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The Rope Power Level: 10 (150/151PP) Unspent Power Points: 1 Trade-Offs: +5 Defense/-5 Toughness, +2 Attack/-2 Damage (Shadow Snatch) Theme: Majula In Brief: Cowl wielding the powers of shadow through a magical rope Alternate Identity: Devon Dancer (current legal name), One Who Watches and Judges (Shadow Title), Kurush/Kūruš (birth name) Birthplace: Somewhere in the Western USA Residence: Freedom City Base of Operations: The Throne of Shadow Occupation: Professional Dancer Affiliations: Wu, the Seeker of Knowledge, Master of the Throne of Shadow Family: Arash, biological father, deceased; Wilhelm Kantor, father's original genetic template, at large; Negar, biological mother, alive; Wu, Seeker of Knowledge, adoptive brother Description: Age: 25 (DoB: 11 August 1995) Apparent Age: Mid-Twenties Gender: Male Ethnicity: Iranian-Caucasian Height: 5'8" Weight: 165 lb. Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Devon Dancer wears comfortable, if colorful, clothing for the most part. When off the job or between performances, he sees little reason to stand out more than he already does. An attractive, fit man in his mid-twenties, Devon's of clear Persian descent, though the ignorant might mistake him for Pakistani, Arabian, or even northwest Indian descent. His movements are graceful and composed, and moreover, are always deliberate - it is rare for him to express stress through nervous tics, and indeed, most have never seen him do so. Nevertheless, there is a hint of a melancholic cast to his features, as though he's sorrowful about something that he cannot quite put his finger on. Meanwhile, the Rope dresses in sober robes that are black, grey, or dark blue - it is hard to pin down exactly which. He wears a hood that casts a mystical air of shadows over his face - though he usually keeps it covering only his eyes and forehead, to allow his mouth to be seen wearing its usual daring grin. Omnipresent is his mystic namesake - the rope named the Adumbral Lariat. When in costume, the Rope's movements are almost theatrical as he speaks, emphasizing the drama and importance of his words. There is, however, a distinct note of self-aware mockery of such melodrama, as if he does not take himself very seriously at all. Indeed, such absurd affectations are a game to him, to impress and more often amuse or exasperate those with whom he meets. History: In the winter of 1987, SHADOW moved to consume another, smaller villainous conspiracy on the West Coast of the US calling itself Behind the Throne. While it was, for the most part, a successful operation, one of the high-ranking members of the organization escaped, taking with her a clone soldier of SHADOW. Using means passed down in secret by her conspiracy, the woman Negar undid his conditioning but preserved his life. The clone took a name for himself - Arash (more properly romanized as Āraš) - and swore loyalty to Negar in exchange for his newfound sense of self. In four short years, the two reformed an organization with them at the head. Naming themselves Undershadow, to mock Kantor's presumption, they began accumulating power and influence. Undershadow turned to a different realm of shadows than the one he claimed, in the hopes of avoiding his notice and coming at him from an ambush. Rather than the legions of cloned troops in SHADOW, Undershadow focused its training on singularly potent agents and mages. They competed with SHADOW constantly, sometimes even aiding heroes in their attempts to thwart it. Magical relics, caches of weapons, funding, Undershadow harried SHADOW from, ironically, beneath its notice. Though Arash became an increasingly capable operative and Negar was an excellent organizer, planner, and strategist, Undershadow was unable to do much damage to SHADOW. Thus, in 1995, they began training a crop of elite agents and assassins to do their mutual bidding. In an effort to do so, they abducted a number of orphaned infants for the purposes of training them from birth. Further, the two performed a magical rite intended to birth a child with an innate talent for shadow magic. When their child was born, they named him Kurush, the Middle Persian pronunciation of Cyrus. As he grew older, however, their attempts to teach him the principles of shadow magic and to use spells left much to be desired. Even as early as five, Kurush seemed incapable of the intuitive grasp of shadow magic that they had expected in their heir. However, he had an incredible sense for kinesthetics, and easily defeated the other children in physical combat. Resigned, Arash and Negar decided to train their son as an assassin, rather than as a high mage to lead Undershadow. To their surprise, he took to it naturally, outperforming their assigned instructors by the time he was ten. For his part, Kurush understood that his parents had been disappointed in him from an early age, and he was eager to gain their approval. He threw himself into training even harder than they required, and spent most of his time either in training, eating, or resting to prepare for more training. By the time he was thirteen, they began sending him out on infiltration missions for Undershadow, and it was on his sixth such mission that he first encountered the young African American mage who called himself Wu. Wu awed Kurush with his magical prowess as he stole the mission objective - a box that was said to contain the key to the power to summon an ancient army of undead warriors. Wu made his escape as Kurush was distracted, and Kurush, outraged as only a pubescent boy can be, decided to begin tracking him down of his own volition. Unfortunately, Wu proved both cleverer and more magically potent than Kurush, whom he easily evaded. Kurush returned home to report his failure to his parents, whose initial disappointment lashed him like a whip. When he told them of Wu, however, and his skillful shadow magic, their disappointment fast faded. Though he did not realize it yet, Kurush's parents believed they had found the intuitive shadow mage that they had tried to create in him. Though neither seemed inclined to send him out to find Wu, they did tell him to try to recruit him if ever he encountered the mage again. The implicit doubt of his abilities wounded Kurush, who stewed silently. The more advanced agents sent out to find Wu had little success, but within a few months, Wu and Kurush met one another again. This time, Wu bulled over all of Kurush's attempts to recruit him to Undershadow, barely seeming to notice them. However, he did seem interested in the younger boy, and began sharing information with him - specifically about Wu's own immediate plans and goals, which mostly amounted to learning as much as he could about the mystical shadows that he drew upon. Kurush, more than a little annoyed with his parents, decided to keep this and any further encounters a secret from the rest of Undershadow. Their encounters continued apace for the next three years, and gradually Kurush came to see Wu as an unpredictable and brilliant partner - one whose odd antics amused, exasperated, and alarmed him all at once. It was when the two of them met in late 2010 that Wu first expressed interest in learning about where Kurush came from. Mindful of his parents' initial instructions, Kurush arranged for Wu to meet with them. Surprisingly, when Arash and Negar met with Wu, the young mage stood up for Kurush, insisting on keeping him around and working specially with him. Kurush, touched by Wu's interest, decided at that moment to work with him above and beyond his parents' interests. Thus, for the next year he confided in Wu, worked together to discern the greater mysteries of shadow with him, and ventured forth on missions for both Undershadow and Wu in particular. When he was sixteen and killed for the first time, it was not to his parents that Kurush turned, but rather to Wu, who had become something of a surrogate parent/brother to him. In late 2011, Wu decided that the usefulness of Undershadow was at its end, and invited Kurush to leave with him. Together, the two stepped through a portal into a realm of shadows. There the partners had adventures, met with mysterious denizens of the realm, and honed their skills further. Undershadow did not take the desertion lying down, however, and sent several teams of assassin-agents to hunt down their renegade agent and, more importantly, their shadowy mage. Kurush and Wu encountered the most elite agents - though they were not quite sure how long they had been in the realm of shadows when it happened - as Arash himself arrived at the head of several other assassins intending on either killing or capturing both. The two fought hard, but ultimately could not overcome their assailants. Unfortunately for all involved, the noise of battle drew some of the more hostile natives of the realm to the clash. Shadowy fiends the size of bears assaulted all involved, and only Wu, Kurush, and one of the lesser skilled (but startlingly quick) assassins escaped, and even then not unscathed. At this final cutting of ties with his parents, Kurush cast off his old name, taking the title that the few friendly natives had given him - something approximately translating to "One Who Watches and Judges" - as his new name. Together with Wu, he went through many more adventures, including the discovery of his Adumbral Lariat, the invasion of Light and Dark which threatened to slay all shadow caught in the crossfires, and the theft of the Greater Reach by a masked invader from another Earth. Over the years, the two did visit their home Earth Prime to seek human contact, recent information, and other such things, but much of their time was spent exploring the realm and learning of its powers. In 2018, the companions discovered what was the beating heart of the realm - the Throne of Shadow. Wu was invested as the (nominal) ruler of the whole realm, while his partner became his strong right hand. With this new position, One Who Watches and Judges took on a new tile, for simplicity's sake if nothing else - the Rope. But after so many years spent in the shadow, the Rope wished to return to Earth Prime and spend at least a few more years there - the investiture had halted both his and Wu's aging, so there would be plenty of time to study later. After much consideration, the Rope decided that the most important thing he could do for the people of Earth was to become a hero. Knowing Freedom City's reputation as a haven for superheroics (and equally for supervillany), the Rope decided to make his home away from home there, where he felt he could do the most good. Thus, late in 2020, a new hero made his debut in Freedom City - the Rope. He also took on a more mundane name and life - Devon Dancer, a professional dancer, rather predictably - so he could experience normal life for the first time. Personality & Motivation: In his civilian guise, Devon Dancer is a melancholic sort. Slow to speak his mind and frequently silent, he spends a lot of time observing, but when he speaks, he does so with deliberation and a sense of purpose behind every word. Those who haven't spent much time with him are quick to dismiss him as slow or thick, but for those patient enough to spend time with him when he speaks, there are often thoughtful and reflective words of wisdom to be found. As a hero, the Rope is positively chatty. Garrulous and cheerful, no one could mistake him for the child-assassin he once was. Though more than capable of sneaking around and acting with discretion, the Rope adores bringing a dramatic flair to his battles, even if the shadows are the only audience for which he performs. Despite his willingness to talk, it is very rare that the Rope actually says anything. He has so many words to speak, but nothing of note to spend them on. Some might go so far as to call his words nonsense, but when the stakes are high, the Rope grows increasingly reticent and grim. Between these two identities and deeper than both, the true self that is perhaps best described as Kurush resides. His childhood traumas are mostly healed, but their ghosts still occasionally trouble him, when he's not distracted by anything else. He is deeply loyal to those who have done right by him consistently, and would sooner die than betray a friend. Justice isn't really the goal for his actions as the Rope - atonement is. He wants to save lives, as many as possible, to prevent further damage to the world than he has already done. Of course, he cannot deny being attracted to the shadows, excited by the adrenaline and the raw joy of swinging through the skies on his trusty lariat... but at its core, his heroics are meant to try to put his own ghosts to rest. Powers & Tactics: The Rope favors, unsurprisingly, striking from the shadows to wreak havoc upon his foes. Using both skills and magic, he favors making each fight a performance, even if the only ones around to appreciate it at the end are himself and the shadows that surround him. Naturally, his Abumbral Lariat is key to both his offensive and defensive capabilities, as he uses it to whip, bind, and choke his foes, while also allowing it to protect him from blows. In open combat, the Rope moves with startling swiftness - his eponymous tool even moreso. He focuses on taking down the least threatening foes first, letting their comrades' increasing isolation and dread work for him as he continues to battle. One of his favorite tactics is to teleport out of sight of his enemies, then strike from the shadows. Sometimes he repeats this, waiting longer each time before striking. In more stressful situations, which are rare, the Rope grows increasingly brutal and efficient. Gone are the performance-based combat styles, and in its place a terrible, frigid assessment of threats and weakness. His manner becomes that of a predator, hunting rather than fighting. Power Descriptions: The Rope's powers are mostly focused on his Adumbral Lariat, a shadow-woven rope that shifts rapidly between being a whip, a noose, a lasso, and almost anything else that its wielder wishes. While some of its abilities seem more or less natural at first glance - one can use a whip to strike, or a lasso to capture - closer examination reveals that the Lariat writhes as though it is alive even when it is being used for a seemingly mundane use of rope. Even if the lasso's bindings are broken with raw strength, the Lariat heals itself swiftly and completely, only truly becoming damaged under extreme circumstances. Its more supernatural powers are rather more obvious, and somewhat unnerving. The Rope can use it as a lasso, spinning it rapidly and stepping through it - only instead of coming out on the other side of the whirling rope, he disappears, having teleported elsewhere. He also can do just that to disappear from Earth Prime entirely as he ventures into one of any number of mystical dimensions. Furthermore, the lariat is reactive to threats to the Rope - pulling him fluidly out of the way of heavy blows, or intercepting attacks that might otherwise badly hurt him. This is, perhaps, the eeriest demonstration of its powers, for the Rope needs not do anything save let the Lariat do as it wishes, with its alien, graceful motions. Complications: To Ambush an Assassin: The Rope was trained from early childhood as an assassin. Though he's mostly recovered emotionally (perhaps too much so, say detractors), his training remains, and he sometimes reacts with unnecessary brutality in combat, when his adrenaline spikes. GMs may give him a Hero Point to say he has done more serious damage than he intended when in combat. Look Away to See: The shadows from which the Rope draws his powers have alien moral systems at the best of times, and are downright resentful of his use of them at the worst. When dramatically appropriate, the Rope's use of his powers can summon Things that do not have his best interests in mind, let alone those of the innocents of Earth Prime. Bastards Born of Darkness and Light: The Rope's shadowy powers are not hindered by light in any way. Instead, it is total darkness that blocks their use. After all, the brighter the light, the more defined and darker the shadow. In utmost darkness, there is no shadow distinct from the dark. If everything is shadow, nothing is. Earthborn and Shadowbound: Though the Rope was born on Earth Prime, his long stay in the Throne of Shadow and his investiture as a powerful being there have confused reality somewhat. At the GM's discretion, by giving him a hero point, certain powers intended to banish spirits, demons, and other extradimensional or extraplanar beings might cast the Rope back to the Throne of Shadow. Abilities: 28 PP Strength: 12 (+1) Dexterity: 18 (+4) Constitution: 16 (+3) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 12 (+1) Combat: 20 + 14 = 34 PP Initiative: +8 (+4 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) Attack: +10 Melee, +10 Ranged (+10 Base) Defense: +15 (+7 base, +6 Shield, +2 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Grapple: +11 Knockback: -2 Saving Throws: 4 + 6 + 5 = 15 PP Toughness: +5 (+3 Con, +2 Defensive Roll) Fortitude: +7 (+3 Con, +4) Reflex: +10 (+4 Dex, +6) Will: +7 (+2 Wis, +5) Skills: 68 R = 17 PP Acrobatics 6 (+10)Skill Mastery Bluff 10 (+11)Skill Mastery Disable Device 6 (+10) Escape Artist 2 (+6) Intimidate 8 (+9) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 8 (+11) Language 3 (Farsi, English [Native], German, Tongue of Shadows) Notice 10 (+12)Skill Mastery Perform (Dance) 4 (+8) Stealth 11 (+15)Skill Mastery Feats: 11 PP Defensive Roll Dodge Focus 2 Equipment 2 Evasion Hide in Plain Sight Improved Initiative Ritualist Skill Mastery (Stealth, Bluff, Acrobatics, Notice) Uncanny Dodge (Hearing) Equipment: 10 EP Throne of Shadow (Headquarters, Castle in Shadows' Crown, a dimension of shadows) [10 EP] Powers: 1 + 2 + 42 = 45 PP All powers have the Magic and Shadow descriptors unless otherwise noted. Shadowborne Agelessness: Immunity 1 (Aging) [1 PP] Twilit Endowment: Super-Senses 2 (Darkvision) [2 PP] The Adumbral Lariat - Device 10 (Feats: Restricted 2; Flaws: Hard to Lose) [42 PP] Lariat Qualities - 20 PP Array [22 PP] Whip Crack - Blast 10 [20/20 PP] Close Strike - Strike 10 [10/20 PP] Shadow Snatch - Snare 8 (Feats: Tether, Chokehold, Reversible, Accurate) [20/20 PP] Gloom Gate - 19 PP Array [20 PP] Teleport 4 (Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Easy; Extras: Accurate, Affects Others) [19/19 PP] Super-Movement 4: Dimensional Movement 2 (Mystical Dimensions), Swinging, Wall-Crawling [8/19 PP] Automatic Deflection - Shield 6 [6 PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 16 Toughness Bludgeoning Damage Lariat Whip Ranged DC 25 Toughness Bludgeoning Damage Lariat Strike Touch DC 25 Toughness Bludgeoning Damage Shadow Snatch Ranged DC 18 Reflex Snare Totals: Abilities (28) + Combat (34) + Saving Throws (15) + Skills (17) + Feats (11) + Powers (45) - Drawbacks (0) = 150/151 Power Points

In Brief: Orphaned Latina Necromancer Character: Santa Muerte Power Level: 12 (Built as PL10) Tradeoffs: None (At PL10: -2 Attack / +2 Damage, -2 Defense / +2 Toughness) Power Points: 182/183 Unspent Points: 1 Alternate Identity: Ximena Romero Identity: Public Legal Status: USA citizen with no criminal record Birthplace: Emerald City, Oregon, USA Base of Operations: Emerald City, Oregon, USA Residence: The penthouse loft of the 23 B Apartments on University Hill Occupation: Witch Affiliations: Mictlan Books & Curiosities (Owner), 23 B Apartments (Owner), Atzi Ramirez (Employee, Confidant), Detective Briana Rowell, E.C.P.D., Homicide (Contact), Vivienne (Mentor, Deceased) Family: Mother (Deceased), Father (Deceased), Younger Sister (Deceased), Younger Brother (Deceased), several estranged living grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins DESCRIPTION Age: 25 (Date of Birth: 1995) Apparent Age: 25 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Mesoamerican Latina Height: 5'5" Weight: 115 lbs. Hair: White (Formerly Black) Eyes: Brown (Green while using magic) Ximena stands at slightly above-average height, with a slight frame. Her skin is on the darker end of the Latina spectrum, owing to her indigenous Mesoamerican heritage, contrasted starkly by her completely white hair. As a lifelong self-described "Goth", her clothing consists almost entirely of elaborate and vaguely Medieval or Victorian inspired dresses, mostly in black but sometimes accented with purple, blue, or red, incorporating plenty of velvet, satin, lace, and fishnet, frequently accompanied by corsets or waist-cinchers, with lots of silver jewelry. To change into Santa Muerte, she simply retrieves the enchanted cloak and mask from her dimensional pocket, and with a word and a wave of her hand, they float onto her body as if she were being dressed by an unseen servant, while her makeup expands from her usual dark eyeshadow and lipstick into a full Dia de Los Muertos style skull-face. Her cloak is bright red, while her mask is bone-white, carved into the shape of a human skull, with a black Viridian Stone set into the forehead, directly above her pineal gland. When Ximena casts spells, her eyes turn bright green, and often both her eyes and hands will be completely enveloped in green hellfire. Her spells require elaborate hand gestures and spoken words to function. The gestures range from simply pointing at the target, to drawing elaborate shapes in the air, such as an hourglass, which then take on a three-dimensional spectral green form that she can interact with, such as turning the hourglass over, or breaking it in half to rapidly spill the sands out. Often a spectral sickle appears in her hand, which she uses to cut glowing puppet strings attached to a group of another necromancer's undead minions, breaking his control over them, or to cut a bloody hole in the fabric of space itself for when she teleports or accesses her dimensional pocket. The spoken invocations of her spells consist mostly of sentences or phrases in Atlantean or Lemurian. The spells she's tweaked or created herself often include Latin, Maya, or Nahuatl as well. HISTORY On Ximena Romero's twelfth birthday, her father came home from work, murdered his entire family, and then rampaged through his neighborhood until he was shot down by the police. At least, that's what most people believe. A few know better. Ximena's father was a junior accountant at a firm which, unbeknownst to him, included among its clientele a number of front companies for some of the organized crime syndicates who belonged to the confederacy known only to themselves as "The Chamber". One front company in particular was involved in the purchase and development of some valuable Riverfront property. Late in the day on Ximena's twelfth birthday, one of the senior accountants accidentally forwarded an email to Ximena's father. That email included a spreadsheet with a list of names and figures. The names were Emerald City government officials, mostly members of the zoning board but also a City Council member. The figures were bribes. The contents of that email could have scuttled the entire real estate deal, and landed every person on the list and everyone copied on the email in prison. Before Ximena's father got home, The Chamber had already given the order that he was to be silenced, in such a way as to destroy any credibility he might have beyond the grave. They sent The Terror. It found and possessed Ximena's father before she had the chance to blow out the candles on her cake, but not before he was able to give her his last present, a silver medallion with a strange black stone set into it that perfectly matched the gothic turn her fashion tastes had recently taken. Using her father as a puppet, The Terror butchered Ximena's entire family. When she tried to defend her siblings, it stabbed her repeatedly. She would have succumbed to her wounds if the black Viridian Stone she was unknowingly wearing around her neck hadn't prevented her soul from leaving her body long enough for her to get medical attention. None of The Terror's other victims that night were so lucky. The experience turned Ximena's hair completely white. In the aftermath, the senior accountant managed to gain access to Ximena's father's email account. The damning message was unread. In his haste to get home in time for his eldest daughter's birthday dinner, he had ignored the buzzing of his Blackberry. Once word was received that one of the children had survived, it was decided that it was unnecessary to finish her off, and, more importantly, that it would attract too much attention if a second attempt was made on her life. The land deal proceeded without further complication. Ximena had a large extended family, who took her in, at first. But her good Catholic aunts, uncles, and grandparents quickly started passing her around like a hot potato, each one growing weary of her trauma-induced emotional unavailability, the goth music and fashion "phase" she refused to grow out of, the bisexuality she refused to conceal or repress, and, most of all, her newfound obsession with the occult. She knew that her father wasn't on drugs and hadn't just snapped like everyone claimed. She knew what she saw, and she had to learn how to keep it from ever happening again. Her guardians kept throwing away her books on witchcraft, and she kept shoplifting new ones. Her guardians grounded her, and she snuck out anyway. Eventually they dumped her into the foster care system, from which she quickly slipped away. She wandered, working under the table at odd jobs while chasing any scrap of information she could on magic and the supernatural. She fell in and out with multiple cults and charlatans before she finally found her mentor, the sorceress Vivienne. Vivienne claimed to be twice Ximena's age, though she didn't look it. Impressed with Ximena's potential and persistence, she took her on as an apprentice. The two quickly became more than teacher and student, first friends, then lovers. Vivienne taught her how to harness hellfire, to bind and banish demons, to raise the dead and to put them down again. In addition to the necromantic arts, Ximena learned history, philosophy, languages. Ximena was a voracious student, taking full advantage of her first access to formal education in years. She learned the true nature of the Viridian Stone in her possession, and she built an enchanted mask to house it. She also became friends with Atzi Ramirez, the middle-aged mortal servant who handled Vivienne's legal and financial affairs in the mundane world. Several years passed. Then, one day, Vivienne turned on Ximena. She learned that Vivienne was even older than she claimed, and that her life and her youthful appearance was sustained by draining the life energy of younger women like Ximena, women Vivienne would take her pleasure and amusement from for a few years, until she grew bored of them and they started to age, losing the only true value she saw in them. Ximena was just the latest in a long line, and the power and strength of will she had developed under Vivienne's tutalage only meant that her soul would sustain and empower Vivienne for longer once she consumed it. Vivienne's doom was in underestimating her latest student. Ximena managed to turn the tables on Vivienne, long enough to break Vivienne's hold over her undead creatures who staffed and protected her estate. Instead of seizing control of them, Ximena set them free, and once free, they set upon Vivienne with a vengeance, consuming her body and soul. Once they were finished with Vivienne, Ximena sent the creatures to their final rewards, some willingly, some not. Then she looted Vivienne's estate of its more benign resources and burned the rest down. She has yet to face any reprisal for Vivienne's death, since most of Vivienne's few friendly acquaintances in the magical community "Knew her well enough not to mourn her passing." After disposing of Vivienne's legacy, Ximena decided it was time to return to her home. If she could overcome a seasoned necromancer like Vivienne, then she could deal with the entity that had murdered her family, and any others like it. Atzi, finding herself homeless, unemployed, and free of the mind-controlling spells that she hadn't even known that Vivienne had cast upon her, followed Ximena to Emerald City. With Atzi's help, and the financial resources Ximena had "inherited" from her treacherous mentor, she was able to purchase two properties, a small apartment building, X, where she and Atzi both took up residence, and a storefront where she established Mictlan Books & Curiosities (and installed a magical workspace in the basement). She put Atzi in charge of running both businesses. The store acts as a base from which Atzi is able to act as a broker, putting clients (some paying, some not) who require magical assistance in touch with Ximena, who performs services ranging from brewing potions or crafting charms to investigations and exorcisms. In her own time, Ximena searches the city for lost souls to put to rest, and demons and malevolent spirits to banish from the material realm, hoping to find one in particular. She's foiled several secular crimes along the way, and one police detective, Briana Rowell, has started consulting with her after she helped Rowell close a cold murder case. PERSONALITY & MOTIVATION Ximena's demeanor is usually calm, aloof, and laconic. When she indulges in humor, it tends to be dry sarcasm. When she looks at someone, she seems to be looking through them. She carries heavy emotional burdens she is loathe to unleash upon others, and she is just as reluctant to take on the emotional burdens of others. She's had to be self-reliant for most of her life, and she's been betrayed and abandoned multiple times, so she is slow to trust anyone. But she genuinely wants to help people. The supernatural invaded her life and destroyed it. She has dedicated her life to making sure that doesn't happen to anyone else. Despite her youth, she has existed at the fringes of mainstream modern society for long enough that she doesn't feel comfortable in it. She pays for everything in cash, she keeps hard copies of everything, and she doesn't own a computer or a cell phone. POWERS & TACTICS As a necromancer, Ximena's magic focuses on the power of life and death itself, especially the latter. She can inflict weakening curses upon her foes, launch bolts of hellfire at them, and show them enough of what horror awaits them in the afterlife to break their spirits under the weight of it. Alternately, she can use that same knowledge of the worlds beyond death to provide peace to her allies, invigorating them. She knows how to raise the dead, turning them into the Undead, how to summon, bind, and interrogate ghosts and demons, and how to sever such a creature's connection to the powers that sustain it, obliterating them. Through sheer force of will, she can seize control of the demons or undead creatures created or commanded by another sorcerer. She can perform exorcisms, which break the hold supernatural creatures have over a mortal's fragile mind, and banish those creatures from the material world back to whatever dimension spawned them. She can transport herself and others to the various dimensions of the dead, and she knows their geography well enough to exploit the different physics in those dimensions to emerge back in the material world a vast distance away from her starting point in mere moments. Because of her mask (see below), she can walk those paths freely, the dead mistaking her for one of their own. When she brings along a living passenger, the journey becomes far more dangerous. Her affinity for death has allowed her to sense it as second nature. She can tell when someone has died in a given place, whether it was one person or many, and whether they died slowly or quickly, peacefully or violently. She sometimes receives precognitive visions warning of an impending death, being able to sense the psychopomps looming close by the doomed. She also knows a handful of minor non-necromantic utility spells. She can create and access a pocket dimension, where she stores her most valuable possessions. She can use part of a person, such as a drop of their blood or a strand of their hair, to prepare a compass which will point in their direction. She can create a ghostly hand which can lift, manipulate, and even destroy objects at a distance. She can transmute small objects, rearranging their atoms like a child's building blocks to transform one thing into another. Her enchanted cloak harnesses raw ectoplasm, the substance of ghosts, which is often left behind when they move on to their final reward, or are forced to by an exorcism. The cloak repurposes this energy as a shield, protecting her from harm. When an attack would strike her, swirling green mist appears a few inches in front of her and blocks it. Sometimes the vague outlines of a face appear in the mist, either an echo of the departed spirits whose ectoplasm the cloak harnessed, or a grateful spirit returning to intercede on her behalf directly. The cloak uses this same energy to form currents or wings which lift her off the ground, allowing her to float in the air, and sometimes, as with her defenses, it is grateful spirits who bear her into the heavens. Her mask harnesses the energy of the black Viridian Stone to open her "third eye", allowing her to see in total darkness, to see supernatural creatures for what they truly are, to see magical auras, and to speak with the spirits of the dead as if she were one of them. The mask hides her life signs, making her appear to both living and dead alike as one of the latter. Aside from her magic, Ximena has the sort of genius-level intellect that comes along a few times in a generation, and a tremendous strength of will and and force of personality. If she hadn't decided to become one of the world's greatest witches, she could have become the next Ada Lovelace, Marie Curie, or Susan B. Anthony. Her intensive tutelage under Vivienne left her with the equivalent of a doctorate in several fields of mundane academic study. She speaks over half a dozen languages. Her enchantments adhere best to objects of the finest quality, and she has risen to the challenge, becoming a world-class craftswoman of a dozen different disciplines, from seamstress to metalworker. However, she has focused on her studies to the point of neglecting her body. While she is exceptionally healthy, her physical prowess is below average for a woman of her age. She is almost useless in a fistfight. COMPLICATIONS Enemies: Ximena has banished many demons and malevolent spirits from the world of the living. Some of them hold grudges. And someone might have cared about Vivienne enough to avenge her death after all. The GM can give her a Hero Point when one of them shows up to make an already bad situation even worse. Fame (Local): Ximena's identity as "Santa Muerte" exists in a grey area. She doesn't hide it, but she doesn't advertise it either. Not everyone she's helped recognizes her, but some do, and word is spreading. The GM can give her a Hero Point when being recognized makes her life less convenient in some way. Hyperspace Is A Scary Place: When Ximena uses her Teleport power, she crosses over into one of the Underworld dimensions. The GM can give her a Hero Point if something follows her back into the material world. Alternately, if she brings along a passenger, especially if that passenger's nature as a living creature is not concealed as hers is behind her mask, or if the passenger disregards her instructions ("Don't open your eyes, don't listen to the voices, don't let go of me"), then that passenger may come back possessed, if they come back at all. If her passenger is possessed or trapped on the other side, the GM may give a Hero Point to her, her passenger, or both. Nightmares: Ximena has seen many disturbing things, and she regularly relives them in her dreams. Precognitive visions of death also frequently come to her while she is asleep. The GM can give her a Hero Point and declare that she is Fatigued due to lack of restful sleep. Prejudice: Ximena is female, Latina, bisexual, and a goth. The GM can give her a Hero Point when another character's ignorance of and/or prejudice against one or more aspects of her identity creates a setback for her. Reputation ("Burn the witch!"): Many members of mainstream religions consider Ximena to be a blasphemer and her namesake to be heresy. Most other wizards consider her form of magic to be taboo, and, to be fair, most of those who practice it do so in a far more malevolent fashion than she does. Anyone who can perceive magical auras in detail and knows what to look for can see the mark her use of necromancy (however benign it has been) has left on her soul. The GM can give her a Hero Point if another character's attitude toward her powers creates a setback for her. Responsibility (Business): Even though Atzi handles the day-to-day operations, ultimately, as a landlord and a store owner, Ximena has an obligation to her tenants, her employees, and her customers. And Atzi herself may sometimes require aid. The GM can give Ximena a Hero Point when she faces a setback on account of those obligations. Responsibility (Family): Ximena has a large extended family. Even though she is estranged from them, if any of them found her and asked for her aid, she would feel obligated to provide it. The GM can give her a Hero Point and declare that a family member needs her help at the worst possible time. ABILITIES 48PP ([-2] + 4 + 8 + 14 + 12 + 12) Strength: 08 (-1) (Heavy Load: 80 lbs.) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 18 (+4) Intelligence: 24 (+7) Wisdom: 22 (+6) Charisma: 22 (+6) COMBAT 14PP (8 + 6) Initiative: +2 (+2 Dex) Attack: +4, +8 Hellfire Blast Grapple: +3 (+4 Melee Attack, -1 Str) Defense: +8/+4 (+7/+3 Base, +1 Dodge Focus), +4/+2 Flat-Footed Knockback Resistance: 6/2 SAVING THROWS 12PP (1 + 2 + 9) Toughness: +12/+4 (+4 Con, +8 Protection) Fortitude: +5 (+4 Con, +1PP) Reflex: +8/+4 (+2 Dex, +4 Enhanced, +2PP) Will: +15 (+6 Wis, +9PP) SKILLS 22PP (88R) Concentration 6 (+12) Craft (Artistic) 13 (+20) Diplomacy 9 (+15) Intimidation 9 (+15) Knowledge (Arcane) 13 (+20) Knowledge (Cosmology) 3 (+10) Knowledge (History) 3 (+10) Knowledge (Life Sciences) 3 (+10) Knowledge (Streetwise) 3 (+10) Knowledge (Theology & Philosophy) 3 (+10) Languages 6 (Atlantean, English [Native], Latin, Lemurian, Mayan, Nahuatl, Spanish) Medicine 1 (+7) Notice 4 (+10) Search 3 (+10) Sense Motive 9 (+15) FEATS 8PP Artificer Benefit (Wealth 1) Dodge Focus Equipment 1 (5EP) Luck 3 Ritualist Enhanced: Quick Change EQUIPMENT 5EP (1PP) Mictlan Books & Curiosities (PL10 Headquarters) [5EP] Size: Small [0EP] Toughness: 5 [0EP] Features: [5EP] Cover FacilityAoF Library Security System (DC20) PersonnelBoM Workshop (Magic) AoF = Agents of Freedom BoM = Book of Magic POWERS 78PP Devices 8 (40PP Container [Passive, Permanent]; Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [32PP] (Descriptors: Enchanted Cloak, Enchanted Mask, Magic, Necromancy) Cloak: Enhanced Defense 4 [8PP] (Additional Descriptors: Defense of Grateful Spirits, Ectoplasmic Shield) Enhanced Reflex 4 [4PP] (Additional Descriptors: Defense of Grateful Spirits, Ectoplasmic Shield) Flight 1 (10MPH, 100ft per Move Action) [2PP] (Additional Descriptors: Buoyed by Grateful Spirits, Ectoplasmic Wings) Protection 8 [8PP] (Additional Descriptors: Defense of Grateful Spirits, Ectoplasmic Shield) Mask: Comprehend 1 (Spirits) [2PP] Features 2 (Deathly Mien*, Undead Presence*) [2PP] *Power Profiles, "Death Powers" Super-Senses 6 (Counters Concealment [Visual senses]; Counters Illusion [Visual senses]; Counters Obscure [Visual senses; “Darkness” descriptors]) [6PP] (Additional Descriptors: Divination Magic, True Sight) Super-Senses 8 (Magic and Supernatural Awareness; Descriptor requency: Very Common; Sense Type: Visual, Default: Accurate, Acute, Ranged; Extras: Penetrates Concealment, Tracking) [8PP] (Additional Descriptors: Divination Magic, True Sight) Enhanced Feats 1 (Quick Change) [1PP] (Descriptors: Dressing Spell, Magic, Telekinesis) Magic 16 (32PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 7; Drawbacks: Power Loss 2 [When unable to speak and gesture; Frequency: Common]) [37PP] Base Power: [5 + 5 + 11 + 11 = 32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Utility Spells) Dimensional Pocket 1 (Extras: Duration 3 [Continuous, Lasting]; Flaws: Requires Grapple; Feats: Progression [Cargo] 1 [250 lbs.]) [5PP] (Additional Descriptors: Dimensional Magic) Move Object 1 (Lifting Strength: 5, Heavy Load: 50 lbs.; Extras: Damaging, Range [Perception]; Feats: Precise) [5PP] (Additional Descriptors: Spectral Hand, Telekinesis) Telelocation 10 (Range: 200,000 miles; Extras: Duration [Sustained, Lasting]; Flaws: Limited [Only learns the target's direction relative to her, not their exact location], Medium [Requires a piece of the target, or an object heavily infused with the target's resonance]; Feats: Dimensional 2 [Afterlives, Death Dimensions, Underworlds], Rapid 9 [x1,000,000,000; Take 20 to Search maximum area in less than a second as a Free Action]; Drawbacks: Action 3 [20 minutes], Noticeable, Power Loss [When deprived of specially prepared compass; Frequency: Uncommon]) [11PP] (Additional Descriptors: Divination Magic, Finding Spell, Ritual Magic) Transform 1 (Any inanimate object into any other inanimate object; Extras: Duration [Continuous, Lasting], Range [Perception]; Feats: Progression [Mass] 3 [10 lbs.], Subtle) [11PP] (Additional Descriptors: Transmutation Magic) Alternate Power: [32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Hellfire Blast, Necromancy) Blast 12 (Range: 10 120ft Increments, 1,200ft Max; Feats: Accurate 2 [+4 Attack], Affects Insubstantial 2 [Full effect], Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Incurable, Precise) [32PP] Alternate Power: [32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Curse of Withering, Necromancy) Drain 10 (All Abilities at once; Extras: Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Action [Full], Limited [Physical Abilities: Str, Dex, Con]; Feats: Incurable, Reversible, Slow Fade [1 minute]; Drawbacks: Full Power) [32PP] Alternate Power: [22 + 10 = 32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Exorcism, Necromancy, Rebuke Infernal, Rebuke Undead) Drain Toughness 10 (Extras: Affects Objects, Linked [Damage], Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Action [Full], Limited [Demons/Devils and the Undead]; Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2 [Full effect], Incurable; Drawbacks: Full Power) [22PP] Damage 10 (Extras: Linked [Drain], Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Action [Full], Limited [Demons/Devils and the Undead]) [10PP] Alternate Power: [32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Glimpse of The Abyss, Necromancy, Peace of The Grave) Emotion Control 10 (Extras: Area [Type: General; Shape: Burst], Selective; Flaws: Action [Full]; Feats: Progression [Area Size] 1 [100ft radius], Reversible) [32PP] Alternate Power: [32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Command Infernal, Command Undead, Necromancy) Mind Control 10 (Extras: Area [Type: General; Shape: Burst], Conscious; Flaws: Limited [Demons/Devils and the Undead]; Feats: Mental Link, Progression [Area Size] 1 [100ft radius]) [32PP] Alternate Power: [32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Banishment, Exorcism, Necromancy) Nullify 10 (All Supernatural Emotion Control, Mind Control, and Summon effects at once; Extras: Area [Type: General; Shape: Burst], Range [Perception]; Flaws: Action [Full]; Feats: Progression [Area Size] 2 [250ft radius]) [32PP] Alternate Power: [5 + 27 = 32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Necromancy, Paths of The Underworld) Super-Movement 2 (Dimensional Movement 2 [Afterlives, Death Dimensions, Underworlds]; Extras: Linked [Teleport]; Feats: Progression [Cargo] 1 [250 lbs.]) [5PP] Teleport 9 (900ft per Move Action, 20,000 miles per Full Action; Extras: Accurate, Linked [Super-Movement]) [27PP] Super-Senses 6 (Death Awareness; Descriptor Frequency: Very Common; Sense Type: Mental, Default: None; Extras: Acute, Radius, Ranged) [6PP] (Descriptors: Magic, Necromancy) Super-Senses 4 (Postcognition; Extras: Simultaneous, Special [Substitute interaction skills for Notice and Search, +0]; Drawbacks: Action 6 [20 minutes], Noticeable) [1PP] (Descriptors: Demon Summoning, Magic, Necromancy, Ritual Magic, Spirit Conjuring) Super-Senses 4 (Precognition; Flaws: Limited [Death], Uncontrolled) [1PP] (Descriptors: Magic, Necromancy) Abilities (48) + Combat (14) + Saving Throws (12) + Skills (22) + Feats (8) + Powers (78) = 182/183 Power Points ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC14 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Curse of Withering Perception DC20 Fortitude (Staged) Drain Str/Dex/Con Dimensional Pocket* Touch/Grapple DC11 Reflex Trapped Emotion Control Perception/Area DC20 Will (Staged) Calm: Counters all Emotion Control conditions Despair: Shaken/Helpless Fear: Shaken/Frightened/Panicked Hate: Attitude = Hostile Hope: Counters Despair and Fear conditions Love: Attitude = Friendly/Helpful/Fanatical Exorcism Perception/Area Will or Power vs +10 Nullify* Finding Spell Extended DC20 Will Telelocation Hellfire Blast Ranged DC27 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Mind Control** Perception/Area Will vs +10 Controlled Rebuke** Perception DC20 Fortitude (Staged) Drain Toughness DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Spectral Hand* Perception Grapple vs +2 Pinned/Bound DC16 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Transmutation* Perception DC11 Reflex Transformed *Utility power, not generally used as an attack, but technically capable of being used as such. **Limited to Demons/Devils and the Undead.

ATLANTEAN TECHNOLOGY Ancient Atlantis possessed truly advanced technology, including energy weapons, force fields, and aircraft, among other things. However, this technology was made up of a combination of scientific principles, the alien science and technology of the Preservers, and Atlantean understanding and use of magic, including ley-line energies, enchanted crystals, and tapping into various elemental and geomantic forces (some of which may have weakened the strata and geological stability of the island-nation). Some Atlantean technology survived the Sinking and the subsequent millennia immersed in icy salt water, and it has led to significant differences between what Atlanteans and surface people consider “technology”. In particular, while some of their weapons, vehicles, and even household elements may appear “high-tech,” Atlantean technology does not rely upon electronics or electricity (virtually useless underwater unless completely sealed), nor upon combustion or the combination of volatile chemicals (also problematic underwater). Instead, most Atlantean technology is powered by magical crystals drawing upon geomantic and elemental energies, recharged in orichalcum-lined sockets linked to ley-lines, or from the user's own personal stores of mystical energy. So while an Atlantean blaster-weapon may look like a pistol or a rifle, a surface world engineer taking one apart would find it a technological impossibility. The same is largely true of Atlantean vessels and other devices, such as the occasional Atlantean audio-visual projector, actually a crystalline-based image generator, often with some telepathic components, rather than a video screen or camera. The nature of Atlantean mechano-mystical devices makes their technology less mass-produced and ubiquitous compared to the surface world, since each item is hand-crafted. Indeed, many are often family heirlooms maintained, repaired, and passed down through the generations, dating back to before the Sinking, patched together with whatever components were available. This leads to an apparent mixture of ancient and modern styles and resources in Atlantis and a somewhat “retro-future” quality to their technology, since it generally lacks things like computers and electronics. (Picture sci fi stories from the 1920s-1950s, before transistors and integrated circuits.) USES AND LIMITS OF ATLANTEAN TECHNO-MAGIC Atlantean Technology/Techno-Magic is very good at effects that involve or manipulate the four "classical elements": air, earth (and metal), fire (and heat), and water (including cold). Fire itself is not often used, since that doesn't work underwater, but heat is. It is also very good at generating and manipulating light (and darkness) and sound, which are considered "lesser elements." Electricity & lightning are known, but rarely used, in part due to the problems in using it underwater, and in part because of ongoing debates on which element it should fall under. Plants can be manipulated indirectly, by manipulating the minerals and water around & within them. Many forms of Atlantean Tech have been developed that channel the power of Law/Order -- bonds or large mazes of mystic force, locking shapeshifters to one form, repairing/restoring broken items, sealing dimensional breaches -- developed to counter their Chaos-using Deep One enemies. And as Lemurian techno-mages have proven, similar devices can also be constructed to channel the powers of Chaos. Body-altering magics are rare. Their last widespread use was in altering survivors of the Sinking to be able to breathe water. Healing devices are available, which involve some restorative Law/Order magics, but are not nearly as common as they once were and so usually reserved for extreme cases. The techno-magical equivalent of bionics/cybernetics are possible, but rare, and usually done to replace & replicate the function of a lost body part, not to enhance or add new abilities. Some Atlantean athletes and soldiers use performance-enhancing potions or ointments, but they're viewed with disdain, not for any harmful side-effects but because they should be able to rely on their own skills and aptitudes. (Some Atlantean sorcerers engage in shapeshifting battles, but they're viewed as... weird.) The taboo against body-altering magics is largely born of anti-Deep One sentiment, fearing the polymorphic power of the Serpent Scepter, and the protean nature of their otherworldly masters. For similar reasons, and also out of respect to the Sirens, Mental effects are rare. Devices permitting telepathic communication -- between Atlanteans and other sapients, and Atlanteans and animals -- are common, as are illusions, though most are obviously illusions and so suitable only for entertainment or educational displays, not deceit. Emotion control is accepted, if tied to the elements (via the "four humours"), but mind reading and mind control -- even controlling non-sapient animals -- are deeply feared, and is something only those vile Lemurians would do. Order-focused artificers argue for being able to develop truth-compelling effects, to cut through the chaos of lies and deception; debates are still ongoing, though rumors persist of "secret police" who do employ such techniques. (In truth, Atlantean techno-magic is just as capable of generating and manipulating psionic energies as any other form of elemental energy, though this is not widely known.) Atlantean Tech is capable of teleportation across space, but only using large platforms connected to ley lines & only to teleport to other such platforms. Experiments with using charged crystals to power more mobile teleporters have met with limited success. (Dimensional and temporal travel are theoretically possible, but would require more complex calculations and even larger amounts of energy.) Flying vehicles are common, but wearable "flight packs" are still being worked on. Atlanteans were adept at creating magiconstructs -- automatons in humanoid or animal form, serving a variety of military and construction functions -- but the techniques to create them are long lost. Some Atlantean statues -- on the isle or in surface world museums -- are actually long-dormant colossi, their inner furnaces long depleted of fuel. Though Atlantean technology is as much magic as it is science, it is not used to invoke or entreat any mystic entities, even ones who are called on for elemental effects (like Abbridon, Ghorummaz, or Phoros), though Atlantean sorcerers can and regularly do. The reasons for this are twofold: they don't want to become beholden to any outside entity, and the Preserver tech components have trouble with specific mystical entities of such great power. Their techno-magic can be used to summon elemental beings, using large arcane patterns developed over millennia and altered based on what needs to be summoned, and an ample supply of elemental material to form the body, though whether these "spirit matrices" actually summon spirits from some other plane, or creates something like an A.I. molded by the user's subconscious, is a matter of some debate. Atlantean Techno-Magic is capable of necromantic effects -- manipulating both life force and energies from der Shattenwelt are within its capabilities -- but such devices are extremely rare. ATLANTEAN SUBSTANCES The ancient Atlanteans invented a unique metal alloy of copper, gold, mercury, and silver, called orichalcum, a hybrid creation of advanced metallurgy and alchemy. (Surface world metallurgists get confused and infuriated when examining it, because such an alloy should not be possible.) The secret of its creation was lost in the sinking of Atlantis, and likely would not be practical in an aquatic environment, but samples of the metal still exist, owing to its near-indestructible nature, and Atlantean “cold-forges” can reshape existing orichalcum to a degree. Orichalcum is a golden (or deep coppery) metal with Toughness 25 and immunity to damage from temperature extremes. (If put in a fire, when removed it won't be any hotter and can be safely handled with ungloved hands; if left in a snowbank, when removed it won't be any colder.) Also, despite being largely unaffected by magic -- magical energies pass through, flow around, or are absorbed into it -- it holds enchantments better than most any substance, making it ideal for crafting magical armor, weapons, vehicles, and other devices. Orichalcum weapons, armor, and tools are prized heirlooms among the Atlanteans (and their Utopian cousins). Atlantean mechano-mystics also recognize four distinct elemental substances, though these are so basic a component of their craft that they rarely bother describing them to anyone. Corusqua are incandescent blue crystals which contain electricity, though they are inert unless agitated by mystical energy; their use became much less common post-Sinking. Crystallos is a transparent crystal similar to quartz, but grows like a plant; it can be constrained and forced to grow into various shapes (typically flat panes), dyed by soaking in pigments, and can be baked in special arcane furnaces to halt their growth but make them harder than steel (though much lighter). Fulminor is a blue-black smoke that is lighter than air, and can impart that quality on any substance it remains in extended contact with; it is used in the fuselages of Atlantean aircraft. Ignaetium is a pale blue, dull orange, or blood red crystal, containing a spark of Elemental Fire, and is used to fuel many arcane furnaces & as a source of heat. All four are naturally occurring substances, but can also be created in a sorcerer-scientist's workshop. As for mundane substances, copper -- and its alloys bronze and brass -- are often used in Atlantean metallurgy, due to their availability and unreactiveness to most mystical energies. Iron and most steels rust in the saltwater environment, though they do have various sealants which can slow that corrosion. The alchemical resonances in gold and silver tend to interfere with the mystical elements of their devices if present in large quantities. SKILL CHECKS Among other things, the differences in Atlantean technology impose a +20 DC modifier to Knowledge (Technology) skill checks dealing with it, unless the character is also trained in Knowledge (Arcane Lore), in which case the lesser of the two skill ranks may be used without the +20 DC modifier. Surface-world trained technicians can barely make heads or tails out of Atlantean techno-magic. In a like manner, modern electronics, or even simple combustion engines, are just as weird and alien to Atlanteans as their techno-magic is to surface worlder engineers.

In Brief: Jason Chorde + Non-Snarky Harry Dresden + Gender-flipped Witch-skin Mercy with Winston's barrier projector Character: Hex Power Level: 12 (Built as PL9) Tradeoffs: None Power Points: 185/187 PP Unspent Points: 2 Alternate Identity: Leonard "Len" Kepler Identity: Secret Legal Status: USA citizen with no criminal record Birthplace: By the side of a county road in rural Oregon, USA Base of Operations: Emerald City, Oregon/Washington, USA Residence: A small house-barge moored on the Southern Shore Occupation: Wizard Affiliations: Briana Whitethorne (Mentor), Mr. Hewitt (Ghost Butler), Various Elemental Spirits who maintain and defend his headquarters Family: Mother, Father, Two Younger Siblings (A set of fraternal twins, Brother and Sister), Various extended family members DESCRIPTION Age: 24 (Date of Birth: 1995) Apparent Age: 24 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian American mutt of mixed ancestry, including, but not limited to, Anglo-Saxon, Germanic, and Scandinavian Height: 6’4" Weight: 285 lbs. Hair: Blond Eyes: Green (Gold when using magic) Hex carries a black wooden staff almost as tall as he is, carved from ebony and etched with dozens of runes. He wears a sleeveless indigo robe that goes down to about mid-calf, over a lighter lavender tunic. The robe has a high upturned collar, and is affixed to the tunic with a pair of brooches sitting just under his collar bones, purple sapphires about the size of chicken eggs cut into a hexagonal shape and set into gold. The tunic goes down to just above his knees, and is belted at the waist with an indigo sash. The chest of the tunic is embroidered with a black disc containing white lines arranged in a "Flower of Life" design, 19 small interlocking white circles arranged in a hexagon pattern inside one larger circle. The part of the tunic below the waist is slit to divide it into six flaps. Indigo trim traces along the bottom of the tunic. The baggy sleeves of the tunic are tucked into white leather bracers. The left bracer is also etched with runes, and studded with another gold-set egg-sized hexagonal-cut purple sapphire. Below the tunic he wears a pair of baggy indigo leggings, tucked into knee-high white leather boots with large fold-over cuffs. Over his eyes, he wears a set of leather goggles. The strap is soft leather, while the part around the eyes is boiled hard leather. The lenses appear to be glass, but are actually crystal, transparent from the inside but opaque from the outside. When he uses his magic, his irises take on a slight golden glow, which sometimes shines brightly enough to be visible from behind the goggles. When not actively wizarding, his enchanted vestments transform into normal clothing which makes him look like just another Pacific Northwest hipster: A zip-up hooded jacket, blue jeans, combat boots, and a red and black plaid flannel shirt. His goggles turn into vintage-style black square-frame glasses with non-prescription lenses. His bracer morphs into a hexagonal wristwatch with a broken motor, the hands stuck permanently at 6 o'clock ("It's right twice a day!"). Len's body type is colloquially known as a "bear" or a "dad-bod." He's bulky, and extremely hairy, from head to toe. The hair below his neck is significantly darker than the hair on his head, making it stand out. The bulk is mostly muscle, which his body builds easily, layered over a wide frame (he really is "big-boned"), but it's covered with enough fat (which his body also accumulates easily) to completely obscure any definition. His head and hands are both slightly larger in proportion to his body than a normal adult, which makes him appear overall even bulkier. HISTORY Leonard Kepler was born in the right place at the right time. His parents lived in Emerald City, and it was expected that he would be born there. However, during his mother's ninth month of pregnancy, her father, his maternal grandfather, died suddenly. His parents had to drive out to the remote small town in rural Oregon where he lived for the funeral. They had no idea that their route passed close by a nexus point where several "ley lines" of magical energy crossing the planet intersected, spilling that magical energy into the nearby area. They also didn't know that they passed under a very specific and rare alignment of stars in the sky. Leonard's mother went into labor on the way to her father's funeral, and delivered her son into a point of time and space which imbued him with a natural talent for channeling magical energy and imposing his will upon it. His parents made it just in time for the funeral, with the new baby in tow, making the whole occasion emotionally complicated for all involved. Len's childhood was unremarkable at first. He excelled academically, so his parents made sure to move wherever they could find the best schools in town. The best schools were always in rich neighborhoods, so his family, despite being poor, always wound up living on the periphery of rich neighborhoods, and he always wound up being the one poor kid in a class full of yuppies and trust-fund brats. He seemed normal until he was 8 years old, when his talent began to manifest, mostly in the form of astoundingly unlikely mechanical failures everywhere he went. He was always big for his age, but when puberty hit, he grew like a weed. The combination of being a "teacher's pet," a "fat ogre," poor, and a walking technical difficulty was more than the adolescent could take, so he began lashing out. This caused the manifestations of his magical talents to intensify, which eventually drew supernatural attention to him. As a goddess of Chaos, Eris, also known as Discordia (see Threat Report), became aware of Len when he was eleven years old, and sent her minions to recruit him. Fortunately for Len, and probably the rest of the world, that effort was foiled by Briana Whitethorne, an old-school broom-riding, wand-firing, cauldron-stirring, gravelly voiced, Scotch-drinking, pipe-smoking, dirty joke telling ("Hey, grasp my rod! Hah!") witch. Briana intercepted and defeated the minions of Eris, and convinced Len's parents to let her take him on as her apprentice. For the next twelve years, while his siblings went to school, Len spent nine months out of every year by Briana's side, studying and practicing in her pocket-dimension home, and taking frequent jaunts across the multiverse, dimension-hopping to alternate Earths, visiting different time periods, and even traveling to more exotic planes of existence, like the Astral and the Elemental Realms. Briana appeared to be in her mid-fifties, but various interactions and artifacts Len observed over the years suggested she was much older. Briana taught Len how to use spells, conduct rituals, and forge and brew magical talismans and potions, to control, direct, and when necessary, unleash the magical energy he tapped into. Almost as a by-product of the different magical traditions they researched, he wound up with a knowledge base of history and mythology worthy of a graduate degree in several different humanities. In 2018, after a dozen years, Briana declared one day, with no warning and little fanfare, that Len was her student no longer, but a wizard in his own right, and announced her intention to leave, though she did not say where (or when?) she was going. She bequeathed the pocket universe and all its contents to Len as a "graduation present," pulling up its dimensional anchor and folding up the whole thing into a literal deed which she signed over to him before departing. He decided to purchase a house-barge moored on the Emerald City coast and anchor the pocket dimension there, where he could keep a safe distance from the heart of the city while still having relatively easy access to it. From there, he casts daily divinations to determine when and where he'll be needed to protect the city and its people. PERSONALITY & MOTIVATION In any comedy duo, Len would be the Straight Man that a Wacky Zany Guy would play off of. He carried a lot of anger when he was a child, but his training with Briana, especially in meditation, helped him to let go of that anger a long time ago. When he learned how to control his magic, he also learned how to control his feelings. The angry kid grew up to be a mellow adult, a "gentle giant" who just tries to be nice to people, help out, do the right thing, and avert or de-escalate conflicts instead of initiating or exacerbating them. He radiates a calm, quiet confidence that many people find disarming (a confidence borne of over a decade of traveling the multiverse and escaping or fighting off Death in many forms), with a big smile that comes easily and spreads all the way up to his eyes. When he's not saving the world, or researching new ways to save the world, he likes to curl up with a cup of coffee and a good book, or sing and play on his guitar (at which he's middling, at best). He's a regular at one of the rare local coffee houses that doesn't have wi-fi, for obvious reasons. POWERS & TACTICS Hex has a natural talent for tapping into and channeling the "raw and chaotic magical energy" of The Phoros, another dimension inhabited by beings of the same name, "immortal, immaterial, glowing spheres of light and fire." (See The Book of Magic.) His magical training focused on bringing Order out of that primordial Chaos to which he was attuned, in several different ways. He can cast spells, conduct rituals, or imbue physical items with magic power. Generally, the more time and labor intensive the method of shaping and controlling the magic, the less chance there is of it "leaking out" and wreaking havoc on himself or his environment (see "Walking Techbane" under "Complications," below). He casts spells by quickly speaking incantations and tracing symbols in the air with his fingers. The words are mostly from ancient Atleantean and Lemurian dialects, though they sometimes include snippets of more "mundane" ancient languages, like Egyptian, Greek, Latin, Old Norse, or Sanskrit. They are mostly invocations, entreaties, or references to various mystical entities, realms, and forces across the multiverse. Some of the symbols he traces in the air are Atlantean or Lemurian runes (though, again, sometimes they belong to more "mundane" dead tongues), while others are sigils he created himself, which would require study of his own notes in his private spellbooks to understand. Often, while casting, golden flames will erupt from his eyes and surround his hands, and his fingers will leave burning streaks in the air which will linger for several moments. When trying to go unnoticed, he can whisper or mutter the incantations, and suppress the light show, but the spells are usually more effective when the casting is more bombastic and theatrical. This is the use of his magic which generates the desired effect most quickly, but which is also the most likely to disrupt local technology and/or "snap back" on him, so he limits himself to minor utility spells. He can also conduct lengthy rituals, using a complex combination of spoken incantations, physical movements, runes drawn or carved upon objects and/or the surrounding environment, certain clothes worn (or not worn), and employing all manner of special props or ingredients, ranging from candle flames to animal body parts. His most common application for this use of his magic is to draw an arcane circle upon the ground and cast specially-crafted rune stones into it, in order to divine past and future events, in a manner similar to Scandinavian mystics (though the runes carved upon his stones are all sigils of his own design). He does this regularly in order to figure out when and where his aid will be needed. This use of his magic is less likely to disrupt local technology or harm himself than spell casting, but it is also far more time and labor intensive. Finally, he can imbue magical energy into physical items. This method of magic use is by far the most time and labor intensive for him, but is also the one least likely to cause chaotic side-effects, as it imposes the most direct and permanent "Order" upon the innate "Chaos" of his magic. The items are most effective and resilient when he crafts them himself, which is why his tutelage under Briana included "mundane" skills like sewing, carpentry, and metalsmithing. Then he etches magical runes, mostly sigils of his own design, into the object. Often, the etchings are filled in with ink or dust which includes exotic ingredients. Most of the magical items he crafts are temporary in nature, limited use protective charms or brewed potions which provide some power after consumption which wears off once the liquids have been fully metabolized. The few permanent items he has created involved "locking down" a significant portion of his own personal magical talent, basically carving off a piece of his own soul and trapping it inside the object. If the object were destroyed, that piece of his soul would come rushing back into him, with potentially explosive results. Hex's magic focuses mainly on the summoning, shaping, and unleashing of direct "force," a magical version of pure kinetic energy. To protect himself and others, he uses the runes embedded in his robes to create selectively-permeable force fields and constructs, in the form of glowing golden transparent floating hexagons. To shelter large groups or to protect people from explosions or falling debris, he'll create domes or walls made up of multiple interlocking hexagons, what some would call a "beehive barrier." When he requires personal defense, he'll create one or more hexagons of various sizes, some connected and some not, which will hover and orbit around him, rapidly repositioning themselves and clustering together as necessary to block incoming attacks. Other runes woven into the back of his robes harness that same force to create giant feathered wings of pure energy which allow him to fly. The runes carved into his staff, meanwhile, allow him to cast healing spells, or, if combat is required, to cover the staff in one of several different glowing auras, each a different color accompanying a different effect. One punches opponents away, while another punches through them, and a third ignores their physical body to punch their soul (or rough equivalent). Hex also dabbles in dimensional magic, mostly for travel and storage, and minor divination (obtain information, find what is lost), conjuration (create something from nothing) and transmutation (alter the something that already exists) spells for utility. He doesn't use any mind-controlling or mind-altering magic, or any necromancy aside from the "white necromancy" of healing wounds and curing diseases, in both cases more for ethical reasons than on account of any lack of aptitude. Hex has his talent for channeling magic because of when and where he was born, but that talent has nothing to do with genetics. His parents are both physically unremarkable, and any examination or testing of his body or genes would show a "normal" baseline human. The change brought on by the circumstances of his birth was not to his body, but to his soul. In combat, Hex's first priority is always to see to the safety of victims and innocent bystanders. He'll throw up protective barriers, heal the wounded, spirit people away from the combat zone, and otherwise use his powers and even his own body to intercept any potential harm to civilians first, only actually crossing swords with supervillains if it's the last option. If he does engage in direct combat, then he tries to keep a cool head, use the minimum force required, and offer the villains multiple chances to surrender peacefully. If they finally do surrender, he'll take them up on it without hesitation, even if they spurned previous offers. COMPLICATIONS Disruption: There is no such thing as perfect order. Some chaos always slips out. Every system, no matter how efficient, wastes some energy. If Hex fails a Concentration check to maintain a power, then in addition to letting the power switch off, the GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for declaring that he has lost control of his magic; it "misfires" in some way that causes something bad to happen. (Based on the drawback introduced in The Book of Magic.) Enemy (Eris): Eris still hasn't forgotten the boy who spurned her. Her minions clashed with Briana and Len several times during Len's apprenticeship. And now that the boy is a man, Briana isn't around to protect him anymore. The GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for Eris or her minions or pawns attacking or otherwise disrupting him at the worst possible times. Honor: Some villains are going to escape or gain some sort of advantage because Hex will be too busy helping an innocent bystander to stop them. Other villains are going to get surprise attacks on Hex because they offered a phony surrender or begged for mercy and he relented. Obligations (Family, Mentor): If Briana or his family call for his help, he'll drop everything and run to their aid. The GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for having them request his aid at the worst possible times. Prejudice: While out on the town, Len disguises himself as just another hipster, and for better or for worse, a lot of people are going to treat him as such. The GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for a penalty or automatic failure on a Diplomacy check if the NPC hates what they think Len represents. Rivalry (Siblings): Len's siblings have been justifiably jealous of his awesome magical life at several points during their emotional development, and others could potentially play on that jealousy, either to gain information about him, or even to enlist direct aid in harming him. Even if one of them had to be mind-controlled into betraying him, they would suffer a penalty to resist that mind control effect, since it would play on their existing darkest desires. Secret (Identity): Len has a loving local family, and any adversaries who learned about his double life could threaten or harm them. Walking Techbane: The type of magic Hex uses is fundamentally incompatible with technology. His magic comes from Chaos, and Technology is an application of Order. Technology uses the existing laws of physics to perform tasks, while his magic changes and distorts the local laws of physics. The use of his magic, and sometimes merely his presence, causes Reality to fight with itself, and the outcome is never certain. For Hex, using magic in the vicinity of machines is like shoving his hand into the innards of an active engine. It's possible that his hand will be fine, but that the engine parts will break or slip out of place, bringing the whole thing grinding to a halt. It's also possible that his hand will be shredded but the engine will go on running without noticing. Or it's possible that his hand will be shredded and the engine will break. Any time Hex uses his magic near a machine (the GM can decide what "near" means), the GM can give him a Hero Point in exchange for inflicting one or more of the following consequences: Hex's effective power rank is reduced. Hex's power effect just fails. Hex suffers Damage, or some other Attack power effect. One or more nearby machines malfunctions, shuts off, surges, shorts out, and/or breaks. Hex hits one or more nearby machines with an Uncontrolled Nullify effect, and/or an Uncontrolled Damage or Disintegrate effect, effectively Linked to whatever power he was using, possibly with the Side-Effect flaw (so that he will suffer Damage or some other Attack power effect if the machines make their saving throws). ABILITIES 36PP Strength: 18 (+4) (Heavy Load: 300 lbs.) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 18 (+4) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 18 (+4) COMBAT 16PP Initiative: +0 (+0 Dex) Attack: +4, +8 Magic Staff Grapple: +8 (+4 Melee Attack, +4 Str) Defense: +8/+4 (+4 Base, +4 Magic Robes), +4/+2 Flat-Footed Toughness: +10/+4 (+4 Con, +6 Force Field) Knockback Resistance: 5/2 ATTACK RANGE SAVING THROW EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC19 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Staff Strike Touch +5ft DC21 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Staff Strike (Blue Aura) Touch +5ft DC19 Fortitude (Harmless) Healing + Boost Staff Strike (Gold Aura) Touch +5ft Opposed Trip vs +10 Prone + Knockback DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Staff Strike (Red Aura) Touch +5ft DC20 Fortitude (Staged) Drain Toughness DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy, Lethal) Staff Strike (Violet Aura) Touch +5ft DC20 Will (Staged) Drain Wisdom DC25 Will (Staged) Damage (Energy) Force Construct (Dropped) Touch* DC19 Reflex Avoided DC24 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Force Construct (Trap) Touch DC19 Reflex Trapped inside object Finding Spell 200 miles DC19 Will Limited ESP Element/Energy Spells Perception DC11 Fortitude (Staged) Drain Toughness DC16 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Any “Magic”) Telekinesis Perception/Area Opposed Grapple vs +1 Pinned/Bound DC16 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Dimensional Pocket Touch/Grapple DC16 Reflex Trapped inside pocket dimension *The force constructs can only be created at Touch-range, but if he were flying or otherwise elevated, he could potentially create one in mid-air and then drop it onto one or more enemies. SAVING THROWS 15PP Fortitude: +8 (+4 Con, +4PP) Reflex: +8/+4 (+0 Dex, +4 Magic Robes, +4PP) Will: +10 (+3 Wis, +7PP) SKILLS 108R = 27PP Concentration 10 (+13) Craft (Artistic) 12 (+15) Craft (Structural) 12 (+15) Diplomacy 11 (+15) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 17 (+20) Knowledge (Cosmology) 7 (+10) Knowledge (History) 7 (+10) Knowledge (Theology/Philosophy) 7 (+10) Languages 2 (Atlantean, English [Native], Lemurian) Notice 7 (+10) Perform (Singing) 1 (+5) Perform (Stringed Instruments) 1 (+5) Search 7 (+10) Sense Motive 7 (+10) FEATS 5PP Artificer Attack Specialization (Magic Staff) Equipment 8 (40EP)Veteran Reward Interpose Ritualist Trance EQUIPMENT 8PP = 38/40EP Acoustic Guitar [1EP] Masterwork Chalk & Rune Stones [1EP] Masterwork Compass [1EP] Fixed-Gear Bicycle (Vehicle) [6EP] Size: Medium [0EP] Defense: 0 (DC10) [0EP] Toughness: 6 [1EP] Strength: 20 (Medium Load: 266 lbs.) [2EP] Powers: [3EP] Features 1 (Marked with a magic rune) [1EP] Speed 2 (25MPH) [2EP] Pocket Dimension Inside A Barge House (PL12 HQ) [29EP] On the outside, a small trailer home sitting on a flat-bottom boat, little more than a raft with a motor attached. On the inside, a mansion. The interior structure is maintained and defended by a few dozen elemental spirits, organized by Mr. Hewitt, the ghost butler who served Briana Whitethorne and decided to remain with the estate when it changed hands. One room contains a standing portal to the Elemental Realms. The elemental spirits are of limited intelligence, greater than a normal animal but less than that of a person. Most of them take the forms of animals, such as dogs and birds. The spirits can use that portal freely to return to their home dimension at any time; they are not slaves. However, in order to enter the estate from the Elemental Realms, they must accept a voluntary geas which imposes a non-aggression pact between them, and obligates them to clean, repair, and defend the manse for as long as they choose to occupy it, in exchange for a regular supply of "treats" for them to consume. These "treats" mostly consist of manifestations of opposing elements which they can consume. For example, the water spirits are usually provided with fire for them to quench. Mr. Hewitt is the ghost of an Englishman. He appears as a translucent pale blue version of his former self, with a wisp of blue mist instead of legs. He is not bound to the manse; in fact, he refers to it as his "refuge." He politely deflects any attempts to pry into his reasons for staying and serving the household. Cryptic comments have indicated that he was a butler in life as well, and that he lived through both World Wars. Size: Diminutive Exterior / Large Interior [2EP] Toughness: 10 [1EP] Features: [26EP] Defense System 4 (Damage, Snare, Suffocate, Trip) (Spirits) Dimensional Portal (Elemental Realms of Air, Earth, Fire, & Water) Dual Size Fire Prevention System (Spirits) Greenhouse Holding Cells 2 (Toughness 15, Nullify) Library 2 (Masterwork) Living Space Personnel (Spirits) Pool Powers 2 (36/48PP) Comprehend 3 (Languages 2 [Speak Any/All Simultaneously], Spirits, Extras: Affects Others, Area [General, Stationary, Burst], Flaws: Limited [Others], Feats: Progression [Area Size] 4 [100ft/rank = 300ft radius]) [13PP] (Translation Runes) Communication 7 (Range: 200 miles, Sense Type: Mental, Extras: Area, Linked [ESP], Flaws: Limited [One-Way], Medium [Reflective Surfaces], Feats: Dimensional [Earth-Prime], Selective) [6PP] (Scrying Mirror) ESP 7 (Range: 200 miles, Sense Types: Auditory + Visual, Extras: Duration [Sustained], Simultaneous, Flaws: Action 2 [Full], Medium [Reflective Surfaces]) [14PP] When Hex uses the mirror, every reflective surface within the area becomes a potential window through which he can see and hear. If an intelligent creature is near one of those surfaces, Hex can communicate with them telepathically. They will see his image in the mirror, and hear his voice as if he were speaking to them, but it's all in their mind. They will have to speak or write to reply, so any other observers will see or hear them normally, but those other observers will only catch a glimpse of Hex in the mirror and hear his voice if they make a DC17 Notice check. Features 1 (Temporal Inertia) [1PP] (Pocket Dimension Outside of Space and Time) Swimming 2 (5MPH) [2EP] The physical motor attached to the rear of the barge doesn't work. It's just for show. When Hex needs to move the barge, he activates runes etched into the underside to summon a water elemental. Sealed (Defensive Runes) Security System 2 (DC25) (Defensive Runes) Self-Repairing (Spirits) Think-Tank (Spirits) Workshop 4 (Mundane Crafts, Magical Inventions, Both Masterwork) 1 + 1 + 1 + 6 + 29 = 38EP POWERS 86PP Devices 11 (55PP Container [Passive, Permanent], Flaws: Hard-To-Lose, Feats: Quick Change [Transforms into normal clothes and accessories as a Free Action], Restricted [Magic users]) [46PP] Magic Robes: [28PP] (Transforms into normal clothing) Enhanced Defense 4 (Extras: Linked [Enhanced Reflex, Force Field, Immunity]) [8PP] ("Abbridon’s Aegis") Enhanced Reflex 4 (Extras: Linked [Enhanced Defense, Force Field, Immunity]) [4PP] Force Field 6 (Extras: Linked [Enhanced Defense, Enhanced Reflex, Immunity], Feats: Selective) [7PP] Immunity 2 (Critical Hits, Extras: Force Field [Free Action, Sustained Duration], Linked [Enhanced Defense, Enhanced Reflex, Force Field], Flaws: Unreliable [50%]) [1PP] Flight 3 (50MPH / 500ft per Move Action) [6PP] ("Abbridon’s Wings") Immunity 2 (Environmental Cold, Environmental Heat) [2PP] ("Abbridon's Succor") Magic Bracer: [14PP] (Transforms into a wristwatch) Create Object 9 (Max Volume: 9 cubes, Max Toughness: 9, Lifting Strength: 45 [Heavy Load: 6 tons], Extras: Linked [Environment Control], Flaws: Range [Touch], Feats: Progression [Max Volume] 1 [10ft cubes], Selective, Stationary, Tether) [13PP] (Force Constructs, "Abbridon’s Aegis") Environment Control 1 (Light [Level 2], Area: 5ft radius, Extras: Linked [Create Object], Flaws: Range [Touch]) [1PP] (Glowing Force Constructs, "Abbridon's Lantern") Magic Goggles: [13PP] (Transforms into a pair of glasses) Comprehend 1 (Languages 1 [Read Any]) [2PP] ("Eyes of Ios") Super-Senses 4 (All Visual-type senses, Extras: Counters Concealment, Counters Illusion) [4PP] ("Eyes of Ios") Super-Senses 10 (Magic Awareness, Descriptor Frequency: Very Common, Sense Type: Visual [Default: Accurate, Acute, Ranged], Extras: Counters Obscure ["Darkness" Descriptor], Penetrates Concealment, Tracking, Flaws: Limited [Counters Obscure only works for an individual sense, the Magic Awareness, not the entire Visual sense type], Drawbacks: Power Loss [Penetrates Concealment cannot penetrate Lead, Frequency: Uncommon]) [8PP] (Magic Aura Vision, "Eyes of Ios") Vulnerability (Visual Sensory effects, while Super-Senses are active, Frequency: Uncommon, Intensity: Minor [+1 DC]) [-1PP] Device 7 (35PP Container [Passive, Permanent], Flaws: Easy-To-Lose, Feats: Restricted [All powers except the Staff Strike are restricted to Magic users]) [22PP] (Magic Staff) Environment Control 1 (Light [Level 2], Area: 5ft radius, Extras: Action 2 [Free], Flaws: Range [Touch]) [3PP] ("Abbridon's Lantern") Magic Staff 14 (28PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 4) [32PP] Base Power: [5PP] (Staff Strike) Damage 2 (Feats: Accurate, Extended Reach [10ft], Mighty) [5PP] Alternate Power: [28PP] (Azure Aura, "Abbridon’s Healing Touch") Healing 9 (Extras: Action [Standard], Restorative, Flaws: Limited [Others], Feats: Extended Reach [10ft]) [28PP] Alternate Power: [28PP] (Golden Aura, "Abbridon's Rebuke") Damage 6 (Extras: Linked [Trip], Feats: Accurate, Extended Reach [10ft], Knockback 8 [Effective Damage 18], Mighty) [17PP] Trip 10 (Extras: Knockback, Linked [Damage], Flaws: Range [Touch], Feats: Improved Throw) [11PP] Alternate Power: [28PP] (Violet Aura, "Ghost Strike," "Soul Strike," "Abbridon’s Judgement") Drain Wisdom 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Linked [Damage], Feats: Accurate, Extended Reach [10ft], Drawbacks: Full Power) [11PP] Damage 6 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will, 10 ranks], Linked [Drain], Feats: Mighty) [17PP] Alternate Power: [28PP] (Crimson Aura, "Jaws of Vhoka The Devourer") Drain Toughness 10 (Extras: Affects Objects, Linked [Damage], Feats: Accurate, Extended Reach [10ft], Incurable, Drawbacks: Full Power) [22PP] Damage 6 (Extras: Linked [Drain], Feats: Mighty, Drawbacks: Lethal) [6PP] Magic 5 (10PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 8) [18PP] Base Power: [10PP] (Channeling Raw Magical Energy, Chaos Magic, "Flames of Phoros") Drain Toughness 9 (Extras: Affects Objects, Area [General, Burst, 45ft radius], Linked [Damage, Nullify], Flaws: Distracting, Limited [Objects], Limited [Machines], Side-Effect [Damage], Drawbacks: Full Power) [2PP] Damage 9 (Extras: Area [General, Burst, 45ft radius], Linked [Drain, Nullify], Flaws: Distracting, Limited [Objects], Limited [Machines], Side-Effect [Damage]) [3PP] Nullify 9 (All “Technology” effects, Extras: Area [General, Burst, 45ft radius], Linked [Damage, Drain], Flaws: Distracting, Range [Touch], Side-Effect [Damage]) [5PP] Alternate Power: [10PP] (Conjuring Spells, "Weyan’s Wheel of Workings") Create Object 1 (Max Volume: 1 5ft cube, Lifting Strength: 5 [Heavy Load: 50 lbs.], Extras: Duration [Continuous], Range [Perception], Feats: Innate, Precise, Progression [Object Toughness] 5 [Max Toughness: 6], Subtle, Drawbacks: Power Loss 2 [When unable to speak and gesture, Frequency: Common]) [10PP] Alternate Power: [9PP] (Element/Energy Control Spells) Drain Toughness 1 (Extras: Affects Objects, Linked [Damage], Range 2 [Perception], Feats: Precise, Subtle, Variable Descriptor 2 [Any "Magic"], Drawbacks: Power Loss 2 [When unable to speak and gesture, Frequency: Common]) [6PP] Damage 1 (Extras: Linked [Drain], Range 2 [Perception]) [3PP] Alternate Power: [10PP] (Dimensional Magic, "Ahgrazul’s Vault") Dimensional Pocket 1 (Extras: Duration 3 [Continuous, Lasting], Flaws: Medium [Existing pockets and containers], Requires Grapple, Feats: Progression [Cargo] 8 [25 tons], Subtle, Drawbacks: Power Loss 2 [When unable to speak and gesture, Frequency: Common]) [10PP] Alternate Power: [10PP] (Force Magic, Telekinesis, "Hands of Lamal") Move Object 1 (Lifting Strength: 5 [Heavy Load: 50 lbs.], Extras: Area [General, Burst], Damaging, Range [Perception], Selective, Feats: Precise, Progression [Area Size] 4 [100ft/rank = 100ft radius], Subtle, Drawbacks: Power Loss 2 [When unable to speak and gesture, Frequency: Common]) [10PP] Alternate Power: [9PP] (Divination Magic, Rune-Casting Ritual) Super-Senses 8 (Postcognition, Precognition, Extras: Simultaneous, Drawbacks: Action 4 [1 minute], Noticeable, Power Loss 2 [When unable to conduct ritual, draw an elaborate circle on the ground, and/or when deprived of specially prepared rune stones, Frequency: Common]) [9PP] Alternate Power: [10PP] (Divination Magic, Finding Spell) Telelocation 7 (Range: 200 miles, Extras: Duration [Sustained, Lasting], Flaws: Limited [Only learns the target's direction relative to him, not their exact location], Medium [Requires a piece of the target, or an object heavily infused with the target's resonance], Feats: Progression [Counter Rank / Saving Throw] 2 [Rank 9 / DC19], Rapid 8 [x100,000,000, Take 20 to Search maximum area in less than a second as a Free Action], Drawbacks: Action [1 minute], Noticeable, Power Loss 2 [When target is hidden behind a lead barrier, or when deprived of specially prepared compass, Frequency: Common]) [10PP] Alternate Power: [10PP] (Dimensional Magic, Folding Space, Teleportation, "Gates of Ios") Teleport 4 (Range: 1 mile, Extras: Accurate, Portal [Duration: Concentration], Flaws: Action [Move Action to open portal], Distracting [Flat-Footed on any round when he opens or maintains a portal], Medium [Existing Doors], Feats: Change Direction, Dimensional [Between Earth-Prime and Pocket Dimension HQ], Progression [Portal Size] 1 [10ft x 10ft], Subtle, Drawbacks: Power Loss 2 [When unable to speak and gesture, Frequency: Common]) [10PP] Alternate Power: [10PP] (Transmutation Spells) Transform 1 (Any Inanimate Object Into Any Other Inanimate Object, Extras: Duration [Continuous, Lasting], Range [Perception], Feats: Progression [Mass] 3 [10 lbs.], Precise, Subtle, Drawbacks: Power Loss 2 [When unable to speak and gesture, Frequency: Common]) [10PP] Examples of "Minor Transmutation Spells": Transform locked objects into unlocked objects. Transform broken/torn objects into repaired/mended objects. Transform dirty objects into clean objects. Transform wet objects into dry objects. Change the temperature of an object, to hot, cold, or lukewarm. Heat up food. Chill a drink. Change the taste of food or drink by transforming it into a differently-seasoned version of itself. Change the color of an object. Inscribe text onto an object, or erase text from an object. Abilities (36) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (15) + Skills (27) + Feats (5) + Powers (86) - Drawbacks (0) = 185/187 Power Points

OOC thread for this. Salvo and Dio go ghost-hunting. @Zeitgeist Blue

Friday, October 26th 2018, concurrent with Let's Fall in Like Athletic Field The Autumn Dance was still thrumming away in the Auditorium, Astrid's raucous guitar roaring and screaming into the night, as two of Claremont Academy's magically-inclined students went out on an impromptu ghost-hunt. "I believe it to be here." Dio stabbed at the ground with his powerful tail, the junior hierophant having prowled and sniffed at the baseball diamond for a good minute after they'd arrived "But my skills for divining secret tunnels are...they're not very good." Cocking a head at Nicole Whitfield-Hall, AKA the teen runesmith Salvo, wielder of the mighty battle suit known as Bellios, the young green dragon asked "Can you see anything? You've got several different kinds of sensors, if I remember rightly. The book didn't mention anything about any security, but fair enough to guess Summers wouldn't want just anyone prying about. That at least is familiar, the obsession with secrets." Sitting on his haunches, the reptile gazed about the school grounds. "It's difficult to believe that this is Earth. It looks, feels and smells so different from the Earth I know." The Academy grounds were eerily quiet and deserted. A few lights were on in the dormitories, but most of the students were dancing or partying elsewhere. A cold, sharp wind blew in from the sea, carrying with it salt and a rattling in the branches of the towering oak trees that loomed high above the pair. In greener months, the oaks were a comforting, reliable presence. But now they stood like eruptions of bone in the harsh, distant electric lights lining the walkways.

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.

OOC thread for rolls and resolutions for thread. Weird times in Small Town, Arizona, U.S.A. Nick, Equinox and Pitch investigate!

GM June 12th, 2014, 4.45 PM, Half-Moon Summit Park, west Springsvale, Arizona "Found it like this. Last week." said Jane Aqui as she climbed out of the truck, the middle-aged park ranger tilting her broad brown hat a little farther from her eyes, the better to squint at the ungainly, smelly heap in front of her. She'd kept a polite few feet from the new arrivals since first meeting them, the odd crew seeming to get a little more awe even than the usual outside the world's super-capital. Even the evidently taciturn Jane had dug a little deeper than the usual "Can you really do magic?" that seemed to come up every time they were recognized. Which admittedly had been twice. Springsvale wasn't much. At the best of times, and especially when perched a few hundred feet above the valley the town stood in, it was compact and industrious, a collection of pale houses, a brightly-painted school and dark warehouses, offices and factories hugging miles of the scrub-rich eastern bank by a small, fast-running, very blue river, the town's dusty road running south to the I-15 highway only a few miles distant. A few bits of suburbia spilled away from the river, looking very much like fingers on some skeletal hand. Somewhere behind them, far out of sight past the hills, lurked the rugged Grand Canyon's eastern end. Far below, another truck pulled into town, one of dozens they'd seen since getting to Springsvale forty-seven minutes ago. Small ponds and rivlets spilled away from the main Springwater, but beside those distractions it ran as direct as compass point. They weren't there for the sights, though. At least, not the natural, or man-made ones. They had been called here to deal with the giant snake lying in a dead, mouldering heap in front of them, surrounded by sickly-glowing runes. A small camp of white tents had sprung up in another clearing about 50 yards away, from Phoenix University judging by the emblem a few of the laughing, chatting twenty-somethings and dignified-looking elders sported, and the comically grand white-red flag. The heat and wind hadn't been kind to the corpse, it was bleached enough to disguise whatever color it had been before, and was now a feeble yellow-brown. It was lying on its back, belly cut open and resting a gaping, sunken head on its coils. It was already sagging from decay. They had been able to smell it long before they saw it. Ranger Aqui cleared her throat "Gathered you folks knew about this...kind of thing. Heard it from those kids who do that show about the town. It's not normally that strange. 'Least not giant-snake-strange." She turned her squint to the ghoulishly-painted necromancer, the robed witch, and the biker-looking woman with the stick "So..." her squint turned quizzically to the deceased serpentine object of their distress "...what's this mean?"

GM An abandoned hotel on lantern Hill, Freedom City, Earth 2014, June 12th, 12.02 PM It had started small, like most problems do. Something that caught the eye, but easily dismissed as a trick of the light, hazy memory, or the work of an over-active imagination. Then it got bigger, more clear, harder to ignore. Maybe window shivered like rubber, someone's faced changed in the flicker of a second, something you knew you'd seen, maybe you heard the asphalt speak to you. That was when the first suspicions arose. Then Eldrich appeared, in full view of the public, warning the world about an encroaching, overpowering evil that needed to be destroyed He swore to uphold his duty as Master Mage and die, if necessary, to save all. Gathering a band of other heroes, he and they departed to battle the new threat. That was a month ago. But the inklings didn't stop. They grew. They weren't frequent, and almost none could detect them, but those who beheld had no doubts any more that something was very wrong. Now, three of bustling Freedom City's heroes have gathered in a secluded place, a broken-down old hotel on the far side of stately and severe Lantern Hill, to discuss their discoveries and determine what, if anything, can be done about this mystery,

What: Master Mage Adrian Eldrich, in a ludicrous display, loses one of his manifold off-screen battles with monstrous, mystical madmen from beyond the veil! Not only is he conquered, but his body is turned into a facile puppet and his soul enslaved! Said conqueror(their identity unknown) promptly rolls into the World of Freedom, seizing the mystic reins unseen and and directing the dimension's very essence into one more suited to their will. They masquerade as the good-hearted magus to the rest of the dimension, but bit by bit, enough pieces fall out of alignment(weird things happening to physics when 'Eldrich' is supposedly fighting otherwordly beings; powers, people, places or memories altering at seeming random for the smallest fractions of seconds), enough clues are found by the wary or specially-attuned, for a smattering of Earth's denizens to realize something is very wrong. And that larger changes are soon to come. The thread starts with the rebels first banding together and pooling their discoveries, in conjunction with a rare public address by 'Eldrich'... Who: 3-5 PCs, PL open, no theme necessary. Alternate takes on said PCs welcomed. How: That's largely up to the players once they've gotten a game plan. Taking the fight to the Dark Lord, gathering support and power by public words and deeds, seeking aid from beyond Earth or the physical world, even pretending to ally themselves with the two-faced sorcerer, the options are all open. Depending on how play goes, it can skew anywhere from being a massive brawl against the forces of world-warping evil, a subtler, skill-focused game or anything in between or outside those boundaries.

Out-of-character discussion and resolution thread, compatriot of thread where Babybrawler, Equinox and Foreshadow II deal with a little Dark Lord problem... EDIT: Note that things can have plenty of slight, flavor differences between this and the 'real' Freedom City. For instance, the location of Parkhurst.

What: Mysterious happenings at a small town in southern Arizona, which overnight has somehow become a thriving mini-metropolis, lead magically-affiliated heroes to the scene. Who: 3-4 magic-affiliated heroes, any PL. How: All magical slamdowns and bizarre magic traps all the time, relatively little interaction or other Skill requirements. So yeah, already told Supercape and trollthumper the details, but if anyone would be more interested if they knew more of the 'backstory' of the thread, just ask and I'll send a PM. Think of it as Dr. Fate and Pals go to Night Vale.

GM Lantern Hill, 537 Herge St. 5.06AM, Thursday, 10th October, 2013 The black knight had seemed like bad news from the start. At first it had just been Morgan's contacts in the realm of spirits earlier that week, mentioning some change in Avalon that wasn't to everyone's liking, some new contender who was trying to shake things up. Such usually raised hell for a few months then withdrew from the world stage, but this one had persisted. Even a few of the lesser Fair Folk lords and ladies gathered to their cause. Then the Order sensed a surge of power in places once associated with vanished Camelot, a surge that had erupted in a magical torrent and then flung itself across the ocean like a hunting hound. The warning they had sent to their agent Blodeuwedd in the States had been vague enough but charged with unease. Watch for someone using the old ways. So when the black knight emerged full-blown on the scene, bursting from the South River to chase down a stolen car on his magnificent black mare in the Boardwalk, it had seemed at once suspicious and too much of a coincidence to be right. At first the strange chevalier's silence was a note against him, his refusal to speak and deft avoidance of even the lightest contact with other heroes or the press something troubling. Then as he had started doing more regular heroic work, for a time all seemed at peace as the strange silent knight fought for the innocent on Lantern Hill, joining the ranks of the cities many strange heroes... ...then Crow had heard a dire warning from the grumpy dwarf who lived under the ramshackle house on 537. The dwarf was a refugee from some struggle between Avalon and the Norse gods, a good informant(if churlish) on the goings-on in the largely unknown world that lived beside Freedom City. Only half an hour ago the letter had arrived at Parkhurst, asking for the pair to meet him so he could tell them something he had learned about their new comrade-in-arms. When they arrived they had found the cramped and crammed basement all but trashed and the dwarf a still corpse on the starkly-lit floor, with a knife wound in his back. The conspicuous lack of blood somehow made it that much worse.

Player Name: Elegy Character Name: Gloaming Power Level: 10 (150/157PP) Trade-Offs: None Unspent Power Points: 7 Progress To Bronze Status: 7/30 In Brief: A young mage, displaced by death and time, commanding a power between Light and Shadow. Alternate Identity: Seth Syme Identity: Public (But Not Widely Known) Birthplace: Freedom City Occupation: Sorcerer Affiliations: Presently None Family: Long Deceased Description: Age: 339 (DoB: April 22, 1674) Physical Age: 20 Gender: Male Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5'11" Weight: 163 lbs Eyes: Glowing Orange (Originally Blue) Hair: Brown Though rather tall in his day, Seth is of average height and build in the present. Indeed, he would hardly stand out in a crowd, neither muscular nor flabby, graceful nor clumsy, handsome nor ugly, if not for his stranger features. Deep orange light burns in his eyes, glowing through the cloth patch that covers the ragged socket on the right as well as from the healthy orb on the left, the eerie luminescence of his mage sight. His chosen attire turns heads just as surely. Spandex and battlesuits are familiar heroic attire in Freedom City, but the doublet and overcoat fell out of fashion long ago and never looked back. To Seth, however, the garments are familiar and somehow comforting. Made of sturdy leather, cotton, and canvas connected with crisscrossing straps and buckles, they allow Seth considerable freedom of movement while also holding up well in battle. To others, however, they can seem alien and off-putting. Few get close enough to him to observe any of his more hidden characteristics: the rope burn scars around his neck, half concealed by his collar; the brass bracelet, engraved with twining runes that clings to his left forearm; the constant but subtle movements of his hands and lips; the fact that, beneath it all, he is still very young, and that vengefulness, regret, and determination burn beneath the fire in his one good eye. Power Descriptions: Gloaming's base of operations is the old Syme family mansion, Havenglen House, once again inhabited by a scion of the family after centuries of abandonment. Seth not only reconstructed the building but also placed powerful wards on it: intruders who get past arcane-locked doors are faced with magic missiles, ghostly chains, a crushing sense of fear or despair, and the wrath of the ghostly caretakers. The house, even larger on the inside than the sprawling manor would suggest, also contains an excellent library and workroom. Seth wears a thick brass bracelet worked with runes on his left forearm, rumored to be a creation of the Dwarves of old. The magics woven into it provide some measure of protection to his mind and body, complementing skills honed in combat. The Soul Guard turns away attacks on his will, a constant threat to any mage, while runes of warding slow and soften deadly blows. The bracelet also sustains him in even the most hostile of environments. Far more obvious is the constant glow of Seth's "Second Sight", flickering pools of deep orange that sit atop his eyes. This allows him to "see" magic itself, its concentrations and manifestations, so that demons and sorcerers cannot possibly hide from him. The association with his eyes is only a mental crutch, a way of conceptualizing a sense he was not born with. Yet with magic the figurative can have literal implications; the symbolic act of covering his sight (with, say, a blindfold) negates his Second Sight as well. Yet the greatest power Seth wields, the Dusk sorcery that lies between purifying, healing Light and corrupting, violating Dark, is also the least apparent, at least when he is at rest. In time of need, however, this cosmic power comes roaring to his side, an unbound and unaligned force to be shaped to his will. With it he can open portals across vast distances, speak and learn mind to mind, lift and move great weights with a gesture, and strike down his foes in body and soul. And each manifestation is accompanied by the tremulous orange light of Dusk... History: The struggle between Light and Dark, they say, is timeless, a battle between countless entities of unknowable power that has raged since long before even the Lemurians of old first brought forth fire to warm their cold blood. Master Mages and Dark Lords, holy bastions and Netherworlds, angels and demons; it would seem that all of creation is at war for eternity. Yet there exist those entities who remain aloof, pursuing their own ends. Aloof, but not inactive. And their power, too, is great. In the Year of Our Lord 1674, the census would show, a branch of the prosperous Syme family (one of the First Families of Virginia) would relocate north. The head of the household, wealthy tobacco merchant Samuel Syme, worried about the effects of Jamestown's miserable climate on his wife Klara, who was then heavy with child. He had spent several years preparing a new home for his future family by building a roomy estate, Havenglen House, on the outskirts of Freedom. Samuel's carefully-judged timing proved worthy; not only was his son Seth born hale and healthy, with Klara surviving her labor, but Jamestown was put to the torch by Bacon's Rebellion only two years hence. Comfortably semi-retired, with his modest sized but lucrative trading company run largely through intermediaries, Samuel set out to raise his family. Six more children followed Seth, filling Havenglen's halls with laughter and the patter of feet. Samuel and Klara gave to each child all the time and love they could muster, doing their best to raise good Christians and foster clever, productive minds. On the last of these, however, Seth continued to frustrate them. The boy was bright, but far more a dreamer than a doer. It soon became obvious that a younger sibling should take over the family business, for Seth had no head for it. To him they offered two paths: a scholar or a priest. Seth was not interested in the priesthood, but even if he had been the choice would have been clear. His love for books, for knowing, was a voracious, consuming love that caused no small amount of expense; books were difficult to come by in the colonies, especially on the sorts of esoteric subjects Seth preferred. For Seth, despite wanting for nothing that he needed, was discontent with the world. He wanted excitement, knowledge, and (most of all) control of his destiny. There was some talk of sending him to England for schooling, but little came of it. Instead he joined a small circle of young scholars meeting in taverns and private houses alike. They discussed history, philosophy, theology, and myth, spending what money they could scrape together on new books (and the occasional curio) from the Continent. Most of them were only dabblers, laughing at the idea that any of what they discussed could be real. Most, but not all of them. Because that was where he met her. Emmaline Eyre wasn't much like the others. She was wild, with an infectious energy that sent lightning racing through Seth's veins whenever she touched him. And she believed, wholeheartedly, that there was truth in the old stories. More than that, she believed there were instructions. She bore the mockery of the others with fierce pride, and a combination of attraction, admiration, and fascination left Seth falling head over heels for her. It only intensified when she showed him that she was right. She cast a spell before his very eyes, and when the panic subsided the hunger for knowledge rumbled again. Bit by bit, morsel by morsel, she taught him, and as they drew closer he withdrew from all else. With her guidance he opened his mind and felt, for the first time, as magic flowed across his perception like the wind, sometimes gentle and sometimes fierce. All he had to do to ride it was to craft a sail. But that proved more difficult. Seth was not a man of incredible willpower, guile, or force of personality; he could not simply demand control and expect it to come into being, Emmaline gently explained. He needed to channel the might of an entity that could do so, and there was a cost to such things. But Seth was eighteen years old and full of confidence, and when he touched magic, however briefly, he knew in his heart that he had found his true calling. Almost any cost was worth that. And so, like Odin before him, he gave an eye to gain wisdom. Cosmic power raced to his side the moment the ritual was complete, cutting through the pain with a joy both savage and free. His first efforts were shaky, some uncertain, some overconfident; magic is energy, ever moving and impossible to contain, and it twisted away from him like a serpent when he handled it incorrectly. But with Emmaline as his guide he made steady progress, and in the span of a year he was capable of feats beyond his wildest dreams. The power, Emmaline explained, was called Dusk Magic. Conflict older than Earth itself had left the energies of Light and Shadow strewn across the world, and where they had mingled they had gradually became something else entirely. The result was a force that was inherently neither good nor evil, with equal potential to devour light with darkness or dispel darkness with light. The two young mages, however, had no interest in either possibility. Magic was simply their tool, and their joy. It was not to last, for their careless use of their powers drew the attention of the Reverend Elijah Prophet. The priest's witch hunt, which had seen the deaths of many innocents on the merest suspicion of sorcery, could hardly miss such blatant use of arcane powers, and when he came to Freedom in 1694 a mob soon followed to beat down Seth's door. The young man was terrified. He and Emmaline, for all their power, could not stand before Prophet, and if he resisted his family might be hurt, too. As the wood of the door, held by his magics, began to buckle and warp beneath the mob's blows, Emmaline hit upon a plan. They would bind their spirits to objects, Seth to the ancient Dwarven shield bracelet she had given him and she to an enchanted porcelain mask, and when the mob arrived there would be no sorcerers to find. Seth began the ritual she provided, working his magic as swiftly and skillfully as he could, and soon his beloved was sealed safely away. But the door burst inward before he could repeat the process for himself. Seized by Prophet and his men, Seth was bound and taken to the courthouse. Of the twelve people hanged in Freedom for witchcraft, he was the only one who pleaded guilty; there was no use denying it. He looked prosecutor Lucius Cabot square in the eye and told him, one hand on the Bible, that he had never hurt anyone with his power, and that it was not an evil force. That answer availed him nothing. Seth swung beside the others the next morning, and that might have been the end. When he awoke, he found himself in the void. Around him was an endless expanse of nothing. He could not feel nor see nor hear nor smell, only wait, alone with his thoughts. He waited for more than three hundred years, and would surely have gone mad if he had been allowed to do so. But that would have been a reprieve, a way of coping with his punishment, and it was not permitted to him. He could only think that he was in Hell, alone in the absence of God. But he was not entirely correct. After what truly seemed an eternity, Seth found that he was not alone. A being had materialized before him, a creature formed of the same deep orange energy as his magic. It explained that it was the Twilight Angel, born of the mingling of energies caused by the conflict between Abbridon the Light of Righteousness and Kar'Kradas the Whisperer in Shadows. Seth, it claimed, had been deceived. All his learning of magic had been the scheme of another. Emmaline, the Twilight Angel claimed, was not who Seth believed her to be. It was no accident that the beautiful young woman had chosen relatively homely Seth Syme, dreamer and provider of nothing, out of the group of young scholars. The ritual that had cost Seth an eye was a shortcut, not standard procedure. She had sworn her soul to the Twilight Angel in exchange for power, but when the time had come to collect Seth had sealed her away where she could not be reached, shunting the debt onto himself. Indeed, Emmaline was not even human, but something far older and stranger. The girl he'd loved had been nothing more than an illusion, a carefully-constructed facade behind which a malicious intelligence lurked. Once Seth would have simply refused to believe, but centuries of punishment had broken him of stubbornness, and the revelation broke him all the more. He could not deny that every piece of it made sense; years of his life has been masterfully played away. But the Twilight Angel made him a bargain: find the mask he had used the binding ritual on and destroy it, releasing the soul within to its rightful custody, and Seth's soul would be freed. There was no true choice; Seth knew not what it was to die with his soul unclaimed, but to live again and take the chance must be better than a bleak eternity of bitter loneliness. And so the Angel filled him with the knowledge he would need, both of the arcane and of the modern world, and raised him to life. Seth clawed his way out of a rotted coffin and an unmarked grave with a fire in his heart. Now he knew what it felt like to be hurt, to be used, and he swore that he would evermore use his power (now greater than ever) to prevent others from suffering such hurts and manipulations. Though Freedom has changed in ways that, had the Twilight Angel not warned him, he could not have imagined, he still works to protect its people from threats mundane and magical. To do so, he took on the name of Gloaming, Mage of the Cosmic Dusk. And ever he pursues rumors of an enchanted porcelain mask... Personality & Motivation: Since his return, Seth is a man with a mission. He is swift, decisive, and to-the-point without being rash, willing to adapt on the fly or power on through as the situation demands. His self-appointed task is deeply important to him, but he is careful to ensure that it does not become his only reason to be; having lost his life once, he appreciates every new experience all the more deeply, and enjoys the company of others thoroughly while he has the time with them. Betrayal, death, and torment have left their mark, however. Seth makes sure that he pursues every task with his whole heart and mind because he knows that, if he stops to contemplate too much, bitterness and hurt will worm their way to the surface of his mind. He is polite and respectful of everyone he meets, but finds it difficult to get close to anyone even when some large part of him wants to. His rejuvenated body is yet young; the age of his mind is more difficult to define. Powers & Tactics: Seth is not intrinsically a violent person, but he recognizes that violence is sometimes the only way to keep a situation from getting any worse. Armed with new knowledge from the Twilight Angel that far surpasses the simple cantrips he once cast, he is well-equipped to deal with any foe. Whether restraining or crushing with telekinesis or blasting away at mind or body, he is exceptionally deadly to just about any foe at range. All-comprehending telepathy and the ability to open portals provide him with excellent utility as well. Complications: Changed World: The Twilight Angel gave Seth enough information about the modern world to cope with it, but the sweeping changes from his own time to now still take his breath away at times. He was always open-minded for his time, but logic that seems simple by modern standards sometimes escapes him. Knowing that his whole family died long, long ago, and seeing the ruins or tourist traps that have become of places he knows, also tends to fill him with melancholy. Conditional Release: Seth's soul is free, but the Twilight Angel retains its hold on him until he shatters the enchanted mask. This is understandably a priority for Seth; if the Angel feels it wasn't a good investment, it may send servants to cut losses and collect. This looming possibility colors Seth's interactions; he would very much like to use his magic for solely selfless reasons, but if he doesn't look like he's making progress he may lose the chance to use his magic at all. Different Inside: Three hundred years of semi-Hell have not left as much of a mark as you might think on Seth; the Twilight Angel wanted him to be an effective agent, after all. It's as though he died one day and woke up centuries later the next, but fragments of the half-remembered nightmare still bounce around in his head. He has horrifying dreams and flashbacks from time to time, leaving him sleepless or momentarily paralyzed. If he was asked what he feared most, he would answer "eternity". Hatred and Hurt: Seth truly and honestly loved Emmaline; after all, she was created from his own subconscious desires. It would have broken him utterly to think that she betrayed him; to know that she was just an illusion instead fills him with deep hatred for the being that used him through her image, one that sometimes overpowers his good sense. And then there's Lucius Cabot, who saw Seth hanged; Cabot probably doesn't remember Seth after many lifetimes of misdeeds, but Seth sure remembers him. It's Called Second Sight!: Most mages train for decades before they are considered ready to face the world; Seth, for all his power, has only been slinging spells for two years, empowered by shortcuts few would dare or even want to take. As a result, his mind remains more limited than his true ability, forcing him to rationalize magic or go insane. He still thinks of his ability to detect magic, for example, as "second sight", meaning that the symbolic act of covering his eyes blinds that actually non-visual sense. Where'd That Come From?!: Havenglen House disappeared from its place on Lantern Hill the day that Seth was hanged, leaving only a hole in the ground; it was spirited away into the void by the Twilight Angel to keep safe as a future asset. The land on which it stood has resisted all attempts at replacement construction, justified with the sort of haunting stories that arise frequently in Freedom's oldest district. The house reappeared when Seth was reborn, but he doesn't actually own the land, and his new neighbors aren't exactly thrilled. Abilities: 0 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 2 + 2 = 14PPStrength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 12 (+1) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 12 (+1) Charisma: 12 (+1) Combat: 12 + 10 = 22PP Initiative: +9 (+1 Dex, +8 [improved Initiative]) Attack: +5 Melee (+9 Magic), +2 Ranged (+10 Magic) Grapple: +5, +20 Telekinesis Defense: +10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -5, -2 Flat-Footed Saving Throws: 7 + 8 + 8 = 23PP Toughness: +10 (+2 Con, +6 [Defensive Roll], +2 [Protection]), +4 Flat-Footed Fortitude: +9 (+2 Con, +7) Reflex: +9 (+1 Dex, +8) Will: +9 (+1 Wis, +8), +12 vs Mental Effects (+3 [Mind Shield]) Skills: 80R = 20PP Concentration 11 (+12) Craft (Artistic) 13 (+15)Skill Mastery Diplomacy 11 (+12)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 13 (+15)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Theology and Philosophy) 10 (+12) Notice 11 (+12)Skill Mastery Sense Motive 11 (+12) Feats: 19PP Attack Focus (Ranged) 1 Attack Specialization (Magic) 2 Defensive Roll 3 Dodge Focus 4 Equipment 4 Fearless Improved Initiative 2 Ritualist Skill Mastery (Craft [Artistic], Diplomacy, Knowledge [Arcane Lore], Notice) Equipment 4PP = 20EP Headquarters: Havenglen House [20EP] Powers: 12 + 37 + 7 = 56PP Device 3 (Magic; Extra Effort applies to wielder; 15PP Container; Flaws: Hard-To-Lose) [12PP] (Shield Bracelet) Magic 16.5 (33 Point Array, Feats: Alternate Power 4) [37PP] (Cosmic Sorcery) Super-Senses 8 (Detect Magic 3 [Mental]: Accurate, Acute, Extended [100ft Increments], Ranged; Drawbacks: Noticeable) [7PP] (Second Sight) Drawbacks: (-3) + (-1) = -4PP Disability (One Eye [-4 to Ranged attacks]; Frequency: Common; Intensity: Moderate) [-3PP] Power Loss: (Magic [if unable to gesture]; Frequency: Uncommon; Intensity: Minor) [-1PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Blast 1 Ranged DC25 Fortitude Damage (Magical) Blast 2 Ranged DC25 Will Damage (Magical) Confuse Ranged DC20 Will Confusion (Magical) Snare Ranged DC20 Reflex Snared (Magical) Telekinesis Ranged DC25 Toughness Damage (Physical) Unarmed Touch DC15 Toughness Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities (14) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (23) + Skills (20) + Feats (19) + Powers (56) - Drawbacks (4) = 150/157 Power Points

GM Claremont Academy, Freedom City April 14th, Sunday, 11.59AM Another crisp, breezy spring day in Freedom City was at its height. The sun shone weakly down through a thick bank of clouds that hadn't shown any sign of leaving since morning, a gentle sea breeze was rushing across the Bayview Hill, and Claremont Academy was its usual quiet self. The grounds were well-populated, dotted with the school's outlandish students taking a breather from learning how to be the heroes the world would need. Most students were either off-campus or enjoying the outdoors before the week started the next morning and they would be stuck inside once more. Koshiro McMillan and Kimber Storm were among them, the paper-manipulator and poltergeist sharing a rare stroll together on the path threading around Claremont's lawn. Everything was going very well, until the golden eagle landed with a thud on the path a few feet in front of them. Looking up at the pair, it got unsteadily to its feet, croaked and offered them a talon ringed by a thin band of silver holding a small scroll.