MLC's Borrowed Art Thread! - Snowblind & Frostbite (7/4)

[Libra]

I shall, but I need to take a brief hiatus. I've got to get caught up with the Kanik Chronicles, to include finishing up my notes for the rest of Kanik's current adventure.

No problem.

[MLChance]

COMMANDER SKULL
Quote: "Skull-One to Skull-Three: Take out the overpass on my mark."
Power Level: 8
Concept: Mercenary mastermind
Occupation: Mercenary
Real Name: Eugenio Scolari
Legal Status: Citizen of Italy with an international criminal record
Identity: Public
Place of Birth: Ravenna, Italy
Marital Status: Single
Living Relatives: Maria Scolari (mother)
Height: 6 ft. 1 in.
Weight: 200 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown

Notes: Eugenio Scolari is a highly-trained normal. He is physically impressive, but not superhuman. He is smart and charismatic. It's these latter two features that are his biggest assets. After a remarkable career with the Italian military, Scolari became a mercenary. After a few successful years, he decided to go into business for himself under the nomme du guerre Commander Skull. He used his brains and leadership skills to build a small, disciplined, and well-equipped mercenary squad. In a fight, Skull prefers to operate from the cockpit of his skull fighter, backed up by his team of pilots. He uses Inspire and Master Plan for an early advantage.

STR 16 (+3); DEX 12 (+1); CON 14 (+2); INT 18 (+4); WIS 14 (+2); CHA 20 (+5)

TOU +2; FORT +6; REF +6; WILL +8; INIT +1; KNOCKBACK -1

MELEE +7 or +11 with knives; RANGE +11; GRAPPLE +10; DAMAGE +3 unarmed; DEFENSE +11 (+3 flat-footed)

Skills (Ranks): Diplomacy +10 (5), Drive +5 (4), Knowledge (tactics) +10 (6), Language (English, Italian, French, German) (3), Notice +7 (5), Pilot +12 (11), Sense Motive +8 (6)

Feats: Assessment, Attack Focused (ranged) 4, Attack Specialization (knives) 2, Beginner's Luck, Dodge Focus 4, Eidetic Memory, Equipment 18 (90 points), Inspire, Jack-of-All-Trades, Leadership, Luck 3, Master Plan, Minions 10 (five 60-point minions, five 30-point minions)

Equipment:
* Skull Central (Large HQ; TOU 15; Communications, Computer, Concealed, Defense System, Fire Prevention System, Hangar, Infirmary, Isolated, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Power System, Security System, Workshop: EC 19)

* Skull Fighter (use Space Fighter stats; EC 49)

* 22 points of other equipment, always including a sidearm and a blade of some sort

Attack/Damage Tradeoff: +3/-3
Defense/Toughness Tradeoff: +3/-3

Abilities 34 + Skills 10 (40 ranks) + Feats 48 + Powers 0 + Combat 28 + Saves 15 = 135

Commander Skull has a squad of 10 minions. Five of them are pilots who accompany Skull into the field. The others are ace scientists working in Skull Central's lab and workshop.

Skull Pilots: Use soldier minion, but add +1 STR and CON, +2 DEX, +2 INT, and +2 WIS. This increases all saving throws by +1 each. Add 8 ranks of Pilot (+10 bonus total). Increase Equipment to 14 ranks. Spend 49 equipment points on a skull fighter, leaving 21 points for other items. Add Teamwork to feats.

Skull Techs: Use scientist minion with STR 10, DEX 12, CON 10, INT 14, WIS 12, and CHA 12. Add +2 to Attack and Defense. Saves are TOU +0, FORT +2, REF +3, WILL +3. Add Equipment 5, Inventor, and Luck 1 to feat list.

[MLChance]

And now we continuing Kanik's latest adventure, picking up where the first installment of Earth Crimes left off!

Michael had walked most of the way to the exits leading to the restrooms when a harsh voice brought him to a stop.

"Liar! Despoiler!"

Wyatt stopped mid-sentence. Several of the waitstaff tossed aside trays and pulled pistols, yelling for everyone to get down to the floor. One gunmen clouted a security guard across the head. Another snaked an arm around Mrs. Dean's throat, pressing the barrel of his pistol to her cheek. Frightened screams and expletives filled the air. A young man jumped onto the stage, pistol in hand aimed at Wyatt.

"Tell them the truth, Wyatt! Tell them what's really happening in Venezuela!" the gunman on the stage said.

Mom! Michael thought, fighting the urge to leap to her rescue. I've got to rescue my mother!

As the museum patrons hit the floor, Michael made a break for it, rushing the nearest exit.

"Stop him!"

Gun fire erupted, provoking another wave of screams and sobs from the frightened patrons. Bullets cracked into the door jamb. Splinters exploded. Michael made it into the hallway beyond without getting hit. Looking left and right, he saw few choices. The hallway had another door leading back into the exhibition room. Two others doors led into the men's and ladies' rooms. A third door, this one heavier and red, was an emergency fire exit. The men's room door was the closest, and surely at least one gunman wouldn't be far behind.

Michael hit the men's room door at a full run. No one else was in the bathroom.

I can't believe I'm changing into my costume in a bathroom! Michael thought as he moved into the closest stall, already pulling off his tie and shirt.

He was just stepping out his pants and pulling on his mask when he heard men in the hallway outside the men's room.

"He must be in the building," one said. A muffled reply followed, and then the men's room door banged open. "If you're in here, come out now with your hands up!"

"Okay, here I come," Kanik said, stepping out the stall and clapping his hands together. Sparks flew from his hands and a wave of sound exploded forth, picking the gunman into the air and slamming him against the wall. Mirrors shattered. A couple of flourescent tubes overhead popped.

Kanik moved into the hall just as the second gunman exited the ladies' room. Kanik lunged forward, grabbing the man's machine pistol. Electricity surged down Kanik's arm and through the weapon. The gunman jerked and twitched, and then fell to the floor unconscious. A second later, Kanik burst into the exhibition hall. Every gun in the room turned to point at him, including the one that had been pressed to his mother's cheek.

"Drop your weapons now," Kanik said, "and we'll only need a police wagon instead of several ambulances."

"Make a move, hero," the leader on stage said, "and people will get shot."

Kanik hesitated. So many people. Too many gunmen. Six of them total. How can I get them all? Kanik raised his hands. "What do you want?"

"The truth to come out!" the leader said, pressing his gun to Wyatt's temple. "Atlas Oil isn't the good guy here! They discovered these artifacts on accident! Tell them, Wyatt! Tell them about how you bulldozed the site after pulling a few things out of the ground and --"

"That's a bad thing?" Kanik interrupted.

"Wha--!? Kill him!" the leader roared.

Gun shots and screams tore the air. Kanik leaped to the side. Bullets thudded into the wall behind him.

Only going to get once chance to make this work!

Spidery arcs of lightning burst from Kanik's fingers. The first hit the man holding his mother, the jolt sending him flying backward into a table of hors d'oeuvres. Electricity coursed through three other gunmen, dropping them to the floor. The fifth gunman and the leader were missed, the leader because the microphone stand caught the arc. The gunman fired wildly. A bullet slammed into Kanik's shoulder like a sledgehammer. The leader dumped Wyatt from his wheelchair to the floor in front of the stage and then sprinted away from Kanik, who noticed the man's hand stray to a pager-sized device on his belt.

What's that for? Kanik thought as the fired a lightning bolt, sprawling out the fifth gunman.

The leader had vanished from sight behind the stage. Museum security moved into action, directing people toward the exit. Kanik scanned the area, and that's when he noticed the out-of-place black box under the balcony near the front entrance.

There shouldn't be anything electrical there. Kanik flew across the room to the box. My God! That's a bomb, and it's activated!

Kanik grabbed the box, tearing from its mounting, and raced toward the glass dome overhead. Not knowing how long until the bomb would explode, he poured on the speed, rising higher and higher over Kanik City.

BA-BOOM!

The concussion from the explosion rocked Kanik's body, rattling his senses and sending him spinning pell-mell through the night sky and then into a long plummet toward the city below.

Will Kanik regain his senses in time to avoid smashing into the ground? Just who are these ruthless gunmen? Is there any truth to the accusation against Atlas Oil? Find out in our next episode!

[MLChance]

SCHEHERAZADE
Quote: "Ssh."
Power Level: 12
Concept: Iranian super-spy
Occupation: Spy
Real Name: Dorri Larijani
Legal Status: Citizen of Iran suspected of espionage in several countries
Identity: Secret
Place of Birth: Arak, Iran
Marital Status: Single
Living Relatives: None
Height: 5 ft. 5 in.
Weight: 115 lbs.
Eyes: Dark green
Hair: Brown

Notes: The despots running Iran desire to be a major world power. In addition to assistance from less-than-scrupulous foreign allies providing help with weapons programs, Iran has entered the metahuman arms race. Dorri Larijani was forged in a crucible of murder, deceit, and brainwashing, start with the state-ordered murder of her family, subsequently blamed on "Zionist agents". Mutagenic experimentation conducted with techniques developed by the Soviet Union gave Larijani superhuman powers. After years of intensive training, she was turned loose under the code name Scheherazade.

Scheherazade is not a fighter. She is instead a nearly-peerless manipulator, master of disguise, and skilled investigator. Her silver tongue, connections, and contacts are usually enough to get her access to all but the most restricted of areas. She wears a choker that contains remarkable sonic modulators that enable Scheherazade to hypnotize a person or to render a large number of people unconscious. The mutagenic treatments have given Scheherazade the ability to control, bestow, and resist metahuman powers.

Scheherazade is a low-cost PL 12 villain. She lacks any real offensive capability. She's better defensively, but still lacks the oomph to stand up to a competent superhero. The key to Scheherazade's success is remain undetected.

STR 10 (+0); DEX 12 (+1); CON 12 (+1); INT 20 (+5); WIS 20 (+5); CHA 14 (+2)

TOU +1; FORT +6; REF +6; WILL +11; INIT +1; KNOCKBACK -0

MELEE +6; RANGE +6; GRAPPLE +6; DAMAGE +0 unarmed; DEFENSE +8

Skills (Ranks): Bluff +12 (10), Concentration +15 (10), Diplomacy +12 (10), Disguise +15 (13), Gather Information +15 (13), Investigate +15 (10), Knowledge (behavioral sciences) +10 (5), Language (5), Notice +13 (8), Search +13 (8), Sense Motive +15 (10)

Feats: Benefit (diplomatic immunity), Connected, Contacts, Set-Up, Teamwork, Well-Informed

Device:
Choker (Device 5; hard-to-lose)
* Hypnosis 12; AP: Sleep 12 (Extra: Area - Burst [+1], Will Save [+0]; Flaws: Touch Range [-1], Sense-Dependent - Hearing [-1])

Powers:
Power Control 12 (Power Feat: Subtle)
* AP: Empowerment 4 (Power Feat: Subtle)
* AP: Power Resistance 8 (Extra: Total [+1])

Attack/Damage Tradeoff: +0/-0
Defense/Toughness Tradeoff: +0/-0

Abilities 28 + Skills 25 (100 ranks) + Feats 6 + Powers 47 + Combat 28 + Saves 16 = 150

[MLChance]

BUGABOO
Quote: "Boo!"
Power Level: 9
Concept: Scary little bugger
Occupation: Agent of chaos
Real Name: Metus
Legal Status: Not applicable
Identity: Not applicable
Place of Birth: Somewhere in the Carpathians
Marital Status: Single
Living Relatives: Related to many strange supernatural creatures
Height: 3 ft.
Weight: 35 lbs.
Eyes: Glowing green
Hair: None

Notes: Metus the Bugaboo is a supernatural creature. It is hundreds of years old, claiming to have been born from the blood and terror of a long-forgotten massacre in the Carpathian Mountains. Ever since, it has flitted from place to place, sowing seeds of destruction, mistrust, and panic. The Bugaboo lives to cause chaos. It will work with others who share its goals (or at least encourage the Bugaboo to express itself).

This imp's powers derive from two sources. It has those powers that result from its status as a supernatural creature. It flies via bat-like wings. It is immortal, rather small in size, and its talons are venomous. The Bugaboo's alien brain enables it to speak and understand any language. It is also a powerful sorcerer well-versed in chaos magic. The Bugaboo's spells cause fires, animate objects, manipulate emotions in a large area, create multi-sensory illusions, and enable the Bugaboo to change shape. What's more, the Bugaboo's skills cannot be overlooked. It is a master manipulator and exceptionally stealthy.

STR 5 (-3); DEX 18 (+4); CON 16 (+3); INT 14 (+2); WIS 16 (+3); CHA 14 (+2)

TOU +6 (+2 without Defensive Roll); FORT +6; REF +8; WILL +8; INIT +4; KNOCKBACK -2 (-0 without Defensive Roll)

MELEE +5; RANGE +5; GRAPPLE +2; DAMAGE +2 talons, +5 Sneak Attack; DEFENSE +12 (+4 flat-footed)

Skills (Ranks): Bluff +16 (14), Diplomacy +8 (6), Disable Device +10 (8), Intimidate +10 (10), Knowledge (history) +8 (6), Notice +9 (6), Sense Motive +9 (6), Sleight of Hand +14 (10), Stealth +18 (10)

Feats: Defensive Roll 4, Dodge Focus 3, Fearless, Grappling Finesse, Hide in Plain Sight, Improvised Tools, Sneak Attack 2, Taunt

Powers:
Imp-Like Creature
* Flight 3 (Speed: 50 MPH; Drawback: Power loss if wings disabled [-2 pp])
* Immortality 5 (Effects: Immune to aging, disease, poison; True Resurrection 1)
* Regeneration 7 (Effect: Recovery +7)
* Shrinking 4 (Effects: -4 STR, -1 TOU, +1 Atk/Def, -4 grapple, +4 Stealth, -2 Intimidate; Power Feat: Innate; Flaw: Permanent [+0])
* Strike 2 (Extra: Poison [+1])
* Universal Translator 8 (Flaw: Spoken language only [-1])

Seeds of Chaos
* Ignite 9; APs: Animate Objects 9, Emotion Control 9 (Extra: Area - Burst [+1]), Illusion 6 (Effects: All senses; Power Feats: Progression 3), Shapeshift 3 (Extra: Continuous [+1])

Attack/Damage Tradeoff: +0/-0
Defense/Toughness Tradeoff: +3/-3

Abilities 21 + Skills 19 (76 ranks) + Feats 14 + Powers 60 + Combat 24 + Saves 12 = 150

[MisterO]

OH Bugaboo looks like tons of fun to unleash upon players! Good work MLC!

[MLChance]

GEHENNA GIRL
Quote: "There's going to be hell to pay."
Power Level: 11
Concept: Devilish powerhouse
Occupation: Professional criminal
Real Name: Rachel Mitchell
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a criminal record
Identity: Public
Place of Birth: Little Rock, Arkansas
Marital Status: Single
Living Relatives: Michael Mitchell (father), Yana Mitchell (mother), Galen Mitchell (brother)
Height: 6 ft. 2 in.
Weight: 200 lbs.
Eyes: Gray
Hair: Charcoal black

Notes: Rachel Mitchell was an aspiring dancer with the promise of a bright future. A sudden accident caused by a drunk driver snuffed out that future. Rachel suffered terrible injuries, so much so that she lost one of her legs. No amount of physical therapy and practice would ever enable Rachel to regain the talent she had lost. Despair overwhelmed Rachel, and the stench of that despair attracted the attention of a hellish power.

In exchange for 666 days of service, this power offered to give Rachel back her ability to dance. She accepted and was transformed into Gehenna Girl. At first, she performed her service reluctantly. Over time, however, that part of her that remembered what it was like to be Rachel diminished. She steadily grew to enjoy her new power and the criminal uses to which it was put. By the 666th day, Gehenna Girl no longer desired to return to her old life. Her corruption was complete.

Gehenna Girl is an under-pointed PL 11 powerhouse. There's not much subtlety to her build. She hits hard and moves fast. Against a foe who can't hurt her, she puts her combat feats into play and toys with him as long as possible.

STR 32 (+11); DEX 14 (+2); CON 20 (+5); INT 10 (+0); WIS 12 (+1); CHA 14 (+2)

TOU +14 (+10 Impervious); FORT +11; REF +6; WILL +6; INIT +2; KNOCKBACK -12

MELEE +8; RANGE +8; GRAPPLE +23; DAMAGE +14 unarmed; DEFENSE +8

Skills (Ranks): Acrobatics +8 (6), Climb +19 (8), Intimidate +10 (8), Knowledge (arcane lore) +4 (4), Notice +5 (4), Perform (dance) +8 (6)

Feats: Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Chokehold, Fascinate (Perform [dance]), Improved Pin, Power Attack, Startle

Powers:
Devilish Might
* Enhanced Constitution 10 (Extra: Impervious TOU +5)
* Enhanced Strength 22
* Immunity 10 (Effect: Fire)
* Leaping 3 (Running Long Jump: 210 ft.; AP: Speed 3)
* Protection 9 (Extra: Impervious +5)
* "Knuckles of Steel" Strike 3 (Power Feat: Mighty)
* Super-Strength 4 (Heavy Load: 16.8 tons)

Attack/Damage Tradeoff: -3/+3
Defense/Toughness Tradeoff: -3/+3

Abilities 10 + Skills 9 (36 ranks) + Feats 7 + Powers 77 + Combat 32 + Saves 15 = 150

[MLChance]

DONNYBROOK
Quote: "Apologize for the short joke and maybe I won't break your back."
Power Level: 11
Concept: Rage-aholic wrestler
Occupation: Professional criminal
Real Name: Donald Brooks
Legal Status: Citizen of the United States with a criminal record
Identity: Public
Place of Birth: Huntsville, Alabama
Marital Status: Widower
Living Relatives: Donald Brooks Jr. (son), Angela Brooks (daughter)
Height: 5 ft. 3 in.
Weight: 185 lbs.
Eyes: Blond
Hair: Dark blue

Notes: Rachel Mitchell, a.k.a. Gehenna Girl, isn't the only person who sold their soul for personal gain. Donald Brooks made his deal with the devil as well. Before doing so, he had been a mild-mannered art dealer, a father of two married to a domineering and unfaithful wife. For years, Donald repressed his anger and shame, pretending that his family life was the picture of domestic bliss. In response, his wife became more brazen, more hateful. Finally, Donald had had enough, but he still lacked the courage to take action.

This is when that hellish power intervened, offering Donald a chance for revenge in exchange for 666 days of service. Donald agreed and in a flash he was blinded by a consuming rage. When he regained his senses, his wife was dead, horribly mangled by his own blood-stained hands. Donald Brooks, mild-mannered art dealer, was no more. Donnybrook had taken his place.

Donnybrook is a melee combat monster. Highly accurate and hard to hit, he possesses a variety of combat feats as well as a terrible rage that makes him that much more dangerous in a fight. He is most formidable as a grappler, and he particularly loves using grappled opponents as missile weapons.

STR 20/26* (+5/+8*); DEX 14 (+2); CON 16 (+3); INT 10 (+0); WIS 12 (+1); CHA 12 (+1)

TOU +8; FORT +12/+15*; REF +8; WILL +6/+9*; INIT +2; KNOCKBACK -8

MELEE +14; RANGE +10/+14†; GRAPPLE +22/+25*; DAMAGE +5/+8* unarmed; DEFENSE +14 (+5 flat-footed)

† When throwing an opponent.

Skills (Ranks): Acrobatics +6 (4), Climb +12/+15* (7), Escape Artist +12 (10), Intimidate +10 (9), Knowledge (art) +7 (7), Sense Motive +8 (7)

* When raging.

Feats: All-Out Attack, Attack Focus (melee) 4, Attack Specialization 2 (thrown opponent), Chokehold, Defensive Attack, Dodge Focus 4, Elusive Target, Endurance, Grappling Finesse, Improved Grab, Improved Pin, Improved Throw, Instant Up, Power Attack, Prone Fighting, Rage 3 (10 rounds)

Powers:
Incredibly Stout
* Bouncing 6 (Extra: Bounce-Back Attack [+1]; Flaw: Acrobatics Check Required [-1])
* Immovable 4 (Extra: Unstoppable [+1])
* Immunity 3 (Effects: choking, critical hits)
* Protection 5
* Regeneration 2 (Effect: Bruised - Standard Action)
* Super-Strength 3 (Heavy Load: 2.1 tons or 4.8 tons when raging)

Attack/Damage Tradeoff: +3/-3
Defense/Toughness Tradeoff: +3/-3

Abilities 24 + Skills 11 (44 ranks) + Feats 25 + Powers 30 + Combat 40 + Saves 20 = 150

[Aurelius]

I find your artifacts very nice. Lots of story potential, too.
I'll also congratulate you on the Down from the Heavens setting. Looks very fun.

[MisterO]

Skills (Ranks): Acrobatics +8 (6), Climb +19 (8), Intimidate +10 (8), Knowledge (arcane lore) +4 (4), Notice +5 (4), Perform (dance) +8 (6)

Just out of curiosity why did you put in as many ranks as you did into Climbing? What would she use it for?

[MLChance]

I find your artifacts very nice. Lots of story potential, too.
I'll also congratulate you on the Down from the Heavens setting. Looks very fun.

Danke.

Just out of curiosity why did you put in as many ranks as you did into Climbing? What would she use it for?

Climbing the heck out of stuff.

In other news, it's about time for me start planning and then running another fight. This time, I'm thinking of some Christmas shopping mayhem with Tannenbomb trying to spread holiday fear while opposed by Lord Larp Lionheart, the Phantom of Memorial City Mall, and Swansong.

[MorningKnight]

I like Gehenna Girl. And the climbing - that's so she can get up the side of a sky scraper to bounce off a lower level roof.

[MLChance]

I like her too, but I noticed some errors on her, so I went back and tweaked some things. Silly me.

[MLChance]

Well, I've finished with the fight with Swansong, Lord Larp Lionheart, and the Phantom of Memorial City Mall facing down Tannenbomb. I played it kind of easy on the heroes. Tannenbomb, despite being PL 10, very much strikes me as being the sort of villain that consistently misplays his strengths.

[MLChance]

OH Bugaboo looks like tons of fun to unleash upon players! Good work MLC!

Unleash away if you get the chance. I'd love to hear how he works out in actual game play.