BoloOfEarth

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

Saying that Mary Jane Potter had a green thumb was like calling Martin Luther King Jr. a mere preacher. She loved plants all her life, but it wasn't until her late teens when she learned that her skill with nurturing all things flora was likely due to a mutant power. One day, she was watering an aspidistra by the garden wall, singing it a gentle song, when the plant suddenly started to GROW. We're not talking a little bloom -- it shot up like a rocket, 'till it nearly reached the sky.

The change didn't last long, and the plant soon returned to normal size. (The authorities later claimed the reports of the "biggest aspidistra in the world" were a mass hallucination.) At first, Mary Jane thought she had also hallucinated the incident (blaming it on some marijuana she had smoked an hour before), but eventually she realized that she had actually caused the out-of-control growth.

She hid her powers for a few years, but one day a group of thugs were threatening a young couple, and before she knew it, Mary Jane caused the grass under their feet to grow 6 feet tall, entangling the thugs and carrying the innocents to safety. Even that she thought an isolated incident, but a few months later she became galvanized by President Kennedy's call to "ask not what your country can do for you -- ask what you can do for your country." She considered joining the Peace Corps when it was formed a few months later, but decided instead to take Kennedy’s challenge literally and began wandering the US, trying to make it a better place.

A tall, gangly woman, she took the name Weed (she found it amusing on multiple levels) and worked for a while as a solo superheroine. Many ultra-conservatives decried her pro-drug stance and called her a “violent vigilante” despite her never having harmed anybody. Weed disappeared while battling the villainous mage Decimator (whose favorite spell caused instant aging of the target). He was casting his fast-aging spell and she tried to block it by wrapping herself in a protective sheath of quick-grown grass. When the grass fell away, Weed was nowhere to be seen. People thought she had somehow escaped into the earth and either gotten trapped there or popped out elsewhere and simply decided to quit the superheroine scene.

It wasn’t until Weed appeared in the same spot fifty years later that everybody learned both assumptions were wrong. (Scientists theorized that her quick-growth powers have a temporal element that interacted with Decimator’s spell, inadvertently sending her forward in time.) With all of her normal friends and family either elderly or dead, she looks at the other members of That 60s Team! (whom she had worked with on and off previously) as her only remaining friends.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

I did Madness' date=' the missing one is Despair.[/quote']

 

My mistake, for some reason I thought Crazy Ivan was Rage. Re-reading it, I don't know why I thought that.

 

So it's Time (Aging/Decay), Emptiness, Despair, Greed, and Rage remaining.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

Let's see, we have remaining: Time (Aging/Decay), Sacrifice, Emptiness, Despair, Madness, and Greed.

Most people would love to be effectively invulnerable to harm, but not Enid Hallowell. She never thought much of her lack of injury throughout her life, until the Thanksgiving day she, her husband, and their newborn daughter were driving down the interstate on their way to his parents' house. Her husband had just cut between two semi trucks to exit the freeway when the accident occurred. All Enid remembers is bright lights, the blast of an air horn, and screams. Oh, the screams. They still haunt her nights.

Enid woke up in the hospital to learn that her husband and daughter were dead, their bodies so mangled in the wreck that she couldn't even see them to say goodbye. Not surprisingly, she became suicidal but learned that nothing she did could hurt her. Guns, knives, falls, hanging, not even poison. The doctors said she was an "instantaneous regenerator," able to heal damage as fast as it could be done to her. She still feels pain (albeit not fully), but the damage is fleeting at best.

When she heard about Death Squad, she hoped maybe one of them could end her endless nightmare and sought them out. She was distressed to learn that none of them could kill her either, but she did find healing of a different sort in Dolzilla. Enid felt the young girl needed a mother figure, and who better than Enid? She has even started to refer to Dolzilla as her daughter (make of that what you will -- she was already around the bend mentally beforehand, so a little delusion isn't all that unexpected).

Taking the name Endure, she will throw herself in front of anything or anybody threateing Dolzilla, sacrificing herself to the pain rather than see her new "daughter" get harmed. If necessary, she will sacrifice herself to help other teammates, but not if doing so would put Dolzilla in harm's way.

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

The hero known as Rodeo is the latest in a long line of west Texas masked crimefighters dating back to the mid-1800s. (His great-grandpappy was the original Longhorn, one of the first costumed heroes in Texas.) In addition to being a phenomenal horseman, Rodeo is a great trick shot who often uses his matching pearl-handled Colt .45 revolvers to disarm opponents or otherwise disable their weapons. Whenever possible, he rides his well-trained stallion Spirit while fighting crime.

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

New Team: Mustangs

This group of five heroes and heroines operate in the American Southwest, each from a different state but coming together when needed. Despite the fact that all of them (in some fashion) relate to horses, you'd best not mention My Little Pony in their presence. They take their crimefighting seriously, and none of them are bronies.

Re: Create a Hero Theme Team!

Miss Greenland was a close friend of one of the pageant's financial backers, which is how she got into the pageant in the first place. She was not at all well-liked by the other contestants (who figured she was sleeping her way into winning the pageant).

When she was gassed, she gained the ability to generate intense cold and ice (either in sheets covering the ground, or in blocks around targets). She has a pretty sharp mind, so she frequently uses her powers in inventive ways (like causing ice buildup on costume eye coverings -- an NND Flash).

She isn't fond of the fact that her skin is now perpetually cold and has taken on a whitish-blue tint. That, combined with her now pure-white hair, makes her look vaguely like an albino. And she especially hates how she is frequently called "Miss Iceland" by people who have no concept of geography.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

It's strange to see him as part of a team, but Solo was one of the first members of Death Squad. (He says joining a team was actually his therapist's idea, and he's pretty sure it's a bad one.) A very morose individual, he doesn't connect at all with others. He is a mentalist with the standard suite of psionic powers -- telepathy, mental blast, minor mind control -- but his signature move is an incredibly realistic mental illusion that the target is completely, hopelessly alone on the planet.

Re: Best Complication / Disadvantage?

I ran a Champions campaign with one character who had regeneration, including resurrection, albeit not incredibly rapid. He was "killed" trying to protect somebody from assassination, buried, and came to months later in his coffin six feet under. (Being embalmed and having his vital organs removed kinda hindered a quick return to life.) While the player knew the character was a mutant regenerator, the character himself believed he was actually dead -- or more accurately, undead. As with Barton's character story, it was the source of some great roleplaying as the character dealt with his best friend, refused to reveal his return to his former fiance, etc.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

Being the victim of a cult sacrifice can really mess with your mind. Just ask Dr. Jared Cramer, an acclaimed Mesoamerican anthropologist who ran afoul of a DEMON operation in the Yucatan peninsula.

Being sliced with sacrificial blades and bleeding out was painful enough, but having his body consumed by mystic flames caused Dr. Cramer’s mind to completely snap. Nobody knows whether he was secretly a mutant, or perhaps DEMON’s magic backfired spectacularly. Whatever the cause, however, Cramer managed to hold onto a semblance of “life” even though he is now mostly a skeleton covered with patches of flame-blackened flesh and a few charred vital organs. He struck back at the DEMON Brothers and Morbane, killing all of them with a lethal touch that causes anything organic to begin rapidly decomposing.

Taking the name Yum Cimil, he believes himself to be the physical representation of the Mayan death god on this plane of existence. In addition to his deadly touch, he also has a lesser-known psychic ability to mentally “touch” targets and cause their minds to unravel. He uses these abilities, along with his extensive knowledge of Mayan culture and mythos from his academic life, to further the Obsidian Mirror’s ends.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

RE: Rudolph the Ripper -- I regret that I am only allowed to rep a post once.

It's too late for this year's December issue of Haymaker!, but I think this crew needs to be written up for next year. And that poem would make a perfect Background/History as-is.

One more will finish the team. I'll defer to whomever wants to do so and name the next team.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

Nicholas Saluc paced the confines of his cell, biding his time. Only six paces from door to wall, but if you walk back and forth enough times, even that small a distance can burn off a few calories. And those nimrods running Stronghold wouldn't give him sugar cookies and eggnog every day like he requested. Between the pacing, the diet, and the heat in his cell (he complained nearly every week that it wasn't warm enough), he was almost literally burning off the pounds and no longer looked like a "jolly old elf."

The man who called himself Insane-t Nick stopped in front of the heating vent for what seemed the hundredth time today, as he had done every day since getting marched into his cell at Stronghold, rubbing his hands in front of the vent as if unable to get them warm. The truth is, it was all an act for the guards watching on camera. He had been biding his time until the week before Christmas when his powers returned. And he could feel them building.

He touched a finger to the side of his nose, felt the spark, and smiled. This time instead of "warming" his hands, he reached out and touched the small vent, one hand on each side. With a crackle of energy and a sweep of his hands (and a rending of the local space-time), the vent appeared to become a large chimney. Nick turned to the camera and gave it a wink, then stepped through the dimensional portal. As it shrank back to a normal heating vent, Nick could hear the alarm sirens sound. He was free. He just hoped his friends were ready to take away some holiday cheer from all the "good" girls and boys.

Re: CU Hero-vs.-Hero Scenarios

Unknown Identity -- one hero may not realize who the other hero actually is. This works especially well if one is not famous beyond his own city, or if one hero is in disguise (e.g. going undercover to get info on a VIPER operation).

Mistaken Identity -- this could be helped along by a villain (Chameleon-type character committing crimes disguised as one hero) or just a case of bad timing / lighting. In an early Champions campaign I played in, we were breaking into a VIPER base and our martial artist (Midnight) saw some guy in an unlit stairwell, so he attacked. Turns out the other guy was Crusader, who had also learned about the base on his own.

Irreconcilable Differences -- one hero might have a world-view that rubs the other hero the wrong way. A staunch code-vs-killing type could easily take exception to the maiming-is-just-another-interrogation-tool vigilante.

Just a Douchebag -- perhaps one hero is a major jerk, or even a whole team. In a past campaign of mine, the NPC hero team of New York City was the Corps, all former military types who were a bit... intense. (And typically, they were former military for a reason.) If the PC heroes came to the Big Apple for some reason and didn't clear everything they were doing with the Corps beforehand, there was a better-than-even chance the Corps would attack them on sight. Sure, the members of the Corps would have claimed afterward that they "just didn't realize who the other guys were" but really, they didn't much care. They considered other hero teams "poachers" if they operated in NYC without the Corps' blessing.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

The woman known as Jingle Belle was supposed to get married on Christmas eve but was left at the altar, dumped for (of all people) her younger sister. So she spent almost* all of her savings to have some Doctor Mynxa give her sonic powers that she uses to make sure no family has a Merry Christmas, and especially that no couples have a "marry" Christmas.

(*Well, there was enough money left over to outfit a robotic horse-drawn "Open Slay.")

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

what kind of favorite? hot cross buns, wrapping, or blue christmas?

CES

Anything holiday related -- character (Santa, Frosty, one of the reindeer), food (eggnog, roasted chestnuts), activity (caroling, wrapping), decorations (tree, lights, nativity scene), anything at all Christmas-related that strikes your fancy. Heck, if you want to throw in a Hanukkah-related villain, go for it.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

We're past the minimum number, and it's been 5 days since anybody posted, so let's go to a new group.

PRIMUS Lt. Tanas looked at his calendar and groaned. "Oh, great, it's December again. That means we're going to have to deal with those nutjobs again."

His rookie partner, Sgt. Klinger, looked up from the reports he was filing. "Which nutjobs? The Ultimates? PSI? The Foxbat Five?"

"No," Lt. Tanas said. "I'm talking about the holiday nutjobs, call themselves Christmas Evil. They declared their own War on Christmas a few years back. They come out of the woodwork this time of year, each one a twisted version of some holiday favorite. There were a dozen of 'em, but we nabbed a bunch last year, so I think there's only seven of 'em running around loose."

(Since big teams seem to drag on here more often than not, we'll shoot for at least 7. But if people are having fun with this one, we can go for the full 12.)

Re: Interesting article about Sexism in Geek Communities

Perhaps I am underestimating the harm done by his statements. However, have you considered the harm of silencing conversation on these topics? If we hold the hammer of unemployment and permanent unemployable status over people who express opinions we find disagreeable, how much honest conversation can we expect on these topics. Indeed, Mr. Harris may have done us all a favor by raising the topic.

 

 

The right to free speech is vital and the internet is becoming (has become?) our foremost forum for public discourse. Placing it off limits to expressions of opinion is IMHO tantamount to saying that by being employed you no longer entitled to 1st Amendment rights.

I agree as to not wanting to silence other opinions. And to the best of my knowledge neither Pattern Ghost nor John T are Mr. Harris' boss, so all they're really doing is exercising their own 1st Amendment rights and making their own opinions known. We're all free to agree or disagree as we wish. I seriously doubt Mr. Harris' actual bosses are going to terminate his employment and blacklist him based on a few comments on a discussion board, so there's little danger of the opinions expressed here crushing anybody's free speech beneath iron boots. I appreciate you pointing out the potential dangers, but I don't think the slope is quite that slippery.

That said, the right to make personal opinions known carries with it the necessity to accept the consequences if enough other people disagree with said opinions. If those consequences include loss of employment, well, the speaker should consider that possibility when choosing to share his opinion with others -- and also the way in which he shares that opinion.

Personally, beyond his actual opinion itself, I found Mr. Harris' word choices and overall tone on the offensive side. To me, he comes off as scornful not only of the cosplayers he rails against, but also of the "the REAL Nerds, who (they) secretly think are REALLY PATHETIC." As I read what he wrote, I couldn't shake the feeling that the "NOT Hot" cosplayers aren't the only ones thinking the "Nerds" (IOW, Mr. Harris' own customer base) are REALLY PATHETIC.

But that's just my opinion. Take or leave it as you wish.

Re: NGD Scenes from a Hat

NT: You went to the market. You forgot to buy eggs like you were supposed to' date=' but you did get __________________![/quote']

 

A suitcase nuke. Hey, it was on sale!

Re: NGD Scenes from a Hat

NT: Subtle signs William Shakespeare no longer finds your antics amusing.

"To be, or not to be, that is the question:

Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer

The Slings and Arrows of outrageous Fortune,

Or to take Arms against BoloOfEarth,

And by opposing end him..."

NT: Rejected titles for Shakespearean plays. (e.g. "Beefcutlet" instead of "Hamlet")

Re: NGD Scenes from a Hat

New Topic: Why cross the road Yoda did?

On the other side talk normal he can.

NT: Worst. Secret. Santa. Gifts. Ever.

Re: Quote of the Week from my gaming group...

Excuse me!! What is with this "being reasonable and polite and trying not to cause offense" crap?! These are the interwebz! Get with the program!!

Now, I want you two to call each other stupid and belittle each other's favored game systems. Right now, or there's no pie for either of you!

Re: NGD Scenes from a Hat

NT: Reasons to have 6 million pounds of high explosives in and around your back yard.

You can finally get that pesky gopher. And not have to watch him dance to that song from Caddyshack any more.

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

Repped all but csyphrett. Can some one get him for me. I love this show as a kid. Thanks for the nostalgia!

Got him for you.

Re: NGD Scenes from a Hat

NT: Subtle signs the organizer of your church's holiday pageant is out of his mind.

Um... he volunteered to organize a church holiday pageant. What other evidence do you need that he's out of his mind?

NT: What is the secret real reason for all the double-posts on the Hero boards?

Re: Create a Villain Theme Team!

Perfect physique. Perfect face. Heck, his hair stays perfect even in hurricane-force winds. How does Petey Perfection do it? If you ask him, he'll just smile (with perfect teeth, naturally) and say he has no idea. (Yes, he's even perfectly modest.) But he drives the Top Turbo, which of course he keeps in perfect working order.

Re: NGD Scenes from a Hat

NT: Death Tribble now has all the official James Bond DVDs. What on earth is he planning now ?

Clone all the Bond girls, naturally.