Around the World With A New Character Each Week

[tribe]

#60 DOCTOR CLAW (Finland)

 

 

DOCTOR CLAW

Dr. Boris Klausmann

Character Sheet

 

Background

Boris Klausmann endured a traumatic, impoverished childhood which claimed the lives of five siblings and his mother before he turned twelve. He was forced on to the streets of Helsinki where he endured further hardship: none of which he cares to elaborate on beyond vague moments of memory. It is clear that he entered into a life of crime at a very young age, even before his mother's death and subsequent homelessness. He was a violent and uneducated young man by all accounts, although Boris Klausmann does actually hold degrees in medicine and behavioural psychology which he received from the University of Helsinki and the University of Sterling (UK) respectively.

 

His work in psychology led to work with primates, although his heart was never in it, and he abandoned a team of specialists as they neared Gorilla City within the borders of Tanzania. While his former peers interacted with the 'intelligent apes', Klausmann stumbled upon a mystic artefact down an abandoned mineshaft. He would never admit to getting lost on his way back to the city, but after stumbling around for hours he had fallen down the shaft and would have most likely died had it not been for the artefact, which was an elongated and fierce looking quasi-human skull. The skull infused Klausmann with a berserker rage and a hunger for blood. He clawed his way out of the shaft and savaged a nearby herd of cattle before turning his bloody attention on the villagers.

 

He returned to his base camp, exhausted, and mostly unaware of what had transpired. He hid his bloody clothes and when the team returned he convinced the pilot to take him back to Dar Es Salaam, and within the week he was home in Helsinki.

 

The berserker rages took hold of him again, even though he was surrounded by culture and western civilisation. His rage sent him through a dinner party, killing several guests, and although he was not apprehended by the police, Klausmann went into hiding. He tried to analyse himself, to dig deeper into his psyche and take a hold of the rage which had taken up residence. The media was calling him the Barbarian and the loosely-based group of heroes, The Brotherhood, were supposedly on his case. Klausmann panicked.

 

He used his contacts, both legal and (more usefully) illegal, and made a meeting with a Berlin 'Aerie' - a covert base linked with the criminal organisation known as CLAW. Klausmann had assisted the organisation in the past, mostly with trials and psychological testing, so when he came to them they didn't immediately turn him out. The Berlin Aerie was, at the time, also hoping to capture the super heroine, Schmetterling (Butterfly) and decided to test Klausmann's berserker rage in an attempt to get the young uber into their custody.

 

Klausmann was given medical treatment which augmented his fury rather than soothe it and when he and Schmetterling met at the Berlin Zoo he was completely insane with rage. The treatments triggered a further transformation in Klausmann and he began to take a more monstrous form, ultimately becoming a seven foot bear-man.

 

Uber Force managed to rescue their team mate from Klausmann and the CLAW operatives, and Klausmann took the opportunity to lie low once more, never trusting CLAW's generosity again. He decided to only trust himself and his own understanding of his condition. He returned to Helsinki and took up residence in one of his apartments. With his new monstrous visage he decided that there was no chance of returning to his previous life and so he decided to become a seriously rich man. Money, he reasoned, would be the one thing to keep him satisfied and to keep the gawkers and hateful normal people away.

 

Within a few months he had established himself as Doctor Claw and became known as a relentless opponent as well as a devious criminal.

 

Personality

The Doctor loves money and everything that it can buy, but most especially prestige and the ability to enjoy the good things in life: luxury, fine foods and good music. His impoverished childhood has made him covet the riches of those he had long idolised, but now he has found that money is only as far away as you allow your morals to get in the way of things. He will rob banks and the homes of Europe's 'old money' without any concern for law or morals, although he would not rob a struggling family.

 

In the same vein, Doctor Claw has taken it upon himself to become a modern day Fagan and establish a network of poor street kids which he has dubbed The Cubs. These children are from homes just like his own, although he believes his intervention will ultimately help them bypass much of the misery he felt. He fails to see that by sending them to work as thieves, he is robbing them of their innocence and youth.

 

Quote

"A most excellent development, my ursine compatriots. Today Doctor Claw will reap the riches of Europe's old money!"

 

Powers

Doctor Claw has become a very large and strong bear-man. While he can revert to a husky and hairy human form for short periods of time he default form is that of the seven feet bear. While in his bear form he has uberhuman strength enabling him to lift 100 tons, as well as being quite able to withstand injuries with his thick fur and his regenerative systems.

 

He is very fast on his feet and can run down opponents and then use his considerable bulk to pin them. Many opponents underestimate his weight and he is rarely knocked down. He has enhanced senses and natural claws and fangs which are his primary weapon.

 

Appearance

Doctor Claw is seven feet tall and weighs over 1000 pounds. While he affects a cultured, intellectual air about him he is undoubtedly a monstrous looking man with a heavy bear head complete with razor sharp teeth and dark black eyes. He never wears clothing and has a thick dark brown pelt which is usually carefully combed by Honey Bear.

 

When he is in his temporary human form he is about six feet tall and weighs over 200 pounds. His face is always covered in facial hair and never well groomed. His hair is usually dishevelled and a reddish brown, and his clothes often appear to be anything thrown on at the last minute, as if the doctor no longer thinks about the importance of such things.

[tribe]

#60 HONEY BEAR and THE CUBS (Finland)

 

 

HONEY BEAR

Cordula Heilwidis

Character Sheet

 

Background

Cord Heilwidis worked simultaneously as a freelance computer hacker and a member of the German government's internet security team. While she enjoyed the thrills of playing her two identities off against each other, she was ultimately caught out and sent to prison after a show trial. On her way to serving twenty years she was busted free by Doctor Claw who saw her skills as a useful addition to his criminal ambitions. After wrecking the transport vehicles and fighting off two members of Uber Force, Cord was released by the Doctor who offered her a deal. Work for him for twenty years instead of rotting away in prison.

 

It was an interesting proposal. She agreed.

 

Personality

Cord has found herself falling in lover with her saviour and even the fact that he is a seven foot tall bear-man hasn't really detracted from her dreamy infatuation. They have become lovers over the years and she is totally committed to him and their shared goals of living the good life.

 

Quote

"Only zee Doctor calls me Honey."

 

Powers

While an exceptional computer security specialist, Honey Bear is otherwise a regular human. She almost always works behind the scenes during Doctor Claw's missions, acting as a diversion or plant in the field, or as a security hacker and surveillance expert on the outside. She has access to body armour and weapons but has only very rarely used them.

 

Appearance

Cord is a woman in her late thirties with a round face and curly light brown hair which is straightened using an iron when she can be bothered. When she does make an effort it is only to impress the Doctor who is the object of her affections, and like him, Cord rarely seems to take the effort in what she wears. She is, in her words, a thinker rather than a clothes-horse. She is short sighted and wears black-rimmed glasses, which are sometimes perched on her head when she's not on the computer.

 

THE CUBS

Various

Character Sheet

 

Background

The Cubs are impoverished children who have made their way into Doctor Claw's life, whether they happened to be begging on the streets in Helsinki or whether he took a shine to them while abroad. They are well fed and given ample room to eke out an existence in his apartment building. The Cubs generally number about half a dozen to eight as some of them come and go, while others are found by parents or authorities and returned home.

 

Some of the Cubs are runaways and the Doctor doesn't really like to think that they have good homes to go back to. His dream is to save the poverty-stricken youngsters, so anything which goes against this is promptly ignored or covered up.

 

Personality

The Cubs vary in their reasons for hanging around Doctor Claw and many leave after a few years to pursue other lives.

 

Quote

"Let us rip, brothers!"

 

Powers

As the Cubs are basically young kids they really don't have much in the way of powers, apart from a bit of speed on their feet and the uncanny knack to kick a person where it hurts the most. Their active lifestyles often lead to some skill in acrobatics and tumbling, as well as basic thieving skills.

 

Appearance

Most of the Cubs are boys aged between eight and twelve, although there have been some girls and some of the Cubs have been older and younger. They often wear new clothes as they toss out their old ones as soon as Doctor Claw offers them pocket money. When on a mission they sometimes wear a Cub outfit which consists of dark brown shirt and shorts, with a brown baseball cap, usually worn backwards.

 

Notes: While this entry was not a team, I created two types of Followers for the powerful Doctor Claw.

[The Arc]

Re: Around the World With A New Character Each Week

 

Have you ever read "Dancing Bear" by Fred Saberhagen?

[tribe]

Re: Around the World With A New Character Each Week

 

Have you ever read "Dancing Bear" by Fred Saberhagen?

 

Nope, but I've just read a few Fables graphic novels and was impressed with Goldilocks and Baby Bear.

 

[Great Beyond]

Re: #60 DOCTOR CLAW (Finland)

 

DOCTOR CLAW

 

"I'll get you next time, Gadget! NEXT time!"

 

(Sorry, I'll get my coat. . . . )

[tribe]

#61 Jeu d'Extrémité (End Game) (France)

 

Jeu d'Extrémité are a group of villains who were 'created' during a nuclear reactor meltdown in France caused by Maximum Damage. What began as collateral damage ended up as the genesis for another supervillain team.

 

There were only a handful of survivors and four of them had triggered uberhuman powers, the most outspoken and determined of them being former Army officer, Aramis Beaugendre, who took on the code name: Commandant Cerebrale.

 

The team banded together to find a cure for their terminal doses of radiation, and after trashing several military installations turned their attention to robbing banks to finance their search.

 

Basically this team is made up of a bitter ex-soldier who enjoys the power of leading his own band of villains; a rival for leadership in the form of a rebellious sword-wielding lunatic; a meek and mild former assistant accountant who just wants to be somebody; and a stone-like creature who may or may not be male.

 

This team was difficult to construct, mostly because I began this team as a rollerskating group of refugee hippies, cast out of the 1970s by a dose of time travel. That didn't quite work out but I'll add the pictures I did of the characters (or three of them at least!).

 

The pictures don't have skates - I ditched that idea and then I ditched the seventies-theme too.

 

 

I'll use the pictures later, I think, although the red, white and blue does lend itself to France, non?

[tribe]

#61 COMMANDANT CEREBRALE (France)

 

 

COMMANDANT CÉRÉBRALE

Aramis Beaugendre

Character Sheet

 

Background

The Gravelines B 1-4 energy plant, home to two PWR reactors, was a prime target for Maximum Force when they needed a way to bring out the New Men from retirement. Ahriman, Brainwave, Fallout and Undertow took a little under an hour to drive the reactors to meltdown. By the time the New Men had arrived the energy plant was a morgue and the ensuing battle was so fierce that rescue workers were unable to reach the survivors for another hour.

 

The Gravelines disaster made headlines across the world.

 

Aramis Beaugendre began his day at the energy plant like any other. As security chief he was required to maintain a close vigil on employees, tours and the irregular protests. On the day Maximum Force decided to permanently close down the energy plant there was a small protest on the lawns and a school tour of the second reactor.

 

When Fallout began dismantling the outer walls, Beaugendre headed a security detail which opposed the major-league villains and was quickly scuttled. Beaugendre himself was mind-controlled by Brainwave and ordered to open fire on his own men.

 

After the New Men arrived, Brainwave discarded the security puppets and turned his attention to his nemesis. As the reactors began releasing radiation, many of the workers and visitors of the centre were killed, but Beaugendre was one of the so-called 'lucky ones' who survived. He was also one of the survivors who were transformed by the radiation: mutated into an uberhuman while also being irradiated to such a point that they were dealt a death sentence.

 

Beaugendre's mind had been invaded by Brainwave just prior to being affected by the radiation, and upon recovering in a Paris hospital, he discovered that he retained some of Barinwave's powers. When he was told that his condition was terminal, his anger flared. As well as transforming his hair into a fiery corona of radioactive fire his mind lashed out and knocked out the doctor for a week.

 

Taking the moniker Cerebrale, Beaugendre took control of the hospital wing where the survivors were being monitored. He quickly ascertained that all four survivors who displayed uberhuman powers were also slowly dying from radiation poisoning. He commanded their attention and convinced them that he would lead them to a cure. He argued that the government would do nothing to help them, and that the cure would require powers that they now possessed. Through a combination of his mental powers and a convincing speech, Cerebrale led the other survivors into Paris where they went underground in search of a cure.

 

At first Cerebrale targeted military installations. The others went along with him, unquestioning the man who had convinced them to walk away from their normal lives. But slowly Cerebrale realised that he was lashing out at the military because they had discharged him and forced him to take on a security job. It was also revealed that Soldat de Roche may also have been in the military, although the rock-creature was tight-lipped on specifics.

 

Madame Guillotine made a grab for power of the nascent team and led them (without Cerebrale) to Marseilles where she began robbing banks. They were opposed by Trinity and only avoided capture with the timely intervention of Commandant Cerebrale. Madame Guillotine's power grab was neutralised and Cerebrale took the team into a new era. They would seek medical help from legal and illegal sources, and they would also finance their search with heists.

 

Beaugendre's activities and growing telepathic power has raised the interest of Cardinal Syn and the cardinal has considered approaching Beaugendre with an offer to join the Order of Truth. Such an offer is hardly ever refused and if such an offer is made, its effects on the rest of the team will be devastating.

 

Personality

Aramis Beaugendre is a military man. He was satisfied as a commandant in the Army, but something happened to get him discharged and he has felt dislodged ever since. Since becoming an uberhuman he has attempted to return to his life as a commanding officer but his 'team' is less than ideal, particularly the grating Madame Guillotine. His temper is short and he gets headaches with increasing regularity, something which undermines his belief in total self-control.

 

He is becoming desperate for a cure and will cross his own team to get it.

 

Quote

"Without discipline you have nothing. Without me you are nothing."

 

Powers

Commandant Cerebrale is a telepath with the ability to read a person's thoughts, cause extreme trauma in the minds of others, and create links between minds. Most of his powers require eye contact, something which Cerebrale attempts to hide from opponents. If his telepathic powers ever fail he always has a fallback position on his hip: his Manurhin MR-93 Pistol.

 

Appearance

The radiation which granted Beaugendre's telepathy also transformed his body. His hair fell out and was replaced with a crackling fiery corona and he emits a constant radioactive pulse. As Commandant Cerebrale, he wears an armoured black and white costume with a brain motif on a circular badge attached to his chest. When he attempts to hide his identity, Beaugendre wears a specially lined beanie which contains his flaming hair.

[tribe]

#61 MADAME GUILLOTINE (France)

 

 

MADAME GUILLOTINE

Mignon Thévenet

Character Sheet

 

Background

Mignon has always been a rebel and wherever she goes, conflict soon follows. She was cast out of schools and homes since she was barely into her teenage years and by the time she was nineteen she was well known as a professional protestor and agitator. She picketed the Gravelines B 1-4 energy plant on the wrong day, though, and when the super villain group Maximum Force decided to use the site as a deadly calling card for their nemeses, The New Men, Mignon was one of the few survivors, although she was also one of the few to be mutated in the course of the meltdown. She was taken to Paris to recover but was told that she would be dead within two years. The news enraged her, and her views of society had deteriorated even more so that she now cares even less about the rules and social norms of people around her.

 

She followed Commandant Cerebrale out of the Parisian hospital more out of a daze than any strategic planning, but after he led them through a serious of conflicts with the military Mignon, who was now calling herself Madame Guillotine, enjoyed the thrills of hacking and slashing at men in hard hats. Cerebrale didn't seem to have a plan, though, so Mignon made a play for power which nearly got them captured. She led them on a rampage through a series of banks. While she netted several thousand euros, if it wasn't for the timely arrival of Cerebrale, the team would have been defeated by Trinity. It seemed that her coup was over.

 

Personality

Mignon doesn't particularly want to die, but given her new circumstances, she is determined to live her life while she still has it. She does what she wants, and dares those who would oppose her to speak out. Those who have, invariably discover why she is called Madame Guillotine. While she is still strong, Mignon feels it is her right to lead the Jeu d'Extrémité (End Game), although she is still out powered and outmanoeuvred by Cerebrale.

 

Quote

"I will clear your head from your shoulders, make no mistake."

 

Powers

Madame Guillotine is incredibly swift and agile, the result of her late uberhuman abilities. She uses this speed and grace with a sword and a pair of twin blades which are housed along her left knuckles. Her ruthless use of these 'guillotines' has begun to spread into a reputation across France: something she is pleased to enhance. Her body has been hardened by her exposure to the radiation and she can also use her own hands to inflict deadly moves on opponents.

 

Appearance

Her parents were originally from the West Indies, but Mignon lived her life in Paris with a series of flawed foster families. She has dusky brown skin, a high proud forehead, brown eyes and long thick brown hair. She gives the impression of a pirate in her carefree attitude, her graceful movements and her costume. She wears a white crop top and tight purple pants with darker purple boots. She carries her sword everywhere, not caring about rules and regulations. She never conceals her identity and dares others to find fault with her.

[tribe]

Re: Around the World With A New Character Each Week

 

 

SOLDAT de ROCHE

Real Name Unrevealed

Character Sheet

 

Background

Not much is known about the creature known as Soldat de Roche, or Stone Soldier. At first it was assumed that it was a male, but throughout the short history of the team known as Jeu d'Extrémité (End Game), Soldat de Roche has given some indication that perhaps it was a female before the transformation. Whoever it was before, the creature known as Soldat de Roche was 'born' inside the Gravelines B 1-4 energy plant during a nuclear meltdown when the Maximum Force villain team decided to destroy the reactor.

 

The radiation leak triggered Soldat's dormant ubergene and transformed it into a stone-like creature: very hardy but with little connection with its past life. Soldat has followed Commandant Cerebrale since recovering from the transformation, but it is clear that Soldat only follows because it has absolutely no idea what else life could offer such a monster as it has become.

 

Personality

Soldat suffers. It has become an unfeeling monster and the longer it lives the deeper its depression becomes. Soldat desperately wants a cure for its condition but considers its hideous physical form to be in more need of a cure than its terminal case of radiation poisoning. Doctors have estimated that all survivors of the Gravelines B 1-4 energy plant disaster have less than two years to live. Sometimes Soldat thinks that is too long.

 

Quote

"Death would not be so bad."

 

Powers

Soldat is a very large and dense creature: its skin is so dense that most conventional weaponry simply bounces off or snaps upon contact. It also possesses an impressive physical strength, able to lift in excess of 3000kg, and most unlikely of all is its capacity for effective hand to hand combat. While opponents may underestimate Soldat's speed they generally find themselves beaten to submission by its lightning fast strikes and debilitating grapples.

 

Appearance

Soldat stands over two metres tall and weighs in excess of 500kg. Since the transformation it has refused to wear clothing, although its body reveals little in the way of distinguishing marks. While Soldat may appear male it is still a contested question. Soldat's skin is dark granite and there are specks of silver which are highlighted in the sunlight. Overall there is a definite squareness and jaggedness to its appearance.

[tribe]

#61 SIRÈNE (France)

 

 

SIRÈNE

Oriel Caritoux

Character Sheet

 

Background

The daughter of a self-confessed 'wacky inventor', Oriel was always something of an outsider although she always just wanted to fit in and not be noticed. After an uneventful high school and even less exciting university degree she found a job at the Gravelines B 1-4 energy plant as an administrative assistant in the accounting department. Her father was quietly disappointed and Oriel herself found the job less than even she had expected (and her expectations were very low). When Maximum Force forced the plant into meltdown and killed scores of people working and visiting the reactors, it marked a turning point for Oriel Caritoux. She was one of the lucky ones to survive, and the radiation triggered her uberhuman powers elevating her out of the dreary life of an assistant accountant.

 

She found that she could demand the attention of others, that her voice had the capacity to level buildings if she allowed it. But deep down Oriel was always happy to follow, and when Commandant Cerebrale appeared to her in the Paris hospital she willingly followed him in search of a cure for their lethal dose of radiation. It never really occurred to her that she was dying, and even now, as a member of the End Game, she blindly follows whatever direction she is given because, frankly, at least now she is somebody.

 

She has even made her father proud, despite the fact that she has also invariably become a super villain.

 

Personality

Oriel is quite and intelligent, although she lacks the ability to lead or even make independent decisions. She is happiest when she is helpful to others, and works tirelessly for her friends. Her powers have given her great power but she is still a little bureaucrat at heart and spends a lot of her time making sure everything is 'just right' - even down to the way in which the team leaves a crime scene. The others have accepted her meekness and she actually loves them for it.

 

Quote

Madame Guillotine: "Let's move out! Sirene, what the heck are you doing?"

Sirene: "Every little detail counts, no matter how inconsequential it may seem to us now."

Madame Guillotine: "NOW, Sirene!"

Sirene: "Okay... details probably don't matter that much."

 

Powers

Sirene now possesses the ability to emit powerful bursts of sound which she can focus as destructive beams of sonic energy, deafening roars or high-pitched stunning bolts. She has also developed her father's legacy and become something of a tinkerer and inventor, able to come up with the right gadget at the right time. Her sense of hearing and sight are well developed, and her eyes, which glow a warm golden colour, enable her to see into the infrared spectrum.

 

Appearance

Sirene wears a green wig when she is on official End Game business. It's her way of becoming more independent, although it is just an affectation. She roudly displays the French flag on her t-shirt and wears a leather jacket and slightly flared denim jeans. Uniforms don't suit her, she believes; most probably because she doesn't feel like she has the right or the figure to wear them.

 

The most distinctive feature of Oriel are her golden eyes which burn with radioactive energy and make her stand out, especially at night.

[tribe]

#62 IRON WARRIOR (Gabon)

 

 

IRON WARRIOR II

Zacherie Ogouebandja

Character Sheet

 

Background

The world as we know it ceased to exist around the end of the first decade of the 21st Century. An elder God ripped his way through the barriers which had kept our reality relatively safe, and in his wake hundreds of superheroes and supervillains perished. For twenty years he maintained his sadistic hold over Earth and through his cult of followers managed to cease control over most of the planet, apart from New York City and areas around Seattle and Vancouver in the north-western corner of Northern America. These were known as the Strongholds.

 

The god was called Set. Whether he really was the same god who was once worshipped by the ancient Egyptians was never proven, but in 2032 his High Priestess betrayed him and he perished. The Priestess took on all of his godlike powers and became the equally ruthless dictator known as Isis.

 

Isis maintained control over Earth and turned her attention to space. A mighty war began.

 

Earth was not without its heroes, however. A small band of uberhumans, and other heroic figures, managed to find sanctuary in New York City. They called themselves the Dawnstars, after a band of heroes from the early wars who were killed when Set first arrived.

 

Zacherie Ogouebandja began his life in Gabon, deep within the heartland of the Set Empire. He studied hard and kept out of trouble, and went on to become a technician at one of the many AgriFarms across Africa which produced most of the world's food. He had no driving ambition to discard his relatively safe life, but when he met a refugee on a routine maintenance round at his AgriFarm, things changed.

 

The refugee was the Iron Warrior, although his armour was severely damaged and he was close to death. Zacherie comforted the dying Canadian hero into the night and listened to the feverish man as he retold the story of Set's rise and the steady but insignificant defences that were erected to stop him. He heard stories of the Dawnstars, both past and present; as well as the other great heroes from Africa Force, the New Men, the Sentinels and Sanctity. Zacherie hadn't realised how dull and meaningless his own life had been. He sat and listened, and inside his mind and his heart, a spark ignited.

 

In the morning, the Iron Warrior was dead, but Zacherie had already decided to carry on the tradition. If news spread that one of the Dawnstars had been killed, then the people's hope would suffer another blow. Zacherie fitted the armour as best he could using his electronic and engineering skills; and then he said a few words to the previous owner before setting him alight.

 

The new Iron Warrior had a perilous journey back to New York, and many times Zacherie almost died. When he staggered into the sanctuary of New York he was greeted by the rag-tag group of heroes and after retelling the original Iron Warrior's story he was accepted as the new owner of the armour. Of course he required training, but in 2045 time is a valuable commodity and the Dawnstars soon called upon Zacherie to assist with their defence of humanity and the slow campaign to regain control of their planet.

 

During one mission to France, Iron Warrior was attacked by a legion of Iron Maiden robots and was beaten so severely that his legs were broken beyond repair and his spinal column severed in two places. Ever since he has required the use of his suit to walk, and is otherwise confined to a wheelchair.

 

Iron Warrior is considered an enemy of the Empire, although Zacherie Ogouebandja, who operates out of Washington, is considered an expert on AgriFarm technology as it is being brought into the continental United States. He balances his two lives with professionalism, managing to keep out of the spotlight in his work life. No one pays much attention to an invalid anyway, something he finds slightly ironic given his dynamic opposition to the Empire as Iron Warrior.

 

Personality

Zacherie feels as if he has only recently found out what it means to be alive and human. The fire within him is now so strong that he never gives up, no matter the cost. He is a firm believer in self-will and despises religion, especially the kind available in 2045. He goes out of his way to assist refugees and volunteers for work which involves the liberation or resettlement of the oppressed.

 

In his spare time he tends to go over his armour with an intense inspection, hoping to unlock further secrets and new ways to improve the systems; as well as to check for faults. The previous Iron Warrior was defeated because of a faulty system. Zacherie does not want to repeat the error.

 

Quote

"Sorry to disappoint you, ma'am, but I do not disintegrate." (upon first meeting with Iron Maiden)

 

"Je ne me désagrège pas!" (French: I do not disintegrate.)

 

Powers

Iron Warrior possesses a slightly modified version of the Iron Maiden suit which originates from the early 21st century. The suit is made of a Carborundium-matrix compound and powered by a combination of solar and nuclear fusion. It has two major offensive capabilities: a powerful beam housed in the chest, and devastating energy blasts from the gauntlets. The boots are also jet boots enabling him to fly, as well as providing secondary offensive blasts when needed. One of the modifications made to the Iron Warrior suit is to make it space worthy - full life support has been added.

 

Appearance

The Iron Warrior armour is predominantly black with dark red and silver highlights. While it lacks the shine of the Iron Maiden suits it is still impressive. Out of the armour, Zacherie is usually found in a wheelchair since his legs were broken. He is a thin man with a scar running down the left side of his face, but the marks of his battles do nothing to lessen his approachable nature.

 

Notes

Although I haven't planned them yet, the future Dawnstars (2045) are following the tradition of my current campaign, Dawnstars. Once I fill out the roster I'm sure to bring them into play. The Dawnstars have done a bit of time travelling, actually.

 

The future told here is one possible future which may come about if the Sons of Set succeed in bringing Set into the Earth Dimension. We had planned to tell that story as part of a cross-over event in the Uberworld but, boy, that takes a lot of co-ordination and pbems are notorious for taking a long time. We will get to African Armageddon though, maybe next year!

[tribe]

#63 SARDONYX (Gambia)

 

 

SARDONYX

Jainaea Wouday

Character Sheet

 

Background

The life and crimes of Jai Wouday began in Rabat, Morocco when she met up with two other uberhuman women and formed the Gemstones. Her earlier life is shrouded from the public, but it is known that she was a burglar who specialised in stealing from tourists in resorts up and down the west coast of Africa. In Rabat she discovered that she could be so much more. The leader of the trio was Topaz, and her ubergene manipulation powers enabled her to 'activate' both Jai and the third member, Rose Diamond. Whereas before, Jai had ultrasonic hearing, she now possessed great powers over something she dubbed 'force energy'. Taking the name Sardonyx she joined her new friends on a free-wheeling series of robberies across the Mediterranean.

 

They moved to America after Topaz revealed the reason she had helped Rose Diamond and Sardonyx to 'blossom' with more powerful abilities, was to help her take revenge on her former lover, Sartorial. The Gemstones arrived in Argus City and managed to surprise the reclusive supervillain, leaving him naked on the rooftop of the Argus Central Shopping Centre, strapped to a flagpole.

 

Topaz was then able to 'move on' and established the Gemstones as a popular villain group across America, managing to get the girls on MTV and in various magazines. While they conducted high profile crimes they did so with flair and attention to the media. In 2001 they were voted most popular Superhero Group in Capes despite being self-proclaimed villains.

 

During her high profile career, Jai was married to an American and after living in the States for five years was able to gain residency. The marriage was a fraud, set up by Topaz, but it served its purpose well.

 

In 2002 Jai was caught breaking into an apartment in her civilian guise after becoming powerless during a fight with the New Men. She refused to lie low until her powers returned and so she returned to her earlier career. When she was arrested the other two Gemstones were embroiled in a crime caper in New Orleans and never noticed she was in jail until several weeks had passed.

 

Jainaea Wouday found herself at a crossroads and since her powers hadn't returned, the Gemstones decided not to worry about breaking her out again. Jai was sentenced to five years imprisonment, and her residency was going to be revoked until the New Men intervened. Chloe Numen used her influence to represent Jai secretly and the judge decided to suspend any decision on Jai's residency until she served her time.

 

In 2006 Jai was released on parole. She was met on the outside by Nadim Al-Atiyat who had been one of the prison guards, and secretly Jai's lover. Nadim resigned from his position, took up a security job in New York and the couple started a fragile relationship in Queens.

 

When the Gemstones heard that Jai had been released, they decided to surprise their former team mate but they were followed by Samantha Numen and a battle ensued after Samantha was spotted. During the battle, most of Jai's new home was destroyed and her boyfriend, Nadim, was left paralysed and slightly brain damaged.

 

The police arrived and Topaz and Rose Diamond fled, leaving Jai to explain the situation. Samantha Numen, feeling guilty, shielded Jai's identity and soon after Jai moved to Manhattan. She had regained her powers during the fray but kept them hidden from Samantha and her former team mates. In New York she began a series of robberies to finance Nadim's treatment in a nursing home.

 

She is currently active in the New York area, and even though she still cares from Nadim and visits him weekly, her attention has once again turned to the life of crime. While she would most likely refuse to rejoin the Gemstones, she is determined to live a comfortable life and won't go back to jail again.

 

Personality

Jai is a complex woman. While she commands enormous power beyond the comprehension of most humans, she is also tied to the invalid former prison guard, Nadim Al-Atiyat. She loves him, or at least the idea of a normal life with him; but at the same time she refuses to deny the power that is hers. She is greedy and covets the riches of other people, so she will never be satisfied living in suburbia. Part of her acknowledges this, but another part still clings to the hope that one day she will be able to 'live happily ever after'.

 

Her brush with fame (or notoriety) enabled her to live life to the fullest and she misses those times as well. There were occasions when the Gemstones robbed banks and then were applauded by bystanders; when they battled the police in the streets of Chicago and were supported by their fans. Her association with the Gemstones also broke any form of modesty she may have had, and her costumes (like the other Gemstones) are always jaw-droppingly risqué.

 

Quote

"They love me because I am bad. That is something you can never accept, Chloe darling."

 

Powers

Sardonyx possesses a 'modified' ubergene. She could originally hear into the ultrasonic range, an ability which was reflected in her elfish ears. After meeting with Topaz and undergoing her 'modification', Sardonyx was able to generate and control a green energy which she dubbed 'force energy' because it could materialise as ethereal energy or a physical force. This force energy can be manipulated in a number of ways including the creation of force fields, propulsion through air and water, the ability to 'feel' the world around her using subtle energy spikes, and the generation of stunning beams of energy or concussive blasts. She is also able to exert the force energy to manipulate objects at a distance as well as create restraining manacles.

 

Appearance

Jai Wouday was born with slightly pointed, 'elfish', ears. She has an exotic beauty which includes long dark lashes, luxurious black hair down to her middle back and delicate, flawless dusky skin. Her costumes change now and then but are always revealing and most times seemingly impossible. Her current costume includes a series of leather and ceramic pieces arranged strategically in a kind of bikini pattern, although there is no obvious way these pieces are able to stay in place. Sardonyx uses her 'force energy' to hold them in place. It has been the subject of many discussions on the internet and even in such magazines as Capes.

 

Notes

The Gemstones sound like a good concept, and one I'll have to get around to completing soon. The Numens mentioned above are the New Men: a family like the Fantastic Four.

 

The picture I used here was originally drawn (last night) for Captain Emu and his cosmic setting; but I modified it here for the babe-alicious Sardonyx (had to use those gravity-defying bikini outfits somewhere!)

[tribe]

#64 CODA (Georgia)

 

 

CODA

Gurandukht Tabidze

Character Sheet

 

Background

Georgia's separation from the Soviet Union was not a pretty sight, and Gurandukht's experiences of the bloody reprisals of 1989 led to her lifelong code of helping combat oppression in all its forms. While she was only twelve at the time, by 1995 when the civil war which raged through the country was coming to a major confrontation, it was Gurandukht who appeared in war-torn T'bilisi and demanded the warring factions either bury their dispute or face her in an open battle.

 

A year before she had discovered her uber abilities when she survived a train derailment which killed her parents. She walked away from the tragedy and devoted her life to the public good, ending any future for the Tabidze family. She has never gone back on her decision to abandon her family and hopes of settling down and raising a family, in exchange for becoming an icon for the people.

 

In 1995 she faced down the warring factions and throttled them into submission, the result of which was a tenuous treaty and a coalition government. She called herself Coda, the end to the war. She remained in Georgia for two years before heading to the United States and joining the Sentinels in 1998. Coda has been a member on and off ever since. While she is not as powerful as some members of the world-spanning team, she has consistently shown compassion on a grand scale, as well as a level head which has assisted the team through some very precarious times.

 

Personality

Coda has long since abandoned hope of a personal life. She lives in her public ID and spends most of her time actively in the public arena, helping those who require assistance, and speaking up for those who cannot. Gurandukht consistently puts herself before others, almost to a point of recklessness; although she abhors violence unless it is the last resort. As a woman who can lift in excess of 25 tons and punch holes through concrete, she is very restrained even in combat situations.

 

Quote

"Khval minda."

(I want tomorrow... you can have yesterday.)

 

Powers

Coda possesses uberhuman strength and near invulnerability, but her most impressive ability is to penetrate barriers and opponent's defences. She is known locally as 'the Sentinel express train' in the New York media because of this ability to simply crash through obstacles; but Gurandukht doesn't like the moniker and prefers to keep humour out of her repertoire. To her, the super hero business is very important, and not a laughing matter.

 

Appearance

Coda is an impressive woman standing over six feet tall and commanding the respect of people before her. She has short, thick blonde hair and arching eyebrows which gives her an aristocratic air, although she has no interest in pursuing politics or public fame. Her costume has always been the same: silver-plated scale armour in an Eastern design, with the Georgian flag emblazoned on shoulder guards. She wears a simple black bodysuit under the armour and wears bright red knee-high boots and a red sash around her waist.

[tribe]

NOTE TO SELF - Get it done!

 

This entry is taking me a long time. I've got the pictures and basic character sheets done - just have to flesh out the backgrounds and write up the organisation page.

 

This is a push for me to get it done.

 

The organisation will be called GNOME. It employs midgets and dwarfs as agents and wants to bring about massive destabilisation on the 'surface world' while living under ground in Cavern City.

 

The organisation is led by Rumpelstiltskin, a former 1980s B-list supervillain and his wife, who runs a construction business called MEGON (which is an anagram of GNOME).

[tribe]

#65 GNOME (Germany)

 

 

GNOME

Organisation Page (HTM)

 

Background

After a less than successful career as a super villain, Rumpelstiltskin settled down with one of his former hostages and hoped to live a relatively quiet life. However, his wife turned out to be as ruthless and money-hungry as he was and soon they were plotting a future where they ruled the world.

 

Rumpelstiltskin realised that he would never achieve respect from people who considered him a freak, so he decided that the world needed to be taken down a peg or two. He would create an underground community for 'little people', dwarfs and midgets; and from the strength of such a community he would then go on to destroy the surface world so that the little people could inherit the earth.

 

He used his contacts and his charisma to recruit many little people and soon had them following his dream, and robbing banks to finance it. His wife continued to run her company which became a front for GNOME. And apart from some messy operations in Berlin, GNOME has yet to be opposed or captured.

 

Area of Operations

GNOME is based in Cavern City and, by extension, Dresden, Germany. They have robbed banks across Western Germany and even into Switzerland, but have yet to appear beyond those borders. On the other hand they have actively recruited other 'small people' from as far away as Mexico and the Philippines. Rumpelstiltskin plans to unleash devastation right across the surface world so even though they are currently operating solely in Germany, it is quite possible that they will eventually move outward, and if the opportunity presented itself GNOME would go to the ends of the earth to secure a nuclear bomb.

 

Goals

After establishing themselves underground in Cavern City, the members of GNOME are ready to eradicate society above ground so that they will become the de facto rulers of the world (since no one else will be alive). To this end they are actively recruiting more members of the Gnome Associates so that they can populate the world, while also collecting money and more importantly devices and weapons which can bring about the end of the surface world. Rumpelstiltskin's premier goal is to steal a nuclear bomb which he plans to unleash in one of the major European cities (he hasn't decided which one yet).

 

Reputation

While GNOME has successfully struck several banks across Western Germany in the past few years, they have yet to be taken seriously by the general public. There is something about heavily-armed dwarves and midgets that just seems humorous.

Rumpelstiltskin is silently fuming about the continual disrespect he and his organisation are receiving, and he has allowed his associates to take time off from their original plan to bring about 'topside armageddon' so that they can cause general mayhem and cultivate some respect and fear in the public.

 

U-Force has paid attention to Rumpelstiltskin's latest attempt to bring about societal chaos, but they too do not see the bigger picture in that Rumpelstiltskin is planning to unleash an atomic bomb (if he can get his hands on it).

[tribe]

#65 RUMPELSTILTSKIN (Germany)

 

 

RUMPELSTILTSKIN

Johannes Steinmeier

Character Sheet

 

Background

Rumpelstiltskin was recruited by the East German uber-team, EastGuard, but only served with them for a month before escaping and turning into a decidedly B-List Supervillain. He plagued the EastGuard team over the following years, as well as several cases of attempted robbery in the West where he clashed with Uber Force. He was never very successful and never really taken seriously.

 

One day he retired.

 

He began a relationship with one of his former hostages who had developed a kind of Stockholm Syndrome crush on him, and within a few years he was married and hoping to settle down into a quiet life. That was never meant to be. His wife, Meghan Schavan, turned out to be as brutally mercenary as he was (or hoped to be) and she was soon bullying him into a new villain caper. His brief respite from the uberhuman world had got him thinking and he decided to turn his attention away from short-term robberies and mischief-making; and look at the bigger picture. He never felt respected and was always the butt of jokes, just like a whole lot of other 'little people'.

 

He decided to make some changes in the world order, something which was a lot bigger than his previous biggest plan (an attempt to steal the Little Mermaid from Copenhagen and sell it back to the Royal Family). He was now intent on the utter destruction of the 'normal sized' world. Within a few years, he declared, he would be the new normal.

 

Rumpelstiltskin returned to Dresden where he grew up and began to construct an underground city where he and the rest of his 'associates' would be safe from the coming cataclysm. His wife's construction company managed to supply the equipment to make this possible and by 1999 Cavern City was established, and Rumpelstiltskin had attracted nearly thirty other 'little people' to live with him.

 

After establishing Cavern City he decided to train his new associates in order to prepare them for the next phase. To eradicate the surface world he would need a nuclear bomb. It was hideously simple. To get the bomb he would need money, and so GNOME was born and the bank robberies began. Rumpelstiltskin has found that his new organisation has managed to string together a whole series of successes and he has never had it so good. While he would never step down from his major goal to destroy the surface world, he is willing to send GNOME on other missions to bolster his growing reputation - he has never managed to be treated as a serious threat before, especially by the uberhuman heroes, U-Force.

 

Personality

Rumpelstiltskin is a little man with a grand dream. He has always been frustrated by the restrictions imposed upon him by society so he has decided to re-write society as a whole. Since coming up with his plan, Rumpelstiltskin has become more confident and commanding, although his temper is getting shorter the older he gets. He spends hours pouring over his plans in his subterranean city and rarely visits the surface world anymore, happy to send his associates or else listen to his wife who still spends the majority of her time in Dresden.

 

As his plan nears fruition, he has become more and more demanding. In his own mind he believes he is fulfilling a prophesy, that he is, in fact, something of a messiah. The image makes him feel warm and wanted, and as more and more little people arrive in Cavern City the idea grows.

 

Quote

"Normal?!?! I AM the new normal! You are nothing but over-sized freaks and your days are numbered!"

 

Powers

Originally, Rumpelstiltskin was reported to be very, very lucky. Apart from some fancy footwork and the capacity to seemingly avoid injury, he never really displayed any sort of super power which led to him becoming something of a joke. He is an uberhuman, however, and affects the fields of probability around himself and those nearby. While he is not capable of inflicting injury directly upon a target it is very likely that someone who gets in his way will suffer some kind of accident or mishap. It doesn't seem to matter whether the person is a regular policeman or Max Uber himself, the accident is likely to slow them down and cause a little pain.

 

Appearance

The leader of GNOME has begun wearing flowing robes and has grown his beard and moustache so that he appears as some kind of prophet. He has dark grey hair now and is bald on the top of his head. When he was younger he wore an elf-like outfit or bright green, yellow and red, including pointed slippers and a peaked cap. He discarded those clothes upon his initial retirement. No one talks about that anymore.

[tribe]

#65 REYERTA (Germany)

 

 

REYERTA (Brawl)

Luis Braga

Character Sheet

 

Background

After spending nearly twenty years as a popular Mexican wrestling star, Luis Braga found himself pursued by assassins in the employ of El Disenador. Having no idea why they wanted him dead, Braga fled to Spain where he lay low for several months. After drinking heavily one night he agreed to try his luck as a matador and the following day he walked into a stadium where he faced a snorting, seething black bull.

 

Reyerta was an instant hit.

 

He spent equal time entertaining the crowds directly with jokes and acrobatic tricks, as he did actually fighting and evading the bull. When it came to the kill he was so caught up in the cheers that he gave it no mind, plunging the sword deep into the bull's neck. He hadn't realised it, but Braga had moved from being a wrestling sensation where the fanfare was just as important as the duelling, to being a paid killer (of bulls).

 

When El Disenador's killers caught up with him he was ready, and faced them down, killing them without remorse. His manager heard about the fight and offered Braga more work as a bull fighter and enforcer for a local gangster. Braga wasn't sure what else he could do, and returning to Mexico wasn't really an attractive option, so he agreed and began a career in bodyguarding and enforcing. This led to conflicts with Golden Arrow and an unfortunate accident which resulted in his employers becoming lobotomised by a mad scientist's experiment - something that is embarrassing for Braga and something he rarely talks about.

 

Braga moved east and soon fell in with Rumpelstiltskin and GNOME where he has remained, often acting as a colourful adversary for law enforcement officers and the occasional uber who crosses the organisation's path.

 

Personality

Reyerta is full of life (or full of jumping beans!) although he is not as sprightly as he once was. Approaching forty, he has matured a little, and has begun to make long term plans rather than rely on binge drinking and the allure of bright lights and applause. He hopes that Rumpelstiltskin's plan to eradicate the surface world doesn't affect the whole world, but has dreams of living in a society or land where only small people hold the power. Even though he has been successful and admired in his home country and Spain, he still feels apart from the rest of society - that is until he moved to Cavern City.

 

He isn't sure exactly why, but he is attracted to Thumbelina, and the two duel verbally at every chance they have. Braga is old enough to be her father (almost) but his passions are inflamed by her arrogance and biting sarcasm.

 

Quote

"You have yet to meet a more handsome, more truly marvellous man than I. Please, senorita, take a moment to collect yourself."

 

Powers

Reyerta is a seasoned performer, a veteran of the Mexican Wrestling circuit. He is fast and strong, and often goes into a kind of berserker trance when in the ring (although this is mostly for show). He abhors weaponry and relies on his fists and feet to deliver beatings, although he has accepted an armoured costume from GNOME.

 

Appearance

He is powerfully built and stands at 4'7". He has curly black hair which has a silver streak at the front - something which has sprung up in the past few years. He curls his moustache with excessive amounts of oil and often gives a kind of 'slippery' impression to others.

[tribe]

#65 THUMBELINA (Germany)

 

 

THUMBELINA

Jessica Jentsch

Character Sheet

 

Background

Jessica Jentsch was supposed to be a star. All her life she was told by her doting father that it didn't matter that she was smaller than all the other girls, she would be just as beautiful and successful as they were. And Jessica believed him. She didn't let the other kids put her down - she fought back, often landing herself in trouble at school. When her father remarried and had twin daughters with his new wife, Jessica soon found that most adults were hypocrites. The twins were 'normal'. They began to take up all of her father's time, and Jessica loathed them. When she was sixteen, and the twins were eight, Jessica moved to Berlin to live with an aging aunt.

 

As soon as she was gone the rest of her family heaved a sigh of relief. Or so Jessica assumed.

 

She forced her way through school, scaring those who would stand in her way and bullying the teachers who didn't think she was good enough. When she decided to become an actress, no one dared laugh at her. In fact, she secured her first role by threatening to break the assistant director's leg. But, as with most things in Jessica's life, acting just didn't seem to be as glamorous as she thought it would be. The choice of roles was quite limited and she began to suspect that people didn't really like her.

 

So when she was contacted by GNOME, she decided to hold off on reporting them to the police and listen to their 'crazy talk'. Rumpelstiltskin appeared like a crazy old man, complete with flowing robes and wide, white eyes. But after listening to him, Jessica thought that the old coot was making sense. Everything was 'relative'. She was only 'small' because everyone else was bigger. If you took away the big people you'd only have the little ones left, and then they wouldn't be so poorly treated.

 

Jessica signed on.

 

Since joining the ranks of the GNOME Associates Jessica has learned how to cause a lot of harm, and she's found that she really, really likes it. She figures that acting was just the warm up and now, as a budding supervillain, she is finally at the right place. In fine supervillain tradition she has also taken on an alter ego, Thumbelina. At first it was a joke: a reference to her childhood with a doting father. But then she realised that such an innocuous name would be fitting as she unleashed terror and carnage with her specially designed GNOME Gun.

 

Personality

Thumbelina never does things by half. She is full of confidence, even arrogance, and anyone who gets in her way is likely to be knocked down. The fact that she has no friends and that most people in GNOME are petrified of her doesn't seem to have registered with Jessica yet. She just assumes that people respect her, when in fact they are scared to get in her way.

 

In battle, Jessica has proven herself to be the bravest and most reckless of the associates and she has become the de facto field leader. When in the field she barks orders and expects immediate response, which she gets because the others in the team have heard rumours that one time Jessica actually shot one of her own men in the backside because he was too slow in responding to her commands.

 

Quote

"You have five seconds to get the #*%$! out of my face! What? You never heard a little person swear before? !#$% Off!"

 

Powers

Apart from an intimidating collection of curses, Jessica is a regular human. As part of GNOME she has access to body armour, high-tech equipment and weaponry including the GNOME Gun.

 

Appearance

Thumbelina is nearly four feet tall, has lovely blonde hair which she spends a lot of money on keeping 'just right'. She wears pink lipstick and has long lashes, but while she appears to have the features of lovely young woman she is actually imbued with terminal levels of sarcasm and vitriol. Her mouth is almost always twisted into a sneer and she rarely looks at people, even when talking 'at' them.

 

She wears the standard GNOME armour when on a mission, but will otherwise wear casual clothes which she tends to buy from children's stores because fashion houses still refuse to cater for small people. Still, one of these days...

[tribe]

#65 GNOME ASSOCIATES (Germany)

 

 

GNOME ASSOCIATES

Various

Character Sheet

 

Background

When Rumpelstiltskin began recruiting other 'little people' to join his organisation he told them that the world was wrong, that the little people were actually the normal ones and that those bigger people were aberrations. He told the midgets and the dwarfs that he was going to create a place where they were of normal height, where they held the power. He built Cavern City and the news began to spread.

 

All manner of little people began to flock to Dresden and Cavern City. Some were angry little people while others were just tired of the surface world. Whatever their background, Rumpelstiltskin imbued in them a sense of hatred for the surface world, and a growing kinship amongst those who lived beneath the surface. The Gnome Associates grew. They were male, female, old and young, German and from further afield. And they were all under the spell of Rumpelstiltskin and his promise to deliver them a world where they would be 'normal'.

 

Personality

The Gnome Associates are generally volatile people who dislike the society above them. Other personality traits vary as these people come from many different walks of life.

 

Quote

"Put your long, lanky, freakish arms up in the sky! This is a stick up!"

 

Powers

The Gnome Associates are regular humans, although they are all a lot shorter, whether dwarfs or midgets. They have access to advanced technology, equipment and weaponry as well as sophisticated personnel carriers call Earth Wyrms which can be adapted to tunnel through the earth (perfect for subterranean bank robberies).

 

Appearance

While they all vary in appearance, none of the Associates stands above five feet tall.

[tribe]

#65 MEGHAN SCHAVAN (Germany)

 

 

MEGHAN SCHAVAN

Character Sheet

 

Background

Meghan Schavan was kidnapped by Rumpelstiltskin when she was twenty-five: a corporate lawyer and the daughter of Max Schavan a billionaire industrialist. While she was released unharmed after tense negotiations she developed an infatuation with her captor. When he disappeared with the ransom, Meghan tracked him down, putting all her other responsibilities on hold while she pursued him. She felt that she was lost without him. She hated her job, hated her family, and hated the fact that she was so unnoticed in life - except by Rumpelstiltskin who had deigned to kidnap her because she must have been important after all.

 

She did manage to track him down and after some initially awkward moments the two began a relationship which soon turned to marriage. Her father died, leaving her some money, although not the millions she was promised. Everything seemed to be settling down for Meghan and her husband, Johannes. That was definitely not what she wanted. Meghan had had enough of settling down, or being satisfied and content. She wanted Rumpelstiltskin, not Johannes.

 

So, in the tradition of Lady Macbeth, Meghan coaxed her husband back into the world of the super villain. Before long he was convinced it was his idea and he was hell-bent on destroying the world. Meghan was thrilled, and even though she didn't really believe her husband could achieve so much, she was happy to go along for the ride. She had her corporation and her secret life. With the help of her construction vehicles Rumpelstiltskin built Cavern City and Meghan felt like an evil princess or queen under the ground.

 

Personality

While she manages to support her husband in his career she is also determined to succeed in her own right. After some initial infatuation, she has gone off Rumpelstiltskin now, in any romantic sense. They share a ferocious appetite for world domination, but nothing physical. Meghan is satisfied with controlling money and influence amongst city officials in Germany. Her husband's 'business' is a secret, guilty pleasure.

 

Quote

"Everything down there is so fantastic. It is not real, but they all treat me like a queen, a giant queen. Up here I rule in the same way. Businesses look up at me and tremble. You could say that I am a ruler of two worlds. And yet, perhaps you would not expect that of me."

 

Powers

Meghan Schavan is a regular human with no unusual traits except for her passion for money and her intimidating personality.

 

Appearance

Meghan appears somewhat scatty on first meeting. Her white hair is thin and hangs almost in dreadlocks. She has a far-away look in her eyes. Her clothes are unimpressive. But Meghan Schavan commands an immense wealth of power. When her mind is on the job it is a ferocious mind. Her face changes, hardens. Her eyes focus and penetrate.

[tribe]

#66 EMERSON VERMEULEN [THE MARK] (Ghana)

 

 

(formerly) THE MARK

Emerson Vermeulen

Character Sheet

 

Background

Emerson Vermeulen's brother and other young ubers were killed and corrupted by an precursor to the Kinder der Zukunft in the very early 1980s before Vaterschmerz formed his coterie of young Nazi ubers. The details are sketchy even to this day, and Vermeulen refuses to discuss them, but the seventeen year old David Vermeulen and four other boys his age were either killed or kidnapped. All five boys were ubers, although their powers were nothing extraordinary. The killings and kidnappings caused a stir in Zimbabwe and beyond, but there was no justice and Emerson was haunted by the lack of closure up into his teenage years.

 

When he developed his own uberhuman powers Vermeulen's parents were so worried that he would be targeted like his older brother, that they emigrated to Ghana and tried to persuade Emerson to hide his powers. It was easy to do, his powers were very subtle; but as his parents became more and more paranoid, Vermeulen himself became more and more reckless. He took on the name The Mark and began to battle crime, even fighting crime alongside the Tsholofelo family on seeral occasions.

 

There was an inevitable battle between The Mark and members of Kinder der Zukunft. Vermeulen managed to capture one of the field leaders after suffering a major beating and after the Nazi was brought to trial Vermeulen just seemed to lose interest in The Mark. There was still no real closure in the case of his older brother's death, but now Vermeulen realised that pretending to be s superhero was not going to resolve anything either.

 

He quit and finished his schooling, going on to become a teacher.

 

In 2003 Africa Force was formed, and Vermeulen was approached to join the team by reprising the role of The Mark. He flatly rejected the idea, but after the decimation of Africa Force 4 in 2006 Vermeulen was coaxed back into the world of the superhero by assisting with the redevelopment of the team, especially the training of future uber heroes. He agreed to the role out of respect for Amity Tassembedo's father, the original Shaft; and even though he continues to grumble about the dangers of being superheroes, he finds the enthusiasm and idealism of the young ubers he trains to be rewarding - something he never managed to achieve as The Mark.

 

Personality

Although he is an uber, Vermeulen loathes the uberhuman world of superheroes and will go to great lengths to dissuade young ubers from putting on capes and becoming heroes (or villains). He is sometimes outright rude and always rough around the edges, although this temperament often endears him to his students who appreciate his version of 'tough love'. Heroes, on the other hand, tend to see him as a cynical man who never made it as a superhero in his own right. There is some conflict between Vermeulen and Africa Force, particular with Parhelion.

 

Vermeulen is not entirely sure why he continues to work with young ubers, especially now given his role as trainer for Africa Force. He is still haunted by the loss of his brother and the other young ubers who were corrupted by Kinder der Zukunft, but he also continues his work because he actually enjoys it. He is constantly reinvigorated with the young ubers, something which he has not found with adult ubers.

 

He is considered a loner amongst his peers, but it's something he has both actively developed and learned to live with.

 

Quote

"You've got a gift, kid, there's no doubt; but it doesn't give you the right to trip around wearing that dumb-ass cape and those flaming high boots. A little self-respect, eh? There you go."

 

Powers

Vermeulen is an uberhuman with the ability to gauge an opponent's abilities and react accordingly to either reduce any impact of attacks against him, or to increase the potency of his own attacks. He is a trained martial artist and capable of defending himself against most adversaries, which he has proven on several occasions against Kinder der Zukunft. In his role as trainer to young ubers he is able to temporarily increase his students' uberhuman abilities. No one really knows how he does this and its temporary nature tends to indicate that it is an uberhuman ability rather than any natural teaching ability. To make best use of this temporary boost, Vermeulen must work with his students for at least an hour.

 

Appearance

Vermeulen is a man in his late thirties who looks more like a harried private investigator than a teacher of young ubers. He has windswept black hair, a down turned mouth and blue eyes which seem to reflect Vermeulen's fluctuating moods, from great sadness to cynicism to mischievous fun. He almost always wears his dark blue trench coat, even on the hottest days and often attempts to appear professional by wearing a shirt and tie, although the tie is usually loosened.

[tribe]

#67 MYRMIDONS (Greece)

 

This isn't a full write-up for the Myrmidons team, but I might do one later and add a few more team members.

 

The Myrmidons are a hero-for-hire outfit based in Athens. They operate as heroes and have been known to work for free depending on the case.

 

They are led by Achilles, who was once imprisoned for theft and being associated with criminal activities. While in prison he was involved in a break-out and decided to help keep the inmates inside rather than make a run for it. Because of his good behaviour the government reviewed his record and commuted his sentence in exchange for ongoing hero activity. Greece was without a regular hero or hero group and Achilles seemed to be the best they had on offer.

[tribe]

#67 BELLEROPHON (Greece)

 

 

BELLEROPHON

George Voulgarakis

Character Sheet

 

Background

George spent a lot of his early childhood playing with the animals around his uncle's farm outside of Thessaloniki. It wasn't until he turned thirteen, though, that the truth about his animal affinity became clear - he was an uberhuman, able to communicate and influence animals. His mother, always protective of her son, tried to keep his abilities secret but it soon hit the Greek papers.

 

Things got worse when George brought a winged horse back from a school camp, and from that time on his mother had to give up her ideas of keeping George's life simple and traditional.

 

He and Pegasus became involved in a rescue operation during fierce bushfires one summer, and teamed up with the Myrmidons under the leadership of Achilles. Despite being barely fourteen at the time, George was accepted as a member (mostly because of Pegasus who had proven himself to be a fierce warrior).

 

Personality

George is a friendly, openhearted and open-minded kid who has befriended a winged horse and is now a super hero. He is often caught off guard in battles (although Pegasus looks after him) and hesitates when he should act. Achilles is a little worried about him, but only sees the kid as a way to get Pegasus on the team.

 

George's mother is still very overprotective of George and often turns up at inopportune moments. George is growing a little embarrassed by her as he moves further into adolescence.

 

Quote

"That's a three-headed dog! Oh my God, that's really a three-headed dog! Can we keep him?!"

 

Powers

George is an animal empath, able to feel an animal's emotions as well as communicate with it telepathically. As a fourteen year old it is most likely that his powers will grow in power and scope.

 

Since joining the Myrmidons he has been given an armoured costume to help keep him conscious in conflicts, and a solar-powered energy spear designed by Dr Melina Demokritos - again, as a way of keeping him useful in battles. The team has learned that Pegasus works a lot better when Bellerophon feels useful and assists with combat. Although Dr Demokritos was against the idea at first, after Pegasus fled in the midst of a battle with the Elementals, she decided it would be better to give the kid something to 'shoot' rather than lose the support of the winged horse again.

 

Appearance

George is a skinny little kid with a big smile and unruly black curls. He seems to undergo growth spurts at odd times and his voice is cracking. While George sees his transformation into an adolescent as embarrassing, no one else gives him much attention. In costume, George wears a Myrmidon uniform which is black, gold and red.

 

Notes

Bellerophon is actually a Follower. The 'character' is Pegasus, the winged horse. Just a little quirk on the usual Follower/Character thing.

[tribe]

#67 PEGASUS (Greece)

 

 

PEGASUS

Character Sheet

 

Background

Pegasus was found and befriended by fourteen-year-old George Voulgarakis during a school hike in mountains north of Thessaloniki. No one really knows where he came from, or whether he is the same mythic horse from Ancient Greece which sprung from the blood of Medusa. There have been several unconfirmed sightings of a winged horse throughout the 20th Century, especially during the Second World War when a winged horse was instrumental in protecting north-western villages against Italian soldiers. Pegasus has a good understanding of the land and shows some some signs of having a long and convoluted history, but the combination of not being able to talk and being quite a private horse has meant that most of his background is still unknown.

 

Personality

Pegasus is a very proud and powerful winged horse who shows fierce loyalty to George, almost bordering on an obsession. He is absolutely fearless and never backs down from confrontations. He can, at times, appear quite haughty - even for a horse.

 

Quote

Grunts and whinnies...

 

Powers

The powerful white wings which give Pegasus his name are able to extend to three metres either side and are powerful enough to flatten adversaries. He has a magical aura which provides him with protection from harm, as well as incredible speed both on hoof and in the skies.

 

Appearance

A powerfully-built white horse standing at four metres tall, Pegasus is pure white with a long mane and feathered wings which can be extended to three metres or tucked to his side. He never wears a saddle or harness, but Bellerophon is a capable enough rider to ride him nonetheless.

[tribe]

#67 MEDEA (Greece)

 

 

MEDEA

Dr Melina Demokritos

Character Sheet

 

Background

Dr Melina Demokritos never really thought about using her innovative solar panel technology to create a powersuit and fight crime, but when her government funding dried up in 2002 she was given two choices: sell her technology to the United States or raise the funds herself. If she was honest with herself she would admit that she considered robbing a few banks to raise the money, but after inadvertedly explaining her situation to Professor Grak (an advisor to the Dawnstars hero group) she was convinced to use her technology to assist Greece and at the same time raise money through the collection of rewards.

 

When she started to adapt her technology to create a powersuit, Demokritos found herself getting excited. She was always interested in probing the scientific fields on an intellectual level, but the adventure and excitement which her new role offered seemed to give her a new lease on life. Her associates were worried about her change in direction and warned her against wasting her life on superheroics.

 

Things turned worse when TITAN targeted her for abduction. Sterling wanted to use her technology to create a powersuit for one of his operatives. Demokritos was taken by surprise and overpowered. After suffering a severe beating she was held captive for a month while Sterling plundered her prototype powersuit. It took her a month to escape and she only managed to do so by tricking Partisan into thinking she was ill (and he still holds a grudge). Once free again, she returned to Athens and opened a new lab with her assistant, Edmond d'Archiac.

 

Her first powersuit had managed to absorb solar energy and use the energy to create defensive force fields.

 

Her second powersuit included more offensive capabilities. Once completed she donned the suit and publicly challenged Sterling to a rematch in Athens. He complied but brought the full force of TITAN with him. Demokritos had overestimated her own abilities and would have been sorely beaten for a second time, except that she was assisted by the Brotherhood who arrived on a tip-off from Edmond d'Archiac who worked previously with the hero, Armstrong.

 

Demokritos was forced to acknowledge her limitations but rather than retire, she areed to work with the government of Greece in exchange for securing future funding for her research. This agreement continued for several years until a new government was brought in and she once again found herself cast adrift.

 

By this time Achilles had formed his hero-for-hire team, the Myrmidons, and Demokritos became his first recruit. She serves the team as the scientific mind as well as the heavy hitting artillery.

 

Personality

Dr Demokritos is brilliant but doesn't really know her limitations. She is a scientist first and foremost, but also enjoys flaunting her technology as Medea. In both situations she believes she is infallible. Her reputation in the lab is pristine, although her reputation as a hero is fraught with mishaps.

 

She is a member of the Myrmidons because it allows her to continue to fund her research without having to rely on the haphazard government system. She will accept jobs of any kind as long as the money is good, although she will not condone violence.

 

Quote

"There are two types of people in this world. The regular types. And me."

 

Powers

Medea is a genius and has developed a series of gadgets which draw upon the power of the sun. She wears a powersuit which absorbs solar energy and can transform this energy into offensive and defensive capabilities. She can emit powerful blasts of energy, tight heat beams capable of burning through most materials, an invisible heat wave and powerful heat fields which can keep opponents out of reach. Defensively she is able to produce a protective force field, absorb energy attacks and divert most energy attacks harmlessly away. She is also able to fly by using heat waves.

 

Appearance

Dr Melina Demokritos is in her late thirties. She is a thin woman with high cheekbones and a sometimes harried look in her eyes. Her hair is dark but has a grey lock which usually falls across her forehead. In the lab she wears a white lab coat over dark sweater and pants. As Medea she wears a modified Myrmidon costume which is primarily black with golden highlights and a stylised red M. There are gold-rimmed solar panels on her costume and these panels can be moved around to produce different effects.