secondling

I... really need to start using Skill Mastery. 18 on the roll.

Talon grimaced. He'd have thought the police would have arrived already, but that just meant he was on the clock. Moving swiftly, he examined the area around the grisly scene, attempting to determine the path that the murderer - presumably - brought the corpse to hang them on this place. If I have the time, I should also take a sample of the paint, and take a look at the body. He mused, his eyes scanning the ground for clues or signs of passage, beyond that of the security guard.

 

Of course, now if I get caught here, it's likely the police will look with suspicion on me... Talon frowned even as he searched. Best make this quick.

Grah, I got a 23. I should've taken 10. Oh well, it's still decent.

The news had spread into Talon's network of information-gathering swiftly - he'd picked up police chatter on his radio and what little he had heard disturbed him enormously. A corpse found in the Union Rail Yards, beaten to death. As he had swung and glided from West End to Greenbank, he'd heard little more of it, but there had been a niggling feeling of dread that he could not quite put his finger on. He'd never been one to overly trust his gut when it gave him distress - Although, he reflected, that may have been because it was usually acting up when I'd eaten something bad.

 

Within a few minutes, Talon landed atop a rooftop nearby to the Rail Yards. Fighting against a slowly rising dread, he pulled out his binoculars, and examined the now very-obvious crimescene form afar. Almost immediately, his dread was realized. The pink painted letters spelled out his codename. His thoughts kicked into overdrive as he considered the implications. There are several possibilities - first, someone has heard of my work and is using this as a message, a threat, or an attempt to sully my name. Second, someone - or many someones - has adopted the name I did and is using it to claim credit for murders done. Third, the term 'talon' has significance for whoever did this beyond the obvious.

 

He shook his head, frowning. "And here I thought," he muttered, "that I hadn't gotten any fans yet." Still, investigation from this distance could only take him so far, and with a silent leap, he glided down towards the train and the crime scene. Landing with agility that resembled a cat far more than an owl, Talon remained hidden in the shadows, listening for the police. While he could - and would - conduct his own investigation, getting the attention of the authorities seemed unwise. 

 

Even if they were supposedly on the same side.

Talon arched a brow behind his cowl as he noticed Hell Girl's voice alteration, but repressed the smile that threatened to blossom on his lips. "I didn't." He acknowledged after a moment, before returning his gaze to the unconscious robed figures and beginning to go through their pockets with deft gloved fingers.

 

Should I tell them? Well, it's not like I'm wearing this costume solely for the protection it offers from bullets. After a moment's consideration, he rose, turning to face the other heroes. "Call me Talon. I came here hunting for abduction victims - or rather, their hunters. A number of people have disappeared from West End recently, and the pattern is... odd. I had hoped to find the kidnappers before they got their target, but it sounds as if they already have."

 

He returned his attention to the searching of the cultists. How much should I tell them? Not much. They are metahumans, or possibly an outright demon and a metahuman. They may have the best of intentions, but they can't really be trusted with this sort of thing.

Taking ten on Search for a 17 to look for phones or other tech on the cultists.

Talon watched silently as the demon became... slightly less demonic, his masked face impassive. Hell Girl, huh? A tad on the nose, but... fair enough. She's presumably not the demon I'm looking for, though. Frowning, he considered the matter. This smelled faintly of a coincidence, and all of his instincts told him that coincidences of this sort were highly unlikely. 

 

He jumped down from the bus, scanning quickly for any signs of electronics on the cultists. "Your friend is missing. Searching randomly, even as fast as that..." He cast a significant glance at the promptly returned Pacer. "It probably won't get you anywhere. I suspect these..." He hesitated, grinning. "Snappily dressed lady and gentlemen are working for a local crime lord that I've been hunting for a few weeks now."

Talon let out a sharp, pained gasp as bullets slammed into his torso, penetrating even the reinforced kevlar of his costume. As he coughed softly, he shook himself, trying hard to focus on the combat at hand. Bleeding Eyes. Amateurish. Should've tried something else... like coming up from behind and choking her out or something. He grimaced, blinking his eyes hard to try to clear them. May have to reinforce the costume at this rate.

Talon sighed inwardly as the demon arrived. Huh. They know each other... He focused his attention on the woman before him, however, choosing to keep only half-an-ear on their conversation as he stepped forwards once more, launching a dazzling array of feints and attacks at the crazy knife lady. "I do so hate to be a party pooper, but you may want to go check on your friends. I think they may have encountered some, uh, difficulties."

 

As he knocked the woman unconscious, he stood atop the bus, looking down at the two women who had begun conversing with one another. I suppose I do owe the speedster thanks... but not yet. "Now, I may be mistaken, but... you two don't seem to be your average citizen." He said dryly. "Who exactly are you, and why are you here, exactly?"

Talon's beating up the ninja lady. Hopefully a 23 is high enough to hit. With a DC 25 Toughness.

Got a 19. Not really sufficient, unfortunately.

 

13+10=23 for the reroll. Better, but not quite enough.

Talon grinned to kill his frustration as she evaded the attacks from his battle staff. She was skilled - no match for a Syndicate agent, but still. Skilled. She proved it almost immediately as she scored another hit on him, only to be deflected once more by his armor. Some days I'm really glad I invested so much of Lee's money into the suit. Most days, in fact. "My, my. I don't do that for just anyone, lady. You could at least flirt a little first."

 

Rolling his eyes inwardly at his own words, Talon stepped back slightly from his attacker, his staff falling into a defensive position.

24 on the Toughness. She's actually rather skilled... Talon would be impressed if he weren't slightly disturbed.

Talon barely registered that a woman was nearby before a costumed heroine appeared and swiftly dealt with the man who had thrown the dumpster. A speedster. Dammit, no time to throw bolas or set up any glue grenades. He was only slightly reassured that she seemed to be dealing with the cultists - when a third gang got involved in a conflict between two others, it rarely portended good things.

 

The hero from Anti-Earth leapt forwards at the knife-wielding woman, his battle staff a blur in his hands as he whirled it on one side of his body, then the other, before allowing one end to flick out precisely at the woman's temple. "Of course," he mused in the same vein as earlier, "I may be at fault for that. I'm not being very neighborly myself, am I? But no, I'm pretty sure you guys are just plain anti-social!"

Smacking the knife-wielder, with a 16 to hit and a DC 25 damage.

"You know, they have these wonderful things called doctors and therapists who fix people that are broken-" Talon began, but the woman leapt up to his position and lashed out before he could finish his words. Fortunately for him, he shifted just enough for the armor of his suit to protect him from the slash, and he leapt back several steps, frowning. "Now that's just inhospitable!" As the dumpster crashed into the bus, Talon easily maintained his footing, balancing lightly on the balls of his feet.

 

"Y'know, I've been getting the impression that you guys don't really like me. I could be wrong, though." Talon quipped dryly. Gotta make sure the people inside the bus are safe. Best to get off it as soon as I can. 

Talon rolls a 14 on the toughness. Ouch. 

 

That said, he rolled a 24 on reflex, so he's fine there.

EDIT: HP rerolled the Toughness for a 28.

Talon blinked, his head whipping around at the sound of voices. Oh, by the Eyes, what now? He paused at the sight of the robed figures, frowning in mock puzzlement. "Now, this may be insensitive, but you don't look like the neighbors." He extended his battle-staff with a flick of his wrist. "Indeed, you sound downright hostile. Not," he admitted wryly, "that I'm someone who can comment on other peoples' choice in dress, and I do mean dress. Seriously, where do you guys get those things?" He indicates their robes with a flick of his hand.

This is why Talon likes to strike from the shadows, dammit. That's a 6 on Initiative. x_X

The HellQ

 

Introduction 

 

Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence. 

“I’m a crime-fighter that goes by the name of Talon, who comes from another world.”

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume?  

“I was called the Brat or other such names when I was small. Not anymore.”

What is your full birth name?

“Tyler Lee. It’s the only name I know of my past.”

Where do you live? 

“West Freedom City.”

How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)?    

“I’m twenty-three or twenty-four, I think. I’m not entirely certain what year I was born, but that’s about what I think I am.”

 

Physical Traits

 

What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain. 

“I’m male, I guess. I’ve never really had time to experiment with that aspect of my identity.”

How would you describe your heritage? 

“I… don’t really know. I guess my parents were from the Middle-East, but no idea where.”

How tall are you? 

“I’m on the shorter side of average.”

What is your body type? 

“I’m pretty average. Not too fat, not to muscular, not too slim, not too skeletal…”

Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities?   

“Not that I’m aware of.”

How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence?

“I am light on my feet, especially when trying to sneak. I have a lotof good practice at not being noticed.”

Describe your skin, eye, and hair color.  

“I’m kind of… brownish? Not quite African, but definitely not white. My hair and eyes are both dark – black and brown, respectively.”

How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair?  

“My hair is kept short, because I don’t want to try to cram more beneath my cowl, or give others something to grab onto. I don’t really have that much facial hair.”

Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others? 

“I’m normal, and I’ve put some effort into making myself even more average than usual. I hope no one notices me enough to consider me attractive.”

Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks? 

“Oh yes. Plenty of scars, all over my body – I have to keep them covered with clothing to more easily blend in.”

Do you resemble anyone famous? 

“By the Eyes, I hope not.”

Do you have a dominant hand? 

“I’m right-handed.”

What kind of clothing do you wear?

“I wear clothing that isn’t easy to notice in a crowd – depending on where I’m going, I usually dress to blend in.”

Do you wear makeup?

“Not unless I’m trying to disguise myself.”

What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way? 

“I… don’t really know how to answer this question. I don’t think my voice is especially distinctive.”

Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people? 

 

History 

 

Where do you come from? 

“I’m from Empire City. Don’t go looking for it on any maps, though. You won’t find it.”

Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown?  

“I’d call moving from Empire City to Freedom City a pretty big move, but at the same time, that’s not entirely correct.” 

 Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country?

“It’s better than the one I grew up with.”

How do you feel about the place you come from? 

“It is so broken I don’t know if it’s fixable, but I still have to try.”

Where is your hometown? What was/is it like? 

“The southern part of Empire City was a hellhole unlike any I’ve seen elsewhere. Gangs and conflicts abound, but I survived, somehow, and so did my conscience.”

Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you?  

“I guess I was kind of in the minority – most of the kids in my gang were African or Latino, but it wasn’t a huge deal. At the Maximus Ring I was in a more diverse crowd, but even then being in the minority didn’t really matter. We had bigger wallets to snatch.”

Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life? 

“I’ve always been one of the sneakiest people I know. Even before I trained with the Maximus Ring, I was practically invisible when I didn’t want to be seen. It helped me survive the mess that was my childhood.”

Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)? 

“You could say that my life has been one giant-sized trauma. I never had any parents that I can remember, and the gang I was in was considered cruel for notkilling me when I was a baby. Coming back from a job to discover that they were all dead, however, was probably the biggest shock I had.”

Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life. 

“Like I said before, when I left on a job to break into a house and steal some random valuables, but got caught. I ran away to the hideout, only to discover that everyone there was already dead. It wasn’t exactly pleasant, but it showed me what I wanted to do even more than the guilt I felt over stealing.”

What stupid things did you do when you were younger? 

“I would say breaking into a wealthy woman’s house to steal from her, when I had no experience with electronic locks or security systems of any kind is near the top of the list, but the list is probably longer than I am tall.”

Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it?

“I didn’t go to school until I was enrolled in the Maximus Ring. That was when I was about thirteen, I think we decided, but I really enjoyed learning when I finally had the chance. It came easily to me, unlike the acrobatics training.”

Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not? 

“I don’t. What few mementos I might have had from my early childhood were ransacked when my gang died. The mementos from the Maximus Ring were probably captured along with the rest of the Ring, and the costume and equipment I used as Magpie all were confiscated when I was taken to the Fortress.”

When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision? 

“I became a hero because my world desperatelyneeds them. Saturnalia influenced me in that direction, as did all of my teachers from the Maximus Ring, but ultimately I decided to do so because it was necessary. Besides, how else will I make up for all my failures and poor choices?”

Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why? 

“Yes. I generally tell people that I do it because it is the right thing to do with my skills. That’s partly true, but it’s not the whole truth.”

Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you?

“Other than the fact that I’m not from this world? No, not anymore. I doubt the Syndicate will invade solelyto capture me, though they might send agents after me, assuming they can figure out where I’ve gone.”

Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why? 

“Of course. I need to pretend to be someone else every hour I’m in my costume or at work. If I don’t, then I get either a whole lot of attention from people I’d rather not meet, or get framed for crimes my other self is committing.”

If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets?  

“Well, I kind of already mentioned the whole being studied because I’m a being from another Earth, but it’s also the fact that if it’s known where I come from, it may make it easier for the Syndicate to send some hunter after me.”

Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge? 

“Not on this Earth, and criminal records on my home Earth are more like… death marks than marks of anything you’ve actually done wrong. Mind, I diddo wrong, but not in a way that I think merits being punished more than I already have been.”

 

Family

 

What are your biological parents' names?  

“No idea. They aren’t really part of my memories.”

Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you. 

“I was raised by a bunch of gangbangers who thought that such creative names as ‘the Brat’ were the height of wit.”

What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living? 

“The gangbangers? They were, well, literally on the bottom of the totem pole, pretending that waving guns around made them the top.”

Where are your parents now?

“Dead. Gone. Vanished by the Syndicate. Who knows? I certainly don’t. Wherever they are, they’re not accessible to me.”

Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot? 

“The Red Fangs stayed in the south of Empire City, until they stepped out of line and attacked one of Black Bowman’s subordinate companies, and were slaughtered for it.”

How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable)? 

“I never really likedany of the Red Fangs, but they were my people for over a decade, you know? By the Eyes, I thought I was going to die along with them when it came down to that.”

How do your parents view you now, or how would they? 

“I hope my parents would be proud of what I’ve made myself into. I don’t rightly know, though.”

Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them. 

“The Red Fangs were my siblings – though I was the only one my age or younger whilst they still survived.”

What was your birth order in the family? 

“Youngest of the pack, that was me.”

Where are your siblings now (if applicable)? Do they have families of their own? What do they do? 

“My ‘siblings’ all died when Black Bowman attacked the hideout. If they weren’t dead, they’re probably enslaved to the Syndicate somewhere back on the Earth of my birth.”

Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged?

“I’d say death estranges us all from each other, if I’m honest.”

Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular? 

“They were all loathsome human beings, the lowest of the low. But still, they were my gang, my crew, my… friends, after a fashion.”

Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)? 

“I didn’t really have any close relationships with any of the Red Fangs, whether positive or hostile.”

Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain. 

“I guess I’m the white sheep of the ‘family,’ such as it is. The rest hid any remorse they felt for their less than moral actions very well, if they felt any at all.”

Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life. 

“I don’t think so… I don’t really know my genealogy, to be honest.”

Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them. 

“Neither partner nor children are part of my life at the moment.”

If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind?  

“I… I don’t know. I think it would be one way to positively affect the world, but how can I, in good conscience, have anyone who would be put in danger by my nocturnal activities? And I’d have to reveal my secrets, because a relationship built on lies is nothing but a farce itself.”

What type of person would be your ideal mate? 

“Someone capable of protecting themselves from the threats my life call into being, I guess. I’m not very confident when it comes to romance.”

 

Relationships

 

Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them. 

“Not anymore. I used to be close with my friends in the Maximus Ring, but now they are gone from my life.”

Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend? 

“No. I saw my best friend die when I was almost twenty.”

If you were to go missing, who would worry about you? 

“I suspect my employer and coworkers would be the first to notice, and even that might take them a couple days.”

Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do? 

“I’ve never loved, to my knowledge, so I have not lost any loves.”

Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you. 

“‘Bitter’ is perhaps an overstatement, but my other self is currently the most harsh irritant I have in this world. In my home, I would name my nemeses the Tyranny Syndicate, if I thought I was anything more than a mild annoyance to them.”

If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future? 

“The Syndicate might send some agents to this world to hunt me down again, but I suspect I’m not that valuable to them. More likely, someone will put a hit out on Talon.”

What is the worst thing someone has done to you? 

“Tortured me. I won’t go into details.” 

Where do your loyalties lie? In what order? 

“To those who need protecting, to my friends and allies, and to myself, in approximately that order.”

Who or what do you trust the most? Why?

“I have to trust myself the most, because I don’t really have anyone else to trust.”

Who or what do you despise? Why?

“The Tyranny Syndicate has oppressed my world, killed and tortured my friends, slaughtered the closest thing I had to a family, and imprisoned and tortured me. Yeah, I hate them.”

What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess?   

“Idealism is so… unique where I come from, seeing people who believe in the goodness of humanity is inspiring. I… wish I were like that. Compassion is not something that comes easily to me. Humor, on the other hand…”

What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities?

“Lack of recognition of the suffering one causes, sadism, and greed all turn me off strongly. I know I struggle with the first, but the other two…?”

Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why?

“I have two secret identities. One is unknown to anyone save myself. The other is my public persona that is not connected to my costumed identity at all. I don’t share my identities, because it might cause danger to others around me, as well as offer a weakness for me.”

Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower? 

“I used to work well together with my comrades among the Maximus Ring. Nowadays I’m more of a loner. Maybe someday I’ll join or form a group. I’d say I’m flexible. I can lead, but I can also follow if need be.”

Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them?  

“I’m not on a super team. Not yet.”

Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that? 

“No, but maybe I should join one, just to add to the story of my cover…”

Personality & Beliefs

 

Who are your heroes?  

“Saturnalia Roman is my hero, above all other people. She saw something in me that led her to believe I could be more than a petty thief and gang member. Now I’ve become so much more than that, and I think she’s dead or worse.”

Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances? 

“I once idolized the older gang members of the Red Fangs. They died before I was thirteen, or moved on to bigger and worse things. They broke their bonds with me by virtue of their ambitions, and that ruined my image of them. I’d like to say it was the ethical problems, but it really was just that I felt abandoned.”

Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it?

“You know what? I actually do rather like being a hero. It lets me make up for all my past failures and actions. Helping people is rewarding, even if they never know I’m there.”

Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides? 

“Being permanently injured might make me retreat into a different identity, but I’ve been tempted with villainy since I was born. I don’t think I’ll ever give it up.”

What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)?

“Take down my counterpart’s criminal organization, and maybe start getting some allies to face the rest of the crime in Freedom City.”

What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)? 

“Breaking the back of the Tyranny Syndicate – whether or not it’s imprisoning them all or otherwise nullifying their abilities, I want them to fragment to give my world a chance.”

What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear? 

“I cannot stand being contained, imprisoned, boundby others. It provokes animal frenzy or utter depression when it happens.”

Is there anything you would give you life for? 

“I suppose I might give my life to prevent or tear down injustice.”

How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? 

“Money is useful! It can get you so many handy little tools and knick-knacks, but it’s not the most important thing in the world.”

Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end? 

“Money’s just a means to an end. I try to give as much as I can afford to charities dedicated to pulling up the weak and vulnerable.”

How do you generally treat others?

“Out of costume, I try to treat people with a friendly, dry humor, and in costume, I tend to be a little more direct.”

Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused?

“I’m not an especially trusting person these days – though I don’t believe my trust has ever been abusedas such, it’s difficult to trust anyone when they all might be willing to sell you out to the Syndicate.”

Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence?  

“Self confidence is not my strength. I’ve… done a lot of bad things in my life, and I’ve also have failed to do the right thing when the time came. I guess I’m a little introverted.”

How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex?

“I try to act normal, but I do tend to be a little more on edge than usual, until I get a sense of who they are, exactly.”

What are your most annoying habits? 

“Forgetting that not everyone keeps the odd hours that I do – I have, more than once, accidentally called my supervisor with a new idea at the small hours of the morning.”

Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why?  

“People who knowingly choose to hurt others and commit crimes are utterly disgusting. They had a choice in their ways, and decided to throw away their chance to do good in exchange for personal power or wealth.”

What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can? 

“I like cheeses. They’re delicious. That said, I tend to eat slowly – experience has taught me that gorging yourself will only result in getting sick.”

What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)? 

“Milk, I guess. I’m a dairy kind of a person.”

What is your favorite treat (dessert)? 

“All of them? I… uh, I don’t have a lot of experience with desserts.”

Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat? 

“No. Well, maybe some things that I consider immoral, but nothing that’s disgusting in and of itself. When you’re an urchin, you eat what you can.”

What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike? 

“I’m fond of green, but a deep green, not a bright one.”

What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate? 

“Music is hard for me to find time for. Funny, that, but it’s true. I cannot stand what I’ve heard of country music, though.”

If you have a favorite scent, what is it? 

“I love the smell of cinnamon.”

Do you have a favorite animal?

“I could say the expected: owls, but it wouldn’t be exactly true. I admire owls, but my favorite animals are cats.”

What is your most treasured possession? Why?

“I don’t treasure any of my possessions, really. I guess my costume, because without it, I’m much less effective at doing battle.”

Do you enjoy "roughing it," or do you prefer your creature comforts?

“I don’t exactly enjoyroughing it, but I’ve done it for most of my life. I am more than comfortable doing that, when necessary. Not needing to fall asleep is helpful in that, because it means I don’t need to worry about the quality of my sleep.”

Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do?

“Being an assassin, a thief, or other sort of criminal stands out. Beyond that, I would hate to be in charge of a corporation.”

Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life? How important is it to you? 

“I’m not especially spiritual. My life hasn’t left me a lot of time to reflect on deeper realities of the world – mind, maybe it’s time to change that.”

Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special? 

“Nope, see above.”

If you belong to a religious organization, how often do you attend? Do you have a specific place of worship, or friends within the organization? How much do you agree with the beliefs of your organization? 

“I’m not a member of a religious organization. Yet, anyways. Maybe I should join one to help further establish my cover…?”

Could you kill? Have you killed? 

“Could I kill? Almost certainly. WouldI kill? Not willingly. I haven’t killed anyone yet, and I hope to keep it that way.”

What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action?

“I’m not entirely sure. Maybe it was seeing how easily my friends were killed and captured by the Syndicate. Lives are sacred things, I guess.”

Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they?

“I… honestly don’t know.”

How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours? 

“Negatively, almost certainly. If they were a friend, it would hurt more for the disappointment. An enemy would face my wrath.”

How would you react if something important was stolen from you?

“I’d activate the tracking beacon in my possessions to find it. No, more seriously, I’d dedicate my resources to hunting down the thief, and attempt to determine whether they needed my help… or my punishment.”

How would you react to public humiliation?

“With a laugh. You can’t die from humiliation, and if you laugh at yourself, you’re able to be much freer.”

How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you?

“I wouldn’t call the Red Fangs good friends, but they were close to being family. I ran when they were all slaughtered. I ran again when my friends from the Ring were killed. I guess history tells me that I’d run.”

What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why?

“I guess you could call virtually all crimes theft, which annoys me to no end. Theft of dignity, theft of life, of wholeness of body or mind, of person-hood… It’s not a good sign.”

If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours? 

“I guess I’d try to publicize all of the information I have on the criminals of Freedom City, activate a few of my plans to take down the ones I’ve been targeting for awhile, and try to inspire others to protect the peace as best they could. I… hahaha, when I say it that way, it’s kinda depressing.”

Career & Training

 

Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it? 

“Yes, I’ve been trained for most of my life to be a thief and a sneak, and then got intensive training from the Maximus Ring to be an athlete, an investigator, and a computers expert.”

Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person?

“I would say my teachers at the Maximus Ring were the ones who taught me the most about my hero-ing abilities, between their general life skills and the more specialized ones. That said, Saturnalia Roman probably was my single greatest influence.”

Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them?

“I wouldn’t call any of my skills unusual, but I guess my ability to sneak around, pick locks, and hack computers aren’t really the ones that most people have. They came from the training the Red Fangs and the Maximus Ring gave me, respectively.”

Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to? 

“I’m a Network Penetration Specialist. That essentially means I’m a hacker who gets paid to find vulnerabilities in a given company’s cyber defenses.”

What is your preferred combat style? 

“Stealth and ambush. I’m nowhere near as durable as some of my peers, so I need to hit hard, fast, and vanish. Other than that, I’m decent in a stand-up fight, but not superhuman.”

Have you ever received any awards or honours? 

“Not really. I guess I would have, if the Maximus Ring did that sort of thing, but we were encouraged to cooperate, not compete.”

What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could?

“I’d like to improve my ability to read people, to get information from them by talking to them (rather than simply hacking information about them), and to learn how to drive or pilot vehicles.”

How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn?  

“I try to learn from those who know better than I. I mean, I may steal their knowledge without them knowing, but generally I try to learn.”

Lifestyle & Hobbies 

 

What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine?

“Well, depends on when you define a day starting. From the time I leave my civilian workplace to the time I return in the morning, I’m doing various things, whether that’s keeping up with my training, planning my next move, or going out on patrol to beat down or otherwise convince petty criminals to stop their crimes.”

Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up?

“I like reading. I never got to do so until I learned how to read in the Ring, so literature really appeals to me. At the moment, I’m puzzling through the Lord of the Rings.I picked my reading up from a time when I was taught how to read.”

What do you do for fun?

“Mostly I read. I also spend some time at cafes, just listening to people whilst doing some of the work I need to do for either of my lives.”

Do you have a costume? What does it look like?

“I do have a costume. It’s green and brown, and designed to break up my outline. It’s got a cowl and a mask designed in the shape of an owl, and an X shaped pair of utility belts across the chest. On the center of my chest is a displayed (in the heraldic sense) owl.”

How do you normally dress when not in costume?

“Without distinction. I try to blend into the crowds. I do have a slight tendency to wear green, though. I also have to ensure that my scars aren’t visible.”

What do you wear to bed most nights? 

“I don’t sleep, so I don’t really wear anything to bed.”

Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like?

“I don’t wear special jewelry. Possessing such things reminds me of parts of me that I’m not fond of.”

Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables?

“Yes, I call it the Nest, and no, you won’t be able to find it easily.”

What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance?

“I generally use public transportation to get just about anywhere. Other than that, I walk, glide, or swing.”

Miscellaneous

 

Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make? 

“No, I haven’t. Though I’ve been close to death any number of times, there’s never been anyone who I wanted to leave things to, or any government I trusted enough to ensure that the things I left would happen.”

If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body?

“The scars across my body are somewhat noticeable, I’d say. They’re all over the place.”

What would you like to be remembered for after your death?

“As someone who stood up for what’s right, even if the people around me don’t appreciate it, I guess.”

Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not?

“Only if the public insists on victimizing others and itself. I will nottolerate injustice.”

What do you perceive as your greatest strength?

“Forward-planning is my best feature, I guess.”

What do you perceive as your greatest weakness? 

“If I told you, would you tell anyone else? More seriously, my self-doubt.”

As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice...

“You’ve gone through so much, friend, and suffered more than I can imagine, and yet you persevere. You continue to do great things, even bearing the sorrows on your back. Because you chooseto do this, you are far worthier than you think you are.”

Talon was busy. As ever. When sleep wasn't necessary, boredom was a great foe, but duty was a great resolver of boredom. He stood atop one of three would-be thieves, his expression carefully schooled to be slightly sardonic and disbelieving. One of the two remaining thugs drew a gun from his vest, aiming it at the cowled hero.

 

Whirling his battle staff, he hurled it at the thug, taking him in the gut. "C'mon, gents, it's not even midnight yet, and I don't think you guys have lost your keys. Why don't you walk away- huh?" Abruptly, he felt a presence in his mind - vaguely familiar. That was... Hell Girl? Why was he thinking of her now? Nevertheless, it was highly unnerving, and he stood still for a moment, only snapping back to reality as the final thug made a rush at him, only for him to duck and use the potent magnets in his staff to call it back to his hand, whereupon it cracked handily into the back of the thug's knees, knocking him down. 

 

Refocusing, he gave the man a solid thwack on the temple with his staff before calling the police to come pick them up. Shaking his head, he swiftly used his cowl's datalink to hack into one of the smartphones, and he called the number that he recalled finding for Hell Girl. Best to be sure in this sort of thing, I guess.

Talon's got a take 10 of 25 on Stealth rolls, so he's being very sneaky as he floats down onto the bus. It's possible someone might hear him, though.

Talon stood atop one of the minor businesses in West End, his eyes narrowed behind his cowl. The recent disappearances in this area had come to his attention when he was investigating one of Lee's compatriots - a down-on-his luck Albanian gunman who'd fled his home country after several accounts of assault and other such crimes. At first, he hadn't thought much more of it than a regular kidnapping case, something the police ought to handle on their own... but then his conscience had intervened, and he'd looked more closely at the cases.

 

All of them reeked of suspicious activity - there were no hints of any invasions of the victims' rooms, or indeed, anywhere else that they frequented. They simply... disappeared. Now, Talon did not like that at all. There were a number of ways to leave no trace of one's entry, but in this city, he was quickly coming to the conclusion that it generally meant someone with powers. Especially since the pattern of the kidnappings had described an odd symbol that his computer searches had turned up to be some sort of old occult nonsense. Something associated with summoning demons.

 

Talon shook his head slightly, focusing. If his calculations were correct, however, this was where the next kidnapping would take place. Well, or had taken place. He... really wouldn't be able to tell the difference, now that he thought about it. By the Eyes of the City... He growled in the back of his throat. He did not like this. Glancing down, he saw a bus sitting on the curb nearby, and caught a glimpse of... something through one of the windows. It wasn't human, whatever it was. Switching to infrared, he saw the outline of a winged form. A demon?

 

With a leap, he glided down to touch atop the bus, and listened quietly. Surely, it cannot be this easy...

That... is a woman. Uh. Wow. Talon shook his head vigorously, focusing on the matter at hand. A dangerous woman. I've seen gangbangers with fewer munitions. Growing serious, he grimaced. 

 

An accident, huh? Bleeding Eyes, those guys were vulnerabilities in Lee's organization. Talon winced at the gunshot. Too late to stop it, best to end it. Take out the biggest threats first. With one hand, he pulled out his collapsed battle staff, and took a swift, deep breath of air, before he leapt down from the ceiling. Extending it with a deft twirl, he let his cape catch the air as he fell, swooping down to attack Dixie. "Hey, sweetheart," he said sardonically, "shooting people's a big no-no. Do you want the neighbors to come complaining about the noise?"

 

His staff swept at her head as he landed lightly in a fighting stance, prepared to throw himself out of the way of any blaster fire - or indeed, bullets - that came his way.

27 on the charge attack! Talon's dropping from the ceiling - using his slow fall power from his suit to ensure he doesn't take damage - and clonking Dixie. That's a DC 25 toughness test.