Black Scorpion

[Mark Rand]

This is a serios character, not a campy one, like Roger Corman's.

The woman behind the mask is Mariko Yamashiro, the daughter of a business executive and a university professor. She started learning gymnastics when she was three and ninjitsu when she was six, both from an aunt.

When she was 18, she traveled to Japan with family members to find out who would be the next divinly-chosen, and blessed, heroine known as Black Scorpion. To everyone's surprise, expecially hers, Mariko was chosen.

After graduating with a masters in electronics, she has joined the local superhero team, the PCs, as technical manager. On a roll of 8-, she will be invited to join them on a mission. On a roll of 17-, she will decline the invintation.

She has few powers. THey are an increased life span, rapid healing, enhanced senses, and instant change. She also has several gadget multipowers & VPPs.

Mariko's family is very wealthy. She has a Ford F-350 pickup truck with a camper shell that tows a trailer carrying her candy-apple red Lamborhini Diablo race car as well as a gloss-black Lamborghini Murcielago that morphs (slightly) into the Scorpionmobile. Additionally, since she's its regular driver, she has the use of the local Sports Car Club of America's Ford Mustang GT pace car.

[OddHat]

Wouldn't it make more sense to have the PCs invite her, or not, rather than rolling for it?

If she declines on 17-, will the PCs actually adventure with her in the course of the campaign?

Just an observation, but if you don't want the PCs taking her along that often, it would probably just be better for you as GM to keep her reluctant to assist or unavailable save when you actually want to include her.

[Mark Rand]

Wouldn't it make more sense to have the PCs invite her, or not, rather than rolling for it?

If she declines on 17-, will the PCs actually adventure with her in the course of the campaign?

Just an observation, but if you don't want the PCs taking her along that often, it would probably just be better for you as GM to keep her reluctant to assist or unavailable save when you actually want to include her.

Actually, there won't be any dice rolling. It's just an indication of how often she'll be with them on a mission.

[Mark Rand]

As an addendum to the above, Mariko assists her Aunt Fujiko, her former teacher, and her niece, Kimiko, a Buffy-style Slayer, when they and their friends hunt evil undead when called.

She has no objection to the team joining them on their own, but she'll only invite them along if either Fujiko or Kimiko request it.

[Princedarkstorm]

Sounds like a Kato style character.Which are great to play!

[Mark Rand]

Sounds like a Kato style character.Which are great to play!

I would agree that there some similarities, but my original intent was to create a serious version of the Roger Corman character.

In most cases, the heroes will see her either in the electronics lab or working on some piece of electronics equipment. When we do "The Vintage Plot", which relates to the city's vintage car grand prix, we'll see her as a socialite, a race car driver, and the region's lead pace car driver.

[Mark Rand]

I may make Mariko's identity as Black Scorpion public and, since the changes occur inside, have the Lamborghini stay the Scorpionmobile.

[Mark Rand]

In all probability, I'm going to run a game based on the International Super Teams concept, which was created for GURPS Supers. If it helps, think of it as UNTIL with everyone having superpowers.

Each IST base, always called an embassy, has a minimum of 8 heroes, with at least 6 on duty each week. Since only two can come from the region of the country the embassy is in, Black Scorpion now comes from Tokyo, Japan. Otherwise, her background remains almost the same.

Her father is a vice president of R&D at a major electronics company and her mother's a college professor. Her aunt and uncle were her gymnastics and ninjitsu teachers and her father was involved in the construction of some of her high-tech equipment. The ceremony in which she was empowered was held at a shrine in the mountains.

Construction-wise, it will be easy to create her. The HD kunoichi template will serve as the basis for her character sheet. Her equipment will be written up as three multipowers and a variable power pool. Time to hit the books. I'll post the sheets for her and the Scorpionmobile soon.

[Mark Rand]

Since I need the point cost of the Scorpionmobile before I complete Black Scorpion herself, I'll make its sheet first. The car will be based on the "supercar" writeup in The Ultimate Vehicle and look like a Chevrolet Corvette.

[Mark Rand]

A quick update, Black Scorpion is one of three specialist characters that usually operate solo. When she's not on a mission, she can often be found in the training facilities, honing her skills and training others.

One of the other specialists is Warder, a mage who works out of her home, but comes in either for physical training or when called.

The third is still under construction.

[Mark Rand]

The third specialist is for MI6 agent Samantha Mitchel, who often who often works with security.

Among the other contenders were Mariko's American cousin, Christine, and Christine's blood-sister, Mary Anders.

Christine, who received the power to phase through matter, is now IST Vancouver's Shadowcat.

Mary, who now has an extended life span and is Mariko's designated successor, is now IST San Angelo's lead electronics engineer and Mariko's student, sparring partner, and, as Valkyrie, a reserve American Gladiator.

[Mark Rand]

I've started the Scorpionmobile writeup .

[Mark Rand]

Here's the first draft of the Scorpionmobile writeup.

Scorpionmobile - 

VAL   CHA   Cost   Total   Roll      Notes
40    STR     10   40      17-       HTH Damage 8d6  END [4]
23    DEX     39   23      14-       OCV 8 DCV 6

18    BODY    4   18      13-






6    SPD     27   6                 Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12



66    RUN      60   66"                END [0]
0    SWIM     -2   0"                END [0]
0    LEAP     0   0"                0" forward, 0" upward

CHA Cost: 170

Cost   POWERS
22     Ground Movement +30" (66" total), x4 Noncombat, 1 Continuing Fuel Charge lasting 6 Hours (+0) (65 Active Points); OAF Bulky (Focus: reinforced tires; -1 1/2), Only On Appropriate Terrain (-1/2) - END=
3     Oil Slicker: Change Environment 1" radius, -4 to Dex-based Rolls to move on/through (14 Active Points); 4 Charges (-1), IIF Bulky (-3/4), Limited Arc Of Fire (60 degrees behind vehicle; Only on same horizontal level; -3/4), No Range (-1/2), Only Affects Characters Moving On The Ground (-1/4) - END=[4]
19     Armored Panels: +8 DEF (24 Active Points); Limited Coverage Nearly 360 Degrees (Not on windshield/windows; -1/4) - END=
10     Retractable Armor: +6 DEF (18 Active Points); Nonpersistent (-1/4), Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -1/4), Visible (-1/4) - END=
5     Armor (10 PD/0 ED) (15 Active Points); OIF Bulky (-1), Only Works Against damage from collisions (-1) - END=0
60     Extremely Advanced Locks: Negative Skill Levels (-20 with lockpicking) - END=6
10     Hermetically Sealed, With Oxygen Supply: Life Support  (Self-Contained Breathing) - END=0
6     Communications Systems: High Range Radio Perception (Radio Group) (12 Active Points); OIF Bulky (-1) - END=0
24     Flashing Lights & Siren: Sight and Hearing Groups Images 1" radius, +/-3 to PER Rolls - END=2
10     Passenger Ejection Seat: Telekinesis (26 STR) (39 Active Points); 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OIF Bulky (-1), No Range (-1/2), Affects Whole Object (-1/4) - END=[1 rc]
10     Driver Ejector Seat: Telekinesis (26 STR) (39 Active Points); 1 Recoverable Charge (-1 1/4), OIF Bulky (-1), No Range (-1/2), Affects Whole Object (-1/4) - END=[1 rc]

POWERS Cost: 179


Cost   SKILLS
8      +4 with ground movement
11      CK: San Angelo & Environs (22 Active Points); OIF Bulky (-1) 29-

SKILLS Cost: 19


Value  DISADVANTAGES
15     Hunted:  United Nations 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)
10     Reputation:  Black Scorpion's Corvette, 11-

DISADVANTAGES Points: 25

Base Pts: 200
Exp Required: 143
Total Exp Available: 0
Exp Unspent: 0
Total Character Cost: 368

[Mark Rand]

Why did I decide that Mariko needs this? Since she works for the IST, the United Nations provides her transportation needs.

[sbarron]

I haven't seen the show. What's the point of her being selected as the Black Scorpion if she doesn't go fighting crime with the PCs?

[Edit...]

Ah, I see. She hunts undead on her own time.