Avenger Assembled Posted June 2, 2009 Posted June 2, 2009 (this build draws very heavily on Elric's Emma Frost build on the ATT) Character Name: Marionette II Secret Identity: Sharon Rosenbaum Description: Sharon Rosenbaum is the classic "Hollywood Homely," wearing thick, heavy glasses and black ankle-length skirts suitable for a theological librarian. She wears sensible shoes and keeps her voice low and quiet. It's largely a front, though, and a close observer will note that she has a fire burning behind those glasses that her "costume" fails to hide. When she is Marionette II, though, the sensible shoes are replaced with white leather combat boots and the dark clothes with a tight white bodysuit that covers everything while leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Her voice becomes a live thing, a sensual purr that becomes a mad growl, her eyes burning with passion and fire. She is nearly another person. History: Allison Geller's story is largely told in the pages of Freedom's Most Wanted. The Golden Age Communist mentalist was indeed murdered, though it was by a mind-shielded assassin hired by the Invisible Empire rather than by American agents. After all, the Americans remembered how helpful Marionette had been during the Soviet-American alliance in World War II, and hoped they could turn the Red mind-controller into their pawn after she spent enough time behind bars. The story of the Marionette did not, however, end with the death of Allison Geller. Her soul survived at the edges of reality, clinging onto a life that she felt had been taken from her unfairly. She went mad there on the edges of the Cosmic Coil, pulling her way back from the Lands of the Dead on nothing but sheer willpower and the strength of her mind. Some of her awareness faded away as she pulled herself back to reality, Allison Geller falling away before the memories of Marionette, memories of power and control. It was the late 1970s when she reappeared, the psychic ghost becoming a serious nuisance for the Bronze Age Freedom League and their "successors" Force OPS. She never said her name around her old enemies, not wanting them to know her secrets, but eventually was captured and held in psychic stasis thanks to the vigilantes Evening and Eye of Justice. The book where she was held was lost by those two heroes during the Terminus Invasion, eventually winding up in the hands of the Freedom City Library. There she waited, her awareness growing more and more fuzzy, until finally librarian's assistant Sharon Rosenbaum picked up a copy of her book. Marionette found a kindred soul in Sharon Rosenbaum, a repressed young woman who bitterly resented taking orders from the less-qualified men around her. Overpowering Sharon's will, Marionette enthralled her, merging the souls of Allison Geller and Sharon Rosenbaum into a single entity with the memories of both. The new Sharon Rosenbaum craves sensation and passion in all their forms, reveling in the power and glory of her new abilities, and only a still, small voice deep in her mind remembers her conscience. But that voice fades more every day before the powerful duality in her head, and she rarely listens anyway. She has already used her powers to become wealthy, having persuaded certain wealthy patrons to sign over much of their assets to her and then making sure they forgot all about it afterwards. But she craves more than that; more sensation, more adventure? Maybe...a fight with superheroes? The old Marionette preferred to avoid direct combat and Sharon Rosenbaum wouldn't hurt anyone. But the new Marionette, a merger of the darker impulses of both women, is looking forward to making Captain Thunder fall at her feet and worship her. Power Level 10 (150 pp) Marionette II Abilities: (32 pp) STR: 8 (-1), DEX: 12 (+1), CON: 14 (+2), INT: 18 (+4), WIS: 20 (+5), CHA: 20 (+5) Combat: (24 pp) Attack +3, Defense +12 (+4 flat-footed), Initiative +1, Grapple +2, Knockback -4 Saves: (13 pp) Toughness +8 (+3 flat-footed), Fortitude +5 (+2 from Con, +3), Reflex +6, (+1 from Dex, +5) Will +10 (+5 from Wis, +5) (+14 vs. Mental Effects) Skills: (80r=20 pp) Bluff 10 (+15/+19), Concentration 12 (+17), Diplomacy 6 (+11/+15), Gather Information 8 (+13), Intimidate 8 (+13), Knowledge [History] 8 (+12), Knowledge [streetwise] 4 (+8), Notice 6 (+11), Profession [Librarian] 8 (+13) Sense Motive 10 (+15) Feats: (8 pp) Attractive, Benefit (Wealthy), Connected, Contacts, Fascinate (Bluff), Jack of All Trades, Leadership, Taunt, Powers: (53 pp) Enhanced Feats 9 (Defensive Roll 5, Dodge Focus 3, Uncanny Dodge (mental)) (9 pp) Mind Shield 4, (4 pp) Super-Senses 2 (Danger Sense [Mental], Mental Awareness) (2 pp) Mental Blast 8 (32 pp base + 5 APs= 37 pp) AP: Telepathy 10 (PF: Subtle) + Comprehend 2 (Languages- Speak/Understand any) + Super-Senses 4 (Detect Life [at Range, Acute, Radius]) (29 pp) AP: ESP 10 (Vision and Hearing; PF: Subtle) (31 pp) AP: Emotion Control 8 (Extras: Area- Burst (40-foot radius), Selective Attack) (32 pp) AP: Illusion 6 (All Senses, Extras: Sustained, Selective Attack; Flaw: Phantasms, PF: Progression 2â€â€25 foot radius) (32 pp) AP: Mind Control 10 (Extra: Conscious, PF: Mental Link, Subtle) (32 pp) Protection 1 [source] (1 pp) DC Block Unarmed DC 14 Bruised Mind Control DC 20 Will Emotion Control DC 18 Will Mental Blast DC 22 Will Illusion DC 16 Will Story Hooks: Enemy (Golden Age legacies) Obsession (Sensation) Rivalry (Female Superheroes, Especially Sexy Ones) Temper (Does Not Like To Be Crossed) Abilities 32 + Skills 20 + Feats 8 + Powers 53 + Combat 24 + Saves 13= 150 pp
Avenger Assembled Posted June 3, 2009 Author Posted June 3, 2009 Capers: Damsel in Distress: The heroes receive a late-night phone call from Sharon Rosenbaum, begging them to help her escape the dire clutches of a wicked psychic ghost. When they arrive at her Southside apartment, though, they find a composed, lovely woman who invites them in for tea. Was it all a ruse? Or is Sharon less comfortable with the merged personality in her body than she really wants to admit? Money Money Money!: When Marionette gets a teaching job at the Shadow Academy to help pay the bills, heroic Claremont students now find that it's hard to resist the suggestions of the Shadow Academy's hot new field instructor! Marionette's not actually into teenagers of any stripe, but it sure is funny watching them beg! Do the boys have the willpower to resist her long enough to bring her in? Mud-Slinging: At a public charity event, two superheroes begin violently quarreling with each other, the situation ultimately escalating into blows and bloodshed. At another public occasion, two married police officers openly begin making out with each other in public. Marionette is tired of the public worshiping its "heroes" when it should be worshipping the beautiful people like her, and she's decided to take a little behind the scenes action. Why Can't We Be Friends?: When Marionette joins the Pinnacle Path, she soon decides that the New Age religion could use a little boost from someone with real power. Now the Path is more popular than ever, with hundred of people from all over the city joining up. When a loved one of the heroes falls into the now-cult's sway and the heroes investigate, can they resist the clutches of the wicked mentalist?
Ecalsneerg Posted June 7, 2009 Posted June 7, 2009 (this build draws very heavily on Elric's Emma Frost build on the ATT) Character Name: Marionette II Secret Identity: Sharon Rosenbaum Description: Sharon Rosenbaum is the classic "Hollywood Homely," wearing thick, heavy glasses and black ankle-length skirts suitable for a theological librarian. She wears sensible shoes and keeps her voice low and quiet. It's largely a front, though, and a close observer will note that she has a fire burning behind those glasses that her "costume" fails to hide. When she is Marionette II, though, the sensible shoes are replaced with white leather combat boots and the dark clothes with a tight white bodysuit that covers everything while leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. Her voice becomes a live thing, a sensual purr that becomes a mad growl, her eyes burning with passion and fire. She is nearly another person. Ah, good to see a well thought-out reason why they can have a secret ID History: Sounds interesting, and ties into the setting. Abilities: (32 pp) STR: 8 (-1), DEX: 12 (+1), CON: 14 (+2), INT: 18 (+4), WIS: 20 (+5), CHA: 20 (+5) Adds up. Combat: (24 pp) Attack +3, Defense +12 (+4 flat-footed), Initiative +1, Grapple +2, Knockback -4 Wouldn't it be more efficient to have Defence 8 and Dodge 4, rather than 9 and 3? Adds up, in any case. Saves: (13 pp) Toughness +8 (+3 flat-footed), Fortitude +5 (+2 from Con, +3), Reflex +6, (+1 from Dex, +5) Will +10 (+5 from Wis, +5) (+14 vs. Mental Effects) All adds up. Skills: (80r=20 pp) Bluff 10 (+15/+19), Concentration 12 (+17), Diplomacy 6 (+11/+15), Gather Information 8 (+13), Intimidate 8 (+13), Knowledge [behavioral Sciences] 8 (+12), Knowledge [History] 8 (+12), Knowledge [streetwise] 4 (+8), Notice 6 (+11), Sense Motive 10 (+15) Adds up. Shouldn't she have Profession (Librarian) or some knowledge of the Arts? Feats: (18 pp) Attractive, Benefit (Wealthy), Connected, Contacts, Defensive Roll 5, Dodge Focus 3, Fascinate (Bluff), Jack of All Trades, Leadership, Taunt, Tough, Uncanny Dodge (Mental) Adds up. However, a couple of issues. 1. Would some of the Dodge Focus, Defensive Roll and Uncanny Dodge come from powers? If so, wouldn't they be enhanced? 2. Tough isn't allowed on this site. It'd be Protection 1 with the 'training' descriptor Powers: (43 pp) Mind Shield 4, (4 pp) Super-Senses 2 (Danger Sense [Mental], Mental Awareness) (2 pp) Mental Blast 8 (32 pp base + 5 APs= 37 pp) AP: Telepathy 10 (PF: Subtle) + Comprehend 2 (Languages- Speak/Understand any) + Super-Senses 4 (Detect Life [at Range, Acute, Radius]) (29 pp) AP: ESP 10 (Vision and Hearing; PF: Subtle) (31 pp) AP: Emotion Control 8 (Extras: Area- Burst (40-foot radius), Selective Attack) (32 pp) AP: Illusion 6 (All Senses, Extras: Sustained, Selective Attack; Flaw: Phantasms, PF: Progression 2â€â€25 foot radius) (32 pp) AP: Mind Control 10 (Extra: Conscious, PF: Mental Link, Subtle) (32 pp) Adds up. Story Hooks: Enemy (Golden Age legacies) Obsession (Sensation) Rivalry (Female Superheroes, Especially Sexy Ones) Temper (Does Not Like To Be Crossed) What Golden Age legacies would she specifically target, not having Freedom's Most Wanted?
Avenger Assembled Posted June 7, 2009 Author Posted June 7, 2009 Edits made. Marionette would seek out Golden Age legacies like Lady Liberty and Beacon in particular, along with those who've been seen to work with them and be their friend. So if a plot like "Langston Albright/Beth Walton-Wright go crazy for a while" is needed, she's your girl. She'd also happily throw down with any other kind of hero that seemed especially clean-cut and patriotic.
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