N/A

Sorry for the confusion. IC post edited to remove mention of Jill.

Move Action: Fly over to the roof of the VCR office. Free Action: Switch Psionics array over to ESP + Mind Reading AP. Free Action: Activate ESP to displace mental senses (Psionic Awareness and Thought Awareness). Free Action: Take 20 to hit DC40 on a Search of the area with the mental Super-Senses in a 1/2-mile radius from The Scarab herself. Everyone gets a DC24 Notice check to be aware of the scrying. Free Actions (4): Use Mind Reading to scan the surface thoughts of the hulk in the street, and the 3 other "interested parties." They all get DC20 Notice checks to be aware of the mental intrusion. Opposed Mind Reading vs Will checks: Blodeuwedd: 20. Graft: 24. Jack of All Blades: 31. Anyone can choose to fail the save if they prefer. Otherwise, they get a new save (with a cumulative +1 bonus) every round to give her the boot. Until then, she's privy to their surface thoughts. Free Actions: Communicate with Jack and Jill.

The Scarab gently floated down to the roof of the Vibrant Community Reclamation Project corporate office. When she touched down, she knelt and braced herself against the roof with one hand, while her other hand moved up to her face. She pushed her first two fingers against the center of her own forehead and closed her eyes. Her facial muscles tensed for a moment, and then like a jet breaking through the sound barrier, her awareness broke free from her physical body and soared out over the West End, leaping and diving from one person's mind to another like a bullfrog searching for the ideal perch from which to sing his nightly song. She focused on those minds in which she detected an active interest in the VCR. The Jack of All Blades felt a familiar echo vibrate inside their heads, a choir of a hundred voices whispering in unison. Jack, this is The Scarab. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance again. I see I am not the only one who thinks there is more to the VCR Project than meets the eye. Fortunately for us, security on the inside, at least that of the human variety, appears to be lax. The ogre in the street, and the hidden woman, also appear to be interested parties. Are they your confederates?

Player Name: ShaenTheBrain Character Name: Thrude ("ThrOOD") Power Level: 11 (170/171PP) Trade-Offs: -3 Attack / +3 Damage, -3 Defense / +3 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 1 Progress To Gold Status: 21/90 (Silver Status earned with ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>The Scarab) Bronze Reward: 2nd PC at PL10/150PP (This one) Silver Reward: 7PP of Equipment for ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>The Scarab, 4PP of Equipment for Thrude, 4PP of Equipment/Minion/Sidekick unclaimed In Brief: Dimensionally and temporally displaced Nordic goddess teams up with a crippled ex-soldier to redeem her pantheon. Alternate Identity: Princess Thrude Thorsdottir of Asgard, Astrid Kierkegaard Identity: Secret. The general public is unaware that Thrude and Astrid are effectively the same person, and they are not in universal agreement regarding Thrude's status as an actual goddess. Birthplace: Thrude: Valhalla, Asgard. Astrid: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA. Residence: Thrude: Valhalla, Asgard. Astrid: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA. Base of Operations: Thrude: Milky Way Galaxy. Astrid: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA. Occupation: Thrude: Chooser-of-The-Slain, Goddess, Princess, Superhero, Warrior. Astrid: Former Soldier collecting disability payments, part-time Uber Driver. Affiliations: Thrude: The Aesir, The Valkyries. Astrid: Dual-citizen of the USA and Denmark / European Union. Family: Thrude: Thor (Father), Sif (Mother), Odin (Paternal Grandfather), Frigga (Paternal Step-Grandmother), Jord (Paternal Grandmother), Magni (Paternal Half-Brother), Modi (Paternal Half-Brother), Ullr (Maternal Half-Brother), Heimdall (Uncle), Tyr (Uncle), Bragi (Uncle), Vidar (Uncle), Vali (Uncle), Forseti (Cousin), Baldur (Uncle, Deceased), Nanna (Aunt), Hodr (Uncle, Deceased), Loki (Adoptive Grand-Uncle), Hel (Adoptive Second Cousin), Jormungandr The Midgard Serpent (Adoptive Second Cousin), The Fenris Wulf (Adoptive Second Cousin), Alvis (Fiancé, Deceased). Astrid: Anndrea Kierkegaard-Mikkelson (Mother), Johann Kierkegaard (Father), Sven Kierkegaard (Older Brother). Catchphrase: "I SHALL SMITE THEE!" Description: Age: Thrude: Incalculable (several thousand Earth-years at least). Astrid: 23. Apparent Age: Thrude: 18. Astrid: 23 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Scandinavian Height: Thrude: 6'0". Astrid: 5'6". Weight: Thrude: 180 lbs. Astrid: 150 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Thrude: Gold. Astrid: Blonde. A deity in the image of her followers, Thrude has eyes like lightning, set into flesh as pale as fresh snow. One eye is tattooed with a black starburst, in honor of the eye her grandfather Odin sacrificed for knowledge, and in memory of the eye she temporarily lost in battle with the Fenris Wolf. The long, flowing golden locks she inherited from her mother shine like honey in the light of the sun. She usually wears them in long braids, to keep them out of the way during combat. During battle, she wears furs, leathers, and linens, dyed in bright azure and amber hues, similar to the brightly-colored jumpsuits worn by modern superheroes, and anchored with plates and buckles forged of gleaming silversteel. Astrid is nowhere near the idealized image of a Nordic goddess that Thrude embodies. She does keep herself in above-average shape for a mortal through daily rigorous exercise, though there is little she can do to slow the degredation of her lower half. Thrude stands tall with the regal, almost haughty bearing one would expect of a princess, and moves with the sure, practiced gait of a trained warrior in peak condition. Her words are always clear and crisp, from a combination of perfect enunciation and sheer window-rattling volume. Her mother’s fierce beauty bred strong and true in Thrude; were she so inclined, lucrative modeling contracts would be her’s for the taking. Astrid shares only a fraction of that beauty. Hints of the confident, disciplined demeanor from her days of military service still linger, but they are half-buried under a shroud of subdued resentment and despair. Power Descriptions: As a goddess, Thrude is stronger, tougher, and hardier than any mortal ever could be. She is equally at home on dry land, on the highest mountain, in the deepest ocean, or floating in the void of outer space. Although hunger and thirst cause her discomfort, they will not be her undoing. Like any god of the Aesir, but especially befitting the daughter of Thor and sister of Magni, Thrude’s divine strength can toss automobiles into the air with the same ease as a child tosses a ball. Blades and bullets break against her skin. As a member of a pantheon where every god is a "god of war," Thrude has received training in hand-to-hand combat. That training is obvious to anyone with comparable instruction, even despite her fighting style being aggressive to the point of recklessness and straightforward to a fault. As a wedding present, Alvis the dwarf runesmith forged for Thrude Hridgandr ("HREED-gahnder"), a weapon worthy of the Daughter of Storms. While not in use, Hridgandr takes the form of a simple, yet ornate drinking horn. However, when its power is needed, it transforms into a massive protean polearm. The ebony haft runs anywhere from one to three meters long, expanding and contracting at Thrude’s mental command. The gleaming mithril head, over a meter wide, morphs at her whim between the shape of a double-headed battle axe or warhammer. Both head and haft are etched with magical runes, killing words which summon lightning to crackle and frost to gleam along the edges. Hridgandr appears to be completely impractical, and indeed, to anyone relying solely on the laws of physics, it is worse than useless, refusing even to move from its resting place. But in the hands of those with courage and honor enough to be deemed “worthy,†it is light as a feather, even as it crushes mountains into dust or cleaves a dragon in twain. Hridgandr is, however, much more than a weapon. As with the mighty hammer Mjolnir wielded by her father, it is also a scepter for the Princess of Storms. At the wielder’s command (conscious or otherwise), mist shrouds the sky, rain and sleet pour down, and thunder and lightning crash. Electricity arcs up and down the wielder’s body and between their eyes. When they will it, the chill wind and fog coalesce into the spectral image of a magnificent eight-legged horse with lightning for eyes. This storm-horse lifts the wielder into the air and races across the sky at speeds many times that of sound or even light, leaving thunder in its wake. To honor The Pact and root herself more deeply in Midgard, Thrude has invested her power into Hridgandr and left it in the hands of a mortal woman, Astrid Kierkegaard. Astrid can use Hridgandr to summon Thrude to merge with her, effectively transforming into the goddess, by sipping liquid (even a few drops) from Hridgandr while it is in the form of a drinking horn. Astrid has only a vague, hazy awareness of her time as Thrude, and Thrude has a similar dreamlike recollection of her time as Astrid. Neither woman has much control or input over the other's actions. While in its more mundane form, Hridgandr can be carried freely by anyone. But in its true form as a massive weapon, it can only be lifted or wielded by those the magic runes engraved upon it judge "worthy," having the selfless courage and honor to defend the weak without oppressing them. History: Odin All-Father, was king of the gods of the North, the Aesir, they who had eaten of the golden apples from the Tree of Idunn and gained eternal youth and vitality beyond the reach of mortal men. Odin One-Eye gave gifts of knowledge to the northern tribes: hunting, swordplay, literacy, even brewing, all of it knowledge he gained at great personal risk and sacrifice. With Jord, also known as Gaea, the giantess who personified the very Earth itself, he begat Thor. Thor, lord of the storm, married Sif, she of the golden hair in whose fertile womb the fields bore fruit. Together, they in turn begat Thrude, Daughter of Storms, Princess of Asgard. Her name means "Power" or "Strength" in one of the oldest tongues ever spoken upon the European continent. The Aesir sought to form a lasting alliance with the Dvergur. The dwarves were unparalleled smiths and masons, masters of rune magic and creators of wondrous devices. To that end, Thrude was promised to wed Alvis, the All-Wise, master smith. He was small of stature and humble in bearing, but of great skill and kind heart. Thrude learned much during their courtship, for Alvis rivaled even Odin in his understanding of runic lore. With Thrude by her side, he forged for her Hridgandr, a great weapon fit for the Daughter of Storms, a weapon to rival the magnificence of her father's great warhammer Mjolnir. But her father, Thor, did not approve of the union. His pride could not bear the insult of a dwarf as a son-in-law and heir. So Thor tricked Alvis, demanding from him a "test of wisdom." All night did Thor ask questions of Alvis, questions about everything under the sun. And it was the sun that was the dwarf's undoing, for he was so distracted by Thor's tests that he did not notice its morning arrival until its rays turned him to stone, the fate of all dvergur touched by Sol. Consumed with rage and grief, Thrude turned away from her father, joining the Valkyries. Alongside her sister shieldmaidens, she descended unto the battlefields of Midgard, choosing the bravest and the strongest of fallen mortal warriors to train and fight and revel in Valhalla, or to quench Freyja’s appetites in the fields of Folkvangr. She helped build the army which would defend the realms from the ravages of the Jotnar on the day of reckoning, Ragnarok. She fought many battles in the name of the Aesir, and she slew many foes, men and monsters alike. It was in a battle with such a beast that young Thrude's fate was (literally) sealed. Fenris, the great wolf, Loki's foul get, had slipped his bonds once again, and Thrude had hunted him to the ends of the Earth. Goddess and Monster were locked in ferocious battle, with no quarter being asked nor given, when Loki, the unequaled trickster, trapped the them both with his sorcery. What purpose he intended in their capture, if there ever was one, has since been lost to time, having slipped through the cracks of the trickster-god's countless machinations. To the outside world, their prison appeared as simple pottery, a jar or bottle like any other. But inside the pocket dimension contained within, their battle raged on throughout the centuries. There was no sense of the passage of time for them, no frame of reference, only a void, empty save for their foe. In the year 2011 of the Common Era of the Gregorian Calendar, a clumsy and ignorant human accidentally destroyed a simple clay jar from a collection of ancient Viking relics, and unleashed both Thrude and the Fenris Wolf upon Midgard once more. Goddess and monster battled once again to a stalemate, with the White Wolf escaping into the Nine Worlds while Thrude remained on Midgard. The breaking of Thrude’s prison by a mortal fulfilled the requirement of The Pact that a god not set foot upon Earth without a human summons. Thrude was not party to the horrors of Nazi Germany in which the Aesir were complicit, nor to the subsequent agreement they made to exile themselves from the human world, so Master Mage Adrian Eldritch allowed her to stay. Thrude remained on Midgard for a time, protecting the innocent as best she could. Eventually, she decided that she could not truly defend the human world while having no ties to it, and that she needed true freedom to move between Earth and the other worlds as she pleased, so that she could hunt and pursue threats wherever they appeared or fled. She returned to Asgard, and cast Hridgandr back to Midgard, where a worthy mortal could use it to manifest Thrude. Hridgandr found Astrid Kierkegaard, the American-born daughter of Danish nationals. Astrid was a high school athlete who had enlisted in the American army right after graduation, hoping to be a career soldier. Unfortunately, an I.E.D. strike robbed her of the use of her legs, causing the Army to give her a medical discharge. She collected disability pay and drifted through what was left of her life, slowly but steadily sinking into depression and alcoholism. Through Hridgandr, Thrude saw a kindred spirit, a fellow warrior with no war to fight. She offered Astrid the chance to share her place on Midgard with Thrude, and Astrid accepted with enthusiasm the liked of which she hadn't felt since enlistment. Thus, upon the shoulders of these two young women rests the defense of the Earthly realm, of people who have either grown to hate the old gods, or have simply forgotten them. Upon Thrude's shoulders rests the honor and redemption of her entire pantheon, or as she knows them, her family. Personality & Motivation: Like any young adult, mortal or divine, Thrude isn't half as worldly or sophisticated as she thinks she is. Of all her faults, it is her naiveté to which she is most blind. Sometimes to her chagrin, Thrude takes after her parents, and indeed, her entire family. She is brave and confident to a fault, acts and speaks before thinking (often violently), and lets her boundless passions rule her. She is a linear thinker with a straightforward personality, who prefers any action at all to inaction, and like her father, this makes her gullible and easy to manipulate. A straight line is not only the quickest way between two points, it is the only way. If something doesn't fit, bend it, and if it doesn't bend, break it. Astrid is a little more disciplined thanks to her military training, and a little more mellow thanks to her injury, but only a little. But Thrude is also generous and self-sacrificing, seeking to alleviate the suffering of others by any means necessary, taking their burdens upon herself without hesitation. She will always be the first to charge in and the last to withdraw, seeking out the most powerful foes or the most dangerous hazards for herself, holding herself to a higher standard than anyone else. In her mind, there is nothing that can't be done, no foe who can't be overcome. Astrid's injury and (perceived) abandonment by the military left her less idealistic and more jaded, but through her association with Thrude, she is recovering some of her old self. Complications: Accidents: With Hridgandr in her possession, Thrude has an intimate connection with winter and stormy weather, and it is not always under her control. When she feels particularly excited, distressed, or depressed, the weather around her often changes to reflect her mood without conscious effort on her part. As a young and reckless warrior, she often takes action without full regard to the potential consequences. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point in exchange for either temporarily forcing the "Uncontrolled" flaw upon one or more of her powers, or creating a new hazard as a result of their use. Anachronism: Thrude spent the last thousand years imprisoned in a pocket dimension. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point when her lack of context and familiarity with the modern world creates an inconvenient misunderstanding. Brash: Thrude is young and inexperienced. She inherited her father's boundless passion and courage, but also his reckless short-sightedness and lack of tactical or scholarly acumen. She is prone to "jumping the gun," and a GM should feel free to dictate a less-than-optimal course of action for her in exchange for a Hero Point (either for her, or for an ally inconvenienced by her actions). Enemies: Thrude's family has many enemies, in the heavens and on Earth. With the rest of her pantheon forbidden to set foot on Earth, she is isolated, a prime target for their wrath. The Jotnar (giants/trolls) have gone back and forth between opposing them directly (particularly Ymir of the frost giants and Surtur of the fire giants), and undermining them with trickery and deceit (the specialty of the frost giant Loki, and the many monsters he has begotten, such as the dire wolf Fenris and the great Midgard Serpent, Jormungandr). Any who walk the branches of the world-tree Yggdrasil risk encountering dragons like Nidhoggr and Fafnir. And there are people on Earth who suffered as the result of Thor's (admittedly unwilling) service to the Nazis during World War 2. They, or their descendents, may hold Thrude personally accountable. A GM should feel free to either give these ancestral foes and their schemes center-stage, or just have them show up as supporting characters at the worst possible time. Family: Astrid's relations with her immediate family have become erratic and strained since her injury, but she does still love them, and any threat to them will take priority, even as Thrude. Honor Before Reason: The Aesir never let a little thing like "certain death" stop them from fighting the good fight. And since "doing the right thing" is more important than "winning" or even "surviving," the ends do not justify the means. An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory. Thrude can only wield Hridgandr as long as she proves "worthy" of it. Lost Love: Thrude still grieves for Alvis, the dwarf runesmith to whom she was betrothed (before her father murdered him). A GM should feel free to inflict penalties upon Thrude when she is distracted by his memory, or when an enemy uses that memory to manipulate her, in exchange for a Hero Point. Reputation: The Thule Society's binding of Thor into service for the Nazis during World War 2 did incalculable damage to the global perception of the Nordic pantheon. Both superheroes and the general public will be skeptical, at best, of Thrude's intentions. A GM should feel free to give Thrude a Hero Point in exchange for making NPCs less inclined, if at all, to trust or aid her. One way to represent this mechanically would be to force a penalty (or an automatic failure) on Bluff, Diplomacy, and/or Gather Information checks. Rivalry: Like many young women before her, mortal and divine alike, Thrude's relationship with her father is complicated and contentious at best. He cheated on Thrude's mother, his wife, siring bastard sons with another goddess. He murdered Thrude's betrothed. And his weakness, his inability to resist the powers of the Thule sorcerers, single-handedly ruined the reputation of his entire pantheon in the eyes of their Earthly followers. Thrude has also developed a relationship of mutual loathing and grudging respect with the armored hero Fenris, who takes the name and face of her greatest enemy as his own. Meanwhile, the current state of Astrid's life has caused tension between her and her older, financially and professionally successful brother, Mads, and her parents, who haven't done a thorough job of concealing their desire for her to be more like him. Abilities: 16 + 0 + 16 + 0 + 0 + 8 = 40PP Strength: 30/26 (+10/+8), 50/26 Lifting (Heavy Load: 12 tons / 920 lbs.) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 30/26 (+10/+8) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 18 (+4) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +0 Attack: +6 Grapple: +20/+14 Defense: +6, +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -12/-7/-4 Saving Throws: 0 + 0 + 6 + 10 = 16PP Toughness: +14/+8 (+10/+8 CON, +4 Protection), Impervious 10/0 Fortitude: +10/+8 (+10/+8 CON, +0PP) Reflex: +6 (+0 DEX, +6PP) Will: +10 (+0 WIS, +10PP) Skills: 52R = 13PP Bluff 0 (+4, +12 Attractive) Craft (Artistic) 5 (+5) Diplomacy 0 (+4, +12 Attractive) Intimidate 16 (+20) Knowledge (Arcane) 5 (+5) Knowledge (History) 5 (+5) Knowledge (Philosophy/Theology) 5 (+5) Languages 8 (Anglo-Saxon [Old English], Danish, English, Faroese, German, Icelandic, Norse [Native], Norwegian, Swedish) Ride 4 (+4) Survival 4 (+4) Feats: 7PP Attractive 2 Benefit (Status [Goddess, Princess, Valkyrie]) Equipment 4 (20EP)Veteran Reward Environmental Adaptation (Storms) Interpose Startle Takedown Attack Track Ultimate Save (Will) Italics indicate a feat which was purchased as a power or part of a power. The cost is reflected under "Powers," below. Valhalla (PL11 HQ) [20EP] Size: Colossal [5EP] Toughness: +10 [1EP] Features: [14EP] Animal PensAoF Combat Simulator (Einherjar) Garage (Stables) Gym Holding Cells 2 (Toughness +15, Nullify 11) Infirmary Isolated (Asgard) Library Living Space Parade GroundsAoF PersonnelBoM (Einherjar) Pool Workshop [14EP] See >this thread for more details. Powers: 37 + 4 + 4 + 3 + 11 + 10 + 4 + 8 = 81PP Device 11 (55PP Container [Passive, Permanent], Flaws: Easy-To-Lose, Feats: Indestructible, Restricted 2 ["Only The Worthy" can lift, use, or transform], Subtle [Transforms into an ornate drinking horn]) [37PP] (Magic Weapon, Rune Magic, “Hridgandrâ€) [7 + 2 + 3 + 16 + 27 = 55PP] Divine Travel 3 (6PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power) [7PP] Base Power: Super Movement 3 (Space Travel 3) [6PP] (Magic Wind) Alternate Power: [6PP] Super-Movement 2 (Dimensional Travel 2 [9 Worlds of Norse Myth], Feats: Progression [Cargo] 2 [500 lbs.]) [6PP] ("Bifrost," The Rainbow Bridge, The World Tree, "Yggdrasil") Environment Control 1 (Light [Moderate], 5ft radius, Extras: Action 2 [Free], Flaws: Range [Touch]) [2PP] (Magic Lightning) Flight 1 (10MPH / 100ft per Move Action, Feats: Interpose) [3PP] (Magic Wind) Immunity 30 (Cold Effects, Electricity Effects, Weather Effects, Flaws: Limited [1/2 Effect], Feats: Environmental Adaptation [storms]) [16PP] (Elemental Mastery) Storm Mastery 12 (24PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 3) [27PP] Base Power: [11 + 12 = 23PP] Damage 4 (Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2, Extended Reach [10ft], Improved Critical [19-20], Incurable, Mighty, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning, Cold, Electricity, and/or Slashing Damage]) [11PP] (Hridgandr Strike, Magic Weapon) Flight 6 (7, 1,000MPH / 10,000ft [2 miles] per Move Action) [12PP] (Magic Wind) Alternate Power: [24PP] Damage 14 (1,400ft Max Range, Extras: Range [Ranged], Flaws: Action [Full], Feats: Homing 2 [2 additional attempts], Improved Range 3 [1 1,400ft Range Increment], Indirect 3, Precise 2) [24PP] (Magic Lightning) Alternate Power: [24PP] Environment Control 10 (1-mile radius, Cold [Extreme: Check 1/min (1/10 rounds)], Hamper Movement [1/4 speed], Hamper Visibility [-4 Visual Notice/Search], Wind [severe: -4 Auditory Notice/Search, -4 Thrown Attacks, 50% chance to extinguish protected flames, 100% chance to extinguish open flames], Extras: Independent, Total Fade, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Range [Touch], Feats: Slow Fade [1 minute per Power Point, 24 minutes total], Drawbacks: Full Power) [24PP] (Storm Summoning) Alternate Power: Flight 12 (13, 100,000MPH [Mach 130] / 1,000,000ft [200 miles] per Move Action) [24PP] (Magic Wind) Enhanced Constitution 4 [4PP] (Divine Might) Enhanced Strength 4 [4PP] (Divine Might) Features 3 (Environmental Adaptation 3 [High Gravity, Low Gravity, Zero Gravity]) [3PP] (Divine Might) Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support [Disease, Environmental Cold/Heat/Pressure/Radiation/Vacuum, Poison, Suffocation], Starvation/Thirst) [11PP] (Divine Might) Impervious Toughness 10 (Extras: Reflective [Melee Damage], Flaws: Limited [Not Impervious vs Blessed/Celestial/Holy, Chi/Ki, Demonic/Hellfire/Infernal, Divine, Magic, or Supernatural Damage]) [10PP] (Divine Might) Protection 4 [4PP] (Divine Might) Super-Strength 4 (Lifting STR 50 [Heavy Load: 12 tons]) [8PP] (Divine Might) Drawbacks: (-4) + (-4) + (-3) = -11PP Normal Identity (Astrid must sip liquid from Hridgandr to become Thrude, Frequency: Common [Full Action], Intensity: Major) [-4PP] Vulnerability (Deceit/Trickery [bluff, Phantasms, etc.], Frequency: Very Common, Intensity: Moderate [+50%]) [-4PP] (Gullible) Vulnerability (Emotion Effects, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Moderate [+50%]) [-3PP] (Divine Passion) Combat Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC25/23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Hridgandr Strike Touch +5ft DC29 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy and/or Physical) Lightning Ranged DC29 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Totals: Abilities (40) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (13) + Feats (7) + Powers (81) - Drawbacks (11) = 170/171 Power Points Normal Identity: Astrid Kierkegaard Power Level: 5 Tradeoffs: None Power Points: 66 Abilities: 4 + 4 + 4 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 16PP Strength: 14 (+2) (Heavy Load: 175 lbs.) Dexterity: 14 (+2)Paraplegic Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +2 Attack: +6 Grapple: +8 Defense: +6Paraplegic, +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -2 Saving Throws: 3 + 3 + 5 = 11PP Toughness: +4 (+2 CON, +2 Body Armor) Fortitude: +5 (+2 CON, +3PP) Reflex: +5Paraplegic (+2 DEX, +3PP) Will: +5 (+0 WIS, +5PP) Skills: 52R = 13PP Climb 3 (+5) Drive 3 (+5) Intimidate 3 (+5) Knowledge (Current Events) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Tactics) 4 (+4) Languages 1 (Danish, English [Native]) Medicine 4 (+4) Notice 5 (+5) Profession (Soldier) 5 (+5) Search 5 (+5) Stealth 3 (+5) Survival 5 (+5) Swim 3 (+5) Feats: 6PP Endurance Equipment 4 (20EP) Prone Fighting Equipment: 4PP = 20EP Collapsible Baton Damage 2 (Feats: Mighty, Subtle) [4EP] Ballistic Vest Protection 2 (Feats: Subtle) [3EP] Tesla Model S Luxury Sedan (Vehicle) [13EP] Size: Huge [2EP] Strength: 35 [1EP] Defense: 8 Toughness: 10 [1EP] Features: Alarm (DC20), Disabled Driver Conversion (All Hand-Operated Controls), GPS Navigation System [3EP] Powers: Speed 4 (100MPH / 1,000ft per Move Action) [4EP], Super-Senses 2 (Direction Sense, Time Sense) [2EP] Drawbacks: -4PP Disability (Paraplegic, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Major) [-4PP] In some situations, she will effectively be immobile, and/or have an effective Dexterity and/or Reflex of 0, because of this drawback. Combat Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC17 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Baton Touch DC19 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities (16) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (11) + Skills (13) + Feats (6) + Powers (0) - Drawbacks (4) = 66 Power Points

The Scarab comes on the scene with Flight, Force Field/Shield, and her Concealment AP active.

The Scarab (3) >Charity Begins At Home (3) Thrude (25) >Cast of Four (7) >Prodigals (18) Also, I sifted through the eight pages of the >Reputation thread and updated the index. Many new characters weren't on there at all, and all of the links in the index were broken. It took me a couple of hours, and I wouldn't turn down a power point for the effort.

Doctor Metropolis may be able to restore damaged neighborhoods to their original condition after a supervillain brawl or terrorist attack. But without the direct effort and resources of people like Mike Palladino, that just meant that people born in the wrong neighborhood could go back to walking past a line of boarded-up storefronts, pandhandlers, and loitering junkie convicts, on their way to the stop for a bus which took them to another bus, which took them to a train halfway across town, none of which ran often enough to get them to work on time at any of the closest places that paid the minimum wage that wasn't enough to make the interest payments to the check-cashing stands for the advance they had to take to afford both rent and food for the month. There was only so much any superhero could do to make life better in Freedom City, so the Rhodes Foundation was always on the lookout for new worthy causes to fund. The Vibrant Community Reclamation project had been making quite a stir of late, and the rest of the board of directors were already sold on the idea. But Elena Guerrero knew that, if something seemed too good to be true, then it probably was, and everything about VCR lined up just a little bit too neatly for her to feel comfortable. Palladino's name, and the august lineage attached to it, showed up in the pages of the Freedom Ledger on a regular basis. Most of the time, it appeared under pictures of his smiling face as he held yet another award presented to him at some fancy dinner by the latest charity he'd spearheaded. But Elena had read that same name in just enough back-of-the-metro-section articles, police reports, and legal briefs, one step removed from dead ends, for a disturbing pattern to emerge. Most people wouldn't even consider an act so vile and shameless as embezzling money from a charity, or using one to launder ill-gotten gains. But Elena Guerrero, the reincarnation of Prince Heru-Ra of Egypt who now called herself "The Scarab," could see right into the darkest parts of the soul, and she knew better than most that the world was full of vile and shameless people. The board wasn't going to invest in VCR without the usual due diligence, but time was running out for Elena to find anything concrete enough to hold off the funding for much longer. Once she had exhausted the more mundane channels at her disposal, she cloaked herself in the power and garb of The Scarab. Shielded from the mind's eye of any observers, she quietly flew to the VCR community center and office in the West End, hoping that, for once, her instincts were wrong.

Gather Information check: 30. (Take 10 with Skill Mastery.) Investigation check: 30. (Take 10 with Skill Mastery.) Knowledge (Streetwise) check: 26. (Take 20 with 1 hour of research in a Masterwork Library.) Knowledge (Business) check: 28. (Take 20 with 1 hour of research in a Masterwork Library.) If an additional +5 on either of the Knowledge checks would yield useful additional information, then I'm open to burning my Hero Point on one of them to get +5 ranks with Beginners Luck. I'll leave that up to you.

History: James “Jim†Phillips was many things to many people: A loving husband. A beloved brother and son. A veteran of the war in Afghanistan. A promising young sous chef at one of the best restaurants in Freedom City. But to more people than all of those things combined, he was known as the third-rate masked vigilante “Silverspear.†He didn’t have any powers, or a fortune in high-tech gadgets. All he had was the desire to make his own little corner of the world a better place, and the courage to make it happen. Karl Ridley, or “Doctor Conquest†as he had once called himself, was a third-rate supervillain in the 1960s and 1970s, just another mad scientist convinced that anyone who disagreed with him just failed to appreciate his genius and that the world would be a better place under his bootheel. Some of his work in robotics and human/machine fusion was innovative, but he was never quite the world-class intellect in real life that he was in his own mind. The Freedom League put him in prison, and unlike many of his peers, he stayed there. When Ridley was finally paroled decades later, he was a broken shell of his former self, acutely aware of how he had wasted his life. He was almost relieved when the Grue Invasion of 2010 caught him out on the street. He was sure that Death had finally come for him in the form of the charging battle-beast, and he stood fast, resigned to his fate. He did not expect anyone to intervene, especially not Silverspear. Silverspear was outmatched, but despite Ridley’s protests, he refused to abandon the old man to his fate. The vigilante sustained numerous mortal wounds, but managed to hold off the hulking bio-weapon’s attack just long enough for a passing hero’s energy blast to incinerate it as he flew by. Ridley managed just enough first aid to keep Silverspear alive long enough to reach a hospital and get on life support, but in the next few days, it became clear that the vigilante would never wake up from his coma. The hospital kept his identity secret out of respect for his service to the city and regard for his family’s safety. In accordance with his previously stated last wishes, which his widow did not contest, his organs were to be harvested, and the rest of his body was to be donated to science. Ridley decided the form that “science†would take. He secretely relocated Jim to his own makeshift intensive care unit, and he reconstituted his laboratory for one last project. This man had been a third-rater like Ridley, and he had sacrificed himself to save the life of a washed-up old convict without a moment’s hesitation. The world needed a Jim Phillips a lot more than it needed a Karl Ridley, and there was a chance that Ridley could give the world back the hero it had lost, and give his own wasted life some meaning in the process. Jim was clinically brain-dead, but Ridley was able to recover most of what constituted the man’s “mind†from what was left of that brain. His methods were not as sophisticated as those used to preserve Doctor Atom and The Patriot; there was no direct transfer of Jim’s own intelligence. But Ridley managed to program an artificial intelligence based closely, if not completely, on the memories and personality of Jim Phillips. Meanwhile, Jim’s DNA was the foundation for the vat-grown flesh and blood overlaying the impervium endoskeleton of his “new body.†Even with the assistance of S.I.X. (Synthetic Intelligence eXperiment), his first success in the realm of artificial intelligence, the creation of Jim’s new “body†and “mind†took Ridley several years. There were some gaps in the required science and technology that he just couldn’t overcome on his own, so at one point, he brokered a deal with agents of The Foundry. Of course, he lacked the resources to make good on his end of the bargain. Instead of buying the Myrmidon robots, he stole them, along with the information he needed to bypass the self-destruct mechanisms. It took The Foundry almost a year to catch up with Ridley, just as he was activating his greatest achievement. Now it was Ridley’s turn to save Jim Phillips. On orders from Ridley, S.I.X. fled the lab with a disoriented Jim Phillips, by way of Ridley’s teleport pad, while Ridley engaged a squad of Myrmidons led by a Keres with what few gadgets he had left at his disposal. The fight didn’t last long. The withered husk of Karl Ridley died with Keres’ hand around his throat and a smile on what was left of his face. When his heart stopped beating, the radio signal from his pacemaker set off the tactical nuclear warhead buried under the lab. The android that thinks it is Jim Phillips reached full consciousness with a flash of light in an otherwise dark alley in Freedom City, naked and alone, save for a floating metal ball that disappeared whenever anyone else looked at it. He scavenged some clothes and found a condemned building in which to hide, and then S.I.X. explained to him why going home to his wife was a bad idea. Ridley’s instructions to Skeets had been very clear on this matter: S.I.X. was not to outright lie to Jim about his true nature, but neither was S.I.X. to volunteer any information on that subject. Ridley feared that the sudden revelation would cause Jim’s programming to crash in a software equivalent of a nervous breakdown. So at first, S.I.X. let Jim assume that he had survived the Grue Invasion. Then, when Jim saw a face in the mirror that was not his own, when he clawed at that face and the flesh tore away like paper to reveal metal instead of bone, Skeets let him assume that his brain had been transferred into a cyborg body. Jim has not yet discovered his true nature as an artificial echo of the real (and truly deceased) Jim Phillips, and S.I.X. has no intention of hastening that discovery. S.I.X. did inform Jim that four years had passed since the world assumed he had died. Subsequent investigation revealed that Jim’s wife had since remarried, and was now a mother. The robot that thinks it is Jim Phillips no longer had a home, a family, an identity or even a job. All it has now is the very thing that Karl Ridley gave his remaining years on Earth to preserve: The courage to use his strength to protect the weak from those who would prey upon their weakness. Footnotes: "James Phillips" is a combination of James Cameron, creator of The Terminator, and Phillip K. Dick, writer of the short story Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, which was the basis for the film Blade Runner. "Karl Ridley" is a combination of Karel Capek, writer of the play Rossum's Universal Robots (the first work of fiction to coin the term "robot"), and Ridley Scott, director of Blade Runner. S.I.X. is based loosely off of Skeets, Booster Gold's sidekick, and is named for Number Six, the most visible of the humanoid Cylon infiltrator models in Ronald D. Moore's reimagined Battlestar Galactica series. S.I.X.'s appearance is based on the Google Nexus Q, which many observers have likened to a Cylon Centurion. "Silverspear" is a nod to the tinfoil origami unicorns which were folded by Edward James Olmos' character in Blade Runner. Their symbolism in the story varies depending on the various cuts of the film.

If I may add a note on the whole death/murder thing: Omega most likely falls under what many of us colloquially and sarcastically refer to as "acceptable targets." Our heroes aren't generally allowed to kill other humans or similarly sapient beings. However, this setting is full of villains who either 1) aren't sapient beings, or 2) are literal manifestations of ideas like "evil" and "death." Those villains are "fair game." Either a case can be made for them not really being alive in the first place, they are part of a hive-mind, and/or they are beings of unnatural and eternal "pure evil." Examples include, but are not limited to: RobotsUndead (Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires, etc.)Demons/DevilsS.H.A.D.O.W. Clone Troopers*Grue Drones*Omegadrones**The setting books have stated more than once that these minions are specifically designed out-of-character to be near-mindless punching bags the PC heroes don't have to feel conflicted about beating up or killing. Omega was less a "person" and more "a personification of Entropy," so he was probably considered fair game in this regard. It is also worth noting that we shouldn't be contriving stories to create situations where are PC heroes are forced to kill the villain. Whatever you think about the ending of Man of Steel (I'm probably the only comic book fan who liked it), it just plain shouldn't happen here.

Was surprisingly difficult to find, but there ya go.

Terminator-style Super-Android Hero Power Level: 7 (105/105PP) Complications:Animals Hate Him: The synthetic flesh and blood forming the outer layer of his body just smells wrong to animals. They will react to his presence with an immediate fight-or-flight response, every time. Dogs will bark, cats will hiss, and flocks of birds will scatter. Every dog is an Evil-Detecting Dog when he's around. Back From The Dead: His family may have moved on, but he hasn't. Their lives will probably be complicated by his inability to let go and stay away, and then his existence will be complicated by danger to their well-being. He doesn't have the same face or the same voice, and any routine laboratory analysis will identify his flesh and blood as human-like, but not human. But his DNA and even his fingerprints match those of a man dead for years. Cloning Blues / Do Androids Dream? / Loss of Identity: Everything he knows about himself is a lie or a half-truth. His memories are all based on a life he never truly lived. He doesn't have a "mind" or a "soul," just an advanced computer program trying to mimic one. Hollywood Density: He is the same volume as a normal human, while literally weighing half a ton. Made Of Plasticene / Red Right Hand: His impervium endoskeleton is nearly indestructible, but the synthetic flesh on the outside isn't much more durable than that of a normal human. Even if he makes his Toughness save, at the GM's discretion, he may sustain superficial lacerations which expose the metal skeleton. The flesh will eventually mend itself if stitched back together, requiring either Craft (Repair) or Medicine checks, but if left unattended, it will eventually necrotize. The dead flesh will need to be cut or burned away before it can grow back, and in the meantime, he will look and smell like a rotting corpse. Metal Detector Checkpoints: These will cause him problems, since his entire skeleton is made of metal. Sense Loss Sadness: He is already receiving Power Points for the drawback of possessing no olfactory-type senses, so any direct effect of that condition should not award Hero Points. However, his inability to smell or taste anything may cause additional indirect complications through psychological trauma (see below), especially given his former vocation. Unwilling Roboticization: Nobody asked him if he wanted to be rebuilt as a cybernetic echo of his old self. The GM should feel free to apply various conditions resulting from the psychological trauma inflicted by anything which forces him to confront the reality of what he is and isn't. Abilities: 4 + 0 + (-10) + 0 + 0 + 0 = -6PP Strength: 26 (+8), 36 Lifting (Heavy Load: 1 ton 1,680 lbs.) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: - Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 4 + 4 = 8PP Initiative: +0 Attack: +2, +6 Melee (+2 Base, +4 Attack Focus), +6 Improvised Thrown Weapons (+2 Base, +4 Attack Specialization) Damage: +8 Unarmed/Thrown Grapple: +16 (+8 STR, +6 Attack, +2 Super-STR) Defense: +6 (+2 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +1 Flat-Footed Toughness: +8 (Impervious 7) Knockback: 9 Saving Throws: 0 + 6 + 7 = 13PP Fortitude: - Reflex: +6 (+0 DEX, +6PP) Will: +7 (+0 WIS, 7PP) Skills: 16R = 4PP Knowledge (Any) 0 (+0)Eidetic Memory Notice 4 (+4) Profession (Chef) 4 (+4) Search 4 (+4) Sense Motive 4 (+4) Feats: 12PP Attack Focus (Melee) 4 Attack Specialization (Improvised Thrown Weapons) 2 (+4 Attack) Dodge Focus 4 Eidetic Memory Sidekick 21 (105PP)Veteran Rewards Takedown Attack Uncanny Dodge (Auditory) Powers: 80PP Density 6 (Feats: Innate) [19PP] Strength 12Immovable 2 Protection 3 (Extras: Impervious) Super-Strength 2 Immovable 0 (2, Extras: Unstoppable) [2PP] Immunity 40 (Fortitude Effects, Mental Effects) [40PP] Leaping 3 (x10, Running Long Jump: 180ft) [3PP] Protection 5 (8, Extras: Impervious 4 [7]) [9PP] Speed 5 (250MPH / 2,500ft [1/2 mile] per Move Action) [5PP] Super-Senses 2 (Communication Link [sidekick, Radio], Uncanny Dodge [Auditory]) [2PP] Super-Strength 0 (2) [0PP] Drawbacks: -6PP Disability (No Olfactory Sense, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Minor) [-1PP] Vulnerability (Electricity, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Moderate [+50%]) [-3PP] Vulnerability (Magnetism, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Moderate [+50%]) [-2PP] Skeets/T-Sphere Sidekick Power Level: 7 (105/105PP) Abilities: 0 + 0 + (-10) + 0 + 0 + 0 = -10PP Strength: 02 (-4) (Heavy Load: 10 lbs.) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: - Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 0 + 0 = 0PP Initiative: +0 Attack: +2 (+0 Base, +2 Shrinking), +5 Ranged Damage: -4 Unarmed (-4 STR), +1 Disintegrate / Move Object Grapple: -6 (-4 STR, -2 Size), +6 Move Object Defense: +5 (+2 Base, +3 Dodge Focus), +1 Flat-Footed Toughness: +5 (Impervious) Knockback: 1 Saving Throws: 0 + 5 + 5 = 10PP Fortitude: - Reflex +5 (+0 DEX, +5PP) Will +5 (+0 WIS, +5PP) Skills: 30/32R = 8PP Computers 5 (+5) Craft (Electronic) 5 (+5) Craft (Mechanical) 5 (+5) Intimidate 0 (+0, -4 Size) Investigate 5 (+5) Knowledge (Any) 0 (+0)Eidetic Memory, Library Notice 5 (+5) Search 5 (+5) Stealth 0 (+0, +4 Size) Feats: 7PP Attack Focus (Ranged) 3 Dodge Focus 3 Eidetic Memory Powers: 97PP Array 4 (8PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 2) [10PP] Base Power:Move Object 1 (100ft Max Range, Lifting STR 5 [Heavy Load: 50 lbs.], Extras: Damaging, Feats: Improved Range 3 [1 100ft Range Increment], Improvised Tools, Precise) [8PP] Alternate Power: Disintegrate 1 (100ft Max Range, Feats: Improved Range [4 25ft Range Increments], Precise, Slow Fade) [8PP] Alternate Power: Concealment 3 (Normal Vision, Radar) [6PP] Comprehend 4 (Codes, Languages 3 [Read/Write/Speak/Understand Any]) [8PP] Features 1 (Library) [1PP] Flight 3 (50MPH / 500ft per Move Action, Feats: Subtle) [7PP] Immunity 40 (Fortitude Effects, Mental Effects) [40PP] Protection 5 (Extras: Impervious) [10PP] Quickness 12 (x10,000, Flaws: Limited [Mental Tasks]) [6PP] Take 20 on Knowledge checks with Eidetic Memory and on-board Library as a Free Action (0.36 seconds) Shrinking 8 (Tiny, Feats: Innate, Normal Toughness) [10PP] Strength -4Carry Capacity 1/2 Grapple -4 Knockback -4 Attack +2 Defense +2 Intimidate -4 Stealth +4 Super-Senses 5 (Communication Link [Hero, Radio], Direction Sense, Radio, Radius Vision, Time Sense) [5PP] Drawbacks: -7PP Disability (No Hands, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Minor) [-1PP] Disability (No Olfactory Sense, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Minor) [-1PP] Vulnerability (Electricity, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Moderate [+50%]) [-3PP] Vulnerability (Magnetism, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Major [+50%]) [-2PP]

That bit about "historical Amazons" is a ridiculous myth. Five minutes on Google can tell you that. That armor is a perfect example of the concept TV Tropes calls "Stripperific." It isn't armor. It's a hypersexualized parody of armor. There's nothing "functional" about it. It's designed specifically to appeal to the "male gaze." When you react defensively to any criticism, when you nit-pick the advice we're trying to give you, you're missing the forest for the trees, to your own detriment. When you focus on the minute details you think you can refute, you miss the larger point that we're trying to make. Your behavior up to this point has shown you to be exactly the kind of player who gets banned in short order. You've been doing nothing but raising red flags since you started posting. Mining Basic Instinct of all places for character art is a red flag. Accidental nudity being the first place your mind goes for your female superhero is a red flag. Thinking that the video game pic you posted is, in any way, "functional" or "credible," is a red flag. Those red flags are pointing to you being the kind of player that the existing players here do not want to play with. You are not making a good first impression. Most people who have read this thread have already written you off. If you want to prove them wrong, if you don't want to get banned before you even get to play, then you should stop talking and start listening.

I'm in if you'll have me.

It is highly unlikely that any GM here would fiat that your character has been rendered embarrassingly nude or semi-nude. If the odd person did fiat something in such poor taste, then the Mod team would drop the hammer on them in the blink of an eye. The TV Tropes term "Stripperific" does not simply imply the wearing of revealing clothing. There is so much more wrapped up in the idea. The term describes a character whose state of dress in their day-to-day life leans so far toward the titillating (usually to the heterosexual male gaze specifically), and so far away from the functional, as to be ridiculous and offensive. Skintight leotards and bathing suits are classic attire for real-life athletes and comic book superheroes alike, so they're fine for this site. That pic you posted above stretches the limit, but would probably be fine if that bottom part extends below the sash/loincloth bit to cover her groin. If there is risk that the character will flash their "naughty bits" to bystanders if they don't avoid certain positions, then it's not appropriate for this site. And when people give you advice and examples of the tone this site generally strives for, please don't respond by nit-picking those examples. Most of the television shows cited as examples ran for multiple seasons, so it's likely there are individual episodes, seasons, or subplots which deviate from the whole.

Sacremas, I think you're missing the larger point KD is trying to make. Complications based in the sexual shaming of a character, whether they're female or male, PC or NPC, are not appropriate for the tone of stories on this site.

If you wanted to make a hybrid between an Ultiman and Centurion, rather than making the illegitimate lovechild of Mark Leeds, maybe you could make a clone that some Ultiman scientist spliced between Ultiman DNA and traces Centurion left behind during his visit?

The Scarab [[Placeholder]]

Nope.

Player Name: ShaenTheBrain Character Name: The Scarab Power Level: 15 (231/232PP) Tradeoffs: -5 Attack / +5 Damage (Mind Reading) Power Points Unspent: 1 Progress To Gold Status: 82/90 Bronze Reward: 2nd PC at PL10/150PP (?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>Thrude) Silver Reward: 7PP of Equipment for The Scarab, 4PP of Equipment for ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>Thrude, 4PP of Equipment/Minions/Sidekick unclaimed In Brief: Phenomenal psionic power contained in a fragile mortal shell. Alternate Identities: Elena Guerrero (Current Incarnation), Alexander Rhodes (Previous Incarnation), Prince Heru-Ra of Egypt (Original Incarnation) Identity: Secret Birthplace: Santa Lucia, California, USA Residence: Pyramid Plaza Base of Operations: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA Occupation: Freelance Legal Consultant, Philanthropist Affiliations: Freedom City Historical Museum (Donor), Freedom City Ledger (Lifetime Subscriber), Freedom City Public Library (Donor), Freedom City University (Alumnus, Donor), Law Office of Nelson & Bannerly (Pro Bono Consultant), Rhodes Foundation (Board of Directors, Shareholder) Family: Josefina Vasquez de Guerrero (Mother, Deceased), Eduardo Guerrero (Father, Deceased) Description: Age: 34 (DoB: 1979) Ethnicity: Latina Height: 5'7" Weight: 135 lbs. Hair: Black Eyes: Brown Unlike the bright scarlet and yellow tights worn by her "predecessor," the "new" Scarab's costume consists of menacing armor plates overlapping in subdued shades of crimson and gold. The massive cape extending from under the shoulder plates never ceases to flow and billow dramatically behind her, subtly guided by her telekinesis. Careful observers will quickly realize that, even when she chooses to walk rather than fly, her feet never quite touch the ground. She cultivates an unsettling mystique with these subtle details. Out of costume, Elena Guerrero blends in with millions of other upwardly-mobile female professionals in law or big business. She tends toward tailored skirtsuits, sweaterdresses, and other outfits which could be described as "understated; feminine and elegant, but unremarkably so." She tends to wear combinations of different shades of red and gold, so as to provide convenient color-coding for the imaginary readers of the Freedom City PBP comic books. When it comes to clothing, she believes in paying for quality, rarely to the point of extravagance. Elena focuses on cerebral and scholarly pursuits to the exclusion of physical ones, and her body suffers for it. She is quite healthy, with a robust immune system, but she is not athletic. She is fortunate enough to have been born with genes which make weight more difficult to put on than to keep off, but what flesh she does carry lacks muscle tone. Her physique is petite, but doughy. Her facial features are conventionally pretty, but not exceptionally so. Power Description: The Scarab’s powers do not usually manifest visibly in their use, only in their effect. If she does choose to make them visible, then glowing auras of gold and/or scarlet appear around her (usually her head and/or hands) and/or the target(s) of the power. Sometimes, these auras take the form of spectral scarab beetles swarming over her target. History: Heru-Ra In approximately 3,000 B.C.E., Heru-Ra was the crown prince of the Egyptian Empire. He lacked interest in politics, neglecting matters of the physical world in favor of the philosophical and theological. Through a unique combination of meditation, contemplation, self-denial, physical exertion, and self-flagellation, he managed to achieve a measure of Enlightenment, thousands of years before the bodhisattvas and messiahs who would follow him. Heru-Ra awakened the part of his soul the Egyptians called the ka, gaining the power to exert his will directly upon the world around him. Heru-Ra's closest friend was the sorcerer-priest Tan-Aktor. The two young men shared an interest in the study of the paranormal, and they fought together often to defend Egypt from the supernatural threats of the ancient world. In their greatest victory, they prevented the evil sorcerer Ka-Khemet from using the stolen Milk of The Sun to help the minor god Sobek usurp control of the Egyptian pantheon. Ka-Khemet and his minions had sought to transfer their essences into the eggs of the crocodile god, emerging as immortal hybrid monsters. But the combined might of Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor defeated the sorcerers, trapping them within the eggs for all eternity. Unfortunately, Tan-Aktor's lust for power soon overshadowed his loyalties to his friend and his pharoah. Along with his treacherous lieutenant Khar-Hotep, he tried to murder the royal family and seize the throne. His coup-d'etat failed, and both he and his former comrade Heru-Ra died striking each other a death blow. With Tan-Aktor dead, punishment for the failed treason fell squarely upon Khar-Hotep, who was cursed with eternal unlife and buried alive with a horde of flesh-eating scarab beetles. When Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor stood before their gods for judgement, Heru-Ra demanded that no other but he be allowed to punish Tan-Aktor for his treachery. Impressed with his courage but insulted by his arrogance, the gods chose to punish Heru-Ra in the manner gods have always preferred above all: They gave him exactly what he asked for. Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor were both doomed to a cycle of unending reincarnation, constantly dying and being reborn like a pair of scarab beetles from the dung. They would chase each other around the wheel of life and death, locked in eternal battle. In every new life, Heru-Ra fought to protect the innocent and uphold justice, while Tan-Aktor sunk deeper into brutality and depravity in his twofold quest to accumulate personal power and to rid himself of his eternal foe. Alexander Rhodes Alexander Rhodes was a wealthy financier and philanthropist, the C.E.O. of the Rhodes Foundation, the financial powerhouse his family had built. Rhodes had always been fascinated with Ancient Egypt, collecting every relic he could get his hands on. It wasn't until 1961 that he understood why. Like many before and since, Rhodes underwent hyponotic regression on a lark. Although meant "for entertainment purposes only," the attempt to remind Rhodes of past lives was a resounding success, revealing to him his true nature as the reincarnation of Prince Heru-Ra and reawakening his ka. With his newfound power, he put on a mask and cape and helped to usher in the resurgence of costumed superheroes as The Scarab. The Centurion and The Scarab were the the longest-running members of the original Freedom League. The Scarab’s psychic powers and diplomatic nature helped him to fulfill the role of peacemaker on the team, settling conflicts and facilitating teamwork. For nearly 20 years, he was a leader, mentor, comrade and friend to the world’s greatest heroes. Although Rhodes never personally met the Nazi sorcerer Wilhelm Kantor, he clashed frequently with agents and pawns directed by the reincarnation of his eternal nemesis. Kantor, now calling himself "OverShadow," immediately recognized The Scarab's iconography as the heraldry of Heru-Ra, and over the next two decades, he wasted countless resources in single-minded attempts to destroy his old foe. But time and time again, The Scarab and the Freedom League foiled OverShadow’s attempts at world conquest. In 1979, seeking to rid himself of his eternal foe once and for all, OverShadow recovered Sobek's eggs and removed his curse, allowing them to hatch and unleash the Scions of Sobek upon the world. OverShadow then manipulated the crocodile-headed sorcerers into hunting down The Scarab. The Scions clashed with the Freedom League at the newly-christened Pyramid Plaza, with all but The Scarab falling prey to their mind control powers. The Scarab managed to break their hold over the League with the aid of the rookie psionic hero Brainstorm, but the effort cost both heroes their lives. The general public believes that Alexander Rhodes suffered a fatal brain aneurysm. This was technically true, although the public does not know that it was related in any way to the incident at Pyramid Plaza. Daedalus fulfilled the previously agreed-upon contingency plans regarding The Scarab’s corpse. Decoy bodies were cloned. One was buried in the public grave of Alexander Rhodes, while the other was interred in a fake burial chamber in The Scarab’s Lair, the underground base Rhodes had constructed beneath the site that would eventually become Pyramid Plaza. The real body was hidden in a secret chamber of The Lair. Brainstorm was posthumously inducted into the Freedom League, and iconography depicting both him and The Scarab can be found on Heroes Knoll and all around Pyramid Plaza. In accordance with Rhodes' last will and testament, his controlling interest in the Rhodes Foundation passed to his trusted assistant, Maria Hernandez. She also inherited the secret responsibility for tending to The Scarab's Lair. Maria eventually she passed this sacred trust to her daughter, Sofia Cruz, who also eventually took her mother's place as C.E.O. of the Rhodes Foundation. Elena Guerrero Adrian Eldritch also had a role in the contingency plans for The Scarab’s death. He cast a spell which obscured any attempt to locate the next reincarnation of Heru-Ra. This protected that next incarnation from OverShadow, but also hid her from any of The Scarab’s allies. Left to her own devices, it would be nearly 30 years before she of Heru-Ra became fully aware of her own destiny. Elena Guerrero was conceived in 1979, at the moment of Alexander Rhodes’ death. Physicians had told Josefina and Eduardo that they would never conceive a child, but the soul of Heru-Ra overcame all biological barriers. Subsequent attempts by the couple to provide Elena with siblings were not successful. Josefina and Eduardo were illegal Medican immigrants, who made it over the border just in time for Elena to be born in Southern California, becoming an American citizen by default. The family settled in Santa Lucia, a small city with a large, poor Latino population, and an affluent Caucasian minority. Some children are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Elena's parents would say that instead she was born with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. As a child, her play consisted of fantastic games of make-believe featuring brave warrior-princes clashing with evil sorcerers on ancient battlefields. There was no schoolyard bully she wouldn’t confront, and no poor child with whom she wouldn’t split her sandwich at lunch. As childhood gave way to adolescence, childish games stood aside to make room for a revolving door of “noble causes.†Elena’s parents indulged her pickets and protests with equal parts amusement and pride. An above-average student, Elena managed to win a scholarship to Freedom City University, where she earned both her undergraduate degree and her juris doctorate. As a lawyer, she planned to use “the system†to oppose injustice and oppression, to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. During her studies at FCU, Elena was amazed how Freedom City felt more like "home" to her than Santa Lucia ever did. Sometimes, she would spend hours just standing on the observation deck of Pyramid Plaza, daydreaming about flying across the skyline. Unfortunately, her graduation from FCU was a bittersweet occasion, as both of her parents had succumbed to cancer mere days before the ceremony. And these were not isolated incidents. Many people in Santa Lucia were either having difficulty conceiving children, or were dying premature, cancer-ridden deaths, as a direct result of illegal toxic waste dumping by Locusta Pharmaceuticals, a joint venture between subsidiaries of Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates (which are ultimately pawns of The Labyrinth). a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grant Conglomerates. Specifically, it was the poor Latino residents who were dying, while the upper-class Caucasian minority looked the other way. Bribing them cost Locusta less than cleaning up the dump sites and enacting new safety procedures. The townspeople finally organized a class-action lawsuit against Locusta, but they couldn't afford a lawyer. Elena, fresh out of law school, volunteered to try the case pro-bono. Despite her lack of experience, the townsfolk were enthusiastic about a local-kid-done-good spearheading the effort. They had a lawyer they could trust, a mountain of evidence, and a line of credible witnesses. It appeared to be an open-and-shut case, which is why everyone was so surprised when they lost. Witnesses either disappeared or recanted their testimony. Existing evidence was lost or destroyed, while new evidence on behalf of Locusta “appeared.†The jury didn't even bother to deliberate before handing in a verdict in favor of Locusta Pharmaceuticals. The *crack* of the judge's gavel echoed like a thunderclap in Elena's head, setting off explosions behind her eyes. Suddenly, everything became clear to her. She started hearing the thoughts of other people, some who weren’t even present at the trial. She saw past events as if they were happening right then and there in front of her. She saw the bribes, the blackmail, and the violence, all threads in the grand tapestry of atrocity Locusta had woven around Santa Lucia. Overwhelmed and demoralized, she staggered out of the courtroom, drank herself to sleep, and caught the first bus out of town. It would be her first and last case as an attorney. Her defeat completely disillusioned Elena regarding the entire legal system. It wasn’t a shield with which she could protect the innocent and defenseless. It was a bucket in which the rich and powerful could drown those people to save a few dollars on their bottom line. If the system was so easily and thoroughly subverted by Evil, then she needed to restore the balance. Elena spent the next few months learning how to control her new powers, and how to profit from them. Precognition helped her make a killing on the stock market (and in one state lottery). Telepathy paved the way for a new career as an "independent legal consultant." Her powers helped select jury members who would render a favorable verdict, and who would be resistant to coercion from the opposing side. Those same powers could verify or refute testimony, and leave no evidence uncovered. No matter what dirty tricks the opposing legal teams or their employers used to obscure the truth or distract from it, Elena’s powers let her stay one step ahead of them. None of the law firms she worked alongside knew about her superhuman abilities; they thought she was "just that good." Most of those firms paid top dollar for her services, though she would aid “underdog†causes free of charge. The money piled up faster than she could spend it. She donated most of it to charity, or gifted it anonymously to the individual victims the system had failed. But no matter how many cases she helped win for “the good guys,†or how much money she gave away, her sleep was tormented with nightmares. She couldn't rid herself of the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that it wasn't enough, that she had to do more. Several years after her crushing defeat in that first courtroom, Elena found herself back in Freedom City. The closer she got to the downtown area, the clearer the visions became. By the time she reached Pyramid Plaza, she remembered the location of the secret entrance into the underground complex. She realized that the daydreams and nightmares were memories. Once inside The Scarab’s Lair, her lair, everything finally made sense. Minutes later, Sofia Cruz crept down into The Lair, shotgun in hand, responding the to the alarms reporting a security breach. She was skeptical of Elena at first, but Elena passed every test. She identified the fake tomb of Alexander Rhodes for what it was, and guided Sofia unerringly to his true resting place. She was able to tell Sofia things, about herself, her mother, and about Rhodes, that no one else would or could know. Eventually, Sofia was convinced, and pledged her renewed support. At long last, almost thirty years since his death, The Scarab was reborn, and all the pieces were in place to make up for lost time. Personality & Motivation: Each incarnation of Heru-Ra is an individual, with their own experiences and quirks, shaped by whatever bodies, families, cultures and time periods into which they happened to be born. But they are also connected to the experiences of every other lifetime that soul has lived. The first and the most recent incarnations tend to be the loudest, clearest voices in the choir, but all the voices come through, even if only as a dull roar in the background. Some traits remain constant in every incarnation. At its core, the soul of Heru-Ra is an unbreakable spirit, courageous, generous, and unflinchingly self-sacrificing, often to a fault. In and out of costume, Elena carries herself with an air of serene, almost unflappable nobility. She walks tall, speaks deliberately, and looks everyone directly in the eye. What some mistake for indifference or repression is in fact the calm confidence of someone who really has “seen it all.†The Scarab’s powers force her to be empathic. They allow her to see the best in others even when they cannot see it in themselves. They force her to see the world as others see it, to feel their joy and pain as if it were her own. This drives her to begin every conflict by seeking peaceful resolution, striving to turn today’s enemy into tomorrow’s ally. However, once a foe exhausts her formidable patience, there is no gradual progression between “understanding counselor†and “ruthless warrior.†Her trigger has a heavy pull, but once pulled, the result is as sudden and decisive as any other gunshot. She always gives her enemies a chance, but she rarely gives them a second one. Having both five millenia of accumulated life experience and one of the most powerful telepathic minds in the history of the world tends to make The Scarab almost uncomfortably blunt in social interactions. She usually manages to stop short of insulting people or hurting their feelings, but she also speaks frankly about taboo subjects, and gives voice to matters others leave unspoken. She has little patience for engaging in deception or manipulation, or indulging it in others. When it comes to matters of the heart and the flesh, Heru-Ra has always been open-minded, in any incarnation. This soul has lived at every point along the spectrums of ethnicity and gender identity, all the while seeing into the minds and souls of so many others. After a hundred lifetimes of watching the fickle human standards of beauty change from one culture and generation to the next, very little importance is placed upon upon the particular body those souls come wrapped in. When Elena puts on the mask of The Scarab, she changes her persona to match. Her speech pattern and word choice leans harder toward the dramatic and formal, even archaic. Like most heroes from the Silver Age, she is prone to grand gestures, long-winded moralizing, and downright “hammy†speeches. The Scarab does not "speak;" she proclaims, and occasionally, she quips. Powers & Abilities: The Scarab is the archetypal "Psionic" superhero, able to exert her will directly on the world around her, both the physical objects and the minds of other sapient beings. She can move objects from a distance, without touching them, at amazing speeds. She perceives the thoughts of those around her, and the psychic echoes those thoughts leave behind, without the normal constraints of time or space; past, present, and future events are all potentially open to her. She can also project her own thoughts into the minds of others. If she chooses, she can project her thoughts into the minds of others so forcefully that she overwhelms them, seizing control or inflicting injury. She is also able to tap into the experiences of her past lives, although the process of sifting through those memories is neither complete nor consistent. When she makes contact with the mind of another, the “voice†they “hear†is often a choir made up of the distinct voices of a hundred different lifetimes, all speaking in unison. These powers come at a cost. Even the “enlightened†human mind has limits to the amount of information it can take in and process, and The Scarab’s mind receives a staggering amount of input. She has had to develop almost superhuman levels of concentration and willpower to compensate, and even still, the strain of her powers frequently cause painful migraines, fatigue, and many nights of restless sleep, as visions of lives lived and events yet to come seep into her dreams. Complications: Addiction: Elena ingests copious amounts of caffeine and over-the-counter painkillers, to compensate for the migraines, fatigue, and loss of sleep caused by her powers. Occasionally, she must even resort to prescription-strength amphetamines and painkillers to keep herself going. If she is denied access to these medications, then she can suffer penalties as if she had a “Weakness†drawback, with the interval and severity of the cumulative penalties at the GM’s discretion. Enemy (The Labyrinth): The Labyrinth is not currently aware that Elena Guerrero is behind so many of the lawsuits and indictments that Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates have failed to repel in the last few years, nor are they aware that Elena Guerrero is The Scarab. However, Taurus does know that The Scarab is the reincarnation of Heru-Ra. Constantine Urallos, Jonathan Grant, Elena Guerrero, and Sofia Cruz all live at Pyramid Plaza in close proximity to one another. The corporate offices for both Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates are also based in Pyramid Plaza. Enemy (SHADOW): OverShadow is the reincarnation of Tan-Aktor, eternal foe of Heru-Ra. He does not know the identities of The Scarab (past or present), but he does know that both Scarabs are Heru-Ra reincarnated. Family & Friends: Sofia Cruz is both like a daughter and like a sister to Elena. Sofia is married, with children. Any threat to the safety of Sofia or any member of her family will consume the totality of Elena’s attention until it is dealth with. Feedback: If damage is inflicted on the target of The Scarab’s Mind Control or Mind Reading powers, then she may receive psychosomatic damage as well. She may also receive damage if her Mind Reading, Postcognition, or Precognition powers reveal particularly intense or traumatic memories. (See the “Feedback†flaw in the description of the “Mind Reading†power in Ultimate Power for details.) Legacy: The soul of Heru-Ra has walked the Earth for over a hundred lifetimes. In each one of them, friends and enemies were made, and debts were accumulated on all sides. Elements from any one of those lifetimes could come back to haunt Elena in the present. Nightmares: Elena’s telepathic and post/pre-cognitive powers and past-life memories tend to slip into her dreams, robbing her of restful sleep and leaving her Fatigued. Power Loss (Lead): The Scarab’s psychic powers cannot penetrate a lead barrier of at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thickness. Any mental connection she has with a target will be immediately severed if that target retreats behind such a barrier relative to her. Power Loss (Teleport Beacon): Any power effect, such as Obscure Radio, which would interfere with Radio Communication or Radio-type Super-Senses, will also disrupt the teleport beacon’s signal to The Scarab’s Lair, making it impossible to open a teleportal at the beacon’s location. Prejudice: Elena is female, Latina, openly bisexual, and “new money.†Reputation: The Scarab has engaged in an on-again/off-again romantic relationship with the super-spy and cat-burglar known as Bombshell, in multiple lifetimes. Bombshell has found herself on both sides of the law in the past. Accusations of that relationship are now a matter of public record, and The Scarab has never publicly responded to those accusations. In the eyes of some, the rumors of that relationship call into question The Scarab’s status as a hero. Secret (Identity): It is not public knowledge that Elena Guerrero is The Scarab, or that The Scarab is the reincarnation of Prince Heru-Ra of Egypt. Abilities: 0 + 0 + 4 + 8 + 12 + 8 = 32PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 18 (+4) Wisdom: 22 (+6) Charisma: 18 (+4) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +8/+4 (+4 INT, +4/+0 Enhanced Improved Initiative) Attack: +4 Base, +10 Telekinesis (+4 Base, +6 Accurate), +10 Mind Reading (+4 Base, +6 Accurate) Grapple: +4 (+4 Attack, +0 STR), +20 Telekinesis (Power Rank 10, +10 Attack) Defense: +10/+4 (+4 Base, +6/+0 Shield), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -1, -5 Force Field, -1 Flat-Footed Saving Throws: 2 + 4 + 14 = 20PP Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 CON, +8/+0 Force Field), +2 Flat-Footed Fortitude: +4 (+2 CON, +2PP) Reflex: +10/+4 (+0 DEX, +4PP, +6/+0 Enhanced Reflex)Evasion Will: +20 (+6 WIS, +14PP) Skills: 80R = 20PP Concentrate 9 (+15)Second Chance Diplomacy 11 (+15)Skill Mastery Gather Information 8 (+20/+12)Discrete Inquiry, Skill Mastery, Well-Informed Investigate 8 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Business) 4 (+8) Knowledge (Civics) 4 (+8) Languages 4 (American Sign Language, Egyptian, English [Native], Latin, Spanish) Medicine 1 (+15/+7)Skill Mastery Notice 6 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Perform (Oratory) 11 (+15)Skill Mastery Search 8 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Sense Motive 6 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Feats: 10PP Beginners Luck Benefit 3 (Status [Legacy of The Scarab], Wealth 2 [Rich]) Challenge (Discrete Inquiry) 4 Connected Equipment 7 (35EP)Veteran Reward Evasion Improved Initiative Improvised Tools Interpose Jack of All Trades Quick Change Second Chance (Concentrate) Skill Mastery 2 (Diplomacy, Gather Information, Investigate, Medicine, Notice, Perform [Oratory], Search, Sense Motive) Speed of Thought Trance Well-Informed Italics indicate a feat which was purchased as a power or part of a power. The power point cost of these traits is listed under “Powers,†below. The Scarab's Lair (PL15 HQ) [35EP] The Scarab's Lair is an underground pyramid buried beneath the foundations of Pyramid Plaza. Though decorated with an Ancient Egyptian motif, the aged facades are purely cosmetic. Concealed behind them are the highly advanced technology which maintains the complex, courtesy of Daedalus and Doktor Archeville. The Lair is detailed in Freedom City Atlas #2, and it is updated in ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>this thread. Size: Huge [3EP] Toughness: +15 [2EP] Features: [30EP] Communications ComputersMasterwork Concealed 2 (+15 DC) Defense System (Blast 15) (Scarab-Bots*) Fire Prevention System Gym Holding Cells (Nullify 15) InfirmaryMasterwork LaboratoryMasterwork LibraryMasterwork Living Space Personnel (Scarab-Bots*) Pool Power 2 (60PP) Power System Security System 5 (DC40) Self-Repairing (Scarab-Bots*) Treasure** WorkshopMasterwork *The Scarab-Bots are tiny robotic scarab beetles, made from a gleaming gold/titanium alloy. Swarms of them scuttle throughout the Lair, guided by a rudimentary artificial intelligence. Each Scarab-Bot is equipped with a powerful miniaturized energy blaster, used as much for utility as for combat. Their primary function is to maintain, repair, and defend the Lair, though they are capable of other basic tasks. **This Feature is for the chamber in The Scarab's Lair described in Freedom City Atlas #2 as follows: The vaulted Great Hall is home to many of Alexander Rhodes’ prized ancient artifacts and trophies, including an entire Egyptian chariot, carved pillars and statues from Giza and other parts of Egypt, glass cases of jewelry, frame papyrus scrollwork, and archeological curiosities from other time periods, associated with his other lifetimes. Powers: [52/60PP] Teleport 10 (200,000 miles ["Earth To The Moon"], Extras: Accurate, Duration 2 [Continuous], Portal 2, Flaws: Limited [Others], Limited [To/From HQ], Feats: Change Direction, Progression [Portal Size] 1 [10ft x 10ft]) [52PP] The Scarab's teleportals appear to be giant glowing golden ankh-shaped holes in space. The portals are lined with crackling lightning. Air in the immediate vicinity rushes into the portal, creating a light wind. In order to open a teleportal, the subject must either be in the teleporter junction room of The Scarab's Lair, or else they must have a Scarab's Lair Teleport Beacon, a small device about the size of a quarter which sends a radio signal to the computer controlling the teleporter. Any power which interferes with Radio Communication or Radio senses can block the signal, in which case the character should receive a Hero Point for the Complication. Possession of a beacon requires that the character pay 1PP for a Benefit or Feature, and that the character be on ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>the list of characters to whom The Scarab has granted access. Powers: 9 + 5 + 14 + 2 + 12 + 3 + 12 + 50 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 10 = 133PP Enhanced Reflex 6 (Feats: Evasion, Improved Initiative 2) [9PP] (Precognition, Telepathy) Enhanced Skills 8 (Medicine 8, Feats: Beginners Luck, Improvised Tools, Jack of All Trades) [5PP] (Past-Life Memory) Enhanced Skills 40 (Gather Information 8, Investigate 8, Notice 8, Search 8, Sense Motive 8, Feats: Challenge [Discrete Inquiry] 4*) [14PP] (Precognition, Telepathy) As stated in the "Power Loss" Complication (see above), these skill bonuses do not apply to checks made to notice or locate anything or anyone which is hidden behind a barrier of lead at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. *This is 4 ranks of a feat offsetting the “Discrete Inquiry†skill challenge for Gather Information. Normally, avoiding scrutiny while making a Gather Information check requires a -20 penalty. With 4 ranks, each offsetting a (-5) penalty, a Gather Information check can be made discreetly with no penalty. Features 2 (Quick Change [Psi-Reactive Morphic-Molecule Costume], Teleport Beacon [The Scarab's Lair]*) [2PP] (Technology) *See “Equipment,†above, for details regarding the teleport beacon. Flight 5 (250MPH / 2,500ft [1/2 mile] per Move Action, Feats: Interpose, Subtle) [12PP] (Telekinesis) Immunity 6 (Fear, Interaction Skills, Flaws: Limited [1/2 Effect]) [3PP] (Telepathy) Psionic Defense 2 (10PP Container [Active, Free Action, Sustained Duration], Feats: Selective, Subtle) [12PP] (Telekinesis) [4 + 6 = 10PP] Force Field 8 (Flaws: Limited [Dodge Bonus]) [4PP] Shield 6 [6PP] Psionics 21 (42PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 8) [50PP] Base Power: [15 + 14 + 13 = 42PP] Concealment 10 (All Non-Mental Senses, Flaws: Phantasm, Feats: Progression [Counter/Save DC] 5 [Rank 15 / DC25]) [15PP] (Mind Control, Telepathy) Mind Reading 14 (15, Extras: Action 2 [Free], Linked [Communication, Comprehend, Super-Senses], Mental, Sensory Link, Flaws: Communication-Dependent, Duration [instant/Lasting], Limited [surface Thoughts]) [14PP] (Telepathy) See the standalone “Telepathy†power, below. Move Object 1 (100ft Max Range, Lifting Strength 5 [Heavy Load: 100 lbs.], Extras: Damaging, Feats: Accurate 3 [+6 Attack], Improved Range 3 [1 100ft Range Increment], Indirect, Precise, Subtle 2) [13PP] (Telekinesis) Alternate Power: [41PP] Damage 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental, Range 2 [Perception], Feats: Subtle) [41PP] (Mental Blast, Psychosomatic Damage, Telepathy) Alternate Power: [42PP] Damage 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Range [Ranged, 1,000ft Max Range], Feats: Accurate 3 [+6 Attack], Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Improved Range 3 [1 1,000ft Range Increment], Indirect, Precise, Subtle 2) [42PP] (Internal Attack, Telekinesis) Alternate Power: [25 + 14 = 39PP] ESP 4 (Mental Senses, 1 mile, Extras: Duration [sustained], Simultaneous, Flaws: Saving Throw [Will], Feats: Progression [Counter / Save DC] 11 [Rank 15 / DC25], Rapid 5 [x100,000], Subtle [DC35 Notice]) [25PP] (Clairvoyance, Telepathy) Normally, a search check for an area 1 mile in diameter takes 1 hour, and taking 20 on that check takes 20 hours. With Rapid 5 (x100,000), The Scarab can take 20 on that Search check and hit DC40 as a Free Action (0.72 seconds). Mind Reading 14 (15, Extras: Action 2 [Free], Linked [Communication, Comprehend, Super-Senses], Mental, Sensory Link, Flaws: Communication-Dependent, Duration [instant/Lasting], Limited [surface Thoughts]) [14PP] See the standalone “Telepathy†power, below. Alternate Power: [42PP] Mind Control 10 (Extras: Conscious, Instant Command, Mental, Sensory Link 2 [simultaneous], Flaws: Action [Full], Staged [Dazed/Compelled/Controlled], Feats: Mental Link, Subtle) [42PP] (Telepathy) Staged Power Effects: Fail by 1-4: Dazed. Victim uses all their actions to resist the control. Fail by 5-9 (or by 1-4 while Dazed): Compelled. Victim can be forced to take one standard or move action per round. Victim uses their other action each round to resist the control. Fail by 10+ (or by 1-9 while Compelled): Controlled. Standard Mind Control effect. This flaw is suggested as an option for Mind Control in Ultimate Power. The "Compelled" condition is adapted from Mutants & Masterminds 3rd Edition. Alternate Power: [15 + 6 + 2 + 13 + 6 = 42PP] (Telepathy) Concealment 10 (All Non-Mental Senses, Flaws: Phantasm, Feats: Progression [Counter/Save DC] 5 [Rank 15 / DC25]) [15PP] (Mind Control, Telepathy) Communication 1 (Mental, 10ft, Extras: Linked [Comprehend], Feats: Rapid 5 [x100,000], Subtle, Drawbacks: Limited [Not Two-Way]) [6PP] Comprehend 1 (Languages 1 [speak Any], Extras: Linked [Communication]) [2PP] Mind Reading 20 (Extras: Action [Move/Standard], Linked [super-Senses], Flaws: Duration [instant/Lasting], Range 2 [Touch], Feats: Accurate 3 [+6 Attack], Extended Reach [10ft], Subtle 2) [13PP] Super-Senses 7 (Analytical Thought Awareness, Mind Awareness [Mental, Very Common Descriptor], Extras: Acute, Analytical, Linked [Mind Reading, Super-Senses], Ranged [10ft Notice Increments], Flaws: Saving Throw [Will]) [6PP] See the stand-alone "Thought Awareness" Super-Senses, below. Alternate Power: [42PP] Move Object 10 (1,000ft Max Range, Lifting Strength 50 [Heavy Load: 12 tons], Extras: Damaging, Feats: Accurate 3 [+6 Attack], Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Improved Range 3 [1 1,000ft Range Increment], Indirect, Precise, Subtle 2) [42PP] (Telekinesis) Alternate Power: [41PP] Stun 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental, Range 2 [Perception], Sleep, Feats: Subtle) [41PP] (Mind Control, Telepathy) Alternate Power: [32PP] Transform 15 (Memory Alteration, Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Duration [Continuous/Lasting], Mental, Range [Perception], Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Feats: Precise, Subtle) [32PP] (Telepathy) Super-Senses 6 (Danger Sense [Mental], Postcognition [Flaws: Uncontrolled], Precognition [Flaws: Uncontrolled], Uncanny Dodge [Mental]) [6PP] Super-Senses 4 (Psionic Awareness [Mental, Common Descriptor], Extras: Radius, Ranged [10ft Notice Increments]) [4PP] As stated in the "Power Loss" Complication (see above), this sense cannot perceive the use of a power effect if the user is hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. This sense cannot perceive an ongoing power effect if the subject of that effect is hidden behind such a barrier. Super-Senses 6 (Thought Awareness [Mental, Very Common Descriptor], Extras: Acute, Radius, Ranged [10ft Notice Increments]) [6PP] As stated in the "Power Loss" Complication (see above), this sense cannot perceive thoughts from the minds of beings which are hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. Telepathy 2 (10PP Container [Active, Free Action, Sustained Duration]) [10PP] [6 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 10PP] Communication 6 (Mental, 20 miles, Extras: Linked [Comprehend, Mind Reading, Super-Senses], Flaws: Limited [Not Two-Way], Feats: Insidious, Rapid [x10], Subtle) [6PP] As stated in the "Power Loss" Complication (see above), this power cannot be used to initiate contact with the mind of a being who is hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. Ongoing contact with the mind of a being who moves behind such a barrier is immediately severed. Comprehend 1 (Languages 1 [speak Any Language], Extras: Linked [Communication, Mind Reading, Super-Senses]) [2PP] Mind Reading 1 (Extras: Action 2 [Free], Linked [Communication, Comprehend, Super-Senses], Mental, Sensory Link, Flaws: Communication-Dependent, Duration [instant/Lasting], Limited [surface Thoughts]) [1PP] Multiple alternate powers in the "Psionics" array (see above) devote 14PP to increasing the rank of this Mind Reading effect from 1 to 15. Super-Senses 2 (Accurate Thought Awareness, Extras: Linked [Communication, Mind Reading, Super-Senses], Flaws: Limited [Mind Reading]) [1PP] See the standalone “Thought Awareness†Super-Sense, above. Combat Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC15 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Concealment Personal DC25 Will Total Concealment ESP Extended DC25 Will ESP Memory Alteration Perception DC25 Will Transformed Mental Blast Perception DC25 Will (Staged) Damage (Energy) Mind Control Perception Will (Staged) vs +10 Dazed/Compelled/Controlled Mind Reading (Surface) Perception Will vs +15 Mind Reading (Surface) Mind Reading (Probe) Touch +5ft Will vs +20 Mind Reading (Probe) Stun Perception DC20 Will (Staged) Dazed/Stunned/Asleep Telekinesis Ranged DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Telekinesis (Internal) Ranged DC25 Fortitude (Staged) Damage (Energy) Telekinesis (Thrown Object) Ranged DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (20) + Skills (20) + Feats (10) + Powers (133) - Drawbacks (0) = 231/232 Power Points

Figured I'd toss this one out to the peanut gallery in case they have any unofficial input, before submitting it to the Bank. Does everything make sense? It's mostly combat PL10 for now. The remaining points up to 250 will be spent getting it up to PL12. Player Name: ShaenTheBrainCharacter Name: The Scarab Power Level: 15 (228/228PP) Tradeoffs: None Power Points Unspent: 0 Progress To Gold Status: 78/90 Bronze Reward: 7PP of Equipment for The Scarab, 8PP of Equipment/Minions/Sidekick unclaimed Silver Reward: Unclaimed In Brief: Phenomenal psionic power contained in a fragile mortal shell. Alternate Identities: Elena Guerrero (Current Incarnation), Alexander Rhodes (Previous Incarnation), Prince Heru-Ra of Egypt (Original Incarnation) Identity: Secret Birthplace: Santa Lucia, California, USA Occupation: Freelance Legal Consultant, Philanthropist Affiliations: Freedom City Historical Museum (Donor), Freedom City Ledger (Lifetime Subscriber), Freedom City Public Libraries (Donor), Freedom City University (Alumnus), Law Office of Nelson & Bannerly (Independent Consultant), Rhodes Foundation (Shareholder) Family: Josefina Vasquez de Guerrero (Mother, Deceased), Eduardo Guerrero (Father, Deceased) Description: Age: 34 (DoB: 1979) Ethnicity: Latina Height: 5'7" Weight: 135 lbs. Hair: Black Eyes: Brown Unlike the bright scarlet and yellow tights worn by her "predecessor," the "new" Scarab's costume consists of menacing armor plates overlapping in subdued shades of crimson and gold. The massive cape extending from under the shoulder plates never ceases to flow and billow dramatically behind her, subtly guided by her telekinesis. Careful observers will quickly realize that, even when she chooses to walk rather than fly, her feet never quite touch the ground. She cultivates an unsettling mystique with these subtle details. The Scarab’s powers do not usually manifest visibly in their use, only in their effect. When she does not opt for subtlety, glowing auras of gold and/or scarlet appear around her and/or the target(s) of the power. Sometimes, these auras take the form of swarms of spectral scarab beetles. Out of costume, Elena Guerrero blends in with millions of other upwardly-mobile female professionals in law or big business. She tends toward tailored skirtsuits, sweaterdresses, and other outfits which could be described as "understated; feminine and elegant, but unremarkably so." She tends to wear combinations of different shades of red and gold, so as to provide convenient color-coding for the imaginary readers of the FCPBP comic books. When it comes to clothing, she believes in paying for quality, rarely to the point of extravagance. She isn't a very athletic person. She focuses on cerebral and scholarly pursuits to the exclusion of physical ones, and her body suffers for it. She is fortunate enough to have been born with genes which make weight difficult for her to keep on rather than off, but what flesh she does carry lacks muscle tone. Her physique is petite, but doughy. Her facial features are conventionally pretty, but not exceptionally so. History: Heru-Ra In approximately 3,000 B.C.E., Heru-Ra was the crown prince of the Egyptian Empire. He lacked interest in politics, neglecting matters of the physical world in favor of the philosophical and theological. Through a unique combination of meditation, contemplation, self-denial, physical exertion, and self-flagellation, he managed to achieve a measure of Enlightenment, thousands of years before the bodhisattvas and messiahs who would follow him. Heru-Ra awakened the part of his soul the Egyptians called the ka, gaining the power to exert his will directly upon the world around him. Heru-Ra's closest friend was the sorcerer-priest Tan-Aktor. The two young men shared an interest in the study of the paranormal, and they fought together often to defend Egypt from the supernatural threats of the ancient world. In their greatest victory, they prevented the evil sorcerer Ka-Khemet from using the stolen Milk of The Sun to help the minor god Sobek usurp control of the Egyptian pantheon. Ka-Khemet and his minions had sought to transfer their essences into the eggs of the crocodile god, emerging as immortal hybrid monsters. But the combined might of Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor defeated the sorcerers, trapping them within the eggs for all eternity. Unfortunately, Tan-Aktor's lust for power soon overshadowed his loyalties to his friend and his pharoah. Along with his treacherous lieutenant Khar-Hotep, he tried to murder the royal family and seize the throne. His coup-d'etat failed, and both he and his former comrade Heru-Ra died striking each other a death blow. With Tan-Aktor dead, punishment for the failed treason fell squarely upon Khar-Hotep, who was cursed with eternal unlife and buried alive with a horde of flesh-eating scarab beetles. When Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor stood before their gods for judgement, Heru-Ra demanded that no other but he be allowed to punish Tan-Aktor for his treachery. Impressed with his courage but insulted by his arrogance, the gods chose to punish Heru-Ra in the manner gods have always preferred above all: They gave him exactly what he asked for. Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor were both doomed to a cycle of unending reincarnation, constantly dying and being reborn like a pair of scarab beetles from the dung. They would chase each other around the wheel of life and death, locked in eternal battle. In every new life, Heru-Ra fought to protect the innocent and uphold justice, while Tan-Aktor sunk deeper into brutality and depravity in his twofold quest to accumulate personal power and to rid himself of his eternal foe. Alexander Rhodes Alexander Rhodes was a wealthy financier and philanthropist, the C.E.O. of the Rhodes Foundation, the financial powerhouse his family had built. Rhodes had always been fascinated with Ancient Egypt, collecting every relic he could get his hands on. It wasn't until 1961 that he understood why. Like many before and since, Rhodes underwent hyponotic regression on a lark. Although meant "for entertainment purposes only," the attempt to remind Rhodes of past lives was a resounding success, revealing to him his true nature as the reincarnation of Prince Heru-Ra and reawakening his ka. With his newfound power, he put on a mask and cape and helped to usher in the resurgence of costumed superheroes as The Scarab. The Centurion and The Scarab were the the longest-running members of the original Freedom League. The Scarab’s psychic powers and diplomatic nature helped him to fulfill the role of peacemaker on the team, settling conflicts and facilitating teamwork. For nearly 20 years, he was a leader, mentor, comrade and friend to the world’s greatest heroes. Although Rhodes never personally met the Nazi sorcerer Wilhelm Kantor, he clashed frequently with agents and pawns directed by the reincarnation of his eternal nemesis. Kantor, now calling himself "OverShadow," immediately recognized The Scarab's iconography as the heraldry of Heru-Ra, and over the next two decades, he wasted countless resources in single-minded attempts to destroy his old foe. But time and time again, The Scarab and the Freedom League foiled OverShadow’s attempts at world conquest. In 1979, seeking to rid himself of his eternal foe once and for all, OverShadow recovered Sobek's eggs and removed his curse, allowing them to hatch and unleash the Scions of Sobek upon the world. OverShadow then manipulated the crocodile-headed sorcerers into hunting down The Scarab. The Scions clashed with the Freedom League at the newly-christened Pyramid Plaza, with all but The Scarab falling prey to their mind control powers. The Scarab managed to break their hold over the League with the aid of the rookie psionic hero Brainstorm, but the effort cost both heroes their lives. The general public believes that Alexander Rhodes suffered a fatal brain aneurysm. This was technically true, although the public does not know that it was related in any way to the incident at Pyramid Plaza. Daedalus fulfilled the previously agreed-upon contingency plans regarding The Scarab’s corpse. Decoy bodies were cloned. One was buried in the public grave of Alexander Rhodes, while the other was interred in a fake burial chamber in The Scarab’s Lair, the underground base Rhodes had constructed beneath the site that would eventually become Pyramid Plaza. The real body was hidden in a secret chamber of The Lair. Brainstorm was posthumously inducted into the Freedom League, and iconography depicting both him and The Scarab can be found on Heroes Knoll and all around Pyramid Plaza. In accordance with Rhodes' last will and testament, his controlling interest in the Rhodes Foundation passed to his trusted assistant, Maria Hernandez. She also inherited the secret responsibility for tending to The Scarab's Lair. Maria eventually she passed this sacred trust to her daughter, Sofia Cruz, who also eventually took her mother's place as C.E.O. of the Rhodes Foundation. Elena Guerrero Adrian Eldritch also had a role in the contingency plans for The Scarab’s death. He cast a spell which obscured any attempt to locate the next reincarnation of Heru-Ra. This protected that next incarnation from OverShadow, but also hid her from any of The Scarab’s allies. Left to her own devices, it would be nearly 30 years before she of Heru-Ra became fully aware of her own destiny. Elena Guerrero was conceived in 1979, at the moment of Alexander Rhodes’ death. Physicians had told Josefina and Eduardo that they would never conceive a child, but the soul of Heru-Ra overcame all biological barriers. Subsequent attempts by the couple to provide Elena with siblings were not successful. Josefina and Eduardo were illegal Medican immigrants, who made it over the border just in time for Elena to be born in Southern California, becoming an American citizen by default. The family settled in Santa Lucia, a small city with a large, poor Latino population, and an affluent Caucasian minority. Some children are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Elena's parents would say that instead she was born with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. As a child, her play consisted of fantastic games of make-believe featuring brave warrior-princes clashing with evil sorcerers on ancient battlefields. There was no schoolyard bully she wouldn’t confront, and no poor child with whom she wouldn’t split her sandwich at lunch. As childhood gave way to adolescence, childish games stood aside to make room for a revolving door of “noble causes.†Elena’s parents indulged her pickets and protests with equal parts amusement and pride. An above-average student, Elena managed to win a scholarship to Freedom City University, where she earned both her undergraduate degree and her juris doctorate. As a lawyer, she planned to use “the system†to oppose injustice and oppression, to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. During her studies at FCU, Elena was amazed how Freedom City felt more like "home" to her than Santa Lucia ever did. Sometimes, she would spend hours just standing on the observation deck of Pyramid Plaza, daydreaming about flying across the skyline. Unfortunately, her graduation from FCU was a bittersweet occasion, as both of her parents had succumbed to cancer mere days before the ceremony. And these were not isolated incidents. Many people in Santa Lucia were either having difficulty conceiving children, or were dying premature, cancer-ridden deaths, as a direct result of illegal toxic waste dumping by Locusta Pharmaceuticals, a joint venture between subsidiaries of Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates (which are ultimately pawns of The Labyrinth). a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grant Conglomerates. Specifically, it was the poor Latino residents who were dying, while the upper-class Caucasian minority looked the other way. Bribing them cost Locusta less than cleaning up the dump sites and enacting new safety procedures. The townspeople finally organized a class-action lawsuit against Locusta, but they couldn't afford a lawyer. Elena, fresh out of law school, volunteered to try the case pro-bono. Despite her lack of experience, the townsfolk were enthusiastic about a local-kid-done-good spearheading the effort. They had a lawyer they could trust, a mountain of evidence, and a line of credible witnesses. It appeared to be an open-and-shut case, which is why everyone was so surprised when they lost. Witnesses either disappeared or recanted their testimony. Existing evidence was lost or destroyed, while new evidence on behalf of Locusta “appeared.†The jury didn't even bother to deliberate before handing in a verdict in favor of Locusta Pharmaceuticals. The *crack* of the judge's gavel echoed like a thunderclap in Elena's head, setting off explosions behind her eyes. Suddenly, everything became clear to her. She started hearing the thoughts of other people, some who weren’t even present at the trial. She saw past events as if they were happening right then and there in front of her. She saw the bribes, the blackmail, and the violence, all threads in the grand tapestry of atrocity Locusta had woven around Santa Lucia. Overwhelmed and demoralized, she staggered out of the courtroom, drank herself to sleep, and caught the first bus out of town. It would be her first and last case as an attorney. Her defeat completely disillusioned Elena regarding the entire legal system. It wasn’t a shield with which she could protect the innocent and defenseless. It was a bucket in which the rich and powerful could drown those people to save a few dollars on their bottom line. If the system was so easily and thoroughly subverted by Evil, then she needed to restore the balance. Elena spent the next few months learning how to control her new powers, and how to profit from them. Precognition helped her make a killing on the stock market (and in one state lottery). Telepathy paved the way for a new career as an "independent legal consultant." Her powers helped select jury members who would render a favorable verdict, and who would be resistant to coercion from the opposing side. Those same powers could verify or refute testimony, and leave no evidence uncovered. No matter what dirty tricks the opposing legal teams or their employers used to obscure the truth or distract from it, Elena’s powers let her stay one step ahead of them. None of the law firms she worked alongside knew about her superhuman abilities; they thought she was "just that good." Most of those firms paid top dollar for her services, though she would aid “underdog†causes free of charge. The money piled up faster than she could spend it. She donated most of it to charity, or gifted it anonymously to the individual victims the system had failed. But no matter how many cases she helped win for “the good guys,†or how much money she gave away, her sleep was tormented with nightmares. She couldn't rid herself of the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that it wasn't enough, that she had to do more. Several years after her crushing defeat in that first courtroom, Elena found herself back in Freedom City. The closer she got to the downtown area, the clearer the visions became. By the time she reached Pyramid Plaza, she remembered the location of the secret entrance into the underground complex. She realized that the daydreams and nightmares were memories. Once inside The Scarab’s Lair, her lair, everything finally made sense. Minutes later, Sofia Cruz crept down into The Lair, shotgun in hand, responding the to the alarms reporting a security breach. She was skeptical of Elena at first, but Elena passed every test. She identified the fake tomb of Alexander Rhodes for what it was, and guided Sofia unerringly to his true resting place. She was able to tell Sofia things, about herself, her mother, and about Rhodes, that no one else would or could know. Eventually, Sofia was convinced, and pledged her renewed support. At long last, almost thirty years since his death, The Scarab was reborn, and all the pieces were in place to make up for lost time. Personality & Motivation: Each incarnation of Heru-Ra is an individual, with their own experiences and quirks, shaped by whatever bodies, families, cultures and time periods into which they happened to be born. But they are also connected to the experiences of every other lifetime that soul has lived. The first and the most recent incarnations tend to be the loudest, clearest voices in the choir, but all the voices come through, even if only as a dull roar in the background. Some traits remain constant in every incarnation. At its core, the soul of Heru-Ra is an unbreakable spirit, courageous, generous, and unflinchingly self-sacrificing, often to a fault. In and out of costume, Elena carries herself with an air of serene, almost unflappable nobility. She walks tall, speaks deliberately, and looks everyone directly in the eye. What some mistake for indifference or repression is in fact the calm confidence of someone who really has “seen it all.†The Scarab’s powers force her to be empathic. They allow her to see the best in others even when they cannot see it in themselves. They force her to see the world as others see it, to feel their joy and pain as if it were her own. This drives her to begin every conflict by seeking peaceful resolution, striving to turn today’s enemy into tomorrow’s ally. However, once a foe exhausts her formidable patience, there is no gradual progression between “understanding counselor†and “ruthless warrior.†Her trigger has a heavy pull, but once pulled, the result is as sudden and decisive as any other gunshot. She always gives her enemies a chance, but she rarely gives them a second one. Having both five millenia of accumulated life experience and one of the most powerful telepathic minds in the history of the world tends to make The Scarab almost uncomfortably blunt in social interactions. She usually manages to stop short of insulting people or hurting their feelings, but she also speaks frankly about taboo subjects, and gives voice to matters others leave unspoken. She has little patience for engaging in deception or manipulation, or indulging it in others. When it comes to matters of the heart and the flesh, Heru-Ra has always been open-minded, in any incarnation. This soul has lived at every point along the spectrums of ethnicity and gender identity, all the while seeing into the minds and souls of so many others. After a hundred lifetimes of watching the fickle human standards of beauty change from one culture and generation to the next, very little importance is placed upon upon the particular body those souls come wrapped in. When Elena puts on the mask of The Scarab, she changes her persona to match. Her speech pattern and word choice leans harder toward the dramatic and formal, even archaic. Like most heroes from the Silver Age, she is prone to grand gestures, long-winded moralizing, and downright “hammy†speeches. She does not "speak;" she proclaims. Powers & Abilities: The Scarab is the archetypal "Psionic" superhero, able to exert her will directly on the world around her, both the physical objects and the minds of other sapient beings. She can move objects from a distance, without touching them, at amazing speeds. She perceives the thoughts of those around her, and the psychic echoes those thoughts leave behind, without the normal constraints of time or space; past, present, and future events are all potentially open to her. She can also project her own thoughts into the minds of others. If she chooses, she can project her thoughts into the minds of others so forcefully that she overwhelms them, seizing control or inflicting injury. She is also able to tap into the experiences of her past lives, although the process of sifting through those memories is neither complete nor consistent. When she makes contact with the mind of another, the “voice†they “hear†is often a choir made up of the distinct voices of a hundred different lifetimes, all speaking in unison. These powers come at a cost. Even the “enlightened†human mind has limits to the amount of information it can take in and process, and The Scarab’s mind receives a staggering amount of input. She has had to develop almost superhuman levels of concentration and willpower to compensate, and even still, the strain of her powers frequently cause painful migraines, fatigue, and many nights of restless sleep, as visions of lives lived and events yet to come seep into her dreams. Complications: Addiction: Elena ingests copious amounts of caffeine and over-the-counter painkillers, to compensate for the migraines, fatigue, and loss of sleep caused by her powers. Occasionally, she must even resort to prescription-strength amphetamines and painkillers to keep herself going. If she is denied access to these medications, then she can suffer penalties as if she had a “Weakness†drawback, with the interval and severity of the cumulative penalties at the GM’s discretion. Enemy (The Labyrinth): The Labyrinth is not currently aware that Elena Guerrero is behind so many of the lawsuits and indictments that Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates have failed to repel in the last few years, nor are they aware that Elena Guerrero is The Scarab. However, Taurus does know that The Scarab is the reincarnation of Heru-Ra. Constantine Urallos, Jonathan Grant, Elena Guerrero, and Sofia Cruz all live at Pyramid Plaza in close proximity to one another. The corporate offices for both Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates are also based in Pyramid Plaza. Enemy (SHADOW): OverShadow is the reincarnation of Tan-Aktor, eternal foe of Heru-Ra. He does not know the identities of The Scarab (past or present), but he does know that both Scarabs are Heru-Ra reincarnated. Family & Friends: Sofia Cruz is both like a daughter and like a sister to Elena. Sofia is married, with children. Any threat to the safety of Sofia or any member of her family will consume the totality of Elena’s attention until it is dealth with. Feedback: If damage is inflicted on the target of The Scarab’s Mind Control or Mind Reading powers, then she may receive psychosomatic damage as well. She may also receive damage if her Mind Reading, Postcognition, or Precognition powers reveal particularly intense or traumatic memories. (See the “Feedback†flaw in the description of the “Mind Reading†power in Ultimate Power for details.) Legacy: The soul of Heru-Ra has walked the Earth for over a hundred lifetimes. In each one of them, friends and enemies were made, and debts were accumulated on all sides. Elements from any one of those lifetimes could come back to haunt Elena in the present. Nightmares: Elena’s telepathic and post/pre-cognitive powers and past-life memories tend to slip into her dreams, robbing her of restful sleep and leaving her Fatigued. Power Loss (Lead): The Scarab’s psychic powers cannot penetrate a lead barrier of at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thickness. Any mental connection she has with a target will be immediately severed if that target retreats behind such a barrier relative to her. Power Loss (Teleport Beacon): Any power effect, such as Obscure Radio, which would interfere with Radio Communication or Radio-type Super-Senses, will also disrupt the teleport beacon’s signal to The Scarab’s Lair, making it impossible to open a teleportal at the beacon’s location. Prejudice: Elena is female, Latina, openly bisexual, and “new money.†Reputation: The Scarab has engaged in an on-again/off-again romantic relationship with the super-spy and cat-burglar known as Bombshell, in multiple lifetimes. Bombshell has found herself on both sides of the law in the past. Accusations of that relationship are now a matter of public record, and The Scarab has never publicly responded to those accusations. In the eyes of some, the rumors of that relationship call into question The Scarab’s status as a hero. Secret (Identity): It is not public knowledge that Elena Guerrero is The Scarab, or that The Scarab is the reincarnation of Prince Heru-Ra of Egypt. Abilities: (-2) + 0 + 0 + 8 + 12 + 6 = 24PP Strength: 08 (-1) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 10 (+0) Intelligence: 18 (+4) Wisdom: 22 (+6) Charisma: 16 (+3) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +12/+4 (+4 INT, +8/+0 Enhanced Improved Initiative) Attack: +4, +10 Telekinesis (+4 Base, +6 Attack Specialization) Grapple: +3 (+4 Attack, -1 STR), +20 Telekinesis Defense: +10/+4 (+4 Base, +6/+0 Shield), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: 0, 10 Force Field Saving Throws: 4 + 4 + 14 = 22PP Toughness: +10/+0 (+0 Con, +10/+0 Force Field [impervious 10/0]), +0 Flat-Footed Fortitude: +4 (+0 CON, +4PP) Reflex: +10/+4 (+0 DEX, +4PP, +6/+0 Enhanced Reflex)Evasion Will: +20 (+6 WIS, +14PP) Skills: 84R = 21PP Concentrate 9 (+15)Second Chance Diplomacy 12 (+15)Skill Mastery Gather Information 17/9 (+20/+12)Discrete Inquiry, Skill Mastery, Well-Informed Investigate 16/8 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Business) 4 (+8) Knowledge (Civics) 4 (+8) Languages 5 (Egyptian, English [Native], Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Spanish) Medicine 9/1 (+15/+7)Skill Mastery Notice 14/6 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Perform (Oratory) 12 (+15)Skill Mastery Search 16/8 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Sense Motive 14/6 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Feats: 15PP Attack Specialization (Telekinesis) 3 (+6 Attack) Beginners Luck Benefit 3 (Status [Legacy of The Scarab], Wealth 2 [Rich]) Connected Discrete Inquiry 4* Equipment 7 (35EP)Veteran Reward Evasion Improved Initiative 2 (+8) Improvised Tools Interpose Jack of All Trades Leadership Precise Telekinesis Quick Change Second Chance (Concentrate) Skill Mastery 2 (Diplomacy, Gather Information, Investigate, Medicine, Notice, Perform [Oratory], Search, Sense Motive) Speed of Thought Trance Well-Informed Italics indicate a feat which was purchased as a power or part of a power. The power point cost of these traits is listed under “Powers,†below. *This is 4 ranks of a feat offsetting the “Discrete Inquiry†skill challenge for Gather Information. Normally, avoiding scrutiny while making a Gather Information check requires a -20 penalty. With 4 ranks, each offsetting a (-5) penalty, a Gather Information check can be made discreetly with no penalty. The Scarab's Lair (PL15 HQ) [35EP] The Scarab's Lair is an underground pyramid buried beneath the foundations of Pyramid Plaza. Though decorated with an Ancient Egyptian motif, the aged facades are purely cosmetic. Concealed behind them are the highly advanced technology which maintains the complex, courtesy of Daedalus and Doktor Archeville. The Lair is detailed in Freedom City Atlas #2, and it is updated in ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>this thread. Size: Huge [3EP] Toughness: +15 [2EP] Features: [30EP] Communications ComputersMasterwork Concealed 2 (+15 DC) Defense System (Blast 15) (Scarab-Bots) Fire Prevention System Gym Holding Cells (Nullify 15) InfirmaryMasterwork LaboratoryMasterwork LibraryMasterwork Living Space Personnel (Scarab-Bots) Pool Power 2 (60PP) Power System Security System 5 (DC40) Self-Destruct Self-Repairing (Scarab-Bots) WorkshopMasterwork The Scarab-Bots are tiny robotic scarab beetles, made from a gleaming gold/titanium alloy. Swarms of them scuttle throughout the Lair, guided by a rudimentary artificial intelligence. Each Scarab-Bot is equipped with a powerful miniaturized energy blaster, used as much for utility as for combat. Their primary function is to maintain, repair, and defend the Lair, though they are capable of other basic tasks. Powers: [52/60PP] Teleport 10 (200,000 miles ["Earth To The Moon"], Extras: Accurate, Duration 2 [Continuous], Portal 2, Flaws: Limited [Others], Limited [To/From HQ], Feats: Change Direction, Progression [Portal Size] 1 [10ft x 10ft]) [52PP] The Scarab's teleportals appear to be giant glowing golden ankh-shaped holes in space. The portals are lined with crackling lightning. Air in the immediate vicinity rushes into the portal, creating a light wind. In order to open a teleportal, the subject must either be in the teleporter junction room of The Scarab's Lair, or else they must have a Scarab's Lair Teleport Beacon, a small device about the size of a quarter which sends a radio signal to the computer controlling the teleporter. Any power which interferes with Radio Communication or Radio senses can block the signal, in which case the character should receive a Hero Point for the Complication. Possession of a beacon requires that the character pay 1PP for a Benefit or Feature, and that the character be on ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>the list of characters to whom The Scarab has granted access. Powers: 5 + 14 + 2 + 12 + 3 + 28 + 40 + 6 + 4 + 6 + 10 = 130PP Enhanced Skills 8 (Medicine 8, Feats: Beginners Luck, Improvised Tools, Jack of All Trades) [5PP] (Past-Life Memory) Enhanced Skills 40* (Gather Information 8, Investigate 8, Notice 8, Search 8, Sense Motive 8, Feats: Discrete Inquiry 4**) [14PP] (Precognition, Telepathy) *These skill bonuses do not apply to checks made to notice or locate anything or anyone which is hidden behind a barrier of lead at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. **This is 4 ranks of a feat offsetting the “Discrete Inquiry†skill challenge for Gather Information. Normally, avoiding scrutiny while making a Gather Information check requires a -20 penalty. With 4 ranks, each offsetting a (-5) penalty, a Gather Information check can be made discreetly with no penalty. Features 2 (Quick Change [Psi-Reactive Morphic-Molecule Costume], Teleport Beacon* [The Scarab's Lair]) [2PP] (Technology) *See “Equipment,†above, for details regarding the teleport beacon. Flight 5 (250MPH / 2,500ft [1/2 mile] per Move Action, Feats: Interpose, Subtle) [12PP] (Telekinesis) Immunity 6 (Fear, Interaction Skills, Flaws: Limited [1/2 Effect]) [3PP] (Telepathy) Psionic Combat 5 (25PP Container [Passive, Permanent], Feats: Selective, Subtle, Variable Descriptor [Dodge, Parry, Precognition, Telekinesis, and/or Telepathy]) [28PP] Enhanced Reflex 6 (Extras: Linked [Features, Force Field, Shield]) [6PP] Features 3 (Evasion, Improved Initiative 2 [+8], Extras: Linked [Enhanced Reflex, Force Field, Shield]) [3PP] Force Field 10 (Extras: Impervious, Linked [Enhanced Reflex, Features, Shield], Flaws: Limited [Dodge Bonus]) [10PP] Shield 6 (Extras: Linked [Enhanced Reflex, Features, Force Field]) [6PP] Psionics 16 (32PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 8) [40PP] Base Power: [17 + 14 = 31PP] ESP 4 (Mental Senses, 1 mile, Extras: Action [Free], Duration [sustained], Feats: Rapid 5 [x100,000], Subtle [DC24 Notice]) [18PP] (Clairvoyance, Telepathy) Telepathy +7 (+14PP) [14PP] See the standalone “Telepathy†array, below. Alternate Power: [15 + 14 = 29PP] Concealment 10 (All Non-Mental Senses, Flaws: Phantasm, Feats: Progression [Counter/Save DC] 5 [Rank 15 / DC25]) [15PP] (Mind Control, Telepathy) Telepathy +7 (+14PP) [14PP] See the standalone “Telepathy†array, below. Alternate Power: Damage 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental, Range 2 [Perception], Flaws: Action [Full], Feats: Subtle) [31PP] (Mental Blast, Telepathy) Alternate Power: Damage 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Range [Ranged, 10 100ft Increments, 1,000ft Max Range], Feats: Indirect, Subtle) [32PP] (Internal Attack, Telekinesis) Alternate Power: Drain Will 15 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental, Range 2 [Perception], Flaws: Action [Full], Feats: Slow Fade [1 minute], Subtle) [32PP] (Telepathy) Alternate Power: Mind Control 10 (Extras: Conscious, Instant Command, Sensory Link, Flaws: Action [Full], Staged [Dazed/Compelled/Controlled], Feats: Mental Link, Subtle) [32PP] (Telepathy) Staged Power Effects:Fail by 1-4: Dazed. Fail by 5-9 (or by 1-4 while Dazed): Compelled. Victim can be forced to take one standard or move action per round. Victim uses their other action each round to resist the control. Fail by 10+ (or by 1-9 while Compelled): Controlled. Standard Mind Control effect. Alternate Power: Move Object 10 (10 100ft Range Increments / 1,000ft Max Range, Lifting Strength 50 [Heavy Load: 12 tons], Extras: Damaging, Feats: Indirect, Subtle) [32PP] (Telekinesis) Alternate Power: Stun 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental, Range 2 [Perception], Sleep, Flaws: Action [Full], Feats: Subtle) [31PP] (Mind Control, Telepathy) Alternate Power: Transform 15 (Memory Alteration, Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Duration [Continuous/Lasting], Mental, Range [Perception], Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Feats: Precise, Subtle) [32PP] (Telepathy) Super-Senses 6 (Danger Sense [Mental], Postcognition [Flaws: Uncontrolled], Precognition [Flaws: Uncontrolled], Uncanny Dodge [Mental]) [6PP] Super-Senses 4 (Psionic Awareness* [Mental, Common Descriptor], Extras: Radius, Ranged) [4PP] *This sense cannot perceive the use of a power effect if the user is hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. This sense cannot perceive an ongoing power effect if the subject of that effect is hidden behind such a barrier. Super-Senses 6 (Thought Awareness* [Mental, Very Common Descriptor], Extras: Acute, Radius, Ranged) [6PP] *This sense cannot perceive thoughts from the minds of beings which are hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. Telepathy 5 (10PP Array) [10PP] Base Power: [5 + 2 + 1 + 2 = 10PP] Communication 6* (Mental, 20 miles, Extras: Linked [Comprehend, Mind Reading, Super-Senses], Flaws: Limited [Not Two-Way], Feats: Insidious, Subtle) [5PP] *This power cannot be used to initiate contact with the mind of a being who is hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. Ongoing contact with the mind of a being who moves behind such a barrier is immediately severed. Comprehend 1 (Languages 1 [speak Any Language], Extras: Linked [Communication, Mind Reading, Super-Senses]) [2PP] Mind Reading 1 (Extras: Action 2 [Free], Linked [Communication, Comprehend, Super-Senses], Mental, Sensory Link, Flaws: Communication-Dependent, Duration [instant/Lasting], Limited [surface Thoughts]) [1PP] Super-Senses 2 (Accurate Thought Awareness) [2PP] See the standalone “Thought Awareness†Super-Sense, above. Totals: Abilities (24) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (22) + Skills (21) + Feats (15) + Powers (130) - Drawbacks (0) = 228/228 Power Points Combat Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC14 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Drain Perception DC25 Will (Staged) Drain Will Memory Alteration Perception DC25 Will Transformed Mental Blast Perception DC25 Will (Staged) Damage (Energy) Mind Control Perception Will (Staged) vs +10 Dazed/Compelled/Controlled Mind Reading Perception Will vs +15 Mind Reading (Surface) Mind Reading 10ft Will vs +15 Mind Reading Stun Perception DC20 Will (Staged) Dazed/Stunned/Asleep Telekinesis Ranged DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Telekinesis (Internal) Ranged DC25 Fortitude (Staged) Damage (Energy) Telekinesis (Thrown Object) Ranged DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)

...when he finds out that all the ash trees in the tri-state area and New England are going to die in the next few years, thanks to a mass infestation of the Asian Emerald Ash Borer beetle. Emerald ash borers do their damage as larvae, eating into the bark and burrowing deep into the trunk to insulate themselves against the cold. In the process, they cut off access to the nutrients and water that the tree needs to survive; it is like severing a human’s network of veins and arteries. After surviving the unusually cold winter, the beetles emerged in spring as adults. Now they are mating and laying eggs, leaving the next generation of larvae to tunnel through the trees’ internal organs. They can kill an ash tree in as little as two years. A 2009 study in the journal Biological Invasions listed 43 native insect species that rely on ash trees for food or breeding. Those insects are the food supply for birds, including woodpeckers. The entire eco-system of the forests around Freedom City are about to change in a major way.

Question: Is there anything about the gas - an odor, etc. - which clues the victims in to the source of the effect? Or do they just start feeling all acid-trippy?

DC18 Fortitude save: 11. Failed so hard.

His Mind Control isn't +Effortless, so he'd have to use Extra Effort to try again during this scene. You said there's 30something crew members? I'll have him try another one on the next round, if nothing interrupts him. Mind Control power check: 27 Better.