Abilities: Bodiless as a result of an explosion. Has no physical body, but can create one using inorganic materials. His abilities vary depending on the materials used; for example, if he's near a construction site, he can use dirt, rock, metal, et al. to create a physical form. If on a road, he could use asphalt, and so on. Can also incorporate materials such as chains and cables to add telescopic abilities to his limbs. Without a physical form, can propel himself by manipulating the air around him. Constructs are typically human-sized, but larger sizes are possible. Capable of short-range telepathic communication.
Limits: Cannot manipulate organic materials without a physical construct. For example, he cannot pass a wooden door normally, but using an inorganic body he can open the door. Also, while he can create and use constructs larger than human size, they cannot be held together for long, and the experience leaves him drained.
Backstory: Prior to 2000 the resulting war, Danny was very normal guy. A construction worker whose work-week was unpredictable and who spent his breaks catcalling women. Just after he was made foreman at the age of 20, he started suffering from some strange atrophy in various muscles in his body; he found that his control over his body was actually weakening, as though it was taking a lot more effort for him to make his body complete even the simplest tasks. Baffled, he went to see a doctor, and during a string of tests it was revealed that there was something "wrong" with his genetic code. Doctors stated that he should be a superhuman, but they could not put a finger on his ability. Danny himself admitted that he did not feel the least bit out of the ordinary, aside from the sudden sluggishness (which he personally attributed to fatigue from working long hours).
Nonetheless, he was given the name and contact information for one Dr. Diana Hardy, an international expert at identifying superhuman abilities (being that her own power assisted her in this endeavor), and was instructed to call her should anything pop up. Danny never called her, thinking that he'd just wait for his powers to manifest, or that perhaps he had a very latent power that would only reveal itself in extreme circumstances. In the meantime, he continued to struggle against his uncooperative body, shrugging it off as fatigue, stress, and overexertion.
It probably helps to mention that Danny was based in Washington, DC.
Not long after these medical tests, the invasion had begun. With Washington, DC being the node on which all the alien androids were focusing their attack, nothing in DC stood a chance when, in the span of weeks, it was wiped completely off the map.
Except Danny.
Danny's power manifested itself the second his body was completely disintegrated by an powerful explosion. His first reaction (which lasted for upwards of four months) was that he had died and this was what death was like. His depression kept him from experimenting, and the fact that he could interact with no one (and believed that he was dead) started to give the usually-cheerful, upbeat, and friendly Dan Savage a much more dour, loner personality. He frequently wondered when he would "cross over" and if there was something he needed to do before that would happen, or if in fact this is what awaited everyone when they died.
He had no body, no brain, nothing…except his mind, his "heart" (in a figurative sense), and his psyche.
Then, in a burst of rage, he accidentally dismembered one of the alien invaders (they're robots, guys, Pony says so) and it was then that he began to notice that certain objects in his environment would react to his commands.
As it turns out, his human body was actually blocking his powers from manifesting! Those powers were his ability to manipulate any inorganic material around him, from iron to asphalt to air, as well as to "possess" them and use them like they were extensions of his own body. Perhaps best of all, he became an incredibly useful tool in the war, as he was able to possess and disable droves of the aliens all on his own, single-handedly reversing the tide of many battles.
The Vanguard tried many times to approach him, but were never able to locate him; Danny's loner attitude (and now proof that he is not dead and can be self-sufficient) didn't feel like teaming up with anyone, letting alone signing up with a presidential candidate that he had originally voted against. It helped that, when he was not possessing an inorganic body, he was practically invisible.
Danny spent most of the war aiding in battles where he could be the most useful, as well as experimenting with his powers. The extent of his manipulation, he realized was severely limited in range; he could disable a robot by ripping its limbs off if it came in contact with him, but he could not do it from a distance. It was easier, therefore, for him to construct "golems," possess them by coming into physical contact with all its parts, and using it in that fashion.
He also found the reason for his sluggishness prior to the war: he could not manipulate organic matter with his mind. He could not, for instance, force open a wooden door in his bodiless form, nor can he exercise any sort of command over sentient, organic minds. But he could build a golem out of scrap iron and other inorganic materials, possess it, and have it manipulate the organic matter for him.
He eventually learned that he was capable of short-range telepathy, which was fortunate seeing as how he no longer had a mouth with which to speak.
Since the war, he has taken it upon himself to help rebuild the cities where he can, operating as an "independent contractor" of sorts. However, he's become disillusioned at the lack of support many people are receiving as they still attempt to rebuild their lives. After "disappearing" for several months, Danny joined the Vanguard field team known as HUG, some say to drump up support for an increase in rebuilding efforts.
First character build, at level 8, and might be used as an upgrade later in the game
Core Attribute - Inorganic Manipulation
Type: Major
Rank: 9, Reduced Versatility (-1)
Build Inorganic Construct (General)
Fake Body (Alteration)
Inorganic Combat (Offense)
Add Components (Alteration)
Propel Limb (Offense)
Death to Robots (Alteration)
Taking to the Air or, uh, Dirt (Movement)
Giant-Sized (Alteration)
Compression (Alteration)
Create Vacuum (Offense)
Absorb Projectile (Alteration)
Swiss Army Limb (Alteration)
Bringing Down the House (Offense)
Destroy Weapon (Offense)
I've Got A Hold On You (Offense)
Barrier (Alteration)
Side Attribute - Bodiless
Type: Major
Rank: 8
Resistant to Physical Damage (Alteration)
Invisible (Alteration)
Telepathic Communication (General)
Eyeless Sight (Sensory)
Immortal (Alteration)
Resistant to Energy Damage (Alteration)
Resistant to Psychic Effects (Alteration)
Resistant to Disease (Alteration)
Self-sustaining (Alteration)
Resistant to Poison (Alteration)
Dispel Magick (Alteration)
Intangible (Alteration)
Painless (Alteration)
No Body (Alteration)
Traits:
Boxing
Type: Major
Rank: 5
Fleet-footed (Alteration)
Body Blows (Offense)
Bob and Weave (Defense)
Guard Stance (Alteration)
Well-Read
Type: Minor
Rank: 1
Yeah, I read...books. (Has a somewhat broadened knowledge base due to a partially-completed college education and years of reading for fun).
Flaws
Organic Repulsion
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Plants...Why did it have to be plants? (Defense)
Core Attribute - Inorganic Manipulation
Type: Major
Rank: 8
Build Inorganic Construct (General)
Fake Body (Alteration)
Inorganic Combat (Offense)
Add Components (Alteration)
Propel Limb (Offense)
Death to Robots (Alteration)
Taking to the Air or, uh, Dirt (Movement)
Giant-Sized (Alteration)
Compression (Alteration)
Create Vacuum (Offense)
Absorb Projectile (Alteration)
Swiss Army Limb (Alteration)
Bringing Down the House (Offense)
Destroy Weapon (Offense)
I've Got A Hold On You (Alteration)
Inorganic Toughness (Alteration)
Side Attribute - Bodiless
Type: Major
Rank: 7
Resistant to Physical Damage (Alteration)
Invisible (Alteration)
Telepathic Communication (General)
Eyeless Sight (Sensory)
Immortal (Alteration)
Resistant to Energy Damage (Alteration)
Resistant to Psychic Effects (Alteration)
Resistant to Disease (Alteration)
Self-sustaining (Alteration)
Resistant to Poison (Alteration)
Dispel Magick (Alteration)
Intangible (Alteration)
Painless (Alteration)
No Body (Alteration)
Well-Read
Type: Minor
Rank: 3
"I almost finished college, you know." (General) (Someone broadened knowledge base from partially-completed college education and years of reading for fun).
Flaws:
Organic Repulsion
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
"Plants...why'd it have to be plants?" (Alteration)
Depression
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Life After Death (General)
GreenStick around.I'm full of bad ideas.Registered Userregular
edited May 2007
Man, my guy is one of the mystically-powered
(but don't let him hear you call it magic
he hates that)
Green on
0
WearingglassesOf the friendly neighborhood varietyRegistered Userregular
edited May 2007
Okay. Take three:
The Stupefying Swashbuckler!
Level 5 Hero (25 points)
Biography:
Name: Reginald Ynigo
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 140 lbs
Hair: Short, Black
Eyes: Brown
Alignment: Vanguard
Swashbuckler is the Philippines' official superhero representative for Vanguard.
Reginald is just a regular cop with extraordinary abilities. He usually uses his Swashbuckler persona for non-combat situations, as there aren't many big threats in the Philippines. Crimes like bank robberies are handled in his police uniform. While he has the capability to do much more, he is mainly a poster-boy for the local government.
His greatest feat (possibly because of a lack of any other chances to prove himself) was an impromptu rescuing of the top brass from terrorists during the inauguration of the new Security Council Building.
Draft Image
Abilities (major kudos to Viv for this)
Abilities: Enhanced spatial awareness, making him capable of studying a space with in a matter of seconds and then fully navigating it or recalling it blindfolded. He is also an accomplished acrobat, which only complements his existing power.
Limitations: Agility is not superhuman, but it is close to the peak for a regular human. Spatial awareness does require him to study the area for a brief period of time, and it is also limited by his line of sight; he can only map what he can see in the span of those few short seconds, which means he cannot automatically navigate himself through an entire city at once. Changes in the space can also negate his ability somewhat.
Usage: Reggie's only innate superpower is his spatial awareness. Thanks to a photographic memory and an 270-degree field of view, he can take in, process, and store an unlimited amount of visual information. This makes him particularly useful in reconnaissance missions, as he can recall pretty much anything he's seen, regardless of when he first saw it.
On top of memorization, he can also map and analyze anything around him relative to his current location. As such, he is especially skilled at finding the most efficient path from point A to point B, accounting for all potential obstacles and alternate paths. To some extent, his analytical skills also allow him to spot things that would go unnoticed by most people. He can see a slight crack in the wall and can potentially explain the reason for its existence.
When blindfolded, his spatial awareness is still active, if slightly dulled because his abilities are very-sight based. His other four senses, however, are also slightly heightened, allowing him to use (for example) his hearing to gauge where he is in the room.
He cannot account for changes to spaces since his point of memorization. That is, if he memorized the layout of a bedroom and you put a chair in the middle of the floor after he closed his eyes, his spatial awareness would not pick up the chair. This is where his agility comes in.
Reggie also possess top-of-the-line (but still human) levels of agility. Combined with his ability to map and chart his current position in a matter of seconds, this grants him incredible maneuvering (both strategically and "flexibility"). As he moves, he is constantly re-assessing his current position in a given space, so he is very aware of where his body is relative to everything else is at all times. This requires little to no concentration on his part, even when blindfolded.
His physical body tires as easily as a human body does, but his brain does not. His spatial awareness is constantly active; focusing harder does not enhance his ability, nor does focusing less. Everything he sees is instantly processed and stored. This does mean that often times he will overexert his body without meaning to.
When his abilities are coupled with a fun-loving personality and a blunted sword he generally carries for show purposes only, he is easily a favorite in the superhuman community, both useful and entertaining all at once.
Character Sheet
Powers
Attribute: Spatial Awareness (6)
Type: Major
Rank: 4
Modifier: Major Reduced Versatility
Feats (6/6):
Impeccable aim (offense)
Trick shot (offense)
Weapon Catch (defense/counter)
With my eyes closed (movement)
I spy (sensory)
Improvise club (alteration)
Traits
Acrobat (8)
Type: Major
Rank: 5
Modifier: Major Reduced Versatility
Feats (8/8):
Crowd Control (offense)
Evasive Maneuvers (defense)
Contortion (alteration/boost)
Safe fall (defense)
Wall Climbing (movement) - needs handholds
Leap of Faith (movement) Parkour (movement)
Equilibrium (alteration/boost)
Vehicular Jack-of-all-trades (4)
Rank: 4
Type: Minor
Feat: Competently drive land vehicle
Celebrity (3)
Type:Minor
Rank: 3
Feat:
Charisma
Bilingual (1)
Type: Minor
Rank: 1
Feat:
Filipino and English
Devices
Official issue 9mm pistol (2)
Modifier: Device
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Feats: Gunshot (offense)
Flaws
Crowd Pleaser (3)
Rank: 3
A small chance of gloating when he's winning, giving the other guy a chance to pull something off.
A small chance of showboating when there's a crowd.
Benjamen Briscoe had always lead a neglected life.
Born the only son of Olivia and Johnathon Briscoe, Ben was the apple of his mother's eye. Playful, creative, and deceptively bright, even from a young age.
Ben's mother died when he was only 5, a fatal car crash that left her deceased and his father crippled, always reliant on a cane. After his mother's death his father engrossed himself into his work, being the municipal court judge for district 12. His father, unable to cope with raising a young son proceeded to place Ben in as many after school activities as possible. Relishing the opportunity to avoid contact with the intention of creating a "Well rounded young man".
Because of this emotional neglect, and finding himself under an overwhelming new workload, Ben found himself withdrawing from basic human interaction. Never forming any lasting friendships, only talking with others if it was a necessity. Preferring to bury himself in his curriculars.
22 years later, Briscoe has grown into a reclusive adult, working a quiet dead-end job in a corner bookstore. Accepting in a meaningless, empty life of solitude.
Until he met her.
Peneople Freechild. The only person to ever really pay attention to him. The only girl to ever give him the time of day. The only one who ever made him laugh.
6 months after their first encounter in the bookstore, they were engaged to be married. They had grown fond of taking after dinner strolls through the neighborhood, always hoping to catch a glimpse of "Superheroes", Penny was always fascinated by the dazzling array of lights and abilities these rising personalities seemed so fond of showing off.
It was one such evening, that would destroy Benjamen Briscoe's quaint, quiet little world. The evening Penelope Freechild was killed. By one of the Superheroes she adored so.
A skirmish had broken out between local golden boy "The Kinetic Kid" known for his sharp wit and spectacular displays of firework like pulses, and a D-list super villain by the name of the "Ebony Wasp". Blazing through the street, with spectators drawing ever closer, the Wasp let out a frightening barrage of "Wasp stings", small poisonous needles in a wide arc. The Kinetic kid, ever the quick wit released a wave of energy causing the needles to fly in every direction.
All the bystanders were helpless, most ducking and running for cover. Penny wasn't so lucky. A needle had pierced her eye, traveling straight through her skull. Killing her instantly.
Faced with the overbearing reality of her death, and an awful feeling of helplessness growing in the pit of his stomach, something inside of Benjamen Briscoe snapped that day. Releasing the full force of his latent telepathic abilities. Unknowingly to him. He proceeded to attack the Kinetic kid.
No one knew at the time why the "Kid" was thrashing about so violently, no one could figure out why he was screaming, muffling out cries for help. Every time someone tried to get near he'd release another blast of energy. Everyone in the ever growing crowd thought that the kinetic kid was having some sort of seizure.
Only the Channel 56 cameraman knew what was really happening. Briscoe was mercilessly beating the Kinetic kid to death. With his bare hands. After the young hero's body had stopped twitching, only when he heard the cries of a small boy arise from the crowd, did Briscoe snap out of his rage. Startled at the amount of blood all over his hands, Ben ran through the streets, only stopping when he passed out.
Over the next month Ben quickly came to realize the nature of his new found ability. Everyone he came into contact with, had no idea he was there. It was as if some great parlor magician had placed a spell on everyone with a simply message "You will never see Benjamen Briscoe again".
Withdrawing completely from humanity, Briscoe's persona had begun to warp, horribly. His mind had begun to create crude and idealistic new laws for how humanity should be treated by their super-powered "betters". His new creed was simple.
"Holding to a simple edict, no one of any sort of super-powered inclination may enter his neighborhood, no one of ill-will may enter his territory, no one careless and powerful may disturb his sanctity without answering to a strict code of warped vigilante justice."
6 months after creating his new moral code, the police found a horribly disfigured and crucified body in a back alley, A message was scrawled in blood beneath the remains of what was later identified as"The Ebony Wasp", "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" latin for "No one wounds me with impunity".
Over the course of a year, Briscoe began to carve out his territory, it's rules simple. If you lived a normal life, away from the glamor of extra-ordinary ability, you were allowed to live in peace and quiet, without fear from attack.
If, however, you were one of those "blessed" with powers far beyond those of mortal men. You were not welcome. Whether you be dubbed Hero, or villain. If you entered the 12 city blocks known to it's inhabitants as "54th street" your life was in great peril.
Briscoe's death toll to this day includes 12 d-list Super villains, and 4 superheroes.
To the children he is the 54th street boogeyman, a dark apparition, protecting them from the collateral damage that so often inflicts altercations between heroes and villains. To the police he is considered an invisible safeguard. Making their lives easier. And to those who run the world, those who control it with an iron super powered fist, he is nothing more than an urban legend.
Character Abilites
Briscoe is an incredibly powerful latent telepath, meaning he has little to no control over his abilities.
His power manifests itself as a subliminal suggestion to everyone in a mile and half-radius that Benjamen Briscoe is not there, he is invisible and simply nothing more than a ghost.
With focused concentration Briscoe can cause this effect to wear off, appearing as if from thin air to those he chooses.
If he were able to access to his full potential it is possible that he would be able to fully establish a complete array of Telepathic abilities including mind-reading, suggestion, and astral travel. However, because he accessed his powers so late in life, it is doubtful he will ever be able to do more than his patented "disappearing act".
A notable side effect, Ben is completely immune to all forms of psychic assault, it would appear that his "invisibility" extends to being completely untraceable by psychics.
But because his abilities only effect the human mind, he is still traceable by all forms of Video electronics, Animals it seems aren't effected either, perhaps because of the dissimilar physiology.
Well, I re-read my profile and noticed a glaring mistake. Corrected:
Code Name: Blak Magik Real Name: Dina Mashijevic
Character Backround:
Age: Unknown (Speculated to be in her sixties. Blak Rubicon's slowing of the aging process makes this difficult)
Dina was a scout-sniper in the years of conflict between Afghanistan and Russia and, as a result of her prowess and impressive bodycount, the KGB offered her a change in position as conflict escalated. She accepted and was subsequently admitted into what is now referred to behind closed doors as The Saint of War Sessions. It was a KGB effort to enhance Russian counterintelligence agents in preparation for the increasing number of government-employed-superhumans in America.
The tests started innocently enough, with Dina signing on just as the KGB was increasing its pool of subjects. She was tested on loyalty, trustworthiness, resourcefulness, and fortitude, alongside physical strength and mental aptitude. It was really nothing out of the ordinary.
Then the year 2000 rolled along, and the invasion began. Though the Sessions were far from ready to start real testing, the KGB accelerated the calendar, hoping to produce useful subjects to counter the alien threat.
The years rolled by, with Dina and her fellow subjects being put through the most grueling of tests. In many ways it felt like they were often competing with one another, and as a result a lot of cloak-and-dagger backstabbing took place between the test subjects. In the last stage of tests, three years after the start of the war, everyone left standing was bound to a then-unknown magical substance known as Blak Rubicon.
This substance was not only injected into their bloodstream, but also ingested into the digestive system, merged with their spinal fluid, and grafted topically onto the skin. This meant that now, every system in their bodies, from digestive to nervous to circulatory, was mixed with Blak Rubicon.
In the four years that followed, those who hadn't died instantly from exposure to such a foreign substance were trained in using the magic and gauged on what they were able to do with it. At the end of those four years (two years after the end of the war), Dina was the only subject left standing, her command of the properties of Blak Rubicon not only satisfactory (and non-self-destructive), but far surpassing what the KGB had set as benchmarks.
Towards the end of her tests, Dina was informed that the KGB was being dissolved and that she no longer had someone left to serve. This disbanding of the KGB was a direct result of the newly-established SUN's Reclamation project, where governments around a devastated world welcome the help of superhumans with open arms. As a result, funding for the Sessions was cut, and Dina went free.
Being stuck in a lab for 6 years constantly watching her back did a bad enough number on Dina's already naturally mistrustful and paranoid psyche. Now being suddenly granted her freedom is a near post-apocalyptic world sealed the deal. She basically learned of the entire world's devastation in a very short span of time, and feared for the lives of her husband and son, neither of whom she had seen for the 6 years that she'd been at the Sessions.
A little research revealed SUN and Vanguard and Ultimatum's plan for the Reclamation…a plan that essentially begged the world to "trust" SUN. She disliked the idea of it and, as per her skeptical nature, refused to put any faith in it.
She reunited with her family, who had thankfully survived the attack, though she kept her magical abilities to herself; she knew that were she to go public with her new superhuman power, she would soon be approached by either the Vanguard itself…or someone who wanted to do something about the Vanguard. She had no intention of doing anything but spending time with the family that she could have so easily lost.
Unfortunately, the KGB's disbanding also meant that a lot of its information—including mention of the Sessions—were now available to SUN. Dina was tracked down and, as predicted, asked to join SUN in an effort to rebuild the world. She was even offered a senior supervising position for western Russia. She declined and was now concerned that they could track her every move. She wasn't wrong: she moved her family to a new location after the first encounter with Vanguard, only to have them track her down and contact her again.
Dina therefore confronted the Vanguard cell based on western Russia and demanded that they leave her alone. The Vanguard's response was that they respected her decision and would no longer put pressure on her to help "save the world."
But some in the Vanguard are not so understanding. Two years following Dina's last confrontation with the Vanguard, an Afghani superhuman who happened to be employed by SUN happened to be very familiar with Dina's exploits prior to the Sessions, and when he learned that she was not only a superhuman now…but a superhuman unwilling to help rebuild the world when "the Russians helped destroy it" (in his view), he was far from happy.
The result was that, using his status in the Vanguard, he sent a troop of the Vanguard's hitmen to Dina's home and attacked her family. She fought them off and survived but could not save her husband and son.
The rest is history.
Abilities: Wanted vigilante skilled in the use of magic, namely the ability to imbue objects with magical properties. Can enhance weapons, clothing, and imbue everyday objects with her dark magics. She is a skilled combatant, well versed in several forms of martial arts and self defense techniques. She is a master marksman, and highly capable explosives expert. Highly resourceful.
Limitations: The only resilience she gained in those years of testing was of a mental nature. While she is protected by her magical clothing and weaponry, she is merely human and easily killed when aforementioned clothing is rendered useless.
Character Power Sheet:
Level 7 ??? (35 Points)
Powers: (16 points)
Core Attribute - Blak Arts
Type: Major
Rank: 7
Feats (14):
Mystically Alter Weapon (Alteration)
Mystically Alter Armor (Alteration)
Alter physical temperature (Alteration)
Imbue elemental protection (Alteration)
Imbue physical protection (Alteration)
Imbue Energy protection (Alteration)
Imbue Mystical Energy protection (Alteration)
Transform object into weapon (Alteration)
Blak Aura (Defense)
Blak Plague (Alteration)
*Summons 4 subjects of Saint of War Sessions to do Blak Magik's bidding. Lasts for combat, and then disappears.
Blak Blade (Offense)
Blak Volley (Alteration) * Requires gun
Pitch Blak (Alteration)
*Blak Rubicon's alien magiks imbue the user with the ability to cast aside the light. When an area is "Pitch Blak", all light is gone and special means are needed to see.
Blood Vendetta (Alteration) *Requires imbued shotgun. Causes severe damage to Vanguard aligned superheroes.
Traits: (19 points)
Saint of War
Type: Major
Rank: 6
Feats(12):
Weapons Training (Alteration)
First Aid (General)
Inflitration (General)
Demolitions Expert (Alteration)
Sniper Mastery (Alteration)
Jujitsu (Defense)
Kung Fu (Offense)
Melee Weapons *Sword/Knife/Improvised (Alteration)
Persuasion (Alteration)*May outright avoid conflicts, as prudent agents tend to
Battlefield Awareness (Sensory) *Training and hardships have fashioned Dina into a hardened soldier. She has a keen insight into combat and will use your environment against you.
Mental Resolve (Defense)
Arsenal
Type: Major
Rank: 3
Feats (6):
Machine guns (Offense)
Pistols (Offense)
Shotguns (Offense)
Sniper Rifles (Offense)
Melee Weapons *Swords and Knives (Offense)
Explosives (Offense)
*Highly Damaging weapon capable of bringing down buildings
Interrogation (1 point)
Type: Minor
Rank: 1
Feats (1):
Don't worry. This will only hurt a lot. (Alteration)
*Lasts as long as the attacker and attacked specify. Purpose of power is to obtain information that wouldn't be given otherwise.
Multilinguist (1 point)
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Feats (1):
Where's the shitter? (General)
NOTE: Reworking of origin is credited to Viv, who is hella talented at this shiznite. And credit for the character sheet goes to Fedora, who is also drawing my character. Muchos gracias!
SCRIPTURE *UPDATED REGULARLY
Saint of War Scriptures: Success and You
*Tape begins rolling. The date is obviously edited out as evidenced by the pixelated numbers at the corner. Vanguard has edited it.*
Good morning. Today I will be showing you how to kill a mass quantity of people using your wits, initiative, and of course a bomb.
Initiating the process is easy enough.
Look around you, and make a list.
Assess the viability of your targets. How many people live there? How many Vanguard personel are present? Is it a military installation? Is it a SIGMA installation?
Make a scale placing numerical value on your targets. The highest value is now your target. Get to work.
Explosives are obtained easily enough. If you have to ask, you don't have the strength of mind to even consider rebellion.
Again, assessment is required. Are you a metahuman? If so, how can your power assist you best? Can you use your X-Ray vision to find hardpoints in a building? Can they hinder you?
The rebel known as Burnout learned this the hard way. Breaking the sound barrier may help you get into a Vanguard compound quickly, sure. But the sonic boom is something of a dead giveaway. He was last seen taken into Sigma custody with his arms and legs removed.
I realize this bit of tradecraft seems ethically unsound. Many of these men are our saviors. That is an unavoidable fact.
What part of that entitles them to rule over us unabated? What part of that allows them to deprive us of our personal freedoms? To reign over us as Gods?
*The silhouette moves over to the window, carrying the camera with her. The shades are opened. There is a building barely in focus. The camera autofocuses and St Jude's MetaHospital is seen in clear red letters. A ambulance carries in a green woman atop a stretcher.*
*The building then explodes, burying the stretcher.*
I know enough to know it doesn't.
Saint of War Scriptures: Know Thine Enemy
Right then.
The pigfuckers are everywhere. If you're going to stand any chance of fighting them, you will have to kill. Men, women, children and dogs. This is unavoidable. Anything less is jerking off.
The importance is that you know who you're killing.
Case in point: The Living Casket made a point to tear apart a restaurant where non-powered police were gathering to to celebrate the retirement of their captain, a powered officer who'd served the force for 12 years.
The Living Casket was an unpowered vigilante who had something a funeral motif about him. Undertaker suit and stylized shovel blade. Solid roses serving as edged projectiles. White facepaint and white lenses over his eyes. Something of a showman with aesthetic flair.
He hurled the roses en masse through the windows of the restaurant, indiscriminately butchering a family of five (infant included), an elderly couple celebrating their 25th anniversary, only to wound the captain. The captain was a hyper evolved humanoid reptile.
Stepping over his dead compatriots, the captain opened the door and ran to meet the Living Casket head on. The showman threw a punch, which is one of many mistakes he made that day. After his arm was torn off, he was grabbed by both ankles and slammed off the side of a building until he was mashed into a fine paste of blood, teeth and bone.
What mistakes did he make?
1. He didn't assess viability of the target at all. What point did he hope to prove by killing a powered captain who was retiring? If you're thinking it's some sort of metaphorical point, stay away from that line of thought and observe common sense: Killing someone in office is far more detrimental to a system of control than killing someone leaving that system of control.
2. His civilian kills were accidental. If public outcry wasn't his intent, those killings served no purpose and were he to have escaped he's just made a move that needlessly limits his ability to attack further.
3. He didn't know his enemy. You do not rush in blindly hoping you will instantly achieve victory. Or you will end up looking at a lizard man with your little ninja stars popping out of his skin. And he will fucking annihilate you because you thought that you could just make this shit up as you go.
Saint of War Scripture: Sharpen your Sword
Our last piece of tradecraft dealt with knowing the value of your target, and what not do.
Now, we will talk about the nitty gritty. That is to say, killing someone up close and personal.
In a post Anathema world, you will notice there is a distinct change in how one fights a superhuman.
Listen to me on this, and listen good. I have trained to kill you, and all of your kind.
The distinction is that now fighting does not serve the purpose of the message. No one is simply punched in the face and thrown into jail only to return to the streets shortly after exploiting a non-superhero ran populace's system of law. At minimum you will receive permanent injury and a lifetime of incarceration. At maximum you will suffer a fate worse than death.
So, how does one kill a superhuman?
It's simple:
Know your surroundings: If I fight a vampire, the last place I will fight him is a city. He has a readily available source of health replenishment, and too many places to hide. I cannot fight him on my terms. So I will put myself in a position to fight him in the country, or if I'm really lucky, a desert.
Know your enemy:Hypothetical: How do I fight a man who can see through walls? There is no place I can hide. So you know what I do? I gouge out his fucking eyes; Even your enemy's strengths can be used against them. Don't hesitate to do so.
Be ready to improvise: Shit happens to everyone. Leave yourself an out. If I have to explain this piece of information I'm wasting my fucking time.
Have the right tools for the job: Hypothetical: You are an unpowered human who is a skilled archer. Your enemy has a thick exoskeleton capable of deflecting small arms fire. What do you do?
*INSERT TAPE*
*Tape begins playing*
"To illustrate my point of having the right tools for the job, I'd like you all to meet my little friend Jonahs Shenk, otherwise referred to as The Stag Beetle. Say hello to the audience, Jonahs."
*The camera pans to a large, metallic insectoid suit with a large hole blown into the side. Shards of metal poke out of his body. His hands and feet are nailed to a hotel wall.*
"YOU FUCKING CUNT. THEY"LL NEVER LET YOU-"
*She pistol-whips him and he begins sobbing uncontrollably*
"Jonahs made it strong enough to withstand bullets, but not quite strong enough to withstand an explosive charge. I am now going to pour molten lead into his mouth until he shits bullets."
*Tape Stops*
Saint of War Scripture: Means and Ends
War has existed ever since man has existed, because man has the capacity within himself to disagree. There will always be differing views, thereby war will always be a constant. This sentiment used to ring true to me until...fuck, the last twenty years of my life. Now listen.
Eschatological thought applied to war speaks of a war to end all wars.
The reason war as a business is so successful is that the world will keep bringing people into the world to be killed. It does not benefit arms contractors if one side is wiped out entirely. So both sides have nuclear weapons, thus nullifying any need for use. In the future war is only waged on the weak, as war waged between large powers results in Mutually Assured Destruction.
In eschatology, mutually assured destruction happens anyway and whatever is left ascends to kingdom come.
I never thought as a girl living out her days in Samara I'd ever have to think about this dogshit.
Listen.
If we live in a world where men and women are weapons of mass destruction, and they won out against a cataclysm...does that mean the end hasn't already begun? At first glance that seems insane.
But consider life before and after Anathema.
His name, before and after Anathema.
A man sees fit to rule as God, making his will manifest and damning all who say otherwise.
Forever Zefirocloaked in the midnight glory of an event horizonRegistered Userregular
edited May 2007
Fedora, it would be funny if I went with the nanobot man and we were a team, because I could detect you and talk to you, and everyone around would think I was crazy.
This game is probably going to be cool
Also, you reminded me of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
Forever Zefiro on
XBL - Foreverender | 3DS FC - 1418 6696 1012 | Steam ID | LoL
Abilities: Can emit, manipulate, drain, and concentrate electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths between 380nm to 750 nm (basically, the visible light spectrum) from any part of his body.
Limitations: The intensity of his emitted light is capped at 800,000,000 lumens (to give you an idea of how bright that is, a 100V incandescent light bulb has an intensity of 1700 lumens). However, his eyes have the sensitivity of a normal human being, meaning that if he is not wearing the necessary protective gear, his own power could easily burn out his eyes.
Usage: Lumes' power is most often used as a light source, providing light where there is otherwise none. Any living tissue in his body, from his scalp to his buttcheeks to his skin itself, are capable of being beacons to contain and emit his light.
His maximum efficiency is reached not unlike the way a solar panel would charge itself up, but with a significant difference. While a solar panel can only store and utilize sunlight, Lumes can absorb (and subsequently store) any kind of visible light, even from something as simple as a flashlight or even the light in a room around him. This absorption process not only charges his power, but can also be used as a tool to drain the light from an area, effectively rendering it dark. This "drain" has a very limited range of a 4-foot radius around whichever body part he commands to do the absorbing.
It should be noted that it is not necessary for Lumes to drain or absorb light energy in such a manner to power his abilities. Without the assistance of natural-occurring light in the environment around him, Lumes' own body cells provide him with his own, internalized source of light energy. This energy is generally limited, however, and Lumes is best served absorbing and storing external light energy whenever possible.
Once the energy is stored, Lumes' own internal chemistry allows him to focus, concentrate, and even increase the intensity of his light supply. For example, if he absorbed a specific wavelength at a specific luminous flux, he can alter that absorbed light into a different wavelength at a different lumen level.
To use his power, Lumens focuses his energy into a specific area of his body (his power is location-based, not organ-based) and simply releases it from his body. His "natural" light energy supply regenerates relatively quickly after such a release, but he must manually re-absorb external light to reach his maximum potential again. The energy can be released in bursts or maintained in one body part and released gradually, acting like a light source.
His light can be used for any number of combative uses, the most popular of which is a flash-bang effect, releasing a burst of light so bright and intense in such a short span of time that it can briefly disorient and stun opponents caught unawares. Since his power can be emitted from anywhere in his body, it is virtually impossible for his opponents to know where to not look to avoid getting stunned.
Another use is, with a brief burst of a specific configuration of electromagnetic waves, he can potentially disorient electronics and other devices that run on circuitry. This effect is very limited, however, as he has no control over wavelengths beyond the visible light spectrum; he cannot disable electronics, only disrupt them very slightly, very briefly.
A unique feature of his light is that it is simply bright, not hot. There is minimal heat energy tied to his power, regardless of how intense he chooses to focus and release his light, allowing his body to manage his power without much physical strain. It is only when he approaches his critical lumen limit (i.e., in his case, passing the 666,000,000 lumen mark) that things start to melt—or burn—around him, including his own flesh.
The main weakness of his power is that he is as vulnerable to is as potential enemies are. His eyes have a sensitivity equivalent to that of normal humans, which means his own retinas could burn out if he's not careful with his power. His stylized eyewear is crucial in this respect, protecting his eyes from his own power. Should he be exposed to the maximum effect of his flash-bang effect, he would be stunned just like anyone else whose eyes happened to get a glimpse of it.
A secondary weakness is, strangely enough, that he requires more light to see than most normal human beings, meaning that he has very, very poor night vision. Coupled with the necessity for his dark eyewear, this problem is kept in check by Lumes' own combat training and a little help from his abilities.
Should Lumes fall unconscious while storing more than his natural, internalized light, all external light is released from his body in a single burst at whatever intensity Lumes had "set" the light to in his body prior to falling unconscious. This can be seen as both a weakness…or, on a team, a unique combat tactic.
Biography
James was born in a suburb of Indianapolis. As a child, James was very gifted; he excelled in school and at pretty much everything he got his hands on. At the age of 22, he graduated from Cambridge with an MBA. And soon after that he was offered an upper management job in Sydney, Australia with Strawberry Popsicle, one of the top nanotechnology distributors. Few months later, he was promoted to the Chief of Financial.
Character Sheet
Level 3 (15)
Major Core Attribute - Electromagnetic Radiation
Rank 4
Feats (8):
Lumination (Sensory)
Search Light (Sensory)
Flash Bang (Offensive)
Drain Light (Defensive)
Disruption (Offensive)
Grand Explosion (Offensive)
Regenerate (Alteration)
Refraction (Alteration)
Name: Venger
Real Name: Zeke Wildimer
Age: 25
Height: 6'2
Weight. 186 lb.
Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue
Background:
Zeke is your average 20 something living in a big city. Works a low end job for meager pay. Studies hard in college trying to get passing grades. He always has to work for any of his goals. Nothing has ever been handed to him. The one thing he cherished most in the world was his loving girlfriend.
This was his life.
One night, on a date, Zeke and his girlfriend was confronted by an attacker. Zeke wasn't going to allow his hard earned money be stolen. He needed that money to eat. He needed that money to pay his rent. Even though the attacker held a gun at Zeke, he acted.
Zeke woke up in a hospital. He was in mind numbing pain. He could barely breath. He had no clue what happened. A nurse report that he was awake and soon a cop arrived to talk to a confused Zeke. The cop told him what had happened. When Zeke acted, the nervous attacker shot him thrice in the chest and once in the stomach. His girlfriend screamed and she was also shot. Zeke was rushed to a hospital and it was a miracle that he lived.
Somehow, Zeke managed to get up and walk towards the door. He pushed down the cop that tried to stop him, and all the orderlies that were called in. He screamed up and down the hallway for his girlfriend. He searched frantically for her as his wounds reopened. He ignored the pain and kept on searching. Finally, he found the doctor that treated her. The doctor told him the horrible news.
His girlfriend didn't live. She died at the hospital.
Zeke screamed and cried. He didn't get a chance to say good-bye.
A year later, after several months of concealing and rehabilitation, Zeke recovered. He went to numerous meetings about people who are victims of crime. Zeke was disgusted. How could all these terrible things happen to people. How could such a terrible thing happen to him.
One night while walking home, he saw a woman being mugged. He hesitated. He was afraid of being shot again. As he saw the attacker hit the woman who wouldn't give up her purse he decided to act. He defeated the attacker and rescued the woman. "Your my hero," she said.
He liked the sound of that.
Powers:
Zeke has built his body up to that of an athlete. While he doesn't know any martial arts, his instinct serves as his main weapon.
Another hidden "power" Zeke isn't aware of is his willpower. More often than naught, his sheer force of will has
pushed him to overcome any obstacle.
Description:
His suit is all black and covers his entire body except for a thin, red line that begins below his neck to his belt. He wears a pair of googles to protect his eyes. His suit has thick metal plates inserted into the back, chest, stomach and mask portions to protect Zeke from damage. His belt holds a few items that aid Zeke in his battles.
Character Build:
Venger, Level 2 Hero 10 points
Faction: None
Powers:
N/A
Traits:
Modern Watchmen
Type:Major
Rank: 2
Feats (2):
Fight Club (Alteration)
Street Smarts (General)
Core Attribute - Brawler
Type: Major
Rank: 3
Feats (3):
Boxing (Offense)
Rope a Dope (Defense)
Ground Fighting (Offense)
Devices:
Brass Knuckles (2 points)
Type: Minor
Modifier: Minor (-1)
Rank: 2
Feat: Lethal Punch (Alteration)
Bullet-Proof Vest (2 points)
Type: Minor
Modifier: (-1)
Rank: 2
Feat: Padded Protection (Alteration)
Flaws:
Amateur
Type: Minor
Rank: -1
Feat: Inexperienced (Alteration)
Naive
Type: Minor
Rank: -1
Feat: Too Trusting (Alteration)
Core Attribute: Vampiric Psi
Type: Major
Rank: 7
Feats:
Telekenesis (Alteration)
Psi Shield (Defense)
Levitation (General)
Telepathy (Sensory)
Atomic Destruction (Offense/Alteration)*May only be used if at least 50 innocent minds* are present
Supporting Attribute: Mind Drain
Psi (Alteration)*After draining a mind, Malice may tap into his Psi powers.
1 present innocent mind=8 points that may be used towards Psi feats
Mind Drain (Offense/Alteration)
Mind Deconstruction (Offense)
Crowd Control (Alteration)
*Innocent minds are any characters (players or NPCs) that do not actively commit, or have not had a pust full of crimes
or anyone who projects negative emotions towards other innocents. Includes civilians.
Traits: (19 points)
Vigilante/Criminal
Type: Major
Rank: 5
Feats:
Moderate Weapons Training (Alteration)
Infiltration (General)
Human Shield (Defense)*Requires Pistol or Knife
Street Fighting (Offense)
Rage (Alteration) *Michael has a short fuse, and loses his temper easily,
becoming slightly stronger and faster, but losing focus.
Focus (Alteration)
Posts
Name: Daniel Byron
Alias: Golem
Age: 35
Height: Varies
Weight: Varies
Affiliation: Vanguard (HUG), formerly Independent
Summary and Biography:
Limits: Cannot manipulate organic materials without a physical construct. For example, he cannot pass a wooden door normally, but using an inorganic body he can open the door. Also, while he can create and use constructs larger than human size, they cannot be held together for long, and the experience leaves him drained.
Backstory: Prior to 2000 the resulting war, Danny was very normal guy. A construction worker whose work-week was unpredictable and who spent his breaks catcalling women. Just after he was made foreman at the age of 20, he started suffering from some strange atrophy in various muscles in his body; he found that his control over his body was actually weakening, as though it was taking a lot more effort for him to make his body complete even the simplest tasks. Baffled, he went to see a doctor, and during a string of tests it was revealed that there was something "wrong" with his genetic code. Doctors stated that he should be a superhuman, but they could not put a finger on his ability. Danny himself admitted that he did not feel the least bit out of the ordinary, aside from the sudden sluggishness (which he personally attributed to fatigue from working long hours).
Nonetheless, he was given the name and contact information for one Dr. Diana Hardy, an international expert at identifying superhuman abilities (being that her own power assisted her in this endeavor), and was instructed to call her should anything pop up. Danny never called her, thinking that he'd just wait for his powers to manifest, or that perhaps he had a very latent power that would only reveal itself in extreme circumstances. In the meantime, he continued to struggle against his uncooperative body, shrugging it off as fatigue, stress, and overexertion.
It probably helps to mention that Danny was based in Washington, DC.
Not long after these medical tests, the invasion had begun. With Washington, DC being the node on which all the alien androids were focusing their attack, nothing in DC stood a chance when, in the span of weeks, it was wiped completely off the map.
Except Danny.
Danny's power manifested itself the second his body was completely disintegrated by an powerful explosion. His first reaction (which lasted for upwards of four months) was that he had died and this was what death was like. His depression kept him from experimenting, and the fact that he could interact with no one (and believed that he was dead) started to give the usually-cheerful, upbeat, and friendly Dan Savage a much more dour, loner personality. He frequently wondered when he would "cross over" and if there was something he needed to do before that would happen, or if in fact this is what awaited everyone when they died.
He had no body, no brain, nothing…except his mind, his "heart" (in a figurative sense), and his psyche.
Then, in a burst of rage, he accidentally dismembered one of the alien invaders (they're robots, guys, Pony says so) and it was then that he began to notice that certain objects in his environment would react to his commands.
As it turns out, his human body was actually blocking his powers from manifesting! Those powers were his ability to manipulate any inorganic material around him, from iron to asphalt to air, as well as to "possess" them and use them like they were extensions of his own body. Perhaps best of all, he became an incredibly useful tool in the war, as he was able to possess and disable droves of the aliens all on his own, single-handedly reversing the tide of many battles.
The Vanguard tried many times to approach him, but were never able to locate him; Danny's loner attitude (and now proof that he is not dead and can be self-sufficient) didn't feel like teaming up with anyone, letting alone signing up with a presidential candidate that he had originally voted against. It helped that, when he was not possessing an inorganic body, he was practically invisible.
Danny spent most of the war aiding in battles where he could be the most useful, as well as experimenting with his powers. The extent of his manipulation, he realized was severely limited in range; he could disable a robot by ripping its limbs off if it came in contact with him, but he could not do it from a distance. It was easier, therefore, for him to construct "golems," possess them by coming into physical contact with all its parts, and using it in that fashion.
He also found the reason for his sluggishness prior to the war: he could not manipulate organic matter with his mind. He could not, for instance, force open a wooden door in his bodiless form, nor can he exercise any sort of command over sentient, organic minds. But he could build a golem out of scrap iron and other inorganic materials, possess it, and have it manipulate the organic matter for him.
He eventually learned that he was capable of short-range telepathy, which was fortunate seeing as how he no longer had a mouth with which to speak.
Since the war, he has taken it upon himself to help rebuild the cities where he can, operating as an "independent contractor" of sorts. However, he's become disillusioned at the lack of support many people are receiving as they still attempt to rebuild their lives. After "disappearing" for several months, Danny joined the Vanguard field team known as HUG, some say to drump up support for an increase in rebuilding efforts.
First character build, at level 8, and might be used as an upgrade later in the game
Faction: Vanguard, formerly Independent
Powers:
Core Attribute - Inorganic Manipulation
Type: Major
Rank: 9, Reduced Versatility (-1)
Build Inorganic Construct (General)
Fake Body (Alteration)
Inorganic Combat (Offense)
Add Components (Alteration)
Propel Limb (Offense)
Death to Robots (Alteration)
Taking to the Air or, uh, Dirt (Movement)
Giant-Sized (Alteration)
Compression (Alteration)
Create Vacuum (Offense)
Absorb Projectile (Alteration)
Swiss Army Limb (Alteration)
Bringing Down the House (Offense)
Destroy Weapon (Offense)
I've Got A Hold On You (Offense)
Barrier (Alteration)
Side Attribute - Bodiless
Type: Major
Rank: 8
Resistant to Physical Damage (Alteration)
Invisible (Alteration)
Telepathic Communication (General)
Eyeless Sight (Sensory)
Immortal (Alteration)
Resistant to Energy Damage (Alteration)
Resistant to Psychic Effects (Alteration)
Resistant to Disease (Alteration)
Self-sustaining (Alteration)
Resistant to Poison (Alteration)
Dispel Magick (Alteration)
Intangible (Alteration)
Painless (Alteration)
No Body (Alteration)
Traits:
Boxing
Type: Major
Rank: 5
Fleet-footed (Alteration)
Body Blows (Offense)
Bob and Weave (Defense)
Guard Stance (Alteration)
Well-Read
Type: Minor
Rank: 1
Yeah, I read...books. (Has a somewhat broadened knowledge base due to a partially-completed college education and years of reading for fun).
Flaws
Organic Repulsion
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Plants...Why did it have to be plants? (Defense)
Level 7 build (in progress)
Faction: Vanguard, formerly Independent
Powers:
Core Attribute - Inorganic Manipulation
Type: Major
Rank: 8
Build Inorganic Construct (General)
Fake Body (Alteration)
Inorganic Combat (Offense)
Add Components (Alteration)
Propel Limb (Offense)
Death to Robots (Alteration)
Taking to the Air or, uh, Dirt (Movement)
Giant-Sized (Alteration)
Compression (Alteration)
Create Vacuum (Offense)
Absorb Projectile (Alteration)
Swiss Army Limb (Alteration)
Bringing Down the House (Offense)
Destroy Weapon (Offense)
I've Got A Hold On You (Alteration)
Inorganic Toughness (Alteration)
Side Attribute - Bodiless
Type: Major
Rank: 7
Resistant to Physical Damage (Alteration)
Invisible (Alteration)
Telepathic Communication (General)
Eyeless Sight (Sensory)
Immortal (Alteration)
Resistant to Energy Damage (Alteration)
Resistant to Psychic Effects (Alteration)
Resistant to Disease (Alteration)
Self-sustaining (Alteration)
Resistant to Poison (Alteration)
Dispel Magick (Alteration)
Intangible (Alteration)
Painless (Alteration)
No Body (Alteration)
Traits:
Brawling
Type: Major
Rank: 4 (Major Versatility Reduction)
Straight Punches (Offense)
Dodge (Defense)
Tackle (Offense)
Hammer Toss (Offense)
Drop Kick (Offense)
Well-Read
Type: Minor
Rank: 3
"I almost finished college, you know." (General) (Someone broadened knowledge base from partially-completed college education and years of reading for fun).
Flaws:
Organic Repulsion
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
"Plants...why'd it have to be plants?" (Alteration)
Depression
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Life After Death (General)
(but don't let him hear you call it magic
he hates that)
The Stupefying Swashbuckler!
Level 5 Hero (25 points)
Biography:
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 140 lbs
Hair: Short, Black
Eyes: Brown
Alignment: Vanguard
Swashbuckler is the Philippines' official superhero representative for Vanguard.
Reginald is just a regular cop with extraordinary abilities. He usually uses his Swashbuckler persona for non-combat situations, as there aren't many big threats in the Philippines. Crimes like bank robberies are handled in his police uniform. While he has the capability to do much more, he is mainly a poster-boy for the local government.
His greatest feat (possibly because of a lack of any other chances to prove himself) was an impromptu rescuing of the top brass from terrorists during the inauguration of the new Security Council Building.
Draft Image
Abilities (major kudos to Viv for this)
Abilities: Enhanced spatial awareness, making him capable of studying a space with in a matter of seconds and then fully navigating it or recalling it blindfolded. He is also an accomplished acrobat, which only complements his existing power.
Limitations: Agility is not superhuman, but it is close to the peak for a regular human. Spatial awareness does require him to study the area for a brief period of time, and it is also limited by his line of sight; he can only map what he can see in the span of those few short seconds, which means he cannot automatically navigate himself through an entire city at once. Changes in the space can also negate his ability somewhat.
Usage: Reggie's only innate superpower is his spatial awareness. Thanks to a photographic memory and an 270-degree field of view, he can take in, process, and store an unlimited amount of visual information. This makes him particularly useful in reconnaissance missions, as he can recall pretty much anything he's seen, regardless of when he first saw it.
On top of memorization, he can also map and analyze anything around him relative to his current location. As such, he is especially skilled at finding the most efficient path from point A to point B, accounting for all potential obstacles and alternate paths. To some extent, his analytical skills also allow him to spot things that would go unnoticed by most people. He can see a slight crack in the wall and can potentially explain the reason for its existence.
When blindfolded, his spatial awareness is still active, if slightly dulled because his abilities are very-sight based. His other four senses, however, are also slightly heightened, allowing him to use (for example) his hearing to gauge where he is in the room.
He cannot account for changes to spaces since his point of memorization. That is, if he memorized the layout of a bedroom and you put a chair in the middle of the floor after he closed his eyes, his spatial awareness would not pick up the chair. This is where his agility comes in.
Reggie also possess top-of-the-line (but still human) levels of agility. Combined with his ability to map and chart his current position in a matter of seconds, this grants him incredible maneuvering (both strategically and "flexibility"). As he moves, he is constantly re-assessing his current position in a given space, so he is very aware of where his body is relative to everything else is at all times. This requires little to no concentration on his part, even when blindfolded.
His physical body tires as easily as a human body does, but his brain does not. His spatial awareness is constantly active; focusing harder does not enhance his ability, nor does focusing less. Everything he sees is instantly processed and stored. This does mean that often times he will overexert his body without meaning to.
When his abilities are coupled with a fun-loving personality and a blunted sword he generally carries for show purposes only, he is easily a favorite in the superhuman community, both useful and entertaining all at once.
Character Sheet
Attribute: Spatial Awareness (6)
Type: Major
Rank: 4
Modifier: Major Reduced Versatility
Feats (6/6):
Impeccable aim (offense)
Trick shot (offense)
Weapon Catch (defense/counter)
With my eyes closed (movement)
I spy (sensory)
Improvise club (alteration)
Traits
Acrobat (8)
Type: Major
Rank: 5
Modifier: Major Reduced Versatility
Feats (8/8):
Crowd Control (offense)
Evasive Maneuvers (defense)
Contortion (alteration/boost)
Safe fall (defense)
Wall Climbing (movement) - needs handholds
Leap of Faith (movement)
Parkour (movement)
Equilibrium (alteration/boost)
Policeman (4)
Rank: 3
Modifier: Major Reduced Versatility
Type: Major
Feats (4/4):
Escrima Handling(offense)
Disarm (alteration)
Criminal Investigation (general)
Police Backup (alteration)
Vehicular Jack-of-all-trades (4)
Rank: 4
Type: Minor
Feat: Competently drive land vehicle
Celebrity (3)
Type:Minor
Rank: 3
Feat:
Charisma
Bilingual (1)
Type: Minor
Rank: 1
Feat:
Filipino and English
Devices
Official issue 9mm pistol (2)
Modifier: Device
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Feats: Gunshot (offense)
Flaws
Crowd Pleaser (3)
Rank: 3
A small chance of gloating when he's winning, giving the other guy a chance to pull something off.
A small chance of showboating when there's a crowd.
Born the only son of Olivia and Johnathon Briscoe, Ben was the apple of his mother's eye. Playful, creative, and deceptively bright, even from a young age.
Ben's mother died when he was only 5, a fatal car crash that left her deceased and his father crippled, always reliant on a cane. After his mother's death his father engrossed himself into his work, being the municipal court judge for district 12. His father, unable to cope with raising a young son proceeded to place Ben in as many after school activities as possible. Relishing the opportunity to avoid contact with the intention of creating a "Well rounded young man".
Because of this emotional neglect, and finding himself under an overwhelming new workload, Ben found himself withdrawing from basic human interaction. Never forming any lasting friendships, only talking with others if it was a necessity. Preferring to bury himself in his curriculars.
22 years later, Briscoe has grown into a reclusive adult, working a quiet dead-end job in a corner bookstore. Accepting in a meaningless, empty life of solitude.
Until he met her.
Peneople Freechild. The only person to ever really pay attention to him. The only girl to ever give him the time of day. The only one who ever made him laugh.
6 months after their first encounter in the bookstore, they were engaged to be married. They had grown fond of taking after dinner strolls through the neighborhood, always hoping to catch a glimpse of "Superheroes", Penny was always fascinated by the dazzling array of lights and abilities these rising personalities seemed so fond of showing off.
It was one such evening, that would destroy Benjamen Briscoe's quaint, quiet little world. The evening Penelope Freechild was killed. By one of the Superheroes she adored so.
A skirmish had broken out between local golden boy "The Kinetic Kid" known for his sharp wit and spectacular displays of firework like pulses, and a D-list super villain by the name of the "Ebony Wasp". Blazing through the street, with spectators drawing ever closer, the Wasp let out a frightening barrage of "Wasp stings", small poisonous needles in a wide arc. The Kinetic kid, ever the quick wit released a wave of energy causing the needles to fly in every direction.
All the bystanders were helpless, most ducking and running for cover. Penny wasn't so lucky. A needle had pierced her eye, traveling straight through her skull. Killing her instantly.
Faced with the overbearing reality of her death, and an awful feeling of helplessness growing in the pit of his stomach, something inside of Benjamen Briscoe snapped that day. Releasing the full force of his latent telepathic abilities. Unknowingly to him. He proceeded to attack the Kinetic kid.
No one knew at the time why the "Kid" was thrashing about so violently, no one could figure out why he was screaming, muffling out cries for help. Every time someone tried to get near he'd release another blast of energy. Everyone in the ever growing crowd thought that the kinetic kid was having some sort of seizure.
Only the Channel 56 cameraman knew what was really happening. Briscoe was mercilessly beating the Kinetic kid to death. With his bare hands. After the young hero's body had stopped twitching, only when he heard the cries of a small boy arise from the crowd, did Briscoe snap out of his rage. Startled at the amount of blood all over his hands, Ben ran through the streets, only stopping when he passed out.
Over the next month Ben quickly came to realize the nature of his new found ability. Everyone he came into contact with, had no idea he was there. It was as if some great parlor magician had placed a spell on everyone with a simply message "You will never see Benjamen Briscoe again".
Withdrawing completely from humanity, Briscoe's persona had begun to warp, horribly. His mind had begun to create crude and idealistic new laws for how humanity should be treated by their super-powered "betters". His new creed was simple.
"Holding to a simple edict, no one of any sort of super-powered inclination may enter his neighborhood, no one of ill-will may enter his territory, no one careless and powerful may disturb his sanctity without answering to a strict code of warped vigilante justice."
6 months after creating his new moral code, the police found a horribly disfigured and crucified body in a back alley, A message was scrawled in blood beneath the remains of what was later identified as"The Ebony Wasp", "Nemo Me Impune Lacessit" latin for "No one wounds me with impunity".
Over the course of a year, Briscoe began to carve out his territory, it's rules simple. If you lived a normal life, away from the glamor of extra-ordinary ability, you were allowed to live in peace and quiet, without fear from attack.
If, however, you were one of those "blessed" with powers far beyond those of mortal men. You were not welcome. Whether you be dubbed Hero, or villain. If you entered the 12 city blocks known to it's inhabitants as "54th street" your life was in great peril.
Briscoe's death toll to this day includes 12 d-list Super villains, and 4 superheroes.
To the children he is the 54th street boogeyman, a dark apparition, protecting them from the collateral damage that so often inflicts altercations between heroes and villains. To the police he is considered an invisible safeguard. Making their lives easier. And to those who run the world, those who control it with an iron super powered fist, he is nothing more than an urban legend.
Character Abilites
His power manifests itself as a subliminal suggestion to everyone in a mile and half-radius that Benjamen Briscoe is not there, he is invisible and simply nothing more than a ghost.
With focused concentration Briscoe can cause this effect to wear off, appearing as if from thin air to those he chooses.
If he were able to access to his full potential it is possible that he would be able to fully establish a complete array of Telepathic abilities including mind-reading, suggestion, and astral travel. However, because he accessed his powers so late in life, it is doubtful he will ever be able to do more than his patented "disappearing act".
A notable side effect, Ben is completely immune to all forms of psychic assault, it would appear that his "invisibility" extends to being completely untraceable by psychics.
But because his abilities only effect the human mind, he is still traceable by all forms of Video electronics, Animals it seems aren't effected either, perhaps because of the dissimilar physiology.
Character Sheet
Faction: Independent
Powers: (13 points)
Core Attribute - Latent Telepathy
Type: Minor
Rank: 7
Feat: Unperceivable entity (Alteration)
Minor Attribute - Psychic Resistance
Rank: 6
Feat: Psychic Immunity (Alteration)
Traits: (16 points)
Urban Vigilante
Type: Major
Modifier: Reduced Versatility (-2 Major)
Rank: 6
Feats(10):
Forensic deduction (General)
First Aid (Alteration)
Dirty Fighting (Offense)
Intimidation (Alteration)
Escape Artist (Alteration)
Tumbler (Movement)
Evasive Driving (Movement)
Localized Criminal Information (General)
Expert Lock Pick (Alteration)
Violent Disarm (Offense)
Martial Arts
Type: Minor
Rank: 6
Feat: Aikido (Defense)
Devices: (1 point)
Illegally Requistioned SIGMA tranquilizers (4 points)
Type: Minor
Modifier: Major Device (-2 points)
Rank: 6
Feat: High powered tranquilizer (Offense)
Stolen Munitions (5 points)
Type: Major
Modifiers: Major Device (-2 points) Minor Versatility Increase (1 point)
Rank: 3
Feats (4):
Crowbar (Alteration)
.38 Caliber Pistol (Offense)
Flask of Lighter Fluid (Offense)
Steel Cap Zippo Lighter (Alteration)
Flaws:
Paranoia (-4 points)
Type: Minor
Rank: 4
Feat: Distrust allies (Alteration)
Notorious Fugitive (-4 points)
Type: Minor
Rank: 4
Feat: Encourages Police Intervention (Alteration)
Character Sketch
The major attributes have x2 feats! I forgot about that one again. Time for an edit.
Code Name: Blak Magik
Real Name: Dina Mashijevic
Character Backround:
Age: Unknown (Speculated to be in her sixties. Blak Rubicon's slowing of the aging process makes this difficult)
Dina was a scout-sniper in the years of conflict between Afghanistan and Russia and, as a result of her prowess and impressive bodycount, the KGB offered her a change in position as conflict escalated. She accepted and was subsequently admitted into what is now referred to behind closed doors as The Saint of War Sessions. It was a KGB effort to enhance Russian counterintelligence agents in preparation for the increasing number of government-employed-superhumans in America.
The tests started innocently enough, with Dina signing on just as the KGB was increasing its pool of subjects. She was tested on loyalty, trustworthiness, resourcefulness, and fortitude, alongside physical strength and mental aptitude. It was really nothing out of the ordinary.
Then the year 2000 rolled along, and the invasion began. Though the Sessions were far from ready to start real testing, the KGB accelerated the calendar, hoping to produce useful subjects to counter the alien threat.
The years rolled by, with Dina and her fellow subjects being put through the most grueling of tests. In many ways it felt like they were often competing with one another, and as a result a lot of cloak-and-dagger backstabbing took place between the test subjects. In the last stage of tests, three years after the start of the war, everyone left standing was bound to a then-unknown magical substance known as Blak Rubicon.
This substance was not only injected into their bloodstream, but also ingested into the digestive system, merged with their spinal fluid, and grafted topically onto the skin. This meant that now, every system in their bodies, from digestive to nervous to circulatory, was mixed with Blak Rubicon.
In the four years that followed, those who hadn't died instantly from exposure to such a foreign substance were trained in using the magic and gauged on what they were able to do with it. At the end of those four years (two years after the end of the war), Dina was the only subject left standing, her command of the properties of Blak Rubicon not only satisfactory (and non-self-destructive), but far surpassing what the KGB had set as benchmarks.
Towards the end of her tests, Dina was informed that the KGB was being dissolved and that she no longer had someone left to serve. This disbanding of the KGB was a direct result of the newly-established SUN's Reclamation project, where governments around a devastated world welcome the help of superhumans with open arms. As a result, funding for the Sessions was cut, and Dina went free.
Being stuck in a lab for 6 years constantly watching her back did a bad enough number on Dina's already naturally mistrustful and paranoid psyche. Now being suddenly granted her freedom is a near post-apocalyptic world sealed the deal. She basically learned of the entire world's devastation in a very short span of time, and feared for the lives of her husband and son, neither of whom she had seen for the 6 years that she'd been at the Sessions.
A little research revealed SUN and Vanguard and Ultimatum's plan for the Reclamation…a plan that essentially begged the world to "trust" SUN. She disliked the idea of it and, as per her skeptical nature, refused to put any faith in it.
She reunited with her family, who had thankfully survived the attack, though she kept her magical abilities to herself; she knew that were she to go public with her new superhuman power, she would soon be approached by either the Vanguard itself…or someone who wanted to do something about the Vanguard. She had no intention of doing anything but spending time with the family that she could have so easily lost.
Unfortunately, the KGB's disbanding also meant that a lot of its information—including mention of the Sessions—were now available to SUN. Dina was tracked down and, as predicted, asked to join SUN in an effort to rebuild the world. She was even offered a senior supervising position for western Russia. She declined and was now concerned that they could track her every move. She wasn't wrong: she moved her family to a new location after the first encounter with Vanguard, only to have them track her down and contact her again.
Dina therefore confronted the Vanguard cell based on western Russia and demanded that they leave her alone. The Vanguard's response was that they respected her decision and would no longer put pressure on her to help "save the world."
But some in the Vanguard are not so understanding. Two years following Dina's last confrontation with the Vanguard, an Afghani superhuman who happened to be employed by SUN happened to be very familiar with Dina's exploits prior to the Sessions, and when he learned that she was not only a superhuman now…but a superhuman unwilling to help rebuild the world when "the Russians helped destroy it" (in his view), he was far from happy.
The result was that, using his status in the Vanguard, he sent a troop of the Vanguard's hitmen to Dina's home and attacked her family. She fought them off and survived but could not save her husband and son.
The rest is history.
Abilities: Wanted vigilante skilled in the use of magic, namely the ability to imbue objects with magical properties. Can enhance weapons, clothing, and imbue everyday objects with her dark magics. She is a skilled combatant, well versed in several forms of martial arts and self defense techniques. She is a master marksman, and highly capable explosives expert. Highly resourceful.
Limitations: The only resilience she gained in those years of testing was of a mental nature. While she is protected by her magical clothing and weaponry, she is merely human and easily killed when aforementioned clothing is rendered useless.
Character Power Sheet:
Level 7 ??? (35 Points)
Powers: (16 points)
Core Attribute - Blak Arts
Type: Major
Rank: 7
Feats (14):
Mystically Alter Weapon (Alteration)
Mystically Alter Armor (Alteration)
Alter physical temperature (Alteration)
Imbue elemental protection (Alteration)
Imbue physical protection (Alteration)
Imbue Energy protection (Alteration)
Imbue Mystical Energy protection (Alteration)
Transform object into weapon (Alteration)
Blak Aura (Defense)
Blak Plague (Alteration)
*Summons 4 subjects of Saint of War Sessions to do Blak Magik's bidding. Lasts for combat, and then disappears.
Blak Blade (Offense)
Blak Volley (Alteration) * Requires gun
Pitch Blak (Alteration)
*Blak Rubicon's alien magiks imbue the user with the ability to cast aside the light. When an area is "Pitch Blak", all light is gone and special means are needed to see.
Blood Vendetta (Alteration) *Requires imbued shotgun. Causes severe damage to Vanguard aligned superheroes.
Traits: (19 points)
Saint of War
Type: Major
Rank: 6
Feats(12):
Weapons Training (Alteration)
First Aid (General)
Inflitration (General)
Demolitions Expert (Alteration)
Sniper Mastery (Alteration)
Jujitsu (Defense)
Kung Fu (Offense)
Melee Weapons *Sword/Knife/Improvised (Alteration)
Persuasion (Alteration)*May outright avoid conflicts, as prudent agents tend to
Battlefield Awareness (Sensory) *Training and hardships have fashioned Dina into a hardened soldier. She has a keen insight into combat and will use your environment against you.
Mental Resolve (Defense)
Arsenal
Type: Major
Rank: 3
Feats (6):
Machine guns (Offense)
Pistols (Offense)
Shotguns (Offense)
Sniper Rifles (Offense)
Melee Weapons *Swords and Knives (Offense)
Explosives (Offense)
*Highly Damaging weapon capable of bringing down buildings
Interrogation (1 point)
Type: Minor
Rank: 1
Feats (1):
Don't worry. This will only hurt a lot. (Alteration)
*Lasts as long as the attacker and attacked specify. Purpose of power is to obtain information that wouldn't be given otherwise.
Multilinguist (1 point)
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Feats (1):
Where's the shitter? (General)
Flaws:
Seething Hatred (-2)
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Feat: Disregard Logic (General)
Allegiance? Shit, lone wolf son!
NOTE: Reworking of origin is credited to Viv, who is hella talented at this shiznite. And credit for the character sheet goes to Fedora, who is also drawing my character. Muchos gracias!
SCRIPTURE *UPDATED REGULARLY
Saint of War Scriptures: Success and You
*Tape begins rolling. The date is obviously edited out as evidenced by the pixelated numbers at the corner. Vanguard has edited it.*
Good morning. Today I will be showing you how to kill a mass quantity of people using your wits, initiative, and of course a bomb.
Initiating the process is easy enough.
Look around you, and make a list.
Assess the viability of your targets. How many people live there? How many Vanguard personel are present? Is it a military installation? Is it a SIGMA installation?
Make a scale placing numerical value on your targets. The highest value is now your target. Get to work.
Explosives are obtained easily enough. If you have to ask, you don't have the strength of mind to even consider rebellion.
Again, assessment is required. Are you a metahuman? If so, how can your power assist you best? Can you use your X-Ray vision to find hardpoints in a building? Can they hinder you?
The rebel known as Burnout learned this the hard way. Breaking the sound barrier may help you get into a Vanguard compound quickly, sure. But the sonic boom is something of a dead giveaway. He was last seen taken into Sigma custody with his arms and legs removed.
I realize this bit of tradecraft seems ethically unsound. Many of these men are our saviors. That is an unavoidable fact.
What part of that entitles them to rule over us unabated? What part of that allows them to deprive us of our personal freedoms? To reign over us as Gods?
*The silhouette moves over to the window, carrying the camera with her. The shades are opened. There is a building barely in focus. The camera autofocuses and St Jude's MetaHospital is seen in clear red letters. A ambulance carries in a green woman atop a stretcher.*
*The building then explodes, burying the stretcher.*
I know enough to know it doesn't.
Saint of War Scriptures: Know Thine Enemy
Right then.
The pigfuckers are everywhere. If you're going to stand any chance of fighting them, you will have to kill. Men, women, children and dogs. This is unavoidable. Anything less is jerking off.
The importance is that you know who you're killing.
Case in point: The Living Casket made a point to tear apart a restaurant where non-powered police were gathering to to celebrate the retirement of their captain, a powered officer who'd served the force for 12 years.
The Living Casket was an unpowered vigilante who had something a funeral motif about him. Undertaker suit and stylized shovel blade. Solid roses serving as edged projectiles. White facepaint and white lenses over his eyes. Something of a showman with aesthetic flair.
He hurled the roses en masse through the windows of the restaurant, indiscriminately butchering a family of five (infant included), an elderly couple celebrating their 25th anniversary, only to wound the captain. The captain was a hyper evolved humanoid reptile.
Stepping over his dead compatriots, the captain opened the door and ran to meet the Living Casket head on. The showman threw a punch, which is one of many mistakes he made that day. After his arm was torn off, he was grabbed by both ankles and slammed off the side of a building until he was mashed into a fine paste of blood, teeth and bone.
What mistakes did he make?
1. He didn't assess viability of the target at all. What point did he hope to prove by killing a powered captain who was retiring? If you're thinking it's some sort of metaphorical point, stay away from that line of thought and observe common sense: Killing someone in office is far more detrimental to a system of control than killing someone leaving that system of control.
2. His civilian kills were accidental. If public outcry wasn't his intent, those killings served no purpose and were he to have escaped he's just made a move that needlessly limits his ability to attack further.
3. He didn't know his enemy. You do not rush in blindly hoping you will instantly achieve victory. Or you will end up looking at a lizard man with your little ninja stars popping out of his skin. And he will fucking annihilate you because you thought that you could just make this shit up as you go.
Saint of War Scripture: Sharpen your Sword
Our last piece of tradecraft dealt with knowing the value of your target, and what not do.
Now, we will talk about the nitty gritty. That is to say, killing someone up close and personal.
In a post Anathema world, you will notice there is a distinct change in how one fights a superhuman.
Listen to me on this, and listen good. I have trained to kill you, and all of your kind.
The distinction is that now fighting does not serve the purpose of the message. No one is simply punched in the face and thrown into jail only to return to the streets shortly after exploiting a non-superhero ran populace's system of law. At minimum you will receive permanent injury and a lifetime of incarceration. At maximum you will suffer a fate worse than death.
So, how does one kill a superhuman?
It's simple:
Know your surroundings: If I fight a vampire, the last place I will fight him is a city. He has a readily available source of health replenishment, and too many places to hide. I cannot fight him on my terms. So I will put myself in a position to fight him in the country, or if I'm really lucky, a desert.
Know your enemy: Hypothetical: How do I fight a man who can see through walls? There is no place I can hide. So you know what I do? I gouge out his fucking eyes; Even your enemy's strengths can be used against them. Don't hesitate to do so.
Be ready to improvise: Shit happens to everyone. Leave yourself an out. If I have to explain this piece of information I'm wasting my fucking time.
Have the right tools for the job: Hypothetical: You are an unpowered human who is a skilled archer. Your enemy has a thick exoskeleton capable of deflecting small arms fire. What do you do?
*Tape begins playing*
*The camera pans to a large, metallic insectoid suit with a large hole blown into the side. Shards of metal poke out of his body. His hands and feet are nailed to a hotel wall.*
"YOU FUCKING CUNT. THEY"LL NEVER LET YOU-"
*She pistol-whips him and he begins sobbing uncontrollably*
"Jonahs made it strong enough to withstand bullets, but not quite strong enough to withstand an explosive charge. I am now going to pour molten lead into his mouth until he shits bullets."
Saint of War Scripture: Means and Ends
Eschatological thought applied to war speaks of a war to end all wars.
The reason war as a business is so successful is that the world will keep bringing people into the world to be killed. It does not benefit arms contractors if one side is wiped out entirely. So both sides have nuclear weapons, thus nullifying any need for use. In the future war is only waged on the weak, as war waged between large powers results in Mutually Assured Destruction.
In eschatology, mutually assured destruction happens anyway and whatever is left ascends to kingdom come.
I never thought as a girl living out her days in Samara I'd ever have to think about this dogshit.
Listen.
If we live in a world where men and women are weapons of mass destruction, and they won out against a cataclysm...does that mean the end hasn't already begun? At first glance that seems insane.
But consider life before and after Anathema.
His name, before and after Anathema.
A man sees fit to rule as God, making his will manifest and damning all who say otherwise.
Does this sound familiar?!
This game is probably going to be cool
Also, you reminded me of The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr.
XBL - Foreverender | 3DS FC - 1418 6696 1012 | Steam ID | LoL
You need 7 more feats in hyper agility, and 6 more in Spatial Awareness, also you can only have 1 major attribute.
My guy got his power from a god.
Where'd you get yours?
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
the God
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Is it possible to lump them into a single major attribute?
Have you seen Graves' guy Rapture?
Dude is the Second Coming of Christ
I think Fedora means you can only have one Core attribute, in which case you're fine
Jewel Staite?
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
I was actually talking about Golem meeting Fedora's character.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
Your out of order replies confounded me
NEXT TIME, GADGET
Name: James Hallie
Power (written by Viv)
Limitations: The intensity of his emitted light is capped at 800,000,000 lumens (to give you an idea of how bright that is, a 100V incandescent light bulb has an intensity of 1700 lumens). However, his eyes have the sensitivity of a normal human being, meaning that if he is not wearing the necessary protective gear, his own power could easily burn out his eyes.
Usage: Lumes' power is most often used as a light source, providing light where there is otherwise none. Any living tissue in his body, from his scalp to his buttcheeks to his skin itself, are capable of being beacons to contain and emit his light.
His maximum efficiency is reached not unlike the way a solar panel would charge itself up, but with a significant difference. While a solar panel can only store and utilize sunlight, Lumes can absorb (and subsequently store) any kind of visible light, even from something as simple as a flashlight or even the light in a room around him. This absorption process not only charges his power, but can also be used as a tool to drain the light from an area, effectively rendering it dark. This "drain" has a very limited range of a 4-foot radius around whichever body part he commands to do the absorbing.
It should be noted that it is not necessary for Lumes to drain or absorb light energy in such a manner to power his abilities. Without the assistance of natural-occurring light in the environment around him, Lumes' own body cells provide him with his own, internalized source of light energy. This energy is generally limited, however, and Lumes is best served absorbing and storing external light energy whenever possible.
Once the energy is stored, Lumes' own internal chemistry allows him to focus, concentrate, and even increase the intensity of his light supply. For example, if he absorbed a specific wavelength at a specific luminous flux, he can alter that absorbed light into a different wavelength at a different lumen level.
To use his power, Lumens focuses his energy into a specific area of his body (his power is location-based, not organ-based) and simply releases it from his body. His "natural" light energy supply regenerates relatively quickly after such a release, but he must manually re-absorb external light to reach his maximum potential again. The energy can be released in bursts or maintained in one body part and released gradually, acting like a light source.
His light can be used for any number of combative uses, the most popular of which is a flash-bang effect, releasing a burst of light so bright and intense in such a short span of time that it can briefly disorient and stun opponents caught unawares. Since his power can be emitted from anywhere in his body, it is virtually impossible for his opponents to know where to not look to avoid getting stunned.
Another use is, with a brief burst of a specific configuration of electromagnetic waves, he can potentially disorient electronics and other devices that run on circuitry. This effect is very limited, however, as he has no control over wavelengths beyond the visible light spectrum; he cannot disable electronics, only disrupt them very slightly, very briefly.
A unique feature of his light is that it is simply bright, not hot. There is minimal heat energy tied to his power, regardless of how intense he chooses to focus and release his light, allowing his body to manage his power without much physical strain. It is only when he approaches his critical lumen limit (i.e., in his case, passing the 666,000,000 lumen mark) that things start to melt—or burn—around him, including his own flesh.
The main weakness of his power is that he is as vulnerable to is as potential enemies are. His eyes have a sensitivity equivalent to that of normal humans, which means his own retinas could burn out if he's not careful with his power. His stylized eyewear is crucial in this respect, protecting his eyes from his own power. Should he be exposed to the maximum effect of his flash-bang effect, he would be stunned just like anyone else whose eyes happened to get a glimpse of it.
A secondary weakness is, strangely enough, that he requires more light to see than most normal human beings, meaning that he has very, very poor night vision. Coupled with the necessity for his dark eyewear, this problem is kept in check by Lumes' own combat training and a little help from his abilities.
Should Lumes fall unconscious while storing more than his natural, internalized light, all external light is released from his body in a single burst at whatever intensity Lumes had "set" the light to in his body prior to falling unconscious. This can be seen as both a weakness…or, on a team, a unique combat tactic.
Biography
Character Sheet
Major Core Attribute - Electromagnetic Radiation
Rank 4
Feats (8):
Lumination (Sensory)
Search Light (Sensory)
Flash Bang (Offensive)
Drain Light (Defensive)
Disruption (Offensive)
Grand Explosion (Offensive)
Regenerate (Alteration)
Refraction (Alteration)
Minor Attribute - Self Defense
Rank 3
Feats (1):
Boxing (Offensive/Defensive)
Major Traits - Serious Business
Rank 3
Feats (6):
Economics (General)
Management (General)
Statistics (General)
Charisma (General)
First Impression (General)
Public Speaking (General)
Minor Equipment - Stylized Eyewear
Rank 3
Feats (1):
Utilities (Defensive)
Minor Flaw
Rank -2
Feats (1):
Hopelessly Romantic (General)
Name: Venger
Real Name: Zeke Wildimer
Age: 25
Height: 6'2
Weight. 186 lb.
Hair: Black
Eyes: Blue
Background:
This was his life.
One night, on a date, Zeke and his girlfriend was confronted by an attacker. Zeke wasn't going to allow his hard earned money be stolen. He needed that money to eat. He needed that money to pay his rent. Even though the attacker held a gun at Zeke, he acted.
Zeke woke up in a hospital. He was in mind numbing pain. He could barely breath. He had no clue what happened. A nurse report that he was awake and soon a cop arrived to talk to a confused Zeke. The cop told him what had happened. When Zeke acted, the nervous attacker shot him thrice in the chest and once in the stomach. His girlfriend screamed and she was also shot. Zeke was rushed to a hospital and it was a miracle that he lived.
Somehow, Zeke managed to get up and walk towards the door. He pushed down the cop that tried to stop him, and all the orderlies that were called in. He screamed up and down the hallway for his girlfriend. He searched frantically for her as his wounds reopened. He ignored the pain and kept on searching. Finally, he found the doctor that treated her. The doctor told him the horrible news.
His girlfriend didn't live. She died at the hospital.
Zeke screamed and cried. He didn't get a chance to say good-bye.
A year later, after several months of concealing and rehabilitation, Zeke recovered. He went to numerous meetings about people who are victims of crime. Zeke was disgusted. How could all these terrible things happen to people. How could such a terrible thing happen to him.
One night while walking home, he saw a woman being mugged. He hesitated. He was afraid of being shot again. As he saw the attacker hit the woman who wouldn't give up her purse he decided to act. He defeated the attacker and rescued the woman. "Your my hero," she said.
He liked the sound of that.
Powers:
Another hidden "power" Zeke isn't aware of is his willpower. More often than naught, his sheer force of will has
pushed him to overcome any obstacle.
Description:
Character Build:
Venger, Level 2 Hero 10 points
Faction: None
Powers:
N/A
Traits:
Modern Watchmen
Type:Major
Rank: 2
Feats (2):
Fight Club (Alteration)
Street Smarts (General)
Core Attribute - Brawler
Type: Major
Rank: 3
Feats (3):
Boxing (Offense)
Rope a Dope (Defense)
Ground Fighting (Offense)
Devices:
Brass Knuckles (2 points)
Type: Minor
Modifier: Minor (-1)
Rank: 2
Feat: Lethal Punch (Alteration)
Bullet-Proof Vest (2 points)
Type: Minor
Modifier: (-1)
Rank: 2
Feat: Padded Protection (Alteration)
Flaws:
Amateur
Type: Minor
Rank: -1
Feat: Inexperienced (Alteration)
Naive
Type: Minor
Rank: -1
Feat: Too Trusting (Alteration)
How does that look?
I don't think brass knuckles alone will cut it.
Rock Band DLC | GW:OttW - arrcd | WLD - Thortar
He just fights thugs and crime lords.
good night SE++
You're right.
I think I spent an hour making that guy up.
Off to search for inspiration!
imagine spending six months working on an entire superhero universe
oh hey it's 4 am i got work in three hours i should sleep
but first... is there any chance of me being able to play 2 chars that would never meet?
i kinda wanna get a feel for the huge aspect of it, as well as the lowly city life
as it stands i am likely to restrict people to 1 character per player at first
only because there are a lot of players as it is
we'll see how it goes later though
ok. I'll make my teleporter just as a reserve for now
Powers: (16 points)
Core Attribute: Vampiric Psi
Type: Major
Rank: 7
Feats:
Telekenesis (Alteration)
Psi Shield (Defense)
Levitation (General)
Telepathy (Sensory)
Atomic Destruction (Offense/Alteration)*May only be used if at least 50 innocent minds* are present
Supporting Attribute: Mind Drain
Psi (Alteration)*After draining a mind, Malice may tap into his Psi powers.
1 present innocent mind=8 points that may be used towards Psi feats
Mind Drain (Offense/Alteration)
Mind Deconstruction (Offense)
Crowd Control (Alteration)
*Innocent minds are any characters (players or NPCs) that do not actively commit, or have not had a pust full of crimes
or anyone who projects negative emotions towards other innocents. Includes civilians.
Traits: (19 points)
Vigilante/Criminal
Type: Major
Rank: 5
Feats:
Moderate Weapons Training (Alteration)
Infiltration (General)
Human Shield (Defense)*Requires Pistol or Knife
Street Fighting (Offense)
Rage (Alteration) *Michael has a short fuse, and loses his temper easily,
becoming slightly stronger and faster, but losing focus.
Focus (Alteration)
Devices:
Pistols
Rank: 4
Feats:
Gunshot (Offense-Ranged)
Pistol Whip (Offense-Melee)
Knives
Rank: 3
Feats:
Slice (Offense)
Stab (Offense)
*May be used as a tool (ie. prying, carving)
Flaws:
Cocky
Type: Minor
Rank: 2
Feats:
-2 Focus
I have no fucking clue if i did that right and OMFG its 4:20am
edit: Also, I dont know if i should use Malice, the psychic, mind leaching vigilante,
or Rapture, the possible second coming of Christ.
Malice is my baby so Im probably gonna stick with him,
but I need to do something with Rapture,
hes almost too appealing
Tell me more.
P.S.- best name ever
I'm waiting on what pony says
(he has no powers)
Like in a Freakazoid way?
Or like a guy who actually thinks that he is an amazing hero, and then cant do shit at teh scene of the crime?
Or is he actually an awesome hero, even without powers?
edit: I need to know!