Homebew Supers: Kazuya Ito

Kazuya Ito
PL: 10 (150 pp)

ABILITIES: STR: 14 (+2) DEX: 16 (+3) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 18 (+4) WIS: 18 (+4) CHA: 16 (+3)

SKILLS: Acrobatics 12 (+15), Bluff 12 (+15), Climb 8 (+10), Computers 12 (+16), Concentration (+4), Diplomacy 4 (+7), Disguise (+3), Drive 8 (+11), Escape Artist 8 (+11), Gather Info 12 (+15), Handle Animal (+3), Intimidate 12 (+15), Business 12 (+16), Tactics 12 (+16), Technology 12 (+16), Notice 8 (+12), Pilot 8 (+11), Search 8 (+12), Sense Motive 12 (+16), Sleight of Hand 4 (+7), Stealth 8 (+11), Survival 8 (+12), Swim 8 (+10)

FEATS: Attack Focus (Melee) (5), Blind-Fight, Chokehold, Defensive Roll (5), Dodge Focus (5), Elusive Target, Evasion (1), Grappling Finesse, Improved Block (1), Improved Critical (1), Improved Defense (1), Improved Disarm (1), Improved Initiative (1), Improved Grab, Improved Grapple, Improved Trip, Prone Fighting, Redirect, Sneak Attack (1), Stunning Attack, Takedown Attack (2), Uncanny Dodge, Endurance (1), Eidetic Memory, Instant Up, Fearless, Instant Up, Minions (10)

POWERS: *Strike [8], Mighty [1]

COMBAT: Attack 0 [Stike (Mighty) 8 (Lethal)] Defense 15 (10 flat-footed) Init 7

SAVES: Toughness 7 (2 flat-footed) Fortitude 4 Reflex 6 Will 6

Abilities 36 + Skills 48 (192 ranks) + Feats 50 + Powers 9 + Combat 0 + Saves 7 – Drawbacks 0 = 150 / 150

Note: Minions are typically drawn from Government Agents, Soldiers, Assassin, or Ninjas depending on the situation. However, guard robots and power armored minions are the norm when fighting super-powered foes.

Real Name: assumed to be Kazuya Ito
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 160 lbs
Hair: Black
Eyes: Brown
Nationality: Japanese
Ethnicity: Asian

There is little info on Kazuya Ito’s life before he started taking over the super-corporation, Cyberworks. He is immensely wealthy, that much is known, but no one has been able to figure out how he built up his wealth or even where he came from.

Kazuya Ito started in Cyberworks as a researcher when the corporation was a small, but growing company that built replacement limbs for amputees. He quickly rose through the ranks to sit on the board of directors through a series of cutthroat tactics and aggressive buying of shares. Within 3 years, he was the single largest shareholder in the company. With control of Cyberworks, he began to buy up other robotics and bionics companies as well as individual research. He also shifted much of their company’s research from medical applications to military, though most of Cyberwork’s work that the public knew about dealt with everyday applications from medical nanites to assembly line robots. Through his leadership, Cyberworks has become the largest corporation in the world, practically a nation to itself.

Kazuya is a very charismatic man. He could sell ice to an Eskimo or sand to a desert nomad. However, while most who meet him find him overall pleasant to be around, there is an air about him that was almost predatory. To those that angered him, they have seen the rage and fury that stirs deep within Kazuya. Those that do anger Kazuya have a tendency to disappear, never to be heard from again.

Most of Kazuya’s time is spent at Cyberworks’ Tokyo headquarters. Other than visiting other Cyberworks offices and research facilities, he is rarely seen outside of his office. His office takes up the entire top story of the massive Cyberworks headquarters. Other than when he is sparring with martial arts trainers, he is rarely seen wearing anything other than a suit.

Kazuya has seen Cyberworks through allegations of supplying warlords with the technology to create robot and cybernetic super-soldiers, extortion, insider trading, and even assassinations. However, he always comes out clean. There are few that question he is one of the most powerful men in the world.

Kazuya Ito is a thin man who is always impeccably groomed. His black hair is kept long and hangs down his back. He usually wears expensive black suits with a white dress shirt and expensive silk ties.

The Summer of Savage Sci-Fi!

Wow! This has been the year for sci-fi products for Savage Worlds, and I'm loving it! Not only did the Sci-Fi Companion come out a couple months ago, but now there are a lot of sci-fi products either out now or coming out on the horizon.

I've recently picked up Warren C Narwood's Double Spiral War setting (review is incoming once I get a chance to put my notes into a coherent post) and the new edition of Mercenary Breed. (I sprung for the 3-pack of the Player's Guide, Galaxy Guide, and the Xenobestiary...reviews also incoming.) Also, ongoing right now is the Kickstarter for the Savage Worlds edition of Nova Praxis (currently a FATE setting). That's just the stuff that's pinged on my radar recently, so there may be something out there that I'm unaware of. It's good to see Savage Worlds getting some sci-fi support!

Homebrew Supers: Adam Van Helsing

Adam Van Helsing 
PL: 10 (150 pp)

ABILITIES: STR: 14 (+2) DEX: 14 (+2) CON: 16 (+3) INT: 16 (+3) WIS: 16 (+3) CHA: 12 (+1)

SKILLS: Acrobatics 4 (+6), Bluff 12 (+13), Climb 8 (+10), Computers 4 (+7), Concentration 12 (+15), Mechanical 8 (+11), Diplomacy 4 (+5), Disable Device 8 (+11), Disguise (+1), Drive 4 (+6), Escape Artist 4 (+6), Gather Info 12 (+13), Handle Animal 4 (+5), Intimidate (+1), Investigate 8 (+11), Arcane Lore 8 (+11), History 8 (+11), Theology and Philosophy 8 (+11), Medicine 4 (+7), Notice 8 (+11), Ride 4 (+6), Search 8 (+11), Sense Motive 4 (+7), Sleight of Hand 4 (+6), Stealth 8 (+10), Survival 8 (+11), Swim 4 (+6), Languages [4 (Latin, Romanian, Italian, German)]

FEATS: Critical Strike, Dodge Focus (2), Favored Opponent (1), Improved Initiative (1), Quick Draw (2), Takedown Attack (2), Seize Initiative, Fearless, Equipment (5), Contacts, Track, Inventor, Improvised Tools, Precise Shot (1), Sneak Attack (2), Luck (2), Ultimate Will (1), Connected, Ritualist, Distract (1), Well-Informed

EQUIPMENT: Cell Phone, Comm-link, Night-vision Goggles, Silver Sword, Leather Jacket, Undercover Vest, Heavy Pistol, silver bullets, crucifix, garlic, Crossbow, rope, Wooden Stakes

COMBAT: Attack 10 [Silver Sword 3 (Lethal), Heavy Pistol 4 (Lethal)] Defense 20 (14 flat-footed) Init 6

SAVES: Toughness 7 (7 flat-footed) Fortitude 6 Reflex 6 Will 9

COMPLICATIONS: Enemy (Dracula, Council of Night), Hatred (Vampires)

Abilities 28 + Skills 43 (172 ranks) + Feats 30 + Powers 0 + Combat 36 + Saves 13 – Drawbacks 0 = 150 / 150

Real Name: Adam Van Helsing
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 175 lbs.
Hair: Auburn
Eyes: Hazel
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: Caucasian

Adam Van Helsing is the Great-great-great-great grandson of Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, the famous vampire hunter. Most people consider the story of Van Helsing’s battle with Dracula to be myth, even members of the Van Helsing family, but it’s very much true (even though Stoker’s story embellishes some elements).

Adam’s father was a dentist. He didn’t believe the family history and would become quite annoyed with anyone that would question or joke with him about his name. He raised his son to reject the stories as an inconvenience that a member of their family had their name used in a story that fuels so many over-active imaginations. However, Adam’s grandfather didn’t feel the same way.

Adam would spend most of his days with his grandfather during summer break and after school while his parents were at work. Adam’s parents thought that Adam was going fishing and working on homework with his grandfather, but Rudolph Van Helsing was secretly training Adam in the arts of fighting the undead. Adam learned not only how to fight and build effective weapons used against creatures of the night, but also how to recognize vampires hiding amongst the living as well as occult lore.

After high school, Adam went on to college where he majored in Parapsychology, much to the chagrin of his parents. He became one of the world’s foremost experts on the occult and the supernatural. His renown grew even further when he was tapped to be an expert on several Learning Channel and Discovery Channel specials on the supernatural (though he despised the sensationalistic slant of the programs) and even appeared a couple times on Ghost Hunters. His notoriety would prove to be Adam’s greatest enemy.

For generations, the forces of darkness have left the Van Helsings alone. After Abraham’s valiant crusade against evil ended with his death, the Van Helsings went into hiding. Only in the last couple generations has the family dared call themselves by the Van Helsing name. When it was shown that the family were no longer carrying on Abraham’s quest, they were left alone as a non-threat (unless one crossed the path of one of the hungry dead, that is). Adam, however, changed that.

Two weeks after appearing on the Ghost Hunters, Adam’s parents were slaughtered and turned into zombie slaves by an upstart vampire necromancer named Vlakinswol. Adam himself was attacked by a couple werewolves that he was able to dispatch. This was the first time that Adam truly utilized his training. He then confronted Vlakinswol and with a grieving heart, ended his parent’s existence as members of the undead.

The battle against the vampire didn’t go nearly as well as the earlier battle with the two werewolf mercenaries. He was tossed around by the undead sorcerer easily before he was able to wound the monster with a crucifix hidden in a compartment up his sleeve. That gave Adam enough of an upper hand to allow him to drive off Vlakinswol, leaving Adam to bury his parents with the curses of the vampire ringing in his ears.

Rudolph was gravely wounded in the attack. Not to in a way where there was any danger of becoming the undead, but there was little hope of his survival. He told Adam not to blame himself for what occurred as it was only a matter of time before the dark forces discovered that some Van Helsings still carry the torch. He warned Adam with his dying breath that the attacks on his family were just the beginning and that, sadly, Adam was likely going to have live a very guarded, lonely, and secretive life.

The next couple of years saw Adam build up a reputation as a pariah even among the peers in his field. Too many people from friends to colleagues of Adam’s had been slain, and even those that didn’t really believe in tales of the truly fantastical, such as vampires and black magic, saw Adam as carrying a curse. Adam dealt with it the only way he knew how: he threw himself into his research and training. Hardly a waking moment was spent on anything other than trying to discover the true identity of Vlakinswol and developing new tools to aid him in his battle.

Adam started a society dedicated to the eradication of the darkness. He recruited people from all walks of life that have survived brushes with the undead. The inner sanctum of his organization, called The Torch, was comprised of the martial arm of the group. These were people and beings of such physical and mental caliber as to allow them to take the fight to the creatures themselves. He’s even taken up the cause of those that are tainted by the darkness that strive to overcome their curses to fight evil, such as Dr. Victor Frankenstein’s original monster.

Adam recently discovered Vlakinswol’s identity, which lead him to discover the existence of a council of vampires lead by a slowly regenerating Dracula. His crusade has reached a fevered pitch as Adam and The Torch race to defeat the vampires before Dracula totally regains his strength.

Adam is a thin, but athletic man. His features are attractive, but he cares little for working on his appearance. He wears rugged clothing, mostly denim and leather, which can hold up to the rigors of battle as well as wear and tear from climbing into ruins and ancient tombs. Heavy-duty denim jeans, black shirt, steel-toed boots, and a leather trench coat with many hidden pockets are his common wardrobe, sometimes he also wear a chain shirt into combat. He always wears the silver crucifix that his grandfather always wore prominently on a chain around his neck. His hair is long and usually pulled back in a top-knot. Adam always carries a crossbow and handgun (with a clip filled with silver bullets) is concealed in his coat. When going into combat, he sometimes straps a silver longsword to his hip.

Homebrew Supers: Motor Lisa

Now presenting one of my favorite creations:

MOTOR LISA 

M&M Stats
PL: 10 (150 pp)

ABILITIES: STR: 24 (+7) DEX: 20 (+5) CON: NA INT: 12 (+1) WIS: 10 (0) CHA: 14 (+2)

SKILLS: Acrobatics 12 (+17), Bluff 4 (+6), Climb 8 (+15), Computers 15 (+16), Diplomacy 5 (+7), Disguise 4 (+6), Escape Artist (+5), Gather Info (+2), Handle Animal (+2), Intimidate (+2), Popular Culture 12 (+13), Notice 8 (+8 ), Search (+1), Sleight of Hand 8 (+13), Stealth 4 (+9), Swim (+7)

FEATS: Defensive Attack, Fast Overrun, Defensive Roll (3), Elusive Target, Evasion (), Improved Defense (), Improved Grab, Improved Initiative (2), Improved Overrun, Improved Trip, Move-by Action, Precise Shot (), Power Attack, Sneak Attack (), Uncanny Dodge, Beginner's Luck, Seize Initiative, Ambidexterity, Eidetic Memory, Quick Change (1), Teamwork (2), Instant Up, Acrobatic Bluff, Attractive ()

POWERS: Super-Strength [2], Super-Speed [2], Protection (Impervious) [5], Super-Senses (Darkvision, Radio, Ultra-Hearing) [4]

COMBAT: Attack 10 [Unarmed +7 (Bruise)] Defense 20 (15 flat-footed) Init 21

SAVES: Toughness 10 (7 flat-footed) Fortitude 5 Reflex 10 Will 5

DRAWBACKS: Vulnerable -EMP's [Freq DC 10] [Sev DC 10]

Abilities 20 + Skills 20 (80 ranks) + Feats 28 + Powers 28 + Combat 40 + Saves 17 – Drawbacks -3 = 150 / 150

MSH Stats

F	A	S	E	R	I	P
IN	IN	RM	IN	TY	GD	GD

Health: 150        Karma: 26

Resources: TY    Popularity: 10

Powers

Robotic Construction: Motor Lisa is a highly advanced android.  Her body grants her the following powers:

·          Invulnerability: IN protection from physical and energy damage.

·          Hyper-Running: GD

·          Super-Senses: Lisa has Darkvision at GD rank, Hyper-hearing at GD rank, and can hear Radio transmission at GD rank.

·          Immunities: Lisa does not need to eat or breathe, is unaffected by poisons and diseases, and can survive indefinitely in the vacuum of space. 

Weakness

Electro-magnetic attacks against Motor Lisa are made with a +2 CS bonus. 

Talents: Acrobatics/Tumbling, Martial Arts B, Trivia (Pop Culture)

Contacts: The Posse

Real Name: Lisa Langston
Identity: Secret
Height: 5’8”
Weight: 300 lbs.
Hair: None (was Black)
Eyes: Red (were Hazel)
Nationality: American (legally deceased)
Ethnicity: Caucasian

Lisa Langston was born into a wealthy family in California’s Silicon Valley. For 16 years, she lived a good life. Her parents loved her, she was popular, did well in school, and had a bright future ahead of her. Then, shortly before her 17th birthday, Lisa was diagnosed with terminal cancer. The doctors told her that there was little they could do, but if she and her family wished, they would go ahead and try treatments. Not wanting to live her last few weeks weakened by chemo, Lisa decided to forgo treatments to instead spend her last days surrounded by family and friends.

Lisa’s father, David, was a robotics and artificial intelligence specialist doing research into advanced android technology for Cyberworks US. He was stricken with grief, and refused to accept the fact that his daughter was going die so young. His primary project was dealing with mapping human brainwaves into electronic form, allowing AI’s to have true human emotions and possibly allowing a mind to continue past death in an electronic format. The research had had some very positive results, but was nowhere close for actual human testing. That didn't stop David though.

The night that Lisa died, David, against his parents and his wife’s wishes, took his daughter’s body to his lab. He had illegally procured one of Cyberworks’ prototype Alpha Droids, which were designed to look like, and with David’s research, act like real people. His hope was to use his latest research, which proved successful in two initial tests, would allow his daughter’s mind to live on in an android body that looked much like she did in life. Never more would he have to worry about losing his daughter.

Cyberworks caught wind of what David had in mind. The branch President was about to call the authorities, when Cyberworks’ CEO and founder, Kazuya Ito personally stopped the call. “Why stop him?” Ito mused. “If he is successful, it would be a great boon to the company.”

The process was completed, and David waited to see if his daughter’s new body would stir. Many minutes passed that felt like hours, but then the android whispered “Dad?” David was overjoyed! He held his daughter tight and told her that everything would be fine. Lisa asked where she was and why everything felt strange. Her father explained what he had done, telling her that she would no longer have to live in fear of cancer or disease of any kind.

Lisa was horrified.

She shoved her father away, not realizing that her new body was 10 times stronger than a grown man, and threw him into a computer station. Lisa gasped in fear that even though she was terrified at what her father had turned her into; she still didn't want to kill him. As she ran over to check on him, her vision blurred and she blacked out.

When Lisa came to the lab was swarming with Cybeworks security forces and a Japanese man with a trustworthy, but far too slick demeanor was covering her in a blanket. He told her that he was Kazuya Ito, her father’s boss, and that she was in a lot of trouble as her father was dead. However, as long as she came with him that all would be alright.

Lisa wanted to cry, but no tears came to her electronic eyes. She just sat there staring at her father’s body. That’s when she noticed the bullet holes. She turned on Kazuya and sent him flying across the room. She then leapt at two of the closest guards smashing them into each other. She didn't get much further before bullets riddled her body. She felt pain, rather the impulses that went along with internal damage reports registered as pain, and decided that sticking around wasn't going to do her any good or allow her to get the bastards that killed her father. She sprinted out of the lab, dashing erratically down hallway after hallway, sometimes running into guards that she clumsily dealt with, until she came to an office space with windows. She jumped through the glass and darted off into the night.

She next few days, Lisa spent in hiding. At first she was worried about food and shelter, but soon realized that she didn't have need of either. Her body’s nanites repaired the damage from the gunshots. She stole some clothes off a clothes line (her android form was anatomically correct, adding to the need for clothing). She then decided that her only choice would be to contact her mother to let her know that she was still alive (in a manner of speaking).

Passing a newsstand on the way to her parents’ house, Lisa saw the local newspaper talking about her father being killed in a car-jacking attempt and was found with the body of his recently deceased daughter. She was sickened to read the veiled accusations that her father was up to something disgusting with her corpse, which he was in a sense, but not what the paper was alluding to. She had to talk to her mother…NOW!

Alas, that meeting was not meant to be. As Lisa got within a couple miles of her home, and ran into Cyberworks operatives. They hit her with the same low-level EMP charge that knocked her out before. As she collapsed, she faintly heard the sounds of combat.

When Lisa came to, she was surrounded by several strangers. One in a cowboy hat extended his hand and told her that she was saved by the group. His name was James Justice, leader of a group of renegade heroes called The Posse. He explained to her that they were a group that fights against evil governments and corporations, such as Cyberworks. He pointed over to a large, skull-faced robot and told her that he was also wanted by Cyberworks and that if she wanted, they’d help her get used to her new life. When Lisa said all she wanted to do was to see her mother, James explained that would not be a possibility right now. Cyberworks has her home under constant surveillance in hopes of catching her trying to do just that, but at the first chance, they would help her meet her mother. Lisa agreed to stay with the group, for the time being.

It’s been six months since Lisa joined The Posse. The other android in the group, Cybeast, has helped her grow acquainted with her abilities. Plus, the technologies in her body allowing for her personality to be housed electronically helped him replace his slowly decaying brain that was housed in his android form. She’s also learned to fight as well as become used to what her body is capable of. While she misses her family, and still somewhat feels something like a ghoul having lived past her time, she enjoys being able to fight for those that can’t fight for themselves. She’s thrown herself fully into the role of a superhero.

Lisa finally got to meet with her mother. She took a chance to follow her to a coffee shop one day and talked with her there. It took some convincing, and her mother, while happy that Lisa is still alive (in a fashion), she is thoroughly disgusted at what her husband had done. She wanted her mother to know that she is fine and that she’d likely not be able to visit, but that she loved her. Lisa secretly checks in on her mother when possible, just to know she’s alright, but hasn’t met with her since. In truth, Lisa saw the fear in her mother’s eyes, and it broke her heart. She knows that it’s better that she rarely sees her mother anymore.

Lisa’s android body is that of an attractive, lithe woman that appears to be in her late teens to early twenties. The body is naturally bald, but Lisa tends to wear a black wig to better fit into society. She wears a black jumpsuit, boots, and mirrored shades into combat.

Homebrew Supers: Death Knight

DEATH KNIGHT

M&M Stats
PL: 10 (150 pp)

ABILITIES: STR: 27 (+8/+1) DEX: 16 (+3) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 12 (+1) WIS: 10 (0) CHA: 12 (+1)

SKILLS: Acrobatics 8 (+11), Bluff (+1), Climb 8 (+16), Diplomacy (+1), Disguise (+1), Escape Artist (+3), Gather Info (+1), Handle Animal (+1), Intimidate 12 (+13), Theology and Philosophy 8 (+9), Arcane Lore 8 (+9), Search 8 (+9), Sleight of Hand 8 (+11), Stealth 12 (+15), Survival 12 (+12), Swim 8 (+16)

FEATS: Attack Specialization (1), Critical Strike, Defensive Roll (2), Elusive Target, Evasion (1), Improved Initiative (2), Improved Critical (1), Improved Block (1), Move-by Action, Power Attack, Rage (2), Takedown Attack (1), Uncanny Dodge, Seize Initiative, Diehard, Endurance (1), Fearless, Fearsome Presence (3), Instant Up, Startle

POWERS: *Device: Mordred's Bracer (hard to lose) [9], Enhanced Strength [15], Super-Strength [4], Protection (Impervious) Drawback (Noticable; Plate Armor) [6], Immunity (Life-Support) [9], Immunity (Magic Attacks) [2], Leaping [5]

COMBAT: Attack 8 [Bracer Sword 10 (Lethal)] Defense 20 (15 flat-footed) Init 11

SAVES: Toughness 10 (8 flat-footed) Fortitude 4 Reflex 10 Will 5

DRAWBACKS:

Abilities 16 + Skills 23 (92 ranks) + Feats 25 + Powers 36 + Combat 36 + Saves 14 – Drawbacks 0 = 150 / 150

MSH Stats

F	A	S	E	R	I	P
IN/RM	EX	RM/TY	IN/GD	TY	TY	GD

Health: 130/90   Karma: 26

Resources: PR    Popularity: -50

Equipment

Mordred’s Bracer: Death Knight wears a mystic bracer once wore by Mordred the Evil (who has been magically banned from being able to don the bracer).  This grants him the following powers:

·          Attribute Boost: The bracer increases Death Knight’s F, S, and E scores to those on the left.

·          Armor: the bracer calls forth black and wicked-looking medieval armor that grants IN protection from Physical and Energy damage.

·          Bracer Sword: A wicked-looking, black sword extends from the bracer.  It inflicts incredible edged damage.

·          Resistance to Magic: GD

·          Leaping: GD

Talents: Weapons Specialist (Swords), Occult Lore, Intimidation

Contacts: Mordred the Evil, Morgan Le Faye

Real Name: Unknown
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 240 lbs.
Hair: Black
Eyes: Black
Nationality: Unknown, supposedly British.
Ethnicity: Unknown, but he appears to be of Gaelic descent

Little is known of the past of the man known as Death Knight. What is known is that he wields the power of Mordred’s Bracer, the evil twin of Power Knight’s Bracer of Avalon, and is a twisted and sadistic psychopath.

Death Knight appeared seven years ago in northern Scotland. He slaughtered an entire rectory of monks. No one knows exactly why, but some have theorized that they were guarding Mordred’s Bracer. He then disappeared, but would resurface every now and again. Every place he appeared, a trail of bodies followed. Most victims were simply beaten to death, but others appeared to be viciously sacrificed in horrific rituals tied some unknown religion.

The Death Knight is the mortal enemy of Power Knight. The two have fought numerous times. Their first battle resulted in the deaths of 13 innocent people. They appear to be evenly matched, but Death Knight is easily the quicker of the two, and fights more like a warrior born and trained than a mere scrapper like Power Knight.

Death Knight is a pale white man with long, greasy black hair, and black fu-manchu style mustache, and piercing dark eyes that seem to glow when enraged. Mordred’s Bracer sits on his left arm and is a twisted mockery of Power Knight’s Bracer of Avalon. Mordred’s Bracer appears to be made of twisted black iron and is riddled with barbs. His armor also appears to be spiked black iron, though it’s as strong as adamantium, with black chainmail underneath his breastplate and black leather pants underneath his leg-guards. His skin is covered in grotesque self-carved runes of a decidedly dark purpose. Two blades extend from the back of each of his finger-less gauntlets. 

Homebrew Supers: Power Knight

POWER KNIGHT 
PL: 10 (150 pp)

ABILITIES: STR: 28 (+9/+2) DEX: 14 (+2) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 10 (0) WIS: 12 (+1) CHA: 12 (+1)

SKILLS: Bluff (+1), Climb 4 (+13), Concentration (+1), Diplomacy 8 (+9), Disguise (+1), Drive 4 (+6), Escape Artist (+2), Gather Info (+1), Handle Animal (+1), Intimidate 8 (+9), Knowledge: Subway Systems 8 (+8 ), Tactics 4 (+4), Notice 4 (+5), Construction 8 (+9), Sense Motive (+1), Stealth (+2), Survival 8 (+9), Swim 4 (+13)

FEATS: Critical Strike, Chokehold, Improved Grab, Improved Grapple, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Diehard, Fearless, Quick Change (2), Teamwork (2), Takedown Attack (2), Improved Block (2), Set-Up, Weapon Break, Ultimate Effort (2: Toghness and Fort saves), Seize Initiative

POWERS: *Device (Bracer of Avalon; Magical, hard to lose) [13], Enhanced Strength 15 [14], Super-Strength 4 [4], Protection (Impervious); Drawback: Noticable (Plate Armor) [11], Immunity (Life Support) 9, (Magical Attacks) 2 [11], Strike (Mighty) [5], Leaping [6]

COMBAT: Attack 6 [Fist (Strike) 14 (Bruise)] Defense 7 (4 flat-footed) Init 2

SAVES: Toughness 13 (13 flat-footed) Fortitude 10 Reflex 7 Will 8

Complication: Enemy (Death Knight)

DRAWBACKS:

Abilities 16 + Skills 15 (60 ranks) + Feats 21 + Powers 52 + Combat 26 + Saves 20 – Drawbacks 0 = 150 / 150

Trade offs: +3 Toughness/ -3 Defense, +4 Save DC/ -4 Attack

Real Name: Ivan Rostov
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 250 lbs
Hair: Red, but he’s bald.
Eyes: Green
Identity: Secret
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: Russian

Ivan Rostov was only a little over a year old when his father and mother defected to the US during the height of the Cold War. His father was a low-level KGB operative that wanted his son to have a chance to live free and be able to make his own choices in life, and even though he wasn't privy to many of the USSR’s secrets what he did know was valuable to the US government. After months of questioning during which Ivan’s family was kept cloistered away on a military base, they were given a new life in New York City. His father worked primarily as an adviser of Russian affairs with the CIA, but never really had many true duties, since the US wanted to keep him close but didn't want him to have access to any of our information (just in case he should have a change of heart), while his mother found work as a waitress at a local diner.

Ivan grew up to be a good athlete and a decent student; becoming a good football player, though he never cared much for studying. His true passion was New York’s subway system. From the time that he was young, he was fascinated with subways. After graduation, he passed on a couple athletic scholarships to mid-major universities to play football and went into construction, getting a job with the New York Transit Authority. He was in heaven.

Most of his duties were menial. Ivan worked hard though, and over the years became a crew supervisor working on old, decommissioned lines to keep them structurally sound or ready them for reopening.

While working on the 63rd street line in 2000, a section of wall was found to house a small compartment. Inside the small alcove hidden behind the wall was an ornate chest of mahogany and covered with strange runes. Ivan took the box back to his office. The box was locked with what looked like a padlock without any discernible keyhole. As Ivan touched the lock, the runes on the chest began to glow and the lock popped open and fell off while the chest opened. Inside was a plain looking silver bracer with three runes carved along the outer side. Ivan, a little creeped out, was curious. He slipped the bracer onto his arm and was shocked to see plate armor appear over his body and feel power coursing through his body.

As he was marveling at the power in this simple bracer, a ghostly image of a knight appeared before him. The knight revealed himself to be the ghost of Sir Gawain and that he was chosen to carry on his fight against the forces of darkness. The ghost warned Ivan that the bracer has a dark twin that has likely been found as well to keep balance in the world, and to be wary of who carries Mordred’s Bracer, for he is likely as black-hearted as the half-blood Prince once was.

Ivan was dumbfounded. He asked the ghost why he was selected, and Gawain said that he was a man of pure spirit, even if he did not realize such. It was to be his destiny to fight evil aided by the magic in the Bracer of Avalon that he now holds. Gawain told Ivan about dark times ahead for mankind and it will take men of strong will and a sense of honor and justice to guide mankind through the darkness. With that, the ghost bid Ivan good luck and faded away.

Ivan found some old subway memorabilia and put it in the chest to make it look like an elaborate time capsule and turned it over to his boss. The chest, while found to be of Gaelic origins and was at least 600 years old, was taken by the historical society and placed on display.

Over the next few weeks, Ivan became acclimated to his new found powers. He learned that the bracer gave him super-strength and invulnerability. The armor could be called upon and dismissed with a thought, even modified to give it a more “modern” look. At first a sword was called up with the armor, but since Ivan didn't know how to use a sword, that power was funneled into his fists (Ivan boxes to stay in shape) and the sword no longer appears when the armor is called upon.

Before long, Ivan took his first steps into becoming a super-hero. While he didn't always catch the crooks, they rarely got away with their ill-gotten gains. It was tough at first to juggle work and being a hero, but he’s getting the hang of things.

After a couple months of being on patrol in New York, he caught a report about a lunatic clad in black armor horrifically slaughtering people in the back alleyways of Hell’s Kitchen. Ivan, who had taken the name of Power Knight, started patrolling the area. Within a week’s time, he met his shadowed twin.

The man called himself Death Knight and told Ivan in no uncertain terms what was going to befall him and all those around him if he didn't give up the Bracer of Avalon. The battle nearly leveled a city block and left 13 people dead. Ivan was finally able to drive off his evil twin and save several people trapped in a building that caught fire during the battle, but the deaths of those he wasn't able to save weighed heavily on him, since he should have been able to drive his foe to battle away from others. Being a hero was so easy when he was taking down common hoods, but now it was a whole new ballgame. He swore that he would bring the Death Knight to justice and make amends to the families of those killed during his careless battle.

Ivan nearly bankrupted himself donating money to the families of those that died during his fight. It was money he was glad to pay, and hoped eased some of the suffering he unwittingly caused. Since then, he’s been much more observant of where he fights his foes.

A couple months ago, he was approached by Hero Prime of the super-group The Guardians asking him to join. Ivan accepted and has been an integral part of the team ever since.

Ivan is a bald man with a red goatee and bright green eyes. He has the build of a linebacker and has a very laid-back and jovial mood. His accent is a strange mix of northeastern American with a touch of Russian in some of the harder consonants. His Power Knight armor is a silver breastplate, leggings, and boots over a black jumpsuit. A winged helmet that only leaves his chin and mouth uncovered covers his head and protects his identity.

Homebrew Supers: Redbird

This is the first in a series of posts detailing some of the characters I created over time. Some were creations from when I first got into comics, while other came from when I started playing Marvel Super Heroes, HERO, and onto Mutants & Masterminds (which these initial stats are all for M&M 2E, but I am going to post the MSH stats in time). I also had the dream of becoming a comic artist back in the late 80's and early 90's, and some of these were born from the self-made comics I created back then. These characters now have a place in my supers setting.  First up is Redbird.

Redbird 

PL: 10 (150pp)

Abilities: STR: 14 (+2) DEX: 16 (+3) CON: 14 (+2) INT: 16 (+3) WIS: 14 (+2) CHA: 14 (+2)

Skills: Acrobatics 8 (+11), Bluff 8 (+10), Climb 8 (+10), Concentration 8 (+10), Craft [Mechanical] 8 (+11), Craft [Electronic] 8 (+11), Diplomacy 8 (+10), Escape Artist 8 (+11), Gather Information 8 (+10), Investigate 8 (+11), Knowledge [Technology] 8 (+11), Notice 8 (+10), Profession [Engineer] 8 (+10), Search 8 (+11), Sense Motive 8 (+10), Sleight of Hand 8 (+11), Stealth 8 (+11)

Feats: Acrobatic Bluff, Blind-Fight, Critical Strike, Defensive Roll (2), Distract (1), Dodge Focus (1), Elusive Target, Equipment (3), Improved Disarm, Improved Throw, Improved Trip, Instant Up, Precise Shot (1), Sneak Attack (1), Stunning Attack, Uncanny Dodge

Powers: Device (Costume: Hard to Lose, [Flight: Gliding 4 ranks], [Protection 5 ranks], [Super-Senses: Infravision 1 rank] 8pp total)

Combat: Attack +12 (+4 Quarterstaff / +1 Shurikens) [Unarmed +2] Defense 13 (10 flat-footed) Init +7

Saves: Toughness +7 (+2 flat-footed) Fortitude +5 Reflex +8 Will +6

Equipment: Quarterstaff (4ep), Shurikens (Autofire, 4ep), Smoke Grenades (4ep), Flashlight (1ep), Digital Audio Recorder (1ep), Multi-tool (1ep)

Complications: Duty (as Director of his Youth Center and as a major philanthropist), Guilt (Over lying to his parents and to the kids to cover his being a hero)

Drawbacks: None

Abilities 28 + Skills 36 (144 Ranks) + Feats 18 + Powers 8 + Combat 48 + Saves 12 – Drawbacks 0 = 150pp

Trade offs: +3 Def -3 Tough, +2 Atk -2 DC

Real Name: Jason Washington
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 200 lbs.
Hair: Black, but he shaves his head.
Eyes: Brown
Identity: Secret
Nationality: American
Ethnicity: African-American

Jason Washington was born to a poor, but hard working family in St Louis. His father was a delivery truck driver for a florist and his mother worked for a maid service. Life was tough, but they were together and that’s all that mattered. However, the neighborhood got worse and worse year after year as hard times continued to erode the area. After their apartment was broken into for the third time, Jason’s parents decided to try and move out of area to a less violent part of town, but while out apartment hunting they were killed in an auto accident while he was with a neighbor.

Jason was taken in as a ward of the state and after a couple years bouncing around from foster home to foster home, he was adopted by lawyer and his wife and went to live with them in their affluent St. Charles community. His adopted father was impressed by Jason’s intelligence and wit (though Jason was given to fits of bitterness).

It was tough at first for Jason. He’d never had much of anything growing up, so going from nothing to wealth took some time to get used to. His parents were patient and understanding even though Jason, who was 10 by this time, tried pushing the boundaries as much as he could. In time, he learned to trust his new parents and grew to love them. They supported Jason’s burgeoning love of electronics, and his father, who was once a national Martial Arts champion before studying law, taught him discipline, humility, and honor as well as being able to handle himself when words wouldn't diffuse a situation.

While he became comfortable with his new school and new friends, he still missed the old neighborhood. His family would drive near where he used to live occasionally on their way downtown to watch a Rams or Cardinals game, and his heart filled with sadness as he watched what was left of his old neighborhood degrade into lawlessness and ever-deepening poverty. He vowed to do something to help the downtrodden of St Louis someday.

Jason graduated top in his class and went on to study Engineering at the University of Missouri: Columbia, where he got a full-ride scholarship not only in academics, but for baseball as well. He studied hard and became an All-American Athlete for his skill playing center field for the MU Tigers. After college, where he graduated near the top in his class once again, he went on to work for a large engineering firm just outside of St Louis and spent many of his nights and weekends volunteering at a youth center in St Louis near his old neighborhood.

Four years after college, Jason’s big break came when a glider suit he designed on his own time for use in military and extreme sports was bought for an extremely large sum by the government. It was enough money that Jason was able to finally do what he’d always wanted to do: try and help the people of St Louis.

Over the next couple of years, Jason pumped money into various charities and then ended up building a state-of-the-art youth center (named the Kingshighway Youth Center after the street it sits on) where kids could get tutoring and have a safe place to play away from the violence that seemed so prevalent outside. His parents helped him out quite a bit with counsel and legal advice as well as lending a hand in tutoring kids.

Things were going good, but like with all things, the good times never seem to last long. It was always a constant struggle to keep kids from fighting or keeping the gang and drug influence from creeping into the center. When a promising young kid got killed outside the center for the meager money he had, Jason lost it. He went into seclusion for days, just sitting in the dark crying out in anger and coming close to succumbing to depression. He realized that something had to be done, that someone had to take a forceful stand. He had seen and read new reports about the good work being done by heroes in cities like New York and Freedom City, and realized that St Louis needs a hero. St Louis needed someone more than just another man, they needed someone to be a symbol of hope that someone is truly looking out for them and is fighting to make the city safer for those that aren't strong enough to fight for themselves.

It took a little time, but within a couple weeks, Jason had upgraded his prototype glider suit with protective abilities and a helmet complete with infravision capabilities. He decided that he would call himself Redbird after the mascot of the St Louis Cardinals. It wasn't that menacing, but unlike Batman of Gotham, Jason wanted Redbird to have a less menacing image. Sure, the villains may not take him seriously at first, but they will once they feel his bo staff or fist crashing into their heads!

Ever since starting his career as a crime fighter, Redbird has cleaned up some of the crime in St Louis, but he has started to see how corrupt the city is from cops taking bribes to corporations exploiting the working class. He gets frustrated when the system releases the truly evil thugs back out on the streets for him to fight again, but he keeps fighting because no one else seems to want to.

Overall, Jason enjoys being a hero, though he doesn't like lying about his crime fighting to his parents and the kids that look up to him. His parents don’t suspect anything, at least as far as he knows, but he’s pretty sure a couple of the kids may have figured him out.

Redbird's costume is red and white. The glider wings are tucked into the sides of the costume and unfurl easily when needed. The helmet is styled to look like the head of a cardinal, with only Jason's mouth left showing. The eye pieces have an infravision inset that turn on with the touch of a button. His bo staff collapses and hooks onto his belt where the rest of his gear is held.

Delays

It's been a while since I've posted anything, and with things being a bit slow today at work, now seemed like as good of a time as any. As per usual these days, my time for writing has been less than what I'd like, so what time I do have to write I spend working on setting material and not-so-much on blog material. However, I do still have several drafts waiting in the queue for finishing touches. Here's the current draft list:

Farscape Species with Mythic Space backgrounds and stats for both Savage Worlds and Rogue Space.

Another "Threats of Mythic Space" detailing some interstellar menaces I haven't covered yet like Tyranids and the Scarran Empire.

Background information on the "family tree of humanity" talking about genetic manipulation and the various homo erectus offshoots.

A series of comic book posts detailing some of my own creations, both heroes and villains. These will initially have Mutants & Masterminds (2e) stats (I posted them on the Atomicthinktank boards ages ago), but I will be posting FASERIP stats for them as well.

I've also been kicking around some fantasy ideas with Savage Worlds as well, but I don't have anything beyond some scribbled notes at this point.

Mega-Dungeons of Space: Hulks

Image by deviantart user, PavellKiD

Derelict spacecraft are truly the dungeons of space, and the Space Hulks are the truly legendary dungeons of the stars. They are ancient, titanic starships that were built by an unknown species that possibly predates the Prometheans. This massive starships either drift through space or randomly jump in and out of space time via some unknown method. As far back into the records of even the oldest space-faring species, Space Hulks have been cataloged, studied, boarded, and explored. While some corporations have made their fortunes and reputations from the tech scavenged from these ancient wrecks, even more corporations and far more explorers, scientists, and mercenaries have lost everything: their credits, their lives, and their sanity on these ships.

There are 16 known Space Hulks, but it is theorized that this may not be the total number of hulks in the galaxy. It has also been theorized that there may every well be many other hulks in the cold dark of space between galaxies, since there are several researchers that believe that the space hulks originated from another galaxy, be it Andromeda or another nearby dwarf galaxy. Every hulk is gigantic, large enough to generate their own gravity and atmosphere in many cases, but each one is now far larger than they originally were. Over the eons, these ships have collected other spacecraft (likely predominantly the ships of explorers and scavengers that have been lost on their endeavors) as well as asteroids and other space debris that have become lodged into the hulls and therefore have become part of the craft.  They are not unlike museums drifting through space and in an out of our reality. Thanks to their nigh-unimaginable age, they hold untold treasures of technology, history, genetics, and weaponry; all ripe for the picking should an enterprising crew happen to find one.

Most Hulks, save one, either drift through space or (more commonly) shunt into and out of reality seemingly at random. The means by which these immense starships do this is completely unknown. One moment, the Hulk is sitting in space, and then comes a building of energy and the ship appears to slip sideways into a tear in the fabric of space and is gone. That hulk may reappear on the other side of the galaxy within days or not for centuries. There so far has been no pattern that can be discerned from the comings and goings of a Space Hulk. They simply appear and disappear at random. Even the most widely accepted theory on their method of travel (dimensional shunting) has not been proven. All that is certain, is when the ship disappears, it's not as if it is cloaked; it simply isn't there anymore. The few that have been on a Hulk as it traveled in this manner state that space is different. It ripples ever so slightly as if the Hulk were suspended in a calm body of water. The alignment of the stars are wrong, and some will wink in and out as if someone is turning them on and off like a light. A strong feeling of disorientation and "wrongness" permeates this other dimension or reality, so much so that over 85% of those that have entered this other realm have been driven insane by the experience.

Out of the 16 known Hulks, two have been destroyed, one by altering its course into a nearby star, which nearly killed the star in the process (Devastator), and the other by it re-entering our reality too close to a black hole (H-13). Even though there are many that would risk their companies, their nations, and their lives to study and plunder the secrets of a Hulk, everyone fears the appearance of one of these mammoths in their system. This fearful reputation is well deserved. It was the Space Hulk, Tyrannus, that introduced the worlds of the Concord to the Tyranid menace. The Hulk, Primal Necropolis, carries a plague parts of its interior that kills with 99% effectiveness and those that survive and typically driven insane by the ravages of the disease. Alien horrors and virulent plagues are only two of the dangers of a Space Hulk. Explorers must also be wary of unstable bulkheads that can open out into the vacuum of space, still active internal defenses, pirates and other not-so-noble explorers, and disappearing into some unknown reality whenever the Hulk decides it is time to leave. Hulks have earned their infamy for all of these reasons and more, but the rewards for those who can plumb the depths, even ever so shallowly, and escape with not just their lives, but with artifacts or data have made the fortunes of many.

Below is a list of the known Hulks and a few details about the more (in)famous hulks.

Devastator was the first Hulk in recorded history to be destroyed. This Hulk housed an army of mutated marauders known as Death Knights. These humanoid creatures donned armor that appeared to be a conglomeration of their own armor and pieces scrounged from the inside of the Hulk. Wherever Devastator appeared, these vicious and bloodthirsty beings would swarm out of the hulk and lay waste to any nearby worlds. The Death Knights appeared to know when Devastator was about to disappear, as they would break off attacks to return to the hulk even when they were on the cusp of domination over the defense forces of a local system. The Protoss Collective finally ended Devastator's reign of terror by using mass drivers to hurl enough asteroids and proto-planets into the hulk, forcing it on a collision course with the star Ainuri, which nearly caused the star to destabilize and go super-nova far sooner than it would have naturally. Sadly, the increased solar radiation burned off much of the third planet's atmosphere, killing billions of Protoss citizens in the process.

Tyrannus is infamous for being infested with the insectoid-like beings, predominantly the dreaded Genestealers. Genestealers propagate their species by using barbs at the end of their long tongues to inject their genetic material into a host. Over time, the hosts DNA is re-written into that of a Genestealer. This process typically take a week or two, but there are some tales of Genestealer infections transforming a victim in only hours. The Concord issued Emergency Decree #18 after Tyrannus appeared in the Moltanik system and the Hive swarmed forth, completely wiping out three colonies in the system and destroying a space station. The decree states that if any Concord member detects the presence of the Hulk, Tyrannus, that the Concord Navy is to be contacted at once and emergency war-time defense strategies should immediately be enacted.

Primal Necropolis is largely an enigma. Of all the known Hulks, save the Aegis of Time, it holds more derelict ships on its hull. The disease known as the Primal Curse hangs in the air. No one can explain how a disease that live for so long without a host, but the effects are clear: hemorrhaging, hallucinations, loss of muscle control, and finally death are all effects of the disease. As said above, this plague has a 99% kill rate in those infected. The disease is also very virulent outside of the Hulk. There is a crater on the planet Farson III, where a colony was obliterated from orbit due to the rapid spread of the disease. So little of this hulk has been explored, but those that have entered it say that the hallways are littered with the bones of those that attempted to plunder the Hulk, some of the species were totally new to researchers. Primal Necropolis is another hulk that is off-limits to citizens of the Concord by Emergency Decree.

Aegis of Time is an anomaly among Space Hulks. It orbits the star of the Ylindril system between the fourth and fifth gas giants in the system. It has orbited Ylindril for at least the last 500 years thanks to evidence found among the remains of those that explored the hulk before an exploration ship re-discovered it 52 years ago. This hulk is also an anomaly for being far less deadly than any other hulk. It still has its dangers, but the Aegis of Time has been deemed safe enough to house a full time science team. Over the last couple of decades the hulk has turned into a sort of space station in the sector. Even though this hulk has been studied non-stop for the last 52 years, only 36% of the craft has been properly mapped and explored. There are still vast areas of the craft that are closed off in spite of the best efforts of Concord scientists and military forces. Thanks to the artifacts and remains found in the corridors and rooms of the Aegis of Time, 15 new species of intelligent life have been discovered (although the age of the remains and the lack of any other confirmed sightings leads researchers to believe that most of those species may no longer exist), technological discoveries have lead to more efficient power packs for weapons and gear, and that's not even mentioning the various historical artifacts in the forms of vids (taken from the remains), data-chips, and pads.

Fordham's Folly is the latest Hulk to be discovered. It appeared deep in the Oort Cloud of the Sol System. Commander Travis Fordham of the Sol Systems Alliance Navy fought hard to lead a team of scientists and soldiers to explore the Hulk as he has always been enthralled by the legends of these craft and therefore desperately wanted to explore one. The team was only on the hulk for two hours before it shunted away. The team was feared to be lost when the Hulk reappeared in the same location just minutes later. A frantic call for help was received from the hulk and an extraction team was sent in. Commander Fordham was the only person found, alive or dead, although his armor was caked in blood. Cmdr Fordham couldn't explain where his team was and appeared to have no recollection of the time the hulk had disappeared. All he would say was that "the shadows" over and over. He was deemed to be suffering an extreme case of PTSD and was placed into psychiatric care at Bethesda Medical on Earth. Cmdr Fordham would become suddenly violent and killed three staffers, forcing him to be placed into solitary confinement. The once storied career of Cmdr Fordham came to and end 10 years to the day after his rescue from the Hulk. He was discovered in his cell with a snapped neck. It was assumed that he somehow committed suicide, but signs of a struggle suggest he was murdered. The vid feed in his cell showed Cmdr Fordham suddenly becoming agitated and frightened. The vid goes slowly dark, although there was nothing wrong with the lighting or the vid feed, until nothing can be seen. All that is heard is a scream and a crack and the feed suddenly clear up to show Fordham dead in the corner of his cell.
     As for the Hulk, after the extraction team rescued Cmdr Fordham, it disappeared. It has only reappeared one other time (that anyone is aware of), in the Wrinlovex System three years after its appearance in the Sol System. It was monitored for for a few minutes until it disappeared again.

The Curse of Khaine is a hulk first encountered by the Eldar in their home system. Details are sketchy, largely in part because the Eldar do not speak of their home system except in riddles and half-truths, but the Eldar feel the appearance of the Curse of Khaine directly lead to the downfall of their society. Exarch Tolis of the craftship, Eleshaar, gives the best depiction of the Curse of Khaine and why his people fear it so much: "The Curse of Khaine brought forth the blight that ended the Eldar Empire and sent us on our exile to find a new home in the cosmos. It was manned by the damned and it spells the doom for all that encounter it. Do not search for the Curse of Khaine, but know that the day will come when it will appear and all of us will have to peer in the darkness and see the terrors that await us." As far as is known, the Curse of Khaine has only be witnessed by the Eldar, so it's possible it's just a metaphor for something whatever was plaguing Eldar society at the time of their fall, but since the Eldar are so secretive about their origins it must be left up to pure speculation until now.

Danar'sidai is the only hulk that has never shunted for as long as it has been tracked by any of the Concord societies. It plods along at a rate of about 6 AU's per year. Danar'sidai is the name given to the hulk by the Minbari, who discovered (well, the first of the Concord species to discover it, that is) it back in the early days of their baby-steps into the Cosmos. The name mean "Deathbringer." The Minbari have tried to destroy the craft many times, but have so far been completely unsuccessful. Out of all of the Hulks, only the Aegis of Time has been more thoroughly explored, however, no map of Danar'sidai is useful. The interior of the craft seems to shift and change with time. A map that may have been perfectly good 12 years ago, may be virtually worthless now; a quality that has baffled every scientist that has ever studied the hulk. The hulk is a hotspot for explorers, pirates, and plunderers though looking for ancient relics and tech thanks to its predictability. That appears to be where much of the danger stems from: other explorers. However, the Minbari that first explored the hulk ran into strange alien beings who had the appearance of having lived on the hulk for a long time. In fact, teams of raiders and other explorers have gone missing in the depths of the hulk. It is possible that these lost folk have met with others, and possibly have built their own colonies inside the hulk; with the strange occurrences surrounding these titans of space, it appears that anything is possible.

The other eight hulks have never been explored by Concord members. Other cultures may have names for these other hulks, but none of that information has been made available to Concord historians and researchers. What is known is that if any of these other hulks enter into Concord space and are discovered, that it is Concord law that the Navy be notified immediately and that the local security forces secure the hulk until the Navy can arrive to properly assess the situation. With the myriad of dangers that these starcraft can house inside of them, it is no wonder that the Concord wants to keep foolhardy explorers plumbing the depths and unleashing unknown horrors upon the Concord, and the galaxy at large.

The New Canon and Another Death

The news that many of us expected was coming down (well, I expected it at least) finally arrived: The Star Wars Expanded Universe is essentially null and void. I completely understand and respect the decision. After all, vast swaths of the Expanded Universe material was less than stellar (although I did enjoy much of it...a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine) and why tie down the new movies to canon of questionable quality. However, I hope that this doesn't mean that we'll never see Mara Jade, Grand Admiral Thrawn, the young Skywalker and Solo kids, and the characters from the EU that were bright spots. Supposedly, the novels and such will continue, but the current timeline of the novels are a different "what if" reality of Star Wars and not the real thing. (You can read the official announcement here.)

Also in geek news today, Marvel has announced that they are going to kill Wolverine. That's right, the big kahuna of the Marvel Universes is going to bite the big one. Although I have some major doubts that Marvel will kill off one of, if not the, most popular character in their universe with the intent of Wolvie staying dead for longer than 4-year old's attention span lasts, I do hope that Wolverine will stay dead longer than Superman. After all, if you're going to have the brass cajones to kill off one of the big dogs, have the same level of cajones to keep 'em dead long enough for rigor mortis to set in. Not sure how I feel about this one, but Marvel has made it quite a habit of having grand, far-affecting, events and then retconning them a month or two later, so I doubt that one of my favorites will be gone for very long.

Another Quiet Week...

...at least it has been quiet on the blog that is. I am still kicking and I am still working on a few things, just not a lot of time to write up anything for here. Sorry about that. I do hope to get some stuff I've got on the burners finished up once a few things on the homefront calm down. Possible changes in employment can kind of throw a monkey wrench into plans for creativity. Plus, it's been freaking gorgeous outside, so we've been taking advantage of it before the weather turns stormy or too hot.

Here's an update on my current projects:

Mythic Space: I'm still working on the main rulebook. It's coming along pretty well. Really, it's pretty much done, but I'm constantly finding things to tweak and add to the book. Once that's done, I'll be posting more setting material and write-ups on the various species, systems, ships, and creatures. In fact, I've got a post of Farscape species for Rogue Space already queued up, I'm just waiting to get the Savage Worlds side of the statblocks wrapped up before I post it.

S&W Setting: When I started tossing together some ideas for a setting for Swords & Wizardry using the Known World/Mystara setting as a base, I thought I'd be able to keep it focused on primarily Mystara. However, it has since blossomed into another wide-ranging setting drawing material from across the D&D/OSR/D20 spectrum. I wouldn't expect anything too concrete on this beyond snippets here and there, as this is more of a fall back project that I work on when I want to get away from Sci-Fi for a bit.

Dungeon Crawler Board Game: This project kind of took off on its own. I sat down one night to put together some ideas of things I thought might work and ended up writing a lot. I've got some monster cards and character cards already worked up, and I think I'll be playtesting this shortly. It's largely based off of the Talisman system, but tweaked liberally to make it work for a dungeon crawler. I think it's going to harken back to Hero Quest and Warhammer Quest once I get it into a playable state.

Life in the Galaxy

Life in the 24th century isn't a Utopia, but compared to today it looks like it in many ways. On Earth, very few are hungry and those that are are in that state largely due to their own vices. Disease is largely eradicated, and those that still exist are (again largely) easily managed with medicines and gene therapies. Energy is plentiful, as is drinking water. The environmental disasters that loom on the horizon today, and became a reality in the late 21st Century are a thing of the past. The politics of 24th century Earth deal mostly with matters pertaining to the Concord and not between rival Terran nations. We've abandoned the machismo and arrogance of today's society because we had to as a species when we joined the galactic community. There are still wars, rogue states, spying, greed, avarice, fanaticism, and violence, but such problems rarely affect the lives of those living on Earth and its established colonies in the time of the Mythic Space campaign.

Life for most humans in the future isn't much different than it is today. Sure, energy is abundant and you don't generally have to worry about where your next meal is coming from, but there are still jobs to do and bills to be paid. Corporations are even more massive, some are virtually stellar nations in their own right. These corps are split into various subsidiaries and are bought and sold almost constantly. Most people working for these companies rarely know exactly who they are working for, and frankly most don't care as long as the credits keep getting deposited. The biggest difference is that without the need to run to the grocery store or the gas station or bother with any number of "fixer-up" jobs, people have more time to devote to their hobbies or to entertainment. This is more pronounced on established worlds. Out on the colonies of the frontier, life can be a bit more focused on survival rather than catching up on the latest vid or working on perfecting your cloud painting technique.

The forms of entertainment are wide and varied, but they still tend to boil down to a few key areas: Movies ("vids" as they are called now), Games, Music, Art, Theater, Literature, and Sports. Whenever different cultures interact, there is an inevitable blending and sharing between the two; such has been the case since humanity was a collection of various tribes and city-states and so it continues to be now that humanity is part of a cosmopolitan galactic society. Not long after the humans and fraal joined forces, fraal art and music became all the rage on Earth. Even the fraal took to certain aspects of Terran culinary techniques and fashion. These blendings between cultures only increase further the more species are introduced into the mix.

Musical interests have always been nebulous and hard to predict. That is even moreso now. The music of the 24th century isn't that much different at its core compared to today, but the influences of other cultures and the exposure to new instruments and approaches to making music certainly have their effect. Not to mention the aspect of art imitating life. What would be likened to the Country music of today deals less with tractors and big-rigs, but rather with life on the stellar frontier. Still there is the elements of love, honor, heartbreak, and having a good time that are essentially timeless and are carried through into the 24th century.

The biggest change is how mankind has embraced its place on the galactic stage. Alien artists are booked and sell out packed arenas on Earth continuously. Earth isn't any different that most other members of the Concord, and partaking in the bounties of a shared society does have it's perks. It's nothing to go hear a Klingon opera one night and then a couple days later go hear an Ithorian singer open for the latest human diva.

Sports have been blended in much the same way. Baseball, football, basketball, soccer, and hockey are still played even in the future. As more species become part of different societies, they also bring their sports with them or want to try their hand at the sports of the natives as well. There are various leagues to the "good ol' human games" throughout the Concord, though primarily in areas with larger human populations. There have been rules implemented by each league to mitigate injuries due to special circumstances of various species playing together and the prevalence of genetic modification and cybernetics. After all, it would be dangerous to play basketball with a 12 foot tall being that weighs half a ton. Sports, and gambling, are one of the main areas where humans quickly made in-roads in dealing with other species. If anything, humans love a contest. Vid sports channels on Earth and many Sol Alliance colonies carry a wide array of sports from many worlds. It's nothing to see a kid going to school with a ballcap of his favorite baseball club and the logo of his favorite alien sport team on his backpack.

Movies, television, and games are far easier to get immersed in. Virtual Reality became a reality in the early 22nd century. Holodecks followed about 50 years later. Vids are still largely shown on a 2d surface, but games are largely offered up only in VR. There are some vids, primarily sports, that are offered in VR, but few movies go to the expense to offer on that platform...except in the realms of, ahem, adult entertainment. Even the VR offerings for sports only offer choice seats, and don't allow the viewer to be in the game, unless they are playing a VR simulation.

Libraries are largely all digital. The wave we see now of moving away from physical mediums only continues in the future. The works of authors from across the Concord and beyond are available from most libraries. Plus, the digitizing of classic works from the whole of human history are available as well from most institutions. There are still libraries in the classical sense that seek to preserve the physical copies of books and scrolls, and the trade of these tomes is very active in both legal and illegal avenues. Libraries have largely merged on most worlds as getting from one side of a planet to another is nothing like it is today. It's nothing for someone living in Baton Rogue to spend and afternoon pouring over books at the Terran Library of History in New York and be back home by supper.

Art of many worlds is quite popular as well. The various art galleries in Rome, New York, Moscow house classic works of human artists to up-and-comers from the Terran colonies and members of the Concord as well. Much like the trade of literature, the sale of art is lively both legally and illegally, even moreso in most regards. The black market for antiquities both human and alien has been booming for some time now. This is one of the reasons that when ruins are discovered on alien worlds, the Concord does its best to try and protect the sites from plunderers looking to cash in on the history of a fallen species.

International Tabletop Day

Happy International Tabletop Day! I hope you all were able to play (or are still playing) some game today. My 5-year old and I played some Talisman (4th edition) today, we're going to continue tomorrow. We started off with Castle Ravenloft, but he just' not quite ready for such a reading-intensive game just yet. He was really enjoying playing his knight for a while until he rolled a 1 on the City's Enchantress Table. Let's just say he wasn't happy about being turned into a Toad... My Troll wasn't faring much better as I kept drawing tough Psychic Combat encounters, which are really, really hard when you only start with 1 Craft.

While playing Talisman, I think I've found how I want to build my own dungeon crawler game. The mechanics will be very similar to Talisman. Characters start with a base score in four categories. These numbers can be raised (and lowered) by various means. These totals are added to a single D6 roll against a certain target number. Characters are built as static classes that can be modified a bit with the player's selection for the character's race. Characters won't level-up beyond the gear they get. This seems to fly in the face of what I've mentioned in other posts, but the way I have it working in my mind even spellcasting characters would get a chance to learn new spells that they find in the dungeon. After the dungeon, there will be events and places to visit that will offer more opportunities for stat changes.

There's still a mountain of details to iron out, but the way it's working out in my head is a game that has some depth, but still plays quick and easy like Heroquest. We'll see how it goes.

ADD Strikes Again

Thanks to all of the Diablo 3 I've been playing lately and my 5 year old interested in playing the D&D board games, I've been batting around the idea of building my own dungeon crawling game again. I've tried my hand at this a few times in the past, but it always seems to fall apart. This time however, I think I may be onto something. I'm going to use a parred down form of 4th Edition D&D. Why 4E? Well, it already plays very much like a tactical board game, so much so that I think WotC was onto something when they came out with Castle Ravenloft. So why not just play Castle Ravenloft/Wrath of Ashardalon/Legend of Drizzt? I do, and especially while my son gets his "sea legs", so to speak, I will continue to do so as the games are pretty easy to grok. However, my only real gripe with the games is that they simply aren't very deep. One of the reasons I love Warhammer Quest is that there are 10 levels of play. The D&D games really don't have a good set of campaign rules. There are variants up a Board Game Geek, but they only go so far. Plus, I've got a crap-ton of 4th Edition material collecting dust. I want to find a reason to get them down off the shelf!

D&D 4E does have some issues, however, that need to be ironed out. First off is speed of play. Combat in 4th edition can be a boring, drawn-out affair. It really doesn't need to be that way. Hit Point totals for characters and monsters will need to be reigned in. I'm not going the route of the board games and only having a hit point or two for HP totals, but there's no need (or fun) in hacking away at a beast with 500 hit points.

I'm tossing out skills...maybe. The focus of this game is largely going to be about killing things and taking their stuff. Plus, I intend to keep the co-op mode of play, so a lot of things are going to be essentially automated by the game. If skills still play a role in the game, the skill lists will be greatly truncated and probably won't play a huge role in the game.

Feats are possibly out as well. I need to do some more brainstorming on that.

So what will the characters consist of then? The six core stats, their gear, and their powers. Powers will break down as Class and Race powers, and those powers will break down into the usual At-Will, Encounter, and Daily groups. Daily powers can only be used once per adventure. I'm thinking of making each class start out at a static point (stats set, gear bought) with the player needing only to select a race and powers in order to start play. The character and race lists will likely be the standard fare.

Treasure will be random. Not sure how I'm going to do that yet, whether by cards or by charts...

I'm going to pull monsters in from the D&D board games, Hero Quest, Descent, D&D Minis, Warhammer Quest, and a few others I have in the collection. I want a game that will utilize what I have on hand.

As for dungeon generation, I'm not sure yet. I'll likely go with either Warhammer Quest's card and tile based system or with CR/WA/LoD's tile draw.

Not sure yet how I'd generate quests. I like Warhammer Quest's system, but it would have to be greatly expanded to to keep the game feeling fresh. I still need to ponder this.

So, is this just another idea doomed to failure? Probably, but I do think it could work.

Now, I realize I haven't posted much of anything about Mythic Space in a while. I promise to get back to that shortly. I've got a few posts in various stages of completion. I just haven't felt inspired to write much lately, and I really don't want to churn out crap for the sake of keeping up a post count. So never fear, sci-fi will return to this blog soon.

After a Week...

I'm calling it. Diablo 3 might just be the best comeback story I've ever seen. The expansion, Reaper of Souls hit Tuesday (well, Monday night around 11 for those that pre-ordered the digital release). The loot system, which was the main thing dragging down D3, was overhauled prior to RoS's release and got me hooked. I had uninstalled the game, thoroughly disgusted, but reinstalled it after all the great buzz about 2.0 Loot. RoS took all that goodness and expanded it. It added an Act V to the game, that while seeming to be short, was very atmospheric and well done. It also added Adventure Mode, which is where the real fun lies.

Once you beat the game with a character, you can either decide to run through another playthrough of the main game with that character or go into Adventure mode. Adventure mode still utilizes the main areas of the game, but applies 5 bounty quests for each Act. These quests range from clearing levels of a certain dungeon or killing a specific creature. At higher difficulties, the quests become harder like "Kill the Skeleton King in 45 seconds or less." Yowch. You get a shot a good loot, and get lots of XP and gold for completing the quests. You also gain Keystones, which one you have five will allow you to open a Nephalem Rift to a randomized dungeon. The point of these dungeons is to fill your kill meter so that the Rift Keeper appears so you can then kill it. This gains you treasure and XP, but you also get Blood Shards which can be traded for a random magic item of the slot of your choosing. I've been having a blast doing bounty runs and Nephalem Rifts.

Diablo 3 is actually worth the price of admission now. After it's boring vanilla game, and the blatant money grab of the Auction House, it's good to see that Blizzard still listens to the fans and wants to make a great game that players will want to keep installed for quite some time to come. Well done, Blizzard, well done.

Reaper of Souls and a General Malaise

Another weekend has slipped past with really not a damn thing to show for it. I tried to get into the zone, to get some writing done, I really did. However, the words just weren't coming and my ideas felt, well, dumb, so I said to Hell with it for the moment and played some Diablo 3 instead. I hate writer's block. Not to get too disgusting, but it's like my brain is constipated. There's ideas and imagery there that wants to get out, to find it's way onto paper/screen, but it...just...can't...  I just wasn't in a sci-fi frame of mind no matter how much I wanted to be.

What my mind did wander to was fantasy. I suspect it was all the demon-slaying in D3 and likely the binge of Game of Thrones Season 4 previews my wife and I watched. Combine that with my 5-year old's desire to try out the new D&D boardgames (Castle Ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon, and Legend of Drizzt), and all the ideas that kept coming up were tied to fantasy gaming. Nothing wrong with that, but I'm already trying to write some sci-fi material! Blast this gamer ADD.

At any rate, Reaper of Souls, the expansion pack to D3 hits tomorrow. It'll be one of those days in which I just want to get home so I can start a new Crusader, which will make the workday an even more painfully slow slog than usual. It will also likely keep me pulled away from Mythic Space for a bit longer as well. Hopefully, the ADD will swing me back around again before my writing completely switches gears again.

I Have a Dream...

No offense meant to the late, great, Dr King, but that title felt fitting even though I'm going to talk about video games.

I love the Action RPG genre. It all started with pumping quarters into Gauntlet (Red Warrior sadly needed food badly a lot...) then it exploded into a full bore obsession with Diablo and all the various games that it spawned. While I love the never-ending quest for more loot and harder challenges, I'm often left wanting when it comes to the world. These type of games scream out for an larger, more open world like those seen in other more traditional RPG's and MMORPG's. What I would love to see is a sandbox-style Action RPG.

Here me out. You travel across a hex map. In each hex there's a chance of an encounter. If that encounter is monsters, then you zoom into a random map based on the environment that you're travelling in to fight or flee with the creature(s) you've stumbled upon. If that encounter is uncovering a forgotten tomb or a cave entrance, then you go into a dungeon (randomized like the early Diablo 1 levels or what you see in Torchlight II these days). There would still be set landmarks to tackle like the crypt of an ancient lich, or the castle of the evil warlord, or the den of a dragon or demon or some other such monstrosity. There could even be quest strings that lead you along an adventure path of sorts, but the choice of where to go and what to do is up to you. Not interested in tackling the Swamp Dragon? Go fight the giants of the North instead, or just explore the world. The loot system would stay like what is seen in Action RPG's, random and tailored to level and somewhat to class.

The base game would cover a set area, but it would be expandable. A new area might even include new classes, monsters, quests, and rewards tailored for that area. You could even create planar levels for super high-level content.

I wish I had the skills to do something like this, but I don't have the coding savvy and I certainly don't have the artistic ability and rendering know-how to pull something like this off. This could be a huge idea in the hands of the right company. I know I would buy such a game in a heartbeat. Then again, I may be the only person that something like this would appeal to.

Anyway, that's my dream. I dream of an Action RPG that keeps giving me more to explore rather than having to run through the same quests over and over in my search of fortune and glory. It may not be the grandest dream ever, but dammit it's mine!

It's quiet...too quiet...

I haven't had much time to do much of anything lately, writing-wise. I am kicking around a fluff piece about sports and/or entertainment in the future pertaining to my Mythic Space setting. I'm just got a few random ideas so far, nothing really all that concrete. I hope to have something ready to post soon.

One thing that I'm surprised slipped past my radar that I found out about tonight is Pathfinder Pawns. Cardboard stand-ups of various creatures and NPC's from the four Pathfinder Bestiaries and from several of their Adventure Paths, as well as an NPC Codex. While I'm not a Pathfinder player, I do convert their creatures to S&W and the NPC's would be great to have as well. This is an excellent idea, and I'm likely going to snatch up copies as I find them. I loved the old Basic D&D cardboard stand-ups, and still use many alongside minis to this day, but I wish they were scaled to a size other than Medium/Man-sized, so these Pathfinder pawns are perfect.

I'm still playing a bit of Diablo 3, but I'm easing up a bit with Reaper of Souls due out this time next week. I don't want to get burned out before new content is released!

Diablo 3

I've been pretty quiet this week because I gave into the foul beast that is Diablo 3. I reinstalled the PC version the other day after reading that the latest patches leading up to the release of the expansion pack, Reaper of Souls, had greatly improved the game. On top of that, Blizzard is shutting down the thrice damned gold and real money Auction House, which made me insanely happy.

I had given up on the PC version when the reviews of the PS3 version came out saying it was a much better experience. I picked that up and really liked it. The drop rates for gear were much more in line with what was seen in Diablo 2 and that made for a much more enjoyable experience. The 2.0 patches for D3 PC have made it fall in line with that of the PS3 version, even better actually. I still haven't found any set gear yet, but seeing as how I'm about level 60, I would expect that my chances on seeing some set gear will greatly improve. Where I rarely ever saw a legendary item drop, I've had several now. All of these changes have made me feel good enough about D3 that I went ahead and pre-ordered the expansion.

I still wish that the character builds were more in line with that of D2, or better yet Path of Exile, but once I hit level 60 and can start amassing Paragon points, I may feel a bit differently about the character progression.

I hope that this isn't the end of what we'll see for D3. D2 only had 1 expansion though, so I'm not going to hold my breath.

At any rate, I've been feeding the addiction lately, but I will likely take a break once I get my barbarian to 60 so I don't get burned out before RoS hits. Plus, it'll give me a chance to finish my rulebook and start doing some serious work on the setting and converting aliens and such with reckless abandon!

Halfway Home

I mentioned in an earlier post that most of my game purchases these days are in the form of pdfs. One of the reasons I like them is the ability to easily (in most cases) cut and paste text. I'm currently going through the various Savage Worlds pdfs I've picked up over the years to build my definitive rulebook for Mythic Space. Instead of having to lug around several books or a binder full of notes, I'll have it all in one spot. Obviously, I can't share this out due to not wanting to have the fine folks at Pinnacle have me tarred and feathered (and rightly so), so it'll have to suffice for my group's eyes only. 

Anyway, that's why things have been quiet out of me recently. I'm about halfway through the building of this tome. Once it's done, it's full on conversion and setting details time. As I'm going through the various books that are getting brought into the main rulebook, I'm making notes about certain things I like about each setting or just ideas that come to me. I'm pretty jazzed about some of them. 

Also, expect to see some conversions from the Marvel Universe. I caught the trailer for Guardians of the Galaxy the other night and it got me to re-reading some old cosmic and sci-fantasy Marvel comics from back in the day. Marvel has always had a great gonzo feel when it comes to their space titles. Plus, seeing +Brutorz Bill's work converting Marvel aliens on his blog, showed that they are a great fit in just about any space opera setting.