Powerhouse

Re: Servant of the Archmage Wrong format! Well might as well comment that it's a work in progress (aren't they all?). I really haven't defined how the ancient healing arts work whether it's magic, chi manipulation, herbs, or something else so other modifications will be coming. As always, please comment and make suggestions since this is a hurriedly put together block of stats. Incidently, anyone ever seen Babylon 5 and the character Marcus Cole? Her staff is like that- it's small but telescopes out to full length.

We already remember Wong, manservant of Earth's Sorceror Supreme! Well here's a first crack at the Champions Universe servant to the Archmage. No real info beyond stats except that she's in her early 20's, Tibetan, and trained from birth to serve and protect the Archmage. As a note, her stats include combat training, weapon, and a minor shield but the character is not intended to accompany the Archmage on adventures. The servant is a last line of defense (and also trains the Archmage in the martial arts) in case the Archmage is badly wounded or in deep meditating/astral projecting.

Re: The psychologically balanced (Silver Age) Superteam Thanks everyone! I suspect that the Innocent might have been Kitty Pryde altough Stormy did seem naive at times.

Re: The psychologically blanced (Silver Age) Superteam The team is currently called the Sentinels of Justice but I'm thinking of making it the Crusaders or Crusaders of Justice- it just needs to sound reall Silver Age. Right now there are seven founders and the new kid on the block. All are intended to be homages to various Avengers and Justice Leaguers. I want them to be interesting but not overly complex at this point or least they have room to mature and deepen as time goes on and the times move on to the Bronze Age: 1. Doctor Atomic aka the Nuclear Wonder and Plotonium Protector! An atomic powered Superman all around but a little more human and with a deep scientific curiousity. He loves to out think his opponents (kinda like how the Silver Age Superman always had to be so clever since he was often tossed into a story where a super-powered punch wasn't enough to save the day). At the beginning he might not be quite confident since he's new to the hero business but that would probably be glossed over. 2. Nighthunter aka the Dark Archer aka the Nightmare of Crime! He's a Batman homage armed with a bow. He does have a CvK but without a doubt the darkest of the Sentinels- an early preview of the Bronze Age. He doesn't give criminals a fair chance and get be tough on his fellow crime fighters who he thinks could do so much more. He does have a strong connection with the cops though. 3. Athena aka the Goddess of Battle and Wisdom (ok, I need to work on that one too)! An avatar of the Greek goddess, she is skilled in combat and can see/know that which others can not. Compassionate and wise, she is often a voice of reason among the others. Her alter ego is a young girl who, in a Captain Marvel twist, transforms into this super powered form. The girl also has problems ala Spiderman with fitting in and bullies. 4. Sunturion aka the Solar Sentinel aka the Sun Warrior! A Green Lantern clone who is overconfident and brave to the point of recklessness. Also quite the womanizer and loves to taunt his opponents. He isn't really that different from Hal right now although you find out later in the Bronze age some dark secrets. I'll be honest, he's one of the least satisfying for me. 5. Glamour Girl: still working on her backstory which is currently problematic but right now she's upper crust from Britain who uses illusions. A homage to Scarlet Witch and Zatanna. She's vain, flighty, and a bit too focused on her looks (also, she has issues and is competitive with the equally beautiful Athena) but effective when she choses to be. Not the finest example of a superheroine perhaps but this is the Silver Age and having two strong females on the team would probably be too much to ask for. 6. Hornet: based on Spiderman, Atom, and Henry Pym- a young college professor (or advanced student) with a background in boxing. An experimental serum gave him super strength, agility, a bio sting, and the ability to cling to surfaces. He can also shrink down and fly (at the cost of some strength and bio blast). Psychologically he's a true blue hero but also down to earth and likeable despite his intelligence. He tosses in the ocassional joke and pun but not to the extent of Sunturion. I might nerdy him up a bit but Doctor Atomic is a bit of a closet nerd and I like the idea of Hornet being a "cool" scientific hero as well as big brother to Blue Bolt. 7. The Stranger: alien metamorph and vanguard of an invading army who decided that humanity was too noble a race to eradicate. He is a being of deep honor but not an outcast from his own people and a stranger among a strange people. He hides his pain behind a stoic mask. Based on Martian Manhunter and Vision. 8. Blue Bolt: the new kid on the block and he has a problematic origin. While the speedster aspect is obviously Flash/Quicksilver, I'm thinking of making his personality akin to a young Firestorm and emphasize his newbie status. He probably has to quit athletic which he loves in fear of using his powers accidently. So that's the first eight and I think I have a reasonable cross section of personality/templates between the knight (Doctor Atomic), vigilante (Night Hunter), wise goddess (Athena), brash and cocky (Sunturion/Glamour), scientist (Hornet), new kid (Blue Bolt), and the outsider (Stranger). Anything you think I'm missing at the moment? Thanks!

Hey everyone, it's Powerhouse again! I hope that everyone is having fun. As some of you may remember, I LOVE creating characters in general and superteams in particular. In the world I've been creating over the years I have a team each from the Golden Age, Silver Age, and Bronze age as well as a couple from the Modern Age. I'm trying to finish the re-write the Silver Age team but taking them into the Bronze age as well to see how they mature and become complex. Also, it's fun to have my own homages to the characters I love so much. Anyway, I remember that Hero games had at one point an article in one of their AC's called The Psychologically Balanced team. Any idea if it or something else was ever re-printed? I'd LOVE to read it! Thanks everyone.

Re: (really) Super Tuesday Adjusting Lady Silver's age (btw, she's a powerful wizard and possible canidate for Archmage) by a few years, she would probably run as a Democrat with Senator Obama as VP (this is not to say these are my political views, mind you). Trying to make her views a reality might be tough though and involve a number of compromises. On the one hand, she'd be a big fan of entitlement programs like universal healthcare and poverty reducement programs. On the other hand, she is a big advocate of personal responsibility and people not acting as victims but instead contributing to their society. Would this lead to some kind of "moral testing" that she would never have considered when she was a leader by example rather than politics? Another example might be illegal immigration. On the one hand, she's the forgive and forget sort but on the other hand, she knows that amnesty would likely encourage additional illegal immigration. What now? Cast a spell across the border? I bet the that some of the Christain right would be quoting, "that shall not suffer a witch to live." It would be interesting overall- what does one do when now you are the decision maker instead of the advocate? Rather than the leader of one cause, you are the leader of a nation and the free world? When the idealist must deal with reality- what now? Have fun!

I just read Young Avengers Presents today and there's a scene in there where "Captain America Lives!" is sprawled across a wall. Some might member some months back when I posted here to request that people put that in their sigs. And now even Marvel seems to have caught on. Ok, maybe it wasn't that original and maybe Marvel didn't get the idea from us. But maybe they did. Just thought it was kinda cool. Thanks for the indulgence everyone.

Re: Letter to yourself You know, I *was* going to save my 666th post for my introduction of the Seven Deadly Sins but I am still working on them and this is a GREAT post. I'd rep but I need to spread some around first. In the meantime, from who is my closest character, Lady Silver: To me: It is no doubt strange to be reading this and you're wondering if it's real. Let me just write: Faraji and the lotus blossoms last week. And yes, it was a good decision. Striking the balance between not altering the future but also trying to give you guidance, I'll say this: follow your heart. Listen to others and weigh what they think but never let that stop you from doing what you truly, honestly, deeply believe is right. Sometimes you will fear that only you will walk the true path but know that you will never be truly alone as long as you are faithful to your friends. Be an example and they will follow you because they will trust you and know that you care for them. Follow your heart as well in love. It will be broken but time, memories, and the love of friends will soothe the hurt. There is no deeper pain that regret and love missed. A heart walled off from the world is a dead thing, a stone that will ache greater than any loss. Times will be tough, the road dark at times and the pressures great but you *will* make it. I did, you will, and I look forward to meeting you in the future when I look into the mirror. Sincerely, Yourself. P.S.- Nova will be a handful (you'll know her when you see her) but she will be one of your best friends. Also, love comes in some *very* unexpected places.

Re: WWCYD: Lethal Force is Authorized Let's see... cities razed, millions dead, want slaves, total surrender, wants resources. Dialog is not an option. Do we need to kill them all? Nope. And how would you "Beat them badly enough" without killing at least some? The JLA and Avengers seem to do it all the time but of course some of those stories are from times when the "Do not kill" clause is rigorously enforced. Captured their soldiers, smash their war machines, destroy their weapons- that would probably qualify as "beating them badly enough."

Re: WWCYD: Lethal Force is Authorized Interesting responses so far, thank you. Just some clarifications if needed: 1. As noted by an earlier poster: authorized doesn't mean requiredd. 2. There isn't going to be any retribution against heroes who have already killed aliens in combat. Instead, it's more of a reminder that the law against murder doesn't apply in the situation. The overall idea was to put the characters in an extreme position AND remove the legal ramifications. "Volt Has a reluctance to killing - but they started it and only death will stop it - ours or theirs. He would kill, but with some regret. Dialog is not an option according to their own words." 3. It should be noted that killing all the aliens isn't the only option here, it's just that they aren't accepting less than total surrender for the purposes of enslaving humanity. Beat them badly enough and you can make them retreat and perhaps covince them that Earth is too tough. Of course, taking off the kid gloves, slaughtering some aliens, and going all total war might be one of the easier ways to accomplish this goal. Quoting: Katana: Aliens arent People so killing them isnt wrong no matter how many of them I get. You just hurt the feelings of one of my characters Nov

(Notes: I'm basing this on the current Sinestro War storyline in Green Lantern where the Guardians have authorized rings to employ lethal force) Like most Champions, you're probably the type who ha either the a Code vs Killing or the default Reluctant to Kill. Whether it's the belief that all life if sacred, the desire to not lower yourself to the level of those you fights, killing is icky, or fear of legal ramifications, you just don't normally use lethal force. Over the past few days though, things have gotten really rough. A vast alien armada has set up shop and has been in general kicking tail across the globe. Several major cities have been razed, millions are dead, and millions more are in internment camps. The aliens have stated that they will settle for nothing less than total surrender so that they can turn the people into slaves and tear the earth apart for its natural resources. While this is going on, you and the other supers are fighting back as hard as you can alongside the various militaries of the world. You've truly learned that war is hell. At one of the meetings to coordinate, the Secretary-Marshal Eckhardt of UNTIL and acting commander of Earth's superhumans has stated: "remember people, this is war. Lethal Force is Authorized." How would this affect your character and their tactics? Would you take off the kid gloves and not care what happened to the green little aliens? Would you hold to your standards since what is the point of standards if they can not stand under the direst of circumstances? Or would you still be simply unable to kill because that is simply not a part of your nature? (More notes: I hope this doesn't seem like railroading- I'm just interesting in how your character would act in this situation. In combat, soldiers and police officer use lethal force but in general are not considered murderers (not to start a flamewar) but superheroes tend to be exempt from this especially given how sanitized violence is in most comics. In most comics, the supers are able to pull their punches with great exactness so that their energy blast punches through a tank on one panel and just knocks out a normal in the next. Or they just disable the plane enough to let someone eject or even carry the enemy to safety themselves. Of course, this all takes time and can leave you vulnerable to retribution if you misjusge and your attack is too weak against that new supertrooper.)

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? Hi everyone- just posting the last part of the rough draft of Nightingale's origin. I hope you like it and again, please feel free to add suggestions and give advice. Standing in front of the audience, Nightingale was at ease. She was the glamorous singer who was all too eager to entertain her fans. It was a side of her that she had never had a problem showing. It had been far more difficult when she had said: "Hi, my name is Gail, and I'm an alcoholic." "Hi Gail." Facing down the twelve foot and heavily armored Dreadnaught, leader of the Morvian Armada, had not scared her has much as looking at the twenty people in the church basement. But they accepted her without judgment and so began her personal recovery. Besides removing the vodka from her life, she also started training again and that seemed a longer road still: "Ouch! "Stop whining Gail. You used to teach unarmed combat for Odin's sake." "That was a long time- hey!" The right cross just missed Gail's left temple as she ducked. Backing up, she was just able to block a straight punch from Valkryie. Wrapping her fingers around the other woman's wrist, Gail turned and dropped low to toss the Norse goddess over her shoulder and drive her into the mat. "Well done!" Gail just frowned; the impact had not even winded her friend. Before she could retort, a sharp impact hit the back of her knees and she hit the ground hard. "But you still have much to remember!" Gail bit down on her lip to stifle her laughter even as her lips tugged upward at her friend's infectious joy. Behind her, the speakers kicked: fast and energetic with a pulse-pounding beat, "So you thought I was gone" was the perfect song to kick off the night and bring the crowd to their feet. It was the album that had announced to the world that she was back. The club was not even half-filled with only a score patrons. Those who were there murmured amongst themselves, nursed drinks, and lighted fresh cigarettes in the stale, stuffy air. Gail ducked back behind the curtain as her stomach sank. "Matt, they looked bored." "That's because they are bored sweetheart. You need to change that." She sighed and at tugged at her black tanktop. Matt tilted his head at the gestured and stated, "you look good Gail, better than you've been in years." "Thanks. Too bad I can't say the same for yourself." Her former manager chuckled and opened his arms to emphasize his paunch. "Life's been good for me." The smile softened. "Let's see if we can do the same for you." Gail ducked her head around the curtain again and saw the same bored crowd in the shabby, mostly empty room. "A weeknight in one of the more popular clubs would have been a better start." Matt's lips flattened. "They didn't want you." "Oh." "Look Gail…"- the man placed his fleshy hands on her bared and toned shoulders. It was a fatherly gesture even though only ten years separated them. "It doesn't matter if you start here or somewhere else. You know why?" In the silence, he answered his own question: "because no one I've ever known could ever sing or move a crowd like you could. If you go out there and do what you used to do best, they will be on their feet." "I hope so." She saw the club manager, a stub of a man with a cheap suit, open shirt of too much hair, and a gold-plated smile wave her to the stage. Taking a deep breath, Gail tried to tamp down the butterflies and walked to the stage. "And remember, stick to the old stuff like you promised! It's what they're here for!" Gail waved behind her as she had before in the past. Matt must have remembered what it meant because she heard him swear. Eighty minutes later, Matt was singing a new tune. Standing ovations, stamping feet, and calls so loud to repeat her final song that the club manager feared a small riot could do that. "So, it's called 'Back into the Light', huh?" The smile wouldn't go away from her lips. "It seemed appropriate." "Yeah, it is. You got anymore of those songs?" "A whole disk of them." Gail jerked a thumb towards the parking lot. "I've got a trunk full outside." And that night it started anew. From one club to the next, selling her self-financed CD "So you thought I was gone" out of the trunk of her car, and shoving demos down the throat of every DJ and record executive in the business. Starting back at the beginning reminded Gail of what she had loved about the business in the first place: performing. Then the call came: "Gail, 'Back into the Light' hit the charts last night." "Alright!" Right next to her, Valkryie giggled like a school girl and high-fived her friend. So ecstatic was Gail, she was able to ignore the bone-jarring impact. "So we're talking top forty?" "Babe, we're talking number one! You're back on top!" And here she was now: in front of fifty thousand people and having the time of her life: she wasn't going to let it get away from her again.

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? Just updating a bit even as I work on the rest of Nightingale's history (rough draft, anyway). I'm taking an new take on the vampire. I think that I'm going to have her originally from a Vietnamese street gang and she was one of many kidnapped for an experiment by a cabal that has both VIPER and shadowy government components. The aim: create supersoldiers. The template- a legendary assassin named Black Lotus that some believed was not only superhuman but supernatural. Betrayed and captured, she was experimented on for months and a puesdo-DNA synthesized (the idea being that while some characteristics of vampirism could be seen from a biological component, there are others that are too mystical to be replicated by science. Unfortunately, Black Lotus proved too resourceful to hold indefinately and she escaped. In the carnage, her "children" escaped and the heroine is one of them. So we'll see what direction I take it in. I like the idea of having Nightingale and Valkyrie as the older and more experienced heroines leading the young-uns. Besides Cutlass (swordswoman) and Frenzy (the vampire), I'm trying to come up with two last members. I'm missing science and mysticism but I'm not sure how to meet that exactly. Originally I wanted a biochemist who invented her own speedster powers but I already have two other speedsters and in a world that doesn't have a ton of teams, that starts to get crowded. I'm consideringsome type of metamorph. I'm also not sure about the mystic. Originally, I wanted her to be the daughter of Johnny Adventure, an omincompetent man ala Mister Terrific of JSA fame who sired a daughter with a island goddess. Sensing that the goddess was evil, he escaped with his infant daughter to the US and trained her as an adventurer (it's what he knew best) so that she's pretty much a jack of all trades. However, her powers are starting to come out and she can't control them. That's about it right now. My team is already chock full of skills (Nightingale and Val are experienced heroes, Cutlass is steathy as is Frenzy to a lesser degree, and I'll have a scientist) although why sacrifice a good concept for team balance? Heck, the lack of mystic knowledge could be a plot point as it were. Anyway, just thinking outloud. As always, please feel free to advise and toss in ideas. Thank you very much.

Re: WWYCD: Washington, D.C. is no more. Hopefully, the Silver Knights were out of town when the explosion happened. That said, the Silver Knights would have been contacted about 30 seconds after the explosion (they are the JLA/Avengers of their world) and be responding to escorting the new President to wherever the heck he needs to be. After loaning who was needed to the Secret Service, the rest would be giving what support they could to clean up. Unfortunately, they're not that great at detective work so they'd have to rely on the FBI/CIA to find out who did it. After that, it would be intresting since the Knights are intended to be a global team but some of their members would certainly agitate to go wherever the intelligence said the threat had originated from, UN be darned.

Re: Sanctuary.....Anyone Use It ? Personally, I would not use the concept since I don't see good guys getting along with bad guys on that kind of scale. Certainly, I could see a few heroes and a few villains being able to come together in dire times, or maybe have two supers trained by the same mentor meet once a year to remember old times. And of course, there's the deliciousness of shagging someone who's on the other side. In general though, I can't see any kind of large scale get together in a semi-realistic setting. I couldn't see Bush and Bin Laden getting together for a chess game so why would Defender and Fiacho? Just doesn't make sense to hang with people who try to kill you.

Re: WSWYCK: Karaoke Night GREAT idea for a WWYCD. I'd rep but I need to spread some around. Let's see, I'm not really good at this sort of thing but I'll try: StarKnight: Beyonce's "Ireplaceable." Tyr: probably has the best voice of the Silver Knights. After starting out with some ancient bardic tune that no one can understand, and being told to restart by the BBEG (Big Bed Evil Guy), he's probably go by an old standby by Frank Sinatra Nova: pick an emo song- probably Evanescence "Immortal."

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? Hi everyone! Just adding another part to get some impressions. With everyone's advice, Nightingale is really clicking with me and I think that her background is now one of the most detailed that I've ever put together for a Champions character. I can't wait to put up the Angels now (of course, I'm also working on the Crusaders at the same time so we'll see when it all comes together.) In the meantime, please enjoy! She hit the stage and the fifty thousand strong crowd rose to their feet in thunderous applause. The sound was a deafening wave crashing over the singer but still above that, she could just make out the chant of her name: "Gail! Gail G-" "Gail!" The shout drove the spike deeper into her pounding skull and Gail pulled the covers back over her head. Last night had been a bender even by her standards and she couldn't remember much beyond the vodka shots and that cute model. Todd or Tad? She couldn't remember. A male voice spoke out, "hey babe, you're interfering with my private time. Unless you want to join- urk!" "Away varlet, before I circumcise you with rusty shears! You are worth neither my time nor hers." A very short scuffle followed by the slamming of a door and pounding feet came next. Gail burrowed further under the covers and was trying to will the pain away when the sheets were ripped away. In the blinding light, she could just make out a very tall woman with long blonde hair. "Gail, there you are! You're -" the woman sniffed "-drunker that a longboat crew after a hard month at sea." The former heroine grabbed the sheets back and pulled them over her head. "And you're some hallucination but I'll be sober later. Val's been dead for over seven years and I'm not in the mood for this crap." The figment of her imagination pulled the sheet away with surprising vigor, tearing the cotton in half. "I got better. Gail it's a really long story but I'm so glad to be back!" Gail struggled feebly as powerful arms lifted her up and worsened her hangover. The bonecrushing hug didn't help either. "Cut it out! I'm too drunk to be dealing with this crap. I'm going back to sleep and when I wake up, Todd or Tad- Tommy whatever will be here and I won't be so damn hung-over." The hallucination dropped her. "You really don't realize that it's me." The fake Valkyrie looked the fallen heroine up and down with an intense scrunity that made Gail uncomfortable even though she knew it was a dream, wasn't it? Her bottom hurt enough from the fall to feel real. "By Odin, what happen to you?" The voice soften and Val knelt down to be face to face with the other woman. "Have the years been so unkind since I've last seen you?" Golden hair shifted back and forth across broad shoulders as the goddess looked around the cramped with its piles of clothing, half-eaten cartons of take-out, and scattered bottles of alcohol. "Oh go slag off! I'm going back to- hey let go!" Gail yelled as the other woman grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and dragged her out of the bedroom. 'I spent most of my existence bringing the dead to their place eternal reward- perhaps in my new life I can bring the dead back to life and I will start with you!" Before Gail could protest, Valkyrie slammed her against the tile of her shower and turned the faucet. Spluttering under the frigid explosion of droplets, Gail tried to squirm away by the goddess's grip was like iron. Twice, she tried to turn her head and unleash her long-forgotten powers but Val would casually yank her hair back and the bone-chilling water poured down her throat. Coughing and choking, Gail froze as the ice-cold waters washed away the drunken haze. Just as suddenly, the water stopped and the arm holding her was gone. Bonelessly, she collapsed to her knees and shivered as she rubbed her arms to push warmth back into her frozen limbs. "Towel?" Gail took the fluffy white cotton and wrapped herself in it. Rocking back and forth in the bathtub, she regained more of her senses and looked to see her long lost friend staring back at her. Hesitantly, she probed her friend's strong Nordic features, fearful that they would pop like a soap bubble and she'd be alone again. "You're… really back?" "Like I said, I got better- " She was cut off as Gail launched herself at the goddess and held her tightly. The embrace was returned. In her ear, Gail heard the soft words: "you have a long road ahead of your, but I'll be with you every step of the way, my friend."

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? I already use a Rogues Gallery for some of my heroes but it's always good to repost the idea since it can really work well- thank you. Most of my original Crusaders have it since they already have their own solo books and thus have an arsenal of baddies to chose from so it makes alot of sense. It will work well for NG as well I think although I'm not sure how many of the old enemies are still around. Then again, they never do seem to go away, do they?

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? Just adding a little more of Nightingale's (current) history: "Two minutes Gail!" "Coming!" Time waited for no one, certainly not Nightingale and things only seemed to move faster after she assumed the chairmanship. Calamites continued to pop up but there were friends to bear the burden. A string of hours and albums kept Gail on her precarious position at the top of the charts as younger rivals nipped at her feels, always getting closer. And punctuating the memories were fights and reconciliations with Scott as the pair grew apart. She as no longer the carefree and free-spirited young girl fascinated with a hero but the mature and busy woman whose career and responsibilities took up most of her time and what was left she did not want to spend on someone who refused to commit. Closer to the stage now, she felt the stadium come alive with the cheers of over fifty thousand fans so that the building itself shook with their applause and stomping feet. I remember when I was lucky to have fifty people waiting for me, she thought as she remembered how fleeting fame and success could be. Her last year in the Crusaders and third time as leader had been a tough one: one member died, another was crippled, and New Camelot has been blown out of the sky. No one blamed her but that did not ease her guilt. Not as important, but still distracting, was the sinking state of her career: her last two albums had tanked badly as the public shifted to new faces and new music styles. Gail hoped her new album, a radical departure from her pop songs and ballads, would spark interest again. Compounding her turmoil were Sunturion's problems: a devastating revelation had shaken him to the core and he alternated between lashing out and withdrawing. Seeking each other out, they gave the relationship one last try despite her misgivings and those of her friends. It has taken Gail five hours to convince Valkyrie to unbend the steel bars that her Norse friend had bound her with. As Gail walked to the stage, she remembered another approach: after a long day at the Crusader's temporary facilities and an even longer day arguing with her manager over the upcoming album (he said she was "Yoko Ono-ing herself," all she had wanted was a hot shower and a good night's sleep. Alighting onto her penthouse balcony, she was startled to see Scott there. Shock came next when she saw he wasn't alone. Her scream sent both of them through the wall and into the living room. The media had a field day. Although Sunturion has managed to blunt the sonic attack with his own gravity waves, the woman had still suffered several broken bone- Nightingale could have killed both of them. Nightingale left the Crusaders over moderate protests (a few members thought it was best for the team while others defended her ferociously) and publicly apologized for her actions. More covertly, she paid a large sum to the woman to go away and not press charges. Her new album, "Another Side of Me", spent more time as in late night talk show punch lines than on the charts. Rolling Stones wrote, "whether the album refers to the mishmash of new wave sound, urban lyrics, and a beat from a country that National Geographic knows nothing about OR the super heroine's psychotic tendency to slam people through walls, this is clearly not a side we ever wanted to see and certainly not been forced to listen to." When she thought things could not get worse, they did. Her best friend Valkyrie heard the call for Ragnarok and could not deny her place in the final battle of the gods. The Event occurred next. In its horrific aftermath, Gail's teammates and dearest friends, including the man she had once loved, were gone and her life as a super heroine was over. Other friends that she had thought were true abandoned her when her record company chose to not renew her contact. No longer able to soar either through the air or on the charts, she instead crawled into a bottle of vodka

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? Thank you kindly Tre. Coming from your, with your history of rich characters and excellent writing, that means ALOT. Here's another little snippet before I go to bed. I LOVE it when the writing flows (even if the actually quality isn't that great): Years passed, records continued to sell, the Crusaders saved the universe more than once, and the Crusaders added new members. Older members found more and more of their time taken up by their individual crime fighting so that Nightingale became someone the hero that others came to for advice and mentoring. In the field, she stepped up into the leadership role with bold action that was usually spot on. Still, that day came as a surprise: "The votes have been counted and I have to tell you, it wasn't even close." I'm sure it wasn't, Nightingale thought as Blue Bolt flourished the ballots. Doctor Atomic had been spending more time with the Crusaders in the wake of the Destruction Crisis and the world's greatest hero was a lock- she had voted for the man herself. "Congratulations, Nightingale! You're the new chairperson." Nightingale nearly fell out of her chair. "What? That can't be right." In his gleaming silver costume, Doctor Atomic shook the stunned woman's hand. "Of course it is Gail. When most of us were being held in the Obsidian Citadel, you were the one who rallied the team and got us out. You're the one who kept the Morovians from devastating Earth's cities." "Hell ya," called Black Eagle. "We were all freaking like chickens with our heads cut off and there you were: shouting orders, getting us together, and smacking the crap out of the baddies." Radiant Athena chuckled. "I would not have put it quite that way, but the sentiment is clear and shared by us all: we would tear asunder the gates of Hades, cast down its guardian Cerberus, and journey through the caverns of Tartarus without hesitation because we know you would lead us safely to the Elysian fields " Lost in the fanfare, only to remembered later, was Sunturion's glower as he looked on. It wasn't hard for Nightingale to figure out who had cast the only other vote against her.

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? Just wanted to thank everyone so far for their help (and of course, please continue to send in those suggestions). In the meantime, a snippet from NG's history. It's kinda crude (no real editing) but I hope it paints a picture: History: "5 minutes to curtain Gail." How often have I heard those words? A thousand times? Two thousand times? The tours were a blur, one city melting into another until the old joke about the having to check her armband to get the town's name right wasn't funny anymore. But even in her room, she could hear the crowds chanting for Nightingale, their cries growing impatient now that the opening act had retired. The woman waved her manager away before he could hover. Matt Long frowned but left the dressing room. He had learned to read her well enough over the years he had guided her career. She could still remember that piece of advice that had changed her life. Are you sure Matt? I mean, these are the Crusaders of Justice! Doctor Atomic, Athena, and that creepy Nighthunter- what do they want with *me*? You already answered the question. They need someone who the people can relate to. Athena's a goddess, Nighthunter probably skewers squirrels in his backyward with his arrows and Doctor Atomic- hey he saves the world and all but nuclear power is so 10 years ago! The Crusaders need someone who the people will love and that's you! But- Gail Lewis- born in the projects of the Bronx who with her talent and drive has emerged as America's most promising singer since Elvis! Matt, don't you think that's exaggerating- And now, mere miles from where she grew up, she'll be in Manhattan - shoulder to shoulder with America's, not the *world's* greatest heroes! It's the American dream Gail and that'll sell a lot of records! It'll be perfect! Of course, things didn't go quite as perfectly as her manager thought it would go and the Crusaders were polite but firm- they'd help train the young mutant to use her emerging abilities but that they had no interest in expanding their ranks. Fate itself seemed to intervene when one of the Crusader's old enemies, the wizard Murdock, attacked with the hypnotic song of a conjured siren. Realizing they would need a siren of their own to counteract the mythic creature's hold on their male teammates, Athena and Glamour tracked down Gail. Together, the three broke the spell and turned the tables on Murdock. Afterwards, the team couldn't extend an offer for membership fast enough. A junior member anyway. The anger that this thought had once accompanied had been replaced by warmth and nostalgia. Has it really been that long ago? Two decades melted away as she remembered how the seventeen year old Nightingale had been treated more like a sidekick than a full team member. Whether it was Nighthunter's and Athena's constant lessons, Glamour looking down her aristocratic nose and muttering about keeping a stiff upper lip when dealing with children or Hornet's big brother routine, there were the constant reminders that she was not yet old enough to vote. Even Blue Bolt was older than her and Sunturion always called her "kid canary." The solar sentinel had especially been frustrating to her but the twinkle in his eyes, devilishness of his smile, and the way he ruffled her hair never failed to defuse her outbursts. Scott, I still miss you. Lorelei felt the beginning of her tears and wiped them away quickly. She'd have to call makeup to touch up and she wanted to be alone with her memories. It had been a long time ago but there was no love like the first love. Her relationship with a man ten years her senior was considered scandalously by many yet the sensation bolstered the teen idol's already soaring record sales to stratospheric levels. Matt thought it had been an act of genius rather than love. Months passed and life was great: Gail made the transition from teenager to young woman with remarkable grace and her records matured as well with strong sales that made her one of America's top pop stars. Her relationship with Sunturion was a tumultuous one though, the solar sentinel's eye prone to wandering although he claimed to always to be faithful. The whispers remains though: that maybe she should have been placed in the Teen Crusaders (she had missed the team's formation by a year). In combat, the others still had that tendency to be overprotective. Then came the case with the Night. While on a training mission with Nighthunter and his sidekick, Spirit Bow, the Japanese criminal organization captured her with ease. Gail touched her throat, remembering the choking tightness of the heavy collar they had leased her with. Her sonic scream nullified, Nightingale spent three days stubbornly resisting torture at the syndicate's hands. Three days she spent waiting and watching, as her captors did what so many other had done: see her as just the pop star and junior Crusaders. On the fourth day, the Night grew careless: they only sent two guards to retrieve her. She knocked them both out. Over the next hour, she sabotaged their robotic defenses, recovered intelligence on a plot to poison half the city, called in the Crusaders, and fought her way through their scattered ranks to emerge into the light: all without her powers. During the mop-up, Hornet commented, "the kid didn't do too bad." Nighthunter placed a hand on Gail's shoulder in a rare sign of affection. "I don't see any kids here. That noted, Nightingale did very well, as I expected." He actually smiled at her and added, "nice work."

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? "A second might be a French vampire who is pretty gothic. Superhumanly strong/fast with mind control powers. She'd a jack of all trades, master of none although she'd make a good infil specialist along with Cutlass. She is a fashion designer (hey, it's LA!) and also gives the team an international flair. To be honest though, the character leaves a bit of a bad taste in the mouth." Trad. vamps aren't for everyone. Maybe redefine vamps in your world, or add a new kind. Idea OTTOMH: She has no melanin in her skin, so she burns very easy. She's got low-light vision, but can't handle bright lights. Her sense of smell is so good garlic is overwhelming. Her resistance and recovery are phenomenal, but wood interpheres. High strength, astonishing DEX, and hypnosis plus whatever you like. Just make her a goth-chick and you're set. That's a pretty good idea... might have to steal it. I could help more if I knew what gives you "a bit of a bad taste in the mouth." I'll be honest in that it's just a feeling rather than something definitely defined. Vampires just feel so played out and that it's just an idea I have without anything to really make it unique. Still, with some work it might be ok. Or I can just steal from ya.

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? Just coming back on the idea of a VPP for Nightingale. Basically, how much to handicap a VPP that can create any power reasonably extrapolated from modulating sound waves from her voice? I'm just wondering if it's a more elegant way of representing her mastery of sonic generation and modulation. Based on what I've put into her MP so far we have: Energy Blasts with various advantages Flashes with various advantages NND Ranged Killing Attack Mind Control- cause sleep with lullaby Drain (dex) by disrupting equilibrium Dispel other sonic powers with various advantages Darkness (Create silence) Images (Amplification of sound) Force Wall (sonic wall) just to give an idea of how broad her powers are right now. It's a tightly focused special effect but within that effect, she is pretty supreme.

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Phys Lim: Vocal cords require strict diet regimen and exercises (If this is true for a talented singer (as opposed to a "pop tart") it would go double for superhuman vocal cords!)" That's a good idea and will be considered- thanks "In your writeup I don't think I saw a lot of levels with her Multis which would be the first thing an exerienced character would have and in spades." At present she is written up with 4 levels with MP's and one overall level (as well as 3 levels with flight) so that is she fairly skillful. Another combat level (either with MP, Overall, or Combat) probably wouldn't hurt though. As people might notice in my experienced write-ups, I tend to in at least one level with combat or overall to represent that experienced heroes just seem to be good at so many things. It's also a nice broadening of skills as many of my character go from having a skill level or two with MP to have multiple levels as well as additional combat skills (you can't be a decent hero if you can't swing a mean right hook or judo toss a baddy!). Just a tangent there but NG is fairly skillful although an extra combat level might be quite useful since she is a competent martial artist and uses her aerial combat quite a bit. " I'd actually tone down the power levels of her sonics and add special effects (I.E. armor piercing) to reflect a low level power used to its maxiumum effect. I know that 12d6 is "low power" in some campaigns but to be true to a concept, it'd be better to be visibly limited in raw dice of damage." I have gone back and forth on how powerful her sonics should be. Unlike many of my characters, she doesn't have that overwhelmingly powerful single attack (i.e. EB at maximum MP, here 16d6 EB) because I wanted her power level down slightly compared to her high experience level. She does have a significant number of ways to use her powers though (14 at present) that range from straight on attacks, lullabies, silencing others, and disrupting equilibrium. An AP or penetrating scream might not be a bad thing though. As we've talked, I'm actually considering two things. The first is minor- knock her con down to 20 and partially compensate with spending points to bring her near to where she is now for endurance and maybe stun. To me, spending points on stun/endurance represents the incremental changes you often see when spending experience points (crap, I ran out of END- better pump it up a bit). The knock down in con shows that she's getting older (like the reduction in dex/speed) as well as the damage her body underwent with her half decade of alcohol abuse. The second idea is more radical- drop the MP for a tightly defined VPP. It's not something I normally do unless your a mage or a cosmic type but it would represent nicely a very experienced heroine's almost complete control over her powers. Any idea the best way to represent that? (for example, would a skill roll to change be a good idea?) Thanks for the ideas and of course, thank you to everyone for your continued help- here's hoping for more as you are all really inspiring me!

Re: What would some good limits be for an experienced hero? "Rather than direct tarnish, meaninhg things "she" had done. How about indirect problems. She is famous Super with a public ID. Instead of: 10 Dependent NPC: current boyfriend 8- (Normal) How about: 20 Psych Lim: Avoids all strong personal relationships. All the people she has ever loved have been used to get at her and are now dead. Public ID and all." That's not a bad idea for Nightingale although the disadvantage you referenced was from Valkyrie. It would definitely be a bad one for Val though who is very fun loving and quite the maneater. Still, a possibility for NG, thanks.