Geez3r

GM Post

 

As the heroes arrived on scene, it seemed like everything would be sorted out in short order. That however would not be the case. As one of the heroes took a closer look at the meteorite itself it reacted. A pulse of golden energy exploded from the meteorite itself. The force of the blast did little more than ruffle some hair styles in the immediate area, but in the aftermath the ground and everything in a 50 yard radius with the exception of the people in the area was covered in bright blue markings that appeared to be some kind of mixture between leylines and circuitry. These same lines covered the meteorite itself, and all other lines could be traced back to their source on this strange rock from space.

 

Then as one, parts of the surrounding landscape began to rise up and take on monstrous shapes, seemingly following patterns as laid out by these blue diagrams. The uprooted great oak tree forged itself into what could pass for a hydra, it's many branches forming into snapping jaws with its leaves forming a mane around each head. The nearby copper statue of “the everyday superhero†sprang off of its pillar, before hoisting said pillar like a club. From the nearby water feature, the silt took shape rising into a large blob monster with pockets of water in its bulbous frame, looking much the part of pustules. The scattered remains of the the bleachers and seating areas floating in the air before settling in as the individual feathers of a great eagle that began to beat its giant wings as it took flight. In the center of all of this chaos, a great pillar of dirt and rock erupted around the meteorite itself, engulfing it in a tornado of earth before it solidified into a giant golem nearly 40ft in height, its torso extending all the way to the ground like the trunk of a tree. And like that the newly awakened monsters began to attack anything and everything that dared be in their presence.

 

AGENDA Member: Orange Tier Blockbuster: Citizen - One of Us - PL 10 (275pp)

 

“I am not the kid you used to pick on anymore.â€

 

Abilities: 10 + 10 + 10 + 2 + 4 + 2 = 38PP

Strength: 20 (+5)

Dexterity: 20 (+5)

Constitution: 20 (+5)

Intelligence: 12 (+1)

Wisdom: 14 (+2)

Charisma: 12 (+1)

 

 

Combat: 20 + 24 = 44PP

Initiative: +13

Attack: +10, +15 Melee

Grapple: +20

Defense: +15 (+12 Base, +3 Dodge Focus), +6 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -15, -20 in armor

 

 

Saving Throws: 3 + 9 + 4 = 16PP

Toughness: +5 (+5 Con)

Fortitude: +8 (+5 Con, +3)

Reflex: +14 (+5 Dex, +9), Evasion 2

Will: +6 (+2 Wis, +4)

 

 

Skills: 164R = 41PP

Acrobatics 15 (+20)

Bluff 9 (+10)

Computers 12 (+13)

Disable Device 19 (+20)

Disguise 14 (+15)

Drive 10 (+15)

Intimidate 16 (+17)

Knowledge (Current events) 9 (+10)

Knowledge (Pop Culture) 9 (+10)

Notice 13 (+15)

Pilot 10 (+15)

Sense Motive 13 (+15)

Stealth 15 (+20)

 

 

Feats: 41 PP

Acrobatic Bluff 2

Attack Focus (Melee) 5

Defensive Attack

Distract (Intimidate)

Dodge Focus 5

Elusive Target

Evasion 2

Favored Opponent (Claremont Students)

Fearless

Grappling Finesse

Hide in Plain Sight

Improved Critical (unarmed) 2

Improved Grab

Improved Grapple

Improved Initiative 2

Move-By Action

Power Attack

Redirect

Set Up

Startle 2

Stunning Attack

Takedown Attack 2

Teamwork 3

Uncanny Dodge (visual, auditory) 2

 

 

Powers: 95 = 95PP

 

Summon (Duplication) 12 Extras: Continuous Duration, Heroic, Horde, Fanatical, Survival; Power Feats: Mental Link, Progression 10 (2,000 Duplicates) [95pp]

 

 

Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP

 

Abilities (38) + Combat (44) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (41) + Feats (41) + Powers (75) - Drawbacks (00) = 275 / 275 Power Points

 

 

Emily Wallace is one of only a handful of Claremont's drop outs in its illustrious history as an academy for the super-powered. Her tenure at the high school started normal enough. She was accepted due to her ability to create duplicates of herself, and any simple objects she carried with her. Stuff like her clothes or a bat, basically anything that doesn't have moving parts. For the first year or so, she really enjoyed her time and made quite a few friends. She was never one of the popular kids, but she did well enough. Anyone who has been in a high school however knows just how quickly the kids can turn on one another.

 

As the students advance through the Academy, more and more focus is put on their hero training and how well they perform in the Doom Room. At the time, Emily was an experienced scrapper that could make a handful of duplicates of herself. But, at the end of the day, she was still just a teenaged girl who had some combat training, and that doesn't come nearly close enough to matching someone who can shoot lasers from her eyes. The kids began to point out that she didn't really run in the same league as them, or for that matter, any superhero. When the students picked teams, Emily found herself dropping down the list of picks, until she was dead last. And then it got even worse when the other students flat out refused to pick her. She was eventually forced to have some of her duplicates play on one team and the rest on the other.

 

What cemented her reputation as “useless†however was the fact that in these little war games there would often be a student playing the part of a “citizen†that was in peril or had to be protected; and since Emily could be in two places in once and didn't have any other powers, she was often relegated to this role. The kids would tease her that this gave her valuable life experience of sitting the battles out while the real heroes did all the hard work.

 

Eager to put this reputation behind her and put a stop to all of the bullying, Emily started to go out on patrol, hoping by busting up a crime in progress, she could prove that she was a legit super hero. Things did not go according to plan. Having the numbers advantage doesn't mean as much as you might think it does when the other side has the bullets advantage. All of Emily's duplicates were gunned down, as was she. Had the bullet been two inches to the left, she would have been killed rather than being hospitalized for a few months. As a result, Emily's parents pulled her out of Claremont, and decided she should finish up going to public school. But what hurt Emily most about this whole ordeal is that none of her supposed friends ever came to visit her in the hospital.

 

Flash forward a couple of years and Emily had fallen into a rough crowd. She had dropped out of college and was running around as a gang member and thief. Emily had wised up a bit from her prior experience and kept at least one of her away from danger, and would simply dismiss her duplicates if things got too hectic. While Emily was getting ready to consign her life to being a low level street thug, she suddenly came home one day to find Mesmero and Recon sitting in her living room. They said that she had untapped potential, and that she was meant for better things. Emily shot them down saying she had already gone down this path, and it only ended in her getting shot; this was her lot in life, nothing more.

 

And with that retort hanging in the air, Mesmero sat up in his chair, edging himself closer to Emily. Very slowly and deliberately, he touched his right hand to his temple, and the memories started to wash over Emily. She remember every insult, every slight, every disgusted look, every disappointment, and even the gazes of pity from her professors. Above all the turmoil, anguish and pain, one image was burning in her mind: the day her parents told her she was leaving Claremont, while she was in the hospital and all she could do that night was sob herself to sleep.

 

“Get out of my head you sick bastard!†roared Emily, pushing Mesmero away. “Get out! Get out! Get out! Why would you do this to me?! Is this how you get your kicks huh?! Answer me!â€

 

Recon wordless placed her hand on Emily's shoulder to placate her, before yet another image made its way into Emily's mind, but this was not one of her own memories. Instead Emily's senses were overwhelmed with an utter cacophony of lights, dazzles and colors. She was vaguely aware of a humanoid standing in front of her, likely in black attire. She heard a voice that was not her own speak from “her†mouth “Why would you do this to me!â€

 

In response the lights and colors focused for a brief moment into the singularly most mesmerizing beautiful image ever witnessed by human eyes. She could see everything; all matter, all particles, all energy, and colors she had not even dreamed ever existed. And in the memory and in the present Mesmero uttered the words “I did this to you because I can show you a better world.â€

 

In a rare moment of tenderness, Recon gently lifted Emily's chin so that their eyes could meet. “If he can take a girl about your age, who was afraid to open her eyes, and turn her into the greatest sharpshooter to walk the earth, what do you think he can do for you?â€

 

“... I want revenge. I'm in.â€

 

“You will have all you desire and more. Welcome to AGENDA. Emily Wallace is gone, who are you now?â€

 

“Citizen.â€

 

 

And this is the fourth member of AGENDA. Citizen is the newest member of the group, being recruited only a few months after Pulsar joined up. By Power Level, Citizen is absurdly weak for a Blockbuster clocking in at only PL 10. However, she is an army of PL 10's. She is a highly competent martial artist due to her training with Recon, and has the mental discipline from Mesmero to spread her consciousness over thousands of duplicates. She rarely brings all of these to bear in a single fight however. Since the duration is continuous, her clones stay until dismissed, she can effectively be multiple different people all advancing their own objectives at the same time. This means that Citizen can and does have her duplicates deployed all over the world monitoring AGENDA's affairs on a global scale. A lot of what I can say about this build I already said about my martial artist build. The main differences besides the duplication are some of the skill choices, reflecting more of a criminal background and a hatred of Claremonters.

If I disappear for a couple of days, it's because I'm an idiot and forgot to pay the phone/internet bill and my service has been disconnected.

IC Post

 

Maxima arrived on the scene a few moments later.  Catching sight of a few of the heroes who were already on scene, and those who would soon be Maxima breathed a sigh of relief.  Knowing that help was on the way, Maxima focused on the big picture of setting up a triage area to treat those injured in the blast, which first meant making sure that there was easy access to the area, so all of the emergency responders could do their jobs.  As such, Maxima made her way over to the main road leading to the athletic fields, and hefted up the overturned bleachers that had been blown across the roadway from the force of the blast. 

 

She then got on her radio, calling the police dispatcher.  "This is Maxima.  Meteorite strike occurred in Liberty Park moments ago, near the athletic fields in the north east quadrant.  Many injuries, no casualties to report yet.  East entrance is clear, will be setting up triage station by east entrance.  Multiple capes inbound.  Over." finished Maxima, hoping to get the rescue effort organized as quickly as possible. 

Poking the rock from space huh?  That surely won't have consequences.  On a completely unrelated note, everyone roll initiative.  Feel free to have a post for your character arriving on scene doing what they intend to do, it'll help set the stage before everything kicks off. 

 

Maxima Initiative Fight 1 (1d20+0=13)

GM Post

 

 

When a place can be referred to as the “impact zone†there is rarely any positive things to say about it other than “it could have been worse†which mercifully held true here. The meteorite had crashed down in the vicinity of the park's athletic fields, which had less than half an hour ago been hosting little league games. Thankfully, most people had cleared out of the immediate area, but there were unfortunately still many more people around.

 

The force of the impact had turned most of the surrounding stands and bleachers into scattered bits of debris. Trees were uprooted, statues toppled over and it even looks like the retaining wall on one of the nearby ponds has come loose. Most of the people near the blast were at best shell shocked into a stupor. A few people were scrambling about trying to get their friends and family to safety. There were plenty of injuries to go around between the blast itself and the flying debris, and many people were buried under debris or otherwise in peril. Police and ambulance sirens could be heard rapidly approaching the area, but none seemed to be on sight as of yet. In the midst of all of this, a small meteorite no bigger than two feet in diameter sat in the middle of a 30ft diameter crater, glowing like a red hot coal, with heat radiating off of it like a bonfire.

IC Post

 

Cassandra Steel was a couple hours into her morning jog this Saturday morning.  She liked to go for longer runs when the time allowed, which usually meant reserving them for weekends.  Granted most of her workout involved weight lifting, but she didn't want to ignore cardio entirely.  She preferred running on the city streets than on a treadmill both so it could double as going on patrol, but also so she could familize herself with the ins and outs of the city streets, she had a rather excellent memory, but even she found it difficult to remember places she had never been to before. 

 

Cassandra was running through the park proper on this day.  There were a few other joggers dotted about, a few people, teenagers by their looks, chatting it up on one of the nearby rock formations, and a mother playing catch with her two young children.  Then, out of the corner of her eye Cassandra noticed the sudden brightness in the sky.  She turned to take a quick look, but a moment later had stopped dead in her tracks as she realized both what the object was and where it was headed.  She whirled about to face the other people who had also taken noticed of the falling star and bellowed "GET DOWN NOW!" as she broke into a dead run.  She snatched up the further small child playing catch with his mother, while the mother snatched the other child, after a wordless conversation between the two women explained the plan.  The mother, child and the chatting teenagers dove behind the rock formation, whild Cassandra and the joggers found the nearest tree and threw their backs against them, Cassandra taking the extra time to clap her hands around the ears of the stranger's child in her lap. 

 

Not a moment later the meteorite struck down and its deafening shockwave echoed throughout the park.  Cassandra felt the wave crash over them like a kick to the chest, and it left her ears ringing, but otherwise unharmed.  Staggering back to her feet, Cassandra returned the now crying child back to his mother, who did her best to console the shell shocked siblings.  "Everyone needs to clear the area now.  Nearest exit is through that path back that way, and hang a left." she said to everyone in earshot, most of whom didn't need to be told twice.  Cassandra herself went in the opposite direction, towards the impact sight.  As soon as she was alone, she ducked behind some foilage and emerged as Maxima a moment later, allowing her increased stride to carry her towards her objective that much faster.

Nah we're good. 

 

 

For the inevitable occasion that we'll need an OOC thread. 

August 30th, 2014 - 10:07am

Liberty Park - Freedom City

 

GM Post

 

It was the closest thing to a lazy Saturday one could get in Freedom City.  Summer was just starting to wind down, so everyone was soaking up the last of the summer sun while they still had the chance.  Whether it was just running errands, people going out for an early morning jog, or spending some quality time with the kids, it seemed like everyone was outside today.  In a perfect world, the day would unfold without incident, but fate it seemed had other plans for this day.  Shortly after 10 o'clock in the morning, a piece of space debris made contact with the upper atmosphere of the earth and began its plummet to the ground in earnest. 

 

The fiery rock streaked across the Freedom City skyline, before striking down in the heart of Liberty Park.  The shock wave rumbled through the streets and a huge plume of dust and dirt hung over the impact zone.  Car alarms, police sirens and the cries of the terrified populace filled the air as everyone tried to get a handle on what just happened. 

Well I think I might go a little crazy and take Asad, Pitch, Thrude, Wayward and Young Britannia.  Sound good to everyone?  If so I should get the thread up probably sometime tomorrow. 

“It was an ordinary day in Freedom City at least until a strange light was seen in the sky. That light grew and grew until it became a fireball that streaked across the sky. A meteorite fell from the sky and struck Freedom City right in the heart of Liberty Park. A resounding crash echoed throughout the city streets, followed shortly by the blare of car alarms and sirens. But this was no mere rock from the edge of space. It was alive, and it had a purpose.â€

 

 

And because this is a thread that I'm running, it's purpose will involve the heroes punching things. I'm looking for 3-4 PC's all PL 10+, not including Maxima who I will be playing in the thread. We'll say this place on 8/30 at around 10am or so. Anyone who would be around Liberty Park around that time, or have cause to investigate a falling meteorite are welcome. The thread will be pretty straight forward. It'll kick off with some combat shortly after the heroes arrive on scene before having some more plot / complications / investigations, which is then followed by some more combat.

Maxima

 

The Hell Q

 

(1 IC, 1 GM all to Maxima)

Introduction

 

Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence.

The big mean science machine! =P

 

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

Cassie out of uniform to my friends, Doctor to my collegues when we're being professional, and Maxima in costume.

 

What is your full birth name?

Cassandra Maria Steel

 

Where do you live?

My current residence is an old decommisioned research lab from Grant Conglomerates in the industrial side of the City Center.

 

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

29 (DOB: November 19, 1984)

 

Physical Traits

 

 

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

Female.

 

How would you describe your heritage?

Excessively Caucasian.

 

How tall are you?

5'8†as Cassandra, 8'8â€-ish as Maxima, my size fluctuates slightly in the latter form

 

What is your body type?

I have the physique of a professional weight lifter.

 

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

Nope, fit as a fiddle.

 

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

I tend to carry myself with an air of confidence unless I'm expected to be social, I don't really like crowds of strangers that aren't intellectuals. I've been told I walk like I've got weights on my shoes, so nobody is calling me graceful or stealthy anytime soon.

 

Describe your skin, eye, and hair color.

I've got dirty blonde hair that's been getting closer and closer to outright brown these past couple of years, likely due to genetic tampering. It's pretty curly by default, but it has been straightening out for the same reasons as above. I've got a rather pale complexion, a combination of my heritage and my powers making it harder for my skin to burn. I've got dark brown eyes.

 

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

I usually either have it up in a pony tail, or just wear it straight. Not into the high maintenance styles.

 

Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others?

I'd say I'm fairly attractive. Some people get turned off by the muscles, but others like it. I usually don't get the compliments unless I make a conscious effort to gussy myself up, and then they're usually of the backhanded variety.

 

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

I've got a few faint scars from an outdoorsy youth, but they're hard to makeout. Powers and identity make tattoos or piercings a poor decision, otherwise I would likely have some tattoos.

 

Do you resemble anyone famous?

Not that I'm aware of.

 

Do you have a dominant hand?

Righty.

 

What kind of clothing do you wear?

I tend to dress pretty conservatively. I favor pants over skirts or dresses. The only time I wear anything remotely revealing is when I go to the gym, and that's usually tights and a tank top.

 

Do you wear makeup?

Generally no, I work with too many chemicals for that to be a good idea.

 

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

I have a fairly husky voice for a woman, and I don't really have much range, can't carry a tune to save my life.

 

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?

When I get nervous I tend to fall back into talking into jargon, or take emotion out of the equation and talk objectively as possible. I've never been brilliant at the social scene, but the sciences I just get. If you can't solve a big problem, break it into smaller ones that you can.

 

 

History

 

Where do you come from?

Freedom City, born and raised.

 

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

I've lives in a few different parts of the city, but I've always been in Freedom.

 

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

I'm not really patriotic, and I don't have particularly strong bonds for the country. The government is run by idiots. I could do a better job than most of them, but first I'd have to get the votes and I'd suck at that part of the job.

 

How do you feel about the place you come from?

It's an interesting place to live I'll give it that. Never a boring day in Freedom. It's got its ups and downs. I've been lucky enough have mostly ups.

 

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

I was pretty similar to most people up until middle school where I started to get really smart and really strong. It kind of kicked in then that I was meant for better things.

 

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

I was a big enough nerd that I breezed through school, and strong enough to beat up anyone who called me a nerd. It was a nice combination. Looking back on it now, it basically gave me free reign to kind of make my own calls and do what I thought was right.

 

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

Nope, I've lead a great life.

 

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

10^th grade biology class. I read the textbook over the weekend one time, and the whole genetics and mutation thing kind of stuck with me. I knew then that I had to understand for myself what was happening in my body.

 

What stupid things did you do when you were younger?

So many fist fights. If I wasn't a straight A student I would have gotten kicked out of school.

 

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

I went to HIT for my doctorates. One in organic chemistry and the other in biology, specialized in metahumans.

 

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

A few stuffed animals and photographs from when I was younger are in my bedroom, nothing too out of the ordinary there.

 

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

I kind of decided that is what I was going to do all the way back in middle school, but my powers weren't quite stable enough until I was well into my mid 20's to responsibly do anything. I had the power to shape the world into a better place, it would be wrong for me to do anything else with my gifts.

 

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

Nope. I am who I am.

 

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

Not really no, I've lead a pretty straight laced life.

 

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

I try to do a bit of seperation between Cassandra and Maxima, but truth be told, I'm a terrible actor.

 

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?

No secrets for me, other than the identity thing. But even if that did come out, it wouldn't be the end of the world.

 

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

I haven't done anything really illegal. A few fights back in middle school & high school.

 

Family

 

 

What are your biological parents' names?

Alexander & Lisa Steels (father & mother respectively)

 

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

Yeppers

 

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

Upper middle class, lower upper class. She was the daughter of Alexander and Lisa Steels, the former being a professor at the Hanover Institute of Technology, and the later being a lab tech for AEGIS.

 

Where are your parents now?

Still in Freedom, still at work.

 

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

Stayed pretty consistenly in Freedom, moved to different parts once or twice.

 

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

I get along great with them. I still see them pretty regularly. We try to get together for dinner at least once a month, but it's usually 2 or 3 times a month.

 

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

Unless they're lying to me they're very proud of me, and the don't even know about the hero thing, but I'm sure they would be proud of that do.

 

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

Nope, only child.

 

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

Nope, not much of an extended family. My mother is an only child, and my dad's brother lives out in California. Only seen him 3 times in my life. Seems like a good guy though.

 

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

No nothing like that. We just get along well with each other.

 

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

I guess I stick out a bit due to the spandex, but dad works for AEGIS so it evens out a bit.

 

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

My parents are pretty well known in certain circles, but not to the lay person.

 

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

Nope I'm single. Not really sure how a relationship would work right now.

 

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?

No one wants to be alone all the time. I'd like to have kids some day, but not sure what time that would be.

 

What type of person would be your ideal mate?

They need to be smart, that's the deal breaker category. I'd prefer someone quiet and confident, someone I would feel at ease just curled up to them as I read a book or something.

 

 

Relationships

 

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

I lost touch with a lot of my high school friends when I went off to college, I was the only one of them to get into HIT. Didn't make any major friends in college, I was too focused on my studies.

 

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

Now that I think about it... I guess I really don't have a best friend.

 

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

My coworkers and my family.

 

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

Not really a love per se, but Michael Williams was my high school sweetheart. I caught him kissing Emily Wallace and broke his nose.

 

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

Emily, and the above bit is about the extent of our history. She got really mad with me because this was a bit before prom, and Michael's nose was still broken the night of the dance, so I ruined her photos with him. Yeah she was a real winner.

 

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

If Emily is still holding a grudge, she's doing a poor job of making me realize it.

 

What is the worst thing someone has done to you?

The above.

 

Where do your loyalties lie? In what order?

Family, science, Freedom City.

 

Who or what do you trust the most? Why?

Science. It is literally the summation of all knowledge ever acculated by the human race, nothing is purer.

 

Who or what do you despise? Why?

Willful ignorance. You should not take pride in not knowing something, you should see it as an opportunity to better yourself.

 

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

Inquisitiveness and curiousity. Anyone can accept the world as they believe it to be, it takes a great man to challenge their own world views.

 

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

People who refuse to accept that they're wrong. I can be stubborn, but when shown conclusive evidence I know when to fold them. It's got to be conclusive though.

 

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

I hide it from everyone. They would worry to much, and I don't want to put anyone I love in danger.

 

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

I haven't done much in the way of team ups so I can't really answer that. Probably a follower for that reason.

 

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?

Nope.

 

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

A token affiliation with MENSA.

 

 

Personality & Beliefs

 

Who are your heroes?

Probably the Freedom League more than anyone else. Sure there are great scientists, but I guess I kind of see them more as rivals now than heroes.

 

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

I was one of those fools that always falls for the “hero turns evil but was acually good all along†things that seems to happen pretty regularly. I've got better at spotting that now

 

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

I really do like being a hero. For a while it was just the rush of fighting and the feeling of power I get while Maxed out. But a few months back, I pulled this family out of a car wreck, and while they were recovering in the hospital, their little daughter made this drawing of me saving her mommy and daddy. It is the singularly most adorable and innocent thing I've ever seen and I actually have that picture framed and hanging on the wall in my HQ.

 

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

I would give it up once the job was done. I would switch sides if they tried to stall scientific progress.

 

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

If I can get some payback on Dr. Simian, that would just make my day.

 

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

I'd like to have cloing figured out by then, or failing that, at least have my Max-out formula be stabilized so I don't need the chemical regimen.

 

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

Being trapped in my own body. I've had a few scares as I've manipulated my powers, but progress requires risks.

 

Is there anything you would give you life for?

I'm willing to do it anytime I suit up.

 

How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? 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 is awesome, anyone who says otherwise has too much of it. I tend to burn through it pretty quick on my research, so I'm always on the hunt for more funding sources.

 

How do you generally treat others?

As I would like to be treated.

 

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

I'd like to think I give everyone a fair shot.

 

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

I'm generally pretty introverted. I'm confident in myself, so long as its a subject I'm familiar with.

 

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

I'm terrible at flirting. I try, but I either go too far or not far enough.

 

What are your most annoying habits?

I zone out when I'm bored, even if someone is directly talking to me.

 

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

This is going to sound terrible, but I really don't get along with a large swath of people who identify as religious. If you're a bible-thumper, I'd much rather just thump you one and get on with my day. It's because they refuse to accept the facts and live in a fantasy world of their own creation.

 

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?

Rabbit food generally. Toss in some chicken for good measure. I've got a tendency to scarf my food.

 

What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?

I'll deny it if asked, but jello shots.

 

What is your favorite treat (dessert)?

Chocolate & peanut butter fudge that my dad makes.

 

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

Tuna is god awful, can't even stand the taste.

 

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

Blue's my favorite. Not a fan of orange.

 

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

I'm into techno, house, dubstep and all that jazz. I don't care for country.

 

If you have a favorite scent, what is it?

I actually like the smell of ammonia. I'm weird like that.

 

Do you have a favorite animal?

Bears.

 

What is your most treasured possession? Why?

That little girl's drawing of me.

 

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

I rarely ever do it, but do I love me a spa trip.

 

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

Go to church.

 

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

I'm anti-spiritual.

 

Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special?

Anyone who thinks for themselves.

 

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?

No religion for me thanks. I'll take uncomfortable truth over comfortable lies any day.

 

Could you kill? Have you killed?

Depending on your stance on stem cells, I have killed. Could I kill a living full grown human being? Yes, I think I could.

 

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

A hero must act for the good of others, regardless of the personal cost.

 

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

When not doing so would allow innocents to die.

 

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?

It would depend on who did it and why. If their actions were just, then they merely acted before I did.

 

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

I would take it back.

 

How would you react to public humiliation?

Been there done that. Fricken iron monkeys. Dust yourself off, get up and try again.

 

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

I would not be pleasant to be around to say the least. I would not rest until I found their killer.

 

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

Burning a book.

For books are not absolutely dead things, but... do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them. I know they are as lively, and as vigorously productive, as those fabulous Dragon's teeth; and being sown up and down, may chance to spring up armed men. And yet on the other hand unless warriors be used, as good almost kill a Man a good Book; who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book, kills Reason itself, kills the Image of God, as it were in the eye. Many a man lives a burden to the Earth; but a good Book is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.

John Milton
Areopagitica

 

 

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

1. Spend time with my family, and tell them who I am.

2. Back up and distribute all of my research to the Lab.

3. Perform a full backup scan of my own biology in the hopes that it'll give information to scientists so that others can avoid my fate.

4. Get pampered at the spa.

5. Go out with a bang if ya know what I mean.

 

Career & Training

 

 

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

I'm self taught, and it shows. I just kind of hit things. Also I can science.

 

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

Still self taught.

 

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

I can Max-Out due to my chemical regimen and powers. Otherise I'm just a brainy brick.

 

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

Full time scientist. Hopefully it'll stay that way.

 

What is your preferred combat style?

Wrasslin'.

 

Have you ever received any awards or honours?

A few for academic achievement, and a few for my papers post grad.

 

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

I really need to improve my speed, hand-eye coordination and general fighting prowess. If I could fly that'd be the bees knees, but no idea how I'd swing that.

 

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 want to learn as much from them as possible.

 

 

Lifestyle & Hobbies

 

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

I usually get up and do a light workout, and grab a bite to eat. I also put together my lunch for the day before heading off to work. I exercise a bit more after work before getting dinner, and go on patrol late in the evening hours and/or work down in the lab depending on the day of the week. If this schedule gets interrupted, then the stuff has hit the fan so I got to deal with it.

 

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

I play some video games and card games on the side. Simic fatty ramp all the way.

 

What do you do for fun?

Read mostly, either that or jogging.

 

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

Her costume is based on the singlet worn by Olympic weightlifters. It is primarily a light blue, but has a large white strip running down her front and down her back, as well as two smaller stripes on the side of each leg. The boots she wears follow the same color scheme.

 

How do you normally dress when not in costume?

Fairly conservatively. Pants more than skirts. Tights and tank top when I'm working out though.

 

What do you wear to bed most nights?

I sleep in the buff.

 

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

I occasionally wear a necklace, but that's about it.

 

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

I've got a few vaults stashed around.

 

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

Jogging mostly. Long distance is whatever gets me there fastest, so usually airplane.

 

 

Miscellaneous

 

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

I've got my will in place. Right now, my parents are the benefactors of all of my assets. I've also got a pre-recorded message to my partents explaining everything should I die in the line of duty.

 

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

Well I'm about 9ft tall and 4 tons when I'm Maxima, and even as Cassandra, I am not biologically human. Whether or not that'll tie back to me I don't know. I do carry a thumb drive with my biologic information on it, so if that survived, that would be an option.

 

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

My scientific achievements and my desire to stand up for progress.

 

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

Of course I do. If I got mind controlled or possessed, I could wreck house. It's just the price I pay for being able to make the world a better place.

 

What do you perceive as your greatest strength?

Brains & brawn in one convient package.

 

What do you perceive as your greatest weakness?

My lack of grace, both social and physical.

 

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...

Maxima, you have lead a blessed life, and yes I do mean blessed. You are not religious, but by looking down on people just for their beliefs, you categorize them not as a person, but as an obstacle to overcome. At the end of the day, they are people with their own hopes and dreams, just like you. Science without morality and concern for your common man is the path to destruction.

Black Tier Blockbuster: OMEGA – The Murderer of Centurion – (PL 20 - 600pp)

 

“Oblivion is upon you.â€

 

Abilities: 50 + 2 + 50 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 132PP

Strength: 60 (+25)

Dexterity: 12 (+1)

Constitution: 50 (+20)

Intelligence: 20 (+5)

Wisdom: 20 (+5)

Charisma: 20 (+5)

 

 

Combat: 30 + 24 = 54PP

Initiative: +5

Attack: +15

Grapple: +40, +50 w/powers

Defense: +15 (+12 Base, +3 Dodge Focus), +6 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -15, -20 in armor

 

 

Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 15 = 19PP

Toughness: +20/+25 (+20 Con, +5 Protection) 5/15 Impervious

Fortitude: +20 (+20 Con, +0)

Reflex: +5 (+1 Dex, +4)

Will: +20 (+5 Wis, +15)

 

 

Skills: 124R = 31PP

Bluff 9 (+14)

Intimidate 25 (+30)

Knowledge (Cosmos) 15 (+20)

Knowledge (Galactic Lore) 15 (+20)

Knowledge (Tactics) 15 (+20)

Knowledge (Technology) 15 (+20)

Notice 15 (+20)

Sense Motive 15 (+20)

 

 

Feats: 18 PP

All Out Attack

Assessment

Benefit 2 (OMEGA, Native to Terminus)

Dodge Focus 3

Fearless

Improved Grab

Improved Grapple

Improved Initiative

Power Attack

Skill Mastery (Intimidate, )

Startle 2

Takedown Attack 2

Ultimate Toughness

 

 

Powers: 275 + 23 + 13 + 5 + 30 = 346PP

 

Variable Power 25 (Any combination of traits, 125pp pool) Extras: Free Action to Reconfigure (+2), Duration (Continuous) – Master of the Terminus [275pp]

 

Super-Strength 11 PF: Counter-punching [23pp]

Immunity 13 (aging, life support, starvation and thirst, own powers) [13pp]

Impervious Toughness 5 [5pp]

 

Omega's Armor – (Hard to lose Device 7 – 35pp pool) PF: Restricted x2 [30pp]

Protection 5 Extras: Impervious Toughness 10 [15pp]

Comprehend 2 (Languages) [4pp]

Flight 8 [16pp]

 

 

 

Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP

 

Abilities (132) + Combat (54) + Saving Throws (19) + Skills (31) + Feats (18) + Powers (346) - Drawbacks (00) = 600 / 600 Power Points

 

 

Samples Settings for Master of the Terminus Variable Power:

 

* Disintegration X [5pp/rank, Max rank of 25]

 

* Damage X Extras: General Area Burst, Duration (Continuous) (+3) [5pp/rank, Max rank of 20]

 

* Emotion Control X (Fear & Despair) Extras: Action (Reaction – Whenever a superhero is murdered by Omega) (+3), Perception Area, Selective; Flaws: Range (Melee) (-2) [9pp/rank, Max rank of 13]

 

* Transform X (All Inanimate Matter) [5pp/rank, Max Rank of 25]

 

* Teleport X Extras: Accurate, Portal (+2); PF: Progression x5 (250ft wide portal) [5pp/rank + 5pp, Max Rank 20]

 

* Blast X Extras: Indirect x3, Homing x4; [2pp/rank +7pp, Max rank 25]

 

* Insubstantial 3 (Terminus Energy) Extras: Duration (Continuous); Affects Corporeal Applied to Strength [38pp]

 

 

 

My first Black Tier Blockbuster, and your first impression is probably something along the lines of “well that's not fair†and you would be right. Fighting a Black Tier Blockbuster is the equivalent of fighting Galactus; actually fighting them is your option of last resort. Black Tier Blockbusters are a hair's breadth away from flat out being PL X characters who don't even bother with stats at all. In this case, that is being represented by the massive Variable Power pool. Furthermore, Omega doesn't even really need his Variable Power pool; he is fully capable of beating your heroes into the ground without it. I think this may wind up being a running theme for the Black Tier Blockbusters, just to denote how massively powerful they really are. It also gives GM's a free pass for the Blockbusters to do whatever it is they need to do to move the plot, because the BTB's are very much walking plot points. When someone utters the phrase “Omega is coming.†everything else stops, those three little words are your story now.

 

Also new in this build is the fact that it's a cannon PC. Does this mean that Omega is suddenly now a PL 20 murder machine in FCPbP? Heck no. Everything in this thread is entirely optional, always has been, always will be. But, I've been kicking around the idea of rebuilding some of the cannon NPC's as Blockbusters. This would essentially be that version of the character if they actually got their hands on the MacGuffin. Or maybe they got a bad case of the Kenson maths and need to be kicked up a few notches to represent their true potential. The point is that they're the same character, just a little more beefy.

 

And onto the build proper, well I really don't have much to say really. I took the stat block from the book and just added more to it. And to be frank, there wasn't much to work with. Omega is the stereotypical big scary guy from the evil end of space. Strong enough to beat Earth's mightest heroes into the ground, and enough cosmic juju at his fingertips to literally level the playing field. He didn't really have any canonically impressive skills or feats, he just kind of beat everyone up. I figure he left all of his lieutenants the job of actually sorting out the logistics of conquering the galaxy. Said lieutenants will likely be made into Blockbusters of their own at some point, because that'll give me a bit more in the way of creative freedom. And it also hammers home the fact that you just don't have to fight Omega, you have to fight all the legions he brings to bear as well.

AGENDA Member - Orange Tier Blockbuster: Kallig – The Devil You Know (PL 14 - 280pp)

 

“A toast! To our glorious battle, and to the feast that follows!â€

 

Abilities: 14 + 2 + 14 + 20 + 6 + 10 = 66PP

Strength: 24/30/46 (+7/+10/+18)

Dexterity: 12 (+1)

Constitution: 24/30/38 (+7/+10/+14)

Intelligence: 30 (+10)

Wisdom: 16 (+3)

Charisma: 20 (+5)

 

 

Combat: 20 + 12 = 32PP

Initiative: +1

Attack: +10

Grapple: +17, +21 w/powers, +35 in armor, +41 at full Super-Strength

Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -3, -5 w/powers, -15 in armor

 

 

Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 8 = 12PP

Toughness: +7/+10/+18 (+5/+10/+14 Con, +4 Protection) 12 Impervious

Fortitude: +7/+10/+14 (+5/+10/+14 Con, +0)

Reflex: +5 (+1 Dex, +4)

Will: +11 (+3 Wis, +8)

 

 

Skills: 208R = 52PP

Bluff 16 (+21, +25w/Attractive)

Craft (arcane) 15 (+20)

Diplomacy 16 (+21, +25 w/Attractive)

Gather Information 15 (+20)

Intimidate 15 (+20)

Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 15 (+25)

Knowledge (Art) 15 (+25)

Knowledge (Business) 15 (+25)

Knowledge (Civics) 15 (+25)

Knowledge (History) 15 (+25)

Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy) 15 (+25)

Notice 7 (+10)

Profession (Contract Negotiator) 17 (+20)

Sense Motive 17 (+20)

 

 

Feats: 20 PP

All Out Attack

Artificer

Attractive

Benefit (Duke in Court of Hell)

Connected

Contacts

Distract 2 (Both Intimidate & Bluff)

Dodge Focus 4

Improved Grab

Improved Grapple

Interpose

Power Attack

Ritualist

Skill Mastery (Knowledge (Arcane Lore), Knowledge (Business), Knowledge (Civics), Profession (Contract Negotiator))

Stunning Attack

Well Informed

 

 

Powers: 6 + 6 + 2 + 14 + 57 + 13 = 98PP

 

Enhanced Strength 6 [6pp]

Enhanced Constitution 6 [6pp]

Super-Strength 1 [2pp]

Immunity 14 (Life Support, Aging, Fire Damage) [14pp]

 

Kallig's Armor (Hard to Lose Device 14 – (70pp pool) PF: Restricted – Only Demons) [57pp]

Enhanced Strength 16 [16pp]

Enhanced Constitution 8 [8pp]

Protection 4 Extras: Impervious Toughness 12 [16pp]

Super-Strength 6 PF: Bracing, Counter-punching [17pp]

Super-Strength 6 PF: Dynamic [15pp]

* DAP: Flight 6

Feature (Adds Fire descriptor to Strength based attacks when power-attacking) [1pp]

 

 

Kallig's Hammer (Easy to Lose Device 4 – (20pp pool) PF: Restricted – Only Demons) [13pp]

Add Ranged Extra to Strength Bonus [18pp]

* AP: General Area Cone applied to Strength Bonus

* AP: Adds Trip 14 Extras: Knockback; Flaws: Melee Range; to Strength Bonus

 

 

Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP

 

Abilities (66) + Combat (32) + Saving Throws (12) + Skills (52) + Feats (20) + Powers (98) - Drawbacks (00) = 280/280 Power Points

 

 

Kallig was the third addition to AGENDA's roster, which would really make him their first team mate since beforehand it was just a team-up between Mesmero and Recon. Kallig and Mesmero had actually crossed paths many times before teaming up. As they were both power brokers, they ran in many of the same circles. Unlike many of Mesmero's other competitors, Kallig mostly kept to his own affairs, rarely seeking to overtly meddle in another's affairs. However, Mesmero noted that Kallig had a habit of being in a position to pick up the pieces when another organization imploded. Rather than compete with one another, Mesmero proposed a partnership, which Kallig accepted, while the former had a sneaking suspicion that this was the latter's plan all along.

 

But it wasn't just for Kallig's negotiation skills that Mesmero recruited him; Kallig was a true to life demon. Or more precisely half-demon. Kallig's father is, Zarrek, an arch-demon of rather impressive stature, while his mother, Abigail, is the leader of a cult dedicated to Zarrek. The pair had originally planned to sire a child to serve as the vessel for Zarrek on the mortal plane, by-passing the pesky Pact that had put a stopper in many dealings between the planes. The timely arrival of Eldrich prevented the ritual from being completed in full. Eldritch also sealed the majority of Abigail's spellcasting ability, but spared her life. By all accounts, Kallig lead a well-adjusted life, and seemed to be totally okay with being hell-spawn. In fact he followed in his mother's foot-steps, taking up the dark arts as her pupil, seeking to tap into the infernal energies that lay dormant inside of him. Kallig found the only way to keep his abilities active was a permanent edifice that draws out and enhances demonic energy.

 

Kallig's mother has since passed away, and her damned soul was sent to Hell, into the waiting arms of Zarrek, who has molded her into a powerful demon in her own right. The two have a sickeningly lovely-dovey relationship. Kallig has more than a few personal goals that he is pursuing, his overarching aim is to break the Pact and unleash Hell. Those he considers allies will of course be treated favorably under the new regime, which obviously includes the members of AGENDA. However, Kallig takes the long road, and for the time being, his immediate goals center around money, power and influence; his father's primary sin of greed runs deep in his veins.

 

Personality wise, most people wouldn't think Kallig as the stereotypical demon. He's boisterous, fun loving, inviting and generally kind of a nice guy to be around. He enjoys the finer things in life, and spends a lot of time enjoying leisure time. In between jobs, it's not uncommon for Kallig to spend a lazy afternoon smoking fine Cuban cigars with a glass of bourbon poolside. However, that enjoyment for life carries over into the battlefield, where he is rarely seen not smiling or laughing. He once famously toasted that he should very much like to buy Centurion a drink after the latter punched him halfway through 3^rd Street once their battle was completed. While he can carve wide paths of destruction he almost never does so, considering it unsportsmanlike like to beat those that can't fight back. And if you're someone who can fight back, Kallig will wait until you're good and ready to fight. He's even gone so far as to save civilians side by side with heroes when his fights have put lives in danger unnecessarily. When Mesmero questioned this Kallig merely replied “Victory tastes sweetest when it's fairly won, and your adversaries are forced to admit your superiority - just because I'm a bad guy doesn't mean I have to be a bad guy.â€

 

Next up in the set is Kallig. Kallig takes a lot of cues from Marvel's Thor who is honestly one of my favorite superheroes. He came up pretty high on the budget, at a stompy 280 power points. In AGENDA's roster, he serves three main purposes: he's the Big-Guy when there's a spotlight to be had, the money man when there isn't, and to be the moral center. He's also very close to a villainous PC I nearly submitted back in the day, but went with Malice instead. Going down the line, he's Toughness and Damage shifted pretty heavily, and with good saves he'll be quite hard to put down, and can really lay the smack down when necessary. Then from his skill and feat selection, you'll note that he's far from being a simple dumb bruiser. With his wide array of Knowledge skills, he can tell precisely what will fetch the highest price from a glance at an art gallery. He also serves as a fence for their stolen goods, after Mesmero or Recon has set up a meet. Lastly, a lot of the other members of AGENDA are very cold and calculating, which could make their decent into a grim and gritty “take what we want, kill anyone who gets in our way†team very easy if not for Kallig reminding them what good things there are to enjoy in the world. This also means that Kallig clashes a bit with the team every now and again, as they consider him a goofball at times.

 

Mechanically, there isn't too much to say about this build. He's big and powerful in his own right. I gave him some more beefiness outside of the armor and hammer to focus on the fact that a half-demon is far stronger than joe someguy off the street. His armor is where the majority of his power comes from, allowing him to fly and massively increasing his strength and toughness. I added the same feature that I did back in my old Thor-knockoff build, but subbed in fire for lightning. The hammer just gives him fancy ways to use is new found strength. For my own design aesthetics, I rarely give big bruisers like this some sort of Strike + Mighty type of power. In my book, when you can drop kick a tank easily, it doesn't really matter how sharp your sword is at that point. Also, for a lot of these big bruisers, I wind up having a nice chunk of their Super-Strength be split off from their Super-Strength & Flight Dynamic Array; it helps define a character's upper limits of speed. I don't really like Paragons horning in on Speedster territory unnecessarily. If you're going to be that fast, make that your shtick.

AGENDA Member - Orange Tier Blockbuster: Recon – The Golden Eye (PL 14 - 235pp)

 

 

"Be polite. Be efficient. Have a plan to kill everyone you meet."

 

Abilities: 12 + 10 + 10 + 6 + 8 + 2 = 48PP

Strength: 22 (+6)

Dexterity: 20 (+5)

Constitution: 20 (+5)

Intelligence: 16 (+3)

Wisdom: 18/32 (+4/+11)

Charisma: 12 (+1)

 

 

Combat: 28 + 20 = 42PP

Initiative: +21

Attack: +14, +18 Ranged

Grapple: +20

Defense: +18 (+14 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +7 Flat-Footed

Knockback: -2/-5

 

 

Saving Throws: 3 + 5 + 3 = 11PP

Toughness: +5/+8/+10 (+5 Con, +2 Defensive Roll, +3 Costume)

Fortitude: +8 (+5 Con, +3)

Reflex: +15 (+5 Dex, +10), Evasion 2

Will: +9 (+4 Wis, +5)

 

 

Skills: 208R = 52PP

Acrobatics 19 (+24)

Bluff 9 (+10)

Climb 7 (+15)

Disable Device 10 (+15)

Drive 10 (+15)

Escape Artist 15 (+20)

Intimidate 14 (+15)

Knowledge (Current Events) 7 (+10)

Knowledge (Streetwise) 7 (+10)

Knowledge (Tactics) 12 (+15)

Notice 19 (+23/+30)

Search 19 (+23)

Sense Motive 16 (+20)

Sleight of Hand 19 (+24)

Stealth 19 (+24)

Survival 6 (+10)

 

 

Feats: 32 PP

All Out Attack

Assessment

Attack Focus (Ranged) 4

Benefit (Can perfectly read lips)

Challenge (Takes only a -15 penalty to Stealth checks while Sniping)

Defensive Attack

Defensive Roll

Dodge Focus 4

Equipment 2

Evasion 2

Hide in Plain Sight

Improved Aim

Improved Critical (Bows)

Improved Initiative 4

Move By Action

Power Attack

Precise Shot 2

Quickdraw 2

Ranged Pin

Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Stealth, Notice, Sleight of Hand)

Uncanny Dodge (visual)

 

Equipment:

Costume – Protection 3 (3ep)

Grappling Gun – (Super-Movement 1 [swinging] Linked to Speed 2 [25 MPH]) (4ep)

 

 

Powers: 23 + 7 + 10 +18 = 58PP

 

Super-Senses 23 (Analytical -all visual, Counters Concealment-visual, Counters Illusion, Counters Obscure-all, Extended x2, Penetrates Concealment, Radius-all visual, Rapid x3, Danger Sense, Infravision, Microscopic vision 1, Ultravision) [23pp]

 

Enhanced Wisdom 14 Flaws: Limited to Notice Checks [7pp]

 

Archery Supremacy 5 (Probability Control, Flaws: Limited 2 [Archery]) [10pp]

 

RECON's Bow – Device 6 (30pp, Easy to lose) [18pp]

BE: Blast 4 PF: Mighty 6; Autofire – Rain of Arrows[24pp]

AP: Blast 4 PF: Mighty 6; Improved Critical, Precise, Progression (25 range increments – 2,500ft); Improved Range 5 (2,500ft range increment); Subtle, Penetrating 1 – Sniper Shot

AP: Blast 4 PF: Mighty 6; Area – Burst (rank 8); PF: Triggered x2 – Grenade Arrow / Trap Arrow

AP: Snare 10 PF: Reversible – Bolas Arrow

AP: Dazzle 6 (All Visual, All Auditory) Extras: Burst Area – Flash Bang Arrow

AP: Drain Toughness 8 (Objects and Living) Extras: Ranged – Breaching Arrow

AP: Damage 4 PF: Mighty 6; Extras: Targeted Area Cone, Selective – Rapid Shot

 

 

Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP

 

Abilities (40) + Combat (42) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (52) + Feats (32) + Powers (58) - Drawbacks (00) = 235/235 Power Points

 

 

Ariel Cross, also known as Recon, would be classified by many as the world's deadliest assassin except for one fatal flaw in her resume: she has never taken a life. This wasn't always the case, growing up Ariel was rather unexceptional. She had incredible eye sight, but often shunned her gifts because too much information bombarded her mind if she were to really look at her surroundings. A chance meeting with Mesmero would change all of that. Mesmero had contracted himself out to another villain to do a series of heists to distract the local heroes from the true objective, and he happened to be robbing the bank Ariel was in with the help of some mind controlled muscle.

 

As was standard operating procedure, Mesmero looked into the minds of the bank patrons while the goons loaded up the cash; he used them simply to keep an extra eye out and help to be aware of his surroundings. He was surprised at what he could see through Ariel's eyes, and he saw an opportunity in the self doubt and self pity Ariel had within her. He contacted her mentally, and gave her instructions on how to meet him, should she ever want to reach her full potential.

 

Ariel would accept Mesmero's offer and he would in turn hold up his end of the bargain, training her, and giving her the mental discipline to withstand the onslaught of information her eyes would provide. The pair would form a strong friendship and from there, they would go on to form AGENDA. Recon, as she now preferred to be called, now used her keen eyesight to become one of the best archers to ever live. A rune encrusted bow from Kallig and high tech arrows from Pulsar would cement this reputation.

 

Recon would in turn eventually be a mentor figure to the newest member of their team: Citizen, as Recon was responsible for Citizen's combat training. As part of AGENA, Recon's main focus is obviously reconnaissance. She is the one to identify threats, and call out attack patterns, and if need be, avenues of escape. When forced into battle, she is a cold and calculating sniper, preferring to work from extreme distances where need be. She is especially skilled at taking down members of the opposition that break off from the main group. If given time to prepare, Recon is even more dangerous, as she can set up scores of traps, and with her ability to see through walls, always knows the precise moment to spring the trap. Recon also likely knows the identies of many super heroes and villains, and the same can likely be said for Mesmero as well. To date, AGENDA has never so much as hinted at exploiting their knowledge

 

 

So, something a bit different with this build here. I've decided that I'm retroactively going to assign Mesmero to being the leader of a team comprised entirely of Blockbusters, called AGENDA (Agents for the Gainful Enterprise of Nominally Destructive Acquisitions). They are for all intents and purposes a collection of honorable and practical thieves. Mesmero assembled the group for the purpose of putting together a team where they would watch each others backs and better themselves and each other through teamwork. Also, lots of money. The team has kept a low profile for most of their history. They never killed anyone, and injuries they inflicted on guards tended to be minimal, likewise with damage done to the environment. They simply pulled a well executed heist, and then vanished for months, on end.

 

As for Recon herself. Yeah, she's quite possibly the best archer on the planet. If she has a line of sight to you, she can probably shoot you, or failing that, set up some traps for you to walk into later. You will pretty much never get the drop on her with all of the visual super-senses she has. When in doubt, Recon probably saw whatever it was that happened. Her Archer Supremacy has actually more than 1 rank, meaning it does something other make natural 1's not be an auto-miss. Assuming no trade-off feats are being used, that means that Recon, will at minimum hit Defense 23 every time. Her bow and arrows are just a combination of tricks shots and trick arrows. Since she has Mighty 6 on a lot of her settings, even other archers that pick up the bow won't get as much mileage out of it as she does. In combat, she is basically relegated to sniping, which she is phenomenal at. Yeah, she takes a -15 penalty to her Stealth check, but everyone looking for her takes a -1 to their Notice check for every 10 ft between them. And Recon can shoot you at a half mile without penalty, and has eyesight enough to count the buttons on your shirt from that distance.

 

Just an update.  The audit is finally upon us.  I've got one more week of madness before things hopefully calm down.  Two if the auditors find problems.

We're entering audit season which means obscene amounts of overtime for me.  So I won't be around until later at night. 

It quickly became apparent that the pair had far more questions than they had answers, at least for today.  An awkward silence fell over the two of them as the rest of the tests were performed.  Most of it was pretty standard fare, testing reflexes, reactivity to light, cheek swab, and so on.  Maxima reverted back to her normal Cassandra self to conduct these tests; super-strength was excellent for punching gorillas, not so much for delicate lab work.  Cassandra seemed to be working off of some sort of checklist, and after a while they finally seemed to tick every item off the list. 

 

"That should just about cover everything.  I have.... a lot of data to crunch.  I probably won't have anything really concrete for you for quite a while; this is firmly in uncharted territory." said Cassandra as she absently ran her hand through her hair, eyes wide as she surveyed the desk and her notes.  Snapping her focus back to Cho, she pulled open a drawer and pulled out a little card.  "But, if you ever need to talk, here's my card.  I'll write my home phone and address on the back.  I don't care what time it is, or what day it is, if you need my help, all you need to do is ask." she added firmly, handing the card to Cho. 

 

"I can walk you back down to your family whenever you're ready." she said quietly, knowing that the family issues would take just as long to resolve as the science ones. 

"Well there is also the chance that the mutation was localized in your mother.  Women don't continually generate sex cells as they age, as men do.  It could potentially be the case that only certain egg cells inherited the mutation due to the external stimulus that was the Terminus.  One such cell would later become you." replied Maxima, still firmly in scientist mode, seeking for explore all of the different possibilities before commiting to a single answer. 

 

"Of course, there's still much we don't know about the Terminus itself.  I'm just making educated guesses here, I could be completely off base.  Part of the reason I wanted to meet with you is because there is so much we don't understand about the Terminus.  So, I just wanted to thank you for coming here.  It took a lot of courage to do it." said Maxima thinking in terms of people rather than puzzles again. 

"Genetics can be a very tricky thing under the best of circumstances.  Super-human genetics are an entire other ball of wax." replied Maxima, feeling quite relieved that there was some ray of sunshine on this discussion.  "In genetics, there are dominant traits and recessive traits, also hybrid traits, but we'll ignore those for this discussion.  You also have 2 sets of chromosomes, one from each parent.  On each set of chromosomes, is a trait you inherited from your parents, who, like you, also has two sets of the same chromosome.  If just one of the sets have the dominant trait, that trait is the one that it expressed.  Both copies of the trait need to be recessive for that trait to be expressed." 

 

Maxima paused for a moment to make sure Cho was still with her up to that point.  "Now, scientists speculate that somewhere within the human DNA is a supposed "meta-gene" that allows for super-powers to be expressed.  If you get struck by lightning when you have the meta-gene, you get super-powers, if not, you get a hospital bed.  As and fyi, much of what I'm talking about right now is basically on the cutting edge of science so there's an excessive amount of speculation here.  Scientists believe this trait to be recessive.  So called families of super-heroes generally only pop up if both parents have powers themselves. 

 

What complicates the matters further, is that the meta-gene may not always be expressed.  Some traits don't trigger until their is an environmental catalyst for their activation.  In the previous example, being struck by lighting.  Or, perhaps in your case, being exposed to the Terminus.  Furthermore, there's also the chance that the Terminus altered your DNA, rather than catalyzing a mutation that was already there.  In which case, the powers you received would be encoded on your DNA, but not your mother's."

Maxima mulled over what Cho was saying for a moment.  "Well this exercise is more for your positioning, and keeping your coordination in the face of any growth spurts or mutations you may have.  For precisely applying pressure, I've got something else in mind."  Maxima made her way back the desk and pulled out a small little canister, about the size of a soda can.  She opened it up, and poured a red goo into her hand. She then bats it between her hands where it forms into a quasi-solid ball. 

 

"You ever have a science class where they have you mess with cornstarch?  It's a non-Newtonian fluid, the harder you press on it, the harder it resists.  Well this is the super-science version of that.  It may not look like it, but I'm batting and kneading this with enough force to bend steel.  If it stays goo, I know I'm not squeezing hard enough.  And I've got a whole range of these things, each calibrated to a certain strength threshold, that way you can get used to applying different levels of strength." elaborated Maxima as she demonstated the properties of the goo. 

 

"And for your Terminus emissions, in a normal human, those symptoms you're describing are consistent with the activation of the fight or flight response.  There may be some correlation to your adrenal gland.  I'll have to review the scans to get a proper answer for you though."

Maxima couldn't help but enjoy the youth's energy.  "Not breaking stuff huh?  Let me tell you, I got a whole lot to teach on that subject, which I learned the hard way." said Maxima while mentally reliving some of her flubs earlier on in her career.  "I might not look it right now, but part of my mutation is that my cell structure is significantly more dense.  I can't go in the water because I outright sink.  I clock in at about 4 tons when I'm like this." stated Maxima as she positioned herself in the center of the lab. 

 

"A lot of what I used to do, and something you're probably going to have to do, are just exercises to get your mind to adapt to your body's new size.  It's a bit similar to Tai-Chi, only instead of redirecting your opponents movements, you're just trying not to get tangled up in your own.  For bruisers like us, it's often times not a matter of how strong you are, but of how well you can apply your strength.  And for me, it was about not putting footprints in the sidewalk every time I went down the street.  Now, see if you can follow me." said Maxima as she began to lead Cho through a few different forms and stances.  It wasn't anything fancy, and was probably pretty lousy as a fighting style, but you felt kind of centered doing it. 

"You're actually the first person I've studied face to face." replied Maxima offhandedly as they were looking over the readouts of Cho's activity on the computer screen.  "I usually get brought on for consultations, a second opinion, or to crunch data.  I tend to work in more in the lab room than on the front lines.  While I do enjoy the work, it's nice to actually get to know the people by talking to them, rather than looking over their chart.  Most of the data is anonymous as well.  I just have patient numbers.  Your files will be the same by the way.  Wouldn't want too much data falling into the wrong hands."

 

While Cho went about the workout, Maxima stayed pretty focused on the computer screens, but did occasionally look back at Cho, practically as if Maxima was looking through her, though with all the fancy gizmos in the room, she just might have been.  "I'd say you did quite well.  According to the North American Standard Force Application Measurement Method, you would be a low end Class 4.  The NAS-FAMM doesn't really mean much to most people, so don't go quoting that stat to people expecting a huge response.  The scientific community is still trying to hash out a measuring system.  Class One starts out at 16 times the average human lifting capacity, each successive class covers a range up to four times the previous benchmark cutoff, so Class 2 is 64 times average human, and so on and so forth.  As since you're going to ask, I just scrape over the threshold for Class 5, and the highest measured was Centurion at Class 9."