Brother Voodoo

[SKJAM!]

Brother Voodoo (tm Marvel) Created by Roy Thomas and Len Wein

 

Player: NPC

 

Val Char Cost

20 STR 5

14 DEX 12

14 CON 8

10 BODY 0

14 INT 4

22 EGO 24

18 PRE 8

12 COM 1

 

7 PD 3

6/36 ED 3

4 SPD 16

9 REC 4

30 END 1

28 STUN 0

 

6" RUN 0

2" SWIM 0

4" LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 89

 

Cost Power

2 Immune to Fire I: Life Support (Safe in Intense Heat)

30 Immune to Fire II: Armor (0 PD/30 ED) (45 Active Points); Only Works Against Limited Type of Attack (Fire and heat; -1/2)

40 Immune to Fire III: Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75% (60 Active Points); Only Works Against Limited Type of Attack (Fire and heat; -1/2)

45 Summon smoke and drums: Change Environment 4" radius (4" Any Area; +0), -3 to Normal Sight PER Rolls, -3 PRE Roll and all Skill Rolls based on PRE, Multiple Combat Effects, Personal Immunity (+1/4) (45 Active Points)

31 Hypnotic Control: Mind Control 6d6 (Human, Animal Class of Minds and Plant Class of Minds classes of minds), Telepathic (+1/4) (62 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a third of its effectiveness (Hypnosis, limited array of commands; -1/2), Limited Class Of Minds [subset of a class] (Only living beings; -1/2)

62 Control Fire I: Suppress Fire 10d6, any fire power one at a time (+1/4) (62 Active Points)

175 Control Fire II: Aid Fire 10d6, any fire power one at a time (+1/4), Ranged (+1/2) (175 Active Points)

4 My Brother's Strength: +5 STR (5 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Cannot be used while Daniel is inhabiting another body; -1/4)

113 Daniel Drumm's Spirit: Mind Control 15d6 (Human class of minds), Telepathic (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Persistent (+1/2) (169 Active Points); Limited Class Of Minds [subset of a class] (Only living beings that are not already possessed by another spirit; -1/2)

Powers Cost: 502

 

Cost Martial Arts Maneuver

3 Defensive Throw: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +1 DCV, Block, Target Falls

4 Fast Strike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +0 DCV, 6d6 / 2d6 Strike

5 Flying Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +4 DCV, Dodge All Attacks, Abort; FMove

4 Joint Lock/Throw: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Grab One Limb; 1d6 NND ; Target Falls

4 Martial Dodge: 1/2 Phase, -- OCV, +5 DCV, Dodge, Affects All Attacks, Abort

4 Martial Escape: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +0 DCV, 35 STR / 15 STR vs. Grabs

4 Martial Strike: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, 6d6 / 2d6 Strike

4 Reversal: var Phase, -1 OCV, -2 DCV, 35 STR / 15 STR to Escape; Grab Two Limbs

Martial Arts Cost: 32

 

Cost Skill

4 AK: Haiti 13-

3 Animal Handler 13-

3 Breakfall 12-

3 CK: New Orleans. Louisiana 12-

10 +2 with HTH Combat

15 +5 with Voodoo powers

5 Conversation 14-

2 CuK: Mystic World 11-

3 KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 12-

5 KS: Voodoo 14-

0 Language: French (idiomatic) (4 Active Points)

4 Language: English (idiomatic)

3 Oratory 13-

3 Paramedics 12-

4 PS: Houngan 13-

2 PS: Psychiatrist 11-

3 Survival 12-

Skills Cost: 72

 

Cost Perk

1 Fringe Benefit: License to practice a profession

5 Money: Well Off

6 Reputation: Powerful houngan who fights for justice (Those who practice, fear or even know of voodoo) 11-, +3/+3d6

1 Fringe Benefit: Passport

10 Follower

Perks Cost: 23

 

Cost Talent

20 Animal Friendship

13 Danger Sense (general area, in combat, Function as a Sense) (27 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Only vs. preternatural danger; -1) 12-

10 Divine Favor

Talents Cost: 43

 

Total Character Cost: 761

 

Pts. Disadvantage

5 Distinctive Features: Voodoo sign on forehead, skunk stripe (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

20 Hunted: Evil mystics 11- (As Pow, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish)

15 Hunted: Government and Law Enforcement Officials 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)

10 Psychological Limitation: Talks down to the ignorant (Common, Moderate)

15 Psychological Limitation: Must free slaves (Common, Strong)

5 Reputation: nutty mountebank, to those who have heard of him but don't believe in voodoo/magic, 8-

Disadvantage Points: 70

Base Points: 200

Experience Required: 491

Total Experience Available: 491

Experience Unspent: 0

 

APPEARANCE

Hair Color: Brown, with a white streak down the middle

Eye Color: Brown

Height: 1.82 m

Weight: 100.00 kg

Description:

Jericho Drumm is a well-muscled black man in his thirties, with a white streak through the center of his hair, and a symbol on his forehead that looks like a "V" superimposed on a circle. He wears a necklace of claws, a snakeskin sleeveless vest (white with green diamond shapes), a yellow waist sash, and green tights with white fringe, sometimes adding a red cape for formal events.

 

BACKGROUND

Jericho Drumm and his twin brother Daniel were born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Jericho wanted to rise above the poverty and squalor of their native island, so he emigrated to the United States to attend college and become a doctor, specializing in psychiatry. Far from the superstition of Haiti, Jericho adopted the materialist philosophy of his adopted nation.

 

But then he received a message from Daniel, calling him back to Haiti. Though Daniel had chosen to become a houngan, a voodoo practicioner, they'd kept in touch. Daniel claimed to have been cursed by a bokor (evil voodoo practicioner) going by the name of Damballah (the serpent loa.) Despite Jericho's medical knowledge, he was unable to save Daniel's life. Daniel's last request was that Jericho go into the swamp and seek the help of Daniel's teacher, Papa Jambo.

 

Papa Jambo, elderly and frail, was unable to leave the swamp, but trained Jericho in the ancient mystic ways of Voodoo. Jericho was a freakishly gifted pupil, soon surpassing his brother's abilities. But as an extra edge, Jericho submitted to a ritual that brought Daniel's spirit back from the afterlife and allowed it to share his body. This ritual exhausted Papa Jambo, and with the old man's death, Jericho assumed the new name and role of Brother Voodoo.

 

Brother Voodoo emerged from the swamp to find Damballah on the brink of taking control of the mystic community. He battled the villain, eventually realizing that Damballah's supreme control of reptiles did not come from his own skill and power, but from a mysterious amulet called a wangal. Once deprived of that amulet, Damballah lost his powers and was consumed by his own serpents.

 

Now Brother Voodoo goes between his homeland of Haiti and mansion in New Orleans (with side trips elsewhere) fighting the abuse of voodoo and the enslavement of people whereever it rears up.

 

PERSONALITY

Jericho Drumm is an intelligent, well-educated man who thinks analytically. He's cool and collected under even the worst circumstances, and uses his emotions to fuel his actions rather than determine them. This isn't to say that he's afraid to use force when it's appropriate--and in his business that happens a lot. Brother Voodoo doesn't like those who display willful ignorance and tends to talk down to them (but using polite language.) He despises any form of enslavement, particularly those who use magic to remove free will.

 

QUOTE

""The process is only foolproof when it works, Baron--and though you may have laughed--Brother Voodoo did not gain his reputation for nothing!"

 

POWERS/TACTICS

Jericho Drumm is a trained psychiatrist and houngan in excellent physical shape, who has somehow picked up remarkable if untrained fighting skills. Brother Voodoo can effortlessly enter a trance state in which he is effectively immune to fire. He can summon blinding smoke at will, which is accompanied by the unnerving sound of voodoo drums. Brother Voodoo has a special affinity for animals, especially reptiles, and can sense supernatural evil over a wide area. While combined with the spirit of his brother Daniel, Jericho's strength doubles.

 

By extending his will, Brother Voodoo can hypnotically compel living humans, animals and plants to do his will within their capabilities. It's not terribly effective against humans, though. For those, he can release the spirit of his brother Daniel, who will possess the target (this does not work against the unliving or those already possessed by another spirit.) He can also control fires, making them smaller or larger.

 

Brother Voodoo likes to enter a combat either through his conjured smoke, or a wall of flame to unnerve opponents. If they seem weak-willed, Brother Voodoo may attempt to hypnotically compel them not to attack. He will call upon an animal ally if a suitable one is nearby. He usually waits to use Daniels' spirit until he's sure of the opposition and where Daniel can best be put to use. Once engaged in combat, Brother Voodoo is a fan of good old fisticuffs, but is not above using his powers to best advantage.

 

CAMPAIGN USE

Rather obviously, Brother Voodoo is the man to call if a case involves voodoo or seems to. He's also good local color for Haiti or New Orleans, and a more trustworthy guide than many to be found in those locations. If he needs to be more powerful, give him more mystic abilities along the same line, and perhaps some Mental Defense. To weaken him, have his powers be merely smoke and mirrors, combined with the belief of gullible criminals.

 

Bambu, Brother Voodoo's servant, is a mysterious figure whose past is unknown. He serves the owner of the wangal; when Damballah possessed it, Bambu served him; now it is Brother Voodoo's turn. Brother Voodoo feels that relying on the wangal would be a crutch, so has Bambu wear the amulet for safekeeping. Give Bambu senior citizen stats, with a skill set appropriate to a manservant, and 10d6 Mind Control, Area Effect Radius, 0 END, reptiles only, IAF wangal. Bambu will be uttely loyal to Brother Voodoo, while Jericho Drumm lives.