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Around the World With A New Character Each Week


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#23 AFRICA FORCE FIVE (Botswana)

 

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AFRICA FORCE FIVE

Team Page

 

Background

The famous Tsholofelo family convened a conference on African uberhuman activity in 2003, bringing together some of the continent's most influential ubers and representing twenty-four governments. The result of the Nairobi Conference was an accord to form a united African Force. Not all countries signed on to the accord, but there was enough interest to establish five Africa Force teams. The teams were based in Nairobi, Kenya (Africa Force 1); Harare, Zimbabwe (Africa Force 2); Cape Town, South Africa (Africa Force 3); Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (Africa Force 4); and Gaborone, Botswana (Africa Force 5). The Tsholofelo family supplied the bases with high tech equipment and has become the de facto leader of the semi-independent forces.

 

Area of Operations

Africa Force is responsible for maintaining the security of African nations, predominantly in the south and west of the continent. Areas that are off-limits include Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Chad, Niger and Eritrea which are known to be under the control of governments allied with, or under the control of, the Sons of Set. The teams protect their base countries as a priority but have been given jurisdiction over all twenty of the accord countries including: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

 

Goals

Africa Force was created to safeguard the African people from uberhuman threats as well as natural disasters and armed insurgents. It operates as a series of independent teams and only relies on member governments for a small portion of expenses.

 

Reputation

Africa Force has been in operation for three years and in that time has mostly involved itself in the clean up of natural disasters, the provision of humanitarian services and the occasional conflict with uberhuman threats, most notably against the Sons of Set, the Hunt and other mercenaries operating for a variety of employers.

 

The Force has gained recognition abroad and has been invited to many international conferences and symposiums on uberhuman threats.

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#23 PARHELION (Botswana)

 

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PARHELION

Dr Katlego Tsholofelo

Character Sheet

 

Background

Educated in London at King's College, Katlego Tsholofelo was headhunted by the Witch Doctor to come and work in Azambia on a military grade exoskeleton which was a slight deviation on the subject of Tsholofelo's doctoral thesis. He worked in Azambia for months before realising that the dictator was planning to use the bodysuit to create an army of super-powered soldiers, but when he attempted to leave the Witch Doctor incarcerated him.

 

He was forced to work for Azambia and did so until the CIA sent a covert team of agents to free another scientist who was also working under duress. The CIA agents freed their American scientist as well as Tsholofelo and brought him back to the United States where a thankful Tsholofelo assisted the government with exoskeleton design. He had originally planned to use his design to assist his home country's development of a more efficient and safer diamond mining operation, but the United States were also more interested in military uses.

 

After creating a prototype in Botswana and testing it at one of the diamond mines, the plans were stolen by The Hunt: a mercenary group of ubers who worked for the Witch Doctor. Tsholofelo knew that he had to stop the plans from falling into Azambia's hands and enlisted the aid of Botswana's unofficial hero, a young woman by the name of Kagiso. Together they intercepted The Hunt and managed to destroy the plans rather than allow them to be used by the Witch Doctor.

 

Tsholofelo and Kagiso continued their relationship in a professional and personal manner, falling in love and eventually marrying. Tsholofelo pursued his research and developed the parhelion bodysuit while Kagiso became Peacemaker and fought crime in the major cities. After the birth of their first child, Kagiso retired from the 'hero game' and concentrated on being a mother. And soon they were blessed by twins.

 

But tragedy returned to the Tsholofelo family. At twenty-two, their eldest son contracted HIV and died within two years leaving behind a South African wife who was also infected. Kagiso organised the family back into the public arena where she once again became Peacemaker and campaigned for more information and assistance with HIV and AIDS. Tsholofelo began to create more parhelion suits for his family and they soon became known across Africa as a superhero family.

 

In 2003 the Tsholofelo family organised a conference on uberhuman affairs in Africa which led to the formation of Africa Force. Tsholofelo is the unofficial brains of the various Forces and provides them with technology and equipment with which they can provide security and assistance to the African people.

 

Personality

Dr Tsholofelo isn't as outgoing as his wife, who is known across the world as an influential figure in the superhero world. He is studious and slips easily into obsession when it comes to his laboratory. He prefers to spend time solving problems in theoretical situations rather than facing uberhuman threats in the field which has meant that he often finds himself outclassed when he is forced to venture out into the world, if only because he thinks too much and doesn't always act.

 

He loves his wife and their children, often marveling at his accomplishments in that arena. He continues to have an uneasy truce with the Witch Doctor although he does not, and will not, trust the dictator.

 

Quote

"Yes, yes, I understand that the giant lion-headed serpent is destroying downtown, but do you think it might be possible if I finish my zero-energy propulsion upgrades first? I've been working on them for the past twenty-eight hours and... what? This is important work."

 

Powers

Dr Katlego Tsholofelo invented the Parhelion Bodysuit with finances from the United States to be used in the development of new mining practices for Botswana's growing diamond industry. He has adapted his original design for use by the Africa Force Five team, including himself. The bodysuit increases the wearer's strength, provides limited flight capabilities and a protective force field. Tsholofelo has further adapted his own suit so that it also increases his reaction time and is able to project a force field to grasp opponents, create force walls and even deliver an earth-shattering groundstrike.

 

Without his bodysuit, Dr Katlego Tsholofelo is a regular human, although he is a genius.

 

Appearance

Members of Africa Force Five all wear a standard uniform which is a skintight blue costume with light grey panels on the sides of the legs and arms, a darker grey for their gloves, boots and mask; and a black belt which displays the team logo. Each member also carries a concealed communicator in their ear. Tsholofelo tends to wear his lab coat while in his Parhelion identity as a reminder that there are probably better things that he should be doing rather than gallivanting across the country fighting 'villains'.

 

Out of costume, Dr Tsholofelo can usually be found wearing a long white lab coat over casual clothes. He almost always carries a pen or two behind his ears and wears thick-rimmed glasses. He is always busy and seems distracted even when he is directly talking to someone.

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#23 PEACEMAKER (Botswana)

 

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PEACEMAKER

Kagiso Tsholofelo

Character Sheet

 

Background

Kagiso was born with uberhuman strength which she used to assist her father with his cattle, but her strength soon became famous across Botswana and even beyond. She refused to work for the government of Botswana and turned down work from a whole host of other nations, preferring to focus on her own community. When she was seventeen, however, she fell in love with a crazy inventor called Katlego Tsholofelo, who had developed a powered exoskeleton which was to be used by the diamond mines. He had developed the prototype using American money and when the designs were stolen, Katlego became desperate to reclaim them. He pleaded with Kagiso to help him and she agreed which led the duo on a whirlwind tour of southern Africa as they chased The Hunt which had stolen the plans. After destroying the plans for the exoskeleton rather than let them fall into the hands of the Witch King, Katlego and Kagiso realised that they had feelings for each other. They moved to the capital and became something of local celebrities and crime fighters, although Kagiso was more interested in improving social and health status of the people and Katlego was more interested in finetuning his technology.

 

Over time they had children and Kagiso found herself becoming more focussed on her household rather than superheroics. She retired as Peacemaker and raised her three children. Years later her eldest son contracted HIV and died within two years. His death became the catalyst for Peacemaker's return. She became a spokesperson for HIV education and organised the African heroes into Africa Force. She feels that she has achieved a lot, but at the same time she still sees thousands of young Africans dying every year and wants the West to do more about it. Peacemaker has made several impassioned pleas overseas in the United States, England and France for more aid to be diverted to Africa and for pharmaceutical companies to stop testing their products on Africans and to make medicine more readily available for all. So far she has not met with much success.

 

Personality

Peacemaker is an altruistic woman who lives her life for others. Her passion to find solutions to Africa's problems have exhausted her emotionally, although she has her family to recharge her 'batteries' when things become too hard to cope with. She has had a long career in the public eye and carries herself with great dignity, something she is renowned for across the globe.

 

Quote

"I fight for peace... a future for our children. And in that future you are behind bars."

 

Powers

Peacemaker is an uberhuman with enhanced physical strength and durability. Her husband has developed a skintight exoskeleton which increases her physical attributes as well as providing her with the ability to fly and generate a protective force field.

 

Appearance

Members of Africa Force Five all wear a standard uniform which is a skintight blue costume with light grey panels on the sides of the legs and arms, a darker grey for their gloves, boots and mask; and a black belt which displays the team logo. Each member also carries a concealed communicator in their ear.

 

Peacemaker is a tall, well-built woman with dark skin and tightly braided black hair which clings to her scalp. She is forty-three years old and she has the body of a bodybuilder who works out regularly. In truth she rarely works out at all, and has her ubergene to thank for her current physique.

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#23 FIREBIRD (Botswana)

 

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FIREBIRD

Sethunya Tsholofelo

Character Sheet

 

Background

Sethunya and Neo are the younger children of Katlego and Kagiso Tsholofelo and were brought up in a household full of gadgets and stories of heroic adventures. Neo blossomed under his mother's tutelage, but Sethunya shrunk away from the family tradition of superheroics. She shunned the intensive physical training programme set up by her mother and did everything she could to get her mother to forget about her. In truth, she craved her mother's attention but didn't feel worthy of it, especially after she began to put on weight as a child.

 

Her older brother died and the family were shocked. But the shock soon gave way to a renewed interest in saving the world, so that others wouldn't have to suffer the same tragedies as they had. Kagiso shot to the forefront of African uberhuman activity again, as she had in her youth. She became Peacemaker and brought her family along with her... up into the bright lights of the media.

 

She joined her family using one of her father's parhelion bodysuits and travelled across central and southern Africa as adventurers and goodwill ambassadors, although Sethunya hated the spotlight which was thrust on her family. She always stood at the back of promo photographs and never managed to say much apart from a few mumbled words to reporters. Her brother Neo was always the one with the voice and the looks. Sethunya preferred her books and the use of her father's science laboratory.

 

After her brother was transformed by the evil priestess, Nepythys, Sethunya felt even more inadequate. Now her attractive and gregarious twin brother had super powers. She decided to make herself more than just a body in one of her father's bodysuits, and designed malleable fire tubes which she used to create a flame throwing unit. She dubbed herself Firebird and managed to reclaim a little of her confidence.

 

Not long after she was attacked by Gazelle, who was working for The Hunt. The two young women fought a vicious battle which left Sethunya with a broken leg and concussion, while Gazelle was forced to retreat a little singed. Since that time the two have fostered bad feelings towards each other and they are more than ready for a rematch. Sethunya has never felt such anger towards another person, but Gazelle's cutting words combined with her bone-breaking attacks has brought Sethunya into a new world: the world of the superhero where people actually do get hurt and sometimes even die.

 

Personality

Sethunya has always been shy which has been hard for her as her family has continually found itself thrust on to the world stage, particularly since the death of her brother. Sethunya is sensitive about her weight, the fact that her twin brother is so much more attractive and friendly than she is, and the constant reminders she gets about how wonderful her mother is. She finds herself perpetually in the shadows, and in that dimness, away from the attention of her family little Sethunya has developed a few dark interests. She has an obsessive interest in the military especially military hardware; and she is also something of a mild pyromaniac, fascinated by the power and passion of flames.

 

Quote

"It's not that I hate my mother or my brother, but why do they have to be so good at ... at ... everything?!"

 

Powers

Like the rest of the Africa Force 5 team, Sethunya wears one of her father's parhelion bodysuits. The bodysuit increases the wearer's strength, provides limited flight capabilities and a protective force field. Since the onset of her twin brother's powers Sethunya has been driven to give herself something unique as a member of the team. She has developed a set of malleable fire tubes and a flamethrower unit so that she now has access to intense flames which she is careful to use only against adversaries and not the environment around her (when she can help it). Her costume is made of fire resistant material and she has outfitted herself with advanced sensory equipment.

 

Appearance

As Firebird, Sethunya wears the parhelion bodysuit which is a skintight blue costume with light grey panels on the sides of the legs and arms, a darker grey for their gloves, boots and mask; and a black belt which displays the team logo. Each member also carries a concealed communicator in their ear. Sethunya is heavy set and has thick black hair which she tries to control by pushing back behind her into a ponytail. It usually looks like dreadlocks tied back by a hair tie.

 

Sethunya is currently a student at a Pretoria university in South Africa. She is studying for her doctorate in chemistry, and usually wears dark rimmed glasses and oversized shirts when studying.

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#23 ONUS (Botswana)

 

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ONUS

Gert Tsholofelo

Character Sheet

 

Background

Gert Eulitzer worked for the South African government, just as her father once did before he was killed on a covert operation in Azambia. She was a telekinetic, just as her father was, and the government thought they would train her to be his replacement. Gert seemed to be set on a path but during her training she met and fell in love with a political activist from Botswana, Boipelo Tsholofelo. She listened to his smooth speeches and found herself helping with his political campaign which upset her government handlers. Boipelo convinced her to leave and she found herself swept up in his enthusiasm.

 

They were married although their happiness was short lived. Boipelo had contracted HIV and Gert found that she was infected as well. At first she was devastated but Boipelo convinced her that his mother would find a cure, which Gert thought was impossible until she met the woman. Kagiso Tsholofelo was an uberhuman, just like Gert, but she seemed so much more accomplished and confident. Gert found herself humbled in the older woman's presence, but she was warmly welcomed into the family, even though Boipelo hadn't told them about the marriage.

 

Boipelo died two years later.

 

There had been no cure, although Kagiso did become obsessed with the search for one. Gert felt that her death was sealed too and gave up. She retreated into herself and wanted to lock everything away from her so she wouldn't be tempted to feel happiness again. She returned to Cape Town and tried to disappear.

 

But the Tsholofelo family were not about to let her slowly die in the shadows. The entire family turned up in Cape Town and convinced Gert that she was a part of their family no matter what she thought, and that she would not be dying that day. Instead they offered her a place at their side as they once again decided to operate as superheroes, bringing hope and life to thousands across Botswana and other African countries. Gert felt swept along, but the craziness of her new life managed to wash away most of her depression and fatalistic thoughts.

 

She decided to stay in the public eye.

 

She decided that she needed to show others who were infected with HIV that it was not an immediate death sentence.

 

And so she became Onus, taking on the role of spokesperson for HIV and AIDS sufferers, work which consumes much of her free time. When she is not campaigning she is usually occupied in one of the various vehicle bays at Africa Force 5 Headquarters.

 

Personality

Gert has moments of unshakable strength, but beneath that confidence is a feeling of desperation that she may get sick at any time. She enjoys working hard to keep her mind off her condition and takes pride in the positive work she does in communities and even overseas. She feels at home with the Tsholofelos but does miss Boipelo and his infectious words.

 

Quote

"If only people were more like machines maybe we'd get somewhere... yeah, I know, we'd be a planet full of killer robots but it'd be less complicated."

 

Powers

Onus is a telekinetic uber who is able to manipulate the world around her using her mind. These telekinetic abilities are restricted in that she can only affect the world within a ten meter radius. Within that area, however, she is able to produce devastating force bolts, protective walls of force and can use her powers to assist her with her mechanic work.

 

As a member of Africa Force 5, Onus wears a parhelion bodysuit. The bodysuit increases the wearer's strength, provides flight capabilities and a protective force field.

 

Appearance

Members of Africa Force Five all wear a standard uniform which is a skintight blue costume with light grey panels on the sides of the legs and arms, a darker grey for their gloves, boots and mask; and a black belt which displays the team logo. Each member also carries a concealed communicator in their ear.

 

Gert has a pale complexion and red hair which is usually worn in twin ponytails and reaches beyond her shoulders. She appears frail but is actually quite resistant and is not afraid to get her hands dirty, often appearing smeared with grease after working on the team's vehicles and equipment. She tries to smile at any occasion, but is prone to depression and can sometimes try to hide away from everyone, shrouding herself in dark clothes trying to become invisible.

 

Notes

Onus is HIV-positive which may become a hook for campaigns. She's also a South African and the daughter-in-law of the Tsholofelo family.

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#23 SILVER SUN (Botswana)

 

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SILVER SUN

Bereket Meki

Character Sheet

 

Background

Bereket Meki was amongst a group of volunteers from World Vision who were caught in an attack between Eritrea and the Sons of Set from Egypt. The battle was brutal and one-sided - more like a massacre, and Bereket was critically wounded in an explosion. She thought she would die, and without the aid of the French hero Armstrong, who had travelled to Eritrea with members of the Brotherhood to hunt down a diamond thief. Armstrong saved her life and had her flown to Paris where he created an artificial heart and lungs for her which enabled her to regain consciousness. Armstrong further modified her body using his expertise in cybernetics to basically rebuild her body.

 

Bereket was not initially thankful. She hated to look at what had happened to her body. The lower part of her face had been replaced with metal, the flesh and jaw had been destroyed in the explosion. Armstrong had built her a new body and it was powerful, but Bereket felt like a stranger within it. She stayed in Paris for a year, battling depression but gradually recovering. She eventually returned to Eritrea but found that her home had changed. The government had changed and the new leaders were in league with the secretive criminal organisation base din Egypt.

 

Menhit tracked her down after being alerted to her return at the airport.

 

When they met an horrific battle erupted.

 

Menhit had planned to make an example of the former aid worker, but Bereket surprised the demi-goddess and even herself. She held her own, utilising the strength and speed she now possessed thanks to the cybernetic enhancements of Armstrong. She fought Menhit to a standstill, mostly by surprising her opponent, and when the time was right Bereket slipped away, moving southward and out of the areas of influence.

 

She made an enemy that day, but she also found her calling. She was called the Silver Sun by the people along the Red Sea because her skin had been replaced in part by silver metal. She kept moving and eventually crossed paths with the Tsholofelo family who gave her a home and supported her crusade against the Sons of Set.

 

Silver Sun had forgotten what family meant and found herself enjoying the experience, although she would never allow herself to admit it.

 

Personality

Silver Sun has lost her humanity and considers herself nothing more than a spark of life in a metal shell. She hates herself and what she has become, but at the same time she realises that her new body is a weapon she can wield against the killers and invaders of her homeland. She keeps to herself mostly and finds it difficult in social situations because of her voice, which is always metallic and alien, as well as her disfiguring scars and cyborg body. She hates what she looks like and expects others to feel the same.

 

She has developed a friendship with Peacemaker and the two women have worked together extensively, building up a strong relationship.

 

Quote

"My body has been remade one piece at a time. Sometimes even I do not recognise the face in the mirror."

 

Powers

Silver Sun's cyborg form is much stronger, faster and more resilient than her human form as well as being capable of enhanced perception predominantly in the sight and hearing fields. Since meeting the Tsholofelos and joining Africa Force 5, Silver Sun has worn a parhelion bodysuit which has further enhanced her strength as well as providing her with a protective force field and the ability to fly. She and Dr Tsholofelo have further worked to integrate her cyborg body with the bodysuit so that she is able to divert unused energy from her body to augment her flight, allowing her to achieve extreme speeds. She has also developed a retractable energy cannon which pops up out of her right forearm.

 

Appearance

Silver Sun was severely wounded in Eritrea and Armstrong was only able to keep her alive by substituting many of her internal organs and much of her body with cybernetics and metal. As a result, Silver Sun has a strong titanium frame which is most obviously seen in the lower part of her jaw, her chest and arms and legs. Her eyes were also destroyed and replaced with cybernetic implants.

 

In costume, Silver Sun wears a parhelion bodysuit which is a skintight blue costume with light grey panels on the sides of the legs and arms, a darker grey for their gloves, boots and mask; and a black belt which displays the team logo. Each member also carries a concealed communicator in their ear. The lower part of her face is covered with dark grey bandages and she wears rose-tinted goggles and an antennae on her helmet which is connected with her brain and enables her to access high frequency radio signals. She wears a bright red shoulder guard which differentiates her from the other team members.

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#23 STEALTH (Botswana)

 

stealth.jpg

 

STEALTH

Neo Tsholofelo

Character Sheet

 

Background

Neo Tsholofelo always wanted to be a Sentinel. His parents were both heroes even before he and his twin sister were born, so his entire life was spent waiting for his chance to become one as well. But he didn't develop superpowers and had to rely on his father's invention, the parhelion suit, to become a hero. After his older brother died, his mother organised the family into a superhero group to promote education across Africa and provide security for people of all countries. Neo was excited.

 

Perhaps a little too excited.

 

He went to Egypt by himself, deep into enemy territory where he hoped to face off against a member of the Sons of Set. He figured that if he could defeat one of the demi-gods in battle he would certainly gain membership with the Sentinels. Unfortunately, Neo didn't realise that the reason Nepythys' henchmen were known as demi-gods was because they had the powers to back it up. He was severely trounced and would have been killed had Nepythys herself not spared his execution. She decided it would be more interesting to transform him into one of her servants and the transformation ceremony was nearly completed when the Sentinels interrupted and rescued the terrified boy.

 

He was seventeen.

 

That was two years ago. After being rescued, Neo discovered that Nepythys' magic had awakened his ubergene and he now had the ability to shrink to miniscule size. He was excited again and knew that his entry into the Sentinels would only take a few months of hard work in the family superhero team, Africa Force Five.

 

Personality

Neo is overconfident. He knows that he is attractive and powerful and that he is the son of one of Africa's most famous families. Everything seems to fall into place for him, even being rescued by the Sentinels. But this confidence is being tested in his dreams where he finds himself attracted to the service of Nepythys and the Sons of Set. He finds himself bound to the seductress and secretly longs to be corrupted.

 

But when he is awake, Neo is an outgoing and relaxed young man who sometimes feels the need to prove himself as a rebel just because everyone expects him to be a perfect son. He loves his motorbike and spends a lot of time with it when he is not adventuring.

 

Quote

"Hey, I'm a big man where it counts fella. Don't worry about that."

 

Powers

Stealth's uberhuman power is to shrink to a very small size. Normally he can shrink to 5cm tall but if he concentrates he can even shift into the Microverse where he becomes subatomic. He has developed a series of tricks with this power, most notably the ability to slip inside other people or objects and cause lots of damage by jumping around between their atoms. He has nearly killed several opponents using this ability and has been lectured about its dangers by his parents on many occasions, but Stealth considers it his calling card. He tries to be careful but he won't give up on the power.

 

Stealth also wears a parhelion bodysuit which increases the wearer's strength, provides limited flight capabilities and a protective force field.

 

Appearance

Neo Tsholofelo is a very attractive young man with his mother's physical prowess and his own brand of charm. He shaves his head and has a golden earring in his left ear, although he takes it out when he is in costume. In costume he wears the standard uniform of Africa Force Five: a skintight blue costume with light grey panels on the sides of the legs and arms, a darker grey for their gloves, boots and mask; and a black belt which displays the team logo. Each member also carries a concealed communicator in their ear.

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Re: Around the World With A New Character Each Week

 

Very interesting. By coincidence I am in the process of writing up the "central african" heros on my "All The World's Heros" project. I have divided it into two parts and have completed "East Central Africa"With 2 heros in Sudan,2 in Ethiopia,3 in Kenya,2 in Uganda,2 in Tanzania, 1 in each of the two Congos, Somalia and Chad. My last character written up was "The Invisible Fist" a telekinetic from Chad who can strike, "squeeze' and "lockdown" opponents with TK but can't actually lift objects. In other words I wanted a slight variant on a telekinetic so I looked up the "Until Superpowers Database" under "telekinesis" and picked some of the powers that don't involve lifting ! Now on to "West Central Africa" (Senegal,Mali,Guinea,Siera Leone,Ivory Coast,Ghana, Nigeria,Cameroon and Gabon) Whew ! Still lots more to do before I get out of Africa.

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Re: Around the World With A New Character Each Week

 

Yeah, there's huge potential in Africa. I wanted to create a Fantastic Four-equivalent team to represent a family who is also a superhero team. The idea of them organising a series of loosely-affiliated teams across Africa was sort of a cross between cheating (not coming up with different team ideas) as well as being something which I think extends the family concept. These heroes from across Africa have a lot in common and can count on each other for help, but they operate mostly independently from each other.

 

Another element from the Uberworld's version of Africa is that a crazy priestess Nephthys is behind an insidious organisation which has taken control of Egypt and a whole host of other northern countries in an attempt to eventually take over the entire continent so she can call the God Set back to Earth.

 

We've established that she has been successful in manipulating the governments and military of several key northern countries and her minions are the equivalent of VIPER for many African heroes. And her minions are pretty much like demi-gods - impressive powers and deadly.

 

Europe and the rest of the world have mostly turned a blind eye to the Sons of Set because it's not their problem. It's only Africa after all... they don't want to think about what happens after Africa.

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  • 2 weeks later...

#24 EMERALD CRANE (Brazil)

 

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EMERALD CRANE

Team Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Emerald Crane was an old man even in the 1970s, although no one ever truly knew where he came from or why he settled in Rio de Janeiro. Whatever his origin, it became clear that Emerald Crane was a master of martial arts and began to teach students who could seek him out in the slums of Rio.

When Rio de Janeiro was nearly destroyed by Professor Quake, Emerald Crane became more pro-active. He assisted many refugees and when the city began to rebuild several years later he returned to the slums and established himself as a kind of Godfather. While he was in charge no harm would come to the people of 'The Emerald City' - a name he used to describe the slum area outside of Rio.

 

But Emerald Crane wasn't just interested in protecting the welfare of the people around him. He began to worry about the world and its future. He believed that the only secure future would be one where freedom and choice remained options. He abhorred totalitarianism and dictators, perhaps a clue to his past. He believed that his mission in life was to subvert the goals of those who would seek to take over the world. At first he targeted multinational corporations, but he also disrupted operations run by the CIA, CLAW and Southern Cross International.

 

Martial Artists continued flocking to him although he increased the expectations and only took the most gifted of them as students. He trained them and then sent them out to usurp the powermongers, to preserve the status quo.

 

In 2002, Emerald Crane died.

 

His students remained in Rio de Janeiro, but moved out of the slums and into a steel-clad tower known as Emerald Tower. They continue to attack those who overstep their boundaries but the organisation has lost some focus since the mentor's death.

 

Area of Operations

The Emerald Crane is based in Rio de Janeiro which is testament to the destruction man is capable of. They travel internationally, however, depending on their current target. They have undertaken major assignments in the USA, Europe and Azambia in Africa.

 

Goals

The Emerald Crane oppose those people or organisations who seek to dominate the world which endangers the very existence of humanity. They are also particularly aggressive about eradicating any kind of temporal entity such as time travellers who may also usurp the earth's proper destiny.

In addition to the lofty ideals of the organisation, each member also holds their own individual goals, many of which have surfaced since the death of Emerald Crane.

 

Reputation

The organisation operates in secret, so not much is known about them. SAGE has some records on their activities, but they usually cloak their operations in red herrings and fall guys. Each member, however, is generally known in martial arts circles, although they may not be known to associate with each other.

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#24 ANACONDA (Brazil)

 

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ANACONDA

Ana Beatriz Bundchen

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Anaconda was famous in the 1990s as a celebrity pro-wrestler and even launched a self-titled television series in Latin America. As well as her sport and acting career, Anaconda also freelanced as a hero-for-hire. She disappeared from public view after a disastrous marriage and resurfaced in 2000 as a costumed hero in Rio de Janeiro, although her actions were more in line with harsh vigilantes. She killed on occasion and dealt immense property damage which made the people of Brazil wary of her.

 

After a memorable battle with Gauntlet, Anaconda made her way to the Emerald Crane where she was appointed team leader by the ancient master. After his death she has managed to keep everyone together but feels that the team's goals may need to shift to accommodate the varied ambitions of the individuals.

 

Personality

Anaconda is a celebrity. She loves being filmed and noticed, and plays up to the crowds every chance she gets. She is vain and treats others based on their physical attributes and beauty. She has no time for the weak and timid and finds herself drawn to muscular people, often to test her skills against them.

 

Quote

"Just wait until I get my hands on you..."

 

Powers

Anaconda has incredibly strong muscles in her arms which enable her to exert uberhuman pressure. This gives her an almost unbeatable grip, something which she used to her advantage during her fighting career. Of course she does have accidents and has killed several sparring partners because she lost concentration. She is also highly durable and well trained in wrestling.

 

Appearance

Anaconda is a large, powerful woman and she knows it. She has short black hair and hazel eyes. For a costume she wears a bright green top, trunks and boots; and black leggings and belt. Her arms are bare and her muscles swell when she exerts her strength. She has recently begun wearing a fluorescent war paint under her eyes to intimidate the weak

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#24 CARVAO (Brazil)

 

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CARVAO

Felipe Mansho

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Born in Hong Kong, Felipe Mansho was the son of an international model and a Chinese political activist. His father was killed when he was young and Felipe has never fully dealt with that tragedy. He grew into a very angry young man who dominated his frail mother. He was intelligent but not as intelligent as he believed. Inevitably he was beaten up by students at his school.

 

But instead of being subdued, Felipe burst into a super-heated black form and fought back, killing two of the students and critically wounding two more. His mother couldn't cope anymore and disappeared. The police were after Felipe, but before he could be arrested the Gang of Five intervened and took him to Beijing where he was treated like a lab rat.

 

Felipe didn't cope well with being probed.

 

The scientist Shao Jun, who would later become the uberhuman Pig, unwittingly released Felipe and he escaped. It was night and under the cover of darkness his black body was difficult to trace. He managed to escape to Taiwan and from there he made his way to South America in search of his mother. In his time of desperate need he believed that his mother would look after him.

 

But she was gone.

 

Felipe found himself in the care of Emerald Crane, an enigmatic master who lived in a slum city outside Rio de Janeiro. He never questioned how Emerald Crane found him or why, but the master showed him compassion, which was something he had never experienced before. He was humbled. For several years he became more or less tolerant and subdued. Emerald Crane paid for him to attend university and to study his uberhuman abilities.

 

Emerald Crane planned to use Felipe as a weapon and encouraged him to create dual lives: one as a scientist and the other as a martial artist.

 

After Emerald Crane's death, Felipe began to revert to his obnoxious form and in the leadership vacuum of the past two years Felipe has developed a god-complex. He has no checks and is spiralling out of control, something the other members of Emerald Crane are all too aware of. They know that they will need to deal with him soon.

 

Personality

Carvao is supremely confident of his abilities and believes that he is beyond most of what goes on around him. He has even begun to turn down assignments because he deems them unworthy of his attention. As a scientist he is also overconfident and not generally liked, although he doesn't stand out too much in the crowds of white lab coats.

 

He believes that his powers are better than his team mates and plots to take over the team, and eventually exert his powers over larger groups and potentially even a country. He has never really overcome his feelings of abandonment by his father and mother.

 

Quote

Carvao: "We will pull out the weeds of this planet and make it a more ascetic place to live."

Anaconda: "If you can get passed his overly pretentious verbal garbage, he's really a good killer."

 

Powers

Carvao absorbs energy which triggers a metabolic change in his body. At will he can transform into a pitch black humanoid with glowing yellow eyes which allow him to see into the infrared spectrum. And in this form he is able to withstand almost limitless amounts of energy, project the energy he has stored as well as fly through the sky and underwater. He has peak human physical attributes as well as some martial arts training.

 

Appearance

Carvao means coal in Portuguese. When transformed he appears as an imposing man made of pitch black energy. His eyes glow yellow. He doesn't require a costume in this form, but when off-duty he generally wears severe and expensive clothing.

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#24 DESTINO (Brazil)

 

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DESTINO

Benny Insulza

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Benny and Paulo were best friends and friendships were stronger than family in the slums growing up around Rio de Janeiro. Together the boys ran wild, evading death squads and scoring money from unwary tourists and low-level hold ups. While Benny was an easy-going gangster, Paulo was more on the psychotic side and inevitably began killing people. At first it was rival gang bangers but then it progressed to regular citizens who wouldn't hand over money or who looked at him the wrong way.

 

Without knowing it, Benny had become one half of the most feared and hated duo in the Emerald City slum.

 

He was cautioned by an old Chinese man and began to learn martial arts and studied from the man's text books. Paulo and Benny began to drift apart and Benny found himself a girl, Angelica. Everything seemed to be changing for the better for Benny, but Paulo was unable to change with the times and continued to use intimidation and violence to get what he wanted.

 

He tried to force himself on Angelica but Benny intervened. Paulo pulled a knife and stabbed his best friend, but the wound was worth it for Benny who truly realised the limitations of his friendship. Benny moved out of the slums and Paulo was unable to follow. Benny worked hard to provide for his wife but they struggled. It was only when the Emerald Crane, the old man who had mentored Benny as a teenager, began hiring him for protection work in Emerald City that he felt good about his life. The money allowed him to rent a good place and Angelica was happy.

 

But he was forced to keep his two lives separate. Angelica wouldn't be able to handle knowing that he had returned to the slums.

 

Benny became the Emerald Crane's favoured son. He excelled at capoeira and generated a buzz around the slums. The people looked to him for protection and he provided it for them. He became a folk hero.

 

And then the Emerald Crane unveiled his grand plan to combat megacorporations and megalomaniacs. Benny never hesitated and followed his mentor without question. Upon the Emerald Crane's death, Benny assumed control of most of the administrative side of the organisation. He gets along with everyone and they don't see him as a threat.

 

Personality

Benny Insulza is easy going and friendly. He is everyone's friend and has a way of disarming psychotics, especially Paulo. He is driven to protect the people of Emerald City and his wife, Angelica. He prefers not to kill but realises that sometimes it is the only way. He doesn't talk about it or flaunt it like some of the other gangsters in the slums, and he gains respect because of that.

 

Quote

"Let's not make this into something it's not. We just want you to disappear. We don't have to kill your entire family for you to do that, you know."

 

Powers

Destino has uberhuman agility and reaction times. He is a highly trained martial artist, specialising in the dance-like form of capoeira. He wields a katana and an energy blaster he stole from a Southern Cross International office in Sao Paulo. He is a confident fighter but follows a strict code of conduct as a student of the Emerald Crane.

 

Appearance

Benny has a magnetic personality which draws all sorts of people to him. He is almost always happy and smiles frequently, showing off perfect teeth. He is physically fit, tall and lithe. He wears glasses although he sometimes wears contact lenses instead, and his most obvious physical feature is his afro. As Destino he wears a tight green armoured one-piece costume, black boots and straps which hold his scabbard to his back. He wears one steel wrist guard on his right forearm which once belonged to Emerald Crane.

 

Notes

Benny is based on a character from that Brazilian docu-drama I mentioned in a previous post: The City Of God. I think that's the name.

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#24 MISTER BUG (Brazil)

 

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MISTER BUG

Leandro Chagas

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Not much is known about Mister Bug, although it is assumed that he is an extraterrestrial. In actual fact, he is the son of a grocer from Salvador who suddenly metamorphosised into a humanoid insect during adolescence. He was already on the road to a criminal career so his new identity proved the incentive to pursue the vocation full time.

 

He moved to Rio de Janeiro and began killing.

 

He gained the attention of El Disenador, a fugitive chemist, who hired him to kill Lady Liberty of Sanction. Mister Bug took on the assignment and infiltrated the United States. He nearly succeeded in his assignment but the more experienced Liberty survived. Rather than becoming despondent about his failure, Mister Bug decided to stay in the States and managed to eke out a living on the streets of New York City.

 

His assassination schedule kept him busy for years until one assignment sent him back to Brazil. The mark was an old man in a slum outside of Rio de Janeiro. His name was Emerald Crane. Mister Bug underestimated the old man and was sorely beaten.

 

But instead of seeking vengeance the Emerald Crane offered Mister Bug a place in his elite group of students.

 

While he would never commit completely, Mister Bug agreed to assist in clandestine assassinations on behalf of Emerald Crane while also maintaining his own freelance career. Since the death of Emerald Crane, Mister Bug is questioning his allegiance to the group and has thought about selling them out. The idea makes him warm inside.

 

Personality

Mister Bug is psychotic. He cannot be trusted. He has been known to eat human flesh, although it's probably just a stunt rather than an actual interest in consuming humans. The only thing that motivates him is the thrill of hunting and the opportunity to upset those around him.

 

Quote

"Mmm, tasty..."

 

Powers

Mister Bug has transformed into a humanoid insect and possesses a variety of insect-like abilities including enhanced senses, razor-sharp mandibles and inhuman movement. He is strong, fast and resistant to injury.

 

Appearance

Mister Bug is tall and bipedal, but he is also definitely an insect (although he only has four limbs, rather than six). He has a dark blue casing with even darker blue hair. On his head he has very large eyes, sensitive antennae and dangerous mandibles. He wears suits and carries himself with an insidious elegance which belies his cold-blooded nature.

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#24 ROBBER BRIDE (Brazil)

 

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THE ROBBER BRIDE

Alessandra Ueda

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

The Robber Bride has been active for nearly twenty years but hasn't seemed to age a day. She began her Robber Bride career as a superhero ally of Sanction during the 1980s but after several years she began to lose track of her original identity and felt that she was losing her mind. She checked herself into a mental institution in Switzerland where she stayed for three years. During that time she lost contact with her friends from Sanction and began to re-think her life. She realised that she had never thought big enough. She had immense power but had never been anything more than a sidekick.

 

Things would change. She never set out to become a supervillain but she wanted to make decisions which would affect the world. She would never kill anyone but she used her powers to turn uberhuman abilities against villains. She left them for authorities to lock up, but soon she wanted a more permanent solution. She incapacitated her adversaries, taking them near death in the hopes of giving them that moment of clarity where they would mend their wicked ways.

 

Her vigilante ways caught up with her in Las Vegas where she was beaten by a set of Iron Maidens. Her battered body was left in the dust but she didn't die. She was spirited away by the Emerald Crane and recovered in his sanctuary far south in Rio de Janeiro. She didn't know how she got there but as she recovered she realised that the Crane's plans for the world were truly visionary, far exceeding her own limited visions.

 

Personality

The Robber Bride wants to make the world a better place. She has seen powerful villains try to take over the world and she has seen saviours come and go. The only person she truly believes has the right idea is the Emerald Crane, and now that he is dead she clings to the hope that his students can continue the work he began. She will oppose all those who plan to dominate the world and she knows that she has the powers to do it.

 

She is older than the others but still looks very young. This discrepancy makes her something of an outsider. She is not fully comfortable in the company of the other Emerald Crane members, and she is contemplating starting her own group.

 

Quote

"Let me have a go at that..."

 

Powers

The Robber Bride is able to leech uberhuman abilities from others and to exhibit them herself. These powers are limited by touch but also grant her an insight into her target's mind. The Bride ages very slowly and has some defence against mental and manipulative powers. Since joining the Emerald Crane she has learned martial arts but prefers to rely on her absorption powers.

 

Appearance

Alessandra still looks like she is nineteen, although she is actually in her forties. When she began her superhero career she actually wore a modified wedding dress but now prefers to dress casually, although she maintains her veil as an homage to her past. She has fine blonde hair and an olive complexion. She wears a choker with a crucifix and two golden arm bands.

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#24 SARTORIAL (Brazil)

 

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SARTORIAL II

Heitor Ribeiro

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Raised in the United States, Ribeiro worked for the Silver Age theme-villain Sartorial although he was never anything more than an errand boy. After the original Sartorial retired, however, Ribeiro took on the role for a clumsy stint in Argus City during the 1980s where he was constantly defeated by Owl Man. Ribeiro was counselled by the original Sartorial who suggested he 'get a life'. Ribeiro took the insult and left the country, vowing to avenge his dishonour upon his former employer and the heroes of Argus City.

 

He fled to Brazil where he was eventually trained by the martial arts instructor Emerald Crane who was organising a team of fighters who would maintain order in an ever shrinking globalised world. Ribeiro became one of the Crane's most gifted students and brought with him experience of the supervillain world he had briefly been a part of. The Emerald Crane could see the benefit for his students to masquerade as super villains in order to maintain the status quo. Sartorial was singled out as an ideal student which fuelled Ribeiro's ego and determination to succeed where the previous Sartorial had failed.

 

When the Emerald Cranes descended upon the world in the wake of their master's death, Sartorial chose Argus City to begin his campaign against those who would seek to dominate the world. His target was Owl Man who possessed an ancient relic which was identified as being of such power that it might one day lead to the unleashing of an entire dimension. Whether that prophesy was true or just an excuse for Sartorial to seek vengeance upon Owl Man is uncertain. Owl Man does possess a mystical relic but whether it could bring about such a devastating merging of dimensions is doubtful.

 

Sartorial continues to work with the Emerald Cranes, but has maintained a semi-solitary career as a themed villain in North America. He also maintains the Sartorial side-business of designing and outfitting superhero and supervillain costumes.

 

Personality

Sartorial is consumed with self-importance. He believes he is much more accomplished than he truly is, which is impressive because his talents are quite extensive. He takes criticism poorly and those who know him have learned to conceal from him many faults they may believe he may have. His temper is legendary: swift and deadly. And yet he can maintain an almost insane-perkiness in his demeanor leading many to underestimate his deadly skills. He acts like a Silver Age villain but tends to follow through with deadly force. He is also prone to overkill.

 

Quote

"Beneath the swirling robes and glamour gowns, aren't we all just shivering, naked idiots?"

 

Powers

Sartorial utilises an assortment of theme-weapons focusing on the use of fabric and costume, although he also conceals several razor-sharp throwing blades. These gimmicks lend Sartorial a comic, over-the-top element which serves as a cover for his lethal martial arts training. He plays the fool but is truly a deadly opponent.

 

In battle he usually engages with martial arts maneuvers while maintaining his swirling robes which grant him damage reduction.

 

Appearance

Sartorial appears to be over the top and flamboyant. He speaks with an exaggerated, stereotypical snobbish accent and carries himself like a spoiled heir to a personal fortune. In fact he is from a very poor family and only has access to money through his criminal activities. As Sartorial he wears a crimson robe with many layers, all of which are under his control and can be used for a variety of attacks and defensive moves.

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#24 VENTO ESCURA (Brazil)

 

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VENTO ESCURA (DARK WIND)

Ban Jin

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Jin has had a domino-like career, beginning in Korea as an art thief who then became involved with the Fuchi-no-Kuroi as a forger before being inducted as an assassin by the Clan when her uberhuman powers manifested. From her own accounts she grew up in a relatively privileged family and went to art school in Seoul. However, her ninja training and personality modifications have turned her from an outgoing, vivacious young woman into a dark, brooding femme fatale. The Dark Pool Clan named her Dark Wind because of her aerokinesis powers.

 

Her life continued to transform when she abandoned her team of assassins in Miami and fled through the southern states of the USA. She had decided that the Fuchi-no-Kuroi were using her and preferred the freedom of a single operator. The Clan pursued her, but she evaded them, knowing the techniques and possessing vast powers over wind and air.

 

She eventually heard about Emerald Crane and travelled to visit him in Rio de Janeiro. He had been expecting her and agreed to train her in exchange for her allegiance. Jin listened to the man's lectures on the evils of the world and discovered that her reasons for leaving Dark Pool were similar. She hated the ways the Clan had manipulated events around the world.

 

Even though she joined less than half a year before his death, Jin became one of the master's most trusted and zealous students.

 

Personality

Jin has undergone rigorous training with the Fuchi-no-Kuroi and has become more calculated and intimidating. She keeps to herself mostly and engages in meditation when she can. She truly believes in the cause of the Emerald Crane and sees herself somewhat out of the everyday world of those around her. It's as if her knowledge and mission have elevated her to a higher place. She can't help but look down on others.

 

Quote

"As quiet and deadly as a plague. We will come to you and take your life."

 

Powers

When Jin was twenty-one years old she began to get moody. Her family believed that she was involved with drugs, and although she was actually involved with the Fuchi-no-Kuroi ninja Clan as a forger, her symptoms were not due to drug abuse but the late maturation of her ubergene. Her mind seemed to suddenly be able to manipulate the very air around her and because of her surly mood, the winds began to act violently. The ninja clan recognised her uber abilities and trained her as a specialist assassin.

 

Jin's powers have grown in the past several years so that she can now manipulate the air in ways which allow her to create battering winds, alter the air into a dark cloud-like substance and listen on the air currents so that she can eavesdrop accurately over 1km. Her favourite ability is to fly and she has become expert in maneuvering through the air.

 

An unrelated power manifested itself after her training was complete. Jin was able to temporarily become shadow and move through walls, although such a power is rendered useless in bright conditions.

 

Appearance

Ban Jin is a slender Korean woman with long straight black hair and non-reflective black eyes. She usually covers her eyes with sunglasses so that people won't stare at her. She wears black all the time, and favours leather and vinyl.

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#25 LUWALHATI (Brunei)

 

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LUWALHATI

Pao-Pei Hajah Negeri Binte Seri

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Pao-Pei was a frustrated journalist. Although she would never seek to discredit the government of Brunei she did feel constrained by only been allowed to report the mundane and 'whitewashed' news. There were never any breaking news stories and everything was so muted. Her frustration grew so that even her husband became aware of it, but he warned her not to endanger her career by doing anything 'outrageous'. Pao-Pei agreed and kept everything bottled up. She continued working as best she could and never spoke again of her discomfort with her husband. He was a police officer, after all, and lived an exciting life. She was left to typing press releases.

 

Her frustration was buried but over the months of trying to conceal it from everyone, Pao-Pei had a rather unusual reaction. Her denial led to the triggering of her ubergene, which manifested itself as uberhuman strength. She literally punched a hole in the wall of her small office at the newspaper, which she hurriedly covered with a wall calendar.

 

Over the next few days she accidentally broke the front door to their house, the breakfast table and a half dozen pairs of pants.

 

At first she was embarrassed and knew she would be discovered at any moment, but her husband seemed to be too caught up with his work and Pao-Pei eventually relaxed. She found that she was very strong and that she could even harness the strength of her lungs to literally blow things away. There were few superheroes in south-east Asia apart from government groups, terrorists and those further north in China and Japan, so Pao-Pei was unsure of what to do or how to go about becoming a hero.

 

She contacted Atomic Girl who was a famous heroine who had gained her superpowers from the Second World War, and the two women met several times over the course of the following two months. Atomic Girl invited Pao-Pei, who was now calling herself Luwalhati, to join the Singapore Samurai. Pao-Pei was torn between fully giving herself over to the life of a super hero and the loyalty to her husband. She declined.

 

Unfortunately, her decline raised alarm bells in Singapore. The benefactor of the Singapore Samurai, Evol Khan, interpreted Pao-Pei's refusal to join the team as an indication that she knew about his illicit affairs. Khan decided to eradicate her.

 

Luwalhati became embroiled in a manufactured turf war on the streets of Bandar Seri Begawan. Khan had hired hundreds of disgruntled men from across Malaysia to infiltrate Brunei and cause mayhem. The police were unable to contain the riots and it took Luwalkati's appearance to shift the tide against Khan's men - which was exactly what he had planned.

 

When she showed herself, Khan sent in Kali and Kage Mushi from Dirty Deeds. Luwalhati was inexperienced and unable to defend herself properly. She was beaten across the city which caused a lot of property destruction (the beginning of her reputation as a public menace). It was only the intervention of the Singapore Samurai which saved her and the city.

 

Since that first public appearance Luwalhati has had a cat-and-mouse relationship with the police who want to unmask her. She has become a symbol of chaos and the government is not comfortable with that. She has also come to realise that not all is well in Singapore, even though Atomic Girl and her team have created a kind of utopia there. She suspects Khan is behind a vast criminal empire and is trying to expose him, while also acting as Brunei's only superhero.

 

Personality

Luwalhati is an extrovert who always puts on a show for her audience, speaking loudly and showing off to whoever will watch her. This is a deliberate act by Pao-Pei, who is naturally much more restrained and compliant. She enjoys life but has felt constrained by Brunei society and her husband's view of what women should and should not be allowed to do. She loves Tajuddin, but he also annoys her sometimes. By having two identities she is able to keep her life stable as well as have fun on the side.

 

Luwalhati has come into contact with the police on many occasions but has never been held long enough for them to work out who she really is. She has found it interesting that her husband, who is a Lieutenant in the police force, has shown an attraction to Luwalhati. They have even shared a kiss or two which has made Tajuddin question his live with Pao-Pei. She knows that he really wants to take risks and have a fun life too, but she can't make him break society's influence on him. While Tajuddin is torn between love and lust for Pao-Pei and Luwalhati, Pao-Pei is having the best of both worlds.

 

Quote

"You and I have so much in common... like this fist... and this one... oh, and my foot too."

 

Powers

Luwalhati has uberhuman strength which allows her to lift in excess of 25 tons. She is athletic and enjoys leaping around which gives her the feeling of flying (something she really wishes she could do). She has become famous for her 'super-breath' which can knock over her opponents, dissipate fire and gas, and comes from her super-strong lungs.

 

Appearance

Luwalhati is known for her long white hair which is usually tied back into two pony tails. This is a wig, of course, but serves to help divert attention away from her real identity as a newspaper journalist. Even her husband seems unable to recognise her on the rare occasions they have met in the course of a police investigation (which usually manifests itself as the police trying to apprehend Luwalhati for questioning). Her costume is a black body glove suit which has fiery orange-red bands across her upper legs and arms as well as across her back.

 

Out of costume Pao-Pei goes out of her way to conceal her figure and wears loose-fitting clothing. She has maintained her two separate identities by acting extraverted as Luwalhati and compliant as Pao-Pei.

 

Notes

Pao-Pei is a Spiderman homage character.

 

Luwalhati means 'Glory' in Malay.

 

And I'm not sure I got the name structure right. If anyone can shed some light on Bruneian names I'd be grateful.

 

Pao-Pei Hajah Negeri Binte Seri

 

Hajah refers to a person who has been to Mecca (female version) while Binte refers to 'daughter of'.

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#26 BESNIK BOIKO (Bulgaria)

 

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BESNIK BOIKO

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

The battered cab rolled the final twelve metres and stopped in a way that seemed permanent. The steam curling out from the sides of the bonnet accompanied the hiss from the engine, and even the tyres seemed sagging to the point of exhaustion. The door cracked open and a scruffy man stepped out: the only survivor of a veritable wreck. He slammed the door and the passenger side-mirror fell to the ground. The man raised an eyebrow but made no other comment, thinking that such a solemn occasion could speak for itself.

 

He walked into the building, passed the two uniformed bellhops whose mouths were still gaping at the hideous sight before them. Other guests of the Royale seemed affronted by the man's appearance and parted like the Red Sea as he walked into the casino.

 

"Good evening Casino Royale," he said with a smile, as if greeting an old friend.

 

No one stopped him, but they all gave him looks which would have curdled milk. He reached the cash-in desk and slid across a crisp hundred euro bill. The cashier didn't look at him, but slid across the chips. Her nose wrinkled at his smell but she refused to let it upset her (at least in public. Once she was off the clock she was sure to complain to her friends while sharing a cigarette out the back).

 

"T'anks," he said and walked to the card tables. His eyes scanned the room but he felt his body moving on auto-pilot, moving towards the baccarat table. He sat down and sniffed loudly. The others at the table shifted uncomfortably.

 

"Sir?" asked the croupier.

 

"I am in," he said and slid across half of his chips.

 

Personality

Besnik Boiko is a wandering gambler who seems to move through his life in peaks and troughs, enjoying both in equal measure. He can enter a town in a beaten car and one hundred euros and by the end of the evening he could be driving out in a limousine and close to a million. He is a Romany drifter with a silver tongue and an indelible tendency to draw trouble.

 

Boiko doesn't maintain dual identities. He is simply Besnik Boiko, the man who is good at cards, not bad with the ladies and who is always willing to dive head first into trouble.

 

He is aware of the weirdness of life which is mostly due to the bizarre and sometimes frightening stories his grandmother told him as a child, although he isn't a student of the magic world. His grandmother also bestowed upon him a blessed philter of perfume which was supposedly drawn from the tears of an ancient princess. One day Besnik spilled the perfume over a card table, losing the blessed liquid and feeling like the world would end. HIs grandmother had died but he still felt as if her wrath would reach across the land and strike him dead for his clumsiness.

 

But, instead of death, Besnik found that he was blessed. The cards which had been touched by the tears had changed. It took him a long time and several visits to knowledgeable seers but he finally realised that the cards and especially the packet were bestowed with an enchantment. He used the opportunity to actively right the wrongs of the world when he encountered them.

 

Quote

"Ah, the Bank loses again!"

 

Powers

Besnik's cards have been enchanted. The four nines (the most valuable card in baccarat) bestow permanent abilities on the wielder such as enhanced reflexes, protection from harm, incredible luck and the ability to teleport short distances. As well as the nines, Besnik also has an enchanted card pack which contains 32 cards. These cards aren't in themselves enchanted, but by slipping them in the packet they can take on unusual and explosive properties.

 

Appearance

Besnik Boiko has a mop of curly brown hair, sparkling mischievous blue eyes and a wicked smile. He usually wears a tight leather jacket and jeans with motorcycle boots. He conceals the four Nine cards around his body and carries his enchanted pack of cards on his belt.

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#27 AFRICA FORCE FOUR (Burkina Faso)

 

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AFRICA FORCE FOUR

Team Page (HTM)

 

Background

The famous Tsholofelo family convened a conference on African uberhuman activity in 2003, bringing together some of the continent's most influential ubers and representing twenty-four governments. The result of the Nairobi Conference was an accord to form a united African Force. Not all countries signed on to the accord, but there was enough interest to establish five Africa Force teams. The teams were based in Nairobi, Kenya (Africa Force 1); Harare, Zimbabwe (Africa Force 2); Cape Town, South Africa (Africa Force 3); Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (Africa Force 4); and Gaborone, Botswana (Africa Force 5). The Tsholofelo family supplied the bases with high tech equipment and has become the de facto leader of the semi-independent forces.

 

Africa Force 4 suffered a major defeat at the hands of the Sons of Set early in 2006 which left three of their team dead and two incapacitated. The team would have folded if it hadn't been for the bravery of the support staff: Amity Tassembedo, Monique Diallo and Blaise Salembere. Amity was the daughter of Shaft, who had been killed in action; while Monique was a secretary and Blaise was a psychiatrist.

 

While seriously underpowered to oppose the armies of Set, Africa Force 4 have managed to keep the dream alive and hope to one day fill the shoes of those heroes who have come before them.

 

Area of Operations

Africa Force is responsible for maintaining the security of African nations, predominantly in the south and west of the continent. Areas that are off-limits include Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Chad, Niger and Eritrea which are known to be under the control of governments allied with, or under the control of, the Sons of Set. The teams protect their base countries as a priority but have been given jurisdiction over all twenty of the accord countries including: Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

 

Goals

Africa Force was created to safeguard the African people from uberhuman threats as well as natural disasters and armed insurgents. It operates as a series of independent teams and only relies on member governments for a small portion of expenses.

 

Africa Force 4 hopes to rebuild the shattered base in Ouagadougou and live up to the legend of the heroes who fell before them.

 

Reputation

Africa Force has been in operation for three years and in that time has mostly involved itself in the clean up of natural disasters, the provision of humanitarian services and the occasional conflict with uberhuman threats, most notably against the Sons of Set, the Hunt and other mercenaries operating for a variety of employers.

 

The Force has gained recognition abroad and has been invited to many international conferences and symposiums on uberhuman threats.

 

Africa Force 4 is currently been run by the daughter of Shaft. The other Africa Forces try to help where they can but the general consensus is that Amity is playing a dangerous game. Some have even suggested that she be prohibited from carrying on the tradition, or at least wait until she develops further in experience and power.

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#27 MONIQUE DIALLO (Burkina Faso)

 

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MONIQUE DIALLO

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Monique Diallo began working for Africa Force 4 when it first opened its doors and is one of the few support staff to have survived the attack which effectively shut down the team. Africa Force 4 is now an outpost for refugees, particularly uberhuman refugees, and Monique handles their stories, catalogues their histories and tries to help them find other services in the city and beyond.

 

When the Sons of Set attacked the Africa Force 4 headquarters, Monique found that her minor uberhuman abilities saved her life. She was caught in a powerful blast but survived: her body was coursing with unspent energy. She helped some other office workers to safety but couldn't make herself return to the battle. She had a hard time overcoming that guilt even though she knew that she would have been killed too, just as the superhero protectors were. She knew that if Shaft and his team could not stand up to the attackers then she would have been sacrificing herself to the slaughter.

 

And in a way she did stand against the attack. She continues to work for Africa Force 4, even though its public heroes have been killed or incapacitated, and it is Monique perhaps, more than the others, who is keeping the organisation running.

 

Personality

Monique has a personality which cannot be ignored. She is bigger than life, has an infectious smile and, although she is not an aggressive person, she does have a tendency to put people in their place. When she is distributing orders she does so with a smile and a maternal all-knowing nod of the head. She is a very generous woman and takes the plight of refugees very seriously: perhaps the only thing that can temporarily diminish her super-positive attitude to life.

 

Quote

"What do you mean 'I have not made an appointment'? Do you think we let any would-be oober-human terrorist in here?"

 

Powers

Monique is a low-level uber with the ability to absorb the energy of impacts, whether it be from a marauding uber or a fall from a ladder. This absorbed energy is processed by her body and transformed into physical strength which has been known to rise to uberhuman levels. She also possesses some resistance to injury, but Monique is not a combatant by any means. She is an office worker who will keep well away from any uberhuman conflict.

 

Appearance

Monique is the smiling face of welcome for Africa Force 4 and is the first point of contact between the organisation and the public. She is a short, well-rounded woman who wears traditional dress of her own design and copious amounts of jewellery. She has campaigned strongly against an Africa Force 4 uniform as she prefers her own style.

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#27 DR. BLAISE SALEMBERE (Burkina Faso)

 

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BLAISE SALEMBERE

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

Blaise Salembere had worked in Ouagadougou for three years as a psychiatrist when he was asked to join Africa Force 4. It was a bold move for Burkina Faso and Salembere agreed, even though he had no real experience with uberhumans. The government assumed that because he had lived in the United States for several years that he was on intimate terms with all ubers. Salembere couldn't blame them. Uberhumans in Africa were either ignored, treated like carriers of disease, or drafted into armies. Africa was not really ready for the advent of uberhumans.

 

Salembere felt kindred ties to the uberhumans, not only because he had the ability to see into the x-ray spectrum, but also because of his sexual orientation. His time in America allowed him to embrace his sexuality and he felt that if attitudes towards ubers were improved in his home country as well as the rest of Africa, then homosexuality might also be accepted. At least, that was the theory.

 

Just before the end of Africa Force 4, Salembere's family discovered that he was gay and disowned him. In fact, almost all of his friends also shunned him and he considered leaving Burkina Faso altogether. His decision was delayed by the murderous attack on the Africa Force 4 headquarters, and Salembere was lucky to escape with his life.

 

In the aftermath, he witnessed trauma everywhere and knew that he was needed in Ouagadougou even if he wasn't wanted. He joined the fractured support team and helped rebuild the Force.

 

Personality

Salembere is a psychiatrist who has specialised in treating the refugees who have come to Africa Force 4. He sees these unfortunate people as moths to the beacon of Ouagadougou, even though the Africa Force 4 team is now gone. He treats everyone equally and tries to maintain his professional objectiveness, althoguh the small children who come through his office often make him shudder internally at the injustices of the world.

 

His private life has improved in the past year and he has started a relationship with an American aid worker, Charlie Spencer.

 

Quote

"Let's take a look then... ahh, you have some small internal contusions along your right abdominal side."

 

Powers

Doctor Salembere is a low-level uber with X-Ray vision, which was one of the reasons he decided to go into medicine. He is also able to intuitively understand all languages which he believes is linked to his ubergene, although it is not conclusive.

 

Appearance

Salembere is a charismatic man with an excellent bedside manner. He wears his medical coat over a black turtleneck t-shirt, worn jeans and Doc Martens. He is in his early thirties and is thin and a little clumsy in his movements, although this clumsiness vanishes in the operating theatre. He has said that the clumsiness is his unconscious way of making others feel comfortable around him, but no one really believes it.

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#27 SHAFT (Burkina Faso)

 

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SHAFT II

Amity Tassembedo

Character Sheet (HTM)

 

Background

The daughter of Shaft, Amity was only sixteen when her parents were killed along with the rest of Africa Force 4. When the people of Burkina Faso had the chance to recover they all seemed to look to Amity for answers. She was the daughter of their former superhero icon. Shouldn't she be doing something?

 

Amity had been orphaned but the country wanted more from her.

 

Reluctantly she acquiesced and rallied what remained of the Africa Force 4 support team together. Chief among these survivors were Monique Diallo and Dr. Blaise Salembere, and the three of them managed to reform the Force. While they are unable to provide much in the way of uberhuman security they have been successful in aiding refugees and as a first point of contact for many other problems.

 

Personality

Amity hates being called Shaft II or Shaft Junior. While she idolised her father and learned everything from him, she is not ready to take on the mantle and the responsibilities even though she feels that the world around her is forcing her to do that. She is a role model for thousands of young Burkinabe people and is seen as the last link to Burkina Faso's only superhero team.

 

When she is not in public, Amity allows herself to become a teenager again. She enjoys being inconspicuous which is getting more and more difficult.

 

Quote

"Don't call me that!"

 

Powers

Amity is the daughter of Shaft (and is constantly reminded of that) and has trained with him since she was very young. She is a fair hand to hand combatant but really excels with her spears. She is an athlete and keeps herself in fighting form, never knowing when she will be called upon to defend the world and her friends. She is the last hero in Burkina Faso. She won't let anyone down. Not even herself.

 

Appearance

Amity is a seventeen year old with the pressures of an entire country on her back. She keeps herself physical fit, almost to the point of obsession, and has developed a uniform based on her father's (which is unusual since she spends so much time saying she is not Shaft II). The costume consists of a red tunic lined with cream-white, knee-length pants and hardy boots (which was not a part of Shaft's outfit). She has shoulder-length black hair and wears her mother's earrings.

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