Shockwasp

Just a chick in a costume ...with a year and a half of judo training. Stepping to the side of the thug's punch, Calliope grabbed his wrist, and used his own momentum to hurl him bodily to the ground, quickly following him and locking his arm behind his head. He was helpless now, and she could wait at her leisure for the cops to arrive. Still, she'd never known criminals to give up easily in the comics, and she doubted real ones were any different. So, Cal shifted herself slightly, and prepared to knock his head against the pavement once or twice if he became too much to handle.

Block attempt vs DC 12 18 + 7 = 25 Success! Grapple check. 6 + 11 = 17

Calliope felt the thug's heavy fist graze across her cheek as she rolled with the punch, her martial arts training, and her preparation, once again saving her life. The levity of the situation drove all the worry and doubt from the girl's mind. She was in the zone, and this brute was going down. Releasing the clip from the weapon and tossing both aside, Calliope brought her left leg back, and took a more defensive stance. Coyly, she stretched out one arm, and beckoned the thug with two fingers.

Calliope had hit, but the thug was still standing. As he pulled the gun from her coat, a sick, bubbling fear began to well up inside of the girl. Off-balance, and at point blank range... there was nothing she could do to get out of the way. He was going to shoot her, kill her, and there was nothing she could do about it. A million thoughts raced through her head in one moment. She'd failed again. It all ends right here. Like this. My first night out and I'- BLAMCLANG The sound of gunfire interrupted Calliope's thoughts. But, instead of the piercing pain she'd expected, the girl was knocked back, a barely-perceptible dent present in the center of her breastplate. She looked down, and ran her fingers over the cold metal. It'd saved her life, there was no doubt about that. Don't waste time, Kris! Her training kicked in before her mind had even finished processing what had happened. Moving entirely by instinct, she grabbed the gun in the thug's hand, and struck at his wrist with her other hand, attempting to deprive him of the weapon that nearly killed her.

Disarm Attempt! First, attack roll. 10 + 7 = 17 If that hits, 1d20+Damage+4 against an opposed Strength roll. 12 + 6 = 18

I'll burn a Luck HP to use Ultimate Toughness. Toughness Roll 20 + 7 = 27.

Yes, it's working! Not giving her opponent a chance to get out his gun, Calliope closes the distance, and puts all of her weight onto her front leg, throwing her meager bodyweight into a punch, aimed for the large mobster's jaw. "Tell your boss Calliope says hi!" Unfortunately, she did not seem to account for how tall he was, and her arm is not long enough to reach all the way up to his face from where she is! Ohhhh crap.

Initiative! 10 + 4 =14 Calliope throws her bodyweight into a punch! ...and probably misses. 4 + 5 = 9 If you want to count the move+attack thing a charge, then 11, instead, though that still probably won't hit much. In the unlikely event that I hit, DC 19 Toughness Save.

They were moving sooner than Cal expected, and it quite nearly threw her off. No, don't let them get away! Recovering from her momentary surprise, the young vigilante hurled her shield at the farther of the two thugs, and ran at the one closer to her, dearly hoping that he didn't have fast reflexes.

Calliope is throwing her shield at the farther of the thugs, and taking a move action towards the closer one. 12 + 7 = 19 Damage is DC 22.

Well, thanks for strengthening my resolve to beat the tar out of you guys. Calliope grimaced at their conversation, honestly rather disturbed by the knowledge that this was normal for Tartagliones. As she waited, a plan began to formulate in the girl's head. She shifted her weight slightly, and readied herself for what was to come, lifting her shield above and behind her, aiming for the farther-away of the two thugs. Calm down, Kris. You can do this. It's not like last time. You're ready. You can do this. It's not going to end like last time. ...I won't let it.

There they are. They didn't seem to be in much of a hurry. Good, that meant that she could take her time getting down from here. Slowly, carefully sneaking along the flat concrete roof of the building, Calliope dropped down into the dark alley beside, and began to consider her options. If they've got guns, I'm going to have to be really careful about this. Even if they didn't, it was two large mob thugs against one girl in tights. Gripping the shield on her arm, she swallowed, trying to keep calm, and watched the men for a bit longer.

Stealth Roll Calliope tries to sneak off of the roof and drop into the alley beside the building. 18 + 6 = 24

Time is a funny thing. Seven years ago, Kris was a cheerful teenager with an obsession with comics, spending her days in this very restaurant, reading about the heroes that protected the city and the world. Six years ago, she awoke in a hospital bed to the knowledge that some of the greatest heroes she'd every known were dead, and it was a miracle she wasn't as well. Three years ago, she was shaken from her stupor by another brush with death, and four hours ago, she had put on her new mask for the first time. Things had come full-circle. She could only imagine what would happen in another seven years. There wasn't time to think about what-ifs, though. Calliope crouched on the roof of the small pizzeria, keeping an eye out for the Tartaglione thugs she'd heard were coming. Of course, now that her mind was off of the past, there was nothing distracting the girl from how high up she was. It's only ten feet, Kris... It's not that far. Even if you fall, as long as you land on your feet... She swallowed hard. ...just make really sure to land on your feet...

Doktor Archeville, Miss Americana... some heroes she didn't recognize as well, but Katherine Epyllia was star-struck, nonetheless. Great minds, greater than even her father's, were in the very next room... and she couldn't go listen in because then there'd be no one at the desk. It was driving the poor girl mad. I could go back there if Vivian would come back in already... Oh, all the things they could be talking about in there. Not knowing was torture. Kris checked her watch for what must have been the hundredth time. She'd been gone a long time. No one's here right now. I don't think anyone would mind if I just snuck off for a few minutes... The brunette chewed her lip, looking around nervously. Ah, she couldn't take it any more! Hastily scribbling a "Back in five minutes" sign, the young woman ducked out of her post, trying not to run as she headed back to where the heroes were meeting. Her manners, her good sense, and her indoor voice all left her when she saw the heroes- and Vivian... sitting back in her chair. "Viv!" She called, unintentionally charging straight through the much more important conversation, "Your break ended half an hour ago!" It was only after she'd spoken that she realized what she'd done. Clapping both hands over her mouth, she looked around at the brilliant individuals who were no doubt supremely irritated at this pedestrian girl who had interrupted them, and smiled apologetically. "S-sorry..."

Calliope Kris Epyllia

Dok invited me to the thread in Chat, so, I'm not as uninvited as I seem. Also, hi, everyone. New guy. :v:

[floatr][/floatr]Calliope - Lady of Green and Gold [groove]23137876[/groove] [goto=20Q]Interview for Freedom City Crier (20Q)[/goto] Interview for Freedom City Crier (20Q)[anchor]20Q[/anchor] The following is the transcript of an interview conducted by Tricia Walt of the Freedom City Crier, a local newspaper concerned mainly with the going-ons of Southside, and the Boardwalk. Calliope was spotted busting a couple of thugs who were "convincing" a local business owner to pay protection money. As they were being escorted away by Freedom City police, one of them nursing a broken arm, Ms. Walt pulled the heroine aside, hoping for a scoop on an up-and-coming hero. TW: "Hi, Tricia Walt, Freedom City Crier. Do you have a few moments for an interview?" C: "Wha-? Oh! Um..." [glances at her wrist, as though expecting a watch, then looks around] "Sure, I suppose I can spare a few minutes. What did you want to know?" TW: "Thank you, I know you must be very busy, I'll make this quick. Can you introduce yourself to any of our readers who might not know who you are?" C: "Oh, of course. I'm Kri- ah, I mean Calliope, the Lady of Green and Gold." TW: "That's quite a name, any special meaning behind it?" C: "Calliope was the Greek muse of heroic epics. It seemed like a fitting title, considering my- ah, actually, I probably shouldn't say any more than that." TW: "Oh, Greek mythology. Were you born in Greece, then? A golden child from the foot of Mount Olympus?" C: "I'm flattered, but no. I was born in Freedom City, actually, lived in Southside all my life." TW: "So this is your home then, too? After seeing what you did to those thugs, I'm glad you're on our side." C: [laughs nervously] "I grew up here, saw things like that every day, it seems like. I guess I kind of let my anger get the better of me a little bit." TW: "I'm sure they'll have plenty of time to heal in prison. What are your powers, then, miss Calliope? I didn't see you-" C: "Oh, um..." [emberassed] "I don't really have any powers, per se. I mean, I've got my armor, and I've had martial arts training, and Mom always used to say that I was stubborn enough to make the tides stop if I wanted them to, but nothing that really qualifies me as 'super'." TW: "What made you decide to become a 'super' hero, then? Just got fed up with seeing thugs and criminals taking over the streets?" C: "No, it- I mean, um, yes, of course, I don't like seeing these criminals here, but it was actually the second Grue invasion that made me decide to put on a cape. My life was saved by a 'powerless' hero, and I decided that if he could put himself at risk like that to save me, it would be the least I could do to follow in his footsteps." TW: "That's very noble of you." C: "Thank you, but it's nothing special." TW: "That was six years ago, though. I don't thi-" C: "I-" [realizes she interrupted TW] "Oh, I'm sorry." TW: "No, it's fine, go ahead." C: "Well, actually, I tried to go out and fight right away, but I was just a kid- a teenager in a Halloween costume. I tried to fight an Omnidroid, but... next thing I remember is waking up in a hospital bed six months later." TW: "Sounds like you're lucky to be alive. So, then you spent the next six years preparing?" C: [after a long pause] "...basically." TW: "Alright. You mentioned you were a teenager the first time you tried to go heroing. How did your parents respond?" C: "They were cross at me for a long time. [laughs] I don't think Dad let me leave the house by myself for at least a year." TW: "Do they know what you're doing now?" C: "They do. They're concerned, of course, but they raised me to stand up for what I believe in, and they know I'm better-prepared this time around." TW: "So, you mentioned your family. Anyone else who knows the face behind the mask? A boyfriend, perhaps?" C: "No, I- I haven't really had time for dating. Between this, and my jo-" [covers her hand with her mouth] "Keep forgetting not to talk about that stuff." TW: "Your secret identity is important to you, then?" C: [nods] "Very. If I were to make the wrong enemies, and someone found out who my family was..." [quietly] "...I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself is something happened to them." TW: [changing the subject] "What is your ultimate goal as a hero?" C: [brightening up] "...that's a pretty difficult question, really. I guess, I'd like to see the mob lose their grip on Southside. It'd mean a lot to me for these streets to be safe again." TW: "That would be nice, wouldn't it? Do you think it's possible, though? They've got a pretty strong grip, especially in the Boardwalk." C: "I doubt I could do something like that by myself, if that's what you mean, though I'm happy knowing I'm helping at least a little bit." TW: "Is there anything you're afraid of? Phobias, I mean. Like spiders, or heights?" C: "Spiders... never really bothered me. Heights, though... yeah, that's a different story. I'm terrified of heights. Planes, tall buildings, doesn't matter. I'm much more comfortable with both feet firmly on the ground." TW: "Ahm, let's see... No, asked that already... Oh, here we go! What are your greatest strength, and greatest weakness?" C: "My greatest weakness? I'm not sure I should be announcing something like that in public, but I think it's probably how reckless I can be. My greatest strength, though? ...I don't know." [laughs] "Does stubbornness count?" TW: "Sure." [checks her watch] "Oof, we should probably wrap this up. Is there anything else you'd like to add? A parting word? Some advice, maybe?" C: [thinks for a moment, then nods] "Don't ever let anyone tell you not to do what's right, or convince you to do something you know is wrong." TW: "Well, thank you for your time, Calliope, I'm sure we'll be seeing you again soon." OOC Questions How would you describe your character's mental and emotional state? Cal is incredibly self-critical. She still blames herself for her initial failure six years ago, and she's terrified she'll repeat it. How spiritual is your hero? Does your hero follow a religious tradition? Cal was raised Protestant, though it was never a major focus. 'Christmas and Easter Christians', as the phrase goes. Currently, she's probably best described as a Deist. Is there anything interesting about your hero that people might not know? Cal's concept changed very little during her development. The most drastic changes I made were deciding not to focus on Grappling quite so much, and making her personality a bit less Zoey and a bit more Captain America. If you could give one piece of advice to your hero, what would it be? Don't be so hard on yourself. It's fine to make mistakes, as long as you learn for them. If you keep trying to be perfect, you're going to burn yourself out.

Ok, made that part a bit more vague. Anything else?

Player's Name: Shockwasp Character's Name: Calliope Power Level: 7 (105/108PP) Trade-Offs: None Unspent PP: 3 Progress to Bronze Status: 3/30 In Brief: An ordinary young woman who read way too many comics as a kind, trying to balance her job, a social life, her impossibly high standards for herself, and, oh yeah, her masked vigilantism. Alternate Identities: Katherine "Kris" Epyllia Identity: Secret Birthplace: Freedom City (Southside) Occupation: Assistant Librarian at Freedom Public Library Affiliations: None worth mentioning. Family: Johnathan Epyllia (father, age 53), Emily Redder Epyillia (mother, age 47), Hannah Epyllia (sister, age 11), Jacob Epyllia (brother, age 6) Age: 22 (May 11th, 1989) Apparent Age: N/A Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian (~50%), Eastern European (~25%) and African-American (~25%) Height: 5'3" Weight: 145 lbs. (approx.) Eyes: Green Hair: Auburn Description: [floatr][/floatr] Katherine Epyllia is a young woman of modest height and a slim, muscular build, with auburn hair and sage-green eyes. Her skin has a light tan, though it is often marred by cuts or bruises, and a few minor scars have begun to appear as well. The young woman's hair is almost always tied back in a loose, messy ponytail, with long-sleeved shirts or jackets and the like very common as well. Though it is rarely seen, a large, dark scar runs along her left side and the small of her back, a reminder of the incident six years ago which almost claimed her life. As Calliope, she is instead clad in a forest-green costume, her boots, mask, cape and 'outside-underwear-thing' a rich gold. Her long hair is allowed to flow freely when she fights, and she is equipped with a custom steel breastplate and hoplon shield. Power Descriptions: Kris has no metahuman abilities, however, she has received several years' worth of patchwork martial arts training, taken from wherever she could get it. The primary influence of her fighting style is judo, but it also includes aspects of kickboxing and jeet kun do. In addition, a combination of training, willpower, and sheer, dumb luck means that she can recover from blows that would knock a 'normal' person flat. History: Katherine Mary Epyllia is the eldest daughter of Johnathan Epyllia, Professor of History at Freedom College, and his wife Emily. Both were born citizens of Freedom City and had spent the majority of their lives in the mob-ruled and exploited Southside, and they witnessed first-hand the effects of the Moore act. As a result, the couple instilled in their daughter the importance of standing by your ideals, helping those in need, and most importantly, never, ever treating anyone as inferior or second-class. 'Kris' grew to be compassionate and intelligent, but stubborn young woman, so it was no surprise to the Epyllias that their daughter took an interest in the heroes of Freedom City. However, to the girl's chagrin, she was neither a mutant, an alien, or a billionaire, and so she was stuck with just reading about and watching great heroes, instead of being one. For a time. In 2004, everything changed. The second Grue invasion brought chaos and death to Freedom City, and far be it from Kris to be unaffected. During a battle between a minor hero and an Omnidrone, a propane explosion caught the girl and her family in a powerful blaze. The hero, despite being horrifically outmatched, and barely surviving as it was, turned his attention from the fight and saved the Epyllias from a fiery death, at the cost of his own life. Kris, moved by the sacrifice, what her parents had taught her, and whatever it is teenagers substitute for wisdom, the sixteen-year old stole a replica breastplate and shield that her father had obtained for a lecture, and sneaked out to challenge the droid that had nearly killed her only hours before. To call what resulted a 'thrashing' would be an understatement. Katherine awoke months later in a hospital bed, with no memory of how she'd survived, a large, ugly scar, and the optimism soundly beaten out of her. She spent the rest of high school a much more subdued and introverted individual, idly wasting away her days, and her parents and friends feared that the girl would spend the rest of her life that way. She would have, were it not for another event that threatened her life. Taking a shortcut through an alley on the way home from work one night (something her younger self would have slapped someone for), the young woman was mugged, and only God knows what would have happened in that alleyway, were it not for the appearance of another mysterious hero. The sudden appearance, the daring rescue, the fearless, skilled fighting... it reawakened something in Kris that she'd thought long since dead. Her life saved both literally and metaphorically, the young woman began to prepare. Gathering all the funds she could, and taking every martial arts and self-defense class she could find, Katherine Epyllia spent the next three years readying herself. Finally, on November 5th, 2010, the sixth anniversary of her awakening, she donned her costume, and a new breastplate and shield, and became "the Lady of Green and Gold, the shield-bearing heroine, the clever, courageous Calliope!" Personality & Motivation: Katherine Epyllia largely returned to her former self after he life was saved; She is once again an intelligent, and compassionate, but fiercely stubborn young woman. Her experiences, though they have not blunted her enthusiasm, have taught her to trust her gut, to not take things at face value, and to never, ever utter the words "Well, at least it isn't raining". To those who know her, she is a geeky, but sociable young woman who seems to be convinced she's a character in one of the comics she so often reads. Beneath the surface, however, the scars have the past have still not fully healed. Kris is terrified of failing again like she did when she was sixteen, and she will, on occasion, push herself to an impossibly high standard, which she of course drives herself into the ground trying to accomplish. Powers & Tactics: Calliope has no powers, only training, her equipment, and her stubbornness. In combat, her tactics usually consist of one of three strategies, arranged in order of priority. First, interpose herself between the villain(s) and any innocents, or other heroes in need, and get them out of harm's way as quickly as possible. This takes precedent over every other goal, including self-preservation. Second, defeat all minions and weaker enemies who might split up or surround Calliope, or worse, get away and do more harm. And third, grab, trip, pin, or otherwise disable the primary villain, and subdue him, either via grappling locks, or blunt force trauma. Complications: Honor (Calliope will never abandon someone in need, or act in a way that she feels oppresses or exploits an innocent.) Responsibility (Kris' performance at work has begun to slacken considerably, thanks to her superheroing. In all honestly, she's one good excuse away from losing her job.) Secret (Calliope's civilian identity is known only by her parents, and she'd like to keep it that way.) Wealth - Struggling (A combination of often missing work and spending a significant portion of her income on this Calliope business means that Katherine is slowly working up a sizable credit card debt in order to stay afloat.) Abilities: 4 + 8 + 4 + 6 + 6 + 4 = 32pp Str 14 (+2) Dex 18 (+4) Con 14 (+2) Int 16 (+3) Wis 16 (+3) Cha 14 (+2) Combat: 10 + 8 = 18pp Initiative: +4 Attack: +5, +7 Melee Grapple: +9 Defense: +7 (+4 Base, +3 Shield), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -3 Saving Throws: 3 + 3 + 4 = 10pp Toughness: +7 (+2 Con, +2 Defensive Roll, +3 Protection), +5 Flat-Footed Fortitude: +5 (+2 Con, +3) Reflex: +7 (+4 Dex, +3) Will: +7 (+3 Wis, +4) Skills: 44r = 11pp Bluff 4 (+6, +10 Attractive) Computers 4 (+7) Diplomacy 4 (+6, +10 Attractive) Investigate 4 (+7) Knowledge (History) 8 (+11) Knowledge (Pop Cult.) 4 (+7) Knowledge (Technology) 2 (+5) Language 2 (English [Native], Greek, Italian) Notice 4 (+7) Sense Motive 4 (+7) Stealth 2 (+6) Swim 2 (+4) Feats: 22PP Ambidexterity Assessment Attack Focus 2 (Melee) Attractive Blind-Fight Defensive Roll (+2 Toughness) Endurance Evasion 2 Grappling Block Grappling Finesse Improved Disarm Improved Grapple Improved Trip Instant Up Interpose Luck 2 Online Research Ultimate Effort (Toughness) Uncanny Dodge (Auditory) Powers: 12 = 12PP Device 3 (Hard-to-lose) [12pp] Breastplate Protection 3 [3 dp] Hoplon Shield 3, Strike 5 (Mighty, Thrown 2, Ricochet) [12 dp] Drawbacks: 0pp None DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC17 Toughness (Staged) Bludgeoning Shield Bash 20 ft. DC22 Toughness (Staged) Bludgeoning Abilities (32) + Combat (18) + Saving Throws (10) + Skills (11) + Feats (22) + Powers (12) - Drawbacks (0) = 105/108pp