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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Davies" data-source="post: 8777296" data-attributes="member: 30538">Doctor Tempus<img src="https://photos.smugmug.com/My-First-Gallery/i-DRbP96V/0/b6065abf/M/ezgif-5-22d47e1a7b-M.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />The thing that people who have a certain vanity about their ability to plan for things refuse to admit is that unforeseen events can and will render their plans irrelevant. Sometimes, these people have the flexibility to adapt to these changing circumstances; sometimes they do not.  Regardless, matters can become confusing for those who were part of plans that events have superseded. Philip Francks, now known as Doctor Tempus, is one such individual.Up until a few months ago, certain plans devised by Dr. Rupert Maxwell to oppose Billie Zane hinged on the use of the "thinking cap" employed by her father, which contained (and contains) a psychic recording of the consciousness of Franklin Zane. His intention was to have someone wearing the thinking cap confront the younger Zane at the same time as a time-trawled version of her mother. However, when Janey Quantum was brought forward in time from shortly before her death, her husband was unexpectedly drawn with her, obviating the use of the thinking cap strategy. But the device had already been given to the person Maxwell intended to use it.Four years ago, Philip Francks was known in the underworld as a fixer based out of Salt Lake City, sometimes affectionately (and sometimes disparagingly) known as Professor Francks. He had never been employed as a teacher or professor, but had a reputation for competence and intelligence. Unfortunately, he also had enough of a conscience that, when he discovered that one of the local syndicates was being used by Saturn as a front, he chose not to accept their money but ran a scam against them that exposed them. However, he was himself ensnared by the authorities as a result, and received a fairly short prison sentence at his eventual trial.Francks knew that this was likely a death sentence, thanks to the Pythonian prison gangs, and so sought any method of escaping that fate. In the process, he came to the attention of Dr. Maxwell after Francks sought to volunteer as a research subject for the Morrison Institute. During one such episode, it was discovered that Fracks had the sort of brain activity that was often associated with latent telepathic abilities. When Maxwell learned about the thinking cap around the same time, he realized that Francks was a good candidate to use it as part of the plan he was developing.Maxwell arranged for Francks to receive an early release and entrusted him with the thinking cap, explaining that it was a dangerous device that he would one day ask Francks to use. Placing him in a monitored apartment, he told the other man to await further instructions. The combination of paranoia and patience that all this instilled in Francks kept him from studying the device for more than a year, and he did not dare to wear it for months after that -- which, though he had no idea, was around the same time that Billie Zane was defeated in St. Louis.The flush of telepathic power that the cap enabled in him was quite startling, but not nearly as startling as his discovery that an apparent ghost was haunting it! Zane was equally startled to be in communication with Francks, rather than the Argus agent he had expected Maxwell to select, but he nevertheless encouraged his new "partner" to do something about the situation -- which in this case meant learning that he had been left in the wind.With his new powers, Francks was able to escape from his genteel confinement, but this meant taking Zane with him. While Zane had come to rue his superheroic career, he still had no interest in seeing his invention used for criminal acts, either, and threatened to haunt Francks if he did so. Even without that threat, Francks found most of his criminal contacts no longer had any interest in dealing with him, leaving him without any means of support. Thus, with reluctance, but also with a certain amount of poorly-hidden excitement, he was preparing to become Professor Tempus, a new superhero.Whatever plans he might have had were interrupted by the Calamity, in which he found himself dragooned into service as part of the Anachronic Argonauts. When it was all over, and he woke up in his hotel room wondering whether that had all been a dream, he was startled to find himself contacted soon afterwards by Heroic Enterprises, and offered a job. He's still considering whether he wants to say yes or no to this offer, but Zane is strongly encouraging him to accept it. A steady paycheck for doing good does sound like a great idea ...Doctor Tempus -- PL 9Abilities:STR 1 | STA 2 | AGL 2 | DEX 2 | FGT 3 | INT 10/4 | AWE 9/3 | PRE 3Powers:Thinking Cap: Removable (-17 points)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Psychic Link: Senses 1 (mental communication link with Franklin Zane) - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Telepathy: Mental Communication 3 (regional), Two-Way; Cumulative Mind-Reading 5 - 30 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Telepathic Reactions: Enhanced Advantages 8 (Defensive Roll 2, Evasion 2, Improved Defense, Seize Initiative); Enhanced Defenses 16 (Dodge 8, Parry 8) - 24 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Telepathic Techniques: Array (27 points)<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Accelerated Thought Processes: Enhanced Awareness 6; Enhanced Intellect 6; Quickness 6, Limited to Mental - 27 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mental Blast: Perception Range Damage 9, Resisted by Will, Tiring - 1 point</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mental Illusions: Illusion 9 (All Senses), Feedback, Resistible by Will, Selective, Tiring - 1 points</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Mental Paralysis: Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 9 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Stunned, Paralyzed), Tiring - 1 points</li> </ul></li> </ul>Advantages:Defensive Roll 2, Evasion 2, Eidetic Memory, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Jack-of-all-trades, Seize Initiative, Set-Up, Taunt, Uncanny DodgeSkills:Deception 8 (+11), Expertise: Streetwise 2 (+12/+6), Insight 3 (+12/+6), Perception 4 (+13/+7), Persuasion 4 (+7), Sleight of Hand 8 (+10), Stealth 6 (+8), Vehicles 7 (+9).Offense:Initiative +6Unarmed +3 (Close Damage 1)Mental Blast -- (Perception Range Damage 9, Resisted by Will)Mental Illusions -- (Perception Range Will 9)Defense:Dodge 11/3, Parry 11/3, Fortitude 4, Toughness 7/2, Will 12/6Totals:Abilities 40 + Powers 68 + Advantages 5 + Skills 20 + Defenses 7 = 141 pointsOffensive PL: 9Defensive PL: 9Skill PL: 8Resistance PL: 8Complications:Thrills--Motivation. Haunted (by Franklin Zane.) Reputation (ex-con.)</blockquote>

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