shojikitsune

Zephyr blinked, "Ooh, a mystery. You wake up one morning and suddenly, powers. At least it sounds like you didn't get a bad set of powers. You could have, say, gotten the power to play other hero's theme music, or turn into a jello mold." She wrinkled her nose a bit, making a face. "I know something about powers driving you half-crazy. At their worst, mine were like being on a bus; with a capacity of around 8 or 9 billion... and there was no way to get off." The younger girl shrugs, "In the end, it meant that while my mind didn't short out, it did defend itself, causing some major power instability. Sometimes I was quite blissfully alone in my head, then the next morning I'd need medication because I couldn't tune anything out without being sedated. It seems to have stabilized, though. For now. Honestly, the 'experts' think it was related to me being a 'late bloomer', and the worst should be behind me." Zephyr takes a deep breath. "OK, sorry for the complaining. Is there somewhere you need to get all those books? Because if I make you stand here and listen to how miserable I was, i might start projecting it." She giggles again, "The whole school will end up wearing black, moping, and writing sad poetry." She pauses, as if thinking, "You said you don't know how or who, but do you know when, why, or any of the other questions related to your powers? Having them dumped on you randomly is random."

There had been nothing but silence in the hallway, the click of dress shoes the only thing that would be heard, and then - bedlam. The young, raven-haired Zephyr moved around people subconsciously as the other students began filing out of classes, eyes in a book. Each mind served as a sort of echo of her surroundings, concepts and thoughts giving rise to the environment. "Locker" or "Classroom" conjured overlaying images from the minds around her regarding not just a specific concept, but also locations specific enough to avoid walking into - and emotional responses ranging from boredom to fear. How she saw the world was very different from most people. She is brought up short by another student exiting a classroom, and some anomaly causes her to look up as the other girl comes into visual focus. And up. And Up. More to the point, the young woman is using *words*. Blinking her wide lavender eyes, the pale, skinny brunette nods. In spite of her somewhat goth-girl appearance (dark purple lipstick looks rather good on someone so pale) smile is warm, as she tilts her head curiously, "Again, my reputation has proceeded me. Nice to meet you." With a curious tilt to her head, she lets out a rather infectious giggle, "There are people laying awake at night trying to come up with the most convoluted textbook titles - maybe they can sell them better that way?" She takes the offered hand, and there's a very tactile *tingle* that the taller blond girl would feel. It fades away in a fraction of a second. Was it ever really there? "Sorry, I am just getting used to the fact that practically everyone here knows about what I can do, except for myself. It can be annoying, but at least inside the school, people are usually more worried about their upcoming tests than whether or not someone nearby can hear their thoughts. So, what about you? To what quirk of fate do you owe your attendance here? That is," she adds quickly, "if you want to talk about it, I mean."

Ok, thanks for the ideas. I will implement them later tonight.

Player Name: Shojikitsune Character Name: Apex Power Level: 7 (105 PP) Trade-Offs: None Unspent Power Points: 0 Progress To Bronze Status: 0/30 In Brief: Poor little rich girl who wants to play with the other heroes. Frustrated because she is trying to reverse-engineer 31st century technology “as that TV character put it, ‘using stone knives and bearskins’. It’s a wonder I haven’t pulled out my hair!” Residence: If you have to ask, you can’t make it past the gate… Base of Operations: Various. Catchphrase: “MUST I *remind* you of my superiority?” Alternate Identity Alexandria Lorne Identity: Public Birthplace: unknown Occupation: Brat, engineer. genius, dilettante, multibillionaire. Affiliations: LorneTek, The Financial District, banking and robotics industries, fashion industry Family: Parents – everyone has them. Alexandria’s are stuck in a stasis field from the 31st century. Such an unfortunate accident. She hopes to free them soon. Description: Age: 19 (D.O.B.: 1998) Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian. Height: 5’8” Weight: 120 lbs. (Dawson! Are you giving confidential information to the media again?!) REDACTED Eyes: Green Hair: Red Alexandria Lorne is a strikingly attractive young Human redhead who takes pride in her long, almost waist-length hair. She has medium green eyes, a light smattering of freckles, and a heart-shaped, very attractive face. She dresses in avant-garde cutting edge designs from only custom labels. Power Descriptions: Lexi is a engineering genius, who has designed a series of labor, construction and rescue suits. She is possibly the best mind in LorneTek, and has dedicated herself to understanding, reverse-engineering, and eventually disseminating the knowledge that makes the high-tech temporal device they have recovered work. The sooner she solves this problem, the sooner her parents and their co-workers can be freed. Although she has designed some impressive robotic suits, most are far to clumsy for superhero work. Instead, she has developed other systems from the detailed research notes on the strange device. Key to her public heroic efforts are the LT series drone system. The LT series drones consist of 2 or more disk-shaped devices, generally fielded in pairs to overcome their limited individual functionality. An LT Drone will generate a force field and interpose itself between its owner and a designated threat. Alternatively, it can use the force field projector to fire a bolt of stunning force. This is why they are often fielded in pairs. Stepping onto a drone's force field platform allows the rider to fly, much like riding a surfboard. These LT drones form the basis for her powers. To detail those powers, Lexi can 'ride' the force field effect, allowing her to fly - although very slowly. They provide a fair amount of defense, although she's aware that they'll overload against seriously heavy attack. Offensively, they can fire cylindrical bolts of force a fair distance, generate a massive kinetic potential to anywhere on her body to deliver a stunning melee attack, or attach themselves to a target and apply a 'zero-point' force field that resists the actions of the person inside it, slowing or immobilizing a target. tactically, Lexi uses her flight and kinetic blasts to engage enemies. She can deploy the snare drones early, trying to reduce any incoming attacks. If she must get close or go past a target, or if the force bolts and snare don't stop the threat, she will use her stun punches and kicks. She is not a trained fighter, and knows she must stay at range to be most effective. Lexi is likely to have dozens of these small, ring-like drones on her at any given time, and can activate them with manual or voice commands. Although powerful, they are not 'smart' and do not engage in complex plans on their own. This is a deliberate move on Lexi's part. She is fully aware she could create an AI to run the drones and reduce her workload managing them, but is rightfully concerned that making robots as smart as herself might not be the greatest idea. Unknown to many people, Lexi's set of drones are ever-evolving prototypes. Even as her marketing team sell her earlier designs, she keeps developing new applications for the tech. She is even shown on camera using some of these abilities. LorneTek force field drones may eventually make guns obsolete, enable flying cars and other futuristic tech, and bring law enforcement up to parity or even the odds when dealing with super-powered criminals. LorneTek drones are fast becoming popular with the media, as they can be piloted remotely, carry high-quality cameras and the ability to connect to audio equipment, and are much cheaper than a news van for nearly the same capability. (Spoiler - unbeknown to anyone except Alexandria, the drones all have a system link to LorneTek, giving her vast quantities of data to search, and the ability to shut down the drone remotely. This is *naturally* to prevent criminal misuse.) History: Born to the wealthy Lorne family, Alexandria grew up in a world without want of material goods. It lacked a warm family setting though, as both her parents were stupidly rich and active in global affairs. A brilliant student, ‘Lexi’ as she came to be called, went through tutors like crazy – not because she abused them, or made them quit, but because she rapidly exceeded their own knowledge and skills. No subject was too difficult for her, no intellectual activity was a challenge. She also had to play dutiful daughter at events her parents planned. She learned decorum and manners, and in the process how to read people and get what she wanted without being a total brat. She received her High School Diploma and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering on the same day, and with clever use of the local University’s course challenge system, received a Master’s in Mechanical Engineering the following year. She actually was invited to LorneTek to assist her parents, which she was thrilled about doing. They were researching a strange spherical device dredged from the ocean. It turned out to be a time capsule, built with (they believe) 31st century technology. The team at LorneTek attempted to reverse-engineer the device, but in an odd backfire, Alexandria’s parents and several researchers were caught in the resulting stasis bubble. The controls to undo the effect are INSIDE the bubble, as is the power source. This almost decapitated the company. Almost immediately, infighting at the Board level nearly brought the whole company to a halt – but Alexandria had her parent’s proxies and her own shares in the company and quickly rallied her family's supporters. Now there are staff analyzing every scrap of data on the LorneTek Anomaly, including outside researchers, in an effort to save the people sealed inside. Meanwhile, the preliminary research has led to very strong showings for LorneTek in the fields of electronics, computers, robotics and engineering of a more conventional manner. Labor suits that allow one man to replace ten, construction models with built in tools, even fire and rescue models with attachments for hoses and acoustical scanners that help find victims in smoke. Camera drones with all the capabilities of a TV news van, small enough to launch from your hand. Cell Phones that compete with the best that anyone else is making, and revolutionary new high-speed computers that are very cost-effective to make. And Alexandria is the driving force behind all of this, having consolidated her position as one of the East Coast’s wealthiest entrepreneurs at the age of 19. “LorneTek! It’s more than just a company! It is a DREAM. To soar in the heavens, leap the greatest obstacles, outrun a locomotive. To be more than merely super.” Personality & Motivation: Alexandria “Lexi” Lorne is a genius, and she knows it. She is strong-willed, intelligent, and some might say single-minded. She is also usually bored out of her skull. She fights in the boardrooms and in the halls of power, but these battles are old hat to her. Her super heroics using the Apex model LT drones are part daredevil, part showmanship, part advertising. She channels funds into charities and start-ups, gives generously to Freedom City, and seeks ways to improve the economy. She does this so that LorneTek can keep producing its excellent products and researching the anomaly her parents are trapped in. At least they are outside time’s ravages, and are in perfect suspended animation. Still, she wants to free them, sooner rather than later. She wants them to see how she’s done. Maybe they’ll actually be proud of her, show a little appreciation. To keep the funds coming for such an endeavor, LorneTek must continue to grow, expand, and develop. Powers & Tactics: Lexi is a 10th level intellect, easily among the top 5% of intellects on the planet. Although no Dr. Archeville, she prides herself on having accomplished as much as she has in so little time. Although aware that a large battle suit is imposing, Lexi has gone a very different route. Her Apex drones are usually deployed in groups of 3-6. One will serve as a flight platform by directing its force field generator downward, creating a platform she can stand on, that she can move and steer by leaning/shifting positions much like a surfboard. Other drones will operate defensively, and any impacts deflected will cause the hexagonal defensive barrier to become visible, glowing a soft lavender color. The rest will operate as a rapidly reconfiguring group of weapons, each firing a cylindrical bolt of force. She doesn't have to point them, not are they attached to her, giving her weapons better coverage than her senses currently provide (upgrades imminent!). Alternatively, the disks will slide to her hands, elbows, knees and feet, creating large hexagonal lavender striking surfaces, These amplify the impact power of her strikes considerably. The last group of deployable drones attach to their targets and deploy a faint lavender field that is not hexagonal, but adheres to the target like glue. Unlike most force fields, which absorb incoming energy, these absorb outgoing energy, attempting to maintain a zero-point ratio and leaving most targets immobile. She can change drone modes manually, via radio control, or via voice command. Naturally, it has to be *her* voice and many of the commands are obscure or advanced engineering terms. Some will point out that Lexi is a bit of a glory hound, and that she seems to keep the best tech of the company for herself. Oddly, this isn't completely true. She has modified her personal drones with her own ideas, basing them off the stock drones she has already marketed. Stock LT drones lack the offensive capabilities, but can be used as shields or as a way to levitate large objects. Propulsion is possible as well. Complications: Day Job: businesswoman, dilettante, rich heiress, robotics engineer, multimillionaire. Fame: Often seen on patrol, also whenever LorneTek is closing a deal. Helps that she's quite photogenic. Showoff: As long as it’s good PR! Might also be read as 'grandstanding' by more subtle heroes... Name: Alexandria “Lexi” Lorne Identity: Very Public Power Level: 7 (105 PP) Trade-Offs: None Abilities: 0 + 4 + 0 + 16 + 1 + 6 = 27 PP Strength 10 (+0) Dexterity 14 (+2) Constitution 10 (+0) Intelligence 26 (+7) Wisdom 12 (+1) Charisma 16 (+3) Combat: 10 + 8 = 18 PP Attack: +5 Defense: +7/+4 (+4 Base, +3 Shield) Initiative: +2 Grapple: +4 Saving Throws: 4 + 5 + 4 = 9 PP Toughness: +7/+3 (+4 Force Field) Fortitude: +4 Reflex: +5 (+3 Base, +2 DEX; +2 flat-footed) Will: +6 (+2 WIS, +4 Base) Skills: 72r = 18 PP Computers 7 (+14) Craft (electronics) 7 (+14) Diplomacy 8 (+11) Disable Device 7 (+14) Intimidate 8 (+11) Knowledge (Business) 7 (+14) Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 7 (+14) Knowledge (Technology) 7 (+14) Notice 6 (+13) Sense Motive 8 (+11) Feats: 6 PP Inventor Master Plan Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Benefit: Wealth 3 Powers: 27 PP All Powers have the following descriptors: Technology, Force Blast 7 (Power Feat: Alternate Powers 2) (14PP) (Kinetic Bolt) Alternate - Stun 7(Kinetic Pulse Punch) Alternate - Snare 7(Zero-point energy) Force Field 7 (7pp) Flight 2 (4 PP) Abilities (27) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (18) + Feats (6) + Powers (27) - Disadvantages (0) = 105 PP

Nah, I think the PL 7 battlesuit idea is awesome. but you are right, no snece rushing into the thread. Besides, Oracle has TK as well, she can possibly keep a dolphin tank from breaking. But I am gonna wait and see what happens. you might not need her.

Oracle might be a bit over the top for this, although she could calm huge numbers of humans OR animals if needed. Also, i am unsure if i have to get Oracle to Bronze first or if I can make a second character at PL 7. If so, I could bring in a different kind of character. One of the ideas i have on scrap paper is a genius with a batttlesuit, with a mix of abilities that might help.I will submit that one as well.

​yes, if she thought it could help, she'd be willing. but she'd also be cautious. That 'it's a mystery' thing might be for good reasons.

Zephyr is in the mall, admiring a new pair of shoes when one of the largest jewelery stores in the city is robbed! Men dressed as futuristic versions of Egyptian Soldiers (think less "King Tut" and more "Stargate") pour into the Mall, seizing the best quality stones and using high-tech weapons to cut into the vault! As Oracle tracks their minds and makes a plan to stop them, she senses ANOTHER resolute mind arriving with the same purpose! She teleports to that renowned warrior to propose an alliance! But can even the combined powers of the wise Oracle and the mighty Sehkmet stand against... Thoth?! Is this *really* the Egyptian God of Knowledge, playing at merely being a mortal genius - or a mortal who wields the powers of a god?! Why does he want these particular gemstones so badly?! Did he just send in two very large robotic Minotaurs to cover his escape?! And why isn't Set here, complaining about the destruction of her favorite clothing boutique?! (I propose that this 'Thoth' is really a mad scientist who believes he's Thoth, using a stock Battlesuit template with an Egyptian theme and weapons that invoke Egyptian legends - even if clearly technological. His goons are standard Mooks but they have futuristic body armor and a spear/laser that makes them a little more dangerous. The Minotaurs could be stock Powerhouses, giving them a fire-theme would be possible, as a reference to the Bronze Bull as well. He probably doesn't have many of either minion type, so quality over quantity. Maybe he even has a fancy chariot-like Vehicle waiting outside to pick him up, and the challenge is to stop his escape without wrecking the mall or allowing shoppers to get zapped, smashed, or run over. opinions? comments? Snide remarks? )

Hero Name: Oracle Civilian Name: Zephyr Brooks Perky goth girl with major mental powers. Sophomore, also attended as a Freshman but kept to herself due to power fluctuations. Much more outgoing now that things are stable. Sorta.

A dark night, and the weirdness was even beginning to affect Oracle. It was a night meant for the weird, and the strange. Standing six stories up, perched on the edge of the building, she was watching for crises. She had finished a ghost-inspired costume that afternoon - this was her first patrol in costume, and people needed help tonight of a very different sort. In her mind, the hum of background thoughts and emotions began to swell from thousands as they burst into song or began dancing spontaneously. It was going to be difficult to resist. She knew she would ride it out, like a surfer too far to see to ride a breaker in, waiting for the right swell. Each surge would pass her by, and for a moment, she could feel the world pressing on her mind. And each time, she would rise above and outside it, and watch it roll underneath her. Still, there were those that needed help. It would be here soon. She saw something else... an old man in a uniform, a night watchman coming down the stairs. She could sense his confusion as the music took him - she could feel the pain as he was forced to start waltzing to the music - she could hear HIS song as clearly as if it was her own. Some day, when I'm awfully low When the world is cold I will feel a glow just thinking of you And the way you look tonight; It was a Frank Sinatra classic, and although the old man was crying his smile was radiant. She felt the searing pain of recent loss, but years, decades of warmth overshadowed it. She could see his wife's face clearly in his mind's eye from that moment 40 years ago to her last moments. But she realized suddenly that he couldn't see anything else. Without a thought she was free-falling towards him, cape billowing out like wings. He was getting far to close to the railing of the stairs. Four stories up. Nothing to stop him if he went over. Yes, you're lovely, with your smile so warm And your cheeks so soft There is nothing for me but to love you And the way you look tonight; With an eerie sound, the falling super heroine vanished, leaving only a trail of rapidly fading black and yellow interlaced spheres to show where she'd been Her new position had her on the stairs, much to the startled security guard's amazement. She reached out, brushing her fingertips to his as he went over the rail... and stopped. Surrounded by the same yellow and black aura, he floats back to the landing, the song still causing his body to move uncontrollably. He looked into the shimmering yellow eyes of the young girl in the costume, and then realized he has a little control now, feeling relief and hope. As her eyes return to their normal brown color, she stepped into the waltz with a smile and joined him in the song. Lovely ... Never, never change Keep that breathless charm Won't you please arrange it? 'Cause I love you Just the way you look tonight; Lovely ... Never, never change Keep that breathless charm Won't you please arrange it? 'Cause I love you Just the way you look tonight... But even as the song ended, she teleported away in a flash of yellow and black. He saw the counter flash reflected in the windows of a row of brownstones near the riverfront. Then he saw and heard a big, burly man wearing a ski mask running away from the brownstones still clutching a crowbar in a death grip, screaming like a little girl. Around his head and eyes were familiar yellow and black dots. That man was so scared he ran straight into a light pole with a clang. Grinning, the old man raised his radio, and called his dispatcher, reporting that a robbery in progress just off his site was being thwarted by a costumed superhero "...and, I might add, a swell dancer." "Dispatch: Copy the robbery in progress. Is it the crook or cape dancing?"

Learning about Oracle Gather Information: DC 10 Who? There's been more than a few using that name, right? DC 15: yeah, there was an area around Southside that the grue couldn't get into, they just went around it. Those that tried got depressed, wandering back out muttering "The Oracle speaks..." DC 20: Some new kid with mental powers working Southside and both banks of the South River. Doesn't even wear a mask! Zephyr Calder, I think. Long black hair, pale, kinda creepy. DC 25: There was another one, back in the 30's too. Similar costumes, powers - dunno if there's a relationship. DC 30: Word was the old 'Oracle' couldn't see the future without her magic ring. I don't know if that's true or not... Streetwise/criminal DC 10: What? Who? DC 20: Yeah, the brat with the mental powers? Hangs out at the townhouses over there. DC 30: even i'm scared of her. look, she can see the future! she stopped my boys and me from breaking in to the credit union building there. Just showed up and told us details about our plan and why it would fail. Man, we were so depressed, we just sat on the stairs...didn't break outta that funk until I was in the squad car. Any sort of history skills will likely turn up several characters using 'Oracle' but only a couple with mental powers. One would be Abigail Stevens (Served with the WAC in WW II, Married to US Army Sargent Joe Coulter in 1950) medical or birth records link this Oracle as Zephyr's great-grandmother, who passed away in 1995. Likewise, Zephyr is on record living in Southside, in a row house that backs on to the South River. School zoning records will show that somehow, Zephyr isn't listed in the regular school system, but attended Nicholson and now Claremont - which should explain a LOT...

Ring came from her great-grandmother's heirloom collection. A great grandmother who used her empathic powers and precognition as "Oracle" in the late 30s and mid 40's? Although Zephyr doesn't know about this? Plot hook?!

The ring's a mental focus, but not strictly a telekinetic one. The way I see it, Oracle has 3 power 'trees', and they are loosely based on Freudian concepts of id, ego and superego. The id controls emotions, and is her most developed 'tree'. This is reflected in her Mental array. Ego is the self, and includes all sorts of defense mechanisms, and this is where some of her mental array comes from - like Mind Control, where her ego directs and suppresses that of her target. The superego is the part of her mind that interacts with the physical world, boosting her Defense and Saves well above average as a defensive mechanism. This also includes her potential for the various telekinetic abilities and her Mental Awareness. The ring lets her tap into her developing telekinetic abilities to generate the force field (superego), but it also lets her draw on the powers of the 'now' from the Id, where there are no concepts of time and space and direct them through the ego, which *does* understand these things/ Teleportation reflects this movement linked to the Now better than a telekinetic Flight concept. I also plan on eventually buying Precognition, Postcognition and ESP, based on the theory that the ID has no sense of time or space, everything everywhere is equally relevant. Of course, they will be loaded with limitations, (extra Effort, Concentration, Unreliable) since her brain isn't free to immediately trans locate in time and space. She just doesn't have the multitasking abilities to exist at every point everywhere, everywhen. tl;dr version: she is moving at the 'speed of thought' and can't interact with the world around her, so teleport defined it better than TK flight, and the points were in the device because 1) the Device container was already set up in trollthumper's template, and 2)it's more than just a TK Device, just like a powered armor suit is more than just a Protection Device. Hope that helps.

Player Name: Shojikitsune Character Name: Oracle Power Level: 10 (150 PP) Trade-offs: None Unspent Power Points: 0 Progress to Bronze Status: 0/30 In brief: A wild talent psychic with telepathic powers, teleportation and more... Residence: Southside, Freedom City, NJ – attending Claremont & residing on campus Base of Operations: Freedom City, NJ Catchphrase: “Also? I can kill you with my brain..." Alternate Identity: Zephyr Brooks Identity: Public Birthplace: Freedom City, NJ Occupation: Student (Claremont) Affiliations: Nicholson School, Claremont Academy Family: Trevor and Michiko Brooks (Parents), Melvin Brooks (Uncle) Description: Age: 16 (DOB: Friday, November 13, 1998) Gender: Female Ethnicity: Asian/Caucasian Height: 5’ 1” Weight: 115 lbs. Eyes: Lavender, glowing yellow when using her powers Hair: Black, straight, middle of back/long Oracle is a young woman of mixed Japanese and Caucasian heritage, with pale skin, long black hair, and dark eyes. She hasn't decided on a costume, so is often encountered in her blouse, tie, skirt, leggings and dress shoes. When she is wearing ordinary clothes, they still tend to be black. Black pants, black shirts, even experimenting with black lipstick and strong eyeliner sometimes. Possible costume she's working on: History: Zephyr was born into an average, boring, middle-class household, and was an unusually quiet child. She would, for example, cry until one of her parents came to see what the problem was… and as soon as they would decide to come check her, she’d stop crying, as if she *knew* her message had been received. Her parents had to deal with hearing her cry when one of them was at work, but at first chalked it up to memory rather than telepathy. It became more unnerving when she began to talk – because sometimes, a parent that wasn’t with her would hear her ask them something, and sometimes if they thought of the answer or even said it aloud, she’d thank them. When she was just a few years old, she asked about all the other ‘voices’, and wondered why so much loud talking was going on… but there weren’t people there to talk to, and when she reached out to these other voices, she triggered fear and shock. Her parents, fearing the worst, took her to a mental hospital to be evaluated. Fortunately, the doctor that examined Zephyr managed to diagnose her ‘mental issue’. She wasn’t hearing ‘voices’ - she was hearing *thoughts*. Simple experiments proved that Zephyr was a powerful telepath. She was taught ways to calm her mind using yoga, and ‘reduce the range’ of effect so she could get a break from the noise. Her parents finally understood the problem, and enrolled her at the Nicholson School, and from there she went on to the Claremont Academy. There was the usual teasing, including someone thinking that calling her Wednesday Addams would somehow offend her. Instead, she came to school dressed exactly like Wednesday for a whole week. Her unstable mental powers did cause some trouble but the story was a sidebar in the local paper and didn’t generate a lot of public interest. After all, there was no shortage of heroes that *did* chase the limelight. She transferred to Claremont just recently, but has avoided attention as her powers are just now stablizing. She also has an uncle, her father’s older brother, who lives close to the school and has declared that he will spoil her and send her back to her family. But he is just a loveable old man. Personality and Motivation: Oracle is a calm, poised, rational young lady, and that’s how she behaves. She never raises her voice, swears, or acts undignified, even in dreadful circumstances. She calmly walks through raging fights, targeting and shutting down the ones with violence on the brain. She has no compulsion about letting someone else do the actual fighting, preferring instead to support and coordinate efforts. That be said, her psychic sensitivity means she tends to be a deadpan snarker, calling people on their mistakes with little decorum because she *knows* what is inside their heads. Although young, the only thing that alleviates the pressure of all the thoughts around her is to do something, anything, to help them turn positive. Despite dressing and sometimes acting like a depressed emo teen, she isn’t a fan of negative emotions. That’s ironic, since she can generate those emotions and broadcast them, weakening a target’s will. She is getting better at screening thoughts, and so isn’t unduly influenced by the darker ones anymore, but that took time. She is still something of a deadpan snarker, trying to lighten the mood with bad puns, sarcastic quips and other statements. Her motivation is to gain mastery over her powers, and then see what she really can do. Being a hero tests her limits, develops positive emotions, and goes a long way towards overcoming her previous awkwardness. And it creeps out bad guys, so win-win, right? Powers and tactics: When you know what your opponent is thinking, it’s easy to be ahead of them the whole time. Oracle took the code name because she often predicts an opponent’s move *while they are doing it* and explains why it won’t work due to the counter she already put into place. Oracle can serve as a communications center, ranged support or mix it up in close combat with equal aplomb. Concept: Oracle is a hodgepodge of my favorite DC characters – Raven, Ace and Tamara Coulder. I wanted to envision what might have happened if these characters had grown up in a warmer, more supportive environment, where their powers could develop naturally. So, she doesn’t have the tragedy the others had… but she’s not as strong as any of them either. However, after numerous attempts at making a true precog/telepath/telekinetic, I was spreading myself too thin, so i used trollthumper's combat psychic (http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/topic/5825-trollthumpers-cave/?do=findComment&comment=168857) and changed the Container from a combat suit to a ring, the Protection to a Force Field, and the Instant Change to a short range Teleport. I also reduced her Str to 10 so I could have Teleport at Rank 2. This version has no telekinetic powers, although her improved physical defenses all have a Mental descriptor since her mind is her power source. Power Descriptions: Zephyr is a powerful telepath, far out of her age groups normal range. She is constantly bombarded by outside thoughts, and won’t hesitate to comment aloud on something someone else only thinks, which tends to be delivered in a creepy deadpan that Wednesday Addams would approve of. Zephyr was born with her powers, but they didn’t stabilize until recently, instead coming and going mysteriously. She believes it’s linked to her physical development and is kind of concerned. She’d be considered a wild talent or random mutation, a one-off chance development of more than merely mortal mental might! (Amazing alliteration!) Recently, using a form of meditation and a jeweled ring as a focus, she's been able to develop very limited telekinetic abilities, such as a force field and the ability to 'move at thought' or teleport short distances. Offensively, Oracle seems to always know what’s going on. She tracks people by their mental energy as well as their physical position in the world, has an uncanny awareness of people since she can sense their minds as they come close. It makes it very hard to sneak up on her – but not impossible. Complications WITH GREAT Power: Zephyr’s family had a profound influence on the young girl, including the somewhat clichéd lecture regarding power and responsibility. It was something stable to grab at when her mind was being overwhelmed with other people’s thoughts and fears. (Motivation – Responsibility of Power) Hey! I recognize you!: Although not as public a figure as many heroes, Oracle/Zephyr is known locally and this has let her put off designing a costume. (Public Identity) Abilities: -2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 22 PP Strength 8 (-1) Dexterity 14 (+2) Constitution 14 (+2) Intelligence 16 (+3) Wisdom 16 (+3) Charisma 14 (+2) Combat: 10 + 12 = 22 PP Attack: +5 Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Initiative: +11 Grapple: +4 Knockback: -5/-1 Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 5 = 15 PP Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8 Force Field) Fortitude: +7 (+2 CON, +5) Reflex: +7 (+2 CON, +5) Will: +8 (+3 WIS, +5) Skills: 56r = 14 PP Bluff 7 (+9) Concentration 8 (+11) Diplomacy 8 (+10) Gather Information 8 (+10) Knowledge (current events) 4 (+7) Knowledge (tactics) 7 (+10) Notice 7 (+10) Sense Motive 7 (+10) Feats: 13 PP Benefit (use Knowledge [tactics] for Initiative) Challenge (Fast Feint, Fast Taunt) 2 Dodge Focus 4 Evasion Master Plan 2 Taunt Uncanny Dodge (mental) Well-Informed Powers: 14 + 44 + 6 = 65 PP Protection Ring, Rank 3 Device (15 PP, Hard-to-Lose) (Descriptor:Mental, Power Feats: Restrictive 2) [14 PP] Force Field 8 [8 PP] Teleport 3 (Power Feat: Change Velocity) [7 PP] Mental Mastery, 40 PP Array (Descriptor: Mental; Power Feats: Alternate Power 5; Drawback: Noticeable ) [44 PP] Base: Mental Blast 10 Damage 10 ( Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental [+0], Range 2 [Perception]) [40 PP] Alternate Power: Emotion Control 10 (Extras: Area Burst, Selective Attack ) [40 PP] Alternate Power: Mind Control 10 (Extras: Conscious, Effortless) [40 PP] Alternate Power: Paralyze 10 (Extras: Range [Perception]) [40 PP] Alternate Power: Telekinesis 10 (Extras: Perception Ranged, Damaging [40 PP] (Effective Str up to 50, 4/8/12/24/60 tons, May Attack or Grapple at TK Rank (+10) instead of using Attack rank, does damage as if Str) Alternate Power: Telepathy 10 (Extras: Area Burst, Sensory Link) [40 PP] Super-Senses 6 (Accurate Acute Ranged Radius Mental) [6 PP] Abilities (22) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (15) + Skills (14) + Feats (13) + Powers (64) = 150 PP DC BLOCK ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)Emotion Control Perception DC20 Will Emotion Control (Psionic) Mental Blast Perception DC25 Will (Staged) Damage (Psionic) Telekinesis Ranged (Str 50 DC25 Fort Str 50 (Psionic) Mind Control Perception DC20 Will Emotion Control (Psionic) Paralyze Perception DC20 Will Paralyze (Psionic)

Alrighty, copy-pasting to the Bank. Thanks for your help.

Adjusted the Device to make it Restricted 2, changed the Extra of Accurate to the Power Feat Change Velocity. I reduced 4 Skills by 1 raqnk each to free up 1 more PP and added the Noticeable Drawback to her mental Mastery array for 1 PP. It's going to make things a little difficult considering how subtle Mental powers usually can be. she's still going to be creepy, i think.

Ok, I think I found a fix for the Device. so Teleport can fit. A Rank 3 Device (Hard to Lose) costs 4 PP/Rank, for a total of 12 points, allowing 15 PP inside the Device. Force Field 8 counts for 8 points, hitting cap; and a Teleport 3 accounts for 6, leaving 1. I bought the Accurate Power Feat for teleport, in case she needs to go somewhere out of line of sight or escape a bad situation in a hurry. The device, what rules should i apply so it works more like a focus? Basically, I am going to say she's used her own mental powers on herself to 'lock' her telekinetic and teleportation 'trees' until she gains better mastery over the rest of her powers. The Device acts as a 'key', letting her use the lowest-levels of those abilities, the force field and teleport, but doesn't necessarily let someone with the Device use the powers. Is that even a thing? To gain the 2 additional PP, I reduced her Str even further, to 8. She is, after all, a very small and inoffensive creature who wouldn't hurt a fly. And if you believe that I have a bridge for sale right here in Freedom City... (evil grin) And no worries, i know you didn't expect me to change my mind and redesign the character. I was also considering trollthumper's psychic martial artist and some of the other concepts he designed, and it felt like it would be easier to just role play the link between her higher than average defenses as a 'side effect' of being more mentally aware of her surroundings - a more passive effect if you will. Thanks for putting up with my ideas. i promise, next character i make will be something simple, a powerhouse or something. I already had an idea for one - classic 'turns into living stone' character... But that's a matter for another post.

Not a bad idea, I copied the combat telepath and changed the Container's description a little - it's now a ring she uses as a focus for non-telepathic abilities. I reduced Str a little (from 12 to 10). So she has a Force Field 8 and Teleport 2 instead of the combat armor/quick change. That made Container cost went up to 10 from 8. That's where the 2 points recovered from reducing her Str went. Heh, here's hoping...

Once more, with feelings, an image (even if nonstandard) and what should be correct maths...

Edited, using 2nd edition book. I modified the Psychic template on Page 22 into the Precognitive. Also, not sure how to generate a DC block for the character, as she really only has 3 possible attacks - her base unarmed, telekinesis and her mental blast. The Hero Maker hates me, when I get to section 3 and try selecting a hairstyle the whole window goes white and it fast-forwards to the last hairstyle available. Wonder if this has happened to anyone else Lastly, how do I insert images? I was so frustrated by the hero maker I just grabbed 2 shots and made links to the images, this doesn't, however, display them.

Aw, splat. Back to the old drawing board... :) i will have something with proper matths tonight.

Player Name: Shojikitsune Character Name: Oracle Power Level: 10 (150 PP) Trade-offs: None Unspent Power Points: 0 Progress to Bronze Status: 0/30 In brief: A wild talent psychic with telepathic powers, and a ring that is a focus for telekinetic powers Residence: Southside, Freedom City, NJ – attending Claremont & residing on campus Base of Operations: Freedom City, NJ Catchphrase: “Also? I can kill you with my brain..." Alternate Identity: Zephyr Brooks Identity: Public Birthplace: Freedom City, NJ Occupation: Student (Claremont) Affiliations: Nicholson School, Claremont Academy Family: Trevor and Michiko Brooks (Parents), Melvin Brooks (Uncle) Description: Age: 16 (DOB: Friday, August 13, 1999) Gender: Female Ethnicity: Asian/Caucasian Height: 5’ 1” Weight: 115 lbs. Eyes: Dark Brown, glowing yellow when using her powers Hair: Black, straight, middle of back/long Oracle is a young woman of mixed Japanese and Caucasian heritage, with pale skin, long black hair, and dark eyes. She hasn't decided on a costume, so is often encountered in her blouse, tie, skirt, leggings and dress shoes. When she is wearing ordinary clothes, they still tend to be black. Black pants, black shirts, even experimenting with black lipstick and strong eyeliner sometimes. History: Zephyr was born into an average, boring, middle-class household, and was an unusually quiet child. She would, for example, cry until one of her parents came to see what the problem was… and as soon as they would decide to come check her, she’d stop crying, as if she *knew* her message had been recieved. Her parents had to deal with hearing her cry when one of them was at work, but at first chalked it up to memory rather than telepathy. It became more unnerving when she began to talk – because sometimes, a parent that wasn’t with her would hear her ask them something, and sometimes if they thought of the answer or even said it aloud, she’d thank them. When she was just a few years old, she asked about all the other ‘voices’, and wondered why so much loud talking was going on… but there weren’t people there to talk to, and when she reached out to these other voices, she triggered fear and shock. Her parents, fearing the worst, took her to a mental hospital to be evaluated. Fortunately, the doctor that examined Zephyr managed to diagnose her ‘mental issue’. She wasn’t hearing ‘voices,’ she was hearing *thoughts*. Simple experiments proved that Zephyr was a powerful telepath. She was taught ways to calm her mind using yoga, and ‘reduce the range’ of effect so she could get a break from the noise. Her parents finally understood the problem, and enrolled her at the Nicholson School, and from there she went on to the Claremont Academy. There was the usual teasing, including someone thinking that calling her Wednesday Addams would somehow offend her. Instead, she came to school dressed exactly like Wednesday for a whole week. Her unstable mental powers did cause some trouble but the story was a sidebar in the local paper and didn’t generate a lot of public interest. After all, there was no shortage of heroes that *did* chase the limelight. She transferred to Claremont just recently, but has avoided attention as her powers are just now stablizing. She also has an uncle, her father’s older brother, who lives close to the school and has declared that he will spoil her and send her back to her family. But he is just a loveable old man. Personality and Motivation: Oracle is a calm, poised, rational young lady, and that’s how she behaves. She never raises her voice, swears, or acts undignified, even in dreadful circumstances. She calmly walks through raging fights, targeting and shutting down the ones with violence on the brain. She has no compulsion about letting someone else do the actual fighting, preferring instead to support and coordinate efforts. That be said, her psychic sensitivity means she tends to be a deadpan snarker, calling people on their mistakes with little decorum because she *knows* what is inside their heads. Although young, the only thing that alleviates the pressure of all the thoughts around her is to do something, anything, to help them turn positive. Despite dressing and sometimes acting like a depressed emo teen, she isn’t a fan of negative emotions. That’s ironic, since she can generate those emotions and broadcast them, weakening a target’s will. She is getting better at screening thoughts, and so isn’t unduly influenced by the darker ones anymore, but that took time. She is still something of a deadpan snarker, trying to lighten the mood with bad puns, sarcastic quips and other statements. Her motivation is to gain mastery over her powers, and then see what she really can do. Being a hero tests her limits, develops positive emotions, and goes a long way towards overcoming her previous awkwardness. And it creeps out bad guys, so win-win, right? Powers and tactics: When you know what your opponent is thinking, it’s easy to be ahead of them the whole time. Oracle took the code name because she often predicts an opponent’s move *while they are doing it* and explains why it won’t work due to the counter she already put into place. Oracle can serve as a communications center, ranged support or mix it up in close combat with equal aplomb. Concept: Oracle is a hodgepodge of my favorite DC characters – Raven, Ace and Tamara Coulder. I wanted to envision what might have happened if these characters had grown up in a warmer, more supportive environment, where their powers could develop naturally. So, she doesn’t have the tragedy the others had… but she’s not as strong as any of them either. However, after numerous attempts at making a true precog/telepath/telekinetic, I was spreading myself too thin, so i used trollthumper's combat psychic (http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/topic/5825-trollthumpers-cave/?do=findComment&comment=168857) and changed the Container from a combat suit to a ring, the Protection to a Force Field, and the Instant Change to a short range Teleport. I also reduced her Str to 10 so I could have Teleport at Rank 2. This version has no telekinetic powers, although her improved physical defenses all have a Mental descriptor since her mind is her power source. Complications WITH GREAT Power… Zephyr’s family had a profound influence on the young girl, including the somewhat clichéd lecture regarding power and responsibility. It was something stable to grab at when her mind was being overwhelmed with other people’s thoughts and fears. (Motivation – Responsibility of Power) Hey! I recognize you! Although not as public a figure as many heroes, Oracle/Zephyr is known locally and this has let her put off designing a costume. (Public Identity) Power Descriptions: Zephyr is a powerful telepath, far out of her age groups normal range. She is constantly bombarded by outside thoughts, and won’t hesitate to comment aloud on something someone else only thinks, which tends to be delivered in a creepy deadpan that Wednesday Addams would approve of. Zephyr was born with her powers, but they didn’t stabilize until recently, instead coming and going mysteriously. She believes it’s linked to her physical development and is kind of concerned. She’d be considered a wild talent or random mutation, a one-off chance development of more than merely mortal mental might! (Amazing alliteration!) Recently, using a form of meditation and a jeweled ring as a focus, she's been able to develop very limited telekinetic abilities, such as a force field and the ability to 'move at thought' or teleport short distances. Offensively, Oracle seems to always know what’s going on. She tracks people by their mental energy as well as their physical position in the world, has an uncanny awareness of people since she can sense their minds as they come close. It makes it very hard to sneak up on her – but not impossible. Abilities: -2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 22 PP Strength 8 (-1) Dexterity 14 (+2) Constitution 14 (+2) Intelligence 16 (+3) Wisdom 16 (+3) Charisma 14 (+2) Combat: 10 + 12 = 22 PP Attack: +5 Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Initiative: +11 Grapple: +6 Knockback: -5/-1 Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 5 = 15 PP Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8 Force Field) Fortitude: +7 (+2 CON, +5) Reflex: +7 (+2 CON, +5) Will: +8 (+3 WIS, +5) Skills: 56r = 14 PP Bluff 7 (+9) Concentration 8 (+11) Diplomacy 8 (+10) Gather Information 8 (+10) Knowledge (current events) 4 (+7) Knowledge (tactics) 7 (+10) Notice 7 (+10) Sense Motive 7 (+10) Feats: 13 PP Benefit (use Knowledge [tactics] for Initiative) Challenge (Fast Feint, Fast Taunt) 2 Dodge Focus 4 Evasion Master Plan 2 Taunt Uncanny Dodge (mental) Well-Informed Powers: 14 + 45 + 6 = 65 PP Protection Ring, Rank 3 Device (15 PP, Hard-to-Lose) (Descriptor:Mental, Power Feats: Restrictive 2) [14 PP] Force Field 8 [8 PP] Teleport 3 (Power Feat: Change Velocity) [7 PP] Mental Mastery, 40 PP Array (Descriptor: Mental; Power Feats: Alternate Power 5) [45 PP] Base: Mental Blast 10 [40 PP] Alternate Power: Emotion Control 10 (Extras: Area Burst, Selective Attack) [40 PP] Alternate Power: Mind Control 10 (Extras: Conscious, Effortless) [40 PP] Alternate Power: Paralyze 10 (Extras: Range [Perception]) [40 PP] Alternate Power: Mental Transform (memories) 10 (Extras: Area Shapeable, Duration [Continuous]) [40 PP] Alternate Power: Telepathy 10 (Extras: Area Burst, Sensory Link) [40 PP]Super-Senses 6 (Accurate Acute Ranged Radius Mental) [6 PP] Disadvantage: Mental mastery array is Noticeable, affected subjects have glowing yellow eyes and mimic Oracle's formal way of speaking. 1 PP Disadvantage Abilities (22) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (15) + Skills (14) + Feats (13) + Powers (65) - Disadvantages (1) = 150 PP