easily identifiable) method of operations. And then there is the Judge, who breaks all of the above rules, most notably in the way that he will happily accept contracts on groups of people. After all, from four to fifty players can be handled in any single campaign.

According to what information has been produced about him by the FBI, the Judge claims to have been a player in the original medieval fantasy wargaming campaign as a boy. As he appears to be in his early fifties, this is not impossible, but none of the surviving players of that campaign recognized the sole known photograph of him. It seems more likely that he only admires the aesthetic of that era of gaming while taking it even further than any sane gamer ever would have, seeking to become the ultimate adversarial game master. (Another theory, currently known only to members of the Gray Seal, holds that he was once a human "employee" of the destroyed artificial intelligence known as Pythagolem, charged with building "testing facilities" for its headquarters.)

His victims will find themselves kidnapped and often drugged, regaining consciousness in one of the rooms within his current dungeon. They are expected to make their escape from the complex using what equipment -- often "cursed" -- is made available to them, through traps, tricks and secret passages and past various robotic "monsters". The Judge himself will usually appear to them only through holographic projections, often serving as an unwelcome and sometimes fatal distraction while taunting the players or complaining when they damage when they ignore his scenario and look for less obvious means of escape.

Based in New York, the Judge apparently has a relationship with Tarot; he waives his fee when sending victims that they provide for his dungeons, in exchange for their assistance in "procuring" ones that he has been hired to eliminate by other parties. It was while "handling" one group of people who had inconvenienced Tarot in the past that the Judge had his first known encounter with a superhero. As his dimly-lit dungeon did not inhibit the abilities of Elliot Ross, alias Curveball, the latter was able to fake his death, change to his costume and rescue most of the other targets. The Judge barely escaped before Curveball was able to break into his control room, but had a different dungeon complex up and running within a few months.

The Judge is not able to seriously contend with superpowers, and knows it. While equipped with a superscience flame-thrower that he calls a wand of fire, he will always prioritize escape over attempting to defeat his opponents if they manage to confront him. However, it is entirely possible that his ego might get in the way of this practicality, particularly if his skills as a gamemaster are insulted ...

The Judge -- PL 6

Abilities:
STR
0 | STA 1 | AGL 1 | DEX 0 | FGT 2 | INT 3 | AWE 2 | PRE 3

Powers:
Wand of Fire: Line Area Damage 5; Easily Removable (-4) - 6 points

Advantages:
Benefit 2 (independently wealthy), Connected, Contacts, Distract (Deception), Equipment 5, Set-up, Taunt, Well-informed.

Equipment:
Concealed body armor (Protection 2, Subtle), tablet (disguised as tome), and 10 points of equipment as needed.
A Typical Dungeon: Size Huge; Toughness 10; Features Concealed, Deathtraps (oh so many), Defense System, Power System, Security System, Workshop - 10 points

Skills:
Deception 7 (+10), Expertise: Criminal 6 (+9), Expertise: Popular Culture 8 (+11), Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+9), Insight 7 (+9), Investigation 4 (+7), Persuasion 4 (+8), Technology 4 (+7).

Offense:
Initiative +1
Unarmed +2 (Close Damage 0)

Defense:
Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 2, Toughness 3/1, Will 5

Totals:
Abilities 24 + Powers 6 + Advantages 13 + Skills 23 + Defenses 7 = 73 points

Offensive PL: 5
Defensive PL: 3
Resistance PL: 4
Skill PL: 6

Complications:
Greed--Motivation. Incredibly Hammy. Vindictive.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Commander Titan
Posts: 338
Joined: Thu May 19, 2022 3:14 am

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

Post by Commander Titan »

A very appropriate take on the archetype for a setting built with roleplaying game stats!

What are the odds the Judge goes after real magic, reality-warping gear in order to force even superheroes to play along? I have visions of some of the scenes from the comic DIE...
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