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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Davies" data-source="post: 8145250" data-attributes="member: 30538">Only one post today, but it's a twofer.Tarmund the Hunter & Sister Night<img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-257SpNj/0/08e22527/S/RCO032-S.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />Tarmund<img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-56M7Ptt/0/111b525e/S/539eb4854eaa4279d350f2d98dcb624c-S.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" />In the Crimson Imperium, where what justice you can get depends on how much you're willing to pay for it, a bounty hunter might be a hero, a villain, or just someone trying to survive the tough times that keep coming. They might be all three, at different times. But some of the profession, simply by their methods of choice, fall more into one category than others. The pair of Tarmund the Hunter and Sister Night are a good example of those who would generally be considered villains. And it's somewhat ironic that their activities usually serve to support the structure of the Crimson Imperium, as both of them might be expected to prefer its fall.Tarmund the Hunter, notorious for bringing back only enough of his targets to identify them, with the rest sliced away by his weapon of choice, is a former Imperium Marine -- a deserter. Only a very few of the Imperium's elite manage to overcome their indoctrination to even consider abandoning their posts, and most of those who put those ideas into action don't survive very long in the wild. It's not that the Imperium bothers to hunt them down -- that would be a further waste of the resources already expended in producing such a flawed vessel -- but that they cease to have access to the food supplements and drug treatments that keep their biological modifications functional.Tarmund has survived longer outside of the corps than any other known deserter, roughly twenty years*. The Inquisition, which has made use of his services in the past, considers it likely that he has some sort of mutation which works with his biomods, supporting them so that he doesn't need so much of the supplements. He does still need them, though, and much of the money that he makes from his bounty hunting goes to pay for black market access to these chemicals. Occasional efforts have been made to shut down the suppliers of such, but those efforts have been stymied from orders from higher up ... much higher up.The woman called Sister Night is an actual mystic, although a renegade who is close to treading the Nightmare Path. Most of those mystics who survived the purges at the start of the Crimson King's reign agreed to remain on Hasham and shun involvement in the larger universe beyond their idyllic garden planet, under the threat of having their world bombarded into ashes by the division of the Imperium Navy that guarded them. But the young pupil who would become Sister Night, unsatisfied with the slow pace of life on this world, unhappy with how little she was being taught, chose to make an escape attempt, and succeeded without provoking that retaliation. (Not that she cared what sort of retaliation she might have provoked, as long as she personally got away.)Sister Night is an extremely accomplished telepath, and while she does not yet have the ability to gain power from the fear she causes in other living creatures, she is able to steal 'vital energy from them, either so subtly that they have no idea that they are being harmed until they fall down dead, or blatantly, which usually takes the form of lightning blasts. The Inquisition considers her a much greater potential threat than Tarmund, but will still make use of her services. If she ever took a pupil, they would both immediately be marked for death, but she is probably too selfish to ever share her power with anyone.Tarmund considers Sister Night a useful ally, who has abilities that he cannot match and is willing to use them to their mutual benefit, whom he will naturally try to protect as long as it's convenient. That is as far as his feelings for her extend. He has no romantic interests whatsoever, and satisfies whatever sexual needs he might have through paid companionship. Her feelings for him, on the other hand, border on obsession. When they first joined forces, Sister Night attempted to put her fellow mercenary under her psychic domination. Her powers failed then, as they had never failed before, and they failed again on a few occasions. She eventually reached the conclusion that Tarmund must be somehow protected by the Source, using it unconsciously, and has come to believe that he is destined to father an even greater champion, someday. If she ever realized that she was simply unlucky when she made those attempts, it would probably lead to a violent end to their partnership.Neither Tarmund nor Sister Night would ever even consider working with the Insurgency -- Tarmund regards them with contempt, and the Sister cares only for her own power. They were recently given a very unusual job offer from the Inquisition, which would have them travelling to a backwater planet they've never even heard about in order to recover -- alive -- an Inquisitor who seems to have gone rogue. They're still considering whether to take the job, but the pay for just taking the job is very impressive indeed, regardless of their success or failure.Tarmund the Hunter -- PL 12Abilities:STR 7 | STA 8 | AGL 6 | DEX 4 | FGT 8 | INT 1 | AWE 4 | PER 3Powers:Augmented Biology: Immunity 4 (disease, need for sleep, poison, starvation & thirst), Limited to half effect - 2 pointsHow Can Something So Big Move So Fast?: Leaping 3 (125 feet); Movement 1 (environmental adaptation [zero-g]); Speed 3 (15 MPH) - 8 pointsSituational Awareness: Senses 1 (Danger Sense) - 1 pointStarforged Axe: Strength-based Damage 3, Accurate, Improved Critical 3; Easily Removable (-3 points) - 4 pointsTranslator Implant: Comprehend Languages 2 (understand all languages, speak any language) - 6 pointsAdvantages:Agile Feint, All-out Attack, Defensive Roll, Diehard, Equipment 7, Fearless 2, Improved Critical (axe), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Precise Attack 2 (close; cover and concealment), Takedown, Ultimate Effort (Toughness check), Uncanny Dodge.Equipment:Space Armor (Immunity 10 [life support]; Protection 2).Spaceship: Size Gargantuan; Strength 12; Speed 12 (air/space); Defense 6; Toughness 13; Powers: Movement 2 (Space Flight); Features: Autopilot (+4), Communications, Computer, Holding Cells, Infirmary, Living Space, Navigation System, Remote Control. (Cost shared with Sister Night.)Skills:Acrobatics 6 (+12), Athletics 6 (+13), Close Combat: Axe 4 (+12), Expertise: Military 8 (+9), Expertise: Streetwise 8 (+9), Insight 4 (+8), Intimidation 8 (+11), Perception 6 (+10), Ranged Combat: Blaster 6 (+10), Technology 6 (+7), Vehicles 6 (+10).Offense:Initiative +10Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 7)Starforged Axe +14 (Close Damage 10, Crit 16-20)Defense:Parry 12, Dodge 10, Fortitude 13, Toughness 12/10/8, Will 9.Totals:Abilities 82 + Powers 21 + Advantages 21 + Skills 34 + Defenses 18 = 176 pointsComplications:Bloodlust--Motivation. Dependency (chemical supplements to maintain powers and health.) Useful Ally (Sister Night.)Sister Night - PL 12Abilities:STR 0 | STA 4 | AGL 1 | DEX 2 | FGT 6 | INT 2 | AWE 6 | PRE 4Powers:Bonded Laser Sword: Damage 3, Penetrating 3, Accurate 2; Easily Removable (-3 points) - 5 pointsDraw On The Source: Impervious Will 12, Limited to mental effects; Regeneration 5 - 11 pointsSense The Source: Enhanced Defense 8 (Dodge 4, Parry 4); Senses 5 (Accurate, Acute, Ranged Danger Sense) - 13 pointsWork With The Source: Array (36 points) <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Lifetheft: Perception Range Damage 8, Resisted by Fortitude, Insidious, Subtle - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Telepathic Basics: Comprehend Languages 2; Mental Communication 2; Cumulative Mind Reading 8 - 36 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Telepathic Delusion: Illusion 12 (all senses), Limited to One Subject, Resisted by Will - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Telepathic Suggestion: Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 12 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled), Hearing Dependent - 1 point</li> </ul>Advantages:Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 5, Fearless, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Trance, Ultimate Effort (Will checks), Uncanny Dodge.Equipment:4 points of equipment as needed.Spaceship: Size Gargantuan; Strength 12; Speed 12 (air/space); Defense 6; Toughness 13; Powers: Movement 2 (Space Flight); Features: Autopilot (+4), Communications, Computer, Holding Cells, Infirmary, Living Space, Navigation System, Remote Control. (Cost shared with Tarmund.)Skills: Close Combat: Laser Sword 5 (+11), Deception 8 (+12), Insight 4 (+10), Intimidation 5 (+9), Perception 4 (+10), Stealth 8 (+9), Technology 6 (+8), Treatment 6 (+8), Vehicles 8 (+10).Offense:Initiative +5Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 0)Laser Sword +13 (Close Damage 3)Lifetheft -- (Perception Range Damage 8, Resisted by Fortitude)Suggestion -- (Perception Range Will 12)Defense:Dodge 10/6, Parry 12/8, Fortitude 8, Toughness 9/4, Will 12.Totals:Abilities 50 + Powers 68 + Advantages 14 + Skills 27 + Defenses 17 = 176 pointsComplications:Power--Motivation. Obsession (Tarmund.) Watched Very Closely By the Inquisition.</blockquote>

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