Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

[brionl]

Ralph Mellish, an average man living an ordinary life in a typical American city. A man so ordinary, if you looked up 'Ordinary' in the dictionary, you wouldn't find a picture of him, because that would be extraordinary. And yet he was destined for greatness...

 

On a spring day, much like any other day, Ralph was walking to work, as he often did. When suddenly he was struck by 3 lightning bolts simultaneously. He heard a voice. Or was it voices? It/they echoed strangely in his head

 

Ralph Mellish. You have been chosen by Us to be Our Agent of Chaos

Ralph Mellish. You have been chosen by Us to be Our Arbiter of Balance

Ralph Mellish. You have been chosen by Us to be Our Advocate of Law

You will be granted great powers. Use them wisely to promote harmony

You will be granted great powers. Use them wisely to assist change

You will be granted great powers. Use them wisely to defend order

 

Wait? What are you doing here? This is Our Arbiter

Wait? What are you doing here? This is Our Advocate

Wait? What are you doing here? This is Our Agent

 

Those were the last words Ralph remembered before he blacked out.

 

The Masters of Chaos, Judges of The Balance, and Keepers of Law had sensed great changes ahead for the small speck of cosmic debris known to its inhabitants as "Earth". They had decided to appoint an observer to closely monitor conditions, but were unable to agree on what it should do. So they agreed to each appoint a separate proxy chosen at random from among the inhabitants. All 3 of them chose Ralph. Was it merely a coincidence? Was it the workings of some even greater power? We may never know.

 

Ralph Mellish

 

Val Char Cost

6 STR -4

7 DEX -6

9 CON -1

10 BODY 0

12 INT 2

11/24 EGO 1

12/24 PRE 2

 

3 OCV

3/9 DCV

3 OMCV

3/9 DMCV

 

2/17 PD 0

2/17 ED 0

2/4 SPD 0

4 REC 0

20 END 0

20 STUN 0

 

8m RUN -4

2m SWIM -1

2m LEAP -1

Characteristics Cost: -12

 

Cost Power

80 Incarnate Avatar: Duplication (creates 3 400-point Duplicates), Altered Duplicates (100%; +1) (180 Active Points); No Conscious Control (Only Effects cannot be controlled; -1), Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Only one duplicate active at a time; -1/4) [Notes: One of the 3 avatars is summoned. This is controlled by a complicated system of points and privileges by the greater powers, but it might as well be random to Ralph. Or which ever one the GM will find most amusing for the situation.]

54 Visions of Trouble: Precognitive Clairsentience (Sight And Hearing Groups), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), MegaScale (1m = 1,000 km; +1 3/4) (162 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2)

Shielded by the Greater Powers

6 1) +12 PRE (12 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about half of its effectiveness (Only to defend against PRE attacks; -1)

10 2) +13 EGO (13 Active Points); Limited Power Power loses about a fourth of its effectiveness (Only to defend against mental attacks; -1/4)

30 3) +6 DCV

18 4) +6 DMCV

20 5) +2 SPD

Powers Cost: 218

 

 

Cost Skill

3 Bureaucratics 11- (14-)

6 KS 14-

3 PS 12-

0 KS (Custom Adder) 16-

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

Everyman Skills

0 1) Acting (Custom Adder) 8-

0 2) Climbing (Custom Adder) 8-

0 3) Concealment (Custom Adder) 8-

0 4) Conversation (Custom Adder) 8-

0 5) Deduction (Custom Adder) 8-

0 6) Paramedics (Custom Adder) 8-

0 7) Persuasion (Custom Adder) 8-

0 8) Shadowing (Custom Adder) 8-

0 9) Stealth (Custom Adder) 8-

0 10) TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, Custom Adder

Skills Cost: 12

 

 

Cost Talent

12 Danger Sense (general area, any danger) (35 Active Points); No Conscious Control (-2) 11-

30 Combat Luck (15 PD/15 ED)

Talents Cost: 42

 

Total Character Cost: 260

 

Pts. Disadvantage

15 Wife: Bessie Mellish Infrequently (Normal; Unaware of character's adventuring career/Secret ID)

15 Nearsighted: Must wear glasses (Frequently; Slightly Impairing)

10 Nebbish: Waffles, reluctant to get involved (Common; Moderate)

15 Secret Identity: Frequently, Major

15 Pawn of the Greater Powers: Gets involved in Superhero Situations whether he wants to or not Frequently, Major

5 Unluck: 1d6

Disadvantage Points: 75

Base Points: 400

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

 

Personality/Motivation: Ralph is an office manager for an insurance firm in [Campaign City]. Prior to his epiphany, he had no interest in the super hero world. His greatest ambition was to complete his collection of 19th century US postage stamps. Now he is a pawn in the interests of the Greater Cosmic Balance. Well, maybe not a pawn, perhaps a bishop or even a knight.

 

Quote: Are the new paperclips in yet, Enid?

 

Powers/Tactics: Ralph has basically one power, to incarnate one of the avatars of Chaos, Balance or Law. He is sometimes granted visions of distant events, or premonitions of imminent danger by the Powers, but he has no control over those, he only sees what they want him to.

Ralph chooses when to change, but the greater Powers control which of the avatars incarnate.

 

Campaign Use: Even though Ralph is a reluctant hero at best, the Greater Powers often arrange matters so that he has no choice but to get involved. If he goes on vacation, the hotel will be subject to attack. When he goes out to lunch, the bank across the street gets robbed. If he stays home, weird unearthly plants start springing up in the neighbor's back yards. Things of that nature are always happening to him.

 

Appearance:

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm3285162240/tt0058230

(The one on the right)

[brionl]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

Arbiter of Balance

 

Val Char Cost

20 STR 10

24 DEX 28

20 CON 10

15 BODY 5

14 INT 4

15 EGO 5

20 PRE 10

 

7 OCV

7 DCV

7 OMCV

7 DMCV

 

12/24 PD 10

12/24 ED 10

6 SPD 40

13 REC 9

40 END 4

40 STUN 10

 

22m RUN 0

4m SWIM 0

4m/34m LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 219

 

Cost Power

40 Mystic Martial Arts Attacks: Multipower, 40-point reserve

3f 1) Ch’i Punch: Hand-To-Hand Attack +8d6 (40 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/4)

4f 2) Dragon’s Breath Fist: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (3d6 w/STR), Armor Piercing (+1/4) (37 Active Points)

3f 3) Ch’i Phoenix Fist: Hand-To-Hand Attack +4d6, Alternate Combat Value (uses OMCV against DMCV; +1/4), Penetrating (+1/2) (35 Active Points); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-1/4)

3f 4) Projected Ch’i: Mental Blast 4d6 (40 Active Points); Limited Normal Range (20m; -1/4)

3f 5) Drain Characteristics 2d6, Expanded Effect (x2 Characteristics simultaneously) (+1/2), Variable Effect (any two Characteristics at a time; +1/2) (40 Active Points); No Range (-1/2)

4f 6) Ch’i Sunburst: Sight Group Flash 8d6 (40 Active Points)

20 Acrobatic Leaping And Running: (Total: 25 Active Cost, 20 Real Cost) Leaping +30m (4m/34m forward, 2m/17m upward) (15 Active Points); Requires A Roll (Acrobatics roll; -1/2) (Real Cost: 10) plus Running +10m (22m total) (Real Cost: 10)

Powers Cost: 80

 

Cost Martial Arts Maneuver

4 Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort

4 Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 30 STR to Disarm

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

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

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

4 Martial Flash: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Flash 4d6

3 Martial Grab: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, -1 DCV, Grab Two Limbs, 30 STR for holding on

3 Martial Throw: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +1 DCV, 4d6 +v/10, Target Falls

Martial Arts Cost: 30

 

Cost Skill

10 Defense Maneuver I-IV

3 Acrobatics 14-

3 Breakfall 14-

3 Climbing 14-

3 Language: English (fluent conversation; literate)

0 Language: Enochian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)

Two-Handed Fighting

5 1) Rapid Attack (10 Active Points); HTH Multiple Attacks Only (-1)

5 2) Two-Weapon Fighting (10 Active Points); HTH only (-1)

Skills Cost: 32

 

 

Cost Talent

24 Combat Luck (12 PD/12 ED)

15 Combat Sense 12-

Talents Cost: 39

 

Total Character Cost: 400

 

Pts. Disadvantage

0 Dependence: Must recombine with Ralph once per day Powers Gain 14- Activation Roll (Common; 1 Day)

10 Distinctive Features: Silent and Inscrutable (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

10 Watched: Greater Powers of Chaos and Law Frequently (Mo Pow; Watching)

15 Psychological Complication: Arbiter of Balance, seeks the middle path (Common; Strong)

20 Psychological Complication: Code Versus Killing (Common; Total)

5 Rivalry: Professional (incarnations of Chaos and Law), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry

15 Secret Identity: Frequently, Major

Disadvantage Points: 75

Base Points: 400

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

[brionl]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

Agent of Chaos

 

Val Char Cost

15 STR 5

18 DEX 16

19 CON 9

13 BODY 3

18 INT 8

16 EGO 6

21 PRE 11

 

7 OCV

6 DCV

5 OMCV

5 DMCV

 

10/20 PD 8

10/20 ED 8

6 SPD 40

10 REC 6

60 END 8

40 STUN 10

 

12m RUN 0

4m SWIM 0

4m LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 185

 

Cost Power

105 Chaos Power: Variable Power Pool, 60 base + 60 control cost, Powers Can Be Changed As A Half-Phase Action (+1/2) (105 Active Points)

0 1) Bolt Of Mystic Power I: Blast 12d6 (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60

0 2) Mystic Lightning: Killing Attack - Ranged 2d6, Armor Piercing (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4), +2 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/2) (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60

0 3) Bolt Of Mystic Power II: Blast 8d6, with any +½ Advantage (+1/2) (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60

0 4) Invoked Iridescence: Sight and Hearing Groups Flash 11d6 (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60

0 5) Invoked Illusions: Sight, Hearing, Touch and Smell/Taste Groups Images, +/-3 to PER Rolls, Area Of Effect (16m Radius; +3/4) (59 Active Points) Real Cost: 59

0 6) Mystic Chains: Entangle 6d6, 6 PD/6 ED (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60

0 7) Wizard’s Hand: Telekinesis (40 STR) (60 Active Points) Real Cost: 60

0 8) Spells from Chaos, Magic, and other sections of Champions Powers as appropriate Real Cost: 0

20 Spell Of Protection: Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); Costs Endurance (-1/2)

20 Mystic Blocking: Deflection

30 Flight Spell: Flight 30m

15 w/Ralph Mellish: Mind Link , One Specific Mind, Psychic Bond, Unlimited range in this dimension

Powers Cost: 190

 

 

Cost Skill

19 Power: Magic 21-

3 +1 with a small group of attacks

3 Language: English (fluent conversation; literate)

0 Language: Enochian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)

Skills Cost: 25

 

 

 

Total Character Cost: 400

 

Pts. Disadvantage

0 Dependence: Must recombine with Ralph once per day Powers Gain 14- Activation Roll (Common; 1 Day)

10 Distinctive Features: Chaotic Voice (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

10 Watched: Greater Powers of Law and Balance Frequently (Mo Pow; Watching)

10 Psychological Complication: Agent of Chaos, promotes change (Common; Moderate)

20 Psychological Complication: Code Versus Killing (Common; Total)

5 Rivalry: Professional (incarnations of Balance and Law), Rival is As Powerful, Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival, Rival Aware of Rivalry

15 Secret Identity: Frequently, Major

10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Law powers (Uncommon)

Disadvantage Points: 80

Base Points: 400

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

 

Appearance: Average height, on average. Appearance is constantly but slowly shifting, skin color, hair, eyes, facial features, height and weight change among different human features. The agent has no control over these changes, and they don't look like any specific person.

[brionl]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

Advocate of Law

 

Val Char Cost

25 STR 15

23 DEX 26

18 CON 8

16 BODY 6

14 INT 4

14 EGO 4

20 PRE 10

 

7 OCV

9 DCV

3 OMCV

6 DMCV

 

15/25 PD 13

15/25 ED 13

6 SPD 40

14 REC 10

50 END 6

40 STUN 10

 

16m RUN 4

4m SWIM 0

4m LEAP 0

Characteristics Cost: 228

 

Cost Power

Sword of Justice, all slots OIF Unbreakable (-1/2), Two-handed weapon (-1/2)

18 1) Sword: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6 (3d6 w/STR), Armor Piercing (+1/4), +1 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/4) (45 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2), Two-handed weapon (-1/2), No Knockback (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4)

16 2) Blast 6d6, STUN Only (+0), Attack Versus Alternate Defense (Power Defense; +1/2) (45 Active Points); OIF Unbreakable (-1/2), Two-handed weapon (-1/2), Beam (-1/4), Unified Power (-1/4), Incantations (-1/4)

20 Heavy Armored Costume: Resistant Protection (10 PD/10 ED) (30 Active Points); OIF (-1/2)

20 Wings: Flight 30m (30 Active Points); Restrainable (-1/2)

15 w/Ralph Mellish: Mind Link , One Specific Mind, Psychic Bond, Unlimited range in this dimension

Powers Cost: 89

 

Cost Martial Arts Maneuver

Sword Mastery

4 1) Martial Strike: 1/2 Phase, +0 OCV, +2 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike

4 2) Martial Disarm: 1/2 Phase, -1 OCV, +1 DCV, Disarm; 35 STR to Disarm roll

4 3) Martial Block: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Block, Abort

4 4) Counterstrike: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, +2 DCV, Weapon +2 DC Strike, Must Follow Block

4 5) Weapon Bind: 1/2 Phase, +1 OCV, +0 DCV, Bind, 35 STR

3 Legsweep: 1/2 Phase, +2 OCV, -1 DCV, 6d6 Strike, Target Falls

Martial Arts Cost: 23

 

Cost Skill

10 Defense Maneuver I-IV

16 +2 with HTH Combat

3 Teamwork 14-

7 Paramedics 11-

3 Persuasion 13-

3 Tactics 12-

3 Language: English (fluent conversation; literate)

0 Language: Enochian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)

Skills Cost: 45

 

 

Cost Talent

15 Combat Sense 12-

Talents Cost: 15

 

Total Character Cost: 400

 

Pts. Disadvantage

0 Must recombine with Ralph: Powers Gain 14- Activation Roll (Very Common; 1 Day)

10 Voice of Law: (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)

10 Watched by the Greater Powers: Frequently (Mo Pow; Watching)

15 Advocate of Law: Code of Honor (Common; Strong)

20 Psychological Complication: Code Versus Killing (Common; Total)

5 Rivalry: Professional (other aspects of Chaos and Balance; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Outdo, Embarrass, or Humiliate Rival; Rival Aware of Rivalry)

15 Secret Identity: Ralph Mellish Frequently, Major

10 Vulnerability: 2 x STUN Chaotic Powers (Uncommon)

Disadvantage Points: 85

Base Points: 400

Experience Required: 0

Total Experience Available: 0

Experience Unspent: 0

 

Appearance: Very tall, nearly 7 feet. Looks like a classical Angel, heavy suit of armor, large white wings, glowing aura, large two-handed sword.

[lapsedgamer]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

The concept is awesome, very Kingdom Come. I rep you. The only thing I would ask is why you didn't go more over the top with the various summoned agents. I 'm guessing that this is meant to be a playable charachter and not an NPC? I would think that the ability to create 800+ point folks would be unbalancing in your world. Also, does Ralph disappera when the avatar is around, or does he have to try and survive by himself?

[Ethernaut]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

Interesting character concept. Your sentence: "Ralph chooses when to change" suggests to me that you would like Ralph to 'change' to Incarnation instead of creating a duplicate. Thus you might want to change Duplication power to Multiform power.

 

Sorry, but I didn't look at the Incarnations much due to lack of time. I noticed that they have Rivalry towards each other - If this was a character for a game I am running, I am not sure if I would accept a character that in practice has rivalry with himself, but there is a chance that I might since it is 'only' 5 cp complication.

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

Looks like the CV's didn't make it to the posts.

 

While dependent on campaign style, the Avatar's defenses seem low to me. I'm assuming a 12DC attack is the norm, as this is where the Avatars settle in. Balance has 24 defenses and 20 CON, so it takes a slightly above average 12d6 hit to stun him and 3 average hits to KO him. Law has 25 defenses, 18 CON, so 1 point less (still a bit above average) will stun him, and the same 3 hits will KO. Chaos has 20 Defenses and 19 STUN, so even a slightly under average hit will stun him and 2 hits will KO him. Of course, I can't see their CV's - maybe they are reliant on DCV to avoid taking many hits.

 

I agree on the rivalry - how does this come out in play when the Avatars are never in existence at the same time?

 

The question of whether Ralph duplicates or Multiforms also seems quite relevant. What would happen if the Chaos avatar, say, decided to take him out to prevent the Law or Balance avatars manifesting in the future?

[brionl]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

The incarnations are actually based on the superhero gallery from the Champions book, and of course subject to tweakage. The CVs range from 6-9, I guess the export format left them out, I didn't notice.

 

Ralph is still around when the incarnations are out, so his job is mainly to stay out of the way and not get splattered. They can't "take him out" because they have to perodically recombine with Ralph, or lose their powers eventually (see the Dependency). If Ralph was to get killed, the greater powers would choose other people to be their loci. Tough luck for Ralph, but the universe goes on.

 

Could be a PC, could be an NPC, but they are standard superhero level because the Greater Powers want to mainly observe and see what naturally happens, not try to be a major player on Earth.

 

The Chaos agent also has Deflection as a defense, and of course can create some defenses from the VPP if needs be.

 

The Rivalry is for the benefit of the watchers mainly. Each one wants to score points so they will be called upon next time. For us mere humans it mainly consists of disparaging remarks about the others, or attempting to undo, or do-over something one of the others did. And as was said, it's only 5 pts.

 

If I ever do actually start a campaign, Ralph would be an NPC. The PC supers wouldn't even know about him at first, they would just know that the incarnations show up at various times to "help" them, and spend a lot of time bad mouthing the others. The incarnations aren't even actually human, they are minor powers from a higher plane in human form. Hence the English not their native language, and the mind link to Ralph so he can advise them.

[Ice9]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

Law and Balance might want some Regeneration (or Healing), not necessarily at a fast level, but at least somewhere in the Hour - Day range. Balance, in particular, derives its only Resistant Defense from Combat Luck, so one shot where that didn't apply could do a whole lot of BODY damage, and Law only has 10 rDEF. Of course, with the Duplicating thing, this isn't debilitating to Ralph, but it does mean that Balance and Law might be out of commission recovering for months.

 

From a flavor perspective, maybe something like this:

Wholeness of Body (Balance) - Healing (Simplified) 4d6, Extra Time (1 turn), Concentration, Requires Skin Contact

 

As I Was, So Shall I Be (Law) - Regeneration, 1 BODY / Hour

As I Was, So Shall I Be (Law) - Dispel 1d6, Variable Effect (any effect altering Law's form), Cumulative (to 96 points), Extra Time (20 minutes), Reduced END (0 END), Continuous, Persistent

[Hugh Neilson]

Re: Ralph Mellish, an ordinary man

 

Perhaps fairly slow Regen (per day, say) that only applies if the avatar remains merged all day? This means they will still want to be careful to avoid BOD damage as being out of commission for a week or two gives the other avatars an advantage.