Cosmic Centurions

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Bob' date=' you sly devil.[/b'] Are you trying to get back on my good graces?

Was I out of them?

[Egyptoid]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

How would you word the limitation on a VPP to reflect the strengths?

 

IE, Black Centurion and Red Centurion, have well nigh the same power pool to tap into,

But Black is going to get X times as effective on implosive, drains, etc powers.

and Red will do X times as powerful on blasts, burns, melts, Change Env, etc. due to the heat.

 

I wonder if I should assume the wording on VPPs would be the same ?

 

=================

 

@Bob: of course not. just look at those 6E Oregonians when you have time

"I kid because I love" --- Krusty

[Pariah]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Here was my idea for the Origin Story/Background on the Centurions. Use what you find useful.

 

--

 

In the vastness of the cosmos can be found certain rare and complex energies. These energies are neither strictly electromagnetic nor kinetic; they are psionic as well. These energies are not controlled simply by the laws of physics, but also by the strength of will. These energies are the reverberations of the Big Bang, the resonance of Creation.

 

To be a Cosmic Centurion is to know, and to feel, and to direct these energies.

 

(Of course, the Cosmic Centurions are not the first to have done this, nor even the first to organize in the pursuit. Intelligent beings across the universe have been studying these energies since the dawn of sentient life. Indeed, it has been theorized that the presence of such energies has hastened the evolution of sentient life in the universe. But the Cosmic Centurions are the first in our galaxy to make such an effort in the last 50,000 Earth years.)

 

The first Cosmic Centurion was an Earth man—a Roman soldier lost from his Legion in the exploration of mysterious India. How he found himself in the vastness of interstellar space, even he does not know. It is most likely, he believes, that the strange cosmic energies found him on Earth and carried him to the stars. They opened his mind to the limitless possibilities of existence, to the vast beauty of life in the Milky Way. Thus was his perspective changed, and he became not just a warrior and a soldier, but a protector of that life. He became the Silver Centurion.

 

For the next thousand years, he studied the energies, sustained and renewed by their continual presence. And as he grew ever more attuned to them, he began to feel the desire to share what he had learned. So he began to travel the stars, seeking out intelligent life and choosing others to join him in his studies. Thus were the Cosmic Centurions born.

 

These were not the only beings in our galaxy who had discovered these energies, however. Another, whose mind was consumed with greed and who lusted for power and dominion, had gained a level of mastery with these energies. When he learned that others sought to become attuned with these energies, he perceived their studies as a threat and vowed to destroy them. He became the Centurions' greatest, deadliest enemy.

 

This enemy's power grew as he battled the Centurions over the next several centuries, but the Centurions always eventually triumphed. This was in part because of their superior numbers, as the idea of sharing his power with others was anathema to the enemy, and partly because of the Centurions' greater attunement with and control over the energies. This changed when the enemy made his greatest and most terrifying discovery: He discovered how to disrupt a being's attunement to these energies, effectively severing the person from their powers. He used this knowledge to cripple his oldest and most dangerous foe, the Silver Centurion. His attunement to the energies gone, the Silver Centurion was left to battle the enemy alone and weakened. He fought valiantly, but was no match for the enemy, who destroyed him easily. Thus the enemy became the Nega-Centurion.

 

With the death of the Silver Centurion, the rest of the Centurions redoubled their efforts and eventually drove the Nega-Centurion into exile for a time. Many others died or were weakened in these battles, but the idea of the Cosmic Centurions survived. Indeed, in memory of their departed leader and champion, the Centurions reached out to more and more worlds, teaching the secrets of the energies to those who were strong of will and dedicated in conscience to the preservation of life. Eventually they even found the homeworld of the Silver Centurion and recruited from his race one they deemed to be a worthy successor: Jordan Kyle, the Crimson Centurion.

[Pariah]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

I also had a thought concerning the power bands. At first, new Centurions wear the bands to increase their sensitivity to (and control of) the cosmic energies they wield. Over time, they attain sufficient mastery as to no longer need the bands. (In Hero terms, they buy off the OIF limitation with XP. Lots and lots of XP.) The ability to use the energies without the aid of the bands qualifies a Centurion to enter the Inner Circle, though the members of that Circle still wear the bands as a reminder of their lessons.

 

The Cerulean Centurion's costume looks a little like a Vorlon-style encounter suit. Perhaps Cerulean was already a being of energy (a Hooloovoo, perhaps?) and consequently never needed the bands to attain the necessary level of attunement. Just a thought.

[concord]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Here was my idea for the Origin Story/Background on the Centurions. Use what you find useful. (large snip)

 

I also had a thought concerning the power bands. (smaller snip)

 

I would rep you for both of these... but alas kahuna's bro asked for someone to rep you for Annie Mercury and I agreed with him they were rep worthy pics...

 

Someone please rep one of the two of these for me...

 

.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

I also had a thought concerning the power bands. At first, new Centurions wear the bands to increase their sensitivity to (and control of) the cosmic energies they wield. Over time, they attain sufficient mastery as to no longer need the bands. (In Hero terms, they buy off the OIF limitation with XP. Lots and lots of XP.) The ability to use the energies without the aid of the bands qualifies a Centurion to enter the Inner Circle, though the members of that Circle still wear the bands as a reminder of their lessons.

 

The Cerulean Centurion's costume looks a little like a Vorlon-style encounter suit. Perhaps Cerulean was already a being of energy (a Hooloovoo, perhaps?) and consequently never needed the bands to attain the necessary level of attunement. Just a thought.

Repped as requested -- but also because this could also be worked into the Golden Centurion's story.

[Egyptoid]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Gus was secretly smuggled in the Soviet Union to steal the spacecraft for the United States.

 

I like this quote for the origin of the Orange Centurion.

Time dilation makes the old hero all new again.

[The Arc]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

I like this quote for the origin of the Orange Centurion.

Time dilation makes the old hero all new again.

 

I included the part about the Soviet Union mainly because Silver Age comics delt with the cold war, or so I've been told.

[Egyptoid]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Not Dead Yet:

 

The Original Silver Centurion

 

The Rest of the Cosmic Centurions

 

Aspects of the Cosmic Power Source

 

Some of the Backstory of Cosmic Centurion

I want to work on this page more (after I hand in USA-5O)

[Egyptoid]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

should the centurions already be special before they don the mantle?

 

or can they just be regular normal dudes who just happen to have

the right mind-set to become a Cosmic Centurion ?

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

should the centurions already be special before they don the mantle?

 

or can they just be regular normal dudes who just happen to have

the right mind-set to become a Cosmic Centurion ?

I'd say they should be extraordinary in their own way -- not already superpowered, but possessing some outstanding skill or ability as well as having the correct mind-set.

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Enemies of the Cosmic Centurions (Warning: Long post)

 

Before I get to the main part of this post, I need to say that a good bit of this is going

to be largely based on assumptions on my part, dealing as it will with what may well be

the most ominous member of the Cosmic Centurions Rogues' Gallery: Lord Dark Matter.

 

While there has been (to the best of my knowledge) little to no information at all post-

ed on Lord Dark Matter anywhere on the HERO boards, there are some assumptions

that can be made about him, based upon the picture of him which is at the DC Universe

Character creator thread located elsewhere on the boards:

 

1.) He's an interstellar-level threat, with ambitions to rule everything (and everyone)

that he can conquer;

 

2.) He has access to a considerable amount of resources, in the form of the Nth Legion

of Infinity, the Obsidian Battle Group, and minions such as the green-skinned female

assassin known as Lethal and the supervillain Star Reaver;

 

3.) And last but not least, he posesses metahuman(oid) powers of his own, enabling

him to engage anyone - Cosmic Centurions or anyone else who dares to interfere

with his plans of conquest - in personal combat.

 

Now that that's out of the way, on to the main part of this post.

 

 

The 1st Shadow Legion

(The Harbingers of Entropy, in service to Lord Dark Matter)

 

If the more highly-advanced civilizations of the galaxy can agree upon one thing, it is

that the greatest threat to their continued freedom - and the freedom of other, less-

advanced peoples - is the tyrannical would-be conqueror known as Lord Dark Matter.

Sweeping throughout the worlds of known space at the head of his elite army - the

Nth Legion of Infinity - Lord Dark Matter seeks to bring as many worlds as he can

conquer under his despotic rulership, for reasons only he knows. Those worlds that

he cannot conquer with his army, he subjects to orbital bombardment from the war-

ships of his personal fleet, the Obsidian Battle Group under the command of Admiral

Garm. There are, however, occasions where it is easier - and less costly - to send a

single agent to accomplish what the might of armies and fleets cannot, simply by

eliminating key leaders within the military and political organizations of a targeted

world. Missions of that particular nature are usually carried out by one of two agents

in the employ of Lord Dark Matter: the green-skinned female assassin known only as

Lethal, or Star Reaver, an enemy of the Cosmic Centurions.

 

Fortunately for the free peoples of the Galaxy, the Cosmic Centurions have long held

the line against Lord Dark Matter and his forces, and have successfully prevented

the conquest of several worlds that lacked the ability to defend themselves against

his attacks. Unknown to the Centurions, however, Lord Dark Matter has secretly

brought one of his most elite units into the fight, in an attempt to tip the balance in

his favor once and for all. That force is the 1st Shadow Legion.

 

 

Like the Nth Legion of Infinity, the 1st Shadow Legion is commanded by a Legate

who has a Senior Tribune and five Tribunes as subordinate officers. Each of the

five Tribunes commands a Cohort of the Legion, enforcing discipline in the lower

ranks while ensuring that the orders of the Legate or Senior Tribune are carried

out to the letter. Unlike the Nth, however, the 1st Shadow Legion does not have

a Camp Prefect; when in the field, they make use of the same buildings and fort-

ications as the the Nth. The 1st is more of an intelligence-gathering outfit than a

combat unit. Each of its five Cohorts has a particular area of responsibility and

expertise, and these are listed below:

 

 

1st Cohort (Espionage and Intelligence Analysis): Working under the direct command

of the Senior Tribune and his staff, the Tribune and Legionnaires of this Cohort have

the responsibility of gathering sensitive intelligence data and evaluating it, in order

to determine its validity and usefulness to the plans of Lord Dark Matter.

 

 

2nd Cohort (Counterintelligence): This sub-unit's mission is to disseminate information

which is designed to mislead the enemies of Lord Dark Matter; a secondary mission is

to detect enemy intelligence operatives and target them for capture and/or eliminat-

ion.

 

 

3rd Cohort (Psychological Warfare): This sub-unit specializes in operations aimed at

weakening the resolve of an enemy to resist Lord Dark Matter's efforts to conquer

him, either by subtle psychological manipulation to cause the enemy to react the

way that they want him to, or by more blatant means such as terrorist activities

geared toward causing the enemy's people to lose faith in his ability to protect

them.

 

 

4th Cohort (Counterinsurgency): The specialty of this sub-unit is generally called

upon in cases where armed and organized resistance activities are hampering the

efforts of Lord Dark Matter's forces to bring the population of a conquered world

under control. The standard operating procedure of the 4th Cohort in such cases

is to force the insurgents onto the defensive, and keep them there until they can

be pinned down and destroyed.

 

 

5th Cohort (Special Services): This Cohort is, without a doubt, the most feared of

all the 1st Shadow Legion's sub-units. This is because each and every Legionnaire

of the unit is a member of Lord Dark Matter's personal force of commando assassins -

the Darkhunters, also known as the Messengers of Night Eternal and the Handmaid-

ens of Entropy. The reason for the second title (Handmaidens of Entropy) is this:

without exception, each member of the Darkhunters is female.

 

 

This is a good place to stop for now, but I'll be back with more on the 1st Shadow

Legion later today.

 

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[DusterBoy]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Terrific, Major. I see your imagination is working overtime on this.

 

BTW, that smack you felt was me whacking you with the rep tonfa.

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Terrific, Major. I see your imagination is working overtime on this.

 

BTW, that smack you felt was me whacking you with the rep tonfa.

 

So that's what woke me up this morning... ()

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[shugotenshi]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Wow, I think you guys just blew my mind Major Tom and Egyptoid. Amazing back stories and fantastic detail, you have the imaginations of master comic writers.

This thread in general is fantastic, so much content and all with a original flavour. I love the angle that Egyptoid is running, great source material too =D

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Enemies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

The 1st Shadow Legion (continued)

 

In this part of the thread, I'm going to cover the leadership of the 1st Shadow Legion,

as well as one individual who would seem to be a very minor player in the scheme of

things - but where the minions of Lord Dark Matter are concerned, one can never be

too certain that things are as they seem to be...

 

And now, without further ado, here is the first of the Shadow Legion's leaders:

 

 

COUNCILOR NIGHTVEIL

(Commander of the 1st Shadow Legion, the Eye of Lord Dark Matter, Mistress of Dark Secrets)

 

Councilor Nightveil (not her real name or rank; her identity, like those of all Shadow

Legion commanders, is a highly-classified secret which only Lord Dark Matter knows)

is the commanding officer of the 1st Shadow Legion, and actually holds the rank of

Legate. The "Councilor" title is actually her cover identity (Councilors are a cross be-

tween a concubine and a trusted advisor, at least within the organizational struct-

ure of Lord Dark Matter's forces), one which gives her a legitimate reason to be in

Lord Dark Matter's presence without his armed guards in attendance. Nightveil act-

ually enjoys her cover identity, as she has a strong attraction to very powerful and

dangerous men - and Lord Dark Matter is, admittedly, at the top of the heap in their

part of the galaxy.

 

 

Her cover identity, however, has not gotten in the way of her true mission: to bring

about the defeat of the Cosmic Centurions, or at the very least, to provide numer-

ous distractions for them which will ultimately give Lord Dark Matter the opportunity

to achieve his goals. While she has entrusted her subordinates with the responsibility

of executing the various plans that have been devised for use against the Centur-

ions, she still prefers to get out into the field to get her hands dirty, as it were.

 

 

Appearance: Nightveil strongly resembles what those familiar with fantasy literature

and role-playing games would consider a "dark elf": pure white hair, bluish-black skin,

pale yellow eyes, and (in her case) a body that most women would envy (and kill for,

if they thought that they could get away with it), and that most men would consider

beautiful in an alien, exotic way. This fact hasn't been lost on Nightveil, who has in-

corporated her beauty into her personal arsenal of espionage tools (along with a very

frightening talent for seduction).

 

 

When playing the part of LDM's Councilor, Nightveil wears clothing designed to accent-

uate her considerable charms while remaining tasteful (read as: Distracting Costume);

when in the field with her Legion, however, she wears the Shadow Legion's version of

the officer's uniform of the LoI: black armor, but with purple instead of red trim and

with purple shoulder pads. She also wears a purple cape with gold clasp. In either

identity, she wears what (at a cursory glance) appears to be an exquisitely-fabricated

combination of bracelet and rings upon her left hand. This innocent-looking piece of

jewelry is anything but, however; it is in actuality an energy weapon capable of firing

force bolts of considerable power. Other types of this secret weapon include a neural

disruptor with sufficient power to leave even a Cosmic Centurion twitching and help-

less on the ground, and a delivery system capable of introducing a non-lethal para-

lytic agent - one which affects only the voluntary nervous system - into a victim

without his or her awareness (both types require her to touch her victim for the

device to work).

 

 

The non-lethal nature of most of Nightveil's weapons should not be taken as an indi-

cation that she has a Code versus Killing (she doesn't); she simply realizes that it's

notoriously difficult to interrogate a corpse.

 

 

Personality: If it weren't for the fact that she's a willing servant of one of the most

evil beings in the known Universe, you could almost like Nightveil. She's fun-loving,

is more often than not the life of any party she happens to be at, and is undeniably

one of the most charming women that you'd be likely to ever meet. Given a mission

by Lord Dark Matter, however, and it's as if a switch had been thrown: she becomes

coldly professional, absolutely ruthless, and totally committed to the success of the

mission.

 

 

Skills and Talents: As a Legate of a Shadow Legion, Nightveil has been extensively

trained in every aspect of intelligence and counterintelligence work, as well as the

other specialties of the Legion (a mandatory requirement for any of Lord Dark Matt-

er's officers that are being considered for the position of a Shadow Legion Legate).

She has also been given commando-style martial arts training, as it is practiced by

the forces of Lord Dark Matter, and is an expert in the use of every weapon in the

arsenals of both the Nth Legion and the 1st. In addition to her training, Nightveil

also has a considerable natural talent in the arts of seduction, which her training

has refined to a near-irresistable level. Only the most strong-willed of males has

any hope of resisting Nightveil once she begins a seduction.

Nightveil's character pic can be found on page 366 of the DCU Character creator thread.

 

Next up: the 1st's second-in-command, Senior Tribune Phantos.

 

 

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Enemies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

The 1st Shadow Legion (continued)

 

Here's the second-in-command of the 1st Shadow Legion:

 

 

SENIOR TRIBUNE PHANTOS

(Second-in-Command of the 1st Shadow Legion, Seeker of Hidden Truths, The Walker in Shadows)

 

Senior Tribune Phantos is, without a doubt, one of the most mysterious of all those in

service to Lord Dark Matter. He apparently comes from a world whose environment is

so radically different from that inhabited by the rest of Lord Dark Matter's minions, that

he is unable to survive under those conditions that are most conducive to the survival

of carbon-based lifeforms - oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere, etc. In order to function in

such an environment, it is necessary for Phantos to use an "enviro-suit", which creates

an environment identical to that of Phantos' homeworld. Because of this, no one has

ever seen what Phantos looks like outside of the enviro-suit; indeed, all that has ever

really been seen of the Senior Tribune are his eyes, which glow with a bluish-white light

that can be seen through the semi-transparent material of his helmet.

 

At least, that's the story which the rank-and-file of both the Nth LoI and the 1st SL

have been led to believe is the truth.

 

As with most things involving the 1st Shadow Legion, the truth about Senior Tribune

Phantos is something else entirely. Phantos is actually a being composed of pure ener-

gy, and is capable of surviving in any environment; the story about needing the enviro-

suit in order to survive is a fabrication designed to conceal the truth about its true form

(as an immaterial energy-being, Phantos has no need of such "organic baggage" as

gender; it simply is what it is). In its true form, Phantos appears as a roughly-spherical

'mass' of bright blue energy, in which a pair of bluish-white spots can be seen (and which

are in the same general location as eyes would be on a human face). As for its enviro-

suit body, that is actually a sophisticated robotic endoskeleton to which a containment

chamber has been mounted. Phantos controls the robotic suit by means of a neural

induction interface system built into the helmet, and the entire system is protected

by an armored shell which has been designed to look like the officer's uniform of the

1st SL.

 

Powers: As an energy being, Phantos has a number of powers, among them the ability

to survive in any environment without the need for bulky life-support gear, the power

to communicate telepathically with any form of life at will, and the ability to traverse

interstellar distances without the need of a spacecraft. But its most dangerous ability

is the one that makes Phantos particularly well-suited for the task of intelligence gath-

ering: the ability to enter the body of another living being and to take control of it.

During the period when Phantos is posessing the body of a subject, his or her mind is

kept in a state not unlike sleep, and is therefore unaware of his or her actions during

the time of posession. Once inside the mind of a subject, Phantos uses its telepathic

powers to search its subject's mind for sensitive information (or where such inform-

ation can be found, and how to get a hold of it). Upon learning where such inform-

ation is kept, Phantos essentially masquerades as its subject in order to physically

gather all of the intelligence that it has learned of; once it has the collected data, it

returns to the location where its robotic suit is concealed and places the purloined

information within a storage compartment in the suit itself. Phantos then returns its

subject to his or her home, where it leaves the mind and body of the subject, with-

out leaving a trace of any kind.

 

Paraphenalia: Phantos has access to what the majority of Lord Dark Matter's minions

believe to be an "enviro-suit" (a survival suit which creates environmental conditions

identical to the wearer's native world inside of it, while allowing him or her to function

in different and hostile environmental conditions), but which is actually a sophisticated

robotic body, upon which a containment chamber has been mounted where the head

would be on a living being. The body is capable of the full range of bodily motion, and

is controlled by means of a neural induction interface field installed within the contain-

ment chamber, enabling Phantos to move the body as if it were a living thing and not

a machine.

 

The "enviro-suit" stands over seven feet tall, and is armored in order to protect the

internal systems from combat damage. It is also equipped with neural disruptors (of

the same type used by Nightveil) that are concealed within the 'gauntlets', allowing

a surprise attack should it become necessary. The servomechanisms within the body

allow Phantos to bring considerable physical strength to bear upon an opponent in

combat, if said combat is unavoidable.

 

Personality: None whatsoever. Phantos has no emotions of any kind, and is a coldly

dispassionate being as a result. It approaches every situation in a relentlessly logical

fashion, with the end goal of resolving any problem as efficiently as possible.

 

 

Phantos' character pic is on page 366 of the DCU Character creator thread.

 

 

 

Next: The Messengers of Lord Dark Matter.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[John Desmarais]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

should the centurions already be special before they don the mantle?

 

or can they just be regular normal dudes who just happen to have

the right mind-set to become a Cosmic Centurion ?

 

To kind of follow the Green (Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Violet, Indigo, Puce, Mauve, Taupe, Cyan, Magenta) Lantern-ish idea, all of the people chosen to wield a ring have a (non-super) ability.

 

As an example, the people chosen for Green posses the ability to overcome great fear. It's a minor thing (in game terms) but a great weeding out trait.

[DusterBoy]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

What tests does the Selection for Red (and related colours) entail? It would be useful background for my Plum Centurion.

[The Arc]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

To kind of follow the Green (Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Violet, Indigo, Puce, Mauve, Taupe, Cyan, Magenta) Lantern-ish idea, all of the people chosen to wield a ring have a (non-super) ability.

 

As an example, the people chosen for Green posses the ability to overcome great fear. It's a minor thing (in game terms) but a great weeding out trait.

 

I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain.

[Egyptoid]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Wow' date=' I love the angle that Egyptoid is running, great source material too =D[/quote']

I have had much help. Thanks.

 

I'm liking this Centurion stuff I think that its story (the Nth & Shadow) should be the over-arching threat that

will face down the whole USA-5O....or am I crazy.

 

 

Welcome Page (WIP)

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

To kind of follow the Green (Red, Yellow, Orange, Blue, Violet, Indigo, Puce, Mauve, Taupe, Cyan, Magenta) Lantern-ish idea, all of the people chosen to wield a ring have a (non-super) ability.

 

As an example, the people chosen for Green posses the ability to overcome great fear. It's a minor thing (in game terms) but a great weeding out trait.

 

What tests does the Selection for Red (and related colours) entail? It would be useful background for my Plum Centurion.

I think John was talking about the Green Lanterns' date=' not the Green Centurions. The Cosmic Aspects Page gives information on what the various Cosmic Centurions would be like.

 

Personally I think that the "special ability" each Centurion has should be an individual thing, relevant to the Cosmic Aspect. For example, I've been pondering a backstory for the Golden Centurion that involves an innate understanding of energy conversion.

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Enemies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

The 1st Shadow Legion (continued)

 

 

And now, on to the next of those individuals who are in service to Lord Dark Matter:

 

The Messenger of Lord Dark Matter

(Dark Herald of the Shadows, Emissary of Nameless Terror)

 

Given the importance of the operations of the 1st Shadow Legion to the long-term

goals of Lord Dark Matter, and given that unwanted interference with even the least

important of these operations has the possibility of setting those goals back - maybe

for years - means that even the most secure communications network cannot be used

to transmit operational commands from Lord Dark Matter's headquarters to his agents

in the field, for fear that the network has been infiltrated by the enemy. Fortunately

for the 1st SL and the Nth LoI, Lord Dark Matter has an alternative - and very reli-

able - means of sending his orders to those tasked with carrying them out, without

having to worry about their being intercepted by the Cosmic Centurions or another

enemy.

 

For some time now, intelligence agents of the free worlds have - on numerous occas-

ions - reported the presence of a strange-looking individual at locations believed to be

field headquarters for units of Lord Dark Matter's army. The description of this indi-

vidual has remained constant from event to event: the upper half of a humanoid

being, gender unknown, wearing a dark and hooded tunic - with the only visible

facial features being a pair of glowing red eyes - and floating in midair without any

visible means of support.

 

On one occasion, an agent of one of the free worlds' intelligence agencies got the

opportunity to get a close-up look at the stranger; unfortunately, the agent was

discovered and captured by Nth Legionnaires, and brought before the stranger. No

one except for the LoI forces present on the scene knows what was said or by

whom; what is known is that, within a few seconds of being brought into the pre-

sensce of the stranger, the agent began screaming in mindless terror, doing so for

several minutes before falling to the ground - dead.

 

It is believed by the intelligence agencies of the free worlds that the bizarre-looking

stranger is a high-level courier for Lord Dark Matter, delivering orders in person to

the unit commanders of the Nth Legion from the tyrant himself; orders that are too

important to entrust to standard communications systems.

 

Description: The being known only as the Messenger of Lord Dark Matter to those of

the free worlds' intelligence agencies is, by any standard, a bizzare individual indeed.

Whenever it has appeared, it has always done so in the same form: that of a human-

oid being (but only from the waist up; it has no lower body) wearing a black, purple-

trimmed tunic with a hood, with the only visible facial features being a pair of glowing

red eyes. The Messenger is apparently able to move by means of levitation; a useful

ability indeed since it has no legs. It is not known what the Messenger's voice sounds

like, as those from the free worlds who have been in the Messenger's presence have

not survived to tell the tale.

 

Powers: Aside from its power of self-levitation, little is known of the Messenger's powers,

but it is believed to be somehow able to kill a victim by inducing fear in him or her. It is

also believed to be able to transport itself across interstellar distances by some as-yet

unknown method, as no ships have ever been detected either coming to or leaving a

world where the Messenger has appeared.

 

There have also been reports which have told of the Messenger's destruction by one

cause or another, only for it to return at some later point in time. There are two diff-

erent theories regarding this last ability, the first being that the Messenger has the

power to resurrect itself upon its destruction after a certain point in time. The second

theory is even more frightening: that there may be, in fact, more than one Messenger;

indeed, perhaps an entire army of them just awaiting the moment to serve their master.

 

Personality: Unknown at the present time.

 

Note: To ensure that the 1st SL has the most secure communications possible, Lord

Dark Matter has permanently assigned a Messenger to Nightveil's command.

 

EDIT: Ooops. I forgot to mention that the Messenger was The Arc's creation; I was

simply given the opportunity to give my creative juices free rein. The Messenger's

pic can be found on the DCU Character creator thread, on page 366.

 

 

Major Tom 2009

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

I have had much help. Thanks.

 

I'm liking this Centurion stuff I think that its story (the Nth & Shadow) should be the over-arching threat that

will face down the whole USA-5O....or am I crazy.

 

 

Welcome Page (WIP)

 

 

I don't think that anything that lets a GM set up a situation in which his players have the opportunity to engage in some epic ownage of the bad guys is crazy at all...

 

 

Major Tom 2009

"I'm doing my part!" - from a recruitimercial in the film Starship Troopers.

[Major Tom 2009]

Re: Cosmic Centurions

 

Enemies of the Cosmic Centurions

 

Now that that's out of the way, there's just one more thing to get done, with regards

to the background of the 1st Shadow Legion.

 

I had mentioned in the initial background post that, in addition to Councilor Nightveil

and Senior Tribune Phantos, there were five junior Tribunes, each of whom commanded

one of the Legion's Cohorts, and that each Cohort had a particular specialty.

 

Now, what I want to do at this time is to extend an invitation to anyone who's been

following the Shadow Legion part of the CC thread, and who would like to take a shot

at it, to contribute your ideas for the five SL Tribunes (names, titles, what they look

like, what their skills and/or powers are, etc.); given what I've seen of the artistic

and creative talents that several of those on the boards have, I have no doubts

that any ideas that get posted here will be good ones.

 

EDIT: I've decided to make a slight change here, and limit the character ideas to the

Tribunes of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Cohorts. The Tribune of the 5th Cohort will be

mentioned in the post about the Darkhunters.

 

 

Major Tom 2009