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March 11th. The message had come through the hero contact methods he had out there. It was easier this way, as trying to get a hold of him directly was as difficult are contacting the CEO of any large, international, financial institution. So next to impossible. Of course he was taking this on faith, but thus far he hadn't been called or setup in an ambush, and it wasn't like Fleur de Joie was someone like that. She was fairly well established, if a kid. Or not a kid? That was tricky sometimes when he started to examine these sorts of things. He was older than most of the other heroes, retiring seemed a little, but... That was less likely for him. Amir al-Misri stopped before the mirror, checking to make sure the red track suit and black t-shirt covered the containment suit. Seemed like every few months he got to do something he thought impossible, and his powers were... going wonky. WHich he assumed was the scientific term. So now he was saddled with this thing, just sort of gave him the reins on his abilities, which he was okay with. Satisfied he wasn't looking so idiotic, he left the expensive Parkside townhouse. And he crossed the street. Enjoying one part about beings a public hero, as he used his power of flight to get over the busy avenue. Landing in the grass, when he opted to clear the fence and get to the lawn, before he started towards the Botanical Gardens (after all how could he resist having the meeting there?) from Poet's Grove. As he walked along the path, intent on being there at least a half hour early, he casually thumbed through his alerts, and sending Ana a message reminding her of this meeting. It wouldn't be a problem, his schedule was actually clear, apart for tomorrow. So all was left as he crested a bend and walked into the garden proper, putting a little something into the donation box as he stepped inside, taking in the sights, before settling on a bench near the main entrance, as he worked off his smartphone, sending messages, and trauling through some of the massive amount of news and media he consumed on the day to day.

December 25, 2014 Walking about the Dubai International Convention Centre and mingling, Amir al-Misri would have been well within his rights to congratulate himself on a very successfully hosted conference. The science and technology summit - his PR people had come up with a more pompous title but it had sounded a little too obviously designed by committee to stick in the billionaire philanthropist's mind - had drawn experts in civic engineering, clean energy initiatives, information networking and a few dozen other equally impressive fields from around the globe. The chance to compare notes and show off the latest prototypes had been incentive enough but the sizable grant money being offered by his firm to the most impressive projects hadn't hurt, either. He wasn't left to bask in satisfaction for long, however, as one of his aides rushed over, his colouring pallid with stress, and shoved a tablet into Amir's hands. "Sir! Sir, you have to see this," the uncharacteristically disheveled man insisted, running a hand through his neat beard. "Some sort of weapon just made groundfall in the Rub' al Khali! It looks like- the data suggests it was launched from orbit. The payload... we don't have any idea what we're looking at, sir." The thermal satellite image on the tablet showed an aerial view of the Empty Quarter with a small, strangely cool blotch at the site of the impact. A blotch that was slowly but noticeably spreading outward.

Feel free to have each of your characters receive the same information as Asad through their own channels. I figure Maxima and Terrifica can already be at the summit; Citizen, too, unless you'd rather have him e-mail himself from Freedom City, AA. Vahnyu, Hronos is a cosmic enough sort of guy I expect you can come up with your own reasons for him being around!

August 30th, 2014 - 10:07am Liberty Park - Freedom City GM Post It was the closest thing to a lazy Saturday one could get in Freedom City. Summer was just starting to wind down, so everyone was soaking up the last of the summer sun while they still had the chance. Whether it was just running errands, people going out for an early morning jog, or spending some quality time with the kids, it seemed like everyone was outside today. In a perfect world, the day would unfold without incident, but fate it seemed had other plans for this day. Shortly after 10 o'clock in the morning, a piece of space debris made contact with the upper atmosphere of the earth and began its plummet to the ground in earnest. The fiery rock streaked across the Freedom City skyline, before striking down in the heart of Liberty Park. The shock wave rumbled through the streets and a huge plume of dust and dirt hung over the impact zone. Car alarms, police sirens and the cries of the terrified populace filled the air as everyone tried to get a handle on what just happened.

OOC for >this thread. Comments, concerns, what have you about the opening let me know so it can be adjusted if need be!

GM Greenbank, Freedom City, New Jersey Sunday, August 31st, 2014 12:14 PM To the few who knew her Noemi Newman was a taxi driver in the very busy streets of Freedom City. Another head in the crowd, working day to day to get by. To those fewer still, she was the experimental Red Rat. A former spy on the run from those who wish to control her. Using an old Soviet depot to better the world while avoiding drawing attention upon herself. Therein lies the root of the problem. Having done some springing cleaning of the hidden depot, Noemi had found a weapons cache from all the previous residents. It was the mother of all Cold War payloads. Soviet munitions that were out of date even when they were in use. Coupled with some questionable black ops tech that was still considered advanced by modern standards. Some of the cache was even nuclear or radioactive in nature, assembled in case the call for mutually assured destruction came through and left quite unstable. Leaving the Red Rat with quite the problem on her hands. Meanwhile, Amir ibn Jafar ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Misri, commonly referred to by the public by the moniker of Asad, was currently hosting a weapons disposal event in Greenbank with the reliable Agnus Stone in tow. In a city where superheroes contended with villains and their hired guns it was to be expected that there were still a lot of leftover and highly dangerous tech lying around. Most of which wasn't stored in an evidence room and instead picked up by whoever found it lying around. Rather than wait for the likes of AEGIS to claim proprietary ownership of said devices Asad had taken it upon himself to aid in cleaning the city sooner rather than later. While it was to be expected that the normally busy entrepreneur could not attend every philanthropy event he funded, he made sure to make the time for this one. The evident risk of a large collection of weapons being collected in a single location was not lost on him.

Chicago, Illinois 95th Floor of the John Hancock Building Wednesday November 5, 2014, 11:45 AM Situated on the Ninety-fifth floor of the John Hancock building, the Signature Room offered some of the most breathtaking views of Chicago, all in elegant dining rooms spaced around the entire floor. It was a rare day that the restaurant was not filled with a mixed crowd of tourists and business people from the city. Today was certainly not the exception, and there was hardly an empty table in the restaurant. Deborah Magson sat at a table near the windows looking out over Lake Michigan. She was a slightly heavyset woman in her early thirties, dressed in a navy blue suit. She had curly, shoulder length brown hair and brown eyes and was currently waiting for another to arrive for lunch. It had been some three months since the incident during the Fourth Annual Inspiration Celebration in Freedom City, when a group of supervillains called the Zodiac had attacked the event, apparently at the behest of the event’s chief sponsor and organizer, Andrew Topple, CEO of Topple Enterprises. Since then, Topple had been arrested and indicted on several charges. Of course, he had been able to hire excellent legal counsel, and was currently free on bail while things progressed, somewhat slowly, towards a possible trial. Topple was doing his best to stay out of the public eye currently, and his business certainly had suffered some setbacks in the wake of the scandal. Deborah was a potential witness at the trial, but did her best to just continue focusing on her work running Steamwhistle Limited, an online whistleblower website. She was in Chicago on business related with her company, and had been a bit surprised when she had been contacted about this lunch meeting. But, she had been more than happy to agree, and thus was currently drinking a glass of water while she waited for Amir al-Misri to arrive.

North Bay, Freedom City Saturday August 4, 2014; 3:51 PM "This is Nancy Norrington for Channel 3, WNTW, reporting from the North Bay Yacht Club where in a short while, the Fourth Annual Inspiration Celebration will be kicking off. Started four years ago by Topple Enterprises CEO Andrew Topple, the Inspiration Celebration recognizes several individuals who have made inspiring contributions in a wide variety of fields, from literature to the sciences to even just everyday heroics." "This year's event is being held on Topple's one hundred and forty foot luxury yacht, the Reble, which you can see behind me. It is being co-sponsored by multi-billionaire businessman and philanthropist Amir al-Misri and Knute Smith, the CEO of Forge Motors. Some of the recipients of awards this year include author Robert Cross, for his book 'Beyond Human;' Doctor Tyrone Mendoza, for his work in the Mendoza Free Clinic in the Fens; musician Warren Wilder, also known as the superhero Riff, for his recent album; and Sophia Nelson, the homeless teenager who saved a family of six from a house fire back in late June, despite suffering injuries in the process. Another recipient will be a hero who recently made his appearance in Freedom City, Titan." "And here we go, the first limousine is pulling up now, so we shall soon see who is arriving first...."

Deep Space Sitting in the dark of space was the massive swathes of star forming gases glowing the most beautiful blues and purples lit but the very stars they were helped forming. Being light years across the craft that stood on the edge of the nebula seemed tiny, even though it was itself the size of a small city. The stark white hull of the saucer like object looked that it was made of a single flawless piece of ceramic. Inside the craft was a small room the wall being opaque lighting the room with a blue glow from nebula beyond, the room was also filled with cryogenic gases from several pod opening up in the room revealing several Earth heroes groggily woken from an unexpected cryogenic sleep.

Okay, we have our thread here. So, as is suggested, all the award recipients (Graft (in civilian ID); Riftfand Titan (in hero ID) have been offered limo transportation to the event. I assume Asad will arrive in his own ride. Also, for those that wish, some Kn: Business or Current Events or Gather Information rolls are likely appropriate, to determine what each of you might know/have uncovered regarding the event, the sponsors, etc. TA, I will be shooting you a PM, as Asad is in a unique position to know a fair bit about the other sponsors, and could know even more with a good roll!

GM January 6th, Mid Morning... Early January was a bleak time of year, with the Yuletide festivities over, the weather grey and cold. The holidays had left waistlines fat and bank accounts slim. Not so for the Rich and Famous of North Bay, however, where mansions and yachts proudly professed to wealth and comfort. Restaurants and service industries continued to ply their trade. To this cold but clear day, Asad had been invited for brunch by an Arabian Prince, no less. Prince Amir Kahn. A man in his late fourties, unmarried, and dripping in oil wealth. His Yacht was ridiculously long, and ridiculously plush. The Prince was a keen sailor, by all accounts. A man of many appetites, but a notably keen seaman who had traversed the Atlantic on several occasions and whose skill, whilst not exceptional, was not merely words bought from wealth and prestige. He stood waiting for Asad with fresh coffee and a fully laid out feast of exquisite delicacies served by top notch butlers. Caviar and Lobsters where just two of the meats and foods on offer.

OOC for thread. Asad gets some radioactive troubles.

GM Continued from OVERTHROW in City Hall! The Iceberg, headquarters of AEGIS, Freedom City September 12th, 2012, 2.15 PM The walk to Director Powers' office was a short one, made longer by that sense of unfamiliarity coming from new environments and the unceasing hustle and bustle of the American Elite Government Intervention Service going on all around them, reports of events happening around the globe the subject of constant surveillance and study, dour military officers considering tactical difficulties and pondering the best way to safeguard the world marching cheek-by-jowl with lean and excited scientists explaining new breakthroughs in cybernetics and the tantalizing results of new tests done on metals from another dimension, and they quickly opened ranks to accept the neat and professional shapes of the direct agents of AEGIS, who opined on new ways to undercut and overcome the forces of evil and villainy. They quickly stepped to the side to let Agent Anthea, Agent Silas, and the heroes of city hall past, giving them stern but warm words of welcome, and more than a few quiet waves and thumbs-up as they went by. For their part, the guiding agents looked neither right nor left, acknowledged only a few close friends and followed the dark purple line that led them straight to the office whose thick oak door was marked H. Powers, Dir. of AEGIS with a smaller sign below it saying "Do not disturb, bureau business" Knocking three times on the panels, Anthea called in "Mr. Powers! The fine people you wanted are here." From within there was a brief sound like shuffling papers, and then the door was abruptly opened to reveal the towering, eyepatched, confident and vigorous master of the agency, Harry himself. Dressed in a neat black AEGIS uniform, the man oozed command from every inch of his being. "It says do not disturb, agent" he snapped, shutting the door behind himself and briskly taking the lead down another corridor following a green line "Do you think I put it there as a test? Dismissed! You and Silas are due for another assignment in four hours in India, get ready" he said crisply, folding his hands behind his back and leading the team in silence to a room dominated by a narrow table and large screen. Silas and Anthea saluted and marched off, Silas giving a slight wave before they were out of sight. Tapping a small button on the table, the screen clicked to green life, showing the schematic of a ship, and the layout of a base. Turning to face the assembled heroes Harry Powers said gravely "Good day, I am Powers, the director of this agency, I am pleased to meet you and would like to request your assistance on a delicate mission." turning to Gabriel he added "Of course, I cannot force you to help, and if you would prefer not to act in tandem with us, you may use the information I am about to give you as you see fit." he leaned on the table, his one eye boring into the very hearts of the group who had saved city hall "Any questions before I begin?"

GM 29th October, 21:00 on the dot... The man was dressed in unremarkable black casual clothes but even someone with casual military knowledge would know he was equipped well. Guns, explosives, night vision goggles and all sorts of equipment lay to either side of him. He was operating out of a van, unmarked, with a license plate that, if one was to hazard a guess, was probably ripped off or falsified. The guy was a professional. He was atop a rooftop, using binoculars to scan a building in the distance. "Hmmm" he murmured to himself, and stood up, satisfied. With military precision, he packed away his guns, explosives and gadgets into a plain duffel bag and slung it over his shoulder. For all his planning, he could not have planned for the unexpected. Three youths approached him as he slung his bag into the van. Thee youths from the Fens. They were tough, they were tough, and they wore the colours and clothes of a local gang. A glint, and a knife came out.

4th March 2013, around 10 am No one really paid much attention to Nicki as they sat listening to their lecture for the day. So no one noticed that she was dressed in a parody of the traditional Catholic Schoolgirl, a very short tartan skirt and a blouse tied in the middle, and her suddenly blonde hair tied into bunches. This was because the real Nicki was sat outside the offices of Summit Transnational watching again the video she had been aware off for only a couple of days. The video beginning with a close up of a teddy bear face who started to speak in a defiantly feminine voice.

GM Port Regal, Freedom City Thursday, July 4, 2013 7:00 PM There was a time when Port Regal was one of Freedom City's most affluent districts. But over the last few decades, that affluence had declined somewhat. But while many of its mansions and Victorian-era homes had been turned into bed-and-breakfasts or as part of other business ventures, the district still retained some of the trappings of its former glory. One such example was the Silver Glen Country Club. Almost a hundred year olds, the exclusive Silver Glen Country Club was originally designed by the well renowned gold course architect, A. W. Tillinghast. Situated on the northern tip of the western peninsula that jutted out into the Centery Narrows, the country club had a magnificent view of downtown Freedom City and the harbor, as well as the Narrows itself and its northern shore. As such, it had a long history of hosting a Fourth of July party for Freedom City's high society. This Fourth of July was no exception. Located along the western shore of the peninsula, clubhouse was decorated with red, white and blue steamers and other decorations. In addition to its large decks and patio areas, the large gardens located next to the clubhouse now had catering tables set up among its well manicured hedges and flower beds, in addition to a makeshift dance floor in the courtyard surrounding a circular fountain. There was already a good sized crowd of some of Freedom City's wealthiest and most influential, with more arriving by the minute in the parade of sports cars, high-end luxury cars and limousines that were arriving at the front of the clubhouse.

"Little India", West End 16th October 2012 The term Little India was a bit of a misnomer as people from all over South Asia had made this part of the West End their home. This included a sizable Muslim population, mainly from Pakistan, and today was a special day for the whole community. After several months of collecting and planning they were finally ready to start construction on a local Mosque. The plan was for the community to build the place themselves, mostly for the few of them who worked in construction, but on the first day the idea was that the whole community would pitch in to start the building. They’d even invited a prominent Muslim to lay the first stone of the Mosque. One problem them had to decide upon was a local resident Lucy Harker, also known as Revenant. It seems that this area was once her home and she had now resumed residence in the area, acting as a protector of all the residents of this part of the West End. The moments she had heard about their idea she was enthusiastic about the idea, attending all the meeting and generously donating money. The problem wasn’t that she was an outsider or even a woman; it was that she was quite openly undead.

ASAD Power Level: 11/14 (201/214PP) Trade-Offs: -4 Attack / +4 Damage, -5 Defense / +5 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 13 In Brief: Egyptian American Billionaire with Energy Absorbing powers Quote: "I decided that instead of keeping my identity a secret it's easier just to hire a PR firm." Alternate Identity: Amir ibn Jafar ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Misri, Amir al-Misri, Amir Misri Identity: Public Birthplace: New York City. Occupation: Hero, Philanthropist, Super Wealthy Businessman Affiliations: Summit Transnational, Freedom City's Muslim Community, Local Politics and Charitable Organizations, International Business Community Family: Father - Abu Naseef Jafar ibn Abd al-Aziz ibn Amir al-Misri, Mother - Amatullah bint Haroun bint Khaldun al-Misri,(siblings have patrilineal names, and are shortened) Brother - Kareem al-Misri , Sisters - Fatima al-Misri, Hida al-Misri, Shafiah al-Misri. Order of children is this Fatima, Hida, Amir, Shafiah and Kareem. Description: Age: 46 Apparent Age: Early 30s. (D.O.B 1971) Gender: Male Ethnicity: Arabic. Height: 6'2 Weight: 193 Eyes: Dark brown Hair: Pitch Black. Description: If Asad were to describe himself, in a word, that word would be dashing. In another word, smoldering. Most often he had a relaxed expression on his face and in his overall demeanor. Since becoming a hero, he had put on some mass, a sign of a new workout regime, hours spent boxing and doing charity runs has added mass in a lean, brawler sort of way. No matter the event he is normally impeccably groomed and dressed, though there again was a casual flair to his clothes, even if he prided himself on being the best dressed person at any social function. Every single hair purposed for the event or task at hand, and contributing to the mood he wants to present. Though is reluctant to wear any kind of jewelry, except a watch. Asad generally opts for something a bit more simple, a morphic molecule short sleeved shirt. This generally worn under whatever clothes he has on, so he can 'change' quickly. Burgundy in color, with a white stripe up each side and over the sleeves. A stylized front facing golden lion's face is on the chest of his shirt. He pairs this with his normal khaki-cargo pants, and either track-jacket with similar colors as his shirt, in addition to gloves, and whatever shoes he has on. Though he does experiment with different color schemes and various other outfits. Power Descriptions: All of his powers are Inherited Genetic Mutations, activated by the massive amount of energy from the supercollider breach. This would indicate that others in his family have energy based powers as well. As such all his powers carry the Mutation descriptor. Amir is possessed of the ability to absorb massive amounts of kinetic energy, and thus far all energy from the electromagnetic spectrum. This is both passively, in a fashion that affords him the ability to resist harm, and actively in a manner to remove non-latent energy. Currently it seems as those he can metabolize the absorbed energy to some degree and it has prevented his aging, as well as allowed for greater physical prowess than before. He no longer seems to be required to ‘charge up,’ and has been able to generate energy he is not currently exposed to. This may be related to the Fission Chips episode that him absorbing a small fission based thermonuclear reaction. Finally there are some visual cues that comes from his absorption powers that occur when he absorbs large quantities of energy, or if he is emotionally distressed. This can present as a simple glow, to coruscating blue light that resembles Cherenkov radiation, which seem to correspond to the fission chips embedded in his skin He also possesses the ability to fly, the mechanics of which is unknown, as he has been reluctant to be tested. History: Amir Al-Misri was just a rich, gadfly playboy type. He drove insanely fast cars (badly). He regularly traveled to Monte Carlo and Las Vegas. He hit up as many red carpet and high profile events as possible. Skied at all the best resorts. Flew in his private jet to New York just for the Pizza, and L.A. just for a movie premiere. Drinks like a fish a lot of the time, and has eaten gold dusted beluga caviar on more than one occasion. And often he is doing all of this with some starlet hanging on his arm (or pop-star, or celebrity bad girl, or heiress, or... well you get the picture). Yes, Amir Al-Misri led a charmed life, not that he seemed aware of it. Ostensibly in control of the former American subsidiary of his family's financial empire (because he was the only one born in the U.S.), it was hoped that sequestered as that he would not negatively impact the Al-Misri Holdings Group at large. They also separated all overt ties between Summit Transnational and the rest of the Group. It was the outcome he had hoped for his entire life. The truth was that his parents were individuals who felt that competition amongst their children would help them succeed. Amir was the child to successfully seize control of his fate aware from their well intentioned efforts. A natural talker, he spent his formative years in various expensive boarding schools using his natural silver tongue to maneuver through life among the children of the super-rich and the ambitious. This carried through to college to Oxford, then Harvard, and finally Stanford (though not necessarily a degree from any and/or all of them). And while he will admit he doesn't remember every class lesson, he came out with a Rolodex (contact list for the kids) that would buckle a desk. All of that helped when handed the keys to Summit Transnational in 2003. Calling in every favor owed, and every friend he had made throughout the years, and he brought them with him into the company, changing it's corporate climate and direction. Of course no one really credited him with assembling such a skilled group of people. In 2008, he hired a former classmate, and someone who had shown herself to be immune to his charms, Anastasia van Cleef, as his personal aid. Recently, though his course in life would change. Already an extensive philanthropist, he had started to look into Islam, in part because of a request of his father, but also years of posing as the playboy he had to become unfulfilled. He started reaching out to the local Muslim to community, though unable to reconcile his beliefs with some of the elements he felt were antiquated. Due to his philanthropy he supported various scientific endeavors at universities. During a tour of a supercollider facility Summit Transnational helped fund in part for FCU (for tax breaks!) there was a failure in the containment system. His last conscious thought was managing to throw Ms. Van Cleef and the scientist giving the door through the automatically closing blast doors. Amir was struck with the full force of the energy produced by the experiment gone wrong, and he was sent into the secondary containment wall, slamming into the composite shell over the foot thick metal bulkhead, buckling both like wet cardboard. Amir's heart stopped during the course of taking him to the hospital, though it restarted at the defibrillation attempt, his powers unknowningly draining that unit as well as killing the ambulance as well. A second emergency managed to get him there, though his vitals were restored. He was unconscious for almost two weeks, and when he did awake the first words out of his mouth was asking after a sip of his favorite scotch. The doctors labeled it a miracle that he survived the incident with no injuries, and that there was no radiation that seemed to have leaked from the incident as well, well publicly they labeled it as such. Privately, they had concerns but his recoverly was also hailed as a miracle there, considering the injuries he had sustained. Amir gave a series of 'aw shucks, I am lucky and this has put my life into perspective' series of interviews, and it did. So at the next opportunity, the casual Muslim decided to take his Hajj for his 40th birthday. Forced into a level of introspection and retrospection he didn't feel as if he had a choice. This, too, was also covered by the tabloids and even some financial news, as they pondered if his near death experience had forced him to turn a corner. Which was accurate. What wasn't covered was what happened during the Hajj. During the Stoning of the Devil portion, an old man fell, and was about to be trampled by a group of people, he jumped, farther than he had ever before, snatching up the old man, and landing in a rough roll, carrying the old man to safety, and leaving both of them stunned as the distance had been moved in such a brief period of time. It was enough to reinforce his prayers and meditations. He received no answers. His return was quiet, matching the sort of behavior one would have when faced with such drastic and recent change. It was during this time that an attempted kidnapping happened, it made sense with some of the more mainstream press he had. The snatch happened as he was jogging in Freedom Park, and when he had made it to Heroes Knoll, three armed men appeared, and attempted to take him. This was the first time he was conscious of his powers, as he shrugged off first their blows and gunshots, before able to stop the effort with display of new found force. Afterward, before the statues of the deceased heroes on the knoll, he prayed, really prayed for a sign, wondering what he should do, what should happen. Well that, and he saw a shrink just in case. During this time he explored his new powers, testing them covertly. In the wake of the Gorgon Event Amir knew he couldn't just sit idly by the wayside from here on out. Personality & Motivation: Asad is not the face he puts out. Having stuck with the guise thus far he has decided to keep it, as it has distinct advantages. He is, by and large, a manipulator of sorts, and apt to use his words as his foremost weapon. Not that he'd shy from adversity. In fact for the first time in his life, he is driven by something greater than his ambitions. Or maybe his ambitions are aimed in a more altruistic bent. Powers & Tactics: Asad is direct in a fight, generally eschewing overly complicated tactics in his efforts, as his powers are not subtle.. He opens with trying to talk down the situation, given that he has an ability to take a fantastic level of punishment. Once battle has started he does tend to try and become the most visible person in the fight, in the hopes of drawing attention and attacks, as well as placing himself in harm’s way to take the punishment aimed at others. Since training from Mali, he improved his versatility. Adjusting his tact in his efforts. He will use Fast Feint and Improved Grab to great effect. Taunting as needed. With his goal shifting from slugfests to locking down opponents and getting in close. If need be he will use his blasts and ability to expel massive amounts of energy to Complications: Dang It Jim, I am a Billionaire Not A Scientist: Asad’s power grants him more latitude than he exercises. As such he is hampered by his less than stellar creativity when it comes to it’s use. Enemies: Whether by personal action, or just happenstance, Asad enters the arena already with some enemies in the wings. Some personal, and some just plain business. It doesn't help that at least one woman formerly linked romantically to him is villainess Madame Marvelous. Fame: He was a social mover and shaker before getting his company. Dated starlets, pop singers, and princesses. Frequent interviews in various forms of media. And then adding his company, and it's rise to prominence has only fueled this. Unfortunately people can sometimes take a less than sterling view of him because of his Reputation. History: He is old enough, and shaken enough hands and signed enough deals that it may come back to bite him in unexpected ways. I Am Not Scared: His powers afford a great ability to take punishment. While not fearless, he may be apt to jump in over his head in such situations, and as such may not try to dodge, if he feels he can take the punishment. My Powers Are What Scare Me: They’ve changed… especially after some incidents. Is this natural progression or something else? Public Identity: He is not hiding the fact that he is a superhero, with only feeds... Reputation: Rake, fop, playboy, feckless, lazy and more. He was, and still is, tabloid fodder, so few people will initially take him seriously. Responsibility: He is ostensibly the head of a multi-billion dollar equity firm. And recent life changes had nudged him to take a more direct hand in the business, and he takes personal umbrage if someone messed with what's his. Shut Up Already!: A talented speaker, he sometimes talks too much. And can be apt to make long speeches just like villains. Abilities: 10 + 6 + 14 + 2 + 8 + 6 = 44PP STR 40 [20] (+15/+5) DEX 16 (+3) CON 40 [24] (+15/+7) INT 12 (+1) WIS 18 (+4) CHA 16 (+3) Combat: 14 + 12 = 26 PP Initiative: +7 Attack: +7 Grapple: +27/+12 Defense: +6 Knockback: -12/-3 Saving Throws: 0 + 2 + 5 = 7PP TOU +16 (CON +16, Base CON +7, Protection +1, Impervious +10) FORT +15/+7 (CON +7, CON w/Enhanced +15, ) REF +5 (DEX +3, +2) WILL +9 (WIS +4, +5) Skills: 88R = 22PP Bluff 12 (+15 / +19 Attractive)Skill Mastery Concentration 1 (+5) Diplomacy 12 (+15 / +19 Attractive)Skill Mastery Drive 4 (+7) Gather Information 15 (+18)Skill Mastery Intimidate 2 (+5) Knowledge (Business) 8 (+9) Knowledge (Civics) 8 (+9) Knowledge (Current Events) 4 (+5) Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) 2 (+3) Languages 4 (Arabic, Farsi [Persian], French, Portuguese) (Base: English) Notice 4 (+8) Sense Motive 12 (+16)Skill Mastery Feats: 19PP Accurate Attack All-Out Attack Attractive Benefit (Wealth 3) Challenge (Fast Feint) Connected Equipment Improved Grab Improved Initiative Interpose Luck 2 Move By Action Skill Mastery (Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Sense Motive) Taunt Ultimate TOU Well-Informed Equipment: 1PP = 2/5EP Commlink [1EP] Smartphone [1EP] Powers: 36 + 16 + 8 + 10 + 11 = 81PP All carry the ‘Genetic Mutation’ descriptor. Absorption Array 16.5 (33 points; PFs: Alternate Power 3) [36PP] BE: Nullify Energy 11 (Area of Effect 55’ Radius, All Energy types; Extras: Alternative Save [Fortitude +0], Effortless, Nullifying Field [+0], Selective; Flaws: Distracting) [33PP] AP: Damage 10 (Area of Effect 200; Extras: Area [burst], Selective Attack; PFs: Progression [Area] 1, Variable Descriptor 2 [Energy]) [33PP] AP: Blast 15 (Range 1500; PFs: Precise, Variable Descriptor 2) [33PP] AP: Enhanced Strength 20 (to 40/+15) + Super-Strength 5 (effective Str 65, Heavy Load: 100 Tons; PFs: Groundstrike, Shockwave) [20+12=32/33PP] Enhanced CON 16 [16PP] (Energized Metabolism) Flight 4 (1000 ft/ 100mph) [8PP] Immunity 10 (aging, Life Support) [10PP] (Absorption, Sublimation) Protection 1 + Impervious TOU 10 [11PP] (Absorption, Sublimation) DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch Toughness DC 20/DC 30 Damage (Physical) Blast 1500' Toughness DC 30 Damage (Variable) Damage(Burst) 200' Radius Reflex DC 20 Damage (Variable) Nullify Energy 55’ Radius Fort DC 26 PP Cancel/Negate Groundstrike 150' Radius Reflex DC 25/Trip Check .5 DC of Trip Check/Trip Shockwave 150' Cone Reflex DC 25 Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities 46 + Combat 26 + Saves 7 + Skills 22 + Feats 19 + Powers 81 = 201/214PP

For all its wonders, Freedom City could be a dangerous place and it was a sad fact that the metropolis was home to more than its fair share of orphaned children. Fitting for a city known for rebirth from the ashes and undying resolution, many of those orphans had grown to become wealthy industrialists, expose-writing journalists, well known photographers and so on. Their legacy meant that Freedom boasted one of the best developed and funded social services programs in the nation. Even so, there never seemed to be quite enough beds, food or cheer to go around, particularly during the holiday season. Keith LaMarr had first become aware of the Santa's Super Helpers charity through his friend Reverend Stone of Lincoln's Church of the Eternal Rock of Justice. The concept was elegant in its simplicity: local superheroes volunteered to dress up in the traditional red and white suit of the jolly elf and spend the day with underprivileged youths at Millennium Mall, bringing some cheer in their own right and drawing much needed attention to the cause at the same time. Jingling bells next to a hanging pot taken to the logical extreme - at least logical by Freedom's standards. Certain bylaws unfortunately made it prohibitively difficult to have heroes participate in their secret identities, so those who's true names were public knowledge were typically approached. It was thus that the earsplitting educator known as Wail stepped into the bustling shopping center from the temporary changing area with a fluffy brimmed hat atop his bald head and bright red across his broad chest, stroking his grey streaked beard through a black glove that matched his boots and wide, gold-buckled belt, looking at though he could shake considerably more than a bowlful of jelly with his super-dense footfalls. The other two heroes in attendance were no less eye catching. The presence of Amir Al-Misri, the high-profile billionaire playboy turned superhero, assured a substantial media presence. His reputation as an irresponsible fop and dilettante would have raised LaMarr's eyebrow more if not for the good things he'd heard about the man as Asad, the energy absorbing metahuman. Neither of them was much comeptition for sheer visual impact next to Louis Ross, the popular cartoonist who's transformation into one of his one, massive, four-armed creations was almost too fantastical to believe. Wail knew he'd seen stranger things than the genial artist's demonic appearance in his decades of experience, but he was hard pressed to name more than a few off hand.

Wail, Asad and Pyre dress up as Santa for charity! And then: DOOM!

6:52PM, December 2nd, 2011 Amir was early. Which might surprise people to expect him to be fashionably late, or worse considering some of the avenues opened for him by his new life. Fortunately tonight was casual. The restaurant, Gianni's, was a little place tucked into Riverside. It had good Italian food, and wasn't a stuffy formal place. In part because he didn't like to be dressed up all the time. So he just wore a dark slate colored suit, with a white shirt underneath, not tucked it, and the top two buttons left undone. He looked calculatedly rumpled as he sat alone at the table, an elbow propped on the table, and his chin resting in his palm, as he scanned over the wine list. Not having decided what he was having yet, but not familliar with what they had here. The date was set for 7pm, but he had been a little anxious. Not that that was terrified of the prospect of a date, this was his first real date since his declaration as a public identity hero. There was a lot that could go wrong. Which was not a facet he was used to thinking about when he dated.