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GM Late September 2020 A cold evening in Oslo, near the Holmenkollen Ski Museum They all heard the call. A raven with a whisper came on the wind. The word is given. Come to Oslo. Odin is calling. To the eyes of any, they were a strange crowd. Mythic warriors, demigods, valkyries. People out of their own time, out of their own world, and yet, brought together by the words of the ravens. At the top of Holmenkollen, two ravens waited. A single bolt of lightning split the sky.

In Brief: Thor's daughter got her mom's hair and her dad's everything else Character: Thrude Power Level: 12 (Built as PL11) Tradeoffs: At PL11: -5 Attack / +5 Damage, -5 Defense / +5 Toughness Power Points: 175/178 Unspent Points: 3 Catchphrase: "I SHALL SMITE THEE!" Nicknames: Trudy Alternate Identity: Princess Thrude Thorsdottir of Asgard Identity: Public, although the general public is not in universal agreement that Thrude is an actual deity Legal Status: Undocumented immigrant with no criminal record Birthplace: Thrudvangr, Asgard Residence: Nomadic Base of Operations: Intergalactic Occupation: Goddess, Princess, Psychopomp (former), Superhero, Warrior Affiliations: Lily Sorensen (mortal host, deceased), Aesir (family), Dvergar (allies), Interceptors (former member), Jotnar (enemies, family), Valkyries (former member), Vanir (allies) Family: Thor (father), Sif (mother), Odin (paternal grandfather), Frigga (paternal step-grandmother), Jord (biological paternal grandmother), Magni (paternal half-brother), Modi (paternal half-brother), Ullr (maternal half-brother), Baldr (paternal uncle, deceased), Nanna (paternal aunt), Bragi (paternal uncle), Idunn (paternal aunt), Heimdall (paternal uncle), Hermodr (paternal uncle), Hodr (paternal uncle), Tyr (paternal uncle), Vali (paternal uncle), Vidarr (paternal uncle), Forseti (paternal cousin), Vili (paternal grand-uncle), Ve (paternal grand-uncle), Loki (adoptive paternal grand-uncle), Sigyn (adoptive paternal grand-aunt), Fenrir (adoptive paternal second cousin), Hel (adoptive paternal second cousin), Jormungandr (adoptive paternal second cousin), Narfi (adoptive paternal second cousin, deceased), Sleipnir (adoptive paternal second cousin), Alviss (fiance, deceased) DESCRIPTION Age: ~2,500 (Date of Birth: ~500 BCE) Apparent Age: 22 Gender: Female Ethnicity: White Scandinavian Height: 6' Weight: 185 lbs. Hair: Gold Eyes: Blue A deity in the image of her followers, Thrude has eyes like lightning, set into flesh as pale as fresh snow. She lost her left eye in battle with The Fenris Wulf, wearing a leather patch over the scarred remains. The long, flowing golden locks she inherited from her mother shine like honey in the light of the Sun. She usually wears them in long braids, to keep them out of the way during combat. During battle, she wears furs, leathers, and linens, dyed in bright azure and amber hues, similar to the brightly-colored jumpsuits worn by modern superheroes. Magical runes have been sewn into these clothes, allowing them to change shape into a simple dress when she is not in battle. She stands tall with the regal, almost haughty bearing one would expect of a princess, and she moves with the sure, practiced gait of a trained warrior in peak condition. Her words are always clear and crisp, from a combination of perfect enunciation and sheer window-rattling volume. HISTORY Odin All-Father was king of the gods of the North, the Aesir, they who had eaten of the golden apples from the Tree of Idunn and gained eternal youth and vitality beyond the reach of mortal men. Odin One-Eye, who had helped to make the world from the fallen giant Ymir, gave gifts of knowledge to the northern tribes of Midgard: hunting, swordplay, literacy, even brewing, all of it knowledge he gained with great personal sacrifice. With Jord, the giantess whose body was the very Earth itself, he begat Thor. Thor, lord of the storm, married Sif, she of the golden hair in whose fertile womb the fields bore fruit. Together, they in turn begat Thrude, Daughter of Storms, Princess of Asgard. Her name means "Power", "Strength", in one of the oldest tongues ever spoken upon Europa. The Aesir sought to form a lasting alliance with the Dvergar. The dwarves were unparalleled smiths and masons, masters of rune magic and creators of wondrous devices. To that end, Thrude was promised to wed Alviss the All-Wise, master of the forge. He was small of stature and humble in bearing, but well learned, of great skill and kind heart, which endeared him to the young goddess. Alviss rivaled even Odin in his understanding of runic lore, and to woo her, he forged for her Hridleif ("The Storm's Legacy"), a weapon fit for the Daughter of Storms, a weapon to rival the magnificence of her father's great warhammer Mjolnir. But her father, Thor, did not approve of the union. His pride could not bear the insult of a troll as a son-in-law and heir. So Thor tricked Alviss, demanding from him a "test of wisdom." All night did Thor ask questions of Alviss, questions about everything under the Sun. And it was the Sun that was the dwarf's undoing, for he was so distracted by Thor's tests that he did not notice its morning arrival until its rays turned him to stone, the fate of all Dvergar touched by Sol. Consumed with rage and grief, Thrude turned away from her father, joining the Valkyries. Alongside her sister shieldmaidens, she descended unto the battlefields of Midgard, choosing the bravest and the strongest of fallen mortal warriors to train and fight and revel in Valhalla, or to sate Freyja's appetites in the fields of Folkvangr. She helped build the army which would defend the realms from the ravages of the Jotnar on the day of reckoning, Ragnarok. She fought many battles in the name of the Aesir, and she slew many foes, men and monsters alike. It was in a battle with such a beast that young Thrude's fate was (literally) sealed. Fenrir, the great winter wolf, Loki's foul get, had slipped his bonds once again, and Thrude had hunted him to the ends of the Earth. Goddess and monster were locked in ferocious battle, with no quarter being asked nor given, when Loki, the trickster and schemer without equal, trapped them both with his sorcery. None know to what end he sealed them away; he has ever kept his own counsel on the matter, and his purpose may well have slipped through the cracks of his countless machinations and been lost to time even for himself. To the outside world, their prison appeared as simple pottery, a jar or bottle like any other. But inside the pocket dimension contained within, their battle raged on throughout the centuries. There was no sense of the passage of time for them, no frame of reference, only a void, empty save for their foe. In the year 2011 of the Common Era, a clumsy and ignorant human accidentally destroyed a simple clay jar from a collection of ancient Viking relics, and unleashed both Thrude and the Fenris Wolf upon the streets of Freedom City. Their battle continued, and despite the intervention of several of the city's superheroes, including Doktor Archeville, the wolf's iron-clad mortal namesake, and a Messenger of Yahweh, the winter wolf escaped, taking Thrude's eye in the process. The breaking of Thrude's prison by a mortal fulfilled the requirement of The Pact that a god not set foot upon Earth without a human summons. Thrude was not party to the horrors of Nazi Germany in which the Aesir were complicit, nor to the subsequent agreement they made to exile themselves from the human world. With the Messenger's blessing, Master Mage Adrian Eldritch allowed her to stay in Midgard. She remained on Earth for a few months, protecting the innocent as best she could and briefly serving as a member of the Interceptors, before returning to Asgard, wishing to honor the spirit of The Pact. However, she still believed that it was her inherited responsibility to redeem her family's honor and to protect the people of Midgard. She did not have to wait long for an opportunity to return to the mortal realm. When a soldier named Lily Sorensen was mortally wounded, Thrude appeared to her, and offered her a choice: Thrude could guide her to the afterlife she had earned, or she could act as Thrude's host, allowing the goddess to manifest on the Earthly plane. This would delay her final reward, but allow her to partake of Thrude's experiences in the meantime. Lily decided that she wanted to keep fighting the good fight for a while longer, so she agreed to be Thrude's vessel. PERSONALITY & MOTIVATION Like any young adult, mortal or divine, Thrude isn't half as worldly or sophisticated as she thinks she is. Of all her faults, it is her naivete to which she is most blind. Sometimes to her chagrin, Thrude takes after her parents, and indeed, her entire family. She is brave and confident to a fault, acts and speaks before thinking (often violently), and lets her boundless passions rule her. She is a linear thinker with a straightforward personality, who prefers any action at all to inaction, and like her father, this makes her gullible and easy to manipulate. A straight line is not only the quickest way between two points, it is the only way. If something doesn't fit, bend it, and if it doesn't bend, break it. But Thrude is also generous and self-sacrificing, seeking to alleviate the suffering of others by any means necessary, taking their burdens upon herself without hesitation. She will always be the first to charge in and the last to withdraw, seeking out the most powerful foes or the most dangerous hazards for herself, holding herself to a higher standard than anyone else. In her mind, there is nothing that can't be done, no foe who can't be overcome. POWERS & TACTICS As a goddess, Thrude is stronger, tougher, and hardier than any mortal ever could be. She is equally at home on dry land, on the highest mountain, in the deepest ocean, or floating in the void of outer space. Although hunger and thirst cause her discomfort, they will not be her undoing. Like any god of the Aesir, but especially befitting the daughter of Thor and sister of Magni, Thrude's divine strength can toss automobiles into the air with the same ease as a child tosses a ball. Blades and bullets bounce harmlessly off of her skin. As a member of a pantheon where every god is a "god of war," Thrude has received substantial training in both marksmanship and hand-to-hand combat. As a member of a pre-industrial civilization, she is a skilled hunter. She would fit in alongside any elite special forces unit in the world. That training is obvious to anyone with comparable instruction, even despite her fighting style being aggressive to the point of recklessness and straightforward to a fault. As a wedding present, Alviss the dwarf runesmith forged for her Hridleif, The Storm's Legacy. While not in use, it takes the form of a simple but ornate drinking horn. However, when its power is needed, it transforms into a massive shapeshifting polearm. The ebony haft runs anywhere from one to three meters long, expanding and contracting at Thrude's mental command. The gleaming mithril head, over a meter wide, morphs at her whim between the shape of a double-headed battle axe or warhammer. Both head and haft are etched with magical Norse runes, killing words which summon lightning and frost to crackle and gleam along the weapon's edges. Hridleif appears to be completely impractical, and indeed, to anyone relying solely on the laws of physics, it is worse than useless, refusing even to move from its resting place. But in the hands of those with courage and honor enough to be deemed "worthy," it is light as a feather, even as it crushes mountains into dust or cleaves a dragon in twain. Hridleif is much more than a weapon. As with the mighty hammer Mjolnir wielded by her father, it is also a sceptre for the Princess of Storms. At the wielder's command (conscious or otherwise), mist shrouds the sky, rain and sleet pour down, and thunder and lightning crash. The air freezes into great blocks of ice in any shape they desire. Electricity arcs up and down the wielder's body. They can conjure up a horse with a body of mist and lightning for eyes which can bear them across the sky at many times the speed of sound, creating thunder with every hoofbeat and leaving a blazing streak of rainbow light in its passing. COMPLICATIONS Accidents: With Hridleif in her possession, Thrude has an intimate connection with the power of the storm, and it is not always under her control. When she feels particularly excited, distressed, or depressed, the weather around her often changes to reflect her mood, without conscious effort on her part. As a young and reckless warrior, she often takes action without full regard to the potential consequences. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point in exchange for either temporarily forcing the "Uncontrolled" flaw upon one or more of her powers, or creating a new hazard as a result of their use. Anachronism: Thrude spent the last thousand years imprisoned in a pocket dimension. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point when her lack of context and familiarity with the modern world creates an inconvenient misunderstanding. Brash: Thrude is young and inexperienced. She inherited her father's boundless passion and courage, but also his reckless short-sightedness and lack of tactical or scholarly acumen. She is prone to "jumping the gun," and a GM should feel free to dictate a less-than-optimal course of action for her, in exchange for a Hero Point (either for her, or for an ally inconvenienced by her actions). Enemies: Thrude has inherited the enemies of the Aesir, who are legion. Their ranks include many of the Jotnar, especially Loki and the monsters he has birthed, as well as denizens of Midgard who suffered at the hands of Donar during his enslavement by the Thule Society. She has also locked swords with fellow weather manipulator Doctor Stratos. The GM can choose to have any of these foes show up at an inopportune time, making a bad situation worse. Fear Itself: Mechanically speaking, Thrude's Fearless feat makes her immune to fear effects. However, the GM can give her a Hero Point to override that immunity and force her to roll a saving throw or contested check against a fear effect normally. Lost Love: Thrude still grieves for Alviss, the dwarf runesmith to whom she was betrothed before her father murdered him. A GM should feel free to give Thrude a Hero Point in exchange for inflicting penalties upon her when she is distracted by his memory, or when an enemy uses that memory to manipulate her. Obligations: Thrude is a scion of a large royal family, party to many treaties and alliances. The GM can choose to have familial or political obligations or debts of honor make her life inconvenient. Reputation: The Thule Society's binding of Thor into the service of the Nazis during World War 2 did incalculable damage to the global perception of the Nordic pantheon. Both superheroes and the general public will be skeptical, at best, of Thrude's intentions. A GM should feel free to give Thrude a Hero Point in exchange for making NPCs less inclined, if at all, to trust or aid her. One way to represent this mechanically would be to force a penalty (or an automatic failure) on Bluff, Diplomacy, and/or Gather Information checks. ABILITIES 48PP (16 + 0 + 16 + 0 + 0 + 16) Strength: 35/26 (+12/+8), 50/26 Lifting (Heavy Load: 12 tons / 920 lbs.) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 30/26 (+10/+8) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 26 (+8) COMBAT 22PP (12 + 10) Initiative: +0 (+0 Dex) Attack: +6, +2 Ranged (+6 Base, -4 Disability) Grapple: +21/+14 (+6 Melee Attack, +12/+8 Strength, +3 Super-Strength) Defense: +6 (+5 Base, +1 Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Knockback Resistance: 13/4 (1/2 Non-Impervious Toughness 5 = 2, + Impervious Toughness 11 = 13) SAVING THROWS 16PP (0 + 6 + 10) Toughness: +16/+8 (+10/+8 Con, +6 Protection)Impervious 11 Fortitude: +10/+8 (+10/+8 Con, +0PP) Reflex: +6 (+0 Dex, +6PP) Will: +10 (+0 Wis, +10PP)Ultimate Save SKILLS 11PP (44R) Intimidate 12 (+20) Knowledge (Arcane Lore) 5 (+5) Knowledge (History) 5 (+5) Knowledge (Theology/Philosophy) 5 (+5) Languages 7 (Danish, English, German, Icelandic, Norwegian, Old English, Old Norse [Native], Swedish) Ride 5 (+5) Survival 5 (+5)Track FEATS 11PP Benefit (Status [Goddess, Princess]) Dodge Focus Fearless Interpose Luck 3 Quick Draw Takedown Attack Track Ultimate Save (Will) POWERS 78PP Device 8 (40PP Container [Passive: No Action, Permanent Duration]; Flaws: Easy-To-Lose; Feats: Restricted 2 [Will only allow "the worthy" to lift or wield it], Subtle [Transforms into a drinking horn]) [27PP] (Descriptors: Blessed Weapon, Empathic Weapon, Hridleif, Magic Weapon, Shapeshifting Weapon) Environment Control 1 (Light [Reduces darkness-based concealment by one step, from total to partial, or from partial to none]; Area: 5ft radius; Extras: Action 2 [Free]; Flaws: Range [Touch]) [2PP] (Descriptors: Lightning Aura) Flight 1 (10MPH, 100ft per Move Action) [2PP] (Descriptors: Divine Wind) Storm Mastery 16 (32PP Array; Feats: Alternate Power 4) [36PP] Base Power: [12 + 20 = 32PP] Damage 4 (Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2 [Full effect], Extended Reach [10ft], Improved Critical 2 [18-20], Incurable, Mighty, Variable Descriptor [Bludgeoning, Cold, Electricity, Slashing, and/or Wind]) [12PP] (Additional Descriptors: Weapon Strike) Flight 10 (11 ranks total; 25,000MPH, 50 miles per Move Action) [20PP] (Additional Descriptors: Divine Wind) Alternate Power: [32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Ice Constructs) Create Object 11 (Volume: 11 cubes; Toughness: 11; Lifting Strength: 55, Heavy Load: 24 tons; Extras: Duration [Continuous], Range [Perception]; Flaws: Distracting, Permanent; Feats: Precise, Progression [Object Size] 9 [5,000ft / 1 mile cubes]) [32PP] Alternate Power: [21 + 11 = 32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Lightning Bolt) Drain Toughness 11 (Extras: Affects Objects, Linked, Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Additional Save [Reflex], Distracting; Drawbacks: Full Power) [21PP] Damage 11 (Extras: Linked, Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Additional Save [Reflex], Distracting) [11PP] Alternate Power: [32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Storm Summoning) Environment Control 8 (5PP/rank = 40PP of Mix-&-Match effects; Area: 1,000ft [2 city blocks] radius; Extras: Independent, Selective, Total Fade; Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Range [Touch]; Feats: Slow Fade [1 minute / rank = 8 minutes]; Drawbacks: Full Power) [32PP] Alternate Power: [20 + 6 + 6 = 32PP] (Additional Descriptors: Divine Wind, Rainbow Bridge) Flight 10 (11 ranks total; 25,000MPH, 50 miles per Move Action) [20PP] Super-Movement 2 (Dimensional Travel 2 [9 Worlds of Norse Mythology]; Feats: Progression [Cargo] 2 [500 lbs.]) [6PP] Super-Movement 3 (Space Travel 3 [Intergalactic]) [6PP] Enhanced Constitution 4 [4PP] (Descriptors: Divine Might) Features 1 (Quick Change) [1PP] (Descriptors: Magic Clothes) Enhanced Strength 9 [9PP] (Descriptors: Divine Might) Features 3 (Environmental Adaptation 3 [High Gravity; Low Gravity; Zero Gravity]) [3PP] (Descriptors: Divine Might) Immunity 11 (Aging; Life Support; Starvation/Thirst) [11PP] (Descriptors: Divine Might) Impervious Toughness 11 [11PP] (Descriptors: Divine Might) Protection 6 [6PP] (Descriptors: Divine Might) Super-Strength 3 (Lifting Strength: 50, Heavy Load: 12 tons) [6PP] (Descriptors: Divine Might) DRAWBACKS -11PP Disability (One Eye; Frequency: Common; Intensity: Moderate [-4 Attack with Ranged attacks]) [-3PP] Vulnerability (Deception [Bluff, Illusion, etc.]; Frequency: Very Common; Intensity: Moderate [+50% effect rank]) [-4PP] Vulnerability (Emotion effects; Frequency: Common; Intensity: Major [x2 effect rank]) [-4PP] ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC27/23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Ice Construct Perception DC21 Reflex Trapped Dropped Ice Construct Perception/Area DC21 Reflex Avoided DC26 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Lightning Bolt Perception DC21 Reflex Avoided DC21 Fortitude (Staged) Drain Toughness DC26 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy) Weapon Strike Touch +5ft DC31 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy and/or Physical)* *Variable Descriptor Abilities (48) + Combat (22) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (11) + Feats (11) + Powers (78) - Drawbacks (11) = 175/178 Power Points

In Brief: A dimensionally and temporally displaced Nordic goddess teams up with a crippled ex-soldier to redeem her pantheon. Player Name: ShaenTheBrain Character Name: Thrude ("ThrOOD") Power Level: 12 Trade-Offs: -4 Attack / +4 Damage (Melee), -4 Defense / +4 Toughness Power Points: 188 Unspent Power Points: 0 Veteran Rewards: Bronze Reward: 4PP of Equipment for Kingsnake, 4PP of Equipment for Thrude, 7PP of Equipment/Minions/Sidekick unclaimed Silver Reward: New PC at PL12/180PP (Kingsnake) Gold Reward: Promoted existing PL10/150PP PC to PL12/180PP (Thrude, PL11/174PP -> PL12/188PP) Alternate Identity: Princess Thrude Thorsdottir of Asgard, Astrid Kierkegaard (see below). Identity: Secret. The general public is unaware that Thrude and Astrid are effectively the same person, or that Thrude is an actual goddess. Birthplace: Valhalla, Asgard Residence: Valhalla, Asgard Base of Operations: Milky Way Galaxy Occupation: Chooser-of-The-Slain, Goddess, Princess, Superhero, Warrior. Affiliations: Aesir, Valkyries, Vanir, Dvergar. Family: Thor (Father), Sif (Mother), Odin (Paternal Grandfather), Frigga (Paternal Step-Grandmother), Gaea (AKA Fjorgyn, AKA Jord, Paternal Grandmother), Magni (Paternal Half-Brother), Modi (Paternal Half-Brother), Ullr (Maternal Half-Brother), Heimdall (Uncle), Tyr (Uncle), Bragi (Uncle), Vidar (Uncle), Vali (Uncle), Forseti (Cousin), Baldur (Uncle, Deceased), Nanna (Aunt), Hodr (Uncle, Deceased), Loki (Adoptive Grand-Uncle), Hel (Adoptive Second Cousin), Jormungandr The Midgard Serpent (Adoptive Second Cousin), The Fenris Wulf (Adoptive Second Cousin), Alvis (Fiance, Deceased). Catchphrase: "I SHALL SMITE THEE!" Description Age: Incalculable (several thousand Earth-years at least) Apparent Age: 18 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Scandinavian Height: 6'0" Weight: 180 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Gold A deity in the image of her followers, Thrude has eyes like lightning, set into flesh as pale as fresh snow. She lost her left eye in battle with The Fenris Wulf, and wears a black patch over the scarred remains. The long, flowing golden locks she inherited from her mother shine like honey in the light of the sun. She usually wears them in long braids, to keep them out of the way during combat. During battle, she wears furs, leathers, and linens, dyed in bright azure and amber hues, similar to the brightly-colored jumpsuits worn by modern superheroes, and anchored with plates and buckles forged of gleaming mithril. Thrude stands tall with the regal, almost haughty bearing one would expect of a princess, and moves with the sure, practiced gait of a trained warrior in peak condition. Her words are always clear and crisp, from a combination of perfect enunciation and sheer window-rattling volume. Her mother's fierce beauty bred strong and true in Thrude; were she so inclined, lucrative modeling contracts would be her's for the taking. Power Description As a goddess, Thrude is stronger, tougher, and hardier than any mortal ever could be. She is equally at home on dry land, on the highest mountain, in the deepest ocean, or floating in the void of outer space. Although hunger and thirst cause her discomfort, they will not be her undoing. Like any god of the Aesir, but especially befitting the daughter of Thor and sister of Magni, Thrude's divine strength can toss automobiles into the air with the same ease as a child tosses a ball. Blades and bullets bounce harmlessly off of her skin. As a member of a pantheon where every god is a "god of war," Thrude has received substantial training in hand-to-hand combat. That training is obvious to anyone with comparable instruction, even despite her fighting style being aggressive to the point of recklessness and straightforward to a fault. As a wedding present, Alvis the dwarf runesmith forged for Thrude Hridgandr ("HREED-gawn-der"), a weapon worthy of the Daughter of Storms. While not in use, Hridgandr takes the form of a simple but ornate drinking horn. However, when its power is needed, it transforms into a massive protean polearm. The ebony haft runs anywhere from one to three meters long, expanding and contracting at Thrude's mental command. The gleaming mithril head, over a meter wide, morphs at her whim between the shape of a double-headed battle axe or warhammer. Both head and haft are etched with magical Norse runes, killing words which summon lightning and frost to crackle and gleam along the weapon's edges. Hridgandr appears to be completely impractical, and indeed, to anyone relying solely on the laws of physics, it is worse than useless, refusing even to move from its resting place. But in the hands of those with courage and honor enough to be deemed "worthy," it is light as a feather, even as it crushes mountains into dust or cleaves a dragon in twain. Hridgandr is, however, much more than a weapon. As with the mighty hammer Mjolnir wielded by her father, it is also a scepter for the Princess of Storms. At the wielder's command (conscious or otherwise), mist shrouds the sky, rain and sleet pour down, and thunder and lightning crash. Electricity arcs up and down the wielder's body and between their eyes. When they will it, the chill wind and fog coalesce around them, lifting them into the air and racing them across the sky at speeds many times that of sound or even light, leaving thunder in their wake. To honor The Pact, and to root herself more deeply in Midgard, Thrude has invested her power into Hridgandr and left it in the hands of a mortal woman, Astrid Kierkegaard. Astrid can use Hridgandr to summon Thrude to merge with her, effectively transforming herself into the goddess, by sipping liquid (even a few drops) from Hridgandr while it is in the form of a drinking horn. Astrid has a vague, hazy awareness of her time as Thrude, and Thrude has a similar dreamlike recollection of her time as Astrid. The passive mind cannot control the active one, but her emotions will influence the other. While in its more mundane form, Hridgandr can be carried freely by anyone. But in its true form as a massive weapon, it can only be lifted or wielded by those the magic runes engraved upon it judge "worthy," having the selfless courage and honor to defend the weak without oppressing them. History Odin All-Father, was king of the gods of the North, the Aesir, they who had eaten of the golden apples from the Tree of Idunn and gained eternal youth and vitality beyond the reach of mortal men. Odin One-Eye gave gifts of knowledge to the northern tribes: hunting, swordplay, literacy, even brewing, all of it knowledge he gained at great personal risk and sacrifice. With Gaea (also known as "Jord" and "Fjorgyn"), the giantess who personified the very Earth itself, he begat Thor. Thor, lord of the storm, married Sif, she of the golden hair in whose fertile womb the fields bore fruit. Together, they in turn begat Thrude, Daughter of Storms, Princess of Asgard. Her name means "Power" or "Strength" in one of the oldest tongues ever spoken upon the European continent. The Aesir sought to form a lasting alliance with the Dvergar. The dwarves were unparalleled smiths and masons, masters of rune magic and creators of wondrous devices. To that end, Thrude was promised to wed Alvis, the All-Wise, master smith. He was small of stature and humble in bearing, but of great skill and kind heart. Thrude learned much during their courtship, for Alvis rivaled even Odin in his understanding of runic lore. With Thrude by her side, he forged for her Hridgandr, a great weapon fit for the Daughter of Storms, a weapon to rival the magnificence of her father's great warhammer Mjolnir. But her father, Thor, did not approve of the union. His pride could not bear the insult of a dwarf as a son-in-law and heir. So Thor tricked Alvis, demanding from him a "test of wisdom." All night did Thor ask questions of Alvis, questions about everything under the sun. And it was the sun that was the dwarf's undoing, for he was so distracted by Thor's tests that he did not notice its morning arrival until its rays turned him to stone, the fate of all dvergur touched by Sol. Consumed with rage and grief, Thrude turned away from her father, joining the Valkyries. Alongside her sister shieldmaidens, she descended unto the battlefields of Midgard, choosing the bravest and the strongest of fallen mortal warriors to train and fight and revel in Valhalla, or to sate Freyja's "appetites" in the fields of Folkvangr. She helped build the army which would defend the realms from the ravages of the Jotnar on the day of reckoning, Ragnarok. She fought many battles in the name of the Aesir, and she slew many foes, men and monsters alike. It was in a battle with such a beast that young Thrude's fate was (literally) sealed. Fenris, the great wolf, Loki's foul get, had slipped his bonds once again, and Thrude had hunted him to the ends of the Earth. Goddess and Monster were locked in ferocious battle, with no quarter being asked nor given, when Loki, the unequaled trickster, trapped the them both with his sorcery. What purpose he intended in their capture, if there ever was one, has since been lost to time, having slipped through the cracks of the trickster-god's countless machinations. To the outside world, their prison appeared as simple pottery, a jar or bottle like any other. But inside the pocket dimension contained within, their battle raged on throughout the centuries. There was no sense of the passage of time for them, no frame of reference, only a void, empty save for their foe. In the year 2011 of the Common Era of the Gregorian Calendar, a clumsy and ignorant human accidentally destroyed a simple clay jar from a collection of ancient Viking relics, and unleashed both Thrude and the Fenris Wolf upon Midgard once more. Goddess and monster battled once again to a stalemate, with the White Wolf escaping into the Nine Worlds while Thrude remained on Midgard. The breaking of Thrude's prison by a mortal fulfilled the requirement of The Pact that a god not set foot upon Earth without a human summons. Thrude was not party to the horrors of Nazi Germany in which the Aesir were complicit, nor to the subsequent agreement they made to exile themselves from the human world, so Master Mage Adrian Eldritch allowed her to stay. Thrude remained on Midgard for a time, protecting the innocent as best she could. Eventually, she decided that she could not truly defend the human world while having no ties to it, and that she needed true freedom to move between Earth and the other worlds as she pleased, so that she could hunt and pursue threats wherever they appeared or fled. She returned to Asgard, and cast Hridgandr back to Midgard, where a worthy mortal could use it to manifest Thrude. Hridgandr found Astrid Kierkegaard, the American-born daughter of Danish nationals. Astrid was a high school athlete who had enlisted in the American army right after graduation, hoping to be a career soldier. Unfortunately, an I.E.D. robbed her of the use of her legs, causing the Army to give her a medical discharge. She collected disability pay and drifted through what was left of her life, slowly but steadily sinking into depression and alcoholism. Through Hridgandr, Thrude saw a kindred spirit, a fellow warrior with no war to fight. She offered Astrid the chance to share her place on Midgard with Thrude, and Astrid accepted with enthusiasm the liked of which she hadn't felt since enlistment. Thus, upon the shoulders of these two young women rests the defense of the Earthly realm, of people who have either grown to hate the old gods, or have simply forgotten them. Upon Thrude's shoulders rests the honor and redemption of her entire pantheon, or as she knows them, her family. Personality & Motivation Like any young adult, mortal or divine, Thrude isn't half as worldly or sophisticated as she thinks she is. Of all her faults, it is her naivete to which she is most blind. Sometimes to her chagrin, Thrude takes after her parents, and indeed, her entire family. She is brave and confident to a fault, acts and speaks before thinking (often violently), and lets her boundless passions rule her. She is a linear thinker with a straightforward personality, who prefers any action at all to inaction, and like her father, this makes her gullible and easy to manipulate. A straight line is not only the quickest way between two points, it is the only way. If something doesn't fit, bend it, and if it doesn't bend, break it. Astrid is a little more disciplined thanks to her military training, and a little more mellow thanks to her injury, but only a little. But Thrude is also generous and self-sacrificing, seeking to alleviate the suffering of others by any means necessary, taking their burdens upon herself without hesitation. She will always be the first to charge in and the last to withdraw, seeking out the most powerful foes or the most dangerous hazards for herself, holding herself to a higher standard than anyone else. In her mind, there is nothing that can't be done, no foe who can't be overcome. Complications Accidents: With Hridgandr in her possession, Thrude has an intimate connection with winter and stormy weather, and it is not always under her control. When she feels particularly excited, distressed, or depressed, the weather around her often changes to reflect her mood without conscious effort on her part. As a young and reckless warrior, she often takes action without full regard to the potential consequences. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point in exchange for either temporarily forcing the "Uncontrolled" flaw upon one or more of her powers, or creating a new hazard as a result of their use. Anachronism: Thrude spent the last thousand years imprisoned in a pocket dimension. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point when her lack of context and familiarity with the modern world creates an inconvenient misunderstanding. Brash: Thrude is young and inexperienced. She inherited her father's boundless passion and courage, but also his reckless short-sightedness and lack of tactical or scholarly acumen. She is prone to "jumping the gun," and a GM should feel free to dictate a less-than-optimal course of action for her, in exchange for a Hero Point (either for her, or for an ally inconvenienced by her actions). Enemies: Thrude's family has many enemies, in the heavens and on Earth. With the rest of her pantheon forbidden to set foot on Earth, she is isolated, a prime target for their wrath. The Jotnar (giants/trolls) have gone back and forth between opposing them directly (particularly Ymir of the frost giants and Surtur of the fire giants), and undermining them with trickery and deceit (the specialty of the frost giant Loki, and the many monsters he has begotten, such as the dire wolf Fenris and the great Midgard Serpent, Jormungandr). Any who walk the branches of the world-tree Yggdrasil risk encountering dragons like Nidhoggr and Fafnir. And there are people on Earth who suffered as the result of Thor's (admittedly unwilling) service to the Nazis during World War 2. They, or their descendents, may hold Thrude personally accountable. A GM should feel free to either give these ancestral foes and their schemes center-stage, or just have them show up as supporting characters at the worst possible time. Family: Astrid's relations with her immediate family have become erratic and strained since her injury, but she does still love them, and any threat to them will take priority, even as Thrude. Gullible: Thrude inherited her father's linear thinking. Deception doesn't occur to her as an option, so she is slow to suspect it from others. She is a competent enough warrior to see past most feints, and most mortals find her too frighteningly beautiful (or just plain frightening) to be able to lie to her effectively. But a GM can give her a Hero Point in exchange for a penalty to an opposed Bluff check, or an outright failure. Honor Before Reason: The Aesir never let a little thing like "certain death" stop them from fighting the good fight. And since "doing the right thing" is more important than "winning" or even "surviving," the ends do not justify the means. An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory. Thrude can only wield Hridgandr as long as she proves "worthy" of it. Lost Love: Thrude still grieves for Alvis, the dwarf runesmith to whom she was betrothed before her father murdered him. A GM should feel free to give Thrude a Hero Point in exchange for inflicting penalties upon her when she is distracted by his memory, or when an enemy uses that memory to manipulate her. Reputation: The Thule Society's binding of Thor into service for the Nazis during World War 2 did incalculable damage to the global perception of the Nordic pantheon. Both superheroes and the general public will be skeptical, at best, of Thrude's intentions. A GM should feel free to give Thrude a Hero Point in exchange for making NPCs less inclined, if at all, to trust or aid her. One way to represent this mechanically would be to force a penalty (or an automatic failure) on Bluff, Diplomacy, and/or Gather Information checks. Rivalry: Like many young women before and after her, mortal and divine alike, Thrude's relationship with her father is complicated and contentious at best. He cheated on Thrude's mother, his wife, siring bastard sons. He murdered Thrude's betrothed. And his weakness, his inability to resist the powers of the Thule sorcerers, single-handedly ruined the reputation of his entire pantheon in the eyes of their mortal followers. Thrude has also developed a relationship of mutual loathing and grudging respect with the armored hero Fenris, who takes the name and face of her greatest enemy as his own. Meanwhile, the current state of Astrid's life has caused tension between her and her older, financially and professionally successful brother, Sven, and her parents, who haven't done a thorough job of concealing their desire for her to be more like him. Abilities 16 + 0 + 16 + 0 + 0 + 16 = 48PP Strength: 35/26 (+12/+8), 65/26 Lifting (Heavy Load: 100 tons / 920 lbs.) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 30/26 (+10/+8) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 26 (+8) Combat 16 + 16 = 32PP Initiative: +0 (+0 Dex) Attack: +8 Melee (+8 Base), +4 Ranged (+8 Base, -4 Disability), +12 Ice Constructs / Lightning Bolt (+8 Base, -4 Disability, +8 Accurate) Grapple: +26/+16 (+8 Melee Attack, +12/+8 Strength, +6/+0 Super-Strength) Defense: +8, +4 Flat-Footed Knockback: 14/4 Saving Throws 0 + 8 + 10 = 18PP Toughness: +16/+8 (+10/+8 Con, +6/+0 Protection, Impervious 12/0) Fortitude: +10/+8 (+10/+8 Con, +0PP) Reflex: +8 (+0 Dex, +8PP) Will: +10 (+0 Wis, +10PP) Skills 36R = 9PP Bluff 0 (+8, +20 Attractive) Diplomacy 0 (+8, +20 Attractive) Intimidate 13 (+21) Knowledge (History) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Theology/Philosophy) 4 (+4) Languages 7 (Danish, English, German, Icelandic, Norwegian, Old English [Anglo-Saxon], Old Norse [Native], Swedish) Ride 4 (+4) Survival 4 (+4) Feats 8PP Attractive 3 (+12 Bluff/Diplomacy) Benefit (Status) Equipment 4 (20EP)Veteran Reward Fearless Interpose Startle Takedown Attack Equipment 4PP = 20EP Valhalla (PL12 HQ) [20EP] Size: Colossal [5EP] Toughness: +10 [1EP] Features: [14EP] Animal PensAoF Combat Simulator (Einherjar) Garage (Stables) Gym Holding Cells 2 (Toughness 15, Nullify 12) Infirmary Isolated (Located in Asgard, another dimension) Library Living Space Parade GroundsAoF PersonnelBoM (Einherjar) Pool Workshop AoF = Agents of Freedom BoM = Book of Magic Powers 27 + 4 + 9 + 3 + 11 + 18 + 12 = 84PP Device 8 (40PP Container [Passive, Permanent], Toughness 18, Flaws: Easy-To-Lose, Feats: Restricted 2 [Can only be lifted or used by "The Worthy"], Subtle [Transforms into an ornate drinking horn]) [27PP] ("Hridgandr," Magic Weapon, Rune Magic) Environment Control 1 (5ft radius, Light [Moderate], Extras: Action 2 [Free], Flaws: Range [Touch]) [2PP] (Elemental Mastery, Lightning, Rune Magic) Features 1 (Environmental Adaptation [Storms]) [1PP] (Elemental Mastery, Rune Magic) Flight 1 (10MPH / 100ft per Move Action) [2PP] (Elemental Mastery, Rune Magic, Wind) Storm Mastery 15 (30PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 5) [35PP] (Elemental Mastery, Rune Magic) Base Power: [12 + 18 = 30PP] (Weapon Strike, Wind) Damage 4 (Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2 [Full Effect], Extended Reach [+5ft], Improved Critical [19-20], Incurable, Knockback [Effective Damage 17], Mighty, Variable Descriptor [Bludgeoning, Cold, Electricity, and/or Slashing]) [12PP] (Weapon Strike) Flight 9 (10, 10,000MPH / 100,000ft [20 miles] per Move Action) [18PP] (Wind) Alternate Power: [30PP] (Ice Constructs) Create Object 12 (1,200ft Max Range, 12 Cubes of Volume, Toughness 12, Lifting Strength 60 [Heavy Load: 50 tons], Extras: Duration [Continuous], Flaws: Action [Full], Permanent, Feats: Accurate 4 [+8 Attack], Improved Range 3 [1 1,200ft Range Increment], Indirect 2, Innate, Precise, Progression [Size] 7 [1,000ft cubes]) [30PP] Alternate Power: [30PP] (Lightning Bolt) Disintegrate 12 (1,200ft Max Range, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Feats: Accurate 4 [+8 Attack], Homing 2 [2 additional Attack attempts], Improved Critical [19-20], Improved Range 3 [1 1,200ft Range Increment], Indirect 2, Precise, Drawbacks: Lethal) [30PP] Alternate Power: [30PP] (Summon Storm) Environment Control 12 (5-mile radius, Cold [Extreme, Fortitude save 1/minute] + Hamper Movement [1/4] + Hamper Visibility [-4 Visual Notice] + Wind [Severe: -4 Auditory Notice, -4 Attack with Throwing, Automatically extinguishes open flames, 50% chance to extinguish protected flames], Extras: Independent, Total Fade, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Range [Touch], Feats: Slow Fade 2 [1PP per 5 minutes = 2 hours 20 minutes]) [30PP] Alternate Power: [24 + 6 = 30PP] (Wind) Flight 12 (13, 100,000MPH / 1,000,000ft [200 miles] per Move Action) [24PP] Super-Movement 3 (Space Travel 3 [Intergalactic]) [6PP] Alternate Power: [16 + 14 = 30PP] (Wind, Summon Rainbow Bridge) Flight 8 (9, 5,000MPH / 50,000ft [10 miles] per Move Action) [16PP] (Wind) Super-Movement 2 (Dimensional Travel 2 [9 Worlds of Norse Mythology], Extras: Duration 2 [Continuous], Portal, Feats: Progression [Portal Size] 2 [25ft]) [14PP] (Summon Rainbow Bridge) [2 + 1 + 2 + 35 = 40PP] Enhanced Constitution 4 [4PP] (Divine Might) Enhanced Strength 9 [9PP] (Divine Might) Features 3 (Environmental Adaptation 3 [High-Gravity, Low-Gravity, Zero-Gravity]) [3PP] (Divine Might) Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support [Disease, Environmental Cold/Heat/Pressure/Radiation/Vacuum, Poison, Suffocation], Starvation/Thirst) [11PP] (Divine Might) Protection 6 (Extras: Impervious [12]) [18PP] (Divine Might) Super-Strength 6 (Lifting Strength 65 [Heavy Load: 100 tons]) [12PP] (Divine Might) Drawbacks (-3) + (-4) + (-4) = -11PP Disability (One Eye, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Moderate [-4 Attack with Ranged Attacks]) [-3PP] Normal Identity (Frequency: Common [Full Action], Intensity: Major) [-4PP] (Astrid must drink from the horn to transform into Thrude) Vulnerability (Emotion Effects, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Major [x2 Effect Rank]) [-4PP] (Divine Passion) Totals: Abilities (48) + Combat (32) + Saving Throws (18) + Skills (9) + Feats (8) + Powers (84) - Drawbacks (11) = 188/188 Power Points Combat Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC27/23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Ice Constructs Dropped Ranged/Area DC22 Reflex Success = No Damage DC27 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Trap Ranged DC22 Reflex Trapped Lightning Bolt Ranged DC22 Fortitude (Staged) Drain Toughness DC27 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy, Lethal) Weapon Strike Touch+5ft DC31 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy and/or Physical) Normal Identity: Astrid Kierkegaard Power Level: 5 Tradeoffs: +1 Attack / -1 Damage, +1 Defense / -1 Toughness Power Points: 67 Alternate Identity: Princess Thrude Thorsdottir of Asgard (see above) Identity: Secret. The general public is unaware that Thrude and Astrid are effectively the same person, or that Thrude is an actual goddess. Birthplace: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA. Residence: A small apartment in The Fens. Base of Operations: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA. Occupation: Former soldier collecting disability payments, part-time Uber driver. Affiliations: Dual-citizen of the USA and Denmark (and by extension, the European Union) with no criminal record. Family: Anndrea Kierkegaard-Mikkelson (Mother), Johann Kierkegaard (Father), Sven Kierkegaard (Older Brother). Description Age: 23 Apparent Age: 23 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Scandinavian Height: 5'6" Weight: 150 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Astrid, being only human, is nowhere near the idealized image of a Nordic goddess that Thrude embodies. She shares only a fraction of her alter-ego's beauty. She does keep herself in above-average shape for a mortal through daily rigorous exercise, though there is little she can do to slow the degredation of her legs. Hints of the confident, disciplined demeanor from her military days still linger, but they are half-buried under a shroud of subdued resentment and despair. History Astrid Kierkegaard is the American-born daughter of Danish nationals. She was a high school athlete who had enlisted in the American army right after graduation, hoping to be a career soldier. Unfortunately, an I.E.D. robbed her of the use of her legs, causing the Army to give her a medical discharge. She collected disability pay and drifted through what was left of her life, slowly but steadily sinking into depression and alcoholism, until she stumbled upon Hridgandr. Thrude saw a kindred spirit, a fellow warrior with no war to fight. She offered Astrid the chance to share her place on Midgard with Thrude, and Astrid accepted with enthusiasm the liked of which she hadn't felt since enlistment. Personality & Motivation Astrid's injury, and her (perceived) abandonment by the military, left her less idealistic and more jaded than her alter-ego. Her association with Thrude is helping her to recover some of her old self, but the process is slow, with many setbacks. If Thrude would let her, she would be the goddess all the time. But Thrude insists on having a personal stake in the fate of Earth through Astrid and her family. Abilities: 4 + 4 + 4 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 16PP Strength: 14 (+2) (Heavy Load: 175 lbs.) Dexterity: 14 (+2)Paraplegic Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +2 Attack: +6 Grapple: +8 Defense: +6Paraplegic, +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: 2 Saving Throws 3 + 4 + 5 = 12PP Toughness: +4 (+2 Con, +2 Body Armor) Fortitude: +5 (+2 Con, +3PP) Reflex: +6Paraplegic (+2 Dex, +4PP) Will: +5 (+0 Wis, +5PP) Skills 52R = 13PP Climb 3 (+5) Drive 3 (+5) Intimidate 3 (+5) Knowledge (Current Events) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Tactics) 4 (+4) Languages 1 (Danish, English [Native]) Medicine 4 (+4) Notice 5 (+5) Profession (Soldier) 5 (+5) Search 5 (+5) Stealth 3 (+5) Survival 5 (+5) Swim 3 (+5) Feats 6PP Endurance Equipment 4 (20EP) Prone Fighting Equipment 4PP = 20EP Collapsible Baton: Damage 2 (Feats: Mighty, Subtle) [4EP] Ballistic Vest: Protection 2 (Feats: Subtle) [3EP] Tesla Model S Luxury Sedan (Vehicle) [13EP] Size: Huge [2EP] Strength: 35 [1EP] Defense: 8 Toughness: 10 [1EP] Features: Alarm (DC20), Disabled Driver Conversion (All controls are hand-operated), GPS Navigation System [3EP] Powers: Speed 4 (100MPH / 1,000ft per Move Action) [4EP], Super-Senses 2 (Direction Sense, Time Sense) [2EP] Drawbacks -4PP Disability (Paraplegic, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Major) [-4PP] In some situations, she will effectively be Immobile, and/or have an effective Dexterity and/or Reflex of 0, because of this drawback. Totals: Abilities (16) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (12) + Skills (13) + Feats (6) + Powers (0) - Drawbacks (4) = 67 Power Points Combat Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC17 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Baton Touch DC19 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)

December 1, 2015 Thrude had already had a busy day fighting some sort of horse-headed creature from beyond the dome of lopt when she detected the spell - ancient, powerful Norse words were being spoken by a caster with formidable arcane powers, words designed to summon a being of Asgard to the side of the caster! The spell was a dangerous one, a summoning without a binding, the sort that would likely get some fool killed and unleash any number of powerful creatures upon the innocent people of Midgard. Luckily the nearest creature to them was Thrude herself, and she was unlikely to smite even a mortal sorcerer so badly that he would not regret the error of his ways. She followed the 'signal' to a beach at the edge of the city proper, absolutely deserted by the cold-hating locals given the time of year - i.e., what felt like a mild autumn day to one who had taken the battle to Jotunheim itself. Standing amid a rune that spelled the letters of her own name stood a figure wrapped in the chilly mist of the coldest Scandanavian winter, a creature of death and a mockery of all that lived - a man in a blue parka and green uniform she recognized as Hel's representative on Midgard, Comrade Frost! "Hello!" he called up to her in a heavy accent like the scion of Rurik he was. "You got message, good! You want parley?" he asked, waving his hand. "I got guy who made me some mead under floor last year!" he went on, pointing to a nearby orange and white beverage cooler. "Is supposed to be pretty good!"

The pale, statuesque young woman floated, relaxed and aimless, several hundred miles above the surface of the Earth. Her arms, legs, and long golden braids drifted limply in seemingly random directions around her as the shining pale blue world spun beneath her. Her eyes remained closed as she quietly inhaled the crisp, cool air of the winter storm (with just a hint of ozone) which always filled her lungs, regardless of her surroundings. Of late, Thrude, Daughter of Storms, Princess of Asgard, found peace only in orbit, far above the crowded palaces of Midgard where the mortals seemed never to sleep anymore, where their electric torches were never extinguished and day never truly gave way to night anymore. Even here, in the silent void, the night sky below her was a sparkling spider's web woven over every land, from coast to coast. I swore to protect this world and all its peoples. But I feel less connected to it every day. I thought I had earned the trust of one mortal, but the Archeville was no comrade to me or his fellow mortals. He welcomed me with open arms, then stabbed me in the back as soon as I turned it. A deceiver and traitor every bit as vile as Loki, a beast as bloodthirsty as any jotun or dragon. Empires rose and fell, and in all that time, the people of Midgard saw only two so-called "champions" from the Aesir. Both promised to defend them, and both were revealed as the pawns of monsters. How can they ever trust us again? How can they see us as heroes and not demons? The blasphemous mortal who claimed the Fenrir's name for his own saw little difference between me and the Winter Wulf, and he was but one voice in a choir. Even the Messenger from the slave-god of the eastern deserts looked upon me as his followers do, with two shares of terror in their eyes for every one of hope or relief. And why would they be anything but afraid, when my sister of shield and spear shepherds their warriors to their doom even when there is no war to fight, no enemy at their gates? No enemy but us. Sparks sputtered from the corner's of the goddess's closed eyes. When she opened them, cerulean bolts danced back and forth between the pupils. I will never truly be their champion if I remain apart from them. I cannot be as kelp drifting from one wave to another. The sapling must take root in the land before it can grow into a mighty tree, and until it does, those who toil beneath it will have no shield from the unforgiving rays of the summer sun. I cannot be trusted to protect this world unless I have a stake in it.

In Brief: A dimensionally and temporally displaced Nordic goddess teams up with a crippled ex-soldier to redeem her pantheon. Player Name: ShaenTheBrain Character Name: Thrude ("ThrOOD") Power Level: 11/12 Trade-Offs: -5 Attack / +5 Damage, -5 Defense / +5 Toughness Power Points: 173/175 Unspent Power Points: 2 Bronze Reward: 4PP of Equipment for Kingsnake, 4PP of Equipment for Thrude, 7PP of Equipment/Minions/Sidekick unclaimed Silver Reward: Increased PL7/105PP PC to PL12/180PP (Kingsnake) Alternate Identity: Princess Thrude Thorsdottir of Asgard, Astrid Kierkegaard (see below). Identity: Secret. The general public is unaware that Thrude and Astrid are effectively the same person, or that Thrude is an actual goddess. Birthplace: Valhalla, Asgard Residence: Valhalla, Asgard Base of Operations: Milky Way Galaxy Occupation: Chooser-of-The-Slain, Goddess, Princess, Superhero, Warrior. Affiliations: The Aesir, The Valkyries. Family: Thor (Father), Sif (Mother), Odin (Paternal Grandfather), Frigga (Paternal Step-Grandmother), Jord (Paternal Grandmother), Magni (Paternal Half-Brother), Modi (Paternal Half-Brother), Ullr (Maternal Half-Brother), Heimdall (Uncle), Tyr (Uncle), Bragi (Uncle), Vidar (Uncle), Vali (Uncle), Forseti (Cousin), Baldur (Uncle, Deceased), Nanna (Aunt), Hodr (Uncle, Deceased), Loki (Adoptive Grand-Uncle), Hel (Adoptive Second Cousin), Jormungandr The Midgard Serpent (Adoptive Second Cousin), The Fenris Wulf (Adoptive Second Cousin), Alvis (Fiance, Deceased). Catchphrase: "I SHALL SMITE THEE!" Description Age: Incalculable (several thousand Earth-years at least) Apparent Age: 18 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Scandinavian Height: 6'0" Weight: 180 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Gold A deity in the image of her followers, Thrude has eyes like lightning, set into flesh as pale as fresh snow. She lost her left eye in battle with The Fenris Wulf, and wears a black patch over the scarred remains. The long, flowing golden locks she inherited from her mother shine like honey in the light of the sun. She usually wears them in long braids, to keep them out of the way during combat. During battle, she wears furs, leathers, and linens, dyed in bright azure and amber hues, similar to the brightly-colored jumpsuits worn by modern superheroes, and anchored with plates and buckles forged of gleaming mithril. Thrude stands tall with the regal, almost haughty bearing one would expect of a princess, and moves with the sure, practiced gait of a trained warrior in peak condition. Her words are always clear and crisp, from a combination of perfect enunciation and sheer window-rattling volume. Her mother's fierce beauty bred strong and true in Thrude; were she so inclined, lucrative modeling contracts would be her's for the taking. Power Description As a goddess, Thrude is stronger, tougher, and hardier than any mortal ever could be. She is equally at home on dry land, on the highest mountain, in the deepest ocean, or floating in the void of outer space. Although hunger and thirst cause her discomfort, they will not be her undoing. Like any god of the Aesir, but especially befitting the daughter of Thor and sister of Magni, Thrude's divine strength can toss automobiles into the air with the same ease as a child tosses a ball. Blades and bullets bounce harmlessly off of her skin. As a member of a pantheon where every god is a "god of war," Thrude has received substantial training in hand-to-hand combat. That training is obvious to anyone with comparable instruction, even despite her fighting style being aggressive to the point of recklessness and straightforward to a fault. As a wedding present, Alvis the dwarf runesmith forged for Thrude Hridgandr ("HREED-gawn-der"), a weapon worthy of the Daughter of Storms. While not in use, Hridgandr takes the form of a simple but ornate drinking horn. However, when its power is needed, it transforms into a massive protean polearm. The ebony haft runs anywhere from one to three meters long, expanding and contracting at Thrude's mental command. The gleaming mithril head, over a meter wide, morphs at her whim between the shape of a double-headed battle axe or warhammer. Both head and haft are etched with magical Norse runes, killing words which summon lightning and frost to crackle and gleam along the weapon's edges. Hridgandr appears to be completely impractical, and indeed, to anyone relying solely on the laws of physics, it is worse than useless, refusing even to move from its resting place. But in the hands of those with courage and honor enough to be deemed "worthy," it is light as a feather, even as it crushes mountains into dust or cleaves a dragon in twain. Hridgandr is, however, much more than a weapon. As with the mighty hammer Mjolnir wielded by her father, it is also a scepter for the Princess of Storms. At the wielder's command (conscious or otherwise), mist shrouds the sky, rain and sleet pour down, and thunder and lightning crash. Electricity arcs up and down the wielder's body and between their eyes. When they will it, the chill wind and fog coalesce around them, lifting them into the air and racing them across the sky at speeds many times that of sound or even light, leaving thunder in their wake. To honor The Pact, and to root herself more deeply in Midgard, Thrude has invested her power into Hridgandr and left it in the hands of a mortal woman, Astrid Kierkegaard. Astrid can use Hridgandr to summon Thrude to merge with her, effectively transforming herself into the goddess, by sipping liquid (even a few drops) from Hridgandr while it is in the form of a drinking horn. Astrid has a vague, hazy awareness of her time as Thrude, and Thrude has a similar dreamlike recollection of her time as Astrid. The passive mind cannot control the active one, but her emotions will influence the other. While in its more mundane form, Hridgandr can be carried freely by anyone. But in its true form as a massive weapon, it can only be lifted or wielded by those the magic runes engraved upon it judge "worthy," having the selfless courage and honor to defend the weak without oppressing them. History Odin All-Father, was king of the gods of the North, the Aesir, they who had eaten of the golden apples from the Tree of Idunn and gained eternal youth and vitality beyond the reach of mortal men. Odin One-Eye gave gifts of knowledge to the northern tribes: hunting, swordplay, literacy, even brewing, all of it knowledge he gained at great personal risk and sacrifice. With Jord, also known as Gaea, the giantess who personified the very Earth itself, he begat Thor. Thor, lord of the storm, married Sif, she of the golden hair in whose fertile womb the fields bore fruit. Together, they in turn begat Thrude, Daughter of Storms, Princess of Asgard. Her name means "Power" or "Strength" in one of the oldest tongues ever spoken upon the European continent. The Aesir sought to form a lasting alliance with the Dvergur. The dwarves were unparalleled smiths and masons, masters of rune magic and creators of wondrous devices. To that end, Thrude was promised to wed Alvis, the All-Wise, master smith. He was small of stature and humble in bearing, but of great skill and kind heart. Thrude learned much during their courtship, for Alvis rivaled even Odin in his understanding of runic lore. With Thrude by her side, he forged for her Hridgandr, a great weapon fit for the Daughter of Storms, a weapon to rival the magnificence of her father's great warhammer Mjolnir. But her father, Thor, did not approve of the union. His pride could not bear the insult of a dwarf as a son-in-law and heir. So Thor tricked Alvis, demanding from him a "test of wisdom." All night did Thor ask questions of Alvis, questions about everything under the sun. And it was the sun that was the dwarf's undoing, for he was so distracted by Thor's tests that he did not notice its morning arrival until its rays turned him to stone, the fate of all dvergur touched by Sol. Consumed with rage and grief, Thrude turned away from her father, joining the Valkyries. Alongside her sister shieldmaidens, she descended unto the battlefields of Midgard, choosing the bravest and the strongest of fallen mortal warriors to train and fight and revel in Valhalla, or to sate Freyja's "appetites" in the fields of Folkvangr. She helped build the army which would defend the realms from the ravages of the Jotnar on the day of reckoning, Ragnarok. She fought many battles in the name of the Aesir, and she slew many foes, men and monsters alike. It was in a battle with such a beast that young Thrude's fate was (literally) sealed. Fenris, the great wolf, Loki's foul get, had slipped his bonds once again, and Thrude had hunted him to the ends of the Earth. Goddess and Monster were locked in ferocious battle, with no quarter being asked nor given, when Loki, the unequaled trickster, trapped the them both with his sorcery. What purpose he intended in their capture, if there ever was one, has since been lost to time, having slipped through the cracks of the trickster-god's countless machinations. To the outside world, their prison appeared as simple pottery, a jar or bottle like any other. But inside the pocket dimension contained within, their battle raged on throughout the centuries. There was no sense of the passage of time for them, no frame of reference, only a void, empty save for their foe. In the year 2011 of the Common Era of the Gregorian Calendar, a clumsy and ignorant human accidentally destroyed a simple clay jar from a collection of ancient Viking relics, and unleashed both Thrude and the Fenris Wolf upon Midgard once more. Goddess and monster battled once again to a stalemate, with the White Wolf escaping into the Nine Worlds while Thrude remained on Midgard. The breaking of Thrude's prison by a mortal fulfilled the requirement of The Pact that a god not set foot upon Earth without a human summons. Thrude was not party to the horrors of Nazi Germany in which the Aesir were complicit, nor to the subsequent agreement they made to exile themselves from the human world, so Master Mage Adrian Eldritch allowed her to stay. Thrude remained on Midgard for a time, protecting the innocent as best she could. Eventually, she decided that she could not truly defend the human world while having no ties to it, and that she needed true freedom to move between Earth and the other worlds as she pleased, so that she could hunt and pursue threats wherever they appeared or fled. She returned to Asgard, and cast Hridgandr back to Midgard, where a worthy mortal could use it to manifest Thrude. Hridgandr found Astrid Kierkegaard, the American-born daughter of Danish nationals. Astrid was a high school athlete who had enlisted in the American army right after graduation, hoping to be a career soldier. Unfortunately, an I.E.D. robbed her of the use of her legs, causing the Army to give her a medical discharge. She collected disability pay and drifted through what was left of her life, slowly but steadily sinking into depression and alcoholism. Through Hridgandr, Thrude saw a kindred spirit, a fellow warrior with no war to fight. She offered Astrid the chance to share her place on Midgard with Thrude, and Astrid accepted with enthusiasm the liked of which she hadn't felt since enlistment. Thus, upon the shoulders of these two young women rests the defense of the Earthly realm, of people who have either grown to hate the old gods, or have simply forgotten them. Upon Thrude's shoulders rests the honor and redemption of her entire pantheon, or as she knows them, her family. Personality & Motivation Like any young adult, mortal or divine, Thrude isn't half as worldly or sophisticated as she thinks she is. Of all her faults, it is her naivete to which she is most blind. Sometimes to her chagrin, Thrude takes after her parents, and indeed, her entire family. She is brave and confident to a fault, acts and speaks before thinking (often violently), and lets her boundless passions rule her. She is a linear thinker with a straightforward personality, who prefers any action at all to inaction, and like her father, this makes her gullible and easy to manipulate. A straight line is not only the quickest way between two points, it is the only way. If something doesn't fit, bend it, and if it doesn't bend, break it. Astrid is a little more disciplined thanks to her military training, and a little more mellow thanks to her injury, but only a little. But Thrude is also generous and self-sacrificing, seeking to alleviate the suffering of others by any means necessary, taking their burdens upon herself without hesitation. She will always be the first to charge in and the last to withdraw, seeking out the most powerful foes or the most dangerous hazards for herself, holding herself to a higher standard than anyone else. In her mind, there is nothing that can't be done, no foe who can't be overcome. Complications Accidents: With Hridgandr in her possession, Thrude has an intimate connection with winter and stormy weather, and it is not always under her control. When she feels particularly excited, distressed, or depressed, the weather around her often changes to reflect her mood without conscious effort on her part. As a young and reckless warrior, she often takes action without full regard to the potential consequences. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point in exchange for either temporarily forcing the "Uncontrolled" flaw upon one or more of her powers, or creating a new hazard as a result of their use. Anachronism: Thrude spent the last thousand years imprisoned in a pocket dimension. A GM should feel free to give her or her comrades a Hero Point when her lack of context and familiarity with the modern world creates an inconvenient misunderstanding. Brash: Thrude is young and inexperienced. She inherited her father's boundless passion and courage, but also his reckless short-sightedness and lack of tactical or scholarly acumen. She is prone to "jumping the gun," and a GM should feel free to dictate a less-than-optimal course of action for her, in exchange for a Hero Point (either for her, or for an ally inconvenienced by her actions). Enemies: Thrude's family has many enemies, in the heavens and on Earth. With the rest of her pantheon forbidden to set foot on Earth, she is isolated, a prime target for their wrath. The Jotnar (giants/trolls) have gone back and forth between opposing them directly (particularly Ymir of the frost giants and Surtur of the fire giants), and undermining them with trickery and deceit (the specialty of the frost giant Loki, and the many monsters he has begotten, such as the dire wolf Fenris and the great Midgard Serpent, Jormungandr). Any who walk the branches of the world-tree Yggdrasil risk encountering dragons like Nidhoggr and Fafnir. And there are people on Earth who suffered as the result of Thor's (admittedly unwilling) service to the Nazis during World War 2. They, or their descendents, may hold Thrude personally accountable. A GM should feel free to either give these ancestral foes and their schemes center-stage, or just have them show up as supporting characters at the worst possible time. Family: Astrid's relations with her immediate family have become erratic and strained since her injury, but she does still love them, and any threat to them will take priority, even as Thrude. Gullible: Thrude inherited her father's linear thinking. Deception doesn't occur to her as an option, so she is slow to suspect it from others. She is a competent enough warrior to see past most feints, and most mortals find her too frighteningly beautiful (or just plain frightening) to be able to lie to her effectively. But a GM can give her a Hero Point in exchange for a penalty to an opposed Bluff check, or an outright failure. Honor Before Reason: The Aesir never let a little thing like "certain death" stop them from fighting the good fight. And since "doing the right thing" is more important than "winning" or even "surviving," the ends do not justify the means. An honorable defeat is better than a dishonorable victory. Thrude can only wield Hridgandr as long as she proves "worthy" of it. Lost Love: Thrude still grieves for Alvis, the dwarf runesmith to whom she was betrothed before her father murdered him. A GM should feel free to give Thrude a Hero Point in exchange for inflicting penalties upon her when she is distracted by his memory, or when an enemy uses that memory to manipulate her. Reputation: The Thule Society's binding of Thor into service for the Nazis during World War 2 did incalculable damage to the global perception of the Nordic pantheon. Both superheroes and the general public will be skeptical, at best, of Thrude's intentions. A GM should feel free to give Thrude a Hero Point in exchange for making NPCs less inclined, if at all, to trust or aid her. One way to represent this mechanically would be to force a penalty (or an automatic failure) on Bluff, Diplomacy, and/or Gather Information checks. Rivalry: Like many young women before and after her, mortal and divine alike, Thrude's relationship with her father is complicated and contentious at best. He cheated on Thrude's mother, his wife, siring bastard sons. He murdered Thrude's betrothed. And his weakness, his inability to resist the powers of the Thule sorcerers, single-handedly ruined the reputation of his entire pantheon in the eyes of their mortal followers. Thrude has also developed a relationship of mutual loathing and grudging respect with the armored hero Fenris, who takes the name and face of her greatest enemy as his own. Meanwhile, the current state of Astrid's life has caused tension between her and her older, financially and professionally successful brother, Sven, and her parents, who haven't done a thorough job of concealing their desire for her to be more like him. Abilities 16 + 0 + 16 + 0 + 0 + 16 = 48PP Strength: 35/26 (+12/+8), 60/26 Lifting (Heavy Load: 100 tons / 920 lbs.) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 30/26 (+10/+8) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 26 (+8) Combat 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +0 (+0 Dex) Attack: +6 Melee (+6 Base), +2 Ranged (+6 Base, -4 Disability), +10 Lightning Bolt (+6 Base, -4 Disability, +8 Accurate) Grapple: +23/+14 (+6 Melee Attack, +12/+8 Strength, +5/+0 Super-Strength) Defense: +6, +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: 13/4 Saving Throws 0 + 6 + 10 = 16PP Toughness: +16/+8 (+10/+8 Con, +6/+0 Protection, Impervious 11/0) Fortitude: +10/+8 (+10/+8 Con, +0PP) Reflex: +6 (+0 Dex, +6PP) Will: +10 (+0 Wis, +10PP) Skills 36R = 9PP Bluff 0 (+8, +20 Attractive) Diplomacy 0 (+8, +20 Attractive) Intimidate 12 (+20) Knowledge (History) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Theology/Philosophy) 4 (+4) Languages 8 (Danish, English, German, Gothic, Icelandic, Norwegian, Old English, Old Norse [Native], Swedish) Ride 4 (+4) Survival 4 (+4) Feats 9PP Attractive 3 (+12 Bluff/Diplomacy) Benefit (Status) Equipment 4 (20EP)Veteran Reward Fearless Improved Grapple Interpose Startle Takedown Attack Equipment 4PP = 20EP Valhalla (PL11 HQ) [20EP] Size: Colossal [5EP] Toughness: +10 [1EP] Features: [14EP] Animal PensAoF Combat Simulator (Einherjar) Garage (Stables) Gym Holding Cells 2 (Toughness +15, Nullify 11) Infirmary Isolated (Located in Asgard, another dimension) Library Living Space Parade GroundsAoF PersonnelBoM (Einherjar) Pool Workshop AoF = Agents of Freedom BoM = Book of Magic Powers 24 + 4 + 9 + 3 + 11 + 17 + 10 = 78PP Device 7 (35PP Container [Passive, Permanent], Toughness 17, Flaws: Easy-To-Lose, Feats: Restricted 2 [Can only be lifted or used by "The Worthy"], Subtle [Transforms into an ornate drinking horn]) [24PP] ("Hridgandr," Magic Weapon, Rune Magic) Environment Control 1 (5ft radius, Light [Moderate], Extras: Action 2 [Free], Flaws: Range [Touch]) [2PP] (Elemental Mastery, Lightning, Rune Magic) Features 1 (Environmental Adaptation [Storms]) [1PP] (Elemental Mastery, Rune Magic) Flight 1 (10MPH / 100ft per Move Action) [2PP] (Elemental Mastery, Rune Magic, Wind) Storm Mastery 13 (26PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 4) [30PP] (Elemental Mastery, Rune Magic) Base Power: [12 + 14 = 26PP] Damage 4 (Feats: Affects Insubstantial 2 [Full Effect], Extended Reach [+5ft], Improved Critical [19-20], Incurable, Knockback [Effective Damage 17], Mighty, Variable Descriptor [Bludgeoning, Cold, Electricity, and/or Slashing]) [12PP] (Weapon Strike) Flight 7 (8, 2,500MPH / 25,000ft [5 miles] per Move Action) [14PP] (Wind) Alternate Power: [25PP] (Lightning Bolt) Disintegrate 10 (1,000ft Max Range, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Feats: Accurate 4 [+8 Attack], Homing 2, Improved Range 3 [1 1,000ft Range Increment], Indirect 2, Drawbacks: Lethal) [25PP] Drain Toughness 10 (Extras: Affects Objects, Range [Ranged], Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting) [10PP] Damage 10 (Extras: Range [Ranged], Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting) [5PP] Feats [11PP] Drawbacks [-1PP] [10 + 5 + 11 + (-1) = 25PP] Alternate Power: [20 + 6 = 26PP] (Wind) Flight 10 (11, 25,000MPH / 250,000ft [50 miles] per Move Action) [20PP] Super-Movement 3 (Space Travel 3) [6PP] Alternate Power: [12 + 14 = 26PP] Flight 6 (7, 1,000MPH / 10,000ft [2 miles] per Move Action) [12PP] (Wind) Super-Movement 2 (Dimensional Travel 2 [9 Worlds of Norse Mythology], Extras: Duration 2 [Continuous], Portal, Feats: Progression [Portal Size] 2 [25ft]) [14PP] (Summon Rainbow Bridge) Alternate Power: [25PP] (Summon Storm) Environment Control 10 (1-mile radius, Cold [Extreme, Fortitude save 1/minute] + Hamper Movement [1/4] + Hamper Visibility [-4 Visual Notice] + Wind [Severe: -4 Auditory Notice, -4 Attack with Throwing, Automatically extinguishes open flames, 50% chance to extinguish protected flames], Extras: Independent, Total Fade, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Range [Touch], Feats: Slow Fade [1/minute = 24 minutes]) [25/26PP] Environment Control 10 (Cold [Extreme], Extras: Independent, Total Fade, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Range [Touch]) [5PP] Environment Control 10 (Hamper Movement [1/4], Extras: Independent, Total Fade, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Range [Touch]) [5PP] Environment Control 10 (Hamper Visibility [-4 Visual Notice], Extras: Independent, Total Fade, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Range [Touch]) [4PP] Environment Control 10 (Wind [Severe], Extras: Independent, Total Fade, Flaws: Action [Full], Distracting, Range [Touch]) [10PP] Feats [1PP] [5 + 5 + 4 + 10 + 1 = 25PP] [2 + 1 + 2 + 30 = 35PP] Enhanced Constitution 4 [4PP] (Divine Might) Enhanced Strength 9 [9PP] (Divine Might) Features 3 (Environmental Adaptation 3 [High-Gravity, Low-Gravity, Zero-Gravity]) [3PP] (Divine Might) Immunity 11 (Aging, Life Support [Disease, Environmental Cold/Heat/Pressure/Radiation/Vacuum, Poison, Suffocation], Starvation/Thirst) [11PP] (Divine Might) Protection 6 (Extras: Impervious [11]) [17PP] (Divine Might) Super-Strength 5 (Lifting Strength 60 [Heavy Load: 50 tons]) [10PP] (Divine Might) Drawbacks (-3) + (-4) + (-4) = -11PP Disability (One Eye, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Moderate [-4 Attack with Ranged Attacks]) [-3PP] Normal Identity (Frequency: Common [Full Action], Intensity: Major) [-4PP] (Astrid must drink from the horn to transform into Thrude) Vulnerability (Emotion Effects, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Major [x2 Effect Rank]) [-4PP] (Divine Passion) Totals: Abilities (48) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (16) + Skills (9) + Feats (9) + Powers (78) - Drawbacks (11) = 173/175 Power Points Combat Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC27/23 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Weapon Strike Touch+5ft DC31 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy and/or Physical) Lightning Bolt Ranged DC20 Fortitude (Staged) Drain Toughness DC25 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Energy, Lethal) Normal Identity: Astrid Kierkegaard Power Level: 5 Tradeoffs: +1 Attack / -1 Damage, +1 Defense / -1 Toughness Power Points: 67 Alternate Identity: Princess Thrude Thorsdottir of Asgard (see above) Identity: Secret. The general public is unaware that Thrude and Astrid are effectively the same person, or that Thrude is an actual goddess. Birthplace: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA. Residence: A small apartment in The Fens. Base of Operations: Freedom City, New Jersey, USA. Occupation: Former soldier collecting disability payments, part-time Uber driver. Affiliations: Dual-citizen of the USA and Denmark (and by extension, the European Union) with no criminal record. Family: Anndrea Kierkegaard-Mikkelson (Mother), Johann Kierkegaard (Father), Sven Kierkegaard (Older Brother). Description Age: 23 Apparent Age: 23 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Scandinavian Height: 5'6" Weight: 150 lbs. Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde Astrid, being only human, is nowhere near the idealized image of a Nordic goddess that Thrude embodies. She shares only a fraction of her alter-ego's beauty. She does keep herself in above-average shape for a mortal through daily rigorous exercise, though there is little she can do to slow the degredation of her legs. Hints of the confident, disciplined demeanor from her military days still linger, but they are half-buried under a shroud of subdued resentment and despair. History Astrid Kierkegaard is the American-born daughter of Danish nationals. She was a high school athlete who had enlisted in the American army right after graduation, hoping to be a career soldier. Unfortunately, an I.E.D. robbed her of the use of her legs, causing the Army to give her a medical discharge. She collected disability pay and drifted through what was left of her life, slowly but steadily sinking into depression and alcoholism, until she stumbled upon Hridgandr. Thrude saw a kindred spirit, a fellow warrior with no war to fight. She offered Astrid the chance to share her place on Midgard with Thrude, and Astrid accepted with enthusiasm the liked of which she hadn't felt since enlistment. Personality & Motivation Astrid's injury, and her (perceived) abandonment by the military, left her less idealistic and more jaded than her alter-ego. Her association with Thrude is helping her to recover some of her old self, but the process is slow, with many setbacks. If Thrude would let her, she would be the goddess all the time. But Thrude insists on having a personal stake in the fate of Earth through Astrid and her family. Abilities: 4 + 4 + 4 + 0 + 0 + 4 = 16PP Strength: 14 (+2) (Heavy Load: 175 lbs.) Dexterity: 14 (+2)Paraplegic Constitution: 14 (+2) Intelligence: 10 (+0) Wisdom: 10 (+0) Charisma: 14 (+2) Combat 12 + 12 = 24PP Initiative: +2 Attack: +6 Grapple: +8 Defense: +6Paraplegic, +3 Flat-Footed Knockback: 2 Saving Throws 3 + 4 + 5 = 12PP Toughness: +4 (+2 Con, +2 Body Armor) Fortitude: +5 (+2 Con, +3PP) Reflex: +6Paraplegic (+2 Dex, +4PP) Will: +5 (+0 Wis, +5PP) Skills 52R = 13PP Climb 3 (+5) Drive 3 (+5) Intimidate 3 (+5) Knowledge (Current Events) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Pop Culture) 4 (+4) Knowledge (Tactics) 4 (+4) Languages 1 (Danish, English [Native]) Medicine 4 (+4) Notice 5 (+5) Profession (Soldier) 5 (+5) Search 5 (+5) Stealth 3 (+5) Survival 5 (+5) Swim 3 (+5) Feats 6PP Endurance Equipment 4 (20EP) Prone Fighting Equipment 4PP = 20EP Collapsible Baton: Damage 2 (Feats: Mighty, Subtle) [4EP] Ballistic Vest: Protection 2 (Feats: Subtle) [3EP] Tesla Model S Luxury Sedan (Vehicle) [13EP] Size: Huge [2EP] Strength: 35 [1EP] Defense: 8 Toughness: 10 [1EP] Features: Alarm (DC20), Disabled Driver Conversion (All controls are hand-operated), GPS Navigation System [3EP] Powers: Speed 4 (100MPH / 1,000ft per Move Action) [4EP], Super-Senses 2 (Direction Sense, Time Sense) [2EP] Drawbacks -4PP Disability (Paraplegic, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Major) [-4PP] In some situations, she will effectively be Immobile, and/or have an effective Dexterity and/or Reflex of 0, because of this drawback. Totals: Abilities (16) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (12) + Skills (13) + Feats (6) + Powers (0) - Drawbacks (4) = 67 Power Points Combat Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC17 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical) Baton Touch DC19 Toughness (Staged) Damage (Physical)

August 30th, 2014 - 10:07am Liberty Park - Freedom City GM Post It was the closest thing to a lazy Saturday one could get in Freedom City. Summer was just starting to wind down, so everyone was soaking up the last of the summer sun while they still had the chance. Whether it was just running errands, people going out for an early morning jog, or spending some quality time with the kids, it seemed like everyone was outside today. In a perfect world, the day would unfold without incident, but fate it seemed had other plans for this day. Shortly after 10 o'clock in the morning, a piece of space debris made contact with the upper atmosphere of the earth and began its plummet to the ground in earnest. The fiery rock streaked across the Freedom City skyline, before striking down in the heart of Liberty Park. The shock wave rumbled through the streets and a huge plume of dust and dirt hung over the impact zone. Car alarms, police sirens and the cries of the terrified populace filled the air as everyone tried to get a handle on what just happened.

Ditko Street Wednesday, August 13th, 2014 6:32 PM Another workday done. The question was whether or not he'd have to work the evening as well. Kyle Steward made his way through Riverside, stopping to bask in the summer heat. The good news about his workplace was that it wasn't exactly a gigantic bastion of professionalism; the bad news was he still had to wear long-sleeved shirts every so often. Fortunately, he'd managed to shuck the shirt and go in just a T-shirt. The sun was just starting to dip down, but it was still somewhat hot and humid. The iced coffee was helping, but there was still a ways to go. All in all, though, things were peaceful. Steamy, sweaty, and crowded, but peaceful. There was a cool breeze kicking up under the muggy air, and it promised an interesting night. It was enough to cause him to almost get lost in thought. And then the shrieking started. The first eruption happened right next to him, in a car pulling into a parking space. The driver lost control, colliding with the car in front of him. Then came the radio at the newsstand down the street. Then the PA system at the nearby coffee shop. Soon, the entire street was awash in cacophony. Through the bursts of distortion, Kyle could hear words... but they weren't in any Earth language. He tapped his bracelet, hoping the sight might go unnoticed amongst all the chaos. The language filtered into his ears, swiftly translating. It was Lor, and although it was garbled, he could make out a few pieces. "Alone... fallen... help... dead... dead... stranded..." And all across Freedom, the static spread, erupting from every device attuned to radio waves. Repeating the same request...

Memorial comes to Earth, and brings the tail end of something very large with her...

Set had honestly expected tracking down Thrude Thorsdottir to be more difficult. Perhaps the godling had simply become too reliant on the infinite permutations of communication and social media pervading the modern mortal world but the prospect of locating one woman - even if she did admittedly stand out in a crowd - amongst the bustling city without the benefit of so much as a Twitter handle had seemed daunting. Set was hardly one to back down from a challenge once he'd made up his mind, however, and after a significant amount of sleuthing he'd found enough hasty smartphone videos of massive battle hammers and Facebook posts from annoyed meteorologists to at least fell like he was looking in the right neighbourhood. Ultimately, though, the building shaking thunderclaps and explosions towering over rooftops were much more helpful. "Ho! Adventure!" the Scion of the Sirocco exclaimed, bounding over parked cars and newspaper dispensers as he sprinted toward the source of the commotion.

Deep Space Sitting in the dark of space was the massive swathes of star forming gases glowing the most beautiful blues and purples lit but the very stars they were helped forming. Being light years across the craft that stood on the edge of the nebula seemed tiny, even though it was itself the size of a small city. The stark white hull of the saucer like object looked that it was made of a single flawless piece of ceramic. Inside the craft was a small room the wall being opaque lighting the room with a blue glow from nebula beyond, the room was also filled with cryogenic gases from several pod opening up in the room revealing several Earth heroes groggily woken from an unexpected cryogenic sleep.

August 1, 2014 8 AM A million stories in the naked city - and this one begins with lightning. The terrible storm had come up fast, nearly swamping the naval base at the Point and forcing the sailors there to take shelter against what seemed to be a terrible hurricane - but one localized to within a few square miles at the very tip of the peninsula. This was no natural storm - no surprise in Freedom City! A normal part of town might simply have called in the Freedom League, but as usual the military preferred to handle its own problems. As naval personnel and AEGIS agents combed the streets of the small community of base families that lived nearby the facility, the storm raged on overhead - spectacular bolts of lightning harmlessly crackling through the sky that might have been dismissed by the occasionally jaded Freedom City public - but that rang like a bell to those with a particular connection to the storm. Something was wrong in the skies over Freedom - something was very wrong indeed.

The OOC

The senses-shattering conclusion to the Evil!Dok saga! For now, just the six Interceptors -- Colt, Dynamo, Fulcrum, Grim, Jack and Jill -- should post. (They'll find the inside of the house empty, as by now Scarab's already warnedAvenger & Phantom of what's going on.) Others can come in by invite, and other threads may be spun off from this one as needed.

Date: June 17th, 2011 (Friday), later afternoon/early evening Continued from ArchEvil: Terrible Bosses and News. In one of the darker corners of the historic waterfront of North Bay lay a spooky old house, complete with a graveyard off to the side: the home of Jack and Taylor Faretti. In the middle of the seldom-used street which ran by it, a pinpoint of blue-grey light appeared, which exploded into a great sphere. Out of this strode a grim figure in black and blood red armor, followed closely by six figures of equally dark, though very familiar, mien (one notably taller than the others). "Come along, Auffängers!," ArchEvil commanded. "This Doktor has a housecall to make!" ArchEvil stopped mid-step. "Auffängers," he said between gritted teeth, "secure the perimeter... and find the witch, the vampire, and their abomination of a child!"

Willow and Thrude need pants badly! Also, some supervillains show up, because that's how these things typically go.

Standing on a Riverside street corner with her hands placed dramatically on her hips, Ellie Espadas turned to the eclectic group of women behind her and announced, "Alright, ladies, welcome to Meadow Street. A sensational hive of thrift and fashionability." Indeed, the line of shops behind her featured a generous quantity of second hand, vintage, handmade and fair trade clothing boutiques, several of which fell under two or more of those headings. "So, we've got two goals here," she reminded them. "First, to get Will and Trudy some actual people clothes." The dryad and goddess's limited wardrobes had become inconvenient enough that they'd quickly reached the limit of practical sharing and borrowing from the other Interceptors. "Second, we're practicing the 'secret identity' thing. Obviously Mo' is a little conspicuous, so if you get busted, we'll just say you're hanging with your girl Fulcrum on the downlow, but we're going for subtle, okay?" The young medic could perhaps be forgiven for directing the last part of her comment more to Thrude than anyone else.

Date: June 17th, 2011 (Friday), later afternoon/early evening Continued from ArchEvil: Terrible Bosses Just as Ferros reached up the ring the doorbell on the building Doktor Archeville had instructed him to go to should he feel he was ready to audition for the fabled Interceptors, the building collapsed, threatening to fall upon him! Inside, in the secret basement lair of that team, Geckoman, Thrude, and Willow had just witnessed the team's secret benefactor -- Archeville himself, now some sort of hideous fish-man! -- usurp control over the core members of the team, then teleport away with them as he ordered Vince, the team's AI 'mascot,' to activate the building's auto-destruct, bringing it down upon them!

1 HP for Ferros, Geckoman, Thrude, and Willow b/c the villain escaped. 1 HP for them b/c I'm fiating the Self-Destruct feature for the Brownstone. Since it's a PL 15 HQ, I'll treat it as an Area Damage 15 Attack. DC 25 Reflex, then a DC 30 (or 22) Toughness save.

Date: June 17th, 2011 (Friday), later afternoon/early evening Continued from ArchEvil: Revelations The Brownstone! Home to the Interceptors! Dynamo, Fulcrum, Jack of all Blades, and Jill O'Cure, plus newer members Geckoman, Thrude, and Willow, were in the basement training hall, joined by former members Colt and Grimalkin, who had stopped by to pick up some forgotten items and were roped into the exercise by Jack. Some blocks away, a new potential recruit, Ferros, approached, having been told by Archeville himself -- secretly the founder of the fabled team! -- to come by for a tryout with them. ArchEvil appeared in the basement of the Interceptors' Brownstone, next to Vince's computer core. "Hey, boss-man, the gregarious AI's upbeat voice greeted, appearing in mechanic's overalls on the monitors along the walls. "Whatcha do- yeow! What happened to-" "Attend: Stratus. Nietzsche. Wave. Neper. Tornado. Shark. Venus Flytrap. Viktor. Vince. Viktor." Vince's image froze, the eyes went fuzzy, then his entire form flickered as the long-buried overrides were activated and hidden subroutines booted up. Now the AI was dressed in a very crisp, black uniform, with hobnailed jackboots and a leather trenchcoat. "I obey, Herr Doktor," he said, all trace of his jovial nature gone with the click of the back of his heels. "As shall you all, Vince. As shall you all." ArchEvil walked out of computer core chamber and towards the training room, as a hunchback!Vince began pulling on virtual cords, locking down the Brownstone. He entered the training room, using his Belt's intangibility function to simply bypass the door, so as not to interrupt their session. Eventually, of course, the Interceptors did notice the strange bare-chested fish-man in a labcoat and khakis standing in their danger room.