After Midnight

[Gizmo]

Okay, so, here's the deal. Jack's coming up on Gold, and after monkeying around with a bunch of character concepts I got one together that I really like. He's a Claremont student and a legacy character! Yay! Midnight II, the grandson of the original Liberty League member.

Except I found out afterward that ex3lev3n already had his own version of Midnight II, and not surprisingly, the back stories clash a little bit. The existing version was only around long enough to earn a single, solitary pp, however, and was almost immediately NPC'd, while ex3lev3n himself hasn't been heard from in a couple of months.

Now, I'm a man who generally loves him some continuity, but I'm wondering if this is a situation where I can Superboy-punch the other version into a corner and ignore it. Alternately, I could try to work around it, but it would really hobble some of the key points in my guy's history. I guess I'm looking for a yay or nay from you lovely staff-type-persons.

Obviously you need to get a look at the character I'm proposing, so here's the first draft:

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Players Name: Gizmo

Power Level: 10

Trade-Offs: +4 Attack, -4 Damage, +2 Defence, -2 Toughness

Unspent PP: 0

Characters Name: Midnight II

Alternate Identity: Trevor Hunter

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Height: 5’10â€

Weight: 135 lbs

Hair: Black

Eyes: Brown

Description:

Trevor Hunter is a tall teenager with dark, well-kempt hair and a relaxed demeanour. Dressing largely in subdued browns and blacks, he eschews logos and accessories, preferring plain long-sleeved shirts and jackets with a generally uncluttered appearance. His one concession is a battered black fedora which he wears whenever convenience allows.

As the second Midnight, he wears a costume only slightly altered from the one used by his grandfather, starting with a lightly armoured jump-suit. Trevor has shortened the jacket to make it more practical for riding the Night Cycle, and added a utility belt containing an array of gadgets. His featureless mask and fedora are in fact the very same ones used by Travis Hunter, although the mask’s functional elements had to be replaced. The entire costume is pitch black save for glowing red eyes.

History:

Shortly after the Liberty League disbanded in the late 1950s, the mysterious vigilante known as Midnight disappeared, never to be seen again. Remaining active but underground for several years, chemist Travis Hunter eventually settled down and raised a family. Though the occasional crisis would bring him out of retirement, it was never for long and always without public knowledge.

The years of exposure to his ‘midnight mist’ had left a greater mark of Hunter than he realised, however. With his son forced to move often due to his job, Hunter’s grandson Trevor came to live with the now elderly, though still remarkably vigourous, chemist in his sizeable estate. This turned out to be fortuitous, for when Trevor’s metahuman abilities manifested at puberty, his grandfather instantly recognised the familiar light blocking gas he produced.

Calming the confused youth, Hunter revealed to him the long abandoned ‘Midnight Manor’ hidden below their home and explained his history as a masked crime fighter. The moment the old, flickering lights illuminated the glass case containing the Midnight costume, Trevor’s fate was sealed. He knew his destiny was to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and, seeing the boy’s determination, Hunter had to agree.

Trevor’s training began immediately, with the condition that he was not to venture out into the city until he earned his license and refurbished one of the Manor’s decrepit vehicles to drive himself there. To Hunter’s chagrin the mechanically inclined Trevor not only met both conditions with surprising ease, but insisted on claiming the Night Cycle as his transportation of choice.

The new Midnight’s first forays into the world of super heroism caught the attention of Duncan Summers, who recognised the modus operandi of the hero who was in many ways the spiritual predecessor of the Raven. Sending his daughter out to make contact with the teen, Summers invited Trevor to enrol at Claremont Academy. With his grandfather’s blessing he accepted, eager to give a new generation of villains a very good reason to be afraid of the dark.

Personality & Motivation:

Trevor is outwardly reserved without being cold. He’ll smile slightly rather than laugh, and he’ll narrow his eyes rather than shout belligerently. What sense of humour he does display is bone dry, often leaving those he interacts with uncertain if he made a joke or not. Slow to anger, he has little interest in social drama and is unfailing genuine in his sentiments. Content to let others have the spotlight, when he does speak his words carry a weight that belies his years.

Fighting crime is a point of family pride for Trevor, one he takes very seriously. The exploitation of the innocent is one of the few things sure to draw a reaction from the typically demure teen, and he takes a good deal of satisfaction from utilising fear against the villains who make it their stock and trade.

Powers & Tactics:

Trevor is able to produce clouds of “midnight mistâ€, the gas invented by his grandfather, at will. The mist blocks out light, plunging those caught in its wake into darkness. Using his specially designed goggles, Trevor takes advantage of the cover to terrify his foes and strike undetected, leaving no trace of himself but unconscious criminals.

A secondary power clouds his presence from telepathy and other mental senses, making him a shadowy figure even on the mental plane. Supplementing these powers are an array of compact gadgets secreted about the pockets of his coat and belt.

Complications:

Camera Shy (Trevor prefers to remain unseen by the public; the shadows are where he does his best work.)

Don’t Touch the Hat (Don’t. Touch. The Hat.)

Honest (Trevor’s a lousy liar, to the point of bluntness)

Frightening (The Midnight costume is great for scaring bad guys, not so great for reassuring civilians, especially kids.)

Legacy (Living up to his inherited code name means the world to Trevor.)

Abilities: 30pp

Str: 14 (+2)

Dex: 16 (+3)

Con: 14 (+2)

Int: 14 (+2)

Wis: 14 (+2)

Cha: 18 (+4)

Combat: 36pp

Attack: +10 (+14 melee)

Grapple: +16

Defence: +12 (+4 flat-footed)

Knockback: -4 (-2 flat-footed)

Initiative: +3

Saves: 12pp

Toughness: +8 (+2 Con, +4 Defensive Roll, +2 Midnight Costume)

Fortitude: +4 (+2 Con, +2)

Reflex: +5 (+3 Dex, +2)

Will: +10 (+2 Wis, +8)

Skills: 80r = 20pp

Acrobatics 7 (+10)

Craft (mechanical) 13 (+15)

Disguise 1 (+5)

Drive 12 (+15)

Gather Information 1 (+5)

Intimidate 15 (+19)

Knowledge (streetwise) 3 (+5)

Knowledge (technology) 3 (+5)

Notice 8 (+10)

Slight of Hand 2 (+5)

Stealth 15 (+18)

Feats: 29pp

Attack Focus 4 (melee)

Benefit 2 (Wealthy)

Blind Fight

Defensive Roll 4

Distract (Intimidate)

Dodge Focus 4

Equipment 3

Evasion 2

Hide in Plain Sight

Power Attack

Second Chance (Intimidate)

Skill Mastery (Acrobatics, Drive, Intimidate, Stealth)

Sneak Attack 3

Startle

Midnight Costume: Protection 2 (Power Feat: Subtle); Cost: 3ep

Grappling Hook: Super-Movement 1 (swinging), Speed 1; Cost: 3ep

Night Cycle: Speed 5 (250 mph)

• Stats: Size: Medium; Strength: 15; Defence: 10; Toughness: 8; Cost: 9ep

Powers: 23pp

Obscure 3 [midnight mist; visual, 25’ radius, Extra: Continuous, Flaw: Fades, Drawback: Cannot reposition, countered by air and wind powers] [5pp]

Concealment 2 [all mental, Power Feat: Close Range, Flaws: Partial, Phantasm] [2pp]

Device 1 [Midnight mask; hard to loose] [4pp]

Immunity 2 (gases, midnight mist)

Sensory Shield 2 (vision)

Super-Senses 1 (infravision)

Gadgets 2 [utility coat and belt; 10 points, easy to loose] [12pp]

DC Block:

Unarmed -- DC 17/Toughness -- Bruised

Sneak Attack -- DC 21/Toughness -- Bruised

Costs: Abilities 30 + Combat 36 + Saves 12 + Skills 20 + Feats 29 + Powers 23 = Total Cost 150

[angrydurf]

Personally I'm fully willing to move the other Midnight II into the realm of "What If". Particularly since he only had 1 somewhat abortive thread before being retired.

What say the rest of you refly types?

[Moira Morley]

Personally I'm fully willing to move the other Midnight II into the realm of "What If".

So, 'what if' ex3lev3n comes back? :P

[angrydurf]

Well the character wasn't active when he was around. I doubt he'd care much honestly.

[Gizmo]

Well the character wasn't active when he was around. I doubt he'd care much honestly.

That was my feeling. If we were talking about a character who'd gotten a significant amount of play, I wouldn't have even asked.

[Dr Archeville]

Why not have two legacy holders? Do the backstories clash so badly they can't coexist? Could one be an older legacy, a Nightwing to the other's Robin?

[Gizmo]

Why not have two legacy holders? Do the backstories clash so badly they can't coexist? Could one be an older legacy, a Nightwing to the other's Robin?

Weeell... Little bit, they do. In ex3lev3n's version, the original Midnight is just gone, and his version is a spoiled rich dude who stumbles upon the abandoned Manor and pretty much decides to take all the cool stuff for himself, once he convinces Doc Metropolis to magic it all fixed. In mine, the original is still around, but retired, and the Manor is undisturbed, but full of outdated and broken tech that needs to be slowly refurbished (ie bought with Equipment over time). There's no way the original Midnight would have let ex3lev3n's Midnight II run around if he was still on hand to do something about it.

I could mess around a bit to make it all fit, but it seems like a disproportionate amount of effort and compromise to make over a character who barely existed in the first place. Sorta like saying Jason Todd was really the third Robin 'cause some random kid dressed up as Robin for a couple of pages in an old Golden Age comic or something.

[Avenger Assembled]

I think it would be silly to let one abortive character, that the player didn't like, steal away (or alter) the entire Midnight legacy. I have no problem at all with this character concept, and I think it should be played.

[Dr Archeville]

I think it would be silly to let one abortive character, that the player didn't like, steal away (or alter) the entire Midnight legacy. I have no problem at all with this character concept, and I think it should be played.

I was unaware of that bit, and if that's the case, yeah, I say go for it.

*aims the RetCannon at ex3lev3n's version, charges up*

[Gizmo]

Cool, alright. I'll put Trevor up in the Character Bank to try to get him approved in time for March. Thanks for weighing in on this, everyone.

[N/A]

Count me in with AA and DocA on this issue. When PC villains went the way of the dodo, ex3 had the chance to make Midnight II his main. He opted instead to leave M2 archived and promote Razorwing. If/when he returns, I doubt he'd care about this one way or the other.