Michael Hopcroft Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Iron Girl Player: Michael Hopcroft Val Char Cost 13 STR 3 18 DEX 24 14 CON 8 14 BODY 8 23 INT 13 17 EGO 14 18 PRE 8 20 COM 5 8/38 PD 5 8/38 ED 5 5 SPD 22 8 REC 4 34 END 3 30 STUN 2 6" RUN 0 2" SWIM 0 2 1/2" LEAP 0 Characteristics Cost: 124 Cost Power 66 Servo-Muscles: +55 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (82 Active Points); Only In Heroic Identity (-1/4) 90 Plates: Armor (30 PD/30 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (112 Active Points); Only In Heroic Identity (-1/4) 15 Life Support (Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing) (19 Active Points); Only In Heroic Identity (-1/4) 4 Endurance Battery (40 END, 1 REC) Reserve: (5 Active Points); Only In Heroic Identity (-1/4) 97 Boot Jets: Flight 25", x16 Noncombat, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (97 Active Points) 80 Repulsors: Multipower, 100-point reserve, (100 Active Points); all slots Only In Heroic Identity (-1/4) 6u 1) Freon Pellets: Entangle 10d6, 10 DEF (100 Active Points); Entangle Has 1 BODY (-1/2), Only In Heroic Identity (-1/4) 6u 2) Energy Blast 15d6 (75 Active Points); Only In Heroic Identity (-1/4) 5u 3) Energy Blast 10 1/2d6, Variable Special Effects (Limited Group of SFX; +1/4) (66 Active Points); Only In Heroic Identity (-1/4) Powers Cost: 369 Cost Skill 3 Acting 13- 3 Bugging 14- 8 Computer Programming (Computer Networks, Hacking and Computer Security, Personal Computers, Mainframes and Supercomputers) 14- 3 Cryptography 14- 3 Deduction 14- 3 Inventor 14- 3 Security Systems 14- 3 High Society 13- 3 Bureaucratics 13- 3 Seduction 13- 3 Mechanics 14- 3 Electronics 14- 6 Weaponsmith (Energy Weapons, Firearms, Missiles & Rockets, Other, Other) 14- 2 SS: Metallurgy 11- 2 SS: Computers 11- 2 SS: Robotics 11- 2 SS: Physics 11- 3 Language: Japanese (completely fluent) 10 +2 with a group of similar Skills 3 Armorsmith 13- Skills Cost: 71 Cost Perk 11 Money: Filthy Rich Perks Cost: 11 Total Character Cost: 575 Pts. Disadvantage 15 Distinctive Features: (Not Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 10 Hunted: The Mandarin 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish) 10 Hunted: Roxxon Corporation 8- (Less Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish) 10 Physical Limitation: Loses One Power (GM's Chocie) when takes BODY (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing) 15 Physical Limitation: If END Battery is empty, suit locks up (Infrequently, Fully Impairing) 10 Psychological Limitation: Haunted by Family Legacy (Common, Moderate) 15 Psychological Limitation: Party Maven (Common, Strong) 10 Psychological Limitation: Lecherous (Common, Moderate) 15 Psychological Limitation: Ruthless in Business, Merciful in Battle (Common, Strong) 10 Reputation: Celebutante Not To Be Taken Seriously, 11- (Extreme; Known Only To A Small Group) 5 Rivalry: Dominic Lord: Professional (Control of Stark International), Rival is Less Powerful but has Extensive Influence, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry, Custom Adder 20 Social Limitation: Secret Identity as iron Girl/Celebrity as Antoinette Stark (Very Frequently, Major) 5 Social Limitation: Obligations to Stark International (Occasionally, Minor) Disadvantage Points: 150 Base Points: 425 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 In case we've got too many scientists... (short idea blurb) Argonaut College student Alexander Demetrios thought he knew about his family. There was one important branch of it he was unaware of until recently though - Alexander is a descendant of Zeus, chief philanderer of the Greek gods back in the day. One day he discovered that fact, as he was 'visited' by Hermes, who whisked him up to Olympus to meet that side of the family. Zeus told Alexander of his own role in his ancestry, and of the spark of the divine within him. This spark is what made his suitable for what would come next. Olympus was still concerned with Earth's affairs, but could no longer spare Hercules for various reasons. So Alexander was selected to defend humanity in his stead. The divine spark within him would allow him to survive being elevated and filled with a fraction of each god's power, including a small portion of Hercules' own might. Hephaestus and the Cyclopes forged a suit of armor for him, and Zeus granted him the right to bear some of his mighty thunderbolts. Thus armed and empowered, Alexander returned to Earth, where Hercules introduced him to the Avengers as a prospective member, before the Lion of Olympus departed for parts unknown. As one hero among many, and with the abilities of a host at his call, Alexander chose the name Argonaut to go with his new identity. (flying brick energy projector with various "blessings" of the Olympian pantheon, including many he doesn't really know about yet - until he gets more XP ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Lots of cool stuff folks! Tons of great ideas and backgrounds. I'd hate to be in Snake's shoes trying to pick. Kudos to all! If nothing else, this has been a neat side project! FYI - there's been several mentions of the Avengers Charter - here 'tis. Some details might need to be changed depending on how the group is organized, but it's a good framework. http://www.avengersassemble.us/charter.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Summary of interest so far Quick summary of interested parties and proposed character ideas, harvested from earlier in the thread. If I've missed someone, please let me know. Figured Snake Gandhi or potential players might find it a useful recap. Where multiple ideas have been proposed, what seems to be the primary one is in bold. Supreme Serpent: Dr.Zemo - son of Baron Zemo II Swarm -heir to the Pym/Van Dyne legacy Captain Marvel - EP descendant of Rick Jones Lei Kung - Chinese Thor Argonaut - champion of Olympus Hermit: Banner - son of Captain America and Diamondback McCoy: Sersi Phoebe - daughter of Moondragon (and secretly of the Eternal Mentor) JJ: Raptor - heir to the Wakandan throne Trained Chicken: Emissary - Inhuman csyphrett: Vincent Astro - son of Justice/Firestar - pyrokinetic Manchine: interest, no firm idea posted atm keyes bill: Magni - Asgardian powerhouse Pendaran: Black Knight Kolbrandr the Brave - son of Balder and Karnilla Sketchpad: Marvel - ionic powerhouse, son of Wonder Man and Carol Danvers. Haven Walkur: Cinnabar - mutant/synthezoid daughter of Vision and Scarlet Witch Log: Goliath Mystic archer, nod to Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye Century - great grandson of Kang Michael Hopcroft: Iron Girl - Antoinette Stark Force: Guardsman - Iron Man legacy lucky: USAgent - super-soldier-serum induced mentalist BCAugust: Photon - daughter of Monica Rambeau with similar powers Snake Gandhi: possible NPC or reserve Avenger? - Power Girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trained Chicken Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Most of the time, Asgard does not in fact work like Planescape. And at this point I'm feeling at bit preached at and spoken down to as far as character design, with justifications that don't even have much to do with, say, Asgard. You know, you're right- that was very preachy of me. I've got a dislike for clothing-as-a-costume, so I'm trying to justify it there, and it came out all wrong. PLet me retract it- I'll be pleased to see what ever look you come up with! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BcAugust Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Ok, won't be able to post her until after I get off work, but mostly through with her disadvantages and powers. See you later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Cooked up with Hero Machine 2.0 and a few embellishments Not exactly right, but close Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan D. Hurricanes Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 I went hog wild in character creation thinking that I had just a ton of points. I overspent by 124 Well, back to the drawing board. Speaking of which, here's a Hero Machine quickie htat gives a decent impression for Century. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pendaran Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 I find it kinda funny I have the only mage so far, I'm pondering rejigging points to buff that some more or maybe just channel xp that way when it comes in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven Walkur Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Despite Cinnabar being the daughter of the Scarlet Witch, I stayed away from magic because I really don't like the way Champions handles magic. It would be especially bad (all in my humble opinion, of course) when trying to build "luck-based" magic, luck being something else I don't think Champions handles well as a power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted January 16, 2006 Report Share Posted January 16, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Tentative Zemo pic. Not terribly happy yet. Plus pic of Argonaut that needs some cleanup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hopcroft Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Tentative Zemo pic. Not terribly happy yet. Plus pic of Argonaut that needs some cleanup. If someone here can draw, I need a pciture of Iron Girl -- and one of Antoinette Stark as the public sees her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
radioKAOS Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Wow, there certainly is a lot of interest in this game.... I was thinking up a character last night actually. Character wise I was thinking something like the 'son of Hawkeye and Mockingbird' - quite a problem since they are both dead now, but Mockingbird is trapped in hell, and perhaps Hawkeye ended up meeting her there. Their love somehow allows them to have a child or adopt a deizen of Mephisto's realm, train him, and he fatefully escapes from Mephisto's grasp. Highly trained, influenced by growing up in the Arena of Tainted Souls [where Mockingbird stays in Mephisto's realm], takes up his father's bow [or a demonic equivalent stolen from Hell] and joins the New Avengers just like his parents. A Demon Archer of sorts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Gandhi Posted January 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Okay, so far it looks like we have (thanks Supreme Serpent for the recap:) ) upreme Serpent: Dr.Zemo - son of Baron Zemo II Hermit: Banner - son of Captain America and Diamondback McCoy: Phoebe - daughter of Moondragon (and secretly of the Eternal Mentor) JJ: Raptor - heir to the Wakandan throne Trained Chicken: Emissary - Inhuman csyphrett: Vincent Astro - son of Justice/Firestar - pyrokinetic Manchine: interest, no firm idea posted atm keyes bill: Magni - Asgardian powerhouse Pendaran: Kolbrandr the Brave - son of Balder and Karnilla Sketchpad: Marvel - ionic powerhouse, son of Wonder Man and Carol Danvers. Haven Walkur: Cinnabar - mutant/synthezoid daughter of Vision and Scarlet Witch Log: Century - great grandson of Kang Michael Hopcroft: Iron Girl - Antoinette Stark Force: Guardsman - Iron Man legacy lucky: USAgent - super-soldier-serum induced mentalist BCAugust: Photon - daughter of Monica Rambeau with similar powers radioKAOS son of Hawkeye and Mockingbird Now, Force and Micheal Hopcroft are looking at an Iron Man legacy. The team really can't have both, would either of you like to try out a different idea, or do you feel good with what you're working on? Maybe talk it out, see whats what? Also, both McCoy and lucky are working on characters with mental powers, so I offer you guys the same option if you'ed like. Desides that, it looks like everyone else could fit in together failry well. I know some of you are still working on write-ups, and that fine. I know how long a good 575 point character can take to work through, so I'm gonna give everyone till this weekend to get their character's write-up finished. In the meantime, i'll be making the games spot on heroCentral tonight, and through the week I'll be adding some of the background stuff for the world (what Marvel stuff we're using, what we aren't, etc), the Avenger package, the new Charter, stuff like that. Feel free to comment on any of it, as I'm sure some of you know more about the Marvel U than I do. After all the write-ups are done, I'll go through and select which characters made the cut (so to speak) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 If someone here can draw' date=' I need a pciture of Iron Girl -- and one of Antoinette Stark as the public sees her.[/quote'] Probably not what you are looking for, but here is a non English site with both Iron Girl and Iron Maiden pics on it. http://www.republiquelibre.org/cousture/bd/IRNMN4B.HTM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven Walkur Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Part Two of Cinnabar's backstory...but I have to go out to dinner now, so it's unfinished. I'll complete Part Two when I get back. Cinnabar Character History, Part Two of Two As even normal human families occasionally -- unaccountably -- produce sociopathic individuals, so it was with Anthony Maximoff. Perhaps his incomplete emotional profile was the legacy of his father, a being without conventional emotions; perhaps it was the result of the wildly shifted probabilities that allowed him and his twin to be born in the first place, a sort of lingering "hex". Perhaps it just happened. In any case, his tendencies had remained unnoticed by his family until he was able to diguise them. As a mother, Wanda's mingled pride in her long-awaited children, and relief that she'd finally managed to have children, led her to almost idolize the twins, especially the more outgoing Anthony. The Vision, insecure and uncertain in his own artifical emotions, failed to realize that there was anything odd about his son emotionally, and Barbara, unable to understand her own emotions and thus wary of emotions generally, preferred not to think about emotional issues at all. Perhaps the idyllic family life of the twin's early years had been as much an illusion as Anthony's affection for his parents and twin. Oh, there was a connection there, at least with Wanda and Barbara, but it was more about possession and control than affection; he wanted the women in his family, particularly his twin, as his own personal cheering section, existing only for him. The Vision was obviously an obstacle to that. Life at Empire State University was a revelation to the twins, and in the rich and varied academic/social environment, both appeared to blossom. Their parents kept in close touch but rarely visited, and then only in their secret identities, as no-one but the Chancellor of the university and a few select professors had any idea of the twins' true age and origin. It was at university that Barbara perfected the techniques of disguise she'd learned at the Charles Xavier School. Contact lenses hid her uncanny golden eyes and a specially formulated body paint, somewhere between theatrical makeup and latex, covered her crimson skin. Anthony also had ways of hiding his true skin- and eye-color. As apparently normal -- but extremely bright and good-looking -- college students, the twins studied a lot and socialized a little (in Barbara's case, going on to graduate work in condensed matter physics after her first year)...and vice versa (in Anthony's case, he formed close "friendships" with Tony Stark, who he called "Uncle Tony", and Adrian and Adrianne von Strucker, twin children of Andrea (and possibly Andreas) von Strucker). During her three years at university, Barbara was perceived as "real smart and serious, a little spooky," or "a brain, kinda weird but friendly, not stuck-up about her looks at all". And in any case, Barbara played down her looks, wearing glasses and unflattering clothes, adopting severe, old-fashioned hairstyles. "Yeah, she was a classic nerd, brilliant and socially totally clueless. Good-looking? Maybe. I never noticed." Besides condensed matter physics, she also pursued an interest in cybernetics and and robotics; artifical life forms were of particular interest to her, as she was the daughter of one. In all her studies, though, she was trying to understand herself through understanding her nature and abilities. Anthony dabbled with coursework in electronics and magentism, doing only enough coursework to remain a student. And he detested his twin's new appearance. "You look like a complete non-entity!" Anthony said. "You ought to have a tee shirt with "Please Ignore Me" on it." Barbara frowned. "Isn't that the idea?" "No!" Anthony said loudly. Then, more quietly, "No. I hate having people write you off. You're my twin; how do you think it makes me feel?" "I'm sorry it upsets you, Anthony," Barbara said. "I dress like this to avoid distractions." "But I want you to be distracting," Anthony said. "I love the way we look together, I love the way people stare. I want my twin back. Is that so wrong?" But on the issue of appearance, Barbara was inflexible. There was so much to learn and no time to play games...though despite her intentions, she did end up forming an attachment to two of the other graduate students in her robotics courses, a boyfriend/girlfriend couple named Corrie Griffen and John Eriksen. In her second year, Barbara spent at lot of her limited free time with the pair, sometimes meeting with them in preference to meeting with Anthony. "We saw your twin again today," said Adrian von Strucker. "She was with those Minnesotan clods." "And looking like something the cat dragged in," Adrianne added. "Those people are a bad influence on her. They're so common." Adrian lit a cigarette. "You really ought to do something about it, Anthony." Anthony looked Adrian in the eyes and smiled pleasantly. "Maybe you two could do something about it for me. As a...favor." "Oooh, a favor!" said Adrianne. "Do say yes, Adrian. It'll be delightful." "Just to humor my sister, then..." said Adrian. In Barbara's third year at Empire State, she and John drifted apart following Corrie's death in an an automobile accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supreme Serpent Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 If someone here can draw' date=' I need a pciture of Iron Girl -- and one of Antoinette Stark as the public sees her.[/quote'] Check out Bob Layton's site. He's got a ton of various Iron Man pics, including an "Iron Woman" pic. Of course, the armor doesn't have to be obviously feminine - especially some of the larger suits could easily hide either gender inside. And with voice modulation, etc. you could even pass publicly as "Iron Man" if you wanted to, as an extra layer for the SID. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BcAugust Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Mostly done... saving a few points for last minute changes(old habit of mine) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualplayer Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 I have in mind Athena Pym aka Aegis. Ultron, constantly warring between his impulses to create new life and also destroy humanity, turned his massive intellect inward. He ensconced himself in a cyberspace cloister where he contemplated his life, his choices, his errors. In an arena separate from the contemporary he gave birth to a new self and destroyed the progenitor again and again, uncountable times. The realization was hard won but he realized that in antagonizing and emulating Father, the now venerated Henry Pym, Ultron may have assumed the wrong gender. She fit well and made sense of the inarticulate rage she had always felt. Generations of soul-searching had ran concurrent with technological advancement. Claiming her father's accomplishments as a birthright she used Pym particles to create adamantium nanotech that could grow or reduce in size. Trillions of cell-sized Ultrons were held securely in the shape of a statuesque woman by a malleable force field, but assuming whatever shape she willed. She wowed to be the child, the daughter, that a great man like Henry Pym deserved and she also had many sins of her predecessors to atone for. Powerwise: a shapeshifting turbobrick with a computer-like mind, not an Automaton, not invulnerable, just resilient. Almost indistiguishable from human. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.J. Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Here's a not so great sketch of Raptor with his hardlight wings deployed. When not in use, they just aren't there. I used one of the outlines from the download section provided by Hero Games here. I wanted to make the Black Panther connection strongly obvious since the wings scream Sam Wilson (the pointy bits on the mask aren't ears, they are more like fins/bird crest shape). If he makes it in, maybe I'll do something better (or even a group picture). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.J. Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Despite Cinnabar being the daughter of the Scarlet Witch' date=' I stayed away from magic because I really don't like the way Champions handles magic. It would be especially bad (all in my humble opinion, of course) when trying to build "luck-based" magic, luck being something else I don't think Champions handles well as a power.[/quote'] Don't be hung up on the name of a power. It's the effect that matters, right? Luck (like the Black Cat, etc) can easily be a small VPP with a limitation limiting it to "luck/chance effects." Need the floor to give way under the bad guy? A little bit of tunneling UAO. Need the door to be stuck or that guy to trip? Telekinesis or soemething. Need someone to step on a twig so the "snap" alerts the guy they are sneaking past? Images. Doesn't even need to be "no conscious control" just play it the way it's supposed to be played and, most importantly, have fun. Add some danger sense with the lim does not impart knowledge, only for reaction with VPP and you're pretty well off (you can get a lot more complex, of course). The more conscious control you have, the more straightforward it really is. You're just limited by the environment, really. One of the longest running characters from my old campaign had a Luck VPP. Just my opinion on such things Sharing for the benefit of others, not suggesting you add it if you don't feel comfortable with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 McCoy: Phoebe - daughter of Moondragon (and secretly of the Eternal Mentor) lucky: USAgent - super-soldier-serum induced mentalist Also, both McCoy and lucky are working on characters with mental powers, so I offer you guys the same option if you'ed like. Could go with a rivalry, more mentalist than thou. Or could partician the mental powers. While I had imagined Phoebe having the complete suite of telepathy/telekinesis, What If Mommy Dearest put some kind of restraint on her telepathic abilities, has to use just TK powers. That would make her a martial artist/energy blaster with a psionic Sx, leaving the telepathy, ego attack, mind control, illusions for USAgent. Or vice versa, if lucky wants the TK powers, Phoebe could keep the "it's all in your head" ones. (But in that case will ask for one exception, without a force field in her pool her Eternal "regen back from the dead" ability is going to get a lot of use!) Any thoughts lucky? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haven Walkur Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 Cinnabar Character History, Part Two of Two (concluded from before dinner) "No more," Barbara said. "These kinds of emotions are too dangerous and unpredictable. No more friends." Following those losses, Barbara resolved not to form any more attachments. She had never wanted to embrace or understand her own emotions, finding them threatening and bewildering; so now, with almost no experience to draw on, she found herself grieving for Corrie -- and for her friendship with John. Barbara had watched helplessly as John drew away from her, lost in his own grief over Corrie; she'd watched their friendship coming to an end, with no idea of how to stop it. Finally, Barbara sought an escape from pain and confusion by immersing herself in her researches again, retreating into the world of the mind to escape her own intolerable feelings. Anthony was fiercely protective of his sister in the months that followed. He was with her constantly, helping her in the lab and running errands, doing things for her and offering advice. He supported Barbara in her decision to stay at Empire State and continue her work, rather than returning home as Wanda and Victor wanted. "When we were kids, we didn't need anybody else," said Anthony. "We've still got each other, Bar; we don't need anybody else." When Anthony wasn't with Barbara, he was "interning" with Uncle Tony. Running around with a frequently slightly-drunk Tony Stark, Anthony gained a great deal of access to the headquarters and labs of Stark Industries -- as well as to various clubs, bars and rich man's sports like hang-gliding, race-car driving and BASE jumping. Anthony (never 'Tony') was still seeing the von Strucker twins, but given the past associations of the twins' family with the Avengers -- the twins' mother and her brother had been the supervillains Fenris -- he never tried introducing them to Uncle Tony. However, Anthony couldn't prevent occasional contact between Tony Stark and Barbara, as Tony felt that Anthony's sister was as much his "niece" as Anthony was his "nephew." Barbara was usually rather distant and Tony was often drunk, so it seemed unlikely that anything would come of it. "Hello, pretty lady," said Tony Stark. "How's every little thing?" "Things here are satisfactory," said Barbara. "Thank-you, Tony." "Anybody ever tell you you've got your mother's hair?" Tony said. "Looks really good...." "And my father's eyes, but I am my own person," said Barbara. "Excuse me." She stepped around Tony to reach a control panel. "You busy, pretty lady?" Tony asked. "Yes, Tony. I'm monitoring flux particles in condensing matter. It's very complicated, and there isn't much to see." "Not from where I'm standing...." "I'm busy, Tony, and you're in the way," Barbara said. "Please go away now." Several times during the twins' third year at Empire State, when Wanda and Victor visited in their secret identities to discuss the twins' plans for the future, Barbara broached the possibility of taking up the "costumed hero" lifestyle. Both parents were pleased, but both said it was too early to be considering anything like that; the twins had only turned seventeen in April. "Don't be offended, precious ones," said Wanda, "but I don't think you're old enough. Seventeen is too young to face all the kinds of dangers out there, all the terrible things people do to one another. God...and when people do terrible things with superpowers, it turns into something no-one should have to face. How could a seventeen-year-old know what to do when someone with a costume and a handful of lightning bolts starts killing everyone in sight?" "Don't be patronizing, Mom," said Anthony. "We're not children anymore." "Yes, you are," Wanda said, touching Anthony's hair affectionately. "You'll always be our children, no matter how old you get." "There is more than just physical danger to consider," said Victor. "There is...an emotional impact that comes from being exposed to danger and violence. There is an emotional impact in performing acts of violence. The lifestyle of a costumed hero is an extremely challenging one emotionally. At seventeen, I do not think you have the necessary emotional...sophistication yet to deal with its demands." "And Uncle Tony's dealing with it so well," Anthony muttered. "That is my point," Victor said. "Tony Stark's personal problems were brought on by the emotional burden of this lifestyle. I do not...we do not want that to happen to you and Barbara." Wanda took Victor's hand, nodding agreement. "It would destroy us if anything happened to you two." There was a long silence, and then Barbara spoke. "Anthony and I have the same good life you both have. We have the same powers. We have the same enemies. Doesn't that mean we should have the same duty, even if it's a hard one?" That conversation, or one like it, was repeated at each of the parents' visits. Towards the end of the year, Anthony began claiming he had personal projects underway with Tony, so wouldn't be able to be around much for the visits. In her twin's absence, Barbara finally managed to get Victor to make common cause with her and help convince Wanda to let her start going on patrol with one or the other of them. "Father, you and mother made me," said Barbara. "You made me for yourselves and for myself...but you also made me for everyone who made it possible for that to happen -- no, Mother, please let me finish -- You made me for everyone who helps make this a world where I can come to be and live and thrive, and whether you intended it or not, all those people of our nation and our world had a part in making me...by making this world. I am for you both, Mother, Father, and for Anthony...but I have more to give than just to the three of you. "I believe I have a duty to the world, and I choose to take it on. I want that purpose...I want to know what I am for. Father, you know about being made for purpose; please help me convince Mother that this what I have to do." Despite grave misgivings, Wanda was finally convinced, and in November of the twins' third year at Empire State, Cinnabar was born. Barbara chose her hero name as a salute to her father and Uncle Pietro, in an effort to help reconcile Wanda to her beginning a career as a costumed hero; cinnabar is a red ore, sometimes as crimson in color as the Vision's skin...and cinnabar is an ore of mercury -- or quicksilver. Preoccupied with the challenges of a costumed identity and an unexpected but sincere job offer from a newly-sober Tony Stark, Barbara saw very little of Anthony, but her twin seemed unconcerned. "It's not important, Bar," Anthony said when Barbara called to apologize for neglecting him. "We'll always have each other, you know that." In April of the twins' fourth year at Empire State, after Barbara had been flying patrol with her parents for almost five months, she suddenly announced that she was leaving university to go to work for Stark Industries in research and development. She was eighteen and (thanks to being not only very bright but also a speed reader with an eidetic memory) held the equivalent of two doctorates, one in condensed matter physics and one in cybernetics. Anthony seemed indifferent to his sister's new career, an apparent lack of interest in his sister's affairs that had begun when Barbara had told him about taking on a costumed identity, and asked him what he thought about doing the same. "What do I think about it, Bar?" Anthony asked. "Not much. Frankly, I couldn't care less if you want to play superhero, just include me out." Actually, Anthony already had a costumed identity, one that he'd been experimenting with for some time, but it wasn't a heroic one. It was, however, a very well-funded one, thanks to "Uncle Tony" and his company. During the worst of Tony's period of alcoholism, Anthony had acquired passcodes, account numbers and a great deal of confidential technical information from Stark Inductries. Anthony had made himself wealthy at the expense of Tony's company, confident that in the chaos of Tony's drunken dealings at every level of Stark Industries, no-one would ever be able to trace his thefts. When Anthony learned, back in November, that his sister was flying patrols with their parents -- with their father -- he'd been incensed at the Vision for getting between him and his twin. Barbara prefered to spend time with the Vision, rather than him? Their father had always been an obstacle to Anthony, always interfering with his influence over his mother and his twin -- but now he'd made himself an adversary. And now it was time to do something Anthony had been considering for years...killing the Vision. He had a name from the von Strucker twins. He had a contact. He had the money. He hired Arcade. *** Barbara could never really remember afterwards the sequence of events that led up to her and Wanda, in costume and on duty as Cinnabar and the Scarlet Witch, being crouched over a view screen in the wreckage of the control booth of Arcade's Murder Maze with Arcade himself bound senseless in a corner. "Where is this?" the Scarlet Witch kept asking; "where is this coming from?" Arcade made no answer. During the fight, he'd come up with an ugly disruptor pistol -- and Cinnabar's fist had hit him, hard, at the same instant as the Scarlet Witch's hex bolt. Arcade had hit first the ceiling, then the wall and finally the corner of computer monitor, ending up out cold on the floor, deeply unconscious. "Vision -- oh where in God's name is this coming from?" "I don't know," Cinnabar said. The view screen was set in a bulky box much like an old-fashioned television set. It had survived being hurled to the floor and kicked several times by different people, and the image it showed was all too clear. A small room with a high ceiling, walls and ceiling sheathed in sheets of silvery metal, the floor bare concrete. And frozen in mid-air was the Vision, trapped like a fly in amber in the sourceless white light. He was held upright, his shoulders slumped and head bowed forward, utterly exhausted. One of his arms hung at an unnatural angle -- broken or dislocated -- and there were livid wounds up and down his legs. His costume was ragged, and glimpses of things that should have been hidden inside his body showed through the tears when he moved. "They've hurt him..." the Scarlet Witch whispered, reaching out to touch the screen. "My darling, where are you?" "I don't...know," Cinnabar said again. The room shown on the screen could have been any one of hundreds of rooms inside the Murder Maze. There was no way of telling from the image which one it was or where it was...it was as if the Vision were trapped inside the elaborate and twisted mind of Arcade himself, behind the eyes of the Pinball Wizard. The Scarlet Witch stood up suddenly, grimacing at the ache from cracked ribs. "We have to start searching," she said. "If we have to, we'll go through every room, every closet, every mousehole in this place -- " "No, wait," said Cinnabar. "Someone's there." There was another figure in the room. The newcomer wore a black, all-concealing costume, with a crown of concentric metal rings like an orbital diagram turned at 90 degrees. The face-mask was black and blank, but on the body, the costume was divided in half vertically, half black and half covered with silvery patterns like waves and flowers and starbursts. The figure stood and looked up at the Vision, hands on hips, the brutal white light sparkling off the tilted crown. "Who...?" the Scarlet Witch murmured. The figure on the screen shook its head and snapped its fingers loudly. Both Cinnabar and the Scarlet Witch jumped, and the Vision raised his head wearily. "Electron orbitals," said Cinnabar softly. "Those are electron orbitals on the crown, and the designs on the costume are magnetic field diagrams." "Shhh." The Vision was speaking, his voice coming clearly from the speaker on the view screen's box. "This...was your doing." "Every bit of it," the figure said in a clear but oddly distorted voice. "Arcade was just a flunky. I paid him to catch and hold you, and he did. End of story." The two women glanced at each other, then back at the screen. Neither of them recognized the voice. "You seem...pleased with yourself," the Vision said. "Yes. I've been dreaming of this all my life, and now I'm savoring every minute of it. Feel free to beg for mercy any time." The Vision closed his eyes. "All...your life?" "All of it." "Now I...know," said the Vision. "I knew you needed...something I could not give you, but I never guessed you...hated me so much, Anthony." The figure laughed. "Yes, it's me, Dad, but it's not 'Anthony'. It's Antimony, the Diamagnetic Man...and I don't hate you." The Vision didn't answer, and after a moment, Antimony said, "No comment, Dad? Nothing? Spoilsport to the end, then." He shrugged elaborately, and said, "You were always in my way. I don't hate you, but I want you to know that; you were always in my way. Like with Mom and Bar, you were always in my way -- and I don't tolerate obstruction. Sooner or later, I always get rid of the obstacles." Induction of diamagnetic fields is a tricky business even with cutting edge technology, but Antimony did it now by the power of his mutant mind -- and quickly. The Vision groaned as the strange tension filled his body, distorting the valence of his artifical cells and arranging them like beads along the lines of force. "When we created you, Wanda and I...played God," said the Vision. "But all we achieved with you...was another demon." "I prefer 'fallen angel'," said Antimony. "Goodbye, Dad." And then Magneto's grandson induced a conventional magnetic field inside the diamagnetic field now filling every cell of the Vision's body, and stepped back hurriedly as the fields repelled one another violently -- and the Vision exploded. *** Cinnabar wants to assume her father's mantle in the Avengers; her belief in duty and purpose hasn't changed. She hasn't seen her twin since the night Antimony murdered their father, but she knows he's still out there, and she knows she'll see him again. Their mother retired from the Avengers to devote all her time to tracking Antimony down, and if she finds him, she'll kill him as the murderer of her husband and her children's father. Perhaps it could be said that Antimony also murdered Cinnabar's twin brother that night, but she wouldn't say it. She doesn't say things like that, or even think them. Such statements lead inevitably into a morass of emotions, ugly, bewildering and dangerous, and since the Vision's death, Cinnabar has been trying very hard to pretend that she doesn't feel emotions. Quote: I don't know what I feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbsousa Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 OK, I joined this thread way too late to play, I think, but here is my character idea, anyway... The Phantom Avenger. Name: Steve Jones Relationship: Rick Jones' grandson Origin: In an effort to get vengeance on the 1960's Avengers, the Space Phantom reaches through Limbo to turn Avengers from the future against them. Due to a cosmic mishap, he summons 20 year old Steve Jones, a college student who has inherited his grandfather's knack for being present at the most important events in superhero history. The summoning imbues Steve with an altered form of the Space Phantom's powers, and after defeating him in Limbo, returns to his own time with the ability to "channel" the heroes of old. Powers: Steve can channel the powers of anyone on the Avengers Roster as of 1964 (Cap, Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Wasp, Ant Man) at their 1964 power level for approximately 12 seconds at a time. He may channel a new form every 12 seconds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan D. Hurricanes Posted January 17, 2006 Report Share Posted January 17, 2006 Re: [interest in an online game?] Avengers: Generation 3 OK, I joined this thread way too late to play, I think, but here is my character idea, anyway... The Phantom Avenger. Name: Steve Jones Relationship: Rick Jones' grandson Origin: In an effort to get vengeance on the 1960's Avengers, the Space Phantom reaches through Limbo to turn Avengers from the future against them. Due to a cosmic mishap, he summons 20 year old Steve Jones, a college student who has inherited his grandfather's knack for being present at the most important events in superhero history. The summoning imbues Steve with an altered form of the Space Phantom's powers, and after defeating him in Limbo, returns to his own time with the ability to "channel" the heroes of old. Powers: Steve can channel the powers of anyone on the Avengers Roster as of 1964 (Cap, Thor, Hulk, Iron Man, Wasp, Ant Man) at their 1964 power level for approximately 12 seconds at a time. He may channel a new form every 12 seconds... That's very interesting. Does appearance alter as well? My instinct is a muted monochrome version of the characters for some reason. Probably because I was just looking at a Super Adaptoid cover recently. Gestalts are always fun. Oh, and stay out of Limbo--that's my area! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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