[Mutants & Masterminds] A World Less Magical But No Less Fantastic

[Davies]

Tiankui/天魁

Tiankui is one of the names for the star known as Alpha Ursae Majoris in western astronomy. In the Chinese classic known as Water Margin, the 108 stars associated with that constellation were associated with an identical number of the bandits of Mount Liang, said to be the reborn forms of 36 Heavenly Spirits and 72 Earthly Fiends. Tiankui was associated with their eventual leader, Song Jiang, portrayed in the text as an honest magistrate forced into banditry by corrupt opponents. While he was victorious and eventually redeemed, his enemies put him in a position where he was forced to drink poison or become a traitor once again. He chose the former.

All this was well known to Song Meng, who had studied the classics and annals since he was a child. If anyone had suggested that his family name meant that he had some connection to this legendary rebel, he would have chuckled, shook his head, and perhaps tried to educate the poor fool about the difference between verifiable history and historical romance. The Song family was immense and ancient, and his branch could only trace its 6,history back less than five hundred years. As for his personal inclinations, Meng was content to use his abilities -- both his sharp intellect and the extraordinary talents he had discovered in his early adolescence -- to help people quietly, without drawing attention to himself.

Alas, contentment was not to be his lot. Forced into action during the events of 2006, Meng managed to keep his identity secret while still protecting other superpowers and civilians from the forces of Saturn. In the aftermath, he spent a nervous week wondering whether his precautions had failed before the government announced its new policy of toleration for independent superpower agents, at which point he let out a sigh of relief ... that died in his lungs as he realized the trap that was being built.

These new superheroes would be tolerated just long enough for the state to learn enough about their weaknesses and vulnerabilities, and then those traits would be exploited to the fullest. Organization was going to be needed. And so he began to create the Sīfa Zhuānjiā, embracing his connection to Song Jiang under the alias Tiankui. (At least, that is the story he usually told. Once, however, when asked why he had been so sure about the intentions of the state, he remarked that he had received an unmistakable warning about them, but declined to elaborate what he meant by that.)

For seven years, Tiankui led the Sīfa to the best of his ability, aided by his ability to cloak himself and others from other attempts at psychic surveillance. But no luck endures forever, and he was finally put in a position where he had to choose between his own ability to escape and that of his people. He did not hesitate and was placed under arrest, brought to a secret facility inside the Beijing null field. There he was given another choice -- he could either accept psychic surgery to turn him into a loyal servant of the government or, in honor of his legacy, drink poison. Here, he hesitated, but chose the poison.

"That was the wrong choice," said his interrogator, drawing a pistol "You're supposed to arrange for 'Li Kui' to die with you, remember?" Before he could answer that there was no 'Li Kui'-equivalent in the Sīfa, the gun went off, and Song Meng died with a vague sense of amusement that people assumed he was following the classics so closely.

Tiankui -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR 2 | STA 3 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 4 | INT 7 | AWE 5 | PRE 5

Powers:
呼保義/"Protector of Righteousness": Selective Burst Area 3 Affects Others and Self Concealment 2 (mental senses) - 14 points
Shielded Mind: Impervious Will 12, Limited to mental effects - 6 points
Telepathic Communication and Probe: Selective Area Mental Communication 3 (regional); Cumulative Mind Reading 11 - 41 points
Telepathic Defenses: Enhanced Advantages 14 (Close Attack 3, Defensive Roll 2, Evasion 2, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative 2, Seize Initiative, Uncanny Dodge), Limited, Only against sapient opponents without Immunity to Mental Effects or Impervious Will 12; Enhanced Defenses 16 (Dodge 8, Parry 8), Limited, Only against sapient opponents without Immunity to Mental Effects or Impervious Will 12; Senses 2 (acute psychic awareness) - 17 points

Advantages:
Assessment, Close Attack 3, Contacts, Defensive Roll 2, Evasion 2, Fascinate (Persuasion), Improved Defense, Improved Initiative 2, Inspire 2, Jack-of-all-trades, Leadership, Seize Initiative, Uncanny Dodge, Well-informed.

Skills:
Deception 6 (+11), Expertise: Civics 6 (+13), Expertise: History 5 (+12), Insight 8 (+13), Investigation 5 (+12), Perception 6 (+11), Persuasion 8 (+13), Treatment 4 (+11).

Offense:
Initiative +10/+2
Unarmed +7/+4 (Close Damage 2)

Defense:
Dodge 14/6, Parry 14/6, Fortitude 5, Toughness 8/3, Will 15

Totals:
Abilities 62 + Powers 78 + Advantages 8 + Skills 24 + Skills 18 = 190 points

Offensive PL: 11
Defensive PL: 11
Resistance PL: 10
Skill PL: 8

Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Hunted by Authorities. Secret Identity.

 

[Davies]

Kishinami Monoka (revised)

In one version of events -- the one that no one else seems to remember -- soon after her sixteenth birthday, Monoka overheard Megan Excalibur talking with one of the higher ups about the prospect that Monoka would eventually succeed her, and expressing the hope that this "eventually" was a long way off. Stung by this apparent lack of confidence, Monoka threw herself into studying and training so that she could not only become as good of a leader as Megan, but a better one. In the process, she put together the most comprehensive analysis of the Shēngxiào that had yet been assembled, to the point where even some of the best experts on the subject admitted that her research had uncovered facts that they had never realized had to be true. But before she could receive the plaudits she deserved from Megan, everything changed.

In the other version of events -- the one that everyone else remembers -- there was no conversation like that. Monoka decided that she had to take things seriously without such an impetus, even before she turned sixteen, because Motoko was never going to do it. She was able to give her studies more time, but they also had less intensity. So when she finally presented her analysis, it impressed fewer people and many of its conclusions were things that had already been realized. The one person whose approval and admiration she wanted the most had never existed, and would never give it. And the only other person who remembered her was a complete psychopath.

"Why me?" Monoka asks, on a fairly daily basis, though usually only when she hopes no one can hear her.

Well, it seems unlikely that she will ever get an answer to that question, but she has still be put in the position of authority that Megumi -- no, that Motoko once held. By and large, she lets the other Ghost Sweepers do their jobs without interfering or directing them, focusing her efforts on dealing with the bureaucracy so that they can do those jobs, and developing strategies that put them in the places where those jobs will be most effective in answering the threat that Diorite continues to pose. She has even met the enemy, face to face and eye to eye. It was a horrifying experience, and she was honestly glad that Motoko was there to keep them both alive.

But she has not yet told her predecessor, or anyone else, that there was something hauntingly familiar about the Empress of Black Jade.

Regardless, she continues her studies and training, even though they have gotten her what she supposedly wanted. She is currently seeking to learn hand-to-hand combat techniques from one of the first adversaries that the Ghost Sweepers ever fought, while also improving her knowledge of history. Perhaps the most significant lacunae in her knowledge, and one of her greatest weaknesses, is a lack of knowledge about magic. But this is a deliberate choice on her part, as she would find it easy to gain that knowledge -- and the power that came with it -- if she wanted to do that. Monoka has chosen otherwise, resisting the temptations involved, and still viewing herself as someone blessed by greater powers rather than commanding them.

Kishinami Monoka -- PL 8

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

Powers:
Flames of the Vermillion Bird: Array (17 points)

• Flame Arrow: Ranged Damage 8, Quirk (requires existing open fire or high temperatures) - 17 points
• Flame Breath: Cone Area Damage 8, Quirk (requires existing open fire or high temperatures) - 1 point
• Flame Shapes: Ranged Shapeable Area Damage 3, Concentration Duration, Selective, Quirk (requires existing open fire or high temperatures) - 1 point
• Scrying: Remote Sensing 8 (visual; 250 miles), Quirk (requires existing open fire) - 1 point

Pristine Memory: Feature 1 (chronal memory) - 1 point
Touched by No Lesser Flame: Immunity 10 (fire effects) - 10 points
Wings of the Vermillion Bird: Enhanced Advantages 4 (Defensive Roll, Evasion, Improved Defense, Move-by Action); Flight 5 (60 MPH); Reaction Damage 3 - 22 points

Advantages:
Assessment, Defensive Roll 2, Evasion 2, Extraordinary Effort, Favored Enemy (Shengxiao), Improved Defense, Leadership, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Teamwork.

Skills:
Deception 4 (+6), Expertise: Civics 6 (+8), Expertise: History 4 (+6), Expertise: Popular Culture 4 (+6), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+6), Expertise: Theology & Philosophy 7 (+9), Insight 5 (+8), Perception 4 (+7), Persuasion 6 (+8), Ranged Combat: Flames 6 (+8).

Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +3 (Close Damage 0 and Reaction Damage 3)
Firebolt +7 (Ranged Damage 8)
Firebreath -- (Cone Area Damage 8)
Fire Shaping -- (Ranged Shapeable Area Damage 3)

Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 7, Fortitude 4, Toughness 7/2, Will 9

Totals:
Abilities 34 + Powers 53 + Advantages 8 + Skills 25 + Defenses 18 = 138 points

Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 8
Resistance PL: 8
Skill PL: 4

Complications:
Responsibility--Motivation. Power Loss (all, if Suzaku is disappointed.) Prejudice (minor.) Secret (government agent.) Sly and Sarcastic, Beneath an Air of Sanctity.

Do you feel so frustrated
Frightened and feared
Answer my question
Why me, why me, why me
Why me, why me, why me?

 

[Davies]

Amnar

The origins and true nature of the being who calls himself Amnar are not positively known. He might be a Titan -- though he is much more humanoid than most of them -- or an Olympian -- though if so he is unknown to the survivors of that people -- or one of the "rising stars" of Cherab -- though, again, he is unrecognizable to those who should know of him. He himself will offer a simple and straightforward account of himself. He is a god, and will reward those who worship him while punishing those who offend him.

The earliest records of encounters with Amnar can be found in the histories of Anacreon, contained in the databases of the Secret Sanctuary. Soon after the arrival there of the Dhakimite explorers who settled the uninhabited planet, Amnar descended from the heavens to present himself to their leaders and offer them the opportunity to begin worshipping him. The Dhakimites were skeptical of his claims to divinity, but they recognized that they were dealing with a dangerously powerful entity and one who had them at a disadvantage. They were scientists and scholars, not soldiers, and in no position to resist his demands.

So one of them, named Mahan Ul-Na (supposedly the founder of the Na family) came up with a plan to surrender to those demands in a way that benefited themselves. The colonists agreed to worship Amnar, and followed his directions when it came to ceremonial observances of his grandeur. However, they also made many demands of their new god, always expressed in the most flattering ways possible, which forced him to use his powers to an excessive degree. Much of the infrastructure that would eventually allow them to endure being abandoned by their home world was created in this fashion.

Ultimately, Amnar declared that he had exhausted himself with these demands, and would have to withdraw to the source of his power -- the sun orbited by Anacreon -- in order to rest and recover. The Anacreonites begged him to stay, but agreed to continue worshipping him in his absence when he insisted that it had to be done. And they did, even after their leaders determined that Amnar had entered a dormant state in a close orbit to the sun rather than merging with it. The ceremonies continued right up until the death of Anacreonite civilization, though the number of their observants dwindled over the centuries.

Quite recently, Amnar emerged from that dormant state and returned to Anacreon to check in on his followers, and was understandably horrified to discover their extinction. However, he was able to discover from fragmentary records that Anacreonites had been sent away from their world before the end, towards a planet some 27.8 light years distance, and decided to voyage there himself to make himself known to his followers. As he has gotten closer to Earth, he has intercepted signals from the planet that have informed him about the culture among which those followers live, and he has decided to accept their worship as well.

Assuming that this benevolence is rejected, he will likely be wroth. If successfully challenged, however, he will offer an attempt at face-saving surrender. This will involve him offering to imbue his powers into a human vessel, who will then act as his agent and messenger to demonstrate the benefits that he can bring to humanity while he rests and recuperates. This "imbued servant" will pose as a superhero, learning the powers and weaknesses of those who opposed their master and relaying that information to Amnar, so that he is better informed and able to triumph when at last he returns. Of course, if that agent should fall in battle, Amnar will have the perfect excuse to return immediately ...

Aside from his desire to be worshipped, happiness when that desire is met and anger when it is not, Amnar is a fairly simple being. His desires do not extend to having sacrifices -- whether material or living -- offered to him, as he has no need for such things. He only wishes to be acknowledged as the most important being in reality, and hear praises given to his name. That said, he has a somewhat volatile temper, and anything that causes harm to any who worship him, or might do so, might easily draw down horrific retribution from him. Or it might not. There is no way of knowing.

The scheme that the Anacreonites used will not work a second time. He does not understand that he was deceived, but does realize that using his powers so freely resulted in him sleeping through the loss of his followers. It will not happen again.

Amnar -- PL 14

Abilities:
STR 8 | STA 12 | AGL 7 | DEX 2 | FGT 7 | INT 8 | AWE 6 | PRE 8

Powers:
Creature of Light: Environment 2 (bright light); Immunity 21 (aging, energy damage, life support); Impervious Toughness 12; Linked
Continuous Insubstantial 3 (affected by dark energy); Linked Reaction Damage 8, Affects Corporeal - 97 points
Energy Sheath: Enhanced Defenses 12 (Dodge 6, Parry 6); Flight 18 (500,000 MPH); Movement 2 (space flight 2) - 52 points
Starlight: Array (40 points)

• Blast of Light: Ranged Damage 18, Precise, Split Attack 2 - 1 point
• Burst of Light: Burst Area 2 Damage 13 - 1 point
• Disintegrating Blast: Linked Ranged Damage 8; Linked Ranged Weaken Toughness 8, Affects Objects - 40 points
• Imbue With Light: Heroic Summon 12, Limited to Available and Willing Subject, Mental Link - 1 point
• Light of Creation: Burst Area 2 Cumulative Affliction 13 (Resisted by Fortitude; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, visually Unaware), Limited to One Sense - 1 point
• Solid Light: Perception Range Move Object 13 - 1 point

Stellar Senses: Senses 6 (hyper-extended acute energy awareness, acute radio) - 6 points

Advantages:
Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Improved Initiative, Jack-of-all-trades, Move-by Attack, Power Attack.

Skills:
Acrobatics 7 (+14), Expertise: Galactic 4 (+12), Expertise: Science 5 (+13), Insight 3 (+9), Intimidation 4 (+12), Perception 5 (+11), Ranged Attack: Starlight 8 (+10)

Offense:
Initiative +11
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 8)
Basic Blast +10 (Ranged Damage 18)
Disintegrating Blast +10 (Ranged Damage 8 and Weaken Toughness 8)

Defense:
Dodge 16/10, Parry 14/8, Fortitude 12, Toughness 12, Will 12

Totals:
Abilities 116 + Powers 200 + Advantages 6 + Skills 18 + Defenses 10 = 350 points

Offensive PL: 14
Defensive PL: 13
Resistance PL: 12
Skill PL: 9

Complications:
Desire for Worship--Motivation. Easily Flattered. Unfamiliar With Terran Culture.


Imbued Servant -- PL 12

Abilities:
STR 2 | STA 3 | AGL 5 | DEX 4 | FGT 5 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 3

Powers:
Creature of Light: Environment 1 (bright light); Impervious Protection 8; Linked Insubstantial 3 (affected by dark energy); Linked Reaction Damage 4, Affects Corporeal - 49 points
Energy Sheath: Enhanced Defenses 12 (Dodge 6, Parry 6); Flight 9 (1000 MPH) - 30 points
Gleam of Starlight: Array (30 points)

• Blast: Ranged Damage 15 - 30 points
• Burst: Burst Area 2 Damage 10 - 1 point
• Dazzle: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 15 - 1 point

Stellar Senses: Senses 2 (communication link with Amnar, energy awareness) - 2 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Improved Initiative, Move-by Attack, Power Attack

Skills:
Acrobatics 5 (+10), Deception 6 (+9), Perception 6 (+9), Ranged Combat: Light 5 (+9)

Offense:
Initiative +5
Unarmed +5 (Close Damage 2)
Blast +9 (Ranged Damage 15)

Defense:
Dodge 11/5, Parry 11/5, Fortitude 5, Toughness 11, Will 7

Totals:
Abilities 46 + Powers 109 + Advantages 4 + Skills 11 + Defenses 6 = 180 points

Offensive PL: 12
Defensive PL: 11
Resistance PL: 6
Skill PL: 5

Complications:
Loyalty--Motivation. Only Vague Memories of Previous Existence.

 

[Davies]

The Shootist

Masked

Unmasked

Switzerland went untouched by the Pythonian Insurgency. While it was not the only nation to avoid subjected to any attacks on its government, infrastructure or populace during that decade-long conflict, it was perhaps the largest one. As a result, a conspiracy theory arose which suggested that the Swiss banks had purchased the safety of their nation by paying protection money to the Pythons. This is regarded as absurd by most serious historians of the conflict, but the full account of the logistics of the Insurgency has yet to be written.

Lars Jaggi was dimly aware of these rumors when he reported for compulsory military service in 1993, but he gave them little enough thought. The Insurgency was over, after all, and the wicked folk who had caused so much havoc were facing their just desserts. During basic training, Lars demonstrated some unusual talents that led to his recruitment by the Grenardiers, which trained them. He never considered himself any sort of "super-soldier", just a bit more accurate and perceptive than most of his fellows.

After taking part in the defense of his nation during the attack by Cerebron, and serving a total of ten years of active duty, Sergeant Jaggi returned to civilian life and took up a career managing a mountain hostel in Olivone. By all accounts, he was satisfied with his life. And then, in 2006, the heirs to the Insurgency made their existence known, and this time Switzerland was not spared, though the damage was relatively minor -- though it notably included a certain hostel and a number of people who worked there.

In the aftermath, Jaggi was surprised to be contacted by an elderly man who identified himself as one of the principle managers of a certain Zurich bank, who had an interesting story to tell him. Essentially, the rumors were true; a quarter century earlier, several of the major banks in Switzerland had been offered the opportunity to buy safety for Switzerland at a not terribly onerous price. They had taken it, and had not even been betrayed at that time, so the old man did not truly regret what they had done.

But the old agreement no longer applied, clearly, and the old man was now minded to make some response. That was where Jaggi was to come in; his talents, trained by the military, would be ideal for the purpose of hunting down these enemies of civilization. The old man would covertly sponsor him, though he would disavow any knowledge of his activities if Jaggi were to be captured by the authorities. He would be able to provide modern weapons --

"A crossbow," interrupted Jaggi.

"Excuse me."

"I'll just need a crossbow. Anything more would be overkill." And then Jaggi fixed his would-be sponsor with a ferocious glare. "And I will always, always, be carrying a second bolt in my belt, against the day that you steer me to harm any innocents."

As it would turn out, he found himself using an advanced version of a crossbow that employed railgun technology to launch its bolts, but since he has fought numerous dangerous foes above and beyond his enduring grudge against Saturn. The Shootist (or der Schützen) has rarely worked with other superheroes, though he has been assisted by and assisted Tommy Heliogabalus on several occasions, and he was somewhat reluctantly accepted by the defenders of Europe during the recent invasion. His body count is not as high as most people imagine, for he has sometimes assisted people who need to escape from Saturn or other criminals in faking their deaths.

After nearly fifteen years of this never-ending battle, Lars Jaggi is starting to recognize signs of burnout in himself. He wants to retire and go back home, but is unsure if there is anything left for him to go back to. The old man passed away a long time ago, to be succeeded by one of his sons, who has hinted that he does not really want to support this war for too much longer. But Saturn is acting more blatantly than ever ... and someone still needs to do what must be done. Or at least, that is what helps him to sleep ... sometimes.

The Shootist -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR 3 | STA 3 | AGL 4 | DEX 6 | FGT 5 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 0

Powers:
Crossbolter: Array (10 points), Easily Removable (-4 points)

• Basic Bolt: Ranged Damage 5 -- 6 points
• Capture Bolt: Ranged Affliction 5 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Hindered & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Immobile), Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 1 point
• Taser Bolt: Ranged Affliction 5 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapicated) - 1 point

Sensory Enhancements: Senses 3 (extended vision 2, low-light vision) - 3 points

Advantages:
Defensive Roll, Diehard, Equipment 6, Evasion, Improved Aim, Improved Critical 2 (crossbolter), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Precise Attack (ranged/cover), Ranged Attack 7, Startle, Uncanny Dodge.

Equipment:
Body Armor (Protection 3) and 27 points of gear as needed for any given mission, often including a swingline (Movement 1 [swinging]).

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+10), Athletics 8 (+11), Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+9), Deception 6 (+6), Expertise: Military 5 (+6), Expertise: Streetwise 8 (+9), Expertise: Survival 8 (+9), Insight 4 (+7), Intimidation 8 (+8), Perception 8 (+11), Stealth 5 (+9), Technology 5 (+6), Vehicles 1 (+7).

Offense:
Initiative +8
Unarmed +9 (Close Damage 3)
Basic Bolt +13 (Ranged Damage 5, Crit 18-20)
Capture Bolt +13 (Ranged Affliction 5, Resisted by Dodge, Crit 18-20)
Taser Bolt +13 (Ranged Fortitude 5, Crit 18-20)

Defenses:
Dodge 10, Parry 9, Fortitude 6, Toughness 8/6/5/3, Will 8

Totals:
Abilities 50 + Powers 11 + Advantages 24 + Skills 38 + Defenses 18 = 141 points

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

Complications:
Justice--Motivation. Hunted by the Authorities. Secret (identity and sponsors.)

Revenge bears never fruit. Itself, it is
The dreadful food it feeds on; its delight
Is murder -- its satiety despair.
-- from William Tell, by Friederich Schiller.

 

[Davies]

Megatragan

Haupoe had always feared this day might come. Once again, she had been guiding the people who called themselves the Morrison Institute through some of the safer parts of Dread Island, and, once again, one of the Ayole had done something dumb that drew down the attention of one of the beasts on them. Nothing surprising, but then, while leading them in their frantic escape, Haupoe had done something she recognized as being as foolish as any Ayole, which left her separated from both the silly people and Hakela, with the beast choosing to pursue her rather than them.

She had fled as best as she could, but the beast was so much faster -- though incredibly small, even for a newly hatched beast -- that it had soon caught up to her. She turned to face it instead, dagger in hand, glaring up at the snout. "If this be my day to die, you shall find me no easy meal, monster!" Haupoe cried out. "Know that you face Haupoe, daughter of Hoku--"

"Could you stop shouting?" shouted the beast, in the Ayole language called Inglits or something like that, while waving its forearms beside its head. "I don't even know what the hoo-hah you're saying, but whatever it is, you don't gotta say it at the top of your lungs, right?"

Haupoe, like most Mahani, tended to avoid taking long pauses to reflect on surprising events. (Admittedly, surprising events on Dread Island tended to be immediately fatal.) Yet there she was, staring up at the entity who had just addressed her for a full twenty count, before she finally replied, in that same language, "You speak?"

What came out over the next little while, as the two of them made their way to meet up with the Morrison people and Hakela, was a most confusing story. His name was Megatragan, and he was not from Dread Island. (The notion of an island and an ocean in which one floated actually bewildered him.) He, and beings like him, lived in a place that they called El Fondo, but he was aware of other places. Travelers from one such place had taught him the language he was now speaking. This was clearly yet another place, and he was not sure how he had come here. There had been a great storm, and he had passed out then awakened here.

The whole thing was every bit as much of a mystery to the researchers, who were naturally quite excited to meet a sapient sauropod who seemed reasonably friendly. (The one worrying bit in their conversation occurred when one of them offered to get some meat for him to eat, which upset Megatragan. Despite his terrifying teeth, he claims to be a vegetarian who receives most of his nourishment from the sun. This seems absurd, but there are stranger things.) There are no records of any explorers finding an isolated realm known as El Fondo, which might mean that it was discovered by some other agency and kept secret.

Currently, the Morrison researchers are planning to take Megatragan off the island and bring him to one of their major laboratories. He has agreed to this, since he has no real attachment to the island and hopes that this can be a way for him to get home. Haupoe and Hakela will also be accompanying him. (The dreadwolf dislikes him, and always tries to stay between him and Haupoe whenever possible.) Megatragan is really looking forward to seeing the New York City that the people he met talked about.

Neither he nor the Morrison researchers have yet realized that his view of what New York is like and what it is really like differ in a number of ways, notably the presence or absence of a certain pair of towers ...

Megatragan -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR 9/6 | STA 10/7 | AGL 5 | DEX 0 | FGT 8 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 2

Powers:
Big Bite: Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical 4 - 7 points
Fast Runner: Speed 3 (16 MPH) - 3 points
"He's A Dinosaur:" Permanent Growth 6 (24 feet; Strength +6, Stamina +6, Intimidation +3, Dodge -3, Parry -3, Stealth -6), Innate; Protection 4, Impervious 7 - 30 points
Keen Senses: Senses 4 (acute extended 2 scent, low-light vision) - 4 points
Solar-Powered: Enhanced Speed 2 (60 MPH), Only in Daylight; Enhanced Stamina 3, Only in Daylight; Enhanced Strength 3, Only in Daylight; Immunity 1 (starvation & thirst); Immunity 2 (suffocation), Limited to half-effect - 9 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Diehard, Fast Grab, Fearless 2, Improved Defense, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative, Startle, Takedown

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+11/+8), Close Combat: Bite 1 (+9), Expertise: Survival 6 (+7), Insight 5 (+8), Intimidation 5 (+10), Perception 7 (+10), Stealth 4 (+6).

Offense:
Initiative +6
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 9/6)
Big Bite +9 (Close Damage 12/9, Crit 16-20)

Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 8, Fortitude 12, Toughness 14, Will 8.

Totals:
Abilities 38 + Powers 53 + Advantages 10 + Skills 15 + Defenses 20 = 136 points

Offensive PL: 11
Defensive PL: 11
Resistance PL: 10
Skill PL: 6

Complications:
Survival--Motivation. Poor Manipulators. Prejudice ("everybody thinks I wanna EAT them, for pity's sake!") Soft-Hearted.

 

[Davies]

Kazumi/和美

Whenever she asked her parents about why they had chosen to leave the world behind and come to the Shadow School, with her in their arms, they would change the subject. Likely as not, the story is less embarrassing than they imagine, but it probably makes no difference now, anyway. Sasagawa Kazumi grew up thoroughly enmeshed in the philosophy of the school, and learned to harness her inner strength to do wonders. At sixteen, she joined the school in earnest.

Almost immediately, she found herself disenchanted. What she had been told was that the School would allow her to pursue enlightenment; what she found was a collection of mercenaries who treated their powers as tools, rather than expressions of some universal truth. When she complained, she found herself disciplined, sometimes harshly, and therefore learned not to complain. Instead, she bided her time, and held out hope that things might change, one day. Kazumi never dared to dream that she would be part of that change.

Then, on one of her bloody-handed missions, she (and the other operatives working with her) crossed paths with the newly formed Ghost Sweepers. Kazumi would like to claim that what happened next was all part of a plan that she worked out once she realized that they were finally facing a competent opponent, but the truth is that events proceeded far too quickly for her to do that. Less than a month after she had met them for the first time, the government agents invaded the School and exposed the betrayal of Hidenori. Finally, a change was going to come!

The change was the return to power of Akio. Akio, who had chosen Hidenori as his successor in the first place! Everything that had happened as a result of that, all the misery that Kazumi and her entire generation had known, was all on his shoulders, and the old fools wanted him back? Disgusted beyond endurance, Kazumi finally spoke her truth to power and then, as she knew that she had to, she left her home forever.

For the last decade, one of the finest ninja ever to come out of the Shadow School has operated a florist shop in Shibuya Underground Mall. She no longer performs missions, but keeps herself polished to a razor edge in the training facility she installed beneath her suburban home. Initially, the Shadow School sent a few operatives every year to try and bring her back. Kazumi finally put a stop to this by sending one of them back with the verbal message, "Stop sending your children to try and capture me, or I will stop sending them back to you." She included a photo of the lime pit in her basement to clarify what she meant by that.

While Kazumi claims to only want peace, she has also passed on a few combat techniques to certain students who have sought her out in what she considers an appropriate manner. Her most recent student was one Kishinami Monaka, as the thought of training the successor of those who defeated the School appeals to her sense of irony. Her other house guest, whom she went to some trouble to hide from Monaka, is her fellow runaway, Manami. She is still deciding whether she wants to help Manami or use her as bait to attract the Shadow School and finally bring down that den of deceit.

The notion that the school has changed from what she once knew, tragically, is likely to fall on deaf ears where Kazumi is concerned.

Kazumi -- PL 10

Abilities:
STR 1 | STA 2 | AGL 5 | DEX 5 | FGT 8 | INT 2 | AWE 3 | PRE 1

Powers:
Shunkan Ido: Enhanced Advantages 7 (Close Attack 2, Defensive Roll 2, Evasion, Improved Initiative 2), Quirk (Close Attack is only enhanced against targets with a lower Initiative total); Enhanced Defenses 6 (Dodge 3, Parry 3); Easy Extended Teleport 4 (500 feet/30 miles), Change Direction, Change Velocity, Turnabout - 32 points
Striking Strength: Strength-based Damage 2 - 2 points

Advantages:
Acrobatic Bluff, Chokehold, Close Attack 2, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 3, Evasion, Fast Grab, Grabbing Finesse, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative 3, Improved Trip, Power Attack, Precise Attack 2 (close & ranged/concealment), Ranged Attack 4, Redirect, Skill Mastery (Stealth), Takedown, Taunt, Uncanny Dodge.

Equipment:
Shuriken (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1) and 5 points of equipment as needed.
Suburban House: Size Small; Toughness 6; Features Combat Simulator, Deathtrap, Gym, Holding Cell, Living Space, Secret, Security System - 7 points

Skills:
Acrobatics 7 (+12), Athletics 8 (+9), Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+11), Deception 8 (+9), Expertise: Gardening 5 (+7), Expertise: History 7 (+9), Investigation 8 (+10), Perception 8 (+11), Ranged Combat: Shuriken 3 (+8), Sleight of Hand 7 (+12), Stealth 8 (+13), Technology 6 (+8).

Offense:
Initiative +17
Unarmed +13/+11 (Close Damage 3)
Shuriken +12 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1)

Defense:
Dodge 11/8, Parry 13/10, Fortitude 5, Toughness 7/2, Will 9.

Totals:
Abilities 54 + Powers 34 + Advantages 21 + Skills 39 + Defenses 14 = 162 points

Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 10
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 9

Complications:
Peace--Motivation. Exile (who desires revenge.) Secret Identity.

 

[Davies]

Carmilla

The exact circumstances under which the Styrian aristocrat Mircalla Karnstein became a vampire at the tender age of eighteen, more than three hundred years ago, are understandably a bit obscure. Most likely one of her several suitors at the time of her death was a vampire, one of those whom Dracula had created over the previous century. Ironically, another of those suitors was the Baron Vordenburg, a well-known vampire hunter. From remarks she has made since, one scenario has suggested itself, but it remains only a plausible scenario. Discovering the vampire attacking Mircalla, Baron Vordenburg dispatched him but not before the transformation had already begun and was impossible to stop. Baron Vordenburg then took Mircalla into custody to prevent her from harming anyone ... and, if her claims are to be believed, to take advantage of her unliving nature for the satisfaction of his necrophiliac proclivities.

Eventually, Mircalla escaped, and began her own career as a vampire in central Europe. With the assistance of servants under her sway, she established a pattern. One of her servants, posing as her mother, would place her under a deformation of her proper name in the care of an aristocratic family with a daughter who attracted the interest of the vampire, who apparently forswore male company after becoming a creature of the night. She would establish an intimate, passionate friendship with the daughter, who would eventually seem to die of a unrecognized malady, after which Mircalla would move on, vanishing back into the shadows.

It was while engaged in these pursuits in 1837 that she took the name Carmilla and became the "friend" of an English girl named Laura Holley, a bit too soon after she had already murdered the daughter of one General Spielsdorf, who counted the Holley family among his acquaintances. The result was the near destruction of Carmilla -- indeed, the manuscript that Laura wrote soon before her death, which came into the possession of the occult doctor Martin Hesselius, claims that Carmilla did die and in a remarkably final manner. Yet as Laura admitted in the last lines of her journal, she sometimes fancied that she heard footsteps she associated with Carmilla near her ... and one dark night, she heard them for the last time.

For indeed, Carmilla had survived this death due to the fact that her vampiric nature was subtly different from what they understood, allowing her to return even from being burned to ash. But the damage was done, and eventually the account of he affair would be published by the Irish writer J. Sheridan Le Fanu under the title Carmilla, shortly before the mysterious death of the author. The vampire went into hiding, stealing out of her lair only once every decade or so to feed and sleeping the rest of the time. But the impact of the episode cannot be denied, for she stopped engaging in her habit of twisting her name as part of her identity. She was Carmilla, now and forever.

In 1948, events forced Carmilla to the realization that Europe had gotten too hot for her, despite her successful avoidance of involvement in either of the World Wars. Escaping vampire hunters sponsored by both the British and the Soviets, she traveled to America where she established new hiding places, initially planning to resume sneaking out once a decade in pursuit of her prey. But her studies of American culture led her to the realization that her old tricks would fail in this new milieu, and so she began a new plan, again reducing her murders to a minimal amount to avoid attracting the attention of hunters and authorities, and seeking her prey from among those society abandoned rather than the aristocracy.

Fundamentally, there is little difference between Carmilla and a mundane serial killer. She engages in a pathological series of behavior, identifying victims who arouses her interest -- generally a young woman, though at least one recent case saw her preying on an agender individual -- and inserting herself into their lives, seducing them, and then slowly murdering them. (As far as is known, she has never transformed any of these victims into vampires, leading to speculation that she has never learned the so-called "dark trick.") Interrupting this pattern of activities has been known to provoke incredibly violent behavior from her, as when the Pythons accidentally killed her current object of desire and drew down her fury on them.

Just as she did then, Carmilla currently resides in Denver, striving to avoid its superpower population except when she discovers her next victim among them or when they try to stop her. She has been known to depart for vacations in Asia, Australia or South America, but has never returned to Europe. Recently, however, she has received an intriguing offer from the vampire known as Mina Harker, who seeks her assistance in her own schemes. The thought of doing something, however petty, to damage the kingdom that Dracula has claimed for her own, appeals to her, and she does feel a tiny bit of sympathy for what motivates Mina. She will probably betray both her and Lucy before it is all over, though.

Love will have its sacrifices, after all.

Carmilla - PL 10

Abilities:
STR 6 | STA - | AGL 1 | DEX 2 | FGT 5 | INT 2 | AWE 3 | PRE 5

Powers:
Blood Drain: Linked Damage 1 and Weaken Stamina 12 (Resisted by Fortitude), Grab-Based, Limited to Draining 1 rank per round, Quirk (only against targets who could be affected by the Damage effect, whether or not they are) - 4 points
Blood Link: Mental Communication 3 (regional), Limited to anyone who drinks her blood; Mind-Reading 8, Sensory Link, Limited to anyone who drinks her blood - 25 points
Cat Form: Linked Morph 1 (cat); Linked Shrinking 6 (Dodge +3, Parry +3, Stealth +6, Intimidation -3), Normal Strength - 17 points
Ghostly: Permanent Concealment 8 (audio, radio, visual), Limited to machines, Quirk (no reflection in mirrors) - 7 points
Undead: Immortality 6 (16 hours), Limited, remains must be exposed to moonlight; Immunity 30 (Fortitude effects); Impervious Protection 9, Limited, not against mystical damage; Regeneration 10, Source (blood) - 50 points

Advantages:
Attractive 2, Benefit 2 (independently wealthy), Daze (Deception), Fascination (Persuasion), Improved Initiative, Power Attack.

Skills:
Close Combat: Blood Drain 3 (+8), Deception 7 (+12), Expertise: Magic 4 (+9), Expertise: Popular Culture 8 (+10), Insight 6 (+9), Intimidation 8 (+13/+10), Perception 8 (+11), Persuasion 9 (+14), Stealth 7 (+8/+14).

Offense:
Initiative +5
Unarmed +5 (Close Damage 6)
Blood Drain +8 (Close Weaken Stamina 12)

Defense:
Dodge 9/6, Parry 11/8, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 9, Will 9

Offensive PL: 10
Defensive PL: 10
Resistance PL: 9
Skill PL: 9

Totals:
Abilities 38 + Powers 103 + Advantages 8 + Skills 29 + Defenses 14 = 192 points.

Complications:
Psychopath--Motivation. Compulsion (Must be invited into any dwelling she does not own.) Fury (when interrupted in her pathology.) Hatred (Dracula and his minions.) Power Loss (All powers except Ghostly Undead Invulnerability cannot be used in daylight hours.) Weakness (Can be held back by a holy symbol in the hands of a believer, impaired while listening to hymns sung by the faithful.)

 

[Davies]

Jim, Agent of Saturn

There are those who would say that Jim Houston, 38, has made his own bed and should learn to sleep in it. Others might go further and use the phrases, "dug his own grave" and ... well, you get the idea. And maybe that is fair, for he is, after all, a well-paid member of a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world. The prospect of exchanging the relative boredom of his existence (interspersed with moments of mortal terror that do not all happen on the battlefield) for a prison cell does not at all appeal to him. And yet ...

Houston never planned for any of this. After Cerebron, as soon as he was legal, he enlisted in the army in the hopes that he would be doing something to help protect his country from future attacks. He was at best an indifferent soldier, though neither a screw up nor a discipline case, and the idealistic intentions that had led him here were soon worn down out of existence. Gradually, he became aware that the captain of his unit had some sort of connection to a mysterious organization; from those who had been with the unit longer, he learned that they were preparing for a day when the superpowers were finally going to be put in their place, under the rule of a legitimate human government.

But when the coup finally began, the captain hesitated; his allies were not just attacking superpowers, but the legitimate human government they were supposed to serve. He assembled the unit and was in the process of giving orders to act against the leaders of the coup when his lieutenant shot him in the head from behind, in full view of the rest of the troops. The price of defiance having been made quite clear to him, Houston followed the orders he was given in the immediate moment rather than any oaths he might have sworn in the past, and soon found himself an agent of Saturn.

He is not sure, but he thinks that he might be the only one of his unit to have survived the last decade and a half. He has no idea why, as he sees nothing special about himself. He supposes that he might be a tiny bit more clever, a tiny bit more interested in the function of his equipment, but that only ensures that he knows exactly what kind of a cheap, unsafe piece of crap he gets issued for his blaster rifle. Jim Houston knows just how expendable he is considered by his superiors. And yet he keeps surviving.

A few months ago, he found himself contacted, through a covert e-mail, by someone who claimed to want to know about how Saturn functioned. He was half-way sure that he was being set up by Internal Investigations, and so he was initially quite measured in his responses. When II failed to break down his barracks door, he became a little more forthright about how bad things were, and by now he is quite compromised. On some level, he hopes that these accounts are getting to someone on the other side -- Argus, the FBI, even some of the superpowers, maybe -- if only because they might be used as part of his defense in a possible trial. Maybe it will be enough to get him less than life imprisonment.

(Sadly for Jim, his reports are going to one of the subsidiary nodes of the ASI known as Savitor, who is preparing to seize control of Saturn from its current leadership. Sometimes, even when people try to do right, they just end up doing a different kind of wrong.)

Jim Houston -- PL 6

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

Advantages:
Beginner's Luck, Equipment 6.

Equipment:
Blaster Rifle (Ranged Damage 8), Body Armor (Protection 4), smartphone and 8 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+5), Deception 3 (+3), Expertise: Criminal 3 (+5), Expertise: Military 3 (+5), Intimidation 4 (+4), Perception 3 (+3), Ranged Combat: Blaster 2 (+4), Technology 2 (+4).

Offense:
Initiative +1
Unarmed +5 (Close Damage 1)
Blaster Rifle +4 (Ranged Damage 8)

Defense:
Dodge 4, Parry 5, Fortitude 4, Toughness 6/2, Will 3.

Totals:
Abilities 22 + Advantages 7 + Skills 11 + Defenses 10 = 50 points

Offensive PL: 6
Defensive PL: 6
Resistance PL: 4
Skill PL: 0

Complications:
Personal Survival And The Promise Of Riches--Motivation. Secret (disloyal.)

Note: Houston can be used as a template for a typical PL 6/MR 3 Saturn operative. Reduce INT by 1 rank, drop Beginner's Luck and lower Equipment by 2 ranks (dropping smartphone and unassigned gear.)

 

[Voltron64]

But when the coup finally began, the captain hesitated; his allies were not just attacking superpowers, but the legitimate human government they were supposed to serve. He assembled the unit and was in the process of giving orders to act against the leaders of the coup when his lieutenant shot him in the head from behind, in full view of the rest of the troops. The price of defiance having been made quite clear to him, Houston followed the orders he was given in the immediate moment rather than any oaths he might have sworn in the past, and soon found himself an agent of Saturn.

Every now and down, Jim wishes he'd shot that lieutenant in response. Not sure what would've happened next, probably run for the hills or something, but probably might've been better than how things ended up.

He is not sure, but he thinks that he might be the only one of his unit to have survived the last decade and a half. He has no idea why, as he sees nothing special about himself. He supposes that he might be a tiny bit more clever, a tiny bit more interested in the function of his equipment, but that only ensures that he knows exactly what kind of a cheap, unsafe piece of crap he gets issued for his blaster rifle. Jim Houston knows just how expendable he is considered by his superiors. And yet he keeps surviving.

He also wishes every now and down that he enlisted somewhere other the Army, or maybe just never enlisted at all.

 

[Davies]

Every now and down, Jim wishes he'd shot that lieutenant in response. Not sure what would've happened next, probably run for the hills or something,

Or, just as probably, gotten shot himself in the confusion that would have followed.