Guild of the Bat [OOC]

[Sid]

@Sid: What's there not to get? "I call X" is just a friendly way of indicating what you are working on, so don't touch it lest you be castrated.

Being castrated would be bad of course.

[Furyan]

@Sid: What's there not to get? "I call X" is just a friendly way of indicating what you are working on, so don't touch it lest you be castrated.

Being castrated would be bad of course.

Understatement of the decade!

There goes the social life...

[Sid]

Scarlet Arrow
PL 7 (105pp)

Name: Scarlet Arrow
Identity: Royce “Roy” Harper

Abilities (36pp)

STR 5(1) STA 3 AGL 4 DEX 4(2) FGT 3 INT 2 AWE 2 PRE 1

Powers (11pp)
Metal Arm - Enhanced Traits (4 STR, 2 DEX), permanent, noticeable

Equipment

Bow and Arrows: Array (15 points)
- Flare Arrow: Ranged Affliction 5 (Resisted by Fortitude; Vision Impaired, Vision Disabled, Vision Unaware) • 10 points
- Silent Arrow: Strength-based Ranged Damage 3 • 1 points
- Cable Arrow: Movement (Swinging) • 1 point
- Knockout Gas Arrow: Ranged Burst Area Affliction 3 (Resisted by Fortitude; Fatigued, Exhausted, Asleep) • 1 point
- Net Arrow: Ranged Affliction 5 (Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile) • 1 point
- Stun Arrow: Ranged Affliction 5 (Resisted by Fortitude; Dazed, Stunned, Incapacitated) • 1 point

Advantages (19pp)

Accurate Attack, Beginner’s Luck, Contacts (various street performers and merchants), Defensive Roll 3, Equipment 3, Improved Aim, Improved Critical 2 (Bow), Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative, Improvised Weapon, Hide in Plain Sight, Precise Attack 2 (Ranged Concealed and Cover), Quick Draw

Skills (22pp)

Acrobatics 4 (+8), Athletics 4 (+9), Close Combat (Unarmed) 4 (+6), Insight 6 (+8), Investigation 6 (+8), Perception 6 (+8), Ranged Combat (Bow) 2 (+6), Sleight of Hand 2 (+6), Stealth 6 (+10), Technology 2 (+4), Vehicle 2 (+6)

Offense

Initiative +8
Unarmed +7, Close, Damage 5, Crit 20
Improvised Weapon +7, Close, Damage 5, Crit 20
Bow +6, Ranged, Damage 8, Crit 18-20
Bow +6, Ranged, Various other effects

Defense (17pp)

Parry +8(3)
Dodge +8(4)
Toughness +6/3 (w/o Defensive Roll)
Fort +7(3)
Will +6(2)

Motivation

Redemption, after losing his arm and getting “fired” by the Green Arrow, Roy wants to prove that he can be a hero.

Complications

Man of the People, due to growing up as a street performer in Covent Garden, Roy feels he needs to stand up for them.

It’s Just a Flesh Wound, most of Roy’s right arm is mechanical. Damaging it too badly will render it useless.

Rivalry, Roy was dismissed of his duties as Green Hood’s sidekick, which has brought on a resentment of his former mentor.

False bravado, since losing his arm Roy tends to appear to be a good natured with a lively sense of humor but it is all to hide that he has become more violent and jaded due to the experience.

Background: Royce Harper, Jr. (Roy to his friends), was the son of a street performer in London’s famed Covent Garden. His father’s act involved him dressing as Robin Hood, to which Roy would assist as dressing like Friar Tuck and before his mother passed, she would play Maid Marion.

As Roy got older, he would tandem shoot with his father, and under his father’s tutelage it wasn’t too long until he overtook his old man in both accuracy and speed. With this, the Harper family act become quite popular, even getting hired out to perform at big parties on occasion. One of these parties was at the millionaire steam-works owner Oliver Queen’s estate near Wimbledon.

During the show, both Roy and his father pushed themselves harder than they had before, and delivered what they thought was the perfect show demonstrating expert trick shots one after another. Afterwards, Mr. Queen himself congratulated them on their success, even going so far as offering the two coaching positions on the Wimbledon Archery team of which Mr. Queen was a sponsor.

Roy took his place as not only coach, but captain of the team and began working with the team, during the time he and his father became very close to Oliver Queen, learning that despite his protests to the contrary, Mr. Queen was a hell of an archer in his own right.

Over the following winter, Roy’s father’s cough began getting worse and worse, eventually succumbing to pneumonia on a cold February evening. After burying his father, he gathered his things from Mr. Queen’s estate and prepared to move on, but the unthinkable happened. As Roy was underage and had no living family ties, Mr. Queen legally became his guardian, making Roy his ward.

During his time at new guardian’s estate, he noticed that Mr. Queen would disappear into the basement for hours on end, sometimes never returning until morning. One night after Oliver had disappeared yet again, he used the skills he had learned from his father to find a secret passage leading to a hidden archery range under the basement with an entranceway to the nearby sewers. In the hidden basement, Roy was shocked to find complicated trick arrows that could do pretty much anything, but more surprisingly was finding a green costume. For years Roy had heard stories about The Green Hood, a bowman like Robin Hood who righted wrongs, but those must have been stories, but yet here he was standing in a secret archery range of one of the world’s best archers.

“I was wondering how long it’d take you to find this place”, it was Mr. Queen emerging from the shadows. Roy quickly turned and began to apologize, but then he realized that Queen was dressed as the legendary Green Hood and he was smiling. Oliver explained that yes, he in fact was the hero and that he strived to right wrongs that Scotland Yard was either too incompetent or lacked the will to solve on their own. Rather than being upset with Roy, Oliver was proud of him for finding the secret tunnel, and even went so far as to suggest that Roy become his side kick.

For two years, Roy honed his skills as the Scarlet Arrow, the Green Hood’s sidekick. Together they fought for those in London who couldn’t fight for themselves. That was, until six months ago when they came across Prometheus.

Prometheus was a villain unlike the muggers and robbers the duo had been used to fighting. He used armor created from stolen supplies from Queen Steamworks, Oliver Queen’s company. During the fight to take Prometheus down, he used a torch to slice Roy’s arm off right above the right elbow. Lucky for Roy (if you can call it that), the torch was so hot that it cauterized the wound which was the only thing that allowed him to live.

Waking up back at the Queen estate a week later, Roy found that his right arm had been replaced by a steamworks contraption created by Oliver himself in an effort to make amends for putting Roy in the position to lose his arm.

Roy was quickly back on his feet, and despite gaining not only his full motion back, but actually increasing his strength, Roy’s world view began turning a little darker. Seeing this, as well as still suffering from an incredible amount of guilt, Queen put an end to their hero/sidekick relationship for what he told Roy’s was his own good.

Gathering his bow, his trick arrows and enough supplies to see him through, Roy left the Queen estate and moved back into London where he became a hero of his own right, taking up the mantle of the Scarlet Arrow. It was during this time that Royce befriended the Spoilers, a group of street urchins that he aided from time to time. Over the next three years, Harper met a youngprostitute named Mia Dearden who was trying to leave the life. Royce had saved her from a voilent "customer" and ended up developing a strong friendship with the young woman, even going so far as teaching her to shoot. After a short time Royce lost track of Mia and after searching the what felt like the entire city for her, he received word from the Spoilers that one of Mia's long lost relatives had come for her. Happy that she was going to be safe, he continued doing what he could for the poor of London's dirty streets.

It was two years later that Royce had the encounter that he both relished and was trying to avoid. While stopping a robbery, the Scarlet Arrow used his grapple arrow to pull himself to a high point in Covent Garden to survey the scene when he bumped into The Green Hood. They argued, and Royce was even prepared to strike his old mentor when he heard a familiar voice. Pulling herself up to the top of the building wearing the same Green Hood sidekick outfit he used to wear was a young woman that he instantly recognized as Mia. Roy simply turned and fired his grappling arrow and left.

Stopping in at his tiny flat, Royce packed a bag of things and his bow then he walked through Covent Garden looking for some of the Spoilers. Finding one, he told the little one to let Steph know that he had to leave the city. He made an excuse that he had some family business to take care of, but in reality he had a standing offer to act as a sharp shooter at a circus that performed in Calais, France and at this point in time, he just needed to get out of London. As he was walking away, he stopped and went back to and added "but if she needs me, if any of you need me, I will always be here for you."

Summary:

Arrow Slinger type character, with the added difference that he’s got a steamworks right arm giving him some extra strength, which at the same time diminishes his accuracy a bit with the bow.

He’s got both streetwise skills, plus living for a few years as Green Hood’s sidekick he’s learned a thing or two about investigations, insight, etc.

Build to follow tomorrow.

[griever]

Inspector G. Gordon || PL 7
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 182 lbs.
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Brown

Abilities (50 pts)
STR: 2
STA: 3

AGL: 3
DEX: 3

FGT: 4
INT: 4

AWE: 3
PRE: 3

Skills (31 pts)
Acrobatics +4 (1)
Athletics +8 (6)
Close Combat: Unarmed +10 (6)
Deception +7 (4)
Expertise: Law +8 (4)
Expertise: Law Enforcement +8 (4)
Insight +9 (6)
Intimidation +5 (2)
Investigation +15 (11)
Perception +7 (4)
Persuasion +5 (2)
Ranged Combat: Heavy Pistol +7 (4)
Sleight of Hand +4 (1)
Stealth +7 (4)
Vehicles +6 (3)

Advantages (13 pts)
All-out Attack
Assessment
Benefit 2: Scotland Yard
Contacts
Defensive Attack
Defensive Roll 2
Diehard
Tracking
Equipment 3

Equipment (15 EP)
Flashlight (1 EP)
Gas Mask (1 EP)
Handcuffs (1 EP)
Lock Release Gun (1 EP)
Toolkit (Basic) (1 EP)

Heavy Pistol (8 EP)
Undercover Shirt (2 EP)

Offense
Grab +4 (DC Spec 12)
Heavy Pistol +7 (DC 19)
Throw +3 (DC 17)
Unarmed +10 (DC 17)

Defense (11 pts)
Dodge 7 (4)
Parry 6 (2)
Fortitude 5 (2)
Toughness 7/3
Will 6 (3)

Background
Inspector G. Gordon, a decorated detective of Scotland Yard praised for having a mind like a steel trap, an unyielding will, and the utmost respect for the law, found that being a "straight shooter" was not the way to get to the top. In fact, with the advent of the steam revolution in London, he found that corruption, greed, and antipathy were the tea to society's corrupt crumpets. But even so, it was his city; a city that needed someone to stand up to for the downtrodden. A city where his little girl, Barbara, could grow up without worrying for her life. A city that needed someone...a hero. But for now, they'd have to make do.

It was that sense of utter loyalty towards upholding the law that brought Inspector Gordon under the scrutiny of the higher ups at Scotland Yard. Particularly, his continual investigations into the murder of the late Lady Martha Wayne and her young son, Master Bruce. Something about the whole affair had seemed fishy to him from the get-go. In fact, it was almost as fishy as the dead-end investigation into his wife's murder. No in-depth investigation was done, and more importantly, none of the stories matched up. The mysteries of these unsolved cases were a constant reminder as to what his job was, and what his duty to the people of London was. And faced with these blatantly unnatural cases, his inner detective was telling him that there had to be more to the story than met the eye, but Commissioner William Radcliffe would have none of it.

Rumors had it that Radcliffe had ties with several, if not all, of the organized criminal organizations in London, but no amount of investigations yielded any concrete evidence, so the corrupt Commissioner remained in power. And it was that power that was wielded against the Inspector. In the blink of an eye, all the accomplishments he had attained...the Radley Manor case...the Killington Murder...the Rosetta Stone theft...all of it was for naught as Inspector Gordon found himself "relocated" to the Office for Extranatural Affairs, or "Dead Ends" as the green recruits called it. It was a place for the incorruptible to live out their careers until retirement.

But damned if he would take this laying down.

The Guild of the Bat. The commoners on the street whispered the name like a prayer before bed, and if the rumors were even half true, then this Guild was the better God to pray to. They were his only chance to protect London from the corruption that fed upon it, and so, late one evening, he took an oil lantern, smashing the unlit contraption against the side of a musty, old apartment building. Brush in hand, he drew the oil across the wall, circles and edges interwoven with each other as he stepped back, lighting a match with his free hand as he flicked it towards the trail of kerosene.

A brilliant burst of flames traveled along the trail of fuel, hungrily eating up the kerosene as it lit Inspector Gordon's work of art on fire. What was it though? Two large curves on each side, symmetrical to one another, connected by a series of curved edges on the bottom and a stylized head on the top, all surrounded by a larger circle of flaming oil. As Gordon admired his work, he snapped the barrel of his revolver out, counting the bullets as he waited in the alleyway, illuminated only by the light of the flaming Bat...a signal you might say to let the Guild know that they were needed.

Complications
Enemy: Inspector Gordon has countless enemies in the organized crime syndicates, and even within Scotland Yard, that would like to see him taken down a notch...permanently.

Motivation: Justice: London is his city, and he swore to himself to see justice served to those that might think to do it harm.

Responsibility: As a member of Scotland Yard, Inspector Gordon still prides himself on being a civil servant of the Queen, and constantly juggles the responsibilities he has as an officer against working with the Guild of the Bat.

Languages
(Queen's) English

[sweetja713]

The Chemist
PL7

Abilities
Strength 0, Stamina 6, Agility 0, Dexterity 0, Fighting 5, Intellect 2, Awareness 4, Presence 0

Powers
Chemical Production:
Toxins: Affliction 8 [Resisted by fort, dazed stunned incapacitated ; Cumulative; Reach 1 Affects Insubstantial 2]
Alt: Damaging Chemicals: Damage 8 [Penetrating 8 Reach 1]
Alt: Toxic Cloud: Affliction 7 [Resisted by fort, dazed stunned incapacitated ; Area Cloud ; Affects Insubstantial 2]
Alt: Poison: Weaken 8 [Stamina; Concentration; Reach 1]
Alt: Spores: Affliction 8 [Resisted by fort, impaired, disabled, incapacitated; Cumulative; Reach 1 Affects Insubstantial 2]
Alt: Spore Cloud: Affliction 7 [Resisted by fort, impaired, disabled, incapacitated; Area Cloud ; Affects Insubstantial 2]
(24 points)
Chemically Altered Body:
Unstable Structure: Morph 2, Enhanced Stamina 4 [Permanent], Enhanced Dodge 1 [Permanent], Enhanced Fighting 3 [Permanent], Hardened Body: Protection 2, Toxin Resistance: Immunity 3 [Chemical (Uncommon power descriptor) & Poison]
(30 points)

Equipment


Advantages
Accurate Attack, Assessment, Contacts, Inventor [Expertise Chemicals], Improved Defense, Power Attack, Takedown, Uncanny Dodge

Skills
Athletics (+0), Close Combat: Chemical Production 1 (+6), Deception 5 (+5), Expertise: Chemistry 9 (+11), Insight (+4), Intimidation (+0), Investigation 8 (+10), Perception 3 (+7), Persuasion (+0), Stealth (+0)

Offense
Initiative +0
Toxins +6, Damage 8
Toxic Cloud +0, Damage 7
Poison +6, Damage 8
Damaging Chemicals +6, Damage 8
Spore Cloud +0, Damage 7

Defense
Dodge 6, Parry 6
Toughness 8 (Def Roll 0), Fortitude 7, Will 7

Power Points
Abilities 20 + Powers 54 + Advantages 8 + Skills 13 + Defenses 10 = Total 105

Complications
Justice – Trevor seeks justice for those who cannot find it on their own.
Fear – At times the fear gas in Trevor's system overpowers him and leaves him unable to act due to the fright.
Guilt – Though they deserved it, Trevor is often times still riddled with guild about the effect his abilities caused to the men holding him captive.
Enemy – Though Jonathon Crane has seemingly disappeared, it's only a matter of time till him or his criminal contacts come after Trevor again to figure out how to replicate what happened.

Design Notes
Trevor Heinsworth was a promising young man in the field of chemistry. While he certainly wasn't a genius in the field, he had proven to have a good grasp of the concepts and was learning rapidly. At the university, Trevor came to the attention of one of the professors, Jonathon Crane. Together they plumbed the world of chemistry, exposing various animals to their substances, all in an effort to improve humanity. The two wished to create serums that would enhance a human's natural ability in several areas. The research was promising at first. They managed to increase the durability of mice, then the ability to get away from predators. Unbeknownst to Trevor though, Crane was working on more chemicals than those that would help humanity. Late one night, Trevor woke from sound sleep with a new idea for a chemical formula. Rushing to the lab, he intended to put together the new formula. When he got there there was a light from the window. He didn't think much of it as Crane was known for working into the wee hours of the morning. Just as he was about to go in, he heard arguing. Curious as to who was in the lab with his mentor, Trevor tried sneaking up to a window to spy. He saw a man he didn't recognize telling Crane he better get it done soon if he didn't want to wind up dead. It turns out Crane had some pretty severe gambling debts and the serums they were working on weren't to improve all of humanity but to enhance criminals. Shocked and disheartened, Trevor turned to leave only to be nailed with a pipe by a man patrolling the grounds around the lab. When he came to, he was strapped to a chair with Crane and the man in the lab standing over him. Crane explained what was going on somewhat regretfully, after all a good assistant is hard to come by. Still Trevor couldn't be allowed to report what he had found out, besides Crane couldn't wait to see the effects of the chemical cocktail he had created. Trevor was taken to a hidden hideout for the criminals and over the next month was slowly experimented on. The last chemical compound he was exposed to was a new fear gas. Over hours, he was subjected to visions of his worst fears. That wasn't the only thing happening however. It turned out that the fear gas interacted with the other chemicals in his system. His body started to change and in his fear exuded strange chemicals. When Trevor came out of his haze of fear hours late, he found his captors comatose. Recognizing this as his only chance, Trevor worked to free himself from his bonds. It seemed fruitless till he started exuding a strange acid that ate away at his bonds. Trevor was making good on his escape when operatives of a new organization burst into the hideout. When they saw that everyone but Trevor was down they surrounded him asking questions. That's when he collapsed When he came to, he was in a secure location where he learned the operatives were members of a society called the Guild of the Bat. A bright man called Mr. Fox explained what they believed had happened to Trevor and asked him to help ensure that others wouldn't be victimized. Accepting, he was trained in his new chemically based abilities and other useful skills. He was also told that the men he had rendered comatose had never woken up. Each of them was trapped in a coma. Riddled with guilt over the accidental use of his abilities, Trevor trained harder and harder till he was finally called up as a operative.

Notes
Obviously this brings Crane into the picture but it's also a handy way to explain chemically altered villains. They may have been created in the initial use of Trevor's chemicals and got away before the operatives showed up or some of the men rendered comatose may recover with strange abilities or a warped outlook on life.

[Shock]

I'd be interested in playing a Barbara Gordon style Batgirl. She'd be a librarian or something similar by day (possibly with access to restricted records) and a thrill-seeker/feminist vigilante by night.

[Furyan]

Huntsman is complete.

Could have used a few more points, but I'm happy with him overall. Let me know what you think.

[whiteprofit]

It sounds like there is a possible Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde development, so I'm going to leave that part of my character background as vague as possible, only noting where the jump comes from and referring to literature for names and basics.

The Gist of It:
Clark Kent's father, a scientist, works for London Laboratory which is owned by Lex Luthor.
Johnathan Kent helps develop the J-L 1 Serum (Jekyll-LondonLabs 1) from the Hyde Potion developed by Henry Jekyll.
Johnathan creates a new strain of it, called the K-L serum (Kent-LondonLabs), and gives it to his dying son.
Clark develops incredible strength and stamina, an increased healing factor, eye sight, and hearing.
Clark is dependent up on the drug to maintain his power and is occasionally effected by the Hyde portion of the drug, especially if a lot of time out of sunlight has gone by, causing a loss of temper and extreme anger issues.
Clark fights the Hyde effects and uses his powers for good, donning a hood and mask (homage to Hourman), and tromps through the streets to try and do good.
He is inducted into the Guild of the Bat for training. Partially for his powers. Mostly to keep an eye on him and to keep him out of trouble.
Clark's power is more raw and the training of stealth, perception, and cunning are new to him. He's still more of a bull in a china house than a Dark Knight of the Shadows.

[roguescribner]

I was originally leaning towards a flat out mystic type but I think I'm going to incorporate some Houdini influences as well since it will be more period appropriate I think. I have a build done already but I'm going to tweak it and hopefully have something posted by tomorrow.

[Dureign]

I think I'm going to shelve Catwoman; having her be a mashup of Holmes' Irene Adler (particularly the dominatrix version in the BBC modern series) and Selina Kyle is pretty fun, but I feel like it doesn't explore the weird steampunk Mieville elements as much as it could. If this were a straight up Edwardian/Victorian era Gotham by Gaslight game, she'd be perfect, but I think I found something even more fun (which also gives Lord Fell free reign on a femme fatale character):

Professor Victor Fries, former Fellow of the Royal Society, a student of Michael Faraday and William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, and frequent collaborator with Nikola Tesla, was a pioneer in the burgeoning field of cryogenics and thermodynamics. Fries found himself the professional rival of another brilliant thermodynamicist, Michael Rory, a notorious pyromaniac. This rivalry limited itself to simply insults and minor acts of laboratory sabotage, but when famed detective Sherlock Holmes consulted with Fries to foil a criminal plot by Professor James Moriarty involving liquid nitrogen and the Crown Jewels, the Napoleon of crime called upon his secret protege, Rory, to enact revenge on Fries.

Tragically, a laboratory accident - perpetrated by those selfsame villains - claimed the life of his beloved wife Nora and afflicted Victor with the world's first and only case of chronic hyperthermia.

Driven to near madness with grief, Fries turned his radical cryodynamic inventions into a suit powered by "antisteam," which not only regulates his hyperthermia but enhances his strength, durability, and allows him to operate his various antisteam weaponry. Unable to locate Michael Rory (now calling himself Heat Wave) and Moriarty to exact his revenge, Freeze was poised to attack the Royal Society itself - when Lord Gotham's Guild of the Bat, aided by Sherlock Holmes, located him in the nick of time and convinced him to join them in their crusade in return for aid in locating the evil Heat Wave and Professor Moriarty.

Now calling himself Mister Freeze, the cryogenics genius has turned his antisteam technology on the enemies of justice, because in his icy heart, he knows that vengeance is simply justice that has frozen over.


Mister Freeze
PL7 / 105 points

Abilities: (16 points)
Str 6[0], Sta 0, Agl 0, Dex 0, Fgt 2, Int 4, Awe 2, Pre 0

Powers: (51 points)

Antisteam Gun: Array (27 points), Easily Removable (–12 points) • 18 points

• Cold Blast: Ranged Damage 9, Resisted by Fortitude • 27 point
• Antisteam Blast: Ranged Transform ? (Steampowered Objects to Broken Objects) • 1 point
• Ice Objects: Create 9, Innate, Subtle, Permanent • 1 point
• Icy Snare: Line Area Ranged Affliction 7 (Resisted by Dodge; Hindered and Vulnerable, Defenseless and Immobile), Cumulative, Limited Degree • 1 point

Antisteam Suit: Enhanced Advantages 1 (Favored Environment: Extreme Cold); Enhanced Strength 6; Immunity 4 (Environmental Heat, Pressure, Radiation, Suffocation); Protection 9, Impervious; Removable (-7 points) • 28 points

Cryo-Preserved: Immunity 5 (Cold damage) • 5 points

Advantages: (2 points)
Inventor, Languages (English; Base: German)
Antisteam Suit: Favored Environment: Extreme Cold

Skills: (19 points, 38 ranks)
Close Combat: Unarmed 3 (+5), Expertise: Cryogenics 10 (+14), Expertise: Science 10 (+14), Ranged Combat: Freeze Gun 5 (+5), Technology 10 (+14)

Offense:
Initiative +0
Antisteam Blast +5 (Ranged Transform ?)
Cold Blast +5 (Ranged Damage 9, Resisted by Fortitude)
Icy Snare - (Ranged Line Area Affliction 7)
Unarmed +5 (Close Damage 6)

Defense: (17 points)
Dodge 4 Parry 4
Toughness 9(I), Fortitude 6, Will 7

Abilitites 16 + Powers 51 + Advantages 1 + Skills 19 + Defenses 18 = 105

Complications:
Obsession: Wants revenge on Heat Wave and Professor Moriarty
Relationships: (with approval) Nikola Tesla, Sherlock Holmes
Reputation: Considered heartless and emotionless
Responsibility: To the Guild of the Bat
Weakness: If Mister Freeze is exposed to above-freezing temperatures outside of his Antisteam Suit, his Stamina becomes Impaired, Disabled, then Debilitated.

Note: His combat role is obvious: slow moving antisteam powered tank on legs. Since character development and investigation is the focus of this game, I wanted to draw in Sherlock Holmes and James Moriarty, as well as the whole weird world of Victorian science - and who doesn't like Nikola Tesla. Since steam is the phlebotinum of this genre, I decided to create "antisteam" - along the lines of antimatter. Its preposterous, sure, but I imagine "antisteam" as being a freezing gas (that doesn't de-sublimate moisture) that powers engines via compression, as opposed to the expansion of steam in turbines/pistons.

Mister Freeze's investigative role is primarily that of scientific expert, and inventor distant second. I can easily remove Inventor and lower Technology if someone wants to go for a more pure steampunk gadgeteer.

[Sid]

Updated Scarlet Arrow

[roguescribner]

Blackstone - PL 7



Gender: Male
Age: 34
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 178 lbs
Hair: Bald
Eyes: Blue

Strength 0, Stamina 0, Agility 0, Dexterity 0, Fighting 0, Intellect 2, Awareness 3, Presence 3

Advantages
Artificer, Fascinate (Expertise), Hide in Plain Sight, Skill Mastery: Expertise: Magic, Uncanny Dodge

Skills
Deception 9 (+12), Expertise: Magic 13 (+15), Insight 7 (+10), Perception 4 (+7), Persuasion 2 (+5), Sleight of Hand 12 (+12), Stealth 7 (+7)

Powers
Magic Array
. . Effortless Mind Reading 7 (magical, mind, DC 17; Extras: Effortless, Sensory Link, Subtle: subtle; Flaws: Feedback)
. . Hypnosis: Cumulative Affliction 7 (magical, mind, 1st degree: Entranced, 2nd degree: Compelled, 3rd degree: Controlled, Resisted by: Will, DC 17; Extras: Cumulative, Increased Range 2: perception; Flaws: Instant Recovery)
. . Illusion 7 (Affects: Three Sense Types - sound and vision, Area: 250 cft., DC 17; Extras: Illusion Area [2 ranks only], Selective; Flaws: Activation: move action, Resistible: Will)
. . Mental Communication
. . . . Comprehend 4 (Linked; Languages - Understand All, Languages - You're Understood, Spirits - Communicate, Spirits - Medium)
. . . . Mental Area Communication 1 (Linked; magical, mind; Extras: 100 ft. Area, Selective, Subtle: encrypted)
. . . . Senses 4 (Linked; magical, mind, Detect: mental 2: ranged, Extended: mental 1: x10, Radius)
Mystic Shield: Force Field 7 (+7 Toughness)
Perceptive: Senses 2 (Awareness: Magic, Awareness: Mental)
Quickness: Quickness 3 (Perform routine tasks in -3 time ranks; Limited to One Task: Artificing)

Compass of Travel [4 hours / 16 hours: Teleport 6, magical, technological, 1800 feet in a move action, carrying 50 lbs.; Extras: Accurate, Portal; Flaws: Medium: mirrors] Cost: 24pp
Crossbow of Elements [2 hours / 16 hours: Damage 7, magical, technological, DC 22; Extras: Increased Range: ranged, Variable Descriptor: close group - elemental] Cost: 15pp
Gauntlets of Levitation [2 hours / 8 hours: Flight 4, magical, technological, Speed: 30 miles/hour, 500 feet/round; Extras: Affects Others] Cost: 12pp
Ocular of Truth [2 hours / 8 hours: Linked Enhanced Trait (Investigation +8 (+10), Perception +4 (+11)), Senses 6 (acute sight, counters illusion (visual), extended vision 1, infravision, microscopic vision 1) Cost: 12pp
Spectral Chains [2 hours / 16 hours: Affliction 7, magical, technological, 1st degree: Hindered, Vulnerable, 2nd degree: Defenseless, Immobile, DC 17; Extras: Affects Insubstantial 2: full rank, Alternate Resistance (Dodge), Extra Condition, Increased Range: ranged; Flaws: Limited Degree] Cost: 15pp
Telescope of Scrying [8 hours / 16 hours: Remote Sensing 8, magical, technological, Affects: 3 Types - visual and auditory, Range: 1 mile; Extras: Subtle: DC 20+rank] Cost: 25pp

Offense
Initiative +0
Grab, +0 (DC Spec 10)
Hypnosis: Concentration Affliction 7 (DC Will 17)
Mind Reading: Effortless Mind Reading 7 (DC Will 17)
Throw, +0 (DC 15)
Unarmed, +0 (DC 15)

Complications
Addiction: Magic is Blackstone's life's blood. It is the answer for every problem he encounters. A day without magic is a cold day indeed.
Fame: Well known stage magician and escape artist.
Motivation: Recognition: Driven to be recognized as the best in his field.
Obsession: Yearns to unlock the arcane secrets.

Languages
English

Defense
Dodge 7, Parry 4, Fortitude 4, Toughness 7, Will 10

Power Points
Abilities 16 + Powers 35 + Advantages 5 + Skills 27 (54 ranks) + Defenses 22 = 105

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Background
Tobias Blackstone has been obsessed with magic his entire life. Even with new technologies emerging, he was fascinated by the unknown secrets of the famous magicians and illusionists during his childhood. He had to know their secrets and acquire some of that power for himself. He convinced a local street magician to let Tobias be his apprentice. Young Tobias was quite dismayed when he finally gazed at the truth of the tricks his mentor performed. Simple misdirection and illusion. However, the crowd reaction filled him with joy. It didn't matter if these were tricks of deception: they loved it.

Tobias threw himself into learning his craft inside and out. He soon surpassed his mentor in ability and had to find someone bigger to emulate. Tobias worked his way up through the ranks and it wasn't long before he started performing himself. Never satisfied with the level of his craft, he scoured old libraries and arcane shoppes for "magical" trinkets and tomes. He was elated one day to find an ancient pendant that possessed true mystical abilities. Frustrated at himself for his inability to unlock its secrets, he convinced a popular magician named Giovanni Zatara to mentor him in trade for Tobias sharing in his research of the arcane from all over the world. Zatara not only assisted Tobias with magical rituals, but also developed his sense of showmanship. "Magic is not a super power, it is a discipline!" Zatara always said. "A potentially dangerous discipline." It was years before Tobias unlocked the pendant's potential under Zatara's tutelage, but when he did a whole new world of discovery opened before him.

Zatara impressed Tobias by not growing jealous of his protege's increasing power. In fact, he helped Tobias focus his training and grow into one of the most skilled performers in the land. With patronage from none other than Thomas Wayne himself, The Great Blackstone (as Tobias was now called) and his shows delighted bigger and bigger audiences every month. No longer tethered to the mundane, Blackstone amazed audiences with feats of hypnosis, illusion, and impossible escapes. Blackstone amassed a small fortune in a short amount of time, but he was driven for more. Not more money, mind you, but more power. More recognition. More knowledge of the arcane. All of his resources went into research. There was no time for friends. No time for love. He felt like he was destined for something bigger than entertainment and he meant to achieve it.

When not performing, Blackstone is traveling looking for mystical objects and tomes of the arcane. He infuses bits of magic into crafted devices hoping to compound the potential of his power. He feels indebted to Zatara and will often share his research with him. If Blackstone were to call anyone friend, Zatara would be it. Otherwise, he is a solitarily driven man. There is not a challenge he will not face. There is not a stone he will not overturn in his quest for knowledge. One day he will unlock the secrets of the universe and be the greatest man the world has ever known!

Updated complications and powers 6/24.

Updated background 06/11.

Blackstone is not anti-social. He isn't a loner so much as he doesn't feel he has time for much frivolity. His mission is his life. He is not without empathy or feeling. He just sets his sights on a goal and goes after it.

Nothing would please him more than to encounter a like-minded individual. Any magical being would instantly fascinate him. Impressing people with his feats fills him with pride. He yearns for popular approval, but rarely seeks it on an individual basis.

He feels he is destined for greatness but has not yet achieved it. He will gladly work with anyone who can help him attain his goal.

[Aerlock]

Finally found a Pic! Picture him slightly scruffier than that as he's been unable to shave and been living on the streets since gaining his powers.

- Aerlock

Iron Ghost - PL 7

Strength 0, Stamina 4, Agility 8, Dexterity 0, Fighting 8, Intellect 0, Awareness 0, Presence 0

Advantages
Agile Feint, Benefit, Ambidexterity, Close Attack, Equipment 1, Hide in Plain Sight, Improved Initiative, Luck 2, Quick Draw, Second Chance: Traps, Skill Mastery: Technology, Ultimate Effort: Technology

Skills
Acrobatics 1 (+9), Deception 5 (+5), Investigation 5 (+5), Perception 8 (+8), Persuasion 5 (+5), Sleight of Hand 8 (+8), Stealth 2 (+10)

Powers
Iron Ghost
. . Immunity: Immunity 20 (Very Common Descriptor: Metal)
. . Movement: Movement 2 (Permeate 2: speed rank -1; Limited: Metal Only, Permanent)
. . Alternate Effect: Disassemble: Transform 7 (Affects: 1 Thing > 1 Thing - Assembled to Disassembled, Transforms: 100 lbs., DC 17; Increased Duration: continuous; Inaccurate: -2, Limited: Objects with Metal Parts Only, Only Removes Metal Parts, Uncontrolled)
Natural Climber: Movement 1 (Wall-crawling 1: -1 speed rank; Permanent)
Natural Thief: Enhanced Trait 6 (Traits: Technology +12 (+12); Limited: Security and Demolitions only, Permanent)

Equipment
Camo Clothing, Heavy Club, Leather Armor

Offense
Initiative +12
Heavy Club, +9 (DC 18)
Disassemble: Transform 7, +7 (DC Dog 17)
Grab, +9 (DC Spec 10)
Throw, +0 (DC 15)
Unarmed, +9 (DC 15)

Complications
Accident: His powers aren't fully under control. He has increasing difficulties in everyday life as steam power and mechanical devices become more prevalent. He occasionally will unintentionally make metal and non-metal parts separate if he bumps them.
Enemy: Lord Zedock, Ruler of East End, a powerful criminal boss in the East End area of London
Honor: No killing. No violence against innocents except if needed to escape when caught, and then its the barest minimum needed.
Motivation: Acceptance: He seeks to make amends for his past crimes and repay society.
Reputation: Dishonorably discharged. Former criminal. Seen as a snitch and a turncoat by his former criminal comrades

Languages
English

Defense
Dodge 8, Parry 8, Fortitude 5, Toughness 5, Will 7

Power Points
Abilities 40 + Powers 28 + Advantages 12 + Skills 17 (34 ranks) + Defenses 8 = 105

Background:
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 165 lbs.
Hair: Black
Eyes: Green

Silas Harrison never was able to keep his hands off other peoples things. He was able to hide this fact long enough and well enough to get into Her Majesty's Armed Forces. He even made his way into the Air Corps as an engineer on the new airship fleet. Unfortunately he pilfered from the wrong junior officer and got caught red-handed.

Flogged and dishonorably discharged he returned to civilian life where he turned to his bad habit as a way to make money. This worked well for him and he earned a deserved reputation as a good second story man and safe cracker. He also earned a reputation as a bit of a Robin Hood. He would only target his thefts at rich people or large companies that were known for poor treatment of their workers. His non-violence led him into difficulties at times with potential employers who were looking for a more smash and grab kind of thief.

Eventually a powerful criminal boss with rumored ties to the Commissioner of Scotland Yard had had enough of Silas' refusal to do things his way and seeing him as a possible troublemaker in the future, decided Silas needed to go.

Luring Silas in with a potentially very lucrative job that would involve no smash and grab was easy. Convincing him to target a chemical company that was known as a front for The Cluemaster wasn't. Silas was eventually won over with promises of a larger cut of the profits and protection should his part in the theft become known.

Everything was going fine on the job until Silas cracked open the safe. This set off the trap Silas hadn't seen while opening the safe. The chemicals that sprayed out of the safe incapacitated Silas quickly and goons quickly closed in on Silas.

He came to wrapped in chains and suspended upside down over a waste vat of caustic chemicals. He was still woozy and feeling weird from the traps chemicals when his employer, self-titled Lord Zedock, Ruler of East End, started speaking. Explaining that this was all a setup and The Cluemasters minions had been eliminated and he now owned the chemical company, Zedock dropped him into the vat.

Luckily for Silas this triggered his powers. He's not sure if it was the chemicals, divine intervention, or something he always had within himself, but he is grateful they kicked in when they did. The chains fell away as he fell into the vat and he was able to swim to, and to his surprise, through the metal side of the vat. Crashing to floor and frantically removing what clothing was left he realized he was incredibly lucky to have survived his dip with little actual damage.

Lord Zedock was surprised as well but recovered quickly enough to command his goons to fire on Silas. The bullets passed right through him and Silas, not wanting to push his luck any more ran for the nearest exit.

Escaping back to his flat after a brief dip in the river to cleanse himself of whatever chemicals may have been left, he gathered his clothes and attempted to grab his stash of money and a replacement dagger. Unfortunately his coins and dagger wouldn't move as his fingers passed right through them. Trying to scoop them up in a bag was no more successful, they would fall out within seconds of him holding the bag. Abandoning the effort he grabbed his prowlers clothes, backup leather jacket and what little paper money he had in his stash and fled into the night.

Escaping Zedock wasn't easy but he made it. Living on the street and putting some serious thought into his future for the first time ever led him to realize what a mess he had made of his life and how difficult his criminal enterprises would be to continue. He resolved to turn over a new leaf and try to repay his debts to society.

After a couple weeks his prospects for honest work were wearing thin and his small stash of paper money was almost gone. He was surviving with the help of The Spoilers when rumors of a new anti-criminal organization, composed of people with paranatural abilities like his, and outside the corrupt halls of Scotland Yard, reached him. He decided that he would seek their help with learning to control his abilities and offer his services in exchange to try and make up for his past misdeeds.

[Lord Fell]

I'm not super happy with my concept... retooling it somewhat, but keeping the same influences.

In a lower-tech world, would it be appropriate to have a Dex based skill "Security" for dealing with locks and mechanical traps?

[Coyotzin]

Sure; just take it under Expertise (Dex-based).

I'm seeing a lot of neat concepts and ideas; I'll look over them more carefully tomorrow and make comments. Today was crazy busy (and medicated, as I had an endodoncy in the morning ^^ )