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Re: Australia in the current CU Actually since it's still in its infancy, does anyone have anything they'd really like to see if a Digital Hero adventure set in Australia? I'll be featuring Melbourne (or parts of it) as well as a military base north west of Melbourne (it's called Puckapunyal). I wasn't going to impact on the CU interpretation of Australia (meaning there are very few supers), but was going to rely on bringing 'talent' into the country.

Re: Australia in the current CU I'm working on an adventure set in Australia and should get some acceeleration on this in a couple of weeks when the school holidays hit and I get two weeks off work. On the other hand I'm not sure how long it will take to write everything up for an adventure, so it's possibly not going to be finished for a few months (maybe even Christmas?!?). Has anyone had experience of writing an adventure up for Digital Hero? I really like the idea of COIL, by the way, and was thinking of using them. Is anyone else currently thinking about using them - especially in relation to Australia? Ben

Re: [Review] Vibora Bay Thanks Ghost Angel. I actually bought this book after reading your review a few weeks ago. And now that I have it in my hot little hands I am very happy with it. The NPCs are really good and not overly powerful or domineering. And the fictional city idea makes it easy to place Vibora Bay wherever you want. So thanks again! P.S. Based on your other reviews I now have to save my money and buy Star Hero.

#70 SHAHID (Guinea) SHAHID Aneesa Buhari Character Sheet (click here) Background Aneesa Buhari moved to London after being employed by the famous documentary maker Dr Ferdey Robertson when he was in Guinea. Robertson organised a working visa and a job at the BBC, initially as a production assistant on his documentary, but later in her own right. She worked closely with the current affairs department and was even given small assignments, mostly to do with issues concerning African immigrants. In 2005 Aneesa was devastated by the bombings in London, more so because she was among a dozen suspects brought in for questioning by Majestic when the supergroup was given authority to conduct the investigation. In custody for thirty-seven days, Aneesa saw the damage being done to Muslims worldwide by the actions of a vocal and extremist minority. Aneesa was taken into custody because she had recently worked alongside a film maker who had turned out to be one of the bombers. Guilt by association. When she was released she decided to campaign against islamic extremists, in a way to hopefully teach the people of London that not all Muslims were terrorists. She never considered the consequences, so after putting together a short report and getting it played by a subsidiary television network, just in the London area, Aneesa became the target of a jihad. The terrorists moved quickly, blowing up her apartment in south London and killing one of her workmates. Aneesa managed to escape the initial attacks, mostly due to surprise. The attackers had no idea she had been a student of Pakua and, even though she was by no means a master, Aneesa managed to put up enough of a fight to escape. She went into hiding. During her exile she was shocked by how easily her life had been torn apart by the extremists. Her house, belongings and friends were gone. Something changed inside her. She realised that Majestic or the London Constabulary were helpless agianst Islamic terrorists. She needed to face them herself. Perhaps it was insanity or a death wish, but Aneesa began her own jihad against those who would murder in the name of the Prophet. She became obsessed and moved back to Guinea briefly to train herself further. The extent of her training is frightening. She changed from a tall, but otherwise nondescript, African woman into a shrouded vigilante. She returned to London, reclaimed what was left of her life and slipped back into her job at the BBC. However, she also began a secondary career at night. Cloaked in dark robes she infiltrated Islamic groups which seemed a little on the obsessive side, and from there she struck at what she thought were terrorist elements. At first she missed her mark, killing or maiming young Muslims who were merely outspoken rather than homicidal, but eventually she made her mark by executing three potential terrorists while they attempted to plant bombs at the Tate Gallery. The media picked up on the 'success' and Shahid's reputation appeared to blossom in the mind's of Londoners. Shahid, or Witness, has been active for nearly a year. In the minds of Londoners she is dangerous and most likely unstable, but she seems to only target extremists so they are mostly satisfied with her methods. The police are very concerned and there is a manhunt on for her, although some officers would turn a blind eye if they found her. The majority of Muslims are also concerned about Shahid, because although she is showing that extremism is not acceptable in Islam, she is employing the same methods as the terrorists. The superhero community have their eyes open for her, but Majestic and Knightwatch see her as a mad vigilante who will be apprehended by the police in due course. Personality Aneesa employs a damaged logic. She believes that extremists have damaged the reputation of all Islamic people, so she has taken it upon herself to eradicate all forms of extremism. In doing so she has become as extreme as the men and women she hunts, but in her own eyes she is acting as an Angel. She has no qualms about her methods and no regrets for the people she has hurt or killed by mistake. What is important to her is the eradication of those who would do Islam harm. While she does occasionally target non-Muslim criminals, these are generally accidental interventions. She would just as likely ignore a bank robbery than intervene, unless she thought the perpetrators were Muslims. Quote "I am here to bring peace to Islam... one death at a time." Powers Shahid has received some martial arts training, specifically in the art of Pakua which relies on constant movement and using an opponent's strength against them. She is very agile and uses her cloaks and robes to further distract her opponents and appear to be partially-insubstantial. She can detach parts of her robes to use as tight restraints but she will only do this when the fight is in her favour. If she is outnumbered she will use her pistols to brutally even the numbers. While she has no problem with killing, Shahid has shown an ability to stun targets with her bullets. Whether this is pure luck or a talent she has picked up, no one knows; but there have been several cases where she has knocked out opponents by somehow having the bullets graze the target's temples rather than punching their way through the skull. Since her first appearance, Shahid has added several gadgets including flare pellets, a rebreather which allows her an oxygen supply, and small rockets in her boots which allow for incredible leaps - her favoured method of escape. Appearance Aneesa Buhari is a tall and attractive woman with light brown skin and long black hair which is usually braided in five long braids. She has several coins attached to these braids and two of them have been handed down from several generations and are quite old. She favours bracelets around both wrists and sometimes wears henna markings around her mouth, although since becoming Shahid this has become rare. Aneesa appears to be a contemporary woman with an eye for fashion. Although obviously African, she doesn't give the appearance of being a devout Muslim - in fact she is quite laid back about religion in general although she does identify herself as Muslim. As Shahid she dons a black robe with cloak, similar to a burkha. Although not a devout Muslim herself Shahid gives the appearance of a very devout Muslim woman. She wears a veil and only her eyes are showing. Under her robes she carries two pistols, extra ammunition and various gadgets. Her arms are bandaged with dark grey and black cloth and she never leaves fingerprints. Notes Shahid could just have easily moved to New York instead of London, so she would be able to fit into American campaigns as well. Perhaps change the London bombings to September 11. Her job as a production assistant / sometime journalist also allows her to move around the world if required.

Re: Help me name this hero! I overlooked the fact he was a policeman. What about Keystone? Or got the whole hog and called him Keystone Cop. Mr Plod has a British/Noddy feel about it. Okay, bypass that one...

Re: Help me name this hero! Punchline Prank Delerium

Re: MancerBear's Art Den Awesome!

Re: Superhero Images I guess at least it wasn't Wolverine or... the Hulk!

Re: Superhero Images ...that's a joke, right? Great drawing, but... nah!

#69 JUDGE (JUEZ) (Guatemala) JUDGE (JUEZ) Guillermo Cecilo Nunez Character Sheet Background Born in 1958 Guillermo Nunez had an unremarkable life up until his senior years at high school when he developed psychic abilities as well as a deep dissatisfaction with the current state of chaos in Guatemala. He emulated the heroes of Northern America and donned a sky-blue costume and the name, Quetzal. His powers grew quickly and he moved to Guatemala City and university to study law while also fighting against the various militant groups which had besieged his country. While he began his career fighting against corruption, particularly within the unstable government, it is somewhat ironic that he now seems to have a firm grasp on the current government through his role as supreme court judge and personal friend of the president. Before he made the move into the supreme court, however, he was approached by the Catholic team of super-heroes, Sanctity. During 1987 a plague took hold of southern Italy and incapacitated the Sanctity team which led to the formation of a secondary team. Nunez was one of ten new recruits at the time, and after defeating Pestilence and restoring the members of Sanctity to their full health, Nunez agreed to stay with the team. He stayed with Sanctity for ten years, even serving as 'field leader' for a little under a year, although he dropped the name Quetzal in favour of the more impressive-sounding Judge. During the late 1990s he was considered the world's premier telepath, but when he left in 1997 it was under a cloud of controversy. He had apparently clashed with a cardinal and, although he still remains close associates with the members of Sanctity, he refuses to return to Rome. He eventually returned to Guatemala on a full-time basis in 1998, two years after peace was negotiated, and the country he found there was full of hope and optimism for the future. Nunez stepped up to serve his country and put away his costume. He worked his way through the judicial system using his powers when needed, but always with full disclosure. He also worked to bring about new legislation to force uberhumans to register their presence and known powers. Nunez is currently one of thirteen members of the Corte Suprema de Justicia and has recently been voted president of the council. He works closely with the President and is determined to develop a country which has a firm hold on its uberhuman population, and hopefully export such ideas to the world. Personality Judge has developed a pro-registration platform in the field of uberhuman relations and with his contacts in the Guatemalan government has created one of the world's first society's where being an uberhuman requires a person to register with the military and the government. He believes that uberhumans will bring about centuries of disaster and wants governments to act now to reign in rogue ubers. It is now illegal for uberhumans to visit Guatemala without being registered. The effect of this is that the small country is generally shunned by uber tourists as well as being targeted by the likes of Junta who believe in uberhuman superiority. The Judge has nearly been killed on several occasions in car bomb attacks, sniper shots or clashes with Junta members themselves, particularly the mind-witch La Espada. He refuses to back down, and even though his wife has also come under attack, many around the world secretly hope that the pro-registration sentiment grows. Quote "The advent of the Uber has brought the world into a state of constant and growing danger. Only through consistent regulation and judicial and governmental policy can this state of uber-terror be neutralised." Powers The Judge was the world's most powerful telepath when he was the costumed hero, Quetzal, although his psychic potency has weakened over the past decade. He is able to read other people's thoughts, locate minds across vast distances and impose his own will upon others, although he is personally loathe to do this. Judge is also a formidable telekinetic, able to generate a tangible force of will which is able to bench press in excess of 25 tons, project walls of pure force and concussive bursts of force which can level skyscrapers. In his retirement, Judge relies more on the conventional laws of his country to bring about justice, although he is not shy of using his powers to get to the bottom of things in a court room - all of which has been sanctioned by his close friend, the President. Judge has made the shift from superhero to supreme court judge seamlessly and some would say he wields more power now than he ever did as the world's premier telepath. Appearance One upon a time, during his adventuring days as Quetzal, Nunez wore a light blue bodysuit with rainbow colours under each arm, white gloves, belt and boots. There is no way that he would ever dress up in a costume again, and he actively discourages such behaviour in Guatemala preferring uberhumans and others who would feel like 'dressing up' to act more like the rest of the citizens. He is a supreme court judge and wears traditional garb inside the courts. Otherwise he wears suit jackets, slacks and shirts. Depending on the weather he may wear a tie, but generally he wears his shirts open. He has silver-grey hair which is still dark enough to pass for black. He has a moustache and animated eyebrows. Although not the tallest of men, Nunez does command the attention of those in his presence. He moves slowly but with purpose, and the limp in his left leg is a reminder of a battle with Destructo over Mexico City - one of his last battles as a super hero. Notes Judge would be a good NPC to arrive in the campaign city and begin discussing the virtues of uberhuman/superhuman registration. He has close ties with the Guatemalan president and would be cultivating an international profile. He could even have aspirations of becoming the next president. Although a 'hero', Judge reflects the knife-edge between a hero and a villain. His views on uberhuman registration could easily become an obsession.

#68 LA DIABLESSE (Grenada) LA DIABLESSE Nathalie Sanson Character Sheet Background In 1983 the small island nation of Grenada was invaded by the United States in an attempt to stop an emerging communist threat. The 7000 US troops were victorious and US troops withdrew after a new government was brought in. However, the US campaign also brought a secondary invasion which was not initially reported. A small group of American GIs had been seduced by a cartel of vampires in an undisclosed South America city and transformed into vampires themselves. While the entire group of Americans were later discovered and destroyed, they brought vampirism to Grenada, specifically to a group of prostitutes in St George's. Operation Urgent Fury has now been identified as the starting point for a powerful vampiric community in Grenada, and chief among the vampires of the country is the woman known as La Diablesse. Her origins are shrouded in mystery although her actions and words strongly suggest she was one of the initial prostitutes who were infected by the Americans. La Diablesse only emerged as the prime vampire in Grenada in 1997, replacing the Black King who was killed by Adalberto Cavallo. Cavallo would later go on to help form the private investigator firm Reddy, Willing and Abel. As the new prime vampire, La Diablesse turned her attention to the wider Caribbean community and contracted herself out as an assassin. It was revealed that the numbers of vampires in Grenada has fallen dramatically from a high in the early 1990s. The latest estimation, put forward by the Roman Catholic superhero team Sanctity, is that apart from La Diablesse who is by far the most powerful vampire in the country, there are only ten others. La Diablesse has shown a reluctance to 'share' her heritage with others and prefers to kill and drain the blood of her victims. Champions stats for 'regular vampires' should be based on the following website (created by Michael Surbrook): http://surbrook.devermore.net/adaptationsmovie/buffy/vampire.html Personality Nathalie Sanson came from nowhere but since becoming a vampire she has certainly increased her own self-image. She considers herself to be the very height of slickness and bling-fashion. She regularly flexes her muscle by torturing rival gang members and is known for hunting her own vampires on occasion, simply to reinstate her role as 'top dog'. Underneath the fangs and trashy wardrobe, however, lies a tragically simple girl who has no interest in redemption - simply the desire to continue living it up, killing when she feels hunger and imposing herself on anyone in her vicinity. She is known amongst the Grenadian law enforcement community but they try to avoid her at all costs, knowing that she is capable of major carnage if she feels slighted in any way. Quote "You might get by lickin' off on my streets, boy, but come night time, you bow down to me, Big Willie Style." Powers The vampires of Grenada exhibit the traditional powers of vampires, including enhanced strength, speed and durability. They are near-immortals but with a well-known susceptibility to the sun's rays and the effects of decapitation or heart-staking... something which is easier planned than actually acted upon. She has fangs which are able to draw blood from a victim, and in rare cases can actually infect and transform another human into a vampire. La Diablesse carries two combat knives which she uses to kill or maim, depending on her current mood. She rarely uses her fangs unless she is forced to as a last resort. Appearance She is a tall, extremely thin but strong woman with dark skin, a shaved head and demonic glowing eyes. La Diablesse is a name long associated with a well-dressed she-devil in Grenada, but this woman is far from well-dressed. She exhibits the classic gangsta, bling-bling chic of a " skanky ho' " (a term attributed to La Diablesse by the former vampire leader, Black King). She has a stylised sun tattoo on each shoulder and usually some kind of cheap sunglasses. Notes Thanks for Surbrook for his interpretation of vampires (especially for the Buffyverse). And thanks to Noah for bringing my attention to Operation Urgent Fury.

#67 ACHILLES (Greece) ACHILLES Loukas Dimosthenis Character Sheet Background The eighteen year old Loukas Dimosthenis found himself at a cross-roads. He came from a poor family, his father was unemployed and his older brothers had all left home and travelled away from Athens. Loukas couldn't find a job, but he had developed uberhuman abilities which granted him incredible strength. He had a choice to make. In retrospect he made the wrong choice. He used his powers to commit petty thefts, scrounging enough money to keep his family going. Eventually he moved into the bodyguard business, hiring his muscle out to criminals. After a few years of this low-level thug life he was arrested and sent to prison. It was in prison that he started to meditate on his choice and think about the alternative. His strength enabled him to live a relatively calm life behind bars and he became a model inmate. When Maximum Force attacked the prison to free Undertow (who had gotten himself arrested while on a drunken tour of Greece) their devastating, but undisciplined, attack led to a massive outbreak. Loukas found himself at another cross-roads. This time he decided to be the 'hero'. Rather than fleeing he worked with the prison guards to round up the unruly inmates and prevented a dozen or so from escaping. When the emergency was over Loukas walked calmly back into his cell. The government investigated his background and sentence. Short of official heroes, they decided to offer him a pardon in exchange for an undertaking to defend Greece from threats in the manner of a patriotic hero. Loukas agreed and was released after serving six years of his sentence. He began his new career working closely with the Greek law enforcement agencies, but he became uncomfortable under their very close and cynical scrutiny. The police distrusted him. The public viewed him as a tool for the government and didn't fully trust him either. Since he wasn't actually in the employ of the government, just in their debt; he took the name Achilles and decided to form a superhero team, the Myrmidons. The team was set up as 'heroes for hire', willing to take on a variety of assignments for the right amount of cash. Achilles attracted several other heroes to his team including the leading physicist and inventor, Dr Melina Demokritos, and the former Dawnstar Aeolus (although Aeolus later travelled to Los Angeles to start a new career and was subsequently assassinated by Triune in London). Achilles has been working as a hero now for five years and has developed a solid reputation as a hero for hire. While people still remember him as a criminal, they often see him as an example of the power of redemption. His reputation has even extended into Europe where he has worked on occasion with the Brotherhood and the Dawnstars. Personality Achilles has served his time and now exemplifies the life of an honourable hero. He is very aware of his public profile and will never deliberately threaten it with inappropriate behaviour. He is honourable, bound by his word and yet maintains a gregarious personality often greeting fans and appearing in public. As the founder and leader of the Myrmidons he expects the same level of commitment and heroic ideals from his team, and has been known to lecture those who don't meet his expectations. Quote "The Myrmidons are ready to stand against anything." Powers Achilles possesses uberhuman strength, endurance and durability; as well as possessing high levels of physical dexterity and speed. He has developed powerful hand strikes which can deliver such a resounding blow that they are able to penetrate any defence as well as disrupt most forms of force fields (at least for a short term). He wears a Myrmidon costume which is made of a protective microweave fibre developed by Dr Demokritos. Appearance Standing at 6'8" Achilles is an imposing man with rippling muscles, a handsome chiselled face and flowing black hair. His public profile has led to many designers providing him with tailored suits and attire when out of costume and he has developed a reputation as a clothes horse. In costume, Achilles wears the black, gold and red armour of the Myrmidons which includes a stylised red M across the chest, gloves and boots.

#67 MEDEA (Greece) MEDEA Dr Melina Demokritos Character Sheet Background Dr Melina Demokritos never really thought about using her innovative solar panel technology to create a powersuit and fight crime, but when her government funding dried up in 2002 she was given two choices: sell her technology to the United States or raise the funds herself. If she was honest with herself she would admit that she considered robbing a few banks to raise the money, but after inadvertedly explaining her situation to Professor Grak (an advisor to the Dawnstars hero group) she was convinced to use her technology to assist Greece and at the same time raise money through the collection of rewards. When she started to adapt her technology to create a powersuit, Demokritos found herself getting excited. She was always interested in probing the scientific fields on an intellectual level, but the adventure and excitement which her new role offered seemed to give her a new lease on life. Her associates were worried about her change in direction and warned her against wasting her life on superheroics. Things turned worse when TITAN targeted her for abduction. Sterling wanted to use her technology to create a powersuit for one of his operatives. Demokritos was taken by surprise and overpowered. After suffering a severe beating she was held captive for a month while Sterling plundered her prototype powersuit. It took her a month to escape and she only managed to do so by tricking Partisan into thinking she was ill (and he still holds a grudge). Once free again, she returned to Athens and opened a new lab with her assistant, Edmond d'Archiac. Her first powersuit had managed to absorb solar energy and use the energy to create defensive force fields. Her second powersuit included more offensive capabilities. Once completed she donned the suit and publicly challenged Sterling to a rematch in Athens. He complied but brought the full force of TITAN with him. Demokritos had overestimated her own abilities and would have been sorely beaten for a second time, except that she was assisted by the Brotherhood who arrived on a tip-off from Edmond d'Archiac who worked previously with the hero, Armstrong. Demokritos was forced to acknowledge her limitations but rather than retire, she areed to work with the government of Greece in exchange for securing future funding for her research. This agreement continued for several years until a new government was brought in and she once again found herself cast adrift. By this time Achilles had formed his hero-for-hire team, the Myrmidons, and Demokritos became his first recruit. She serves the team as the scientific mind as well as the heavy hitting artillery. Personality Dr Demokritos is brilliant but doesn't really know her limitations. She is a scientist first and foremost, but also enjoys flaunting her technology as Medea. In both situations she believes she is infallible. Her reputation in the lab is pristine, although her reputation as a hero is fraught with mishaps. She is a member of the Myrmidons because it allows her to continue to fund her research without having to rely on the haphazard government system. She will accept jobs of any kind as long as the money is good, although she will not condone violence. Quote "There are two types of people in this world. The regular types. And me." Powers Medea is a genius and has developed a series of gadgets which draw upon the power of the sun. She wears a powersuit which absorbs solar energy and can transform this energy into offensive and defensive capabilities. She can emit powerful blasts of energy, tight heat beams capable of burning through most materials, an invisible heat wave and powerful heat fields which can keep opponents out of reach. Defensively she is able to produce a protective force field, absorb energy attacks and divert most energy attacks harmlessly away. She is also able to fly by using heat waves. Appearance Dr Melina Demokritos is in her late thirties. She is a thin woman with high cheekbones and a sometimes harried look in her eyes. Her hair is dark but has a grey lock which usually falls across her forehead. In the lab she wears a white lab coat over dark sweater and pants. As Medea she wears a modified Myrmidon costume which is primarily black with golden highlights and a stylised red M. There are gold-rimmed solar panels on her costume and these panels can be moved around to produce different effects.

#67 PEGASUS (Greece) PEGASUS Character Sheet Background Pegasus was found and befriended by fourteen-year-old George Voulgarakis during a school hike in mountains north of Thessaloniki. No one really knows where he came from, or whether he is the same mythic horse from Ancient Greece which sprung from the blood of Medusa. There have been several unconfirmed sightings of a winged horse throughout the 20th Century, especially during the Second World War when a winged horse was instrumental in protecting north-western villages against Italian soldiers. Pegasus has a good understanding of the land and shows some some signs of having a long and convoluted history, but the combination of not being able to talk and being quite a private horse has meant that most of his background is still unknown. Personality Pegasus is a very proud and powerful winged horse who shows fierce loyalty to George, almost bordering on an obsession. He is absolutely fearless and never backs down from confrontations. He can, at times, appear quite haughty - even for a horse. Quote Grunts and whinnies... Powers The powerful white wings which give Pegasus his name are able to extend to three metres either side and are powerful enough to flatten adversaries. He has a magical aura which provides him with protection from harm, as well as incredible speed both on hoof and in the skies. Appearance A powerfully-built white horse standing at four metres tall, Pegasus is pure white with a long mane and feathered wings which can be extended to three metres or tucked to his side. He never wears a saddle or harness, but Bellerophon is a capable enough rider to ride him nonetheless.

#67 BELLEROPHON (Greece) BELLEROPHON George Voulgarakis Character Sheet Background George spent a lot of his early childhood playing with the animals around his uncle's farm outside of Thessaloniki. It wasn't until he turned thirteen, though, that the truth about his animal affinity became clear - he was an uberhuman, able to communicate and influence animals. His mother, always protective of her son, tried to keep his abilities secret but it soon hit the Greek papers. Things got worse when George brought a winged horse back from a school camp, and from that time on his mother had to give up her ideas of keeping George's life simple and traditional. He and Pegasus became involved in a rescue operation during fierce bushfires one summer, and teamed up with the Myrmidons under the leadership of Achilles. Despite being barely fourteen at the time, George was accepted as a member (mostly because of Pegasus who had proven himself to be a fierce warrior). Personality George is a friendly, openhearted and open-minded kid who has befriended a winged horse and is now a super hero. He is often caught off guard in battles (although Pegasus looks after him) and hesitates when he should act. Achilles is a little worried about him, but only sees the kid as a way to get Pegasus on the team. George's mother is still very overprotective of George and often turns up at inopportune moments. George is growing a little embarrassed by her as he moves further into adolescence. Quote "That's a three-headed dog! Oh my God, that's really a three-headed dog! Can we keep him?!" Powers George is an animal empath, able to feel an animal's emotions as well as communicate with it telepathically. As a fourteen year old it is most likely that his powers will grow in power and scope. Since joining the Myrmidons he has been given an armoured costume to help keep him conscious in conflicts, and a solar-powered energy spear designed by Dr Melina Demokritos - again, as a way of keeping him useful in battles. The team has learned that Pegasus works a lot better when Bellerophon feels useful and assists with combat. Although Dr Demokritos was against the idea at first, after Pegasus fled in the midst of a battle with the Elementals, she decided it would be better to give the kid something to 'shoot' rather than lose the support of the winged horse again. Appearance George is a skinny little kid with a big smile and unruly black curls. He seems to undergo growth spurts at odd times and his voice is cracking. While George sees his transformation into an adolescent as embarrassing, no one else gives him much attention. In costume, George wears a Myrmidon uniform which is black, gold and red. Notes Bellerophon is actually a Follower. The 'character' is Pegasus, the winged horse. Just a little quirk on the usual Follower/Character thing.

#67 MYRMIDONS (Greece) This isn't a full write-up for the Myrmidons team, but I might do one later and add a few more team members. The Myrmidons are a hero-for-hire outfit based in Athens. They operate as heroes and have been known to work for free depending on the case. They are led by Achilles, who was once imprisoned for theft and being associated with criminal activities. While in prison he was involved in a break-out and decided to help keep the inmates inside rather than make a run for it. Because of his good behaviour the government reviewed his record and commuted his sentence in exchange for ongoing hero activity. Greece was without a regular hero or hero group and Achilles seemed to be the best they had on offer.

Re: Traveller Hero Core Books Now Available! I've just bought my copies of the PDFs. Now I need to find the time to sit down and immerse myself in the goodness. Cue memories of the little black books... This is going to be fun. Thanks everyone who has written this up.

#66 EMERSON VERMEULEN [THE MARK] (Ghana) (formerly) THE MARK Emerson Vermeulen Character Sheet Background Emerson Vermeulen's brother and other young ubers were killed and corrupted by an precursor to the Kinder der Zukunft in the very early 1980s before Vaterschmerz formed his coterie of young Nazi ubers. The details are sketchy even to this day, and Vermeulen refuses to discuss them, but the seventeen year old David Vermeulen and four other boys his age were either killed or kidnapped. All five boys were ubers, although their powers were nothing extraordinary. The killings and kidnappings caused a stir in Zimbabwe and beyond, but there was no justice and Emerson was haunted by the lack of closure up into his teenage years. When he developed his own uberhuman powers Vermeulen's parents were so worried that he would be targeted like his older brother, that they emigrated to Ghana and tried to persuade Emerson to hide his powers. It was easy to do, his powers were very subtle; but as his parents became more and more paranoid, Vermeulen himself became more and more reckless. He took on the name The Mark and began to battle crime, even fighting crime alongside the Tsholofelo family on seeral occasions. There was an inevitable battle between The Mark and members of Kinder der Zukunft. Vermeulen managed to capture one of the field leaders after suffering a major beating and after the Nazi was brought to trial Vermeulen just seemed to lose interest in The Mark. There was still no real closure in the case of his older brother's death, but now Vermeulen realised that pretending to be s superhero was not going to resolve anything either. He quit and finished his schooling, going on to become a teacher. In 2003 Africa Force was formed, and Vermeulen was approached to join the team by reprising the role of The Mark. He flatly rejected the idea, but after the decimation of Africa Force 4 in 2006 Vermeulen was coaxed back into the world of the superhero by assisting with the redevelopment of the team, especially the training of future uber heroes. He agreed to the role out of respect for Amity Tassembedo's father, the original Shaft; and even though he continues to grumble about the dangers of being superheroes, he finds the enthusiasm and idealism of the young ubers he trains to be rewarding - something he never managed to achieve as The Mark. Personality Although he is an uber, Vermeulen loathes the uberhuman world of superheroes and will go to great lengths to dissuade young ubers from putting on capes and becoming heroes (or villains). He is sometimes outright rude and always rough around the edges, although this temperament often endears him to his students who appreciate his version of 'tough love'. Heroes, on the other hand, tend to see him as a cynical man who never made it as a superhero in his own right. There is some conflict between Vermeulen and Africa Force, particular with Parhelion. Vermeulen is not entirely sure why he continues to work with young ubers, especially now given his role as trainer for Africa Force. He is still haunted by the loss of his brother and the other young ubers who were corrupted by Kinder der Zukunft, but he also continues his work because he actually enjoys it. He is constantly reinvigorated with the young ubers, something which he has not found with adult ubers. He is considered a loner amongst his peers, but it's something he has both actively developed and learned to live with. Quote "You've got a gift, kid, there's no doubt; but it doesn't give you the right to trip around wearing that dumb-ass cape and those flaming high boots. A little self-respect, eh? There you go." Powers Vermeulen is an uberhuman with the ability to gauge an opponent's abilities and react accordingly to either reduce any impact of attacks against him, or to increase the potency of his own attacks. He is a trained martial artist and capable of defending himself against most adversaries, which he has proven on several occasions against Kinder der Zukunft. In his role as trainer to young ubers he is able to temporarily increase his students' uberhuman abilities. No one really knows how he does this and its temporary nature tends to indicate that it is an uberhuman ability rather than any natural teaching ability. To make best use of this temporary boost, Vermeulen must work with his students for at least an hour. Appearance Vermeulen is a man in his late thirties who looks more like a harried private investigator than a teacher of young ubers. He has windswept black hair, a down turned mouth and blue eyes which seem to reflect Vermeulen's fluctuating moods, from great sadness to cynicism to mischievous fun. He almost always wears his dark blue trench coat, even on the hottest days and often attempts to appear professional by wearing a shirt and tie, although the tie is usually loosened.

#65 MEGHAN SCHAVAN (Germany) MEGHAN SCHAVAN Character Sheet Background Meghan Schavan was kidnapped by Rumpelstiltskin when she was twenty-five: a corporate lawyer and the daughter of Max Schavan a billionaire industrialist. While she was released unharmed after tense negotiations she developed an infatuation with her captor. When he disappeared with the ransom, Meghan tracked him down, putting all her other responsibilities on hold while she pursued him. She felt that she was lost without him. She hated her job, hated her family, and hated the fact that she was so unnoticed in life - except by Rumpelstiltskin who had deigned to kidnap her because she must have been important after all. She did manage to track him down and after some initially awkward moments the two began a relationship which soon turned to marriage. Her father died, leaving her some money, although not the millions she was promised. Everything seemed to be settling down for Meghan and her husband, Johannes. That was definitely not what she wanted. Meghan had had enough of settling down, or being satisfied and content. She wanted Rumpelstiltskin, not Johannes. So, in the tradition of Lady Macbeth, Meghan coaxed her husband back into the world of the super villain. Before long he was convinced it was his idea and he was hell-bent on destroying the world. Meghan was thrilled, and even though she didn't really believe her husband could achieve so much, she was happy to go along for the ride. She had her corporation and her secret life. With the help of her construction vehicles Rumpelstiltskin built Cavern City and Meghan felt like an evil princess or queen under the ground. Personality While she manages to support her husband in his career she is also determined to succeed in her own right. After some initial infatuation, she has gone off Rumpelstiltskin now, in any romantic sense. They share a ferocious appetite for world domination, but nothing physical. Meghan is satisfied with controlling money and influence amongst city officials in Germany. Her husband's 'business' is a secret, guilty pleasure. Quote "Everything down there is so fantastic. It is not real, but they all treat me like a queen, a giant queen. Up here I rule in the same way. Businesses look up at me and tremble. You could say that I am a ruler of two worlds. And yet, perhaps you would not expect that of me." Powers Meghan Schavan is a regular human with no unusual traits except for her passion for money and her intimidating personality. Appearance Meghan appears somewhat scatty on first meeting. Her white hair is thin and hangs almost in dreadlocks. She has a far-away look in her eyes. Her clothes are unimpressive. But Meghan Schavan commands an immense wealth of power. When her mind is on the job it is a ferocious mind. Her face changes, hardens. Her eyes focus and penetrate.

#65 GNOME ASSOCIATES (Germany) GNOME ASSOCIATES Various Character Sheet Background When Rumpelstiltskin began recruiting other 'little people' to join his organisation he told them that the world was wrong, that the little people were actually the normal ones and that those bigger people were aberrations. He told the midgets and the dwarfs that he was going to create a place where they were of normal height, where they held the power. He built Cavern City and the news began to spread. All manner of little people began to flock to Dresden and Cavern City. Some were angry little people while others were just tired of the surface world. Whatever their background, Rumpelstiltskin imbued in them a sense of hatred for the surface world, and a growing kinship amongst those who lived beneath the surface. The Gnome Associates grew. They were male, female, old and young, German and from further afield. And they were all under the spell of Rumpelstiltskin and his promise to deliver them a world where they would be 'normal'. Personality The Gnome Associates are generally volatile people who dislike the society above them. Other personality traits vary as these people come from many different walks of life. Quote "Put your long, lanky, freakish arms up in the sky! This is a stick up!" Powers The Gnome Associates are regular humans, although they are all a lot shorter, whether dwarfs or midgets. They have access to advanced technology, equipment and weaponry as well as sophisticated personnel carriers call Earth Wyrms which can be adapted to tunnel through the earth (perfect for subterranean bank robberies). Appearance While they all vary in appearance, none of the Associates stands above five feet tall.

#65 THUMBELINA (Germany) THUMBELINA Jessica Jentsch Character Sheet Background Jessica Jentsch was supposed to be a star. All her life she was told by her doting father that it didn't matter that she was smaller than all the other girls, she would be just as beautiful and successful as they were. And Jessica believed him. She didn't let the other kids put her down - she fought back, often landing herself in trouble at school. When her father remarried and had twin daughters with his new wife, Jessica soon found that most adults were hypocrites. The twins were 'normal'. They began to take up all of her father's time, and Jessica loathed them. When she was sixteen, and the twins were eight, Jessica moved to Berlin to live with an aging aunt. As soon as she was gone the rest of her family heaved a sigh of relief. Or so Jessica assumed. She forced her way through school, scaring those who would stand in her way and bullying the teachers who didn't think she was good enough. When she decided to become an actress, no one dared laugh at her. In fact, she secured her first role by threatening to break the assistant director's leg. But, as with most things in Jessica's life, acting just didn't seem to be as glamorous as she thought it would be. The choice of roles was quite limited and she began to suspect that people didn't really like her. So when she was contacted by GNOME, she decided to hold off on reporting them to the police and listen to their 'crazy talk'. Rumpelstiltskin appeared like a crazy old man, complete with flowing robes and wide, white eyes. But after listening to him, Jessica thought that the old coot was making sense. Everything was 'relative'. She was only 'small' because everyone else was bigger. If you took away the big people you'd only have the little ones left, and then they wouldn't be so poorly treated. Jessica signed on. Since joining the ranks of the GNOME Associates Jessica has learned how to cause a lot of harm, and she's found that she really, really likes it. She figures that acting was just the warm up and now, as a budding supervillain, she is finally at the right place. In fine supervillain tradition she has also taken on an alter ego, Thumbelina. At first it was a joke: a reference to her childhood with a doting father. But then she realised that such an innocuous name would be fitting as she unleashed terror and carnage with her specially designed GNOME Gun. Personality Thumbelina never does things by half. She is full of confidence, even arrogance, and anyone who gets in her way is likely to be knocked down. The fact that she has no friends and that most people in GNOME are petrified of her doesn't seem to have registered with Jessica yet. She just assumes that people respect her, when in fact they are scared to get in her way. In battle, Jessica has proven herself to be the bravest and most reckless of the associates and she has become the de facto field leader. When in the field she barks orders and expects immediate response, which she gets because the others in the team have heard rumours that one time Jessica actually shot one of her own men in the backside because he was too slow in responding to her commands. Quote "You have five seconds to get the #*%$! out of my face! What? You never heard a little person swear before? !#$% Off!" Powers Apart from an intimidating collection of curses, Jessica is a regular human. As part of GNOME she has access to body armour, high-tech equipment and weaponry including the GNOME Gun. Appearance Thumbelina is nearly four feet tall, has lovely blonde hair which she spends a lot of money on keeping 'just right'. She wears pink lipstick and has long lashes, but while she appears to have the features of lovely young woman she is actually imbued with terminal levels of sarcasm and vitriol. Her mouth is almost always twisted into a sneer and she rarely looks at people, even when talking 'at' them. She wears the standard GNOME armour when on a mission, but will otherwise wear casual clothes which she tends to buy from children's stores because fashion houses still refuse to cater for small people. Still, one of these days...

#65 REYERTA (Germany) REYERTA (Brawl) Luis Braga Character Sheet Background After spending nearly twenty years as a popular Mexican wrestling star, Luis Braga found himself pursued by assassins in the employ of El Disenador. Having no idea why they wanted him dead, Braga fled to Spain where he lay low for several months. After drinking heavily one night he agreed to try his luck as a matador and the following day he walked into a stadium where he faced a snorting, seething black bull. Reyerta was an instant hit. He spent equal time entertaining the crowds directly with jokes and acrobatic tricks, as he did actually fighting and evading the bull. When it came to the kill he was so caught up in the cheers that he gave it no mind, plunging the sword deep into the bull's neck. He hadn't realised it, but Braga had moved from being a wrestling sensation where the fanfare was just as important as the duelling, to being a paid killer (of bulls). When El Disenador's killers caught up with him he was ready, and faced them down, killing them without remorse. His manager heard about the fight and offered Braga more work as a bull fighter and enforcer for a local gangster. Braga wasn't sure what else he could do, and returning to Mexico wasn't really an attractive option, so he agreed and began a career in bodyguarding and enforcing. This led to conflicts with Golden Arrow and an unfortunate accident which resulted in his employers becoming lobotomised by a mad scientist's experiment - something that is embarrassing for Braga and something he rarely talks about. Braga moved east and soon fell in with Rumpelstiltskin and GNOME where he has remained, often acting as a colourful adversary for law enforcement officers and the occasional uber who crosses the organisation's path. Personality Reyerta is full of life (or full of jumping beans!) although he is not as sprightly as he once was. Approaching forty, he has matured a little, and has begun to make long term plans rather than rely on binge drinking and the allure of bright lights and applause. He hopes that Rumpelstiltskin's plan to eradicate the surface world doesn't affect the whole world, but has dreams of living in a society or land where only small people hold the power. Even though he has been successful and admired in his home country and Spain, he still feels apart from the rest of society - that is until he moved to Cavern City. He isn't sure exactly why, but he is attracted to Thumbelina, and the two duel verbally at every chance they have. Braga is old enough to be her father (almost) but his passions are inflamed by her arrogance and biting sarcasm. Quote "You have yet to meet a more handsome, more truly marvellous man than I. Please, senorita, take a moment to collect yourself." Powers Reyerta is a seasoned performer, a veteran of the Mexican Wrestling circuit. He is fast and strong, and often goes into a kind of berserker trance when in the ring (although this is mostly for show). He abhors weaponry and relies on his fists and feet to deliver beatings, although he has accepted an armoured costume from GNOME. Appearance He is powerfully built and stands at 4'7". He has curly black hair which has a silver streak at the front - something which has sprung up in the past few years. He curls his moustache with excessive amounts of oil and often gives a kind of 'slippery' impression to others.

#65 RUMPELSTILTSKIN (Germany) RUMPELSTILTSKIN Johannes Steinmeier Character Sheet Background Rumpelstiltskin was recruited by the East German uber-team, EastGuard, but only served with them for a month before escaping and turning into a decidedly B-List Supervillain. He plagued the EastGuard team over the following years, as well as several cases of attempted robbery in the West where he clashed with Uber Force. He was never very successful and never really taken seriously. One day he retired. He began a relationship with one of his former hostages who had developed a kind of Stockholm Syndrome crush on him, and within a few years he was married and hoping to settle down into a quiet life. That was never meant to be. His wife, Meghan Schavan, turned out to be as brutally mercenary as he was (or hoped to be) and she was soon bullying him into a new villain caper. His brief respite from the uberhuman world had got him thinking and he decided to turn his attention away from short-term robberies and mischief-making; and look at the bigger picture. He never felt respected and was always the butt of jokes, just like a whole lot of other 'little people'. He decided to make some changes in the world order, something which was a lot bigger than his previous biggest plan (an attempt to steal the Little Mermaid from Copenhagen and sell it back to the Royal Family). He was now intent on the utter destruction of the 'normal sized' world. Within a few years, he declared, he would be the new normal. Rumpelstiltskin returned to Dresden where he grew up and began to construct an underground city where he and the rest of his 'associates' would be safe from the coming cataclysm. His wife's construction company managed to supply the equipment to make this possible and by 1999 Cavern City was established, and Rumpelstiltskin had attracted nearly thirty other 'little people' to live with him. After establishing Cavern City he decided to train his new associates in order to prepare them for the next phase. To eradicate the surface world he would need a nuclear bomb. It was hideously simple. To get the bomb he would need money, and so GNOME was born and the bank robberies began. Rumpelstiltskin has found that his new organisation has managed to string together a whole series of successes and he has never had it so good. While he would never step down from his major goal to destroy the surface world, he is willing to send GNOME on other missions to bolster his growing reputation - he has never managed to be treated as a serious threat before, especially by the uberhuman heroes, U-Force. Personality Rumpelstiltskin is a little man with a grand dream. He has always been frustrated by the restrictions imposed upon him by society so he has decided to re-write society as a whole. Since coming up with his plan, Rumpelstiltskin has become more confident and commanding, although his temper is getting shorter the older he gets. He spends hours pouring over his plans in his subterranean city and rarely visits the surface world anymore, happy to send his associates or else listen to his wife who still spends the majority of her time in Dresden. As his plan nears fruition, he has become more and more demanding. In his own mind he believes he is fulfilling a prophesy, that he is, in fact, something of a messiah. The image makes him feel warm and wanted, and as more and more little people arrive in Cavern City the idea grows. Quote "Normal?!?! I AM the new normal! You are nothing but over-sized freaks and your days are numbered!" Powers Originally, Rumpelstiltskin was reported to be very, very lucky. Apart from some fancy footwork and the capacity to seemingly avoid injury, he never really displayed any sort of super power which led to him becoming something of a joke. He is an uberhuman, however, and affects the fields of probability around himself and those nearby. While he is not capable of inflicting injury directly upon a target it is very likely that someone who gets in his way will suffer some kind of accident or mishap. It doesn't seem to matter whether the person is a regular policeman or Max Uber himself, the accident is likely to slow them down and cause a little pain. Appearance The leader of GNOME has begun wearing flowing robes and has grown his beard and moustache so that he appears as some kind of prophet. He has dark grey hair now and is bald on the top of his head. When he was younger he wore an elf-like outfit or bright green, yellow and red, including pointed slippers and a peaked cap. He discarded those clothes upon his initial retirement. No one talks about that anymore.

#65 GNOME (Germany) GNOME Organisation Page (HTM) Background After a less than successful career as a super villain, Rumpelstiltskin settled down with one of his former hostages and hoped to live a relatively quiet life. However, his wife turned out to be as ruthless and money-hungry as he was and soon they were plotting a future where they ruled the world. Rumpelstiltskin realised that he would never achieve respect from people who considered him a freak, so he decided that the world needed to be taken down a peg or two. He would create an underground community for 'little people', dwarfs and midgets; and from the strength of such a community he would then go on to destroy the surface world so that the little people could inherit the earth. He used his contacts and his charisma to recruit many little people and soon had them following his dream, and robbing banks to finance it. His wife continued to run her company which became a front for GNOME. And apart from some messy operations in Berlin, GNOME has yet to be opposed or captured. Area of Operations GNOME is based in Cavern City and, by extension, Dresden, Germany. They have robbed banks across Western Germany and even into Switzerland, but have yet to appear beyond those borders. On the other hand they have actively recruited other 'small people' from as far away as Mexico and the Philippines. Rumpelstiltskin plans to unleash devastation right across the surface world so even though they are currently operating solely in Germany, it is quite possible that they will eventually move outward, and if the opportunity presented itself GNOME would go to the ends of the earth to secure a nuclear bomb. Goals After establishing themselves underground in Cavern City, the members of GNOME are ready to eradicate society above ground so that they will become the de facto rulers of the world (since no one else will be alive). To this end they are actively recruiting more members of the Gnome Associates so that they can populate the world, while also collecting money and more importantly devices and weapons which can bring about the end of the surface world. Rumpelstiltskin's premier goal is to steal a nuclear bomb which he plans to unleash in one of the major European cities (he hasn't decided which one yet). Reputation While GNOME has successfully struck several banks across Western Germany in the past few years, they have yet to be taken seriously by the general public. There is something about heavily-armed dwarves and midgets that just seems humorous. Rumpelstiltskin is silently fuming about the continual disrespect he and his organisation are receiving, and he has allowed his associates to take time off from their original plan to bring about 'topside armageddon' so that they can cause general mayhem and cultivate some respect and fear in the public. U-Force has paid attention to Rumpelstiltskin's latest attempt to bring about societal chaos, but they too do not see the bigger picture in that Rumpelstiltskin is planning to unleash an atomic bomb (if he can get his hands on it).

NOTE TO SELF - Get it done! This entry is taking me a long time. I've got the pictures and basic character sheets done - just have to flesh out the backgrounds and write up the organisation page. This is a push for me to get it done. The organisation will be called GNOME. It employs midgets and dwarfs as agents and wants to bring about massive destabilisation on the 'surface world' while living under ground in Cavern City. The organisation is led by Rumpelstiltskin, a former 1980s B-list supervillain and his wife, who runs a construction business called MEGON (which is an anagram of GNOME).