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In Brief: Freedom City is an optimistic, accepting and compassionate universe. There are problems, but almost all of them can be resolved with active participation by the protagonists. While there are elements of other genres, including science-fiction, horror, romance, fantasy and more, the main assumptions and base facts of the universe are inextricably linked to American comic-books from the 20th and 21st centuries. Other Genres: Freedom City is a superhero universe. it is assumed that most PCs will be largely benevolent and interested in protecting those weaker and less advantaged with unusual abilities, resources or skills. Other genre tropes are allowed, to augment and expand on that base assumption, but they cannot replace it. Horror and urban fantasy, while useful for 'monster' or magic-themed characters, are not the focus of this game. A werewolf, vampire or wizard in a duster is judged by how well they fit the criteria of being a superhero. Killing is, while not banned outright, not the norm. It's tonally different to kill robots, zombies or aliens and generally-speaking the death of 'normal' people is something to be used sparingly. A PC submitted with an existing body count will receive far more scrutiny than one without. This applies most obviously to space opera, spy fiction or fantasy-derived characters. While there are some factions in-universe that are made up mostly of cannon-fodder that can be killed outright with no moral dimension, they are in the minority. Most villains in-setting are people to whom laws and social norms still apply. While superhero fiction draws heavily from science-fiction and pulp stories, super-science is either present for narrative purposes or as special tools and resources of the heroes and villains. Overall technology is at the level it happens to be in our world. World Divergence: The world of Freedom City is largely like our own, but for a few differences. The current President of the United States is the fictional politician JT Cahill. Three fictional cities, Bedlam City, the Emerald Cities and Freedom City. Freedom City itself is located at the Great Bay of our Mullica River in real-life New Jersey, with some slight geographical differences. Bedlam City is in coastal Wisconsin, and the Emeralds are on the Washington and Oregon shores of the Columbia River mouth in the Pacific Northwest. Superheroes, supervillains and various magical, alien or otherworldly beings have been responsible for or involved in major historical events such as the Second World War. The effect has been largely to prevent villains from making the world appreciably worse and keep heroes from making it noticeably better. Character "Look": Since it's a superhero game, there are three things that most obviously set it apart from, say, urban fantasy, fantasy, science fiction or spy fiction. These are code names, costumes and powers. Any PC submitted must have at least 2 of the 3. This helps maintain a site-wide aesthetic and the basic tropes of superhero stories, where the extraordinary is both everyday and elevated or mysterious. Code Names: They should be descriptive, or at least evocative, of what the character is or does. A sufficiently unusual name (like X-505, K'tlyss, etc) can serve as a code name. Costumes: So long as the costume at least nominally protects the wearer and/or their identity, what a PC wears is entirely up to the player. In-setting a PC can have a costume that is assumed to be immune or non-hindering to their powers, does not get damaged outside cosmetic effects, and can look like anything the PC wants for free. Powers: A 'power' means anything a 'normal' person could not do unaided. This means cybernetics, being able to turn to shadow, superhuman agility, incredibly-fast thinking and laser eyes all count as 'powers'. This also includes special tools or knowledge not available to most people, like sorcerous studies, a gun that shoots sleeping gas, comprehension of alien mathematics allowing instant intra-galactic travel, etc. Character Scope: A new player has three slots, 2 Power Level 10 and 1 Power Level 7, with a hard Power Level cap at 15 with 250 Power Points. Only NPCs are allowed to advance further, and then only if the concept justifies it sufficiently to the Administrators. Within those bounds is approximately the range most comics run, with accumulating Power Points analogous to the steady buildup of established skills, accomplishments and reader-interest growth of comic-book characters. You have your low-power but high-skill street-level crime fighters, your moderately-capable mystics, novice cosmic heroes and so on. Changes to the character can be submitted for Character Editing at any time, in any way, so long as some kind of general reason is given for the change. For player characters, there are few restriction on concept besides ability to build it and that it conforms to site content guidelines. Notes on Building: One problem new players can run into is the question of what 'fits' the style and tone of Freedom City Play-by-Post. A few examples below: Alien Soldier/Warrior: "Alien" can mean anything from hailing from another dimension, another planet, even another point in time. What matters is you're not from around here and your life has been significantly shaped by learning or having to fight. Backstreet Crimefighter:

This is mainly Ecalsneerg and I's thing, but I feel a few extra eyes can't hurt. Aiam addendum: This is what I sent as an initial suggestion to Ecal, none of this is his work, all blame falls on my shoulders. Basic overview: The Pact was created in the First Century CE by Simon Magus, that era's Master Mage. Before the Pact the gods walked freely on Earth and all too often victimized or manipulated mortals. Simon Magus ensured that divine and infernal forces would need human permission to enter the Earth's dimensions, changing the fundamental structure of the Omniverse to do it. Attempting to break through the metaphysical barrier would destroy the would-be invader and, if they held the monumental power of a god, the mortal world itself. Ever since then the Pact has protected the Earth and its inhabitants from unasked-for intrusion by outside powers. The gods have no desire to lose their followers and they have an inventive to protect the Earth from other forces. Even the ill-intentioned ones, like Baron Kriminel, Loki or Hades need mortal permission to do real harm. In game terms, it limits outsiders to roughly PL15 at maximum and requires very specific circumstances for PLX characters from other dimensions to appear in threads. Who it applies to: Gods, demons, their otherworldly servants, spirits, the Djinn and the Fairy Folk all rely on human say-so to be physically present in the mortal world. In game terms, any kind of other dimension whose inhabitants have a Magic, Divine or Infernal main theme and power descriptor is affected by the Pact. How to get around it: Gods that use spiritual possession, like the Loa of Voodoo, can simply transfer their power to a willing mortal recipient. Certain artifacts, like the Ankh of Horus, can be used as conduits of otherworldly might that bring not just the power of the entity but their consciousness as well. Mortal supplicants can perform rituals or make prayers that, if explicitly enabling the named being to enter their world, opens the way for that specific being or group of beings. Portals, dimensional conjunctions and explosions of energy that tear down the barrier between worlds are also known exceptions. But these are rare, often dangerous, hard to replicate and even if successful can have adverse side-effects. The beings can choose to leave most of their power in their home dimension. This both poses no risk when colliding with the Pact's barrier and makes the resulting intruder easier to negotiate with or defend against. A recent example is Sekhmet the Lady of Slaughter. Finally, the children of otherworldly beings pose a unique challenge to the Pact: they have access to great power, and some can even become gods themselves, but are usually mortals or else very like them. Most often these children remain either on Earth or in their non-human parent's home dimension. In game terms, you can't be a god, but you can have their powers, their attitude and be related to them. The Pact on other worlds: Some Earths never had a Simon Magus, the conditions under which the Pact was created, or it was undone by another Master Mage or a corrupted Dark Lord who wished to commune more easily with their otherworldly allies. In these cases a god can manifest physically and at full power. But if they wish to travel to an Earth that is protected by the Pact, then they must gain permission to do so. In game terms, you can play otherworldly-focused characters from other universes, but the rules of the Pact still apply so long as you're in Earth-Prime.

The Hidden People In the water, the woods, beneath the earth and through the sky, monsters have passed unseen for eons. Every corner of the planet Earth has its share of mysterious beasts, shadowy things half-glimpsed beyond the firelight, something that someone saw glide beneath their boat or through the night sky. Some became immortalized, like the dragons or shapeshifters, others became lost to time or revealed as frauds. By the 21st century there was hardly an inch of the planet's surface that might still hide fantastical creatures, and most of them either become superheroes or fight them on the evening news. But in the rocky, mountainous, half-wild gorge of the Columbia River, an army of monsters has survived. These are the Cryptid Clans. The Beast People are humanoids with some other animal's quality or affinity, most are leftover experiments of the Preservers. The Changed Ones were normal people, until someone or something irrevocably transformed them. The Forsaken are creatures of myth and legend from the days before the Pact barred divine realms. The Unhumans are an open-minded tributary of humanity whose genes are magically destabilized, creating creatures whose every member is totally unique. The Visitors are beings from other worlds, even other realities, who have found a new home on Earth but don't wish to join human society. A Brief History of Tribes The Cryptid Clans were originally a loose confederation of people who survived the Great Cataclysm that destroyed the continents of Atlantis and Lemuria. North America, while its own scars from the war took millennia to heal, was rich in food and water and places to hide, especially near the mountain ranges. What is now called the Atlas Range of Washington and Oregon quickly became home to many kinds of creatures who either hadn't been on either side or had no place in the understandably-fearful human communities. Around 15,000 years ago humans of the Chinook nation settled in the Columbia River valley, including the river delta claimed by the Cryptids. Despite initial clashes the humans and inhumans found common ground and developed a guarded yet respectful relationship, a few even having children with each other. Thanks to the humans the Cryptids grew out of their fear and mistrust of the strange new world the mortals had inherited. In 1809, when the Charles Hogarth Stanley and Steven Rüber Malory-headed expedition to map the interior reached the Columbia River mouth, there was a sharp turning point. A day after the expedition turned back home, leaving in its wake Fort Emerald as a supply and defense center for future American settlers, Stanley was horribly murdered. The expedition had been guests of the local Chinook people who demanded, were given and executed the guilty party. But the Cryptids had seen enough, both from latent divination talents and simple pattern-recognition: this was the end of them, countless more Americans would be coming. If found they would be exploited and killed. To escape that fate the Clans decided to recede into legend, becoming ghosts and rumors at the edge of human civilization. The biggest change in recent history was the crash-landing of several Grue xeno-pods from laboratory ships forced to jettison their cargo while in Earth's atmosphere, coincidentally directly above the Atlas Range. The paranoia of 1950's America meant the few real sightings and close encounters with the experiments, mutated local life and prisoners in the pods led to a thankfully short-lived hysteria about alien invasion and dozens of "cryptid hunts" into the wilderness around the Emerald Cities. By the time the Clans had absorbed the new members they had acquired their longest-lived and most powerful enemy: a secret organization dedicated to fighting alien subversion in the aftermath of the Grue "secret" invasion earlier that decade, the tenacious and unyielding Majestic-20. The Cryptid Clans have struggled to survive in the midst of unchecked human expansion, becoming one of the many peoples severely harmed by ocean depopulation, deforestation and industrial pollution. They are adaptable and powerful but they need to find a new path in an unpredictable world. The Clans Traditionally there are only five Clans recognized as wholly independent bodies, the oldest and with the most rules are: River: The River Clan lives in the Columbia and its local tributaries, the Red and Bronze rivers. Its members are mostly amphibious sorts who can't handle the rigors of the Sea Clan, or who have some close tie to the rivers or Lake Valleé. In general the River Clan works as go-betweens or discreet messengers for the other Clans, moving through the waterways, sewers, water pipes and flooded sections of the Undercity with speed and discretion. Their members have a deserved reputation as the most subtle and tactically-minded of the Clans, able to go almost anywhere without being seen. Their leader is Otter, an ancient Changed One shapeshifter, whose days of irresponsible hell-raising are over but not forgotten. Their home is the drowned mining town of Astoria at the bottom of Lake Valleé. Some of them have started journeying further upriver to help carve paths for the yearly-depleting salmon runs. While the Rock Clan is ubiquitous the River Clan is privy to many secrets even they aren't aware of including the true source of the Changed Ones called Monsters, the finer ebbs and flows of power within the Chamber, the Shadow Academy hidden within the Elysian Academy and countless smaller but no less obscure facts. Otter has a habit of sitting on this information until he can use it to make himself look good, which severely undercuts his real skill as a spymaster. Rock: The Rock Clan has tunnels running everywhere under, through and around the Emerald Cities. The Rock Clan makes up the principle merchant and industrial class, their generally sedentary society and large numbers(easily the largest of the Clans) placing them ideally for making the house other Clans do business in. While the richest of the Clans in goods and technology, the Rock Clan's real wealth lies in its skilled and solid people. They can be found in the territory of almost any other Clan helping to make or repair almost anything, not to mention in the abandoned mines in Mt. Stanley. Their leader is Finnegal the Dwarf, despite his name an Unhuman who resembles a brawny 3-foot high hair-covered humanoid. His power to mold stone and earth and translate vibrations from miles distant has guided the Rock Clan safely through many dangers. Many of the Rock Clan's most recent members are exiles from the Kingdom of the Chasm in Sub-Terra, or those who fear its master, the Igneous Lord Quake. Their home is in the abandoned Undercity beneath Upper Emerald on the southern shore. Sea: The Sea Clan has the widest range of the Cryptids, travelling both along the coast and to other shores. They deal with outsiders almost as much as the Wood Clan, coming before the Pacific strongholds of peoples as varied as the Atlanteans, Umiquan and Deep Ones, not to mention handling the roving bands of triton mercenaries and even occasionally assisting human sailors crossing the Columbia Bar or in other perils. By tradition the Sea Clan serves as the spiritual leaders and otherworldly intercessors of the Clans, dealing with mysteries and monsters the others are ill-equipped to handle. The leader of the Sea Clan is Merr-Ell, a Piscean Lor Visitor and aged matriarch of a sprawling adopted family, the only one who remembers her old home. The Sea Clan is especially unusual in its conflict-free populations of Atlanteans and Deep Ones. This is partly because the Sea Clan has been speaking ever louder about the need to stop humanity's destruction of the Earth's ecosystems, especially the eradication of vital sea life both Lemurians and Atlanteans need to survive. Encouraged by Atlantis' success gaining diplomatic status, Merr-Ell is attempting to rally the sea-peoples of the Pacific to speak with a united voice. Sky: The Sky Clan darts through the air above the Columbia river mouth, an airborne kingdom with its throne on Mt. Stanley. It has changed the most in recent years, with the ascension of the new Clan chief Vohl-Turr, the Black Vulture. While long-dominated by a majority of Avian Beast People, it was only in the last few centuries that the winged race began to prey on outsiders, especially humans. The Sky Clan has been the sentinels of the Atlas Range for thousands of years, scouting the world and reporting on its changes. But since the Black Vulture killed and ate his predecessor in accordance with custom the Sky Clan has become warlike and vicious, preaching the inferiority of non-flying life and how Avians are the rightful rulers of the Earth. Now the Clan is considered outcast and anathema, the other Hidden People searching for a swift and discreet way to end this colossal risk to their own secrecy, thwarted by the speed and airborne nature of their foe. Some of the Sky Clan's members, especially the non-Avian minority, are doing what they can to subvert and defeat the far-stronger leadership. Wood: The Wood Clan patrols the forests on either side of the Columbia, protecting humans and their home. These are the "best-known" of the Cryptids, the shadows in the forest and the faces at the window, the shapeless monsters and saviors of countless stories dating from long before European arrival. Like the Sea Clan the Wood Clan contains some of the best fighters in the Clans. However, their(from Cryptid perspective) constant interaction with humans has changed their tactics radically. The Wood Clan has been slowly revealing its existence to humans in order to better help the weak and vulnerable in the Emeralds. While the Rock Clan keeps themselves hidden from the homeless population they share the Undercity with, but the Wood Clan actively protects them from the cities' criminals and police. Some people are even raised in the Wood Clan and slowly integrated into human society. However, they also have some of the most dangerous and violent Cryptids, even the targeted hate of the Sky Clan doesn't match the bloodthirst of Wood Clan's worst monsters. Despite the dangers posed by each party to the other, loudest voices for revealing themselves to the world come from the Wood Clan. This is not encouraged by its leader, the Forsaken immortal Brolan the Satyr, whose murky past is apparently full of regrets involving humanity and much of his life spent atoning for them. Their home is nowhere, the nomadic Clan having no permanent settlements to reduce chances of accidental encounters. More recently two new groups have become established, largely outsiders even to the other Clans: Fire: The Fire Clan has carved homes into the volcanic interiors of Mt. Forge and Mt. Stanley. Metal: The Metal Clan is the only one to live entirely within the Emeralds, a parallel secret society to the humans. The Culture The Current Problems

Player Name: Ari Character Name: Mag-Might Power Level: 7 (105/105PP) Trade-Offs: +- Attack / +- Damage, +- Defence / +- Toughness, or None Unspent Power Points: 0 In Brief: Upper-strata Magmin bruiser, dispatched to the surface on an impossible quest. Catchphrase: "MRGH!" Theme: Alternate Identity: Magh'kee/Maggy (Secret: nobody knows Maggy is Mag-Might) Birthplace: The Glasslands, Sub-Terra Residence: An apartment complex in downtown Emerald City, Oregon Base of Operations: The Emerald Cities Occupation: Underwater welder/ knight of the Chasm Affiliations: The Chasm, Sub-Terrans, the Oregon Welder's Union Family: 3000 brothers and sisters born from the same sorcery. Description: Age: 53 (DoB: 1964) Apparent Age: N/A Gender: Woman Ethnicity: Green obsidian Height: 4'6"/1.5m Weight: 330lbs/150kg Eyes: Opal Hair: dark green/black strings Maggy is stocky, a vaguely human-shaped block of green and blue obsidian crystal, burning inside with a never-ending green flame. Her eyes glow, her crystal skin is warm to the touch and slight wafts of flame lick from her mouth when she's angry or excited. Her long strings of glassy hair is shaped into small, numerous loops that frame her head like an elegant crown. Her hands are huge and powerful, and her feet are little more delicate. She's slightly top-heavy, with broad shoulders and a disproportionately large head. Most of the time, she wears large coats and hats to disguise herself among humanity. Sometimes she remembers to wear shoes. On the job, she wears proper protective gear. As Mag-Might, she wears nothing at all. History: Magmin are born from sorcery, transformative spells laid on humans, sub-terrans, morlocks and lemurians. Maggy was born from from fire and volcanic glass, what she once was a mystery never to be revealed, not that she's interested. She had a new life to live. She joined the communities of upper-strata magmin that dwell far above the seething magma flows and smoking lava tubes of their blazing brethren, in the dazzling gardens and wide, pitch-black meadows of razor-sharp. She learned the ways of war by endless skirmishes in broken ruins, ambushes in the depths of sunless seas and one-on-one duels at the blinding mouths to the overworld. Despite the violence and fear, she was content. There was the clan, those who meant it harm, and her, who stood between them. The Chasm was her home, with all its beauties and horrors, and that was all the world she needed. For fifty years Maggy lived like this, and the few times she saw people from the surface she kept well-hidden, her bright eyes watching the slender, frail creatures with awe and pity. Then came Lord Quake and the stonekin. A race of giants who could mould and reshape the very world around them, gods with fiery eyes and an endless hunger. Lord Quake named himself the King-Under-The-Mountain, the Black Spear of Justice and the Saviour of Monsters. He brought hundreds of surface creatures with him, pitiful things not meant for the deep, and made them lush and peaceful homes in the great Chasm. He made a new sun, one that even the morlocks could bear to see by, carved out palaces, reactivated long-forgotten technology that protected all in his dominion, banished or slew terrible monsters and named all Sub-Terra as his rightful domain. He told the people of the underworld of the evils of humanity, their rapacious greed and the need to band together to survive. He demanded peace between all who would join him. The morlocks and the magmin were the first to break this truce, a squabble over tunnel rights leading to a pitched battle which boiled over into Chasm's tiers. Both sides found themselves separated within moments, and forced to confront the fury of Lord Quake. He spoke softly, but in his wrath he forced a terrible price on the feuding peoples: to each give up one of their number in a mission to the surface. Two were chosen, one of them Maggy, who hadn't even been in the fight. They were charged with finding an ancient artefact which was rumored to control the flow of continents, giving one the power to cause or avert earthquakes at will. They had a year to succeed. Training was swift and to the point, instructing the pair in surface politics, culture and language relevant to their mission in the Emerald Cities. They were dismissed with enough money and legal cover identities for their sojourn amongst the humans, aided by a strange fact about the Emerald Cities. For decades they had become a haven for metas and mutants with no interest in heroics or villainy. As a result, truly strange appearances and minor powers weren't as uncommon as they are on most of the surface. Maggy found herself a job helping in the underwater construction of the city's new wave-power generator, with more than enough money coming in to support herself and her strange, chatty partner. Now all she needs to do is find a mysterious mystical weapon, bring it back to Lord Quake, and all will be back to normal. She hopes. Personality & Motivation: Maggy is a straightforward and uncomplicated person. She's the muscle of the operation, a role she's inhabited for half a century, one she understands and enjoys. She's mildly curious about the strange world of humanity, but always as a tourist attraction rather than as a place to really appreciate for its own sake. It's still relatively the same routine as her old life, but the stakes are higher. Deep inside, she relishes this as a jolly, inconsequential adventure. She doesn't entirely trust Lord Quake, but in her own calculations it would be much riskier to defy him than to obey. Her relationship with Mo is one of strict lines and boundaries. He deals with all the things with talking and making problems go away, she steps in when things can't be talked out. She doesn't see Mo as a friend so much as an invaluable tool for their mutual success. Powers & Tactics: By and large Maggy charges in and punches, then punches again. Then breathes fire by venting the inner furnace that powers her crystalline body. Then punches some more. She's a competent but uninspired fighter, with the additional mobility of creating launchers out of the ground. She's confident that if she gets into real trouble she can just regenerate her way out of it. Power Descriptions: All crystal and fire, Maggy is an upper-strata magmin with the power to partially reshape herself and the world she stands on. All the elements that make up her body are, in a real sense, part of her no matter where they are or how scattered throughout the crust. They can be summoned into a fragile pillar that rockets her into the air, used to repair her crystalline lattice and even bolster her already prodigious strength by partially bonding her to the planet. Her inner fires let her create light in deepest darkness and can be concentrated into white-hot bolts or great green waves of fire. Her crystal body lets her ignore most mundane concerns, but has drawbacks. She must eat, sleep, avoid cold places and is totally incapable of human-style speech. Complications: Code: Unlike Mo, Maggy operates on a very strict code of ethics. She can't refuse a challenge, must keep her word under any circumstances and must never reveal the secret of the Sub-Terran Chasm. Mission: To find the Claw of Ghorummaz, a powerful artefact. To protect her ally 'Mo'. To serve the mighty Lord Quake. Secret: To most people she's encountered, Maggy is just a weird mutant with a disfiguring condition and severe disability. That she's kin to the magmin of Sub-Terra must be kept secret, to avoid a LOT of awkward questions and scrutiny her mission can't survive. Speechless: Maggy cannot talk in any human tongue. She's learned how to communicate via sign language but she cannot do so verbally. The Thinnest Veil: Keeping the secret that she's not Mag-Might is impossible in the long-term. Abilities: 10 + 0 + 8 - 2 - 2 + 6 = 20pp STR 20 (+5) DEX 10 (+0) CON 18 (+4) INT 8 (-1) WIS 8 (-1) CHA 16 (+3) Combat: 10 + 8 = 18pp ATK: +5 (+7 Unarmed, Blast) DEF: +7 (4 Base, +3 Dodge Bonus, +2 flat-footed) Init: +8 Grapple: +17 Saves: 3 + 5 + 6 = 14 pp TOU +10 (+4 Con, +3 Protection, +7/+0 Impervious) FORT +7 (+4 Con, +3) REF +5 (+0 Dex, +5) WILL +5 (-1 Wis, +6) Skills: 6pp = 24r Intimidate 9 (+12) Language 3(American ASL, English, Igneous, Sub-Terran(native)) Notice 6 (+5) Sense Motive 6 (+5) Feats: 10pp Attack Specialization (Unarmed) 1 Dodge Focus 3 Improved Initiative 2 Luck Power Attack Second Chance (Intimidate checks) Uncanny Dodge (tactile) Powers: 45 pp Burrowing 1 (1MPH)[1PP] Environmental Control 2(10ft radius, Light, Flaws: Range(Touch))[1PP] Immunity 7 (All Suffocation, Hot, High-Pressure, Radioactive Environments, Disease, Poison) [7pp] Immunity 10 (Fire Damage, Heat Damage; Flaws: Half-Effect)[5PP] Impervious Toughness 7 [7 pp] Protection 3 [3 pp] Regeneration 5 (Bruised 3(No Action), Resurrection 2(1 Day); Power Feats: Regrowth; Flaws: Source (stone))[3PP] Super-Senses 2 (Tremorsense) [2 pp] Mantle Array 7 (14PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 3)[17PP] Base Power: Blast 6 (Feats: Accurate, Precise)[14PP] AP: Damage 7 (Extras: Area(Cone)[14PP] AP: Damage 2(Extras: Penetrating 2, Feats: Mighty[DMG7])[5/14PP] + Super-Movement 3(Wall-Crawling 3)[6/14PP] + Enhanced Burrowing 2(to Burrowing 3(5MPH); Extras: Penetrating 1)[3/14PP] AP: Super-Strength 10(+50, 70 (+effective STR; Flaws: Duration(Sustained); Feats: Groundstrike(50ft radius), Shockwave(50ft max range, DC20 TOU))[7PP] + Leaping 7(x250 jump distance(3750ft long-run/1875ft long-stand/937ft vertical) Drawback: -4 pp Disability (Cannot Speak) (Very Common, Moderate) [-4] Vulnerable (Cold) (Common, Major(x2 DMG rank)) [-4 pp] Cost: abilities 20 + combat 18 + saves 14 + skills 6/24 + feats 10 + powers 41 - drawback 8 = 105/105PP

Preserver Stones & virdian Stones Fragmented remnants of efforts to crystallize raw energy, these relics of Preserver science have lain buried under the Atlas Mountains for millennia, only recently becoming unearthed and exploited. History The Star Stone, power source of the mighty Citadel, its master, the artificial being called Mentor and the famous Star Knights. The Nightstone, gateway to the Schattenwelt and conduit of yet darker secrets, long lost on Zultas and recently come to Earth. The Moonstone, core of Farside City's society and infrastructure, with unimaginable transformative power. These and more were created by the enigmatic Preservers to sustain and empower their creations throughout the cosmos. But, as with all science, there is no clean line from hypothesis to successful result. A small group of gems, enough for one human to count within their lifetime, were preceded by countless failures that had to be shattered to avert catastrophe. These fragments of searing cosmic power could have been dumped into some black hole, but the Preservers had different ideas. Most of these shards had exhibited a loose kind of intelligence, a compatibility and drive to connect with other forms of life. On Earth their experiments in uplifting new intelligences were just beginning to bear fruit and they had already noticed a faint glimmer of what might be psionic potential. The tribes with roughly the strongest strains of this potential were taken to a preserve on the Moon while the Preservers started a little terraforming. Where the Columbia River would one day empty into the Pacific Ocean a mountain range arose, covering a titanic extraterrestrial mineral deposit emitting a subtle psychic pull on humanity. The Preservers then left the deposit be, confident that humans would discover it and be guided further towards a future mirroring the Preservers' own. But all those shards' competing energy impulses slowly warped the shattered, failed cosmic gems. The pull on human minds ebbed to nothing in mere decades. By the time the people who would become the Chinook had moved into the river delta thousands of years ago, their migration had nothing to do with the staggering wealth hidden in the harsh and game-poor mountains. For millennia the Preservers' gambit mutated and fused, until something totally new simmered beneath Mt. Stanley and Mt. Forge as the young volcanoes hurled fire and ash into the sky. One eruption sent a rich vein of viridian scattering over the globe. It's only recently that the so-called viridian Stones have started to come out of the ground and directly into human hands, starting with the 1840's gold rush where the mania swept all the way to tiny Fort Emerald. Though the Atlas Range turned out to have a startlingly rich supply of gold, silver and precious stones, it put Fort Emerald on the map when Viridian Stones were discovered. Their composition by then had bonded with terrestrial chemistry, the lustre and quality of these "Atlas Emeralds" raising many eyebrows. However their still-latent bond to living things made it hard for people to sell or trade them, feeling an irrational attachment to the gems and little urge to find more. That and the trouble and expense of shipping said riches out of isolated Fort Emerald helped slowly kill the mining industry in what shortly became the first Emerald City, though viridian stones have recently undergone a renaissance thanks to a dedicated tourism and heritage marketing campaign focused on the rugged frontier days of the 1800's. In the 1860's Emerald City's one and only brush with the American Civil War occurred when Confederate agents stole stocks of precious metals, gemstones and cash from the Red River Diamond Exchange, including a shipment of viridian stones meant for Freedom, New Jersey. In the modern day viridian stones are usually found in centuries-old heirlooms, chic handmade jewelry, arranged into street art sculptures, or as components in secret supertech labs scattered throughout the Emerald Cities. In the Sub-Terran Chasm(other upcoming Guidebook entry) created by the dimensional reshaping which resulted in the Atlas Range, viridian stones are the universal currency among the Igneous and Magmin kingdoms, as well as the basis for the new technology of the Morlock coalition. They have no psychic impression on non-humans, so the stones trade monsters' hands with ease. What they are A viridian stone is in some ways analogous to one of its greater cousins, a nigh-limitless and effectively infinitely-malleable power source accessible to both technology and organic beings. The chief difference is focus and scale. A viridian stone isn't capable of the same stunning feats as, for instance, the Star Stone, but it is also much less overwhelming and manageable. Physically the viridian stones are, in natural state, raw minerals found nowhere else on Earth. They are smooth and faintly warm to the touch, with obvious jagged breaks where they were shattered and partially-reformed in Earth's volcanic furnace. Polishing and shaping them is easy even for unskilled persons, and a common hobby around the Columbia river delta, revealing an inner light. What they do viridian stones enhance and strengthen existing attributes of the beings they bond to and who bond to them. It makes insightful people more empathetic, the strong-willed are even more unshakable, if superhumans get their hands on them they discover new things about their powers. Some of them are similar to daka crystals and can transmit and store energy in an incredible variety of forms, a quality being investigated by ASTRO Labs. Some people who bond with viridian have their latent powers awakened. But usually the stones cannot spark "real" powers in isolation, most being far too weak. There is a loose correlation between the colour of the Stone and the trait it strengthens, though that varies drastically thanks to humans normally only capable of seeing in the visible light spectrum. Roughly, the most common colours are: RED: Red viridian stones strengthen inner resolve, focusing existing drives and making it easier to push through fears or distractions. Stronger bonds can make one all but impervious to outside influences but at a cost. Some become obsessively fixed on something that used to be a mild interest, given to enormous mood swings or driven at a goal to the point of irrationality. Mechanically speaking, they usually affect Will saves and Will effects along with Concentration checks. ORANGE: Orange viridian stones increase one's attention to detail, to how things work. Most commonly this makes their people better in social situations or in understanding technology, but culture, physics and other areas of academia open up as well. As the bond strengthens innovations and new angles come more naturally and a viridian bearer can get an accurate read on a mark or comprehend alien power systems with a mere glance. The problem is how it tends to push people toward determinism or fatalism, restricting their potential unless the bearer has a powerful will and sense of self. Bearers of orange stones also run the risk of megalomania thanks to seeing around the veil that blinds the world. Mechanically it effects Craft, Knowledge, Notice and Sense Motive checks, gives bonuses to Assessment, Artificing and Invention rolls and can give access to the Analytical(Normal Visual) or Detect Weakness Super-Sense. YELLOW: Stones of this color attract and hold the attention of other beings on its bearer, giving them an imposing and magnetic presence. Bonding with a yellow viridian stone lends itself well to natural commanders or shyer types who hate being talked over. Bearing this stone runs the risk of autocratic tendencies, loss of empathy and otherwise having trouble being a follower and not a leader. Mechanically, it can give bonuses to Intimidate checks, Daze, Fascinate and Startle rolls and enhancement to Emotion-Control: Fear and Mind-Control rolls. GREEN: Verdant viridian stones deepen ones understanding of their own and others' wellbeing and mental and physical state. Closer bonds with the stone even allow bearers to tangibly affect the health of other beings at a fundamental level, and improve their own phsyical capabilities. Stronger ties to greenstones can weaken the sense of humanity as bodies and minds become more under the bearer's control, either aloof and inhuman or savage and bestial. Mechanically they can give bonuses to base Attributes. Handle Animal, Knowledge(Behavioural Sciences/Life Sciences), Medicine and Sense Motive checks and enhance powers with a Constitution or Fort check. BLUE: The most common colour are the sky-blue stones. These tie minds together with thin threads, enhancing empathetic and persuasive traits, artistic skills and deception. Stronger bonds with the stone can turn a merely eloquent speaker into a spellbinder, evoke hope in the depths of utter despair, give insights into the depths of another's thoughts and feelings and radically alter other's perception of the bearer. Mechanically, they give bonuses to Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Perform, Sense Motive and Sleight of Hand skills, at higher levels they add to the bonuses from Aid actions, Distract, Inspires and Fascinate rolls, Mind-Reading, Mind-Control and Morph(increasing the DC on checks to Notice) rolls. INDIGO: The deeper blue expands perception. Bonding with an indigo stone grants eyes eagles would envy, or the skill to feel the tug and ebb of gravitons, the gift of never failing to know where anything you have touched is. Mechanically, indigo stones can give bonuses to Notice, Search, Sense Motive, Survival, Tracking, gain access to the Blind-Fight and Uncanny Dodge Feats, add a bonus to rolls on Perception range effects VIOLET: BLACK: WHITE:

Okay, posting this here while I'm continuing to work on it for some first feedback, and for people to point out errors Needless to say, it's: A) A work in progress B) Already far too big C) Something that will come up maybe three times ever So, critique ahead! The Aerie Located close to Mount Mara, Greenland stands the ancient Homeland of the Avian race, human-like creatures with bird like adaptions. As far as the Avians remember back, they have always lived in the area of the Aerie and surrounding areas. The oldest structures’ technology level is far beyond that of the agrarian Avian society, hinting at extraterrestrial involvement. However, as the Aerie at whole, but especially these structures are guarded and generally inaccessible to almost all humans, no studies have been done on this so far. Geography As the Aerie is located above the Arctic Circle, a common assumption is that it is located in a cold area. However, this is not true. A variety of hot springs heats the area surrounding the Aerie, leading to a cold, yet liveable temperature. During winter, temperature rarely drops beyond -10 °C (14°F). During summer it occasionally reaches up to 20°C (68°F), while during the rest of the year, it is located somewhere in between. Due to its geographical location, the Aerie is fully affected by Polar Day and Night. The Aerie is located atop a variety of nigh-impassable cliffs, most of the area is built into the rock, with only some traditionally constructed buildings. Inside the various caves, the temperate is, on average, higher than the outside naturally, due to the friction inside the earth’s crust, also causing the Hot Springs. Recently, the Effects of Global Warming have become apparent in the area surrounding the Aerie. Glaciers melting has caused, amongst other things, landslides, which are threatening ancestral Avian Territory, much to the disgust of the local populace. History For as long as they have remembered, the Avians have lived in the Aerie and the surrounding territories. While there had been some settlements set up around 1300 AD, not far removed from the Aerie, none of the rare archeological finds mention anything that could be the Avians. “Bird-like Humans” are first mentioned in a variety of native fairytales assumed to be created during 16th century, and orally passed down from then onwards. When Denmark-Norway began to send missionaries during the 18th century, some of these tales were brought back to Europe, but stayed largely ignored, seen as part of the Native’s faith more than anything. First human contact with Avians happened during the end of the 19th century, when an American Expedition tasked with exploring the northern coast of Greenland intruded into what the Avians considered their territory during the summer of 1892. When a large force of Avian Warriors appeared at the Sky to intercept the Expedition’s path, their leader decided to leave the area, never communicating with the Avians, who had made their intentions clear even without any speech. Reports of this incident were met with amusement, the people in charge not believing the 23 expedition members. Only about a year later, a larger force was sent, this one considerably better armed. The expedition never reported back, going missing soon after a last report had been sent from where the first expedition had been intercepted. The records of this, and the previous expedition, were unfortunately lost to a large fire only months after the disappearance of the second expedition, and while outrage at the loss and curiosity were still present, expeditionary efforts were soon focusing on other areas, with only a few reports of “Bird People” still present in the records. The next encounter with Avian Society happened during World War 2, when an American Plane stationed at a nearby Airbase was damaged in a storm and forced to take an emergency landing. The plane touched down inside Timelost Valley, with a last radio transmission talking about “green grass”. A search party was sent out towards the last known location, soon meeting an Avian Hunting Party. This meeting would lead to a skirmish that left a total of 2 soldiers and 9 Avians dead. Both parties retreated, and the news of what the remaining soldiers had seen spread across the upper echelons of the American Military. The Avians appeared to only have primitive weapons, so they were not ruled to be a threat, but a potential ally, their bodies suited to actions a human would hardly be able to execute. A first effort at Diplomacy was made during Autumn 1944, when a squad escorted a Meta-human with the ability to understand and speak any language. The squad was, begrudgingly, granted an audience with the at-the-time Queen, Era-Lo-Nah, Grandmother of the Aerie’s current ruler, Ta-Lo-Nah. The answer to what would be required for diplomacy to start was a simple one. The Aerie wanted to be left alone. They did not care much for what was happening outside their territory. The queen also demanded a No-Fly Zone, as the “Metal Shacks” that had been spotted were intruding into what the Avians saw as their privileged dwelling place. The first demand was granted by the American Military, as they did not feel like interacting with the Isolationist Avians would be worth the effort required to learn their language and then convince them. The No-Fly Zone never was established, yet there never was any sort of retaliation. Further attempts at diplomacy, from governments, NGOs, and the UN, all were met with similar responses. The Aerie did not care much, they just wanted to be left alone. Occasionally, an Avian made their way to the rest of the world, most of them integrating well into society, even when faced with discrimination due to their appearance. Ta-Lo-Nah’s Rise to Power and Reign. The first big appearance in the public eye happened in 1988, when Ta-Lo-Nah (Shortened to Talona in most media), at the time 16 years old, Princess and Designated Heir, attacked a large Factory in Northern Maine together with a raiding Party of about 30 Avian Soldiers. The Unprotected Facility was quickly taken, and as Ta-Lo-Nah’s forces began to demolish it, the Freedom League intervened. However, they would only find an abandoned, and largely destroyed Factory. A strange man had appeared out of nowhere, and told the warriors of the incoming heroes, allowing them to escape in time. However, eye-witnesses, and a low quality photo taken by a journalist who had been visiting the area at the time led to the Attack making the news all across the US and Canada. Talona’s next appearance was in 1990, when a squad of B-List villains commited a crime spree, managing to always get away just before any Metahuman Crime-fighters appeared on the scene. Talona was among them, quickly becoming infamous for her bestial rage and combat prowess, tearing through the Law Enforcement on the scene. The crime spree lasted for exactly two months, when, after an attack on a Credit Agency in North Dakota, the team was attacked by a group of local heroes. Three were arrested, while the remaining four managed to escape, disbanding in the process. Ta-Lo-Nah had learned that her Mother was getting weaker by the day, and would most likely not survive much longer. She returned to the Aerie, becoming Queen Ta-Lo-Nah in 1994. In 1995, a plague struck the Aerie. Many got sick, and the Healers could not find a cure. Some believed in a curse, some in a remote attack. Ta-Lo-Nah however, had experienced something similar before. The Air was unclean, and it was what caused this Plague. Much like seven years before, Ta-Lo-Nah and a part of her army set out, attacking multiple factories across the Atlantic Border of North America, striking in both Canada and the US. Her attacks were stopped when she and her army were led into a trap by one of the Corporations they had been targeting, and Ta-Lo-Nah was shipped off to Freedom City for Interrogation and examination. Naturally, the mundane Equipment could not contain Ta-Lo-Nah for very long. Enraged, she called upon her powers, and attacked the City. Lady Liberty first fought, then calmed down, the Avian Queen, learning of her plight. With the assistance of the Freedom League, Talon was returned to her homeland, and her people’s situation to be investigated, the two parties having forged a peace deal. Peace did not last, however. Ta-Lo-Nah’s return was not a pleasant one, as she saw the Burial Grounds expanded massively. She could not find any of her subjects, and soon returned to Freedom City, even more enraged this time. Once more, the Freedom League managed to contain her rage. They travelled together with Talona and discovered that her people, their numbers diminished nevertheless, had merely moved to a secret system of caves, unknown even to the Queen herself. The Freedom League promised medical assistance and better treatment of pollution, further bettering the relations between Ta-Lo-Nah and the League. Ta-Lo-Nah became an occasional ally, occasional enemy of the League over the next few years. Her main motivation was, and still to this day is, the safety of her people and homeland, and she will stop at nothing to protect them. She has also been seen in the company of villains, but no evidence of her acting together with them exists. After the Incursion, relations are at an all-time high, but a recent increase in ice melting and air pollution could change this at any time. Society The Aerie is an agrarian society, with both agriculture and hunting happening in the nearby Timelost Valley, where the ground is surprisingly fertile and otherwise extinct animals roam the earth. Most Avian Technology is rather primitive, hunting is mostly done with Bow and Arrow and Tools are, for the most part, still made of rock and metal. An exception to this are a few, rare artifacts whose technology level exceeds that the modern world, left behind by whomever built the first structures in the Aerie. Recently, there has also been an increase in modern tools imported to the Aerie, with some hunters using Recurve Bows or Crossbows. The Avian Military also has access to modern technology. Each soldier is equipped and trained with a basic rifle, whereas the Queen’s personal Guard are equipped with the best modern Military Technology has to offer. Other than that, Avian Society largely remains the same it has always been. Those who don’t produce food or are in the Military are spread across a variety of jobs, healers, manufacturers, builders and many others. While one would not assume it, the Aerie has access to a large amount of money, stored and invested in various places all across the globe. This, as well as the recent opening towards the outside world are mainly on account of Prince On, the second child of Ta-Lo-Nah. While some, including his mother, question this move, it is welcomed by a large part of Avian Society, who have already benefitted from the increase in Medical Knowledge. Culture (Language) Timelost Valley Scientifically speaking, Timelost Valley should not exist. It’s very existence is impossible by natural means....

Okay, gonna post the latest thing I have been working on here, to get some feedback, suggestions and critique. Essentially, I decided to make various Hero-focused social media my focus for now, and have started write-ups. The ones I have right now have been mentioned in threads I'm in before, so I started with them. If there's any (Ari informed me of one in the Atlases and one in the EC book), tell me and I'll get some write-ups on them and their position too! For now, enjoy these walls of text and offer critique, both when it comes to concepts and ideas, but also the writing. HeroHouse: HeroHouse.com was established in late 2014, as a website and community to gather and catalogue news related to Metahuman Activity all across the globe. It hit a major market niche, as nobody had really tried a website like it before. Originally just a forum run by a single person, the site quickly expanded and introduced, amongst other things, a dedicated blog software, and a news section. Nowadays, HeroHouse is arguably the biggest and most popular community for Capes and their fans. Adding onto its origins as an internet forum, nowadays it is often used for Heroes and their blogs, as it adds a variety of benefits, both for free and paid. Among those benefits are the ability to set up your own website, hosted by the HeroHouse Servers but otherwise independent. Other features are mostly related to fandoms, ranging from fan-sites to merchandise. The site is made primarily for people following the heroes, who are the site’s main audience. The website made the news in fall of 2015, after it suddenly went offline. Various media outlets, internet blogs, and other websites, received mysterious and anonymous messages containing information on dozens of heroes, ranging from their browsing histories (possibly bad) to the secret identities, workplaces and addresses of some (life-shattering). While an official link was never made, both events happening during the same week were enough of a coincidence for most people to draw the conclusion they were connected. As of November 2016, HeroHouse is possibly facing multiple lawsuits. After a downtime of about a month, the entire website was relaunched, with a new UI, and a variety of new measures regarding security. While the average user was hardly affected, the changes to the website’s code caused both praise and concern. A few underground communities have in the meantime tried to recreate the events of 2015, only to find the website’s security upgraded to what they described as “Super-human tech levels”. It has also advanced to a news-website of some importance, relying on volunteers and freelance writers. The company’s employees spend most of their time checking, organizing and approving this information. Other duties include moderating the forums, which, due to the political nature, can get rather nasty at times. The forums moderation staff also includes a wide variety of volunteers, who handle sub forums or other organizational responsibilities. Various information reaches the HeroHouse headquarters, a small studio based in Hanover, where 7 employees run the site’s day-to-day business. The Team is led by Owner, Founder and CEO of HeroHouse, Jake “BrainBar” Svensson, who also acts as the Forums Main Administrator and does most of the website’s tech work. Before his website turned enough profit to support a full wage, Svensson worked at a medium-size company specialized around IT Security. While he doesn’t use most of the knowledge acquired there anymore, it means that HeroHouse is one of the more secure sites out there. Also, if called upon, BrainBar will gladly assist Heroes with their IT related troubles, or, if he trusts them enough, even hack into a system for them. (Not that he’d ever publically admit that, of course!) Use in Play: I’ll be honest, at first I designed HeroHouse primarily for my own use. I like the idea of making a setting feel more alive with things like social media, and as one of my characters is a blogger, I decided to create something he could use for his blog. HeroHouse is a lot of things, probably the biggest name dedicated to Supers on the Internet. PCs and GMs could use it for a variety of things. Maybe the PCs interact with their fans on the blogs and forums, maybe they were invited to do an AMA. Maybe somebody claims a hero is actually not who they pretend to be on the forums! Maybe somebody finds something that reveals a hero’s secrets and posts this on the forums. Perhaps somebody sends a message to a hero informing them of an upcoming crime, but how did they know? As for the website’s staff, while they are active, they will generally let most things happen. Unless there’s personal insults thrown around, the mod team is rather reluctant to intervene, and even then it will more often than not simply lead to a slap on the wrist unless it is a repeat. This means that threads like “[HERO]’s secret identity unveiled!!” or “[HERO] actually in cahoots with [BAD GUY] ?!?” will not only stay up, but are less rare than one would imagine. Capeslist: Capeslist is a site almost exclusively for the heroic community. While part of it is public, most of the action happens behind a registration-based wall. The public part features some smaller adverts, or maybe somebody asking for mundane help, whereas the site’s core is a place for the community to organize things, or simply talk. The entire website functions on anonymous users, names are not saved by the software. Capeslist does not have a true core function, beyond being a social hub for heroes. There will always be looking people for help, usually looking for somebody with a specific skillset. At the same time, there are a lot of people that want to simply hang out and relax, exchange stories, or maybe go on dates. The site has no proper staff or moderation, which causes occasional problems. These are usually resolved by lots of typing and arguing online, the anonymity both making it easier and more difficult. With most of the website locked behind registration come a variety of benefits. Registration itself is a strange and long process. It requires a variety of strange processes, and a proof of heroic identity. Generally, all heroes active enough will receive a special invitation sooner or later, allowing them to skip most of the sign-up process. How exactly these invitations reach their intended recipient differs greatly, some are sent by e-mail, other by carrier Pidgeon. The biggest mystery surrounding Capeslist is the identity of its owner(s). Tracking down domain information only leads to a chain of letterbox companies. The names associated with these companies to offer no further information, and usually are complete dead ends. While a few speculate, nobody can claim any real evidence for their theories. Actually gaining illicit access to the website’s structure itself is even more difficult, as there seems to be more than just mundane technology protecting it. Use in Play: This one is probably more a GM tool than anything. It originates from a thread where a group of people with the skillset for a heist was needed and then put together. Generally, I see this one as a good way to set up plots, or give various PCs reasons to be involved. Maybe a Hero (N)PC is looking for a team to do something they themselves can’t do. Maybe a strange post shows up on the website, talking about some information, and a few heroes set out to investigate? Maybe somebody simply posts an invitation to a game of super-powered ping-pong. While it takes its name and original concept from Craigslist, I’m not sure how much of that I kept, as I don’t really know it too well. This one’s a community website shrouded in mystery, with strange application processes, invitations that make little sense, and no known owner. There’s a lot of mystery surrounding this website at the moment, and it is all, to quote “Deliberately left open”. Maybe give the guide-team a short notice before trying to unravel the mysteries of Capeslist, so we have some idea what’s going on, but feel free to use it however you want otherwise! TroubAlert: TroubAlert is a website recently established by Emerald City based internet provider USNet. As a way to increase market share in Freedom City, the local office created the tool, where heroes can stay in touch with the public and receive crowd-sourced information. Membership and the associated benefits, like a webpage, are free for Heroes that can prove that they’re USNet customers, while non-customers pay a small fee per month. The website is still in it’s infancy, so far most users are small-scale heroes, but USNet is investing a lot of money into marketing, and has managed to secure a few deals with more well-known metahumans. USNet works on crowdsourced information, where anybody can post articles on the site’s main page. From there on, other users have the possibility to add in more things, comment on what has already been gathered, or report something as “Not True”. If this happens a set amount of times, the article will then be flagged and enter a process of moderation. If the person writing the article is found to be lying or making things up, they are from thereon flagged as well, making their post be less visible. Registered Heroes can post too, their posts are always shown with increased priority, and they also possess the ability to request specific information. After an agreement (and a new, better connection for the entire department), FCPD has recently started to use TroubAlert. A part of the site is accessible only to registered heroes and the Police Department, where occasionally requests by either party are posted. This has been the cause of some debate, in media, politics, but also, most fiercely, on the HeroHouse forums, the closest thing TroubAlert has to a rival. HeroHouse’s community claims that, thanks to the corporate sponsorship, TroubAlert has access to privileges denied to HeroHouse. The Security of the deal has also been questioned, with screenshots of the private section of the website already having surfaced. This argument generally this a few sore spots, as HeroHouse itself has had trouble with Security in the past, which is often brought up by the website’s opponents. Use in Play: In play, TroubAlert works similar to its competitor and rival HeroHouse. Both are a way to set up plots, or simply add some flavour. TroubAlert is more focused on reporting clues/crimes/information than HeroHouse, with the site’s community being almost inactive on off-topic issues. At the same time, it is more serious, and most likely, a more reputable source, as questionably valid information is checked by a professional team. Also, the police posts on TroubAlert. Maybe there’s a crime going on right now, and they need some super-dispatch. Maybe there’s an investigation.

Dreadnought Power Level: 12 (180/180) Unspent Power Points: 0 Trade-Offs: -5 Attack / ±5 Damage, -5 Defense / +5 Toughness In Brief: Catchphrase: Theme: Crimson Tide, Deep Blue Sea Alternate Identity: Joseph Walker (Public) Birthplace: Liverpool, England Residence: Liverpool, England Base of Operations: United Kingdom & Continental Europe Occupation: Shipwright Affiliations: Vanguard, UNISON Family: Step-Brother: Peter Walker Description: Age: 20 (DoB: 1996 August 2nd) Apparent Age: 20 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 7’ Weight: 1,900lbs Eyes: Dark Brown Hair: Black History: Joseph Was born into poverty, With a neglectful father and and absent Mother, Joseph was no stranger to violence and was often subject to his fathers drunken rages, often finding himself locked in confined places for hours on end. It was however not to last, Worried about the tired and quiet youngster constantly turning up to school late and with myriad injuries social services soon intervened and moved the young man into protective custody and eventually into a foster home with the Walker family and though he had a loving and healthy relationship with his foster parents, his would-be brother harboured resentment for the much larger and stronger boy and the bond he shared with his father. It all came to a head one evening when, in London for a holiday the family were exposed to the Darwin X Virus, Killing both the walkers and leaving him and his brother catatonic in hospital beds. Awakening to find his adoptive parents dead and his step-brother missing without a trace, Joseph had all but resigned himself to a life of quiet solitude, returning to his job in the shipyards when his powers emerged, vastly increasing not only his mass and stature but bestowing an unearthly might and unfathomable durability upon him. Now with his great power he seeks his last remaining relatives, the father who abused him and the missing step-brother whom vanished without a trace. Personality & Motivation: Joseph is a mirthful man who enjoys beautiful women, good company and fine food and drink, though his heart is troubled with the loss of his adoptive parents and the disappearance of his step-brother he tries not to let the past control him but is prone to distraction. Powers & Tactics: As the Indestructible Dreadnought, Josephs tactics are fairly simple, he seeks to rush in and engage the biggest threat he can identify, hoping to subdue them quickly or failing that allow his allies to manuver unhindered so they can bring themselves to bear as effectively as possible. Power Descriptions: Dreadnoughts powers are fairly subtle, save for the woosh of air betraying his incredible weight and speed when he moves. Complications: Tempus Fudged it: For reasons unknown to Dreadnought he is prone to occasionally falling through time; this can remove him from play at inopportune times sometimes trapping him in the past and leading to him having to simply wait through time to the modern day and all that it entails. Claustrophobia: Due to the traumatic events in his early life, Dreadnought is extremely claustrophobic, leading him to become agitated, aggressive and fearful of confined places, he may refuse to enter such places or be driven into a wild and violent panic if entrapped in such a place, lashing out with his not inconsiderable might indiscriminately. Temper: Joseph has an unhealthy level of repressed anger that he is for the most part unaware of; Abusive fathers, Neglectful mothers, Bullies and others who would abuse their position of authority or power rouse an incredible, biblical anger from Joseph Driving him into a wild rage, causing him to have dissociative hallucinations or psychogenic paralysis and lapses in self control. Ready and Abel: Joseph would like very much to find and reconcile with his missing half brother to the point of his search can distract him from more immediate problems and cause him to loose sight of other things; He is also unaware that his brother is now a powerful and villainous telepath subtly antagonizing him through unknowing agents and victims both directly and through subtle manipulations. Unfine Manipulation: Due in part to his increased bulk and strength dreadnought has all but lost the fine control of his fingers rendering him unable to write or type, use of handheld devices is all but impossible and he may drop, break or crush things he is attempting to grab if his concentration slips even slightly. Noisey: Above and beyond his vast weight and incredible might dreadnoughts mutation has made him very noisy, his booming footsteps can be heard from miles away and even normally silent actions produce a loud rumbling that can be felt blocks away. Responsibility: Joseph is the founder and main benefactor of the Ironclad charity for abused children Dreadnought is often called upon to make public appearances and represent the organization, often performing feats with his superhuman strength to raise funds for them, he also has a deep connection with his co-workers at the drydocks and the local street gangs, any one of these groups may draw the ire of his enemies or be dragged into his personal conflicts or vice versa. Easily Manipulated: Due to his fragile Psychological state, Dreadnought is easily manipulated by those with the skill in behavioural sciences, with acess to his medical records there is very little that a skilled psychologist couldn't convince him of. Distrust: Due in part to his previous experiences with large organizations Joseph is distrusting of them and their representatives, feeling that they have little to no interest in the welfare of people outside of themselves or anything that doesn't fit their agenda, this can and does extend to the government and its various institutions. Abilities: 6 + 4 + 6 + 0 + 4 + 0 = 20PP Strength: 44 (+17) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 36 (+13) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 6 + 6 = 12PP Initiative: +0 Attack: +7 Melee, +3 Ranged Defense: +7 (+3 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Grapple: +24/+35 (w/ Super-strength) Knockback: -14 Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 8 = 12PP Toughness: +17(Impervious 10 [8 ranks are Physical Only] (+13 Con, +2 Protect +2(Density) Fortitude: Immune Reflex: +6 (+2 Dex, +4) Will: +10 (+2 Wis, +8) Skills: 40R = 10PP Intimidate 14 (+14), Knowledge (current events) 4 (+4), Knowledge (physical sciences) 4 (+4), Knowledge (popular culture) 4 (+4), Knowledge (streetwise) 4 (+4), Language 2 (Base: English, French, German), Notice 4 (+6), Sense Motive 4 (+6) Feats: 16PP All-Out Attack Attack Focus (melee) 4 Dodge Focus 4 Instant Up Move-by Action, Power Attack Stunning Attack Takedown Attack 2 Untapped Potential Powers: 14 + 10 + 10 + 30 + 20 + 4 + 2 + 4 +20 + 1 = 115PP Density 4 (+8 STR, +2 Toughness, Weight Multiplier: x2, Adds: Immovable 1, Super-Strength 1; Permanent; Innate)[14pp] Immovable 1 (Resist Movement: +4, Resist Knockback: -1; Unstoppable) Super-Strength 1 (+5 STR carry capacity, heavy load: 11.5k tons; +1 STR to some checks) Enhanced Constitution 20 (+20 CON; Permanent)[10pp] Enhanced Strength 20 (+20 STR; Permanent)[10pp] Immunity 30 (fortitude saves) [30pp] Immunity 40 (lethal energy damage, lethal physical damage; Limited (Changes to None-Lethal))[20pp] Impervious Toughness 8 (Limited (Vs Physical Only)) [4pp] Protection 2 (+2 Toughness) [2pp] Speed 3 (Speed: 50 mph, 440 ft./rnd; PF: alternate Power) [4pp] -Leaping 3 (Leaping distance x 10; Running Jump 270ft, Standing Jump: 135ft High Jump: 67ft) Super-Strength 10 (+50 STR carry capacity, heavy load: 11.5k tons; +10 STR to some checks)[20pp] Temporal Inertia (Features 1)[1pp] Drawbacks: (-5) = -5PP Vulnerability: Very Common, Major, Magic (Being that his powers are entirely rooted in mundane physics, he is vulnerable to the effects that defy them) DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 32 Toughness Damage Totals: Abilities (20) + Combat (12) + Saving Throws (12) + Skills (10) + Feats (16) + Powers (115) - Drawbacks (-5) = 180/180pp