Supercape

GM The man, for it was a man, looked up. He was wearing some crazy 1960s sunglasses. A hippy t shirt (emblazened in some filth stained logo that could no longer be read). He probably might have been a hippy. But now his skin was grey, creased, dead, his hair but strands. "My name? Hahaha!" he hissed. It was hard to tell if it was mirth or devoid of such quality. "Some call me doctor. My wife calls me love. But can't you see? I'm dead now! Free at last! Free but dead! haha! Oh sweet irony!" He stood up, skin and bones, and withered iron muscles. There was probably not enough fat on him to fry an egg. "But who, woman, are you? Come to take me home? Drug me up, put me down? like all the other crrrrazzzies?" he hissed. "I spent my life trying to find a cure for them, you know, like a nurse in a leper colony. It was only a matter of time before I was infected too. Still, I did my duty. The human thing" He turned his head, this way and that. "They are coming for me, I know it! The snatch squad. Well, they won't catch me!" he laughed, high pitched and fearful. "Who are you!" he demanded, pointing a finger at Echo's face.

Sebastian Black (Historical) Knowledge (Streetwise) or Gather Information DC 20: Sebastian Black was a con man and gambler, who ran into trouble with many a crook and plutocrat. He was busted by Foreshadow II a year back (2015) DC 30: Sebastian black stole something from a Russian Scientist, and got fried by it. DC 40: That something was a quantum field gun, very unstable and dangerous. Turned him into the Handyman. The Handyman Knowledge (Current Events) DC 15: The Handyman is a super powered AEGIS agent. DC 20: The Handyman can teleport himself, or grab things by teleportation. He is known to be a furiously loyal and obedient AEGIS agent. DC 30: But he has had a few hush-hush incidents of stealing things, brushed over by the law. Knowledge (Technology) DC 30: On year ago, an experimental Russian weapon, the Quantum Field Gun, was stolen. It is believed to be essentially useless due to its unreliable effects. Knowledge (Behaviour Sciences) DC 25: The Handyman shows all the signs of some kind of psychological programming. DC 45: A detailed understanding of his likely programming, and how to manipulate / use this (essentially, commanding him). Gather Information DC 20: The Handyman is a super powered and highly loyal AEGIS agent with teleportation powers. DC 30: He has had several brushes with the law, which have been overlooked due to his usefulness. For example, pick pocketing. AEGIS have had to work hard to compensate people. DC 35: The Handyman used to be Sebastian Black, but underwent AEGIS training after his accident, including psychological conditioning. DC 45: Access to the Handymans psychological profiling (potentially, with suitable social or behavioural sciences skills, allowing manipulation of him).

News. All in one handy place. Reputation 20Q

GM A moment later... Jenny X was, it seemed, residing in a similarly luxurious suite a mere thirty seconds walk through plush and pleasantly fragrant corridors away. At this rather elite part of the hotel (which was already of fine calibre), only the rich and famous resided. The cost was shocking. Many businessmen, dancing in the upper tiers of the financial sector, were here for the conference. Some where old, some where young, all where rich, and had every savoury and unsavoury trappings of that lifestyle. Trophy wives, and indeed trophy husbands, amongst them. The odd security guard for such splendid plutocrats was of course par for the course. Having two burly men on the corridor was not perhaps unusual, but even so, for those on the alert, it was noticeable. Hotel security, perhaps? It would certainly be prudent for such very wealth clients to have security, and so to for the Hotel. Dwaynes eyes had shed every tear they could, and he was still shaking, shuddering, from the intensity of this. Mumbling, incoherent. Despite every word or comfort from a loving sister. "I'm scared" he whimpered to her, as they approached the door of Jenny X.

Putting Flintlock out of the picture for now. DC 20 Will Save please, or Shaken.

GM With a seeping blackness, the sky darkened, not without light, but rather an inky gloom that seemed to pour to the ground. There was no sun now, just horror. The ground below felt muddy and wet. The smell of rotting fish came from underfoot. It was cold, but not a freeze, rather an insipid wet cold that hit ones bones as well as one skin. One could not exactly look at Dagon, although most assuredly the spectre was looking at them. He was horrible and awful, wet with terrible purpose. Like a toad, or a snake, or, more truthfully, like nothing at all - or at least, like nothing one would want to see. And this, but an echo, a shadow, a vision to which one would commune. The language was deep, and reverberated like it was carried through the deepest oceans. "Why, mortals. Why do you disturb my slumber? Do you hope, do you dream? I will listen to your empty words...." Flintlock fell to her knees, eyes glazed. It had been some time since she had seen the dread God's shadow, in blackest waters and foulest swamps. Something grapsed her voice and limbs, paralysing them...

"Yeah, sure. Just make sure you avoid the rats. The FBI have put cameras in their skulls" replied Tinhat, in a conspiratorial manner. A little later, with only a few rats to worry about... "Here. We sure got the better of the FBI, huh? Damn commie bastards!" said Tin Hat, his first smile since Jack and Echo had met him. The journey had not been to long, but a little more arduous, not least because of the smell. The dank semi-light did not add to the ambience. "This place, huh, nobody knows about it, 'cept Tin Hat. Old bricks" he explained, tapping the crumbling masonry. "Something bad happened though. I found more than a few old bones down here. Human bones, that's what I'm talking about. Must be some government plot, or something" he added, with certainty that there was without question something underhand afoot with the government, but without clarity as to its nature. Or, it must be said, without evidence to support his delusion. There was a little something too. Perhaps it was a little hotter. Perhaps something of ozone in the air. Perhaps everything just swam in micro distortions. And, crouched in a huddle, was a man, now filthy, with grey skin and grey hair, dressed in a t shirt and slacks, chuckling in a most distressing way to himself. He was quite wrapped up in himself, or, at least, quite oblivious to what was going on around him.

GM "What are you asking me for? I can't sort out my mortgage, let alone a dimension hoping undead time bomb?" replied a bamboozled Jack. He wiped his brow, and considered for a moment. "I mean, maybe he doesn't deserve it. But maybe you have to beat the crap out of him. Maybe worse. Better than blowing up the city. Or worse. From what I heard, he is causing major distortions. Dangerous distortions. For once, Neutron might just be doing a public service, capturing him. Its just that its more likely they are juggling dynamite over a bonfire" he explained. "Whatever you do, I mean, whatever, I'll back you. Seems like everyones in an impossible situation. But inactivity is worse than a decision. Huh, mind you I wish I had taken that advice before I got bankrupted for slander..." he conceded. "You might be better asking Tinhat, for all I know" was the lamentable conclusion. "Just stop the beamatrons before they get in your head. Gotta watch out for the beamatrons! they are everywhere!" he whispered, carefully. From his filthy rags, he produced two spare tin foils hats, offering them to Jack and Echo. "Can't hurt" sighed Jack, putting it on. "Except for head lice" he whispered to Echo.

GM If the Russian was disappointed, he did not show it. He calmly put his knife down. "No cutting the throat. Not unless they shooting at Count. Must protect Count" he droned. The Count himself had perked up slightly, If one looked at him, which was an unpleasant thing to do, he looked half alive now. "Yes...coax away...teleportation...most useful...like the blessed waters of Augustina, or the moon drug of Yoggoth" he said, whispering to himself. "No matter...I am sure you are a most able sorcerer...my friend" he said, gently clinging to Presto. It was not an comfortable touch. Again, tha tgrnawing feeling of something being horribly wrong with the Count. "This may solve other...problem. How to get me down to the burial chambers. As...you see I am not a well man..." he conceded. "Can climb. But climb and carry, not so easy..." conceded the Russian. He certainly looked strong enough to carry the feeble Count wit h one hand. For the matter, Wesley could probably carry the Count with one hand. But despite the ropes and climbing apparatus leading down, moving the Count would not be easy. "I...trust you...." whispered the Count to Presto. "You are an...unusual man...with unusual strength!" "And I make a great mushroom pie!" chipped in Wesley, to the sound of blown tumbleweed.

This was a most unpalatable rainbow of colours. She could not, at the moment, decipher it, make sense of it, dissect it, or analyse it. It was more a feeling. Of armies of colour, colliding, transforming, melding. Like inks in a pot. Clouds of black, walls of red, oceans of green. Presumably oceans of amber and mountains of mauve. But there was a feeling, in her mind, of something alien. Something of war. And the sensations brought back floods of memories, of the Island, of the Sorcerer, of horrible texts and torturous punishments. Of mad rites, and insane cults. And things beyond the veil that she could not quite recall and was most grateful she could not. How small, she. How small, humankind. Even the infinite seemed paradoxically insignificant and tiny. She felt a blackness overwhelm her, and gratefully sank into it...

GM Its war! A small scale one, to be sure, but she could smell it! Like the old nautical battles of centuries past. Gunfire, screams, chaos! She almost missed it. What was the black? What had happened? Did she want to know? Merciful was ignorance, for the comprehension of that which was beyond nothing was also beyond sanity. So something had come from the black market. Something, perhaps that the aliens (of one meaning of 'tuther) were waiting for, or at the very least recognised. Suspicions and speculations fermented in her brain. There was more than one theft going on here? Like a bauble tossed between wild children. She wondered where she would be in this melee. She had always fancied herself as purple, but she also fancied that the gods of beyond did not care for her fancies, and her colour would be as it was through the horrible lens she had summoned. Or beyond colours at all... And so, she peered on...

So, arms dealers? Flintlock might have preferred, predictably, her Flintlock, but that was nostalgia. She knew modern arms, and knew, in her heart (for all the fondness she had for black powder) that was an automatic rifle, and that automatic rifles were considerably more dangerous than her antique. More mysterious was the language. Nothing she could understand, let alone recognise. Something, she would imagine, that was not from this world. But which? The strange depths of Earth?, the cold stars of space? or realms beyond, the strange oceans that the Black Flag had sailed? And, now she thought about it, the shapes were not definitely human either. This might all explain the unearthly vanishing of the cargo. But what cargo? and, what had happened at the meeting? Gathering resolve, crystalising will, she delved further...

You are correct; the Short Range flaw should not have been in there. I believe it adds up, as you say, with Attack as +0, and no Short Range, so just removed it.

GM "Goddamn wires!" said Tinhat, pulling at the strands of grey hair around his temples, poking out from the foil. "The army, puts em in you when you sign up. They call it the medical. Haha!" he laughed, cynically. "Neutron, sounds bad, yeah, I bet. Sounds like radiowaves, or something" he conceded, turning Jack and Echo into co-conspirators, at least in his head. "And a zombie? yeah. Something came down here a few days ago. Still around. Looked like a zombie, like a goddamn corpse. But he didn't move like one. He was fast" conceded Tinhat. "Fast like nuthin' I seen. Laughing his goddamn head off all the time" he explained "Free! I'm free! I'm free! - that was all he said, over and over again. Now, I ain't crazy..." he pleaded, all evidence to the conference. "And that guy, he looked mad. Ya know?" he asked, twirling his finger around his temple over and over again. "Maybe the Neutrononics got him, or the radiomatics. If had protection..." he explained, pointing at his tin hat "...maybe he woulda kept his marbles. Scared me to death. Hid. Nobody knows the sewers like 'ol tinhat!" he said, proudly.

"I slit throat? I slit throat the good" the Russian, his face stone. He put aside his huge pistol and brought up a knife. "Slit throat, quiet. No problem...." The Count seemed virtually conscious. Wesley would have taken his pulse if he could face looking at the old man, which, he couldn't. His face was white. "This ain't such a good deal. I mean, are we actually killing people?" he asked. Frightened as he was by the Russian, he was sitting next to a Superhero of considerable repute and power. "I mean, I'll fire this...if...if I have to. But, we don't actually know if we have to, do we? I mean, there may be a world eating monster from beyond down there...." We wiped his white and damp brow. "Sheesh...this will be a good story....Ill say that much. If I live to tell it. And if I can live with myself to tell it..."

Muahaha!

Surprise, surprise, she can tell Tin Hat has schizophrenia! She doesnt know anything else about the condition or his presentation however.

GM "Sure. No the killing" said the Russian, slowly. He pulled out the most enormous pistol one could buy. And probably, a pistol bigger than several you could not buy. "You have magic. But we deal with silent, yes?" "Yes...silent..." mumbled the Count, who looked so pale and awful that one might imagine he would keel over dead at any moment. Wesley gulped, fingering his shotgun with damp palms and sticky fingers. "I mean...do I have to shoot someone? I mean...I could kill them..." he said, faintly. For all his complaints, he still gripped the shotgun tightly, with resolve. The Russian paused, with a blank face and dead, shark eyes. "Count say silent. You having magic, yes?" he asked Presto. "You have silent magic? Otherwise, sneak up and knocking out?" "Gee, Ill settle for not dying" concluded Wesley. "Silent or fireworks like the fourth of July. As long as its not-dying..."

Additional Note on Teleport (Attack) Power. Although this has been bandied about in chat and generally accepted, notating it here. Technically of course, Teleport Attack is banned. The reason for this, as I understand it, is that it is exploitable: Teleporting someone into space, into midair, or lava. The Handyman could, potentially do this albeit at great and possibly lethal personal risk. Essentially the limitation removes most if not all of this exploit. I would imagine the Handyman could, for instance, teleport someone into his hand and let go; if he was leaning over a cliff (or more likely a building), or perhaps if a flying character would carry him; but i would suggest that even in such circumstances, the attacked character would get another Reflex save (probably low DC?) to grab onto the Handyman before falling. Secondly, the custom extra: This is to represent the handyman for instance teleporting a gun into his hand (disarming someone) and firing it in a smooth motion (for a full round action). Again, technically this is kind of two attacks in one round. However, in defence, so is linking attacks. In addition, the attack he makes (unless he gets hold of a truly world shattering weapon) is going to be much less effective than his regular, perception range, penetrating attack. From discussion in chat with various, the consensus was that this would all be reasonable (and obviously I wouldn't have put it up if I thought otherwise!), but I am notating the rationale here for prosperity and explanation.

Character Name The Handyman Power Level: 10/12 (180/180) Unspent Power Points: 0 Trade-Offs: None In Brief: Teleporting Ex-crook turned AEGIS agent. Catchphrase: “I’ll take that…” Alternate Identity: Sebastian Black Birthplace: Freedom City Residence: Various (Freewheeling Agent) Occupation: AEGIS agent, Gambler Affiliations: AEGIS Family: Amber Black, Sister (Jazz Singer), Ace Black, Brother (Marine), Daisy Black, Mother (Elderly and Infirm) Description: Age: 32 Apparent Age: 32 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5’10” Weight: 75Kgs Eyes: Blue Hair: Black The Handyman, as an AEGIS agent, wears a black fedora, coat and costume. He wears an eye-mask to conceal his identity. This is unusual for an AEGIS agent, but done so that nobody recognises him as an ex-crook. He is a man in reasonable, but not exceptional, physical shape. History: Blessed with nimble fingers, sharp mind, and smooth tongue, Sebastian Black soon became a gambler, a cheat, and a thief. He was pretty good at it, and amassed a small fortune. He also amassed a Quantum Field Gun, an experimental weapon stolen off a Russian scientist. The QFG was very effective, but also completely unreliable. When Sebastian tried to use it, it blew up in his face. The field generator did not do his brain any favours (and in fact has given him epilepsy), but allowed him the ability to generate quantum entanglement fields himself – namely, teleportation abilities. Flush with the disorientation of his accident and his new powers, Sebastian was busted by Foreshadow II. Faced with either a long jail sentence, he agreed to undergo intensive, experimental physical and mental rehabilitation with AEGIS. Personality & Motivation: The Handyman is actually a people person. He likes people, talking, friends, and is naturally inclined to look after them. Broadly. He also has compulsive lying, stealing, and cheating behaviours. Experimental hardcore AEGIS psychological “rehabilitation” has made him unquestioningly loyal to AEGIS, the government and the military. This has left him with slightly paranoid and suspicious traits. Powers & Tactics: The Handyman can cause specific local quantum field effects. He can teleport himself short distances. He can also teleport distant things into his hands, either to disarm people, grab objects, or even take out chunks (damaging them). With concentration, he can even teleport air into his hand, suffocating his opponent. His “accident” has also rendered him naturally superhumanly resilient to harm, although not impervious to it. Aside from his acquired power, the Handyman is a skilled thief and conman, and has additional AEGIS operative training. He is also a skilled marksman, and can throw things like playing cards with great force. Whilst the Handyman likes to deceive, negotiate and steal to solve problems, in a fight he will try to maintain mobility, teleporting around, and will always disarm opponents who carry dangerous objects. If needs be, he will throw his playing cards at opponents. Whilst an able hand to hand fighter, he will avoid such fights if he can. Power Descriptions: The Handymans teleportation powers make an audible “pop” sound with a slight smell of ozone at the point of departure and arrival. Complications: Kleptomaniac, Gambler, and Cheat For all his rehabilitation, the Handyman is obsessive-compulsive in all these areas. He might not do major crimes like bank robbery, but he fights urges to pickpocket, gamble, and cheat at cards all the time. Whilst there is some acceptance (due to his value and mitigating circumstances) of these crimes, it can still land him in hot water. Psychological Programming As a result of his intense and experimental psychological treatment, the Handyman is unquestioningly loyal to AEGIS and (to only slightly less intensity) the Government, the State, and the Military. Due to his other psychological problems, it does not apply to the Police. Nevertheless, this programming could be used against him by deceptive or cunning individuals (or groups), especially if they have appropriate psychology training or access to his AEGIS medical records. History / Secret ID / Mask Back when the Handyman was plain old Sebastian Black, he scammed and cheated (or even fairly beat) a lot of rich and powerful people. If they recognise him, they might be ill disposed or malignant. This list might include heads of state, royalty, businessmen, or criminals. It is for this reason that the Handyman wears a mask. His actual ID can be found out (not easily, but certainly with effort). The flip side is that whist he wears a mask, he might be treated with suspicion regarding his AEGIS agent status. Point and Click Due to the explosive nature of his power acquisition, the Handyman has a psychological block on his powers. He must point his finger and click his fingers, like a play gun, in order to teleport somewhere, or teleport something into his hand. Epilepsy the Handyman has acquired epilepsy. This is normally controlled by medication, but if deprived of his twice-daily dose, or exposed to other pro-convulsant effects (like flashing lights or large doses of caffeine), it might resurface, especially at times of stress. Scrambled Brains If exposed to Quantum field effects again, his brain can get scrambled (as it was when he had his accident). “Quantum” descriptor effects (other than his own powers, unless, plausibly, he uses them excessively) might cause confusion, panic, distraction, or a seizure. Abilities: 2 + 12 + 2 + 6 + 4 + 6 = 32 Strength: 12 (+1) Dexterity: 22 (+6) Constitution: 12 (+1) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 16 (+3) Combat: 20 + 20 = 40 Initiative: +6 Attack: +10 Defense: +10, +5 Flat Footed Grapple: +11 Knockback: -5 Saving Throws: 5 + 4 + 6 = 15 Toughness: +10 (+1 Con, +9 Protection) Fortitude: +6 (+1 Con, +5) Reflex: +10 (+6 Dex, +4) Will: +8 (+2 Wis, +6) Skills: 96 R = 24 PP Bluff 12 (+15) Computers 4 (+7) Diplomacy 4 (+7) Disguise 4 (+7) Skill Mastery Drive 4 (+10) Skill Mastery Escape Artist 4 (+10) Skill Mastery Gather Information 4 (+7) Intimidate 4 (+7) Investigate 4 (+7) Knowledge (Behavioural Sciences) 4 (+7) Knowledge (Civics) 4 (+7) Knowledge (Current Events) 4 (+7) Knowledge (Streetwise) 4 (+7) Language 2 (English [Native], French, Spanish) Notice 8 (+10) Search 4 (+7) Sense Motive 8 (+10) Sleight of Hand 14 (+20) Skill Mastery Feats: 10 PP Benefit 1 (AEGIS clearance) Equipment 1 Precise Shot 2 Skill Mastery (Disguise, Drive, Escape Artist, Sleight of Hand) Throwing Mastery 5 Equipment – 5 EP (AEGIS agent stuff) Binoculars [1 EP] Concealable Microphone [1 EP] Lock Release Gun [1 EP] Mini-Tracer [1 EP] Pack of Playing Cards [0 EP] Masterwork Cellphone [1 EP] Powers: 9 + 42 + 10 = 61 Protection 9 [9 PP] Quantum Field Array (40 PP Array, Feats: Alt Power 2) [42 PP] BP: Teleport 10 (Extras: Attack [Reflex], Quick Use*, Perception Range [+2], Flaws: Limited [Teleport into his hand only]) [40/40PP] “Into the hand” *Quick Use: By taking a full round action, the Handyman can teleport something into his hand, and, if successful also use it (most typically, initiating a grapple, or attacking with the equipment or device). AP: Damage 10 (Extras: Penetrating, Perception) [40/40 PP] “Take a chunk” AP: Suffocate 10 (Extras: Perception) [40/40 PP] “Suck out the air” Teleport 10 (1000’, Flaws: Short Range) [10 PP] Drawbacks: 2 PP Vulnerability (Fear and Intimidation Effects; Frequency: Common; Intensity: Minor [+1]) [-2PP] “Rehabilitation trauma” DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 16 Toughness Damage Teleport Perception DC 25 Reflex Teleported Damage Perception DC 25 Toughness Damage Suffocate Perception DC 25 Fort Suffocation Playing Cards 10’/50’ DC 20 Toughness Damage Totals: Abilities 32 + Skills 24 + Feats 10 + Powers 61 + Combat 40 + Saves 15 – Drawbacks 2 = 180/180 PP

GM Dwayne appeared excited and frightened, the twins of adrenaline. "Yeah..I mean...oh...I mean...I mean..." he stammered. "I mean, I'm scared!" he confessed. He was nearly in tears. "She is beautiful! Crazy super fine!" he repeated. "What do I say? What should I do? What if she doesn't like me". And now, he broke down in tears, great winds of tears seeping from him. "I mean...look at me?" he said, confessing, and keeping coherent. "I'm a mess! Who would love me? I'm...damaged...I'm not normal. A kid with no future, no life...scrambled in my brain...cant even speak....why would anybody love me? Especially her?" He wept uncontrollably, pulling on his sisters clothes.

GM "Yeah, I can hear them.." said Tin Hat, suspicious but no longer so angry. He actually gave a grunt of approval about the beating Echo dished out. "Neutron? Sounds like radiowaves to me. Damn KGB" he explained. "I pick them up, you see, thanks to the microchip" he added, pointing to the point between his eyes again. "Try to block them out with my deflector hat. But damn Russians, they reversed the frequency....hrmmmm....the robots!" he spluttered. "You know hes crazy, right?" whispered Jack as softly as he could in Echo's ear. It was most soft indeed. And fortunately Tin Hat did not hear it. Recovering for a moment, he turned his hat and head to Echo and Jack once more. " "Well, you ain't the psycholockers. Hmmm, I ain't trusting you though. I can still feel the radiomatonix. Ill smash you if you try to lock me away. I'm warning ya!" he hissed, angry momentarily once more. "Whats this pretty big ya talking about? Is it the radiomatonix? I seen some pretty crazy stuff down here last few days....."

Thats good for me. You may wish to roll me a Knowledge (Behaviour Sciences) and (technology) for future or current reference.

GM "Sure...I mean...I can't shoot. Well, I can, just pulling the trigger, right?" said Wesley, putting on his brave face. "Pullings the trigger. Make sure is pointing right way" agreed the Russian, like stone. in answer to Presto's question, the Count barely responded. "Something horrible...no doubt..." he whispered. "There can be no preparation to see...what is beyond the human mind" he added. The 4x4 came to a stop. There was silence and warm red sunlight filtering though trees. On another day, it might have been beautiful. But today was a different day. In front of them, a couple of men stood up. Armed men. Grizzly, bearded, men, who had pitched up a tent and various supplies, alongside their own vehicle, by what looked like a hole in the ground. "Men are having guns. Military men...." The count slouched forward. His monocle nearly fell out. He looked worse than ever, a face that looked normal but screamed to the back on the brain that it was truly horrible. "I..am feeling weak...my brother is down there....I trust you can....deal with these men...if possible...quietly...we should not alert my brother....do not...underestimate him....he is well versed in military and martial matters...." he said, more faintly than ever,