Miranda Cortesi, AKA Ariel FIRST DRAFT: IN PROGRESS
Just getting started- I will add and edit as time allows.
Real name: Miranda Maria Angelina Cortesi (Mimi)
'Hero' name: Ariel (hasn't actually picked one yet, no 'hero' career yet to speak of)
Concept: Flying powerhouse/paragon (Tactile TK-based)
[sblock= Attributes and defenses]
-STR 4 (8pp)/ Enhanced 6 (or 10, Lift 11)
-STA 6 (12pp)
-DEX 3 (6pp)
-AGI 6 (12pp)
-FGT 4 (8pp)
-INT 1 (2pp)
-AWE 2 (4pp)
-PRE 3 (6pp)
-Toughness: 6 (10, Impervious 2)(0pp)
-Parry: 4 (4 FGT, +0pp)
-Dodge: 6 (6 AGI, +0pp)
-Fortitude: 10 (6 STA, +4pp)
-Will: 6 (2 AWE, +4pp)
-Initiative: +6 (6 AGI, +0)
-Close combat (Unarmed) +6, DC 19/21/25 (+4/+6/+10); other close +4
-Ranged attack (Thrown object) +6, DC up to 25, depending on item thrown; other ranged +3
-Lift: 800 lbs (3200 lbs)(up to 50 tons boosted)(STR 4/6/10+1)
-Leap: 30 feet (up to 120 feet boosted)(Leaping 2/4)
-Flight: up to 1000 MPH (Flight 9, +9= 18)
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[sblock= Skills]
-Acrobatics +10 (AGI 6, +4sp)
-Athletics +6 (8/12)(STR 4+, +2sp)
-Deception +3 (PRE 3, +0sp)
-Insight +3 (AWE 2, +1sp)
-Intimidation +3 (PRE 3, +0sp)
-Investigation +2 (INT 1, +1sp)
-Perception +3 (AWE 2, +1sp)
-Persuasion +3 (PRE 3, +0sp)
-Sleight of hand +3 (DEX 3, +0sp)
-Stealth +6 (AGI 6, +0sp)
-Technology +2 (INT 1, +1sp)
-Treatment +2 (INT 1, +1sp)
-Vehicles +3 (DEX 3, +0sp)
-Close combat (unarmed) +6 (4 FGT, +2sp)
-Ranged combat (throwing) +6 (3 DEX, +3sp)
-Expertise: Current events +2 (1 INT, +1sp)
-Expertise: Pop culture +2 (1 INT, +1sp)
-Expertise: Streetwise +2 (1 INT, +1sp)
-Expertise: Student +2 (1 INT, +1sp)
+20 Skill Pts= 10 pp
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[sblock= Advantages]
-Attractive (1 pt; see also under Complications)
-Accurate attack
-Agile feint
-Great endurance
-Improved trip
-Instant up
-Languages 1 (Italian)(1pp)
-Luck x1 (1pp)
-Equipment (5 ep= 1pp)
>Smartphone with camera and GPS (4ep)
>'Flash goggles' (fancy sunglasses)(1ep)
TOTAL= 9pp
TO ADD LATER: (no particular order) Contacts, Connected, Evasion, Interpose, Skill mastery (acrobatics), Fascinate (Acrobatics), Takedown (x2), Improvised weapons, Throwing mastery, Benefit (well-off; trust fund), more Luck.
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[sblock= Powers]
A. Basic powers:
-Enhanced STR +2 (6; +4 pp)(Sustained)
-Leaping 2 (2pp)
-Regeneration 1 (1pp)
-Feature: Iron stomach (1pp)
-Feature: 'glowstick'/flashlight (1pp); All of her TK effects have a slight visible display- a soft white glow as the adjacent air molecules are affected. For the most part, this is just enough to make her 'glow', but with a bit of effort she can focus just enough light to read by, the equivalent of a cyalume lightstick or small penlight, not even as bright as a smartphone 'flashlight' app. Using this, she is Distracted (but that isn't enough to reduce to 0 cost). It is, at best, a parlor trick- and she would be incredibly impressed by what Kitsune can do with light.
-Immunities: Aging, Disease, Poison, Sleep {All at half effect; 4x (1x 1/2= 1/2)= 2pp]
B. TK Force field (6pp)
-Protection +4 (10), Impervious 2; Sustained
C. 'Tactile TK Tool-kit' (Array)(5pp total; 4+1):
-Slot 1: Move object 2 (Precise, Close range), +Enhanced Advantage: Improvised tools {2x (2-1=1)= 2+1+1= 4pp}
-Slot 2 (AE): 'TK grip'; Enhanced advantages- Chokehold, Fast grab, Improved grab, Improved hold {4x 1= 4; AE +1pp)
D. 'Apply more force' (Dynamic array)(13pp total; 9+2+2):
-Slot 1: (Boosted STR) STR +4, Sustained (10 total); +Powerlifting 1; 8 +1pp, +1 Dynamic, -1 Activation (move action to activate or change dynamic distribution)= 9 total
-Slot 2: (Flight) Flight 9 (Distractible); -1 Activation (Move action to activate or change point array), {9x (2-1=1)= 8 -1= 8pp max effect; DAE 2pp for slot}
-Slot 3: (Movement) Enhanced Leaping +2 (4 total; 2pp); Movement 1 (Safe fall; 2pp); Movement +2 (Wall-crawling 2; 4pp); -1 Activation (Move action to activate or change point array); {2+2+4= 8 -1= 7pp max effect; DAE= 2pp for slot)
Total: 2+1+2+4+1+1+6+5+13= 35pp
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[sblock= Background]
(Short form- there is a longer version in progress but I wanted to get something up here):
Miranda Cortesi ("Mimi" to most people) is a young woman of Italian ancestry, a girl from 'the neighborhood' (They don't call it Little Italy anymore), and a freshman at Pine Oak Technical University- but her real story began more than thirty years ago, with her father.
Paulo Cortesi was just another guy from the neighborhood- but while most of the guys his age were joining the mafia's ranks, he stayed on the straight and narrow. He served in the Army (in a combat engineering unit), and when he came home he married his high school sweetheart. He went to trade school, then became a plumber- joined the union and everything. Sure he went to school with Tony Diamond, back in the day, and many of his friends were Made- but Paulo was a hard-working guy. He busted his butt for his family- his wife, and later, his kids, were his life. It wasn't unusual to see that Royal Flush Plumbing van anywhere in town, at any hour of the day or night. Nobody, but nobody, knew that he was also a 'cleaner' for Tony Diamond, an agent of last resort. He was also, secretly, a metahuman with low-level powers of luck, concealment- and a disintegrating touch; this is why he never failed, and was never discovered. When Tony got whacked ten years ago, Paulo went down with him- but even the police never suspected a thing; he was listed as an innocent bystander.
When she found out that her father was gone, eight year old Miranda had a world-class temper tantrum- she literally demolished her bedroom, and with one punch she knocked out her dad's friend Cesar, an experienced thug and enforcer. In short, the trauma activated her own metahuman traits, a 'last gift' from her father. Years went by, and her mother sank deeper and deeper into her religious faith for solace. She took to venerating Paulo as a saint, and raised his son (too young to really remember his dad) to do the same. Miranda grew more independent and athletic, and mostly stopped going to church, to her mother's dismay.
Miranda also found her father's secret diary, and learned what no one else knew, in all the world. It helped her understand what she was, and she swore to keep his secrets- and to make up for the crimes he had committed. She had started training in ballet and gymnastics at an early age- and her interest in sports only grew, though she competed less and had to train on her own to avoid revealing her growing powers. She also began to have a more strained relationship with some of her friends, and with others in the neighborhood- at some level she blamed the mob for what her father had done, and what had happened to him; and she was increasingly intolerant of criminals who preyed on the public, no matter how nice they seemed, or what good they did for the neighborhood. She resolved to keep her word, and to stand up for her friends- but that meant she would have to be more careful about who she actually was friends with. To the dismay of her mother, and many other people in the neighborhood, she went 'away' to college- only to Pine Oak Technical University, not even ten miles away, but in a whole other world.
Miranda has just begun to consider how she might start doing good in the world- she is considering a degree in Social Work, or maybe nursing. And she has started using the gym and other resources at school to practice and improve her 'gifts' in ways she never could back home.
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[sblock= Description]
-Height: 5'4"
-Weight: 125 lbs (Well-toned and athletic; dancer's/runner's build)
-Hair: Black (long and wavy; usually in a tight braid in civilian ID)
-Eyes: Brown (no glasses or contacts)
-Age: 18
-Description: Miranda is an attractive young woman, just a bit under average height with a slender but well-toned build- the body of a dancer or a runner. She has long black hair (usually in a simple thick braid) and big brown eyes; her complexion has a slight hint of an olive/Mediterranean coloration, but this is usually hidden under a golden tan that would make a Southern California girl envious. She tends to dress in a simple, relatively modest fashion- and often in clothing suited to athletic pursuits, though she hates spandex. Her typical expression is a warm, confident smile. She wears little jewelry and almost no make-up (her power tends to keep her freshly scrubbed so she gave up on cosmetics; she does have a small tattoo (Rainbow Dash's cutie mark, in the appropriate spot)- just don't tell her mom...
-Costume/clothing: Miranda doesn't exactly have a costume yet, but she does have a stretchy fabric mask for most of her face, and some nice sunglasses; she also wears her hair loose and flowing (something she never does the rest of the time- she always keep her hair in a thick, simple braid otherwise). She usually wears sneakers, jeans or cargo shorts, and a tee-shirt or cut-off sweatshirt over a sports bra. She also usually has a denim jacket or a hooded sweatshirt, and a pair of lightweight leather gloves.
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[sblock= Complications]
-Relationships
1. Her mother: Annabella Cortesi (nee Lucano); Miranda's relationship with her mother has become more and more strained over the years- Anna was always very Catholic, and she dove deeper into religion for solace when her husband died. She would have been happy if Miranda had joined a convent, and is a stern woman at heart. She also venerates her husband as nearly a saint- and she must never learn the truth. Recently her religious 'evolution' has taken a darker turn, blaming metahumans for many of the world's problems- Miranda has been nearly sickened by some of the newsletters she has seen in the mailbox (and that is why she lives in her dorm and almost never comes home lately).
2. Her little brother: Paolo junior (AKA 'Paulie), age 13; Paulie is really too young to remember his father, so he goes by what his mother tells him. Living in the neighborhood, he is friends with many other kids his age, whose parents are involved with the Mob at some level. Miranda wants him to grow up 'clean', and go to a good school- maybe become a doctor or engineer or something; anything but become another junior mobster...
3. Her father (deceased): Paolo Cortesi; on the surface, he was clean- a hard-working union plumber who just happened to have a lot of friends in the mob (he and Tony D went to school together, ages ago). In truth, he was (also) a cleaner for Tony, who was the only one who really knew his identity. A mutant with powers of luck and concealment (and a psychokinetic disintegration touch), he kept his two lives firmly separated- even his wife and most of his friends had no idea. He died when Tony was whacked, but even the police put him down as an "innocent bystander caught in the crossfire"). Miranda found his secret diary, and it changed her life. His deeds (and atoning for them) are a part of her motivation; she also burned that diary and vowed to keep his secret. She sometimes talks to him, like he is a guardian angel now. Miranda also inherited his mutant gene, and her powers were first manifested on the day he died- she considers that his last gift, left to protect her since he couldn't do it himself...
4. Her ex-boyfriend (but still kind-of friend, for now): Vincenzo Vinzetti (AKA 'V'), age 18; Miranda's boyfriend for the last two years of high school (where he was captain of the football and wrestling teams), and an old friend 'from the neighborhood'. Instead of going to college, V has gone into the family business- THAT family business (as a low-level goon, part of the Mob's efforts at rebuilding with a new generation). Not really a BAD guy, at least not yet. While his career choice is the direct cause of their break-up, they are still friends (and they tease each other more like a brother and sister); Miranda still hopes that he can change his ways. (Maybe he will move up in the mafia ranks- lots of room to get a promotion; maybe he will be mutated into a mafia super-enforcer; maybe he will die on the streets- and maybe, just maybe, something will happen to change him for the better). While he doesn't know of Miranda's powers, he might have some idea that she is stronger than she ought to be...
5. Her roommate at POTU: Mitzi Goldstein, age 19; Mitzi is quiet and shy, and very bookish (very much the opposite of the outgoing and physical Miranda). Nonetheless, they are very good friends and like to do stuff together. Mitzi has no idea that Miranda is metahuman- is that a secret she could keep?
6. The Neighborhood/The Mob: Everybody who lives in the neighborhood knows something about the mob- some more than others, and some deny it better than others; nobody talks about it to outsiders. Many kids around Miranda's age were literally godfathered by Tony D, and even after his death the legacy and respect are strong. Whether the new generation of mobsters will keep that respect, and keep the neighborhood together, is yet to be determined. In any case, organized crime is a constant undercurrent in that part of town- and it makes Miranda uncomfortable whenever she is around. She is just starting to learn how deep those currents run (Expertise- Streetwise, and maybe future Contacts/Connected)
-Motivation: 'Doing the right thing'; while Miranda is not as deeply Catholic as her mother would like, she does feel a lot of guilt about a lot of things, many of which are not her fault. She also believes very firmly in good deeds and charitable work, and she honestly enjoys helping less-fortunate people- it is likely she will use college to get a degree in social work or something similar. In the meantime, she may be helping people in a more immediate, concrete fashion. She is also a firm believer in 'keeping your word' and staying loyal to your friends- no matter how much trouble it brings.
-Attractive: Miranda is an attractive young woman- sometimes a bit too much so. Lots of guys do foolish things to attract her attention (even dangerous things), and she seems to have bad luck with drawing the attention of guys that she wants nothing to do with- weird, or creepy, or even old...
-Eats like a whole stable full of horses: Her enhanced metabolism has one big downside- she eats a LOT of food. Luckily she is on the Unlimited student meal plan at school... She is often hungry, and sometimes does unusual things to get food- like a late night flight half-way across town just to find a decent diner that is still open at 3 AM.
-Secret (identity): Miranda is brand new to the hero game- so new that she doesn't have a real costume, or a firmly chosen codename. She very much wants to keep her identity secret- she feels that it would endanger her friends and family, and her mother would KILL her. So while she doesn't have a costume exactly, she does have a mask- soft stretchy fabric that covers most of her face, combined with wraparound sunglasses and wearing her hair loose (which she never does normally).
-Not sure if 'novice superhero' actually qualifies as a Complication, but it will likely apply. She hasn't really thought about being a Hero- she will just kind of fall into it...
[/sblock]
-Point accounting: ATT 58 +DEF 8; +SK 10; +AD 9; +POW 35= 120 PP
-Caps: attack/effect (+6/effect 10); Dodge/Tough (6/10); Parry/Tough (4/10); FORT/WILL (10/6)
[sblock= Design notes and improvement]
-At a basic level, Miranda is a powerhouse- she just tends to look and fight more like a gymnast. As a fledgling hero, she doesn't have a lot of combat experience, certainly not in an 'all-out' fight anyway. She tends to use grabs, holds, and throws on most 'normal' foes, and saves punches, kicks, and so on for obvious 'super' or artificial foes.
-Also, as a fledgling hero, she does have some issues with power activation- mostly those powers which require more effort or control. In due time, she will get better at this, but for now some things take a little extra work.
-Her powers are designed to be close range- her only ranged ability will be throwing stuff (or flying slam/tackle). Hopefully, despite some surface similarities, she will play out different enough from Kitsune- though the similarities may build some bonds (or a friendly rivalry)...
-Her TK is Tactile-based- that is, it is 'conducted' by her own body, and fades out about an inch or so from her skin. She can use it to boost her strength and durability, and she can lift herself through the air (at basic level, this is astounding jumps, but she has just learned to actually fly, though it still requires a lot of mental effort). The constant flow of energy has improved her metabolism greatly, and improved her 'natural' strength and durability. Her power is strongest and best controlled around her hands, and one of her best 'tricks' is to use the TK energy to 'lock onto' something she is directly touching- which allows her to do things like open doors or lift objects where she could not normally get leverage or grip, or to climb a wall without real handholds (it also lets her 'grab hold' of things or people without a physical grip, which makes combat grabs a snap). On the flip side, it means she can't move objects at a distance, or with a glance- and no force bolts or weird force constructs...
-For improvement, she will look to increase her strength and defenses, as well as improving her control (moving powers from arrays to solo, removing restrictions, etc.). She may also improve her social resources (learning Contacts and Connected, improving PRE, etc.)
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