Arch-Nemesis 2! Rene / Baron Necromme!

[Supercape]

Ok this is going to be a work in progress and all help and ideas, particularly fluff, but also mechanics would be appreciated.

I want to build a good arch-nemesis for all my characters. An NPC that will challenge my character both combat wise and psychologically / dramatically. And be rich enough to shove into plenty of other threads! In short a versatile, vibrant alive NPC rather than cannon fodder, one with a good and evolving backstory. In short, an arch-nemesis!

My own view is that Arch-Nemesis need to be both similar and dissimilar to the character. They are the perversion, the mirror image, or something. But not the polar opposite.

So, this is my thought for Rene's Arch-Nemesis.

He is a necromancer, so in essence a magician like Rene. More cunning and clever, but less wise. Whilst Rene's magic is all about beauty, art, creation, Baron Necromme is all about corruption, and ugliness.

Rene is all about liberty, and freedom. The Baron is a horror - about enslaving, the dead and the living - worse still, enslaving his own offspring!

Their history dates back to the 18th Century, when Broken Crow and Rene burnt down the mansion of the Cruel Baron, who then still inhabited his living body. However, as all true Nercomancers, he did not die. His burnt remains live on is a vessel, an evil urn.

So, the Baron is in some ways a "Brain in a Jar" expy, and certainly shares many features of that - mental powers (although with magic descriptor), immobile, etc.

Thus he is rather helpless. Without some feeble mind to enslave nearby, all he can do is watch... and wait, and maybe use magic rituals. However, he is able to project out his ghostly image and then intrude on the dreams of others (within a limited range). He uses this to entice treasure seekers and the like to seek him out (and he can appear as any small object, such an urn, clock, goblet, or the like). And then enslave them to do his will.

But his ultimate goal of course is to find a new body, which is where the real horror comes in. The Baron, in 18th Century France, had several concubines, and has a large number of offspring to this day - the Necromme family, many in Europe, but some in America (many fled the revolution). If he can ever entice one of them to actually touch his container, he can swap minds with them, trapping them in the container, and gaining their body!

Of course his intentions would never stop there, this would just be a mean to further experimentation with and exploration of necromantic power and world domination etc. etc.

In terms of adventures, this lays open to all sorts of stuff - the Necromme family is of course awash with rumours and dread of insanity and "Visions", all due to the Barons influence. Some might come seeking help from horrible nightmares, or might be kidnapped by a mind controlled slave.

Then there is actually finding the Baron, which is not easy - he is shielded from scrying and is careful, able to change his appearance and conceal himself from vision. Lots of detective work, delving into history, libraries, and visiting half mad elderly French antiquarians, etc.

Finally, the Baron himself is able to fight back if found, and is no pushover, even if immobile, able to mind control for starters (and a mind controlled character, or other NPC presents plenty of adventure possibilities). There is also the problem of facing the Baron in the body of one of his descendants – a vulnerable creature of flesh that, whilst he of course values, may try to hold hostage by threatening to commit “suicideâ€!

The mechanics below do not of course include all sorts of PLOT devices such as undead minions, and the knack of such necromancers to never ever really die...

[Supercape]

Player Name:Supercape

Character Name:Baron Necromme

Power Level: 12 (180 PP)

Trade-Offs: +3 Toughness / -3 Defence

In Brief: Necromancer’s remains in an evil pot, seeking to possess the flesh of his descendants.

Alternate Identity:None

Identity: None

Birthplace:Paris

Occupation:Aristocrat

Affiliations:None

Family:Large number of the Nercomme descendants.

Age: 251 (DoB: 1st January, 1740

Apparent Age: None (burnt organs)

Gender:Male

Ethnicity:Caucasian, although at this point rather academic…

Height:In the container he resides, between 6 and 12 inches. The organs are less, depending on how the dust settles.

Weight:About 15 lbs.

Eyes:None

Hair:None

Description:All that remains of Baron Necromme is the charred remains of a few key organs. He resides in a vaguely evil-looking bronze and silver urn. However, this urn can change shape to any small inanimate (or minimally animate object, like a clock) of similar size and weight.

Power Descriptions: Necromantic, Magical, Psychic.

History: The Baron Nicolas Necromme was born into a very wealth austere family with a history of dabbling in the black arts. The young Baron was soon spending all his time in the Necromme library, and developed a perverse aptitude for the horrors of necromancy. By the time he was head of the family, he had already mastered the arts and was spoken of in hushed tones in the village he resided, and beyond. The Baron cared for immortality first and power second, and soon foresaw a way to achieve the first – through his offspring. He thus acquired a second reputation, as father to scores of illegitimate children that he usually did not acknowledge or care for other to than to ensure their very basic needs and survival – and later, to try and ensure they themselves bore as many children as possible.

By the time the revolution came, Broken Crow, the master mage of the time, had tracked him down, and with the help of the young Rene deSaens, trapped the necromancer and his undead slaves in the Necromme mansion, burning it to the ground.

But that was not the end. Necromme somehow survived as an undead creature himself, his charred remains stored in a magic vessel. Whilst lacking a body, he could still exert a powerful psychic force from this position. And most importantly, he could seek out a new body – one of the Necromme descendants!

Personality & Motivation:

The Baron Nercomme is as cold hearted as they come. He desires immortality first, power second. This is peppered with a slight fascination with death, corruption, and perverting everything noble, good, or beautiful. How much of this is due to his inherent personality, how much due to his new state of “higher†being, and how much due to the frustration of years trapped in the Necromme mansion rubble, is hard to say.

Powers & Tactics:

Baron Necromme’s first priority is to get allies. He could do this either by undead minions (plot devices), seducing weak willed people with persuasion and intimidation (in combination with his dream control and communication powers) or otherwise direct mind control. All are equally attractive to him, he enjoys direct enslavement as much as corrupting people.

This is usually just the means to his next goal, getting a Necromme Heir to touch his container and thus swap souls (mind), entrapping his heir in the container and gaining himself a new body. There are plenty of ways to do this, directly seducing an heir with tales of power, or becoming a beautiful artefact, getting a slave to move him, or bringing an heir to him.

In combat, Baron Necromme will usually try to mind control to cause his attackers to fight amongst themselves, or alternatively use emotion control to cause love, fear, or despair amongst his enemies. If damaged or hurt, he will use necromantic drains to directly leech out his enemies life force and heal himself.

Abilities: -10 + -10 + -10 + 16 + 26 + 18 = 0PP

Strength: -

Dexterity: -

Constitution: -

Intelligence: 16 (+3)

Wisdom: 26 (+8)

Charisma: 18 (+4)

Combat: 0 + 0 = 0PP

Initiative: +0

Attack: -

Grapple: +0

Defense: +2 (+0 Base, +2 From Size)

Knockback: -7

Saving Throws: 0 + 0 + 8 = 7PP

Toughness: +16 (+0 Con, +16 Protection)

Fortitude: --

Reflex: +0 (Inanimate, Automatically fails)

Will: +15 (+8 Wis, +7)

Skills: 72R = 18PP

Bluff 6 (+10)

Concentration 9 (+15)

Diplomacy 6 (+10)

Disguise 0 (+24 With Morph Ability)

Intimidate 15 (+15, Includes -4 from Size)

Knowledge (arcane) 12 (+15)

Knowledge (behavioural sciences) 2 (+5)

Notice 2 (+10)

Languages 6 (Arabic, English, French [Native], German, Greek, Latin, Spanish)

Feats: 3PP

Distract (Intimidate)

Fascinate (Intimidate)

Ritualist

Powers: 0 + 0 + 0 = 0PP

Morph 4 (Broad Group [Objects] +20 Disguise Bonus Extras: Duration ) [12PP]

Immunity 30 (Fortitude Saves )[30PP]

Psychic Force Array (62 PP Array Feats: Alternate Power 4) [64PP]

• Base Power: Mind Control 12 (Extras: Duration (Sustained), Effortless, Sensory Link Feats: Mental Link, Subtle)[62PP]
  
  Alternate Power: Emotion Control 12 (Extras: Area [burst], Effortless, Selective Attack Feats: Mind Blank, Subtle )[62PP]
  Alternate Power: Necromantic Blast 12 (Extras: Alternate Save [Fortitude], Range [Perception], Vampiric, Feats: Affects Insubstantial 1, Incurable) [62PP]
  Alternate Power: Telepathy 12 (20 Million Miles Extras: Sensory Link [Communication], Sensory Link [Mindreading] Feats: Dimensional 2 (Mystical Dimensions), Subtle) (Descriptive Name, Descriptors) [51PP]
  Alternate Power: Astral Form 5 ( 5 Miles) + Illusion 12(Extras: Duration [sustained], Flaws: Limited 2 (Only on asleep targets) Feats: Triggered 1 (When Target asleep)) (Stalker of Dreams) [62PP]
  
  
  

Protection 16 [16PP]

Shrinking 8 ( -2 Size Categories Flaws: Permanent (+0) Feats: Innate, Normal Toughness)[10PP]

Super-Senses 15 (Postcognition, Detect Life [3 PP, Mental], Accurate Detect Life, Acute Detect Life, Extended 3 Detect Life [-1 Per 2 Miles], Radius Detect Life, Ranged Detect Life) [15 PP]

Mind Switch 12 (Extras: Duration (Continuous) Flaws: Range (Touch) (-2), Limited (Only on Necromme descendants) (-1) ) (The Nercomme Inheritance)[6PP]

Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -3PP

Vulnerability (Fire, Frequency: Common, Intensity: Moderate [x1.5 DMG]) [-3PP]

DC Block:

ATTACK      		RANGE     	SAVE         EFFECT

Mind Control		Perception	Will		Controlled

Emotion Control 	Perception	Will		Varies

Necromantic Blast	Perception	Fortitude	Staged Damage

NOTE: The easiest way to get your DC Block to line up is to write it out in a word processor in a Courier font, then just copy/paste it into your post.

Abilities (0) + Combat (0) + Saving Throws (0) + Skills (0) + Feats (0) + Powers (0) - Drawbacks (0) = 184 Power Points