What follows are the first two members of the Vanguard, a signature team in my New Rome setting, based largely on the JLA and the Authority. Er..the team, not the setting, that is...
A third member will follow, but I also have to tag on the house ruled skill-based feat I used to make her. And some folks will probably be pissed; not only is her name Medea, but she's got an mad Omni-Power...But I think the consequences of using it may keep it from being abused. NOTE: I'm trying to do these guys in FC format (even though I don't like the stat blocks so much...) because it seems to be standard on the board. For that reason, I'm only posting powers costs. If people are so inclined to check numbers for these guys, I still think that can be done easily enough. But I'm not really concerned with the numbers so much as I am just getting content feedback...
The Vanguard: The Vanguard is a team of some of New Rome’s most powerful Icons, formed largely in secret by Doc Singularity and Jehanne Darc to defend earth against the barely realized threat posed by the so-called “Outer Dark.” The Vanguard operates without much regard given to official agencies and governments since they tend to see their mission as one of the gravest importance.
the Vanguard’s Rogues Gallery:
--Nemesis: The being known as the Nemesis was discovered by the Oschin Telescope in Palomar. Initially, it was merely taken to be a planetoid in extreme solar orbit in the belt of asteroids and material known as the Kuiper belt. Scientists were interested in the planetoid, which was roughly 462 miles across. They became more than interested when it began moving towards earth. Spectral analysis suggested that the Nemesis planetoid was once part of the Earth, and must have been ejected due to some cataclysmic collision millions of years ago. But no one knew what to make of this new activity. Then, it ejected a mass towards Earth at tremendous velocity. The mass burned into the atmosphere and took massive humanoid shape. Calling itself Nemesis, it briefly explained that it would pave the way for re-unification with the “Mother”, and began to “prepare” the surface. That meant wide-scale destruction and chaos. Highly intelligent, Nemesis targeted major cities with powerful golems, drawn from the matter of the planet. He also caused major tectonic upheavals. The Vanguard met the Nemesis Golems head on, destroying them with concerted effort. Sovereign then went toe to toe with the Nemesis Envoy, eventually breaking it into pieces. Since then, there have been no more assaults from the Nemesis planetoid, but there has been an increase in earthquakes and unseasonal tsunami. The team plans to make an expedition to the planetoid as soon as they can.
Doc Singularity:
The son of noted physicist and engineer Dr. Donald Huxley, John Francis Huxley grew up with quite an abnormal childhood. As the son of the man who discovered the elusive and much maligned “graviton”, a great deal of pressure was placed on John. He was always blessed with the same natural genius as his father, and because of this, he was always expected to achieve the same scientific heights as his father. But, strangely enough, it wasn’t his father who placed those expectations on him.
John was accelerated through school, even as his parents divorced. His teachers expected great things from him, and the pressures were almost too much. Added to that was the fact that he rarely saw his father after the divorce, because Dr. Huxley was always engaged in some scientific pursuit. And, his mother laid her expectations heavily upon John’s shoulders. With her inheritance, he was given all the finest opportunities for learning and briefly attended the prestigious Westlake Academy for Boys. But it wasn’t long before John rebelled. The studies were as easy as walking for John; that was never the problem. Conformity, however, was. He didn’t want to be like the highly disciplined, highly stressed kids around him. So he acted out and played the part of the rebel. He managed to get kicked out of Westlake for building a full-sized railgun that knocked down the gym. No one was injured, but John was expelled. His mother was furious, but his father was strangely silent on the matter. In fact, he hardly seemed to notice at all.
Not long after this incident, John was accepted into another advanced school, but one far less publicly known. At the Blackguild Science Academy, John found an environment rather more suited to his personality. There, students were allowed certain…”leeway”…And while John continued to be a rebel, he applied himself to his studies. He developed several strong relationships with his instructors, one of whom was believed to be Dr. Infinity (posing as a mortal named Professor Adam Ian).
But john soon found himself in trouble once more. His mother was killed in a car accident, and John lost all composure. He raged at the fact that his father still could not tear himself away from his theories and experiments. John left the campus and hitch-hiked to his father’s lab in New Rome. Preparing to confront the man, John found his father engaged in an experiment. Dr. Huxley was locked into some sort of metal frame, and was surrounded by a shimmering field of air. He noticed John and seemed quite concerned, but John could not hear anything his father seemed to be screaming to him. And then, everything in the lab seemed to warp, almost into a circle around John. He desperately tried to reach his father, but seemed frozen in the middle of this great sphere that reality had suddenly become.
Seconds, or perhaps hours later, John fell to the floor. There was no sign of his father. Now, crushed by the fact he had lost both of his parents, John curled into a ball and withdrew into himself. He was discovered in the morning by his father’s assistant. When she tried to help john up, he lashed out, hurling her against the far wall without any visible, physical effort. Confused and scared, he fled as quickly as he could. But as he tried to run, he found himself hurtling through the air, crashing through a window into the sky.
As he flew, he realized his father’s experiment had changed him somehow, given him these powers. He fled to the only person he felt he could trust, Professor Ian. Ian revealed his true identity as Dr. Infinity to John and told him he had been monitoring a massive shift in the planet’s gravitational field that corresponded identically with the time of his father’s experiment. Infinity later speculated that John’s interference had exposed him to high energy gravitons, and that he now had an ability to manipulate gravitons with his mind.
John remained at Infinity’s Invisible Mountain Fortress for several months, and befriended Infinity’s superhuman daughter, Priscilla. During that time, he and Infinity learned that the project Dr. Huxley had been working on was coveted by secret and powerful individuals. In an effort to strong-arm Huxley, these people killed his ex-wife and planned to kidnap John. But John had escaped before they could get him. John swore to find these people and make them pay using his powers. But Dr. Infinity counseled him to walk a different path. He began training John to use his powers. In the company of Dr. Infinity, John met another Immortal, Jehanne (Joan of Arc), who was a member of the New Sentinels.
Falling instantly in love with the angelic heroine who appeared only a little older than himself, John decided once again to rebel. He left Dr. Infinity’s invisible mountain fortress and tried to join the Sentinels. He demonstrated his powers over gravity pridefully and took every effort to show off. The team would have turned him away but for the fact that they needed him.
John dubbed himself “Singularity” and happily joined the team. Suddenly, he realized where his place was in life. Fighting injustice alongside Vanguard and Jehanne, John finally felt as if he was in control of his own destiny.
During the Vishtani Invasion that nearly consumed the planet, Singularity learned that the agents who killed his mother were actually backed by shape-shifted Vishtani insurgents who wanted Dr. Huxley’s device to use as a weapon. This enflamed him and focused his anger on the Vishtani threat.
The Vishtani advance strike-team, consisting of the mighty Phalanx, the Imprecator, Harbinger and Gladius, attempted to launch an orbital version of Dr. Huxley’s Graviton Collider. While the rest of the team took on Harbinger and Gladius, and while Vanguard battled Phalanx, Singularity zoomed into space after the orbital weapon. He destroyed it, killing the Imprecator with it. But he felt no vindication, no true victory, because Vanguard, who had become his best friend, soon died afterwards destroying Phalanx and the Vishtani fleet.
John left the Sentinels to pursue his degree. During college, he rather effortlessly developed a number of technological applications based on the manipulation of gravitons, including the HyperRail design used by New Rome’s BAMA (Bullet Accessway to the Metropolitan Area). He developed the anti-gravity systems now used on the space-shuttles, and made himself quite wealthy even before he completed his undergrad studies. After going on to acquire several Ph.D.s, he used his money to start up a mega-corporation called Singularity Ventures. He used the resources of the corporation to develop technology to discover what had happened to his father, because he became convinced that his father was not dead, but had been…displaced somehow. After all these years, he hasn’t been successful. But his grants have funded a number of helpful technologies and have provided opportunities for many scientists and engineers.
It was during his quest to find his father that John developed the Graviton Arc; a device that allowed him to focus his powers sufficiently to warp space-time into a perfect circle. This would allow him to travel to any point in space and time. He stepped through the Arc, hoping to locate his father. What he found was the most important scientific discovery in the history of man.
It was an object shaped like a cylinder spanning a distance roughly equal to the length of the known universe. He called it the Spindle. Upon the surface were ancient structures, preserved in time. Inside the spindle there was encased a “cosmic string”, an object rather like a stretched out black hole. What he discovered there, what he fought with every ounce of strength to defeat, convinced him to return to the life of a superhero. He immediately began to form a new team, named after his best friend, Vanguard. He also formed another group to explore the Spindle’s wonders, and the wonders it opened it.
Quote: “This? This is nothing. You should have been on campus when I accidentally skewed the local Gravitational Constant! I saw London…I saw France…I saw Golden Girl’s underpants…!”
Personality: John Francis Huxley is an inveterate smart-ass, and plays at being cocky right to the hilt. He revels in his unconventional manner, and loves to turn things on their ear. At least, that’s what everyone thinks. John does have a wild streak to him; one he has nurtured carefully over the years. But it’s not entirely true. Since he has led a very public life, he feels it’s important to maintain a certain persona, one that is expected of him, while in secret, he is one of the most disciplined and serious individuals alive. Both sides are true; both “Johns” are one in the same. But those expecting the free-wheeling playboy are often shocked at how quickly his demeanor can change when he “goes to work”.
Publicly, though, he is a playboy. He is an adventurer and a free-spirit. The tabloids are filled with his romantic exploits with Hollywood actresses and glitterati. The Discovery Channel regularly air his expeditions to exotic locations, and his technological advances. His fame, both as an icon and as the owner/operator of one of the world’s most successful companies, is world-wide.
But when the chips are down, as they are now, Doc is deadly serious. Diversions no longer matter against the fate of the world, which, really is the least of the dangers facing the Vanguard…
Powers & Tactics: Doc Singularity has the ability to manipulate gravitons, which allows him complete control over the force of gravity. His mastery over gravity allows him to attract and repel objects similar to telekinesis. He can propel himself through the air by “latching onto” distant objects or gravitational fields. By imposing conflicting gravitation forces on a target, he can literally pull an object apart if he so wishes, or crush it to pulp. He can also generate fields of heavy or micro-gravity which can cause living targets tremendous difficulty to move without doing lasting harm. His powers allow him to generate fields of heavy gravity around himself and others sufficient to utterly stop anything from a punch to a laser. These fields are also sufficient to equalize pressure differentials in his local vicinity, and can even defend against high energy particles like gamma rays and other radiation.
After thinking hard on the design of his father’s graviton device, Doc Singularity realized that he could use his powers to actually warp physical space-time, allowing him a limited ability to teleport from one location to another. Initially, he needed to use the massive Graviton Arc he had built in the Pyramid in order to control the space-warp. Technically, he still requires this device, but has since designed a belt-buckle sized remote which links with navigational and computational data uploaded from the main G-Arc.
Because of his intellect and extreme understanding of gravity, Doc’s abilities are highly versatile. In the past, he has even been able to manipulate substances like air to create a bubble of breathable oxygen around him for short jaunts beyond the atmosphere. This versatility and quick thinking make Doc Singularity a cagey and cunning opponent in a scrap, as he uses his mind to overcome and adapt.
Typically, Doc will hang back in a fight, throwing up a defensive shield to allow the enemy to waste his offensive capabilities while Doc sizes him up. Doc rarely goes for the kill, even though his powers can be highly deadly. Generally, he’ll wrap a target in a high-G field and let him tire himself out. But when necessary, Doc will go straight for the clean kill. This has been the case several times recently when facing the minions of the Outer Dark.
Appearance: Doc Singularity is a roguishly handsome man in his mid thirties, with sandy hair and sharp blue eyes that are so penetrating that at least one overly dramatic actress once described as having a “stabbing” intensity. Ever since his days in the New Sentinels, Doc has filled out, going from a lanky youth to a hard body, Hollywood-style. He maintains his high level of conditioning with a strict regimen of exercise. He’s not terribly concerned about a regular costume; in action, he generally wears what is most functional, ranging from jeans and tee-shirts and leather jackets and heavy leather boots. When he does think to put on a costume, he uses a variation on his old black sleeveless body suit and gloves; on the chest is emblazoned the stylized “s” and “V” of his corporate logo, designed to resemble the vortex of a black hole.
Statistics: PL: 15; Init: +2(Dex); Defense: +18(16 flat-footed); Spd: 30ft (fly 60ft); Atk: +5 melee (+2S Punch), +5 ranged (+12L Gravitic Blast); SV Dmg: +2, Fort: +2, Ref: +2, Will: +2; Str: 14, Dex: 15, Con: 14, Int: 18, Wis: 14, Cha: 15.
Skills: Computers: +14, Craft (Electronics): +22, Disable Device: +14, Drive: +4, Knowledge (Alien Culture, Mythology, Philosophy, Occult): +4, Pilot: +7, Profession (Physicist): +10, Science (Physics): +22
Feats: Fame, Headquarters (the Pyramid), Leadership, Skill Focus (Craft: Electronics), Skill Focus (Science: Physics), Wealthx4
Powers: Energy Control (Gravity) +12 [Extras: Energy Field (+10), Fatigue (+10), Flight (+10), Force Field (area) Immunity (Gravity, Pressure, Radiation), Slow (+5); Power Stunts: Drain gravity, Energy Blast (Gravitic Shear); Source: Mutation; Cost: 4pp+3pp(10)+1pp(5)+1pp(3)], Super-Intelligence +4 [Source: Training, Cost: 2pp], Teleportation +12 [Partial Flaw: Device Required (-11), Source: Mutation/Super-Science, Cost: 2pp+2pp(11)-1pp(11)]
On the frontlines with the Vanguard: For New Rome, USA
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On the frontlines with the Vanguard: For New Rome, USA
by Strict31 » Mon Apr 14, 2003 3:25 pm
Last edited by Strict31 on Mon Apr 14, 2003 3:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
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Strict31 - Enthusiast
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by The Fifth Wanderer » Mon Apr 14, 2003 3:29 pm
Strict, check the Errata. Energy Blast was changed to an extra of Energy Control instead of a stunt. Other than that, it looks cool.
Rules of Combat #15: Teamwork is essential. It gives them someone else to shoot at.
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The Fifth Wanderer - Aficionado
- Posts: 527
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- Location: Currently Imprisoned on Planet Earth
by Strict31 » Mon Apr 14, 2003 3:39 pm
Thanks FifthWanderer. I'll probably swap out another attack effect...
For now, Doc's Rogues gallery. Not complete, but just a taste:
Doc Singularity’s Rogues Gallery:
S.A.R.K.: The Special ops & Aggressive Research Korps is the operational branch of a privately funded, highly secretive organization. Most SARKops don’t even know of this organization’s existence. They can field both highly trained black ops agents and research specialists. Their goals seem to be to research, develop and steal radical technologies, and to provide capital to support this. To this end, they maintain secret research facilities in almost every major city on Earth. They also shop their SARKops out as mercenaries and private security. Doc Singularity first encountered SARK during a SingVen conventional last year in L.A. where his chief Software engineer, Nancy Yu was demoing the latest version of SV OS, SingVen’s counterpart to Windows. The SARKops entered with a SpinTeam, and began gathering up the assembled scientists, engineers and businessmen for abduction. Doc and Nancy used their powers to put the kibosh on the SARKops. That was when the fun began. After subduing the lightly armored paramilitary SARKops, the wall of the convention center exploded inward, revealing their back-up; an op in Hard Response Armor. Doc took the armored op on while Nancy used her cyberkinetic powers to hack the thing’s operating system. They were able to learn a bit about the organization, and Doc took it rather personal that they crashed his party. Since then, he’s been keeping an eye on them when and where they surface. But he has not yet put together who is controlling them.
The ZeroMan: the ZeroMan was once a SingVen employee named David Thewes. He was a scientist who had been assigned to an expeditionary mission to investigate the Spindle. Doc, Jehanne and Steel were present when the expedition was attacked by a group of humanoid beings dressed all in black, wearing thick goggles. Thewes found himself caught on the wrong side of the battle and was mortally wounded by these strange assailants. As he was dying, they opened some sort of portal into a place Doc later called “the Outer Dark.” The proximity of the portal, and the strange…”non-place” beyond irrevocably changed David Thewes. The wound in his chest was now replaced with a hole; a hole into another dimension. Thewes received medical attention, but was otherwise fine. But he found himself slipping away mentally. He would wake up at night not knowing where or who he was. And worse, the knowing was becoming less important. After several months, in a SingVen therapy center, he suddenly caused an entire room of people to disappear. And it felt good, like sex. He also realized he no longer had to walk from one place to another to get there. He could just will it to happen, and the hole inside him would open, and space would bend around him. Now calling himself the ZeroMan because he could no longer remember his own name, he went on a destructive spree, experimenting with his abilities. Doc tracked him down and tried to talk him out of it; to remind him who he was. ZeroMan ignored him, and warped him to the other side of the planet. Using his portable G-Arc, Doc teleported back to New Rome, and used his powers to immobilize the ZeroMan until a SingVen containment team could arrive. ZeroMan was then taken to the Rhinegate Correctional Institute, and was placed in a gravity trap of Doc’s design. That was months ago. Since it was determined that extended stays in his presence were dangerous, the RCI staff doesn’t go into the room. He no longer requires food or any sort of sustenance, so there’s really no reason. And as such, no one know that the only thing imprisoned is the light-shadow of his image. Zero has long since disappeared to parts unknown…
For now, Doc's Rogues gallery. Not complete, but just a taste:
Doc Singularity’s Rogues Gallery:
S.A.R.K.: The Special ops & Aggressive Research Korps is the operational branch of a privately funded, highly secretive organization. Most SARKops don’t even know of this organization’s existence. They can field both highly trained black ops agents and research specialists. Their goals seem to be to research, develop and steal radical technologies, and to provide capital to support this. To this end, they maintain secret research facilities in almost every major city on Earth. They also shop their SARKops out as mercenaries and private security. Doc Singularity first encountered SARK during a SingVen conventional last year in L.A. where his chief Software engineer, Nancy Yu was demoing the latest version of SV OS, SingVen’s counterpart to Windows. The SARKops entered with a SpinTeam, and began gathering up the assembled scientists, engineers and businessmen for abduction. Doc and Nancy used their powers to put the kibosh on the SARKops. That was when the fun began. After subduing the lightly armored paramilitary SARKops, the wall of the convention center exploded inward, revealing their back-up; an op in Hard Response Armor. Doc took the armored op on while Nancy used her cyberkinetic powers to hack the thing’s operating system. They were able to learn a bit about the organization, and Doc took it rather personal that they crashed his party. Since then, he’s been keeping an eye on them when and where they surface. But he has not yet put together who is controlling them.
The ZeroMan: the ZeroMan was once a SingVen employee named David Thewes. He was a scientist who had been assigned to an expeditionary mission to investigate the Spindle. Doc, Jehanne and Steel were present when the expedition was attacked by a group of humanoid beings dressed all in black, wearing thick goggles. Thewes found himself caught on the wrong side of the battle and was mortally wounded by these strange assailants. As he was dying, they opened some sort of portal into a place Doc later called “the Outer Dark.” The proximity of the portal, and the strange…”non-place” beyond irrevocably changed David Thewes. The wound in his chest was now replaced with a hole; a hole into another dimension. Thewes received medical attention, but was otherwise fine. But he found himself slipping away mentally. He would wake up at night not knowing where or who he was. And worse, the knowing was becoming less important. After several months, in a SingVen therapy center, he suddenly caused an entire room of people to disappear. And it felt good, like sex. He also realized he no longer had to walk from one place to another to get there. He could just will it to happen, and the hole inside him would open, and space would bend around him. Now calling himself the ZeroMan because he could no longer remember his own name, he went on a destructive spree, experimenting with his abilities. Doc tracked him down and tried to talk him out of it; to remind him who he was. ZeroMan ignored him, and warped him to the other side of the planet. Using his portable G-Arc, Doc teleported back to New Rome, and used his powers to immobilize the ZeroMan until a SingVen containment team could arrive. ZeroMan was then taken to the Rhinegate Correctional Institute, and was placed in a gravity trap of Doc’s design. That was months ago. Since it was determined that extended stays in his presence were dangerous, the RCI staff doesn’t go into the room. He no longer requires food or any sort of sustenance, so there’s really no reason. And as such, no one know that the only thing imprisoned is the light-shadow of his image. Zero has long since disappeared to parts unknown…
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
Knightfall...
by Strict31 » Mon Apr 14, 2003 3:48 pm
Knightfall:
Even as a child, Eve Chase strove to excel in everything that she did. With seeming ease, she mastered everything she ever attempted, from academics to martial arts. At the age of sixteen, she was accepted into MIT, where she began working on designs to create neural interface systems. Her ideas were later picked up on by Singularity Ventures, and she began receiving independent funding to further experiment and design working models. At the age of twenty-one, she had completed her work. However, on the eve of revealing her work, her life came to a crashing halt.
Alone in her lab, she was going over some final calculations. Her lab was assaulted by several masked, highly trained individuals. Her designs and prototype system were stolen. As she tried to resist, one of the assailants shot her in the spine. Leaving her for dead, the criminals left with every trace of her work. But Eve wasn’t dead; she had been paralyzed from the waist down. She seemed to lose hope for living when she learned this. But her conditioned took a turn for the worse several months later when she learned that a company named Krug Applied Industries (KAI) released a technology almost completely identical to her own. They used it to secure a number of military contracts, and soon, she saw her ideas being used to make weapons more efficient; to kill and destroy. Without any proof, however, she saw no hope.
And that was the first time she tried to kill herself.
As the years passed, Eve grew worse and more withdrawn. Her zest for life had been replaced with a cruel, bitter streak. Then, almost out of the blue, Singularity Ventures’ CEO, John Francis Huxley, offered her an insane amount of money to continue her work. At first, she refused, but then, an idea began to form. She later accepted and soon designed a suit utilizing her interface tech that allowed her to walk. This proved to have vast benefits for other paralysis victims, and proved to be useful even for amputees with cybernetic prosthetics. This made back all the money SingVen had lost years before, and made Eve wealthy.
But in secret, she began to modify her suit, which she never wore in public. She added a series of ceramic composite plates, that were strong, light and flexible, and a number of on-board electronics/optics.
And weapons...
When she was finished, she donned her armor and began hunting down the men responsible for paralyzing her.
For nearly a year, she operated in secret, investigating and tracking down her prey. She eventually found evidence that KAI was involved in more than just weapons research and industrial espionage. They were involved in black market dealings and illegal chemical research, and their misdoings had an impact on every aspect of life, ranging from the corporate boardrooms, to ghettoes and the rainforest. Her crusade came down to a final confrontation with the CEO of KAI, Xander Krug. In his boardroom, the two fought, with Xander using strength amp technology. Ultimately, Knightfall defeated him, but faced a choice of killing him, and attempting to prosecute him. For some reason she still fails to understand, she chose to have him brought up on charges. But before she could act, he was teleported away by several beings wearing thick, dark goggles.
Though she tried tracking him down, he was not to be found. A few weeks later, she was once again approached by John Francis Huxley, Doc Singularity. He revealed that he knew what she was doing, and he knew who she was fighting…even though she really didn’t…After explaining what he could of the power that had supported Krug for so long, she decided to join him, and help him form the Vanguard.
Quote: I walk the night. That’s all I’ll ever need…
Personality: Once filled with exuberance and enthusiasm, Eve slowly saw that replaced with bitter ambition and then cold vengeance. Now, she has become empty of all of those things. No longer do these things clutter her thoughts. Now, her only focus is the completion of her goal to destroy KAI and those who have supported their global campaign of terror and crime. Everything else that Eve Chase was or is, now is either a memory, or simply a mirror; a smokescreen to allow her to exist in the night as Knightfall. Even now, as Eve, she refuses to use her design to let herself walk. Publicly, she claims that her neural damage is too severe for her interface to work for her. The fact that she pretends to remain permanently crippled means she hungers to walk in her identity as Knightfall. In truth, it is what drives her life now. Even without the mask, without the suit, without the interface, she IS Knightfall…
Powers & Tactics: While wearing the suit, Eve is capable of the same physical prowess she had prior to her shooting. In fact, with the advances she’s made on the neural interface of the suit, it expands her abilities beyond normal. When she’s in the Interface, she moves faster than most humans; information is thrust into her brain far quicker and more efficiently. It’s literally a rush. But it allows her to move in a blur of gleaming motion before most opponents even register her presence. Add to that the fact that she always keeps to the shadows, and she can take enemies out without them knowing what happened. Her armor is really just a supplement to her fighting style more than protection; she strives not to be there when an attack finds her. But when she does take a hit in combat, her armor protects her.
Her helmet, aside from provide protection contains advanced optical and communications equipment that provide her an edge against opponents in the dark, or in visibility-hindered situations. Mounted in an X on her back are the dual blades she uses. These short bladed swords are swift and well balanced and tough. She tends to save those as a last resort, or for opponents who can take a licking. For most non-lethal scraps, she relies upon the shield plates on her forearms, both offensively and defensively.
Her armor contains a number of supplementary systems, like a swing-line and mini-grapnel fired from beneath the shield plates on her forearms, and an arsenal of micro-grenades, gas-pellets, and restraints. She uses this arsenal for tougher foes, or to take down opponents without killing them.
Appearance: Eve is an attractive woman in her late twenties with long dark red hair and a light smattering of freckles across her cheeks. Even though she is confined to a wheelchair, her body remains lean and muscular, like that of a panther. When not in her Knightfall identity, she remains confined in her wheelchair for her own reasons, even though her interface suit allows her to walk. The Interface suit is a sheer, clinging black one-piece that covers her entirely from her neck down to her toes. She has modified it to include a hood and gloves. Inside the suit are contact leads which interface with her nerves along her spine. The suit itself can be easily worn under normal clothes.
Combined with the rest of the armor system, her appearance grows far more fierce; gleaming blue-black shoulder plates and a flexible breast plate increase the bulk of her silhouette. She wears a helmet that obscures the upper half of her face and allows her hair to stream through and opening at the top, like a long ponytail. At the center of the helmet’s crown there is emblazoned a golden sword, with the point turned down. On her forearms, there are a pair of shield-shaped bracers which she uses for both defense and offensive hand-to-hand. On her back, mounted in an “X” formation are the twin swords she uses.
Statistics: : PL: 14; Init: +10(Dex); Defense: 26(16 flat-footed); Spd: 30; Atk: +10 melee (+7L Sword), +10 ranged (+5S Stun Grenades); SV Dmg: +2, Fort: +2, Ref: +5, Will: +3; Str: 14, Dex:20 , Con:15 , Int: 17, Wis: 16, Cha: 14.
Skills: Acrobatics: +18, Balance: +15, Climb: +5, Computers: +7, Craft (Cybernetics): +14, Disable Device: +4, Drive: +13, Gather information: +5, Hide: +13, Intimidate: +6, Listen: +7, Move Silently: +15, Profession (Engineer): +10, Repair: +7, Science (Physics): +6, Spot: +6
Feats: Attack Finesse, Ambidexterity, Dodge, Evasion, Iron Will, Power Attack, Rapid Strike, Skill Focus (Acrobatics), Talented (Craft/Engineer), Two Weapon Fighting
Powers: None
Equipment: KnightfallCompositeArmorSystem [Armor +10; Extras: Deflection (+3), Gadgets (+5), Strike, Super-Dexterity (+5), Swinging (+3), Weapon (sword) (+5), Weapon (sword) (+5); Power Stunts: Dark Vision, Immunity to Suffocation, Radio Broadcast, Radio Hearing, Rapid takedown, Whirlwind Attack; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2pp(10) + 2 pp(3) + 5pp(5)]
Weaknesses: Disabled (Eve cannot stand or walk without her suit. Without a wheelchair, her movement is limited to crawling at 5ft per round, and without her suit, her Dex is limited to 10, excluding dex-based tasks which do not rely upon use of her entire body.)
Knightfall’s Rogues Gallery:
Bloodletter: The man calling himself the Bloodletter is a government created “Strider” (a human symbiotically linked to a semi-sentient colony of nanites). Originally meant to be a soldier in the war against the alien Vishtani, he was one of the Striders inadvertently freed by the Icon known as Ronin. Like many escaped Striders, Bloodletter’s symbiosis has driven him mad. He doesn’t share their unreasoning hatred of humans, though. He has no love for humans, but sees them as useful. He has become a mercenary, indulging his thirst for blood and death in a number of third world conflicts over the years. He has recently taken to accepting contracts placed on Icons and other superhumans. His most recent contract was to kill Knightfall. His superhuman strength, speed and mutability give him the edge over her in combat, and when they fought, he disabled her interface, leaving her legs useless. As he was about to wrap a monomolecular whip around her throat, she managed to shove him into an open transformer. The electricity knocked his nanites colony offline and he lost control of his symbiotic systems. Since then, Knightfall has shielded the interface link-ups in her suit.
Krug Applied Industries: KAI went bankrupt in the wake of the scandal that came when Xander Krug was brought up on charges. The shareholders were forced to sell their shares to a woman named Redemption Lee. She came in with a slick new marketing strategy and a reorganization scheme that turned KAI’s stock back around. Now, the company is back in the same old business, but they’re doing it a lot better than before. Ms. Lee is an experienced mercenary, and was able to bring a lot of her contacts into “legitimate business” with her. So, they are still financing weapons sales and military contracts and terrorist powers. Anyone with the money to deal with them benefits from her know-how and connections. Ms. Lee received a midnight visit from Knightfall, and a warning; “I’m watching.” Redemption was not frightened in the least, but was rather enthralled. Not only would she like to get her hands on Knightfall’s weapons systems, but hearing the reputation of the "knight-stalker," Redemption is eager to pit her own formidable combat skills against Knightfall’s…
Even as a child, Eve Chase strove to excel in everything that she did. With seeming ease, she mastered everything she ever attempted, from academics to martial arts. At the age of sixteen, she was accepted into MIT, where she began working on designs to create neural interface systems. Her ideas were later picked up on by Singularity Ventures, and she began receiving independent funding to further experiment and design working models. At the age of twenty-one, she had completed her work. However, on the eve of revealing her work, her life came to a crashing halt.
Alone in her lab, she was going over some final calculations. Her lab was assaulted by several masked, highly trained individuals. Her designs and prototype system were stolen. As she tried to resist, one of the assailants shot her in the spine. Leaving her for dead, the criminals left with every trace of her work. But Eve wasn’t dead; she had been paralyzed from the waist down. She seemed to lose hope for living when she learned this. But her conditioned took a turn for the worse several months later when she learned that a company named Krug Applied Industries (KAI) released a technology almost completely identical to her own. They used it to secure a number of military contracts, and soon, she saw her ideas being used to make weapons more efficient; to kill and destroy. Without any proof, however, she saw no hope.
And that was the first time she tried to kill herself.
As the years passed, Eve grew worse and more withdrawn. Her zest for life had been replaced with a cruel, bitter streak. Then, almost out of the blue, Singularity Ventures’ CEO, John Francis Huxley, offered her an insane amount of money to continue her work. At first, she refused, but then, an idea began to form. She later accepted and soon designed a suit utilizing her interface tech that allowed her to walk. This proved to have vast benefits for other paralysis victims, and proved to be useful even for amputees with cybernetic prosthetics. This made back all the money SingVen had lost years before, and made Eve wealthy.
But in secret, she began to modify her suit, which she never wore in public. She added a series of ceramic composite plates, that were strong, light and flexible, and a number of on-board electronics/optics.
And weapons...
When she was finished, she donned her armor and began hunting down the men responsible for paralyzing her.
For nearly a year, she operated in secret, investigating and tracking down her prey. She eventually found evidence that KAI was involved in more than just weapons research and industrial espionage. They were involved in black market dealings and illegal chemical research, and their misdoings had an impact on every aspect of life, ranging from the corporate boardrooms, to ghettoes and the rainforest. Her crusade came down to a final confrontation with the CEO of KAI, Xander Krug. In his boardroom, the two fought, with Xander using strength amp technology. Ultimately, Knightfall defeated him, but faced a choice of killing him, and attempting to prosecute him. For some reason she still fails to understand, she chose to have him brought up on charges. But before she could act, he was teleported away by several beings wearing thick, dark goggles.
Though she tried tracking him down, he was not to be found. A few weeks later, she was once again approached by John Francis Huxley, Doc Singularity. He revealed that he knew what she was doing, and he knew who she was fighting…even though she really didn’t…After explaining what he could of the power that had supported Krug for so long, she decided to join him, and help him form the Vanguard.
Quote: I walk the night. That’s all I’ll ever need…
Personality: Once filled with exuberance and enthusiasm, Eve slowly saw that replaced with bitter ambition and then cold vengeance. Now, she has become empty of all of those things. No longer do these things clutter her thoughts. Now, her only focus is the completion of her goal to destroy KAI and those who have supported their global campaign of terror and crime. Everything else that Eve Chase was or is, now is either a memory, or simply a mirror; a smokescreen to allow her to exist in the night as Knightfall. Even now, as Eve, she refuses to use her design to let herself walk. Publicly, she claims that her neural damage is too severe for her interface to work for her. The fact that she pretends to remain permanently crippled means she hungers to walk in her identity as Knightfall. In truth, it is what drives her life now. Even without the mask, without the suit, without the interface, she IS Knightfall…
Powers & Tactics: While wearing the suit, Eve is capable of the same physical prowess she had prior to her shooting. In fact, with the advances she’s made on the neural interface of the suit, it expands her abilities beyond normal. When she’s in the Interface, she moves faster than most humans; information is thrust into her brain far quicker and more efficiently. It’s literally a rush. But it allows her to move in a blur of gleaming motion before most opponents even register her presence. Add to that the fact that she always keeps to the shadows, and she can take enemies out without them knowing what happened. Her armor is really just a supplement to her fighting style more than protection; she strives not to be there when an attack finds her. But when she does take a hit in combat, her armor protects her.
Her helmet, aside from provide protection contains advanced optical and communications equipment that provide her an edge against opponents in the dark, or in visibility-hindered situations. Mounted in an X on her back are the dual blades she uses. These short bladed swords are swift and well balanced and tough. She tends to save those as a last resort, or for opponents who can take a licking. For most non-lethal scraps, she relies upon the shield plates on her forearms, both offensively and defensively.
Her armor contains a number of supplementary systems, like a swing-line and mini-grapnel fired from beneath the shield plates on her forearms, and an arsenal of micro-grenades, gas-pellets, and restraints. She uses this arsenal for tougher foes, or to take down opponents without killing them.
Appearance: Eve is an attractive woman in her late twenties with long dark red hair and a light smattering of freckles across her cheeks. Even though she is confined to a wheelchair, her body remains lean and muscular, like that of a panther. When not in her Knightfall identity, she remains confined in her wheelchair for her own reasons, even though her interface suit allows her to walk. The Interface suit is a sheer, clinging black one-piece that covers her entirely from her neck down to her toes. She has modified it to include a hood and gloves. Inside the suit are contact leads which interface with her nerves along her spine. The suit itself can be easily worn under normal clothes.
Combined with the rest of the armor system, her appearance grows far more fierce; gleaming blue-black shoulder plates and a flexible breast plate increase the bulk of her silhouette. She wears a helmet that obscures the upper half of her face and allows her hair to stream through and opening at the top, like a long ponytail. At the center of the helmet’s crown there is emblazoned a golden sword, with the point turned down. On her forearms, there are a pair of shield-shaped bracers which she uses for both defense and offensive hand-to-hand. On her back, mounted in an “X” formation are the twin swords she uses.
Statistics: : PL: 14; Init: +10(Dex); Defense: 26(16 flat-footed); Spd: 30; Atk: +10 melee (+7L Sword), +10 ranged (+5S Stun Grenades); SV Dmg: +2, Fort: +2, Ref: +5, Will: +3; Str: 14, Dex:20 , Con:15 , Int: 17, Wis: 16, Cha: 14.
Skills: Acrobatics: +18, Balance: +15, Climb: +5, Computers: +7, Craft (Cybernetics): +14, Disable Device: +4, Drive: +13, Gather information: +5, Hide: +13, Intimidate: +6, Listen: +7, Move Silently: +15, Profession (Engineer): +10, Repair: +7, Science (Physics): +6, Spot: +6
Feats: Attack Finesse, Ambidexterity, Dodge, Evasion, Iron Will, Power Attack, Rapid Strike, Skill Focus (Acrobatics), Talented (Craft/Engineer), Two Weapon Fighting
Powers: None
Equipment: KnightfallCompositeArmorSystem [Armor +10; Extras: Deflection (+3), Gadgets (+5), Strike, Super-Dexterity (+5), Swinging (+3), Weapon (sword) (+5), Weapon (sword) (+5); Power Stunts: Dark Vision, Immunity to Suffocation, Radio Broadcast, Radio Hearing, Rapid takedown, Whirlwind Attack; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2pp(10) + 2 pp(3) + 5pp(5)]
Weaknesses: Disabled (Eve cannot stand or walk without her suit. Without a wheelchair, her movement is limited to crawling at 5ft per round, and without her suit, her Dex is limited to 10, excluding dex-based tasks which do not rely upon use of her entire body.)
Knightfall’s Rogues Gallery:
Bloodletter: The man calling himself the Bloodletter is a government created “Strider” (a human symbiotically linked to a semi-sentient colony of nanites). Originally meant to be a soldier in the war against the alien Vishtani, he was one of the Striders inadvertently freed by the Icon known as Ronin. Like many escaped Striders, Bloodletter’s symbiosis has driven him mad. He doesn’t share their unreasoning hatred of humans, though. He has no love for humans, but sees them as useful. He has become a mercenary, indulging his thirst for blood and death in a number of third world conflicts over the years. He has recently taken to accepting contracts placed on Icons and other superhumans. His most recent contract was to kill Knightfall. His superhuman strength, speed and mutability give him the edge over her in combat, and when they fought, he disabled her interface, leaving her legs useless. As he was about to wrap a monomolecular whip around her throat, she managed to shove him into an open transformer. The electricity knocked his nanites colony offline and he lost control of his symbiotic systems. Since then, Knightfall has shielded the interface link-ups in her suit.
Krug Applied Industries: KAI went bankrupt in the wake of the scandal that came when Xander Krug was brought up on charges. The shareholders were forced to sell their shares to a woman named Redemption Lee. She came in with a slick new marketing strategy and a reorganization scheme that turned KAI’s stock back around. Now, the company is back in the same old business, but they’re doing it a lot better than before. Ms. Lee is an experienced mercenary, and was able to bring a lot of her contacts into “legitimate business” with her. So, they are still financing weapons sales and military contracts and terrorist powers. Anyone with the money to deal with them benefits from her know-how and connections. Ms. Lee received a midnight visit from Knightfall, and a warning; “I’m watching.” Redemption was not frightened in the least, but was rather enthralled. Not only would she like to get her hands on Knightfall’s weapons systems, but hearing the reputation of the "knight-stalker," Redemption is eager to pit her own formidable combat skills against Knightfall’s…
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
My setting's Medea...
by Strict31 » Mon Apr 14, 2003 4:03 pm
But first, just so you know what the heck I'm referring to below, these are two home-made feats to help model characters with significantly more experience than even your standard experienced character. Since I go with 1:1 skill ratio, this is sufficient for my needs.
New Feat:
Learned:
Decades of experience and training allow you to excel at certain skills.
Prerequisites: PL 12, 13+ in the skills’ key abilities.
Benefit: Choose an attribute. Any skill governed by this key attribute can be purchased at a cost of 1pp per 2 skill ranks. Skill ranks actually have to be purchased in a skill for this rule to apply. Untrained skills are obviously unaffected.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, but each time, it must apply to a different attribute.
New Feat:
Wisdom of the Ages:
Due to centuries of training and or experience, you may excel in certain areas of knowledge.
Prerequisites: PL 13, 13+ in the skills’ key abilities.
Benefit: As with the Learned Feat, except skills can be bought at a cost of 1pp per 3 skill ranks.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, each time applying to a different attribute.
In New Rome, these feats aren't generally open to normal characters; even a batman type would have to play by the standard 1:1. These things are really only open to characters who, for whatever reason have lived and been in action for decades to centuries. Medea, being immortal, would qualify, whereas Knightfall wouldn't.
But good story reasons can circumvent any ruling...
Anyhow...
Medea:
The immortal sorceress known as Medea is believed to be the same Medea of myth, who aided Jason and murdered her own children and brother. She has wandered through the ages attempting to atone for the crimes she’s committed. Born on the forgotten isle of Colcus, to Aetes, she is the grandchild of a being known as Helios, who was once considered a god. In the land of Colcus, the darker gods were venerated, and as a child, Medea was devoted to the disciplines and shadowy magicks of Hecate. As she grow to adulthood, she became unparalleled as a sorceress and priestess, mastering the darkest of arts.
As legend states, Jason arrived to win the Golden Fleece from the protection of Colcus, and he and Medea caught each other’s eye. She agreed to aid him with her magick, and with her help, he won his way past the Hydra, past the Dragon’s Brood, and even Colcus’ fleet. Also, as legend states, she killed her brother to help them escape her father’s fleet. Jason and Medea later married and had children. Medea used her powers to make Jason’s father young once more, and to help Jason gain vengeance upon Pelias. But Jason later left her to marry another woman. In a black rage, she poisoned Jason’s new wife, literally melting the skin from her body, and slit the throats of her children. Mythology tells the story of a very bloody villain.
But while myths often tell a universal truth, that truth often has little to do with fact. While it is true that Medea killed her brother, it is also fact that he was about to place a dagger in Jason’s back. Medea made a choice to protect her lover. While it is true that she killed her children, it is also fact that their deaths were faked in order to protect them from Jason’s wrath after she murdered his new wife.
Medea has committed terrible sins. But the sins of legend attributed to her have not always been based in fact. The truth is, so much time has past that Medea, herself, can scarcely recall the breadth of her atrocities. After she fled Jason, she married Aegeus, and began using her magicks not to advance the ambitions of others, but rather her own. With him, she had a cunning and clever son, Medus. Aegeus had another son, however, the hero, Theseus. He recognized Medea’s plots for what they were, even though his father couldn’t. Theseus drove Medea and her brood from Athens into the wildlands. There, with her children in tow, Medea committed numerous crimes, things she can’t remember. But she built a rag-tag army, and set herself up as a ruler of a wild patch of land called Media. As she settled down, she nursed the hope that her three children would eventually rule their land as one, making Media an empire to rival any other. Medus had inherited her talent for magick and her lethal cunning. The older siblings had inherited Jason’s wisdom. Medea foolishly believed love would be enough to unite them.
As it turned out, Medus thought his older brother and sister a threat to his power, and using instincts inherited from his mother, murdered them both. He then turned upon her, and after a duel of sorcery, she was forced to flee rather than kill her son.
Since then, Medea has roamed, eternally tortured by the choices she has made, by the crimes she has committed. She tried to continue to build a power base for herself, but always her actions returned to her a thousand fold. Eventually, she gave up her bid for power and on something slightly more than a whim, began to help people rather than use and destroy them. So it came to pass that she rescued a young woman accused of being a witch. Using her magick, she restored the woman to full health, even as she was being burned at the stake. She then scattered the crowd and the two escaped. As it turned out, this woman was Jehanne Dark, Joan of Arc. Medea and Jehanne began a love-hate friendship that would last for centuries. They traveled together, Jehanne teaching Medea about the light while Medea taught her own lessons in return. As the women later discovered, Jehanne was, like Medea gifted (or cursed) with long-life. Barring injury, neither woman would ever die or age.
It was through their centuries long wanderings and often fiery debates that they joined the Sentinels. Medea did so on a challenge from Jehanne to be honest. Her ego forced her to prove to her friend that she could act solely in the interests of others. It was in the service of the Sentinels that Medea met and fell in love with the powerful superhuman, Vanguard (Ray Huddleston). When he later died, she went mad with sorrow and pain. She abandoned her friendship with Jehanne and disappeared. Her memories of this time are not terribly clear, but she believes she traveled the shadowlands of the Abyss and consorted with dark powers only dreamed of in legend. She returned with a haunted glaze in her eyes and a knowledge of the darkest of magicks, increasing her tremendous powers even further.
She reunited with Jehanne to tell her of what she had done and to seek some sort of penance in the woman’s company. Jehanne listened to her half formed tales of chaos and of hungering voids. She and Doc Singularity convinced Medea to join a new team, named after her lover, Ray; the Vanguard. She, more than anyone else on the team had direct contact with the beings that populated the so-called Outer Dark.
Quote: By Hecate, I will burn the skin from your bones should you cross me or mine!
Personality: Medea has always been of a dark and cold disposition. She has scant amounts of pity and compassion in her soul. She has always been more than willing to satiate her own desires and ambitions, and to go to violent extremes to achieve her ends. That was how she was raised, in the cruel heart of her father’s empire, where she was destined to become a consort for her own brother. She found in Jason, what she thought was true selfless love, and that was multiplied in the birth of her children. Everything she ever did from that point on was done with those she loved foremost in her mind. But that was no justification, no excuse. And even thought she did not truly murder her children, she knows that her actions, nonetheless, eventually caused their deaths.
These days, Medea isn’t nearly as cruel or cold as she once was, but since the death of Ray, she sees life through cracked lenses. She helps others, even at her own peril, but does so grudgingly, and is disgusted by the gratitude of the helpless and the weak. She wants to be good, but she hates the vulnerability it brings. She hates being wicked, but prefers the iron strength that it seems to bring. Medea has only two real friends in the world, Jehanne and Doc Singularity (who used to have a crush on her and Jehanne when he was a teen in the New Sentinels). Even though she is a constant source of aggravation to both, and often mocks their charity, it is also plainly evident that she loves them both dearly and would die for either without thought.
Powers & Tactics: In the past, Medea has never shied away from using her powers to the fullest, even though she has always been cautious about using them for trivial purposes (of course, having a pet fire elemental heat bathwater is far from trivial!). Through ancient Hermetic rituals and pacts first developed in Egypt, she is able to use Hekau (Words of Power), or Heka to summon the aid of “the Gods”. This aid manifests itself as spells or Rotes, easily learned by those with the talent. Medea typically uses Heka to simulate effects like Mind Control, and healing. She can summon forth a wall of spectral shields that spin around her and provide defense, or send flaming daggers to stab a man in the pit of his thoughts. She can pull the darkest fears from a man with the aid of Epiphlings and manifest them before his very eyes. She can also take flight in a chariot pulled by serpents that slither through the skies. Some spells she can cast on the fly, with mere supplication to the spirits or gods that rule those domains. The act of spontaneous casting fatigues her severely, however, and she often refrains from it unless absolutely necessary.
She also has mastered a darker magick, which will one day claim her soul. Called simply the Infernal Path or Infernal Sorcery, this magick calls upon Demons and hellspawn to provide her aid. Though the power they offer is tremendous, the price is equally great. But she has had to use these magicks recently.
Typically, she uses her spells to protect her comrades or innocent bystanders long enough for others to get in their attacks. Sometimes she is called upon to deliver the coup de grace, which she is more than capable of doing. Medea also has a tendency to disobey orders and do things on her own, especially if she feels she has a better or more efficient idea. She rarely takes the time to explain herself, since nobody else on the team really understands magick as she does; it would waste time. Doc Singularity cuts her a great deal of slack when it comes to tactics because she knows what she’s doing.
Appearance: Medea is easily one of the most beautiful women to ever walk the Earth. She has classic Greek features, with high cheekbones and generous lips that smile easily, but often cruelly. Her eyes are a sharp, pale blue, like a winter sky bearing the unfulfilled promise of warmer climes while bringing only cold. She wears her waist-length black hair free, so that it flutters about her like a waterfall. A streak of white shears through her dark tresses after her experiences in the Abyss. Medea once favored white tunics and fabrics in keeping with her origins, but now prefers black leather. She wears a skirt split up both sides, tall black boots and a clinging leather top beneath a long black leather duster.
Statistics: : PL: 15; Init: +3 (Dex); Defense: 19(16 flat-footed); Spd: 30 (fly 60); Atk: +4 melee, +7 ranged (+12L Mental Blast); SV Dmg: +2, Fort: +2, Ref: +3, Will: +13; Str:11 , Dex: 16, Con: 14, Int: 16, Wis: 18, Cha: 19.
Skills:* Bluff: +13, Computers: +5, Concentration: +13, Diplomacy: +10, Gather Information: +8, Knowledge (History: +9, Occult: +9), Language: +4 [native Greek] (English, Egyptian, French, Latin), Move Silently: +5, Sense Motive: +10
Feats:* Attractive, Detect: Magic, Immunity: Aging, Indomitable Will, Iron Will, Wisdom of the Ages: Cha, Wisdom of the Ages: Int, Wisdom of the Ages: Wis
Powers: Sorcery +12 [Extras: Flight, Force Field, Healing, Illusion, Mental Blast, Mind Control, Telepathy; Power Stunts: Disintegration, Immunity, Incorporeal, Invisibility, Telekinesis; Flaws: Must be able to gesture and speak freely; Source: Mystical; Cost: 7pp] Infernal Sorcery (Omni-Power) +8 [Extras: Expanded Powers (up to 4pp cost); Flaws: Must be able to speak and gesture freely, in addition to spending a hero point; Source: Mystical, Cost: 3pp. Note: if she expends all her Hero Points using this power, she will gain a Villain Point in place of one of her HPs when her total is refilled. Each time this occurs, she gains another Villain Point in place of a Hero Point. When all her HPs are replaced by Villain Points, her soul is considered lost and she becomes unplayable as a hero.] Amazing Save: Will +7 [Source: Training; Cost: 1pp]
Medea’s Rogues Gallery:
Medusa: Medusa was once considered the most beautiful of Greek women, but her innocent pride drew forth the ire of the Atlantean, Aphrodite. Aphrodite found it amusing to curse Medusa’s beauty and injected the woman with a serum that turned her hair into serpents; that made her gaze capable of turning mortals to stone. And to top it off, it cursed her with agelessness. Medusa retained her beauty, but it was now made into a mockery by the writhing nest of serpents growing from her skull. Medusa went more than a little mad in the wake of her transformation, and spent years researching methods to return herself to normal. She has also found small satisfaction in opposing the residents and heroes of Atlantis. Since then, she has become a sorceress of respectable power. In the past, she has been an ally to the wicked plans of Medea and her son. For a while, she was Medea’s apprentice in the mystic arts, and later became a lover to Medus. Medusa now functions as a mercenary, using her powers for material gain. Although she has opposed Medea on numerous occasions, it was more out of a desire to prove herself to her former instructor. It is because of pride that she continues to oppose Medea, not actual hatred. To be honest, Medusa is really quite fond of her old instructor. During the Tiamat War, Medusa originally sided with Tiamat’s horde, but later allied with Medusa to defeat Medus.
Medus: Medus is Medea’s son by Aegeus (also father of Theseus). Medus was the true villain behind the death of Medea’s other children. He matches his mother’s skill in sorcery and exceeds her capacity for cruelty and malice. Ambition has driven him without the burden of conscience. Like her, he has exposed himself to the infernal magicks of the Abyss, but he did this centuries ago and his soul has long since been claimed. Logic has all but fled his ambitions and today, he craves only power for power’s sake. One of the obstacles to this goal (he feels) is his mother, who has succumbed to sentimentality. Thus, he craves to destroy her utterly. He has clashed with her many times over the centuries and has always been defeated by her. But even knowing all of his crimes, she still cannot bring herself to destroy her own child. He despises her all the more for her compassion. The last time they fought was during the Tiamat War, when he tried to ally himself with the minions of the Dragon Mother. Medus was imprisoned in the Rhinegate Correctional Institute, but Medea knew it was only a matter of time before he found a way to escape. So, using her sorcery to conceal her entry, she stole inside the walls of the RCI and had a long discussion with him. Determining that there was no salvation for him, she told him she loved him, and then completed a “Hanging Ritual” which she had begun days before. It culminated with a single activating word, and banished him to another dimension. Though he remained trapped there for years, he was recently freed…by Medea herself! This happened during the time her memory was wiped out, during her stay in the Abyss. Medus was locked in a dimension of “hypershapes” and tessaracts, and it left him confused and slightly insane. His current whereabouts are unknown, but gradually, he is regaining his senses and will strike out at his mother once again.
Helios: This powerful Atlantean is Medea’s grandfather, and is one of the oldest beings on the planet. Because of his blood, she and her son are essentially immortal. Helios was among those Atlanteans that used their powers to set themselves up as gods to the ancient Greeks. He was angered that he was supplanted in power by his protégé, Apollo, and focused on building a new temporal empire on the misty isle of Colcus with his son, Aetes. Helios was furious when his granddaughter betrayed her blood and sided with mortals. He has never forgiven her and has sought over the years to torment her. It was Helios, who whispered atrocities to Medus in Medea’s womb, and this drove Medus to wickedness as a youth. Helios took pride in revealing this to Medea. He has also guided Medus’ hand over the centuries because he knew it would cause Medea pain. Helios is a scientist and sorcerer without peer, and his technologies (more appropriately “Tecknologies”) have provided him with powers that could rival even the “true” gods like Marduk and Ishtar. Helios has not bothered with his granddaughter in quite some time, focusing his rage upon the residents of hated Atlantis. But he has recently become aware that Medus has returned.
The Dragon’s Brood: Born from dark sorcery, these unliving soldiers were collected from the bones and teeth of the Hydra that defended the Golden Fleece. Medea defeated them by stealing a stone that controlled them. This stone has its own native, malicious intellect, and manages to find itself in the possession of individuals willing to put it to use. Medea has been searching for the stone for a long while, but it always eludes her grasp. When the stone is grasped tightly and its Heka (word of power) is spoken, the Brood rises forth from the earth and follows the commands of the stone’s wielder utterly. Resembling tattered, animated corpses, the Brood is almost immune to any injury that would kill a mortal. They do not feel pain, they do not grow weary. But they must feed. Those they kill are then cursed to join them. More than one villain has used the Brood to achieve their ends, and Medea has opposed and defeated them every time.
New Feat:
Learned:
Decades of experience and training allow you to excel at certain skills.
Prerequisites: PL 12, 13+ in the skills’ key abilities.
Benefit: Choose an attribute. Any skill governed by this key attribute can be purchased at a cost of 1pp per 2 skill ranks. Skill ranks actually have to be purchased in a skill for this rule to apply. Untrained skills are obviously unaffected.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, but each time, it must apply to a different attribute.
New Feat:
Wisdom of the Ages:
Due to centuries of training and or experience, you may excel in certain areas of knowledge.
Prerequisites: PL 13, 13+ in the skills’ key abilities.
Benefit: As with the Learned Feat, except skills can be bought at a cost of 1pp per 3 skill ranks.
Special: This feat can be taken multiple times, each time applying to a different attribute.
In New Rome, these feats aren't generally open to normal characters; even a batman type would have to play by the standard 1:1. These things are really only open to characters who, for whatever reason have lived and been in action for decades to centuries. Medea, being immortal, would qualify, whereas Knightfall wouldn't.
But good story reasons can circumvent any ruling...
Anyhow...
Medea:
The immortal sorceress known as Medea is believed to be the same Medea of myth, who aided Jason and murdered her own children and brother. She has wandered through the ages attempting to atone for the crimes she’s committed. Born on the forgotten isle of Colcus, to Aetes, she is the grandchild of a being known as Helios, who was once considered a god. In the land of Colcus, the darker gods were venerated, and as a child, Medea was devoted to the disciplines and shadowy magicks of Hecate. As she grow to adulthood, she became unparalleled as a sorceress and priestess, mastering the darkest of arts.
As legend states, Jason arrived to win the Golden Fleece from the protection of Colcus, and he and Medea caught each other’s eye. She agreed to aid him with her magick, and with her help, he won his way past the Hydra, past the Dragon’s Brood, and even Colcus’ fleet. Also, as legend states, she killed her brother to help them escape her father’s fleet. Jason and Medea later married and had children. Medea used her powers to make Jason’s father young once more, and to help Jason gain vengeance upon Pelias. But Jason later left her to marry another woman. In a black rage, she poisoned Jason’s new wife, literally melting the skin from her body, and slit the throats of her children. Mythology tells the story of a very bloody villain.
But while myths often tell a universal truth, that truth often has little to do with fact. While it is true that Medea killed her brother, it is also fact that he was about to place a dagger in Jason’s back. Medea made a choice to protect her lover. While it is true that she killed her children, it is also fact that their deaths were faked in order to protect them from Jason’s wrath after she murdered his new wife.
Medea has committed terrible sins. But the sins of legend attributed to her have not always been based in fact. The truth is, so much time has past that Medea, herself, can scarcely recall the breadth of her atrocities. After she fled Jason, she married Aegeus, and began using her magicks not to advance the ambitions of others, but rather her own. With him, she had a cunning and clever son, Medus. Aegeus had another son, however, the hero, Theseus. He recognized Medea’s plots for what they were, even though his father couldn’t. Theseus drove Medea and her brood from Athens into the wildlands. There, with her children in tow, Medea committed numerous crimes, things she can’t remember. But she built a rag-tag army, and set herself up as a ruler of a wild patch of land called Media. As she settled down, she nursed the hope that her three children would eventually rule their land as one, making Media an empire to rival any other. Medus had inherited her talent for magick and her lethal cunning. The older siblings had inherited Jason’s wisdom. Medea foolishly believed love would be enough to unite them.
As it turned out, Medus thought his older brother and sister a threat to his power, and using instincts inherited from his mother, murdered them both. He then turned upon her, and after a duel of sorcery, she was forced to flee rather than kill her son.
Since then, Medea has roamed, eternally tortured by the choices she has made, by the crimes she has committed. She tried to continue to build a power base for herself, but always her actions returned to her a thousand fold. Eventually, she gave up her bid for power and on something slightly more than a whim, began to help people rather than use and destroy them. So it came to pass that she rescued a young woman accused of being a witch. Using her magick, she restored the woman to full health, even as she was being burned at the stake. She then scattered the crowd and the two escaped. As it turned out, this woman was Jehanne Dark, Joan of Arc. Medea and Jehanne began a love-hate friendship that would last for centuries. They traveled together, Jehanne teaching Medea about the light while Medea taught her own lessons in return. As the women later discovered, Jehanne was, like Medea gifted (or cursed) with long-life. Barring injury, neither woman would ever die or age.
It was through their centuries long wanderings and often fiery debates that they joined the Sentinels. Medea did so on a challenge from Jehanne to be honest. Her ego forced her to prove to her friend that she could act solely in the interests of others. It was in the service of the Sentinels that Medea met and fell in love with the powerful superhuman, Vanguard (Ray Huddleston). When he later died, she went mad with sorrow and pain. She abandoned her friendship with Jehanne and disappeared. Her memories of this time are not terribly clear, but she believes she traveled the shadowlands of the Abyss and consorted with dark powers only dreamed of in legend. She returned with a haunted glaze in her eyes and a knowledge of the darkest of magicks, increasing her tremendous powers even further.
She reunited with Jehanne to tell her of what she had done and to seek some sort of penance in the woman’s company. Jehanne listened to her half formed tales of chaos and of hungering voids. She and Doc Singularity convinced Medea to join a new team, named after her lover, Ray; the Vanguard. She, more than anyone else on the team had direct contact with the beings that populated the so-called Outer Dark.
Quote: By Hecate, I will burn the skin from your bones should you cross me or mine!
Personality: Medea has always been of a dark and cold disposition. She has scant amounts of pity and compassion in her soul. She has always been more than willing to satiate her own desires and ambitions, and to go to violent extremes to achieve her ends. That was how she was raised, in the cruel heart of her father’s empire, where she was destined to become a consort for her own brother. She found in Jason, what she thought was true selfless love, and that was multiplied in the birth of her children. Everything she ever did from that point on was done with those she loved foremost in her mind. But that was no justification, no excuse. And even thought she did not truly murder her children, she knows that her actions, nonetheless, eventually caused their deaths.
These days, Medea isn’t nearly as cruel or cold as she once was, but since the death of Ray, she sees life through cracked lenses. She helps others, even at her own peril, but does so grudgingly, and is disgusted by the gratitude of the helpless and the weak. She wants to be good, but she hates the vulnerability it brings. She hates being wicked, but prefers the iron strength that it seems to bring. Medea has only two real friends in the world, Jehanne and Doc Singularity (who used to have a crush on her and Jehanne when he was a teen in the New Sentinels). Even though she is a constant source of aggravation to both, and often mocks their charity, it is also plainly evident that she loves them both dearly and would die for either without thought.
Powers & Tactics: In the past, Medea has never shied away from using her powers to the fullest, even though she has always been cautious about using them for trivial purposes (of course, having a pet fire elemental heat bathwater is far from trivial!). Through ancient Hermetic rituals and pacts first developed in Egypt, she is able to use Hekau (Words of Power), or Heka to summon the aid of “the Gods”. This aid manifests itself as spells or Rotes, easily learned by those with the talent. Medea typically uses Heka to simulate effects like Mind Control, and healing. She can summon forth a wall of spectral shields that spin around her and provide defense, or send flaming daggers to stab a man in the pit of his thoughts. She can pull the darkest fears from a man with the aid of Epiphlings and manifest them before his very eyes. She can also take flight in a chariot pulled by serpents that slither through the skies. Some spells she can cast on the fly, with mere supplication to the spirits or gods that rule those domains. The act of spontaneous casting fatigues her severely, however, and she often refrains from it unless absolutely necessary.
She also has mastered a darker magick, which will one day claim her soul. Called simply the Infernal Path or Infernal Sorcery, this magick calls upon Demons and hellspawn to provide her aid. Though the power they offer is tremendous, the price is equally great. But she has had to use these magicks recently.
Typically, she uses her spells to protect her comrades or innocent bystanders long enough for others to get in their attacks. Sometimes she is called upon to deliver the coup de grace, which she is more than capable of doing. Medea also has a tendency to disobey orders and do things on her own, especially if she feels she has a better or more efficient idea. She rarely takes the time to explain herself, since nobody else on the team really understands magick as she does; it would waste time. Doc Singularity cuts her a great deal of slack when it comes to tactics because she knows what she’s doing.
Appearance: Medea is easily one of the most beautiful women to ever walk the Earth. She has classic Greek features, with high cheekbones and generous lips that smile easily, but often cruelly. Her eyes are a sharp, pale blue, like a winter sky bearing the unfulfilled promise of warmer climes while bringing only cold. She wears her waist-length black hair free, so that it flutters about her like a waterfall. A streak of white shears through her dark tresses after her experiences in the Abyss. Medea once favored white tunics and fabrics in keeping with her origins, but now prefers black leather. She wears a skirt split up both sides, tall black boots and a clinging leather top beneath a long black leather duster.
Statistics: : PL: 15; Init: +3 (Dex); Defense: 19(16 flat-footed); Spd: 30 (fly 60); Atk: +4 melee, +7 ranged (+12L Mental Blast); SV Dmg: +2, Fort: +2, Ref: +3, Will: +13; Str:11 , Dex: 16, Con: 14, Int: 16, Wis: 18, Cha: 19.
Skills:* Bluff: +13, Computers: +5, Concentration: +13, Diplomacy: +10, Gather Information: +8, Knowledge (History: +9, Occult: +9), Language: +4 [native Greek] (English, Egyptian, French, Latin), Move Silently: +5, Sense Motive: +10
Feats:* Attractive, Detect: Magic, Immunity: Aging, Indomitable Will, Iron Will, Wisdom of the Ages: Cha, Wisdom of the Ages: Int, Wisdom of the Ages: Wis
Powers: Sorcery +12 [Extras: Flight, Force Field, Healing, Illusion, Mental Blast, Mind Control, Telepathy; Power Stunts: Disintegration, Immunity, Incorporeal, Invisibility, Telekinesis; Flaws: Must be able to gesture and speak freely; Source: Mystical; Cost: 7pp] Infernal Sorcery (Omni-Power) +8 [Extras: Expanded Powers (up to 4pp cost); Flaws: Must be able to speak and gesture freely, in addition to spending a hero point; Source: Mystical, Cost: 3pp. Note: if she expends all her Hero Points using this power, she will gain a Villain Point in place of one of her HPs when her total is refilled. Each time this occurs, she gains another Villain Point in place of a Hero Point. When all her HPs are replaced by Villain Points, her soul is considered lost and she becomes unplayable as a hero.] Amazing Save: Will +7 [Source: Training; Cost: 1pp]
Medea’s Rogues Gallery:
Medusa: Medusa was once considered the most beautiful of Greek women, but her innocent pride drew forth the ire of the Atlantean, Aphrodite. Aphrodite found it amusing to curse Medusa’s beauty and injected the woman with a serum that turned her hair into serpents; that made her gaze capable of turning mortals to stone. And to top it off, it cursed her with agelessness. Medusa retained her beauty, but it was now made into a mockery by the writhing nest of serpents growing from her skull. Medusa went more than a little mad in the wake of her transformation, and spent years researching methods to return herself to normal. She has also found small satisfaction in opposing the residents and heroes of Atlantis. Since then, she has become a sorceress of respectable power. In the past, she has been an ally to the wicked plans of Medea and her son. For a while, she was Medea’s apprentice in the mystic arts, and later became a lover to Medus. Medusa now functions as a mercenary, using her powers for material gain. Although she has opposed Medea on numerous occasions, it was more out of a desire to prove herself to her former instructor. It is because of pride that she continues to oppose Medea, not actual hatred. To be honest, Medusa is really quite fond of her old instructor. During the Tiamat War, Medusa originally sided with Tiamat’s horde, but later allied with Medusa to defeat Medus.
Medus: Medus is Medea’s son by Aegeus (also father of Theseus). Medus was the true villain behind the death of Medea’s other children. He matches his mother’s skill in sorcery and exceeds her capacity for cruelty and malice. Ambition has driven him without the burden of conscience. Like her, he has exposed himself to the infernal magicks of the Abyss, but he did this centuries ago and his soul has long since been claimed. Logic has all but fled his ambitions and today, he craves only power for power’s sake. One of the obstacles to this goal (he feels) is his mother, who has succumbed to sentimentality. Thus, he craves to destroy her utterly. He has clashed with her many times over the centuries and has always been defeated by her. But even knowing all of his crimes, she still cannot bring herself to destroy her own child. He despises her all the more for her compassion. The last time they fought was during the Tiamat War, when he tried to ally himself with the minions of the Dragon Mother. Medus was imprisoned in the Rhinegate Correctional Institute, but Medea knew it was only a matter of time before he found a way to escape. So, using her sorcery to conceal her entry, she stole inside the walls of the RCI and had a long discussion with him. Determining that there was no salvation for him, she told him she loved him, and then completed a “Hanging Ritual” which she had begun days before. It culminated with a single activating word, and banished him to another dimension. Though he remained trapped there for years, he was recently freed…by Medea herself! This happened during the time her memory was wiped out, during her stay in the Abyss. Medus was locked in a dimension of “hypershapes” and tessaracts, and it left him confused and slightly insane. His current whereabouts are unknown, but gradually, he is regaining his senses and will strike out at his mother once again.
Helios: This powerful Atlantean is Medea’s grandfather, and is one of the oldest beings on the planet. Because of his blood, she and her son are essentially immortal. Helios was among those Atlanteans that used their powers to set themselves up as gods to the ancient Greeks. He was angered that he was supplanted in power by his protégé, Apollo, and focused on building a new temporal empire on the misty isle of Colcus with his son, Aetes. Helios was furious when his granddaughter betrayed her blood and sided with mortals. He has never forgiven her and has sought over the years to torment her. It was Helios, who whispered atrocities to Medus in Medea’s womb, and this drove Medus to wickedness as a youth. Helios took pride in revealing this to Medea. He has also guided Medus’ hand over the centuries because he knew it would cause Medea pain. Helios is a scientist and sorcerer without peer, and his technologies (more appropriately “Tecknologies”) have provided him with powers that could rival even the “true” gods like Marduk and Ishtar. Helios has not bothered with his granddaughter in quite some time, focusing his rage upon the residents of hated Atlantis. But he has recently become aware that Medus has returned.
The Dragon’s Brood: Born from dark sorcery, these unliving soldiers were collected from the bones and teeth of the Hydra that defended the Golden Fleece. Medea defeated them by stealing a stone that controlled them. This stone has its own native, malicious intellect, and manages to find itself in the possession of individuals willing to put it to use. Medea has been searching for the stone for a long while, but it always eludes her grasp. When the stone is grasped tightly and its Heka (word of power) is spoken, the Brood rises forth from the earth and follows the commands of the stone’s wielder utterly. Resembling tattered, animated corpses, the Brood is almost immune to any injury that would kill a mortal. They do not feel pain, they do not grow weary. But they must feed. Those they kill are then cursed to join them. More than one villain has used the Brood to achieve their ends, and Medea has opposed and defeated them every time.
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
by Strict31 » Mon Apr 14, 2003 9:01 pm
Hikari: Like most modern Hybrids, Michiko Matsura was born with her powers, and they developed as she grew older. At a very early age, she was confronted with celebrity when a Japanese talent agency “discovered” her and propelled her into stardom. She became the star of a number of comics in Japan, which were later adapted as anime films. Since then, Michiko has become one of the most recognizable models in Japan. Without ever using her powers to actually defend anyone or anything, she became a national “super hero.” A background was manufactured for her in the comics and villains were also written in for her to “fight.” But even her public appearances and “battles” were staged with actors and other models. Michiko was aghast when Hentai comics starring her began to appear. She grew disillusioned with life as a celebrity, and fled to go on “sabbatical.” In truth, she had no intention of returning.
It was in America where Michiko found herself put to a real test. A member of the New Rome Yakuza, calling himself “Kurai” (“Darkness”) attempted to kidnap and force himself upon her. He was known as a serial rapist, using his powers to take advantage of women. Drawing upon every bit of will and courage within her, she fought and defeated Kurai. He has since been imprisoned in the RCI (Rhinegate Correctional Institute).
After several months of more unwanted publicity, she was secretly approached by Doc Singularity. He offered her a membership in the Vanguard. She was puzzled as to why he was interested in a “fake super hero” such as herself. In an offhanded manner, he mentioned that she also happened to be one of the fastest humans alive.
Though she was still doubtful, Michiko decided to join, in order to do something significant with her life.
Quote: Um…how do you say…slow-poke…?
Personality: Michiko has an almost delicate air to her. She appears very fragile, as if sculpted of fine crystal. And this is largely true. Michiko was raised to be compliant and accommodating. As a result, she has simply allowed things to happen to her in her life. Even her fame was more a function of her passivity rather than her ambition.
But always, inside her there has been a silent fire. It manifested as “the look”, which has mystified and enthralled a nation of fans. It boiled over as rage when she defeated Kurai and nearly killed him. And now it smolders within her as a desire to prove herself truly, a hero…
Powers & Tactics: Michiko can transform herself into a coherent pattern of visible light and move at the speed of light. While transformed, she doesn’t require air to breathe and can exist in the cold depths of space with no difficulty, although she’s only actually tried this after joining the team. She can shift herself from visible to invisible light, and can generate focused blasts that simulate a powerful laser. Michiko is capable of moving faster than anyone on the planet, but she is limited in the atmosphere by her own ability to perceive things at such speeds. It’s hard to navigate when a single jaunt can place her on the moon in less than a second; navigating on Earth at light speed is almost impossible.
Because she shifts into light, she cannot move through any solid object that is opaque. Also, it makes her invulnerable to most attacks, but makes her quite vulnerable to energies or energy attacks of similar frequencies. These attacks set up painful discordances and can actually kill her.
As Hikari, the Shining One, Michiko is perfect for recon and hit-and-run types of attacks to harry a target. She usually stays out of combat, orbiting the battleground in the air, waiting for a clear shot to attack at range. Or she will blaze right on through, blinding her foes with a flare of light.
Hikari doesn’t lack anything in power, but her confidence is almost nonexistent. Though quite clever, she is reluctant to try anything on her own, with no direction or encouragement. When forced to rely on her own wits, she displays a good deal of unconventional thinking and strategy.
Appearance: Michiko was a professional model in Tokyo, and her profession is quite apparent from just one glance. She is visually striking, and has a native, lovely innocence which made millions of fans fall in love with her in Japan. She is relatively tall, and has a willowy frame that lends itself to effortless grace. She wears her shoulder length black hair down, and has adorned it with gold and red highlights. She wears a very short tunic as a costume, made of yellow fabric that glows with the illumination of her body. She wears thigh-length platform boots and gloves the reach up to her biceps. A glowing streak of iconic light adorns the front of her costume
Statistics: PL: 15; Init: +18(Super-Speed); Defense: 34( 16flat-footed); Spd: 30 (fly 75); Atk: +4melee, + 5ranged (+15L energy blast); SV Dmg: +1, Fort: +1, Ref: +18, Will: +2; Str: 10, Dex: 16, Con: 13, Int: 13, Wis: 14, Cha: 17.
Skills: Computers: +3, Diplomacy: +7, innuendo: +6, Culture (Japanese): +4, Language (English): +1, Perform: +7, Profession (Model): +7, Spot: +6
Feats: Aerial Combat, Attractive, Dark Vision, Detect (EM energies), Fame, Far Shot, Heroic Surge, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Radio Broadcast, Radio Hearing, Rapid Shot
Powers: Lightwave (Incorporeal +15) [Extras: Super-Speed (movement effect is flight), Energy Blast, Immunity (+7) (Fire, Cold, Suffocation, Exhaustion, Pressure, Electricity, Fatigue), Invisibility (+10); Power Stunts: Space Flight, Dazzle (sight); Flaws: Limited (Incorporeal cannot pass through opaque materials), Vulnerability (incorporeal is vulnerable to EM based attacks and powers); Source: Mutation; Cost: 8pp+1pp(7)+1pp(10)-1pp(15)]
Equipment: None
It was in America where Michiko found herself put to a real test. A member of the New Rome Yakuza, calling himself “Kurai” (“Darkness”) attempted to kidnap and force himself upon her. He was known as a serial rapist, using his powers to take advantage of women. Drawing upon every bit of will and courage within her, she fought and defeated Kurai. He has since been imprisoned in the RCI (Rhinegate Correctional Institute).
After several months of more unwanted publicity, she was secretly approached by Doc Singularity. He offered her a membership in the Vanguard. She was puzzled as to why he was interested in a “fake super hero” such as herself. In an offhanded manner, he mentioned that she also happened to be one of the fastest humans alive.
Though she was still doubtful, Michiko decided to join, in order to do something significant with her life.
Quote: Um…how do you say…slow-poke…?
Personality: Michiko has an almost delicate air to her. She appears very fragile, as if sculpted of fine crystal. And this is largely true. Michiko was raised to be compliant and accommodating. As a result, she has simply allowed things to happen to her in her life. Even her fame was more a function of her passivity rather than her ambition.
But always, inside her there has been a silent fire. It manifested as “the look”, which has mystified and enthralled a nation of fans. It boiled over as rage when she defeated Kurai and nearly killed him. And now it smolders within her as a desire to prove herself truly, a hero…
Powers & Tactics: Michiko can transform herself into a coherent pattern of visible light and move at the speed of light. While transformed, she doesn’t require air to breathe and can exist in the cold depths of space with no difficulty, although she’s only actually tried this after joining the team. She can shift herself from visible to invisible light, and can generate focused blasts that simulate a powerful laser. Michiko is capable of moving faster than anyone on the planet, but she is limited in the atmosphere by her own ability to perceive things at such speeds. It’s hard to navigate when a single jaunt can place her on the moon in less than a second; navigating on Earth at light speed is almost impossible.
Because she shifts into light, she cannot move through any solid object that is opaque. Also, it makes her invulnerable to most attacks, but makes her quite vulnerable to energies or energy attacks of similar frequencies. These attacks set up painful discordances and can actually kill her.
As Hikari, the Shining One, Michiko is perfect for recon and hit-and-run types of attacks to harry a target. She usually stays out of combat, orbiting the battleground in the air, waiting for a clear shot to attack at range. Or she will blaze right on through, blinding her foes with a flare of light.
Hikari doesn’t lack anything in power, but her confidence is almost nonexistent. Though quite clever, she is reluctant to try anything on her own, with no direction or encouragement. When forced to rely on her own wits, she displays a good deal of unconventional thinking and strategy.
Appearance: Michiko was a professional model in Tokyo, and her profession is quite apparent from just one glance. She is visually striking, and has a native, lovely innocence which made millions of fans fall in love with her in Japan. She is relatively tall, and has a willowy frame that lends itself to effortless grace. She wears her shoulder length black hair down, and has adorned it with gold and red highlights. She wears a very short tunic as a costume, made of yellow fabric that glows with the illumination of her body. She wears thigh-length platform boots and gloves the reach up to her biceps. A glowing streak of iconic light adorns the front of her costume
Statistics: PL: 15; Init: +18(Super-Speed); Defense: 34( 16flat-footed); Spd: 30 (fly 75); Atk: +4melee, + 5ranged (+15L energy blast); SV Dmg: +1, Fort: +1, Ref: +18, Will: +2; Str: 10, Dex: 16, Con: 13, Int: 13, Wis: 14, Cha: 17.
Skills: Computers: +3, Diplomacy: +7, innuendo: +6, Culture (Japanese): +4, Language (English): +1, Perform: +7, Profession (Model): +7, Spot: +6
Feats: Aerial Combat, Attractive, Dark Vision, Detect (EM energies), Fame, Far Shot, Heroic Surge, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Radio Broadcast, Radio Hearing, Rapid Shot
Powers: Lightwave (Incorporeal +15) [Extras: Super-Speed (movement effect is flight), Energy Blast, Immunity (+7) (Fire, Cold, Suffocation, Exhaustion, Pressure, Electricity, Fatigue), Invisibility (+10); Power Stunts: Space Flight, Dazzle (sight); Flaws: Limited (Incorporeal cannot pass through opaque materials), Vulnerability (incorporeal is vulnerable to EM based attacks and powers); Source: Mutation; Cost: 8pp+1pp(7)+1pp(10)-1pp(15)]
Equipment: None
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
by Strict31 » Tue Apr 15, 2003 9:49 am
Thanks!
And Now for a little dash of...
Golden Girl: Pris is the daughter of the Atlantean hero, Dr. Infinity, who was a founding member of the Silver-Star Squadron. Like her father and his people, Pris is immortal, though she is still quite young. She has had her powers all her life, and spent her youth sheltered away in her father’s secret invisible mountain fortress. Pris did convince her father to allow her to attend a “normal” high school during her senior year. Called “Icon High”, it was located near Beverly Hills, L.A. Pris also went to USC, but completed her college studies at New Rome State University. She made quite a stir at both schools for her public feuds with Élan Vivaldi, daughter of the insane Professor Vivaldi. She enjoys glitterati status in Hollywood, and is accustomed to hanging out with luminaries like Leo, Gwynnie, Brad, etc.
Doc Singularity came calling upon her at the advice of her father; Huxley was looking for some muscle for his new team, the Vanguard. Pris approached the position with her customary eagerness and excitement, but after private conversations with Singularity and other members, an uncharacteristic pall swept over her. As with the other members of the team, it is unknown exactly what transpired between her and Huxley, but she is utterly serious when it comes to the Vanguard.
Quote: Oh, you wanna see “girl-power”? Try some Golden Girl power! And for the record, John Francis has never seen my underpants!
Personality: Priscilla Ian is the ultimate California girl, even though her true origins lie in deepest Atlantis. She grew up living in New Rome and Los Angeles, and often seems to strive to fit the stereotypical mold of an L.A. princess. She has never really wanted for anything, and had something of a spoiled upbringing, even though her father will deny this.
But her life has led her to be a free spirit, exulting in the simple pleasures of existence. She is a very sensual being and utterly loves who she is. In her everyday dealings away from the vanguard, she is on top of her game (and everyone else’s too). She is the glowing center of her own vast world.
Even so, Pris feels ill-prepared to be amidst such notable Icons as her teammates. She considers herself to be very little more than a dilettante, or a “tourist” as she puts it, with very little business playing this game. But she has the right instincts, even if her greatest ambition is to be a model. Pris wants what she could never have; a life as a regular woman. To that end, she maintains a life away from her job as a member of the Vanguard. However, she cannot truly divorce herself from Golden Girl, since that’s really what she was born to be, and it’s also what people expect her to be.
Powers & Tactics: Pris is utterly at ease with her powers, having had them since birth. She knows exactly the right amount of force to use at any given time; she knows when to “bring it.” And she knows how. Confident in the use of her powers, Pris often sails right into combat, blazing like a sunrise, relying on her plasma sheathe to protect her from harm. She prefers to get in up close, where her fiery fists can do the most damage. But if she feels overmatched, she will hang back and hurl balls of plasma at her opponent.
Appearance: Pris is considered beautiful even to the lofty standards of Atlantis. Dr. Infinity often remarked that she has her mother’s beauty, but he refuses to speak any further on the matter. Pris has a truly super-human beauty. It is almost entrancing to normal mortals. And the camera loves her. Her hair actually resembles spun gold, and not just as a matter of colorful metaphor. And her hair constantly wafts, as if in a phantom breeze (an effect created by the plasma-charged particles that almost constantly surround her). Like Hikari, Pris glows with energy, and the intensity of the glow matches her mood.
Pris favors the modern style of fashion dubbed “Iconoclastic”, which tries to emulate and expand upon the style of clothing worn by many Icons. She doesn’t own a single piece of clothing that is not sheer and form-fitting. She wears a shiny golden one piece that leaves her legs and arms free. She wears a golden belt around her middle and a buckle bearing the “double-G of her namesake. She also wears short gloves and knee-high boots (all golden, of course) and armbands around her biceps to accentuate her slim, toned muscles.
Statistics: PL: 14; Init: +4(Dex); Defense: 20(16 flat-footed); Spd: 30 (fly35); Atk: +7 melee (+15L), +7 ranged (+7S Energy Blast); SV Dmg: +4, Fort: +4, Ref: +4, Will: +2; Str: 12, Dex: 18, Con: 19, Int: 12, Wis: 14, Cha: 20.
Skills: Computers: +5, Diplomacy: +10 (+13), Gather Information: +10, Language: +10 (English, Latin, Greek, French, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Spanish, German, Farsi), Science: +6 (Quantum Mechanics), Sense Motive: +5, Taunt: +10
Feats: Aerial Combat, Attack Finesse, Attractive, Immunity (Aging), Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Rapid Strike
Powers: Energy Control (Plasma +7) [Extras: Energy Absorption, Energy Field, Force Field, Immunity (Fire, Cold, Radiation, Pressure, Suffocation, Exhaustion, Electricity); Source: Alien/Mystical; Cost: 6pp] Flight (+7) [Power Stunts: Super-Flight, Space-Flight; Source: Alien/Mystical; Cost: 2pp] Super-Strength (+8 ) [Extras: Strike (+6) Lethal; Source: Alien/Mystical; Cost: 4pp+1pp(6)]
Equipment: None
NOTE: Not sure if I got the names of some of those languages right...
And Now for a little dash of...
Golden Girl: Pris is the daughter of the Atlantean hero, Dr. Infinity, who was a founding member of the Silver-Star Squadron. Like her father and his people, Pris is immortal, though she is still quite young. She has had her powers all her life, and spent her youth sheltered away in her father’s secret invisible mountain fortress. Pris did convince her father to allow her to attend a “normal” high school during her senior year. Called “Icon High”, it was located near Beverly Hills, L.A. Pris also went to USC, but completed her college studies at New Rome State University. She made quite a stir at both schools for her public feuds with Élan Vivaldi, daughter of the insane Professor Vivaldi. She enjoys glitterati status in Hollywood, and is accustomed to hanging out with luminaries like Leo, Gwynnie, Brad, etc.
Doc Singularity came calling upon her at the advice of her father; Huxley was looking for some muscle for his new team, the Vanguard. Pris approached the position with her customary eagerness and excitement, but after private conversations with Singularity and other members, an uncharacteristic pall swept over her. As with the other members of the team, it is unknown exactly what transpired between her and Huxley, but she is utterly serious when it comes to the Vanguard.
Quote: Oh, you wanna see “girl-power”? Try some Golden Girl power! And for the record, John Francis has never seen my underpants!
Personality: Priscilla Ian is the ultimate California girl, even though her true origins lie in deepest Atlantis. She grew up living in New Rome and Los Angeles, and often seems to strive to fit the stereotypical mold of an L.A. princess. She has never really wanted for anything, and had something of a spoiled upbringing, even though her father will deny this.
But her life has led her to be a free spirit, exulting in the simple pleasures of existence. She is a very sensual being and utterly loves who she is. In her everyday dealings away from the vanguard, she is on top of her game (and everyone else’s too). She is the glowing center of her own vast world.
Even so, Pris feels ill-prepared to be amidst such notable Icons as her teammates. She considers herself to be very little more than a dilettante, or a “tourist” as she puts it, with very little business playing this game. But she has the right instincts, even if her greatest ambition is to be a model. Pris wants what she could never have; a life as a regular woman. To that end, she maintains a life away from her job as a member of the Vanguard. However, she cannot truly divorce herself from Golden Girl, since that’s really what she was born to be, and it’s also what people expect her to be.
Powers & Tactics: Pris is utterly at ease with her powers, having had them since birth. She knows exactly the right amount of force to use at any given time; she knows when to “bring it.” And she knows how. Confident in the use of her powers, Pris often sails right into combat, blazing like a sunrise, relying on her plasma sheathe to protect her from harm. She prefers to get in up close, where her fiery fists can do the most damage. But if she feels overmatched, she will hang back and hurl balls of plasma at her opponent.
Appearance: Pris is considered beautiful even to the lofty standards of Atlantis. Dr. Infinity often remarked that she has her mother’s beauty, but he refuses to speak any further on the matter. Pris has a truly super-human beauty. It is almost entrancing to normal mortals. And the camera loves her. Her hair actually resembles spun gold, and not just as a matter of colorful metaphor. And her hair constantly wafts, as if in a phantom breeze (an effect created by the plasma-charged particles that almost constantly surround her). Like Hikari, Pris glows with energy, and the intensity of the glow matches her mood.
Pris favors the modern style of fashion dubbed “Iconoclastic”, which tries to emulate and expand upon the style of clothing worn by many Icons. She doesn’t own a single piece of clothing that is not sheer and form-fitting. She wears a shiny golden one piece that leaves her legs and arms free. She wears a golden belt around her middle and a buckle bearing the “double-G of her namesake. She also wears short gloves and knee-high boots (all golden, of course) and armbands around her biceps to accentuate her slim, toned muscles.
Statistics: PL: 14; Init: +4(Dex); Defense: 20(16 flat-footed); Spd: 30 (fly35); Atk: +7 melee (+15L), +7 ranged (+7S Energy Blast); SV Dmg: +4, Fort: +4, Ref: +4, Will: +2; Str: 12, Dex: 18, Con: 19, Int: 12, Wis: 14, Cha: 20.
Skills: Computers: +5, Diplomacy: +10 (+13), Gather Information: +10, Language: +10 (English, Latin, Greek, French, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Spanish, German, Farsi), Science: +6 (Quantum Mechanics), Sense Motive: +5, Taunt: +10
Feats: Aerial Combat, Attack Finesse, Attractive, Immunity (Aging), Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot, Rapid Strike
Powers: Energy Control (Plasma +7) [Extras: Energy Absorption, Energy Field, Force Field, Immunity (Fire, Cold, Radiation, Pressure, Suffocation, Exhaustion, Electricity); Source: Alien/Mystical; Cost: 6pp] Flight (+7) [Power Stunts: Super-Flight, Space-Flight; Source: Alien/Mystical; Cost: 2pp] Super-Strength (+8 ) [Extras: Strike (+6) Lethal; Source: Alien/Mystical; Cost: 4pp+1pp(6)]
Equipment: None
NOTE: Not sure if I got the names of some of those languages right...
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
by Strict31 » Tue Apr 15, 2003 8:00 pm
Sovereign: The man known as “John” Sovereign is an utter mystery. Identified only by the massive brand upon his left bicep, no one knows who he truly is or from where he comes. It’s commonly held that he is, in some way, a reincarnation of the original Sovereign, Roy Conner, who died near the end of WWII. Though his powers are similar, John has no memory of his life prior to a few weeks before joining the Vanguard.
He was discovered in ragged clothing by the police and was processed into holding as a drunk. When it was determined he had memory loss, he was placed in the Wintergate Rehabilitation Canter. It wasn’t long before the doctors realized his powers. They took steps to try and secure him appropriate assistance. That was how he came to the attention of John Francis Huxley (Doc Singularity). Huxley and his confederates gave the man a place to stay and learn about himself in relative safety.
Meanwhile, he peaked the interest of a number of agencies, including AEGIS (Allied Earth Group for Intervention and Security), and a Sirani Coven. AEGIS is mainly concerned that he proves no threat to global security, but the Sirani interest remains a mystery. Since then, John has decided to join the Vanguard on active status to aid them in their goal to protect the planet and humanity.
Quote: …I’m here to…to help. Yes. That’s it…that sounds…right…
Personality: John is like a massive and silent mountain. He spends long amounts of time in utter silence and perfect stillness, contemplating some distant thought, or trying to grasp a fragment of a memory. But he is also capable of terrifyingly swift moments of alacrity; when so disposed, he explodes into action, often with very little explanation. John is incapable of sleep, and as such, has a peculiar personality; he often forgets that normal people need and do sleep. He has bursts of inspiration at the oddest hours and moments.
John is currently trying to decide whether or not he is the hero everyone so desperately wants him to be. Currently, he operates almost on auto-pilot, saving lives and helping people…perhaps because he has been told that is what he should do…
Powers & Tactics: John is considered the “tank” of the group, and is often treated as such because not much hurts him, least of all, words. He’s tough enough to make himself into a target while the rest of the team positions themselves for optimal attack or defense. He does so stoically and efficiently, almost on instinct to protect others. Making himself into the “obvious” target also allows him to move in close, where his speed and might can often end a conflict before it’s actually begun. Rarely, he encounters foes tougher than he is; on such occasions he relies on his agility to avoid attacks, but doesn’t ever quite back off from a threat.
Sovereign requires very little direction from Doc Singularity, perhaps suggesting some sort of training. Usually, when Doc give him an order, Sovereign is already in the process of doing it.
Appearance: The man called Sovereign is possessed of an imposing size and demeanor. Standing at 6’9”, and weighing nearly three hundred pounds, he is a mountain of sculpted muscle, constructed of harsh, sharp angles and strong lines. But he moves his bulk like a panther, and often, that’s what he seems to be; a massive predator debating the merits of a swift kill over a long, agonizing one. Normal people (and even other Icons) are often intimidated by him. This is as much due to his hardened appearance as it is to the namesake branded upon his left arm.
John “Sovereign” is raggedly handsome beneath a short but wild beard and almost fashionably unkempt brown hair. His eyes glow like ancient suns, cold and hard. He doesn’t wear a costume like most Icons, but rather dresses for function. Black gloves cover his often glowing hands, and he wears a simple white t-shirt over black leather pants and boots.
Statistics: PL: 15; Init: +6(Super-Dex); Defense: 23(17 flat-footed); Spd: 30 (fly 50); Atk: +12 melee (+20L Strike), +8 ranged; SV Dmg: +8, Fort: +6, Ref: +6, Will: +2; Str: 20, Dex: 14, Con: 18, Int: 12, Wis: 14, Cha: 14.
Skills: Diplomacy: +6, Drive: +8, Gather Information: +5, Intimidate: +10, Spot: +7
Feats: Aerial Combat, Attack Focus (Unarmed), Dark Sight, Power Attack, Rapid Strike, Toughness, Ultra-Hearing
Powers: Flight (+10) [Extras: Super-Dexterity (+4); Power Stunts: Space-Flight, Super-Flight; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2pp+3pp(4)] Protection (+13) [Extras: Super-Strength (+10), Super-Constitution (+2), Immunity (Aging, Fire, Cold, Radiation, Suffocation, Pressure, Starvation, Exhaustion, Poison, Electricity, Disease); Power Stunts: Lifting (x2), Lethal; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2pp+3pp(10)+3pp(2)+1pp(11)] Strike (“Plasma-Fist” +5) [Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2pp]
Equipment: None
Sovereign’s Rogues Gallery:
Siege: AEGIS agent, Commander David Kaine was one of the original operators of the Barrier III armor system. He wore and piloted one of the prototypes, and was part of an experimental program to police Icons. Kaine was directed to take Sovereign into custody for questioning. Sovereign was not inclined to cooperate at the time, and the rest of the Vanguard was also not disposed to trust AEGIS. So, Kaine, in the powerful armor fought a titanic duel with Sovereign that began in the center of Wynn City and ended in the upper atmosphere. The conflict has escalated beyond the point of reason, and Kaine, even when Sovereign decided to cooperate, continued his assault. He was disgusted by the Icon’s refusal to comply with human law; he felt he had something to prove. Ultimately, this led to his downfall. So to speak. As Kaine pressed his assault, Sovereign was forced to defend himself. Igniting his plasma fists, he struck the armored agent a prodigious blow, hurling him down into the lower atmosphere at considerable velocity. The heat and friction of his descent melded the Barrier armor permanently around Kaine. He landed in the ocean, where the armor then super-cooled, locking him within it forever. Since then, AEGIS has tried cutting him out of the armor, but they made it too well. The only thing they could do for Kaine was to recharge his on board life support stores. This had a damaging affect on Kaine’s philosophy on life…For a while, he continued to work for AEGIS, but his attitude grew progressively worse. He lost it entirely when AEGIS rolled out a newer version of the Barrier system, the BarrierIV; though much less powerful, it would never succumb to the same difficulties as had his own armor. And he grew insanely jealous of the operative chosen to wear the new armor, Elwood Scott (codenamed the Shield). Kaine tore out of AEGIS HQ and went on a rampage. Now, calling himself Siege, he attacked Sovereign once more, blaming him for his condition. Again, Sovereign defeated him. Since then, Kaine has furiously searched for methods to escape his armor, and has gone so far as to enlist the aid of rogue and terrorist organizations. AEGIS did not pursue him with much vigor because Siege vented his frustration on such organizations when they invariably failed; they considered him to be doing their work for them…But recently, Siege has decided to find a way to survive indefinitely in his armor. With his sanity totally shattered, he views himself and his armor as soulmates of some twisted sort. After all, he can’t destroy the Sovereign all by himself…
Vincent Night: Vincent Night is the newest head of the secret NextMan project, which was begun with good intentions during Word War II. At the beginning of the Cold War, the U.S. government was more willing to overlook the depredations of previous enemies, such as Axel Nacht, whose genius was tapped to propel NextMan to the next level of development. Though Nacht was eventually exposed and tried for war crimes (after the Sentinels disbanded Project: NextMan), the work was continued, as always, in secret. It is utterly unknown that the genius, Vincent Night is Nacht’s grandson. Night has desired to continue the legacy of genius of his family; for many generations they have been scientists, working towards a goal higher than morality or politics. And after the original Sovereign’s death during the war, Project: NM collected DNA from a droplet of his blood and made more advances in five years than would have been possible in thirty. With the appearance of the newest Sovereign, Night sees a chance to advance his work, his destiny even further. Records prior to the Sentinel’s destruction of the original project are incomplete, but hint at the existence of an utterly revolutionary Icon created in their very own labs. Night believes this second Sovereign might be that same Icon. As such, he feels a certain proprietorship towards Sovereign, who quite obviously has no other ties to the world. On several occasions, now, Night has made moves to acquire Sovereign; to bring him back where he belongs. On the last occasion, Sovereign allowed himself to be taken. Sovereign guessed that the mysterious mastermind behind the plot would underestimate him; he was correct. After having a long and almost pleasant philosophical discourse with Night, Sovereign broke free of his restraints and destroyed the facility containing him. He attempted to capture Night, who obviously had some information on his identity, but the man escaped.
NOTE: For those of you who have read Freedom City, no, I didn't steal AEGIS; consider it more like parallel development...
He was discovered in ragged clothing by the police and was processed into holding as a drunk. When it was determined he had memory loss, he was placed in the Wintergate Rehabilitation Canter. It wasn’t long before the doctors realized his powers. They took steps to try and secure him appropriate assistance. That was how he came to the attention of John Francis Huxley (Doc Singularity). Huxley and his confederates gave the man a place to stay and learn about himself in relative safety.
Meanwhile, he peaked the interest of a number of agencies, including AEGIS (Allied Earth Group for Intervention and Security), and a Sirani Coven. AEGIS is mainly concerned that he proves no threat to global security, but the Sirani interest remains a mystery. Since then, John has decided to join the Vanguard on active status to aid them in their goal to protect the planet and humanity.
Quote: …I’m here to…to help. Yes. That’s it…that sounds…right…
Personality: John is like a massive and silent mountain. He spends long amounts of time in utter silence and perfect stillness, contemplating some distant thought, or trying to grasp a fragment of a memory. But he is also capable of terrifyingly swift moments of alacrity; when so disposed, he explodes into action, often with very little explanation. John is incapable of sleep, and as such, has a peculiar personality; he often forgets that normal people need and do sleep. He has bursts of inspiration at the oddest hours and moments.
John is currently trying to decide whether or not he is the hero everyone so desperately wants him to be. Currently, he operates almost on auto-pilot, saving lives and helping people…perhaps because he has been told that is what he should do…
Powers & Tactics: John is considered the “tank” of the group, and is often treated as such because not much hurts him, least of all, words. He’s tough enough to make himself into a target while the rest of the team positions themselves for optimal attack or defense. He does so stoically and efficiently, almost on instinct to protect others. Making himself into the “obvious” target also allows him to move in close, where his speed and might can often end a conflict before it’s actually begun. Rarely, he encounters foes tougher than he is; on such occasions he relies on his agility to avoid attacks, but doesn’t ever quite back off from a threat.
Sovereign requires very little direction from Doc Singularity, perhaps suggesting some sort of training. Usually, when Doc give him an order, Sovereign is already in the process of doing it.
Appearance: The man called Sovereign is possessed of an imposing size and demeanor. Standing at 6’9”, and weighing nearly three hundred pounds, he is a mountain of sculpted muscle, constructed of harsh, sharp angles and strong lines. But he moves his bulk like a panther, and often, that’s what he seems to be; a massive predator debating the merits of a swift kill over a long, agonizing one. Normal people (and even other Icons) are often intimidated by him. This is as much due to his hardened appearance as it is to the namesake branded upon his left arm.
John “Sovereign” is raggedly handsome beneath a short but wild beard and almost fashionably unkempt brown hair. His eyes glow like ancient suns, cold and hard. He doesn’t wear a costume like most Icons, but rather dresses for function. Black gloves cover his often glowing hands, and he wears a simple white t-shirt over black leather pants and boots.
Statistics: PL: 15; Init: +6(Super-Dex); Defense: 23(17 flat-footed); Spd: 30 (fly 50); Atk: +12 melee (+20L Strike), +8 ranged; SV Dmg: +8, Fort: +6, Ref: +6, Will: +2; Str: 20, Dex: 14, Con: 18, Int: 12, Wis: 14, Cha: 14.
Skills: Diplomacy: +6, Drive: +8, Gather Information: +5, Intimidate: +10, Spot: +7
Feats: Aerial Combat, Attack Focus (Unarmed), Dark Sight, Power Attack, Rapid Strike, Toughness, Ultra-Hearing
Powers: Flight (+10) [Extras: Super-Dexterity (+4); Power Stunts: Space-Flight, Super-Flight; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2pp+3pp(4)] Protection (+13) [Extras: Super-Strength (+10), Super-Constitution (+2), Immunity (Aging, Fire, Cold, Radiation, Suffocation, Pressure, Starvation, Exhaustion, Poison, Electricity, Disease); Power Stunts: Lifting (x2), Lethal; Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2pp+3pp(10)+3pp(2)+1pp(11)] Strike (“Plasma-Fist” +5) [Source: Super-Science; Cost: 2pp]
Equipment: None
Sovereign’s Rogues Gallery:
Siege: AEGIS agent, Commander David Kaine was one of the original operators of the Barrier III armor system. He wore and piloted one of the prototypes, and was part of an experimental program to police Icons. Kaine was directed to take Sovereign into custody for questioning. Sovereign was not inclined to cooperate at the time, and the rest of the Vanguard was also not disposed to trust AEGIS. So, Kaine, in the powerful armor fought a titanic duel with Sovereign that began in the center of Wynn City and ended in the upper atmosphere. The conflict has escalated beyond the point of reason, and Kaine, even when Sovereign decided to cooperate, continued his assault. He was disgusted by the Icon’s refusal to comply with human law; he felt he had something to prove. Ultimately, this led to his downfall. So to speak. As Kaine pressed his assault, Sovereign was forced to defend himself. Igniting his plasma fists, he struck the armored agent a prodigious blow, hurling him down into the lower atmosphere at considerable velocity. The heat and friction of his descent melded the Barrier armor permanently around Kaine. He landed in the ocean, where the armor then super-cooled, locking him within it forever. Since then, AEGIS has tried cutting him out of the armor, but they made it too well. The only thing they could do for Kaine was to recharge his on board life support stores. This had a damaging affect on Kaine’s philosophy on life…For a while, he continued to work for AEGIS, but his attitude grew progressively worse. He lost it entirely when AEGIS rolled out a newer version of the Barrier system, the BarrierIV; though much less powerful, it would never succumb to the same difficulties as had his own armor. And he grew insanely jealous of the operative chosen to wear the new armor, Elwood Scott (codenamed the Shield). Kaine tore out of AEGIS HQ and went on a rampage. Now, calling himself Siege, he attacked Sovereign once more, blaming him for his condition. Again, Sovereign defeated him. Since then, Kaine has furiously searched for methods to escape his armor, and has gone so far as to enlist the aid of rogue and terrorist organizations. AEGIS did not pursue him with much vigor because Siege vented his frustration on such organizations when they invariably failed; they considered him to be doing their work for them…But recently, Siege has decided to find a way to survive indefinitely in his armor. With his sanity totally shattered, he views himself and his armor as soulmates of some twisted sort. After all, he can’t destroy the Sovereign all by himself…
Vincent Night: Vincent Night is the newest head of the secret NextMan project, which was begun with good intentions during Word War II. At the beginning of the Cold War, the U.S. government was more willing to overlook the depredations of previous enemies, such as Axel Nacht, whose genius was tapped to propel NextMan to the next level of development. Though Nacht was eventually exposed and tried for war crimes (after the Sentinels disbanded Project: NextMan), the work was continued, as always, in secret. It is utterly unknown that the genius, Vincent Night is Nacht’s grandson. Night has desired to continue the legacy of genius of his family; for many generations they have been scientists, working towards a goal higher than morality or politics. And after the original Sovereign’s death during the war, Project: NM collected DNA from a droplet of his blood and made more advances in five years than would have been possible in thirty. With the appearance of the newest Sovereign, Night sees a chance to advance his work, his destiny even further. Records prior to the Sentinel’s destruction of the original project are incomplete, but hint at the existence of an utterly revolutionary Icon created in their very own labs. Night believes this second Sovereign might be that same Icon. As such, he feels a certain proprietorship towards Sovereign, who quite obviously has no other ties to the world. On several occasions, now, Night has made moves to acquire Sovereign; to bring him back where he belongs. On the last occasion, Sovereign allowed himself to be taken. Sovereign guessed that the mysterious mastermind behind the plot would underestimate him; he was correct. After having a long and almost pleasant philosophical discourse with Night, Sovereign broke free of his restraints and destroyed the facility containing him. He attempted to capture Night, who obviously had some information on his identity, but the man escaped.
NOTE: For those of you who have read Freedom City, no, I didn't steal AEGIS; consider it more like parallel development...
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
by Strict31 » Wed Apr 16, 2003 2:52 pm
Cardinal: Father Dennis Halloran was a young priest in the Wintergate district of New Rome, tending to troubled teens and the underprivileged at his parish, St. Mary’s. he was unaware that he was a hybrid. His powers had manifested slowly and gradually over time. He didn’t even think about the possibility of such, even in a city that was home to so many Icons. He just chalked up his ability to detect the pain of others as an ability to listen. He was trusted and respected by the parishioners and helped set up a youth outreach program under the direction under St. Mary’s head pastor, Father Donald Gibbons.
Several months into his stay at St. Mary’s, he began to notice that a number of the kids seemed skittish and troubled. Upon questioning them, he was unable to get them to talk about what was troubling them. But at night, he would have vivid nightmares, involving the children and a hooded figure swathed in black. The dreams continued over the next few weeks and grew more and more vivid. He began losing sleep, and his appearance became increasingly haggard. Father Donald began to worry about Dennis’s health. Father Donald asked him about it, and as he was speaking, a white hot pain stabbed into Dennis’s head. He got a flash of angry red currents churning in a hazy ocean of blood. He couldn’t explain it, but somehow, he knew that what he had seen had been something from outside of him, some sort of representation of another person’s mind. Thanking father Donald for his concern, Dennis decided to retire for the evening. And the dream grew stronger. More…compelling. Without exactly understanding it, he arose from his bed in the Brother’s Quarters and wandered blindly to Father Donald’s door. There, he collapsed in a screaming fit.
A doctor was called in and he checked Dennis, giving him a complete bill of health. Dennis was advised to get some rest by Father Donald, but the dreams continued. Finally, Dennis decided to let the dreams take their natural course; he would not try to resist…He began “sleepwalking” once more, but rather than struggle against it, he allowed it to happen. He was returned again to Father Donald’s door, and this time, he “saw” images in his head, of things that Father Donald had been doing…to the children in the neighborhood. Utterly appalled by these images, and nearly mad from his nightmares, Dennis tore into Father Donald’s room. He began gibbering wildly and violently at the older priest. Father Donald was taken aback, and had no recourse but to call the police. They restrained Dennis and decided to send him to the Wintergate rehab Center for study. As they were taking him away, Dennis clearly heard a voice in his head, Donald’s voice, murmuring about “a little girl he still had business with”…
Dennis was remanded to Wintergate, and placed in solitary observation. There, he reflected on his strange new abilities, and found that, even now, he could hear Father Donald. He concluded coldly that he was hearing the man’s thoughts, and those thoughts were of atrocity! Further, he found that he could hear the thoughts of the doctors and attendants and patients in this very building. That entire night, he debated with himself on the reality of what was happening. Eventually, he determined it was real. He put it to the test in a group therapy session with several other patients. He found that he was able to predict everything that was said, by reading their thoughts beforehand.
But even so, he told himself there was nothing he could do about it. He was locked up inside Wintergate, and he couldn’t very well “wish someone to open up the door for him…” twenty minutes later, that’s exactly what happened. One of the attendants, seemingly sleepwalking, unlocked his door and with a blank stare, ushered him out of the facility. So now he knew he could control minds as well as read them; at least hailing a cab would be much easier…
He returned to the church with one thought on his mind; to confront Father Donald. By concentrating, he sought out Father Donald’s mind and located him in the work-shed behind the church. He found the priest in the midst of an assault on a young girl named Sheree. Dennis went into a blind rage. He beat the older man to within an inch of his life and then made sure Sheree was safe and uninjured. He then returned to deal with Father Donald. He intended to tear the man’s mind apart, and found he could come dangerously close to exactly that. He tormented the priest with memories and guilt and fear…and then he stopped. Hearing the priest’s screams of anguish and agony made Dennis remember that he had acted in complete disregard for his own priestly vows. Though Father Donald’s actions were criminal and evil, Dennis knew it wasn’t his place to place judgment. But then, if not him, then who? God? Dennis did not want to lose his faith over this worm of a man, but it was hard for him to reconcile his duty as a priest with his duty as a man. But then, he came to a unique decision. He told Father Donald that he would give confession one last time, but it would be the priest’s own confession he gave. And he compelled the priest to turn himself in to the police and confess his every crime.
Later, as the scandal hit the news, Dennis was proclaimed a hero by the neighborhood for rescuing little Sheree. Though he tried to stay out of trouble, trouble found him. Using his powers, he put a neat and clean stop to the minor drug-related crime and violence that happened in the neighborhood. He also tracked down a child pornography ring in nearby Chinatown. And the people of the neighborhood continued to claim he was a hero. The press caught a hold of the story and labeled him “the Cardinal” because he handled these criminal threats in his priestly attire. Dennis grew to hate himself for that…Dennis retained a grasp upon his faith, and figured that maybe this was what God wanted him to do; that if God really did move in “mysterious ways” then perhaps people like Dennis were the vehicles. But he could not do so as a priest, he determined. And so he gave up the cloth. He figured he would do God’s work when he could, but not in the guise of a priest. Unfortunately, the name stuck…
It wasn’t long before he came to the attention of Knightfall, who was already a member of the Vanguard at this time. The two had crossed paths once or twice and he assisted her in locating an arms dealer who was trafficking weapons in the ghettoes. She was impressed by his efficiency and convinced Doc Singularity he could be of assistance against the powers they were preparing to battle. So She and Doc Singularity confronted Dennis one night, and Doc allowed the man to read his thoughts. Dennis saw what Doc had seen, his experiences with the mysterious warriors who stepped through dimensions like one walks through a room; warriors with the flesh of the dead, and eyes composed of empty pits hidden behind thick goggles; he saw the terror unleashed by the ZeroMan and his ability to travel through that immense nothingness of the Outer Dark. Dennis was utterly terrified. His reaction was almost identical every other person who would become a member of the team. He felt, like they did, that he had no choice but to join. It was his duty.
Quote: Penance isn’t exactly mine to give anymore, I’m afraid. Now, I’m in the business of justice…
Personality: Dennis Halloran is a quiet and reflective man who doesn’t smile as easily as he once did. Though he is no longer a priest, he still falls into the same behavior patterns, and often must remind himself that he no longer bears the same duties and responsibilities. But it is hard to step entirely out of the role in which he was so comfortable. But the blatant crimes committed by so many of his number of late have left him with a sour taste in his mouth. He knows that he has inflicted harm on others; they may have deserved it, but he has done it regardless. He also knows that this means he cannot hold to his former oath. He wishes that others had the same clarity.
Realizing his tremendous power, Dennis strives to maintain control of his wandering thoughts. Even a stray thought or fantasy could easily cause a person to fall under his control and act out that thought or fantasy. Dennis had rather an…eye-opening experience with this, in a misadventure involving several of Golden Girl’s friends from Icon High…So, Dennis spends a lot of time meditating, so that his control of his powers becomes instinctive and complete.
Powers & Tactics: As the Cardinal, Dennis takes the time necessary to observe his opponents and watch them for weaknesses. He will inform his teammates through telepathic link of these weaknesses. He also serves as the team’s communications router, setting up a semi-permanent group link between them all. He prefers not to use his powers to harm, but realizes that he can do just that; literally tearing a person’s mind to shreds. So instead, he exerts his control over others to remove them from a fight, or tugs illusions crafted from their own fears to paralyze them with terror. Recently, he has discovered that his dreaming can also allow him to travel as pure thought, to anywhere he wishes…even other dimensions. Using this ability at the suggestion of Doc Singularity, he tried to access the Outer Dark realms. He was only there for fifteen seconds, but the experience left him catatonic for nearly six hours afterward. Perhaps with more mental conditioning, he could withstand a longer jaunt to that…place, but he’s not quite ready for it yet.
Appearance: Dennis Halloran is a slender man in his early thirties. He has a receding hairline; a widow ’s peak and keeps his brown hair cropped in short spikes. His haunted blue eyes would make him handsome if not for the depth of pain evident within. As cardinal, he wears a suit of blood-red leather, with a white band around the collar. Over this he wears a red leather trench coat.
Statistics: PL: 15; Init:+1 (Dex); Defense: 14(13 flat-footed); Spd: 30 (astral travel 50); Atk: +4 melee (+1s punch), +4 ranged (+12L mental blast); SV Dmg: +1, Fort: +1, Ref: +1, Will: +10; Str:12 , Dex:13 , Con: 13, Int: 15, Wis:20 , Cha:15 .
Skills: Computers: +3, Concentration: +13, Diplomacy: +6, Knowledge (Theology: +6), Language: +1 (Latin), Profession (Priest: +13), Sense Motive: +13
Feats: Dodge, Indomitable Will, Iron Will, Psychic Awareness
Powers: Telepathy (+12) [Extras: Astral Projection (Dimensional Travel) (+10), Group Link (+8 ), Illusion (+10), Mental Blast, Mental Protection (+10), Mind Control (+10); Power Stunts: Power Attack; Source: Mutation; Cost: 4pp+1pp(8 )+8pp(10)] Super-Wisdom (+3) [Source: Mutation; Cost: 3pp]
Equipment: None
Cardinal’s Rogues Gallery:
Mammon: Mammon is a powerful being who was born in the early 18th century. Although he claims to be a demon of greed, he is actually a Zeitgeist; in particular, the spirit of Commerce. Mammon is insane and no longer recognizes the difference. And his power keeps it from being a factor in any event. Like Cardinal, Mammon can control the minds of men. But he has a difficult time taking physical shape. It’s actually easier for him to possess a body for a short duration, but he feels dirty after doing so. Cardinal crossed paths with Mammon during his first few days as a hero in Wintergate’s deprived neighborhoods. Mammon reveled in all the opportunities for uninhibited commerce that plagued those areas like a sickness. And when Cardinal began putting a stop to the drugs and the gambling and the prostitution, Mammon grew quite angry. He has since targeted cardinal for mischief and mayhem, and was in large part responsible for that uncomfortable business with Golden Girl’s high school friends…But after confronting the creature astrally, Cardinal has come to realize Mammon is more than just a nuisance. He is a prime threat growing in power.
The Hundred Demon: The so-called “Hundred Demon” is the name of a Chinese criminal syndicate that operates in Wintergate’s Chinatown with near impunity. Often referred to as a Triad, or less frequently, a Tong, the tradition of the Hundred Demon gang goes back hundreds if not thousands of years to when the demons of the Chinese underworld walked and mingled with man, where they feasted on mortal desires and sin. Legend within the syndicate’s older members has it that this is still the case. But most of the younger members, hard and ultra-violent scum who have not the imagination necessary to envision their own futures, laugh off stories of real Demons. They even scoff at the idea that the head of the triad is a thousand year old demon who eats the thoughts of mortals to stay alive…Cardinal has heard these stories while putting a stop to the crimes of the Hundred Demon, but doesn’t put much faith in them. However, as he continues to operate with the Vanguard, he realizes that truth is always stranger than fiction.
Several months into his stay at St. Mary’s, he began to notice that a number of the kids seemed skittish and troubled. Upon questioning them, he was unable to get them to talk about what was troubling them. But at night, he would have vivid nightmares, involving the children and a hooded figure swathed in black. The dreams continued over the next few weeks and grew more and more vivid. He began losing sleep, and his appearance became increasingly haggard. Father Donald began to worry about Dennis’s health. Father Donald asked him about it, and as he was speaking, a white hot pain stabbed into Dennis’s head. He got a flash of angry red currents churning in a hazy ocean of blood. He couldn’t explain it, but somehow, he knew that what he had seen had been something from outside of him, some sort of representation of another person’s mind. Thanking father Donald for his concern, Dennis decided to retire for the evening. And the dream grew stronger. More…compelling. Without exactly understanding it, he arose from his bed in the Brother’s Quarters and wandered blindly to Father Donald’s door. There, he collapsed in a screaming fit.
A doctor was called in and he checked Dennis, giving him a complete bill of health. Dennis was advised to get some rest by Father Donald, but the dreams continued. Finally, Dennis decided to let the dreams take their natural course; he would not try to resist…He began “sleepwalking” once more, but rather than struggle against it, he allowed it to happen. He was returned again to Father Donald’s door, and this time, he “saw” images in his head, of things that Father Donald had been doing…to the children in the neighborhood. Utterly appalled by these images, and nearly mad from his nightmares, Dennis tore into Father Donald’s room. He began gibbering wildly and violently at the older priest. Father Donald was taken aback, and had no recourse but to call the police. They restrained Dennis and decided to send him to the Wintergate rehab Center for study. As they were taking him away, Dennis clearly heard a voice in his head, Donald’s voice, murmuring about “a little girl he still had business with”…
Dennis was remanded to Wintergate, and placed in solitary observation. There, he reflected on his strange new abilities, and found that, even now, he could hear Father Donald. He concluded coldly that he was hearing the man’s thoughts, and those thoughts were of atrocity! Further, he found that he could hear the thoughts of the doctors and attendants and patients in this very building. That entire night, he debated with himself on the reality of what was happening. Eventually, he determined it was real. He put it to the test in a group therapy session with several other patients. He found that he was able to predict everything that was said, by reading their thoughts beforehand.
But even so, he told himself there was nothing he could do about it. He was locked up inside Wintergate, and he couldn’t very well “wish someone to open up the door for him…” twenty minutes later, that’s exactly what happened. One of the attendants, seemingly sleepwalking, unlocked his door and with a blank stare, ushered him out of the facility. So now he knew he could control minds as well as read them; at least hailing a cab would be much easier…
He returned to the church with one thought on his mind; to confront Father Donald. By concentrating, he sought out Father Donald’s mind and located him in the work-shed behind the church. He found the priest in the midst of an assault on a young girl named Sheree. Dennis went into a blind rage. He beat the older man to within an inch of his life and then made sure Sheree was safe and uninjured. He then returned to deal with Father Donald. He intended to tear the man’s mind apart, and found he could come dangerously close to exactly that. He tormented the priest with memories and guilt and fear…and then he stopped. Hearing the priest’s screams of anguish and agony made Dennis remember that he had acted in complete disregard for his own priestly vows. Though Father Donald’s actions were criminal and evil, Dennis knew it wasn’t his place to place judgment. But then, if not him, then who? God? Dennis did not want to lose his faith over this worm of a man, but it was hard for him to reconcile his duty as a priest with his duty as a man. But then, he came to a unique decision. He told Father Donald that he would give confession one last time, but it would be the priest’s own confession he gave. And he compelled the priest to turn himself in to the police and confess his every crime.
Later, as the scandal hit the news, Dennis was proclaimed a hero by the neighborhood for rescuing little Sheree. Though he tried to stay out of trouble, trouble found him. Using his powers, he put a neat and clean stop to the minor drug-related crime and violence that happened in the neighborhood. He also tracked down a child pornography ring in nearby Chinatown. And the people of the neighborhood continued to claim he was a hero. The press caught a hold of the story and labeled him “the Cardinal” because he handled these criminal threats in his priestly attire. Dennis grew to hate himself for that…Dennis retained a grasp upon his faith, and figured that maybe this was what God wanted him to do; that if God really did move in “mysterious ways” then perhaps people like Dennis were the vehicles. But he could not do so as a priest, he determined. And so he gave up the cloth. He figured he would do God’s work when he could, but not in the guise of a priest. Unfortunately, the name stuck…
It wasn’t long before he came to the attention of Knightfall, who was already a member of the Vanguard at this time. The two had crossed paths once or twice and he assisted her in locating an arms dealer who was trafficking weapons in the ghettoes. She was impressed by his efficiency and convinced Doc Singularity he could be of assistance against the powers they were preparing to battle. So She and Doc Singularity confronted Dennis one night, and Doc allowed the man to read his thoughts. Dennis saw what Doc had seen, his experiences with the mysterious warriors who stepped through dimensions like one walks through a room; warriors with the flesh of the dead, and eyes composed of empty pits hidden behind thick goggles; he saw the terror unleashed by the ZeroMan and his ability to travel through that immense nothingness of the Outer Dark. Dennis was utterly terrified. His reaction was almost identical every other person who would become a member of the team. He felt, like they did, that he had no choice but to join. It was his duty.
Quote: Penance isn’t exactly mine to give anymore, I’m afraid. Now, I’m in the business of justice…
Personality: Dennis Halloran is a quiet and reflective man who doesn’t smile as easily as he once did. Though he is no longer a priest, he still falls into the same behavior patterns, and often must remind himself that he no longer bears the same duties and responsibilities. But it is hard to step entirely out of the role in which he was so comfortable. But the blatant crimes committed by so many of his number of late have left him with a sour taste in his mouth. He knows that he has inflicted harm on others; they may have deserved it, but he has done it regardless. He also knows that this means he cannot hold to his former oath. He wishes that others had the same clarity.
Realizing his tremendous power, Dennis strives to maintain control of his wandering thoughts. Even a stray thought or fantasy could easily cause a person to fall under his control and act out that thought or fantasy. Dennis had rather an…eye-opening experience with this, in a misadventure involving several of Golden Girl’s friends from Icon High…So, Dennis spends a lot of time meditating, so that his control of his powers becomes instinctive and complete.
Powers & Tactics: As the Cardinal, Dennis takes the time necessary to observe his opponents and watch them for weaknesses. He will inform his teammates through telepathic link of these weaknesses. He also serves as the team’s communications router, setting up a semi-permanent group link between them all. He prefers not to use his powers to harm, but realizes that he can do just that; literally tearing a person’s mind to shreds. So instead, he exerts his control over others to remove them from a fight, or tugs illusions crafted from their own fears to paralyze them with terror. Recently, he has discovered that his dreaming can also allow him to travel as pure thought, to anywhere he wishes…even other dimensions. Using this ability at the suggestion of Doc Singularity, he tried to access the Outer Dark realms. He was only there for fifteen seconds, but the experience left him catatonic for nearly six hours afterward. Perhaps with more mental conditioning, he could withstand a longer jaunt to that…place, but he’s not quite ready for it yet.
Appearance: Dennis Halloran is a slender man in his early thirties. He has a receding hairline; a widow ’s peak and keeps his brown hair cropped in short spikes. His haunted blue eyes would make him handsome if not for the depth of pain evident within. As cardinal, he wears a suit of blood-red leather, with a white band around the collar. Over this he wears a red leather trench coat.
Statistics: PL: 15; Init:+1 (Dex); Defense: 14(13 flat-footed); Spd: 30 (astral travel 50); Atk: +4 melee (+1s punch), +4 ranged (+12L mental blast); SV Dmg: +1, Fort: +1, Ref: +1, Will: +10; Str:12 , Dex:13 , Con: 13, Int: 15, Wis:20 , Cha:15 .
Skills: Computers: +3, Concentration: +13, Diplomacy: +6, Knowledge (Theology: +6), Language: +1 (Latin), Profession (Priest: +13), Sense Motive: +13
Feats: Dodge, Indomitable Will, Iron Will, Psychic Awareness
Powers: Telepathy (+12) [Extras: Astral Projection (Dimensional Travel) (+10), Group Link (+8 ), Illusion (+10), Mental Blast, Mental Protection (+10), Mind Control (+10); Power Stunts: Power Attack; Source: Mutation; Cost: 4pp+1pp(8 )+8pp(10)] Super-Wisdom (+3) [Source: Mutation; Cost: 3pp]
Equipment: None
Cardinal’s Rogues Gallery:
Mammon: Mammon is a powerful being who was born in the early 18th century. Although he claims to be a demon of greed, he is actually a Zeitgeist; in particular, the spirit of Commerce. Mammon is insane and no longer recognizes the difference. And his power keeps it from being a factor in any event. Like Cardinal, Mammon can control the minds of men. But he has a difficult time taking physical shape. It’s actually easier for him to possess a body for a short duration, but he feels dirty after doing so. Cardinal crossed paths with Mammon during his first few days as a hero in Wintergate’s deprived neighborhoods. Mammon reveled in all the opportunities for uninhibited commerce that plagued those areas like a sickness. And when Cardinal began putting a stop to the drugs and the gambling and the prostitution, Mammon grew quite angry. He has since targeted cardinal for mischief and mayhem, and was in large part responsible for that uncomfortable business with Golden Girl’s high school friends…But after confronting the creature astrally, Cardinal has come to realize Mammon is more than just a nuisance. He is a prime threat growing in power.
The Hundred Demon: The so-called “Hundred Demon” is the name of a Chinese criminal syndicate that operates in Wintergate’s Chinatown with near impunity. Often referred to as a Triad, or less frequently, a Tong, the tradition of the Hundred Demon gang goes back hundreds if not thousands of years to when the demons of the Chinese underworld walked and mingled with man, where they feasted on mortal desires and sin. Legend within the syndicate’s older members has it that this is still the case. But most of the younger members, hard and ultra-violent scum who have not the imagination necessary to envision their own futures, laugh off stories of real Demons. They even scoff at the idea that the head of the triad is a thousand year old demon who eats the thoughts of mortals to stay alive…Cardinal has heard these stories while putting a stop to the crimes of the Hundred Demon, but doesn’t put much faith in them. However, as he continues to operate with the Vanguard, he realizes that truth is always stranger than fiction.
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
by Strict31 » Wed Apr 16, 2003 9:27 pm
Alright. That's pretty much everyone in the Vanguard, with the exception of a couple of Rogues galleries. I'll post that complete info for my players on the yahoo group when this whole thing is completed.
If anyone has comments or concerns, feel free to share.
next: THE HYPERMEN!
Strictly Speaking
If anyone has comments or concerns, feel free to share.
next: THE HYPERMEN!
Strictly Speaking
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
My only thought is...
by threshel » Thu Apr 17, 2003 7:38 am
...now that you've given us the skinny on these richly detailed characters, are we going to get to see them in action? I wanna know what happens!
Too cool, Strict.
J
Too cool, Strict.
J
-
threshel - Cohort
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2002 4:00 pm
- Location: Leesburg, VA
Re: My only thought is...
by Strict31 » Thu Apr 17, 2003 4:14 pm
threshel wrote:...now that you've given us the skinny on these richly detailed characters, are we going to get to see them in action? I wanna know what happens!
Too cool, Strict.
J
Aachh! I'd love to run the vanguard with some willing folks to play them. But alas, it doesn't seem to be fated anytime soon...As it stands, they're just background material for the PCs of New Rome. But I desgned them to be playable characters. So maybe one day...
Strictly Speaking
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
by threshel » Fri Apr 18, 2003 6:49 am
hmph.
That's a bummer. I would like to hear more about your game, at any rate. Is there anywhere you have written more on New Rome? I am assuming this is your own setting.
You've piqued my interest, dammit!
If you're ever near Northern Virginia, and running a game, I'd love to sit in as a member of the Vanguard.
J
-
threshel - Cohort
- Posts: 154
- Joined: Sun Jun 30, 2002 4:00 pm
- Location: Leesburg, VA
by Strict31 » Thu Apr 24, 2003 8:54 am
"It was just that he was all alone, always by himself; never anyone to share the game. A man who lived in dreams. That's who he was."
Are you living in the real world?
Are you living in the real world?
-
Strict31 - Enthusiast
- Posts: 428
- Joined: Tue Dec 24, 2002 9:37 pm
- Location: Citadel of the Flat Earth Empire
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