Certified

Re: Politics or not

When I think of politics in a game environment it's less about the people or the parties and more about having ambiguous goals where things are rarely clear cut, even if they appear that way at first, and victories lead to other complications. If you take one path you will achieve X but as a result Y witch is equally as a bad also happens. It's the classic do you save the girl or the buss full of children scenario except with politics you are able to remove the Superpowers or turn them into a hindrance as they try and plot a course through a very gray scenario.

Used sparingly these elements can add depth to two dimensional playing and help fully flesh out a character in a world where they are often only defined by their powers and looks. Used to often and players can become frustrated and jaded. Politics and politicking although it can be a fun change I don't believe should be the core driver for a game unless it's clear from the onset.

That and well it's just more fun to blast the bad guy sometimes than have to worry that the public attack dog show they run will have a field day smearing you and turning you into the criminal by popular opinion.

So I've been following the Native American Hero Thread fairly closely and came up with this:

A cultural hero collection, pick a culture you know little about and build a superhero based on that society. This could be a modern culture or older society but try and take something from them to help create the hero.

Hopefully I'll have something up in the next couple of days and I look forward to seeing why other people come up with.

Re: Native American Supers: Post Your's Here

At least Danielle Moonstar wound up a Valkyrie and got to cross mythologies a little bit. I wanted to list Forge as technology based' date=' but I think they did some wacky totemic stuff with him too.[/quote']

 

::Hangs head:: I was going for funny on that one...

 

So looking up Forge, his wiki page has him originally trained as a medicine man and turning his back on his tribe. While serving in Vietnam he did however use the spirits of his lost troops to summon demons to defeat the enemy before calling in an air strike. This is how he lost his hand and leg. (Something that I had wondered about)

 

Here is the link if you want it.

Re: Native American Supers: Post Your's Here

Is that so bad?

It depends, when you are talking about stereotypes yes. Even when you're looking at idolized images in a positive light they tend to blur one's perspective. That is not to say positive roles are bad. I am a firm believer that we could use more positive roles for cultures outside the US norm, be it Native American, Asian or Middle Eastern really any society.

 

So many are fascinated by Samurai, Fighting Priests, Celtic Warriors, Ancient Egyptian Culture, and Knights in Shining Armor...

 

The American Indians created an incredible culture where none existed before. It's a testimony to their greatness that gamers revere the purity and mysticism of their relationship with nature and unique tribal existence.

 

It's a good thing.

 

Now, I understand that stereotypes are bad... But we're talking about games and archetypical heroes here.

No arguments here, we use a few more heroes from different places. One can hope that wit them will come some nugget of information on the actual society or at least enough solid writing and good old heroingness that the readers might want to learn more on their own.

Finally, here is a link to old war propaganda art covers. Take a look at some of the stereotypes the comic industry used to push.

Re: Native American Supers: Post Your's Here

I once made up a guy who was full-blood Mohawk. He was a powered-armor wearer who had some natural psionic talents that were enhanced by the armor. Done mostly as a reaction to all the "Indians are either mystics or bow and tomahawk toting weaponsmasters" sterotypes I'd seen.

Don't you know? All Native American's are natural Bowmen/Hunter's or born with a Spiritual link to their Totem/Ancestors.

- - -

Here's my take on this. Part of the Native American archetypes come from the creators idolization of the culture or history. Rarely do characters from other cultures fit into the standard superhero molds. These character's tend to draw on that cultural background for their origin or to add depth to the personality.

The same can be said about all characters but when you talk about a culture from a shared background the writer does not need to focus in on it so greatly. Things that most people understand and are familiar don't need the volume of detail as something alien to the reader requires. So characters from cultures outside the norm tend to reinforce stereotypes or become idolized versions of that society or some part of their history.

Re: Native American Supers: Post Your's Here

Almost all my characters were born in the United States and thus qualify

 

That aside, I've made several NPCs who are of one tribe or another but never played a PC of one. Maybe I'll make one for this thread.

As someone who gets asked "Hay are you native?" way to often my typical response is something very similar. "Why yes, I've from New York." Typically this is followed up with, "Now you know whut I mean." ah the joys of the south.

So although I have not done a Native American hero before I thought I would give it a shot. Here's what we came up with:

Wakan

Val Char Cost Roll Notes

16 STR 6 12- Lift 229.7kg; 3d6 [2]

20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7

15 CON 10 12-

17 BODY 14 12-

25 INT 15 14- PER Roll 14-

18 EGO 16 13- ECV: 6

20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6

14 COM 2 12-

 

3+25 PD 0 Total: 3/28 PD (0/25 rPD)

3+25 ED 0 Total: 3/28 ED (0/25 rED)

6 SPD 0 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12

6 REC 0

30 END 0

33 STUN 0

 

Total Characteristic Cost: 107

 

Movement: Running: 8"/16"

Leaping: 3"/6"

Swimming: 2"/4"

 

Cost Powers END

33 Spirit Armor: Armor (25 PD/25 ED) (75 Active Points); Extra Time (Extra Phase, Only to Activate, -½), Requires A Skill Roll (Magic: Power ; -½), Visible (The hero’s body is surrounded buy wispy apparitions and animal spirits that block attacks and guard her. ; -¼) 0

13 Quickness of the Guide: +3 SPD (30 Active Points); Linked (Spirit Armor; Lesser Power can only be used when character uses greater Power at full value; -¾), Requires A Skill Roll (Magic: Power; -½)

33 Warrior Prayers: Multipower, 50-point reserve, (50 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (Magic: Power; -½)

2u 1) Hands of the Wise One: Healing BODY 3d6, Resurrection (50 Active Points); Extra Time (5 Minutes, -2) 5

3u 2) Call of the Spirit Guardians : Summon 2 225-point Ursine (50 Active Points); Extra Time (Extra Phase, Only to Activate, -½) 5

2u 3) Spirit Blades: Killing Attack - Hand-To-Hand 2d6-1 (3d6 - 1 w/STR) (25 Active Points) 2

 

Perks

10 Grandfather: Contact (Contact has useful Skills or resources, Very Good relationship with Contact), Spirit Contact (x2) (10 Active Points) 11-

 

Talents

20 Animal Friendship

15 Beast Speech

57 Danger Sense (general area, any danger, Analyze, Discriminatory, Function as a Sense, Targeting Sense) 14-

 

Skills

3 Animal Handler 13-

3 Climbing 13-

3 Concealment 14-

3 Deduction 14-

3 KS: Occult History 14-

3 KS: Tribal Cultures 14-

5 Language: Sioux (Dakota) (idiomatic; literate)

0 Language: English (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)

3 Paramedics 14-

11 Magic: Power 18-

3 Research 14-

3 SS: Medicine 14-

3 Shadowing 14-

3 Stealth 13-

3 Survival 14-

3 Tactics 14-

 

Total Powers & Skill Cost: 243

Total Cost: 350

 

200+ Disadvantages

15 Dependent NPC: Erin Redriver 8- (Incompetent)

5 Distinctive Features: Full blooded Sioux woman (Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses; Not Distinctive In Some Cultures)

30 Hunted: HAAD 14- (As Pow, NCI, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Harshly Punish)

5 Watched: BIA 11- (As Pow, Watching)

10 Watched: BMA 11- (As Pow, NCI, Watching)

5 Money: Poor

15 Psychological Limitation: Bound By Duty (Common, Strong)

15 Psychological Limitation: Wants to return home (Common, Strong)

15 Reputation: Environmental Activist and suspected terrorist , 11- (Extreme)

20 Social Limitation: Subject to Orders Very Frequently (14-), Major

15 Social Limitation: Distaste for urban environments (Very Frequently, Minor)

 

Total Disadvantage Points: 350

 

Background/History:

 

A native of Sioux City Iowa Willow was raised, Ashley Wilson. Her childhood was much like many others in the town. It wasn’t until high school she began to learn the truth of her ancestry. Her parents had adopted her at age two from a couple living in a reservation in Minnesota. They had been good to her through her youth but as she reached college age there was little she could do to shake off her desire to learn about her parents.

 

Against her parents best wishes Ashley left the University of Great Falls after only her first semester to visit the Lower Sioux Indian Reservation in Minnesota. It was almost a week before she could find someone willing to speak with her and three months of drifting from home to home before tracking down what had happened to her parents.

 

Both had died in a BIA raid on a drug lab not long after she was born. It was her grandfather who told her this, and gave her the gift of her birth name. When Willow was born her parents were barley able to make ends meet and to support a child would have been impossible. Neither had ever lived outside the reservation. Her mother worked selling trinkets to the store outside the reservation while her father made a living as a mechanic.

 

Both had known that the store sold marijuana and other drugs off the reservation to tourists and so Willow’s mother picked up extra money smuggling dope out of the reservation to the store. Willow’s adoptive parents had met her mother on the walk from the store home. Nine miles, they offered her a ride and spent the night in the small trailer. Her grandfather told Willow it had not been an easy choice to let her go but the couple was unable to conceive and even though they were getting by now she wanted a better life for her daughter.

 

In the nineties pot turned to crystal meth as labs sprung up through the community. There was no spiritual remedy just a cheap high and cheap labor to make it. When the BIA raided the lab her parents worked out of everyone was killed. The rumor was it was to make an example of drug dealers. Grandfather told her it was because the store hadn’t paid Sheriff Barlow his kickback in almost two weeks.

 

The months they spent together seemed to drift away as she learned about her and her people’s history. The story of her parents lingering in her mind. Her family had been warriors once, protectors of the tribe, now they were a storyteller and an outsider. Grandfather taught Willow to live off the land, how to listen to the winds and feel the movement of the world around her. These were lesions he had once taught to her father but he had turned away from the traditions early in life.

 

Months turned to years as Willow became part of the tribe, a teacher and a hunter. She danced with the fevered warriors at gatherings and felt a peace in herself as she embraced the old ways. As time passed she began to forget her childhood, instead she remembered the tales of the tribe and the great hunts gone by. She knew that not long after she had arrived she sent papers to have her name changed legally. As the years rolled on it seemed like a trivial gesture.

 

No child may sleep forever. Willow had traveled north following the trail of an eagle. Wandering into town it was as if she was reliving Grandfather’s stories. Men from the Bureau of Indian Affairs had six people lined up outside a trailer. Two men, three women and a child, without hesitation they opened fire, executing one after another. It wasn’t pride or a sense of duty or heritage or even anger, something deep within her was sparked inside.

 

Without thinking Willow chanted Grandfather’s prayers asking for the strength and protection of her ancestors. As she prayed Willow felt them her mother, father, grandfather and more circling her warding her from protection. She called for the land to give her guidance as two large brown bears charged past her. At the time she though she drew the knife as she cut into the first officer. Looking back she knew it had come to her. When it was over there were nine dead, four agents and five members of the reservation only the child had lived.

 

Her name was Erin Redriver, and both her parents had just died. It was six miles to Willow’s home and fearing taking her to the authorities Erin came with her. The girl didn’t question or complain, she didn’t really speak at all. At first Willow had worried that seeing her parents die had done something to her, it was then she noticed that they walked along the trail with the bears. There was no fear of them, Willow could look at them and know they were her guardians. To prove to Erin how safe they were the child rode on their backs most of the way home.

 

It was there Willow made her second realization. Her home was a burned out trailer. Tanned skins patched the holes in the roof and walls and a funnel on the roof collected water for her to drink. She had built this place Grandfather had shown her. Grandfather had died with her parents. Willow was all that remained of her family and their history. With a silent prayer she dedicated her self to helping other remember the forgotten ways and protecting those who no longer remembered.

 

Erin still lives with Willow who has taken on the name Wakan when she acts as a warrior. She sees Erin as a daughter and she helps to keep her grounded, no letting her get lost in Grandfather’s teachings. Barlow left the Lower Sioux Indian Reservation after sever of his men were caught by Willow. More than once she has tried to track him down, prove the extortion rackets that he runs on the reservations he’s assigned to. One of her few fears is his ability to be moved when Willow comes for him. She fears his connections in the BIA and who profits from his deeds.

 

Re: Politics or not

When dealing with politics in RPGs I like to keep things with a nice shade of gray. That is to say if politics drive the players to do something it is normally a matter of perspective. If it's eco terrorists bombing a coal mining facility then maybe the mining conditions are horrid and the attack came after a worker was hurt or killed. Heroes come in and stop the attacks on the mine but at the same time the mine owners may suppress the data the eco terrorists based their actions on or worse push to have stricter laws passed on what information they are required to make public.

At a higher level, heroes might be tipped of that a politician is working with a known villain organization. While investigating the link they may confirm the link but at the same time find out that his opposition is part of a hard line group maybe something like an anti-metahumans group pushing for forced registration or even determent. Busting the politician in power would but the other candidate in a prime position to take his seat in the up coming election.

All this is to say when playing a game it's not about pushing an agenda it's about fun game play. With politics I think you can really have fun with traditional super hero roles by having no clear cut right or wrong and a medium most players can agree on that is rarely clear cut.

Ah villains the flavor to saver in any superhero story. From the foul and wretched deviants who's sick tastes drive them into the shadows to the megalomaniac prince of industry with the resources to torment any who may oppose them. What are your thoughts on a memorable villain? GMs what bad things have you brought to bear against your intrepid heroes? Throw out some ideas and if we can get a few I'll put up a poll for a build thingy.

Re: City of Heroes - Online Hero Game

The Combos I believe are:

Weaken: -To Hit/-Def

Empower: +To Hit/+Dam (Self)

Sweep: Knockdown +Damage

Attack Vitals: +DoT

Re: City of Heroes - Online Hero Game

A quick dispatch from the test server:

Here are some screen shots of Duel Blades and a new hairdo.

Re: How would you do it?

Here was my first thought when I read that:

173 Time Shift: Sight, Hearing, Mental, Touch, Mystic, Radio and Smell/Taste Groups Flash 3d6, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Continuous (+1), Damage Shield (Offensive; Affects Mental And Physical Attackers; +1 1/4), Affects Physical World (+2) (259 Active Points); Linked (Desolidification; Lesser Power can only be used when character uses greater Power at full value; -1/2)

I bit costly but anything that affects the physical world while desolid is going to get up there quick. It flashes everything for a short period and there's some room to play with things.

Here would be the same thing as an entangle:

105 Time Shift II: Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +1/2), Damage Shield (Offensive; +3/4), Continuous (+1), Affects Physical World (+2) (157 Active Points); Linked (Desolidification; Lesser Power can only be used when character uses greater Power at full value; -1/2)

Re: Why do you like to play Super Hero Games?

Role playing games are supposed to be about collective story telling. Granted you have a GM who guides things for the most part but from when I first started playing RPGs that was part of the sales pitch.

Comic books also seem to fall into this category. The shifting writers over they years or the occasional guest writer is part of that but you also have the collective universe itself. With dozens of other writers working on very different stories and although they may not always overlap they are still working to shape the same world.

When we talk about genre in RPGs with few exception most games give you here is the world here is how you fit into it. With superheros it's here we all are, how do we fit together? Background stories are wildly divergent with everything from martial artists and mystics to aliens and alternate dimensions. In most RPGs it seems when you start getting a bit too creative something will shut you down.

"No, I'm sorry it doesn't work like that." or "That concept is out of line with the setting."

With a superhero RPG most of the time no matter how weird you can fit in any background. Now of course there are exceptions, some settings have singular events that are the root of all supers, some GMs hold a tighter hold on the games scope but for the most part you can get as creative as you want and still make things work.

Well I think I'm done rambling for the morning. Thanks for the interesting question, helped to wake me up.

Re: Villain Grey Matter

I've updated the 2nd post into include a 1st draft of Grey Matter.

Re: Villain Grey Matter

Sort of reminds me of Mind Matter Control from 4Ed "Creatures of the Night" in a way.

Original Prison Thread

I'm not familiar with that book, tell us more maybe yes?

Re: Villain Grey Matter

Well, for those who made it through that, I hope you enjoyed the story. It turned out a lot longer than I had expected it to. If you have any thoughts on an actual build for Grey Matter please post away. I look forward to reading your thoughts. I should put up an actual character at some point.

Re: Dr Who

mild telepathy too.

Well semi psychic paper at any rate...

Re: Villain Grey Matter

Information Collected Above

Re: Villain Grey Matter

Grey Matter v1.01

GREY MATTER

Val	Char	Cost	Roll	Notes
50+10	STR	40	19- / 21-	Lift 25.6tons/102.4tons; 10d6/12d6 [5/6]
30	DEX	60	15-	OCV:  10/DCV:  10
50	CON	80	19-
40+2	BODY	60	17-
50	INT	40	19-	PER Roll 19-
50	EGO	80	19-	ECV:  17
25	PRE	15	14-	PRE Attack:  5d6
0	COM	-5	9-

10+30	PD	0		Total:  10/40 PD (10/40 rPD)
10+30	ED	0		Total:  10/40 ED (10/40 rED)
9	SPD	50		Phases:  2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12
20	REC	0
200	END	50
90+2	STUN	0	Total Characteristic Cost:  470

Movement:	Running:  6"/12" 
Leaping:  10"/20"
Swimming:  2"/4"

Cost	Powers	END
90	Nanite Body:  Armor (30 PD/30 ED)	0
20	Nanite Body II:  Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% (30 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
20	Nanite Body III:  Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% (30 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
24	Nanite Body IV:  Damage Resistance (10 PD/10 ED/15 Mental Def./18 Flash Def./20 Power Def.) (36 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
80	Disperse Body :  Desolidification , Limited Power Power loses less than a fourth of its effectiveness (Trigger can be circumvented if Grey Matter is somehow restrained. Entangled/Frozen etc...; +0), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Trigger (Activating the Trigger is an Action that takes no time, Trigger resets automatically, immediately after it activates; +1) (100 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -¼)	0
68	Master of Nano Tech:  Elemental Control, 240-point powers,  (120 Active Points); all slots Cannot Be Used With Multiple-Power Attacks (-¼), Linked (Nanite Body; -¼), Physical Manifestation (Grey Goo; -¼)	
104	-10)  Killing Attack - Ranged 5d6+1, Personal Immunity (+¼), Damage Shield (Offensive; +¾), Continuous (+1) (240 Active Points); No Knockback (-¼)	24
130	-9)  Mind Control 14d6 (Machine class of minds), Telepathic (+¼), Indirect (Same origin, always fired away from attacker; +¼), Affects Physical World (+2) (245 Active Points)	24
130	-8)  Shrinking (5.615E-5 m tall, 1.727E-12 kg mass, -32 PER Rolls to perceive character, +32 DCV, takes +48" KB), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (240 Active Points)	0
130	-7)  Stretching 32", Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (240 Active Points)	0
3	Crafted Tendrils :  Extra Limbs  (50) (5 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
6	Hearing Group Flash Defense (9 points) (9 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
6	Sight Group Flash Defense (9 points) (9 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
10	Just for show:  Growth (+10 STR, +2 BODY, +2 STUN, -2" KB, 1,944 kg, +0 DCV, +0 PER Rolls to perceive character, 4 m tall, 2 m wide), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) (15 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
33	Regeneration:  Healing BODY 2d6, Can Heal Limbs, Resurrection, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½) (90 Active Points); Extra Time (1 Turn (Post-Segment 12), -1 ¼), Self Only (-½)	0
	Notes:  No Healing Max (see FREd p. 120).
12	Lack Of Weakness (-18) for Resistant Defenses (18 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
28	Nanite Body V:  Life Support  (Immunity All terrestrial poisons and chemical warfare agents; Immunity: All terrestrial diseases and biowarfare agents; Longevity: Immortal; Safe Environment: Zero Gravity; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Self-Contained Breathing; Sleeping: Character does not sleep) (42 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -½)	0
5	Mental Defense (15 points total)	0
104	Ghost in the Machine:  Mind Link , Machine class of minds, Specific Group of Minds, Any distance, No LOS Needed, Number of Minds (x1,048,576), Psychic Bond (130 Active Points); Linked (Nanite Body; -¼)	0
128	Nanite Blasts:  Multipower, 225-point reserve,  (225 Active Points); all slots Requires A Skill Roll (Nanite Control: Power; -½), Linked (Nanite Body; -¼)	
11u	8)  Killing Attack - Ranged 8d6+1, Personal Immunity (+¼), Lingering up to 1 Turn (+½) (219 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (Nanite Control: Power; -½), No Knockback (-¼), Linked (Nanite Body; -¼)	22
11u	9)  Killing Attack - Ranged 5d6+1, Personal Immunity (+¼), Lingering up to 1 Turn (+½), Area Of Effect (29" Cone; +1) (220 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (Nanite Control: Power; -½), No Knockback (-¼), Linked (Nanite Body; -¼)	22
13u	10) Major Transform 2 ½d6 (Components to Nanites  , Rebuilding), Alterable Size, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Based On EGO Combat Value (Mental Defense applies; +1), Continuous (+1), Area Of Effect (64" Radius; +1 ½) (225 Active Points); Requires A Skill Roll (Nanite Control: Power; -½), Linked (Nanite Body; -¼)	0
20	Nanite Replicators:  Power Defense (20 points)	0
140	Knowledge of the Collective:  Variable Power Pool (Gadget Pool), 100 base + 40 control cost,  (150 Active Points); all slots Linked (Nanite Body; -¼)	

Perks
10	Computer Link
15	Reputation:  Killer Monster Thing (A large group) 14-, +5/+5d6
190	Assembler Homes :  Vehicles & Bases
	Notes:  This assumes Grey Matter is freed from Black Mountain Prison.Grey Matter can poosess up to four 900 point Resources

Talents
3	Absolute Range Sense
3	Absolute Time Sense
5	Eidetic Memory
3	Lightning Calculator

Skills
30	+3 Overall
10	Defense Maneuver I-IV 
3	Bribery 14-
3	Bugging 19-
3	Bureaucratics 14-
3	Climbing 15-
15	Computer Programming 25-
3	Contortionist 15-
3	Criminology 19-
15	Cryptography 25-
15	Deduction 25-
15	Electronics 25-
3	Forensic Medicine 19-
3	Forgery 19-
3	High Society 14-
15	Instructor 25-
15	Inventor 25-
3	Linguist
3	1)  Language:  Arabic (Modern) (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
1	2)  Language:  Assembler (basic conversation)
1	3)  Language:  Basic (basic conversation)
3	4)  Language:  Cantonese (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	5)  Language:  Czech (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
0	6)  Language:  English (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	7)  Language:  Farsi (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	8)  Language:  French (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	9)  Language:  German (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	10)  Language:  Greek (Modern) (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	11)  Language:  Hebrew (Israeli) (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	12)  Language:  Italian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	13)  Language:  Japanese (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	14)  Language:  Korean (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	15)  Language:  Latin (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	16)  Language:  Mandarin (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
3	17)  Language:  Russian (completely fluent; literate) (4 Active Points)
15	Mechanics 25-
3	Oratory 14-
3	Paramedics 19-
15	Nanite Control:  Power 25-
3	Research 19-
3	Scholar
2	1)  KS: Accounting/Bookeeping (3 Active Points) 19-
1	2)  KS: CAD/CAM (2 Active Points) 11-
2	3)  KS: Codes and Cyphers (3 Active Points) 19-
2	4)  KS: Computer Databases (3 Active Points) 19-
2	5)  KS: Computer Hacking (3 Active Points) 19-
2	6)  KS: Computer Interfaces (3 Active Points) 19-
2	7)  KS: Computer Network Administration (3 Active Points) 19-
2	8)  KS: Computer Networking (3 Active Points) 19-
2	9)  KS: Computer Security (3 Active Points) 19-
2	10)  KS: Computer Viruses (3 Active Points) 19-
2	11)  KS: Electronic Inteligence Gathering (3 Active Points) 19-
2	12)  KS: History (3 Active Points) 19-
2	13)  KS: Law (3 Active Points) 19-
2	14)  KS: Logistics (3 Active Points) 19-
2	15)  KS: Market Analysis (3 Active Points) 19-
2	16)  KS: Organized Crime (3 Active Points) 19-
3	Scientist
2	1)  SS:  AI Technology 19- (3 Active Points)
2	2)  SS:  Aeronautical Engineering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	3)  SS:  Aerospace Enginering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	4)  SS:  Anatomy 19- (3 Active Points)
2	5)  SS:  Ballistics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	6)  SS:  Ballistics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	7)  SS:  Battlesuit Engineering and Design 19- (3 Active Points)
2	8)  SS:  Biochemistry  19- (3 Active Points)
2	9)  SS:  Biology 19- (3 Active Points)
2	10)  SS:  Botany 19- (3 Active Points)
2	11)  SS:  Chemical Engineering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	12)  SS:  Chemical and Biological Weapons 19- (3 Active Points)
2	13)  SS:  Computer Control Systems 19- (3 Active Points)
2	14)  SS:  Computer Science 19- (3 Active Points)
2	15)  SS:  Cryogenics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	16)  SS:  Electrical Engineering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	17)  SS:  Energy Conversion Systems 19- (3 Active Points)
2	18)  SS:  Environmental Science 19- (3 Active Points)
2	19)  SS:  Genetics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	20)  SS:  Gravitics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	21)  SS:  Hydraulic Engineering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	22)  SS:  Kinetics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	23)  SS:  Lasers 19- (3 Active Points)
2	24)  SS:  Magnetic Engineering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	25)  SS:  Magnetics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	26)  SS:  Mathematics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	27)  SS:  Mechanical Engineering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	28)  SS:  Medicine 19- (3 Active Points)
2	29)  SS:  Metallurgy 19- (3 Active Points)
2	30)  SS:  Neural Interface Technology 19- (3 Active Points)
2	31)  SS:  Nuclear Physics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	32)  SS:  Optics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	33)  SS:  Organic Chemistry 19- (3 Active Points)
2	34)  SS:  Physics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	35)  SS:  Psychology 19- (3 Active Points)
2	36)  SS:  Quantum Physics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	37)  SS:  Robotics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	38)  SS:  Sociology 19- (3 Active Points)
2	39)  SS:  Software Engineering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	40)  SS:  Solid State Physics 19- (3 Active Points)
2	41)  SS:  Structural Engineering  19- (3 Active Points)
2	42)  SS:  Weapons System Engineering 19- (3 Active Points)
2	43)  SS:  Zoology 19- (3 Active Points)
3	Security Systems 19-
3	Shadowing 19-
3	Stealth 15-

Total Powers & Skill Cost:  1930
Total Cost:  2400

2250+	Disadvantages
10	Vulnerability:  1 ½ x Effect From Cold (Common)
10	Vulnerability:  2 x STUN From Magnetics (Uncommon)
20	Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Many Enemies) Frequently (11-), Severe
10	Psychological Limitation:  Overconfidance (Common, Moderate)
25	Psychological Limitation:  Wants to brink all Humans into the Collective (Very Common, Total)
5	Watched:  Black Mountain Prison 14- (Less Pow, Limited Geographical Area, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to find, Watching)
15	Physical Limitation:  Must Consume Raw Materials (Frequently, Greatly Impairing)
5	Rivalry:  Professional (Xeno Consortium; Rival is As Powerful; Seek to Harm or Kill Rival; Rival Unaware of Rivalry)
	Notes:  Grey Matter has vowed to make an example of the Xeno Consortium. Should his plans to get free come to pass he will not he so quick to show his cards. 
20	Distinctive Features:  Mass of Living Grey Ooze (Concealable; Extreme Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses)
20	Psychological Limitation:  No longer understands what it was like to be human (Very Common, Strong)
10	Social Limitation:  No longer able to interact directly with society (Occasionally, Major)

Total Disadvantage Points:  2400

Personality/Motivation:  Grey Matter believes that by unifying all intellect and knowledge in the world it can create an eternal society of peace and scientific advancement. It sees itself as the herald and god of this utopian world and once freed will work towards reshaping the earth in it’s image. Part of this goal to destroy the Xeno Consortium in a very public way to set an example for those who may oppose it. 

Quote:  “Bow before me and be reborn.”

Appearance:  Grey Matter is a collection of Nanite assemblers and a Collective Brain. Without thought it’s body is a mass of grey goo. It typically takes a vague humanoid form to allow those present a face to address. 

Note: Added Grey Matter Character Sheet.

The full story is now contained in post 1, it is no longer broken across 4 posts.

This character was mentioned in the prison thread. The background story has been rumbling around for a while. Here we go. any suggestions for powers or build ideas?

Before I post the background on Grey Matter I though I would include some more info on the Xeno Consortium members involved with the story. I've posted some of this before but I though it couldn't hurt.

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Richter, a US native he is the leader of the Xeno Consortium, capable of manipulating earth and stone.

 

Storm Maiden, Greek Metahuman she calls herself a weather witch manipulating storms and able to channel lightning.

The Jackal, a shape shifter from South Africa, his altered form is a cross of different predators.

Havoc-X, a Russian solder and one of the last members of the RRX project, his powers allow him to disrupt any matter in contact with the earth.

Golden Arm, German strong man his arms are coated with a golden metal that is neigh invulnerable.

Tempest, Chinese swordsman his blades have been passed down through six hundred and ninety nine generations of family warriors along with a personal school of martial arts.

Siberian Tigress, another member of the RRX program her catlike qualities are a strange byproduct of the breeding experiment, she is capable of freezing the air and creating ice from ambient moisture.

Dynasty, a minor psychic from England, she had honed her telekinetic abilities to an art form along with the power to alter probability.

Lighting, also from England Lighting is able to ride electrical fields and channel electricity into various forms.

 

Moon Dog, a veteran from the Vietnam war, Moon Dog was Richter’s mentor in the army and has trained several others of the Xeno Consortium. A Xenomorph he is able to become a huge wolf with human like clawed hands.

The Birth of Grey Matter

Once a researcher into nano technology for IMR; Richard Erikson was the lead designer in the collective processing effort. His team worked to develop a collaborative set of units capable or receiving information from outside sources and disseminating it among the nanite workers. The designs were based on information gathered from the Metahuman hero Isis’s ability to control and manipulate plants.

 

The initial units showed extreme promise able to update and modify existing instructions in a matter of seconds. The second generation integrated solar receptors and core logic to allow for adaptation. This allowed the nanite workers to forgo any unnecessary disassembly when projects changed. Gen 1 workers would have to break down all core materials before beginning a new project. This would lead to Erikson’s undoing.

 

Although a brilliant scientist Erikson was driven and did not see the growing tensions in his team. This came to a head when research assistant Ronald Davis snapped while arguing with Erikson. The two came two blows and Davis broke the containment field of the nanites that they had been testing. The loose nanites flooded the lab only Davis escaped.

 

The body of Richard Erikson was broken down along with virtually everything else in the lab before Davis could activate the emergency overrides filling the room with high powered coolant. What none of the researchers realized was as the nanite workers broke down Erikson’s body his intellect was transferred to the collective. Once the nanites were contained Erikson’s persona began to reform now stored on the Gen 2 Collective. Over the next several months the new Gen 2 mass learned to override incoming commands and develop long term storage rewriting workers into the collective as necessary.

 

Within a year the Gen 2 Collective had amassed enough workers to extract its revenge. Breaking down the containing units the Collective reformed destroying the research facility. Once assembled the memories of Erikson shaped its appearance into something roughly humanoid.

 

Capable of breaking down virtually any substance on contact the Collective hunted down each of the original research team, absorbing their memories and knowledge. At first IMR attempted to keep the killings quite, this however would not last. At a public speaking engagement Ronald Davis was consumed by the Collective on live television. The press headline read Grey mass consumes Scientist discussing the threat of grey goop. Each kill expanded the Collective’s intelligence it desired more. Growing from the isolated murder of the original team the Collective began targeting top scientists.

 

This came to a head when the Collective overtook the city of Burr Nebraska, converting the steel mill and rail station into a modern day fortress. Those men and women present were taken into the Collective and converted into semiautonomous drones. For three days a message went out on all television and radio station connected to satellites.

 

“I am Grey Matter. You will become part of the collective.”

 

The signal was traced to Burr. Satellite photos showed the small town in ruins. Because of the lack of collateral damage an initial response team was sent from the Bureau of Metahuman Affairs. When they arrived they found a crater stretching out from just beyond the city limits. All that remained was dust; even the roads had been stripped from the ground.

 

The only structure now sat over the railway tracts. A large building, as they took in the construction they watched as spires or twisted metal continued to grow. The every structure itself seemed alive. Weary, the BMA agents kept their distance witnessing the true horror of what would become known as the enclave.

 

Trains, controlled by Grey Matter were consumed by the enclave only to feed the needs of the building. Those unfortunate enough to be trapped inside became the vassals of the Collective. Cyborgs, reshaped by the will of the master, their minds had been reformatted to follow only one.

 

The BMA team reported all this before being told to fall back to a nearby Air Force base. The team never arrived. Three infantry battalions, two armored Divisions along with air support were deployed in just under five days. However, without satellite recon none were prepared for what they found.

 

The enclave had grown exponentially now over a square mile in size the Collective stood at and estimated fifteen hundred. These numbers were generated by surviving field commanders after the aerial assault and artillery strikes. The first day of fighting was a massacre.

 

Infantry was not equipped to deal with the energy weapons of the borgs. Armor was stripped in the field and dissembled and rushed back to the enclave by squads of the Collective. One solder described the battle as being a flea trying to storm an ant hill.

 

US troops had suffered over fifteen percent casualties within just one hour of the engagement. Surviving troops feel back amidst a second air strike. Fortifying a long rolling hill the solders dug in for an extended engagement. Within two hours of securing the hill Collective Cyborgs were swarming the location. Without need to rest the solders gathered found themselves overwhelmed.

 

At one AM on the second day nine members of the Xeno Consortium, a team of Metahumans working with the UN Security Council, arrived. Only a small group of less than a hundred solders remained. Bunkered down they fought into the night surrounded by the Collective.

 

Storm Maiden, Havoc-X and Richter pushed the Collective forces back while Golden Arm, Siberian Tigress, Dynasty and the Jackal rushed to bring survivors to a nearby helicopter and the Diamond Back jet where Lighting and Tempest waited. Once the evacuation was secured the remaining members of the Xeno Consortium bushed back. Although, the Collective’s energy rifles had easily overcome the combat vests of the solders they where balked at the walls of earth created by Richter. Riding the stone waves Havoc-X and Storm Maiden plowed a path into the heart of the Barr crater. The Jackal and Golden Arm guarded Richter while Dynasty guided them from above.

 

At the walls of the enclave the Consortium was met with assault cannons and heavily armored robots. The Collective was already adapting. The tides were shifting again. For two hours the members of the Xeno Consortium held the line against the enclave wall. It was not until the arrival of Lightning, Tempest and a retied war hero and mentor to many of the Consortium; Moon Dog arrived were they able to push in finally breaking into the enclave itself.

 

The inside of the compound was a living nest of cybernetic automatons and tiny machines working intensely to repair the damage of the assault and expand the enclave. There were no solders inside, only the birthing chambers for those lost souls who had been trapped by Grey Matter. Glass and steel tubes where their flesh was stripped away to be replaced with metal, kept conscious their minds were destroyed from the pain.

 

Here none attacked the Consortium. The Birthing Chambers finished their grizzly work but no new subjects were forced into the tubes. Dynasty could sense the Collective as it squirreled away those remaining survivors deeper into the enclave. It was then she realized the truth, Grey Matter only allowed them to see as much as it had so they would understand its power as they were funneled into his lair.

 

The enclave itself shifted around them as they moved through the compound. Sealing of passages they had taken and directing them where it wanted them to be. The hallways lead them into a large open chamber, as large as an airplane hanger. Pillars of raw materials were stacked around the remaining railroad tracts; a grey mass adding to each stack as another stripping it away and into the enclave. As the Xeno Consortium neared the chamber the hallway sealed itself behind them blocking them in.

 

“So these are the champions chosen by man.” The sound of steel grinding away carved out the words echoing through the heart of the enclave. “I will give them time it is too soon for them to truly know that a new god has been born. You however, I give a choice, kneel before the Collective and become my heralds’ or become man’s first sacrifices to the new order.”

 

As the voice filled the chamber the grey liquid that coated the pillars began to congeal it something almost human looking. Dark veins pumped through the swarming mass of a body as it grew. A silence passed over the chamber.

 

“Bow before me and be reborn.” The mass swelled into a towering giant.

 

“You’re no god!” Thunder Maiden screamed as three bolts of lightning struck the roof of the chamber, her body swinging up, riding the surge of wind.

 

Without hesitation a burst of black energy vomited from the giant’s palm. Richter slams his palm to the earth as a spike of stone shoots upward to intercept the attack. The bolt melts along the granite shunt dissolving it.

 

The Jackal charges out past Richter barreling at Grey Matter.

 

“No, don’t touch him!” Screaming Moon Dog’s voice cracks as the Jackal pounces on the giant’s chest. His body passes through harmlessly as Grey Matter reseals the wound. The Jackal falls behind the giant his body covered in the grey nanite mass. The metamorph howls in pain as they tear at his body. Siberian Tigress growls as the Jackal’s body is encased in shards of ice. The shards burst almost instantly as her comrade falls limp, his body torn.

 

“Prey that he lives.” She looks up from the Jackal’s body at Grey Matter.

 

“Don’t be so foolish kitten, prey to me that your death can be so quick.” With a grinding metal laugh the walls of the enclave shift growing ling metal spikes. “Or is it more fitting that I play with my food?”

 

The smell of ozone fills the air with a flash of light. Lightning shifts to his downed ally, placing his hands over him. Another flash and he perches on the damaged roof with the Jackal.

 

Gripping his palms together Havoc-X begins to hum. The wave of force that is unleashed cracks the floor below them as it sends a shockwave into Grey Matter. The giant disperses for an instant only to reform intact. The shifting mass of its face seemed to smile as the spiked walls send spears of metal across the floor.

 

Richter’s leg is caught while Havoc-X’s arm is split open. Another spike bends against Golden Arm’s bicep. Dynasty ducks under the two poles aimed at her. Sliding between the beams she grabs the rod cutting through Richter’s calf with a telekinetic thrust it is pulled free. Pulling Havoc-X away from the steel spike Golden Arm moves towards Richter and Dynasty.

 

Scanning the room Tempest understood his blades would serve them no good in this battle. There had to be some other way. Yet, it was as Dynasty had said this one only showed what it wanted them to see.

 

Stomping his wounded leg, blood splattered on the grown below Richter; a wave of earth erupting from his foot. The rolling mass of stone crashes into the pillars and shears the steel spikes before colliding with Grey matter. The body of the giant ate through the rock almost instantly.

 

“Do you question my divine power?” With a flick of the wrist another burst of black energy spewed forth. Pushing Richter out of the way Golden Arm dug in shielding him from the blast.

 

“It burns…” The powerful Metahuman had not felt anything on his arms for years. Short of artillery shells no sensation penetrated the thick armored flesh of his arms.

 

“For a god you sure do have a short attention span!” A crack of thunder followed her words as a bolt of light dropped from the heavens. The seared the body of Grey Matter as tiny burning metal droplets hopped from its body before the giant reformed.

 

“Keep hammering him, he can’t keep this up.” Havoc-X turned from Grey Matter to Golden Arm. A hum as he touches his friend’s limbs stained black by the living nanites that now tried to consume him, touching his shoulders he sent a shockwave through Golden Arm’s body liquefying the invaders.

 

Pouncing Siberian Tigress leapt at Grey Matter her body sheathed in a film of ice. As she impacts Tigress kicks off pushing away with the force of two jets of artic cold. The giant’s chest solidifies encased in frost. Moon Dog seeing the opening rams into the frozen abomination’s chest shattering it. The remaining limbs melt back into each other reforming almost instantly. Shifting as he lands, the large wolf mut, Moon Dog growls.

 

Again a bolt of black force bursts from the renewed giant’s hands targeting thunder Maiden. A flash of light but Lighting is not fast enough to intercept Thunder. Striking them both the pair drop from the sky. Rolling over onto Thunder Maiden, Lightning felt the nanites tearing into his flesh.

 

“Strike me!” He cries as thousands of dissemblers scramble up along his face. Before they reach his mouth a bolt from the clouds strikes down onto him. Channeling the force, Lightning charges his body short circuiting the nanites before collapsing on Thunder Maiden.

 

Thunder Maiden clawed to get free. She knew Lightning had sacrificed himself to save her. Her heart slammed at her chest. Torn, there was no question the rest of the Consortium needed her but would Lighting die because of it?

 

“So can my supplicants can be taught?”

 

The moment of clarity, as Tempest watched the battle rage around him he realized that Grey Matter’s biggest secret had been hidden in the open.

 

“No, don’t let him fool you, look.” Tempest screamed over winds and the sound of grinding metal. The pillars were shrinking. The nanite mass that made up Grey Matter’s body needed the raw materials to survive. The creature had been consuming itself to put on such a show.

 

“Richter, shut him off!” Havoc-X voice was a strange mix of tones as he fought to control his passions.

 

Raising his leg again Richter cried as he slammed the blood stained boot into the ground. Pushing himself a wall erupts from below them sealing the enclave away from Grey Matter and the others.

 

“Now, hit him now!” Richter fell on his arms as Havoc-X focused a burst of sound. Channeled through the ground the sonic burst rocked the giant, disbursing his form. As before it only an instant to reform, it was smaller diminished. Tempest had been right. Rolling over Thunder Maiden called to the winds as another bolt of lightning reigned down.

 

“Tigress, get me a shot!” Moon Dog’s voice is guttural as he moves around clearing a path. Without missing a beat she baths Grey Matter in ice and snow freezing part of his body. Leaping Moon Dog barrels at the mass; shattering the ice as he lands by Golden Arm.

 

“Do you fools honestly believe it so easy to kill a god?” As Grey Matter spoke the remaining roof melted away feeding it, rebuilding it’s body.

 

The stone walls broke around them as veins of nanites tore through them feeding Grey Matter. Inside the enclave this monster was a god, so long as he controlled the workers there was no way to keep Grey Matter from regenerating. Searching Richter looked up from the ground. The connection he felt to the earth was seared with pain, both his own and the land itself.

 

“Dynasty, can you lift him?” Fighting Richter tried to stand.

 

“I don’t know, I’ve never tried to carry something it’s size.”

 

“Try, we have to separate that ting from what’s feeding him.” Summoning what strength he had left Richter readied himself. “Hav, soften the floors.”

 

“There is no chance!” Waving his arm black streams of energy reined down. Running Siberian Tigress dove for the others as a shield of ice blanketed them.

 

Caught outside the shield Moon Dog bounded for Tempest sensing what Richter planned. Catching the swordsman off guard he lifts Tempest in his mouth. Leaping across the metal shafts Moon Dog hurdles for the roof. Razor claws latching onto the broken dome, he spits Tempest onto the ledge.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Still struggling to pull himself up Moon Dog locks eyes with Tempest.

 

“Run.”

 

Seeing an opening Grey Matter swats the trapped veteran to the ground. Falling Moon Dog could think only of the burning he felt as the nanite workers stripped the flesh from his back.

 

“Now, lift him now!” Golden Arm punches through the frozen barrier running for Moon Dog.

 

Clinching her fists Dynasty struggled with the weight of the giant. As she tried to lift him she felt its mass growing to resist her. Pulling in she falls over as Grey Matter’s form rises.

 

“Tigress, cool him down.” Richter fell to the ground both fist hammering the floor. A tide of mud and stone pours up around them shooting into the open ceiling. Caught in the wave Moon Dog tumbles down the rocky geyser rolling onto Golden Arm.

 

The ice wall is lifted snapping into shards as Siberian Tigress tries to freeze the body of Grey Matter. From behind her she hears Dynasty grown as she maintained the lift. No one needed to say it there was no time. The low hanging clouds summoned by Thunder Maiden circled down around the giant as Tigress pull what moisture she could to seal Grey Matter off.

 

Tempest watched as Moon Dog fell before the ring of earth erupted cutting him off for the others. Turning he dashed down the sloping arc of the enclave dome. Metal uprooting itself, shards of steel spiraled at him shooting into the wall of earth behind him. They were cutting him off. The enclave itself would cannibalize before letting the master be isolated. Sword drawn he infuses it with the spirits of his ancestors. The blade easily slices through the metallic veins as Tempest negotiated the shifting terrain.

 

“I can’t…” The suspended body of Grey Matter drops as Dynasty falls limp.

 

As the frozen body falls Thunder Maiden used what strength she could muster to slow the decent. Clasping his hand the sound of Havoc-X’s humming resonates through the chamber. They all feel it as the disruptive energy blankets the floor before Grey Matter lands.

 

Trapped inside a cocoon of ice the nanites that lingered in the chamber destroyed by Havoc-X’s blast, Grey Matter had been cut from it’s workers.

 

- - -

 

Tigress tended to Lightning, Moon Dog and the Jackal when her ear piece kicked on.

 

“What’s happening down there? Things just shut down up top.” It was unclear if Tempest heard her sigh of relief to hear Tempest’s voice.

 

“We’ve sealed Grey Matter away from the ooze that fed him, but I can’t keep him on ice forever.”

 

“What about the old man?”

 

“Unconscious, I’m sure when he wakes up he’ll be happy to tell you in his prime the scratches on his back wouldn’t have even fazed him. Everyone down here is pretty banged up can you radio the air base for assistance.”

 

“On it…”

 

“And tell them to bring any coolant they have.”

 

- - -

 

On June twenty second nineteen ninety six the entity known as Grey Matter was transferred to the Black Mountain Penitently. There he is kept in a special glass containment facility on the bottom level. The chamber is kept at negative fifty degrees Celsius. Scientist from Dynamic Biotech Corp and the Institute for Metahuman Research hope to one day be able to study the nanite structure but to date it has been deemed too unsafe.

 

The enclave has been quarantined off as a disaster site within a ten mile radius. Government researchers still consider the location a virtual cornucopia of super technology. At this time only twenty percent of the facilities at the enclave have been fully explored.

 

Further research into Nano AI has been banned by the UN Security Council and is considered a rough science by almost all civilized countries. The sole notable exception is Romania home to Global Environmental Operations a corporation dedicated to pushing the boundaries of science.

 

Re: Am I the only one who ever noticed...

Makes me think about that scene in the movie "Airplane" where the two Afro-Americans were talking Ghetto, and the only one on the plane who understood them was the actress who play June Cleaver from Leave it to Beaver.

We interrupt this regularly scheduled thread for a breaking announcement:

- - -

Randy: Can I get you something?

Second Jive Dude: 'S'mofo butter layin' me to da' BONE! Jackin' me up... tight me!

Randy: I'm sorry, I don't understand.

First Jive Dude: Cutty say 'e can't HANG!

Jive Lady: Oh stewardess! I speak jive.

Randy: Oh, good.

Jive Lady: He said that he's in great pain and he wants to know if you can help him.

Randy: All right. Would you tell him to just relax and I'll be back as soon as I can with some medicine?

Jive Lady: Jus' hang loose, blood. She gonna catch ya up on da' rebound on da' med side.

Second Jive Dude: What it is, big mama? My mama no raise no dummies. I dug her rap!

Jive Lady: Cut me some slack, Jack! Chump don' want no help, chump don't GET da' help!

First Jive Dude: Say 'e can't hang, say seven up!

Jive Lady: Jive ass dude don't got no brains anyhow! Hmmph!

- - -

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread...

Re: Random Pondering: Istvatha V'han

I really like the theory of multiple incarnations of Istvatha V'han.

I believe the description of the character states that her powers are unique, she does not register as a mutant and they were unable to locate a source for her abilities. So to follow this what if each alternate Istvatha V'han had roughly identical abilities, personality and goals but a different power other than her ability to travel between dimensions. The points invested in resources could also be redistributed to add variation to the Istvatha V'hans.

Then comes the question of why this singular change? This combined with the already stated no explanation for her powers could lead to a whole new series of story lines just to understand the Istvatha V'hans.

PS: You must spread bla bla bla ... can someone rep jkwleisemann for me...

Re: Trying to develop an interesting power set

How about a Variable Power Pool with either Focus or Only in Hero ID. The special effect being that he rummages through the extra dimensional drawers of the suit to put things together. You can also add requires extra time and skill rolls to represent having to search the drawers and put the device together. What you may consider doing is going through what other abilities the suit might offer and possibly linking those.

For Example: You may use Armor as a base and have the VPP linked to that. Maybe Desolid or Missile Deflection as well to represent opening drawers on the suit to send an inbound attack to the extra dimensional space. The latter would not be part of the VPP since the hero could use the drawer trick while using a tool from the suit.

Hope this helps.

Re: Halloween Themed Session...ideas?

The Red Moon Falls on All Hallows Day. A small cult of mages use this celestial event to open a gate into another realm unleashing energies unknown to the mortal realm for centuries. Throughout the city those tuned to these occulted forces awaken to visions of the nightmare that shall plague the world. IS this warning enough? The dead have been awakened and walk the earth sowing the seeds of the Restless One's rebirth, as the foolish sorcerers become the vassals of the new ruler of the realm of man and his children.

Does that help?

We have Astrological and Seasonal Events, Cults, Psychics, Zombies, Dark Gods from another realm. I think this should cover the bases.

Re: Doctor, Doctor!

When I was working on the Metahumans Rising timeline I had one hero named Doctor Midnight. The Doctor came from his knack with fixing cars, his company called him the car doctor. It was intended as a little play on the abundance of heroes with the doctor title.

Re: Prison facilities for super-human criminals in your Campaigns?

Reading through this thread got me all inspired and stuff. In the Metahumans Rising timeline I had mentioned Black Mountain a couple of times but this got me to actually write something about it.

Black Mountain

Opened in 1990 Black Mountain is the US’s only Metahuman detention facility. Located eighty six miles outside of Salt Lake City Utah Black Mountain is accessible only by air or on foot. The underground facility can house up to three thousand regular (non-powered) inmates as well as an additional two hundred unique prisoners.

Black Mountain itself is a winding maze of underground catacombs with no single direct surface exit below the bulkhead floors. Security access divides the prisoners by threat level splitting them between twenty floors below the three bulkheads. Each of these floors can operate as an autonomous prison facility with cafeteria, food supply, water and sewage piping, and ventilation. Prisoners are kept in isolation between eighteen and twenty three hours a day depending on the assigned security level.

Metahuman residents are confined to single rooms under maximum isolation. The Black Mountain facility itself uses a unique sonic resonator that shuts down the aggression centers of the brain. This resonator renders almost all Metahuman abilities nonfunctional. Black Mountain guards wear modified NBC protective suits to shield against the disruptive waves.

Currently Black Mountain is to some seven hundred of the nations most dangerous criminals as well as Metahuman criminals from Europe. This includes twenty seven Metahumans. Most notably the living nanite factory Grey Matter, convicted on seventeen counts of murder, treason and attempting to incite sedition. Grey Matter is kept in a supercooled state using the facilities cold storage.

At this time only Russia has a comparable Metahuman detention facility, the Ice Palace. Built during the nineteen sixties to deal with complications from the RRX project. After the Red Square incident in nineteen ninety two the Ice Palace facility was updated in a joint venture by member nations of the UN Security Council. A third facility is currently under development in the UK.