Defenders of Ireland

[Corven_Ren]

Ok guys I have been working on some of my internatinal heroes for my Champions Universe. So here's my idea for the emerald isle.

 

Shillelagh- Brick, powerhouse of the team, decendant of Cuchulainn (who existed in my campaing world but was a mutant not the son fo a god as in the myth) and Lady Éire's twin brother.

Lady Éire- Flying brick, Shillelagh's twin sister she's not as strong but she can fly and turn her powers off.

Emerald -Energy Blaster. Still working on back ground ideas

Leprachaun-Power Armor A dwarven genius builds a suit of powered armor.

 

What do you think?

[Alibear]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

Can you say stereotypes?

 

 

I also doubt if a woman would call herself after a stick tradionally used to beat married women with..

[MilkmanDan]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

Don't forget Captain Cabbage, Potato Man, and I Hate The English Boy.

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

Can you say stereotypes?

 

 

I also doubt if a woman would call herself after a stick tradionally used to beat married women with..

 

 

Actually Shillelagh is a guy forgot to clarify.

[Captain Liberty]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

Well of course, Ireland has a lot of stereotypes associated with it as a matter of history. I rather like the Leprechaun idea, in fact I used it for an Irish mercenary super team called the Wild Geese a few years back.

 

Some other notes on other Irish stereotypes that aren't necessarily so obvious and overdone.

 

The Poet - A magician who uses lyric poetry as the basis of his magic.

 

Morrigan - a Warrior Woman with divine attributes (and I am not necessarily referring to her bust size)

 

Shamrock - You have to have a luck controller, whether a brick or martial artist or just adventurous and lucky.

 

Ireland is a high tech center these days, but you may have that covered with Leprechaun and/or Emerald.

 

Manannan MacLir - the god of the sea and ships.

 

Minstrel Lad - A young harpist who uses his sonic powers to fight crime and oppression

 

Brennan on the Moor - the spirit of an Irish highwayman. Could be a hero or villain.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

I've gotta get back to work, because The hobbit opens tonight and I still need to finish Gandalf's staff and finish shading Smaug (a 9 foot tall 3 operator dragon puppet we built this last week), but I wanted to chime in so that can address this later on.

 

Suffice to say, I have a LOT of input for you.

[assault]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

I'm generally on the side of embracing stereotypes and cliches. It's part of the joke.

 

On the other hand, only using stereotypes is a bit much. (Also, you have to be a little careful about which stereotypes, obviously.)

 

I think the initial list in this thread was probably a bit much. Leprechaun is interesting, though, and Emerald is OK. I've got an Australian super called Black Opal, so I'm not going to complain about gemstone names!

 

Personally, I'd drop Shillelagh, keep the rest, and add some less stereotyped characters.

[RedneckJedi]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

How about Bog-Boy for a character?

[RedneckJedi]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

I'm not totally against stereotypes but they can be used too much. I live in Appalachis and have a hillbilly character who is a redneck martial artist (dirty infighting) and some really good stats. His weapon of choice is an axe handle (club). But I only have one hillbilly character... not four or five.

[gojira]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

I was actually in Ireland in August. Nice, but WET. In AUGUST. I couldn't believe it. Hooboy.

 

Anyway, Ireland was almost like a third world country 20 or 30 years ago. Tech has been really kind to the Emerald Isle, but lots of Ireland is still kinda underdeveloped. Agrarian and naturalistic themes should be more common than tech ones, imho.

 

I love the idea of a hero with a connection to Ireland's heroic past. I'm also sorta of the opinion that not all the heroes should be as fully powerful or team oriented as most other super hero teams. Ireland still has kind of a hodge-podge feel to it. You need at least one Undine/Water Elemental who hails from Galway. My GOD Galway was wet!

 

Due to the recent tech influence in Ireland, I think the leprechaun idea is excellent. I also think he should be less powerful than the "ancient hero" guy. He should be tricky, resourceful and good to have around, sure, but not quite the straight-up power-house.

 

Other team members should be notably less powerful, or very independently minded. Several "pretender" or otherwise not-quite-super team members who provide occasional service would be an excellent addition, to indicate that their super resources are stretched to the max.

 

Also, get someone to clean the poop out of Temple Bar.

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

Suffice to say' date=' I have a LOT of input for you.[/quote']

 

Actually I figured you would and I look foreward to it. Just so you know this all started with Lady Eire who I was sort of designin as a Mary Marvel type character. Then I though of adding the rest.

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

I have since decided to change Shillelagh name to Finlay.

[Lord Liaden]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

I'm with the general concensus in that a little less stereotyping would be appropriate. I'd also like to direct you toward the marvelous online Encyclopedia Mythica. It's section on Celtic mythology can be a source of lots of ideas.

 

For a more specific suggestion from the EM, the Selkie could make a fine superhero. A selkie can shapechange from human to seal, and command powers of water and storm.

 

Another suggestion for a character name would be Galloglass. In ancient Ireland a galloglass was the armed retainer of a chieftain. Good for a weaponmaster or powered armor hero.

[AnotherSkip]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

try to go outside the sterotypes while still linking back in subtle ways.

 

See Fir Bolg (the Character i just Bumped) he's linked but not obviously so, he has a large magical club and it's not a Shillelagh, he's not even from Ireland but he has deeep ties that come out in the character.

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

I'm with the general concensus in that a little less stereotyping would be appropriate. I'd also like to direct you toward the marvelous online Encyclopedia Mythica. It's section on Celtic mythology can be a source of lots of ideas.

 

For a more specific suggestion from the EM, the Selkie could make a fine superhero. A selkie can shapechange from human to seal, and command powers of water and storm.

 

Another suggestion for a character name would be Galloglass. In ancient Ireland a galloglass was the armed retainer of a chieftain. Good for a weaponmaster or powered armor hero.

 

Thanks for the link LL I plan on using Galloglass for a powered armor now insead of Leprachaun and I am going to change Lady Eire to Deirdre (based on her Encyclopedia mythica article."

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

Thanks for the link LL I plan on using Galloglass for a powered armor now insead of Leprachaun and I am going to change Lady Eire to Deirdre (based on her Encyclopedia mythica article."

 

Funny, I was gonna suggest a Powered Armor named Galoglaigh (the gaelic spelling).

 

Bear in mind it actualy means, lit. "Young Foreign Warrior" with "Foreign" Gal meaning Norsemen. In fact they only fought in the style of Norsemen (Great Axe & Mail), and were descended from them (Scots from the Isles, for the most part, from the 12th C onwards)

 

So a Power Armor character (with a long handled axe, perhaps) would be about right.

 

Strangely enough, using the right spelling gets my old guild on the first hit

here

 

 

I'd avoid using Deirdre of the Sorrows as your Mary Marvel Type. Eire is a fine name. There are a number of different approaches you could take with her, but my first instinct is a many-formed multiform... either based on the 3 De Dannan queens (Eire, Fodla, and Banba) who gave their names to the land, the 5 Kingdoms/Provinces (Most likely related to the mythic/elemental associations), or manifesting aspects of various cultural heroes.

 

I've done the Battle Raven based heroine before. Works well.

 

more later when my brain is working

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

I'd avoid using Deirdre of the Sorrows as your Mary Marvel Type. Eire is a fine name.

 

K Thanks

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

If you want I can crack a book or two and come up with a general set of forms and power associations for ya. I have a few ideas... I'm increasingly fond of the idea of a five formed multiform representing the five provinces, four compass points plus the center, 4 elements with spirit at the middle and the four Treasures of Tir Nan Og with their associations and the chosen of Danu at the center.

 

We are talking the premier hero of the land here, right?

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

We are talking the premier hero of the land here' date=' right?[/quote']

 

Yes we are, but also in a world where there are no mythilogical gods. Yes there are the myths but (unlike say the Marvel or DC universe) the 'deities' do not exist.

[Corven_Ren]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

Here's a first draft of Lady Eire. I plan on adding more skill and perks etc..and I am still working on her origin as well.

 

 

Lady Éire

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

15/65 STR 5 12- / 22- Lift 200.0kg/204.8tons; 3d6/13d6

18/28 DEX 24 13- / 15- OCV: 6/9/DCV: 6/9

15/30 CON 10 12- / 15-

15/25 BODY 10 12- / 14-

15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12-

25 EGO 30 14- ECV: 8

15/25 PRE 5 12- / 14- PRE Attack: 3d6/5d6

18 COM 4 13-

 

3/43 PD 0 Total: 3/43 PD (3/42 rPD)

3/42 ED 0 Total: 3/42 ED (3/42 rED)

4/7 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12/2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12

6/19 REC 0

30/60 END 0

31/74 STUN 0 Total Characteristic Cost: 105

 

Movement: Running: 6"/12"

Flight: 30"/240"

Leaping: 3"/6"

Swimming: 2"/4"

 

Cost Powers END

A Hero's Power, all slots OIHID (-1/4)

63 1) Hero's Strength: +50 STR, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (82 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4) (Modifiers affect Base Characteristic)

24 2) Hero's Agility: +10 DEX (30 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

24 3) Hero's Toughness: +15 CON (30 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

16 4) Hero's Toughness II: +10 BODY (20 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

8 5) An Impressive Figure: +10 PRE (10 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

8 6) Hero's Toughness III: +10 PD (10 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

13 7) Hero's Toughness IV: +16 ED (16 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

16 8) Hero's Quickness: +2 SPD (20 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

22 9) Hero's Tougness V: Damage Resistance (22 PD/22 ED), Hardened (+1/4) (27 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

15 Mind of A Hero: Mental Defense (20 points total)

 

49 Elemental Control, 122-point powers, (61 Active Points); all slots OIHID (-1/4)

49 1) Flight 30", x8 Noncombat, Usable Underwater (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (122 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

49 2) Hero's Shield: FF (20 PD/20 ED/10 Flash Defense: Hearing Group/10 Flash Defense: Sight Group) (Protect Carried Items), Hardened (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (122 Active Points); OIHID (-1/4)

11 Hero's Protection: LS (Safe Environment: Zero Gravity; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing) (20 Active Points); Linked (???; -1/2), OIHID (-1/4)

 

Skills

3 Language: English (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)

Everyman Skills

0 1) Area Knowledge: Home City 11-

0 2) Acting 8-

0 3) Climbing 8-

0 4) Concealment 8-

0 5) Conversation 8-

0 6) Deduction 8-

0 7) Language: Irish (idiomatic; literate)

0 8) Professional Skill: Profession 11-

0 9) Paramedics 8-

0 10) Persuasion 8-

0 11) Shadowing 8-

0 12) Stealth 8-

0 13) TF: Everyman, Small Motorized Ground Vehicles

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 370

Total Cost: 475

 

200+ Disadvantages

20 Hunted: Eurostar 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)

15 Hunted: U.N.T.I.L. 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching)

15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Frequently, Major)

225 Experience Points

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 50

 

 

Appearance: Dianah is a beautiful young woman in her mid twenties she has long blonde haire and piercing green eyes. When she turns into Lady Eire her hair changes to a firey red. Her costume is a green and white bodysuit with orange boots, gloves and cape.

[Vestnik]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

The resurrected giant, the Earth God, Finnegan. He sleeps, but his dream form walks the land.

 

His consort, mistress of the waters, Anna Livia Plurabelle.

["V"]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

The stereotype thing is just one of those comic book tropes I suppose. In an American book with lots of cast members the writers can be as inventive as they like, but for a one-off visit to Britain you can bet most "Npcs" will be Britain-Themed supers. I'm sure that in my last Champions campaign, if the Brit heroes had ever visited the States they'd have met characters with the names Eagle, Uncle, Liberty etc in their names. It's a nice shorthand I guess.

[OddHat]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

For a more specific suggestion from the EM, the Selkie could make a fine superhero. A selkie can shapechange from human to seal, and command powers of water and storm.

 

I use a Selkie Superheroine as my tribute to Aquaman in the New Circle group.

 

Anyway, I usually like to go the mythic route for mystic supers; tech supers I tend to theme more after pop culture or literature. The UK section of International Hero might be a good place to start grabbing some ideas. http://www.internationalhero.co.uk/u/uk.htm

 

If I were going to theme Irish heroes after Irish EFL teachers I've worked with, it might be:

 

Functional Alcoholic Man!

 

Blames the US for Everything Lad!

 

The Conspiracy Theorist!

 

Thinks She's An Anarchist Lass!

 

Jealous of Better Looking Women Woman!

 

Won't Stop Complaining Boy!

 

 

 

I really hate EFL teachers.

[OddHat]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

The stereotype thing is just one of those comic book tropes I suppose. In an American book with lots of cast members the writers can be as inventive as they like' date=' but for a one-off visit to Britain you can bet most "Npcs" will be Britain-Themed supers. I'm sure that in my last Champions campaign, if the Brit heroes had ever visited the States they'd have met characters with the names Eagle, Uncle, Liberty etc in their names. It's a nice shorthand I guess.[/quote']

 

My WWII Supers campaign features American Eagle and American Angel as PCs, Wild Bill, Paul Bunyan, and Cowboy Legba as NPCs.

 

Of all genres, stereotypes / archetypes work pretty well in Supers.

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: Defenders of Ireland

 

Yes we are' date=' but also in a world where there are no mythilogical gods. Yes there are the myths but (unlike say the Marvel or DC universe) the 'deities' do not exist.[/quote']

 

So what's the source of her powers? Just to get a handle.

 

And if nothing else, I might be able to help add some local color to your power names

 

She looks good, if a bit generic. Nothing in her power set says "I'm an Irish Hero", tho presumably that has something to do with the background info we haven't seen yet.

Couple of suggestions....

Costume: As, basically, Ireland's "Flag Suit" I'd do the bodysuit in orange, white & green (For the Tricolor) and her cape styled as a Kinsale cloak in green (A WAY traditional association with the feminine personification of Eire), with a smallish gold harp (national symbol of Ireland since the 15th century if not earlier) as the closure, and possibly repeated in a belt buckle. That pretty much hits all the various associations you'd be likely to see on an Irish Flag suit type, without going either too Republican or too Unionist.

 

name: If her native idomatic language is Irish, she should probably have an Irish name. While Deirdre has some BAD associations as a Hero ID name, it'd be a fine Secret ID name.

 

a pic of a kinsale cloak for ya...