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#112 DRAC DE FERRO (Mexico) DRAC DE FERRO Rafael Montoya Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Rafael Montoya sacrificed everything to get into the United States. He cast aside his family and friends to work long hours in a small, dim office, constantly going over the trade markets and getting the best returns for his clients. Money was channelled into all areas of the market and Rafael made millions for some people while minimising the losses for others. People said everything he touched turned to gold. But it wasn't enough. His American clients coaxed him with throw-away suggestions about helping him with a visa, but nothing came of it. In the end he made the desperate move to cross illegally. He knew he could rely on his trading skills to set himself up in Los Angeles and then he could work about getting a legal visa once he had earned enough to be comfortable. He never said goodbye to his family and they didn't miss him. To them, Rafael Montoya had disappeared a long time before. The crossing was exciting, almost like the race to close deals before the market shut down. He ran with a dozen other men and all of them made it with little more than a quickening of the heart rate and some moments of near-exhaustion after running for nearly ten miles. He hitched his way up through California and his silver tongue managed to soothe any concerns the drivers may have had. Rafael was loving his new life. In Los Angeles things were a little less promising, and while he did manage to score a job, it wasn't as lucrative as he had hoped. He worked at a restaurant cleaning dishes, while at night he worked through the telephone directory trying to score some of his prior clients. The ones he contacted were mostly shocked to hear his story and hung up before he had finished his spiel, probably assuming he had tracked them down for some nefarious purpose. One client did listen to his story, though, and although he wasn't overly enthusiastic the client did agree to meet with Rafael and discuss their future. Rafael threw away his job at the restaurant and went to meet with the client, Owen Stone. Stone turned out to be quite familiar with illicit activities and hired Rafael to act as a phoney trader. Rafael was to buy and sell on Stone's command so that his stocks would benefit. Rafael accepted even though he knew it was illegal. At that point he didn't really see the difference between what Stone was offering and what Rafael had originally hoped for, especially since he had thrown away his job. Stone set Rafael up in a small office in Riverside. It was on the third floor of a telecommunications hub and Rafael began to get headaches as soon as he started work there. The other tenants only stayed in the building for short periods of time, and one of them mentioned to Rafael that the whole place was a death trap, that several people had developed cancer in the past two years. Rafael mentioned it to Stone but was yelled at to keep quiet and do his job. The sudden change in Stone's demeanour shocked Rafael but upon reflection he realised he had nothing to complain about. He was an illegal immigrant. He had no rights. And so Rafael worked from 6am until midnight every day, managing to sleep a few hours in the office rather than having to pay for a place of his own. One night there was a surge in the hub and Rafael was bathed in radiation. His body had been absorbing it in small doses over the weeks he had worked at the office, but the surge managed to trigger his ubergene, and his body expanded painfully. When he recovered he saw that he was now a seven foot tall bull-like creature. He couldn't believe it and tried to run away but his sudden appearance in the early morning streets led to a police stand-off. He was deathly afraid of being killed by policemen, by being deported as an illegal alien, and by being seen as a monster. He charged and the police fired at him, although their bullets ricocheted in all directions. He tossed the patrol cars away and escaped. Stone hunted him down and captured him, but by that time Rafael had lost the will to flee. Stone brought him to another warehouse where he locked him in a cage while he decided the best way he could use his new 'toy'. Rafael felt his American Dream drift further and further away. When Stone demanded that Rafael begin robbing armoured cars Rafael shook his head. It was over. There would be no American visa for Rafael and he knew it. Stone insulted him, tortured him from behind the bars, and tried to get Rafael to at least try armed robbery. Rafael got fed up and felt a fire grow in his belly. When it erupted from his mouth he realised that he wasn't a bull at all. He was a dragon. Somehow that helped clear his mind (and his conscience). Rafael felt the need to get right out of America and he did so. It wasn't difficult to break through Stone's restraints and once he was on the road Rafael jumped on the roof of a passing semi-trailer truck. He made several more jumps and arrived at the Mexican border where he showed himself to the authorities. His appearance was so sudden and intimidating that the guards backed away long enough for Rafael to walk through to Mexico (although he would not be welcomed back to the States.). Taking the name Drac de Ferro, or Iron Dragon, Rafael created a new life for himself in Mexico City. He was welcomed as a hero because that is what he told everyone he was. He stopped a few robberies and assisted with a few emergencies, but while the people were convinced he was a hero, Rafael had doubts. Every time he looked in the mirror he saw a monster. He couldn't remember what his human face had looked like. He tried to reconnect with his family but they refused to acknowledge him. He had no friends apart from a few on the internet, but with his large fingers and heavy body it became too difficult to maintain contact using a computer. It was lucky then that Apocalypto decided to destroy Mexico City at that time. Drac de Ferro found himself drawn into the battle alongside other heroes from Mexico and beyond. The camaraderie he felt during those testing times prompted him to join the fledgling Defensa Suprema alongside Yohualli Eecatl and La Bruma Azul. He found himself amongst other people with incredible powers and decided that his past was now well and truly in the past. He looked steadily to the future as one of Mexico's super heroes. And it was enough. He is still prone to bouts of self-hate and despondency, but generally Rafael feels like he has found a place where he fits in. Personality Rafael began life with a thirst for money. He was the ultimate trader, always shifting his possessions around the neighbourhood, always trading up. He was the first to have a mobile phone, the first to move into stocks, the first to make a million (although it was only for six hours). When he transformed into an iron dragon, his zest for the ultimate trade was dealt a severe blow. Certainly his time down and out in Los Angeles dampened his enthusiasm, but transforming into a monster seemed to end his career as a flash stock broker. He has a fiery temper, matched only by his actual fire breathing ability. Even when he seems cool enough, there is always a burning fury just underneath, and this constant emotional stress has led Rafael to feel like he is trapped inside a monster's body and no longer fully in control of his body or mind. He has been seeing Doctor Difusion as a patient for a year now, and together they have come up with ways to control the fury and sense of dislocation. Still, Rafael is a loner and prone to depression. Quote "This is your last chance, punk. Drop the crowbar or I turn you in to Kentucky Fried Chicken." Powers Drac de Ferro has many of the abilities of the classic dragon, from his enhanced strength which enables him to lift in excess of 50 tons, to his nigh-impenetrable armour and his fiery dragon breath. He is comfortable in almost every environment and no longer needs to breathe. He is especially resistant to heat and fire, something he has yet to test the upper limits of, although it is on his to-do list. The origin of his powers and the metallic nature of his gift lends itself to a vulnerability to magnetic-based attacks as well as intense magnetic fields. Drac de Ferro also has something of a temper which has heightened his fighting ability in the past - much to detriment of his adversaries. Appearance Drac de Ferro is a large and heavy humanoid dragon, although he has no tail or wings. He has a long snout with ornamental scales along the ridge and very sharp teeth. He has two very prominent horns on the side of his head as well as two smaller ones just beneath. His entire body is covered in iron-grey scales. He generally wears trousers, motorcycle boots and a steel belt, although he doesn't consider it a costume.

#112 ANA CASCABEL (Mexico) ANA CASCABEL Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Ana Cascabel worked for the Mexican Ministry of Defence as a computer administrator during the 1990s. She was targeted by VENOM as a weak link and seduced by Enrique Noriega, who was also the spider-themed mercenary Tarantula. She unwittingly supplied VENOM with security codes and enabled the team to break into top secret installations and steal prototype weapons co-designed with secret American industry. Ana only discovered the role she played in this treachery several years later, after the birth of her child, Belen Noriega. She and Enrique had genuinely fallen in love and settled down to start a family. Ana stopped working at the Ministry and Enrique continued his villainous activities in secret. When two members of VENOM were captured in the United States by Sanction they revealed Ana's role in helping to procure the top-secret weaponry. Ana was arrested and her daughter was sent to live with her grandmother. Enrique disappeared. Ana was devastated and when she was presented with the evidence of her betrayal she completely broke down. Only after being drafted to work for the AFI (Mexico's Federal Investigative Agency) did Ana begin to claw back some of her dignity. She became a secret agent and first went after VENOM in a planned sting. She made contact with Enrique and convinced him that she had escaped custody and needed help. He loved her, no matter what pretences he had used to initially court her, so Enrique took the bait. When he arrived at their rendezvous he was attacked by Mexican army officers and barely managed to escape. Ana had disarmed him before he escaped and handed over his security clearance which was then used to steal information from the VENOM computer system. Ana later worked in the United States with the CIA, on loan from the AFI. She worked hard and became an excellent mechanic and computer systems operator, but all the time she was feeling empty. After many years of service she was returned to Mexico where she was reunited with her daughter, who was now eight. When the Mexican government decided to sanction Defensa Suprema, they appointed Ana as mechanic and pilot. She began to work with sophisticated vehicles provided jointly by the Mexican government and a secret financer (Luis Delgado). She has remained with the team since its inception and although she began as support staff she now commands a regular place on the team as a field operative, able to pull her weight alongside such heavy hitters as Drac de Ferro and Aztec. She simply relies on technology and her much-loved vehicles rather than any innate super powers. Personality Ana is a superb pilot and mechanic. She has an incredible affinity with the team's vehicles and a protective instinct to rival it. After being manipulated by Enrique Noriega, Ana feels the need to prove herself more than most and will go to great lengths to prove her worth on the team. She is always doing something, which can become irritating to some members of the team, but Ana feels that if she isn't working actively towards some goal then she is letting everyone down - especially her daughter. Belen is her whole world. She has been separated from her daughter for too long and will never tolerate another separation. She fears that Enrique will attempt to take Belen away from her, although Enrique has never shown such an interest before. He seems to be still very much in love with Ana, although she cannot stand him. Quote "There isn't a centimetre on that air cycle that I have not lovingly caressed in the past 48 hours." Powers Ana Cascabel has no ubergene but strives to be as valuable as any other member of Defensa Suprema. She is an accomplished pilot and mechanic, as well as having extensive computer skills. She has used the team's air cycles and planes to assist her team mates in combat, and has also proven valuable in covert missions. Appearance At nearly thirty-six, Ana Cascabel has been through a lot. She keeps herself very healthy through a regimented diet and regular exercise. She keeps her black hair short, cut in a severe fringe, and can sometimes appear quite haggard if she has been working long shifts. She wears a standard light body armour when on duty, but otherwise wears regular clothing.

#112 LA BRUMA AZUL (Mexico) LA BRUMA AZUL Luis Delgado Character Sheet (Click Here) Background The Blue Mist has been a mainstay of the Mexican super-hero set since the late 1980s. Luis Delgado first gained the mysterious power over the blue mist when he was in his early twenties. A son of a vastly rich family, Delgado had become something of a playboy and was a frequent guest at socialite parties across Mexico City and even across to Verona Bay. He was drawn to the darker side of socialite life and engaged in daring and irresponsible activities, and it is this part of his life that has driven him to make amends in his later years. His acts during this time were both criminal and immoral. The turning point in Delgado's life came when he inadvertently crossed swords with the Cult of the Blue Flames. He had accepted an invitation to one of the Cult's secret and bloody festivals but when he arrived he realised that the night's sacrifice was to be Marta Indurain, a girl he had grown up with. Marta's family had fallen from grace amongst the elite and she had somehow been promised to the Cult as a way of paying back some debts. This cruel twist of fate stuck in Delgado's heart. Not one to allow a party to be ruined, Delgado turned the tables on the Cult. He decided that if he wasn't going to enjoy the night as it was, he would turn it into something more to his liking. He leapt into the inner circle and confronted the High Priest, first with words and then quickly with his fists. In daring style, he grabbed the unconscious Marta and hobbled down a secret passage. Unfortunately for Delgado he was trapped. His heroic move was quickly cut off and he was imprisoned by the Cult: cast into shackles and locked in a dark room somewhere under an abandoned warehouse. None of his friends alerted his family. It was as if he had disappeared. The following week he and Marta were brought to a different festival. It was still conducted in the middle of the night, but this time it was attended by only the elite of the Cult of the Blue Flames. Delgado had insulted them and he was to burn alive in the sacred flames. Delgado struggled but he was no match for the burly assistants. He was dragged up to an altar and after some very long-winded sermon, he was tossed into a pit of blue flames. He screamed. He couldn't help it. But he soon realised that he wasn't being burned. All around him the flames shied back. He reached a hand tentatively towards the flames but they fizzled and died out. Above him the priests were in shock. They murmured amongst themselves and appeared emasculated. Delgado leapt to the altar, grabbed the edge and pulled himself out of the pit. He punched the head priest and kicked out at the surprised assistants. This time, his kicks were more impressive and the burly men were thrown backward and down the small flight of steps. As he surveyed the area Delgado realised that his body was issuing a swirling blue mist which obscured everyone's vision, but not his. He used the distraction to grab Marta and flee. Once home again he realised that the life he had been leading was a dead-end. His parents hadn't missed him and none of his so-called friends had even bothered to look for him or contact the authorities. He was alone, and he had been alone for a long time. Marta seemed to be the only one he felt a connection with. He ensured she was safely returned to her family although neither one of them spoke about their ordeal. Delgado left home and set up an apartment in another suburb. He explored his powers and realised that he had imbued some of the power of the blue flames. Taking on the moniker of La Bruma Azul (or the Blue Mist), Delgado fashioned a super hero detective career for himself. In the early 1990s he joined the Mexican super hero team, Guardas, although the team was never fully organised. It was more like a social gathering of masked heroes and vigilantes, but Delgado embraced his new fraternity. While continuing a street-level crusade against crime, Delgado also started seeing Marta romantically. When Guardas was decimated by Apocalypto, Delgado was the only survivor and managed to co-ordinate a group of heroes to oppose the extradimensional entity. In the wake of Guardas' defeat, Delgado formed Defensa Suprema which quickly gained widespread support from the Mexican public, and then from the government. The Blue Mist is the current leader of the Defensa Suprema and has proven himself to be a level-headed strategist as well as a gentleman in all regards. He and Marta are engaged, but the engagement has now stretched to five years. Delgado has no immediate plans to set a date, for doing so would lead to his eventual retirement as the Blue Mist. In addition to this sense of doom, Delgado also has difficulty deciding how and when he will tell Marta about his secret identity. Personality Delgado has always been a smooth operator but he never takes advantage of others. He comes from a privileged family and knows that he has no reason to complain about anything. He is a practical leader who takes advice but knows that any decision will lay on his head, and any consequences will be his to deal with. In costume he appears to be something of a swashbuckler and has swept innumerable women off their feet (in the course of rescues, of course), including Marta, although he takes great care in keeping his Blue Mist and his Luis Delgado identities separate. Quote "There is no need for this melee, gentlemen. Lay down your firearms and accept the consequences of your crimes. The only other alternative is to have your guns taken from you, and I can no guarantee that you will come out of such a confrontation without injury." Powers Since being thrown into the pit of blue flames, Delgado has been able to exude a blue mist from his pores. At first this power seemed limited to producing a thick mist which hampered the vision of others, although not himself. However, after some time he has learned to use the mist in a number of ways. By making the mist solid he can entangle others or strike them with some force. He is also able to temporarily transform his own body into blue mist and pass through walls or disappear, only to reappear up to 60m away. In addition to his mist powers, Delgado also employs a sophisticated armour system including a mask with enhanced vision and hearing as well as an independent air supply. Since becoming the Blue Mist, Delgado has also trained extensively in karate. Appearance Luis Delgado is a handsome man with dark skin, a thin moustache and deep blue eyes. His eyes were brown before he encountered the blue flames, but he explains this away as being a legacy of his maternal grandmother who was an American. He hardly sees his family anymore but when he does he suggests that he wears coloured contact lenses. Indeed, during his first few years as the Blue Mist he did wear brown contact lenses to conceal his transformation. As the Blue Mist he wears a silver-grey chest plate over a light blue reticulated armour. He has streamlined his armour from his early days, but it still appears to be a series of separate plates. He wears a dark blue cloak and a light blue mask with two large eyes. His face is completely concealed and he alters his voice enough to throw any noisy reporters off his trail.

#112 YOHUALLI EECATL (Mexico) YOHUALLI EECATL (NIGHT WIND) Citlalli Acaxochitl Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Citlalli spent most of her childhood in institutions after her father walked out on her mother and she was considered too much trouble to keep around. She felt betrayed and was angry for a long time, but after forming a friendship with an elder Nahuatl man who worked in the orphanage. He instructed her in the Aztec ways and taught her to take pride in her heritage. Somehow, Citlalli turned her life around. She took a hold of her newfound heritage and decided that the world was not going to defeat her. She won a scholarship to one of Mexico City's most prestigious private schools and found herself excelling even amongst the more privileged daughters of Mexico. While her links with the past were very important to her, Citlalli turned her scientific curiosity towards the heavens. She began a career as an astronomer and worked with Mexican, American and British scientists. On one assignment in northern Mexico, Citlalli discovered her ability to fly when she fell down a ravine during a night trek. When she landed again she had lost her bearings and her team of star-gazers were across the ravine. She was about to fly across to them when she felt someone behind her. When she turned, she saw her old mentor from the orphanage. He revealed himself as the god Huitzilopachtli. She fell to the ground prostate before him and felt his hands gently run through her hair. He ordered her to rise and told her that the end of the world as she knew it was about to end, and that a new world would be reborn in its place. Her role was to champion the Aztec people who were the chosen ones. Huitzilopachtli left, but his presence was still a palpable force for Citlalli. She felt bathed in his warmth. Upon her return to Mexico City she spent weeks perfecting her powers and finally won national television coverage by flying into a live weather report. She told the Mexican audience that the Aztec people were soon to be rewarded for their patience and that a new world would be born to replace the corrupt capitalist civilisation around them. She was initially seen as a villain, and even battled briefly with the Mexican super hero team, Guardas; but Citlalli (who became known as Yohualli Eecatl, or Night Wind) soon proved herself a capable hero by cleaning up the night streets in many parts of Mexico City. She remained a fiercely solo hero and turned away from invitations to join the nascent super hero team, Guardas. However, in 1997 Guardas was destroyed by the indomitable Apocalypto. Citlalli was drawn into the battle and in its wake she agreed to help form a new Mexican superhero team. Defensa Suprema was well received by the public and Citlalli found opportunities to spread the word about the importance of the Aztec people. Her private crusade was dealt a disturbing blow when the team were confronted by Huitzilopachtli. She fought alongside her team mates although every fibre of her being wanted to join with the Aztec god and overthrow the capitalist world. After Huitzilopachtli retreated, Citlalli was approached by the god privately and told to continue her masquerade and to wait for the right time. Citlalli wasn't sure, after the meeting, whether she did feel more allegiance to Huitzilopachtli or to her team mates. Soon after this reckoning, Citlalli was further distressed by the appearance of another Aztec god, Chicnahuiquatl - who was accepted into the Defensa Suprema team as Aztec. Citlalli has found herself being replaced by an authentic Aztec. Her rallying point of being the Aztec Patriot has been taken from her, leaving her feeling unsure of her position in the team. Added to this sense of unease is her growing desire for the demi-god, feelings which further drive a wedge between her and her allegiance to Huitzilopachtli. Personality Citlalli is brave and forthright, often times getting into hot water with the media and public after heated interviews. She has been actively discouraged by the team to stop giving interviews, but she secretly loves causing strife, particularly when it plays with the minds of the bureaucracy. Her competitive streak is fuelled by a keen intellect and she enjoys testing herself against people around her. Her regular poker nights with the team allow her the freedom to let loose and relax. She has found herself drawn to two powerful Aztec beings: Huitzilopachtli and Chicnahuiquatl. Even without their direct influence Citlalli finds herself driven to serve them. Her relationship with Huitzilopachtli reaches back to her troubled early years when he served as her mentor, while her relationship with Chicnahuiquatl is more passionate as she seeks him for a lover. Quote "Some things are better at night." Powers Yohualli Eecatl is able to fly at high speeds, but this power is enhanced to 1100kmph during night time. She is able to see in the night time as well which assists her navigation. Yohualli Eecatl is also an all-rounder, with a high intellect, strong physical attributes and an investigative background. She has proven herself to be a valuable member of the team as well as being especially useful on solo missions. Since gaining her powers, Citlalli has suffered several petit mal seizures where she has been known to zone out for several moments at a time. This usually happens in stressful situations, and if not for her team mates' intervention she may have seriously injured herself. In typical Citlalli fashion, though, she refuses to acknowledge her condition. Appearance Citlalli is a bronzed Mexican of Aztec lineage which she exhibits through her choice of clothing. As a costume she wears an armoured top and dark grey skirt and cloak with golden accessories. She has fierce eyebrows and long black hair. She has many piercings, most notably along her ears but also between her lip and chin, and through her belly button. She also wears a lot of jewellery.

#112 DEFENSA SUPREMA (Mexico) DEFENSA SUPREMA Team Sheet (Click Here) Background Mexico first attempted to organise a national superhero team during the 1980s but met with only limited success. Most of the Mexican super heroes of the time were either loners or found that they could make more money or gain more media exposure in the United States. Nonetheless, Mexico did organise the Guardas team which was more well known for its shifting team line-up than any of the team's actual exploits. This all changed in 1997 when Mexico City was besieged by Apocalypto. The Guardas were decimated and a new generation of heroes emerged to oppose the villain. They were headed by former Guardas member, La Bruma Azul and included the Americans, Owl Man II, Major American and Samsonite, as well as the Southern Knights. During the battle Yohualli Eecatl and Drac de Ferro joined the fray and after the enemy was vanquished, the three Mexicans joined together as Defensa Suprema. La Bruma Azul initially used his personal fortune to finance the team but the Mexican government soon realised the potential of having a widely popular team on the payroll. Later members included Doctor Difusion, Vengador and Furia Solitaria - all three of whom joined the team during a battle with Huitzilopachtli. Most recently the team has welcomed a new member, the demi-god Aztec. The team is currently led by La Bruma Azul, but former leaders include Yohualli Eecatl (whose term ended swiftly and with the threat of a team dissolution) and Doctor Difusion. Area of Operations The team is financed and auspiced by the Mexican government and its official activities are confined to Mexican borders. The individual members have, at times, pursued other missions out of Mexico but the team itself is not sanctioned to operate internationally. Goals Defensa Suprema was set up to protect Mexico from the growing number of uberhuman threats, particularly the threat posed by Apocalypto and Huitzilopachtli. The secondary purpose of the team is to provide the country with role models and to use them as a rallying point for promoting the government's policies and the ideas of peace and prosperity for all. Reputation The team is extremely popular in Mexico and well known in the United States, where its Mexican population seems to follow the team's exploits more closely than those of the American team, Sanction. The team is considered to be as effective as most other super hero teams of first world countries. With the inclusion of Aztec the team is now even more powerful.

#112 AZTEC (Mexico) AZTEC Chicnahuiquatl aka Chino Mendez Character Sheet (Click Here) Background The church bells were ringing loudly in the storm that seemed to hover over the monastery of St. Lucas that night. Brother Esteban was busy shuttering the windows when he thought he saw something outside in the storm. It was quite the shock for the poor brother. He could have sworn that he saw a gigantic winged serpent flying outside. Brother Esteban quickly crossed himself and slammed the shutters tightly against the monster and the storm. Brother Esteban was turning to return to the rectory when he heard a loud bang at the door to the monastery. More in curiosity than fear Brother Esteban crept to the front door. Throwing the locks the winds of the storm practically blew the door from its hinges. Along with the wind came fierce rain blowing inside the entryway to the monastery. Brother Esteban took a quick look to see what might have caused such a sound. Silently he prayed that it wasn't the monster that he thought he had saw. What Brother Esteban saw was this, an Indian woman, obvious pregnant leaning against the doorway, who quickly collapsed into his arms. The woman mumbled a few words in a language Brother Esteban didn't know. It didn't take the brother long to figure out that woman was in labor. Quickly Brother Esteban summoned Brother Armando, and Brother Jose to his aid. The three monks then carried the distressed woman to the infirmary. It was obvious to the three brothers that the baby was coming soon. The woman screamed out in pain. The birth was really difficult. At the stroke of midnight the baby was born. The birth of the child was heralded by the deafening sound of thunder. The baby was a beautiful boy. Unfortunately the boys' mother didn't survive the ordeal. The woman had lost too much blood. Brother Esteban had to run to the hospital in a driving rain storm to bring the local doctor back. The doctor examined the baby and pronounced him healthy and then summoned the authorities to take care of the body. Twenty Years Later Chino was just finishing his last class at the University of Mexico City when disaster struck. A major earthquake started shaking the city. Buildings started waving, people screamed in fear before starting to panic, and the streets buckled under the force of the quake. Chino stood mesmerized looking at the chaos. A strange feeling swept over him. Overhead a gigantic thunder head formed out of nowhere. If anyone was able to take the time to look at it, they would've noticed that it looked a lot like a colossal winged serpent. The cloud serpent opened its mouth and a streak of lightning arced down from the sky striking Chino directly. Chino screamed out in awe as the electricity coursed through his veins. He felt awesome. Power coursed through his veins. Suddenly Chino knew who he was; he was Chicnahuiquatl the son of Quetzalcoatl the Feathered Serpent. In his place stood Chicnahuiquatl, a true god of the Aztecs. Using his godly powers, Chicnahuiquatl rose up over Mexico City upon a breeze of his own creation. Surveying the carnage, he saw a number of fires near the university. With a wave of his hand rain came pouring down putting out the fires. With another wave of his hand winds swept up blowing the smoke away. Chicnahuiquatl was greatly moved by the destruction he saw. He spent the rest of the day helping the people of the city the best he could. The people who saw him started calling him Aztec. It was a long day, and many people were hurt or killed. But things could've been worse if it wasn't for Chicnahuiquatl. Finally there was nothing left for Chicnahuiquatl to do, so he settled down near the National Palace in the Zocalo. He thought he would rest for a moment, when the President of Mexico arrived along with his bodyguards. The president praised him for his efforts at saving the city. "So senor," said the president, "what do you call yourself?" "I guess you can call me Aztec," said Chicnahuiquatl. Aztec is the newest member of Defensa Suprema, but he has been an instant hit with the media and the thousands of adoring fans across the country. He is also, by far, the most powerful member of the team (something which doesn't sit too well with some of the veteran members). Personality Aztec, even though he's descended from the Feathered Serpent, is very much a guardian of the mortal race. As such, Aztec cannot stand by a let evil occur around him. He will go out of his way to protect mortals by trouncing evil. Being godlike, Aztec has no real fear of death. Aztec goes into any fight without fear. Fear is for lesser beings. This fearlessness at times has gotten Aztec into battles against foes who're way too powerful for him. This has never stopped him though. No matter how many times Aztec is beaten down, he always gets back up. Unlike the other members of the Aztec pantheon, Chicnahuicoatl being born of a mortal woman has a great respect for mortal life. This is one of the reasons he fights so hard for their protection. Therefore, Aztec will not willingly take another mortals life, nor allow others to do the same. Even if he has to put himself in harm's way. Quote "Do you feel the sky? The wind is my heartbeat. The rain my blood. And the lightning is my anger. Do not stir them up or you will regret it." Powers Aztec has the very sky at his command. With a mere wave of his hand torrential storms spring up dowsing everything with water. When Aztec summons up one of his storms, it becomes hard to see, hear, or even move around due to all of the rain. Aztec, however, isn't affected by the storms in the least. Aztec can also control the thunder and the lightning. Directing the storm, Aztec can cause deafening booms of thunder, or cause bursts of lightning to arc from his outstretched hands. Aztec's lightning is known to blow holes in walls. The very air around Aztec is under his command. Aztec can cause the air to pick up a foe and fling them over long distances. Also Aztec can cause the wind to pick himself, allowing him to fly. The very winds that pick up Aztec also provide him with protection from attacks. Appearance In his Aztec form, Chicnahuiquatl is a sight to behold. He's a tall bronzed skinned man with a very muscular build. For a costume Aztec wears a serpent headdress of feathers, a white loincloth, and deerskin boots that reach up to his knees. When manifesting himself, Aztec appears from a burst of lightning. Otherwise Aztec has black hair that reaches midway down his back, and the greenest of eyes. However, in his mortal form, Chino Mendez looks like an average Mexican. Typically Chino wears a Mexico City University sweatshirt, slacks, and sandals. Chino usually doesn't stand out that much in a crowd. To make a living Chino works at the university bookstore. Notes Aztec's character background was written up by my friend Noah Thorp (The Arc). I tweaked his background a bit to get him into Defensa Suprema and gave him an extra 150 points to make him more demigod-like. Aztec is one of the two extra characters I've added to the team.

Interlude - Apocalypto While creating the Mexican superhero team, Defensa Suprema, I needed to come up with a really major villain for Uberworld. I took the name Apocalypto from the Mel Gibson movie (which was great. Don't know why it took me so long to actually sit down and watch it.) I'm planning on using this thing against an NPC super hero team to see what kind of carnage it wreaks, as well as whether or not it can be stopped. Might actually have a weakness I've missed, but road testing it on an NPC team should show all kinds of interesting things. Here is Apocalypto: And the character sheet is here. Defensa Suprema are all done apart from the character write-ups. Drawings were all done by hand without references so they might look a little off, but I think I'm improving my freehand style. The team should be posted by mid-week I think. Actually I have one fully created and will post him now. The rest will be up by mid-week.

#111 JAVELIN (Mauritius) JAVELIN Jean-Philippe Bax Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Javelin was one of the assembled African heroes who responded to Parhelion's call for help when a cadre of humanoid dinosaurs stormed Johannesburg while most members of Africa Force were in Europe. Jean-Philippe Bax had waited his entire life to become a super hero and had been prepared for nearly a year before Parhelion's call. He was a successful athlete and had competed in the youth championships in javelin, easily becoming the national champion in Mauritius as well as a finalist in the African Games despite being only eighteen. After helping Parhelion, Javelin was invited back to the Africa Force headquarters in Botswana where his rather mundane arsenal of javelins was supplemented with several high tech additions. However, Africa Force was not ready to extend an invitation for Javelin to join the team and so he returned to Mauritius where he continued to fight crime as best he could. His activities are currently limited to opposing street-level criminals but he is always on the look out to make it into the big league again. Personality Possessing the unbreakable spirit of a true hero, Javelin is fully aware of his responsibilities and is more than willing to put his own life on the line to protect innocent bystanders. He is cheerful and enthusiastic, and spends a lot of time in his costume fighting crime and making public appearances to assist charities. If truth be known, though, Javelin is hungry for a full-time superhero career. He continues to practice his athletics and is studying his final year at school, but his heart is not in it anymore. He doesn't feel like he is using his abilities for the benefit of others and there just doesn't seem to be much competition in his field of expertise. He is generally naive when it comes to the affect he has on the world around him. His opinion of his actions doesn't always match up with the public. Where he considers himself to be a powerful and innovative hero on par with the heroes of Africa Force, even his own home town sees him as something more like a policeman in a colourful costume. They are amazed with his daring but wouldn't really want to be depending on him to stop any major uberhuman threat. There is one other person who is as impressed with Javelin's abilities as he is, and that is Francoise Gautier, a girl from his school who has seriously fallen for his swashbuckling attitude and public popularity. She started off being quite forward but after Jean-Philippe asked her out on a date, things have become quite serious, bordering on obsession. Francoise wants to be around him all the time and has taken to moving into his apartment and even handcuffing herself to him (twice). Jean-Philippe has started to get worried about his biggest fan but hasn't managed to shake her loose, despite her nearly being killed several times. The near-death experience only serves to reinforce her obsession, particularly when Javelin inevitably manages to rescue her. Quote "I don't fly and I don't shoot beams of energy from my eyes, but see these pointy sticks? In my hands, they do the job just the same." Powers Javelin is a talented athlete with many years experience in national and international competitions, particularly in the javelin. Originally he used a single javelin to oppose the dinosaur invasion in Johannesburg, but he has since expanded his arsenal to include smaller lightweight weapons, some with explosive tips and others with a stunning charge or a swingline. He is an excellent marksman with any missile weapon, although he has not strayed beyond using his javelins so far in his career. Appearance Javelin is eighteen years old and still full of youthful energy and a sense of invulnerability. He is an athletic young man with rather thick and unruly black hair. His costume consists of a black armoured bodysuit provided by Africa Force, over which he wears a loose-fitting red tunic, loose black trousers and a padded rugby guard over his chest with the word 'Javelin' inscribed in white. He has red guards on his legs which also house specialist javelins, and a red band around his left leg with more javelins. He has leather wrist bands and wears a red leather glove on his right hand. His main javelins are stored in a special quiver on his back. Notes This picture was done without the outlines I usually use, completely by hand. I surprised myself at how good it looks - even the long legs are kind of a quirk rather than a distraction. I knew after doing all those other drawings I'd eventually get the hang of drawing free-hand. And there's a new Poll on the Blogsite (see below).

#2P SIREN (Atlantis) SIREN Cynea Enuverax Character Sheet (Click here) Background Cynea Enuverax is the poster-girl for the Atlantean Citizen Soldier Corps. Her natural beauty and uber abilities make her the perfect face to promote Atlantean unity and muster the young and old around the defence of Atlantis. Cynea seems to have been born with her powers and always frolicked with schools of fish and dolphins as a youngster. She learned to fly simply by swimming upward and deciding not to stop when she hit the surface. Her family accepted their strange little girl and the Atlanteans acknowledged that their society was also being affected by this 'uber' phenomenon which seemed to have started in the surface world. Cynea's matrilineal line was famous for being storytellers and Bards, so when she came of an age, Cynea also began to learn the stories. She was never as succinct or true to the stories as the other great storytellers, but her tales of the surface worlders gained her some attention. She fell in with a group of anti-surface worlders and for a time swam with them and helped to spread propaganda and mischief. With her storytelling career stagnating she followed her father's career and joined the Citizen Soldier Corps, although she was soon promoted to recruitment and then became the poster-girl. Her image is recognisable anywhere throughout Atlantis and she is considered one of the most appealing sex symbols of her society. Her image is also known in Lemuria although she is considered to be a demon temptress (although no less alluring to the rank and file troops of the Lemurians). Cynea is known in the United States as Siren and enjoys causing great mischief along the western seaboard, including several attempts to liberate the animals at Sea World in San Diego, and the systematic sinking of fishing boats in Washington State. She has clashed with Agwe the Sub Mariner along the Californian coast, and after initially being adversaries the two heroes are now quite friendly and close. Agwe is the only human that Cynea considers worthy of even talking to, and is certainly the only one she will listen to. Recently she has begun to appear in a comic book, written by Agwe in his secret identity. Her voluptuous form and bold actions have created a legion of comic book fans which has outraged Cynea. She has no idea that Agwe is the writer and illustrator, and if the truth were to get out she would most probably sever their friendship. She has attempted to disrupt her human popularity by crashing a comic book convention in Los Angeles but when she started to tear the convention down she was met by raucous applause and wide-eyed fans. Her attempts to intimidate the crowds failed miserably and she fled, defeated. Personality Siren is a storyteller and has the skills of an Atlantean Bard which have been passed down the generations to her. However, unlike her predecessors, Siren doesn't seem to know when to stop talking. She has been known to talk well in to the night and finds unusual tangents in traditional tales to be more interesting than the regular plot. Subsequently her career as a Bard has not taken off, which has allowed her to become the Atlantean pin-up girl and marketing face so closely associated with the Citizen Soldiers. Her powers of flight have allowed her to move up into the surface world, but she hasn't liked what she has seen there. Her early experiences, coupled with the fantastic rumours and stories circulating through Atlantis have turned her in to quite a xenophobe. She refuses to give the surface dwellers any benefit of the doubt and attributes blame to them for a whole host of problems - some of which simply couldn't be the surface dwellers' fault. There is a growing group of anti-surface dwellers in Atlantis and Siren has joined the movement with open arms. She uses her abilities to cause trouble for the surface dwellers, particularly along the western seaboard of the Continental United States. Although she is not actively seeking to harm humans she does gravitate towards causing mayhem and property destruction. Her main concern, as always, is the welfare of the marine world, particularly the animals which live within it. She believes that she belongs to a long line of protectors and her ability to communicate and control marine animals is proof to her that she has been chosen for this task. She considers humans as annoying and ignorant. If they get in the way of her mission they will be taught a lesson in perspective. Despite sometimes appearing as a villain, particularly in the United States, Siren has helped avert major disasters in the surface world. Quote "Come to me, my aquatic friends! Come to me and help rid this place of the foul-smelling surface dwellers!" Powers Siren is an Atlantean Uber, one of a growing number in the modern era. She has the ability to fly at high speeds in the air and underwater. She has trained in the Citizen Soldier corps and has good hand to hand combat skills and a knowledge of underwater warfare. She uses these combat skills to good effect when combined with her superspeed. Her main uber power is the ability to communicate and control marine animals using an ultrasonic wave which travels great distances through water (although not as far in the air). She has been known to summon blue whales and packs of orcas, as well as calm frenzied sharks and charm swarms of jellyfish. She is sensitive to other psychic powers and although she may not fully understand their uses she is able to perceive the psychic activity of others. Appearance A very glamorous Atlantean, Siren has long wavy sea-weed-like hair which is dark green with pearl-white highlights. She is considered to be a sex symbol in Atlantis and a demon-temptress in Lemuria, and she has featured prominently in many Citizen Soldier advertising campaigns. Like all Atlanteans, Siren has green skin and a fish-like appearance with whiskers protruding from her fish-like lips. Her fingers and toes are webbed and she has gills on her neck which can process oxygen from air and water. She wears Atlantean armour which appears to be a wetsuit, although the compounds used in its manufacture are as tough as kevlar. Her armour is light blue with short sleeves and legs, and is bordered in mother of pearl. She wears a headband handed down to her by her maternal grandmother which is silver with a coral pink stone in its centre. The headband was originally worn by one of her descendents who also had the ability to communicate and control the denizens of the marine world.

#110 FARIS (Mauritania) FARIS (KNIGHT) Samba Ahmed Benyachou Character Sheet (Click Here) Background In the wake of the 2005 military coup in Mauritania, the Benyachou family cast its support behind the new regime and became outspoken critics of slavery which is still seen as an acceptable practice by the ruling Berber elite. The move led to major social reprimands and the Benyachou family have been virtual pariahs in the upper echelons of Mauritania society, despite widespread international support for their move. The Benyachou family is headed by Ahmed Benyachou who oversees the lives of his six children and their children. One of Ahmed's grandsons, Samba Benyachou, joined the Centrist Reformist party which is made up of moderate Islamists, and ran for political office in the 2007 elections. Despite following in his grandfather's footsteps, Samba's indiscretions as a member of the young 'party set' managed to dampen any pride his grandfather may have had. After his defeat in the elections and the disappointment he felt emanating from his family home, Samba left Mauritania and spent some time north in Algeria and then Egypt where his playboy antics were welcomed by Nephthys and her court. He was spotted by Sakhmet at a party and aroused her interest enough that he was invited to a secret ceremony beneath the streets of Cairo. Originally planned as a sacrifice, Samba managed to talk his way out of imminent death and found himself on the run inside the labyrinthine tunnels which were the domain of Nephthys and her Sons of Set. During what he assumed was a chase, Samba stumbled into an underwater stream which was actually being used to fuel Nephthys' magical rituals. The water dragged him under thick panels of sandstone until he was completely lost and thought he would die, but instead he found himself in a small, dark room. In the centre of the room was a small box in laid with gems. He was drawn to the box and as he clasped his hands around it he was rocked with energy. After recovering from the invasive energy Samba stumbled backward and saw before him a kind of hologram. It showed him the layout of the underground complex and then shifted to an image of war. Two sides raced together in the image with swords raised and firearms blazing. Behind the two warring fronts were larger beings, imbued with power. He looked at his own hands and realised he was glowing with a green energy similar to that in the hologram. Samba had the uncanny thought that he was watching the future and that he had a part to play in this battle between good and evil. Six months later Samba Benyachou is also known as Faris, of the Knight. He is a member of Africa Force Two which is based in Zimbabwe. After returning to Mauritania he found that even with his newly discovered powers he and his family were still not accepted by the elite. His grandfather suggested in no uncertain terms that he should accept Africa Force's offer of membership and move to Zimbabwe where he could 'do some good'. Some of that 'good' has involved a particularly embarrassing clash with The Hunt where Samba managed to get Hippo stuck in quicksand which nearly killed him: something Hippo has never forgotten. The two have clashed two times since and Samba has been beaten both times, although not enough in the mind of Hippo. Like many of the other members of Africa Force Two, Samba has found the Zimbabwe government becoming more and more difficult to work with. He has a low opinion of the Zimbabweans and has already begun to set in motion plans to relocate Africa Force Two to Mauritania. He doesn't realise it yet, but the Sons of Set are also putting into place plans to retrieve him from Zimbabwe and complete the transformation he underwent in Cairo making him one of Nephthys' loyal minions. Personality Samba grew up within a privileged bubble in Nouadhibou, and despite currently finding himself a kind of social pariah In his homeland, he still believes in his innate superiority. He doesn't deliberately set out to upset people but he can't help it. Wherever he goes he manages to charm the people around him, but the charm usually gives way to arrogance. As a result Samba has very few friends, although he doesn't seem to notice. He is devoted to the concept of Africa Force and has big plans for the team, particularly when they leave Zimbabwe (which he believes is inevitable). He also has national political ambitions and maintains a very close vigil on the political landscape in Mauritania. He is a clever politician but has to develop maturity before he can really start to build a career. Quote "Some people are born to lead and others are born to provide the entertainment." Powers Since being immersed in Nephthys' magical stream and subsequently discovering the box, Samba's body has become the vessel for some powerful magic. The magic seems to have triggered his ubergene, granting him uberhuman strength which allows him to bench press in excess of 12 tons. His uberhuman physiology also provides him with enhanced durability and the ability to blow a forceful breath which is able to knock cars on their side. The magical energy which now resides inside him is similar to the magic being used by Nephthys when she creates her minions, but although the similarities are quite resounding there are differences. Heru-sa-Aset has made several hints that the bestower of the energy is an opposing deity to Set. He has refused to speak more about it (probably because of Samba's off-putting arrogance). The energy allows him to create a protective field around his body. This field provides him with protection but also allows him to fly at great speed as well as creating its own self-sustainable atmosphere within the field so that Samba can survive almost anywhere. Appearance Samba is wildly patriotic and refuses to wear the standard Africa Force costume, preferring instead to wear a suit base don the Mauritania flag. It is a light green bodysuit with a stylised golden crescent reaching from the right shoulder to his waist. There is a star emblazoned on his chest over the crescent line. His magical field appears as a glowing green energy with an inner golden glow. Samba is a very attractive Arab with a decidedly handsome profile and smooth cultured voice which has the ability to charm anyone. He still maintains a rich lifestyle despite his family losing some social status back home in Mauritania.

Atlantean Poll Closed The Poll has closed. The character will be: Female Hero, but hates Surface People Martial Artist/Mentalist/Speedster (odd mix!) I'll work on the character from Mauritania and then tackle the Atlantean. (Bad pun with tackle there - fish and tackle... fishing joke...)

#109 FREMANTLE DOCTOR (Marshall Islands) FREMANTLE DOCTOR Dr Bianca Wharton Character Sheet (Click Here) Background The United States conducted many nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands up until the early 1960s. It was during one of these tests that Bianca Wharton's father and three other scientists were caught by an early eruption. They were bathed in radiation and despite the best efforts of the medical personnel on the island as well as back in California, all four men showed signs of radiation poisoning and later cancer. Edward Dobson, Bianca's father, took his pension and moved with his young wife, Catherine, to Perth, Australia. They both knew he had only a few years to live, but they were happy to live out their lives in Australia, far from the complications of their old life. Edward continued to work as a scientist but tended towards eccentricity as the cancer spread. Miraculously, Catherine became pregnant despite the medical opinion that Edward was sterile. As Edward deteriorated physically, Catherine blossomed. It seemed like some kind of grand design and both parents accepted the impossibility of their situation with grace and awe. Bianca was born in November 1961, just three weeks after Edward lost his battle with cancer. She grew up in the suburbs of Perth and never learned the true history of her father. Catherine was content to raise her child without any mention of Edward apart from the fact that he was a brilliant scientist. Bianca found herself living with an invisible presence in the house and Catherine never could give her daughter the attention she dearly wanted to. Edward's death and the coincidence of Bianca's birth drove Catherine into depression. Bianca was a bright spark and the more she shone academically and socially, the more Catherine seemed to fade. Bianca showed signs of strange powers during her adolescence and her father's accidental poisoning in the Marshall Islands was discovered to be the cause. Somehow he had passed on the unpredictable elements of the radiation to his daughter which triggered her ubergene. She was one of Australia's only super heroes during the late 1970s and in 1981 she faced off against the nuclear-powered Warhead in Sydney as a twenty year old college student. She kept her identity secret at first and studied medicine while also fighting crime in and around Sydney as 'Cyclone'. When the Sentinels were recruiting for a new incarnation in 1982, Cyclone was accepted into the team and she took the opportunity to change her name to Fremantle Doctor. As she was now to work on the world stage she wanted a name which would show her ties to Australia, and more importantly to Perth. She completed her medical studies while a member of the international super hero team, managing to gain exciting field experience as well as advice from medical experts from around the world. One of her first missions as a Sentinel was to oppose Warhead again, only this time he had gathered together a team of dangerous uber-criminals. Despite being a rookie, the Fremantle Doctor was the one who stopped Warhead from breaching an experimental nuclear reactor in Sweden. Her bravery and determination earned her popularity across the world and she would later take on the deputy leadership role in the Sentinels. While still being an active member of the team, in 1984 she married an Australian scientist, Laird Wharton, and later that year took a temporary leave of absence to give birth to her son, Hamish. She returned to duty as a part-time member the same year, but was only involved in missions which required her expertise in weather control. She had another son, Edward, in 1986 and seemed to drift away from the team to spend more time with her family in Perth. The Doctor returned to the world stage in an impressive rescue mission in 1996 when she was involved in the rescue of American senators from a CLAW death-trap. Her return was met with widespread support and she convinced her husband that her place was with the Sentinels. Laird left his work to look after the boys and the Doctor returned to active duty, quickly assuming the deputy leadership role again. She became the temporary leader of the Sentinels in 2000 for a year and then in 2003 became the leader in her own right when the previous leader stood down due to the disastrous battle with First Strike in Europe. Her husband currently works in Perth as a director of the local Southern Cross International research facility. Her eldest son, Hamish, is a school teacher and her youngest son, Edward, has just entered the police force in Perth. Hamish and his wife, Rachel, are expecting their first child - something which both amazes and terrifies the Fremantle Doctor. Personality The Doctor is a veteran super hero as well as being a professional medical doctor and international diplomat. She is confident and honourable as has been idealised as the embodiment of Australian heroism receiving numerous awards and commendations. Her confidence, however, can border on overconfidence, particularly when she is facing uberhuman villains. When it comes to the threats of nature and the world around her, the Doctor is level-headed and supremely capable; but when the adversary is dressed up in a costume and threatening the world, she just doesn't seem to be able to take them as seriously. She has nearly gotten herself killed several times because she has failed to see the real threat of opponents such as Warhead and First Strike. She is a leader and commands the respect of the world's greatest superhero team. She is able to speak with world leaders as equals and exercises her voice whenever she feels an injustice has occurred. Her commitment to the Sentinels has, at times, caused conflict with her home life and she has experienced the heartache of watching villains use her family to get to her. Her professionalism won't allow her to be blackmailed, though, and her husband has had to suffer tremendously at the hands of the Doctor's enemies - most gruesomely in 1996 when he was captured and tortured by Arctic Fox. Their relationship is solid, although it has lost its passion as Bianca turns more and more towards her duties as the Doctor and Laird focuses on his work with Southern Cross International. Quote "You'd think heroes like us have been around for a long time, but really, our lives are nothing against the immensity of mother nature. The storms, the currents and the turning of the seasons are the real power of our planet. The rest is just window dressing and work with mirrors." Powers The Fremantle Doctor is a very powerful uberhuman, able to manipulate the world's weather in a variety of ways. She is able to generate powerful gusts of wind which can batter opponents or propel her and others through the air. She is able to use the winds to lift objects or induce temperature fluctuations. She is able to generate other weather phenomenon such as snow, heatwaves, rain and thunderstorms. Her most devastating attack is to call down lightning bolts, although she rarely uses these unless the odds are very much stacked against her. The Doctor's powers are affected by solar radiation which interferes with her fine control over the weather, as well as managing to pierce her protective winds. It is hypothesised that her father's exposure to nuclear radiation in the Pacific coupled with his later work in solar radiation contributed to this Achilles' Heel. Appearance Bianca is a woman in her forties although she appears younger, partly because of her bright blue eyes and partly because of her regular and intensive physical workouts. She has been a hero for twenty years or so and has decided to maintain her 'super hero' exercise and training regime while some of her contemporaries have retired from the world stage. She is lean and healthy, not having had even a cold in the past ten years. Her husband often jokes about her 'Peter Pan' complex: something she only partly dismisses. Her costume consists of a black bodysuit with short sleeves, black glove and a white sash around her waist. She wears her hair short now, although in her earlier days she often wore her hair to shoulder-length and generally tied back in a pony tail. Notes It's always good to see another Australian hero, although her parents are American. I guess we can both claim her.

Atlantean Poll 22 Hours to go on the Atlantean Poll (found on the Blog Site below). So far we have a female Atlantean Martial Artist/Mentalist who hates surface people. Thanks to everyone who has voted.

Re: MancerBear's Art Den These are great. Thanks for sharing them Mancer Bear!

#108 WHITE TIGER (Maldives) WHITE TIGER Karuna Vasanthan Character Sheet (Click Here) Background The Black Tigers were secretly trained members of the Tamil Tigers whose mission was to carry out suicide bombings. It is thought that Karuna Vasanthan was once trained as a Black Tiger and that his suicide mission ended with a successful detonation but not his death. He managed to evade capture and returned to his cadre just prior to an aggressive move by India. Everyone knew that India would move against Sri Lanka, but when it happened, the death toll still took the world by surprise. When the Assembly invaded Sri Lanka many, many people were killed. It suddenly didn't make much difference whether a person was a Sri Lankan or a Tamil. The Tamil Tigers (officially known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were almost completely wiped out. The remaining members either went underground or fled the country. For several years the Tamil Tigers were thought to be extinct, but in 2006 the White Tiger appeared in the Maldives and killed a small Indian delegation. He declared that the Tamil Tigers were still active and that they were now hunting The Assembly and the Indian oppressors. He has since been seen in India, Sri Lanka and Europe while the Tamil Tigers have once again become active in Sri Lanka (although with a much less public profile). Personality The White Tiger exists to destroy India. Whereas he was primarily concerned with liberating Sri Lanka for the Tamil people, he has now realised that such an outcome cannot be achieved while Sri Lanka is considered a protectorate of India. He works with ruthless precision and knows his capabilities. He will not enter into combat with unbeatable odds. He plays safe and deadly. He is determined to wreak havoc on the Assembly and constantly plans to find ways to kill one of their members. He has come close on one occasion when he detonated a large bomb in Pondicherry during a visit from Charm and Zone. Charm was hospitalised by unharmed thanks to her husband's quick thinking (and temporal powers). Recently he has taken a personal rivalry, bordering on obsession, with the Director. The two martial artists have clashed many times and the White Tiger has extensive plans to kill the Director in a very public place. For his part, the Director is not concerned and believes the White Tiger will make a mistake and allow himself to be captured. The White Tiger has appeared in Europe where he undertakes mercenary work or assassinations in order to raise money for his campaign against India. He has shown a chilling willingness to do other people's dirty work for the right sum of money. He has worked for Dirty Deeds once and has shown some interest in continuing the relationship. Quote "Tiger, tiger, burning bright..." Powers An accomplished and deadly hand to hand combatant, the White Tiger is a dangerous opponent. His martial arts skills are supported by a high-tech bodysuit and armour which enables him to 'phase' through walls and disappear from sight. The White Tiger Armour was originally developed by Unger Munitions but has had modifications made by Mastermind and Arctic Fox. Both sets of modifications were paid for by White Tiger and there is no lasting friendship or affiliation between him and Mastermind or Arctic Fox. While he is capable of using many weapons, White Tiger maintains that his martial prowess is enough to slay his enemies. He makes it a point of honour to kill without the need for explosives and weaponry - unless his assignment or plan involves large scale destruction. Appearance Karuna Vasanthan is an unassuming man in his thirties who appears to be like many other subjugated citizens of Sri Lanka. He is not overly optimistic or excited about anything, but neither does he appear to be completely downtrodden. His eyes betray the death that he has dealt, and people have said that since his first assignment as a Black Tiger he has changed, hardened. He has a trimmed beard and his brown hair is greying slightly. As the White Tiger he appears sleek and deadly. The armour is thick but malleable. It is white and covers his entire body with a roaring tiger symbol on his shoulders. He wears a bandana which covers his head and shades protect his eyes and his identity.

#107 REDBACK (Malta) REDBACK Blake Edwards Character Sheet (click Here) Background Blake Edwards always knew there were big things in store for him. During his university days he was approached by ASIS, the Australian Secret Intelligence Service, and was working for them on the day after his graduation. Initially he worked as a desk analyst but his determination and excellent physical condition, allowed him to move in to the field. During this time he was stationed in Canberra and then overseas, including a stint where he worked alongside the CIA. It was during this time that he came into contact with Dr Song Hyun-ki, who would later become the criminal, Mastermind. Back in Australia Edwards moved into weapons design and testing. He went rogue after being offered $250,000 to kill a visiting foreign politician who was visiting Canberra. Edwards saw the opportunity as the next logical step in his career, always knowing that he was destined for bigger things. His employer turned out to be a front for the international criminal organisation, VENOM. He failed to kill the politician after being opposed by the Southern Knights, but VENOM saw his potential and offered him further work in the United States. For several months he continued to work for VENOM as a 'grunt' but although the work was often exciting he soon realised that he would never be anything more important than a sniper or an agent holding a gun. He was exposed to super human combat and knew he was out-classed. Rather than accept his fate, Edwards contacted Dr Song who was now a fugitive living in Malta. He paid for the chance to undergo dangerous genetic engineering at the hands of Mastermind. Most of Mastermind's subjects were only ever partial successes (or more often, stone cold corpses) but Edwards was one of the few overwhelming successes. With enhanced physical attributes to compliment his incredible ego and sense of self-importance, Blake Edwards became Redback and joined the inner circle of VENOM, as well as working occasionally for Mastermind as one of his minions. Personality Edwards is always looking for the next big break, the next opportunity which presents itself so he can grab it with both hands and squeeze it dry. He has progressed from a precocious university student to an intelligence analyst, from a field agent to a rogue agent, from a lackey to a super villain. And he doesn't believe things will stop there. He is very cocky and determined to stand out (interestingly, it's something his height has undermined. being 5'6" has its drawbacks.). He never fully trusts anyone except himself and believes that there is always something to be gained through betrayal and he knows it works both ways. He is willing to betray and knows others would do the same to him. Even amongst the other members of VENOM, Redback is a loner. He appears friendly and outspoken but it is a veneer. Underneath he is a loner and prefers it that way. It is simpler to only have to depend upon yourself. He avoids social complications, but seems to be challenged and excited by any other kind of complication. Quote "Strewth, mate, that left hook o' yours looks scandalous! Go get some lessons, you bloody wanker." Powers Redback's physiology has been altered by Mastermind and he is now one of the most agile ubers on the planet. However, he doesn't just rely on his speed and co-ordination in combat. He utilises his weapons training with a modified web-gun, the tangleweb launcher. The weapon can fire a polymer-based web which hardens within seconds and is usually strong enough to keep even uberhumans in place. He always carries a back-up weapon or two, including a snub-nosed blaster pistol and a knife. The Redback armour is made of high-tech material and has a reinforced back plate. Appearance Edwards is very Australian, almost to the point of caricature, and this has been exaggerated since he began to work more and more overseas. He is frequently swearing although most people don't understand the words he uses, but even at his worst there is a roguish charm about Blake Edwards. He has sparkling blue eyes and wavy blonde hair and is handsome in a boyish way. He is obviously immature and reckless, but he carries this with such confidence that he can't fail but impress most spectators. As Redback he wears a hardened black and steel-grey armour with a red spiderweb pattern. It includes a red glazed visor and silver helmet with a redback insignia. His tangleweb launcher looks like a high-tech weapon and is a modified weapon from Southern Cross International. He has a short-nosed pistol in a holster on his belt and carries his blade in his left write panel. Notes VENOM is a spider-themed villain group. So far I've created Daddy Long Legs and Redback. Others will come as they become needed. ... and perhaps Redback is something of a Seeker homage (or at least his over-the-top Ocker accent is!).

#107 MANTA (Malta) MANTA Marthese Gialanze Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Marthese was a housekeeper working for Mastermind when he first arrived on Malta and she became his obsession, soon disappearing from the public and severing any contact with her family and friends. Mastermind refashioned her as a blue-skinned aquatic humanoid with incredible physical features. She evidently had very little family anyway so her absence was met with gossip and innuendo, but little actual investigation. She rarely ventures into the towns of Malta, preferring to live beneath the hard rock within Mastermind's headquarters. She has been seen frequently with Mastermind in other places, however, which may indicate that she feels sensitive about her appearance when visiting the places of her youth. Or it may not indicate that. Since her transformation Manta has shown a diminishing connection with her humanity. Manta is always by Mastermind's side, although her overt attractiveness and crude sexuality disturb him and she often finds herself alone. She has adapted to her new life and spends most of her time away from Mastermind exploring her new form which generally means hunting beneath the waves of the Mediterranean Sea. Personality Manta is both passive and difficult to anticipate as she continues to move away from her former 'human' life. She considers herself a unique creature and has this idea reinforced to her by Mastermind frequently. She enjoys her physical prowess and ability to dominate the world beneath the waves. Her mannerisms around other people are quite unpredictable and usually involve some kind of social faux pas. She is considered weird and a little scary by those who know her (even Mastermind is sometimes surprised by her behaviour or lack of understanding in social situations). Her speech patterns have also altered, particularly the 's' sound and her tendency to roll words together. She has a killer instinct and is a predator. This is becoming clearer as the years pass, although Mastermind is satisfied with the development and utilises her talents to his advantage. Quote "Ahhyess, the fish turns to flee... but it is too lateyesss." Powers Manta has been genetically engineered by Mastermind and has an amphibious physiology as well as enhanced physical attributes. Her normal strength range allows her to lift in excess of 6000kg, but when immersed in water her strength increases exponentially allowing her, at her peak, to lift in excess of 75 tons. She has incredibly quick reaction times as well as enhanced agility and is able to fly at great speeds above and below the water. Her physical appearance is striking. She has blue skin which is hardened to provide protection from the dangers of the deep, as well as glowing yellow eyes which allow her to see into the infrared spectrum as well as providing her with night vision capabilities. Her ears are small and pointed and she is able to hear ultrasonic vibrations, and while under water she is able to emit sound waves to provide her with limited sonar capabilities. Manta wears a flowing cape which is stitched with a kevlar weave and protects her from serious harm. Appearance When people look at Manta they inevitably feel a sense of unease. She has an alien presence with a predator's stance. She watches people like they might be good hunting and always weighs up a person's worth first as potential prey and then as perhaps something more useful. The Mastermind's genetic manipulations have endowed her with blue skin, yellow eyes, pointed ears, gills at her neck and an unearthly grace. Manta wears a silver-grey cloak, lined in dark purple, over a white bikini. She is never seen in anything else. Before her transformation she was a plain Maltese girl, but she remembers very little about that life and doesn't seem overly curious about finding out more.

#107 MASTERMIND (Malta) MASTERMIND Dr Song Hyun-ki Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Born to relative obscurity in Korea, the man who would become known as Mastermind was the son of a former military aide and close ally of the Americans. Hyun-ki grew up around Americans and through the encouragement of his Korean father and American mother, he studied in the United States after high school. At University he was approached and drafted by the CIA and taken to Pittsburgh where he began work within a small military research think-tank. The US military were attempting to control the ubergene, particularly with military applications, and the Pittsburgh Project was one of many which had been initiated since after the Second World War. During his work with the combined CIA and US military he was contacted, and seduced, by a Chinese agent. The agent appealed to his greed and vanity, and even Hyun-ki himself was surprised at how quickly he was willing to betray the United States and his fellow researchers. His greed was fed, but he has found that nothing is able to completely satiate it and the pursuit and coveting of unobtainable wealth and knowledge has been a driven force ever since. Hyun-ki became a double agent and worked for the CIA and the Chinese government, exchanging secrets like a collectible card game. He was discovered shortly before the Pittsburgh Project was closed down, but when Hyun-ki fled the States, the CIA decided not to pursue him. The Pittsburgh Project hadn't really developed anything or worth, and in the eyes of the government it had been a complete financial failure. He fled first to Majorca and then shortly after to Malta. The CIA did look for him but didn't use many of their resources, content to let him fade away and cease being one of their problems. Nearly a decade later, Mastermind is one of the world's most dangerous scientists and is actively wanted by the CIA and a half dozen other international law enforcement agencies. From his base in Malta, Mastermind began perfecting his bio-engineering expertise and applications. He turned his obsessive attention to a local Maltese girl and transformed her like Pygmalion into the blue-skinned power-house, Manta. He attempted to create the perfect woman and used her to advertise his abilities which worked so well that very quickly he was in high demand across Europe's criminal networks. He has helped to enhance dozens of men and women, some of whom have gone on to become major adversaries for superhero teams like the Dawnstars and the Brotherhood. Personality Hyun-ki is consumed by greed. There is always something just beyond his reach which he is determined to possess, whether it be material like gold or insubstantial like a world-wide reputation. He is, in fact, a snivelling little man whose desperation for 'things' is clear to anyone who meets him. He is quite effeminate and pretentious; quick to transform from a cold scientist into a bickering snob. He is a frustrated man, twisted by his greed and the inability to really connect with other people. When it comes to social situations he is truly lost and shows his incompetence, so to combat this possibility he deliberately avoids public appearances and generally deals with clients via the internet or through an agent. Despite his weaknesses, Mastermind is a ruthless and obsessed adversary. He has pursued enemies into the ground with a steely and vindictive passion, and more than a few times he has extended this vendetta to eradicating family members or friends of his target. Quote "You fool! My raw genius will always triumph over your simple parlour tricks!" Powers Mastermind is, as you would expect, a genius, particularly in the fields of bioengineering and physics. He has developed a friction-based force field generator on his own with the assistance of the CIA think tank and various other organisations around the world he has infiltrated and pilfered parts or theories. It is a work in progress and Mastermind most likely wouldn't be able to create a duplicate model given the tinkering that has gone in to the prototype. It is able to generate incredible force fields as well as 'life support' pods which provide a stable atmosphere within force fields and enable him to travel into hostile environments such as space and the deep sea. The field is able to be extended and can provide protection for a large area, as well as inflict injuries as force spikes, or project Mastermind through the air in a kind of self-propelled flight. The field generates heat and if he deliberately channels enough energy into the projector he is able to release a powerful pulse of heat, although doing so often leaves the generator drained, at least for a few moments. Mastermind also possesses a wide range of tools which include any gadget he is currently working on. Appearance Hyun-ki has always been skinny and awkward. He appears to be all angles with knobbly knees and elbows, and pinched cheek bones and long gangling fingers. He has been bald since his mid-twenties and any clothes he wears inevitably appear to be baggy and shapeless. In costume he wears ultra tight armoured fabric to compensate for this, which tends to accentuate his effeminate nature and has led to numerous insults and insinuations. Mastermind absolutely hates this but has not found a solution, apart from the possibility of wearing bulky exo-skeleton or powered armour. At the present he has hesitated in pursuing these options, but in future he may decide to concentrate on developing the 'Mastermind Armour'. Force field appears like a shimmering field with sparks intermittently coming off the edge, generally only on one side as if the energy is flowing away like a comet tail.

.... Maldives? I just realised today that I overlooked the Maldives, so after Malta I'll go back and give them a hero or villain. There are also only two days remaining in the Poll to decide the Atlantean character. Some examples of Atlanteans in Uberworld include: STARFISH BEHEMOTH ARMADA

#106 SAHARA (Mali) SAHARA Idrissa Cisse Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Idrissa Cisse is a third-generation law enforcement officer and grew up with a high regard for law and order. She enlisted in the police force as soon as she was deemed old enough, and proved to be as dedicated and tireless as her father. Her reputation as a hard-headed by-the-book cop spread and this, along with her imposing 6'5" frame, made her something of a pariah amongst the other police officers. No one wanted to be her partner and she was often consigned to desk duty. Despite the best efforts of her family, Idrissa quit her job as a police officer and opened up a private investigator's office, using her knowledge of police procedures, criminal law and the local area to establish herself as someone who got the results her clients wanted. During one investigation Idrissa found herself uncovering a plot by the Sons of Set to poison the Bamako water supply. She had no back-up but confronted the saboteurs single-handedly. Despite her best efforts she was bundled up and thrown into the water supply inside a chemical drum. She experienced the obligatory flashbacks as she felt death approaching, but rather than die she gathered strength from the family line and her ubergene activated, granting her the ability to transform into living sandstone. She smashed her way out of the drum but found herself at the bottom of the reservoir, unable to swim to the surface. She calmed herself and managed to revert back to her human form which then allowed her to swim to safety. Once back on land she focussed her thoughts and called in the police, but she also knew she had enough time to capture the saboteurs herself. She transformed again into her sandstone form and beat them senseless. When the police arrived she stood before them with the saboteurs, proudly displaying her new look. Within days she was back on the police force and the Chief of Police and Minister of Defence had her appearing in public to stir the country's confidence. She has become a solid symbol for her people and has defended Mali from all manner of threats, most often having something to do with the nearby Sons of Set. Personality Sahara is a bigger than life symbol for Mali and she has been determined to achieve such a status. While she is now the darling of the government and police department, she still remembers the ill feelings towards her before she became an uberhuman. She has a partner but never seems to keep them for longer than a month at a time. This uneasiness is something she has grown to accept, and she looks at the other police officers as being somewhat lacking in moral fibre and professionalism anyway. She tolerates her partner and the rest of the force, but knows deep down that she is the one who is holding everything together. Idrissa is a devout Muslim and between her job and her faith she really has very little time to devote to other pursuits. She is vehemently against gambling in any forms and is a vocal opponent of alcohol, especially when sold to minors. While she has worked briefly with Africa Force, she refuses to join them because she sees them as being too caught up in international politics and intrigue - usually at the expense of protecting the world around them. She has, however, developed a close friendship with Peacemaker, and the Tsholofelo family has helped create synthetic clothing which is able to withstand her metamorphosis into Sahara. Quote "There is no place for crime in this city, and with that said you are not welcome in this place." (* See Below - I need a better quote!) Powers Sahara is able to grow living sandstone over her entire body which endows her with uberhuman strength, enable her to lift in excess of 12 tons, and provides her with extensive resistance to physical attacks. While in her sandstone form she weighs close to a ton and is able to draw energy from the sun. She generally uses her brawn to pummel her opponents into submission and has a wicked punch which is capable of collapsing buildings and denting armoured tanks. Appearance Even before she became Sahara, Idrissa Cisse was an imposing woman at 6'5" and looking like a weight lifter. She intimidates most of her police colleagues and no longer cares about it, seeing herself as now being beyond the confines of normality. She wears her police uniform when on duty, but also wears the costume she received from Africa Force as her uniform is not able to withstand her transformation into Sahara. As Sahara she appears to be covered in a thick but flexible sandstone. Her face is also covered but it is still possible to discern her eyes, nose and mouth. Her costume is a flexible black leotard and boots, with red headscarf and belt sash. Over this she wears a soft yellow hajib and robe. Notes I hate the quote. Can someone help me out with a better one?

#105 NEMESIS (Malaysia) NEMESIS Osman Razak bin Abdul Mahmud Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Razak grew up watching his father playing poker and although his father was always distant, both of them enjoyed a sense of euphoria whenever the money came rolling in. As soon as he was old enough, Razak played cards to show his father that he was worth some attention. He played against his housekeeper and then against the kids in his school. By the age of sixteen, Razak was playing in local tournaments, and he was winning too. The only opponent he couldn't seem to beat was his father, and that really consumed him as he hit adolescence and started to rebel against his family and school. He forged his passport to gain entry to casinos in Singapore and started to win against older opponents, eventually gathering enough wins to alert the casino's owner, Evol Khan. The crime lord watched the boy for several nights and allowed him to take away his winnings, but after lengthy monitoring Khan himself invited Razak to join his elite table in a private suite at the top of the casino. Razak didn't realise it was a trap and boldly accepted. His skills were good, but there was something else about him: an x-factor which allowed him to pull off amazing moves and bluff even the best poker faces. But he was playing in Khan's private suite and Razak had no chance of winning. The night turned into a week and Razak accumulated more and more debt. Khan played him like an amateur, which he was, despite his own delusions of grandeur. When Khan closed the game he had Razak taken away, never to be seen again. Khan enjoyed terrorising people and had the boy subjected to a week of solitary confinement in complete darkness. Young Razak almost went crazy, and when he was brought out again, he was broken and terrified. Khan sent him to one of his laboratories and had his scientists conduct tests and experiments on him. Neither Khan nor the scientists expected anything interesting to happen (it was simply a creative way to get rid of an annoying boy), but after several experimental treatments with radiation, Razak seemed to be growing stronger rather than weaker. Khan was away on business, so his scientists continued to bombard him with various energies, and each time he would seem to absorb the power and grow stronger and more healthy from it. Razak, himself, was just as confused as the scientists, but he knew when to use his cards. He smashed his way out of his restraints and put everything in to disarming the guards and escaping. During his bold escape his body seemed to be charging with energy and as he fled guards he found their energy weapons rebounding. With wide-eyed surprise Razak watched as the guards' own energy beams struck them down. He managed to escape and returned to Kuala Lumpur where he realised how long he had been missing. He was determined to get revenge on Evol Khan and began to track the crime lord's movements. When Khan visited Kuala Lumpur to open a Charity Ball, Razak used the opportunity to knock out his driver and put on the uniform. When Khan and his entourage returned from the Ball, Razak drove them to the airport. As they drove, Razak pulled out a gun and turned around to aim it at the crime lord. Khan looked a little disturbed but only for a fleeting moment, and then Razak felt himself blasted out of the windscreen and into the air. Atomic Girl sprung out of the limousine and confronted Razak, who found himself floating in the air and charged with nuclear power. She challenged him, but he couldn't hear what she was saying. The power he had absorbed from the Japanese icon was driving him crazy and without anything else to do he blasted it back at her, surprising her enough to slam her into the limousine which had stopped at the side of the road. Atomic Girl battled him in the sky but neither could broker a deciding victory. After being inundated with nuclear energy, Razak eventually fled, realising that the hand he had been dealt by Khan's laboratory was actually more impressive than he had first thought. He took the name Nemesis and managed to calm his anger towards Khan long enough to realise his future wouldn't be very bright if he wasted his energies on Khan and the Singapore Samurai. Instead he decided to use his powers to make himself as rich as possible. It was just another version of poker, and battling uberhumans like the Marauding Tide or Senshudan One, only served to make the conflicts more interesting and the payoffs bigger. Personality Razak is a gambler and views the world around him in terms of acceptable or unacceptable odds. His strained relationship with his father is still evident and he will quickly become ultra-competitive with anyone who seems to be better than him at poker, or whatever else it is he is attempting to achieve. While he no longer communicates with his father, Razak and his father are both professional card players and spend most of their time in casinos so he and his father often appear at the same place. He believes he is an honourable rogue, and follows his own rules with regard to acceptable behaviour. He won't cheat anyone, unless they don't deserve a fair deal; and he will put his own life on the line if he feels he is righting a major wrong. Razak is a confident opponent and never doubts his own abilities, particularly if he is facing off against an energy blaster. He doesn't hold back in battles with ubers, and often really enjoys them, although he will never deliberately kill someone. He has, on occasion, thought about killing Evol Khan but has found that his anger towards the crime lord has waned, particularly because without Khan's interference he would never have discovered his powers. In a way, Razak views Khan as his unlikely Fairy Godfather. Quote "Care to raise the stakes?" Powers Nemesis is able to absorb any kind of energy and is also able to harness that energy for his own use. His body generates a field which repels energy and he has become adept at directing this repelled energy to strike any target he wants. He has found that his control over energy does not extend to cold energy, although this is not widely known and a guarded secret. As a super-criminal, Nemesis doesn't always come up against adversaries who wield energy so he has had to develop more subtle tactics including subterfuge and misdirection. He will usually target expensive jewellery in casinos and hotels and then use his powers to 'fly' to the room and break in using conventional means. He manages to fly by repelling gravity or kinetic energy, but he must remain within 20m of a solid surface for this to work. He wears a protective body armour and high-tech goggles to help him with his crime career. Appearance Razak is known throughout the major casinos of the world, particularly in South East Asia and Japan. He is handsome and tall with olive complexion and a rogue's smile. His left eyebrow has a shaved line through it and he can often appear unshaven and wearing a leather jacket. At other times he will be exceptionally clean shaven and dressed in elegant suits. As Nemesis he wears a sleek light grey body armour with a red chest guard and wrist guards; black boots, gloves and back; and yellow shoulder disks and visor. Notes This is the second Nemesis in Uberworld. The first one, Carol Madison, is an American villain with no connection to this Nemesis. Razak is inspired by the film 'Lucky You' with Eric Bana and Drew Barrymore. Not sure it was a great movie but the father-son connection and the addiction to poker was a good schtick for a supervillain.

Re: Atlantis So far the Atlantean character is: female Good, but HATES humans Gadgeteer/Speedster There are seven more days to vote. Go to the blogsite and vote in the poll on the right hand side. And thanks to everyone who has voted so far. Eleven votes, I think.

#104 STAMPEDE (Malawi) STAMPEDE Kondwani Mpasu Character Sheet (Click Here) Background When Kondwani Mpasu was doused in gasoline during a routine maintenance check on a big rig in Monkey Bay he thought he was going to die. The liquid ignited and he was soon alight, although the flames seemed to extinguish themselves as quickly as they had ignited. It was all over in a matter of seconds and Mpasu was sent home to recover after it was clear that he had no burns. He was probably in a bit of shock so Mpasu agreed with his workmates and went home. When he woke from a sleep he went about his normal routine, but soon realised that he was doing everything at breakneck speed. He tried to slow everything down but ended up blowing up his mother's kitchen and sending the kitchen table through the wall into the neighbour's house. His parents were concerned and called the local doctor who examined Mpasu. The doctor noticed changes in Mpasu's body but couldn't find any reason for those changes. The gasoline accident was the most obvious cause, but when the doctor arrived at the garage to check up the story the rig was long gone. No one knew the details of the driver or the rig itself, although someone thought it was headed towards Azambia. By the time the doctor returned to the Mpasu household, young Kondwani had already taken greater control of his nascent powers. He showed the doctor what he could do as well as what he now sensed through his fingertips. Shaking his head, the doctor suggested calling Africa Force. Mpasu shrugged and said it was probably not a big deal. He went back to work and life returned to normal, although he continued to use his powers in an everyday manner. His friends grew to feel comfortable around the new Mpasu, and the family doctor gave up trying to get him to find help. It was apparent that he didn't need any help. Mpasu was a natural learner. Over the months Mpasu used his growing powers to fight crime in the city of Monkey Bay, as well as assist with emergencies such as house fires and minor flooding. He became a local hero: and it was just enough for him. He didn't want anymore but he certainly did enjoy the sense of accomplishment and the thrill of pushing his new body to its limits. So far Stampede (as Mpasu calls himself) has limited his activities to Monkey Bay. He has met with Africa Force but the meeting was more of a casual lunch than any serious investigation into his powers or outlook. He has made it quite clear that he is a mechanic and that his 'super powers' just make him an unusual mechanic, not a super hero. Personality Stampede is a modest man with an altruistic streak which has made him a local hero in the Monkey Bay area. He will go out of his way to protect his neighbours from crime or disaster, but when it comes to the world beyond his home town he just doesn't have the desire to go and fight crime. He doesn't believe his powers put him in the same league as other public heroes such as the Sentinels or Africa Force, and so he doesn't concern himself with the major movements on the world stage. There is simply too much to do on a local level. He has remained in touch with his regular life and continues to work as a mechanic. A few people know of his powers and he is well respected both as a mechanic and a hero, however, his actions haven't been overly public so his Stampede profile is still relatively unknown. Quote "I can feel it in my bones." Powers Mpasu is able to create vibrations within his body as well as within the local area. He uses these vibrations to make him incredibly fast as they boost his natural running ability. He is also able to generate vibration blasts with can rupture technology, such as engines or television sets, or act as a concussive force blast. The vibrations originate within his body and through a bit of concentration he is able to vibrate his entire body so that he can pass through solid objects, or blur himself to such an extent that it is difficult for others to see him clearly (particularly in a combat situation). A more subtle use of his powers is to 'feel' the area around him. He is able to sense the vibrations of others, such as footfalls or moving vehicles, and he is also able to extend his sensitive sense of touch to feel at a distance. Appearance Kondwani Mpasu is nineteen years old and has a lithe sprinter's body with long legs and strong arms. His body keeps body fat to an absolute minimum despite the fact that he doesn't train regularly and is prone to poor diet when his work commitments increase. He is laid back and friendly, with an open face and short black hair. Overall Mpasu looks young and idealistic, which sums him up well. He never wears shoes or gloves because he uses his palms and the soles of his feet to feel the world around him. If he covers them up he feels a little cut-off from the world, almost as if he has lost one of his senses. When he knows he is going to utilise his vibration powers he generally wears lycra running shorts and a tank top, but he is just as capable of saving the day in his stained work overalls. Notes I think Stampede would make a good character in an international team brought together in the style of Secret Wars. Once this project is over I might just have to look into that, or a Contest of Champions thing.

Re: Master List Of Limitations new home Ghost Angel is also putting these lists up on his website, which you can access here. I think Jack asked for someone to host the Lists as the Global Guardians site went down, but it looks like Jack's got things under control again. Course, it's good to have the Lists in two places anyway. Good work both GA and Jack.

#103 ANIMA MUNDI (Madagascar) ANIMA MUNDI Carmila Cray Character Sheet (Click Here) Background Spurned by her doctoral advisor for being too caught up in the romantic notions of animal's having souls, Carmila Cray was overlooked for a faculty job at the University of Oregon and found herself without a job and soon after without a thesis advisor. She was forced to drop out of her studies and was nearly going to accept a waitressing job when she saw an advertisement for scientists wanting to work in Madagascar. Carmila had been dreaming of Madagascar for years and when she saw the opportunity it was as if she was meant for it. The Alexander Corporation was investigating several species of wildlife on the island and needed scientists to continue the work after the previous team of scientists were killed or debilitated by a deadly virus. Carmila joined the new team and moved to a scientific installation outfitted with the best equipment. Some of the other scientists talked in whispers about the previous team but Carmila found herself something of a loner amongst them and pursued her work rather than social gossip. During some routine data entry, Carmila stumbled across some top secret computer files detailing Alexander's plans to use the scientific data gathered at the installation to develop biological weapons. Carmila was outraged, and perhaps even more outraged than she expected. It was as if she had been infused with outrage. She demanded to know the connection between their research and any weapons the corporation was planning to develop. The supervisor stumbled through some excuses and attempted to divert her protests, but Carmila was ruthless. She contacted the American Embassy and made a time to meet with the ambassador the following week. However, that night the supervisor left the installation and as he did so, he locked the doors from the outside. He was the only one of the previous scientific team to have survived the virus, and there was a reason. He contacted his superior at Alexander Corporation headquarters and received orders to eradicate this new team. They would use the same virus, and perhaps the next round of scientists wouldn't be so curious. Inside the installation, Carmila tossed and turned in her sleep, embraced by vivid nightmares of beasts and men and everything in between. She could see her outrage manifested as a lion and then a grunting rhinoceros. She tossed again and found herself looking out at the dream-world through the eyes of a crocodile hunting her supervisor. Then the vision changed again and she was sitting up in her bed, covered in sweat. The air in her room was humid. The air conditioner was on the blink again. Without thinking she reached for the internal com system and called maintenance. No one answered. She stood up and felt immediately light-headed. Her vision blurred. She coughed and there was blood on her hands from the phlegm. She stumbled to the door and pushed her way into the corridor. Outside she saw one of her co-workers dead on the floor. She had read about the fate of the previous scientists and recognised the signs. It was the virus. She made the connection, somehow, that the supervisor was responsible. Her eyesight cleared, almost to the point of becoming superhuman. Her senses were sharpened too. Her mind was swamped with hatred for the supervisor and a need to hunt him down and rip out his throat. Carmila shuddered. As the virus entered her body she found that her body was revolting against the invader. It shuddered and shifted and the woman she was ceased to be, and in its place was a large snake. Her body was hosting something bigger than her. It felt like the entire animal kingdom was inside her body and it was not happy. It demanded blood. She slithered down the passage. The supervisor didn't hear the window break in his apartment. His hands were clutched around the tumbler of whiskey. There was no other way, he told himself. The money tied up with the project was not the biggest concern - it was Alexander's reputation. The current CEO had been very clear that none of this project was ever to be aired in public, at least not while it was still in its testing phase. Carmila stretched her muscles and felt her body shift again, effortlessly transforming into a lioness. She could smell the supervisor and had examined the entire apartment thoroughly before she approached him directly. At first his eyes seemed to widen with fear, but then she realised he was intoxicated. She smelled fear but it wasn't as precise or potent as she had hoped. She roared at him, and the fear intensified. She licked her lips. Inside her head she felt the animal kingdom coax her forward. She never did make the meeting with the American ambassador but with her newfound connection to the Animal Kingdom Carmila realised that she had had enough of waiting to get what she deserved. With the combined powers of every animal on the planet she decided to go out and make the world her own. Her first action was to rob a bank. She knew it was conventional and it was a complete success. She followed it up with several more robberies, which got the attention of the MI6 agent Agent Ape. He was her first real opponent and they fought to a standstill, although the battle with the sentient ape forced her to tap into the more cruder aspects pf her new form. She fought tooth and nail and both lost a lot of blood. After she recovered in the jungles of Madagascar Carmila headed to London to get her revenge on Agent Ape. Her identity was secret and all the authorities knew was that a series of robberies had been undertaken by animals. Carmila lured Agent Ape to the London Zoo and nearly killed him, but was stopped by the arrival of several members of Majestic. She eluded them by changing her form and mixing with the zoo animals. Shortly after she left the country. Anima Mundi's first appearance as a human supervillain was in the United States. She donned a costume and took control of the San Diego Zoo. She released the animals and caused massive chaos in the city, but was stopped by Jungle Boy who gathered the animals back to the zoo and then faced off against Carmila. Since that time she and Jungle Boy have fought half a dozen times, and she has come to consider him a fun adversary - someone she delights in teasing and playing with. Personality Carmila believes she has been chosen to represent the injuries and injustices of the Animal Kingdom. She is quite self-righteous and difficult to argue with. She is evasive when pressed for personal information and has tried to move away from her life before becoming Anima Mundi. She never accepts failure as being her fault and considers her previous life to be a series of unfair situations caused by others. She should have been a great scientist but the establishment got in her way. She should have been happy but everyone seemed determined to ruin her life and ostracise her. With her powers she feels she can do anything. She is rude and very forward, particularly when it comes to innuendo and sexual advances. Anima Mundi plans to eventually take over the world and is determined to use the Animal Kingdom to achieve this as some kind of divine justice. Quote "I'll have you swinging in the trees with me, Jungle Boy." Powers Anima Mundi is a metamorph, able to change her shape into any kind of animal she is aware of (and she has extensive knowledge of mammals, reptiles, birds and insects). She is able to transform into normal versions of these animals and has the same characteristics and abilities. Through concentration she can boost some of these abilities beyond what is normal for the animal. For example, she is able to transform into a bear which is considerably stronger than a normal bear. When she is in an animal form she is very difficult to detect. While she usually stays in animal forms throughout any contact with superheroes or authorities, she sometimes wears a costume to show her human form while maintaining her secret identity. Appearance In her human form, Carmila appears to be a woman in her thirties with red wavy hair and a shapely figure. On the rare occasions she wears a costume it is usually plain and hardy, and includes a mask of some kind. Most of the time she just changes shape from one animal to the next without having to revert to her human form. In her various animal forms, Carmila appears like any other animal of that kind.