Davies
Legend
Yep, hence his positioning here.
[Mutants & Masterminds] A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic
Davies
Legend
Andon Viernes
There was never any question that Andon Viernes was going to follow his parents into the private military of the corporation that employed them both. Some people might have rebelled against those expectations, but Andon found them comforting. Predictability was like warm bread in the morning, where the unexpected tasted like shortages of the same. So he enlisted as soon as he completed basic education, roughly seventeen years of age as they had measured things before the Sprawl became the Sprawl.
Viernes flourished in the military, quickly testing into drone operations school and receiving the implants that would allow him to control the pilotless aircraft and see the world remotely. Unlike many of his fellow pilots -- too many, in his view -- he was not content to just focus on these operations and let his body go to waste. He kept in shape and practiced the old-fashioned military skills as well, learning how to fight personally instead of just remotely. His willingness to go the extra mile and ability to understand and obey orders while also working well within the unit ensured that he was promoted to command it before he was half-way through his twenties.
A few months after that, though, tragedy struck. While the unit was working off-world, they were ambushed and overrun by the giant insects that dominated this planet. Viernes tried every trick he knew to keep his teammates alive, only to see them all fail, with him alone left to tell the tale, even managing to get to the gateway before it collapsed. But worse was to come, for Viernes discovered that they had been betrayed, set up to be fed to the insects by one of their commanders who was defecting to a different corp.
His belief that his superiors could always be trusted to work for the benefit of the company destroyed by this, Viernes went rogue, destroying his corporate identity and escaping into the Sprawl. There, he put his skills to use for his own benefit as a shadow operative, supporting teams with whom he could avoid developing close bonds. It was rarely easy, and he found himself getting used to that taste of shortages instead of warm bread in the morning, but he could take pride in what he did again.
Like many people in the Sprawl, Viernes spent a few hours staring up in stupefied amazement after the moment when the forever night of the city ended with the appearance of a brightly glowing sun in the sky. That was a month ago, though, and he has gotten used to the fact that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Most of the jobs he has taken in recent days come from Pendrake and Wilmarth and are directed at tearing down the corps. He keeps an emotional distance from this, affecting to only be in it for the money rather than any political opinions. Only he knows whether that is feigned.
Andon strives to keep a strictly professional outlook, but there are a few gaps in that façade. Having suffered from a betrayal, he absolutely despises traitors even if they happen to be betraying a target to him. Such individuals can expect only cold contempt at best, with a shot in the head if matters go sideways. While he has never sought out the superior who was responsible for the disaster, viewing revenge as pointless, he would likely change his tune if fate threw them together. Finally, despite recognizing that they were simply opponents, he retains a fair amount of fear and hatred for Tanelorn and its operatives. How professional he will remain if events force him into working alongside such individuals remains to be seen.
Andon Viernes -- PL 7
Abilities:
STR 1 | STA 2 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 3 | INT 4 | AWE 3 | PRE 3
Powers:
Drones: Summon Drone 4, Controlled, Mental Link, Multiple Minions 2, Responsive, Removable (-6 points) - 27 points
Sense Link: Remote Sensing 5 (auditory, visual; 30 miles), Medium (a drone), Simultaneous; Senses 2 (extended low-light vision), Only when remote sensing - 16 points
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Benefit (alternative identity), Contacts, Defensive Roll, Equipment 5, Evasion, Improved Aim, Improved Trip, Improvised Tools, Leadership, Quick Draw.
Equipment:
Blaster Pistol (Ranged Damage 5), Concealed Body armor (Protection 2, Subtle), and 12 points of equipment as needed
Skills:
Athletics 4 (+5), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+7), Deception 3 (+6), Expertise: Military 4 (+8), Expertise: Streetwise 2 (+6), Intimidation 2 (+5), Investigation 2 (+6), Perception 4 (+7), Ranged Combat: Blaster 4 (+7), Technology 5 (+9).
Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 1)
Blaster Pistol +7 (Ranged Damage 5)
Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 7, Fortitude 4, Toughness 6/4/2, Will 6
Totals:
Abilities 42 + Powers 43 + Advantages 16 + Skills 17 + Defenses 15 = 133 points
Offensive PL: 6
Defensive PL: 7
Resistance PL: 5
Skill PL: 4
Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Hatred/Fear (Tanelorn) No Mercy for Traitors. Professional (stays bought.) Revenge.
Drone -- PL 4/MR 4
Abilities:
STR 0 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX 1 | FGT 0 | INT -- | AWE 0 | PRE --
Powers:
Cameras: Feature (camera); Senses 2 (extended low-light vision) - 3 points
Hoverjets: Flight 5 (60 MPH), Subtle - 11 points
Miniguns: Ranged Multiattack Damage 3, Accurate 2 - 11 points
Robot: Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects); Impervious Toughness 5; Permanent Shrinking 4 (-1 Strength, -2 Intimidation, +2 Dodge, +2 Parry, +4 Stealth), Innate - 45 points
Advantages:
Agile Feint, Improved Aim, Improved Initiative, Precise Shot (Ranged/Cover), Teamwork
Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+8), Stealth 4 (+8).
Offense:
Initiative +4
Unarmed +0 (Close Damage 0)
Miniguns +5 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 3)
Defense:
Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 5, Will --
Totals:
Abilities -26 + Powers 70 + Skills 6 + Advantages 5 + Defenses 2 = 57 points
Complications:
Programming--Motivation. Cannot Speak. No Manipulators.
There was never any question that Andon Viernes was going to follow his parents into the private military of the corporation that employed them both. Some people might have rebelled against those expectations, but Andon found them comforting. Predictability was like warm bread in the morning, where the unexpected tasted like shortages of the same. So he enlisted as soon as he completed basic education, roughly seventeen years of age as they had measured things before the Sprawl became the Sprawl.
Viernes flourished in the military, quickly testing into drone operations school and receiving the implants that would allow him to control the pilotless aircraft and see the world remotely. Unlike many of his fellow pilots -- too many, in his view -- he was not content to just focus on these operations and let his body go to waste. He kept in shape and practiced the old-fashioned military skills as well, learning how to fight personally instead of just remotely. His willingness to go the extra mile and ability to understand and obey orders while also working well within the unit ensured that he was promoted to command it before he was half-way through his twenties.
A few months after that, though, tragedy struck. While the unit was working off-world, they were ambushed and overrun by the giant insects that dominated this planet. Viernes tried every trick he knew to keep his teammates alive, only to see them all fail, with him alone left to tell the tale, even managing to get to the gateway before it collapsed. But worse was to come, for Viernes discovered that they had been betrayed, set up to be fed to the insects by one of their commanders who was defecting to a different corp.
His belief that his superiors could always be trusted to work for the benefit of the company destroyed by this, Viernes went rogue, destroying his corporate identity and escaping into the Sprawl. There, he put his skills to use for his own benefit as a shadow operative, supporting teams with whom he could avoid developing close bonds. It was rarely easy, and he found himself getting used to that taste of shortages instead of warm bread in the morning, but he could take pride in what he did again.
Like many people in the Sprawl, Viernes spent a few hours staring up in stupefied amazement after the moment when the forever night of the city ended with the appearance of a brightly glowing sun in the sky. That was a month ago, though, and he has gotten used to the fact that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same. Most of the jobs he has taken in recent days come from Pendrake and Wilmarth and are directed at tearing down the corps. He keeps an emotional distance from this, affecting to only be in it for the money rather than any political opinions. Only he knows whether that is feigned.
Andon strives to keep a strictly professional outlook, but there are a few gaps in that façade. Having suffered from a betrayal, he absolutely despises traitors even if they happen to be betraying a target to him. Such individuals can expect only cold contempt at best, with a shot in the head if matters go sideways. While he has never sought out the superior who was responsible for the disaster, viewing revenge as pointless, he would likely change his tune if fate threw them together. Finally, despite recognizing that they were simply opponents, he retains a fair amount of fear and hatred for Tanelorn and its operatives. How professional he will remain if events force him into working alongside such individuals remains to be seen.
Andon Viernes -- PL 7
Abilities:
STR 1 | STA 2 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 3 | INT 4 | AWE 3 | PRE 3
Powers:
Drones: Summon Drone 4, Controlled, Mental Link, Multiple Minions 2, Responsive, Removable (-6 points) - 27 points
Sense Link: Remote Sensing 5 (auditory, visual; 30 miles), Medium (a drone), Simultaneous; Senses 2 (extended low-light vision), Only when remote sensing - 16 points
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Benefit (alternative identity), Contacts, Defensive Roll, Equipment 5, Evasion, Improved Aim, Improved Trip, Improvised Tools, Leadership, Quick Draw.
Equipment:
Blaster Pistol (Ranged Damage 5), Concealed Body armor (Protection 2, Subtle), and 12 points of equipment as needed
Skills:
Athletics 4 (+5), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+7), Deception 3 (+6), Expertise: Military 4 (+8), Expertise: Streetwise 2 (+6), Intimidation 2 (+5), Investigation 2 (+6), Perception 4 (+7), Ranged Combat: Blaster 4 (+7), Technology 5 (+9).
Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 1)
Blaster Pistol +7 (Ranged Damage 5)
Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 7, Fortitude 4, Toughness 6/4/2, Will 6
Totals:
Abilities 42 + Powers 43 + Advantages 16 + Skills 17 + Defenses 15 = 133 points
Offensive PL: 6
Defensive PL: 7
Resistance PL: 5
Skill PL: 4
Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Hatred/Fear (Tanelorn) No Mercy for Traitors. Professional (stays bought.) Revenge.
Drone -- PL 4/MR 4
Abilities:
STR 0 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX 1 | FGT 0 | INT -- | AWE 0 | PRE --
Powers:
Cameras: Feature (camera); Senses 2 (extended low-light vision) - 3 points
Hoverjets: Flight 5 (60 MPH), Subtle - 11 points
Miniguns: Ranged Multiattack Damage 3, Accurate 2 - 11 points
Robot: Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects); Impervious Toughness 5; Permanent Shrinking 4 (-1 Strength, -2 Intimidation, +2 Dodge, +2 Parry, +4 Stealth), Innate - 45 points
Advantages:
Agile Feint, Improved Aim, Improved Initiative, Precise Shot (Ranged/Cover), Teamwork
Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+8), Stealth 4 (+8).
Offense:
Initiative +4
Unarmed +0 (Close Damage 0)
Miniguns +5 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 3)
Defense:
Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 5, Will --
Totals:
Abilities -26 + Powers 70 + Skills 6 + Advantages 5 + Defenses 2 = 57 points
Complications:
Programming--Motivation. Cannot Speak. No Manipulators.
Davies
Legend
Niamh Monaghan
The first thing you need to know is that her name is pronounced "NEEV maw-na-GAN". (Not "maw-na-HAN".) The second is that she is quite sensitive about mispronunciations of her name. Under most circumstances, she will choose to let the insult slide, but she will never forget. Given the opportunity, though, she will correct the error while also breaking as many bones as she thinks will reinforce the understanding of whatever poor person made the mistake. She usually thinks she needs to break more bones than she actually needs.
When Mercedes Blaze was given her current assignment to spy on the Sprawl, she gave considerable thought to which of her stable of operatives she would take with her. Niamh was the first name on the list, less for her physical abilities -- which are considerable and extremely useful -- than for their source in mysticism and her knowledge of magic. The preliminary research that Blaze had undertaken suggested that the Sprawl had no magic whatsoever, rendering such abilities an outside context problem to them, which would be a most exploitable weakness.
Niamh was presumably born in the county for which she is named, as she was found as an infant of about four months age on the steps of the cathedral in the county town shortly after the assault by Cerebron. Taken in by a local family, it soon became clear that she possessed strength far beyond that of other children. Her foster parents sought assistance from a local cunning man, who taught Niamh a set of rituals which would allow her to control her strength so that she could live as a relatively normal person.
Finding her to be reasonably quick-witted, as she entered her early teens, her mentor also gave her an education in the basics of his trade so that she could act as a gofer for him. He sent her all over Ireland -- which to her mind includes the Six Counties -- on various "quests" that often involved doing violence unto people who owed him money or services. It was interesting and exciting work, and she began to develop a reputation as someone who should be respected, something she had never had before. It proved somewhat addictive, and any sign of disrespect for herself came to be answered with violence.
Unfortunately, at seventeen, the good times came to an end when she returned from one such expedition to find her mentor dead in a fire that consumed her home. Lacking much in the way of investigative abilities, she had no clear idea of who might have done this. (Mercedes, who does have such abilities, has concluded that her mentor was assassinated by agents of Axiom.) She was about to engage in a suicide run against his known enemies when she found herself contacted by Mercedes Blaze for the first time, and given a new job.
Having worked for Mercedes for nearly four years, Niamh finds the work she is asked to do even more interesting and exciting, and enjoys earning what she considers to be appropriate respect in new regions, such as the Sprawl. She would never consider betraying Mercedes, as she believes that they have a strong bond based on mutual respect. She is wrong about that. She is also wrong about the ritual she performs every morning as soon as she wakes up, which she believes is necessary to activate her abilities. It is entirely psychosomatic ... and may be holding her back from developing her full strength.
Niamh Monaghan - PL 8
Abilities:
STR 8/3| STA 6/2| AGL 4 | DEX 3 | FGT 8/4 | INT 1 | AWE 4 | PRE 1
Powers:
Healing Factor: Enhanced Stamina 4; Immunity 2 (disease, poison); Impervious Toughness 6; Regeneration 10 - 28 points
Tremendous Strength: Enhanced Fighting 4; Enhanced Strength 5; Enhanced Strength 3 (50 tons), Limited to lifting - 21 points
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, Defensive Attack, Diehard, Great Endurance, Power Attack, Precise Attack (close/concealment), Takedown, Ultimate Effort (Toughness).
Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10), Athletics 4 (+12/+7), Expertise: Magic 6 (+7), Insight 4 (+8), Intimidation 10 (+11), Perception 5 (+9), Ranged Combat: Thrown 5 (+8).
Offense:
Initiative +4
Unarmed +8/+4 (Close Damage 8/3)
Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 10/6, Fortitude 8/4, Toughness 6/2, Will 6
Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 8
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 7
Totals:
Abilities 44 + Powers 47 + Advantages 9 + Skills 20 + Defenses 10 = 121 points
Complications:
Duty--Motivation. Craves Respect. Power Loss (all, failure to perform daily ceremony.)
Note: It has been noted that Niamh bears something of a resemblance to Gloria Sylvester, aka Gloriana. She is not aware of this.
The first thing you need to know is that her name is pronounced "NEEV maw-na-GAN". (Not "maw-na-HAN".) The second is that she is quite sensitive about mispronunciations of her name. Under most circumstances, she will choose to let the insult slide, but she will never forget. Given the opportunity, though, she will correct the error while also breaking as many bones as she thinks will reinforce the understanding of whatever poor person made the mistake. She usually thinks she needs to break more bones than she actually needs.
When Mercedes Blaze was given her current assignment to spy on the Sprawl, she gave considerable thought to which of her stable of operatives she would take with her. Niamh was the first name on the list, less for her physical abilities -- which are considerable and extremely useful -- than for their source in mysticism and her knowledge of magic. The preliminary research that Blaze had undertaken suggested that the Sprawl had no magic whatsoever, rendering such abilities an outside context problem to them, which would be a most exploitable weakness.
Niamh was presumably born in the county for which she is named, as she was found as an infant of about four months age on the steps of the cathedral in the county town shortly after the assault by Cerebron. Taken in by a local family, it soon became clear that she possessed strength far beyond that of other children. Her foster parents sought assistance from a local cunning man, who taught Niamh a set of rituals which would allow her to control her strength so that she could live as a relatively normal person.
Finding her to be reasonably quick-witted, as she entered her early teens, her mentor also gave her an education in the basics of his trade so that she could act as a gofer for him. He sent her all over Ireland -- which to her mind includes the Six Counties -- on various "quests" that often involved doing violence unto people who owed him money or services. It was interesting and exciting work, and she began to develop a reputation as someone who should be respected, something she had never had before. It proved somewhat addictive, and any sign of disrespect for herself came to be answered with violence.
Unfortunately, at seventeen, the good times came to an end when she returned from one such expedition to find her mentor dead in a fire that consumed her home. Lacking much in the way of investigative abilities, she had no clear idea of who might have done this. (Mercedes, who does have such abilities, has concluded that her mentor was assassinated by agents of Axiom.) She was about to engage in a suicide run against his known enemies when she found herself contacted by Mercedes Blaze for the first time, and given a new job.
Having worked for Mercedes for nearly four years, Niamh finds the work she is asked to do even more interesting and exciting, and enjoys earning what she considers to be appropriate respect in new regions, such as the Sprawl. She would never consider betraying Mercedes, as she believes that they have a strong bond based on mutual respect. She is wrong about that. She is also wrong about the ritual she performs every morning as soon as she wakes up, which she believes is necessary to activate her abilities. It is entirely psychosomatic ... and may be holding her back from developing her full strength.
Niamh Monaghan - PL 8
Abilities:
STR 8/3| STA 6/2| AGL 4 | DEX 3 | FGT 8/4 | INT 1 | AWE 4 | PRE 1
Powers:
Healing Factor: Enhanced Stamina 4; Immunity 2 (disease, poison); Impervious Toughness 6; Regeneration 10 - 28 points
Tremendous Strength: Enhanced Fighting 4; Enhanced Strength 5; Enhanced Strength 3 (50 tons), Limited to lifting - 21 points
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, Defensive Attack, Diehard, Great Endurance, Power Attack, Precise Attack (close/concealment), Takedown, Ultimate Effort (Toughness).
Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10), Athletics 4 (+12/+7), Expertise: Magic 6 (+7), Insight 4 (+8), Intimidation 10 (+11), Perception 5 (+9), Ranged Combat: Thrown 5 (+8).
Offense:
Initiative +4
Unarmed +8/+4 (Close Damage 8/3)
Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 10/6, Fortitude 8/4, Toughness 6/2, Will 6
Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 8
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 7
Totals:
Abilities 44 + Powers 47 + Advantages 9 + Skills 20 + Defenses 10 = 121 points
Complications:
Duty--Motivation. Craves Respect. Power Loss (all, failure to perform daily ceremony.)
Note: It has been noted that Niamh bears something of a resemblance to Gloria Sylvester, aka Gloriana. She is not aware of this.
Davies
Legend
The Saknussen Caverns
Arne Saknussen was an Icelandic scholar and reputed alchemist, born around 1512 and disappeared from the historical record around 1573. (Jules Verne, or possibly his editor, represented his name as Saknussemm.) If in his own writings he claimed to have discovered a passage to the center of the Earth, all such claims were lost when his entire corpus was burnt during the height of the Icelandic witch hunt, roughly a hundred years after he vanished. Nevertheless, Professor Otto Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel Blumbardt, along with their guide Hans Bjelke, were able to follow a trail of markings left by him in the great system of caverns that lie beneath the Atlantic Ocean and parts of Europe.
Their expedition was declared a fraud at the time, and it would not be until nearly a decade after the publication of their account, translated and somewhat expanded upon by Verne, that a second successful expedition would demonstrate that there was indeed such a region accessible through a passage through Snæfellsjökull. There had been a handful of unsuccessful expeditions in that decade, which further contributed to the poor posthumous reputation of Professor Lidenbrock, as did his claims to have sighted dinosaurs (and giant humanoids) in the caverns. As the second journey, and subsequent expeditions would demonstrate, while there are large animals dwelling within the caverns, and the LIdenbrock Sea, they are examples of species present in the current geological age.
Or they were, prior to the arrival of travelers from the future, as when Bruce Rutherford arranged for the arrival of several groups of morlocks, eloi, and certain other species native to the far distant future of Earth. They have been fruitful and multiplied in this region, with the morlocks in particular adapting to their new environment and changing it to better suit themselves. This change in circumstances has cause a considerable cultural shift among the morlocks, with some communities abandoning their husbandry of the eloi in favor of pursuing other prey. (Others continue the practice and tend to be rather self-righteous about it.) The eloi remain largely unaffected by any of this and uninterested in making any changes.
Because of the difficulty and danger of exploring the caverns, expeditions tended to take place no more than once or twice per decade prior to the establishment of the Morrison Institute. Explorers working for the latter have made numerous attempts to explore and chart it, with a particular interest in discovering possible links to other subterranean realms beneath North America and Asia. Argus has often provided protective services for such expeditions, and established a safehouse in one region of the caverns that contained an experimental teleporter, to allow for a quick exit from them in case of disaster.
Following the recent exposure of Anna Rothery and several other traitorous agents associated with her, Argus engaged in a great deal of housecleaning, changing access codes to many of its facilities to limit the future damage these rogues could do. As part of this effort, the teleporter mechanism linking the New York headquarters of Argus was also reset, requiring the dispatch of a team to the safehouse in the caverns, to reset the codes on the other end while also checking on the facilities. They understandably did not expect to discover a young woman residing within those facilities!
After she had incapacitated four of the five members of the team, the last conscious survivor was able to convince her of his lack of hostile intentions and calm the mysterious individual, who had not spoken a word during the minute that this all took. While the agent suspected that he might be dealing with a feral child, he was disabused of that notion. While not speaking, she apparently understood spoken English and was able to write a word that she indicated should be used as her name in the dust on the floor -- Argun. The agent noted a damaged poster on the wall that might have read "Argus Security, North American Division" at one point, and developed a hypothesis about the origin of her name.
When the rest of the team recovered, they were able to convince Argun to accompany them back to Argus headquarters to have a medical examination. This confirmed that she was apparently a superpowered human being, but was unfortunately cut short when the Director General arrived and took a look at her. "Joanna?" he gasped, using the name of his first-born daughter, dead since 1942. She responded to this with a panicked shriek and escaped from the infirmary, making her way back to the teleporter and from there back to the Caverns, having apparently memorized the access code from having seen it used once.
All attempts to find to find Argun and clarify her origins have failed. She is apparently known to the eloi who make their homes in the area near the safehouse, but they have been predictably no help in discovering her whereabouts. It is possible that the nearby morlocks might know more, but they are extraordinarily suspicious of outsiders, having had an extremely poor first contact with Morrison-backed explorers who believed that they still practice "husbandry" of the eloi. (As far as is known, they do not.)
Argun -- PL 9
Image by Glee-chan.
Abilities:
STR 2 | STA 4 | AGL 6 | DEX 6 | FGT 7 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 2
Powers:
Mobility: Leaping 2 (30 feet); Movement 6 (safe-fall, sure-footed 2, swinging, wall-crawling), Limited to natural environments; Speed 2 (8 MPH); Swimming 1 (2 MPH) - 17 points
Advantages:
Agile Feint, All-Out Attack, Animal Empathy, Attractive, Chokehold, Defensive Roll, Equipment 1, Evasion, Fearless, Grabbing Finesse, Great Endurance, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Move-By Action, Power Attack, Startle, Tracking.
Equipment:
Knife (Strength-based Damage 1)
Skills:
Acrobatics 5 (+11), Athletics 10 (+12), Close Combat: Knife 3 (+10), Expertise: Survival 12 (+13), Insight 6 (+9), Intimidation 6 (+8), Perception 8 (+11), Persuasion 5 (+7), Sleight of Hand 6 (+12), Stealth 3 (+9).
Offense:
Initiative +10
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 2)
Knife +10 (Close Damage 3).
Defense:
Dodge 12, Parry 10, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6/4, Will 7.
Totals:
Abilities 62 + Powers 17 + Advantages 18 + Skills 32 + Defenses 15 = 144 points
Offensive PL: 7
Defensive PL: 9
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 8
Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Nonverbal (but literate.) Unfamiliar With Modern Technology or Culture.
Morlocks -- PL 4/MR 3
Abilities:
STR -2 | STA 1 | AGL 2 | DEX 2 | FGT 3 | INT 3 | AWE 0 | PRE 0
Powers:
Darkness Adapted: Senses 2 (darkvision) - 2 points
Healing Factor: Immunity 2 (disease, poison); Regeneration 2 - 4 points
Small Size: Permanent Shrinking 4 (3 feet; -1 Strength, +2 Dodge, +2 Parry, +4 Stealth, -2 Intimidation), Innate - 5 points
Advantages:
Benefit (makes climbing checks with Agility.) Grappling Finesse, Improvised Tools, Teamwork.
Skills:
Expertise: Survival 2 (+5), Perception 4 (+4), Sleight of Hand 4 (+7), Stealth 2 (+8), Technology 3 (+6), Treatment 3 (+6)
Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +3 (Close Damage -1)
Defense:
Dodge 4, Parry 5, Fortitude 4, Toughness 1, Will 4
Totals:
Abilities 16 + Powers 11 + Advantages 2 + Skills 9 + Defenses 7 = 45 points
Offensive PL: 3
Defensive PL: 3
Resistance PL: 4
Skill PL: 2
Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Fears Light. Suspicious.
Eloi (PL 1) are Bystanders with the Small Size power of the Morlocks. Some examples will have INT 0, Expertise: Survival and Perception skills, but most have INT -1 and no meaningful skills. Their motivation is Amusement, and most have the additional complications of Fears Darkness and Trusts Easily.
Arne Saknussen was an Icelandic scholar and reputed alchemist, born around 1512 and disappeared from the historical record around 1573. (Jules Verne, or possibly his editor, represented his name as Saknussemm.) If in his own writings he claimed to have discovered a passage to the center of the Earth, all such claims were lost when his entire corpus was burnt during the height of the Icelandic witch hunt, roughly a hundred years after he vanished. Nevertheless, Professor Otto Lidenbrock and his nephew Axel Blumbardt, along with their guide Hans Bjelke, were able to follow a trail of markings left by him in the great system of caverns that lie beneath the Atlantic Ocean and parts of Europe.
Their expedition was declared a fraud at the time, and it would not be until nearly a decade after the publication of their account, translated and somewhat expanded upon by Verne, that a second successful expedition would demonstrate that there was indeed such a region accessible through a passage through Snæfellsjökull. There had been a handful of unsuccessful expeditions in that decade, which further contributed to the poor posthumous reputation of Professor Lidenbrock, as did his claims to have sighted dinosaurs (and giant humanoids) in the caverns. As the second journey, and subsequent expeditions would demonstrate, while there are large animals dwelling within the caverns, and the LIdenbrock Sea, they are examples of species present in the current geological age.
Or they were, prior to the arrival of travelers from the future, as when Bruce Rutherford arranged for the arrival of several groups of morlocks, eloi, and certain other species native to the far distant future of Earth. They have been fruitful and multiplied in this region, with the morlocks in particular adapting to their new environment and changing it to better suit themselves. This change in circumstances has cause a considerable cultural shift among the morlocks, with some communities abandoning their husbandry of the eloi in favor of pursuing other prey. (Others continue the practice and tend to be rather self-righteous about it.) The eloi remain largely unaffected by any of this and uninterested in making any changes.
Because of the difficulty and danger of exploring the caverns, expeditions tended to take place no more than once or twice per decade prior to the establishment of the Morrison Institute. Explorers working for the latter have made numerous attempts to explore and chart it, with a particular interest in discovering possible links to other subterranean realms beneath North America and Asia. Argus has often provided protective services for such expeditions, and established a safehouse in one region of the caverns that contained an experimental teleporter, to allow for a quick exit from them in case of disaster.
Following the recent exposure of Anna Rothery and several other traitorous agents associated with her, Argus engaged in a great deal of housecleaning, changing access codes to many of its facilities to limit the future damage these rogues could do. As part of this effort, the teleporter mechanism linking the New York headquarters of Argus was also reset, requiring the dispatch of a team to the safehouse in the caverns, to reset the codes on the other end while also checking on the facilities. They understandably did not expect to discover a young woman residing within those facilities!
After she had incapacitated four of the five members of the team, the last conscious survivor was able to convince her of his lack of hostile intentions and calm the mysterious individual, who had not spoken a word during the minute that this all took. While the agent suspected that he might be dealing with a feral child, he was disabused of that notion. While not speaking, she apparently understood spoken English and was able to write a word that she indicated should be used as her name in the dust on the floor -- Argun. The agent noted a damaged poster on the wall that might have read "Argus Security, North American Division" at one point, and developed a hypothesis about the origin of her name.
When the rest of the team recovered, they were able to convince Argun to accompany them back to Argus headquarters to have a medical examination. This confirmed that she was apparently a superpowered human being, but was unfortunately cut short when the Director General arrived and took a look at her. "Joanna?" he gasped, using the name of his first-born daughter, dead since 1942. She responded to this with a panicked shriek and escaped from the infirmary, making her way back to the teleporter and from there back to the Caverns, having apparently memorized the access code from having seen it used once.
All attempts to find to find Argun and clarify her origins have failed. She is apparently known to the eloi who make their homes in the area near the safehouse, but they have been predictably no help in discovering her whereabouts. It is possible that the nearby morlocks might know more, but they are extraordinarily suspicious of outsiders, having had an extremely poor first contact with Morrison-backed explorers who believed that they still practice "husbandry" of the eloi. (As far as is known, they do not.)
Argun -- PL 9
Image by Glee-chan.
Abilities:
STR 2 | STA 4 | AGL 6 | DEX 6 | FGT 7 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 2
Powers:
Mobility: Leaping 2 (30 feet); Movement 6 (safe-fall, sure-footed 2, swinging, wall-crawling), Limited to natural environments; Speed 2 (8 MPH); Swimming 1 (2 MPH) - 17 points
Advantages:
Agile Feint, All-Out Attack, Animal Empathy, Attractive, Chokehold, Defensive Roll, Equipment 1, Evasion, Fearless, Grabbing Finesse, Great Endurance, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Move-By Action, Power Attack, Startle, Tracking.
Equipment:
Knife (Strength-based Damage 1)
Skills:
Acrobatics 5 (+11), Athletics 10 (+12), Close Combat: Knife 3 (+10), Expertise: Survival 12 (+13), Insight 6 (+9), Intimidation 6 (+8), Perception 8 (+11), Persuasion 5 (+7), Sleight of Hand 6 (+12), Stealth 3 (+9).
Offense:
Initiative +10
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 2)
Knife +10 (Close Damage 3).
Defense:
Dodge 12, Parry 10, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6/4, Will 7.
Totals:
Abilities 62 + Powers 17 + Advantages 18 + Skills 32 + Defenses 15 = 144 points
Offensive PL: 7
Defensive PL: 9
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 8
Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Nonverbal (but literate.) Unfamiliar With Modern Technology or Culture.
Morlocks -- PL 4/MR 3
Abilities:
STR -2 | STA 1 | AGL 2 | DEX 2 | FGT 3 | INT 3 | AWE 0 | PRE 0
Powers:
Darkness Adapted: Senses 2 (darkvision) - 2 points
Healing Factor: Immunity 2 (disease, poison); Regeneration 2 - 4 points
Small Size: Permanent Shrinking 4 (3 feet; -1 Strength, +2 Dodge, +2 Parry, +4 Stealth, -2 Intimidation), Innate - 5 points
Advantages:
Benefit (makes climbing checks with Agility.) Grappling Finesse, Improvised Tools, Teamwork.
Skills:
Expertise: Survival 2 (+5), Perception 4 (+4), Sleight of Hand 4 (+7), Stealth 2 (+8), Technology 3 (+6), Treatment 3 (+6)
Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +3 (Close Damage -1)
Defense:
Dodge 4, Parry 5, Fortitude 4, Toughness 1, Will 4
Totals:
Abilities 16 + Powers 11 + Advantages 2 + Skills 9 + Defenses 7 = 45 points
Offensive PL: 3
Defensive PL: 3
Resistance PL: 4
Skill PL: 2
Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Fears Light. Suspicious.
Eloi (PL 1) are Bystanders with the Small Size power of the Morlocks. Some examples will have INT 0, Expertise: Survival and Perception skills, but most have INT -1 and no meaningful skills. Their motivation is Amusement, and most have the additional complications of Fears Darkness and Trusts Easily.
Davies
Legend
Metalika
During the early stages of the Anachronic Calamity, Billie Zane found herself hard-pressed in her struggle against those who sought to prevent her from taking her revenge on the reality which had betrayed her so cruelly. She lost two of her collected Cosmic Gems in conflicts with them, and began to suspect that she would lose the rest before she could reverse matters, leaving her armed with only her barely understood psychic powers and brilliant mind. While that would still mean she was vastly more capable than nearly any opponent, gathering additional resources might be well-advised. By an astounding coincidence, some appeared in front of her in the form of a robot that referred to her as "mother".
The robot known as Metalika, created by the Billie Zane of the World More Grim, had finally managed to create a method of travelling between parallel realities just before the Calamity began to destroy that world, and used it to seek out a parallel world version of her creator. Zane was startled to learn that there was another version of herself in existence. (Startled and revolted, to be honest; she had always taken pride in the notion that she was unique.) However, as the robot explained what she sought, Zane saw an opportunity, and agreed to make the modifications necessary to undo the limitations implanted by the other Zane, ostensibly so that Metalika could seek out a means of escaping the Calamity.
Naturally, she betrayed the robot, replacing the programmed personality emulation of the other with a copy of her own personality and memories, but she also removed the limitations just as she agreed. Zane left the robot in standby mode, confident that regardless of her own fate, a copy of her mind in an indestructible body would survive and escape the Calamity. Unless of course she herself succeeded and destroyed all of reality, but that was beginning to seem unlikely by that point.
Exactly what became of the Billie Zane of the World Less Magical remains uncertain. But earlier this week, Metalika emerged from standby mode within a lair formerly occupied by Doktor Makabre and seized by Zane for her own purposes some time before. She experienced a bit of angst over her lost humanity, but took comfort in the fact that she had been freed of dependence on the freakish superpowers that her father had concealed from her. Now she was a purely intellectual creature, the ultimate expression of human rationality, humanity merged with its greatest creation. Who then could be made safe from her?
Metalika no longer has any interest in the goals of "Saturn", and has made no attempt to contact them or bring the organization back under her control. Her goal is to recover the Cosmic Gems, having concluded that those who restored the universe to its pathetic status quo will likely have had neither the courage nor imagination to secret them in different locations. (She is not completely wrong about this. Once that is done, she will become mightier than any entity that currently exists in this reality and find a way to punish those who imagine that they can rule it. What she will do after achieving this goal is not clear.
But she will think of something. In the meanwhile, death and destruction.
Metalika -- PL 13
Abilities:
STR 9 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX 3 | FGT 9 | INT 12 | AWE 7 | PRE 5
Powers:
Force Field: Sustained Protection 4 - 4 points
Impervium Armor: Immunity 80 (Toughness), Limited to Half Effect; Impervious Protection 13 - 66 points
Reconstruction: Immortality 5 (minimum of one day), Check Required (Technology DC 20) - 1 point
Robot: Immunity 30 (Fortitude) - 30 points
Sensors: Radio Communication 3; Senses 9 (accurate acute extended radio, darkvision, direction sense) - 21 points
Weapon Systems: Array (27 points)
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Chokehold, Eidetic Memory, Equipment 12, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Smash, Inventor, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), Second Chance (Insight checks), Skill Mastery (Technology), Speed of Thought.
Equipment:
60 points needed for any bases or vehicles required for a given operation.
Skills:
Deception 8 (+13), Expertise: Science 5 (+17), Insight 8 (+15), Intimidation 11 (+16), Investigation 2 (+14), Perception 6 (+13), Ranged Combat: Basic Cannon 10 (+13), Technology 6 (+18).
Offense:
Initiative +12
Unarmed +9 (Close Damage 13/9)
Arm Blade +9 (Close Damage 16, Crit 16-20)
Cannon +13 (Ranged Damage 13)
Psychic Magnetron -- (Perception Range Will 9)
Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 9, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 17/13, Will 13.
Totals:
Abilities 78 + Powers 151 + Advantages 28 + Skills 28 + Defenses 15 = 300 points
Offensive PL: 13
Defensive PL: 13
Resistance PL: 13
Skill PL: 13
Complications:
Vengeance--Motivation. Obviously Inhuman. Weakness (becomes Hindered, Immobile and Paralyzed if subjected to Nullify Electronics.)
During the early stages of the Anachronic Calamity, Billie Zane found herself hard-pressed in her struggle against those who sought to prevent her from taking her revenge on the reality which had betrayed her so cruelly. She lost two of her collected Cosmic Gems in conflicts with them, and began to suspect that she would lose the rest before she could reverse matters, leaving her armed with only her barely understood psychic powers and brilliant mind. While that would still mean she was vastly more capable than nearly any opponent, gathering additional resources might be well-advised. By an astounding coincidence, some appeared in front of her in the form of a robot that referred to her as "mother".
The robot known as Metalika, created by the Billie Zane of the World More Grim, had finally managed to create a method of travelling between parallel realities just before the Calamity began to destroy that world, and used it to seek out a parallel world version of her creator. Zane was startled to learn that there was another version of herself in existence. (Startled and revolted, to be honest; she had always taken pride in the notion that she was unique.) However, as the robot explained what she sought, Zane saw an opportunity, and agreed to make the modifications necessary to undo the limitations implanted by the other Zane, ostensibly so that Metalika could seek out a means of escaping the Calamity.
Naturally, she betrayed the robot, replacing the programmed personality emulation of the other with a copy of her own personality and memories, but she also removed the limitations just as she agreed. Zane left the robot in standby mode, confident that regardless of her own fate, a copy of her mind in an indestructible body would survive and escape the Calamity. Unless of course she herself succeeded and destroyed all of reality, but that was beginning to seem unlikely by that point.
Exactly what became of the Billie Zane of the World Less Magical remains uncertain. But earlier this week, Metalika emerged from standby mode within a lair formerly occupied by Doktor Makabre and seized by Zane for her own purposes some time before. She experienced a bit of angst over her lost humanity, but took comfort in the fact that she had been freed of dependence on the freakish superpowers that her father had concealed from her. Now she was a purely intellectual creature, the ultimate expression of human rationality, humanity merged with its greatest creation. Who then could be made safe from her?
Metalika no longer has any interest in the goals of "Saturn", and has made no attempt to contact them or bring the organization back under her control. Her goal is to recover the Cosmic Gems, having concluded that those who restored the universe to its pathetic status quo will likely have had neither the courage nor imagination to secret them in different locations. (She is not completely wrong about this. Once that is done, she will become mightier than any entity that currently exists in this reality and find a way to punish those who imagine that they can rule it. What she will do after achieving this goal is not clear.
But she will think of something. In the meanwhile, death and destruction.
Metalika -- PL 13
Abilities:
STR 9 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX 3 | FGT 9 | INT 12 | AWE 7 | PRE 5
Powers:
Force Field: Sustained Protection 4 - 4 points
Impervium Armor: Immunity 80 (Toughness), Limited to Half Effect; Impervious Protection 13 - 66 points
Reconstruction: Immortality 5 (minimum of one day), Check Required (Technology DC 20) - 1 point
Robot: Immunity 30 (Fortitude) - 30 points
Sensors: Radio Communication 3; Senses 9 (accurate acute extended radio, darkvision, direction sense) - 21 points
Weapon Systems: Array (27 points)
- Basic Cannon: Ranged Damage 13, Variable (technology) - 27 points
- Psychic Magnetron: Perception Range Affliction 9 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled) - 1 point
- Strength Augmentation: Enhanced Strength 4; Enhanced Strength 12, Limited to lifting (800 ktons); Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical 4 - 1 point
- Tractor Beam: Perception Range Move Object 9 - 1 point
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Chokehold, Eidetic Memory, Equipment 12, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Smash, Inventor, Power Attack, Precise Attack (Ranged, Cover), Second Chance (Insight checks), Skill Mastery (Technology), Speed of Thought.
Equipment:
60 points needed for any bases or vehicles required for a given operation.
Skills:
Deception 8 (+13), Expertise: Science 5 (+17), Insight 8 (+15), Intimidation 11 (+16), Investigation 2 (+14), Perception 6 (+13), Ranged Combat: Basic Cannon 10 (+13), Technology 6 (+18).
Offense:
Initiative +12
Unarmed +9 (Close Damage 13/9)
Arm Blade +9 (Close Damage 16, Crit 16-20)
Cannon +13 (Ranged Damage 13)
Psychic Magnetron -- (Perception Range Will 9)
Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 9, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 17/13, Will 13.
Totals:
Abilities 78 + Powers 151 + Advantages 28 + Skills 28 + Defenses 15 = 300 points
Offensive PL: 13
Defensive PL: 13
Resistance PL: 13
Skill PL: 13
Complications:
Vengeance--Motivation. Obviously Inhuman. Weakness (becomes Hindered, Immobile and Paralyzed if subjected to Nullify Electronics.)
Davies
Legend
Merlin
Having two sets of complete memories, one of which you know to be an accurate recollection of your personal experience and the other which you know to be an accurate recollection of your current reality, goes beyond being confusing and into the realm of the dangerously frustrating. Still, it is not without its advantages, as it affords him the ability to realize where ... well, he will not admit to having made mistakes, but there have been times when events proved unfortunate. And he can learn from such misfortunes and so avoid them in the future.
In the current series of events, the man known variously as Morgan, Maugris and Merlin (among other names) remembers suffering an almost fatal stroke when -- he now knows -- another being was granted mastery of the extradimensional forces that his own studies had been directed towards understanding. In the history of the World Less Magical, he eventually died as a result of that stroke, though his death took nearly two centuries. But in this altered reality, he was able to escape that fate and bind his essence into the fabric of another plane of existence (as he had on the World More Grim) though this was his final act before descending into a sleep that endured for most of a millennium.
As in that lost world, he and the other Ascendants were finally awakened from that sleep by the Dreamdancer, but in the year 2021 rather than a century earlier. Not only did he lose some five centuries of work, the renewal of his efforts was delayed by another century. This vexes him greatly, but not nearly so much as his discovery that he had not been awakened as the master of his "sphere", but as a decidedly subordinate being to the entity who had nearly killed him when it came into existence, twelve hundred years before!
That will not stand. He is working more closely than ever before with both those ascendants with whom he shares history, and with two of the new Hierarchs, to bring down the obnoxious Abraxas. Of course, he expects to rise into the position that will become vacant with the fall of the so-called "super-wizard", but will rule with greater justice and wisdom. However, these plans may have been dealt a severe blow with the death of the Mnajimu, with whom Merlin had an association of long standing in both this world and the former one. That his old ally may have been destroyed by one of his new ones is understandably concerning ...
For now, Merlin has busied himself by creating a secret, mortal identity for himself as Jeffrey Searle, the headmaster of New Worminghall, a school for wizards located on a hidden island in Loch Shiel. (The school was part of his original reality, though Searle was a separate person with whom he had no connection.) The position has given him a large collection of potential pawns to serve as disposable assets in his schemes. (Blakestone and -- eventually -- Prydwen are not pawns. They are to be a bishop and a knight, eventually.) Of course, it has also brought him into conflict with the secret ruler of the United Kingdom. He does not consider Dracula a serious threat, believing it likely that he can use the creature to his own advantage.
That others have thought the same, and suffered as a consequence, is likely to be a misfortune from which he will eventually have to learn.
Merlin -- PL 13
Abilities:
STR 10/2 | STA 3 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 6 | INT 3 | AWE 5 | PRE 10
Powers:
Immortal: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to mystical dimensions), Standard Action - 10 points
Master of the Mystic Arts: Array (44 points)
Mystic Attunement: Senses 7 (extended 4 mystic awareness, ranged detect immortal) - 7 points
Staff: Environment 1 (light); Strength-based Damage 2; Removable (-0 points) - 3 points
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Equipment 4, Fearless, Improved Defense, Multilingual, Ritualist, Trance.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Communications, Concealed, Defense System, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System - 19 points.
New Worminghall: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power (Burst Area 5 Nullify Technology 11), Power System, Personnel, Security System - 1 point
Skills:
Deception 4 (+14), Expertise: History 10 (+13), Expertise: Magic 5 (+15), Insight 6 (+11), Intimidation 3 (+13), Perception 7 (+12), Persuasion 4 (+14), Ranged Combat: Mystic Arts 9 (+12), Treatment 8 (+11).
Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 10/2)
Staff +8 (Close Damage 12/4)
Lightning Barrage +12 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 14)
Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 8, Fortitude 6, Toughness 12/3, Will 16
Totals:
Abilities 68 + Powers 136 + Advantages 16 + Skills 27 + Defenses 20 = 267 points
Offensive PL: 13
Defensive PL: 10
Resistance PL: 11
Skill PL: 10
Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Arrogant and Patronizing. Confused Memories. Secret Identity.
"Once -- but no! That never happened! That is, it did -- but now it did not! I must push such memories forever from my mind -- for that way lies madness."
Having two sets of complete memories, one of which you know to be an accurate recollection of your personal experience and the other which you know to be an accurate recollection of your current reality, goes beyond being confusing and into the realm of the dangerously frustrating. Still, it is not without its advantages, as it affords him the ability to realize where ... well, he will not admit to having made mistakes, but there have been times when events proved unfortunate. And he can learn from such misfortunes and so avoid them in the future.
In the current series of events, the man known variously as Morgan, Maugris and Merlin (among other names) remembers suffering an almost fatal stroke when -- he now knows -- another being was granted mastery of the extradimensional forces that his own studies had been directed towards understanding. In the history of the World Less Magical, he eventually died as a result of that stroke, though his death took nearly two centuries. But in this altered reality, he was able to escape that fate and bind his essence into the fabric of another plane of existence (as he had on the World More Grim) though this was his final act before descending into a sleep that endured for most of a millennium.
As in that lost world, he and the other Ascendants were finally awakened from that sleep by the Dreamdancer, but in the year 2021 rather than a century earlier. Not only did he lose some five centuries of work, the renewal of his efforts was delayed by another century. This vexes him greatly, but not nearly so much as his discovery that he had not been awakened as the master of his "sphere", but as a decidedly subordinate being to the entity who had nearly killed him when it came into existence, twelve hundred years before!
That will not stand. He is working more closely than ever before with both those ascendants with whom he shares history, and with two of the new Hierarchs, to bring down the obnoxious Abraxas. Of course, he expects to rise into the position that will become vacant with the fall of the so-called "super-wizard", but will rule with greater justice and wisdom. However, these plans may have been dealt a severe blow with the death of the Mnajimu, with whom Merlin had an association of long standing in both this world and the former one. That his old ally may have been destroyed by one of his new ones is understandably concerning ...
For now, Merlin has busied himself by creating a secret, mortal identity for himself as Jeffrey Searle, the headmaster of New Worminghall, a school for wizards located on a hidden island in Loch Shiel. (The school was part of his original reality, though Searle was a separate person with whom he had no connection.) The position has given him a large collection of potential pawns to serve as disposable assets in his schemes. (Blakestone and -- eventually -- Prydwen are not pawns. They are to be a bishop and a knight, eventually.) Of course, it has also brought him into conflict with the secret ruler of the United Kingdom. He does not consider Dracula a serious threat, believing it likely that he can use the creature to his own advantage.
That others have thought the same, and suffered as a consequence, is likely to be a misfortune from which he will eventually have to learn.
Merlin -- PL 13
Abilities:
STR 10/2 | STA 3 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 6 | INT 3 | AWE 5 | PRE 10
Powers:
Immortal: Immortality 5 (one day), Only When On Home Plane; Immunity 1 (aging); Movement 1 (dimensional travel to home plane), Reaction (death); Movement 2 (dimensional travel to mystical dimensions), Standard Action - 10 points
Master of the Mystic Arts: Array (44 points)
- Healing Word: Perception Ranged Healing 7, Energizing, Resurrection, Restorative, Side Effect (inflicts Damage 7 to target on failed roll) - 1 point
- Lightning Barrage: Ranged Multiattack Damage 14, Dynamic - 2 points
- Spellshatter: Nullify Magic 14, Broad, Simultaneous, Precise, Dynamic - 45 points
- Portal: Extended Only Teleport 11, Portal, Dynamic - 2 points
- Probing: Cumulative Effortless Mind Reading 10, Subtle, Dynamic - 2 points
- Scrying: Remote Sensing 8 (all senses), Dimensional, Dynamic - 2 points
- Shielding: Immunity 80 (Toughness), Concentration; Dynamic - 2 points
Mystic Attunement: Senses 7 (extended 4 mystic awareness, ranged detect immortal) - 7 points
Staff: Environment 1 (light); Strength-based Damage 2; Removable (-0 points) - 3 points
Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Equipment 4, Fearless, Improved Defense, Multilingual, Ritualist, Trance.
Equipment:
Home Plane: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Communications, Concealed, Defense System, Dimensional Portal (Pandiomon), Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power System, Personnel, Security System - 19 points.
New Worminghall: Size Huge; Toughness 12; Features Concealed, Defense System, Grounds, Gym, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Power (Burst Area 5 Nullify Technology 11), Power System, Personnel, Security System - 1 point
Skills:
Deception 4 (+14), Expertise: History 10 (+13), Expertise: Magic 5 (+15), Insight 6 (+11), Intimidation 3 (+13), Perception 7 (+12), Persuasion 4 (+14), Ranged Combat: Mystic Arts 9 (+12), Treatment 8 (+11).
Offense:
Initiative +2
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 10/2)
Staff +8 (Close Damage 12/4)
Lightning Barrage +12 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 14)
Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 8, Fortitude 6, Toughness 12/3, Will 16
Totals:
Abilities 68 + Powers 136 + Advantages 16 + Skills 27 + Defenses 20 = 267 points
Offensive PL: 13
Defensive PL: 10
Resistance PL: 11
Skill PL: 10
Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Arrogant and Patronizing. Confused Memories. Secret Identity.
"Once -- but no! That never happened! That is, it did -- but now it did not! I must push such memories forever from my mind -- for that way lies madness."
Davies
Legend
The Horned King
The gradual seizure of authority by Dracula within Britain during the 1990s did not go totally unnoticed, and not all of those who realized what was going on were destroyed or co-opted. Two individuals, both members of the intelligence community who were practicing magicians, had developed what they hoped would be a plan to counter the influence of the King Vampire in a way insuring that the danger passed unnoticed by the average Briton. Geraint Llewellyn, the less talented of the two, engaged in preparations for the final phase of the plan, which would begin after Christopher Potter succeeded in eliminating Baron Khan and seizing his resources for their own use.
Unfortunately, attempts to do that failed repeatedly and eventually lead to the death of Potter, ruining the plan on several levels. While infuriated by the death of a man he considered a friend, Llewellyn felt helpless to do anything about it -- if someone as talented as Potter had been destroyed by the forces with which they had to contend, what could he possibly do against them? Embittered, Llewellyn returned to his official work and tried to ignore the growing horror that surrounded him.
Roughly a decade later, a new opportunity came his way, as the department for which he worked seized a copy of the notorious Book of the Great Scorpion from the estate of a deceased occultist, one that the analyst who documented the seizure believed to have been in the possession of Dracula himself. Upon learning of this, Llewellyn promptly murdered his co-worker and stole the Book. It would be an exaggeration or even an outright lie to claim that he had developed a new plan but he believed that one would make itself manifest when he studied the Book in detail.
Something like that did happen. Llewellyn discovered a ritual that would supposedly allow him to become a being possessing many of the strengths of a vampire and none of its weaknesses. Thus strengthened, he would finally be able to oppose Dracula and his minions and end their rule over Britain. Of course, that would not be the end of his ambitions; he would make it so that they could never gain that power and influence again. The rise of the vampires had been accomplished through their subversion of the technological and political infrastructure of modern Britain. Only by returning to a pre-industrial and pre-scientific world could they become safe forever. That this would result in countless deaths was simply a necessary sacrifice.
He performed the ritual and was transformed into an undead monstrosity he dubbed Y Brenin Corniog, the Horned King. For the last decade, he has striven to overthrow the current order in Britain, opposed most often by Nick Grey (whom he blames for the death of Potter, rendering their conflicts particularly personal) and Prydwen. An indication of how successful he has been is the fact that Dracula and his agents are barely aware that he exists.
The Horned King -- PL 11
Abilities:
STR 8 | STA -- | AGL 3 | DEX 5 | FGT 7 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 4
Powers:
Anatomical Separation: Summon Head 9, Controlled, Heroic, Mental Link, Side Effect (becomes Paralyzed, always) - 28 points
Call Darkness: Linked Ranged Burst Area Visual Concealment 4 Attack; Linked Ranged Selective Burst Area Damage 11, Limited (will not affect targets with darkvision), Resisted by Will, Quirk (anyone who successfully resists the Damage is permanently immune to it) - 59 points
Darksight: Senses 2 (darkvision) - 2 points
Undead: Immunity 30 (Foritude); Impervious Protection 8; Regeneration 6 - 52 points
Advantages:
Fearless, Improved Grab, Ritualist, Seize Initiative.
Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+13), Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Magic 8 (+12), Intimidation 9 (+13), Investigation 6 (+11), Perception 7 (+13).
Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +13 (Close Damage 8)
Call Darkness -- (Ranged Burst Area Damage 11, Resisted by Will)
Defense:
Dodge 11, Parry 13, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 8, Will 11
Totals:
Abilities 66 + Powers 131 + Advantages 4 + Skills 22 + Defenses 19 = 252 points
Offensive PL: 11
Defensive PL: 11
Resistance PL: 11
Skill PL: 8
Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Hatred (technology and "modern" institutions.) Vulnerability (Deception and Intimidation by "mortals".)
Separated Head -- PL 9
Abilities:
STR 6 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX -2 | FGT 4 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 4
Powers:
Darksight: Senses 2 (darkvision) - 2 points
Flying: Flight 2 (8 MPH) - 4 points
Small: Permanent Shrinking 8 (Strength -2, Intimidation -4, Speed -1, Dodge +4, Parry +4, Stealth +8), Innate - 9 points
Undead: Immunity 30 (Foritude); Impervious Protection 8; Regeneration 6 - 52 points
Advantages:
Fearless, Seize Initiative.
Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+10), Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Magic 8 (+12), Intimidation 9 (+9), Investigation 6 (+11), Perception 5 (+11).
Offense:
Initiative +0
Unarmed +10 (Close Damage 6)
Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 10, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 8, Will 9
Totals:
Abilities 36 + Powers 67 + Advantages 2 + Skills 21 + Defenses 9 = 135 points
Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 9
Resistance PL: 9
Skill PL: 7
Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Hatred (technology and "modern" institutions.) No Fine Manipulators. Vulnerability (Deception and Intimidation by "mortals".)
The gradual seizure of authority by Dracula within Britain during the 1990s did not go totally unnoticed, and not all of those who realized what was going on were destroyed or co-opted. Two individuals, both members of the intelligence community who were practicing magicians, had developed what they hoped would be a plan to counter the influence of the King Vampire in a way insuring that the danger passed unnoticed by the average Briton. Geraint Llewellyn, the less talented of the two, engaged in preparations for the final phase of the plan, which would begin after Christopher Potter succeeded in eliminating Baron Khan and seizing his resources for their own use.
Unfortunately, attempts to do that failed repeatedly and eventually lead to the death of Potter, ruining the plan on several levels. While infuriated by the death of a man he considered a friend, Llewellyn felt helpless to do anything about it -- if someone as talented as Potter had been destroyed by the forces with which they had to contend, what could he possibly do against them? Embittered, Llewellyn returned to his official work and tried to ignore the growing horror that surrounded him.
Roughly a decade later, a new opportunity came his way, as the department for which he worked seized a copy of the notorious Book of the Great Scorpion from the estate of a deceased occultist, one that the analyst who documented the seizure believed to have been in the possession of Dracula himself. Upon learning of this, Llewellyn promptly murdered his co-worker and stole the Book. It would be an exaggeration or even an outright lie to claim that he had developed a new plan but he believed that one would make itself manifest when he studied the Book in detail.
Something like that did happen. Llewellyn discovered a ritual that would supposedly allow him to become a being possessing many of the strengths of a vampire and none of its weaknesses. Thus strengthened, he would finally be able to oppose Dracula and his minions and end their rule over Britain. Of course, that would not be the end of his ambitions; he would make it so that they could never gain that power and influence again. The rise of the vampires had been accomplished through their subversion of the technological and political infrastructure of modern Britain. Only by returning to a pre-industrial and pre-scientific world could they become safe forever. That this would result in countless deaths was simply a necessary sacrifice.
He performed the ritual and was transformed into an undead monstrosity he dubbed Y Brenin Corniog, the Horned King. For the last decade, he has striven to overthrow the current order in Britain, opposed most often by Nick Grey (whom he blames for the death of Potter, rendering their conflicts particularly personal) and Prydwen. An indication of how successful he has been is the fact that Dracula and his agents are barely aware that he exists.
The Horned King -- PL 11
Abilities:
STR 8 | STA -- | AGL 3 | DEX 5 | FGT 7 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 4
Powers:
Anatomical Separation: Summon Head 9, Controlled, Heroic, Mental Link, Side Effect (becomes Paralyzed, always) - 28 points
Call Darkness: Linked Ranged Burst Area Visual Concealment 4 Attack; Linked Ranged Selective Burst Area Damage 11, Limited (will not affect targets with darkvision), Resisted by Will, Quirk (anyone who successfully resists the Damage is permanently immune to it) - 59 points
Darksight: Senses 2 (darkvision) - 2 points
Undead: Immunity 30 (Foritude); Impervious Protection 8; Regeneration 6 - 52 points
Advantages:
Fearless, Improved Grab, Ritualist, Seize Initiative.
Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+13), Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Magic 8 (+12), Intimidation 9 (+13), Investigation 6 (+11), Perception 7 (+13).
Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +13 (Close Damage 8)
Call Darkness -- (Ranged Burst Area Damage 11, Resisted by Will)
Defense:
Dodge 11, Parry 13, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 8, Will 11
Totals:
Abilities 66 + Powers 131 + Advantages 4 + Skills 22 + Defenses 19 = 252 points
Offensive PL: 11
Defensive PL: 11
Resistance PL: 11
Skill PL: 8
Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Hatred (technology and "modern" institutions.) Vulnerability (Deception and Intimidation by "mortals".)
Separated Head -- PL 9
Abilities:
STR 6 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX -2 | FGT 4 | INT 5 | AWE 6 | PRE 4
Powers:
Darksight: Senses 2 (darkvision) - 2 points
Flying: Flight 2 (8 MPH) - 4 points
Small: Permanent Shrinking 8 (Strength -2, Intimidation -4, Speed -1, Dodge +4, Parry +4, Stealth +8), Innate - 9 points
Undead: Immunity 30 (Foritude); Impervious Protection 8; Regeneration 6 - 52 points
Advantages:
Fearless, Seize Initiative.
Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 6 (+10), Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Magic 8 (+12), Intimidation 9 (+9), Investigation 6 (+11), Perception 5 (+11).
Offense:
Initiative +0
Unarmed +10 (Close Damage 6)
Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 10, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 8, Will 9
Totals:
Abilities 36 + Powers 67 + Advantages 2 + Skills 21 + Defenses 9 = 135 points
Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 9
Resistance PL: 9
Skill PL: 7
Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Hatred (technology and "modern" institutions.) No Fine Manipulators. Vulnerability (Deception and Intimidation by "mortals".)
Davies
Legend
Shadowjack
His clearest memory is of waking up in darkness, feeling both weak as a kitten and completely at a loss about what had happened to him and why everything that came before waking up had a weird dreamlike quality. He realized that he was not alone when the darkness spoke to him, with the shadows clearing up to reveal that Darkwing was looking down at him. Not an experience that he had ever expected to have, what with him being a kid from Hell's Kitchen and Darkwing coming from Chi-Town. There was some other person there, with weird reddish-pink hair, but she said nothing, only studying the readout on the machine to which he was hooked up.
Darkwing explained to him what had happened -- during an incident in New York, he had been one of a few dozen people who were injected with an unusual chemical by a mad scientist. ('Jack would later learn that the "mad scientist" was actually a vampire wizard named Yorga.) All of the others who were subjected to this had died, and he himself had only barely survived with medical help from a really good doctor. But he had not been left unmarked by all this. With that, Darkwing hesitantly held up a mirror.
"Oooookayyyyy," said Shadowjack as he looked at his blue skin. "Anything else I should know about?"
There was; he was now a superpower. Not only was his skin an unusual pigment, it was slightly harder than steel. His eyes were capable of seeing in anything less than total darkness, but reacted poorly to daylight. And he could open up rifts in space that he could travel through, send people through, or use to call up ... well, he supposed that they were not really tentacles, since they were made of metal instead of flesh, but they certainly looked like they could be part of some metal octopus somewhere.
None of this was anything that Jack Coleman had ever expected for his life. Darkwing sympathized and offered to sponsor his studies at the Futurian Academy, but Jack had already dropped out of high school once and going back was not an idea that he relished. Unfortunately, a reunion with his parents in New York went incredibly poorly, as they refused to accept that this was their son. Jack returned to Chicago and decided that the only thing he could do with his life was to use his powers to help prevent bad things like this from happening to anyone else, becoming a superhero based out of East Garfield Park, occasionally assisting Darkwing and (somewhat more frequently) receiving assistance from him.
Over the last two years, 'Jack (as he calls himself now -- the ' is silent, but he somehow knows when people are refusing to use it) has developed a reputation as a friendly if somewhat creepy hero in his neighborhood. He is still pretty angry about his transformation and alienation from his family, but channels it in the slightly more productive direction of scaring the local criminal element. He also channels it into his studies of magic, hoping to find a way to reverse what has done to him. It is only recently that he has started to see results in this endeavor, after working alongside Yenova of the Vagabonds on a case. Still no luck in getting back to normal, but even if the game is rigged against him, you only win if you play.
Shadowjack -- PL8
Abilities:
STR 2 | STA 4 | AGL 3 | DEX 3 | FGT 4 | INT 3 | AWE 4 | PRE 4
Powers:
Altered Senses: Senses 1 (low-light vision) - 1 point
Hardened Body: Protection 6 - 6 points
Mystic Gates: Array (29 points)
Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Hide in Plain Sight, Ritualist, Uncanny Dodge.
Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+6), Expertise: Magic 5 (+9), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+7), Insight 4 (+8), Intimidation 6 (+10), Investigation 4 (+7), Perception 2 (+6), Ranged Combat: Gates 4 (+7), Stealth 5 (+8).
Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 2)
Crushing Tentacles +7 (Ranged Damage 9)
Gate Attack +7 (Ranged Teleport 7, Resisted by Strength)
Grappling Tentacles +7 (Range Affliction 9, Resisted by Dodge)
Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 6, Fortitude 6, Toughness 10, Will 7
Totals:
Abilities 54 + Powers 38 + Advantages 5 + Skills 18 + Defenses 10 = 125 points
Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 8
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 5
Complications:
Justice--Motivation. Strange Appearance. Vulnerability (light-based visual Afflictions.) Weakness (daylight leaves him Impaired on most checks and Visually Disabled.)
His clearest memory is of waking up in darkness, feeling both weak as a kitten and completely at a loss about what had happened to him and why everything that came before waking up had a weird dreamlike quality. He realized that he was not alone when the darkness spoke to him, with the shadows clearing up to reveal that Darkwing was looking down at him. Not an experience that he had ever expected to have, what with him being a kid from Hell's Kitchen and Darkwing coming from Chi-Town. There was some other person there, with weird reddish-pink hair, but she said nothing, only studying the readout on the machine to which he was hooked up.
Darkwing explained to him what had happened -- during an incident in New York, he had been one of a few dozen people who were injected with an unusual chemical by a mad scientist. ('Jack would later learn that the "mad scientist" was actually a vampire wizard named Yorga.) All of the others who were subjected to this had died, and he himself had only barely survived with medical help from a really good doctor. But he had not been left unmarked by all this. With that, Darkwing hesitantly held up a mirror.
"Oooookayyyyy," said Shadowjack as he looked at his blue skin. "Anything else I should know about?"
There was; he was now a superpower. Not only was his skin an unusual pigment, it was slightly harder than steel. His eyes were capable of seeing in anything less than total darkness, but reacted poorly to daylight. And he could open up rifts in space that he could travel through, send people through, or use to call up ... well, he supposed that they were not really tentacles, since they were made of metal instead of flesh, but they certainly looked like they could be part of some metal octopus somewhere.
None of this was anything that Jack Coleman had ever expected for his life. Darkwing sympathized and offered to sponsor his studies at the Futurian Academy, but Jack had already dropped out of high school once and going back was not an idea that he relished. Unfortunately, a reunion with his parents in New York went incredibly poorly, as they refused to accept that this was their son. Jack returned to Chicago and decided that the only thing he could do with his life was to use his powers to help prevent bad things like this from happening to anyone else, becoming a superhero based out of East Garfield Park, occasionally assisting Darkwing and (somewhat more frequently) receiving assistance from him.
Over the last two years, 'Jack (as he calls himself now -- the ' is silent, but he somehow knows when people are refusing to use it) has developed a reputation as a friendly if somewhat creepy hero in his neighborhood. He is still pretty angry about his transformation and alienation from his family, but channels it in the slightly more productive direction of scaring the local criminal element. He also channels it into his studies of magic, hoping to find a way to reverse what has done to him. It is only recently that he has started to see results in this endeavor, after working alongside Yenova of the Vagabonds on a case. Still no luck in getting back to normal, but even if the game is rigged against him, you only win if you play.
Shadowjack -- PL8
Abilities:
STR 2 | STA 4 | AGL 3 | DEX 3 | FGT 4 | INT 3 | AWE 4 | PRE 4
Powers:
Altered Senses: Senses 1 (low-light vision) - 1 point
Hardened Body: Protection 6 - 6 points
Mystic Gates: Array (29 points)
- Crushing Tentacles: Damaging Move Object 9, Indirect 2 - 29 points
- Gate Attack: Ranged Teleport Attack 7 (.5 mile) - 1 point
- Gate Movement: Extended Only Teleport 7 (120 miles), Portal, Change Direction - 1 point
- Grappling Tentacles: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 9 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile), Extra Condition, Indirect 2, Limited Degree - 1 point
Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Hide in Plain Sight, Ritualist, Uncanny Dodge.
Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+6), Expertise: Magic 5 (+9), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+7), Insight 4 (+8), Intimidation 6 (+10), Investigation 4 (+7), Perception 2 (+6), Ranged Combat: Gates 4 (+7), Stealth 5 (+8).
Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 2)
Crushing Tentacles +7 (Ranged Damage 9)
Gate Attack +7 (Ranged Teleport 7, Resisted by Strength)
Grappling Tentacles +7 (Range Affliction 9, Resisted by Dodge)
Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 6, Fortitude 6, Toughness 10, Will 7
Totals:
Abilities 54 + Powers 38 + Advantages 5 + Skills 18 + Defenses 10 = 125 points
Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 8
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 5
Complications:
Justice--Motivation. Strange Appearance. Vulnerability (light-based visual Afflictions.) Weakness (daylight leaves him Impaired on most checks and Visually Disabled.)
Davies
Legend
The Judge
Professional killers are not generally eccentric, or at least they rarely express such eccentricities in their work. They focus on quickly eliminating their target -- almost always a single individual -- and then escaping from the scene, rather than looking "cool" or using an elaborate (and thus easily identifiable) method of operations. And then there is the Judge, who breaks all of the above rules, most notably in the way that he will happily accept contracts on groups of people. After all, from four to fifty players can be handled in any single campaign.
According to what information has been produced about him by the FBI, the Judge claims to have been a player in the original medieval fantasy wargaming campaign as a boy. As he appears to be in his early fifties, this is not impossible, but none of the surviving players of that campaign recognized the sole known photograph of him. It seems more likely that he only admires the aesthetic of that era of gaming while taking it even further than any sane gamer ever would have, seeking to become the ultimate adversarial game master. (Another theory, currently known only to members of the Gray Seal, holds that he was once a human "employee" of the destroyed artificial intelligence known as Pythagolem, charged with building "testing facilities" for its headquarters.)
His victims will find themselves kidnapped and often drugged, regaining consciousness in one of the rooms within his current dungeon. They are expected to make their escape from the complex using what equipment -- often "cursed" -- is made available to them, through traps, tricks and secret passages and past various robotic "monsters". The Judge himself will usually appear to them only through holographic projections, often serving as an unwelcome and sometimes fatal distraction while taunting the players or complaining when they damage when they ignore his scenario and look for less obvious means of escape.
Based in New York, the Judge apparently has a relationship with Tarot; he waives his fee when sending victims that they provide for his dungeons, in exchange for their assistance in "procuring" ones that he has been hired to eliminate by other parties. It was while "handling" one group of people who had inconvenienced Tarot in the past that the Judge had his first known encounter with a superhero. As his dimly-lit dungeon did not inhibit the abilities of Elliot Ross, alias Curveball, the latter was able to fake his death, change to his costume and rescue most of the other targets. The Judge barely escaped before Curveball was able to break into his control room, but had a different dungeon complex up and running within a few months.
The Judge is not able to seriously contend with superpowers, and knows it. While equipped with a superscience flame-thrower that he calls a wand of fire, he will always prioritize escape over attempting to defeat his opponents if they manage to confront him. However, it is entirely possible that his ego might get in the way of this practicality, particularly if his skills as a gamemaster are insulted ...
The Judge -- PL 6
Abilities:
STR 0 | STA 1 | AGL 1 | DEX 0 | FGT 2 | INT 3 | AWE 2 | PRE 3
Powers:
Wand of Fire: Line Area Damage 5; Easily Removable (-4) - 6 points
Advantages:
Benefit 2 (independently wealthy), Connected, Contacts, Distract (Deception), Equipment 5, Set-up, Taunt, Well-informed.
Equipment:
Concealed body armor (Protection 2, Subtle), tablet (disguised as tome), and 10 points of equipment as needed.
A Typical Dungeon: Size Huge; Toughness 10; Features Concealed, Deathtraps (oh so many), Defense System, Power System, Security System, Workshop - 10 points
Skills:
Deception 7 (+10), Expertise: Criminal 6 (+9), Expertise: Popular Culture 8 (+11), Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+9), Insight 7 (+9), Investigation 4 (+7), Persuasion 4 (+8), Technology 4 (+7).
Offense:
Initiative +1
Unarmed +2 (Close Damage 0)
Defense:
Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 2, Toughness 3/1, Will 5
Totals:
Abilities 24 + Powers 6 + Advantages 13 + Skills 23 + Defenses 7 = 73 points
Offensive PL: 5
Defensive PL: 3
Resistance PL: 4
Skill PL: 6
Complications:
Greed--Motivation. Incredibly Hammy. Vindictive.
Professional killers are not generally eccentric, or at least they rarely express such eccentricities in their work. They focus on quickly eliminating their target -- almost always a single individual -- and then escaping from the scene, rather than looking "cool" or using an elaborate (and thus easily identifiable) method of operations. And then there is the Judge, who breaks all of the above rules, most notably in the way that he will happily accept contracts on groups of people. After all, from four to fifty players can be handled in any single campaign.
According to what information has been produced about him by the FBI, the Judge claims to have been a player in the original medieval fantasy wargaming campaign as a boy. As he appears to be in his early fifties, this is not impossible, but none of the surviving players of that campaign recognized the sole known photograph of him. It seems more likely that he only admires the aesthetic of that era of gaming while taking it even further than any sane gamer ever would have, seeking to become the ultimate adversarial game master. (Another theory, currently known only to members of the Gray Seal, holds that he was once a human "employee" of the destroyed artificial intelligence known as Pythagolem, charged with building "testing facilities" for its headquarters.)
His victims will find themselves kidnapped and often drugged, regaining consciousness in one of the rooms within his current dungeon. They are expected to make their escape from the complex using what equipment -- often "cursed" -- is made available to them, through traps, tricks and secret passages and past various robotic "monsters". The Judge himself will usually appear to them only through holographic projections, often serving as an unwelcome and sometimes fatal distraction while taunting the players or complaining when they damage when they ignore his scenario and look for less obvious means of escape.
Based in New York, the Judge apparently has a relationship with Tarot; he waives his fee when sending victims that they provide for his dungeons, in exchange for their assistance in "procuring" ones that he has been hired to eliminate by other parties. It was while "handling" one group of people who had inconvenienced Tarot in the past that the Judge had his first known encounter with a superhero. As his dimly-lit dungeon did not inhibit the abilities of Elliot Ross, alias Curveball, the latter was able to fake his death, change to his costume and rescue most of the other targets. The Judge barely escaped before Curveball was able to break into his control room, but had a different dungeon complex up and running within a few months.
The Judge is not able to seriously contend with superpowers, and knows it. While equipped with a superscience flame-thrower that he calls a wand of fire, he will always prioritize escape over attempting to defeat his opponents if they manage to confront him. However, it is entirely possible that his ego might get in the way of this practicality, particularly if his skills as a gamemaster are insulted ...
The Judge -- PL 6
Abilities:
STR 0 | STA 1 | AGL 1 | DEX 0 | FGT 2 | INT 3 | AWE 2 | PRE 3
Powers:
Wand of Fire: Line Area Damage 5; Easily Removable (-4) - 6 points
Advantages:
Benefit 2 (independently wealthy), Connected, Contacts, Distract (Deception), Equipment 5, Set-up, Taunt, Well-informed.
Equipment:
Concealed body armor (Protection 2, Subtle), tablet (disguised as tome), and 10 points of equipment as needed.
A Typical Dungeon: Size Huge; Toughness 10; Features Concealed, Deathtraps (oh so many), Defense System, Power System, Security System, Workshop - 10 points
Skills:
Deception 7 (+10), Expertise: Criminal 6 (+9), Expertise: Popular Culture 8 (+11), Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+9), Insight 7 (+9), Investigation 4 (+7), Persuasion 4 (+8), Technology 4 (+7).
Offense:
Initiative +1
Unarmed +2 (Close Damage 0)
Defense:
Dodge 3, Parry 3, Fortitude 2, Toughness 3/1, Will 5
Totals:
Abilities 24 + Powers 6 + Advantages 13 + Skills 23 + Defenses 7 = 73 points
Offensive PL: 5
Defensive PL: 3
Resistance PL: 4
Skill PL: 6
Complications:
Greed--Motivation. Incredibly Hammy. Vindictive.
Davies
Legend
Dope Romeo
Physical form.
Digital avatar.
In preparing for her operations in the Sprawl, Mercedes Blaze knew that she would need an expert at computer intrusion. While Blaze herself is an extremely talented hacker, giving those duties to another person would allow her to focus her efforts on social engineering. Further, she was acquainted with an individual possessed of unusual capabilities that would be alien to the Sprawl, another outside context problem for them. So she contacted Dope Romeo (pronounced "ro-MAY-o"), whom she had hired on other occasions. As it happened, the young hacker in question was already packing her bags for an attempt to sneak into the Sprawl on her own initiative, making her an easy hire.
Born Suzu Mikhalkov, of mixed Japanese and Russian ancestry, she started calling herself Dope Romeo not long after her powers developed in early adolescence. (Her father had a passion for a certain Italian luxury car brand, and she chose the name to mock him.) She secured a reputation for herself as a talented hacker-for-hire using both conventional means and her powers, often doing work for hire for the Vision. Blaze was the first operative of that conspiracy to succeed in tracking her down for a face to face meeting, something that impressed her.
Arriving in the Sprawl, Romeo set about educating herself as to how things work. She was a bit surprised to discover that her ability to communicate with machines, combined with the vastly advanced computer technology present here, allowed her to project her consciousness into the local computer network, something she had only ever imagined as a metaphor. Of course, that puts her in a fair amount of danger, but she has also learned how to modify the avatar program that she creates inside the network so that it is significantly stronger, faster and tougher than her meat body, enabling her to fight effectively against defensive programs and other hackers.
Ironically, Blaze seems to have underestimated the Sprawl in this area. While Romeo has not yet encountered anyone else with innate cyberpathy -- just plenty of hackers who can imitate them through gear or implants -- she has found signs in the network that indicate that people with such talents have existed in the past, and that the locals are more prepared for them than her boss expected. Romeo has yet to inform Blaze of this development, as she is concerned that it might mean the end of their contract, and she is having so much fun.
That fun is her primary goal in all of this, rather than the money that keeps coming in. Besides, she has a lot of lucrative alternative income streams now. Romeo also does have slightly higher goals in all of this, though, as she is aware that the Sprawlcorps are getting quite chummy with the Emperor of Korea. While lacking much in the way of patriotism, Suzu would still rather the country where she was born and where her mother still lives not end up conquered.
Dope Romeo -- PL 8
Abilities:
STR 3/-1 | STA 0 | AGL 5/1 | DEX 3 | FGT 8/4 | INT 6 | AWE 4 | PRE 2
Powers:
Cyberspace Dive: Movement 1 (dimensional [cyberspace]), Side Effect (body is incapacitated) - 1 point
Downloaded Skillsets: Enhanced Advantage 1 (Beginner's Luck) - 1 point
Overclocked Avatar: Linked Enhanced Advantages 2 (Improved Smash, Weapon Break); Linked Enhanced Defenses 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Linked Enhanced Strength 4; Linked Enhanced Fighting 4; Linked Enhanced Agility 4; Linked Impervious Will 6; Linked Sustained Protection 4; Limited, Only in Cyberspace - 22 points
Technopathy: Radio Communication 3 (regional), Subtle; Comprehend Machines 2; Senses 3 (acute tracking radio) - 22 points
Advantages:
Beginner's Luck,, Benefit 4 (cipher 2, independently wealthy, makes gather information checks with Technology), Equipment 4, Improved Smash, Improvised Tools, Ranged Attack 3, Skill Mastery (Technology), Speed of Thought, Weapon Break.
Equipment:
Blaster pistol (Ranged Damage 5) and 10 points of equipment as needed.
Skills:
Deception 5 (+7), Expertise: Pop Culture 6 (+12), Expertise: Science 5 (+11), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+10), Insight 4 (+8), Investigation 1 (+7), Perception 3 (+9), Technology 6 (+12).
Offense:
Initiative +6
Unarmed +8/4 (Close Damage 3/-1)
Blaster +6 (Ranged Damage 5)
Defense:
Dodge 12/4, Parry 12/4, Fortitude 3, Toughness 4/0, Will 7
Totals:
Abilities 38 + Powers 46 + Advantages 14 + Skills 17 + Defenses 9 = 118 points
Offensive PL: 6/6
Defensive PL: 8/2
Resistance PL: 5
Skill PL: 7
Complications:
Thrills--Motivation. Larcenous Streak. Perverse Streak.
Physical form.
Digital avatar.
In preparing for her operations in the Sprawl, Mercedes Blaze knew that she would need an expert at computer intrusion. While Blaze herself is an extremely talented hacker, giving those duties to another person would allow her to focus her efforts on social engineering. Further, she was acquainted with an individual possessed of unusual capabilities that would be alien to the Sprawl, another outside context problem for them. So she contacted Dope Romeo (pronounced "ro-MAY-o"), whom she had hired on other occasions. As it happened, the young hacker in question was already packing her bags for an attempt to sneak into the Sprawl on her own initiative, making her an easy hire.
Born Suzu Mikhalkov, of mixed Japanese and Russian ancestry, she started calling herself Dope Romeo not long after her powers developed in early adolescence. (Her father had a passion for a certain Italian luxury car brand, and she chose the name to mock him.) She secured a reputation for herself as a talented hacker-for-hire using both conventional means and her powers, often doing work for hire for the Vision. Blaze was the first operative of that conspiracy to succeed in tracking her down for a face to face meeting, something that impressed her.
Arriving in the Sprawl, Romeo set about educating herself as to how things work. She was a bit surprised to discover that her ability to communicate with machines, combined with the vastly advanced computer technology present here, allowed her to project her consciousness into the local computer network, something she had only ever imagined as a metaphor. Of course, that puts her in a fair amount of danger, but she has also learned how to modify the avatar program that she creates inside the network so that it is significantly stronger, faster and tougher than her meat body, enabling her to fight effectively against defensive programs and other hackers.
Ironically, Blaze seems to have underestimated the Sprawl in this area. While Romeo has not yet encountered anyone else with innate cyberpathy -- just plenty of hackers who can imitate them through gear or implants -- she has found signs in the network that indicate that people with such talents have existed in the past, and that the locals are more prepared for them than her boss expected. Romeo has yet to inform Blaze of this development, as she is concerned that it might mean the end of their contract, and she is having so much fun.
That fun is her primary goal in all of this, rather than the money that keeps coming in. Besides, she has a lot of lucrative alternative income streams now. Romeo also does have slightly higher goals in all of this, though, as she is aware that the Sprawlcorps are getting quite chummy with the Emperor of Korea. While lacking much in the way of patriotism, Suzu would still rather the country where she was born and where her mother still lives not end up conquered.
Dope Romeo -- PL 8
Abilities:
STR 3/-1 | STA 0 | AGL 5/1 | DEX 3 | FGT 8/4 | INT 6 | AWE 4 | PRE 2
Powers:
Cyberspace Dive: Movement 1 (dimensional [cyberspace]), Side Effect (body is incapacitated) - 1 point
Downloaded Skillsets: Enhanced Advantage 1 (Beginner's Luck) - 1 point
Overclocked Avatar: Linked Enhanced Advantages 2 (Improved Smash, Weapon Break); Linked Enhanced Defenses 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Linked Enhanced Strength 4; Linked Enhanced Fighting 4; Linked Enhanced Agility 4; Linked Impervious Will 6; Linked Sustained Protection 4; Limited, Only in Cyberspace - 22 points
Technopathy: Radio Communication 3 (regional), Subtle; Comprehend Machines 2; Senses 3 (acute tracking radio) - 22 points
Advantages:
Beginner's Luck,, Benefit 4 (cipher 2, independently wealthy, makes gather information checks with Technology), Equipment 4, Improved Smash, Improvised Tools, Ranged Attack 3, Skill Mastery (Technology), Speed of Thought, Weapon Break.
Equipment:
Blaster pistol (Ranged Damage 5) and 10 points of equipment as needed.
Skills:
Deception 5 (+7), Expertise: Pop Culture 6 (+12), Expertise: Science 5 (+11), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+10), Insight 4 (+8), Investigation 1 (+7), Perception 3 (+9), Technology 6 (+12).
Offense:
Initiative +6
Unarmed +8/4 (Close Damage 3/-1)
Blaster +6 (Ranged Damage 5)
Defense:
Dodge 12/4, Parry 12/4, Fortitude 3, Toughness 4/0, Will 7
Totals:
Abilities 38 + Powers 46 + Advantages 14 + Skills 17 + Defenses 9 = 118 points
Offensive PL: 6/6
Defensive PL: 8/2
Resistance PL: 5
Skill PL: 7
Complications:
Thrills--Motivation. Larcenous Streak. Perverse Streak.
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