Character: Azrael

[DShomshak]

The last character I posted, Tress, was a joke. Azrael... isn't. He's sort of a mystical character, though.

 

[bEGIN CHARACTER SHEET]

<3>Azrael

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

60 STR 50 21- Lift 100 t; 12d6 HTH damage [6]

23 DEX 26 14-

30 CON 20 15-

18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13-

18 EGO 8 13-

30 PRE 20 15- PRE Attack: 6d6

 

8 OCV 25

8 DCV 25

8 OMCV 15

8 DMCV 15

6 SPD 40 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

35 PD 33 Total: 35 PD (20 rPD)

35 ED 33 Total: 35 ED (20 rED)

20 REC 16

60 END 8

20 BODY 10

60 STUN 20 Characteristics Cost: 372

 

Movement: Running: 12m

Flight: 34m/544m

Teleport: 44m

 

Cost Powers END

82 Deadly Angelic Powers: Multipower, 82-point reserve

8f 1) Burning Light Blast: RKA 4d6+1 3

Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4)

8f 2) Burning Light Burst: Blast 11d6 8

Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +1/2)

8f 3) Flare of Light: Sight Group Flash 9d6 3

Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4)

8f 4) Freezing Dark Blast: Drain BODY 6 1/2d6 3

Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4)

8f 5) Freezing Dark Burst: Blast 6d6 8

AVAD (defense is Power Defense; +1), Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +1/2), Personal Immunity (+1/4)

8f 6) Numbing, Icy Night: Darkness to Sight and Touch Groups, 10m radius 3

Personal Immunity (+1/4), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4)

8f 7) Mingled Burst: RKA 2d6 8

+2 Increased STUN Multiplier (+1/2), Penetrating (+1/2), Area Of Effect (8m Radius; +1/2), Personal Immunity (+1/4)

5f 8) Annihilating Touch: RKA 1d6+1 3

NND (defense is Hardened/Impenetrable Resistant Defense; +1), Does BODY (+1), Area Of Effect (personal Surface — Damage Shield; +1/4), Constant (+1/2), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4); No Range (-1/2)

8f 9) Mind Over Matter: Telekinesis (30 STR) 3

Area Of Effect (Selective 4m Radius; +1/2), Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4)

8f 10) Command Unworthy Mortals: Mind Control 13d6 3

Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4)

4f 11) Seek the Doomed: Mind Scan 10d6, +16 MCV 8

Cannot Attack Through Link (either way; -1)

2f 12) Resurrect Doctor Perlman: Summon 130 point mortal 4

Specific Being (+1); Cannot Demand Tasks (-1), Need Perlman’s Corpse (-1)

 

35 Wings of Night: Multipower, 52-point reserve

All Restrainable (-1/2)

3f 1) Soar through Mortal Skies: Flight 32m, x8 Noncombat 2

Reduced Endurance (1/2 END; +1/4)

3f 2) Vanish In Thunder: Teleportation 42m, x8 Mass 5

 

30 Nigh Invulnerable: Resistant (+1/2) on 20 PD/20 ED 0

Hardened (+1/4), Impenetrable (+1/4)

17 Nigh Invulnerable: Hardened (+1/4) on 35 PD/35 ED 0

17 Nigh Invulnerable: Impenetrable (+1/4) on 35 PD/35 ED 0

10 Burning Gaze: Sight Group Flash Defense (10 points) 0

5 Burning Gaze: Nightvision 0

6 Burning Gaze: +4 versus Range Modifiers for Sight Group 0

10 Relentless Will: Mental Defense (10 points) 0

7 Spiritual Substance: Power Defense (7 points) 0

45 Spiritual Substance: Life Support: Total (includes Longevity: Immortality) 0

19 Virtually Unkillable: Regeneration (1 BODY per Turn), Can Heal Limbs 0

 

Talents

3 Ambidexterity (no Off Hand penalty)

3 Striking Appearance: terrifying glory, +1/1d6

20 Universal Translator 13-

 

Skills

20 +2 All Combat

 

3 Acrobatics 14-

3 Breakfall 14-

3 Interrogation 15-

3 Oratory 15-

 

Total Powers & Skills Cost: 430

Total Cost: 802

 

400 Matching Complications (75)

10 DNPC: Doctor Perlman (Creator) (Frequently, Normal, Noncombat Skills)

20 Hunted: Governments worldwide (Frequently, As Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)

15 Negative Reputation: Demented mass murderer, 11- (Extreme)

20 Psychological Complication: Exists only to cause death and destruction (Common, Total)

20 Psychological Complication: Obsessive/Protective of Dr. Perlman (Common, Total)

10 Psychological Complication: Frightened and confused by kindness and mercy (Uncommon, Strong)

15 Susceptibility: to being forced to act against his nature, takes 3d6 damage instantly (Uncommon)

15 Vulnerability: x1 ½ STUN, BODY, Mental Effect from Kabbalistic magic (Uncommon)

Total Complications Points: 75

Experience Points: 401

[END CHARACTER SHEET]

 

Background/History: Chaim Perlman hated Palestinians with a deep, bitter passion. He was not alone; many other Israelis lost families to Palestinian terrorist attacks, or in wars with the Palestinians’ Arab backers. Not so many Israelis were also brilliant physicists, engineers — and philosophers learned in metaphysics, Talmud and Kabbalah. After his family’s murder, Perlman retreated into his research, spending every waking moment with the equations he hoped would unlock the secret of reality itself.

 

Perlman made a breakthrough. Thoughts and symbols were as real as matter and energy, and all could be converted into each other. His colleagues made polite noises when he tried to explain his discovery, and sadly shook their heads behind his back. Perlman was a fine teacher, and a good researcher in his younger days, they told each other, but obviously the tragedy had affected his mind.

 

So Perlman built a machine to test his theory: a machine to turn thoughts into reality. He attached the many electrodes to his head. The scientist began by imagining a small metal sphere, but grief and rage invaded his thoughts. As he had so many times before, Perlman brooded on his losses and yearned for revenge. Darkness curdled in the materialization booth, shot through with lightning and fire. The booth shattered and every circuit burned out. Before Perlman stood a mighty figure, an angel of fire and shadow. Azrael, the Angel of Death.

 

Perlman saw his creation and reeled with anguish and remorse. He tried to stop the dark angel from its horrific task, and Azrael laughed.

 

“Desist? Have mercy? You created me to destroy your enemies, and destroy I shall! But I will return to you, Creator. You will never escape me.”

 

And Azrael vanished from the lab in a crash of thunder and black fire, to begin his genocidal reign of terror.

 

Chaim Perlman left Israel. He has fled his creation for years, to no avail. Wherever in the world he goes, Azrael finds him again, and sets about to kill anyone who could be an enemy of his Creator. Even death gives no escape — for Azrael can raise Perlman from the dead.

 

Personality/Motivation: Azrael is a creature of pure hatred, untouched with any hint of moral scruples. At first Azrael just killed Palestinians, but he soon expanded his field. Azrael hates everyone and everything in the world. In fact, he even hates Perlman, despite his seeming devotion. Azrael destroys anyone who might oppose Perlman, and he destroys anyone who might help the scientist. The death-angel wants it to be just the two of them, bound by a mutual hatred more intimate than love. If the rest of the world keeps getting in the way, then the rest of the world will have to go.

 

“Sometimes, my Creator, I dream… of a perfect, barren world, cleansed in fire except for You and myself, together among the bones, forever…”

 

Quote: “Why? I am as my Creator made me, as are we all. My nature is to kill… as yours is to die.”

 

Powers/Tactics: Azrael is not really an angel. Rather, he is a tulpa — a materialized imaginary creature — created through a blend of science and mysticism. Doctor Perlman has never tried to reconstruct his machine and would rather die than do so. The death-angel seems to be unkillable: If destroyed, it reappears the next time Perlman feels great fear, pain or anger, ready to protect its Creator once more.

 

In addition to great strength and resistance to damage, Azrael has many energy-based powers, some of brilliant white fire and others of icy, opaque darkness. He can also move or grab targets using Telekinesis or dominate individuals as a way to set people up for their deaths or to make them help him (if only for a little while) in one of his murderous schemes. He often grabs opponents with Telekinesis to then pummel them with his fists, or attacks hand-to-hand under cover of Numbing, Icy Night. In combat, Azrael is vicious but not especially subtle or clever. One foe can easily distract him from finishing off another.

 

While Azrael murders people with great enthusiasm, he knows that he can’t kill really large numbers of people with his bare hand and powers. To this end he tries to break dams, cause toxic chemical spills, collapse skyscrapers, and the like. All that keeps him from starting a nuclear war is his inability to launch missiles once he’s got them: governments set very tight safeguards against unauthorized launch or detonation. So far, Azrael has never mustered the patience for a really devious plot to trick a government into using its nuclear weapons.

 

Campaign Use: Azrael is a straightforward homicidal monster given a twist. If Azrael appears, Perlman is likely nearby; Perlman may be the best resource to explain the crazed logic behind the death-angel’s rampage. Azrael is almost certain to Hunt anyone who threatens Perlman, or who helps the scientist flee his creation.

 

The death-angel presents heroes with an additional challenge in how they deal with Chaim Perlman. Azrael cannot be destroyed permanently as long as Perlman lives. The only way to end Azrael’s threat forever is for him and Perlman to die before either resurrects the other. Perlman killed himself once already in guilt over Azrael’s crimes: He is okay with dying again to make sure Azrael cannot return. The PCs may feel differently.

 

To make Azrael more powerful, double the reserve of his Angelic Powers Multipower so he can use two slots at once (plus still using his vast strength). To reduce Azrael’s power, make his defenses no longer Hardened and Impenetrable, and/or reduce the Active Points of his Angelic Powers.

 

Appearance: Azrael is a powerfully built man standing 6’5” tall, with jet-black skin and eyes of blue-white fire. He would be extraordinarily handsome in a hard-edged, blunt-featured way if not for his cold, contemptuous expression. Deep black, feathered wings rise from his shoulders. He dresses in sandals and a white loincloth on a silver belt. His brow carries a silver coronet set with diamonds.

 

[bEGIN BOXED TEXT]

<3>Azrael Plot Seeds

 

• A master villain learns how Perlman created Azrael and wants the secret for himself. Can the heroes rescue the scientist before the villain forces him to reveal how to evoke monsters from the id? Azrael also tries to rescue his Creator, but there is no chance of a team-up, and the death-angel’s assault will cause a lot of collateral damage.

 

• Perlman finds a fellow scientist who is willing to try building a weapon that can kill Azrael. He hopes to lure the monster into a trap. The scientist, however, is actually a supervillain who just wants Perlman’s help in designing a new super-weapon. As the criminal scientist steals the components for his super-weapon, Azrael comes to town. Even if the PCs follow the trail to the supervillain and Perlman, do they stop the plot? Or do they just try to make sure the weapon is, in fact, used against Azrael? The death-angel, meanwhile, immediately decides to kill the villain and the heroes, then use the super-weapon himself.

 

• A mystic who doesn’t know the true story of Azrael’s origin thinks the monster really is one of God’s angels of wrath and punishment who has somehow escaped proper direction. The mystic asks the PCs to help capture Azrael so the death-angel can be returned to Elysium. What happens if the PCs succeed, carry the captured Azrael to Elysium and then hear, “Sorry, not one of ours?”

[END BOXED TEXT]

 

[bEGIN SIDEBAR]

<3>Azrael Facts

Here are some facts that characters and NPCs might know about Azrael if they succeed with an appropriate Skill Roll:

 

N/R: Azrael, self-styled Angel of Death, seems interested only in killing large numbers of people. The black-skinned, black-winged creature has diverse powers: super-strength and invulnerability, destructive beams and blasts of light and darkness, flight, teleportation and more.

 

K/R: Azrael also has mental powers. People must obey his commands, and he can find individuals no matter where they flee and hide.

 

-1: Azrael has been “killed” at least once, but the body dissolved and Azrael reappeared several months later, so the death-angel may be a true spirit. His first rampage took place in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, but since then Azrael has massacred people in many places around the world. He has fought several heroes — and villains too, when he tried exterminating entire cities through poison gas, fire or high-powered military weapons.

 

-2: Sometimes, Azrael seeks out specific people to kill for reasons unknown. Some rampages follow a pattern of killing specific people, then other folk connected to those people, and then an attempt at a general massacre.

 

-4: Azrael is not a genuine spirit. He pursues the physicist Chaim Perlman, who accidentally created Azrael by means unknown.

 

-6: Azrael’s creation was not an accident, but Perlman now regrets it. Azrael can raise Perlman from the dead, and Azrael cannot truly die while Perlman still lives. Many of Azrael’s rampages are insanely overblown attempts to protect Perlman or avenge harm done to him.

[END SIDEBAR]

 

Dean Shomshak

[DShomshak]

Re: Character: Azrael

 

Oookay... That was an odd repetition of words, and it doesn't show up when I try to edit. Oh well.

 

Here's the character sheet for Doctor Chaim Perlman, Azrael's Creator.

 

[bEGIN CHARACTER SHEET]

<3>Doctor Chaim Perlman

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

5 STR -5 10- Lift 50 kg; 1d6 HTH damage [1]

8 DEX -4 11-

8 CON -2 11-

25 INT 15 14- PER Roll 14-

18 EGO 8 13-

13 PRE 3 12- PRE Attack: 2 1/2d6

 

3 OCV 0

3 DCV 0

6 OMCV 6

6 DMCV 6

2 SPD 0 Phases: 6, 12

2 PD 0 Total: 2 PD (0 rPD)

2 ED 0 Total: 2 ED (0 rED)

4 REC 0

20 END 0

8 BODY -2

20 STUN 0 Characteristics Cost: 25

 

Movement: Running: 10m

 

Cost Powers END

64 Recreate Azrael: Summon 800-point Tulpa [1c]

Specific Being (+1); 1 Charge (-2), No Conscious Control (-2), No Control Over Azrael (-0)

3 Terrible Intimacy: Mind Link x1 to Azrael, Psychic Bond 0

No Conscious Control (-2)

-2 Slowed With Age: Running –2m (10m total) 1

 

Skills

3 +1 Guns

 

3 Deduction 14-

3 Electronics 14-

3 Inventor 14-

3 KS: Talmud 14-

2 KS: Kabbalah 11-

3 Language: Hebrew (completely fluent; English is native)

2 Language: German (fluent conversation)

3 Scientist

4 1) General Physics 16-

2 2) Cosmology 14-

2 3) Mathematics 14-

2 4) Metaphysics and Ontology 14-

2 5) Particle Physics 14-

 

Total Powers & Skills Cost: 102

Total Cost: 127

 

100 Matching Complications (30)

15 Distinctive Features: Mystic Aura of Creation and Destruction (Not Concealable; Always Noticed, Strong Reaction; Detectable Only With Unusual Senses)

25 Hunted: Azrael (Very Frequently, More Powerful, Perlman is easy to find, Mildly Punish [torment him while “protecting” him])

15 Psychological Complication: Consumed with Despair (Common, Strong)

Total Complications Points: 30

Experience Points: 27

[END CHARACTER SHEET]

 

Description: In his youth, Chaim Perlman trained as both a physicist and a rabbi. Science won over theology and philosophy, to the disappointment of teachers who thought Perlman would be the next Maimonides or Hillel — or else the next great heretic. When true genius meets Talmud, there’s not much room in between. In the decades he spent researching quantum chromodynamics, electroweak unification and other frontiers of physics, though, Perlman never forgot his theological studies. He married late, had three lovely children, and was a loving husband and father. Though he paid little attention to politics, he favored making peace with the Palestinians and other Arabs. As he liked to say, “Science has no borders; protons have no tribes.”

 

Then, a Palestinian suicide bomber blew up a restaurant while Perlman was at a scientific conference. Perlman’s wife and children were among the casualties. Perlman realized he’d been a naïve fool to imagine that a life devoted to truth would shield him from an ugly world. He raged against God and Fate, sought consolation in physics and philosophy, but the equations of rage and grief defied solution. At the edge of madness, though, he saw connections between ideas he had never seriously tried to link before. Working to exhaustion month after month, merging physics with metaphysics, he saw how to wrest the creative fire from the hand of God and bend it to his will.

 

Perlman tried not to think about revenge. He told himself this was a boon to humanity, possibly the first step in calling loved ones back from death. But the thought was there. Revenge. Kill them all. For every action, an equal and opposite reaction.

 

So Chaim Perlman built his machine and called Azrael into existence. But his hatred could not both take physical form and remain in his soul. His mind was clear once more… to learn the true horror of what he had done.

 

After that, Chaim Perlman fled from country to country, trying to escape his creation. The third time Azrael caught up to him, Perlman killed himself in remorse — and plunged to new depths of despair when Azrael brought him back. Perlman thought God had finally forgiven him when the Windy City Warriors defeated and apparently destroyed Azrael — but six months later, some street toughs tried shaking down the old man for money, and Azrael reappeared in thunder and fire. “Creator,” the monster said as he laid the punks’ crushed bodies at Perlman’s feet. “You know I will never abandon you.”

 

Chaim Perlman gave up working on the metaphysical equations that birthed Azrael. Once he hoped to find the key to unmaking his creation. No longer: He does not believe God will grant him the mercy of a techno-fix. No, the only solution is that they must die together, creator and creation, so that neither can bring the other one back. Until then he travels the world, visiting physics conferences and old colleagues, hoping to stay ahead of Azrael until the day he hears that the monster is dead again.

 

To most people, Perlman is just a gaunt man with gray hair and haunted eyes, looking older than his 50-some years. Other scientists pity him: Perlman was once a leading light in physics, but now they think he’s a bit of a has-been and a crank. Mystics, however, might sense that Perlman radiates the aura of an apocalyptic god, crackling with the primal cosmic energies that create and destroy worlds. Telepaths who probe Perlman’s mind might accidentally open the erratic psychic bond between the scientist and his creation. They will not find touching the mind of Azrael pleasant… especially when they feel the creature’s outrage that anyone should so defile his Creator’s mind, and realize the dark angel has marked them for death.

 

Dean Shomshak

[Mr. R]

Re: Character: Azrael

 

WOW! Very inventive. Reminds me of Forbidden Planet only more personal and scary!

[The Arc]

Re: Character: Azrael

 

 

Azreal

[DShomshak]

Re: Character: Azrael

 

Yep, that's Azrael all right. Thank you!

 

Dean Shomshak