Equinox Industries

[Solstice]

Hey all.

I'm actually fairly new to the boards. Been reading silently for a while now, but I have always wanted to share this character. I am open to questions, comments, and even criticisms; I am quite passionate about this campaign. The only exception is the write-up for the Elemental Blade power. I know it's not right, the GM knows it's not right, but we could find no example in any M&M material we had access to of someone else doing this. We know what it's intended to do, we know how many points it would cost, so we're happy just leaving it. If, however, you have ideas on how to do it please do share.

Anyways, I suppose my first post will just be a little background on the campaign.

Geography

This campaign takes place in what is essentially the modern world. Not so far into the future that we couldn't extrapolate some things (political, social, economical, etc), but far enough into the future that the GM could add or subtract where necessary.

The game takes place in sunny California, primarily in a small town by the name of Hopewell. Hopewell is one of those few towns that still exist near the valley just outside the urban sprawl of the local megapolis. Rather than use one of the many existing cities the GM also opted to introduce Nutopia. Yes, the names are cheesy, but they fit into the overall feel of the story. Hopewell is a (relatively) small, homey, safe location and Nutopia is a huge, new, and complicated centre of swirling masses.

Hopewell is meant to be a smaller town with a mostly affluent mixed population. Two primary high schools, locally dubbed North and South because of their geographical split of the populace, which have a thriving rivalry. Basically think of Hopewell like a suburb of LA, or something similar, with all of the amenities required of a well-off population.

Nutopia is a relatively new, thriving centre of commerce. The city has a huge population, and is home to just about everything one would expect from a city housing millions. Of major importance to the city are arts and sciences, being the home of UCNu - one of the premier arts and medical science universities in the country.



Generation Zero

The game begins in a modern world in a high school setting. Up until briefly after the campaign started, super powers had never existed in this world. We, the PCs and many of the NPCs, are the genesis. It would be as if you woke up tomorrow and suddenly started manifesting abilities.


I know I'm not really doing it justice. There's so much information that I am just too new to this to know what to post and what to leave out. I apologize for any shortcomings, but hopefully with some feedback it will only get better!

[Solstice]

Jonathan James (JJ) Ivory - PL 8 (135 Points)
Solstice

Strength 2, Stamina 4, Agility 5, Dexterity 5, Fighting 7, Intellect 0, Awareness 1, Presence 5

Advantages
Attractive 2, Fearless, Great Endurance, Improved Initiative 1, Interpose, Leadership, Move-By Action, Takedown 2, Teamwork

Skills
Acrobatics 1 (+6), Athletics 5 (+7), Close Combat [Weaponry] 1 (+8), Close Combat [Unarmed Brawling] 1 (+8), Deception 1 (+6), Expertise {Dex} [Art] 4 (+9), Perception 5 (+6), Persuasion 2 (+7), Ranged Combat [Energy Projection] 3 (+8), Ranged Combat [Throw] 3 (+8)

Powers
Array:
- Elemental Ray: Energy Control 8 (Heat and/or Cold, Precise, Variable Descriptor [Elemental Form])

- Absolute Zero: Environment 6 (Cold [Extreme], Impede Movement 2, Visibility -5, Custom 1 [Selective Touch], Feature 1 [Air Conditioning], Precise, Activation 2, Concentration, Custom -1 [Raise temperature during Activation round], Distracting, Tiring)

- Elemental Blade: Strength-based Strike 6 (Increased Duration 2 [Sustained], Precise, Variable Descriptor [Elemental Form], Removable 2 [Weapon, can be disarmed], Improved Critical 2)

- Elemental Core: Insubstantial 3 (Energy, Free Action, Precise, Variable Descriptor [Elemental Form])

- Elemental Strike: Strength-based Damage 6 (Penetrating 6, Variable Descriptor [Elemental Form])

- Flash Point: Environment 6 (Heat [Extreme], Impede Movement 2, Light [Bright], Custom 1 [Selective Touch], Feature 1 [Heating], Precise, Activation 2, Concentration, Custom -1 [Lower temperature during Activation round], Distracting, Tiring)

- Manifest: Create 15 (Variable Descriptor [Fire and Ice], Innate, Subtle 1 [looks natural], Precise, Permanent, Quirk -1 [Melts or Burns out], Reduced Range 1)


Array:
- Metahuman Nature: Alternate Form 25 (Free Action) [Elemental Ascension: Immunity 10 {Damage Effect: Cold, Damage Effect: Heat}, Invulnerability: Impervious Toughness 8,Invulnerability: Protection 4, Extraordinary Effort]

- Summer Solstice: Alternate Form 19 (Free Action) [Elemental Ray: Energy Control 2 {Heat}, Flight: Flight 8 {Speed: 500 miles/hour, 1 mile/round, Wings}, Sword of Gaia: Enhanced Trait 7 {Dodge +4, Parry +11, Fighting -7, Close Combat (Weaponry) -3, Close Combat (Unarmed Brawling) -3, Will +8, Dexterity -1, Defensive Attack, Diehard, Uncanny Dodge}]

- Winter Solstice: Alternate Form 19 (Free Action) [Hardened: Immunity 2 {Critical Hits}, Invulnerability: Impervious Toughness 15, Shield of Gaia: Enhanced Trait 2 {Stamina +11, Fortitude -3, Dodge -7, Parry -9, Fighting +2, Dexterity -5, Ranged Combat (Energy Projection) -4, Strength +2, Accurate Attack, Diehard, Fast Grab}


Offense
Initiative +9
Grab, +8 (DC Spec 12)
Throw, +8 (DC 17)
Unarmed, +8 (DC 17)

Complications
Honor: JJ is true to himself. His emotions might (often) get the best of him, but even they have to bend to his moral compass. JJ will never kick a man when he's down. If an enemy shows themselves as no longer a threat, he will not continue attacking them. He will not take unfair advantage in fights (bring a gun to a knife fight, a sword to a fist fight, etc). JJ will not hurt a woman. He will actively defend himself from attack, but he will take pain to not have to inflict it. He will also defend a 'damsel in distress' at his own peril.

Motivation (Doing Good): Even without his mother, JJ had one of the best upbringings a child could have. His father instilled the concepts of 'right' and 'fighting the good fight' and they stuck. JJ might play around, shirk responsibility, or generally act like a typical teenager, but when the chips are down and business is serious no one can doubt the choice he will make. Whether he likes it or not.

Motivation (Justice): JJ's own sense of morality and views on the world have given him an intense thirst for justice. His drive commits him to righting wrongs and delivering justice to those who need it delivered. 'The wicked should be punished and the innocent protected, and if karma won't deliver perhaps I can.'

Motivation (Responsibility): JJ burns to live up to his father's expectations of him. His sense of honor, drive to do good, and thirst for justice put a great weight on him when he came into his powers. He might not like what he has or will become, he might not like having the burden of responsibility, but it is his to bear and he will bear it. The concept of the greater good, while not an ideal he preaches, often comes out when the sacrifices to be made are his.

Relationship (Allison Ivory): His relationship with his sister is the usual conflict of older brother and younger sister. While he may not appreciate all the finer points of having a younger sister, she is still part of his family and he loves her very much. Alison is not a source of his strength, but a weakness of his character. Even a perceived threat against her is a threat against JJ and his family. Being down a family member already makes this an important aspect of his life.

Relationship (Eric Ivory): His father is one of his sources of strength. When JJ's mother died, Eric took on the full weight of fatherhood with strength and perseverance. He brought up JJ and Alison by himself, better than most families can manage when they are whole. He is JJ's rock, willing and able to stabilize him in the storm of growing up. JJ would tear the sky down for his father.


Languages
English

Defense
Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fortitude 4, Toughness 8, Will 1

Power Points
Abilities 58 + Powers 49 + Advantages 11 + Skills 13 (26 ranks) + Defenses 4 = 135 Points


Background Details:
Age: 16
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 184 lbs
Eyes: Deep Blue
Hair: Blonde

Jonathan Ivory is that guy you see in every show or movie which takes place in high school. At face value he is the jock. Captain of the football team, all star quarterback, intensely attractive. The guys want to be him and the girls want to be with him. He sits atop a carefully constructed social network, carefully maintaining his priority as alpha male by keeping the balance between the various cliques in the school. When people look at him they see a kid who is destined for sporting history, or perhaps movies, or modelling, or anything he wants to be. Depending on their viewpoint and the access they actually have to JJ, they could also see him as that dumb, arrogant jock. Being in the social place he's at is a double edged sword, and sometimes it takes real skill not to be cut from both sides.

In reality, Jonathan has the soul of an artist. He sees beauty in everything and in everyone. He loves life, and his zest for life in all forms gives him great strength. Sometimes it pains him to be in the position he is in, because at times it can mean looking the other way when someone is being put down. However, he knows that the natural order of things isn't something he can easily disrupt, and instead he does what he can in less obvious ways. While he might be painted by many for actions he has never taken, he wears the cloak silently so that some other does not have to. He's also not a pacifist, he believes in the natural order of things, but he disdains killing for sport (except in cases where populations need to be controlled). He tries to avoid direct conflict either through bluffing, persuasion, or bravado, but is always ready to defend someone when words will fail.

He ended up in the position he is in because of his natural gifts for athletics. It was never his plan to rise to the position he finds himself; he has the makings of a tortured artiste and would have loved the quiet solitude afforded some of the social pariahs of the school. However, sports provides a great deal of pride, PR, and funding for the school and he knows it means a lot to them. He doesn't necessarily believe he's as good as people say, but he always gives his 110% and if they are happy with the results he is happy to continue helping however he can.