This is Knucklebones, a master villain. It should be noted that until he runs out of Luck Points, he's essentially untouchable. This is intentional - since he's a master villain, he'll trade blows for a little while - burning of enough Luck to cause some serious damage - and then flee. Cinematically, this is because he's a master villain, and metagame-wise, he's low on Luck.
Incidentally, he was intended to be one of five or so Soul Collectors, but I never made the others. They were going to be:
Hellfire: Vietnam veteran, traded his soul for survival, he preys on desperate warriors. He primarily works in war-torn third-world countries like the DROTC or the Sudan. He has fire powers, and his "focus" is a gun.
Mr. Rapentap (modified version of an existing character) the Pied Piper of Hamelin, traded his sould for magical (and evil) music. His focus is his pipes. He preys on children, and those associated with them (childless couples, people who are unhappy with their children, parents of dying children, etc).
Doll Master: Dr. Frankenstein-esque Victorian mad scientist who wanted to "play god," he traded his soul for forbidden knowledge. He preys on those seeking forbidden information or secrets. His powers revolve around bizarre mad science that shouldn't work, but does. His focus is a book with uncountably many pages that holds What Man Was Not Meant To Know. He uses magical constructs to do his bidding. It's rumored that a number of seemingly free-willed technology-based villains are really only servants of the Doll Master - and who knows how powerful some of them may be....
Queen Midas - the Lady of Avarice is perhaps the oldest of the soul collectors - she was born in the Byzantine empire, first earning her wealth and status through a series of husbands who met unfortunate - but natural - deaths. Only the Pied Piper may be older than her, for none know how long his evil has plagued the earth. Queen Midas preys on the greedy - she waylaid the knights of the Fourth Crusade and led them to pillage Constantinople, and today she offers Faustian deals to anyone who will take her up on her offer. How many business tycoons may be merely pawns of Queen Midas? She turns anything she touches into gold (and she cannot end this effect, forcing her to wear golden thread next to her skin at all times, and her focus is a single lucky coin made over a thousand years ago.
Background Information, Knucklebones
Header Information:
Real Name: Michael Cornek
Player: NPC
Hair/Eye Color: Red Flame/ Black
Height/Mass: 1.75m/75 kg
Nationality: American
Place of Birth: New York City, New York
Date of Birth: September 19th, 1909
Background Story: Mike always had a fascination with chance. He was born on an odd date – 09/19/1909 at 09:19 in the morning. He always suspected that it was exactly 9 seconds past the minute, but he had no way to be certain. He knew early on that he was lucky – protected, in some way. Things just never went badly for him. When he was fourteen, both of his parents were killed in a train accident – he survived without a scratch.
He was to be sent to live with relatives, but he didn’t want to go. And somehow, he slipped through the cracks in the bureaucracy, and was forgotten. He made his way to the nearest speakeasy, where he knew gambling was run in the back. He dressed himself up to look older – by chance, nobody took a close look.
He made a fortune in almost no time flat. He went out of his way to show that he wasn’t cheating, but winning fair and square. Once, someone tried to shoot him, but their gun backfired. Mike spent the next several years walking the streets of New York, unafraid of anything the world had to throw at him. Before long, he had built up a following – sycophants who hoped his luck would rub off on them, loyal thugs hired with money, and those who simple luck brought into debt to “Lucky Mike.â€
And so the city came to fear the untouchable gangster, the man that the police just couldn’t catch. He slipped through the fingers of everyone, from authorities to early superheroes. Untouchable, that is, until he tried to oust the Cult of the Black Hand, an occult crime organization run by Mardricus, a magus with terrible, evil powers gained from bargaining with Hell.
Mardicus’s Cult fell fast, but he did not die so easily. Riddled with bullets from an ambush by Lucky Mike himself, he used his last breath to curse his killer. The next day, Lucky Mike’s criminal empire began to fall apart beneath his feet. His gambling operations started pouring money, his bootleggers were busted so fast he jails filled up, and his closest lackeys turned against. He couldn’t even take a walk without getting sprayed with mud by passing cars. His famous luck had been turned against him.
Desperate to recover his good fortune, No-Longer-Lucky Mike used the forbidden knowledge hidden in Mardricus’s books to contact the power of Hell. He sold his mortal sold for immortality and the return of his luck forever. Now, calling himself Knucklebones, he wanders the earth restlessly, seeking wealth and power to fill the void left behind by his lost soul. He will also do the bidding of demons who are willing to bargain more power in return for his services.
Quote: - “Feeling lucky, heroes? Not lucky enough.â€
Personality: - Knucklebones is a daredevil with no sense of fear or care for the consequences. He is full of hatred for everyone and everything in the world, and with no soul he cannot feel any positive emotions. He is greedy and power hungry, simply to provide a goal for him – he doesn’t enjoy the fruits of his crimes, only the suffering he can cause with them.
He is a sucker for games of chance, especially because he is practically unbeatable. He loves nothing more than using games of chance as bargaining pieces for mortal souls – he will offer whatever they want if they win, and demand their soul if they lose.
Appearance: - Knucklebones is a flaming skeleton straight out of the pits of Hell. The flames on his head vaguely resemble hair, and his eyes burn with an unholy light. He always wears the same pinstriped suit and fedora as he did when he made the bargain – they are as undying as he is, and will always return to his body if they are stolen.
Powers: - Knucklebones has incredible powers of luck, enhanced by the power of the underworld. His luck is simply unnatural, making him nearly invincible. Moreover, he was granted a pair of magic dice used to invoke darker powers. They are ordinary looking bone dice that are indestructible and always return to his hand. In fact, there is no way to prevent them from being thrown – “cheating†is completely impossible, and the dice will always show the true, random result. He merely needs to throw the dice towards his target (or will them to be thrown, if his hands are bound) and the power will take effect.
He also is nearly unkillable even beyond his unnatural good luck, due to his nature as a soulless being. Blasting his body to pieces or banishing with holy power is useless – he will simply reappear later, none the worse for wear.
Finally, he is authorized to bargain for souls on behalf of the powers of Hell. He can use his dice for this as well – if he loses, he gives the supplicant their heart’s desire, and if he wins, he takes their soul.
Combat and Roll Information:
OCV: 10
DCV: 10
ECV: 8
Combat Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
Strength Roll: 14
Dexterity Roll: 15
Constitution Roll: 14
Intelligence Roll: 12
Perception Roll: 12
Ego Roll: 14
Resistant Physical Defense: 10
Resistant Energy Defense: 10
Running Speed: 6"
Powers:
Cost Power
5 Playing Dice with the Devil: Multipower, 20-point Reserve – Can Only Be Used For A Target Who Agrees to A Dice Game For His Soul, Knowing What He Is Agreeing To (-2), Can Only Use The Effect Corresponding To A Win Or Loss (-1), Must Use The Power At The First Opportunity Until Effect Is Complete (-1)
1u Losing Your Soul: Major Transform 1 point (Target into Target With No Soul, Can Only Be Restored By Bargaining With The Demon Who Holds It) – Penetrating (+½), 0 Endurance Cost (+½), Based On EGO Combat Value (Mental Defense applies; +1), Continuous (+1) Endurance Cost 0
1u Gaining Your Heart’s Desire: Major Transform 1 point – 0 Endurance Cost(+½), Improved Target Group (The Heart’s Desire Of The Winner; +¾), Variable Advantage (Based on Ego Combat Value, Indirect and Transdimensional [Earth from Hell or Vice Versa], Penetrating x2, Area of Effect [One Hex] and Megascale: 1†= 10 km; +1 3/4) Endurance Cost 0
52 The Devil’s Dice: Multipower, 157 Point Reserve – No Conscious Control (Slot Randomly Determined by 2d6 Roll; -1), Must Change Slot Before Each Use (-½), Must Choose to Use Power And Pick Target Before Rolling (-½)
16u 2, I Win: 7d6 Ranged Killing Attack – 0 Endurance Cost (+½) Endurance Cost 0
7u 3, Go Directly To Hell: Extra Dimensional Movement (The Fiery Pits of Hell) – Useable As Attack (+1), Ranged (+½), 0 Endurance Cost (+½), Affects Desolid (+½) Endurance Cost 0
16u 4, Null Power: Drain 6d6+1 – Target’s “Greatest†Remaining Power (+¼), Delayed Return Rate (5/minute; +¼), 0 Endurance Cost (+½), Ranged (+½) Endurance Cost 0
15u 5, Face the Darkness: Darkness to Sight, Mental, Radio, Smell/Taste, Hearing, and Touch Groups and Spatial Awareness 1" radius – Personal Immunity (+¼), 0 Endurance Cost (+½), Uncontrolled (+½), Usable As Attack (+1), Ranged (+½) Endurance Cost 0
15u 6, Lose Your Turn: Drain Speed 7½d6 – Endurance Cost 0 (+½), Ranged (+½) Endurance Cost 0
7u 7, Lose Your Will: Mind Control 21d6 – 0 Endurance Cost (+½); No Conscious Control (Randomly Either “Protect Me At All Costs†or “Kill All Your Allies, Then Yourselfâ€; -1), Uses OCV/DCV (-¼) Endurance Cost 0
15u 8, Lose Your Chance: Negative Combat Skill Levels (-6 OCV, -6 DCV) – Ranged (+½), 0 Endurance Cost (+½), Uncontrolled (Lasts 2 Turns, or Until a Luck Roll is Made; +½) Endurance Cost 0
7u 9, Face Your Fear: Mental Illusions 21d6 – 0 Endurance Cost (+½); Only to Create The Target’s Worst Fear (-1), Uses OCV/DCV (-¼) Endurance Cost 0
10u 10, Null Fortune: 7d6 Major Transform (Target into Target with 21d6 of Unluck, Cured By Any Traditional Way of Reversing Bad Luck) – 0 Endurance Cost (+½); Lasts A Maximum of 7 Days (-½) Endurance Cost 0
7u 11, Say Goodbye: Teleportation 16†– Useable As Attack (+1), Ranged (+½), 0 Endurance Cost (+½), Affects Desolid (+½), Megascale (1†= 1 km; +¼); No Conscious Control (Random Destination; -1) Endurance Cost 0
16u 12, You Lose: 21d6 Energy Blast – 0 Endurance Cost (+½); Beam (-¼), Does No Body (-¼) Endurance Cost 0
10 Demonic Powers: Elemental Control (26) – Not On Sanctified Ground (-¼)
7 (1) Unholy Flames: RKA 1 point – Continuous (+1), Damage Shield (all attacks; +¾), 0 Endurance Cost (+½), Persistent (+½), Penetrating (+½); Always On (-½) Endurance Cost 0
10 (2) Demonic Aura: Force Field 11 PD / 11 ED – Endurance Only to Activate (+¼) Endurance Cost 0
10 (3) Flash of Fire and Brimstone: Teleportation 5", x2 Increased Mass – Variable Advantages (Megascale 1†= 1 km, 1†= 10 km, Armor Piercing, 0 Endurance Cost; +¾) Endurance Cost 0
14 (4) Can Not Die: Healing 1d6 (Regenerate 1 Body per Turn), Resurrection – 0 Endurance Cost (+½), Persistent (+½); Extra Time (1 Minute; -1½), Self Only (-½) Endurance Cost 0
15 Doubles Means Roll Again: Speed: +6 – Only After Rolling Doubles On Dice Multipower (-2), Only To Use Dice Multipower Again On The Same Target (-1) Endurance Cost 0
5 Can’t Cheat Him: +15 PER with Normal Sight – Only to Detect Cheating (-2) Endurance Cost 0
50 No Longer Human: Total Life Support, and Longevity: Immortal Endurance Cost 0
15 Soulless: Mental Defense +15 (20 total) Endurance Cost 0
20 Infernal Toughness I: Power Defense 20 Endurance Cost 0
30 Infernal Toughness II: Physical Damage Reduction 50%, Resistant Endurance Cost 0
30 Infernal Toughness III: Energy Damage Reduction 50%, Resistant Endurance Cost 0
37 Nothing But Bones and Fire I: Armor 10 rPD / 10 rED – Hardened (+¼) Endurance Cost 0
10 Nothing But Bones and Fire II: Lack of Weakness -10 for Resistant Defenses Endurance Cost 0
9 Nothing But Bones and Fire III: Damage Resistance for 9 PD / 9 ED Endurance Cost 0
15 Fire for Eyes: Flash Defense 15 (sight) Endurance Cost 0
105 The Devil’s Own Luck I: 21d6 Standard Luck Endurance Cost 0
25 The Devil’s Own Luck II: 5d6 Luck (Reroll A Number of Rolls Equal to Body of Luck Dice) Endurance Cost 0
25 The Devil’s Own Luck III: 5d6 Luck (Reroll A Number of Individual Dice Equal to Total) Endurance Cost 0
25 The Devil’s Own Luck IV: 5d6 Luck (Add To or Subtract from Rolls Amount Equal to Total) Endurance Cost 0
Perks:
33 Contact (Hell) 17-, Contact Has Extremely Useful Skills or Resources
Skills:
Cost Skill Roll
3 Analyze: Games 12
3 Bribery 14
3 Bureaucratics 12
3 Contortionist 15
0 Everyman Skills
Acting 8
Area Knowledge: New York City 8
Climbing 8
Computer Programming 8
Concealment 8
Conversation 8
Deduction 8
Language Skill: English N/A
Paramedic 8
Professional Skill: Gangster 11
Shadowing 8
Transport Familiarity: Small Ground Vehicles N/A
3 Fast Draw 15
3 Forgery 12
16 Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games, Roulette, Sports Betting, Slot Machines) 15
2 Knowledge Skill: Contract Law 12
2 Knowledge Skill: The 1920s and 1930s History 12
2 Knowledge Skill: Crime and Punishment 12
2 Knowledge Skill: Liquor, Women, and Sin 12
30 Skill Levels: +3 Overall N/A
15 Skill Levels: +3 Overall – Requires One Level of Luck (-1) N/A
12 Skill Levels: +3 Overall – Requires Two Levels of Luck (-1½) N/A
10 Skill Levels: +3 Overall – Requires Three Levels of Luck (-2) N/A
3 Scholar N/A
3 Sleight of Hand 15
3 Streetwise 14
2 Weapon Familiarity: Small Arms N/A
Martial Arts: Streetfighting
Cost Name OCV DCV Notes
4 Duck and Dodge - +5 Dodge, Abort
5 Fast Punch/Kick +1 +3 4½d6 Strike
4 Get Loose +0 +0 Str 38 vs. Grabs
Disadvantages:
Classification Disadvantage Roll Points
Distinctive Flaming Skeleton in a Pinstriped Suit and Black Fedora 25
Distinctive Has No Soul 15
Physical Has No Soul 20
Physical -6 to All Rolls on Holy Ground 20
Psychological Hatred for Humanity 25
Psychological Totally Immoral 25
Psychological Casual Killer 20
Psychological Bound By True Oaths 25
Psychological Compulsive Risk-Taker 25
Reputation Collects Souls for the Devil 14 20
Rivalry Other Soul Collectors 10
Social Limitation Occupation: Demonic Soul Collector 25
Social Limitation Obvious and Dangerous Powers 20
Social Limitation Obviously Some Sort of Demon 20
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