Major Jacqueline Jones is not your average soldier. Hardline, uncompromising and terminally allergic to anything resembling desk duty, it’s amazing she’s stayed in the service for even a single tour. Yet her results speak for themselves. She signed up following 9/11, leaving a promising medical career to quickly rise the ranks and earn the respect of anyone who crossed her path.

Then came Landfall at Azrab.

The actual details are sketchy and highly classified. Something fell from the sky, impacting the ground outside a small town in Iraq. Major Jones’ unit arrived on scene to investigate, and whatever it was in that fiery crater bonded to her skin, coating her entirely in an unknown metal. She also obtained a ring-like device which allows her to teleport great distances. Major Jones now possesses great strength and toughness, and can fire powerful blasts of pure energy (though the effort tires her). Heat accelerates her ability to heal, and extreme cold nulifies her powers entirely. How these abilities work, and what their origins are, remains a mystery.

No, Major Jacqueline Jones is not your average soldier. Not any more.

Dirty little secret: The “something” which fell from the sky is not extra-terrestrial in origin. That’s all I’m sayin’.

Notes: Here’s my little homage to both Bombshell from the Teen Titans and Terry Moore’s Echo, with just a touch of Magog thrown in for good measure. I like!

Full Metal Jackie, PL10 150pp
Str 14/30, Dex 16, Con 14/30, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 13
Tough +10, Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +8
Attack +8, Defense +8, Init +3

Metal Skin (Power Loss:Extreme Cold)
- Enhanced Con 16, Enhanced Str 16
- Impervious Toughness 8
- Blast 12 (120′, +8 DC 27, Tiring)
– AP: Blast 6 (60′, +8 DC 21, 120′ Cone, Tiring, Increased Area 1)

Absorption 3 (Healing, Personal, Energy Type:Heat)
Teleport Ring (Device 2: Teleport 8, 2000 miles, Long Range only)

Bluff +6, KS:Tactics +6, Language 2 (Arabic, Russian), Medicine +4, Notice +6, Profession:Military +8, Search +5, Sense Motive +6, Stealth +9, Survival +8
Attack Specialization: Unarmed Attack, Benefit 3: Military Rank, Chokehold, Connected, Diehard, Fighting Style:Boxing, Equipment 1

Unarmed Attack +10 DC25

Camo Clothing, Commlink, Flashlight, Night Vision Goggles, PDA

Posted in Character du jour, RPG2 Comments » - Tags: m&m, RPG, superheroes

The ancient monk trudged wearily through the snow, his journey almost at an end. He had walked a thousand leagues following an old fool’s dream, nothing more. The vision had said a walk of a thousand leagues would reveal something surprising – and here he was, footsore, disappointed and within sight of the mountaintop temple from which his journey had begun. At 2,000 years of age, nothing he had seen on his travels had been in the least bit surprising. Had his vision failed him?

Blackbird is an orc monk raised in a temple high atop a remote mountain range. He is named for his constant companion, the selfsame blackbird which stood guard over him almost three decades ago. The temple monks have taught him the disciplines and knowledge of their order to the best of their ability, and he has shown himself to be a capable (though not particularly academic) student.

Dirty little secret: In a land entirely devoid of orcs, did Blackbird just fall from the sky? Or are the gods playing dice again with Blackbird little more than a deific experiment into the nature of the savage soul? Who knows? (I do!)

Notes: 4e orcs rock. 4e monks rock. Put them together and you get green wushu with bad dentistry – and I like it!

Blackbird, Lawful Good Orc Monk-1
Str 16, Con 14, Dex 16, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 10

HP 26 bloodied 13 surges 6×9/day
AC 15, Fort 15, Ref 14, Will 12, Init +3

Unarmed Strike +6 vs AC, 1d8+3
Centered Flurry of Blows/w, Dragon’s Tail/w +3 vs Fort, Five Storms/w +3 vs Ref
Warrior’s Surge/e +6 vs AC, Open the Gate of Battle/e +6 vs AC
Masterful Spiral/d +3 vs Ref

Acrobatics +8, Athletics +8, Religion +5, Stealth +8
Running Charge, Warrior’s Surge, Centered Breath: Centered Flurry of Blows & Mental Equilibrium, Unarmed Combat, Unarmoured Defense
Against All Odds, Background: Occupation – Scholar

Posted in Character du jour, RPG1 Comment » - Tags: 4e, d&d, monk, orc, RPG

Back in March I set down a challenge to Name This Hero.

Almost three months later, and despite excellent replies and entries (thanks, all!), I…. um….. errrrr…… forgot to post the one I’d selected as the best. Sorry, folks. Real Life and a terrible memory conspired against me. What can I say? Further thanks go to Vulcan Stev for reminding me.

Wthout further ado, I’ll hand over to Sean who submitted this utterly brilliant backstory.

Alexander Deerborn was 14, serving as an ensign in the Royal Marines aboard the HMS Swiftsure in 1798, during the Battle of the Nile. A freak accident involving Egyptian artifacts commandered from the French gave him the strength of 10 men. He served with distinction and was grievously wounded during the Battle of Trafalgar. Nonetheless, he recovered and retired a full colonel after the Battle of Waterloo.

Col. Deerborn was recalled to duty to serve in Kamchatka in 1854, despite his advanced years. He is recorded as having endured hardships side-by-side with men a third his age. He was also shot on at least three occasions, but without suffering permanent harm.

Still alive in 1914 and appearing to be “about in his mid-forties”, Col. Deerborn served with the Canadian Armed forces throughout the Great War. It was during this time that incidents of bullets “bouncing off his chest”, and leaps of 40 – 60? were first reported.

Between the First and Second World Wars, Alexander Deerborn served as an Inspector and later a Superintendent in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Although he was retired with distinction in 1937, there was some evidence that he was criticized within the force for the number of fatalities among suspects in his investigations.

Deerborn returned to Britain, and the rank of Colonel, during World War 2. The early months of his service appear to be in some clandestine operation, but in 1941 he joined the Parachute Regiment of the British Army. At this time, he appeared to be a young man in the prime of life, and would regularly jump from airplanes without a parachute. Later, he served in Force Britannia under (acting Brigadier General) Dr. Atum. Some reports indicate he was drinking heavily at this time, and the American Superhero Captain Connecticut claimed in his autobiography that Deerborn once threw a tank at him in a drunken rage.

By the end of World War Two, Col Deerborn was capable of flying under his own power, and was clearly stronger then he had ever been before. Just as clearly, he was out of control. Although he was used by the British Military until 1954, he was no longer employed in publicity exercises, nor was he involved in military operations that required subtlety. He was mostly used as a demoralizing weapon against vastly inferior opponents. He retired again after the Korean War.

In 1958 he was arrested after a fight with his girlfriend of 4 months. Although she was not injured, her car and two nearby buildings were destroyed. Alexander Deerborn surrendered to police without incident, but two days later, suffering from heroin withdrawal, he broke out of jail. He went on a sporadic crime spree for the next 8 months until captured by The Hypernucleic Man. In Gairsay Prison he was visited regularly by Dr. Atum, his old commander, who apparently taught him some ancient meditation techniques to control his temper and heroin and alcohol addiction. (Dr. Leon Visserman has hypothesized in his “Overman, Overmind: Psychology and the Superman.” that Alexander Deerborn had been suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress since the mid-1800’s.)

Released from Gairsay in 1972, Deerborn traveled to Egypt, Turkey, India, Tibet, and Nepal, among other places. He assisted the third Force Britannia on two occasions: Against the Supervillain Fury, in 1976, and during the Erdanian Invasion of 1980-81. By this time Deerborn was capable of unassisted spaceflight.

In 2001, when Dr Atum disappeared, Alexander Deerborn took the codename Heru as a mark of respect for his mentor. However, he rarely uses it, preferring to operate simply as Deerborn. Deerborn is considered to be one of the 20 most powerful Supers operating on Earth today, but rarely takes the field against super foes. His most audacious recent actions have been mitigating the Tsunami of 2004, fighting the plague of Asteroid Dakuro, and (most controversially) irrigating the Plains of Sahara.

Alexander Deerborn shows no sign of the unstability that plagued him during the later 20th Century, but only time can tell if he has truly conquered his demons.

This is a straight Paragon build, bumped up to Power Level 14 to reflect his experience and rating as one of the most powerful superheroes around. He can fly at about Mach 4, lift over 200 tons and all but the mightiest warheads bounce off his chest. His skills aren’t as high as they should be to reflect his out-dated knowledge and fractured past, and his military rank is little more than a token gesture. A five-star general, he ain’t.

I love characters like this: simple to build, fun to play and packed with a load of options under the hood. Add in one awesome backstory, and I’d say it’s a winner.

Alexander Deerborn, PL 14 210pp
Str 40, Dex 12, Con 40, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 16

Tough +15, Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +10
Attack +12, Defense +12, Init +1

Flight 8 (2500mph), Immunity 10 (Life Support & Aging), Impervious Toughness 15, Quickness 3, Super-Strength 6 (Heavy Load 205 tons)

KS:History +5, KS:Tactics +7, Medicine +3, Notice +7, Profession:Military +6, Search +8, Survival +3
Benefit 2:Military Rank

Posted in Character du jour, RPG5 Comments » - Tags: m&m, RPG

“Won’t never amount to nuthin’ he said, an’ I heard you talking ’bout needing an archer. I been practisin’ and the fairies say I’m real good too. I don’t want to work in a tavern all my life an’ I heard enough tales of gold ‘n’ monsters to know that’s what I want. Let me come with you…….”

The world over, barmaid’s heads are turned by the tales of daring-do shared by adventurers sat around tavern tables. It’s surprising that few of them elect to leave their lives of drudgery in favour of seeking their own adventure. Emma Furlough is one of those few.

Orphaned at an early age by one of the countless petty wars which beset the region, Emma has taken in as an indentured servant by the owner of the Bullywug’s Tongue Tavern. Now in her 21st year she is free to do as she pleases, and has worked hard practising daily with a longbow (a gift from a passing Elven Ranger) and her father’s old Longsword. One day, Emma swears, it will be her telling the tales of daring-do.

Dirty little secret: She talks to fairies. It’s not much of a secret as they litter her conversation regularly. For some reason, no one believes her and thinks she’s deluded.

Maybe she is.

Notes: Emma only uses her Ranger abilities with her Longbow. It hasn’t occured to her yet that she can apply the same techniques to her Longsword. Her Eyebite is a small flock of fairies that suddenly appear around her opponent’s head, kicking and punching his face, obscuring her from his sight.

“Gold ‘n’ Monsters” is a darned good name for a role-playing game, don’t you think?

Emma Furlough, Good Female Human Ranger/Fey Pact Warlock-1
Str 10, Con 13, Dex 18, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 14

HP 25 bloodied 12, surges 6×7/day
AC 16 (Leather), Fort 13, Ref 16, Will 13, Init +4

Longsword +3 vs AC, 1d8, versatile
Longbow +6 vs AC, 1d10+4, range 20/40, Load free

Careful Attack/w +8 vs AC, Nimble Strike/w +6 vs AC, Twin Strike/w +6 vs AC
Eyebite/e +2 vs Will, Two Fanged Strike/e 6 vs AC
Hunter’s Beartrap/d 6 vs AC

Arcana +6, Athletics +5, Endurance +6, Heal +5, Nature +5, Perception +5, Stealth +9
Pact Initiate (Fey Pact Warlock), Human Perseverance
Hunter’s Quarry, Prime Shot, Archery Style

Posted in Character du jour, RPG5 Comments » - Tags: 4e, d&d, RPG

“Where are ya you little runt?! Ah, I hear you. What? How did you…..” “Behind you!” “Aaaargh…. THUMP!”

Roswyn remembers the first time she saw humans fighting with longswords, their blades clashing and flashing in the sunlight. That’s when she knew who she wanted to be. Not some grubby pickpocket or sneak thief like her brothers, or a Mage like her half-deaf mad uncle Borys. She was going to be a fighter, using her innate Gnomish talents for misdirection as well as a longsword to right wrongs and gain fame and fortune!

Since that time she’s left her ancestral homeland and learned from various human Fighters’ Guilds. Even though she’s small of stature she’s tough, and learned how to use her Strength to best effect. In combat she wields her Longsword two-handed, the blade flashing in the sunlight………

Dirty little secret: Roswyn’s clan is more than a little disappointed that she has taken up Tall Folk ways and have put word out in the Gnomish underground there’s a price for her safe return to the fold. Or unsafe return, for that matter.

Notes: Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter Gnome Fighter. Oh yeh.

Roswyn, Good Female Gnome Fighter-1
Str 16, Con 13, Dex 12, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 16
HP 28 bloodied 14 surges 7×10/day
AC 17 (Scale), Fort 15, Ref 11, Will 13
Low-light Vision, Init +1

Athletics +8, Endurance +6, Streetwise +8, Common, Elven
Weapon Expertise (Heavy Blade), Combat Challenge, One-handed style, Reactive Stealth, Trickster’s Cunning

Longsword +8 vs AC, 1d8+3
Cleave/w +8 vs AC, Footwork Lure/w +8 vs AC
Fade Away/e, Ghost Sound/e, Passing Attack/e +8 vs AC
Villain’s Menace/d +8 vs AC

Posted in Character du jour, RPG7 Comments » - Tags: 4e, d&d, RPG

“There are 134 violent crimes happening right now in this city of ours including 12 murders, 17 assaults and 23 hit and runs. And I see every single one.”

Mike Lacey is a detective with a gift – or perhaps a curse. He sees violent crimes as they happen in a roughly 30 mile radius. This isn’t precognition, but actual real-time visions that constantly bombard his mind.

Unaware of his secret, his colleagues nicknamed him “The Dispassionate Man” because of the unemotional and uncaring way he conducts investigations. Little do they know that he’s holding back the floodgates on a lifetime of grief and pain……….

Some of his visions contain the same people, and he has become convinced that there are numerous serial killers operating under the radar in the city. They change their MO regularly and commit murders that appear to be accidental. He has labelled them The Seventeen, and will do all he can to bring each and every one of them to justice.

Dirty little secret: Mike had a sister, Julie, who was abducted then violently abused and murdered when they were both teenagers. He saw the attacks in his mind but said nothing, fearing they were the product of an over-active imagination. The guilt of his inaction still haunts him to this day, and he swore never to ignore his visions again. This drove him to a career in the police force, and his current obsession with The Seventeen.

Notes: Gritty, nasty, dirty – this is Cop Show superheroes at it’s best. Think The Shield meets Heroes and you’re there.

Love this guy.

Mike Lacey, PL6 90pp
Str 12, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 13
Tough +2/+7, Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +6
Attack +5 (Ranged +7), Defense +4, Init +1

Bluff +5, Climb +3, Drive +5, Gather Info +7, Intimidate +3, Investigate +6, KS:Behavioural Science +8, KS:Civics +4, KS:Current Events +6, KS:Streetwise +8, Medicine +3, Notice +5, Search +8, Sense Motive +9, Stealth +3, Swim +3

Attack Focus:Ranged 2, Benefit 2:Police Rank (Inspector), Connected, Defensive Roll 2, Eidetic Memory, Evasion 2, Improved Aim 2, Skill Mastery:Search, Teamwork 2, Well-Informed, Equipment 4

Violent Crime Sense (Super-Senses 7: Awareness, Extended x 1,000,000)

Brass Knuckles +5 DC17
Heavy Pistol +7 DC19, 40′

Undercover Vest, Camera, Cell Phone, Commlink, Flashlight, Handcuffs, PDA

Posted in Character du jour, RPGNo Comments » - Tags: m&m, RPG