Solara

[SKJAM!]

Re: Solara

 

Here are a few answers.

Tim's father died five years before he became Solara of a heart attack.

 

 

Ahem. I think you mean "Tim was told that his father died of a heart attack, to cover the true mysterious nature of the older man's death/disappearance."

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

Ahem. I think you mean "Tim was told that his father died of a heart attack' date=' to cover the true mysterious nature of the older man's death/disappearance."[/quote']

True, Tim was told that his father died of a heart attack. Tim also attended his father's funeral, which featured an open casket (This is, of course, assuming he wasn't too young, at 10-years old, to attend it."

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

The exposition portions in the story are equal to the history/background portions of the character information sheets in the Hero System books.

 

If there is a version 4.0 of Solara (the one above is version 3.0) there will be two sections in the narative. The first, Backstory, provides the history/background of the character. The second, Our Story, is what would be in the comic book.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

The flight multipower mentioned above is the Enhanced Movement multipower from Snake Gandhi's thread, "An old character, Amy Amazing", used with permission. Here it is.

 

50 Enhanced Movement: Multipower, 50-point reserve

4u 1) Running +20" (26" total)

5u 2) Combat Manuevering: Flight 16", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2)

1u 3) Traveling Speed: Flight 6", Megascale (1"=1 km; +1/4) (15 Active Points)

 

When moving at Traveling Speed, Solara often goes desolid, to keep from flying into trees, buildings, and utility wires before gaining altitude. It also cuts down on the wind drag.

 

The basis for Solara's magic VPP is "Grimoire for `The Doctor'" located, in Morpheus Unbound, at http://www.patric.net/morpheus/cast/hero/doctor2.html

[SKJAM!]

Re: Solara

 

The exposition portions in the story are equal to the history/background portions of the character information sheets in the Hero System books.

If there is a version 4.0 of Solara (the one above is version 3.0) there will be two sections in the narative. The first, Backstory, provides the history/background of the character. The second, Our Story, is what would be in the comic book.

 

Yes, I'd strongly recommend just writing up the infodump parts as a regular "Background/Powers" section of the character sheet. When you're writing a story for people to read, you want to start with the characters doing something or feeling something. Especially in the superhero and magical girl genres, any necessary exposition should be done "on the run" in the first chapter, allowing the second one to fill in any details that need expanding.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

A quick note: Solara version 4.0 starts here. Now, to our story.

 

"Let me make a quick adjustment to your wig, Tim," his mother, Peggy, said. "Then, I we can see you as you'll look in the drama class play."

 

"It's not too bad," Tim admitted, "However, I still don't like playing a girl on stage." After looking in the mirror in his mother's bedroom, he returned to his room and changed out of the stage costume. When he returned, there was still one bracelet on his left wrist. "I can't get this off," he said.

 

As Peggy bent to look at the bracelet, Tim noticed some writing on it. "Princess Solara power-up," he read it aloud. Suddenly, there was a flash of light and tim was gone. In his place was a costumed woman.

 

"You look like a character from Sailor Moon," Peggy said.

 

"Yeah." Solara turned her head and said, "I'm picking up a police call. There's a monster on the loose at 6300 Fifth Avenue."

 

"That's Fifth and Shady," Peggy said. "The Pittsburgh Center for the Performing Arts. Why not leave it for the police or the city's two newest heroes, Batman and Batgirl?"

 

"They can't handle it. I can." She turned and ran toward the window before pasing through it.

 

"Be careful," Peggy said, mostly to herself.

 

To be continued.

 

(More notes. This takes place after Batman and Batgirl have started showing up. The landmarks mentioned are real and at the addresses mentioned. Tim's mother's name has been changed for reasons that will be clear later.)

[steriaca]

Re: Solara

 

"Let me make a quick adjustment to your wig, Tim," his mother, Peggy, said. "Then, I we can see you as you'll look in the drama class play."

"It's not too bad," Tim admitted, "However, I still don't like playing a girl on stage." After looking in the mirror in his mother's bedroom, he returned to his room and changed out of the stage costume. When he returned, there was still one bracelet on his left wrist. "I can't get this off," he said.

 

Ah...Reminds me of the bracelet Lady Heart wears...and can not remove also. Forcently for her, only s/he and magical beings can see it.

 

Forcently for Tim, while he does have to play a girl in a play, he proably dosen't have to play a sterotypical victoriean damsel in distress, like Malcome Waves did. Who is Malcome Waves? He is better known as Malachite, The Earth General Of The North Cardal Point over in Sailor Moon Mirrors (at http://www.geocities.com/sailormoonmirrors ), who I played. Sailor Moon Mirrors was an intresting freeform RPG who's premiss was "All The Inner Sailor Scouts Are Evil Except For Sailor Moon, And All The Earth Generals Are Good". I miss the darn thing.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

After phasing through the window and a nearby tree limb, Solara rapidly climbed 500-feet before looking around. Her mother's house was just below her. Beyond that was Forward Avenue, with Taylor Allderdice High School just beyond it. Shady Avenue was on her left. Quickly, she moved into high-speed flight mode and headed north.

 

Coming out of high speed flight, she spotted a church below. `Sacred Heart,' she thought to herself, recognising the church. `I've overshot my target.' Switching to her slower flight mode, she flew the few blocks to her destination. Spotting Batman and Batgirl talking to several police officers, she landed near them.

 

"You are?" Batman asked.

 

"Solara," she said as the monster, who resembled Grond, but was 25-feet tall, uprooted a tree and threw it at them. "Oh, my," she said, flying toward it. As she headed toward the tree, a glowing shield appeared in front of her. There was a loud CRACK and the tree shattered. Debris rained onto the cround as Solara, with her shield still active, rammed the monster. It bellowed, and breathed fire.

 

"You missed," Solara said, dodging the blast. It shot light from its eyes. The shield absorbed all of it. "My turn," Solara said, cancelling her shield. "Eat light." There was an intense burst of white light from her hands, and the creature began to smolder. "What the?" she asked.

 

"IT'S AN UNDEAD CREATURE," Batman called through a bullhorn. Moments later, it completely combusted.

 

"Good work," Batman said.

 

"Agreed," Batgirl said. "There must be a magical componant to your powers."

 

"You're probably right," Solara agreed. "It's getting late. I'm heading home." She took off slowly and, after going west slightly, headed, at high speed, to the house she and her mother shared.

 

To be continued.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

"How'd it go?" Peggy asked when Solara appeared in her bedroom.

 

"It went well," Solara said, posing in front of the mirror. Her red hair was as long as Sailor Mars's and, like Sailor Mars, she had bangs that made her golden headband/tiara hard to see.

 

Her costume resembled the one Sailor Mars wore, however, the sleeveless sailor-style leotard was yellow with a yellow-trimmed orange collar and a red bow instead of white with a red and white collar and a blue bow. Additionally, the miniskirt with a bow on the back, pumps with two-inch heels and trim on her white gloves were orange instead of red.

 

"Time to become Tim, again," she said. "Princess Solara power-down." Tim reappeared in a burst of light.

 

"Where's your bracelet," Peggy asked.

 

"It's still there," Tim replied. "I still have homework to do," he added, heading for his bedroom. "I have a history quiz on Monday."

 

"Some things never change," Peggy said, mostly to herself.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

Since we've finished with the first story, it's time for a few quick notes.

 

Solara recognised Sacred Heart Catholic Church because Tim, her civilian identity, attended Reizenstein Middle School, which is only a few blocks away.

 

Besides being in a drama class at Allderdice, Tim was a member of the Drama Club at both Colfax Spanish Academy (which has a partial immersion foreign language program) and Reizenstein Middle School (which also has a musical theater group).

 

Tim's mother, Peggy, is Allderdice's school nurse. Since Allderdice has a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (or UPMC), Peggy might be a UPMC employee instead of a school district one.

 

(All informationon the schools in the above posting is taken from either the school's own website or their page on the Pittsburgh Board of Education website.)

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

As we get ready for the second story, here are a few more notes.

 

School nurses, and, probably, just about everyone else in school, are required to wear some kind of photo ID.

 

Tim and Peggy are Jewish. They attend service at Tree of Life Congregation, which is located at Wilkens and Shady.

 

The Pennsylvania Department of Education requires one nurse for every 1500 children. If there's less than 1500 students in a building, the nurse covers more than one building. When the nurse isn't there, other people perform first aid and give out medications. (According to an article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, secretaries give medicine out when the nurse isn't there.)

 

Colfax has 350 students. Reizenstein has 921. Peabody has 708. Allderdice, on the other hand, has 1514, which means that it has two nurses. One, Peggy, is there full time. The other is in a number of different schools.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

I've been giving some thought to Solara's powers lately, and have come to the conclusion that the VPP I originally gave her isn't right for a magical girl, which Solara is.

 

Fortunately, Dean Shomshak's wonderful book, The Ultimate Mystic, gave me what I was looking for. On page 109, under the section Hermetic Theurgy, there is a Solar Spell Package in the form of a multipower. Each spell involves incantations and a golden talismanic ring set with a topaz, ruby, or garnet. Solara's headband/tiara substitutes for the ring. Here is the multipower as it is written up. In Solara's case, we add the limitation OIHID.

 

35 Solar Spell Package: Multipower, 62-point reserve, all powers OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), incantations (-1/4)

3u 1) Banish Dark Forces: Dispel Magic 16d6, any Darkness Magic one at a time (+1/4); OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

3u 2) Enhanse Magic: Aid Magic 5d6, any Magic Power one at a time(+1/4); OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

3u 3) Solar Flare: Sight Groip Flash 6d6, Area of Effect (3" Radius; +1); OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

3u 4) Sun Bolt I: Energy Blast 12d6; OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

3u 5) Sun bolt II: Energy Blast 8d6, Affects Desolidified; OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

3u 6) Sun Bolt III: Energy Blast 5d6, AVLD (defense is Sight Group Flash defense; +1 1/2); OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

3u 7) Light of Life: Healing 2 1/2d6, any Characteristic one at a time (+1/4); OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

3u 8) Solar Ward: Force Field (10 PD/10 ED/5 Sight Group Flash defense), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4); OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

3u 9) Sunlight: Sight Group Images, +4 to PER rolls, Increased Size (32" radius, +1 1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2); OIF (talismanic ring; -1/2), Incantations (-1/4)

total cost 60 points

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

I've reformated this thread for easier reading and fixed a few errors.

[David Johnston]

Re: Solara

 

Y'know, if this was being done as a comic book (or in a game I ran) the character getting his alter would probably be a lot more dramatic. A monster attacks and as his grandmother gets ready to transform she's seriously injured just as she gets the transforming gizmo out. He touches it trying to grab for her and get her to safety and...

 

So...is Sailor Moon a fictional character, or is there really a Sailor Moon just as there is a Batman? I was thinking that by rights if there were going to be magical girls in World War II, Japan should have at least some of them.

[SKJAM!]

Re: Solara

 

This iteration of Solara has always been a bit short of "drama", I fear. It's really kind of eerie how calm s/he and hiser relatives are about the whole thing.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

Y'know, if this was being done as a comic book (or in a game I ran) the character getting his alter would probably be a lot more dramatic. A monster attacks and as his grandmother gets ready to transform she's seriously injured just as she gets the transforming gizmo out. He touches it trying to grab for her and get her to safety and...

 

So...is Sailor Moon a fictional character, or is there really a Sailor Moon just as there is a Batman? I was thinking that by rights if there were going to be magical girls in World War II, Japan should have at least some of them.

Although Solara's actually an avatar of Amaterasu, the Japanese sun goddess , and not a magical girl, more drama is still a good thing. I'll punch up that part of the story next time I write one.

 

Sailor Moon is fiction. Tim's Solara costume is based on Sailor Mars's because he was thinking about her when he touches the bracelet.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

This iteration of Solara has always been a bit short of "drama"' date=' I fear. It's really kind of eerie how calm s/he and hiser relatives are about the whole thing.[/quote']

I hear and will do my best to make it more dramatic.

[David Johnston]

Re: Solara

 

"Magical girl" is a big tent. It includes avatars of Amaterasu, and even bonafide goddesses descended to Earth. (Although Belldandy is not a magical girl. She's a magical girlfriend. Different genre with different roots.). While the current Solara is a magical TG his predecessors were magical girls complete with transformation sequence.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

"Magical girl" is a big tent. It includes avatars of Amaterasu' date=' and even bonafide goddesses descended to Earth. (Although Belldandy is not a magical girl. She's a magical girlfriend. Different genre with different roots.). While the current Solara is a magical TG his predecessors were magical girls complete with transformation sequence.[/quote']

I think I understand now. My view of "magical girl" differs from yours.

 

To me, Sailor Moon is a magical girl while the Andrea Thomas Isis is either an avatar or a goddess. To you, they're both magical girls. Right?

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

I was trying to figure out how Tim could become the new Solara when all the others have been female. Then, it hit me. Since the first Solara in 16th century Japan, all children born into the family had the ability to become Solara. It is, however, traditional that Solara's title and job pass from mother to eldest daughter.

 

Although Tim's mother, Peggy, the school nurse, officially stopped being a superheroine five years before Tim's debut as Solara, she still wore the bracelet that made the costume change possible.

 

On the day it happened, Peggy and her sister, Grace, a school crossing guard, were injured by Grond, or someone like him. Peggy shook her hand free, revealing the bracelet. As she mumbled, "Princess Solara, power up," Tim touched the bracelet. Peggy blacked out and Tim became Solara for the first time and fought Grond.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

One other idea I had was that Tim's father, David, is his high school principal and his mother, Grace, the retired Solara, is one of the crossing guards posted near the school.

 

The school librarian, John, is Tim's uncle and his wife, Anne, is the school nurse. They have a daughter, Ellen, who attends the high school, too.

 

John and Anne have their own secrets. Anne is an alien who came to Earth from another galaxy over 20 years ago and has a ship hidden in the mountains nearby. Moreover, after Sunnydale fell into the ground, Ellen became one of the area's three Slayers and John became their Watcher.

 

The other two Slayers, one of which is the Vice President's daughter, and their "Scoobie Gang" either attend or work at the high school.

[wagnern]

Re: Solara

 

Perhaps Solara is not just a secret ID but an actual other person?

 

Tim wisperes: "-lara, quit looking at his but, everyone is going to think I am funny."

 

voice in his mind: "I wasent doing anything. I'm just minding my own buisness and, Wow. . ."

 

"See you did it agian, now I am going into the lockerroom to dress out for P.E. and we are keeping our eyes strate ahead."

 

"Well, what about my idea about homecoming?"

 

"I am not splitting homecoming with you. . ."

 

"Isen't he in the swim team? look at those . . ."

 

"ok, ok, deal, we will split homecoming, just stop checking him out!"

 

"Thank you! :)"

[SKJAM!]

Re: Solara

 

Or, since Solara is several years older than Tim physically, perhaps her taste in men runs to the "mature" as well.

 

Other possible complications: Tim has difficulty detransforming at will, there's a previously undisclosed female relative who feels she should have gotten the power and Hunts Tim in an effort to reclaim it, the local Decency League has made Solara their poster girl for "improperly dressed heroines"....

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

Perhaps Solara is not just a secret ID but an actual other person?

 

Tim wisperes: "-lara, quit looking at his but, everyone is going to think I am funny."

 

voice in his mind: "I wasent doing anything. I'm just minding my own buisness and, Wow. . ."

 

"See you did it agian, now I am going into the lockerroom to dress out for P.E. and we are keeping our eyes strate ahead."

 

"Well, what about my idea about homecoming?"

 

"I am not splitting homecoming with you. . ."

 

"Isen't he in the swim team? look at those . . ."

 

"ok, ok, deal, we will split homecoming, just stop checking him out!"

 

"Thank you! :)"

I'll stick with her being his alter ego. Your idea, however, is very cool. Rep to you.

[Mark Rand]

Re: Solara

 

Or, since Solara is several years older than Tim physically, perhaps her taste in men runs to the "mature" as well.

 

Other possible complications: Tim has difficulty detransforming at will, there's a previously undisclosed female relative who feels she should have gotten the power and Hunts Tim in an effort to reclaim it, the local Decency League has made Solara their poster girl for "improperly dressed heroines"....

Great stuff. I'll think about them.