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

[Davies]

Tobidashi

飛び出し is the Japanese word for the sort of bladed instrument known to the English-speaking word as a switchblade. When Tomita Kyousuke chose this as his nomme de guerre, in 1979, he was sixteen years old and not particularly given to deep thought; the word itself sounded cool to him, and so he was quite willing to let it become the name by which he chose to be known. Later, he would decide that it was a particularly appropriate name for someone who wanted to be a ninja, as it referred to something dangerous, hidden from sight, that could quickly reveal itself when it was needed.

The story of how Kyousuke 'helped' his older sister to realize that her American swain didn't care about her at all has already been told. In the aftermath, he eagerly took part in the activities of the extremist group that he joined alongside Kiyohime, initially quite happy that she was showing the same passion for them that she had only ever given to him. When their group was brought into the Pythonian Insurgency, he began to experience doubts about their course of action, particularly when they left Japan and came to the corrupt West. While the opportunity to strike at America where it would truly feel it was welcome, he began to feel like he was once again an afterthought in his sister's life, just as he had been when she had been with him.

Consequently, in order to establish an identity separate from 'Kiyohime's tag-along brother', he volunteered his services for one of the Insurgency's more exotic projects -- their alliance with agents of the extraterrestrial crime syndicate known as Vaskhane, and was sent to Detroit in order to work with a squid-like humanoid known as Kuklafron. The alien unnerved him, particularly with his chilling indifference to whether or not Tobidashi's efforts in his supposed service bore fruit or not. Kuklafron was pursuing many different projects, far more than he revealed to the Pythons, and if some of them failed, well, others still might succeed.

In the course of one of these missions, Tobidashi had his first encounter with the Scavengers. He initially underestimated what he believed to be some stupid rat-creatures, and nearly suffered a lethal injury as a consequence of that first conflict. Amused by this, Kuklafron provided him with an armored costume made of an impossibly strong and light-weight polymer. Thus equipped, and no longer underestimating the rats, he fought them numerous times, never succeeding in doing them any permanent harm but often preventing them from interfering with his schemes as well as those of the aliens.

However, he was frustrated when he realized that he was still viewed as little more than his sister's sidekick within the Insurgency, and that those who knew about his activities viewed his inability to kill a bunch of teenaged mutants as proof of his incompetence. Even worse, on those occasions when he was able to spend time with his sister, Tobidashi found himself increasingly disturbed by her behavior. She was becoming erratic and unstable, like many of the other leaders of the Insurgency, and no longer focusing on seeking revenge on him, rather than viewing him as just a symptom of America's moral bankruptcy. She was still obsessed with the man, just ... differently, and this was not at all what Kyousuke had wanted.

In late 1986, he wound up captured by agents of a different faction within Vaskhane, opposed to Kuklafron, at the same time that the Scavenger's mentor was also taken hostage by them. Initially viewing the old woman with disdain, he revised his opinion when he learned who she was. While he was no longer the boy who had looked up to Jiraiya and Tsunade, actually meeting one of them was still somewhat exciting, and so he found himself speaking with her in a respectful manner, and revealing more about himself than he probably should have. Kakita-san didn't offer any judgements about his actions, but she did wonder whether or not his unhappiness with the way that his life had gone might be because he knew that he had hurt his sister, the one person he really did care about, more than was strictly necessary.

While he mocked that idea, claiming that he'd acted with the best of intentions, Tobidashi kept revisiting the conversation in his thoughts over the next few months. Had what he did really been the only way, or even the best way, to make his sister realize what a jerk that guy was? At last, he decided that the only thing to do was to tell her the truth, face the consequences of doing so, and then decide with her what they should do now. And he went to her private rooms to have an important discussion with her, not wearing his armor, meeting her face to face.

The story of what happened next has also already been told.

Tobidashi -- PL 8

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

Powers:
Alien Armor: Immunity 2 (suffocation); Protection 3; Removable (-1 point) - 4 points

Advantages:
Agile Feint, Close Attack 2, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Equipment 5, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Language 2 (English, Russian, others [Japanese is native]), Power Attack, Skill Mastery (Stealth).

Equipment:
11 points of equipment as needed.
Arsenal: Array (12 points)

• Katana: Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical - 1 point
• Smoke Grenade: Ranged Cloud Area Concealment Attack 4 - 12 points
• Throwing Stars: Ranged Multiattack Damage 1 - 1 point

Skills:
Acrobatics 5 (+9), Athletics 6 (+9), Close Combat: Sword 1 (+6), Deception 7 (+8), Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+5), Intimidation 7 (+8), Perception 6 (+8), Ranged Combat: Throwing Star 5 (+9), Sleight of Hand 6 (+10), Stealth 7 (+11), Technology 6 (+7).

Offense:
Initiative +4
Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 2)
Katana +8 (Close Damage 6)
Throwing Stars +9 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1)

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

Totals:
Abilities 46 + Powers 4 + Advantages 19 + Skills 30 + Defenses 13 = 112 points

Complications:
Vengeance--Motivation. Family (sister). Hatred (America and Americans.) Well-Buried Sense of Honor and Humanity.

 

[Davies]

Julie Martens

Despite what he would sometimes later claim, Julius Martens' father did not name his only son after Julius Erving in hopes that the association would lead him to become a professional athlete. Born in 1969, when Dr. J's college basketball career was only starting up, Julie was given that name because his father usually went by his middle name Gus, for Augustus. That said, Gus Martens did have hopes that his son would get out of Detroit through sport, ideally boxing or football. He was doomed to disappointment, since Julie turned out to be a bookish kid with an interest in science, and Gus took it for granted that there was no future in this for him.

The stress of this eventually led Julie to run away from home at fifteen, but he was already smart enough to recognize that getting involved in a gang was a dead end. Unfortunately, one of the gangs who tried to recruit him -- associated, of course, with the Pythons -- wasn't inclined to take 'no' for an answer, and tried to ambush him one night in October. Julie was rescued by a group of recent arrivals to the city, the Scavengers, who took him back to their lair so that their mentor could help treat some injuries the young human had suffered.

When they found out his name, the Scavengers imputed a deeper meaning to this encounter than it probably merited, since Julius Caesar had been one of the Nine Worthies they'd been named after. Happy to have found some friends, even if he often thought they were sort of screwy, Julie moved in with them, acting as their eyes on the street and helping to keep their home's infrastructure, as well as the vehicles and other machines they picked up, in good working order. While the Scavengers were all extremely gifted at applied technology, Julie turned out to have a much better grasp of the theory, often coming up with technical solutions to the problems that the rats encountered.

When the Scavengers left Earth, Julie was also invited to come with them. Incredibly tempted by the offer, he chose instead to remain behind and get back in contact with his family, bidding farewell to his friends. He returned home to a prodigal son's welcome, and discovered that his father had spent the time he was away saving up money so that he could have the college education he'd wanted if he ever came back. Combined with some scholarships that he managed to finagle, Julie went on to get an engineering degree. When he entered the work force, he wound up recruited by a newly-formed security company -- Argus.

As the second age of heroes got underway, it happened that Julie -- as one of the few employees of the company who'd had close personal associations with a group of superpowers -- was called on to help draft their policies for dealing with them. Reflecting on the way that he'd often been the one to warn the three brothers about events that he'd heard about, he suggested that Argus agents should associate themselves with superheroes and use that association to alert them to events that the company needed to have handled. While the 'handler' policy went through a lot of changes before it was implemented, the seed of the idea was still based on Julie's proposal.

Unfortunately, Julie Martens was one of many Argus employees to die in action during Zane's coup attempt, being killed by Blake Rogers during the early stages of the affair.

Julie Martens -- PL 4

Abilities:
STR 0 | STA 2 | AGL 1 | DEX 2 | FGT 2 | INT 4 | AWE 2 | PRE 1

Advantages:
Beginner's Luck, Defensive Roll, Evasion, Improved Defense, Inventor, Set-up, Taunt.

Skills:
Deception 5 (+6), Expertise: Streetwise 3 (+7), Investigation 4 (+8), Perception 4 (+6), Stealth 4 (+5), Technology 5 (+9), Treatment 3 (+7), Vehicles 4 (+6).

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

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

Totals:
Abilities 28 + Advantages 7 + Skills 16 + Defenses 8 = 59 points

Complications:
Thrills--Motivation. Friends (the Scavengers.) Prejudice (homeless.)

Note: Later in life, as an Argus researcher, Julie's INT, AWE and PRE increase by 2 ranks each, and he gains Contacts, Well-informed, Expertise: Science 5 (+11), Insight 3 (+7), and Persuasion 4 (+7).

 

[Davies]

Litota

One of the most accomplished assassins in the service of Daath, the android known as Litota is believed to have been one of a large production run of androids created by the late Yacobus the Arch-Imaginist roughly fifty years* ago, at a time when the wonder-worker believed that his life extension methods were failing and he would need to transfer his mentality into an artificial frame. As it happened, Yacobus overcame these difficulties in another way, and the androids were donated to the armies of the Dark Side as they took form. Litota has made comments to the effect that he is the only one of his make and model to still exist, with the implication that he has personally made certain this is the case.

Litota, much like his maker, views himself as an artist in his chosen field, as demonstrated by his chosen name, which derives from a form of poetry once common on Chirab. Where most of the Dark Side's assassins prefer to arrange things so that the deaths they're assigned to accomplish occur and cannot be traced back to them, Litota believes in going the extra light year -- when he brings about the end of an enemy of Daath, he often makes it seem as though the death arose from some great drama in the life of the victim, often causing the blame for the deed falls on one of their loved ones, or on another individual who might oppose Daath and who cannot be as easily eliminated. His most famous endeavor once saw the entire population of a small space station descend into civil war when one member of the crew died unexpectedly.

Another manifestation of this artistic tendency involves his fascination with those he considers 'worthy adversaries', defined as individuals who are able to overcome his attempts to end them while still living up to their own moral codes and standards in the process. It has happened several times in his career that, when he succeeds in having such an individual dead to rights, Litota declared that it would be beneath him to destroy such a worthy adversary, and lets them go. The individual so designated could be forgiven for thinking that this marks an end to their troubles.

They would be horribly mistaken and quickly learn that things have just gotten immeasurably worse. Litota will continue his efforts against them -- he won't kill them, but no one else in their immediate vicinity is remotely safe. The android seems to take a special pleasure in destroying any relationships that his target might have, as though to make Litota himself the only meaningful presence in their lives. He will also create situations where the target could save people around them by abandoning the morality that attracted him, and kill the target out of hand if they stop being 'worthy'. Thus far, he has managed to find a way to break every one of his worthy adversaries.

Because of these eccentricities, however, Litota is not considered the first among Daath's assassins, which somewhat vexes him. Why that honor is bestowed on a nobody like Bruyonne is something he cannot understand, and this has led to a rivalry between the two of them since she first gained that distinction. It's become a particularly violent rivalry since Infernus sent Bruyonne to eliminate a 'worthy opponent' that Litota had just started cultivating, after the general became impatient with the lack of progress. Eventually, it seems likely that there will come a reckoning between these two.

When not engaged in his duties as an assassin, Litota typically poses as a travelling entertainer, often a musician or storyteller. He is every bit as vain about his abilities in this area as he is about his other art ...

Litota -- PL 11

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

Powers:
Android: Immunity 30 (Fortitude); Protection 10; Regeneration 1 (natural healing) - 41 points
Imperturbable: Immunity 5 (interaction skills) - 5 points
Translator Circuit: Comprehend Languages 3 - 9 points

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Contacts, Defensive Attack, Equipment 4, Evasion, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Precise Attack 4 (Close & Ranged; Cover & Concealment), Ranged Attack 3, Uncanny Dodge.

Equipment:
14 points of equipment as needed.
Arsenal: Array (4 points)

• Knife: Strength-based Damage 1, Improved Critical, Improved Defense - 1 point
• Sword: Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical - 1 point
• Throwing Knives: Ranged Multiattack Damage 1 - 1 point

Skills:
Acrobatics 4 (+12), Athletics 4 (+11), Close Combat: Blades 4 (+12), Deception 9 (+12), Expertise: Criminal 6 (+9), Expertise: Performance 5 (+8), Expertise: Galactic 8 (+11), Insight 6 (+9), Perception 9 (+12), Ranged Combat: Throwing 4 (+9), Sleight of Hand 6 (+11), Stealth 5 (+13), Technology 6 (+9), Vehicles 6 (+11).

Offense:
Initiative +12
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 7)
Knife +12 (Close Damage 8, Crit 19-20)
Sword +12 (Close Damage 10, Crit 19-20)
Throwing Knifes +12 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1)

Defense:
Dodge 10, Parry 12, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 10, Will 8

Totals:
Abilities 64 + Powers 55 + Advantages 19 + Skills 41 + Defenses 11 = 190 points

Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Obsession (worthy opponent.) Subject to Orders. Vanity (not Immune to Tricks that play off his vanities.)

 

[Voltron64]

All he needs is a foppish, effeminate voice and he’ll be a blast to roleplay

 

[Davies]

I envision Catero Colbert as providing his voice.

 

[Davies]

Madame Zozostrz

Much like the one now called Scathach, who was once one of her fiercest rivals, the ancient woman who answers to the title Madame Zozostrz has long since forgotten the name she was given at birth, twelve hundred years ago on Chirab. She was one of the first generation of the rising stars to be granted power by the cosmic accident that created them, and used the power to create and manipulate a form of energy imperceptible to the naked eye to rule over a small region of their home world, using various tricks to make it seem that she had many other powers besides that -- the power to curse, to know the minds of her subjects, to see the future. They thought of her as a witch -- the witch -- and she encouraged that belief and that fear.

Eventually, though, that fear turned to hatred, and the witch was driven from power despite inflicting horrific damage on her enemies, and forced into alliance with the rest of the rising stars. Eventually, she joined them in leaving the planet behind, and accompanied the faction of their kind who travelled through the regions of space that would later become the Imperium, eventually coming to the world later known as Yusei. For a brief while, she tried to practice her old tricks there, but her so-called fellows had had enough of all that, and united to drive her off so that they could pose as more benevolent gods to the populace there.

By that point, she was realizing that she was not truly immortal, as were some of her brethren. She aged very slowly, perhaps one year* for every fifteen that passed, but she could still feel herself growing older. Having just had the limitations of her powers demonstrated to her, the witch naturally sought to increase them so that no one would be able to insult her in that way again, and to gain the eternity she viewed as her due. She chased down many rumors about paths to greater power, but these always turned out to be dead ends, until she learned of Daath.

So the witch made her way to Daath and presented herself as a supplicant to Ananke, having seen that the ruler of Daath could grant great powers to her servants, and either not caring about the price that she would have to pay, or imagining that she could find a way to overcome whatever it would do to her. Ananke accepted her service, as she has always accepted any who would offer it to her ... and then did absolutely nothing. Ananke granted the witch neither additional powers -- or so it seemed -- nor any authority, inflicted no price, and more or less ignored her from that point onward.

The witch, who came to be known as Madame Zozostrz, was naturally not best pleased by this, and so sought to gain additional power from her service to those who had been granted power and authority by Daath's ruler, which usually left them unable to leave the planet, as she could. She journeyed to many worlds through the portals opened by the Metropolitan (and those who had similar powers before it) and became known as a mysterious witch on many of them. She may even have visited Earth, and become the inspiration for witch-like figures of that world's mythology.

But none of these journeys granted her the power or the immortality she sought, and she came to hate those who seemed able to achieve power through their own efforts, through the sort of magical traditions she'd exploited in the past. In the past few centuries, she finally began to achieve a measure of authority on Daath, though never the supremacy that she wanted. Her efforts to gain more were often thwarted by her rival, Yakobus the Arch-Imaginist.

Zozostrz directed many schemes against him, but that war was briefly interrupted by the arrival on Daath of Abraxas, whom she knew of old. Much to her fury, however, he did not recognize her, and seemed uninterested in renewing their acquaintance. Nevertheless, the witch ended up as one of the lower-ranking commanders of the Dark Side due to her experience and knowledge of the universe. She used these new hierarchies to renew her struggles with Yacobus, and may have played a major role in the conspiracy that brought about his end -- or she may be taking credit for things that had nothing to do with her, as she often does.

Her ambitions are without limit. She intends to ascend to the position that Abraxas now holds, and then wreak a vengeance most terrible on Ananke for the neglect she feels that she has suffered. (She imagines that Abraxas has not done this because he enjoys Ananke's favors as well as her favor.) And never once has it occurred to her that she might indeed have been given a power that she did not possess before coming to Daath -- a petty power, to suit a petty soul as hers. Translator circuits rarely afford their owners the mastery of language that she possesses ...

Madame Zozostrz -- PL 12

Abilities:
STR 7 | STA 4 | AGL 0 | DEX 3 | FGT 6 | INT 3 | AWE 6 | PRE 3

Powers:
Eldritch Energy Manipulation: Array (29 points)

• Eldritch Bolts: Ranged Damage 14, Subtle - 29 points
• Eldritch Chains: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 9 (Resisted by Dodge; Hindered & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Immobile), Extra Condition, Limited Degree, Subtle - 1 point
• Eldritch Manipulation: Perception Range Move Object 9, Precise, Subtle - 1 point
• Eldritch Shifting: Extended Teleport 9 - 1 point
• Eldritch Visions: Remote Sensing 7 (auditory, mental, visual), Subtle - 1 point

Eldritch Force Field: Linked Sustained Impervious Protection 12; Linked Sustained Immunity 10 - 34 points
It's Not Paranoia When They're Really Out To Get You: Senses 1 (danger sense) - 1 point
Long-lived, But Not Youthful: Immunity 1 (aging) - 1 point
Translator Circuit (Or Maybe Not): Comprehend Languages 4 - 12 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Chokehold, Daze (Intimidation), Fascinate (Deception), Fast Grab, Improved Grab, Inventor*, Power Attack, Prone Fighting, Set-up.

Skills:
Deception 8 (+11), Expertise: Galactic 8 (+11), Expertise: Science 8 (+11), Insight 4 (+10), Intimidation 10 (+13), Perception 6 (+12), Ranged Combat: Eldritch Energy 7 (+10), Sleight of Hand 6 (+9), Stealth 9 (+9).

Offense:
Initiative +0
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 7)
Eldritch Bolts +10 (Ranged Damage 14)
Eldritch Chains +10 (Ranged Affliction 9, Resisted by Dodge)

Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 6, Fortitude 9, Toughness 16/4, Will 12

Totals
Abilities 64 + Powers 80 + Advantages 10 + Skills 33 + Defenses 19 = 206 points

Complications:
Power--Motivation. ... Except When It IS Paranoia. Hatred (actual magic-users.) Secret (magical pretensions.) Subject to Orders.

* Madame Zozostrz's inventions are always chemical concoctions, and are created through the use of Expertise: Science rather than Technology.

 

[Davies]

Bruyonne

Generally, when the generals of the Dark Side choose assassination as a tactic, it's meant to remove a potential impediment to one of their forthcoming military campaigns, and they prefer operatives who can accomplish that objective quietly and efficiently. Bruyonne, as the prime assassin on Daath, is usually given other sorts of assignments. She is dispatched, almost always by Abraxas himself, to deliver death to someone on Daath, or less frequently one of their subjugated worlds. And she is not expected, or desired, to accomplish these missions of extermination at all quietly; everyone is supposed to know who killed the target and why.

Little is known about Bruyonne's background. She is believed to have been born in the same year that Abraxas began his rule over the planet, and came under the care of Yacobus the Arch-Imaginist sometime in the next decade*. By the time that Aun Taxad joined their household, she had already been heavily cyborged, using techniques that Yacobus had learned on the conquered world that created General Schatter. Yacobus' primary interest in her was as a research subject, but he also used her as something of a housemaid. Taxad, who had been a domestic servant himself, did not look down on her acceptance of that role, and offered her some small amount of help in between his studies.

After only a few years* of this, some of the leaders of the Dark Side made demands of Yacobus, insisting that he give them one of his two pupils to be made useful as a warrior. He chose to give them Bruyonne, and pressed a new invention, the Polyvalent Whip, into her hands before he sent her on her way. After demonstrating her talents to her new masters, they decided to send her back to Yacobus with the demand that he turn over Aun Taxad instead, as he had been the one they'd wanted, not this silly little girl with her silly little whip.

She delivered that demand as she'd been ordered, and when Yacobus refused, she whipped him to death with the weapon he'd just given her. This was not what the ones who'd sent her had expected to happen. They'd believed that she lacked initiative, and would just follow orders like some sort of automaton. Suddenly, they began to perceive potential uses for their new toy, and were distracted enough by the possibilities that the escape of the being they'd intended to recruit happened before they knew it.

In the two decades since then, Bruyonne has risen as far in the hierarchy of Daath as a mere assassin could be expected to rise, and become gradually more machine than woman. While intelligent and creative in devising deaths, she behaves much like the automaton her former masters expected. Part of this might be a tactic meant to encourage people to underestimate her, while part of it is her genuine lack of interest in anything outside of her missions ... with the exception of two targets she's never actually been assigned to deal with, despite her private burning ambition to find them and end them.

While aware that Litota regards her as a rival and enemy, she views him with as close to respect and admiration as she can probably manage. She finds his style of killing to be fascinating, although not something she'd care to imitate, and almost feels regret about having interrupted him that one time. If he ever tries to kill her, of course, she'll kill him right back. Aside from that, and her frequent meetings with Abraxas, she rarely ever engages in any conversation with anyone other than her targets. With them, she's much more voluble, telling them what sights she has to show them before getting down to the pleasant work to follow ...

Bruyonne -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR 3 | STA -- | AGL 5 | DEX 4 | FGT 8 | INT 1 | AWE 2 | PRE 3

Powers:
Cyborg: Immunity 30 (Fortitude); Impervious Protection 6 - 42 points
Impossibly Fast: Enhanced Advantages 7 (Close Attack 5, Improved Initiative 2), Quirk (Close Attack is only enhanced against targets with a lower Initiative modifier); Enhanced Defenses 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Quickness 4; Speed 4 (30 MPH) - 22 points
Polyvalent Whip: Array (19 points)

• Force Whip: Damaging Move Object 7, Reduced Range 2 - 19 points
• Pain Whip: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 5 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed & Vulnerable, Stunned & Defenseless, Incapacitated), Extra Condition, Reduced Range 2 - 1 point

Translator Circuit: Comprehend Languages 3 - 9 points

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Close Attack 5, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Equipment 8, Evasion 2, Improved Critical 2 (Polyvalent Whip), Improved Initiative 3, Power Attack, Precise Attack 2 (Ranged; Cover and Concealment), Ranged Attack 2, Takedown, Uncanny Dodge.

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+13), Athletics 8 (+11), Deception 6 (+9), Expertise: Galactic 8 (+9), Insight 8 (+10), Intimidation 9 (+12), Perception 8 (+10), Ranged Combat: Polyvalent Whip 9 (+13), Sleight of Hand 8 (+12), Stealth 6 (+11), Technology 8 (+9), Vehicles 6 (+10).

Offense:
Initiative +17
Unarmed +13 (Close Damage 3)
Force Whip +15 (Ranged Damage 7, Crit 18-20)
Pain Whip +15 (Ranged Fortitude 5, Crit 18-20)

Defense:
Dodge 12/8, Parry 12/8, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 8/6, Will 7.

Totals:
Abilities 42 + Powers 93 + Advantages 24 + Skills 47 + Defenses 9 = 215 points

Complications:
Psychopathy--Motivation. Sadism. Requires Maintenance. Subject to Orders. Vulnerability (Not immune to pain effect of her own whip or similar weapons, use Will for resistance.)

 

[Davies]

Singularity

Even among the commanding officers of the Dark Side, who understandably don't want their past histories and potential weaknesses known, the being called Singularity is something of an enigma. He arrived on Daath after the two best sources of information about the planet and its denizens had permanently departed from it, and neither of them ever knew him as anything other than a foe. Much of what follows is speculation, then.

A species known as the Zaxashi can be found on one particular world in the Crimson Imperium, a former client state of the Manguai. They have four arms and constantly produce new teeth throughout their adult lives, but are otherwise humanoid in appearance. (The Technate base in the Sol System has noted that they are similar to the Martian residents known as the Aquerrodi, but not quite identical.) The majority culture of the Zaxashi follows a religion that worships their system's star as a deity, and believes that sufficient devotion to this entity will result in certain gifts being bestowed on the devotee.

This has in fact happened to a few individuals in each generation of the Zaxashi. In previous generations, such superpowered individuals would typically study with the mystics in order to perfect their talents, but this is no longer an option -- and this is officially regarded as a good thing. The fairly conservative religious establishment that currently governs the Zaxashi has decreed that these gifted individuals must become part of their hierarchy and use their powers only when their superiors deem it appropriate, and in ways that demonstrate their complete loyalty to the Crimson Imperium.

Of course, this is somewhat oppressive, and there have been rumors, on Zaxas and worlds of the Imperium with links to it, that some exceptionally talented gifted have avoided that impressed servitude, and now run an underground opposed to the hierarchy. And with these come other rumors that the greatest examples of the gifted have fled their world, and will return some day to overthrow the tyranny which now governs it. And Singularity has four arms, shark-like teeth, and powers over gravity and plasma that are quite similar to those supposedly possessed by the gifted Zaxashi.

It is quite possible that he came to Daath in the hopes that he could awaken even greater powers for himself through service to Ananke. If so, it is also quite likely that the price that he paid was the loss of any memories concerning his reasons for seeking that power, for he now acts as one who cares only about how much havoc he can wreak with his powers. He has a somewhat adversarial relationship with Infernus, who acts as his superior officer -- for now -- but is easily controlled by his master. As long as there are things to burn with fires of the sun and crush with the gravity of a black hole, he will be very satisfied with his life.

Singularity -- PL 13

Abilities:
STR 13 | STA 11 | AGL 3 | DEX 4 | FGT 11 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 3

Powers:
Multi-armed: Extra Limbs 2 - 2 points
Solar-Powered: Array (52 points)

• Blazing: Reaction Damage 13 - 1 point
• Defy Gravity: Flight 14 (32,000 MPH); Movement 2 (space travel 2); Move Object 10 - 1 point
• Graviton Crush: Linked Ranged Damage 13; Linked Ranged Affliction 13 (Resisted by Fortitude; Hindered & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Immobile), Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 52 points
• Sun Hurl: Cone Area 2 Damage 13, Secondary Effect - 1 point

Space Voyager: Immunity 10 (life support); Protection 4, Impervious 12 - 26 points
Teeth: Strength-based Damage 2, Improved Critical 2 - 4 points
Translator Circuit: Comprehend Languages 3 - 9 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Daze (Intimidation), Extraordinary Effort, Fast Grab, Improved Grab, Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Startle.

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+11), Expertise: Galactic 10 (+11), Intimidation 9 (+12), Perception 8 (+11), Ranged Attack: Solar-Powered 9 (+13).

Offense:
Initiative +7
Unarmed +11 (Close Damage 13)
Bite +11 (Close Damage 15, Crit 18-20)
Graviton Crust +13 (Ranged Damage 13 and Fortitude 13)
Sun Hurl -- (Cone Area Damage 13)

Defense:
Dodge 10, Parry 11, Fortitude 12, Toughness 15, Will 10

Totals:
Abilities 98 + Powers 94 + Advantages 9 + Skills 22 + Defenses 16 = 239 points

Complications:
Destruction--Motivation. Subject to Orders. Very Heavy When Not Defying Gravity.

 

[Voltron64]

And there's the token brute I've been expecting!

And to match them all now;

Litota - Corvus Glaive
Madame Zozostrz - Ebony Maw
Bruyonne - Proxima Midnight
Singularity - Cull Obsidian

 

[Davies]

Actually, if I were mapping them to anyone -- Litota is something of a deconstruction of Kanto, Madame Zozostrz is a mix of Granny Goodness and Baba Yaga, Bruyonne is Lashina and Nebula, and Singularity is basically just "wow, what a cool monster I just read about". Though he has some similarities to Blaastar and thus Kalibak, now that I think about it.

Anyway. Next: Ananke.