Bay City Blues Champions

**nexus** · Sep 5th, '04, 03:54 PM

Litra

Player:

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right">Val  </td><td>Char   </td><td>Cost</td></tr><tr><td align="right">60  </td><td>STR</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td align="right">18  </td><td>DEX</td><td>24</td></tr><tr><td align="right">35  </td><td>CON</td><td>50</td></tr><tr><td align="right">20  </td><td>BODY</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td align="right">8  </td><td>INT</td><td>-2</td></tr><tr><td align="right">20  </td><td>EGO</td><td>20</td></tr><tr><td align="right">20  </td><td>PRE</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td align="right">18  </td><td>COM</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td></td><td> </td><td></td></tr><tr><td align="right">30  </td><td>PD</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td align="right">25  </td><td>ED</td><td>18</td></tr><tr><td align="right">3  </td><td>SPD</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td align="right">20  </td><td>REC</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td align="right">70  </td><td>END</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td align="right">70  </td><td>STUN</td><td>2</td></tr><td></td><td> </td><td></td></tr><tr><td align="right">12"  </td><td>RUN</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td align="right">2"  </td><td>SWIM</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td align="right">18"  </td><td>LEAP</td><td>0</td></tr></table>Characteristics Cost: 218

<table border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td align="right">Cost  </td><td>Power</td><td align="right">END</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">20  </td><td>Incredibly Tough: Damage Resistance (20 PD/20 ED) </td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">4  </td><td>Big and Heavy: Knockback Resistance -2" </td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">6  </td><td>Powerful legs: Leaping +6" (18" forward, 9" upward) </td><td valign="top" align="right">1</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">17  </td><td>Powerful legs 2: +6" Running (12" total), x4 Noncombat </td><td valign="top" align="right">2</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">10  </td><td>Keen Smell: Discriminatory Sense (Smell/Taste Group) </td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">10  </td><td>Sharp Nose: Tracking (Smell/Taste Group) </td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">12  </td><td>Animal Senses: Enhanced Perception (+4 to PER Rolls for All Sense Groups) </td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">60  </td><td>Brick Tricks: Multipower, 60-point reserve </td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">3u  </td><td>1) The Big Wrap up!: Entangle 5d6, 5 DEF (Stops A Given Sense Group: Sight Group) (60 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Depends on Available Materials+ Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (-1/2) </td><td valign="top" align="right">6</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">3u  </td><td>2) Shockwave: Naked Modifier, Personal Immunity (+1/4), Explosion on Strength (+1/2) (45 Active Points); Extra Time Delayed Phase (-1/4), Character May Take No Other Actions (-1/4) </td><td valign="top" align="right">4</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">3u  </td><td>3) Litra SMASH!!!!: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (plus STR) (vs. PD) (30 Active Points) </td><td valign="top" align="right">3</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">2u  </td><td>4) One Woman Army: Naked Modifier, Area Of Effect (up to One Hex; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Only for Move thru on lesser strength people Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (-1/2) </td><td valign="top" align="right">3</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">1u  </td><td>5) Catch this!: Missile Deflection (Thrown Objects), Missile Reflection, Reflect At Any Target (35 Active Points); Only against Heavy missles Very Limited Type of Attack (-1), Required Hands Two-Handed (-1/2) </td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">1u  </td><td>6) Big and Impressive: +20 PRE (20 Active Points); Only for Pre Attacks based on fear/intimidation Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (-1/2) </td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr></table>Powers Cost: 152

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right">Cost  </td><td>Skill</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3  </td><td>Animal Handler (Canines, Equines) 13- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3  </td><td>Breakfall 13- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">7  </td><td>Climbing 15- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3  </td><td>Concealment 11- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3  </td><td>KS: Shamanism/Primitve Magic 12- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5  </td><td>Mimicry (7 Active Points); Animal Sounds only Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (-1/2) 13- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">4  </td><td>Navigation (Land) 12- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">1  </td><td>Paramedics 8- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">4  </td><td>PS: Stone Age Huntress 13- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3  </td><td>Stealth 13- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">7  </td><td>Ventriloquism 13- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">12  </td><td>Survival (Arctic/Subarctic, Mountain, Temperate/Subtropical) 14- </td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">20  </td><td>+4 with HTH Combat </td></tr></table>Skills Cost: 75

Total Character Cost: 445

Base Points: 200
Experience Required: 245
Total Experience Available: 0
Experience Unspent: 0

Background: Litra was short term visitor to Bay City Blues, a character from out of time and space. Accidentally brought to the city when a evil shaman from her own world cast the mighty warrior adrift in time and space she appeared next to the infamous "Pit" in Bay City Park and instantly became the focus of a three way battle between Mystic forces. Myraid and her friend intervened and saved the baffled primitive and took her back to Myraid's downtown home.

Litra remained for several days, lonely and out of place as she feared for the fate of her tribe of vulipinoids. Eventually, her curiosity and nose lead her deep into Fairy Freehold that was Myriad's apartment building where faced off against a renegage Fey Queen. Besting and impressing the fairy, she was offered a wish and took that opportunity to return home...

**Misery Lad** · Sep 6th, '04, 11:51 AM

Originally Posted by nexus

His name's Chris Bayliss. He's been a player of mine for quite awhile and does some really good pics. If you'd like his email its:

phoenix240@bigplanet.com

He lurks on the hero boards every now and again as well.

Y'know, it absolutely amazes me how many times I've heard of referees having access to players with artistic talent who are willing to lend that talent to the campaign. I have never been blessed in that way. I do all of the art (character portraits) for my players and have only three times in all the years I've run games had players who've possessed such abilities. One refused to draw for anyone but himself. The second one moved away to New Jersey (I'm in California) and became an archaeologist before ever completing one picture and the third would only agree to draw characters for the players if they each paid him $20+ (never happened). I don't know if I should count you extremely lucky, my friend, or myself extremely unlucky.

**nexus** · Sep 6th, '04, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Misery Lad

Y'know, it absolutely amazes me how many times I've heard of referees having access to players with artistic talent who are willing to lend that talent to the campaign. I have never been blessed in that way. I do all of the art (character portraits) for my players and have only three times in all the years I've run games had players who've possessed such abilities. One refused to draw for anyone but himself. The second one moved away to New Jersey (I'm in California) and became an archaeologist before ever completing one picture and the third would only agree to draw characters for the players if they each paid him $20+ (never happened). I don't know if I should count you extremely lucky, my friend, or myself extremely unlucky.

Chris was an extremely lucky meeting for me and one of my best friends. We met when I posted an ad for this game and have been playing ever since. I've honestly lost count of the number of pictures he's done for me and the players (for free no less) but it has to be well over 300 at this point.

**nexus** · Sep 6th, '04, 07:46 PM

Some fiction from the game

"Bad Science" The origin of Masque

BAD SCIENCE by Matthew Elliot.

"Is this thing on?"

"Yes doctor," said an annoyed voice.

"Oh...okay."

The man saying this was still considered youngish. His lanky physique and thick glasses probably meant that he got picked on an awful lot when he was in high school. His seeming lack of decorum indicated that things didn't get much better after college.

As a matter of fact, he was kicked out of the university, despite his brilliance. That last fact made him ideal material for his bosses.

"My proposal is as follows," he began. "For several years now, the organization has used recombinant DNA techniques to turn ordinary agents into operatives which could meet the challenge of so-called 'heroes'. The main problem has been their stubborn willfulness, and the fact that some of these operatives have...defected.

"What this organization needs is to have operatives that know no other life than the organization--have the organization be no less than mother and father to them. In such a way would we insure loyalty in those agents.

Since psychiatry and mental programming has failed thus far, I intend to create the next generation of operatives by taking the opposite direction. Instead of introducing animal characteristics into human operatives, I intend to introduce human characteristics into animals. Since they'll know nothing other than the organization, these 'animal mutates' should be easily programmable, and our problems with rogue agents will become a thing of the past!"

He sounded really excited about this new prospect, and the glory he'd earn...at long last.

* * * * *

"Timber wolf...honey badger...bengal tiger...lynx...and North American raccoon," the doctor said, reading off the labels os a set of glass containers. "North American Raccoon? What gives?"

"Is there a problem, doctor?"

The question came from an impeccably dressed man. His long blond hair was immaculate as it spilled down his back and stopped neatly between his shoulder blades. He had the physique of an Adonis.

Most foreboding of all were his eyes. They were black orbs with silvery pupils. They seemed to bore into the doctor before him.

"Um...I'm just a little surprised, Lord Menton," he said, definitely intimidated. "I expected the predators, but...why the raccoon DNA?"

"Adaptability," Menton said. "No other creature is as intelligent and adaptable as the raccoon. The native Americans revered the raccoon, believing that it was created to keep man humble, as it was the only creature to have hands like them. Even today, despite man's technology, raccoons find new methods and niches in man's world to exploit."

"I know...Lord Menton," the doctor said. "Raccoons have a high level of intelligence in comparison to other animals, but what could we do with such a creature?"

Menton gave a subtle smile. "We always need thieves and saboteurs..."

* * * * *

From the safety of an armored observatory, the doctor watched as the latest creation--a badger/human mutate--tore apart a Mk. III Viperbot with a set of claws that had recently been tipped in a steel alloy. Genome Project AZZ38479q389947 was turning into a success as far as killers were concerned. Despite original worries, the predator hybrids were turning out to be rather tractable. A combination of corporal punishment and fresh meat were working wonders. He was confident that the first six Genome Projects were ready for deployment.

"Doctor?"

The doctor turned to one of his staffers. "Yes? What is it?"

"Genome Project AZZ234873020347 is ready to emerge," he said. "You said you wanted to be there?"

"Oh...oh yes," he said. "Let's go."

This subject was saved for last. It was an easy enough effort to make the previous hybrids into killing machines, but to make a thief--even if it was supposedly second nature... that was a different story.

There were complicated skills to teach, and they could only partially program them into the subject. This one would require a LOT of supervision.

He approached a single active maturation chamber. The tube-like structure was lit from within. Around it were a number of instruments. Within the tube was a nude nubile...for lack of a better term...raccoon girl. Her fur pattern was consistent--grey over most of her body, black fur on her forearms and hands and calves and feet, a black and grey ring tail, white fur that covered most of her head, and went down her front, covering her breasts (except her areolae) and going down to her crotch, and a "mask" of black fur around her eyes. The humanlike hair on her head was grey-white, and was slightly shorter than shoulder length.

"All the other subjects were male," the staffer said. "Why's this one female?"

"Several reasons," he answered. "Women are more tractable, ideally suited for vice and theft...and well, we could use some eye candy around here, right?"

"Um... okay," the staffer said haltingly.

The amniotic medium drained out, and the tube retracted into the floor, leaving a very wet raccoon girl, who proceeded to succumb to gravity, falling to the ground and coughing up amniotic medium, and finally inhaling air into her lungs for the first time.

The doctor bent down to her, and was surprised at first when she seemed to recoil from her.

"It's okay," the doctor said. "I'm not here to hurt you. I'm here to help."

* * * * *

The staffer couldn't believe the doctor's reasoning. Eye candy? Tractable? Ideally suited for vice and theft?

The doctor obviously didn't get out very much.

She was...strangely attractive. Despite the fact that nearly every inch of her body was covered with fur, it wasn't at all repulsive. She had long shapely legs, and was already proving to be incredibly flexible, despite the fact that she was shivering.

"C-cold..." she said haltingly.

Holy shit, the staffer thought. She TALKED!

None of the other hybrid projects talked when they first emerged. It took them a couple of weeks for them to get used to their human-like vocal cords. Yet here she was. She had just described how she was feeling.

"It's okay," the doctor said. "We'll get you warmed up soon enough, Masque."

"...M-Masque..?" she stammered.

"That's your name," the doctor said. "You're name is Masque. I'm the doctor."

Oh brother, the staffer thought. That is such a cliched name. Gimmie a break.

"Doc...doctor..."

And still, there was Masque. She was already talking. She was frighteningly smart.

* * * * *

I'm called Masque by the doctor and the others. I know what I am--a creation of the doctor, but I don't know why I am.

I'm told that I'm supposed to be a thief--that I'm supposed to go into places, find and retrieve certain items, and return with those items. They say I'm so special because I was made to be such a good thief, and that I should be proud I can be such a good thief.

But something is wrong. This doesn't feel right. But...I don't know why.

There are tests every day. They test my reflexes, how quiet I can be (they don't like it when I talk), tests on taking things apart, tests on putting them back together...

When I perform poorly, I'm punished. They activate the pain giving device in my collar. It hurts so much when they use it on me. They yell at me, and tell me how terrible I am.

When I perform well, they give me extra food (which tastes terrible), and give me a ball to play with. But I can't forget those times when they punish me--the way they hurt me, and the names they call me.

Why do they think that extra food and a ball can make everything better?

I don't like them.

* * * * *

"No no NO!" the doctor yelled. "You're doing it wrong again, you stupid little TART!"

He pressed a button on the control board again. Once again, Masque shrieked and fell to the ground as pain shot through her body. He kept it on for a good 30 seconds before stopping the pain.

Masque was on the ground, breathing hard and whimpering. But she wasn't about to get a break anytime soon.

"Get up," the doctor ordered, and slowly Masque did so. "What did you do wrong? Think!"

A real teacher expected mistakes, even encouraged mistakes. It was the best way a student could learn, after all. The doctor didn't seem to subscribe to this school of thought.

Of course, his opinion was that she already had the knowledge programmed into her head. She just had to tap it all. So why bother with making mistakes?

"I...missed one...of the motion detectors?" she asked, not entirely certain.

"You missed one of the motion detectors," he said mockingly. "Why'd you do that, Masque? Why?"

"I-I-I...didn't do it on purpose," she said quietly. "Why...why...are you...making...like I do?"

"Don't you EVER question me!" he bellowed.

He pressed the pain giver button again. Masque cried out, and wrapped herself into a ball. After a few more applications of the pain giver, the doctor left, feeling frustrated.

"Why is it so difficult?" he wondered, scowling. "The others weren't as hard as this."

Of course, he would've never chosen to use raccoon DNA, let alone to make this thief for Menton. The others were simple enough--merely extensions of their own predatory nature.

Raccoons were omnivorous, had hands with opposable thumbs, and were keenly intelligent to begin with. They had adapted to man's world well--finding ways to survive in the places man dwelled, digging into their garbage, making their homes under their foundations, and causing no end of mischief.

But there was no logical course from scavenger to thief; nothing in nature that led to an understanding of motion detectors.

But he had his orders from on high. He sighed and went back into the lab, where he finally turned the pain giver off.

"Okay, I'm resetting the exercise," he said calmly. "We'll try again..."

* * * * *

The staffer simply watched as things went from bad to worse. He couldn't believe what the doctor was doing to her! She wasn't a stupid beast like the others. A stupid beast couldn't hack into a computerized security system like Masque could. A stupid beast couldn't pick a multi-tumbler lock. A stupid beast couldn't navigate through multiple security beams.

Masque could do all these things...when she chose to, that is.

Someone made the mistake of leaving the television on near her cubicle. She must've seen and/or heard what was on the idiot box. It talked of things being different than what she knew...

As if to add credence to his suspicions, she had begun to rebel--not overtly granted, but she began to do things incorrectly--things she knew how to do properly only a day or two before.

The doctor's attitude wasn't improving either.

Masque was now doing VR runs--simulated operations of the kind that she'd be deployed to do in the future. She was doing today what she had been doing for the last few days...

She'd begin the operation just fine. She'd infiltrate the target in question, disarm their alarm systems and enter the building. There, she'd hack into the computer system, using her own palmtop computer unit while physically tapping into the building's intranet, in order to locate the acquisition for the exercise. she'd go through and defeat every obstacle that was placed in front of her.

Then, just as she was going to acquire the prize, she deliberately tripped the security system, thus ending the simulation in failure.

"I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!" the doctor would bellow. "Did you SEE WHAT SHE DID?!?"

"Yes, sir," the staffer would reply.

"WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM, MASQUE!" he yelled into the VR system. "WHY DID YOU DISOBEY!?"

"Didn't...want to," was all she would say to him.

This, of course, would cause the doctor to unleash his wrath. The pain giver wasn't enough for him. Now he was using pain givers AND virtual torture, and when his temper was as hot as it was now, he'd go in with a TASER stick and apply that as well.

She screamed, of course. She always did. It didn't make any difference. The staffer could see that the doctor was quickly losing control. Fear of punishment wasn't enough anymore.

He almost found out the hard way, one night.

He was delivering the subject's meal--the one she was allowed to have, in order to stay alive. When he entered her cell, he found her curled up in a ball. They had taken her clothes away, and she looked terribly vulnerable.

Suddenly, he was aware that she was wide awake, she uncoiled like a snake ready to strike. The fact that he held a TASER stick made her back off into a corner, but the anger and hatred in her eyes was still there. She was actually growling at him.

"It's okay," he said quietly. "I'm just here to feed you."

He backed away from the covered tray, so she could see. Her growling subsided. He backed himself toward the door, where he knew there were about four guards, if he got into trouble. Her growling subsided as she cautiously crept forward, her eyes never leaving him.

Inside the covered tray was the usual bowl of nutrient gruel, plus something extra the staffer put there for her: A package of Oreo cookies. Masque tilted her head in confusion. She had obviously never seen a foil package like this, and the smell was unfamiliar to her.

He watched as she opened the package cautiously, and pulled out one of the double wafered confections; he continued watching as she sniffed it curiously.

"It's food," he said quietly. "Something new. Oreos."

"Or...Oreos?"

Her innate curiousity overcame her caution, and she bit into the cookie. The staffer watched as her eyes went wide in surprise, as she meticulously chewed the bite, before taking the rest of it in her mouth.

"Sweet...why...you give?" she asked.

"You've been hurt too much," he said. "I thought you deserved one nice thing in your short life."

There was a silence between them for several moments. He watched in amazement as her features seemed to soften.

"Thank...thank you."

"You're welcome."

After that, he left her cell, gave the other experiments their lot of raw meat and whatnot, and eventually went about lighter duties.

Masque was definitely not like the others. This he knew...not that it mattered. With the way she kept behaving, the doctor would more than likely terminate her as a "failed subject".

* * * * *

There are other places. I always knew it was true, but now I have proof.

In my hand, I play with a foil package of things called "Oreos". They're sweet, like nothing I've ever had before. It was given to me by the one who gives me my terrible tasting food.

I thought they were all cruel. I was wrong. If there's one who doesn't want to hurt me, shouldn't there be more?

I know that I won't find out by staying here. I also know that I might never find out if I keep making the doctor angry. The one who feeds me said I deserved one nice thing in my short life. That might mean that they won't let me live for much longer.

I don't want to be their thief. I want to be more. I want to see if there are more nice things, like these Oreos. I want to see if there are more nice people.

I know what I have to do to get it...

* * * * *

The doctor still kept his hand over the controls to the pain giver, but he was growing more and more surprised, as time went by. This was the fifth VR operation she had undergone, and it looked like she was going to complete that one as well!

Granted, he thought he'd have to end it when she made a critical mistake, but much to his amazement, she found a way to make it work to her advantage. She had the virtual security guards going in circles--to everywhere except where she was. She had managed to gain total control of the simulation.

"Absolutely amazing," he remarked. "I thought for sure we'd be reducing her to her basic chemicals before the week's end. But now..."

"She seems to have come about 180 degrees," the staffer commented. "I wish I knew what brought it about."

"She's obviously learned the benefits of obedience, just like the others," the doctor said confidently. "It just took longer, since she's a more intelligent animal than the others."

"Yes...quite an intelligent animal," the staffer seemed to agree. "Just like us."

"Oh, please," the doctor scoffed. "Don't think for a moment she's anywhere near human. Oh, I'll grant her that she understands technology well enough to be the thief that Menton desires, but she is, in the end, just another animal--driven by her senses and instincts...and ultimately, just as tractable as the others."

The staffer didn't comment for a moment. "Yes, sir."

The doctor didn't seem to notice the pause, as he released Masque from the VR trainer. He got up from his seat, and entered the training room.

"Well done, Masque," the doctor said jovially. "That last foible with the guards had me worried, but you proved me wrong on that count."

"Yes," she said simply.

"Well, I think it's time to get you acquainted with the real versions of the equipment you've been training with," he said, "as well as your new quarters."

He led her into the main part of this particular complex. Several Viper agents stopped and stared for a moment, not having seen her before now. Masque was oblivious to their stares, as she was staring at other things--the walls, the cieling, the floor, the doors...

"Don't dawdle too much, Masque," the doctor chided. "Why are you so curious?"

"Never...been here...before."

The doctor chuckled briefly. "A reward for your obedience. You've proven that you're ready to be treated better than you have been. Keep going the way you're going Masque, and you'll see more than you ever knew existed."

She gave a curious answer. "I know."

* * * * *

Masque was moved to bigger quarters, and was given a passkey that would allow her basic access inside the complex. It wouldn't allow her to the secure areas or outside, but she could come and go from her quarters as she pleased, use some of the basic comfort facilities, and gave her access to her training room whenever she wanted.

For the last several weeks, she had been introduced to the equipment that was going to make up her utility belt--an electronics kit, a B&E kit, her weapons--bolos, flash grenades, gas pellets, cutting charges, and a cable launcher that would greatly aid her in climbing.

She practiced with it all, getting used to the way the equipment sat in her hands, growing accustomed to the weight. She'd even go to the gymnasium, where they had a climbing wall, and she'd practice barehanded climbing fully loaded.

The doctor was occasionally present, but he mostly absorbed information about Masque through the varied reports about her. It was the staffer who watched over her mostly.

As he watched her, he noticed...things. He noticed how she remained ever curious about her surroundings. He remembered when he was first assigned to this compound. He was wide-eyed for maybe a week before falling into line.

But not her. She kept her eyes peeled for every little detail. Heaven help anyone who did anything new, as Masque would be looking over their shoulder, not saying anything, just...staring.

She never seemed to get excited or happy about anything; she just took it all in stride. It was a far cry from a few months before. It was almost too good to be true.

When he wasn't with her, he could keep track of her through the obedience collar. Its original use included the pain giver, but it wasn't being touched these days. It did allow him to get a good idea of where she was.

One late night, it gave him a surprise. He was up burning the midnight oil and mainlining coffee, when his workstation "beeped" at him. He queried, and found that Masque was moving about--far later than she was normally known to do.

This struck him as odd, so he got up from his chair, and made his way to her, finding that she was going to her training room. He met her when she was at the door, about to open it.

"Hey Masque," he said. "What's up? You're up awful late."

"Can't...sleep," she said. "Going...to train."

"You know you're not allowed in the training room alone," he said. "You could hurt yourself, and there'd be no one around."

She said one word. "Please?"

The staffer sighed. "I suppose I can keep track of you by your collar."

"Yes."

"Though if you're in there for too long, I'm going to come to check on you," he cautioned.

"Under...stand," she said. "Thank you."

She entered the training room, and the staffer went back to filling out his reports. He lost track of time, but eventually, he realized that nearly three hours had passed, and it was two in the morning. Time for him to hit the sack.

Before he did, he checked up on Masque, and was rather surprised to find that she was still in the training room. He turned on the camera in there, wondering if she had fallen asleep on the mat.

He was even more surprised to find that she wasn't showing up on the camera.

"The fuck?"

He hurried down to the training room, and opened it up. Still, she wasn't there. After looking around, he discovered two things. First, her utility belt was missing. Second, her obedience collar was sitting there in its place.

"Aw, sonova--"

And that was when the chaos began.

* * * * *

To: Serpentine HQ
From: Nest Leader--Bay City
Subject: Escape of Genome Project AZZ38479q389947, aka "Masque"

The Project had apparently been allowed access to the training room earlier that night (at approximately 2300 hrs) unsupervised. By our best estimates (as she has erased a large amount of information pertaining to herself), she used her personal equipment therein to disarm and unlock the obedience collar--all without setting off the alarms for such things. From there, she had complete unmonitored freedom of movement within the ancillary complex.

At 0305 hrs, intrusion alarms went off at all entry points in the complex, signifying an attack from the outside. As per standard procedure, all troops were mobilized, armed and deployed to meet the perceived threat. After 12 minutes, without any reports of an actual intrusion, all personnel were turned inward to conduct a room to room search. However, by that time, it was too late.

The Project had been busy during our distraction. We found the supervising doctor in charge of the project badly injured--five ribs had been broken, and his jawbone had been broken. By what we've been able to reconstruct from the security cameras (the memory for them had been hit with a bulk eraser), the doctor apparently thought she still had an obedience collar on, and had attempted to punish her for the destruction she was causing (erasing his files, which she succeeded in doing). She responded by delivering a kick to his midsection that broke his ribs, which sent him flying back into the nearby wall.

Barely conscious, but effectively helpless, he was was then struck in the head by a martial punch from the Project, who muttered the words "never again" before turning away from him as he slumped to the gound.

Reconstructed cameras then found her in the main control room, where she downloaded a total of 3.8 terabytes of data from our mainframes into several high capacity orb disks, before placing a bulk eraser inside the computer's cowling. Not only does she have a copy of everything stored in that system, she managed to destroy 91% of the original information.

Her stealth technique was enough for her to actually exit through the underground route, even as the recon teams were coming back to report that there was no threat. By the time the order was given to begin searching room to room, she was gone. Her current whereabouts: Unknown.

As per standard policy regarding a failure of this scale, the commander is being remanded to the R&D department, as are the rest of his senior staff. The doctor in charge of the project is currently in stable condition, though it will be a couple of months before he can resume his normal duties, if he's allowed to.

At present, we have our scouts and spies looking for the Project. Since she has never been exposed to the outside world before, it's proving difficult to predict what she might do. While we expect her to remain hidden for awhile, her intense curiosity will eventually have her taking more and more chances. Our best hope might be when the local police decide to hunt her down.

As always, I await your advice and orders.

HAIL VIPER.

* * * * *

I'm free.

I'M FREE!

I had planned for so long to get to this point, and now it's happened. I don't know why, but it feels...unbelievable that I've actually done it. There were so many things that could've gone wrong. The one who feeds me could have said "no"...

But everything went right! I feel...happy, I think. I have never felt this way before. It feels wonderful--like a great weight has been taken off of me. There's no more pain givers, no more collar.

At the same time though, I'm afraid.

I'm afraid that those who made me will find me and bring me back. I'm afraid of what the people up there on the streets will think of me. I don't look like them, and I don't think they have met anything like me.

I'm free...but now that I'm free, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it.

It frightens me, but it also excites me at the same time.

I think that's the way it's supposed to be

**Acroyear** · Sep 6th, '04, 11:13 PM

Originally Posted by Misery Lad

Y'know, it absolutely amazes me how many times I've heard of referees having access to players with artistic talent who are willing to lend that talent to the campaign.

We had three artists (if you count me). I'd do character portraits for apple pies from burger king. Or free. Depended on how much I liked the character and how hungry I was. One artist now does art at Electronic Arts and the third got deported (sorry KK).

I lot of times people would just take the doodles and make characters based on the picture. That was cool, too.

**nexus** · Sep 8th, '04, 07:31 PM

Just a little bump until I can get some more stuff posted.

**nexus** · Sep 23rd, '04, 02:05 PM

Impact, a young mutant sidekick of Myriad's...

Impact

Player: Charles Badger

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right">Val**</td><td>Char***</td><td>Cost</td></tr><tr><td align="right">50**</td><td>STR</td><td>40</td></tr><tr><td align="right">21**</td><td>DEX</td><td>33</td></tr><tr><td align="right">30**</td><td>CON</td><td>40</td></tr><tr><td align="right">13**</td><td>BODY</td><td>6</td></tr><tr><td align="right">10**</td><td>INT</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td align="right">12**</td><td>EGO</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td align="right">15**</td><td>PRE</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td align="right">20**</td><td>COM</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>*</td><td></td></tr><tr><td align="right">20**</td><td>PD</td><td>10</td></tr><tr><td align="right">20**</td><td>ED</td><td>14</td></tr><tr><td align="right">4**</td><td>SPD</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td align="right">16**</td><td>REC</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td align="right">60**</td><td>END</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td align="right">60**</td><td>STUN</td><td>7</td></tr><td></td><td>*</td><td></td></tr><tr><td align="right">6"**</td><td>RUN</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td align="right">2"**</td><td>SWIM</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td align="right">10"**</td><td>LEAP</td><td>0</td></tr></table>Characteristics Cost: 173

<table border="0" cellpadding="0"><tr><td align="right">Cost**</td><td>Power</td><td align="right">END</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">56**</td><td>True Flight: Flight 20", Position Shift, Usable Underwater (+1/4) (56 Active Points)*</td><td valign="top" align="right">6</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">20**</td><td>Damage Resistance (20 PD/20 ED)*</td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">21**</td><td>Life Support , Eating: Character only has to eat once per week, Safe in High Pressure, Safe in High Radiation, Safe in Intense Cold, Safe in Intense Heat, Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum, Self-Contained Breathing, Sleeping: Character only has to sleep 8 hours per week*</td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">20**</td><td>Hardy Metoblism: Aid: any charateristic below maximun, one at a time 4d6, Variable Effect One Power At A Time (+1/4) (50 Active Points); Self Only (-1/2), Only Restores to Starting Values (-1/2), Extra Time Delayed Phase (-1/4), Character May Take No Other Actions (-1/4)*</td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">12**</td><td>Almost Tireless: +0 STR, Reduced Endurance 1/2 END (+1/4) (12 Active Points) (Modifiers affect Base Characteristic)*</td><td valign="top" align="right"></td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">8**</td><td>Can Punch threw just about anything: Naked Modifier, Indirect Same origin, always fired away from attacker (+1/4) (12 Active Points); Only to peirce barriers Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (-1/2)*</td><td valign="top" align="right">1</td></tr><tr><td align="right" valign="top">12**</td><td>Ultra Punch: Double Knockback on Strength, Double Knockback 1.5x KB (+1/2) (25 Active Points); Extra Time Delayed Phase (-1/4), Character May Take No Other Actions (-1/4), Increased Endurance Cost 2x END (-1/2)*</td><td valign="top" align="right">4</td></tr></table>Powers Cost: 149

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right">Cost**</td><td>Martial Arts Maneuver</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">**</td><td>Improvised Pro Wreslting Moves*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5**</td><td>1) Flying Grab: 1/2 Phase, -2 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, +10 STR for holding on; FMove*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3**</td><td>2) Flying Tackle: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, -1 DCV, STR +v/5 Strike; You Fall, Target Falls; FMove*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">4**</td><td>3) Crush: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, STR +4d6 Crush, Must Follow Grab*</td></tr></table>Martial Arts Cost: 12

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right">Cost**</td><td>Skill</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">3**</td><td>Breakfall 13-*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">2**</td><td>KS: Professional Wrestling 11-*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">1**</td><td>Language: Spanish (basic conversation)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">10**</td><td>+2 with HTH Combat*</td></tr></table>Skills Cost: 16

Total Character Cost: 350

<table cellpadding="0" border="0"><tr><td align="right">Val**</td><td>Disadvantages</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">15**</td><td>Psychological Limitation: Tends to be a follower and prone to hero worship (Common; Strong)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">15**</td><td>Psychological Limitation: Shows off in Combat (Common; Strong)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">20**</td><td>Psychological Limitation: Code vs Killing (Common; Total)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">10**</td><td>Hunted: Purity (Anti Mutant Group) 8- (As Pow; Harshly Punish)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">10**</td><td>Physical Limitation: Large appetite, needs 3x caloric intake of a normal person (Frequently; Slightly Impairing)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5**</td><td>Physical Limitation: Odd body chemistry require special treatment (Infrequently; Slightly Impairing)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">10**</td><td>Dependent NPC: Edward, younger brother on the Police Force 8- (Normal)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">20**</td><td>Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Sonic Attacks (Common)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5**</td><td>Money: Poor*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">10**</td><td>Rivalry: Professional (Litra; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry; Rival is a Player Character)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">10**</td><td>Hunted: Bulldozer 8- (As Pow; Harshly Punish)*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">5**</td><td>Reputation: Overly Enthusiastic and someone gung ho superheroine 8-*</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" align="right">15**</td><td>Social Limitation: Secret ID (Frequently; Major)*</td></tr></table>
Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200
Experience Required: 0
Total Experience Available: 10
Experience Unspent: 10

Background: C.M or Impact as she has come to call herself is a young and impressionable young mutant born and raised in Bay City. She remembers that destruction of the Proprietor War and Wildstrike quite well. Her house was caught a tidal blast of energy and collapsed on her family. The destruction caused the emergence of her superhuman strength and invulnerability that allowed her to save her parents from almost certain death. Her family urged young Cassandra to keep her abilities quiet and she did for years, but slowly the urge to use her powers became overwhelming. Taking a cue from her heroes, the Luchadore masked wrestlers of Mexico the young girl donned a mask and began battling crime in Bay City as Impact.
After some initial successes, Impact approached Myriad and offered to become her “sidekick”. She hoped to learn at the heel of the more experienced heroine and needed an ideal. Myriad agreed with some trepidation and the two had a brief but beneficial partnership before complications in Myriad’s life began to pull her away from C.M. Despite their friendship, the girl began to feel a bit betrayed and when Myriad seemed to vanish all together (was kidnapped) she took it personally and dropped out of the limelight all together, giving up her mask and Impact identity.
C.M has recently returned but is much changed. Where the fun loving and slightly dizzy girl was, there is a determined, driven and a bit obsessive “woman” that is following teachings of a mutant self improvement guru named Dr. Parker. The new C.M is serious and almost dour and utterly rejected such “frivolous” things as professional wrestling and childish super heroics focusing instead on “improving herself and delving into the true spiritual well of mutant existence” along with a few dozen other catch phrases and buzzwords from Parker’s movements. Myriad is concerned about her friend, but feels she has made her choice and that should be respected. But that hasn’t stopped her from asking Pandora to look into the group. Of course, the investigation was halted when Pandora recently came up missing.

**nexus** · Dec 13th, '04, 07:03 PM

I had to delete the pics. If anyone wants them I'd be happy to mail them.

**Enforcer84** · Dec 13th, '04, 10:29 PM

Originally Posted by nexus

I had to delete the pics. If anyone wants them I'd be happy to mail them.

I'd like to see them. do you have a link to your website?

**nexus** · Dec 13th, '04, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Enforcer84

I'd like to see them. do you have a link to your website?

Unfortunately I don't have them posted yet, but give me a day or two and I'll see what I can do.

**zornwil** · Dec 18th, '04, 10:15 PM

Wow, more character goodness, thx Nexus! Please remember to link to the website when you can.

**Theron** · Dec 19th, '04, 05:51 AM

Very nice. It's certainly good to know there are a few other folks out there who saw the potential in the C:NM setting and not just the crummy art and bad choice of system.

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