Pulp Villain: Monstrodamus

[ArmlessTigerMan]

Monstrodamus

The Devil Monsters, The Shadow Magazine 1941

 

Val Char Cost

10 STR 0

11 DEX 3

14 CON 8

12 BODY 4

18 INT 8

14 EGO 8

15 PRE 5

10 COM 0

2 PD 0

3 ED 0

2 SPD 0

5 REC 0

28 END 0

24 STUN 0

 

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

2" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 36

 

Cost Skill

10 Animal Handler (Dinorsaurs, Insects & Anthropods, Reptiles & Amphibians) 15-

3 Concealment 13-

3 Persuasion 12-

3 Stealth 11-

1 WF: Handguns

 

 

3 Scholar

3 1) KS: Creatures of Myth (INT-based) (4 Active Points) 14-

2 2) KS: Greek Mythology (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

2 3) KS: Medieval History (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

 

3 Scientist

2 1) SS: Botany (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

4 2) SS: Cryptozoology (INT-based) (5 Active Points) 15-

2 3) SS: Geology (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

2 4) SS: Mineralogy (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

2 5) SS: Paleontology (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

2 6) SS: Zoology (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

 

3 Traveler

2 1) AK: Australia (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

2 2) AK: Egypt (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

2 3) AK: Greece (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

2 4) AK: The Middle East (INT-based) (3 Active Points) 13-

Skills Cost: 58

 

Cost Perk

40 Followers: Various Animals (x25, 75 Base, 75 Disad) [Notes: note: some of his creatures cost more than this, some less. 75+75 is an approximate value.]

15 Followers: Manservants (x3, 25 Base, 25 Disad)

5 Money (Well Off)

Perks Cost: 60

 

Pts. Disadvantage

20 Hunted: The Shadow, As Powerful, 11- (Frequently), Harshly Punish, Extensive Non-Combat Influence

20 Psychological Limitation: Megalomania, Common, Total

10 Psychological Limitation: Protective of his Animals, Uncommon, Strong

10 Social Limitation: Secret Identity: Compeer Chandos, Occasionally (8-), Major

19 Villain Bonus

0 Normal Characteristic Maxima: No Age Restriction

Disadvantage Points: 79

Base Points: 75

Total Character Cost: 154

 

background: "I have rediscovered and revived the monsters of the past. It is right that my name should resemble theirs. But in using them to shape the future, I shall follow the prophecies of Nostradamus, so my name should be a tribute to him as well. Thus I stand before you as the man of things to come. I am Monstrodamus!"

 

Compeer Chandos owned a small estate in scenic Glendale, outside of New York City. He had two patrons among his wealthy neighbors. One was an amature mineralogist, and paid Chandos to travel the globe collecting rock and gem specimens for him. The other was an amature botanist, and paid for Chandos to travel the globe collecting rare and exotic flora. Somehow, in between collecting specimens for the rock hound and the plant nut, he found time to pursue his true passion; seeking out specimens of animals that were thought to be extinct, and creatures of myth that most people believed had never existed in the first place.

 

For Chandos has a secret identity, that of Monstrodamus! He plans to use his menagerie to assasinate the leaders of the world one by one, until chaos reigns. Chaos from which Monstrodamus would emerge supreme! Tucked away in a secluded valley lay his castle, the interior courtyard of which had been turned into a gigantic hothouse in which to house his plants and animals.

 

Eventually, his benefactors became suspicious and each sent a gumshoe snooping around his estate. At night. They were killed by Monstrodamus' pets, the deaths attributed to a local man's hunting dog. The extremely brutallized condition of the bodies piqued the Shadow's interest, who came out to the country to investigate. Monstrodamus then used his animals to commit the seemingly impossible 'locked room' style murders of his patrons to eliminate their intrusions. Obviously, this only made the Shadow more suspicious. Eventually, Monstrodamus captured the Shadow and his assistants, and planned grisly deaths for all of them by way of being fed to his various pets. Of course, the Shadow turned the tables on him, and the villain and his castle was destroyed, along with all of his monsters.

 

disads: On the old Mastermind/Madman continuum, Monstrodamus falls squarely in the middle. He is a would-be world conqueror, but his plan isn't well thought out; he doesn't have very many animals, and the ones he does have are useful for killing one or two people at a time, not for mass destruction. He is an obsessive collector type, but doesn't posess the insane brilliance, creativity, or mood swings that one would expect from a true madman.

 

abilities: Monstrodamus is an wizened old man and no physical threat to our heroes, although he does know his way around a pistol. He has travelled extensively, and studied different histories searching for his animals. He is an expert in mythology and mythological animals, as well as being the world's foremost (or only) crypto-zoologist. He also has three brawny bodyguards/manservants: Maximus, Optimus, and Fortissimus. But his real weapons are his pets.

 

appearance: Thin and frail, wrinkled, with light gray hair and a thin, beak-like nose. As Chandos, he wears a gray skullcap and dark subdued clothing. As Monstrodamus, he wears purple robes trimmed with gold, an emblem of a snake eating its tail upon his chest, wears a coronet, and carries a golden scepter with a large emerald set into it.

 

campaign use: You could use him as is, with the same m.o., and same suspiscious deaths to lure your heroes into his grasp. Or the your players could encounter him on his travels as he bags another prize, and tries to eliminate them so that no one knows his secret.

 

The climax of the novel is a great scene. The Shadow and his agents are trapped in the villain's giant greenhouse. Large slides of glass are used to partition off different sections. Each hero is trapped alone with a different monster, and able to see the plight of the other characters, but the partitions prevent them from aiding or communicating with each other.

 

monsters: "No creature ever becomes entirely extinct."

 

Monstrodamus has travelled the world, searching out and collecting creatures that shouldn't exist, but do. You'll need a copy of the Hero System Bestiary to play along at home:

 

Pteranadon: Use as is.

 

Flying Serpent: Basically a Venomous Snake with the Winged Template. Monstrodamus trains these to fly through extremely small spaces, bite a victim, and return.

 

Salamander: Monstrodamus sends the Salamanders into torpor, and places them in hollowed out logs, leaving the log in his victim's woodpile. When the victim places said log in his fireplace, the Salamander awakens in a frenzy, biting people and setting its surroundings on fire.

 

Basilisk: As per the Bestiary, except in the story, the Basilisk has no offensive powers. The villain was too afraid to test this on anyone. But that's boring, I'd recommend something that a Pulp Hero would have a chance of overcoming, perhaps an entangle based on ECV.

 

Tyranosaurus: Similar to the one on page 158, except M's is only half grown, so decrease attacks, size, and defenses.

 

Gippsland Giant Worm: http://www.thegreencommunity.org/giant_worms.html

 

Giant Mole: Where there are giant worms, there must be giant moles. At least, that's the rationale in the story. These are used to kidnap people, by grabbing them and tunnelling home with them; somehow the people are unharmed by this.

 

Giant Scorpion: Similar to the one in the Bestiary, but Monstrodamus' Scorpion is only 1-2 meters long, so you'll need to lower the characteristics and attack, and change the disadvantages a bit. Also, the one in the story doesn't have a stinger.

 

Of course, there's absolutely no reason you couldn't include your own favorite creatures to populate Monstrodamus' menagerie.

 

 

[AlHazred]

Re: Pulp Villain: Monstrodamus

 

As another possible creature to add to his menagerie, may I recommend the Akaana?

[Herolover]

Re: Pulp Villain: Monstrodamus

 

Very cool

[austenandrews]

Re: Pulp Villain: Monstrodamus

 

Wow, that is uber-cheesy. Love it!

[ZenStorm]

Re: Pulp Villain: Monstrodamus

 

Hey there,

 

I'm at work at don't really have time to read the sheet to offer a more considered opinion. (So, why am I here at all? right. )

 

I just wanted to pop-in and say that that is a freakin' awesome name!

 

 

Later.

[ThothAmon]

Re: Pulp Villain: Monstrodamus

 

Nice. Must come from a Shadow story I haven't read