The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

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Davies
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

Commander Titan wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 5:15 am For Dr. Petrie -- do the mysteriously referenced upstate facility, and the markings on her head, have anything to do with a certain polymath bronze doctor? Or am I completely barking up the wrong tree?
That's one of the references, but whether whatever brain surgery was done to her involved a reverse polarity version of the procedure which was performed there, or <dramatic pause> something else <dramatic stinger> is something I'm leaving open to question.
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"You'll be happy to know, Moment, that your words, jejune though they were, did not fall on deaf ears. I appreciate the sentiment behind them, and therefore call a truce in honor of the season."
Thanks!
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Sid Viscous (Villain)

Post by Davies »

Sid Viscous
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Ronald Rampulsky, better known by the alias Doctor Viscous, was one of the most notorious supervillains of the first age. Not for success in his criminal endeavors, but for sheer persistence. Despite being beaten by nearly every member of the Institute at some point, he kept coming back for more. Exactly how he avoided the inevitably lethal attention of Stardust is not clear, though Richard Lawson noted that the police reports about the crimes of Doctor Viscous do not show him as involved in any homicides, suggesting that his crimes never rose to the level that Stardust considered deserving of retribution.

In the end, however, he found himself behind bars for an extended period after the Battle of Vietnam, with his escape attempts foiled. Rampulsky would not be freed until 1982, when he was broken out of prison at the start of the Pythonian Insurgency. Seeing an opportunity, Doctor Viscous pledged his loyalty to the movement, and went to work in its scientific department. Despite the proposals he repeatedly pitched about outfitting an entire unit of Pythons equipped with his glue gun, he accomplished relatively little during his time with the Insurgency, and was ultimately killed several months prior to the invasion of Delphi.

Roughly twenty years after the death of Doctor Viscous, a new supervillain made his debut fighting the Blue Bolt under the alias Sid Viscous. (Reportedly, he was bewildered when the Bolt quoted Sex Pistols lyrics at him, raising a number of questions.) While employing what he claimed was an improvement on the original glue formula, he proved just as easily defeated as his forebear. Following his capture, he identified himself as Sidney Rampulsky, the son of Dr. Viscous, born to his Pythonian personal assistant.

This only raised further questions. Peri Brown, that assistant, had been taken into custody following the downfall of Delphi, and served a relatively short jail sentence. While she was the single mother of a young son -- named Dennis and born in 1986, on the same birthdate claimed by Sidney Rampulsky -- there is no evidence proving that Ronald Rampulsky was the father, and some witness accounts which suggest that the Doctor was asexual. Further, Sidney Rampulsky provides a narrative of his life, including time spent at a think tank, which is somewhat at odds with what little is known about the subsequent lives of Peri and Dennis Brown, which apparently came to an end during the Cerebron assault, after which they were both missing and presumed dead.

Nevertheless, Sid Viscous has since demonstrated the same bloody-minded persistence in his unsuccessful criminal endeavors as his supposed father, often coming back from defeats that seem fatal. His persistence is such that it has been seriously suggested that he is, in fact, a clone of Ronald Rampulsky let loose on the world by some unknown party. Sid has heard of these rumors, finds them outrageous, and intends to find out who started the silly idea and do some fatal things to them. He is his own man, living his own life, and if it parallels the father he never knew, that is just how it goes. He certainly never spends any sleepless nights contemplating this nonsense!

Based in St. Louis, Sid will sometimes claim that he was invited to join the Combination when it was formed but had to turn them down as he had other irons in the fire at the time. This is untrue; he turned the invitation down flat, no matter how flattering it was to be the first one asked, and has regretted it every time he has to pay protection money to them. Having learned from his mistake, he agreed to the similar invitation from the Slough, last year, and saw that operation fall to pieces due to the mistakes that everyone but him made. He managed to escape capture, but has sworn off on any team-ups after this. The only person he can rely on is himself, in the end.

Sid Viscous -- PL 8

Abilities:
STR
2 | STA 3 | AGL 1 | DEX 1 | FGT 4 | INT 5 | AWE 1 | PRE 0

Powers:
Armored Costume: Immunity 2 (suffocation); Protection 5; Removable (-1 point) - 6 points
Glue Gun: Array (32 points); Easily Removable (-14 points)
  • Blob Shot: Ranged Cumulative Affliction 8 (Resisted by Dodge; Overcome by Damage; Hindered & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Immobile), Contagious, Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 32 points
  • Narrow Stream: Cumulative Line Area Affliction 8 (Resisted by Dodge; Overcome by Damage; Hindered & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Immobile), Contagious, Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 1 point
  • Wide Strean: Cumulative Cone Area Affliction 8 (Resisted by Dodge; Overcome by Damage; Hindered & Vulnerable, Defenseless & Immobile), Contagious, Extra Condition, Limited Degree - 1 point
  • Ultimate Solvent: Selective Burst Area Nullify Glue Effects 8, Simultaneous - 1 points
Jump Boots: Leaping 4 (120 feet); Removable (-0 points) - 4 points

Occasional Power Stunts:
"Here's Glue in Your Eye": Ranged Cumulative Affliction 10 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Damage; Visually Impaired, Visually Disabled, Visually Unaware)
"Here's Glue in Your THROAT": Ranged Progressive Affliction 8 (Resisted by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated/Dying)


Advantages:
Beginner’s Luck, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Power Attack, Takedown, Well-informed.

Skills:
Athletics 5 (+7), Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+6), Expertise: Criminal 4 (+9), Expertise: Science 4 (+9), Intimidation 6 (+6), Investigation 2 (+7), Perception 4 (+5), Ranged Combat: Glue Gun 7 (+8), Technology 4 (+9).

Offense:
Initiative +5
Unarmed +6 (Close Damage 2)
Glue Blob +8 (Ranged Affliction 8, Resisted by Dodge)
Narrow Stream -- (Line Area Affliction 8, Resisted by Dodge)
Wide Stream -- (Cone Area Affliction 8, Resisted by Dodge)

Defense:
Dodge 8, Parry 6, Fortitude 5, Toughness 8/3, Will 7.

Totals:
Abilities 34 + Powers 31 + Advantages 6 + Skills 19 + Defenses 17 = 107 points

Offensive PL: 8
Defensive PL: 8
Resistance PL: 6
Skill PL: 4

Complications:
Inferiority Complex--Motivation. Mild Paranoia.

Note: Should stats be required for Doctor Viscous, a PL 7 villain, reduce STR to 0 and STA to 1, increase INT to 8, reduce the rank of all Glue Gun powers to 6, drop all powers other than Glue Gun, drop Improved Initiative, add Defensive Roll 2 and Evasion, drop Athletics and Close Combat: Unarmed, increase Intimidation to 9 (+9) and Perception to 10 (+11), add Deception 10 (+10) and Stealth 8 (+9), reduce Dodge to 6 and Parry to 4. His motivations and other complications are exactly like his successor.

If Sid Viscous is a clone, add the power Endless Doubles: Immortality 5 (1 day) and a Delusion (I am the son of Doctor Viscous) and Memory Lapses complications.
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Aislinn (Villain-in-training?)

Post by Davies »

Aislinn
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While all of the ASIs active on Earth have employed androids for certain tasks, Savitor, the youngest of them, is the one who both employs them the most often and also manufactures most of those used by the others. Because of this, and perhaps because of her youth, Savitor is the most willing to experiment with the designs of these synthetic lifeforms. Despite that, she has never deviated from the procedure of producing brains designed to be unable to produce parapsychic phenomena. Or had never, until recently.

The revelation that one of her creations had apparently developed mystical powers came as a stunning surprise to Savitor, leaving her unable to respond to communications for a full second. Once that shock passed, it was replaced by curiosity as to how this had happened, and frustration that she was unable to directly study whatever changes had happened to OCHO. Savitor resolved this difficulty by drawing on published research about psionic technology, to incorporate it into the designs of a new classification of android.

Of the first manufactured models of these psionic androids, the most sophisticated is one given the identifier ISLN, or "Aislinn", who identifies as nonbinary. Their psychic talents involve being able to absorb "vital energy" through physical contact with living beings, which manifests as cell death, or to return such vital energy through physical contact, either with the original victim of their absorption or another individual, temporarily healing injuries. Aislinn is unable to use the vital energy that they absorb for any other purpose, and must (under most circumstances) transfer energy after having drained it rather than draining repeatedly.

Savitor is particularly interested in what these powers have done to the personality that Aislinn manifests. Generally, androids of this type adopt whatever persona is needed for their activities, but while this is still true of Aislinn, certain patterns of behavior manifest consistently no matter how they might otherwise be acting. When draining energy from a target, Aislinn will normally behave in a sympathetic, consoling manner; if the victim is aware of what is happening to them, Aislinn might try to reassure them that this pain is ultimately for a greater good. In contrast, they behave in a somewhat cruel and malicious manner while transferring energy into a target, often insulting or demeaning the subject.

As yet, Savitor has not yet worked out all the details of the operations she plans to have Aislinn undertake. It seems likely that Aislinn will be set up as a peddler of miraculous cures and eventual cult leader, but where those activities will take place is uncertain. Likely possibilities include the United Kingdom (tweaking the figurative nose of Axiom by interfering in its war with the vampires), the Middle East or the American South. Regardless, it seems likely that the activities of this operative will be quite short-lived, but Savitor will learn a great deal from the experiment. And that is what it is all about in the end, right?

Aislinn (ISLN) -- PL 9

Abilities:
STR
 6 | STA -- | AGL 0 | DEX 2 | FGT 6 | INT 4 | AWE 1 | PRE 1

Powers:
Android: Immunity 30 (Fortitude); Protection 10; Regeneration 1 (natural healing) - 41 points
Life Force Manipulation: Array (17 points)
  • Absorb: Damage 8, Resisted by Fortitude, Subtle - 17 points
  • Transfer: Healing 8, Restorative, Subtle, Temporary - 1 point
Life Force Perception: Senses 4 (detect health [acute, analytical, ranged]) - 4 points

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, Eidetic Memory, Evasion, Improved Aim, Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Uncanny Dodge, Well Informed.

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 2 (+8), Deception 10 (+11), Expertise: Religion 4 (+8), Investigation 6 (+10), Perception 8 (+9), Persuasion 6 (+7), Stealth 6 (+6), Technology 4 (+8).

Offense:
Initiative +4
Unarmed +8 (Close Damage 6)
Life Force Drain +6 (Close Damage 8)

Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 8, Fortitude Immune, Toughness 10, Will 8

Totals:
Abilities 30 + Powers 63 + Advantages 8 + Skills 23 + Defenses 15 = 139 points

Offensive PL: 7
Defensive PL: 9
Resistance PL: 8
Skill PL: 6

Complications:
Duty--Motivation. Personality Shift (becomes altruistic when draining, sadistic when healing.) Power Loss (cannot use Drain or Transfer in succession, must use the other power.) Secret (android.)
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Commander Titan »

I really dig Sid Viscous (clone or not)! First off, incredible pun in the name. And secondly, I'm a big fan of "joke" characters / archetypes getting a chance to go "let's get dangerous." They don't have to become extra malicious or evil (I'm looking at you, Doctor Light in Identity Crisis), just pointing out what they can achieve when competent.

As for Aislinn, that's an interesting wrinkle with the personality flip with the power. One wonders if they targeted a regenerator or otherwise superhumanly hale & healthy hero, one who could survive the draining process for an extended period, if maybe some of the personality changes could lock in?
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Davies
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

Commander Titan wrote: Thu Mar 23, 2023 3:43 am As for Aislinn, that's an interesting wrinkle with the personality flip with the power. One wonders if they targeted a regenerator or otherwise superhumanly hale & healthy hero, one who could survive the draining process for an extended period, if maybe some of the personality changes could lock in?
That's a very good question! (I'm envisioning the "she's touched the soul of a prince" moment when Rogue absorbs Ben Grimm's powers in one story.) If it did, it would still just be a step towards a more humane personality, as they would even then consider Savitor to be the master they must obey no matter what.

The flip came up late in the design process, when I realized that someone who becomes nice while healing and mean while hurting was not all that surprising, but reversing it seemed like something that hadn't been explored.
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Haha Niwatori (Villain)

Post by Davies »

Haha Niwatori/母鶏
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Kishinami Yui regards her status as the second occupant of the House of the Rooster in the Shēngxiào as being of lesser importance than some of the other figurative hats that she wears. (Of course she never wears an actual hat. What decade do you imagine this is?) The death of her first husband and the gradual slide into early senility of her second has left her in charge of the Kishinami family fortune, to which has been added the not-inconsiderable wealth of her birth family following a series of unfortunate events that have been the end of every heir to that family, other than herself and her only daughter. There is also the responsibility she has to set an example of what it means to be a woman of wealth and taste in contemporary Japan, particularly for her daughter but also for the young women of the country in general.

Still, she is mindful of the fact that she would not be in the position now holds without the power that Diorite granted her a decade ago, and works tirelessly to ensure that the Shēngxiào remain a functioning business. The rest of the inner council certainly cannot be trusted to do that -- most of them care for nothing except living out their boyish power fantasies, regardless of the costs involved. (Hebi-Onna is a noteworthy exception to this judgment, and Yui respects and admires Kurihara considerably more than she did the previous Snake. She is also well-aware that Hebi-Onna would enthusiastically accept any offers to bring about her demise. Hence her admiration.)

Much like her supposed ally, Shānyáng, her powers are subtle in their operation. When activated, they interfere with the minds of all those in her immediate vicinity, making it more difficult to successfully initiate violence and, somewhat perversely, more dangerous to be subjected to it. She is also, by focusing her attention on a single individual who has fallen victim to this calming aura and put them in a suggestive state where they regard her as a god whose orders must be obeyed. This focus makes it impossible to maintain her aura, however, and she must communicate her orders verbally rather than relaying them telepathically.

Haha Niwatori ("Mother Hen") has reason to believe that long-term exposure to her dominance has a cumulative deleterious effect on the psyches of its subjects. That reason is what she has seen it do to her husband, whom she began victimizing with it as soon as Diorite bestowed the power upon her. The mundane explanation for this is an early onset of senility, but the truth is that he is so slavishly devoted to obeying her will that most other issues simply fail to register with him. This has allowed her to use him as her primary bodyguard and enforcer, as he will fight without concern for his own safety whenever she commands it.

In as much as she can care about anybody else, Yui does care about her daughter Monoka, though their meetings are few and far between. She would phrase this as trying to protect the girl from the necessary cruelties of her life, but there has often been a fair amount of disappointment in her activities as well. However, the reports that she gets suggest that Monoka may finally be putting aside childish things and pursuing her goals with the same sort of seriousness that Yui possesses. What a relief. The thought that she might one day have to turn her into a slave was a really troubling one ...

Haha Niwatori -- PL 10

Abilities:
STR
-1 | STA 1 | AGL 0 | DEX 2 | FGT 1 | INT 3 | AWE 4 | PRE 4

Powers:
Aura of Calm: Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 10 (Resisted by Will; Attack Impaired and Vulnerable, Attack Disabled and Defenseless), Extra Condition, Insidious, Limited Degree, Subtle 2 - 33 points
Gaze of Dominance: Perception Range Affliction 10 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled, Controlled), Concentration, Insidious, Quirk (Can only be used on targets made Defenseless by Aura of Calm but will remain active on them after they recover from it) Subtle 2 - 42 points
Impermeable Demeanor: Immunity 10 (fortune effects); Immunity 20 (mental effects), Limited to half effect - 20 points

Advantages:
Assessment, Benefit 4 (multimillionaire), Connected, Contacts, Daze (Deception), Defensive Roll 2, Fascinate (Deception), Redirect, Sidekick 15, Speed of Thought, Taunt, Uncanny Dodge.

Skills:
Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Business 8 (+11), Expertise: Criminal 8 (+11), Insight 7 (+11), Perception 8 (+12), Persuasion 9 (+13).

Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +1 (Close Damage -1)
Aura of Calm -- (Burst Area Will 10)
Aura of Dominance -- (Perception Range Will 10)

Defense:
Dodge 4, Parry 3, Fortitude 3, Toughness 6/1, Will 13

Totals:
Abilities 28 + Powers 95 + Advantages 31 + Skills 24 + Defenses 18 = 196 points

Offensive PL: 10
Defensive PL: 5
Resistance PL: 8
Skill PL: 8

Complications:
Power--Motivation. Family (daughter.) Secret Identity. Subject to Orders.


Kishinami Kenji -- PL 7

Abilities:
STR
2 | STA 4 | AGL 1 | DEX 1 | FGT 4 | INT 3 | AWE 3 | PRE 2

Advantages:
Chokehold, Close Attack 2, Daze (Intimidation), Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll, Diehard, Improvised Weapons.

Skills:
Close Combat: Unarmed 4 (+8), Deception 4 (+6), Insight 4 (+7), Intimidation 4 (+6), Sleight of Hand 4 (+5), Stealth 4 (+5), Technology 2 (+5),
Vehicles 4 (+5).

Offense:
Initiative +1
Unarmed +10 (Close Damage 2 or by Improvised Weapon)

Defense:
Dodge 6, Parry 8, Fortitude 6, Toughness 6/4, Will 6

Totals:
Abilities 40 + Advantages 8 + Skills 15 Defenses 12 = 75 points

Offensive PL: 6*
Defensive PL: 7
Resistance PL: 6
Skill PL: 1

Complications:
Slavish Obedience--Motivation. Berserker Tendencies. Apparent Senile Dementia.
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by greycrusader »

I like Sid Viscous a lot, Davies. I've always had a fondness for Binder (the illustration you used for your OC) and the other Ultimates from my old days GMing CHAMPIONS games, and also for the Trapster, who was clearly the inspiration for glue-gun wielding villains of all stripes. I always felt that if writers just dropped the whole "Paste-Pot Pete" bit, then Trapster makes for a fine team-villain, especially if given some upgrades in gear and allowed to use his weapons creatively. Honestly, if I ever got the chance to write the Frightful Four, I'd simply have Petruski sell his designs to a new, more aggressive Trapster, one who subsequently combines them with a few additional types of, well, traps. Oh well.

Regardless, nicely done! All my best.
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Princess Pele (Villain?)

Post by Davies »

Princess Pele
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When her abilities to replicate, on a relatively small scale, the volcanic activity that had created the islands manifested in her late teens, it was obvious how Kamea Keola was going to use them -- to fight against the illegal military occupation of Hawai'i by the United States. So she did, often finding herself in battle against the sanctimonious "heroes" of the Superhuman Crew. Pathetic hypocrites, the lot of them. It was disgusting to listen to them blather about how her struggle was "wrong" because it was directed towards installing her family as rulers of a restored kingdom, while they were "right" for valuing democracy. As if that had ever meant anything other than rich haole throwing bones to the poor haole.

Unfortunately, the obvious rightness of her cause did not prevent her from having to flee her beloved homeland and go into exile. After a year of wandering and occasional bursts of violence, she found sanctuary in Kosovo, where Doktor Makabre showed apparently genuine sympathy for her goals. Her initial suspicion turned to respect, then admiration, and then, surprising them both, into passion, and they were married not long after her twenty-fifth birthday, with their daughter, Mile, born less than a year later.

And then, two years later, the world began to end. Makabre managed to realize what was happening before most of his enemies did, and reached out to certain "business associates" of his on a place called the World Less Magical. Kamea and Mile were sent through a portal and into the care of something called the Vision, with Makabre assuring them that he would triumph over this threat just as he had triumphed over all others before it. Then the portal closed, and they were left to wait.

Their "hosts" waited a full week before they nullified her powers and took her daughter from her. Even without her powers, she raged at that, and wound up sedated. When Kamea awoke, she knew that she was somewhere else, somewhere that felt oddly familiar. Drawing on that familiarity, she overcame the nullification field and destroyed the laboratory where she was being held after confirming that Mile was nowhere within it. She emerged to find herself in Hawai'i ... but not the Hawai'i she had known. There was no trace of her family, anywhere.

Getting off the islands was not easy without any identification, but the skills that she had gained during her wandering were still largely applicable here, too. The people at the laboratory spoke Japanese, so she is making her way to Japan, slowly but surely. She will find her daughter and take her back, and anything that gets in the way of her doing that -- or looks like it might -- is going to burn. Kamea is not altogether sure what she will do after that, but she will think of something.

Princess Pele -- PL 11

Abilities:
STR
1 | STA 3 | AGL 2 | DEX 2 | FGT 4 | INT 1 | AWE 3 | PRE 4

Powers:
Lava Form: Linked Burrowing 12 (250 MPH); Linked Sustained Immunity 10 (life support); Linked Sustained Impervious Protection 10; Reaction Damage 8 - 82 points
See Through Smoke: Senses 3 (visual senses counter concealment [smoke], low-light vision) - 3 points
Vulcanism: Array (31 points)
  • Choking Cloud: Linked Cloud Area Visual Concealment Attack 2; Linked Cloud Area Cumulative Affliction 11 (Resisted and Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Smell-Dependent - 1 point
  • Lava Burst: Selective Burst Area Damage 10, Indirect - 31 points
  • Lava Flow: Ranged Line Area Damage 10 - 1 point
  • World Shaking: Burst Area Cumulative Affliction 10 (Resisted by Dodge, Overcome by Fortitude; Dazed & Vulnerable, Stunned & Prone), Concentration, Extra Condition, Limited Degree, Limited to targets on the ground - 1 point
What Fire Cannot Burn: Immunity 10 (fire effects) - 10 points

Advantages:
Attractive, Benefit 2 (cipher 2), Evasion, Extraordinary Effort, Fearless, Great Endurance, Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Taunt.

Skills:
Athletics 6 (+7), Deception 6 (+10), Expertise: History 7 (+8), Expertise: Science 6 (+7), Expertise: Streetwise 5 (+6), Insight 6 (+9), Intimidation 6 (+10), Perception 6 (+9).

Offense:
Initiative +6

Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 7, Fortitude 6, Toughness 13/3, Will 9.

Totals:
Abilities 40 + Powers 121 + Advantages 10 + Skills 24 + Defenses 19 = 216 points

Offensive PL: 10
Defensive PL: 11
Resistance PL: 8
Skill PL: 6

Complications:
Revenge--Motivation. Familiar With A Divergent History. Family (daughter.)
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Davies »

Three villains who are moms, a number of moms who abandon their kids for "good" reasons ... yes, I think I might just possibly have mommy issues.

Anyway, next week, some extradimensional and extraterrestrial types.
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Lord Suthros (Hero-ish, Extratemporal)

Post by Davies »

Lord Suthros
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There are two schools of thought about Lord Suthros, the Grandfather of Assassins and master of the mountain fortress called Karak al'Gharab ("the Raven's Roost".) The first is that he is a sinister manipulator who sends his followers, controlled either by drugs or religious zealotry, on missions of murder throughout Al'Aram, the Kingdoms of the Far North and even the Empire itself, in pursuit of a goal known only to himself or to whichever fell god claims his allegiance. The other is that he is a champion of justice who offers his aid and that of his followers, empowered by Tarastia the Justicar, to all those whom more conventional laws have failed, avenging crimes against them by whatever means are necessary.

Neither of those schools of thought are correct, for they both assume that Suthros is, like most of the noteworthy heroes and villains of his time and place, possessed (or possessing) blessings of one of the immortals, or magical talents as they are also known. In fact, aside from having accepted a magical treatment to restore him from his actual age of nearly a century to about half of that, he avoids the use of magic, while still recognizing that those in his service might need it. What he has accomplished in his life was done with purely mortal strength, skill and will -- not a bad accomplishment in a world ruled by magical power.

With that understood, the idea of him as a champion of justice is closer to correct. When his followers depart on their missions, he prefers that their targets be those who have committed genuine wrongs in need of answer. But virtue will not feed those who depend on him for their welfare, and so he does accept commissions for pay, though it is rare for him to agree to the ending of a target simply for money. Often he will demand less tangible but meaningful commitments from those who would purchase his services, such as extending clemency to prisoners, or agreeing to a diplomatic resolution in a conflict between neighbors instead of pursuing warfare. And if that means the loss of innocence ... innocence is a beautiful thing, but so is peace, and sometimes one must lose a little beauty to preserve what beauty one already has.

Still, there are rules that Lord Suthros follows. Any individual who manages to survive four attempts by his followers is forever safe from further ones. However, the fourth attempt in such a case will invariably be made by Lord Suthros himself. That prospect has allegedly driven some who survived the first three to end themselves. (Of course, there are also rumors which suggest that any individual who survives three attempts by the assassins is someone whom Lord Suthros will take an interest in employing, suggesting another explanation for their subsequent absence from the world.)

Lord Suthros maintains cordial relations with the wizard Rartigan -- in whose service he once adventured, as a youth, and to whose needs he will send whatever aid he can -- and with Calum Pikesway, the leader of the free bards. Communications from the former will be read aloud in his great hall; those from the latter are read only by himself in the privacy of his chambers, especially when they concern one particular agent trained by Pikesway. The Grandfather of Assassins, after all, cannot be seen to take too much interest in any of his grandchildren.

Lord Suthros -- PL 10

Abilities:
STR
2 | STA 3 | AGL 2 | DEX 4 | FGT 6 | INT 4 | AWE 5 | PRE 5

Powers:
None.

Advantages:
Accurate Attack, All-out Attack, Benefit 3 ("of course I have a plan", millionaire), Chokehold, Close Attack 5, Contacts, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 20, Evasion, Fast Grab, Favored Environment (planned situations), Fearless, Grabbing Finesse, Improved Critical (sword) 2, Improved Defense, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Move-by Action, Multilingual, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Ranged Attack 4, Redirect, Skill Mastery (Deception), Speed of Thought, Startle, Takedown 2, Uncanny Dodge, Well-informed.

Equipment:
Armor (Protection 1, Subtle), Sword (Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical), Throwing Knives (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1), and 82 points of equipment as needed.
Karak Al'Gharab: Size Huge; Toughness 8; Features Defense System, Gym, Holding Cells, Isolated, Library, Living Space, Workshop.

Skills:
Acrobatics 6 (+8), Athletics 7 (+9), Close Combat: Sword 4 (+10), Deception 8 (+13), Expertise: Magic 7 (+11), Insight 7 (+12), Intimidation 9 (+14), Investigation 9 (+13), Perception 8 (+13), Persuasion 6 (+11), Ranged Combat: Throwing 4 (+8), Sleight of Hand 6 (+10), Stealth 8 (+10).

Offense:
Initiative +8
Unarmed +11 (Close Damage 2)
Sword +15 (Close Damage 5, Crit 17-20)
Throwing Knives +12 (Ranged Multiattack Damage 1)

Defense:
Dodge 9, Parry 11, Fortitude 5, Toughness 9/8/4/3, Will 11

Totals:
Abilities 62 + Advantages 62 + Skills 41 + Defenses 20 = 185 points

Offensive PL: 10
Defensive PL: 10
Resistance PL: 8
Skill PL: 9

Complications:
Justice--Motivation. Aging. Distrusts Magic. Secrets Upon Secrets.

"No, not merciful ... only very much bewildered and afraid."
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Commander Titan
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by Commander Titan »

Davies wrote: Fri Mar 24, 2023 9:33 pm Three villains who are moms, a number of moms who abandon their kids for "good" reasons ... yes, I think I might just possibly have mommy issues.

Anyway, next week, some extradimensional and extraterrestrial types.
We all have our influences, whatever they may be!

I appreciate the varied members of the Shēngxiào that have popped up. I'll have to go back soon and reread all the posted ones and see how many we're up to.

I have a friend who's always been a big fan of Hawai'i's history and mythology, I'm sure they'd get a kick out of Princess Pele. I always like when a villain is more concerned with their family than being outright villainous for the sake of it.

As for Lord Suthros, well, our own culture varies between seeing assassins as monsters and perhaps necessary (or at least cool) evil as well. I just saw John Wick: Chapter 4 this weekend, after all. I appreciate the myths and rumors built around him - after all, an assassin you know a lot of verifiable facts about is not doing their job properly!
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Davies
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Linda Valentina (Villain)

Post by Davies »

Linda Valentina
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Nobody ever really thinks of themselves as the bad guy. Admittedly, that is sometimes because certain people are too lost to understand that there is a distinction between right and wrong, much less than the difference is not that hard to figure out. But Linda Valentina, City Counsellor for the Fifth Ward of Tanelorn, does understand that distinction and difference, recognizing that her opponents are not villains, simply sadly misinformed about the realities of their new existence, and sincerely hopes that they can come to terms before matters become such that she must have them killed in their sleep.

None of this was anything she intended for her life. Raised on the periphery of the criminal organization that her grandfather had created, her father had inherited and her uncle now ran, Linda never expected that she would ever become part of their world of violence and pride. Instead, she planned to go to work for one of the legitimate businesses that the family also owned, with her career focused on public relations. She was attending university on the Isle of Leighton when the world ended, and found herself the sole survivor of her family.

While the oh-so-mighty, oh-so-haughty guardians were sequestered in their ivory tower figuring out what had happened to the island, Linda quietly put all her resources and all her ingenuity to the task of keeping the people of what would become Tanelorn alive, safe and healthy. She was, regrettably, forced to frequently use the rather potent talents bestowed on her by the transformation of the world in her own defense or the defense of important resources. By staring at someone, she can cause them to become as still as a statue and cloud their minds so that they lose all awareness of the world around them. It is not an exact match for the petrifying gaze of the mythic Medusa, but it can be every bit as deadly.

In the years afterward, Linda frequently served as a critic of the guardians and their effective rule over Tanelorn, especially as the refugees from other dimensions began to pour in through the gates, often straining the supply chains that she had helped to build up. She never advocated for the abandonment of these policies, unlike some who were her nominal allies during this time, but only their reduction. With the transformation that Tanelorn has undergone, however, she has reversed course, and is encouraging increased involvement in -- and eventual increased influence over -- the outside world.

Linda understands that this is the last best hope for the survival of Tanelorn. If this world -- which is, by all appearances, every bit as chaotic and war-torn as any of the worlds that they could reach through the void -- falls, then Tanelorn does not have a fallback position. This is their world now, and they must protect it and keep it safe. The notion that the people here can do that is utterly laughable; they are the ones who created the greatest problems confronting it! They will just have to learn respect for their betters, like the people whom she helped in the days after the journey began.

Linda Valentina -- PL 12

Abilities:
STR
1 | STA 2 | AGL 2 | DEX 3 | FGT 4 | INT 5 | AWE 3 | PRE 4

Powers:
"A Mirror? Really?": Immunity 1 (own powers) - 1 point
Gaze of Petrification: Linked Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 12 (Resisted by Fortitude; Hindered, Immobile, Paralyzed), Vision Dependent; Linked Perception Range Cumulative Affliction 12 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated), Vision Dependent - 72 points

Advantages:
Benefit 4 (multimillionaire), Connected, Defensive Roll 2, Equipment 10, Evasion, Fearless 2, Skill Mastery (Persuasion), Speed of Thought, Startle, Well-informed.

Equipment:
Stately Manor, Light Pistol (Ranged Damage 3), and 29 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Deception 8 (+12), Expertise: Civics 5 (+10), Expertise: Crime 8 (+13), Expertise: Streetwise 6 (+11), Insight 8 (+11), Intimidation 10 (+14), Perception 6 (+9), Persuasion 10 (+14), Ranged Combat: Guns 5 (+8).

Offense:
Initiative +9
Unarmed +4 (Close Damage 1)
Light Pistol +8 (Close Damage 3)
Gaze of Petrification -- (Perception Range Fortitude 12 and Will 12)

Defense:
Dodge 7, Parry 9, Fortitude 4, Toughness 7/2, Will 9.

Totals:
Abilities 48 + Powers 73 + Advantages 24 + Skills 33 + Defenses 18 = 196 points

Offensive PL: 12
Defensive PL: 8
Resistance PL: 7
Skill PL: 9

Complications:
Power--Motivation. Enemy (Warden.) Unfamiliar With World Beyond Tanelorn.

You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the facts, they alter the facts to fit the views, which can be uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that needs altering.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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EternalPhoenix
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Re: The World In The Aftermath (Formerly A World Less Magical)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

The very powerful, the very stupid, and the very arrogant, yes. Though of course, the first two so often beget the third that pointing out its existence is virtually meaningless.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
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You, Dear Reader, may comment on any build at any time. I will be happy regardless.
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Davies
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Lugulux (Villain, Extratemporal)

Post by Davies »

Lugulux
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Art by Federico Pironi.

By and large, the nomadic peoples who roam the northern extents of the Tarim Basin, in the World Closer to Death, are not thought of as particularly dangerous to the more settled regions. Their numbers are small, they lack the resources to pursue an attack for more than a week or so, and they lack modern weaponry and military expertise. But as with everything that begins with the expression "by and large", there is a noteworthy exception to this generality, a group who are feared in the south.

That group is the Lugulux Horde, and it consists of a single individual, duplicated thousands of times over. This cloned army is therefore capable of a degree of coordination as great, or greater, than the more technologically equipped armies of Nerath and the other cities. Even when the leader of the Horde, the so-called Lugulux Prime, has been killed in battle -- as he was when they last attacked Nerath -- he is immediately replaced by a different Lugulux who demonstrates the exact same capacities and takes over as though nothing has changed.

The truth is, as usual, a bit more complicated. Roughly two hundred years ago, the individual now known as Lugulux Prime was a mercenary expelled from the service of Hadoth for forgotten reasons. He fled north, and took shelter in a cave that he soon discovered contained an ancient artifact that possessed a life and mind of its own. Sensing the grudge that Lugulux bore against his former masters, the artifact offered to grant him the power to avenge himself, granting him the ability to create his duplicates and to transfer his consciousness to a duplicate if his original body was ever mortally wounded.

But Lugulux Prime is more limited than the legends tell. He can only create and control some three score near perfect duplicates of himself, who form the officers of his army. The bulk of his army is recruited from other nomads and from mercenaries, and then subjected to a process that permanently transforms their features to exactly resemble those of Lugulux, without granting them any powers possessed by him. They are not told that this will happen, and many object once it has, but the Lugulux make it clear that the process is irreversible (which may not be true) and that a lone Lugulux deserter is likely to be killed out of hand anywhere outside of the horde. (That part is not a lie.)

The services of the Lugulux Horde have often been purchased by Skathulos, but Lugulux has no loyalty to the ruler of Hadoth and would overthrow him if he could. He dreams of grinding the jeweled thrones of the city states beneath his booted feet and ruling the whole of the Basin as a despot. He is already immortal, after all, so why should he not be a god-king? The ancient artifact used to give him commands, but for the last decade or so it has only repeated a strange series of meaningless sounds over and over again.

On occasion, Lugulux does wonder what "ham-ti-dam-ti-sad-an-ah-woll" means, but such curiosity vanishes quickly.

Lugulux -- PL 13

Abilities:
STR
4 | STA 4 | AGL 3 | DEX 4 | FGT 9 | INT 1 | AWE 2 | PRE 2

Powers:
Fast Healing: Immunity 1 (aging), Regeneration 4 - 5 points
Guts: Immunity 8 (cold, disease, heat, need for sleep, poison, starvation & thirst, suffocation), Limited to half effect - 4 points
Horde: Heroic Summon 8, Continuous, Horde, Mental Link, Multiple Minions 5 (64 dupes), Sacrifice; Immortality 20, Quirk (when Lugulux Prime dies, a randomly selected Lugulux duplicate becomes the new Lugulux Prime) - 167 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Benefit (ruler), Chokehold, Close Attack 2, Defensive Roll, Diehard, Equipment 2, Fearless 2, Great Endurance, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative, Leadership, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Seize Initiative, Skill Mastery (Intimidation), Takedown Attack, Uncanny Dodge.

Equipment:
Armor (Protection 3), Battleaxe (Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical), Dagger (Strength-based Damage 1, Improved Critical).

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+11), Athletics 9 (+13), Expertise: Survival 10 (+11), Expertise: Warfare 12 (+13), Intimidation 11 (+13), Perception 10 (+12).

Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +11 (Close Damage 4)
Battleaxe +11 (Close Damage 7)

Defense:
Dodge 7, Parry 9, Fortitude 9, Toughness 9/7/6/4, Will 9.

Totals:
Abilities 58 + Powers 176 + Advantages 22 + Skills 30 + Defense 16 = 302 points

Offensive PL: 9
Defensive PL: 9
Resistance PL: 9
Skill PL: 8

Complications:
Power--Motivation. Secret (not as many Lugulux as people think.) Temper.


Lugulux Dupe -- PL 8

Abilities:
STR
4 | STA 4 | AGL 3 | DEX 4 | FGT 7 | INT 0 | AWE 2 | PRE 1

Powers:
Fast Healing: Immunity 1 (aging), Regeneration 4 - 5 points
Guts: Immunity 8 (cold, disease, heat, need for sleep, poison, starvation & thirst, suffocation), Limited to half effect - 4 points

Advantages:
All-out Attack, Chokehold, Close Attack 2, Defensive Roll, Diehard, Equipment 2, Fearless 2, Great Endurance, Improved Grab, Improved Hold, Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Seize Initiative, Skill Mastery (Intimidation), Takedown Attack, Teamwork, Uncanny Dodge.

Equipment:
Armor (Protection 3), Battleaxe (Strength-based Damage 3, Improved Critical), Dagger (Strength-based Damage 1, Improved Critical).

Skills:
Acrobatics 8 (+11), Athletics 9 (+13), Expertise: Survival 10 (+10), Expertise: Warfare 12 (+12), Intimidation 11 (+12), Perception 10 (+12).

Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +9 (Close Damage 4)
Battleaxe +9 (Close Damage 7)

Defense:
Dodge 5, Parry 7, Fortitude 7, Toughness 9/7/6/4, Will 7.

Totals:
Abilities 50 + Powers 9 + Advantages 21 + Skills 30 + Defenses 10 = 120 points

Complications:
Power--Motivation. Secret. Seeks To Take Prisoners Where Possible.

Note: A Lugulux who is only facewarped can be represented by the Green Soldier, Soldier or Veteran Soldier archetypes from the Deluxe Gamemaster's Guide (pp. 153-4) substituting the Equipment loadout above, adding Great Endurance, swapping Close Combat: Unarmed for Close Combat: Axe, and dropping Ranged Combat: Guns.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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Davies
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Fendze (Species, Neutral)

Post by Davies »

Fendze
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This is the story that the Fendze tell. Long ago, they were the only thinking beings on their planet, which they ruled through their great strength and their venomous fangs and minds, dominating all other creatures upon it. And they were happy in this state. But the star gods do not desire that the Fendze ever be too happy for too long, and so they sent their servant, the first Vaask, to Zemya. The Fendze tried to poison his mind, but the first Vaask was impermeable. The Fendze tried to poison his body, but the first Vaask was unperturbed. The Fendze tried to wrestle him, but the first Vassk was far stronger than they and more skilled.

The Fendze wept, for surely they were about to be devoured as they had devoured so many others. Yet the star gods turned the heart of the first Vaask so that he found their grief amusing. Therefore, he offered to make them his servants instead of eating them, and the Fendze agreed, for this was a lesser devouring with which they could live. And so the Fendze have ever since been ... less happy in this state, but they know that the star gods will someday grow as weary of their current unhappiness as they once did their happiness, and then the way of things will change once more.

The handful of Vaask who have learned enough of Fendze mythology to be familiar with this tale are a bit aghast that it has only taken a bit less than two centuries* for the activities of the small Vaaskorium scouting party that discovered Zemya to be assigned to a single transcendent individual. Nevertheless, they also acknowledge that it accurately describes the relationship between the Vaask and one of their first subject peoples. (On the other hand, they are less than pleased at the implications of that last bit about the way of things changing again, but that is a quibble.)

Fendze rarely occupy combat positions in the Vaaskorium, but they are well-regarded as technicians, as their body plan allows them to move more freely within the crawlspaces of Vaask starships. There are also many Fendze sensor and communications officers, and even a few pilots. Of course, the Vaaskorium hierarchy makes it unlikely that a Fendze would ever be trusted with command of a vessel, and it seems likely that they would decline that "honor" even if it were offered. (Being in command would be far too much happiness for a the star gods to endure, and inevitably result in misfortune and suffering for the Fendze involved and other Fendze in the area.)

Fendze Tech -- PL 5/MR 5

Abilities:
STR
2 | STA 3 | AGL 3 | DEX 1 | FGT 3 | INT 3 | AWE 0 | PRE 0

Powers:
Hypnotizing Gaze: Perception Range Affliction 6 (Resisted by Will; Dazed, Compelled), Limited Degree, Sight Dependent, Quirk (cannot affect Vaask) - 5 points
Serpentine Bodies: Movement 2 (slithering, wall crawling) - 2 points
Venomous Fangs: Linked Strength-based Damage 1; Linked Weaken Stamina 6, Progressive, Quirks (cannot affect Vaask, will not function on someone unaffected by linked Damage) - 17 points

Advantages:
Equipment 4

Equipment:
Blaster Pistol (Ranged Damage 5), Uniform (Protection 2, Subtle), and 7 points of equipment as needed.

Skills:
Athletics 2 (+4), Close Combat: Bite 1 (+4), Expertise: Galactic 3 (+6), Expertise: Science 3 (+6), Perception 4 (+4), Ranged Combat: Blaster 3 (+4), Technology 2 (+5), Vehicles 2 (+3).

Offense:
Initiative +3
Unarmed +3 (Close Damage 2)
Venomous Fangs +4 (Close Damage 3 and Close Fortitude 6)
Blaster Pistol +4 (Close Damage 5)

Defense:
Dodge 4, Parry 4, Fortitude 4, Toughness 5/3, Will 4

Totals:
Abilities 30 + Powers 24 + Advantages 4 + Skills 10 + Defenses 8 = 75 points

Offensive PL: 5
Defensive PL: 5
Resistance PL: 4
Skill PL: 1

Complications:
Duty--Motivation. Morose. Others as Needed.
"I'm sorry. I love you. I'm not sorry I love you."
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