Lieutenant Thunder
PL: 10 (150)
abilities: (16)
STR 34 DEX 12 CON 34 INT 10 WIS 12 CHA 14
Combat: (24)
+5 init, +8/6 ATK, +8 DEF (+2 dodge, +3 flat-footed)
+12 DMG (unarmed)
saves: (12)
TOU +12 FORT +12 REF +6 WILL +8
Skills (11/44)
diplomacy +8
notice +8
intimidate +6
knowledge: superheros +6
profession: teacher +4
search +6
sense motive +6
feats (8)
attack spec: unarmed, assessment, diehard, dodge 2, improved initative, interpose, power attack
Powers (85)
enhanced STR +20 (20)
enhanced CON +20 (20)
flight +5 (10)
immunity +9 (life support) (9)
impervious TOU +12 (12)
quickness +3 (3)
superstrength +5 (feat: shockwave) (11)
drawback
normal identity (full round) (-4)
vulnerable (power drains, uncommon, moderate) (-2)
tradeoffs
+2 DMG/-2 ATK
+2 TOU/-2 DEF
Complications
enemy (Argo, Doc Otaku)
responsibility (teacher at FC University)
secret (identity: ryan roberts)
costs
abilities 16 + combat 24 + saves 12 + skills 9/36 + feats 5 + powers 85 - drawback 6 = 150 pts
Ryan Robertson had always loved superheroes, and growing up in Freedom City did nothing to deter his interest in them. After years of collecting comic books, cartoons, movies, documentaries, novels and role-playing games, he developed an encylipedic knowledge of costumed heroes, their adversaries and their impact on the world, and wrote articles about them in his highschool newspaper. After graduating, Ryan attended Freedom City University, where he quickly achieved degrees in English, History and Philosophy, and specialized in Superhuman History and Superhero Ethics. At the age of 26, Ryan began teaching at the institute and has written several books on the superhero community, as well as a series of books based on fictional heroes drawn from his own creative imagination.
Life might have continued on like this for the rest of Ryan's life had it not been for the intervention of Argo, the Ultimate Android. Possessing the combined might of the entire Freedom League, Argo had recently become accutely aware of his limitations. While powerful, he lacked the creativity many lesser beings (IE, humans) demonstrated, and attributed his most recent defeat to his more logical but straightforward tactics. Deciding to put an end to that, Argo kidnapped Ryan, now a well known expert on superhumans, and imprisoned him in one of Talos' abanonded bases underneath Freedom City. There, Argo used his powers to forge a powerful mental link with Ryan, tapping into Ryan's vast knowledge of superhero history, and more importantly, knowledge of superhuman battle tactics, the weaknesses of the Freedom League and Ryan's own creativity. His mind brimming with ideas he'd never before experienced, Argo used this newfound knowledge to set a trap for the League.
After luring the League to his base with the threat of killing his hostage, Argo sprang trap after calculated trap on the unexpected League, who had expected Argo's usual degree of straightforwardness. It was only after several Leaguers had been defeated, stunned or weakened that Argo appeared and began to systematically dominate the already routed heroes. The villain may well have won had Ryan not recalled an incident where a telepathic villain had forged a similar link to another hero, and the hero was able to use that link to his advantage. Realizing that Argo had made the link between them too powerful, Ryan was able to actually draw some of Argo's duplicated powers into himself.
Argo was shocked to find his powers cut in half, and even more surprised when an unknown individual whose appearance was an amalgam of the Freedom League's burst through a wall. Calling himself the Composite Leaguer, Ryan attacked the awesome android, managing to hold Argo at bay while the League recovered. However, it quickly became apparent that the power Ryan was leeching from Argo was too much for his human body, and he could feel the exertion begining to take a fatal toll on his heart. In a desperate display of ingenuity, Ryan used Pseudo's shapeshifting to wrap around Argo, and thus imprisoned, was denied Lady Liberty's powers. One power stunt from Captain Thunder allowed Ryan to drain even more power from Argo, denying him the Captain's power at well. With Argo's might depleted, Ryan launched one final, all out assault that had nearly defeated the android, who then decided to cut his losses and let loose with an Extra Efforted Gravidic Blast from Daedalus and then teleport to safety using Dr. Metropolis' power, severing the mental link as he did so.
The League gathered around their rescuer only to find that Ryan's heart had stopped due to the strain of the battle, and that he had only minutes to live. Captain Thunder used his mastery of electricity as impromptu heart paddles and was able to shock Ryan's heart back into functioning. The League then took Ryan to a hospital, where they thanked him for his efforts and rewarded him by taking a picture with him by his hospital bed, and then all signing it as well. It was the single best day of Ryan's life.
That was until a week later when he fondly remembered his brief time as a superpowered being and tried to recall exactly how it had felt to have that power. Doing so caused a strange feeling to well inside his chest, and when he focused on that feeling, there was a blinding flash of light and Ryan found his appearance changed. He was taller, better looking, built like a greek god and clad in a costume that looked like a modified version of Captain Thunder's. Surprised, Ryan experimented with his new form and found he possessed quicker reflexes, amazing strength and toughness, and the ability to fly. Using that last power, Ryan traveled to the Freedom League's headquarters, where he consulted with Captain Thunder about this strange transformation. An analysis from Daedalus confirmed that Ryan's time linked with Argo had left him with some residual energy from some of the heroes, and that Captain Thunder's shock treatment had given that residual power a catalyst to make Ryan a full fledged superhuman. While lacking many of the Leaguers more esoteric abilities and having none of their skills or technology, Ryan had just enough of Johnny Rockets speed to be faster than a normal human, just enough of Pseudo's shapeshifting to achieve this superhuman form, and the combination of Captain Thunder, Lady Liberty and Siren's strength, flight and toughness to be a powerhouse of not inconsiderable levels. Ryan meekly apologized for unintentionally borrowing Captain Thunder's look, but the good natured hero merely smiled and said that Ryan had proven himself good enough to deserve the look, and the name "Thunder" if he wished. Johnny Rocket offered up the name Lieutenant Thunder jokingly (after getting many a groan by suggestion "Captain Thunder Junior"), and Ryan accepted it with great honor and humility.
The Freedom League trained Ryan in how to use his abilities, though Ryan has refused membership since he feels he needs more experience under his belt before he can contribute to the World's Greatest Superteam. Captain Thunder's son Bolt was initially a little warry of this outsider being brought into the Thunder Clan, especially since he apparently ranked "higher" than he did, but after meeting Ryan in his normal form and discovering his love of RPG's, Bolt, Chase Atom and Ryan have gotten along smashingly. Today, Ryan patrols Freedom City while still teaching at his University, somehow managing to balance superheroics and his students while trying to live up to the legacy he's been handed.
Normally, Ryan Roberts appears to be a normal human in his mid-twenties. When he concentrates on the power within him for a few seconds (full round action), he can cause it to burst forth into a blinding flash of light that transforms him into Lt. Thunder, a taller, more physically imposing man apparently in his mid-thirties. He currently maintains a one person apartment on the Midtown area of Freedom City's Wester Side, as its right between his college campus and one of his favorite spots in Freedom City: The Superhero Museum.
Another of my star players from the Time of Vengeance pbp, Lt Thunder is a standard paragon customized by Ares. i've also made a couple more adjustments to the design.
Ares, permission to work this guy into my World of Freedom setting? I'm thinking transferring him over to the Post "Hero High" Claremont Academy, but since he's your guy...
by Kreuzritter » Tue Jul 24, 2007 6:03 pm 
