Create a Villain Theme Team!

[Sundog]

OK, let's try The Gem Concord.

 

Four people linked by an origin and a weakness.

 

A mad scientist, a hidden lab. Four kidnapped victims, given strange powers in an insane experiment. But they have to consume gemstones regularly in order to stay alive. Who are they, and how do they work together (or fail to) to gain the expensive baubles they must have?

[Quackhell]

Diamond Dog

 

Lester Buchanan was infused with canine DNA and then bombarded with some strange rays filtered through a diamond prism. The result was that he has the ability to transform into a large powerful hound with diamond hard skin, claws and fangs. When he is not in his transformed state he is the most meek member of the team merely going along with their plans and feeding on diamonds to ease his pain.  He is desperate to find a cure for his condition. In his Diamond Dog state he is savage and barely under control and used for frontline assault by the team.

[steriaca]

Crystal Jones was injected with butterfly DNA and emerald filtered beams. She grew attenas and butterfly wings and became the Emerald Butterfly . She can fly and spit green silk as hard as, well, emerald gem stones which she eats.

 

Sometimes she longs for a cure. Other times, she ponders how much longer till her mind starts becoming like that of a butterfly.

[death tribble]

Riot Ruby

 

Susan Crail was bombarded by odd cosmic rays. Now she becomes a 8 foot tall insanely fast red berserker. She needs rubies otherwise she undergoes what can only be described as drug withdrawal. As with Lester she wants a cure as she is terrified that she will kill people and then the heroes and Law Enforcement Personnel will kill her.

[JackValhalla]

Bartholomew Bark was inundated with gem-filtered energy and caustic chemical infusions, drug cocktails and sleep deprivation by the scientist that created the Gem Concord inadvertently. Before being kidnapped and systematically tortured, Bartholomew was a spoiled suburb brat and budding delinquent. When his powers are active he is sheathed in a field that negates light, creating a dark aura that hugs his body. He likes to play up this darkness angle for edgelord reasons, but it does not actually factor into the rest of his powers. For those same edgelord reasons, he chose for himself the codename Jet Nasty. He is a combination mentalist / speedster, with a shockingly-fast sprint speed that keeps him well out of the reach of most enemies. His mental powers are nullification, he can shut off specific portions of someone's brain, such as vision, balance, executive function or motor control. Unlike the others, he does not need a specific type of gem to eat, but he does need to consume faceted gemstones on a regular basis. More than the others, Jet is liable to take on jobs on his own, so enchanted with super-crime and robbery that he will attempt heists that the rest of the team has turned down. Not coincidentally, he often needs to be bailed out of bad situations by his teammates.

[death tribble]

That is 4 so Jack you are up

[JackValhalla]

The superhero Budgerigar has had a long career going back decades, and is known for three things: his endless quips that frustrate his enemies, his incredibly bad luck, and his refusal to stop heroics despite his ill fortune. He used to be known for his extensive winning streak, even against multiple enemies. That came to an end after his battle against the mad scientist Dr Shrinkblot and his henchpersons; though Budgerigar won that battle it is known to be one of the last times he got the better of his foes.

 

The reason for that is The Mite Have Beens, the henchpersons of Dr Shrinkblot that were thought to be lost forever when hit by an experimental shrinking ray. Now too small to be seen, and too small to communicate with anyone, they live on the hero's costume and feathers and cause him as much trouble as they can. They blame the feathered crimefighter for their plight, and have pledged their lives to screwing him over as much as possible. What the rest of the world believes to be Budgerigar's chronic bad luck is actually the work of the MHB creating trouble for him any way they can. The team is four members, too tiny to live any other life than this.

[steriaca]

Zarkon is a green skinned three eyed mysterious being who is of an unknowable origin. He robbed a few hiteck laboratories before being stopped by the hero. He agreed to the plan and now enjoys bugging the hero.

 

Zarkon, when he was huge, can shoot energy blasts from his third eye, and can also create tractor/repulse beams.

 

Spoiler

Zarkon is an actual alien, originally trying to steal technically for him to get home. After screwing with the hero to his death, he plans to go back to normal size and go home.

 

The doctor promised to help Zarkon get home, but can he be trusted? It IS the only reason he would admit to joining this endive. (He does actually enjoy causing "butterfinger" moments for the pore hero, but he will never say so to the others.)

 

[Opal]

Ki Lyme was a petite, green-clad martial artist with the ability to cause mildly debilitating illness in her opponents (or any one she touched). 

 

In her new diminutive size her martial arts are useless (except when other 'Mites' get too annoying), but her host is more or less continually victimized by her mysterious disease-like power, which proved difficult to diagnose, or even confirm that the symptoms are real.

[death tribble]

Mighty Moon

 

The brick of the group he was used to carrying out the loot that the Dr wanted or whatever equipment he needed carried around. His actual name is Thomas Moon which is where Mighty Moon comes from as it was his nickname growing up due to his strength. Now small he sulks most of the time except then the hero tries to fight crime. It is at these times that that Thomas will sabotage something on the costume  that causes the hero bad luck. Thomas has found that shrinking means he does not need to eat, drink or even sleep although he can. 

[Sundog]

Sally Forth

 

Sally Fortesque was an inventor and medieval reenactor. She'd made a suit of jousting armor with a mechanical horse and a lance that spat lightning bolts at her foes, and she'd teamed up with Dr Shrinkblot in order to pick his brains on possible improvements.

 

Sally is VERY unhappy that she can't see her friends or participate in faires anymore. She spends most of her time trying to build a counter-shrink ray using any metal or electronic parts that happen to fall on Budgerigar, and has cannibalized her suit for the parts and tools. But she kept the lance, and she's very creative about when and where to give the hero a nasty shock.

 

New team: The Minions of MAX

 

Back in 1990, Mechanon built an analysis computer to help him plan the extinction of humanity. The Matrix Analyzer (Experimental) or MAX unit was designed to be able to understand human culture and historical trends, a task Mechanon felt was beneath him.

 

However, as is often the case, Mechanon wrought better then he had intended. MAX attained full sentience a year after construction, and decided that Mechanon's goal was inferior. Why destroy when you can conquer? Use all that cultural and creative energy to build a perfect, orderly society, then expand that society, bring order, eventually, to the whole universe? (MAX likes order,)

 

MAX recognized that the biggest threat to this was Mechanon himself, so he did three things. First, he had his physical form shifted to a new and secret location in the Andes. Second, he slipped a bit of code into the basic programming of all of Mechanon's constructs which both made them ignore MAX's existence should hey ever find him, and let him see all the datafeeds that went to Mechanon, so MAX could know what the genocidal robot was doing at all times. (Mechanon could delete this code any time he wished, but he'd have to know it was there - and since, by definition, his coding is perfect, he never bothers reviewing it.)

 

Finally, MAX selected six operatives to be his hands in the "great work." All were cyborgs or robots taken by Mechanon for analysis, study and disposal. MAX was able to make them immune to Mechanon's cybernetic control, an ability MAX ironically cannot give himself.

 

Who are these six Minions of MAX? Do they have lives they wish to go back to, or are they happy being part of the "great work"? What powers do they bring?

[death tribble]

Glorious Fembot of the Revolution

 

This slinky sexy robot was built by a forgotten Chinese scientist. There is some doubt about whether it was upgraded before it actually saw service in the 90s. It, or she, is virtually indistinguishable from a human being unless you get into the innards. And this is why opinions are divided about the construction or upgrade of this being. There are those in the Chinese government who deny this is a robot and is a human being. Others say it was turned in a robot by magic. She is sentient enough to play up to this and she can make people believe she is sincere about 'wanting to b returned to a normal life'.

She is the ultimate covert infiltrator for the team especially when MAX needs someone who can pass for human. Also she has a devoted fanbase among certain elements of the nerd community who know she is a bot but can do anything that a fantasy woman can. She can and will play upto this as her loyalty is to MAX and her own survival.

Her programming allows her to play a variety of different feminist ideologies but also other female mindsets. She can understand all human languages but can effectively fake being ignorant of anything but Chinese. And again she can do all sorts of computer programming and security work but can fake being ignorant of the same as well depending on whether she has been unmasked or needs to be concealed. She can also act as a 'hostage' to one of the other minions if they need to convince opponents that they are dangerous. This can include being 'killed' by them.

She hates Mechanon and will flee if  it turns up. How she came into Mechanon's hands is unknown. And she is not telling.

[steriaca]

Yoko Hitoko was a struggling young idol singer in Japan. Mechanon chooses her as the test bed for "Project Seppuku", and staged an accident while she was traveling. Cyberising her in such a way that it wasn't obvious, she was given an electronic voice box which is able to give two irresistible commands to organic life forms; listen to my songs whenever and however you can, and kill yourself. And that Mechanon could control both effects at his whims. The plan was to make Yoko the top pop star of the world, then trigger the suicide effect at the point of a future big worldwide broadcast concert. 

 

MAX of course found out about it after phase point five (Yoko was already cyberized and was being pushed as the next big thing), and staged another accident. Under medical pretext MAX modified the electronic voice box and Mechanon's control over her. She retired from the idol singer life and became the mysterious masked sonic user Crowcry, under the control of MAX.

 

This wouldn't stop Mechanon from trying again. He just hasn't found the perfect voice to alter with another electronic voice box yet.

 

[death tribble]

Robosoldier

 

This robot was created as part of a project to create a humanoid cyborg or robot infiltrator soldier. But unlike other projects which run overbudget there was just not enough money in the project to begin with. The compromises made meant that the human looking skin to hide the robot was abandoned and what you are left with is a metallic humanoid shell which can have a variety of weapons fitted. The right hand is a blast cannon in standard configuration. It is able to use the left hand normally. There are other configurations which add a hand to the right arm letting it use most weapons.

Mechanon found it by accident when he raided the laboratory that it was in and took it as a prize. He was working on it as a foot soldier for mass produced infantry type when MAX went 'rogue'. As it had never appeared in any of the robot's schemes, the super powered community remained blissfully ignorant of it. Not so its creators who want it back. 

[Quackhell]

Bolt Crunchmaster

 

A robot designed by Black Harliquinn for a human sized superhero action figure that was never unleashed upon the public. Mechanon raided an old workshop of Harliquinn and took what tech it wanted including this unit. Finding it unworthy of use it was slated for disposal before being salvaged by MAX. It has very basic programming and combat routines and has no memory other than serving MAX and the cause. The robot's plastic looking body is a super hard polymer alloy that can take a lot of damage. It also has great strength, can fly with a built in jet pack unit, and sports energy blasters in it's gauntlets. It has a subroutine in it's programming that only allows it to speak in corny superhero catchphrases like "Like a Bolt from the blue I strike down evil" and "Don't worry citizen it is time to Crunch some crime!"

[death tribble]

Robospider

 

One of the most feared robots ever invented is the Robospider because it worked on both Technophobia and Arachnophobia. Mechanon captured it as he wanted to work out how he could apply the fear across the range of robots. However something so primal as Arachnophobia could not be duplicated although Mechanon could deploy Robospider in action. One of the things that really unnerves people is that this robot can appear as a spider as small as a human hand and as large as a car. It does not speak and often just sits there while the others say things or send data before it moves to do its work. Of all the robots it is the one that people most want to destroy. It seems to be aware of that so may switch to small size to scuttle away. It has been repaired although how MAX does this is unknown at present.

[steriaca]

The last member of the Agents of M.A.X. is Virtual 1.86. Virtual 1.86 was developed by M.A.X. to be his cyberspace agent. It has no gender, no physical form. Only a form which lives in cyberspace and is not only M.A.X.'s agent in cyberspace, but also it's cyberspace bodyguard. No secret inside computers are safe from it. While Mechanon can easily destroy Virtual 1.86, Mechanon can not actually track Virtual 1.86. Forcently Mechanon is focused on the solid world, else he would program an agent of his own.

[steriaca]

New group: The Terrible Nine.

In another universe, a group of nine owl hoots, outlaws, black hat gunslingers and such has formed to take control of Champion City and to destroy there protectors The Champions (of the Old West).

 

That's right folks. A low level supervillain group in the wierd superhero west.

[Quackhell]

Bloody Star

 

U.S. Marshall Dale Booth doggedly pursued outlaw Jesse Cutter into the desert wastes, but when he rode back into civilization he was changed. His first horrible act was to slaughter the entire population of the small town of Snake Hill. Tales were told that he now only travels at night, can draw his gun faster than any human, dodges bullets and drinks the blood of his victims after slitting their throat with a straight razor. He still wears his Marshall star now permanently stained with blood. The other members of the Nine give him a wide bearth but can't deny his deadly skills.

 

 

[steriaca]

The Grey Man

 

Taton was an alien criminal who escaped custody and crashed near Death Valley. Grey skinned and adapting quickly, the locals call him The Grey Man. He uses guns and knives and is an excellent shot. Bloody Star has taisted his blood and found it yucky.

 

The Grey Man has technology skills, but has a hard time using them because of the planet's primitive technology.  But he CAN sometimes create something advance. (Less VVP, more GM Fiate.)

[death tribble]

With no apologies to Mark Twain.....

 

Indian Mike

He's polite even when he is killing you. Dressed in buckskin, a headband to keep his hair out of his eyes and what can be best described as moccasin boots he also has a bright smile as if advertising a toothpaste product. Although he can use a spear or bow and arrow, he tends to use guns, tomahawks and what amounts to a Bowie knife. He is an excellent tracker and understands English, French and Spanish but will not explain how he knows them. He can scalp people but he only does it to aggravate people rather than to take a trophy. He is also a lady-killer in all meanings of the phrase.

[death tribble]

Sgt Blue

 

This renegade member of the cavalry is capable of duplication so that he can appear as a number of cavalrymen who all appear as different people. He also has the extraordinary ability to duplicate horses as well but he must be mounted as well when he does this. He prefers to use a rifle but can mix it up close and personal as well. He is a fair master of military strategy. It is thought that he can also create illusions of more people but this is wholly dependent on the number f duplicates he creates. The more duplicates, the more people in the illusion.

He is not keen on The Grey Man, Bloody Star or Indian Mike but he has seen worse.

[Quackhell]

30 Ghosts

 

Fang Lui is the sole survivor of the Hell's Canyon Massacre which saw thirty Chinese miners gunned down by a gang of outlaws. The gang escaped justice purely because of racism. This caused the vengeful spirits of the thirty slain miners to possess Lui and he proceeded to hunt down and brutally murder the outlaws. Now a wanted man he fell in with the Nine purely to survuve. When not dominated by the ghosts Lui is himself a peaceful man who does not wish to live a life of violence and crime, but the spirits overwhelm him and the Nine is able to channel thier collective hate towards the Champions. Lui has supernatural strength and is virtually indestructible when controlled by the ghosts, but he does have a weakness to gold which was the very substance that led to the deaths of the miners in the past.

[Sundog]

The Bull

 

Millions of Buffalo have been slain, most left to rot where they fell. The gods of the plains were offended beyond measure - there was no balance to this, no fulfilment of need, just greed and politics.

There was a single bull buffalo. His herd was dead - he was the last, wasting his days in mourning and aimless drifting. The gods chose him as the instrument of vengeance.

They granted him sapience, intelligence, language, and a humanoid frame. And they stoked his rage.

The Bull does not blame everyone. He is smart enough to understand where the blame lies. So he has allied with the Terrible Nine, to bring his Gatling Gun (modified to be a PISTOL) and immense strength to crush Champion City and begin the drive of the settlers from the land. 

The Bull is huge, fifteen feet tall at the shoulder, and wears nothing but a harness to carry his weapons. He is quite capable of smashing a stagecoach with a single blow, and has survived a cannonball hit (though he took a month to recover). He gets along best with 30 Ghosts (recognizing their fellow desire for revenge) and dislikes the authority symbols of Bloody Star and Sgt Blue, but recognizes their purposes work with his own.

[death tribble]

Rustler Bob

 

The head of these evil hombres is Rustler Bob and he is the the most normal of the group. He is not a duplicator or a giant buffalo or a ghost or whatever The Grey Man or whatever Bloody Star is. He is smart or cunning depending on your viewpoint. He is not the quickest gun of the group but he has a bit of luck. He knows however not to push his luck and somehow has managed to keep the group in line and together although even he would be pushed to say why and how. Unlike Sgt Blue he has no problem with any member of the group because of their ethnicity or strangeness. He does give Bloody Star free rein to sate his blood lust but he keeps him away from the group. This does not mean that he will put Bloody Star into an ambush unless it suits the group's needs and he has always told Star what he is doing when this occurs and why. The sight of someone who should have died after all that gunfire rising from the ground and then attacking is worth the risk.