Bourbon

Nick blinked a few times and willed a few words to come out while he took a deep breath. “Well, yes, absolutely,” he managed. “Um, if you're OK with sitting on the ground...?” Complete sentences, Nick ol' boy, he thought. “I know my break plans are boring... study, study, and lesson plans,” he shrugged with a rueful grin. “So... what's in your lunch box today?”

And just like that, a very pretty girl was talking to him. “Ermf,” he said, trying to talk and chew furiously at the same time. “Urm, Caythee, hi.” Nick scrambled to his feet, brushing crumbs off his shirt and holding a hand over his mouth. She was a bit taller than he was, but Nick had gotten used to that in high school. He'd learned to shrug off the occasional ribbing from his friends, because he'd realized it didn't really matter. It certainly didn't matter in Casey's case: she seemed like one of those girls – one of those women, he corrected himself, briefly imagining his mother chastising him – who could be fun or kick your butt, depending on the circumstances. And she's one of your students, Clyde. That was his father's voice, using the never-explained pet name he had for Nick. He swallowed and coughed a bit. “Sorry, you caught me with my mouth full.” He looked at his half-eaten sandwich and its bee-wrap wrapper. “Yeah, it's kind of a caprese kind of thing, with my own basil. Surprise, surprise, right? I grow my own herbs.” Stunning repartee, Nick, he thought. “So, um, what are you up to this fine, fine day?”

Belated thanks for the feedback, G.

My second PL 10 character. I am looking for someone who has a character who might fit the role of "John" in Quentin's backstory, as well as the villain that goes along with him. As far as power goes, I'm not trying to break any new ground here (no pun intended). He's a basic brick. _________________________________________________________________________________________________ Quentin Wilde Power Level: 10 (150/150PP) Unspent Power Points: 0 Trade-Offs: -2 Defense / +2 Toughness In Brief: Christian Soriano as a jaded English beau monde-type who gains super-strength and a new moral compass. Catchphrase: "This is a hot mess." Theme: "Fashion" (David Bowie) Alternate Identity: None (Public) Birthplace: Cambridge, England Residence: [*** NEED ADDRESS ***] Freedom City, New Jersey Base of Operations: Freedom City, New Jersey Occupation: Affiliations: None Family: James Holcomb, father; Emily Holcomb, mother; Derek Holcomb, brother; Melissa Holcomb, sister Description: Age: 25 (DoB: 11.07.1995) Apparent Age: Early 20's Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Anglo-Saxon Height: 5' 4" Weight: 128 lbs. Eyes: blue Hair: brown Quentin appears as a slender, shorter-than-average human male with no special proclivity for exercise. The style of his clothes and hair are usually a year or so ahead of what everyone else is wearing. He favors Italian custom-sewn suits. When super-heroing, he still wears nice suits, but ones fabricated from History: Quentin Wilde was born Quentin Holcomb, the third child of a very wealthy English manufacturing family. He was the black sheep of the family, always being far more interested in fashion and parties than the family business. An interesting bit of gossip led him to the discovery that his family was related to Oscar Wilde Oscar was his great-great grandfather, as Quentin's grandmother was the illegitimate child of Oscar's grandson Merlin. Quentin began calling himself Quentin Wilde, much to the dismay of his parents. In spite of prodding from both his parents, teen-aged Quentin seemed well on his way to leading a dissipative life. He barely graduated from his 4th private school, and after being expelled from university, his parents sent him to Switzerland. After more or less behaving himself, Quentin went on an extended world tour, winding up in Freedom City "where all the superheroes are." His party boy antics earned him a level of infamy in the tabloids. Quentin continued enjoying himself until the night he drunkenly drove his rented Maserati off an embankment into a bridge piling. That he was still alive was something of a miracle. After multiple surgeries, his parents put him in a private long-term rehabilitation center far away from the city. Quentin spent most of his time brooding and being temperamental. He hated everything about the place: the quiet, the stupid activities, the horrible food, the painful physical therapy, the lack of a bar area… He had actually gone so far as to bribe a staff member to sneak him a decent bottle of gin, but he was caught by another patient. This man had a certain presence, and Quentin found himself guiltily handing over the bottle to him rather than curse him and wheel back to his room with it. The man introduced himself as John* [WILL FILL IN ACTUAL NAME WHEN I GET IT], and began to talk to Quentin about the importance of following the rules and working hard on recovery. Clearly John was also recovering from major injuries, but he was more than willing to put in extra time coaching Quentin to keep him on track. In addition to working harder, John encouraged to help other patients. Quentin thought this was absurd, but John as one of the few people he had met whom he wanted to genuinely impress. As he continued to heal, Quentin started helping newer patients get oriented in the place, and began to participate in group activities. This was a completely alien world to Quentin, and he struggled to process how it was changing him. Quentin was close to being ready to leave, but was actually afraid of going back out into the world. The life of a libertine seemed less appealing to him now, and he felt embarrassed for how he gotten injured. John reassured him that he could point his life in a new direction, but Quentin wasn't so sure what that direction could possibly be. All that changed when there was a mighty crash at the facility one night, and as a wall burst open Quentin recognized a supervillain he had seen on TV: Badguy* [WILL REPLACE WITH NAME ONCE I GET IT], a particularly violent villain. And he was heading straight for John! Without thinking, Quentin stepped in front of the oncoming villain, only to be swatter aside by [INSERT VIOLENT POWER HERE]. As his vision cleared, Quentin was amazed to see John wrestling with Badguy! Quentin felt strangely energized, and also furious at Badguy for invading this sanctuary. Quentin charged Badguy and to the surprise of them both, knocked him off his feet and through a wall. The situation had activated Quentin's long latent mutant powers, and after a brutal fight, Badguy lay vanquished on the facility grounds. When reporters arrived, they found Quentin cleaning up the battle area, including picking up and moving a crushed car. Photos of this whirled around the world, and #superquentin popped up on social media. Even without John's advice, Quentin knew he was staring at a new direction for his life. Since there was no way he could disguise his identity (how many diminutive strong men were there on the East Coast?) , he decided to try and use his powers to help people. He found a job as the goodwill ambassador and public face for the charity Recovery Around the World, and has begun the herculean task of rebuilding his reputation. While his parents aren't wild about him being "one of those super-types," they do at least recognize that what he's trying to do now is a big step up from being a drunken wastrel. Personality & Motivation: Quentin is a lifelong hedonist who only recently developed any sense of empathy or understanding of the common good. In some ways, his understanding of how the world really works is somewhat child-like. He sometimes feels like he's been asleep his entire life and is only now waking up and realizing he's way behind. Quentin is a very outgoing person and does his best to connect with people who, in the past, he would have utterly disregarded. He is still shocked at the level of helplessness many people suffer in their lives, and he is experiencing a strange but growing sense of responsibility to protect those who can't protect themselves. If you caught him at the right moment, he also might admit a certain thrill at being a super-hero. Quentin has always enjoyed presenting himself as a larger-than-life fashionista, and while he still tends to present that façade, he uses it as self-parody, both as a way of showing some humble recognition of his past excesses and as a way of distancing himself from the more painful aspects of that recognition. Powers & Tactics: Quentin's still learning how to use his tremendous strength. He's not fond of hitting people, although he'll do it when necessary. He prefers to physically restrain an opponent when possible, and grab something handy to wrap them up. Shockwave and Groundstrike he reserves for facing a number of opponents. Power Descriptions: Nothing much to describe here: just a smaller-sized man lifting incongruously heavy things. The shockwave and groundstrike Feats are mostly distortion waves that are visible in the typical way. Complications: Money! It's a gas: Fortune can be a fickle thing. Quentin's family could suffer a series of financial disasters (influenced by a villain, maybe?), leaving him to live on "only" on his nominal PR salary. (Not) born in the USA: Either through bureaucratic error or diabolical supervillainry, Quentin's visa could be jeopardized. Dirty Water I: Quentin has plenty of wild friends from the "old days." If things are going tough, will Quentin be tempted to return to his bad boy ways? Dirty Water II: As far as that goes, maybe some of Quentin's less reputable mates will see his newfound popularity as a way to run some kind of crooked deal "for an old friend." If he refuses, will they seek retribution? I don't remember, I can't recall: It could be that someone took a photo or video of Quentin in one of his less-than-stellar moments. Now that's he's a hero, a potential blackmailer could decide the price for their silence could be sky-high! Poor old Ruby Reddressc: The paparazzi don't take "no" for an answer. This might include nosing into Quentin's business at the worst moment, either his private life or in the middle of a battle. Comin' for you: [INSERT VILLAIN NAME FROM ORIGIN STORY HERE] wants revenge on the one who spoiled their revenge. My bad reputation: Quentin may have a tough time convincing people who had heard of him before his accident that he has turned over a new leaf. I can't drive 55: Quentin's driver's license is suspended. The first cut is the deepest: When Quentin's mutant powers activated, he mostly finished healing from his accident. He still has days when he experiences pain in his legs or back. He has not yet visited a doctor, since he's a bit afraid that the pain is psychosomatic in nature, and that's something he's not willing to deal with right now. Abilities: 0 + 4 + 0 + 0 + 2 + 8 = 14PP Strength: 10/30/52 (+10) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 10/34 (+12) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 18 (+4) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +0 Attack: +10 Melee, +4 Base, +4 Ranged Defense: +8 (+4 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Grapple: +31 Knockback: -12 Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 5 = 9PP Toughness: +12/+0 (+12 Con) Fortitude: +12/+0 (+12 Con) Reflex: +6 (+2 Dex) Will: +6 (+1 Wis) Skills: 44 = 11PP Bluff 8 (+12) Diplomacy 12 (+16) Gather Info 11 (+12) Language 1 (English [native], French) Sense Motive 4 (+5) Knowledge Skill: Fashion 8 (+9) Feats: 18PP Dodge Focus 4 Melee Attack Bonus 6 Connected Improved Grab Improved Pin Improved Grapple Interpose Well-Informed Benefit: Wealth 2 (Rich) Powers: 20 + 24 + 12 + 24 + 2 = 82 PP Enhanced Strength +20 (Descriptor: mutation) Enhanced Constitution +24 (Descriptor: mutation) Impervious Toughness 12 (Descriptor: mutation) Super-strength 11 (heavy load 1,600 tons) Feats: Groundstrike, Shockwave (Descriptor: mutation) Speed 2 (Descriptor: mutation) Drawbacks: None DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 25 Toughness Damage Groundstrike Touch (Area) variable Reflex Trip Shockwave Area (cone) DC 25 Fortitude Damage Totals: Abilities (14) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (9) + Skills (11) + Feats (18) + Powers (82) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150 Power Points

I think so... but I am perfectly fine going either way. Heritage?

No worries!

As Nick munched his sandwich, he sat back and tuned into the conversations nearby. The number one topic was spring break, of course. Nick was looking forward to it as well, but mostly because the university would largely clear out and he could be guaranteed of his favorite study carrel in the library. The greenhouse would be quiet, too, and he needed the time to get caught up for the home stretch to summer. A branch of the lilac bush grazed his back in the breeze. The temptation was too much to resist. Looking around carefully, Nick reached out to the sturdy plant and coaxed one small bud to form and swell just to the point of blossoming. Simple pleasures, he thought, admiring the natural symmetry of the unfolding bud.

Since Nick is a grad student, he could be a TA for a basic biology class or two... maybe Casey or someone in her coterie recognizes him?

Nick sauntered down the sidewalk, shucking his jacket and letting the sun warm his arms. He felt his body stir and respond as his skin did its peculiar magic. He could go without lunch and rely solely upon the sun (or a good grow lamp) to keep his body energized, but eating was an important ritual. It made him feel human still, especially during times when he wondered if he actually counted as a true human being. He took a deep breath and shrugged off those thoughts. There was his favorite sunning spot, right near an enormous purple lilac bush. He looked around for a moment in appreciation of the warm day and the upbeat mood of the students passing by. As he did so, he reached out in his mind - it was a lame way to think of it, but he didn't really know how he'd ever explain the feeling to someone else - and cajoled the soft bluegrass to grow in more thickly, giving him a more comfortable place to sit. Criss-cross applesauce. A good sandwich, a sunny day, and some people-watching: what better way to spend a lunch hour?

I have no particular NPCs in mind. I'm sure he hangs out with the other botany geeks (both of them ? Not sure how many there would be).

OK, I changed that power and added some Feats. I also updated the Combat section, the DC block, and the Tactics section.

I reduced Survival by 1 Skill Point, and fixed the formatting on the array.

Many thanks, G. That's a boatload of great ideas.

Whoops! While browsing the site I ran across a recent hero who's a plant controller. I don't want to step on anyone's toes, so I understand if this character gets turned down. Just let me know...

Thorn Power Level: 10 (150/150PP) Unspent Power Points: 0 Trade-Offs: None In Brief: A young plant-controller trying hard to prove he can do more than just make a pretty garden. Catchphrase: None Theme: None Alternate Identity: Nicholas Starkey (Secret) Birthplace: Portland, OR Residence: Freedom City, New Jersey Base of Operations: Freedom City, New Jersey Occupation: Grad student at Freedom City University; part-time delivery person for Ferry's Flowers Affiliations: FCU Botany Dept; Ferry's Flowers Family: Ron & Emily Starkey (parents); Myra Livingston (grandmother) Description: Age: 23 (DoB: May 18th, 1997) Apparent Age: Early 20's. Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5' 7" Weight: 170 lbs. Eyes: Green Hair: Light brown Description: Nick has a compact gymnast's build and an inquisitive face. While his clothes are clean and neat, they're fairly unremarkable; he wears jeans, casual shoes, and untucked dress shirts over t-shirts. As Thorn, he wears a total bodysuit that only leaves his hands and feet uncovered. The bodysuit is forest green and is unadorned except for an overlay of overlapping leaf outlines in a slightly darker color. It is very elastic and porous to allow him to grow plants and thorns from his skin. History: Nick had an enjoyable childhood as the only child of a pair of university professors in Portland. For the most part, he was a laid-back kid who got good grades and played sports (although he sat on the bench a lot). He attended Oregon State University, and it was there that his life got sidetracked. In his freshman year, Nick went to a special exhibition at the university greenhouse as part of a biology class assignment. Rare tropical plants were on display, and while he was taking notes on them the roof blew open and the room filled with a choking, irritating gas. The supervillain Black Iris and her goons had arrived to steal some particularly rare plants. Instinctively, Nick grabbed one of the plants as he was overwhelmed by the fumes. He fell with the plant under him, and as he lost consciousness sap from the broken stem oozed over his hands. Later, he awoke in the infirmary of the local superhero group. After some confusion, it was explained to him that he had displayed some unusual physical properties and kept him for observation for a few days. It was their conclusion that some combination of the gas Black Iris had used, the sap from the unusual plant, and Nick's own body chemistry had combined to alter the structure of his body. While not exactly a plant, he seemed to be some kind of hybrid. Nick was delighted. What 19-year-old wouldn't be after being told by a bunch of super-heroes that he had super-powers? His delight turned out to be short-lived as he began to explore his abilities. The physical enhancements were cool: he was stronger, more agile, and much tougher: all good things. But then… well, he could cause plants to grow and he could control their movements. That was… OK. When he discovered he could produce large thorns on his skin, well, that was pretty metal. Discovering that he could grow plants from his skin was kind of gross, actually, although it meant he always flowers for his mom on Mother's Day. Still, it was cool to have powers, even if they were borderline lame ones, and after ordering a special bodysuit online, he was ready to fight the bad guys in his spare time, as Hybrid! Master of Plants. To his credit, he did foil a few robberies, but he soon found out that not very many people took a plant-hero seriously. After a few months of catcalls from bystanders who called him Flower Boy and Kompost Kid, he grumpily abandoned the hero thing and refocused on school. He had been intending to pursue a computer science degree, but he decided to switch to botany has a way of learning more about what he could do with his powers. Nick spent the better part of three years experimenting with his abilities. "Flower Boy," indeed… He wanted to be more like Geckoman! He discovered that he could radically speed up the growth of plants from his skin and from the ground. He could even form weapons from thorny, woody plants! After practicing whenever he could, he ventured into the superhero world again, this time as Thorn. He enjoyed some successes again minor villains, and as graduation neared, he knew what he wanted to do: get accepted into Freedom City's graduate program, and be a hero in Super-people Central! Personality & Motivation: Nick is a friendly guy, open to new experiences and good times. He has an aura of vitality and health that others notice. He doesn't always think things through, though, and this tendency has gotten him in trouble a few times in the superhero business. He is proud to be a superhero and happy to use his powers to keep people safe. However, he also has a (wood) chip on his shoulder about how others react to his powers, and he is determined to show that a plant-hero isn't just a background sidekick. He is usually upbeat and enthusiastic, if a bit naïve: the truly deadly nature of the superhero biz has not really sunk in with him yet. Powers & Tactics: Nick prefers to mix it up with the baddies rather than stand back and use his powers from a distance. He likes to swing into battle using the vines that shoot from his hands and use knobby wood or thorny protrusions on his hands, elbows, etc. to deliver damage. He really wants to be a Spider-Man type, even if he doesn't quite have the talent for it. While his instincts are good, he's not the most skilled fighter, and when things don't go well he will resort to the hallucinogenic sap he can generate to slow an opponent down, or Snare opponents by causing plants in the area to grow. If grappled or attacked by several people in melee, he'll cause large thorns to protrude from his body to damage enemies and provide him with some space. He has also developed a short-ranged attack that's essentially a thorny hardwood clump on the end of a vine that he can swing around, using the flexibility of the vine to cause the "flail" to curve round and strike from unexpected angles. Power Descriptions: All of Nick's powers are plant-based. Swinging, wall-crawling, and his melee combat enhancements all come from being able to grow plants incredibly rapidly from his body. For swinging, he grows creeping vines out of his hands so that they latch on to nearby buildings, protrusions, etc. When he wall-crawls, he grows root systems from whatever body surface he needs to cling with. His melee combat enhancements are thorny, hard wood shapes he grows around his hands or other body parts like cesti or spiked elbow pads, for example. The damage aura is a profusion of large thorns over his entire body. The Nauseate effect comes from a hallucinogenic sap he generates in his body. He injects it through hollow thorns that protrude from his fingertips at will. The Snare is a rapid growth of plants from the ground that entwine and entangle the victim. Complications: Aquaman Syndrome: Nick is very focused on proving that his powers can do more than just cause some plants to grow and wrap people up. Nick can be taunted, tricked, or manipulated into going toe-to-toe with a villain instead of using his non-melee abilities even when the latter is a better tactic. Move towards the light!: Nick's Immunity to Starvation and Regeneration only work if he can access sunlight (or grow lights) to photosynthesize. He wears a Med Alert bracelet that says "Put me in the sun." "Green-blooded hobgoblin": Nick's physiology is no longer exactly human. This makes medical treatment problematic even for someone immune to poisons and disease. Also, he has to be very careful if he bleeds in his secret ID, as the green blood is… weird. Just say no to Monsanto: While Nick is immune to poisons that humans need to be wary of, he is susceptible to concentrated herbicides. A Barren Wasteland: It is possible that Nick could find himself in places where no seeds, dormant plants, or roots are nearby for him to use for his Snare ability. Can I get off this ride now?: Nick is sometimes afraid that his body is continuing to change, and that someday he will become a plant, possibly one without the ability to move… or think. A rare specimen: It won't take long for evil scientist types to realize that Nick's odd abilities warrant closer examination. Abilities: 2 + 2 + 2 + 8 + 2 + 2 = 18 PP Strength: 20/12 (+5/+1) Dexterity: 22/12 (+6/+1) Constitution: 26/12 (+8/+1) Intelligence: 18 (+4) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 12 (+1) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16 PP Initiative: +7/+1 Attack: +10 Melee, +4 base; +4 Ranged, +10 with Snare, +10 with thornball Defense: +10 (+4 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Grapple: +1 Knockback: -5/0 Saving Throws: 3 + 4 + 7 = 14 PP Toughness: +2/+10 (+1/+8 Con, Protection 2) Fortitude: +1/+8/+11 (+1/+8 Con, +3 PP) Reflex: +1/+6/+10 (+1/+6 DEX, +4 PP) Will: +1/+8 (+1 WIS, +7 PP) Skills: 56R = 14 PP Acrobatics 8 (+14) Climb 6 ( +12) Computers 4 (+8) Diplomacy 3 (+4/+8 w/Attractive feat) Knowledge: Life Sciences 8 (+12) Languages 1 (English [native], Spanish) Notice 10 (+11) Stealth 7 (+13) Survival 9 (+10) Feats: 16PP All-Out Attack Attractive (aura of vitality) Dodge Focus 6 Melee Attack Focus 6 Move-by Action Uncanny Dodge (Hearing) Equipment: 0PP = 0EP Powers: 27 + 8 + 10 + 14 + 3 + 6 + 2 + 2 = 72 PP Plant Control Array Rank 12 (24 PP array; Feats: Alternate Power 3) [27 PP] (Plant growth and control) Base Power: Snare 10 (Plant entwining; Feats: Split Attack, Accurate 3) {24/24} (Descriptors: plant-based) Alternate Power: Nauseate 8 (hallucinogenic sap injection; Extra: Poison) {24/24} (Descriptors: plant-based, drug/chemical/hallucinogen) Alternate Power: Blast 5 (Knobbly, thorny wood ball on a vine) Feats: Mighty 5, Improved Range (100 ft) Accurate 3, Indirect 3, Improved Critical 2; Drawbacks: Reduced Range 2 (100 ft max) {22/24} (Descriptors: plant-based, bludgeoning/piercing) Alternate Power: Damage 6 (large thorns protruding from body; Extras: Aura, Duration 2 – Sustained) {24/24} (Descriptors: plant-based, piercing) Enhanced Strength 8 [8 PP] (Descriptor: plant-based physical augmentation) Enhanced Dexterity 10 [10 PP] (Descriptor: plant-based physical augmentation) Enhanced Constitution 14 [14 PP] (Descriptor: plant-based physical augmentation) Immunity 3: Starvation, poison, disease [3 PP] (Descriptor: plant-based physiological changes) Super-Movement 3: Swinging, Wall-crawling 2 (half-movement, sticking) [6 PP] (Descriptors: Swinging – "shooting" rapidly-growing vines from hands; Wall-crawling: using small thorns and micro-roots for grip) Regeneration 2: Resurrection, Regrowth [2 PP] (Descriptor: plant-based physiological changes) Protection 2 [2 PP] (Descriptor: plant-based physiological changes) Drawbacks: None. DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 20 Toughness Damage Thorny wood ball Ranged DC 25 Toughness Damage Body Thorns Touch/Aura DC 21Toughness Damage Hallucinogenic sap Touch DC 18 Fortitude Nauseate* Plant entwining Ranged DC 20 Reflex Snare *Has Poison Extra, so effect occurs again in following round; target is at least automatically Nauseated regardless of results of Fortitude save Totals: Abilities (18) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (14) + Skills (14) + Feats (16) + Powers (72) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150 Power Points