The Jabverse: An O.C. Thread (Cyber-Samurai, Lady of the Eternal Winter)

Where in all of your character write ups will go.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Whale Shark

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

WHALE SHARK (Morris Flynn)
Hgt:
6'7" (50' Maximum) Wgt: 350 lbs. (30 tons Maximum)
Role: Growing Guy
PL 9 (96)
STRENGTH
3/11 STAMINA 4/12 AGILITY 2
FIGHTING 7 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE 1

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+5, +13 Full Size)
Deception 2 (+3)
Expertise (Criminal) 5 (+5)
Intimidation 4 (+5, +12 Full Size)
Perception 1 (+1)

Advantages:
Fast Grab, Improved Hold, Ranged Attack 2

Powers:
"Swallowed the Monster Stone"
Growth 8 (Str & Sta +8, +8 Mass, +6 Intimidation, -0 Fighting, -2 Dodge, -8 Stealth, Elongation 1, Speed 3, No Indoors -1, Too Much Weight -1) -- (36 feet) [32]
Growth +2 (+9 Mass, +8 Intimidation, -1 Fighting, -2 Dodge, -10 Stealth, Elongation 1, Speed 4, No Indoors -2, Too Much Weight -1) -- (50 feet) (Flaws: Limited to Non-ST & STA Growths) [4]

"Super-Size Fighting"
Enhanced Advantages 4: Daze (Intimidation), Startle, Takedown 2 (Flaws: Limited to While At Largest Sizes) [2]

Offense:
Unarmed +7 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Large Size +7 (+11 Damage, DC 26)
Initiative +2

Defenses:
Dodge +7 (DC 17), Parry +7 (DC 17), Toughness +4, Fortitude +4, Will +4
"Full Size" Dodge +5 (DC 15), Parry +5 (DC 15), Toughness +12, Fortitude +12, Will +4

Complications:
Motivation (Greed)
Reputation (Night-Fighter's Crippler)- Morris once cripped the nobody Rookie Hero Night-Fighter during a break-in. This left him with a big reputation among other Henchmen, but made him a marked-man by some of the more-dangerous heroes out there. He occasionally still has to deal with the ramifications of this.

Total: Abilities: 38 / Skills: 14--7 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 38 / Defenses: 9 (96)

-Morris Flynn was a street tough, a common criminal, and a recurring name in various gangs of Henchmen over the years. One day, he got a lucky shot- he grabbed a lead pipe and bludgeoned the superhero Night-Fighter during a robbery that the hero had intruded upon. The hero was left with permanent brain damage, had his secret identity revealed to the public, and the villains got away. The fact that Night-Fighter was a mere rookie- an amateur martial artist just starting out- was immaterial; Morris now had a reputation. Unfortunately, he also had actual HIGH-LEVEL superheroes gunning for him, and, as a common thug, had no way of defending himself. Luckily for him, at this time he was confronted by Aquarius, who was looking for more aquatic-themed Agents. Believing in Morris's new reputation, Aquarius offered him the Monster Stone- a device used by a forgotten one-off aquatic conqueror years prior that could grow animals into gigantic beasts.

-Morris, wanting a way to defend himself from vengeance-seekers, quickly accepted. Aquarius instructed the skeptical Morris to consume the Stone, recognizing that it was better off not being someone anyone could just disarm. Morris was convinced, and grew four inches to 6'7", and became the Agents of Aquarius' Whale Shark. Now able to become fifty feet tall at maximum, he was happy to be taken seriously and pack REAL power for a change. Despite his power, he remains a simple-minded Henchman at heart, never wanting to be at the forefront of everything. The Night-Fighter thing has still left him jumpy, especially since Growing Guys always have to go against the strongest of the opposing side's fighters (it's practically a rule).

-At fifty feet tall, Whale Shark is a powerful fighter, but falls short of the most-serious Powerhouses out there. His typical tactics involve trying to take out lower-end fighters before drawing the attention of a Mega-Woman or Titanica.

Jab's Notes: SEE? SEE?? A MALE Giant! I knew I could do it somehow! Whale Shark actually ended up looking way cooler than I thought, thanks to his pink & purple color scheme- not what you'd imagine a bad-ass would wear, but size & muscles make up for a lot. His backstory sort of follows the "Man Who Killed Batman" story from the Animated Series- a regular schnook who takes out a legitimate superhero thanks to luck, and becomes famous for it. And similar to that tale, it backfires spectacularly, as he becomes a target from both sides.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Triggerfish

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

TRIGGERFISH (Irina Bhatia)
Hgt:
12' long Wgt: 357 lbs.
Role: Sympathetic Villain, Monstrous Cyborg
PL 8 (114)
STRENGTH
0/7 STAMINA 1/7 AGILITY 1/4
FIGHTING 8 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS 0 PRESENCE 2

Skills:
Expertise (Acting) 4 (+6)
Intimidation 6 (+8)
Perception 5 (+5)
Ranged Combat (Wrist-Blasters) 4 (+8)
Stealth 1 (+5)

Advantages:
Fast Grab, Ranged Attack 2, Startle

Powers:
"Cybernetic Harness"
Enhanced Strength 7 [14]
Enhanced Stamina 6 [12]
Enhanced Agility 3 [6]
Movement 1 (Slithering) [2]
Speed 2 (8 mph) [2]
Swimming 6 [6]
"Gills" Immunity 1 (Drowning) [1]
"Bio-Stings From Wrist-Triggers" Blast 8 (Feats: Split) [17]

Offense:
Unarmed +8 (+7 Damage, DC 22)
Bio-Stings +8 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (DC 18), Parry +8 (DC 18), Toughness +7, Fortitude +7, Will +4

Complications:
Motivation (Greed)- Triggerfish fights to save money, in order to reverse her condition and regain her humanity.
Responsibility (Faltering Humanity)- Triggerfish is starting to become more dominant, while Indira falls further away- much of the woman she was has disappeared, and been replaced by a vicious, monstrous super-villain.

Total: Abilities: 28 / Skills: 20--10 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 60 / Defenses: 12 (114)

-Indira Bhatia was a burgeoning model and actress in her native India, when she was badly scarred in a vicious acid attack, brought on by a suitor she'd rejected. Her career ruined and her aggressor (a fairly well-off individual) lightly punished, she became reclusive and hidden away, unable to afford the expensive procedures that could return her looks. She was discovered by Aquarius, who suggested a potential solution- gaining funding from super-crime so long as she agreed to be empowered by Dr. Nautilus. A reluctant Indira agreed, undergoing a chemical prodedure that fixed her scars, but left her now cybernetically-enhanced body dark grey, and her face monstrous (she had requested to remain anonymous during the procedure- Nautilus went a bit too far).

-Indira was now super-powered, her legs sitting within a cybernetic harness that made her aquatic. Disgusted at her appearance, Indira came to accept it when she realized the different person she had become. Aquarius dangled revenge and the money to properly reverse the acid damage in front of her, leading to her becoming among the more passionate members of the Agents. Her first act was to execute the man who'd scarred her.

-With Aquarius having been revealed as a fraud, Indira, now "Triggerfish" (she never goes by her real name), was despondent. She continues forward with the team, despite setbacks, but feels that her humanity is stretching ever-further out of her reach. Among the more recognizable members of the Agents, she's become quite "iconic" to the group, but acts more as "muscle" instead of a leader, prefering to lose herself in the role. The fact that Dr. Nautilus could probably fix her easily (it was his M.O. for years to disguise his appearance, after all) has thus far eluded her notice, though she still dreams of restarting her stalled career (she is thought of by the world as a recluse).

-Triggerfish is very strong, fast and powerful, wearing a lifelike cybernetic harness over top, and inside, of her regular body. Her legs are within a sharklike tail, while her wrists have dangerous blasters implanted within them (justifying her name). All in all, she's a threatening PL 8.

Jab's Notes: Triggerfish is sort of the "Bushmaster" of the Agents of Aquarius, being an inhuman-looking, tailed creature with among the more distinctive silhouettes of the group. I struggled with a few aspects of the character, like her name and color scheme. I ended up with the odd combination of grey and green to make her stand out a bit (ie. I threw random colors at her to see what came of it). Initially, she was going to be "Nurse Shark", despite that not being a terribly good villain name. Then I remembered the name "Triggerfish" and tried to come up with which member of the team that would fit. And with this character, I realized that I could simply alter the gimmick a bit, giving her Wrist-Blasters (actually fitting Bushmaster's look even further) and dropping the silly old name.

-I wanted another "scarred/needs work" kind of character for the Agents, and the inhuman Triggerfish fit the bill perfectly. Wanting more diversity on the squad (and having accidentally made like every one of them white in my picture, because I always forget that minorities are a thing, apparently), I stuck with the whole "India" thing. It always interested me that of all the countries in the world, the worst one to be a woman is actually INDIA, not one of the Muslim countries (though you can bet many of those make the list)- a combination of draconian laws and patriarchal culture has left things rather drastically unfair. See that infamous bus-gang-rape incident from a couple of years ago, and how horrifying the justifications sounded coming from the aggressors- one guy was asked why he did it, and all he could do was shout "Why are you asking me that? Why aren't you asking why she was out on the town with a man?" like that was a PERFECTLY REASONABLE RESPONSE. That India has this issue, despite being one of the countries generally lacking in broad atrocities (the book "A Big Book of Horrible Things" actually lists most of mankind's worst acts, actually points out that India, despite being ancient, often wealthy and powerful, and huge... doesn't really have any large-scale issues), was another interesting aspect. So an "Acid attack" (usually a rejected suitor or an angry relative throwing acid in a woman's face) seemed like the logical origin for the character. The character is easily the most sympathetic of her team, and going for the "Cybernetics Steal Your Soul" angle, as her monstrous appearance leads to changes in her personality.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Knifefish

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

On the left.

KNIFEFISH (Raylene Hodge)
Hgt:
5'7" Wgt: 135 lbs.
Role: Gimmick-User, Femme Fatale
PL 8 (151)
STRENGTH
2 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 6
FIGHTING 11 DEXTERITY 7
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+14)
Athletics 9 (+11)
Deception 4 (+8, +13 Attractive)
Expertise (Criminal) 4 (+6)
Insight 3 (+6)
Investigation 2 (+5)
Perception 3 (+6)
Persuasion 7 (+12 Attractive)
Ranged Combat (Knives) 4 (+13)
Stealth 2 (+8)

Advantages:
Agile Feint, Attractive 2, Daze (Deception), Defensive Roll, Evasion, Fascinate (Deception), Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Knives), Improved Defenses, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Smash, Improved Trip, Move-By Action, Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 2, Seize Initiative, Taunt, Uncanny Dodge

Powers:
"Gimmicked Knives" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [20]
"Gas Knife" Sleep 8 (Extras: Area- 15ft. Cloud) (24) -- (33 points)
  • AE: "Tear Gas Knife" Affliction 7 (Fort; Dazed & Vision Impaired/Stunned & Disabled/Incapacitated & Unaware) (Extras: Extra Condition, Ranged, Area- 15ft. Cloud) (Flaws: Unreliable- 5 Uses) (Diminished Range -1) (20)
  • AE: "Electrified Knife" Blast 5 (Diminished Range -1, Inaccurate -1) Linked to Affliction 5 (Fort; Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated) (Extras: Ranged) (D.Range & Inaccurate -1) (16)
  • AE: "Plastified Knife" Snare 5 (Extras: Contagious) (Diminished Range -1, Inaccurate -1) (13)
  • AE: "Smoke Knife" Concealment 2 (Visuals) (Extras: Ranged, Attack, Area- 15ft. Cloud) (Diminished Range -1) (9)
  • AE: "Standard Knife" Strength-Damage +1 (Feats: Improved Critical) (2)
  • AE: "Throwing Knife" Blast 3 (Extras: Multiattack) (Diminished Range -1) (8)
  • AE: "Flash Knife" Dazzle Visuals 8 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Diminished Range -1) (26)
  • AE: "Sonic Knife" Dazzle Hearing 9 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Diminished Range -1) (26)
  • AE: "Explosive Knife" Blast 7 (Extras: Area- 30ft. Burst) (Diminished Range -1) (20)
Offense:
Unarmed +11 (+2 Damage, DC 17)
Knife +11 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Throwing Knife +13 (+3 Ranged Damage, DC 18)
Electrified Knife +11 (+5 Ranged Damage & Affliction, DC 20 & 15)
Plastified Knife +11 (+5 Ranged Affliction, DC 15)
Tear Gas Knife +7 Area (+7 Ranged Affliction, DC 17)
Dazzles & Sleep Gas +8 Area (+8 Ranged Affliction, DC 18)
Explosive Knife +7 Area (+7 Ranged Damage, DC 22)
Initiative +10

Defenses:
Dodge +12 (DC 22), Parry +11 (DC 21), Toughness +3 (+4 D.Roll), Fortitude +5, Will +6

Complications:
Motivation (Greed)- Raylene has been with the criminal element since childhood, and never left it. Refusing to be white trash like most of her family, she prefers to life the high-life, spending lavishly and making money quickly.
Secret (Bad Girl Gone Worse)- Raylene puts on a persona around sympathetic males- that of a down-on-her-luck girl who wants to get out of the life, but can't find the means.
Relationship (Sunfish & Angelfish)- The three girls are inseparable companions, being equally greedy and horrible, but also incredibly devoted to each other. None of the other Agents are as close as this trio are.
Rivalry (Blue Shark)- Raylene considers Blue Shark to be ugly, dull-witted and useless.
Rivalry (Other Women)- None of Raylene's notable tricks tend to work on women- not only is Attractive not valuable against women in general, but pretty much anyone of her own sex can figure out Raylene's "game" very quickly. As such, she tends not to get along with female superheroes in the slightest, and avoids even female cops. Surprisingly, even lesbians are immune to her typical charms.

Total: Abilities: 76 / Skills: 46--23 / Advantages: 21 / Powers: 20 / Defenses: 11 (151)

Knifefish- Knighter of a Thousand White Knights:
-Female supervillains are subject to certain lines of thought in the world- unlike their male counterparts, there is a much greater emphasis on "reforming" them- society at large likes to believe that women are purer and nobler than men, and more trustworthy. This is especially true of beautiful women. The ages tell tales of many successful cases of reformation... or at least temporary ones. Superheroes who are able to turn a bad girl to the side of good and form loving relationships. But what if one of them was merely PRETENDING??

-Raylene Hodge was a girl born on the wrong side of the tracks- from a poor family with a history of criminal activity, she seemed destined to go down the same road, or just be a welfare-case for the rest of her life. Palling around with girl-gangs in Mega-City, her choice seemed set... yet she was always able to get out of trouble. Excelling at playing the "sympathy" card, she often found police officers, lawyers, judges and courts willing to accept her side of the story, as she played the helpless victim. Though most women in her life knew better, Raylene could get out of anything by playing to a sympathetic male ear. Men seemed exceptionally-willing to believe that she just need that "one guy" to help see her through- her boyfriends consisted of either high-end drug dealers or powerful men on the right side of the law- many a career was ruined in service of her freedom.

Knifefish Debuts:
-Having moved around frequently to avoid the heat, Raylene came to the attention of Aquarius, who wanted a "Femme Fatale" for his organization. She'd trained in knife-fighting for years (purses could easily conceal such things), and Aquarius funded actual professional training on top of her practical experience, then gifted her with gimmicked weaponry of Dr. Nautilus's creation. Her true purpose, however, was more sinister. Raylene's job, as "Knifefish", was to weaponize her qualities, and seduce male superheroes. Not as a flirtacious skank-basket, like most super-villainesses with such proclivities (who were well-known to dress provocatively, chain up superheroes, and basically molest them into submission), but as a "Bad Girl Gone Good"- someone forced into the lifestyle, who only needed that "one guy" to rescue her.

-Such an act might only work a few times, in a role as public as a super-villain's. And as such, she's only really put it into play once- as the new girlfriend of the hero SuperStar. Taking advantage of his lack of real experience with women, she's grabbed him in her clutches and has him twisted into believing her story. Though his "real face" is a matter of public record, he still refuses to divulge his secret identity. But she knows it's only a matter of time...

-Knifefish acted as just one of the group, but has formed a lucrative trio with two other Agents of Aquarius- Angelfish and Sunfish. They are an all-girl crime-group that is often seen outside of the group, getting small-time scores and generally living it up. Though pretty greedy and rotten, the three are inseparable friends, and will always back each other up. Both are in on the "SuperStar" operation, and frequently goad other Agents into lashing out at Knifefish, resulting in SuperStar "saving" her.

Knifefish's Capabilities:
-A capable fighter, Knifefish is nonetheless merely a very skilled human being, so is only PL 8. Her specialty, beyond the charismatic skills at which she excels, is Gimmicked Weaponry, with various low-yield capabilities. Tear Gas, Knock-Out Gas, Electrified Knives, etc. are all in her arsenal, hidden in pockets in her costume, and a satchel she carries with her.

Jab's Notes: Knifefish is based pretty clearly on Diamondback from the Serpent Society. But I went with a deliberate twist of the mentality- part of the appeal of characters like DB, Catwoman and others is the whole "Bad Girl Gone Good" mentality- the sensation of the gorgeous bad girl super-villain who MIGHT JUST DATE YOU. It's a very primal thing with a lot of dudes, so I thought... what if someone was FAKING that? Someone who could get any guy to "White Knight" to her defense. That she would do this with the "Audience Insert" character SuperStar would be perfect.
-For the record, a "Knifefish" is the species name for what we'd call the "Electric Eel"- I figured it was perfect for a Diamondback Expy, using trick knives instead of throwing diamonds.
Jabroniville
Posts: 24689
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Sunfish

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

On the right.

SUNFISH (Akasi Muniru)
Hgt:
5'7" Wgt: 145 lbs.
Role: Blaster, Femme Fatale
PL 8 (111)
STRENGTH
1 STAMINA 3 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 7 DEXTERITY 5
INTELLIGENCE 1 AWARENESS 2 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+6)
Deception 4 (+7, +9 Attractive)
Expertise (Criminal) 6 (+7)
Insight 2 (+4)
Investigation 3 (+5)
Perception 3 (+5)
Persuasion 2 (+5, +7 Attractive)
Stealth 2 (+6)

Advantages:
Attractive, Daze (Deception), Improved Critical (Light), Ranged Attack

Powers:
"Living Solar Battery"
Immunity 1 (Cold) [1]
"Ambient Light" Environment 2 (Light) [2]
Immunity 2 (Visual Dazzles) [2]

"Wavering Light" Enhanced Defenses 4 (Extras: Affects Others, Ranged) (24) -- [28]
  • AE: Solar Blast 8 (Feats: Split, Precise) (18)
  • AE: "Dazzle Beam" Dazzle Visuals 8 (16)
  • AE: "Solar Flare" Dazzle Visuals 8 (Extras: Area- Visual Perception) (Flaws: Touch Range) (16)
  • AE: Environment 8 (Light 2) (16)
Offense:
Unarmed +7 (+1 Damage, DC 16)
Solar Blast +8 (+8 Ranged Damage, DC 23)
Dazzle Beam +8 (+8 Ranged Affliction, DC 18)
Solar Flare +8 Area (+8 Affliction, DC 18)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +8 (+12 Wavering Light, DC 18-22), Parry +7 (+11 Wavering Light, DC 17-21), Toughness +3, Fortitude +5, Will +6

Complications:
Motivation (Greed & Power)- Sunfish is attracted to powerful men, and is usually where the money is.
Relationship (Aquarius)- Akasi had hooked up with the prospective master villain, but was humiliated when his ruse was discovered.
Relationship (Knifefish & Angelfish)- The three girls are inseparable companions, being equally greedy and horrible, but also incredibly devoted to each other. None of the other Agents are as close as this trio are.
Power Loss (All Powers)- Sunfish requires a certain amount of stored power in order to use her abilities. Extended periods indoors, or nightfall, will prevent her from gaining more, meaning her powers are often finite.

Total: Abilities: 52 / Skills: 24--12 / Advantages: 4 / Powers: 33 / Defenses: 10 (111)

-Akasi Muniru is a super-villain from Ghana who had fallen in with a criminal element as a thief and drug runner. Attracted to powerful men, she'd hooked up with whichever criminal was in charge of the biggest territory at the time, but that soon proved dangerous- luckily, she was able to escape to America with her new guy, the man who became Aquarius. Convinced of his power and prestige, she quickly agreed to become part of his super-villain army- she was empowered by Dr. Nautilus and turned into a living solar battery. Her cells would recharge by day, allowing her to create powerful streams of light.

-As Sunfish, Akasi quickly befriended Knifefish and Angelfish, forming a trio with the Agents of Aquarius. She reveled in the power and prestige of being with Aquarius and his dominating personality, but was left humiliated when his ruse was discovered- he wasn't actually as powerful as he'd claimed. One of the first to reject him when the truth came out, Akasi became one of his most implacable detractors.

-On a team with many physical attackers, Sunfish is one of the few Blasters- at PL 8, she's somewhat effective in battle, but her primary advantage is how she can bend light, refracting the visual waves so that she and her teammates appear "wobbly", to the point where aiming attacks properly is extremely difficult. This makes her an excellent team player.

Jab's Notes: Sunfish are giant, disc-shaped fish, and the name seemed to imply "Solar-Powered", so I went with that. The whole "black girl in black & yellow leather" thing just came to me, and the character came together quickly. I wanted the Agents to come from various countries, so I threw in a random African nation for her, but the character concept took a bit longer. Taking aspects from Marvel's Black Mamba, I had her hook up with the leader of the Agents (Mamba was Sidewinder's paramour for a time in the Serpent Society), then quickly came up with a whole "she's into power" thing. The origin story took longer- I couldn't figure out if I wanted an immigrant, a career criminal, someone who'd gained powers mystically, etc.- I ended up going with the easiest route, which was "Science Did It". A simpe Blaster at first, I added in the "Refractory Powers" thing to give her a Tempo-like ability to modify her teammates's defenses.
Jabroniville
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Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:05 pm

Angelfish

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

In the middle.

ANGELFISH
Hgt:
5'10" Wgt: 156 lbs.
Role: Master Thief, Femme Fatale
PL 8 (144)
STRENGTH
5 STAMINA 5 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 6
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Athletics 7 (+12)
Deception 3 (+7, +12 Attractive)
Expertise (Criminal) 6 (+8)
Expertise (Atlantean) 5 (+7)
Insight 4 (+7)
Perception 3 (+6)
Persuasion 4 (+8, +13 Attractive)
Sleight of Hand 6 (+12)
Stealth 8 (+13)

Advantages:
Attractive 2, Chokehold, Defensive Attack, Evasion, Improved Defenses, Move-By Action, Seize Initiative

Powers:
"Aquatic Physiology"
Immunity 3 (Drowning, Pressure, Cold) [3]
Swimming 6 [6]
Movement 1 (Environmental Adaptation- Aquatic) [2]
"Claws" Strength-Damage +1 Linked to Weaken Strength 4 (Extras: Progressive +2) [13]

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Claws +10 (+6 Damage & +4 Weaken, DC 21 & 14)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 10), Toughness +5, Fortitude +6, Will +6

Complications:
Motivation (Greed & Adventure)- Angelfish has loved excitement and adventure from day one- and her way of getting her kicks is to take things. She seduces, cajoles or sneaks her way in, taking everything just for the fun of it. Even if she was wealthy (and sometimes she is), she tends to throw it all away and start another con.
Relationship (Knifefish & Sunfish)- The three girls are inseparable companions, being equally greedy and horrible, but also incredibly devoted to each other. None of the other Agents are as close as this trio are.
Disabled (Aquatic)- Undersea peoples tend to need regular access to water in order to function properly. Surgeries have left Angelfish less-dependent than others, but she still needs to soak for at least a few hours a day (typically she sleeps in the bathtub or pool).

Total: Abilities: 80 / Skills: 46--23 / Advantages: 8 / Powers: 24 / Defenses: 9 (144)

-Angelfish, like Bull Shark, is a member of an aquatic humanoid species- in her case, from one of many lands claiming to be "Atlantis" (there are about five Atlantises beneath the seas, each one claiming to be the "true" one). However, she was a born troublemaker- a wild child with a fetish for danger and a predilection towards mischief, she was a borderline kleptomaniac and con-woman who took anything she could find, even when she already had plenty! Uncontrollable to her parents, she left home early and made her way as a thief under the seas. It was all in fun and games (she even had a few paramours on the side of the Atlantean Guard, preventing long prison sentences), but eventually things caught up to her when she sold the mystical Atlantis Crown (the helm of the monarch of the undersea nation) to a super-villain, who used it to start a globe-spanning Event Crisis.

-This eventually came back to haunt her, as her role in the story was discovered, and she was exiled permanently from Atlantis. After a few disguises were seen through, she decided to make a go of it elsewhere, ending up on the surface world, where her exotic looks and natural charisma were both powerful weapons. Forgoing disguises and simply becoming a cat-burglar, she became quite well-known in the underworld, attracting the attention of Aquarius. Initially, her teammates assumed she was merely another genetically-altered being, but she eventually revealed the truth to her friends.

-Sharing no love of her homeland, the newly-christened "Angelfish" started to enjoy her new home, and used her appearance to get invited to all sorts of parties. She, Sunfish and Knifefish formed an all-girl group that robbed places on the side, getting in good with rich men (entranced by their looks) and then trashing the place. Though her action-loving tendencies tend to bother her less-suicidal teammates, and attract a LOT of attention, the sense of adventure only further endears her two best friends.

Jab's Notes: I've been fussing around with various aquatic designs over the years, and looking at those weird, unfortunate Bettas constantly locked up in little jars barely bigger than their bodies in pet stores gave me some inspiration. Their huge, flowing fins seem like they'd be ideal for "glamorous" undersea ladies, and so I started working on them. One design ended up on Amphitrite (the Greek Goddess; Poseidon's wife), but I also threw one on the Agents, with no real idea as to what her deal was. I couldn't even decide on the NAME. It's not like "Betta" suits a supervillain or anything.

-After a while, I had dual epiphanies: Duh- she's ANGELFISH. One of the neater fish names, for a fairly well-known species. But the personality was the real coup- while thinking about my "Lupin III" builds, I suddenly hit on the perfect combo- an Undersea Fujiko Mine! A wild-child female with fatale tendencies and a supernatural proclivity for high-stakes danger, she'd be great fun in any superhero campaign.
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Re: The Jabverse: An O.C. Thread (Trigger, Knife, Sun & Angelfish!)

Post by bsdigitalq »

And here we GO.
Jabroniville wrote: Tue Aug 22, 2017 9:57 amTHE AGENTS OF AQUARIUS:
So what I like most about this group is the general similarity to the Serpent Society, and the way they came about as the result of one guy's ideas about what villains were doing wrong. Also, an oceanic-theme is a pretty good basis for a group of baddies.

Would be funny if you had a gigantic brawl of all your huge jobber villain groups.
Jabroniville wrote: Thu Aug 24, 2017 7:53 amAQUARIUS (Anthony Argos)
I have a fondness for "wannabe big bads." I think it speaks to this ideas that guys like that aren't that far removed from folks like us. I mean, if we existed in a world of villains and heroes, what's to say we wouldn't try our hand at the big leagues? Plus, there's just something to be said about the guys who can't quite make it to the top, but keep trying, or who could be a legit badass but can't make it because of some major flaw or marginalization.

I'd be interested in what Aquarius is doing outside of the ranks of the Agents, in terms of specifics anyway. Would be funny to see a rival Agents show up, or Aquarius poach enough members to create a civil war in their ranks.
Jabroniville wrote: Fri Aug 25, 2017 7:29 amBLUE SHARK (Veronica Myers)
As others have mentioned, I like her tie in with some of your other heroes like Osprey, and the whole pro-fighting background.
Jabroniville wrote: Sat Aug 26, 2017 2:27 amOARFISH (Audie Billingham)
India Rubber Man, huh? What's his story?

Oarfish has this blue-collar air about him, kinda Rogues-esque/Superior Foes of Spider-Man type deal. I think it could be fun with him working with the Agents to pull off some major heist.
Jabroniville wrote: Mon Aug 28, 2017 1:23 amTHRESHER SHARK
Hahaha, oh wow, this guy is the first to "really" scream jobber to me, what with that outfit. Interesting that his "thresher" is more of a mechanical noodle instead of a Grim Reaper-style scythe. I could see him trying to go for that "badass villain upgrade" with that and an all black outfit or something.
Jabroniville wrote: Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:05 amGREAT WHITE (Ernest Grobelaar)
I think this guy is my first fav out of the lot. I like how, for a bunch of jobbers, they have at least one credible dude in the mix who can actually be a threat to heroes. Plus, I sort of like these "heavyweight/elite" villain powerhouse types, so long as they maintain some credibility.
Jabroniville wrote: Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:48 amMAKO (Karl Magnussen)
A neat little "mini-me" guy for Great White, though I do echo the previously expressed sentiment of him being a bit speedier or something to reflect just how fast Makos can be.
Jabroniville wrote: Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:51 amBULL SHARK
I like that this guy is a bit different than the other shark characters by dint of his background.

What's the deal with the Requian Empire? Are you gonna do some detailed stuff on the whole "undersea world" situation?

I get the sense that he's no longer an Agent, so he's full time journeyman huh?
Jabroniville wrote: Fri Sep 01, 2017 9:32 amSAWTOOTH (Clarence Ware)
HAHAHAHA, wow. He doesn't even have his own complications!
Jabroniville wrote: Sat Sep 02, 2017 9:02 amMEGAMOUTH (Emir Burkal)
Another fav of mine, due to two factors-

1) I like his background as a Middle-Eastern strong man. Not enough of those.

2) The gimmick of the portal-mouth really sets him apart from being yet another shark-themed powerhouse.
Jabroniville wrote: Sun Sep 03, 2017 7:01 amDOCTOR NAUTILUS (Dr. Archibald Vencer, aka Dr. Slyme, Dr. Mortis, Dr. Mortar, Dr. Elbert Ville, Dr. Mortimer, etc.)
That's a neat idea, taking all of the various mad scientist types and making them all alts of the same basic dude. Would be fun to see that come back to haunt him.

And yeah, Nautilus is a pretty boss name, hence why one of the lesser megavillains of my setting goes by it.
Jabroniville wrote: Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:16 amDOGFISH (aka Retriever)
Is it bad for me to say I'm more interested in Dogmaster and his Dog Pack? I know you just came up with it for this guy's backstory, but now I'm intrigued.
Jabroniville wrote: Tue Sep 05, 2017 9:29 amWHALE SHARK (Morris Flynn)
Will wonders never cease? ;)

That said, I wonder if at some point some villain is gonna come looking for the Monster Stone...
Jabroniville wrote: Wed Sep 06, 2017 8:39 amTRIGGERFISH (Irina Bhatia)
Gotta admit, I was a little confused at first and thought Triggerfish was the dude in the lower left corner and not the mermaid. She has a really cool backstory though, prolly my favorite, and I like that there are still some story threads for her. I could see that stuff coming into play in the future.
Jabroniville wrote: Thu Sep 07, 2017 3:34 amKNIFEFISH (Raylene Hodge)
Alright, now we're getting into more of my favs. Really dig the lady trio here and how they go about on their own adventures. Plus, the villainous honeypot gimmick is insidiously clever. I mean, that's just nasty man.

One thing though, is that her design doesn't seem to have any aquatic element to it. Given Aquarius' obsession with the theme, I'm surprised he just gave her a fish name and left it at that. Without knowing her name, just by looking at her I wouldn't know she was a part of an aquatic group or anything. Or is that the whole point?
Jabroniville wrote: Sat Sep 09, 2017 6:20 amSUNFISH (Akasi Muniru)
Oooo, somebody with a more personal grudge against Aquarius. Always fun to have these sort of dynamics in a big group.
Jabroniville wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2017 11:02 amANGELFISH
Ah, another undersea dweller! I like the whole reckless thrill seeker part of her, as that could lead to trouble for her and the other girls.

What is the nature of her relationship to Bullshark, if any? Given they're both from under the sea and all.
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Re: The Jabverse: An O.C. Thread (Trigger, Knife, Sun & Angelfish!)

Post by Jabroniville »

YES! FINALLY! It only took weeks of badgering to get you to comment :)! Now let's see if it works on Ares...

I'll handle this in little batches.
bsdigitalq wrote: Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:24 am So what I like most about this group is the general similarity to the Serpent Society, and the way they came about as the result of one guy's ideas about what villains were doing wrong. Also, an oceanic-theme is a pretty good basis for a group of baddies.
Yeah, I was kind of struggling to find a "reason" why all these dudes were just kickin' around with fish-themes, or why someone would just band together all the aquatic villains. Aquarius in my head came off like the "regular guy with a good idea" like Sidewinder did at Marvel, but his name and the costume idea in my head said "Master Villain", so I just merged the two.
Would be funny if you had a gigantic brawl of all your huge jobber villain groups.
Heh, yeah. Especially given that I use the "Animal Themes" a lot. The Dino Crew, The Agents of Aquarius, The Pride (cat-themed villains. GUESS WHAT THE COUGAR IS LIKE???), etc.
I have a fondness for "wannabe big bads." I think it speaks to this ideas that guys like that aren't that far removed from folks like us. I mean, if we existed in a world of villains and heroes, what's to say we wouldn't try our hand at the big leagues? Plus, there's just something to be said about the guys who can't quite make it to the top, but keep trying, or who could be a legit badass but can't make it because of some major flaw or marginalization.
Yeah, I liked the concept of the "Dark Lord Wannabe" thing. Astro City had a guy like that named "Lord Sovereign" who was kidnapping all the super-powered people who weren't actual super-heroes- he was quickly beaten and embarassed. I realized that in a "Super-Heroes in the Real World" concept, there would be TONS of guys like this- who suits up and throws on the tights expecting to be another BOOMSLANG? There'd probably be all kinds of characters dressing up in armor and long capes calling themselves "Lord this" or "Master that".
I'd be interested in what Aquarius is doing outside of the ranks of the Agents, in terms of specifics anyway. Would be funny to see a rival Agents show up, or Aquarius poach enough members to create a civil war in their ranks.
Yeah, I keep thinking up potential stories here and there. Like Aquarius suiting up in a different outfit and trying again. Or being recruited BACK by the team after their fiftieth loss, figuring that his plan was solid.
As others have mentioned, I like Blue Shark's tie in with some of your other heroes like Osprey, and the whole pro-fighting background.
Thanks! Since I came up with her "Street Fighter" concept, I figured there'd be other guys somewhat related to that.
Last edited by Jabroniville on Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: The Jabverse: An O.C. Thread (Trigger, Knife, Sun & Angelfish!)

Post by Jabroniville »

India Rubber Man, huh? What's his story?
Apparently that was going to be Plastic Man's original name (as "Plastic" wasn't commonly used at the time), but someone convinced the writer not to do it. So I homaged the name with a "generic background superhero", establishing that stretchy-guys exist elsewhere.
Oarfish has this blue-collar air about him, kinda Rogues-esque/Superior Foes of Spider-Man type deal. I think it could be fun with him working with the Agents to pull off some major heist.
Yeah, I think some people just wouldn't necessarily want to be a part of the whole "put on tights and fight" thing- it kind of makes you think a bit more about the genre.
Hahaha, oh wow, this guy is the first to "really" scream jobber to me, what with that outfit. Interesting that his "thresher" is more of a mechanical noodle instead of a Grim Reaper-style scythe. I could see him trying to go for that "badass villain upgrade" with that and an all black outfit or something.
Heh- mechanical noodle. It'd be neat to see him pull off something like "Bad Axe" did (the former "Weapon-Master" known as Axe changing names to become more bad-ass). Though the way my world works, he'd totally do that, and the rest of the team would make fun of him. He'd profess to one of those "Wrecking Crew Power-Ups" where he'd say he was ten times stronger, but then just lose to some regular person in tights.
A neat little "mini-me" guy for Great White, though I do echo the previously expressed sentiment of him being a bit speedier or something to reflect just how fast Makos can be.
I did make him a bit of a faster guy- do you mean like an authentic Speedster? This group actually has no "Black Racer" equivalent.
I like that Bull Shark is a bit different than the other shark characters by dint of his background.

What's the deal with the Requian Empire? Are you gonna do some detailed stuff on the whole "undersea world" situation?

I get the sense that he's no longer an Agent, so he's full time journeyman huh?
I figure a lot of these guys are seen in small groups, and some go off a bit more (Great White leaves the group early, for example). Sorta like how the Serpent Society appears in Marvel these days. Bull Shark is distinctive enough to be recurring, though he's not as much of a "steal stuff for monies!" kind of character, so I'd imagine the heists would do without him, but some of the "Super-Fights" might.

The Requian Empire is just a "generic evil empire" meant to give him some backstory, and open up potential opportunities later. My "Undersea Setting" actually includes numerous aquatic races to prevent the "Singular Atlantis" issue comics has. The Requians are largely there to invade South America or whatever some weeks.
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Re: The Jabverse: An O.C. Thread (Trigger, Knife, Sun & Angelfish!)

Post by Jabroniville »

bsdigitalq wrote: Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:24 am HAHAHAHA, wow. Sawtooth doesn't even have his own complications!
Dammit! Fixed.
Another fav of mine, due to two factors-

1) I like his background as a Middle-Eastern strong man. Not enough of those.

2) The gimmick of the portal-mouth really sets him apart from being yet another shark-themed powerhouse.
Yeah, I wanted something to set him apart. The group has a LOT of ST 8-ish guys- a bit more than the Serpent Society did.
Is it bad for me to say I'm more interested in Dogmaster and his Dog Pack? I know you just came up with it for this guy's backstory, but now I'm intrigued.
Heh- that's two or three now. They were just meant to be throwaway names :). I was gonna just have it be a "High Evolutionary" thing with a big group of animals, but then switched gears to dog-themed at the last second.
That said, I wonder if at some point some villain is gonna come looking for the Monster Stone...
Hm, not a bad idea.
Alright, now we're getting into more of my favs. Really dig the lady trio here and how they go about on their own adventures. Plus, the villainous honeypot gimmick is insidiously clever. I mean, that's just nasty man.

One thing though, is that her design doesn't seem to have any aquatic element to it. Given Aquarius' obsession with the theme, I'm surprised he just gave her a fish name and left it at that. Without knowing her name, just by looking at her I wouldn't know she was a part of an aquatic group or anything. Or is that the whole point?
Yeah, she's more directly just "Diamondback" in concept, and looks like a generic super-villain. Some of the Serpent Society didn't really have snake-themes inherent to their designs either, but this is a bit more stand-out. Anything I'd add would kind of take away from the slinkiness I wanted to go for with the concept. I might try to think of something else.
Oooo, somebody with a more personal grudge against Aquarius. Always fun to have these sort of dynamics in a big group.
Yeah, I wanted some actual RELATIONSHIPS to be in play.
Jabroniville wrote: Sun Sep 10, 2017 11:02 amANGELFISH
Ah, another undersea dweller! I like the whole reckless thrill seeker part of her, as that could lead to trouble for her and the other girls.

What is the nature of her relationship to Bullshark, if any? Given they're both from under the sea and all.
[/quote]
Different parts of the world entirely, RACIST :P.

But yeah, my undersea thing has numerous "Atlantises", as apparently old cultures used to fall into the sea a lot, and there's a bunch of aquatic people. "Atlantis is Boring" is pretty universal, however, so I didn't dwell on it overly much. One of my "Teen Titans" analogs is a guy from one of those worlds named Torrent- he controls water, naturally. But I have no ideas just yet, beyond "it's like the Atlantises of the comics".
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Goblin Shark

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

The ugly dude on the left.

GOBLIN SHARK (Osamu Nakanishi, aka Elegant V, Tengu Black)
Hgt:
5'8" Wgt: 160 lbs.
Role: Failed Villain
PL 8 (111)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 11 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Acrobatics 7 (+12)
Athletics 8 (+11)
Deception 5 (+8)
Expertise (Criminal) 4 (+6)
Insight 3 (+6)
Intimidation 3 (+6)
Perception 3 (+6)
Stealth 1 (+6)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Agile Feint, Evasion, Improved Defense, Improved Initiative, Startle, Uncanny Dodge

Powers:
"Cutting Hands"
Strength-Damage +2 (Feats: Split, Improved Critical) (Extras: Penetrating 5) [8]
Movement 1 (Wall-Crawling) [2]

Offense:
Unarmed +11 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Cutting Gloves +11 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +11 (DC 21), Toughness +4, Fortitude +5, Will +4

Complications:
Motivation (Proving Himself the Strongest)- Goblin Shark has a very competitive streak, leading him to challenging great martial artists in one-sided conflicts. He uses this so that he can "train to become Stronger!"
Secret (Elegant V)- Goblin Shark used to go by a different identity in his native Japan- he suffered a shameful defeat, and now lives in America under a pseudonym.
Disabled (Can't Swim)- Despite being named after a fish, Osamu cannot swim. He will instead comically lash around in a panic.

Total: Abilities: 70 / Skills: 34--17 / Advantages: 7 / Powers: 10 / Defenses: 7 (111)

-Goblin Shark originally went under a different name- he was the Japanese super-villain "Elegant V", who utilized martial arts skill and dangerous "Cutting Gloves" for the purpose of fighting prominent super-heroes, and "prove himself the strongest". This was a pretty typical motivation for Japanese villains and heroes alike, and the country is considered a beacon for more fight-happy superhumans. Unfortunately for him, however, he was badly defeated by a superhero in very prominent fashion- the humiliation and shame was deep, in a culture known for a huge importance placed towards both.

-Rather than live with his shame (or simply join up with the hero's group, which is a 50% chance with Japanese super-battles in which the villain survives), Elegant V instead moved to America, which has its own superhero culture, and typically places less value on pride and shame. Not wanting to be recognized, he simply went by his real name, changing his gimmick. Gone was his flowing cape, his long hair, and his stylish tuxedo outfit. Replacing it was a set of tights and a mask, based off of the Tengu of Japanese mythology. However, his nascent career as "Tengu Black" came to the attention of the Agents of Aquarius, who mistook his appearance for that of the Goblin Shark (a requine species with a prominent nose-cone), and they attempted to recruit him. Needing SOMETHING to do, and enjoying the money and lifestyle that came with American supervillainy, Osamu Nakanishi agreed to join them, simply accepting his new code-name.

-Despite his great fighting skill, and lethal Cutting Hands (which he pretends are Gloves to help disguise his identity), Goblin Shark was nonetheless pretty "typical" by American super-standards, and quickly failed along with the others. However, he has chosen to live out his exile with the intention of "Becoming Stronger" (the general motivation of a large chunk of the Japanese super-community). Eventually, he hopes to return to Japan and use his accumulated experience to defeat those who once bested him.

Jab's Notes: Goblin Shark was randomly drawn up as a distinctive-looking shark-guy that nonetheless didn't really stand out much from Mako, Bull Shark, Barracuda or the others. Struggling to come up with something, I sort of decided on making him Japanese because of the Tengu/Goblin Shark connotations. I figured him for a Power Rangers-style bad guy, but with the Shonen Manga stereotypes, like "I Want To Become The Strongest!" So his whole origin is now a riff on Shonen stuff, like challenging the hero, possibly joining the hero's side, having a comical flaw, etc., but instead he rejects all that and becomes an American super-villain instead, where you're much more likely to just become a recurring nuisance. The weird mix of the two might prove fun, helping out a guy who'd typically become quite generic.
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Carpet Shark

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

The guy on the left.

CARPET SHARK (Clyde Thompson)
Hgt:
6'2" Wgt: 195 lbs.
Role: Up & Coming Villain, Stealth Guy
PL 8 (120)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 4
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 4
INTELLIGENCE 2 AWARENESS 3 PRESENCE 3

Skills:
Acrobatics 3 (+7)
Athletics 7 (+10)
Deception 3 (+6)
Expertise (Criminal) 4 (+6)
Insight 2 (+5)
Intimidation 2 (+5)
Perception 3 (+6)
Stealth 2 (+6)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Equipment (Shock Baton +4), Ranged Attack 4

Powers:
"Carpet Shark Battlesuit" (Flaws: Removable) [26]
Protection 2 (2)
Immunity 3 (Drowning, Pressure, Cold) (3)
Swimming 5 (5)
"Camouflage" Concealment 2 (Vision) (4)
"Wrist-Blasters" Blast 6 (Extras: Multiattack) (18)
-- (32 points)

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Wrist-Blasters +8 (+6 Ranged Damage, DC 21)
Initiative +4

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +4 (+6 Suit), Fortitude +5, Will +5

Complications:
Motivation (Super-Villainy)- Clyde's dream is to become an established super-villain.
Responsibility ("I Am Not Chthulhu!")- Carpet Sharks are relatively obscure creatures. As such, people tend to mistake Carpet Shark's appearance for other things- particularly the Great Old One, Chthulhu. He once had to be saved by superheroes when a cult sprung up around him and summoned a Great Old One to "serve" him.

Total: Abilities: 66 / Skills: 26--13 / Advantages: 6 / Powers: 26 / Defenses: 9 (120)

-Clyde Thompson was one of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of men all doing the same thing- trying to find their way into the super-villain business. Despite being a violent profession that led to a lot of prison time, the glamor of throwing on a costume and fighting the most famous people in the world while making quick, easy money appeals to a lot of people, and so there are a lot of applicants. However, the precise way in is usually quite difficult, especially if you don't have powers or the means to get specialized equipment. And so, most of these men end up fighting for jobs the way most people do- they come in on the ground floor and work their ways up. In short, they become Henchmen.

-Clyde has become known as one of the best henchmen in the world- his professionalism, ability and common sense made him a popular choice for many super-villains. While most Henchmen are simple-minded thugs and ex-cons, Clyde was smart and hard-working. Though his ambition irked many of his colleagues, other villains appreciated him- he became one of Lancehead's favorite "Lancers", finally quitting that group when he lacked upward mobility. However, he was often beset by setbacks. He joined the "52 Card Pick-Up" army, making his way from One of Clubs to the Ten of Clubs, but the organization was taken down by the Legion of Light right before he could make "Jack". He was even one of the Red Knights of The Chess Team, but his version of the team was quickly beaten and forgotten about, as they segued between leaders. He joined a potential mega-villain's organization, only for the guy to be revealed as a wannabe (this happens a lot). However, he'd put in enough work that eventually SOMEBODY noticed him- he was recruited by Aquarius for his Agents.

-Clyde was irked slightly at his options ("It's either Carpet Shark or Porbeagle" the villain warned him), but figured that if he was FINALLY going to be upgraded to authentic costumed Super-Villain, he'd need something, and so he put on the special Camo-Suit designed by Dr. Nautilus. It wouldn't have been his first choice, but with limited options, Clyde supposed he was lucky to get his own identity at last. He at least figured he could get a new identity later.

-Given his backstory, Carpet Shark was among the most-irked to discover that Aquarius was a fraud, and much weaker than he claimed to be. Suddenly realizing with horror that he was on a "Jobber Team", he thought about quitting, but couldn't think of a way out that still let him move towards the career he wanted. So he tried to make the best of it. It helped once he'd realized that Aquarius was brilliant in his own way- their group could live comfortably for quite some time using Aquarius's own plot of small-time super-villainy. Not the glorious life he'd hoped for, but it's something. As such, Carpet Shark is one of the more level-headed members of the team, often taking the most practical viewpoint.

-Carpet Shark is a capable fighter, and his common sense and tactical know-how make him one of the most dangerous members of the team. Lacking raw power, he uses his Camo Suit to sneak up behind his foes, then lash out with sudden attacks, either in melee or at range. This makes him one of the better team-players (he easily takes out distracted foes), to the point where it became a common occurrence for an overconfident hero to get taken out by a Carpet Shark attack while they're paying attention to a flashier member of the team.

Jab's Notes: With Carpet Shark and a couple of the other guys, coming up with a set concept was a bit tricky. I didn't want them all to just be "Basic Bad Guy", so I threw in random stuff here and there. Ultimately, I came to a bit of a "Dark Version" of the Altar Boy character from "Astro City"- where that was a character who tried to become a superhero from the ground up, actively trying to become the sidekick to a pro, this guy was a VILLAIN doing the same sort of thing. This allowed me to "Gruenwald" in some "real-world" touches about how that would work in a super-world. Stuff like henchmen attempting to move up the ranks, guys going from group to group in attempts to make names for themselves, finally being recognized and given some specialized gear by a villain- all stuff that helps flesh out a world.

-I also kind of find it funny that a guy known for practicality, hard work and forethought would have the master plan of becoming a COSTUMED CRIMINAL, and then getting stuck with these goofs and being a Jobber Villain.

-I was actually pretty surprised that I liked his costume as much as I did- it's basically a mottled onesie with a snotty-looking cape and a Wobbegong-head mask, but it actually seems to WORK. A bit Chthulhu-esque, though.
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Barracuda

Post by Jabroniville »

ImageImage

BARRACUDA (Thomas Hargreave)
Hgt:
6'1" Wgt: 193 lbs.
Role: Psychotic Villain
PL 8 (92)
STRENGTH
5 STAMINA 5 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 10 DEXTERITY 2
INTELLIGENCE 0 AWARENESS -1 PRESENCE -1

Skills:
Athletics 7 (+12)
Deception 4 (+3)
Expertise (Criminal) 3 (+3)
Insight 3 (+2)
Intimidation 6 (+5)
Perception 6 (+5)
Stealth 3 (+8)

Advantages:
All-Out Attack, Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Trip, Startle, Takedown

Powers:
"Animal Senses" Senses 3 (Extended & Acute Scent, Low-Light Vision) [3]

"Sea Creature"
Swimming 4 (16 mph) [4]
Immunity 1 (Drowning) [1]

Offense:
Unarmed +10 (+5 Damage, DC 20)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +10 (DC 20), Parry +10 (DC 20), Toughness +5, Fortitude +7, Will +4

Complications:
Responsibility (Insane)- A simple knife-wielder, Hargreave had himself transformed into an inhuman monster in order to "compete" with superhumans.

Total: Abilities: 50 / Skills: 32--16 / Advantages: 6 / Powers: 8 / Defenses: 12 (92)

-Barracuda is among the more frightening kinds of superhumans- those who deliberately alter or mutilate their bodies in order to compete at higher levels. As Barracuda, he was a simple Weapon-User- a pirate who attacked the yachts of the wealthy and absconded with their trinkets. He began wearing a scaled costume in order to seem more "super", but his successes were minor- he would typically meet with some small riches at first, but soon draw the attention of an adventurer, who would soon stop him. When he was recruited to the Agents of Aquarius, he was a small fish in a big pond, and couldn't compete.

-Jealous of his more powerful teammates and unable to get the proper equipment to be a gimmick-user, he instead took the most horrific option- he had himself mutilated into an animal form. Become a Barracuda-Man thanks to Doctor Khameleus (an old colleague of Dr. Nautilus, and the creator of the Dino Crew), he became a super-strong, super-fast, gilled menace. Believing himself to be truly "supreme", he became a frontline fighter, though he found himself not as powerful as he wished (transforming someone into a dinosaur-man isn't as easy as it sounds, and the exceptional strength of the Dino Crew is a rarity- Barracuda was "merely" stronger than any human could ever be).

-His mind already a bit frayed, he began acting truly crazy, partly as an act to intimidate rivals, and partly because he's become even more unhinged. He's also notorious for making odd boasts- a popular one is "I'm going to BITE OFF HIS DICK!", along with motions towards doing the same. Like a lot of "final" villainous attacks (Poisons that kill everything, Decapitating swords, Blades that can cut through anything, etc.), it rarely, if ever, hits its target- there is a lack of dickless male heroes running about.

Jab's Notes: Barracuda goes way back to the same "The Wall" storyline that created Great White & Mako- he's mere "Filler" for the animal-themed villains in that jailhouse story. Just some random nutty guy who looks like a slender, lethal, hook-toothed fish. Barracudas are notoriously vicious and dangerous, and the name is so epic that it pretty much HAS to be a great Cock Rock song (Heart, despite being made up largely of broads, can Cock Rock with the best of them). I ended up making him the "Cottonmouth" of the team after looking at all the various comparisons among the group- a similar-sounding boast to Cottonmouth's "Head Bite That Never Hits" fit perfectly.
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Re: The Jabverse: An O.C. Thread (Angelfish! Goblin & Carpet Shark!)

Post by Spam »

I was expecting his name to be Barry.
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Re: The Jabverse: An O.C. Thread (Angelfish! Goblin & Carpet Shark!)

Post by Horsenhero »

Spam wrote: Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:21 pm I was expecting his name to be Barry.

Barry Kuder...because comics.

I also imagine Carpet Shark has got to be cautious of exactly where he proudly proclaims his nom du crime. In front of the wrong group of women this could either result in gales of laughter or speculative glances.

"I'm Carpet Shark!"

(Predatory divorce' raise an eyebrow) "Are you now? Care to prove it?"
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Manta Ray

Post by Jabroniville »

Image

The upper left guy.

MANTA RAY (Conrad Veidt)
Hgt:
6'2" Wgt: 225 lbs.
Role: Hero Gone Bad
PL 8 (120)
STRENGTH
3 STAMINA 4 AGILITY 5
FIGHTING 12 DEXTERITY 6
INTELLIGENCE 3 AWARENESS 4 PRESENCE 4

Skills:
Acrobatics 3 (+8)
Athletics 8 (+11)
Deception 4 (+8)
Expertise (Criminal) 6 (+9)
Insight 2 (+6)
Intimidation 4 (+8)
Perception 4 (+8)
Stealth 3 (+8)
Ranged Combat (Boomerangs) 2 (+12)
Technology 2 (+5)

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Fast Grab, Improved Critical (Unarmed), Improved Trip, Ranged Attack 4, Takedown 2

Powers:
"Manta Ray Uniform" (Flaws: Removable) [7]
"Fin Gliding" Swimming 4 (4)
Immunity 1 (Drowning) (1)
"Enhanced Knuckles" Strength-Damage +1 (Feats: Split) (2)
Protection 1 (1)
-- (8 points)

"Boomer-Rays" (Flaws: Easily Removable) [14]
"Filament-Wire Boomer-Ray" Snare 5 (Feats: Homing, Ricochet, Works Underwater) (18) -- (23 points)
  • AE: "Standard Boomer-Ray" Blast 4 (Feats: Homing, Ricochet) (Extras: Multiattack) (14)
  • AE: "Aquatic Boomer-Ray" Blast 4 (Feats: Homing 4, Ricochet, Works Underwater) (14)
  • AE: "Explosive Boomer-Ray" Blast 7 (Extras: Area- 16ft. Burst +1/2) (10.5)
  • AE: "Electrified Boomer-Ray" Blast 4 (Feats: Homing, Ricochet) (10)
  • AE: "Gas Boomer-Ray" Concealment 2 (Visuals) (Extras: Attack, Ranged) (8)
Offense:
Unarmed +12 (+3 Damage, DC 18)
Knuckles +12 (+4 Damage, DC 19)
Boomer-Ray +12 (+4 Ranged Damage, DC 19)
Explosive Boomer-Ray +7 Area (+7 Ranged Damage, DC 22)
Filament Boomer-Ray +11 (+5 Ranged Affliction, DC 15)
Initiative +5

Defenses:
Dodge +11 (DC 21), Parry +11 (DC 21), Toughness +4 (+6 Suit), Fortitude +5, Will +5

Complications:
Responsibility (Former Hero)- Manta Ray started off as a vigilante patrolling the waterways of Meridian City. Eventually, however, he fell to the dark side, and began stealing and killing to make ends meet. Now, he's a full-fledged villain, having left his old life behind.
Motivation (Greed)- Manta Ray began stealing in order to pay the bills, but soon began taking more and more. He doubts he could live like a poor, starving hero again.
Reputation (Ex-Hero)- Other super-villains are disgusted by his past, while heroes despise what he's become.

Total: Abilities: 82 / Skills: 38--19 / Advantages: 10 / Powers: 21 / Defenses: 6 (120)

-It all started so small. Sure, he took a little off the top of criminals he'd defeated. Why not? He declared most of it to the police, donated some to charity, and used the rest for his overheard- as the sole major superhero of Meridian City, he could keep the city much safer if he didn't have to have a day job. After all, he used a lot of that money to pay his weapon suppliers. And sure, he would occasionally take a life in the course of duty- it was self-defense, and these men were evil monsters who preyed upon the weak. And hey- why not have some fun with the Femme Fatales his line of work attracted, and let them get away with few penalties? What he took was freely offered, and the women were rarely the worst criminals anyway.

-But then things began to snowball. His reputation taking a hit after mob bosses declared absconded funds. A few too many women came forward with him OFFERING them sex for a "Get Out Of Jail Free" card. Maybe a few too many guys turned up dead for little reason. Manta Ray, once a respected hero, now had his reputation in tatters, and unlike most super-heroes, wasn't actually innocent.

-He'd started off pretty innocently- one of hundreds of "NPHs" (Non-Powered Heroes), this one themed to the semi-aquatic Meridian City, with its inlets and Venitian-style waterways. Using his "Boomer-Rays", he defeated the criminals who preyed upon his city, did some good, and got well-known for it. He'd teamed up with some major-league heroes, and won the respect of many of them. But looking at the money criminals continuously dragged in irked him- why shouldn't HE share in some of that? So he began looting the crooks he fought.

-But as these things tend to do, they snowballed. Eventually, he was a notorious vigilante, killing foes, taking advantages that didn't belong to him, and become nearly as rich as those he fought. The evidence piled up too high, and his reputation was ruined, and his fellow heroes vowed to take him down. And that was the last straw- Manta Ray became a full-fledged villain, figuring that a society that didn't want him around didn't deserve a hero- they'd earned a villain. He became a dangerous criminal, stealing what he wanted and daring anyone to stop him. Clever and wearing an aquatic suit, he was difficult to capture, but a few too many close calls led to him agreeing to Aquarius's offer, and joining the Agents of Aquarius. Among the more "serious" names on the squad, he was typically very professional, though he reacted poorly when the others needled him about his super-heroic past (heroes gone rogue are comparatively rare compared to "villains gone good").

-Manta Ray is regarded as one of the more "serious" members of the Agents, and is more tactically gifted than most of them, willing to sneak up on foes and use his weapons properly. However, many heroes target him specifically, given how his reputation affects them all.

Jab's Notes: Manta Ray is one of the guys I struggled with in terms of origins- what was his deal? What were his powers? I wanted to give him something decent, because he ended up surprising me in terms of appearance- I just kinda gave him a Batman cowl with manta "ears", but it looked WAY cooler than I thought it would, so I figured he'd earned something a bit more than your "Rock Python" type of guy would have. I was gonna make him another up & coming villain like Carpet Shark, but ended up taking his Batman-like appearance and running with it- he WAS, in fact, a Batman-style vigilante (albeit one focused on the waterways)... but turned to evil! I went with a "self-justification" thing, where an embittered hero takes more and more and falls off that slippery slope, eventually becoming a bad guy. This could lead to a lot of potential storytelling complications.

-For powers, I just kind of used the Rock Python/Diamondback dynamic of gimmicked weapons, but in ray shapes. This I guess makes them fit as boomerangs (well, SORT OF), so he could humorously be thought of as a more competent Boomslang.


Capers:
* An old villain comes at Manta Ray for revenge, and the other Agents are left backing him up. Some refuse or pretend to help, then disappear. Ultimately, he needs the help of real super-heroes this time.

* An old crime-fighting partner of Manta Ray pulls out a great scheme for revenge, and many other heroes get caught in the crossfire.
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