OUBLIETTE 2E: Ja'fari, Bethany Fischer

[Arthur Eld]

Great stuff! I'm still holding out for that minotaur janitor, though.

[Horsenhero]

I also am loving this series of write-ups. Verve looks pretty cool....and Miss Catargi! Holy Moley! She's a smokin' babe! No wonder Jason wanted everyone to think he got a little. Unfortunately, his methods were epic in their sleaziness.

Now I'm looking forward to the long forgotten future children of the cast to make their appearances in the PBP.

[Arthur Eld]

That's not supposed to be till like next year in game right? The way we play, it'll be 2013 before they show up.

[Michuru81]

GEIST (Power Level 8)

Real Name: Jude Bellows
Height / Weight: 5’3” / 130 lbs.
Hair / Eyes: Brown / Green
Place of Birth: West Virginia (September 18, 1993)
First Appearance: New Vindicators #101

Physical Description: Though initially Jude was a skinny boy with a lanky frame, this shaggy-headed youth began to put on some muscle following his expulsion from the New Vindicators Academy of America. Further, after joining the Asian Academy, Jude took his hair down to a crew cut.

Relationships: Pandora Filash / Phaeton (crush), Andrew Woodford / Bleach (former roommate / best friend), Gregaro Vincentsson / the Cold Detective (rival)

Biography: Jude Bellows never met his biological parents. At an early age he was left in the care of the State of West Virginia.

With a love of movies—especially monster movies—Jude dreamed of working in the film industry as a makeup artist. Halloween became his favorite night of the year: after year-round practice with prosthetics, Jude won every costume contest he entered. There was little he loved more than to transform himself into a festering corpse or victim of a brutal murder.

Of course, everything changed as he began his sophomore year of high school: Jude’s cinematic love often caused him to neglect his school work. After his foster parents learned about his low test grade, they threatened to bar him from watching movies until he pulled his grades up. Tired of hearing them come down on him, Jude needed to get away…

Suddenly, he vanished from the dining room table, only to reappear in his room. His Neo-Sapien gift for teleportation was discovered and his parents cast him out…

NEW VINDICATORS: condemnant quod non intellegunt—The now homeless Jude was picked up by Katherine Wellor, John Titus and Solon Carlyle on their recruitment mission. Along with Lloyd Hilton, they joined up with Chienne’s group in Clay County, Mississippi. There, Jude was folded into the group Prompt took to spring Andrew Woodford from the county jail—a job which Jude’s teleportation ability played a large part in.

As they settled into their new lives at the New Vindicators Academy of America, Jude became infatuated with one of his classmates. After a painful rejection, he committed himself to making her suffer: Jude teleported into the headmaster’s office and discovered that Pandora Filash’s powers had manifested in order to protect her mother from an abusive father, whose life had been taken by a wild burst of plasma.

At the same time, Jude had begun to benefit from Magnus Loder and Chienne Bedford’s private lessons: they had theorized that so long as he teleported without a fixed destination in mind, his body might enter into an incorporeal state. Armed with knowledge, his makeup kit and this new ability, Jude proceeded to haunt Pandora as the ghost of her slain father.

Ultimately, Jude’s plot resulted in his teleporting Pandora and her roommate, Razi Lumanta, into the Wreck Room. With John, Lloyd and Max Swift already in the chamber, Jude teleported into the locked control room and began a program intended to injure them. Jude’s classmates not only bested the illusory opponents he conjured but Pandora deduced the ghoul’s identity.

Exposing Jude as her tormentor, Doctor Howell expelled Jude from the American school and the boy transferred to their sister school in Tokyo.

It was months before Jude returned, albeit at a special request from the headmaster… With Solon’s magic denied him by his injuries, the school needed a teleporter to locate a wayward alumni. Now calling himself Geist, Jude joined Solar Flare’s advance guard charged with locating Anomaly and bringing him home.

Jude inexplicably showed himself to be a capable fighter during this mission, explaining that his girlfriend—presumed to be a student at the Asian Academy—had been teaching him Muay-Thai kickboxing.

THE AFFILIATION: ira deorum—Geist was next encountered when the Affiliation sent some of their newest recruits to Tokyo with the intent of locating Kurenai Kage and slaying their members.

STR 12 (+1), DEX 13 (+1), CON 12 (+1), INT 15 (+2), WIS 10, CHA 10

SKILLS: Computers 4 (+6), Craft (electronic) 5 (+7), Craft (mechanical) 5 (+7), Disable Device 4 (+6), Disguise 5, Knowledge (popular culture) 6 (+8), Knowledge (technology) 4 (+6), Languages 2 (English [base], Mandarin, Russian), Notice 4, Perform (acting) 5

FEATS: All-out Attack, Defensive Roll 4, Equipment 2, Improved Block 1, Improved Initiative 1, Improvised Tools, Inventor, Martial Artist 1 (Tae Kwon Do), Master Plan, Power Attack, Takedown Attack 1

POWERS: Insubstantial 4, Teleport 8 (Extras: Accurate [+1]; Power Feats: Progression 3, Turnabout)

Equipment: cell phone, commlink, disguise kit, laptop, New Vindicators Uniform (+2 Toughness, Immunity 2 [cold and heat]); 2 free equipment points

COMBAT: Attack +6, Grapple +7, Damage +1, Defense +6 (+3 flat-footed), Knockback -3 (-1 flat-footed), Initiative +5

SAVES: Toughness +7 (+3 flat-footed), Fortitude +3, Reflex +7, Will +2

COMPLICATIONS: Enemy (Gregaro), Obsession (Pandora), Prejudice (Neo-Sapien), Reputation (Ghost)

Abilities 12 + Skills 11 (44 ranks) + Feats 15 + Powers 48 + Combat 24 + Saves 10 = 120 points

Jude's fairly straight forward: initially, he's just a nerd who can teleport and turn insubstantial. After his expulsion, he came back with a level in badass. With a little more training, he could actually be a devastating opponent but for now, he's still fairly inexperienced.

[Arkrite]

That's not supposed to be till like next year in game right? The way we play, it'll be 2013 before they show up.

Next year is only a few months away I think... but yeah, depending on how long it is between sessions it could be awhile ;~)

Somehow I'm not surprised that Jude ended up in the Japan school.

Catigari really does blow the other girls out of the water doesn't she? I'm surprised she doesn't have a much larger male following at the school ;~)

[Michuru81]

ARBALEST (Power Level 8)

Real Name: Black Francis Falkenrath
Height / Weight: 5’6” / 140 lbs.
Hair / Eyes: Brown / Blue
Place of Birth: Castle Danger, Minnesota (March 4, 1995)
First Appearance: New Vindicators #102

Physical Description: Black is seldom seen without a cool, apathetic expression. He sports a medium build and is usually seen wearing dark, drab clothing.

Black wears his hair in a textured shag cut. He is seldom seen without a Dum-Dum sucker (or the remnants of a recently finished sucker—the stick) dangling from his mouth.

Relationships: Kimberly Falkenrath (mother), Edgar “Eddie” Vermeulen / Chronolock (roommate)

Background: Named after the Pixie’s frontman, Black Francis Falkenrath was born on the only day in the year that is also a complete sentence in Castle Danger, Minnesota.

Little else is known about Black’s past at this point, as he tends not to talk about himself too much. What is known is that at some point, his Neo-Sapien power to emit laser beams from his index finger manifested. Eventually, Black joined the New Vindicators Academy of America…

STR 10, DEX 10, CON 10, INT 11, WIS 14 (+2), CHA 13 (+1)

SKILLS: Intimidate 0 (+6 versus teenagers), Knowledge (popular culture) 2, Notice 2 (+4), Perform (stringed instruments) 2 (+3), Sense Motive 2 (+4)

FEATS: Accurate Attack, Attack Specialization 2 (blast), Cool 1 (Intimidate), Equipment 1, Precise Shot 1

POWERS: Blast 8 (Power Feats: Accurate 2, Improved Critical 1, Precise; Extras: Penetrating [+1]; Drawbacks: Power Loss [finger guns, -1 point])

Equipment: Cell Phone—4 free equipment points

COMBAT: Attack +0 (+8 blast), Grapple +0, Damage +0 (+8 blast), Defense +0, Knockback -0, Initiative +0

SAVES: Toughness, Fortitude +1, Reflex +1, Will +7

COMPLICATIONS: Honor, Prejudice (Neo-Sapien), Reputation (Dark Horse)

Abilities 8 + Skills 2 (8 ranks) + Feats 6 + Powers 27 + Combat 0 + Saves 7 = 50 points

Black is a character I can see going places. The finger blasts (stop giggling) are a nod to the X-Men's Cyclops, as I think Black has it in him to become an effective leader as he grows and matures.

As a member of the freshman class, Black has a lot of growing to do: his abilities will likely be raised down the road, as will his saves and a little more combat experience...

[Michuru81]

THERIANTHROPE (Power Level 10)

Real Name: Dale Rexroth
Hair / Eyes: Black / Brown
Height / Weight: 6’4” / 182 lbs.
Place of Birth: Dayton, Ohio (March 9, 1970)
First Appearance: New Vindicators Academy of Europe #3

Physical Description: Dale Rexroth appears as a very physical fit man in his late 30's; he keeps his head shaven in a perpetual buzzcut and wears a goatee. The man sports a few tattoos: his first wife and son's names are inked over his heart; the words "Never Forget" followed by the dates February 16, 2008 and September 27, 2008 underneath are etched on the inside of his left arm; a nine-headed hyrda is depicted on his right arm, with the heads wrapping around the limb, dominating the appendage. On his back is his newest tattoo: a chess piece--a black king--which extends over most of his spine.

Relationships: Jack Rexroth / Greystone (son), Tabitha Lamperogue / Erudite (second wife), Jason Lamperogue / Prodigy (step-son), Elizabeth Lamperogue (step-daughter), Herta Elade / Tantivy (pawn)

Biography: Once upon a time, Dale Rexroth had lived a normal life. He was a Neo-Sapien—an aspect he had inherited from his father—but managed to keep such a truth hidden from his wife and son. He had no ambitions of using his ability to shift his form—adding pieces to his body—to make the world a better place or to take what he wanted. Dale was a man who believed in hard work: blood, sweat and tears were the best path to happiness. Besides, with his wife and his son at his side, he had everything he could ever want and need.

Everything changed the day of the car crash though. Dale was still at work—still at the distribution warehouse where he was employed as a maintenance man—when he got the word that his wife and son had been involved in an accident.

In the days after he put his wife in the ground, depression set in and Dale turned to drinking as a way of dealing with everything. He knew why his son had survived—he knew it was the Neo-Sapien powers he had passed onto Jack that had saved him… but Dale lamented that nothing could have been done to spare the love of his life.

In his rage, he struck his son. For a year, Jack endured his father’s abuse and kept his abilities dormant. One day though, he had had enough. His father’s rage took over and then Jack’s own rage came through: he manifested claws on his hands and fought back, coming to his senses moments before he nearly killed the man. Jack called 9-1-1 and left Dale bleeding on the floor of their home…

It is unknown what became of Dale after that night—only that he survived, met and married Tabitha Lamperogue and joined his bride in her crusade against the oppression humanity reserved for their kind.

NEW VINDICATORS: quaere verum—The New Vindicators first learned of Dale Rexroth’s position within Laputa in the wake of their adventure in Kaiserslautern: while they dealt with Confectionery and Basilisk, the American laid siege to Ramstein Air Force Base, proving that the attack on the town hall was little more than misdirection.

Not long after witnessing the terrifying video of one man making short work of an entire air force base, Therianthrope descended from the skies to assault Sidra, in pursuit of the escaping Basilisk. With one swipe of his claws, Therianthrope ended the girl’s life, earning him even more hatred from the young heroes.

It was some time later that he was sent after Vestige and her parents. Along with his pawn, Tantivy, Therianthrope attacked the Liechtenstein, only to be bested by a contingent of New Vindicators consisting of Impasse, Magnitude, Prodigy and Ursa were joined by two of their classmates: Current, Sidra’s boyfriend, and Greystone, Therianthrope’s son.

Ultimately, Current elected to evacuate the injured with the help of Magnitude and Impasse—though not before Magnitude could bind Therianthrope in a shell of dust that stripped him of his movement.

While Prodigy worked to demoralize the man, Greystone and Ursa fought him and finally subdued the man before he was taken away by Crusader for an unknown location…

STR 16 (+3), DEX 10, CON 16 (+3), INT 10, WIS 15 (+2), CHA 10

SKILLS: Concentration 5 (+7), Craft (mechanical) 3, Intimidate 10, Notice 4 (+6), Profession (maintenance man) 5 (+7), Sense Motive 5 (+7)

FEATS: All-out Attack, Attack Focus (melee) 4, Die Hard, Dodge Focus 2, Equipment 10, Fearless, Interpose, Power Attack, Startle, Takedown Attack 1, Teamwork 1

POWERS: Features 2 (Iron Stomach, Shiftable Skin), Protection 5, Shapeshift 10 (Flaws: Limited [humanoids only, -1]), Super-Strength 5

Chimera Form: Unlike many of his other forms, Therianthrope’s Chimera form has no actual theme and instead takes the most beneficial traits from various animals. Some traits he tends to adapt include a bat’s echolocation (Super-Senses 3 [Enhanced Senses: Accurate Ultrasonic Hearing]—4 points), a bird’s wings (Flight 2 [25 MPH; Drawbacks: Power Loss {when wings are bound, -1}]—3 points), a bloodhound’s nose (Super-Senses 2 [Enhanced Senses: Acute Scent, Tracking]—2 points), a chameleon’s skin (Concealment 4 [visual; Flaws: Blending {-1}—2 points), a cheetah’s legs (Speed 3 [50 MPH]—3 points), a fish’s gills (Immunity 1 [drowning]—1 point), a fly’s eyes (Super-Senses 1 [Enhanced Senses: Radius Visual]—2 points), a hawk’s eyes (Super-Senses 2 [Enhanced Senses: Extended Vision; Additional Senses: Low-Light Vision]—2 points), a spider’s legs (Super-Movement 2 [wall-crawling], Super-Senses 3 [Enhanced Senses: Accurate Ranged Touch]—7 points) and so forth. Therianthrope can become venomous by shifting various poison glands onto his being, generate electricity by mimicking attributes of an electric eel and so on…

Dragon Form: Additional Limbs 1 (tail), Enhanced Strength 6, Flight 3 (50 MPH; Drawbacks: Power Loss [when wings are bound, -1 points]), Immunity 5 (fire damage), Protection 6 (Extras: Impervious [+1]), Strike 10 (Fire; Extras: Area [Cone, +1])—50 points

Lycanthrope Form: Enchanted Strength 4, Leaping 2, Protection 4, Speed 2, Strike 2 (Power Feats: Mighty), Super-Senses 5 (Enhanced Senses: Tracking; Additional Senses: Low-Light Vision, Scent, Ultra-Hearing)—20 points

Merrow Form: Enhanced Constitution 2, Enhanced Dexterity 4, Enhanced Feats 1 (Environmental Adaptation [aquatic]), Enhanced Strength 2, Immunity 1 (drowning), Protection 2, Super-Senses 1 (Additional Senses: Low-Light Vision), Swimming 3—16 points

Equipment: comm link, Laputa Transport (Strength 30; Speed 10 [Flight; Alternate Power: Swimming]; Defense 9; Toughness 11; Size: Large; Features: Concealment, Navigation System, Remote Control, Restricted; Cost: 36 equipment points), Scrambler (Obscure 6 [250 feet; radio; Extras: Selective {+1}])—1 free equipment point

COMBAT: Attack +4 (+8 melee), Grapple +16, Damage +3 (+12 shapeshift), Defense +6 (+2 flat-footed), Knockback -4, Initiative +0

SAVES: Toughness +8, Fortitude +10, Reflex +3, Will +5

COMPLICATIONS: Honor (Won’t harm his son), Prejudice (Neo-Sapien), Responsibility (Felsic, Rheid, Tantivy), Secret (February 16, 2008 and September 27, 2008), Temper

Abilities 17 + Skills 8 (32 ranks) + Feats 24 + Powers 87 + Combat 16 + Saves 13 = 165 points

Therianthrope is the father of one of the PCs in my PBP game--Tattooedman's Jack Rexroth, Greystone, who I frequently slip up and call Jack Rexton or Greyskin for reasons even I don't really understand. Regardless, so much of Therianthrope's character evolved out of TM's information so really, he deserves the credit on this...

I think there's a bit of a stigma on Papa Rexroth: we frequently get reminded that he was abusive to his son and that said abuse was the catalyst behind Jack's flight from Ohio. What most overlook is that bit in Jack's biography where Dale is painted as a loving father before his wife was killed. Rightly so, too! No one else was there but Jack and, really, what is Jack most likely to focus on? Regardless, I took the two pictures of the same man and tried to paint this from those. Dale's abusive nature surfaced out of pain and from alcoholism. Remove those and you have someone who's a loving father. I view Dale as being this father figure to the kids in Laputa: he looks at them as children in need of his protection and kicks himself for having failed the kid who needed it most.

Further, Dale's abilities are Jack's abilities, amplified a teensy bit. I didn't want them to be the same character--hence Dale's adoption of thematic forms: most often, he'll shift into something out of mythology. The dragon form is probably his favorite and the one he most frequently takes (as it's essentially just raw power), while the lychan form grants him speed, leaping and senses--focusing more on tracking and following anyone anywhere; the merrow form, meanwhile, is his aquatic form: it's not as strong as some of the others but if he takes on someone in the water who's not accustomed to being in the water (not Vlad or Lex who really don't like the water but... say Otso?), he might come out on top. Lastly, the chimera form is just him adopting whatever animal traits he needs to get the job done. Again, if he needs power, he'll go dragon but the chimera form gives him numerous tricks the dragon form doesn't allow.

[Tattooedman]

Nicely done Mich, you caught what I was aiming for Dale's personality dead on.

[Horsenhero]

Really nice Therianthrope build. I like the way his powers jive with Jack's, but manifest slightly differently. His write up also almost...almost makes me sympathize with him. Almost.

[Michuru81]

Nicely done Mich, you caught what I was aiming for Dale's personality dead on.

Thanks, TM! Again, the bulk of what Dale is has come about because of the seeds you planted.

Really nice Therianthrope build. I like the way his powers jive with Jack's, but manifest slightly differently. His write up also almost...almost makes me sympathize with him. Almost.

It's something I've fought to curb: given the reveal that Confectionery may herself be a hostage, that Niloticus is possessed by Lacuna and that Felsic and Rheid are just misguided, I wanted to avoid turning everyone in Laputa into someone who had no choice blah blah blah... Rest assured, Lacuna will stay a hate-worthy piece of crap (maybe more so the more is learned) and the same can be said for a certain Nelson and Lexus' 'rents. I'm not even going to try and redeem those jerks...

[Arkrite]

Ah Therianthrope.
Nice build.
Shame he has to die ;~)

Strangely, for me, I don't really need to see him being more evil to continue to think he needs to go. The fact that he'd willingly slaughter soldiers for no reason beyond "I want their stuff" and killing a mostly helpless teenage girl, and a completely helpless teenage girl and her parents... pretty much covered that base for me.
If he wants to be a loving father figure to his army of terrorist children I can live with that.

After all, his minions are going to be trying to kill us anyways, right? ;~)

[Michuru81]

TORO (Power Level 8)
Real Name: Hercules Rodriguez
Height / Weight: 6’2” / 224 lbs.
Hair / Eyes: Black / Brown
Place of Birth: Oviedo, Asturias, Spain (July 7, 1988)
First Appearance: New Vindicators #13

Physical Appearance: As one might expect from his namesake, Hercules is a tall, muscular man—even before his Neo-Sapien powers activate. His head is normally kept shaven to a dark, black stubble.

Tattooed on his right arm, the words “luctor et emerge” (“Struggle and emerge”) form a ring around a sun burst.

Relationships: Leocadio Rodriguez (father; deceased), Edmund Cortez / Indalo (teammate), Jesus Manuel / Tartessos (teammate), Mary Roberts / Delores (teammate)

Biography: For as long as he could remember, Hercules dreamed of being like his father: Leocadio Rodriguez was a hard worker who strove to do right by his family. The man worked all hours of the day to provide for his wife and their five children. He never cursed or swore and embodied what it was to be a good Catholic.

The man also possessed a secret: he was a Neo-Sapien who had inherited the power to transform into an anthropomorphic bull from his father.

While Hercules lacked his father’s wisdom and fix-it-man know-how, he more than made up for it with a determination to work hard and do whatever it took to get a job done. Still, that ethic hardly stilled the tongues of his peers—boys who mercilessly taunted Hercules for his doltishness.

When he was fifteen, Hercules had been held back in school. While he wanted to simply drop out and get a job, his father reminded him that it was not in him to give up. The boy pushed on and his new classmates mocked him.

Fed up with their jeers, Hercules attacked them. Their numbers made up the handicap his size and strength gave him and Hercules went down. It was then that his Neo-Sapien powers manifested—the only one of his siblings to display such an ability.

The sight of him in his transformed state sent the other boys running. They told their teacher how Hercules had attacked them and at the sight of him, the local authorities were summoned.

The incident put Hercules on the radar of the New Vindicators Academy of Europe. Though he did not want to leave his family, his father insisted that it was the path to a better life and insisted he accept the school’s invitation. Though he returned frequently, during his senior year he headed home without the joy he had every other time: he returned home to bury his father—whose heart had simply given out.

With his elder siblings moving on with their lives, Hercules returned to the school and elected to stay on after graduation, insisting that no matter how menial the job he was given, he would do it with the same spirit his father did.

NEW VINDICATORS: sic simper tyrannis—In the summer of 2007, Hercules was picked by one of his classmates—Tartessos—to join a team consisting of Spaniards during the Trials. Under Tartessos’ guidance, the group was able to make it to the Fourth Trial, where they were eliminated following a battle with the Rhino and Rush—a battle that was broken up by Ark.

STR 18 [26] (+8), DEX 12 (+1), CON 18 [22] (+6), INT 9 (-1), WIS 11, CHA 10

SKILLS: Intimidate 6, Knowledge (popular culture) 3 (+2), Languages 2 (English, German, Spanish [base]), Notice 4, Profession (janitor) 5, Sense Motive 4

FEATS: Equipment 2, Improved Initiative 1, Power Attack, Startle

POWERS: Container 6 (Minotaur form; Enhanced Attack 1, Enhanced Defense 1, Features 1 [insulating fur], Growth 4 [Extras: Duration {Continuous, +1}; Flaws: Permanent {-1}], Protection 2, Speed 2 [25 MPH], Strike 1 [Horns; Power Feats: Mighty], Super-Senses 2 [Additional Senses: Low-Light Vision, Scent], Super-Strength 4—33 points)

Equipment: cell phone, comm link, New Vindicators Uniform (+2 Toughness, Immunity [cold and heat])—4 free points

COMBAT: Attack +4, Grapple +8 (+20 minotaur form), Damage +4 (+8 minotaur form), Defense +4 (+2 flat-footed), Knockback -2 (-8 minotaur form), Initiative +1

SAVES: Toughness +4 (+8 minotaur form), Fortitude +11 (+13 minotaur form), Reflex +3, Will +2

COMPLICATIONS: Prejudice (Neo-Sapien), Temper

Abilities 18 + Skills 6 (24 ranks) + Feats 5 + Powers 35 + Combat 16 + Saves 10 = 90 points

Not too long ago, Elemenoh hijacked my story and, rather than vague teasers of the next chapter, he elected to post some builds. This is me... getting around to copying them over here for posterity.

There's not much to be said about Toro. He's a simple bruiser with little else going for him. In a fight, he might get a punch or two in but he's going to be too much of a challenge to anyone with any versatility. Then again, given that he's been handed the janitorial chores at the NVAE, he shouldn't be too effective of a problem solver or the PCs would never really get to see any action.

On the other side, his presence as the school's janitor has to make one wonder what happened to whoever filled the position from 2002-2007--but that could be said for a lot of the positions at the NVAE...

[Michuru81]

DETECTIVE (Power Level 12)
Real Name: Wayne Bruce
Height / Weight: 6’0” / 180 lbs.
Hair / Eyes: Black / Blue
Place of Birth: New York City (August 19, 1964 – November 10, 2007)
First Appearance: Detective #1

Physical Description: Wayne Bruce is a physically fit, handsome man in his early forties. As the Detective, Wayne wears a black, featureless bodysuit with a helmet.

Relationships: Robert Bruce (father; deceased), Lidia Bruce (mother; deceased), John Long / Gumshoe (sidekick)

Biography: Philanthropic is the word most often used to describe Robert and Lidia Bruce. The two often used their affluence as a sword in their campaigns against poverty and disease or in their crusaders for education, the arts or the environment. As a young man, Robert had inherited his father’s stake in Patriot Robotics and he used that to try and make the world a better place for his son.

When the people saw the Bruces use their privilege for something other than to live the life of another spoilt socialites, they held them up. Robert and Lidia Bruce were beloved by the people and, when Robert announced his candidacy for mayor of New York City in 1977, it looked like a done deal.

His opponent, the incumbent, knew that he would not see his fourth term if Robert ran. Looking to discredit the Bruces with the people, he turned to local underworld figure, Jimmy “The Samoan” Sawyer. Jimmy sent his associates to knock on the doors of every member of the Bruces’ inner circle. Their accountant began to leave puzzling discrepencies in their books; their stock broker began to record losses for the couple; their personal assistants began using the couple’s credit cards to live an extravagant night life; the managers of their charities began to undercut themselves—when they were finished, Mayor Gardener was able to come forward with proof that the couple was embezzling money from their charities. He claimed that their record losses in the stock market were failing to allow them to live the opulent lifestyle they had become accustomed to… and Robert and Lidia could not fathom how any of it had happened.

As dispositions appropriated through embezzlement are includable in gross income, the charges brought the eyes of the IRS upon the Bruces. Stripped of everything, humilitated and with Lidia suddenly ill, Robert descended into a bottle. Lidia died in a hospital bed and her husband seemingly chose alcohol poisoning as the method to follow her.

They left behind a teenage boy—Wayne—who had witnessed the momentus fall of his family. Left with nothing but his stake in Patriot Robotics, Wayne was taken in by an associate of his father’s and strove to educate himself on the world they occupied. As he grew into a man, he learned everything he could about the business world—accounting and law, management and logistics. Everyone assumed he was simply pushing himself to be a better businessman than his father but in reality, he was learning the tools of the trade that had been used to bring his family done.

Wayne donned a black bodysuit and began his investigation with his father’s entourage. Since the Bruce family had been toppled, those they trusted had done very well for themselves. Wayne investigated his father’s accountant, financial advisor, banker, attorney—everyone in a position to set him up for the fall. By working outside of the law—breaking and entering and threatening those he questioned, Wayne was able to get to the bottom of what happened and knew who to blame.

Once he had brought down those who profited from the Bruces’ fall, Wayne went after the mafia. He brought down the Samoan and his men and then he set his eyes on Mayor Gardener.

In a matter of months, Wayne Bruce had shaken up New York City and brought the corrupt to justice. He had done so without compromising his identity: the press heralded the mysterious detective who had cleared the names of the late Robert and Lidia Bruce. Still, their son knew that corruption still existed. Now, Wayne Bruce goes where the law cannot: he investigates the offices of those who dare to exploit, extort or blackmail their way to success. He exposes those guilty of malfeasance. He is the champion of the people his parents were once viewed as. He serves to protect the common man from the rich and powerful.

He is the Detective.

STR 16 (+3), DEX 18 (+4), CON 16 (+3), INT 18 (+4), WIS 16 (+3), CHA 14 (+2)

SKILLS: Bluff 4 (+6), Climb 4 (+7), Craft (mechanical) 5 (+9), Diplomacy 4 (+6), Disable Device 6 (+10), Drive 5 (+9), Gather Information 4 (+6), Intimidate 8 (+10), Investigate 10 (+14), Knowledge (behavioral sciences) 6 (+10), Knowledge (business) 13 (+17), Knowledge (civics) 12 (+16), Knowledge (current events) 5 (+9), Knowledge (streetwise) 8 (+12), Knowledge (technology) 4 (+8), Languages 2 (English [base], Japanese, Mandarin Chinese), Notice 4 (+7), Profession (industrialist) 8 (+11), Search 8 (+12), Sense Motive 4 (+7), Stealth 8 (+12)

FEATS: Accurate Attack, Attack Focus 6 (melee), Attractive 1, Benefit 8 (Status 2 [Patriot Robotics, Vindicator], Wealth 6 [Filthy Rich]), Connected, Contacts, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 4, Dodge Focus 6, Endurance 1, Equipment 11, Evasion 1, Improved Disarm, Improved Grab, Improved Initiative 1, Improved Pin, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Move-by Action, Sidekick 24, Startle, Stunning Attack, Takedown Attack 1, Well-Informed

POWERS: none

Equipment: BlackBerry (as camera, cell phone, digital audio recorder, laptop, PDA, video camera), brass knuckles, concealable microphone, costume (as armored jumpsuit, camo clothing), handcuffs, helmet (as commlink, gas mask, night vision goggles), lock release gun, mini-tracer, motorcycles, multi-tool, smoke grenade, stun gun, Warehouse (Toughness: 10; Size: Medium; Features: Communications, Concealed, Garage, Gym, Living Space, Power System, Security System)—2 free equipment points

COMBAT: Attack +4 (+10 melee), Grapple +13, Damage +3 (+4 brass knuckles), Defense +10 (+2 flat-footed), Knockback -5 (-3 flat-footed), Initiative +8

SAVES: Toughness +10 (+6 flat-footed), Fortitude +7, Reflex +8, Will +11

COMPLICATIONS: Obsession (fighting corruption), Responsibility (Gumshoe), Secret (Identity)

Abilities 38 + Skills 33 (132 ranks) + Feats 77 + Powers 0 + Combat 16 + Saves 16 = 180 points

This may have been mentioned before but... way back in 2006, when I started to build the Oubliverse, I wanted the Vindicators to be an allegory for the Justice League, with every character serving as a counterpart of them. It should come as no surprise to anyone with a few functioning braincells that Wayne here is basically Batman.

Fast-forward five years and I'm left wondering if that's really a necessary fixture in my world. So, my Batman gets a bit of an overhaul: rather than being obsessed with fighting crime, Detective is a businessman who wears a mask to battle corruption... which doesn't really sound too terribly exciting when you think about it.

[Michuru81]

GUMSHOE (Power Level 8)
Real Name: Johnathon Richard Long II
Height / Weight: 5’10” / 148 lbs.
Hair / Eyes: Brown / Green
Place of Birth: New York City, New York (April 18, 1972)
First Appearance: Detective #38

Physical Description: As a teenager, John was an athletic young man with a mop of shaggy brown hair. As an adult, grey streaks the sides of John’s short hair and bristly mustache adorns his face.

Relationships: Johnathon Long (father; deceased), Mary Long (mother; deceased), Wayne Bruce / Detective (mentor; deceased), Elizabeth Olsen (wife; deceased), John Olsen (step-son; deceased), Jack Olsen / Detective II (step-son)

Biography: When the Detective began investigating a corrupt politician named Robert Halley, Halley’s bodyguard caught wind of the vigilante and warned the congressman to be mindful of his less-than-reputable dealings. Rather than risk the voting public learning about his trading legistlative favors for contributions from Americans For a Conservative Victory, a mask worn by Punjab separatists looking for American aid in their Anti-Sikh crusade, Congressman Halley instead turned the head of his financial department, Johnathon Long, into a patsy.

As the Detective watched his own history repeated before his eyes, he saw the Long’s teenage son and saw a glimmer of the man he once had been. He took the younger John Long under his wing and made him an integral part of clearing his family’s name and bringing the congressman’s crimes to light.

With his family restored, John insisted Wayne allow him to continue as his sidekick. When Wayne refused—insisting the boy have a normal adolescence. Instead, the fifteen-year-old fashioned his own costume and proceeded to follow the Detective as the Gumshoe.

For years, the teen shadowed his mentor. As he reached the curtain began to fall on his youth, however, the pair found themselves embroiled in a conspiracy involving several dignitaries from the United Nations, they crossed paths with Avi Shavit, a former Mossad agent turned mercenary. After besting the duo martially, Shavit proved himself to be a more than a physical roadblock by deciphering the Gumshoe’s identity. The Longs were taken captive, in an attempt to gain some leverage in halting the pair’s investigation. When Detective and Gumshoe persisted, Shavit did not hesitate to end the couple’s lives before their son’s eyes.

Enraged, Gumshoe pilfered a gun from one of Shavit’s fallen cohorts and used it to fire repeatedly into the mercenary’s chest, seemingly killing the man. The violent deed created a rift between Detective and Gumshoe, however, and brought their partnership to an end.

STR 13 (+1), DEX 15 (+2), CON 13 (+1), INT 16 (+3), WIS 14 (+2), CHA 13 (+1)

SKILLS: Bluff 4 (+5), Climb 4 (+5), Disable Device 4 (+7), Drive 4 (+6), Escape Artist 4 (+6), Investigate 4 (+7), Knowledge (business) 4 (+7), Knowledge (civics) 4 (+7), Knowledge (streetwise) 4 (+7), Notice 4 (+6), Search 4 (+7), Sense Motive 4 (+6), Stealth 4 (+6), Swim 4 (+5)

FEATS: Accurate Attack, Attack Focus 2 (ranged), Attack Specialization 1 (bolos), Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 4, Dodge Focus 4, Equipment 6, Evasion 1, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative 1, Improved Grab, Improved Pin, Improved Trip, Precise Shot 1, Quick Draw 1, Set-up, Stunning Attack, Teamwork 1, Uncanny Dodge 1 (hearing)

POWERS: none

Equipment: costume (as armored jumpsuit, camo clothing), handcuffs, motorcycle, multi-tool, utility belt (bolos [Snare 4], flashbang [Dazzle Visual 4], taser [Stun 5])—3 free equipment points

COMBAT: Attack +4 (+6 ranged, +8 bolos), Grapple +5, Damage +1, Defense +8 (+2 flat-footed), Knockback -4 (-1 flat-footed), Initiative +6

SAVES: Toughness +8 (+4 flat-footed), Fortitude +3, Reflex +8, Will +4

COMPLICATIONS: Secret (Identity), Temper

Abilities 24 + Skills 14 (56 ranks) + Feats 31 + Powers 0 + Combat 16 + Saves 10 = 95 points

NEW VINDICATORS: radix malorum est cupiditas—Still obsessed with pursuing justice, Gumshoe joined the police department and spent the next few years employing the skills he had learned fighting alongside the Detective to become a detective himself.

He married a woman and helped raise her two boys, John and Jack Olsen. Unbeknownst to him, John Olsen was a Neo-Sapien with pyrokinetic abilities. His lack of control ultimately resulted in the deaths of the young man, his mother and Mortimer Bedford—the catalyst for his father’s forming of the Church of Genetic Purity and the anti-Neo-Sapien platform his mother took in the senate.

Detective John Long continued to raise his surviving step-son, Jack, as best he could. The elder boy’s death had softened his heart to the plight of Neo-Sapiens, however: when he encountered an apparently newly-manifested Neo-Sapien, he put Drew Jenkins in contact with the New Vindicators Academy of America using contacts made during the few adventures he and the Detective had had with the group.

Not long after, Detective Long was contacted by his old partner who revealed that he had deduced the identity of the armored vigilante Portal. Though the Detective thought his former sidekick would be an appropriate mentor to the teenaged David Meinstein, Detective Long declined. Months later, he encountered David during the White War. Stripped of his armor and still determined to fight, David accepted the man’s offer of his old equipment and temporarily became the second Gumshoe.

NEW VINDICATORS: absit omen—Following the power vacuum created in the wake of the Wisent’s arrest and Detective’s death in Germany, Detective Long watched as his step-son, Jack Olsen, became the second Detective.

STR 14 (+2), DEX 15 (+2), CON 14 (+2), INT 16 (+3), WIS 15 (+2), CHA 14 (+2)

SKILLS: Bluff 6 (+8), Climb 4 (+6), Diplomacy 4 (+6), Disable Device 4 (+7), Drive 6 (+8), Escape Artist 4 (+6), Gather Information 4 (+6), Intimidate 2 (+4), Investigate 6 (+9), Knowledge (business) 4 (+7), Knowledge (civics) 4 (+7), Knowledge (current events) 2 (+5), Knowledge (streetwise) 6 (+9), Medicine 2 (+4), Notice 8 (+10), Profession (police officer) 4 (+6), Search 4 (+7), Sense Motive 8 (+10), Stealth 4 (+6), Swim 6 (+8)

FEATS: Accurate Attack, Attack Focus 2 (ranged), Attack Specialization 1 (bolos), Connected, Contacts, Defensive Attack, Defensive Roll 4, Dodge Focus 4, Equipment 6, Evasion 1, Improved Disarm, Improved Initiative 1, Improved Grab, Improved Pin, Improved Trip, Improvised Tools, Precise Shot 1, Quick Draw 1, Set-up, Stunning Attack, Teamwork 1, Uncanny Dodge 1 (hearing), Well-Informed

POWERS: none

Equipment: cell phone (as cell phone and camera), concealable vest (+3 Toughness), handcuffs, light-pistol (+3 damage), police cruiser, stun gun (Stun 7), tonfa (+1 damage)

COMBAT: Attack +4 (+6 ranged, +8 bolos), Grapple +6, Damage +2 (+3 tonfa/light-pistol), Defense +8 (+2 flat-footed), Knockback -4 (-1 flat-footed), Initiative +6

SAVES: Toughness +9 (+5 flat-footed), Fortitude +5, Reflex +9, Will +5

COMPLICATIONS: Secret (Detective’s Indentity)

Abilities 28 + Skills 23 (92 ranks) + Feats 35 + Powers 0 + Combat 16 + Saves 13 = 115 points

As Detective is a Batman-knockoff, Gumshoe is Robin. Here, we have two builds for the guy: one as a teenage sidekick and another as a sidekick-turned-cop.

Players in my PBP game will notice that Gumshoe only "seemingly" skilled Avi Shavit. They can take what they want from that. ;)

[Michuru81]

NOR’EASTER (Power Level 8)[/b]
Real Name: Unrevealed
Aliases: Paul Livingston, Barry
Height / Weight: 6’0” / 164 lbs.
Hair / Eyes: Strawberry-blonde / Blue
Place of Birth: Unrevealed; presumed to be Australia (Apprx. 1985)
First Appearance: Vindicators #674

Relationships: Joseph Gladstone (father), Alicia Gladstone (half-sister), Daniel Meinstein / Blitzkrieg (best-friend), Breanne Jordan / Rift (friend), Mary Young / Ambrossia (friend), Brian Hart / Bogart (friend), Benjamin Altair / Frostbite (brother-in-law), Neige Altair (niece), Margaret Altair (niece), Alan Joseph “A.J.” Altair (nephew)

Biography: In September of 2001, the Vindicators VII disbanded. The youngest member of their group—the sixteen-year-old Rift—was publicly known. Realizing that a normal high school existence was something beyond her grasp, the Department of SPB Affairs elected to establish a school for Neo-Sapiens and thus, the New Vindicators Academy was founded.

Of those few enrolled was a young man who went by Nor’easter. The young man attracted the attention of the Department of SPB Affairs when he stopped an armed robber in Halifax, Nova Scotia. At first, the local authorities assumed he was the next to bear the mantle of Captain Canada; the boy, who spoke with an Australian accent, claimed to have never met any member of the dynasty of weather-manipulating, Canadian super-heroes.

Though he was enrolled under the name Paul Livingston, Nor’easter later admitted to his classmates that it was a fake name that he gave the Department of SPB Affairs. Even though Nor’easter came to think of his classmates as his family, he never trusted them with his name—with Blitzkrieg (another member of their graduating class who never revealed his real name) pointing out that knowing his real name wouldn’t change how they felt about him. It was Ambrosia who bestowed the name Barry upon the youth—a name that only his closest friends used.

In 2003, Nor’easter graduated from the New Vindicators Academy, along with Rift, Blitzkrieg, Ambrosia and Nor’easter. After graduation, the five seemed to drift apart—apparently thanks to sexual tension: Nor’easter had feelings for Ambrosia who was infatuated with Blitzkrieg; the speedster was in love with Rift who carried a torch for her former teammate, the Vindicator Godai.

NEW VINDICATORS: radix malorum est cupiditas—Shortly after Katie Merrick had been attacked, Nor’easter appeared in New York. He advised one of the new students of his alma mater on how to better employ his abilities and exposed himself as an agent of the Affiliation. Though it is believed that Nor’easter played a part in Katie’s abduction, he was not seen on any of the battlefields of the White War…

NEW VINDICATORS: extrema resolute—Shhh! It's a secret!

THE AFFILIATION: ira deorum—Shhh! It's a secret!

STR 14 (+2), DEX 15 (+2), CON 14 (+2), INT 10, WIS 16 (+3), CHA 12 (+1)

SKILLS: Acrobatics 5 (+7), Concentration 4 (+7), Knowledge (earth sciences) 6, Notice 4 (+7), Sense Motive 4 (+7), Swim 5 (+7), Survival 4 (+7)

FEATS: Acrobatic Bluff, Attack Focus 2 (ranged), Defensive Roll 2, Dodge Focus 2, Equipment 1, Improved Initiative 1, Teamwork 1, Uncanny Dodge 1 (hearing)

POWERS: Flight 4 (100 MPH; Flaws: Gliding [-1]), Immunity 5 (weather effects), Weather Control 10 (cold; Dynamic Alternate Powers: Air Control [Alternate Powers: Blast], Environmental Control [driving rain; distraction {DC 15}], Environmental Control [extreme cold], Environmental Control [black ice; hamper movement {one-quarter}], Fatigue [frostbite; Extras: Area {Burst, +1}], Obscure [roaring blizzard; auditory and visual]; Extras: Wide [+1])

Equipment: cell phone, leather jacket (+1 Toughness)

COMBAT: Attack +4 (+6 ranged), Grapple +4, Damage +2, Defensive +6 (+2 flat-footed), Knockback -3 (-2 flat-footed), Initiative +6

SAVES: Toughness +5 (+3 flat-footed), Fortitude +4, Reflex +8, Will +5

COMPLICATIONS: Prejudice (SPB), Secret (Gladstone Dynasty, Dissenters)

Abilities 21 + Skills 8 (32 ranks) + Feats 13 + Powers 52 + Combat 16 + Saves 10 = 120 points

When Elemenoh hijacked the narrative and invited readers to request builds, Manintights asked for Nor'easter. Ironically, Nor'easter was the subject of the fifth annual (which I really should finish...) and will begin to play a role in the events to come.

Regardless, I like Nor'easter (just not to fond of the name at this point): he's has the potential to be a threat without being a direct threat. As I've said, paragon characters can be boring--nothing is exciting about trading blows back and forth. Nor'easter, however, has the potential to be a fun fight...