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Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:49 pm
by Davies
Eel-Skin

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Charles Kumble was more interested in the opportunities for his family to emigrate to the United States than his own personal benefit when he accepted the Claremont Academy's invitation to study there. After all, he could have studied at any of a number of schools for would-be superheroes in Bandhana (see Atlas of Earth-Prime: South Asia.) But he was familiar with rumors that suggested that students of these schools are encouraged to break ties with their birth families and view the school as their supreme allegiance. (In fact, not all of Bandhana's schools do this ... but some do, and are pretty serious about manufacturing compliance.)

He was thrilled when he was finally given the chance to be a member of the third Next-Gen team, and served with distinction there. Unfortunately, by the time of his graduation, it had become clear that he'd reached the limit of his powered development, and that said limit was quite a bit below what the Freedom League was looking for in an stretching hero and in an electrical one. He lacked the strength and toughness of the group's stretching member, the famous Stretch Armstrong, and his electrical generation was significantly less than a typical energy controller. He was encouraged to put his skills to use with another team.

Undaunted by this, Charles did so, and became a member of the Freedom Knights. He's served with them ever since, even acting as the team's rotating leader a few times. He's also an unofficial go-between for the Knights and Claremont Academy when one is required. While not fighting crime, Charles works as a math tutor, notably serving as such for the members of Seven-Up. His mother keeps trying to get him interested in nice Keralan girls she meets for him online, but he honestly feels too busy for romance -- and identifies as asexual, but has chosen not to go into that with his parents.

Eel-Skin -- PL 8

Abilities: STR 1 | STA 3 | AGL 4 | DEX 4 | FGT 8 | INT 2 | AWE 2 | PRE 2
Powers: Electrical Aura (Array: Damage 4, Reaction [touched], AP: Ranged Damage 8), Stretcher (Elongation 8; Enhanced Dodge 5; Enhanced Parry 5; Insubstantial 1, Precise; Movement 6 [environmental adaptation: tight spaces, safe fall, slithering, sure-footed, swinging, wall-crawling]).
Advantages: Chokehold, Grabbing Finesse, Improved Defense, Improved Hold, Improved Trip, Language 2 (English, Hindi, Marathi, Spanish, [Malayam is native]), Teamwork.
Skills: Expertise: Streetwise 4 (+6), Expertise: Mathematics 4 (+6), Ranged Attack: Electrical Discharge 4 (+8), Sleight of Hand 8 (+12), Stealth 6 (+9).
Offense: Initiative +4, Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 1), Electrical Aura +8 (Close Damage 4), Electrical Discharge +8 (Ranged Damage 8).
Defense: Dodge 13/8, Parry 13/8, Fortitude 6, Toughness 3, Will 7.
Totals: Abilities 52 + Powers 53 + Advantages 8 + Skills 11 + Defenses 12 = 136 points
Complications: Thrills--Motivation. Family. Secret Identity.

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 2:42 am
by greycrusader
Yeah, way back (nearly a dozen years or so now) when I first read the original FC edition, I remember thinking about how a few characters were clearly more-or-less direct analogues (Centurion, though later details added a neat twist to his origin) and others were either composites (Lady Liberty fulfills both the Wonder Woman AND Captain America roles on the team) or just archetypes (Captain Thunder slots into the Superman-lite role for the Freedom League, but reads like the most generic Silver Age DC character ever). As the setting has developed, certain character stand-ins have been conspicuous by their absence. The absence of a "Magneto" is probably one of the big ones, likely related to their being no real equivalent to Marvel-style mutant persecution in the setting.

All my best.

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 5:42 am
by Jabroniville
Yojimbo wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2018 2:21 pm
greycrusader wrote: Tue Jan 16, 2018 4:32 am Her entry also raises another point, namely what major expies/analogues is Prime-Earth missing? Keeping in mind there are several "composite" characters of course (Daedalus combines elements of comic-book Herakles with Iron Man, for example).
One of the things I liked about the Freedom League when it was first published was that the team combined a ton of archetypes into individuals. Daedalus is Wonder Woman and Iron Man and the Engineer, for example. Dr. Metropolis is as much Vision or Red Tornado as he is Jack Hawskmoor. The Authority were still big at the time and they got thrown into the mix, which I thought was cool.
Yeah, they were kind of interesting that way- good combinations instead of just filing the serial numbers off of DC characters. My roommate at the time even pointed out that Daedalus has a Rogues Gallery good enough for him to be a REAL comic book character (Raven and his "Hobo King" and "Fu Manchu Rip-Off" villains had a bit of a ways to go).

The Authority being aped like that was pretty fun, too, as it gave them some different traits, and now it seems more original now that the book has fallen in popularity and relevance since then. It's easy to forget now just how big a deal that book was in the industry- Marvel & DC did their damndest to gobble up the creative team and wipe out the book entirely so it was no longer a "threat" :).

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 12:52 pm
by FuzzyBoots
Jabroniville wrote: Wed Jan 17, 2018 5:42 amYeah, they were kind of interesting that way- good combinations instead of just filing the serial numbers off of DC characters. My roommate at the time even pointed out that Daedalus has a Rogues Gallery good enough for him to be a REAL comic book character (Raven and his "Hobo King" and "Fu Manchu Rip-Off" villains had a bit of a ways to go).
^_^ And at least two different "abhorrent admirer" characters for Raven, one for each gender.

And for all that they are, in many ways, blatant Flash Rogue's Gallery ripoffs, I like the Thieves Guild for Johnny Rocket. They did a good job of understatedly making them geniuses at their gadgets... and idiots everywhere else.

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 6:50 pm
by Jabroniville
Oh God, I'd forgotten about Magpie. Dude's got a receding hairline and a ridiculously goofy-looking expression in his art :).

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 17, 2018 7:21 pm
by Davies
Feline

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More than a decade after she was rescued from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, the woman who goes by the name Felicia Landry still claims to have no memory of her life before her mutations expressed themselves and she reverted to a feral existence. The Academy educated her to the best of their ability, but although she understands a number of languages, she has never spoken in any of them, preferring to express herself through sign language or the written word. As she is a functional adult in all respects, this eccentricity is barely worthy of comment.

After graduating from the Academy, Feline sought and obtained a job with the school's security department. For the most part, this involves monitoring the security equipment supplied by Curve Security, but she also employs her ability to use the senses of the animals on campus to supplement that technology, and takes it on herself to patrol the campus at least twice a day, more often if there's been any threats recently. There's an informal competition among students to see who can spot her while she's on these patrols, which she regards as amusing and good practice.

In her private life, Felicia is dating a deaf musician named Kevin Swift, and volunteers to teach sign language -- both American and Brazilian -- to deaf children. She also participates in a neighborhood watch program. She finds the notion that she's a superhero to be absurd -- she's just doing what anyone would do.

Feline - PL8

Abilities: STR 1 | STA 4 | AGL 7 | DEX 3 | FGT 8 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 3
Powers: Animal Magnetism (Perception Range Affliction 8 [Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled], Communication Dependent; Selective Area Mental Communication 2, Limited to animals; Comprehend Animals 1; Remote Sensing 8 [all senses], Feedback, Medium [animal]), Bounding (Leaping 3), Cat's Claws (Strength-based Damage 3), Fast Healer (Regeneration 5), Tail (Extra Limb 1).
Advantages: All-Out Attack, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Evasion, Languages 2 (AMESLAN, Brazilian Sign Language, English, Spanish, [Portuguese is native]), Takedown Attack.
Skills: Acrobatics 11 (+18), Athletics 8 (+9), Close Combat: Claws 4 (+12), Intimidation 8 (+11), Investigation 4 (+5), Perception 8 (+11), Stealth 5 (+12).
Offense: Initiative +7, Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 1), Claws +12 (Close Damage 4).
Defense: Dodge 9, Parry 10, Fortitude 8, Toughness 6/4, Will 5.
Totals: Abilities 60 + Powers 63 + Advantages 7 + Skills 24 + Defenses 10 = 164 points
Complications: Responsibility--Motivation. Does Not Speak. Relationship.

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Thu Jan 18, 2018 4:21 pm
by Davies
Mister Alchemy

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Terrance Brown used to be called 'Kid Alchemy', after Sonic convinced him that going around calling himself 'Bling' was more than a bit stereotypical. Since he's no longer a kid, that's no longer appropriate, but while he's considered calling himself Doctor Alchemy, that's a little pretentious for a man who dropped out of college. So Mister Alchemy it is. Please don't ask him to turn anything to gold, he focuses on rare Earth metals these days.

In his final year at the Claremont Academy, Terrance found himself wondering what he should do with his powers once he graduated. He'd received the self-defense training that they gave every super-kid, but he knew that going out to beat up wrong-doers was not really going to be on his agenda. His powers could easily make him a very nice living, and he'd be able to do so completely legally. But was that really what he was meant to do? And that question led to another question -- meant by whom?

He began to study philosophy and religion, particularly some of the writings of Carl Jung on the subject of alchemy, which portrayed alchemy as a metaphor for the attempt to examine one’s own life, bring it into union with the divine, and perfect the soul. This intrigued him, and so he decided to put off the decision about what to do with his powers until he'd done some more studying on the subject, and became a student at FCU. Some examination of his own life later, he realized that it wasn't enough for him to just achieve that unity, that he had the obligation to share his understanding of it with others.

Out of all the religions in Freedom City, the one that came closest to Terrance's beliefs about reality and truth was the Pinnacle Path, and so he contacted them about joining the faith and acting as a spokesperson. Jeremiah Ross was hesitant -- there've been other supers who've expressed an interest in his philosophy but they've generally been engaged in schemes -- but a lengthy conversation with Terrance convinced him of the young man's sincerity, and so Mister Alchemy became the Pinnacle Path's latest in-house superhero.

Terrance spends quite a bit of time joining his fellow followers of the path in their charitable works. As there are occasional obstacles on the path, he has invested in some means of protecting himself to be better able to protect his fellows, most visibly the suit that he wears that is woven with an incredibly light but tough super-metal of his own creation. He also has quietly developed the power to, with difficulty, turn people into gold for a while, but uses this ability with extreme caution.

Mister Alchemy - PL 8

Abilities: STR 0 | STA 1 | AGL 2 | DEX 1 | FGT 7 | INT 2 | AWE 3 | PRE 4
Powers: Alchemy (Array: Continuous Transform 7 [metals into metals], Precise, AP: Progressive Affliction 9 [resisted by Fortitude; hindered and impaired, disabled and immobile, paralyzed and transformed], Affects Objects, Extra Condition, Tiring), Metal Suit (Protection 6; Strength-based Damage 1; Removable).
Advantages: Benefit 2 (independently wealthy), Connected, Seize Initiative, Taunt.
Skills: Acrobatics 5 (+7), Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Religion 5 (+7), Expertise: Streetwise 8 (+10), Perception 6 (+9), Persuasion 8 (+12).
Offense: Initiative +2, Unarmed +7 (Close Damage 1), Golding Touch +7 (Close Progressive Fortitude 9).
Defense: Dodge 7, Parry 7, Fortitude 4, Toughness 7/1, Will 8.
Totals: Abilities 40 + Powers 42 + Advantages 4 + Skills 20 + Defense 13 = 119 points
Complications: Faith--Motivation. Job. Reputation (Pinnacle Path member).

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Sun Jan 21, 2018 5:32 am
by Davies
I'm currently making preparations for moving into a new apartment at the end of the month, so posting may be a little erratic over the next while. However, I have a clear schedule I'm going to follow.

First off, I'm going to finish updating the remaining 'other students' from the original Hero High, specifically the ones who haven't gone on to be heroic or at least law-abiding citizens.

Then there'll be a few characters inspired by the video games Overwatch and Agents of Mayhem.

Finally, after I reveal what sort of placid, soothing activities Ray Gardener is getting up to in his tranquil retirement, some exploration of the ideas about missing archetypes in this thread.

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2018 9:28 pm
by Davies
Pusher

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For every shining success of the Claremont Academy like Centuria, there's been a failure. Naomi Vasquez never had any intention of becoming a superhero when she came to the academy, but she didn't have any plans to become a supervillain either. And she certainly didn't intend to wind up helping to run a slave plantation. All she wanted was to avoid being pushed around as she had been from her childhood onward, but it's become clear to her that the only way to do that is to be the one pushing.

She started pushing when her telepathic abilities manifested, driving people away from her by learning their secrets, and eventually cultivating the power to push people's minds so they did exactly what she wanted. With a bit more study and practice, she learned how to turn people into completely brainwashed slaves who would automatically do what they were told. Witnessing the fate of the Student Body, she managed to keep her capabilities a secret despite serious scrutiny.

Naomi decided that the best place for her to continue to practice her powers was with people who had similar abilities and had managed to avoid being pushed around by society. So she made contact with the Psions and offered to join them. She was one of the last recruits of Professor Psion before his tragic demise in 2012, and before Empath led the family into an alliance with MEDUSA. On learning of Pusher's brain-wiping abilities, Gorgon immediately placed her in charge of turning captive normals into blank-minded 'helots' who'd work to provide MEDUSA's growing army with food, with a sideline in assisting Empath in running the organization's training camps.

It has not escaped Pusher's notice that she's still being told what to do, and that her handful of rebellious episodes have resulted in abuse every bit as cruel as anything she knew as a child. (She still doesn't quite walk right after she tried to take over Gorgon's mind when the other woman requested that she train her in mind control.) She would like to get out of this situation, but is more afraid of her superiors than she is of the authorities.

Pusher is not really meant to be a serious opponent for superheroes, but it is very unlikely for them to encounter her without numerous brainwashed mundanes around her, and she has no compunctions about using and abusing them to save herself. However, she is also a weak link in MEDUSA which could be exploited if her safety is guaranteed.

Pusher -- PL 10

Abilities: STR 0 | STA 2 | AGL 1 | DEX 1 | FGT 3 | INT 3 | AWE 4 | PRE -1
Powers: Knowledge Transplant (Variable 2 [Enhanced Skills and Languages], Free Action, Affects Self or Others at Perception Range, Mental Communication-Dependant, Limited to Intellect Skills, Limited to Target's Skill Ranks), Predictive Defenses (Enhanced Dodge 8, Quirk [not against subjects immune to mental powers]; Enhanced Parry 6, Quirk; Enhanced Advantage 6 [Defensive Roll 4, Evasion], Quirk), Telepathy (Mental Communication 1; Array: Cumulative Mind Reading 10, Subtle, AP: Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 6 [Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled], Reversible, AP: Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 6 [Resisted by Will; Entranced, Compelled, Transformed], Reversible)
Advantages: Assessment, Defensive Roll 4, Evasion, Improved Initiative, Second Chance (Mind Control)
Skills: Expertise: Education 8 (+11), Insight 8 (+12), Stealth 5 (+6), Technology 7 (+10).
Offense: Initiative +5, Unarmed +3 (Close Damage 0), Mind Control -- (Perception Range Will 6), Mind Erasure -- (Perception Range Will 6).
Defense: Dodge 9/1, Parry 9/3, Fortitude 6, Toughness 7/2, Will 14.
Totals: Abilities 26 + Powers 73 + Advantages 3 + Skills 14 + Defenses 14 = 130 points
Complications: Power--Motivation. Fear (Gorgon and Empath, not necessarily in that order).

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 2:35 am
by Arkrite
Davies wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 5:32 am I'm currently making preparations for moving into a new apartment at the end of the month, so posting may be a little erratic over the next while.
Good luck on the move.
Hopefully the weather will be working in your favor.

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 7:04 pm
by Davies
Arkrite wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2018 2:35 am
Good luck on the move.
Hopefully the weather will be working in your favor.
Well, it looks like it's gonna be pretty cold, but not snowy, so I'll take that as a semi-win.

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:53 pm
by Thorpocalypse
Cool stuff, Davies. Good luck with the move. I would volunteer to help but...you know...laziness and all... ;)

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 9:15 pm
by Davies
Thorpocalypse wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2018 8:53 pm Cool stuff, Davies. Good luck with the move. I would volunteer to help but...you know...laziness and all... ;)
And I'd appreciate the offer but ... you know ... paranoia and all ... :lol:

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 9:47 pm
by Davies
Sloth

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It came as something of a surprise that Bill Polzysky managed to graduate from Claremont Academy. From practically the moment that he arrived, he was making life harder for almost everyone with whom he came into contact, with the possible exception of a small clique of similarly misbehaving students whom he led. His academic performance was terrible, and he was an outright bully towards his fellow students. It has been suggested that Duncan Summers kept him around as a horrible warning.

Regardless, he did graduate -- without any invitations from adult superteams, without any references to super-employment agencies, without anything except his training and a few disciples who continued to follow his lead even after graduation. Fyirwhrx was one of these, and Sloth was the criminal mastermind who set up the casino robbery that resulted in her arrest, along with the rest of his followers. By purest luck, he managed to avoid being captured by the Freedom League, but that left him on the run from the Crime League.

It was at that point that representatives of "Colonel" James Anderson's Foregone Conclusions (see Paragons) contacted him and offered him a job, claiming that they'd been planning to get in touch even before he'd graduated. The company could protect him from the Crime League, as the two groups had an understanding, and he'd be able to exercise his talents in ways that would make him rich and comfortable, rather than living a life on the run. Sloth grinned broadly and signed the contract right away.

Since then, he has served as one of Foregone Conclusions most elite operatives ... or so he believes. The truth is that he's regarded as a completely expendable asset, and significantly less useful than other super-strong types in their arsenal, as their abilities won't vanish after six seconds exposure to a nullifier field. Still, he keeps surviving his missions, and as long as he does, they'll keep sending him on them. It's a winning situation for everyone who actually matters.

Sloth -- PL 9

Abilities: STR 10/2 | STA 11/3 | AGL 0 | DEX 1 | FGT 7 | INT 1 | AWE 0 | PRE 1
Powers: Fearsome Presence [Selective Visual Perception Area Affliction 8 [Resisted by Will; Impaired, Disabled, Paralyzed], Subtle, Intimidation Check Required [DC 15]), Powerful Build (Enhanced Stamina 8; Enhanced Strength 8; Immunity 5 [knockback effects]; Impervious Toughness 8).
Advantages: Close Attack 1, Equipment 10 (by mission).
Skills: Athletics 4 (+14), Expertise: Soldier 5 (+6), Intimidation 8 (+9), Perception 6 (+6), Ranged Combat: Guns 6 (+7), Stealth 5 (+5), Technology 5 (+6), Vehicles 5 (+6).
Offense: Initiative +0, Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 10), Guns +7 (Ranged Damage variable).
Defense: Dodge 6, Parry 7, Fortitude 14, Toughness 11, Will 4.
Totals: Abilities 30 + Powers 67 + Advantages 11 + Skills 22 + Defenses 13 = 143 points.
Complications: Cruelty--Motivation. Responsibility (Foregone Conclusions). Laziness.

Re: World of Freedom 3.2 - Horus! Hercules! The Ultima! Sentinels of Emeraldias! Hero High Revised!

Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:31 pm
by Shock
Davies wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2018 7:04 pm
Arkrite wrote: Wed Jan 24, 2018 2:35 am
Good luck on the move.
Hopefully the weather will be working in your favor.
Well, it looks like it's gonna be pretty cold, but not snowy, so I'll take that as a semi-win.
For January in Canada, I think that's the best you can ask for. Good luck with the move