Supercape

GM "Deal, I didn't make a deal? Pfft the very thought. No deal. Deal, no. I made absolutely no deal, and no deal is what I made." His shifty eyes shifted left and shifted right. "Yes, you are right. I made a deal. I don't know with whom. But he was burning and smelled of sulfur. So probably a demon. Shifty little bastard, I can tell you. Look, this is Freedom City... every week we get an alien invasion or a super powered madman threatening to turn us all into chickens. I'm fed up of being a scared candlemaker... I'm not going to be bullied like I was by Cedric Frattleworth at high school. I didn't have a day go by without getting my head flushed in a toilet or my pants pulled down for girls to laugh at. No more! I'm going to protect myself!" "You understand, right? A bit of power, just so you don't have to be scared?" "But...ahahahahaha.... it kind of went a bit wrong, didn't it? kind of blew up in my face, ahahahahaha.... all my magic candles went a bit chaotic, and all because I trusted some demon to light them with his magic fire...."

Rev "Shoot" cussed Rev. Then she remembered the Iron Talon. Shoot was not a wise or prudent thing to say. From what she had heard, these goons had a tendency to do that first, ask questions later - if at all. What the hell, she asked herself. Maybe she should dry off. And see if she could spy the HQ. Sounded like Pete was in trouble. What kind of trouble? She didn't know, but she guessed it wasn't the good type. This kind of trouble smelled like a dark room with a single raw bulb, a ragged dentist chair, and a selection of tongs. "Sure. Thanks," she said, giving a thumbs up. She tried to walk slow enough to be noncholant, fast enough to be fast. Once inside the facilities, it would be time to snoop. Any graffiti on the walls? Any cracks? Any windows she could peer through? Or would she have to do this the hard way, and smash through the walls with her mighty mechanised fists?!

Rev Stepping out of a car - any car, let alone her Dune Buggy - was always acompanied by a drop of lamentation. The smells of the engine, the vibration rippling through the body, the sound... like a storm wrapped in silk. It was still a thrill. She hoped it always would be. Rev hoped the guards wont so trigger happy to fire bullets just for the hell of it - but this was the Talon, and you never knew. Rev was armoured, Rev was metal - bullets would spark off her body, but not forever. Fire enough bullets and she would look like a pepper pot, and be just as alive. She knocked. It was polite. "Taxi for Pete Moss. Taxi for pete Moss! Hello?" It was the beginning of rain, but worse was surely to come. "Hey guys, taxi for Pete Moss. Don't want to get stuck in the rain..." The Dune Buggy didn't look anything like a taxi, unless you were in the Gobi desert. But what the hell... Talon guards were there to keep people out, not keep people in. Right???

Rev Grrrl - that didn't sound right. Maybe it was because it used to sound right when they were together. There were better times, right? she tried to remind herself. But it wasn't easy. Those memories were buried behind the wall of the war. Am I kidding myself? Were there good times? "I got ya back, Pete. Always." That much was true. She couldn't rewrite the past. But she could write the future. Or at least try to. "I'll be right there..." She hung up. Took a deep breath. Whatever the past, she wasn't going to stand by and let a bad situation get worse. Besides, what was life for, if not for some action? Better a day as a Lion.... She pumped some fuel into her net ports. Belched. The smell of methane mixed in with the ubiqutous smell of engine oil that pervaded the chop shop. She felt the rumble of her internal mechanics start to refine the fuel. More methane. Well, it's not like I smell of roses and perfume normally... She fired up the engine of the Dune buggy. Open topped, but what the hell. Wind and rain didn't bother her, quite the reverse - it ripped through her hair and made her feel alive. The Dune buggy rumbled, powerful motors, thick tyres. She would drive fast. Hell, break a few speed restrictions. Who cared? This was Bedlam. Police had bigger fish to fry than traffic violations. The Dune Buggy ripped out of the Chop Shop, fire and smoke from its exhaust. She put her foot to the accelerator and streaked through the streets of Bedlam City... ...to Stone Ridge. It wasn't the Police that worried her. No. It was the Iron Talon. At least the Police had to pretend to stay within the law. The Iron Talon didn't even seem to bother with pretence.

Rev Pete Moss... Maybe they had never been right for one another. He was army. She was a punk. They had cars in common, maybe that was it. Maybe that shared interested had drifted them together. Rev pressed her forehead with her finger, trying to drill some sense into her skull. The thing was - maybe they hadn't been right for one another to begin with, but when Pete Moss came back from Afghan, they were even less right for each other. They had drifted apart faster than she would have liked. She had broken it off. That came with a bit serving of guilt. Rev didn't like feeling guilty, and if there was something she could do to diminish that feeling, then hell yeah, she would. Some would try to forget about it with cheap beer or cheaper moonshine. But not Rev. She threw down her spanner - harder than was reasonable. Frustration - that was it. Frustrated at herself. But that didn't sit well with her. She became frustrated at her frustration. Still greasy, still oily, still smeared with dirt of every kind, Rev picked up the phone and answered it. "Pete..." She didn't know what else to say. She left it at that - waiting for Pete to speak.

GM Jaun interlaced his fingers, but that did not stop them writhing about like a nest of snakes. "Sulfur? What sulfur? I can't smell sulfur. Its only sulfur. Did I say sulfur? I meant sulfer. I mean sulfer..." he gabbled before slapping his forehead with both of his hands and burying his face. "Gawds! It is sulfur! I admit it! I am trying to ward of the devil!" Juan grasped at La Puma, trying to plead his case by tugging at her clothes and falling to his knees. "The devil! The devil made me do it! I am a candlemaker, you see... some vile demon has got it in for me - I don't know why! I am trying to ward him off with my candles. Yes, yes, I confess, I know a little sorcery. I know a little of the occult... maybe thats why I am being persecuted. The candles, they are for my protection! You have to understand...." Again, the pale eyes scanned left and right. "Be careful! Even now, the devil himself may be spying on us! He could send any one of his infernal minions to tempt and torment us! And I do not fancy being stabbed betwixt my buttocks with a red hot poker. No, no I do not!" A shifty eyebrow raised as he scrutinised La Puma. "Can you help? Can you save my soul?"

Power Level: 10 (208/208 PP) Unspent Power Points: 0 Trade-Offs: -2 Tough / +2 Defence In Brief: Mind stealing agent of AEGIS Catchphrase: "Forget it!" Theme: Boiling Point Alternate Identity: Umberto Velluti Birthplace: Rome Residence: Freedom City Base of Operations: Freedom City Occupation: Gardener / Garden shop owner Affiliations: AEGIS Family: Lucia Velluti (Mother, Retired Hairdresser) Description: Age: 45 Apparent Age: 45 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5’5” Weight: 55Kgs Eyes: Brown Hair: None Umberto is a short, weedy man, quite bald, with a large nose and a weak chin. His is ugly to the point of borderline dysmorphia. He does have a certain sense of style, however, wearing expensive suits and sunglasses (he loves black) History: Umberto was always the bullied kid at school. The first to get beaten up, the last to get picked at a team. He was short, weedy, and bald since birth and had a faint Italian accent (his family moved to Freedom City when he was six). This was compounded by being smart and by having a doting, overbearing mother (who, ironically, was a hairdresser). Umberto grew up always feeling like he was supressing something. He had a knack of understanding people and their motivations which he put down to intuition. He made a reasonable business selling plants and garden appliances in his shop. Until, one day, a retired AEGIS agent came into his shop to purchase some plants for his retirement home. Umberto had a flash of paranoia, and then…bang! He was inside the agent’s head. It turned out that Umberto was a psychic who had repressed his powers all his life. His paranoia had forced his unconscious powers to the conscious! He was debriefed by AEGIS, and it was then both AEGIS and Umberto saw opportunity. AEGIS would have much to gain from Umberto's power Equally, Umberto he had always harboured dreams of being a spy, a secret agent, or a superhero, but being a 5’5” weed with no training and an overbearing mother, he had no opportunity. So, Umberto would get basic training, equipment, and clearance. And AEGIS would make sure they kept an eye on him and call on him if they needed his special skills. Personality & Motivation: Echohead has always wanted a life of adventure and excitement and this is his primary motivation. However, he also has a lot of sympathy for the underdog, and cannot abide bullies or autocrats (whilst also being terrified of them). He is an introverted yet friendly man, but conceals a lingering sense of low self-esteem. He is particularly fond of food and has a love of plants, flowers, and gardens. He relaxes in his own garden and grows his own vegetables. Powers & Tactics: Echohead can “steal” other peoples thoughts or neurological functioning. He can make people ignore something, paralyse parts of (or all of) their body, or forget skills. As well as “deleting” such abilities (albeit transiently), he can “copy” someone into his head, getting their skills and mental abilities. The copy does linger as an “echo” which can be distracting or even (if a strong personality) dangerous. Echohead will usually try to win conflicts by selectively disabling his targets. He prefers to avoid conflict if possible, and will use whatever subtleties he can to do so. Due to a combination of psychic sensitivity, fear, and experience, Umberto is unconsciously able to anticipate conscious attacks from human (or those with human-ish minds) and evade them. This does however make him vulnerable to aliens, animals, robots, traps etc, as well as human (ish) adversaries that have mental concealment or are acting unconsciously / unpredictably (for instance, a bezerk rage or confused). Umberto utilises high tech AEGIS equipment to compensate for his lack of physical skills or abilities. He wears bulletproof clothing, and carries an AEGIS “Variable pistol” if he needs to combat psychic-resistant enemies. Power Descriptions: Echoheads psychic powers are not visible or detectable. His “Variable Pistol” has a variety of different appearances depending on description. The pistol itself is black, fairly lightweight, but rather bulky (like a handgun with a rugby ball sized barrel). Complications: Ugly Umberto is outstandingly ugly. He is not good at making good first impressions, although he has a very memorable face that easily stands out in a crowd, hard to forget, and tricky to disguise. Puppet: Any “Echo” stored in his head has the lingering will of the original. For the most part this is, at worst, distracting. However, progressively strong-willed copies might limit the use of their skills at a critical time, or cause him to freeze or tic or speak inappropriately Exceptionally strong copies might even take control of Umberto for a while. Loose Tongue: When nervous, Umberto tends to gabble. He might reveal information, or say the wrong thing, or speak his mind completely inappropriately! Migraines: Umberto has a tendency to suffer intense migraines. Bright light and stress can set them off, and render him virtually helpless. Sunglasses help, and he takes medication to limit them, but of course he can be without sunglasses and medication and there is plenty of stress around. Sometimes, mental strain (such as extra effort) can trigger them. Easily Shaken: At the end of the day, Umberto is a coward; or, more precisely, he has grown up being bullied and downtrodden and he can easily revert to this mindset. Skilled intimidators or psychologists could have a field day manipulating and scaring him – despite his high will save and sense motive skill. A bully will still make him tremble. Calibration needed: whilst Echohead can "copy" physical skills (or even feats) like acrobatics, climb, and swim using them is another matter. If the copied body is of significantly different size shape or strength, it will take him a little practice to "calibrate" the acquisition of this skill to his own body. This could take a minute for minor differences, or a few hours for major differences in body shape. If he does not fully calibrate, he would not be able to use the skill, or even worse, automatically fail even basic checks. Abilities: -2 + 2 + 2 + 6 + 6 + 0 = 14 Strength: 8 (-1) Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 12 (+1) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24 Initiative: +5 Attack: +6 base, +8 Ranged, +10 Energy Pistol Defence: +6, +3 Flat Footed base, +12, +6 Flat Footed vs “conscious” attacks Grapple: +5 Knockback: -7 Saving Throws: 5 + 7 + 12 = 24 Fort +6 (+1 Con, +5) Reflex +6 (+1 Dex, +5), +12 vs “conscious” attacks Will +15 (+3 Wis, +12) Tough +8 (+1 Con, +7 Protection/Device) Skills: 16 PP = 60 R Bluff 4 (+4) Concentration 4 (+7) Diplomacy 8 (+8) Knowledge (Business) 4 (+5) Knowledge (Life Sciences) 4 (+5) Language 4 (English, French, Italian [Native], Latin, Spanish) Medicine 4 (+7) Notice 4 (+7) Perform (Singing) 4 (+7) Profession [Gardener] 8 (+11) Search 4 (+7) Sense Motive 12 (+15) Feats: 12 PP Attack Focus [Ranged] 2 Attack Specialization [Variable Pistol] 1 Beginners Luck Benefit 2 (Wealth 1, AEGIS Clearance) Equipment 2 Favoured Enemy: Plants Improved Initiative 1 Jack of All Trades Second Chance (Beg for mercy) From Device/Suit: Second chance (Tough vs Ballistic, Tough vs Fire) From Super senses: Uncanny Dodge (Mental) Equipment: 2PP = 10 EP Flash Goggles (Sunglasses): +5 save vs Light based dazzles [1 EP] Headquarters: Gardening Shop Toughness +10 [1 EP], Size: Small [0 EP], Features: Communication, Fire Prevention System, Gardens, Library, Living Space, Security System 3, DC 30 to break [9 EP] Bottle of painkillers (for migraines) [0 EP] Powers: 13 + 13 + 49 + 15 = 100 Device 2 (10 DP, Feats: Subtle) [13 PP] “Cool black suit” [Armour] Protection 7 (Feats: Second Chance 2 [tough vs ballistic, tough vs fire]) [9 DP] Immunity 1 (Hot Environment) [1DP] "Thermal Regulator / Literally a Cool Suit" Device 5 (25 DP, Flaws: Easy to Lose) [15 PP] “Variable Pistol” [tech] Blast Array (21 PP Array, Feats: Alt Power 4) [25 DP] BP: Blast 6 (Extras: Penetrating, Feats: Improved Critical 1, Variable Descriptor 2 [tech]) [21/21 PP] “Blast!” AP: Blast 6 (Extras: Area [Burst], Feats: Variable Descriptor 2 [Tech]) [20/21 PP] “Boom!” AP: Stun 6 (Extras: Range, Feats: Improved Critical 2 [Tech]) [19/21 PP] “Set to Stun!” AP: Dazzle 6 (Extras: Area [Burst], Feats: Increased Area 3, x10’ radius) [21/21 PP] “Flash” AP: Environment Control 6 (250’ Radius, Bright Light, Heat, Feats: Precise, Selective) [20/21 PP] “Shine” Enhanced Traits (+6 Defence, +6 reflex, Flaws: Limited to conscious attacks/threats for sentient minds*) [9 PP] E.g: Excludes (most) animals, traps, robots, low INT monsters, exotic brains (supernatural, divine or alien, whose intentions are too strange to fathom), those with concealed minds, or those who act unconsciously or in a mind controlled state (including those that are confused). It would also not work against reflexive or triggered attacks as these are not planned / conscious. Psychic Theft Array (43 PP Array, Feats: Alt Power 7) [50 PP] [Psionic, Mutant] BP: Paralyze 10 (Extras: Range Perception [+2], Feats: Insidious, Precise [Can paralyse just certain parts of body], Subtle)[43/43 PP] “Remove motor function” AP: Dazzle 10 (All Senses, Extras: Alt Save – Will [+0], Range Perception [+1], Feats: Insidious, Precise [Can dazzle some senses and not others], Subtle, Flaws: Limited [Only dazzled to one object or thing]) [43/43 PP] “Remove Awareness” AP: Drain 10 (Any Skill, Extras: Alt Save – Will [+0], Range Perception [+2], Feats: Insidious, Slow Fade 1 [1 minute], Subtle) [43/43 PP] “Remove skill” AP: Drain 10 (Any mental attributes [INT/WIS/CHA], Extras: Alt Save – Will [+0], Range Perception [+2], Feats: Insidious, Slow Fade 1 [1 minute], Subtle) [43/43 PP] “Remove brain” AP: Fatigue 10 (Extras: Alt Save [Will, +0], Range Perception [+2], Feats: Insidious, Sedation, Subtle) [43/43PP] AP: Nullify 10 (All psychic or psionic powers, Extras: Effortless, Range Perception, Feats: Insidious, Selective [Nullify only some powers], Subtle) [43/43 PP] “Remove Psionics” AP: Nullify 10 (Emotional effects, Extras: Effortless, Range: Perception, Feats: Insidious, Selective [Nullify only some emotions], Subtle) “Remove emotion” AP: Mental Transform 10 (Alter Memories [2PP/R base], Extras: Duration [Continuous - countered by hypnotic regression], Range [Perception], Feats: Insidious, Precise, Subtle, Drawbacks: Only deleting memories, not altering them) [42/43 PP] "Memory theft" Mimic 4 (20 PP of any attributes [note flaw], Extras: Duration Continuous [+1], Range Perception [+2], Feats: Subtle, Flaws: Limited to mental abilities [e.g: INT, WIS, CHA, Will, Skills, Some Feats, Psionic or trained powers]) [29 PP] “Echohead” [Psionic, Mutant] Super Senses 10 (Analytical*, Accurate, Acute, Extended 1 [x10], Ranged, Radius, Detect Minds [3] Feats: Uncanny Dodge [Mental]) [11 PP] "Detect Brains" *Analytical sense will give an idea of the brain’s cognitive capabilities and activity (e.g. INT/IQ, particular areas ability such as mathematics or reading, and level of alertness such as sleepiness or fatigue). It will not allow access to the brains thoughts, feelings, or memories. Drawbacks: -2 Vulnerability (Psionic; Frequency: Common; Intensity: Minor [+1]) [-2PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 14 Tough Damage Pistol Blast Range DC 21 Tough Damage Pistol Stun Range DC 21 Fort Stun Psychic Paralyse Perception DC 25 Will Paralyse Psychic Dazzle Perception DC 25 Will Dazzle Psychic Drain Perception DC 25 Will Drain 1 Psychic Nullify Perception DC 25 Will Nullify Pyschic Transform Perception DC 25 Will Transform (Delete memories) Totals: Abilities 14 + Combat 24 + Saving Throws 22 + Skills 16 + Feats 12 + Powers 122 - Drawbacks -2 = 208/208 Power Points

Rev Power Level: 9/13 (244/250) Unspent Power Points: 16 Trade-Offs: None In Brief: Street Racer Cyborg Alternate Identity: Lexa Venn Birthplace: Freedom City Residence: Freedom City Base of Operations: Freedom City, Claremont Occupation: Student, Mechanic Affiliations: Claremont Family: Daisy Jenkins (Mother, Nurse) Catchphrase: “Jet, Set, GOOOO!” Description: Age: 23 Apparent Age: 23 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5’6” Weight: 100 Kgs Eyes: Red Hair: Platinum Blonde Rev is a young woman who usually wears cheap casual clothes like t shirts, and jeans. Her only oddity ired eyes (although she often wears sunglasses). Her hair is platinum blonde to the point of being white. She is often barefoot (because her jets will burn through shoes pretty fast), but does wear sneakers she can kick off quickly if need be. With progressive power use, her artificial skin peels / burns off and metal cyborg limbs are revealed. She has two ports on the side of her neck, which she can use to pump fuel into her body. History: Lexa Venn grew up a good kid, decent grades, friendly, outgoing. Bit of a tomboy. Her dad was a mechanic, her mother a nurse. That all changed on her 15th Birthday, when her Dad was killed in a shootout between some cops and a pair of cheap thugs. She didn’t go completely off the rails, but she certainly slid half off them. She fell in with a street gang called the “Junkin’ Donuts”, who specialised in joy riding and street racing, and rebuilding or modifying scrap yards cars. They weren’t a totally bad lot, just thrill seeking anarchists (As opposed to violent). Lexa had enough skill driving and repairing cars that she was pretty valued. After leaving high school early (aged 16) with disappointing but not bad grades (“could have done better”) she ended up working in an auto shop part time and hanging around the Junkin’ Donuts full time. And then, she took a race that would change her life. The mysterious driver she raced again was using the “Mechaphage”, a strange metal based cybernetic bacteria (that was itself mutated by the Darwin-X virus) that integrated biological and mechanical components. He used this to literally “become one with his car”. He would have easily won the race, but Lexa would not have that. She called in her Donut friends who spiked the street with an oil slick. Next thing, Lexa and her opponent had an almighty crash. The mysterious driver, welded to his car, was whisked away by AEGIS in the aftermath. Lexa suffered horrific injuries, but slowly recovered, her broken, missing, or shattered limbs turning to steel, her hair turning white, her eyes turning red. She had been infected with the Mechaphage! After a spell in Claremont, she made her way to Bedlam City. The grime, grit and grease of the city appealed to her. With one (or several) limbs in the underworld as a Street racer, she keeps her ear to the ground of the underworld that she skims the surface of. Jumping lights or speeding through the city is one thing (“you have to be a bit of a crook to survive in a crooked city”), but when it comes to serious crime, Rev is still a hero! Personality & Motivation: Thrill seeking, Loyal, Friendly Rev is a thrill seeking, adventure loving woman who “Rev”els in her power. However, despite her need for speed, she really doesn’t have a bad bone in her body (mind you, she doesn’t have that many bones these days). She is generally a kind, loving kind of person, and has plenty of sympathy for others. Her motivation is thus simply to use her power helpfully. However this is not always simple; she can come into conflict with her own desire for power, or she can find herself torn in whom to help. She will tend to help others she knows, or has a personal investment in, rather than abstract helpfulness (on a geo-political or philosophical level, for instance). Her major hobby and interest is pulling apart engines and rebuilding them. And driving cars very fast… Powers & Tactics: Rev has many machine parts, but mainly they are her legs and arms that are now fully mechanical. Her limbs can extend out and her feet and hands (and to a lesser extent the rest of her limbs) have inbuilt jets she can fire to fly or spray fire, She cyborg limbs can also separate from her body, have increased strength, and can even split – thus an arm would split into two more slender arms, and her legs split into two more slender legs. One limitation of her jets is that they require normal oxygen levels: They will not function at high altitude or underwater (for instance). Rev can “Rev” engines with touch, increasing their power and performance considerably by temporarily infecting them with the Mechaphage. For instance, she can boost a car to travel at 5000mph! Rev is reckless but smart in a fight, meaning she will charge in without planning, and with a love for speed. But once in a fight she is not stupid – over confident, perhaps, but not stupid. She will use her powers in reasonably inventive ways. Power Descriptions: Rev’s limbs can fire jets. These are mainly in her feet and hands, but she has a few lesser jet ports in her elbows and knees. They will fire blue plasma at her mental command. Complications: Skin Job: Rev has artificial, plastic derived skin over her limbs, which tends to burn off during strain or damage, showing clearly metal limbs (making her recognisable). In addition, whist her hands have reasonable touch receptors (a little less than a normal humans), the rest of her limbs have very little or no touch sensation (meaning she could be insidiously damaged or affected without her noticing). Tanked up: Her limbs usually operate on electricity which she can spontaneously generate. However, using the Jet array requires fuel. She has to pump fuel into her body (either drinking it, or – more efficiently, by piping into a portal in her neck). Refuelling also means refining (to ultra high grade energy dense variants) which she can do in her body. However, this does mean emitting (from her jets) a rather unpleasant methane smell. Using hyperburn power will drain fuel extremely fast. Oiled up: In addition, Rev needs to apply lubricating oil to her limbs once a day or they will grind and be very noisy (making stealth impossible, for instance). Being in water or dirty environments will also cause grinding until she applies oil again. Very long periods (weeks) without lubricant will slowly make her limbs seize up altogether. Overcharge Burn: Her “Revving” boost is not completely reliable. She can break, rather than boost, engines (or possibly do both). Total Jerk: If hit by electricity, she will experience brief violent jerks in her limbs. She could accidentally drop or throw something, fall prone, or just flail about. Magnetic Vibes: Strong magnetic fields, or magnetic powers will also affect her, giving her a lingering fine tremor to her hands for an hour or so. This stops her from any fine manipulation. She could not accurately type, press a button, and cannot be precise with her plasma jet, let alone use craft or disable device skills. Jet Crash: Normally, Rev flies reasonably gracefully. However, if she is flying with limbs occupied (such as holding things, or when her limbs are detached) she gets clumsy and progressively likely to crash and burn. As a rough guide, if she is "down" one limb, she will often fail tight turns but is generally functional. If she is down "two limbs" she is only able to reliably to simple things like long turns or landing. If she has only one limb "up", she can't even fly in a straight line or land without great peril. Red Eye: Using Infravision makes Rev's Eyes glow. Sure, she can see in the dark, but everyone call also spot her (two glowing points of red light!) Oxygen Dependent Using her jet powers requires oxygen. They will rapidly fail if in an oxygen depleted environment such as space or underwater. Abilities: 18 + 6 + 4 + 4 + 0 + 6 = 38 Strength: 28 (+9) [Effective Lifting Strength: 38] Dexterity: 16 (+3) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 10 (0) Charisma: 16 (+3) Combat: 18 + 18 = 36 Initiative: +7 (+3 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) Attack: +9 Defense: +9 (+9 base, +5 flat footed) Grapple: +18 (additional +2 from elongation) Knockback: -4 Saving Throws: 6 + 7 + 6 = 19 Toughness: +9 (+2 Con, +7 Protection) Fortitude: +8 (+2 Con, +6) Reflex: +10 (+3 Dex, +7) Will: +6 (+0 Wis, +6) Skills: 80R = 20 PP Acrobatics 8 (+11) Skill Mastery Bluff 4 (+7) Craft (Chemical) 4 (+6) Craft (Electronic) 4 (+6) Craft (Mechanical) 8 (+10) Skill Mastery Craft (Structural) 4 (+6) Disable Device 8 (+10) Skill Mastery Drive 14 (+17) Skill Mastery Intimidate 4 (+7) Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 2 (+4) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 4 (+6) Knowledge (Streetwise) 4 (+6) Notice 4 (+4) Pilot 4 (+7) Sense Motive 4 (+4) Feats: 29 PP Acrobatic Bluff Ambidexterity Beginner’s Luck Equipment 12 Evasion 2 Favoured Opponent (Vehicles) Grappling Finesse Improved Grapple Improved Initiative Improved Sunder Improved Throw Improved Trip Move-by Action Second Chance 2 (Toughness save vs. Crashes and vs fires) Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Craft Mechanical, Disable Device, Drive) Ultimate Effort (Drive) As Enhanced Traits: Improvised Tools Equipment: 12PP = 60EP Vehicle: Dune Buggy STR 40 [4 EP], Toughness 12 [5 EP], Size Large [1 EP], Features: Alarm 1, Navigation System 1, Oil Slick, Smoke Screen [4 EP], Impervious Toughness 5 [5 EP], Communication 6 (20 miles, Radio, Omni Directional, One Way) [6 EP], Speed 5 [5 EP], Supermovement 2 (Surefooted, -50% penality reduction) [4 EP], Super Senses 1 (Radio) [1 EP] Headquaters: Chop Shop Toughness 10 [1 EP], Size: Small, Features: Communications, Fire Prevention System, Garage, Living Space, Security System 3, Workshop [8 EP] Fuel Tanks (Blast 5, Burst Area, Feats: Triggered 1 [Timer]) [16 EP] Powers: 6 + 16 + 13 + 4 + 1 + 28 + 1 + 1 + 5 + 7 + 10 + 2 + 1 + 1 = 102 Additional Limbs 3 (Splits Arms and Legs for a total of 4 extra limbs, Extras: Duration [Continuous]) [6 PP] [Mechanical/Cybernetic] Anatomic Separation 8 (Arms, Legs) [16 PP] [Mechanical/Cybernetic] Boost 4 (All Mechanical Effects, Feats: Selective, Slow Fade 4 [1 Hour], Flaws: Others Only) [13 PP] “Rev Engine!” (Mechanical, Cybernetic) Elongation 2 (10’, Range Increment 20’, +2 to Grapple/Escape Artist, Extras: Continuous) [4 PP] “Servo Limbs” (Mechanical, Cybernetic) Enhanced Trait 1 (Improvised Tools) [1 PP] “Inbuilt Tools” Immunity 6 (Light based visual dazzles [1], Limb heat damage [2], Cold and Hot Environments [2], Energy based critical hits [1]) [6 PP] "Energy dispersal systems" (Cybernetic) Jet Array (24 PP Array, Feats: Alt Power 4) [28 PP] “Jets!” BP: Blast 8 (Extras: Area Burst) [24 PP] “Fireball” AP: Dazzle 8 (Extras: Area [Burst]) [24/24 PP] “Jet Flare” (Light descriptor) (Light) AP: Trip 9 ( 5 x 75-225’ Line Extras: Area [Line], Knockback, Fetas: Decrease Area 6, Flaws: Range [Touch]) [24/24 PP] "Wind Tunnel" [Cybernetic, Wind] AP: Corrosion Strike 7 (Feats: Precise) [8 PP] Linked with Drain Toughness 7 (Extras: Affects Objects, Feats: Precise, Slow Fade 1) [16 PP] AP: Blast 8 (Extras: Secondary Effect) [24 PP] "Ignite" Leaping 1 (x2 Distance, Running 38', Standing 19', High 9') [1 PP] (Mechanical, Cybernetic) “Cybernetic Strength” Speed 1 (10mph) [1PP] [1PP] (Mechanical, Cybernetic) “Cybernetic Strength” Super Strength 2 (+10 Effective Strength, Feats: Groundstrike) [5 PP] (Mechanical, Cybernetic) “Cybernetic Strength” Protection 7 [7 PP] “Sub dermal plating” Flight 5 (250mph) [10 PP] “Jets” Flight 2 (Stacks with basic Flight power for 1000mph, Flaws: Unreliable [5 uses/round only]) [2PP] “NO2 boost” Super-Movement 1 (Slithering, Flaws: Limited to detached limbs) [1 PP] [Mechanical/Cybernetic] Super Senses 1 (Infravision) DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch Toughness 25 Damage Plasma Jet Touch Fort 16, Tough 21 Drain Tough, Damage Fuel Bomb Ranged/Burst Toughness 23 Damage Flaring Jet Ranged/Burst Reflex/Tough 18 Visual Dazzle Wind Tunnel Touch/Line Reflex 20, Tough Trip/Knockback Totals: Abilities 38 + Combat 36 + Saving Throws 19 + Skills 20 + Feats 29 + Powers102 = 244/250 Power Points

GM Click! The fluid metal slipped elegantly into place, and without a single scratch the doorway swung open silently. The head of the zombie lay on the floor, untouched, eyes somehow rolled up to the skull but with the whites of the eyes gazing straight at the doorway that Chimera had entered through. At Chimera herself. Eyes that accused Chimera of decapitation. But not murder, for the head was still very much without life. The body, however, had gone. The sheet that had covered it was tossed, crumpled, into the corner of the room. Where did the body go? Perhaps the smashed window was a clue. Smashed from the outside. Somebody had, presumably, broken in! A soft night time breeze drifted through the window and over the shattered glass on the floor. Pale moonshine driften in from the skies, and illuminated the fractured glass shard that glittered in its gaze. Footsteps - dirty footsteps on the otherwise immaculately clean (nay, clinically clean) floor. Boots. They had come in to the morgue, examined the head, and, it seemed, stolen the body.

GM "Juan... Juan Kerr" gabbled the organist. "I am the organist? Kids? Kids?" Juan looked left, looked right with bulging eyes. They were deep black in the centre, encircled by light brown, and then absolutely white on the outside, bar a few bloodshot vessels. Juan looked tired, or high on caffeine, or very probably both. "You can't just go around making accusations about Kids!" he whispered, throat dry as a cockroaches corpse in the desert sands. "What do you mean? I don't have any Kids!" "Pfffftch!" He would have spat but his mouth was to dry. Wobbling lips made the motion, and the sound was half spit, half suck. "This is a Catholic Church! You have to be sensitive!" he added, rubbing his throat and neck, eyes still osciliating between left and right, seeking something to spy on. But as far as he, or La Puma, could tell they were alone. Just them, and the white candles and white smoke. "Who the hell are you, anyway? And don't say you aren't the devil... that's the kind of thing the devil would say, right before tempting you with tempting temptations... temptations that you can't resist..." He licked his lips. "Before tormenting you to the end of your days and eating your soul! Well, I am not going to be poked with red hot pitchforks for eternity! God save me!"

IC post - entirely up to you how you want to proceed... If you get to picking the lock thats a DC 20 roll (I think it has to be trained though?) If you get to squeezing through the vents thats a DC 15 Escape Artist. As you have time / no pressure, you can take 10. You take 20 too, but that will delay you into middle of the night! M

GM Later... the evening... Back at the Morgue... Fortunately, nobody else had been at the Morgue the whole day. Unfortunately, the Morgue had been locked. The door was flimsy enough for Chimera to easily pull it off, or cut through it, but that would indicate a break in. And maybe leave Jennifer's finger prints on the the scene of the crime! One of the advantages of a degree in Forensic Science was to know how to get away with murder, or in this case, breaking and entering. Fingerprints could easily be washed off, or concealed, or prevented from happening in the first place. But broken doors were broken doors. No camera's, fortunately. There would be no tape of Chimera, no tape of zombies. There was no sound coming through the door, at least, other than the very soft whine of the refrigrators and the air cooling system. Ventilation ducts? They were there, but it would be a squeeze. Had Jennifer eaten to many pizza's at the last undergraduate "Screw Dr Gwib!" party?

GM The Organist jumped out of his skin. Not literally - although given the assortment of guts, entrails, and spookiness that the evening had supplied, such an action would not be completely out of place. Instead, he let forth a high pitched scream that reverberated around the old church, and shot two feet in the air. B---Daaaaaah!!!! Yelled the organ in response to the organists fingers stabbing into random keys in shock. The wiry fingers were so frightened that it was a miracle they did not splinter the ivory. The Organist turned around and screamed once more! "Aaaaaah! The Devil!!!!! Lord protect me!" He made a crucifix with two hands and two fingers, before his wide eyes managed to soak in the big picture. For first impressions, the Feline schoolgirl in tattered clothes, painted with grime and guts was arguably something of a devil. "What..who...what....Don't hit me!" whimpered the Organist, curled up into a ball, hands over his eyes. He peeked one eye out of a gap between his fingers. "Wait.... you aren't a devil... are you?" he inquired, cautiously, although his body, fingers, and throat all danced a tremulous jig.

GM "Careful, kid. Hffff!" blew Blowfish. "I dont want ya to have an accident. Like, say, someone accidentally fell onto some pliers and accidentally extracted all your teeth. That wouldn't look pretty. Would cost a fortune to get a dentist, and I guess ya would be in an awful lot of pain. Especially if someone accidentally fell on to a chisel and accidentally jammed out all ya fingernails..." Blowfish puffed out a ring of cigar smoke, then tapped the cigar ash on to the ground. He put the tip of his polished shoe onto the ash, and ground it into the tarmac with disdain. "Fine, fine. I'll get my answers elsewhere. But ya better watch out. Creepier things than me out tonight. I seen it wit' my own dang eyes!" he proclaimed, pointing to fingers to his sharp brown eyeballs. "Does an honest citizen good to know Freedom City's finest hard at work tryin' to solve murders and not take bribes. I guess the folks down the station will be just as honourable. Yes sir. Maybe they might help me out, from the kindnest of their hearts and them being smartz enough ta know that it might save them an accidental accident with a crowbar inserted in an orifice. I guess ya don't want the detes..." He tipped his hat at Jennifer, then tipped his hat at Dr Gwib. "Ladies. Have a pleazant evenin' Hfff Hfff..." He turned heel and strode off with his two bodyguards. Dr Gwib pushed her spectacles back on to her nose and frowned. "What a villain!" she whispered, making sure it was out of Blowfish's earshot.

GM "Sue did!" laughed Huckles. He picked up an (almost) empty Tin can, with the last dregs of now warm beer inside, a threw it with admirable aim. TIng! The can bounced of the shiny forehead of Billy Wiggins, bouncing off into some other pile of trash. "Wha...wha...wha...." gasped Billy, rubbing his forehead. The warm beer dribbled down his nose and onto his lips. Billy's reflexes kicked in (no slouch when it came to drinking beer) and he licked his lips, greedy for the last few drops. "Ya little runt! I'm gonna put my boot so far up yer arse yerl be tasting bootstraps!" he yelled, livid for one moment. He got up - tried to get up. He got dizzy, and fell on his rump, dizzy from exhertion. Nevertheless, fury might have propelled him upwards to some boot - on - ass action, but he caught sight of Luke and decided better of it. It was one thing to spank an eight year old boy, quite another to spank a nearly fully grown man. "Whatcha want?" he asked defensively. "You sez you going to be rich!" laughed Huckles (who nevertheless was prudent enough to get ready to run if need be). "You and yer loozer brother! What a joke! Mountains of gold! In yer dreamz!" "Shut it, puppy!" yelled Billy, red faced. "I'll show ya! Mountains of gold, 'struth!" Everyone knew Billy Wiggins was no good. But his brother had stayed off the booze and was more able. A construction worker. Fat, like Billy, but the kind of fat that blended with layers of muscle. Few people were stronger than "Grabber" Gibbins, Billy's brother.

GM Derrr--derrr-dumm diddy dumm dummm - derrr derrrr! The organist played with his hands dancing up and down as if he was a mad puppet; his gestures over-theatrical, melodramtic. With every stabbingchord, his head swung this way, and that, long locks of jet black hair swishing with the music, to lay bedgraggled over his face. She could see him up close now; sweat on his brow, lost in music. One could fancy La Puma would have to be banging a drum and riding a firework for the organist to see her. His arms and legs were wiry, thin. The man had the pallid look of someone dying of consumption in an infirmary - the damp clammy skin only adding to this effect. The music was progressivel more discordant to the point of complete atonality. The music sheets were ruffled, chaotic, but La Puma could see that the Organist was at least roughly following the piece. Its 7/4 time signature contributed to the unearthly feel and unnatural rythmn. Around the organ, various white candles blew white flames and white smoke. Wax? Yes, probably wax, but they had a dusty, strange smell that La Puma could not fully identify. And yet... one smell did stand out. Sulphur!

La Puma is as stealthy as a werepuma in a church! Yippee!

GM Dr Gwib knew Blowfish; she was hardly streetwise, but she muddied around the grim world of crime, and she would have to be stupid not to. And Dr Gwib was not stupid. "This is a crime scene. Not, I repeat not, for public consumption, sir..." She was unflappable. To the point of being brave. To the point of being stupid. "Hfff. Stick that up your backside, doll. I got me business here." His gaze settled on Ms Gale. "One of my... ah.... friends... got shot up here. Got shot up by some yardie boy. Shot up so bad, he bled out all over my carpet. Now I gotsta get a new carpet, and I wantsta know who to send the bill too." He puffed his cigar once more, and lay his beady eyes on to Ms Gale. Beady eyes, black like a shark. "Looks like you gots more sense, honey. To whom shall I send my carpet bill to?" "Don't answer him" snapped Dr Gwib. "Oh now, I ainst so bad. Just cos I gotta big stick, dont mean I gotta big carrot too! Hfff... you do me a favour, I dooze you a favour. Thats how the world works, ain't it?" He stopped. hffing twice more, waiting for Ms Gale to answer.

GM Dr Gwib appeared somewhat irritated; she could not find any crack in Ms. Gale's flawless execution of forensic science. No crack meant not withering heckle. No withering heckle meant Dr Gwib was somewhat irritated. She might even have to give a grade B for this. B minus, of course. "Very good, Ms. Gale. One day you will be an acceptable forensic scientist. You may even aspire to the lofty heights of being merely mediocre." She turned to address the other three tremulous students, explaining the details of this, the minutae of that. The three students nodded in tandom, eager to escape the lash of a complicated question. Jennifer Cale collected, with tweezers; Textile threads! Shotgun pellets! 9mm Bullet casings! A chip of edged metal embedded in the masonry! And had photographed a number of footprints, when... "What... hffff.... happened? What the hell... hfff... happened?" At the perimeter was a man in a hat and a suit. He was slightly short, slightly rotund, cigar in mouth, hands in pocket. His neck seemed particularly corpulent, with impressive dangling jowels. Every now and again he exhaled a tic - a hfff - a puff of air that inflated his cheeks in the manner of an old trumpet player. On either side, considerably taller and larger men in dark glasses stood. Bodyguards. For good reason. Even Jennifer knew this guy. The mafia boss everyone knew as Blowfish. Hands as clean as a saint, as long as you didn't count sleazy media and poker nights clean. Maybe not clean, but Blowfish always made sure he was legal.

GM The Dog-Boy growled in response, but it was a whimpering growl, a growl of capitulation and subservience to the alpha - not the fierce bark of resistance, of challenge. "Show you!" he agreed. The boy scampered ahead. Despite being free of La Puma's mighty grasp, he did not try to escape. Perhaps it was a primal subservience to a superior beast, perhaps he simply knew that he had no chance to escape La Puma. She was faster, she was stronger, and apparently even able to wriggle through the cracks that the Dog-boy had thought would save him. There were cracks a plenty in the network of empty filthy spaces, the warren of the dog-children. As they weaved through the maze (a maze that would be difficult to navigate back through) La Puma saw signs of other feral children; torn rags, gnawed rat bones, and even empty tins of dog food. They were heading up - up through inner and outer walls. Quite the squeeze, quite the climb, although nothing La Puma could not manage with her inhuman agility. Her clothes, however, rapidly accumulated more scrapes, more filth. By the time she had reached the top of the gap, she could have been mistaken for a feral child herself. Through a crack in the wall, the Dog boy pointed. "Pale Smoke!" Several dozen candles plumed forth a hazy chalk like smoke. Below, an organist was playing an organ. DIscordant, chaotic music. the Organist was dressed in black, with lanky long black hair. And skin as white as bone! An albino, if La Puma judged him correctly. Neither the smoke nor his condition seemed to bother him; he was quite lost in his music, playing it with a frenzied smiled on his face, as if tasting every note.

Excellent! Ok so you can find fragments of shotgun pellets and carefully collect them for laboratory work (+2 to all knowledge rolls etc) as well as the same with blood samples and blood splatters patterns (feel free to narrate photograph or collection of the evidence - an excellent job!) You can also collect / photograph some footprints for evidence, as well as clothing fibres and hair from the scene. Two pairs of boots (classic Freedom City "Yardie" wear, such as was on the corpse), and two pairs of regular old shoes. the footprints also show signs of a hand to hand scuffle (From pattern of swerves and swishes). As well as the shotgun, you find some bullet casings on the floor and in the masonry; more than one fire arm was discharged here. And finally, a piece of chipped metal, belonging to an edged weapon. Untrained DC 15 Streetwise check. Feel free to narrate all of the above with a flourish! You are heading towards a grade A (marked as B-, because its Dr Gwib...) Chimera - Unharmed - 3 HP

GM The Dog Child recoiled - anger having failed, it fell back to fear. But fear of what? La Puma... or something else? "In church!" he barked. "Pale smoke! Pale smoke make us!" There was a wriggle. Fear lent strength, but La Puma had strength beyond most men, let alone a child. How old was he? Twelve, she guessed, although the distortion of his body and face made it hard to say. through the tears of his choir boy robes, she could see haphazard body hair - no, not hair, fur! Through the smells of rats and filth, she could smell the boy. The scent of someone not quite human. The small of boy, and of dog. "Pale smoke from Church! He is maker of candles, player of music, master of smoke!" The Dog child smiled, feral pride taking over from fear. "You no match for Master of smoke!!!" he yelped, defiant once more. What was that La Puma could smell in the distance? The faintest of smells... but there it was... The smell of burning candles. The smell of smoke!

OK investigation time! Search skill for clues Investigate skill to collect evidence Knowledge skills may come depending on what you do / find / etc.

GM And so, later.... ...In a side alley... And not the most salubrious of alley's either... everything was crumbling, broken. Trash blew in a faint vortex, rubbish filled the gutters. When the next gobal pandemic struck, this mountain of disease vectors would be a strong candidate for point of origin. The body, of course, had been removed. But the blood stains had not. Blood on the floor, blood on the walls. Blood all over the place - quite the pollock of blood, splattered like street art. Which, some cynics might argue, it was. There were traces of flesh, too, although decomposing. Rats had taken to feasting on the scraps, but slivers had decomposed with enough force that even Rats turned their noses up. On the wall that had been splattered with blood, there was chipped masonry, ballistic fragments. "So, Ms. Gale. Where would you start your investigation?" asked Dr Gwib, still scratching on her clip board. "And without consulting a text please. Or Wikipedia. I know all the tricks the less athletically inclined minds use. You will have to make do with your own intellect, which I appreciate may be a frightening task and unpleasant company, but nevertheless, for a proper degree such as forensic sciences is something that you will need to rely on. Novel concept, I know, but if it suits you ill then you may of course transfer to Integrated horticultural sciences."

GM The silver scimetar speedily sliced the solidified skin of the supernatural stiff. Slash!!! Zombie flesh was no match for super organic symbiote swords! With a crack as the blade broke the cervical spine, the blade passed straight through the zombie. Chimera managed a mostly clean cut. The head wobbled, the body wobbled. But they did not wobble in synch. A few seconds, and the head rolled of the body. It landed with a crunch, causing an indentation on the skull. Some brain matter and other unidentifiables oozed across the floor. The head happened to land face up, the undead pale eyes, still rolled up from the electric shock, glaring at Chimera, challenging her, inviting her to question her morals or continue the fight. But there was no more fight. The zombie was an inanimate now as it had been the minute before. Arguably, less animate still. No more fight, but plenty of mess. A decapitated body still standing still, a decapitated head leaking brains over the floor. One could smell a certain fleshy smell over the strong scent of formaldehyde. At least the sheet that had been covering the zombie was clean. "Are you COMING Ms. Gale, or are you DAWDLING!" yelled Dr Gwib from outside the morgue.