Jump to content

Lady Diem


Recommended Posts

Lady Diem

Power Level: 10 (150/150 PP)

Unspent Power Points: 0

Trade-Offs: -2 Toughness, +2 Defense

 

In BriefFantasy Nerd with a magic book that allows them to bring their imagination to life.

Nicknames: The Wizard Of The Coast

ThemeDragon Empress by BrunuhVille

 

Alternate IdentitySonya Teller(Secret)

BirthplaceAmerican Samoa

ResidenceA small basement apartment in the suburbs that she rents from her 90 year old landlord. 

Base of OperationsFreedom City, Liberty Park

OccupationWage Slave Office Drone, Self-Published Fantasy Author

Affiliations: None

Family: Two Parents, both alive, one older sibling, one younger sibling.

 

Description:

Age28

Gender: Female

EthnicitySamoan

Height: 5'4"

Weight: 160 lbs

EyesEmerald

Hair: Chocolate

 

Spoiler

spacer.pngspacer.png

Image credited to Blazbaros

 

History: "Your deepest desires can be yours" That was what the card said. Sonya had a lot of problems, a lot of things that needed to be fixed, and best of all, she was desperate. At the time, she thought that Mr. Infamy, as the the card said in bold if plain text, was just the name of a business agent. The card itself had come from a stranger she'd run into during her last convention, along with some vague comments about being able to help. At the time, Sonya hadn't thought anything of it, but time passed and that changed.

 

Suck in a dead end job, struggling to get her work published and to actually make the jump from 'aspiring' to full blown 'author', Sonya felt like her life was going nowhere fast. Lacking money, and feeling her debts steadily piling up, she felt like she needed an escape hatch. So while she was turning her wallet inside out trying to find a few extra dollars to pay her groceries, and the black card came tumbling out, she was ready to consider it. 

 

The card itself listed the address of a curio shop, one close enough to her apartment that she could reach it by foot, though far enough that she probably wouldn't have ever stumbled across it had she not been looking for the place. At a glance, it was a disheartening sight. Sure, looking at old antiques would be fun, but it wouldn't do much to improve her lot in life, or so she thought. Standing at the threshold, Sonya considered just leaving, but decided against it. Coming all the way, she could at least step inside.

 

Mr. Infamy stood at the counter, and warmly invited Sonya in. Their interaction was a strange one. Sonya began with the assumption that the business owner could get her a book deal, or perhaps a loan to help her get her bank account out of the red. Mr. Infamy acknowledge that while he certainly could help with those sorts of things, he was curious if that was what she really wanted. Without really giving it much thought, Sonya admitted it wasn't. Normally a reserved individual, Sonya found the black haired, blue-eyed man surprisingly easy to speak with, and so her feelings just came tumbling out.

 

In a world filled with hero's, Sonya always wanted to be one. Not the cape and mask kind, but the sword and sorcery type. She had a love of fantasy, of adventure, of daring quests and mighty magics, and most importantly, of a world she could escape to where things made sense, as far as she was concerned. Mr. Infamy listened patiently, with a charming smile, nodding along as Sonya spoke. He concluded, to summarize, that she seemed to possess a wealth of imagination and a sense of wonder that this world was simply ill equip to handle, and that she'd be much better off if she could just change a few things to better reflect the worlds she could dream up in her imagination.

 

To that end, he offered her a strange book, plucked from a display case beside his counter, and offered it to her with the kind words that he looked forward to see what kinds of stories she decided to create, and when she attempted to pay, simply raised a hand and assured her it was no charge. After all, he said kindly, he could imagine no one better suited to carry it. 

 

So ended her encounter with Mr. Infamy. When she left his shop, Sonya found herself feeling a bit despondent. She'd come all the way trying to turn her life around, and walked out with an old book. By the time she'd walked back home, all she felt was foolish for getting caught up in the idea of changing anything. Out of curiosity, Sonya opened the book and found it was a guidebook for some sort of tabletop game, a way of crafting narrative stories based on a few simple rules. She was a veteran LARPer and had run multiple marathon game sessions during conventions, so such a book was remarkably familiar as she thumbed through the pages. As she read, her mind naturally began to imagine what sort of games she could make, and as she did, the ideas began to literally spring off the page and into the world. Before she knew what was happening, her apartment had transformed into a tavern filled to the brim with orcs, goblins, elves and hobbits. It was like a miracle.

 

Now, were this one of the stories Sonya enjoyed reading, she probably would have paused a moment, and thought fully about the circumstances as they unfolded. Perhaps she would recall that objects of power are seldom given out for free, and that accepting gifts from strangers can lead to misfortune if you are not careful. Sonya, however, was to caught up in the moment, to fixated on all the things she had wanted which had never been possible. To preoccupied with the injustices in her life that she could finally correct. To blinded with the prospect of finally being able to step out of the dull world she lived in, and into one where she could be happy.

 

On that day, Sonya transformed nearly half the city without even giving it a second thought, replacing the modern metropolis with a medieval citadel, positioning herself as a mighty and noble queen to preside over the realm. It would have been perfect, just like she imagined. And of course, it wasn't. There was panic in the streets as unsuspecting citizens fled before the fantastical creatures that had been conjured up among them. Hero's emerged to help contain the situation, and assembled a party to storm her castle. First, Sonya was confused as to this. But confusion turned to anger, a bitterness at what she perceived to be an attack. This was supposed to be her chance to finally get what she wanted, to make people happy. Everyone wanted to be a hero, to live an adventure, and she could give them that. How many people had been just like her, hopeless and depressed? With her power, Sonya could make it so that nobody would ever feel like that. And yet, the 'hero's were on their way to try and stop her? She didn't understand, she only felt hurt. Sending all the power she could at the heros, Sonya tried to resit their efforts to take away the world she'd tried to build, but was ultimately defeated. After all, the evil queen never wins in the end.

 

Her book was taken, and Sonya was thrust back to the world she'd tried so hard to escape from. Only then did she fully understand how far she'd gone astray. She didn't resist arrest, and admitted her guilt on all charges. She was sentenced to prison, and while it was crushing to experience, she told herself that it was what she'd deserved. For the one time in her life she'd been given power, and all she'd done with it was try to rule some little kingdom.

 

Five years passed, and Sonya was granted release on good behavior. In her time, she'd been a model prisoner, and actively attempted to reform herself. She'd actively participated in therapy groups, and volunteered for community service at every opportunity. The biggest sign that she was genuine in her efforts to reform was the book, however. Despite her imprisonment, Sonya's book had repeatedly found its way back to her. And instead of using it to escape, she'd done what she was supposed to do, and hand it over to the authorities. That was a huge sign in and of itself. Her application for probationary release was granted, and Sonya was able to walk free.

 

When Sonya returned home, she found the book waiting for her. And it would be a lie to say she wasn't tempted to use it. But Sonya refused to go down that path again. She hid the book away, and tried her best to ignore it. For six months, she even managed. In that time, she got a job. It was a terrible job, but then as a felon with a record, it was about the best she could manage. Most of the time, she could push the matter aside. But when her mind drifted, she would find herself contemplating the book again. If she never touched it again, she could never use it to hurt anyone. That was certainly commendable. But with the book, she could do some good, of that much she was sure.

 

Project Freedom, a reform program for criminals who were attempting to use their superhuman abilities productively, provided a means to do so. Working with the project, Sonya was granted the opportunity to use her abilities in controlled settings, and with nearby heros on hand should she start displaying some of her less positive tendencies. In addition to connecting her with a therapist, Dr. Gabriel Marquez, to help continue her rehabilitation.

 

Sonya is now six months into the program, and has been granted a wider range of freedom to use her abilities, and works every day to continue to better herself and put the power she was given, however dark its origin, to use for good.

 

 

Personality & Motivation: True nobility is not being superior to your fellow man, but superior to your past self. Sonya has attempted to make that the core of her being. As a fantasy fanatic, she's filled her subconscious with tales of chivalry and hero's facing off against evil, and believes in a very optimistic world view. However, at a personal level, she's largely failed to uphold such ideals, which has left her with no small amount of self loathing. Sonya uses her powers for good to try and become a better person herself in the process, and to try and help the world be a better place in the process, rather than trying to force it to be what she wants it to be.

 

As an individual, Sonya is likable enough, if a bit awkward. She doesn't usually make eye contact and avoids talking much about herself, rather preferring to talk about her interests or other people. While she would never admit it, she's something of a hopeless romantic, and tends to fall in love easily but lacks the courage to really act on her feelings, which leads to heartbreak when the subjects of her affections remain unaware of her crush. She hates her job, and only works enough to get by on, finding satisfaction in her hobbies rather than her profession. an armature writer, she maintains a small collection of self-published works of middling quality, though small commercial success. Before gaining her book, she was a big fan of superheros and is still largely a big fan of superheros, so she can turn into a total fan-girl when meeting other costumed vigilantes. 

 

 

Powers & Tactics: In a battle, Sonya holds two key advantages. The first is that she will almost certainly have near total control of the environment in which the fight takes place, as her power lets her radically reshape her surroundings on a whim. Castles, dungeons, alien worlds, lost caves, and all manner of scenarios can spring from nothing in an instant. As such, her first and foremost strategy involves keeping the fight on her terms. Individually, she's very vulnerable and she knows it. Throwing up barriers between her and her enemies so that they remain trapped within her worlds means that the fight always stays at a distance. A battle with Dorothy is more about fighting against the world she creates than her personally.

 

Aside from controlling the fight, Sonya can keep her enemies off balance with a constant barrage of illusions and distractions. Some of her creations are harmless and immaterial, while others are far more solid. Foes will never fully know what can harm them, and what cant. These illusions can also help to keep her hidden while the battle goes on. She'll send hordes of goblins to clash with her foes, or bombard them with fiendish traps, while monitoring the situation from behind her barriers. If pressed, she can call up a solid construct to act as her champion, making it the boss of her dungeons and a final encounter, though while that happens she's just as likely to disappear herself through a gateway, retreating and keeping the game of cat and mouse going. Ultimately, the fight comes down to whether Sonya can keep her enemies contained before they can close in and lock her down, or worse yet, separate her from her source of power.

 

When fighting with allies, Sonya dials back on the scale of her worlds, preferring to simply play a support role by keeping her teammates in advantages positions and undermining enemies. She can provide tactical information thanks to an ability to step back and view the real world as a projection of a game board, even moving pieces around if she desires, or through restoring the strength of her companions in the event they become injured.  

 

Power DescriptionsSonya has no powers on her own, and is fairly sub-par in most aspects. Her abilities stem from her Grimoire. While it appears to be a fairly standard, if somewhat ornate book, it is a talisman with which its holder can manifest their imagination into reality, sculpting the world around them to their liking. While nearly indistinguishable from reality, the creations are manifestations of Sonya's imagination, and can sometimes take on lives of their own outside her control.

 

Complications:

 

Wage SlaveSonya works at a dead end cubical job entering data from spreadsheets, employed under a boss that doesn't particularly like her (or anyone), for a wage that is barely enough to scrape by on, as well as being generally soul crushing. 

 

Darker Impulses: There is certainly a reason that Sonya attracted the attention of Mr. Infamy. Aside from a sincere dissatisfaction with her life and a desire to escape from it, she has more sinister aspects of her personality that were previously contained by her lack of power, but are now unleashed. She can be very controlling, manipulative, and has a genuine sadistic streak she wasn't aware off. Gaining the ability to change the world to her liking made it hard to ignore the fact that her first temptation wasn't to help others or fix things, but to enact petty revenge against people who she felt wronged by and indulge in self gratification. It provided a harsh look in the mirror and has left her with the challenge of confronting the fact she's not as good a person as she liked to believe. She's receiving psychological therapy to help her better learn to cope with and channel her feelings in constructive ways, but she still has bad days.

 

Probation: Sonya's been allowed to keep her book after showing genuine remorse for her actions and is working to prove herself as reformed, but that doesn't mean she's entirely off the hook. In addition to community service, she's monitored to make sure she doesn't relapse into more megalomaniac patterns of behavior.

 

Self Conscious: When comparing herself to others, Sonya usually views herself as inferior, whether referring to intellect, appearance, or talent. She is easily put down by others and made to doubt her own value.

 

Wrong Genre Savy: Despite being a big fan of literature, particularly fantasy, Sonya knows precisely nothing about real magic or supernatural creatures, and so will just try to muddle through based on what she thinks she knows. Which is not only often wrong, but dangerously wrong. 

 

Claustrophobia: Defined as a fear of confined spaces, Sonya becomes stressed if put inside an elevator, and can panic in any enclosed space much smaller than that.

 

Debts: Sonya accepted a deal from Mr. Infamy, and such things always have a way of coming back around. Much as Sonya might envision herself as the one sitting at the game table, she's more likely to just be a piece in his larger game. 

 

Second Chances: Sonya, having turned back from the dark side, is a bit to eager to try and see the same good in others, and this leaves her with a blind spot as she ignores the risks in her efforts to reform other misguided souls.

 

 

Abilities: 0 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 4 + 4 = 18 PP

Strength: 10 (+0)

Dexterity: 14 (+2)

Constitution: 14 (+2)

Intelligence: 14 (+2)

Wisdom: 12 (+1)

Charisma: 14 (+2)

 

 

Combat: 0 + 8 = 9PP

Initiative: +2

Attack: +0 Melee, +4 Ranged

Defense: +12 (+4 Base, +4 Illusion, +4 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed

Grapple: +0

Knockback: -4

 

 

Saving Throws: 4 + 4 + 5 = 13PP

Toughness: +8 (+2 Con, +6 Defensive Roll)

Fortitude: +6 (+2 Con, +4)

Reflex: +6 (+2 Dex, +4)

Will: +6 (+1 Wis, +5)

 

Skills: 48R = 12PP

Bluff 8 (+10) Distract

Knowledge (Pop Culture) 4 (+6)

Notice 10 (+11/+19)

Perform (Acting) 12 (+14) Fascinate

Profession (Writer) 8 (+9)

Sense Motive 6 (+7) Assessment

 

 

Feats: 6PP

Assessment

Distract (Bluff)

Fascinate (Acting)

Luck 2

 

Equipment: 0PP = 0EP

 

Powers: 92PP

 (Descriptor: Magic, Imagination)

Device 30 (The Grimoire; 150 PP Container; Extras: Indestructible, Summonable; Flaws: Easy-To Lose) [92PP]

 

World Building 45 (80 PP Dynamic Array; Feats: Dynamic Alternate Power 5 )[90PP] 

  • Base PowerIllusion 10 (All Senses; Extras: Ephemeral [+3]; Feats: Progression 10 (10K ft Radius)) {80/80} (Quasi-Real Illusions, though more difficult, are possible)
  • Alternate PowerIllusion 10 (All Senses; Extras: Sustained [+1]; Feats: Progression 15 (10K ft Radius)) {65/80} (Illusions that make the fantasy seem real)
  • Alternate Power: Create Object 10 (10 Cubes; Extras: Perception Range [+1], Movable [+1]; Feats: Subtle, Precise, Stationary, Selective, Variable Descriptor 2 (Magic), Feature (Furnished), Progressive 8 (2.5K ft cube/Rank)) {57/80} (Conjure Entire Worlds From Nothing)
  • Alternate PowerEnvironment Control 13 (5 PP Effects, 50K ft Radius) {60/80} (Dramatic Environments Provide Interesting Backdrops)
  • Alternate PowerTransform 10 (Inanimate To Inanimate, 1M lbs; Extras: Perception Range [+1]; Feats: Indirect 4, Progression 10, Precise) {74/80} (Reshape The World) 

 

Enhanced Advantage 8 (Dodge Focus 4, Defensive Roll 3, Evasion) Linked Enhanced Dodge 4 [12PP](Misdirection and Illusion make it hard to actually land a solid hit)

 

Dungeon Master 20 (42 PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 8)[50PP] (Change the world like it was just a game)

  • Base Power: Summon 10 ( 150 PP Boss Monster; Extras: Heroic [+1], Broad Type (Fantasy Creature)[+2], Continuous [+1]; Feats: Mental Link, Sacrifice; Flaws: Tiring [-1], Distracting [-1]) {42/42} (Call up powerful Boss Monsters)
  • Alternate PowerDamage 9 (Monster/Traps/Spells; Extras: Perception Range [+2], Alternate Save (Reflex)[+1]; Feats: Indirect 4, Variable Descriptor 2 (Magic)) {42/42} (Create challenging and dangerous hazards)
  • Alternate Power: Teleport 8 (800 ft /2000 miles); Extras: Accurate [+1], Portal [+2] Feats: Progression 2) {42/42} (Gate Spell)
  • Alternate PowerMental ESP 10 (10,000 ft Range ; Extras: No Conduit [+1];  Feats: Subtle 2), Super-Senses 16 (Detect Weaknesses (Mental: Ranged, Acute, Analytical), Detect Strengths (Mental: Ranged, Acute, Analytical), Spacial Awareness (Mental: Acute, Radius, Ranged), Extended Mental Senses 2 (-1 per 1000ft), Rapid Mental Senses 2 (x100); Flaws Limited To ESP [-1]), Enhanced Notice 8 {36/42} (View the world as a battle-map with character figures and look up stat blocks)
  • Alternate PowerMove Object 12 (16/32/50/100/250 Tons; Extras: Perception Range [+1]; Feats: Subtle 2, Indirect 4) {42/42} (Picking pieces up off the board)
  • Alternate PowerHealing 8 (Erasing Damage; Extras: Perception Range [+2], Restoration [+1], Total [+1]; Flaws: Distracting [-1]; Feats: Persistent, Regrowth) {42/42} (Undoing Harm can be as simple as erasing it from a character sheet)
  • Alternate Power: Paralyze 9 (End Of Turn; Extras: Perception Range [+2]; Feats: Subtle 2, Indirect 4){42/42}(Time)
  • Alternate Power: Boost 6 (All Traits; Extras: Perception Range [+2]; Flaws: Limited To Others [-1]; Feats: Indirect 4, Subtle 2) {42/42}(Level Up!)
  • Alternate Power: Dimensional Pocket 8 (500K lbs; Extras: Perception Range [+2]; Feats: Indirect 4, Subtle 2, Progression 4){42/42}(Put Pieces back in the box)

 

Drawbacks: 0PP

 

 

 

DC Block

Attack                              Range                Save                                                       Effect

Unarmed                         Melee                 DC 15 Toughness                                Damage

Illusion                            Perception         DC 20 Will                                             Tricked By Illusion

Ephemeral Illusion        Perception         DC 20 Will                                             Tricked By Illusion + Up To Rank 5 Effect

Create Object                 Perception         DC 20 Reflex/DC 25 Toughness       Trapped/Crushed by object

Damage                          Perception         DC 24 Reflex                                         Damaged

Transform                      Perception         DC 20 Fort (Inanimate)                       Transformed

Paralyze                          Perception         DC 20 Will                                             Slowed/Paralyzed

Dimensional Pocket     Perception          DC 18 Reflex/Will                                Moved To Pocket Dimension

 

 

 

Totals: Abilities (18) + Combat (9) + Saving Throws (13) + Skills (12) + Feats (6) + Powers (92) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150 Power Points

 
Link to comment

So before I get to the 'crunch' mathematics.  I have to sort of court some elephants I see in the room:

 

How are they heroic?

How do they fit in within a group environment?
Given the vast scope of the power, and the relationship to Mr. Infamy, why were they given this power?

I admit to scrubbing over the fluff/story a bit more as this character is bordering on Promethea territory given several sort of metanarrative implications.  And this is the context with which I ask regarding their power.  So I am less considering the 'in-universe'/backstory explanation, and more the design conceits/narrative arcs you're aiming for.

Link to comment

I guess to start, I've never heard of Promethea, so while I read though some of the Wikipedia article, the larger point of the reference you are making by bringing her up is lost on me.

 

As for the rest, I'll try to answer as best I can.

 

How is she heroic? I see her as someone with a deep flaw, but one that she doesn't want to define her, and that she is working to overcome. Yes, a part of her enjoys lording her power over others. A much larger, more rational part, acknowledges that is really messed up, and that doing so would be wrong. Like a police officer with some anger issues, who continues to serve on the force while also getting therapy to help better manage their issues.

 

How do they fit in a group environment? Depends on the group. She's a hero fan-girl, so she'd certainly love working with others, even if she's not great at it at present due to her abilities being very broad reaching, though she has a few support powers that would help her play in a team environment. I will admit that summoning up a castle in the middle of a battle could be problematic for certain players, I don't have a great solution for getting around that.

 

Why she was given the power? She certainly doesn't know. My personal take on it is that the outburst she had when she first got her abilities was not Mr. Infamy's endgame, that he's playing a longer strategy to let her get comfortable with her abilities. Somewhere down the line though, he'll put things in motion to try and push her over the edge, which I thought could make for a decent plot. Especially if she's acting out of a desire to do good. Road to hell, good intentions, all that jazz.

 

Hope that clears up some points.

Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...