Character for comments and use

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: Character for comments and use

 

Background/History: Born in 1978 Nicholas Marcelli or "Little Nicky" as he was affectionately known, grew up in the grandeur and power of the Marcelli crime family, being a nephew of the Capo.

 

As a young teen he was a decent catburgler. He enjoyed the test of breaking into places, and was indulged by his father and uncle, who saw a possibility of a strong inheritance in the boy. He was being groomed as a possible future head of the family.

Nick found out he had very limited superpowers when he was 16. In the culture of paranoia that develops from being a crime family, he never told anyone. He could create areas of shadow, though not full darkness, that he could see through, and his eyes adjusted to brightness very quickly.

 

When he was 18, he was introduced to a young woman from a rival Mafioso family, one of the minor ones that wanted to join their fortunes to that of the Marcelli's. While the relationship was arranged, Nicholas and Merra hit it off, and found they enjoyed each other's company. While they didn't share love at first sight, they did find themselves falling in love with each other. A little over a year later, shortly after the formal announcement of the engagement Merra was killed in a hit designed to take them both out - to stop the alliance.

 

Nick lost it, and got completely disgusted with the situation, claiming that it was the criminal approach and lifestyle that caused the death of his finance, and he blamed his family as much as anyone. He ignored his families advice to go hit back. When he disappeared a few weeks later, most everyone thought he had "come to his senses" and went after the Scattuci family without backup and was killed. When he disappeared, he spent the time traveling the world, and learning - combat, languages, criminilistic skills, and finding he has a talent for the stock market, and with his little bit of inheritance that he took with him when he left, and converted that into a fortune.

 

Penumbra first appeared in Hudson City in late 2004, with Nick living under an assumed name. Mostly doing patrols and catching criminals of opportunity. He didn't plan things out, and go on intense investigations. He was doing this to re familiarizes himself with the city, how it had changed. It was also in this time he started making his first contacts in the city, and really learning the details of the criminal situation in the city.

 

Nicholas re-appeared in 2006. With an astounding fortune, and started the Nich-M foundation for life options. A foundation devoted to helping youth stay out of a life of crime by teaching, and presenting options; his fortune is also used in many charitable areas, helping battered women's shelters, and youth sports programs; and his give a con a job program, where he gives aid and help to young cons, out of Juvie or their first stint in prison, a chance to learn a skill and to learn how to fully function in society. For those that complete this training, he has job placement agencies help find them jobs. Not many do, or fall into old habits when the get the job, but he keeps trying - and he pays for a portion of the wages to the business, as an incentive to take on the hopefully now reformed person. Many, however, see this as just a cover for some illicit information and training for better criminals that try and get the new special criminals into the mainstream.

 

The reason for the disparity between the two appearance, in addition to laying some basic groundwork for his foundations, was to keep the appearance of Penumbra and the reappearance of "little Nicky" Marcelli years apart; to help strengthen his Secret ID.

 

Early in Penumbra's career he met Lt. Karen Hathaway he swung in and saved her life from a group of Gang Bangers. Their's been growing respect, and perhaps a bit more, between them in the four years since that incident, and she is his contact in the HCPD. She is also is watching Nicholas Marcelli, believing him to be corrupt and trying to find out what he is doing. As Nick actually really likes her, this causes him some personal discomfiture, and is actually looking forward to the point he can trust her enough to show her who he really is, both for the relief of letting someone know, and to see the look on her face.

 

 

Personality/Motivation: Feels responsible to atone for the sins of his family, and to do the right thing. He genuinely wants to help people, whether it be as a superhero or as a normal productive member of society. He does tend to see Penumbra as his primary job, and whatever else help he can do with his foundation is nice, but that isn't his primary duties.

Quote: "I stand between the darkness and the light. You stand in darkness... and you know what that means... nighty night."

Powers Tactics: He generally uses his shadowfield to make things a little darker, and attack from range with his Moon Spheres or Corona blades. When maintaining the shadow field becomes to tiring, or if the opposition is too tough, then he moves into hand to hand, usually opening with a classic "two feet into the face swingline kick".

 

Appearance: Nick is a handsome man of 29. Mediterranean features, and black hair. Penumbra is a full body suit in shades of gray and black. His mask is a classic 2/3 face cowl in black, with gray fabric over his mouth and chin. He has large wristbands that hold his swingline, and pouches on his costume and belt that hold all sorts of useful small gadgets and weapons.

[OddHat]

Re: Character for comments and use

 

A good avenger of the night; Bruce Wayne meets the Soppranos.

[Lord Mhoram]

Re: Character for comments and use

 

A good avenger of the night; Bruce Wayne meets the Soppranos.

 

Thanks.

I don't usually do that kind of really close homages, but I was inspired by the movie, and I had never really played that archetype before.

 

And with his backstory, I can get full blown adventures in his secret ID too. One of my better characters to make things easy for the GM - I tried to put a whole bunch of hooks all over him.

[proditor]

Re: Character for comments and use

 

Nice work Lord M. I've been pondering my own "Bat family" for my Dark Champions TAS setting, and this looks like a very nice inspiration!