mellowgoth

Hiya; I'm pretty new here myself, and just put together a young PL6 hero. Give Aftershock a look over, and maybe his debut vignette, and see if they stir up any ideas for stories. I'll read over Lidaelle, and see if anyhting leaps to mind. Enjoy,

So, here is the nuts and bolts behind the IC scene for Afterschock's debut. As I've said, i am pretty new to M&M. If anyone would care to read over my notes on the combat, here, I'd appreciate the feedback - let me know if I'm doing things right. My apologies if the notes are a little crude. The {numbers} correspond to similarly numbered points in the IC thread. Thanks, mellowogth {1}Init Rolls Aftershock: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2444934/ Wow. My first roll on FC, and it’s a 1. Off to quite the start. Thug’s intitiative http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2444951/ 10. Oh well, I probably would have waited anyway. ROUND 1: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2444962 19 and 10. Hit and, barring something unfortuante, miss. {2}Damage +4, absorbed. Aftershock now has 8 temporary power points in storage. he will lose the first to fade in round 6. Aftershock – Attack – Strike(kinetic) rank 6 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445410/ {3}19. hit. DC 21 toughness save: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445413/ 12. Failed by 9 = stunned and bruised ROUND 2 Thug Leader pulls his pistol and waits. {4}Thug 3 attacks with chain: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445441/ 21. Hit. Damage +4, absorbed. Aftershock now has 10 temporary power points. {5}Thug 2 attacks with club: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445442/ 19, hits. Damage +4, absorbed. Aftershock now has 18 temporary power points. Thug one is stunned until the end of his action. {6}Aftershock attacks thug 3 with kinetic strike, rank 6 - http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445446/ 13, hits. Damage +6. Aftershock now has 12 temporary power points. DC21 Toughness save: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445469/ 23. Saves. Bugger. ROUND 3 {7}Thug 1: Attacks with club. Thug 2 attacks with club. Thug 3 attacks with chain. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445473/ 18,14,11, hit, miss, miss. Damage+4, absorbed. Aftershock now has 20 temporary power points. The thugs are starting to get the picture that they can’t hurt him, here. {8}Aftershock attacks thug 1 again, kinetic strike – rank 6 http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445488/ 24. hit. Damage +6. Thug 1 – DC 21 toughness save, bruised 1. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445490/ 5. Failed by 16. Unconcious. ROUND 4 {9}Thug Leader fires a shot off to the side to gain everyone’s attention. The action stops. He points the gun at the first girl, says aftershock has five second to beat it or he fires. Other thugs begin to drag thug 1 to van. {10}Aftershock turns, to the dismay of the young ladies. Then stomps: Trip attack, area. Trip attack: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445494/ 8. Hero point, reroll: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445496/ 19. Better. The thugs roll against strength, the ladies roll against dex (assuming average, +0): Thug Leader, Thug 2, Thug 3: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445499/ 5,9,6: all fail, all fall. Ladies: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445505/ 12,2,16 – all fail, all fall. Aftershock now has 14 temporary power points. ROUND 5 Thug leader fires at one of the ladies, who , being prone but not adjacent, gets a +4 defense. 18:Hits her. DC 13 toughness save. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445531/ 12, fails by 1. Bruised and injured. Thugs 2 and 3 get up, spending their move action, but are too far to attack Aftershock. They both pull pistols as well. {11}Aftershock, using speed, zips around thugs 2 and 3 and attacks the thug leader with a kinetic touch attack, rank 6, with a bonus of +4 for an adjacent prone opponent. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445538/ 13:hits. DC 21 toughness save http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445541/ 5. Fails by 16. Nighty night. Aftershock now has 8 temporary power points. ROUND 6 Thugs 2 and 3 open fire on Aftershock. http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2445544/ 16,15 – hit, miss +3 damage, absorbed. Aftershock now has 14 Temporary power points. We’ll wrap it at this point. it's getting long, and I think that I've got the hang of it.

March 6th, 2010, 2:15 a.m. (OOC note: the {numbers} correspond to points in the accompanying OOC thread. If anyone - refs especially - would care to look that over, i'd appreciate the feedback.. I'm fairly new to M&M, and I want to be sure I understand the systems well enough. Many thanks - mellowgoth) Christopher Frasier was having quite a time reminding himself to think of himself by the name he had chosen. Aftershock. He was fairly worried that the first time someone asked him his name, it was going to come out like “Chri…uh…Aftershock.†A forty foot fall might not be able to kill him, but the embarrassment might. He had the free time to muse over these things as he was perched on a narrow ledge, three stories above the street. He was around the corner from the popular and packed Infinity nightclub, in the Waterfront district, waiting for the crowds to come pouring out at closing time. From his perch, he could not see the front doors, but he could see a large side street, an alley that was a frequent pathway to the next street, and a somewhat run down parking garage popular with the clubbers. He had always heard stories of people being mugged or attacked as they stumbled out of their watering holes, drunk or otherwise impaired: Chris figured that this was as good a place to get a start as any. He had spent a few nights like this, looking over the larger and more famous spots around Freedom City, but with no results. He was beginning to think that his reasoning was flawed. He’d give himself a couple more nights watching, then try to find a different strategy. Then again, maybe not… he thought: Hearing the slams of several car doors, he glanced over into the second storey of the parking garage. A trio of small, brightly clad figures were obscured and surrounded by four large men, who apparently had just piled out of a decrepit van. He heard a woman’s voice raised indignantly, and a man’s rough shout of “Shut up!†Looks like this is it. My debut. Showtime! He stood on the ledge, whirled the hook-tipped line in his hand, and threw, underhand, in a high arc across the street. He pulled to set the hook, caught on the roof-ledge of a brick building, secured his grip, and stepped off into the air. Chris swung in a slow arc, dipping down nearly to street level, before arcing up just above the lip of the second storey of the garage. Releasing the line, he landed on the edge, only pausing a moment to make sure of his balance. His entrance appeared not to be noticed yet. A low, urgent dialogue was going on between the young women and one of their accosters. “I told you, dumb-@#$, I don’t have a wallet! None of us do! We’ve got the credit ships!†“So hand ‘em over! “ “They’re implants, you idiot! They’re set under skin!†“Really? So I guess we’ll just cut ‘em out,†the thug growled menacingly. “Whao! Dude! Enough with the cutting! Or the talking about cutting!†Chr..er..Aftershock called, stepping into the aisle where the confrontation was happening. The thugs parted, revealing three young women dressed for a night out, standing next to a new red Mustang, flanked by two rough looking men on each side…a couple of which were holding baseball bats. The man that had been threatening the women looked at the newcomer with a contemptuous, puzzled expression. “Who the #$%^ are you supposed to be?†“Right now, I’m the guys sayin’ ‘No cutting on the ladies’. You guys should head out of here. Now.†The man gave a short, barking laugh, gestured at Aftershock, and told his friends “Break this loser’s face!†The club wielders immediately moved to engage Aftershock{1}, swinging as they came. The first bat connected solidly with the side of his head…and stopped. There was almost no sound of impact, no rebound – the momentum just…went away{2}. Chris felt the surge of power in his limbs, waiting to be exercised, as he spun away, avoiding the second, clumsy swing. He let that power flow into his arm, thrusting it out at the man that had hit him. Though the motion of his arm resulted in Aftershock barely touching his opponent, there was a loud cracking sound, and the thug reeled back to bounce off of the car next to him, weaving wildly on his feet{3}. Seeing this, the loudmouthed leader stepped back and pulled an black automatic from his leather jacket, while the third man joined in the assault, drawing a length of chain tight between his fists before whirling it in an arc at Aftershock’s head{4}. The sound of the impact was more like hitting a pile of pillows than a solid object, and, rather than bouncing away, the chain just dropped limply off of Aftershock’s shoulder. His partner, who had missed wildly on his first swing, reversed his motion and took a vicious swipe at Aftershock’s left knee, but, once again, the impact was absorbed harmlessly.{5} The young hero grabbed a handful of the chain that had just hit his head. Its owner tugged viciously to retrieve it, and Aftershock let that force pull him towards the thug, hand extended to share som of his stolen kinetic energy. The sudden lack of resistance through the thug off balnce, though, and Aftershocks hand barely grazed the leather-jacket clad ribs of his opponent. Though he let out a loud ‘oof’, as if he had been gut-punched, he was by no means out of the fight. {6} Aftershock stepped back from his less than impressive attack into a while of bats and chains, but Chris thought he was seeing an edge of apprehension on the faces of the toughs when he emrged completely unscathed once more..Good, he thought, now let’s make ‘em a little more nervous! He ducked another wild swing of the chain, then rached out and, almost delicately, tapped the bat-swinging mugger on his right on the temple. {8} The impact spun the man around, bouncing him off the side of their get-away-van, and sending him sprawling, unmoving, to the concrete. His compatriots took a wide-eyed step back. Before Chris to follow up on his momentary advantage, a shot rang out, unnervingly loud in the cement confines of the dingy parking garage. All heads turned towards the thugs’ leader, who was now pointing his smoking pistol outstretched to the right, directly at one of the young women, a petite Latina in a bright purple, clinging dress. {9} “Alright, @#$%^≤, maybe we can’t hurt you, but we can sure as @#$% hurt them! You two, get him in the van. You, “he barked, thrusting his chin at Aftershock, “You have five seconds to get the #$% out of here. Go!†Aftershock paused a moment, mind racing. I bet the real superheroes have already thought of a plan by now. Why is the only thing I can think ‘ohcrapohcrapohcrap…’. At the emphatic shake of the leader’s pistol, he reluctantly turned around, raising a coupel of wordless yells of disbelief from the young ladies – at least the ones without guns pointed at them. Chris took three steps away, thinking frantically, then, struck with sudden inspiration, stopped and glanced over his shoulder. He raised his right foot, and let his absorbed kinetic energy flood through the leg, channeling it down into the floor with a hard stomp. {10}. Like a ripple in a pond, the unseen wave rolled out from the point of impact with a deep rumble, hurling everyone – thugs and would-be victims alike – from their feet. {11}But before Aftershock could enjoy the success, the fallen leader, face twisted in frustrated hatred, fired wildly at his target. Chris hear the woman’s scream of shock as the bullet tore through the outer edge of her left bicep, ricocheting off underneath the car they fallen next to. Under his mask, Aftershock’s face went flat. Tearing off at full speed, he made a wide arc around the other two muggers, who were sruggling to their feet and pulling guns. He stepped on the back bumber of a battered old Taurus, vaulting over the front of it to bring the edge of hids hand down on top of the leader’s head, just as he was struggling to his feet. Amid the sharp crack of the kinetic strike detonating, the leader collapsed like a marionette with his strings cut, unconscious on the pavement. Chris stood straight, looking at the other two. They gave each other a nervous glance. Then one, who had been trying to smash the hero with the chain, muttered “#$$%& it!†and opened fire. Chris stood as each thug fired two or three rounds into him…and the bullets rolled off of him as if they had been placed against him by hand, not hurtled at several hundred feet per second by buring power. The deafening noise of the gunshots stopped, and the wisps of blue smoke cleared. Both thugs turned to each other, apprehension on their faces, then turned to bolt. Aftershock took off as well, darting to the side into the next row of cars, bolting down the row at nearly fifty miles an hour, and swerved back into the row down which the thugs were running. “You can’t hurt me. You can’t run away from me. You gonna give up, or do I need to stack you next to your buddies?†The pair hesitated, but, cursing murderously under their breath, they tossed their pistols to the floor and half-heartedly raised their hand. Aftershock gestured back the way they came, and they turned, heading back to the van. When the procession arrived back at the scene, one of the ladies was on her cell phone, frantically babbling to someone that Chris hoped was the police, and one was kneeling next to her wounded friend, pressing a handful of tissues to the bleeding arm. Chris produced a handful of heavy zip ties, and proceded to handcuff the thugs hands behind their back, and zip the conscious ones to the back handles of their van’s doors. He gave eah a quick pat down, finding a couple of knives, before zipping the wrists and ankles of the unconscious pair together behind their backs. He began to hear sirens as he dropped to his knees next to the wounded woman. “Listen…I’m really sorry about getting you shot. I thnk he was gonna cut you up anyway, but I shoulda done a better job, here. You’er gonna be OK, though. “ Her tear-streaked face assumed an annoyed expression. “Well, it could have been worse. You’re really new at this, aren’t you? Chris chuckled. “This was my first attempt ever.†The woman exhaled sharply, angry. “Great. I get to be the bait for Amateur Superhero Night. Thanks, but don’t quit your day job, man.†Chris had no response for that. The sirens sounded like they are pulling into the garage, so it was time to make an exit. “Hey!,†the girl on the phone called, “They’re asking who you are, and if you’ll make a statement.†“You can call me Aftershock,†he called back, hopping to the top of the divider at the edge of the garage. Pulling his other grappling line, he tossed it at the building where his other line still held, pulled back, and swung off into the night. TUNE IN NEXT TIME, WHERE OUR HERO DISCOVERS THAT WHILE HE IS BULLET PROOF, HIS COSUME IS NOT! “Uh, Mom? Do you know how to sew bullet holes shut? Huh? Oh, no reason…â€

Aftershock Aftershock (Questionnaire in the News forum)(1) Closing Time (An introductory solo vignette)(1)

QUESTIONNAIRE Introduction Give a two or three word description of yourself. (Describe your character's concept.) Thrill-seeking damage absorber. Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume? Aftershock. 'Cuz he really gets going after the first impact... What is your full birth name? Christopher Allen Frasier Where do you live? A tiny 'studio' (euphamism for '1 room') apartment in Lincoln, close to the Southside and the river. Why do you live there? "Cuz I can afford it..." What do you perceive as your greatest strength? The ability to do incredibly stupid things and not get hurt. What do you perceive as your greatest weakness? That would be the incredibly stupid things. What can he say, he's new at this. Physical Traits How old are you? (Chronological age as well as age category.) 22 - young adult What is your sex? Male What is your race? Mixed European, primarily Scottish, Dutch, and Swiss How tall are you? How much do you weigh? What is your general body type, frame, bone structure, and poise? Wiry body, little spare muscle, next to no fat. Typically failry poor posture. Casual, relaxed when talking or when something is happening, but rapidly gets fidgety if forced to wait. What is your skin colour? medium caucasian, a little ruddy at times. A couple of freckles on the face. What is your hair colour? Brown What is your hair style? Straight, combed back, a little less than shoulder length. [b}Do you have any facial hair? A little soul patch under the lower lip. What is your eye colour? Blue How attractive are you? "I get some second looks." What is your most distinguishing feature? Brgith blue eyes Do you have any scars, tattoos, or birthmarks? No major marks. A couple of freckles on the face and shoulders. What is your handedness (left/right/ambidextrous)? Right handed Do you resemble some currently known person? Not really What kind of clothing do you wear? "Prime grade A slackerwear, dude. No, it never IS too cold for shorts. And the sandals only go away when there is actual snow. Tie-dye, though, is right out. There are enough perfectly good t-shirts in the world wihtout the need to go all swirly on them..." Do you wear makeup? No What sort of vocal tone do you have? "Ah...Dude." History Where is your homeland? Freedom City Are you aware of its history? "I got a 'B' in History in High School, but that's been a couple a years." Are you patriotic or a social outcast? "Uh..is that really an either/or question? I've known some flag-waving freaks. I'd say closer to patriot, I guess." What are your opinions of home? "Nowhere I'd rather live. I haven't seen a lot of other places, yet." Where is your home town? Freedom City. "But North Freedom. Living in South Freedom is almost like another city..." Are your real reasons for becoming an adventurer different from what you tell others? Yes and no. There are deeper goals than he usually discusses, but they are sort of on the back burner while he gets his feet wet. Do you have any particularly high or low ability scores? Dexterity is higher than average, but not outlandish. How have these scores affected your life so far? Chris has always been fairly athletic. What about your race, growing up were you in the majority or a minority? "Dude. I'm basically a WASP in the northeastern U.S." Did this impact your outlook in any way? "All the social science types tell me it does, but, I think I'm kinda..y'know, just a dude." How do you feel about other races? "We're all just Dudes, y'know? No-one needs to get @#$% for what color they were born. All the same, a @#^* is a @#^*, no matter what race they are. I like to think I'm an equal opportunity kinda guy." Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)? "Well, Mom and Dad have been divorced just about as long as I can remeber, so I've been shuffling between houses all my life. But that just seemed kinda normal to me, y'know? No particular trauma." Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life. "I was a kid when the whole Terminus thing happened. I didn't really know anyone in the thick of it, but it leavs an impression. I kinda remeber waiting and waiting for someone to tell us all that the Centurion was OK after all. It musta been a year after that - I dunno, maybe my first trip to see his statue - that it really hit home. He was gone. Made me think that there really is some major bad @#$% out there." What stupid things did you do when you were younger? "Oh, man, can we just lump in age 16-18 and call it a day? The worst, at least up unitl the coma thing, were the acrobatic stunts, trying to impress the girls. Almost broke my neck when Camille dared me to hang upside down off the 9th Street Bridge on-ramp. COuldn't say no when one of the ladies wanted me to show off..." Which toys from your childhood have you kept? "Honestly, I couldn't tell ya. When I was in the coma, the parental units put a bunch of stuff in storage. I might have to go through it some day soon. They better not have tossed my Centurion action figure, though. Probably worth some major E-bay cash..." Why? What do they mean to you? If you didn't keep any, why not? What did you do to them all? "I wasn't much of a toy kid. Some sports equipment, some video games. I was more into running and climbing, I guess. " Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you? The fact that he was doing some sort of probably illegal substance on the night he was rendered comatose is ntoa comfortable on for Chris. Also, that he was probaly granted his power in the same incident that created Rant and Rave. Are you who you claim to be? Chris is still trying to find out who he is, himself. Time will tell... Do you have any sort of criminal record? He has never been charged with anything. There were probably a couple incidents that could have been construed as ciminal mishchief, tresspass, or reckless endangerment, but there is no record. How do you view the heroes/legends of your country? Like most wide-eyed kids in Freedom city. The fact that he is in the process of becoming a superhero himself has actaully raised his level of awe for them, at least at the present. Family Who were your parents? Father,John, a banker at Eastern Seaboard. Remarried, living with Chris's stepmother Eileen and half-brother Tyler (age 11) in Kingston Mother, Ellen, a vice principal at a Hannover middle school. Remarried, living with Chris's stepfather Constantine Ebernov and his stepsister, Oksana (age13) in Hannover. Were you raised by them? If not, then why didn't they and who did raise you? Chris spent his time alternating between the two houses. His parents, while not getting along personally, actually handled the details of the divorce and Chris's custody efficeintly and amicably. What was their standing in the community? FIrmly upper middle class suburbanites. Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot? There were a couple of moves, but the families have always lived in North Freedom How did you get along with their parents? While his relationships with both parents were a little distant, there were no major difficulties. How would your parents describe you? Answer this in the voice of your mother, then in your father's. Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what were their names? How did you get along with each of your siblings? Tyler, age 11, Half-brother from his father. They get along well - Tyler sees him as the cool older brother. Chris gives him what he considers to be the proper amount of friendly brotherly abuse. Oksana, age 13, step-sister, his mother's stepdaughter. While they used to get along very well, Oksana is becoming a rather trying teenager. According to Chris's mother, she really doesn't get along with ANYONE right now. List all current knowledge of family locations, spouses, children, birth dates, schooling, and any important incidents that only you and they might remember. No special knowledge, really. Chris is just barely cognizant enough to scrounge up cards or small gifts for birthdays. Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged? Chris visits one of his parent's homes every Sunday, alternating. Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular? Not really. He is not particulary close to his step-parents, but that realtionship is fairly casual since he moved out of both houses. Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)? There seems to be a bit of a rivalry developing with Oksana, who Chris suspects is quite a bit smarter than he is. She seems to take delight in taunting him. Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? "I guess that'd be me...Black sheep? I dunno. Maybe a dark grey?" [b}If so, who are they and how did they "gain" the position?[/b} "Well, a drug overdose and a multi-year coma outta do it..." Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? "Mom likes to talk about a great grand something uncle that was a privateer in 1812, but I'm pretty hazy on those details." If so, what did this person do to become famous or infamous? "I think he got his ship sunk..." Do you try to live up to the reputation of your ancestor, try to live it down, or ignore it? It's not really a factor for Chris Do you ever want to have a family of your own someday? "Whoa! Dude! This is WAY to early to think abou things like that. Seriously! Want to give a guy aheart attack?" Would anything change your mind on this issue and if so, what? Age and mautrity, one can hope. What type of person would be your ideal mate? "Let ya know when I meet her, dude. I think this may take some massive research..." Relationships Do you have any close friends? If so, who and what are they like? There was a small crew of friend through middle school: as they started into high school relationships, some of these bonds were strained, other became less important. Chris was a fairly popular kid, but wasn't all that close to anyone in particular. His friend smostly went off to college, the military, or jobs while he was in the coma. His best friend from childhood was Ryan Summers, his father's neighbor's son. They did their best to get each other into and keep each other out of trouble. Ryan went to a private high school, and they have lost touch. What is the history of their relationship(s) with you? See above. It is also worth noting that none of Chris's long string of short-lived girlfirends have been in touch since his recovery. Do you currently have a best friend whom you would protect with your reputation or your life? Not currently. Starting the superhero gig has made Chris sensitive of his privacy - ok, maybe just a little paranoid - and not inclined to rach out to people in any but the most casual of ways. If so, who are they and what caused you to feel so close to them? What would have to happen for you to end this relationship? n/a Do you have any bitter enemies? No-one with a name, but Chris wants some answers from the people that gave him the substance that activated his powers. If so, who are they, what are they like, and what is the history of their feud with you? Chris doesn't know, yet Have you defeated them before? Not yet... How might these enemies seek to discomfit you in the future? It might be intersting if anyone puts Aftershock together with one of the survivors of the nightclub incident that pur Chris out of commission. Which person(s) or group(s) are you most loyal to? If anyone, it's his parents and siblings. He has a lot of sympahties for the youth of the city: he thinks that being young and stupid is no rason to be preyed apon. Who is your most trusted ally? "Having one of those would be really great, dude.." Who do you trust, in general? Chris is, in general, a rather trusting individual. He may have some hard lessons to learn beacasue of this as he progresses. Who do you despise and why? He's fairly non-judemental, prefering to live and let live "Dude, if it's your thing, do it." But authoritarian hypocrisy would really stick in his craw - do as I say, not as I do types. Name seven things you hate in others. 1. Delibrate maliciousness 2. Hyporcritical enforcement of authority 3. Holding meaningless grudges 4. Uptightness 5. Contempt 6. Cheap shots - laying on insults or harm when the target can't or won't respond 7. Enjoying the suffering of others. Is your image consistent? As consistent as his thought process... Do you deliberately present yourself differently in different situations, and how? It has not yet occurred to him that he might need to do so, someday. What would you die for? This is not something to which Chris has given a lot of thought, but, in a snap decision, he might die to protect the innocent, or his family. What is the worst thing someone has done to you? Gave him a powerful psychoactive mutagenic chemical and told him it would get him pretty high... What is your general reaction to an attractive member of the opposite sex who lets you know they are available? This is very high at the top of Chris's list of 'Things I live for'. Chris is an active flirt, and a rapid-fire serial monogamist. He doens't go into relationships loooking for anything lasting, but, man, he enjoys the time along the way to the ineveitable breakup. How do you get along with others of the same adventuring class? "Let you know when I meet some folks, dude..." Have you lost any loves? Many realtionships have ended, but no-one has died. It's doubtful if Chris ever really loved any of them, even if he was quite fond of some. How did you handle the situation (short & long term)? "Bummer. NEXT!" Who would miss you should you go missing? His parents and siblings. How close are you to your adventuring companions? "Let you know when I meet some folks, dude..." What do they not know about you? n/a Are you a member of any house, guild, organization, or church? What is your level of involvement? Niether of his families attended any sort of church. The closest thing would have been high school sports teams. He always thought that he'd join a fraternity in college, but that is seeming quite unlikely at the moment. Personality & Beliefs Chris is basically laid back and easy going, his primary goal has been to thoroughly enjoy life. He's had it fairly good, and he knows it. He might be ever so slightly more appreciative of it than the average teen/early twentsomething. Slightly. The experience that left him in a coma and empowered him is the major factor in his thinking over the past year or so. It appeals to his base nature, of course - he has the chance to seek thrills on an entirely new level. But there is this nagging, inconvenient thread of altruism in teh back of his head - ther are things that he shoud DO with his newfound ability, which may not be light, fluffy, and fun. Time will tell if the hero's life adds some maturity and depth to Chris. He believes that the world is a hard enough place without people mistreateing each other. Being in and around Freedom City all of his life, he has seen what canhappen when someone with some real power decides to abuse the people without it. Now, maybe, he has a chance to do something about that. He has a bit of a feel that this may be what he is, in some cosmic sense, meant to do. Certainly, nothing else (with the possbile exception of the fairer sex) has held his attention like this concept - it's been burning in his mind for over a year, now. Do you, or did you, have any role models? Chris, like most other kids, loved the superheroes growing up. He was also fond of following athletes, but the particular idol changed as rapidly as his own participation in various sports. Expereinceing the death of the Centurion was certainly a blow. Do you have any heroes or idols, either contemporary or from legend? (See above) Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances? (See above) When did you decide to become an adventurer? About six months after coming out of the coma - about six months ago. Why have you chosen to risk your life as a career? Thrills, spills, chills... and a deeply buried sense of duty and responsibility. That part is well hidden, even from himself, most of the time. What do you expect to get out of being an adventurer? What, if anything, would make you stop adventuring? er....Thrills, spills, chills. Attention from the ladies, if he's really lucky, though the whole secret identity thing may be a major blocakade to romantic benefits from Heroing. What would make him stop? He'll let you know when he sees it. Chris is definately not planning that far ahead. Do you have any dreams or ambitions? If not, why? Let's see how far this hero gig goes... What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)? Short term goals generally mean "What's for lunch?" for Chris. He woud like to upgrade hsi equipment and hone his skills, maybe meet some of the other players in town. What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)? "What? Twenty years? Are you even remotely serious?" Though, within a few years, Chris would like to have found out who engineered the events that lead to so many deaths, so much trauma, and the empowerment of himself, Rant, and Rave. If these goals seem at odds with each other, or with your dreams, how do you reconcile the differences? n/a Do you have any great rational or irrational fears or phobias? If so, what are the origins of, or reasons behind them? How do you react when this fear manifests itself? What are your attitudes regarding material wealth? Chris is just discovering for the first time what it feels like to live wihtout at least comfortable wealth. He's finding what he can do without. ti is a new set of experinces for him. Are you miserly with your share of the wealth, or do you spend it freely? Perhaps a bit too freely... Do you see wealth as a mark of success, or just as a means to an end? he knows that he will come into his trust fund in a few years, so, long term he is not worried - it would be more a means to an end for him. he just has no idea what the end is. How do you generally treat others? Never worse than a bit of teasing, a little sarcasm. Fo the most part, relaxed and groovy. Though in his younger days, he went through periods of being fairly self-centered and inconsiderate. That, for the most part, was why his relationships tended not to last. Do you trust easily (perhaps too easily) or not? Perhaps too easily. Thsi may casue problems in the days ahead. Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Extrovert. Definately an extrovert. Are you a humble soul or blusteringly proud? Chris tends to go for the bragging without bragging - and is definately not adverse to showing off. What habits do you find most annoying in friends? "Ditching me at the last minute." What are your most annoying habits? General irresponsibility and poor memory - including dithcing people at the last minute. According to his step-sister, it's his proclivity for the word "Dude". Is there any race, creed, alignment, religion, class, profession, political viewpoint, or the like against which you are strongly prejudiced, and why? Chris has the left-leaning tendencies of the urban young, without a lot of fire behind them. The extreme social conservative right wing annoys him - he thinks that most folks should be able to live like they want. He has no real opinion on most other political issues. Missing the first couple of years after he turned 18, he has yet to vote. What is your favourite food? Whatever comes in large amounts. At this time in his life, he leans toward Mexican or Tex-Mex, but can never say no to a pizza. What is your favourite drink? Chris is still very much hooked on the high sugar high caffiene carbonated beverages. What is your favourite treat (desert)? Pie. Fruit pies, mostly. Cherry as a top preference, but apple or blueberry will do in a pinch. Do you favour a particular cuisine? It changes, but mexican or Tex/Mex right now. In the past it has been Thai and Indian. Do you savor the tastes when eating or "wolf down" your food? He's a hyperactive kid barely out of his teens, with some super-speed to boot. What do you think? Do you like food mild or heavily spiced? With the iron stomach of the young, hot and spicy is a badge of courage. Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat? Never warmed up to liver, lima beans, or tofu. What are your favourite colour(s)? Dark greens and bright, lighter blues. Is there any colour that you dislike? Browns and tans. Do you have a favourite (or hated) song, type of music, or instrument? He's an indie rock type, though his real tastes are now a few years out of date - missing two years of your life will do that. He's not fond of country. If you have a favourite scent, what is it? Mom's cherry pie baking still does it. What is your favourite type of animal? Chris likes unnusual pets, like ferrets, parrots, or lizards. Are you allergic to any kinds of animals? Cats Is there anything that enrages you? "Never had much of a temper, dude. Maybe somethin' out there will make me blow my stack, but I haven't found it yet. Emphasize the chill, dude." Is there anything which embarrasses you? Being shown up in something he is alledgedly good at. Being shot down by a girl. Being made to feel stupid in front of people. Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts? "I live in a city. I LIKE living in a city. Why would you think that I'd think camping is a good idea?" Do you have a patron deity? No. Are you devout or impious? n/a Do you actively worship and proselytize or do you simply pay lip service? n/a What lengths would you go to defend your faith? n/a Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special? n/a Do you belong to a dominant church, or an independent church, cult, or sect (and is the group accepted, frowned upon, or considered heretics)? n/a Will you kill? It's not a matter that Chris has considered deeply. Under most circumstances, no. Most liekly, he would need to be enraged beyond reason - and righ tnow, he can't imagine what would make him that angry. When did you decide (or learn) that you would? Hasn't happened yet When do you consider it okay to kill (under what circumstances)? Chris doesn't think its ever OK - but it obviously happens. When do you consider it wrong to kill (under what circumstances)? In just about every circumstance that he has imagined. What would you do if someone else attempted to (or successfully did) kill under your "wrong" circumstances, what would be your reaction? "Thats the sort of thing that I got into the biz for, dude. Bring 'em in." What if it were your enemy? "Bring him in, and try not to enjoy it too much..." What if it were your friend? "Bummer, dude. Maybe get him, like, a really good lawyer first. Make sure it's him. I sure as @#$$ hope that no freind of mine would ever do that." In reality, this would probably paralyze Chris with indecision for a while. What if the opponent were not in control of their own actions (under duress, charmed, dominated, possessed)? "Can't punish someone if its not their fault. But proving that is the real b#$%^." What would you do if something were stolen from you? "Renters insurance, dude. Best. Idea. Ever." What would you do if you were badly insulted publicly? Try to give as good as he got, try to laugh it off, or slink away, embarrssed and ashamed. Chris was never one to start palyground fistfights. What would you do if a good friend or relative were killed by means other than natural death? "Why I bought a mask, dude. Time to get all detectivy. Find whodunnit, make sure they pay the price." What is the one task you would absolutely refuse to do? "My mom would say dishes." Probably harming someone helpless. What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why? Torture, becasue of the deliberation and forethought. Losing control, Chris can understand, but a drive to hurt someone over an extended period, enough to elaborately plan it, is just beyond his comprehension. How do you feel about government (rulers) in general? Why do you feel that way? It's just always been something in the background for him. He rarely gives it much thought, unless he and his freinds were running to hide from local cops after a stupid prank. Do you support the current government of your homeland? As he enters the superheroing phase of his life, this is something that will become more relevant to him than it ever has been. If so, how far are you willing to go to defend the government? If not, do you actively oppose it? He would certainly fight against any overt violence directed at public officials. What form of government do you believe is the best (democracy, monarchy, anarchy, aristocratic rule, oligarchy, matriarchy) and why? It would never occur to him that American Republican democracy is anyhting other than the best, being what he's known all of his life. Do you have any unusual habits or dominant personality traits that are evident to others? ...Dude... If so, describe them and how you acquired them, as well as when they might be more noticeable and what causes them. n/a Do you have any unusual or nervous mannerisms, such as when talking, thinking, afraid, under stress, or when embarrassed? He does tend to babble a little, even talking outloud to himself, when nervous. What is your most treasured possession? He has a small framed photo of his parents holding him as a smiling, laughing baby. If your life were to end in 24 hours, what 5 things would you do in those remaining hours? Rent and drive the fastest, most ridiculous sports car possible. Skydive. Consume the rarest and most expensive alcohol he could get his hands on. Have the pizza to end all pizzas with his whole colleciton of families. As much 'intimacy' with as many girls as could stand him. Career & Training Where and how were you educated? The Kingston public school districts. Who trained you in your adventuring class(es)? Various sports coaches, martial arts trainers, that vast temple of wisdom called the internet, and lots of covert practice. What was your relationship with your teacher(s)/mentor(s)? n/a Is this person or institution still in existence? n/a Were you a prize student or did you just barely pass? Chris was a decent student, if not all that diligent. He graduated with honors, but not the high honrs his parents had expected. Look at your skills. How did you acquire them (especially the unusual ones)? See above Have you ever done anything else for a living? Apart from a few odd outdoor jobs in the summers, Chris has never really held a job. How do you function in combat (maneuvers, weaknesses)? Chris has little offensive power until he is attacked. He will typically see if a situation can be salvaged by talking, first. After that, he typically tries to close with opponents, using his Strike attacks, saving his Blast powers for those he can't reach. If he's faced with a group of opponents, he will attempt to Swing or drop into the middle of them and use his Trip attack - which is set up like the Super-Strength power stunt Groundstrike - to knock down as many as he can and deal with them one at a time or in small groups. Have you ever received any awards or honours? Some high school sports trophies, some Honor Roll appearances. Is there anything that you don't currently know how to do that you wish you could? Chris is living on his own for the first time. There are a million household tasks over which he has gained a new respect for him mom and stepmother. Laundry comes high on that list. Very shortly, Chris will probably wish he had stayed in Tae Kwon Do a little longer... Are you envious of others who can do such things in a good-natured way or are you sullen and morose about it? Chris can be envious, but, as with most things, he takes it all in good humor. Lifestyle & Hobbies When not adventuring, what is your normal daily routine? Chris is taking a couple of classes - Freshman English and U.S History (for non-History majors) - which he is actually fairly good about attending. He usually does his reading for the classes on or near campus, frequenting bookstores and coffee shops. By good chance and careful scheduling, both of his classes are in the early afternoon, so early rising is not a part of his routine. He usually spends the hour and a half before dinner at the campus gyms or pools. Working out was never really a chore for him, and he has good reasons for wanting to be in top shape. At night, Chris explores his powers, working his way over the rooftops of the Southside and Downtown. He has lately had the idea that being outside of the big clubs after Last Call might be a good place to start. How do you feel and react when this routine is interrupted for some reason? Locked into a strict routine, he ain't. Chris just goes with the flow. What are your hobbies when you are not adventuring or training? Really, the adventuring and training ARE his hobbies. Though he thinks about trying to get to know more folks on campus. What do you do for relaxation? What things do you do for enjoyment? What interests do you have? Music, concerts, movies, the occasional odd video game, pick-up basketball, a night out dancing at the clubs. How do you normally dress when not in your adventuring gear? See above What do you normally wear in bed at home? Boxers. Sweats and at-shirt, if needed, in the winter. His stepfather kept his mom's house a little colder than his dad's house. What do you normally wear in bed while adventuring? That phrase takes on an entirely different meaning for Chris... Do you wear any identifiable jewelry? No. Where do you normally put your weapons, magic items, or other valuables when you are sleeping? He puts his wallet, keys, and cell phone on his nightstand. He has a locked trunk in which he stores his Hero gear. He bolted the trunk to the floor (and that'll be coming out of his security deposit) to keep someone from just boosting the whole thing instead of dealing with the lock. He keeps hi slaundry on top of it. What morning or evening routines do you normally have? Morning...late morning. Very late morning. Chris usually showers before bed and breifly afer waking up. Do these change when you are adventuring? Chris is more of a home-based adventurer, so no, not really Travel: how do you get around locally? During the day, and most evenings, by whatever mass transit is most convenient. He has passes. At night - by rope above the rooftops, or at high speed (he can run at almost 50 mph) on the ground. Do you have a Last Will and Testament? No. Miscellaneous What would you like to be remembered for after your death? "As being an OK dude..." What kind of threat do you present to the public? A bit of mischief or a falling object hazard, mostly. If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body? There are som efreckles on his shoulders, but probably DNA is your best bet. Except, unbeknownst to Chris, it might not be... As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice... Dude; Remember, human never look up. Remember to look up. Don't rush - you have the rest of your life to learn this @#$%. And find some people you can trust - you won't be able to do this all alone.

Geezr; Thanks for the catch. I've adjusted - Absorbtion down to 5, Swinging to 1, dropped a couple of stats (and adjusted skills to refelct this), and added his computer skill, which I had overlooked. Would you be so kind as to have another look when you get the chance? Thanks,

Power Level: 6 (90/92) Trade-Offs: none Unspent PP: 2pp Characters Name: Aftershock Alternate Identity: Christopher Frasier Age: 22 (born February 6th 1988; Apparent Age 22) Gender: Male Height: 5'9" Weight: 165# Eyes: Blue Hair: Light Brown Description: "The kid was standing right on the edge of the roof. I mean RIGHT on the edge, just his toes on it, facing me in the middle of the roof, like ya see the divers onna board. 'Cept this was above a five-story drop onta pavement, not a diving pool. He wasn't too tall, but stood like he was, know what I mean? Like a rooster that fluffs up ta take up a lotta space, kinda. Wiry kid. Looked like he had some muscle on ' im, but not one of those bulky bodybuilder types. Whipcord, the westerns liked ta call it. Ya got the impression that this kid never liked ta sit still, even though he was really still right then, hangin' over the edge. Handsome face, clean shaven, 'cept for that stupid little patch under tha lip that the kids are wearn' these days. Brown hair, longer than I'd let my son wear, but not down to his shoulders, all slicked back. In any other town, his getup would have just been...I dunno, outlandish, but this here's Freedom City, an' costumes are dime a dozen around here. This one - well, he was wearin' what looked like WWI aviator goggles, up on his head at the moment. He had on a black T-shirt with a jaggedy white line across it, like the thingamabob they show on the news whenver there's an Earthquake in Turkey or Japan. Seismo-thingy. He had on a pair of heavy fatigue pants, olive drabs, but they had been cut off and hemmed a little below the knee. Long tube socks and a pair of serious looking sneakers - Heavier and more built up than a runnin' shoe, not lookin' like anythin' ya find in Foot Locker. But, again, this is Freedom City, and even superheroes gottta shop somewhere. Black gloves with no fingers. Looked like leather, and they wuz long, goin' up his arm over his sleeves. He had a coat on, a light trenchcoat, another Army-Navy store grab, I guess; it was olive too, but also looked like it had been cut off, just above the knee. I remember thinkin' that someone had done a nice job of hemming it. Wierd the things you remember. So, there's this kid, up on the roof of the building I'm the Super for. That's superintendant, not superhero. Guess in this town ya gotta specify. This kid, lookin' like a jumper. 'Cept when I get up there, he don't look like he's upset or scared or whatever. He's gotta look in his eye like this is gonna be the time a' his life. As I start talkin' and walkin' toward him, he gives me one big blue-eyed wink, settles his goggles on, and does a backflip offa the @#$% building! I run over, look over, and he's layin' flat on his back onna sidewalk, laughin' ta beat tha band. He looks up at me and does one a those fancy flips ya see in the Bruce Lee Movies - kickin out his legs and comin ta his feet. The kid looks around a sec, looks back up at me, bends his knees...and jumps back up the five stories he just dropped. Cocky little guys just looks at me, sez "Thanks," Then turns around and jumps over the street to the next building. I guess I'l llook for this one on TV, so I can tell the guys at the Slovak Club I met him when he was just startin' out... (Since this time, Chris has added a lower-face covering, similar to the cold weather gear tha covers from the nose down, over the neack and spreading on to the shoulders, but in black and of much lighter material. Betwwen this and the goggles, his face is pretty thorougly concealed.) History: Christopher's upbringing was fairly unremarkable. He split time between his parents, who had been divorced as long as he could remember. His father worked downtown as an investor at Eastern Seaboard Bank and lived in Kingston, remarrying when Christopher was nine. Chris's half brother Tyler is eleven years younger than he is. After Chris came out of the coma, Tyler no longer resents him as he did when younger, now nearly idolizing him. Chris is fond of him, but still subjects him to what he considers to be the proper amount of teasing. Chris's mother Ellen worked her way up from a math teacher to the vice principal of a Hannover middle school over the years. She also remarried - A Russian immigrant and physics teacher at another school -and Chris has a 13 year old stepsister named Oksana. His mother's family lives on the eastern edge of Hannover. Oksana and Chris got anlong famously when she was a child, but, accroding to his mother, as Oksana moves into her teenage years, she gets long with NO-ONE. Her favorite targets in conversation with Chris are his casual (Shabby?) appearance and his proclivity for the word 'Dude'. Chris is convinced that Oksana is quite a bit brighter than he is. For most of his life, Chris walked the fine line of acceptance, pride, dissapointment, and frustration with his parents. He was bright, and not particuallry challanged academically, but certainly did not seek out challanges or put a great deal of effort into hsi school work. He was atheltic, but never really found a sport or hobby that held his interest, though he tried a wide variety; martial arts, skiing, swimming, wrestling, lacrosse...track and field, particualrly the jumping events, came the closest to holding is interest. But then he began to discover the fun things in life. Girls, parties, girls, and...oh, yeah, girls. While his grades and activities suffered with the blossoming of his social life, he didn't slide far enough for either of his parents or any of his teachers to be especially alarmed. Just a little dissapointed. Chris graduated, doing well enough to earn entry into Freedom College with an undeclared major, but did not seem particualrly enthusiastic about it. The summer before college, Chris spent a lot of late nights Downtown and in the other hotspots, becoming a fixture in the Rave scene. The last thing that he remembers about the night before the coma was trying something new - some new designer drug that no-one had ever heard of. Of the thirty teens and twentysomethings that had tried it, only two walked away when the chemical began to take effect. Those two would come to be known as Rant and Rave. Of the others, several died, several suffered severe and permenant neurological damage, and Chris - after hours of seizures, sank into the coma in which he would spend the next two years. As the time passed, his parents, united in something for the first time in fifteen years, sued the owners of the club where the incident had happened. The speed with which the ownership settled, and the genreosity of that settlement, lead to some interesting questions about who was backing them, and why. Chris still wonders about that. Chris emerged - seemingly spontaneously (Unless another agent was acting...?) from his coma in October of 2008. In the course of a year of physical therapy and pyschological evaluation, her began to discover his powers: His first clue was falling down a flight of stairs when he snuck out of his room one night, and not receiveing so much as a bruise. It didn't even hurt. Not a bit. Chris went back to living with alternating parents for the first three months after his discharge from the rehabilitation center. During the days, when his siblings were at school and his parents and step parents were at work, he would explore the limits of his new powers, and work hard to rediscover the gymnastic and martial arts tricks from his youth. With what remained of the settlement after Chris's staggering medical bills, his parents set up a trust fund for him. He can't touch the principle until he's thirty five, but for now it pays for his educational expenses and pays a small dividend every month: enough to live very modestly on, but not enough to afford a car or really live it up. Chris had to scrimp and save to afford the few peices of HEROGEAR that he bought from the mail order catalogs that most of Freedom City considers junk mail. If he ever has the leisure to talk with more established heros, he'll defeinately ask where to get the better stuff... He has re-enrolled, part time, in Freedom College, taking a very light load of general credit classes. He has a small apartment in the northeast corner of Lincoln, near to the Southside. He still visits his parents, visiting one every Sunday afternoon, and alternating. After exploring his powers for while, Chris has decided its time to go out and seriously seek some superhero-type thrills...dude. Personality & Motivation: THIS WOULD BE FROM HE DIARY OF CHRISTOPHER FRASIER AKA AFTERSHOCK IF HE COUD BE BOTHERED TO EVER WRITE ANYTHING DOWN. So, I've got my new gear, I've got my costume, and, oh yeah, I've got Freakin' Superpowers! I'm ready to go. It's just after closing time Friday night/ Saturday morning, and I am hangin' out, crouching on a ledge four stories above a street downtown packed with bars. I have a good view of acouple of alleys, and I figure that when the bad guys come out to mug or rob the drunks spilling into the street, bam! I'm here to save the day. Ok, so Patron saint of Closing Time may not be exactly saving kittens and capturing the Crime League, but a dude's gotta start somewhere. It's been pretty clear so far, when someone right friggin' beside me - did I mention that I was four stories up - clears his throat. I managed not to jump of my perch and look over. Now, I probably shouldda had a better greeting for one of the Freedom League than " 'sup, Dude?", but the Bowman didn't seem to mind. He tells me that he and others - Foreshadow, the Raven, Midnight, that type - had seen me prowling around. They hadn't really seen me do much of anything - certainly nuthin' bad - so they decided it was time to talk to me. We chatted a bit, while he tried to decide if I was on the side of the angels, and I told him a bit about my powers, my plans (Plans? Dude, I haven't really planned as far as breakfast, but I have some general ideas..) and stuff. He told me to watch my back a little better when I headed home - someone could have easily followed me, found out who I am. Guess I have a lot to learn about having a secret identity. Then he asked me what he called the important question. "Why are you doing this?" "Dude, why not? No, seriously, that isn't a blowoff answer. I mean it. Out of a craptastic situation I got handed the ability to do some really cool @#$%. I don't think that anyone is gunna pay me to do it, and I'm relly not into @#$%ing with people - so if I wanna get the most outta the whole superpowers gig, it looks like Heroin' time. Plus, tell me truth here, dude - the chicks dig the hero types, right? Tell me that does not infuence your motiva - no? really? Whatever helps ya sleep, dude." "But no, seriously. There was this thing, a few years ago. Very close to what happened to me." Oh, jeeze. I might have just as well told him this is 'for a friend of mine.' Oh well... "This thing. Buncha kids at a party. Someone slips them this @#$% - what, language? Seriously, dude? Ok, Rated PG it is, then. - Someone slips them some drug no-one ever heard of. Not even a name for it. Buncha kids try it: Buncha kids die, buncha kids are permenantly fu...messed up, talkin' big time neurological damage - yes I know what neurological means. No need to look suprised when I whip out the vocab-stick - and two go all Supervillian. Powers and attitude. Don't know if the drug gave 'em the attitude, but it sure gave ' 'em the power to do something with it." I had to pause a sec - I needed to chose my words, to look serious wihtout sounding like a Very Special Episode of your favorite family drama. "Seems to me that those two - the supervillians - were what they were after - the guys that slipped 'em the stuff. Seems to me that those odds - messin' up or killing twenty eight kids outta thirty - well, the guys that whipped this up probably considered that...ah, waddaya call it...'acceptable losses'. Seems to me that a bunch of kids just wanted a good time, not to be a soldier in the next superhero war. So maybe they weren't smart, but they didn't deserve to fill pine box, know what I'm sayin'? So, sometime, when I know what I'm doin' a bit more, I'm gonna look into to sh...stuff like that. In the meantime - well, there's a lotta people down there that are drunk and stupid, but that doens't mean they deserve to be robbed, or jacked up, or knifed in an alley, or abducted by aliens. So maybe I'll keep an eye on them some nights." "Other times? Well, I am seriously sepculating that there is a whole awful lot o' fun to be had at this job, dude! Am I right?" Powers & Tactics: Against low-level threats, Chris is hard to harm. However until someone tries, he has next to no offensive power himself. He will usually start an encounter by talking, looking for a non-violent resolution - though his first words in such a situation are almost ineveitably "Dude! Chill!". He's not exactly a polished negotiator or diplomat yet. If it comes to violence, he works hard to interpose himself between danger and the helpless, absorbing whatever punishment he can before coutnerattacking. While he has the capability of hanging back and projecting purplish bolts of electricity at his opponents, he usually leaps right in, using his kientic or electrical touch attacks. Against a group of opponents, he will try to Leap or Swing into the middle of them and use his Trip attack, modified to an Area Burst centered on himself, like the Super Strength stunt Groundstrike. If he decides that he absolutely must enter a situation with some power already at his disposal, he will Swing up to a height of about fifty feet...and let go. This occasionally makes for a dramatic entrance, but he has flubbed a couple. It's pretty embarassing to start a fight by belly-flopping the pavement, even if it only hurts his pride. Complications: Struggling Stats: 0+4+0+2+0+2 = 8pp Str: 10 (+0) Dex: 14 (+2) Con: 10 (+0) Int: 12 (+1) Wis: 10 (+0) Cha: 12 (+2) Combat: 12+12 = 24 pp Attack: +6 Grapple: +6 Defense: +6 (+3 flat-footed) Knockback: -0 Initiative: +3 Saves: 4+2+2 = 8 pp Toughness: +0 (+0 Con, +0 other) Fortitude: +4 (+0 Con, +4) Reflex: +5 (+3 Dex, +2) Will: +2 (+0 Wis, +2) Skills: 20 r = 5 pp Acrobatics 4 (+6) Climb 4 (+4) Computers 2 (+3) Escape Artist 2 (+4) Knowledge: Streetwise 2 (+3) Knowledge: Popular Culture 2 (+3) Notice 2 (+2) Swim 2 (+2) Feats: 3pp All-Out Attack Instant Up Equipment (1) Equipment: Reinforced Line and grappling hook A SPARE reinforced line and grappling hook Comlink Flash Goggles Cell Phone Powers: 37+2+3 = 42pp Absorbtion 5 (Absorb- Boost Leap/genetic, kinetic; Extras: Energy Storage; Both Types ; Power Feats:Slow Fade(2); [32 pp] AP: Absorbtion 5 (Absorb - Heal/genetic; Extras: Energy Storage; Both Types ; Power Feats:Slow Fade(2); [1 pp] AP: Absorbtion 5 (Absorb - Boost Strike (Kinetic)/genetic, kinetic; Extras: Energy Storage; Both Types ; Power Feats:Slow Fade(2); [1 pp] AP: Absorbtion 5 (Absorb - Boost Strike (Electrical)/genetic, electrical; Extras: Energy Storage; Both Types ; Power Feats:Slow Fade(2); [1 pp] AP: Absorbtion 5 (Absorb - Boost Blast (Electrical)/genetic, electrical; Extras: Energy Storage; Both Types ; Power Feats:Slow Fade(2); [1 pp] AP: Absorbtion 5 (Absorb - Boost Trip (Area)/genetic, kinetic; Extras: Energy Storage; Both Types ; Power Feats:Slow Fade(2); [1 pp] Super Movement 1 (Swinging) [2 pp] Speed 3 (Speed/genetic, kinetic) [3 pp] DC Block: Blast 6 --- 21/Toughness --- Bruised, Staged Strike 6 --- 21/Toughness --- Bruised, Staged Trip 6 --- Better of Strength,Dex, or Acrobatics vs. Power Check Costs: Abilities (8) + Combat (24) + Saves (8) + Skills (5) + Feats (3) + Powers (42) - Drawbacks (00) = 90/92pp

Thank you, quotemyname. It looks like my basic idea is going to work well, then. If there is a Ref out there that would care to comment, I'd welcome the input: Otherwise, I will whip up a build and post to the character bank. Thanks, mellowgoth

Hello, all: Long time listener, first time caller. No, seriously, I have never played M&M Tabletop, and only made few cahracters for PbP on ther boards. The idea I have for my first character here at FCPbP goes a little something like this: A younger, struggling adrenaline junkie. His major power set is a combination of Absorbtion powers. He can absorb physical damage to boost Leap, Srike, or Trip (a la the Earth Stomp Super Strength power feat). He can abosrb energy to boost Blast or Strike (like a Shocking Grasp or the biggest Rug-shuffle-static shock ever). ANd I would like to be able to absorb either with the option to Heal. I've looked at the energy storage extra, and would like to be able to use any physical damage stored to power any of those powers (Leap, Strike,Trip) without needing to decide at the time of the incoming damage, and similar for energy. As I imagine the setup, he WOULD need to decide whether or not to apply incoming damage absorbed to Heal before putting points into storage. Here is how I imagine the decison tree when the hero (working name: Aftershock) takes Energy or physical damage: Do you want to use it to heal? Yes - Good, you feel better No ----- IS it Physical or energy? Physical ----Put absorbed points into storage, use later to power Leap, Strike or Trip. Energy------Put points into a seperate storage bank, use later to power Blast or Strike. As I had it initially written, I (wihtout the benefit of UP) have it written as follows: Absorb (Physical) (Boost Leap) (Extras: Energy Storage) (Power Feats: Energy COnversion, SLow fade(1pt/5rds)) ALT: Absorb (Physical) (Boost Strike) (Extras: Energy Storage) (Power Feats: Energy COnversion, SLow fade(1pt/5rds)) ALT: Absorb (Physical) (Boost Trip) (Extras: Energy Storage) (Power Feats: Energy COnversion, SLow fade(1pt/5rds)) Extras on Trip - ARea (centered Burst) ALT: Absorb (Energy) (Boost Strike) (Extras: Energy Storage) (Power Feats: Energy COnversion, SLow fade(1pt/5rds)) Blast=electrical ALT: Absorb (Energy) (Boost Blast) (Extras: Energy Storage) (Power Feats: Energy COnversion, SLow fade(1pt/5rds)) Strike-electrical ALT: Absorb (both) (Boost Heal) (extras: Both types) Note that, absent incoming damage, he does not possess any of the boosted powers - he must 'charge up' before doing anyhting fancy. Though I am considering giving him a couple of ranks of Super-Movement: Swinging, so , if need be, he can drop himself from about 30 feet before the start of a fight....I figure, it's a heck of a way to make an entrance... So, all of you experienced types out there, can you give me advice on how to make this setup rulesworthy? Does any of the concentrated babble there make sense? I throw myself upon the mercy of the boards... Thanks, all, mellowgoth