Griffalo

Tyler fidgeted with his cap, something he'd been doing fairly regularly since they started talking. "So who was Matthias Cooke? I mean, I figure Dr. Claremont founded the place, but who was the other guy to get a building named after him?" He looked a little awkward when she brought up theatre. "I'm sorry. I don't really... know much about theatre, or acting or performing or anything." He had the hopeful-yet-scared look of someone fervently hoping he was answering a question correctly whilst knowing that he probably hadn't. "It'd be good if she was a former hero, but I suppose we should respect her privacy. Everyone has secrets, after all."

"This is... a lot to take in." He smiled, still feeling awkward. "Maybe we just start with the tour for now, let my brain absorb some of that information. How long have you been here at Claremont? I haven't really spoken all that much to Headmistress Summers, what's she like?" He fell in beside her, eyes wide to absorb the detail of his surroundings.

Tyler He was comforted somewhat by the fact that Veronica didn't seem to fear him just yet. She seemed friendly, and pretty too, which caused him to relax just a little. "Uh, yeah. That's me. I'm Tyler. It's... nice to meet you too." His body language still a little awkward, rusty with small talk. "Buildings?" He emphasised the plurality. "This is going to take some getting used to. Up until now, my school was someone's garage. What kind of classes are we expected to take, while we're here?"

Tyler headed towards the quad. Though he'd been here before to meet briefly with the Principal, this was his first official day. It was the most nervous he'd been since... well, since ever. He hadn't mixed with too many other kids, and now he was in a campus full of them. At least there wouldn't be too many of them about this morning. He hugged his denim jacket closer to him, only partly because of the cold. His face was round and freckled under a ratty baseball cap, and would probably look friendly if he weren't so anxious. He saw the figure ahead and corrected his course to approach her, assuming she was the one he had to meet.

Name: Tyler Black Codename: Darkling Year: Sophmore Pronouns: He/him Roommate: Unassigned Goals: Make some friends, try to learn more control of his powers Favorite High School Movie: The Craft

Changed as you recommended. The confusion is mine, I meant Dodge Bonus, this has now been corrected.

Have brought his Blast power up to offensive cap by adding Attack Specialisation 1. Brought down to save on points. Restructured into a Perception-range Blast now. Have now been added. Added a third Complication related to his identity, and clarified the other two.

Made the recommended changes.

Power Level: 7 (105/108PP) Unspent Power Points: 3 Trade-Offs: None In Brief: Teen with Demonic blood in their veins, trying to escape their fate Catchphrase: "Look, I'm not a bad person..." Theme: Matthew Sweet, Dark Secret Alternate Identity: Tyler Black (Secret) Birthplace: Evanston, WY Residence: The Claremont Academy Base of Operations: The Claremont Academy Occupation: Student Affiliations: Other Claremont Students Family: Unknown - the people who raised him were in service to the entity whose lineage he is part of. Description: Age: 16 (DoB: 2002) Apparent Age: N/A Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5' 9" Weight: 175 Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Tyler seems at first glance to be your average American teen. He dresses in comfortable clothing that's vaguely stylish (if not exactly on the cutting edge of fashion) and seems a little awkward around others at times. One notable point is that he often wears some sort of hat, usually a baseball cap; they disguise a budding pair of obsidian horns that erupt from his temples, just up near his hairline. History: Tyler was raised on a small commune in Evanston, Wyoming. Practically on the doorstep of the Mormons, the Brothers and Sisters of the Radiant Benevolence rejected the Christian sentiment of the area. Tyler didn't know who his parents were despite asking on several occasions, though he didn't lack for caregivers. He also didn't know what went on when the adults met every Thursday evening. Instead he learned to be content with homeschooling, the curriculum focusing as much on theology as practical subjects, though his lessons in the former often leaned towards harsh criticism or dismantling of other religion's beliefs. Tyler hit puberty, and along with the usual host of adolescent problems came first the whispers, and then the horns. When the adults found out (and despite him desperately trying to file his horns down a few times, they became impossible to hide for long) they rejoiced; finally, after years of devotion their dark prayers had been answered. Followers of a being they referred to mainly as The Prince of Sanguine Terror, the various families traced their lineages back to the original acolytes who had accepted His blessed touch; now, Tyler would be the greatest among his servants, paving the way for his return. Despite his education, Tyler wasn't wholly keen on that idea, but the elders of the Cult did help him to hone some of the powers his connection to his Dark patron granted him. He was woken late one night by Layla, one of the several women he thought of as a mother figure; she explained in hushed tones that the cult's true purpose was to foster the darkness within Tyler's blood before using him as a sacrifice to allow the Prince full entry into their world. Her faith had been shaken as she watched Tyler's powers emerge; now, fully aware of the plan she realised she couldn't bear to see him killed. She'd packed him a bag and, despite his confusion, put him on a bus to Freedom City, along with a letter for the teachers at the Claremont Academy. A week after arriving at Claremont, Tyler read in the paper that Layla had died, the tragic result of a wild animal attack. Personality & Motivation: Despite his corrupted lineage, Tyler doesn't want to be bad. He knows that what truly matters is one's deeds, how one uses the talents that they have; despite that, every time he draws from the dark wellspring of his power he feels the potential to release a little more corruption into the world. Powers & Tactics: Tyler's demonic taint allows him to manipulate magical energy; while he's only mastered a few spells so far, it allows him to be versatile in the field. He can teleport short distances, manipulate objects remotely via psychokinesis, cause objects to spontaneously combust and dominate a single person's will. Power Descriptions: All of his powers have an aura of demonic energy - his teleports leave behind the smell of brimstone, his psychokinesis surrounds objects with dancing shadows. Objects that he sets alight sometimes appear to have horrified faces in the flames, and those who have their will controlled have eyes that go completely black; when working powerful magic Tyler also sometimes has completely black eyes, his skin appearing a chalky white. His protective force field manifests as a shimmering haze, though one that shines with a blood-red light. Complications: It's the horns, right?: Sure, Claremont has its share of weird-looking students. Still, people see a guy with horns on his head, you don't need to be a Bible Scholar to make the connection to demons. Tyler often finds strangers wary of him. (Prejudice: Demonic Appearance) Daddy Issues: Tyler's been told what The Prince's plans are, both for him and for the world. He's not much of a threat to those plans right now, but with the right training and allies, he might be. (Motivation: Responsibility) Claiming Asylum: It would definitely be bad if his old 'family' were aware that he was now at Claremont Academy. They'd like him back quite urgently. (Secret: His identity) Abilities: 0 + 2 + 4 + 6 + 8 + 8 = 28PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 18 (+4) Charisma: 18 (+4) Combat: 10 + 14 = 24PP Initiative: +1 Attack: +5 Melee, +5 Ranged, +7 Blast Defense: +7 Base, +4 Flat-Footed Grapple: +5 Knockback: -6 Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 6 = 16PP Toughness: +7 (+2 Con, +5 Force Field) Fortitude: +7 (+2 Con, +5) Reflex: +6 (+1 Dex, +5) Will: +10 (+4 Wis, +6) Skills: 36R = 9PP Computers 2 (+5) Concentration 6 (+10) Drive 1 (+2) Intimidate 4 (+8) Knowledge (arcane Lore) 6 (+9) Knowledge (theology & philosophy) 6 (+9) Language 4 (+4) - English (Native), Greek, Latin, Aramaic, Infernal Notice 2 (+6) Search 1 (+4) Sense Motive 4 (+8) Feats: 1PP Luck Equipment: 0PP = 0EP Powers: 10 + 19 = 29PP Descriptors: Infernal Force Field 5 (+5 Toughness; Extras: Impervious) [10PP] (Energy) Magic 8 (16PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 3) [19PP] Base Power Teleport 13 (1300 ft. as move action; Flaws: Short-Range; Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Turnabout) (Spatial Distortion) Alternate Power Mind Control 7 (DC 17) (Psionic) Alternate Power Telekinesis 5 (Strength: 25, Carry: 266 / 533 / 800 / 1.6k; Extras: Perception) (Force) Alternate Power Blast 7 (DC 22; Feats: Accurate, Precise) (Fire) Drawbacks: (-2) = -2PP Vulnerability (Holy Powers; Frequency: Uncommon; Intensity: Moderate)[-2PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 15 Toughness Damage Blast Ranged DC 22 Toughness Damage Mind Control Perception DC 17 Will Control Totals: Abilities (28) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (9) + Feats (1) + Powers (29) - Drawbacks (-2) = 105/108 Power Points

Done!

Mercury muttered to himself. These kind of things never went according to the script. "'Mister E', 'Miss S'... I suppose it's a bit much to hope for villains who can give you a straight answer." He sighed as the cops jogged past to arrest the Toon Gang, then looked at the others. "What's the next step? Investigate this oil derrick?" He looked at CT. "No offense intended, but I'm really not looking forward to getting back in that sled of yours..."

Mercury Just Beneath the Surface The Measure of a Hero

Evander ducked behind a podium when the trouble erupted, already yanking the hoodie over his head to expose his tunic and breastplate. "Honestly, all I'm asking for is five minutes of peace..." He balled up the garment, shoving it in his backpack and then stowing it somewhere out of the way so he could recover it later. He really hoped it didn't go missing. Others called out from within the banking hall - apparently he wasn't the only hero with transactions on his mind today, which was good. He also recognised the voice of Crow, which would come in handy - at least one other person he'd met before...

Mercury nodded with a smile at the compliment CT had paid him. "Yeah, thanks." A slight pause before he realised he should probably return the compliment. "Your powers seem pretty impressive, too." He turned to regard the Toon Gang. "You know, you guys could go straight... but I doubt you will. Just drawn that way, huh?"

Mercury looked at the last two standing, his hands already burning with fire, casting a sickly glow on his face. "The two of you want to surrender quietly now?" He made no threatening moves just yet, waiting to see what the opponents would do.

The split second before the cartoon bullets impacted, one thought went through Mercury's head. This is it. Most of the spray missed, but a few bullets found their mark. They were stopped by the metal breastplate he was wearing - barely. True to their design, the moment the dynamite left Joey's hand, the wings on his Talaria fluttered into life, and he moved with blinding speed - one second he was in the blast radius, the next he was comfortably outside it. "Right, you wanna play it that way..." He nodded at Cobalt Templar's instructions and threw a volley of sizzling green balefire at Boss Moxie.

He grumbled wordlessly, falling in behind Glowstar, keeping his eyes peeled for any further danger.

As CT instructed, I'll be aiming for their leader. Blast Attack Roll: 22 Assuming a hit that's a DC 23 Toughness Save.

1d20+7=20 for the DC20 Tommy Gun 1d20+10=25 for the Reflex Save. 1d20=15 for Initiative.

Mercury stepped slightly out of Cobalt Templar's power, his hands halfway through a gesture of arcane power. It didn't hurt that his hands had already begun to glow with motes of magical energy - like CT, he was producing a useful special effect designed to intimidate the Toon Gang into inaction. "What's the correct term for you guys anyway? Animated Americans? There are easier ways to get computers than stealing 'em, you know. Like, oh, buying one. Would you even know what to do with a computer?" He laughs at the thought of them trying to even start the thing up.

Mercury was about to protest that he didn't need protecting, but then kept his mouth shut. If Cobalt Templar wanted to play being a shield, he wasn't going to protest. Better his spells were put to better use taking down the bad guys, rather than expending the effort worrying about protecting his own butt. He followed along with the group, easily keeping pace with CT. "A tiny little car? Who attacks a building like this in a tiny little car?" His eyes scanned from side to side, alert for any trouble. "What's their motive, d'you think? Disrupt the place, or steal information?"

Mercury had seen enough of CT's piloting skills, and hastily vaulted over the side of the sledge - instead of plummeting like a stone, his pedalling feet caused him to float gently down towards the ground, as if he was running on air. He touched down on the sidewalk with a mild squeak of rubber, then looked up at their transport. "Thought I'd stick the landing myself. Uh... no offense."

1d20+2=13

1d20+2=16

Mercury Occupational Hazards The Measure of a Hero