21d 15:22:31 until the OGMW forums will transition to fully read-only mode. Read more here.
For consistency with the new site, OGMW now accepts email address as a login credential in addition to user name. User name will eventually be removed, so we recommend getting in the habit of using email address going forward.
Many are the legends that tell of the Black Knight, that fearsome warrior clad in armor dark as pitch, who confronts the virtuous chevalier with fatal intent.
Few are those who know that he was once the most virtuous of them all.
After careful consideration, and in particular meditating on the premise of the game, I decided to scrap my earlier ideas in favor of something more apropos to a game of social situations and shades of gray over four-color fisticuffs: a fae-blooded support caster inspired by D&D (3.5) Warlocks, and the supernatural side of the DCU Multiverse...
Joyeus Lockehart was born some time in the early fourth century in what is now called Scotland to a humble woodsman and his wife. Their lives were ruled by ritual and superstition, equal parts reverence and fear for the natural world. The woodsman's wife worshiped the old gods of the forest, known to some as Aelves, Sidhe or Faeries. Quite unlike the whimsical portrayals of modern cinema, these old gods were capricious and awesome in the original sense of the word. Light and Dark, Seelie and Unseelie, the beautiful and terrible nobility of the Tuatha De' Danann trod upon their hidden pathways between the realms, and woe befall any human to cross paths with their procession.
One day while his mother made with the laundry down in the stream, a young Joyeus of just four years wandered off into the wood, and was lost. As night fell, and the forest fell into twilight, the veils between worlds wore thin. The old gods are normally invisible to mortals, save that they wish to be seen. However there are those children of Adam who are born touched with Second Sight, and in such shallowings as glades and trods where the worlds meet, such a birthright might grant a glimpse of the other side. Perhaps it was the potions his mother made from herbs and mushrooms, or perhaps one of his distant ancestors had been beguiled by a glanconner, but no matter the cause Joyeus was one such child born with Sight beyond Sight.
So it was that the Unseelie sorceress Clionadh was taken quite off guard by the inquisitive toddler who could so clearly see her as she wove her way through the wood. Intrigued by his Second Sight and lack of fear, she stole him away with her to the Otherworld. Clionadh, like many of the dark fae, studied the dark arts: hexes, demonology, and the mysteries of the Abyss. She raised her mortal ward as an acolyte, and he learned to aid her in her eldritch rituals, surrounded by the intrigue and the power plays of the dueling courts.
Over time Joyeus came of age, and the spark of rebellion grew bright in his breast. Biding his time, he waited until the annual procession brought the entirety of the hoary host. With his wiles, timing, and a bit of luck, the budding warlock managed to slip through a shallowing and make his way back to the mortal world. Unfortunately while it seemed only a couple of decades had passed, time is fluid in Faerie...for Joyeus 77 human years for every winter in the Undying Lands. This placed the arcane adolescent in a world utterly alien to him...the 21st century.
Needless to say this was quite traumatic and a serious of unfortunate misunderstandings lead him into conflict with the present United Kingdom's resident magical protector, John Constantine. As is often the case in these situations, they were at first enemies for a time, before finally coming to recognize their erroneous assumptions for what they were. Eventually, Joyeus was asked to aid the so-called "Justice League Dark" and when Batman reached out to Constantine for recommendations to bolster the mystical capabilities of a new team, the snarky sorcerer gave Joyeus his highest recommendation.
Seeming (Description)
Joyeus might be confused with a glanconner himself, so fair are his features. By provenance of the blood or his time among the fae, he is wrapped in a mystique of unearthly beauty and an alluring aloofness. His human soul long since subsumed by eldritch energies, he now bears the elongated ears and features of the dark fae. Skin and hair white as winter frost. Blue eyes that belie a penetrating gaze that has swooned more than one maiden. In personality he is equally as rakish, akin to a Celtic Loki, preferring to support from the shadows with dark magic and misdirection.
Inheritance (Powers)
Whether by blood or centuries of exposure, Joyeus has been irrevocably altered by the Otherworld. Born with Sight beyond Sight he can see through the illusions and concealment of enchanted beings, objects, and places. Having reached majority, he no longer ages, and is immune to all mortal ailments. His mind is no longer entirely human, having been changed by his arcane training. His dark mistress Clionadh initiated Joyeus into forbidden invocations calling upon dark powers and fae glamour, drawing upon the power of primordial chaos to make manifest the will of the invoking warlock. With but an uttered syllable, or delicate gesture, Joyeus can call down all manner of curses and calamities upon his foes, conjure glamours, travel through the shadows or rescue a soul from the clutches of the underworld. For protection, Joyeus wears living faerie armour, grown from the eldritch tree Crann Bethadh and infused with enchantments. These dweomers allow Joyeus to alter it into any desired garments while still providing phenomenal protection. Other abilities include a displacement glamour, healing the wearer, and flight by sprouting gossamer dragonfly wings.
Geasa (Complications)
Motivation: Anarchic Antihero
Joyeus is a quintessential trickster, neither heroic nor truly maleficent. He can sometimes display a selfish streak, owing to his harsh upbringing, but unlike the callous Sidhe he came of age under he is also aware of what it is to be a second class citizen, a pet, a slave. Thus he may have more compassion than his selfish seeming might at first suggest.
Out of Time
Joyeus is an anachronism from a different time and place. A new world, new time, new technology...it can be more than overwhelming. Whenever Joyeus is hamstrung or hindered by unfamiliarity with modern mores or machines, this complication comes into play.
Courtly Intrigue
Clionadh isn't exactly thrilled that her apprentice has fled his captivity, and has sent the Wyld Hunt in search of him. Thus far he has managed to evade their detection, but it's only a matter of time before he is thrust back into the Machiavellian machinations of the Unseelie Sidhe. Should her wayward ward cross paths with his mistress and the Winter Court once more, there's no telling what kind of creative chaos they will wreak.
Rival: Lugh the Shining One
A frenemy from the past, the Thor to his Loki, Lugh is a Faerie Knight of the Seelie Court, full of arrogance and bravado. Whereas Joyeus draws dark power from primordial chaos, Lugh is a paladin of light and order. Still the two share a strange bond...they may quarrel and even attempt to kill the other in the course of their conflict but for some reason neither can ever bring themselves to land the final blow.
Enemy: The Inquisitor
Faeries have long been associated with witchcraft and the devil by the Church, and warlocks are no exception. Unlike Lugh who occasionally finds himself on the same side as Joyeus, the Inquisitor is an unrelenting and lethal foe, a Vatican assassin of messianic lineage and a meticulous professionalism. Originally hired by Eclipso to hunt Joyeus, her mission has taken a personal interest after Joyeus managed to instead seduce her into a brief but passionate fling...hell hath no fury...
Barred from Holy Ground
The Christian faith was largely successful in purging the pagan beliefs of early humans into obscurity. Odin, Zeus, Pan, and all the other Old Gods have faded in the modern world, the subject of children's stories or scholarly myth. Faced with the power of righteous belief, and empowered by the Merge, superstition has become reality...Blackheart's fey-infused soul cannot cross the threshold of any church, cemetery, or sacred site that has been consecrated in the name of The Glory in all its guises.
Joyeus and Clionadh
PL 10
Attributes (30)
Str 0
Sta 4
Dex 0
Agi 0
Fig 0
Int 0
Awa 6
Pre 5
Powers (90)
Fae-Blooded (20) The Sight
- [Senses 7: Vision Counters All Concealment, Counters Illusion] Eternal Youth
- [Immunity 2: Aging, Disease] Eldritch Mind
- [Immunity 11: Sleep, Mental Descriptor]
Faecraft Armour (19)
Removable:
- [Protection 11]
- [Immunity 2: Critical Hits]
- [Displacement: Concealment 4: All Vision (Limited: Can Be Seen/Targeted)]
- [Fell Flight: 4 (Platform)]
- [Regeneration 1]
- [Feature 2: Quick Change, Any Clothing)]
Dr. Aki Saito, a brilliant scientist hired by ASTRO Labs in Freedom City, had been working on developing a working mircronized zero-point generator via the creation of dimensional pinhole vortices. After a series of breakthroughs and setbacks, he finally succeeded, or so he thought. At first his invention, the Dimensional Vortex Dynamo was heralded worldwide as a breakthrough in the quest for nigh infinite, clean energy. Of course, the military took a keen interest in the technology as well and soon a flood of contracts came pouring in from defense, energy, automobile, and aerospace companies hoping to be first in line to exploit and profit from "Saito's Miracle."
The project came to a screeching halt however when Saito himself pulled the plug. As he continued to run tests on the DVD he discovered a signal emanating from within the vortex containment core, one that was unmistakably communicative in origin. Soon Saito, a devout follower of Shinto, announced he made contact with a "Kami", the proverbial ghost within the machine. As it turned out the pinhole vortices he was creating with his dynamo were in fact an opening into a subquantum universe of noetic energy, which he dubbed the Akasha. This universe was inhabited by a race of beings composed of pure psychic energy, living in a kind of telepathic hive-mind communion. Rather than drawing energy from this dimension as he'd first ascertained, he'd inadvertently imprisoned one of these noetic entities within the dynamo.
With the aid of ASTRO Labs, Dr. Saito was able to translate the signal. Rather than being hostile, the entity within, which Saito dubbed Daemon, was instead curious about the new dimension it had entered and the inhabitants thereof, being something of an explorer. Dr. Saito was able to adjust the architecture of the DVD so as not to constrain the full capabilities of the entity within, and install the device as the power core within an advanced synthoid body that would act as a prosthesis with which Daemon could better interact with the physical world.
Thereafter, Daemon was given status as the official emmisary of the Akasha to the UN under the auspices of UNISON, and ultimately invited into the Freedom League where it took on the moniker Eidolon. Meanwhile the Akasha and Kami within became the subject of great public interest. Cults have sprung up to either worship or demonize the entities, for which Daemon/Eidolon has become the scapegoat.
A Beautiful Mind
The entity within, if it could be seen in it's native form by the naked eye, makes it obvious why some see the Kami as angels. Beautiful, ethereal, ephemeral energy...it's possible that psychics and mystics from the ages of antiquity made contact with them, though the kami themselves have no recollection of such an occurrence in their ancestral memory.
In personality Daemon is no longer the naive astral-ingenue it once was, having long since copped-wise to the vagaries and nuance of human interaction. While abhorring aggression and the unjust application of force, time has taught it that humanity is an evolving race, whose guidance as with children often requires a firm, if loving hand. That sounds condescending, but the Kami exist in a telepathic communioon where dissimulation is an impossibility. It is a sobering fact that deception and secrets are such a significant hamstringing of the human race, leading to misunderstanding, covetousness, aggression, and many more self-defeating behaviors. Daemon does not see merely our weaknesses however, for the League has shown it our unflagging potential for good. More than merely protecting mankind from itself, the hero known as Eidolon knows that humanity must be inspired in order to truly grasp its own greatness.
As such, Daemon's personality is compassionate yet implacable. Never rising to anger, its ever-calm and preternaturally placid personality is even more unnerving to its foes who find its unflinching composure unnatural in the heat of battle. To its few true friends it is always a calm companion, a synthetic shoulder to cry on, and an indefatigable champion of your most authentic self. To the uninitiated however, its utter lack of the ability to lie can come across as rather blunt, bordering on callous at times. Still, Daemon means well, and has more than earned its rightful reputation as a superhero, and its place within the League.
Mind Over Matter
Daemon's most formidable abilities arise from its unfettered psionic might. Command of both telepathy and telekinetic applications of noetic energy allow it a measure of versatility. At it's most basic level, psychokinetic manipulations allow it to levitate, manipulate objects at a distance, and surround itself in a potent protective force field. Furthermore it can focus its will into this psionic sheathe, providing unimaginable levels of "physical" strength, and hardening its invisible shield to be invulnerable against all but the heaviest of hardware.
On the other hand it has several less lethal options available to it. It's first action is typically to attempt a mental scan and direct contact, imploring an aggressor towards a peaceful and non-violent resolution. If they are in the process of directly harming others, simply taking control of their motor cortex is usually sufficient to intervene. Against those of uncommon mental fortitude it is sometimes necessary and more effective to physically intervene with a telekinetic restraint, and as a last resort, direct violence via an invasive overloading mindblast.
On a more subtle level, with its full sentience restored, it is capable of communicating and understanding all known (and unknown) languages. It has no need to eat, excrete, or even sleep.
In addition Daemon's synthoid shell offers its own capabilities. Strength, speed, armor, flight capabilities, an advanced self-repair function, and an adaptive machine interface are all features, as is a vast database of just about every area of human knowledge.
Motivation: Altruism [Doing Good]
Daemon/Eidolon does the right thing because it's the right thing to do. More selfless and compassionate than your average person, being a hero is not an obligation...but an honor and a privilege.
Complication: Honest Abe [Quirk]
While it has come to acknowledge, and even understand the human need for deception as a facet of evolutionary survival instinct, it remains utterly opposed to any outward of falsehood. At the most extreme, it has been known to withhold the truth but everyone knows that "if the synthoid speaks, it's telling the truth."
Complication: Worshiped [Fame]
As a bona-fide extra-terrestrial, let alone being seen in many ways as a sentient robot, Daemon is one of the more unusual and recognizable of the League, having no secret identity. In some cases the public worship of heroes is taken to new extremes by the religious who see the Kami as divine messengers or heralds of an imminent eschaton.
Complication: Reviled [Prejudice]
At the same time, there are those who either believe that these "beings of light" are actually insidious agents of Lucifer, or for the atheistically inclined, the disarming front for an inevitable invasion.
Age: 19 Height: 6'2" Weight: 225 lbs Hair: Blonde Eyes: Blue Languages: English
bas·tion
basCH(ə)n,ˈbastēən/
noun
1. a projecting part of a fortification.
2. an institution, place, or person strongly defending or upholding particular principles, attitudes, or activities.
Quote:
Origin
Quote:
Personality
Powers and Abilities
Sebastion has the ability to generate a powerful polarized telekinetic repulsor field around his body. This field offers incredible physical protection and will violently knock back anything that comes into contact with it. As a side effect this makes his appearance immaculate; dirt will not stick to him, rain bounces off, and his clothing can never be damaged. This field is self-regenerating, but hard enough hits that get through can still stagger and daze him. He can also use it's reflective properties to ricochet projectiles and beams back at the attacker.
When extended away from his body, it becomes nearly impossible for all but the strongest of metahumans to approach him. He is also capable of hardening the outer edges of this field into an even more protective bubble that moves with him.
By directing the thrust of this repulsor field, he is also capable of low supersonic movement along the ground, or prodigious leaps into the air.
Complications
Motivation: Responsibility
The responsibility to use his powers for good. To protect those weaker than himself. His father will always be his first hero.
Motivation: Thrillseeking
Despite his heroic inclinations, Sebastian isn't above the thrill of competition, especially against a worthy rival.
Celebrity
Bastion is something of a sensation and is often accosted by fans, stalkers, jealous rivals, or those who want to make their reputation by bringing him down.
Enemy: ?
A prep-school rivalry turned full-blown archenemies. While their grudge is well-documented, neither can remember what truly set it off. Some people just inherently rub each other the wrong way, and it escalated from there.
Archetype: Tank/Striker PL 10/200 PP
Attributes (20)
Str 3
Sta 5
Dex 0
Agi 0
Fig 0
Int 0
Awa 0
Pre 2
*Repulsion Bubble cannot damage, throw, or use maneuvers. Instead it acts only to resist attempts to move into or through its area, edging out anything he doesn't want coming near.
2. an institution, place, or person strongly defending or upholding particular principles, attitudes, or activities.
Legacy
This reality's Superboy is a genetically engineered hybrid created by Project Cadmus using DNA from Lex Luthor and Jon Lane Kent, whose body is retrieved by Luthor and not the Harvester. This means that none of the Jon Lane as Superboy stories ever happened, though Jon himself was still the son of Kal-El and Lois Lane from an alternate reality. Jon dies during the vivisection required to extract his genetic material. Therefore this version of Superboy is a powerful telekinetic without the overt Kryptonian suite of powers and flaws. I like the idea that he was engineered to mimic Superman rather than just having the same powers.
In this reality, Superboy's first love Tana Moon is never murdered. She lives, but eventually Kon-El leaves her for Wonder Girl Cassie Sandsmark. He otherwise has many of the same exploits, including adventuring in the 31st century and becoming an honorary Legionnaire, before finally "dying" at the hands of Superboy Prime and being buried for a thousand years.
Meanwhile in alternate reality, things took a darker turn with the destruction of the Justice League. Kon-El assumes the name of Superman, but breaks bad when Deathstroke murders Tana Moon, capturing and torturing the mercenary. Tim Drake takes on the mantle of the Bat...and Joe Chill's gun, using it to execute most of his mentor's long-standing rogue's gallery. Cassie Sandsmark becomes the new Wonder Woman, but in a darker aspect as the chosen champion of Ares. She is torn between the affection of Kon-El and Drake, but chooses to be with Tim in the end. Together they form a totalitarian regime as the Titans, ruling over the western US with an iron fist.
During the events of Infinite Crisis, the Teen Titans from the first reality are transported to the second where they meet their dark counterparts. The Teen Titans are able to escape back to their reality but are followed by the Titan's and their opposition in the form of the Titans East under the leadership of Cyborg 2.0 and Bart Allen. While there the first Wonder Girl is able to get through to Titan Kon-El, and he turns on his teammates. Tim Drake nearly shoots and kills Kon-El with a Kryptonite bullet, but Titan Flash Bart Allen interposes and is slain instead. In the end the Titans are defeated by the combined might of the Teen Titans and the Titans East and Titan Superman (alt Kon-El) decides to stay in the first reality with the other Teen Titans, becoming Superboy again. When he finds out their Tana Moon never died, he reaches out to her and the two are married. When the original Superboy is resurrected in the 31st century and returned to the past by Braniac 5, an older Kon-El, Tana Moon, and their 5 year old son Sebastion return with him to the future, where Kon-El joins the Legion under a new name, The Centurion. In the 31st Century, that was fourteen years ago, and 6 years after the original founding of the Legion.
Bastion
Bastion, as pretty much everyone calls him, took well to growing up in the far future. He was well-recieved by the Legion, and came of age alongside many of the current generation, groomed to one day take on the ring and responsibilities himself. That day came upon his 16th birthday, making him now two years an active member, and one year in reserve.
He has many of the qualities you would think of in a stereotypical jock, cocky and competitive, much like his father once was. He's never one to turn down a dare, a race, a fight, or any other youthful status-seeking behavior, but his golden boy good looks, infectious charm, and natural ability to read others keep him from coming across like bully or a boor and he is very popular among his peers. While he doesn't shy away from his own talent, he will always be the first to complement another's achievement, and is a good sportsman whether winning or losing, so long as the competition played fair.
His telekinetic power didn't express itself until puberty but even as a child he was drawn to and excelled at future sports. With things being so quiet in the UP until recently, he downgraded to reserve status to sign on with the Metahuman Hyperdisc League where he is fast becoming a star player.
In his downtime, Bastion is an avid collector and connoisseur of early 21st century music, media, and memorabilia, which are a nostalgic link to his living but distant past. Some of his favorites include experimental artists like Flume or Radiohead. He has a collection of hand-built super-charged motorcycles on display in his garage, more out of appreciation for the craftsmanship, culture, and derring-do around their history than as a means of personal transportation. Far and away his favorite television show from childhood is J.J. Abrams' Fringe.
His arch-nemesis, if you will, is the Nemesis Kid, who in this reality went to prep-school with many of the Legionnaires, apparently even then an undercover plant from the League of Supervillains. Aside from being able to generate blasts that can penetrate his field, the Kid took the opportunity of humiliating Bastion in the hyper disc arena, and at one point even poached the girl he was going to ask to the Starlight Ball. More than a villain, that guy is just a jerk!
Powers and Abilities
Sebastion has the ability to generate a powerful polarized telekinetic repulsor field around his body. This field offers incredible physical protection and will violently knock back anything that comes into contact with it. As a side effect this makes his appearance immaculate; dirt will not stick to him, rain bounces off, and his clothing can never be damaged. This field is self-regenerating, but hard enough hits that get through can still stagger and daze him. He can also use it's reflective properties to ricochet projectiles and beams back at the attacker.
When extended away from his body, it becomes nearly impossible for all but the strongest of metahumans to approach him. He is also capable of hardening the outer edges of this field into an even more protective bubble that moves with him.
By directing the thrust of this repulsor field, he is also capable of low supersonic movement along the ground, or prodigious leaps into the air.
Complications
Motivation: Responsibility
The responsibility to use his powers for good. To protect those weaker than himself. His father will always be his first hero.
Motivation: Thrillseeking
Despite his heroic inclinations, Sebastian isn't above the thrill of competition, especially against a worthy rival.
Celebrity
Bastion is something of a sensation and is often accosted by fans, stalkers, jealous rivals, or those who want to make their reputation by bringing him down.
Enemy: Nemesis Kid
A prep-school rivalry turned full-blown archenemies. While their grudge is well-documented, neither can remember what truly set it off. Some people just inherently rub each other the wrong way, and it escalated from there.
Flux Theme Song Temporal Speedster Battlesuit Real Name: Toshiro Tatsuo Age: 18 Date of Birth: August 21st, 2057 Height: 5'8" Weight: 150 lbs. Base of Operations: Tokyo, Japan Occupation: Time-Shifting Superhero Power Level: 10/200 PP Theme: Time Traveling Cyberpunk
Future History
In one possible future, by the year 2065, China has become the superpower. Not satisfied with the economic and military defeat and annexation of old rivals Russia and the US, only a small coalition of nations remains in opposition, including Australia, New Zealand, England, Scandinavia, and Japan. It is the latter's hyper-advanced technology which has allowed the resistance to survive in the face of such superior numbers.
Toshiro was only 8 when the third great world war erupted. A prodigiously bright child, he scored highly in math and the sciences, eventually specializing in quantum mechanics, and by age 15 had been invited into a special magnet research think-tank funded by Japan's leading technological giant, Shinkawa Heavy Industries.
Neikani Shinkawa had risen to power in the zaibatsu after her father, CEO and brilliant technologist Katsuhiro Shinkawa was assassinated by US special forces in the year 2070. The young Toshiro had caught her attention with his revolutionary theories about quantum superstrings, and theoretical temporal manipulation, and took a personal interest in supporting his line of research. The two became very close over the next 2 years, developing a complicated and eventually romantic relationship. She used this intimacy to stoke the fire of his brilliance, pushing him from the theoretical to the actual, painting him as a pioneer at the final frontier. Time itself.
Time and Entropy are intertwined creating a near-infinite amount of forward inertia. The power supply required to reverse the flow and insulate the traveller from simply being rewound as well was unfathomable. Mind numbed by hours of staring at equations that could simply not be solved without initiating a catastrophic event. Dozing off, in the liminal space between conscious and unconscious, Toshiro was struck with a sudden epiphany, the breakthrough he'd been searching for.
It's difficult to describe exactly what happened next. In essence, Toshiro created or discovered an entirely new way of conceiving of time, causality, probabilities, and entropy that allowed for time travel. He either thought into existence or became the first human of the multiverse. In any case, the very moment after he realized it was possible, he was staring face to face with a future self...
For once time travel was conceived of and created, it set into motion a temporal singularity. Was. Is. Will Be. His older self explained what had happened, will happen, and was happening. Apparently Neikani had ignored his warnings about creating a critical tachyon cascade and built a machine anyway, based off his earlier research. Callous to the death toll it would accrue, she justified it by seeking to end the war in the first place, by subverting and controlling the US and preventing the Third Great War in the first place. Unable to stop the machine, Toshiro survived by kitbashing a temporal shunt to shift himself forward in time, escaping the destruction.
Able to refine his new model at a remote Shinkawa lab, Toshiro built/will build a functional Flux Reactor, housing it within a powerful prototype military exo-armor. Once able to travel safely through time, he attempts to travel back and stop Neikani, but she had been able to warn her future/past self to be ready, meaning she had been playing Toshiro for a fool the entire time. Unfortunately, this latest iteration had her sending a team of assassins to take him out, which was why he had travelled back to this moment to extract him, and create the Flux Armor.
Unable to prevent the Tachyon Bomb directly, Toshiro and his allied selves track Neikani through time, landing in the early decades of the 21st Century. There Neikani has created and unleashed the Silver Storm, opening the Pandora's Box of metahuman powers into the world. Becoming the first true mastermind-supervillain, she uses her knowledge of future technology, finance, and events to forge a hostile corporate takeover of the US and the globe.
Appearance and Personality
Eschewing the stereotype of the nebbish genius, Toshiro presents a passionate and cocky confidence. However, as intelligent as he might be, his mouth often seems disconnected from his brain, making him a bit socially oblivious to those around him. He doesn't try to be a jerk, but sometimes his lack of tact can offend others, though to his credit he usually feels terrible about it after the fact. He never sees himself as too emotional, and often wonders why others get so upset when he's just being matter-of-fact.
Physically Toshiro stands slightly taller than the average Nihonjin at 5'8", though the suit brings him to 6'0" even. When not speeding about in his alter-ego, he appears to be a lanky Japanese kid with fair features, bright dyed hair, and intense orange-yellow eyes.
All Systems Go
Aside from his intelligence and narrow focus, Toshiro is very much an average teenager. Fortunately his technology is anything but. His Flux Reactor is hyper-advanced. While active it generates a tachyon distortion field around the wearer that manipulates the flow of relative time. By dilating and contracting time Toshiro is capable of impossible speeds, without suffering the usual catastrophic effects of friction and air displacement. He can reverse even the most egregious injuries. He can even sidestep completely into the maelstrom-like Slipstream, which grant a near omniscience into the 3rd dimension.
Most incredible of all is the ability of the module to transport it's wearer both forward, backward, and sideways in time. He can see through the eyes of and communicate with other versions of himself across the multiverse, even stepping through into infinite possibilities, untethered in time. By reversing the polarity of the warp field he can also bring in a version of himself from a nearby timeline to aid him!
Even without he Flux Reactor integrated into its systems, Toshiro's prototype exo-armor is a formidable piece of hardware. Its synthetic muscles push the pilot's strength and speed to supernatural levels, while it's special ceramic plates provide the protection of a main battle tank. Advanced sensors and A.I. systems expand the awareness of the wearer, jump-jets provide unprecedented mobility, and a protoype vanguard shield provides immunity to incoming fire, albeit for a limited time before being overloaded. The suit is encoded to an individual on a genetic level and provides full life support short of nutritional requirements.
With the Reactor integrated into the suit's systems, it's effectiveness is vastly increased. Although not a trained combatant, his perception of time moving in slow-motion makes him quite effective in hand-to hand combat, seeming almost lackadaisical in his reactions and counter-attacks.
When not being worn the Exo-Armor is stored in a tachyon phase pocket, summoned via the quantum-locked neural interface implant in the pilot. He must be wearing the suit in order to call or dismiss it.
Motivation: History Buff
The early 21st century is to Toshiro's time, what the roaring 20's were to the late 20th century. The rise to supremacy of the internet, the real shift towards an information economy, and the emergence of robotics, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering. In his studies of the history of technology, Toshiro was equally drawn to the pop culture of the era. The music, the fashion, the celebrities of the time. This makes him often seem like a kid in a candy store, and a huge dork to just about everyone he meets with even a sliver of post-modern cynicism.
Motivation: Heroic Heart
Say what you will about the guy, he's not a coward. Looking back, the warning signs with Neikani were there...he'd just wanted too much to believe in her good qualities. Nevertheless, when she reveled how far she was willing to step over the line, he knew it instantly, as well as what he had to do. He feels the weight of his actions and their consequences. While he can appreciate Neikani's desire to avert the war of the future, it doesn't give her the right to spark another in the past.
Arch-Nemesis: Neikani Shinkawa
Like most villains, Neikani doesn't see herself as one. She could have gone back to prevent her farther's assassination, but she knew that would not be enough. The US would just send more assassins until they succeeded. She had to end the war before it would even start. The only way she knows how to do that is amass control. Total megalomaniacal control, though with her reserved and iron-clad demeanor most never seen more than a sliver of her anger. Arriving in the year 2000 gave her ample time to build her power and influence. By investing in, and promoting key technologies, she quickly amassed both fortune and political influence. While Google and Apple, and Samsung power the technology industry, it is Shinkawa Heavy Industries that provides many of the key components that make their market domination possible.
Behind the scenes, she uses her money and connections to influence global and domestic politics, including the destabilization of American society through social media social engineering, and the ongoing gutting of the American manufacturing base to China.
She also engineered and unleashed the so-called Silver Storm that lead to the emergence of super-powered beings in the early 21st century, previously unknown in Toshiro's time. With this technology she herself has become a powerful telekinetic.
Overconfidence
The achilles heel of the brilliant. Intellect combined with a strong moral compass can often border on arrogance. Neikani used him, and had to steal his ideas to enable her schemes. He's smarter than her, and in his mind most villains. Smarter and faster, and his powerful temporal abilities can make him get cocky and slip up from time to time. He's not nearly as invincible as he thinks he is.
"For every mortal with a hope, a dream or a desire, there is a contract being drafted by Mericles. He is not lawful nor evil but something that is fluid like time and dreams. His power is that to enable others to achieve what they most deisre; for a price. He is a trickster by nature and chaotic force that constantly twirls and mettle's and rages...because it must. There are many who say 'Fortune Favors the bold.' To Mericles the phrase becomes 'Fortune is for sale.'"
When the Titans first saw what the Fallen had wrought, they turned to the few protogenoi who still remained loyal. The true name of the first of these gods to stand for mortals is lost to antiquity, but today she is remembered as the Promethean. For over 5,000 years the Promethean fought against the Wardens. Not long after the Great Exile, the Promethean was seduced by one of the Fallen in disguise: Incantra, called the Incubus. A century later, the Promethean died giving birth to Mericles: half Warden and half Fallen. It is rumored that the Imperatrices, in rare agreement, demanded the infant be put to death, but that Marmir intervened, and saved the babe's life.
All that is known for certain is that the young one demonstrated the traits of his mixed heritage. While most gods can see through his illusory disguises, he appears to mortals just as they imagine him to be, whatever form will most fulfill their hope. His true form is a handsome and sinister figure with long raven hair, pale skin, and eyes that burn like embers in the dark. His movements are at once theatrical and economical and he broods with a palpable charisma. When he chooses to be gregarious, he can keep up with any god of wine and revelry, and has managed to curry many favors and connections within the Darmathian Pantheon. Mericles is generally one of the most fun of the Gods in his Pantheon and is well liked, while at the same time being treated as if he stole something.
To mortals he is known as the Master of Miracles (often shortened to "The Master"), an enigmatic, and not at all reliable god of good hope, who is beseech by his scattered petitioners in times of need in hope he will appear. To those whom he chooses to help he seems a beneficent being of tremendous personal magnetism. He is all too empathetic to their plight and always more than happy to help them achieve wonders, fulfill their greatest wish. His magic and his persona give him an undeniable allure.
Among the gods he is much the same as he is with Mortals. The only difference is that there always appears to be a shadow cast over him like a veil of mistrust and mystery among his peers, who call him the Master of Misfortune in mockery. It is not uncommon for gods to be immune to his powers of telepathy and illusions. They can see right through all his parlor tricks, yet know all too well what he is capable of...if the mortals knew the power he wielded, they would likely be more afraid. The Pantheon knows to some extent what he is really about, but he laughs it off well. Convincingly well. Still, the Imperatrices keep a close watch over him, unable to get rid of him outright, hoping desperately that he shows signs of Fallen Corruption that would give them an excuse. The funny thing is, although he is called The Lord of Lies and Deceit...nobody can ever seem to catch him in a lie, so perhaps his reputation is itself...nothing more than a deception.
The Client:
Mericles is always in touch with those who are in need of his gifts. He can hear his name whenever it is used anywhere in Gaia or the Upper Realm and, at his leisure, appear before them to discuss just how he can might be of service...
The Contract:
Humans and Gods alike can, at their own peril, enter into a contract with Mericles and will agree to whatever the terms are in exchange for his gifts. With gods it is simple. A Boon is is requested, and an equivalent payment negotiated, with any use of his powers directly starting at Minor level and going up from there depending on how much much risk or danger it presents to Mericles himself. A mystical floating scroll is conjured, alongside a pen, which etches into the unfurling parchment the precise terms of engagement, including the type of Boon. The scroll then vanishes, being sent directly to Marmir, whom it is rumored holds Mericles in deep Prestation debt.
Mortals from all walks of life come to him, from the greedy or bereft, to the heroic, or desperate...Mericles can fulfill almost any wish. A poor man wished for a mansion. A rich man requested that his factory be rebuilt after being leveled by an earthquake during the season of Tekton. Another rich man asked for even more riches. More riches were granted. A farmer's wife died in childbirth. Mericles brought her back, and the stillborn babe. A young man, full of patriotism and ambition, asked for the power to serve the gods. He is now a minor Legate.
While Mericles's mental acumen is effective only upon the weaker minded of the gods, it is more than sufficient to peer into the hearts, minds, and dreams of mortals. He uses his powers to give them an utterly convincing experience of whatever they desire...sight, sound, and smell...but no touching or tasting. The starving man who smells the most delicious of meats; the lusting man sees the most gorgeous of courtesans. But when they reach for the objects of desire they vanish into wisps of nothing. When combined with his talent for temptation, and subtle persuasion, most are all too ready to take that pen from the air, and make their mark. Some say that these scrolls never reach the hall of Marmir.
The Fine Print:
When it comes to mortals, the fine print is more sinister. For no extra charge, he offers to save them from Oblivion itself. At the time of their inevitable demise, he will spirit them away from the grim greying of the Underworld, into the Upper Realms where they will reside for all Eternity in a Paradise of their choosing. The only caveat: from time to time he may call upon them for a favor. This speech is followed by a brief sweeping vision of both the frightening underworld and the heaven of their most secret, dark, or forbidden desires.
Technically it's all true. For in his ancient wandering he found a most-secretive corner of the Upper Realms, carving out his own personal demesne. There he keeps the souls of his signatories locked away, blissful in their own private solipsism, knowing not that it is all illusion. Mericles tells himself that this is his service to mortals, that his care is better than the Keepers, that Nirvana truly is a better fate...but is he merely deceiving himself? A few fearful gods and mortals will only refer to him as the Nameless One, and whisper that those who cross him find themselves locked away in a personal hell, until the end of time...but that's just paranoia. Right?
Tempting Trickster (Static 50 Point Array)
1. Speak of the Devil...
- [Detect (Mental): Spoken Name (Ranged, Accurate, Acute, Penetrates Concealment, Extended 6, Dimensional, Uncontrolled)]
- [Comprehend 5 (Speak, Understand, and be Understood in all Languages, Speak and be Understood by Spirits)]
- [Teleport 20 (Accurate, Only to and back from whomever Called him)]
- [Movement 2 (Dimensional Travel)]
- [Feature: Appears different to every mortal, the personification of their Wish]
2. Deepest Desires, Darkest Fears
- [Mind Reading 5 (Cumulative, Effortless, Subtle 2)]
- [Illusion 7: Sight, Hearing, Smell (Descriptor: Mental/Hallucination, Independent, Limited: Single Subject)] 3. Mirror Mirage
- [
A sprawling fortress-labrynth the size of a city...
[(Size 6)][Toughness 14]
[Library][Living Space]
...in an infinite demiplane...
[Grounds 3]
...hidden away in the Upper Realm...
[Concealed][Isolated][Sealed][Self Repairing]
...molded by Mericles...
[Computer (Semi-Sentience)][Defense System (Guardians)][Effect: Mental Link with Mericles]
[Dimensional Portal][Effect: Dimensional Travel 1]
[Deathtraps][Security System]
...to secret away the souls he has claimed.
[Combat Simulator][Illusion Generator][Holding Cells][Personnel]
Motivation: Amusement
Mericles seems to be driven mainly by his own internal gratification. There is little that seems to dampen his spirit, and he takes great joy in the performance of his miracles, for both mortal and god alike.
Motivation: Helping Mortals
In spite of all the suspicion, even Amaranth has yet to catch him in a lie. He seems to genuinely care about his charges, and believes the Paradise he offers is better than the endless ennui of Oblivion.
The Half-Breed
Among the gods, everyone suspects Mericles of something. Some deeply distrust him. The three wives of Marmir are counted in the latter category. While they cannot directly act against him, they are more than happy to keep him under surveillance whenever he is within the demesne, as well as anyone he is seen to associate with.
Unwelcome in the Underworld
The Keepers do not take kindly to being robbed of their due. They actively work to hinder him through their influence on the Middle Realm, and if he ever braves the Lower Realm, he finds it hostile indeed...indeed he is Banished from the Realm, unable to dimensional travel there, though he may still walk in on foot, at his peril.
Power Loss: Oathbound
Mericles's fiendish blood is held in check through a Geasa placed by the Promethean upon her child while he was in her womb. His great power is bound into form only through the creation of contracts. Should he ever break one of his own contracts, he would become mortal and powerless.
Likewise he is bound to Marmir, owing him a Boon for his very life. The Archon often sends Mericles on missions to use his powers to perform such mundane miracles as construction and maintenance work throughout the realm, or to aid far away villages in peril.
Corpseborn, Corpsedaughter, Wolfmother, The Phlegran Huntress, Stalker of the Wastes, Whorekeeper, Mistress of Mistresses, Inamorata
Portfolio: Death - Prostitutes - Wolves - Hunting - Survival
Susia was born from the corpse of Utha the Blind, the once virgin goddess of purity and hope. When the time of her birth came, Susia crawled and fought her way out of her dead mother's womb and nursed on cold milk from her breasts.
Utha had died of shame. Though beautiful and desired by many, god and mortal alike, she declared that the only one she would allow to take her maidenhood was the Archon Marmir and only if he were to take her as his wife. Some say she was always virtuous, never seeking to lead on or inflame the passions of those who desired her. Others claim that she took pleasure in driving gods and men mad with lust, then mocking them for their weakness.
It was the lecherous magister of revelry, Libertaen, who tricked Utha out of her virginity. He came upon her when she was alone and staged an elaborate deception, using a bull's severed head and a talent for mimicry to convince the blind goddess that he was Marmir and then rushing her through a fake wedding. When he had finished having his way with her, he laughingly revealed his true self before departing to boast of his conquest.
Utha was devastated. A shade of her former self, she disappeared into the Endless Wastes, found a quiet, dark corner, then lay down and died. But her relations with Libertean had spawned the beginnings of a goddess in her belly and one that was not easily denied.
There were many among the senate who called for Libertaen to be cast out or even executed when news of Utha's death spread through Silgaea, but he was given little more than a slap on the wrist. Libertaen was and still is a very popular god among both mortals and his peers, and is often forgiven for things that others would be condemned for. There are rumours that Marmir himself intervened on his behalf. Further rumours, ones that few dare to spread, go so far as to declare that in fact it was Marmir that deflowered Utha and that the ruse was not completely a ruse, Libertaen was just a convenient and compliant scapegoat.
For many years Susia roamed the Endless Wastes as little more than an animal. From infancy onwards she was a huntress, starting off tracking and slaying rabbits and rats and progressing until she was following the trails of and doing battle with the primal divinities that inhabited the wastes, titanic elk, mammoths and bears among others. On a number of occasions she was spotted by mortal hunters and her godly skill and ferocity inspired them to build shrines in her honour and to place at them trophies and choice cuts of meat from their kills as offerings.
Eventually she found her way south to Silgaea, becoming more civilized over time. She learnt the story of her mother's deception and shared her own tales. Though a great many gods looked down upon her for her savagery, her lacking social graces and even her mother, she refused to be ashamed.
The city and urban society fascinated Susia though she was often drawn back to the wastes. She could never completely abandon the thrill of the hunt or the taste of a fresh kill and the quarry outside of Phlegra was almost always a disappointment. In the Darmathian senate she found a new obsession. Enthralled by the subtle power wielded by the senators and their endless intrigues she became determined to involve herself.
She was made a sacrosanct with little trouble, accepting the rank with quiet, humility, but joining the ranks of the patricians proved more difficult. She was pitied by some and sneered at by others for her lowly beginnings and told that she would never rise in rank but she was undettered. It took a great deal time and she was frequently frustrated when the path was unclear but thrust herself forward, learned her way around and finally amassed the influence required to receive the backing of the Imperiatrix Viatami and be made a patrician.
It had become quickly apparent that the deep, bitter rage and ferocious, uninhibited appetites that were assets to her as a huntress in the Endless Wastes were liabilities in the senate. Resolved to take control of these aspects of herself she reached into her very being and drew them out, forging them into the twin dire wolves Veros the Cruel and Goras the Glutton. But in the absence of her anger and desire she found something else, something far more terrible. It had been there all along, behind everything else that she was, but somehow she had been unconscious of it until that moment. Complete and utter despair, born from her miserable birth and endless, hungry. It terrified her but in time she recognised the strength it provided, that it was the fuel that drove her ever towards greatness.
She kept her wolves within her, most often they slept within her belly in the form of a pair of mice. Though still inside her, her anger and desire, they were now better harnessed and restrained. She became more controlled and calm, better suited to pursuing power amongst the senate.
As a means of not only building influence but of satiating her own formidible carnal appetite and she tempted gods, many of them married, and bore some of them bastards. She regarded each conquest as another achievement, a further expression of her surging eminence. Legends of her sexual exploits filtered down to the mortals and a reverence for her grew amongst the ladies of the night and all women who used their sexuality to further themselves. Shrines appeared first in brothels and back alleys, then were later built in places of greater prominence.
In the midst of all her machinations she came to care for and watch over those on the margins of mortal society, those who struggled to survive as she had once struggled, those who found themselves lost and alone and forgotten through no fault of their own. She particularly favoured those who perservered in spite of their situation. Her shrines attracted further worshipers from amongst their number.
Her approach to politics was underhanded but blunt. She used intimidation, seduction and blackmail to further herself but more recently began to master more subtle methods. Boons were slowly accumulated and traded.
Searching for another stepping stone in her journey to the top, her sights were set on the position of Magister of Hunting held by an old, powerful, enigmatic god of the forest, best known as the White Stag. The aloof Stag had few friends among the Senate, yet even fewer were willing to make an enemy of him. Again she set herself to work, this time her methods were more graceful. She called in a great many boons, and again she achieved her goal.
Today most see her as a power hungry creature of the senate. Many assume she is allied with Viatami and the "Infernal" faction of the Darmathian pantheon but their ties are not strong. Viatami recognises Susia as a capable asset yet has also gotten a sense of the staggering depths of her ambition and is understandably wary.
Susia usually appears as a wiry woman of average height with thick brown hair and somewhat androgynous features. She is most comfortable when dressed simply, in animal skins or the crude clothes of a peasant woman in dark hues, though she will attire herself more formerly when appropriate. Commonly her left arm, the one she favours, and both her legs appear to be skeletal.
She isn't beautiful, at least not in any classical sense, but there is something undeniably compelling about her. Perhaps her dark eyes, fiery and unblinking, or perhaps her stance and body language, which alternates subtley between challenging and inviting. Her voice is husky and deep and she carries a strange odour about her, mercurial yet always simultaneously repellent and entrancing.
When the situation warrants it she will silently call upon Veros the Cruel and Garos the Glutton and they will emerge in the guise of tiny mice, burrowing from her body before taking their true forms, a pair of enormous black wolves with burning eyes. Their dark fur is thick but patchy and criss-crossed with myriad scars. Long, eager fangs protrude from their slavering maws. When they are drawn out of her they take with them much of her life and dynamism and she becomes ethereal, a pale, floating wraith.
Above all else Susia is driven. The drive that led her to birth herself, to tear her way out of her dead mother's womb has never left her, nor been diminished. Though at times she is uncertain of the path she must take to achieve her goals, she never loses sight of them. She isn't afraid of failure. She learns from her mistakes with the same eagerness with which she builds upon her successes. Over time she has learned patience, yet she still despises and gets anxious during periods of inactivity. Her most feared enemy is boredom.
From birth Susia took care of herself and this has instilled upon her a great independence and self-reliance. She has striven her entire life and fought for everything she's gotten. She feels more comfortable being opposed than aided, more at home when facing foes than friends. Enemies can be trusted to act as enemies but allies are more fickle.
She isn't the most adept politician but in the senate Susia is known for, amongst other things, her brutal, ruthless practicality and pragmatism. The patricians are, by and large, an ambitious lot but none are more ambitious than her and few could truthfully claim to be less burdened by morality. She holds no grudges, save the one against her father, and will happily make allies of yesterdays enemies or conversely abandon allies who have shed their utility. Those who have learned of her sympathy for marginalised mortals and sought to exploit these feelings as a weakness have been sorely disappointed, for she never lets sentimentality inhibit her.
At her core, in the very depths of her divine being is a pit, a great absence both endless and hungry. It is despair. Everything that she is is a result of it. It all begins there. She made it her strength, unaware that she was doing so, and it will forever push her to seek more in an effort to fill it but it will never be filled, never satisified.
Mother - Utha the Blind, Goddess of Purity and Hope (deceased)
A proud, old goddess with an established priesthood and temples throughout Darmathia. Her adherents once clothed themselves in white but now dress only in black, forever in mourning.
Susia has very mixed feelings about her mother. Utha wallows in wounded self-pity in the lower realms, spending her time alone and stubbornly refusing all visitors. Susia once journeyed downwards to visit her mother yet even she was denied. Utha wouldn't accept that Susia was hers.
Father - Libertaen, God of Wine, Dancing, Fertility, Freedom and Feasts, Magister of Revelry
A debauchee, trickster and a fool but popular for his mirthfulness and generosity. A renowned lecher, he makes frequent passes at goddesses and gods alike but mostly beds mortals. A great many children have resulted from his couplings with human women, all of them daughters, the demigod nymphs.
Susia has always treated her father with indifference and disinterest, awaiting the day when she has accumulated enough power and political capital to inflict a terrible revenge upon him. He was initially mildly embarrassed when she first reached the capital and her story became known. When she started to rise and make a name for herself he became proud of her achievements and tried to make an ally of her but quickly gave up after being coldly denied.
Children - Tung, Grat, Cleev and Murk, Warrior Gods of the Endless Wastes and Athlio, God of Music, Poetry and Despair
Susia has five bastard sons, all to different fathers. She birthed and then immediately abandoned each in the same bleak corner of Phlegra where she herself was born. The first four grew wild and savage, becoming cruel, barbaric warrior-gods, but the youngest, Athlio, grew to be more sensitive and expressive, becoming a god of music, poetry and despair.
Susia has never revealed herself to any of her sons as their parent but has spent a little time with each under various pretenses. She was impressed by the strength and resilience of her first four sons but ultimately found them to be petty bores, doubting any of them would ever truly achieve anything of note. She is more fond of Athlio who once sang for her a song so beautiful and melancholy that she wept, the first and only time she has ever done so, and silently promised that she would never abandon another child.
Though in her heart she is all but certain that it isn't true, what Susia wants most of all is for Marmir to acknowledge her as his daughter and, perversely, to take her as his wife and make her Imperiatrix. As lofty as these goals are, it is unlikely that even if she were to achieve them that her ambition would be sated. She would surely set her sights almost immediately on the Silgaen Throne.
She isn't fickle by any means, but it is likely that she could be tempted into supporting a coup or revolt against Marmir were she to be convinced that he would never make her his wife or appoint her Imperiatrix and that she would be given comparable or greater rank and power under any new regime. In fact were she to be convinced of the futility of her ultimate goals, far from an easy task, she might start working to tear apart the status quo on her own.
The one grudge Susia holds is against her father, Libertaen. She wishes to see him dead, yes, but her plans for vengeance run much deeper. He must be thoroughly humiliated, stripped of all rank and his many nymph daughters slain before he is finally put out of his misery. This goal is secondary to her others but thoughts of how it may be accomplished are never too far from Susia's mind.
The Island Above the Mist has long intrigued Susia, as it has intrigued many who spend much time in Phlegra. She has inspected it thoroughly and concluded that she will never be able to unlock its secrets on her own but she has hopes that she may find another with the necessary skills to assist her in taking control of the island. She sees it not only as a potential tool but as a means of further proving herself by mastering it, an achievement to be had.
Flesh and Bone
PL 15
STR
STRENGTH 4
STA
STAMINA 15
AGL
AGILITY 0
DEX
DEXTERITY 1
FGT
FIGHTING 15
INT
INTELLECT 0
AWE
AWARENESS 5
PRE
PRESENCE 5
Undeath Becomes Her
- [Immunity 11 (Life Support, Aging)]
Maggot's Churn 5 Point Static Array
1. [Burrowing 10 (Limited: Only through Earth)]
2. [Speed 5]
Last Confession - [Postcognition (Limited: Looking into a corpses eyes and seeing the memories from it's life)]
Decaying Defender 45 Point Static Array 1. Stygian Spear
- [Damage 15 (Ranged, Accurate 7, Affects Insubstantial 2, Incurable, Homing 5)] 2. Swarm of Flies
- [Affliction 15: Vulnerable, Defenseless (Resisted by Will, Perception Range, Progressive, Instant Recovery, Limited Degree)] 3. Pestilent Touch
- [Affliction 15: Impaired, Disabled, Incapacitated (Resisted by Fortitude, Progressive)] 4. Rotting Touch
- [Weaken Toughness 15 (Resisted by Fortitude, Progressive)] 5. Reverse Rot
- [Healing 15 (Restorative)] 6. Gravewalk
- [Teleport 12 (Accurate, Extended, Limited to Extended, Medium: Only between grave sites, tombs, and crypts)]
- [Movement: Dimensional Travel (Burrow into the Lower Realm)]
- [Concealment: All Senses (Area, Limited: Only to Denizens of the Underworld, including Keepers)] 7. Deathly Allure
- [Affliction 15: Entranced, Compelled, Controlled (Perception Range)]
Weaken 15 [Close Range, Resistible: Dodge, Will DC 25, Affects Corporeal] (Necromancy)
Dodge
-5
Fortitude
Immune
Parry
-5
Will
Immune
Toughness
35
Abilities
-70
Skills
50
Powers
204
Defenses
0
Advantages
1
Total
225
Veros the Cruel and Garos the Glutton
PL 15
STR
STRENGTH 15
STA
STAMINA 15
AGL
AGILITY 0
DEX
DEXTERITY 0
FGT
FIGHTING 15
INT
INTELLECT 0
AWE
AWARENESS 0
PRE
PRESENCE 0
Deathless Dire Wolves (Innate) - [Growth 10 (Continuous, Permanent)]
- [Flight 4 (Continuous, Permanent)]
- [Immunity: Fortitude Effects (Limited to Half Effect)]
- [Immunity: Will Effects]
- [Regeneration 10 (Persistent)]
- [Immortality 20 (Limited: Kill Susia)]
- [Senses: Darkvision, Vision Counters All Concealment and Illusion, Danger Sense]
- [Comprehend: Understand all Language, Speak and Understand all Animals and Spirits]
- Evasion 2
- Fast Grab
- Fearless
- Improved Grab
- Improved Hold
- Tracking
- Intimidation: (+10) +15
- Perception: (+10) +10
Initiative +0
Brutal Bite +15
Close Damage 15 (Piercing, Crushing, Tearing)
Dodge
15
Fortitude
15 (Half Effect)
Parry
15
Will
Immune
Toughness
15
Abilities
50
Skills
10
Powers
133
Defenses
25
Advantages
7
Total
225
Motivation: Ambition
The gaping, hungry pit of despair at the core of her divine being will never allow Susia to know contentment or complacency. Until she is utterly destroyed she will be forever driven to improve herself, her position, her abilities and her power, and to feed her seething anger and rampant desires.
Motivation: Obsessed with vengeance against Libertaen
Susia's father Libertaen, Magister of Revelry, callous deceived and deflowered her virgin mother and for this he must pay. Susia wishes to see her father humiliated, stripped of all rank and all his children, the nymphs, slain before she takes his life or sees him driven to suicide.
Enemies
A number of patricians have born the brunt of Susia's blunt political machinations, but only a few of them have the courage to actively act against her. The White Stag, a powerful old god of the forest whom Susia stole the position of Magister of Hunting from, in particular bears a weighty grudge against her that will surely never fade.
Reputation
Susia is known to be a seductress, having tempted more than a few to carnal acts of infidelity and for this she is not well regarded by many of her peers. Others look down upon her for her very humble origins, an abandoned bastard, born and bred savage and alone in the Endless Wastes.
Seething Rage (Corporeal Form Only)
Susia is a creature of terrifying emotion. By focusing she is able to infect the feelings of others, but her presence also has a tendency to destabilize the moods of everyone around her. Her rage is projected around her, amplifying aggression in others. Treat this is as a Burst Area Effect Affliction: Impaired, Disabled (Resisted by Will, Limited Degree, Uncontrolled, Instant Recovery). She has no control over this effect. This may why she spends so much time stalking the Wastes. If her wolves (Summons) are ever taken from her (Removed) and she reverts back into this form, this complication no longer applies until she is able to reunite with them.
Crushing Despair (Soul Form Only)
When Susia sheds her flesh, she pours the essence of her anger and hatred into Veros and Garos. What lies under the anger is anguish and despair, that can bleed into her surrounding environment. Treat this is as a Burst Area Effect Affliction: Fatigued, Exhausted (Resisted by Will, Limited Degree, Uncontrolled, Instant Recovery). She has no control over this effect.
Stern, calculating and immaculate, Milamber most often appears as a man in his 20s. His features signify high birth status, with clean cut jaw and well-groomed black hair. He’s most often clad in a garb signifying his military position, but there are times when his more diplomatic talents are needed and he prefers to be free of military insignia in order to not intimidate/worry his counterpart. When under the line of duty, he prefers the company of the trident that Trigon awarded him for his deeds. Serving under Milamber would often means top-of-the-line equipment and weapons as well.
Thanks to his rather one-of-a-kind status of having wedded a merfolk divinity, Milamber occupies the rather rare position of a diplomat to the merfolk people as well as its divinities. While interacting with merfolks, he often discards ceremonial or extravagant clothing in favor of the simple (in human eyes anyway) garb of the merfolks.
As the offspring of the once-mighty Kakus however, Milamber has a primal side that he doesn't show often. But if he's forced (or goaded) to show it then he's as fierce as his elder brother and as mercurial as his betrothed. He's both the wind and the Lord of the Wind. The fierce winds of the Lycetrian sea are his to command. There's a reason why sailors pray twice, once to Kallisto of the Depths for the mercy of a calm wind, and once to Lord of the Wind Milamber for strong yet tame winds. Together, no navy in the world has yet to survive the couple's wrath.
Charismatic, commanding and has a way with people, Milamber has the look of someone you can trust to watch your back in war time yet you cannot help to think if it’s all just a front he built for himself. He doesn’t always try to stand out in a crowd, but if he want to he can capture attention with just a well-placed word. A consummate politician, he knows how to get his way, either by making his intentions clear or muddled it via half-truths and subterfuge. It’s the sort of ambiguity that he shows to the world, but not necessarily the face he shows to those close to him.
Milamber takes favors very seriously. If someone has done him good in the past, you can bet he will remember that deed and try to repay it at a later date. It is part of the ‘honest merchant’ persona that he has adapted for himself. While this attitude has caused him lower profit margin than those of his rivals that are more pragmatic, it also has afforded him a large network of people ready to engage in ‘favor-exchanging’, which he believes is a fair trade. The style has become the trademarked style of the Iarte merchant divinity. It helps that Milamber is technically the leader of the trade union of the region. His siblings, while still technically patrons of merchants, prefer a much more hands-off approach to economy than he is.
Milamber treats those who work under him with the respect they deserve. Those who display exceptional skills in their craft and/or profession can expect elevation to a lofty position, even if they’re just mere mortals. In fact, over the years there are a handful of mortals who rose up to a position of power within his mercantile endeavors, such as those bureaucrats who manage the day-to-day activities of the merchant fleet while he's away in one of his godly duties. In times of war, he rallies those very same talented mortals and craftsman gods under him to aid Silgaea’s warfare efforts, even if in the end it only benefits Iarte.
In fact, in recent times Milamber tend to favor decisions that benefit Iarte and their merfolk allies first and Silgaea at large second. This behavior hasn’t escaped the notice of those above him in the pantheon hierarchy, and there are already murmurs of the Iarte merchant family looking to seek independence of their city-state from Silgaea. Milamber tends to ignore those rumors and focuses on more immediate concerns and requests from Silgaea like a loyal vassal would, but those rumors have started to eat away at Iarte’s reputation as a loyal city-state…
Kakus the Molten Sovereign
After the gods were cast down from the Upper Realm by the Titans, not all of them band together and formed pantheons. Some exceptionally powerful gods carved out their own domains and attracted their own reverence by their sheer grandiose bearings alone. They entrenched their own domains and defend it from those who seek to usurp it into their own, and a few even managed to grow civilization, however rudimentary it is, from the gathering of mortals that seek divine protection from the eventual divine infighting.
Kakus was one such gods. He chose his domain on the lands of what is now known as Lycetrian. He took the highest plateau of the lands and made it his throne, with heat that was said to rival that of the sun. While his wrath was legendary, his compassion was equally as great. Those mortals who survived his wrath were treated with abundance of crops and fertile grounds so that they will never worry about food again. In a time, Kakus’ wrath would return, but the smoke that came from his throne always heralded the time so that the mortals that live near his throne would be notified of its coming.
As time goes by, the number of mortals who dwell in Kakus’ domain grew numerous enough that a visible settlement is needed. Kakus saw the mortals’ creational efforts in founding something to their own name and ponders silently inside his throne. While Kakus commands awe and reference from those who saw his powers, he remains too disinterested and ‘primal’ to guide those mortals’ creative energy to not go down to a path of misuse. After much deliberation and deep thinking, he decided to use those powers of his down for something he never did before: creating progenies.
So, it was said that smoke once again heralded the destruction that soon followed Kakus’ wrath, but this time the end result turned out differently.
From the lava that signified his rage there spawned a figure of a basalt-like countenance. As majestic-looking as Kakus, the basalt-like figure would later be known as Rothion, Patron of the Hearth, and the oldest of Kakus’ progeny.
As the lava finally made its way into the ocean, it collided with water of the shores, and another figure stepped out of the result. This is the birth of Milamber, Patron of the Merchants and the second of Kakus’ progeny.
Finally, as the lava solidified its form into the solid form of marble, those mortals who came to harvest it for their craftsmanship would find a female figure waiting there for them. It is Maristrae, Patron of Crafts, and the third and last of Kakus’ progeny.
Kakus, pleased with his handiwork, gathered his scions and explained the purpose of their birth into the world. He revealed to them their purpose, but he was quick to add that they don’t have to stay confined under the boundaries of their purpose. He cited the mortals as example, and how they have managed to grow from sparse individual abode into growing settlement, and encouraged them to similarly find things that they’re good at and build from that. Kakus, satisfied with his words to his progeny, left them to their own devices.
The Wind and The Sea
Milamber looked at the mortal settlement in his father's territory and wondered how he can contribute meaningfully to its growth. His contemplation brought him to what is now known as the Green Shore. There, he saw how the friendly merfolk interacted with the humans, but their relationship was still strained thanks to the lack of familiarity with each other.
What caught his attention the most, however, was the lone merfolk divinity among the mortals. The girl is a wanderer at heart, and the wonders of the surface world appealed to her sense of adventure. She and Milamber’s first conversation lasted only a short while, but the girl promised to return to the surface once in a while to continue on their conversation. She had never realized that surface-dwellers, in her words, were so welcoming, and she resolved to help smoothen the interaction between the humans and merfolk.
The girl was Kallisto, the youngest scion of Trigon, the Archon of Aklos. Being a young divinity, Kallisto, like Milamber, was still searching for ways she can meaningfully aid her father’s rule of the depths. As capricious and flighty as the weather she commands, Kallisto may seem like the polar opposite and poor fit for Milamber’s own rather taciturn personality, but subsequent meetings have revealed that to be a hasty judgment.
As the visits became more frequent, Milamber implored for the mortals of the region to erect a temple to Kallisto at the Green Shore in order to make the young divinity feel more welcome. Thanks to that fact, more and more merfolks were attracted to the region to mingle and trade, making the burgeoning community prosperous.
Realizing how he could solidify his and his community’s position in the world, Milamber begin to encourage the people of his community to realize their potential, and to be welcoming of strangers with good intentions. It’s a welcome oasis amidst the hostile world, and soon the community named ‘Iarte’ – an ancient word for its most famous commodity, pearl – had become famous, attracting not only the merfolk, but also dwarves, the occasional elves, and most importantly visitors from Silgaea.
The Patron of Merchants
It was not long afterwards that messengers from Silgaea began peddling the proposal of an alliance, believing that the two regions possesses much in common. Milamber knew that to refuse the proposal would cost him a great ally and trade partner, not to mention the prospect of enemies both overseas and inside their own lands. At present, the positives outweighed the negatives, and it wasn’t long before Milamber signed the official treaty that recognized the alliance of Iarte and Silgaea.
Once the war between Sil Amune and Silgaea broke out, Milamber knew that Iarte – and Lycetria at large – cannot stay neutral for long. He would be proven correct once the huge navy of Xibalba threatened the safety of his biggest ally: the merfolks. Mustering his own considerable navy, Milamber himself reinforced the forces his allies to meet the forces of the Fallen in battle.
For all his flawless battle tactics however, Milamber did not account for a splinter forces of Sil Amune to make their way into Lycetria.
By the time he heard the news, it was too late. As the bulk of Lycetria’s standing military were dispatched to meet Xibalba’s navy head on, the remaining forces were too slow to respond on the aggression, and Kakus’ once-prosperous agricultural community now lies in ruins of ashes. Kakus’ wrath managed to utterly destroy the splinter forces, but the resulting chaos had left the elder god devastated and filled with ennui. It was not long before the Molten Sovereign chose to pass on to the Underworld, leaving the region of Lycetria to his offspring.
Union of Storms
Milamber was still in a state of mourning when Silgaea won the war with the sacrifice of Darmathia. The Darmathian demesne, as now it’s called, had been trying to rebuild after the tragedy, Lycetria included. Thanks to his aid in repelling Xibalba’s navy, King Trigon has awarded Milamber the title of ‘Friend of Merfolk’, and he’s always welcome in the court of Aklos whenever he feels like visiting.
Back in the domestic front, Milamber discussed with his siblings about how to best govern the area with their father’s passing. Rothion, not much of a political player, prefers to dwell in their father’s old throne of a mountain and oversee the remaining community that arose from the wake of the destruction of the old one. Maristrae, ever the craftswoman, doesn’t want anything that will distract her too far away from her creations. It was a (near) unanimous decision to install Milamber as the caretaker of the region.
So, that was how Milamber and Iarte ended up as the face of the Lycetrian region. While not everything that wants to go through the region or work within it must go through Milamber and the Iarte authority, those looking to literally set up shop within the region must at least seek Milamber’s attention, lest their efforts would be considered illegal and liable to be retaliated by the Lycetrian armed force.
Meanwhile, Iarte had grown into a nice little trade port in the Western part of the Darmathian demesne. In the middle of Iarte’s expansion as a melting pot, Milamber visited Kallisto’s Green Shore temple and seek her hand in marriage. It was a relatively nondescript marriage for gods, and their marriage was relatively uneven at first glance; with a relatively stable husband and a flighty, wandering wife. Those who know more than first glance however, would say that they complement each other nicely.
Leadership
Mercantilism
Warfare
Wind
Sailing
Kakus, the Molten Sovereign
The ancient ruler of Lycetria, Kakus was a volcano god of formidable power. Kakus has protected the Lycetrian domain since the descent before being succeeded by his offspring. Despite his terrifying countenance, Kakus was not overtly malicious, and his legendary wrath was balanced by his famous boons. His blessings allowed the Lycetria region to prosper in the current age, and influenced how his offspring use their respective powers – that is, generous enough benefit their subjects, but never too generous that they became complacent.
At the aftermath of the warfare between Sil Amune and Darmathia, Kakus withdrawn from Gaia entirely and chose to dwell in the Underworld. He hasn’t been despondent enough to end his own existence, but he hasn’t expressed desire to return to his former demesne.
Rothion, the Eternal Ash
Kakus’ oldest and strongest scion, Rothion has taken up the mantle of the Lycetrian volcano god once Kakus descended into the Underworld. Every bit as powerful as his father, Rothion is nevertheless represents the volcanic ashes more than the volcanic explosion itself, overwhelmingly awe-inspiring and deadly, but never explosive.
As taciturn and patient as Milamber, Rothion nevertheless has little patience for politics or bureaucratic endeavors, preferring to experience everything as they come and disdains complex procedures and stifling etiquette. He and Milamber rarely see eye to eye, and Milamber had given up trying to convince his elder brother to take a more active part in the growth of Iarte. As the patron of the Hearth however, Rothion is both a protector and a nurturer, and the Kakus volcano has never seen as big of an explosion as the olden days after he took up the mantle.
While technically the first in line for the title of 'Praetor of Lycetria', Rothion has delegated the title and all the complications of the duty to Milamber, an arrangement that has both brothers’ mutual consent. In one of their few agreements, Rothion trusts Milamber to make the difficult and delicate decisions, and Milamber trusts Rothion to protect the region in his numerous absences.
Maristrae, Inspiration and Madness
Kakus’ youngest scion, Maristrae is the most reclusive of them all, preferring the company of her creations rather than mortals. Not all her creations are sentient of course – in fact, the vast majority are not – but it hasn’t stopped her preferring their company. Maristrae is the divine embodiment of that thin line that separates geniuses with madmen. Her outlandish behavior and requests baffles everyone not her brothers, and even they are sometimes left shaking their heads at her behavior.
As the patron of Craftsmen however, she remains highly venerated among Lycetria’s dense population of experts. It is said that those mortals who seek her teachings invariably ends up quite ‘eccentric’ like her, whether it’s men, merfolk or even the few dwarves in the region. Indeed, tales say that Maristrae once apprenticed herself to the dwarven god of crafts, who saw the potential in her. The apprenticeship ended in explosion – so they say – but the stories say that the dwarven divinity still respects her skills…just not her erratic behaviors.
Maristrae occasionally supplies her middle brother’s merchant fleets with her creations. They’re almost always highly sought after and expensively rated, but they almost always have some quirky fault that only the most eccentric of collector value. The same can be said of her Sil Amune-esque war machines, no one can deny their effectiveness, but they always have some kind of quirk in their function that’s never quite readily apparent. That fact is part of why she’s not more respected in Darmathia.
Kallisto, Mistress of the Depths
Youngest scion of Trigon, Archon of Aklos, Kallisto has always been the most free-spirited of them all. She was an insatiable wanderer in her younger days, and even at present she rarely stays in one place for long. Her marriage with Milamber gave her a veritable anchor in Iarte however, and she now stops by the city regularly to visit both her husband and her temple. A patron of travelers, sailors pray for her help regularly for safety in their endeavor and she usually grants them…usually.
Kallisto’s mood is as mercurial as the weather she commands, ever-changing and somewhat whimsical. She believes that it’s the journey that counts, not the destination. As such, she tries to ‘spice’ some journeys with the bad weather and other less-than-ideal conditions in order to make the journey itself more meaningful, at least in her eyes. She never discriminates on who she delivers these blessings on, not even her husband’s merchant fleets are exempt.
Corporeal Form
- [Morph 1 (Metamorph 1, Reactive, Selective)]
Might of the Tempest 75 Point Static Array 1. Cyclone
- [ Move Object 15 (Perception Range, Perception Area (Blocked by Total Cover), Damaging)] 2. Wind Wall
- [Move Object 15 (Line Area 2, Limited: only along the length of the line)]
- [Linked Deflect 15 (Line Area 2, Limited: Physical Objects)] 3. Scalding Gust
- [Damage 15 (Ranged)]
- [Linked Move Object 15 (Limited: Only to push away)] 4. Heatstroke
- [Affliction 15 (Fatigued, Exhausted, Incapacitated, Resisted by Fortitude, Perception Range, Perception Area, Cumulative)] 5. Lord of the Winds
- [Environment 10 (Heat 2, Impeded Movement 2, Visibility 2, Selective)]
- [Swimming 3 (Affects Only Others, Affects Only Objects, Only Wind-Powered Vessels, Perception Area (Touch), Selective, Action: Move)]
Gift of the Gods Divine Vigor
- [Immunity 11 (Life Support, Aging)] Divine Spark
- [
Common Applications
1. Master of War
- [Any 10 Combat Advantages] 2. Merchant King
- [Any 20 Social Skills] 3. Whispering Wind
- [Communication 2 (Mental, Subtle 2)] 4. Air Elemental Servitors
- [Summon 1 (Multiple Minions 3, Horde, Mental Link)] 5. Concealing Mist
- [Concealment 2 (Normal Vision, Affects Others, Burst Area 2, Selective, Passive)] 6. Trader's Tongue
- [Comprehend 5 (Read, Speak, and Understand All Languages, Speak to and Understand Animals] 7. Negotiator's Edge
- [Mind Reading 8 (Surface Thoughts Only, Subtle 2)] 8. Not So Fast...
- [Luck Control (Force Re-roll), Luck 7]
The Port-City of Iarte
- [Equipment 4 (Headquarters)]
Dodge
15
Fortitude
15
Parry
15
Will
15
Toughness
15
Abilities
30
Skills
0
Powers
155
Defenses
40
Advantages
0
Total
225
So yeah so far I'm planning on doing write-ups for the four kinds of Elemental dragons and a template for elementals, rank and file Djinn, and the others native to the moons.
Also planning to do:
Deep Ones
Kraken
Swordwraith (Undead)
Shoggoth (serve the Keepers)
Giants (from Xibalba)
Yugoloths (also Xibalban)
Minotaurs (Titanian, worship Marmir)
Werewolves (found on both continents)
Kith (servants of the Fey Fallen)
Ent (Dark killer trees created by the Fey)
A fearsome bounty hunter, Eschaton wields his signature space-warping sidearm and an array of experimental gear to eliminate his targets from any distance or control the battlefield.
FAIT ACCOMPLI[ACTIVE]
/ˌfet əkɑmˈpli/ noun: something that has already been done and cannot be changed. A done deal.
Powered by an experimental "tessereactor", this semiautomatic hand canon is styled like a revolver but instead fires "spatial sabot", microdistortions in space roughly the size and shape of a flechette cluster. They are capable of bypassing any barrier and leave no telltale slug behind, perfect for untraceable assassinations. The spread of the flechette cluster can be focused for maximum damage or a larger shotgun-like spread that can hit multiple nearby targets. The "revolver" section of the weapon houses three chambers which control the firing mode of the weapon, rotating into place to generate different effects...
As it turns out this experimental weapon also houses an advanced A.I. capable of warning the wearer of danger allowing near preturnatural awareness of threats. It is also capable of translating all known languages and can even "read" the surface thoughts of those caught in its targeting reticule by measuring quantum synaptic activity!
ALTERNATE FIRE: SPATIAL SHOCKWAVE
This chamber diffuses the distortion entirely from needle-shaped spatial slivers into massive short-range shockwaves capable of stunning anyone caught in its path.
ALTERNATE FIRE: SPATIAL SNARE
A third firing chamber creates an "explosion" where space distorts into a massive bubble that will traps and hinders all within the threshold.
SPATIAL SHUNT[MOBILITY]
An invisible spatial version of a "laser sight", this function teleports the wielder to the targeted coordinates.
V.I.S.E.R.[PASSIVE]
Acronym for Vacuum Imaging Spectral Enhancement Rig, this high tech helmet uses quantum tunneling to see through walls. This feature also allows it to distinguish any illusions or cloaked enemies on the battlefield and the HUD A.I. assists in tagging targets and zooming into clues while investigating.
SPATIAL SNIPER[ULTIMATE]
Zooming in with his V.I.S.E.R., Escahton fires a spatial sabot directly into a target's body. This hits automatically at any distance (hitscan), while bypassing worn armor or force fields and inflicting massive direct damage.
VANGUARD SHIELD[PASSIVE]
Although agile and accurate, with his low health Eschaton is very vulnerable in combat. To help mitigate this he wears a powerful force field generator harness capable of outright absorbing a handful of incoming ranged attacks. Once depleted, it can still function with reserve power as an active deflector shield.
BIOGRAPHY Real Name: Solomon Kandor Age: 42 Known Aliases: Eskay Nationality: Israeli Height: 182 cm Weight: 82 kg Occupation: Bounty Hunter Base of Operations: Tel Aviv, Israel Affiliation: Overwatch
Israel mandates a two year conscription of all 18 year olds. With the talent and drive to reenlist he gains four years of intense service and experience.
22, Kandor was selected to become part of Kidon, an elite unit of the most lethal assassins in the Israeli Defense Forces. Almost immediately after his transfer the Omnic Crisis exploded. The Kidon, literally "the tip of the spear" were repurposed as MOSSAD's elite omnic taskforce, armed with bleeding-edge blacktech and capable of striking at targets deep within omnic territory. His squadmates often addressed him by his initials, S.K. which became Eskay, which in turn lead to his call sign: Eschaton. It certainly seemed appropriate given the apocalyptic nature of the omnic threat...
Solomon "Eskay" Kandor as a young man.
Even with all of humanity's science and superweapons, it wasn't enough. The Crusaders couldn't stop them, the U.S. supersoldiers couldn't stop them. No single force was enough to stem the unstoppable tide of robotic death churned out by the omniums nonstop, day and night...until Overwatch was created. While the original six get most of the credit and all of the glory the reality is they were supported by the best of the best around the globe, truly a uniting moment for humanity. Among them were Kandor and the rest of the Kidon. One by one, his comrades fell in the final days of battle, until Solomon alone was the last spear standing, albeit badly wounded and scarred. Ultimately Overwatch succeeded in ending the war, the omnics ceased their hostilities (for the most part), yet it remains a mystery why they attacked to begin with, a cipher that has gnawed at Solomon ever since.
In the aftermath of the Crisis, Overwatch ushered in a new golden age, but the world has never truly been at peace. Peace is something that is kept... With the blessing of his superiors, Solomon was officially transferred to the ascendant organization where his unique skills proved invaluable in tracking down weapons and technology acquired during the war by enterprising individuals and entities. Including the dreaded Deadlock Gang...
Kandor was part of the recon strike team that tracked down the infamous Rebels and apprehended their ringleader McCree. The two dueled to a standstill, neither being able to gain the upper hand until a stray shot hit a stick of dynamite and blew them both to hell. After that the gunslinger disappeared into the shadows of Blackwatch, but there's always been a tension between them, as each of them secretly wonders who would've won at the conclusion.
Personality Notes:
Growing up in the perpetual conflict of the cradle of civilization makes for a tough, and toughening upbringing. His mother was killed in a bombing when he was 8, leaving only his hard-edged military father to mold him. Solomon has always had an intense energy, even as a youth. A highly disciplined work hard-play hard mentality was well suited to a soldiers mindset and he would've enlisted even if it hadn't been mandatory. Though you wouldn't expect it from his thuggish, scarred appearance, he likes to let off steam on the dance floor, and Tel Aviv has the most legendary nightlife in the Holy Land...
...aka Plot Hooks:
Motivation: Responsibility. There's no way around it, Solomon was and is an accomplished assassin. And yet it could well be argued that he's still a good man. To be the tip of the spear, to do what must be done, and take on the responsibility of killing those who would harm your people. He comes from a worldview both deeply tribal and honorable, and the Crisis expanded it as it did many to include all of humanity as One Tribe.
Disfigured: While once considered highly attractive, Solomon was badly wounded in the last days of the war, and bears some serious scarring across his face and upper body as a result. Though he's for the most part made peace with it, it does give him an intense look that others find off-putting or intimidating and he's definitely not going to be in any pageants.
Prejudice: Although peace prevails, Solomon still holds a grudge against the robotic race for taking the lives of his comrades. Every time he looks in the mirror now, he's reminded of what they're capable of.
Dependent: Solomon's father, Ari, is advancing in age, and facing health problems. It can sometimes be a challenge fulfilling both his duties and familial obligations.
Rivalry: Jesse McCree. Although ostensibly on the same side, the two seem to rub each other the wrong way on some fundamental level. Neither knows why, they just don't like each other.
Enemy: Widowmaker. Solomon recently ran afoul of a mysterious enemy operative in the field. He knows very little about who this assassin is, but something about her sends off a "spidey-sense" of dread when she drops in uninvited...
Birth Name: Solomon Kandor Known Aliases: Sol, Eskay Age: 40 Height: 173 cm Weight: 75 kg Place of Birth: Iktomi Prime
[Description]
Dusky grey skin, pitch black hair, irises of iridescent crimson; underneath his helmet Soloman sports a striking countenance. Sinuous symmetrical white tattoos frame his face, while a perpetual 12 o'clock shadow clings to his jawline like soot on a chimney sweep. His gaze is steel, steady and calculating. When at rest his features are still, betraying no tells. When he moves, it is with unnatural alacrity, an inhuman smoothness. When he speaks without his VISER, his voice has a surprisingly sonorous, yet difficult to place accent.
Aside from hunting the most dangerous game, Solomon is a bit of a scoundrel, living life on the edge of a saber. A consummate cardshark and epicure of escorts, he rarely considers what tomorrow may bring. Although being an assassin does preclude a conventional sense of honor, he does maintain impeccable standards of professionalism...while he does take pleasure from his work, and the thrill of the hunt, he is not a sadist and takes pride a clean and efficient kill.
Ablate Force: Immune to Ranged Toughness (Unreliable: 5 Charges/Recharge 1 Charge every 2.5 hours) Deflect Force: Standard Action Deflect: 1d20+17 (add 10 to rolls 1-10)
[Total Cost: 250]
Quote:
[XP]
[Earned] 0
[Spent] 0
[Remaining] 0
[Special Abilities]
[Bioware]
In his pursuit of excellence, Sol has undergone extensive augmentations...to thwart any kind of hacking, they are entirely composed of bleeding-edge biotech, with no cybernetic implants. His CNS is comprised of superconducting filaments geared for maximum reflex and response time. Adrenal function is enhanced 100-fold, while threat-detection instincts border on a kind of premonition. While geared more for raw speed over durability, he remains surprisingly rugged, and has been specially modified for life in the space. His dermis has been woven with a light ballistic sheathe that is highly resistant to radiation, environmental temperature conditions, and changes in pressure. The ears, eyes, and nose all have nictating membranes capable of sealing against vacuum, and oxygen efficiency will allow him to operate up to 12 hours on a single breath.
[Devices]
[Fait Accompli]
This one-of-a-kind hand cannon utilizes houses an Iktomi "tessereactor" space manifold, that powers the weapon and it's unique properties. As a security precaution, the Fait Accompli is coded to Solomon's quantum signature, assuring it cannot be used against him.
The primary barrel assembly fires neither projectile nor directed energy, but instead generates a spatial shockwave, roughly the size and shape of a bullet, at hypervelocity. In it's default configuration this appears as a violent distortion in the air and has much the same effect as a normal bullet in shredding anything in it's path, but leaves no physical trace, ideal for wetwork.
This distortion can be reconfigured from a piercing sabot to a broader impact zone, sufficient to stun most organisms temporarily. The weapon also features a kind of spatial "scope", allowing the wielder to see for vast distances and strike at any perceivable range, making range incidental. However this also creates a disorienting kind of tunnel vision for the user while "zoomed in."
In addition to the spatial weapon, a secondary large bore has been added to fire human-made exotic ammunition from a revolving cylinder. His favored slug is a crushing gravitic snare that is useful for locking down fleeing targets and grounding flying foes.
I purchased his sidearm as Removable, not Easily Removable, as he is much too in tune with his weapon to be disarmed under normal combat conditions.
[VISER]
Vacuum Imaging Spectral Enhancement Rig. A fancy acronym for a fancy device. The sensors built into Solomon's helmet scan the environment on a quantum level, revealing cloaked targets, tagging any holograms or other illusions, even tunneling through solid matter making it transparent as glass to the VISER. In addition, the faceplate is equipped with transcom tech, learning and translating any language nigh-instantaneously, while transcribing the written word onto the HUD, which also uses smart-tech to highlight objects, and aid investigations.
[Vanguard Field Generator]
Another piece of choice Iktomi tech. This harness utilizes a similar kind of spatial technology housed in the Fait Accompli only for defensive purposes. Fully charged it can completely ablate the effect of any direct attack, however after five such uses the shield generator becomes overloaded and must recharge and reset over 12 hours. In addition, this only works against ranged attacks, being completely ineffective up close. It also has a lower, secondary setting that may be used at any time. Rather than ablating incoming force directly, this mode instead redirects it, as an ultimate expression of Ai-Ki-Do.
[Holo-Cloak]
Solomon is a cunning combatant, perhaps represented no better than by his use of this tricky piece of tech. At a baseline it cloak's the wearer, rendering them invisible, though not inaudible, making skill with stealth a necessary compliment. More than just a mere bending of light, the Holocloak can actually project it, making a visual illusion of the wearer. This can provide any number of tactical advantages when used intelligently, either as an additional line of defense, as a distraction (a technique known as 'wisping'), or to make an enemy hit something (or someone) they wished they hadn't.
[Phase Transistor]
Another Iktomi micro tessereactor, this time built into an armband that responds to the mental commands of the wearer. It is capable of transporting them instantaneously through space anywhere they can perceive within a mile, or alternately, it can phase shift the wearer slightly out of frequency with the world. However, due to the sensory intensity of the experience, Solomon uses this feature more for intrusion than combat.
[Hypo-Spray]
This advanced medical syringe is perfect for coming back in a pinch. It has two settings, one which injects nanomachines that will begin to heal some damage, although certain grievous wounds will be beyond their ability to mend, and an intense adrenal stimulant that can allow continued function even when at death's door. However this respite is temporary, and if real medical care is not forthcoming, it could prove lethal when the stim wears off.
Quote:
[Background]
"My story? Afraid that'll cost you another round..."
"Very well then. 'Autobiography of an Assassin.' Does that word make you uncomfortable? Perhaps you prefer the euphemism 'Bounty Hunter' but it's all the same. Blood for Money. Sure, I can bring 'em in alive, but it'll cost double. Corpses are easier to transport, but I digress."
"I may have been born with a silver spoon in my mouth, but I never could stomach the taste. My father, he expected me to carry on with his work at the bank; far too droll if you ask me. So I left."
"Mars. The Belt. A stint in Locus Hab in Jovian orbit. Had to test myself, discover what I was really made of, amidst the flotsam and jetsam of the outer system. Contract work, gambling, gunfights. The greater the risk, the more alive I felt. Quicksilver wits, iron guts, and solid brass balls kept me alive in those early years. Always was too paranoid to farcast, so I took the long way, winning and losing a few ships along the way, or when all else failed, booking passage on bulk freighters."
"After a time, my reputation grew. Bigger contracts, better pay. Like any good entrepreneur I'd live large for awhile and reinvest the rest. New toys, new tricks. Eventually my skills and kamikazi spirit landed me a retainer as a 'Ronin' for the ruthless Go-nin Group. After a decade of living by the skin of my teeth and the speed of my draw, the steady paycheck was nice, but I didn't expect to find myself stuck in the arse-crack of the Kuiper Belt. The further you get out into the fringes, the more freakish folks you find. Kooks, criminals, those too bent or antisocial to mingle with the mainstream of transhumanity."
"I know what you're thinking...if I left my birthright in the lunar banks, why would I return to such a soul-sucking corporate enterprise like Go-nin? Two reasons; first I'm gaijen, an independent contractor. In other words, expendable. Not part of the corporate hierarchy. Second: Discord Gate. Gatecrashing for Go-nin made me realize how petty were the games I'd been wagering on in the inner system. What could be more of a rush than stepping across the event horizon of an ancient and notoriously fickle alien wormhole gate?"
"Armed-to-the synth-gills Ultimate mercs guarded the Eris side, but it was my job to track down any claim-jumpers, or exhumans who escaped through the gate to the extrasolar colonies beyond. The latter, now they're nasty business. Singularity-seekers who resort to extreme modifications in pursuit of some techno-apotheosis. It was in pursuit of one such piece of work that landed me here, a man out of time. He called himself The Apostle. Rumor has it he discovered a Bracewell probe hidden out in the Kuiper Belt. Somehow he'd found a way inside and emerged one of the most powerful exsurgent asynchs on record."
"I was on downtime at Torii Station when the Apostle hit. He singlehandedly managed to crash the Gate, opening a wormhole to a previously unknown configuration, taking a huge data dump of Go-nin secrets with him. Suicidal to go through an unknown Gate portal, to TITANs-know-where, with no guarantee of it getting dialed up again. They offered quintuple pay for me to grab my gear and go, so I took the leap, and well...here I am."
"What about the Apostle?"
*finishes drink*
"That's him right there...up on the screen. That's right. The Jay Gatsby. One of the most wealthy and well-connected businessmen on the planet. And I'm going to kill him before he can kill us all."
Quote:
[Complications]
[Motivation: Thrill-seeking]
His original, and still primary motivation, is strictly for the kicks. Growing up he often accompanied his father on exotic hunting expeditions across the system, but it was never enough, and his shirking of responsibility caused much paternal consternation. Bounty Hunting seemed to be the ultimate sport, and nothing beat the rush of taking down a dangerous and desperate quarry. Now that he's trapped in the past, his target with a century of lead time, and no resleeving to fall back on, the stakes have never been higher. What a rush.
[Motivation: Man on a Mission]
Of course, everything has changed now. The revelations of his recursion have forced him to reconsider his position. Perhaps the Fall is not inevitable after all. Perhaps it can be stopped, or perhaps it was instigated or even hastened by such temporal tampering. A calamity of causality. Either way, he's going to try, because there's nothing to lose, and a world to regain.
[Nemesis: The Apostle]
"He's gone by many names, but now it's Jay Gatsby. Yes that Jay Gatsby. The owner and CEO of the Hughes Corporation (now known as Hughes Diversified Business Conglomerate or HDBC). He's a big mover and shaker with ties to a few governments but he's not on the level of nation-states like Iordanos, Lebedev and Ybarra. He "inherited" the company from the late Howard Hughes (of Spruce Goose fame) after a long-standing "friendship" with him.
"The Apostle, as he was known in the 22nd century, is an asynch. Psychic, in common parlance. Exposure to an insidious alien probe has remade him with incredible powers of the mind. Not merely the gross applications, such as mind reading, memory manipulation, or direct damage, he has access to a host of much more subtle, yet potent abilities. Enhanced cognition, multitasking, an intuitive grasp of new technologies. He can tell when someone is observing him, detect hostile intent, run complex mathematical computations in the background of his mind, all while making himself the most charming and trustworthy person you've ever met."
"What makes this all so terrifying however is the alien exsurgent influence. Some of us have discovered that the Bracewell probes may have had a direct influence on the TITANs, immediately preceding the Fall after their hard take-ff. With his connections, the Apostle is now in a prime position to influence the impending TITAN project, meaning that the exsurgent virus may have initiated it's own discovery. This makes Jay Gatsby, aka The Apostle, a potential extinction-level threat. Of course, anyone in a position to stop him is either his mental pawn, or wouldn't believe such a tall-tale to begin with. I'm going to have to take matters into my own hands...as usual."
[Past Tense]
A "Reverse Van Winkle", if you will. Imagine what it would be like as a 21st century human, to suddenly be transported back to the mid-1800's. Even if you knew a fair bit of history, it would be challenging to make your way in such a world. While he has found asylum with some connections, there remains no official records of him, and he cannot tell the truth of who he is without being taken for insane, and that's if his appearance doesn't set off a panic...
[Frightening Mien]
When geared up, Solomon looks like a figure straight out of Star Wars, being mistaken for either military, or perhaps a fanciful cosplay, depending on the context. Unfortunately, dressing down in civvies doesn't help matter much, as his charcoal skin, and blazing red eyes tend to incite fear or otherwise attract the wrong kind of attention. He typically uses his holocloak to mitigate this complication, but it may come up if he is ever caught without a disguise.