Lillian Grey, Codename: Medusa

[Solomon Black]

 

BASICS

CHARACTERISTICS [143]

STR: 30
DEX: 15
CON: 15
INT: 10
EGO: 15
PRE: 10

OCV: 6 | DCV: 6 | OMCV: 6 | DMCV: 3 | Speed: 4

PD: 205 Base
+15 Resistant/Limited | ED: 205 Base
15 Resistant/Limited| REC: 15

END: 55 | BODY: 15 | STUN: 50

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SKILLS [28]

Acrobatics, Breakfall, Disguise, Knowledge (Culture: Occult), Stealth, Streetwise [18]

Combat Skill Levels +2 (Small Group: Disarm, Grab, Strike) [6]

Skill Levels +1 (Acrobatics, Stealth, Streetwise)

Language (Basic Japanese) [1]

EVERYMAN

Acting, Climbing, Concealment, Conversation, Deduction, Knowledge Skill (Sovereign City), Paramedics, Persuasion, Professional Skill (Law 11-), Shadowing, Transport Familiarity

---

PERKS +TALENTS [8]

Contact+2: 11- Contact Roll
+2: Extremely Useful Skills
+1: Contact has Significant Contact
+2: Good Relationship (Nightstriker), Fringe Benefit (Other Town) [8]

---

COMPLICATIONS [60]

-- 15: Distinctive Feature – Evil EyeMedusa's Evil Eye is inherently unsettling to people, even those not directly beneath its gaze feel a touch of primal fear they rarely respond well to. Nor can she truly suppress it save by closing her eyes and averting her gaze. (Concealable, Major Reaction)

-- 15: Hunted – Sons of Perseus (Infrequent, Equal Power, Extensive Influence, Harsh) 

-- 10: Enraged – Monstrous FuryMedusa has killed people before. Intellectually she regrets this, even if they worked for scum like the Sons of Perseus, but in her heart of hearts she knows the truth... she's not sorry at all. Not because she deserved it but in becoming a Gorgon she has gained an inborn love of killing, battle and other such primal delights.

A decade of training has gone into teaching Medusa to control this and most of the time she indeed keeps a tight lid on her emotions but everyone has limits. Threaten those she loves, torment her one step to far, and... well she probably still won't regret it later. (Uncommon, Enraged, Chance 11-, Regain 14-)

-- 10: Psychological – "Never Again"Haunted by her own traumatic experience Medusa is obsessed with never letting anything like that happen again. Consequently she tends to grow reckless and rash when confronted with similar circumstances such taking hostages, when confronted with unethical experiments, or should she ever see that rotten bastard Ezekiel Harpe again. (Common, Moderate)

-- 5: Physical – Creature of MythBeyond the terror induction of her Evil Eyes having been transformed by Gorgon Blood has given Medusa various physiological oddities. She cannot go to a regular doctor as her vitals are well outside human norm, eats a prodigious amount of food, sometimes indulges her craving for raw meat, and other oddities.

More seriously while being "not human" may mean little to open minded capes or civilians, to the older laws of magic the distinction is significant and she can find herself subject to wards and spells designed to combat monsters. (Infrequent, Minor)

-- 5: Social – Secret Identity (Infrequent, Minor)

 

__

POWERS [121]

[The Evil Eye] :: Multipower: 38-point reserve [38 AP/19 pts]

All: AOE 8m Cone // 2X END, Custom Beam, Unified Power

-- Petrifying Fear || Mental Blast: 3d6 [2 pts]

-- Blinding || Flash 6d6 [2 pts]

-- Weakness || Drain STR: 3d6 [2 pts]

-- Decay || RKA 2d6 [2 pts]

 

[The Inner Eye]

-- Spatial Awareness [32 AP/ 32 pts]

 

[Monstrous Resistance]

-- +15 Physical Defense (Resistant / Limited Power-1/2: Weak to Bronze, Unified Power) [22 AP / 12 pts]

-- +15 Energy Defense (Resistant / Limited Power-1/2: Weak to Bronze, Unified Power) [22 AP / 12 pts]

 

[Night-Striker Movement Technique] :: Multipower: 16 point reserve (Restrainable1/4: Clear Breathing) [16 AP / 13 pts]

-- Running [25m]: +13m (Combat Acceleration / Restrainable1/4: Clear Breathing) [16 AP/13 RP, 1 pt]

-- Leaping [20m]: +16m (Combat Acceleration, No Gravity Penalty / Restrainable1/4: Clear Breathing) [14 AP/11 RP, 1 pt]

-- Swinging [20m]: +20m (Combat Acceleration / Restrainable1/4: Clear Breathing) [12 AP/10 RP, 1 pt]

-- Gliding [15m]: +15 (Gliding, Restrainable1/4: Clear Breathing) [15 AP/6 RP, 1 pt]

-- Marathon Run [120mNon-Combat Movement Top Speed

(144 kph or 89 mph in freedom units)]: +3m (Improved NC Move x8 / Restrainable1/4: Clear Breathing) [13 AP/13 RP, 1 pt]

 

[Clinging]

-- Clinging (Costs END, 3x END) [10 AP / 4 pts]

 

[Fast Recovery]

-- Regeneration 1 Body / Hour [8 AP / 8 pts]

-- Life Support (Diminished Sleep, Longevity) [2 AP / 2 pts]

 

[Weapon: Cadmus Coil]

-- Stretching: 10m (END only to Activate // Always Direct, Focus-1 OAF
(Unbreakable), Range Modifier) [10 AP / 4 pts]

-- HTH Attack: STR+1d6 (Autofire: 3 // Hand-to-Hand Attack, Focus-1 OAF
(Unbreakable), Linked: Stretch) [6 AP / 2 pts]

 

__

COMBAT

Values:

OCV: 6 DCV: 6 OMCV: 6 DMCV: 3 STR 30 (6d6 dmg, 1600 kg, 48m)

Combat Skill Levels +2 (Small Group: Disarm, Grab, Strike)

Movement:

• RUN: 25m
• LEAP: 20m H/V
• SWIM: 4m
• SWING 20m, GLIDE 15m

Maneuvers:

• BLOCK: .5 Phase | +6 OCV | +6 DCV
• BRACE: 0 Phase | +8 OCV | +3 DCV (vs Range Mod.)
• DISARM:.5 Phase | +6* OCV | +6 DCV
• DODGE: .5 Phase | -- OCV | +9 DCV
• GRAB: .5 Phase | +7* OCV +4 DCV
• GRAB BY: .5 Phase | +3 OCV | +2 DCV
• HAYMAKER: .5 Phase (+1) | +6 OCV | +1 DCV (Dmg: +4 DCs)
• MOVE BY: .5 Phase | +4 OCV | +4 DCV (Dmg: STR/2 + [v/10]d6)
• MOVE THROUGH: .5 Phase | [v/10] OCV | +6 DCV (Dmg: STR + [v/6]d6)
• SET: 1 Phase | +7 OCV | +6 DCV
• STRIKE: .5 Phase | +8* OCV | +6 DCV OR .5 Phase | +6 OCV | +8* DCV

(*: Assuming CSL +2 applied)

Skills:

• Acrobatics -13
• Breakfall -12
• Disguise -11
• Knowledge (Culture: Occult) -11
• Stealth -13
• Streetwise -12

__

Edited April 30 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[Solomon Black]

DESCRIPTION

Wrapped in her enveloping cloak and faceless mask most will never get a good look at the tall young woman beneath Medusa's disguise. Those that see her face though almost all come to regret it though, for much like her names sake her gaze carries a potent curse that strikes all it falls upon. So while many have seen her face, few can report it accurately giving various fear warped accounts. For her part when Lillian Grey looks in the mirror at home she just sees a pale young woman with oddly colored eyes pale white hair. That she hides behind a wig mimicking the hair she had as a child while the eyes she hides behind thick glasses, causing some to take her for being blind but she writes off instead as a hypersensitivity to stimuli. In truth Lillian spends most of her life with her eyes closed, replacing her sight with a mystical awareness of the world.

In personality Medusa will often play the stoic and silent sort. And that is all many ne'er-do-wells ever see before they are knocked out by her while others are too put off by the unsettling nature of her powers even when not directly exposed. In truth despite, or perhaps because of the great suffering she has endured she is determined to remain upbeat and positive in her own life. Never overly endowed with friends even before becoming Medusa she clings to those she manages to keep quite tightly. Mentored by an ardent pragmatist Medusa doesn't have uphold any code of honor or unbreakable rules, but does have a strong interest in ethics and proportionate responses. Much of this is driven by personal guilt she feels from the night she became Medusa. She can't claim she will never kill because she already has, and knows it wasn't truly out of self defense for her even if others judge it to be so. She knows there are monsters in the dark worse then men, things of an older crueler world hiding in the shadows of modern light drenched cities, for she almost became one of them, and even today struggles to hold back her more primal emotions. Medusa prays that should she ever lose that battle outright some hero will chop her head off without delay.

In combat Medusa relies on a mix of mystically aligned skills and more innate superhuman abilities. Her chief weapon are her fists and legs, her style basic and uncomplicated as her mentor preferred to drill her in strong fundamentals over any elaborate maneuvers. Of course when you can flip a car a simple punch is generally sufficient to triumph over the average street thug. More of her training went into how to move, and above all how to focus her senses. Technically Medusa spends much of her time blinded, not because she can't see but because this is the only way to suppress the power of her eyes, and to 'see' she has mastered a mystical awareness of her surroundings superior to ordinary vision called the Inner Eye by her mentor. She is also heir to his movement techniques, mystic arts for directing the body to move at high speed.

All of which was designed to give her options beyond simply unleashing the dread gaze of her Evil Eye. While it doesn't turn people to stone Medusa may petrify her foes with fear attacking their minds and even forcing them into unconsciousness. The curse of her eyes is not limited to fear though but may also strike at their vision, strength, or most fearsome of all cause direct entropy and thus death. Metaphysically her eyes are considered by occult scholars to be a form of sorcery, entropic magic she can enact without any of the usual training or pomp, which some of the crazier parts of the business consider an ideal form of magic. Medusa herself would just be happy to learn how to truly turn it off, but so far this has ability evaded her. Thus she strives to not rely on her eyes save when circumstance demands it.

ASSOCIATIONS

The Night-Striker: [Contact/Mentor]

Before the superhero there was... the Night Striker! No one knows how long the Night Striker was active for, a master of shadow he lurked as an invisible protector in the dark an urban legend that was real to keep criminals in line through fear and superstition. Or so the press would have it, but the truth is Robert Kane simply never set out to fight crime in the first place, it simply happened to align with his real work all to often. Likewise becoming a superhero was more happenstance of teamups with other heroes, such as the 'Demon City Incident' where he worked with Superion and became publicly known in the aftermath.

A demon hunter, a master of martial arts, and mystic shadow magic the Night-Striker waged an endless unseen war against older and less civilized forces. Or did up until about five years ago when a lifetime of bumps, scrapes, and barely escaped curses started catching up with him. Now enjoying a well earned retirement today the Night-Striker soaks up the sun on his catamaran most days, his legacy is carried on by his former 'sidekicks' of which Medusa was only the last and youngest.

James & Elaine Grey: [Parents]

Lillian's parents still live in town, though the incident lead to James retiring from the Navy he has successfully transferred to private practice and the family enjoys a new upscale Bay View home. Though Lillian lives on the SU campus her parents remain an important source of emotional support for her. Once the Greys were old money of Atherton Bluff but James threw it all away to escape the Sons of Perseus leading to the family being displaced from leadership and a major decline of family assets, those Grey's left in Atherton hate James fiercely but were cut out of family secrets when Ezekiel murdered much of the clan so now have no power to act on it. For her own part Elaine is of Japanese descent and has distant connections to the Koga ninja clan and Japanese demon hunters, a connection that in turn put her in contact with Night-Striker who helped the Grey's escape the Sons before Lillian was born.

Sons of Perseus, Ezekiel Harpe, & Pegasus Pharma: [Hunted]

Medusa's great nemesis once the Sons of Perseus were a noble group of monster hunters and protectors of the weak. While they claim an ancient pedigree supportable records for the group only go back some five hundred years to European aristocracy, and some speculate them to be a successor group to the Knights Templar. Regardless of their origins over time the group became corrupt and decadent, now seeking to become the monsters they still hunt vigorously. Not that they state in in such terms, rather what they seek is transcendence and ascension. Consequently they revere the original Medusa as a symbol of transformation, noting her transformation from priestess of Athena to Gorgon after her affair with Poseidon and the potency of her blood giving birth to creatures like the Pegasus. Lillian is thus is ironically their greatest success and they desperately want their "sample" back, preferably alive but dead is acceptable.

Most Perseid personnel have no idea who they work for and are strictly normal humans, albeit with plenty of unethical thugs and mercenaries. Their more elite personnel tend to have have either grafts from various inhuman creatures, training in sorcery, or make use of assorted superpowered drugs. At the head of the pyramid stands Ezekiel Harpe a villain's villain who revels in his cruel experiments and the man who turned Lillian into Medusa. He displayed no superhuman abilities at that time, nor the few other times he's encountered her, and according to James the leading council of the Sons of Perseus eschewed 'enhancements' given their high rates of failure and fear that diluting their 'essence' prematurely would lock them out of becoming the immortal godlings they wish to be. How true this is today is anyone's guess.

Other Town: [Fringe Benefit]

Not a place but rather a community Other Town is the collective nickname for Sovereign City's loose collection of magic wielders, occult practitioners, and assorted non-human mystical residents. Along with the assorted bars, shops, and clubs they like to gather in. Magic is not really a secret in the modern world anymore then superheroes or aliens are, but old habits die hard and the memory of witch hunts is a living one in the often long lived community. Consequently most of the community keeps a low profile and only talks 'business' with fellow Othersiders. Old rules like xenia are still prized and mortal authorities like the police are largely kept out. Yet perhaps ironically there's no were else Medusa has more friends and acquaintances.

SECRET ORIGINS

A Navy brat, Lillian Grey was born on Peloponnese Island at the base clinic making her technically a native of Sovereign City. She herself doesn’t remember those days and would spend most of her early childhood bouncing between coasts as her father, a Navy surgeon, rotated from one duty station to the next. It was a life that didn’t make for many long term friendships, but her father LCDR James Grey managed to spend more time with his family then many in the service. It was on balance a “depressingly boring upbringing” in Lillian’s own words, but as she got older she began to notice a few oddities. How her parents always insisted on living on base even when better housing was available, how her mother had “good luck charms” scattered about the house. 

Above all though was how her father’s side of the family was never mentioned. Lillian’s mother Elaine, a third generation Japanese-American, dragged Lillian all over California and Hawaii meeting relatives but not even a Christmas card came from James' relatives. When Lillian grew old enough to notice and brave enough to ask, the simple refrain of “they don’t get on with your father anymore” was the only answer the young girl ever received. Lillian pretended to be mostly satisfied with that answer but always wondered about her father's past.

When she Lillian was thirteen she would finally learn the answer, to her and her family's eternal sorrow. Assigned to Naval Station PI once more now Captain Grey was to oversee the orderly final shut down of the clinic his daughter had been born in thirteen year prior. A process that would also be the first time the family was forced to move off base, as base housing was also being gradually shuttered. For Lillian this proved a rare opportunity to get out on her own, living in a cozy rental in Brookhaven was a far sight better then a long walk to the gate and a longer walk still to anywhere decent. Yet if she was curious about her "hometown" then it was heavily counterweighted by the knowledge this posting would be even shorter then usual.

Lillian still never expected it to come crashing down the night someone grabbed her off the street. One moment she was walking along towards the bus stop vaguely aware of a white van on the street, the next she was inside it with some foul smelling rag in her face, then darkness. She woke under bright lights chained to a wall with a man facing her who soon gleefully introduced himself as Ezekiel Harpe. Around her were her parents also chained to the wall and gagged, in some place that seemed half laboratory and half dungeon. It was Ezekiel Harpe who soon would ruined Lillian’s life forever though. 

He started with her past. Explaining with the feverish joy of a villain who’s been waiting years to deliver his monologue how once upon a time James Grey had not been any military doctor, but heir to one of the oldest of old money families on the entire East Coast. More importantly the hereditary heads of the ancient order of the Sons of Perseus, monster hunters that for centuries had fought a war against things that go bump in the night long before any man in underwear and a cape had pulled on tights. The Sons were no great heroes themselves though, Ezekiel took great pleasure in explaining, some fought out of noblesse oblige it was true and others for sport but what really drove them was collecting raw materials. Vampire ashes or werewolf fangs held something of the power the ‘source material’ did, something the Sons wished to study and even take for themselves. James had rejected that ideology though after meeting Elaine, and they had fled the Sons of Perseus after doing serious damage to the operation. Above all they had taken something extremely precious to the group, a 'sample' they valued like no other, their collection of Gorgon Blood.

At this Ezekiel produced a chest Lillian recognized, one that had always been somewhere inconspicuous and always locked. Ezekiel pulled out the an ornate vial filled with a dark red fluid. Lillian still remembered the smell when it opened. She had little time to focus on that though for her captor pulled out a large syringe and filled it from the vial. Ezekiel's smiled when he described what came next, his punishment of James was as simple as it was petty he was going to inject the blood into Lillian she would either die or become something monstrous first and then spend hours dying in agony. Lillian struggled but to no avail, Ezekiel inject his Gorgon Blood straight into her eyes.

In stories this is generally where the audience is spared by things fading out but Lillian still remembers ever detail of what followed. The pain, the rage, the sudden feeling of absurd strength as she ripped the chains off the wall and through the door. She remembers killing that night, with her bare hands, with her teeth, but mostly with just look. She remembers enjoying every minute of it more and more. Finally her rampage took her back to the lab, to her parents, only Lillian didn't even recognize them at that point just too more small weak things to be crushed. That's when blessedly the superhero Night-Striker arrived. Taking her gaze head on he somehow talked Lillian down from that unfathomable monstrous rage.

That terrible night was ten years ago now. Years of struggle followed for Lillian, for what had been done could not be undone and now the Gorgon Blood had become her own. Her strength and resilience were superhuman, but she had been cursed with the Evil Eye the legendary gaze of Medusa that brings misery to all it falls upon. Even today Lillian cannot suppress it fully and must wear either a mask or close her eyes never looking anyone in the eye. Yet she is not blind thanks to the efforts of her mentor Night-Striker. Once a young man who lost his parents to something dark and terrifying in the night he sympathized with Lillian's plight and educated her in the world she'd been thrust into. A world where monsters out of myth and legend and worse terrors lurked in the shadow, but also heroes like himself who'd fought a centuries long war against the night.

It was a role Lillian would take upon herself, to prove to herself that she was not what the Sons had tried to turn her into. By night she patrols a city where crime is on the rise and other things lurk beneath the surface, though she is not her mentors equal in many subtler aspects of the work ordinary criminals pose little threat to her. The press stuck her with the name Medusa, for her abilities were quite distinctive even to those who knew nothing of how correct the label was. She is not a popular hero, many even those she has rescued are downright terrified of her, but her being the last protégé of Night-Striker is well known and through those connections several other heroes like Gloriana Daughter of Heracles have made clear statements that Medusa fights for the cause of righteousness. Even in her civilian life Lillian continues her fight, presently a law student at Sovereign Law College on the university campus.

 

Edited April 20 by Solomon Black (see edit history)

[Solomon Black]

1. What is your experience with the Hero System Rules?

Nonexistent. Honestly while I'm sure I've brush passed it on Drvethru I'd not even heard of it, but I have Complete and have been reading it.

2. What is your experience with PbP?

Here and there for long enough to make me feel really old now.

3. What is your Role-playing Experience (overall, PbP and otherwise)? And, what makes a game "good"?

I've played DND off and on for 20 years now, been around a number of other systems particularly all the oWoD games. And while I could talk a lot about things I like I know from experience they aren't the only way for things to be "good". Like I spent a year and a half with a just busted VtM LARP where the munckkins running it had mangled the already dreadful rock-paper-scisssors rules with a few tabletop concepts and could not be corrected... but once I'd built around them and focused on some other things then their vision of combat I still had a great time.

4. Please link me a couple examples of your Roleplaying here at the Weave (preferred). If no examples, be sure to post an "RP" in the open RP thread (when I get one up) I'd like to see a sample of your game-style writing.

I am having issues finding stuff I still have sheets for on OGMW and I have been very active here so I will post something soon.

Show this

Perched on a fire escape Lilian listened to the men below. It was almost funny, you’d think horror movies would have taught people that looking up was the first thing you should do but few hoods ever did. She had hardly needed to conceal herself up here, just staying quiet and still was enough to hide the ragged shadow that to her way of looking at it seemed rather obvious. Then again maybe they had a good reason for never looking up. After all that’s where the monsters were. 

Minutes ticked by as she waited, it was a warm night with no breeze but Lilian did her best to think cool thoughts. Finally the likely hoodlums below her got to business. First a card probably loaded with payment info in lieu of the fat stacks of the past, then a simple brown paper bag. The second was why she was why she was here. Now all she needed was… there that one was checking the good, pulling out a handful of small plastic bags each with three pills inside. There now she had confirmed it. As she dropped to the alley, cape aflutter, Lilian pulled a small throwing star from her belt and just before she hit the ground the bag went flying into the shadows of the alley. 

“Leave the goods, everyone can still walk away.” 

Two women and three men gaped back at Lilian. A dealer, two guards, and a couple of customers looking for a good time it seemed. As she rose to her feet and took a steady stance Lilian let them make the first move. Certain parts of her screamed at the delay at giving the prey the advantage but she forced them down as she always did, deescalation was the best way in the long run.

“Woah is that a cape?” One of the buyers muttered. 
“Oh shit,” that was the dealer, and he recognized her, “That’s Striker's pet freak, kill her!”

Damn it all. This was going to be a long night. 
 

5. Tell me about a couple of your favorite characters you've actually played (in PBP or even in TT) and why you enjoyed those characters so much.

So once upon a time on the Weave there was a game about the end of the world, or really after it because evil had one and the material plane was lost but in the siege of Celestia you could play a (good) monster and maybe still save it. Everyone rolled up various celestials but I rolled up a Silver Dragon who's whole thing was that she was depressed and quietly mad at all the god/powers/etc for not being able to back up the promise that good would win in the end. It was a very unique opportunity to play a "sour knight" with tons of things I could objectively point to and say "we've lost and I just want someone to acknowledge it" figuratively.

Another was a PF Magus from a basically Conan background, because I got to do a lot of fun thinking about how an Int caster/arcane tradition would come out of an "uncivilized" background without copping out by having her trained in a city.

6. Name (do not use the "mention" function) one or more players 'applying' for this game ("Shadows of the City") whom you would like to be accepted (Other than yourself, obviously you want to be accepted or you'd just withdraw) into this game and why you would like to play with them here. (example reasons. Good Character concept that fits well with yours, Played with them before and they are a good RPer, They are Helpful, whatever). Please be sure to put this response in a private tag for myself (if left blank, private tags are still viewable by the GM). Please use the Private tags. I don't want anyone's feelings to get hurt. Also, you may need to come back to this later after seeing who has applied.

7. Describe your desired character for me
Don't worry... change this as often as you need to. I fully understand that characters can't be fleshed out until you know what the heck you're playing toward!)

As just might be inferred by my title I am aiming for a character inspired by Medusa. No nobody will be turned to stone, the classic eyes will likely be an Entangle power, possibly some other kind of debuff, though I might do a Scott Summers saying with the 'real' Medusa "turned to stone" was a euphemism for turned to dust. Rounded out with a suite of physicals boosts to jump and swing and punch around the city like a certain friendly neighborhood hero.

The super origin concept is that she was injected with literal Gorgon's Blood by a transhumanist occult group called the Sons of Perseus who secretly run Pegasus Pharmaceuticals, which was expect to either kill her or turn her into a crazy monster who would kill her parents. Instead she survived with modest control over her powers so is cursed to never meet anyone eye to eye and is like really scary so her reputation is dodgy despite her being real sweet.

Also I'd like her to be the mentee/former-sidekick of an older more important hero. This could be either a Copyright Friendly Batman (as like an actual ninja) to match Kid Medusa's Cowl hero style or We Have Wonder Woman at home to be a more contrasting figure and Greek connection. Though I'm a bit leery at adding too many heroes to a city with the resident Superman. Any thoughts there appreciated.

Edited April 6 by Solomon Black (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

Hmmm... Maybe we build a bad @$$ superhero who has retired now, say 600 points or something and you can have a contact with them but is hard to get physical help because they are possibly off traveling and enjoying retirement ( with an occasional super-save when it comes up)

[Solomon Black]

Like Old Bruce in Batman Beyond… Perfection.

[Solomon Black]

@Papa Bear

So other then filling out some of the final combat adjustments I'm basically done with this.

I did want to go over one item since it somewhat less obvious and that's the Snaking Hair power, the idea in my head is that Lillian sends out individual strands of hair. So it is hard to notice and is "Non-Intevening" in being like too thin to do make her vulnerable like stretching an arm out might, and it can off pull tricks like snaking under an exit only door to open it from the inside

[Papa Bear]

Yes, I like the idea... what were you asking? Or wishing to discuss about it? Would the build work for that? Yes, I believe so.

I'm guessing you went this route so that you could have your full strength on the snakes/hair? As opposed to TK which would cost 6 points for a 4 strength and jump up to 12 with the IPE... but could have a range limitation to bring that cost down (so it would be a total less than it currently is) Maybe you'd need to add indirect but how strong are these snakes? (at least by the description of the special effect)

 

Also, the PD/ED with the -2 if something is blessed by something Mythological? I think -2 is a pretty huge for this limitation. Maybe explain your thinking on this. Also, maybe I missed the limitation factor for the big multi-power. Since most living targets would have a visual sense (unless you're including trees and plants, but those would rarely be any kind of enemy and the powers don't really seem designed to affect non-enemy things), I'm not sure the limitation should be as big as it seems to be (but I don't know what you assigned it). My initial thought on it is that it would lose about 1/3 of its effectiveness (-1/2) but maybe more insight is needed.

[Solomon Black]

Yes the full strength is a big part of why I went with Extra Arm + Stretch, also I've never been the sort to just 'refluff' anything and everything.

Anyways uhh so my read Limited was that the scope of circumstances was a separate axis from the magnitude and the -2 is 100% nullified in a -0 Very Uncommon circumstance.

As for the actual clause on Monstrous Resistance the key for me was the "or other" clause because the general idea for Medusa here is that she's based in magic and myth, ergo her weakpoints are all about symbolism. She's weak to "heroes" because she one of the monster of monsters and killing her is playing out that story type on at least some level. While still keeping it meaningful and thus good sympathetic magic, so something that's also unique and maybe iconic. For example I'd consider Cap's Shield pretty mythologically appropriate, a unique item literally drenched in national symbolism. While a Green Lantern ring not so much because like there's millions of them and the rings themselves are pretty interchangeable. Also I didn't attach a whole occult community for no reason, there are scholars/wizards/etc that could absolutely work out this approach and dealers in rare goods that say can get you for real shards of the sword of St. George to melt into your monster killer bullets. And no it wouldn't matter the monster hunter is wrong to judge Medusa as evil.

Or to put this all another way... its literal intentional plot armor and you write the plot my good GM.

As for Evil Eye.. its a lot of the same stuff I don't want evading her gaze to fall into some lame gotcha logic like arguments about sunglasses blocking eye contact or oh ho ho Tony Stark can only see me on screens in his helmet so he's safe. I don't find that clever or interesting writing, its a magical curse the blind thing is more about being an opposite symbolism then finding some loophole in the wording. So like Tony piloting remotely because he took specific precautions or someone actually skilled in blindfighting wrapping up their eyes would be more like it.

[Papa Bear]

Well, the more limiting the limitation, the more its worth. If something isn't very limiting, it should be a (-1/4) and if it isn't very limiting, like doesn't work at night or doesn't work during the day, they grant that at a (-1). A (-2) limitation would be something that is only effective in specific circumstances, like the power only works while you are in a tornado or something.

There's not a lot of 'mythology' type stuff in this adventure, but I can rework a few things depending on the level of the limitation... like thor's hammer, cap's shield, another mythol\[ogical creature or demi-god (like Hercules or Perseus) then that would be a (-1/4) because the likelihood of coming up against those things is pretty darn rare (but not impossible). A (-1) would be like it doesn't work against Magic.

Your argument for the Evil Eye really limits the things it can't work against, which means the limitation has to be less valuable.

Evil Eye MP = Non-Selective 16m AoE Cone (+1/4), 0 END (+1/2), Armor Piercing (+1/4) = (+1) Advantage, so yes, a 60 point reserve... Though you put the advantages on the individual powers (If you have the "Champions: Super Powered Role-playing Game" Book, on page 188, you'll see a great example of what you want to do (though with different lims and advantages) in Defender's Multi-Power called 'Weapons Array'

Now you tailor the advantages to each individual power. You have a 60 pool to work with... the RKA takes all the advantages for sure, so ... you are going with 2d6, which is normally 30pts but with the (+1) its 60, that's correct but you calculate the cost of the slot by the Active Points that can go into the slot, so the slot can use 60 points, so it costs is divided by 10 (I'm assuming its a Fixed slot (put an 'f' next to the points to show its 'fixed') as there's no point in using a variable slot in this build, unless you did some kind of 'linked power', which has all sorts of headaches in a multipower... and makes the powers weaker) and so would cost 6f

The others you can probably get away without the Armor Piercing because most of those defenses are usually never taken above 5... you'd possibly lose a couple points against those that have flash defense or mental defense or whatever, but you'd likely get most of it through... though, the cost wouldn't be too much to keep it for the extra couple points

60 Evil Eye: Multipower, reserve 60 Points.

6f Petrifying Fear: Mental Blast 3d6 Non-Selective 16m AoE Cone (+1/4), 0 END (+1/2), Armor Piercing (+1/4) 60 AP

6f Blinding: Flash 6d6 Non-Selective 16m AoE Cone (+1/4), 0 END (+1/2), Armor Piercing (+1/4) 60 AP

6f Weakness: STR Drain 3d6 Non-Selective 16m AoE Cone (+1/4), 0 END (+1/2), Armor Piercing (+1/4) 60 AP

6f Decay: Ranged Killing Attack 2d6 Non-Selective 16m AoE Cone (+1/4), 0 END (+1/2), Armor Piercing (+1/4) 60 AP

So this costs quite a bit more... of course, we need to figure out what the value of the limitation is in that it only affects living targets, which, considering the nature of the power, isn't much of a limitation except for the RKA which could have blasted open walls and stuff. The problem with Limitations in an MP is that if it applies to the Multipower cost (the big one), its nice because it reduces the biggest cost of the Multipower... but it affects EVERYTHING in the Multipower... you already knew that. So, the Decay couldn't be used to blast objects. Putting limitations on only an individual slot (like maybe you have to make a gesture to use Weakness) then the lim only affects the cost of the slot, which is maybe a point and not usually worth it (though, for a good build that is the character, then its worth it).

Only affecting living targets, at best, is a (-1/2) limitation, only things that make eye contact couldn't be more than (-1/4) This wouldn't affect plants and trees or people looking the other way or otherwise blinded (that blindfold descriptionI read a Wonder Woman comic by Greg Ruka where she was fighting Medusa and she stabbed out her eyes so she couldn't look at Medusa and fought the big M wearing a bloody blindfold. She went many issues wearing the blindfold. I don't remember how she got her sight back you gave). Plus the no eye contact thing would be a benefit to your teammates who might get caught in the AoE as long as you were behind them (assuming you are all facing basically the same direction).

Remember, Superman's vulnerability to Kryptonite isn't worth as much as Martian Manhunter's vulnerability to Fire because fire is pretty abundant and Kryptonite is exceedingly rare.

[Solomon Black]

Oh no I get it now I just didn't read pg 108 enough and misunderstood that first chart there as allowing for say half damage/effect or half protection in X circumstances.

If there aren't separate axis of effect though then what I have won't work.

I'll ruminate on what points I can shake up, Snaking Hair I can ditch for 15 points since I won't need Ambidextrous there, and if I ditch 0 END and AP from Evil Eye I can make that work with some extra. Not sure Monstrous Resistance yet, probably make that charge END too.

Incidentally what would you rate Weak to Bronze as?

[Papa Bear]

Hmmm. That's a hard guess... way back back back in the day, that would have been a very serious alloy to be vulnerable to!!! Kind of goes with the ancient Greek theme. It IS common enough that it wouldn't have to be the (-1/4) of Superman's special K but short of sculpture, Bronze isn't typically available these days. But it is around and can be smelted fairly easily if someone were to learn of the vulnerability. I'd say (-1/2) but since Bronze is made using Copper, if that was also a thing I'd bump it up to (-3/4)... it would be kind of funny... "No, keep the pennies." politely telling clerks to put the pennies in the take one, leave one cup. See a penny, pick it up... ouch it burns :p

The points on this probably hurt a lot, sorry about that. But if you can scrounge up the points, don't put requires END on your defenses. Its great for simulating forcefields, especially tech ones, but not having to worry about END on your defenses is nice. In Champions, you burn through END pretty quickly. Oh, maybe some toughened skin (she is a kind of like a gorgon or is one) then the END 'force field' to bolster her defenses once bullets start flying so that she is a bit more resilient when not expecting pain, but can ramp it up some when pain seems likely. That would help a little both ways (saving points and unexpected danger)

Edited April 22 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[Solomon Black]

Ugh I was about to say by Zeus we'd cracked it but then I remembered the metal in a "full metal jacket" for bullets is generally some type of copper based material and surviving getting shot is the entire reason I'm heavily invested in Defense. I think 1/2 for Bronze bronze can work.

On the other fronts I've turned Evil Eye from 0 END to 2X END power while also shuffling INT to REC and chucking by my Skill Level for +15 END to fuel it. I just need a 1/4 Limit to make it work and had a new thought. I didn't see an option for this anywhere in the book but what about not being able to use Evil Eye below max power? No saving END costs on bottom tier mooks or using a lower setting I know won't get through a PCs defenses.

[Papa Bear]

that's the 'Beam' Limitation... its slightly different but that should work. In older editions there was exactly that limitation but they changed it to Beam. Check it out to make sure you like it. If not, i'll allow the "Only Maximum Effect" (-1/4) from the bygone era (it could be done as a Limited Power, which is the way it was handled before). Things in Beam that don't apply... don't apply (like puncturing a hole instead of blowing through a door or something because Mental Blast and Flash don't do that anyway). The Spread Attack thing, ignore. its a free/cheep way to get an AoE out of an attack at the cost of reduced damage and really isn't worth it except when fighting mooks that have low defenses. You already have AoE on your attacks so there's no point in that... doesn't apply :D

Edited April 22 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

Ugh... I'm sorry, I just noticed your Multipower movement pool. Don't know how I didn't notice this before but we have the same problems with it that we had with the Evil Eye MP.

OK, like the Advantages in Evil Eye, the Combat Acceleration should be added to the individual movement powers.

Restrainable is a problem and not your fault because of the Wings example... the idea of that is the wings are specifically restrained because the hero has wings and without them, cannot fly. Part of the problem is that Grabs and Entangles deprive people of their movement... you are already restrained by the power. The example of the chip is much better. Restrainable deprives you of the power because of some circumstance. Movement Powers should not be Restrainable because of Entangles or Grabs... but because of something else that, for some reason, prevents the power from working, which needs to be defined. Like maybe a power stops working if the hero is wearing silver. Its kind of like Superman losing his powers to Kyptonite except that is a weakness that affects all of his abilities where Restrainable affects just the powers it has been assigned to.

And that's basically what Unified Power does too... all of your unified powers will be affected if any one of them get drained or suppressed 😬. I THINK that is what you are looking for, everything is tied to the Gorgon blood coursing through her veins and as such, everything gets whammied.

Anyway, with all that said, let's build the Multipower

11 Night Stalker Movement Techniques: Multipower Reserve 20 Restrainable We need to figure out what causes the power loss.

Also, if that wasn't what was intended, then it won't be too big a problem to come up with another 1/2 limitation. (-1/2), Unified Power (-1/4) (20 / 1.75 = 11.4 Its 20 APs at a real cost of 11)

1f Running: +8m (20m total) (You get the first 12m free since that is inherent so you only have to pay for 8m... you probably want more, actually) Combat Acceleration (+1/4) (8 x 1.25 = 10, 10 AP. You could go up to +16m for a total of 28m for 1 more CP )
2f Leaping: +32m (36m total) (Like Running but you only get 4m free) Combat Acceleration (+1/4) (16 x 1.25 = 20 APs)
2f Swinging: 32m Combat Acceleration (+1/4) (16 x 1.25 = 20 AP) You'll have to lose some because of the CA
1f Gliding: 32m Combat Acceleration (+1/4) (16 x 1.25 = 20 AP... the slot cost is 2/2 for the (-1) Gliding limitation

Overall this save 1 point but costs you some distance... but that 1 point could be used to improve Running to +28m and increase the 1f to 2f

Sorry I didn't get to your starter RP. I got working on this and just ran out of time.

Edited April 23 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[Solomon Black]

I always calculated the slots with Combat Acceleration this is what the "All" notation is talking about in the Multipowers, they all have the same modifier spread. Though it should have been a 25 point reserve, the math is all equivalent.

I do have to change Unified Power though since this is ninja magic weeb shite Medusa learned from her mentor.

And just when I was done cooking.