Search the Community

GM July 31st, Late Evening It was a hot, languid night, with hot, languid tempers lolling this way and that on the streets of Freedom City. The Docks were cooler, thank the Gods, with the sea air gently taking the dge of the heat. 'Twas here that the Scarab spied. Mind reading was a handy talent for a crime fighter. From street thugs to shady dealers, it got her the inside scoop on todays deal. A meeting. Someone from the underground villanous organisation, the Labyrinth ,was meeting an arms salesman. The nervous salesman had arrived by boat under cover of night. He was a small, twitchy man, with a North African look to him, and a thick beard. He might well appear to the ignorant or malicious, a terrorist from first glance. A reason indeed for him to be twitchy. He was waiting, twitching away, when a black sedan drove up beside him, and three much larger men got out. "What have you got?" "I...I...can't bring it here" said the North African man. "...I can't get it into the states. It's...unstable, you see? Risky...very risky...." The large men seemed distinctly unimpressed. "It's real, I tell you...look!" said the North African man, showing them a video clip on his phone. This made the large men much more impressed after they saw the clip...

The sun settled slowly beneath the horizon, though the spires of Freedom City had already blocked its light from reaching the miserable Fens for hours before. The Fens were not normally an upbeat part of Freedom City, and many of the city's upstanding residents would really have rather ignored the Fens' existence. This evening, however, something had changed - there was a low buzz of tension in the air, an excitement edged with true terror that not even the Fens' residents could really believe was there. "-you heard about the new club?" "You mean the-" "-hear they give out-" "That's crazy, no one would-" "- my brother's best friend can shoot fire out of his -" Rumors filled the streets of a new means of getting what the people of the Fens deserved (whatever that was). A club - or maybe a bar, no one was really quite sure - that offered honest-to-god superpowers in the forms of drinkable beverages. Dozens of rumors filtered throughout the Fens, and even beyond, into Freedom City's better-off neighborhoods. Something was happening in the Fens, and it could spell chaos for the Fens (or the rest of the city) if it went untouched!

Welcome to the OOC thread for our first venture together everyone! @Supercape@Tiffany Korta I'm not sure what we'll use this for, but it's here anyways.

The Scarab III Player Name: Tiffany Korta Power Level: 10 [15] (214/250PP) Trade-Offs: -2 Attack / +2 Damage, -2 Defense / +2 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 36 In Brief: Genius gadgeteer with a surprising origin for her powers... Residence: Apartment in Downtown Freedom City Base of Operations: Mandjet Building, Khepri Incorporated, Downtown Freedom City. Catchphrase: Alternate Identity: Kamala Khanufasa Identity: Secret Birthplace: Jersey City, New Jersey Occupation: Engineering Entrepreneur, Owner of Khepri Incorporated Affiliations: None Family: Sana Khanufasa (Mother), Khalili Khanufasa (Father), Sorayah Khanufasa (Older Sister), Aamir Khanufasa (Older Brother) Description: Age: 28 (DoB: 31st August 1992) Gender: Female Ethnicity: Egyptian Height: 5'4" Weight: 135 lbs Eyes: Brown Hair: Black Kamala's family is descended from a long line of mixing pot that was Ancient Egyptian, having a little bit of Nubian and Greek in her ancestry, though her Egyptian roots can be traced back to the very dawn of Ancient Egypt, even if part of it is from pure myths and legends. Whilst the families appearance caused little problems in their home village or the more cosmopolitan Freedom City, they often caused them problems in the less enlightened parts of Egypt. Whilst not an unattractive woman Kamala is very aware of how her image can affect both her personal and company image. To that end, she spends a vast amount of time taking great care to craft the absolutely perfect image of a professional businesswoman. Whilst she has fully adopted West style dress she still takes great pains to accentuate it with touches from her Arabic heritage. Her superhero costume is an encompassing bodysuit in a vivid red with yellow trim that goes right from her neck to her toes. Her face is covered by a pair of oversized insect-like goggles with yellow lenses. On her back, she wears a backpack resembling a stylized scarab that contains a self-designed gravitic generator that projects a gravimetric field that allows her to fly and provides a protecting force field. On her wrists she wears a pair of intricately designed Egyptian looking vambraces, one is actually an Ancient Egyptian artifact that is the source (she believes) of her psychic abilities whilst the other one is a much more modern sonic projector of her own design that she uses as a defensive weapon. To enhance her own abilities she's designed and build a power armor that syncs up with all her other devices as well as providing additional strength and life support, in styling and coloration it is almost identical to her regular costume. Power Descriptions: Most of her crime fighting equipment has been meticulously crafted by her own hand, using cutting edge materials and techniques that she couldn't possibly afford to sell to the public. Being who she is each piece of equipment has been tested and refined down to the last nanometer until it's as close to perfection and predictable in its behavior. Despite this, she is still constantly tinkering on a series of spares of the various devices to try and improve them even more than they are right now, including improvements from the most cutting edge research. The actual styling's of the devices are inspired from Art-Deco designed to suggest the Scarab beetle, along with a heavy touch of Ancient Egyptian styling. She has chosen the red and yellow colouration for the costume to match those of the previous Scarab(s) as it just seemed to feel right to honor those who name she is using. On the top of her fierce intelligence, Kamala also has a natural untapped psychic potential, a family legacy triggered by her close proximity to the ancient vambrace. At the moment it's just fairly simple and obvious telepathy but it has a potential to develop into something much more powerful. Kamala doesn't actually realize she has this potential and mistakenly believes that the psychic abilities come not from herself but from the Ancient Egyptian artifact that she wears when in costume. . History: Before she was born her family had chosen to flee their Egyptian to start a new life in the United States, not only were the Khanufasa's persecuted for their Shia faith, in a predominately Sunni country, but there was a long suspicion of the family being tomb robbers back many generations. But the family knew better-telling tales that they were descended from priestesses of Ancient Egypt, and that they had been entrusted of an ancient artifact. This artifact, an ancient vambrace, was the only thing of value they brought with them when they moved to New Jersey. Not many months after they moved to the states Kamala was born, the first of her family to be born on American soil. The artifact held some sort of fascination for Kamala since she could remember, wearing it often and even sleeping whilst wearing the vambrace, finding the object somehow comforting almost as if it was alive. When she did sleep with the device she had vivid dreams her ancestor, a great priestess of Isis, gathering some of the Ib (heart) and Shebuet (shadow) of the heroic prince Heru-Ra as he fell in battle. Preserving those part of the soul so they could serve future generations. Little did she know that these dreams were of events that happened long ago and that the vambrace had awoken abilities that had been in her family since that very priestess. From an early age Kamala showed that she was intelligent, always with a questions on her lips, and her parents encouraged her to question everything, not that they could easily stop her questioning. As she grew older her fascination with the world led to her been drawn to the engineering, and with her grades, she attended what is considered one of the finest programs in the country at Freedom Cities HIT. All this was mostly paid for by her parents, and extended family back in Egypt, who sacrificed much to ensure that she could have every opportunity that their new home allowed. She decided early on that she didn't want to work for anyone else, despite offers from several tech companies, so even before she graduated she began to work on viable products to sell and to try and gather the resources to be able to found her own company. With this money, she founded Kherpi Incorporated in Freedom City and with her business and engineering acumen it has rapidly grown over the past few years from just herself to a company employing hundreds of people. This success has allowed her and her family to enjoy a lifestyle that her family couldn't possibly imagine when they left Egypt all those years ago. For most people it would be enough to just run a successful company, but Kamala wasn't just anyone and she had an unusual form of inspiration of what else she could do. For since around the age of sixteen, Kamala began to have other dreams alongside those of Ancient Egypt, these dreams were of a woman in crimson and gold who was doing heroic deeds. It didn't take long to figure out that she was somehow linked with the current Scarab, simply by just by watching the daily news, and though she's never been sure exactly why she started having the dreams, suspecting as always it was the influence of the vambrace, but it inspired her to follow the Scarab's lead and try and help people. As well as the support she could give in her professional capacity, by offering financial aid to those less fortunate than herself, she also began to work on various devices that she could use to fight crime. After months of testing and small dry runs, she finally feels that she is ready to begin her career as a crime fighter. With the previous owner apparently out of action, Kamala has chosen to adopt the name, with every intention of giving it back if asked, to become The Scarab. Personality & Motivation: Kamala is a driven dedicated person and puts' 110% into everything that she does. As a business woman, she drives everyone hard but also drives herself just as hard if not even more so. Everything she does is worked out in meticulously down to almost the last detail. This does occasionally backfire as she can over think something to the point that she ends up doing nothing but just the planning. Even being a hero is a calculated response, why would she not help people if she has these gifts to share with the world? This thinking also allied to her business practices and as well as running a meretricious honest business she also donates a lot to charity as both herself and as Khepri Incorporated. Kamala is a devout, if moderate, Shia Muslim and tries to live her life by the tenants of her faith. Her hectic lifestyle does sometimes make it difficult to always be faithful as she'd like, but Kamala's pretty sure that God will understand the time she'll miss prayers to save the world. She see's her time spent as a hero as part of her duty to help the community, everyone in the city and beyond, and protect those who cannot protect themselves. Powers & Tactics: Kamala tends to take things cautiously trying and gather as much information as she can before she begins to tackle the problem. As long as people aren't being hurt she's prepared to wait days if necessary to find out everything to solve the issue. If she can Kamala will take pains to recompensate any losses incurred whilst she carry's on her investigations. If forced into actual conflict without time to prepare she was trying to quickly and efficiently take the enemy down, going for either the most powerful threat or those that her abilities will work the most efficiently against. Complications: Enemies old and new: The name Scarab draws the attention of quite a few super villains who would like to destroy the legacy of the Scarab once and for all. Magic Feather: Whilst Kamala is a natural psychic she doesn't actually realize that she is so empowered, believing instead that her bracelet provides the abilities technologically. If she is caught without her bracelet she cannot use any of her psychic abilities. Young, gifted and Black: As a young Arabic woman in business a lot of people underestimate her abilities or worse refuse to deal with her directly. This mainly affects her civilian personal, most seem less concerned when there being saved. Abilities: 0 + 4 + 4 + 14 + 6 + 0 = 28PP Strength: 30/10 (+10/+0) Dexterity: 14 (+2) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 24 (+7) Wisdom: 16 (+3) Charisma: 10 (+0) Combat: 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +2 Attack: +6 Base, +8 Unarmed w/ Carapace, +8 w/ Scarab's Bite Grapple: +18, +6 without Carapace Defense: +8 (+6 Base, +2 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: -11 w/ Carapace & Pack, -6 w/ Pack only, -2 w/ Carapace only, -1 w/ nothing Saving Throws: 8 + 7 + 10 = 25PP Toughness: +2/+12 (+2 Con, +10 Force Field; Impervious 10 from Carapace) Fortitude: +10 (+2 Con, +8) Reflex: +9 (+2 Dex, +7) Will: +13 (+3 Wis, +10) Skills: 128R = 32PP Computers 13 (+20)Skill Mastery Concentration 12 (+15) Craft (Electronic) 13 (+20)Skill Mastery Craft (Mechanical) 13 (+20) Disable Device 13 (+20)Skill Mastery Drive 3 (+5) Knowledge (Business) 13 (+20) Knowledge (Technology) 13 (+20)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Physical Sciences) 12 (+20) Language 2 (Ancient Egyptian, Arabic, English [Native]) Notice 7 (+10) Pilot 3 (+5) Search 3 (+10) Sense Motive 7 (+10) Feats: 18PP Beginner's Luck Benefit 2 (Wealth 2 [Rich]) Dodge Focus 2 Eidetic Memory Equipment 4 (Mandjet Building) Evasion 1 Inventor Luck 3 Master Plan Second Chance (Concentration) Skill Mastery (Computers, Craft [Electronics], Disable Device, Knowledge [Technology]) From Scarab's Eye Accurate Attack Attack Focus (Ranged) 2 Improved Aim Power Attack Equipment: 20EP = 4PP Mandjet Building (Headquarters) [20EP] This small skyscraper is a surviving 1920 Art-Deco building originally designed and built by the Rhodes family. The building is brick built and faced with limestone blocks, the blocks are decorated in an Egyptian style with the front of the building having a massive carving of two winged women (representing the goddess Isis) facing each other. The interior of the building has been totally redesigned and rebuilt making it not only ecologically friendly but able to withstand some of the perils of being in Freedom City. The top floor not only contains Kamala's office but her own private workshop and a small apartment where she can sleep when needed, though she rarely uses it preferring her own place. Size: Large [2] Toughness: +15 Features: Communications, Computer, Defense System, Fire Prevention System, Garage, Gym, Infirmary, Laboratory, Library, Living Space, Pool, Power System, Security System 3, Workshop [16] Powers: 28 + 20 + 16 + 12 + 11 = 87PP Device 7 ("Scarab's Carapace," Hi-tech Power Armor; 35PP Device, Hard to Lose) [28PP] Enhanced Strength 20 (to 30/+10) [20PP] Enhanced Feat 1 (Attack Specialization [Unarmed Attack]) [1PP] Impervious Toughness 10 [10PP] Super Strength 2 (effective lifting STR 40, heavy load 6 tons) [4PP] Device 5 ("Scarab's Bite," Hi-tech Vambrace; 25PP Device, Hard to Lose) [20PP] Sonic Projector 6 (24PP Array Feat: Alternative Power 1) [25PP] BE: Blast 12 (120ft range) [24PP] AP: Dazzle Auditory 10 (100ft range; Extra: Burst [50ft, General, Area]; Feat: Subtle) [21PP] Device 4 ("Scarab Pack," Hi-tech backpack; 20PP Device, Hard to Lose) [16PP] Flight 5 (Gravitic Repulsion, 250 mph/2,500 ft/rnd.) [10PP] Force Field 10 (Gravitic Field) [10PP] Device 3 ("Scarab's Eyes," Hi-tech Googles; 15PP Device, Easy to Lose) [12PP] Enhanced Feats 5 (Accurate Attack, Attack Focus [Ranged] 2, Improved Aim, Power Attack) [5PP] Super Senses 5 (Direction Sense, Distance Sense, Infravision, Microscopic Vision 1, Radar [Radio Sense, Accurate] {3PP}, Time Sense, Ultra-Hearing, Ultravision) [10PP] Psychic Potential 5 (10PP Array; Feat: Alternative Power 1) [11PP] BE: Mind Reading 10 [10PP] AP: Communication 6 (telepathy, 20 mile) [6PP] and Comprehend 2 (Speak and Understand all Languages) [4PP] [10PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed* Touch DC 25 Toughness Damage (Physical) Unarmed Touch DC 15 Toughness Damage (Physical) Blast Ranged DC 27 Toughness Damage (Sonic) Dazzle Ranged DC 20 Fort/Ref Dazzled (Staged) Mind Reading Perception DC 20 Will Mind Read * while wearing Carapace Totals: Abilities (28) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (25) + Skills (32) + Feats (18) + Powers (87) - Drawbacks (0) = 214/250 Power Points

April 18, 2015 Southside Hologram was on her way to visit the Howards, a young couple in their mid-twenties with a little daughter named Emma. Emma is five and a little scrapper; a soon-to-be kindergartener who has started manifesting low-level flight and telekinesis. The Howards, young parents with no reported superhuman activity in the family, are nervous about sending their little girl off to Nicholson, even though they were the ones who contacted Nicholson in the first place. The school has a team of counselors and volunteer staff to help with this kind of thing, but one thing that has a proven track record is sending out a parent volunteer to talk to the parents so they do the right thing and get their little kid the education they need. The Howards' home was a small bungalow in the Southside, a neighborhood that has begun to decline in the years since Paige first lived in Freedom City. But this little cul-de-sac is still doing well, a comfortable community of middle-class young families right at the beginning of their lives. Stepping outside, the most ominous thing Paige could see as she looked up at the little red house was a LOST DOG picture stapled to the nearest utility pole. - It had been the Scarab's last case. Well, second-to-last. In the summer of 1978, violent dreams of bloody carnage had woken Alexander Rhodes night after night, scenes of gore far too real to be imagined but with no real way to trace them to a source. He'd been in the process of developing a psionic resonator that would have allowed him to find the source of the mysterious visions, but then the Scions of Sobek had come to Freedom City, and Alexander Rhodes had never done anything else. The Scarab started seeing the visions again last week. Not the same visions; these were scenes of nature, red in tooth and claw, the brutal killing of animals by something fast and predatory - but the psychic 'color' of the visions was just the same. This time the technology does exist to help the Scarab's powers, though, and so it is that within a few days she's been able to trace the source of the visions to one particular neighborhood in the Southside, a middle-class cul-de-sac that's avoided the rising poverty in the neighborhood. - Wail's phone rang yesterday, going straight to the machine with Keith busy in class. The voice on the other end was rough and male, nobody he immediately recognized. "Wail. Come to the Southside tomorrow morning." He rattled off an address. "We need help." Click - and from a cell line that didn't pick up again when Lamar called it back.

OOC

The Scarab soared through the sky over downtown Freedom City like a bullet, her massive scarlet cape rippling behind her like a flag. She was hidden under a cloak of psychic invisibility, a command to ignore and forget her presence that only the strongest minds could resist, but a red blur would show up later on security cameras and in the backgrounds of selfies (and then soon after on social networking and microblogging feeds). Today, her target was a simple tech lab in the North End, Hallomen Advanced Experts. She floated down to the ground and walked up to the door, which opened with a thought (or, to any observers, of its own accord). Her cape continued to billow behind her, as though she were still shooting through the sky. The crimson-clad hero floated up to the reception desk. The receptionist heard a hundred voices speaking in unison inside her mind. Her cape lifted to momentarily reveal an armored suitcase floating in the air beside her. This is a matter of life and death which requires the ultimate in technological expertise.

Please let me know if any of the details I improvised need changing.

Player Name: ShaenTheBrain Character Name: The Scarab Power Level: 15(10) (232/234PP) Tradeoffs: None Power Points Unspent: 2 Progress To Gold Status: 84/90 Bronze Reward: 7PP of Equipment for The Scarab, 2PP of Equipment for >Kingsnake, 6PP of Equipment/Minions/Sidekick unclaimed Silver Reward: Bump PL7/105PP PC to PL12/180PP (>Kingsnake) In Brief: Phenomenal psionic power contained in a fragile mortal shell. Alternate Identities: Elena Guerrero (Current Incarnation), Alexander Rhodes (Previous Incarnation), Prince Heru-Ra of Egypt (Original Incarnation) Identity: Secret Birthplace: Santa Lucia, California, USA Residence: Pyramid Plaza Base of Operations: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA Occupation: Freelance Legal Consultant, Philanthropist Affiliations: Freedom City Historical Museum (Donor), Freedom City Ledger (Lifetime Subscriber), Freedom City Public Library (Donor), Freedom City University (Alumnus, Donor), Law Office of Nelson & Bannerly (Pro Bono Consultant), Rhodes Foundation (Board of Directors, Shareholder) Family: Josefina Vasquez de Guerrero (Mother, Deceased), Eduardo Guerrero (Father, Deceased) Description: Age: 34 (DoB: 1979) Ethnicity: Latina Height: 5'7" Weight: 135 lbs. Hair: Black Eyes: Brown Unlike the bright scarlet and yellow tights worn by her "predecessor," the "new" Scarab's costume consists of menacing armor plates overlapping in subdued shades of crimson and gold. The massive cape extending from under the shoulder plates never ceases to flow and billow dramatically behind her, subtly guided by her telekinesis. Careful observers will quickly realize that, even when she chooses to walk rather than fly, her feet never quite touch the ground. She cultivates an unsettling mystique with these subtle details. Out of costume, Elena Guerrero blends in with millions of other upwardly-mobile female professionals in law or big business. She tends toward tailored skirtsuits, sweaterdresses, and other outfits which could be described as "understated; feminine and elegant, but unremarkably so." She tends to wear combinations of different shades of red and gold, so as to provide convenient color-coding for the imaginary readers of the Freedom City PBP comic books. When it comes to clothing, she believes in paying for quality, rarely to the point of extravagance. Elena focuses on cerebral and scholarly pursuits to the exclusion of physical ones, and her body suffers for it. She is quite healthy, with a robust immune system, but she is not athletic. She is fortunate enough to have been born with genes which make weight more difficult to put on than to keep off, but what flesh she does carry lacks muscle tone. Her physique is petite, but doughy. Her facial features are conventionally pretty, but not exceptionally so. Power Description: The Scarab’s powers do not usually manifest visibly in their use, only in their effect. If she does choose to make them visible, then glowing auras of gold and/or scarlet appear around her (usually her head and/or hands) and/or the target(s) of the power. Sometimes, these auras take the form of spectral scarab beetles swarming over her target. History: Heru-Ra In approximately 3,000 B.C.E., Heru-Ra was the crown prince of the Egyptian Empire. He lacked interest in politics, neglecting matters of the physical world in favor of the philosophical and theological. Through a unique combination of meditation, contemplation, self-denial, physical exertion, and self-flagellation, he managed to achieve a measure of Enlightenment, thousands of years before the bodhisattvas and messiahs who would follow him. Heru-Ra awakened the part of his soul the Egyptians called the ka, gaining the power to exert his will directly upon the world around him. Heru-Ra's closest friend was the sorcerer-priest Tan-Aktor. The two young men shared an interest in the study of the paranormal, and they fought together often to defend Egypt from the supernatural threats of the ancient world. In their greatest victory, they prevented the evil sorcerer Ka-Khemet from using the stolen Milk of The Sun to help the minor god Sobek usurp control of the Egyptian pantheon. Ka-Khemet and his minions had sought to transfer their essences into the eggs of the crocodile god, emerging as immortal hybrid monsters. But the combined might of Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor defeated the sorcerers, trapping them within the eggs for all eternity. Unfortunately, Tan-Aktor's lust for power soon overshadowed his loyalties to his friend and his pharoah. Along with his treacherous lieutenant Khar-Hotep, he tried to murder the royal family and seize the throne. His coup-d'etat failed, and both he and his former comrade Heru-Ra died striking each other a death blow. With Tan-Aktor dead, punishment for the failed treason fell squarely upon Khar-Hotep, who was cursed with eternal unlife and buried alive with a horde of flesh-eating scarab beetles. When Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor stood before their gods for judgement, Heru-Ra demanded that no other but he be allowed to punish Tan-Aktor for his treachery. Impressed with his courage but insulted by his arrogance, the gods chose to punish Heru-Ra in the manner gods have always preferred above all: They gave him exactly what he asked for. Heru-Ra and Tan-Aktor were both doomed to a cycle of unending reincarnation, constantly dying and being reborn like a pair of scarab beetles from the dung. They would chase each other around the wheel of life and death, locked in eternal battle. In every new life, Heru-Ra fought to protect the innocent and uphold justice, while Tan-Aktor sunk deeper into brutality and depravity in his twofold quest to accumulate personal power and to rid himself of his eternal foe. Alexander Rhodes Alexander Rhodes was a wealthy financier and philanthropist, the C.E.O. of the Rhodes Foundation, the financial powerhouse his family had built. Rhodes had always been fascinated with Ancient Egypt, collecting every relic he could get his hands on. It wasn't until 1961 that he understood why. Like many before and since, Rhodes underwent hyponotic regression on a lark. Although meant "for entertainment purposes only," the attempt to remind Rhodes of past lives was a resounding success, revealing to him his true nature as the reincarnation of Prince Heru-Ra and reawakening his ka. With his newfound power, he put on a mask and cape and helped to usher in the resurgence of costumed superheroes as The Scarab. The Centurion and The Scarab were the the longest-running members of the original Freedom League. The Scarab’s psychic powers and diplomatic nature helped him to fulfill the role of peacemaker on the team, settling conflicts and facilitating teamwork. For nearly 20 years, he was a leader, mentor, comrade and friend to the world’s greatest heroes. Although Rhodes never personally met the Nazi sorcerer Wilhelm Kantor, he clashed frequently with agents and pawns directed by the reincarnation of his eternal nemesis. Kantor, now calling himself "OverShadow," immediately recognized The Scarab's iconography as the heraldry of Heru-Ra, and over the next two decades, he wasted countless resources in single-minded attempts to destroy his old foe. But time and time again, The Scarab and the Freedom League foiled OverShadow’s attempts at world conquest. In 1979, seeking to rid himself of his eternal foe once and for all, OverShadow recovered Sobek's eggs and removed his curse, allowing them to hatch and unleash the Scions of Sobek upon the world. OverShadow then manipulated the crocodile-headed sorcerers into hunting down The Scarab. The Scions clashed with the Freedom League at the newly-christened Pyramid Plaza, with all but The Scarab falling prey to their mind control powers. The Scarab managed to break their hold over the League with the aid of the rookie psionic hero Brainstorm, but the effort cost both heroes their lives. The general public believes that Alexander Rhodes suffered a fatal brain aneurysm. This was technically true, although the public does not know that it was related in any way to the incident at Pyramid Plaza. Daedalus fulfilled the previously agreed-upon contingency plans regarding The Scarab’s corpse. Decoy bodies were cloned. One was buried in the public grave of Alexander Rhodes, while the other was interred in a fake burial chamber in The Scarab’s Lair, the underground base Rhodes had constructed beneath the site that would eventually become Pyramid Plaza. The real body was hidden in a secret chamber of The Lair. Brainstorm was posthumously inducted into the Freedom League, and iconography depicting both him and The Scarab can be found on Heroes Knoll and all around Pyramid Plaza. In accordance with Rhodes' last will and testament, his controlling interest in the Rhodes Foundation passed to his trusted assistant, Maria Hernandez. She also inherited the secret responsibility for tending to The Scarab's Lair. Maria eventually she passed this sacred trust to her daughter, Sofia Cruz, who also eventually took her mother's place as C.E.O. of the Rhodes Foundation. Elena Guerrero Adrian Eldritch also had a role in the contingency plans for The Scarab’s death. He cast a spell which obscured any attempt to locate the next reincarnation of Heru-Ra. This protected that next incarnation from OverShadow, but also hid her from any of The Scarab’s allies. Left to her own devices, it would be nearly 30 years before she of Heru-Ra became fully aware of her own destiny. Elena Guerrero was conceived in 1979, at the moment of Alexander Rhodes’ death. Physicians had told Josefina and Eduardo that they would never conceive a child, but the soul of Heru-Ra overcame all biological barriers. Subsequent attempts by the couple to provide Elena with siblings were not successful. Josefina and Eduardo were illegal Medican immigrants, who made it over the border just in time for Elena to be born in Southern California, becoming an American citizen by default. The family settled in Santa Lucia, a small city with a large, poor Latino population, and an affluent Caucasian minority. Some children are born with a silver spoon in their mouth. Elena's parents would say that instead she was born with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. As a child, her play consisted of fantastic games of make-believe featuring brave warrior-princes clashing with evil sorcerers on ancient battlefields. There was no schoolyard bully she wouldn’t confront, and no poor child with whom she wouldn’t split her sandwich at lunch. As childhood gave way to adolescence, childish games stood aside to make room for a revolving door of “noble causes.†Elena’s parents indulged her pickets and protests with equal parts amusement and pride. An above-average student, Elena managed to win a scholarship to Freedom City University, where she earned both her undergraduate degree and her juris doctorate. As a lawyer, she planned to use “the system†to oppose injustice and oppression, to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. During her studies at FCU, Elena was amazed how Freedom City felt more like "home" to her than Santa Lucia ever did. Sometimes, she would spend hours just standing on the observation deck of Pyramid Plaza, daydreaming about flying across the skyline. Unfortunately, her graduation from FCU was a bittersweet occasion, as both of her parents had succumbed to cancer mere days before the ceremony. And these were not isolated incidents. Many people in Santa Lucia were either having difficulty conceiving children, or were dying premature, cancer-ridden deaths, as a direct result of illegal toxic waste dumping by Locusta Pharmaceuticals, a joint venture between subsidiaries of Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates (which are ultimately pawns of The Labyrinth). a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grant Conglomerates. Specifically, it was the poor Latino residents who were dying, while the upper-class Caucasian minority looked the other way. Bribing them cost Locusta less than cleaning up the dump sites and enacting new safety procedures. The townspeople finally organized a class-action lawsuit against Locusta, but they couldn't afford a lawyer. Elena, fresh out of law school, volunteered to try the case pro-bono. Despite her lack of experience, the townsfolk were enthusiastic about a local-kid-done-good spearheading the effort. They had a lawyer they could trust, a mountain of evidence, and a line of credible witnesses. It appeared to be an open-and-shut case, which is why everyone was so surprised when they lost. Witnesses either disappeared or recanted their testimony. Existing evidence was lost or destroyed, while new evidence on behalf of Locusta “appeared.†The jury didn't even bother to deliberate before handing in a verdict in favor of Locusta Pharmaceuticals. The *crack* of the judge's gavel echoed like a thunderclap in Elena's head, setting off explosions behind her eyes. Suddenly, everything became clear to her. She started hearing the thoughts of other people, some who weren’t even present at the trial. She saw past events as if they were happening right then and there in front of her. She saw the bribes, the blackmail, and the violence, all threads in the grand tapestry of atrocity Locusta had woven around Santa Lucia. Overwhelmed and demoralized, she staggered out of the courtroom, drank herself to sleep, and caught the first bus out of town. It would be her first and last case as an attorney. Her defeat completely disillusioned Elena regarding the entire legal system. It wasn’t a shield with which she could protect the innocent and defenseless. It was a bucket in which the rich and powerful could drown those people to save a few dollars on their bottom line. If the system was so easily and thoroughly subverted by Evil, then she needed to restore the balance. Elena spent the next few months learning how to control her new powers, and how to profit from them. Precognition helped her make a killing on the stock market (and in one state lottery). Telepathy paved the way for a new career as an "independent legal consultant." Her powers helped select jury members who would render a favorable verdict, and who would be resistant to coercion from the opposing side. Those same powers could verify or refute testimony, and leave no evidence uncovered. No matter what dirty tricks the opposing legal teams or their employers used to obscure the truth or distract from it, Elena’s powers let her stay one step ahead of them. None of the law firms she worked alongside knew about her superhuman abilities; they thought she was "just that good." Most of those firms paid top dollar for her services, though she would aid “underdog†causes free of charge. The money piled up faster than she could spend it. She donated most of it to charity, or gifted it anonymously to the individual victims the system had failed. But no matter how many cases she helped win for “the good guys,†or how much money she gave away, her sleep was tormented with nightmares. She couldn't rid herself of the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that it wasn't enough, that she had to do more. Several years after her crushing defeat in that first courtroom, Elena found herself back in Freedom City. The closer she got to the downtown area, the clearer the visions became. By the time she reached Pyramid Plaza, she remembered the location of the secret entrance into the underground complex. She realized that the daydreams and nightmares were memories. Once inside The Scarab’s Lair, her lair, everything finally made sense. Minutes later, Sofia Cruz crept down into The Lair, shotgun in hand, responding the to the alarms reporting a security breach. She was skeptical of Elena at first, but Elena passed every test. She identified the fake tomb of Alexander Rhodes for what it was, and guided Sofia unerringly to his true resting place. She was able to tell Sofia things, about herself, her mother, and about Rhodes, that no one else would or could know. Eventually, Sofia was convinced, and pledged her renewed support. At long last, almost thirty years since his death, The Scarab was reborn, and all the pieces were in place to make up for lost time. Personality & Motivation: Each incarnation of Heru-Ra is an individual, with their own experiences and quirks, shaped by whatever bodies, families, cultures and time periods into which they happened to be born. But they are also connected to the experiences of every other lifetime that soul has lived. The first and the most recent incarnations tend to be the loudest, clearest voices in the choir, but all the voices come through, even if only as a dull roar in the background. Some traits remain constant in every incarnation. At its core, the soul of Heru-Ra is an unbreakable spirit, courageous, generous, and unflinchingly self-sacrificing, often to a fault. In and out of costume, Elena carries herself with an air of serene, almost unflappable nobility. She walks tall, speaks deliberately, and looks everyone directly in the eye. What some mistake for indifference or repression is in fact the calm confidence of someone who really has “seen it all.†The Scarab’s powers force her to be empathic. They allow her to see the best in others even when they cannot see it in themselves. They force her to see the world as others see it, to feel their joy and pain as if it were her own. This drives her to begin every conflict by seeking peaceful resolution, striving to turn today’s enemy into tomorrow’s ally. However, once a foe exhausts her formidable patience, there is no gradual progression between “understanding counselor†and “ruthless warrior.†Her trigger has a heavy pull, but once pulled, the result is as sudden and decisive as any other gunshot. She always gives her enemies a chance, but she rarely gives them a second one. Having both five millenia of accumulated life experience and one of the most powerful telepathic minds in the history of the world tends to make The Scarab almost uncomfortably blunt in social interactions. She usually manages to stop short of insulting people or hurting their feelings, but she also speaks frankly about taboo subjects, and gives voice to matters others leave unspoken. She has little patience for engaging in deception or manipulation, or indulging it in others. When it comes to matters of the heart and the flesh, Heru-Ra has always been open-minded, in any incarnation. This soul has lived at every point along the spectrums of ethnicity and gender identity, all the while seeing into the minds and souls of so many others. After a hundred lifetimes of watching the fickle human standards of beauty change from one culture and generation to the next, very little importance is placed upon upon the particular body those souls come wrapped in. When Elena puts on the mask of The Scarab, she changes her persona to match. Her speech pattern and word choice leans harder toward the dramatic and formal, even archaic. Like most heroes from the Silver Age, she is prone to grand gestures, long-winded moralizing, and downright “hammy†speeches. The Scarab does not "speak;" she proclaims, and occasionally, she quips. Powers & Abilities: The Scarab is the archetypal "Psionic" superhero, able to exert her will directly on the world around her, both the physical objects and the minds of other sapient beings. She can move objects from a distance, without touching them, at amazing speeds. She perceives the thoughts of those around her, and the psychic echoes those thoughts leave behind, without the normal constraints of time or space; past, present, and future events are all potentially open to her. She can also project her own thoughts into the minds of others. If she chooses, she can project her thoughts into the minds of others so forcefully that she overwhelms them, seizing control or inflicting injury. She is also able to tap into the experiences of her past lives, although the process of sifting through those memories is neither complete nor consistent. When she makes contact with the mind of another, the “voice†they “hear†is often a choir made up of the distinct voices of a hundred different lifetimes, all speaking in unison. These powers come at a cost. Even the “enlightened†human mind has limits to the amount of information it can take in and process, and The Scarab’s mind receives a staggering amount of input. She has had to develop almost superhuman levels of concentration and willpower to compensate, and even still, the strain of her powers frequently cause painful migraines, fatigue, and many nights of restless sleep, as visions of lives lived and events yet to come seep into her dreams. Complications: Addiction: Elena ingests copious amounts of caffeine and over-the-counter painkillers, to compensate for the migraines, fatigue, and loss of sleep caused by her powers. Occasionally, she must even resort to prescription-strength amphetamines and painkillers to keep herself going. If she is denied access to these medications, then she can suffer penalties as if she had a “Weakness†drawback, with the interval and severity of the cumulative penalties at the GM’s discretion. Enemy (The Labyrinth): The Labyrinth is not currently aware that Elena Guerrero is behind so many of the lawsuits and indictments that Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates have failed to repel in the last few years, nor are they aware that Elena Guerrero is The Scarab. However, Taurus does know that The Scarab is the reincarnation of Heru-Ra. Constantine Urallos, Jonathan Grant, Elena Guerrero, and Sofia Cruz all live at Pyramid Plaza in close proximity to one another. The corporate offices for both Delphic Industries and Grant Conglomerates are also based in Pyramid Plaza. Enemy (SHADOW): OverShadow is the reincarnation of Tan-Aktor, eternal foe of Heru-Ra. He does not know the identities of The Scarab (past or present), but he does know that both Scarabs are Heru-Ra reincarnated. Family & Friends: Sofia Cruz is both like a daughter and like a sister to Elena. Sofia is married, with children. Any threat to the safety of Sofia or any member of her family will consume the totality of Elena’s attention until it is dealt with. Feedback: If damage is inflicted on the target of The Scarab’s Mind Control or Mind Reading powers, then she may receive psychosomatic damage as well. She may also receive damage if her Mind Reading, Postcognition, or Precognition powers reveal particularly intense or traumatic memories. (See the “Feedback†flaw in the description of the “Mind Reading†power in Ultimate Power for details.) Legacy: The soul of Heru-Ra has walked the Earth for over a hundred lifetimes. In each one of them, friends and enemies were made, and debts were accumulated on all sides. Elements from any one of those lifetimes could come back to haunt Elena in the present. Nightmares: Elena’s telepathic and post/pre-cognitive powers and past-life memories tend to slip into her dreams, robbing her of restful sleep and leaving her Fatigued. Power Loss (Lead): The Scarab’s psychic powers cannot penetrate a lead barrier of at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thickness. Any mental connection she has with a target will be immediately severed if that target retreats behind such a barrier relative to her. Power Loss (Teleport Beacon): Any power effect, such as Obscure Radio, which would interfere with Radio Communication or Radio-type Super-Senses, will also disrupt the teleport beacon’s signal to The Scarab’s Lair, making it impossible to open a teleportal at the beacon’s location. Prejudice: Elena is female, Latina, openly bisexual, and “new money.†Reputation: The Scarab has engaged in an on-again/off-again romantic relationship with the super-spy and cat-burglar known as Bombshell, in multiple lifetimes. Bombshell has found herself on both sides of the law in the past. Accusations of that relationship are now a matter of public record, and The Scarab has never publicly responded to those accusations. In the eyes of some, the rumors of that relationship call into question The Scarab’s status as a hero. Secret (Identity): It is not public knowledge that Elena Guerrero is The Scarab, or that The Scarab is the reincarnation of Prince Heru-Ra of Egypt. Abilities: 0 + 0 + 4 + 6 + 10 + 8 = 28PP Strength: 10 (+0) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 16 (+3) Wisdom: 20 (+5) Charisma: 18 (+4) Combat: 8 + 8 = 16PP Initiative: +12/+0 (+0 Dex, +12 Enhanced Improved Initiative) Attack: +4 Base [8PP], +10 Telekinesis (+4 Base, +6 Accurate) Grapple: +4 (+4 Attack, +0 Str), +20 Telekinesis (Power Rank 10, +10 Attack) Defense: +10/+4 (+4 Base [8PP], +6/+0 Shield), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: 10/1, 1 Flat-Footed Saving Throws: 3 + 4 + 15 = 22PP Toughness: +10/+2 (+2 Con, +8 Force Field [impervious 10]), +2 Flat-Footed Fortitude: +5 (+2 Con, +3PP) Reflex: +10/+4 (+0 Dex, +4PP, +6 Enhanced Reflex)Evasion Will: +20 (+5 Wis, +15PP) Skills: 56R = 14PP Concentration 10 (+15)Second Chance Diplomacy 11 (+15)Skill Mastery Knowledge (Business) 5 (+8) Knowledge (Civics) 5 (+8) Languages 2 (Egyptian, English [Native], Spanish) Notice 7 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Search 9 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Sense Motive 7 (+20/+12)Skill Mastery Feats: 7PP Beginners Luck Benefit 3 (Status [Legacy of The Scarab], Wealth 2 [Rich]) Connected Equipment 7 (35EP)Veteran Reward Evasion Improved Initiative 3 Interpose Jack of All Trades Quick Change Second Chance (Concentration) Skill Mastery (Diplomacy, Notice, Search, Sense Motive) Trance Italics indicate a feat which was purchased as a power or part of a power. The power point cost of these traits is listed under “Powers,†below. The Scarab's Lair (PL15 HQ) [35EP] The Scarab's Lair is an underground pyramid buried beneath the foundations of Pyramid Plaza. Though decorated with an Ancient Egyptian motif, the aged facades are purely cosmetic. Concealed behind them are the highly advanced technology which maintains the complex, courtesy of Daedalus and Doktor Archeville. The Lair is detailed in Freedom City Atlas #2, and it is updated in ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>this thread. Size: Huge [3EP] Toughness: +15 [2EP] Features: [30EP] Communications ComputersMasterwork Concealed 2 (+15 DC) Defense System (Blast 15) (Scarab-Bots*) Fire Prevention System Gym Holding Cells (Nullify 15) InfirmaryMasterwork LaboratoryMasterwork LibraryMasterwork Living Space Personnel (Scarab-Bots*) Pool Power 2 (60PP) Power System Security System 5 (DC40) Self-Repairing (Scarab-Bots*) Treasure** WorkshopMasterwork *The Scarab-Bots are tiny robotic scarab beetles, made from a gleaming gold/titanium alloy. Swarms of them scuttle throughout the Lair, guided by a rudimentary artificial intelligence. Each Scarab-Bot is equipped with a powerful miniaturized energy blaster, used as much for utility as for combat. Their primary function is to maintain, repair, and defend the Lair, though they are capable of other basic tasks. **This Feature is for the chamber in The Scarab's Lair described in Freedom City Atlas #2 as follows: The vaulted Great Hall is home to many of Alexander Rhodes’ prized ancient artifacts and trophies, including an entire Egyptian chariot, carved pillars and statues from Giza and other parts of Egypt, glass cases of jewelry, frame papyrus scrollwork, and archeological curiosities from other time periods, associated with his other lifetimes. Powers: [52/60PP] Teleport 10 (200,000 miles ["Earth To The Moon"], Extras: Accurate, Duration 2 [Continuous], Portal 2, Flaws: Limited [Others], Limited [To/From HQ], Feats: Change Direction, Progression [Portal Size] 1 [10ft x 10ft]) [52PP] The Scarab's teleportals appear to be giant glowing golden ankh-shaped holes in space. The portals are lined with crackling lightning. Air in the immediate vicinity rushes into the portal, creating a light wind. In order to open a teleportal, the subject must either be in the teleporter junction room of The Scarab's Lair, or else they must have a Scarab's Lair Teleport Beacon, a small device about the size of a quarter which sends a radio signal to the computer controlling the teleporter. Any power which interferes with Radio Communication or Radio senses can block the signal, in which case the character should receive a Hero Point for the Complication. Possession of a beacon requires that the character pay 1PP for a Benefit or Feature, and that the character be on ?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>the list of characters to whom The Scarab has granted access. Powers: 10 + 6 + 2 + 2 + 12 + 3 + 17 + 49 + 8 + 4 + 7 + 25 = 145PP Enhanced Reflex 6 (Feats: Evasion, Improved Initiative 3) [10PP] (Precognition, Telepathy) Enhanced Skills 24 (Notice 8, Search 8, Sense Motive 8) [6PP] (Precognition, Telepathy) As stated in the "Power Loss" Complication (see above), these skill bonuses do not apply to checks made to notice or locate anything or anyone which is hidden behind a barrier of lead at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick.Features 2 (Beginners Luck, Jack of All Trades) [2PP] (Past-Life Memory) Features 2 (Quick Change [Psi-Reactive Morphic-Molecule Costume], Teleport Beacon [The Scarab's Lair]) [2PP] (Technology) See “Equipment,†above, for details regarding the teleport beacon.Flight 5 (250MPH / 2,500ft [1/2 mile] per Move Action, Feats: Interpose, Subtle) [12PP] (Telekinesis) Immunity 6 (Fear, Interaction Skills, Flaws: Limited [1/2 Effect]) [3PP] (Telepathy) Psionic Defense 3 (15PP Container [Active, Free Action, Sustained Duration], Feats: Selective, Subtle) [17PP] [4 + 5 + 6 = 15PP] Force Field 8 (Flaws: Limited [Not While Flat-Footed]) [4PP] Impervious Toughness 10 (Extras: Force Field, Flaws: Limited [Not While Flat-Footed]) [5PP] Shield 6 [6PP] Psionics 22 (44PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 5) [49PP] Base Power: [15 + 29 = 44PP] Concealment 10 (All Non-Mental Senses, Flaws: Phantasm, Feats: Progression [Counter/Save DC] 5 [Rank 15 / DC25]) [15PP] (Mind Control, Telepathy) ESP 4 (Mental Senses, 1 mile, Extras: Action [Free], Duration [sustained], Simultaneous, Flaws: Saving Throw [Will], Feats: Progression [Counter/Save DC] 11 [Rank 15 / DC25], Rapid 5 [x100,000], Subtle [DC35 Notice]) [29PP] (Telepathy) Normally, a search check for an area 1 mile in diameter takes 1 hour, and taking 20 on that check takes 20 hours. With Rapid 3 (x1,000), The Scarab can take 20 on that Search check and hit DC40 in 0.72 seconds, or a free action.Alternate Power: [42PP] Damage 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental, Range 2 [Perception], Feats: Precise, Subtle) [42PP] (Mental Blast, Psychosomatic Damage, Telepathy) Alternate Power: [42PP] Mind Control 10 (Extras: Conscious, Instant Command, Mental, Sensory Link 2 [simultaneous], Flaws: Action [Full], Staged [Dazed/Compelled/Controlled], Feats: Mental Link, Subtle) [42PP] (Telepathy) Staged Power Effects:Fail by 1-4: Dazed. Victim uses all their actions to resist the control. Fail by 5-9 (or by 1-4 while Dazed): Compelled. Victim can be forced to take one standard or move action per round. Victim uses their other action each round to resist the control. Fail by 10+ (or by 1-9 while Compelled): Controlled. Standard Mind Control effect. This flaw is suggested as an option for Mind Control in Ultimate Power. The "Compelled" condition is adapted from Mutants & Masterminds 3rd Edition. Alternate Power: [43PP] Move Object 10 (1,000ft Max Range, Lifting Strength 50 [Heavy Load: 12 tons], Extras: Damaging, Feats: Accurate 3 [+6 Attack], Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Improved Range 3 [1 1,000ft Range Increment], Indirect, Precise 2, Subtle 2) [43PP] (Telekinesis) Alternate Power: [42PP] Stun 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Mental, Range 2 [Perception], Feats: Subtle, Variable Descriptor [Pain or Sleep]) [42PP] (Mind Control, Telepathy) Alternate Power: [32PP] Transform 15 (Memory Alteration, Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Duration [Continuous/Lasting], Mental, Range [Perception], Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Feats: Precise, Subtle) [32PP] (Mind Control, Telepathy) Super-Senses 10 (Danger Sense [Type: Mental], Postcognition, Precognition [Flaws: Uncontrolled], Uncanny Dodge [Type: Mental]) [8PP] Super-Senses 4 (Mental/Psionic/Psychic Awareness [Type: Mental, Frequency: Common Descriptor], Extras: Radius, Ranged [10ft Notice Increments]) [4PP] As stated in the "Power Loss" Complication (see above), this sense cannot perceive the use of a power effect if the user is hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. This sense cannot perceive an ongoing power effect if the subject of that effect is hidden behind such a barrier.Super-Senses 7 (Thought Awareness [Type: Mental, Frequency: Very Common Descriptor], Extras: Acute, Extended [100ft Notice Increments], Radius, Ranged) [7PP] As stated in the "Power Loss" Complication (see above), this sense cannot perceive thoughts from the minds of beings which are hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick.Telepathy 12 (24PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power) [25PP] Base Power: [6 + 2 + 15 + 1 = 24PP] Communication 8 (Mental, 2,000 miles / Continental, Extras: Linked [Comprehend, Mind Reading, Super-Senses], Flaws: Limited [Not Two-Way], Feats: Rapid [x10], Subtle) [6PP] As stated in the "Power Loss" Complication (see above), this power cannot be used to initiate contact with the mind of a being who is hidden behind a lead barrier at least 5mm / 1/4 inch thick. Ongoing contact with the mind of a being who moves behind such a barrier is immediately severed.Comprehend 1 (Languages 1 [speak Any Language], Extras: Linked [Communication, Mind Reading, Super-Senses]) [2PP] Mind Reading 15 (Extras: Action 2 [Free], Linked [Communication, Comprehend, Super-Senses], Mental, Sensory Link, Flaws: Communication-Dependent, Duration [instant, Lasting], Limited [surface Thoughts]) [15PP] Super-Senses 2 (Accurate Thought Awareness, Extras: Linked [Communication, Mind Reading, Super-Senses], Flaws: Limited [Mind Reading]) [1PP] See the standalone “Thought Awareness†Super-Sense, above.Alternate Power: [16 + 6 + 1 = 23PP] Mind Reading 15 (Extras: Action [Move/Standard], Linked [super-Senses], Flaws: Duration [instant, Lasting], Feats: Subtle) [16PP] Super-Senses 6 (Mind Awareness [Type: Mental, Frequency: Very Common Descriptor], Extras: Acute, Analytical, Linked [Mind Reading, Super-Senses], Ranged [10ft Notice Increments]) [6PP] Super-Senses 1 (Analytical Thought Awareness, Extras: Linked [Mind Reading, Super-Senses]) [1PP] See the standalone “Thought Awareness†Super-Sense, above. Totals: Abilities (28) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (22) + Skills (14) + Feats (7) + Powers (145) - Drawbacks (0) = 232/234 Power Points Combat Block: ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC15 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Concealment Personal DC25 Will Total Concealment ESP Extended (1 mile) DC25 Will ESP Memory Alteration Perception DC25 Will Transformed Mental Blast Perception DC25 Will (Staged) Damage (Energy) Mind Control Perception Will (Staged) vs +10 Dazed/Compelled/Controlled Mind Reading Perception Will vs +15 Mind Reading Stun Perception DC20 Will (Staged) Dazed/Stunned/Unconscious Telekinesis Ranged (1,000ft Max) DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Telekinesis (Thrown Object) Ranged (1,000ft Max) DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)

July 14, 2014 "I'm just saying it's hard to believe the initials were an accident," the figure perched atop the three-storey apartment complex insisted. Keeping to shadows deep enough to conceal his high collared, royal blue great coat and matching bandanna mask, the West End vigilante known as Jack of all Blades spoke in a low voice as he peered down at the community center across the street, noting the comings and goings through the back door. "Hey, don't look at me, fearless leader," the smoothly cheerful baritone in his ear protested. "When it comes to acronyms, well! Those who live on glass hard drives, et cetera, et cetera!" VINCE, the Interceptor's artificial intelligence and dispatcher usually preferred to appear with his avatar when communicating with the team but for covert surveillance and earpiece beat commandeering an ATM monitor. Grunting noncommittally, Jack noticed and ultimately ignored a trio of youths starting up a pickup game of basketball on the center's court. The Vibrant Community Reclamation project had been the driving influence behind a number of similar centers throughout the city, focusing on the West End and Lincoln while making inroads into the Fens, repurposing unused buildings in what were diplomatically referred to as 'at risk neighbourhoods'. If the organization spent just as much time holding banquets and press events to pat its well heeled contributors on the back, well, the plus column still came out ahead. At least in theory. Jack had learned the hard way that looking a gift horse in the mouth was actually a pretty good habit to get into and the increased drug trafficking he and his team had been encountering in the area since the center opened had started to make the hairs on the back of his neck itch. VINCE had explained something about correlation and causation that the swashbuckling swordsman hadn't entirely followed but had agreed that the rising crime bore looking into. Without much more than a hunch to go on, he'd decided to stake out the center itself to see if a lead presented itself.

Alright! Hit me up with some Gather Information, Knowledge [streetwise] and/or Investigate rolls! If you've got anything else that seems relevant, go for it!

After cloaking herself from the mind's eye of her fellow heroes, The Scarab flew up through the labryinthine corridors of her Lair, to her secret backup control rooms. Once her keen psychic awareness was satisfied that she had not been followed, she opened the secret doors that no one, not her former comrades on the Freedom League or Viktor Archeville or any living soul but Sofia Cruz or her mother knew about. Then she hastily activated the extra layers of redundancy in the security systems which she hoped had evaded the "Good" Doktor's notice during The Lair's refit. [bg=#BF0000]I doubt any of this will stop him. But it might delay him, and right now, every second counts.[/bg]

Let there be...an Out-of-Character thread! :kaboom: :eek: *cues up "O Fortuna"*

The Rise of Evil!Doktor Archeville begins!

Date: June 17th, 2011 (Friday), later afternoon/early evening mid-to-high 70s, clear/scattered clouds. 2 days after the full moon. (10 months after an ill-fated housecall, 3 1/2 weeks after the Interceptors' Wedding, 2 weeks after Claremont's Graduation; 1 month before the Gorgon announcement) Earlier in the day, Arrowhawk paid a visit to the Scarab and they compared notes on the strange series of murders and disappearances that had been plaguing Freedom City for the past nine months. Seeking additional help, they headed to the Hanover home of their ally, Doktor Viktor Archeville. But they were not the only ones coming to see Archeville: like Scrooge, the super-scientist was to be visited by three beings this evening. Wander, one of ArcheTech's newest employees, was also coming by. With her was a trophy from a recent battle which she wished to have examined; to know how best to store it, she needed to know if it was safe to be around! (She'd chosen discretion due to not wanting the details of Young Freedom's exploits getting out just yet.) None of them expected who -- or what -- they would wind up meeting that evening. But what was that fabled science-hero up to? At the moment, he was alone in his home, his fiance Fulcrum off training wit the Interceptors, giving him time to do some surgical experimentation. He was carving ham for a sandwich. "The most perfect ham-and-cheese sandwich ever! Now, which mustard to use?" The Doktor rummaged through his tesseract refrigerator (like his home, it was bigger on the inside!), selecting from the dozen or so small yellow and brown jars.

The Freedom City Medical Center was seen as a safe haven to many before the announcement earlier today. Its staff was measured in the thousands and had state of the art medical equipment; there was no where in the world where you could get better attention. As violence swept the streets, the hospital was soon filled to the point of breaking. Now if Atlas's threat comes to pass, the hospital could very well turn into a feeding ground with a death toll measured in the thousands.

Blackstone Prison is what allows the citizens of Freedom City to sleep at night. They know that all of the super villains Freedom City seems to attract are safely locked up inside the formidable walls of Blackstone. That security blanket was shattered as a large scale break out attempt larger than any since the Terminus Invasion began mere moments ago. The Blackguards were fighting valiantly, but it was only a matter of time before they were overrun. Prisoners were already making it to the surface, there only saving grace was that the least powerful of the villains were kept closest to the surface. The longer the prisoners went uncontained, the more likely the guards were to be overrun by Freedom's most wanted.

Several of Freedom City's heroic types received a large invitation slid under their door around the middle of June; the cards appeared to be handmade either by someone in their late teens or perhaps merely addicted to clip art, glitter and caffeinated soft drinks. Some people did not get hard copies at all, due to Lynn's unfamiliarity with their current living arrangements, but she still made sure the word got around.

The Liberty Dome was packed full of 80,000 hooting, hollering hockey fans, all eager to see the Freedom City Blades take on the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The shivering cold required of the frozen-over floor did nothing to dampen the spirits; there was too much at stake. Like most match-ups between teams representing the same geographical area, this David-vs-Goliath promised to be a grudge match of epic proportions. The Blades were an up-and-coming team of scrappy underdogs who'd managed to claw their way to the top in their first year as part of the NHL, and now they were butting heads against the veterans from their own backyard. Elena Guerrero had reserved a private luxury box, and now she sat inside with her old (older than anyone realized) friend, Rhodes Foundation C.E.O. Sofia Cruz, her husband Bob, and their three children, Alejandro, Emilia, and Esteban. Elena lounged in her seat, almost making it look like a monarch's throne, sipping her lattè and smiling as the children munched on their caramel corn and cheered the Blades on. "What do we say to Aunt Lena for getting us these great seats, mijos?" Bob admonished the kids. They turned to Elena and replied in a chorus "THAAANK YOU," then turned once more to the action down below. Sofia punched Elena playfully on the shoulder, "thinking out loud." So, tell me about this new ladyfriend of yours! Elena cleared her throat nervously. She's...more of an old friend, actually. We've sort of picked up where we left off. It's complicated. Sofia raised an eyebrow. That kind of "complicated?" Elena nodded, a stern look in her eyes. Sofia shook her head and sighed. Well, I hope you know what you're doing. And she must be a special lady if Elena Guerrero was willing to step down off the soapbox and drop $4,000 on a designer outfit just to impress her. Elena and Sofia both laughed. Bob glanced at them quizzically. "You two having another one of your 'telepathic conversations' over there?" Elena and Sofia turned to each other. If he only knew...