Dr Archeville

13 does, in fact, hit! As I said, they move like zombies. ;)

The dangers of having both Intelligence and Charisma higher than one's Wisdom. And being mad. Observation: This man appears to be a werewolf. Or, rather, some sort of metahuman with transmogrification powers that fits the classic werewolf myth. Experiment: Find out what triggers his transformation. Moon-linked only? Or (also?) stress-induced? Method of Experiment: (Verbally) poke him!

"Fun?," The Doktor replied, standing his ground. "Vell, if all your are interested in is fun, den perhaps I should let you continue on to de playground mit de ozher children...." Now he's calling Thomas a child?! "... but since you are clearly not a child, und can appreciate de wisdom in knowing your enemy, I haff come to offer some small help. De men you faced last night, und de vons dey vork for, vill come after you. Vould it not be in your best interest to know vhat you can of dem? I know much of dis city, of many dings besides, und vould be villing to answer any qvestions you haff, if you vill but do de same for me in return."

propanone = acetone distilled terebinth resin = turpentine acetone + benzene + turpentine = "The Dip" from Who Frame Roger Rabbit (Which would do absolutely nothing to Jester, except maybe bleach his jacket, but Grim's theory that he's a 'Toon is one that Doc might also reach.)

Archeville's right eye twitched, then his left, then his right one again. Archeville cautiously crossed the compressed space to the temple's door. "I hope ve do not vind up causing more of a bedlam dan de villains ve are here to oppose," he muttered.

Archeville listened with rapt attention as Fulcrum explained her abilities, her experiences, in her own words. It was not exactly what he had intended -- he had wanted her to recount some direct experiences, some layman's specifics on her powers (such as how large an item she's lifted before) -- but this information was quite useful in its own right, as it focused on her personality. The bit about giving her a lever to move the world made him chuckle. Then she asked him to dinner. "I am alvays up for a good meal mit good company," he said, smiling and not missing a beat (being able to think so much faster than most people helped make it so Archeville rarely appeared to be surprised), "especially vhen de companion vould be as fascinating as you." "Und do not be so qvick to downplay your vords," he continued, "psychology is a science, too, und how a person views und reacts to deir abilities is as important as vhat does abilities are or how dose abilities vork." He then thumped a section on the wall behind him with his elbow, and a section of the wall slid open. A large pad, about the size of a gym mat, unfolded from the compartment and onto the floor beside him. From the slight blue-gray glow coming form the top surface, and the controls and ports along the sides of it, it was clear this was no ordinary gym mat. "Remember de gravitic press I used on your arm to get your blood pressure reading? Vell, dis is merely a larger version of it, vhich I can use to test a person's strength. Er, a bit of disclosure, dough, dis method is still a bit new -- de old vay of testing involved a large metal bar und a powerful elektromagnet, but de last person to use it... vell... broke it," he admitted with a bit of embarrassment, remembering his first testings of Atlas. "But I am sure dis vill be fine. Aftervards, if you like, ve could test your flight speed; I made some recent tveaks to mein gravimetric belt, und vould like a chance to test dose, too, und a race seems as good a vay as any," he added with a wink. Once she stood on the pad and he activated it, it began to faintly hum, increasing steadily in volume as he increased the power with his Electromagnetic Screwdriver. It was a long while before she felt any real pull, but before that, he asked a question which may have surprised her. "So, vhat sort of foods do you like? Vhere vould you like to go for a bite?"

That would be appropriate, yes.

"I find that th' how'a things is often less important than th' why'a things," Dead Head replied, handing the photo back to Zak, "an' never apologize fer questionin'. Far too many folks is content t'live their lives without examinin' it, without enjoyin' it, and that be one o' th' greatest crimes'a all." Dead Head rolled his head around again, his neck making audible sharp popping noises, then he turned to face west. "as fer yer friend... well, that is all I can get from that photo, but if'n he has anythin' else t'say t'ya, or ifn' y'wanna say some final words t'him, I can make that happen. But I'll need access t'his remains. An'... an' I can't guarantee it'll work, either, since he spent so much time off-world. I ain't ever dealt with that type. I mean, sure, he was from Earth, but he spent a lotta time there, with alien cultures an' beliefs an' whatnot. It may've affected where his spirit got to once it shuffled off, he may be unsure where t'go, an' I may not be able t'do more than what I did here with that there photo." "An' that," he said with a sudden clapping of his hands and a momentary flaring up of the lights in his eyes, "is exactly why I am goin' t'help you! I'd feel just awful if'n there was some kind soul lost out there, unsure where t'go, knowin' I could help him get t'where he needs t'be gettin'. So lead th'way, chum!"

Oh, I know, but I just wanted to establish that Doc does have his "Game Face" on ;)

There's too much in the Belt now. You've got 16pp worth of effect in it, but the Belt (as Device 3) can only hold 15pp. If you change Enhanced Defense to Shield, that would free 2 points. Like so: You could use that 1pp to buy 1pp worth of stuff in the Belt. Like Flight 1 (Flaw: Platform). Or an Alternate Power for the Force Field (like a Force Blast, or an Invisibility Field), though it would be something she could use only while the Force Field is not active. Oh, also, please alphabetize your feats.

As I mentioned in chat, I'd like to see the fluff expanded a bit, delve into why she's a superhero, not just a person with powers. Stats look fine, though it seems odd the group the Devices like that. Could you not split them up into three distinct devices? (Very nifty pic )

15 January 2010 Had a very pleasant day today, studying and assisting a non-magical, non-undead metahuman. Mona "Fulcrum" Teymourian is a 2.49 m tall, 260.82 kilogram woman with enhanced strength and durability, flight, and some emerging super-speed; all are tied to her ability to generate "Cosmic Energies". Very pleasant gal, too. Very pleasant. But more on that later. Except... according to both Dark Star and Jack of All Blades (whose energy-detecting powers make me inclined to hear them out), it's not "Cosmic Energies" she generates, it is "Terminus Energies." But she is not one of the "Terminus Babies" -- those conceived, in utero, or born during either the 1965 or 1993 Terminus Invasion, and evidencing powers due to exposure to Terminus Energies -- she was born in 1980. However, she was present at the final battle between Centurion and Omega, and receiving chemotherapy at the time, so it does seem probable that the energies escaping from Omega's cracked armor (and his subsequent exodimensional teleport out) could have infused her compromised body. Which makes for a fascinating ability to study some aspects of the Terminus without having to go to it! I of course had to use some special equipment to study her, due to her metahuman abilities. Standard blood pressure cuff cannot get a read because they cannot compress enough to affect her blood flow. Attempts to draw blood fail because the needles would shatter when pressed to her flesh. The standard doctor's light was insufficient for the pupillary response test, as it was not bright enough to cause any appreciable reaction. Going through the standard tests got me to thinking about all the other types of specialized equipment I have used (and, in most cases, created) to do a proper job on Metahumans. Medical Devices... of Science! Electromagnetic Screwdriver There are of course a number of medical-related tasks my omnigadget can perform. In addition to a laser scalpel, it can also generate a magnetic beam to manipulate metallic items from a distance (useful if I must do surgery on someone I cannot reach), all manner of sensors, and a holoprojector to share what I find. Anesthetic Ray Anesthesia consists of three things: reducing anxiety levels, deadening their perception of pain (so they do not wake up), and paralyzing them (so they do not reflexively move while being operated upon). Rendering the patient unconscious (partly so they do not get traumatized by witnessing the surgery, partly so they do not annoy the doctors with questions while the try to concentrate) is the main difference between local and general anesthesia. But all that typically requires a mix of IVs and gases, and can get quite bulky. My anesthetic ray, which directly manipulates the nervous system (particularly pain receptors and the amygdala and hippocampus), can perform all of those functions. However, the energy wavelengths involved are quite erratic, so the ray has a very, very short range. I usually mount the projector a few feet directly over the patient's head. Gravitic Negator This device, a pad or mat of varying size which can greatly decrease the force of gravity directly over it, serves a variety of functions. It can be used to provide a way for pateints to rest without worrying about bedsores. Some studies have shown that certain wounds also heal better when the patient is in a low-gravity environ, due to the changes in how blood flows. Larger ones can also be used to set up an area for care of beings native to a low-gravity world. Gravitic Pressor This device, similar to the gravitic negator but operating in reverse, serves two functions. A smaller pad can be used to compress a subject's arm enough to stop blood flow, thus permitting me to measure their blood pressure. Larger ones can be used for strength training, or to simply immobilize an excited patient. Larger ones can also be used to set up an area for care of beings native to a high-gravity world. Hemograbber Many metahumans have skin that is too tough to be pierced by standard needles. Using tougher needles is often insufficient, since the needles still must be driven in with enough force to pierce the skin. So instead of going in to get the blood, I have devised a way to make the blood come out to me. It works along vaguely the same lines as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). That compound, used as a carrier that forces skin to absorb delivered chemicals, works by causing the molecular "gates" within the walls of skin cells to open. But because of the skin's naturally selective characteristics, items beyond the size of a large molecule or bacteria are not physically able to pass through these open gates. Thus, while DMSO can be used to administer compounds in aqueous solution, there are limits to what it can transport. The Hemograbber uses a tightly focused energy beam that causes the skin cells to separate from one another in a very tiny area, and blood then oozes up (or shoot of like a geyser, depending on the width of the hole and the patient's blood pressure). It does not go very deep -- 3 mm at most, just enough to get down to the superficial veins -- but that is all that is needed. Shrinking Harness What better way to see what's going on inside someone than to get inside them? I can use this harness (which uses some of the shrinking techniques pioneered by my grandfather) to shrink down so small that I can hold a red blood cell in my hand as if it were a beach ball, or even smaller, to actually see and manipulate DNA strands. The harness also includes a low-powered gravitic manipulator so I can fly about unhindered (so I can check out the lungs and other cavities, and not tied solely to the blood and lymph streams), and a force field to protect me from any defenses that think I am an invading hostile bacteria. Sound Masker This small device can cancel all sound in small (3m radius) area. Quite handy for patients who need to get some uninterrupted rest. It can be synced to a small device worn around someone's throat -- say, a nurse or doctor -- so that it does not cancel the sound of their voice, allowing their advice to be heard while still blocking all other noises. Telepathic Headbands Sometimes a patient may be paralyzed, unable to speak, yet still aware. This handy device gets around that. The second version of the Telepathic Headband I created could be used to probe a mind for answers. This could be used to get to the roots of any traumas, uncover repressed memories, and even "communicate" with unconscious beings.

4 January 2010 Phantom is fourteen weeks pregnant?! (Conception date late September 2009, not long after my last encounter with Captain Knievel, and the pleasant afternoon with Atlas.) With Avenger's spawn?! How is this possible? All the tests I've run on Avenger's skin samples -- the ones I can run, the ones that bypass that odd anti-tech cloaking field -- show his body is truly dead; I still have no solid idea how it stays animate. (Best Guess: It is dead, animated like a marionette -- or a 'mech -- via a telekinesis-like effect generated by his mind/"spirit", which exists separate form the body in an invisible noncorporeal state.) He should not be able to generate reproductive material! And as for Phantom, her temporally locked, "dynamically static" body should not even be able to get pregnant! This is maddening! Especially since all my tests show that the fetus is a living, normal human male; the only anomaly I detect is a trace of the same odd energies that permeate Phantom. And yet... opportunities are presented. Working with them, I can gain more intel on "Supernatural" elements (particularly vampires and other "spellcasters"), intel I otherwise would have a far harder time acquiring. Maybe even get a hold of some "magic items" and see what makes them tick, or some "spellbooks," see just what is in them. Plus, this would be the first time I have studied a metahuman fetus so early; with all the others I have worked on, I was only called in during the final trimester. Prenatal care is always important, especially when Metahumans are involved. I wonder if I should tell Ace, or Scarab? I'll be meeting her in a few weeks anyway, so I will have the opportunity to do so. Abominations!

"Make it de Vednesday after," Archeville said between low chuckles, "mein Tuesdays are usually booked." Archeville sent Nitorvich home with two large sandwiches, and offered to pay for his cab ride home, paying the driver in cash, and with a hefty tip, in advance. Once they were gone, the Doktor went back inside, closing and locking the door behind him. ">," Archeville called to the air, ">" ~fin~

Only... this! *stamps Carbon's forehead with an APPROVED stamp*

Please don't forget to make entries for this, and the two earlier Interceptors threads (Intervention and Liquid Therapy), in the Timeline.

... buh?

Actually, just caught one other problem: his regeneration. The conditions separated by a slash (Bruised/Unconscious and Injured/Staggered) aren't bought together, they're bought separately. I'd suggest doing Bruised 1 and Injured 1 & Staggered 1 (1/20 minutes)

That chart was done in October 2003. Stark & Shulkie hooked up after that.

Let the record show Doc does have his Enhanced Charisma activated ;)

Archevile adjusted his Electromagnetic Screwdriver again; when he was done, it looked like a cross between a cobra and a black widow spider, with sparks coming off the fangs. "You are vasting your time, Herr Danger," the Doktor said coolly, "just let me haff him for a few moments...."

Tony Stark has us all beat.

[following Jester's initial out-hamming of Doc] [after Ruphus Laro introduces himself and tells where we are] "So if de head priestess of St. Cuthbert is heading de investigation," Archeville began, "does your church handles all de law enforcement for de city of Cauldron? Or is dere another organization dat routinely handles such matters of crime und justice?" [At the prospect of sending Jester in to the Last Laugh] Archeville nods at Grimalkin, and part of him wishes he had implanted neural links into the Interceptors for easier communication. [And after Colt's most recent words] "Dey may be harder dan you dink, Herr Colt," he commented, "as I do not believe de technological level of dis... realm is advanced enough to haff anything more complex dan an arquebus, if even dat. Vhich is quite a problem for dose of us who utilize specialized eqvipmet...."

"Is it?," The Doktor replied as he stared slightly up at Thomas, his Rhine-blue eyes carrying their own wolfishness. "I had not noticed." A challenge? Implying that Thomas could not tolerate the cold as well as he could?! "Und mein projekt involves a simple asking und answering of qvestions...," he took one step forward, "qvestions for vhich I am sure you vould not vish de gun-toting mobsters you encountered last night to know de answers."

Gossamer crawled up and down the house like a giant spider, largely unnoticed by the drunken revelers at the nearby houses. The first few doors and windows she came to were all shut and locked tight -- no easy entrance there. Sure, she could smash them in, but a) she wasn't entirely certain she was at the right place, and if she was, such noise would probably alert the Power Corps that she was there. Peeking in the ground floor windows, she just managed to catch an odd blue light coming from beyond a wall; pressing an ear to the glass at the same level revealed murmurs of conversation, but nothing she could clearly make out. At the very top, though, she found an opening: the door to the third floor balcony had a simple latch, and the weather stripping was rotted away in a few places, so there was enough of a gap that she could thread some of her hair in and lift the latch up from the other side. Were she to poke her head in, she would just be able to hear the murmurs of conversation again.