Captain Cosmos

[Supercape]

I have an upcoming character slot and I fancy going a bit back to basics - particularly playing on the cape, spandex, and secret ID thing. With a twist of course. In this case, handling mental illness sensitively. In most cases, mental illness (psychosis) simply doesn't work for RPG complications as the time scales of progression and recovery are to slow, and potentially too debilitating (if severe). However, I think this may - as long as people understand what psychosis actually is. So, a little step in destigmatisation upcoming...

 

Captain Cosmos

Power Level: 10 (180/180 PP)
Unspent Power Points: 0
Trade-Offs: -5 Attack / +5 DC, -5 Defence / +5 Toughness

In Brief: Multidimensional Paragon

Theme:

Alternate Identity: Buddy Brand
Birthplace: San Franisco

Residence: Freedom City
Occupation: Newsreader
Affiliations: None
Family: Bernard Brand (Estranged Father, Businessman), Violet Brand (Lawyer Sister)

 

Description:
Age: 44
Apparent Age: 44
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 85 Kgs
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Brown / White

 

Buddy is a fairly tall, broad man, with a physique representative of regular but not extreme exercise. He looks fairly close to his age, with silver flecked white hair and a few wrinkles. He has what many call a “trustworthy” face.

 

When dressed as Captain Cosmos he has a black and grey spandex costume and mask, complete with cape. His chest has a golden “X” shaped cross on it.

 

Captain Cosmos can change his dimensions. As a one-dimensional being he is essentially an imperceptible line. As a two dimensional being he will be completely flat. As a four dimensional being, he looks slightly faint, as if out of synch with the universe. As a five dimensional being, he appears to move with a faint blur. As a hyperdimensional being he gives an almost indescribable appearance of being “hyper-real” – even to those with normal senses there is an impression that he exists in countless incomprehensible dimensions.

 

History:
Buddy had an undesirable upbringing with a father who simply pushed him too hard to succeed at everything, wanting him to be a lawyer or politician. In university, Buddy rebelled, and ended up working in media, which ended up enjoying – and being promoted to newsreader for WCZA Channel 7 News.

 

Buddy’s life changed when he ran into an alternate version of himself late on evening, driving home from an out of town party. The mysterious figure was “Captain Cosmos” and lay dying on the road. As Buddy comforted the dying man, he heard his dying words “Beware…the Collapse!”

and was then infused with a hyperdimensional energy source, granting him extraordinary powers.

 

For the first few days Buddy was wracked with nausea and disorientation. His physician, Doctor Linda LaBelle, ran some tests and came up with some extraordinary results. To this day, only she knows of his secret identity.

 

Buddy felt both a duty to carry on the mantle of Captain Cosmos, and a duty to address some of the terrible things he had reported on in the world. Thus, Captain Cosmos roamed the skies once more…

 

Personality & Motivation:
Captain Cosmos is a friendly guy who is generally well liked. Having seen much of the darker side of the world as a newsman, he has a cynical streak, although he is generally an optimistic sort. In other words, he sees a lot of problems in the world, but also feels that they can be sorted out.

 

His relationship with his father growing up was pretty awful, and whilst he has internalised some of that inner drive to succeed, he doesn’t like that. He is left with a chronic feeling of not being “good enough”, which drives his career and his personal life.

 

Powers & Tactics:
Captain Cosmos fights using his amazing strength and resilience. That said, he does not always stand head to head in a fight, but will use his flight to make “fly by” attacks, or hurl objects at his opponent.

 

He will reduce his dimensions primarily for stealth, although sometimes fights two dimensionally if he is tired, weakened, and feels justified in using his dangerous “slicing” ability.

 

He is more cautious about gaining extra dimensions due to the effect it has on his mental health – particularly for extended periods of time. But, if under pressure, he will use them.

 

Power Descriptions:
Captain Cosmos’ dimensional changes appear as above (Appearance). His flight causes a rumbling sound, and ripple in space behind him.

 

Complications:

Possibly Psychotic: Gaining more than three dimensions tends to scramble his brain if sustained for long. He will become increasingly paranoid, hallucinate, and display thought disorder. This does not make him violent (as he is not a violent man), but it is disabling and frightening. Even seconds will start to make him slightly suspicious, a few minutes will make him symptomatic, whilst a few hours could drive him to life threatening catatonia

 

As he starts to become paranoid, the GM can start to give false information or present hallucinations as real.

 

At the more severe end of these symptoms, his speech will start to disintegrate and make communication jumbled or garbled.

 

These effects are sped up in high gravity (his descent to psychosis taking seconds) and slowed down in low gravity. Zero gravity (such as space) hugely slows down these effects, so he could operate in hyperdimensional forms for days with minimal effect.

 

Buddy takes a few days to improve from these side effects (Depending on severity, it may take a shorter time or longer time). Those skilled in Behavioural Sciences might help him cope with these symptoms via psychological techniques, whilst those skills in medicine might rapidly speed his recovery (to hours) with antipsychotic drugs. Seizures, including ECT, will cause extremely rapid improvement (possibly instant).

 

Busy Body: Buddy’s Secret ID is both busy and famous, and he lives in the competitive, stressful world of Media. Whilst able and reasonably popular, he is not so skilled that he is irreplaceable.

 

Chronic Consciousness: Whilst Captain Cosmos can time travel, it is not easy for him. He will black out (fall unconscious) with either voluntary or involuntary time travel (or possibly, even temporal effects).

 

Dread of Drowning: As a child, Buddy nearly drowned in a white-water rafting expedition – and his Father remonstrated him badly. He has a lingering fear of being submerged (although he no longer has any danger of drowning). Whilst actually underwater he is only slightly anxious, it is the process of actually submerging that is dreadful to him. If he voluntary submerges himself he would need at least a moment to steel himself (causing delay), whilst an involuntary submerging (from knockback or telekinesis or the like) would send him into a paralytic panic.

 

Zero: Captain Cosmos could plausibly eliminate all his dimensions; essentially a zero-dimensional form, thus ceasing (temporarily) to exist at all. Whilst he would never voluntarily do this (arguably he could not voluntary force his own non-existence) massive exotic dimensional effects or super high gravity might cause this state – as might a malignant mind controller.

Abilities: 4 + 0 + 2 + 4 + 4 + 4 = 18
Strength: 14/40 (+2/+15)
Dexterity: 10 (+0)
Constitution: 12 (+1)
Intelligence: 14 (+2)
Wisdom: 14 (+2)
Charisma: 14 (+2)

Combat: 10 + 10 = 20
Initiative: +0
Attack: +5
Defense: +5 (+3 Flat Footed)

Grapple: +22
Knockback: -7 (-15 in 6D Form)

Saving Throws: 0 + 4 + 6 = 10
Toughness: +15 (+1 Con, +14) (Impervious 6 in 6D Form)
Fortitude: Immune
Reflex: +4 (+9 in 5 dimensional form)
Will: +8 (+2 Wis, +6)

Skills: 14 PP = 56 R

Bluff 4 (+6)

Concentration 12 (+14)

Diplomacy 8 (+10)

Intimidate 4 (+6)

Knowledge (Current Events) 12 (+14)

Notice 4 (+6)

Perform [Oratory] 4 (+6)

Sense Motive 8 (+10)

Feats: 1 PP
Benefit 1 (Wealth)

Powers: 29 + 26 + 1 + 12 + 30 + 14 + 5 = 117

 

Alt Form Dimensional Array (25 PP Alt Forms, Duration: Sustained [+0], Feats: 4 Extra Alt Forms) [29 PP] “Dimensional Control” [Dimensional]

Base Form: 1 Dimensional (Becomes a mathematical line)

Concealment 4 (All Visual Senses, Flaws: Permanent [+0], Feat: Close Range)

Insubstantial 4 (Incorporeal, affected by dimensional affects, Flaws: Permanent [+0], Limited to openings and spaces) [9 = 16 = 25 PP]

Alt Form: 2 Dimensional (Completely flat)

Concealment 4 (All Visual Senses: Flaws: Permanent [+0], Limited to those facing side-on)  [4 PP]

Insubstantial 1 (Flaws: Permanent [+0], Limited to passing through gaps equal to or wider than width) [4 PP]

Strike 15 (Drawbacks: Lethal Damage Only, Feats: Improved Critical 1) [15 PP]

Alt Form: 4 Dimensional (Bypass normal spatial constraints)

Supermovement 3 (Permeate 3) [6 PP]

Supersenses 8 (Auditory and Visual Penetrates Concealment) [8 PP]

Super Strength 11 (+55 Lifting Capacity, Flaws: Limited to lifting only) [11 PP]

Alt Form 5 Dimensional (Bypass normal temporal constraints) [Temporal as well as dimensional descriptor]

Supermovement 6 (Temporal 3 [Any time], Space 3 [Intergalactic]) [12 PP]

Quickness 6 (X100 speed) [6 PP]

Enhanced Traits 7 (Reflex +5, Feats: Evasion 2) [7 PP]

Alt Form: 6+ Dimensional – Hyperdimensional (Exist in countless dimensions simultaneously!)

Supermovement 2 (Dimensional Travel 2: Any alternate reality) [4 PP]

Super Senses 0 (Feats: Dimensional 2, any alternate reality) [2 PP]

Strength Bonus 0 (Feats: Affects Insubstantial) [2 PP]

Impervious Toughness 6 [6 PP]

Immovable 5 (+20 to resist movement, -5 Knockback, Extras: Unstoppable, Feats: Second chance [Tough Save vs Impact damage]) [11PP]

 

Enhanced Strength 26 [26 PP] [Dimensional]

 

Feature: Temporal Anchor [1 PP] [Dimensional / Temporal]

 

Flight 5 (250mph, Feats: Subtle, Instant Up) [12 PP] [Dimensional]

 

Immunity 30 (Fort Saves) [30 PP] [Dimensional]

 

Protection 14 [14 PP] [Dimensional]

 

Super Strength 2 [Total Effective STR 50, Feats: Shockwave) [5 PP]

 

DC Block

ATTACK              RANGE      SAVE                           EFFECT
Unarmed             Touch      DC 30 Toughness                Damage

 

Totals: Abilities  18 + Combat 20 + Saving Throws 10 + Skills 14 + Feats 1 + Powers 117 = 180/180 Power Points

Edited January 24, 2019 by Supercape