Sakuro

He stared at Frost as the Russian exclaimed about the advanced American technology he had apparently just put on display. Wasn't inclined to comment and instead just looked Frost as he spoke, gauging and measuring him in the moment of silence. His observations were broken when he was forced to surpressed a shiver threatened by the icy vampire's touch. The youth nodded when Frost accented to go in ahead of him. While the other went ahead his eyes were everywhere but on Frost himself. Isaac waited at the front of the truck until Frost called to him, then he made way for the shop's entrance, and followed the Russian inside. "Any sign of the proprietor?"

Is it a "dead technology" zone inside as well?

Curious blue eyes watched Frost handle the talking ax. A thoughtful 'hm' came from him as he saw the ice creep over it and act as a detourant from future handling. Lifting his left hand he gave a thumbs up to nonverbally express hi approval for the tactic employed by the other man. Afterwards he looked at the antique shop. Part of him wanted Frost to go on ahead so he could speak with the ax. It might have had some useful information. Given Frost's recent act against it, he doubted the spirit would be cooperative. "I see a building where there shouldn't be one ..." Isaac's eyes moved away from the building and began taking in the rest of the scene. The ground around it. Plants. Animals. The entire environment could say something about what was going on here where the building itself may be a lie. While he made his inspection a digitalize feminine voice spoke to him. A voice only he should be able to hear. "You should take a look at these readings." In response Isaac reached into his pant pocket and pulled out a black PDA. His free hand poked at the screen mimicking rote acts while his eyes read over the data NX-Infinite was feeding him. Nothing. That could mean a couple things. Some manner of warding could be in place. There was also the possibility of an entropic phenomena. Neither was an appealing thought. But how best to convey such warnings to Frost without exposing himself? Appearing to have finished his fiddling with the PDA Isaac tucked it back into his pocket and turned his attention to the Russian. "... and Google Maps shows nothing here. Google Maps shows everything. Even things like a toolshed built out in the middle of nowhere. If that's really a building, and not a fake out or the gates to hell, there's something afoot. But the first step to evading a trap is knowing it exists."

Isaac wasn't much of a conversationalist, and didn't try to engage the old vampire in small talk during the drive. Though Isaac didn't seem to mind the cold overly much, when he noticed that Frost seemed to like the summer sun, he turned the truck's heater on. Partially to test a theory. When they arrived at the rustic antique shop Isaac turned the engine off and unfastened his belt, but did not get out right away. Instead he inspected the scene. The structure, for some reason, brought up memories of an old Twlight Zone episode that took place during the civil war. In it an aging warlock gave a magical grimoure to a Confederate officer. A grimore that allowed him to turn the tide in the war at the price of his soul. "An antique dealer selling to another antique dealer. That's unusual." He had mused aloud. Hearing Frost open his door Isaac did the same, and joined the older man at the front of the truck. But he paused there a moment to confer with his temporary partner. "Given we're dealing with somone handing out cursed objects, are you sure you want to just walk in? I could check out the perimater for anything unusual, then join you inside afterwards. Either way, you might not want to bring the ax. Especially if you think a fight might break out."

GM requested INT check: 1d20+3 5

1.) Taking 10 with Skill Master on Arcane Lore (don't think Technology applies here) using Analytical Detect Magic for a result of 21 to get some information on the ax and/or Frost if it applies. 2.) Gather Information with Contacts (no Well Informed). Gather Information check to get some background on Comrade Frost: 1d20+9 10 That is sad.

Stormcrow

When Frost laid out his terms Isaac offered a slow understanding nod that suggested he expected the older man to say something along those lines. "Deal. The name is Isaac by the way." After the brief introduction he paused, and listened to Frost spell out his intent to take a walk around the block. It was obvious Frost suspected me might be one of the city's empowered personalities. Or was at least giving him an excuse to dawn some tights if he were one. Which told Isaac he might have let something of his true nature show. While he tried to figure out what that might have been he gave the Russian an odd look the suggested the other man's actions were being perceived as unusual. "Okay ..." He paused at the ax's warning of cannibalism and considered the earlier comment of blood drinking, then moved over to a black pick up truck parked in front of the antique shop. There he pulled out a black PDA and, after making sure Frost was out of sight, he looked to the device and spoke to it. "Tell me you ran a scan on that guy and the ax." No audible response came. Instead the screen flashed on. Thaumaturgical data rolled out over it and Isaac poured over the arcane readings NX-Infinite had gathered during their exposure to Frost and the Ax of One Thousand Murders. As he read through the information, using an index finger to scroll over it, he spoke on. "He mentioned working with the Freedom League. Shouldn't be too hard to get some information. Run a background check." The techno-spider auto-qued some contacts and made inquiries for Isaac while he read. By the time he had finished reviewing the arcane scan NX-Infinite had it's dossier for Mr. Frost ready for him to skim through. When the Russian returned from his walk Isaac should be finished and the PDA out of sight. Frost would find him loitering near his truck, patiently waiting for the eccentric old Russian vampire. Lifting a hand he pointed at the vehicle over his shoulder with an extended thumb. "If you're good to go we can take my ride."

At hearing how the Russian came into possession of the ax Isaac raised an eyebrow. There wasn't any judgment in his demeanor. The story, while short, was a curious one. Then again, it fit with the nature of the item involved, and Isaac isn't one to judge a thing poorly because it's nature was different than his own. Death, destruction, and yes even murder had it's place. It was the excess of these things that needed to be guarded against. Not the thing itself. Isaac's brief internal reflection ended when Barton gave the name of the man who sold him the ax. Slowly he shook his head, disappointed with the man behind the counter. "That's just sad Barton. Real sad. Might need to follow up on some of the others things he sold you another time buddy." Isaac rapped his knuckles on the counter top for emphasis. When the Russian made for the door he took a handkerchief from his pocket and used it as a barrier as he grasped hold of the ax murderous ax that had been left behind. He followed after the older man and offered up the weapon. "I'm not the assistant type. Tell you what, let me take care of the ax when this is over and I'll see this through with you. It'll end up a lot safer than buried in the dirt some place where any weirdo could dig it back up."

While the pale Russian started to talk about the weapon Isaac studied the murderious blade with an eye towards the details of it's craftsmanship. Isaac didn't seem disappointed about not getting to buy the weapon. Though he would have done so to keep a malevelent item out of uninformed hands, this man at least treated it with the caution it deserved. "Sounds like it has quite a story to tell. How did you get ahold of that ax to begin with?" Isaac's eyes moved to the pale man's face and he listened, giving him a chance to share any details he felt inclined to. Then he looked to Barton and gestured behind the counter. As if Barton might have something to share with them that he hadn't considered. What with being bum rushed by an any man with an ax. "Do you have a name or any paper work on the guy who sold you the ax? A description, video footage, some kind of lead for this fellow to follow up on."

Isaac had just finished selling Barton a few odds and ends he'd found in a storage locker whose contents he had won in an aution. Nothing special, but the payday would feed him, keep the lights on, and cover the price of gas for a week. Best of all, it was cash. Which meant no trail. No by mundane standards anyway. He was tucking away the money when the Russian with the axe walked in. The dark hair young man repressed a shiver that threatened to creep up his spine when the white haired man came over. Isaac looked at him leerily. Red eyes. Cold aura. Definitely empowered somehow. The fact he didn't bother to cover it up wasn't a good sign. People with powers generally tried to avoid drawing attention to their nature, if they were smart. His eyes moved between Barton and the meta-human, then the axe. It was possible the axe was influencing one or both of them. Isaac didn't like drawing attention to himself. The siituation porbably needed to be defused though. Before Barton did something stupid, the cold man snapped, or the axe wound up influencing the outcome. Clearing his throat to get their attention Isaac raised a hand and waved. "Hello. You should know, this wouldn't be the first time someone has come in trying to get money out of Bart with the 'you sold a cursed object' scam. If you're looking for some cash, I can take a look at that axe and give you a price. Otherwise, if it really is stolen, how about you give Bart a little more context and background on your situation. He might just help you out."

Comrade Frost and Stormcrow. They each have supernatural and elemental themes there. Neat.

Hello true believers. I am new to the site and my character, Stormcrow, is in need of adventures to partake in or crimes to fight. Solo, duo, or small group stories of 2-4 are fine but I'm not overly fond of larger groups. Stormcrow is a young crime fighter with an adventurous bent. He doesn't just wait for crime to happen, he seeks out bad guys and looks to explore the world around him. Gifted with the ability to see spirits in all their forms he possesses a natural aptitude for both science and magic. If you think he could fit in your story, or you'd like to start one up that you think he'd do well in, please let me know.

Stormcrow Candy Shop of Horror - Vignette Reputation Why Can't I Breath?

Stormcrow Candy Shop of Horror It was another unusual day in Freedom City. Isaac was walking down the sidewalk to one of his regular stops, trying to ignore the couple dancing in the street and singing about their relationship troubles. There was no way that was anyone's business but their own. Fortunately he wasn't far from his goal. Just up ahead was the sign covered in mock cobwebs. Then, as he reached for the door a queasy feeling came over him as he began to hear music. With a broad sweeping gesture he beckoned a woman escorting a young boy to enter as he opened the door. Ushering them in he began to sing. "Boys and girls of every age Wouldn't you like to taste something strange? Come with me and you will see This, the Candy Shop Horror." The pair looked at each other and, the mother seeing the look in the boy's eyes, decided to relent. Together they entered the shop ahead of Isaac. Stepping off the street they stepped into a dimly lit witches's den with frightful thing littering old rickety looking shelves. In the back, behind a counter, a tall thin woman in a black dress and skeleton face makeup stirred a fogy cauldron. Behind the mother and son Isaac continued to sing. "Isn't this harrowing? Isn't this harrowing? Little kids scream with fright!" A little girl with big blue eyes and blonde pig tails stood near by. In her hand he held what appeared to be a beating heart, which she happily showed the boy who had just enter. The boy's eyes went wide and he let out a scream, only calming a moment later when he realize it was a candy replica. With a dancing stride Isaac moved deeper into the shop and with his arms spread he made a slow circle. "Isn't this harrowing? Isn't this harrowing? Everybody let out a scream!" While Isaac continued to dance in random circles a clerk shelving a fresh catch of creepy candy displayed a few items for all to see. Bug and wriggly things to make you squirm. As the clerk showed off the candy he took a turn singing. "Tricky treats that'll make your neighbors die of fright. In this ..." Isaac made a sudden leap towards the clerk and raised his hands in the air. "Everybody scream!" Promptly after Isaac's interjection the clerk went on. "... the Candy Shop Horror." Running a hand over a nearby Isaac plucked up a fist sized tarantula. It looked so real. From it's hairs to it's eight big eyes. Dangling it over the boy's head he wiggled it in the air. "Here is the spider dropping on your head, With staring black eyes and fangs glistening bright." Seeing the spider candy, and realizing, like the heart, that it wasn't real the boy raised his hands above his head to take it. In response Isaac smiled and released his old on the spider, letting it drop into the child's waiting hands. The boy chomped into the arachnid like a vicious little monster feeding on it's victim. Moving on, Isaac stepped up along side the boy's mother and, opening his hand revealed two handfuls of wriggling worms. "Here are a dozen worms crawling in your bed. Slithering up your fingers and crawling in your hair." The woman scrunched up her face and eyed the candy wearily only for the strange man in front of her to dance away his arms spread, as if to engulf the entirety of the candy shop. "Isn't this harrowing? Isn't this harrowing? Harrowing! Harrowing! Harrowing! Harrowing!" While Isaac danced the clerk who had been placing new horror themed merchandise on the shelves stepped forwards and gestured humble towards the woman stirring the foggy cauldron behind the front counter. "In this shop we call Horror Everybody hail to the Skeleton Queen!" "In this shop ..." The clerk was abruptly interrupted, by a wild haired teenage girl who threw her hands up in the air and shook them. "Don't be love it, yeah!" As if summoned by her outcry and wild gesturing a half dozen people leaped out from between isle. Amongst them teens, kids, and adults who sang together jubilantly. "Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!" The patrons disappeared back into the isle and Isaac stepped forward. Leaning into the mother and son pair in a conspiratorial fashion he motioned to a counter on the left side of the shop where a obese man was tossing something in what looked like a frying pan. "Around that counter man hiding with a frying pan bugs and critters tossed in the air ... ... and now you'll scream!" On queue the man tossed the candied bugs into the air causing them to rain down on customers. First they screamed in startled surprise. Then they laughed with relief. Isaac caught a couple as he began to dance in a circle again, his arms spread wide as if to engulf the entire store. "Isn't this harrowing? Isn't this harrowing? Yellow, orange, and with a slimy sheen." Swooping in at the end of his dance number Isaac went down to one knee in front of the boy he had dragged into the little shop of candied horrors. "Aren't you scared?" The kid made a resolved expression and shook his head. Isaac smiled. "That's just fine." Standing Isaac moved around behind the boy. He grasped the child's shoulders and pushed him towards the counter where he drew the boy's attention to piece of laminated cardboard with pictured of a variety of items shown under the counter. The images were arrayed in a circle and at the center of the cardboard was an arrow that spun like a clock. Isaac gave the arrow a flick, and it began to spin over the images. "Say it once. Say it twice. Take a chance and spin the wheel. Ride it out. Give into the fright." The arrow stopped spinning on the image of a rat, resulting in the boy giving Isaac a questioning look. Then his nose bunched up when the obese man behind the counter opened a sliding panel on his end and scooped up what looked like a handful of rat tails. The boys balked, nose scrunching up as patrons jumped out of the isle and sang. "Everybody scream! Everybody scream! In the Candy Shop Horror." Before the young boy could recover from his confrontation with the candy rat tails Isaac dragged him along to a display to the right where a baboon's head glared out over the room. Unhappy that it had been removed from it's body, perhaps. Standing astride it I grasped hold of the fur atop the baboon's head and pulled, lifting away a section of the skull to reveal marshmallow sculpted into the likeness of a a monkey's brain. "This is the monkey with a tear away skull. Look inside and take a taste." The boy's curiosity compelled him to look. But on seeing the brains he shied away and began to look towards his mother when Isaac sang on encouragingly. "Who is the 'who' in 'who dares'? Don't think twice. Don't give it a care." While the youth was mustering his resolve Isaac danced away to his mother who had begun to look at some of the shop's ware. Stepping up along side her he help up a box. It was a classic shape seen on Valentine's day carrying chocolate treats. But when Isaac opened it up, there were fingers! "A perfect gift for a moon lit night Oh, how your love'll scream with fright." Voices came from the isles as Isaac spun away and danced across the room. "Isn't this harrowing? Isn't this harrowing? Harrowing! Harrowing! Harrowing! Harrowing! Harrowing! Harrowing!" At the end of the chorus Isaac spun then waved a hand over and expand of malevolent looking treats on one shelf. "Sour morsels everywhere Lifes no fun without a good scare. That's their job but they're not mean. In the Candy Shop Horror." A familiar clerk who had been shelving twisted treats earlier paused in ferrying goods from one place to another and began to sing. "In this shop ..." The clerk was abruptly interrupted, by the same wild haired teenage girl. As before she threw her hands up in the air and shook them. "Don't be love it, yeah!" On queue her outcry and wild gesturing called forth a half dozen people who leaped out from between isle. Teens, kids, and adults all exclaimed together jubilantly. "Everybody's waiting for the next surprise!" As if in warning Isaac came in, and with the back of his hand pressed to the side of his lips he whispered loudly in conspiratorial fashion. "Skeleton Sally might catch you in the back and scream like a banshee. Make you jump out of your skin!" Raising his voice anew Isaac began to dance in a large circle, arms spread out wide. "Isn't this harrowing? Isn't this harrowing? Everybody scream!" At that exclamation Isaac jumped at the mother and son pairing, who had rejoined on another near the counters. They jerked back startled, but make no further action. Instead they watched and listened to the madness around them. Isaac stepped to the side in time for the obese man and the clerk to begin singing together. "Won't you make way for a very special gal? Skeleton Sally is the Queen of the candy shop. Everyone hail to the Skeleton Queen now." At the same time the two men motioned to the silent skull faced woman. As they dig she stepped out from behind the counter with cauldron and ladle in hand. Children sprang out from the isle and began to gather around her at the center of the shop's floor. The flock of youngers danced around the middle aged woman with a bizarre mirth. "Isn't this harrowing? Isn't this harrowing? Harrowing! Harrowing! Harrowing! Harrowing!" The chorus ended. The dancing stopped. A boy and a girl stepped forward. Together they sung a short verse. Their small voices, and the music, the only sounds in the shop. "In the candy shop we call Horror Everyone hail to the Skeleton Queen." All the patrons erupted into song them. All except Isaac who was skirting the perimeter of the shop collecting various candies. Like a thief exploiting a distraction. Meanwhile at the center of the room Skeleton Sally was scooping up jellied slime and pouring it into the our reached hands of singing children. "La la la la. Lala la lalala ..." The la-la-laing went of for a minute before children began enjoying their slime, shop employees returned to their duties, and Isaac stepped up to the counter to make his purchase. All as if nothing had happened. After handing over the money to Skeleton Sally she gave him a wicked smile. "Have a spooky day." (Music Source: This is Halloween Marilyn Manson's version of 'This Is Halloween' for the re-release of the film in Disney Digital 3-D and 2-Disc Special Edition Soundtrack) 　

I thought Comprehend started at Permanent. Good. I've removed the Flaw. I had a talk with TrollTHumper and some of the other rednames in chat about that. The consensus seemed to be that All Descriptor was 3/r, going on a site scaling of Uncommon Descriptor, Common Descriptor, Very Common Descriptor. With Very Common being 3/r. But I edited it down to 21 and leave it otherwise unmodified with Extras in case it needs to be brought back up o 31. I am aware. Couldn't decide on the last 1 PP and didn't want to make the Array any bigger. Something can always be edited in later, right? Dropped a rank in Gather information and corrected the final tally. Saves: 14, Skill 21. Think that covers the crunchy editorial.

1. If one views a role playing game as mix of role-playing (story telling focus) and game (tactical challenge focus), what kind of mix do you like? A roughly equal measure of both tactical and story appeal to me. 2. Our site operates a policy that no PC should die without player permission. Failure, however, is another matter. A villain could get away, an innocent (or beloved) could die, calamity could happen, your PC could get the snot beaten out of him and humiliated (publicly or privately). How do you feel about the prospect of failure? What chance of failure would you like, and what type of failure would you tolerate, expect, or indeed wish? Truthfully, I don't like to fail. a protagonist's failure can be healthy to a story though. My preference is for the hero to be the eye of the storm when bad things happen. The bad guy may get away, bystanders and loved ones or allies may get hurt (with the hero trying to prevent it), but crushing defeats or humiliation rarely happen to the protagonist hero. 3. Superheroes have great power, the power to impose their will upon the world. This can mean the chance to escape the moral complexities of the world, or it can mean even greater moral complexities. What do you want? Do you like your antagonists as well defined, clear-cut evil, or your antagonists (and protagonists) to be more ambiguous, greyscale and three dimensional? (we should note that this site does not condone vigilantes or the like) I like realistic greyscale antagonists and protagonists. But sometimes you do need a paragon, like Captain America or Red Skull, to show everyone just how bad or good things could be. 4. This site is unambiguously about superheroes. However, within those parameters, there is a fairly wide canvas. Three main categories that formed are the combat focus, The investigative focus, and the Social focus (which does not necessarily mean just chatting and making friends, but social conflict too). There are other themes and sub-themes, too many to mention here. Do you have any thoughts or preferences about themes? How much combat would you like in a thread, for instance? How would you feel if combat could be avoided by a subtle approach? Investigative focused stories and puzzles are two things I can't stand. They can be tolerated in the short term. If investigation is needed in a story, I prefer it to be "soft", a minor element, and quick. Admittedly I am not the most social person, at least when it comes to chatting people up. Character interation itself, not long wordy dialog, is important. I like politics in a game. I like learning about people and things or using social measures to accomplish a goal. Combat is good. I like action in general. Rooftop or car chases. Arial dogfights. Running through a trapped room to save NPC X while the bad guy prepares for something menacing. It's even better when I can plot and plan. I'm a plotter, in general, and tend to extend that into the rest of the game, not just combat. I don't know how long a thread generally runs here, but a given scene doesn't need to have combat to be satisfying for me. I do need some action in a given story though. It should be noted that in general I do not like comedy. When things get silly I'm even less happy. 5. Finally, do you have any other comments on what your priorities or preferences are in playing a RPG, and more specifically, a superhero RPG? Having options, and being allowed to get creative with problem solving really appeals to me. The key word being "allowed", not forced. Being the underdog, on the B-Team, or taking care of a minor problem while the Big Leaguers save the world doesn't appeal to me. It is great when my character is given the chance to have a meaningful impact on the world around them and have the potential to change things. Seeing the character's actions having long term consequences, for good or ill, is appealing. I also like to explore. There is a lot to see and do, and it'd be a shamed to be confined to one small aspect of that. Even one city can have a lot of diversity to uncover and interact with.

I stole some ideas from TrollThumper, so I'd like to make mention of his inspiration, and thank him for the archetypes he shared with the community. Player Name: Sakuro Character Name: Isaac Redington Power Level 10 (150/155 PP) Tradeoffs: None Unspent Power Points: 5 Progress To Bronze Status: 5/30 In Brief: Animistic technoshaman. Alternate Identity: Stormcrow Identity: Secret Birthplace: Freedom City Occupation: Picker, Auction Hunter, Junk Dealer Affiliations: Miscellaneous spirits and ghosts. Assorted collectors, antique dealers, and auction houses. Family: Lawrence Redington (father, adopted), Teresa Redington (mother, adopted) Description: Age: 21 yr. (DoB: 1994, 7th January) Apparent Age: 21 yr. Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian, Height: 5'10" Weight: 146 lb. Eyes: Blue Hair: Brown Isaac has a light athletic, runner's build. The muscle on his bones is lean and fat doesn't show. He looks to be mostly muscle and bone in equal portions. There is usually some stubble on his face. In contrast to the inattention to facial hair, the hair atop his head is cut short. Though it looks like he did the job himself. Isaac's face doesn't have a great breadth of expression, but his eyes always the alert glint of something studying the world and it's occupants. Unless something special is happening Isaac's attire is pretty consistent: dark jeans, t-shirt, and over shirt or jacket depending on the weather. As Stormcrow Isaac's costume consists of a full head black mask with reflective lenses over the eyes, a suit of form fitting plastic plated body armor, and over the body armor a hooded duster covered in black feathers. Power Descriptions: Isaac's innate abilities are not visible. He sees, hears, and communicates with spiritual entities, as well as the spirits of animals, things, and concepts. Isaac does, however, have a ward inscribed on his body and a number of fetishes support him in his heroic endeavors. The tattoo that wards against his being possessed is positioned over his left breast ink black in. It looks akin to complex mathematical or chemical equations, which spirals into a circle, and is roughly the size of Isaac's fist. NX-Infinite and the Fetish PDA: The PDA's exterior isn't all that extraordinary. It is black with a silver red pattern. Close inspection, as through a powerful magnifying lens, reveals that the strands of "web" are densely packed etchings of computer code of nigh unfathomable complexity. The spirit that resides in Isaac's Fetish PDA, NX-Infinite, is a spirit associated with the crossroads between machinery and digital technology. Those with the ability to perceive spirits may see NX-Infinite as a metallic black spider with veins of circuitry pulsing over it's frame. It's voice, which can sometimes be heard over the PDA's speakers, is cold and feminine. Ran, the Awakened Armor: Ran's physical form was made by Isaac's hands, and it's spirit was awakened to consciousness by his magic. Sleak, light, and compact, Ran is a suit of modern black armor made of light high durability plastics. The armor is comprised of a series of internally padded plastic plates that segment over, and conform closely to the wearer's limbs and torso leaving the head bare. Ran's spiritual representation may be seen by those with requisite senses translucently super imposing over the wearer like a second layer of ethereal armor. Sky's Fury, the Harnessed Storm: The Harnessed Storm handgun has a classic automatic pistol grip and trigger that joins into something from some far distant future. Sleek and conservative, the gun-metal gray barrel is cylindrical and towards the mouth it tapers downwards from the top subtly. things may notice Sky's Fury, the storm spirit housed within the high tech gun. Sky's Fury is the whirlwind and the black clouded maelstrom. The white winds of the blizzard and the downpour of the deluge. Even those unatoned to the spirit world will feel the presence of Sky's Fury when holding the weapon. Dependent on the storm spirit's mood the gun man buzz with electricity, vibrate faintly, or feel unusually cool to the touch. History: Isaac never met his biological parents. Lawrence and Teresa Redington adopted him when he was a baby and since then they've been mother and father to him. Which hasn't always been easy. His early childhood was turbulent. Born with the ability to see and hear spirits, both disembodied and those that reside in the animate and inanimate the monster under his bed and many of his nightmares were in fact real. Children are resilient though. Isaac in particular. Initially Isaac spoke freely with his parents about what he witnessed. At first they thought it a flight of childhood fancy. Later they became disturbed. After a visit to a psychiatrist Isaac stopped sharing and let people think he was just as blind and deaf as everyone else. Isaac let the spirits think as much too. Most of them anyway. It helped keep some of the more interested from overwhelming him. Other's figured it out on their own. While he wasn't anti-social Isaac didn't have many normal friends growing up. Instead he lead a life of discrete adventure spurred on by his unseen associates. While on one such adventure, a treasure hunt in fact, he encountered a deceased hedge mage named Victoria in a cave network outside of the city. She discovered an innate aptitude for magic in him. At the same period in his life Isaac's parents and teachers were noticing his technical strengths and encouraged their development. Victoria Woods, the ghostly mage, decided to do likewise but aimed him at the arcane and helped Isaac locate some of her old assets that had been lost during the Terminus Invasion in 1993. Victoria was part mentor, part friend. She helped him to understand himself, and may have kept him from going insane. Just as importantly, Victoria helped him to cultivate tools to protect himself. At the age of fourteen Isaac reached a turning point. He met NX-Infinite, and began the road to becoming Stormcrow in earnest. Isaac had heard about a company, Kirr Industries, which was employing some practices that had gotten a large number of their employees killed. Naturally he decided to hack their servers and dig up the truth. NX-Infinite was harassing the company as part of a viral protocol initiated by another hacker. That's how Isaac and the techno-spider spirit met. Isaac later learned that NX-Infinite had it's own mission, and was using the virus as camouflage for it's covert operation. As it turned out Kirr Industries had stumbled upon a technology that was poised to tear a massive hole in the barrier between the material plane and untold spirit dimensions. But together Isaac and NX-Infinite were able to prevent a catastrophe that would have gone unnoticed by the denizens of Freedom City until it was too later. Valuing their partnership, Isaac struck a pact with NX-Infinite, and the spirit allowed itself to be bound into a PDA with a quantum processor. NX-Infinite wouldn't accept anything less either. How did a teenager get the materials to construct such an item, one might ask. The answer: he pilfered them from Kirr Industries during his initial team-up with NX-Infinite. Until that fateful meeting with NX-Infinite heroic vigilantism like the myriad champions of Freedom City were mere fantastical ideas beyond his reach. Or so Isaac had thought. Now, however, he saw the possibilities. First, before he got into any more dangerous scenarios, Isaac needed protection. Isaac had thought ahead and managed to store some material from his earlier raid on Kirr Industries. Enough to make his suit of body armor and adjust it's fitting later as he grew. While NX-Infinite was bound into an item, the spirit of Isaac's armor would later be awakened from a dormant unconscious state. The story there isn't as exciting as Isaac and NX-Infinite's fist adventure. At one point Isaac's armor had been stolen by a street kid. On retrieving it he performed a ritual to wake the armor's spirit in order to ascertain whether the armor was able to identify a gang leader connected to the thief. After getting the information he was looking for Isaac offered the armor's spirit a choice between returning to slumber or remaining awake. Seeing Isaac's endeavors as worthwhile, the armor spirit chose the latter, and has since served as a stalwart protector of Isaac's person. When the last year of high school came around his parents and teachers pressed Isaac to go to a prestigious university. He didn't have time for that, in his opinion, and had a busy schedule of his own devising to keep up with at this point. Instead he signed up for online college courses he could take at his own pacing. Disgruntled, his parent thought kicking Isaac out of the house would get him to change his mind. Or at least serve as a good means of expressing their displeasure in a culturally accepted manner. Isaac hit the ground running and adapted as he often did. He had amassed a horde of items from his various outings, and as he didn't have the room for them in the truck towed camper he was planning on living in, Aiden started selling off some of his loot. This gave him the idea for his new line of self-employment. Isaac has since lead a moderately mobile life. His home is a camper, his vehicle an old truck, and his job modern day treasure hunting and trading. It doesn't hurt that occasionally one spirit or another leads him to a good find or deal. Shortly after his exodus from paternal guardianship Isaac had his battle with the not so well known mad scientist: the Weather Warlock. This mad man had constructed a giant satellite dish device that energized the atmosphere in a fashion that allowed him to manipulate the weather. Weather Warlock was intent on holding the entire city hostage, under threat of a storm to end the world, in order to get some invention of his back from a wealthy entrepreneur that refused to submit to the scientist's demands. While the science conjured storm might not have ended the world, it may well have been able to level the city. Worse still, it's effects were being magnified, and became unstable, as the mad scientist's weather manipulation device had both drawn the attention of a storm spirit and enraged it. Isaac infiltrated Weather Warlock's underground laboratory, defeated the villain, and disabled his weather manipulation dish. The resulting backlash sent the storm spirit it had unintentionally summon outside the city limits in a cacophony of light and wind. The storm spirit was enraged beyond reason though. Mustering it's might it aimed it's fury at Freedom City anew. Isaac, seeing this, prepared for it's coming and arranged for a trap to contain it. While the spirit raged where no one could be hurt Isaac eventually calmed it. This is how Isaac and Sky's Fury met. It was also after this that they formed their partnership and, from materials salvaged fro Weather Warlock's lab Isaac crafted the Harnessed Storm handgun that Sky's Fury became bound too. As part of their pact Isaac also saw to it that the remainder of the Weather Warlock's research and inventions were destroyed. It was after Sky's Fury joined forces with Isaac that news media took notice of the elemental weapon wielding vigilante. It is also the media that gave him the name "Stormcrow". Stormcrow neither encourages nor discourages the name, but he does make a point of avoiding the media and only working with authorities when he has to. Stormcrow's adventures continue to this day: big and small, mundane and fantastic. Personality & Motivation: Isaac is pragmatic, often stoic or brooding. But at his core Isaac is an adventurer. He want to explore and do great deed that have an impact. To discover and see new things. Though young, he is also possessed of a strong sense of purpose and duty. There are things in the world left ignored to dangerous effect that he cannot ignore. Most of this doesn't usually show through, however. Isaac's demeanor tend towards the reserve, either giving the impression of emotional distance or deep thought. Both of which can, and often are, true. Powers & Tactics: Stormcrow's tactics differ by circumstance. He changes them as need, and tries to remain adaptable. In general he doesn't think in term of "how am I going to use my powers?". But rather "what needs to be done and how is that best achieved?" Given the opportunity he will gather information, study, and scout out a given situation until he either has a plan for accomplishing his objective or an opportune moment to act is presented. At the same time, Stormcrow realizes that prompt aggressive action is needed in many situations, and uses that approach when he finds it to be more advantageous. Stormcrow will look for and exploit weaknesses when he can, and he changes his tactics accordingly. If there is something in his environment that can be used to his advantage, if there is something he can prepare for, or if there is something he can bring to a mission that would be especially helpful he will consider incorporating it into his overall strategy. Complications: Bridge Between Worlds: Though he'd never call himself one, Isaac is a bit of a modern shaman, in the sense that he seeks to solve problems between the spirit and human worlds. Likewise spirits may approach him for help or with information of importance, and not always in conventional ways. Family Bonds [Relationship]: Isaac isn't close to his adopted parents, but they're still his mother and father. Living in His Own World: Isaac sees and hears the spirit and the material simultaneously. Both are equally present and equally real. All the time. Aside from potential distractions there are other dangers such as people questioning his sanity. Secret Identity: While most people are accepting of the heroic in Freedom City, Isaac is a vigilante, and he does break the law to help people. Further, he doesn't want the bad guys out there knowing who he is. That would make his life even more difficult. Spirit Allies [Relationship]: There are a number of spirits that Isaac works closely with often, such as the dead hedge mage Victoria Woods. This includes his armor Ran, Sky's Fury (the storm spirit that resides in his magi-tech "handgun"), and NX-Infinite (the techno-spider spirit that resides in his PDA). In addition Isaac regularly associates with a number of local spirits. Most are benign or benevolent, but there are a few that some people would consider malevolent. Abilities: 2 + 4 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 26 PP Strength 12 (+1) Dexterity 14 (+2) Constitution 14 (+2) Intelligence 16 (+3) Wisdom 16 (+3) Charisma 14 (+2) Combat: 10 + 12 = 22 PP Attack: +5 (+6 Ranges, +10 Spiri-Tech Fetishes) Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Initiative: +2 Grapple: +6 Knockback: -5/-1 Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 0 + 4 = 14 PP Fortitude: +7 (+2 CON, +5) Reflex: +7 (+2 DEX, +5) Toughness: +10 (+2 CON, +8 Protection) Will: +7 (+3 WIS, +4) Skills: 84r = 21 PP Computers 7 (+10) Craft (electronic) 8 (+11) Craft (mechanical) 8 (+11) Diplomacy 6 (+8) Disable Device 7 (+10) Gather Information 7 (+9) Knowledge (arcane lore) 8 (+11) Knowledge (technology) 8 (+11) Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 8 (+11) Notice 6 (+8) Sense Motive 5 (+8) Stealth 6 (+8) Feats: 14 PP All-Out Attack Artificer Contacts Dodge Focus 4 Inventor Power Attack Precise Shot Ranged Attack Focus 1 Ritualist Skill Mastery (Computers, Disable Device, Knowledge [arcane lore], Knowledge [technology]) Uncanny Dodge (audio) Powers: 8 + 18 + 24 + 1 + 1 = 53 PP Comprehend 9 (Animals 2, Electronics 2, Objects 2, Plants 2, Spirits) [18 PP] Immunity 2 (Possession ; Drawback: Noticeable) [1 PP] anti-possession tattoo Super-Senses 1 (visual Detect Spirits) [1 PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 16 Tough Damage (Physical) Frost's Embrace Range DC 20 Ref Snare (Staged, Regenerating, Energy) Lightning's Kiss Range DC 25 Tough (Autofire) Damage (Energy) Thunderous Blow Range DC 20 Fort Stun (Staged, Energy) Abilities (26) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (14) + Skills (21) + Feats (14) + Powers (53) - Disadvantages (0) = 150/155 PP