Dr Archeville

Character Name: Intergalactic Psi-Cop Power Level: 10 (150/150PP) Trade-Offs: -1 Defense / +1 Toughness Abilities: 0 + 0 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 4 = 14PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 12 (+1) Intelligence: 12 (+1) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +0 Attack: +4 Grapple: +4 Defense: +5/+7/+9 (+4 Base, +1/+3/+5 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -1/-3/-5, -0 flat-footed Saving Throws: 1 + 1 + 3 = 5PP Toughness: +3/+7/+11 (+1 Con, +2/+6/+10 Defensive Roll); +1 flat-footed Fortitude: +2 (+1 Con, +1) Reflex: +1 (+0 Dex, +1) Will: +6 (+3 Wis, +3) Skills: 56R = 13PP Concentrate 7 (+10) Diplomacy 3 (+5) Gather Information 3/8 (+5/+10)SM Investigate 4 (+5) Knowledge (civics) 4 (+5) Knowledge (current events) 4 (+5) Knowledge (streetwise) 4 (+5) Notice 7/12 (+10/+15)SM Search 9/14 (+10/+15)SM Sense Motive 7/12 (+10/+15)SM Feats: 6PP Connected Defensive Roll Dodge Focus Skill Mastery (Gather Information, Notice, Search, Sense Motive) Trance Ultimate Save (Will) Powers: 44 + 4 + 27 + 8 + 13 = 96PP Device 10 (Lens, 50 points; Flaw: Hard to Lose; PF: Indestructible, Restricted 3) [44 PP] Comprehend 3 (codes, languages 2 [read all, understand all]) [6PP] Enhanced Feats 5 (defensive roll 2, dodge focus 2, second chance [Concentrate checks]) [5PP] Enhanced Skills 20 (Gather Information 5, Notice 5, Search 5, Sense Motive 5) [5PP] Enhanced Super-Senses 2 (removes Uncontrolled from Postcognition) [2PP] Enhanced Psi-Powers 9.5 (+18 points) [18PP] Enhanced Telepathy 7 (14 points) [14PP] 6 + 5 + 5 + 2 + 18 + 14 = 50/50 Enhanced Feats 4 (precognitive defense; defensive roll 2, dodge focus 2) [4PP] Psi-Powers Array 10.5 (21 points; PFs: Alternate Power 6) [27PP] BE: ESP 4 (Clairvoyance; Auditory + Visual Senses, 1 mile, DC 14 Notice; Extras: Action [Free], Duration [sustained]; PFs: Rapid [5 Minutes to search 1 mile diameter area]; Complication: Medium [living creatures]) {21/21} AP: Emotion Control 7 (suggest; Extra: Mental; PF: Insidious, Mind Blank, Subtle) {17/21} AP: ESP 6 (telescan; Mental Senses, 20 miles {citywide}, DC 24 Notice; Extras: Action [Free], Duration [sustained]; PFs: Rapid 2 [Full Action to Search 1 mile diameter area, 5 Minutes to Search 20 mile diameter area {Freedom City}], Subtle) {21/21} AP: Illusion 7 (all senses; Flaw: Phantasm) {21/21} AP: Mental Blast 7 (mental blow; Flaw: Action [Full]) {21/21} AP: Mind Control 7 (compulsion; Extra: Conscious; Flaw: Action [Full]; PFs: Mental Link, Subtle) {16/21} AP: Stun 7 (subjugation; Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental, Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting; PFs: Sedation, Subtle, Variable Descriptor [pain/sleep]) {17/21} Super-Senses 12 (Danger Sense [Mental], Postcognition [Flaw: Uncontrolled], Precognition [Flaw: Uncontrolled], Psionic Awareness 2 [Mental], Uncanny Dodge [Mental]) [8PP] Telepathy Array 6 (12 points; PF: Alternate Power) [13PP] BE: Communication 6 (Mental, 20 miles; PFs: Rapid [x10], Subtle) {8} + Comprehend 1 (Languages 1 [speak Any]) {2} + Mind Reading 1 (Extras: Action 2 [Free], Effortless, Mental; Flaws: Duration [instant/Lasting], Limited [surface Thoughts]) {2} (Telepathy) {8+2+2=12/12} AP: Drain WIS 1 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Linked [Mind Reading], Mental, Range 2 [Perception]) {3} + Mind Reading 7 (Extras: Linked [Drain WIS], Mental, Penetrating; Flaws: Duration [instant/Lasting]; PF: Subtle) {3+8=11/12} Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 15 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities (14) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (5) + Skills (13) + Feats (6) + Powers (96) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/150 Power Points History! The movie Lensman: Secret of the Lens was my first exposure to anime, back when the Sci-Fi Channel showed sci-fi, fantasy, and horror works from around the world. It was also a terrible adaptation of the source material, using pretty much only the names and barest descriptions to make a Star Wars ripoff. E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensman series was the first multi-volume science fiction novel ever published (the pseduo-prequel, Triplanetary, can be read for free here), is one of the (if not the) first Space Operas, and was a runner up for the 1966 Hugo Award for Best All-Time Series (losing to Asimov's Foundation series). Written in the 1930s and 40s, it's an epic tale of Good vs. Evil (and ridiculously over-the-top WMDs developed by both sides in a frighteningly short amount of time), with the wise and ancient Arisians guiding the development (both cultural and biological) of numerous races to form a grand Civilization, and to protect Civilization from the criminal Boskone and their patrons, the extradimensional tyrants the Eddore. (The Arisians ultimate plan was that, once the Eddorians were defeated, the races they've guided will be wise and powerful enough to govern themselves and no longer need them.) The Arisians arrange for the creation of a Galactic Patrol, a combination military force and interstellar law-enforcement agency charged with the defense and preservation of Civilization. The elite of the Patrol were the Lensman, beings bonded to a pseudo-living Lens, which acted as an unforgeable identification, universal translator (of codes & ciphers as well as languages), and enhanced whatever abilities were weakest in the wearer's mind, "concentrating, intensifying, and rendering available whatever powers are already possessed by its wearer." For Humans, whose Hat was "drive & indomitable will but feeble psionic ability," this meant granting telepathic powers (though with enough training some Human Lensman could retain their psionic abilities even when not wearing their Lens). (The series also had some... dated views on women, written by a man born in 1890 who, while clearly admiring strong, capable women, firmly believed that, during war, women should work on the "Home Front" while men fight the actual battles. This is the part of the series we shall choose to ignore.) Wise aliens granting exceptional sophonts a wearable device capable of great will-shaped power, fighting threats to the universe? Sounds familiar, yes? (John Broome, the man most responsible for creating the Corps, denied any connection, though later creators would introduce Green Lanterns named Arisia [pictured above] and Eddore as an homage; the Vorlons and Shadows of Babylon 5 also draw from the same well.) I think they could fit as-is fairly easily into the Freedom City setting: they could be the undercover branch of the Star Knights, a group of dedicated men and women (and other) using their subtle psychic abilities, boosted by their Lens, to ferret out criminals that the flashier Knights then go bust up. Without her Lens, the Psi-Cop is a respectable PL 7, a solid hero suitable for action on any world; stripped of her powers, she's PL 4 defensively and PL 2 with her fists, so try to avoid that. (And with no Equipment for a Vehicle, her spacecraft's either destroyed, or she got her via some teleportation accident.) She can communicate mind-to-mind (gently or tearing info out), cast her senses outward to scout remotely (Extended Search times calculated here), dominate the wills of others to make them do or feel or see/hear/sense whatever she desires, and kill you with her brain (though of course lethal damage is a rarity around here). (Many Lensman also had Mental Transform, to wipe criminal minds in cases where they didn't kill them, but heroes here really oughtn't be doing that.) Her ESP/Clairvoyance works through the senses of others, but since she can see through the eyes/ears of nearly anything -- humans, dogs, worms -- I put Medium as a Complication rather than a Flaw because not having something to sense through will be fairly rare; her ESP/"telescan" is my attempt at making a sensible version of the Telelocation power from chapter 4 Ultimate Power. With the Lens, she becomes a PL 10 psychic powerhouse, able to cast her thoughts across interstellar distances and tear nearly any secret from any mind. (Yes, there are similarities to my Vampire Psion build. I steal am inspired by many things, including myself.) I made the Lens itself an Indestructible Restricted 3 Devices: it killed anyone other than the wearer who touched it, and was "a philosophical construct, not a physical item," yet the wearer could remove it. The Lensmen were specifically telepathic, not telekinetic, so no Flight, Force Field, or Move Object for her, but I did give her some precognitive abilities (which the Arisians did exhibit, and is common enough for psions). The lack of telekinetic abilities does impair her ability to fight mindless foes (like robots), but that's what teammates are for! Her low saves are also a hindrance (though Ultimate Will does help some), so you should shore those up as soon as possible, with either earned points or by dropping some Psi-Power APs.

An extremely bare-bones draft for my Claremont Artificer. Player Name: Dr Archeville Character Name: Alagbẹdẹ (Yoruban word for "smith/smithy/smithery") Agbẹdẹ irin ("forge") Ẹlẹda ("maker") Power Level: 7 (105/105PP) Trade-Offs: +1 Attack / -1 Damage, -1 Defense / +1 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 0 Progress To Orichalcum+ Status: 0/210 (Orichalcum Status earned with Doktor Archeville) In Brief: Intuitive artificer looking to understand her abilities & do some good in the world. Alternate Identity: [birth name] Identity: Secret Birthplace: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA Occupation: Student (Claremont Academy), part-time automobile & motorcycle mechanic Affiliations: Claremont Academy Family: Mother, father, older twin brothers Description: Age: 16 (DoB: December 1996) Apparent Age: 16 Gender: Female Ethnicity: African-American (parents & gparents are Nigerian) Height: 5'4" Weight: 135 lbs. Eyes: Brown Hair: Black [Forge] is a young black woman with close-cropped hair, and more often than not has smudges on her hands and face from her latest mechanical tinkerings. She favors simple, rugged clothes, which rarely go a week without getting some unremovable stain on them. When out superhero-ing, [Forge] wears her Claremont-supplied blue-and-gold uniform, with a gold mask covering the upper half of her face. She is working on a personal outfit in black and green (the colors of Ogoun). She remains undecided if it should have a cape: capes are certainly iconic, but it might get in her way. Power Descriptions: All of [Forge]'s Powers have the Magic descriptor. Her Enhanced Feats, Enhanced Skills, Quickness, and Super-Senses also have the Divine descriptor, as they are direct boons from Ogoun; her Force Field and "Magic" are items she has created. (Describe what their powers look like, if applicable) History: born Dec 1996 parents born 1970s? gparents born 1940s? Grandparents & parents (who were teens at the time) migrated to USA to escape political and economic problems exacerbated by the military regimes of self-styled generals. (Why did I chose Nigeria? B/c it has a Ogun state.) Mechanically gifted, started helping out at [relative]’s auto shop at an early age. [something happened to gain Ogoun’s attention.] Went to Claremont to gain education in mystical matters, and find other young heroes with which to work/play. Personality & Motivation: Boisterous Bruiser & a tomboy. Loves to tinker, with both mechanical/technological things (esp. motorcycles) and magical items. Potential to be a great leader (another reason Ogoun chose her). (Describe here) Powers & Tactics: [Forge] was granted by Ogoun a superhuman intuitive talent for creating magical devices (and a lesser intuition with all forms of smithing), backed up by the ability to visually perceive mystical energy in action. This power allows her to instinctively recognize the potential and functional uses of any artifact or magical device in her visual range, a skill that combined with her natural intelligence gives her the ability to conceive, design and build potent magical devices, and operate, modify and disassemble existing artifacts or create countermeasures for it. [Forge]'s superhuman talent for artificing does not mean that she is of a superhuman intellect: even a genius at magical working must for the most part consciously work out the theoretical principles behind the creation and then the design of the item itself through a series of logical steps. In [Forge]'s case, however, many of these logical steps are worked out by her subconscious mind. Hence, [Forge] herself might not be entirely aware of exactly how she figured out how to create a magical item of hers; sometimes she must break down an item she has made to even figure out how it works. Lessons at Claremont are helping her understand magical theory on a conscious level, but she still has a ways to go. [Forge]'s Force Field and Magic powers do not represent spellcasting power per se, but rather a group of magical items she has on her person; she has multiple items for each effect, so disarming any one would not remove her powers. Further, she has worked with these enhancements so often that they are second nature to her, and she can easily create items with those effects using most anything she can get her hands on. Currently focusing on aiming/guiding her power (hence +Attack/-Damage), but will eventually learn to make better items. Complications: Intuitive Artificer: [Forge]'s Enhanced Skill (Knowledge [Arcane]) is only useful for the Design stage of the Artificer feat, not for answering general knowledge questions. Prejudice: While being a young black tomboy in Freedom City, New Jersey is not as difficult as it would be in certain other parts of the country, [Forge] does still occasionally face some difficulties. Secret: Identity. Abilities: 4 + 0 + 10 + 6 + 4 + 6 = 30PP Strength: 14 (+2) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 20 (+5) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 16 (+3) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +0 Attack: +4, +8 Arts Arcane Grapple: +6, +14 w/ Wizard-Hand Defense: +6 (+4 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -3 (-7 w/ Spells of Protection), -2 w/out Force Field Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 4 = 8PP Toughness: +8 (+5 Con, +3 Force Field; Imp 7 w/ Spells of Protection), +5 w/out Force Field Fortitude: +5 (+5 Con, +0) Reflex: +4 (+0 Dex, +4) Will: +6 (+2 Wis, +4) Skills: 20R = 5PP Bluff 2 (+5) Concentration 3 (+5) Craft (artistic) 1/2 (+4/+5) Craft (mechanical) 6/7 (+9/+10) Craft (structural) 1/2 (+4/+5) Intimidate 2 (+5) Language 3 (English [native], French, Spanish, Yoruba) Knowledge (arcane lore) 0/5 (+3/+8) Knowledge (technology) 2 (+5) Feats: 4PP Attack Specialization (Arts Arcane) 2 Dodge Focus 2 Powers: 3 + 2 + 3 + 29 + 2 + 2 = 41PP Enhanced Feats 3 (artficer, luck 2) [3PP] Enhanced Skills 8 (Craft [Artistic] 1, Craft [Mechanical] 1, Craft [structural] 1, Knowledge [Arcane Lore] 5) [2PP] Force Field 3 [3PP] Magic 9 (Arts Arcane, 18 points; PFs: Alternate Power 11) [29PP] BE: Blast 6 (blasting rings/wands; Extra: Penetrating; PF: Variable Descriptor [any elemental]; Drawback: Reduced Range 1 [5 increments]) {18/18} AP: Concealment 4 (misty form; all visual; Flaw: Blending; PFs: Close Range) {5} + Insubstantial 2 (gaseous; PFs: Subtle) {11} + Super-Movement 1 (air walking) (5+11+2=18/18) AP: Dazzle Auditory & Visual 6 (Shango's thunderstone; PF: Reversible; Drawback: Reduced Range 1 [5 increments]) {18/18} AP: Illusion 4 (invoked imaginings; auditory, olfactory, and visual; PFs: Progression 2 [25-ft. radius]) {18/18} AP: Immunity 11 (mystical armor; critical hits, life support; Active Sustained effect) + Impervious Toughness 7 (note: Active Sustained effect) {11+7=18/18} AP: Move Object 6 (mage hand gauntlet; Str 30, Hvy Load 1,600 lbs.; Extra: Damaging; PF: Precise; Drawback: Reduced Range 1 [5 increments]) {18/18} AP: Nullify 6 (all magic effects [2/rank]; Extras: Area [30 ft. Burst], Duration [Concentration], Selective Attack; Flaws: Limited [items Only], Range [Touch]) [18/18] AP: Obscure Olfactory & Visual 3 (foul smokebombs & goggles; 25 feet radius; Extras: Independent, Total Fade; PF: Slow Fade [1pp/5 rounds]) {13} + Immunity 1 (own powers; Active Sustained effect; Extra: Duration [Continuous]) {2} {13+2=15/18} AP: Snare 6 (iron shackles; Extra: Regenerating; PF: Reversible; Drawback: Reduced Range 1 [5 increments]) {18/18} AP: Stun 7 (pouch of Sandman's sand; Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Area [General, 35-ft. Cone], Sleep; Flaws: Action [Full]; PFs: Insidious, Sleep, Subtle) {17/18} AP: Teleport 4 (portal chalk; 400 feet / 1 mile; PFs: Change Direction, Easy) {18/18} AP: Enhanced Feats 2 (quick change 2) {2} + Transform 3 (philosopher's stone; anything to anything, 5 pounds; Flaw: Range [Touch]; PF: Precise) {16} {2+16=18/18} Quickness 6 (x250; Flaws: Limited 2 [One Task: Designing Magical Inventions]) [2PP] Super Senses 2 (analytical detect magic [visual]) [2PP] Drawbacks: (-0) = -0PP None DC Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 17 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Bolt of Power Ranged DC 21 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Variable) Invoked Imaginings Perception DC 14 Will Disbelief Invoked Iridescence Ranged DC 16 Reflex/Fort Blinded & Deafened Somnolence Perception DC 17 Will (Staged) Dazed/Stunned/Asleep Transmutation Ranged DC 13 Fortitude Transformed Wizard-Hand Ranged Grapple Pinned/Bound WH (Thrown Object) Ranged DC 21 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities (30) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (8) + Skills (5) + Feats (4) + Powers (41) - Drawbacks (0) = 104/105 Power Points APs I may eventually get, or just leave as Stunts. Blast 6 (gout of mageflame; Extra: Secondary Effect; PF: Incurable; Drawback: Reduced Range 1 [5 increments]) {18/18} Dazzle Visual 5 (flare of mageflame; Extras: Area 2 [Perception, General]; Flaw: Range [Touch]; PF: Incurable) {16/18} Drain Strength 6 (withering weakness; Extras: Range [Ranged], Total Fade; PF: Reversible; Drawback: Reduced Range 1 [5 increments]) {18/18} Strike 7 (arcane wave; Extra: Area [35-ft. Burst, General]; PFs: Knockback 2 [as DMG 9]) {16/18}

Ratbat & Mindwipe (I like bats). Skywarp (he can teleport!) Shockwave Astrotrain or Blitzwing (or Octane)

So one idea I'm toying with for my Claremont Artificer is the ability to use other people's magic items- Wait, wait, hear me out! Not just anyone's items, of course. No, my main thought was something akin to the Use Magic Device skill from D&D 3.0/3.5 and Pathfinder. For those not familiar with that, it's a skill that allow a character to use magic items they otherwise could not use, like an axe which gives several benefits when in the hands of a dwarven wielder (and harms any non-dwarf who dares wield it), or a talisman that saps the life from anyone who doesn't worship a particular demon lord or archdevil. A high enough skill check fools the item into thinking you are the particular alignment/class/race/sex/whatever needed for it to work. In M&M, the "item can only be used by certain people" is done with the Restricted power feat applied to the Device itself. What I'm picturing is a way to overcome that, so my guy can use otherwise Restricted items. The scene playing out in my head is that he & his fellow Claremonters are facing some Serpent Men cultists, one of the Serpent Men raises a staff up that can turn innocent Bystanders into feral Snake-Men, but the heroes knock the staff out of his hand and seize it. "Foolisssh mammals! The Staff of Ssserpos can be used to reverssse the spell, but only in the handsss of a true Serpent-Man!" The Bystanders-turned-Snake-Men continue attacking, [Artificer] studies the Staff a moment, figures a "backdoor" way in, and successfully uses the Staff to reverse the spell and turn the feral Snake-Men back into confused human Bystanders. The question -- aside from "would this be a viable ability for a PC to have?" -- is how to build it. I've done vaguely similar builds before where a character's training or powers allow them to overcome a Device's limitations, but this is something that would be applicable to any (GM permitting) Device he comes across. The only things coming to mind are either some weird variant of Morph or Illusion, or a 1-rank VP to get an as-needed Feature (can overcome Restricted feat on this item). There's also the question of if it'd be worth it to buy (i.e., just stunt it off his Magic power as needed), given how rare Restricted magic Devices are (have there even been any in-play here? I honestly don't know).

Here my post-Crucible Vignette version of Doktor Archeville. Lots of changes! [*:27mmg1wn]Reduce INT a bit & trimmed Skills, lowering those +30s & +35s to +25 at best. (One more reason to get out of the house and interact with others, he can't do the stuff all on his own!) [*:27mmg1wn]Removed redundant Immunites (ex.: both Coat and Belt had Immunity to Cold and Heat). [*:27mmg1wn]Took the Incorporeal AP off Force Field (I don't think he's ever actually used it on-panel, and it can easily be stunted). [*:27mmg1wn]Reduced Flight by a rank, and added Evasion & Defensive Roll PFs. [*:27mmg1wn]Removed Device Flaw from Belt, Coat, and Screwdriver -- they're part of him now! [*:27mmg1wn]Bumped up CON. [*:27mmg1wn]Replaced Immunities w/ Half-Immunity to FORT Effects. [*:27mmg1wn]Remove Enhanced Skills from HQs, replace with MW Computer/Infirmary/Laboratory/Library/Workshop. (It actually costs more for a smaller bonus, but it's less wonky.) [*:27mmg1wn]Added some more bells & whistles to his HQ (Dock/Garage/Hangar, Immunities, Portal to Teleport). [*:27mmg1wn]Removed all but one of his HQs (and while Extra Effort cannot be used with Equipment, I could use an HP to gain a rank in Equipment feat to get 1 EP to stunt access to one of those existing HQs off his current one. A bit iffy, yes, but since he had those HQs for so long, and they are statted out, I don't think that in this case it would be too out there), and removed his 5 EP contribution to the Interceptor's Brownstone (which... yeah). [*:27mmg1wn]Added more to his Utility Belt/Coat (inspired by Shaen's Utility Belt build). No rush on getting this approved, my assorted RL issues will be plaguing me for at least a month more.

Doktor Archeville Power Level: 15 (built/operating as PL 12) Power Points: 249 / 250 Unspent Power Points: 1 Trade-Offs: -4 Attack/+4 Damage; -2 Defense / +2 Toughness Doktor Archeville is, as written, operating as a PL 12 character. However, a combination of his Nanotech-Enhanced Brain APs, Shapeshift, and Inventions could bump him up to PL 15 for Combat, though this will only be done if and when the GM explicitly allows it. In Brief: German Omnidisciplinary Scientist with a gravity-manipulating Belt and an "Electromagnetic Screwdriver,"* trying to use his Science! for good, partly to undo the evils his grandfather (and he 'himself') did. * the Belt and Screwdriver are faaakes, he's really a freakish cyborg with a holographic disguise! Alternate Identities: Viktor Helmut Archeville Identity: Public Birthplace: Schönwald im Schwarzwald, Baden-Württemberg, Germany (West Germany at the time of his birth) Occupation: Scientist, Philanthropist, CEO of ArcheTech Affiliations: ArcheTech (CEO and Majority Shareholder*), The Claremont Academy (Donor), Franklin D. Roosevelt High School (Donor), Freedom City Public Libraries (Donor), Freedom City University (Donor), Freedom College (Donor), Freedom League (Member since January 2010), Freedom Medical Center (Donor), Freedom School for the Arts (Donor), Hanover Institute of Technology (Alumnus, Donor, Recurring Guest Lecturer), Joseph Clark High School (Donor), McNider Memorial Hospital (Donor), Providence Asylum (Donor), Technische Universitat Manchen/Technical University of Munich (Alumnus, Donor, Recurring Guest Lecturer), Trinity Hospital (Donor), numerous other hospitals and universities in Germany, the European Union, and North America (Donor) Family: Cynthia Bauer Archeville (Mother, Deceased); Varick Heinrich Archeville (Father, Deceased); Verrill Herman Archeville (Paternal Grandfather, Deceased); more here. DoB: June 1977 Apparent Age: early 30s Gender: Male Ethnicity: German Height: 5'10" (1.78 meters) Weight: 151 lbs. (68.49 kg) Hair: Golden Blonde Eyes: Rhine Blue APPEARANCE Archeville's strong Aryan features would've made him a prize nab for the Nazi Party, had he been born forty years earlier. His alabaster skin, thin and imperial nose and lips, and cheeks cut of marble make for a regal face. His eyes are Rhine-blue & carry the wolf's glare, and his hair is silky and golden, falling down past his shoulders; he speaks (and occasionally sings) with a rich tenor voice. Though he is in his mid-40s, he looks to be in his early 30s, having aged at roughly half the normal pace since he turned 16. That's what the holodisguise presents, at least. When it's down, his true nature -- a constantly shifting hybrid of flesh, metal, and circuitry shaped like Viktor Archeville, whose voice has a slightly echoed, mechanical edge -- becomes clear. (He is still Attractive in this form, just in a Warlock/Douglock kind of way.) Archeville usually wears sturdy black rubber-soled boots, khaki pants (black or dark blue), a short-sleeved dress shirt (usually solid red, blue, green, or purple, made from transgenic spider-goat silk), and his white lab coat. He still gives some consideration to his appearance, wearing clean, pressed clothes and keeping his hair neat and tidy. He stands 5'10" (1.78 meters) and weighs 151 pounds (68.49 kg). Of late the Doktor's genial nature has taken a more somber tone, as he has become haunted by past failures and plagued with guilt, but he tries to maintain a positive face and not let the general public see just how deeply shaken he has been by all that has transpired. Power Descriptions: His force field glows with a soft blue-gray light, flaring brighter when resisting an impact. When he teleports, gravitational distortions at his departure and arrival points play hob with the inner ear of bystanders, giving them all a brief flash of vertigo; he appears to collapse in on himself (as if swallowed by a black hole) when teleporting from somewhere, and to explode out from a pinpoint when teleporting in. His Electromagnetic Screwdriver (or, more accurately, he) makes a wide range of buzzing noises, and the 'barrel' at the end glows with all sorts of colors; it is covered in the same 'circuit patterns' as his Gravimetric Belt. HISTORY Son of a madman. Grandson of a Nazi super-scientist war criminal. Trying to do good, both for his family name and for his homeland, all while struggling with his own inner demons. Came to Freedom City for education, returned home to Europe and worked as a hero for a few years, then returned to FC. For more detail, read his Guidebook entry. And then it all went horribly wrong as the supernatural evil from beyond reality slumbering within him, which had been slumbering in his past thirteen generations of ancestors, awoke with a terrible fury. But the heroes rallied, and the day was saved, with little loss of life, but much loss of trust. Though the world believes his company and technologies were taken over by an outside invader (which is partially true), and assume the heavy guilt he feels is from a failure to properly secure it (which is also technically true), those who know the real story -- who are, for the most part, the ones 'he' betrayed -- are having a much harder time forgiving him. He remains his own harshest critic (though some may question that). Out of his guilt for all that happened, and a desire to focus on making amends to those he could, his company ArcheTech (and the orbital station ArcheStern, the remains of Schloss Wissenschaft and the super-sub Fjölnirskraft, and the secret satellite Nichtuberall) was ceded to Miss Americana and the Scarab (via the Rhodes Foundation), to be returned to him if and when the three of them feel he has adequately atoned. In addition, Scarab and Phantom erased the knowledge of all heroic secret identities from his mind, and Dragonfly and Miss Americana did to same to his computer systems; regaining this knowledge will have to be done the hard way, by regaining the trust of the heroes. On July 31st, 2012, Archeville was "reformatted" following a fatal encounter with the Sinister Science Squad, and was resurrected as a technorganic transhuman. He made sure to let he Freedom League and Interceptors know of his change, and he (and Mona) are coming to grips with this new change. PERSONALITY & MOTIVATION Archeville's arrogance, pride, and tendency to keep secrets and act without explaining his actions (assuming no one could keep up with his trains of thought) took some huge hits following the ArchEvil Event, since those traits all lead to it. Now he tries to work humbly to redeem not only his family name but his own name as well, though this is sometimes challenging because he really is so vastly smarter than most people he encounters. For a few months post-ArchEvil Event, Viktor was more alone than many realized: when the pseudonatural influence was separated from him, so was the 'Other,' the split in his personality he had labored under most of his life. (The truth is that it was not a true split personality, the Other was an 'interface' the pseudonatural entity used to study and later interact with the world, both based on and feeding Archeville's darker, baser impulses.) With that voice gone, Viktor Archeville was alone with his thoughts for the first time. This eventually changed, and the voices came back (during the "Hot Zone" event), but in a different form: all ultimately answer to his core/primary personality, which is that of a determined man trying to make good in the world. Archeville still engages in a professional rivalry with other high technologists, and still distrusts magic, largely because it is something he does not (and perhaps cannot) understand. He reserve his more intense hatred, though, for the mystical practitioners and entities that are decidedly inimical to mankind & reality (like the thing that had been in his family line for so long, and those who worship such pseudonatural beings). POWERS & TACTICS Archeville’s primary ability -- initially believed to be the result of a mutation, eventually revealed to be the result of pseudonatural magic, later replaced/recreated with advanced technology -- is his superhuman mind. This is not just limited to scientific/technical intelligence, but all areas: acquisition, retention, performance, and transfer, mathematical and logical reasoning, linguistic communication, pattern recognition, spatial visualization, and more. This even extends to interpersonal intelligence (the ability to influence people by playing on their moods, feelings, temperaments and motivations), intrapersonal intelligence (introspective and self-reflective capacities, which reinforces his comprehension of self to prevent manipulation by telepathic or other mental manipulations), and coordination & kinesthetics. The neural network-based bioceramic nanites which he used to replicate his prior enhanced mental capabilities also grant him various technopathic abilities, mitigate the effects of certain exotic body- and mind-altering effects, and repair severe trauma at an accelerated rate. These nanites proved far more effective than anticipated, and brought him back from death as bizarre technorganic transhuman. Now all the abilities once granted by his gear -- the gravity-warping effects of his Gravimetric Belt, the electromagnetic energy harnessing powers of his Screwdriver, and even the protection of his energy-diffusing polymer-laced labcoat -- have been incorporated into his body. He can fly and teleport, create an electromagnetic bubble around himself that can either protect or conceal, and generate & manipulate many forms of energy with a mere thought. Archeville does still carry some gear on missions. The (non-'armored') labcoat he wears contains numerous pockets holding small capsules, filled with a variety of chemicals for a wide assortment of effects. He rarely carries many with him, trusting mainly in his own abilities (both mental and technological), but he does enjoy having a few surprises up his sleeves. Archeville is a mathematician even in combat. He analyzes every possible permutation of an opponent's moves and profile almost instantly, and adapts to exploit weaknesses and apply his own strengths to their best effect. (See the 2009 Sherlock Holmes film and its sequel for examples.) COMPLICATIONS Enemies: Assorted supervillains from Germany and the rest of the European Union, as well as ones in America. In particular, Doc Otaku, the Power Corps, and White Knight all have it in for him, as do Captain Knievel, Havoc, Malice, and the Science Squad. Fame: Doktor Archeville is a very public figure, and has been for over a decade. Going out can be difficult for him: fans can make tempting targets for unscrupulous villains, and detractors can pop up at the most inopportune of times. Hatred: Archeville has a dislike of magic users and other supernatural beings (viewing them as at best ignorant people using metahuman powers, extraterrestrial technology, or something similar which they do not fully understand, and at worse as someone willingly using such techniques but purposefully hiding it behind superstition and fear to deceive others), but outright hates entities that are decidedly inimical to human life and sanity (like pseudonatural entities). Jobless Millionaire: After the ArchEvil event, Doktor Archeville ceded control of ArcheTech (and with it ArcheStern and Fjolnirskraft) to Miss Americana and Scarab (via the Rhodes Foundation), until such time as he could be trusted with them. Until then, Archeville may only use them as much as any other superhero. My Own Worst Enemy: Archeville's divided has caused him no end of trouble, and continues to do so from beyond in the form of caches of ultra-tech devices and mutagenic compounds spread throughout the world, waiting for some unscrupulous person (or innocent victim!) to find them. Obsession: To say Archeville is obsessed with science and technology is like saying the Sun is warm and the oceans are damp. He is the tinkerer, always pushing the hardware to the limit and beyond, always MacGyvering toasters into heat beams, with both an unwavering childlike wonder at the scientific miracles inherent in everyone and everything around him, and an unrelenting optimism that scientific discovery ultimately makes the universe a better place to live in. Reputation: Many people still remember the name Archeville, for his grandfather, the Nazi super-scientist. And several of Freedom City's heroes know the evils Viktor (albeit under the influence of his Other) did do (although the story fed to the public is that it was some other force, possibly an alien, that mind controlled Archeville and used him & his holdings to wreck havoc upon the world). Responsibility: Membership in the Freedom League Auxiliary and his personal relationship with Fulcrum would be enough for most, but Archeville is devoting much of his time to healing/repairing everything (and everyone) he harmed. At the top of this list are the Interceptors, who were stung worst of all by 'his' actions. Rivalry: Archeville has a friendly rivalry with most other battlesuit and gadgeteer superheroes, and many battlesuit and gadgeteer supervillains see him as the one to best. Secret: Archeville's pseudo-Multiple Personality Disorder was not widely known, nor is the extent of his involvement in the ArchEvil events. Also secret is that he is now a technorganic transhuman; he still carries non-working replicas of his devices to give the illusion that his powers stem from his gear, and uses holographic disguises to make his appearance. Technorganic Body: Archeville's new body is as much technology as it is biology, which comes with a few drawbacks. Attacks that would normally affect only nonliving objects (like certain forms of electromagnetic pulse) work on him, as do technopathic powers. His body also requires certain metals and other substances as "nutritional supplements" that most organic life forms don't, and if unable to get them he may begin suffering glitches and other performance issues. ABILITIES: 0 + 0 + 8 + 14 + 6 + -2 = 26PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 28/18 (+9/+4) Intelligence: 40/24 (+15/+7) Wisdom: 32/16 (+11/+3) Charisma: 24/8 (+7/-1) COMBAT: 16 + 12 = 28PP Initiative: +12/+7 Attack: +8 (Base), +14 w/ “Enhanced Coordination & Kinesthetics” Grapple: +8, +14 w/ “Enhanced Coordination & Kinesthetics” Defense: +10/+8 (+6 Base, +2 Dodge Focus, +2 Shield), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -13/-7, -12/-6 flat-footed ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 15 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) SAVING THROWS: 1 + 5 + 7 = 13PP Toughness: +14 (Impervious 12/0) (+9 Con, +2 Defensive Roll, +3 Protection; Imp 12 w/ “deflector shield”), +12 flat-footed (Imp 12/0) Fortitude: +10/+5 (+9/+4 Con, +1) Reflex: +10/+5 (+0 Dex, +5 & +5 more from Flight) Evasion (from Flight) Will: +10 (+3 Wis, +7) SKILLS: 120R = 30PP Bluff 4 (+3, +7 w/ Attractive; +11/+15 w/ Enhanced Cha) Computers 15 (+23; +30 w/ Enhanced Int) SM UE Concentration 4 (+7, +15 w/ Enhanced Wis) Craft (Chemical) 8 (+15; +23 w/ Enhanced Int) UE Craft (Electronic) 15 (+22; +30 w/ Enhanced Int) UE Craft (Mechanical) 8 (+15; +23 w/ Enhanced Int) UE Craft (Other) 0 (+7; +15 w/ Enhanced Int) Diplomacy 4 (+3, +7 w/ Attractive; +11/+15 w/ Enhanced Cha) Disable Device 15 (+23; +30 w/ Enhanced Int) SM Disguise 0 (-1, +19 w/ Morph; +7/+27 w/ Enhanced Cha) Investigate 3 (+10; +18 w/ Enhanced Int) SM Knowledge (Life Sciences) 8 (+15; +23 w/ Enhanced Int) Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 8 (+15; +23 w/ Enhanced Int) Knowledge (Technology) 15 (+22; +30 w/ Enhanced Int) Knowledge (Any Other) 0 (+7; +15 w/ Enhanced Int) Languages 1 (English, German [Native]) Medicine 2 (+5; +13 w/ Enhanced Wis) SM Notice 2 (+5; +13 w/ Enhanced Wis) Perform (Oratory) 3 (+2; +10 w/ Enhanced Cha) Search 1 (+8; +16 w/ Enhanced Int) Sense Motive 4 (+7; +15 w/ Enhanced Wis) Most can also have an additional +2 ranks (from “masterwork tools”) or +5 ranks (from “doktorwork tools”) FEATS: 23PP Attractive Beginner's Luck Dodge Focus 2 Eidetic Memory Improvised Tools Inventor Jack-of-All-Trades Luck 5 Master Plan Online Research Quick Draw Skill Mastery (Computers, Disable Device, Investigate, Medicine) Speed of Thought Ultimate Effort 4 (Computers, Craft [Chemical, Electronic, Mechanical] checks) Well-Informed Enhanced Feats Accurate Attack (from “Enhanced Coordination & Kinesthetics”) All-Out Attack (from “Enhanced Coordination & Kinesthetics”) Blind-Fight (from “Enhanced Coordination & Kinesthetics”) Challenge (Fast Work for Craft [Electronic]) (from “Enhanced Intellect”) Defensive Attack (from “Enhanced Coordination & Kinesthetics”) Defensive Roll (from Flight) Distract (Bluff) (from “Enhanced Presence”) Elusive Target (from “Electromagnetic Cloak”) Evasion (from Flight) Fascinate 3 (Bluff, Diplomacy, Perform [Oratory]) (from “Enhanced Presence”) Hide in Plain Sight (from “Electromagnetic Cloak”) Instant Up (from Flight) Move-By Action (from Flight/Teleport) Power Attack (from “Enhanced Coordination & Kinesthetics”) Second Chance (Stealth checks) (from “Electromagnetic Cloak”) Sneak Attack (from “Enhanced Coordination & Kinesthetics”) Veteran Awards Equipment 41 (205 EP) Utility Belt/Coat Vehicle/Mobile HQ: Weltraumwohnmobil POWERS: 5 + 10 + 16 + 17 + 22 + 2 + 20 + 37 = 129PP His Comprehend & Mental Quickness have the Training descriptor, everything else has the Super-Science and Technology (and specifically Nanotechnology) descriptor. His Gravitic Defense and Gravitic Movement systems obviously also have the Gravity descriptor. Comprehend 3 (languages 3 [read all, speak any one at a time, understand all]; Drawback: Power Loss [requires time -- GM’s discretion -- to process and assimilate entirely new languages]) [5PP] Assimilated Languages: Arabic, English, French, GalStandard, German [Native], Mandarin, Russian, Spanish Cyberkinetic Container 2 (10 points) [10PP] Comprehend 2 (electronics 2 [speak to, understand]) [4PP] Datalink 2 (100 feet, radio; PFs: Cyberspace, Machine Control, Subtle) [5PP] Super-Senses 1 (radio) [1PP] Gravitic Defensive Systems 7 (14 point Array; PFs: Alternate Power 2) [16PP] BP: Impervious Toughness 12 (“deflector shield”; note: Sustained Active effect) {12pp} + Shield 2 {2pp} {12+2=14/14PP} [Toughness is +14 (Imp 12), Defense +10 (+3 flat-footed), Knockback -11. Defensive PL 12] AP: Concealment 6 (“electromagnetic cloak”; All Radio & Visual; Extras: Linked [Enhanced Feats], Linked [Shield]; Flaw: Blending; PFs: Close Range, Selective) {8pp} + Enhanced Feats 3 (Elusive Target, Hide in Plain Sight, Second Chance [Stealth checks]; Extras: Linked [Concealment], Linked [Shield]) {2pp} + Shield 2 (Extras: Linked [Concealment], Linked [Enhanced Feats]) {2pp} {8+3+2=13/14PP} [Toughness is +14, Defense +10 (+3 flat-footed), Knockback -7; Defensive PL 12] AP: Immunity 9 (life support; note: Active Sustained effect; Extras: Duration [Continuous], Linked [Shield]; Flaw: Limited [Half Effect]) {9pp} + Shield 2 (Extras: Linked [Immunity]) {2pp} {9+2=11/14PP} [Toughness is +14, Defense +10 (+3 flat-footed), Knockback -7; Defensive PL 12. This combined with the Immunities under “Technorganic Form” grant full life support.] Gravitic Movement Systems 8 (16 point Array; PFs: Alternate Power) [17PP] BP: Enhanced Reflex Save 5 (to +10) {5} plus Features 3 (“personal gravity field”; Environmental Adaptation 3 [high-gravity, low-gravity, zero gravity]) {3} plus Flight 1 (“contragravity”; 10 mph / 100ft per Move Action; PFs: Defensive Roll, Evasion, Instant Up, Move-By Action, Subtle 2) {8} {5+3+8=16/16PP} Toughness is +14 (+12 flat-footed), Reflex +10 AP: Teleport 5 (“wormhole”; 500 ft. per Move Action, 5 miles per Full Action; PFs: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy, Progression [Mass] 2 [500 lbs.], Turnabout) {16/16PP} Nanotech Enhanced Brain Array 10 (20PP Array; PFs: Alternate Power x3; Drawbacks: Action [Move] to change configuration) [22PP] BP: Enhanced Feats 1 (Challenge [Fast Work for Craft {Electronic}]) {1PP} plus Enhanced Intelligence 16 (“enhanced intellect”; to 40 [+15]) {10PP} plus Enhanced Quickness 6 (“thinks very fast”; to Quickness 10 [x2,500]; Flaw: Limited [Mental Tasks]) {2PP} {1+16+3=20/20} Can Take 10 on a Computers check [total 40+] and write a computer program in 1.4 seconds, or a Free Action. Can Take 20 on a Knowledge check (assuming he has access to a library) in 1.4 seconds, or a Free Action. Can Take 20 on a Notice check [total 25+] in 0.024 seconds, or a Free Action. Can Take 20 on a Search check [total 36+] in 0.048 seconds, or a Free Action. AP: Enhanced Charisma 16 (“enhanced presence”; to 24 [+7]) {16} plus Enhanced Feats 4 (Distract [Bluff], Fascinate 3 [Bluff, Diplomacy, Perform-Oratory]) {4} {16+4=20/20} AP: Enhanced Datalink 0 (“ghost in the machine”; adds to Datalink 2; Extras: Area 2, Linked [Enhanced Quickness], Linked [ESP]; PFs: Selective) {3PP} + Linked Enhanced Quickness 10 (to Quickness 14 [x50,000]; Extras: Linked [Enhanced Datalink], Linked [ESP]; Flaw: Limited [Mental Only]) {5PP} + Linked ESP 2 (all senses, 100 feet; Extras: Action [Free], Duration [Sustained], Linked [Datalink], Linked [Enhanced Quickness], Simultaneous; Flaw: Medium [technological sensors]) {12PP} {3+5+12=20/20} [Mental Quickness 14 (x50,000) = can Take 20 on an extended Search of a 100 ft. radius [200 ft. diameter] area in 0.48 seconds, or a Free Action, and can Take 20 on Notice checks as a Free Action.] AP: Enhanced Wisdom 16 (“enhanced awareness”; to 32 [+11]; Drawback: Power Loss 2 [Does Not Apply To Will Saves]) {14} plus Enhanced Feats 6 (“enhanced coordination & kinesthetics”; Accurate Attack, All-Out Attack, Blind-Fight, Defensive Attack, Power Attack, Sneak Attack) {6} {14+6=20/20} Quickness 4 (“thinks fast”; x25; Flaw: Limited [Mental Tasks]) [2PP] Shapeshift 4 (“Internalized Electromagnetic Screwdriver & Technorganic Form”; 20PP Variable Power, Any Power, Multiple Powers At Once [8pp/rank]; Extra: Action [Move]; PF: Subtle) [37PP] Sample Settings: Default Setting Enhanced Skills 16 (“masterwork tools”; +2 to Computers, Craft [Chemical, Electrical, and Mechanic], Disable Device, Investigate, Knowledge [Technology], and Medicine) {4} Feature 1 (“voice modulator”; Voice Mimicry) {1} Super-Senses 13 (“electromagnetic senses”; Accurate for Radio [2], Analytical for Radio, Analytical for all Vision [2], Extended on Vision, Penetrates Concealment on Vision [4], communication link [w/ Weltraumwohnmobil; radio], infravision, ultravision) {13} {4+1+13=18/20} Technorganic Form 4 (20 point Container, Permanent Duration) [20PP] Enhanced Constitution 10 (to 28/+9) [10PP] Immunity 12 (aging, life support, sleep, starvation & thirst; Flaw: Limited [Half Effect]) [6PP] Protection 3 (technorganic flesh) [3PP] Regeneration 1 (disabled 1 [5 hours]) [1PP] DRAWBACKS: -0PP TOTALS Abilities (26) + Combat (28) + Saving Throws (13) + Skills (30) + Feats (23) + Powers (129) - Drawbacks (0) = 249/250 Power Points (1pp under) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Without any of his technological powers, his stats are: Constitution 18/+4 Attack +8 Defense +8 (+3 flat-footed) Toughness +4 Damage +0 (unarmed), +3 (weapons) [PL 6 Defensively; PL 4 Offensively, 6 with weapons; PL 6-10 on Skills] With his mind set to Enhanced CHA or WIS (the default when he's interacting with people), and without using his home tools/"Screwdriver," he's at +18 on Computers, Crafts (Chem/Elec/Mech), Disable Device, and Know (Life Sci/Physical Sci/Tech). This puts him ahead of Daedalus (FC's Hank Pym/Tony Stark expy) on Know/Life Sci (+14), equal on Computers (+18), slightly behind on those Crafts (+20), and noticeably behind on DisDev (+22) and on Know/Phy Sci & Tech (+22). His tools bump his Computers, Crafts, and DisDev up to +20, which is better, but still lagging behind in some areas. Mental Quickness is at 4 (x25) With his Enhanced INT active & using his mw tools, Dok is at +25 on Computers, Crafts (Chem/Elec/Mech), Disable Device, and Know (Life Sci/Physical Sci/Tech). This puts him slightly ahead of Daedalus on Disable Device and Know (Phys Sci & Tech), and at least 5 points ahead on everything else. Mental Quickness is at 10 (x2,500)  Quickness/Mental Quickness applies to the Design phase of Inventing, but not Construction.

Since The Moon failed the save vs. GG's Snare by 5+, he's actually bound & helpless (on top of being prone & staggered). Dead Head & Mutt will tag-team Chariot. Mutt's Melee attack roll to Aid DH (DC 10) (1d20+6=15) that aids, so DH gets +2 to attack Attack w/ Shovel; All-Out Attack (-2 Def/+2 Attk), Power Attack (-2 Attk/+2 Dmg), +2 from Mutt's Aid; DC 26 Toughness save if it hits (1d20+15=16) ..... Using my last HP to re-roll that Attack w/ Shovel; All-Out Attack (-2 Def/+2 Attk), Power Attack (-2 Attk/+2 Dmg), +2 from Mutt's Aid; DC 26 Toughness save if it hits; HP re-roll (1d20+15=17) ... +10 = 27, which should hit the prone Chariot.

"Great work!," the Revenant called out with a smile to Ghost Girl as her target was encased in supernatural ice. Before she could react to his praise, he was dashing off with frenetic speed towards the Chariot, whom Mutt was still harrying. "Nick here's got the right of it," he hissed at the strange figure, "y'all sure do talk a big game, but when it come down to puttin' up, well..." Dead Head swung his shovel around lazily, once, twice, then whipped it around and brought it around to slam into the Chariot's midsection, hoping to drive the wind from the host and drive the possessing force away. "Normally I try an' go gentle on folks what's possessed, but since y'all were robbin' this lady when it happened, I'm willin' t'make an exception." Bad man taste weird, Dead Head heard over the link he shared with his faithful Legba-Hound. I'm sure he does, boy, it's probably just the mojo in 'im.

+3pp added August 2012.

Another Biomancer thought: he's an Anti-Grue Warrior. Maybe a Lor agent given powers to fight their long-times foes (so probably not magical; switch out the Detect Magic for Detect Shapeshifter or somesuch), or a human who lost a loved on in one of the Grue invasions and sought out ways to avenge them (so that could still be magical). Or he is himself some weird mutant Grue, on the run from the Hive Mind! Except we already have one rogue Grue.

I went over some of this in Chat the other night, but it's generally good to have one central place to collect my thoughts. So I'm thinking, once my RL issues settle down some (which I hope will be within a few months), I'll try my hand at a fourth character. One slightly more grounded and human than my others (an amnesiac robot from the future, a zombie, and an Old One-tainted scientist-turned-transhuman cyborg), and younger (i.e., a student of the Claremont Academy). I'd also like to play a magic-user of some sort, since A] that's something I've not really done, and B] that's something we have little of here. I'm leaning towards PL 7 versions of my or my (and leaning slightly more towards the former). Luckily, I've already made PL 7 versions of those character, in spoiler boxes at the bottom of each post! They'll probably need some tweaks, though. For the Artificer, I was thinking of giving him something like what Marvel's Forge has: the ability to intuitively know how to craft magical items, but he doesn't know how he's doing it. This would be a good reason to go to a school like Claremont -- so he can know how the things he makes actually work! How did he gain this ability? "Makes magic items" doesn't really lend itself to Mutant powers, and constructive powers in general don't really lend themselves to Terminus Babies (unless all the things he makes gobble up ambient magical energy, feeding it to the Terminus!). Magical knacks/talents can pass on just as easily as mutant powers, so the guy could be from a line of minor mages/magically-empowered folks. (A metamagi? ... probably not.) I'd also thought of a darker route, that he was a normal kid (perhaps with a knack for motorcycle repair), who got in with the wrong crowd and tried a new drug, which opened his mind to magical patterns. What was this drug? (Laced with ground-up philosopher's stone?) Was it a creation of The Labyrinth (or Dr. Sin, or ), trying to find a way to awaken latent mystical abilities in people for some nefarious purpose? But I don't trust myself not to make a drugs origin into squicky druuugs territory, so I move on. Then I remembered TT made a Forge-esque character, his and the origins ideas there struck me. Steve Kenson has said (though there's little evidence of) that he'd intended the Voudoun Loa to have as big a role in the Freedom City setting as the Norse gods do in Marvel & the Greek ones do in DC. So I could make him a recipient of some boon from Ogoun, patron of smiths (and warriors & politicians, and sometimes of healers). Going that route, I'd likely make the character black (to avoid Mighty Whitey; another first for me, since I've only ever played white guys). May even go for a triple threat, make a magic-using black female. For the Biomancer, I think the bare origin worked out there already -- student of assorted body-controlling and form-altering magics from around the world -- would work fine for a Claremonter. Trick is finding out why he's studying those particular magics, flesh (heh) it out more. (And try not to get too squicky/body horror-y with it in play.)

When I access the logs, and when I log in to Chat itself, I get this If I click OK, it loads/works normally. I'm also seeing randomly hyperlinked words all over the places, but not just here, on other sites (so it's my browser using Firefox). When I hover my mouse over one of the double-underlined 'link', it shows an "Easy Inline" and "local.com: Find local" ad. I've looked and cannot find anything on my add-ons or control panel for either of those, so I got no idea what's going on. EDIT: Also, after a page has loaded, the tab at the top now shows "Connecting..." instead of the title of the page. This all started happening around Sunday (September 2nd).

A decent month: 5 new Player Status Awards, and 10 potential PL bumps! All but those in red have been done; if you have questions, please PM me. Arranged by Player, it looks like this: The Absurdist Asad: 2pp Aoiroo is now a Gold player! Catalyst: 1pp and can now be up to PL 10 :clap: Changeling: 1pp Silhouette: 2pp Arichamus is now a Silver player! El Heraldo: 4pp and can now be up to PL 10 :clap: King of Suits: 5pp Wave-Eye: 3pp AvengerAssembled Citizen: 5pp and can now be up to PL 15 :clap: Edge: 1pp Harrier: 3pp Azuth65 Silver Spider: 3pp and can now be up to PL 9 :clap: Siphon: 1pp Wisp: 3pp Bishop The Marshal: Blue Rose Kit: 2pp Stormbreaker: 3pp and can now be up to PL 11 :clap: Cubist Jubatus: 2pp Dariusprime Fulcrum: 1pp Darksider42 Rift/Riff: 1pp Dr Archeville Dead Head: 0pp Doktor Archeville [maxed]: 2pp, rolled over to Protectron Protectron: 2pp Ecalsneerg Arrowhawk: 0pp Equinox: 1pp Geckoman: 2pp Scholar: 0pp Electra Fleur de Joie [maxed]: 2pp Miss Americana [maxed]: 1pp Papercut: 4pp Wander [maxed]: 3pp Eviscerus no posts in 4 months; archiving Leviathan: --- Spitfire: --- Fox Dragonfly: 1pp Gaian Knight: 1pp Wraith: 1pp Gizmo Ghost Girl: 5pp and can now be up to PL 14 :clap: Jack of all Blades [maxed]: 4pp Midnight (II) [maxed]: 1pp Wail: 2pp GranspearZX no posts in 2 months; archiving Arcturus: --- Crusader: --- HG Morrison no posts all month Omen: 0pp JackgarPrime Victory: 1pp KnightDisciple Cobalt Templar: 3pp Gabriel: 2pp Magic no IC posts in 2 months; archiving Butterfly: --- Miss Rabbit no IC posts in 2 months; archiving Sidestep: --- Paragon no IC posts in 2 months; archiving Quintessence: --- Quinn no IC posts all month Crow: 0pp Overclock: 0pp Raveled Blue Jay: 4pp Glowstar: 1pp Ironclad: 3pp Starlight: 4pp and can now be up to PL 12 :clap: Scuffles and is now a Bronze player Glow: 3pp Semi-Autogyro Myrmidon: 3pp Shofet The Penitent: Sorus Sage: 2pp and can now be up to PL 15 :clap: Willow: 1pp SpicyWaffle The Bee-Keeper (III): 3pp Supercape Lord Steam: 4pp Rene de Saens: 5pp and can now be up to PL 14 :clap: Supercape [maxed]: 5pp Synth: 3pp Thunder King is now a Bronze player! Crimson Tiger: 4pp Voltage: 3pp and can now be up to PL 12 :clap: TiffanyKorta Blodeuwedd: 4pp Revenant: 3pp Young Britannia: 3pp trollthumper is now a Gold player! Cannonade: 2pp Nick Cimitiere: 3pp Temperance: 2pp Tsura no IC posts in 2 months; archiving La Luchadora: --- Vahnyu Net Fly: 1pp The 100+ Posts per Month Club :iiam:

Still need: Bishop Darksider42 Ecalsneerg Scuffles Shofet trollthumper

Dead Head Call, Raise, or Fold (2) 2 posts = 1pp (to 224/226, 2 points unspent; Progress To Orichalcum+ Status: 119/180) Doktor Archeville [maxed] 0 posts = 0pp + Ref = 1pp (Progress to Orichalcum+: 186/210) Rollover points to Protectron Protectron 0 posts = 0pp + 1 rollover = 1pp (to 193/211, 17pp unspent; Progress to Orichalcum+ Status: 61/210) GM and NPC None

In order to make sure the Refs accurately count all your IC posts and award you the due amount of power points, please post with a list of all the threads in which your character posted IC this month (including the News forum). Remember that we require that posts be a minimum of about 500 characters. You can see here what a 400, 500, and 600 character post looks like. Posts shorter than 500 characters will not be counted. Please also mark things from the Non-Canonical forum as being non-canonical, as those count 1/2 (2 posts made for your char in a non-canon thread count as 1 post for the char). And if you are GMing something, list those threads, too. GM-only posts count as full posts, and can be assigned to whichever of your characters needs a 'push' to get up in post numbers. When you make your list, please post a link to the IC threads -- preferably to the top of the page where your first post for that month appears -- so we (and the auto-count program) can jump right to it. When you post the link to your thread, the URL should look like this http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4478&p=100643#p100643 or this http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4478&start=10 or this http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4478 NOT this http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?p=100643#p100643 The four digit number in the URL (bolded & underlined in the correct example) is the thread id number which we need to use the autocountamotron. When you start a thread, make sure [iC] is in the title/subject line of the IC thread, and [OOC] is in the title of the OOC thread. If you make a post in an IC thread as a GM or an NPC, add [GM] in the subject line of the thread. If you make a post and [iC] is not in the subject line, the AutoCounter will not count it. And if you do not put [GM] in the places you post as an NPC or Ref, it won't count those properly. Please list your threads in alphabetical order. Please clearly note any threads in which you are both player and GM/running an NPC. Also, when you start a new thread, please mark it on the appropriate Chronicles page. (If you have a handle here, you have an account for the Wiki, and anyone with an account can edit it.) You do not have to be specific on the date, but I would like to keep track of when things are happening relative to each other. The Chronicles/Timeline also serves as an index for everything we've done in the nearly three years this site's been active, and it's useful to know if X happens before or after Y. If you've done any "extracurriculars" -- artwork, HellQ, 20 Questions, NPC, Vignette, Wiki work, etc. -- please be sure to list them along with your active threads. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in your post counts being postponed or skipped completely.

[goto=NuStunts]New Power Stunts[/goto] 2 August 2012 (Thursday) Transcript of Video Log from Freedom League private archives. *Image flickers on. Shown is a sparse recovery room, with bed, two chairs, a small table, and assorted monitoring equipment. Sitting on the bed is a humanoid figure, seemingly composed of a constantly shifting hybrid of flesh, metal, and circuitry. The figure speaks, and though the voice has a slightly echoed, mechanical edge, it is clearly that of Doktor Viktor Helmut Archeville.* How quickly a year passes. A year ago, I had to restore my shattered brain, using advanced nanites to replicate the mental enhancements my now-stripped 'pseudonatural' heritage had granted me. Then I was off to try to save Mona from the Terminus (as I was certain she had not died in sending that... thing into oblivion), a trip which took considerably longer than anticipated. Though I was in that other world for over a year, time (thankfully) passed differently in those far realms -- or else the journey back hit some sort of temporal backwash -- and when I returned, only a few months had passed, though enough time that I completely missed both Oktoberfest and the coming of The Gorgon. Things were far from right by the time I had returned, though. Mona was trapped in some sort of crystalline cocoon, and it took months of work before she was freed; I am still unsure if anything I did helped, if she would not have freed herself without me... *Archeville stops speaking and stares off for a few seconds, then looks back at the camera* No, no, that's negative thinking. No need for that. I was happy to be able to spend both Christmas and New Year's with Mona, and she dived right back into her old life as if nothing much had happened. I took a bit longer to get back on track; I readily answered any questions and offered any help asked of me by the League or others, but took little initiative in anything. I still went on patrol, but not as much as I had, and when I did I felt I was merely going through the motions. In February I was called on to join the maiden flight of a new space-plane, and helped fight off the 'Gremlin' that attacked... but it attacked because I was there, because it was something I -- or some part of me -- had made, as a failsafe against me. This was a bit of a setback, and I laid low (well, lower) for a bit after that, to make sure no one else was hurt by anything else I may have created to oppose me. While doing a routine check of some of my hidden valuables I was caught up in a bank robbery. I stopped it, of course -- and admit to having some fun while doing so -- and that success was a pleasant boost to my ego. Soon, after a friendly chat with Harrier, a reconnection with and reevaluation of certain parts of my past while facing a dragon with Edge, and some hard, honest work with Fleur de Joie on Sanctuary, I quickly got back on the right path and redoubled my efforts to be and do the best I could. (Well, there was that slight detour month before last at Castle Accurso, but I tell myself that it was good for keeping certain skills sharp, and making sure certain European STEM programs remain funded.) I've still yet to reclaim any position at ArcheTech, but was feeling secure enough in myself that I could foresee doing so within a few months. *Archeville looks down at his hands, then holds them up to the camera.* And now I am changed again. Two days ago, Der Wissenschafts-Geschwader nearly killed me; my nanites brought me back, but in a vastly different form. As soon as I stopped the villains, I zipped back here to Freedom Hall to let the League, as well as Miss Americana (and through her The Lab) and Scarab, know what had happened. I also asked that word of my change be passed on to the Interceptors; best they hear as soon as possible rather than find out later and assume more deception on my part, though I doubt any of them are yet interested in hearing directly from me. Although Daedalus, Miss Americana and I have performed every test we can think of, we remain flummoxed on how exactly it happened (much less how to reverse it), or what side-effects (good or ill) I may experience down the line. We did retrieve biological samples from my home sufficient to create a clone of my original body (in theory), but as hard as growing a stable fast-growth clone is, transferring my mind into it would be trickier, since my mental processes have been so radically altered. An earlier version of my mind, recreated from assorted brainscans, may be more likely to succeed, but at best there would be significant gaps in my memory (and that would be another me, I would still be as I am now). I'm not focusing on that, though. Daedalus is; he can be surprisingly quasi-Luddite at times, focusing on the negatives and potential negatives. Miss Americana is concerned, too, but I think she is almost fascinated as I am at the potential benefits of my new hybrid form, how the processes underlying it could be used to more smoothly incorporate prostheses into people. I am embracing my new form, slightly awestruck at the changes my creations made to me, marveling at the closer connection I now have to technology. I am still unsure I want to go fully public with my change -- a year after the 'Arch-Evil' Event, and I'm still working on my image -- but fortunately I can use my internalized Elektromagnetischer Schraubenzieher to generate a holographic disguise of my technorganic form, and it's easy enough to wear and carry nonfunctioning shells of my Belt and Screwdriver to hide the true source of my abilities. Of course, if I don't reveal this now, and news of my new form did get leaked to the public, the backlash could- *Archeville stops suddenly, eyes widening; the camera loses focus temporarily as signals reflexively/unconsciously sent from Archeville affect the machine.* How on Earth am I going to tell Mona?! [anchor]NuStunts[/anchor] Stunts for Enhanced Mind 8 (16pp) Remain unchanged. Explosively Overclocking My Brain, v2: Enhanced Intelligence 24 (to 44 [+17]; Flaw: Side-Effect) {12PP} + Enhanced Quickness 12 (to Quickness 16 [x250,000]; Flaws: Limited [Mental Tasks], Side Effect) {4PP} {12+4=16/16} Craft & Know/Tech to +28, +30 w/ MW gear Side-Effect: Confuse 12 {12} + Damage 10 (Extra: Alternate Save [Will]) {20} {12+20=32/32PP} Stunts for Gravitic Defense System 7 (14pp) (see here for fluff) Insubstantial 4 (Incorporeal; Affected by Gravitic & Magnetic Effects; Flaw: Distracting, Duration [Concentration]; PFs: Subtle) {13/14} ("Intangibility") Super-Strength 7 (effective Str 45, Hvy Load 6 tons) {14/14} ("Gravity Alteration, Personal") Stunts for Gravitic Movement Array 7.5 (15pp) (see here for fluff) Immovable 15 {15/15} ("Gravitic Brakes") Immovable 7 (Extra: Unstoppable) {14/15} ("Gravitic Plow") Strike 15 (Extra: Area [General, 375-ft. Burst]; Flaw: Action [Full]; PFs: Progression [Area] 2; Drawbacks: Full Power, Lethal) {15/15} ("Unstable Wormhole") Teleport 5 (500 feet per Move action, 5 miles per Full Action; Extra: Portal; Flaw: Long Range) {15/15} ("Wormhole, Long Range") Teleport 3 (300 feet per Move action; Extra: Portal) {12/15} ("Wormhole, Short Range") Stunts for Mental Quickness 4 (2pp) (see here for fluff) Enhanced Feats 2 (Attack Focus [ranged] 2) {2/2} ("Bullet Time, Offensive") Ranged attack +10, or +16 if also using Ranged Combat Mindset Quickness 6 (x100; Flaws: Limited 2[Only for reading]) {2/2} ("Speed Reader")

(2012.08.26 - 15:05:45) KnightDisciple: (13:54:58) trollthumper: Apparently one of the writers of Stormwatch lost the job because he claimed to be an Army Ranger. False claims, I'm guessing? (2012.08.26 - 15:05:57) trollthumper: Yyyyyyyup. (2012.08.26 - 15:06:44) trollthumper: Seeing as this was the "Team Achilles" era, which was built on how normal humans with spec-ops experience could readily kick the ass of superhumans with proper training, and relied heavily on knowledge of special ops... (2012.08.26 - 15:08:01) trollthumper: And at the same time, he was writing books questioning military intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan while claiming experience as a Ranger in Operation Just Cause... (2012.08.26 - 15:08:20) KnightDisciple: ouch (2012.08.26 - 15:08:47) trollthumper: Mind you, this is also the book where someone took out the Midnighter with f**king judo (2012.08.26 - 15:09:13) Raveled: "I know kung fu." "I have a spike on my chin! Spiiiiiiiiike!" (2012.08.26 - 15:09:48) trollthumper: These were in the pre-spike days. (2012.08.26 - 15:10:08) trollthumper: But yeah, it's up there with Robin taking out Cassandra Cain by not adopting any fighting style at all. (2012.08.26 - 15:10:32) KnightDisciple: like...the World Judo Undisputed Master? (2012.08.26 - 15:10:33) Thunder_King: ...yeah, that won't make you more predictable or anything. (2012.08.26 - 15:10:41) KnightDisciple: Or just some dude who knows judo? (2012.08.26 - 15:10:41) trollthumper: Which, in reality, should telegraph telegraph like Samuel Morse. (2012.08.26 - 15:10:54) trollthumper: I added the extra telegraph for emphasis. (2012.08.26 - 15:10:59) trollthumper: And I'm sticking to that explanation.

As part of an ongoing effort to clear up and clarify the House Rules, the ref team will be making a few changes, as explained below: Descriptor Frequency Some descriptors will be moving to more or less common based on what we've observed in actual play while others are being split up in more specific components. For example, we're adding the 'living' descriptor for use with Detect Living and Life Awareness as a Very Common descriptor, while 'life energy' for use as an attack descriptor and with Immunity will be Uncommon. The biggest adjustment won't actually change the way anything works but it should help to dispel some confusion! We are renaming the 'mental' descriptor 'psionic', meaning that characters with Immunity to Mental Effects, such as constructs, will now have Immunity to Psionic Effects. This helps to separate attacks with the psionic descriptor, such as telepathy, from effects with the Mental Extra from Ultimate Power which may have entirely different descriptors and from the mental sense type. Keep in mind, this won't actually change what the power could already do, it will just make it easier to tell when it does or doesn't apply. For example, a robot character with Immunity to Psionic Effects would be immune to a telepath's Mind Reading power, which is a Mental Effect with the psionic descriptor. However, a technopath capable of remotely hacking into computer systems might have Mind Reading with the technopathy descriptor, to which the robot would be susceptible. The technopath's Mind Reading is still a Mental Effect, with the Mental Extra built in, but it isn't a psionic effect, with the psionic descriptor. Changes and clarifications include: psionic replaces mental at common living added as very common, life energy added at uncommon animal added at common training added at common air and earth added at common (joining fire and water) chemical upgraded to common emotion upgraded to common wood demoted to uncommon Immunity to one sense-dependent effect targeting one sense: 2PP Example: Immunity to Auditory Dazzle Immunity to any sense-dependent effect targeting one sense: 5PP Example: Immunity to Auditory Effects Immunity to one sense-dependent effect targeting any sense: 5PP Example: Immunity to Dazzle Immunity to all sense-dependent effects: 10PP Immunity to one non-Damage effect: 5PP Example: Immunity to Drain, Immunity to Nauseate Immunity to one non-Damage effect targeting one Trait: 2PP Example: Immunity to Drain Toughness Take this opportunity to review the updated Descriptor Frequency list and make sure you're paying the correct amount for any Super-Senses or Immunity powers on your characters. We'll be editing sheets to rename the mental descriptor psionic as needed, but if you have concerns about whether that's still appropriate for your character, send the ref team a PM and we'll adjudicate accordingly. Feats Favoured Environment: This feat is no longer ranked. While in your favoured environment, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Stealth and Survival rolls and a +2 circumstance bonus to either Attack or Defence. The attack/defence bonus is chosen at the beginning of your turn, and you can change it on your next turn. Note that circumstance bonuses do not count against PL caps. Suitable environments must be sufficiently specific, such as forests, underwater or arctic. Urban is explicitly not allowed. You may take this feat multiple times within reason, applying to a different environment each time. Excessive use attempting to 'cover all your bases' will be frowned upon. Favoured Enemy: This feat is no longer ranked. When dealing with your favoured enemy type, you gain a +2 circumstance bonus on Bluff, Intimidate, Gather Information, Investigate, Knowledge, Notice, Search and Sense Motive rolls involving this enemy. Note that circumstance bonuses do not count against PL caps. As per the core rules, this feat is a prerequisite for Critical Strike pertaining to the same enemy type. Critical Strike allows critical hits on enemies otherwise immune to critical hits. Suitable enemy types must be sufficiently specific, such as undead, demons, robots or mafia. Broad descriptors such as 'supervillains' or 'criminals' will not be allowed. You may take this feat multiple times within reason, applying to a different enemy type each time. Excessive use attempting to 'cover all your bases' will be frowned upon. Steve Kenson says, and we agree, that you can take the Critical Strike feat without taking the Favored Enemy feat, and use Hero Points to temporarily gain the Favored Enemy feat in order to trigger the Critical Strike feat.

Also, how (if at all) do y'all see this team interacting with the other monster-y team, the Midnighters? (No that they've done much on-panel lately, but in my mind they're still out there bumping back against the things that go *bump* in the night.)

I like the Meta-Grue being the baddie for this, as it could play to Grue shapeshifting superiority. (I can't recall if this is something the Grue actually have, but Marvel's Skrulls & ST's Changelings do.) "It was so easy to make you think these particular heroes had turned! Foolish monoforms, so quick to distrust that which looks different!"

(alternate title: Black Fox evolved to... Red Fox! Or something.) (Not to be confused with Redd Foxx) The site is chugging along beautifully, which pleases me to no end. But assorted RL issues have of late been taking more and more of my time, preventing me form giving as much participation (as player (or RedName) as I'd like (or as the site deserves). Other Refs are getting busier with assorted issues, so it was decided we should bring in a new recruit to the RefCave. One name swiftly shot to the top of everyone's list. He's been here for a little over two years, and in that time has shown exquisite skill, grace, and patience, as well as a willingness to help others. So let's have a big round of applause for Fox!

Dead Head 0 posts = 0pp (remains at 224/225, 1pp unspent) Doktor Archeville [maxed] News thread (1) 1 post = 1pp + Ref = 2pp (Progress to Orichalcum+: 185/210) rollover to Protectron Protectron 0 posts = 0pp + 2 rollover from Dok = 2pp (to 193/210, 17pp unspent; Progress to Orichalcum+ Status: 60/210) GM and NPC None

In order to make sure the Refs accurately count all your IC posts and award you the due amount of power points, please post with a list of all the threads in which your character posted IC this month (including the News forum). Remember that we require that posts be a minimum of about 500 characters. You can see here what a 400, 500, and 600 character post looks like. Posts shorter than 500 characters will not be counted. Please also mark things from the Non-Canonical forum as being non-canonical, as those count 1/2 (2 posts made for your char in a non-canon thread count as 1 post for the char). And if you are GMing something, list those threads, too. GM-only posts count as full posts, and can be assigned to whichever of your characters needs a 'push' to get up in post numbers. When you make your list, please post a link to the IC threads -- preferably to the top of the page where your first post for that month appears -- so we (and the auto-count program) can jump right to it. When you post the link to your thread, the URL should look like this http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4478&p=100643#p100643 or this http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4478&start=10 or this http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=4478 NOT this http://www.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?p=100643#p100643 The four digit number in the URL (bolded & underlined in the correct example) is the thread id number which we need to use the autocountamotron. When you start a thread, make sure [iC] is in the title/subject line of the IC thread, and [OOC] is in the title of the OOC thread. If you make a post in an IC thread as a GM or an NPC, add [GM] in the subject line of the thread. If you make a post and [iC] is not in the subject line, the AutoCounter will not count it. And if you do not put [GM] in the places you post as an NPC or Ref, it won't count those properly. Please list your threads in alphabetical order. Please clearly note any threads in which you are both player and GM/running an NPC. Also, when you start a new thread, please mark it on the Timeline (if you have a handle here, you have an account for the Wiki, and anyone with an account can edit it). You do not have to be specific on the date, but I would like to keep track of when things are happening relative to each other. The Timeline also serves as an index for everything we've done in the nearly three years this site's been active, and it's useful to know if X happens before or after Y. If you've done any extracurriculars -- artwork, HellQ, 20 Questions, NPC, Vignette, Wiki work, etc. -- please be sure to list them along with your active threads. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in your post counts being postponed or skipped completely.

Doktor Archeville: The Reformatting Date: July 31st, 2012 Doktor Viktor Archeville is lying at the bottom of a hole, covered by a meter of soft dirt. His body is covered in radiation burns, his bones pulverized, and his gear -- his gravity-manipulating Belt and electromagnetism-harnessing Screwdriver -- cracked and shorted out. He has had no heartbeat for the last fifteen minutes. There is still activity inside his brain. The hallucinations induced by shock and hypoxia have given way to something else, with the help of a few billion foreign bodies. These nanomachines are keeping his mind alive, but he is not listening to the worms and insects surrounding him, or the soft rain seeping through the earth over him. Right now he is remembering the past few hours, and how he got here. Doktor Archeville had gone to back to his home city of Schoenwald im Schwarzwald, Germany, to lend what assistance he could the AEGIS agents still working on the salvaged tech from his cratered castle. Most of it was telling them how best to dispose of the materials, as most of it was too damaged to repair. It pained him to see so much of his work -- and the works of those he had hired and nurtured along their scientific careers -- being trashed, and he rejoiced whenever they managed to save something. He was just approaching the door to the offices, when an explosion threw him back. His Belt threw up a protective screen to shield him from the brunt of it, but he was still knocked onto his back, so when the smoke cleared enough for his assailants to make their next move, he was already at a disadvantage. It was the Power Corps -- all eight of them this time! "Come to steal from me again, eh?," he called out, trying to hack into their armor's systems with the technopathic abilities his latest nanite upgrade had given him. "Partly," Number One said, "but our partners are here mostly for revenge!" The last of the smoke was blown away by miniature cyclones, and the crackle of electricity and a sickly green glow in the distance were all Archeville needed to know who the Power Corp's new partners were: the Science Squad! Archeville gave his Belt the technopathic command to teleport him to a better location, but the buzzing in his head told him the system was blocked. As he looked back over the approaching villains, he saw why: attached to Schwarzstern's belt was a new piece of tech, which was harnessing the powerhouse's "selective gravity" ability to nullify Archeville's own gravitic movement systems. If it also nullified his gravitic force screen, he'd be toast! The blue glow the sprung up around him as Munja and Radium hurled their energy blasts at him prove his protective screen was still in effect, but he could tell Schwarzstern's device was rapidly weakening his field. He had to get out of there, and fast! With practiced swiftness he reached into his labcoat and pulled out a handful of pellets, which exploded into a rainbow of smoke clouds when he threw them to the ground. Cyclone blew them away with a gesture, but that was enough time for Archeville to run like mad, towards the nearby forest. Have to get them out of the city, away from people. Never spent much time in these woods as a child, but there should be a few places where the trees would be thick enough to pose an impediment to the fliers, and- Archeville's train of thought was derailed as he found himself slipping over Teflon-slick ground, courtesy of Liso. Archeville had not taken into account that Schwarzstern also grew up in this city, and knew the likeliest places the Doktor would run. The cocky friction controller skated around the Doktor, applying his power to the hero himself; if Archeville tried to grab anything now, it would be like trying to grab a bar of wet soap. The other members of the Squad were soon upon him, beating and blasting at him, finally seeing their chance for revenge against the man who'd stopped their rightful actions so many times. Archeville used every scrap of martial combat skill he could recall, but Binder's resins soon put a stop to that. Then Munja took it one step further and sent the entirety of his electrical form through the Doktor, frying him and his gear. Cyclone and Liso panicked and bolted, leaving the others to quickly carry the body deeper into the woods. They buried it there, hoping the world would just think he had been beaten and retreated for another few months. The nanomachines keeping Viktor Archeville's brain alive are still hard at work, trying to restore the life support system nature had given it: his body. Bones are reconstructed from the inside out. Dead tissues get broken down into simpler compounds used to accelerate the growth of new skin and organs. The nervous system was rebuilt, but as soon as it was able it screamed in pain, causing the nanomachines to flood the brain with synthetic endorphins. His heart begins to beat, pushing the last of the extracted oxygen to extremities now being jump-started with the metabolic equivalent of rocket fuel. Heal the organic systems. Heal. Not all the nanomachines are working on his body, however. Last year, when he had journeyed into the Terminus to try to find Fulcrum, and he was stranded on a dying world orbiting a bloated, dark sun, his gear had been broken. Stories he heard there of "blood magic" inspired him to try his own version: reprogramming the nanomachines within himself to repair his devices, just as they worked to heal his body. It took a good deal of trial and error, but he eventually got them to work. That coding is still within many of his nanomachines, and many of those nanomachines have spilled (along with his blood) onto his Belt and Screwdriver. His encounter with Munja and Radium had scrambled some of the nanomachine's programming, and when they rebooted and sensed they were on his devices, they resumed their work of repairing them. Repair the electromechanic systems. Repair. Problems soon arose. The weakly beating heart pumped nanomachine-laden blood out of the wounds onto his devices, and once there the nanomachines already working on his gear reprogrammed the newcomers to assist them. But the reassignment didn't take as strongly in these, and some went back to working on the body, and others found themselves somewhere in between. Heal the organic systems. Heal. Repair the electromechanic systems. Repair. The nanomachines working on his body lacked the raw materials needed to effect the necessary repairs. And the nanomachines working on his devices lacked the necessary components to complete their work. The nanomachines went out in search of materials, mingled with each other, swapped programing packets. Some working on his body found their way to his devices, and some working on his devices found their way into his body. Heal. Repair. Heal. Six hours after the unmarked grave had been covered, a hand burst forth. It was neither flesh, nor machine, but a much more complicated hybrid of flesh and metal and circuitry.