VOICE List

[Lord Liaden]

Re: SPD 25

 

I've seen a few other posters here who extend the Speed Chart in the same way for Flash-class speedsters and the like. We've had some lively debates on the boards over whether the Flash actually would get that many Actions in a Turn, or whether he just has very large Movement on the Phases when he does act. Comic-book battles have been cited and dissected.

[Chuckg]

> Isn't that a problem with real vampires as well, though? If

> they can make others of their kind, why don't they just

> reproduce enough to take over the world?

 

Pre-industrial population densities and transport limitations pretty much guarantee that vampires will rapidly exhaust the available food supply if there's more than a couple of them in the local area(*)... and when you can't travel by day, long-distance travel gets kinda problematic.

 

And even a primitive hunter-gatherer can connect the dots on a basic enough level to understand 'too many people in the same place who want to eat the food, food be limited, everybody starves'.

 

 

 

 

 

(*) Addendum -- Remember, the average vampire has to kill around 3-7 people per /week/ to stay fed. It takes a smart vampire to figure out that it's possible to feed without draining 'em dry, and a strong-willed one to be able to muster the self-control to do it.

 

What does losing 1000-2000 people a year do to the average pre-industrial town's population curve?

 

Strictly speaking, a vampire in an average medieval village will rapidly turn the place into a ghost town, and then either have to move on or die of starvation. Maybe vampires are why so many small medieval villages managed to 'vanish', not ergot. At least, in the Champions Universe.

 

This would also explain why vampires create very few vampires... and why damn few vampires which are created manage to live out their first year.

 

Up until modern times, of course. But by then, at least in the mental universes I create, I see vampires as being almost a dying race... too few, too used to hiding, too unwilling to risk it.

[Twilight]

Well there's only one thing I'm curious about in this Lung Hung debate, and it ain't the SPD 25.

 

The write up is all well and good, but wasn't the 4th edition Lung Hung a woman? I'm pretty sure that was mentioned in the 4E Champions Universe.

[lemming]

Re: SPD 25

 

Originally posted by Lord Liaden

I've seen a few other posters here who extend the Speed Chart in the same way for Flash-class speedsters and the like. We've had some lively debates on the boards over whether the Flash actually would get that many Actions in a Turn, or whether he just has very large Movement on the Phases when he does act. Comic-book battles have been cited and dissected.

Well, with multi-attacks and the like, some of the 12+ speed characters don't need to be so speedy now.

I've been in games with 12+ speeds and it's not too bad as long as the fast players get to play the fast characters. My fastest PC was a 12 speed, but I had him mapped out several phases in advance and at the time could count up 1000 dice a round.

[Captain Liberty]

sterile vampires

 

Something not completely clear before is that people with the vampire mutation are perfectly normal in every way until they become vampires by being killed and their bodies left alone for three days. When they wake up, they have all the vampire powers (and a hell of a thirst) and are sterile. So it is entirely possible for a family to produce potential vampire after potential vampire, but the actual vampires cannot reproduce.

The instance cited before of a child of Lei Mei (thanks to Bob Greenwade for the name) already going through the gestation process when she was staked out could well be possible. Essentially, both died and both became vampires.

[Captain Liberty]

further on vampire progeny

 

Hmm, I forgot that the idea was that the child had children. That is a bit more far-fetched (yeah, like any of this is likely) but I suppose the child could have survived in the womb long enough for the parent to revive and give birth to a normal child. I suppose it is even possible that the child might somehow ingest some altered DNA in the later days of the pregnancy, though I find that really unlikely.

But the child, assuming it was relatively normal, could still pass the vampire gene on to descendants.

[Lord Liaden]

Son of Lung Hung

 

Well, the premise I was operating on was that the Dragon was the first of these vampiric mutants, and that her son Subotai eventually attained similar powers. Having the typical immortal taste for mortal flesh (in more ways than one), over the course of centuries of wandering he scattered the potential for others to inherit those powers around the world.

 

Subotai was essentially an enabling device to explain the existence of other like mutants. As a female in disguise it would be deucedly inconvenient for Lung Hung to keep dropping progeny. Also, giving them all one ancestor reinforced the "family" dynamic that I was going for with the leadership of VOICE.

 

I admit that sterility in exchange for immortality is a classic element of the vampire's tragedy, and if they've been around longer than Lung Hung has that would keep the population from getting out of control. I still like the premise that Chuckg suggested, though. (BTW Chuck, very logical socioeconomic analysis of vampirism.)

[BobGreenwade]

Thanks for posting my old Lung Hung description, Steve. Email me anything else you find and I'll see what I can do with it.

 

In the meantime, I'll give a brief on what I had been planning for VOICE.

 

First, I was all set out to make it as distinctive as I could from VIPER. This would consist of three major mindsets:

 

1) Whereas VIPER is a villainous agency with superhero support, VOICE functions primarily as a supervillain team (albeit a very large one) with agent support. Those villains are called the Jaws for a reason -- if there's dirty work to be done, they're the ones to do it. Agents only handle day-to-day activities, and provide support services such as driving getaway vehicles, staging diversions, and such.

 

2) Whereas VIPER is (or rather "was," at the time) a primarily European group, the origins of VOICE are firmly Chinese, and its workings have a distinctly Chinese flavor. Chinese culture permeates its modes of operations and manner of thought. Wherever I could find a difference between La Cosa Nostra and the Triads, I'd make a similar difference between VIPER and VOICE.

 

3) The goal of VIPER is (or, again, "was") to make its leaders rich, and as quickly as possible. The goal of VOICE is to take over the world -- or at least a secure portion of it -- and its leader has all the time she needs.

 

There were a few less major differences, mostly stemming from the above:

 

4) The operations of VOICE could have short-term effects that might seem to work against it, but work in favor of its agenda in the long run.

 

5) Much of what VOICE did would not necessarily appear to be what it really was -- and often there would be multiple levels of deception. For example, among the work I'd done was a redux of the Great Supervillain Contest, of which the winner would become a member of the Jaws. Now, you can already see how this could serve the dual purpose of finding the deadliest villain in the world to join the group and eliminating many of these pesky heroes, but Lung Hung had at least two other sinister, hidden motives as well.

 

That's what I can think of offhand. I'll post more as time allows.

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by BobGreenwade

2) Whereas VIPER is (or rather "was," at the time) a primarily European group, the origins of VOICE are firmly Chinese, and its workings have a distinctly Chinese flavor. Chinese culture permeates its modes of operations and manner of thought. Wherever I could find a difference between La Cosa Nostra and the Triads, I'd make a similar difference between VIPER and VOICE.

 

 

This was something that I've been attempting to do with VOICE as well: create an Oriental "flavor" for the group that sets it apart from other villainous super-agencies. As an example from my earlier organizational outline, having associated gangs outside of the actual membership is similar to how the Triads operate. I also emphasize rank, ritual and symbolism within the agency, as the Triads and Yakuza do - I'll elaborate on that another time.

 

Another approach that I took was to VOICE's weapons and equipment. I wanted something that evoked the method of operation of the ninja or lin kuei, but taking advantage of modern/futuristic technology... what's sometimes referred to in genre fiction as "techno-ninja."

 

Below is a selection of weapons for VOICE agents designed with this theme in mind. I'll add more gadgets to the list as opportunity permits (and readers' interest holds ). Note that these weapons are mostly built using Killing Attacks, as befits the lethal M.O. of VOICE. GMs who want a less deadly opponent for their PCs should consider changing them to Normal Damage weapons, or substituting for some of the more damaging Advantages (a few notes to that effect are included with the weapon writeups):

 

 

Falcon Bow: Although it resembles a powerful modern repeating crossbow, the Falcon Bow is an even more sophisticated weapon. The bow and quarrels are made of composite materials which dampen the sounds of its use, and contain an active targetting and guidance system which, once locked onto a target, adjusts the quarrel's flight path to it. Together they make the Falcon Bow an exceptional sniping weapon.

 

The quarrels are fitted with either an armor-piercing head, or a fragmentation warhead. Users will often carry one clip of each type of ammunition which they can interchange as needed (with GM's permission).

 

RKA 2d6, Armor Piercing or Explosion (+1/2), No Range Modifier (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Hearing Sense Group; +1/4) (67 Active Points); OAF (-1), 2 Clips of 8 Charges Each (-1/4). Total Cost: 30 points.

 

 

Lightning Whip: This vicious weapons consists of a short (1 meter) length of supple metal cable attached to a heavy stock containing the power source, with a protective basket hilt. When swung at an opponent the cable releases an electrical charge on contact, at a frequency optimized to disrupt the target's nervous system. The result is violent and painful muscle spasms which tear the victim's tissues, and result in death after prolonged or repeated exposure.

 

A single charge will continue to affect a victim for several seconds, looking like tendrils of electricity writhing over his body. The charge can be dissipated by grounding the target with any conductor, such as a cable or metal pole.

 

Energy RKA 1d6, AVLD Does BODY Damage (defense is Power Defense; +2 1/2), Continuous (+1), 16 Continuing Charges Lasting 1 Turn Each (+1/2) (75 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2). Total Cost: 30 points.

 

(Non-Lethal Variant: Remove the "Does BODY Damage" part of the AVLD Advantage, and substitute "+4 STUN Multiplier.")

 

 

Singing Stars: These shuriken-like throwing weapons contain small but powerful motors which give the stars tremendous rotational velocity, greatly enhancing their effective range and allowing them to penetrate most forms of protective armor. The motors produce a high-pitched whine which inspired the weapon's name.

 

Singing Stars come in two varieties. Small stars (about 3" in diameter) can be hurled up to three at once, at one or multiple targets. Large stars (4" across) have variable gyroscopic stabilizers allowing for "trick throws," such as over or around barriers or even arcing back to strike targets from behind.

 

Small Stars: RKA 2d6, Penetrating (+1/2), Autofire (3 shots; +1/4), 24 Charges (+1/4) (60 Active Points); OAF (-1). Total cost: 30 points.

 

Large Stars: RKA 2d6, Penetrating (+1/2), Indirect (always originates with character, but can attack from any angle; +1/2), 16 Charges (+0) (60 Active Points); OAF (-1). Total cost: 30 points.

 

(Non-Lethal Variant: Change the RKA to 6d6 Normal Damage, and Penetrating to Armor Piercing. These could be blunt-edged throwing discs - "Dirge Discs?" )

 

 

Thunder Sticks: Resembling bulky nunchakus, these weapons are wielded in a similar manner. However, the damage the Thunder Sticks do is the product of a series of shaped charges which detonate on impact with a solid object, in a powerful, deafening but tightly-focussed blast.

 

HKA 2d6, +4 Stun Multiplier (+1), 16 Charges (+0) (60 Active Points); OAF (-1), No STR Bonus (-1/2) (total cost: 24 points) plus Hearing Group Flash 5d6, 16 Charges (+0) (15 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2) (total cost: 6 points). Total cost: 30 points.

 

Note: GMs who want a weapon with heavy stopping power can eliminate the Flash component and give the weapon a straight +6 STUN Multiplier for the same Active Points.

 

(Non-Lethal Variant: Change the HKA and STUN Multiplier to a 6d6 Normal Damage Attack, NND [Hearing Sense Group Flash Defense], making the Thunder Sticks a wholly sonic-based attack.)

 

 

Whispering Sword: A brilliant marriage of modern technology with traditional swordcraft makes this wakizashi-like blade one of the deadliest hand weapons known. Forged of advanced alloy, with an edge lazer-honed to near monomolecular thinness, the blade can cut through almost any material. The Whispering Sword's aerodynamic properties are so exceptional that it barely disturbs the air it passes through, making its stroke virtually noiseless.

 

Lightweight and superbly balanced, it's the keenness of the sword's edge, and the skill of its wielder, that determines the blade's damage; mere strength adds little.

 

HKA 2d6, Armor Piercing (+1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Invisible Power Effects (Hearing Sense Group; +1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4) (75 Active Points); OAF (-1), No STR Bonus (-1/2). Total Cost: 30 points.

[Captain Liberty]

Another vampire immortal

 

This discussion of Lung Hung has inspired me to pass along an article I did for Rogues Gallery on the occasion of its 50th issue, a tribute to its founder, Aaron Allston.

In a later issue, Aaron pointed out that Kirigi was actually a real Marvel Universe character, which is why he never bothered doing a writeup. Since the Perrinverse currently includes elements of all the comic book universes, that fits in just fine.

[Captain Liberty]

Steel Raven

 

And, while I am at it, here's the writeup on Steel Raven, Black Raven with a refit after an unfortunate encounter with a PC with a mad on.

[Lord Liaden]

Black/Steel Raven

 

I did some research on translating Black Raven's name into Japanese. The most accurate rendering would seem to be Burakkukarasu. However, I have to say that I was never completely happy with the name "Black Raven." It sounded kind of redundant to me; I mean, what other colors do ravens come in? In my campaign I rechristened her "Black Eagle" which seemed to suit her personality and powers - in Japanese that would be Burakkuwashi.

 

Now "Steel Raven" is a different story. That is a fine and very suitable name indeed. I just went online to see how that would translate. There are several variants on "steel," but the one that seems most appropriate is touken, which refers to steel as in "cold steel" and "swords." So, I offer you Toukenkarasu. (Perhaps a native Japanese speaker around here could confirm whether or not that's appropriate.)

 

Finally, I came up with an Identifying Quote for the character:

 

"I was born out of death falling from the sky. I'm just returning the favor."

[Captain Liberty]

Raven's quote

 

Well, since she has been hanging around with the more refined Goshawk, she might say something like that.

 

But she is still a street kid. Using the A-bomb as a metaphor is a bit beyond her normal way of speaking. The more direct quote I used is probably still more likely to be heard from her lips...

[Lord Liaden]

Steel Raven corrupted?

 

I've downloaded the Steel Raven .zip file three times, but the extracted file is always illegible. The lines of lettering are jumbled together. The other files attached to the thread - Lung Hung's character sheet, Bob Greenwade's background for him, and Steve's Shadow Clan article - all came through fine.

 

Anyone else have a problem with this file?

[Lord Liaden]

Kirigi!

 

Steve, I enjoyed your RG article on the Shadow Clan. I was always curious about them after the few hints dropped in Strike Force and Ninja Hero. I could readily adapt elements of these writeups to VOICE. In fact, I could see Lung Hung recruiting Kirigi to direct the agents of the Tongue after Kirigi's clan was destroyed.

 

I'm unclear as to whether Kirigi's Ego Attack is derived from "ninja mysticism," or an innate mental power like Lung Hung's?

 

I remember the Marvel Comics version of Kirigi from Daredevil. I don't know what's been done with the character in more recent years, but in his original appearances he was markedly different from this version. He was a special operative of the Hand ninja clan, subservient to their jonin. He was nearly unkillable, but stood at least seven feet tall, and never spoke or showed his face. Kind of a Japanese Jason Voorhees.

[Captain Liberty]

Kirigi

 

I have no memory of the actual Marvel character. I haven't been a steady Daredevil reader for decades. I created something I thought could be the leader of a Shadowclan and manage to bring something like the Zugaitsoku to heel.

 

Both Lung Hung and Kirigi's psionic attacks are magical, or perhaps Oriental mysticism. Neither is innate to the character type, they just made use of their immortality to take the time to study to learn some magic.

 

I prefer to keep the two masterminds separate. Perhaps they are somewhat aware of each other, but no real connection. But then I work on the theory that the vampirism mutation has been in the human gene pool since the Ice Age.

 

Vandal Savage (who is around in my universe) may well be another one of them...

 

I'll try sending you a Steel Raven sheet directly.

[BobGreenwade]

Steve,

 

The background you have posted here attributed to me is actually Scott Jamison's. Mine actually gives Lung Hung four identities, and breaks up her background into periods of various types of activity wherein the acquisition of her various Skills are explained.

[Fedifensor]

Originally posted by Lord Liaden

Lightning Whip: This vicious weapons consists of a short (1 meter) length of supple metal cable attached to a heavy stock containing the power source, with a protective basket hilt. When swung at an opponent the cable releases an electrical charge on contact, at a frequency optimized to disrupt the target's nervous system. The result is violent and painful muscle spasms which tear the victim's tissues, and result in death after prolonged or repeated exposure.

 

A single charge will continue to affect a victim for several seconds, looking like tendrils of electricity writhing over his body. The charge can be dissipated by grounding the target with any conductor, such as a cable or metal pole.

 

Energy RKA 1d6, AVLD Does BODY Damage (defense is Power Defense; +2 1/2), Continuous (+1), 16 Continuing Charges Lasting 1 Turn Each (+1/2) (75 Active Points); OAF (-1), No Range (-1/2). Total Cost: 30 points.

While the other ones seem reasonable, I think this is excessive. There's no real reason for it to go against Power Defense instead of Resistant ED, from what I see in the writeup. Even if you let that slide, a better option would be an NND with one of the defenses being "non-human body structure", since it can't be optomized to disrupt a nervous system unless it has a reasonable idea of what that nervous system is...if the target even has one!

 

As it stands, it's a character-killer that fails the logic tests. Electric-based supers would be particularly peeved if it bypasses their defenses.

[Agent X]

Originally posted by Fedifensor

While the other ones seem reasonable, I think this is excessive. There's no real reason for it to go against Power Defense instead of Resistant ED, from what I see in the writeup. Even if you let that slide, a better option would be an NND with one of the defenses being "non-human body structure", since it can't be optomized to disrupt a nervous system unless it has a reasonable idea of what that nervous system is...if the target even has one!

 

As it stands, it's a character-killer that fails the logic tests. Electric-based supers would be particularly peeved if it bypasses their defenses.

If you think it's excessive then don't use it. This is the Champions thread not Hero System Discussion and these guys are giving you stuff for free.

[Lord Liaden]

Originally posted by Fedifensor

While the other ones seem reasonable, I think this is excessive. There's no real reason for it to go against Power Defense instead of Resistant ED, from what I see in the writeup. Even if you let that slide, a better option would be an NND with one of the defenses being "non-human body structure", since it can't be optomized to disrupt a nervous system unless it has a reasonable idea of what that nervous system is...if the target even has one!

 

As it stands, it's a character-killer that fails the logic tests. Electric-based supers would be particularly peeved if it bypasses their defenses.

 

Let me say up front that I respect your opinion as to what is appropriate to your campaign. If you wanted to use this gadget but you think it's excessive, by all means change the AVLD to Resistant ED. That's the beauty of the modularity of the HERO System.

 

Having said that, the Lighting Whip is meant to be a character killer; VOICE is made up of killers. In the hands of a common SPD 3 agent against a standard superhero it probably won't be lethal in the first use, even if the hero doesn't stop the Continuing attack before the end of the Turn; but the hero will be badly hurt and fear the wielder of the Whip. I did include a Non-Lethal variation for people who didn't want such vicious weapons.

 

I'm also not sure how I could define what a hypothetical "neural disruptor" would actually work against in "real life." I mean, what's the real-life basis for Power Defense? I've seen it used vs. energy weapons, drugs and poisons, mutant vampiric abilities - it's really just a game-mechanic thing. However, villainous agencies in the comics have a long-standing tradition of developing weapons designed to bypass the defenses of their foes.

 

I'd rather not hijack this thread with a game-philosophy discussion, though. YMMV and more power to you.

[Lord Liaden]

Steel Raven followup

 

I was able to do more research into Japanese translation since my last post on the subject. "Steel" as in an object made of steel is kousei, so Steel Raven should properly be translated as Kouseikarasu or Kousei-karasu, which may actually sound better in Japanese.

 

I was also able to work out the download problem I had with her character sheet. For some reason changing the font unscrambled everything.

[BobGreenwade]

Now's probably a good time for posting the next phase in my reorganization of VOICE. Keep in mind that this is without reading much in depth on LL's take, so GMs (and/or Captain Steve ) can merge the two however they see fit.

 

First, since my take on VOICE is that it's a supervillain organization with agent support rather than the other way around (which would be VIPER), the focus is on the Jaws. This group is divided into six sections.

 

The four main sections are divided, by name at least, into the quarters of the mouth: Upper and Lower Jaws each have Left and Right sides. The Upper Jaws handle the big public displays, while the Lower Jaws handle covert activities. Within each half, the Left Side handles deadly and destructive activities (assassination, vandalism, sabotage, and the like) while the Right Side carries out less violent actions (kidnapping, espionage, burglary, and such).

 

These four groups numbered seven each. I used all of the villains from the original VOICE of Doom supplement, others who had been added to the group as of Champions Universe, and various others I liked from other books, including at least two of the characters from Atlas Unleashed and Doppleganger (the only character I actually liked from European Enemies).

 

The fifth section is one I've already mentioned: the "Baby Teeth." These are the teenaged trainees out to make names for themselves in the organization. They're the only part of the group that I can definitely say I have copies of from my 4th Edition reworking, and I can tell you that they're nothing to sneeze at -- I might just post them here someday.

 

Then there are those who don't fit neatly into any of the above sections, and so work independently or with some other division of VOICE. These include Lung Hung (under the Red Dragon alias), Lupus, Blue Eel, Proteus (imported from Champions Presents #2, and now acting as Lung Hung's personal bodyguard), Shadow Dagger (aka The Man In The Black Eyepatch from Watchers of the Dragon), and a couple of others.

 

The Tongue and the Throat were more or less as originally described, though I was in the process of making the Tongue both more formidable (provided they had time to prepare) and more Chinese in flavor. I've only glanced at LL's equipment list, but what I've seen would be a good start in the right direction for both concerns.

 

I also added a fourth branch, the Lips. These are the PR folks, the attorneys, the business interests, the media "spin doctors," and everyone else who manipulates the public perception of VOICE.

 

The overall organization is led by a Supreme Council... which doesn't exist. Messages come from the Supreme Council via Red Dragon, Lupus, or one of the other handful of people who know that Lung Hung is the real decision-maker.

 

There there were two organizations that were technically outside VOICE, but closely associated enough (in that Lung Hung was in charge of them both) that they'd have to be included in any survey of VOICE. I don't really remember the specific names I used (Captain Steve may have that info on hand), but I'll do my best to recall.

 

First, the Red Talon Tong, with its global headquarters in San Francisco, is a more or less typical fictional Chinese-American tong. It carries out community support programs on the surface, and criminal activities behind the scenes. The latter includes not only typical street crimes and association with a powerful Chinese street gang, but also (unknown to its rank-and-file members) message running and agent recruitment for VOICE.

 

Then there's the Black Claw Triad, with its global headquarters in Taipei. This, too, is more or less a typical Triad, with drug production, slavery, prostitution, and all of the other usual trappings -- and also a heavy dosage of Chinese mysticism. Nobody in either VOICE or the Triad knows that its leader, Lung Hung, is also the Red Dragon of VOICE.

 

I think that more or less covers the way I had VOICE reorganized under my plan. Next time I have a dozen or so minutes to fill, I'll post a bit more....

[Lord Liaden]

Bob, I absolutely love your division of the Upper and Lower Jaws (Left and Right might be a bit much for me, but that's just personal taste), and the Baby Teeth. Giving the Jaws more variety was something I had blanked on. The Red Talon Tong and the Black Claw Triad are also very neat. I could easily make both of them prominent elements of the First Chorus of VOICE in my own organizational plan (from several posts back). Similarly, the "Baby Teeth" could be supervillains in the First Chorus employed by VOICE, but who aren't yet full members of the Jaws. As you say, all these elements could be integrated as someone saw fit.

 

The leadership of "my" VOICE are all immortal vampiric mutants like Lung Hung; I'll describe them more when time permits.

 

Further to your point of making VOICE more Oriental in flavor, I thought that emphasizing an underlying philosophy to the agency, and ritual and ceremony to attaining membership, would be in line with that goal. While developing those ideas I worked in the artificial skulls which the original group used for communication, and ended up with one of the unique elements of VOICE technology. My efforts can be perused below:

 

-------------------------------------------

 

When a new member is to be inducted into the ranks of VOICE, he or she is first instructed in the doctrine of the Great Song: All members of VOICE are chorists in the Song and have their proper place and measure. To be attuned to the Song is to draw strength from it. Those most attuned are the most gifted singers, and will be raised in prominence, perhaps one day joining those who compose and conduct the Great Song itself.

 

The actual induction ceremony is an elaborate ritual attended by all the members of the prospective recruit's cell. A variation of this ceremony is held whenever a VOICE member ascends to a higher rank. The culmination of the ritual is know as the "Skull's Kiss:" the mouth of the Sacred Skull (see below) is pressed against the inductee's forehead. After a moment of pain, the new recruit learns that he can now "hear" the thoughts of any other VOICE member, and they can hear his, a gift known as the Silent Voice. This discovery always impresses the new member.

 

Silent Voice: Mind Link, Related Group of Minds One At A Time, Invisible Power Effects (+1/2) (Active Points: 15); Only With Others Who Have Mind Link (-1). Total Points: 7

 

The Sacred Skull: This artifact is one of the most closely guarded secrets of the organization; VOICE operatives will destroy one before letting it be captured (it's quite fragile). The Sacred Skull is in fact an actual preserved human skull. In addition to bestowing the Silent Voice power, the Skull allows any VOICE member who touches it to speak mind-to-mind with up to eight other members at once. This ability to communicate indetectably helps VOICE agents excel at covert missions and coordinated combat tactics. On most field missions the leader of a cell will remain at home base, coordinating the agents' activities through the Sacred Skull. Should the mission become compromised the leader will immediately evacuate the base with everything of value. This is also how the cell leader communicates with his immediate superior, and how those superiors coordinate joint operations by several cells.

 

The Sacred Skull can also be used to locate any VOICE agent; this makes defection from VOICE an extremely risky venture. Traitors are usually swiftly assassinated as an example.

 

Skull's Kiss: Transform 8d6 (Target to Target with "Silent Voice" Power), Standard Effect (+0), Invisible Power Effects (Sight Sense Group; +1/2), 32 Charges (+1/4) (Active Points: 210); No Range (-1/2), Charges Never Recover (-2), OAF Fragile (-1 1/4) (total cost: 44 points) plus

 

Skull's Ear:: Mind Scan 12d6, +5 ECV with Mind Scan, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2) (Active Points: 105); Concentration (0 DCV Throughout: -1), Only On Other VOICE Members (-1), OAF Fragile (-1 1/4) (total cost: 25 points) plus

 

Skull's Shout:: 8x Number of Minds with Mind Link, Invisible Power Effects (+1/2) (Active Points: 22); Only With Others Who Have Mind Link (-1), Concentration (0 DCV Throughout: -1), OAF Fragile (-1 1/4) (total cost: 5).

 

Total Cost: 74 Points

 

The rank and file believe the Sacred Skull to be a mystic artifact. In fact it contains sophisticated microcircuitry and a supply of microchips. During the Skull's Kiss ceremony a microchip is implanted directly into the brain of the new recruit. These chips use "organic technology" and will only show up under sophisticated X-ray or MRI examinations of the head. (Alternatively, if a GM is using VOICE as a more occult organization, he or she can easily define the Sacred Skull as a true magic item, perhaps adjusting some of the Modifiers to the Skull's Kiss power.)

 

Note: on rare occasions the microchip implant will stimulate other latent mind-affecting powers in the recipient. When these individuals are identified they're taught to use their new abilities to the fullest, trained in advanced espionage techniques, and inducted into Whisper, VOICE's cadre of psionic spies. While not quite powerful enough to be members of the Jaws, Whisper operatives are exceptional at covert operations, and undergo extensive mental conditioning to assure fanatical loyalty to VOICE.

 

 

More to come as the opportunity presents itself.

[BobGreenwade]

Actually I only divided the Left and Right sides because even divided into Upper and Lower, and with some of the supervillains moved out of the formal group as independent operatives, each of the teams was still too large. I wanted to limit the groups to around seven members apiece, and by the time I included everyone who seemed right for the job I had twice that.

 

Subdividing the two groups gives another possibility as well: rather than only having the options of assigning the Upper Jaws for an open battle or the Lower Jaws for a covert operation, Lupus (titular leader of the Jaws) can send out the Left Side for an assassination or the Right Side for a theft. The tactic would be to have the Upper team create a diversion, while the Lower team sneaks in and does the actual deed. This could even go so far as to have the Upper team make an open attempt at the job while the Lower team infiltrates the security force against them and makes it just look as though the Upper team succeeded.

[BobGreenwade]

Eureka!

 

I finally found the notes I'd made after my catastrophic computer crash, and it turns out I'd reconstructed a lot more than I'd thought. I even have the supervillain lineup I'd settled on:

 

Left Side of the Upper Jaws: Graf von Grausom (leader), Daigon, Irredencia, Lionslayer, Poinsettia, Scarab

Right Side of the Upper Jaws: Doctor Photon (leader), Death Rider, Goshawk, Riplash, Steel Raven, Szybko

Left Side of the Lower Jaws: Doppleganger (leader), Dreamer, Ego, High Voltage, Orb, Pandemic

Right Side of the Lower Jaws: Le Maître (leader), Plague, La Pulga, Red Rapier, Shamrock, Snapdragon

Baby Teeth: Headmaster (supervisor), Divine Wind (field leader), Crater, Cyberninja, Goth, Piranha, Punk, Render, Vissna

Solo and Special Operatives: Blue Eel (and her Cybersharks), Dragon Master (and his gang), Kagetanto, Lupus, Proteus, Red Dragon

 

Pandemic is Carrier under a new name, and most of the Baby Teeth were original characters (whom I'll describe, at least briefly, in a later post). I don't see anyone else who couldn't be found in one or another Champions supplement for the first four editions. (Orb is the alien from Target Hero, not the Geodesics character.)