Memoirs of failed concepts

[Chromatic]

As a way to share some backgrounds and character concepts, I thought it would be interesting to see what kind of feedback these characters got.

 

All of them were submissions to games that for whatever reason were not accepted. If you see anything glaring with them, I appreciate a comment on how or what to make a change.

 

First up, a character I never finished completely I submitted to the Global Guardians Universe campaign, Knights of Malta. (http://www.globalguardians.com/campaigns/knightsofmalta.php)

 

I'll post another one in a day or two.

 

Character Name: Altar Boy

Alternate Identities: Pavel Smitrovich

Player Name:

Height: 1.82 m Hair: Light Brown

Weight: 110.00 kg Eyes: Brown

Appearance: Well muscled, and athletically formed, Altar Boy has an impressive physique, highlighted by the dark bodysuit he wears emblazoned with the crucifix at his chest. His arms and boots are white, accentuated by the heavenly glow that covers him. He wears a full mask that covers his eyes and nose, his light brown hair a tossled plume in the energy that flows over his body.

 

Personality: As the Altar Boy, he sees it as his duty to help make the world a better place, and prepare it for the coming storms. Altar Boy struggles inwardly to balance piety with the needed effect of the Church on the modern world. Outwardly he maintains the pious stoicism and benevolence that his position demands.

 

Quote:"I will help you to believe."

 

Background: Pavel Smitrovich was at peace with the world. This might have been a rarity for most men, but not so rare for nine year old boys. Hands clasped, eyes cast downward, knees pressed deep into the worn leather cushion, he listened to the sing song voices chant in Latin, only half paying attention to what was being said, but acutely aware of the faith, spirit, and passion behind the voices. The psalm over, the Priest paused silently before continuing in Polish. Pavel sighed deeply, rose, and finally opened his eyes as he returned to the pews. His great-aunt Sasha and her new husband Poityr sat their plumpness on either side like a pair of buttressed fortresses. Great Aunt Sasha pawed at his straw colored hair, murmuring unintelligible endearments, and hugged him close to her enormous bosom. Pavel knew that it was more for her own comfort than his; he also knew that she expected him to ignore her and Poityr's attempts to bolster his mood. Pavel concentrated on the shafts of light that fell through the stained glass directly overhead. The older priest, Father Dmitri, proudly boasted the glass mural was over six hundred years old, 'not even Cossacks dare to harm the blessed Virgin!'

The motes of swirling dust gave form to the early afternoon sunlight, colored by the glass. Pavel's eyes traced the rays, one after the next, to their destination. His mother's coffin. It was a glorious piece of furniture, Great Aunt Sasha told him that it was even more beautiful than his Great Grandmother's dinning table--the one that the Czar had supposedly sent to her in thanks for the meal she had made him. Since Pavel had never seen the legendary dinning table, nor did he know what a Czar was, he didn't care. He did appreciate the way the colored light seemed to bounce off the polished wood surface, and made the brass highlights sparkle.

 

Pavel imagined his mother laying on her final bed--silk sheets so soft and slippery that she would have likely complained if she had been able to. Her calloused hands folded gently at her waist, the Rosary his father had brought back from Palestine, twisted between arthritic fingers. Pavel could imagine every inch of what she must look like in her final bed, but not her face. In his mind's eye, her face was a blank sheet, formless and vague. Pavel scrunched up his eyes in concentration, trying to remember her face--not as it must look now, but as he should have remembered it, before the accident. The image came to him at last, and he focused on it with an intensity that drowned out all else.

 

The carriage rocked with a violent side to side motion, bouncing Pavel's head painfully off the decorative ballustrade, waking him with a start. Poityr--he wasn't a member of the family long enough to be called Uncle yet. Poityr reach across the bench seat and chucked Pavel's chin with a gristly knuckle. "Come Boyo. We are there now. Show your Mama how strong your love for her is and help the men with the shoveling." Pavel nodded dutifully, and climbed down to follow the processional. The mound of fresh soil smelled of recent rain and mown grass. Pavel watched without listening to the Latin, as the coffin was lowered into the hole. He wondered why he couldn't have shown how strong his love was by digging the hole? Digging holes was a lot more fun than filling them up. There always seemed to be extra dirt when the hole was filled. Pavel wondered if there would be a lot of extra dirt this time, with the coffin being placed into the hole. It was pretty big, the coffin, and the pile was big too. Pavel stepped up to the shovel when urged by Poityr, and pulled a heaping mound of soil from the pile, and dumped it into the hole. The soft clumps made a hollow sound that caught his attention and he stared for a long moment at the bouquet of flowers that had been placed onthe coffin. Pavel briefly wondered what kind of flowers could be found in late November, the buds on this bunch had been obscured by the fresh soil being thrown in, so he had no idea what they were. His mother loved flowers, no matter what kind they were, as long as he picked them. Pavel smiled over the remembrances as he twisted back and forth between the ever shrinking pair: hole and mound. As others would pluck at his fancy clothes, Pavel shrugged them off silently, and continued to shovel. It wasn't everyday you could shovel dirt in your sunday finery. It wasn't everyday you helped bury your mother.

 

It was dark by the time Poityr could finally get him away from the site and back home. Great Aunt Sasha had left with the rest of the mourners at sunset to finish making preparations for the evening supper. Pavel mindlessly allowed his hands and face to be roughly scrubbed with the bucket of cold water and lye soap, before heading into the tenement where his family now lived. The entire first floor was open to company. It seemed everyone Pavel had ever met was there eating the food his Great Aunt had prepared. Pavel wandered into the kitchen of his aunt's apartment and sat at the small table in the corner. A plate of piroges and glass of wine with spring water waited for him. Aunt Sasha called the weakened wine baptised. Pavel never told her that it still made his head all woozy. After the days events, he would welcome the break in harsh reality. He slept well, soundlessly, and without a recalled dream.

 

The morning brought light, and loss, the pain of mourning in the heart, the pain of extertion in the hands. His hands were on the verge of being blistered, but not quite. The skin was tender, but didn't have that bubbly layer of fluid that you could squish around with a fingernail. It just hurt. That was fine, it was a distraction. Pavel was not looking forward to the tasks of the day. The plan was to pack up everything that could fit into the sea-trunk and get it all to the steamership. Pavel was being sent to live with his father in Venice. The Baisilica di San Marco had undergone restoration, and his father was an archeological architect overseeing some of the work. Not that Pavel knew what architects were, or even what an archeological one did that was different from a regular old run of the mill architect. Mostly, Pavel was glad to be away from Gdansk.

 

His father was a busy man. An important man. An importantly busy man. The basilica's Bishop seemed to spend more time with Pavel than his father. That was fine with Pavel. He had rarely seen his father over the past few years, and wasn't really old enough to recall the times before then with much clarity. The Bishop Guiseppe Cardovan was a cheerful man, who loved history as much as he loved the church. He wore the ceremonial gowns of his position with pride, and was taken to twisting wax into his long mustache as he romped about the back rooms with Pavel in tow. Venice was certianly different than the cold Polish fishing town on he Black Sea Pavel was familiar with. Pavel spent long hours with the Bishop, learning Italian, bushing up on his Latin, studying history and art, and exploring the watery catacombs beneath the Basilica. It was rumored that the tomb of St. Mark was down there somewhere. Pavel would skiff about with a kerosene lantern to light the way as he explored every nook and cranny. It was curious that his father seemed so obsessed with the above ground, while he found what was deep beneath the surface so much more fascinating.

 

The next ten years were a peaceful and enlightenign blur. Pavel settled down into a regular schedule that only sometimes involved his father, but almost always involved the Bishop Guiseppe. His heart healed from the loss of his mother, his mind expanded filled with history and religious doctrines, and his body grew strong from the regular labor of helping on the recontruction and his extensive explorations.

 

And then Pavel's peace was shattered. It was so unexpected, so remarkable so fortuitous. It was an incongruous little rocky mound, the underground waters lapping gently at its chiseled slopes. The faint kerosene glow barely able to discern it from the wavering shadows. But Pavel knew it was not just a rocky mound of piled rubble. It was created with attention to detail, concern and love by someone who cared. Much like that small grassy plot in Gdansk that Pavel shaped with a shovel in his own hands. This was a tomb, no it was _the_ tomb. It was the final resting place of St. Mark. Pavel eased the skiff onto the pile with a scrape of wood on stone, and carefully stepped off holding the lantern as high as the low ceiling would allow. The solitary darkness all around both receeded away and built upon itself embracing Pavel. He was in awe of his discovery even before he could inspect his find closely and verify with his own two eyes. It did not matter. He knew what it was, and what he had found. Bishop Guiseppe would be delighted, his father would be inspired. Pavel placed the lantern on a rock a bit smoother than the others, and crawled forward to inspect the tomb. The stones were vaguely symetrical, vaguely consistent. Chisel marks could be seen where some hasty ancient craftsman had worked quickly to shape the rocks. As he unpiled the outer grouping, any possible doubt was removed as he disclosed a simple mosaic set into a flat slab.

 

Pavel still doesn't understand what posessed him to do what he did, even to this day. He seemed guided by an external force as he shoved the slab with all his strength aside, and reached into the musty darkness. Consciously he expected to touch the dried bones of an ancient dead, or perhaps the dusty remains of some desicated armor. Instead his finger reached into the darkness and brought forth light. Blazing, shocking, blistering, blinding Holy light. Light that had the palpable feel of wind and rain. Light that had the force of compassion that could squeeze a heart to beat faster. Light that filled voids with warm and comfort.

 

And sound. Glorious choruses, fantastic fanfares, caressing lullabys. Pavel's senses were in overflow. He could not make sense of what he was hearing anymore than he could understand what was so filling his eyes that he nearly yearned for the familiar dark gloom of the catecombs. And then it was complete. Not done, it hadn't left him, or finished, it was still there, but no longer overwhelming, no longer from without his person. Now it was part of him. Pavel understood his part, and knew his place in the world. He understood the power and the glory and the sacrifice. Pavel was ready to carry on what once had been placed in rest and was now released. The acolyte was reawakened, and the world had much to be done in preparation.

Powers/Tactics: Altar Boy prefers to deal head on with any problem that comes his way. His powers are not subtle, and neither is the way he uses them.

 

CHARACTERISTICS CHARACTER IMAGE

Val Char Base Points Total Roll Notes

50 STR 10 40 50 19- HTH Damage 10d6 END [5]

20 DEX 10 30 20 13- OCV 7 DCV 7

28 CON 10 36 28 15-

12 BODY 10 4 12 11-

23 INT 10 13 23 14- PER Roll 14-

11 EGO 10 2 11 11- ECV: 4

25 PRE 10 15 25 14- PRE Attack: 5d6

14 COM 10 2 14 12-

 

11 PD 10 1 11/21 11/21 PD (0/10 rPD)

11 ED 6 5 11/21 11/21 ED (0/10 rED)

5 SPD 3.0 20 5 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12

16 REC 16 0 16

50 END 56 -3 50

51 STUN 51 0 51

6" Running 6 0 6"

2" Swimming 2 0 2"

10"/5"" Leaping 10 0 10" 165 Total Characteristics Points

 

EXPERIENCE POINTS

Total earned: 0

Spent: 0

Unspent: 0

Base Points: 200

Disad Points: 150

Total Points: 350

MOVEMENT

Type Total

Run (6) 6" [12" NC]

Swim (2) 2" [4" NC]

H. Leap (10") 10"

V. Leap (5") 5"

Flight 11" [22" NC]

Teleport 14" [28" NC]

 

APPEARANCE

Hair Color: Light Brown

Eye Color: Brown

Height: 1.82 m

Weight: 110.00 kg

Description:

Well muscled, and athletically formed, Altar Boy has an impressive physique, highlighted by the dark bodysuit he wears emblazoned with the crucifix at his chest. His arms and boots are white, accentuated by the heavenly glow that covers him. He wears a full mask that covers his eyes and nose, his light brown hair a tossled plume in the energy that flows over his body.

 

DEFENSES

Type Amount Notes

Physical Defense 11/21 Current BODY:

Res. Phys. Defense 0/10

Energy Defense 11/21 Current END:

Res. Energy Defense 0/10

Mental Defense 0 Current STUN:

Power Defense 0

 

COMBAT INFORMATION

OCV: 7 DCV: 7

 

Combat Skill Levels: +3 with HTH Combat

COMBAT MANEUVERS

Maneuver Phase OCV DCV Effect

Block 1/2 +0 +0 Block, abort

Brace 0 +2 1/2 +2 vs. Range Mod.

Disarm 1/2 -2 +0 Can disarm

Dodge 1/2 -- +3 Abort, vs. all attacks

Grab 1/2 -1 -2 Grab two limbs

Grab By 1/2 -3 -4 Move and Grab

Haymaker 1/2* +0 -5 +4 DC attack damage

Move By 1/2 -2 -2 STR/2 + v/5

Move Through 1/2 -v/5 -3 STR + v/3

Set 1 +1 +0 Ranged Attacks only

Strike 1/2 +0 +0 STR or weapon

COMBAT MODIFIERS

Range 0-4 5-8 9-16 17-32 33-64 65-128

RMOD 0 -2 -4 -6 -8 -10

 

POWERS

Cost Power END

10 Blessed with Faith in the Holy: Elemental Control, 30-point powers, (15 Active Points); all slots Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2)

10 1) Sacrifice for self gain: Absorption 3d6 (physical, 1/2 Stun 1/2 End), Absorption As A Defense (x2) (30 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2) 0

7 2) Healing touch: Aid 2d6, Can Add Maximum Of 20 Points, any [special effect] power one at a time (+1/4) (30 Active Points); Others Only (-1/2), Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2) 0

7 3) Guardian Angels are at my side: Force Wall (6 PD/6 ED) (30 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2) 3

10 4) Be where the Lord needs me part I: Teleportation 12", Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (30 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2) 1

10 5) I am a vanguard for the Lord: Armor (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2) 0

11 6) The power to see: Detect Falsehoods, lies and deceptions 14- (Unusual Group), Discriminatory, Analyze, Range, Sense, Targeting (32 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2) 0

 

30 Divine Intervention: Multipower, 60-point reserve, (60 Active Points); Extra Time (1/2 phase to change slots, Only to Activate, -1/4); all slots Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4)

7m 1) The Lord is my sheppard: Force Field (24 PD/24 ED), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (60 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4) 2

1u 2) I shall not want: Life Support (Eating: Character does not eat; 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 does not sleep) (25 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4) 0

1u 3) Be where the Lord needs me part II: Flight 11" (22 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4) 2

3u 4) Be where the Lord needs me part III: (Total: 57 Active Cost, 32 Real Cost) Teleportation: Floating Fixed Location (1 Locations) (5 Active Points); Extra Time (Full Phase, -1/2), Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4) (Real Cost: 2) plus Teleportation 2", No Relative Velocity, x2 Increased Mass, Safe Blind Teleport (+1/4), MegaScale (1" = 10,000 km; +1 1/4), Can Be Scaled Down 1" = 100m (+1/4) (52 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4) (Real Cost: 30) 5

3u 5) Smite thee down oh disbeliever: (Total: 54 Active Cost, 28 Real Cost) Hand-To-Hand Attack +2d6, Double Knockback (+3/4) (17 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/2), Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4) (Real Cost: 7) plus Naked Modifier: Double Knockback (+3/4); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4) for up to 50 Active Points (21 Active Points) (Real Cost: 21) 6

3u 6) Angelic Chorus: Sight and Hearing Groups Flash 8d6, Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (56 Active Points); Only When Serving God's Purposes (-1/2), Incantations (Calls forth power with Latin prayer; -1/4) 2

113 Total Powers Cost

 

PERKS

Cost Name

3 Cardinal in the Holy See: Contact (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has significant Contacts of his own) 8-

3 Total Perks Cost

 

SKILLS

Cost Name

15 +3 with HTH Combat

3 Bureaucratics 14-

3 Conversation 14-

5 Cramming

3 Cryptography 14-

3 Deduction 14-

3 Interrogation 14-

3 Catholicism: KS 14-

3 Holy See: KS 14-

3 European History: KS 14-

3 Secret Societies: KS 14-

3 Catholic Priest: PS: Clergyman 14-

3 Linguist

1 1) Language: English (fluent conversation) (2 Active Points)

2 2) Language: Italian (completely fluent) (3 Active Points)

1 3) Language: Latin (fluent conversation) (2 Active Points)

0 4) Language: Polish (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

3 Paramedics 14-

3 Power 11-

3 Tactics 14-

3 Teamwork 13-

69 Total Skills Cost

 

DISADVANTAGES

Cost Disadvantage

25 Social Limitation: Catholic Priest (vows of poverty,celibacy etc) (Very Frequently, Severe)

10 Social Limitation: Naive: new to being a superhero (Frequently, Minor)

5 Money: The Church provides what the soul requires. Poor

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs Killing (Very Common, Strong)

20 Psychological Limitation: Over-protective of innocents (Very Common, Strong)

10 Psychological Limitation: Tends to prostheletize (Common, Moderate)

15 Distinctive Features: Glows brightly with Holy power (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

20 Hunted: Campaign Villain group 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Unholy powers (Uncommon)

15 Susceptibility: Pure evil, 1d6 damage per Phase (Uncommon)

150 Total Disadvantages Cost

[gojira]

Re: Memoirs of failed concepts

 

Three things I noticed.

 

1) "Only when serving god's purpse" on everything. If this character is not serving god's purpose, he's usless. OTOH, the GM is obliged to make your disadvantage count by requiring this character to occasionaly go on missions which do not serve god's purpose (whereupon he's promptly usless). This makes it hard to play by the rules yet still have fun with this character.

 

2) 5 points for being poor. Cardinals are not poor. They don't have personal posessions but the church provides for them completely at their rank.

 

3) Direct intervention by god. I personally prefer to run campaigns that are agnostic. Having one character that glows witha "holy aura" and flies and teleports anywhere in the world and can call angels to protect him... it kinda obviates all other religions on the planet, you know? This changes the social fabric too much and makes it hard for the GM. We all have to play in your world. Or, if jewish rabbis can fly and glow, and muslim imams can glow and fly and american indian medicine men can glow and fly... what the heck is going on? The entire planet becomes a proxy battle for the gods and you know where that leads: Paganism!

 

Also, "Altar Boy" is kinda an iffy name for a cardinal. How about "Cardinal Smitrovich?" Or maybe his nickname: "Sir."

 

 

P.S. Oh, and I didn't read your entire background story. Way too sleep-inducing long. Shorten it up.

[Chromatic]

Re: Memoirs of failed concepts

 

The campaign he was written for was based in Rome, and was very Religious (all characters were to be devout Catholics).

 

The character isn't a Cardinal, but one of his contact's is. It was in the background you didn't read

 

As a Priest, he took a vow of poverty, if that doesn't make you poor, I don't know what would.

 

Having a scenario where one might have to commit acts against his belief's (and thus not serving God) could make good roleplaying opportunity. Aside from the fact that it could easily come up at least as often as an OIF in a Rome based game, I see the point you are trying to make.

[Vorsch]

Re: Memoirs of failed concepts

 

Poor/vow of poverty means you cant buy food or somewhere decent to live, no car. you have no money for anything at all.

 

if the church provides for you then your not realy disadvantaged.

 

also your social lim priest seem to made up of some hefty psy lims as you already have fifty pts is psy. being a priest isint a social lim as i understand it, practically a advantage.

[Chromatic]

Re: Memoirs of failed conceptsHere's another one. I was doodling on the back of some meeting minutes and came up with the image for an interesting looking robot. The Global Guardians Force Pacific had an opening for a "metal element". I put together a background that would work in that campaign, and submitted Panorama:

Panorama

Height: 2.50 m	Hair: None
Weight: 300.00 kg	Eyes: Red

Appearance: Panorama hovers on four wavering bolts of lightning like energy, the

trapezoidal torso and crystal topped skull (with visible brain inside!) are

approximately 1.2M tall and float between 1 and 1.5M from the ground. The

flexible arms end in claws made of large energy discs with a grasping

digit. As a whole, Panorama is quite intimidating.

Personality: Panorama is a cyborg. Mostly. It (she? the dominant

personality is of Jessica Stein) is tempered with robotic overrides as

part of the cybernetic enhancements to the human brain that sits in reign

over the mechanical parts that make up her body. As a Cyborg, Panorama has

no fear of death for itself, but she does value life greatly, and will do

what ever she can to insure others are not killed. Panorama struggles with

the faded memories of her past life, over printed with the directives and

programs that allow her to control the robotic body. At times Panorama

finds it a relief to just let the machine guidance systems take over,

acting like a director of some strangely realistic action movie, but more

often than not, Jessica Stein feels the urge to expand her consciousness

and make her presence felt. As Stein, she does not fully comprehend her

own status, and does not refer to herself as anything other than Panorama.

The early memories of her life are fleeting dreams, the accident and

transition time, a complete mystery of amnesia--something that Jessica

would prefer to not remember.

Quote:"Panorama requires your compliance. Immediately!" --PanoramaBackground: The Lab was a chaotic mass of computers, bio-tanks, empty open

cages, and piles of fan fold print outs, newspapers, and reports. A wonder

that anything could be found at all, but Kazuo was proud to tell the

curious that he was a "topsy" and not a "drawersy".

 

"If you put in drawer, it gone to me. I do not keep in mind what

I do not see. I can tell everything in that pile there--you want test?"

 

Dr. Kazuo Ishimura's Japanese accent always thickened when he became excited.

He was very excited at the moment. His focus of attention was on the loose

pile of shiny metalic objects sitting on one large worktable. Heavy cables

and clear tubes filled with colored fluids draped from the ceiling to

connect with various of the items. Dr. Ishimura flitted and hopped around

the large table like a hummingbird gathering nectar, as he made last minute

verification of his setup.

 

Satisfied at last, he turned to his assisstant, a young grad student who

was working on her doctorate in prosthesis and assigned to Ishimura as an

intern, and gave her a warm smile along with a Fonzie style pair of thumbs.

 

"It is ready, yes? All systems go. Throw switch on override Jessica. We

go now."

 

Ishimura moved to the monitoring station as the equipment began to rattle and

hum with activated power. On the lab table, small arcs of electricity

danced from metalic item to piled sensors to specialized equipment.

 

With a flash of white light, and a hair raising crackle, the pitch whined,

then fell to silence and the various components on the table rose into the

air and floated together into their prescribed order.

 

Vaguely man shaped, the metalic bits and gewgaws formed a cartoonish

representation: spherical oblong topped with a crystal dome on top,

floating over a torso shaped trapezoid suspended above a flat inverted cone

shape. The outer top corners of the torso had spheres where the shoulders

would be, a pair of long ropey tendrils capped by claws for the arms. The

whole thing floated and danced on four miniature lightning bolts that flew

between the lower cone shape and four flat discs on the ground.

 

"It's ALIVE!" Kazuo screamed as he grabbed Jessica and spun her around in

a gleeful hug. "Ms Stein, now you will be happy to marry me, yes? Our

child has need for a mother." Kazuo cackled gleefully at his oft repeated

joke with her. Jessica merely smiled, a look of awe filling her eyes as

she kept them glued to the mechanical man come to life in the lab.

 

Ishimura self-consciously put her down and began to study in earnest the

readouts on the computer monitor at his station. Yes the creature had

manifest, and was seemingly upright and able to move about, but something

was wrong. The positronic module being used as the main cpu was showing

signs of being overtaxed, the cpu sitting at capacity, and the instruction

queue was growing longer without the robot performing the actions as part

of the test. Kazuo's thick eyebrows furrowed like two kissing caterpillars on

his forehead, as he mumbled in Japanese "no, no, this is not good."

 

Jessica Stein just sat there transfixed by the lightshow and technological

display, her clipboard and scanner forgotten in limp hands dangling at her

side.

 

With a twitch the robot made a final failed attempt at some lame spectral

jig, then collapsed to the floor as the power cut due to overload. Kazuo

made a quick attempt to hit the emergency override button but he was too

slow to prevent what he knew was about to happen: The secondary systems

fired off in an additional burst of power, an (incorrectly theorized as he

now figured out) attempt to boost the performance in the cpu. The surge

set off a jolt through the robot, ropey tendril arms through crystal dome.

And then, deafening silence, as the overpowered equipment did what its only

option left available: it released the energy through any means possible

and exploded in an amazing display of visible power.

 

* * *

 

Kazuo Ishimura awoke to smoke and darkness, barely lit by the emergency

lamps. Even without raising his head painfully, he knew what he would

likely see: the destruction of his life's work.

 

He was unprepared for the reality of the situation, and as he cradled his

broken arm and dragged over the broken bits of his robotic creation, he

noted the utterly still form of his assistant, slumped in a slowly growing

pool of darkness. Kazuo felt the weight of loss from the sight of Jessica

pulling stronger on his heart than the destruction of the lab. It was the

combined realization that he really had fallen in love with her, and

depended on her for more than charting progress and collecting his notes.

 

As the wave of despair washed over him, Kazuo gave in and wept. His tears

lost in the immediate downpour of water from the sprinkler fire supression

system.

 

* * *

 

It had been six months since the accident. Kazuo knew what the problem

was, the positronic cpu wasn't powerful enough to monitor the influx of

energy as well as perform the tasks needed to control the electro-hydralics

and gyro-pods. He also knew what the answer was, it had come to him late

in the night as he sat bedside to Jessica's inert form, her face at peace,

thick tubes connecting her nose and mouth to machines. She was officially

on life support, but Kazuo knew that her body was just an empty vessel now.

Her organs just being kept in running order, like a clean pietri dish in

the lab refridgerator. Two weeks earlier, the lawyers had come to Kazuo

and had him sign the papers. He was now the responsible party for deciding

when and how the machines keeping Jessica alive would operate or not.

 

Kazuo had made a terrible choice. But it was a necessary choice, and he

felt that Jessica would approve. The Panorama project could continue,

Kazuo now had a system that would be able to handle all the computing

needs. And what's more, a part of Jessica would live on in the project.

 

* * *

 

The Lab was still a chaotic mass of computers, bio-tanks, empty open

cages, and piles of fan fold print outs, newspapers, and reports. The

large table in the centerp still covered in a pile of shiny metalic objects

sitting in the middle. Heavy cables and clear tubes filled with colored

fluids again draped from the ceiling to connect with various of the items.

Dr. Ishimura stood stoically at the edge of the mess, as he made last minute

verification of the setup.

 

Vaguely man shaped, the metalic bits and gewgaws formed a cartoonish

representation: spherical oblong topped with a crystal dome on top, this

time the dome was filled not with electrolytic fluid and diodes, but with a

thick greenish fluid suspending a human sized brain, floating over a torso

shaped trapezoid suspended above a flat inverted cone shape. The outer top

corners of the torso had spheres where the shoulders would be, a pair of long

ropey tendrils capped by claws for the arms. Four dinner plate sized discs

sat on the floor near the table.

 

Kazuo Ishimura nodded silently at the setup. It was time for vindication.

He clicked the remote with a thumb, eyes never leaving the table, hands

never uncrossing from his chest. The flash of light and swirl of miniature

thunderstorm flowed across the table, and the robotic form rose on the quad

of captured lightning bolts that made up its legs. The robot turned

towards Kazuo, the red beacon that circled the head in a continuous orbit

spinning even faster, until the rectangular display that served as the

"mouth" was facing him.

 

Kazuo smiled in satisfaction, not even bothering to check the monitor.

 

"Yes Kazuo?" came the slightly female mechanical voice.

 

"Hello, Jessica. I think that from now on we call you Panorama."

 

"Very well. I am Panorama. How may I help you?"

 

With a ballet of gliding discs, and symphonic crackle of energy, Panorama

moved quickly acros the room like a four legged bug. Kazuo Ishimura beamed

broadly, and held out the clipboard.

 

"Ah! I have list."

Powers/Tactics: The culmination of a life's work, Panorama is extremely adaptable to many

situations. Panorama has tremendous speed and strength, and a keen analytical

mind to apply her strength. Her cybernetic enhanced human brain is both her

greatest weakness, and her greatest asset. Being able to analyze a

situation and adjust her energies and capabilities to best fit it. The

robotic body makes use of gyroscopes and electromagnetic energy to bounce

on columns of energy (superleap), and can manipulate this energy to effect

electronics in a somewhat disasterous result. (transform vs electronics)

 

Panorama is also fitted with a complicated array of sensors which can be

used to analyze her surroundings in all directions through the feedback of

alpha particle analysis (360 degree vision & N-ray).

Val	Char	Cost
70	STR	30
30	DEX	60
28	CON	36
13	BODY	6
10	INT	0
11	EGO	2
25	PRE	15
0	COM	-5
30	PD	22
30	ED	24
5	SPD	10
14	REC	0
30	END	-13
47	STUN	0

6" RUN00" SWIM-219"/34" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 185

Cost	Power	END
11	Pano-vision: N-Ray Perception: not through radioactive materials (Sight Group), Telescopic: +2	0
10	Pano-vision part deux: Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) with Sight Group	0
8	Computerized Mind: Mental Defense (10 points total)	0
12	Jump-jets: Leaping +5" (19"/34" forward, 9 1/2"/17" upward) (Accurate), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (15 Active Points); no Noncombat movement (-1/4)
26	Maleable Cybernetic Systems: Multipower, 45-point reserve, (45 Active Points); Limited Power Cybernetic Systems, all powers must be 0 end, (-1/4); all slots Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2)
2u	1) Is a Cyborg: Life Support (Eating: Character only has to eat once per week; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing), Inherent (+1/4) (37 Active Points); Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2) [Notes: Default use of MP reserve]	0
4m	2) +30 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (45 Active Points); No Figured Characteristics (-1/2), Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2)
5m	3) Leaping +15" (19"/34" forward, 9 1/2"/17" upward) (x8 Noncombat), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (37 Active Points); Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2)
4m	4) Hardened Battle plating: Damage Resistance (30 PD/30 ED) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2)	0
3m	5) Stretching 4", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (30 Active Points); Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2), no Noncombat Stretching (-1/4)	0
2u	6) Minor Transform 3d6 (Electronic Equipment into non-working Electronic Equipment), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (45 Active Points); No Range (-1/2), Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2)	0
1m	7) Defense barrier: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% (15 Active Points); Only Works Against known Attacks (-1/2), Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2)	0
1m	8) Defense barrier: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25% (15 Active Points); Only Works Against known Attacks (-1/2), Extra Time (1/2 phase to switch slots, -1/2)	0

Powers Cost: 89

Cost	Skill
	Force Pacific Package (Cost: 3 Points)
2	1) Fringe Benefit: San Diego Police Powers
3	2) Teamwork 15-
1	3) TF: Force Pacific Hydroplane
3	4) Team Base Donation
9	5) Team Communicator
2	6) Team Vehicle Donation
-15	7) Monitored by the San Diego Police Department 8 or less
3	Analyze: Combat 11-
3	Breakfall 15-
3	Bugging 11-
12	Computer Programming (Computer Networks, Hacking and Computer Security, Personal Computers, Artificial Intelligence, Mainframes and Supercomputers, Military Computers) 11-
3	Power: Strength tricks 11-
5	Cramming
3	Cryptography 11-
3	CK: San Diego 11-
3	KS: Human Psychology 11-
3	PS: Member of Force Pacific 11-
3	Systems Operation 11-

Skills Cost: 49

Cost	Perk
10	Follower

Perks Cost: 10

Cost	Talent
17	Combat Sense (Sense) 11-

Talents Cost: 17

Val	Disadvantages
10	Social Limitation: Public Identity: Panorama: (Frequently, Minor)
25	Social Limitation: Is a Cyborg, has no recognized "human" rights, and no legal Identity (Very Frequently, Severe)
20	Distinctive Features: large vaguely humanoid robot: (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
10	Physical Limitation: No Thumbs (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
15	Physical Limitation: Is a Cyborg: Special Medical needs (All the Time, Slightly Impairing)
5	Physical Limitation: Can't swim (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
5	Physical Limitation: Haunted by memories of former life (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
20	Psychological Limitation: First Law or Robotics: A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow an innocent human being to come to harm. (Common, Total)
20	Psychological Limitation: Fearless -- complete faith in Ishimura's capabilities to repair any lasting damage, and abilities to build defense systems that keep Panorama from harm (Common, Total)
15	Psychological Limitation: Multiple personalities: Jessica Stein is over-written with cyborg programs and personality guideline procedures. (Uncommon, Total)
5	Vulnerability: Radiation (Uncommon)

Disadvantage Points: 150

Base Points: 200Experience Required: 0Total Experience Available: 0Experience Unspent: 0Total Character Cost: 350

And here is the follower:

Dr. Kazuo Ishimura

Height: 1.78 m	Hair: Black
Weight: 76.00 kg	Eyes: Brown

Appearance: Kazuo Ishimura is in excellent shape for a scientist in his late thirties.

He exercises everyday, and watches what he eats, but he knows that he is no

superhero. His unkempt black hair frames a typically Asian face, with a

long hooked nose hanging over the thin lipped mouth of the introspective

mind. His brown eyes sparkle with the urge of discovery behind his glasses,

and he usually wears a white lab coat over any and all equipment he might

have with him. His prized posession is the interface module for Panorama;

with it he can offer guidance and advice as well as monitor the situation

Panorama is in.

Personality: Dr. Kazuo Ishimura is quick to use humor to ease difficult situations. He has

a strong desire of will to undo past wrongs, and to make the world a better

place. He also guards the deep secret of his past sin--he knows it was

possibly the wrong decision on the grand scheme of things, but for the

short term it was the best choice for both timely reasons, and the needs of

the heart. He understands what it is to have loved and lost, and while he

can never have his true feelings returned, there is some satisfaction in being

able to continue to spend time with what remains of Jessica.

 

Kazuo can see more of Jessica in Panorama everyday, and that too acts as a

two edged sword. He hides his regret with a cloak of patriotism and

action. Ishimura had his project transferred from the non-profit funded

university outreach program to a special arm of research of the TL Corp.

His intent was obvious from the onset: to introduce Panorama to the Force

Pacific, and integrate her as a fully fledged member of the team.

Quote:"I not afraid of you! Go get them Panorama!" --Kazuo Ishimura

Val	Char	Cost
8	STR	-2
13	DEX	9
13	CON	6
14	BODY	8
23	INT	13
13	EGO	6
23	PRE	3
11	COM	1
3	PD	1
3	ED	0
4	SPD	17
5	REC	0
26	END	0
25	STUN	0

6" RUN02" SWIM01 1/2" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 62

Cost	Power	END
8	Clairsentience (Sight Group) (20 Active Points); Only Through The Senses Of Panorama (-1/2), OIF (-1/2), Limited Power Physical Manefestation (at Panorama's location; Appears as a small hovering webcam; -1/4), One Sense Only (-1/4)	2
5	Non-plussed: +10 PRE (10 Active Points); Limited Power Only for Defense (-1)

Powers Cost: 13

Cost	Skill
	Scientist Package (Cost: 4)
1	1) Fringe Benefit: Doctorate in a Science of the Player's Choice
3	2) KS: Research Methods (INT-Based Roll)
2	3) PS: Academic Researcher 11 or less
3	4) PS: Cybernetics (INT-Based Roll)
-10	5) Social Limitation: Research Scientst at TL Corp
-10	6) Social Limitation: Publish or Perish
	Force Pacific Package (Cost: 3 Points)
2	1) Fringe Benefit: San Diego Police Powers
1	2) Teamwork 8-
1	3) TF: Force Pacific Hydroplane
3	4) Team Base Donation
9	5) Team Communicator
2	6) Team Vehicle Donation
-15	7) Monitored by the San Diego Police Department 8 or less
3	Scientist
4	1) SS: Cybernetics 16- (5 Active Points)
2	2) SS: Hydro-electronics 14- (3 Active Points)
2	3) SS: Mathematics 14- (3 Active Points)
2	4) SS: Medicine 14- (3 Active Points)
2	5) SS: Neurology 14- (3 Active Points)
2	6) SS: Optics 14- (3 Active Points)
2	7) SS: Pharmacology 14- (3 Active Points)
2	8) SS: Physiology 14- (3 Active Points)
0	Language: Japanese (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)
3	Language: English (completely fluent)
3	Bureaucratics 14-
3	Computer Programming 14-
3	Deduction 14-
3	Criminology 14-
3	Electronics 14-
3	Forensic Medicine 14-
3	Inventor 14-
3	Paramedics 14-
3	Security Systems 14-

Skills Cost: 43

Cost	Perk
5	Money: Well Off
12	Contact: TL Corp (Contact has access to major institutions, Contact has useful Skills or resources), Organization Contact (x3) (12 Active Points) 11-
10	Advanced Tech

Perks Cost: 27

Cost	Talent
3	Lightning Calculator
5	Eidetic Memory

Talents Cost: 8

Val	Disadvantages
20	Normal Characteristic Maxima
5	Age: 40+
10	Social Limitation: Public Figure -- renown Cyberneticist linked with TL Corp (Frequently, Minor)
5	Social Limitation: In love with Jessica Stein (aka Panorama prime personality) (Occasionally, Minor)
10	Physical Limitation: Needs Glasses (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
15	Psychological Limitation: Scientific Curiosity (Common, Strong)
15	Psychological Limitation: Wants to be heroic (Common, Strong)
5	Psychological Limitation: Struggles with guilt over the the creation of Panorama (Uncommon, Moderate)
20	Hunted: Monitored, US Gov't 8-, Much Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching, Custom Adder

Disadvantage Points: 105

Base Points: 50Experience Required: 0Total Experience Available: 0Experience Unspent: 0Total Character Cost: 153

[Chromatic]

Re: Memoirs of failed concepts

 

Poor/vow of poverty means you cant buy food or somewhere decent to live' date=' no car. you have no money for anything at all. [/quote']

 

What you describe is destitute, the first level, I would view as not having money to buy a plane ticket on an emergency, have a personal car to drive, live anywhere but in an institution (loose use of that word) provided room.

 

if the church provides for you then your not realy disadvantaged.

 

If you take the disadvantage, it should be played as one.

 

also your social lim priest seem to made up of some hefty psy lims as you already have fifty pts is psy. being a priest isint a social lim as i understand it' date=' practically a advantage.[/quote']

 

It's as much of a social limitation as say, "treated as a sex object", or "member of the military".

 

:shrug:

 

A line of thought I've had for a while: In a Pbem, you are basically going to be playing in one or two scenarios a year, at best. Taking Disadvantages that are "campaign based" like Hunteds doesn't seem to me to be very fair. You could have a character with 8 hunteds all at 8-, and take 50 points of disads for them that would likely never be seen in the Pbem. Taking extra Psych lims, or social lims that can be played out in the game and have a discernable effect is more preferred. I'm not saying that every pbem campaign should be filled with psychotic nut cases, but it does make good drama. Just in my opinion of course.

[loraxxx]

Re: Memoirs of failed concepts

 

DISADVANTAGES

Cost Disadvantage

25 Social Limitation: Catholic Priest (vows of poverty,celibacy etc) (Very Frequently, Severe)

10 Social Limitation: Naive: new to being a superhero (Frequently, Minor)

5 Money: The Church provides what the soul requires. Poor

20 Psychological Limitation: Code vs Killing (Very Common, Strong)

20 Psychological Limitation: Over-protective of innocents (Very Common, Strong)

10 Psychological Limitation: Tends to prostheletize (Common, Moderate)

15 Distinctive Features: Glows brightly with Holy power (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

20 Hunted: Campaign Villain group 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Unholy powers (Uncommon)

15 Susceptibility: Pure evil, 1d6 damage per Phase (Uncommon)

150 Total Disadvantages Cost

 

it doesn't say anything here about him being "touched by an angel,"--what kind of an ALTAR-BOY is that???

[Red Knight]

Re: Memoirs of failed concepts

 

I don't know if you knew, but Astro City already has an Alter Boy. He is the sidekick to the Confessor.. A very cool character. The Confessor is a Batman-esque character in that he wears all black and runs around fighting crime. He was a big white cross on the front of his outfit. Oh.. yeah.. and he's a vampire. The Confessor uses the cross (which is always causing him pain to remind him to do the right thing.

ANYWAY.... Alter Boy is his sidekick. Basically think a Robin to his Batman.

After the space aliens posing as government officials stakes the Confessor, Alter Boy takes over and assumes the mantle of the Confessor. Another Alter Boy is then selected.

 

If you are going to incorporate the religious subtones, might I suggest that you explore a Warrior Nun approach. Vatican trained and equiped warriors for the religion. They stay away from the major implications and angels still do what they want without being called. The biggest nod is the Armor of God. A glowng white suit of armor that grants incredible protection and power. The drawback is that only the purest soul can wear it. If their is any taint in your soul then the wearer takes damage also. The armor is teleported to the wearer by the Vatican.

[zornwil]

Re: Memoirs of failed concepts

 

Hey, it's Altar Boy, the other-worlds version!

 

And Panorama seems a LOT like a possible Multiform variant for I-know-who - (PS - except for probably being too varied/multi-dimensional, couldn't really read that write-up due to the formatting thing)

 

Anyway, just caught up to it, funny to see.