Divine Rebuild

[Moira Morley]

Player Name: Moira
Character Name: Divine
Power Level: 13 (202/202PP)
Trade-Offs: -3 attack/-3 effect, -3 toughness/-3 defense
Unspent Power Points: 0
Progress To Silver Status: 52/60

In Brief: Daughter of Aphrodite and Ares, raised in the mortal world.

Alternate Identity: Moira Morley (mortal name), Edone (birth name)
Identity: Public. Everyone knows Moira Morley is Divine. Few know that Moira Morley is Edone.
Birthplace: Mount Olympus
Occupation:
Affiliations:
Family: Aphrodite (mother), Ares (father), Other Olympians, Sean Morley (adoptive mortal father, deceased).

Description
Age: 26 (DoB: January 1988)
Apparent Age: Early twenties
Gender: Female
Ethnicity: Olympian
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 125 lbs.
Eyes: Green
Hair: Auburn

Words about how she looks!

Power Descriptions:

History: Moira's life didn't begin in a particularly optimistic fashion. Sure, she was a child of the gods, conceived during one of the many flings of Ares and Aphrodite. Sure, she had a destiny: named Edone by the Fates, she was foretold to one day become the goddess of excessive hedonism. But fate is a fickle thing, and cuckolded gods can be more petty and ruthless than the worst of mortals. When Aphrodite's husband, Hephaestus, learned that she was bringing yet another by-blow into the world of the gods, he was consumed with jealous rage and vowed to finally begin putting right the wrongs that were done to him. As god of the forge, he had little direct power over other gods, but huge amounts of influence. When he approached Ilithyia, goddess of childbirth, to enlist her aid in his revenge, she had little choice but to oblige him. Even so, she defied his demand to kill the child in the womb and instead gave the developing Edone the most backhanded of blessings: a mortal soul.

The consequences of this gift were immediately evident at Edone's birth. She was an Olympian in form, beautiful as no human baby could be, eyes alert and body vibrant with life. But the very atmosphere of Mount Olympus was toxic to her mortal soul, and she began screaming inconsolably as no godchild would ever do, agonized by a soul in danger of dissolving completely. A horrified Ilithyia revealed what she had done, and along with Aphrodite, hatched a plan to save Edone's life. Aphrodite would send her daughter to the mortal realm to strengthen her, using the strict wording of The Pact as a way to get the half-mortal child through the dimensional boundaries and to protect her from the rage of her stepfather. Edone would speed to adulthood (as gods reckoned these things), and at maturity she could be imbued with the goddesshood that was her birthright. If Ilithyia had doubts that it would be so easy, she wisely kept them to herself.

Aphrodite's first concern was finding someone to care for her exiled child. She searched all of her followers on Earth in mind, body and most importantly, soul. She found a man in Freedom City by the name of Sean Morley. Sean was an unmarried man in his late thirties, physically and mentally fit . He ran a pub in the West End named Morley's, not exactly a godly occupation, but it had been in his family for generations. He was a priest of Aphrodite leading a small but vibrant temple that conducted mostly blessings and private services for worshipers. There was no mother figure, but devout followers of Aphrodite were thin on the ground in the mortal world these days, and he would do. She graced Sean Morley with a prophetic dream, telling him of his great favor and instructing him in the summoning ritual that would draw Edone to the mortal realm. She instructed Sean to not reveal Edone's heritage to her during her childhood, but leave that to her true parents later.

Doing as his goddess bid him, Sean gathered his most loyal parishioners and carried out the summoning ritual. It was an instant and obvious success, the child's pitiful wails ceasing immediately upon her arrival in the mortal realm. She was a lovely child, charming even in her newborn neediness, and with an entire congregation of worshipful “aunts and uncles†to see to her every want, she rarely had occasion to fuss. A small amount of paper fakery made her legally Sean's daughter and gave her a new, mortal name. Sean called her Moira, in honor of the fate she would have no idea lay in store for her.

Despite her mortal soul, Moira grew up to show all the benefits of an Olympian birthright. Beautiful and uncommonly strong, she had a gift for drawing people to her and convincing them to do whatever she pleased. It was a habit that caused quite a bit of trouble, though never for her. Sean did his best to teach her right from wrong, a task that was aided by her generally sweet nature, but Moira was still the daughter of his goddess, and he was never comfortable exerting discipline or authority over her. Besides, as a future goddess of hedonism, it would've seemed inappropriate, if not downright hypocritical. Moira grew up thinking of Sean as a close friend and source of help, but he was always more babysitter than parent to her. One thing she did enjoy was helping out at Morley's, first by singing to entertain the patrons, then later by tending bar and even waiting tables when the mood struck. She helped at the temple as well, though Sean's fidelity to his goddess ensured that Moira never knew quite who she was worshiping.

As Moira grew older, she spent less and less time with her caretakers, devoting her time and attention to the pursuit of her own happiness. This was allowed and even encouraged, since Sean and the others saw her increasingly wild hedonism as the assumption of a birthright. In 2006, the year Moira turned eighteen, Sean died suddenly in the night, of unknown causes. Just days later, Aphrodite appeared to Moira in a dream, telling her of her true nature, and that Sean had been taken to the Elysian Fields as a reward for his years of faithful service. Aphrodite also told Moira that her time on Earth was nearly completed. Sometime very soon, her real parents would bring her home to Olympus, where she would be imbued with the godly power she should've had her whole life. It was not phrased as an option.

Moira didn't know how to take this. She had been living on Earth for all her life, and so far it had been very enjoyable! But the idea of goddesshood also appealed, plus there was the possibility that one day she'd reach goddess strength on her own and be ejected for Pact violations anyway. It seemed easier to just go along with Aphrodite's plan and savor her time on Earth while she had it. She lived each day both as if it were her last and as though she'd already become the goddess of hedonism. She didn't have any money, but that really didn't matter much when she had youth, beauty, and an inexhaustible ability to draw the attention of people who would beg her to stay/travel/party with them, all on their dime. Her actions might have been deplorable in someone more self-aware, but for newly-minted high school graduate Moira Morley, having people fawn over her had always been the natural order of things and was nothing to be concerned about.

She dabbled in whatever she thought she might enjoy, dancing, modeling, acting, enjoying the camaraderie as much as the fame and fortune her inevitable success brought. Moira was a media darling, gracing tabloids as often as fashion magazines, having fun and building her hedonism portfolio. She kept her identity as an open secret. She would jokingly say she was a goddess when someone asked her "how" and "why". Her metahuman talents were never in doubt, and eventually she picked up the nickname "Divine" as a half-joking nod to the world of superheroes and villains. She popped back to Freedom City every so often, checking on the bar she'd inherited and her friends at the Temple, but none of that was enough to hold her interest. What did catch her attention, though, was Freedom City's abundant population of heroes and villains. When the glittering throng of humanity finally began to bore her, Divine figured it was time to look beyond them, to those folks who were more than human.

Settling back in Freedom City meant resuming her duties at the Temple and at Morleys, but that didn't bother Moira much. She spent most of her time getting to know the metahumans of Freedom City, interacting freely with both sides equally, even if her own romps tended to be more on the side of good (or at least not actively evil). She was looking for fun and camaraderie, and eventually she joined up with a hero group, The Knights of Freedom, that would give her a first real taste of costumed heroics. It was kind of a weird taste, since the Knights weren't a well-matched team and soon crumbled, but she still made some friends and saved a few days, so it was good. She met people like Ace Danger and Fleur de Joie who would become good friends to her, and somehow she learned more from these costumed adventurers about being a good person than she had in all her years of being a goddess-in-training. She met and loved Angel, another ambivalent soul and would-be superheroine, more intensely than she'd thought she could love anyone. The loss of her was a hole in Moira's heart, one that never really healed. She stuck with the hero gig, mostly, though her behavior became more unpredictable, her moods a tightrope walk between sorrow and the elation that was supposed to be her godly gift.

In the summer of 2010, things reached critical mass in Moira's metaphysical existence. The rituals that would imbue her with power on Olympus were still being perfected, but Moira's own power was beginning to peak in the mortal realm, endangering both her mortal soul and the integrity of the Pact. Her powers were nearly godlike already, but her complete lack of discipline meant that a single impetuous use of extraordinary power could burn her soul to ashes or eject her to a punishment realm forever. Staying on Earth was not an option. With barely a chance for goodbyes, Moira Morley, now Edone forever and ever, was off to Olympus.

When Edone got back to Olympus, everything seemed perfect, at first. She retained her memories of her time as Moira, though Aphrodite assured her that those would go away with time and goddesshood. The part of her that was Moira missed her friends and her mortal life, but Edone enjoyed all the benefits Olympus had to offer. Life was easy up on the mountain. She began making friends and enemies among the gods, as Olympians are wont to do. There were her parents of course, busy with their responsibilities, but happy to have their wayward daughter back home and ready to take up her mantle. There was Dionysus, with whom she clicked immediately due to their relative closeness in responsibilities. They even joked that maybe she was his child. Ares was not fond of that joke. She had a fling with Apollo, but the stories of the fickleness of gods have persisted for a reason, and that didn't last long. Edone was just happy to escape without being turned into a flowering plant. Zeus was fond of her as well, as he was of any pretty little goddess who liked to party.

Not everyone was happy to see her back, though. Edone had her fair share of enemies amongst the gods and their children. Turned out that in her absence, there were plenty of claimants to the position of god or goddess of hedonism, and none of them wanted a new competitor. They were mostly spoiled children though, for all their godly natures, and Moira had been shrugging off their sort all her life. Illythia was more of a problem, punished by both sides for her role in Edone's birth, she was more than a little resentful to see the young demigoddess alive and well and back on Olympus. Hephaestus, though, was by far her biggest problem. It had been bad enough when the child he'd wanted killed hadn't died as ordered, and now he was certainly not content to have his 'mistake' hanging around as a goddess forever. He never met her personally, but there were a few minor gods that did his dirty work for him. They made life on Olympus a little less pleasant, but there were rules of engagement, and Edone wasn't about to let a few jealous haters ruin her immortal life.

The rituals to turn Edone's soul into that of a full goddess were complex, carried out by nymphs bathing her in godstuff and soulmatter to cleanse her of the taint of mortality. It happened infrequently, but enough for Edone to expect it once she got in the groove. It was quite relaxing, really, having all her cares melt away as though she were immersed in a really good bubble bath. Unfortunately, it gradually became clear that the rituals were not working. Each ritual was powerful enough to keep Edone alive on Olympus and in possession of her minute (in Olympian terms) godhood, they were barely able to keep her above the threshold to stay there. Her body was beautiful and immortal as ever, but her soul remained stubbornly mortal. Moira continued to surge to the surface inside Edone, reminding her uncomfortably of her friends on Earth, the hero work they'd begun to enjoy, all the good they could be doing there instead of lounging in bubble baths and pursuing social intrigue with gods. She could be ignored, suppressed, laughed off, but she would not allow herself to die away.

It was a situation that could've continued indefinitely. Humans didn't need much help to be hedonists, it wouldn't matter if the goddess of hedonism was very low in power as long as she was beautiful and indulgent of her followers. The nymphs certainly had nothing better to do than continue to bathe her as necessary! Edone had a place on Olympus, and she could've stayed and fought for it, using her wiles rather than her strength, relying on her powerful allies as necessary. She could've made it work, were it not for the part of her soul that was still Moira, the part that longed for home and for something more. The soul burned inside her like an itch she couldn't reach, and nothing on Olympus could assuage it. Finally one day she'd had enough. Edone turned away the ritual, put on her finest clothes, and visited her parents to tell them that she had decided to leave Olympus forever.

Once Edone had made her decision, the gods had no choice but to strip her of the power she'd had. Edone in her glory, minuscule as it was, could not pass back to Earth though the barrier of the Pact, but human Moira Morley could. Edone's godhood was ceremoniously taken away from her by her weeping mother, who embraced Moira and gave her an enchanted flower for her hair before Moira could die of the overwhelming atmosphere on Olympus. Old Hephaestus could be heard celebrating in his workshop, finally rid of a thorn in his side forever. Gods did not concern themselves with human by-blows, and this mortal woman was no concern of his anymore.

Before Moira left she was approached by friends and family alike. Each came with a gift for her new life, some with blessings for her protection, some with magic or items to make her human life easier. It was the least they could do. She was no longer Edone, would never be a goddess, but she was still an Olympian being. With a last round of goodbyes, Moira packed her things and allowed herself to be returned to the mortal plain. She had work to do and people to see, and even for an immortal, time waits for nobody.

Personality & Motivation:

Powers & Tactics:

Complications

Abilities: 8 + 4 + 8 + 4 + 4 + 8 = 36PP
Str 18 (+4)
Dex 14 (+2)
Con 18 (+4)
Int 14 (+2)
Wis 14 (+2)
Cha 18 (+4)

Combat: 8 + 20 = 28PP
Initiative +6
Attack +10 Melee, +4 Ranged
Grapple +16
Defense +10 (+10 Base), +5 Flat-Footed
Knockback -5, -2 without Armor of Ares

Saving Throws: 8 + 7 + 7 = 22PP
Toughness +10 (+4 Con, +6 Protection)
Fortitude +12 (+4 Con, +8)
Reflex +9 (+2 Dex, +7)
Will +9 (+2 Wis, +7)

Skills: 74/76R = 19PP
Acrobatics 8 (+10)
Bluff 8 (+12, +20 attractive)
Diplomacy 8 (+12, +20 attractive)
Gather Information 8 (+12)
Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 8 (+10)
Language 2 (English, Greek, Spanish)
Notice 8 (+10)
Perform (dance) 8 (+12)
Perform (sing) 8 (+12)
Sense Motive 8 (+10)

Feats: 30PP
Attack Focus (melee) 6
Attack Specialization (grapple) 1
Attractive 2
Distract (Bluff)
Connected
Contacts
Fascinate (Perform)
Improved Grab
Improved Grapple
Improved Initiative
Improved Pin
Inspire 5
Leadership
Luck 2
Power Attack
Redirect
Setup
Taunt
Well Informed

Powers: 15 + 22 + 10 + 20 = 65PP

Ambrosia (15pp container) [15pp]
Comprehend 2 (understand all languages, speak any language) [4pp]
Immunity 4 (aging, disease, poison, starvation/thirst) [4pp]
Regeneration 7 (Recovery 5 [+9], Resurrection 2 [1/day]) [7pp]

Blessing of Aphrodite: Emotion Control 10 [20pp]
Blessing of Dionysus: Confuse 10 (drunkenness; Extras: Range [Perception]) [1pp]
Blessing of Zeus: Damage 10 (lightning storm; Extras: Area [burst], Range [Ranged]; Flaws: Action [Full]) [1pp]

Blessing of Apollo (10pp container) [10pp]
Environment 1 (daylight and extreme heat, 5ft radius) [4pp] (Shard of the Sun)
Flight 4 (100MPH, 1000ft a round; Flaws: Platform) [4pp] (Sun Disc)
Immunity 2 (cold, heat) [2pp]

Blessing of Ares (20pp container) [20pp]
Damage 6 (Power Feats: Improved Critical 2, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Mighty, Precise, Reach, Variable Descriptor [bludgeon/pierce/slash]) [14pp] (Weapons of Ares)
Protection 6 [6pp] (Armor of Ares)

DC Block
ATTACK                    RANGE                       SAVE                             EFFECT
Unarmed                   Melee                       Toughness 19                     Damage (Physical; bludgeoning)

Blessing of Aphrodite     Perception                  Will 20                          Emotion Control

Blessing of Dionysus      Perception                  Will 20                          Confuse

Blessing of Zeus          Range Area (Burst)          Reflex 20
                                                      Toughness 25 (failed Reflex)     Damage (Energy; electricity)
                                                      Toughness 20 (passed Reflex)     Damage (Energy; electricity)

Weapons of Ares           Melee (+0 or +5 Reach)      Toughness 25                     Damage (Physical; bludgeoning, piercing or slashing)

Totals: Abilities (36) + Combat (28) + Saving Throws (22) + Skills (19) + Feats (32) + Powers (65) = 202/202 Power Points

Edited May 23, 2015 by Moira

[Moira Morley]

This is just the skeleton. I'm redoing the whole of the build. The old build will be a blueprint, but when I'm done with it it'll be better done. As for the reason why she's different? Around August 2010 is the last time I worked with Divine. Many things have happened in the past three and a half years.

Where's she been? Training to take her role rightful role as goddess of hedonism. Why's she back? She failed. Hard. She couldn't keep up with the Olympian lifestyle. The Moira part of her heart couldn't bring her to do the horrible parts of her 'job'. So she's been booted out of Olympus for good now. The kicker being she's not a goddess anymore. Denied her godhood and her power, Edone is nothing but a memory. She's immortal and still favors her mother and father attributes, but it's not as strong as it was before.

Mechanically? I have a few ideas, but I'm going to the drawing board with you guys. When I first built Divine on my own, she was somewhat... deficient. A few years later, I'm going to see if I can do better.

[Avenger Assembled]

I like the idea of putting the hedonism thing to bed, yes - she is no longer the 'failed god', but Moira Morley, action heroine! (Albeit with whatever supername you wind up giving her - I'd suggest something generically powerhousey). Don't worry too much about making up for the mistakes of the past, just build a future for the character. 

[Moira Morley]

Thanks, Avenger. Me and Electra talked about it last night and figured out that it would be better to say she was never a full goddess in the first place, only had the chance or 'spark' to become one. I've come up for a reason for that and it fits nicely into her past brushes with it before in canon, only very little retconning (if any) need be done.

Ares and Aphrodite were still doing there open secret type thing. Hephaestus still full on mad. Hephaestus plots with Eileithyia (goddess of childbirth) to make this stop, even for a little while. Thus Edone is conceived. Something (haven't figured it out) happens to make Edone not a fully formed goddess (yet has the potential) and they have to send her away from Olympus into the mortal realm. Edone is adopted by a barkeep (and i'm flip flopping for him being an actual Hellenic priest, because why would they just hand their child to a random stranger?) named Sean Morley. Sean names her Moira and raises her as a her daughter.

The story is in no way done, but I'm working on it piece by piece.

[trollthumper]

One question. Would you like to make Divine the sort-of Powerhouse she was before? Or would you like her to have extra powers that reflect her former divine purview? 

 

(Stuff that would fit in a comic book, mind you - probably more like a Star Sapphire, maybe Emma Frost at worst.)

[Ari]

If you'll take my advice Moira(which might not be an ideal plan!), I would suggest making Edone a more or less simple massively strong and tough lady, but with a generous Charisma score and a LOT of Interaction Skill ranks. That or a Dynamic Array setup that lets her mix and match being remarkably good with people and slugging it out, maybe with Emotion Control or some other mind-effecting power to better represent the Goddess of Love's heritage. 

 

The problem of somebody, even a capricious and easily-angered deity, handing off their baby to a random barkeeper is actually a lot easier than you'd expect. Like many believers do today, the Greeks considered their gods to be capable of seeing just about anything anywhere they wished. Even though they're disallowed physical entry to Earth, the Olympian lovers could have just searched the place from afar for someone who would be a good caretaker, and sent Edone to them through their worshipers. The question why they wouldn't just ask the followers to bring her up could be answered with something along the lines of 'they wanted her to make her own life'.

 

Of course, if Sean's already a believer of theirs then it's even simpler! 

[Moira Morley]

Thank you for all your comments. Powerset wise I have a few ideas

 

Emotion Controller because that's the closest she's ever going to get to her 'real' self.

 

Cosmic Energy Controller, as she can't focus her powers anymore.

 

Peak human with no powers* and a healthy bit of social skills. (*other than stock immortal immunities)

 

I'm heavily in favor of all three, but I can have my cake and eat it too.

 

Arichamus, super strong and lots of social skills was basically what she was before, as you can see here. http://old.freedomplaybypost.com/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=1487 I'm trying to build better than that

Edited February 24, 2014 by Moira

[Ari]

...Well then. I ask your pardon for my forgetfulness there. And seeing as you already have some idea of where you want to go, that makes things a lot simpler.

 

Second is pretty good back the basics choice, nothing commends it or detracts from it in any especial way. It's practical and useful without being very exciting or unique.

 

One of the potential problems with your third choice is that while it's a neat twist on the 'all gods are Herakles' trend, and a good tie into how many demigods were portrayed in classical myth, it's pretty restrictive on what you can do with her. Unlike her old self you can't really be as effective as the dedicated fighters(even the unpowered Crimson Tiger has loads of Feats to mix things up), and while being superlative with Interaction Skills is excellent, the added immortal Powers on top of being at 24-ish in Abilities(even if a few) will cut down pretty far on what Skills she can take besides those. A Jack-of-all-trades can be handy, but rarely as much as a specialist is, to my understanding. Of course, if that's something you've already taken into account and all and this is redundant, I'm sorry for that.

 

The first seems like a pretty good one, seeing as both her Olympian parents were all about swaying the wills of others, and would be pretty different from most godly PCs we have around here. Of course, even with a lot of Extras and Power Feats, Emotion Control can only do so much and go so far. What else did you have in mind for that option?

[Moira Morley]

I've decided on the emotion controller after a little bit of talk in chat. Now, that's a start, but mechanically it's still not dedcided on. I have a couple of ways of doing it.

One being directly talked to

Emotion Control 10 (Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Love: Stun 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Limited [must be fanatical], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Calm: Fatigue 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Limited [must be ?], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Hope: Power 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Limited [must be ?], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Hate: Damage 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Limited [must be hostile], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Fear: Paralyze 10 (Extras: Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Limited [must be panicked], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Despair: Nauseate 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Range 2 [Perception]; Flaws: Limited [must be hopeless], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

One being everyone that can hear

Emotion Control 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Area [Perception (auditory)], Selective Attack; Flaws: Range 2 [Touch]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Love: Stun 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Area [Perception (auditory)], Selective Attack; Flaws: Limited [must be fanatical], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Calm: Fatigue 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Area [Perception (auditory)], Selective Attack; Flaws: Limited [must be ?], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Hope: Power 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Area [Perception (auditory)], Selective Attack; Flaws: Limited [must be ?], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Hate: Damage 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Area [Perception (auditory)], Selective Attack; Flaws: Limited [must be hostile], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Fear: Paralyze 10 (Extras: Area [Perception (auditory)], Selective Attack; Flaws: Limited [must be panicked], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Despair: Nauseate 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], Area [Perception (auditory)], Selective Attack; Flaws: Limited [must be hopeless], Sense Dependent [auditory]; Power Feats: Subtle)

And a non hearing version

Emotion Control 10 (Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Love: Stun 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will]; Flaws: Limited [must be fanatical]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Calm: Fatigue 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will]; Flaws: Limited [must be ?]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Hope: Power 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will]; Flaws: Limited [must be ?]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Hate: Damage 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will]; Flaws: Limited [must be hostile]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Fear: Paralyze 10 (Flaws: Limited [must be panicked]; Power Feats: Subtle)

Deeper Despair: Nauseate 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will]; Flaws: Limited [must be hopeless]; Power Feats: Subtle)

These are not done (deeper calm and hope need a finished flaw, deeper hope needs a corresponding power) or even set in stone. I'm not sure if 'listen to me' is a credible power in this setting. The non-hearing version needs some fluff how it works.

[Supercape]

To be honest this looks like just an array of every status effects and damage for gaming purposes.

Emotion control with sense dependent flaw works fine on its own. You could ap a nauseate or stun power maybe with a 1 point variable deacriptor feat as "any intense emotion" and maybe a psychic blast for a second ap, to represent beong totally overwhelmed with an emotion.

Im not sure the limitations of needung a certain emotion are warranted even if you did want to go down this complex route. For instance, damage effects only on hostiles is not a limitation. A drawback at best.

[Moira Morley]

Yeah, you're right on the hostile one. And yeah, I was building it partly as mesh of energy controller and psionic power sets, hence why 'every status effect in an array'. I'll eventually come up with something workable. Just thinking out loud.

[Supercape]

Thinking aloud is good!

I would build this as

Enotion control 10

Ap: Nauseate with variable descriptor 1

Adding in other limitations to taste.

If you want a back up damage power you could always do soemthing like an ap with strength representing enraging yourself..

Or something like the rage feat with affects others (allowing yourself snd others yo beserk) Or even boost if you want to make it messy!

[Thevshi]

Moria, I know you appear to be leaning away from the Perception Area versions you list there, but I would point out a couple things about them. 

 

First, a Perception Area effect includes by default the Sense Dependent limitation, so you would not be able to apply the Sense Dependent limitation (basically the Perception Area extra is a +2 extra, reduced by 1 for being Sense Dependent). 

 

Second, if the target of a Perception Area effect makes their Reflex save, they completely avoid the effect, instead of just reducing it by half.

[Supercape]

I would build something like this:

 

Emotion Control 10 (Extras: Burst, Selective) [40 PP] 

 

AP: Nauseate 10 (Extras: Alternate Save [Will], +0, Mental [+0], Range 2 [Perception], Feats: Variable Descriptor 1 [Any emotion], Reversible) [42 PP]) "Overcome with emotion"

 

AP: Mind Blast 10 (Feats: Variable Descriptor 1 [Any Emotion], Reversible) [42 PP] "Agony of despair"

 

AP: Enhanced Trait 10 (Rage 6 [+12 Strength, +6 Fort Save, +6 Will Save, -2 Defence, 25 Rounds/2 and half minutes], Extras: Affect Others [+1], Range 2 [Perception +2], Feats: Progression 2 [5 Targets]) [42 PP] "Furious Strength"

[Raveled]

I generally steer away from anything that messes with the combat caps of other characters, like Boost'ing Str or Con. You could give Divine a couple of, well, divine artifacts as Devices if you want her to have a more diverse powerset.

[Avenger Assembled]

I would personally use Enhanced STR + Super-Strength with the descriptor "going into a rage", but that's just because I'm lazy and can't be bothered to keep track of Rage's mechanics!

[Ecalsneerg]

Paragons included a use of Emotion Control (inducing Rage) that, in the past, I think Dok's said to me he'd be OK with including as a Power Feat. It's not actually been officially discussed, but it's something to look at.

[Moira Morley]

I'm in the middle of writing Divine's revamped back story at the moment. I'm wondering if it's OK to portray the whole of the Olympian pantheon as amoral assholes. I know it's not a far stretch, but there might be past/future characters (none currently that I've found) that are tied to the pantheon in a more positive light.

The reason I'm asking is because when Edone (Moira's birth name) got home her mother and father wanted her godspark to come to the fore. While it was smooth sailing early on, she eventually found out she had to do some very dark things seemingly as every day tasks. Some of the abhorrent things that had to be done did not sit well with her mortal upbringing. She was supposed to be the goddess of excess hedonism and desire. There were some dark places that Moira (her mortal side) did not want to touch even though she had to.

Why does this involve everyone getting a bad wrap? Well, when it's your job to give people what they want (and in abundance) and you don't provide, you're seen as a shirker. And you don't shirk some of the most powerful beings in the universe. Her last few days/weeks/months (haven't decided) she couldn't bring herself to do her job, so her god spark fizzled. And she was booted off the mountain. For good.

Any thoughts?

[Ari]

It'd be profoundly weird to have all of them be jackasses all the time. Hestia was a kindly, open-hearted soul who willingly stepped down from the Twelve Olympians to give her place to Dionysus, Hermes vigilantly guarded travelers(when he wasn't indulging a capricious sense of humour) and Zeus went up against the king of monsters twice despite suffering defeat and unimaginable pain the first try. Dionysus was very much about wild parties on mountainsides, inextricably tied to the image of drunken Maenads tearing things and even people apart in a frenzy, but he's also the god of staying up late with your friends as you share a bottle and reminisce about the past. Them not being on good terms with Divine doesn't require them to be vicious, just not in agreement with her. And as larger-than-life beings of primal force and vision, with relatively little of the human touch, it's easy to imagine that they'd view what we today would think of as shocking and atrocious excess as just a good time. It could demonstrate just how far human thinking has changed since their days, when even "one of their own" is THAT out of alignment.

 

In short, I think it would work better to portray them as wrong rather than evil.

[Moira Morley]

So, I've been busy for a long while and have been banging away at a story. I've got the pre-hero life thing sketched out. As of now it's not really done. I'd still like to hear what you think of it.

Gods hold grudges for a really long time. Especially when they know they're being done wrong. Hephaestus always had a chip on his shoulder that his wife, Aphrodite, was not faithful to him. She was with almost everyone but him, but especially Ares. Hephaestus never had the gumption to stand up to Ares personally, so he did it in subtle ways. Through the ages he would try to humiliate Aphrodite and Ares and no one would care. Not even them some times. Though one prank, some say, went a little TOO far. Hephaestus conspired with Ilithyia, the goddess of childbirth, to have Aphrodite pregnant at all times, but only when she was with Ares. This however, did not stop either of them.

When Aphrodite and Ares eventually found out what was happening - Ilithyia told them after a little over half a century had passed - Aphrodite was giving birth to her seventh child since the 'blessing' had been bestowed. Aphrodite wanted it removed so she could finally be with her lover freely. Ilithyia obliged, but she told her the child would be weakened in the process. Aphrodite knew she would love her baby anyway and gave Ilithyia the consent. In that instant the babe's fate was decided. She was the result of excess, thus she was named Edone by The Fates. Edone would eventually grow into her role as the goddess of excessive hedonism.

That is, if she wasn't robbed of her godhood. When Edone was born, she wasn't right in some way. Yes, there was potential to become a god in her soul and she was every bit of her mother and father's child, but her first few moments of life were unbearable. Olympus was rejecting her. Somehow she was more mortal than god. They had to find a way to get her out of there. Both unfortunately and fortunately, The Pact was a thing. Gods could not walk the mortal realm, but Edone was not a god yet. It was decided that Edone would be sent to Earth. Aphrodite and Ares decided quickly, much to the chagrin of Ares, that Edone would be raised by one of Aphrodite's worshipers. Aphrodite had the perfect choice for a parent.

Aphrodite appeared to Edone's would-be parent in a dream. Sean Morley was a priest of Aphrodite and owner of Morley's pub in Freedom City. Sean did not question why his goddess would burden him with such a responsibility. He rounded up followers in the middle of the night to summon the child as soon as he woke up. Sean was blessed by Aphrodite and Ares to raise and protect Edone. It took a while, but with help, Sean adopted Edone, giving her a mortal name of Moira. Having three jobs and being a single father was tough, but he wouldn't have traded it for anything. Moira was his daughter much more than a mortal-born goddess to him.

Moira grew up with the best of both worlds. Aphrodite's beauty showed even at an early age. She was a cute child that grew into a beautiful adult. Ares's strength and durability showed in that she never got hurt or sick. She had the personalities to match and could either talk her way into and out of anything she wanted or if push came to shove, she could end it very quickly.

When Moira was old enough to understand her surroundings, she wanted to help her father. At the pub she would entertain the customers with her song and poetry. At temple she would help with the preparations that needed to be done. When she got old enough, she would learn to mix drinks and cook food for the pub and perform rites for the temple. Capricious as ever, she was never a mainstay at either place. She'd make friends with some people around her age and then go bounding off somewhere. Sean would keep her at figurative arm's length and made sure everything was OK. Not that she didn't get into her fair share of trouble. She did have the spark of her godhood in her. Excessive pleasure ran through her veins, getting in over her head was her thing. This, however, was tempered by her mortal father who taught her to learn everyone's limits.

Sean watched his daughter grow into womanhood. Everything was all well and good, but Aphrodite and Ares figured his usefulness was up now that their child was grown. Sean was taken in his sleep to the Elysian Fields. It was then that Moira learned of her true heritage. Aphrodite and Ares came to her in a dream. They explained who and what she was. They explained that soon, she would be called back to Olympus when her soul was strong enough. Moira thought that would be great, but it weighed heavy on her what she had lost and would lose. They said when she was ready that she would know the way and take the path. Cryptic messages were not Moira's strong point, but she had to make the best of it.

[Moira Morley]

Abilities: 8 + 4 + 8 + 4 + 4 + 8 = 36PP

Str 18 (+4)

Dex 14 (+2)

Con 18 (+4)

Int 14 (+2)

Wis 14 (+2)

Cha 18 (+4)

Combat: 8 + 20 = 28PP

Initiative +6

Attack +10 Melee, +4 Ranged

Grapple +16

Defense +10 (+10 Base), +5 Flat-Footed

Knockback -5, -2 without Armor of Ares

Saving Throws: 8 + 4 + 10 = 22PP

Toughness +10 (+4 Con, +6 Protection)

Fortitude +12 (+4 Con, +8)

Reflex +6 (+2 Dex, +4)

Will +12 (+2 Wis, +10)

Skills: 74/76R = 19PP

Acrobatics 8 (+10)

Bluff 8 (+12, +20 attractive)

Diplomacy 8 (+12, +20 attractive)

Gather Information 8 (+12)

Knowledge (theology and philosophy) 8 (+10)

Language 2 (English, Greek, Spanish)

Notice 8 (+10)

Perform (dance) 8 (+12)

Perform (sing) 8 (+12)

Sense Motive 8 (+10)

Feats: 30PP

Attack Focus (melee) 6

Attack Specialization (grapple) 1

Attractive 2

Distract (Bluff)

Connected

Contacts

Fascinate (Perform)

Improved Grab

Improved Grapple

Improved Initiative

Improved Pin

Inspire 5

Leadership

Luck 2

Power Attack

Redirect

Setup

Taunt

Well Informed

Powers: 15 + 22 + 10 + 20 = 65PP

Ambrosia (15pp container) [15pp]

Comprehend 2 (understand all languages, speak any language) [4pp]

Immunity 4 (aging, disease, poison, starvation/thirst) [4pp]

Regeneration 7 (Recovery 5 [+9], Resurrection 2 [1/day]) [7pp]

Blessing of Aphrodite: Emotion Control 10 [20pp]

Blessing of Dionysus: Confuse 10 (drunkenness; Extras: Range [Perception]) [1pp]

Blessing of Zeus: Damage 10 (lightning storm; Extras: Area [burst], Range [Ranged]; Flaws: Action [Full]) [1pp]

Blessing of Apollo (10pp container) [10pp]

Environment 1 (daylight and extreme heat, 5ft radius) [4pp] (Shard of the Sun)

Flight 4 (100MPH, 1000ft a round; Flaws: Platform) [4pp] (Sun Disc)

Immunity 2 (cold, heat) [2pp]

Blessing of Ares (20pp container) [20pp]

Damage 6 (Power Feats: Improved Critical 2, Improved Disarm, Improved Trip, Mighty, Precise, Reach, Variable Descriptor [bludgeon/pierce/slash]) [14pp] (Weapons of Ares)

Protection 6 [6pp] (Armor of Ares)

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

DC Block[table]

ATTACKRANGESAVEEFFECT

UnarmedMeleeToughness 19Damage (Physical)

Blessing of AphroditePerceptionWill 20Emotion Control

Blessing of DionysusPerceptionWill 20Confuse

Blessing of ZeusRange Area (Burst)Reflex 20[/td]

Toughness 25 (failed Reflex)Damage (Energy)

Toughness 20 (passed Reflex)Damage (Energy)

Weapons of AresMelee (+0 or +5 Reach)Toughness 25Damage (Physical)

[/table]

Totals: Abilities (36) + Combat (28) + Saving Throws (22) + Skills (19) + Feats (32) + Powers (65) - Drawbacks (0) = 202/202 Power Points

Edited March 24, 2015 by Moira

[Raveled]

Peak human is more 20-24, FYI. Are you sure you don't want any of those stats to be Enhanced?

[Moira Morley]

The story as of now. Thanks to Electra for helping and being awesome in general

Moira's life didn't begin in a particularly optimistic fashion. Sure, she was a child of the gods, conceived during one of the many flings of Ares and Aphrodite. Sure, she had a destiny: named Edone by the Fates, she was foretold to one day become the goddess of excessive hedonism. But fate is a fickle thing, and cuckolded gods can be more petty and ruthless than the worst of mortals. When Aphrodite's husband, Hephaestus, learned that she was bringing yet another by-blow into the world of the gods, he was consumed with jealous rage and vowed to finally begin putting right the wrongs that were done to him. As god of the forge, he had little direct power over other gods, but huge amounts of influence. When he approached Ilithyia, goddess of childbirth, to enlist her aid in his revenge, she had little choice but to oblige him. Even so, she defied his demand to kill the child in the womb and instead gave the developing Edone the most backhanded of blessings: a mortal soul.

The consequences of this gift were immediately evident at Edone's birth. She was an Olympian in form, beautiful as no human baby could be, eyes alert and body vibrant with life. But the very atmosphere of Mount Olympus was toxic to her mortal soul, and she began screaming inconsolably as no godchild would ever do, agonized by a soul in danger of dissolving completely. A horrified Ilithyia revealed what she had done, and along with Aphrodite, hatched a plan to save Edone's life. Aphrodite would send her daughter to the mortal realm to strengthen her, using the strict wording of The Pact as a way to get the half-mortal child through the dimensional boundaries and to protect her from the rage of her stepfather. Edone would speed to adulthood (as gods reckoned these things), and at maturity she could be imbued with the goddesshood that was her birthright. If Ilithyia had doubts that it would be so easy, she wisely kept them to herself.

Aphrodite's first concern was finding someone to care for her exiled child. She searched all of her followers on Earth in mind, body and most importantly, soul. She found a man in Freedom City by the name of Sean Morley. Sean was an unmarried man in his late thirties, physically and mentally fit . He ran a pub in the West End named Morley's, not exactly a godly occupation, but it had been in his family for generations. He was a priest of Aphrodite leading a small but vibrant temple that conducted mostly blessings and private services for worshipers. There was no mother figure, but devout followers of Aphrodite were thin on the ground in the mortal world these days, and he would do. She graced Sean Morley with a prophetic dream, telling him of his great favor and instructing him in the summoning ritual that would draw Edone to the mortal realm. She instructed Sean to not reveal Edone's heritage to her during her childhood, but leave that to her true parents later.

Doing as his goddess bid him, Sean gathered his most loyal parishioners and carried out the summoning ritual. It was an instant and obvious success, the child's pitiful wails ceasing immediately upon her arrival in the mortal realm. She was a lovely child, charming even in her newborn neediness, and with an entire congregation of worshipful “aunts and uncles†to see to her every want, she rarely had occasion to fuss. A small amount of paper fakery made her legally Sean's daughter and gave her a new, mortal name. Sean called her Moira, in honor of the fate she would have no idea lay in store for her.

Despite her mortal soul, Moira grew up to show all the benefits of an Olympian birthright. Beautiful and uncommonly strong, she had a gift for drawing people to her and convincing them to do whatever she pleased. It was a habit that caused quite a bit of trouble, though never for her. Sean did his best to teach her right from wrong, a task that was aided by her generally sweet nature, but Moira was still the daughter of his goddess, and he was never comfortable exerting discipline or authority over her. Besides, as a future goddess of hedonism, it would've seemed inappropriate, if not downright hypocritical. Moira grew up thinking of Sean as a close friend and source of help, but he was always more babysitter than parent to her. One thing she did enjoy was helping out at Morley's, first by singing to entertain the patrons, then later by tending bar and even waiting tables when the mood struck. She helped at the temple as well, though Sean's fidelity to his goddess ensured that Moira never knew quite who she was worshiping.

As Moira grew older, she spent less and less time with her caretakers, devoting her time and attention to the pursuit of her own happiness. This was allowed and even encouraged, since Sean and the others saw her increasingly wild hedonism as the assumption of a birthright. In 2006, the year Moira turned eighteen, Sean died suddenly in the night, of unknown causes. Just days later, Aphrodite appeared to Moira in a dream, telling her of her true nature, and that Sean had been taken to the Elysian Fields as a reward for his years of faithful service. Aphrodite also told Moira that her time on Earth was nearly completed. Sometime very soon, her real parents would bring her home to Olympus, where she would be imbued with the godly power she should've had her whole life. It was not phrased as an option.

Moira didn't know how to take this. She had been living on Earth for all her life, and so far it had been very enjoyable! But the idea of goddesshood also appealed, plus there was the possibility that one day she'd reach goddess strength on her own and be ejected for Pact violations anyway. It seemed easier to just go along with Aphrodite's plan and savor her time on Earth while she had it. She lived each day both as if it were her last and as though she'd already become the goddess of hedonism. She didn't have any money, but that really didn't matter much when she had youth, beauty, and an inexhaustible ability to draw the attention of people who would beg her to stay/travel/party with them, all on their dime. Her actions might have been deplorable in someone more self-aware, but for newly-minted high school graduate Moira Morley, having people fawn over her had always been the natural order of things and was nothing to be concerned about.

She dabbled in whatever she thought she might enjoy, dancing, modeling, acting, enjoying the camaraderie as much as the fame and fortune her inevitable success brought. Moira was a media darling, gracing tabloids as often as fashion magazines, having fun and building her hedonism portfolio. She kept her identity as an open secret. She would jokingly say she was a goddess when someone asked her "how" and "why". Her metahuman talents were never in doubt, and eventually she picked up the nickname “Divine†as a half-joking nod to the world of superheroes and villains. She popped back to Freedom City every so often, checking on the bar she'd inherited and her friends at the Temple, but none of that was enough to hold her interest. What did catch her attention, though, was Freedom City's abundant population of heroes and villains. When the glittering throng of humanity finally began to bore her, Divine figured it was time to look beyond them, to those folks who were more than human.

Settling back in Freedom City meant resuming her duties at the Temple and at Morleys, but that didn't bother Moira much. She spent most of her time getting to know the metahumans of Freedom City, interacting freely with both sides equally, even if her own romps tended to be more on the side of good (or at least not actively evil). She was looking for fun and camaraderie, and eventually she joined up with a hero group, The Knights of Freedom, that would give her a first real taste of costumed heroics. It was kind of a weird taste, since the Knights weren't a well-matched team and soon crumbled, but she still made some friends and saved a few days, so it was good. She met people like Ace Danger and Fleur de Joie who would become good friends to her, and somehow she learned more from these costumed adventurers about being a good person than she had in all her years of being a goddess-in-training. She met and loved Angel, another ambivalent soul and would-be superheroine, more intensely than she'd thought she could love anyone. The loss of her was a hole in Moira's heart, one that never really healed. She stuck with the hero gig, mostly, though her behavior became more unpredictable, her moods a tightrope walk between sorrow and the elation that was supposed to be her godly gift.

In the summer of 2010, things reached critical mass in Moira's metaphysical existence. The rituals that would imbue her with power on Olympus were still being perfected, but Moira's own power was beginning to peak in the mortal realm, endangering both her mortal soul and the integrity of the Pact. Her powers were nearly godlike already, but her complete lack of discipline meant that a single impetuous use of extraordinary power could burn her soul to ashes or eject her to a punishment realm forever. Staying on Earth was not an option. With barely a chance for goodbyes, Moira Morley, now Edone forever and ever, was off to Olympus.

Edited June 4, 2014 by Moira

[Moira Morley]

Electra

I think what we were saying before was something like "she went to Olympus because her goddess powers were overwhelming the ability of her mortal soul to control them. The rituals they tried to empower her as a true goddess failed, so they had no choice but to strip away most of her inborn powers, making her unable to live on Olympus. To make up for the loss, her parents gave her gifts, as did some of the other gods who felt sorry for her/guilty

Moira

that sounds really familiar, electra

Electra

in their complicity for her situation. So she gets sent back to earth no longer a goddess, not quite a mortal, but with the ability to do some good."

It should, we talked about this for like hours.

Moira

man, stuff i forget is awesome

I'm gonna write this down somewhere so i dont forget it

[Electra]

When Edone got back to Olympus, everything seemed perfect, at first. She retained her memories of her time as Moira, though Aphrodite assured her that those would go away with time and goddesshood. The part of her that was Moira missed her friends and her mortal life, but Edone enjoyed all the benefits Olympus had to offer. Life was easy up on the mountain. She began making friends and enemies among the gods, as Olympians are wont to do. There were her parents of course, busy with their responsibilities, but happy to have their wayward daughter back home and ready to take up her mantle. There was Dionysus, with whom she clicked immediately due to their relative closeness in responsibilities. They even joked that maybe she was his child. Ares was not fond of that joke. She had a fling with Apollo, but the stories of the fickleness of gods have persisted for a reason, and that didn't last long. Edone was just happy to escape without being turned into a flowering plant. Zeus was fond of her as well, as he was of any pretty little goddess who liked to party.

 

Not everyone was happy to see her back, though. Edone had her fair share of enemies amongst the gods and their children. Turned out that in her absence, there were plenty of claimants to the position of god or goddess of hedonism, and none of them wanted a new competitor. They were mostly spoiled children though, for all their godly natures, and Moira had been shrugging off their sort all her life. Illythia was more of a problem, punished by both sides for her role in Edone's birth, she was more than a little resentful to see the young demigoddess alive and well and back on Olympus. Hephaestus, though, was by far her biggest problem. It had been bad enough when the child he'd wanted killed hadn't died as ordered, and now he was certainly not content to have his 'mistake' hanging around as a goddess forever. He never met her personally, but there were a few minor gods that did his dirty work for him. They made life on Olympus a little less pleasant, but there were rules of engagement, and Edone wasn't about to let a few jealous haters ruin her immortal life. 

 

The rituals to turn Edone's soul into that of a full goddess were complex, carried out by nymphs bathing her in godstuff and soulmatter to cleanse her of the taint of mortality. It happened infrequently, but enough for Edone to expect it once she got in the groove. It was quite relaxing, really, having all her cares melt away as though she were immersed in a really good bubble bath. Unfortunately, it gradually became clear that the rituals were not working. Each ritual was  powerful enough to keep Edone alive on Olympus and in possesion of her minute (in Olympian terms) godhood, they were barely able to keep her above the threshold to stay there. Her body was beautiful and immortal as ever, but her soul remained stubbornly mortal. Moira continued to surge to the surface inside Edone, reminding her uncomfortably of her friends on Earth, the hero work they'd begun to enjoy, all the good they could be doing there instead of lounging in bubble baths and pursuing social intrigue with gods. She could be ignored, suppressed, laughed off, but she would not allow herself to die away. 

 

It was a situation that could've continued indefinitely. Humans didn't need much help to be hedonists, it wouldn't matter if the goddess of hedonism was very low in power as long as she was beautiful and indulgent of her followers. The nymphs certainly had nothing better to do than continue to bathe her as necessary! Edone had a place on Olympus, and she could've stayed and fought for it, using her wiles rather than her strength, relying on her powerful allies as necessary. She could've made it work, were it not for the part of her soul that was still Moira, the part that longed for home and for something more. The soul burned inside her like an itch she couldn't reach, and nothing on Olympus could assuage it. Finally one day she'd had enough. Edone turned away the ritual, put on her finest clothes, and visited her parents to tell them that she had decided to leave Olympus forever.

 

Once Edone had made her decision, the gods had no choice but to strip her of the power she'd had. Edone in her glory, minuscule as it was, could not pass back to Earth though the barrier of the Pact, but human Moira Morley could. Edone's godhood was ceremoniously taken away from her by her weeping mother, who embraced Moira and gave her an enchanted flower for her hair before Moira could die of the overwhelming atmosphere on Olympus. Old Hephaestus could be heard celebrating in his workshop, finally rid of a thorn in his side forever. Gods did not concern themselves with human by-blows, and this mortal woman was no concern of his anymore. 

 

Before Moira left she was approached by friends and family alike. Each came with a gift for her new life, some with blessings for her protection, some with magic or items to make her human life easier. It was the least they could do. She was no longer Edone, would never be a goddess, but she was still an Olympian being. With a last round of goodbyes, Moira packed her things and allowed herself to be returned to the mortal plain. She had work to do and people to see, and even for an immortal, time waits for nobody.