Search the Community

The Freedom Ledger Online #ReleaseTheRavenCut by Dancia Devons At the top of the story a video plays of an old ‘80’s film, an older Centurion turns to look as an armoured foot stomps down. A pan up shows a power-suit in with the familiar form of The Raven. If you ask the more discerning comic book fan they will tell you one of the best comics of the 80’s was a The Raven Rises, a comic that imagines a very 1980s future where an old Raven comes out of retirement to save Freedom City opposed by a similarly aged Centurion now working for a government that bans superheroes. What many don’t realise is that there was a film made of the comic, though only a few clips have surface in the last forty odd years. Many consider it a cheaply made film to keep the rights, like Coorman’s Atom Family movie, but many insist that it a fully realized movie on par if not better than ‘78s Centurion: The Movie or ‘89s The Raven. So when rumors began to circulate at the end of last year that a print of the film had been found the internet was quick to call for the movie to be released, creating the now famous #ReleasetheRavenCut hashtag…

October 12, 2019 Earth-B-Vacant-19 As they stepped through the portal into the other dimension, the first thing Daystar noticed was that it was quiet - with only the familiar background hum of her radio bracelets sounding in her ears, and the distant whisper of the radio transmitter in the nearby basecamp. The second thing was how everything looked. A lifetime in Oklahoma, then DC, had not prepared her for the fall splendor of Earth-Vacant-B ("not quite Sanctuary but with a lot more nature!"), a world frequently visited by Claremont students looking for their first taste of extra-dimensional adventure. This was a world where humans had never been evolved, one where whales filled the oceans, animals the vast forests of North America, and birds the skies. Fall here was chillier than back home, she supposed, though it wasn't really an issue for her - she slipped her hands in the pockets of her light windbreaker as she looked up at the vast forest of gold and red. "Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this," she quoted under her breath, smiling in awe as she looked all around. For her part, Watchdog wasn't nearly so blown away by all the scenery - maybe because she'd been here ten years ago and had gotten crapped on by a whole lot of birds. "Let's keep moving," she murmured from inside her mask as they headed out into the center of the small encampment, where Mr. Jorgensen was waiting for them. Jorgensen was the school's new biology teacher, a smiling, easy-going guy who students sometimes took too much advantage of. He wore a plaid flannel shirt and jeans to greet the students as they stepped through the gateway, his thick beard adding to the impression of "hipster outdoorsman." "Hello everyone!" he called with a wave. "Keep moving and drop your stuff in the designated areas." This wasn't quite the rugged outdoor life of survival training; Claremont's small basecamp had places for tents, firepits dug, and even a generator and radio transmitter installed by previous generations of students. They'd been careful, though - outside of the small encampment here by the edge of the South River, there was little sign any humans had ever been here. And indeed, hardly any had...

GM Claremont Academy April 23 2019 11: 45 AM Jhett yawned. He knew he should have at least tried to keep it in but at this point he really couldn't be bothered. He was bored even as he guided his group to the next exhibit in the school's refurnished Next-Gen wing and started reciting another pre-written lecture about the triumphs of the original team. "Right, so, over here we have a new holographic recreation of Next-Gen's first battle with the villain Chess Club. What a wonderful--" Jhett stopped for a second to lazily take garner at one of the cue cards tucked in his pocket. His other hand still pointed to a holographic Sonic destroying a holographic chessmen. "Example of the ingenuity and resolve of young heroes like us. I sure hope I can live to their noble example." The less than impressed expressions on about dozen of his classmate's faces made it blindingly clear to him that they were either as bored as he was or very unhappy with his lack of typical tour guide enthusiasm. Jhett told himself that he didn't care either way. His volunteering to be the guide for Claremont's glorified trophy room for the first Next-Gen team was just his way of getting another good looking bullet-point on his resume when he finally graduated from Claremont and tried to get into a normal, if hopefully very prestigious, tech university. Still, he couldn't help but feel a little bad for boring his fellow students. It wasn't as if they had a lot of choice in being here after all. Exasperated with himself and the tour, Jhett finally threw up his hands. "Look guys, I know this isn't the Danger Institute or Freedom Hall or whatever, but we got to get through this, OK?" He admitted honestly. "Headmistress Summers expects me to lecture you all until lunch about all the new stuff they added here since the Krampus trashed it last year and I sure as Hell don't want to disappoint her... She's kind of scary." There were a quite few snickers and eye-rolls from the crowd after that outburst but Jhett took them in apathetic stride. He'd probably be doing the same if he was on the other side of this. "You know what? Talk among yourselves while I waste fifteen minutes of everyone's time. I don't give a damn and only need you physically in the room. Just don't tell Summers or any of the faculty, alright?" The sound of teenagers suddenly breaking out into several dissonant conversations was all the Jhett the assurance needed that he was probably in the clear. Jhett signed as he moved the loud group to the next exhibit on their list. It was times like these when he prayed that another Krampus would show up and save him from the tedium. Anything was better than this.

Horrorshow Power Level: 9 (194/202PP) Unspent Power Points: 9PP Trade-Offs: -2 Defense/+2 Toughness In Brief: Clayface, AS A HERO! Or Kamala Khan, as a Ukrainian-American boy. Identity: Secret Alternate Identity: Davyd “Dayv” Ocheret Palahniuk (pau-lah-nik) Birthplace: Freedom City, USA Legal Status: American citizen (minor) with no criminal record Base of Operations: Claremont Academy Residence: Claremont Academy Dorms, or his parent’s apartment (in Riverside) Occupation: High School Student Affiliations: Claremont Academy Family: Father (Vyacheslav), mother (Kateryna), grandmother (mother's mother, Oksana, aka babusya Ana), uncle (father's brother, Aleksandr, aka Uncle Sasha), all in Freedom City. Father's parents, did Yuriy & bahb Larysa, live in Ukraine. Age: 18 (Date of Birth: July 26th, 2002) Gender: Male Species: Human Mutate Height: 5 ft 9 in. (1.75m) Weight: 225 lbs. (102kg) Skin: Caucasian (variable) Hair: Dark Blonde/Light Brown (variable) Eyes: Gray (variable) When not actively using his metamorphic powers, Davyd appears as an unassuming young Eastern European/Russian male, with short dark blonde/light brown hair and gray eyes, usually in fairly simple but sturdy clothing. Thanks to his powers, he can look like anyone (or anything), though he has little experience in mimicry or infiltration. In combat, and if out of the public eyes -- that is, in someplace where he can terrify criminals without worrying about scaring civilians -- he adopts a more terrifying "War Form," which is about a foot taller, covered in sleek dark green insectoid carapace, with a lashing alligator tail, raptor’s claws on the hands and feet, and piranha fangs. When he alters his form, he can have the shift go smoothly (like Martian Manhunter in Justice League/Justice League Unlimited and or Miss Martian in Young Justice, or Mystique in the various X-Men cartoons and films), or do it in a more disturbing manner, with shredding flesh and audibly popping bones (like the Things in John Carpenter’s The Thing and the 2011 prequel). HISTORY Davyd Palahniuk had a fairly uneventful early life, the son of immigrants who had been moved to the States from the Ukraine in 1986, shortly after the Chernobyl disaster. Clever and imaginative but painfully shy, and able to effortlessly blend into crowds (actually an early subtle manifestation of his mutant powers), he preferred the company of books and movies -- especially horror and science fiction -- to that of other people. He had an unassuming time in school, with plans to become a secluded hermit of a writer, until he enrolled in Franklin D. Roosevelt High School’s theatre arts class (mainly because the girl he had a crush on was in there), which helped him come out of his shell and learn to appreciate being around people. He still preferred working behind the scenes, though, and his love of weird things translated into a knack with makeup effects and costume work. He had plans to study makeup effects, but couldn’t decide between Freedom City University (where some of his friends had already gone or were planning to go) or the Freedom School for the Arts (which offered a more intense program). One night, while on FCU campus, he heard screams coming from one of the biomedical engineering labs. He was on campus visiting friends and attending a late night monster movie marathon, and, still pumped from having seen normal human campers fighting off machete-wielding maniacs and oozing blob-monsters, Davyd rushed into the building, towards the screams. He found Fear-Master, terrorizing a group of grad students who had been working late on a project. His sudden appearance provided a distraction for the students, who tried to run, but Fear-Master recovered and leaped upon them. Frantic to get away, some of the students started hurling beakers and flasks at the fearmonger, but he managed to deflect most of them, and many instead hit Davyd. Through the cuts and scrapes caused by the shattering glassware (and one near-miss from a knife Fear-Master had hurled), over a dozen different serums -- experiments with stem cells and extracellular matrices, human and animal, intended to fix bone, regrow skin, and repair muscle -- entered his bloodstream, and rapidly spread to every cell in his body. Davyd’s body began to melt, and swell, distending into an amorphous horror that scared the students more than Fear-Master had, and captured the crazed musician’s perverse fascination, who wondered if he’d be able to get this new monster to work with him. But Davyd’s mind was still intact, so he picked up Fear-Master and slammed him about like a ragdoll. He then slithered out after the fleeing students, calling out to them that he was okay, that he meant them no harm, that he was a good guy -- but in his panic (and rearranging brain matter) he’d switched from English to Russian. "Ya khorosho" ("I'm good") sounds very much like "yeah, horrorshow" in English, and that’s the name the campus security used when the students reached them. After things were sorted out (and they realized Fear-Master had bolted), researchers were able to stabilize Davyd and give him some control over his form. Remembering the lessons from his parents who grew up in Soviet-dominated Ukraine -- the interdependence of humanity, and how those who possess much have a responsibility to give to those without -- he realized he could do much to help people, especially against the real monsters that plagued the world. Monsters like Fear-Master, who is still very interested in forcing Horrorshow to work with (or for) him, and SHADOW, who would very much like to study him and replicate his powers for their agents. Headmistress Summers soon approached Davyd, and offered him a place at Claremont Academy. PERSONALITY & MOTIVATION Davyd Palahniuk loves being a superhero, almost as much as he loves having superhuman powers. He rarely angsts over whether or not there’s more he could be doing, as he knows there are many other heroes out there who are also fighting the good fight. It does upset him that so many people who become gifted with powers seem to turn to villainy, showing the same selfishness that ruined his parent’s home country and caused it to be seen as so corrupt for so long. But he just keeps trying to do the best he can, stopping what criminals he can catch, saving whatever innocent he can reach, and (if able) taking time to entertain children with his powers. Since his powers make him so adaptable, he’s willing to take on any challenge, no matter how dangerous, if it means he can be of some help. Since gaining his powers and stopping a few criminals, his self-esteem has received a considerable boost. While still not interested in taking the spotlight, or sticking around afterwards to take credit or be interviewed, his confidence has grown. He’s also become an advocate for those bullied or oppressed for the way they look or for other body issues, including the transgender community. His experiences with them, as well as in taking on so many other forms, male and female, has also caused him to begin examining and questioning his own sexuality and gender identity. He has no particular romantic interests at the moment, though, focusing on his heroic work… and his school work. POWERS & TACTICS Were it not for the accident, Horrorshow’s mutant powers -- caused by his parent’s exposure to radiation from the Chernobyl disaster -- would have fully manifested in a year or two, and he’d be able to assume the appearance of any humanoid form, though not quite down to the genetic level. The accident supercharged these abilities, giving him almost total control over his shape and substance. He can’t assume energy or gaseous forms, or any form that involves moving parts or chemical reactions (he could become something that looked like a motorcycle, but it would have no moving parts), and he cannot greatly alter his density or opacity, but beyond that his form is limited largely by his imagination and personal preferences. He prefers sticking with purely organic forms, mixing and matching parts from anything in the animal kingdom, and forms inspired by all manner of horror movies and sci-fi television shows he’s seen. The one major drawback to his powers is that sometimes his body is too adaptable: effects that transform or otherwise involuntarily change his body are especially effective against him. He'd like to learn more subtler tricks like pheromones, adrenal alterations, or toxin secretions, but he's not (yet) knowledgeable enough to do that, which he intends to fix by enrolling in some biology and zoology courses. In combat, Horrorshow prefers to open with something spectacular, following his initial attack with an intimidating pose to terrify criminals into submission. (Or even opening with a Fearsome Presence or Startle, if able to catch them off-guard.) If straightforward attacks don’t cut it, he’ll go for more subtle tactics, trying to keep foes off-balance until he can work out a weakness. He's started taking some self-defense courses, and is working on adapting their lessons to create his own personal style of shapeshifter combat, which looks something like a cross between Aikido and professional wrestling. His powers are very similar to those of a Grue metamorph, something that the ArcheTech scientists noticed when they were called in to help stabilize him. In fact, they found that part of Davyd’s genetic structure has had Grue genetic material grated to it, though this has not yet been shared with him. They theorize that at least one of the researchers at that FCU laboratory had gotten hold of some Grue biological material (perhaps taken from Roswell) for use in their regeneration experiments, which may be why Dayv got powers instead of a messy death. CAMPAIGN USE/ROLE Horrorshow is an all-purpose shapechanger, a solid jack-of-all-trade "backup" character able to fill most roles but nowhere near as good as a dedicated character. He can be a Brick, a Martial Artist, a Speedster, an infiltrator, a 'face,' and more, but he's there to support, not overshadow. (He could hypothetically be an ersatz Mentalist, with behavior-altering pheromones or touch-range Mental powers -- meshing his nervous system with another's -- but he’s avoiding the latter out of fear of damage to his own mind and also because it’s gross.) He still prefers to work off-stage rather than center stage, so is more than willing to let others take the limelight (as long as his contributions don’t go unacknowledged -- he does have some pride). How the FCU researcher got their hands on Grue biological samples -- and if there are more such samples in other laboratories -- could be an interesting mystery (and source for more superhumans!). COMPLICATIONS Bad Powers, Good People / Lovecraftian Superpower: Davyd has a good and kind heart, and would never dream of harming anyone who didn’t thoroughly deserve it. He loves using his powers to entertain and thrill people as much as he does using them to spook criminals. But given what Freedom City had gone through with shapeshifters -- both from the Grue and things like ArchEvil -- some people may react in an extremely negative way to him when they see him using his abilities. The GM may give him a Hero Point if someone reacts negatively upon witnessing his transformation, such as fleeing from him, trying to drive him off, and/or attacking him. Enemy (Fear-Master): Melvin Blume still hasn't forgotten the boy who spurned him. He feels Horrorshow would be a perfect accomplice, or, failing that, an unwitting pawn. The GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for Fear-Master or his minions attacking or otherwise disrupting him at the worst possible times. Involuntary Shapeshifting: While Davyd is capable of transforming in a controlled fashion, and usually turns into what he intends to, his powers also occasionally activate without his conscious input. If talking or hanging out with someone for an extended period, his appearance may subtly shift to become more like theirs. If interacting with someone he really likes, his body may shift to become more like what he believes they would find most attractive. When his attention wanders, one eye might start roaming around his head. When hungry, one of his limbs may sprout a serpentine head and stretch out looking for something to eat. A concentration skill check can usually get these mainfestations under control, once he’s made aware of them, though not always right away. The GM can give him a Hero Point if his involuntary shifting causes a severe breach of etiquette or otherwise makes others uncomfortable, which could result in a penalty to (or automatically failing) certain interaction skill checks. Obligations (Family): If Davyd’s family calls for his help, he'll drop everything and run to their aid. The GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for having them request his aid at the worst possible times. Secret (Identity): Davyd has a loving local family, and any adversaries who learned about his double life could threaten or harm them. ----------------------- ABILITIES: 2 + 6 + 4 + 2 + 6 + 6 = 26PP Strength: 24/18/12 (+7/+4/+1) Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 24/14 (+7/+2) Intelligence: 12 (+1) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 26/16 (+8/+3) COMBAT: 4 + 6 = 10PP Initiative: +3 Attack: +4 Ranged, +9 Melee (+2/+3 Base, Attack Focus [Melee] +3/+6) Grapple: +16, +13 if Morphed Defense: +9 (+3 Base, +3/+6 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -9 vs. Physical, -4 vs. Energy as “Chitinous Horror”; -4 if Morphed or in "Oozey" form * If all his powers are nullified, his Attack drops to +2 ranged & +6 melee (grapple +7), and Defense drops to +6 (+2 flat-footed). ATTACK RANGE SAVING THROW EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 19 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Unarmed, Chitinous Horror Touch DC 22 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Strikes (crit 18-20) Touch DC 24 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Grue-some Presence / Fearsome Presence 35 ft. DC 17 Will (Staged) Shaken/Frightened/Panicked SAVING THROWS: 0 + 4 + 4 = 8PP Toughness: +9 (+7 Con, +4 Protection) (Impervious 9 vs. Physical in "Chitinous Horror" form) Fortitude: +7 (+7 Con, +0) Reflex: +7 (+3 Dex, +4) Will: +7 (+3 Wis, +4) * If all his powers are nullified, his Fortitude and Toughness both drop to +2. SKILLS: 104R = 26PP Bluff 12 (+15, +20 w/ Enhanced CHA; +10 more to imitate sounds when Shapechanged)Distract, Fascinate, Taunt Concentration 7 (+10) Diplomacy 12 (+15, +20 w/ Enhanced CHA)Fascinate Disguise 7 (+10, +15 w/ Enhanced CHA; +30 more w/ Morph, +15 more w/ Shapeshift) Gather Information 12 (+15) Intimidate 7 (+10, +15 w/ Enhanced CHA) Language 2 (English, Russian, Ukrainian [native]) Knowledge (Life Science) 4 (+5) Knowledge (Popular Culture) 9 (+10) Notice 7 (+10) Perform (Acting) 2 (+5, +10 w/ Enhanced CHA; +10 more to imitate sounds when Shapechanged) Sense Motive 12 (+15) Stealth 7 (+10) Survival 4 (+7) FEATS: 10PP Ambidextrous Attack Focus (Melee) 3 (6 total w/ fluid fighter) Dodge Focus 3 (5 total w/ fluid fighter) Improved Grapple Improved Pin Startle Enhanced Feats Accurate Attack (from "Battle Shifting") All-Out Attack (from "Battle Shifting") Attack Focus (Melee) 3 (to 6 total) (from "Fluid Fighter") Challenge (Bluff/Taunt as a Move action) (from "Shapechanger") Challenge 3 (Intimidate/Demoralize as a Move action, Intimidate/Startle as a Move action, Mass Intimidation) (from "Grue-some Presence") Distract (Bluff) (from "Shapechanger") Dodge Focus 2 (to 6 total) (from "Fluid Fighter") Fascinate 2 (Bluff, Diplomacy) (from "Shapechanger") Fearsome Presence 7 (from "Grue-some Presence") Instant Up (from "Battle Shifting") Power Attack (from "Battle Shifting") Taunt (from "Shapechanger") POWERS: 10 + 5 + 8 + 6 + 1 + 9 + 11 + 12 + 28 + 2 + 5 + 20 = 117PP (Descriptors: Alien [Grue], Genetic/Mutant, Shapeshifting) Enhanced Constitution 10 (resilient form; to 24/+7) [10PP] Enhanced Feats 5 (battle shifting; Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Defensive Attack, Instant Up, Power Attack) [5PP] Enhanced Attack 1 (fluid fighter) {2) plus Enhanced Feats 6 (fluid fighter; Attack Focus [Melee] 3, Dodge Focus 3) {6} [2+6=8PP] Enhanced Strength 6 (to 18/+4) [6PP] Features 1 (Internal Compartment [light load at Str 18 = 100 lbs.]) [1PP] Grue-some Awareness 4 (8 points; PF: Alternate Power) [9PP] BE: Comprehend 4 (animals 2, languages 2 [speak any one at a time, understand all]) {8/8} AP: Mind Reading 9 (Extra: Sensory Link; Flaws: Range 2 [Touch]; PFs: Insidious, Subtle) {7/8} Grue-some Presence 5 (10 points; PF: Alternate Power) [11PP] BE: Enhanced Charisma 10 (to 26/+8) {10/10} AP: Enhanced Feats 10 (Challenge 3 [Intimidate/Demoralize as a Move action, Intimidate/Startle as a Move action, Mass Intimidation], Fearsome Presence 7 [35 feet, DC 17]) {10/10} Immunity 12 (adaptive physiology; Critical Hits, Life Support, Starvation & Thirst) [12PP] Metamorph 13 (26 points; PFs: Alternate Power 2) [28PP] BE: Enhanced Feats 5 (Challenge [Bluff/Taunt as a Move Action], Distract [Bluff], Fascinate [Bluff], Fascinate [Diplomacy], Taunt) {5} + Feature 1 (Mimicry) {1} + Morph 6 (any form, +30 Disguise; PFs: Covers Scent, Precise) {20) {5+1+20=26/26} (“Shapechanger”) AP: Enhanced Strength 6 (to 24/+7) {6} + Impervious Toughness 9 (Flaw: Limited [Only vs. Physical]) {5} + Leaping 1 (x2; running long jump 36 ft., standing long jump 18 ft., high/vertical jump 9 ft.) {1} + Speed 1 (10 mph/100 feet per round) {1} + Strike 2 (claws & fangs & tail; PFs: Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Mighty, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning/piercing/slashing]) {6} + Super-STR 3 (+15; effective STR 39) {6} {6+5+1+1+6+6=25/26} (“Chitinous Horror form”) AP: Additional Limbs 3 (+5 limbs) {3} + Elongation 3 (25 feet) {3} + Insubstantial 1 (liquid) {5} + Strike 5 (lashing tentacles; PFs: Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Mighty, Variable Descriptor [bludgeoning/piercing/slashing]) {9} + Super-Movement 3 (slithering, slow fall, wall-crawling) {6} {3+3+5+9+6=26/26} (“Oozey form”) Protection 2 (resilient form) [2PP] Regeneration 4 (reassembly; Bruised 1 [1 round], Injured 1 [20 mins], Staggered 1 [20 mins], Disabled 1 [5 hours]; PF: Regrowth) [5PP] Shapeshift 2 (Free action, Continuous duration, physical traits, 10 points; Extras: Action [Free]. Duration [Continuous]) [20PP] Default Configuration Leaping 2 (total Leaping 4 in Chitinous Horror form) [2] Speed 3 (total Speed 4 in Chitinous Horror form) [3] Super-Movement 1 (wall-crawling 1; total Wall-Crawling 2 in Chitinous Horror or Oozey forms) [2] Super-Senses 3 (low-light vision, scent, ultra-hearing) [3] DRAWBACKS: -3PP Vulnerability (Effects from Transforms and other attacks that involuntarily change his shape or form; Frequency: Uncommon; Intensity: Major [x2]) [3PP] TOTALS Abilities (26) + Combat (10) + Saving Throws (8) + Skills (26) + Feats (10) + Powers (117) - Drawbacks (3) = 194/202 Power Points [7 free] Miscellaneous Notes The name of DC’s first Clayface, Basil Karlo, is a reference to actors Philip St. John Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff (who was born William Henry Pratt). Horrorshow’s real name, Davyd Ocheret Palahniuk, references David Cronenberg, Lon Chaney Sr. and Jr. (“Chaney” derives from a word meaning “reed,” so does “Ocheret”), and Jack Palance (born Volodymyr Palahniuk). It also works out to be a reference to Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club. Combat By Form When using Chitinous Horror Form: Melee +9 (Grapple +16), Ranged +4, Unarmed +7, Strikes +9, Defense +9 (+2 flat-footed), Toughness +9, Knockback 9/-4 (vs. Physical/vs. Energy) [PL 9 offense, PL 9 defense] When using Oozey Form: Melee +9 (Grapple +16), Ranged +4, Unarmed +4, Strikes +9, Defense +9 (+2 flat-footed), Toughness +9, Knockback -4 [PL 9 offense, PL 9 defense] When Morphed: Melee +9 (Grapple +13), Ranged +4, Unarmed +4, Defense +9 (+2 flat-footed), Toughness +9, Knockback -4 [PL 8 offense, PL 9 defense] When powerless: Melee +5 (Grapple +6), Ranged +2, Unarmed +1, Defense +6 (+2 flat-footed), Toughness +2, Knockback -1 [PL 3 offense, PL 4 defense] Junior 2019-20 Senior 2020-21