Allen Thomas A Subgenre Book for Dark Champions

Author: Allen Th omas SPECIAL THANKS Additional Contributions: Steven S. Long Editing & Development: Steven S. Long Special Th anks: We’d like to thank the Digital Hero playtesters and testreaders who reviewed the DC:TAS manuscript and helped us Layout & Graphic Design: Andy Mathews correct typos and check the math. You’re all heroes! Cover Illustration: Hugh Vogt Interior Illustration: Kerry Connell, David Daniel, David Esbri, Dominika Ktosowicz, Pierce Scantlin, Greg Smith,

Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by Champions © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Publisher: DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102. Dark Champions © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Printed in Canada. First printing January 2005 Dark Champions: The Animated Series © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. Stock Number: DOJHERO603 • ISBN Number: 1-58366-049-6 Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Dark Champions, Pulp Hero, http://www.herogames.com Western Hero © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...... 4 CHAPTER TWO: CHAPTER THREE: HUDSON CITY KNIGHTS HUDSON CITY POWERS CHAPTER ONE: DARK CHAMPIONS: HUDSON CITY KNIGHTS ...... 22 HUDSON CITY POWERS ...... 74 THE ANIMATED SERIES USING HUDSON CITY ...... 22 USING HUDSON CITY ...... 74 CAMPAIGN IDEAS ...... 23 CAMPAIGN TYPES ...... 75 THE DC:TAS SUBGENRE ...... 6 HEROES ...... 24 HEROES ...... 76 SUBGENRE ELEMENTS ...... 6 THE ANSWER ...... 24 CAPE AND COWL INVESTIGATIONS .76 ROLEPLAYING ELEMENTS ...... 7 DARKANGEL ...... 28 HAWKSHAW ...... 77 CHARACTER CREATION ...... 9 TRICKSHOT ...... 31 HEAVY-HITTER ...... 79 CHARACTER CONCEPTION ...... 9 VILLAINS ...... 34 SCARLET ...... 81 Hero’s Theme ...... 9 ADONIS ...... 34 VILLAINS ...... 84 DC:TAS Personalities ...... 10 ANAGRAM ...... 36 BURNING BETTY ...... 84 DC:TAS Archetypes ...... 10 THE ASTROLOGER ...... 39 CARNIVORE ...... 86 CHARACTER CREATION ...... 10 BEATLEMANIA ...... 41 CHARADE ...... 88 Skills, Talents, And Perks ...... 11 CHITCHAT ...... 43 FLEUR DE LISA ...... 91 Powers ...... 12 COPYCAT ...... 46 GUILLOTINE ...... 94 Resource Points ...... 12 DOCTOR ENIGMA ...... 48 HOT ROD ...... 96 Disadvantages ...... 13 FACET ...... 51 RHAPSODY ...... 98 GAMEMASTERING DC:TAS ...... 14 THE HUMAN CAPITALIST ...... 53 SCARAB ...... 101 EPISODIC VERSUS SERIAL ...... 14 LAST CALL ...... 55 SERPENTINE ...... 103 Campaign Tone ...... 15 MIDAS ...... 57 TICK-TOCK ...... 106 CAMPAIGN SETTING ...... 15 THE MISSING LINK ...... 59 POCKET WATCH ...... 106 VILLAINS ...... 16 PENNY DREADFUL ...... 61 THE TWO JOHNNIES ...... 109 RUNNING ADVENTURES ...... 18 RAPTOR ...... 64 JOHNNY-COME-LATELY ...... 110 RED-EYES ...... 67 JOHNNY-ON-THE-SPOT ...... 112 THREE OF A KIND ...... 71 THE WITCH OF RED HILL ...... 114 ADAPTING CHAMPIONS ADAPTING CHAMPIONS UNIVERSE VILLAINS TO HUDSON UNIVERSE VILLAINS TO HUDSON CITY KNIGHTS ...... 72 CITY POWERS ...... 116 4 Hero System 5th Edition INTRODUCTION

ots of gamers enjoy the thrills and excite- are appropriate (and how to design them), and ment of Dark Champions crimefi ghting how to GM the subgenre. — but not necessarily the violence and pure Chapter Two, Hudson City Knights, focuses on Lvigilantism of many Dark Champions cam- the fi rst type of DC:TAS campaign: one in which paigns. Th ey’d rather tone the violence down a bit, there are no superpowers per se — the heroes and and diverge a little from the “realism” of the genre villains are normal people, albeit well-trained and to allow for a little more strangeness, weirdness, -equipped people. Many villains, and more than and powers. In eff ect, they want to mingle Dark few heroes, have a “theme” that infl uences their cos- Champions with a touch of Champions. tume, weapons, and activities. Th is chapter includes And that’s what Dark Champions: Th e Ani- several NPC heroes and plenty of villains to get mated Series is all about! Th e “animated series” style the GM started, including Penny Dreadful, Adonis, of campaign focuses on the less grim side of vigi- Anagram, the Missing Link, Raptor, and more. lante crimefi ghting: caped crusaders with vigilante style but who refuse to kill; low-powered superhe- Chapter Three, Hudson City Powers, looks at the roes who fi ght street crime instead of world-threat- other type of DC:TAS game: the low-powered ening supervillains; “theme” villains with clever (or “street-level”) superheroes game, in which the costumes and psychotic minds. heroes and villains alike often have minor super- human abilities — nothing as powerful as what Chapter One, Stalking The Night, discusses the you’d see in a typical Champions campaign, but “animated series” subgenre in general — how it mighty impressive to the average street punk! It, differs from mainstream Dark Champions and too, provides some NPC heroes and lots of vil- Champions games, the sorts of characters that lains (such as Carnivore, Guillotine, Rhapsody, and Serpentine) for the GM to pit against the intrepid player characters. FOR THE GAMEMASTER’S EYES ONLY Dark Champions: Th e Animated Series doesn’t include a GM’s Vault section, since it isn’t really a setting book. However, parts of it — the villains’ character sheets, mainly — are for the GM’s eyes only! If you intend to play in a DC:TAS campaign, don’t read the villains unless your GM gives you permission, and ignore the plot seeds sprinkled throughout the book as well. OTHER VILLAINS Chapters Two and Three have some notes about how to adapt existing Champions villains to Hudson City Knights and Powers campaigns, respectively. But you don’t have to wander that far afield looking for new adversaries for your PCs. Other Dark Champions villains work just fine in DC:TAS campaigns, provided you tone them down to fit the more lighthearted subgenre if necessary. For example, if you make Card Shark and his men (Hudson City, pages 175- 77, 236-53) less grim, murderous, and focused, they become superb DC:TAS villains — they even have a theme already! Similarly, Predators includes a lot of characters, like the Varangian, Michelangelo Strake, and Prospero who’d work well in just about any type of DC:TAS game. cchapterhapter oone:ne:

DARK CHAMPIONS: THE ANIMATED SERIES STALKING THE NIGHT 6 ■ Stalking The Night Hero System 5th Edition THE DC: TAS SUBGENRE

hat is Dark Champions: Th e Animated Series? It’s mayhem, but the murder is GENRE ELEMENTS kept to a minimum. It’s crimefi ghters Here’s a brief description of the elements of Wdriven to bring criminals to justice, but the DC:TAS subgenre, mostly recapped from page who still respect the sanctity of human life. It’s vil- 11 of Dark Champions. lains who don’t just commit crimes, but also engage in a battle of wits with costumed heroes, and whose DARK CHAMPIONS M.O., CHAMPIONS crimes are as much about gamesmanship as profi t. ATTITUDE Exciting action, madcap adventure, fi endish death- While they look, fi ght, and sometimes even act traps, labyrinthine plots with bizarre objectives and like typical Dark Champions costumed vigilantes, even more bizarre methods, and themes for both DC:TAS characters usually don’t share all their heroes and villains that range from an obsession attitudes and beliefs. In particular, they’re much with word games to a irrational love of classical more inclined to subscribe to traditional comic music... Dark Champions: Th e Animated Series is book morality: they don’t kill their opponents all this and more. (even those who deserve it); believe they have to In many ways Dark Champions: Th e Animated act “better” than their foes as a way of setting an Series (“DC:TAS”) blends the superheroic moral- example; and so forth. Th ey also tend to act more ity of Champions roleplaying with the street-level like traditional superheroes, with a penchant for action of Dark Champions. Th e PCs wear costumes, bombastic speeches and grandiloquent gestures. do not kill, and believe they must set an example for others (especially the villains) to follow. Plot- BLACK AND WHITE wise, the action hinges on street-level crimes the Even more so than standard Vigilante Crime- villain commits that the PCs must investigate and fi ghting campaigns, DC:TAS games have a black stop — they’re not trying to conquer the world or and white moral tone. Th e PCs (and their allies) are commit genocide, they’re robbing the bank, kidnap- obviously the heroes, the villains are obviously the ping socialites, and trying to satisfy their unusual villains, and no one has any trouble telling the two Psychological Limitations. apart (except for the inevitable “my enemy frames Th is book divides DC:TAS into two general me by putting on my costume and committing types of campaigns: Hudson City Knights and crimes” story). Hudson City Powers. Th ey share many details, VARIATIONS ON A THEME but have one important diff erence: characters in a Hudson City Powers campaign have low-level DC:TAS characters oft en develop codenames, superpowers and/or super-technology; characters costumes, and gadgets based around a theme or in a Hudson City Knights campaign do not. concept of some sort. For example, the crimefi ghter Here’s another way to think of this: Hudson DarkAngel has an “angelic” theme to her costume City Knights is like mainstream Dark Champions, and weapons — her throwing darts are shaped like except that the PCs have four-color attitudes and tiny fl aming swords, her blunt throwing weapon four-color morality; Hudson City Powers is like like an angel’s golden halo, and so on. Her adver- Champions roleplaying except the characters focus sary Serpentine has an ophidian motif to his cos- on street crime — robberies, kidnapings, and small- tume and weapons. scale wrong-doing. Th e rest of this chapter describe In the case of the villains, who tend to embody these two types in more detail; Chapter Two pro- the “theme” element more strongly than heroes, the vides NPCs appropriate to a Hudson City Knight concept or theme also infl uences the crimes they campaign; and Chapter Th ree provides NPCs commit. Th e supervillainess Anagram uses word- appropriate to a Hudson City Powers campaign. play and puzzles as part of her crimes, oft en delib- erately leaving clues for the police and crimefi ght- ers... if only they can unravel them. Her sometime comrade-in-crime Rhapsody not only uses music in her crimes, she tends to steal things related to music: Stradivarius instruments; rare antique sheet music; the box offi ce receipts from concerts; all the members of the rock group Firebreak. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter One 7

SUPERPOWERS AND SUPERTECHNOLOGY Unlike standard Vigilante Crimefighting CRIMEFIGHTERS, costumed characters, who are usually limited to NOT VIGILANTES more or less “realistic” abilities and technology, DC:TAS characters sometimes verge into the Dark Champions uses the term costumed vigilantes superhuman. This is much more common for when referring to the PCs or other characters who villains than for heroes, but it’s not necessarily deal out justice to criminals. Dark Champions: The forbidden for PCs. For example, Rhapsody might Animated Series uses a different term: costumed have musical instruments that emit “brain-alter- crimefighters. ing waves” when played so she can take over The word “vigilante” has connotations that imply peoples’ minds or make them fall asleep; a char- the person is acting outside the law, or even above acter with insect-themed powers might have the law. Furthermore, the morality of a vigilante the ability to walk on walls (Clinging) or to call is sometimes ambiguous. It might mirror that of and control insects (Summon). However, even society as a whole, or he might subscribe to a much in campaigns that allow this sort of thing, the harsher morality — one that calls for justice along superpowers and technology tend to be relatively the lines of “two eyes for one eye.” In a nutshell, low-key; characters still don’t fly, walk through closely associated with the word vigilante is the phrase: judge, jury, and executioner. But that’s not a walls, or fire beams of energy from their eyes. phrase appropriate to most DC:TAS characters. Th is subgenre element is key to the diff erence between Hudson City Knights and Hudson City DC:TAS characters are crimefighters, first and fore- Powers campaigns. It’s covered in more detail under most — they take it upon themselves to use their abilities and skills to stop crimes from occurring Character Creation, below. and bring criminals to justice. But their morality and motivation for putting on a costume is deeply rooted in traditional four-color superhero action. ROLEPLAYING ELEMENTS They don’t kill, and they respect the law (even though they don’t strictly act within it, and even While subgenre elements are important, they if law enforcement, itself, is less than respectable). come from the source material — television shows They don’t pursue and capture villains to mete out and comic books, none of which are roleplaying their own brand of justice — they do these things games. Roleplaying games have elements all their to protect innocents from harm, and when they own that are just as important for your campaigns. capture a villain, they turn him over to the proper authorities rather than, say, putting a bullet in the REALISM, PLAUSIBILITY, AND INTERNAL villain’s head. CONSISTENCY A quick glance at the subgenre elements shows For a GM this means that when a villain that realism has little place in a DC:TAS game. In goes on a crime spree, his crimes fit his theme, fact, the elements can even strain the plausibility even if it isn’t apparent from the get-go. The GM of an adventure or entire campaign. For instance, not only expects the PCs to act in accordance wouldn’t a DC:TAS villain be better off deviating with four-color morality, he doesn’t penalize from his theme, especially toward the end of his them for doing so. For players it means that no plot — aft er all, what better way to throw off the matter how tempting it might be, a PC doesn’t heroes than to make them believe he’s following a pick up a gun and start shooting to kill — and no pattern and then change it? Also, is it realistic for matter how many times the villain escapes from the heroes to continue handing villains over to the the local prison, the PCs don’t appoint them- authorities when they just escape — again, and selves judge, jury, and executioner. again, and again? Shouldn’t the heroes recognize that the authorities can’t hold these villains and TEAMS take matters in their own hands? Roleplaying involves a group of players, and In a DC:TAS game, the players and the GM these players create characters who work together have to agree to abide by the subgenre elements as a team. However, DC:TAS characters don’t regardless of how arbitrary or irrational they seem. always lend themselves to the creation of teams (At least, you should if you’re playing a game — in the source material, a hero oft en wages a one- as presented here — obviously, a GM is free to man war on crime. Th e players and the GM should modify and alter the subgenre’s elements to suit his discuss the nature of the team before embarking on tastes and his players’.) In the absence of “realism,” character creation so you don’t end up with a group only internal consistency keeps the game credit- of PCs that don’t work together well. Below are able. Only internal consistency keeps the players some ideas for teams in DC:TAS. engaged in the action and prevents them from The Themed Team: As discussed above, charac- becoming frustrated with, and thus alienated from, ters in a DC:TAS game are oft en variations on a the campaign. And you can only establish internal theme. On a team where each player chooses a consistency when both players and GMs agree to theme for his character independently of the other do their best to keep in mind the subgenre and players, this can lead to a bewildering assemblage abide by those restrictions. of heroes. While there’s nothing wrong with that (in fact, it can be quite fun), another option is the themed team: the team itself has a theme and each 8 ■ Stalking The Night Hero System 5th Edition

member is a variation on that theme. Examples THE THUG RULE are: the Chessmen (each member’s theme is based Another aspect of roleplaying the DC:TAS on a chess piece); the Wild Bunch (animals); or the subgenre focuses on combat. Th e thug rule man- Secret Symphony (musical instruments). dates that in a battle (particularly the climactic One Guy And His Helpers: With this sort of team, one fi ght of an adventure), the PCs can’t go straight member is the leader and the rest act as his support for the main villain of the story. First they have to staff . Th e diffi culty here lies in making sure each fi ght his legion of thugs and goons. Only aft er win- member gets equal time during an adventure. It helps ning through his underlings can they take on the if each character is better in at least one area or fi eld “big guy” himself. Not every player likes this rule than the leader — oft en, the leader’s prominent ability — gamers have a tendency to approach fi ghts with is simply his charisma and ability to lead. Th at makes a practicality and tactical awareness that characters a given helper the group’s expert on a particular sub- in comics, TV shows, and movies rarely do — but ject, so whenever a situation arises that falls within his it’s an essential one if you want to preserve the feel area of expertise, he’s the one on center stage. Possible of the genre. Most DC:TAS villains lack the skills, roles for helpers are: scientist, mechanic, tech guy, defenses, and other abilities to stand up to even combat specialist, weaponmaster, and computer whiz. one player character, much less several of them, by Th e Answer and his Answermen in Chapter Two are themselves; if you don’t make the PCs tackle the an example of this. goons fi rst, the fi ght will quickly come to a dramati- cally unsatisfying conclusion. Only Occasionally: In this case, the PCs only get Th e one exception to the thug rule is main together on occasion — they spend most of their villains who involve themselves in the combat time patrolling the streets alone. Whenever they do right away. As long as the villain holds back and get together, a villain goes on a crime spree or some just issues orders to his thugs, the thug rule applies. other weirdness occurs, and the PCs must work Once he starts attacking the PCs himself, all bets together to stop it. (Or, maybe the crime spree is are off — he’s just made himself a valid target. what draws them together in the fi rst place.) Th is sort of campaign works best with an episodic struc- ture (see below). Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter One 9 CHARACTER CREATION

ecause of its subgenre elements, Dark CHOOSING A THEME Champions: Th e Animated Series calls for Because it’s so important and informs so a specifi c sort of character. Th is section many other decisions, starting with a theme is a Bprovides a framework for creating this perfectly valid way of creating a character for a DC: sort of character. Most general concepts can fi t TAS game. Here are a few things to consider when into the subgenre with the right amount of thought deciding on a theme: and consideration, so this section also provides guidelines and suggestions to help a player think Player’s Knowledge Of Th e Th eme about his character and fi t it into the game prop- Most themed character have extensive knowl- erly, rather than specifi c rules about what he can or edge of their themes. Don’t let this restrict your cannot do. choice of theme — that’s what Knowledge Skills are for, aft er all. But it may improve roleplaying if the player himself has some knowledge of his CHARACTER CONCEPTION character’s theme. A wise player oft en chooses his character’s theme based on something he already Th e most important thing to keep in mind knows or something he wishes to research. Knowl- when creating a character for a DC:TAS game is edge of the theme also helps the player come up that the character dons a costume and mask to with names and descriptions for gadgetry, the hero’s achieve a positive result. appearance, and the like. Another good reason for A costumed crimefi ghter in DC:TAS game having knowledge of the theme is that the character holds improving the world as a higher, better, and should, at every appropriate opportunity, speak a more important goal than satisfying his thirst for clever line or two in keeping with his theme. vengeance. Even if a tragic event (like the death of a family member) spurred him to fi ght crime, it Embodying Th e Th eme does not spur him to infl ict his own brand of lethal Does the theme lend itself well to creating punishment on criminals or to wreak a bloody abilities, gadgets, weapons, vehicles, and other and fi ery vengeance on the underworld. Instead, it themed things? Some themes seem really fun in inspires him to bring wrongdoers to face whatever principle, but when you look at the nuts and bolts justice the laws of the land determine fi t his crime, they don’t work so well for PCs (who are on center and to protect others from suff ering the same trag- stage most of the time). If you can’t think of a few edy that led to the PC becoming a costumed crime- interesting abilities (or at least names for abilities), fi ghter in the fi rst place. gadgets, weapons, or other character elements Other common reasons for becoming a cos- deriving from the theme, discard that theme and tumed crimefi ghter for DC:TAS include: possess- come up with another one. ing superior skill and wishing to help others; being Th e GM doesn’t need to worry about this remarkably brave; having a strong sense of respon- quite as much when creating villains. A villain can sibility toward one’s fellow man. In the pulpish, “embody” his theme by committing crimes related black and white world of a DC:TAS game, a person to it. For example, the villain Beatlemania com- needs no better reason than these to fi ght crime. mits crimes involving the Beatles; he doesn’t have a Beatles-themed car (though he might have a Yellow Hero’s Theme Submarine!) or Beatles-shaped weapons. Multiple Th emes Not all DC:TAS heroes have a theme, but many Some characters might have two or more do (aft er all, themed heroes are lots of fun). If a player themes, though this may become a little silly if chooses to create a hero with a theme, that theme is taken too far. Having multiple themes works best if perhaps the most important decision he makes about none of the themes would work well by itself. For his character — it infl uences his codename, his cos- example, the beautiful villainess Silk Swan commits tume, his weaponry and gadgets, his base, his vehicle, crimes based on waterbirds and also uses themed and just about every other facet of the tools he uses to weapons based on silk (scarves that double as gar- wage his war on crime. Additionally, the theme oft en rotes, lariats, and the like). refl ects his personality. If the crimefi ghter is clever and dashing, maybe he choose the name “the Red Fox”; if he holds law and justice in high regard, maybe he’s Blind Justice; if he’s grim and relentless, maybe the calls himself Wraith. 10 ■ Stalking The Night Hero System 5th Edition

POSSIBLE THEMES — this personality is not appropriate to DC:TAS Some possible themes include: player characters. ■ The Sociopath (in the black and white world of a Animals: the Red Fox, the Raven, Night Tiger, DC:TAS game, the Sociopath is a villain, not a hero) Black Falcon A Class Of Objects: Mr. Element, Professor Stone, Facet, the Alchemist DC:TAS Archetypes A Concept Or Principle: Justice, the Verdict, Some of the character archetypes described the Protector, the Lawman, Talion on pages 31-33 of Dark Champions are suitable for DC:TAS player characters, either as-is or with small Creatures Or Persons From Myth And Folklore: adjustments. Others are generally inappropriate. the Goblin, the Bogeyman, the Fury Suitable A Hobby, Sport, Or Activity: Grease Monkey, the ■ The Cop Gone “Bad”: a more appropriate name is Scarlet Skater, Grand Slam, Penny Dreadful the Cop Gone “Mask.” A Natural Or Astrological Phenomena: the ■ The Disgusted Vet: in DC:TAS, this archetype is Tornado, Blue Storm, the Midnight Star, also disgusted with killing that went on his past life Plantmaster, the Ophidian and has sworn it off . A Weapon: Blademaster (a villain skilled with ■ The Fed-Up Normal: a more appropriate name is knives), the Juggler (a character with gim- the Gutsy Normal, and his reason for putting on a micked throwing balls), Mr. Boomerang costume and fi ghting crime might simply be brav- ery and a highly-developed sense of responsibility toward society and his fellow man. DC:TAS Personalities ■ The Investigator Some of the personality types described on ■ The Mystic Hero pages 28-30 of Dark Champions are suitable for ■ The Reluctant Warrior. In DC:TAS games a more DC:TAS player characters, either as-is or with small appropriate reason for the Reluctant Warrior’s adjustments. Others are generally inappropriate. reluctance is that he wants to live a normal life. Suitable Maybe his identity as a costumed crimefighter interferes with his marriage or relationship with ■ The Avenger... but he doesn’t plan to kill an his significant other, threatens to get him fired, individual or group (although he might be sorely and so on. tempted, which makes good material for dramatic roleplaying). He simply wants them apprehended ■ The Techspert both to avenge their past crimes and prevent them Not Suitable from committing more evil deeds. ■ The Conspiracy Theorist: conspiracies blur the ■ The Idealist (to some extent, nearly all DC:TAS lines between good and evil, black and white, characters fall into this personality type) because an institution intended for good actually ■ The Patriot serves as cover for an evil agenda. Th is sort of wide- ■ The Professional: despite his chilly demeanor and scale “greying” is inappropriate for DC:TAS games. no-nonsense manner, he still seeks to make the world a better place — he just wishes everyone else were as effi cient as he is. CHARACTER CREATION ■ The Thrillseeker Th e number of points a player has to spend, as well as what he can spend those points on, depends ■ The Vigilante. However, a DC:TAS Vigilante on the sort of campaign the GM is running. rarely appoints himself executioner, or even jury Hudson City Knights: Characters are built (although, like with the Avenger, he might really on 200 points (100 Base Points + up to 100 points want to sometimes...). He probably believes that law from Disadvantages) per the guidelines for Power- enforcement offi cials are unable to enforce the laws, ful Heroic characters on page 28 of HERO System rather than unwilling, or that the Police Depart- 5th Edition, Revised. Normal Characteristic Maxima ment is too corrupt to do its job. rules apply. Not Suitable Hudson City Powers: Characters are built ■ The Gun Nut (DC:TAS characters generally don’t on 250 points (150 Base Points + up to 100 points use guns) from Disadvantages). Normal Characteristic Maxima rules do not apply (but see page ??? regard- ■ The Maverick: the moment a character puts on ing equipment). In general, street-level superhero a mask and prowls the rooft ops he has started to should allocate approximately 90 points to Charac- work outside the system. teristics, 90 points to Skills, and 70 points to powers ■ The Mercenary. While a mercenary character and gear. For suggested point and eff ectiveness ceil- might be an interesting foil for the other charac- ings, see the accompanying text box. ters — and because of this, can make a good NPC Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter One 11

■ look at each PC’s HUDSON CITY POWERS CHARACTER Knowledge Skills. If a PC has a Knowledge Skill ABILITY GUIDELINES TABLE that’s related to the clue, Char SPD CV DC Active Points Skill Points Skill Roll Def/rDef let him use the KS as a 10-30 3-6 4-9 6-10 40-60 60-120 8-14- 10/6 Complementary Skill. Rules Of Thumb If the Deduction roll succeeds, provide more DC: Attacks should be similar in normal Damage Classes to real world guns (although maybe as high as guns normally only available to law enforcement or the military). information than you otherwise would — the Def/rDef: Defenses shouldn’t be so high that a character can bounce bullets off his chest. Bullets might only cause fl esh wounds, but should defi nitely remain a threat. PC knows more about the subject, so it stands to reason he ought to Skills, Talents, And Perks have more insight on the problem. For both Hudson City Knights and Powers ■ prepare for the use of Deduction in advance. If campaigns, rules for Skills, Talents, and Perks are you expect the PCs to investigate a clue, prepare a the same as described on pages 61-92 of Dark list of potential answers. For each PC who makes Champions, with the addition of the following a Deduction roll, give the players one randomly- notes and guidelines. chosen item from the list (if a character makes his roll by 4 or more, maybe he gets two items). Th en DEDUCTION let the players analyze the items they’ve got and As discussed below, investigation is a key ele- fi gure out the right one (even if they have to check ment of the DC:TAS subgenre — theme villains out every location on the list in person, or fi nd oft en leave clues or other tidbits that the PCs have every object listed). It’s a lot easier to work from a to use to fi gure out where they’ll strike next or what list of possibilities than it is to try to pull one right their overall scheme is. While Criminology and answer out of the ether. Forensic Medicine may help the PCs investigate ■ in the comics, television, and movies, it oft en these clues, DC:TAS detective work focuses most seems that once a character hits on the right answer on Deduction. Th is can cause problems in the to a mystery, he instinctively knows he’s right. A game, because Deduction is a hard Skill to adjudi- group of players, on the other hand, can spend cate. On the one hand, players want to build and hours debating the possible meaning of a clue, even play characters who are deductive geniuses — even if one of the ideas they had fi ve minutes into the in the comics, you can’t get away from the infl uence discussion was the right answer. To keep this from of Sherlock Holmes. It stands to reason that many happening, try to hint at which answer is correct... PCs would be far better at deducing the meaning or you could even go so far as to say, “Bob’s sugges- of clues than the players who play them are. But tion sounds like a pretty good one — it seems right just giving them the answers when they roll the to you.” dice is undramatic and boring. Ideally, the players should fi gure out what the clues mean. Th e sense FOLLOWER: SIDEKICKS of accomplishment that brings adds an enormous A staple of the subgenre, a sidekick is a young amount of fun to the campaign. man or woman, usually an adolescent, who fi ghts Fortunately, there are ways around this alongside the hero in his war on crime. Th e side- dilemma: kick may have his own theme (usually a riff on his ■ instead of interpreting “successful Deduction mentor’s, or a “junior” version of the hero’s own roll” as “character immediately figures out all the theme). He’s less skilled than the hero himself, answers,” think of it as “character gains a little bit though he may have one or two Skills or abilities of insight toward the ultimate goal of solving the that his mentor lacks. mystery.” In other words, when a PC succeeds Outside of being an ally in combat, sidekicks with a Deduction roll, give him an extra tidbit serve two more general purposes. First, they serve of information or a little help toward figuring to make the hero look “bigger” — make him look out the answer, not the whole solution on a silver even more skilled than he already is. Second, they platter. The more he makes the roll by, the more can lighten up a grim and serious hero, giving him information you give him (or the more impor- a human touch. Because DC:TAS games are light- tant a hint you offer). For example, suppose the hearted, a player intending to play a grim defender PCs are trying to figure out a riddle Anagram of the innocent might want to consider purchasing left behind. The answer is “Iron Curtain.” If a PC a sidekick to “humanize” his character. makes his Deduction roll exactly, maybe the hint you provide is “Winston Churchill” (who coined the term). If he makes it by 1-3, maybe the hint is “Soviets” or “Warsaw Pact.” If he makes it by 4 or more, maybe you tell him “steel drapes” or the like. In short — Deduction should help the play- ers figure out the answer, not provide the answer for them directly. 12 ■ Stalking The Night Hero System 5th Edition

City Powers characters have powers that mitigate Powers the eff ects of physical laws but don’t defy those Powers, and their availability to PCs, is the laws outright. Another way of putting it: DC:TAS distinction between a Hudson City Knights and powers don’t defy the laws of nature, they just bend Hudson City Powers campaign. For Hudson them a little. For instance, Gliding or Swinging is City Knights the information on pages 93-100 more appropriate than Flight, and being able to of Dark Champions, especially that pertaining to breathe underwater is more appropriate than not Costumed Vigilantes, applies. The section below, needing to breathe at all. Guidelines For Hudson City Powers, provides Powers Don’t Change The Body, They Increase Its information about Hudson City Powers cam- Abilities: Gross changes to a PC’s body are typically paigns, but for both games.... out-of-subgenre in DC:TAS games, as are changes NO GUNS that lead to abilities not available to normal people. Instead most changes just improve abilities a Gun-toting costumed crimefi ghters are rare person already has. For instance, Desoldifi cation, in DC:TAS games, since nearly all characters have turning invisible, and total physical transformation some regard for human life. Even crimefi ghters into large animals or monsters usually aren’t appro- who rely on guns either have non-lethal alternatives priate abilities. But Enhanced Senses, relatively such as rubber bullets, or only target limbs and low-powered increases in STR or movement veloc- other parts of the body where a bullet is unlikely ity, changing one’s appearance into that of another to kill the target. Other sorts of Ranged Killing person, or adopting an attribute or two from an Attacks, such as shuriken or throwing knives, are animal are usually appropriate. more common — but as with guns, when fi ghting living targets characters try to use them in a non- lethal manner (sometimes they’re even coated in Resource Points knockout poison or the like so a character can inca- pacitate his foes without having to use lethal force). Pages 150-154 of Dark Champions describe Resource Points. In brief, characters in a Hudson GUIDELINES FOR HUDSON CITY POWERS City Knights campaign have Resource Points, while Characters in a Hudson City Powers game can those in a Hudson City Powers do not. be superhuman — in other words, have superpow- Hudson City Knights ers like high STR, the ability to cling to walls, or the Characters in this campaign have Resource like. However, unlike standard Champions cam- Points. Starting Resource Points are: 60 Equipment paigns, the GM has to restrict the types of powers Points, 10 Vehicle/Base Points, 5 Follower/Contact available (as well as the amount of Active Points Points, and 0 Miscellaneous Points. Characters may available). Th ere are no hard-and-fast rules for this; purchase more starting points as described on page it’s something each GM has to determine for him- 151 of Dark Champions. self based on the “feel” he wants in his campaign. However all of a character’s themed equipment In most Hudson City Powers games, appropriate — everything from weapons to vehicles — should powers include: low-level superstrength (no higher be purchased with Character Points, because of the than STR 40); the ability to transform into a were- reasons discussed in Unique Items on pages 153- wolf (or similar creature); minor vampiric powers; 154 of Dark Champions. or the power to generate low-level electrical shocks. You should try to avoid superpowers that Hudson City Powers tend to destroy the “ambience” of the subgenre Characters in this campaign do not have (for example, teleportation, the ability to proj- Resource Points. Th ey purchase everything with ect bolts of energy or surround one’s self with a Character Points. However, the GM may, at his option, protective energy field, or the power to become give characters certain types of “mundane” equipment intangible). Here are some suggestions and for free — fl ashlights, cellular telephones, a typical guidelines for doing that: automobile, and so forth. Th e drawback for the char- Gadgets And Equipment, Rather Than Innate Ability: acter is that the “free” equipment is subject to all sorts Supertechnology is preferable to superhuman abili- of inconvenient occurrences: it can break down, run ties. For example, a PC is more in keeping with the out of fuel, suff er interference, or get lost or broken. subgenre when he has a “blaster pistol” that fi res an On the other hand, equipment paid for with Char- energy beam, rather than the power to fi re energy acter Points rarely suff ers such diffi culties — aft er all, beams from his eyes or hands. Similarly, superpow- a character who pays points for something deserves ered Flight doesn’t fi t into the campaign, but a char- a better version than a character who gets a similar acter with a “wingpack” that fi ts onto his back and device for free. lets him fl y slowly might. Powers Mitigate Physical Laws Rather Than Defying Them: In many Champions campaigns, charac- ters’ superhuman abilities defy the laws of nature — they fl y at a whim, they call lightning out of clear blue skies; they turn people to stone or gold, and so on. But this is DC:TAS, not Champions. Hudson Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter One 13

Disadvantages Social Limitation: Secret Identity: While less inte- gral to DC:TAS games than to Champions, a Secret Two Disadvantages are important to charac- Identity is also important to the subgenre. Aft er all, ters in a DC:TAS game: Code Versus Killing and the primary reason for donning a mask and cos- Secret Identity. tume is to protect a character’s identity, and PCs in Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Killing: a DC:TAS are called costumed crimefi ghters for a Most, if not all, DC:TAS character should have reason. Unless a player has a very good background some sort of Code Versus Killing. How extreme the reason for having a Public Identity, he should Disadvantage is (see page 104 of Dark Champions) default to a Secret Identity for his character. can vary from character to character, but a charac- ter without some regard for human life probably isn’t appropriate for most DC:TAS games — he should be a costumed vigilante in a standard Dark Champions campaign. 14 ■ Stalking The Night Hero System 5th Edition GAMEMASTERING DC:TAS

his section contains some information and Serial campaigns lead to subplots that oft en advice for running a DC:TAS style game. In involve complexities, melodrama, and especially addition to the topics covered here, the GM moral, ethical, and emotional dilemmas. All of Tshould keep in mind the light-hearted tone these put a strain on maintaining a campaign’s of the campaign, both for Hudson City Knights and internal consistency in light of its four-color Hudson City Powers, because this is the defi ning characters and the subgenre elements. Black and diff erence between Dark Champions and DC:TAS white characters require black and white situations games. Whatever else goes on in a game, it should — situations where the right choice is obvious, be light-hearted. and the wrong choice just as obvious — and this is even more important when they confront villains and criminals. It extends to all of a PC’s interac- EPISODIC VERSUS SERIAL tions with NPCs and all the decisions he makes. Furthermore, serial campaigns oft en call for a GM Before you start planning your campaign, you to explore the ramifi cations of a PC’s decision to should give some thought to whether a episodic or fi nd unintended results the PC must deal with in serial structure best suits what you have in mind later adventures. However, these unintended results for DC:TAS. can “muddy the waters” to some extent because of In a serial campaign, each new adventure the four-color morality. With a four-color morality, builds on events in the previous ones to tell an good intentions lead to good results — not results on-going story — in other words, all of the adven- that are a mixed blessing and come back to haunt tures are a part of a single on-going story. In an the PC later (except for the inevitable escape from episodic campaign, each adventure is only loosely prison of a captured villain). connected to previous and subsequent adventures. Th e diffi culty with episodic campaigns is that Th e characters are the same and villains re-appear the players can begin to feel like they never make periodically, but the status quo — the character’s any progress over the course of a campaign’s life. relationship with his DNPCs and other NPCs, And they might become bored with their adven- his job, his secret identity, the fact that he’s a cos- tures. If the status quo remains the same at the end tumed crimefi ghter, and any mystery in his back- of each adventure, do a player’s decisions really ground — almost never changes. have any consequences? At its most basic level, an adventure in an Th e best solution for most GMs is to strike a episodic campaign typically works like this: a middle ground — a blend between the best aspects villain and other events threaten the status quo. of serial and episodic. To do this, a GM should By the end of the adventure, the heroes have identify a limited number of subplots, maybe one averted all the threats, thereby maintaining the or two for each PC, that are both integral to the status quo. There are no loose plot threads at the character and interesting to the player — a PC’s end of an adventure; everything is resolved by relationship with his parent or spouse, his attempts the conclusion. Threats to the status quo include: to woo the person he loves, his quest to bring his a crime the villain is attempting to commit; the parent’s killer to justice, his desire to understand hero potentially losing his job because his crime- what motivates individuals to turn to a life of crime, fighting activities are interfering with his per- or the like. Th en the GM lets these specifi c subplots formance; the (potential) revelation of a hero’s run their course across adventures. In other words, secret identity to loved ones or even the world the GM should identify a limited number of key at-large; the character discovering who murdered elements of a PC’s status quo and only allow these his parents; and so on. But no matter the exact elements to change and evolve over a campaign. nature of the threats, whatever goes on in the Th e PCs avert all other threats to the status quo by adventure comes to a conclusion at the end of the end of each adventure. By keeping the ongoing the adventure (even if a single adventure takes subplots to a minimum, unintended consequences multiple game sessions to complete). of decisions become the exception rather than the Before starting a DC:TAS campaign, you rule, helping to maintain the four-color tone. might want to consider the benefi ts of an episodic structure for your campaign. First, the animated series and comics that tend to inpsire DC:TAS games are episodic. Second, and more importantly, the episodic structure makes the four-color aspects of a DC:TAS game easier to maintain. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter One 15 Campaign Tone CAMPAIGN SETTING While DC:TAS campaigns are Dark Cham- DC:TAS games involve street-level crime, pions games (meaning they can get a little grim so heroes rarely leave the city that serves as their from time to time), they’re not nearly as dark and base of operations. Crime, especially that of the brooding as most modern-day action-adventure costumed variety, runs rampant in the city, and campaigns. Here are some tips for keeping the tone law enforcement is unequipped, understaff ed, and of your DC:TAS game light-hearted. simply unable to cope with the costumed villains ■ Encourage appropriate humor in the game. when they go on a crime spree. Th e police depar- Heroes and villains alike are prone to wry com- ment isn’t usually riddled with corruption — the ments, witty observations, and even the occa- problem is simply that normal men and women sional pun. cannot match wits with villains and succeed. In many ways the city and its residents seem ■ Even if some NPCs like policemen or elected to exist in a timeless period — at least in physical offi cials disapprove of the costumed crimefi ghter’s appearance. Th e proliferation of Art Deco skyscrap- activities, reasonable NPCs acknowledge the good ers makes it seem if the architectural movements of he accomplishes, if only begrudgingly. In some the 1930s never ended — they’re towering, tapering cases, the police have solid working relationships buildings with gargoyles lurking on the corners with the heroes, calling on them whenever the and topped by long radio antennae. Th e automo- department can’t cope with a particular menace. biles oft en have fi ns to rival those made in Detroit ■ Good intentions lead to good results; bad inten- in the 1950s, and sometimes look like roadsters tions lead to bad results. Th is is perhaps the from the 1930s or 40s. Th e men wear suits, ties, and most important thing to keep in mind, and to oft en fedoras — they look more like they stepped some extent, within the imaginary reality of your out of the 1950s than the ’80s or today — and the DC:TAS game, it’s an unbreakable maxim. You women wear clothing of roughly the same period. shouldn’t think too hard about the outcome of a Despite these physical features from out of the past, PC’s actions — so long as the player’s intention is technology is the same as the modern day (and the good, things will turn out all right in the end. Th is technology available to costumed crimefi ghters and doesn’t mean you should reward stupid or care- their nemeses is oft en superior). less behavior, or that complications or unintended Ultimately, you should mix and match stylistic consequences never occur. It just means you should elements from various decades of twentieth century give the player the benefi t of the doubt even in America to get the “feel” you want, but elements questionable circumstances. from the decades when fi lm noir was especially ■ Old dogs can learn new tricks. In a light-hearted popular — the 1930s, 40s, and 50s — are most campaign, people can change for the better. Maybe common. Paper boys, beat cops, old-fashioned cin- most villains are never cured of their manias, but emas, elegant clubs that play big band music where those NPCs who are just misguided or who have the men wear tuxes and the women wear long made bad decisions can turn over a new leaf and gowns and evening gloves — all of these are perfect get a new lease on life. And sometimes, the PCs can for the setting of a DC:TAS campaign. even help to reform a villain. But of course, none of these elements are nec- essary. If you want a DC:TAS game that’s modern ■ Try to keep the “slide into the cesspool” to a in every respect — one where gangsters wear sports minimum. Standard Dark Champions campaigns jerseys instead of cheap suits, piercings and tattoos are oft en fi lled with characters who, because of a are commonplace among respectable people, and bad decision or their environment, become pro- becoming a famous musical performer requires gressively more pitiful — for example, drug users good looks and dancing skills more than singing and prostitutes on a one-way road to oblivion lurk talent — go for it! Don’t worry about emulating in every alley and on every street corner. Th ough every aspect of the subgenre if you’ll have more fun it does involve street-level crime, DC:TAS is less doing something else. about drug-use and prostitution, and more about kidnapping, robberies, themed crimes, and other such Silver Age-y stuff . 16 ■ Stalking The Night Hero System 5th Edition

THE TEAM-UP tatives of good and evil in the campaign — in stark VILLAINS contrast. A grim and relentless crimefi ghter might A staple of the DC:TAS Villains are important to any successful role- have maniacally laughing nemesis with a criminally subgenre is when two playing game and that goes double for DC:TAS twisted sense of humor; a dashing and lighthearted or more villains team campaigns. While later chapters provide you with crimefi ghter might have a brooding, murderous up to get the heroes. plenty of example villains for both Hudson City arch-enemy who likes to move behind the scenes Th ese team-ups usu- Knights and Hudson City Powers campaigns, here and mastermind crime sprees from afar; a quick- ally unravel toward the are some guidelines for creating your own cos- witted and intelligent crimefi ghter might oppose an end of an adventure for incredibly strong brute; and so on. one of three reasons: tumed criminals and plotting their crimes. the villains’ respective COSTUMES AND THEMES STREETLEVEL FOURCOLOR CRIMES themes cause a clash; DC:TAS villains are pretty despicable, but the villains’ egos and DC:TAS villains tend to wear costumes pride get in the way and (although for men, the costume oft en involves a they’re not nearly as bad as mainstream Dark turn them against each [oddly-colored] suit), and are just as likely as the Champions villains. Although they sometimes other; or one villain has heroes to have a theme of some sort. A criminal’s use guns, they’re not nearly as likely to kill anyone a more casual attitude theme not only infl uences his costume and his (and particularly not to commit mass murder). Too toward killing than the weapons, but the type of crimes he commits: a much blood spoils the more lighthearted feel of other, and this leads to villain obsessed with gemstones doesn’t rob banks DC:TAS, so while a villain may threaten death and the villain with the Code (unless he wants to fi lch gems from safe deposit destruction on a horrifi c scale, the adventure usu- Versus Killing providing boxes), he steals jewelry, attempts to construct a ally works out so he can’t follow through — either the PCs with the infor- he’s bluffi ng, or the hero arrives in time to stop him, mation they need to giant laser with the world’s biggest ruby, and so on. or something goes wrong with his plan. Th e four- thwart the other villain. “Obsessive-Compulsive” Behavior color morality and tone dictate that there can’t be However the team-up Th ese themed villains oft en suff er from “obses- unravels, the thing to any wholesale slaughter of innocent people or even remember about all vil- sive-compulsive” behavior, but this behavior has of criminals — in fact, there isn’t even going to be lain team-ups is that in little in common with the real-world psychological much violence above the level of trading punches the four-color world of disorder of the same name. What it means is that or the occasional throwing blade. DC:TAS, bad guys can the villain’s obsessive about his theme and compul- DC:TAS adventures do take place on the never get along for long sively commits crimes based on, following, or in street, so they have a certain level of seriousness to simply because they’re accordance with it. them. Th e villains commit real crimes against real bad guys. A villain’s obsessive-compulsive behavior oft en people. For the most part there are no master vil- gives the hero a reason to hand him over to the lains trying to take over or destroy the world — at authorities for treatment rather than killing him the best, a villain attempts to hold the city hostage. Th e way a costumed vigilante would. Th er’s a simplistic DC:TAS street environment is very much a sani- logic behind this: the villain can’t control his behavior tized version of the street environment depicted in (he’s insane), and because of that he doesn’t deserve more realistic Dark Champions games. Th e most punishment, he requires treatment. Admittedly, the common crime that DC:TAS villains commit is treatments never work — even if they seem to at fi rst, robbery, with the variations on that crime coming they’ll wear off quick enough aft er the authorities pro- from what is stolen, and why. nounce the villain “cured” and release him into society — but heroes wouldn’t be heroic if they didn’t keep Gamesmanship trying to defy the odds and help people (even villain- In addition to committing crimes for ous people) who need assistance. It’s important to financial reward, DC:TAS villains often commit keep this in mind, and if you feel your players are on crimes to prove their superiority over the cos- the verge of sliding down the moral slope into becom- tumed do-gooder. This works well both as a ing executioners, remind them of this fact. rationale for crimes that hardly seem worth the trouble and as an explanation for why the villain Disfi guration always leaves clues about his next crime. The Unlike costumed crimefi ghters, who usually villain is often more interested in one-upping adopt their theme out of their own free will, a DC: the superhero — in proving to himself, the city’s TAS villain sometimes has a theme forced upon him. population, and the hero himself that he’s better Usually he suff ers a disfi guring accident (oft en while at what he does than the hero. he’s committing some misdeed, but not always), but some villains are born with a disfi gurement that Murder shapes their personality. Disfi gurements oft en involve Murder occurs rarely in DC:TAS games, the face — horrifi c scars, odd-shaped noses, per- but it happens — for example, a psychotic villain manent rictus grins, animal-like fangs, eerie voices might kill a hostage to make a point, or a hench- — because that provides a strong visual in the comic man because he made some seemingly innocuous books and cartoons that inspire this subgenre. comment that the villain found off ensive. When it does, you should be careful to keep it the purview Th e Hero’s Nemesis of a PC’s arch-nemesis: don’t let just any villain Th e theme of a hero’s arch-nemesis, as well as commit murder, reserve that “privilege” for the his very nature and character, is oft en the opposite most important villains in the game. Oft en, the fact of the theme of the costumed crimefi ghter. Th is that a villain is capable of cold-blooded murder is further highlights the diff erence between good and one of the key reasons the villain is the costumed evil by placing the two characters — the represen- crimefi ghter’s arch-nemesis in the fi rst place. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter One 17

POWERS AND ABILITIES When creating villains, you can relax the GOONS restrictions that defi ne the diff erence between Hudson City Knights and Hudson City Powers Fast Goon games to some extent — DC:TAS villains are 12 STR 15 DEX 12 CON 10 BODY sometimes superpowered, but not oft en. Usually 8 INT 8 EGO 12 PRE 10 COM 2 PD 2 ED 3 SPD 4 REC they, like the heroes, are simply normal people with 24 END 24 STUN training and gadgets. But every now and then one will come along with a very high-tech gadget (such Abilities: Pistol (use Colt M1911 on Dark Champions, as a laser cannon or invisibility suit), or with a page 243); Armored Costume (2 PD/2 ED); genuine superpower (such as shapeshift ing abilities Running +2”; +1 OCV with Pistol; KS: Hudson City Underworld 11-. or vampirism). Th is works for the villains because they’re not on center stage all the time the way the Disadvantages: Social Limitation: Subject To Orders PCs are — an ability that would spoil the “feel” of (Frequently; Major); Unluck 2d6 the campaign if it were used every combat isn’t Strong Goon nearly as bad if it only makes an appearance once 15 STR 12 DEX 15 CON 15 BODY every few months. And from a dramatic perspec- 8 INT 8 EGO 12 PRE 10 COM tive, giving a villain powers can make him more 3 PD 3 ED 2 SPD 6 REC monstrous, setting him apart from both normal 30 END 32 STUN people and the hero. Abilities: Baseball Bat (HA +3d6); Armored Costume Villains in DC:TAS campaigns generally aren’t (2 PD/2 ED); +1 OCV with Baseball Bat; KS: Hudson as skilled at combat as the heroes who oppose City Underworld 11-. them. A few can go at it hammer-and-tongs with Disadvantages: Social Limitation: Subject To Orders the PCs, but most of them prefer to hire thugs, leg- (Frequently; Major); Unluck 2d6 breakers, and similar ne’er-do-wells — collectively called goons — to do their fi ghting for them. Some weapon to even the odds. When combat starts, villains, particularly ones with an animal theme or the villain sticks around in the hopes of getting in powers, trot out a pack of trained animals; crimi- an underhanded lick or two, but when things get nals with tech skills may build some sort of super- rough he usually runs for the exit. 18 ■ Stalking The Night Hero System 5th Edition

In some adventures a villain arranges for TAS games heroes travel in packs — few villains, the fi ght to take place in an unusual location that no matter how powerful, skilled, and ruthless, neutralizes many of the hero’s combat advantages, can stand up to a team of PCs that have, collec- thus giving him (the villain) enough of an edge to tively, around 20 times as many Actions/attacks make it worthwhile to stick around and fi ght. For as they do. To balance the odds, you need to example, a hero who moves around a lot in combat make sure the villain has a gang of goons helping might have trouble in an old, abandoned factory him. A good rule of thumb is two to three goons fi lled with scrap machinery, debris, and hanging for every crimefighter in your game, with one cables that hinder his ability to build up speed. better than average goon working as the villain’s right-hand man. Goons Goons usually wear clothing or costumes DC:TAS villains typically work alone, and reminiscent of the villain’s own (though never as this presents a problem for you because in DC: impressive), and the villain gives them codenames that fi t with his theme — for example, Anagram’s MYSTERIOUS HAPPENINGS goons are called 7-Down, 14-Across, and so on; AND RANDOM WEIRDNESS: Raptor’s would be Falcon, Sparrowhawk, Hawk, and the like. Th ey sometimes carry weapons similar to PLOT SEEDS the villain’s, or they might have ordinary gear like baseball bats, revolvers, and machine guns. Th e While the plot of many DC:TAS adventures, broadly accompanying text box has two character briefs, defi ned, is “villain commits a crime or starts a crime Fast Goon and Strong Goon, that you can use in spree, and the heroes react to stop him,” there are other your adventures. sorts of plots perfectly suited to this subgenre. Here are some plot seeds for “non-villain” adventures. Each of them centers around a mystery the PCs must solve, so it calls for plenty of investigation, exploration, and RUNNING ADVENTURES questioning of contacts (both legitimate and seedy). DC:TAS villains rarely stay in prison for long. A Friend Of A Friend Told Me...: Sewer workers are refus- Whether through their own skills, bureaucratic ing to work — they claim a huge alligator haunts the incompetence, or fortuitous circumstance, they sewers below the city. Could the old urban legend be escape again and again to bedevil the heroes. A true? Or could it be a group of children are having typical DC:TAS game features a stable of approxi- some fun with the city’s Sanitation Department? mately a dozen recurring villains who menace the Please Turn Off Your Cell Phones: Every cell phone in PCs repeatedly. Stories featuring these staple char- the city rings at exactly the same moment, and when acters are interspersed with one-story criminals, the owner answers, he hears the exact same message mysterious vanishings the heroes must unravel, — “Help me! Th e building’s on fi re and I can’t get out!” miscellaneous weirdness, and the like. But there’s no building on fi re. Can the PCs fi gure out the source of this mysterious call? Is it a ghost from the THE GETAWAY past seeking peace? Is it a call from the future? Or is Villains do a lot of running away in DC:TAS it a prankster — some tech-whiz — who’s tapped into satellite signals? games, largely because they’re less powerful than the heroes. To accomplish these getaways, they put She’s Having A Baby! — Hey! Wait! So Is She!: Th e PCs innocents in harm’s way... and because the hero is are all together in a crowded venue (a sports game a true-blue hero, he has to rescue the innocent(s) is best) when a woman starts to go into labor. Right aft er the paramedics rush her to the hospital, another rather than keep pursuing the villain. woman starts to go into labor — and there are some Successful getaways are vital to some adven- complications with her pregnancies. Th e venue’s medi- tures appropriate to DC:TAS games, especially the cal staff left to take the other lady to the hospital, so the themed crime spree — aft er all, it’s not much of PCs have to get her to the hospital on time — but they spree if the heroes capture the villain aft er the fi rst can only do that in time in their costumed identities. It’s crime. Whenever you plan an encounter, always a race across the city’s rooft ops to the hospital during make sure the villain has means of putting inno- rush hour traffi c. cents in jeopardy, thus enabling his escape if the Surprise!: Each of a PC’s friends and family disappear heroes get too close (if they don’t, he can just run one by one over the course of an aft ernoon — could away without having to endanger anyone). Th ese one of his foes have fi gured out his secret identity? Will contingency plans oft en involve explosive devices the PC fi gure out that they’re getting together to have with timers, pushing an innocent off a building, set- a surprise party for him, despite the fact that the other ting a location on fi re so the hero must evacuate the PCs are in on the plans and trying their best to stop place, and the like. Because DC:TAS games involve him from arriving early? teams, rather the lone heroes, sometimes these When The Wolfbane Blooms: Th e papers report that plans need to be fairly extensive — for example, one there’s been a rash of stories about a werewolf attack- explosive device per hero. ing people (particularly children) on the bad side of town. Th e truth is far less exotic — they’re just wild DEATH OF INNOCENTS dogs mutated by the radioactive waste leaking out of a Nothing shocks players out of a four-color nearby factory — but no less dangerous. mood more than the death of innocents, so you should do your best to avoid such a thing from hap- pening in your campaign... unless you want it to. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter One 19

Try to arrange the adventure so the action ■ Th e PCs must discover the pattern behind the takes place in deserted buildings and warehouses villain’s crimes (the pattern, of course, is in keeping — any place where it makes a certain amount of with villain’s theme). Only aft er they discover the sense for there to be no innocent bystanders — or pattern can they fi gure out where he’ll strike next at night when normal people are at home in bed. and thwart his scheme. But events may occur during an adventure that ■ Th e villain leaves behind clues, each in keeping might reasonably cause the death of civilians — with his theme, and the PCs must fi gure out what explosions, fi res, guns fi red in crowded places, and the clues mean. so on. Any time you mention that innocents might die, you should give the PCs an opportunity to ■ Th e villain puts the PCs in a deathtrap (see save the potential victim. If the PCs don’t have that below) and they have to fi gure out a way to escape. opportunity, then don’t mention civilians in peril. Deathtraps You can liken this to the director of an animated For many villains, part of the gamesmanship series choosing what the viewer sees and doesn’t of opposing the PCs is deathtraps. DC:TAS villains see. For example, the fl oor of a skyscraper might love to capture heroes, put them in deathtraps, and very well explode, but no one is shown dying — it’s then leave to commit their next crime, certain that never even mentioned, unless the story calls for the hero can’t possibly survive. But of course he the crimefi ghter to rescue the victim(s) (or, rarely, always does. if a death is needed to provide dramatic tension Gamemastering deathtraps is tricky, since and motivation). You should do the same in your you don’t actually want to kill a PC with one campaign. Only tell the PCs that civilians are at risk (how anti-climactic!), but you want the PCs to when they have the chance to save those civilians feel threatened enough to take the trap seriously. from harm. You also have to make getting out enough of a PROBLEMSOLVING VERSUS FISTICUFFS challenge that the players will enjoy the experi- ence, but not so much of a one that it’s likely one Problem-solving is just as important, if not or more PCs will fail. Before you include one more important, in DC:TAS games as the cli- in a scenario, make sure you know exactly what mactic fight scene — every adventure you design the character is capable of — consult a copy of should involve at least one problem-solving his character sheet, if necessary — and try to scene. Here are some examples of problem-solv- provide a back-up plan or two in case his first ing common to adventures: attempt to get out fails. 20 ■ Stalking The Night Hero System 5th Edition

In some cases, just getting the PCs into the ■ Require that the PCs work together to thwart deathtrap is difficult. Most players hate to have the deathtrap, rather than each individual working their characters taken prisoner, even when it’s in- alone to free himself. Individuals working alone can genre. Sometimes you can arrange it so the PCs bog down the action, leaving the other players to sit wander into a deathtrap, but this can get monot- around with nothing to do. Working together keeps onous... and after doing this a few times, the everyone involved in the game. players might begin taking overly cautious (at ■ Don’t waste a lot of time between when the PCs least for a DC:TAS game) steps before entering a get captured and when they come to — jump from new location. The easiest way around the prob- one scene to the next without pausing. Th is pre- lem is to warn your players before the campaign vents the players from having time to think about ever begins that there are going to be plenty of what happened, and if the deathtrap is fun and deathtraps — make sure they understand it’s all challenging, it takes their minds off having their part of the genre and the fun. characters captured. If that doesn’t work, another option is to have NPCs, Dependent or otherwise, get caught HAPPY ENDINGS in a deathtrap so the PCs have to free them. Th at Happy endings mean more than the crime- means the players still have to deal with the prob- fi ghter thwarts the villain’s scheme and apprehends lem-solving aspect of the deathtrap, but don’t get the villain. Th ey also mean the crimefi ghter and his captured themselves. But sometimes it’s just easier, actions have a positive result on the setting — in other or more dramatic, for the villain knock out the PCs words, what the crimefi ghter does changes people for and then cackle at them when they wake up in his the better (and usually gets the PC out of whatever deathtrap. (Of course, aft er they awaken, but before trouble he put himself in with his DNPCs and loved he activates the trap, he tells them all about his plan ones during the adventure). As the GM, it’s your — aft er all, they couldn’t possibly escape, so why responsibility to show these positive results. Be sure shouldn’t he impress them with his genius!) If you to mention developments like: a juvenile delinquent want to have the PCs captured: a PC talked to turns over a new leaf; the pregnant ■ Don’t make capture inevitable... just damned woman a PC abandoned a battle to get to the hospital hard to avoid. Players hate being railroaded more had a healthy baby boy, which she named aft er the than they hate having their characters get captured. PC (maybe just the middle name though...); or an If there’s no chance to spot the trap in advance innocent person a PC saved goes on to do something or keep from being knocked out, excitement and noteworthy and benefi cial to society. drama die. So make sure the odds are only almost completely stacked against them. cchapterhapter ttwo:wo:

STREET-LEVEL SUPERHEROES HUDSON CITY POWERS 22 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition HUDSON CITY KNIGHTS

his chapter contains campaign guidelines Furthermore, the lethal vigilantes may give all and characters (both heroes and villains) crimefi ghters a bad name. How can the city gov- appropriate for a Hudson City Knights cam- ernment, the police force, or the press come out in Tpaign: a DC:TAS game in which the char- support of costumed crimefi ghters like DarkAngel acters are costumed crimefi ghters, but don’t have when lethal vigilantes exist? Obviously meting any superhuman powers. Th e campaign is set in out “justice” — particularly if that involves taking Hudson City (described in Hudson City: Th e Urban human life — has to remain solely the purview of a Abyss), but you can easily use the characters in any legitimate government in DC:TAS settings. city where crime is a problem and crimefi ghters are Th e easiest thing to do is get rid of the cos- necessary to keep innocents safe. tumed vigilantes entirely. Th ey simply don’t exist. Th at means the public, including the city govern- ment, can tell the heroes from the villains, because USING HUDSON CITY shades of grey don’t exist. Another idea — one more in keeping with the Hudson City works well as a city setting for DC: TAS subgenre — is to treat lethal vigilantes as a Knights campaign with just a few changes to adversaries. When the PCs can prove to their own fit the DC:TAS “tone” based on the “feel” the GM satisfaction that a vigilante has killed a criminal, wants for the campaign — in other words, you they track him down and capture him just like don’t have to change Hudson City, just tweak they would any other villain. Maybe the PCs can it a bit. Don’t emphasize the gritty, grim, and overlook a vigilante who only dishes out severe “realistic” aspects quite so much, allowing for a beatings, but murder’s too serious a crime to let more lighthearted style of play. The occasional pass. But until there’s proof (or at least a strong sus- instance of weird powers or “super”-technol- picion) the vigilante has crossed the line, the vigi- ogy is solely the purview of crimefighters and lante and the PCs can coexist uneasily — maybe as their nemeses — it shouldn’t be in the hands of occasional allies, maybe not — each considering his everyday people — so it has a limited impact on own approach to crimefi ghting superior. (But in a the world around the PCs. De-emphasize brutal DC: TAS game, the costumed crimefi ghter’s beliefs crimes like rape and murder by not having the really are superior — lethal vigilantes usually come PCs encounter rapists and murderers, and not to a bad end or get shown as the dangerous killers having rape and murder play an important role they are.) in adventures. When the PCs do encounter rap- Lastly, the GM can let the two coexist, side by ists and murderers, they should have the oppor- side, and severely limit their interaction. Whatever tunity to stop the crime just in a nick of time. the lethal vigilante does, it happens off -stage and in Rather than every criminal being grimly serious the background, so the PCs never have to face the or a psychopathic killer, make sure some of the moral dilemma the vigilante presents. Th e Neigh- criminals you use in adventures are like Ana- borhood Protectors campaign idea described below gram or Chitchat — bizarre, but not sociopathic, is a good approach to consider if the GM chooses psychotic, or ruthless. In short, keep in mind this route. the information in Chapter One and plan your adventures accordingly. VILLAINS LETHAL VIGILANTES Many of the villains published in Hudson City: Th e Urban Abyss work fi ne in a DC: TAS campaign One aspect of Hudson City the GM needs to — you just need to use the lethal ones sparingly or consider are the existing lethal vigilantes, who fall remove their lethal tendencies. Maybe they always into a sort of grey area. In DC: TAS games villains threaten to kill someone, but rarely succeed (at least are obviously villains and heroes are obviously in the case of innocent victims). Card Shark and his heroes — so where do vigilantes like the Harbinger organization make an excellent arch-nemesis for a of Justice and Renegade fall? team of crimefi ghters once you make them a little less grim. On the other hand, homicidal maniacs like the Cainite probably don’t work at all in most DC:TAS games. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 23

Never Forgive, Never Forget: Not everybody CAMPAIGN IDEAS believes in reform. A lethal vigilante comes gun- Here are some campaign frameworks GMs can ning for the reformed villians, intent on dishing out use as inspiration for Hudson City Knights cam- some justice. How will the PCs stop him? Can they paigns. Th ese mainly address either the reason why convince the cold-blooded vigilante they really do the heroes get together and/or their modus ope- deserve a second chance? randi... but just like the question of why someone NEIGHBORHOOD PROTECTORS becomes a costumed crimefi ghter, a team doesn’t need much more of a reason to get together than a Th is campaign focuses on the heroes’ eff orts to desire to protect innocents from harm. protect a single neighborhood. In Hudson City, East- wood, Elmview, or Crown Point make good choices ALL FOR ONE, AND ONE FOR ALL — neighborhoods like Freetown and North Elmview This is the basic Hudson City Knights are probably too rife with crime to ever be free of it, campaign: the heroes have teamed up because and ones like Guilford and Worthington don’t neces- they’re more effective fighting crime together sarily have enough crime to give a dedicated team than alone. Chances are they don’t know each of crimefi ghters enough to do. For whatever reason, other’s secret identities, at least not from the the crimefi ghters are determined to stamp out crime outset. After the first adventure, at least, they in their neighborhood and make it a safe place. Th ey have a way to get in touch with one another declare it their turf and make sure no criminal organi- (even if it’s only a dedicated pager), and prob- zations encroach on it. Chances are all the crimefi ght- ably a place to meet. The meeting place can ers live in the neighborhood — they might even live range from something as simple as a designated in the same building (that building can also serve as rooftop to one of the members supplying a secret their secret base). Th eir early adventures likely deal base for the whole team, to the PCs pitching in with making local criminals in the neighborhood see to build their own secret headquarters. Other the error of their ways and expelling organized crime. things to consider: do they patrol the streets Later adventures deal with keeping criminals out. in teams or alone? Do they only come together One of the advantages of this sort of campaign when a threat warrants it, or do they do all their is that the rest of Hudson City can be used as pre- crimefighting together? The group might not sented in Hudson City: Th e Urban Abyss, without even have a name, depending on how formal the needing to change the whole city to fi t the four- arrangements are. color tone of a DC:TAS game. In other words, the crimefi ghter’s actions can have a positive result on REFORMED VILLAINS their neighborhood and noticeable impact on the People do really change in DC: TAS games, crime rate... but in the rest of the city, crime still and in this campaign, the actions of costumed rages out of control. Another advantage is that the crimefi ghters — maybe DarkAngel or the Answer GM has room to expand the campaign: aft er the — have inspired a group of villains to give up their PCs clean up their neighborhood, they can clean up criminal ways and fi ght crime. Maybe some of the next one... and the next one.... them want to fi ght crime as a way of making it up Plot Seeds to society; maybe some are thrillseekers who can’t abandon the thrill of adventuring. Besides deter- Gangs United: Th e emergence of a team of crime- mining why they’ve decided to become crimefi ght- fi ghters galvanizes the street gangs. Th ey settle their ers, some of the questions players need to answer disputes and band together — at least until they’ve about their characters are: do the former villains dealt with the would-be heroes. How will the PCs keep their former names and costumes, and if so, deal with the gangs? Th ere’s one gang member does anybody trust them? Are they ever tempted to leading the united gang. Can the PCs “chop of the return to a life of crime? head” to end the threat? Plot Seeds Card Shark Sits Down At The Table: During a skir- mish with a street gang, the PCs receive help from Seen The Light?: At the end of an adventure, a an unlikely source. Some of Card Shark’s Deck defeated villain claims to have seen the light and Agents join the fray on the side of the angels. repented his criminal ways. He begs for the PCs, What is the nefarious villain up to? Is the criminal former villains themselves, to give him a chance mastermind hoping to move in once the PCs have to walk the straight and narrow — if he goes to cleaned up the neighborhood? prison, he’s sure to lose his mind. Is this just a ruse? And if not, do the PCs still turn him in? The Search Is On: An organized crime group quickly realizes that since the PCs are so active in But It Wasn’t Me!: One of the PCs is accused of a the neighborhood, they must live there. A neigh- crime he didn’t commit. Th e crime fi ts his former borhood is much smaller than a city, so they decide modus operandi, but it wasn’t him. Can the PCs it should be easy to fi gure out where the PCs hide- prove their teammate’s innocence? And what does out is. Th ey send their men to stand watch on roof- the PC do — does he turn himself in like a good tops all across the neighborhood. How will the PCs law-abiding citizen or does he stay at-large in hopes stop this, since the men are just standing there and of proving his innocence? not committing any crimes? Can they somehow convince the criminals they live someplace else? 24 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition HEROES

THE ANSWER 4 Fast Runner: Running +2” (8” total) 1 Val Char Cost Roll Notes 4 Observant: +2 PER Rolls with all Sense 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] Groups 0 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 11 Answerman Communicator: Mind Link, 15 CON 10 12- specifi c group of up to any 8 minds, No 12 BODY 4 11- LOS Needed; OAF (-1), Only Can Be 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- Maintained With Others Who Have 18 EGO 16 13- ECV: 6 Mind Link (-1), Aff ected As Radio And 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 Hearing Group, Not Mental Group 12 COM 1 11- (-½), Does Not Provide Mental Awareness (-¼), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (battery, 8 PD 5 Total: 11 PD (3 rPD) Easy to obtain; 6 Hours; -0) [1cc] 8 ED 5 Total: 11 ED (3 rED) 4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 Perks 8 REC 4 9 Contact: Th e Executor (mysterious man 40 END 5 highly placed in the government) 11- (Con- 40 STUN 12 Total Characteristics Cost: 113 tact has extremely useful resource, access to major institutions, signifi cant Contacts of his Movement: Running: 8”/16” own, Good relationship with Contact) Swinging: 20”/40” 15 Money: Filthy Rich Cost Powers END 5 Improved Equipment Availability: Military 9 Grapple Gun: Multipower, 30-point Talents reserve; all slots OAF (-1), 1 Recoverable 19 Combat Sense 16- Charge for enitre reserve (-1¼) [1rc] 1u 1) Grapple: Swinging 20”; OAF (-1) Skills 1u 2) Packs A Punch: Energy Blast 6d6; 12 +4 with Kung Fu OAF (-1), Limited Range (20”; -¼) 5 +1 with all Agility Skills 1u 3) Articulated Grapple: Telekinesis 3 Acrobatics 12- (20 STR); OAF (-1), Only To Grab (-1), 5 Analyze Combat Technique 13- Must Cross Intervening Space (-½), Only 3 Breakfall 13- Direct (-½), Limited Range (20”; -¼) 3 Climbing 12- Martial Arts: Kung Fu 3 Concealment 12- Maneuver OCV DCV Notes 3 Contortionist 13- 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort 5 Deduction 13- 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 30 STR 3 AK: Tibet 12- 4 Dodge +0 +5 Dodge all 2 CK: Hudson City 11- attacks, Abort 4 KS: Buddhism 13- 4 Escape +0 +0 35 STR vs. 3 KS: Kung Fu 12- Grabs 3 Language: Mandarin Chinese (completely 3 Joint Lock/Grab -1 -1 Grab Two fl uent; English is Native) Limbs, 30 STR 3 Language: Tibetan (completely fl uent) 5 Kick -2 +1 8d6 Strike 3 Paramedics 12- 4 Knife Hand -2 +0 HKA ½d6 3 Shadowing 12- (1d6+1 with 3 Stealth 12- STR) 3 Streetwise 12- 3 Legsweep +2 -1 5d6 Strike, 4 Survival (Mountains) 13- Target Falls 2 WF: Common Melee Weapons 4 Punch +0 +2 6d6 Strike Resource Points 3 Th row +0 +1 4d6 + v/5, Target 8 Equipment Points: 100 Falls 10 Vehicle/Base Points: 30 4 Tien-hsueh Strike-1 +1 2½d6 NND 10 Follower/Contact Points: 25 4 +1 Damage Class (already added in) 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 6 Armored Trenchcoat And Costume: Armor (3 PD/3 ED) 0 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 237 Total Cost: 350 Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 25

100+ Disadvantages their countrymen with respect and honor. Such was THE ANSWER 20 Hunted: unknown American intelligence not the case on Hudson City’s mean streets. Th e PLOT SEEDS agency 14- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watching) people of Hudson City had problems — problems 15 Hunted: Doctor Enigma 11- (As Pow, Solomon wanted to help solve with his family for- The Answer discovers Harshly Punish) tune and his skill in the martial arts, but he needed three items about his 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Kill- direction and guidance. Th e Western world was mother — her name, ing (Common, Total) strange and alien to him. Solomon needed advi- that she’s still alive, and 20 Psychological Limitation: Honorable Code sors... and he found them on the World Wide Web. that she’s married to Of Conduct (Common, Total) While researching Hudson City and his family, a prominent mobster. 10 Reputation: honorable and gullible do- Solomon stumbled upon the website hudsonc- He attempts to meet her, sneaking into the ity-answers.org. Th e purpose of the site, privately- gooder, 11- mob boss’s estate, but 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Solomon owned and paid for with donations, was to help ends up captured. One DeSolva) (Frequently, Major) the city’s residents with everyday problems and of the Answermen 150 Experience Points concerns — everything from where to pay parking contacts the PCs — can Total Disadvantage Points: 350 tickets, to the history of Tyrrell Avenue, to how to they save the Answer set the idle on a 1983 Mercury Zephyr so it would before he’s unmasked? Background/History: Twenty years ago Solomon start in the depths of winter. And does he want to be DeSolva, a member of the United States Diplomatic Solomon sent an email to the site admin- saved? Has meeting his Corps and special assistant to the ambassador to istrator and began a correspondence about mother changed him in China, went on a tour of Tibet to observe the living Hudson City’s real problem: rampant crime. some way? conditions of its native people. Since the tour was Once he was sure the site’s “Answermen” were a peaceable one sanctioned by the government, well intentioned, Solomon offered to handle spe- Th e PCs are framed for a crime they didn’t DeSolva brought along his fi ve-year-old son, Solo- cial problems, the sort that only hands-on work commit. Th e same mon Junior. Tragedy struck when the group’s bus could resolve. He’d put on a mask and call him- traveled on a narrow road high in the Himalayas nefarious villain who self the Answer, and whenever the Answermen framed them contacts and a sudden rock slide took the lives of everyone got an email from someone that required “special the Answer and puts on the tour. Or so investigators concluded aft er assistance,” they would forward it to him so the him on the task of they arrived on the scene days later. Answer could provide a solution. hunting the PCs down. In truth, Solomon Junior survived — his father Over the last six months, the Answer and Can they escape the used his own body to shield the boy from the worst his Answermen have helped many people with Answer long enough to of the rock slide and the bus’s subsequent tumble problems ranging from recovering and returning fi nd evidence of their down the mountain. A wandering band of Tibetan a stolen wedding ring, to helping Doctor Enigma’s innocence? And if not, can they convince the monks found the boy freezing to death in the snow. wife fi nd her husband and get him committed to Th ey took him in and nursed him back to health. Answer of their inno- Toddberry Asylum, to garden-variety crimefi ght- cence without proof? Th e monks were members of a secretive sect of ing. Word has quickly spread that when a person martial artists called the Golden Guard, and they has no place else to turn, he can click on hudsonc- treated the young orphan as one of their own. Over The Answermen begin ity-answers.org, submit his problem, and maybe, disappearing, one by the next eighteen years, Solomon learned the ways just maybe, he’ll fi nd the answer he needs. one. The website’s of the Golden Guard. He almost forgot his past and Personality/Motivation: Th e Answer’s desire to help security has been com- Western origins... but then a mysterious man found people stems from basic human decency and a high promised — or, worse him one night. Th e man was an American, and the yet, one of the Answer- regard for life and peace — the monks who raised only name he gave to Solomon was the Executor. men is a traitor. Cut him taught him to have a deep and abiding respect Th e Executor claimed to have been a friend off from his advisors, for family, tradition, and community spirit. Th ough and colleague of Solomon’s father. Because the the Answer seeks the still a stranger to Hudson City in many ways, he boy’s body was never found, he had searched for PCs’ help to get to the considers it his family’s home. Th erefore it’s his the last eighteen years for the young Solomon to bottom of the mystery. responsibility to protect and serve the community. give him his birthright. Th e Executor said that In addition to helping people, he feels he must pro- Solomon’s father was a member of the American vide an example for others and holds himself to a intelligence community and this was why he was rigid code of honor. He always keeps his word, even killed — although the Executor didn’t know who if tricked or deceived into giving it. He accepts a was responsible. He also informed Solomon he had foe’s surrender, even if past experience tells him it’s inherited the DeSolva family fortune, as well as the a ruse. He never takes advantage of a helpless foe, family estate in Hudson City. even if it means risking his own life. And unless Straightforward and rigidly moral, Solomon it’s been proven he can’t trust someone, he always was slightly repulsed by his father’s past of secretive believes what he’s told. dealings and shadowy murders — but he was also Th e Answer is ignorant about many aspects curious about his family’s legacy. He knew there of Western culture — both its mores and technol- must be more to his father’s life than the under- ogy. Th ough highly intelligent and a quick study, he handed dealings of intelligence work. At the urging still has much to learn about the West, and he relies of the monks, Solomon agreed to travel to America heavily on the Answermen (see the accompanying with the Executor and claim the family fortune. box text) for much information... and they don’t In Hudson City, Solomon found a world vastly always know what they’re talking about. diff erent from the Tibet he grew up in. Th e Golden In his free time the Answer investigates his Guard had been like an extended family, each family’s past — specifi cally, his parents. Th e identity member helping the others, and they treated all of his mother remains unknown, but he knows 26 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

his father didn’t adopt him. He’s shied away from to ask his question, and also vocalizes the investigating his father’s death too closely. He only Answermen’s responses. knows what the Executor told him, and that’s not In addition to his fi ghting skills, the Answer much more than that his father was murdered by also has access to the DeSolva family fortune. Addi- enemies, whether domestic or foreign, in the intel- tionally, the Executor — the only man who knows ligence world. the Answer’s secret identity — feels obligated to Th e Answer can’t really explain why he hasn’t help him with non-lethal military equipment when investigated his father’s murder. To some extent the situation calls for it. he feels that revenge won’t bring back his father, Campaign Use: Th e Answer can become involved and that to discover his with any crime where a father’s killer he’d have victim is left with no other to involve himself in place to turn for help. Th is the morally ambiguous can be anything from a world of covert opera- kidnapping, to extortion, tions. But he also suspects to a child or sibling falling there’s a deeper reason in with a bad crowd. You for not investigating. He can use him as an ally for has meditated much on the PCs — thanks to the the matter, but has yet to Answermen he has access uncover the true source of to comprehensive infor- his aversion. mation about myriad sub- Quote: “I’ve been jects, but because he works informed that you have a alone, he has little in the problem. I’m here to tell way of raw power (and you I have the answer.” thus might need allies to Powers/Tactics: Th e get a job done). Answer’s abilities stem In more traditional from his sharp mind, Dark Champions cam- quick wits, and lifelong paigns, you can use the training in the martial Answer as an adversary arts. Th ese physical skills for your PCs. He has little make him the perfect use for vigilantes who hands-on operative for declare themselves judge, the Answerman Team. jury, and executioner, and He relies on the other considers them criminals members for advice and who are little better than investigation (although he the ones they pursue. If a has keen powers of per- bereaved relative were to ception) and then acts on ask for help in bringing their advice. a costumed vigilante to Th e Answer is a justice, the Answer would problem-solver, not a likely take the case. Fur- brawler, although he rec- thermore, the mystery ognizes that sometimes surrounding his father’s he must fi ght to get the death provides a good job done. He always tries to make sure the fi ght is hook for bringing the fair — announcing his presence against one or two Answer and his rigidly upright morality into the opponents and giving them the chance to surren- darker world of costumed vigilantes. der, and only taking advantage of surprise when the To increase his power, give the Answer more odds are badly against him. Extra Damage Classes with his Martial Arts and The Answer doesn’t normally carry weapons give him some more gadgets (specifi cally, a util- (though he will if he feels it’s necessary), but does ity belt like the one described on pages 283-284 of have a Grapple Gun (a thick steel cylinder with Dark Champions). To decrease his power, remove a pistol grip and large spool of cable at the back) his Skill Levels, his Combat Sense, and a few Mar- that he uses to get around. In a pinch he can fire tial Maneuvers. the grapple as a physical missile, or use it to grab Th e Answer doesn’t have a criminal record. In something and pull it toward him. Recovering fact, he has few public records in the United States the Charge on the Gun involves winding in the at all, since he didn’t grow up there and the Execu- grapple-line, which takes two Full Phase Actions. tor snuck him into the country and provided him His other main piece of gear is the Answerman with false documentation to explain the gap in his Communicator, which looks like an ordinary personal history. cellular phone. It allows him to access a private server that only the Answerman Team has access to. Voice recognition software allows the Answer Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 27

Appearance: In his civilian identity, Solomon posts are terse and to the point, usually using sen- DeSolva is a tall, fi t man in his mid-twenties. He tence fragments. He also has extensive knowledge stands 6’3” tall and has wavy black hair, dark brown about organized crime in Hudson City — but he eyes, and a narrow, serious face. As the Answer he only provides answers to these sorts of questions to wears a black suit, a black trench coat, and a simple the Answer. black domino mask to disguise his identity. Blue Book: Blue Book fi elds questions about mechan- ASK THE ANSWERMAN TEAM ics in general and cars in particular. His posts are riddled with slang, typos, and grammar errors until Th e Answerman Team answers mundane he posts something pertaining to the question asked questions posted to the hudsoncity-answers.org of him. Th en his answers become perfect examples of website, and investigates “special” problems before clear and precise technical writing. referring them to the Answer and assisting him with his investigations. All members of the team Lex And Nex: Lex and Nex are the resident legal are anonymous; none of them knows the identity experts. Th ey begin and end all of their answers of any of the others. When Solomon DeSolva fi rst with disclaimers about how the person should seek approached them about becoming a team to fi ght legal counsel before pursuing action, but despite crime, their decision to accept his off er was quick the disclaimers, their answers are usually dead-on. — since going live with the website, they had Th ey also have a comprehensive knowledge of received question aft er question concerning prob- criminal proceedings and the inner workings of the lems they simply couldn’t help with, and it frus- Hudson Police Department — this knowledge they trated them. Using the Answer’s wealth (as well as only provide to the Answer. his connections to the government), they’ve given Mr. Fixer-Upper: Mr. Fixer-Upper handles ques- their website the best security money can buy. tions concerning plumbing, roofing, and general Britannicus: Britannicus was the one who first home repair. He always begins his responses with set up the website. He serves as both website a humorous anecdote about a friend-of-a-friend administrator and an endless source of factoids and his misadventures in whatever trade relates concerning history and geography. He maintains to the question. To the Answer, he also provides a no-nonsense online demeanor, writing in crisp copious knowledge of security systems, both emotionless sentences that seem almost as if civilian and military. posted by a machine. Tec: Tec seems to possess a wealth of information The Barstool Prophet: Th e Barstool Prophet is the on criminalistics, forensics, and criminology. It’s resident expert on sports trivia, local happenings unclear whether this comes from book learning or such as the weather, road repairs, ongoing con- practical experience; none of his posts have ever struction, and Hudson City urban legends. His mentioned any jobs related to those subjects. 28 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

DARKANGEL easy to obtain; 1 Hour; -0); OAF (-1) [4cc] Val Char Cost Roll Notes 1u 11) Monocular: +6 vs. Range for Sight 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] Group; OAF (-1) 0 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 1u 12) Golden Swingline: Swinging 15”; 18 CON 16 13- OAF (-1) 1 10 BODY 0 11- 1u 13) Miniature Flashlight: Sight Group 13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- Images 1” radius, +4 to PER Rolls; OAF 11 EGO 2 11- ECV: 4 (-1), Only To Create Light (-1), Limited 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 Range (10”; -¼), 1 Continuing Fuel 18 COM 4 13- Charge (refueled by recharging, easy to obtain; 1 Hour; -1) [1cc] 8 PD 5 Total: 11 PD (3 rPD) 1u 14) Crimescene Kit: +2 to Criminology; 6 ED 2 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-½) 0 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 1u 15) Laser Torch: RKA 1 point, 7 REC 0 Penetrating (x2; +1), Reduced Endurance 36 END 0 (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), No Range (-½) 0 30 STUN 3 Total Characteristics Cost: 85 1u 16) Mini-Camcorder: Eidetic Memory; Movement: Running: 6”/12” OAF (-1), Visual And Sound Images Gliding: 10”/20” Only (-¼) 0 Swinging: 15”/30” Martial Arts: Karate Cost Powers END Maneuver OCV DCV Notes 20 Utility Belt: Multipower, 30-point reserve; 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort OIF (Utility Belt, -½) 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 30 STR 1u 1) Halo Grenades: Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF; 4 Dodge +0 +5 Dodge all OAF (-1), Range Based On STR (-¼), attacks, Abort 12 Charges (-¼) [12] 4 Knifehand Strike -2 +0 HKA ½d6 1u 2) Halo Boomerang: Energy Blast 6d6; (1d6+1 w/STR) OAF (-1), Range Based On STR (-¼), 4 Punch/ 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼) 3 Snap Kick +0 +2 6d6 Strike 1u 3) Angel-Sword Blades: HKA ½d6 5 Side/Spin Kick -2 +1 8d6 Strike (1d6+1 with STR), Range Based On STR 4 +1 Damage Class (already added in) (+¼); OAF (-1), Range Based On STR 6 Armored Costume: Armor (3 PD/3 ED); (-¼), 6 Recoverable Charges (-¼) [6] OIF (-½) 0 1u 4) Weakness Darts: Drain STR 2d6, 5 Glider Cape: Gliding 10”; OAF (-1) 0 Range Based On STR (+¼); OAF (-1), 3 Cowl Radio: HRRP (Radio Group); Must Target Non-Armored Hit OIF (-½) 0 Locations (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] 3 UV Lenses: Ultraviolet Perception 1u 5) Freeze Gas Capsules: Minor (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 0 Transform 3d6 (normal object to frozen Skills stiff object, “heals” by thawing out at 3 Acrobatics 13- normal rate); OAF (-1), Limited Target 3 Breakfall 13- (nonliving objects with moving parts; 3 Climbing 13- -½), Range Based On STR (-¼), 3 Computer Programming 12- 4 Charges (-1) [4] 3 Criminology 12- 1u 6) Sleeping Gas Pellets: Energy Blast 3 Deduction 12- 3d6, NND (defense is Life Support 3 High Society 12- [Self-Contained Breathing or appropriate 2 AK: Blackbridge 11- Immunity]; +1); OAF (-1), Range Based 3 CK: Hudson City 12- On STR (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] 3 KS: Hudson City Underworld 12- 1u 7) Smoke Pellets: Darkness to Sight 1 Language: Japanese (basic conversation; Group 3” radius; OAF (-1), Range Based English is Native) On STR (-¼), 8 Continuing Charges 3 Lockpicking 13- lasting 1 Turn each (removed by high 3 Security Systems 12- winds or rain; -0) [8cc] 3 Shadowing 11- 1u 8) Flash Pellets: Sight Group Flash 6d6; 3 Stealth 13- OAF (-1), Range Based On STR (-¼), 3 Streetwise 12- 6 Charges (-¾) [6] 3 WF: Small Arms, Knives 1u 9) Th ermite Pellets: RKA 1d6, Armor Resource Points Piercing (+½), Area Of Eff ect (One Hex; 0 Equipment Points: 60 +½); OAF (-1), Range Based On STR 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] 0 Follower/Contact Points: 5 1u 10) Rebreather: Life Support 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 (Expanded Breathing: Breathe Underwater), 4 Continuing Fuel Total Powers & Skill Cost: 115 Charges (refueled through recharging system, Total Cost: 200 Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 29

100+ Disadvantages assented, and the next day she began karate lessons. DARKANGEL 20 Hunted: Penny Dreadful 14- (As Pow, Kill) For the rest of her time in Japan, she faithfully prac- PLOT SEEDS 20 Hunted: Card Shark 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Kill) ticed and studied every day, becoming reasonably 20 Psychological Limitation: Devoted To Justice profi cient. When it was time for her to leave, her One night on patrol, (Common, Total) sensei gave her the name of his cousin, who ran a the PCs see DarkAngel 10 Psychological Limitation: Vengeful dojo in Hudson City. Aft er she returned, she joined looming over some (Uncommon, Strong) the dojo and continued her lessons. Within a year helpless criminal. When 15 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus and a half, she had earned her black belt... and more she sees her fellow cos- Killing (Common, Strong) importantly, her self-confi dence had returned. tumed crimefi ghters, she 15 Secret Identity (Stacy Hunter) (Frequently, A few days after passing the tests for her fl ees the scene — and when the PCs check on black belt, Stacy found herself in the same posi- Major) the criminal, they dis- Total Disadvantage Points: 200 tion that her samaritan had been in two years cover him dead! Do they before. She saw a woman being attacked by a hunt DarkAngel in an Background/History: Stacy Hunter is a modern couple of young punks who were trying to steal attempt to bring her to American success story. Born into relatively humble her purse and jewelry. Almost without think- justice? Or do they think beginnings, she learned early in life that the only ing, she rushed forward to help. Three quick she’s been framed? And way to get anything she wanted was to work for it. blows were all it took to subdue the two attack- if so, who would want to She became the fi rst person in her family ever to ers. Leaving them out cold on the sidewalk, she frame DarkAngel? go to college... but even then she had to work her rushed the injured woman to the hospital. way through. She studied advertising and market- She had never before felt so good or had such Stacy Hunter has a new ing, and got excellent grades. Th ey helped her land a sense of purpose. Th is was what she should be boyfriend — and it’s one a job with the Berkely Marketing Group, a Hudson doing with her life — protecting the innocents who of the PCs! Of course, neither crimefi ghter City-based marketing agency founded by television could not protect themselves, not slaving away for knows about the other’s magnate Ben Berkely to take care of the advertis- a paycheck week aft er week and ignoring the decay ing chores for his Berkely Entertainment Television secret identity. All each of society all around her. But just knowing karate of them knows is that (BETV) network and other companies. wasn’t enough. She needed to know a lot of other the other suspiciously Stacy liked living in the big city — the glam- things, and she needed a “style” of crimefi ghting. disappears, especially in our, the bright lights, the fast-paced atmosphere, She studied other vigilantes, rejecting some as too the middle of the night, the famous television personalities she met through violent, and realizing that others had money and and the next morning’s her job, the whole works. But she liked it so much resources she lacked. Noting that some of the cos- paper always has an she got careless, forgetting that the city’s glitzy tumed criminals on the streets had “themes,” she article about some appearance oft en conceals a heart as dark as mid- decided that might work for her — if she was going villain’s crimes.... night. One night she made the mistake of walking to be on the side of the angels, maybe her “street down a deserted street by herself, and was attacked name” and costume should refl ect that. Since she One of the PCs fi nds DarkAngel’s costume in by some gang members out “wilding.” Aft er they wanted to be not just a protector of the innocent, a trash can. Could this be beat her and kicked her for a few minutes they but an avenger of the wronged, maybe... Avenging were about to do something worse, when they were the end of a fellow cos- Angel? No, too angry. Aft er a little more thought, tumed crimefi ghter? Will scared away by the lights of a passing car. Th ey ran she settled on DarkAngel. the PCs investigate? And off , taking her money and credit cards. Months of training followed — she knew if they do, will they dis- For some reason, the passing car stopped and karate alone wasn’t enough to fi ght crime. She edu- cover DarkAngel’s secret a samaritan whose name she’s never learned picked cated herself about criminology, forensics, locks identity... and the fact that her up and took her to the nearest hospital. She and security devices, and many other subjects. She Card Shark discovered spent a few days convalescing — fortunately, her created — or bought from the underworld armorer Stacy Hunter’s secret and physical injuries were not severe — but she was Daedalus — the gadgets and weapons she wanted, kidnapped her? constantly affl icted with bouts of panic and feelings and she practiced with them constantly. When she of intense fear. Once a confi dent, creative woman, was ready, she went out into the night not as Stacy she was reduced to a shy and frightened shadow of Hunter, victim of society’s evil, but as DarkAngel, her former self. It took her several more weeks to avenger of crime victims everywhere. get over the worst of her fear, but even aft er that she Personality/Motivation: DarkAngel is the sort of still had occasional panic attacks. person who’s had to struggle all of her life to get what She returned to work, eager to throw herself she wanted. Strong-willed, determined, and capable of into something she could control. A previously- working long and hard to achieve her goals, she now scheduled business trip to Japan came up, and her applies the energy she used to focus entirely on her boss was going to get someone else to go, but Stacy job to her goal of fi ghting crime. She’s made up her insisted on following through with her responsi- mind that she’s going to protect and help everyone she bilities. Once she’d been looking forward to seeing possibly can, and stop every crime she sees. Crimes Tokyo. Now she was scared to leave, but she made she can’t stop she’ll avenge, even if it takes months of herself go. Once she got there, she was glad she’d eff ort and sacrifi ce to bring a criminal to justice. But come, and a little of her old self began to emerge. she draws the line at killing. She sees vigilante mur- One day she walked by a Tokyo park and saw ders, no matter how justifi ed in the abstract, as acts an old man leading a group of students in a karate which make the vigilante as bad as the criminals he’s class. Fascinated, she watched them for half an supposed to fi ght — and she wants to feel better about hour. When the class was over, she approached the herself than that. She might, however, be tempted in old man and asked in her halting Japanese if she cases involving particularly violent rapists, serial kill- could join. Sensing something in her, the old man ers, and similar criminals. 30 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

For the most part DarkAngel restricts her crimefi ghting activities to street gangs, some organized crime groups, and a few costumed criminals such as Penny Dreadful, Anagram, and the Astrologer. She concentrates on pro- tecting the Blackbridge, east Worthington, and Eastwood neighborhoods, but she’ll go wher- ever she feels she’s needed. Campaign Use: DarkAngel is a prototypical DC:TAS character. As such, a GM can use her as an example for players to follow when building their characters, and as a NPC hero to set an example of how the PCs should act. To bring DarkAngel into confl ict with the PCs, the GM can use the fact that her Devotion To Justice is stronger than her Code Versus Kill- ing. Simply have her step over the line, or have it seem she’s stepped over the line, while fi ght- ing crime, and then have the PCs track her down and fi nd out what’s going on. To make DarkAngel more powerful, increase the amount of defenses her Armored Costume provides to 6 PD/6 ED, give her some Combat Skill Levels with the thrown weapons in her Utility Belt (this also allows her to Bounce her attacks, making it easy for her to recover her Halo Boomerang), and/or give her some Targeting and/or Range Skill Levels. To make her less powerful, reduce her DEX to 18 (or even 15) and her SPD to 3. DarkAngel is likely to Hunt anyone who makes a mockery of the legal system or otherwise sneers at justice, and she stops at DarkAngel’s vengeful nature really comes to nothing to make sure the person pays for his the forefront when some criminal escapes from crimes. Unlike the Answer, DarkAngel is unlikely her, insults her, or humiliates her. Th e unlucky felon to Hunt costumed vigilantes who take justice usually ends up taking a long trip to the hospital. into their own hands (unless they go over the She tries to control her temperamental streak, but line, that is) — though she holds herself to a high for now she still has a little too much anger bottled standard and doesn’t take human life, she isn’t up inside of her to calm down. Given time and going to force her standards on others. experience, she’ll probably become much more DarkAngel has no criminal record. even-tempered. Appearance: Stacy Hunter is a slim, physically fi t Quote: “Did you really think you were going to young woman who stands about 5’9” tall. She has get away with this? She may not be able to protect short blonde hair, hazel eyes, and a friendly, expres- herself from scum like you, but I’m on her side, and sive face. As DarkAngel she wears a black bodysuit you can’t protect yourself from me.” with red gloves, heeled boots, and utility belt, and Powers/Tactics: DarkAngel’s style of combat a golden halo “chest symbol.” Her Glider Cape is involves rapid movement, frequent dodging, and black with red trim. Her mask is a black half-face reliance on her karate skills. She carries a versatile mask that doesn’t cover her hair, but she wears a selection of low-powered weapons in her Utility long blonde wig to further conceal her identity. Belt, but usually prefers to save them for emer- gency situations. For example, her Th ermite Pellets work well for burning holes in doors or destroying cocaine, but she would never use them on a living opponent. Her favorite weapons are her “theme” attacks: Halo Grenades (bolo-like Entangle gre- nades which trap the target in bands resembling golden ribbons); the Halo Boomerang (a steel and depleted uranium throwing ring); and Angel-Sword Blades (throwing blades shaped like miniature silver swordblades). Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 31

TRICKSHOT 2 PS: Circus Performer 11- TRICKSHOT Val Char Cost Roll Notes 5 Rapid Attack (Ranged) PLOT SEEDS 13 STR 3 12- Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [3] 3 Stealth 13- 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 1 Streetwise 8- Th e Missing Link has 12 CON 4 11- 2 WF: Common Missile Weapons escaped and the police 12 BODY 4 11- 2 Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered Range have asked the PCs 10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- Weapons) 11- to track him down and capture him... but 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 Resource Points Trickshot has decided 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 4d6 0 Equipment Points: 60 the authorities can’t 14 COM 2 12- 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 help his brother. He 5 PD 2 Total: 9 PD (4 rPD) 0 Follower/Contact Points: 5 wants to capture him 5 ED 3 Total: 9 ED (4 rED) 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 and bring him back to the Mummer and Sons 4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 131 circus so he’ll be around 6 REC 2 Total Cost: 200 friends and family. What 30 END 3 100+ Disadvantages will the PCs do? 30 STUN 5 Total Characteristics Cost: 69 15 DNPC: Tanya Th ompson (girlfriend and Movement: Running: 6”/12” reporter at Th e Hudson Sun) 11- (Normal, Tanya Th ompson has Cost Powers END Useful Noncombat Skills, Unaware of char- been investigating the mysterious Trickshot. 20 Longbow: Multipower, 40-point reserve; acter’s Social Limitation: Secret Identity) 15 DNPC: Abe Harrow, Th e Missing Link She’s begun to suspect all slots OAF (-1) that he and Aaron are (brother and costumed villain) 14- (As pow- 1u 1) Broadhead Arrow: RKA 2d6; OAF the same person! Trick- (-1), Beam (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] erful as character, Unaware of character’s shot asks for the PC’s 2u 2) Blunt Arrow: Energy Blast 8d6; OAF Social Limitation: Secret Identity) help in convincing her (-1), Beam (-¼), 12 Charges (-¼) [12] 15 Hunted: local street gang 11- (As Pow, he’s two diff erent people. 1u 3) Flare Arrow: Sight Group Flash 8d6; Harshly Punish) His plan calls for one OAF (-1), Beam (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] 5 Money: Poor of the PCs to dress as 1u 4) Smoke Arrow: Darkness to Sight 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Kill- Trickshot, and the other PCs to pretend to be Group 4” radius; OAF (-1), 6 Continuing ing (Common, Total) muggers who attack Charges lasting 1 Turn each (removed 15 Psychological Limitation: Showoff (Common, Strong) Aaron and Tanya on by high winds or rain; -¼) [6 cc] their way home from 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Aaron 1u 5) Taser Arrow: Energy Blast 4d6, the movies... but what NND (defense is insulated rED covering Harrow) (Frequently, Major) happens when the local entire body; +1); OAF (-1), Beam (-¼), Total Disadvantage Points: 200 street gang who’s Hunt- 6 Charges (-¾) [6] ing him attacks in the Background/History: Twenty-three years ago in Martial Arts: Cinematic Brawling middle of the staged the Mummer and Sons Circus, twins were born Maneuver OCV DCV Notes mugging? to the bearded lady, Mrs. Anna Harrow, and the 4 Chin Block +2 +2 Block, Abort strong man, Herc Harrow. Th e elder boy, fi rst-born 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 23 STR Th e PCs fi nd a corpse. by thirty-three seconds, was a cute baby with his 5 Hoist ‘n’ Heave -2 -2 Grab Two Th e cause of death mother’s blue eyes and his father’s blond hair. His appears to be an arrow Limbs, 33 STR parents named him Aaron. Th e younger boy was with a scarlet shaft to Th row covered from head to toe in thick, coarse black hair. — just like the arrows 5 Two-Fisted His parents named him Abraham. Trickshot uses. Has the Smash -2 +1 6½d6 Strike Th e two boys grew up in the circus. Th e circus costumed crimefi ghter 3 Tackle +0 -1 2½d6 + v/5 archer and trickshot artist took Aaron under his crossed the line? And if Strike; You Fall; not, what’s going on? wing and taught him how to shoot a bow. For Target Falls Abe, life was diff erent. His parents loved him, and 8 Armored Costume: Armor (4 PD/4 ED); the other members of the circus were friendly OIF (-½) 0 — over the course of their travels, they had seen far Talents stranger things than a boy covered in hair — but 6 Lightning Refl exes: +4 DEX with All Attacks from the moment he was born, everyone knew Abe Skills would work in the circus sideshow under the bill- 18 +6 with Longbow ing “Th e Missing Link.” Th at was just how things 10 Range Skill Levels: +5 versus Range Modifi er went in the circus. with Longbow Abe took it badly — he didn’t want to be freak. 5 +1 with Agility Skills When he turned eighteen, he left the circus. Aaron, who always felt responsible for his little brother, 3 Acrobatics 13- promised his parents he’d fi nd Abe and either 3 Breakfall 13- return to circus with him, or stay with him and 3 Climbing 13- look aft er him. Th e outside world was no place for 3 Combat Driving 13- someone of Abe’s unique talents and appearance to 3 Contortionist 13- live alone. 5 Fast Draw (Bows) 14- 2 KS: Circus Life 11- 32 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Aaron traveled to the nearest urban area ian identity, he’s begun dating Tanya Th ompson, — Hudson City. It didn’t take him long to fi nd his a reporter for the Sun who covered the Missing brother. All he had to do was check out the front Link’s trial and wrote several sympathetic articles. page of Th e Hudson Sun: “Missing Link Frees Personality/Motivation: Trickshot is a good-natured, Gorilla-Brothers!” Below the headline was a photo optimistic young man whose only sorrow in life is of his brother growling at a photographer. Th en, what’s happened to his brother — and even there, day aft er day, the Missing Link and his “Gorilla he’s confi dent the doctors can help Abe eventu- Gang” robbed bank aft er bank. Aaron decided to ally. Th ough he became a costumed crimefi ghter to stop him. He took up his bow and arrows, donned save his brother, he has continued to wage war on a costume, and called himself Trickshot. Aft er sev- crime for several reasons. Partly this is because he’s a eral encounters, he fi nally captured his brother. He thrillseeker (his job as a second-shift dishwasher at tried to talk to him, to convince him of the error the Red Ox diner down the street from his Elmview of his ways, but something had changed in Abe. apartment is dull), but mostly it’s because he wants Something had made him into a feral creature — a to save other people from being “victimized by the far cry from the sullen and unhappy boy Aaron city” the way he feels his bother was. Trickshot gets had grown up with. In the end, Aaron could only homesick at times, and though he cares for Tanya, he turn his brother over to the authorities and hope looks forward to the day when he can return to the they provided him with adequate psychiatric care. circus — but that day won’t come until his brother Since then, Aaron has stayed in Hudson City has been cured. to be near his brother. Abe has escaped on many Aaron is dirt poor. His dishwasher job pays occasions to commit more crimes, but every time very little, and what little money he earns mostly Trickshot stops him. Aaron has taken to patrol- goes to replenishing his archery supplies. He’s too ling Hudson City’s streets at night; he blames the proud to accept money from his family and friends, city for what happened to his brother and wants despite his parents’ frequent off ers to help subsidize to stop it from happening to others. In his civil- his life in the city. Tanya frequently mentions the Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 33

idea of his moving in with her, but with his secret other hand, if the PCs are similarly inexperienced, life as Trickshot, Aaron knows that would lead to a maybe he becomes an occasional ally and they all great many problems. He doesn’t worry too much learn together. about his money situation — but he’s had one or Th e other use for Trickshot is with adven- two brushes with criminals when they were car- tures concerning the Missing Link. As soon as he rying lots and lots of cash, and though he’s always hears his brother is on the loose, Trickshot starts done the right thing and turned the money over to looking for him. Th is may lead to a confrontation the police along with the criminals, a thought or with the PCs who are more traditional vigilantes. two about how much good he could do with the Another way to bring Trickshot into an adventure illicit funds has crossed his mind. is through his girlfriend Tanya, who as a reporter Quote: “Watch this one!” is always in trouble with somebody somewhere. Finally, Trickshot’s lack of money provides a good Powers/Tactics: Trickshot’s abilities stem from adventure hook — especially if he comes to hear his talent and skill with a bow and arrow, and of an expensive psychiatrist whom thinks he can the selection of simple trick arrows he uses in cure the Missing Link. his crimefi ghting. He rarely takes the easy shot To make Trickshot more powerful, add and oft en can’t resist bouncing an arrow off a few more slots to his Longbow Multipower, increase surfaces, even when he has a straight shot at the his STUN and END, or perhaps give him Find target. While he does sometimes gain a Surprise Weakness. To make him less powerful, replace his Move bonus from this, it also gets him in trouble. Multipower with a straight-forward set of Ranged Furthermore, if a fi ght is going well, he’s been Martial Arts maneuvers for the bow, thus allow- known to get cocky and start taking shots just to ing him to purchase his bow and arrows with see if he can make them — fi ring arrows into the Resource Points. barrels of guns, knocking fedoras off gangsters or Trickshot won’t Hunt anyone unless they cigars out of their mouths, and so on — instead of capture or hurt the Missing Link. He has no just incapacitating his foes. criminal record. Against a group of foes, Trickshot takes the high ground. He attempts to separate the group Appearance: Aaron Harrow is a tall, well-muscled using his Smoke Arrows, and then picks them off man in his early twenties, good-looking with thick one by one as they emerge from the smoke. blond hair and blue eyes. In his civilian identity, he usually wears jeans and tee-shirts (unless Tanya Campaign Use: Trickshot is a fl amboyant and browbeats him into wearing something nicer). exuberant hero who lacks experience with the Trickshot’s costume is dark scarlet with black ins-and-outs of crime. He simply has a great talent boots, gloves, and belt. He wears a quiver on his with a bow, sees a lot of crime around him in back and ties a narrow black mask over his eyes. Hudson City, especially in Elmview where he lives, His Longbow is collapsible and fi ts into a “sheathe” and has decided to put his talent to good use. You on his right leg. Both his bow and the shaft s and can use him as a reckless hero who sometimes fl etching of his arrows are scarlet. gets in the PCs’ way — or who’s already been cap- tured by the villains and needs rescuing. On the 34 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition VILLAINS

ADONIS Resource Points Val Char Cost Roll Notes 0 Equipment Points: 60 20 STR 10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4] 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 15 DEX 15 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 20 Follower/Contact Points: 45 20 CON 20 13- 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 15 BODY 10 12- Total Powers & Skills Cost: 91 12 INT 2 11- PER Roll 11- Total Cost: 203 12 EGO 4 11- ECV: 4 100+ Disadvantages 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 10 Distinctive Features: Too Much Plastic Sur- 6 COM -2 10- gery And Fake Tan (Concealable With Eff ort; 8 PD 4 Total: 11 PD (3 rPD) Noticed And Recognizable) 8 ED 4 Total: 11 ED (3 rED) 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department 4 SPD 15 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 8 REC 0 20 Psychological Limitation: Vain (Common, 50 END 5 Total) 50 STUN 15 Total Characteristics Cost: 112 20 Psychological Limitation: Arrogant, Th inks Movement: Running: 8”/16” Of Himself As Greek God (Common, Total) Leaping: 6”/12” 15 Reputation: vain criminal worried about his Cost Powers END looks, 11- Martial Arts: Greco-Roman Wrestling 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (E. Ross, Maneuver OCV DCV Notes former model) (Frequently, Major) 4 Choke -2 +0 Grab One Limb; Total Disadvantage Points: 205 3d6 NND Background/History: “Make me better! Make me 3 Hold -1 -1 Grab Two more beautiful!” commanded the man known to Limbs, 45 STR the world only as Adonis. Persons Magazine had for holding on voted him one of the ten most beautiful men for 4 Reversal -1 -2 45 STR to the last four years, but the latest rankings had just Escape; Grab hit the stand — and Adonis wasn’t one of the ten. 3 Slam +0 +1 6d6 + v/5, Target He’d lost his beauty,and he wanted it back. Falls Th e plastic surgeon studied the man standing 4 Slap +2 +0 8d6 Strike in his offi ce. He was tall and statuesque with broad 3 Take Down +2 +1 6d6 Strike; shoulders, a sculpted body, a narrow waist. He was Target Falls; You gracefully entering middle-age, and the plastic Fall surgeon thought he might be the most attractive 8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) person, man or woman, to ever stand in his offi ce. 2 Strong Legs: Leaping +2” (6” total) 1 He shrugged. “I don’t think I can....” 4 Fast Runner: Running +2” (8” total) 1 Adonis knew his beauty was fading. He Talents wasn’t one of the ten most beautiful men in the 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) world anymore. He got fewer and fewer model- Skills ing jobs. His face no longer graced billboards in 6 +2 with Greco-Roman Wrestling all the major cities of the world, looking down on 10 +2 with Interaction Skills mere mortals like a god gazing from Olympus. His modeling agency said it was because of his 3 Acting 13- arrogance; it claimed photographers found him 3 Conversation 13- difficult to work with and refused to hire him. 3 Breakfall 12- Adonis knew the truth — Persons Magazine had 2 AK: New York 11- only confirmed it. His beauty was fading, and 2 AK: Paris 11- this fool of a plastic surgeon refused to make 2 AK: Milan 11- him more beautiful. 2 KS: Wrestling 11- Adonis fl ew into a rage. He grabbed the plastic 7 Oratory 15- surgeon by the lapels and yanked him out of his 5 Persuasion 14- chair, dragging him over his desk. He shouted in 2 PS: Model 11- the cringing man’s face, “Do as I command!” 3 Seduction 13- Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 35

extravagant lifestyle; second, he wishes to prove his ADONIS beauty to the world. PLOT SEEDS Quote: “Am I not beautiful?” Adonis announces that Powers/Tactics: Without fail, Adonis begins combat he’s giving up his crimi- with a Presence Attack. Even if the situation is dire, nal ways and starting his he puts his fi sts on his hips and orders his opponent own cosmetic company. to surrender. Despite his grotesque appearance, he Th e fi rst release is a has a remarkable force of personality — and it’s new perfume named only become stronger as he’s become more insane. Cupid’s Arrow. Will the Although he’s a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, PCs notice the strange he rarely deigns to fi ght, leaving the Graces (see aff ect the perfume has below) to fi ght instead. Sometimes this proves a on women who wear it — namely that they good tactic against costumed crimefi ghters who must obey every one of subscribe to a chivalrous code or are otherwise dis- Adonis’s commands? inclined to strike women. Adonis’s goons are all women; he collectively Adonis thinks a PC is refers to them as the Graces and gives them names ugly and doesn’t deserve from Greek mythology (typically Aglaia, Euphro- the adulation he receives syne, and Th alia, but he’ll branch out if he has more for his crimefi ghting. than three at a time). Unlike normally goons, these He decides to unmask women are not hired help and don’t get a cut of the the PC and show his take. Th ey worship Adonis — partially because he ugly face to the entire used to be a famous model, partially because he still world — but only aft er exerts a strange and powerful attraction over mem- he and the PC compete in a beauty contest held bers of the opposite sex — and serve him of their before a panel of judges own free will. Th e Graces wear outfi ts in the style of hand-picked by Adonis Ancient Greece: sandals, a knee-length skirt, and a himself. loose top that goes over one shoulder. If it does come to hand-to-hand, Adonis fi rst Adonis decides all male grapples with his opponent. Once he has his foe models should look like in a Hold, he forces him to beg for mercy and him. First he kidnaps a acknowledge that Adonis is beautiful; if his foe plastic surgeon. Th en doesn’t comply, he applies a Choke until the victim he begins kidnapping falls unconscious. Some crimefi ghters have used male models. Can the Adonis’s vanity against him — if faced with con- PCs track him to his vincing threats to scar his face, he oft en fl ees. lair before the surgery begins? Campaign Use: Th e crimes Adonis commits involve beauty. He might hold a beauty pageant hostage: Fear in his voice, the plastic surgeon off ered, fi rst he steals the audience member’s wallets, then “Maybe I could narrow your nose, inject some col- forces the panel of judges to anoint him the most lagen in your lips?” beautiful. He might kidnap a model representing a “Yes,” Adonis said. “Let it be so.” And so the cosmetics company, holding her hostage until the model went under the knife for the fi rst time... but company meets his ransom demand and its CEO not the last. agrees on national television that Adonis is more Since then, Adonis has had numerous beautiful than she. “improvements” made to his face, all in a des- Adonis is more concerned with proving his perate attempt to hold on to his fading beauty. own beauty than ruining that of others — but for a But he’s only become more beautiful in his own darker twist, you might have Adonis start threaten- twisted mind. The countless surgeries have made ing to scar and maim beautiful people (maybe the him grotesque, his face becoming plastic and people on this year’s Persons top ten most beauti- strange looking. Having paid for so many surger- ful). Adonis is interested in any technology that ies, Adonis soon found himself penniless — and would make people worship him — from releasing in his arrogance, he decided to take the money pheromone-laced gases on the unsuspecting city, to he needed to maintain a lifestyle appropriate to a mind-control rays (in more superhero-type games). god among men. To make Adonis more powerful, give him Personality/Motivation: Arrogant and vain, Adonis some Damage Reduction — all the plastic sur- believes himself the most beautiful person in the gery has permanently damaged his nerves and he world. Even before he lost his mind, Adonis was no longer feels pain. To make him less powerful, vain — as he’s aged, his vanity has changed from remove his Damage Classes with Greco-Roman a fault to an insanity. He expects people to bow to Wrestling, or lower his STR. him when they address him, and he grows incred- Adonis generally won’t Hunt heroes — he’s too ibly suspicious when a person doesn’t compliment self-absorbed. But if a hero does something to mar his looks. His motivation for committing crimes his beauty, Adonis won’t stop pursuing that hero is twofold. First, he needs money to maintain his until he gets revenge. 36 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Adonis has a lengthy criminal record for ANAGRAM robbery, assault, and kidnapping, but nothing Val Char Cost Roll Notes more serious. 10 STR 0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2] Appearance: Adonis’s lips are bloated with colla- 19 DEX 27 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 gen. His nose is so thin and narrow, it looks ready 15 CON 10 12- to fall off . He’s had his back teeth removed to give 10 BODY 0 11- himself sunken cheeks. His chin is prominent and 23 INT 16 14- PER Roll 14- his skin has been pulled so tight aft er so many face 12 EGO 4 11- ECV: 4 lift s, it seems as fragile as paper. He’s had all his 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 hair permanently removed and had the hair on his 20 COM 5 13- head replaced with implants of blond curls — so 8 PD 6 Total: 11 PD (3 rPD) shiny, thick, and unmoving, they’re obviously fake. 6 ED 3 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) His cheeks have been given a permanent unhealthy 4 SPD 11 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 blush, and his eyes have been permanently marked 7 REC 4 with eyeliner with arching eyebrows drawn in over 30 END 0 his eyes. He has a nearly perfect sculpted physique, 30 STUN 7 Total Characteristics Points: 98 but his skin has an orange tinge from tanning beds. In short, Adonis looks grotesque and he did it all Movement: Running: 6”/12” to himself of his own free will. He typically wears Cost Powers END a Greco-Roman kilt-like garment and goes bare- Martial Arts: Karate chested, with sandals that lace up just below the Maneuver OCV DCV Notes knee and a dark blue cloak 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 20 STR 4 Dodge +0 +5 Dodge all attacks, Abort 4 Knifehand Strike -2 +0 ½d6 HKA (1d6 with STR) 4 Punch/ Snap Kick +0 +2 4d6 Strike 5 Side/Spin Kick -2 +1 6d6 Strike 6 Armored Bodysuit: Armor (3 PD/3 ED); OIF (-½) 0 20 Lucky: Luck 4d6 0 Skills 3 Cryptography 14- 3 Deduction 14- 3 High Society 12- 2 Language: Anglo-Saxon (fl uent conversation; English is Native) 2 Language: Latin (fl uent conversation) 3 Lockpicking 13- 3 PS: Play Chess 14- 2 PS: Professor 11- 3 Security Systems 14- 3 Stealth 13- 3 Scholar 2 1) KS: Etymology 14- 2 2) KS: Games 14- 2 3) KS: Puzzles 14- 2 4) KS: Riddles 14- 2 5) KS: Trivia 14- 2 6) KS: Word Games, Puns, And Anagrams 14- 2 7) KS: World Literature 14- Resource Points 0 Equipment Points: 0 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 0 10 Follower/Contact Points: 25 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 102 Total Cost: 200 Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 37

100+ Disadvantages word for “lawgiver” was. Looking at the back of the ANAGRAM 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department puzzle book for the answer never even occurred to PLOT SEEDS 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) her — that would be cheating, aft er all. 15 Psychological Limitation: Loves Word The next time the world saw Anna Graham, It’s the world crossword Games, Puzzles, Riddles, And Th e Like, And she was a different person. Instead of her plain competition! Fift y of Cannot Resist Th em (Uncommon, Total) professorial clothes, she was wearing a skintight the best and fastest will 15 Psychological Limitation: Intellectual Vanity outfit patterned after a blank crossword puzzle. compete to complete (Common, Strong) Instead of standing in front of a blackboard, she the hardest crossword 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Kill- was standing in front of a bank vault as her men puzzle known to man... ing (Common, Total) robbed it. When she left, she left behind a clue and the PCs know, just know, that Anagram — a piece of paper with the words “Beth H. boils” 10 Reputation: criminal with word-game fi xa- will be there. Can they tion, 11- written on it in flowery script. fi nd her among the 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Anna Th e police began looking for a woman named fi ft y contestants? And Graham, former English professor) (Fre- Beth H., afraid that this new costumed criminal when the judges report quently, Major) was intending to kill her in some horrible fashion. the answers stolen and Total Disadvantage Points: 200 It took the costumed vigilante DarkAngel to track one enraged contestant Anagram down to the Oy, Vey! Bagel Shoppe in volunteers to help track Background/History: Anna Graham had it all. At Worthington — by rearranging the letters in the down the thief, will the 30, she was one of the “young stars” at Hudson City clue, she spelled “shibboleth,” and then simply had PCs realize that this State University, holding the prestigious Flaherty to fi nd the right shibboleth. Appropriately enough, Anagram in disguise? Chair in the English Department. She made an it was a Jewish shibboleth, since the word itself, as excellent salary, was admired and respected by her Anagram well knew, comes from a Hebrew term. Anagram turns sky- scrapers into gigantic peers, was well-liked by her students, and edited the When DarkAngel defeated her, Anagram was crossword puzzles, using Atlantic Journal of Etomology (a scholarly publica- arrested and sentenced to prison. Aft er serving a tion devoted to the study of word origins and other the widows for boxes few months, she escaped and continued her career by lighting them up at linguistic trivia). And she threw it all away in search as a clue-dropping criminal. Since then she’s been night — will the PCs of an eleven-letter word for “lawgiver.” captured and escaped several times, always return- fi gure out that windows Ever since she was a child, Anna Graham was ing to terrorize the city with her word-puzzle- running down from sev- fascinated by games and puzzles, particularly word inspired crimes. enth fl oor correspond to games. By the time she was ten she could fi nish the And all because of the word “thesmothete.” 7-down in that morn- Hudson City Mirror’s Sunday crossword in just a ing’s crossword puzzle, Personality/Motivation: Anagram is an intellectual few hours. When she was fi ft een she could do it in windows running across snob who loves to show off her smarts through her half an hour without a dictionary to help her. Th is the eighth fl oor corre- skill with word games, puzzles, riddles, and similar led her to study words and word origins, and even- spond to 8-across, and amusements. Th e same desire to show how smart so on? Furthermore, tually to her prestigious professorship. she is got her into teaching. She strongly prefers to will they fi gure out Aft er a while, academia lost its interest for outsmart her opposition, and cannot resist a challenge the answers, and how her, but her love for word games, puns, and riddles relating to word games, puzzles, or anything similar those answers relate to never left her. She found herself spending more that lets her display her brilliance (in fact, she’s been Anagram’s next crime, and more time with her games, and less with her in time to stop her? captured several times when a crimefi ghter or police research and professorial work. She sought out offi cer challenged her to some sort of contest, absorb- more and more diffi cult (and unusual) puzzles to One night Anagram and ing her attention until backup arrived). But she won’t challenge herself with. her goons replace all the accept just any challenge — if the puzzle is an easy And then it happened — a puzzle she street signs in a neigh- one she’ll scoff , solve it almost immediately, and be on couldn’t solve. She came across a clue in one of borhood with scrambled her way. It takes a really diffi cult puzzle to seriously her word puzzles — “Lawgiver,” eleven letters versions — but one’s a attract her attention. Also, she realizes the risks she — that mystified her completely. She missed one little diff erent. Th e clue takes by accepting a challenge, and she expects her to her next crime is the lecture, and then two, hunting for the word in the opponent to take a similar risk (for example, to agree street sign that doesn’t library, cursing the entire time that there wasn’t to be a hostage if defeated). unscramble to the a thesaurus to accompany the full-sized Oxford Anagram never cheats. If a hero beats her correct street name — English Dictionary. by cheating she not only refuses to “play” with instead, it unscrambles For two weeks she combed through the library, to the location of her him anymore, she seeks vengeance for the way emerging only to eat and, occasionally, to sleep. next crime. Will the PCs he spoiled her game. If outsmarted or tricked in It was driving her crazy. What fi nally brought her fi gure this out in time to any way, Anagram becomes furious — she swears back to her senses was the Dean — and the termi- stop her? revenge on the person who tricked her, and nation notice. Th e faculty had noted her increasing doesn’t stop trying to get her revenge until she lack of attention to her work, and this two-week feels she’s succeeded. binge of missing scheduled classes was the last A lot of criminologists have noted the simi- straw. Gift ed or not, she wasn’t doing the work and larities between Anagram and another criminal, she was a bad infl uence, so out she went. Penny Dreadful — intellectual vanity, a love of Unemployment turned out to be a long-term wordplay, and so forth — and have speculated thing. Other universities, having gotten wind of her that they may be somehow related, or even the “peculiarities,” wouldn’t hire her. Finally, she was same person. Although they’ve never met, the thrown out of her apartment for nonpayment of two actively dislike each other and sometimes rent — but the thing that bothered her the most compete for the same “prizes.” was that she still didn’t know what the eleven-letter 38 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

going across or down. In the first blank square is a number, and Anagram uses this number to name them — 14-Down, 7-Across, and so on. Campaign Use: Anagram limits herself to property crimes; she has no desire to hurt anyone who stays out of her way. However, she leaves word game-based clues at the scene of every crime, giving the police or the PCs the chance to match wits with her. She patterns entire series of crimes aft er a set of clues, so there’s usually a method to her madness — a theme to any particular crime spree. If the characters are smart enough to fi gure out what it is, catching her should not be too diffi cult. To make Anagram more powerful, simply give her more and better goons, or perhaps some gadgets. To make her less powerful, remove her Martial Arts. As a Hunter, Anagram is more interested in embarrass- ing and humiliating her prey Quote: “‘DarkAngel?’ No, no, we can think up than killing him or even caus- something more appropriate for you with those let- ing him permanent harm. She’s most likely to Hunt ters. How about ‘Ankle Grad?’ ‘R Naked Gal?’” a hero who has “out-anagrammed” her previously, Powers/Tactics: Although she has some training in in an eff ort to prove her intellectual superiority. karate, Anagram is a game-player, not a fi ghter, and Anagram has a lengthy record for robberies, she knows it. She typically hires a lot of big, dumb assaults, and kidnapping. goons to help her; she controls them with a combi- Appearance: Anagram is an attractive woman in nation of fl attery, wit, and sarcasm. However, she’s her early 30s, standing 5’8” tall and weighing 120 no shrinking violet — she’s perfectly willing to fi ght pounds. Slim, with a well-proportioned figure, if she has to. she’s got the musculature of someone who exer- Anagram’s preferred method for dealing cises regularly. She wears a skintight bodystock- with her foes is to trick them into a trap, usu- ing patterned after a crossword puzzle. Usually ally with her trademark “clues” and word-games all the squares are blank, but sometimes some (or that they can’t possibly be smart enough to all) of them have letters in them (these are often understand. Alternately, she may simply have a a clue of some sort). The costume covers her group of thugs jump her intended victim, beat face completely, but leaves her long, red hair free. him senseless, and then put him in a deathtrap. Since her identity is well-known, sometimes she Anagram’s goons wear costumes similar to her dispenses with the mask altogether, or changes it own, but with only one strip of squares, either to a simple black domino. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 39

THE ASTROLOGER 100+ Disadvantages ASTROLOGER Val Char Cost Roll Notes 20 Enraged: when events do not occur accord- PLOT SEEDS 12 STR 2 11- Lift 133 kg; 2d6 [2] ing to his “chart,” go 11-, recover 11- 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department Th e Astrologer has read 15 CON 10 12- 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) one too many sloppily- 10 BODY 0 11- 20 Psychological Limitation: Believes In Astrol- prepared horoscopes in 18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13- ogy (Common, Total) the Hudson Sun, so he kidnaps the person who 11 EGO 2 11- ECV: 3 10 Reputation: astrological criminal, 11- writes them. Can the 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (William Starkey) (Frequently, Major) PCs track him to his lair 16 COM 3 12- before something bad 6 PD 4 Total: 9 PD (3 rPD) Total Disadvantage Points: 190 happens to the victim? 5 ED 2 Total: 8 ED (3 rED) Background/History: William Starkey’s first 4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 career was as a toymaker. He spent a long time Th e Stars of Zaire, fi ve 5 REC 0 looking for a career that would allow him to of the largest diamonds 30 END 0 in the world, are cur- use his natural creativity and talent for build- rently on display at the 28 STUN 4 Total Characteristics Cost: 76 ing things. But after a few years he was very Hudson City Museum Movement: Running: 6”/12” unhappy with his chosen profession. He began of Anthropology and to find it boring... and to make matters worse, he Cost Powers END Natural History. Can the found out that he really didn’t like having to put PCs stop the Astrologer 17 Astrologer’s Staff : Multipower, 35-point up with little kids. So, in a fit of frustration, he from stealing them? reserve, all OAF (-1) closed up his toy shop for good and turned to his 1u 1) Sun: Sight Group Flash 7d6; OAF (-1), first love — astrology. Aft er they capture the 4 Charges (-1) [4] Starkey had believed devoutly in astrology Astrologer, he gives 1u 2) Moon: Energy Blast 3d6, NND for years, and was quite knowledgeable about the them a grave warning, (defense is Power Defense; +1); OAF (-1), subject. He decided to put his knowledge to good saying the future holds 4 Charges (-1), Reduced By Range (-¼) [4] terrible things for them use as a caster of horoscopes and predictor of the 1u 3) Stars: RKA 1d6, Armor Piercing — and when those fortunes of the rich and famous. It took him a few (+½); OAF (-1), 8 Charges (-½) [8] things start coming true, years to get fi rmly established, but aft er that he 1u 4) Comet: Energy Blast 7d6; OAF (-1), what do the PCs do? Do quickly became the toast of the Hudson City elite. 4 Charges (-1) [4] they ask the Astrologer Th ey considered it fashionable to have him read for advice? Or is this 1u 5) Clouds: Darkness to Normal Sight 3”; their stars and attend their parties to entertain some plot on his part to OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾), No Range (-½) [6] everyone with his wit and imagination. Starkey was discourage the heroes? 3 Goggles: Flash Defense (5 points); OIF (-½) 0 on top of the world. Talents It didn’t last forever, of course. Aft er a few 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) months, the rich and famous tired of him and Skills found new interests to pursue. Starkey was left 9 +3 with Astrologer’s Staff behind, bitter and angry. He simply couldn’t toler- ate being rejected. Well, he decided, if they won’t 3 Electronics 11- give their money to me, I’ll take it from them! 1 Forgery (Art Objects) 8- A few weeks later, he showed up at another 3 High Society 12- fancy party — but not dressed in a tuxedo. Wearing 3 Inventor 13- starry robes, carrying a staff , and backed up by a 8 KS: Astrology 18- squad of thugs, he called himself the Astrologer. He 3 Oratory 12- and his gang robbed everyone at the party, then left 3 Persuasion 12- aft er Starkey made a few snide remarks about what 5 PS: Astrologer 15- their stars said. 2 PS: Toymaker 11- It wasn’t long before he was captured, since 3 SS: Astronomy 13- several partygoers recognized him. He served Resource Points part of his time in prison, escaped, and returned 0 Equipment Points: 0 to a life of crime. He’s been repeating this cycle 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 0 ever since. 10 Follower/Contact Points: 25 Personality/Motivation: Th e Astrologer is an ego- 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 tistical little man with a fascination for astrology. Total Powers & Skill Cost: 84 A blow to his ego turned him to crime, and even Total Cost: 160 today any insult to his intelligence, wit, or looks angers him. He always makes sure to hire rela- tively unintelligent thugs so that he can lord his intellect over them... but this hasn’t exactly helped the execution of his schemes or his chances to escape when things go wrong. Before the start of any crime, he always prepares a star chart to help him plan the caper and anticipate any diffi culties. (Th e chart provides a valuable clue for fi guring out his next move, if the heroes can acquire it.) If his 40 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

chart turns out to be wrong from hijacking a telescope, — typically because of the to stealing a display of dia- “interference” of the police or monds named after stars, crimefi ghters — he oft en fl ies to robbing a charity ball at into a rage. the local planetarium. His Quote: “Th e fault, dear man, main interest is accumulat- lies not in your stars, but in ing wealth, so he’s unlikely to you own utter stupidity.” Hunt heroes — unless it’s in the stars, that is. If it is, his Powers/Tactics: Th e Astrolo- tactics aren’t sophisticated: ger’s only real “powers” come he commits some crime from the staff that he carries. that’s primarily a trap to It contains several concealed lure the PC, then orders his weapons that allow it to emit goons to jump the PC. bright light (his Flash), sleep To make the Astrologer gas (NND), dangerous sparks more powerful, increase the (RKA), a powerful blast (EB), points in his Multipower and or smoke (Darkness). He may the slots, and increase his also carry other weapons or defenses. To make him less gadgets with a “star” theme if powerful, lower his SPD to 3, the GM so desires. or even 2, and take away some Th e Astrologer has no of the slots in his Multipower. real combat skills, but he likes to think he does. He always Appearance: Th e Astrologer is tries to stand and fi ght for a a man of average height and Phase or two... but as soon as weight in his mid-thirties. He he takes a hard blow or real- has black hair and a short black izes the situation is hopeless, beard and moustache which and then he fl ees. he keeps elegantly trimmed. Th e Astrologer’s goons He wears a black robe and are named aft er the signs of cape spangled with silver the zodiac. Th ey wear black stars, moons, and planets, and bodysuits with the appropri- confi nes his hair with a silver ate sign on the chest in silver. headband that has a star set in the middle of his forehead. His Campaign Use: The Astrologer’s crimes center Astrologer’s Staff is made of plain black wood carved around the stars and heavens. This can range with rows of astrological symbols. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 41

BEATLEMANIA 100+ Disadvantages BEATLEMANIA Val Char Cost Roll Notes 10 Distinctive Features: Always Hums Or Sings PLOT SEEDS 12 STR 2 11- Lift 133 kg; 2d6 [2] Beatles Songs (Concealable With Eff ort, 15 DEX 15 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 Noticed And Recognizable) Beatlemania and Penny 12 CON 4 11- 15 Enraged: when someone confuses a Beatles Dreadful team up to 10 BODY 0 11- song with the solo work of John, Paul, the theme of “Paper- 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- George, or Ringo (Uncommon) go 11-, back Writer.” Th ey plan to steal the notes 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 recover 11- of John Lennon and 10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) Paul McCartney (cur- 10 COM 0 11- rently on display at the 20 Psychological Limitation: Obsessed With 7 PD 5 Total: 11 PD (4 rPD) museum). But Beatle- Th e Beatles (Common, Total) 5 ED 3 Total: 9 ED (4 rED) mania keeps calling his 10 Reputation: criminal with Beatles fi xation, 11- 3 SPD 5 Phases: 4, 8, 12 partner Penny Lane, 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (John Paul so how much longer 4 REC 0 Kite) (Frequently, Major) can this team-up last? 30 END 3 10 Experience Points Will the PCs have to 30 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 50 save Beatlemania from Total Disadvantage Points: 205 Movement: Running: 6”/12” Penny’s wrath? Background/History: John Paul Kite spent his life Cost Powers END traveling the fl ea markets, buying and trading Uh-oh... the singers in 12 Happiness Is A Warm Gun: RKA 1½d6, Beatles memorabilia. He was a true fan — a person the new band, Boys Be Armor Piercing (+½); OAF (revolver; -1), who had dedicated his life to his love — but ulti- Bad, have just claimed Beam (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] mately, when it came to amassing a collection of they’re bigger than the 21 Lucy+ Gas Pellets: Drain EGO 2d6, NND rare and important Beatles-related artifacts, being a Beatles. How long will (defense is Life Support [Self-Contained it take for Beatlemania fan didn’t matter. What mattered was money. Breathing or appropriate Immunity]; +½), to fi nd out about this Kite read in the newspaper about an auction Ranged (+½); OAF (gun; -1), 6 Charges sacrilege and take his where the shoes Paul had taken off before shooting (-¾) plus Mental Illusions 8d6; OAF (gun; revenge? the cover for Abbey Road were being put up for bid. -1), Set Eff ect (make environment psyche- Th e estimated value of the shoes was fi ve hundred delic; -1), Based On CON (-1), Only Paul McCartney’s been grand. Kite checked his bank account, saw that Versus Targets Aff ected By Drain (-½), kidnapped, and the PCs he was overdrawn, and decided to steal the shoes. must fi nd him. Beatle- Linked (-½), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] At the auction, he fi red his revolver up into the mania, their number 43 Sgt. Pepper’s Spray: Sight Group Flash 5d6, air, grabbed the shoes, and for the fi rst time truly one suspect, gets in NND (defense is solid eye covering; +1), understood that happiness was a warm gun. touch with them and Delayed Recovery (+2); OAF (-1), No Dubbing himself Beatlemania, Kite went on a off ers to help fi nd Sir Range (-½), Real Weapon (-¼), crime spree, swearing he wouldn’t stop until every Paul. Can the PCs trust 12 Charges (-¼) plus Energy Blast 3d6, him? important piece of Beatles memorabilia was out of NND (defense is solid eye covering; +1); the hands of infi dels and in his own loving posses- OAF (-1), No Range (-½), Real Weapon sion. But he didn’t get that far — DarkAngel soon (-¼), 12 Charges (-¼) [12] caught him trying to steal a pair of John’s steel rim 15 Good Day Sunshine Grenades: Sight spectacles from a private collector. Since then, he’s Group Flash 6d6, Area Of Eff ect (One Hex; been in and out of state psychiatric facilities — +½); OAF (grenades; -1), 4 Charges (-1) [4] once even cutting his hair to convince his therapist 8 Rubber Soul Longjohns: Armor he was cured of his obsession (for the subsequent (4 PD/4 ED); OIF (-½) 0 crime spree, he was forced to adopt a mod look). 10 Help!: Luck 2d6 0 Over time his crimes have become more general, Skills but they never deviate from his Beatles theme. 15 +5 with his four weapons Personality/Motivation: Obsessed with the Beatles 5 AK: Hudson City 14- and disgusted with the capitalist market forces that 2 AK: Liverpool 11- drive up prices for Beatles memorabilia, Beatle- 7 KS: Th e Beatles 17- mania has decided to take what he wants. Since 2 PS: Memorabilia Dealer 11- fi rst stealing Paul’s shoes, Beatlemania has slipped 3 Shadowing 12- further and further into... well... mania. Outside of 5 Streetwise 12- his obsession, he comes across as a typical hippy 2 Survival (Urban) 12- — though maybe a little more Weatherman than 3 Trading 11- Peace and Love. Th ere’s very little outside the Bea- 2 WF: Small Arms tles he’s willing to discuss anymore, since nothing Resource Points else seems important. He’s always humming, sing- 0 Equipment Points: 60 ing, or whistling Beatles songs; the only way he can 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 stop for 1d6 Turns is to succeed with an EGO Roll. 0 Follower/Contact Points: 5 He fl ies into an inexplicable rage when someone 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 confuses a song he sings or hums with a song from one of the Beatles’s solo career — a fact that some Total Powers & Skills Cost: 155 costumed crimefi ghters have used to their advan- Total Cost: 205 tage. (He gets only slightly less mad when someone 42 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Whenever he pulls out a weapon, Beatlemania sings a snippet of song appropriate to the weapon’s name, and for PCs versed in Beatles songs this can serve as a clue to what eff ect the weapon will have. As he fi ghts, he tends to dance and sway as if music were playing — it is, of course, but only Beatlema- nia can hear it. Th e goons Beatlemania employs dress as hippies wearing bell bottoms and tie-dyes, and they’re named aft er songs (Lovely Rita, Bungalow Bill, Rocky Raccoon, Eleanor Rigby, and so on), or sometimes more generically as “Blue Meanies.” Th ey’re never named aft er the Beatles themselves — Blasphemy! Th ere’s only John, Paul, George, and Ringo — I mean one of each, man. Campaign Use: Beatlemania’s crimes center around the Beatles. He steals memorabilia or patterns a crime spree aft er a Beatles album, song, or movie. He might paint a submarine yellow and rob ships at port; commit a series of crimes over one night in the order of the songs on A Hard Day’s Night; or give a van a psychidelic paint-job and take a Magi- cal Mystery Tour of the suburbs. To make Beatlemania less of a threat, take away his gadgets, starting with his Lucy+ Gas Pel- lets. To make him more of a threat, raise his Char- acteristics to STR 15, DEX 18, and CON 15, adjust- ing his Secondary Characteristics as appropriate. Beatlemania only Hunts PCs if they either repeatedly insult the Beatles (and nothing gets under his skin more than saying the Rolling Stones were better than the Beatles) or have some sort of tie to the band (for example, if they’re known confuses a non-Beatles song for a Beatles tune, or to own a piece of Beatles memorabilia, or have a describes a Beatles tune remade by someone else as name that somehow relates to the pattern of Bea- “the original” or “better.”) tlemania’s latest crime spree). Any PC he captures Quote: “Baby, I’m a rich man! Baby, I’m a rich man! fi nds himself in a deathtrap based on a Beatles song Baby, I’m a rich man, too!” while the song itself plays in the background: a slide into a pool of sharks while “Helter Skelter” Powers/Tactics: Beatlemania’s main “powers” stem plays; being spun at ever-increasing speeds on an from the handful of gadgets that he’s painted psy- oversized turntable while hearing “Revolution 9”; chedelic colors and named aft er various Beatles’ chained down directly below a soon-to-swing silver songs and albums. Happiness Is A Warm Gun hammer while “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” plays. is a simple revolver painted green and pink; Sgt. Beatlemania has a criminal record for robbery, Pepper’s Spray is a canister of industrial strength assault, and a few acts of kidnapping. pepper spray foam with a copy of the album cover to “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” pasted Appearance: Th e greatest tragedy of Beatlemania’s on the cylinder. existence is that at 26 years old, he’s too young to His Lucy+ Gas Pellets are of his own devising. have seen the Beatles perform live. He’s a short, A small air gun studded with rhinestones launches non-descript man with long stringy brown hair the pellets that explode in a puff of gas. Persons (sometimes cut in the early Beatles style). He wears inhaling the gas suff er from eff ects similar to those sunglasses with round, rose-colored lenses over brought on by a hit of LSD but much stronger his bloodshot eyes, and keeps his hair back with a (and shorter-term). In addition to losing his sense tie-dyed bandanna. He wears tee-shirts that feature of purpose and self as his consciousness expands a Beatles album cover or simply say “Th e Beatles,” to become one with the universe, the victim sees bell bottoms sewn with many colorful patches, and colorful auras of sliding and shift ing colors around sandals made from hemp. Over this he wears an everyone and everything. Th e auras are more dis- old army coat with deep pockets where he keeps tracting than anything, but for some — the espe- his weapons. On rare occasions, he may change his cially grim and serious, for instance — it can be a garb to fi t a particular crime spree or song, such as harrowing experience to see the world in bright putting on a uniform reminiscent of the ones the day-glo colors. Beatles wear on the cover of Sgt. Pepper’s. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 43

CHITCHAT 1u 3) Smoke: Darkness to Sight Group 2” CHITCHAT Val Char Cost Roll Notes radius, Indirect (attack always originates PLOT SEEDS 12 STR 2 11- Lift 133 kg; 2d6 [2] from Chitchat, but can strike target from 15 DEX 15 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 any angle; +½), No Range Modifi er (+½); A television exec has 12 CON 4 11- Common Modifi ers (see above; -2), 8 agreed to give Chitchat 12 BODY 4 11- Charges lasting 1 Turn each (-0) [8cc] a talkshow — TV sta- 20 INT 10 13- PER Roll 13- 1u 4) Flash: Sight Group Flash 2d6, Indirect tions will do anything for ratings. But then 15 EGO 10 12- ECV: 5 (attack originates from Chitchat, but can the ratings for the fi rst 12 PRE 2 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 strike target from any angle; +½), No Range Modifi er (+½); Common week come in and the 10 COM 0 11- show has tanked. Chit- Modifi ers (see above; -2), 4 Charges (-1) [6] 5 PD 3 Total: 8 PD (3 rPD) chat knows he needs a 1u 5) Th ermite: RKA 1d6, Armor Piercing costumed crimefi ghter 5 ED 3 Total: 8 ED (3 rED) (+½), Area Of Eff ect (One Hex; +½), 3 SPD 5 Phases: 4, 8, 12 to get those ratings up, Indirect (attack originates from Chitchat, so he sets a trap to lure 4 REC 0 but can strike target from any angle; +½), the heroes onto his 24 END 0 No Range Modifi er (+½); Common show. But the televi- 24 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 58 Modifi ers (see above; -2), 4 Charges (-1) [6] sion exec has other Movement: Running: 6”/12” 6 Armored Bodysuit: Armor (3 PD/3 ED); ideas. He thinks the show needs some death Cost Powers END OIF (-½) 0 8 Earplugs: Hearing Group Flash Defense and dismemberment 16 Microphone: Multipower, 40-point — Chitchat, the heroes, (12 points); OIF (-½) reserve, 1 Continuing Fuel Charge whomever. Will the PCs (battery, easily obtained; 6 Hours; -0); Skills fi gure out what’s going all slots OAF (-1), Only Works If Th ere 16 Distracting Patter: +4 DCV; Incantations (-¼) on before it’s too late? Are Speakers Present At Location (-½) [1cc] 3 Acting 11- 1u 1) “May I Please Have Your Attention”: 3 Bugging 13- Aft er his talk show goes +10 PRE; OAF (-1), Only Works If Th ere 3 Computer Programming 13- the way of the dodo, Are Speakers Present At Location (-½) 0 5 Electronics 14- Chitchat comes up with 1u 2) “Testing.... 1, 2... SKREEEEEEE”: 5 Inventor 14- another brilliant idea: reality TV! He con- Energy Blast 2d6, NND (defense is 3 KS: Television And Radio Personalities 13- vinces another network Hearing Group Flash Defense; +1), 3 KS: History Of Broadcast Media 13- exec to put Th e Chitchat Area Of Eff ect (12” Radius; +2); OAF (-1), 5 Oratory 12- Show on the air, with Only Works If Th ere Are Speakers Present 5 Persuasion 12- cameramen following At Location (-½), No Range (-½), 3 PS: Television And Radio Repairman 13- him around constantly Incantations (-¼) 0 5 Security Systems 14- to record his crimes, 1u 3) “Ka-Booooom!”: Hearing Group 5 Systems Operation 14- his daily activities, how Flash 4d6, Area Of Eff ect (12” Radius; +2); he decorates his secret Resource Points headquarters.... Th e rat- OAF (-1), Only Works If Th ere Are 12 Equipment Points: 120 Speakers Present At Location (-½), No ings go through the roof. 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 Th e PCs have to put a Range (-½), Incantations (-¼) 0 15 Follower/Contact Points: 35 stop to this abuse of the 13 Chattering Teeth: Multipower, 40-point 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 airwaves. reserve; all slots OAF (-1), Only Against Targets On Th e Ground (-½), Extra Time Total Powers & Skills Cost: 142 Total Cost: 200 Chitchat has hijacked (travels at the rate of 12” per Segment, the airwaves — it’s all taking a minimum of one Extra Segment 100+ Disadvantages Chitchat, all the time, to reach its target; -½) 10 Distinctive Features: Can’t Shut Up and that’s too much 1u 1) Freeze Gas: Minor Transform 2d6 (Concealable With Eff ort, Noticed And Rec- for anyone to bear. Th e (normal object to frozen stiff object, heals ognizable) heroes must track him by thawing out at normal rate), Indirect 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department down and make their (attack originates from Chitchat, but can 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) way through the traps lying in wait to bring strike target from any angle; +½), No 25 Psychological Limitation: Craves Attention the broadcasting day to Range Modifi er (+½); Common (Very Common, Total) an end. Modifi ers (see above; -2), Limited Target 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus (nonliving objects with moving parts; -½), Killing (Common, Total) As Chitchat’s latest 4 Charges (-1) [4] 10 Reputation: criminal with craving for atten- caper comes to an end, 1u 2) Sleeping Gas: Energy Blast 2d6, NND tion who’s mostly harmless, 8- he handcuff s himself to (defense is Life Support [Self-Contained 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Calvin one of the heroes — this Breathing or appropriate Immunity]; +1), Jacobson) (Frequently, Major) will guarantee that he Indirect (attack originates from Chitchat, Total Disadvantage Points: 205 stays in the limelight! but can strike target from any angle; +½), Th e handcuff s are based No Range Modifi er (+½); Common on a design by the great Modifi ers (see above; -2), 4 Charges (-1) [4] Harry Houdini himself. Th e chain is unbreak- able, the lock unpick-

Continued on next page 44 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Continued from last page couldn’t keep out the sounds. The voices filled the small room and echoed from its walls; it felt able, and the hero is like they were crushing him. stuck with Chitchat until someone can fi gure out And then, all of sudden, talking made so a way to open the cuff s. much sense. It’s an odd couple for a For the fi rst time in his life, Cal had something new generation... “You to say... and he wanted the whole world to hear. He like potato and I like didn’t have anything interesting to say, but neither potahto. You like tomato did anyone else, so he didn’t see why that should and I like tomahto. stop him. Listen to the television and radio, Cal told Potato, potahto. Tomato, himself — all those people talking and talking, and tomahto. Let’s call the none of them with anything worth saying. Th ey’re whole thing off .” just like me. Cal wanted to be on television... no, he deserved to be on television! He might settle for radio, but only as a stepping stone to bigger and better things — no one listened to radio anymore, and Cal wanted the biggest audience he could fi nd. Cal soon found out getting on television wasn’t so easy when he showed up the next morning at the local stations and pitched whoever would talk to him — the receptionist, and then the security guard — his idea for an evening talkshow. Th e next day he tried the radio stations, and much to his surprise, they wouldn’t give him a show either. Obviously, drastic measures were necessary. Cal used his talent with electronics to assem- ble some gadgets, made himself a costume, and dubbed himself Chitchat. Th e next day he took Jill Winstead and her live studio audience hostage. He demanded a million dollars and that the network give him his own talkshow — the Chitchat Hour with your host Chitchat. He wanted primetime, Background/History: His nickname in high school but an early morning slot was doable. He tried to was Yeah Man, because he would only ever answer, be fl exible about the time slot, aft er all “you have to “Yeah.” If the answer was no, he just shook his head. give a little, to get a little.” Outside of yeah, Cal never said a word. He DarkAngel arrived on the scene and quickly wasn’t stupid — he did well in his classes, and took Chitchat into custody — but the news media had a real talent with electronics — but he didn’t gave Chitchat a taste of what he wanted. Th ey have anything to say. He never understood why showed his face on televison for thirty seconds people spoke so much. Th ey never said anything during the nightly newshour, and the newspa- important, and Cal just didn’t understand why they pers gave his crime two inches on the front page talked when they had nothing to say. His parents (although it was below the fold, Chitchat couldn’t had worried about it when he was younger, but help but notice with chagrin). Chitchat knew his aft er a while they got used to Cal’s laconic ways and next crime would have to be bigger and more gran- stopped urging him to talk. Besides, all their friends diose. He’d have to do something really spectacular with children said they were lucky — their children to grab the audience’s attention.... never shut up. Personality/Motivation: Aft er years of spending time Cal grew from a silent adolescent into a silent alone and in silence, Chitchat has fi nally decided he adult. He found a job that required a minimum of wants to be the center of attention. All of his crimes human contact: he opened a television and radio stem from this basic desire. Originally he wanted repair shop. Business was slow — most people just his own talkshow, and reasonably enough he was replaced broken televisions and radios nowadays willing to start at the bottom and work his way up — but for Cal, that was a part of the job’s appeal. — but that didn’t pan out. Th e only way for him to One night Cal was sitting in his back room, get on television is to commit crimes, so that’s what the small space piled high with televisions and he does. radios in various states of repair — many of Chitchat can’t stop talking — and what he them stilled plugged into the outlet from when says isn’t interesting. He peppers his talk with fre- Cal last tested them. Outside it began to storm, quent aphorisms, homilies, and cliches. He oft en and when lightning hit a nearby power line, “narrates” the action for the “viewers at home.” the sudden surge in electricity turned on all of Even when alone and making a ham sandwich, he those radios and televisions. Cal found himself describes the whole thing in colorful and exciting in the middle of pandemonium — a cacophony language. In combat with crimefi ghters, he can’t of squawking, chattering voices talking, talking, shut up, providing color commentary to rival that talking. He stuck his fingers in his ears, but he of the most annoying sports announcer. He even Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 45

sometimes stops in the middle of fi sticuff s, holds Chitchat commits any crime he thinks will his microphone to the hero’s face, and asks, “Th e get him attention, but most of his crimes are audience at home needs to know — how are you committed at places where television cameras feeling right at this moment?” are already on sight. Chitchat is dedicated to Quote: “Ooooh... that hit looked like a doozy, folks! spectacle, not profit, and plans his crimes for He got knocked into next week!” maximum exposure and excitement. He might hijack all the floats in a parade, take over the Powers/Tactics: Chitchat is an electronics whiz broadcast booth at a sporting event, or steal a and talented inventor. His powers stem from the television news chopper. Experience has taught gadgets he invented: his Microphone and his Chat- him both that costumed crimefighters will show tering Teeth. Th e Microphone is cordless and can up eventually and that the viewing public loves tap into any speakers in 12” radius — stereo and costumed crimefighters, so he always plans for television speakers, radios headsets, PA systems, cell their arrival, setting traps for them and placing phones, intercoms, or any other device designed to cameras to record the action. He’s also learned receive signals and translate them into voices. With that crime sprees are the way to really grab the the microphone he can get people’s attention (+10 audience, since more people start paying atten- PRE), cause a blarring, grating screech by holding tion as the spree goes on, so he always tries to the microphone too close to his mouth (the Energy make good on his escape... and if does escape, he Blast), or yell into the microphone — usually always shows up exactly one news cycle later to saying, “Ka-booom!” — and deafen people. commit another crime. Th e Chattering Teeth look like the toys of the Chitchat would Hunt any extremely popular same name. Chitchat can throw one on the ground, hero in an attempt to ride the hero’s coattails to the and the Teeth start chattering as they moves toward top of the ratings. He employs deathtraps of a sort the target. at 12” per Segment. THey follow the — but death is never the outcome, since Chitchat target around until they hit him, but can only travel isn’t a killer. Th ey’re really embarrassmenttraps, cre- along the ground. If the target is off the ground ating humiliating situations that, if Chitchat has his — hanging from a chandelier or swingline, or way, get broadcast to the four corners of the globe otherwise suspended — the Chattering Teeth stop when he sends the tape to the networks. directly below him and explode harmlessly at the Chitchat’s goons wear everyday clothes, but end of that Segment. all of them are equipped with earplugs and one is Tactics-wise, Chitchat tries to make the usually assigned to a television camera. To make action as suspenseful as possible. He wants it to Chitchat more of a threat, turn him into a casual be good television, since he knows the viewing killer — it’s blood and guts the audience wants, not public is a fickle creature likely to change the boring talk shows and color commentary — and channel at any moment. give him gadgets that kill. Make him a killer aft er Campaign Use: Chitchat is a more a nuisance the heroes have encountered him once or twice, than anything and serves as a good villain for so his newfound deadliness is a shock. Chitchat is comedic adventures. His crimes are disruptive, already pretty harmless, but to make him less of a but never harmful, and the heroes should want threat, remove his Chattering Teeth. to capture him more out of a desire to make sure Chitchat has a criminal record for robbery and he gets the psychiatric help he needs than out kidnapping. Th ere are some technical charges of of desperation to stop his crimes. Chitchat has assault against him as well, but he’s never actually a city-wide reputation for being harmless, and deliberately physically harmed anyone. in situations where he takes people “hostage,” Appearance: When he first started out, Chitchat the hostages tend to become annoyed, bemused, dressed like a television anchorman. Since then, or sometimes even entertained by his antics — he’s decided that bright and colorful costumes they’re rarely afraid, since he’s never hurt anyone. get better ratings. He wears a bright red body suit with sky blue gloves and boots. He carries his Chattering Teeth in a white pouch that he wears slung over his shoulder, and his microphone has a stylized CC on four sides of it. He wears a domino mask, one side red, the other side blue. He stands 6’0” tall, is fit but not overly muscular, and has neatly-combed brown hair. 46 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

COPYCAT COPYCAT 100+ Disadvantages PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes 5 Enraged: when unmasked (Uncommon) go 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] 8-, recover 14- Th e Answer has just 15 DEX 15 12- OCV: 3/DCV: 3 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department been seen robbing a 15 CON 10 12- 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) pet store named Mister 12 BODY 4 11- 25 Physical Limitation: Amnesia (All Th e Time, Paws — a boutique 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- Fully) specializing in supply- 8 EGO -4 11- ECV: 3 20 Psychological Limitation: Must Pretend To ing cat toys, food, and 10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 Be Someone Else (Common, Total) so on. Could this be a 10 Reputation: criminal who assumes identities new twist in Copycat’s 8 COM -1 11- of others, 8- fractured psyche — now, 7 PD 4 Total: 10 PD (3 rPD) 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (John instead of imitating vil- 7 ED 4 Total: 10 ED (3 rED) Doe) (Frequently, Major) lains, he imitates heroes? 4 SPD 15 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 Or is some deeper mys- 6 REC 0 Total Disadvantage Points: 200 tery at work? 30 END 0 Background/History: The nameless man first 31 STUN 3 Total Characteristics Cost: 60 Two crime sprees, two realized he didn’t exist when he didn’t get a pay- cat-related clues... a vil- Movement: Running: 6”/12” check. He rarely emerged from his office except lain has gotten clever Cost Powers END to leave for the day at five, and when he took and timed his crime Martial Arts: Karate the matter up with his supervisor, his supervi- spree so it occurs at the Maneuver OCV DCV Notes sor didn’t recognize him. Rather than admit same time as one of 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort this glaring ignorance concerning one of his Copycat’s. Now the PCs 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 25 STR employees, the supervisor referred the nameless must fi gure out which 4 Dodge +0 +5 Dodge all man to Human Resources. The nameless man’s of the villain is the real complaint moved up the chain of command McCoy and which is attacks, Abort Copycat. But what if 4 Knifehand Strike -2 +0 HKA ½d6 from one confused person to another until he Copycat is actually imi- (1d6+1 with found himself in the HR director’s office. The tating two diff erent vil- STR) HR director took charge of the situation and lains at the same time. 4 Punch/ informed the nameless man the records showed Snap Kick +0 +2 5d6 Strike he had never worked there. No paycheck would A villain starts a crime 5 Side/Spin Kick -2 +1 7d6 Strike be forthcoming. spree with a cat-related Further evidence the nameless man didn’t exist Perks theme — could it be followed shortly. When the nameless man fi led for 3 Anonymity Copycat has found unemployment, the employment offi ce showed no his own identity? And Talents record — no record on any government database would that qualify as 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) at all — of the nameless man’s employment history. progress or sinking Th e bureaucrat took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes, deeper into insanity? Skills Or is it a new villain? 6 +2 with Karate and suggested the nameless man leave before the bureaucrat was forced to turn him over to Immi- Or is it an existing vil- 30 Various Skills: Variable Power Pool (Skill lain copying Copycat, gration. Th en the nameless man tried to renew his Pool), 20 base + 10 control cost maybe getting some driver’s license. Again there was no record of him, payback for Copycat 15 Acting 17- and the person confi scated his “forged” license and imitating him? 13 Disguise 17- told him to leave or else. 7 KS: Supervillains 16- With his credit cards declined and his bank 13 Mimicry 17- accounts gone — just disappeared — bit by bit Resource Points the nameless man ceased to exist. The day his 12 Equipment Points: 120 landlord kicked him out of his apartment, the 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 nameless man’s lack of existence finally drove 10 Follower/Contact Points: 25 him insane. Desperate for any sort of life, he stole 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 the identities of others... and finally, he began to Total Powers & Skills Cost: 140 steal the identities of costumed villains. He imi- Total Cost: 200 tated their gestures, their voices, their costumes, and their crimes — imitated them perfectly. But regardless of which villain’s crimes he imitated, one thing always marked his crime sprees: the last crime never fit the pattern. The press dubbed the nameless man Copycat, and he finally found an existence to call his own. Personality/Motivation: Whatever happened to Copycat’s record — whether a computer glitch, a “ghost in the machine,” or a virus that targeted only him — it has driven him totally insane. Copycat no longer has his own personality — he adopts the superfi cial traits of whatever villain he’s imitating. Studies his “subject” intensively, becoming well- Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 47

versed on any topic that’s pertinent, but he imme- diately forgets this knowledge when he assumes a new identity. Not only does he not have his own personality, he has forgotten (or maybe repressed, if one can believe his fi le from Toddberry Asylum) most of the details of his past, including his name. Quote: “Anagram... word puzzles, crosswords... Copycat is Pot Ya... no.. it’s Toy Ca... no... Copycat is Coy Pact... hmmm, I must practice this.” Powers/Tactics: Copycat is a master of disguise — and the costumes villains wear only help him with his disguise when he assumes their appear- ance. He can appear as a man or woman, if neces- sary making slight alterations to the costume to perfect his appearance (i.e., giving a villainess’s costume a high neck to hide his adam’s apple, and a padded corset to give himself breasts and a waist). He goes to great extremes to perfect his disguise, adding and dropping weight as necessary, changing his hair, using contacts to change his eye color, and placing lift s in his boots to increase his height. Only intimates of the villain might recognize the diff er- ence with a casual glance — and no one else notices without careful scrutiny. The only place his disguise breaks down is with specialized equipment and physical tal- ents like Martial Arts. For equipment, he makes do with mundane substitutes, only using what seems appropriate for the villain. If anyone points out the difference, he reacts the way the villain he’s imitating would (often he claims he just got out of jail and hasn’t had time to get specialized equipment). Though he’s schooled final crime, it doesn’t fit the pattern — it centers in basic karate, he’s not so skilled he can imitate on the theme of cats, and the clue left at the first distinctive styles, and a successful Analyze Style crime in the spree points to the nature of the roll reveals the difference if the character has final crime Copycat plans to commit. encountered the bona fide villain previously. In game terms, Copycat uses his Skill Pool Campaign Use: You can use Copycat to spice up VPP to gain the knowledge and abilities he needs your campaign if the players become bored with to pass himself off as a villain — think of it as an following a themed crime spree to its natural con- ultra-advanced form of Cramming. One of the clusion. He adds a subtle twist to the concept, thus Skills he always buys is a KS of the villain whose keeping the PCs on their toes. identity he adopts; it’s based on his research into To make Copycat more powerful, give him a the subject and won’t cover anything he couldn’t second VPP that allows him to mimic the Char- reasonably find out using publicly-available acteristics of his subject — in other words, allows sources of information. him to raise his STR, DEX, and so on by minor When Copycat commits crimes as another amounts. To make him less powerful, lower his Dis- villain, two things give him away — he always guise, Acting, and Mimicry. includes them, almost as if it were a subcon- Copycat would only Hunt PCs the villain he’s scious cry for help. First, there’s always some sort currently imitating Hunts, and he would act the of vague reference to cats at the first crime scene. same as that villain. Examples include planning a crime to take place Th e HCPD wants Copycat for a string of rob- down the street from a restaurant named Taste of beries, though it’s likely he’s committed even more Siam (Siamese cats), having a pack of cats might robberies that the police attribute to whomever he be present on the scene, or leaving a sprinkle of was copying at the time. Th ere is no existing com- catnip nearby. It’s usually a subtle clue, but it’s puter record anywhere in the world of Copycat’s always there. Second, all of the crimes establish a life before he became a criminal. pattern, or he leaves behind clues, that point to a Appearance: Copycat looks like whatever villain final crime — and then without warning, Copy- he’s imitating. Outside of his costume, he’s a truly cat commits some other crime that’s somehow plain-looking man, standing about 5’8” with dirty related to cats, but totally unrelated to the previ- blond hair, brown eyes, and a hang-dog face. ous crimes. Maybe he steals a traveling display of cat’s eye gemstones or kidnaps a show cat valued at over a hundred thousand dollars. Whatever the 48 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

DOCTOR ENIGMA DOCTOR ENIGMA 3 Scientist PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes 2 1) SS: Biology 13- 18 STR 8 13- Lift 300 kg; 3½d6 [4] 4 2) SS: Chemistry 15- How does one prove 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 2 3) SS: Human Anatomy 13- that thought goes on? 15 CON 10 12- 2 4) SS: Medicine 13- Doctor Enigma has 15 BODY 10 12- 2 5) SS: Ontology 13- decided he knows how. 18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13- 4 6) SS: Pharmacology/Toxicology 15- If EEG machines can 18 EGO 16 13- ECV: 6 read electrical impulses Resource Points from the brain, surely 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 0 Equipment Points: 60 the “polarity” can be 6 COM -2 10- 10 Vehicle/Base Points: 30 reversed and a modifi ed 6 PD 2 Total: 9 PD (3 rPD) 15 Follower/Contact Points: 35 EEG machine can cause 6 ED 3 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 a person to have specifi c 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 172 thought. One night he 8 REC 2 tinkers with all the pay- Total Cost: 292 phones in the city. When 40 END 5 100+ Disadvantages 40 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 120 the receiver is held to 15 Distinctive Features: Featureless Face the ear, it delivers a Movement: Running: 8”/16” (Concealable With Eff ort, Causes Major precise series of elec- Reaction [disgust]) tric shocks that fi ll the Cost Powers END 15 Hunted: Sharon Ridder 14- (Less Pow, victim with an insane 19 Th e Unanswerable Question: Entangle rage and send him on a 4d6, 4 DEF, BOECV (regular defense Capture) rampage. Can the PCs applies; +1), Works Against EGO, Not STR 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department fi nd Dr. Enigma before (+¼), Takes No Damage From Physical 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) he starts his next experi- Attacks (+¼); OAF (secretion glove; -1), 25 Psychological Limitation: Obsessed With ment — delivering those Skin Contact Required (-1), Incantation Nature Of Reality (Very Common, Total) same shocks across the (must ask target question; -¼), Cannot 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Doctor city’s phone lines? Form Barriers (-¼), Vulnerable (Entangle Jackson “Jack” Ridder) (Frequently, Major) disappears completely if target succeeds 97 Experience Points A rash of mysterious with an INT Roll at -4; -1), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] theft s from pharma- Total Disadvantage Points: 292 10 Good Right Hook: HA +3d6; cies comes to the PCs’ Background/History: Doctor Jackson Ridder Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 1 attention. Will they lost his face in a lab explosion. The plastic sur- 16 Allevium Pills: Physical and Energy realize the chemicals geons put a new face on him, but it wasn’t his. Damage Reduction, 50%; OAF (-1), stolen correspond to Dr. It was nobody’s face at all — the hairless oblong Enigma’s Unanswerable 4 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn head, the skin that was brown mottled with grey Question drug... and each (-½) [4cc] blotches, the nose that was barely two slits, the fi gure out how he plans 11 Epinephrine Dose: Aid STR and CON eyes that were only two pinpricks of black, the to expose the city’s pop- 2d6, two Characteristics simultaneously lipless mouth, the perfectly round ears. Nobody ulation to the drug? (+½), Delayed Return Rate (points fade at had ever worn such a featureless face. the rate of 5 per 5 Minutes; +½); OAF His therapist told him it was better than the Th ere’s a new game (drug-fi lled syringe; -1), Extra Time show on television mass of scar tissue he would have had fi ve years (Full Phase; -½), Gestures (must give called “Is Th at True?” ago, but not in Jack’s mind. Scars would have meant injection; -¼), 4 Charges (-1) [4] Th e host tells three something. Th ey would have proven he had some 5 Twisted Psyche: Mental Defense contestants a statement, character and a history — whose was this expres- (9 points total) 0 and the contestants have sionless, featureless face that stared back at him 32 Creepy Presence: Change Environment to buzz in and state from the mirror? What type of person had such a whether it’s true or false. 8” radius, -4 PRE for purposes of resist- face? Th e person with such a face was an enigma. Doctor Enigma has ing character’s Presence Attacks, Reduced Jack kept his thoughts to himself. He told some statements he’d Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), the therapist the answers he wanted to hear. Not like to know the truth Personal Immunity (-¼); No Range (-½), truthful answers to important questions — not of and hijacks the show, Always On (-½) 0 holding the audience the solution to the enigma of who wore such a 4 Fast On His Feet: Running +2” (8” total) 1 hostage and subjecting face. When he signed his release papers, it was the contestants to the Talents the last time he used the name Jack Ridder — Unanswerable Question. 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) from the minute he stepped outside the hospital’s He’s becoming more Skills doors, he was Dr. Enigma. and more enraged, and Doctor Enigma packed up his lab and quit it’s only a matter of time 9 +3 with Th e Unanswerable Question, Good his job at I. B. Fardin Chemicals. He had more before he hurts someone Right Hook, and Dodge important things to do than research new truth — can the PCs stop him 3 Inventor 13- before he does? serums for the government — he had to discover 3 KS: Philosophy 13- the real truth and let people know that every- 3 Paramedics 13- thing they believed about themselves was false. 3 PS: Chemist 13- He theorized that the problem with man was that 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms he had come too far from the wild. Does a dog question his identity? Of course not... and nei- ther should a human. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 49

he thinks about these ques- tions, the deeper into demen- tia he falls. Because his motivation is so irrational and his actions so insane, Dr. Enigma has a creepy presence. Just hear- ing his voice — high pitched and screeching because of the damage done to his vocal cords — is enough to send shivers down a person’s spine and let him know Dr. Enigma is totally insane. Doctor Enigma is com- pletely divorced from reality, although how this estrange- ment exhibits itself changes from day to day and week to week. One time he might be convinced people aren’t real (maybe they’re only robots programmed to go through the motions or hallucinations in own mind), and on this occasion, he has a total dis- regard for human life. Other times he might think he’s the savior of humanity — that he must lead people out of ignorance to a new under- standing of reality — and he holds all life sacred. Th e only His fi rst experiment concerned light. People constant in his life is that he’s had changed their environment too much — espe- obsessed with the Answer because of the crime- cially with regards to light. Th e nights were fi ghter’s name. Sometimes Dr. Enigma fl ies into a too bright and man was a diurnal creature, not rage because of the Answer’s presumption to have intended to be up and active at all hours both the answers and wants him dead; sometimes he day and night. Dr. Enigma orchestrated a massive becomes convinced the Answer really does have the blackout, sabotaging power plant aft er power plant. answer to the nature of reality and wants to force Th e blackouts led to riots and looting, and fi nally the answer from him. the Answer, whom Dr. Enigma’s wife had asked to Psychiatrists who have treated Doctor Enigma help fi nd her husband, brought the villain’s crime have suggested the nature of his work for the gov- spree to an end. But despite his encounter with the ernment is the root cause of his insanity. Th e explo- Answer, Dr. Enigma still has questions.... sion exposed him to a strange mix of toxins and mind-altering substances, and this might have led Personality/Motivation: Doctor Enigma is less a to his inexplicable condition. Since the names and criminal and more a rogue element in society. His natures of those chemicals remain classifi ed, his goal is not to gather wealth or to infl ict harm on doctors’ studies have gone no further. Th e condi- people; it’s to cause people — innocent, blind, naive tion of his face only acerbates his dementia. men and women — to question the nature of their existence. Dr. Enigma doesn’t know who he is, Quote: “Cogito ergo sum, Descartes declared... but and he wants everyone to feel the same existential how did he know he thought at all?” despair he does. He thinks everyone’s been lied to Powers/Tactics: Before leaving I. B. Fardin, Dr. their whole life, and it’s his duty to make them see Enigma was lead researcher on a new truth through the lies... but he doesn’t know the exact serum codenamed Speak. He’d made consider- nature of the lie, nor what the truth is, and this is able progress on the serum when the lab explo- what drives him. sion happened — far more progress than any of Doctor Enigma obsesses over questions of his supervisors knew. In his villainous identity identity and meaning, and wonders constantly of Dr. Enigma, he makes use of a variation on about the nature of reality: is it merely a contrived, Speak. His left glove secretes the serum, which consensual reality, or is there some deeper under- takes effect upon contact with flesh. The victim pinning that’s authentic and true? None of his must consider carefully and provide a true thoughts on these matters make any sense — it all answer for the next question he hears. In Dr. comes out as philosophical babble — and the more Enigma’s hands this has become a nefarious tool. 50 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

He first touches the victim, then asks a question bills. But they aren’t all harmless; some can become like “Must two plus two equal five?” or “Prove quite deadly. He might decide people don’t pay to me you exist” or “Why does man walk on enough attention to their surroundings and remove two legs and not three?”. The victim must stop all the fl oors from all the elevators in an offi ce everything to consider this question, no matter building to prove it; decide people move too slow how senseless it is. In rules terms, this is a Mental and tinker with subway engines so they continue Paralysis, but a character can automatically break to accelerate and can’t be stopped; or attempt to free by succeeding with an INT Roll at -4 (or, at drug the city’s water supply with his formula for the the GM’s option, if the player comes up with a Unanswerable Question. clever answer). Th e goons Dr. Enigma employs — he calls Speak isn’t the only chemical Doctor Enigma’s them research assistants — all wear lab coats with concocted. His Allevium Pills deaden his nerves so question marks scribbled on them in red and black he doesn’t feel pain. He usually uses his Epinephrine permanent markers, plus domino masks shaped Doses on his goons, rather than himself. Jack Ridder like stylized question marks laid on their side, the was a physically fi t man before the accident, and “hook” over one eye and the dot over the other. Doctor Enigma’s insanity has only made stronger and To make Dr. Enigma more powerful, give him faster, his body fueled by an irrational fervor. more drugs — Aids to END and STUN, Drains of Campaign Use: One part of Dr. Enigma’s old life opponents’ Characteristics, and so forth. To make as a scientist remains, and that is his dedication him less of a threat, remove his Allevium Pills and to experimenting. Whenever he has some sudden Epinephrine Dose. “insight” into the nature of existence, he decides to As a Hunter, Dr. Enigma is tenacious, but not conduct experiments — ontological experiments he necessarily deadly. What he attempts to do is make calls them. While other villains go on crime sprees, the person he Hunts question his existence. He tries Dr. Enigma formulates a hypothesis and begins a to identify the cornerstones of his prey’s existence series of tests. At the fi rst crime, he always leaves a — a job, a loved one, a hobby, and so on — and typed statement. Th e document is formatted like then he tries to take that it away. a research proposal and clearly states his current Dr. Enigma has an extensive criminal record hypothesis, contains clues to forthcoming crimes in for robbery and various forms of criminal mischief. the form of “future avenues of study,” and is signed Appearance: Doctor Enigma was once a good- with a question mark. looking black man standing 6’3” and well-muscled, Th e crimes Dr. Enigma commits are both sur- but none of those handsome features remain. He real and disruptive. He might change all the street wears no mask — his featureless face is all the mask lights in a neighborhood so they shine purple, pink, he needs. He typically wears a white lab coat over and orange, replace all the doors from an offi ce a suit, and he wears gloves on both hands (the left building with brick walls, or replace all the money of which is altered to secrete the formula for the in a neighborhood’s ATMs with pink counterfeit Unanswerable Question). Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 51

FACET 3 Facet Goggles: Sight Group Flash Defense FACET PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes (6 points); OAF (-1) 0 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] 3 Facet Goggles: Nightvision; OAF (-1) 0 Th e PCs are confronted 23 DEX 48 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 3 Good Leaper: Leaping +3” (6” forward, with a theft they simply 14 CON 8 12- 3” upward) 1 can’t solve — documents 12 BODY 4 11- 3 Fast Runner: Running +3” (9” total) 1 from a locked safe, trea- sury bonds from a safety 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- Perks deposit box, anything 12 EGO 4 11- ECV: 4 10 Money: Wealthy that isn’t a gemstone. 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 Skills Th e only person they 14 COM 2 12- 6 +3 OCV with Sparkle Gun know that can help 6 PD 3 Total: 10 PD (4 rPD) 10 +2 DCV reconstruct and solve the crime is Facet — but 6 ED 3 Total: 10 ED (4 rED) 10 +2 with Agility Skills do they dare trust her? 4 SPD 7 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 3 Acrobatics 14- 6 REC 0 3 Breakfall 14- A PC has a new girl- 30 END 1 3 Climbing 14- friend — very attractive, 35 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 103 3 Concealment 12- but she sure does wear a Movement: Running: 9”/18” 3 Contortionist 14- lot of jewelry. How long Leaping: 6”/12” 3 Deduction 12- will it be before he real- Swinging: 15”/30” 3 Electronics 12- izes his new girlfriend is the infamous cat burglar, 7 KS: Gemstones 16- Cost Powers END Facet... and she realizes 16 Sparkle Gun: Energy Blast 8d6; OAF 3 Lockpicking 14- her new boyfriend is a (-1), Beam (-¼), 12 Charges (-¼) [12] 2 PS: Cat Burglar 11- costumed crimefi ghter? 20 Utility Belt: Multipower, 30-point reserve; 2 PS: Lapidary 11- OIF (Utility Belt, -½) 7 Security Systems 14- Good old Rhinestone 1u 1) Gem Cutters: HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 w/ 3 Shadowing 12- Ronnie is in trouble STR), Range Based On STR (+¼); OAF 3 Sleight Of Hand 14- again... Turns out he (-1), 6 Recoverable Charges (-¼) (-¼) [6rc] 3 Stealth 14- owes Card Shark over 1u 2) Freeze Gas Sapphires: Minor 2 Chameleo-Coated Costume: +3 to Stealth; a hundred grand. He promised the crimelord Transform 3d6 (normal object to frozen OIF (-½) 0 3 Streetwise 12- he could get in touch stiff object, “heals” by thawing out at with Facet. Now Card normal rate); OAF (-1), 4 Charges (-1), Resource Points Shark wants to use her Limited Target (nonliving objects with 8 Equipment Points: 100 skills to steal something moving parts; -½), Range Based On 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 more valuable than STR (-¼) [4] 10 Follower/Contact Points: 25 paltry gemstones — the 1u 3) Sleeping Gas Opals: Energy Blast 3d6, 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 plans to Stewartsburg NND (defense is LS: Self-Contained Penitentiary, so he can Total Powers & Skills Cost: 167 Breathing; +1)); OAF (-1), Range Based orchestrate a jailbreak. Total Cost: 279 On STR (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾) [6] What will Facet do? 1u 4) Smoke Chalcedonies: Darkness to 100+ Disadvantages Sight Group 3” radius; OAF (-1), Range 10 DNPC: Ronald “Rhinestone Ronnie” Luca Based On STR (-¼), 8 Continuing (spendthrift brother) 8- (Normal) Charges lasting 1 Turn each (removed 20 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department by high winds or rain; -0) [8cc] 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 1u 5) Flash Diamonds: Sight Group Flash 6d6; 15 Psychological Limitation: Greedy For Gem- OAF (-1), Range Based On STR (-¼), stones (Uncommon, Total) 6 Charges (-¾) [6] 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Kill- 1u 6) Th ermite Rubies: RKA 1d6, Armor ing (Common, Total) Piercing (+½), Area Of Eff ect (One Hex; 15 Reputation: world-famous cat burglar, 11- +½); OAF (-1), Range Based On STR (-¼), 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Ruby 6 Charges (-¾) [6] Luca) (Frequently, Major) 1u 7) Monocular: +6 vs. Range for Sight 79 Experience Points Group; OAF (-1) 0 Total Disadvantage Points: 279 1u 8) Swingline: Swinging 15”; OAF (-1) 1 1u 9) Miniature Flashlight: Sight Group Images 1” radius, +4 to PER Rolls; OAF (-1), Only To Create Light (-1), Limited Range (10”; -¼), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge (refueled by recharging, easy to obtain; 1 Hour; -1) [1cc] 1u 10) Laser Torch: 1 point, Penetrating (x2; +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), No Range (-½) 0 8 Armored Costume: Armor (4 PD/4 ED); OIF (-½) 0 52 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

bracelet, one that very closely resembled the rhine- stone bracelet her mother had laughed at. Th e theft went well, and others soon followed. She started to develop an identity for herself — a costumed identity named Facet. She left behind calling cards — replicas of whatever she stole that crumbled to dust aft er a few days, the dust spelling out her name written in a cursive script. Facet has become the terror of jewelry owners, gemcutters, and museums around the world — one or two insurance companies have even blamed her for raising their rates. She’s never been arrested and has no intention of ever being caught — but she has yet to come into confl ict with costumed crime- fi ghters. Proud of her skills, she’s tempted to pit her wits and abilities against heroes like DarkAngel; it’s only a matter of time before she dares some crime- fi ghter to try and catch her. Personality/Motivation: Ruby Luca is vivacious, humorous, and very likeable — and she pos- sesses all of these qualities in her Facet identity as well. In fact, she would be a lovely person if it wasn’t for her bottomless appetite for gemstones and jewelry, and her willingness to break the law to get them. She jokes and makes quips during encounters with security personnel, policemen, and even costumed crimefighters. Her jokes aren’t mean-spirited or belittling — if she mocks the hero, it’s always more good-natured ribbing (or perhaps a touch of flirting) than anything else. Of course, none of this means she isn’t the consummate professional when she’s going about a theft — no matter how friendly she gets with a Background/History: Ruby Luca experienced her crimefighter, she doesn’t let it stand in the way of fi rst heartbreak at an early age. When she was six the job, nor does she pulls any punches. years old, she showed her mother the bracelet she Quote: “Diamonds are forever — but these dia- wore on her wrist and said, “Look at how pretty monds won’t be yours forever.” the diamonds are!” Her mom laughed and told her, “Hon, those aren’t diamonds — those are rhine- Powers/Tactics: Facet derives her abilities from her stones. We’re too poor for diamonds.” high DEX and gadgets. Many of the objects on her Crying, Ruby ran to her room and slammed Utility Belt have a gemstone motif, and those that the door behind her. Later that night, still sobbing, don’t are studded and decorated with gemstones. she swore that when she grew up she would have Th e Gem Cutters are fl at panes of faceted plastic diamonds, real diamonds — and rubies and sap- — either translucent red, blue, or green — hexago- phires and emeralds. nal in shape and edged with sharp steel. Her vari- She knew she needed money, so she tried to ous pellets and capsules look like gemstones, either do well in school. She studied hard and got good smooth or faceted. Her Sparkle Gun has a pistol grades, but before long she realized that even if she grip and thick barrel, both studded with rhine- got into a good college and got a good job, it wasn’t stones, and a cylindrical clip that fi ts in the back of likely she’d be fabulously wealthy — maybe well the barrel. It fi res fi st-sized “gemstones” that pack a off , but not rich enough for what she wanted. She wallop. considered her options and tried to come up with Facet isn’t a fi ghter, and won’t stand and slug a new plan. She was excellent in sports, but female it out with crimefi ghters. She either tries to quickly athletes didn’t make the millions of dollars their incapacitate whoever stands in her way, or she fl ees. male counterparts earned. Th ough she was attrac- Th anks to her speed and agility, she’s diffi cult to tive, she wasn’t pretty enough to act in Hollywood. chase down. She tried to fi nd a wealthy guy to marry — but she Campaign Use: Facet’s crimes center around gem- loathed each one aft er a few dates. stones and jewelry. She’ll steal them from museums, She fi nally stopped fi ghting the inevitable jewelry stores, private safes, or anywhere else. She and took the only choice she had left . She decided makes a nice break from the vengeful and strangely to become a cat burglar and steal the gemstones twisted villains normal to a DC:TAS game. She’s as she wanted so badly. She trained hard — studying much a friendly rival for the PCs as she is nemesis, security systems, learning to climb walls, mastering and she’s never deadly (just the opposite — she the tools of the trade. Her fi rst caper was to break might even jeopardize a successful theft to save a into a small jewelry shop and steal a diamond Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 53 life). She might even make a good romantic interest THE HUMAN CAPITALIST HUMAN CAPITALIST for a male PC. Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS Any crime spree Facet goes on is definitely a 10 STR 0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2] game of wits with the crimefighters. As a Hunter, 10 DEX 0 11- OCV: 3/DCV: 3 A desperate scientist she only seeks to prove she’s better than her prey. 10 CON 0 11- approaches the Human She never wants to hurt or kill the Hunted, and 10 BODY 0 11- Capitalist and sells doesn’t even want to humiliate or embarrass 18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13- him the secret to a mind control drug. Th e him so much as prove she’s better. She’s never 15 EGO 10 12- ECV: 5 Human Capitalist knows employed goons before (they’d only get in the 10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 way of her work), but might hire some to provide he can make a killing 10 COM 0 11- selling mind-controlled a distraction, but they wouldn’t wear themed cos- 2 PD 0 Total: 2 PD (0 rPD) operatives to criminals tumes or have codenames. — the PCs, themselves, Ruby Luca lives in a nice (but not too nice) 2 ED 0 Total: 2 ED (0 rED) 2 SPD 0 Phases: 6, 12 would make especially apartment in downtown Hudson City. Her good goons.... brother, Rhinestone Ronnie Luca, is her some- 4 REC 0 20 END 0 time roommate, drifting in and out her life as A world-renowned 20 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 18 his fortunes rise and fall. A spendthrift and com- scientist is giving a pulsive gambler, Ronnie is often in trouble; only Movement: Running: 6”/12” lecture at Hudson City Ruby is willing to help him out anymore. Ronnie Cost Powers END State University, and the Human Capitalist wants knows about Ruby’s double life, but he loves 6 Observant: +3 with PER Rolls his sister and wouldn’t sell her out — but that to kidnap the man. Will doesn’t mean he wouldn’t try to use his connec- Perks the PCs fi nd him before the Human Capitalist tion to Facet to make a buck or two, or that he 10 Money: Wealthy sells the scientist to the would withstand torture to keep the secret. 15 Followers: Two Bodyguards (50+50 characters) highest bidder, who will To make Facet more powerful, increase her force the researcher to SPD to 5 and give her Martial Arts. To make her Skills put his work to nefari- less powerful, lower her DEX to 20 and remove 20 +4 with Interaction Skills ous use? her Skill Levels. She’s wanted by the police on 7 Analyze Combat Technique 15- lots of burglary charges, but they don’t know her 7 Analyze Interaction Skills 15- A captured goon, des- true identity. perate to not go to jail 7 Analyze Intellect Skills 15- again, tells the PCs Appearance: Ruby Luca is a 5’10” white woman of 3 Bribery 11- where they can fi nd the Italian extraction with short black hair and blue 3 Bureaucratics 11- Human Capitalist — but eyes. She’s lean and muscular, and holds herself 3 CK: Hudson City 13- is it a trap? with an obvious grace. Th ough she dresses taste- 3 Conversation 11- fully, usually wearing black slacks and a turtleneck, 3 High Society 11- she wears a gaudy amount of jewelry — earrings 3 Interrogation 11- with large diamonds, multiple necklaces and brace- 5 KS: Hudson City Underworld 15- lets, and rings set with gemstones on every fi nger. 3 KS: Th e Military/Mercenary/Terrorist As Facet, her costume is a full black bodysuit. World 13- Coated with a special substance called Chaeme- 3 Persuasion 11- leo-coating, it blends with her environment if the 5 PS: Businessman 15- location is dimly lit, but in bright light the costume 1 Streetwise 8- becomes opalescent, the silvery fabric fl ashing with 3 Trading 11- a rainbow of colors. Th e lenses of her goggles look Resource Points like faceted stones, and each pouch of her utility 0 Equipment Points: 60 belt also resembles a gemstone. 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 62 Follower/Contact Points: 129 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 172 Total Cost: 190 100+ Disadvantages 10 Age: 60+ 10 Dependence: must smoke tobacco once per 1 Hour or suff er Incompetence (Very Common, Addiction) 20 Hunted: Th e Answer 11- (Mo Pow, Imprison) 15 Psychological Limitation: Greedy (Common, Strong) 15 Psychological Limitation: Arrogant (Common, Strong) 10 Reputation: shady businessman 11- 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Lawrence 54 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Bourn) (Frequently, Major) promise the candidate would get the job, Bourn 5 Experience Points had taken “gift s” of a hundred, fi ve hundred, and Total Disadvantage Points: 200 even a thousand dollars. But no matter how much he was paid, he had never kept his promise. Background/History: “I’m fi red? What do you mean, Bourn sighed. Th at was bad news — Bourn I’m fi red?!! I’m a vice president at this fi rm. I’m in had hoped the fi rm would keep that quiet. Keeping charge of Human Resources. I do the fi ring around it quiet was the sensible thing to do. By admitting here — been doing it for twenty years this Sep- what he’d done, the fi rm had left itself open for a tember. Who are you? You’re nobody. I fi re people lawsuit. He thought to himself, Th is is what happens — not you!” when a fi rm lets go of good employees like me. But it didn’t matter what he said or how Bourn fl ipped on the television and considered loud he yelled, Lawrence Bourn still lost his job. his future. Th e news showed Beatlemania and his Cutbacks, they told him: the company needed to goons. Th ey were robbing an auction house where become lean and mean. Bourn knew that was a lie one of the cut-outs from the cover of Sgt. Pepper’s — he’d told people that same lie more times than he was up for sale. Bourn watched as DarkAngel could count. swooped down and quickly dispatched the goons. Bourn packed up his office and went home. Th e goons were some of the most incompetent He called a few contacts and left a few messages, people Bourn had ever seen. He wondered where letting people know he was available. The next Beatlemania had dug them up. morning he made a few more calls. And a few Th en he had a brilliant idea. more the day after that. But no one got back in There was no one better at identifying talent touch with him. On Sunday he broke down and in a prospective employee than him, and no went through the want ads. He knew this wasn’t one better at matching that talent to a position. how a person got a good job — especially not the Lawrence Bourn wondered how much a villain high-level positions he was qualified for. Getting would pay for good help — and thus the Human a job involved networking. Capitalist was born. Th at Monday he made follow-up calls and fi nally he got through to someone, a real voice Personality/Motivation: To the Human Capital- instead of a machine. Th at’s when he learned that ist, people are just one more commodity to be everyone knew he’d accepted bribes from candi- bought and sold. He he maintains an extensive list dates for positions at his old fi rm. In return for a of people willing to work for villains. Villains and criminals come to him, tell him what they need, and for a fee, the Human Capitalist puts the “client” in touch with good prospec- tive employees. Most of the Human Capitalist’s trade is in goons — thugs, legbreakers, and other low-lifes — but he also provides hitmen, scien- tists, cat burglars, and other specialized personnel. Profi t is only motivation and his only consideration, though he does appreciate it when people know of his reputation for providing quality service. In conversation he’s polite, but smug. He makes lots of jokes and laughs frequently, but none of it disguises his arro- gance. When he’s negotiating, he drops in as many business buzzwords and as much offi ce lingo as possible — despite the illicit nature of his deal- ings, the Human Capitalist still thinks of himself as a businessman. Quote: “Th ree fast goons, two strong ones, and you need them by tomorrow night. Got it. What’s that? A smart goon? Th at will cost extra.” Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 55

Powers/Tactics: Th e Human Capitalist doesn’t dirty LAST CALL LAST CALL his hands with fi ghting — that’s what goons are for. Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS But he functions eff ectively as a “support person” 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] in combat because of his high levels of Analyze. He 15 DEX 15 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 Last Call goes on a uses his Skills to assess the opponents and provide 15 CON 10 12- crime spree, robbing advice to his allies. But he’s more likely to order 12 BODY 4 11- banks across the city. his bodyguards — two of the best goons money 12 INT 2 11- PER Roll 11- Will the PCs realize all the banks he’s robbing can buy — to fi ght while he runs away. Th e one 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 were open in the 1920s, thing that makes the Human Capitalist a physical 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 threat is the army of Followers he can call upon. If and that he’s looking for 10 COM 0 11- something more than he learns the PCs are searching for him, he calls in just money? every marker and favor he can to assemble a horde 7 PD 4 Total: 10 PD (3 rPD) of thugs, toughs, and legbreakers to protect him. 7 ED 4 Total: 10 ED (3 rED) 3 SPD 5 Phases: 4, 8, 12 Last Call remembers he In noncombat situations and any encounter used to own the Speak- that allows him to use his Interaction Skills, the 6 REC 0 40 END 5 easy bar and declares Human Capitalist can ferret out any hidden intent war on the Marcelli 40 STUN 12 Total Characteristics Cost: 71 the other person might have — no one should ever family. Can the PCs stop leave a conversation or bargaining session with him Movement: Running: 6”/12” the gang war? feeling like they won. Th ey should always feel like Cost Powers END they’ve just been taken to the cleaners, out-negoti- 19 Tommy Gun: RKA 2d6, Autofire Th e city’s dilettantes gather to celebrate ated, out-hustled, out-maneuvered, and otherwise (5 shots; +½), 2 clips of 50 Charges feel like they got the short end of the bargain. the anniversary of the each (+¾); OAF (-1), STR Minimum repeal of Prohibition Campaign Use: For the most part, the Human (13; STR Doesn’t Add Damage; -1), with a Roaring Twenties Capitalist serves as a middle-man and back- Beam (-¼), Real Weapon (-¼) [50] style masque — but no ground figure, but there are several ways you can 10 Heckuva A Right Hook: HA +3d6; one invited Last Call. bring him front and center in your campaign. He Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 1 Th ose dirty rats.... might decide to kidnap someone like an Nobel 8 Covering Fire: +5 OCV; Only With prize winning scientist — but he won’t hold the Autofi re (-1), Only To Counteract victim for ransom. Instead, he sells the victim Suppression Fire OCV Penalties (-1) 0 to the highest bidder. A villain might hire the 7 Drawing A Bead: +3 OCV; Only To Human Capitalist to perform a “performance Counteract Dodge DCV Bonuses (-½), evaluation” on a crimefighter (the only time the Requires A Shooting Tricks Roll (-½) 0 Capitalist does anything like Hunting a hero). 10 Machine Gunner From Hell: +4 OCV In that situation, the Human Capitalist hires a with Autofi re Firearms; Only When variety of goons to attack the crimefighter, all the Character Uses Autofi re Against A while observing the fight via hidden cameras and Single Target (-¼), Must Use Maximum using his Analyze Skills to assess the crimefight- Number Of Autofi re Shots (-¼), Not er’s abilities. Lastly, if the PCs learn of his exis- While Targeting (-½) 0 tence, they might realize he would make a good 15 Tough Guy: Physical Damage mole in the looseknit society of costumed crimi- Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Requires A nals... if they can “persuade” him to go along. CON Roll (assumes CON Roll of 12- To make the Human Capitalist more powerful, or 13-; -¾), Character Must Be Aware Of give him more Followers. To weaken him, lower his Attack (-¼) Analyze rolls. Perks Appearance: Th e Human Capitalist is an elderly 13 Vehicle: Duesenberg SJ (Hero System man in his late sixties. His skin is pale and marked Vehicle Sourcebook, page 7) by liver spots; his hair is silver; his eyes are watery 20 Base: Th e Speakeasy (hidden bar in Hudson blue. He has a slender build and wears impeccable City) three-piece blue suits — unless a person knows Talents better, the Human Capitalist looks more like a 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) banker than a villain. He’s always smoking a cigar, preferably a Cuban. Skills 4 +2 OCV with Tommy Guns 5 +1 DCV 5 Accurate Sprayfi re 3 Bribery 12- 3 Concealment 11- 5 Concentrated Sprayfi re 5 Fast Draw (Small Arms) 13- 2 Gambling (Dice Games) 11- 3 Interrogation 12- 3 CK: Hudson City 11- 5 KS: Cagney Movies 13- 2 KS: Th e Hudson City Underworld 11- 56 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

2 KS: Th e Vice World 11- Background/History: Th e O’Hallahans had owned 5 Rapid Attack (Ranged) the Speakeasy, a bar in Bayside, since the 1920s 5 Rapid Autofi re when it really was a speakeasy with a hidden fl oor 5 Shooting Tricks 13- below the ground one, a hidden entrance, and a 5 Skipover Sprayfi re Judas hole set in a portrait of Woodrow Wilson. 3 Streetwise 12- His father having passed away, Michael O’Hallahan 3 Trading 12- inherited the small place, and he had every inten- 2 WF: Small Arms tion of keeping it exactly as it was: the same way it Resource Points had been 1933 when the Volstead Act was repealed. 8 Equipment Points: 100 Michael loved the bar, and the era it derived from, 20 Vehicle/Base Points: 50 and planned to spend his life serving drinks to the 25 Follower/Contact Points: 55 regulars and wiping down the mahogany bar with 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 a rag just like his father, grandfather, and great- grandfather had done. Total Powers & Skills Cost: 236 But the Marcelli family had other plans for Total Cost: 307 the Speakeasy. Th ey wanted to turn the hidden 100+ Disadvantages fl oor into a gambling joint, and they made Michael 20 Hunted: Hudson City Police Dept. 8- an off er. Th e off er was fair. Th e Speakeasy wasn’t (MoPow, NCI, Capture) worth much to begin with, and the O’Hallahan 15 Psychological Limitation: Talks And Acts and Marcelli families went back decades, although Like A Gangster In A Cagney Movie (Very the O’Hallahans hadn’t been involved in criminal Common, Strong) dealings since Prohibition ended. On account of 10 Reputation: “bootlegger” with a heart of that history, the Marcellis tried to be reasonable, gold 11- but no amount of money was enough to replace 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Michael Michael’s dreams. He refused the initial off er, O’Hallahan) legbreaker refused it again when the family sent some muscle 147 Experience Points to intimidate him, and refused it a fi nal time when Total Disadvantage Points: 307 Mario Maneti sent his own son to make the off er. When that didn’t work, the musclemen cam back. But even aft er he got out of the hospital, Michael still wouldn’t sell. So the Marcellis had him removed. Mafi a sol- diers stormed into the place with baseball bats. Th ey tore it up, shattering the glasses hung above the bar and the green lampshades over the light fi xtures. Th ey broke the bottles set against the mirror behind the bar, then smashed the mirror. Th ey beat Michael to a pulp and dragged him down to the harbor. When he came to, he was chained at the wrists and ankles. He looked up at the goons and he said, “The cement overshoes for me, eh boys? You dirty rats.” Th e “boys” laughed, and with a heave and a ho, they threw him in the water. He hit with a splash and sank like a stone. But those goons weren’t too bright — they threw him into the shallows, a place where the water was only twenty feet deep and rose rapidly to the shore. Michael struggled along the bottom of the harbor, pulling himself forward with his chained wrists, inching along like a worm. He could feel his air running out; his vision became blurry, then he went completely blind. But he kept crawling toward the shore. Th en he blacked out. When he came to, he was lying half in the water, but Michael O’Hallahan hadn’t made it to the shore. He had forgotten about his old name, and the bar he’d lost. Now he was the bootlegger and gang- ster, Last Call. Personality/Motivation: Last Call acts like a gangster in a Cagney movie, right down to using phrases like “dirty rats,” “coppers,” and “dames.” He’s a tough guy and hard as nails. He doesn’t take any grief from anyone, no matter how important the person is, and he’s quick with his fi sts. Michael O’Hallahan Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 57

— a friendly man who never had a harsh word MIDAS MIDAS PLOT SEEDS for anyone — is long gone. Last Call has never Val Char Cost Roll Notes exhibited any desire to get revenge on the Marcelli 10 STR 0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2] A rare alchemical text is family, nor ever tried to get his old bar back. 14 DEX 12 12- OCV: 5/DCV: 5 stolen from a university Th e majority of Last Call’s crimes involve 13 CON 6 12- library, and the PCs are what he calls “bootlegging.” Th ese days, that means 10 BODY 0 11- asked to help recover it. Th e next day a strange hijacking trucks carrying beer, cigarettes, and simi- 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- series of robberies lar goods, stealing their loads, and selling the loot at 15 EGO 10 12- ECV: 3 cut-rate prices. occurs — will the PCs 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 fi gure out that Midas is Last Call has a well-deserved reputation for 14 COM 2 12- stealing the ingredients having a heart of gold — he helps children and 4 PD 2 Total: 4 PD (0 rPD) he needs to create a women in need and never turns away a friend. Philosopher’s Stone? Sometimes this gets him in trouble. 3 ED 0 Total: 3 ED (0 rED) 3 SPD 6 Phases: 4, 8, 12 Quote: “Get the giggle juice in the truck, boys 5 REC 0 Midas’s mother passes away, and he goes mad — let’s scram before the coppers get here.” 26 END 0 with grief. A conman Powers/Tactics: Last Call is one heck of a shot with 25 STUN 3 Total Characteristics Cost: 51 approaches him and his Tommy Gun and that’s what he relies on in Movement: Running: 6”/12” sells him a formula that combat. Generally, his tactics are no more involved will turn people to gold Cost Perks END than opening fi re on whatever crimefi ghter stands — or so the conman in his way. He drives a Duesenberg SJ and has a 15 Money: Filthy Rich claims. Midas buys it secret hideout he calls the Speakeasy. Th is hideout 5 Reputation: Rich And Powerful Man hook, line, and sinker, is not the bar O’Hallahan once owned, but is oft en (in Hudson City) 14-, +4/+4d6 and plans to poison located in the cellar of some other bar. He decorates Skills the water supply. While the formula won’t turn the Speakeasy in a style appropriate to the 1920s 7 Bureaucratics 14- people to gold, it is a and serves alcohol; the place serves as a hang-out 3 Conversation 12- deadly poison.... for him and his goons. 7 High Society 14- Campaign Use: Last Call’s crimes involve hijacking 3 KS: Finance 12- Having had too many and stick-ups. Stick-ups are usually at banks, but 3 KS: Commodities Trading 12- dealing with crime- he’s been known to rob events where the wealthy 7 KS: Gold 14- fi ghters go sour, Midas are gathered and the like. During a stick-up, he 2 KS: Alchemy 11- decides he needs a leads his gang into the place, aims his gun at the 3 Persuasion 12- strong right hand — one who can toe-to-toe people, and announces, “Grab some air — this is a Resource Points with crimefi ghters but stick-up.” Adventures involving Last Call should be 28 Equipment Points: 200 is totally loyal to Midas. like taking a trip into the past — the Prohibition 36 Vehicle/Base Points: 82 He gathers a group of Era, to be precise. 30 Follower/Contact Points: 65 goons and gives them Last Call’s goons wear pin-striped suits and 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 a task — “Bring me the fedoras, and carry Tommy Guns. Th ey try to use Total Powers & Skill Cost: 149 cowl of one of the PCs and I’ll make you rich the same gangster lingo their boss uses, although Total Cost: 200 they sometimes slip up (much to Last Call’s ire). beyond your wildest Th ere’s always one platinum blonde in his gang, 100+ Disadvantages dreams!” Now an army usually named Dora or Deb, who’s Last Call’s moll. 5 Age: 40+ (real age 45) of goons is gunning for the PC... will he keep Last Call only Hunts someone “who’s done 20 DNPC: Flora Goldman (alcoholic mother) 11- (Incompetent; Unaware of character’s his cowl or will he be him wrong” — and usually he just wants to get into unmasked? a brawl. It would take repeated defeats or humilia- Social Limitation: Secret Identity) tions before he literally went gunning for a PC. 20 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department To further increase Last Call’s abilities, give 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) him Corridor Of Death (Dark Champions, page 25 Psychological Limitation: Greedy For Gold 108) and Mowing ‘Em Down (Dark Champions, (Common, Total) page 117). To make him less of a threat, remove 15 Reputation: greedy criminal mastermind, 11- Covering Fire, Drawing A Bead, and Machine 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Aurelius Gunner From Hell; you could also replace his regu- Goldman) (Frequently, Major) lar bullets with rubber ones. Total Disadvantage Points: 200 Th e HCPD wants Last Call for a long list of robberies, hijackings, assaults, and similar crimes. Appearance: Last Call is a large man — 6’2”, 210 pounds — with curly red hair and blue eyes. His skin is pale and freckled with a large nose and large ears. He dresses like he stepped straight out of an old gangster movie: three-piece pin- striped suits and a fedora, and he carries a Thompson submachine gun. When he’s bored, he flips a silver dollar across his knuckles or twirls a pair of dice in his hand. 58 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

As he sat there one day going through his father’s papers, trying to fi gure out what had gone wrong, it hit him: his father’s problems were two- fold. First, and most impor- tantly, he’d invested too heav- ily in silver, when he should have invested in gold. Silver wasn’t much more than a base metal, was it, when compared to a noble metal like gold? Th e bottom hadn’t fallen out of the gold market, aft er all. Second, his father hadn’t covered all of his tracks well enough — if he was going to cross the line and get involved in shady dealings, he ought to have protected himself, and he ought to have gone all the way and really made some money. Determined not to repeat his father’s mistakes, Aurelius used the gold futures as collat- eral for a bank loan. He took the loan and invested in more gold futures, and when he got good returns, he reinvested his money. Inside of a year, his combined love for gold, innate business sense, and ruthlessly competitive nature Background/History: Aurelius Goldman was born had earned him a substantial into an immensely wealthy family. His father, sum of wealth — enough to move himself and his Marcus, was a well-known fi nancier who made a mother into a beautiful condominium and to hire a vast fortune in securities and commodities trading. squad of “bodyguards.” For most of his early life, Aurelius wanted for noth- Over the succeeding years, Aurelius’s wealth ing — the least little thing he desired, his parents and his fascination with gold continued to increase. would buy for him. He owned tremendous amounts of gold and was All of that changed when Aurelius was eleven. always greedy for more. He didn’t care how he got His father had invested heavily in silver, and when it — whether he traded for it on the market or the bottom fell out of the market, a substantial por- had his hired goons steal it right out of the jewelry tion of the Goldman fortune went with it. It turned stores — but he had to have it. It wasn’t long before out that a lot of Marcus Goldman’s fi nancial suc- his subordinates (both legitimate and criminal) cess was due to some highly leveraged transactions, began calling him “Midas.” He considered the name and when the silver deal went sour, so did a lot of a badge of honor and informally adopted it. other deals. Suddenly Aurelius found that his par- At present Aurelius Goldman maintains a dual ents didn’t have much time to spend with him. His identity. Most of the time he’s himself, an extremely father was too busy trying to salvage his fi nancial wealthy but somewhat eccentric fi nancier with a empire, and his mother was spending more and love of gold. But when his criminal operations take more time trying to drink her worries away. precedence, he styles himself Midas, and schemes A month later the Goldmans lost their beauti- to own all the gold in the world. ful mansion. Th is was the fi nal blow for Marcus; Personality/Motivations: Midas is a man rather than face further humiliation (and possibly a obsessed with obtaining the “security” of vast grand jury), he committed suicide. Flora Goldman, wealth, and his particular obsession takes the devastated and despairing, crawled inside a bottle form of a lust for gold. He is determined to corner of scotch and stayed there pretty much all the time. the world gold market and take personal posses- Aurelius was left to fend for himself and to try to sion of most or all of the world’s gold, no matter care for his alcoholic mother. what he has to do to achieve this goal. By day, he A few months later, Aurelius and his mother works towards his goal semi-legitimately, as a com- were living in a run-down hotel. Th e only asset they modities trader (although one with a lot of shady had left from Marcus’s estate was a few hundred deals in the works, deals he has carefully insulated dollars in gold futures, and Aurelius was, for some himself from). Th e rest of the time he spends as reason, stubbornly determined to hold onto them. Midas, concocting one illegal scheme aft er another Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 59

to obtain gold. He has even developed an interest THE MISSING LINK THE MISSING LINK in the pseudoscience of alchemy, in the hopes that Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS there is some grain of truth to the stories of medi- 25 STR 20 14- Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [5] eval alchemists being able to transform base metals 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 Th e Missing Link is rob- into gold. 20 CON 20 13- bing diners at the Beast Th e only thing that Midas really cares about 20 BODY 20 13- Planet chain of restau- besides gold is his mother, who is in poor health 10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- rants. Can the PCs stop him before someone due to years of heavy drinking. For whatever 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 gets hurt? reason, he feels responsible for her and sees that she 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 gets the best care possible. She lives in a splendid 8 COM -1 11- home attended by many highly-paid nurses and Th e Missing Link is on servants, and Midas tries to visit her every day. 12 PD 11 Total: 12 PD (2 rPD) the loose, and then the 8 ED 4 Total: 8 ED (2 rED) PCs read in the paper Quote: “Exquisite!” [Midas’s typical exclamation 4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 that the zoo is receiv- upon viewing anything beautiful.] 10 REC 2 ing a new shipment of gorillas. It sounds like Powers/Tactics: Midas does not fi ght — he hires 40 END 0 a tempting target for 51 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 130 men to do his fi ghting for him. He’s in good shape, the Missing Link. Will but he has no combat skills whatsoever. At best, Movement: Running: 10”/20” the PCs be able to stop he might sneak up behind a PC and hit him in the Cost Powers END him from adding more head with something heavy while the PC is dis- gorilla companions to tracted. If attacked, he does his utmost to escape. 8 Club: HA +4d6; OAF (-1), his gang? Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 2 Campaign Use: Potential crimes for Midas include 2 Th ick Pelt: Damage Resistance anything having to do with gold. Usually this means Th e PCs see on the (2 PD/2 ED) 0 televison news that the stealing it, but he might, for example, use some 10 Friend To Gorillas: +20 PRE; Only With vigilante group LIBRA property of gold to develop a super-weapon with Primates (-1) 0 has the Missing Link which to threaten the world into giving him more 8 Fast Runner: Running +4” (10” total) 1 cornered atop Stailey gold. As his grandest scheme, he might try to rob Perks Towers in Bankhurst. Fort Knox. Midas can also provide fi nancial back- Th e audience can hear ing for some other criminal — but only a criminal 25 Followers: four 78-point Gorillas (use the the Missing Link swear whose crime involves obtaining gold. character sheet on page 165 of the HERO they won’t take him As a Hunter, Midas doesn’t confront his prey System Bestiary) alive — and they can physically. Instead he tries to destroy his life — Skills also hear the heartless taking away his job, his money, and whatever other 6 +2 with Grab, Club, and Haymaker vigilantes shrug and say, “Lock and load.” Can assets he has. In the case of a costumed crime- 6 Animal Handler (Primates) 15- the PCs arrive in time to fi ghter, Midas hires someone to capture his prey. 3 Climbing 13- avert this real life per- To make Midas more powerful, give him some 2 PS: Carny 11- formance of King Kong? permanent Followers. To weaken him, reduce his Money and some of his Skill Rolls slightly. Resource Points Th e police want Midas for questioning regard- 0 Equipment Points: 60 ing a number of property crimes, but they have no 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 idea he’s Aurelius Goldman. 0 Follower/Contact Points: 5 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 Appearance: Aurelius Goldman is 5’9” tall with a trim build, short, dark hair, and a small black Total Powers & Skills Cost: 70 goatee-like beard. As Goldman, he wears fi nely- Total Cost: 200 tailored suits with solid gold accessories (rings, 100+ Disadvantages cuffl inks, tie tack, watch, glasses, and so forth). 20 Distinctive Features: Covered With Long As Midas, he usually wears a gold-colored Greek Hair (Conceable With Eff ort [shaving it off ]; tunic-like costume and a golden headband. Causes Extreme Reaction [fear]) 15 Enraged: Berserk when caged (Uncommon), go 8-, recover 8- 25 Hunted: Trickshot (his brother) 14- (As Pow, Capture) 25 Hunted: HCPD 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 20 Psychological Limitation: Hates Humanity And Considers Himself A Diff erent Species (Common, Total) 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Abe Harrow) (Frequently, Major) Total Disadvantage Points: 220 60 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Abe tried to calm the man, but he ran away before Abe could get a word out. He went back to staring at his door, wondering if he should just break it down, but before he could make decision, the neighbor was back. Th is time he had friends, and all of them held two-by-fours and baseball bats. Abe didn’t take long to make a decision — he ran for dear life — and as he rushed down the stairs, he dropped the towel. He burst onto street and people screamed and cried. He heard the men behind him and he kept on running. He tried to talk to people but they would only run away in fear; some even fainted. Th en came the cop cars, sirens wailing, and a single white van with Hudson City Zoo stenciled on the side. One of the bystand- ers had called the police, and the police had called the zoo, assuming a gorilla had escaped from somewhere. Abe held his hands up and tried to explain, but he was out of breath. Before Background/History: Abe Harrow stepped off the he could get any words out, bus, having just arrived in Hudson City. All through he heard a phff p, felt a sting in the shoulder, and the bus ride he’d heard people whispering and seen slumped to the ground unconscious. He came to them pointing at him, but he paid it no mind. He’d in a cage at the zoo; gathered around him were fi nally left the freak show at Mummers and Sons gorillas. At fi rst he was scared out of his wits, but Circus behind, and although he missed his parents then one gorilla reached over and pulled a piece of and his brother, no amount of whispering and trash from Abe’s hair. It was at that moment that pointing was worse than being on stage while an Abe Harrow disavowed his humanity. A gorilla had audience gasped and jeered. Abe suff ered from an shown him with a single gesture more kindness extreme case of hypertrichosis — his whole body than any human ever had. Why should Abe con- was covered by thick black hair. Th e freakshow had sider himself human? billed him as “the Missing Link.” When the zookeeper came to feed the animals Despite those whispers on the bus, and the the next morning, Abe spoke up. Th e zookeeper ones he heard as he walked the streets of Hudson just about had a heart attack when one of the goril- City looking for a place to stay, Abe was happy. He las started talking to him, but soon realized the knew that maybe it was because he was seven feet mistake the police had made the day before. Apolo- tall and weighed four hundred pounds, so no one gizing profusely, he let Abe out of the cage — and ridiculed him to his face. He was perfectly aware of Abe brained the man and set his gorilla friends free. the whispers fact — but they seemed so slight com- Personality/Motivation: The Missing Link is pared to what he’d heard growing up every time the feral and wild. When other people are around, circus pulled into a new town. he growls and roars, beats his chest and slams Abe only had a little money, so he rented a his huge fists into walls — in other words, he room at the cheapest boarding house he could fi nd. puts on the same show he used to put on at the Th e room was small — it didn’t have a kitchen, and Mummers and Sons Circus. Despite this only the bathroom was down the hall. Th e second day in being a show, he really has disavowed human- the boarding house, Abe locked himself out of his ity — he hates men and women with a passion room. He had just gotten out of the shower and he and couldn’t care less whether they live or die. In only wore a threadbare towel. Th e neighbor down fact, he usually thinks the world would be much the hall was coming home drunk aft er drinking better off without humanity running around all night, and when he saw Abe, he screamed, “It’s — although he hasn’t taken this thought to its an ape, dear lord! My God! A gorilla’s gotten loose logical conclusion yet. He still has some linger- from the zoo!” ing feelings for his family — when his brother, Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 61

Aaron, comes to visit him during his frequent PENNY DREADFUL PENNY DREADFUL stays at Toddberry Asylum, he tries to be civil Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS — but even those feelings for his family are 10 STR 0 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2] quickly fading. 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 Th e Alchemy Of Love: Quote: “Rarrrrr!!!” 15 CON 10 12- Penny Dreadful kidnaps 10 BODY 0 11- renowned “weird novel” Powers/Tactics: Th e Missing Link is incredibly 20 INT 10 13- PER Roll 13- author Shane Velloric strong — even stronger than his gorilla compan- and begins a crime 18 EGO 16 13- ECV: 6 ions — and wields a large club. He communicates spree patterned aft er his 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 with his gorilla friends via Animal Handling. books while he’s forced 16 COM 3 12- Although his skill with the gorillas seems preter- to write a new one for natural, the only thing unusual about it is how the 5 PD 3 Total: 8 PD (3 rPD) her. But what happens gorillas treat him as one of their own — any zoolo- 5 ED 2 Total: 8 ED (3 rED) when the PCs fi nd him, only to discover the two gist knows the gorillas don’t do anything they aren’t 4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 of them have fallen in 7 REC 4 theoretically capable of learning to do. love and he doesn’t want In combat, the Missing Link and his gorillas 30 END 0 to be rescued? bash on whatever stands in their way — they’re 30 STUN 7 Total Characteristics Cost: 96 quite a handful for most costumed crimefighters. Movement: Running: 6”/12” Bored Of Th e Rings: The Missing Link has not named his gorilla com- Cost Powers END Recognizing Peter Jack- panions (that would be like a human naming a son’s Lord Of Th e Rings pet, and the gorillas are his friends, not his pets), 20 Taser Wand: Multipower, 40-point movies for the utter crap but refers to them by a specific sequence of gut- reserve, 32 Charges for entire reserve and complete betrayal tural growls the gorillas have come to recognize (+¼); all OAF (-1), No Range (-½) [32] of Tolkien’s novels that as their names. 2u 1) Stunning Touch: Energy Blast 4d6, they are, Penny sets out NND (defense is insulated rED covering to teach Hollywood a Campaign Use: Th e Missing Link is a straight-for- entire body; +1); OAF (-1), No Range (-½) lesson by stealing and ward criminal. He busts out of Toddberry Asylum, 1u 2) Painful Touch: Energy Blast 8d6; destroying every copy of frees his gorillas from the zoo, and starts robbing OAF (-1), No Range (-½), Requires 2 them she can fi nd. And banks. Th ough he’s of average intelligence, his Charges Per Use (-¾) then she fi nds out that HCSU is hosting a sym- crime sprees don’t go much beyond that. To make 1u 3) Deadly Touch: RKA 2½d6; OAF (-1), posium about them.... his crimes more complicated, have him team up No Range (-½), Requires 3 Charges Per with another villain. In this role, the Missing Link Use (-1) Th e Play’s Th e Th ing: and his gorillas serve as high-powered goons. 7 Armored Costume: Armor (3 PD/3 ED); Also, there’s no reason why he can’t slip further in Penny takes everyone IIF (-¼) 0 in the New Globe Th e- dementia, beginning to believe he must extermi- 25 Dramatic License: Luck 5d6 0 ater hostage during a nate humanity, free all captive animals, or similar Hudson City Shake- genocidal crimes. Any adventure involving the Perks 10 Contact: Daedalus 14- (extremely useful speare Company per- Missing Link likely involves his brother Trickshot formance of Hamlet. Skills or resources, good relationship with too, and Trickshot’s intervention can provide a While her thugs loot good dramatic twist. Contact) the box offi ce and force To make the Missing Link more powerful, add Talents the audience members more Combat Skill Levels with his club, give him 3 Lightning Refl exes: +3 DEX to act fi rst to cough up their wal- Wrestling, and/or give him more gorilla companions. with Taser Wand lets and jewelry, Penny To make him less powerful, lower his STR to 20. makes the actors per- Skills form scenes from her As a Hunter, the Missing Link’s tactics are 3 Acting 12- favorite Shakespeare straightforward: draw the person out from wher- 1 Combat Driving 8- plays... and zaps them ever he’s hiding and then bash him over the head. 1 Computer Programming 8- with her Taser Wand if But he’s not likely to Hunt anyone unless he comes 3 Conversation 12- they can’t do the scenes to believe the person is particularly despicable 3 Deduction 13- perfectly on her com- because of his treatment of gorillas (or even ani- 3 Disguise 13- mand, without prepara- tion or rehearsal. Th e mals in general). 3 Fast Draw (Taser Wand) 13- PCs have to infi ltrate the Th e Missing Link has a criminal record for 3 High Society 12- robbery, assault, vandalism, and theft of gorillas. New Globe Th eater and 6 KS: World Literature 16- stop her before she gets Appearance: At seven feet tall and four hundred 3 Language: French (completely fl uent; annoyed enough with pounds of muscle, the Missing Link is huge — a English is Native) their “incompetence” to bigger person than most people have ever seen. His 3 Mimicry 13- start shooting people. body is covered with a pelt of thick black hair. Once 3 Persuasion 12- he used to trim his facial hair to make himself more 4 PS: Book Collector 14- presentable, but he has stopped doing that. He goes 2 PS: Librarian 11- naked — wearing the same clothes his gorilla com- 2 PS: Play Piano 11- panions do, which is none at all. 3 Seduction 12- 3 Stealth 13- Resource Points 28 Equipment Points: 200 15 Vehicle/Base Points: 40 62 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

10 Follower/Contact Points: 15 Fisher would drop dead. Aft er she helped everyone 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 who was waiting at the counter, she went back into Total Powers & Skills Cost: 171 the offi ce and picked her book up off the fl oor. Total Cost: 267 Th en she snuck over to the back corner of the offi ce, where she could sit and read without being 100+ Disadvantages seen by her boss. She sat right next to the radiator, 20 Enraged: if frustrated or thwarted too, so she’d stay nice and warm. Almost as warm (Common), go 11-, recover 11- as if she were sitting in that Spanish sunshine 25 Hunted: HCPD 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) Hemingway wrote about in Th e Sun Also Rises.... 15 Psychological Limitation: Loves Literature And that was how Penny Bookman spent and Must Show Off How Much She Knows most of the rest of the winter, hiding from Fisher About It (Common, Strong) in the back of the offi ce near the radiator... the one 15 Psychological Limitation: Amoral near the ventilating system... which ran through (Common, Strong) the Physics Department next door to the library... 10 Reputation: fl amboyant, deranged criminal where they were performing some unusual radia- with a literary theme, 11- tion experiments.... 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Penelope Aft er a few months of sitting there, Penny Bookman) (Frequently, Major) slowly began to wonder why she always let Fisher 67 Experience Points push her around so much. Aft er all, what did he Total Disadvantage Points: 267 know, the microcephalic buff oon? Why, he didn’t love the books in the library the way she did — in Background/History: “Ms. Bookman!” fact, he was just a bureaucrat, a university pencil- Penelope Bookman jumped, startled out of pusher! He didn’t care anything at all about litera- Heathcliff ’s arms by her boss’s voice. “Yes, sir?” she ture and books and things like that. How come he squeaked, as she dropped the copy of Wuthering was in charge, and not her? Heights she was reading. She got right up from her chair and marched “How many times have I told you not to straight into his offi ce. “Fisher!” she said, in the read on the job? Look at all those students wait- most commanding tone she could muster. ing to check out books! You’re here to help them Jeremiah Fisher looked up from the paper- read, not do your own reading. Get out there and work he was doing. “Ms. Bookman, what do you do your job!” want?” he asked indignantly. “How dare you take “Yes, sir!” Penelope said smartly, wishing Mr. that tone with me?” “Listen, Fisher, you pusillanimous ignoramus, there’s a lot more where that come from, and you’ve had it coming for a long time. You don’t know anything about running this library. I bet you don’t even know who wrote Crime and Punishment!” “Th at does it, Ms. Book- man. I’ve had more than enough of your goofi ng off and your smirking, and now your insubordination. You’re fi red! Get out of here!” Th at was all Penny could stand. How dare this stupid bag of wind fi re her? With a shrill scream of rage she picked up the telephone on Fisher’s desk and threw it at him as hard as she could. Stunned, he tried to back away from his desk and stand up, but his chair snagged on the carpet and tipped over so he landed fl at on his back. Penny kept grabbing anything she could — paperweights, pens, anything except one of her precious books — and throwing it at him. A minute later, when she calmed down Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 63

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

Weapon OCV RMod Dam STUN Shots STR Min Notes Glock 17L +2 +2 1d6+2 1d6 19 9 AP Armor Armored costume (see character sheet) Gear: Varies, depending on the focus of her current crime spree — she oft en has weapons or gadgets derived from a particular literary subject or theme Clothing: See Appearance.

because there was nothing left to throw, Fisher lay them safe in her own library. Her goal is to have dazed on the fl oor, surrounded by offi ce bric-a-brac the greatest library in the history of the world, full and scattered papers. Penelope Bookman smiled of rare and important volumes. On rare occasions wickedly, spit on her former boss, and walked out she “branches out” to related arts (such as stealing of the library. original sheet music). Th at was the last time anyone ever saw Penny can’t resist showing off her knowledge Penelope Bookman. Th e next time she showed of literature during her crimes. She constantly up at work, she was wearing a men’s pinstripe quotes diff erent writers, and sometimes acts out suit and calling herself “Penny Dreadful.” Many scenes from Shakespeare or other playwrights of her former co-workers barely recognized their while her gang grabs the books she wants. Her once-mousy colleague in the fl amboyant, vicious, favorite authors are Jane Austen, Shakespeare, the vivacious Penny. Flanking her were a dozen tough- various Brontë sisters, Yeats, Tony Morrison, Dick- looking punks. She fi red the pistol she was carrying ens, Tennyson, and Joyce, not necessarily in that into the ceiling and told everyone to lie fl at on the order. Penny Dreadful is an intellectual snob to the ground. When Fisher tried to stop her, she pulled core, disdainful of those who know less than she a metal wand out of her sleeve. When she touched does. She reserves particular scorn for men, whom him with it, he fell to the ground like a pole-axed she feels have looked down on her and treated her steer. A burst of bullets from her pistol reduced badly all her life. him to a bloody smear on the library fl oor. Aft er Quote: ““To be, or not to be — that is the question.” that, everybody remained face down on the ground Now, my good man, open that safe immediately, or like they were told while Penny’s men took most the answer in your case will defi nitely be the latter.” of the books from the fi ction section of the library, including every single book in the rare book room. Powers/Tactics: Penny Dreadful would be the fi rst Since then, Penny Dreadful has made a name to acknowledge that she’s no combatant — she is a for herself stealing rare works of literature, kidnap- (relative) weakling and also something of a coward, ping authors and forcing them to write stories for and she knows it. Th at’s why she’s always careful to her, and raiding libraries to “relieve” them of the surround herself with a gang of big, strong thugs books she knows they couldn’t possibly appreciate to do her dirty work for her. Sometimes she dresses as much as she does. Costumed crimefi ghters have them in distinctive garb, but she always gives them clashed with her several times, but she has so far literary codenames (names of authors, or of char- outwitted them and escaped every time. Whether acters from a particular book). She remains on the her lucky streak will continue remains to be seen. sidelines shouting orders, only getting involved in the fray if someone specifi cally attacks her, or if an Personality/Motivation: Penelope Bookman’s opportunity for an easy shot to an enemy’s back formerly meek and unassertive personality was presents itself. warped by months of exposure to radiation that Penny carries two main weapons. Th e fi rst is leaked out of the Physics Department and into the a Taser Wand — a slim metal stick able to deliver ventilation system she sat next to. Th e radiation has electrical shocks of varying intensity when touched aff ected her mind, stimulating the aggressiveness to a target. Th e underworld armorer Daedalus centers in her brain and turning her from a gentle made it for her, and she usually carries it hidden librarian into an amoral criminal. Although Penny up her left sleeve. Th e other is a Glock 17L that’s is not a “casual killer,” she has no moral sense left — been heavily modifi ed (barrel coating, fi ne tuning, aft er all, plenty of great literary fi gures were violent improved range, weight reduction) that she typi- people! — and has no compunctions about steal- cally loads with spent uranium rounds (also manu- ing... or shooting people who bother her. Her lack factured for her by Daedalus, who seems to have a of morality and sympathy has made her incredibly sort of soft spot for her for reasons unknown). short-tempered and spiteful; anyone who frustrates her, insults her, or annoys her becomes a target of Campaign Use: Penny Dreadful’s crimes all revolve her wrath, starting with vicious taunts and ending around some literary object or theme. For example, with outright attacks. she steals rare books, kidnaps authors and forces Penny Dreadful’s love of literature motivates them to write love sonnets to her, and stages her to steal. She believes no one loves (or knows elaborate crime sprees based upon a favorite book as much about) literature and books as she does, (such as Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland). If so she has every right to “liberate” books from the appropriate, she may outfi t herself with some sort dullards who currently own them so she can keep of literature-based weapon or gadget, whether it’s 64 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

something as simple as a sword (used for fencing RAPTOR while quoting Hamlet) or as elaborate as a “book” Val Char Cost Roll Notes that fi res razor-sharp “pages.” If she gets captures a 20 STR 10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4] hero, her sense of “drama” means she’s likely to to 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 put him in a “literary deathtrap,” such as a tank of 18 CON 16 13- water with a shark painted white (in imitation of 13 BODY 6 12- Moby Dick). 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 13- To make Penny tougher, beef up her Charac- 12 EGO 4 11- ECV: 4 teristics a bit and give her more standard gadgets 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 (possibly including some special vehicles). To 14 COM 2 12- weaken her, get rid of her Taser Wand. Penny doesn’t usually Hunt heroes; she’s 8 PD 4 Total: 11 PD (3 rPD) focused on literature, not revenge. But she might 6 ED 3 Total: 6 PD (3 rED) take it into her head to dispose of a PC who’s fre- 5 SPD 30 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 quently frustrated her (particularly if he’s activated 8 REC 0 her Enraged several times in the process), or a PC 40 END 2 who accidentally or deliberately destroys or dis- 40 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 125 mantles her library. (She has a hard time fi nding Movement: Running: 8”/16” good places for use as secret headquarters, since she Gliding: 10”/20” has to cart around a lot of rare books and preserve Swinging: 12”/24” them from harmful environmental conditions and Cost Powers END other threats; this sometimes makes it easy to track 7 Talons: HKA ½d6 (1d6+1 with STR); her down.) But woe to a PC upon whom she does OIF (-½) 1 fi xate; she’ll confl ate the relationship into a grand, 15 Cable-Claw: Multipower, 30-point reserve, dramatic rivalry that can only end in death (or, per- all OAF (-1) haps worse, love...). 1u 1) Taser Claw: Energy Blast 2d6, NND Penny Dreadful is wanted for one count of (defense is insulated rED covering entire murder (of Jeremiah Fisher), seven counts of body; +1), Continuous (+1); OAF (-1), attempted murder, numerous acts of assault, and Lockout (-½), Limited Range (12”, -¼), approximately two dozen counts of burglary, rob- 16 Charges (-0) [16] bery, and related property crimes. 1u 2) Swingline: Swinging 12”; OAF (-1) 1 Appearance: Penny Dreadful is an attractive young 1u 3) Grapple Claw: Telekinesis (10 STR); woman who stands 5’8” tall, with strawberry OAF (-1), Aff ects Whole Object (-¼), blonde hair and blue eyes. Her most common “cos- Only To Pull Objects Towards User (-½) 1 tume” is a pinstripe men’s suit (with a rose in the 7 Good Right Hook: HA +2d6; buttonhole) and a dark fedora — since she thinks Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 1 of herself as a “hardened criminal,” she fi gures 4 Quick On His Feet: Running +2” (7” total) 1 she ought to look like a gangster-movie crook. At 5 Glider Cape: Gliding 10”; OAF (-1) 0 other times, she dresses to fi t a particular crime. Perks For example, during an Alice In Wonderland-based 2 Contact: environmental organization, 11- crime spree, she might wear a costume patterned 25 Followers: four birds of prey (use the statis- aft er the Queen of Hearts or Alice (as illustrated by tics for a Eagle/Hawk, HERO System Bestiary, Tenniel, you dolt, not those stupid Disney movies!); page 136) when stealing a collection of James Bond novels 10 Money: Wealthy autographed by Ian Fleming, she might dress like one of Bond’s femme fatales. Skills 3 +1 with Cable-Claw 3 Acrobatics 13- 8 Animal Handler (Raptors) 15- 3 Breakfall 13- 3 Climbing 13- 3 Demolitions 12- 3 High Society 12- 2 KS: Environmentalism 11- 2 KS: Ecoterrorism 11- 3 Oratory 12- 2 PS: Ecoterrorist 11- 3 PS: Falconry 12- 2 SS: Biology 11- 3 SS: Ecology 12- 2 SS: Ornithology 11- 3 Stealth 13- 2 Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 11- 3 Tracking 12- Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 65

2 WF: Small Arms Backed by his own investments, Arthur RAPTOR Resource Points threw himself into the study of environmental- PLOT SEEDS 0 Equipment Points: 60 ism. The more he learned, the more radical his 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 views became. He realized mankind was quickly Th e Missing Link and 0 Follower/Contact Points: 5 destroying the Earth, and that something had to Raptor team up and 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 be done to save it. He soon joined various radical begin attacking corpora- environmentalist groups and entered the shad- tions threatening the Total Powers & Skill Cost: 133 owy world of ecoterrorism. environment. Can the Total Cost: 258 After taking part in a few violent protests, PCs defeat this powerful 100+ Disadvantages bombings, and similar events, Arthur realized the combo? 20 Hunted: FBI 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) radical environmentalism movement was lacking Red-Eyes kidnaps 20 Hunted: HCPD 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) something — a spokesman, someone glamorous Arthur Hawke, plan- enough to bring positive attention to the move- 20 Psychological Limitation: Radical Environ- ning to hold the wealthy mentalist (Common, Total) ment and its goals. For too long he and his com- young man hostage until 10 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Kill- rades had been regarded as nothing more than a his ransom demand ing (Common, Moderate) bunch of long-haired, tree-hugging, rabble-rous- is paid — but Hawke 10 Reputation: costumed ecoterrorist, 8- ers. It was time to change that image — and he has a better idea. He 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Arthur was the one to do it. off ers Red-Eyes twice Hawke, dilettante) (Frequently, Major) Inspired by his love of birds of prey, Arthur the ransom to attack 63 Experience Points commissioned the underworld armorer Daedalus some eco-unfriendly corporations. But when Total Disadvantage Points: 258 to design him a glider cape and costume for the costumed identity of Raptor, savior of the environ- Red-Eyes starts killing people, will Raptor come Background/History: Arthur Hawke is the son of ment. Daedalus also built him a set of gauntlets Robert Hawke, founder and CEO of Hawke Phar- out to stop it? And will with claws that popped out of the back of his hand, the PCs let the known maceuticals, a major drug manufacturer. Arthur and a “Cable-Claw” (a pistol-like device that fi red a criminal escape if he grew up rich and pampered, able to indulge any of cable with a claw on the end which could act like a does? his whims. His favorite hobbies involved the out- taser or a grappling hook). Ever since then, Arthur, doors: rock-climbing, hiking, and especially fal- in the guise of Raptor, has worked to halt man’s Raptor comes to the PCs conry. He displayed an unusual empathy with birds destruction of the environment and to show the for help. Th e police now of prey, and spent long hours out in the woods world that it’s time to put Earth fi rst, and corporate want him for murder, and fi elds accompanied only by a bird or two. He greed and material comfort second. claiming that he was admired their strength, beauty, and speed, and mar- part of an ecoterrorist Personality/Motivation: Raptor is a radical environ- veled to watch them at work. Sometimes he wished attack on a cosmetics mentalist who’s willing to engage in criminal activi- he could soar up into the sky with them and view testing laboratory that ties to “save the Earth.” He has a deep and abiding the Earth from their loft y perspective. left two scientists dead. hatred of corporations who exploit the environ- One day, shortly aft er Arthur graduated from He insists he’s innocent, ment, and a distrust of big business and govern- but he needs the PCs’ college with a degree in biology, he was out with one ment in general. He sees them, and indeed just assistance to prove it. of his falcons in one of his favorite hunting areas. As about everyone, as either for or against his cause... he climbed up over a steep hill, he was shocked when and since they are not helping or supporting him, he looked out over the valley and saw a brand-new they must be against him. Th is extremist attitude strip mining operation going on! Where a month ago has made him a rather lonely and embittered soul. there was a beautiful little vale, fi lled with birds and Raptor’s respect for life extends to human animals and trees, now there was nothing but an ugly life... mostly. Unlike some of his ecoterrorist com- earth-colored scar where large machines were tearing rades, he refuses to involve himself in activities that up the ground, looking for coal. Looking closely at the might endanger people (in fact, he’s stopped other machines, Arthur discovered that they belonged to ecoterrorists from engaging in such activities). He Lockley International, a company in which his family believes, and rightly so, that activities beyond the had invested substantially. level of vandalism and consciousness-raising only Arthur was furious. He’d read about the envi- hurt the movement by showing its members for ronmentalism movement before, and had supported the dangerous fanatics they are. Only in the most it in a vague, rich white liberal kind of way, but now extreme cases would he even be tempted to take man’s exploitation of the environment was really permanent measures to dispose of some exploiter brought home to him. He rushed home and sold all of the environment. of the shares of Lockley International he personally In many ways, Raptor is a rather immature owned, and began investigating the other companies person. Used to getting what he wants, he’s likely in his portfolio for “environmental crimes.” He found to sulk or do something drastic if thwarted — wit- out that a lot of them were guilty of raping the envi- ness his behavior when his father didn’t accede ronment, so he liquidated his shares of them as well to his request to change the family’s investments. and invested the proceeds in “pure” investments. He Although he’s become a gift ed speaker, his speeches presented his fi ndings to his father and urged him sometimes seem a little petulant and whiny. He has to change the entire family’s portfolio to invest only a diffi cult time understanding why others can’t see in environmentally responsible fi rms. His father, what’s happening to the Earth the way he can, and annoyed by this outburst of “foolish youthful senti- is likely to become violent if someone refutes or ment,” refused. An infuriated Arthur took his belong- denies his arguments more than a couple of times. ings and stormed out of the house, never to return. 66 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Campaign Use: Possible crimes for Raptor include any sort of vandalism or other crimes against corporations which abuse the environment, up to and including attacking their corporate headquar- ters and holding hostages to attract media attention to his cause. He may also commit more mundane crimes, such as bank robberies, to fund ecoterrorist activities. In either event, his birds of prey usually assist him with his crimes. Other possible crimes include “liberating” raptors from the zoo; murder- ing hunters who kill birds of prey (his Code Versus Killing doesn’t extend that far); and so forth. To make Raptor tougher, give him Martial Arts, some Combat Skill Levels, and/or some more themed gadgets (talon throwing blades, for example). To weaken him, remove his Talons. Raptor would only Hunt a hero whom he regarded as an environmental criminal. First he’ll confront the hero Quote: “We’ve got to work together to save the and try to change his mind Earth from these corporate vultures. Can’t you through persuasion and logic; when that doesn’t see that?” work, he’ll get frustrated and use force to change the hero’s mind. Powers/Tactics: Raptor has received a moderate Th e police want Raptor for various crimes level of combat training (but has not studied a related to his ecoterrorist activities: breaking and formal martial art suffi ciently to purchase maneu- entering; vandalism; theft ; assault. Th ey’re unaware vers — his skill is refl ected in his HA). If he has to that he’s really Arthur Hawke; the revelation of that fi ght, he prefers to fi ght hand-to-hand, and tries to fact would scandalize his prominent family. use his Glider Cape to maneuver so that he gains an advantage on his enemy (for this reason, he tries Appearance: Raptor’s costume is grey and brown: to stage fi ghts in open areas). He would never use his glider cape, which reaches to his waist and his Claws against a living target; they’re reserved for attaches at his belt, is brown and designed with cutting through doors, chains, and the like. If he has a “feathered” motif; the headpiece attached to it, to fi ght at range, he uses his Cable-Claw, and/or his which leaves most of his face open, is also brown trained birds. (the top and bottom of the headpiece terminate in Raptor has trained four of his birds of prey to small points, creating a sort of “bird’s beak” look). fi ght with him. Th ey distract his opponents, pick up Th e headpiece/cape attaches to the bottoms of his dropped Foci, and so forth. Some of their favorite arms, and the “wings” extend slightly beyond his maneuvers include: one bird claws at an oppo- hands; the entire piece comes to a point on his mid- nent’s eyes while another steals a Focus from the chest. His belt and gloves are brown, and his boots distracted target; Move Bys in which they claw at yellow (like an eagle’s claws). Th e rest of the suit opponents (and/or at their costumes — Raptor has is grey with thin, black pointed ovals to simulate taught them how to tear up other characters’ glider a “feather” pattern. He carries his Cable-Claw in a capes); screeching loudly in an enemy’s ears to holster on his left hip. deafen him while a human sneaks up behind him; and carrying tear gas bombs (supplied by Raptor or one of his allies) that they drop on opponents (they fl y away before the gas can aff ect them). Th e birds respond to simple commands in English. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 67

REDEYES Resource Points RED-EYES Val Char Cost Roll Notes 0 Equipment Points: 60 PLOT SEEDS 20 STR 10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6[4] 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 12 DEX 6 11- OCV: 4/DCV: 4 15 Follower/Contact Points: 35 Red-Eyes wants the 20 CON 20 13- 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 whole world to feel the 15 BODY 10 12- Total Powers & Skills Cost: 191 same joy in violence that 10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- he does. He kidnaps a Total Cost: 307 scientist and forces him 15 EGO 10 12- ECV: 5 100+ Disadvantages to discover why Tran- 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 5 Dependence: must take Tranquilium once quilium has a strange 10 COM 0 11- per day or suff er Weakness (Diffi cult To eff ect on him. Th en he 8 PD 4 Total: 11 PD (3 rPD) Obtain, Addiction) plans to synthesize a 8 ED 4 Total: 11 ED (3 rED) 10 Distinctive Features: Red Eyes (Easily Con- drug that will cause the 4 SPD 18 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 same eff ect in others cealed; Causes Major Reaction [fear]) and drop it in the water 10 REC 4 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department supply.... 50 END 5 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 50 STUN 15 Total Characteristics Cost: 116 15 Psychological Limitation: Addicted To Th e last time Red- Movement: Running: 6”/12” Violence, Particularly HTH Violence Eyes went to court, the (Common, Strong) Cost Powers END court found him guilty 15 Psychological Limitation: Casual Killer and sentenced him to Martial Arts: Boxing (Common, Strong) Stewartsburg Peniten- Maneuver OCV DCV Notes 15 Reputation: criminal psychopath, 11- tiary — not Toddberry 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Tony Asylum. It might have 3 Clinch -1 -1 Grab Two Kick) (Frequently, Major) been the biggest mistake Limbs, 40 STR in correctional history. 107 Experience Points 4 Cross +0 +2 8d6 Strike Now the Stew is boiling 5 Hook -2 +1 10d6 Strike Total Disadvantage Points: 307 over in a deadly riot, 8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) Background/History: “Doc, I understand the ulcers, with Red-Eyes at the 15 Can Take A Punch: Physical Damage center of it all. Can the the anxiety attacks, the high blood pressure... I get PCs put down the riot in Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Requires A all that. And I understand the sleepless nights and time to save the guards? CON Roll (-¾), Character Must Be Aware the waking nightmares too. I know it’s like you told Of Attack (-¼) me: unresolved issues and suppressed negative Red-Eyes has taken 33 A Love For Violence: Aid STR and CON emotions. I mean, I get all that. But, Doc, I don’t get over Freetown, declar- 2d6, two Characteristics simultaneously why my eyes turned red — that’s not natural. Th at’s ing himself king despite (+½), Trigger (when he does BODY with not in any medical book I’ve ever seen. I mean my the fact that he’s white. his fi sts, activation takes no time, Trigger eyes are red, blood red — you can’t even see the To the infuriation of immediately automatically resets; +1); pupils anymore — and reds eyes aren’t natural.” Shango, Strad, and Self Only (-½) 0 Th e psychologist assured Tony it was just an Buckshot, he’s united 4 Good Eyes: +2 with Sight Group PER Rolls 0 “advanced case of bloodshot eyes” but Tony wasn’t the Nubians, Warriors, 5 Good Eyes: Nightvision 0 believing it — his eyes were two burning scarlet and unallied gangs (and stolen quite a few sets Talents orbs staring out from sunken sockets in his drawn from their own ranks) 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) face. His doctor wrote him a new prescription for and had them construct 6 Lightning Refl exes: +4 DEX to go fi rst with a brand-new drug called Tranquilium that was barricades at the borders All Actions sure to alleviate his anxiety-related disorders. Tony of the neighborhood. wasn’t believing that either, but he took the pre- Can the PCs get inside Skills scription anyway and had it fi lled. the most danger- 12 +4 with Boxing Tony was wrong. The new drug did help ous neighborhood in 10 +2 DCV him, just not in the way the doctor thought it Hudson City and take 3 Acrobatics 11- would. Taking the drug was like having a veil Red-Eyes down... per- 5 Breakfall 12- lifted from his eyes. All of sudden he knew haps with some help from Freetown’s notori- 3 Climbing 11- exactly what he had to do. That night took a ride ous crimelords? 5 Combat Driving 12- in his car. He went into Hudson City from his 3 Criminology 11- home in the suburbs and found himself in Free- 5 Deduction 12- town. While stopped at a stop sign, he studied the 5 Interrogation 14- gang members passing a bottle in brown paper 2 CK: Hudson City 11- bag out in front of corner liquor store. They were 5 KS: Hudson City Underworld 14- eyeballing his new sports car and whispering 3 Lockpicking 11- among themselves. Tony parked the car, got out, 2 PS: Accountant 11- and threw the keys on the hood. And he waited. 2 SS: Accounting 11- Finally the gang members took his dare, and 3 Security Systems 11- Tony beat them to a bloody pulp, laughing all the 3 Shadowing 11- while, his red eyes seeming to glow even brighter 3 Stealth 11- than the neon signs that lined the street. An inhu- 5 Streetwise 14- man rage fi lled him with strength that was more 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms than human... but the rage also made him euphoric. 68 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Tony was happy for the fi rst time in months, maybe In addition to his addiction to violence, Red- even years. Aft er dealing with the street gang, Tony Eyes is also addicted to Tranquilium, a prescrip- mugged two people just for the sheer pleasure of tion drug (he just steals from pharmacies when he it — he was so happy, he even forgot to take their needs more). If he goes a day without taking a pill, wallets. Th en he went home and slept like a baby. he becomes irritable. Aft er that fi rst day, he begins Th e next day he quit his job at the accounting slowly but surely changing back into meek and pas- fi rm and started his new life as Red-Eyes. sive Tony Kick, accountant and career man. Personality/Motivation: In 9,900 test subjects, Red-Eyes has several nervous habits, all of Tranquilium reduced the eff ects of stress and anxi- which relate to violence. When he’s bored and ety-related illnesses and disorders. In the other itching for a fi ght, he slowly cracks his knuckles, hundred, it caused diarrhea and vomiting. In Tony clenches and unclenches his hands, slams one fi st Kick, however, it reduced his inhibitions and gave against his palm, or massages his swollen knuckles. him a taste for infl icting pain. Despite his penchant for violence, Red-Eyes is no Red-Eyes is violence personifi ed. He gets not dummy — the crimes he commits are well-planned just an emotional jolt from violence, but a physi- and well-executed. cal one, too. It’s a bodily need, and he has diffi culty Quote: “Th ere’s the do-gooder... ’bout time. I’ve walking away from an opportunity to cause vio- been itchin’ for a fi ght all day.” lence. Red-Eyes is a villain because it’s a violent Powers/Tactics: Red-Eyes thrives on violence. profession — not for the wealth, not because of Watching the blood fl y when he beats someone some twisted rivalry with costumed crimefi ghters, with his fi sts gets his blood pumping and adrena- but because it gives him plenty of opportunities to line fl owing. Every time he causes BODY with a infl ict harm and cause pain. He oft en lets his love punch, roll the dice for his Aid and increase his for violence get in the way of his crimes — he lin- STR and CON, and continue doing so until he gers at his crime scenes to beat someone he thinks reaches his maximum of STR 32 and CON 26. Red- disrespected him (or whom he just didn’t like the Eyes usually carries a pistol, but far prefers to use looks of). If he were to get his bloodthirsty nature his fi sts — even if it’s a poor idea, he usually throws under control, he’d be a far more lethal foe. down his gun and enters hand-to-hand combat (if necessary, he has to succeed with an EGO Roll to use the gun). Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 69

Campaign Use: Red-Eyes plans his crimes for maxi- THREE OF A KIND THREE OF A KIND mum violence. He doesn’t open a door when he Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS can batter it off his hinges. He doesn’t try to learn 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] the combination to a safe when he can blow it up. 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 On the third day of He doesn’t shoot out the tires of a car when he can 15 CON 10 12- March, Th ree Of A Kind cause the car to explode. And he doesn’t beat a 12 BODY 4 12- deliver a message to the person up when he can kill him. 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- city that three bombs at three separate locations When Red-Eyes goes on a crime spree, he 15 EGO 10 12- ECV: 5 will detonate unless the doesn’t sit around waiting to be caught. Instead, he 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 leaves clues at a crime scene pointing to a future city pays them three 10 COM 0 11- million dollars. Will the crime (using his Criminology Skill to make the PCs be able to fi gure clue seems accidental). Th e future crime is really a 6 PD 3 Total: 9 PD (3 rPD) 6 ED 3 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) out the bombs are in trap where he plans to kill whoever is chasing him. rd 3 SPD 2 Phases: 4, 8, 12 buildings on 3 Avenue, Th e goons Red-Eyes employs are just as brutal and placed on the third fl oor 6 REC 0 bloodthirsty as he is; they wear regular clothes, plus of the buildings at the sunglasses with red lenses. 30 END 0 addresses 333, 336, and Relative to many other villains in Dark Cham- 30 STUN 2 Total Characteristics Cost: 73 339? pions: Th e Animated Series, Red-Eyes is brutal and Movement: Running: 6”/12” murderous. Keep this in mind before unleashing Cost Powers END Th ree Of A Kind starts him on unsuspecting PCs — make sure the heroes kidnapping men and 40 Share Th e Pain: Multipower, 40-point women who just turned realize the villain they’re up against is not some reserve loon obsessed with crossword puzzles or a large thirty-three. Will the 3u 1) With All Th ree Standing: Physical and PCs fi gure out that the misunderstood man with a lot of body hair, but a Energy Damage Reduction, 50%; When other connection is that casual killer who’s unhinged because of a unique Th ree Of Th ree Of A Kind Are Conscious the people’s phone num- interaction between his body’s metabolism and the And In Same Location (-½) 0 bers add up to three and drug Tranquilium. 2u 2) With Only Two Standing: Physical their listing is on every As a Hunter Red-Eyes, unsurprisingly, is and Energy Damage Reduction, 25%; third page of the phone deadly. He only Hunts to kill, and will Hunt a When Two Of Th ree Of A Kind Are book? person for any one of numerous reasons including Conscious And In Same Location (-¼) 0 a past defeat, an insult, the belief the target can give 15 Psychic Bond: Mind Link (any three Th ree Of A Kind kidnap a chemist who special- him a good fi ght, or simply not liking how someone minds belonging to Th ree Of A Kind, looks. izes in women’s fertility three at a time), Psychic Bond; Only With medicine. Th ey force To make Red-Eyes more powerful, give him Others Who Have Mind Link (-1) 0 Find Weakness with Boxing — this almost guaran- him to create a new 12 Unimpressed: +25 PRE; Only To Resist drug that guarantees a tees he causes BODY damage to a person he hits. Presence Attacks (-1) 0 woman will give birth To make him less powerful, reduce his Aid to 1d6 Talents to triplets. Can the PCs and remove his Physical Damage Reduction. track them to their lair 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) Red-Eyes has a lengthy record for aggravated before they drop the murder, manslaughter, assault and battery, robbery, 18 Danger Sense (self only, out of combat, drug in the city’s water and a host of lesser crimes. He’s been judged insane sense) 12-, Only When Two Of Th ree Of A supply? on numerous occasions, so he spends his prison Kind Are Conscious And At Location (-¼) time at Toddberry Asylum. 3 +4 with Danger Sense; Only When Th ree Of Th ree Of A Kind Are Conscious And At Appearance: Red-Eyes is a heavily-muscled white Location (-½) man who stands 6’2”. He shaves his head and his features are stark — his face is almost like a skull, Skills with a sharp nose, sunken cheeks, and thin pink 16 +2 with All Combat lips. He usually goes shirtless and wears black jeans 13 +2 with All Combat (+4 total); Only When and a black leather jacket. His eyes are blood red Two Of Th ree Of A Kind Are Conscious And and seem to glisten wetly in the light; the pupils are At Location (-¼) only barely visible. He wears sunglasses to hide his 11 +2 with All Combat (+6 total); Only When eyes, but always pulls the glasses off when he gets Th ree Of Th ree Of A Kind Are Conscious into a fi ght. And At Location (-½) 3 Combat Driving 13- 3 Interrogation 12- 3 Security Systems 12- 3 Tactics 12- 11 Teamwork 16- 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms Resource Points 0 Equipment Points: 60 0 Vehicle/Base Points: 10 0 Follower/Contact Points: 5 0 Miscellaneous Points: 0 70 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition

Total Powers & Skills Cost: 166 they remained until they turned eighteen. Total Cost: 239 Once out of the orphanage, they went on a 100+ Disadvantages three-day crime spree. Th ey robbed three liquor 10 Distinctive Feature: Th ree People Talking As stores on the fi rst day, three restaurants on the One (Concealable With Eff ort; Noticed And second, and three convenience stores on the third. Recognizable) Th e papers dubbed them Th ree Of A Kind. Th eir 15 Enraged: Enraged when separated from crime spree ended in a police chase through down- siblings (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11- town Hudson City, but they escaped. Th eir cur- 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department rent whereabouts are unknown, but it’s been three 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) months since Th ree Of A Kind were last seen.... 25 Psychological Limitation: Amoral (Very Personality/Motivation: Cold and emotionless, Common, Total) Th ree Of A Kind seem barely human — and that’s 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity about the truth of it. Th ey never smile, laugh, (Samuel, Sally, and Steven Tressini) frown, or yell — they speak monotonously and (Frequently, Major) methodically, each sibling picking up a sentence 49 Experience Points where the last left off . Th ey live in their own world, Total Disadvantage Points: 239 where only they three deserve humane treatment. Everyone else is just a thing. Th eir motivation for Background/History: For the fi rst few years, only the committing crimes is obscure, but in a nutshell they mother of the triplets thought her three children, don’t feel society’s laws are worthy of their respect, two boys and a girl, were strange. She swore they and it’s easier to steal what they want than work for would start to cry, all three of them, at the same it. Th e three only refer to themselves as One (male), exact moment — not one child starting to cry and Two (female), and Th ree (male), and usually refer the rest picking up the chorus, but the three babies to themselves simply as “we” rather than as indi- opening their mouths at the same moment and viduals. If one is separated from the others, he or beginning to wail at the same moment. But no one she fl ies into a berserk rage, and the other two try listened to her — mothers have strange thoughts ceaselessly to rescue their kidnapped sibling. and weird feelings about their children all the time. To make matters worse, the mother was single; her Quote: “Every third person step forward...” “...and boyfriend ran out on her just aft er the doctor told take out your wallets...” “...and give us every bill in her she was pregnant. Everyone fi gured it was just your wallet with a 3 in the serial number.” the stress of being a single mom without enough Powers/Tactics: The character sheet above repre- money, especially for triplets. No one listened, that sents one member of Three Of A Kind, and there is, until the children began to speak. are three in total (each with identical character Th e three children spoke one right aft er the sheets). Three Of A Kind’s abilities stem from the other, one child beginning the sentence, the next Psychic Bond they share. The Psychic Bond is continuing, and the last fi nishing it. Every time less like telepathy than it is like the three of them they said something, they spoke like that. Speech sharing a single nervous system. The more of therapists and child psychologists were baffl ed. Th e them that are active in a combat, the tougher and mother was creeped out by her own children, and better they are: shortly aft er the children learned to talk, she aban- ■ When all three are present and active, each has doned them. Resistant Physical and Energy Damage Reduction Inseparable, the three children grew up in 50%, +6 with All Combat, and Danger Sense 16-. an orphanage. For obvious reasons, no one would adopt them. Th ey never interacted with the other ■ When only two are present and active, each has children, except to get into fi ghts. Th ey seemed to 25% Physical and Energy Damage Reduction,+4 live in their own world, rarely speaking but always with All Combat, and Danger Sense 12-. giving each other meaningful looks. Th e other chil- ■ When only one is present and active, he or she dren soon learned not to make fun of them or even loses the Damage Reduction and Danger Sense intrude on the three children’s private world — the altogether, but still has +2 with All Combat. three would quietly and systematically, seeming not to feel any emotion at all, beat the intruding child Th e Damage Reduction represents their ability to a pulp. Th e head of the orphanage eventually to share the pain among three people and thereby gave the three children their own room, and there defuse it; the other two abilities represent their

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

Weapon OCV RMod Dam STUN Shots STR Min Notes Glock 17L +1 +1 1d6+2 1d6-1 19 9 Tactical Baton 0 — 3d6 N — — 8 Armor Ballistic cloth suit (DEF 4, Activation Roll 15-) Gear: Th ree Of A Kind rarely carries other gear. Clothing: See Appearance. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Two 71

superior perception of the fi eld of battle, because power. Three Of A Kind don’t employ goons. three sets of two eyes are better than only two. Other villains might hire them to commit crimes, When faced with a single foe in combat, but whatever the crime, the number three needs Three Of A Kind always try to Coordinate to figure prominently. their Attacks. However many foes they face, To make Th ree Of A Kind more of a threat, give they always work in perfect unison — and in them Martial Arts and Combat Skill Levels with the perfect silence, never vocalizing their intent. Martial Arts. To make them less of one, reduce their For weapons they use mundane equipment, Primary Characteristics, especially DEX. usually a semi-automatic pistol and a tactical Three Of A Kind don’t hunt Heroes. They baton (see Suggested Equipment). Three Of A don’t care about anyone else that much. But the Kind have absolutely no regard for human life, one or two surviving would definitely make an and though they aren’t casual killers, they don’t exception for a vigilante or cop who killed the shoot to maim or otherwise attempt not to kill rest of his/their sibling(s) — that person he/they people if need be. would Hunt until he/they killed him, or died. Campaign Use: Three Of A Kind’s crimes always Appearance: The two men and one woman in involve threes. They might rob three different Three Of A Kind are each 5’10” with a similar banks in three hours; kidnap three lawyers, each muscular build. The men wear their black hair of whom lists his practice in the phone book short and slicked back; the woman wears her with all three of his names (i.e., John Robert black hair in a bob with the bangs cut straight Smith, Esq.) and demand a 33,333 dollar ransom; across just above her eyes. They frequently wear or rob three stores on 3rd Avenue. They stay at black sunglasses and black suits with scarlet ties. three-star hotels, eat at three-star restaurants, Stitched on each tie in gold thread is a number, and drive Chrysler 300s or cars with 300 horse- one through three. 72 ■ Hudson City Knights Hero System 5th Edition ADAPTING CHAMPIONS UNIVERSE VILLAINS TO HUDSON CITY KNIGHTS Th is chapter contains plenty of villains to get your Hudson City Knights campaign going, but you may eventually want more. One quick and easy way to improve your rogues’ gallery is to adapt appro- priate villains from the Champions Universe to your DC:TAS game. Here are a few suggestions for using villains from Conquerors, Killers, And Crooks: Anubis: Get rid of his mystic powers (or nearly all [[ENDBLACK BOX]] HARLEQUIN • CKC page 123 of them, anyway) and convert his Ankh-Staff into a technological weapon (similar to the Astrologer’s), and Anubis makes a fi ne Egyptian-themed villain. Blowtorch: While he’s more ruthless than most Knights villains, Blowtorch’s pyromania defi nitely fi ts together with other villains’ insanities. Black Harlequin: Ideal for DC:TAS just as he is (though more lighter-hearted campaigns may want to tone down his homicidal tendencies). Fenris: Ideal for DC:TAS pretty much as-is, though you may want to replace his Regeneration and other powers with appropriate super-skills. Foxbat: Ideal for DC:TAS just as he is. FOXBAT • CKC page 150 Scorpia: Ideal for DC:TAS just as she is (though more lighter-hearted campaigns may want to tone down her homicidal tendencies — for example, maybe her lethal poisons become knockout drugs). Utility: Ideal for DC:TAS just as he is, provided you don’t let his gadgets verge too much into the super- technological. Warpath: Works well as a DC:TAS villain if you tone down the power and outlandishness of some of her arrows a bit.

UTILITY • CKC page 211

BLOWTORCH • CKC page 129

WARPATH • CKC page 47 cchapterhapter tthree:hree:

STREET-LEVEL SUPERHEROES HUDSON CITY POWERS 74 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition HUDSON CITY POWERS

SUPER-HUDSON udson City Powers is a street-level THE POLICE FORCE CITY superheroes-style DC:TAS game that Both Millennium City and Vibora Bay, as takes place in a variant of the Hudson presented in their respective sourcebooks, have If there’s an unbreak- HCity setting. Unlike the ones in Chap- special squads dedicated to dealing with super- able rule in roleplaying ter Two, the characters in this chapter are not villains. These are called MARS (Metahuman games, it’s this: the GM a part of the official Dark Champions universe. Activities Response Squad), and the members of should create the sort They have superpowers and/or super-technol- these squads carry super-technology that makes of campaign and set- ogy abilities that stretch realism to the breaking them the equal of superpowered crooks. If you ting he wants to run. If point, and which thus aren’t appropriate for the want to add them to Hudson City, that’s fine, but you’d rather ignore the “official” published setting. They can control advice in the main text for the Hudson City Powers campaign as pre- people’s minds with a violin, set things on fire and break Hudson City sented here, they’re overkill. None of the villains wide-open, with true with the power of their mind, track a scent across have powers that make them immune to plain superhumans, UNTIL, crowded city streets with their nose, and so on. old bullets, and it’s very easy to explain away PRIMUS, VIPER, and Th e adversaries in a Hudson City Powers cam- the lack of a MARS unit. Hudson City is a gritty more, go for it! If you paign, such as the ones in this chapter, are street- setting where the police force is already under- prefer a take on the level supervillains. Th ey’re not megalomaniacal funded and understaffed. What the HCPD needs Hudson City Powers supervillains who want to rule the world. Th ey use is more personnel — more officers to patrol the genre that’s a bit less their superpowers to commit crimes like robbery streets in cruisers, more detectives to investigate restricted, that’s the sort and kidnapping. Th eir powers are low-key, oft en a of game you should run. crimes — not existing personnel wearing high- complement to their chosen criminal profession, tech gear. While the MARS officers in Millen- and never overshadow the crimes they commit. In nium City and Vibora Bay may look very dashing other words, the villains are defi ned by their illicit with their high-tech body armor and high-tech activities, not by the powers they possess. rayguns, the Hudson City Police Department doesn’t need Buck Rogers and Friends. It needs more real cops to fight real crimes. If a budget USING HUDSON CITY allocation were to come down the pipeline that Th ough these characters are not a part of the allowed the department to afford MARS equip- offi cial Dark Champions universe, the premise of ment, a wise police commissioner would use the a Hudson City Powers campaign is that a GM has money to hire more cops instead. decided to relax the restriction describe on page PRIMUS AND UNTIL 6 of Hudson City: Th e Urban Abyss — namely Both of these organizations are dedicated to that superhumans do come to Hudson City, and preventing superhuman crime and bringing super- some even stay in the Pearl City to help the police human criminals to justice. Like with a MARS unit, attempt to clean up the streets. However, to main- offi ces for both of these are not necessary. Even in tain the “feel” of the subgenre, the superhumans a Hudson City Powers game, Hudson City mainly who come to Hudson City are low-powered. Th ese suff ers from street-level crime. Doctor Destroyer men and women can’t move planets with the power doesn’t come the Pearl City — New York City is of their mind — in many cases, they can’t even just up the road and makes a far more tempting fl y for extended periods of time. Because of their target for world conquerors. Why waste his time limited abilities, they have an accordingly limited with sordid Hudson City? Furthermore, the super- impact on the setting. Th eir deeds aff ect individu- humans in Hudson City oft en work for organized als; they don’t change the whole fabric of society. crime, and it’s not the individual criminal that’s a Th ey save lives, not cities. And despite their pres- threat, it’s the organization behind the criminal. Th e ence, crime still runs rampant in Hudson City. FBI is better at cracking down on old-fashioned Like their counterparts in a Hudson City organized crime like the Mafi a and yakuza than Knights campaign, heroes here have strict Codes PRIMUS — it has more manpower (not only in the Versus Killing, and all the considerations about city, but across the country) and more experience. lethal vigilantes presented in Chapter Two apply Chances are the FBI offi ce in Hudson City has a here. Additionally, you should consider a few PRIMUS advisor or two on staff just in case and for other things. his knowledge of superhuman abilities, but that’s the limit of PRIMUS’s presence in the city. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 75

Cui Bono?: Th e private backer for the experiments CAMPAIGN TYPES has an ulterior motive — maybe his child has fallen Here are some possible campaign frameworks into a life of crime and he wants that child back. you can use for a Hudson City Powers campaign. Maybe he needs a bodyguard. Whatever it is, it Th e campaign types described in Chapter Two wasn’t part of the original agreement. Will the PCs work just as well for Hudson City Powers games as take this as a breach of good faith? Or will they they do for Knights campaigns. help a person in need, even if his method for get- ting help was less than straightforward? HCPD SUPERCRIMES DIVISION Eavesdropping: When the PCs discover the head- In this campaign, the Hudson City Police quarters their mysterious benefactor provided Department decides it needs experts in super- them is bugged, do they immediately assume he has human crime. Rather than invest in expensive some ulterior motive? Or could this be a villain’s high-tech equipment, the powers-that-be chose to plot to turn them against their patron? employ “human solutions for human problems.” Th e PCs are low-powered superhumans assigned Temporary Gains: Th e powers the PCs receive are to investigate and prevent crimes where the cul- wearing off — they’re becoming normal people prit likely possesses superpowers. Th ey must work once more. Th e doctors warn that going through hand-in-hand with other departments (always the process a second time could kill them. Will they good for dramatic tension!) to bring the culprit to continue to fi ght crime with nothing more than justice, using their special abilities to neutralize the their guts and wits to rely on? Will they risk death criminal’s powers. to hold onto to their superhuman abilities? Or will they retire? First Day On The Beat: It’s the fi rst day of the PCs’ job in the Supercrimes Division... and things have not gone well. Th e other cops don’t trust them, the press has been raking them over the coals, and it’s time for them to prove their worth. But when they get word that Charade’s in town and getting ready to hit a target, can they stop the master of disguise and prove their worth? In The Cards: Th e heroes are being awarded a cita- tion for bravery, but the criminal mastermind Card Shark, displeased with how eff ective they’ve been, decides the public spectacle is the perfect time for a public humiliation. He dispatches his men to prove how ineff ective the PCs are by kidnapping an important city offi cial right from the stage under their very noses. Last Day On The Job: Th e commissioner has dis- banded the Supercrimes Division — not enough crimes to warrant the budget allotment, he claims. Do the PCs go meekly back to their original post- ings, or do they don masks and become costumed crimefi ghters in earnest? ALL INTERESTED PARTIES PLEASE APPLY TO... An ad runs in all the Hudson City newspapers calling for brave men and women to stand up for their city and do something about the crime that rages out of control. A private party — maybe a wealthy individual who lost his child to random violence, maybe someone more mysterious — is looking for volunteers for “human enhancement” treatments. Th ose who successfully pass (survive?) the rigorous tests — the PCs, of course — receive superpowers they can use to fi ght crime. Th e patron also promises to fund the superteam. Aft er a long and grueling process, the streets of Hudson City have a new group of protectors.... 76 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition HEROES

men who take jobs for cash. But most of their busi- CAPE AND COWL ness is pro bono — neither of them has the heart to INVESTIGATIONS turn away a person in need, much to the disgust of Flora, Humberto’s cousin. And neither of them is Do you wonder if your spouse leads a double life? Do you willing to take jobs of a questionable nature either suspect your husband dons a mask and costume to rob — which Flora thinks is probably a good idea most banks? Do you think a loved one has fallen under the sway of the time, but once in a while, especially when of a criminal mastermind? Stop asking questions and start they’re late with her paycheck, she thinks maybe looking for answers. they could be a little less picky about their cases. (The scene changes to show two men standing in front of Background/History: Cape and Cowl Investigations a blue background: a short hispanic man who’s doing the formed two years ago when Humberto Mendez took talking, and a large white man who has his arms crossed Jackie Maxwell on as a partner. Th e two met while over his thick chest. Both wear black domino masks.) Mendez was working on a missing persons case. Th e Cape and Cowl Investigations is here to help. person in question was Simon Stillwell. His father had just passed away, naming his only son the sole benefi - —From a television ad that failed to bring in more ciary of his estate. Th e father’s lawyer hired Mendez business to fi nd the boy, who’d fallen in with a gang named the A prospective client can fi nd Cape and Cowl Blues. Mendez tracked Simon to a club in Eastwood, Investigations in a shabby offi ce on the third fl oor delivered the message about his father’s will, and then, of a rundown brownstone in Eastwood. Stenciled rather than looking the other way about the boy’s on the frosted glass set in the door is the fi rm’s criminal lifestyle, tried to convince Simon to use the name in black block letters above its logo, a domino money his father left him to start a new life. One thing mask. Beyond the door is a small reception area quickly led to another — the gang members didn’t with a threadbare couch, a battered coff ee table appreciate being called lowlifes and pathetic thugs with six-month-old magazines scattered across it, — and Mendez found himself in the middle of a fi ght and a desk. Sometimes there’s a Hispanic girl sitting he couldn’t win. at the desk chomping on gum, twirling her black Maxwell, who was nearby, stepped in. Together hair around a fi nger, and doing her homework. Six- the two men dealt with the gang. Mendez off ered teen years old with a smart mouth, Flora Mendez to buy Maxwell a cup of coff ee in thanks, and as works there full-time during the summer, but only the two sat in the diner and talked, Mendez had in the evenings during the school year. an idea. Mendez Investigations was just one more A single wooden door — usually closed when detective agency in the phone book, and while Flora’s there, because the men get tired of listening some people knew of Mendez’s enhanced sense of to her make fun of them, but open when she’s absent smell, most didn’t. Despite his abilities being listed — leads from the reception area to the offi ce. Inside in the small ad Mendez placed in the phone book are two wooden desks that face each other, and motes every year, either no one seemed impressed with of dust drift through the sunlight spilling in through a enhanced sense of smell or no one believed it. dirty windows. When not on a case, the two private Maxwell, on the other hand, was huge, impressive investigators — Humberto Mendez, a.k.a. Hawkshaw, looking, and well known to the public because of and Jackie “Northside Max” Maxwell, a.k.a. Heavy- the doping scandal that went on between him, his Hitter — are sitting at their respective desks. Mendez trainer, and the boxing association. is usually bent over the newspaper, fi dgeting with a Th e two of them, both with superpowers, cigarette he never lights; Maxwell sits with his legs up would sell themselves as crimefi ghters for hire. on the desk and hands behind his head, listening to Unlike other crimefi ghters, they’d be easy to fi nd sports-talk radio, only sitting up to move the antenna and always available. A person in need wouldn’t in his never-ending search for better reception. have to hope and pray some crimefi ghter noticed Mendez typically wears a rumpled brown suit with his plight; instead, he could look up crimefi ghters the top buttons of his shirt unbuttoned (a knotted tie in the phone book. Th ey’d also change the name lays on his desk); Maxwell favors a track suit and run- so it’d attract more attention — Mendez was con- ning shoes. Hanging from hooks on the far wall are vinced part of the reason business was so slow was two black domino masks. that he was located smack-dab in the middle of the Th e two private investigators sell themselves listings. Having been permanently banned from — their marketing niche, as Mendez likes to call boxing, Maxwell said it sounded like a good idea. it — as crimefi ghters for hire, two superpowered Th ey made up names for themselves — Hawkshaw Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 77

and Heavy-Hitter — bought some domino masks, publicity. To reduce the company’s eff ectiveness, get CAPE AND COWL and changed the name on the door of the offi ce. rid of Heavy-Hitter and go back to having Mendez INVESTIGATIONS Th eir purpose was both to make some money try to earn a living on his own. PLOT SEEDS and do some good in the community of Eastwood. Cape and Cowl doesn’t Hunt anyone on a While they’ve done a lot of good, they haven’t made regular basis. It takes the cases it’s paid to take. A wife is desperate to much money... yet. fi nd her husband and HAWKSHAW Group Relations: Mendez and Maxwell complain, she contacts Cape and Cowl. During the meet- grumble, and argue a lot — as Flora Mendez puts Val Char Cost Roll Notes ing she pulls out a mask it, they sound like an old married couple. Most of 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 and reveals that her hus- Mendez’s complaints concern whatever cologne band is... one of the PCs! 14 CON 8 12- Maxwell is wearing that day; Maxwell fusses about Hawkshaw perceives most things, but especially Mendez’s constant fi dg- 12 BODY 4 11- that the woman is tell- eting with an unlit cigarette and the masks they 18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13- ing the truth (or thinks have to wear while on a case. Mendez never told 18 EGO 16 12- ECV: 6 she is...), so they agree him about the mask thing when they fi rst talked 10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 to take the case. What about setting up the agency, and Maxwell holds 10 COM 0 11- villain is trying to put Hawkshaw and Heavy- a grudge. Mendez maintains they can’t bill them- 5 PD 2 Total: 8 PD (3 rPD) Hitter at odds with the selves as costumed crimefi ghters if they don’t wear 5 ED 2 Total: 8 ED (3 rED) PCs? And what’s his masks. Maxwell thinks the masks look ridiculous, 4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 ultimate goal? the spirit gum itches, and no one cares anyhow 6 REC 0 — it’s the names that matter, not the masks. 28 END 0 For the life of a child, Th at said, both have a sense of responsibility 40 STUN 13 Total Characteristics Cost: 94 Heavy-Hitter has to get toward the community, and they never argue about Movement: Running: 8”/16” back in the ring one money (instead, they commiserate that they don’t more time. But these have any). If a person in need shows up in their Cost Powers END are illegal bloodsport offi ce and says he can’t pay, they don’t even discuss 10 Good Uppercut: HA +3d6; Hand-To-Hand matches, and it’s up to the matter. Both agree to do whatever they can to Attack (-½) 1 Hawkshaw and the PCs help the person. 20 Read Pheromone Traces: Clairsentience to fi nd the kid before (Smell/Taste Group), Retrocognition, Heavy-Hitter has no Tactics: Mendez and Maxwell make a good team. Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); choice but to break the Mendez’s powers and skills help them fi gure out Retrocognition Only (-1), No Range (-½), law. what went on and track down whoever they’re Time Modifi ers (-½) 0 looking for. Maxwell does the questioning and pro- 13 Smell Pheromones: Detect Emotions 16- Flora Mendez has a vides the muscle in case things get rough. In a fi ght, crush, and it’s on one of (Smell/Taste Group), Discriminatory 0 Mendez hangs back and tries to obtain the objec- the PCs. How will her 6 Enhanced Sense Of Smell: +3 PER Rolls tive — chase down whomever they’re pursuing, cousin react when she with Smell/Taste Group 0 locate the missing object, retrieve the fi les, and so does her best to act the 10 Enhanced Sense Of Smell: Discriminatory on — while Maxwell does the punching. part of damsel-in-dis- for Smell/Taste Group 0 tress hoping to get the Campaign Use: Cape and Cowl Investigations can 10 Enhanced Sense Of Smell: Tracking for PC’s attention? become involved with most crimes that also involve Smell/Taste Group 0 the PCs, so long as there’s someone who would hire 9 Enhanced Sense Of Smell: +6 versus them. Th e majority of their cases are bodyguard Range Modifi er for Smell/Taste Group 0 work, missing persons, or recovering stolen prop- 4 Good Runner: Running +2” (8” total) 1 erty — they don’t take divorce cases or the other Perks tawdry work that serves as bread and butter for 5 Contact: Detective Sarah Taggart, HCPD most private eyes. If they take a case, it’s because Vice 11- (very useful Skills and resources, they believe their client is honest — Mendez’s abil- access to major institutions) ity to smell pheromones goes a long way toward 2 Contact: Stanley Hauptmann, reporter at making sure they aren’t deceived or tricked into City News 11- (Contact has access to major taking a case. Because of that, they stand by the institutions) client regardless of what other crimefi ghters say 2 Fringe Benefi t: Private Investigator License — to get them to stand down, the PCs had better present some evidence. If Cape and Cowl has an Talents established relationship with the PCs, it would likely 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) ask for their help if Mendez and Maxwell need 25 Danger Sense (immediate vicinity, out of more muscle, since there are only two of them and combat) 13- Mendez, while tough enough to take care of himself Skills in a fi ght against normal people, isn’t a brawler. Both 3 Criminology 13- of them maintain a public identity, and although 3 Deduction 13- it has yet to aff ect them, it’s only a matter of time 3 CK: Hudson City 13- before some villain comes looking for revenge. 3 KS: Hudson City Underworld 13- To make Cape And Cowl more powerful, 3 Language: Spanish (completely fl uent; Eng- increase the size of the staff . With a few more low- lish is Native) level superhuman investigators, the company would 3 Lockpicking 13- (hopefully) make more money and attract more 1 PS: Accountant 8- 78 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

HAWKSHAW 3 PS: Private Investigator 13- based on its smell. Whenever he found the hidden PLOT SEEDS 3 Security Systems 13- object, his mother would tap him on the nose and 5 Shadowing 14- say to him, “Th e nose knows.” But back then his Heavy-Hitter mysteri- 3 Stealth 13- sense of smell was only impressive; it wasn’t more ously vanishes. Despite 1 Streetwise 8- than human. his best eff orts, Hawk- Total Powers & Skills Cost: 156 At twenty-two, Humberto got into a car acci- shaw can’t fi nd so much Total Cost: 250 dent while stopped a stoplight. No one’s fault, really, as his scent, so he turns just icy roads and blowing snow, and the car behind to the PCs for help. 150+ Disadvantages him couldn’t stop in time. Humberto was slammed 15 DNPC: Flora Mendez (cousin) 11- (Normal) into the steering wheel, breaking his nose in three Hawkshaw’s cousin 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus places. An ambulance rushed him to the emergency Flora begins dating Killing (Common, Total) room, where the doctors put him under using a this handsome-looking 15 Psychological Limitation: Soft -Touch For A new anaesthesia, just approved by the FDA. Th e gas white guy, but some- Sob Story (Common, Strong) had a strange eff ect on Humberto. It interacted with thing about him doesn’t 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Hum- seem right to Humberto. his metabolism in an unprecedented way, and when berto Mendez) (Frequently, Major) Th e guy doesn’t smell he awoke the antiseptic smell of the hospital and right... though he doesn’t 10 Unluck 2d6 all the people around him was more than he could exactly smell wrong, 10 Vulnerability: 2 x Eff ect from Smell/Taste bear. He spent those early months in an insensible either. Knowing how Group Flash Attacks (Uncommon) daze, unable to communicate with the outside mad Flora would get if 15 Experience Points world because of the sensory overload. Th e doctors she caught him snoop- Total Disadvantage Points: 250 didn’t understand what was wrong and kept him ing around, he asks the in the hospital — which despite the doctors’ good PCs to do the snooping Background/History: Humberto Mendez was born intentions, only exacerbated the situation. Finally, for him. with a good nose. He could close his eyes and his sense of smell dulled, his brain became accus- follow a scent right to the dinner table, and regard- tomed to the input, and he could speak again. While working with the less of how quiet a person was, Humberto could For the next three years, Humberto underwent PCs, Hawkshaw smells tell if someone had entered the family’s home just test aft er test. Th e tests were all paid for by the that one of them’s been by the scent of perfume or cologne that hung in pharmaceutical company — the researchers wanted poisoned recently. Th e the air. He used to show off his ability for friends to understand what had happened — but they PCs have to fi gure out and family — a person would hide something with who did it and how to never could isolate whatever anomaly in Humber- a strong smell like a fl ower or perfume-drenched cure their friend... and to’s make-up led to his condition. In the end, Hum- handkerchief, and Humberto would track it down Hawkshaw’s probably berto refused to suff er through any more tests. He the only one who can applied to the Hudson City help them track the per- Police Department, explain- petrator down. ing his special qualifi cations, but it wasn’t interested in a twenty-fi ve year old with an Accounting degree from the local community college and a strange condition. So instead Humberto decided to become a private investigator. Personality/Motivation: Hum- berto Mendez is a good-hearted and tenacious man who has tried to use his special abilities to help others. Intelligent and perceptive, Humberto would have made a good investiga- tor even without his enhanced sense of smell, and with his abilities there are few who can rival him. But despite being dependable and having abili- ties that make him superior to most detectives, Humberto doesn’t make a lot of money at as a P.I. because he doesn’t take a cases unless he thinks the person has a real need for his help. He didn’t open a detec- tive agency to track down stray spouses at the beck and call of jealous husbands and wives, or to serve subpoenas for a high- Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 79 priced attorney. He started his business to help people HEAVYHITTER HEAVY-HITTER who were truly desperate for help — and these same Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS people oft en lack the money to pay, because if they 25 STR 15 14- Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [5] had money they wouldn’t be truly desperate for help. 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 Heavy-Hitter is con- In his hours outside of work, Humberto vol- 20 CON 20 14- tacted by a guy who unteers at the local library helping immigrants 15 BODY 10 12- claims to represent from Latin America learn to speak and read Eng- 10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- an underground pit- fi ghting competition lish. Before his car accident, Mendez was a heavy 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 involving superhuman smoker. He has quit — he can’t stand the smell 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 — but he still fi dgets with a cigarette when bored. combatants. It’s a chance 10 COM 0 11- to fi ght again! — but When overly stressed, he lights the cigarette, takes 14 PD 9 Total: 14 PD (6 rPD) Jackie’s smart enough a few puff s, and then puts it out and throws it away not to trust the “agent.” when he starts to get a headache. 12 ED 8 Total: 12 ED (6 rED) 5 SPD 22 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 Not wanting to let Hawkshaw know about Quote: “Th e guy doesn’t smoke, but all his clothes 10 REC 2 this just yet, he asks the smell like cigarettes, and he ::sniff , sniff :: drinks 40 END 0 maybe three beers a night — we’ll fi nd him at the PCs to investigate this 60 STUN 22 Total Characteristics Cost: 137 pit-fi ghting thing for corner bar once he gets off work. Let’s go.” Movement: Running: 8”/16” him. Powers/Tactics: Hawkshaw’s superhuman powers Cost Powers END stem from his enhanced sense of smell. He can Several people come smell the pheromones a person secretes, thus allow- Martial Arts: Boxing forward and claim ing him to gauge that person’s emotional state. By Maneuver OCV DCV Notes Heavy-Hitter beat sniffi ng around an area, he can reconstruct what 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort them (either as part happened in the recent past (the further back in 3 Clinch -1 -1 Grab Two of an investigation, or time he tries to perceive, the harder it is for him, Limbs, 45 STR to extort money from them). While Hawkshaw because smells fade), though he usually has to make 4 Cross +0 +2 9d6 Strike 5 Hook -2 +1 11d6 Strike deals with the nega- a Deduction roll to determine what the scents he tive P.R., Heavy-Hitter perceives signify. His Danger Sense represents his 8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) 6 Tough Skin: Damage Resistance asks the PCs to prove ability to detect the tang of adrenaline in a person’s his innocence — this (6 PD/6 ED) 0 sweat right before he attacks, the smell of the metal has got to be a set-up in a weapon or trap, or thel like. Strong or pungent 10 Tough Skin: Physical Damage by someone out to get smells may interfere with his abilities the same way Reduction, 25% 0 revenge on him, right? bright light makes it harder to see. 4 Tough Skin: Lack Of Weakness (-4) for Resistant Defenses 0 Heavy-Hitter’s strength Campaign Use: Hawkshaw makes a good ally for 26 Second Wind: Healing STUN 6d6, Trigger starts to fade to normal a team of PCs who are light on investigation skills (when reduced to 10 STUN or less, human levels. He’s really and high on fi repower. He has plenty of abilities to activating Trigger takes no time; +½); happy about it, since it help with investigations, but he doesn’t have any Self Only (-½), 1 Charge (-2) [1] means he can get back combat skills of note, so he hangs back and lets the into boxing... but he also Perks PCs to do the fi ghting. realizes it doesn’t make In addition to working for a client, Hawkshaw 2 Fringe Benefi t: Private Investigator License sense. He asks the PCs would Hunt anyone he thought was damaging Skills to help him fi nd out if the community or hurting its residents. While his 6 +2 with Boxing he’s being drugged or something. partner is more prone to physical force, Hawkshaw 5 Analyze Combat Style 12- attempts to gather information on his Hunted, then 3 Breakfall 13- presents the information to the police if it’s of a 2 CK: Hudson City 11- criminal nature, or to the Hunted himself if he 5 Defense Maneuver I and II thinks it will get him to leave town. 3 Interrogation 12- To make Hawkshaw more powerful, give him 5 KS: Boxing 14- Martial Arts — maybe Heavy-Hitter teaches him 2 KS: Sports 11- how to box — and increase his defenses. To make 3 Paramedics 11- him less powerful, remove his Read Pheromone 2 PS: Professional Boxer 11- Traces and Sense Pheromones and replace them 5 Streetwise 13- high levels of Deduction, Conversation, Interroga- tion, and other Interaction Skills (the special eff ect Total Powers & Skills Cost: 113 is the same, his abilities are now more mundane Total Cost: 250 than as presented here). 150+ Disadvantages Hawkshaw has no criminal record. 15 DNPC: Flora Mendez (receptionist) 11- Appearance: At 5’6”, Humberto Mendez is a short (Normal) Hispanic man with a serious face and aquiline nose. 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Kill- He has a lean, athletic frame oft en hidden by the ill- ing (Common, Total) fi tting, rumpled suits he wears. He keeps his wavy 15 Psychological Limitation: Soft -Touch For A black hair short and slicked back, and he wears a Sob Story (Common, Strong) goatee. As Hawkshaw he looks the same, but wears 10 Reputation: former contender who admitted a black domino mask. to using steroids 14- (Limited Group [only among other boxers, sports affi cionados, and 80 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

in Eastwood neighborhood]) At this point, Jackie knew something was 5 Social Limitation: Banned From Profes- wrong. He had just about taken the other boxer’s sional Boxing (Infrequently, Minor) head off , and the punch he threw was only a hook, 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Jackie not nearly hard enough to do that kind of damage. “Northside Max” Maxwell) (Frequently, During workouts, Beckley had told him it was Major) nothing to worry about. Jackie’d listened to his 10 Unluck 2d6 trainer, but the near-death of his opponent brought 10 Vulnerability: 1½ x STUN from Poisons and him to his senses. He knew his strength had Drugs (Common) become inhuman. Total Disadvantage Points: 250 Because he was so worried about his own strength, Jackie lost the next fight by decision, Background/History: Jackie Maxwell grew up on and Beckley lost his temper — all that time the streets of Eastwood. Unlike many of his friends, building up his record was flushed down the he avoided the life of a gang member by taking toilet. Beckley ranted and raved, and somewhere up boxing. He was too talented to let slip through in all the yelling and screaming, he let slip the the cracks, and though he hated it at the time, his truth: he had been doping Jackie’s protein drinks trainer George Beckley wouldn’t let him out of the with a new kind of steroid. gym until Jackie was too tired to do anything but Jackie was devastated. It was his worst fears go home and go to bed. Beckley knew that most confirmed, and after a sleepless weekend, he of the kids who drift ed in and out of his gym only turned himself in to the Athletic Control Board. stayed long enough to learn how to hurt someone Because of his honesty, the Board went easy with a punch. He wasn’t about to let Jackie go that on him. When it first discussed the situation, it route, so he worked the young man like a dog. assured Jackie he’d receive a short-term suspen- Jackie won fi ght aft er fi ght at the amateur level, sion and have his old record expunged... but after and it was during a city-wide competition that he that, he could return to the ring. earned the nickname Northside Max, to diff erenti- But there was a problem. Even though he ate him from another boxer named Jack Maxwell. wasn’t taking steroids anymore, his body didn’t Despite helping Jackie stay off the streets, return to human levels of strength. Even after a Beckley only had his own interests at heart. He year of light exercise and dropping ten pounds, was tired of a life spent training two-bit losers and Jackie was still stronger than any human had wanted to ride Jackie’s coattails straight to the top. a right to be. After a series of tests, the doctors When the young boxer dreamed about fi ghting in agreed his strength wouldn’t return to normal the Olympics one day, Beckley screamed at him, levels until — maybe — he reached his fifties or “But what’s the purse?!?” In the end, Jackie went pro sixties. before having his chance to fi ght at the Olympics Th e Control Board couldn’t let him return to — a fact he’s always regretted. the ring, and Jackie didn’t even ask. He understood Billed as Northside Max to please the home the situation and knew he was a danger to his crowd, and now fi ghting in the heavyweight divi- fellow boxers. Instead he drift ed around, working sion, Jackie continued to win fi ght aft er fi ght — he odd jobs mostly in construction with his dad, until hadn’t lost since he was fourteen. As the months he met Humberto Mendez and agreed to start Cape and years went by, his strength was at fi rst impres- and Cowl Investigations. sive, then amazing... and eventually he became so strong he almost killed another boxer in the ring. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 81

Personality/Motivation: Jackie Maxwell is a prag- SCARLET SCARLET matic optimist who hasn’t let a bad experience Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS embitter him. He regrets losing his boxing career 20 STR 10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4] and likes to reminisce about it (Mendez tries to 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 Scarlet’s motorcycle humor him, but aft er eight or ten hours of stories 20 CON 20 13- Dragon is found aban- day aft er day, he can only take so much)... but he 10 BODY 0 11- doned in LeMastre hasn’t let his regrets ruin his life. 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- Park. Knowing she’d never voluntarily leave it Jackie’s always been a soft touch for a sob story, 13 EGO 6 12- ECV: 4 behind, the PCs have to but growing up, he didn’t think much about the 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 community around him. Spending so much time fi nd out what happened 24 COM 7 15- to her... and make sure with Mendez has changed that, and he’s become she gets it back! just as concerned and proactive about his neigh- 8 PD 4 Total: 12 PD (6 rPD) bors and the neighborhood in general as his part- 8 ED 4 Total: 12 ED (6 rED) 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 Scarlet fi nds herself ner. He spends his free time working with kids at becoming more and the local gym, making sure they stay off the streets 8 REC 0 40 END 0 more demonic... and one and aren’t used and abused like he was (he’s already morning she wakes up 40 STUN 10 Total Characteristics Cost: 116 run off one trainer he thought didn’t have the kids’ to fi nd little horns grow- best interests at heart). Among Hudsonite fi ght Movement: Running: 9”/18” ing from her forehead! fans he’s got something of a bad reputation because Leaping: 8”/16” Terrifi ed, she appeals of the steroids he took — everyone remembers Swinging: 12”/24” to the PCs to help her he took steroids, but few people remember he fi gure out what’s going Cost Powers END on and stop it. was involuntarily doped and turned himself in. Martial Arts: Kung Fu He hates wearing a mask; when they’re standing Maneuver OCV DCV Notes around and he thinks no one else is listening, he Famed “occult detective” 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort Jonas Hexenhammer complains about the mask to Mendez. 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 40 STR approaches the PCs. He Quote: “Look, fella, I got nothing against you per- 4 Dodge +0 +5 Dodge all claims that Scarlet is sonally, so why don’t you just go on home? Don’t attacks, Abort really an evil demoness you make that face at me — you go on home, 4 Escape +0 +0 45 STR vs. and that he needs their before I send you home.” Grabs help to stop her fi end- 3 Joint Lock/Grab -1 -1 Grab, 40 STR ish schemes. But the Powers/Tactics: Jackie remains leery about using PCs have worked with 5 Kick -2 +1 10d6 Strike his full strength — unless his opponent is obviously Scarlet before, or at least as strong as he, he uses Analyze Combat Technique 4 Knife Hand -2 +0 HKA 1d6 (2d6 know her by reputation, before entering HTH Combat to try to fi gure out with STR) and she doesn’t strike how much his opponent can take. In a fi ght against 3 Legsweep +2 -1 7d6 Strike, them as the demonic an opponent with normal strength, he tries to get Target Falls type. Will they believe his opponent in a clinch and hold him still until he 4 Punch +0 +2 8d6 Strike him... and if so, what will they do? stops struggling. Against other opponents, he sets 3 Th row +0 +1 6d6 +v/5 Strike, up his opponent using blocks, then once he has the Target Falls advantage he tries to knock the guy’s block off . But 4 Tien-hsueh he’d much rather intimidate his foe or talk to him Strike -1 +1 3d6 NND (1) than get into a fi ght. 8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) 10 Demonic Anger/Enticement: +15 PRE; Campaign Use: Like his partner, Heavy-Hitter Only For Presence Attacks (-½) 0 would Hunt any person he thought was harming 8 Armored Costume: Armor (4 PD/4 ED); the community, although his methods would be OIF (-½) 0 more rough. He starts by trying to convince the 2 Tough: Damage Resistance (2 PD/2 ED) 0 person to stop doing whatever he’s doing that’s 8 Demonic Resilience: Armor (8 PD); harmful, and then he moves on to threats, and Only Works Against Limited Type Of fi nally gets violent if need be. Damage (fi re; -½) 0 To make Heavy-Hitter more powerful, increase 6 Fast: Running +3” (9” total) 1 his STR to 30 or 35. To further increase his power, 4 Strong Leaper: Leaping +4” (8” forward, give him Find Weakness with Boxing. To decrease 4” upward) 1 his power, remove his Physical Damage Reduction 6 Swingline: Swinging 12”; OAF (-1) 1 and/or his Second Wind. 5 Demonic Eyes: Nightvision 0 Heavy-Hitter has no criminal record, though 7 Mask Radio: Radio Perception/ the steroid incident is a matter of public record Transmission (Radio Group); IIF (-¼), with the Athletics Control Board. Aff ected As Hearing Group As Well As Appearance: Standing 6’3”, Jackie Maxwell is a large Radio Group (-¼) 0 man with a battered face. He keeps his blond hair 11 Expert Wheelman: Healing BODY 4d6, in a buzz cut and usually wears black track suits Trigger (activating Trigger requires a with a white stripe down the legs and arms. Like his Zero Phase Action, Trigger requires a partner, he wears a black domino mask. Half Phase Action to reset; +¼); Only Works On Ground Vehicles (-1), Requires A Combat Driving Roll (-½), 2 Charges (-1½), Costs Endurance (-½) 5 82 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

11 Demonic Heritage: Life Support (Immunity: 10 Enraged: when takes BODY damage all terrestrial diseases and biological warfare (Common), go 8-, recover 14- agents; Longevity: ages at half normal rate) 0 20 Hunted: HCPD 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) Perks 10 Hunted: Jonas Hexenhammer 8- (As Pow, 17 Dragon: Vehicle (see below) Capture/Kill) 20 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Kill- Talents ing (Common, Total) 32 Demonic Intuition: Danger Sense (any 15 Psychological Limitation: Must Help Inno- danger, immediate vicinity, sense) 13- cents (Common, Strong) Skills 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Devon 15 +3 HTH Alexander) (Frequently, Major) 5 +1 with Interaction Skills 105 Experience Points 3 Acrobatics 13- Total Disadvantage Points: 365 3 Breakfall 13- Background/History: “Your momma died when you 3 Climbing 13- were very little.” Th at’s what Devon’s dad always 7 Combat Driving 15- told her. 3 Conversation 13- When she was a teenager, he told her what really 3 Criminology 12- happened. It wasn’t that her mother had died — it was 3 Deduction 12- that she wasn’t human. According to Michael Alex- 3 Mechanics 12- ander, Devon’s mother was a succubus, a seductive 3 Persuasion 13- demoness who’d lured him into marriage. Her plan 2 PS: Reporter 11- had been to give birth to a half-demon child who’d 7 Seduction 15- create all sorts of chaos and misery on Earth... and 5 Stealth 14- aft er she’d achieved her purpose, she left . 3 Streetwise 13- For the fi rst decade of Devon’s life, it seemed the 4 TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, succubus’s plan might have worked. As a child, Devon Basic Parachuting, Two-Wheeled Motorized was a true hellion, breaking rules, causing mischief, Ground Vehicles and making other children cry whenever she could. Total Powers & Skills Cost: 249 But her father remained both patient and stern, and as Total Cost: 365 she got older he began to bring her wicked behavior 150+ Disadvantages under control (though he never could tone down her thrillseeking ways). When he told her about her true 10 Distinctive Features: Mystic Aura tinged heritage, that broke her of her bad habits immediately. with demonic soul (Not Concealable; Always Th ere was no way she was going to be a pawn in some Noticed; Detectable Only With Unusual demon-bitch’s evil plan! Senses) Instead, she went in the complete opposite direc- 10 Enraged: in combat or similarly stressful tion. She began doing volunteer work and anything situations (Common), go 8-, recover 14- else she could to help the community. But she found her true calling one day when she and a friend were walking down the street and some punk snatched her friend’s purse. Devon had always tried to hide the fact that she was a lot faster and stronger than most people, but the snatching made her so made she chased the punk down, beat the snot out of him, and got back her friend’s purse. Aft er that, it didn’t take much for her to decide to become a costumed crimefi ghter. It was the perfect “career” for her, since it combined her desire to do good with her love of thrills and danger. Since her favorite color was red, she designed a red costume and christened herself Scarlet. Using a custom-designed motorcycle she built herself, she’s been fi ghting crime in Hudson City ever since... and having a ball doing it. Personality/Motivation: For the most part, Scarlet is a stereotypical costumed crimefighter: she wants to help people and stop crime, but Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 83

she won’t kill or use excessive violence to do it. Characteristics a bit, or give her more demonic But the truth is that she really gets a kick out abilities — maybe the power to start fi res with her of crimefighting; if she weren’t doing that, she’d mind, project bolts of hellfi re, or control peoples’ probably be into extreme sports or the like. minds. To weaken her, reduce her Characteristics a She’s got one other minor ulterior motive for little, remove a few Martial Maneuvers, and get rid crimefi ghting. Scarlet has something of a temper at of her Expert Wheelman ability. times — part of her demonic heritage, she fi gures. Scarlet doesn’t Hunt people — she’t not really She’s found that if she does good deeds, that helps into vendettas. She fi ghts crime in a more reactive way. her keep her temper under control. Still, when she’s Scarlet is wanted by the HCPD for numerous under stress (such as in combat) or gets hurt, she acts of assault, breaking and entering, and the like. sometimes “loses it.” It was during one such episode Whether they could connect most of these acts to that she roundhouse kicked an HCPD cop into a her suffi ciently to get a conviction is another matter two-week hospital stay, which is why the cops think altogether, but they defi nitely have a lot of ques- she’s a criminal and want to arrest her. (In game tions to ask her. terms, you might want to decrease her roll to go Appearance: Devon Alexander is a stunningly gor- Enraged, or increase her roll to recover from being geous white woman, 5’7” tall and about 115 pounds Enraged, if she’s done some notably selfl ess good with a perfectly-proportioned fi gure and short hair deed within the past 24 hours.) that’s a red-auburn shade most women can only get Aft er years of fruitless dating, Scarlet’s come to from a bottle. As Scarlet she wears an all-red bodys- the conclusion that men these days are all weakling tocking with darker red boots, long gloves, and a dunces. She’s pretty much stopped looking... but short cape; her half-face cowl matches the bodys- maybe a handsome PC can change her mind. tocking and ties in the back with two dangling ties. Quote: “No way in Hell you can escape from me... trust me.” DRAGON  SCARLET’S MOTORCYCLE Powers/Tactics: In many ways, Scarlet looks like Val Char Cost Notes any other costumed crimefi ghter. She’s a skilled 1 Size 5 1.25”x.64”; 200 kg; -1 KB; -0 DCV hand-to-hand combatant, fast, smart, graceful, and 20 STR 5 Lift 400 kg; 4d6 HTH [0] trained in a variety of skills. What sets her apart 20 DEX 30 OCV: 7/DCV: 7 are the abilities she gets from her demonic heri- 14 BODY 3 tage. Having a succubus for a mother makes her 6 DEF 8 Does Not Protect Occupant (-½) a lot stronger, quicker, and tougher than a normal 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 human being, and she uses these attributes to good Total Characteristic Cost: 61 eff ect in combat. Most noticeably, she’s absolutely Movement: Ground: 35”/280” gorgeous — she could easily make millions as a Swimming: 0”/0” supermodel if she wanted to. If she wants to be, she Abilities & Equipment can be incredibly seductive, able to make just about Cost Power END anyone (particularly men) do what she wants... or if 25 Motorized Two-Wheeled Vehicle: Ground she prefers, she can show her demonic side a little Movement +29” (35” total), x8 NMC; more overtly and intimidate just about anyone. OAF (tires; -1½), Only On Appropriate Scarlet’s half-demonic nature shows up in her Terrain (-¼), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge aura — though of course few people can see auras. (easily-obtained fuel; 1 Day; -0) [1cc] One who can is noted occult detective and “ghost- 6 Super-Reinforced Tires (see Th e Ultimate chaser” Jonas Hexenhammer, who’s convinced she’s Vehicle, page 41) 0 some sort of demonic menace with a long-term plan -2 Ground Vehicle: Swimming -2” (0” total) to harm mankind. He intends to capture her, use her to prove that demons exist, and then destroy her. Skills Unlike many crimefi ghters, Scarlet doesn’t go 8 Superb Handling: +4 with Ground Movement in for gadgets and weapons; she prefers to fi nd a way Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 37 to get things done using her own abilities. Th e one Total Vehicle Cost: 98 exception she makes is her custom-built motorcycle, Value Disadvantages which she calls Dragon. She loves riding motorcycles 10 Distinctive Features: Demonic-Styled and is a very skilled driver in general, able to keep a Motorcycle (Concealable With Diffi culty; car or bike in one piece and functioning even aft er it’s Noticed And Recognizable) taken a real battering. When possible she prefers to 5 Physical Limitation: Two-Wheeled (Infre- fi ght from motorcycle-back, zipping past bad guys to quently, Slightly Impairing) kick or punch them (a Move By using the motorcycle’s Ground Movement). Total Disadvantage Points: 15 Total Cost: 83/5 = 17 Campaign Use: Scarlet makes a great ally for the PCs, or perhaps even a romantic interest for a male Description: Dragon is Scarlet’s custom-built PC. She’s not obsessively driven to fi ght crime, but motorcylcle. Able to achieve speeds of over 400 she’ll certainly help out with an adventure if asked. miles an hour, it’s the perfect vehicle for her adven- Additionally, as a reporter she may be able to dig up turing needs. She plans to add a remote control information the PCs can’t get on their own. system, and maybe some weapons or other gad- To make Scarlet more powerful, boost her getry, someday. 84 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition VILLAINS

BURNING BETTY BURNING BETTY 150+ Disadvantages PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes 10 Distinctive Features: Homeless Person 18 STR 16 13- Lift 300 kg; 3½d6 [4] (Easily Concealed, Causes Major Reaction Burning Betty has 24 DEX 42 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 [disgust]) decided to take over her 15 CON 10 12- 10 Hunted: the Mafi a 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Watch- kingdom. She chooses a 12 BODY 4 11- ing) part of Freetown, burns 10 INT 0 11- PER Roll 11- 20 Psychological Limitation: Cruel And Mali- down all the build- cious (Common, Total) ings, and has her army 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 of homeless followers 10 PRE 0 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 20 Social Limitation: Homeless (Frequently, blockade the streets. Th e 10 COM 0 11- Severe) 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Betty Fry) police and Fire Depart- 6 PD 2 Total: 9 PD (3 rPD) ment can’t get in — can (Frequently, Major) 8 ED 5 Total: 11 ED (3 rED) the PCs make it past 5 Vulnerability: 1½ x STUN from Cold-based 4 SPD 6 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 the homeless to fi nd out attacks (Uncommon) 8 REC 2 what’s going on? And Total Disadvantage Points: 230 if so, can they capture 40 END 5 Betty? 40 STUN 11 Total Characteristics Cost: 103 Background/History: While other children were setting ants on fire with a magnifying glass, Betty Movement: Running: 6”/12” Th e mafi osi who worked Fry was setting them on fire with her mind. The with Burning Betty Cost Powers END pranks she could play with her pyrokinesis were have decided she has a 21 Pyrokinesis: Elemental Control, 42-point endless — lighting a boy’s pants on fire (whether screw loose and knows powers he was a liar or not); igniting a bag full of fire- too much about what 23 1) Set On Fire I: RKA 1½d6, Indirect crackers while an unsuspecting man held them they’ve done over the (always originates from Betty, but can in his hand; setting abandoned buildings on fire years. Th ey decide to strike from any direction; +½), Fully and watching the squatters run out — not to take her out, but their Invisible (source only; +½); No mention how useful it was for keeping warm in hitman fails and now it’s Knockback (-¼) 4 winter when she slept in doorways. a gang war. Can the PCs 26 2) Set On Fire II: RKA ½d6, Area Of bring peace to Hudson Betty grew up in an orphanage where the City’s streets before Eff ect (8”; +1¼), Selective (+¼), other kids ostracized her... mainly because they Betty burns down Little Continuous (+1), Indirect (always were scared of her and had good reason to be. Italy? originates from Betty, but can strike She was a mean girl who played cruel pranks from any direction; +½), Sticky (only (even when not using her powers, which she kept Burning Betty’s mother aff ects fl ammables; +¼), Uncontrolled (+½) 5 secret)... and if any child tried to retaliate, he soon shows up in Hudson 12 3) Control Fire: Telekinesis (30 STR); found himself in the nurse’s offi ce being treated for City looking for her Only Works On Fire (-1) 4 burns that mysteriously appeared on his body when daughter. She gets in 14 4) Radiate Heat: Change Environment he was asleep. touch with the PCs and 16” radius, +4 Temperature Levels, At twelve, Betty ran away — she failed to see asks for their help to Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); the point of living in the orphanage any longer fi nd the girl. No Range (-½) 2 — and took to the streets of Hudson City. For 2 Immune To Heat: Life Support (Safe most girls her age, being homeless meant being Environment: Intense Heat) 0 raped, abused, and turned out to walk the streets Talents by some pimp, but Betty’s powers kept away 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) anyone who tried to take advantage of her. After a while no one messed with her — word got Skills around that she could light people up, and even 5 CK: Hudson City 13- the sickest sex freaks on the street are afraid of 2 KS: Hudson City Underworld 11- fire. Her powers eventually brought her to the 3 Sleight Of Hand 14- attention of the Mafia. 5 Streetwise 12- The scam was simple: the Mafia had some 4 Survival (Urban) 12- property it wanted to collect insurance on, and Total Powers & Skills Cost: 123 Betty could set the buildings on fire without Total Cost: 226 an investigator ever figuring out what had hap- pened. It was perfect arson, and though Betty only collected a small portion of the profits, she made more money than she did panhandling. Pretty soon she was well-off (for a homeless Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 85

person at least), with bundles of cash stuffed into Over the last few years, she’s come to style herself as the plastic bags she carried around in a shop- a queen of the homeless — a criminal fi gure in her ping cart. Because of her money, and her ability own right, one to rival Card Shark or a Mafi a family to provide heat when it was cold, she gathered — although the truth of the matter is less certain, around her a group of other homeless men and since she has yet to put her army of homeless into women. It wasn’t long before Burning Betty was action. In Hudson City, the homeless number in the a crime figure of a sort, her army of homeless tens of thousands, and as far as Betty’s concerned, some of the best informants a person could find they’re all potential followers. in Hudson City. When speaking, Burning Betty refers to herself Trailing a disorganized mob of followers, in the third person. Despite her young years, she Burning Betty wanders the streets of Freetown speaks with a grizzled, throaty voice. at all hours. Neither she nor those with her have Quote: “Oh yes. Burning Betty’s got a light. Yes, she to worry about gangs harassing them — the gang does, indeed, she does.” members have learned better, and nowadays most think she’s some kind of witch. She still Powers/Tactics: Burning Betty’s powers stem takes jobs for the mob, although she does less from pyrokinesis, the ability to ignite and con- and less work. She’s started to develop her own trol fires with the power of her mind. She can ambitions and dislikes working for other people. set an individual person or object alight. This power is Indirect (meaning she can immolate Personality/Motivation: Burning Betty is a cruel things regardless of intervening barriers), and woman with a wicked inclination for setting people the source (Burning Betty) is invisible even on fi re. She doesn’t usually kill them (unless they though the flames are not. With greater effort, attack her fi rst), but she’s been known to set people she can ignite all the inflammable objects she alight for the slightest reason. Barely twenty, she’s wants within an 8” radius: the power is Sticky mature for her age but still has the mean streak of a (so anything flammable that contacts with one of malicious child. the burning objects also catches fire) and Con- Unlike many of her homeless followers, Betty’s tinuous (the fires only go out when there’s no in full possession of her mental faculties. She wasn’t more fuel, the oxygen is depleted, or something forced onto the street because of mental illness or smothers the flames — such as a burning charac- some addiction — she chose to be there — and the ter taking a Full Phase Action to stop, drop, and money she’s made working for the Italians keeps roll). She can also control the fire she creates, her from suff ering the worst eff ects of deprivation. causing them to leap and strike at her whim. Her 86 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

final ability — the power to heat her surround- CARNIVORE ing area — has no practical combat use, but is Val Char Cost Roll Notes invaluable in her day-to-day life during cold 40 STR 30 17- Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [8] weather. 28 DEX 54 15- OCV: 9/DCV: 9 Burning Betty avoids face-to-face combat, 30 CON 40 15- preferring to ambush her target with Set Alight I 20 BODY 20 13- from hiding. If cornered, however, she doesn’t go 4 INT -6 10- PER Roll 10- peacefully — she ignites everything in the area 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 with Set Alight II, then uses Pyrokinesis to take 25 PRE 15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6 control of the flames and cause them to “attack” 4 COM -3 10- her opponents. 20 PD 12 Total: 20 PD (1 rPD) Campaign Use: Any encounter involving the 18 ED 12 Total: 18 ED (1 rED) homeless in Hudson City might lead to an 6 SPD 22 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 encounter with Burning Betty. Also any enemies 16 REC 4 the PCs have made might hire her to burn down 60 END 0 their homes or businesses. Eventually Betty will 60 STUN 5 Total Characteristics Cost: 205 more fully develop her ambitions — possible plans are orchestrating crime sprees or kidnap- Movement: Running: 11”/22” pings, and taking over a few abandoned city Leaping: 15”/30” blocks for her “kingdom.” Betty might Hunt any Cost Powers END character that rubs her the wrong way — for 25 Claws: HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR), Reduced being condescending to homeless people, for Endurance (½ END; +¼); Reduced trying to tell her how to live her life, and so on. Penetration (-¼), No Knockback (-¼) 3 To make Burning Betty more powerful, give 1 Tough Skin: Damage Resistance (1 PD/1 ED) 0 her Defense Powers that make her effectively 10 Animalistic Mind: Mental Defense immune to fire damage (e.g., lots of Armor and/ (13 points total) 0 or Damage Reduction with Limitations so that it 12 Heightened Senses: +4 to PER Rolls with only applies to fire). To make her less powerful, all Sense Groups 0 lower her Elemental Control to 30 points and 5 Enhanced Vision: Infrared Perception reduce the slots accordingly. (Sight Group) 0 As a Hunter, Burning Betty tries to burn 10 Enhanced Olfactory Senses: Tracking down everything the Hunted owns. If truly feel- with Smell/Taste Group 0 ing malicious, she might try to make it look like 10 Fast Runner: Running +5” (11” total) 2 arson — maybe causing the furnace or an oven 7 Strong Legs: Leaping +7” (15” forward, to explode — so the Hunted has to deal with 8” upward) 2 investigators and the police. Although far from Skills squeamish, she isn’t likely to try to kill a Hunted 4 +2 OCV with Claws unless the person did her harm first. 10 +2 DCV Burning Betty has no criminal record. The HCFD’s never connected her to any of the arson 3 Acrobatics 15- jobs she’s pulled — since she leaves no traces of 3 Breakfall 15- accelerants or the like, they don’t even know the 7 Shadowing 13- fires were deliberately set. 3 Stealth 15- Appearance: Burning Betty is 5’4” skinny young Total Powers & Skill Cost: 110 white woman, but it’s hard to tell with all the Total Cost: 315 coats she wears. She typically has on three 150+ Disadvantages quilted coats, one over the other. Over her long 20 Distinctive Features: Man-Beast (Not ratty brown hair she wears a broad-brimmed sun Concealable; Causes Extreme Reaction hat with a wilted red carnation stuck in the band. [abject fear]) Her face is covered with grime, but under all the 30 Enraged: Berserk in combat (Very dirt is plain-looking girl with pale white skin and Common), go 11-, recover 8- hazel eyes. Because she’s only twenty, she has yet 20 Hunted: HCPD 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) to lose her teeth or suffer any other disfigure- 25 Psychological Limitation: Bestial Nature ments from her harsh life. And Mentality (Very Common, Total) 15 Psychological Limitation: Must Obey Whoever Uses Dr. Spregen’s Whistle (Uncommon, Total) 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Jim Perkins) (Frequently, Major) 15 Vulnerability: 1½ x Eff ect from Flashes (Very Common) 10 Vulnerability: 1½ x STUN from Poisons and Drugs (Common) 15 Experience Points Total Disadvantage Points: 315 Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 87

Background/History: Jim Perkins was human once. Personality/Motivation: Jim Perkins’s once fervently CARNIVORE Or so he thought — given his membership in Nazistic mind is now little more than the mind of PLOT SEEDS the New Republic Party, an ultra-right wing Nazi a vicious predatory animal. He thinks only of his organization with terroristic inclinations, there are next opportunity to rend and kill and satisfy his Th e typical Carnivore many who would be inclined to dispute his claim to hunger for human fl esh. Although he’s intelligent adventure: the mon- humanity. Perkins was the perfect Nazi: tall, strong, enough to follow simple orders from Spregen — for ster’s on a rampage, and and brutal, with blue eyes and blonde hair cut mili- example, he can stalk and kill a designated target the PCs must fi nd him, tary style. Perkins’s attributes drew the notice of — his thoughts are so savage and bestial that even then stop him from kill- Doctor Gerhardt Spregen, the “Iron Wolf” of Buch- someone with psionic powers has a hard time com- ing anymore innocents. enwald who was the real power behind the New prehending them. Republic Party (see Predators). Spregen suspected Carnivore’s bloodlust can overwhelm him Th e PCs have Carnivore Perkins was a “double-Y chromosome” male, and almost instantly whenever he’s fi ghting, about to trapped — fi nally they’ll be able to stop the killer thus perfect for an experiment he had in mind. attack, or perceives a threat to himself or to Spre- — but then they hear a Building on work he’d done decades ago in gen. Once his feral nature takes over, it’s diffi cult to roar from behind them, Nazi Germany, Dr. Spregen wanted to bring out save a victim from his claws, much less calm him then another from a the “bestial qualities” in men to create superb down. Th e only thing that always brings him to heel nearby fi re escape. It shock troops — soldiers who wouldn’t question is Spregen’s special ultrasonic whistle. Spregen car- seems Spregen has orders, who were strong enough to fl ip over cars, ries this unique item with him at all times, in case reproduced the process who could attack with their own natural weapons he needs to summon or control Carnivore. Anyone that resulted in Carni- in addition to guns. Double-Y genes, which some who uses the whistle can blow it to calm Carnivore vore.... experts suspect tend to make a man more brutal down, but could not use it to summon Carnivore and vicious, were one of the genetic markers Spre- the way Spregen can. (At the GM’s option, some Carnivore’s on the gen believed indicated that someone would be powers or devices, such as Active Sonar, might loose, but he’s not kill- responsive to the gene-splicing and chemical treat- interfere with or override the whistle.) ing people — instead he grabs fearful bystanders ments he’d devised. Quote: None — Carnivore is no longer able to by the lapels and begs When Spregen was ready, he had his aides speak coherently. them to help him. Has summon his unwitting guinea pig. Perkins, like any Perkins’s personality Powers/Tactics: good Nazi, obeyed his orders unquestioningly. He By means of scientifi c processes has resurfaced, allowing was soon strapped onto a gurney and wheeled into later proven not to work on other men (even other him to escape (perhaps Spregen’s laboratory. double-YY ones), Carnivore has been altered from temporarily...) from Weeks and weeks of painful treatments and a human male into a man-beast. In place of human Spregen’s control? Or is surgery followed as Spregen’s intellect and reason, he now has heightened senses, it a trap? treatments worked their dark magic on Perkins’s body. Gradually Perkins became less and less human, and more and more bestial. His eyes turned into pupil- less orbs colored a vile shade of yellow. His hair length- ened and thickened, becom- ing a sort of mane. His fingernails grew into vicious claws. To make sure he could control his creation, Spregen instilled in Perkins, whom he now referred to as Car- nivore, a Pavlovian compul- sion to obey him whenever he blew upon a small ultra- sonic whistle. Carnivore is now Spre- gen’s best assassin, and a faith- ful bodyguard as well. Spregen treats him much as he would a well-trained Rottweiler. Occasionally he lets Carnivore loose to roam the streets of the city, to spread terror as he sates his awful bloodlust. 88 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

claws and fangs, immensely strong muscles, and an CHARADE unquenchable desire to kill. On the downside, Car- Val Char Cost Roll Notes nivore’s augmented senses make it diffi cult for him 10 STR 0 12- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [2] to resist strong sensory input (i.e., Flashes), and the 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 treatments he underwent have made him more sus- 15 CON 10 12- ceptible to the eff ects of drugs and poisons. Doctor 10 BODY 0 11- Spregen is trying to fi nd ways to correct these 20 INT 10 13- PER Roll 13- “defects” in his creation. 18 EGO 16 13- ECV: 6 Like the beast he resembles, Carnivore’s tactics 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 are simple — leap upon his prey and rend it with 20 COM 5 13- his claws until it’s dead. 5 PD 3 Total: 5 PD (0 rPD) Campaign Use: Carnivore is wanted for more 5 ED 2 Total: 5 ED (0 rED) than a dozen confi rmed murders. He is a suspect 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 in many more killings, but the authorities either 6 REC 2 cannot fi nd the bodies, or there wasn’t enough left 30 END 0 of the body to allow for a positive identifi cation of 30 STUN 7 Total Characteristics Cost: 100 the killer. Carnivore only Hunts at the bidding of his Movement: Running: 6”/12” master, Spregen — although if he catches a scent Cost Powers END one night while roaming the streets, he hunts his 100 Th e Right Tools For Th e Job: Variable prey. Spregen typically lures the Hunted PC into a Power Pool (Gadget Pool), 60 base + trap — maybe calling on his neo-Nazi followers to 30 control cost; No Skill Roll Required stage some crime to draw the PC out into the open (+1); Can Only Be Changed At Base/ — and then dispatches Carnivore to kill him. Arsenal (-½) var Carnivore should already be powerful enough 5 Holdout Derringer: RKA 1d6, Armor to pose a threat to most DC:TAS hero teams (which Piercing (+½); IAF (-½), No Knockback he has to, since he generally can’t work with other (-¼), Real Weapon (-¼), Strength villains). If he’s not there yet, increase his Charac- Minimum (6; Does Not Add To teristics and give him some Damage Reduction (or Damage; -1), 2 Charges (-1½) [2] Regeneration) until he is. To decrease his power, 13 Poisoned Knife: HKA ½d6 (1d6 with lower his DEX to 20-24 and reduce his claws to STR), Armor Piercing (+½); IAF (-½), HKA 1½d6. Real Weapon (-¼), Strength Minimum Appearance: On those rare occasions when he (6; Does Not Add To Damage; -1), No stands fully erect, Carnivore is 6’8” tall. He weighs Knockback (-¼) plus RKA 2d6; IAF 325 pounds, most of it muscle, yet moves with a Fragile (poison, -¾), No Knockback (-¼), cat-like grace. His eyes are solid yellow, his mane- Linked (-¼), HKA Must Do BODY (-½), like head of hair is sandy blondish, and he has claws 1 Charge (-2) 1 and fangs in the place of nails and teeth. Spregen Martial Arts: Jujutsu usually dresses Carnivore in a tan-colored bodysuit Maneuver OCV DCV Notes (to reinforce the leonine imagery even more). 4 Atemi Strike -1 +1 3d6 NND(1) 5 Breaking Th row -2 -2 Grab One Limb; HKA 1d6 (1½d6 with STR), Dis- able; Target Falls 3 Legsweep +2 -1 5d6 Strike, Target Falls 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 30 STR 4 Escape +0 +0 35 STR Escape 3 Joint Lock +0 -1 Grab One Limb, 30 to STR for holding on 4 Joint Lock/ Th row +1 +0 Grab One Limb; 2d6 NND(7); Target Falls 5 Shime -2 +0 Grab One Limb, 3d6 NND (2) 8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) 5 Unimpressed: +10 PRE; Only Protects Against Presence Attacks (-1) 0 12 Super-Disguise: Shape Shift (Sight Group and Touch Group; any humanoid form), Imitation, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (disguise remains in place even if she’s Knocked Out, though it can Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 89

still be wiped away, smeared off , or the Background/History: Some little girls quickly learn CHARADE like; +½); OIF (makeup and disguise there are other ways to get by in a man’s world PLOT SEEDS supplies of opportunity; -½), Extra Time than trying to equal or excel men in their chosen (minimum of 1 hour needed to prepare endeavors. Some take the easier route of seduction, Charade has heard one disguise, -3), Requires A Disguise Roll (-½) 0 manipulation, and outright extortion. Eileen Rose too many times how Perks is one such woman. A natural beauty, Eileen real- beautiful a female PC (or DNPC) is and has 4 2 Deep Covers ized at an early age she could make men do what she wanted by appealing to their male pride and decided it can’t go on Skills fl irting with them. As she got older, she found even any longer. Her goal isn’t 12 Captivating Scent: +5 with Interaction Skills; more interesting ways to deal with them. She got a to kill the PC — that IIF (perfume; -¼), Only Works On Persons would be too easy — but lot of good grades in high school by seducing her to maim her. Can the Who Could Be Physically Attracted To Cha- male teachers and then blackmailing them. Th at rade (-½), 1 Continuing Charge lasting 1 heroes fi gure out what’s was fun, but not as much fun as manipulating foot- going on in time to stop Hour (removed by washing it off , dunking ball players into fi ghting each other over her. She her? Charade in water, applying something else could date the winner for a while (the more money that smells strongly, or the like; -¼) he had, the longer she’d stay with him), then dump Th ere’s a new star of 11 Acting 16- him and make him miserable. the Hudson City stage 3 Bribery 12- As soon as she graduated, Eileen ran away — an beautiful woman 3 Combat Driving 13- to Hollywood, sure that her makeup skills would with red hair. Could this 1 Computer Programming 8- land her a job somewhere until she was noticed be Charade? And is she 9 Conversation 15- and became a big star — she knew she was more really trying to fi nd a new career, stepping out 3 Cryptography 13- gorgeous than most of the actresses she saw in the of the shadows and into 9 Disguise 16- movies, so she had no doubt of her ultimate success the limelight? 2 Forgery (Documents) 12- in Tinseltown. Reality hit her hard — not only was 2 Gambling (Card Games) 12- she not discovered, she couldn’t get a job anywhere. Charade wants to be 5 High Society 13- But boys with Ferraris like girls with hot able to change shape at 2 Language: Arabic (fl uent conversation; Eng- bodies, and once she gave up on her dreams of will and has found the lish is Native) stardom it didn’t take Eileen long to hook up with a scientist to give her that 2 Language: French (fl uent conversation) string of rich boyfriends who gave her pretty much ability. Th e PCs get word 2 Language: Japanese (fl uent conversation) anything she wanted... provided she’d do the same she plans to kidnap the 3 Lockpicking 13- for them. But she wasn’t content with that; she felt scientist. Can they stop 7 Mimicry 15- it was a waste. She could be doing so much more, an already deadly foe 9 Persuasion 15- but she wasn’t sure what, and the thought of that from becoming more deadly? 1 Riding 8- left her angry and bitter. One of her boyfriends, a 5 SS: Pharmacology/Toxicology 15- minor yakuza oyabun, discerned her feelings (and 3 Security Systems 13- the despite she actually felt for people, particularly 13 Seduction 17- men). He made her an off er: if she’d work for him, 3 Shadowing 12- he’d provide her with the training she needed to act 3 Sleight of Hand 13- on her true desires. 3 Stealth 13- Shocked that someone could read her so easily, 4 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Small Arms Eileen jumped at the off er — it was her ticket to Total Powers & Skill Cost: 299 the money and “fame” she craved. So began several Total Cost: 399 years of study of the arts of death. Knowing right away that she was not a fi ghter, she studied the 150+ Disadvantages skills that fi t her natural talents and inclinations: 15 Distinctive Features: Extremely Beautiful how to “become” someone else, both in look and Woman (Concealable With Eff ort; Noticed manner; poisons and how to use them; how to fake And Recognizable) a fatal accident; and similar subjects. She discov- 20 Hunted: Th e Yakuza 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Cap- ered something she’d never suspected — she liked ture) to kill. Indeed, it was one of the few situations out- 20 Psychological Limitation: Sultry Seductress; side of the boudoir where she felt any real excite- Th inks Of Men As Manipulable Toys (Very ment or interest in what she was doing. Common, Strong) At the end of her training period, she went to 15 Psychological Limitation: Vain; Must Protect work for the oyabun as one of his assassins. Since Her Looks (Common, Strong) many Japanese gangsters like to “spend time” with 10 Reputation: skilled female assassin 11- (Lim- Western women, she had no diffi culty getting close ited Group [the underworld and espionage to and eliminating many of her benefactor’s rivals. groups]) But in time she tired of his domineering ways, so 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Eileen she murdered him as casually as she had his yakuza Rose) (Frequently, Major) brethren, then left to become a freelance assassin. 154 Experience Points Today she’s known to the underworld and the Espi- Total Disadvantage Points: 399 onage World as one of the most devious and skilled female assassins available. 90 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

Quote: “Hold still, love, this won’t hurt... much.” Powers/Tactics: Despite her martial arts and weapons training, Charade is no com- batant, and she knows it. Her style is much more subtle and eff ective than brawling in the streets. To begin with, Cha- rade, as her name implies, is a master of the art of disguise and mimicry. Her appearance changes with every job, and she has assassinated more than one man by fl awlessly impersonating his girlfriend, wife, or mistress until she could get close enough to “eliminate” him. She prefers to disguise herself as a glamor- ous redhead (her natural hair color), but is careful not to “typecast” herself too much, lest she develop distinguishing traits or features that would give her away. Charade’s Captivating Scent pheromone-based perfume makes her more appealing to members of the opposite sex. It has almost a hypnotic effect and turns men to putty in Charade’s Personality/Motivation: Charade is in many ways capable hands. a classic sociopath. Although intelligent and out- Charade’s favored methods of killing are poi- wardly charming, she doesn’t relate to other people sons and fatal “accidents.” Many of the poisons she in a normal way. Her emotions are stunted; she uses are her own concoctions; her favorite is one feels no sympathy for others and only derives emo- that induces heart attacks (as she tearfully explains tional stimulation and satisfaction from intense to the police later: “We w-were in b-b-bed together situations... such as killing. She feels no guilt over and h-he just, just gasped and s-sort of collapsed. her lethal activities, merely regret that a job couldn’t Oh, God... ”). When appropriate, she carries have lasted longer. a poisoned knife and a derringer with her. Charade uses her extremely seductive nature If necessary, use her Gadget Pool to buy what- to her advantage as an assassin. Few men can resist ever poisons or devices she needs to accomplish a her “charms” once she goes to work on them, and particular mission. For example, she might arrange this puts them in such a vulnerable position that to meet her latest victim in his jacuzzi, and bring she has little trouble fi nishing them off . Her pro- along a radio/CD player. Hidden in the radio is a miscuity masks a deep and abiding hatred of men, taser-like device. She gets out of the water to get whom she considers to be weak, manipulable little another glass of champagne and “accidentally” toys. Every one she seduces, every one she kills, is knocks the radio into the water, electrocuting merely proof that she’s their superior. If she met a her erstwhile companion. Before the ambulance man who could resist her, it would defi nitely throw arrives, she removes the “taser” and shreds it in the her for a loop. disposal. Between her good looks and “bereaved Because her looks have always been the key companion” act, no one has ever caught on to her to her success, Charade is extremely vain. She’s before she was hundreds of miles and three other very careful to do nothing to mar her elegant identities away. features, and is liable to “crack” if threatened with Campaign Use: Charade works primarily in the mutilation or scarring. She’s jealous of any other United States, but is no stranger to Europe or the good-looking woman around her, and will do Mediterranean. She’s a frequent visitor in Las Vegas, anything to humiliate or disgrace them (or even Monaco, the various Clubs Med — and, of course, kill them in some particularly horrid fashion, if Hudson City. they make her angry enough). Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 91

Adventures involving Charade should start FLEUR DE LISA FLEUR DE LISA with the PCs learning that someone wants a target Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS assassinated and has brought an expert assassin 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] into the city. From there, they need to track down 18 DEX 24 13- OCV: 6/DCV: 6 Th e pollens Fleur de Charade and then capture her before she can fulfi ll 15 CON 10 12- Lisa’s body secretes were her contract. Alternately, you can arrange a long- 12 BODY 4 11- only the beginning: term subplot so that a PC gets involved in a roman- 12 INT 2 11- PER Roll 11- over time, she becomes more and more plant- tic relationship with Charade before he knows who 18 EGO 16 13- ECV: 6 like. As her body trans- she really is, or have Charade become a female PC’s 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 rival for some man’s aff ections. forms, she also becomes 14 COM 2 12- less and less human. To increase Charade’s power, make her a more 6 PD 3 Total: 10 PD (4 rPD) Her greed is replaced eff ective hand-to-hand combatant: increase her by a desire to tear down DEX as appropriate, improve her defenses (perhaps 6 ED 3 Total: 10 ED (4 rED) 4 SPD 12 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 the city and let plants with a little Combat Luck), and give her some more rule once again, and 8 REC 4 Extra DCs with Jujutsu. To make her less eff ective, she embarks on a kill- remove her Shape Shift and make her rely on Dis- 40 END 5 ing spree to achieve guise to hide her identity. 40 STUN 12 Total Characteristics Cost: 107 this goal. Can the PCs Charade generally doesn’t Hunt people; she’s Movement: Running: 6”/12” stop this new and more deadly Fleur de Lisa? an assassin, not a bounty hunter. As a Hunted, Cost Powers END Charade seeks to insinuate herself into the 75 Scent Powers: Multipower, 75-point reserve Fleur de Lisa might not Hunted’s life — likely either as a girlfriend or a 3u 1) Mind Controlling Scents I: Mind friend’s girlfriend. Once she has the trust of her have grandiose ambi- Control 10d6, NND (defense is Life tions, but not every target, she kills him. Support [Self-Contained Breathing or criminal is willing to Charade has an extensive record for murder appropriate Immunity]; +½); Based On settle for larceny. Guil- and theft. The police have her fingerprints and CON (-1), Only To Control/Infl ict lotine and his terrorist DNA on file, but don’t know her real name or Emotions (-½), Reduced By Range (-¼) 7 organization devise a background. 3u 2) Mind Controlling Scents II: Mind way to disseminate Lisa’s Appearance: Although Charade can look like Control 6d6, NND (defense is Life pollen across the city and plan to invoke rage just about any female, her true appearance is an Support [Self-Contained Breathing or in the citizenry. Can the extremely beautiful woman with shoulder-length appropriate Immunity]; +½), Area Of PCs stop them before red hair. She is 5’9” tall, trim, well-built, and has the Eff ect (5” Radius; +1); Based On CON Hudson City boils over muscle tone of someone who works out regularly. (-1), Only To Control/Infl ict Emotions in riots? She favors glamorous clothing that shows her fi gure (-½), Reduced By Range (-¼) 4 to best advantage (strapless evening gowns, sheer 4u 3) Allergic Reaction: Sight and Smell/ Fleur de Lisa turns over dresses, swimwear, and so on). Taste Group Flash 5d6, NND (defense is a new leaf and asks to Life Support [Self-Contained Breathing join the PCs’ team to or appropriate Immunity]; +½) 4 prove her good inten- 5u 4) Toxic Pollen: Drain CON 3d6, NND tions. Can they trust the (defense is Life Support [Self-Contained former villain? Might Breathing or appropriate Immunity]; +½), she have a romantic interest in one of the Limited Range (12”; +¼) 5 PCs? Or do the PCs 2u 5) Fill Th e Air With Pollens: Change have something she Environment 4” radius, -3 Sight Group wants to steal? PER Rolls; Limited Range (12”; -¼) 2 8 Armored Costume: Armor (4 PD/4 ED); OIF (-½) 0 5 Poison Immunity: Life Support ( Immunity: phytotoxins) 0 Skills 9 +3 with Scent Powers 10 +2 DCV 20 Captivating Scent: +4 with Interaction Skills 3 Conversation 12- 3 Interrogation 12- 2 CK: Hudson City 11- 2 KS: Perfumes 11- 3 KS: Plants And Flowers 11- 3 Persuasion 12- 2 PS: Sales Clerk 11- 3 Seduction 12- 5 SS: Botany 13- 3 Trading 12- 92 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

Total Powers & Skills Cost: 173 women who wore too much perfume and were Total Cost: 280 always buying more, trying out every scent she 150+ Disadvantages had to off er. Judging by the men and women who 15 Distinctive Feature: Always Smells Of Th e stared aft er her as she walked through the mall on Best Perfume Ever Created (Not Conceal- her way to the bank, other people thought the same able; Noticed and Recognizable) thing. But she didn’t have time to go home, shower, 20 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department and change — the bank would close soon and she’d 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) received notice she was overdrawn on her account. 15 Psychological Limitation: Greedy (Common, She knew it was just a stupid error — some Strong) clerk had misapplied someone else’s check — but 10 Reputation: criminal with emotion control- she needed to take care of it. She had bills to pay ling powers, 11- and working at the perfume counter in a depart- 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Lisa ment store didn’t pay her well enough to have Bloom) (Frequently, Major) any money saved up. Besides, Lisa liked to spend 10 Vulnerability: 2 x Eff ect from Transforms money. It was one of her few pleasures in life. (Uncommon) In the bank, the teller told her she was right 45 Experience Points — the bank had cashed someone else’s check through her account — and Lisa breathed a sigh Total Disadvantage Points: 280 of relief. But then the teller told her it would take Background/History: “Please stop,” Lisa Bloom said, three to fi ve business days to adjust the error. trying to keep the aggravation out of her voice. “But I need that money now,” Lisa protested, She was at work, manning the perfume counter at her voice high-pitched and angry. She had known a department store in the Gadsen Consumerplex. the bank would make her life diffi cult — they Several children, ages four to eight, were grabbing always did, even when it was their mistake. Right the perfume bottles Lisa had taken out for their before her eyes, she saw what looked to be bluish- mother to sample — the same mother who now green dust drift slowly from her palm, snake in stood fi ft een feet away ignoring her children — and a slender stream through the air, and engulf the they were using them as squirt guns. Th ey were teller’s head. having a good time; Lisa was not. Th e teller cocked his head and stared at Lisa. “Please stop,” Lisa said again, her voice notice- “Okay, anything for you,” he said, his voice worship- ably nasal and a little bit hoarse. Th e commingling ful. “How much do you need?” scents were clogging her sinuses, and she could Lisa leaned back in surprise. That wasn’t at feel a headache coming on. Th e children kept on all what she was expecting. The teller was being screaming and squirting clouds of perfume at far too reasonable for a bank employee. She per- each other. Lisa called, “Ma’am? Ma’am... your chil- formed a little experiment. She said, “I need five dren....” But the mother ignored her, just like she thousand dollars” — much more than she had in ignored her children. her bank account. Suddenly, Lisa began to sway on her feet. The teller gulped, turned nervously around Her skin felt moist, as if it dripped with the cloy- to see where his supervisor was, and then turned ing smells fi lling the air. She could feel the blood back to Lisa. He stared at her with devoted eyes, pounding in her veins. Her ears fi lled with a rush- nodded his head, and began to count out five ing sound, and her vision blurred at the edges, thousand dollars. beginning to narrow. Th en she blacked out. Lisa shoved the wad of bills in her purse. With When she came to, she was still on her feet. a wave over her shoulder, she walked out of the It must’ve only been seconds later, because the bank and into a life of crime as Fleur de Lisa. children were still screaming and squirting each Personality/Motivation: Fleur de Lisa’s power other. Her voice tired but calm, Lisa said again, has gone straight to her head. Before that day in “Please stop.” the mall, she hadn’t committed any crimes, but And the children froze, gazing up at Lisa not because she was particularly law-abiding with puppy-like devotion. Lisa stared down at or even a good person. She just hadn’t had the the children in surprise. She adjusted her blouse, opportunity to commit crime, and growing up in then her jacket. She said, “Please put the perfume the Hudson City suburbs she wasn’t exposed to bottles back on the counter.” the criminal world. She never thought she could Again the children did as she asked, each hur- get away with committing crimes and so didn’t... rying to return the bottle to the counter, but their but as Fleur de Lisa, that’s changed. Now she can eyes never left Lisa. Even as their negligent mother walk into a bank, ask for money, and get it. It’s dragged them away, the four children continued to the easiest thing in the world. stare back over their shoulders at Lisa. Fleur de Lisa is simply greedy. She wants Lisa smiled at them and waved. You just need money — and, more importantly, the stuff money to be forceful, she told herself. Forceful, but calm can buy. Th e easiest way to get money is to steal and never forget polite — I wonder how long it’ll take it. She’s not a killer, nor would she ever consider for the smell to go away.... kidnapping someone and holding him hostage. She Th e smell still hadn’t gone away by the time robs banks, banquets, gallery openings — in short, Lisa got off work. Her clothes reeked of it, and she any place where there’s money and people she can was embarrassed. She felt gauche, like one of those control with her powers. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 93

Quote: “No matter how captivating my scent, there’s Campaign Use: Fleur de Lisa robs people. She no better smell than the smell of money.” employs goons — she calls them her Flower Chil- Powers/Tactics: Something strange happened to dren — to help her with her robberies, mainly to Lisa Bloom when the children squirted all those make sure no one sounds an alarm or tries any diff erent bottles of perfume and fi lled the air with heroics (and to do the heavy lift ing). Aft er con- a hundred diff erent scents. Th e chemicals changed stant exposure to Fleur de Lisa’s pollens, her goons Lisa, giving her the ability to make scents of her eventually come to worship her and are steadfastly own and release pollen into the air at will — pollen faithful and devoted to her. Th ey wear costumes that could invoke emotions in people, as well as similar to Fleur de Lisa’s own. cause violent allergic reactions ranging from eyes Fleur de Lisa isn’t likely to Hunt a PC, If she and nasal passages swelling shut to heart attacks. does, it is only to seduce him or embarrass him. She secretes these pollens from her pores; when she To make Fleur de Lisa more powerful, increase uses her powers, they’re visible as bluish-green or the points in her Scent Powers Multipower and then yellow dust billowing from her hands and drift ing increase the slots accordingly. You could also give at her command. With the pollens, she can invoke her the power to control plants (pages 254-259 of emotions in a target — “love me” and “fear me” are Th e UNTIL Superpowers Database list a selection of her usual choices. such powers), and perhaps some defensive abilities. Fleur de Lisa mainly uses her powers to “con- To reduce her power, reduce her Multipower to 60 vince” people to give her money — in other words, Active Point slots. she charms her victims out of their cash. She’s not a Fleur de Lisa has an extensive record for rob- combatant and prefers to avoid a fi ght when possi- bery, but the HCPD doesn’t know who she is. ble. She’s also not a killer, and rarely uses her Toxic Appearance: Lisa Bloom is a tall, thin woman Pollen. Th at said, she’s never been cornered before with short blonde hair and blue eyes. In her civil- and left with no other choice.... ian identity she wears black slacks and silk shirts Fleur de Lisa always smells good — her body (casual but stylish ones, usually in a pastel color). gives off a scent appealing to both men and women, Her costume is a sleeveless lime green bodysuit which provides her with a bonus to Interaction with a full face mask. On the chest of the suit is a Skills. Nothing she’s tried can conceal this scent golden fl eur de lis, and she covers her face with a (it overpowers any other perfume she wears), and green domino mask. She wraps her bare arms with no matter who smells it, he (or she) thinks it is the red roses, their thornless stems woven together and nicest scent he’s ever smelled. winding up from her wrists to her shoulders. 94 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

GUILLOTINE GUILLOTINE World 12- PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes 2 3) KS: Political Philosophy 12- 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] 2 4) KS: World Politics 12- OMOR has decided 25 DEX 45 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 3 Traveler Guillotine is too blood- 23 CON 26 14- 2 1) AK: Europe 12- thirsty and sadistic even 15 BODY 10 12- 1 2) CK: Amsterdam 11- for them. Th ey leak 13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- 1 3) CK: Berlin 11- information concern- 12 EGO 4 11- ECV: 4 1 4) CK: Hudson City 11- ing his whereabouts to 2 5) CK: Paris 12- the PCs. Will the PCs 13 PRE 3 12- PRE Attack: 2½d6 realize they’re being 12 COM 1 11- Total Powers & Skill Cost: 134 used as pawns? And will 6 PD 3 Total: 10 PD (4 rPD) Total Cost: 250 they fi nd the assassins 6 ED 1 Total: 10 ED (4 rED) 150+ Disadvantages OMOR has dispatched 5 SPD 15 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 5 Distinctive Features: Prominent Scar On to kill Guillotine once 8 REC 0 the PCs subdue him? Face (Easily Concealed; Noticed and Recog- 46 END 0 nizable) 35 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 116 Guillotine’s father, Rep- 5 DNPC: Norma (fellow anarchist/terrorist, resentative Talbot, is in Movement: Running: xx” girlfriend), 8- (Normal; Useful Skills) 25 Hunted: Th e CIA 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, town. Guillotine decides Cost Powers END he wants his father dead. Capture/Kill) Can the PCs stop him 27 Right Guillotine Launcher: RKA 2d6, +2 20 Psychological Limitation: Ardent Anarchist/ from committing pat- Increased STUN Multiplier (+½), Reduced Nihilist (Common, Total) ricide? Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½), Extra 15 Psychological Limitation: Sado-Masochist Time (takes two Segments for a blade to (Common, Strong) A series of bombings return aft er it’s fi red; -¼), No Knockback 15 Reputation: anarchistic terrorist, 11- rock Hudson City. Th e (-¼), Will Not Work In A Strong Magnetic (Extreme) PCs track down Guil- Field (-¼) 0 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Richard lotine and capture him. 5 Left Guillotine Launcher: Another Talbot/Kerensky) (Frequently, Major) But he claims he’s just Guillotine Launcher 0 a patsy... that the real Martial Arts: Dirty Infi ghting Total Disadvantage Points: 250 bombers are agents for Maneuver OCV DCV Notes Background/History: Richard Talbot, son of United the government. Could 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 25 STR this possibly be true... States Representative Geoff rey Talbot (R-VA, and if so, how will the 4 Kidney Blow -2 +0 HKA ½d6 1964-present), was a rebellious youth. As a teen- PCs deal with the situ- (1d6+1 w/STR) ager he rejected his parents’ Republican values and ation? 4 Low Blow -1 +1 2d6 NND (1) turned to vandalism and petty crime. Because of 4 Punch/ his father’s political connections, he stayed out of Backhand +0 +2 5d6 Strike juvenile detention — which only made him worse. 5 Roundhouse -2 +1 7d6 Strike Regardless of the number of hours he spent in ther- 3 Th row +0 +1 3d6 + vel/5, apy, Richard’s crimes became more and more seri- Target Falls ous until fi nally his father, fearing a reporter would 9 Armored Costume: Armor (4 PD/4 ED); eventually stumble upon Richard’s sordid past OIF (-½) 0 during an election year, shipped him off to Europe. 13 Can Take A Punch: Physical Damage In Europe, Richard fell off the map. He never Reduction, Resistant, 50%; Requires A arrived at the private boarding school that prom- CON Roll (-½), STUN Only (-½), ised his parents it would teach him how to be a Character Must Be Aware Of Attack (-¼) 0 law-abiding citizen. Drift ing across the continent, Perks he changed his name to Kerensky and eventually 5 Contact: a prominent American fell in with several anarchism-oriented organiza- anarchist 14- tions including One Man, One Rule (OMOR), a 6 Contact: One Man, One Rule (French anar- group based in Belgium which had a reputation for chist organization) 11- doing little more than sitting around coff ee shops and talking about the overthrow of government. Skills In truth it was a violent, driven organization that 8 +4 OCV with Guillotine Launchers masked its intentions well. 3 Bribery 12- Th e appeal of anarchy for Richard was obvi- 1 Demolitions 8- ous — as a political philosophy, it gave meaning to 1 Forgery (Documents) 8- Richard’s larcenous and violent tendencies, allow- 1 Language: French (basic conversation; Eng- ing him to justify whatever harm he did in the lish is Native) name of “overthrowing tyranny” and “ushering in a 3 Stealth 14- new age of individual freedom.” Richard became a 3 Streetwise 12- fervent believer in anarchy, and that, coupled with 2 WF: Small Arms his keen intellect, is why the leadership of OMOR 3 Scholar chose him to attend university in Paris. Th ere he 4 1) KS: Anarchism/Nihilism 14- would act as a recruiter, directing fervent young 2 2) KS: Th e Military/Mercenary/Terrorist men and women into OMOR’s ranks. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 95

Richard soon became disgusted with academia To make Guillotine more of a threat, give him — its passiveness was contrary to everything he Find Weakness with his Guillotine Launchers. To believed — but he knew his task an important make him less dangerous increase the time it takes one, so he kept at it. Aft er six years he received his for the guillotines to return to his wrist bracers to 4 degree in Political Science, and then he petitioned Segments, or even a full Turn. OMOR leadership to allow him to take a more Guillotine isn’t likely to Hunt someone unless active role in the organization: he wanted to be that person publicly represents something he despises in operations, not recruitment. Th ey granted his (such as a hero with a national fl ag on his costume, or request, reassigning him to Operation Guillotine. the like). As a Hunted, Guillotine gets in touch with a Tasked with creating a group of highly-skilled local anarchist group and stages some terrorist action assassins, Operation Guillotine involved both — bombing a government building, taking hostages, rigorous physical augmentation and deadly train- an assassination attempt, or the like. He lurks in wait, ing with a weapons system that would not only be and when his target appears, he strikes from ambush. eff ective, but inspire terror. Richard was the only Guillotine is responsible (and wanted for) for survivor of Operation Guillotine — the rest either the murders of Italian legislator Giovanni Buonacar- died during either augmentation or their trial mis- rolla; Iphigenie Turrandout, French Ambassador to sion. But Richard took to it like he was born to the the United States; and American industrialist Gilbert role of assassin. Since then he’s worked with or for Billingsley. Various police agencies want him for ques- numerous terrorist groups all over the world, most tioning regarding other murders as well. devoted to anarchist or nihilist causes. Appearance: Guillotine stands 5’11” and has a Personality/Motivation: Guillotine is a fanatical medium build. He has black hair and grey eyes with believer in the philosophies of anarchism and, to a a scar running over his left eye from the center of lesser extent, nihilism. Th e groups he works with and his forehead to his lower jaw. (He picked up the crimes he commits likewise seem devoted to support- scar during Operation Guillotine training, when ing these causes, but Guillotine’s political philosophy he failed to successfully retrieve his blade as it stems from a simple sadistic/sociopathic desire to hurt returned.) His costume is a gold bodysuit, armored, others. In anarchy he fi nds a justifi cation for the pain with a red anarchy symbol (an “A” within a circle) he infl icts. Even if he stopped believing in anarchy, he spraypainted on its chest. He wears a red handker- would continue to hurt others — but without any spe- chief mask tied over the lower half of face, stainless cial justifi cation. Th e root cause of sadism goes deeper steel Guillotine Launcher bracers on both forearms, than simple rebellion against his parents — Guillotine two red belts, and red boots. is simply insane. Quote: “Off with the exploiter’s head!” Powers/Tactics: Guillotine’s namesake weapons, his Guillotine Launchers, are two bracer-like instru- ments that cover most of his forearm, including a steel “glove” for his each of his hands. Mounted on top of each launcher is a heavy steel blade 20 cm wide, 1 cm thick, and extremely sharp. Th e Launchers fi re the blades by means of a “magnetic linkage” system like a miniature rail gun. Aft er hitting or missing their target, the blades use the magnetic linkage and a computer guidance system to return to Guillotine and affi x themselves to the Launchers; this retrieval process takes about two seconds. Th e Launchers are vulnerable to disruption by magnetic fi elds or radio waves, which prevent them from fi ring or cause them to drop to the ground if they’re in mid-fl ight; addi- tionally, the blades can be attacked while in the air (consider them to have DEF 12, DCV 10). Guillotine avoids open combat, preferring terror- ist actions such as hostage-taking, surprise attacks, and assassination. On several past occasions he’s escaped from police or crimefi ghters by cutting through a wall with his guillotine blades. He has no formal martial arts training, but is a vicious street fi ghter. Campaign Use: Guillotine is an assassin... and unlike Charade, his methods aren’t sneaky. He might hire himself out to any criminal group as long as they made a sizeable donation to One Man, One Rule or another anarchist organization. Most of his targets are political — high-ranking elected fi gures, typically, but any political fi gure will do. 96 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

HOT ROD HOT ROD 150+ Disadvantages PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes 10 Hunted: Scarlet 8- (As Pow, Capture) 12 STR 2 11- Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1] 20 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department A major Hudson City 23 DEX 39 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) car show starts soon, 12 CON 4 11- 20 Psychological Limitation: Impulsive Hot- and this year’s theme is 10 BODY 0 11- head (Very Common, Strong) hot rods. Will the PCs 18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13- 10 Rivalry: Professional (other drivers of vehi- be able to stop Hot Rod 15 EGO 10 12- ECV: 5 cles; More Powerful [signifi cant group]) from making off with 25 Social Limitation: Subject To Orders (devil the cars being exhibited? 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 16 COM 3 12- that won his soul) (Very Frequently, Severe) 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Roderick In their quest to stop a 6 PD 4 Total: 9 PD (3 rPD) Deuce) (Frequently, Major) drug ring, the PCs track 6 ED 4 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) the production of a new 5 SPD 17 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 Total Disadvantage Points: 250 methamphetamine to 6 REC 4 Background/History: Th ere’s a story told in Finch Finch County — but 24 END 0 Hot Rod rules the rural County about when the Devil came to race. Out 35 STUN 13 Total Characteristics Cost: 118 location with an iron along Route 23, a lonely stretch of two-lane high- fi st. Can they break his Movement: Running: 6”/12” way that fell into disuse aft er the interstate went through, there was a boarded-up drive-in called the hold on his territory and Cost Powers END stop the fl ow of meth Red Top Diner. Just like they had for decades, the 25 Hell Of A Driver: Aid Vehicle into the city? And what young men of Finch County came in their hot rods Characteristic 3d6, any Vehicle do the region’s biker and gathered at the Red Top on Friday and Satur- Characteristic one at a time (+¼); Requires gangs think of the whole day nights, their big block engines fi lling the quiet A Combat Driving Roll (-½) 0 situation? night with rumbles and roars. As the night wore on, 8 Hell Of A Driver: Aid Running 2d6; the drivers would race along a quarter-mile stretch Only Works On Ground Vehicles (-1), Th e devil who owns Hot of Route 23. Mostly they only wagered pride, beer, Rod’s soul fi nally puts Requires A Combat Driving Roll (-½) 0 and money on the outcome, but sometimes the his plan into motion. Perks Hot Rod and his goons races became more serious and pink slips changed roar into Hudson City, 23 Vehicle: ’32 Ford Sedan (see below) hands. One of these drivers was Roderick Deuce, terrorizing other motor- Talents whose 1932 Ford Sedan had never lost — not until ists and setting fi re 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) the Devil came to the Red Top. to everything in their For a native of Finch County, a rural place sev- path. Th ey’ve brought Skills eral counties over from the bright lights of Hudson Hell to the urban abyss 8 +4 with Ground Movement, Usable By City, Rod had a lot of money. He worked as a courier — and especially Scarlet, Other (x8 Mass [i.e., a Size 4 or smaller for the Hudson City crime lords, moving drugs and who fi nds herself at the vehicle]; +1); Only For Wheeled Ground other illicit goods from the city to the state line. Much center of their attacks. Vehicle Character Is Driving (-2) of his money went into his hot rod... and there wasn’t Can the PCs stop them 21 +4 with All Combat, Usable By Other before Scarlet fi nally a faster car in Finch County, maybe not even in the (x8 Mass [i.e., a Size 4 or smaller vehicle]; state. Th at night a faster car pulled into the Red Top’s snaps and crossed the +1); Only For Wheeled Ground Vehicle line? gravel lot — a blood red Model A detailed with yellow Character Is Driving (-2) and orange fl ames stretching from the front chrome 3 Analyze Driving Ability 13- bumper to the raised-up read end — but that car 5 Combat Driving 16- came from nowhere in this world. 4 CK: Hudson City 14- Th e Model A’s painted fl ames seemed to fl icker 4 KS: Automobiles 14- and crackle in the headlights of the other cars. Blue 4 KS: Hudson City Underworld 14- and black fi res fl ared from its dual exhaust pipes, 3 Mechanics 13- the chrome scorched burnt orange and black. Its 3 Persuasion 13- engine didn’t so much rumble and roar, as groan 3 Seduction 13- and moan with anguish, and the supercharger 3 Stealth 14- gasped like the last breath of a dying man. Th e man 3 Streetwise 13- who stepped out of the car was tall and thin with 3 TF: Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, wavy black hair and a goatee. He was wearing red Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles leathers and snakeskin cowboy boots. He told the 3 WF: Small Arms, Knives assembled hot rodders he was looking for a race, Total Powers & Skills Cost: 132 and it was Rod Deuce that took up his challenge. Total Cost: 250 “What are we racing for?” Rod asked. “Pink slips,” the man answered. “Th is car against the pink slip for your soul.” Rod laughed, but his laughter caught in his throat when he saw the man wasn’t laughing with him — and when he saw the fl ames dancing in the man’s eyes, he knew this race was for real. Th e two hot rods were bumper to bumper off the line. Rod’s ’32 Ford roared; the man’s — the Devil’s, Rod now knew — a Model A screamed. Out of the Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 97 corner of his eye, Rod saw the Devil look over at him. rod drivers, and they usually travel in packs. As his He winked. He opened his mouth in a wolfi sh grin personal entourage, he typically carries three passen- and his forked tongue fl ickered out, licking at his gers nicknamed Shotgun, Louie, and Roscoe. Called sharp teeth. Th en the Devil left Rod in the dust. collectively the Pit Crew, all three typically carry fi re- When Rod fi nished the quarter mile, the Devil arms, and fi re on opponents, while Hot Rod maneu- was already out of his car, leaning against his Model vers the vehicle. Shotgun sits in the front passenger A with his arms crossed over his chest. seat; Louie sits in the back seat on the left ; and Roscoe “Don’t worry,” the Devil told him. “You’re not sits in the back seat on the right. going to Hell yet. I’ve got a job for you. You’re going to To make Hot Rod more powerful, enhance his like it — give you a taste of some worldly power. First, car with gadgets. Th e Supercar described on page though, you’re going to need a faster hot rod....” 46 of Th e Ultimate Vehicle has several write-ups of Personality/Motivation: Hot Rod was once a small- appropriate gadgets. To make him less powerful, time criminal, but he’s become a pawn in a devil’s reduce the dice in his Hell Of A Driver Aids, or get scheme to turn Scarlet to evil. Whether this devil rid of them entirely. works alone, or at the behest of some greater evil, is Hot Rod could easily Hunt any PC with a fast unknown (and left to the GM to decide). Th e devil vehicle, and his goal is to beat the PC in a race — if the who claims Hot Rod’s soul has given his servant PC happens to die in the process, so much the better, driving skills beyond the ken of normal men, and but Hot Rod really just wants to humiliate him. also souped up his rod so it would leave most mun- Appearance: Hot Rod is a white male in his twenties dane cars in the dust. Hot Rod was always impul- who stands 6’1” and has an athletic build. He doesn’t sive and reckless, but losing his soul and knowing wear a costume per se, but he always wears blue jeans that some day he’ll fi nd himself in Hell has only ripped at the knees and stained with oil and a muscle made him more prone to take dangerous risks. shirt depicting something automotive — usually For the time being, the devil has yet to com- either an engine manufacturer or an airbrushed hot mand Hot Rod to confront Scarlet directly. Instead, rod. He wears a baseball cap, the brim bent at nearly he uses his pawn to investigate her and her activi- any angle, over blonde hair and carries a grease- ties in an attempt to learn everything about her so stained handkerchief in his back pocket. he can devise the perfect plan to drive her to cross the line from good to evil. But it’s only a matter of time before the devil, and thus Hot Rod, puts his fi nal machinations in motion. Quote: “Th e Devil built my hot rod.” Powers/Tactics: Hot Rod’s powers stem from his supernatural driving ability and infernally built car. He can improve the performance of any vehicle, using Aid and Skill Levels to provide it with super- natural handling and speed, but he much prefers to use his own car in his capers. In combat he generally tries to use Move Th roughs and Move Bys to cripple or kill his opponent. When fi ghting costumed crimefi ghters, he never leaves his hot rod, and if left with no other choice, he retreats rather than get out of his car. If somehow forced from his hot rod, he attempts fi rst and foremost to secure another vehicle. In a car that’s not his own, he typi- cally uses his Aid to raise the vehicle’s SPD so it’s closer to his own. Campaign Use: By following his demonic patron’s advice, Hot Rod has established himself as the biggest man in the Finch County underworld, although most of his criminal activity is still at the behest of Hudson City crimelords (and his crimes oft en take him into Hudson City proper). He only acts as a courier for the most important assign- ments, trusting the other members of his gang, all of whom have mundane hot rods, to carry out more routine jobs. Hot Rod can become involved in any adventure that features either (a) transporting illicit goods to or from Hudson City, or (b) Scarlet. Th e greatest chal- lenge he presents is capturing him, since he moves awfully fast behind the wheel and maneuvers like, well, a speed demon. For goons he employs other hot 98 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

’32 FORD SEDAN  BRIMSTONE HOT ROD RHAPSODY Val Char Cost Notes Val Char Cost Roll Notes 4 Size 20 2.5” x 1.5”; -4 KB; -2 DCV 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] 30 STR 0 Lift 1.6 tons; 6d6 HTH [0] 20 DEX 30 13- OCV: 7/DCV: 7 20 DEX 30 OCV: 7/DCV: 7 12 CON 4 11- 20 BODY 6 12 BODY 4 11- 8 DEF 18 15 INT 5 12- PER Roll 12- 5 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 21 EGO 22 13- ECV: 7 Total Characteristic Cost: 94 15 PRE 5 12- PRE Attack: 3d6 Movement: Ground: 36”/144” 14 COM 2 12- Swimming: 0”/0” 6 PD 3 Total: 9 PD (3 rPD) Abilities & Equipment 6 ED 4 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) Cost Power END 4 SPD 10 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 24 Motorized Two-Wheeled Vehicle: Ground 7 REC 4 Movement +30” (36” total), x4 NCM; 34 END 5 OAF (tires; -1½), Only On Appropriate 35 STUN 9 Total Characteristics Cost: 112 Terrain (-¼), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge Movement: Running: 6”/12” (easily-obtained fuel; 6 Hours; -0) [1cc] Cost Powers END 6 Super-Reinforced Tires (see Th e Ultimate 31 Th e Power Of Music: Multipower, 62-point Vehicle, page 41) 0 reserve; all slots OAF (high-tech violin; -1) -2 Ground Vehicle: Swimming -2” (0” total) 3u 1) Lullaby: Ego Attack 5d6, Reduced Skills Endurance (½ END; +¼); OAF (-1), 4 Superb Handling: +2 with Ground Move- Visible (Sight and Hearing Groups; -¼) 2 ment 2u 2) Entrancing Melody: Entangle 2d6, Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 32 2 DEF, BOECV (Mental Defense applies; Total Vehicle Cost: 126 +1), Takes No Damage From Physical Attacks (+¼), Works Against EGO, Not Value Disadvantages STR (+¼), Reduced Endurance (½ END; 10 Distinctive Features: Hot Rod (Concealable +¼); OAF (-1), Cannot Form Barriers (-¼) 2 With Diffi culty; Noticed And Recognizable) 2u 3) Play A Jig: Mind Control 10d6, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); OAF Total Disadvantage Points: 10 (-1), Set Eff ect (only to make target dance; Total Cost: 116/5 = 23 -1), Visible (Sight and Hearing Groups; -¼) 2 2u 4) Out Of Tune: Hearing Group Flash 6d6, Area Of Eff ect (8” Radius; +1½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); OAF (-1), No Range (-½) 2 2u 5) Rock ’n’ Roll: Drain BODY 3d6, Ranged (+½), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); OAF (-1), Inanimate Objects Only (-1) 2 1u 6) Th e Frustrated Musician: HA +2d6; OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 1 Martial Arts: Karate Maneuver OCV DCV Notes 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 25 STR 4 Dodge +0 +5 Dodge all attacks, Abort 4 Knifehand Strike -2 +0 ½d6 HKA (1d6 with STR) 4 Punch/ Snap Kick +0 +2 5d6 Strike 5 Side/Spin Kick -2 +1 7d6 Strike 8 Ear Plugs: Hearing Group Flash Defense (12 points); OIF (-½) Perks 3 Perfect Pitch 10 Follower: Professor Michael Uzark (adoring fan and inventor of Rhapsody’s violin; built on 50 Base Points) Talents 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 99

Skills Once Melody heard that, she wouldn’t leave RHAPSODY 3 +1 with Th e Power Of Music Multipower him alone. She begged him to test his process on PLOT SEEDS 6 +2 with Karate her. He refused until she asked him how he would 3 Acrobatics 13- undergo the therapy while running the equipment. Professor Urzak fi gures 3 Breakfall 13- It was a question that hadn’t occurred to him. His out a way to hijack 2 CK: Hudson City 11- fi rst test had to be on a human subject, but the all the radio stations 2 KS: Karate 11- university would demand tests on animals fi rst, in city and broadcast and where was Uzark going to fi nd a rat, or even a Rhapsody’s music across 6 KS: Music 15- the airwaves. Rhapsody 6 PS: Violinist 15- monkey, that sang? Uzark had planned on testing himself, but Melody was right. He couldn’t do both. plans to play a nice catchy tune — one that Total Powers & Skills Cost: 126 In the end he caved in. Total Cost: 238 will make listeners get Several days later, Melody found herself in a up and dance, whether 150+ Disadvantages sound-proof room a pair of headphones on her they want to or not. As 20 Hunted: HCPD 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) head. Diodes were attached to her temples to mea- she begins to play, cars 20 Psychological Limitation: Insane Love Of sure brainwave activity; more diodes were attached across the city start to Music (Common, Total) to her chest to monitor her heart rate. Uzark stood crash. Can the PCs pre- 15 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus at the door. For the third and fi nal time, he asked vent a wave of disasters, Killing (Common, Strong) her if she was sure she wanted to go through with then track Rhapsody to 10 Reputation: criminal obsessed with music, 11- this. She gave him a thumbs up. her lair? 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Melody He smiled and closed the door behind him, Malone) (Frequently, Major) leaving Melody to try to decide what instrument It’s a bet — Rhapsody 10 Vulnerability: 2 x Eff ect from Music-based she would learn first. She had settled on either and Beatlemania agree to see who can steal the violin or the piano; she wasn’t sure which powers (Uncommon) more Beatles-related Total Disadvantage Points: 250 yet. Then the earphones began to play notes, one memorabilia in a single right after the other, altering the pitch and fre- aft ernoon. Can the PCs Background/History: Melody Malone was a karate quency each time. stop their joint crime instructor, and Professor Michael Uzark was an Outside the soundproof room, Uzark left spree? engineer who studied ways to mechanically and to go get some coffee. It was going to be a long electronically replicate the human ear. Th ey had night, and surely nothing could go wrong this Professor Urzak’s his only two things in common: they both loved early in the process. envy of Rhapsody’s new- music, and they were both tone deaf. When he returned, everything had gone found musical ability They met one night after attending the wrong. Melody’s EEG and heart rate were off the drives him over the deep symphony. They were standing outside the con- map. When Uzark opened the door, she was belting end. He subjects himself cert hall, waiting for their respective dates to out snippets of songs — everything from folk to to the same process that turned Melody Malone join them, both humming off-key. They looked disco. As Uzark hurried to pull the headphones off into Rhapsody. Now the at each other, realized what they were doing her, he realized the pitch of everything Melody sang — mangling Beethoven’s Ninth — and shared a criminal duo, Rhapsody was perfect, absolutely perfect. and Rhythm, are ter- sheepish smile. Each pointed to his or her ear at Uzark’s method had succeeded in correct- rorizing the city — and the same moment, and said, “I’m tone deaf.” ing Melody’s tone deafness... but it also drove her Rhythm is even madder It was love at first sight. They ran into each insane and created the criminal Rhapsody. than his partner.... a few times more at the symphony, but within a Personality/Motivation: Melody Malone was a quiet few months they were attending as a couple. To and composed woman who loved music of all their friends and family, they seemed a match sorts; Rhapsody is a woman possessed of maniacal made in heaven. energy who has an insane love music of all sorts. Th e deepest regret both of them held was She loves music so much can’t help but steal it in all that they couldn’t play music. Each of them loved its forms — instruments, members of a symphony, listening to music so much; and each, as a child, original compositions by famous composers, and had gone through all the instruments trying to fi nd so on — and she wants to share her love of music one they could play. Th eir parents had spent small with the whole world. Whatever happened in that fortunes trying to fi nd instructors who could teach soundproof room drove Melody mad, and her them, but both Melody and Uzark were among desire to have all the music in the world makes little those rare people who were simply tone deaf — no sense to the sane and rational. amount of practice or instruction could help them. Uzark stands steadfastly beside Rhapsody and Aft er they dated for a few months and Uzark has even created the gadget she uses in her crimes. came to trust Melody, he told her a secret. In his He tells himself it’s because this is all his fault and off -hours and free time, he had been cobbling he must remain at her side until he fi nds a cure together a secret project. Uzark was confi dent tone for her dementia, but sometimes he can’t help but deafness was a neurological problem, and a cor- wonder if Rhapsody’s madness isn’t contagious and rectable one at that. He further believed he could if he hasn’t been infected. correct it by bombarding a tone deaf person with a array of pitches, moving up and down the scale Quote: “A waltz or a jig — which would you rather and constantly changing the frequency. He likened dance to, my dear crimefi ghting confrere?” it to rewriting the brain, sort of like a audial version Powers/Tactics: Soon aft er adopting her criminal of shock therapy, and he was sure it would cure his persona, Rhapsody had Uzark create gadgets to tone deafness. help her with her crimes. Th e foremost of these 100 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

Campaign Use: Rhapsody’s crimes center around or involve music. She might rob a bank and donate the money to the local symphony or opera, steal famous instruments or rare sheet music, or kidnap unhappy people and force them to learn to play an instrument to enrich their lives. If she orches- trates a crime spree, the common tie is the musical period. She doesn’t discriminate when it comes to music; she enjoys all kinds — so long as it’s played well, or at least earnestly. If it’s not played well, she might try to teach the performers how to play... and her lessons aren’t exactly pleasant. Th e goons Rhapsody uses dress more like members of a symphony than thugs and low- lifes. Th ey typically wear black tuxedos with tails, although on occasion Rhapsody has gone on a rock or country kick. Her goons don’t necessarily have to appreciate music — but they do have to be willing to tolerate it, because they’ll be subjected to recital aft er recital. Rhapsody would only Hunt a person if she either thought he was a disgrace to music or she admired his musical talent. If she thinks he’s a dis- grace, she tries to correct his ways. If she admires the person’s talent, she only wants to learn from him. Both of these usually involve kidnapping. To make Rhapsody more powerful, add slots that give existing Powers the Area Of Eff ect Advan- tage, and/or increase the points in the Multipower’s reserve (and the slots accordingly). To make Rhap- sody less of a threat, lower the points and slots in her Multipower and lower her DEX to 18. Th e police have almost lost count of the gadgets is her violin. Made of metal, it has wires charges of robbery, burglary, kidnapping, and and circuits running across its surface that glow assault against Rhapsody. Th ey do not know her with a soft blue light when she uses one of its real name. powers. At the end of the violin’s neck is a small, Appearance: Rhapsody is 5’2” with a trim body. She round speaker. Th is speaker amplifi es the sound keeps her brown hair short and brushes it forward, waves produced by the violin and condenses them and always seems to smile a wide, toothy grin. She into a narrow beam. When fi red from the violin, wears a domino mask (usually black) to disguise the beam appears as little more than an invisible her identity, and for a costume she wears an outfi t ripple of the air, similar to a heat mirage. Each of appropriate to the sort of music her crime involves. the tunes Rhapsody has learned to play on the If stealing sheet music for a concerto Mozart com- violin has a diff erent eff ect, from putting a target posed, she wears a tux with tails. If stealing a guitar to sleep with a soft lullaby, to shattering inanimate Jimi Hendrix played, she dresses like a hippie. If objects with a fast-paced rock song when she holds she’s aft er the last microphone the Big Bopper used, the violin at her hip and picks the strings with her she wears chantilly lace and a poodle skirt. fi ngers. Even when the violin’s powers fail to have the intended eff ect, the target fi nds himself snap- ping his fi ngers, tapping his foot, or humming along — her playing is irresistible. In addition to the songs she can play, she can also use the violin as a club (which she typically does if someone tries to interrupt her playing). Th ough she remains skilled in karate, she usually leaves the hand-to-hand fi ghting to her goons. She dances at the edges of combat, using her Lullaby or Entrancing Melody to render opponents insensible and her Rock ’n’ Roll to destroy Foci. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 101

SCARAB 3 Scientist SCARAB Val Char Cost Roll Notes 2 1) SS: Bacteriology/Virology 13- PLOT SEEDS 10+30 STR 15# 11-/17- Lift 100/6,400 kg; 2 2) SS: Biochemistry 13- 2d6/8d6 [2/8] 2 3) SS: Biology 13- Scarab genetically engi- 10+5 DEX 7# 11-/13- OCV: 3/5/DCV: 3/5 2 4) SS: Botany 13- neer giant beetles and 10+20 CON 20# 11-/15- 2 5) SS: Chemistry 13- unleashes them on the 10 BODY 0 11- 6 6) SS: Entomology 17- unsuspecting city. (See page 89 of Th e HERO 18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13- 3 7) SS: Pharmacology/Toxicology 14- System Bestiary for 10 EGO 0 11- ECV: 3 2 8) SS: Zoology 13- 3 Traveler character sheets.) Can 10+10 PRE 7* 11-/13- PRE Attack: 2d6/4d6 the PCs stop the beetles 1 1) AK: Africa 11- 8 COM -1 11- before someone gets 1 2) AK: Asia 11- hurt? 4 PD 2 Total: 14 PD (10 rPD) 1 3) AK: Europe 11- 4 ED 2 Total: 14 ED (10 rED) 1 4) AK: North America 11- What cockroaches lurk 2+2 SPD 13* Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 1 5) AK: South America 11- 4 REC 0 in the bowels of Hudson 2 6) CK: Hudson City 13- City? Th e Scarab 30 END 5 knows... and he’s created 20/30 STUN 10 Total Characteristics Cost: 88 Total Powers & Skills Cost: 162 Total Cost: 250 a device to call them out *: OIF (armor; -½) of hiding. Th e ultrasonic #: OIF (armor; -½), No Figured Characteristics (-½) 150+ Disadvantages frequency generator Movement: Running: 6”/12” 20 Hunted: HCPD 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) triggers a need for food Leaping: 20”/40” 20 Psychological Limitation: Obsession With in the cockroaches, and Insects (Common, Total) they eat unceasingly, Cost Powers END 15 Psychological Limitation: Casual Killer never satiated. Scarab 13 Carapace Exo-Skeleton: Reduced Endurance (Common, Strong) threatens to keep them eating until people start (0 END; +½) for 40 STR; OIF (-½) 0 20 Reputation: murderous criminal obsessed 27 Elytra-Mounted Weapons Array: Multipower, to starve to death... with beetles and insects, 14- (Extreme) unless the city pays a 40-point reserve; all slots OIF (-½) 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Bill Bailey, 1u 1) Th e Deadly Poison Of Th e African ransom. Can the PCs Ph.D) (Frequently, Major) put an end to this evil Bark Beetle: RKA ½d6, Penetrating (+½), 10 Vulnerability: 1½ x BODY from Electrical plot? Area Of Eff ect (One Hex Accurate; +½); attacks (Common) OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) plus Drain Total Disadvantage Points: 250 LeMastre Park’s hold- BODY 1d6, Ranged (+½), Area Of Eff ect ing a grand opening (One Hex Accurate; +½); OIF (-½), Background/History: Th ere are 350,000 species of ceremony to dedicate its Linked (-½), RKA Must Do BODY (-½), beetle known to man. Entomologist Bill Bailey new Butterfl y Garden, 4 Charges (-1) [4] found a new species while exploring the depths of complete with dancers 2u 2) Th e Sticky Secretions Of Th e Boll the Amazon Jungle. Despite the fact that fi nding dressed as butterfl ies Weevil: Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF; OIF (-½), a new sort of beetle was a common occurrence in and other festivities. 4 Charges (-1) [4] the world of entomology, Dr. Bailey was excited. He Sounds like a perfect 1u 3) Th e Bewildering Song Of Th e Greek loved studying the amazing creatures. He admired target to the Scarab.... Lyre Beetle: Ego Blast 2d6, Area Of Eff ect their hard shells, their ability to fl y, the unique (5” Cone; +1); OIF (-½), No Range (-½), niches they occupied in biomes — the greatest of 2 Continuing Charges lasting 1 Turn the insect kingdom, he thought. each (-1) [2cc] Smiling fondly, Dr. Bailey studied the beetle 1u 4) Insect Touch: Clinging (70 STR); where it was hunched on a vine. It was almost as OIF (-½) 0 large as a goliath beetle, and its shell was a bright, 7 Big Chitinous Gauntlets: HA +2d6; bright red with yellow spots. Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF Hard to believe a beetle this large with this (-½), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) bright a carapace could go undiscovered for so long, 20 Carapace: Armor (10 PD/10 ED); OIF (-½) 0 Dr. Bailey thought. He stooped over to pick up the 7 Air Supply: Life Support (Self-Contained beetle, having forgotten one of the cardinal rules of Breathing); OIF (-½) 0 zoology — the brighter a creature’s colors, the more 13 Hindwing-Assisted Leaping: Leaping +13” likely it was to be venomous. (20” forward, 10” upward), Reduced Endur- When Bailey’s hand came near the beetle, ance (0 END; +½); OIF (carapace; -½) 0 it plunged its jagged mandibles into his palm. It Skills pumped venom into Bailey’s veins, and despite 4 +2 OCV with Big Chitinous Gauntlets thrashing his hand, he couldn’t shake free of the thing. Th en he collapsed. 3 Bureaucratics 11-/13- He had a vision. He was crawling along a fallen 5 Electronics 14- tree trunk. All around him were beetles chittering 7 Inventor 15- excitedly. Th ey bent their mandibles to the task of 5 Paramedics 14- eating the decaying wood, and Bailey joined them 2 PS: Scientist 11- in their meal. Th e vision fl ashed. Now he was buzz- 3 Security Systems 13- ing over cotton plants with a swarm of boll weevils. 3 Stealth 11-/13- Th ey descended on the plants and began to lay 4 Survival (Tropical) 14- 102 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

Doctor Bill Bailey — he was the Scarab. Personality/Motivation: Scarab no longer sees him- self as a part of a mankind’s world and no longer feels a need to obey mankind’s laws, but he isn’t so far gone as to believe he’s a beetle (yet). He’s been exposed to a different sort of world, one he considers superior, and he believes this insight into the natural world gives him the prerogative to do what he wants. Do beetles follow laws? No, so why should he? Besides, what’s a few dead humans, more or less? It’s not as if they’re as important as beetles.... In conversation, Scarab mutters and mumbles — he rarely speaks with others and has forgotten how to. He has several nervous habits, all of which are off-putting. He scratches himself con- stantly, cracks his knuckles, and clicks his teeth as if they were mandibles, almost seeming to bite off his words when he finishes a sentence. their eggs. Th e vision fl ashed again. He was in the His primary motive for com- Egyptian desert. All across the blowing sands, dung mitting crimes is to obtain funding for his con- beetles rolled balls of manure with their back legs. tinued research into the nature of beetles. He stood on his hands and joined the dung beetles, Quote: “Fool! What hope do your fi sts have against pushing a ball of manure with his feet. Again and my carapace?” again, the vision changed, and each time Bailey found himself joining the beetles as they went Powers/Tactics: Scarab’s powers stem from his about their lives. carapace, a composite mesh of kevlar, ceramics, When he regained his senses — when he and steel. The carapace has an exo-skeleton that returned to the humdrum world of mankind — he increases his strength and other physical attri- was in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Th e nurse told butes; while operating, it clicks and whirs like him that he had been in coma for three weeks. the chittering of some immense beetle. The back Bailey knew that wasn’t true, but held his tongue. of the carapace — the elytra, or hardened fore- He hadn’t been in a coma; he’d been permitted a wings — spread to reveal the weapons mounted glimpse of a world beyond humanity’s. But who on their inner surface. The carapace has three would believe the beetles had made him one of weapons, each based on chemicals produced by their own for those three weeks? Who would beetles. The RKA is a rapid volley of small darts believe he’d lived among the beetles as one of them? coated with poison. The Entangle is a flurry of He never said a word about his visions. Once small pellets that explode on contact, coating the authorities released him from the hospital, he the target in a rapidly hardening secretion. The fl ew back to the United States and quit his job as a Ego Attack is the recorded song of the Greek lyre professor at Hudson City State University. He didn’t beetle, amplified a thousand times and modu- give a reason for quitting — they would have never lated specially to produce nausea and headaches have believed him. Th ey wouldn’t have understood in the target — the song plays from speakers the metamorphosis he’d undergone in Brazil. set in the elytra which have a short battery life. For months he didn’t leave his basement, Lastly, he can route his armor’s power to the where he labored on a secret project — a carapace gauntlets and boots so that he can cling to sheer that would make him a close cousin to beetles, at walls with such force that it would take heavy least in his own twisted mind. When he emerged equipment to pull him free. from his basement and leapt into the air, his shell Scarab cannot fly, but his hindwings allow parting with the elytra spreading wide and the him to make long leaps. In combat, he takes the buzzing hindwings emerging, he was no longer high ground, leaping from place to place as nec- Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 103 essary, and fires his Ranged attacks at opponents. SERPENTINE SERPENTINE Once he’s exhausted all his Charges, he moves Val Char Cost Roll Notes PLOT SEEDS into hand-to-hand or flees. 20 STR 10 13- Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [4] Campaign Use: Scarab can become involved in 23 DEX 39 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 Cleopatra really has most any crime. For the right amount of money, 20 CON 20 13- clutched an asp to her he’s perfectly willing to accept jobs, and isn’t 13 BODY 6 12- breast this time when Serpentine begins to picky about what jobs he’ll perform (the money’s 18 INT 8 13- PER Roll 13- muscle in on her terri- 14 EGO 8 12- ECV: 3 going to a good cause, after all). He may also tory. She tries to trick target insect-related objects, such as special 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 the PCs into eliminat- exhibits at the museum or a gem-encrusted 8 COM -1 11- ing her rival — will the brooch shaped like a dragonfly. 8 PD 4 Total: 14 PD (6 rPD) heroes fi gure out they Scarab generally won’t Hunt heroes; he has 6 ED 2 Total: 12 ED (6 rED) are pawns between the better things to do. But he will Hunt any person 5 SPD 17 Phases: 3, 5, 8, 10, 12 two villains? And if so, does it matter? Can they he feels might be able to further his research. 10 REC 4 aff ord to have Serpen- To make Scarab more powerful, increase is 40 END 0 DEX to 21, his SPD to 5, and give him Combat tine controlling a part 35 STUN 2 Total Characteristics Cost: 129 of the Hudson City vice Skill Levels with his Multipower. To make him world? less powerful, remove his CSLs with Big Chitin- Movement: Running: 9”/18” ous Gauntlets and reduce his STR to 30. Leaping: 12”/24” A local zoologist has Cost Powers END Appearance: Bill Bailey is an unattractive man created an device that with a unibrow, greasy brown hair, and bad skin. Martial Arts: Snake Kung Fu allows the wearer to His carapace, however, is an impressive piece of Maneuver OCV DCV Notes communicate with ser- engineering; when wearing it he’s seven feet tall 4 Block +2 +2 Block, Abort pents and force them to and almost four feet wide. Resembling a stylized 4 Disarm -1 +1 Disarm, 40 STR obey his will. Serpentine steals the device. Now, beetle body, the carapace’s curving plates are 4 Dodge +0 +5 Dodge all attacks, Abort with a pack of pythons glossy black with white streaks, and his helmet’s and cobras at his beck face mask is mirrored. 4 Escape +0 +0 45 STR Escape 3 Grab -1 -1 Grab, 40 STR for and call, goes on a crime spree. Can the PCs stop holding on him? 5 Kick -2 +1 10d6 Strike 4 Knifehand Strike -2 +0 HKA 1d6 (2d6 When Serpentine’s with STR) arms fall off , he begins 4 Punch +0 +2 8d6 Strike to worry. When his legs 3 Th row +0 +1 6d6 +v/5; Target grow together into one Falls long tail, he knows he’s 4 Tien-hsueh in trouble — but it’s Strike -1 +1 3d6 NND (1) too late. Not only has 8 +2 Damage Classes (already added in) his body become more 2 Use Art with Staff , Th ree-Section Staff snakelike, so has his 10 Expert Martial Artist: Find Weakness 11- mind. Th e PCs have to capture the new, and with Knifehand Strike 0 even more savage Ser- 18 Serpent Staff : Multipower, 37-point reserve, pentine. all slots OAF (-1) 1u 1) Staff : HA +5d6; OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 1 1u 2) Th ree-Section Staff : HA +4d6; OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) plus +2 OCV; OAF (-1), Only With Block And Disarm (-¼) plus +1” Stretching, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), Always Direct (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼), Only To Cause Damage (-½), No Velocity Damage (-¼) 1 12 Armored Bodysuit: Armor (6 PD/6 ED); OIF (-½) 0 6 Fast: Running +3” (9” total) 1 8 Good Leaper: Leaping +8” (12” forward, 6” upward) 1 2 Heightened Sense Of Smell: +2 PER with Normal Smell 0 5 Snake Eyes: Infrared Perception (Sight Group) 0 3 Snake Metabolism: Life Support (Immunity to Ophidotoxins) 0 104 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

Talents Background/History: Even when he was human, 15 Combat Sense 13- Karl Hasfeld was known as a cold-blooded son of 3 Simulate Death a bitch. He was a mercenary, one of the best, with a Skills near-perfect record and a reputation for being will- 2 +1 OCV with Tien-Hsueh Strike ing to do anything... if the money was right. 6 +2 with Snake Kung Fu One day a consortium of illegal arms deal- ers hired him to “retrieve” some samples of a new 3 Acrobatics 14- biological weapon being developed at a secret lab 4 Animal Handler (Reptiles)14- in India. Karl wasn’t told who was running the lab, 3 Breakfall 14- and he didn’t care. Th e consortium’s money was 3 Combat Driving 14- good, and there was a lot of it, so he took the job. 1 Computer Programming 8- Th e weapon was a deadly gas created from the 3 High Society 13- particularly lethal venom of some bioengineered 3 Interrogation 13- venomous serpents. Karl’s assignment was to enter 2 KS: Th e Espionage World 11- the lab, steal any useful samples, and then kill 2 KS: Th e Military/Mercenary/Terrorist everyone in the lab and torch the place. World 11- Th e job went like clockwork. Th e lab had 3 Lipreading 13- plenty of security, but none of the soldiers there 3 Lockpicking 14- were as well-trained or as vicious as Karl, and cer- 3 SS: Herpetology 13- tainly none of the scientists were capable of putting 3 SS: Ophidiology 13- up a fi ght — or so Karl thought. He’d disposed of all 3 Security Systems 13- of the personnel and gathered up the canisters of 5 Stealth 15- the gas when one of the dying scientists shot at Karl 3 Streetwise 14- with a pistol. Th e shot hit the pressurized metal 3 Tactics 13- cannister. Karl was bombarded with shrapnel and 7 WF: Common Melee Weapons, Common the deadly bio-weapon; the force of the explosion Martial Arts Weapons, Small Arms, Th ree- threw him backwards into a rack of chemicals. Section Staff Two days later Karl woke up, amazed he was Total Powers & Skill Cost: 198 even alive. Th e fi rst thing that hit him was the smell Total Cost: 327 of the corpses around him. Th ey stank to high 150+ Disadvantages heaven; even aft er two days, Karl thought, they shouldn’t smell that bad. When he looked more 10 Distinctive Features: Hairless And Eyes With closely at them, he realized he wasn’t just thinking Snakelike Pupils (Concealable, Noticed and of them as dead, but as “cold” — he was seeing the Recognizable) absence of their body heat! 20 Hunted: HCPD 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) Karl knew then that the gas had aff ected him, 20 Psychological Limitation: Coldblooded; even if it wasn’t as its creators intended. He found Ruthless (Common, Total) a mirror and took a look at himself. Th e changes 20 Psychological Limitation: Always Protects were obvious. His eyes had slit pupils like those Himself (Common, Total) of a snake and were all yellow iris. He didn’t have 15 Reputation: ruthless mercenary criminal, a single hair on him anywhere, from his head to 11- (Extreme) his once-hairy chest and legs. It could be worse, he 10 Susceptible: to antivenin, takes 1d6 damage thought. At least I don’t have a forked tongue and per Minute scaly skin. 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Karl Has- Karl torched the lab and left India. He never feld) (Frequently, Major) contacted the consortium, since he had nothing 67 Experience Points to tell them. He returned to the States and began Total Disadvantage Points: 327 exploring his new “condition.” He discovered he was quicker and stronger than he’d ever been, that his senses had been heightened and changed — that he had, for all intents and purposes, become a “human serpent.” He decided to get out of the mercenary business; with his new abilities he could do something even more lucrative... like become a crimelord. A few days later Serpentine was born, and Hudson City hasn’t been the same since. Personality/Motivation: Serpentine is, like his name- sake, coldblooded, ruthless, and downright evil. He thinks nothing of threatening and killing people, even his own henchmen, to accomplish his objec- tives. Although he was like this before the accident, since then he’s become even more vicious than ever — the gas aff ected his mind as well as his body. Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 105

Serpentine fi ghts as intel- ligently and tactically as you’d expect from a trained, experi- enced mercenary. He’s always on the lookout for an advan- tage; he has no desire to “fi ght fair” or behave honorably, he wants to win! Ambushes, dirty tricks, and low blows are his specialties... but if it comes to a stand-up fi ght, he’s ready. Campaign Use: Serpentine commits any crime that will turn a profi t... but more and more, his crimes begin to have snake themes. Whether this is because of some derange- ment from the explosion that gave him his powers or some- thing else entirely, Serpentine doesn’t know; to him it seems perfectly natural. He might use snake venom to poison a target and then demand a large sum of money in return for the antivenin; steal snake- related artifacts from a local museum to sell on the black market; or kidnap a herpe- tologist for his own nefarious purposes. To make Serpentine more of a threat, increase his Serpentine has also become obsessed with DEX to 27 and SPD to 6, and/ snakes. He has taught himself a great deal about or increase his Find Weakness roll. To weaken him, them, and is considering hiring scientists to try to remove his Damage Classes with Martial Arts and “duplicate” their abilities in himself. Many of his lower his STR to 15. crimes have some sort of “snake” theme. As a Hunted, Serpentine prefers to meet his Quote: “Th e python’s strength and the cobra’s prey in mano-a-mano combat, so he tries to sepa- quickness are mine! My hands are deadlier than a rate him from friends and teammates, but he isn’t rattlesnake’s venom! You can never defeat me!” stupid about it. If his prey is obviously more pow- erful than he, Serpentine uses every dirty trick he Powers/Tactics: Serpentine’s powers all derive from knows — and as a Hunter, Serpentine wants to kill his exposure to the snake venom bioweapon he was whomever he’s Hunting. hired to steal. It’s made him preternaturally fast, strong, and vicious, and has heightened his innate Appearance: Serpentine looks like a normal, well- senses (and given him a new one, the ability to see built, muscular 6’0” tall man without a single hair in the infrared spectrum). On top of this, Karl has a on his body. His eyes have slit pupils and are all great deal of mercenary training. He can use most yellow iris. He usually wears no costume other than fi rearms, and is skilled in Snake Kung Fu. He oft en a red loincloth or kilt; sometimes he adds to this a fi ghts with his Serpent Staff , a snake-headed staff light green cape with an upturned collar reminis- than can convert from a normal staff to a three- cent of a cobra’s hood. sectional staff . Serpentine sometimes also employs weapons derived from snake venoms, trained ser- pents, and other snake-related weapons. 106 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

TICKTOCK  THE CLOCKWORK MAN POCKET WATCH Val Char Cost Notes Val Char Cost Roll Notes 1 Size 5 1.25” x .64”; -1 KB; -0 DCV 6 STR -4 10- Lift 50 kg; 1d6 HTH [1] 40 STR 25 Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 HTH [0] 12 DEX 6 11- OCV: 4/DCV: 4 17 DEX 21 OCV: 6/DCV: 6 8 CON -4 11- 20 BODY 9 8 BODY -4 11- 15 DEF 50 Hardened (+¼) 24 INT 14 14- PER Roll 14- 3 SPD 5 Phases: 4, 8, 12 15 EGO 10 12- ECV: 5 Total Characteristics Cost: 115 6 PRE -4 10- PRE Attack: 1d6 Movement: Running: 8”/16” 10 COM 0 11- Swinging: 20”/40” 2 PD 1 Total: 2 PD (0 rPD) Abilities & Equipment 2 ED 0 Total: 2 ED (0 rED) Cost Power END 3 SPD 8 Phases: 4, 8, 12 22 Finger Saws (Right Hand): HKA 2d6 2 REC 0 (3½d6 with STR), Reduced Endurance 20 END 2 (0 END; +½); OIF Bulky (-1) 0 15 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 25 30 Left Hand Launcher: Multipower, 60-point Movement: Running: 6”/12” reserve; all slots OIF Bulky (-1) Cost Perks END 1u 1) Grapple: Swinging 20”, Reduced 41 Vehicle: Tick-Tock, the Clockwork Man Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF Bulky (-1), (see above) Lockout (can’t use other slots in any Phase in which he Swings; -½) 0 Talents 2u 2) Packs A Punch: Energy Blast 8d6; 5 Eidetic Memory OIF Bulky (-1), Limited Range (20”; -¼) 0 3 Lightning Calculator 2u 3) Distance Grab: Telekinesis (40 STR); 6 Speed Reading (100x) OIF Bulky (-1), Aff ects Whole Object Skills (-¼), Only To Pull Objects To Him (-½), 7 Combat Driving 15-; Tick-Tock Man Limited Range (20”; -¼), Lockout (can’t Only (-½) use other slots in any Phase in which he 3 Computer Programming 14- has something Grabbed; -½) 0 3 Electronics 14- 12 Radar: Radar (Radio Group), 5 Inventor 15- Discriminatory, Increased Arc Of 4 KS: Clocks And Time Pieces 15- Perception (360 Degrees); OIF Bulky (-1) 0 4 Mimicry 14- 6 Radio And Speaker: HRRP (Radio Group); 5 Mechanics 15- OIF Bulky (-1), Aff ected As Sight And 5 PS: Clock Repair 16- Hearing Group As Well As Radio Group (-½) 0 3 Systems Operation 14- 5 Legs And Arms: Extra Limbs 3 Scientist (4 — two arms, two legs) 0 2 1) SS: Computer Science 14- 10 Air Supply: Life Support (Self-Contained 2 2) SS: Mathematics 14- Breathing); 1 Fuel Charge (easily obtained 2 3) SS: Metallurgy 14- fuel; 6 Hours; -0) [1] 2 4) SS: Physics 14- 4 Strong Legs: Running +2” (8” total) 0 2 5) SS: Robotics 14- 4 Heavy: Knockback Resistance -2” Total Powers & Skills Cost: 107 6 Ejection Seat: Telekinesis (26 STR); OIF Total Cost: 132 Bulky (-1), Aff ects Whole Object (-¼), No Range (-½), Only To Th row Target 150+ Disadvantages Straight Up (-2), 1 Recoverable 15 Physical Limitation: Short (1 m tall, 12.5 Charge (-1¼) [1rc] kg mass, +2 DCV, +3” Knockback) (All Th e Time, Slightly Impairing) Skills 15 Psychological Limitation: Desperate For 16 Superior Design: +2 with All Combat Attention (Common, Strong) Total Abilities & Equipment Cost: 120 15 Psychological Limitation: Code Versus Kill- Total Vehicle Cost: 235 ing (Common, Strong) Value Disadvantage 15 Social Limitation: 13 Years Old (Very Fre- 20 Distinctive Features: Large Man-Shaped quently; Minor) Clockwork Machine (Concealable; Causes 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Alfred Extreme Reaction) “A l fi e” Kloch) (Frequently, Major) 10 Physical Limitation: Must Be Wound Every Total Disadvantage Points: 225 6 Hours (Infrequently; Greatly Impairing) Total Disadvantage Points: 30 Total Cost: 205/5 = 41 Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 107

Background/History: When Alfi e Kloch hung blan- house, and so on — but they know they can’t keep TICK-TOCK kets up around his workbench in the garage so no up with Alfi e’s mind, so if their son says he needs PLOT SEEDS one could see what he was working on, his parents three rods, two square-tooth gears, fi ve springs, and didn’t think anything of it. Th e boy had just turned a brass chassis to complete some project for school, Eddie Gorsky, Alfi e’s thirteen, and he was at that age when teenagers they believe him and buy what he wants. only friend, discovers want their privacy. His parents’ attempts to nurture his genius Tick-Tock and demands When grinding and pounding noises, the fl are have led to Alfi e having considerable time and that Alfi e make him a of an acetylene torch, and the strange smells of materials on his hands — time enough, in fact, to suit of his own. Calling smelting metals fi lled the garage, they didn’t think build a clockwork robot/vehicle that’s a match for himself Click-Clock, he anything of that either. Alfi e was a genius and had most crimefi ghters. Successfully committing crimes and Alfi e start a crime spree in Hudson City. while piloting Tick-Tock is about the most chal- long ago moved beyond making clocks and small Can the PCs stop two watches, a hobby that had earned him the nick- lenging thing in his life right now, so it consumes Clockwork Men? name of Pocket Watch. most of his attention. In many ways it’s like a video But when they caught him coming in from game Alfi e’s become addicted to: he’s always trying Card Shark kidnaps the garage early one morning at 3:00 AM, they to improve his score, defeat the boss monster, or get Pocket Watch while he’s grounded him and barred him from the garage for to the next level. out as Tick-Tock. Th e a week. 3:00 AM was well past his curfew, and even While piloting Tick-Tock, Pocket Watch does criminal mastermind geniuses needed their sleep. But by then Alfi e didn’t his best to act the part of a villain. He uses Mimicry wants to put Pocket care. He had completed his work and fi nished his and the fuzzy speakers set in Tick-Tock’s mouth to Watch’s genius to real greatest creation, Tick-Tock the Clockwork Man. disguise his voice. He laughs maniacally, tells the use committing real He was ready to start his criminal career. heroes they can’t possibly win, challenges them to crimes instead of play- Alfi e was a lonely and bored child, and being stop his next crime, and so on. Outside of Tick- ing games. Will Pocket Watch become a true Tock, Alfi e is a quiet boy who mutters inappropriate a genius didn’t help. Even though he attended villain under Card classes at Hudson City State University, he still had sarcastic remarks at the wrong times, tries too hard Shark’s tutelage, or can to fi nish his undergraduate degree and most of his to act jaded, and only gets excited when talking the PCs rescue him classes were dull. To make matters worse, a thir- about technology, comic books, or video games before that comes to teen-year-old doesn’t have much in common with — all in all, a typical thirteen year old. pass? college-age kids (and vice versa), so he didn’t have Quote: “Ha. Ha. Ha. bzzz...shrrrrk... You cannot stop any friends at school. In fact, he didn’t have any me. I am Tick-Tock the Clockwork Man. bzzz... Th e front page of the friends at all except for Eddie Gorsky, a kid Alfi e’s shhhhrek.” newspaper reads: age who also read comic books. With so much time “Strange robot saves on his hands, Alfi e had nothing better to do than Powers/Tactics: Alfi e Kloch’s only unusual ability lives.” Tick-Tock rescued make himself into a criminal. is his genius — the same genius that created the several people from a Th e next night, Alfi e snuck out of his bedroom hulking machine of brass and steel named Tick- burning building the Tock. While piloting Tick-Tock from the compart- night before. Could the aft er his parents had gone to sleep. He wound strange and mysterious up the Clockwork Man, then climbed into the ment inside its barrel chest, Pocket Watch has an array of abilities he can use. He can keep an eye Clockwork Man really cramped pilot compartment in the machine’s chest. be a misunderstood on his surroundings via a radar unit, look out the Working the levers, he departed his parent’s garage, hero? And will the PCs going up the street to a toy store. He used the Tick- machine’s eyes with a periscope, and speak from track him in down in an Tock’s fi nger saws to cut through the door. Inside, the robot’s mouth via audio and radio transmitters. attempt to fi nd out? he grabbed some board games and went home. Driven by pistons and levers, the machine possesses Th at was pretty dull, he thought as he idly great strength, and this is primarily what Pocket fl ipped through his stolen goods. I didn’t need a big Watch relies on in combat. Tick-Tock’s fi ngers on machine for that. its right hand have small chains of superhard steel Th en it hit him — costumed crimefi ghters. that run from the tips to the knuckles. When acti- Th at’s what he needed to liven things up. Crime- vated these chains act like a chainsaw and can cut fi ghters meant more grandiose crimes with clues through some of the hardest substances known to the heroes could follow, so he started planning his man. Pocket Watch doesn’t use these on human fi rst crime.... opponents — they’re for cutting through barred windows and doors, thick walls, and the like. Tick- Personality/Motivation: A teenaged genius, Pocket Tock’s left fi st can launch from the wrist. Attached Watch is a bored boy desperate for attention. by a strong chain, the fi st can grab distant objects, Th ough far from neglectful, his parents — Wil- deliver a bruising bunch, or act like a swingline. liam and Peggy Kloch — both work as executives Tick-Tock is kept running by springs and gears... in downtown Hudson City and have positions that and just like a watch, it must be wound to operate. demand a lot of their time. Between their jobs and Winding the machine keeps it going for six hours, but the commute, only one of them is usually home in aft er then it stops dead until wound again. the evenings (they hire a driver to take Alfi e back In combat, Pocket Watch relies on Tick-Tock’s and forth from college), and it’s extremely rare for fi sts and strength. If the PCs attempt to talk fi rst, either of them to be home during the day. Further- Pocket Watch plays along. He claims he — Tick-Tock more, his parents have attempted to give their son the Clockwork Man, that is — is an artifi cial intel- both the space and materials he needs to develop ligence enslaved to an evil scientist and forced to his genius, as well as the privacy most teenagers perform these theft s. If the PCs buy this story, Pocket want. Th ey’ve tried hard not to spoil him — they Watch’s claims grow even more grandiose and outra- enforce a curfew, make him do chores around the geous. Eventually, he has to succeed with EGO Rolls 108 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

machine’s chest should come as a surprise when fi nally revealed. Ultimately, though, Pocket Watch isn’t malicious, cruel, or even all that criminal — he just wants attention. If the PCs give it to him con- structively, he might devote his eff orts to becoming a crimefi ghter like they are, or turn into a valuable ally who can supply them with his engineering acumen. If they give him the brush off , lecture him, or insult him, he’ll devote his genius to ruining them... and as time goes by his skills and inventions will become even better. During a crime, Pocket Watch engages in a bit of gamesmanship with the PCs — he’s more interested in matching wits with them than making money. His crimes always start out focused on clocks, watches, automatons from the Enlighten- ment Era, old-fashioned arcade games, or other machines involving gears and springs. But soon they become increasingly related to things only a child would care about. For instance, he might steal a rare comic book or the beta version for the sequel to a popular video game. He tries to keep up the “clockwork” theme (though the ties oft en become tenuous at best), but aft er a while deduc- tive PCs realize two things: they aren’t dealing with an obsessive-compulsive villain like Anagram or Rhapsody, and only a juvenile mind cares about the things Tick-Tock steals. Pocket Watch excels at “death”-traps — crazy Rube Goldberg devices with arcane purposes and mechanisms — but they’re never harmful. At most they leave a PC embarrassed and with a few bruises. For goons, Pocket Watch creates robots to to keep from giving himself away by giggling. If a accompany Tick-Tock on his crimes. Th ese robots are fi ght seems hopeless, Pocket Watch shuts down the weaker versions of Tick-Tock with STR 25, DEF 8, machine, letting it slump over seemingly lifeless. He SPD 2, and limited intelligence (INT 8 or so). Pocket does this in the hope his opponents think it’s a robot Watch controls the robots from Tick-Tock’s pilot that they’ve deactivated so they won’t realize there’s compartment. Th ey’re intelligent enough to carry out a boy hiding inside its chest. Once everyone leaves simple commands on their own (i.e., “Keep punching the area, or at least turns their eyes from Tick-Tock, the crimefi ghter”), but nothing more. Pocket Watch activates the ejection seat and then To make Tick-Tock more powerful, raise his starts running for dear life. When the ejection seat SPD to 4, give him more Combat Skill Levels, and activates, Tick-Tock’s head and shoulders explode him with inches of Leaping. To make him less pow- from the machine’s torso and the whole pilot com- erful, lower his DEF to 10. partment blasts off . Pocket Watch is unlikely to Hunt a character When he needs to, Pocket Watch disguises — he doesn’t have a vengeful streak, and at thirteen Tick-Tock by pulling a rubber Halloween mask of lacks the attention span for a vendetta. He might Hunt Ronald Reagan over the robot’s head and dress- a female PC he had a crush on, or a PC whose intellect ing it in large coats that reach to the machine’s he admired and whom he wanted to impress. large fl at feet. To complete the disguise he throws a blanket over the machine’s head (so people think Appearance: Standing only 4’8” tall, Alfi e is short for it’s a homeless man... a seven-foot-tall homeless his age. His thick brown hair is cut in a bowl cut, and man). Th ough Tick-Tock looks very odd and very he has brown eyes. He wears tee-shirts, jeans, and large in this disguise, there’s nothing about it that tennis shoes. Tick-Tock, on the other hand, stands makes an onlooker think it’s a machine — as long over seven feet tall. Its body is covered with curving as it’s not moving. When it moves, it emits a rhyth- steel plates with the occasional gleaming brass peek- mic thumping noise like a grandfather clock that’s ing out from between them. Under the plates is a diz- impossible to hide. When Tick-Tock moves slowly zying array of gears, levers, and springs. Th e entry into the thumping isn’t suspicious so much as odd, but the pilot compartment is a hatch on Tick-Tock’s back. as Tick-Tock picks up speed so does the thumping, Th e hatch is secured from the inside; unless a person becoming more and more suspicious. knows to look for it, it blends with the rest of Tick- Tock’s chassis. Tick-Tock’s face is made from brass Campaign Use: When you use Tick-Tock during over steel. It has no nose, and its eyes are two bulbs an adventure, it should take a while for the PCs to that glow dimly with an amber light. Its mouth is a discover that the Clockwork Man is a vehicle rather square gash; inside the gash are small speakers. than a robot. Th e presence of Pocket Watch in the Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 109

Th ey turned to start running before the cops THE TWO JOHNNIES THE TWO JOHNNIES arrived — it was going to be a long walk to Hudson PLOT SEEDS Go into any precinct house in Hudson City City and they needed to get started — and then and mention the Two Johnnies. Every cop inside Johnny Franzetti shot across the fi eld, his limbs a Th e police ask the PCs stops whatever he’s doing and either shakes his blur, leaving the other Johnny in the dust. But not to catch the Two John- head with disgust or groans in despair. Two-time for long. Suddenly the other Johnny appeared right nies, since their own losers and two-bit thugs, the Two Johnnies fl uked next to his friend. eff orts have proven into superpowers during a jail break, and since then “How’d you get here without me seeing you useless. How will the PCs bait the trap? And they’ve become a thorn in the side of the police move?” Johnny asked. “I’ve been here all along,” Johnny answered. how will they keep them — not because they’re particularly deadly, or even from escaping? much of a threat to Hudson City, but because they “Oh,” Johnny said. Th e hazardous materials had somehow given never shut up, have a thing for embarrassing police- Johnny-On-Th e-Spot is both Johnnies superpowers — Franzetti could men, and have proven impossible to catch. running faster than ever move at incredible speeds for a short period of Background/History: Johnny Franzetti and before. Johnny-Come- time, and Walsh could somehow back up time and Lately is teleporting Johnny Walsh met when they were assigned to move where he wanted without anyone being any the same cell in Stewartsburg Penitentiary. Fran- farther than ever before. wiser. When the two returned to Hudson City, they And both have become zetti was doing time for holding up convenience dubbed themselves the Two Johnnies — Franzetti bloodthirsty killers. stores — three in a row and all on the same block became Johnny-On-Th e-Spot, and Walsh became Th e Two Johnnies have — and Walsh was serving fifteen years for rob- Johnny-Come-Lately — and it wasn’t long before come into possession bing a bank. Both of them had prior convictions they were committing robberies across the city. of a drug that increase dating back to their early teens, and neither had Group Relations: Two peas in a pod, the Two their powers consider- ably... but it’s also driven much hope for parole. Johnnies get along better than brothers. Th e only them insane. Now it’s up They made a good match. Both of them thing holding them back is their lack of intelli- had terrible senses of humor but never stopped to the PCs to stop them, gence and self-restraint. Neither of them can resist but if they had trouble telling jokes, and both of them couldn’t shut up. making trouble when the opportunity arises, and They spent their time playing cards and jabber- holding the two before, they’ve been caught more than once because they how will they hold them ing at each other, only stopping long enough just had to play some prank on a police offi cer or now that they’re more to laugh. It got to the point where no one paid costumed crimefi ghter rather than stay in hiding. powerful? And just who much attention to the Two Johnnies — even the Tactics: The Two Johnnies don’t have much gave them that drug? guards just kind of ignored them. That’s when in the way of teamwork or tactics. The closest they began to plan their escape. they come to coordinating their actions is that Th e Two Johnnies make Several weeks later the Johnnies hid them- Johnny-On-The-Spot tells the joke and Johnny- a bet: who can rob the selves in back of the delivery truck that brought Come-Lately tells the punch line. Typically, they most QuickCorners in a single evening? Th e PCs food to the prison. They spoke only whispers, both use their powers to flee confrontation with telling each other what they would do once they set out to stop them, but crimefighters. For individual tactics, see their all of a sudden all of the were free. They could hear the thunder and character sheets below. lightning crashing outside and the rain pattering PCs’ Hunteds show up against the top of the truck. When they felt the Campaign Use: On their own, the Two Johnnies — is there some deeper plot at work? truck jerk forward, they giggled and snickered lack direction — they keep performing the same and hushed each other. The truck came to a stop snatch-and-grabs and armed robberies they did at the gate, the back door clattered open, and the before they gained superpowers. Th e challenge guard shined his flashlight inside — but he didn’t they present for the PCs is to stop them from using open the big box marked FRENCH FRIES where their powers to escape. If they have goons with the Johnnies were hidden, just like they knew he them, they’ve gathered them from among their old wouldn’t. The guard on duty that night was lazy friends, other career criminals that can’t see past and never bothered to check the boxes. the next robbery. But it may not be long before When the truck pulled out of the prison, the some criminal mastermind notices them and puts Johnnies gave each other high fi ves, but they didn’t their powers to far better use. hear the sharp crack when the truck popped a tire. Since the Two Johnnies’ schtick is being nigh Th ey looked at each other anxiously when the truck unto twins, don’t increase or decrease their power came to a stop on the side of the highway only fi ve by adding members to the “group” — do it by minutes later. Th ey also didn’t hear the semi’s tires reducing or augmenting their individual abilities screech on the pavement as the driver lost control (see below). of his rig in the rain. It wasn’t until later they found Th e Two Johnnies don’t Hunt heroes. Th ey out the semi had been carrying hazardous materi- might pursue one for a while to play a prank on als from a nearby chemical company. him, but that’s as far as they’d take it — they’re too Th e collision took the lives of both truck driv- laid-back for anything more. ers, but somehow the Johnnies survived. Th ey came Both of the Johnnies have extensive criminal to some hundred yards away from the accident in records for robbery, burglary, and other property the middle of a fi eld. Th ey were covered in slime crimes, and for assault. and toxic muck, but they didn’t spend much time examining the gunk that covered them. 110 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

JOHNNYCOMELATELY 150+ Disadvantages Val Char Cost Roll Notes 15 Psychological Limitation: Must Tell Bad 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] Jokes And Can’t Shut Up (Common, Strong) 24 DEX 42 14- OCV: 8/DCV: 8 15 Psychological Limitation: Greedy 15 CON 10 12- (Common, Strong) 10 BODY 0 11- 10 Reputation: two-bit loser with 8 INT -2 11- PER Roll 11- superpowers, 11- 8 EGO -4 11- ECV: 3 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Johnny 10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 Walsh) (Frequently, Major) 10 COM 0 11- 5 Unluck 1d6 10 Vulnerability: x2 STUN from Time-based 6 PD 3 Total: 9 PD (3 rPD) Attacks (Uncommon) 6 ED 3 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) 30 Experience Points 4 SPD 6 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 8 REC 4 Total Disadvantage Points: 250 30 END 0 Background/History: Johnny Walsh swears his 27 STUN 0 Total Characteristics Cost: 67 life would have been different if only the audi- Movement: Running: 6”/12” ence had laughed. He took one shot at being a Teleportation: 12”/24” stand-up comedian. It was at the corner bar on a Thursday when they had open mike night. Cost Powers END Opening with a “Here’s Johnny!” — a good 15 Can’t Block Th is: HA +3d6, Indirect impersonation of Ed McMahon if ever there was (always originates with Johnny, but can one, as far as he was concerned — Johnny started strike target from any angle; +½); telling his jokes. At first the crowd ignored him, Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 3 then they stared at him. Johnny kept right on 55 Stop-Time Boxing: Energy Blast 7d6, telling jokes, repeating a couple he’d heard the Area Of Eff ect (6” Radius; +1), Selective night before on late night talkshows mixed with (+¼), Indirect (always originates with some of his own material. The audience began to Johnny, but can strike target from any boo, then they started throwing peanuts at him. angle; +½); Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), After the first peanut hit him in the head, Johnny Limited Range (center of Area must be stepped down from the stage. within Johnny’s Half Move using Later that night, he lurked in wait for the guy Teleportation at Combat velocity; -¼) 9 who’d thrown the peanut that hit him. Beating up 24 Step Th rough Time: Teleportation 12”, that guy felt good — defi nitely better than being Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); Must booed at — and stealing his wallet felt even better. Pass Th rough Intervening Space (-¼) 1 Johnny laughed all the way home and went back 15 Time Out: Healing STUN and END 2d6, to shoplift ing, holding up convenience stores, and two Characteristics simultaneously (+½); snatching old ladies’ purses. To heck with them Self Only (-½), Extra Time (Full Phase; -½) 3 anyhow if they don’t got a sense of humor, he told Talents his friends. 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) Eventually, Johnny Walsh tried to move up to 27 Premonitions: Danger Sense (out of combat, the big leagues — bank robbery, that was where immediate vicinity)13- the money was at. He bought a ski mask and gun, Skills but he should’ve made sure his car had gas. He was 21 Didn’t See Th at One Coming, I Bet: +4 with still trying to start it when the police arrived on the All Combat; Costs Endurance (-½) 3 scene. Sentenced to fi ft een years, Walsh started his 13 A Little To Th e Left : +4 DCV; Costs Endur- sentence at Stewartsburg Penitentiary. On the same ance (-½) 2 day, Johnny Franzetti started his sentence. Th e two 2 CK: Hudson City 11- became fast friends and the rest his history. 3 Streetwise 11- Personality/Motivation: Johnny-Come-Lately fan- 2 WF: Knives, Handguns cies himself as the brains behind the Two Johnnies. Total Powers & Skills Cost: 183 Johnny-On-Th e-Spot is too fl ighty for planning Total Cost: 250 with all his fast talk and speeding around. It’s Johnny-Come-Lately who decides what place to rob and how to rob it. Not that there’s much to the decisionmaking process... usually it involves the Two Johnnies coming home from some bar, pass- ing a convenience store, and Johnny-Come-Lately saying, “Hey. Hold up. Let’s rob that place.” Johnny-Come-Lately thinks the world has done him wrong. Th e only time the world did right by him was when he got his superpowers, but he isn’t grateful. Aft er all, he deserved some respect because of what went wrong with his life. If he’d been born rich or into a family with some Hol- Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 111

he wants in a 6” radius area (his EB), though this really tires him out. He can step slightly out of time — he’s still visible, but slightly blurry — and choose the best place to stand to avoid an attack (+4 to DCV) or to hit his oppo- nent (+4 with All Combat). And when he’s tired, he can step outside of time to take a breather (Healing). In combat, Johnny- Come-Lately attempts to stay 6” from his opponent, then Half Move Teleport and use his HA or EB. If Grabbed or Entangled, he teleports away; if he can’t Teleport, he puts all his Levels into DCV in an attempt to avoid getting hit. Campaign Use: Johnny-Come- Lately is a thug who can tele- port, and a cowardly one at that. Th e crimes he commits tend toward robbery — he walks into a convenience store or bank, demands the money, and then teleports away. Defeating him is only a matter of fi guring out how to stop him from Tele- porting to safety. To make Johnny-Come- lywood connections, he’d defi nitely be a famous Lately more powerful, give comic by now. But he was born into a poor family, him more time-related powers others — a Drain his father in and out of jail, and even when he was SPD to represent slowing down time around on parole, he was never around except when he someone, a Drain END to represent making the needed a place to stay or something to eat. Yeah, the target feel like he’s been awake for days, and so world defi nitely owes him. on. Furthermore, increase Johnny-Come-Lately’s Quote: “And the bartender says, “What is this? PD and ED so he can take more hits. To make Some kind of joke?” Man, that one cracks me up him less powerful, remove his Time Out and every time....” decrease his CSLs. Johnny-Come-Lately would only Hunt some- Powers/Tactics: Johnny-Come-Lately has a one he thinks has done him wrong... and even then, limited ability to manipulate time. He can step he wouldn’t be a persistent Hunter. Chances are, if outside of time for a second or two, perform a he’s Hunting a PC, someone hired him to. limited amount of actions, and then return to normal time. Using this power, he can disappear Appearance: Johnny-Come-Lately is a plain look- and reappear somewhere else within 12” of his ing man, 5’10” with a medium build. He has shaggy original starting position. Since he must walk to black hair and dark eyes. His expression is usually the new location, even though no one sees him hang-dog, except when he’s telling a joke — then he walking, he must be able to walk to the spot — in wears lop-sided grin and squints his mean, beady other words, he can’t pass through obstacles, eyes at whomever he’s talking to. His costume is a though he can walk around them. black bodysuit with red boots, gloves, and belt. On Johnny’s power also makes makes him a tough the bicep of each arm is a stylized “JJ” and he wears HTH fi ghter. He can stop time and hit an opponent a red domino mask. from any angle he wants (his HA, which can’t be Blocked). He can even run around and hit anyone 112 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

JOHNNYONTHESPOT Background/History: Johnny Franzetti was a bad Val Char Cost Roll Notes seed from a good family. No one could understand 15 STR 5 12- Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [3] how he could be so bad. His father was a hard- 27 DEX 51 14- OCV: 9/DCV: 9 working man, his mother the sweetest woman on 15 CON 10 12- the block, and both his older brothers kept out of 10 BODY 0 11- trouble. But not Johnny. He was caught shoplift ing 8 INT -2 11- PER Roll 11- for the fi rst time when he was twelve. He claimed 8 EGO -4 11- ECV: 3 his friends had egged him on and that it would 10 PRE 0 11- PRE Attack: 2d6 never happen again. Over the next three years he 10 COM 0 11- got caught fi ve more times, and they fi nally sent him to juvie. 6 PD 3 Total: 9 PD (3 rPD) Doing time in Juvenile Off enders Corrections 6 ED 3 Total: 9 ED (3 rED) Hall (the Joke — a name Johnny always loved) only 6 SPD 23 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 made him worse. Six months aft er he was caught, 7 REC 2 he was back on the street stealing televisions from 40 END 10 peoples’ houses and snatching purses. Soon aft er 34 STUN 8 Total Characteristics Cost: 109 that, his mother kicked him out of the house, his Movement: Running: 16”/32” or 50”/100” father told him not to come back, and his two Cost Powers END brothers beat the pulp out of him. He hasn’t seen 20 Flurry Of Blows: HA +3d6, Autofi re his family since. (5 shots; +½), Reduced Endurance Th e last time he got caught and sentenced (½ END; +½); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 1 to prison, he was trying to rob three convenience 30 Cruising Speed: Running +10” (16” total), stores in a row. He was actually going for fi ve — Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 0 he’d bet his buddies he could do it — but the police 68 Sprint: Running +34” (50” total) 7 caught up to him before he even got out the door of the third one. Now, as Johnny-On-Th e-Spot, he’s Talents certain he could rob fi ve convenience stores before 6 Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED) the police even got the call. He’s been dying to try Skills it, but Johnny-Come-Lately keeps convincing him 10 +5 with Running not to. 2 CK: Hudson City 11- Personality/Motivation: Johnny-On-Th e-Spot is lazy, 3 Streetwise 11- shift less, and doesn’t care about the future. Th e best 2 WF: Knives, Handguns thing that can be said about him is that he’s laid Total Powers & Skills Cost: 141 back, but even that’s just a euphemism for saying Total Cost: 250 he’s lazy. He doesn’t have any regrets (because he 150+ Disadvantages doesn’t think about the past) and he doesn’t have 25 Hunted: Hudson City Police Department any hopes (because he doesn’t think about the 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) future). He lives in the moment, and never looks 15 Psychological Limitation: Must Tell Bad past that. He commits crimes simply because it’s Jokes And Can’t Shut Up (Common, Strong) easier to take someone else’s money than to hold 15 Psychological Limitation: Greedy down a job. He doesn’t worry about getting caught (Common, Strong) because it never occurs to him that anyone might 10 Reputation: two-bit loser with superpow- catch him (despite his arrest record). Gaining ers, 11- superpowers hasn’t changed Johnny in the least. 15 Social Limitation: Public Identity (Johnny Quote: “So have you heard this one? A polar bear, a Franzetti) (Frequently, Major) giraff e, and a penguin walk into a bar....” 10 Vulnerability: 1½ x Eff ect from Drugs, Poi- Powers/Tactics: Johnny-On-Th e-Spot is a low- sons, and Toxins (Common) powered speedster. He can run indefi nitely at a 10 Experience Points speed faster than any normal human can run; for Total Disadvantage Points: 250 short periods of time he can sprint at incredible speeds — easily fast enough to out run a car. In combat he uses his high SPD to best advantage. He spends most of his time outside the range of HTH Combat, putting his Levels with Running into DCV — then, when he thinks he has the advantage, he speeds in and delivers a Flurry Of Blows. But most of the time he avoids combat, and if the police or crimefi ghters show up on the scene he runs away. Campaign Use: Like his partner in crime, Johnny- On-Th e-Spot is essentially a goon with superpow- ers. On his own, the crimes he commits are the same as when he was a normal thug. To make Johnny-On-Th e-Spot more powerful, Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 113

increase the dice of damage in his HA and give him Combat Skill Levels with it so he gets more hits with the Autofi re. You could also give him a higher PD and ED so he can take more hits before going down. To decrease his power, lower his top-end speed to 40” total or even 30”. Johnny-On-Th e-Spot is too lazy to Hunt anyone unless a third party paid him to. Appearance: Johnny-On-Th e-Spot is a tall, thin man with thinning blond hair and watery blue eyes. His expression is usually vacant except when he’s telling a joke; then, his eyes glow with a maniacal light, and his grin is wide and toothy. His costume is a red bodysuit with black boots, gloves, and belt. Th ere’s a stylized “JJ” on the costume’s biceps, and he wears a red domino mask. 114 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

THE WITCH OF RED THE WITCH OF RED HILL 2 2) SS: Biochemistry 13- HILL PLOT SEEDS Val Char Cost Roll Notes 2 3) SS: Biology 13- 25 STR 15 14- Lift 800 kg; 5d6 [5] 2 4) SS: Botany 13- Th ere’s a new drug on 27 DEX 51 14- OCV: 9/DCV: 9 2 5) SS: Chemistry 13- the street called Ghost 25 CON 30 14- 6 6) SS: Genetics 17- Kiss that kills one out 15 BODY 10 12- Total Powers & Skills Cost: 158 of every fi ve users. Th e 20 INT 10 13- PER Roll 13- Total Cost: 336 PCs haveto discover 15 EGO 10 12- ECV: 5 that the source of this 150+ Disadvantages 20 PRE 10 13- PRE Attack: 4d6 new drug is the Witch of 20 Hunted: FBI 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture) 14 COM 2 12- Red Hill... and stop her 15 Psychological Limitation: Casual Killer bid to become one of 12 PD 7 Total: 16 PD (4 rPD) (Common, Strong) Hudson City’s new drug 12 ED 7 Total: 16 ED (4 rED) 20 Psychological Limitation: Cold-Blooded; lords? 6 SPD 13 Phases: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 Half-Believes She Really Is A Witch 12 REC 4 (Common, Total) Th ere’s a genetics con- 50 END 0 15 Reputation: witch who kidnaps children and vention in town for the 50 STUN 9 Total Characteristics Cost: 178 weekend, and the Witch eats them, 11- (Extreme) of Red Hill has decided Movement: Running: 10”/20” 15 Social Limitation: Secret Identity (Doctor it’s time her peers Leaping: 10”/20” Sylvia Cronenfi eld) (Frequently, Major) acknowledge her genius. Gliding: 10”/20” 10 Vulnerability: 1½ x Eff ect from Drugs, Poi- She and her goons take sons, and Toxins (Common) over the convention Cost Powers END 91 Experience Points center. Can the PCs stop 17 Steel-Tipped Gloves: HKA 1½d6 her before someone gets (3d6+1 with STR); OIF (-½) 2 Total Disadvantage Points: 336 killed? 25 Witchy Grenades: Multipower, 50-point Background/History: Th e old Germans in the Red reserve; all slots OAF (-1) Hill neighborhood used to tell a story about a witch Th e Witch has kid- 2u 1) Black Cat Grenades: Darkness to Sight who lived in an abandoned house on King Street. napped a child of some- Group 5” radius; OAF (-1), Range Based Th e witch ate children, ate husbands, turned into a one close to the PCs On STR (-¼), 4 Continuing Charges black cat or a raven, fl ew on the winds through the — maybe even a PC’s lasting 1 Turn each (-½) [4cc] night sky, cursed girls she thought were too pretty son or daughter — and 2u 2) Demon Fire Grenades: RKA 2d6, and too proud, and performed all the nefarious acts now the PCs must race Explosion (+½); OAF (-1), Range Based against time to fi nd her typical to the witches in fairy tales. lair before she subject On STR (-¼), 8 Charges (-½) [8] Th e story of the Witch of Red Hill all but the child to her hideous 2u 3) Witch’s Screech Grenades: Energy Blast died out with the passing of decades as new urban experiments. 3d6, NND (defense is Hearing Group legends more appropriate to modern-day America Flash Defense; +1), Area Of Eff ect (14” replaced the old wives’ tales from the old country. Line; +1¼); OAF (-1), No Range (-½), But in recent months some of Red Hill’s elderly 8 Charges (-½) [8] residents have remembered the stories their immi- 8 Armored Costume: Armor (4 PD/4 ED) grant mothers told them, and they’ve been telling 5 Glider Cape: Gliding 10”; OAF (-1) 0 those same stories to their grandchildren. Th ese 8 Fast Runner: Runner +4” (10” total) 1 old folk aren’t just recalling days gone by and 5 Strong Leaper: Leaping +5” (10” forward, trying to pass on a piece of history to their children 5” upward) — they’re trying to warn them, because the Witch 6 Steel-Tipped Gloves: Clinging (normal STR); of Red Hill has returned. OIF (-½), Cannot Resist Knockback (-¼) 0 When they’ve been unable to sleep at night, Skills they’ve seen black wings spread out from behind a 10 +2 with HTH Combat slender woman dressed all in black as she descended 8 +1 with All Combat from rooft op to street, gliding through the air. Th rough their open windows they’ve heard the witch 3 Acrobatics 14- cackle as she haunted the shadowy alleyways and 3 Acting 13- heard the rattle of doors as she tested them to see if 3 Breakfall 14- they were locked. And in the morning they’ve read the 3 Bureaucratics 13- articles in the paper squeezed in the back of the local 3 Disguise 13- section about missing children. 3 Interrogation 13- Th e old folks are right to worry about their 3 Inventor 13- grandchildren, because the Witch of Red Hill lives... in 2 AK: Red Hill 11- the form of a woman who’s come to their neighbor- 2 CK: Hudson City 11- hood and taken up the role of bogeyman and terror of 3 KS: Hudson City Underworld 13- little children. 2 KS: Hudson City Folklore 11- Doctor Sylvia Cronenfi eld was a researcher spe- 3 Paramedics 13- cializing in genetics, but six months ago she lost her 2 PS: University Professor 11- post. Th e other faculty members discovered she was 3 Shadowing 13- performing extensive experiments on the eff ects of 3 Stealth 14- human growth hormone on the adult physiology. As if 3 Scientist her sloppy and risky methods alone weren’t enough to 2 1) SS: Bacteriology/Virology 13- Dark Champions: The Animated Series ■ Chapter Three 115

the hormones she’s taken have made her obsessed with her experiments — in short, they’ve driven her mad. Th eir eff ects on her body are noth- ing short of amazing, but their eff ects on her mind are horri- fying. Where once she needed to rationalize the harm she caused others, telling herself it was for the betterment of the human race, she’s now lost all respect for human life and kills out of hand. She’s come to identify too closely with the role of the witch she’s taken on. What was once merely a cover for her activity has now become a way of living her life, and what used to be research with a purpose has turned into research for the sake of seeing what she can do to the human body. Quote: “Hello, my pretties... aren’t you out late tonight?” Powers/Tactics: The Witch of Red Hill’s body has been artificially enhanced with hormone treatments that make her inhumanly fast, strong, and durable. In addition to these physical fi ll her peers with disgust — she’d not only lied to sub- enhancements, the Witch has assembled some jects about the procedures they underwent, but had weapons to help her abduct children and go toe- also experimented on herself — they soon discovered to-toe with crimefighters, should she encounter she’d been harvesting the raw hormones from living any. Some of these she made herself; some were children by posing as a doctor volunteering her time made for her in return for her work on projects at a local orphanage. relating to chemistry or genetics. Doctor Cronenfi eld didn’t wait for her self- Her main weapons are her Witchy Grenades, righteous peers to make all these discoveries, which she carries in a black satchel she wears slung though. By the time the police knocked down the over her shoulder. Th e Black Cat grenades are door of her apartment, she was long gone. shaped like cat’s heads and covered with patchy She arrived in Hudson City two months ago black fur. As one fl ies through the air, smoke drift s and decided it hadn’t changed much since she used from the cat’s open mouth, and when it detonates, to visit her grandparents in the summer as a child. it releases a large cloud of inky, black smoke. Th e She set up shop in an abandoned warehouse in Demon Fire grenades are shaped like demonic Red Hill, where her grandparents had lived until heads and covered by reptilian skin with dully glis- their death. She remembered the stories her grand- tening scales. As one fl ies through the air, fl ames mother had told about the Witch of Red Hill and sputter from the demon’s eyes before it reaches took on that identity, fashioning a costume to fi t the its target and denotes in an explosion of fi re. Th e role and tools to help her abduct the children she Witch’s Screech grenades are shaped like a hag’s needed for her experiments. She knew if anyone head and covered with something that resembles told the authorities a witch was haunting the streets dried human fl esh — they look a lot like shrunken of the neighborhood and abducting children, the heads. Th e grenade produces a subsonic frequency HCPD would never believe it. that causes humans excruciating pain. Th e eff ect Since then she’s continued her experiments covers a Line 14” long (roughly the distance which and has made some amazing discoveries — mostly the Witch can throw it), and anyone caught in the by observing the results of the synthesized hor- Area Of Eff ect suff ers damage unless he has Hear- mone on her own body. She’s also hired out her tal- ing Group Flash Defense. ents as a geneticist and chemist to local crimelords Sewn into the tips of the fingers of the to raise money for equipment and supplies. Witch’s long black satin gloves are razor-sharp Personality/Motivation: Doctor Cronenfi eld had talons. She also wears a long black cloak that always been a driven and competitive woman, but allows her to Glide. 116 ■ Hudson City Powers Hero System 5th Edition

Campaign Use: The Witch of Red Hill kidnaps children for use in her experiments, but she ADAPTING CHAMPIONS might become involved in any crime that could UNIVERSE VILLAINS TO turn a profit, since her experiments are costly. She also has come to regard Red Hill as her ter- HUDSON CITY POWERS ritory, and might come into conflict with any In addition to the villains in this chapter and gangs or crime lords who don’t see things her the last chapter, you can adapt appropriate villains way. Adventures involving the Witch should from the Champions Universe to your Hudson City begin with spooky overtones — keep the PCs Powers game. Besides the ones suggested on page unsure whether they face an actual witch or ???, here are a few more from Conquerors, Killers, a woman pretending to be one. If she has to And Crooks and Millennium City: employ goons, the Witch makes them wear outfits resembling skeleton costumes (black Bluejay: Get rid of most (or all of her weapons) bodysuits with white bones marked on them, and — in this subgenre, just being able to fl y is power- a skull-like mask). ful enough! — and Bluejay makes a good thief for To make her more powerful, add more types Powers campaigns. of grenades to her Witchy Grenades Multipower: Cateran: You may want to tone down Cateran’s an Entangle, a Drain CON or BODY to represent a STR a bit, but otherwise she works fine for poison gas cloud, or a Flash are all appropriate. You Powers campaigns. could also give her Find Weakness with her Steel- Fiacho: Most of the members of Eurostar are too Tipped Gloves. To make her less of a threat, lower powerful to fi t the Powers subgenre well, but Fiacho her Defenses to 12 or even 10, lower her DEX to would make a good solo villain (you may want to 20-24, and reduce her HKA to ½d6 or else give it decrease the eff ectiveness of his gadgets a bit). the Limitation Reduced Penetration (-¼). Th e Witch might Hunt a scientist she thinks Freakshow: Who can resist the allure of a guy with could help her with her research, or a person who’s a Bag O’ Knives? investigating the kidnappings in Red Hill. If she Hazard: Remove his jetpack, and perhaps his Find does Hunt someone, she Hunts to kill and likely Weakness — Hazard’s enormous level of Luck will attacks at night, preferably in Red Hill. be more than enough to even the odds against Sylvia Cronenfi eld is wanted by the authori- Powers PCs. ties for various crimes related to her illegal experi- ments. Th ey haven’t connected her to any of the Jade Phoenix: A great Powers villain for games that Witch’s activities... yet. feature lots of martial arts, or have a martial artist PC. Appearance: Th e Witch of Red Hill is a tall woman, Lazer: Lazer also needs to lose his jetpack, but oth- slender but muscular. She has long blonde hair and erwise works pretty well as a deadly assassin, pos- ice blue eyes. She’s attractive, with a long face, elfi n sibly one specializing in superhuman targets. chin, and narrow nose, but her expression is always Mechassassin: If Lazer has any competition, it’s serious and there’s a certain craziness to her intense Mechassassin. eyes. When stalking the dark streets of Red Hill, she wears a black hat with a broad brim and pointed top, a black satin dress with a ragged hem, black patent-leather boots with pointed toes and high heels, long black satin gloves, and black silk scarves with long, loose ends that fl utter around her when she moves. Over this she wears a black, voluminous cloak that she usually keeps wrapped around her, except when she’s leaping from a building top. Th en she spreads the cloak with her arms so that it looks like a pair of wings spreading from her back. She wears a black satchel over her shoulder that holds her Witchy Grenades.

BLUEJAY • CKC page 82 Dark Champions: The Animated Series 117 INDEX

Th is Index covers the subjects DC:TAS ...... 6 Humor ...... 15 (Social Limitation) ...... 13 discussed in this book. It does not Deathtraps ...... 19 Introduction ...... 4 Serial campaigns ...... 14 list the villains (who are covered Deduction (Skill) ...... 11 MARS units ...... 74 Setting of the campaign ...... 15 under the summary tables in this Disadvantages ...... 13 Mendez, Flora ...... 76 Sidekicks ...... 11 section), but does list NPC heroes. Disfi guration of villains ...... 16 Millennium City ...... 74 Skills ...... 11 Elements of the subgenre ...... 6-7 Nemesis villains ...... 16 Starting points ...... 10 Answer, the (NPC hero) ...... 24 Episodic campaigns ...... 14 Perks ...... 11 Subgenre elements ...... 6 Answerman Team ...... 27 Escapes for villains ...... 18 Personalities ...... 10 Subgenre, generally ...... 6 Archetypes ...... 10 Follower (Perk) ...... 11 Plausibility ...... 7 Superpowers ...... 7 Campaigning ...... 14-20 Gamemastering ...... 14 Point totals ...... 10 Talents ...... 11 Cape And Cowl Investigations Getaways ...... 18 Police (in HCP games) ...... 74 Team-ups among villains ...... 16 (NPC heroes) ...... 76 Goons ...... 17 Powers ...... 12 Teams ...... 7 Champions Universe villains, Guns in the subgenre ...... 12 PRIMUS ...... 74 Technology, super- ...... 7 using ...... 72, 116 Happy endings ...... 20 Problem-solving ...... 19 Th emes for characters ..6, 9-10, 16 Character Creation ...... 9 Hawkshaw (NPC hero) ...... 77 Realism ...... 7 Th ug Rule, the ...... 8 Code Versus Killing Heavy-Hitter (NPC hero) ...... 79 Reforming villains ...... 15 Tone of the campaign ...... 15 (Psychological Limitation) ...... 13 Hudson City Resource Points ...... 12 Trickshot (NPC hero) ...... 31 Conception, character ...... 9 Knights ...... 6, 10, 12, 17, 21-72 Roleplaying elements ...... 7 UNTIL ...... 74 Crimefi ghters ...... 7 Hudson City Running adventures ...... 18 Vibora Bay ...... 74 Crimes, appropriate ...... 16 Powers ...... 6, 10, 12, 17, 73-116 Scarlet (NPC hero) ...... 81 Vigilantes ...... 7, 22 DarkAngel (NPC hero) ...... 28 Hudson City, using ...... 22, 74 Secret Identity 118 Hero System 5th Edition MASTER REFERENCE CHART OF VILLAINS

Th is summary table provides a quick Th e second category includes other types Powerhungry: Th e character lusts for reference for GMs looking for a particular of useful information, as follows: power and control over others. type of villain for use in a scenario. (Agents Goal: Th e character has a specifi c goal, Technological: Th e character uses, or has and the like are not included.) Th e table other than those listed elsewhere; see his powers related to, unusual technology. includes two categories of information. writeup for information. Theme: Th e character has a “theme” that Th e fi rst is the archetype or archetypes Greedy: Th e character is motivated by a infl uences his crimes, his costume, his the character belongs to, using the ones desire for wealth, luxuries, and the like. gadgets, and/or his abilities. defi ned on pages 69-80 of Champions (the Loner: Th e character does not get along Thief: Th e character’s primary form of Patriot archetype is not included; none well with others, and rarely teams up crime is stealing. of the villains in this book fi t it, since it’s with other villains. Violent: Th e character is prone to vio- mostly an archetype for heroes). Master Villain: Th e character is power- lence, bloodshed, and/or destruction. ful enough to threaten entire cities or Weird: Th e character possesses unusual, nations in the right circumstances, or paranormal, or mystic abilities beyond oft en leads a gang or group of criminals. those of ordinary men. Mercenary: Th e character is a villain-for- Points: Th e total number of Character hire; he commits crimes for pay. Points the character is built with.

Master Power- Goal Greedy Loner Villain Mercenary hungry Technology Theme Thief Violent Weird Points Page Hudson City Knights Adonis X - - X ------223 34 Anagram - - - X - - - X X - - 200 36 The Astrologer - - - X - - X X X - - 160 39 Beatlemania - - - X - - - X X - - 204 41 Chitchat X - - X - - X X - - - 200 43 Copycat ------X X - - 190 46 Doctor Enigma X - X X ------299 48 Facet ------X X - - 281 51 The Human Capitalist - X ------190 53 Last Call - - - X - - - X X X - 306 55 Midas X X - X - - - X X - - 200 57 The Missing Link X - - X - - - - X - X 200 59 Penny Dreadful - - - X - - - X X X - 267 61 Raptor X ------X - - - 264 64 Red-Eyes - - - - X - - - - X - 307 67 Three Of A Kind - - X - - - - X X X X 234 71

Hudson City Powers Burning Betty - - X X - X - - - X X 220 84 Carnivore ------X X 315 86 Charade - - X - X ------417 88 Fleur De Lisa - X - - - - - X X - X 278 91 Guillotine X - X - X X X - - X - 250 94 Hot Rod - - X - X - X - - - - 255 96 Rhapsody X - - - - - X X - - X 238 98 Scarab ------X X X - - 250 101 Serpentine ------X X X X 327 103 Tick-Tock X - X - - - X - X - - 235 106 Pocket Watch X - X - - - X - X - - 130 106 Johnny-Come-Lately - X ------X - X 250 110 Johnny-On-The-Spot - X ------X - X 250 112 The Witch Of Red Hill X - X - - - X X - X X 346 114 Dark Champions: The Animated Series 119 ect, 7d6 AE 7d6 ect, 110 ck to list them all. See the end of list them all. to ck {#”}: Leaping (listed if greater than normal ) {#”}: Swinging, Special mode of movement (e.g., !#”!: Teleportation) Tunneling, are listed in alphabetical order, without regard for which for regard without order, listed in alphabetical are Movement Running (ground movement) #”: Swimming (listed if faster than 2”) (#”): Flight [#”]: MC: Mind Control MC: No Normal Defense NND: Penetrating Pen: Character can increase attack DMG with STR %: AF: Autofi re Autofi AF: Attack Ego Ego: Explosion EX: Increased STUN Multiplier ISM: DARK CHAMPIONS: THE ANIMATED SERIES SUMMARY TABLE SERIES SUMMARY ANIMATED THE CHAMPIONS: DARK e “Attacks” column lists only the character’s most common or prominent attacks, since most villains have too many ways to atta to ways too many have since most villains attacks, prominent or most common the character’s lists only column “Attacks” e All characters all the villains about described basic in this information book easy reference. provides table for e following Th Name STR DEX CON BODY PRE PD/rPD ED/rED SPD REC STUN OCV DCV MOVE Attacks MOVE DCV Page OCV STUN REC SPD ED/rED PD/rPD Attacks MOVE 39 (1d6) PRE DCV Page 7d6, BODY OCV Flash CON STUN NND 51 DEX NND, REC 43 (Wrestling) 48 3d6 HUDSON CITY KNIGHTS 6½d6 4d6 8/3 4 9/3 12 18 15 10 {6”} Name STR 5 28 3d6 6” 6 Astrologer 6 SPD Adonis 8d6 (½d6)%, 6d6 4 Flash 11/3 BOECV, Anagram 8 34 50 9/3 4 11/3 8” 5 20 15 11/3 7 5 7d6, The 30 10 19 15 6” 6 (Karate) 9/4 3 9/3 4 6 ED/rED 9/3 11/4 4 18 20 15 8 30 Beatlemania 8d6, 12 15 10 40 6d6 Flash 6” 5 7 41 Hearing 8” 4d6 5 Enigma 7 2/0 2 !15”! 2/0 Chitchat 8/2 10 4 4 (2½d6) 10 51 20 12/2 10” 6 3 6” 6d6 25 18 20 6d6 6 8/3 3 3 Copycat 8/3 12 15 4 4 61 10/3 Capitalist 24 NND, (1½d6), 5 6 6” NND, Entangle PD/rPD 31 Doctor Link 10/3 6” 5 5 (Karate) 9/3 {6”}, 15 12 10 3 Call 5 36 9/3 9d6 8d6, 15 18 12 3 6 10/3 30 Facet 64 2d6 6 6” 6 40 10/3 Kind AF, 6” 5 6 15 12 5 Human 4 2d6 10/4 8/3 2d6 4 8/3 Missing 6 PRE 10 18 15 7d6 35 7 10/4 9”, 8 30 Last 55 6 6” 15 23 14 12 NND, 8 !10”! 6 Dreadful 3d6 A Midas (2d6) 101 46 The BODY 3/0 4d6 3 4/0 10 14 13 15 Penny !12”1, 5 94 25 4d6 5 6” Of 5 Raptor 59 CON ghting) AE 5 4 10/3 11/3 53 Red-Eyes 10 50 8 4 6” (Boxing) 40 11/3 8”, 7 11/3 4 Entangle 20 18 13 15 20 12 15 7 2d6 Three 67 4 (2d6)% 11/3 DEX 8 9/3 40 18 24 15 12 10 8 6” (½d6) (DInfi 84 71 Betty 8 10d6 HUDSON CITY POWERS Pen, Fu) {15”} Name STR 103 8d6, 7d6 (1½d6), Burning AE 6 86 (Kung Carnivore 18/1 16 60 11”, 9 weapons 20/1 9 40 28 30 20 25 Charade 88 ISM, Rod 57 5/0 4 Fleur De Lisa 5/0 10 20 15 (½d6) 6 (1d6)% 30 9/3 5 7 6” (Jujutsu), 9/3 5 12 23 10 20 10/4 Guillotine 6 7 8 35 6” 35 8 10/4 8 6” +2 8 15 25 23 13 Hot 8 {21”} {12”} 15 Indir 8d6, 10d6, Rhapsody 5d6 6” 3 2/0 3 15 4 6 12 8 4 2d6 Scarab 4 8 (2d6) 2/0 !12”!14/10 6 4 Watch 5 30 12/6 10 35 6”, 5 8 9”, 18 6d6Serpentine 5 14/6 8 14/10 20 23 13 40 15 30 10 20 9/3 1d6 415 24 9/3 15 10 10Tick-Tock 15 8 26 8 6”, Pocket 8 15 Johnny-Come-Lately 20 40 12 96 12 17 106 15 12 — 10/4 15 10/4 20 9/3 4 — 9/3 15/15 8 15/15 4 40 3 7 6 — 35 — 6 7 6 6” 7 6 6” !20”! 8”, AE MC 6d6 MC 10d6, 91 8d6 (2d6)%, MC 10d6 Entangle 2d6, Ego 5d6, 98 106 Johnny-On-The-Spot 15 27 15 10 10 9/3 9/3 6 7 34 9 9 16”, 50” 6d6 AF 50” 6d6 9/3 6 9/3 27 15 10 15 7 34 9 16”, 9 112 Johnny-On-The-Spot Of Red Hill Witch 25 27 25 15 20 16/4 16/4 6 12 50 9 9 !10”! {10”}, 10”, AE 3d6 NND (2d6) EX, (1½d6)%, 114 DARK CHAMPIONS: THE ANIMATED SERIES SUMMARY TABLE SUMMARY SERIES ANIMATED THE CHAMPIONS: DARK the table for an explanation of the notation used. of the notation explanation an for the table chapter theychapter Th appear in. NOTES Attacks A Normal Damage attack. #: A Killing Damage attack (#): Area Of Effect AE: