Create a Hero Theme Team!

[Cygnia]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

And two sets of eco-terrorists. And sports themes. And...

 

He calls himself Weaver and is the leader of the Time Rangers. He says little about where -- or when -- he's from, but he unerringly can steer the rest of the team as to where and when they're needed most as he scans the myriad of timelines out there.

 

 

Unbeknownst to the rest of the team and even Project Hourglass, the reason why Weaver refuses to reveal much about himself is that he knows he's a dangerous chronal anomaly. He just doesn't know how. What he IS certain of is that somehow he's connected to both Timekeeper of the Guardians of History and

The Historian of the Time Masters -- and that if all three of them were to come into contact with each other at the same time and place, that would be a VERY BAD THING indeed.

 

[SKJAM!]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Tyrant King is an intelligent Tyrannosaurus Rex from a timeline where dinosaurs never went entirely extinct. He doesn't much miss that timeline, however, as he was the only intelligent T-Rex there; he was artificially enhanced by reptiloid scientists to become a sentient war machine for their military. However, with his heightened intelligence, Tyrant King developed a rudimentary ethical sense, and realized his masters were unethical. When the Time Rangers happened by, TK was able to communicate that he wanted to leave, and despite a few members' qualms, they took him along.

 

Despite his name, Tyrant King is a gentle soul with a strong ethical code. Just don't get in his way if he's decided you're past redemption, or if you're attacking without provocation. With his quick mind, TK is far better at tactics than the average dinosaur.

[Hermit]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Marshall -Andrew Mashall, that is, though he had played the part of sheriff every now and then. More often he was a gun slinger for hire who, if you asked what side of the Civil War he was on during his life time before he went west, just gave you a sour look and muttered that he'd worn a lot of coats. Now Marshall works for the rangers, the Time Rangers that is. He never claimed to be much for book learning, but he knows his bible, six languages, and has been through enough battles to warn folks when the strategy chosen is a bad one "Last time I was in a situation like this... I got shot in my @$$ and ended up took prisoner. Gonna be a bad day, I reckon." and so on.

 

Even with a standard rifle or revolver, he's a deadly shot, but the Time Rangers have souped him up some fancy high tech guns what can just stun a man out cold, or put a hole through a bank safe. He's been known to disarm a man over thirty paces away even with a peacemaker, so these high tech guns just make him that much better. His duster can deflect all but the heaviest caliber of bullets and even dull energy beams, which has saved his hide plenty, you bet. Darn thing also acts as a glider... if he's lucky. Then again, Marshall's never claimed to be lucky. He's a natural rider, and been trained by a tribal blood brother on how to track and how to hide mostly because the same tribe was out to kill him before then "Man makes you a brother sounds mighty comforting...till you read up on your Cain and Abel."

 

Speaking of rides, he's got a sort of hover cycle they hand him, but most of the time lately, he gets atop ole Tyrant King's shoulders and has at "I'll shoot em high, you bite em low. Oh quit your belly aching. I don't want to lose any more horses is all."

 

Marshall tends to tip his hat to ladies respectful like, be they presidents from the future, or working girls at the local house of ill repute. His reluctance to fight a woman has gotten him pert near killed more than once. If asked to leave a teammate behind, he is likely to ignore the order, mutter "never agin, devil take it" and take his chances holding fast.

[Badger]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Her name has long since been lost to time, she goes by the name Melody because she remembered she used to like to sing.

 

Melody is a ghost. The ghost of a teenage French peasant girl who tragically fell victim to the Great Plague during the Middle Ages. For hundreds of years she was alone and confused until Weaver found her and gave her something to do with the Time Rangers. A ghost can come in handy in any group. And with the ability to not be seen if she chooses she makes for quite a valuable scout on missions. Along with the usual ghost powers, she also has the ability to communicate with the spirits that would not normally be responsive to the living. She is a bit timid, remembering all the people who were scared of her during all those lonely centuries. So, she tends to hang around mostly with Weaver and sometimes the Tyrant King (although the giant reptile freaked her out at first, once she realized that he was "different" than the others in the group. She seems to be fond of Marshall too because of him "tipping his hat" to her when they were introduced. But seems reluctant/afraid to talk much with him.

 

 

Edit: THe ghost like power she tends to use most apart from invisibility is telekinesis which she is especially talented in (even for a ghost). She is good at both fine manipulation with TK, along with the ability to move around relatively large objects.

 

And, if she "senses" someone is a ghostbuster or exorcists, she is especially frightened of them, and may try to seek protection from members of the team from them in some way.

[Hermit]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Konchuu - A century into a future that may or may not be the one we're heading for, Neo-Kyoto is owned, bought, and paid for by the Corporate Government Council. Spycams glide across the streets and watch you from your ento-screen at home. Children are chipped, analyzed, and assigned their life path. Those who do not bend to the system are broken...

well, except for a very lucky few who can avoid their merc death squads. Among them is Konchuu... her handle means 'Bug' or something like it, and the Corp-gov-council did everything it could to paint her as a terrorist, a saboteur (True), and an enemy of the people (not so true) while attempting to slay her. It is ironic that they MADE her. At first, she seemed harmless. They did not want her dead, merely to stop her dTT... (Data Stream Transmissions) which threatened to reveal their shadier dealings.. They made an example of the hacker by mutilating her. Rather than break her, she swore vengeance and redoubled her efforts, partially by replacing what was lost with state of the art cyborg parts. Her left arm , right eye, and both legs are now artificial, and allow her many abilities and an easier way to 'hack' many computer systems.

She became a legend in Neo-Kyoto, and uncovered something very big.

The Corp Gov Council only existed because someone had access to time travel. Copying the data and doing what she could to erase it in the files of her enemies, she soon caught the attention of the Time Rangers. She agreed to join them when offered a chance, and while she goes on many missions of all times, her top priority is finishing her war with the foes who mutilated her and enslaved her fellow Neo-Kyoto citizens. Konchuu realizes that success in her personal goal could mean she may never end up existing, but it is a chance she is willing to take.

 

(A little too cyberpunk, I know, but figured we might want to yank someone from the future as well )

[Enforcer84]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

His name is James Harold Wells. He goes by the name Anchor when he works with the team

 

James was born 12:01 AM, January 1st 1901 and as the first American born to the twentieth century, he has seemingly been blessed with temporal stability. Time-travel is easy for James he seems all but immune to anomalies and external control over his personal time stream. When he exerts his will he can anchor a moment in time to be immutable. It is these abilities that made him desirable as a member of the Time Rangers.

 

Anchor has always sought adventure. His physique and mental make up are peak human and he's studied several forms of combat. He adapts well to people he needs to work with and always seems to be on time.

 

GM's Note:

 

 

James is of course, not unique. There are other anchor's out there in the time stream. He has met a few and some of them were not at all pleasant to encounter. Others were...exhilarating.

 

 

[Nothere]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

As the Renault family fortune dwindled away, Alexandre Renault decided to become a highwayman to save the family estates. It was grand fun robbing people and stealing an occasional kiss from the ladies. One night he learned the lady he was interested in was returning by coach with a so called cursed necklace. Seeing the chance to steal the kiss he wanted most he rode out. Though apparently he should have believed in the curse. As he attempted to escape he was given a fatal wound. And as he lay in the dirt contemplating his death he was capapulted through time. Was it the necklace magic, some odd effect of the force that dragged him through time, or something else? Alexandre didn't know, but he arrived healed and changed. He was inhumanly strong, faster than ever, and could use any long object in his hand as though it was a sword. Getting himself a gun with rubber bullets, and a motorcycle he rode off into the night. No longer a higyman but the Highwayman. No longer to commite crimes, but to stop those who would comit them. And occasionaly steal a kiss.

[SKJAM!]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Call him a Nazi, he won't even frown; "nazi, schmatzi" says Werner von Braun

 

There was a time where, if a young German scientist wanted to get ahead in his field, he had to join the Nazi party. Such was the case with the man now known as Doktor Zeit. He didn't hesitate to join the Party when it was asked of him--it was the price of getting to do your research, everyone knew that, and only a few fools with silly moral qualms refused. Doktor Zeit (his real name is classified) was assigned to one of the work groups attempting to create a time machine for the German government.

 

Over a few years, after World War Two had started, the young scientist noticed a pattern. Bits and pieces of the prototype time machines would go missing or get smashed, notes would vanish or be burned, wires got crossed. Once in a while the Gestapo would accuse one of the project workers of sabotage and there would be an execution, but the small 'accidents' kept happening. Doktor Zeit came up with a hypothesis, and built a device to test it. Sure enough, his crude stasis generator was triggered that same night by a visitor to the laboratory.

 

He swiftly spotted the visitor's two shoulder patches, one an American flag with too many stars, and the other a stylized hourglass. Doktor Zeit asked the trespasser, "There isn't going to be a German time machine, is there?" Head shake. "If I came with you, would I be able to work on your time machine?" A long pause, then a nod. Doktor Zeit vanished that night, and that iteration of the Nazi time machine never got finished.

 

Don't call him hypocritical, just say that he's apolitical; "Once ze rockets are up, who cares where zey come down? Zat's not my department," says Werner von Braun.

 

Doktor Zeit was actually moved only a few years ahead, and dropped off towards the beginning of Project Hourglass. He's at least partially responsible for their time machine technology and other equipment. He's been skipped around a few times since then, which makes his age difficult to determine. Physically, he's 63. Zeit is primarily concerned with working in the Hourglass research laboratory, but is called into the field every so often to fix agents' broken equipment or to analyze unknown technology the Time Rangers have found.

 

The Doktor is almost comically amoral and cold-blooded, able to propose the most appalling suggestions with a straight face, although they are to be fair always logical options based on the situation at hand. He seems primarily interested in advancing his research at any cost, with perhaps preserving the lives of agents as a distant afterthought, and preserving the timeline not relevant at all.

 

 

And that's about right. Doktor Zeit only works for the Time Rangers because he's allowed to pursue his research. If he ever got a better offer (that is, less oversight and rules to follow), he'd be in the wind.

 

You too can be a big hero, if you learn to count backwards to zero; "In German und English, I know how to...count down, und I'm learning Chinese," says Werner von Braun.

 

 

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

The Fourth of July weekend, 2010. A real scorcher in the Big Apple, with record temperatures and no relief in sight. Con-man Justin Nicholson had just gotten thrown out of a nice air-conditioned restaurant and was ducking down an alleyway looking for a back way in when he heard the weirdest noise he'd ever heard, like a cross between a hundred bumblebees and a bedsheet being ripped in half. Not a fool or a hero, Justin didn't go running toward the noise, but he did sneak further in to see what was going on.

 

Peeking from behind a dumpster, he saw what looked like a door-sized hole in the brick wall, but beyond it was definately not the inside of the building. In fact, it looked like an old-west scene, with clapboard buildings on either side of a dirt street. A man stumbled through the hole, holding his gut, and then the hole closed behind him. The man staggered a few steps and then fell in a heap into the trash bags and boxes, and Justin rushed forward to see what was wrong.

 

The man was gut-shot, bleeding profusely and in obvious pain. "Hold on, pal," said Justin. "I'll get an ambulance..."

 

"No! No time!" The man handed Justin a small vial containing what looked like blood, and a cell phone. "Must... get the sample... to 2110..."

 

"2110 what? Is that an address or something?" But it was too late. The stranger gave a gurgling noise, then fell silent. Justin checked for a pulse, but there wasn't one.

 

"Aw, crap," he muttered, then started searching though the guy's pockets. He was dressed strangely, like an extra in an Old West movie, and Justin didn't find a wallet. He did find a few gold coins (which he pocketed) and a rectangular leather-bound case containing a pair of wire-rimmed glasses (looked nice, so he pocketed that as well). The guy also had a weird-looking wristwatch, and Justin was about to remove it when an alarm on it started to beep, starting slowly but picking up speed. Justin backed away swiftly, and there was a flash of light. When the spots cleared from Justin's eyes, the trash and boxes were burning, and the body had been reduced to ash.

 

Justin turned and was about to run when the sound of buzzing bees and ripping cloth heralded another hole in the wall. Backpedaling, he fell on his rear as a man stepped out. The man smiled and held out his hand. "Ah, Dr. Hoover, I presume!" Justin took the proffered hand and the man pulled him effortlessly to his feet. "You may call me Weaver. I have read of your exploits through history and wanted to recruit you to the Time Rangers."

 

"The... Time Rangers?" Sounds like a bad 80s garage band, thought the confused Justin.

 

"Yes," said Weaver. "Part of Project Hourglass, which I believe is the precursor to your own timeline's Chronal Observation Directorate. I have been following your exploits with interest and noticed that you don't appear to share your Directorate's "hands-off" policy on time displacement. I was particularly impressed with the way you handled that Revolutionary War incident. Anyway, I thought your side trip to this timepoint would be an opportune moment to, perhaps, talk you into joining us and taking a more direct hand in repairing time disruptions."

 

"Um... sure, why not?" Justin shrugged and smiled. Obviously the burned-to-ash guy was the Dr. Hoover this Weaver guy was looking for, and Justin was afraid what Weaver would do if he thought Justin was in some way responsible for Hoover's death. Best to play along and see where things lead. "Anything to get out of this heat."

 

Weaver laughed. "I had heard you had a dry sense of humor, Dr. Hoover. Or may I call you Ian?" Justin nodded. "Well, I'm guessing you first want to get that blood sample to the CDC in July of 2110 so they can synthesize a vaccine against that plague. It's a pity that the climate effects don't get repaired until fifty years beyond that." He pulled out a device that looked similar to the cell phone-like device the real Dr. Hoover had handed Justin. "Do you wish to do the honors, or should I?"

 

"You probably should," Justin said. Weaver punched a few buttons, and another doorway appeared, this time to a futuristic-looking city. Even through the doorway, Justin could feel the oppressive heat on the other side.

 

- - - - - - -

 

For the past several months of self-time, Justin has been playing the part of Dr. Hoover (or Doctor Hoo, as he's asked the others to call him). Through careful conversational skills and a little experimentation, he has figured out how to use the Time Portal generator to safely travel through time, as well as create mini-portals to intercept and redirect attacks. He has used Weaver's library to learn enough history to pass as the time-travelling doctor, who was thankfully a historian rather than a medical doctor. (Justin knew he'd be screwed if he had to act like a real doctor.) To date, none of the other Time Rangers have figured out he isn't the real Dr. Hoover, and to tell the truth Justin is having too much fun to let this gig go.

[Hermit]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

(I think this will make 10, so 2 more after this)

 

Avery Parks- Back in his time, Avery was one of the few black men to join the NYPD, and he had to fight every inch of the way against discrimination to do it. He was assigned to the Harlem precinct, and found himself vilified on all sides as a 'Tom' by some, and as being too soft 'on his own kind' by others. While he tried to work his way up the ladder of promotion, he found his lack of desire to play politics and 'kiss brass' an even bigger obstacle than his skin color. By 1970, he'd had it with compromising his principals, and went solo as a private investigator. When one of NYCs few openly black superheroes was framed for a crime he did not commit, Avery Parks took the case because no one else seemed to want to. He found evidence of the frame job, but not before he was left to die in a chemical dump. It should have killed him, but instead Avery gained some powers of his own. His skin became super hard, bullet proof even. He now had the strength of twenty men. Figuring another superhero of color might be a good role model, he tried his hand at it as 'Black Shield' (He didn't want the white papers covering up details of his race and figured a name like that would make it hard to do so) but he was sold out by a lady reporter who loved a chance at a big story more than she loved her man.

 

Black Shield was just 'Avery Parks' again and the world knew it, including some men who owed him a world of pain for putting them in jail and busting up their plans. They nearly drowned him, and then?

 

He vanished while in the water. The mobsters assumed they got him, but didn't get to enjoy it as a week later a GROUP of superheroes busted them with all the evidence they needed from a mysterious source.

 

The truth of the matter was that Avery had already encountered the Time Rangers once, and figured them out through good old fashioned observation and deduction (plus a bit of criminal science). Realizing family and friends would be endangered now that his secret ID was out, he contacted them again and asked for help in faking his death. Now, he's a member of the Time Rangers, and his detective skills have come to be more valued than his powers. He's learned to respect many on the team, even the cowboy. He's got a problem with the Nazi mind you, and his gut tells him Weaver is up to something on his own, but darned if he can figure out what...yet. Dr. Hoo seems a bit stand offish to him and Parks wonders if the historian might have some prejudices.

 

 

Unbeknownst to Avery, his mother (Georgia Parks) faked her death too, but for different reasons. In 1979, she encountered Dr. Whatever who gave her a second shot at being young again in an attempt to seduce her, and it worked! While Georgia (Now calling her self Georgina Reeves) enjoyed her second chance (And did quite well for herself despite partying harder than she ever had before) and is now living comfortably as a second tier TV actress, if Avery found out, he'd probably have to find Dr. Whatever, thank him, then punch him in the mouth

 

Dr. Hoo has fooled even Avery, and is wise enough to avoid drawing too much attention himself by the team's resident detective. If Hoo's secret ever comes out, it will be hard to say who will be more embarrassed by it... Weaver, or Parks. Sure, others have secret Agendas too, but being PLAYED by a no account grifter?

 

 

 

And yes, I totally ripped off the names of the actors who played 'A man called Hawk' and 'Shaft' respectively, and threw some Luke Cage in there...

sue me.

 

[Cygnia]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Selena D379 (In the year 2112, there were no last names) was despondent. She had already suffered the suicide of her lover John. John, once so idealistic, thought he could shake up the hold the technopriests had on culture. He was willing to work with the system! Just give the people a choice -- what harm could music do? And they broke him and the relic he had discovered for it. Yet before he played for the priests, John had sent out a signal and played for the stars. Played for the hope that the elder race would return and tear down the iron grip of the priests in case he failed.

 

No response.

 

Dragging himself back to their residence, John slit his wrists soon after.

 

And then the elder race returned. Selena wept, grief for her lost lover mixed with the hope that John's dream would be realized at least. That he had in part set their people free. The order of the technopriests was shattered; their temples torn down to rubble. However, there was no freedom, one fascism replaced another as the elder race crushed its wayward colony back into the fold.

 

One lost scientist had given the whimsical name of the battered vortex manipulation collider "Rocinante". Selena didn't know what it meant. Either it was a way to escape this hell or she'd be torn asunder by the void. If it was the latter, at least she might be reunited with John...

 

*****

 

Her eyes snapped open. Weaver and Avery (though she didn't know them at the time) were standing over her bedside in concern. Finally realizing that this wasn't a trick by forces of the elder race, she soon told her story. The trip through the vortex had changed her, allowing her to "shunt" herself or another person 10 seconds forward or back. It's handy for defense or disorienting an opponent. Selena (now calling herself Rocinante even after finding out the reference) and the Time Rangers soon realized that she was from an alternate time line. While she keeps assuring herself that the elder race or the technopriests have yet to rise in this history, Selena is paranoid about her "future" coming to pass again, especially when she sees examples of people more than willing to twist religion with hate now. And she still wonders if John could exist in this history as well.

[Logan D. Hurricanes]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

I'm loving this team, but it's so long I got lost. I'll summarize, then add the final member:

 

Name: The Time Rangers

Members: 12

Theme: Heroes brought together from different eras to battle time travelling criminals. Members are part of the U.S. Government's Project Hourglass.

 

 

1. Weaver, Leader
   
2. Tyrant King, An intelligent Tyrannosaurus Rex
   
3. Marshall, Andrew Mashall, Civil War era gunfighter
   
4. Melody, The ghost of a French peasant girl from the Middle Ages.
   
5. Konchuu, From Neo-Kyoto, a dystopian cyber-punk future
   
6. Anchor, James Harold Wells, The first American born to the 20th century
   
7. The Highwayman, Alexandre Renault, Romantic French Highwayman
   
8. Doktor Zeit, WWII era Nazi Scientist
   
9. Doctor Hoo, Justin Nicholson, Con-man
   
10. Black Shield, Avery Parks, 70s era superhero
    
11. Rocinante, Selena D379, From 2112 nightmare future
    
12. Galileo, Galileo Galilei, Yes-that Galileo
    

 

 

Galileo was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, and support for Copernicanism. Galileo has been called the "father of modern observational astronomy," the "father of modern physics," the "father of science," and "the Father of Modern Science." Galileo famously locked himself in his room for months with little contact while working out a new theory.

 

The truth is that he was actually working with the Time Rangers. He stepped out of his own timeline in order to further explore the very stuff of reality. He works with the Rangers with a heavy heart; he knows he must someday return to his own timeline, and his tragic death.

 

====

New team!

 

Name: The Olympus Corps

Members: 9-12

Theme: A team of super-powered agents in a world where all superhumans were created in a single vast experiment of unknown origins. Some of the test subjects became villains, some left to resume a normal life, a but a few stayed to form the Corps. Here's the trick: No two superhumans can have the same powers, including villains. All powers created are one of a kind.

[kahuna's bro]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

walkthrough

tanya rizzo developed the power to walk thro solid objects from the experiment,as a byproduct she can become inisible for 15 minutes at a time she is the most outgoing and friendly of the group she thinks her intagibilty is her major power but her invisibility is she just manifested her namsake power firs

[Hermit]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

New team!

 

Name: The Olympus Corps

Members: 9-12

Theme: A team of super-powered agents in a world where all superhumans were created in a single vast experiment of unknown origins. Some of the test subjects became villains, some left to resume a normal life, a but a few stayed to form the Corps. Here's the trick: No two superhumans can have the same powers, including villains. All powers created are one of a kind.

 

Gah, another big team.. Are you trying to fry our synapses?

 

Captain Roger Bell aka "Balefire"- Field Leader of the Olympus Corps, Balefire is a flame projector able to shoot wide fans of 'standard fire', or focus more directly a stream of white hot intensity. He can't fly exactly, but he can JUMP really high using the flames for a brief thrust. He can, of course, protect himself in a shroud of flames if he must, but he better be wearing his special suit when it happens or he's going to burning in the buff. As if to give lie to any theories of powers matching temperament, Roger is calm, collected, and thoroughly professional in almost any situation. A former member of the United States Air Force's security squadron (or this world's equivalent), he was chosen to take battlefield command of the Corps on the basis of experience and superior tactical knowledge. He makes sure he is intimately familiar with the powers of his team mates, and encourages them to drill with them so they'll be better prepared for the inevitable time they're needed again. Some meeting him for the first time, consider him a bit cold, but the truth is he just doesn't want to lose any more agents from the team, and he's lost one already. One or two ladies on the team are rumored to find him kind of sexy despite or perhaps because of his aloofness, but Balefire seems to believe teammates shouldn't date teammates.

 

 

Balefire is just what he appears to be, a good man and a good soldier, however, he is not without personal baggage of his own. His former best friend, Charles, also gained powers in the project, then tried to convince Roger to join him in going Rogue. Not only did Roger not agree, he tried to detain his friend. Charles got away, but his face was badly burned in the encounter as Roger was still getting used to his powers. Roger blames himself for both Charles' disfigurement, and his friend getting away. To add to it, Charles has become more ruthless and murderous as a supervillain. Balefire's now determined to capture Charles and willing to give his life to do it.

 

He is also increasingly attracted to a coworker, but hopes she doesn't notice. He has to set an example, after all, and doesn't need the distraction

 

[Haven Walkur]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Dr. Valence ("No middle name, dammit!") Arras aka Warbeast

 

John Maynard Keynes: Newton was not the first of the age of reason, he was the last of the magicians.

 

That quote always makes Val grin. “Hardly the last.”

 

Dr. Valence Arras is beyond brilliant, a genius of the same order as Newton. She’s a physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher (an expert in the objective study of nature and the physical universe now referred to as “natural science”), engineer, expert in electrical and mechanical theory, mineralogist and metallurgist. She has an eidetic memory and a drive for mastery of subjects that catch her interest that’s so strong it verges on the ridiculous. Valence is strong-willed, stubborn, driven; driven to know what is knowable, and with that knowledge save mankind from itself.

 

Like Newton, Val is also an alchemist, the creator of Living Metal, an unusually flexible and responsive form of memory metal, created by metallurgical and alchemical processes and capable of regenerating itself at the molecular level, or “healing”. The Warbeast, a combat vehicle Val built in the classic "Mad Science" tradition -- it's shaped like an immense robotic sabre-tooth cat -- makes extensive use of Living Metal.

 

At 5'8", Valence is tall for a woman, with something of her father’s build, though she is wiry and sinewy where he was slender. Her brown eyes have gleams of green and gold in them, and her chestnut-brown hair is wavy and usually kept just above shoulder-length; though clean, it’s also usually untidy and disheveled, rather like an unmade bed. She’s fit and flexible and quite physically strong, and she’s always done a great deal of walking, though she wouldn’t call herself athletic. [“I can walk indefinitely, but not at any speed.” -- Valence Arras]

 

Valence has quick, deft hands, and won’t drop or fumble anything she means to hold onto.

 

At the age of 31, Valence was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, a neurological disorder where the immune system attacks and destroys the myelin sheaths of nerves in the brain. It is incurable and progressive, though regular use of injectable medications can decrease the frequency and severity of “flare-ups” or “seizures.” Severe seizures that do occur can be treated effectively with intravenous steroids, on an outpatient basis. [“And nobody knows exactly what it is, what causes it or how to stop it. Many thanks, medical community, you idle drones.” -- Valence Arras]

 

MS seizures have left Valence with permanent weakness in her left knee that causes her to limp. At times, the knee will collapse backwards when she walks, making her trip or stumble. Heat, humidity and fatigue can all exacerbate both the limp and the MS itself, leading to more frequent and severe seizures. Valence meets regularly with a neurologist, and has a once-a-day regimen of subcutaneous injections of prescription MS medication. [“It costs around a thousand dollars a month. Hell, with a thousand-dollar a month drug habit, I should at least be getting high.” -- Valence Arras]

 

With the exception of the MS and related effects, Valence’s health is generally excellent...[“Excellent aside from the fact that my immune system is eating my brain, that is.” -- Valence Arras]

 

Val's sarcastic, sardonic and a thorough-going cynic, particularly about humans and human nature, but still believes that her abilities make her responsible for helping others with the difficulties that are greater than they are [“When they need it, whether they want it or not -- since most people aren’t competent to say what they want, much less what they need. Perhaps I should have called the Beast 'Nobless Oblige' instead.” -- Valence Arras]. She likes a very few individuals, but doesn’t much like people in general; it would be accurate to call Valence a misanthrope -- she certainly does -- even though she risks her life without hesitation to help others.

 

Like Isaac Newton, Dr.Valence Arras is a genius, part scholar, part mystic and all mad scientist.

 

Unfortunately, she shares her idol's antisocial temperament.

 

Alexander Pope: Nature and nature's laws lay hid in night/God said “Let Newton be” and all was light.

[Enforcer84]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Shaking, a gnawing at his stomach. Tears in his eyes on occasion. Every time he was more than 5 feet off the ground, Ian Kraus began to sweat. He couldn't enter glass elevators, never saw a balcony view. His family and friends were supportive, but dismissive of it. His fiance, Diana, thought it was "cute." Until it began to affect where they could life, where he could work - after a few years they broke up and he disappeared.

 

Then a few months ago he reappered in her life, he begged her for a second chance. He had a good (if somewhat secretive, dangerous job) and he seemed to have completely conquered his acrophobia. So they started to date again. One evening while watching a show, from the balcony no less, a scarred man in a bright costume and seemingly controlling the winds themselves appeared. Calling himself the Jupitrr, the raving madman threw performers across the stage with his winds and began literally forcing the breath from the lead.

 

Ian grabbed Diana's hand and they rushed to side door as panic erupted.

"Take this phone, dial 1 and tell the Olympians Jupiter is here."

"Ian! Wait, why me, what are you doing?"

With that he stepped into the shadows and threw his jacket to the ground then he tore open his shirt and...it was just like in the movies, beneath was a red and gold costume. But then, when his shirt was off, she heard a fluttering and strange buzzing and from behind him two great feathered wings materialized. Ian kissed her cheek.

"Get out of here, I'm not in Jupiter's league but I can keep him occupied. Tell Balefire who's phone you have. I'm sorry Diana, I wanted to tell you soon...but not like this."

She just nodded and dialed the phone. Then watched Ian, known better to the world as the Griffin, fly to confront the madman. She wondered what she'd tell her mother.

 

 

Griffin is, as his name suggests, a winged man with the heart of a lion. His body has adapted to winged flight, though the wings, when at rest seem to disappear into his body. He boasts the strength of 10 men and is very agile in flight and on foot. His feathers are dark brown fading to golden brown at the tips, his wingspan actually fluctuates with his speed. He can get aloft and fly faster than highway speed limit with a wingspan of about 12 feet, when he opens it up and really needs to be somewhere in a hurry his wingspan grows to about 22 feet. His body is very durable and he has no trouble breathing at high altitudes, and at great speed.

[csyphrett]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

"Taco." and "Go to Hell." are Red Shanks's catch phrases. His ability to teleport anyone and anything anywhere at any time gives him a literal genie that he uses ruthlessly. Many a villain has thought they had the perfect weapon, but suddenly realized they didn't have ammo when they actually confronted the Corps.

 

And Red is not really interested in fighting, just tacos. That's why he asked to stay in the back of the crowd. Of course that doesn't always work out for Red Shanks, the Red Shifter.

CES

[csyphrett]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

(This is a hero I thought about using but don't have a story for him yet.)

Paul Powell was a soldier, a detective, retired, and a private detective. Caught up in the creation of the Corps, Paul seemed to become younger. He saw things with a tinge of color like a filter on a camera.

 

He learned that the tinge meant he could control time. He stopped it, slowed it, sped it up. He was a human Stoplight.

 

With great power comes great responsibility, and Paul always knew what his duty was.

CES

[Hermit]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

mmm... a group like this could use agents, and assuming this bit from Bolo about the villains also applies...

Here's the guidelines: Someone provides a theme and a number of members, and then posters that follow can provide a character or two to fit that theme. Agents (as a group) count as one character, but should have something about them that fits the theme. (So for a chess-themed group someone could suggest agents known as Pawns.) Whomever creates the last character then chooses the theme, name, and number of members for the next group (but not too many, okay?).

 

Then we can have agents!

Though they only count as one member

SO...

 

Cyclops Squad

Robert met Robert in the hallway again as they were both heading to the locker room. Robert Jones and Robert Smith, that is. Somehow they'd gotten in the habit of referring to each other as 'Bob' and 'Bert' respectively, and neither one seemed to mind.

 

"How's the wife, Bert?" Bob inquired as he paused through the scanner frame to make sure no outside source had slipped a bug on him. The gear the squad worked on was state of the art, after all, and the place was full of secrets.

"Cynthia's good, but about ready to kill my mother," Bert answered as the red lights scanned over him as well, then pronounced them both clean.

"Visiting is she?"

"Oh yeah. I love mom, but my wife thinks Ben Franklin was right about three days, I kind of agree, but she wants ME to give mom the heave ho," Bert sighed as the two entered the changing area proper. Around them, two or three other folks were trading their civvies for the tan squad uniforms. "This is a no win for me, you know that?"

"Yeah, been there or something like, though normally Betty's a peach. Still, you just got to ask yourself, which one do you want to live with, and it's a no brainer," Bob instructed the slightly younger man. Bob's locker was #12, Bert's was #11 despite their last names not being close on the alphabet at all. Either management had no real system, or they actually DID have a sense of humor. Hard to tell.

"I hear ya," Bert agreed, "Boy though I'm glad to be here among possible break ins, technology blow ups, and temperamental supers where it's safe, yknow?"

That brought laughter from much of the locker room.

 

Soon, Bob and Bert were putting the last touches on their uniform, the signature visors that did more than protect their eyes, but also allowed them to see infrared, and scan for fissures or breaks in the project's equipment. They didn't have powers. If they'd did, they'd be part of Olympus instead of working for it. Between the odd look of the visors, and their job of serving beings of power, the title 'Cyclops" was almost inevitable. While the Corps got the glory, the squad fixed the team vehicles, handled annoying paperwork, and sometimes even stood by on defense mode ready to tackle any intruders. It was a dangerous job without much in the way of material reward. They didn't mind. They took pride in it. Their motto had become "Without us, there is no Thunder!" and the motto was now stitched in Latin (That Bob knew he'd never pronounce right) on the right shoulder of every man and woman's Cyclops uniform.

 

"What are you on today, Bob?"

"Running some com tests and..."

 

Then suddenly the red light came on and a string of commands came pumping through the PA "ALL CYCLOPS PREPARE FOR CIV EVAC AND FIRE SUPPORT, CODE TITAN. THIS IS NOT A DRILL, THIS IS NOT A DRILL'

 

"Think it's ravager?" Bert asked.

"Nah, Ravager's small potatoes. Gotta be Master Dark or Jupiter... let's get going." Bob yelled out to his co workers, "Y' know how this goes. Focus on evac of civilians, standard triage selection if we run out of room in the HTV. Do NOT Engage the Titan directly save in defense of self or Civs. "

Nods and spoken affirmations confirmed they indeed got it.

 

The hardest part of being a Cyclops was learning to shift gears. Some had come here as mechanics, and then learned to be security. Others had come as soldiers, and learned to be clerical support , whatever was needed, but they'd all learned at least first aid. Bob glanced over at the men and women who were now grabbing their blaster rifles and med kits. He'd never lead the squad before in a situation like this, and he sure hoped Balefire knew what he was doing when he'd nominated him to replace fill the niche that had opened thanks to the last leader's untimely death where he'd been targeted by an overly clever titan who realized it might disrupt their chain of command.

 

Bert muttered to him, "By the way, congrats on the promotion, sarge."

"Gee... thanks," Bob muttered back, "Just for that, you're with me." then Sgt Bob Jones called out to the others, "Let's go!"

 

Even if whatever bad guy never noticed them, likely the squad would be dealing with random energy blasts, falling debris, panicky people, and well intentioned bystanders. So be it, they were Cyclops Squad, and they could stand being in the eye of the storm.

[concord]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Cyclops Squad

 

 

So be it, they were Cyclops Squad, and they could stand being in the eye of the storm.

 

Excellent... but alas... You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Hermit again.

[Utech]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

"Listen up!" the diminutive red-head barked from the front of the room. She stood stock still. Only her flashing green eyes moved -- sweeping the room and looking for eye contact from everyone in it. When she had more or less achieved that small victory, she went on. "Today's lecture is on situational awareness."

 

Shoulders drooped. Eyes glazed. Fingers inched toward iPhones. She nodded once. The lights went out.

 

THWOCK! THWOCK! SPLOOSH! SLAP! Shouts and screams.

 

The lights came back on. Two audience members were sprouting suction cup darts from their foreheads. A water balloon had exploded among a large group of the assembled. A guy in the front row rubbed his jaw.

 

"Do I have your attention now?"

 

Tactile is of the strong belief that the very best weapon does you no damn good whatsoever if you don't know where to point it. Which is why she's very proud of her super power. Brenna O'Sullivan can extend her sense of touch outward through any solid. Generally this starts from the soles of her feet, extends to her socks, her shoes, the floor under her, the floor of the room, the furniture in the room -- even the people in the room. It is difficult for her mind to process all that she might feel in a large area. She can get general sensations over several city blocks if she limits herself to streets, get a sense of all surfaces in a house, or have detailed knowledge about such things as a computer keyboard, a weapon, the tightening of one man's muscles, etc.

 

Brenna can tone down some of the sensations she feels while being more sensitive to others, but she always feels some measure of all aspects of the sense of touch in her target. Those aspects are: temperature, pain (potential damage), texture, pressure, vibrations, certain chemicals. She's always been a bit disappointed that she can't act through her senses -- causing pain at a distance, for example, but is well aware that a gun or grenade (or water balloon) can fix that little limitation...

[Hermit]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

Two more to finish it off

 

Upgrade - Dawn Lincoln was too pretty to be a mechanic, at least that's what her father's friends said, but she just chuckled and paid them no mind. She liked working on cars at 'Lincoln's Repair and Body Shop' . Besides, Shawn, her fraternal twin, was more intrigued by the numbers and paperwork which bored her to tears. Between the two of them they kept dad's shop running pretty smoothly and they might have stayed with that had things gone differently. Gaining powers however, gave her an excuse to work on vehicles she'd never dreamed of at the Olympus Corps. Hover Transport Vehicles, the latest "Patton X" tanks, and more now call her attention when she's not fighting or flirting.

However, she does both of the latter a great deal. Being able to grow 15 meters tall, it isn't like you can afford to be a shrinking violet, so she often flirts to put her co-workers at ease and she's grown to enjoy their attentions, even if Balefire has suggested that romance at the 'office' isn't a good idea, or if it gives her over protective brother ulcers. At maximum size, she's a powerhouse, very hard to take down, incredibly strong, and the team would be foolish not to use her as much as they could in a brawl. She doesn't always get the space to grow full size though, and that can be annoying for her.

 

 

Downsize -Shawn Lincoln , the twin (fraternal, obviously) of Dawn, actually enjoys the paperwork, number crunching and bureaucratic aspects of the job. His reports are always on time, and he really wishes more folks would read the ####ing memos. Unfortunately, paper pushers are only loved when someone needs to volunteer for it and get everyone else off the hook. His own power of shrinking (down to roughly a centimeter in height) means he's often sent on stealth or recon missions while his sister on the front line and while she seems oblivious to the danger she's in, he's not. He's considering buying stock in antacids at this rate just to get some of his money back. Mind you, his powers have saved the day more than once, but at this point, the only thing keeping Shawn from quitting the Corps is his concern of his sister, and, if he bothered to admit it to himself, an odd sense of obligation to the team mates that he's growing to like in spite of himself.

 

(That should be 10, nine if you don't count the agents)

 

-----------

 

mmm, it would seem I'm in a family mood, so while we've had examples of siblings and such, I don't think we've had a team that is all (or even mostly all) related to each other. So ripping off Scott Bennie's suggestion from the back of VA, here goes...

 

NEW TEAM: "The Hard Line"

Members: 7-10

Theme: The Harding Family reunion was going well, with about twenty or so of the relations (by blood or marriage) showing up, but only about half of them were near the lake when the meteor hit it. The meteor seemed to dissolve as it hit the lake almost instantly, but not before the irradiated splash caught some of the hardings and altered them. Most were rejuvinated, moved that much closer to their physical ideals, but the powers they gained beyond that varied and it took some of them time to learn to control it.

 

This was such a public situation that there are no secret IDs among them, not really, though the public has given them codenames anyway and the "Harding Line" was shortened to "The Hard Line" . Make a family member, ages 10 and up, describe as best you can if they have some siblings, etc so the next poster can more easily the next relation in their post and realize with a committee involved the relations may end up the way you envisioned. We're looking for the members who are , for one reason or another, actually fighting crime if possible If you want to mention a right rat bastard in spoilers or on the villain thread later when an appropriate them comes up, feel free but I Prefer they don't count as this is the hero thread

[The Arc]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

All the smells that day were making me so excited I could barely contain myself. There was the smell of the hamburgers frying on the grill. I knew they'd never give me one, but maybe just maybe if one were to accidently fall. I'd be on it, you bet I would. Then there was smell of the water from the lake, the dead fish, the mud and the muck. Also too the grass had been recently been mowed. I just wanted roll myself over and over on it. Dang that persistant itch had came back. I must itch, ahh...I'm in heaven. Wait what is that thumping noise? I never can figure it out. It always is behind me, but I can never find it. I turn and I turn and I turn but all I do is get dizzy. I hear something. Someone is calling my name, I think? Head up, drooling a little I see the ball arcing out over the water. In blink I'm after it. This is so much fun, jumping into the water and getting my ball. I bring it back and just when he was going to throw it again all the Hardings are screaming and pointing. I know I'm scared. I want to get away. There's a loud sound from the lake and wet stuff is flying everywhere. My ears hurt. I drop the ball and cover my head. I don't feel so good. Can we go home now? I'll be good, I promise.

 

"Hey Rex," I hear. "Are you alright? Come on big guy can you stand?"

 

I can't believe it. I actually understood what my boy Alan Harding was saying. Sure I usually can understand some of what he says, stuff like "Good Boy" or the angry "NO!", but this is different.

 

I open my mouth to wimper a little, but strange sounds come out. "Alan. I don't feel so well. Can we go home? I'll be good."

 

Alan just sat there staring at me looking dumfounded. I was fairly dumfounded myself, let me tell you. So now I can talk to the humans, and even understand them better. I got to tell you life has never been the same since that day at the lake. Humans have even taking to call me Rex the Wonder Dog, can you believe it?

[Cygnia]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

There actually was a Rex the Wonder Dog in DC comics

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]36895[/ATTACH]

[The Arc]

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

 

I did not know that.