Heridfel

"I, uh, probably not," Kevin said. "I've actually been studying abroad for a while." Left unsaid is that Lynn doesn't really look old enough to have been getting into clubs for more than a year - small folks tend to have that problem. "Sure thing," he says as he opens the door for her to go outside. "My major's business, but I've taken a couple psych courses for breadth requirements. Mainly the intro course and the child development course, but I remember seeing that they have a few abnormal psych courses. Psychology of criminals, psychology of superheroes, super-villains..." The weather outside is sunny, but the sun isn't carrying any real warmth with it. "At least it's not windy," Kevin thinks to himself. He's been spoiled with weather for a while. The adjustment isn't the easiest. "I figure it's because this is Freedom City. They're not going to do any in-person case studies, but you watch the news and you get plenty of material to work from," he says.

Kevin cocked his head to the side as he tried to figure out if they had met. Her voice seemed to twinge a memory as well, but he couldn't figure out which one. "Do you have an older brother who goes here? One on the football team, maybe?" he asked. He made sure he was standing with good posture. Even though Lynn was a small girl, Kevin knew that it'd hurt him in the long run to start slouching. Of course, it only stood to point out the difference in their heights. "I mean, if you've been here before, then the tour's a little different. What were you thinking of studying?" he continued.

Yeah, I should fix that. It's rough when the IC and OOC names are equally exotic and fitting. Sorry for taking a while to respond. I've actually been published as a freelance writer for Wizards of the Coast for the first time, and I've been busy replying to most all the complaints and praise (but mostly complaints). I'm the author of Winning Races: Half-Elves.

Sorry for the math errors. I wish I knew what they were, but I don't see a way to view what I submitted. I suspect one of them was due to miscounting the cost of the Boost. I'm happy with him as submitted and amended.

Kevin stretched out his arms as he walked through the Freedom College campus. Coming back to Freedom City was harder than he had thought it would be. Australia gave him a chance to see a different culture (even more so than coming to Freedom City from Texas had been), and even more so, it gave him a chance to practice his powers without the pressure of fighting super-villains. Freedom City was something of a mecca for super-villains and superheroes alike. Sydney... not so much. The downside is that many of his contacts from a year ago had disappeared. Nightrival was incommunicado, something which worried him. Most superheroes who disappear do so when they're unable to continue fighting. Hopefully, the man simply was choosing to lay low for a time. He hadn't had an easy time coming back to football either. He had had to fight for his starting space again - something he did in his freshman year, but hadn't expected again. Rugby had kept him in condition... truth be told, between his practice down below and the work he had done to open his chi, he was in the best shape of his life (even if he still can't affect himself directly in any fast sense). One other way he had to get back into things was to help out with people considering transfers or applying to FC. It seemed a bit early to him for high schoolers to be thinking about that, but he guessed he just didn't remember what it was like back then. He walked into the admissions hall and checked with the front desk. Only one today. "Lynn Epstein?" he asked the people in the area, seeing if one of the people waiting was the one he sought. For her part, while his appearance was cloaked the last time they met, his voice with its slight Texas drawl still hadn't changed.

Name: Kevin Malone Code Name: Hub Power Level: 10 (154/160 Points) Tradeoffs: +2 attack, -2 save DC (unarmed only) Unspent PPs: 6 Age: 21 Gender: Male Height: 6'2" Weight: 190 lbs. Eyes: Green Hair: Red Description: Kevin is a broad-shouldered young man with bright red hair, cut short. He looks a lot like the football center that he is, playing on the first-string team for Freedom College, ever since his time as a freshman. Teeth that are just a little out of line keep him from being called handsome, but his ready smile and wholesome physique still get him a fair share of attention from the ladies of Freedom College. Background/Origin: It was a late night in April, and Kevin Malone was returning from drinking with a few of his friends. The guys had gone out to enjoy the last weekend before finals started and they'd have to buckle down to keep eligible for their scholarships. It was one in the morning, and for a change, the streets were fairly quiet. Darren decided to run across the road for some reason or another and didn't look both ways. The car seemed to come out of nowhere, making a tight turn straight into Darren. Darren must have bounced 20 feet off of the car, falling into the road in front of it. The car sped off, not bothering to see who he just hit. His friends stood there in shock, and Kevin wasn't much better. As he ran towards Darren, guilt for letting Darren drink so much and anger at the driver and the desire that this had never happened boiled together. He was the first to see Darren, and he looked hopeless - ribs exposed, and his chest wasn't moving. Time seemed to slow up for Kevin, and he will remember what happened next for the rest of his life. He reached out to Darren, and he could feel Darren's injuries like phantom pains in himself. Darren was dying, and all he could think was "No...." All of a sudden, the pain faded, and he thought for a moment that Darren had died, but as he stopped in front of Darren, he could see his ribs unbreaking and going back into his body, and Darren started to breathe again. His friends caught up behind him, not having seen what he had done. Darren was still in real bad shape, but Kevin knew he'd live through it. Kevin was drained and couldn't do anything more for Darren. In a way, he knows that's a good thing - if people saw Darren healing up like that, who knows what they'd think... heck, Darren might even think that he was the one with powers, which wouldn't be too safe. As Darren was driven off to the hospital and Kevin gave his statement to the cops on the hit and run, he was thinking all the while: Where did this come from? He'd seen people hurt at football practice, but it was nothing like that. Of course, the inevitable question came up. Could he heal his own injuries? That test left a small scar on the back of one of his arms, and a profound distaste for cutting himself. Even so, he has been trying to figure out what the right thing is to do with his power. He still hasn't figured out that when he's trying to help someone out with homework or lifting and they suddenly "get it" that he's the cause; it doesn't feel the same way to him. If he finds other superpowered individuals to work with, that'll give him a much greater sense of peace. He isn't alone, and he can help them do good rather than trying to cure the world by himself. Unconsciously, he would rather work with people than take the credit himself. History: Kevin Malone is the oldest son of Jake Malone, a former NFL quarterback for the Houston Oilers. Kevin grew up in Texas, and it was a foregone conclusion that he'd become a football player. He played a few different positions after it became clear that he wouldn't make a great quarterback (although he could throw the ball alright, he tended to get intercepted a little too often). Eventually, he settled down as an offensive lineman and center. His dad would sometimes come by and help out the coach, but Jake made sure that Kevin didn't get any special treatment because he was Jake's son. There was no need to worry about that, though. Kevin was blessed with the sort of likeable personality that comes when you have nothing to prove to anyone. Rather than trying to be the star, he helped everyone on his team play better, and his proudest moment in his high school career was when he was made captain of his team. Upon graduation, he got a full scholarship to Freedom College and took it quickly. After all, he isn't the only Malone, and his dad has to think about college for the other kids as well. * Kevin has an older sister, and/or younger siblings. If it's an older sister, she might resent him because their father would have ignored her when he came around. He could have any sort of relationship with younger siblings. * Kevin's major is business administration. It gives him something to do if he isn't drafted or after he retires. * Kevin's father was drafted and served a tour in Vietnam. While it wasn't fun, he did sometimes tell stories about it, mostly of how the high-up brass would screw things up and it was up to the sergeants to make sense of it. If there's someone else who wants the title of "team leader" eventually, Kevin'll draw on this and just let the guy lead while he plays the role of sergeant. He doesn't like arguing within the team; he'd rather save his aggression for those they have to fight. He also might get some ranks in Knowledge (tactics) later, based on re-remembering what his father said and studying on his own. * Kevin is, overall, a fairly ordinary college student. He's only 19, but he drinks occasionally at parties. He doesn't get smashed, which puts him a leg up over some of his teammates. Whatever happened to him did strengthen him slightly, but no more than a point or two in Strength and/or Constitution. It's not enough to be really noticeable, and he'd probably just attribute it to working out and the end parts of puberty (which for all he knows might be the case). He has gotten Bs in most of his classes, in part due to not applying himself. He does great in team projects, as might be expected, and they help to keep his grades up. He's not even close to losing his scholarship, so he's satisfied with where he's at, even though he could do better. * Freedom City is really the big city for him, and while he sometimes jokes about being the hayseed up north, he does consider himself less cultured than most of the other folks he meets and tries not to let on how awed he is by some of the smaller things, such as ethnic restaurants open till 3 in the morning. Of course, he still has a lot of Texas pride, which can be seen in his Longhorn belt buckle (which he'll still wear with his costume until he realizes that's dumb) and his praise of the Tex-Mex cuisine. Example: "You may make a great pizza, but y'all have no clue how to make a good burrito." (Though that wouldn't be said to the person who made it; he's too polite for that) ABILITIES: 15 + 6 + 15 + 0 + 4 + 8 = 48pp Strength: 25 (+7) Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 25 (+7) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 18 (+4) COMBAT: 12 + 20 = 32pp Attack: +6 Base, +10 Melee, +12 Unarmed Grapple: +17 Defense: +10 Base, +5 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5, -3 Flat-Footed Initiative: +3 SAVING THROWS: 3 + 4 + 6 = 13pp Toughness: +10 (+7 flat-footed) Fortitude: +10 (+7 Con, +3) Reflex: +7 (+3 Dex, +4) Will: +8 (+2 Wis, +6) SKILLS: 40r = 10pp Acrobatics 5 (+8) Computers 1 (+1) Diplomacy 8 (+12) Intimidate 6 (+10) Knowledge (Business) 1 (+1) Knowledge (Life Sciences) 1 (+1) Knowledge (Popular Culture) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Tactics) 1 (+1) Medicine 1 (+3) Notice 4 (+6) Sense Motive 8 (+10) FEATS: 19pp Attack Focus (melee) 4 Attack Specialization (Unarmed) 1 Defensive Roll 3 Dodge Focus Improved Overrun Improved Throw Improved Trip Interpose Leadership Luck Power Attack Teamwork 2 Uncanny Dodge (Visual) POWERS: 32pp Chi 15 (30PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 2) [32pp] BP: Boost 7 (All Abilities At Once; Extras: Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Limited [Others]; Power Feats: Slow Fade [1pp/minute], Subtle) [30pp] AP: Healing 7 (Extras: Range 2 [Perception], Total; Flaw: Limited [Others]; Power Feats: Split Attack, Subtle) [30pp] AP: Fatigue 9 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will]; Power Feats: Subtle) and Super-Senses 11 (Detect Life [Mental, Extras: Accurate 2, Acute, Analytical, Penetrates Concealment 4, Ranged, Rapid {x10}]) [30pp] Descriptor: Chi; can only be detected by mystical or chi effects Descriptor: Chi, mental sense, perceived as visual DC Block Unarmed --– DC 22 Toughness (Staged) --- Damage Fatigue --- DC 19 Will (Staged) --- Fatigue Boost --- DC17 Fortitude (Harmless) Healing --- DC17 Fortitude (Harmless) Abilities 48 + Combat 32 + Saving Throws 13 + Skills 10 + Feats 19 + Powers 32 - Drawbacks 0 = 154/160 Power Points

I've come up with the changes I'd like to make to Hub. As I noted before, I'm invoking the Gold membership to move him up to PL 10/150 pp. All of the stuff below is increased from his base PL 8/112 incarnation. All the history remains the same. ABILITIES: 46pp Str: 25 / +7 Dex: 16 / +3 Con: 25 / +7 Int: 10 / +0 Wis: 14 / +2 Cha: 18 / +4 COMBAT: 30pp Base Attack: +6, +10 melee, +12 unarmed Grapple: +17 Defense: +10 (+5 flat-footed) Knockback: -5 (-3 flat-footed) Initiative: +3 SAVES: 13pp Toughness: +10 (+7 flat-footed) Fortitude: +10 (+7 Con, +3) Reflex: +7 (+3 Dex, +4) Will: +8 (+2 Wis, +6) SKILLS: 40r=10pp Acrobatics: 5 / +6 Computers: 1 / +4 Diplomacy: 8 / +11 Intimidate: 6 / +9 Knowledge (Business): 1/ +1 Knowledge (Life Sciences): 1/ +1 Knowledge (Popular Culture): 4 / +4 Knowledge (Tactics): 1/ +1 Medicine: 1 / +2 Notice: 4/ +5 Sense Motive: 8 / +9 FEATS: 19pp Attack Focus (melee) 4 Attack Specialization (unarmed) 1 Defensive Roll 3 Dodge Focus Improved Overrun Improved Throw Improved Trip Interpose Leadership Luck Power Attack Teamwork 2 Uncanny Dodge (visual) POWERS: 32pp Boost 7 (all ability scores; Extras: Range 2/Perception; Flaws: Others Only; Power Feats: Subtle, Slow Fade, 2 Alternate Powers) [32pp] -AP: Healing 7 (Extras: Range 2/Perception, Total; Flaw: Others Only; Power Feats: Subtle, Split Attack) -AP: Fatigue 9 (Extra: Alternate Save/Will; Power Feat: Subtle) and Super-Senses 11 (Accurate, Acute, Analytical, Penetrates Concealment, Ranged, Rapid, Detect Life) Descriptor: Chi; can only be detected by mystical or chi effects Descriptor: Chi, mental sense, perceived as visual DC Block Unarmed – DC 22 Toughness -- Damage Fatigue -- DC 19 Will -- Fatigue 46+30+13+10+19+32=150

I'd like to invoke the gold status for Hub. That would make him a PL 10 character. I don't yet have plans to spend those power points, but I'll come up with something once I have a good explanation of his absence.

Any chance that Hub might be able to make an appearance somewhere during this thread? He's too old to be a Claremont student (and his secret identity is still secure, as far as he knows), but it'd be worthwhile to get back in the Southside area.

Shouldn't be too much trouble. Icarus was on the hazy side of the heel-face turn as it was. Something along the level of Catwoman still too much, or would I have to go further?

Hey there Freedom City inhabitants, I've got a bit more time in my life than what I had before, and I was thinking about returning to the play-by-post. I don't know how many remember me from before, but I was the guy playing Hub and Icarus (formerly Heavy). I figured I'd post and see if there were any from long ago who still play, so that I can see what I could do to re-introduce myself. Herid Fel

"Foreshadow, you said something about now being the time to strike, so maybe we shouldn't be standing around flapping our yaps," Icarus says, taking charge for once as he looks around the room. "I figure we've got to take out Omega if we want to stop anything. Who else do we have with us?" An uncomfortable silence pervades the room. Not even Dr. Sin looks like he wants to handle this one, but he steps up. "Besides the men, and women," he says with a glance to Changeling and her twin, "in this room, there are only a few other 'heroes' left. Most of them are baseline humans, costumed adventurers like the Raven, but none of them come close to his caliber." "You mean, between us, we're going up against Omega with the power of Centurion?" Icarus asks, his eyes wide open. Foreshadow steps up to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "No. We've been fighting this fight a long time, and I've seen the different ways that it can end. Even with your help, there's no way that we could defeat him directly. He has hundreds of supers, heroes and villains, brainwashed into his service. He's killed hundreds of others. No, the only way to defeat him is to destroy his infernal device that seeks to draw this Earth into the Terminus," Foreshadow says. "It means our deaths and the destruction of this world, but if we don't, the omniverse is at stake."

I'm not doing too much this round unless something drastically changes. Otherwise, this is my first chance to see what was done to people who were affected by the DNA manipulations. This might also lead Kevin to try to figure out a way to reverse the bad effects - poor Smash being dumber than a box of rocks, for example.

Kevin remains behind some of the rubble knocked up by the fight. So far, the damage has been relatively minor. That's thanks in large part to all of the heroes who have stepped up to fight the super-villain and villainess. When Smash speaks, though, he pauses. It sounds fairly clear that the huge man isn't all there in the upstairs, and beating him senseless will probably not improve the situation. He tilts his head, then looks back with his chi-sight to see what sort of damage has been done to him.

Would it be cheaper than Immutable? Yes, it would be. You wouldn't get much savings over a standard Immunity to Trait effects. Even considering that a Limited flaw would lower the cost from 5 to 3 (rounding up).