The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Red Ronin! Netsuko Nishimura! Rinako Saeki! Fujiko Yoshihara! Masaru Kido!)

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EternalPhoenix
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Keaira, Princess of Avalon

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Keaira, Princess of Avalon

Power Level: 14; Power Points Spent: 270/270

STR: +10 (30), DEX: +5 (20), CON: +4 (-/18), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +5 (20)

Tough: +4/+12, Fort: Immune, Ref: +12/+16, Will: +9

Skills: Acrobatics 10 (+15), Diplomacy 10 (+15), Intimidate 15 (+20), Knowledge (arcane Lore) 3 (+5), Knowledge (history) 8 (+10), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 8 (+10), Language 2 (+2), Notice 12 (+15), Sense Motive 12 (+15), Stealth 5 (+10)

Feats: Accurate Attack, Acrobatic Bluff, All-Out Attack, Attack Specialization 2 (Grapple), Attack Specialization 2 (Unarmed Attack), Challenge - Improved Demoralize, Challenge - Improved Startle, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus, Evasion, Improved Critical 2 (Stone Sword Strike (Strike 4)), Improved Initiative, Move-by Action, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Intimidate, Notice, Sense Motive), Startle, Takedown Attack 2, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
"Living Stone" (Container, Passive 10)
. . Immunity 30 (fortitude saves)
. . Protection 8 (+8 Toughness; Impervious)
. . Super-Strength 2 (+10 STR carry capacity, heavy load: 3.3k tons; +2 STR to some checks)

Belt of Ogma (Device 4) (Hard to lose)
. . Super-Strength 10 (+50 STR carry capacity, heavy load: 3.3k tons; +10 STR to some checks)

Choker of Dian Cécht (Device 8) (Hard to lose)
. . Enhanced Constitution 18 (+18 CON)
. . Regeneration 20 (recovery bonus 5 (+5 to recover), recovery rate (bruised) 3 (recover 1 / round without rest), recovery rate (disabled) 4 (recover 1 / 5 mins), recovery rate (injured) 4 (recover 1 / round), recovery rate (staggered) 4 (recover 1 / round); Persistent, Regrowth)

Sandals of Lugh (Device 8) (Hard to lose)
. . Enhanced Trait 24 (Traits: Attack Bonus +4 (+14), Defense Bonus +4 (+16), Reflex +4 (+16), Feats: Attack Specialization 2 (Grapple), Attack Specialization 2 (Unarmed Attack))
. . Quickness 8 (Perform routine tasks at 500x speed)
. . Speed 8 (Speed: 2500 mph, 22000 ft./rnd)

Stone Sword of Goibniu (Device 2) (Easy to lose)
. . Stone Sword Strike (Strike 4) (DC 29, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Stone Sword Strike (Strike 4)); Extended Reach (5 ft.), Mighty, Precise, Variable Descriptor (Narrow group - Bludgeoning/Piercing/Slashing))

Attack Bonus: +10/+14 (Ranged: +10/+14, Melee: +10/+14, Grapple: +24/+40)

Attacks: Stone Sword Strike (Strike 4), +14 (DC 29), Unarmed Attack, +18 (DC 25)

Defense: +12/+16 (Flat-footed: +8), Knockback: -10

Initiative: +9

Languages: English, Gaelic, Welsh (Note: There's actually a bunch of long dead languages here, but they're not getting logged or paid for)

Totals: Abilities 40 + Skills 22 (85 ranks) + Feats 17 + Powers 136 + Combat 42 + Saves 13 + Drawbacks 0 = 270

Age (as of Jan 2019): 2325+ (chronological), early 20s (appearance)
Height: 6’
Weight: 165 lbs
Ethnicity: Insular Celt
Hair: Ginger
Eyes: Green
Base of Operations: Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom

Theme Song: Heart of The Night, by Divide Music

Background: It was a very long time ago. Keaira isn’t sure when, honestly. Pre-Roman Britain. She thinks it was before the Iron Age, but she wouldn’t bet on it. A man lost his village, his sight, and his infant daughter to enemies. The only thing the man had left was his gift for sculpture. So, by touch alone, he carved a twin to his deceased child, and wept bitter tears. Until the gods took pity on him. Not his own pantheon, but the Tuatha de Danann. Or maybe they were his pantheon to begin with. Again, it was a very long time ago and Keaira doesn’t really know. The gods are also silent on the matter. What she does know is that the being now known as the deity Dian Cécht gifted the blind sculptor a choker. This choker, when placed on his new sculpture’s neck, brought it to life. The gods carried both father and child to mysterious and mystical Avalon. This is the tale Keaira’s father tells her about how she was born, and she has never seen any reason to doubt his word.

. . Like all infants, Keaira grew up into a child and then into a adult. Among apple trees, great healers, and warriors of legendary prowess, in that timeless place, did the young woman of living stone come to adulthood. But the time comes when the young must see more of the world than their home. So she wandered Celtic Britain for a while. Scotland. Wales. Cornwall. Kent. Sussex. Etc. On her journey she met a foreigner, by the name of Pytheas of Massalia (Massalia being present day Marseille, France; this being before surnames existed). He offered to take her with him on his remaining travels. She agreed to accompany him, and did return with him to Massalia, but beyond that the two never met again. She was gone for a very long time, traveling through Europe and West Asia. Curiously, there is no mention of her in Roman sources, meaning she must have either skirted the entire nation or behaved herself in ways she absolutely did not elsewhere. Anecdotal tales of a demigoddess/demonness with hair of literal fire and poisonously green eyes originate in what is now eastern Germany, dance through Poland and Eastern Europe to Russia. From there, tales crop up in what is now a bunch of former Soviet republics, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and even western India before they peter out. She was known as a mighty and terrifying warrior whom no weapon could harm and needed none to crush bone even through iron armor. By any definition, a fearsome monster, regardless of her then unknown origins.

. . But then again, these are anecdotal and difficult to date precisely, for the exact reason that she somehow avoided appearing in Roman records…until 60 CE. It is not known when or how Keaira returned to Britain, but this is the first time she was known by her title. If anyone in the world was as angry as Boudica was at the woman’s mistreatment, it was the Princess of Avalon. Boudica’s revolt was accompanied by a contingent of Avalonian warriors led by Keaira herself. And so the whispered monster from outside Roman lands was arguably key to the temporary success of the uprising. Three settlements sacked and burned. Camulodunum (modern Colchester), Verulamium (a bit southwest of modern St Albans in Hertfordshire), and Londinium (modern London). At least 70,000 Romans and Britons killed. And the indelible image of an enraged Keaira smashing and flinging Roman Legionnaires like toys. Of course, the question now becomes how was Boudica’s uprising ever defeated with an ally like Keaira on her side. The answer is simple. Keaira had wildly exceeded the authority she’d been given. The warriors with her had also gone too far. The whole set was recalled to Avalon and given a stern rebuke. Boudica and her revolt were left to their historical fates.

. . Evidently, the rebuke wasn’t stern enough. Or perhaps she’d been authorized. A woman matching her description appears in Roman records (specifically the recollections of Roman general Flavius Aetius during his brief exile) at the side of no less than Attilla The Hun. The Romans obviously didn’t know it was the same person as it had been literally over a century, and she wasn’t calling herself the Princess of Avalon at that time. However, a redheaded and green eyed woman who was taller than most of Attilla’s entire alliance kind of stands out. What Keaira says is that he earned her respect and so she helped him out with this and that. She was not present for the Battle of the Catalunian Fields. There were Celts on the opposing side and she refused to fight her own people. The last Aetius speaks of her is a chance meeting after the battle. It was quite a strange encounter. She apologized to him and said she should have killed the other one. She departed after that, and none of his men were able to stop her. She does not appear in Roman records again, be they from the West or the East.

. . She does not appear again in any records anywhere for quite some time, before Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote in his personal papers of a young man with red hair and green eyes who was of much assistance in finding the old tales that became The History of the Kings of Britain. This young man was referred to Geoffrey by their mutual friend Walter, Archdeacon of Oxford. There was no “very ancient book”. It was this young man who was, apparently, far older than he seemed and had a very good knowledge of the kings of old. Poor Geoffrey could not possibly have known Keira was lying to him about kind of…everything. She wasn’t a man, she wasn’t young, and her stories (while they had sources from earlier writers like Gildas and Bede) were cobbled together from half remembered names of Welsh kings (she’d met a few of them, actually), events she’d witnessed or been party to, and vague bullshitting. All of which Geoffrey was more than happy to apply his own imagination to. The major revelation from these personal papers is that a disguised Keaira both knew and worked for Charlemagne and Roland (in the late 8th century), being one of the 12 paladins. While the later stories of them were wholly fictional, they did exist. Tales of legendary heroes always endure, even if the retellings begin to get the names wrong after several centuries. Seriously, who the hell was Olivier? And if Arthur resembled a 6th century king she knew and fought beside at Badon Hill, well. There’s nothing wrong with honoring a friend long gone. The entire point of the exercise, however, appears to have been to get the memory of Avalon back into public knowledge. That part was in no way a lie or fabrication. Multiple waves of invaders (Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and at last William The Conqueror and his Normans) had pushed the original Celtic settlers of Britain into Scotland and Wales, the latter of which Avalon knew would not last forever against the ambitions of England’s kings. The knowledge of older things needed to be preserved, and so they were. After this, Keaira drops off the map again.

. . She reappears in, of all places, the Duchy of Poland. And she reappears as, of all things, a monster hunter. Europe, like every other continent, had problems with a thousand and one different types of inhuman creatures killing people or worse. Vampires, wereanimals, rogue Fae, demons, and stranger things. Plenty of places for them to hide, still, especially in Eastern Europe’s mountains. The Catholic Church’s Paladin Order was quite busy, but they couldn’t be everywhere. Demon Hunters (powered by one of the Seven Sorceries, and distinct from the Devil Hunter Society, who was not active in Europe at this time) were at the height of their numbers and influence and thus were just as busy. Even the White Court of Wizards got in on the action here and there. And, of course, there are always heroes defending the defenseless and helping the helpless. One of these was Keaira. She was, apparently, there from the 13th century to the middle of the 15th. It doesn’t seem to a consistent presence. The surviving records have gaps in them where she seems to completely disappear for up to a few decades at a time. However, red hair, green eyes, female, very tall, very strong, and all but immune to conventional weapons of the period. Who else could it be? With the end of the Jagiellon dynasty in 1569, she vanishes again. But not for very long.

. . In 1607, she reappears sailing with John Smith and Oliver Roche (the future Desert and later Pacific Stranger) founding James Fort (later Jamestown). Keaira and Oliver’s occupations are listed rather correctly as “adventurer”. Though it’s more likely both were brought on to provide security against hostile natives, given their powers and skill sets. Strengthening this argument is that John Smith took them with him on his explorations in the summer of 1608. It was on these explorations that the Keaira and Oliver discovered the truth of what happened o the lost colony of Roanoke. It’s not a complicated story. Food ran short and then ran out. A lot of them died. And so they merged with a local indigenous tribe. It had ben nearly 20 years. The survivors had children. They wanted their secret kept. So the two kept it. And also fought off whatever the hell that monster was that was menacing the tribe. Oliver is listed as one of the Jamestown casualties during the Starving Times but in truth he simply disappeared one day. First Supply brought a message for Keaira, and she sailed back to England with the ship. Once again, she drops out of history after this. She stepped off the ship and vanished into London. This time, she was gone for a very long time.

. . Over three hundred years went by before Keaira emerged from the hidden door on Glastonbury Tor. The message was that her father had at last died. Avalon is a realm of great healing and medicine. Age does not press on mortals so harshly there. But the steady march to the end of one’s days never quite stops, not even in Avalon. Her father died very old, but content. Keaira, however, was quite devastated. She found herself, for the first time, in need of Avalon’s healers. Her adventures had taken her far and wide, but they’d never given her what she wanted. Not really. And now her father was gone. The one person she had in all the world. Parents ought to be immortal. And so Avalon’s beloved princess tended the fruit trees, sparred with the warriors, aided the physicians, and even studied for a while. A slow, quiet life. There was no reason to leave. The person she would tell the tales of her adventures to was gone. The one person who wasn’t scared of her in some way. Who didn’t see her as a monster. Existence itself seemed pointless. She may have simply reverted to being a statue one day out of despair, except something rather extraordinary happened. The accelerating pace of technological development had rendered older things like how to contact Avalon mostly forgotten. Until 1916. World War 1. The Battle of the Somme. Its opening day was the bloodiest in the history of the British Army, and men kept dying in droves as it went on. There were so many injured, so many sick, and so many dying that the collective grief and pain breached Avalon’s ancient wards, set down by the gods themselves. Help was needed. Help was sent.

. . Keaira led a detachment of healers and warriors to protect them. Where they walked, men recovered and lived. The warriors were there to protect the healers. Keaira’s job, however, was to find a way to end the war. Her partners in this endeavor were Sir Emerson Knight (great-grandfather of the modern Sir Randall) and the brave men of his unit. And the Princess of Avalon had, for the first time, not come unarmed. Her choker had been upgraded, and she now carried the stone sword granted to her by Goibniu. To make a long story much shorter, there was a hell of a lot going on behind the scene of World War 1. The Black Court of Necromancers and Red Court of Vampires were making big moves. The White Court of Wizards and Catholic Church’s Paladin Order were independently (thanks for that ever so much, King James) trying to counter them. Heroes and villains allied themselves with their nation more than the sides of good or evil. Mad scientists had freer hands than at any point before in history. Even Asteroth himself was deeply involved in a number of events. A thousand and one things happened that never made the history books. A thousand and one more were papered over with a more believable cover story. It was that kind of era, and the hell of it was it was only a preview compared to the following war. So it was nearly as simple as “stop the war”. Keaira became deeply entangled in unfolding events as well, to the degree that when the war finally ended, she was recognized as one of Britain’s pre-eminent heroes alongside Emerson and Big Ben. She did not return to Avalon. She remained in Britain until Emerson’s death in 1928. She wished his son and successor Cedric good luck, and departed to see how much the world had changed in over three centuries. Minor spoiler: She did not have to do nearly as much walking, and ship travel were much faster. A week or two compared with two to three months was no contest. What dazzled her mind, however, was the existence of, well, all of the New World nations. Precisely zero of them had existed 300 years before. So she had a lot to explore, and thus effectively disappeared from history. Again.

She had returned to Avalon by 1939, however, because its gates were sealed shut by Nazi sympathizing wizards for the duration of World War 2 and beyond. This was a thing thought impossible to do from the outside. The seal was broken in 1982 by no less than Countess (of the USA’s Champions of Justice). Keaira boiled out of Glastonbury Tor with a full complement of Avalonian warriors, magicians, and healers and instantly turned the tide in the battle for Britain against the forces of Kuros The Conqueror. She had the Belt of Ogma and the Sandals of Lugh now, so she was a one woman army leading an actual army. The Avalonians went home after the invasion was routed, but she stayed. Relatively speaking. Until 2012, Avalon was where she literally lived. So she was kind of commuting to Britain periodically to do hero stuff, and going home when she’d had enough. 2012 is, as mentioned, when this changed. The Knight Family came to Glastonbury Tor, and a lot happened. The result is that Keaira, Princess of Avalon, is the Avalonian Ambassador to the United Kingdom. She works out of Cardiff, living there full time. This isn’t to say that she’s not still one of Britain’s premier heroes, because she absolutely is. However, it simply isn’t her only role. It’s been a long road, and precious little of it has been paved with gold, so to speak. But the warrior princess of Avalon will keep walking it nonetheless.

Powers & Tactics: Keira is not a human being. She is a sculpture brought to life by the divine power of Dian Cécht, god of healing for the Tuatha De Danann. As such she is, technically, made of stone and thus lacks any frailties of the mortal condition. She has physical resilience that surpasses any unpowered human and can basically ignore anything short of vehicle mounted weaponry. She is strong enough crack steel with a casual punch and can lift just short of 6 and a half tons. She was a hellish opponent in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, where the vast majority of her enemies couldn’t even harm her. The downside is that she doesn’t heal naturally, so if she did get injured it stayed until she went back to Avalon to recover. Or she wouldn’t, if not for the Choker of Dian Cécht.

. . The Choker is one of four divine artifacts gifted to her by the Tuatha De Danann. The others are the Stone Sword of Goibniu, the Belt of Ogma, and the Sandals of Lugh. The Choker originally just allowed Keaira to heal naturally while keeping her animate. Upgraded by the god in time for World War 1, it actually fully brings her to life, increases her physical resilience further in the process, and increases her natural recovery’s speed to relatively blistering speeds. She can recover from even the most grevious of injuries in under ten minutes. But it’s more than that. She has a heartbeat. She doesn’t have to fake breathing, eating, drinking, toilet time, and sleeping. She still has no need to do any of them, but it’s…nice, you know? To be a little more human. The Stone Sword is literally just that. It’s a really big sword with more reach, and it can bludgeon and pierce as well as slash, but yeah. It’s a sword. The Belt increases her carrying capacity approximately a thousand-fold, making it a little over 6 and a half thousand tons. And the Sandals give her superhuman speed, quickness, and reflexes. She can run at a bit more than Mach 3, and those reflexes increase her attack accuracy and evasion.

. . Tactically, Keaira is not complex. She’s a swordswoman who can also punch extremely accurately. Her Intimidate is very high, however, and so both Improved Demoralize and Improved Startle can be extremely effective. She has Acrobatic Bluff as a backup in case the enemy is Fearless or something similar. She has Accurate, All Out, Defensive, and Power Attack to modify her caps with. There’s also Move by Action to keep her mobile and Takedown Attack 2 to mow through minions with. It’s not that she can’t power stunt. It’s that she doesn’t know that’s a thing she could possibly do. Other people, yes, but not her.

Personality: Keaira is a pretty big personality. When she’s “on”, she can seem to fill an entire room by herself. Excitable, energetic and enthusiastic. She’s a very charming young-seeming woman. She’s very honest, makes friends easily, and keeps her word when she gives it. She loves a good fight, and is generally the social aggressor in a given situation. She likes to tease, but not actually hurt anyone’s feelings. She’s a hell of a lot of fun to be around, honestly. A more loyal friend cannot be found. The downside of her being “on” is that her emotions can simply run away with her, and she can become rather dramatically insensitive and uncaring. After all, if she’s having a good time/Doing The Right Thing, what’s the problem? She also has a legendary temper. Put the two together and we have the Keaira who helped burn three settlements to the ground and kill thousands. The literally fire-haired and poison-eyed demigoddess/demonness who lays waste to all who cross her. A genuine monster, terrifying to behold.

. . Her rational mind, however, does eventually catch up with her emotions. And that’s when she turns “off”. Because she’s not a bad sort, really. She can just get carried away sometimes. The regret, remorse, and guilt can be rather overwhelming. She doesn’t want to be a monster. She never wanted to be a monster. Please, by the gods, don’t let her be a monster. Let her be a proper hero this time, like her father wanted. Like she was trained to be. A proper Avalonian warrior. So during these “off” periods she’s quite subdued and apologetic. Overly cautious and restrained in her behavior. It doesn’t last forever, of course. Someone like her can only stay repressed for but so long before something switches her back “on” again. And to her credit, she generally doesn’t make the same mistake twice.

. . On balance, she’s a genuine hero. Just an imperfect one from the oldest of the old school, where executing the bastards right then and there was a by far more efficient use of time and resources than transporting them for imprisonment. Back when justice and revenge were a lot less different from each other. The current era is a lot kinder and more merciful than the world she started out and indeed spent most of her life in. She doesn’t mind the change. Not really. It’s a lot harder to find a good fight when she needs to work some aggression out, but on balance it’s a far safer world for the common people. And that is an Avalonian ideal if ever there was one. So Avalon’s Princess (it’s not a royal title, exactly) can and will support it wholeheartedly.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Thu Mar 23, 2023 4:53 am, edited 3 times in total.
The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse!)
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Davies
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: Heroes of Britain! Umbrella Queen! Nisse! Tattoo! Big Ben! Keaira!)

Post by Davies »

Considering the references to her having firey hair and poisonous eyes, I'm a bit surprised that she doesn't literally have those powers. But this is a great character and I am endlessly frustrated that I'll never get an answer to "which other one?"
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: Heroes of Britain! Umbrella Queen! Nisse! Tattoo! Big Ben! Keaira!)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Davies wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 5:48 am Considering the references to her having firey hair and poisonous eyes, I'm a bit surprised that she doesn't literally have those powers. But this is a great character and I am endlessly frustrated that I'll never get an answer to "which other one?"
The references were meant to be metaphorical, not literal. A green eyed redhead in a sea of people who have neither color stands out to begin with, and if they're an tall female superhuman warrior that's just gonna make it worse. And Keaira has always been the type who takes a kind of savage joy in combat. I mean, the core concept here is a Celtic variant of a certain other divinely blessed warrior princess, after all.

The intended implication is supposed to be that she killed Attilla's brother Bleda. The two were co-rulers of the Huns until Bleda's death. In the real world it is not known for certain how Bleda died, though it has been speculated that Attilla murdered him on a hunting trip in retaliation for a previous attempt on his life.
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Re: Lady Alchemist (Morgan Knight)

Post by Jabroniville »

EternalPhoenix wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 4:06 pm Lady Alchemist (Morgan Knight)

Power Level: 9; Power Points Spent: 210/210
Ugh I SWEAR I was keeping trying to read this thread but then characters get posted on the same day and I fall behind a bit and plan to read it later and then I miss three pages of posts.

I dig this character, though. She's basically Honey Lemon but as a Tony Stark-tier genius. I love gadgeteer heroes at the street level because I love coming up with all the little bullshit tricks they can do, and she's basically Alchemist Hawkeye (like the little sister on Elena of Avalor ended up being). I like that she's low PL but high cost- a sign of versatility while also being street level. The Coat is a funny little pile of random traits, and her defensive power being so high over her defenses is an interesting trick. Not a lot of PL 9s with +12 Toughness.

PLUS you managed a full "Explanation for shit that usually goes unexplained" for TWO DIFFERENT THINGS- Mark Gruenwald would be proud. So now we know how Power Dampeners work (or at least where they come from) and where heroes get their random gear from.
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Re: Lady Alchemist (Morgan Knight)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Jabroniville wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:43 am Ugh I SWEAR I was keeping trying to read this thread but then characters get posted on the same day and I fall behind a bit and plan to read it later and then I miss three pages of posts.
The teasing reply is that you've posted more posts and total text than I have in the same time span, you silly man.

The serious reply is that my signature is accurate. You may comment on any build at any time. I will be happy regardless. Surprised perhaps, depending on how long it has been posted, but happy. So take your time, pop in whenever. Just please, for each group comment in order of posting. My OCD goes insane when people don't do that, as they're largely written to be read in order.
Jabroniville wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:43 amI dig this character, though. She's basically Honey Lemon but as a Tony Stark-tier genius. I love gadgeteer heroes at the street level because I love coming up with all the little bullshit tricks they can do, and she's basically Alchemist Hawkeye (like the little sister on Elena of Avalor ended up being). I like that she's low PL but high cost- a sign of versatility while also being street level. The Coat is a funny little pile of random traits, and her defensive power being so high over her defenses is an interesting trick. Not a lot of PL 9s with +14 Toughness.
Yes, seeing Honey Lemon on the big screen was a little like seeing Morgan. Or Sophie before being Knight'd. Morgan is an annoying opponent. High Will, High Toughness, immune or resistant to the most common Reflex/Dodge targeting effects, and her Fort ain't bad either. She can't fight for shit, on the superheroic scale. She fights next to a PL 12 in her husband Crusader (Sir Randall Knight), after all, so she had to do something. She's not as powerful as Randall, no, but she's tough to get rid of and a failed save or two will put her opponents in real trouble.
Jabroniville wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:43 amPLUS you managed a full "Explanation for shit that usually goes unexplained" for TWO DIFFERENT THINGS- Mark Gruenwald would be proud. So now we know how Power Dampeners work (or at least where they come from) and where heroes get their random gear from.
That was actually the easy part of writing her entry. I knew how she fought. I knew her role in the 'verse. Randall's wife, the super scientist consultant/supplier to other heroes. Somewhat dotty and goofy older lady. Everything else was kind of a blank slate. Expanding a few sentences into a whole entry is work, brother.
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Re: Crusader (Sir Randall Knight)

Post by Jabroniville »

EternalPhoenix wrote: Tue Oct 18, 2022 5:17 pm Crusader (Sir Randall Knight)

Power Level: 12; Power Points Spent: 255/255
Okay, it occurred to me when reading Lady Knight's bio that I was missing one, so I went back earlier and found this one, relevant to the rest. I'm digging how the most epic hero in the "England" setting is "only" PL 12. As most familiar with me know, I'm much more comfortable with the best of the best heroes being around that level- challenged by some lesser foes, but still extremely powerful.

I like the gear- more than just "Standard Magic Armor", he has anti-magic qualities as if the point is to be an Anti-Wizard/Demon fighter more than "Generic Choppy Guy".

The whole "Worthy" thing puts a pretty common heroic wrinkle on things (and the "Sword & Shield" is right outta Captain Britain, obviously- though there it was the Staff), and I like how the daughter could only fail to live up to it by virtue of her take on justice, not like she sucked as a person or anything. Though her dad maybe coulda helped her on that front by explaining it early XD. The older Knights all being abandoned by their gear is a bit more profound an issue... and that they're always succeeded by their sons should be both worrisome and overly coincidental in-universe- dang, I'd have been paranoid if I was Sheldon, having the previous two die the same way.

I notice Randall is the one who doesn't have "Ireland" mentioned in his area of engagement. Possibly uhhhhh realizing he'd be unwelcome?
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Re: Crusader (Sir Randall Knight)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Jabroniville wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 5:01 am Okay, it occurred to me when reading Lady Knight's bio that I was missing one, so I went back earlier and found this one, relevant to the rest. I'm digging how the most epic hero in the "England" setting is "only" PL 12. As most familiar with me know, I'm much more comfortable with the best of the best heroes being around that level- challenged by some lesser foes, but still extremely powerful.
Randall is the most prominent and respected, certainly, due to his legacy, achievements, and family. But he's not the most powerful hero in Britain. Big Ben and Keaira are higher PL. With that said, they have their limitations. Nobody's calling Benjamin in to help stop suicide bombers, for example, and Keaira doesn't have a lot of uses beyond kicking ass and taking names. There are quite potent heroes in the Modern Age, but they're typically quite limited in their versatility and/or the type of heroing they do. Queenie of The Icons and most of the Exiles' Core Team are the only exceptions to this, and even the latter has a pair of PL 12 skill monkeys on that team who support how relatively one dimensional they are outside of combat.
Jabroniville wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 5:01 amI like the gear- more than just "Standard Magic Armor", he has anti-magic qualities as if the point is to be an Anti-Wizard/Demon fighter more than "Generic Choppy Guy".
In universe, Crusader is the best of the Avalonian armors. I's got all the good stuff one would have needed back in the day to battle evil wizards and demons. Out of universe, I had a bunch of points to fill up so I added some cool stuff that made thematic sense.
Jabroniville wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 5:01 amThe whole "Worthy" thing puts a pretty common heroic wrinkle on things (and the "Sword & Shield" is right outta Captain Britain, obviously- though there it was the Staff), and I like how the daughter could only fail to live up to it by virtue of her take on justice, not like she sucked as a person or anything. Though her dad maybe coulda helped her on that front by explaining it early XD. The older Knights all being abandoned by their gear is a bit more profound an issue... and that they're always succeeded by their sons should be both worrisome and overly coincidental in-universe- dang, I'd have been paranoid if I was Sheldon, having the previous two die the same way.
The funny thing is that Randall would have explained it if he knew she was wrong. One would think watching him for 14 years would help her get it, and anything she didn't understand she could ask about. She didn't ask, so he thought she understood. They were both, uh, incorrect.

The implication with Sheldon is that he had real bad PTSD after Korea. Don't take kids to war, folks. And if you do, get them intensive counseling afterward. Don't just hit the streets again like nothing happened. What the hell, Cedric.
Jabroniville wrote: Sat Mar 11, 2023 5:01 amI notice Randall is the one who doesn't have "Ireland" mentioned in his area of engagement. Possibly uhhhhh realizing he'd be unwelcome?
[BritishUnderstatement]Just a bit.[/BritishUnderstatement] That's one of those things I wondered if anyone would even catch. :mrgreen: It's not part of his normal sphere, because he remembers what his father Sheldon did there on multiple occasions. So he stays away. If they called for aid, he'd naturally answer. But otherwise he stays away. A deliberately understated part of Randall's character is how growing up with a father who was often effectively a violent sociopath does to a person. He's a good man, but he's not without emotional scars.
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Paragon (Syed Nawaz)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Paragon (Syed Nawaz)

Power Level: 10; Power Points Spent: 240/240

STR: +7 (16/25), DEX: +3 (16), CON: +3 (16), INT: +3 (16), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +3/+7, Fort: +7, Ref: +13, Will: +10

Skills: Acrobatics 12 (+15), Diplomacy 7 (+10), Gather Information 12 (+15), Intimidate 12 (+15), Investigate 12 (+15), Knowledge (business) 7 (+10), Knowledge (current events) 7 (+10), Knowledge (earth sciences) 7 (+10), Knowledge (life sciences) 7 (+10), Knowledge (physical sciences) 12 (+15), Knowledge (streetwise) 12 (+15), Knowledge (tactics) 12 (+15), Knowledge (technology) 12 (+15), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 2 (+5), Language 4 (+4), Notice 12 (+15), Search 12 (+15), Sense Motive 12 (+15), Stealth 12 (+15), Survival 7 (+10)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Attack Focus (melee) 4, Benefit 2 (Wealth (millionaire)), Challenge - Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Challenge - Improved Demoralize, Challenge - Improved Startle, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus 4, Elusive Target, Equipment 2, Evasion, Improved Critical 2 (Custom Bolos (Snare 7)), Improved Critical 2 (Shock Knuckles (Stun 7)), Improved Initiative, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Master Plan, Master Plan 2 (tactics), Move-by Action, Power Attack, Second Chance (Toughness saves vs. Ballistic), Skill Mastery 2 (Acro, Gather Info, Intim, Invest, KN (tactics), Noti, Sen Mot, Stea), Takedown Attack 2, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Paragon Suit (Device 12) (Hard to lose)
. . Integral Radio (Communication 6) (sense type: radio; Subtle (subtle))
. . Movement Systems (Array 3) (default power: flight)
. . . . Climbing Spikes (Super-Movement 1) (Alternate; wall-crawling 1 (half speed))
. . . . Hydraulic Pistons (Leaping 2) (Alternate; Jumping distance: x5)
. . . . Servomotors (Speed 2) (Alternate; Speed: 25 mph, 220 ft./rnd)
. . . . Boot Jets (Flight 3) (Default; Speed: 50 mph, 440 ft./rnd; Total Fade; Fades (Refueling))
. . . . Gliding Cape (Flight 4) (Array; Speed: 100 mph, 880 ft./rnd; Gliding; Subtle (subtle))
. . Secondary Systems (Array 4) (default power: concealment)
. . . . Additional Strength (Super-Strength 4) (Array; +20 STR carry capacity, heavy load: 6.4 tons; +4 STR to some checks)
. . . . Stealth Field (Concealment 4) (Default; all visual senses)
. . Semi-Sealed Systems (Immunity 4) (environmental condition: Heat, environmental condition: Cold, uncommon descriptor: Gas)
. . Suit Armoring (Protection 4) (+4 Toughness, Feats: Second Chance (Toughness saves vs. Ballistic))
. . Suit Sensors (Super-Senses 18) (accurate (type): Auditory, analytical (type): Visual, distance sense, extended (type): Auditory 1 (-1 per 100 ft), extended (type): Visual 1 (-1 per 100 ft), infravision, radio, time sense, tracking: Visual 1 (half speed), ultra-hearing, ultravision)
. . Suit Strength (Enhanced Strength 9) (+9 STR)

Utility Belt (Device 5) (Hard to lose)
. . Utility Gear (Array 9) (default power: dazzle)
. . . . Custom Bolos (Snare 7) (Array; DC 17, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Custom Bolos (Snare 7)); Accurate 2 (+4))
. . . . Flash Bomb (Dazzle 6) (Default; affects: visual senses, DC 16; Burst Area (30 ft. radius - General))
. . . . High Explosives (Blast 6) (Array; DC 21; Burst Area (30 ft. radius - General))
. . . . High Powered Cutting Laser (Linked)
. . . . . . Cutting Laser Burn (Drain 3) (Linked; drains: single trait - toughness, DC 13; Affects Objects)
. . . . . . Cutting Laser Cut (Strike 3) (Linked; DC 18; Penetrating; Precise)
. . . . Shock Knuckles (Stun 7) (Array; DC 17, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Shock Knuckles (Stun 7)))
. . . . Sleep Gas Grenades (Fatigue 4) (Array; DC 14; Cloud Area (20-100 ft. diameter, lingers - General), Range (ranged); Progression, Increase Area 2 (area x5))
. . . . Smoke Bomb (Obscure 6) (Array; affects: visual senses, Radius: 250 ft.; Duration (continuous), Total Fade; Fades)
. . . . Throwing Discs (Blast 2) (Array; DC 24; Penetrating [1 extra rank]; Accurate (+2), Improved Range (50 ft. incr), Mighty 7 (+7 to damage), Precise, Progression, Increase Range (max range x2, 500 feet))

Equipment: Paragon HQ

Attack Bonus: +9 (Ranged: +9, Melee: +13, Grapple: +20/+24)

Attacks: Custom Bolos (Snare 7), +13 (DC Ref/Staged 17), Cutting Laser Burn (Drain 3), +13 (DC Fort/Staged 13), Cutting Laser Cut (Strike 3), +13 (DC 18), Flash Bomb (Dazzle 6) (DC Fort/Ref 16), High Explosives (Blast 6) (DC 21), Shock Knuckles (Stun 7), +13 (DC Fort/Staged 17), Sleep Gas Grenades (Fatigue 4) (DC Fort 14), Throwing Discs (Blast 2), +11 (DC 24), Unarmed Attack, +13 (DC 22)

Defense: +13 (Flat-footed: +5), Knockback: -3

Initiative: +7

Languages: English Native, French, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu

Totals: Abilities 36 + Skills 48 (192 ranks) + Feats 31 + Powers 68 + Combat 36 + Saves 21 + Drawbacks 0 = 240

*************************************************************************************

Paragon HQ

Power Level: 10; Equipment Points Spent: 10

Toughness: +10

Features: Communications, Computer, Concealed 2, Gym, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, Workshop

Size: Tiny

Totals: Abilities 0 + Skills 0 (0 ranks) + Feats 0 + Features 10 + Powers 0 - Combat 1 + Saves 1 + Drawbacks 0 + Equipment 0 (0 ep) + Weapons & Armor 0 (0 ep) = 10

Age (as of Jan 2019): 31
Height: 6’
Weight: 185 lbs
Ethnicity: British Pakistani
Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: Brown
Base of Operations: London, England, United Kingdom

Theme Songs: Manifest, by Zach B featuring exst. and DELVOIE and Broken, by Zach B featuring Mack on the Beat & shirobeats

Background: “That which can be broken can be fixed.” This is not something Syed Nawaz came up with himself. It was told to him by Lady Knight over a decade ago, when Syed was not yet Paragon. It was one of her mother’s sayings, but it stuck with him. Since Emily was in brooding violent anti-hero mode in those days, this understandable sounds odd. So, a little background. Syed is of Pakistani stock. He is Muslim. He was 14 years old on that terrible September day in 2001. In some ways, it felt like the world suddenly turned on the entire religion of Islam. This wasn’t entirely so, but for a 14 year old in a sea of Christians, it certainly felt that way. Teenagers can be such assholes. And then on a lovely summer day in July 2005, London itself was rocked by four bombings. It is all too easy for a young man already alienated by nearly four years of suspicion, distrust, and harassment to become radicalized. It is all too easy for such a young man to decide that a country and government that permit such things is completely broken. And that the only solution is violent revolution.

. . This was how Syed met Lady Knight. He’d scraped together some money, acquired the services of some like minded individuals, and gotten some combat training. He thought he was ready to launch his crusade, right up until a teenage girl with nothing more than a sword and a bow demonstrated the difference between thuggery (even experienced pros) and a card carrying member of the supers scene. He unleashed an angry rant about his motives, having been prepared for something like this for ages. She rolled her eyes and shattered his entire worldview with that one line before she kicked his ass. He did escape Scotland Yard, but his men did not. In under 20 minutes she’d undone all of his careful preparations and shattered his worldview in the bargain. Someone else would have been angry. Sworn vengeance. Syed Namaz laughed his ass off. Because her implication was right. He was being a huge idiot. That which can be broken can be fixed, eh? Okay. He’d fix it.

. . The costumed detective Paragon debuted a couple years later. More time spent training and preparing. For the record, Paragon is actually kind of a midpoint between the incredibly provocative Gunsmith and the almost entirely inoffensive Moonshadow. So while he’s not using his ethnicity or religion as a cudgel like the former would, neither is he particular diplomatic about his targets and goals. Britain is still a broken country, with a government that encourages the brokenness to maintain its own power. At least as long as it stays behind the scenes. Paragon doesn’t permit to stay there. To put it better, after a decade MI5 is still not entirely sure whether to classify him as a superhero or as a threat to domestic security. He’s had a similarly contentious relationship with Scotland Yard. The problem they have with him, mainly, is that he resolutely refuses to care about fallout. He doesn’t care if the criminal in question is a homeless bum or the Prime Minister. They do the crime, he takes them down. High status individuals have their crimes exposed and schemes defeated exactly the same as low status individuals. Zero preferential treatment. This sounds admirable in theory. However, in practice using the same combat tactics to subdue street toughs and aristocrats doesn’t win him any friends. And his habit of routinely leaking the details of his investigations to wide group of reporters (if the person in question went free for some reason) actively makes him enemies.

. . Meanwhile, Syed Nawaz is a smarmy business consultant and luxury importer/exporter worth millions who nobody would ever associate with such an upright individual as Paragon. Everybody just knows he’s into shady illegal dealings. He knows just enough shady people and does just enough unethical things to keep that reputation going. His reputation hides that every so often a few of those shady people he knows get picked up by the law. It would never get attached to him, as everyone knows he has more to lose if the police focus on him. Oddly enough, this makes detective heroes think of him as a useful information source. This how he was contacted by Query and learned about the rookie hero elimination conspiracy that resulted in the debut of Tattoo and the completion of the “UQ Trio” Ironically enough, that conspiracy is in some ways his fault. A skilled costumed detective like Paragon without his own devoted and expansive Rogue’s Gallery is absolutely hellish on crime in a given city. The conspiracy began to prevent another Paragon from ever happening again, and to kill him specifically if they could. As has been written elsewhere, his years long investigation (while bearing fruit here and there) eventually let him to Finn Kent and her psychometry. He recruited some allies, she became Tattoo, and the conspiracy was smashed. Today Paragon continues to be a large pain is the ass to criminals both high class and low. And no, he has not mentioned that conspiracy had anything to do with him. Indeed, it’s not entirely clear if he’s even bothered to remember as it’s over now. He has other investigations to think about.

Powers & Tactics: Paragon has no superhuman powers. He is a martial artist and tech specialist with two technological devices. His martial arts are boxing, karate, wrestling, and jujitsu. His devices are his Paragon Suit and his Utility Belt.

. . The Paragon Suit is, technically speaking, a battlesuit. It’s just not the usual type that’s apparently designed to be a person sized artillery platform. It’s much smaller scale, using polymers and fabric much more than metal. A suit built for the streets, not the modern battlefield. Still, its features list is long. An integral radio with a 20 mile range. Partially sealed systems that protect the wearer from heat, cold, and gasses. Armor, of course. It’s especially resistant to bullets. Enhanced strength, right up to absolute human peak. And a hell of a lot of sensors. Full light spectrum vision. Sonar. Extended range on both. And a full HUD displaying visual analytics, GPS navigation, and a precise clock. He can even track with those visual enhancement and hear any radio transmissions in his general vicinity. He has three different alternate movement systems built in.50 MPH rocket jets in the boots, though the fuel limits total flight time to a shade over 30 seconds without refueling. He won’t fall clear out of the sky, however, because there’s also a gliding cape to land safely with or just cover impressive aerial distances. The other increases his speed and leaping ability along with climbing claws to stick to walls with. The secondary systems at the moment have only two options. Increase normal carrying capacity from a max of 1.6k pounds to 12.8 tons. Or producing a light negative field that effectively renders the wearer invisible.

. . His Utility Belt has a large variety of items in it. Bolos, flash bombs, high explosives, a beefy cutting laser, electrified brass knuckles, sleep gas grenades, smoke bombs, and discs he can throw as a ranged damage attack. It’s pretty standard kit for a costumed detective. It’s only that there’s so much variety and that they’re higher powered than the average which makes them remarkable.

. . Furthermore, he keeps an headquarters under his home in Belgravia. The former owner had to make a sudden sale to pay some legal bills, courtesy of Paragon, so he got it for a relative song. He may well be the poorest person in the neighborhood, despite being a multi-millionaire. He gets away with being a little obvious about having it there by the simple fact of it being his main address, whereas his neighbors most don’t live there for even half of the year. Just another eccentric wealthy person being eccentric and wealthy.

. . Tactically, Paragon has a lot of options. What he does is kind of…situational. Basically, he doesn’t play fair. Ever. Flash Bombs, Sleep Gas Grenades, and Smoke Bombs keep him from being swarmed by thuggery and makes dealing with them much easier. Custom Bolos can take out tougher single targets, at least temporarily. Shock Knuckles are in place of initially Power Attacking if he meets Impervious Toughness, or if he’s concerned about doing lethal damage with his fists. High Explosives and High Powered Cutting Laser are exclusively used on objects, but this does not mean he doesn’t use them offensively. He’s a man who’s perfectly fine with letting the environment do his dirty work and can be very creative in this endeavor. Seriously, he’s a cheating bastard. Throwing Discs are used on supervillains, as they won’t take lethal damage from them normally. And of course, his martial arts skills are always available.Do not forge that Stealth Field turns him invisible and has no limitations. Improved Acrobatic Bluff, Demoralize, and Startle make the enemies’ lives unpleasant. He has Defensive and Power Attack to move his caps around, Move by Action to stay mobile, and Takedown Attack 2 to scythe through minions while they’re blinded. Master Plan can give him a boost if he has the time to make one. +3 to all of his skill checks and attack rolls for 3 rounds, and then +2 and +1 for 1 round each. Don’t forget Inventor, and that he’s a cheating bastard who only fights fair when he doesn’t have any choice in the matter. He does not power stunt. That’s why his array is so wide and why he has Inventor.

Personality: Paragon is a divisive figure. There’s no denying that he’s a hero. There’s no denying that he cares about protecting people and seeking justice for crimes. He just doesn’t. Fuckin’. Listen. He’s the lone wolfiest of the lone wolves. The most solo of the solo operators. The list of times he’s called for help in an over ten year career can be counted on one hand without using all the fingers. It’s a subtle bit of arrogance, really. Because he’s still that guy Lady Knight beat the shit out of back then. He still believes he’s the only man for the job of repairing what’s broken about Britain. He is still fueled by a righteous and indignant fury that anyone would dare allow people to do the wrong things they have done. The only lesson he learned that night is that tearing it all down and starting again will meet with too much resistance, and so it’s better to try to fix what’s broken instead of throwing it away.

. . If this makes him sounds like an asshole, well…yes? But again, he’s a genuine hero. That bit of subtle arrogance comes from caring about other people. He genuinely wants to make Britain and the world better. He’s doing it in more or less the right way. And it’s not like he talks about how he feels. Time spent talking about something is time better spent doing it, he says. He comes across as humorless and ultra focused while in the suit, not a dickhead braggart. If anyone is going to take the risks involved with this job it’s going to be him. Basically he doesn’t appear to respect anyone’s competence but his own. This, however, drives him to do as much as he can as often as he can despite the risks. He’s thus not so easily categorized. It’s a pain in the ass for everyone.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Sun Mar 12, 2023 6:10 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Umbrella Queen (Siobhanna)

Post by Commander Titan »

EternalPhoenix wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:14 am Umbrella Queen (Siobhanna)
Theme Song: Umbrella, by Rihanna feature Jay-Z
I read the theme song and thought "Hah, I get it. Clever." and then I realized that it was than just a convenient song reference. I expected someone more akin to a superheroic Mary Poppins and I was quite pleasantly surprised to see Siobhanna's story. I really like a hero who gets a "useless" (or really more just "limited") power and still makes full use of it. The bit about using some of the material as armored clothing is great. And the idea that UQ is just part of who she is, alongside the rest of her career.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:23 am Nisse (Alwyn Kendrick)
Fuck the Fae. Those guys are the worst!
EternalPhoenix wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:39 am Tattoo (Josephine "Finn" Kent)
Powers & Tactics: Tattoo is both a metahuman and a mutant. It’s incredibly rare, but sometimes the use of someone’s metahuman powers functions as the trigger to activate their mutant ones. She is a psionic with both powers, and carries two technological devices. As a metahuman, she is a psychometric, able to see the past of any object she touches.

. . It is her mutant psionic power, however, that is fascinating. It works in tandem with her psychometry to let her apparently mimic the knowledge, skills and abilities of the person who owned the item in question. Please note the past tense. The owner of the item has to be dead. Not only that, but she needs to have had a strong emotional connection to that owner. It can seem like she’s summoning their spirit and letting it partially possess her. Especially since she talks about them like they’re in her head with her. The three small tattoos on her chest of their faces don’t help her power not seem supernatural. But it isn’t. The knowledge, skills, and abilities she gains are activated via psychometry, yes, but they’re specifically her own perception of what Jaime, Renee, and Satsuki were capable of.
What a life of tragedy here... But also, what a great powerset. I've never seen psychometry used as such an... active? (for lack of a better word) power, versus just some psychic investigator type. And the wrinkle that despite appearing supernatural, it's psionic and based on her perception of her loved ones' powers and capacities, that's fantastic. We always see different bests and worsts in other people than we would ourselves.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:39 am . . Renee Allen, alias Query, was a highly skilled detective and crack shot with handguns. Her detective work was excellent in all three dimensions. Few knew the criminal world better, including the actual criminals. Questioning suspects, interviewing potential witnesses, and gathering physical evidence. She could do it all. The latter of which she could do quite rapidly compared to many. She never seemed to miss anything that was hidden when evidence gathering, either. The items Tattoo keeps to access her are her Pistol (not turned in to Scotland Yard, naughty Finn) and the fedora Renee wore as part of her Query outfit. The Pistol can be used without Renee being active, but she’s the one who’s highly accurate with it. So normally pointless.
I was a big fan of the Montoya-as-Question storylines as well! Though quick question - are more British police armed in the Phoenixverse UK than our world? I was under the impression that the vast majority of British police (outside Northern Ireland, for obvious historical reasons) don't carry firearms.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 4:50 am Big Ben (Benjamin Prestwich)
Poor Ben. It really is a curse, as you say. I was expecting someone maybe along the lines of Marvelman/Miracleman, but going back to a proper Captain Marvel-style "child becomes an adult" and investigating what happens when he's stuck as a child... Man. But of course, he's also too powerful, useful, and of course also just heroic to send to a therapy place full time, or set mystic heroes onto breaking the curse.

Also, over in our NPC Investigations game (which reminds me that I need to post there after I finish this): Cecil froze in 1901 - would he have seen Big Ben (perhaps not yet with that codename) before he went on the ice, if I'm reading the timeline right? Not like a one-on-one meeting, I just mean was Ben publicly known then or was it a bit later? Either way, fun to see so many of Cecil's countrymen, -women, and -folk detailed!
EternalPhoenix wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 5:09 am Keaira, Princess of Avalon
Background: It was a very long time ago. Keaira isn’t sure when, honestly. Pre-Roman Britain. She thinks it was before the Iron Age, but she wouldn’t bet on it. A man lost his village, his sight, and his infant daughter to enemies. The only thing the man had left was his gift for sculpture. So, by touch alone, he carved a twin to his deceased child, and wept bitter tears. Until the gods took pity on him. Not his own pantheon, but the Tuatha de Danann. Or maybe they were his pantheon to begin with. Again, it was a very long time ago and Keaira doesn’t really know. The gods are silent on the matter. What she does know is that the being now known as the deity Dian Cécht gifted the blind sculptor a choker. This choker, when placed on his new sculpture’s neck, brought it to life. The gods carried both father and child to mysterious and mystical Avalon. This is the tale Keaira’s father tells her about how she was born, and she has never seen any reason to doubt his word.
I like Keaira a lot! I wonder how she'd get along with the Bronze Rider. Perhaps two statue-heroes would have much to say. But Keaira's a good deal older, and more in tune with her origins (and has a whole society to go back to!). I've always gotten a kick out of the Galatea-type stories, of statues brought to life.
EternalPhoenix wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 5:09 am She apologized to him and said she should have killed the other one. She departed after that, and none of his men were able to stop her. She does not appear in Roman records again, be they from the West or the East.
I know you explained, but my first thought was she'd intervened in the case of Romulus and Remus!
EternalPhoenix wrote: Wed Mar 08, 2023 5:09 am Until 1916. World War 1. The Battle of the Somme. Its opening day was the bloodiest in the history of the British Army, and men kept dying in droves as it went on. There were so many injured, so many sick, and so many dying that the collective grief and pain breached Avalon’s ancient wards, set down by the gods themselves. Help was needed. Help was sent.

. . Keaira led a detachment of healers and warriors to protect them. Where they walked, men recovered and lived. The warriors were there to protect the healers. Keaira’s job, however, was to find a way to end the war. Her partners in this endeavor were Sir Emerson Knight (great-grandfather of the modern Sir Randall) and the brave men of his unit. And the Princess of Avalon had, for the first time, not come unarmed. Her choker had been upgraded, and she now carried the stone sword granted to her by Goibniu. To make a long story much shorter, there was a hell of a lot going on behind the scene of World War 1.
I thought this was leading into a single major clash, like Wonder Woman versus Ares in the fantastic Wonder Woman film we got a few years ago, but then you explained it was far more than one evil god manipulating things! WWI has a lot of potential for superheroic action. While superheroes in the trenches probably don't have a lot of traction, their ability to circumvent the usual deadlock, and engage with burgeoning wartime mad science, still makes for exciting adventures, if one wants.
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Re: Paragon (Syed Nawaz)

Post by Davies »

EternalPhoenix wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:47 am Paragon (Syed Nawaz)
And here's the second time. :) Great character, strongly tempted to steal, though I can't come up with --

<takes notes>
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Re: Umbrella Queen (Siobhanna)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Commander Titan wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:54 am I read the theme song and thought "Hah, I get it. Clever." and then I realized that it was more than just a convenient song reference. I expected someone more akin to a superheroic Mary Poppins and I was quite pleasantly surprised to see Siobhanna's story. I really like a hero who gets a "useless" (or really more just "limited") power and still makes full use of it. The bit about using some of the material as armored clothing is great. And the idea that UQ is just part of who she is, alongside the rest of her career.
Mary Poppins? I don't even know what to say to that. I'd never do something that saccharine. Am I the weird one for pretending my long umbrella is a sword sometimes?

...okay, maybe there was a riif on her in the Mystery Men Era/Golden Age I dunno.
Commander Titan wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:54 am Fuck the Fae. Those guys are the worst!
And you'll have even more reason to hate them with Undine and Fornax's entries later.
Commander Titan wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:54 am What a life of tragedy here... But also, what a great powerset. I've never seen psychometry used as such an... active? (for lack of a better word) power, versus just some psychic investigator type. And the wrinkle that despite appearing supernatural, it's psionic and based on her perception of her loved ones' powers and capacities, that's fantastic. We always see different bests and worsts in other people than we would ourselves.
It's a genuinely creative powerset, I think, and I'm quite proud of it.
Commander Titan wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:54 am I was a big fan of the Montoya-as-Question storylines as well! Though quick question - are more British police armed in the Phoenixverse UK than our world? I was under the impression that the vast majority of British police (outside Northern Ireland, for obvious historical reasons) don't carry firearms.
No, it's the same. Renee was a Dan Turpin/Maggie Sawyer/Jim Gordon type. You know how cities with established long term heroes tend to have cops who work with them to a degree? That's a bit more formalized in the Phoenixverse. Specialized task forces for dealing with the supers scene. Heroes who screw up real bad and need to go to prison for it. Villains in general. They always end up working with local heroes out of sheer necessity. The US law enforcement community in general has a more adversarial relationship with their heroes, so it's not really something that's a big deal in the States. There's some cooperation, but eh. Heroes in the UK often work closely with such task forces, as they have resource individual heroes simply don't. Renee was on one such task force, which is why she had worked with Paragon, Big Ben, and Sir Randall Knight in the past. She was not, however, supposed to be taking the gun home with her. And Scotland Yard would probably like to know where it is. Another reason for Tattoo to use Jaime to fight with more than Renee.
Commander Titan wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:54 am Poor Ben. It really is a curse, as you say. I was expecting someone maybe along the lines of Marvelman/Miracleman, but going back to a proper Captain Marvel-style "child becomes an adult" and investigating what happens when he's stuck as a child... Man. But of course, he's also too powerful, useful, and of course also just heroic to send to a therapy place full time, or set mystic heroes onto breaking the curse.

Also, over in our NPC Investigations game (which reminds me that I need to post there after I finish this): Cecil froze in 1901 - would he have seen Big Ben (perhaps not yet with that codename) before he went on the ice, if I'm reading the timeline right? Not like a one-on-one meeting, I just mean was Ben publicly known then or was it a bit later? Either way, fun to see so many of Cecil's countrymen, -women, and -folk detailed!
Ben himself would say it's not so bad, really. He'd object to being called "poor Ben". Because he's not sad about it. Not really. There's an element of tragedy to it, to be sure, but he'd say he'd turned it into something good. He'd quickly decline having the curse removed for such a reason, whereas someone like Spike might hesitate before deciding.

For the record, yes. Paragon types are terrible at standing under the radar. I'd have to actually nail down a year for that and I don't wanna right now. But if you want to have Cecil refer to him feel free. A man who read the newspaper every day would have also known of Emerson Knight. His actual knighting was long after Cecil was frozen, but a man who found a mystic armor and had been heroing for over a full year by that time would have been in the paper a time or three. Not Keaira, however. She'd been gone for 300 years, and only returned after Cecil was on ice.
Commander Titan wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:54 am I like Keaira a lot! I wonder how she'd get along with the Bronze Rider. Perhaps two statue-heroes would have much to say. But Keaira's a good deal older, and more in tune with her origins (and has a whole society to go back to!). I've always gotten a kick out of the Galatea-type stories, of statues brought to life.
She was also a lot more human, so to speak, even from the start. But Keaira can get along with anyone who isn't a jerkface asking to get punched out.
Commander Titan wrote: Sun Mar 12, 2023 4:54 am I thought this was leading into a single major clash, like Wonder Woman versus Ares in the fantastic Wonder Woman film we got a few years ago, but then you explained it was far more than one evil god manipulating things! WWI has a lot of potential for superheroic action. While superheroes in the trenches probably don't have a lot of traction, their ability to circumvent the usual deadlock, and engage with burgeoning wartime mad science, still makes for exciting adventures, if one wants.
Oh, yes. The Mystery Men Era and following Golden Age may have had fewer heroes than the Modern Age, but calling it quiet and uneventful would be an outrageous lie. It'd be like the speaker had never read a dime novel or seen a movie serial of the period before. :mrgreen:
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Re: The Phoenixverse (A 2e OC 'verse; Newest: Heroes of Britain! Umbrella Queen! Nisse! Tattoo! Big Ben! Keaira! Paragon

Post by Harnos »

Every detail of Terrifica sounds well-thought; her concern about the ethics of using her incredible intelligence, international family background and her intention to decrease her influence on people.
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And Now For Something Somewhat Different

Post by EternalPhoenix »

The remaining three Heroes of Britain are what I'm calling "starter PCs". So I'm not doing the usual write up with them, or indeed, much of a write up at all. This is experimental, and if it meets approval I'll do more later. To be clear, they're canon heroes in the Phoenixverse, but literally just starting in Jan 2019. So I'm leaving their Backgrounds, Tactics, and Personalities largely up to the players who choose to use them. That'd be you, Dear Readers. So, in some hours, I'll post all three of them and we can leave Britain and start thinking about Canada and the Borealian Vanguard.
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Yeoman (Joshua Birch)

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Yeoman (Joshua Birch)

Power Level: 8; Power Points Spent: 150/150

STR: +2 (14), DEX: +3 (16), CON: +2 (14), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +3 (16), CHA: +2 (14)

Tough: +2/+8, Fort: +7, Ref: +8, Will: +9

Skills: Bluff 3 (+5), Concentration 7 (+10), Craft (mechanical) 3 (+5), Diplomacy 8 (+10), Drive 2 (+5), Gather Information 8 (+10), Intimidate 8 (+10), Knowledge (streetwise) 3 (+5), Knowledge (tactics) 8 (+10), Medicine 2 (+5), Notice 7 (+10), Search 3 (+5), Sense Motive 7 (+10), Stealth 7 (+10)

Feats: Attack Focus (ranged) 2, Dodge Focus, Improved Critical 2 (Aura Saber (Strike 4)), Improved Initiative, Luck 2, Power Attack, Precise Shot, Second Chance (Concentration checks to maintain powers), Startle, Takedown Attack, Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Ring of Aura (Device 11) (Hard to lose, Restricted use (Those of exceptionally noble and heroic spirit))
. . Aura Body Armor (Force Field 6) (+6 Toughness; Impervious)
. . Aura Comms (Communication 6) (sense type: radio; Variable Descriptor 2 (Broad group - Any Tech))
. . Aura Database (Variable 1) (acquire: any one of (type) - skills; Action 2 (free); Limited (Knowledge Skills))
. . Aura Force (Array 9) (default power: blast)
. . . . Aura Assault Rifle (Blast 6) (Default; DC 21; Autofire (interval 2, max +5))
. . . . Aura Constructs (Force Constructs 6) (Array; Max Size: 30 cu. ft.; Impervious)
. . . . Aura Grenade Launcher (Blast 6) (Array; DC 21; Burst Area (30 ft. radius - General))
. . . . Aura Might (Move Object 6) (Array; Strength: 30, Carry: 532 / 1.1k / 1.6k / 3.2k; Range (perception))
. . . . Aura Saber (Strike 4) (Array; DC 21, Feats: Improved Critical 2 (Aura Saber (Strike 4)); Penetrating [2 extra ranks]; Accurate (+2), Mighty)
. . Aura Hovercycle (Flight 5) (Speed: 250 mph, 2200 ft./rnd; Platform)
. . Aura Sensors (Super-Senses 2) (infravision, ultravision)
. . Aura VI (Features 1)

Attack Bonus: +8 (Ranged: +10, Melee: +8, Grapple: +10)

Attacks: Aura Assault Rifle (Blast 6), +10 (DC 21), Aura Grenade Launcher (Blast 6) (DC 21), Aura Saber (Strike 4), +10 (DC 21), Unarmed Attack, +8 (DC 17)

Defense: +8 (Flat-footed: +4), Knockback: -7

Initiative: +7

Languages: English Native

Totals: Abilities 28 + Skills 19 (76 ranks) + Feats 12 + Powers 45 + Combat 30 + Saves 16 + Drawbacks 0 = 150

***************************************************************************************************************************************

This is the first of the British “sample PCs”. They’re canon, to be sure, but I don’t think they need full entries. This is the descendant of the Ring of Aura wielding British Army officer from the American Revolution mentioned in the entries of Queenie and Magna. I have him built here as an ex-Army guy. You, however, may rebuild him to your liking and even change his hero name. Maybe he’s an artist. Or an architect. Or a mechanic. A Ring of Aura can do anything the user imagines, so feel free to get creative with Joshua Birch in your Phoenixverse.
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Hospitaller (Abigail "Abby" Priest)

Post by EternalPhoenix »

Hospitaller (Abigail "Abby" Priest)

Power Level: 8; Power Points Spent: 150/150

STR: +2 (14), DEX: +3 (16), CON: +2 (14), INT: +2 (14), WIS: +2 (14), CHA: +3 (16)

Tough: +2/+3, Fort: +4, Ref: +8/+12, Will: +8

Skills: Acrobatics 7 (+10), Diplomacy 7 (+10), Gather Information 7 (+10), Knowledge (life sciences) 3 (+5), Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 3 (+5), Language 1 (+1), Medicine 3 (+5), Notice 8 (+10), Sense Motive 8 (+10), Stealth 7 (+10)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Attack Focus (ranged) 4, Attack Specialization 2 (Hatchet (Device 1)), Defensive Roll, Dodge Focus, Evasion, Improved Aim, Improved Critical (Hatchet Strike (Strike 2)), Uncanny Dodge (Auditory)

Powers:
Bow (Device 2) (Easy to lose)
. . Arrows (Array 4) (default power: blast)
. . . . Bolo Arrow (Snare 4) (Array; DC 14)
. . . . Normal Arrow (Blast 4) (Default; DC 19)
. . . . Swingline Arrow (Linked)
. . . . . . Speed 2 (Linked; Speed: 25 mph, 220 ft./rnd)
. . . . . . Super-Movement 3 (Linked; slow fall, swinging, wall-crawling 1 (half speed))

Hatchet (Device 1) (Easy to lose)
. . Hatchet Strike (Strike 2) (DC 19, Feats: Improved Critical (Hatchet Strike (Strike 2)); Mighty, Precise)

Telekinesis (Move Object 4) (Strength: 20, Carry: 133 / 266 / 400 / 800; Range (perception))

Telekinetic Guidance (Enhanced Trait 4) (Feats: Attack Focus (ranged) 4)

Telekinetic Shield (Enhanced Trait 12) (Traits: Defense Bonus +4 (+12), Reflex +4 (+12))

Telepathy (Container, Passive 4)
. . Communication 4 (sense type: mental; Omni-Directional Area)
. . Comprehend 2 (languages - speak all, languages - understand all)
. . Mind Reading 4 (DC 14; Duration (sustained))

Attack Bonus: +8 (Ranged: +12, Melee: +8, Grapple: +10)

Attacks: Bolo Arrow (Snare 4), +12 (DC Ref/Staged 14), Hatchet Strike (Strike 2), +12 (DC 19), Mind Reading 4 (DC Will 14), Normal Arrow (Blast 4), +12 (DC 19), Unarmed Attack, +8 (DC 17)

Defense: +8/+12 (Flat-footed: +6), Knockback: -1

Initiative: +3

Languages: English Native, Latin

Totals: Abilities 28 + Skills 14 (54 ranks) + Feats 8 + Powers 57 + Combat 30 + Saves 13 + Drawbacks 0 = 150

************************************************************************************************************************************

Abby here (who is canon to my Phoenixverse in this form) is the second of the British “sample PCs” She’s inspired a bit by the Lara Croft reboot. As built she’s a minor metahuman psionic with telepathic and telekinetic powers who uses them to both protect herself and be better at her limited version of trick archery. I figure she’s a college student who’s both pre-med at a religious university and does the hero thing in her spare time. With that said, you get to decide her Background, Tactics, and Personality in your Phoenixverse.
Last edited by EternalPhoenix on Sun Apr 09, 2023 5:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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