Shadowblade - Draft Sheet

[Corsecjedi]

Player Name: Corsecjedi
Character Name: Shadowblade
Power Level: 10 (150/150 PP)
Trade-Offs: +2 Attack / -2 Damage
Unspent Power Points: 0
Progress To Bronze Status: 0/30

In Brief: Shadowblade is a mutant with some basic abilities for teleportation and stealth.  By day, she is an assistant professor and research fellow in history, but by night, she fights to protect the weak and bring the corrupt and powerful to justice.

Alternate Identity: Elanor Churchill
Identity: Secret
Birthplace: Oxfordshire, England
Occupation: Assistant Professor and Research Fellow
Affiliations: Pending!
Family: Hamilton Churchill (Father), Adele Churchill (Mother), Jonathan Churchill (eldest brother), Julius Churchill (older brother), 2 sisters-in-law, a few nieces and nephews, and many cousins and assorted relations.

Description:
Age: 29 (DOB: July 15, 1984)
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Caucasian
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 140
Eyes: Amber
Hair: Black

As Elanor, she is fairly tall for a woman with a lean, attractive build.  She has more strength and toughness than her relatively slight frame might suggest, thanks to her mutation.  Her eyes are the most visible sign of that mutation: they are amber and feline in shape, which she hides as much as she can with specially made contact lenses, though nothing can make them look truly human.  She has a taste for fine things and favors fashionable dresses and business suits.  She wears her black hair long and normally lets it flow freely or in a loose ponytail.
 
As Shadowblade, she favors dark, practical clothing based on a professional fencer’s garb: long-sleeved and close-fitting, though still loose enough to allow her full range of movement.  Underneath, she wears a armored vest which she can also wear under her daily clothes if she is expecting trouble.  She wears a mask to hide her features, though she leaves her eyes visible to heighten her unusual appearance.  She wears her hair pulled back in a tight braid and completes her ensemble with a pair of fingerless leather gloves which protect her hands and still let her use her fingers. To complete her persona as Shadowblade, she usually speaks in classic Elizabethan English, though she's willing to drop that affectation when clarity is vital.
 
Power Descriptions:
Shadowblade’s powers are, by and large, subtle and discreet.  Her eyes, her sleek black hair, and her extraordinarily graceful carriage are the most readily apparent aspects of her mutation.  Her teleportation produces a soft sound, like a cork popping out of a bottle and a small amount of smoky shadow which dissipates almost immediately.  The rest of her powers help her avoid notice, not attract it, helping her excel at infiltration and stealth.
 
Her rapier is a family heirloom which her father entrusted to her several years ago.  It has no magical powers but is extraordinarily well-made and has served her well.  She has been training as a fencer for over a decade and has experience with multiple styles.  Her brother taught her the basics, and other masters and teachers have greatly expanded her talents.  She’s proven her skill in competitions and battles and continues to practice and train regularly.

 
History:
(Full story posted >below)
 
Shadowblade was born as Elanor Churchill, an offshoot from the line of the Dukes of Marlborough in England.  She had a very privileged childhood, though her father especially tried to instill a sense of duty in her; she had been given much, and she should use them for the good of all people.  She, however, paid little attention to his ideals until her time at university, when her best friend was murdered.  The killer used his power and station to escape justice, and Elanor became consumed with the unfairness of the world, how people suffered at the hands of those with power, wealth, or a family name.  During this time, she also began to discover and develop her superpowers and, when she learned the identity of the man who killed her friend, she acted - she sent him to face the justice of the next life.
 
Instead of elation or satisfaction, though, she felt nothing but guilt and grief.  She confessed what she’d done and what she was to her father, who challenged her to live her life according to the ideals in which he believed.  From then on, Elanor devoted herself to justice - partly to find atonement for her sins, but mostly because it was right.  After the furor surrounding the death of her victim subsided somewhat, she very quietly approached the Ministry of Powers in her Shadowblade persona.  She worked with the Ministry occasionally since then and assisted them with various investigations, but she always kept at least a little distance, preferring to remain an ally rather than a fully co-opted member of the Ministry.
 
As Elanor, she continued her studies and eventually earned a Ph.D. and a research appointment at her alma mater.  Recently, she’s arranged to take an exchange position with Freedom City University.  Half the year, she does her research in England, and half the year she teaches classes in America.  Officially, she took this position to teach (which she has always wanted to do), but she also wanted to meet the legendary heroes of Freedom City and perhaps find others who shared her passion to fight injustice.

 

Personality & Motivation:
Elanor is an intense young woman.  She can be open and friendly, though it’s a little bit of an effort for her.  Normally, she focuses completely on the project, research, or thought at hand.  She believes passionately in doing what she can to make the world a better place and treating all people as equals.  She loves teaching and interacting with young minds, inspiring them and shaping them to be the best of the future.  During her semesters in Freedom City, she also volunteers to teach a class at Freedom College because she believes good education is a right for all, not just for those who can afford the best.
 
As Shadowblade, she keeps that same intensity and passion for justice, and, if anything, they become even more pronounced.  She is haunted by what she did that fateful night in England and feels compelled to work ceaselessly to overcome that mistake, to make her life a just and good one.  Her father taught her to use the gifts of wealth and position for good, and as Shadowblade, her gifts must be used for that cause as well.

She still struggles with temptation.  Her gifts would easily allow her to subvert the rule of law, to take justice into her own hands, and it is a constant struggle to resist that lure.  She is a practical person and, as such, often feels tempted by the expediency of simply removing the corrupt or the evil.  But in the end, she falls back on her father’s example and wisdom and strives to do her best to use her gifts, to live a just life, and to make the world better for her having been in it.

Powers & Tactics:
Shadowblade’s tactics aim to use her stealth and skill with a blade to her best advantage.  She knows she doesn’t have the strength or toughness to match many opponents blow for blow or with the main strength, so she rarely engages in a fair fight.  She tries to avoid combat whenever possible through stealth and chicanery, but, if it becomes necessary, she strikes hard and quick, going for the fast knockout and then vanishing back into the shadows.

She is well-suited to spywork, to infiltration, and to surprise attacks.  She puts these strengths to good use to ferret out the secrets or incriminating evidence of the corrupt, or to protect people from those who might try to do them harm.

 

 

Complications:
Secret (Identity): Only Elanor's father, Hamilton, knows about her powers and work, and she wants to keep it that way.  Her appearance can make this somewhat difficult for her - as Elanor, she has to wear special contact lenses to try to hide the shape of her eyes.  Beyond that, she goes out of her way to keep her friends and family isolated from her hero work and identity as Shadowblade.
Responsibility: Elanor has commitments, being a professor and researcher, as well as a few volunteer activities.  These obligations have to be met and require her to balance her work as Shadowblade around her life as Elanor.
Shadow Step: Shadowblade's teleportation is linked to the shadows and darkness and functions best in those circumstances.  She can still teleport in full light, but it takes more effort and concentration and effort.  In full daylight or in brightly lit rooms, Elanor's teleportation is only half as effective.

 

Abilities: 2 + 8 + 4 + 6 + 4 + 4 = 28 PP
Strength: 14/12 (+2/+1)
Dexterity: 24/18 (+7/+4)
Constitution: 16/14 (+3/+2)
Intelligence: 16 (+3)
Wisdom: 14 (+2)
Charisma: 14 (+2)
 
Combat: 8 + 8 = 16 PP
Initiative: +11
Attack: +4, +12 Melee
Grapple: +14
Defense: +10 (+4 Base, +6 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed
Knockback: -3

Saving Throws: 5 + 3 + 5 = 13 PP
Toughness: +10 (+3 Con, +4 Defensive Roll, +3 Undercover Vest), +6 Flat-Footed
Fortitude: +8 (+3 Con, +5)
Reflex: +10 (+7 Dex, +3)
Will: +7 (+2 Wis, +5)
 
Skills: 88 Ranks = 22 PP
Acrobatics 8 (+15)
Bluff 6 (+8)
Computers 2 (+5)
Concentration 6 (+8)
Diplomacy 4 (+6)
Escape Artist 5 (+12)
Gather Information 7 (+9)
Knowledge (Current Events) 4 (+7)
Knowledge (History) 9 (+12)
Knowledge (Theology/Philosophy) 5 (+8)
Language 3 (English [base], French, German, Latin)
Notice 10 (+12)
Sense Motive 6 (+8)
Sleight of Hand 5 (+12)
Stealth 8 (+15)
 
Feats: 41 PP
Accurate Attack
Acrobatic Bluff
All-Out Attack
Assessment
Attack Focus (Melee) 8
Attractive 1
Benefit (Wealthy) 1
Challenge (Acrobatic Feint)
Critical Strike
Defensive Roll 2
Dodge Focus 6

Elusive Target

Equipment 4
Evasion
Hide in Plain Sight
Improved Block
Improved Critical (Rapier) 2
Improved Disarm
Improved Initiative
Improved Trip
Power Attack
Sneak Attack 1
Uncanny Dodge 2 (Hearing, Visual)
 
Equipment: (20 EP)
Binoculars 1
Commlink 1
Concealable Microphone 1
Digital Audio Recorder 1
Flash Goggles 1
Handcuffs 1
Mini-Tracer 1
Multi-Tool 1
Rebreather 1
Dagger 3
Smoke Grenade 4
Undercover Vest 4
 
Things I'm assuming from Wealth Bonus: laptop, cellphone with GPS, basic outfit, and Townhome with library

Powers: 10 + 11 + 4 + 5 + 3 = 33 PP
 
Feline Power 2 (10 PP Container [Passive, Permanent]) [10 PP] (Mutation)

Enhanced Dexterity 6 [6 PP]

Enhanced Strength 2 [2 PP]

Enhanced Constitution 2 [2 PP]

 
Teleport 4 (9 PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 2) [11 PP] (Mutation) ("Shadowjump")

Base Power: Teleport 4 (Flaws: Short-Ranged, Feats: Change Direction, Change Velocity, Progression 2, Turnabout) [9 PP]
Alternate Power 1: (Bonus to Existing) Strike 8 (Extras: Autofire) [8 PP]

Alternate Power 2: (Bonus to Existing) Strike 6 (Extras: Area [burst, Targeted]], Selective Attack, Flaws: Action 1 [Full Round]) [6 PP]

 

Super-Senses 4 (Darkvision, Extras: Accurate for normal human hearing) [3 PP] (Mutation) ("Feline Senses")

Concealment 5 (Complete Visual Senses, Normal Hearing, Flaws: Limited [shadows]) [5 PP] (Mutation) ("Shadowmeld")

Device 1 (5 PP Container, Flaws: Easy-to-Lose) [3 PP] ("Rapier")

Strike 4 (Feats: Mighty) [5 PP] (Piercing, Slashing, Physical)

 

Drawbacks: -2 + -1 = -3

Vulnerability to Sonic (Minor [+1 to DC], Common) [-2 PP]

Vulnerability to Dazzle (Visual) (Minor [+1 to DC], Uncommon) [-1 PP]

 

Abilities (28) + Combat (16) + Saving Throws (13) + Skills (22) + Feats (41) + Powers (33) - Drawbacks (3) = 150/150 Power Points

 

DC Block

ATTACK      RANGE       SAVE                          EFFECT

Unarmed     Touch       DC 17/19 Toughness (Staged)   Damage (Physical)

Rapier      Touch       DC 21/23 Toughness (Staged)   Damage (Physical)

Edited December 12, 2013 by Corsecjedi

[Corsecjedi]

            They say each of us is given gifts which we must use.  Nearly every faith has some variation on the parable of the talents, teaching us of the dangers and waste of failing to use your abilities.  But what if your talents make certain paths open to you, tempting paths of expedience – darker paths?  Does one mistake, one failure to resist that temptation, doom you?  Having failed once, are you more likely to fail again, either by succumbing to temptation or by failing to use your gifts admirably?  To some, this might seem to be pointless speculation, but to the many who have been given powers and gifts beyond the norm, I cannot help but think them vital to living not just a good life, but a just one.

 

            My name is Elanor Churchill.  Yes, one of those Churchills.  Winston was a fourth cousin, three times removed, or something completely insignificant like that.  The Churchills are an offshoot of the Dukes of Marlborough, and although we’re not an official part of the British peerage, we are an old family and a wealthy one.  I grew up in the area around Oxford, England, and the traditional seat of the senior family of Marlborough at Blenheim Palace.  My family owned a small estate on the outskirts of town, and I wanted for nothing all of my childhood.  My closest friend while growing up was Elizabeth Whitehall, the daughter of my family’s steward.  She may have been “just a commoner,†but she was like the sister I never had.  Many branches of the family would have looked askance at my friendship with Elizabeth, but my parents never did.  My father especially believed that we had an obligation – we had wealth and standing and were honor-bound to use them for the betterment of all men.  More, he was a kind man who treated his steward with the respect and warmth due a professional man, regardless of his standing, and he tried to teach his children to act the same.

 

            I confess, I paid his ideals little mind beyond my friendship with Elizabeth; I was too occupied with my own adventures and my family.  My parents doted on me, though they did strive to keep me from being too spoiled.  My eldest brother, Jonathan, rarely had time for me, as I was nearly ten years his junior, but my brother Julius was only three years older and quite a part of my adventures with Elizabeth.

 

            I must say, we gave my governess the most frightful headaches, what with our complete disdain for anything “ladylike.† My chief interest lay in living out the adventure ballads which I loved to read.  I even went so far as to coerce Julius to teach me the rudiments of fencing, which I then passed on to Elizabeth, so we could act out our adventures with more verve.  My one concession to civility was my love of the theatre, especially Shakespeare, though even there Elizabeth and I often found ourselves in trouble for reenacting scenes with too much enthusiasm. 

 

As I grew up, it became more and more obvious that Elizabeth and I were completely different.  I attended the finest of private schools, and my name had been down at Magdalen College at Oxford since my birth.  Elizabeth was forced to attend a rather dilapidated public school and would be lucky to be able to afford a public university near Reading.  Despite these differences, we remained close and spent every moment we could together.

 

            So things continued until Elizabeth and I turned eighteen and departed for university.  I followed Julius to Magdalen and reveled in the freedom from the overbearing presence of the “family.† My father had refused to let opinion sway him on how best to raise me, but before I was ten I had lost count of the number of aunts, cousins, and assorted relations who had expressed disapproval at my unladylike ways.  Once I was at university, though, I saw those relations less and less frequently.  So I pursued an ambitious course of study in literature and philosophy while continuing my training in fencing, all without frowns of disapproval.

 

            It was during this first year of writing the papers at Magdalen that I first began to change.  I felt, well, faster as if my speed, reflexes and coordination were all improving beyond measure.  Truth be told, I had never been that great at fencing, but in my first year I tried out for and was accepted onto Magdalen’s competition fencing team.  My appearance also changed; my rather plain brown eyes and black hair transmuted into something far more…unusual.  My hair had always been rather bushy and unmanageable, but it was suddenly silky smooth and sleek.  My eyes went from brown to amber, and the pupils slowly rotated to vertical slits, like an overgrown cat.  I took to wearing specially fitted contact lenses which helped disguise the extent of my strange eye shape, but nothing could make them look truly human again.  My new “exotic†appearance, as well as the suddenly supernatural grace of my movements, attracted FAR more attention than I at all desired.  Some of the incidents were truly funny, but most were horribly embarrassing for a sheltered girl in her first term at school.  I couldn’t wait for the Michalmas term to end, so that I could regale Elizabeth with these stories and see what she made of these changes.

 

            Finally, the holidays arrived, and Elizabeth and I arranged to meet in Oxford one morning soon after she arrived home.  I showed up bright and early at the University Church gardens, but Elizabeth wasn’t there.  When an hour had passed, I called her parents to see if she had overslept, thinking to tease her about bad college habits already acquired.  However, her mother answered the phone absolutely frantic.  Elizabeth had taken a walk the night before and never returned.

 

            The police later discovered her body in the Thames north of town.  There were signs that she had been murdered, as her clothes were torn and her body generally showing signs of a struggle, but no leads were announced as to who murdered her or why.  That seemed the end of it: a tragic death that caused huge grief for family and friends, all the more so for want of explanation or reason.  It wasn’t until the following year that I learned the truth.

 

            I was at home in my final weeks before the start of the Hillary term and was searching out my father when I heard him in heated discussion with my mother.  He was cursing the corruption of the legal system, a topic I had heard him discuss often enough.  I made to enter the room and interrupt his diatribe, but my mother’s shocked whisper caused me to pause just outside.  It turned out that one of my distant relatives, a member of the Duke’s family, had been Elizabeth’s murderer.  He had tried to force her to accept his advances and, when she had resisted, accidentally broken her neck.  However, the Duke’s influence and power in London had hushed the entire matter up.

 

            I was devastated; my best friend, killed by a member of my own family.  A distant member, to be sure, but a blood relative all the same.  And worse, he escaped completely from the consequences of his actions.  I won’t say that I suddenly conceived of the idea to punish him on the spot, but I think my eventual decision was born in that moment of horror.  I went back to school and hurled myself into my studies, desperately searching for some philosophical answer to this suddenly burning question of injustice.  I read Kant, Hobbes, Machiavelli, Locke, and the other greats of social philosophy, and I found no answers.  The only thing I found was a quote, so often used it was almost trite, by Edmund Burke: “All it takes for evil to triumph in the world is for good men to do nothing.† But how did good people stop the abuses of those in power?  The law is all well and good, but it only prevents those who do not control the entities that enforce it.  What about those people beyond the reach of the law?  What about, God help us all, those with powers and abilities beyond the ken of mere mortals?  My catechism and creeds taught me that none were beyond the reach of God, and I wholeheartedly accepted that, but must justice wait until the next life?  What about justice on earth?  Evil deeds should bring retribution upon their perpetrators.

 

            As I was desperately researching these moral questions, I developed a keen interest in the world around me and in history.  I had never really bothered with politics or current events before, being content to let my father’s opinions guide my vote.  But what I learned now disgusted and infuriated me.  It wasn’t just Elizabeth; people all over the world were dying and being oppressed by those who should have been their protectors.  And yet, nothing was done; evil was triumphing because good people were doing nothing.  Well, maybe not nothing; one could hardly help but hear the news of those brave people who risked life and limb to battle forces of darkest evil, but it was NOT enough.  Those heroes deserved accolade, but there were too few, and they were too busy, to help the Elizabeths of the world.  It was at this point that I switched the style of fencing I practiced from the epee to the long rapier and began to train in earnest.  I can only imagine what the people around me, especially my trainers, thought as I pursued this new, more deadly art with single-minded focus and intensity.  But it wasn’t until my third year at Magdalen, when I was twenty one, when I discovered the true possibility of doing something about this problem I confronted.

 

            I was in a fencing competition against a visiting champion from Cambridge, and my trainers had made it clear to me that the honor of the school was at stake.  It was an open field match, making footwork and speed just as important as bladework, and that was the only reason I didn’t lose immediately.  I was thoroughly outclassed by the Cambridge man, but I was also much faster and able to play catch as catch can in the field.  However, my opponent stubbornly refused to let me get behind him for a possible winning stroke.  I remember wishing with all my heart to just be behind him as he pursued me over the field, and then, suddenly, there was a small sound like a cork popping from a good bottle of wine.  One moment, I was in front of him and on the run, and in the next, I was behind him for the winning stroke.

 

            My opponent was utterly flabbergasted, and to this day, I don’t think he has forgiven me for some dirty trick cheating him of his win.  I was no less shocked, having no idea what had just happened.  Fortunately, we had been far enough away from the observers that they hadn’t seen clearly what had just happened, and I was able to flee the crowds after the match and think about what had just happened.  My sudden increase in physical ability and change in appearance began to make more sense to me now; one could hardly have lived in this world without being aware of concepts like “mutation,†after all.  During some extremely private practice sessions, I was able to determine that I had the ability leap through space.  It was an instantaneous leap, but I had fleeting impressions of a shadowy world that I journeyed through in those brief instants.  These impressions fit with the slight signs of black smoke that I left behind me when I “jumpedâ€, for lack of a better word.

 

            As I experimented with my teleportation, I also discovered that I could hide extremely well.  One evening, as I wandered the streets of Oxford, I turned a corner to see Julius enjoying an romantic moment with his fiancée.  Embarrassed and not wanting to disturb them, I tried to back away discreetly, but Julius must have heard me.  He looked up, and I just desperately wanted him not to see me.  Amazingly enough, he didn’t.  There he stood, not five feet from me in a side street that, though dark, was hardly that dark, and his gaze swept right past me.  More testing showed that my ability to hide was just as extraordinary as my ability to jump.  As I continued to explore and practice with these new abilities, my enhanced gracefulness also continued to grow.  Looking back on it, I’m almost ashamed of how long the realization was in coming, but it finally dawned on me that I was now equipped with the perfect tools to “do something†about the problems I perceived in the world.

 

            By this point, I was well into my final year at Magdalen and approaching graduation rapidly.  My brilliant ideas on how to right all the wrongs in the world were put on hold until after my comps and orals.  With much coaching from my tutors, I managed to survive the final weeks and graduated with honors and my bachelor’s degrees in Philosophy and Literature and won an appointment to pursue graduate work at Magdalen.  My parents were extremely proud and held a celebration for the whole of my family, and I seized the opportunity with both hands: my distant kinsman, the murderer of Elizabeth, was to attend.

 

            The night of my celebration, I learned two facts which have served me well: most men cannot resist the lure of a pretty face sending them the right signals; and when you get enough liquor into a man, he will boast about anything.  I spent most of the evening in that bloke’s awful company, attempting with all that I had to be charming and appear interested in him.  After three hours (if you think that is overly long for a celebration, you clearly have not attended parties in the upper crusts of British society; it might take that long just for everyone to tell everyone else how wonderful and noble they all are), I was beginning to despair and to be genuinely concerned as to how I was to escape my “escort’s†company before things became too serious.  However, about that time, the alcohol had loosened his tongue, and he began to speak more freely.  He started boasting about his family’s power and influence, I can only suppose in an effort to impress me; I can’t be quite sure, as my family practically is his family, but who knows what was in his head.  And then it came; he gloatingly confided that his connections allowed him to escape any stain.  “Any?†I asked, all innocence and naivety, “even…murder?† And at that, he grinned and slowly nodded.

 

            I’ve told myself, over and over in the years since, that I would not have followed through on my plan if he had shown the least bit of remorse; who knows, that might even be true.  I hope it is, for the sake of my soul and that innocent child I once was.  But that is a moot point, as my “friend†Devon showed not the slightest grief over his killing of my friend.  So it was that he awoke, a few days later in the middle of the night in his extremely secure mansion, with my blade at his throat.  I had already decided to hide my identity, just in case there were cameras in the room, which I doubted, but caution never killed anyone.  I had also purloined one of the Duke’s swords from a display on another floor, rather than using my own blade.  I’m sure he thought it was a gag at first, but when I cut him off stating clearly and coldly my intention to end his pathetic life, he started blubbering, half paralyzed with fright.  Most of his prater I ignored, but one question caught my attention; “Why?  In God’s name, why me?†he half cried.  I paused, trying to express years of malcontent and disgust with his actions.  Finally, I paraphrased two lines from Macbeth: “Yours has been a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.  Now the blood of the innocents wells up against thee, tyrant, and retribution shalt have its day.â€

 

            I don’t know if I can ever truly forget, or forgive myself for, the next horrific moments.  Even though he deserved death (and God knows, he did!), the human mind rebels at the thought of taking another’s life.  Praise be to God for it, else our race would have been ended long ago, but at that moment, I admit I considered conscience a curse.  Tears rolled down my face under the mask I wore as I watched him breathe his last; as I stood in that room, I felt the last of my innocence truly leave me forever.  Barely aware, I tossed the sword down on the bed, jumped my way out of Blenheim Palace, and fled deep into the rough woodlands surrounding the place.  I had much to think about.

 

            I had expected to feel elation or at least satisfaction in sending Elizabeth’s killer to face the justice of the Almighty.  Yet instead all I felt was grief and guilt at ending another human’s life, however much he might have deserved it.  I spent the rest of the night in the solitude of the woods, desperately trying to sort out my feelings.  I was careful to return to my parents’ home before dawn, though I must have looked frightful the next day.  I lurked in my childhood home for the next few days while the sensational, scandalous story swept the area: a member of the Duke’s household, found dead in his room.  As the murder weapon belonged to the victim and no one had entered his room, it was ruled an accidental death or possible suicide, but that did nothing to assuage my guilt.

 

            I do not know what would have become of me if not for my father.  Some weeks after my… actions, he took me for a long walk through the grounds.  When we were far from prying eyes and ears, he turned to me and said, “I know something is troubling you, Elanor.  Let me share the burden with you.† I looked at him, at the care and concern in his eyes, the understanding in his expression, and I realized with a start that he knew.  My surprise must have shown in my face, because he let out a weary laugh.  “My girl, give your old father a little credit.  And please, it will do you good to talk about it.â€

 

            And so I told him.  I told him of my strange powers, my sense of outrage, my desire to do something, and my horror at what I had actually done.  My father listened to the tale without comment or judgment until I had finished.  “Oh, my little Elanor,†he sighed.

 

            “Are you going to report me to the authorities?†I asked softly, determined to accept whatever he did as no more than my just reward.

 

            “No, I cannot bring myself to do that,†he said with a sad smile.  Then his expression became even more serious.  “But you need to understand, my daughter, that you stand at a crossroads.  Your choices, here, now, will determine what kind of person you are for the rest of your life.  You have been given gifts, extraordinary ones, and it fills me with more pride than I can say that you want to use them to seek justice.  But what you have done is not justice, and you cannot repeat it, or I will have no choice.  It would break my heart to turn against you, and I pray it will never come to that.â€

 

            “It never will, Father,†I whispered.

 

            We talked, then, my father and I.  He firmly agreed with my decision to use my talents, not just hide or ignore them, and he encouraged me to find someone who could more easily understand the dilemmas I would face.  After a long talk, we embraced, and finally, for the first time since that fateful night, I felt a measure of peace again.

 

            What holds us to the light, when the temptations are so strong and our base desires, or even our good intentions, would lead us astray?  Nothing more than this – the love and support of those close to us.  My father’s embrace offered that to me in the grounds that day and every day since.  While I have had other mentors, he has been my true moral compass, the only member of my family who knows of what I am – what I have done.  His encouragement, his support, and his love have been the difference for me.

 

            I am still haunted by my demons, of course.  I lost something that night in Devon’s bedroom, something no amount of support can give back to me.  As I have continued my work, both as a “hero†and as a normal person, I have met people just as loathsome, corrupt, and foul as he, and the temptation to… remove them is always there.  Perhaps, if I had not failed so spectacularly, such solutions would be less attractive to me, but as it is, I must do battle with my darker nature daily.  Which hardly makes me different than any other person, of course, but few people can enact their darker desires with such deadly, and anonymous, effect.  I have often thought that it might be easier to lay aside my powers and just live an average life – after all, look at the difference my father has made without any such gifts.  But then I walk the grounds of my family’s home in Blenheim, I visit Elizabeth’s grave, and I remember all the evils in the world – I cannot sit idly by when I can make a difference.

 

            Will my life not only be a happy one, a good one, but a just one?  I can only pray that it will.

[KnightDisciple]

Only 2 formatting suggestions pop out.

 

1.) For your Stats, write them like this:

 

Strength: 14/12 (+2/+1) 
Dexterity: 24/18 (+7/+4) 
Constitution: 16/14 (+3/+2) 
Intelligence: 16 (+3)
Wisdom: 14 (+2)
Charisma: 14 (+2)

 

In this, the first number is the enhanced/highest score, while the second/last number is the natural score you buy with points in Abilities (as opposed to Powers).

 

2.) With the Power Names (Feline Power, Shadowjump, etc), take the flavor name and put it at the end, perhaps like this: 

Teleport 4 (9 PP Array, Feats: Alternate Power 1) [10 PP] (Mutation) ("Shadowjump")

[Corsecjedi]

Updated some formatting things and changed some bits around to include an idea of her relationship with the Ministry of Powers in Britain.

[Raveled]

So, if this character splits her time between London and FC, does that mean the PC will be inactive for six months out of the year?

[Corsecjedi]

It's a possibility - I'm not sure if I'm going to keep that totally.  Thematically, I really like the idea of her being a dual citizen and spending time in both locales.  However, in terms of gameplay, especially initially when I'm not going to be able to have multiple characters or whatnot, it might work better to just keep her in Freedom City full time.  I know that there are heroes in other parts of the world, too, so maybe she could get involved in stuff in other locales when she's not in Freedom City.  Really, I don't know how feasible that is.  Any thoughts?

[Raveled]

It would be a lot easier if her teleport was powerful enough to zip her across the Atlantic.

I really have to ask: thematically, how does the "Feline Power" tie into her teleportation? It feels like there's two different powersets here being smushed together. I realize you're trying to go for Nightcrawler, with the swordfighting and the teleportation and the agility, but your character could just be an agile teleporter.

[Corsecjedi]

Also, after some thought and discussion in chat, I'm going to change Elanor's hero name to something other than Lady Edge to avoid confusion with one of AA's existing heroes.  So, updating the info in the character sheet to reflect this change to the new name, Shadowblade.  Many thanks to Vahnyu for the excellent suggestion which was far cooler than any of the other ones I've thought of.

[Corsecjedi]

The cat thing was mostly a way to explain thematically the changes like physical enhancements or expanded senses.  Plus, I also wanted something that would alter her physical appearance just a bit, and I picked it as the most interesting (since they're aren't any teleporting creatures for me to copy/name after).

 

I suppose I can see how it's not really the same powerset, but then again a lot of mutants in comics (not as familiar with builds on the site yet!) seem to have sets that don't really seem to totally match.  Like, Wolverine has healing factor, but also some enhanced senses which don't seem all that related, etc.  So, anyway, that's my thoughts on it.

Edited December 5, 2013 by Corsecjedi

[Thevshi]

Corsec:

 

There is certainly nothing wrong with a character that spends time in both Freedom City and some other location (be that another part of the US or, in this case England) and has adventures in both.  Given the set up you have for her, while a quick way between the two places might be nice, I am not sure it is completely necessary (and it would always be easy to stay that at any given point she could be in one place or the other for any number of reasons).

 

About the addition of the Autofire alt power to the Teleport array.  You can certainly add autofire to the strike attack, though you may not always have the benefit of the Sneak Attack feat, so it might start off the base +6 damage. 

 

One other problem is it may not be as useful to attack multiple targets as you would like.  Using Autofire to attack multiple targets is a Full Round action, so you could not actually move to make the multiple attacks, and as the Strike is touched range, could only attack those targets within melee range.  Making the Strike an area attack might be the better way to represent attacking multiple targets at once (though you might want it selective to avoid hitting anyone you did not want to).

[Corsecjedi]

Ah, ok.  To be fair, Autofire was added relatively late - originally, I accomplished a bit of the same thing with Takedown Attack before the revision to get her ready for the site - and I wasn't totally sure I was using it correctly.  I'll look into making it a selective area attack, then, and a few other changes.

 

As far as the living in two places goes, I'm leaning toward a 9/3 month split to start off with, as she's just getting established in Freedom City.  Also, if I'm understanding and reading the Wealth Benefits on the Houserules correctly, she's well-off enough to travel back and forth at least somewhat at need.

[Thevshi]

Well, the one issue with a selective area attack is that is expensive, as that is two extras instead of just one.  You might want to add a flaw (maybe full action or distracting) to keep it in the budget.  You probably also want it a targeted area effect, so you make an attack roll to hit the targets, instead of them getting a reflex save to reduce/avoid the attack.

 

9/3 split would fit better with a normal college school year here, but then she could only for a couple terms (or one semester with some extra time for administrative stuff) to stick with the 6/6.  Again, not sure it really matters how much time she spends where, as you say, she is wealthy enough to travel back and forth a lot.  As I mentioned, she could easily have an adventure in Freedom City during the time she would normally be back in, saying that she was back there for some reason or another. 

 

[Corsecjedi]

Ok, how about this: adding a second alternate power to the teleport array (I'll drop a feat or something to make room).

 

Strike 4 (Extras: Area [burst, Targeted], Selective Attack, Flaws: Action 1 [Full-round], Feats: Mighty) [9 PP]

 

That actually gets the attack up to her cap, if she can manage to add her SA damage up.  Question, though, does this count as a ranged or melee attack?  I mean, fluff-wise, she's striking them with a melee attack, but I also understand that the rules sometimes get in the way.

 

Side-note - is it possible to do this as an addition, kind of like how I have the Autofire set-up currently, to my existing strike?  Again, this is mostly because, fluff-wise, she's still going to be striking with the rapier, but again, I understand it might not work quite that way.

[Thevshi]

Corsec,

 

Well, the problem with buying it that way in the Teleport array is that it actually makes it independent of the rapier (ie you would be able to use it to full effect even if you do not have the rapier), which does not quite fit with what you are going for.   I would just buy it as the extras (and flaw), so when you have the rapier in hand, you can use it.  That way, you could use it even without the rapier, just doing rapid teleports and punching, but obviously for only your base STR damage (plus possible surprise attack bonus damage)

 

To answer your question, it would be considered a melee attack.  Basically, it is a touch ranged area burst, so only the area around you, that is to say, you cannot use it for a group of targets that are say fifty feet away from you.

 

Moving it into the rapier does not quite fit how you want the power to work.  As it would become solely part of the rapier, and not part of you teleport power (though using the rapier as well). 

[Corsecjedi]

Ok, so, if I'm following correctly here, it would work as:

 

Alternate power: (Bonus to Existing) Strike 6 (Extras: Area [burst, Targeted], Selective Attack, Flaws: Action 1 [Full-Round]) [6 PP]

 

That wouldn't use the full point value of the array (I could extend it a bit or something with some power feats), but as the basic chassis, I think that's what we're talking about?  And, if I keep the autofire alt power, I can also use it to make a "series of attacks" to get the higher DC from the description of an autofire attack, right?  Obviously, I couldn't do both at the same time or whatnot.

[Thevshi]

Yes, that is pretty much how I was suggesting stating it.

 

Though, one thing I often point out to people is you do not have to use every point in an array in every alt slot.  But yes, you could add a feat or two, or you could keep the points free for now, and if you increased the base teleport costs, you could possible get enough points to buy off the flaw.

 

And yes, you could keep the Autofire alt power as well, and use it to potentially do more damage to a single target (for as I mentioned, would not really work quite as well on multiple targets, unless they were all surrounding you).

[Corsecjedi]

Updated the sheet to add the alt power under teleport - deducted 1 point from saves to compensate.

[Thevshi]

Okay Corsec, going to go through more things on the sheet now:

 

Stats:  This all looks good, though one thing I notice is you have the enhanced Str and Con scores before the normal scores, while doing the reverse with normal dex and enhanced dex.  Probably best to be uniform, one way or the other.

 

Combat stats are fine, though you are at the minimum we allow in terms of BAB vs feats.  (not a problem, just something to remember when you go up a power level and adjust to the new caps).  Also, you should have +12 melee (not just with the rapier).

 

Saves, skills, feats and equipment all seem fine (though equipment would usually be listed as a feat).

 

Powers:

For then Enhanced stats, making them all linked is a bit awkward.  Perhaps it would be better to place them all in a Container?

 

All the other powers/device seem fine.

 

Nice detailed background with some possibilities for story hooks.  I would say that the Dual Citizenship complication you list does not really seem like a complication, not at all sure how that would come up.

 

Also, I would point out that while having characters who have done some dark things in the past (such as taking a life), things are much less Iron Age here, and heroes do not use lethal force (except in a few rare circumstances).  I do not think you would be going that route, but wanted to be sure that was clearly stated, just in case. 

[KnightDisciple]

 

Perhaps it would be better to place them all in a Container?

 

For an example of how this could look, check out my signature link to Thoughtspeed. He has several Containers for his powers, because a.) it's handy, and b.) I'm a bit obsessive about organizing that stuff.

[Corsecjedi]

About the stats - yeah, that's just me being stupid, apparently!  Fixed now.

 

Combat stats - yeah, I read through the houserules and saw the notes about 1/3rd of bonus needing to be base versus focus feats.  So, the next time I'm eligible for an attack bump, it'll cost 2 PP and be base!

 

For the equipment part, I'll add the feats there - I'm assuming that I should still keep the actual list of equipment, though, and just add the feat to denote the PP costs?

 

As far as containers go, I'll take a look - I just linked them because they were all physical stat adjustments from the same basic source (IE, her mutation).  If containers are a better route to go, I'm definitely game - haven't really done one before!

 

Complication-wise - yeah, I really didn't know, beyond sometimes she might have to fly back and forth, and that can add additional headaches for keeping her identity secret (Hey, you know that Shadowblade character?  She never shows up except when Elanor's in town...).  Really, I'm still trying to get a good handle on complications, as my previous abortive attempts at M&M didn't really use them, so any advice or ideas is welcome.  I've looked over a couple other heroes posted on the boards and used their ideas as a springboard, but I definitely welcome more specific suggestions, too.

 

Finally, as far as the story goes, yeah, I'm definitely aware.  Basically, she's aware that she made a horrific mistake, and that's part of what drives her now.  She's probably always going to be a little afraid her powers are "tainted" because of her first action with them, but she's also driven to redeem herself and use her gifts for true justice.  So, yep, I appreciate it, and I'm aware of the site guidelines, and I'm definitely steering clear of doing things that would violate the general tone of the game.

[Vahnyu]

For general advice about complications, I'd recommend >this thread, from Supercape.

 

Here's a personal suggestion for a complication(Though, as always, by no means should you feel compelled to use it if you don't want to)

 

Shadow Step: Shadowblade's teleportation capabilities draw power from the dark(or a reasonable lack of light). Thus, she is able to use her teleportation to it's fullest potential when there's little light around. She can still teleport during the day, or when inside a very bright room, but that puts considerable strain in her powers, causing them to function at half power.

//This one puts a thematic spin on her teleportation powers. It almost works like a Limited Flaw(like the one you have for concealment, for example), but it allows for more leeway

[Corsecjedi]

Yet another great suggestion, Vahnyu!  Many thanks again!

 

I also took a read through Supercape's post there and have edited Shadowblade's complications to be more interesting and trying to give potential GMs handles or hooks.  The first two are pretty basic, still - I mean, they're there, they will complicate her life, but they're also pretty standard.  I tried to get more creative or inventive with the next few.  I'm still working on the details and mechanics of them - I like the idea of her hesitating in a fight because of her backstory, but I'm not sure how that might best be expressed.

 

Also, I'm starting to think about trying to get her more integrated in the community here.  Basically, the way I see it, she would have been in Freedom City for a little while as Elanor - observing, learning, etc - before beginning her own work.  I'd like to have her start trying to establish friendly working relationships with other heroes.  OOC, I've been thumbing through some of the heroes in the bank, but there are a LOT of them there!  Anyone have any interesting suggestions, or is this something that should happen more after the character's approved and active?

[Supercape]

 

Your complications are of course yours, and as they are, in essence, causing problems from characters they best well from you. As I see it some of the ones you have listed are a good source of character description, personality, etc, but are difficult to riff off in terms of complications that hurt in play. It really depends on how far you want to push the boat out. 

 

For instance, you could say that her teleportation power "uses up" her shadow, which slowly regenerates (perhaps more in direct bright light, like having a torch shone in her in darkness). This would give rise to two complications - a) Potentially her teleportation power "runs out of ammo" as a complication. This is potentially useful as teleportation can at times be an easy "get out of trouble too easy" card (which you may want, of course), and cause her more difficulty in concealing her secret I.D. as people would notice she has a small, diminished, or no shadow, which is a callsign of Lady Shadowblade. 

 

I give this as an example of the top of my head, of course. Its probably not very good - but it illustrates how to make a complication a thing which makes the PCs life tangibly complicated rather than vague "angst". The former is good for complications (and writing and driving drama/story), the latter is good for writing (and driving drama/story). 

[Corsecjedi]

Well, I've revised complications a bit, but I'm thinking that I might need to play her for a bit and get a handle for what things might give her a complication.  Barring that, though, and given the comments so far, I'm thinking I'm about ready to post her in the bank for approval.  Thoughts?

[Vahnyu]

None from me, and I think you really hit the nail with that line:

 

 

but I'm thinking that I might need to play her for a bit and get a handle for what things might give her a complication.

 

If you can't figure anything else to do for complications, then that's definitely your best bet. Experiencing how the game goes firsthand will definitely guide you to not only further customise Shadowblade, but also be more ready to tackle any new characters you might want to try!

 

Good luck on your PC submission!