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#77 ARCTIC FOX (Iceland) ARCTIC FOX Guðlaug Gísladóttir Character Sheet (Click Here) Background During a week-long scientific retreat in Bern, three geniuses met together to discuss the future of the world over several bottles of exquisite wine. They were three of the brightest intellects but already it was clear that each was on a very individual path. Saul Numen was the idealist, and would go on to become the leader of the New Men, long considered the First Family of the Uberworld. Akello Lwanga was the pessimist, and following his destiny would become the dictator of Azambia as Witch Doctor, a fusion of technology and mysticism. And Gulla Gísladóttir was the mischievous one, the girl who loved science because of its secrets. Her curiosity would help her break through extradimensional barriers and become the sophisticated super villain Arctic Fox. She began her criminal career to finance her research, fiddling the books where she could; but when she did manage to crack through the dimensional walls she found that she could simply walk through one dimension and pop out in ours again. It was simple to fine tune her primitive portals so that she could appear inside bank vaults and then out again. Once the money came pouring in her research seemed to expand exponentially. She attracted interest from Zodiac and CLAW but shunned both of them to remain independent. She had everything she needed - they couldn't offer her anything she didn't already have access to. While no one really connected Arctic Fox to Gulla Gísladóttir she managed to continue living two lives. Her expertise in dimensional physics led her to work closely with Saul Numen and the New Men on several dimension-hopping adventures. It was during a trip to Asgard that Gulla found herself attracted to her long-time friend, but the presence of his wife, Chloe, seemed to put a dampener on the potential romance. Gulla slipped away from the New Men and met with a posse of disgruntled dwarves who agreed to attempt to kill or kidnap Chloe Numen. Although it wasn't exactly a success, Gulla did get a taste for targeted villainy. When she returned to Earth she decided to expand her horizons and move away from the traditional bank robbery. Arctic Fox began to target technology depots such as SAGE and Southern Cross where she managed to escape with secret weapons and devices which added to her growing arsenal. She even challenged heroes such as the Brigadier of Knightwatch and Iron Amir of the Five Pillars. In these contests she always had an intricate plan which resulted in the hero being trapped in one of her dimensions fighting against the clock and usually a horde of angry residents. She never really considered killing her opponents until she was locked in a deadly struggle with the muscle-bound hero Beowulf. When she realised she was captured and would likely face a long time in prison, she didn't even hesitate before ripping the hero in two with a well-placed Dimensional Portal. With Beowulf's blood on her hands, Arctic Fox suddenly became infamous across the globe. She was contacted by CLAW again and offered several high-paying jobs, which she found that she accepted - not because of the money but because of the prestige. She had discovered that having a reputation was almost as good as having a limitless supply of cash. Arctic Fox continued to run riot across the globe and teamed up with former celebrity bodyguard Avast, most famously when they attempted to rob casinos in Monte Carlo. Later she was approached by Nepatiabet and somehow found herself organising a supervillain team which Nepatiabet dubbed First Strike. Arctic Fox found that she enjoyed the company of her team mates and has mostly continued as a team player, although she is always the one who calls the shots. She has especially enjoyed the flexibility a team brings when opposing other uberhuman teams such as the New Men and the Sentinels. Personality Gulla is in complete control of everything. Not only has she shattered the logic which had long since kept dimensions apart, she has also formed one of the world's most powerful super villain teams. Her work gives her pleasure, especially the intricacies of planning and execution. She enjoys a test of intellects almost as much as she loves the thrill of exchanging attacks in a full-blown uberhuman brawl. Her discoveries enable her to traverse various dimensions, and Gulla often moves through the ones she is familiar with as a way of collecting her thoughts or relaxing. She usually travels alone, unless it is business. There are several dimensions she would never allow anyone else to experience and these places are perhaps the true reflection of her soul. They are peaceful, uninhabited and beautiful places of scintillating cloud formations or secluded glades. The rivalry between Arctic Fox, New Man and Witch Doctor has endured through the years, and although the three can often work well together on projects they are usually in competition with each other, keen to show the others how wrong they are in some area of science or philosophy. Arctic Fox has also developed a keen dislike for Chloe Numen who has managed to usurp her plans on more than one occasion, as well as being the wife of perhaps the only man who could keep Gulla happy. The two women share a strong enmity for each other, something which often leaves Saul baffled. Quote "You'll never catch me, because where I'm going, you cannot follow. Ta-ta!" Sentinels Report (extract): "When the Arctic Fox is involved, you only ever see the surface of her plans." Powers Arctic Fox is generally able to put her hand on any of her gadgets in a split second, as she maintains thousands of pocket universes as storage sites. She simply has to dip her hand into one of her pockets which serves as a small portal and she has access to any number of inventions and stolen or adapted technology. Some of her favourite gadgets include: arctic razors (throwing blades), a wicked looking bowie knife, an extradimensional deflector shield which is capable of resisting almost all forms of energy and projectiles, a heavy blaster of alien origin, an umbral slime projector which releases a sticky black substance and covers a target in what can be described as a second skin, and her trademark dimensional portals which enable her to travel across great distances on Earth and between dimensions. Her range varies but she has managed to travel easily between Iceland and North America. Like all members of First Strike she wears a communicator which has a standard channel and a encrypted one. She also wears snow goggles which include flash reduction, and her costume is insulated against the cold. Appearance Arctic Fox wears a silver-grey bodysuit with a quilted vest and thick-soled boots (to make her appear taller). Her light blonde hair is generally tied back in a pony tail and mostly covered by her half helmet and snow goggles. She wears a belt studded with square cases which are actually portals into several dimensions she has claimed as her 'storage dimensions'. Although they appear small, they can accommodate very large items and when she draws them out they grow to their normal size as they enter the Earth Dimension. Out of costume Arctic Fox wears expensive clothing or a more or less conservative cut.

#77 AVAST (Iceland) AVAST Sabine Verhagen Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Sabine Verhagen was a plain looking girl with a thick, featureless body and a shock of red hair which never looked tidy. She was one of six ugly children and her parents were considered serial pests in the town of Groningen, always complaining about something and trying to scrounge money out of the government. Sabine went to school like the rest of her siblings but no one expected her to stay very long. It seemed that the Verhagen brood came and went every year, always sitting at the back of the school room with no one daring to sit next to them. It didn't matter if they were girls or boys, all of the Verhagen children had the same reaction. So perhaps it wasn't such a strange thing that Sabine went missing for 48 hours without anyone notifying the local police. The school just assumed she had drifted away like all the other Verhagens, and her parents were too concerned about where they would be getting money for beer and cigarettes. When the alarm was raised it came from one of her teachers: a new young man from Amsterdam. It took him another 24 hours before the police would begin a search and even then the parents weren't overly concerned. They found Sabine sitting in a store room at the school. She'd been there for three days, but it looked like she had been there much longer. She sat with her head bowed and her arms hanging to either side. She was larger and in the half-light of the storage room she looked almost like a statue of herself. The police moved in and tried to move her, and they realised she was solid as a rock. The sympathetic teacher went to her as the police retreated. He called to her, stroking her stone-like head. Large chunks of rock came away in his hands as Sabine's rock-hair fell to the side. The parents came and dismissed the statue. They assured the police that it wasn't their daughter. Later the same day they were back demanding that the statue be sold off to raise money for the family. In memory of the girl, they said. They didn't even use her name. It was 1964 and the Netherlands didn't really have much experience with uberhumans. The teacher from Amsterdam thought that she may be an uber and out of sheer desperation paid the family some money for the 'statue'. He had her taken away to his small apartment where she continued to sit for three more days. Sabine doesn't remember anything of those early days. She was eight years old and was used to being ignored. When she found herself in the teacher's apartment, and supposedly in his care, she brightened a little. The teacher was puzzled. He didn't know what to do. He wanted to help, but there was no way a single young man like himself could possibly look after an eight year old girl. What would people think? With a heavy heart he contacted the local children's services and Sabine was taken to a foster care facility. Her family refused to claim her and soon disappeared from Groningen altogether. Sabine spent the next fifteen years in the care of the State, most of which she spent silently staring into a corner. Even after she came of age the facility kept her, not knowing what else to do with her. Throughout her 'incarceration' Sabine had been listening and trying to learn as much as she could. She never expected to be anything so she surprised herself when she suddenly decided one day it was time to leave Groningen. She was twenty three years old and had no experience beyond the walls of the facility. She found her way to Amsterdam, something inside her telling her that was where she would find the teacher. She was assaulted by the red light district, her eyes were unable to take everything in at once. Compared with her secluded world inside the faciluty the utter freedom and sensuality of Amsterdam nearly sent her back into a comatose state. She had no one she knew and had no money, but her obvious uberhuman appearance drew plenty of attention. She was approached by a man called 'Porky' who flattered her and bought her a sizeable dinner. He told her that she was beautiful and that she had come to Amsterdam to fulfill her dreams, not the dreams of other people. She felt the magic of his words unlock her long-hidden dreams. She smiled. Possibly for the first time in her life. Porky set her up working as a bouncer at one of his clubs and she spent most of her nights standing still and looking imposing. Occasionally tourists would ask to get their photographs taken with her, and it was this part of her life which had a great impact on what happened next. She enjoyed being the centre of attention, of being an attraction even amidst the sordid magic of Amsterdam's red light district. People would come back night after night to see her. They never talked with her, apart from a few shy words, but their eyes were always on her. One night she was photographed with a film star. She recognised him from a magazine. The flash of the cameras and the high pitched laugh of the celebrity made her bold for a moment. She asked him if he needed a bodyguard. He looked her up and down, unsure about whether she was serious or not (or perhaps judging the effect such a bodyguard would have on his career). Sabine waited. It seemed like an eternity. But then he said yes. Sabine walked away with him, joining his entourage and leaving the Netherlands the following week. Once she made it to Hollywood things transformed for her. It was as if she had shed her self-doubt and troubled history as they crossed the Atlantic. Once in Los Angeles she became a celebrity, quickly moving from her first employer to a bigger and more famous one. She passed from one to another for several years, always in demand, always on someone's lips. She soon found out that there was more money on offer in the darker parts of Hollywood. Naturally she shifted towards where the money was and soon found herself employed not just as a bodyguard, but also as a silent enforcer. Her reputation grew, especially during the late 1980s and early 1990s where the name Enforcer sent shivers down the spines of all areas of the film industry. Sabine allowed herself to become comfortable with the reputation so she was completely surprised when some hard-done-by film producer paid the mercenary duo Black and White to take her out of the picture (as they say). While she was unharmed and the duo were easily beaten, Sabine was terribly shaken. No one had actually ever come after her before. Before she could revisit her earlier doubts, Sabine was hired by Arctic Fox. The charismatic villain coaxed Sabine into some serious super villainy, first by robbing a string of banks in Beverly Hills and then by breaking into the supposedly secret headquarters of Black and White where Sabine was allowed to 'work out her issues'. Suffice to say that Black and White shortly relocated to Las Vegas and haven't returned to Hollywood ever since. Sabine enjoyed the support she received from Arctic Fox and the pair teamed up several more times before Sabine officially joined the fledgling First Strike team. She has remained with the team and functions as the literal and metaphorical rock at the centre of the team. Personality Avast is a social outcast who has made the best of a bad situation. She has accepted her gigantic rock form and doesn't really wish to revert back to her plain, formless human body. She is inquisitive and enjoys watching other people act and react to new situations. She can't really shake the 'observer' role she took on when she first went into foster care, although she has managed to really cut loose on the dance scene with the help of Sukoshi and Nepatiabet. Sabine has cultivated a many-faceted career in the celebrity world and the super villain one. She is larger than life and makes friends easily when she tries, although most of the time she seems to become inert and simply lounge around as a statue. Quote "Stop." Powers Avast means 'Stop' in Dutch and Sabine's entire physiology seems to have modified itself along that idea. She is immovable, weighs a ton and seems to be virtually invulnerable to all physical and energy attacks. She even regenerates and is impervious to disease and poison. She is incredibly strong and able to bench press 800 tons, which puts her amongst the very strongest known ubers. Her reflexes are nothing special, however, and sometimes she finds it difficult to land blows against opponents. When this happens she generally just starts causing property damage to draw the heroes closer. Like all members of First Strike she wears a communicator which has a standard channel and a encrypted one. Appearance Ever since she was young Sabine has lost her human detail. Her skin is now entirely composed of an organic stone which is a bluish-grey. Her eyes are visible as well as a thin nose and wide slit for a mouth. Her hair has long since fallen out as well as any other fine feature such as fingernails, toes and ears. She has four thick fingers on each hand. During her career she has experimented with costumes but has never felt fully comfortable except when she is naked. At times she wears tailored suits, while at other times she wears a skirt or toga, but generally she just comes as she is - a blue stone woman standing over two metres tall and weighing in excess of 1100kg.

#77 NEPATIABET (Iceland) NEPATIABET Nepatiabet 'Beth' Kedr Character Sheet (Click Here) Background The Pharaoh came out of nowhere in 1966 when New York City was being threatened by the giant monster Toxico. He was dressed as an Egyptian king and carried a powerful energy staff which endowed him with uberhuman strength, the ability to fly and to project the heat of the sun. He was one of the new generation of uberhumans, and along with the other original members of the Defenders of New York he managed to repel the beast and save Manhattan. While the other members of the Defenders clung to their secret identities, the Pharaoh openly walked among the 'mortals' and seemed to have no need for money. He became the public face of America's super heroes and when he married the President's niece the wedding made international headlines. The Pharaoh travelled around the world protecting Earth from external and internal threats. He even ventured into space on occasion and into other dimensions. He and his wife, Betty, had a daughter in 1977. Photographs of Nepatiabet were splashed across the pages of magazines worldwide and the little girl grew up in the public spotlight. She displayed her father's uberhuman strength from birth and everyone expected big things from her. By 1980, the US Government was planning to launch a government-backed team of heroes called Sanction, and the international Sentinels had managed to supersede the Defenders in popularity and power. The Pharaoh and his team were despondent but they never expected to be the public's number one heroes forever. One of them suggested retirement and the rest is history. The Pharaoh and his family remained in New York City, and the Pharaoh even maintained his heroic career, thwarting crime in the streets of Manhattan. Nepatiabet reached adolescence and started talking about following her father's footsteps. The Pharaoh was overjoyed and took her on his patrols. They were both instantly recognisable but the Pharaoh insisted that his daughter take on an alias, Lotus. Maximum Force came to New York in 1995 and attacked the United Nations building. Pharaoh and Lotus were on the scene quickly and paired off against Undertow and Fusion. Owl Man was also on the scene, and it is his testimony which stands in the wake of what happened next. The Sentinels arrived via a teleportational device and came out blasting, taking Maximum Force (and the other heroes) by surprise. The two teams had clashed several times over the past year and the battles had resulted in the death of Sentinel, Bluebird. Most people understood that the Sentinels wanted revenge. In the confusion of the battle, Pharaoh was killed. Most people blamed Maximum Force, but Owl Man came forward in the following days and told the authorities that he had seen Plasma of the Sentinels blast Pharaoh. The media ran with the story and Plasma was later released from the Sentinels although no charges were brought. Nepatiabet was shocked. She made a decision to avenge her father and tracked down Plasma to her home in Atlanta. At first Nepatiabet wanted answers and an apology, but the confrontation soon erupted into a battle and Plasma was smashed across her neighborhood. The former Sentinel didn't think she had been responsible for the death of Pharaoh and spent most of her time trying to talk down the grieving daughter. Once she had started, though, Nepatiabet unleashed her full anger and killed Plasma by punching her through a bank. With blood on her hands, Nepatiabet realised that the world would now turn on her. She had visions of her being hunted down, put on trial for murder and locked away forever - or worse. The life of a super hero wasn't fair. Things shifted too quickly and actions could never be undone in the eyes of the public. She saw that while she was once considered the darling of America, she would now be branded as a killer and a menace. Never being afraid to face danger, Nepatiabet decided that if the public wanted to condemn her then she would give them reason to do so. Her father had given everything to safeguard America and he had been killed, his killer let loose by bureaucracy and cover-up. Nepatiabet would live her life the way she wanted to and be damned anyone who got in her way. At first she was content to move across America and down south to Mexico. She lived as carefree as she could with the occasional superhuman brawl. The Sentinels, however, seemed hesitant at first to track her down. She needed to think things through, they reasoned. Nepatiabet knew that the day would come when the Sentinels would come for her, so she decided to pre-empt their strike. Through her travels in Europe she made contact with Arctic Fox who had been having trouble with the Sentinels. The two met in Brussels and agreed to form a partnership. Arctic Fox had already worked with Avast in the past, so extending the invitation to Nepatiabet was a wise course of action. The trio quickly became a team of five: First Strike. True to their name they launched an attack on the European Union headquarters and held the president ransom for two million francs. The attack led to the formation of the Dawnstars, and the expected strike by the Sentinels. However, when the Sentinels made their move First Strike managed to repel them and land many of the world's finest heroes in hospital. Arctic Fox spirited the team away to safety via her dimensional portals. Since then the Sentinels have spent considerable time and energy in searching out the women of First Strike, but have so far failed to locate their base which is hidden deep underneath the lava flows of Iceland. Personality Nepatiabet, who now prefers the simpler 'Beth', is a seasoned super villain. She may have begun her career as a hero (or sidekick) but she has long since given up that line of work, now much preferring to live her life according to her own rules. She has cut off all ties with her past, including contact with her mother and extended family. All that she has now is First Strike, although she and Sukoshi have developed a very close bond - stronger than family. Beth still hates the Sentinels and all super hero groups because of the hypocrisy she sees in them. She goes out of her way to splinter such groups, taking great pleasure in killing or (preferably) maiming team leaders in particular. Her hatred for super heroes does not extend to 'mortals' and she restrains herself when confronting police forces or bystanders. She hates hostage situations and now refuses to be a part of them, although she will always come to the aid of her girlfriend, Sukoshi. Arctic Fox realises this, and accepts Beth's decision, preferring to use her in other attacks, most notably frontal assaults on hero teams. Quote "You are about to understand the difference between hero and zero, cowboy." Powers Nepatiabet inherited some of her father's abilities, particularly uberhuman strength, reflexes and durability. She is able to bench press in excess of 15 tons and can outrun most cars, especially in built-up city areas. Since the death of her father she has also developed clairsentience: the ability to see over great distances, sometimes up to 25000km. When she utilises this ability she 'zones out' and is completely unaware of what is going on around her at the time. With some effort she is also able to see into the past. These powers have had an impact on Beth and many of the images remain in her mind for some time, often surfacing as nightmares. From an early age, Beth was trained in Ninjitsu by the enigmatic Silhouette, who was once a member of the Defenders of New York under the name Shadow Girl (which she quickly discarded after the Toxico incident). Like all members of First Strike she wears a communicator which has a standard channel and a encrypted one. Appearance Nepatiabet is a tall and impressive woman, very much the daughter of the mythical Pharaoh. She has closely-cropped black hair which is sometimes worn flat while at other times spiked. Her costume consists of a black bodysuit with golden piping and an ankh at the nape of her collar. Nepatiabet has always been an attractive woman and was named the Hottest Super Villain Babe in 2004, 2005 and 2007.

#77 SPECTRA (Iceland) SPECTRA Dr Deborah Stark Character Sheet (Click Here) Background In the 1970s Deborah Stark wowed the world as Magnet Girl, the All-American girl who could move cars with her mind and who had the first ever proven 'magnetic personality'. She was the only female member of Bad Science, a team of science-based villains who spent most of their time arguing amongst themselves about the merits of their plans which inevitably led to capture and short-term imprisonment. Magnet Girl never spent much time in the spotlight, being relegated to 'looking good' in most cases. When Bad Science folded Deborah contemplated retirement but she never could give up using her powers. At twenty-seven she hardly felt like she was over the hill, so she tried a solo career and ended up fighting a variety of gimmick-laden heroes across America. Gradually she realised that without the patronising comments of her former team mates, her powers were really .... improving. She felt like she was actually tapping into the magnetic field which surrounded the Earth. During the 1980s and early 1990s she was a world class villain, able to stand up to the combined powers of the New Men and the American government group Sanction. She tried her hand at world domination and nearly managed to unleash a nuclear war in 1990. She tried her hand at creating a utopia but gave up after she accidentally sank her artificial island off the coast of Portugal at the opening of the Mediterranean Sea. She even tried becoming a hero for a very short time, although she couldn't keep a straight face. She had planned on reforming for the love of the first Major American, but realised that she was better at being bad. In the 1990s she began to show signs of suffering a breakdown. The constant use of her magnetic powers had begun to damage her brain. She began losing her memory and had trouble with fine motor skills. Her doctors discovered cancer up and down her spine and she was given a very poor prognosis. For the first time in her life, Deborah Stark was facing death. She disappeared from the public for a long time. Some people thought she had quietly gone off to die, while others said she had been sent to a rehab clinic in Switzerland. She rarely discusses those missing years but has indicated that she spent some time in a mental institution, although the details are deliberately sketchy. When she did return to public attention she did so with a bang. Half of Dallas was destroyed as she blasted midtown in devastating waves of energy. As part of First Strike, Spectra succeeded in drawing the attention of Sanction away from Arctic Fox and her team who had infiltrated a top secret military base outside of Dallas. By the time Sanction had secured the city, Spectra was gone but she had certainly left a mark. Even to this day parts of Dallas remain scarred by her attack. The details about how she came to know Arctic Fox or join her team are also unknown, although Arctic Fox may have been involved in Spectra's recovery. The two women share a bond which is different to the other women of the team. They seem to understand that time is sometimes cruel and that to overcome the ravages of time it is sometimes important to adapt to the new situation. There is no more sign of Magnet Girl.... only Spectra. Personality Deborah Stark is like a faded Hollywood starlet. She is over fifty but commands one of the most devastating powers recorded in modern history. She knows she is powerful, has experienced the thrill of being considered the number one threat, but she is also painfully aware that she is not going to live forever. Her body is betraying her, even as her powers seem to be expanding in even more powerful ways. Quote "I have been around for a long time, and I have seen the likes of you rise and fall a thousand times." Powers Spectra commands energies within the electromagnetic spectrum. Her finesse has been replaced with raw power, so that although she is no longer able to use her powers in subtle and creative ways, she is able to wrought massive damage and destruction. Personally, she doesn't think the sacrifice is all that bad. She has had enough of being the 'smart one' or the 'overlooked one'. Now she concentrates on unleashing energy which she can do in two major ways. The first is by projecting deadly blasts of radiation from x-rays to gamma rays, heat to light. She is also able to emit a powerful EM pulse which disrupts electronics. She was once able to affect an area of up to 1000km radius, but she is now quite restricted. Her command over magnetism has not faded and Spectra is able to manipulate objects with her mind using the magnetic field. She is able to lift in excess of 400 tons in this manner, as well as create strong force fields and fly through the sky drawing upon the earth's magnetic field. Like all members of First Strike she wears a communicator which has a standard channel and a encrypted one. Appearance Spectra appears to be rippling with ambient energy and gives off minor magnetic tremors every so often which manifests itself as fluctuations in electrical equipment and the stirrings of metallic objects in her area. She remains immaculate despite her long career as a super villain. Her hair is silver now, but well cut and healthy. Her eyes are as dark and insatiable as ever which gives Spectra a sense of menace. She wears a metal-lined costume of dark red and silver which accentuates her hair and gives her something of a regal air, fitting of her role as one of Uberworld's longest serving super villains. When out of costume, Deborah seems to shrink, revealing the weariness she feels at being over fifty and still in a young person's game. She seldom associates with First Strike when in civilian attire, preferring to remain in her own quarters or the laboratory exploring new ways to expand her already impressive powers and perhaps find a way to reverse the aging process.

#77 SUKOSHI (Iceland) SUKOSHI Akina Kuriyama Sukoshi Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Akina started to rebel against her ultra-conservative family when she was a teenager and ran away to join a motorbike gang in Tokyo. During that first escape, she discovered that her father was involved in the covert and deadly Fuchi-no-Kuroi (Dark Pool) Ninja Clan. She was grabbed by ninjas and dragged back kicking and screaming to lay before her furious father. The next month she escaped again, but only got so far as the bus stop when she was grabbed by ninjas again. Her father allocated two bodyguards to her and the orders that she never be allowed to be alone. She felt trapped and considered killing herself many times, but one day while she sat on the floor of a restroom where she could get some refuge from her guards, she started to fade into a shadow against the wall. At first she was horrified and tried to scream out for help. The ninja bodyguards wasted no time in busting down the door, but Akina had slipped through the cracks of the small window and was gone, up and over the rooftops of the commercial district. Her father suspected kidnapping but when she returned home the next night he realised she had eluded her guards. Akina told him that she refused to be a part of his charade, that he could carry on his life of money and power, without her. He demanded that she stay and attempted to apprehend her, but she simply slipped away out of his grasp. She still remembers the look on his face when she flattened herself and shrunk away from him. The horror and the disappointment were priceless. Akina moved to Shanghai in China and studied art at a university using her trust account which she had transferred across to a secure location before leaving her father. She enjoyed the freedom she had earned and flaunted her money and her daredevil attitude. She moved quickly from city to city, first to escape the Chinese government's attention, and then because she could. She made her way to San Francisco where she made millions in the art world as well as some serious burglary on the side. In San Francisco she was again approached by the Fuchi-no-Kuroi Ninja Clan, but this time it was to tell her that her father had died of a heart attack. Akina felt no remorse and turned her back on the Clan, although they quickly let her know that such an action was not available to her. They had learned of her powers and her ability as a thief and they had decided to impress upon her the need to join the Clan. They saw it as her destiny and perhaps payment for the investment they had made in her father. A battle broke out which carried into a restaurant. Akina was outclassed, but her desperate plight drew the attention of Nepatiabet who was eating a meal. At first the daughter of the Pharaoh tried to ignore the melee, but there was something about the Japanese girl's guts and determination which made Nepatiabet stand up from her table and single-handedly take on the ninjas - and in doing so, showing them that she knew the Ninjitsu moves better than they did. Akina and Nepatiabet struck it off on that night and she joined the First Strike team mostly because she wanted to continue her life without having to hide from the Fuchi-no-Kuroi, but also because of the growing attraction to Nepatiabet. She has been with the team for over a year and has shown herself to be a versatile and ruthless addition. She has since discarded any interest in concealing her identity. Her father is dead and his empire is crumbling. She is now more powerful and famous than he ever was (at least in her own mind). Personality Akina is a spoiled rich girl who has never had to do anything she didn't want, apart from the time she was held a virtual prisoner by her father, but that only lasted a few days at most. She immerses herself in sensations and never appears uncertain in anything. She can be bungie jumping in the morning, eat blood pudding for lunch, and then wrestle crocodiles in the afternoon. She has an addiction to rave parties, as well, and can totally lose herself in them: something which drives Nepatiabet crazy, but Akina refuses to compromise. It appears at times that Akina is using Nepatiabet, but being manipulative is part of her personality and upbringing, and her feelings for Beth are as genuine as she has ever experienced before. Quote "Let me sink my nails into that one!" Powers Sukoshi is able to flatten her body out to such an extent that she nearly becomes two-dimensional. From the sides she appears as an incredibly thin line and is very difficult to perceive, while at the front and back she appears to be a flattened version of herself. While in this form she is very difficult to hit and is able to slip through the smallest crack in walls or under doors. She is able to glide across the air and has some control over the trajectory. She has shown some ability to change shape when flattened so that she can be rolled up or folded into a variety of origami-like shapes, although these are mostly done for party tricks. The most dangerous aspect of this flattened form is her ability to slice through most materials because her form is so very thin. She generally uses her fingers to slash at opponents although she is also quite adept at martial arts in her normal form. Like all members of First Strike she wears a communicator which has a standard channel and a encrypted one. Since joining First Strike she has also taken to carrying a pistol. It seems to make things simpler in her mind. Appearance When she is in her flattened form, Sukoshi appears almost two-dimensional and is virtually invisible on either side, while appearing quite flat at the front and back. She wears a red and white costume with a bare midriff and knee-high boots. Her hair is shoulder-length and held back by a white headband. She never conceals her identity and is very open with everything about her, whether it be her high society pedigree, her powers or her homosexuality. She never holds back. Out of costume Sukoshi could be wearing anything. When she goes clubbing she generally wears as little as possible, but always something new and fashionable (and usually stolen). Notes Thanks to those who offered advice on the Hero Boards. I've tried to include most of the ideas in Sukoshi's build.

#77 FIRST STRIKE (Iceland) FIRST STRIKE Team Sheet (Click Here) Background First Strike was assembled by Arctic Fox who, after a long solo career, decided she could pull off grander schemes if she had the support of other super villains. She also secretly wanted a foil to use against Saul Numen and the New Men. One of their first actions was to destroy most of downtown Dallas while the team infiltrated a top secret military installation nearby. The devastation surprised the entire world and Arctic Fox's team was catapulted into the top ten most wanted teams across the globe. Since then First Strike has targeted banks and other financial institutions, rival super villain and super hero headquarters, and other high security locations (sometimes just for fun, but mostly to acquire some item of interest to Arctic Fox.). Area of Operations The team maintains a secret headquarters in a pocket dimension located beneath Iceland and so far only accessible via Arctic Fox's teleportational portals. The base itself is expansive and has many parts which remain unexplored (or only barely mapped out). The previous owners of the base are unknown but definitely alien. Arctic Fox also has access to dozens of other dimensions and the team can sometimes be found in any one of these. Goals The members of First Strike each have their own goals, but together they plan to make money, build reputations and remain safely out of prison. Arctic Fox is the quintessential inventor and explorer who is constantly searching for new mysteries to solve. Avast just wants to maintain a celebrity lifestyle and reputation. Nepatiabet has a grudge against the Sentinels and other super hero groups and wants to see them embarrassed and exposed whenever possible. Spectra is getting older and splits her interests into funding a comfortable retirement with wanting to unleash mythic destruction on the planet because she can (and wants everyone to know it). Sukoshi just wants to keep having as much fun as her body can handle. Reputation First Strike is best known for their devastating attack against Dallas, but have developed a well-rounded reputation as a very organised and powerful villain group, able to face off against the Sentinels and anything else the world has on offer. They do not usually work for other interests, although they may co-operate with the major criminal organisations such as CLAW and Zodiac, but only if they are properly compensated and never on a long term basis.

Re: Help: Two Dimensional Characters Eeek. I think she will be flat, really flat, rather than fully two-dimensional. Gotta love comic book science! Thanks for freaking me out though, Bone Daddy!

Re: Suggestion Box: name our Teen Champions team There are twelve characters listed so how about: The Dirty Dozen ! I like Infiniteens too.

Re: Help: Two Dimensional Characters Great ideas. Thanks guys. I'll work on the character and see how she turns out. Supermodel, maybe not. Thanks again... repped (unless I need to spread it around - eg Kevin. I'll get you later Kevin!)

No, I'm not talking about those characters who are just a bunch of numbers wrapped up in spandex. I'm wondering if anyone has written up a character who can turn two dimensional. Like Tommy of the Morlocks back in the first Mutant Massacre storylines of Marvel's X-Men. I want to create the effect of being super thin but only at the sides. Desolidification with an Activation was one idea (and vulnerable to Area-Based Attacks). Anyone have ideas? Maybe it's already been posted but I couldn't find anything. Thanks

Re: The ol' name game Uberhumans or Ubers. And Uberworld is the shared gaming world.

Re: Who is the Greatest Detective of the Champions Universe? I don't have a good guess about the Champions 'Great Detective' but after looking at the wikipedia site you raised I was really glad to see Phryne Fisher listed. What a dame! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phryne_Fisher As for the Champions Universe I'd hazard a guess that Nighthawk isn't in contention.

#76 GYPSY (Hungary) GYPSY Nancsi Dorottya Character Sheet (Click Here) Background In June 1944 twelve members of the Dorottya family were sent to Auschwitz, along with 440,000 Jews, Gypsies and other 'undesirables'. Hungary had been allies with Nazi Germany since the beginning and its people were suffering because of it. Nothing is known of the fates of the Dorottya family, except that one member escaped in Budapest and would go on to become Hungary's sole costumed resistance fighter. Nancsi Dorottya had grown up in the Dorottya Family Circus and drew upon her training and culture to embark upon her career as Gypsy. She initially sought to use her skills to find information on the whereabouts of her family, but after many false-leads she realised there were greater things which required her attention. She discovered information on future prisoner transports out of Budapest and pulled off a daring rescue, surprising the Arrow Cross officials and spiriting away twenty-nine Jews. She helped them into shelter, linking up with the long-established resistance fighters, and then returned to lead the soldiers on a wild goose chase. Gypsy continued to rescue prisoners and was the target of a 'search and destroy' order placed on her by high ranking Nazi officials in Berlin. They sent Ubermensch agents to kill her, but she managed to outwit them long enough until they were recalled to Germany by Max Uber who would later unleash a war amongst the Nazi ubers which would lead to the eventual defeat of the Axis powers. Were in not for Max Uber's recall, Gypsy would have been captured. After the war, Hungary was overcome by Soviet aggression and annexed as part of the Soviet Union. Gypsy was arrested and disappeared, her fate still unknown, even after the fall of communism in the 1990s. Personality Gypsy was larger than life. With her blonde wig and gorgeous red lips, she certainly drew attention but underneath she was a shell of a person, having been the sole survivor of her family during the Holocaust. She was ruthless when facing Nazis or the Hungarian police and never allowed mercy into her mind when dealing with them and their nefarious crimes. She lived only to bring liberty to the Jewish and Gypsy people who were targeted by the Nazis. During the brief period when Hungary was free of their Nazi sympathisers, Gypsy spent several weeks desperately searching for her family but when the Russians moved in she disappeared. Quote "Boys, you make me blush." Powers Nancsi Dorottya was a seasoned circus performer who was an expert knife thrower and animal handler. As Gypsy she relied on an assortment of throwing knives, and typically used them to pin opponents to walls while she escaped with other fugitives or prisoners. During her career she did sometimes resort to using firearms and showed deadly accuracy when she did so. Appearance Gypsy is still revered as a beautiful, stylish freedom fighter. Her blonde wig and full red lips grace the front of designer t-shirts and she has been the subject of two motion pictures. Her beauty has grown with the myth. In reality she was an attractive brunette with dark eyes and a flawless complexion. Her costume as Gypsy changed throughout her career but usually involved high heels, long skirts with revealing slits with which to showcase her legs, and a jacket which would hide her weapons. Notes I thought having Gypsy disappear after the Second World War would offer up some mystery as well as pathos for all of the missing people who really did seemingly vanish in the skirmishes which followed the end of WWII. Plus I'd say there would be room for Gypsy II to rise in the Modern Era, inspired by the beauty's brave stand against the Nazis and the Axis

#75 MOSQUITO (Honduras) MOSQUITO Lorenzo Flores Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Mosquito was 'created' by El Disenador during his early career. El Disenador would later go on to create other superhumans such as Lady Liberty, Stone Cold and several others using highly experimental and dangerous drugs. At first Mosquito was considered a success, although he has since worn out the word through a series of incompetent bungles up and down the Central American countries and in the United States. El Disenador refuses to admit any connection with the little criminal. Lorenzo Flores was already an accomplished thief when he was subjected to experimentation by El Disenador, so when he came to accept that he was now only ten centremeters tall he should have combined his expert thieving skills with his new almost imperceptible size. Instead, Flores was convinced he was now a first grade super villain. He clashed with police in Tegucigalpa and then sought out heroes in Florida where he was easily defeated by Reef, and later by Major American. After spending two years in an uberhuman prison facility, Mosquito escaped during a major break out and temporarily joined forces with Seven Soldiers, although the team up was very short lived (mostly because General Uprising threatened to kill him if he didn't leave). Mosquito has since attempted to form a reputation as a real threat but has continued to be defeated easily, although he has never been captured again. Most of his escapades involve causing as much embarrassment to authorities as he can, as well as grabbing as much loot as he can carry. He has given up trying to team up with other villains, although he would accept any offers if they were forthcoming. Personality Mosquito is tiny, but has the ego of a giant - this is something which has constantly undermined any attempt he has made to establish himself as a serious threat. His confidence is unshakable and yet his ability to actually carry-through with his grand plans is miniscule. While he is constantly frustrated with his spoiled plans, he never looks to himself as the source of the problem. It's always someone else's fault. Although he has shown hatred towards El Disenador for his transformation, Flores has never publicly admitted to wanting his old life back, so while he is stuck at the size of a big bug he prefers it to the way he was before. He views the transformation as endowing him with the powers of gods as compared with other normal people, so the fact he is so small is probably a price he is willing to pay. Quote "Down here you eediot!!" Powers Flores was shrunk by El Disenador's experiments and gained the ability to fly at very high speeds, with exceptional acceleration and deceleration. He has since gained special gloves which house two razor-tipped fingers on each hand, designed by Nemesis of the Seven Soldiers. He is bold and annoying and will fight an opponent face-to-face, scratching him with his razor-tipped claws. However, Mosquito inevitably turns tail and flies away, or uses his size to avoid detection. At heart he is a coward, but his mind often over-rides his instincts. Appearance Mosquito is only ten centremeters tall, but otherwise looks like a normal human. He is clean shaven, has wavy dark brown hair and olive skin. He wears a green mask, dark green shirt and trousers which tend to be made of a light but durable fabric. He has black boots and gloves, with the two razor-tipped fingers on each glove coloured green. Mosquito always wears his costume as he has no other clothes his size. It has never really occurred to him to order some new clothes, but perhaps one day he will attempt to settle down and hang up his little costume. Notes I hadn't thought of creating a Mosquito-homage character, but my wife suggested naming the villain Mosquito and since I had recently been reading about the original Champions characters from previous editions of books I thought I'd take the opportunity to come up with a similarly named, annoying and useless villain. Mosquito would work well as a member of a band of villains, brought together for some purpose by a mastermind.

#74 DOCTOR PLENARY (Holy See) DOCTOR PLENARY Conrad Leuenberger Silver Age Character Sheet (Click Here) Modern Day Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Conrad Leuenberger met Albert Einstein when he was nineteen, and it was a meeting which forever altered the direction of the boy's life. He was involved in the top secret Pittsburgh Project from 1956-1958, firstly as a college student attached to Professor Michael Donati and later in his own right as a graduate with extraordinary insights into physics, especially magnetism and the gravity. The Pittsburgh Project was one of the United States' initiatives charged with investigating the existence and use of anti-gravity. He later went on to work with the Gravity Research Foundation, and although there had been no viable breakthroughs in either project, Leuenberger had already begun to achieve quite a reputation for 'thinking outside the box'. By the late 1960s the American government was growing disheartened by the lack of results, but on December 3 1968 Leuenberger finally managed to produce a stable anti-gravity device - a pair of disks which seemed to negate the effects of gravity. He was quickly drawn into a struggle against his assistants, who were actually a group of C.L.A.W. agents who had infiltrated the installation several years before. Like the US Military, it seemed that CLAW was interested in any anti-gravity developments. Leuenberger evaded capture and took his two anti-gravity disks to safety. At thirty-three Leuenberger felt that his whole life had been focused on developing the anti-gravity disks and now that he had achieved success, he suddenly felt the tinge of selfishness surface. The current American government had constantly spurned his research and over the course of a decade had effectively cut off all funding for the project. Leuenberger had sacrificed all outside life for the project, including the love of his childhood sweetheart and opportunities to teach at leading universities. As he sped through the night on his anti-gravity disks he had an epiphany: the technology would never be commercially viable, not in the way that the US Military had in mind; so in all likelihood his disks would be dismantled or catalogued and put into secure storage. That seemed like such a waste. Inspired by the exploits of uberhumans across the world, but most notably in the United States, Leuenberger decided he'd use his extraordinary scientific discovery to infuse the young Americans with a sense of wonder for science, as well as to bring law and justice to those who sought to undermine the rights of others. He dubbed himself Doctor Plenary and began a career fighting crime between New York, Philadelphia and Washington DC. During the 1970s Doctor Plenary spent an extended period in Europe where he met and teamed-up with Solar Centurion on several high-profile adventures. Leuenberger and Vito Musculla became close friends, a fellowship of shared intellect and interests in the emerging superhero world. Musculla even considered Leuenberger a mentor and de facto father figure. It was also during this time that Leuenberger began to find himself questioning his role in America and as a result he turned to the faith of his early years. He visited the Vatican and was allowed an audience with Pope John Paul II. Although it is not widely known what the topic of conversation was, it is known that from that day onward, Leuenberger began to withdraw from the public arena. His exploits dwindled until in 1980 he was barely seen at all. At the behest of the Pope, Leuenberger had begun to reform the Sanctity team which had briefly appeared following the Second World War but had never really lasted. The new Sanctity would be a world-wide force, determined to promote the ideals of Catholicism and to provide both role models and protectors to the Catholic people. Leuenberger argued vehemently with Solar Centurion over the change in direction and the two men were never able to reconcile. Musculla distrusted the Vatican's moves to form a super hero team, and Leuenberger found himself personally offended by Musculla's distrust. Regardless of his falling out with Solar Centurion, Leuenberger managed to successfully re-launch the Sanctity team and led it for two years until 1982, after which he served in a support role for another six years. In 1988 he retired at the age of 53, happy to have had the opportunity to do so on his own volition. While he no longer works directly with Sanctity he remains living in Rome and can be sought out for advice and stories of the olden days. Personality Doctor Plenary was a wide-eyed, overly enthusiastic scientific genius. He embodied the wild possibilities science could offer, and in his sleek 'science armour' he inspired many young Americans into a life of science. In his pursuit of science, and in particular the exploration of anti-gravity, Leuenberger neglected his personal life which was something he later regretted. Later in life he came to accept his solitary life and although he maintains several important and close friendships he seems to be content to life out the rest of his life in his own company. He became a deeply religious man and the comfort he received from that has helped him adjust to life after being a superhero. Quote "There have been three great teachers in my life: God, Einstein and Experience." Powers Leuenberger's anti-gravity disks have been his major success. The silver disks have a 40cm diameter and are 5cm thick, the centre of which contain the intricate anti-gravity circuitry which he patented. While he developed other items over the years it is his anti-gravity disks which remain the only really successful invention. They enable the wearer (rider) to fly and assist with balance by adhering to the person's specially-designed shoes. The science armour provided limited protection from conventional firearms and other hazards which became common in the life of a super hero during the 1970s and 1980s. A later addition to his outfit were silver bracelets which utilised a subtle magnetic field and enabled him to deflect most ranged attacks, and in some cases to even redirect the attacks. This became especially effective against energy-projecting uberhumans such as Bad Science who plagued his career. Appearance Conrad Leuenberger had white hair from the age of thirty, and always kept it short. His eyes are piercing blue and have the unerring ability to hold a stare beyond what should be physically possibly. It was suggested during his tenure with the Pittsburgh Project that he never slept and never blinked because he thought he'd miss something, some new development. It is true that his enthusiasm for science often borders on the obsession, but as he grew older this enthusiasm became less concentrated on hard discovery and more linked to a desire to understand everything around him, both physically and spiritually. As Doctor Plenary he wore a specially designed science armour which was light blue and silver. He was always tinkering with the design, especially the force field belt, so the look of his uniform seemed to change annually. In the present day, the aging Leuenberger still retains his white hair and blue eyes, but he would never fit in his science armour again. Instead he tends to wear trousers and cotton shirts (with the occasional cardigan or jacket depending on Rome's weather). Notes The modern day Leuenberger would make for an interesting contact for a superhero team, especially as an advisor on science-related issues.

Re: Hero Alliance Sourcebook? Probably off-thread, but what goes into getting the rights to something like this?

Re: Hero Alliance Sourcebook? Yay for the Invincible one! Invincible is actually the only superhero comic I get these days.

Re: Elementals Sourcebook? I loved the Elementals. Good luck with this.

#73 TABOO (Haiti) TABOO Zélyne (last name unrevealed) Character Sheet (Click Here) Background No one can quite remember the first time Taboo made her presence felt, and she has become something of an icon in modern Haiti despite the fact that she has been responsible for countless acts of trickery and deceit over the past decade or more. Not much is known about the origin of her powers, either, except that she swears that they were given to her by a benevolent (and manipulative) Ioa when she was a young girl. Her powers appear to be quasi-spiritual, existing somewhere a little beyond magic but still a fair way from science. She does not register as an uberhuman so it is possible that her powers were granted to her as she says. What is known, is that Taboo has spent a great deal of her life causing trouble for Haiti, although her pranks are rarely malicious or threaten life. She remains a constant thorn in the side of the United Nations peacekeeping force in Haiti, and has been tormenting tourists for years, particularly those from the United States. When she hangs up her costume she exists as a street performer called Zélyne (sometimes recorded as Selene), although it is not known whether this is an alias or her real name. She has never mentioned family but considers the street people of Port-au-Prince her de facto family. Zélyne is a well known attraction on the streets and has a reputation for winning money from tourists who can't keep up with her fast-moving hands. Personality Taboo has been enjoying life to the fullest ever since she can remember. Nothing brings her down for long and she travels through life with music in her head and dance steps in her feet. Her goal in life seems to be to cause a little confusion and mischief but only as a way to bring new energy to the people around her. She believes that people can become trapped in the importance of their own lives, so she causes a little chaos to bring people back to the really important things in life - which sometimes means they have to react quickly to avert major injury or death! She has been active for a long time and is generally considered a nuisance rather than a menace. Quote "Uh-nyuh, you cannot be doin' dat now. Ruins da fun." Powers Taboo's powers appear to be a classic case of energy projection, allowing her to project energy in a focused and devastating blast, use the energy to provide a force field, and to manipulate objects at a distance using an extended energy field. However, the nature of the energy is disputed and appears to be quasi-mystical as it affects spirits and other intangible opponents. Taboo believes that her powers are the result of friendly Ioa which obey her command. She is protected by a green aura and can extend this aura to manipulate the world around her. She has performed several tricks with her telekinesis and employs it in her street acts too when she can get away unnoticed. Appearance Taboo is a well known figure in Haiti and her sweeping white skirt and enamelled white armour have given rise to a line of cheap figures which are sold to tourists. The figurines generally include her bandaged head and golden amulet but are otherwise bland. The real Taboo is an impressive woman in her early thirties and clearly confident and cocky. She continues to wear her trademark plate armour which covers her torso, and wears orange pants under a white skirt. Her hair is long and black but she ties it up in bandages when in costume and completes her costume with a pair of goggles and a series of golden amulets imbedded in her chest plate. When calling upon the quasi-spiritual energy which seems to obey her command, Taboo's body is bathed in a soft green light. The light extends as her powers shift and seem quite hard and substantial when she focuses it into a beam of ectoplasmic energy. As the street performer, Zélyne, she wears gaudy street clothes but otherwise appears nondescript. She is a proud woman but poor, despite being a moderately successful super villain. She doesn't appear to be overly worried about her impoverished life as she simply takes what she needs and leaves the rest to life.

Re: Around the World With A New Character Each Week

Re: [Critique] Sample Mental Powers Nice work Psylint (repped). I especially like: “Mind” Control: Psi leans on the target’s will until it snaps and then imposes upon it a nigh irresistible “suggestion.” Mind Control Cumulative Effect +1/2; Double Max Effect +1/4 [84]; Set Effect: Must achieve Ego +30 or greater -3/4 [Active Cost 61; Real Cost 35] and Betrayal: Those whispers in your head, “Power Man is out to get you. You know he is. See!” 6d6 Mental Illusions, Cumulative +1/2 x4 Max Effect +1/2; Set effect “Friends attack target”; Mandatory Effect Illusion does Stun and Body Damage -1/2; Mandatory Effect Ego +10 -1/4. Can't wait to make my next mentalist character!

Re: WWCYD: Lethal Force is Authorized Jungle Boy: Balthasar Numen is one of a family of super heroes and they'd be at the forefront of any Earth defence. At first he would be reluctant to kill the aliens but after the first major sign of mass destruction he would focus all his martial arts ability to stopping the invasion at any cost. He would probably be working with his father and other family on infiltrating the mother ship and taking them out from above the planet. Perepis: She prides herself on her cool-headedness (others say 'cold heart') so she would be fine with the new orders, although her telepathic powers generally only work on humans. She'd probably be spending a fair amount of XP on expanding her powers to affect alien minds. Whisper: Still something of an outsider, Whisper would likely be huddled with some other survivors at street level and would be using his sonic powers as best he could. If he could use them to kill the aliens he would. Tribe: Being a duplicator, Tribe most likely be using his dupes as cannon fodder on the front lines. He would quickly become a bit jaded with the killing and would move with most of the other super heroes and accept the lethal force authority. He would probably be better used in infiltration as well, possibly even into the internment camps where he could duplicate and cause havoc from within.

#72 GHATOTKACHA (Guyana) GHATOTKACHA Aaditya Kandappan Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Aaditya Kandappan was approached by Umbra and asked to join The Assembly. At the time he was making a modest living as a burglar so he refused, not realising that the offer was one of the offers that you cannot refuse. While appearing polite, Umbra summoned Naga and the Director from New Delhi and the following night Aaditya was beaten to a pulp and asked to reconsider the offer. He fled. The Assembly were ready for him and blocked all exit points, but they were unaware of his teleportation ability and somehow he managed to escape through to Burma, and from there he fled further to Guyana where his maternal aunt was living. She was old and never questioned his sudden arrival. Aaditya was paranoid that the Assembly was still after him. Guyana had become something of a haven for Indian and Pakistani residents who opposed the new Assembly-backed regime and Aaditya eventually found himself drawn into the political world of the WAR Movement. The West Asian Resistance Movement had only just surfaced in Georgetown, although it had been active in England for some time. The leader in Georgetown was Geedar the Jackal, an elderly lecturer from Hyderabad, who had opposed the actions of the Indian Government. Geedar had approached Aaditya to assist with the resistance. He revealed to Aaditya that the Assembly had catalogued information about his powers, and that Geedar had used his own secret sources within India to find the information as well. At first Aaditya was honoured and became a high profile member of the WAR Movement, but when Geedar disappeared for several months, Aaditya slid back into his criminal ways. He had become well known amongst the younger members of the WAR Movement and it was easy to bring them across to his criminal activities, especially when he blended the actions with idealistic speeches about raising money for the 'Motherland'. When news of Geedar reached Georgetown, Aaditya was well and truly entrenched in his burgeoning criminal career. Geedar had been apprehended by agents of the Indian government in Canada and taken against his will back to New Delhi where he had gone through a show trial and was now in prison. Aaditya had become the leader of the WAR Movement in Georgetown by default. But his dependency on crime to achieve any kind of satisfaction and the steady supply of money which came through his prostitution, armed robbery and extortion rackets was too much to throw away. Geedar never did manage to find out what Aaditya had done, but his reputation amongst other members of the WAR Movement, particularly in England, are a little tarnished by his growing reputation as a crime lord. Aaditya maintains the support from refugees and idealists, most of whom are Pakistanis, and he does give money to the WAR Movement. In all other ways, though, he is a capable crime lord who is behind the growing crime rates in Guyana. He is named after one of the legendary rakshasas of Hindu myth: Ghatotkacha, who was part-demon and part-hero. He feels it reflects his dual role in life quite well. Personality Ghatotkacha has become a powerful man in Georgetown and has come to enjoy the privileges such a position grants him. He is a lecherous man who indulges himself whenever he can, and expects to be given anything he wishes. Refusal often results in swift, harsh punishment so the members of the Rakshasa Gang who worship him have learned to allow him any indulgence. He lives in two worlds, or two planes of existence. At one level he is a crime lord who gains wealth through prostitution, armed robberies and extortion. He is wanted by the local law enforcement agencies as well as the CIA but is relatively safe within his headquarters surrounded as he is by loyal retainers. On another level though, he is a freedom fighter who represents the chance for a new India. While he is not as active as some would wish, Aaditya is a symbol for the oppressed. They can see him as the face of the WAR Movement, and some of his money does make its way back to the WAR Movement coffers. Quote "You have got to be more charitable than that, kind gentleman. We are collecting for the WAR Movement, not the Salvation Army. A pretty coin isn't going to cut the mustard, not when you've got a wallet full of notes and a big fat silver watch." Powers Ghatotkacha was born with the lower half of a goat and resembles a satyr from Greek mythology. When he was first approached by the Assembly that appeared to be his only uberhuman trait, although he was markedly stronger and faster than a regular human. After being forced to flee, however, he manifested other abilities, most notably the ability to call upon a sinewy black shadow force. The black energy envelops his hands and transforms them into sharp claws, and when needed it can shroud his whole body and allow him to teleport over short distances. The shadow force only works in twilight or at night, however, so Ghatotkacha tends to be more active after dark. Accessing the shadow force tends to make him act more erratically and he becomes more bloodthirsty when covered in the shadow. In combat his most powerful movement is to kick with one or both of his hoofed feet, the power of which is enough to knock over even some of the strongest ubers. He has, in the past, knocked over Naga which allowed him to leap to safety. Appearance Ghatotkacha looks like a satyr: half man and half goat. He is attractive, although he tends to leer and act a little crazy. His hair is brown and longish, falling into his face, but the rest of his torso is hair-free and he has a chiselled bare chest. The lower part of his body is covered in coarse fur and his legs are bent as a goat's and end with hoofs. Although he probably doesn't need to wear a costume, Ghatotkacha tends to wear tight lycra shorts. When he manifests his shadow force the energy tends to cling to his body like a liquid.

#71 PEDRA (Guinea-Bissau) PEDRA Neves Felicidade Pereira Character Sheet (Click Here) Background The Stone Man was one of the few African heroes of the 1970s, although he quickly moved out of Africa and into Western Europe where he became embroiled in regular superhero action. He was probably best known for battling aliens during the 1970s especially an invasion force in 1977, after which he spent a very long period in space and out of contact with Earth. During this time it is widely believed he fathered quite a number of alien children, although none have presented themselves to Earth as yet. Just prior to his departure his estranged wife gave birth to Neves, although Stone Man was never to lay eyes on her. Shortly after he returned to Earth in 1983 he was killed in a battle in New York City. The six-year old Neves watched the battle on a taped news report sometime later and was told that the man on the screen was her father. She began exhibiting uberhuman levels of strength early and everyone expected her to follow in her father's footsteps. She was known widely as 'filha da pedra', the daughter of the stone. Neves never really resented the fact that everyone spoke of her father as if he were a god and that, in comparison, she was something of an embarrassment. Her mother was furious, though, and often publicly criticised the elders for attacking her daughter indirectly through gossip and hearsay. The elders suggested that perhaps it would have been different if Neves had been a boy, or that perhaps it was the mother's fault. After several years of open fighting with the elders, Neves and her mother moved to London with the help of a member of Majestic who had been friends with Stone Man. Neves went to school and managed to slip seamlessly into the multicultural throng of London. After graduating she went to university and became a nurse. At twenty years of age, however, Neves was discovered by a band of aliens (who were actually disguised Skellarians) and after being abducted by them and taken to a hidden space ship in orbit, Neves was shown footage of her father slaughtering thousands of aliens on several different worlds. As a nurse she was horrified that her father could have killed so many and with such abandon. She didn't realise it, but the Skellarians wanted to turn her into a weapon against the Earth so that any future invasion would be easier. They hoped that she would go insane and begin a rampage. And if it was successful with Neves they could do the same for any number of other uberhumans. Neves escaped, although the Skellarians assisted her without her knowledge. She returned to London, confronted Majestic and was told that her father was involved in some kind of massacre in some far away system. Neves fled. Somehow she ended up in Africa again, and in the employ of The Legion. She worked with them during one assignment only, although the fact that she was once a member has haunted her ever since. After laying low for some time she returned to Guinea-Bissau where she works as the national hero. She refuses to return to London, where she feels Majestic will attempt to capture and imprison her; and she rarely speaks with outsiders, preferring to work alone and hopefully atone for her past and the past of her father. Personality Pedra is a loner. She is a tireless hero both in her role as Pedra and also as a nurse, but she works as a way to atone for her past. She feels deeply troubled by what she learned aboard the alien space ship and also by the way she acted without thinking and joined the Legion. Although she left the band of mercenaries, and even managed to foil several of their later assignments, she still feels haunted. Recently she has worked with British troops and medics in the Sudan, but generally she works within the borders of Guinea-Bissau. She dislikes outsiders, particularly Americans who she believes were responsible for her father's death (or at least responsible for not helping to save him). However, she still respects Majestic and the British in general, who offered her and her mother sanctuary in her younger years. Strangely, since leaving the Skellarian space ship Neves had experienced a series of unusual events and seems to attract weird occurrences. Some have suggested that her father suffered a similar condition, and the more weird things that happen to her the more her life seems to be mimicking that of her father's. Quote "Blast and double blast! It's not bad enough that mutated buffalo want to stampede the capital, but now they've attracted the bloody CNN vultures." Powers Pedra has inherited the powers of her father which include uberhuman strength, durability and regenerative powers, as well as the ability to fly. The Stone Man was much more powerful, however, and Pedra is, as yet, unable to survive the rigors of space. Her current strength level enables her to bench press about 30 tons which is about half as much as her father's strength. After her capture by the Skellarians, Pedra picked up a pair of alien goggles which was not part of the Skellarians' plan. They are intent on recovering the artefact which belongs to an unknown alien race. The goggles provide the wearer with strange pseudo-telepathic powers and Pedra has learned a few tricks such as looking around corners through a kind of psychic sense, the ability to sense objects and creatures which are not of this world, and the ability to communicate with other minds as well as probing for information. Appearance Pedra wears a costume based on the Guinea-Bissau national flag. She wears a bodysuit divided down the centre with yellow on the right and light green on the left. She wears red trunks with a black star, and a band of red on each shoulder, again, with a black star in the centre. Her alien goggles are a light orange colour, although mostly translucent, and they have darker shells on the side which covers her ears. Something about the goggles seems to assist Neves maintain her secret identity. The lenses obscure some of her features but she believes there is also something about the alien technology which also contributes to the masquerade. She has dark hair which is currently at shoulder length although she has worn her hair very short in the past. Out of uniform she wears practical clothing which tends to be mildly military in style. Although a young woman her eyes seem to hold a lifetime of misery and knowledge that is best not shared.

Re: Australia in the current CU