TEXT: GURPS~ Supers'"
  The Employment Agency for Metahumans
  By Mark lohnso
  and Sean 'Po- DeLap
  STEVE.JACKSO
  GAME
  
  GURPS' Supers"
  SU,.
  By Sean T. DeLap and Mark Johnson
  Additional Material by Ron Bailey. Jr. and David Newman
  Edited by Creede Lambard and Loyd Blankenship
  Cover by David Dorman
  Interior Art by Dan Panosian
  GURPS System Design by Steve Jackson
  Loyd Blankensbip, Managing Editor; Carl Ande",on, Production Manager
  Typograpby by Monica Stepbens and Loyd Blankenship
  Production by Carl Ande",on and Carl Manz
  Proofreading by Ingrid Kunze
  Thanks to: Candace Johnson, Matthew Johnson, Jeff zaborowski, the Illuminati BBS.
  the Red October BBS, and understanding editors
  INTRODUCTION ••••..••••......• 2
  Aboul GURPS . _
  _....••••••..•.....2
  ]hI! Character Df!scriptions ......••.......... 3
  Gaming Supenemps ...........•.....•..... 4
  The Supcrtcmps Campaign ......•.....•.... .4
  The "AVt'rage" Employee . .....••....••..... 4
  CHARACTERS .••.........•••••.. 6
  Alley Cal .................•.....••..... 6
  Alpha-?
  8
  L'Ange Bleu ........••.....•..•..•.•... 10
  ApparilioD
  . _
  _.•......... _
  12
  Annalor ...........•• _...••....••.... _14
  AS!ronaut .....•••..•.••••••••..••..... 16
  Blacksmith .....•...•.•...•.•...••..... 18
  Clone .............•.....•.....•...... 20
  Compactor ........•.....•.....••...... 22
  Dancer ...........•.....•.....••...... 24
  Deacon Blues .....•••••.••.••.••••..... 26
  FTL
  28
  Truly Amazing Mctahcro Investigations, Inc
  30
  Harold Poctcr
  30
  Blockbuster
  30
  Heavy Nova .......•.....•....•....... 31
  New Javelin ........•.....•.....•...... 34
  Kalkin .........•.••.••.•••••.•••..... 36
  Kid ChronlC .......••.....•.....•...... 38
  Luminar ..........•.....•......•...... 40
  Lynx ............•.....•.....•....... 42
  Nucleus .....••••••••••••••.•••.•..... 44
  Physician ........•.....•.....•••...... 46
  Ransom .........•.....•.............. 48
  Sandblaster .......•....•.....•......... SO
  Sea Hawk .......•••...•.....•......... S2
  Skylord ........••••.•••••.••.••...... S4
  TilllCkecpcr ......•.....•.....•.••...... S6
  Twilight .............•.....••......... S8
  Watchdog ..................•.......... 60
  White Sorceress ..............••......... 62
  Supcrtcmps Application FOrol
  64
  GURPS, IflwnitIDti. Rq~p~~ and lhe aU·seeing pyramid.,.. registered IndclNlrU.nd Supers and Supe''''''PJ are lndclNlrU or Steve Jackson Games
  ItlCOfPO"'led. All names or ocher producu published by Sieve Jackson Games lneorporalcd are regillercd IndclNlrU Of IndclNlrU qrSleve Jackson Games
  Inc-orporalcd, Of used under license.•rf#mpJ is copyrig.hl C 1990 by Sieve Jackson GllTlCslnrorporaled. All righls resco·ed. PriMed in lhe U.S.A.
  ISBN 1·"634·169·'
  123456711910
  STEVE ..JACKSON GAMES
  
  IIITRODUCTIOII
  AboulGURPS
  Steve Jaclr:son Games is conunittcd to
  full support of the GURPS syslem. Our
  address is 51 Games, Box 18957, Austin,
  TX 78760, Please include a self-ad-
  dressed, stamped envelope (SASE) any
  time you write us! Resources now avail-
  able include:
  RQieplayu. This bimonthly newsletter
  includes new rules, new races, beasts, in-
  formation on upcoming releases, scenario
  ideas and more. Ask: your game retailer, or
  write for subscription information.
  New suppltmeflls alld adVlllfUrts.
  We're always working on new material,
  and wc'll be happy to let you know what's
  available. A current catalog is available for
  an SASE.
  Ernua. Everyone makes mistakes, in-
  cluding us, but we do our best to fix our
  errors. Up-to-date errata sheeLS for all
  GURPS releases, including this book, are
  always available from 5J Games; be sure
  to include an SASE with your request.
  Q&:A. We do our best 10 answer any
  game question accompanied by an SASE.
  Gamer input. We value your com-
  ments. We will consider them, not only for
  new products, but also wben we update
  this book on later printings!
  BBS. For those of you who have home
  computers, S1 Games operates a BBS with
  discussion areas for several games, includ-
  ing GURPS. Mucb of the playtest feedback
  for new products comes from the BBS. It's
  up 24 hours per day at .512-447-4449, at
  300 or 1200 baud. Give us a call!
  Page References
  Rules and statistics in this book are
  specifically for the GURPS Basu: Sel,
  Third Edition. Any page reference thai
  begins with a B refers to the GURPS &su:
  Set e.g., p. BI02 means p. 102 of the
  GURPS &.sic Set, Third Edition. Any ref-
  erence that begins with an SU refers to
  GURPS Supers, and an SS signifies Super
  Scum.
  Introduction
  Supertemps was started in 1981 by Martin Huffner and Chris Albert,
  classmates in the MBA program at Columbia University. Neither one was a
  metahuman -
  or even knew any metahumans -
  but they recognized there was
  money to be made in finding "unusual people for unusual jobs." Many in-
  dustries could profit by hiring metahumans whose powers could reduce costs,
  increase output or make otherwise impossible jobs possible.
  Within three months, Supertemps was turning a profit. Huffner and Albert
  were quick to capitalize on their company's already impressive reputation by
  offering Supertemps franchises in major cities. In their second year, Supertemps
  added civil protection to their services. Several large American cities bad
  metahero teams of some sort (usually private or 1ST), but the distribution of
  metaheroes in the country's interior was too sparse to support organized, full-
  time teams. Though the meta-villain concentration was also lower, any fiend
  who moved in was generally unopposed (as was driven home when Livewire
  took Helena, Montana hostage in 1980 and held it for a week before a rescue
  team could be gathered). Supertemps' Board of Directors saw the company as a
  vehicle for bringing organized metahuman teams to under-defended portions of
  the country.
  After a shaky start, this new venture proved even more successful than the
  original one. The Metabuman Services branch was soon split into Industrial and
  Guardian Divisions, and in 1987 an Entertainment Division was created.
  Supertemps has been a classic American success story. In 1984, the com-
  pany went public on the New York Stock Exchange; trading was so heavy and
  the prices rose so fast that trading had to be suspended six hours after it was first
  traded. There are now Supertemps offices in Europe, Australia, Canada,
  Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Hong Kong and most of the larger cities of the
  United States. In 1988, Huffner and Albert sold much of their interest in Super-
  temps and retired; neither could be reached for comment for this book.
  Policy
  There are two primary differences between Supertemps Defense Squads and
  regular super-teams. First, Defense Squads do not always have a constant mem-
  bership; individual supers are recruited and dispatched to the scene of a crime,
  depending on the situation.
  Second, Superlemps' services are not free. Whoever called for them, usually
  a municipality or other government body. but occasionally a private citizen, is
  expected to pay. Fortunately, most municipal insurance policies specifically
  cover Supertemps activity.
  The management ofSupertemps considers public goodwill one of its greatest
  assets, and therefore has a large PR staff which does its best to let the public
  know tbat, while Supertemps does strive to turn a profit, it also does its share of
  charitable work. Financial records are available on request which detail every-
  thing except the salaries of contracted supers.
  No super is required to reveal his or her secret identity; all that is required
  is some reliable way by which the super can be contacted.
  -2-
  
  Organization
  Administration Brwr.ch
  This is the largest division of Supertemps. It includes all of the non·super
  support personnel such as administrators, researchers, dispatchers, secretaries
  and public relations personnel.
  There is usually an administrative office for each Defense Squad. This office
  is not necessarily a base per se. but a central location where teammates may meet
  when the need arises. A few offices are fairly extensive, and some contain other
  facilities as well (the New York office is on a ten·acre tract on Long Island and
  includes an extensive training facility).
  Me/ahuman Services Branch
  Industrial Division: The oldest service offered by Supertemps is the match-
  ing of rnetahuman talents with industries that can use them. Of course, some
  talents are especially useful, while others are harder to place. Bricks and
  telekinetics are always in demand for lifting and hauling. Supers with enhanced
  senses are often employed for quality control and other inspection assignments.
  Temperature-control abilities are useful in several manufacturing processes, as
  is power over metal, water and other substances_ The demand for these super-
  powers is relatively constant, and a super can make a good living meeting that
  demand.
  In theory, none of the positions in the Industrial Division are permanent
  jobs. However, some ofSupertemps' contracts are for long·termjobs, renewed
  every year, and any super can request payroll deductions for medical insurance,
  savings and retirement plans.
  There is no character point cost to be employed by Supertemps' Industrial
  Division. It requires only an employable super-ability, and pays $2,500 a month.
  (The job roll is made versus super-skill level or IQ. U/Sd. U.)
  Guardian Division: The most visible, and most glamorous. division of Su-
  pertemps. the Guardian Division is contracted by cities or other governmental
  agencies (occasionally private citizens will hire Guardian Division employees as
  bodyguards) on a continual or as-needed basis to provide metahuman civil ser-
  vices -
  anything from rescuing stranded pets to opposing meta-villain attacks.
  Responsibility for accidental damage (see p. SU80) is usually covered by the
  client's insurance and is not a direct concern of the hero. However, Superternps
  will drop any super who repeatedly causes unnecessary damage.
  Guardian Division employees generally have no more legal authority than
  any other private citizen. That is, they may make citizen's arrests and are ex-
  pected to defer to police. Unless they are actually deputized law officers, they do
  not get the Legal Enforcement Powers advantage. Defense Squads' relationships
  with the local police vary from competitive to cooperative.
  If a city contracts with Supertemps to provide round-the-clock services,
  often with regular patrols, full-time employment can be available to capable
  supers. Otherwise, metaheroes will usually sign contracts to be on call when
  they are needed. In either case, the metahero "group" that reacts to the situation
  at hand is termed a Defense Squad. In an area with a large pool of metahuman
  resources, the Squad will be optimized for the task at hand; in other areas, the
  same three or four heroes may be assigned every time.
  Guardian Division employees enjoy a powerful Patron, at the expense of a
  Duty to the company. Full-time employees must take the 3Q-point Patron: Super-
  temps on 9 or less, and a -IQ-point Duty: Supertemps on 12 or less. For on-call
  employees the frequency numbers become 6 or less and 9 or less, respectjvely,
  costing 15 and -5 points. The Guardian Division requires a usable super-skill or
  ability and pays $3,000 a month (minimum), and the job roll is made versus IQ
  (-4i, SdIlSd, U)
  -3-
  About the Authors
  sean T. DeLap and Mark; Johnson are
  both students, studying English and
  Aerospace Engineering at UC Irvine and
  UT Austin, respectively. They started
  gaming together about ten years ago, and
  have been enjoying GURPS since Man 10
  Mlm ....as released. With Su/WrNmps be-
  hind them they're no.... enjoying other gen-
  res, namely cyberpunk and sc)ence fICtion.
  The Chanuter DescriptWns
  Skilu: The TL ofsk.ills is assumed to be
  7 unless noted otherwise.
  Suptr EquipmtlU: Supers without sub-
  suntial natural defenses may be assu.mcd
  to utilize Kevlar fabric in their costume.
  That provides PO 2, DR 14 (against impal-
  ing attacks only PO I, DR 2). Attacks
  completely absorbed by a Kevlar-rein-
  forced costume may still innict some
  da..m.age on the ....earer (see p. 8211).
  Campaigll Rolt; ThiJ seclioo presents
  an 'dea or two bo..... to interweave the cbar-
  acter's life with that of PCs. The charac-
  ter's non-super identity is especially
  interesting, since it is often overlooked.
  POWtr VaritU;ofls: Most of the charac-
  ters in this book. are built using SOO points.
  However, if your campaign would make
  better use of a mightier or less powerful
  hero, check. this section. Many of the
  descriptions det.ail ho..... to upgrade or
  downgrade the bero to 3. different point
  level.
  Ho....ever, some: coocepu simply woo't
  ....ork. at w1de1y differing point values. At
  the low end !bey become practically use-
  less, while at the bigh end they taxi toward
  the superfluous. Uliliry characters, rather
  than combat-ready ones, tend to ex-
  perience this. In these cases, no Po.....er
  Variation has been provided.
  Where Power Variations are given, it is
  assumed that all skills drop or raise in level
  with the appropriate attribute. Enhance-
  ments and limitations are unchanged un-
  less specifically stated (most often simply
  the Power level is altered).
  Introduction
  
  The U Average" Employee
  The media has painted an image of Su-
  pertemps that isn't always consistent with
  reality. Sure, a Supertcmps employee is
  often a "knight in shining armor" that
  swoops in to save the day. But most of the
  time, Supertemps employees are mueh like
  anyone else -
  they get up in the morning,
  grumble about having to to go work, do
  their job, then come home.
  This is because the vast majority of
  supers registered with Supertemps aren't
  world-savers or crime fighters; they're
  merely ordinary people with a unique
  talent that others find valuable. Compactor
  (see p. 22), for instance, is probably the
  world's most famous garbage man. Sure,
  he could roam the streets at night, but why
  bother? He makes a comfortable living
  using his ability and manages to make the
  world a little bit better place.
  Of course, not all employees of Super~
  temps have metahuman abilities. The huge
  clerical and data-processing staff require-
  ments of a worldwide operation such as
  Supertcmps call for lawyers, accountants,
  secretaries, receptionists, computer pro-
  grammers and hundreds of other jobs!
  Among the Giants
  Not everyone in the world is endowed
  with fantastic powers. In fact, the vast
  majority aren't, but that doesn't have to
  mean they can't serve as the center of a
  roleplaying campaign. People in all walks
  of life will have their lives influenced by
  supers, including the ones in this book, all
  of the time.
  Naturally, members of some profes-
  sions -
  such as police officers, FBI
  agents, and private in'lestigators -
  will
  have more interaction with supers. These
  normals are far from helpless and can
  stand up to supers in many ways; they may
  have greater legal authority than the
  heroes, and with the wonders of technol-
  ogy they may actually possesses greater
  firepower!
  The interaction between the normals
  and supers sets the pace for this campaign.
  Villains will almost certainly be opposed,
  though they may not be feared. Heroes
  may prove very hdpful, or perhaps merely
  useful. And some valiant supers may be
  uncooperative, through prejudice or an un-
  willingness to share the spotlight. Vigilan-
  tes will be the most curious case of them
  all; police may denounce them publicly,
  while secretly approving, or even aiding
  their actions!
  Introduction
  Entenainment Division: The newest and smallest Division of Metahuman
  Services seeks to market and sell the abilities of supers that offer unique enter-
  tainment. Great care is taken to prevent any impression that Supertemps
  provides or condones a "freak show." The performances are typically quite
  expensive, complete with professional costuming, lighting, direction and all
  other aspects of production. On-call services are most generally available, al-
  though Supertemps offices in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Los Angeles and New
  York handle dozens of full-time Entertainment Division employees each. The
  Entertainment Division requires a usable super-ability and Performance 12+. It
  pays $3,500 a month, and the job roll is versus the worst PR (-3i1U).
  Gaming Supertemps
  The Superlemps Campaign
  Supertemps is a natural for a continuing campaign. Supertemps' very nature
  is such that almost anything can happen, from backing up the day's hottest rock
  group to fighting Dimension Beasts from Planet X. A small Defense Squad is a
  very good setting for a GM and one to three players; in less populous sections of
  the country, the players may be the only super-powered help for hundreds of
  miles around, so they will work together as a Defense Squad time and again.
  These campaigns don't require a specific headquarters and all the ad-
  ministration that goes along with it - Supertemps handles that! The heroes will
  be contacted to perform a variety of assignments, most ofthem within a specific
  area; but there will be times when a hero's unique ability might be needed
  somewhere else.
  Supertemps prefers to place rookie heroes on teams with at least one ex-
  perienced member. Some veterans, such as I'Ange Bleu (see p. 10) and Appari~
  tion (p. 12), serve as trainers of sorts. New supers serve with a veteran who
  assists and oversees their actions. At a later date, the former rookie heroes will
  be reassigned, possibly supervising newcomers themselves.
  More Firepower!
  A PC super group may find itself overpowered some or all of the time, or
  may have need for a special talent. The best solution may be to recruit or hire
  additional members. Supertemps can provide personnel on a permanent or as-
  needed basis, so long as someone foots the bill.
  Ofcourse, it's just as easy to say that a particular hero contained in this book
  is not working for Supertemps, and could join the PC learn on his or her own.
  No More Mister Nice Guy
  Who says that pes have to be good guys? Sometimes it's fun to put on a
  scowl, laugh in the face of authority and flaunt your mighty power. The op-
  ponents of such a campaign can be the heroes contained in these pages.
  Remember that in the comic books, the villains almost never win. A vil-
  lainous campaign could be played for laughs, or to show the players that being a
  villain doesn't mean being stupid. If enough players are available, half the
  players could play heroes and the other half villains. This could create an inter-
  esting set of rivalries, especially if every few months the groups swapped sides!
  The players could also play villains who aren't truly evil. If anyone who
  opposes the law is branded a villain, it's entirely possible that some villainous
  PCs may be relatively humane. Perhaps they only yearn for the challenge of
  confrontation with other supers. These types of villains don't need to lose all of
  the time; if no lives were endangered and there was no property damage, there
  probably is no crime!
  -4-
  
  Adventure Seeds
  Invasion Luna
  A space-worthy meta-villain (perhaps Dominator, p. SS16) has been ob-
  served leaving the Earth's atmosphere in a lunar trajectory. Extensive astro-
  nomical observations were made of the Moon's near side to search for signs of
  activity, but nothing was noted.
  Still, some important government agencies, including NASA, are con-
  cerned. They commission Supertemps to send a team to the far side of the Moon
  to conduct reconnaissance and report back.
  If the pes have no way of arriving at the Moon on their own, Supertemps
  will link them up with the Astronaut (p. 16). She's able to provide transportation
  and life support for the entire group, as long as they stay close by.
  Sure enough, the team discovers a villain base in construction on the far side
  of the Moon. Since it's not finished, they should strike immediately, before all
  ofthe defenses are activated. If the team wants to communicate with Earth before
  embarking on an assault, they'll have to return to the Moon's near side; other-
  wise, the Moon will block all communication signals.
  The number of base defenses activated depends on how much advance warn-
  ing the villain has. Whether the team wants to simply trash the base or capture
  equipment and the villain, they'll have to protect the Astronaut -
  she's their
  only way home!
  Steady There, Atpha-7
  The most advanced autonomous robot in existence, Alpha-7 (p. 8), has gone
  berserk. Why? How? These questions can't be answered until someone is able to
  capture him. Supertemps and the public demand that this be done without hurting
  him; trouble is, he's absorbed some potent powers, and doesn't want to be taken
  alive.
  To aid the capture, Supertemps has called in Kalkin (p. 36) to assist. Ifshe
  can get close enough to Alpha-7, she'll be able to telepathically control the
  sentient machine, calming it down. Alpha-7 knows this, and will be shooting to
  kill with an Affects Insubstantial-enhanced weapon -
  which means the pes have
  to defend Kalkin, too.
  Here a Gadget, There a
  Gadget •••
  An NPC hero is captured by TRADE
  (see p. SS50). The PCs eventually follow
  the trail to a secret lab of the criminal or-
  ganization (possibly an adventure in it-
  self!). The size of the facility makes all but
  the most overconfident think twice about
  attacking without some backup, provided
  by Supenemps. In fact, there are a nwnber
  of heroes who sufficiently dislike TRADE
  that they'lI work without payment.
  After breaking into the first large room,
  the characters will havc to dispatch a num-
  ber of technicians and some guards. Thesc
  goons leave behind a cornucopia of high-
  tech gadgets. Not all are working, and not
  all are working corr~Clfy, though the PCs
  can't dctermine that with a quick look.
  To get 10 the room where the captured
  hcro is being held, they'll have to combat
  the base's real defenses - both guards and
  automated weapons. If the cbaracters
  aren't being challenged, throw in some
  more villains who happen to be at that
  base, negotiating with TRADE (possibly
  Super &um's DeadJy Dozen).
  The inteDt, ofcourse, is to get someone
  to try those gadgets. Some will be helpful,
  some won't, and with some you just can't
  tell -
  bUI it should be fun trying~
  -5-
  Introduction
  
  AtleyCat
  ST IS (60 points)
  IQ 13 (30 points)
  OX 18 (125 points)
  HT 12 (20 poims)
  Speed: 7.50
  Move: 9
  Damage: Karate Id +2 plIDCh. 2d kick; Swipe Id+ I; Thrust
  Id+l;Swing2d+1
  Appearance: Female human, while, age 24,6' 0", 145100.,
  shoulder-length black hair, green eyes. When transformed she
  becomes a cal, though nOi necessarily the same one every lime.
  Point Total: 500
  Advalltages:
  Alcnncss +5 (25 points)
  Acute Vision +2 (4 points)
  Animal Empathy (5 points)
  Attractive (5 poilus)
  Comb;:u Rcncxcs (15 poilUs)
  Luck (15 palms)
  Night Vision (10 points)
  PalrOD: Supcncmps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Slrong Will +2 (8 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Code of Honor: Stop crime, protect the innocent (-10 points)
  DUly: Supcnemps on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Enemy: Los Angeles crim.inals on 9 or less (-30 poinlS)
  Impulsiveness (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot hann innocents {-IO points}
  Reputation: ·2 in the underworld (-S poilllS)
  Secret: IdentifY HO points}
  Stubbornness (·5 poims)
  Vow: Won'tllSC weapons (-10 points)
  Super Ad~'alliages:
  Catfall (30 points)
  Claws: Cmshing (Switchable + J; 17 poinls)
  Clinging (30 points)
  Costume (20 points)
  Doesn't Sleep (10 points)
  Pcrfcet Balance (2S points)
  Regeneration (2S points)
  Shrinking (10 points)
  Silencex2 (10 points)
  Speak with Animal (Cats only -5; Only whcn morphcd imo a
  cat -2; 8 poims)
  Power alld Super-Skills;
  Aheration Power 1 (12 points)
  Morph·IS (Only when shrunk -2; Only to become a cat-4;
  2 points)
  Morph Mcmory-12 (Cats only .4; I point)
  Skills:
  Acrobarics-17 (2 points); Area Knowledge (New York City)-
  14 (2 points); Computer Operation-IS (4 points); Computer
  Programming-IS (8 points); First Aid-13 (I point); German-II
  (JI.z point); Heraldry (Oangs)-13 (2 poillls); Intelligence
  Analysis-IO (Ill point); Interrogation-13 (2 poillls); Judo-17 (2
  points); Jumping-20 (4 points); Karate-IS (4 points); Law-12 (2
  points); Lockpicking-13 (2 points); Rescarch-16 (8 points);
  Running-12 (4 points); Spanish-13 (2 points); Stealth-18 (2
  points); Strcctwisc·12 (I point)
  Quirks;
  Teases dogs
  Wants to be called "Olivia" -
  doesn't like nicknames
  Thinks Simon Bond is a creep
  Never goes to horror movies
  Has a photograph of evcry cat she's ever owned on display
  Slary
  Olivia Forrester cannot remember a time when she did not
  have the power to tum into a cal. In fact, she was in pre-school
  before she realized that other children did not share this ability,
  Her parents were disturbed when they realized their little girl
  was a metahuman; they feared she would be taken away for
  Study, since her manifestation of metapowers prior to pubcny
  was quite rare, and that other children (and their parents and
  teachers) would shim her because of her powers, SO they taught
  her to keep her peculiar talents a secret.
  Herchildhood was very happy. She was a tomboy, and could
  hit a baseball fanher than any of the boys in her school -
  bUI no
  one suspected that this was becausc she was a melahuman. Her
  mother continuously wamcd her not to show orf -
  she was
  afraid Olivia might someday slip and let her secret OUI.
  Characters
  -6-
  
  The only true abnormality in Olivia's childhood was her
  relationship with the family cats. She could communicate with
  them, but found feline logic to be quite alien to her human mind.
  For instance, one of her cats insisted on sleeping in the middle
  of the stTeel. She explained to him that he was endangering his
  life, but to him, the wannth of the pavement and the idea that
  that was "his" territory were more important than the Ihought
  that one of the "big metal dogs" might someday run over him.
  Olivia learned many things from the family cats -
  inde-
  pendence, self-reliance, body control, how to sleep in any posi-
  tion, and where her parents hid the Christmas presents every
  year. Her pareOis sensed this and took pains to temper her lcam-
  ing with a sense of morality, duty and conscience. Even today,
  she is impulsive and docs her best to live life to the fullest, but
  is not a hedonisl.
  After she graduated from high school, Olivia enrolled as a
  computer science major at NYU. She was a fairly good slUdenl,
  though she had Irouble concentrating during boring classes.
  During one of these boring classes she met Becky Thomton,
  who turned out to be another eat fancier. They became friends
  and shared an apanmeOi during their sophomore year. 1bc
  apanment building didn't allow pets, so Olivia had to convince
  their eats to make themselves scarce when necessary.
  One evening the girls were walking home and decided to stop
  at a pizzeria. The place was empty except for five guys in the
  comer; Olivia later said that if she and Becky had known the five
  guys were members of the White Knights, or that this was their
  favorite hangout, they'd have kept on walking. The White
  Knights were a white-supremacist gang with ties to groups like
  the KKK and Aryan Nation; stories in the Dajly News had been
  linking them to severaJ recent murders of black gang members.
  As the girls ate their pizza, they heard the squealing of car
  tires. "Nice driving," Becky said -
  and then the guns staned
  firing. Olivia's cat-like renexes allowed her to jump out of the
  way. Becky wasn't so lucky; the story the next day reported that
  three members of the White Knights and an innocenl bystander
  had been killed in a gang-related shooting.
  Olivia vowed to find her friend's killers. Her night vision
  allowed her to get a good look at them and their car's license
  plate, bUI when she went to the NYPD with her evidence, they
  discounted it- they said it was too dark for anyone 10 be able to
  sce the killer, and the car had been stolen and was already
  recovered. Since the police wouldn't help her, she decided to
  take to the streets as a cat. She was able to go almost anywhere
  if she was careful, and learned more than she wanted to know
  about the actions of gangs. After all, how many people are
  overly concerned about keeping a cat from hearing their plans'?
  Eventually she located her friend's killer, holed up in a hotel
  room while the heat died down. Olivia left an anonymous tip to
  his location with the police. He was arrested shonly thereafter.
  Olivia relaxed somewhat, feeling that now Becky would be
  avenged. But she was premature -
  Becky's killer was released
  on bond, and a week later he was gunned down in another gang
  shooting.
  Olivia still was not satisfied. She declared a one-woman war
  on the gangs of New York, taking the name Alley Cat and
  designing a mask and costume. She prefers to operate in cat
  form, but will become human when necessary.
  After she graduated from NYU, Olivia took ajob with Supcr-
  temps in their Administralion Branch, as a member of the data
  processing staff. She has been working for Supertemps for over
  two years, and now is in charge of the New York computer
  office where she has access to all of Supenemps' computer files.
  She also occasionally takes assignments for the Protection
  Division as Alley Cat, when she feels her skills will be useful.
  Campaign Role
  Player characters who patrol the streets could bump into
  Alley Cat one night. Ukewise, Pes who deal with Supenemps
  extensively could meet Olivia Forrester. Known crime fighters
  in her area will probably be contacted by Alley Cat, to be given
  useful information she's overheard. The method she uses to meel
  heroes varies, depending on what she knows about them. Since
  she has access to the Supenemps database, she is usually able to
  arrange a suitable rendezvous.
  Personalily
  Olivia Forrester loves life. She tries to make every moment
  count, and if she stans to feel bored she docs something about it.
  She is impatient, and finds it very difficult to wait for long. She
  realizes thai some things take time -
  such as a stake out -
  so
  she will steel herself to await something. /fit'S wonh wailing
  for. Whenever possible, however, she will try to speed things
  along.
  This impatience provides a good way for the PCs to meet up
  with Olivia. If the charncters arc staking out a criminal site for
  some reason, the OM could make sure that Olivia was also
  staking out the site. Then, just before the heroes make their
  move, Olivia could charge into the fray! Even if the Pes decide
  to just sit back and watch, they'll have a mySlery to solve con-
  cerning who the mysterious super was.
  AbiliJies
  Olivia Forresler is able to tum into any breed ofdomestic cat,
  but only one specific fornl at a time. This transfomlation takes
  several seconds, as Olivia shrinks in size and alters her foml.
  Her clothing disappears as she shifts bodies, then reappears
  when she returns to nornu!. She doesn't Imow why or how, and
  doesn't care 10 learn. A blur surroWlds Olivia during metamor-
  phosis, so witnesses are unable to see her during a change.
  When human, Olivia has several feline traits. She has retrac-
  table claws, which when extended appear to be unusually sharp
  fingernails. She is quite agile, though not truly superhuman, and
  her senses are panicularly keen (especially her sight).
  Olivia possesses much greater physical strength than her
  build would indicate, though again, it is not at all superhuman.
  She is able to regeneratedanlage caused by injuries, and requires
  very little sleep -
  both of which allow her to maintain a full-
  time job and still find time to fight crime.
  Battle Tactics
  Alley Cat almost always strikes from ambush. She will attack
  up to a half-dozen opponents at once, so long as only a couple
  appear 10 have firearms. She will take care of gWlmen first.
  using her claws to rake the weapon hand. Once the guns arc
  neutralized, she will usc karate to knock OUt the renuinder,
  using more kicks than pWlchcs or claw swipes. If faced with
  insumlOWltable odds, such as four men with assault rines, Alley
  Cat will beat a hasty retreat. Often this will be up the side of a
  building, since her opponents cannot follow.
  Power Varia/iollS
  25Q.pojnr version: Lower ST to 13; lower OX to 16; lower
  IQ to 12; lower HT to II; drop Acute Vision; lower Alertness
  to +3; lower PatrOlltO appearing on 6 or less; drop Strong Will;
  drop Clinging; drop Doesn't Sleep; drop Luck; drop Perfect
  Balance: drop Regeneration; drop Silence; add Climbing·16.
  75Q.poinr wrsjon: Raise ST to 20; raise DX to 23; raise HT
  10 14; add EXlraordinary Luck: raise Regeneration to Fast; raise
  Silence to x5.
  -7-
  Characters
  
  Of OL10-7
  11_1 I'"
  ST II (10 points)
  IQ 16 (SO points)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT 10 (0 points)
  Speed: 5.50
  Move: 4 running; 16 flying
  Damage: Thrust Id; Swing 2d
  Appearance: Male robol, silver, indeterminate age 6' 3"
  300 Ibs., no hair, red eyes.
  •
  .
  Point Total: sso
  Alil-'anlages:
  Absolute Direction (S points)
  Absolute Timing (S points)
  Combat Reflexes (IS poiOls)
  Eidetic Memory (30 points)
  Immuniry 10 Disease (10 points)
  Lightning Calculator (S poinlS)
  Palron: Supcnemps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Cooe of Honor: Hero's (-15 points)
  Delusion (Major): All machines have some level of seOlience
  (-to points)
  Duly: Supenemps on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Impulsiveness (-10 points)
  Low Pain Threshold (-10 points)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot harm innocents (-10 points)
  Secret: Alpha-7 can and does tclllies (-5 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Absorption: 2d versus Light (24 points)
  Body of Mctalx6 (48 points)
  Broadcastx4 (20 points)
  Dark Vision (25 points)
  Damage Resistance +8 (40 points)
  Doesn't Sleep (10 points)
  Immunity 10 Poison (25 points)
  Radio Hearing (15 points)
  Temperalure Tolerance (10 points)
  Vacuum Support (60 points)
  Super Disadvantage:
  Vulnerability: 2d from Electrical attacks (-20 points)
  Power and Super-Skill:
  Alleration Power 6 (54 points)
  Absorb Super-Sldll-2S (No Concentration x 3 +6; Ranged
  +4; Reduced Fatigue COSt +4; Conventional attacks and defen-
  ses only -2; 96 points)
  Skills:
  Area Knowledge (USA)-16 (l.1 point); Area Knowledge (San
  Diego)-t7 (I point); Bard-I t (0 points); Biochemisuy-16 (4
  points); Brawling-12 (I point); Chemistry-16 (2 points); Com-
  puter Operalion-16 (l.1 point); Criminology-IS (1.1: point);
  Detect lies-IS (J polm); Diplomacy-20 (4 points) Electronics
  <:'peration (Communications)-16 (I point); Elecl.lOOics Opera-
  tIOn (Sensors)-16 (I point); Geology-IS (1.1: poim); Perfor·
  mance-IS (l.1 point); Spanish-IS (1.1: point)
  Quirks:
  Likes being called ..AI"
  Enjoys the beach
  Speaks of desktop computers as children
  Doesn't appreciate music (no matter how hard he tries!)
  Avoids Kalkin (sec p. 36)
  Story
  Alpha-7 was the seventh in a line of robots developed for
  NASA by Hastings International, a giant U.S. aerospace fiml.
  The first six models were humanoid industrial robots pro-
  grammed for repetitive industrial tasks; Alpha·7 used an Alpha-
  6 "chassis," but incorporated state-of-the-art VVLSI neural
  networks and reVOlutionary heuristic algorithms designed to
  take full advantage of their inunense processing capability.
  For aver seven hours after acl;varion, Alpha-7 ne~'er moved;
  the only indication of activity was a frenzy of electronic activity
  detected by the monitoring compUlers. Just when the project
  supervisors were beginning to think the project might be a
  failure, the robot sat up on its assembly table and began talking.
  Characters
  -8-
  
  It ran through its diagnostic sequence giving the time, datc and
  current state of its systems and then started anoouncing the day's
  news!
  "How did he know that?" asked one of the technicians.
  "It is simple," the robot said, turning to the questioner. "I
  have been monitoring the Associated Press news line for over
  half an hour."
  The scientists were flabbergasted -
  Alpha-7 appeared to be
  self-aware! They inunediately began a battery of tests designed
  10 see just how intelligent it was; some wcre sophisticated pat-
  tern-recognition tests, but many were simple conversational
  questions ("Whal docs a flower smell like?" "Where would
  you find the Isles of Langerhans?" "Who is Alpha-7?")
  The tests were nearing completion when one of the tech-
  nicians remarked that a self-aware robot would be of im-
  measurable value in exploring the moon ana building a colony
  mere.
  "I am afraid that is impossiblc," Alpha-J said.
  "Why'!" the technician asked. "You were designed express-
  ly for lunar exploration."
  "Because I do nOC wish to go," it answered simply.
  Hastings' management, however, had invested a 101 of money
  in Alpha-7 and intended to recoup their investment. They in-
  formed it that they were keeping it under guard for a week, at
  which time it would be placed in a capsule atop a Saturn booster
  and sent to the moon.
  That night, using the same circuits it had used to monitor the
  news wire, Alpha-7 contacted the press. It told them about itself,
  that it was a sentient being and that it was being held against its
  will. The next morning an amly of reporters descended on
  Hastings' corporate headquarters as well as a tcam of lawyers
  invoking the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution on
  Alpha-7's behalf.
  The entire matter was quicldy settled OUt of coun -
  Alpha-7
  didn't have to go to the moon, but did "volunteer" to assist
  Hastings in further AI research.
  Since it won its freedom, Alpha-7 has secretly been ex-
  perimellting with its components. One of these was a circuit
  whicll analyzed potential sources of damaging energy (once
  thought to be a concern when away from the Earth's magneto-
  sphere); it adapted the circuit to reproduce any radiation it en-
  counters. It tested the circuit by confronting a well-known
  mcta-villain while hc was commining a crime; the meta-villain
  provided Alpha-J with a spectacular display of offensive and
  defensive energy fields, and Alpha-7 successfully imitated them.
  In the process it defeated the villain, becoming an instant hero.
  Combating mctapowered criminals appeared to be the best
  way to continue its tests, and the best way to get into the crime-
  fighting business was through Supertemps, so Alpha-7 applied
  and was hired as a full-time Guardian employee, securing an
  assignment in San Diego.
  Campaign Role
  Alpha-7 still remains the center of a considerable amowll of
  attention. The average citizen certainly remembers the prom-
  inent trial (which received a lot of media attention before it was
  scttled), while professionals in the fields of computer scicnce.
  artificial intelligence, or robotics would do almost anything to
  get a good look at what makes this 'bot tick.
  Conversely, if there are other forms of machine intelligence
  in a particular campaign, Alpha·7 will be incurably curious and
  inquisitive about them. He maintains some theories about the
  origin and nature of artificial intelligence, but has told no one.
  He'd lik.e to have more data sources tbanjust himself!
  PersonaJiJy
  In most respects, Alpha-7 is like an average human being.
  His electronic brain is driven by logic, of course, but he has a
  considerable grasp of human emotions. If nothing else, he bas
  stored vast amounts of observed psychological data that permit
  him to understand human behavior in most situations (maybe
  more than most humans!).
  Also, he is DOt bound by hard-wired moral imperatives that
  prescribe his actions. For instance, Alpha-7 has chosen to assist
  law-abiding citizens. He is not forced to. Neither is he required
  to lay down his life for any particular reason. In fact, Alpha-?
  currently feels self-preservation is his highest priority, not only
  because he's the only example of artificial intelligence, but be-
  cause be doesn't want to die!
  Though he won't deviate from an important decision for any
  reason, Alpha-7 is easygoing in most instances. He enjoys co~­
  versation, and has the paticnce to endure anyone's SIOlY. If H
  seems that those around him are made uneasy by his non-
  humanity, he'll suggest mey call him "AI." That usually
  decreases their tension somewhat.
  When alone, Alpha-7 likes to disable the less creative por-
  tions of his "mind." In such a state, he's able to ponder ques-
  tions like "Why is the sky blue'!," or "What would it be like to
  fly like a bird'?" for hours on end, logging all manner of crea-
  tive, even poelic, hypotheses. In the fumre he hopes to develop
  sophisticated electronic versions of artistic creativity.
  AbiliJies
  Alpha-7 enjoys several benefits of his metallic shell and
  electronic innards. His physical abilities do not exceed me
  human range (and the engineers worked miracles to provide
  even this!), but his reasoning ability is quite developed. He does
  not possess the storage capacity to record all sensory data con-
  tinuously, so make an IQ roll to deternline if Alpha-7 logged a
  particular piece of information.
  His omnisimulator circuits are able to emulate all fonus of
  energy projection and some types of defenses (Generic Full and
  Limited Defense, PK and Energy Shield). He can retain the new
  ability for a prolonged period at the expense of low-priority
  computational tasks, such as speech. Usually a copied ability is
  discarded after several days.
  BaJ/le Tactics
  Alpha-7 has few defensive and no intrinsic offensive capa-
  bility. Instead, he must configure his onmisimulator circuits to
  nliollc the energy projection (or shield) from another source.
  The mim.icking process is quick and painless, so clearly it's
  easier to obtain the necessary data from a willing source. Super-
  temps knows this and always dispatches Alpha-7 with at least
  one other hero from whom he can obtain an offensive power.
  Power Variations
  2S0-point version; Lower ST to 8; lower OX to 9; drop
  Ambidexterity; lower Body of Metal to x2; drop Combal
  RcOexes; drop Damage Resistance; add Dependency: Elec-
  tricity, hourly; raise Vulnerability to 5d from Elcctrical attacks;
  add Vulnerability: 4d from Lasers; lower Alleratiotl Power to 3;
  drop Brawling skill.
  . .
  7SD-point rersion; Raise OX to 13; add Acute VISI?n +2;
  add Alertness + I; raise Eidetic Memory to level 2; raise Ab-
  sorptiolllO IOd versus Light; raise Damage Resistance to +25;
  drop Vulnerability.
  -9-
  Characters
  
  1~Al1ge
  Bletl
  ST 10 (0 poinls)
  IQ 16 (SO points)
  OX 14 (45 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 6.50
  Move: 6 (48 flying)
  Damage: Wind Jet 7d+2; Wind Blast 3d+3; Thrust Id·2;
  Swing Id
  Appearance: Male human, while, age 29, S' 11", 195 Ibs"
  brown hair I ice-blue eyes.
  Point Total: 500
  AdvtuJ/ages:
  AUractive (5 IX>ints)
  Combat Reflexes (IS points)
  Patron: Supertcmps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Reputation: +2 as a super (10 poims)
  Disadvantages:
  Absent-Mindedness (-15 points)
  Bad Sight: Nearsighted (-10 points)
  Code or Honor: Hero's H5 points)
  DUly: Supcnemps on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot kill (-IS points)
  Sense of Duty: Normals (-15 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Body of Air (Link + J; Swilchable + J; 60 points)
  Costume (20 points)
  Flight (40 poims)
  Invisibility (Effcctive vs. aU enhanced vision +5; Link +1;
  Switchable +1; 68 points)
  Super Flighlx2 (40 points)
  Super Disadvalltage:
  Vulnerability: 2d from Eanh attacks (-20 points)
  Powers alld Supe,....Skills:
  Air Powcr 6 (60 points)
  Vacuum-II (2 points)
  Whirlwind-12 (4 points)
  Wind Blast-13 (8 points)
  Wind Jet-14 (No Concentration +2; 20 points)
  • Air Power +6 (Wind Jet, 24 points)
  Psychokinesis Power 4 (40 points)
  Tclckinesis-14 (Physical Effect + J,. 2 points)
  Skills:
  Area Knowledge (Minneapolis)-lS (1-1: point); Astronomy-IS
  (2 points); Computer Programming-14 (I point); Criminology-
  14 (1-2 point); English-IS (l point); Frcnch-16 (0 points); Math-
  ematics-IS (2 points); Nuclear Physics-14 (2 points);
  Physics-IS (2 points); Rcscarch-14 (1-1: point); Stcalth-12 (112
  point)
  Characters
  Quirks:
  Refuses to believe his magical origin
  In spite of his own ability, I'Ange Bleu wants to fly jets!
  Shares an apanment with four cats
  Finds mathematics to be rather boring (but, alas, necessary)
  Changes costumes frequenlly
  Story
  Paul Lalonde grew up in Montreal, the SOD of a school
  teacher. He was a gifted student and excelled in mathematics and
  physical sciences, receiving several full scholarship offers from
  major Canadian and U.S. universities, but Paul found these sub-
  jects to be almost boringly simple. He had a different dream; he
  wanted to lcam to fly fightcr jcts. Unfortunately, he failed the
  Canadian Armed Forces physical due to his bad eyesight, so he
  accepted a scholarship to the University of Ottawa and took
  civilian flying lessons on the side.
  Aftcr gradualing summa cum laude with a bachelor's dcgree
  in astrophysical engineering, Paul moved all to Columbia
  University in New York for his master's and doctorate in
  astrophysics. His career was wuemarkable; he taught at the
  University of Rochester for scveral years, then went to the
  University of Wisconsin, where he became a full professor.
  One day, one of Paul's students brought in a clipping from a
  tabloid newspaper, describing an extraordinary tight alignment
  ofseveral planets due to happen that evening. The anicle quoted
  several "prominent psychics" who said the effects of this
  planetary alignment would range from major earthquakes and
  volcanic activilY to the activation of latent metahuman powers.
  Paul spent the next hour talking to the student, explaining to him
  how Iiule effect the added gravitational attraction of the aligned
  planets would have on Eanh and how unbelievably silly the
  tabloid predictions were.
  That night Paul went to bed as usual, but awoke to find
  himself floating above the bed! He had no idea what had hap-
  pened or how to control it; he spent the next hour flailing abom,
  trying to get a handhold so he could bring himselfdown to earth.
  As he managed 10 get his legs hooked under the bed, the phone
  rang. He decided to let the answering machine take the call,
  which was from his mother's mother. When the [One sounded,
  Grandma AlUlie wamlly said hello to Paul, asked him how he
  liked flying, and then asked, "Have you looked in the mirror?
  Go ahead. I'll call back in a momelll."
  He strained around to look in the mirror and found that
  though he could see his body, it did not cast a reflection. The
  phone rang again; this time he picked it up. 11 was Grandma
  Annie again; he asked how she knew what had happened.
  What she said sounded like gibberish. Her grandmother, she
  said, had been born of a wind nymph. II was a family tradition
  that the nymph's powers would manifest in the first son born in
  the nymph's line, and then only when "the heavens were in
  concen." The planetary alignmcnl must have been whal lhe
  legend referred to.
  Grandma Armie told Paul that by merely willing himself to,
  heeould fly and tum invisible, and could rum his powers offjust
  as easily. After a few pleasantries, she hung up.
  Paul fell silly, but stared into the mirror and concentrated.
  Within a few minutes he appeared completely noml3.l. With a
  greater effon he was able to will himself to fly, though he found
  that a little jump helped considerably.
  He sat back to assess the situation. Despite Grandma Annie's
  folk tales and family traditions, he knew he was merely (!) a
  melahuman. His Seeder genes had activated, and the resullam
  powers were controllable by mental impulse. This was not un-
  common for mctahumans. Nonetheless, Paul decided to keep
  10-
  
  this a secret, at least until he knew more about the limits of his
  abilities.
  Even though he didn't believe Grandma Annie's tales, he
  decided to use them as a springboard to see if he had any other
  ffiCtahuman powers. Sure enough, he learned to manipulate air
  in many ways. He could neither create it or destroy it- he could
  only move il.
  Paul seemed to have no choice but to use his powers to aid
  humanity, but he wasn't sure how. The answer arrived on that
  week's cover of Timt! when they profiled Supenemps and the
  ffiCtahuman phcnomenon. He flew to Chicago and registered
  with Supenemps, who suggested Paul adopt a flashy name and
  coslUme. Reaching back to his French-eanadian roots, he be-
  came I'Ange Bleu.
  Initially I'Ange Bleu's beat was everything from Milwaukee
  to Madison to thc Twin Cities; as more supers joined Super·
  temps hc has preferred to stay in Madison. His long career and
  articulatc speeches to the press have made him very popular,
  especially in the nonhern Midwest. Curiously, one of his most
  useful powers has keep him from gaining nationwide recogni·
  lion -
  not everyone knows what he looks like!
  Campaign Role
  Paul Lalonde still teaches Introduction to Astronomy at the
  university. Since the course counts as one of the two physical
  seience courses necessary for graduation, and it's one of the few
  college courses where the students can see the instructor swoop
  in from the window in costume just in time to stan class, it is
  immensely popular.
  As I'Ange Bleu, Paul has been in the hero business for several
  years and frequently gives lessons to novices. Supertemps
  routinely routes new employees through Madison for a few
  months so they can learn from a professional.
  Personality
  L' Ange B1eu surprises
  those near him when they
  discover he wishes he was
  just a normal. He believes
  that being a metahuman
  carries an involuntary
  responsibility to help and
  protect "normals." In a
  sense, this is a very aris-
  tocratic point of view, al-
  though l'Ange Bleu's
  motivations are complete-
  ly devoid ofjudgements of
  worth. There is nothing
  really inferior about non·
  mctahumans, they simply
  are not encumbered with
  the extra duties that
  mctahumans have.
  Abilities
  For all intents and pur·
  poses, l'Ange Bleu is an
  air elemCOlal. Though he
  would bristle at such a
  nonscientific explanation,
  he possesses powers over
  air, even 10 the point of
  being able 10 transform his
  body to one of air, becoming invisible.
  By moving air rapidly away from a particular location, he can
  cause a brief vacuum. Circulating it around a region invokes a
  whirlwind. By directing it in a certain direction (usually, though
  not always, with an ann gesture) I'Ange Bleu can propel objects
  away from him. If thisjct is morc narrowly focused he can cause
  actual damage to the target, at the expense of power.
  His flight is made possible by directing the air around him to
  push his body forward. Though in theory he should be able to do
  this with other objects, so far it has not worked for any object
  heavier than a few ounces. Perhaps with more training this
  ability will improve.
  His costume incorporates a standard Kevlar vest (PD 2, DR
  5).
  Battle Tactics
  L'Ange Bleu has almost no traditional powers of attack and
  defense. Instead, he relics on the linked Body of Air and In-
  visibility advantages to provide almost complete protection. He
  uses the Vacuum and Whirlwind skills to confuse or frighten his
  foes, preferring the Wind Jet to control a battle.
  If a sufficiently tough villain is above ground, the Wind Jet
  may be used to push him off a building or into the ground.
  Another tricky use of the skill is to force a low-altitude flying
  criminal to nose-dive into the ground, plowing through asphalt.
  His Wind Blast is no more powerful than a pistol, and is seldom
  used.
  Power Variations
  250-poj/1( version: Lower DX to 12; lower IQ to 14; lower
  HT to 10; drop Allractive appearance; drop Combat Reflexes;
  drop Invisibility; drop Super Flight; drop Psychokinesis.
  75D-poinr vusion: Raise Super Flight to x4; raise Air Power
  to 8; add Force Field (Generic Full Defense) Power 30; add
  Force Field-IS (No Concentration +2; No Obvious Effect +3).
  -11-
  Characters
  
  ST 9 (·10 points)
  IQ 13 (30 points)
  DX 12 (20 poiots)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 6.00
  Move: 7 (IS Tcleporting)
  Damage: Draio 4 HT; Thrust Id-2; Swing Id-I
  Appearance: Female human, black, age 34, 05' 9", 125 Ibs.,
  shon black hair, brown eyes, dark complexion.
  Point ToW: 500
  Advantages:
  Alertness +I (5 points)
  Charisma +2 (10 points)
  Common Sense (10 points)
  Empathy (IS points)
  Patron: Supertemps 00 9 or less (30 poillls)
  Reputation +2 with Supertemps (05 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Code of Honor: Hero's (-IS points)
  Compulsive Behavior: Takes charge (-05 poiots)
  Dependents: Children 00 9 or less (·24 points)
  Duty: Supertemps 0012 or less (·10 poiots)
  Enemy: Ventura (see p. SSo52) on 60r less (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot: harm innoceots (·10 points)
  Secret: Identity HO points)
  Sense of Duty: To everyone she knows HO poiots)
  Shyness (Mild) (·5 poi.nts)
  Super Advantages:
  Cosrume (20 points)
  Insubstantiality (Can carry up to No Encumbrance +J;
  Switchable + J; 90 points)
  Powers and SupeT'-SkiJls:
  Alteration Power 8 (48 points)
  Drain HT·17 (Affects Substantial +4; Unk +J; No Con-
  centration +2; Rapid Fire +1; Does DOt affect Insubstantial·J;
  Only when Insubstantial-J; Touch Only -2; 52 points)
  Teleport Power 7 (70 points)
  Autoteleport-11 (Link +1; No Concentration +2,- 40
  points)
  Exoteleport-14 (16 points)
  • Teleport Power + 12 (Exotelcpon, 96 points)
  Skills:
  AcCounting-1O (l-'2 point); Acrobatics-IO (I point); Ad·
  ministr3tion·14 (4 points); Computer Operation·12 (l-'2 point);
  Cooking-13 (I point); Diplomacy·13 (4 points); Judo-13 (8
  points); Leadership-16 (8 points); First Aid-12 (\12 point); Run·
  ning·9 (iii point); Shadowing·12 (I point); Stealth·12 (2
  points); Strategy·12 (2 points); Tactics-12 (2 points); Teaching-
  13 (2 points)
  Quirks:
  Takes her work hom: with her so she can be with her kids
  Reads ]V Guid~ religiOUSly
  Won't let her children watch R-ratcd movies on cable
  Relaxes to the sounds of cool jazz
  Vacuums only when depressed or WIder stress
  Slory
  The onset of metahuman abilities often coincides with e:(-
  treme stress. Clarisse Jackson, for instance, was driving home
  from work one day and noticed her son Timothy chase a ball into
  the middle of the strcel. She pulled into the driveway, shut off
  thecar and gOt ready to tell
  him to get out the street -
  but before she could open
  the car's door, she saw
  another car coming toward
  Timothy, without enough
  room to StOp.
  She placed her foot on
  the floor of the car and
  reached for the door han·
  die ... and the next instant
  found herself pUShing
  Timothy away from the
  oncoming car. Then she
  turned and braced herself
  for the inmlinent collision
  -
  and watched the car
  drive straight through her.
  The driver only stopped
  for a moment, then ned
  the scene; Clarisse never
  fOWld out who he was.
  Timothy's older bro·
  ther William came out to
  see what all of the e:(cile·
  ment was about, and Tim-
  othy IOld him everything
  Characters
  - 12-
  
  that had happened. Clarisse agreed that, yes, it sounded like she
  was a metahuman, and no, she didn't think she was going to quit
  her job at the pipe fiuing company to become a hero, and no,
  they couldn't tell anyone what had happened. Like most boys,
  William and Timothy all but worshipped metahuman heroes -
  and the thought of their mother being a metahuman was almost
  too much for them! But she appealed to them, asking, •'What
  would Firebird Force (a popular metahuman team) do?" and
  convinced them they should keep silent.
  However, as time went, on Clarisse saw so much she could do
  for her conmlUnity and those aroWld her with her powers -
  if
  she only knew how. But she was convinced the pipe fitting
  company couldn't fWlction without her; she was their combina-
  tion secretary, office manager, editor, spelling checker, mother
  figure and the only one in the company who could fix the copier
  when it broke.
  After a month of agonizing, she applied for work with Super-
  temps, provided her assignments didn't interfere with her "day
  job." Her boys were so thrilled they eooked dinner for their
  mother -
  and even did the dishes afterward.
  During her first few weekends with Supertemps, Clarisse -
  who had designed a costume and dubbed herself"Apparition"
  -
  underwent a battery of routine tests and did some jobs for the
  Industrial Division. She scored very highly in tactical aptitude,
  and fOWld slle could teleport items other than herself; in fact, her
  range and weight capacity was much greater when she herself
  was not part of the teleportatioll.
  Apparition's first assignment with the Protection Division
  came three months after she first signed with the organization. A
  group of drug lords had hired a meta-villain named Death Lash
  as muscle, but he had gone berserk and was now attacking
  everyone in sight. He hadn't been able to affect Apparition, due
  10 her insubstantiality, but the other two members of the Super-
  temps squad were unconscious and he was closing in for the kill.
  In desperation, Apparition tried to teleport into Death Lash.
  The maneuver didn't succeed -
  she appeared a hair's breadth
  away -
  but as she materialized, the meta-villain doubled over in
  pain. As he auempted to stand up, she tried it again. This time
  he stayed down.
  Clarisse practiced wHiI she could control the amount of
  damage she could do, from stunning to incapacitating. She also
  read Sam "Watchdog" Mitchell's book, The Metahuman in
  Combat (see p. 61), and applied many of its principles. For
  instance, she learned that certain types of attacks were effective
  against insubstantiality, and how she could defend against them.
  She also learned new uses of her powers -
  such as teleporting
  heavy Objects and dropping them on her enemies.
  It was clear that Clarisse was team-leader material -
  and
  Supertemps needed a team leader in Kansas City. Initially,
  Clarisse declined; she didn't want to uproot her family. Her sons
  were in high school, and they had never lived anywhere but
  Miami. Two things made her change her mind; Supertemps of·
  fered her a raise and moving expenses, and a new vice-president
  came into the pipe fitting company and immediately started rub-
  bing her the wrong way. Three weeks later, she and the boys
  were on a plane to Kansas City. (As itlUrned out, she was indis-
  pensable to the company; it filed for bankruplcy within six
  months.)
  Campaign Role
  Anyone who was in Florida within the last two years will
  remember the impact the Apparition made on Miami. Some may
  have served with her, perhaps even transferring to Kansas City
  when she moved.
  Rookie heroes in Kansas City will probably be assigned to
  her Defense Squad, where they'll learn the merits and frustra-
  tions of teamwork Wlder an effective leader.
  One interesting option would be for a PC to have been the
  driver who almost hit Clarisse and her son. That driver would be
  tbe only perSOIl outside her family who might know the Ap-
  parition'S secret identity. An evil PC might use one or both of
  her sons as a hostage, especially if he doesn't have the Common
  Sense advantage (earning the wrath of a skilled tactician backed
  up by a Defense Squad would not be smart!).
  Persona/ill
  The one word that best describes Clarisse Jackson is "mom. "
  She treats her teanm13tes with respect, but is very protective of
  them at the same time. Some heroes chafe Wlder this leadership
  -
  others grow. In any case, the Apparition turns out well-
  rounded heroes, ones who know where to draw the line between
  aggressive heroics and illegal activity.
  She is absolutely devoted to her children, which means she
  does not hesitate to discipline them when necessary. The defense
  of her secret identity is almost solely for their protection, nOl
  hers.
  Abilities
  The Apparition is named for her ability to assume a ghostly,
  insubstantial form. She can teleport as well. However, her talent
  for teleporting Other objects exceeds that of teleporting herself.
  She's not sure why, but it may be a result of the way her telepor-
  tation operates. She mentally picks up an object and places it at
  its destinalion -
  and it's hard for her to visualize picking herself
  up!
  She has no conventional offensive power; instead, she at-
  tempts to teleport insid~ her opponent while insubstantial. Some
  law of physics keeps ber from actually materializing inside her
  targct, and she always reappears JUSt outside of it. However, the
  attempted teleportation creates severe stress within her
  opponent's body. She usually only attacks to smn, but in crisis
  situations can stress her foc's internal organs to cause serious
  damage.
  Battle Tactics
  The Apparition dislikes individual match-ups. Instead, she
  prefers to concentrate fire on one or two enemies -
  usually the
  most mobile ones, or the ones that pose the greatest threat. This
  system allows a few marc opponents to escape, but her Defense
  Squad has the fewest casualties and serious injuries (on both
  sides) of any in the nation.
  In combat, her first priority is directing her squad, so she
  tclcports arOlmd to survey the situation. Once the orders have
  been given, however, she does not hesitate to use her own offen-
  sive ability. Here again, she prefers to gang up on a single foc,
  since her ability works best to supplement tbe damagc inflicted
  by her teammates.
  Power Varia/ion
  7SD-point version: Raise ST to 10; raise OX to 13; add IllIui-
  tion; alter Insubstantiality to carry Medium Encumbrance; raise
  Alteration Power to 20; remove Touch Only linutation from
  Drain HT; add a second Link enhancement to Drain HT and a
  first to Exoteleport; add No Conccntration enhancement to Ex-
  oteleport; raise all three super-skill levels to 20; raise Teleport
  Power to 20; drop additional Exotcleport Power; raise Judo skill
  level to 15; lower Stealth skilllevcl to 12.
  - 13-
  Characters
  
  t\rmator
  ST 10 (0 points)
  IQ 13 (30 poiOls)
  OX 17 (100 points)
  HT 12 (20 poiOls)
  Speed: 7.25
  Move: 6
  Damage: Karate 8d punch, 8d+2 kick (or 14d+3/1Sd+l
  with Power Blow)
  Appearance: Male human, Oriental, age 22, 5' 10". 160
  Ibs., black hair, brown eyes, skin is golden when IransfomlCd.
  Point Total: 500
  AdYantages:
  Acute Hearing +3 (6 poims)
  Combat Reflexes (IS points)
  Handsome (IS points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 points)
  Palron: Supenemps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Bad Temper (-10 points)
  Code of Honor: Gentleman's (-to points)
  Dependent: Eileen Townsley on 9 or less (-12 points)
  Duty: Supenemps on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Enemy: High Assassins of the Nimba Cull on 9 or less (-30
  painls)
  Honesty (-to points)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Sense of DUlY: Friends and companions (-5 poilus)
  Super Advantages:
  Body of Mctalx6 (Switchable + I; 53 points)
  Damage Resistance: + 14 (Only when Body of Metal is ac·
  tivated -1; 63 points)
  Enhanced ST +55 (Only when Body of Metal is aclivaled -I:
  176 points)
  Trained by a Masler (40 points)
  Skills:
  Accounling-12 (2 points); Acrobatics-IS (4 points); Ad-
  ministration-II (112 poin!); Area Knowledge (SeaIlJe)-J2 (112
  poinl); Breaking Blow-t2 (2 points); Chinese-13 (0 poinlS);
  Computer Operalion-13 (I point); Driving (Car)-15 (lii poinl);
  Economics-IO (~point); EngJish-14 (4 poims); Escape-14 (lii
  poim); Fast-Talk-12 (l poim); First Aid-12 (lii poim); Judo-IS
  (I poim); Karale-IS (8 poims); Merchant-12 (t poim); Motor-
  cycle-16 (l.1 point); Power Blow-13 (4 poims); Pressure Points-
  12 (2 points); Running-9 (1.1 poinl); Sport (Squash)-16 (I
  poin!); Sporl (Table tcnnis)-15 (112 point); Steahh-17 (2 painls);
  Swinuning-16 (l.o1 point); Theology (Buddbism)-14 (6 points);
  Throwing-I 6 (2 poinlS)
  Quirks:
  Plays home: video games 10 relax
  Quotes ancien( Chinese proverbs (many of which he invents
  on the SpOl)
  Loves being on television
  Never washes his car
  Plays with children every chance he gelS
  Characters
  SlOT]
  Ling Liau never knew his falher; he died just a few weeks
  after Ling was bam. Ling grew up in Seattle's Chinalown; his
  earliest memories were of his mother and how lired she was
  every day after she closed the family Slore. She was a proud
  woman, and would accepl no OUlside help in raising her Ihrce
  children.
  Ling, being the youngCSl. was often picked on by his sisters.
  One day !he throe of them were roughhousing in the back of the
  store, and the girls decided 10 lake Ling down and lickle him. As
  he slruggled to get free, he heard a soft "pop" -
  and they all
  walched in amazement as his skin tumed a deep golden color.
  with bands of brighl gold!
  The three children were terribly frighlencd and ran to their
  mother. She gave each ofthe girls a piece ofcandy and laid them
  10 run along, then closed the store for a few minulcs while she
  put Ling on a blankel and lold him his favorite bedtime story.
  Soon he was sound asleep; she conlinued to walch him through
  the aflemoon. The gold COloring gradU3l1y disappeared as he
  slept and was gone by evening.
  The incidenl was almost forgonen by the time Ling was
  Iwelve -
  when il happened again. He was still scared. and hid
  in his room until his skin returned 10 nomul. Laler, he told his
  mother whal happened. She told him nOl to lell anyone else
  aboul il. and thaI he would have to learn to control the cbange.
  The next day Ling signed up for a brale class, and surted
  working at the store 10 pay for his lessons. He was an excellent
  14-
  
  student, practicing constantly and quickly rising through the
  ranks. After two years of lessons, the sensei took him aside and
  explained that he knew Ling needed some spccialtraining, train-
  ing the sensei could not teach him. He referred Ling to a man
  named Chong, who he said could teach him further.
  When Ling looked up the address, he found only a old apart-
  ment house. He knocked on the door; it opened a crack to reveal
  a wizened old man with a short beard. The old man would have
  shut the door again had Ling not mentioned his sensei's name.
  Chong invited him in, scrved him tea and conversed with him
  for a few minutes, then taught Ling an exercise. As Ling per-
  formed the exercise his body "popped" to gold, then popped
  back to normal at the end. Chong marveled. He had given up
  teaching, he said, because too many of his pupils merely wanted
  to "boot some heads;" he had wished for a talent wonhy of his
  training, someone who was interested in the spiritual side of
  karate as well as the physical. He agreed to train Ling.
  For three years Ling trained with Chong, learning the extent
  of his powers and how to control them. Chong attended Ling's
  high-school graduation; two days later, the old man died. Ling
  knew no teacher could ever replace Chong, so from then on, he
  trained by himself.
  Ling accepted a scholarship at the University of Washington,
  majoring in business administration. His undergraduate carccr
  was undistinguished, except for thrcc events: he came to the
  attention of the Nimba Cult (see pp. S524-25; Ling says he has
  no idea why the Nimba Cult is after him, but suspects it may
  have something to do with Chong), he tried au[ for the UW
  karate team, and he met pre-med student Eilccn Townsley.
  Ling would easily have made the karate team except that he
  was tested at tryouts and found to be a metahuman. At the time,
  NCAA rules banned rnetahumans from competition; Ling at-
  tempted to have the NCAA create a separate metahuman sport
  classification, then lobbied for a metahuman collegiate sports
  league when the NCAA refused. Both proposals bogged dowll in
  trying to decide how to define metahumans (one definition
  would have included the entire Notre Dame football team), but
  they gained Ling lots of publicity.
  In his senior year, Ling met Eileen Townsley, a sophomore
  pre-med student at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma. They
  had almost nothing in common, but hit it off anyway; where
  Ling was focused and intense, Eileen was cool and relaxed, and
  she helped him to relax as well. He makes the trip from Seattle
  to Tacoma at least twice a week to see Eilccn, and for the first
  time in his life his grades have slipped. (He also hasn't told his
  mother about Eilccn; he's afraid she will be disappointed that he
  is dating a girl who isn't Chinese.)
  After he graduated with an MBA, Ling received a number of
  job offers, but none of them would let him be near Eileen, so he
  registered with the Supertemps office in Seattle. He took the
  name Armator and became a full-time employee of the Guardian
  Division.
  Eileen Townsley
  19 years old, black hair, dark eyes, fair, 5' 9", 130 Ibs.
  ST 9; DX 10; IQ 13; HT I I.
  Basic Speed 5.25; Move 5.
  Dodge 5.
  Advamages: Beautiful.
  Disadvantages: Duty: Hospital on 12 or less (not dangerous);
  Vow: Aid the sick and injured.
  Skills: Bicycling-II; Biochemistry-II; Chem.istry-12; Oiag-
  nosis-13; First Aid-14; Genetics-lO; Physician-I3; Surgery-12;
  Swimming-II.
  Quirks: Fitness nut; Always punctual; Hates Chinese food.
  Eileen grew up in a farm town in eastern Washington. The
  town's only doctor was an old-fashioned general practitioner
  who still made house calls, and Eileen decided that was what she
  wanted to do with her life. She enrolled at Pacific Lutheran
  University because her boyfriend was going there; six months
  later be dropped out of school to join the AmlY and she never
  heard from him again.
  She met Ling on a weekend trip to Seattle. She's not sure why
  they get along so well together, but prefers not to question a
  good thing.
  Campaign Role
  Some people, especially sportS fans, may remember that it
  was Ling who proposed that college metahuman athletes be al-
  lowed to compete against their "pccrs." Any students who went
  to high school or college with him would remember Ling as
  being a fantastic student, the k.ind many people lower on the
  grade curve despise ...
  He spends a fair amOWl! of time, both in and out of costume,
  at SI. David's Hospital (where Eileen works). Amtator often
  visits sick children, signing autographs (in both Chinese and
  English) and raising spirits.
  Personality
  For some time, Ling was so preoccupied with doing well at
  school that he forgot how to have fun. In this area, his romance
  with Eileen Townsley has done a world of good. They go out to
  dinner, go dancing or watch movies as often as they can, which
  is a far cry from his fanner nights of study, study, study.
  Ling loves his family very much and visits them at least once
  a week (he currently lives in an apartment in the University
  district). He used to tell his mother everything, but has kept
  Eileen a secret for over a year and doesn't know how he's going
  to break the news to her.
  Abilities
  Though he grew up in America, Armator studied ntanial arts
  and Eastern mysticism from a master. His skills would be for-
  midable by themselves, but when combined with his metahuman
  abilities they're devastating.
  Armator can transfonn his body from flesh and blood to a
  gleaming, banded gold substance. The change gives him natural
  arDlor and great strength. When he changes, there is a soft
  "pop" (make a Hearing roll at -2 to dctcet within five yards); no
  one knows what causes this. He can stay in the golden form
  indefinitely, though prefers a norntal body when the hcro work
  is finished.
  BaJlle Tactics
  Ling is quick to changc into his golden form at the first sign
  of trouble. His increased strength and martial arts prowess
  generally provide enough firepower for most fights. If an op-
  ponent is proving difficult to handle, Amlator will try Pressure
  Points or Power Blow (probably the fomler) to tum the tide.
  When using the Chambara fighting rules, Arnlator is allowed
  l.hree attacks per tUnl.
  Power Variations
  25D-point version: Lower OX to 15; lower Body of Mel.al to
  x3; drop Damage Resistance; lower Enhanced ST to +5; raise
  Pressure Points skill level to 13.
  75D-point version: Raise OX to 20; raise Body of Metal to
  x 18; raise Enhanced ST to + 114; add No Concentrationx2 to
  Power Blow skill; raise Power Blow skill level to 15.
  15 -
  Characters
  
  As1r[]nau1
  ST 10 (0 points)
  IQ 13 (30 poims)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 6.00
  Move: 6
  Damage: Thrust Id*2; Swing Id
  Appearance: Female buman, Amerind. age 30, S' 6", 125
  100., short black hair I brown eyes.
  Point Total: 530
  Advantages:
  Absolute Dircction (5 poims)
  AbsolUle Timing (5 poims)
  Auractivc (5 points)
  Lightning Calculator (5 points)
  Mathematical Ability (10 poinLS)
  Patron: Supenemps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Status I (0 points)
  Strong Will +3 (12 points)
  Very Wealthy (30 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Duty: Supertemps on 12 or less (-10 poinlS)
  Enemy: Unknown on 6 or less (-loS points)
  Honesty (-10 points)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Self-defense only H5 points)
  Sense of Duty: Indian and female students (-10 points)
  Stubbornness (-5 points)
  Vow: Vegetarianism (-5 points)
  Super Advantages:
  (All of the following have these modific.ations: Affects
  Others +4; Area Effect +4; Movable Area +3; Switchable + J;
  Not usable on those with Psionic Resistance or an active Mind
  Shield -J)
  Doesn't Eat or Drink (63 poiOls)
  Flight (84 points)
  Super F1ightx3 (126 poiOls)
  Vacuum Suppon (126 poiOls)
  Skills:
  Area Knowledge (Earth orbil)-15 (4 poiDls); Astrogation-IS
  (6 poiOls); ASlConomy-12 (2 poinlS); Computer Operation-IS (4
  poims); Computer Programming-14 (6 points); Electronics
  (Communicalions)-13 (4 points); Electronics (Computers)-13 (4
  points); Elcctronics (Satellites)-13 (4 poiOls); Mathematics-13
  (4 points); Physics-12 (2 poiOls); Savoir-Fairc-IS (0 poiOls);
  Russian-I 3 (2 poiOls); Sign Language-13 (2 points)
  Quirks:
  Feminist
  Dislikes cooking anything more difficull than a microwave
  entree
  Doesn't like riding in vchicles
  Collects kachina dolls
  Only writes computer programs in assembly language; thinks
  high-level languages are for wimps
  Characters
  Slo']
  Linda Ravenhair was born in Blackfoot, Idaho. Her parents
  moved to Pocatello when she was five, and her father died in a
  railroad accident soon after. Her mother worked several jobs to
  make ends mc<:tj the strain undoubtedly contributed to ber dcalb
  in Linda'sjunior year of high schooL
  This devastated Linda, as she and her molber had been very
  close. Her molller had stressed how imponant college was to
  Linda's future, and had saved what little money she could so
  Linda could someday attend college. Linda vowed her mother:s
  sacrifice would nOI be in vain; she redoubled her effons III
  school, made almost straight A's and got a scbolarship to.Cal
  Tech. As one of me few Amerindian students at Cal Tech, Lmda
  stood out immediately. She soon stood out academically as well,
  and regularly appeared on lbe Dean's List.
  During her third year, Linda was attending a physi~S lecture
  by visiting professor Harvey Banks. Banks was prcscntlOg some
  very difficult concepts, and one of the other slUdents had trouble
  following the logic. This student was a 10w-lc~c1 telepath.. and
  his first idea was to probe the professor's nund to see If lIle
  professor's thoughts would clarify his ideas and then recoiled.
  Hedidn't know what the danger was, bUI he knew trying to read
  Banks' mind was dangerous.
  16-
  
  In that split second, however, Linda's mind was touched.
  Somehow, the brief contact between me telepalh and Banks had
  acted as a psychic "jump stlrt," acti'o'ating Linda's powers and
  letting her know instinctively just what they were. Banks and !he
  telepalh knew as well, but neither ever spoke of the incident.
  That night Linda took to the sky for the first time, andous to
  test her new abilities. Her first question was how high she could
  fly; afler six or seven hours, she was still rising. Not only that,
  she found that she could function normally in the upper atmos-
  phere, when logic said she should have succumbed to the cold
  and oxygen starvation. Not only that, but she didn't feel hungry
  or tired.
  Linda orbited the eanh for two days, enthralled by the sight
  of the earth, the moon and the beautiful stars, m.illions more than
  she couId ever hope to see from inside Earth's atmosphere. Then
  she began the long descent back 10 eanh, knowing she would
  never be completely happy anywhere but in outer space, but not
  blowing what to do with her new-found powers.
  In her fmal semesters, Linda took several electrical engineer-
  ing courses, focusing on microwave communication and in-
  tegrated-eircuit technology, the basics of satellite com-
  munication. She also read everything she could find about deep--
  space rescue techniques; so far no one had ever been rescued
  from orbit, but several theoretical papers had been written on the
  subject.
  Shortly before graduation, the inevitable happened. Due to
  an interlock malfunction, the entry vchicle attached to the Soviet
  Mir II space station separated and drifted away, taking much of
  the station's oxygen supply with it. The cosmonauts aboard Mir
  were stranded; it would take two days to scnd up a rescue lcam,
  and the cosmonauts only had 18 hours of oxygen.
  Thanks to her contacts in a national computer network, Linda
  knew the exact path of Mir 11 (the media was reporting only that
  Mir II was "somewhere over Africa"). Wilh no regard for who
  might see her or what they might think, she jumped off her roof
  and started nying toward the rendezvous point.
  Mir 1I was right on course; she reached the capsule twelve
  hours later. The cosmonauts were extremely surprised, to say
  the least, to sec a woman appear at the station window with no
  space suit, telling them in Russian that she was there to rescue
  them. They made the only reasonable assumption: they were
  hallucinating due to oxygen deprivation. Two of the men passed
  out, and the third, deciding he was going to die anyway,
  removed his helmet and fell to the noor.
  Linda found the extemal emergency halch control, opened
  the station, held on as the outward rush of air threatened to blow
  her out and away from Mir, and hurriedly replaced the
  cosmonaut'shelmet. She then improvised a hamess and strapped
  the four of them together, and set out for eanh, not knowing if
  she would be able to return them in time.
  The rescue vehicle sent up by the USSR found Mir empty,
  with no trace of the cosmonauts. When they reponed in, the
  would-be rescuers were told that their comrades had been
  retumed to eanh safe and sound ... by a nying Tartar woman!
  (They assumed she was Tartar because she looked Tartar and
  spoke Russian to them; it wasn't until later that the Soviets
  leamed she was an American enginccring studelll.)
  Linda had retumed to eanh, and the cosmonauts were safe
  and reasonably healthy. It wasn't wltillater thaI day, when she
  had been extensively questioned by everyone from the KGB to
  eonunentators for Radio Moscow, that she realized four days
  had passed between the time she took off and the time she
  returned the men -
  over twice as long as their oxygen should
  have lasted. This was her first hint that her powers could be
  extended to others.
  Needless to say, when she returned to America a week later,
  Linda Ravenhair was an instant celebrity and was unable to get
  any schoolwork done at all. She still graduated cum loud~ from
  Cal Tecb, but the graduation was covered by every news net-
  work in the country. Offers came in thick and fast, from ex-
  clusive contracts for satellite repair work to government espi-
  onage jobs. One Detwork even wanted to make a movie called
  1M M"rocl~ R~scue. stamng Linda and the three cosmonauts as
  themselves. In the end, she accepted only one offer; an invita-
  tion to work for Supenemps.
  Since then, Linda (dubbed "Linda the Astronaut" by a TV
  conmlentator) has dOlle a wide variety of space-related jobs,
  from full-scale repair work to positioning satellites to weather
  observation. She has worked for several governments and
  private firms through Supc:nemps and always maintains the
  Strictest confidence. Nonetheless, she suspects the U.S. govern-
  ment is keeping track of her; her mail has been opened, she
  sometimes hears strange clicking sounds over her phone and
  believes she has even been followed once or twice. She has
  protested, but so far to no avail.
  Campaign Role
  The Astronaut could become involved in any adventure in-
  volving outer space. In particular, she can provide a PC supcr-
  team with a means to operate in space. Their own powers will
  function nom1311y, allowing the heroes to engage in a full-scale
  super-balllc miles above lhe earth.
  Other metahumans might also help Linda Ravenhair inves-
  tigate who is opening her mail, and why, and help protect her if
  her mysterious watchers decide to lake direct action.
  Personality
  Linda Ravenhair is fiercely independent. She feels she has
  succeeded because she has never compromised her values for the
  sake ofanyone else. She rarely seeks the advice of others, Wlless
  she has no idea how to handle a situation. She is very straightfor-
  ward, but tries not 10 be pushy.
  Linda is a feminist, and takes great offense al chauvinistic
  behavior. She has a soft spot for female and Amerindian stu-
  dems, and helps them in any way she can.
  Abilities
  The Astronaut's body is almost completcly adapted to with-
  stand long sojourns in space unaided. Preciscly how is un-
  known, though many speculate it is the result of an energy field
  of some type. and not a true re-ordering of her cell structure.
  Her night ability may be powered by this same energy source.
  Since Linda is somehow able to temporarily give others her own
  powers, this is probably the case. Linda cannot affect others if
  they have some sort of mental defense, so most assume her
  powers are somehow psionic in origin. She is not affected by
  Screamers (see p. SU35), however, so this isjust a theory.
  Battle Tactics
  The Astronaul has one very simple tactic -
  flUl away! The
  exception would be if she got caught in a fight while escorting
  heroes into orbit (which hasn't happened yet). In this case, she
  would auempt to stay on the fringes of the action to observe. She
  would gladly allow someone to act as a bodyguard. Note that if
  she is knocked unconscioos, PCs would still keep all powers she
  had loaned to tllem. Of course, she isn't sure aboot this. so the
  players may well assume otherwisc.
  - 17-
  Charaerers
  
  ST 10 (0 points)
  IQ 15 (60 points)
  DX 13 (30 points)
  HT 11 (10 points)
  Speed: 6.00
  Move: 6
  Damage: Thrust Id-2; Swing Id.
  Appearance: Male human, white, age 33,5' 10", 150 Ibs.,
  brown hair, brown eyes.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Comfortable Wealth (10 points)
  Mathematical Ability (10 points)
  Palron: Supertemps on 9 or less (30 poinls)
  Disadvantages:
  Duty: Supertemps on 9 or less (-5 points)
  Enemy: TRADE on 6 or less (-20 points)
  HoneslY (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot kill (-15 points)
  Secret: Identity (-10 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Damage Resislance + 10 vs. metal (30 points)
  Gadgelccr (25 points)
  Powers and Super-Skills:
  Magnetism Power 20 (180 poillls)
  Bind-13 (Must use metal -I; 2 points)
  Magnetizc-12 (Metals only -I: I point)
  Melal TK-20 (All metals + 2; No Concentration + 2: 48
  points)
  • Magnetism Power + 12 (Melal TK, 72 points)
  Super Equipmem:
  Body Annor (Based on Light Body Armor; Breakable: DR
  15, HP 75 -15%; Can Be Hit: -6 -10%; 75 poilllS)
  Damage Resistance + 30
  Passive Defense +5
  Skills:
  Armoury (Body armor)-18 (8 points); Armoury ("Card-
  shooter")-15 (2 points); Chemistry-13 (I point); Computer
  Operation-14 (l/.l point); Computer Programming-15 (l/.l poin!);
  Electronics (Communications)-14 (l/.l point); Electronics
  (Security Systems)-14 (l/.l point); Electronics (Sensors)-15 (I
  point); Electronics (Weapons)-16 (2 pOilUS); Engineering
  (Electrical)-19 (8 points); GemWl-14 (I point); Hobby (Rae-
  quetbatl)-14 (4 points); Judo-12 (2 points); Mathematics-16 (I
  poinl); Melallurgy-20 (14 points); Physics-16 (6 points); Sport
  (Racquetball)-14 (4 poillls)
  Quirks:
  Decorales his apartment in a "metal" motif
  Reads throw-away spy novels
  Never uses a key to open a door
  Sloppy dresser
  Video nul; especially likes old Jay Ward cartoons
  Characters
  Story
  Even as a baby, Harold Wilkesom was fascinated by metal;
  the brighter and shinier, the better. His parents, afraid he would
  injure himself on the sharp objects, constantly and fruitlessly
  tried to separate Harold from his metal collection. Their worries
  proved to be unfounded, however, since oddly enough, Harold
  never so much as scralched himself with anything metallic.
  As heenlered high school, Harold's parentS began to view his
  fascination as a blessing rather than a cursc. He excelled in
  science. especially chemistry, and entered several science fairs,
  always with metal-based exhibits and always conting home with
  a blue ribbon. In hisjwlior year he lalked his way into ajob wiUI
  a local fOWldry to gain practical experience; within six months
  he nWlaged to increase productivity by 10%.
  Upon graduation Harold enrolled at MIT. He majored in
  metallurgy, ofcourse, and placed out of all of the upper-division
  classes in the department within a momh. (To make things more
  interesting, he look a second major in electrical enginccring.)
  He excelled in his studies, and outside of classes he developed a
  reputation as a formidable racquetball player.
  After graduating with masters' degrees in boUt metallurgy
  and electrical engineering, Harold accepted a position with a
  high-technology firm's research department He worked on
  various projects for a year and was then assigned to a weapons
  research group. The group was supposed to develop a silent
  firearm willi a range and destmctivc capability equal to a large
  18 -
  
  pistol. Harold was iOirigued by the technical challenge and
  jumped rigbt into the project, completely ignoring any ethical
  considerations.
  As he often did, Harold took a completely different tack.
  Most of the design team worked on improving slandard silencer
  technology, but Harold decided that the objcctive was to design
  a silent weapon, not necessarily to modify an existing weapon to
  be silent. To that end Harold proposed a radical new design,
  involving propelling metal projectiles of the same approximate
  shape and size as playing cards. They were skeptical at first, but
  decided to split off a group to pursue the new technology and to
  fund Harold's research for at least six mOlllhs.
  The young researcher assembled his team and went to work.
  They made rapid progress, and had a working prototype in three
  months. Its range and power were severely limited, but it was
  almost completely silent. Harold conducted the all of the test
  firings of me weapon himself.
  He was on me verge ofa breakthrough when disaster struck.
  Sometimes news travels quickly through the grapevine; TRADE
  had heard aoout Harold's new weapon and wanted to buy it from
  him. He rejected their offer out of hand. The next day TRADE
  agents kidnapped him and stole his notes and the prototype, then
  forced him to continue his research under duress.
  While he was a "guest" of TRADE, Harold began rethink-
  ing his idea that teclmology was merely a tool and that he wasn't
  responsible for who used that tool. TRADE knew what it want-
  ed, and didn't care how they got it. He still wanted to perfect his
  card-shooter, but didn't want it to fall into TRADE's hands.
  Then one day he overheard a casual remark that suggested thai
  when his research was finished, he would be killed.
  Wilkesom began to formulate a plan. A TRADE technician
  always fired the prototype in the presence of Harold and his
  guards. Harold noticed that the technician always aimed at the
  same precise spot, so he modified the weapon to shoot three
  cards simultaneously, then have them ricochet off the larget and
  hit his captors. It was a slim chance, but it might work.
  Amazingly, the plan worked just as Harold had planned. He
  put on the uniform of one of the guards, grabbed the card-
  shooter and returned to the lab W1detected. There he destroyed
  his notes and equipment, grabbed the remaining cards and tried
  to sneak out of the base. He made it out of the building before he
  was spotted, but managed to shoot his way out of the base and
  escape.
  Once he had a chance to settle back and think for a moment,
  he decided that the card-shooter was too dangerous to be made
  widely available and that he could put it to good use by using it
  to fight crime. He had a COSlUnte designed and became the
  Dealer.
  The Dealer enjoyed moderate success, working primarily
  with a private super-team in Chicago. Harold developed a new
  type of body amlQr to aid in his efforts. His favorite taclic was
  to ricochet a card off a building or other solid object, hitting an
  opponent who wasn'l expecting it.
  After one of his battles, a member of the super-team cante up
  to him and asked how he had made a particular shot. Harold had
  to think for a moment, then realized that he shouldn't have bccn
  able to make that shot, it violated IIle laws of physics! He did
  some experimenting the next day and came to the conclusion thai
  he was somehow affecting the metal himself. This would ex-
  plain, among other things, why tcst-firings of the weapon had
  never worked properly unless he was presenl!
  Tbe Dealer retired as Harold Wilkesom experimented with
  bis powers. He found he was able to move metal with his mind.
  As his lestS progressed, he learned how to shape and melt metal
  and, in some cases, could even change one kind of metal into
  another! Harold adopted a new persona. calling himself the
  Blacksmith, and registered with Su(X:rtemps. He still engages in
  some crime fighting, but works primarily for the Industrial
  Division, aiding industries thai can use his special abilities.
  Campaign Role
  Chanacters with a strong scientific background may have
  gone to school with Harold Wilkesom, or may have beard of his
  research. Other members of the Industrial Division may oc-
  casionally work with the Blacksmith.
  If a meta-villain figures out that Blacksmith and the Dealer
  are one and me same, he may decide to come after Blacksmith to
  settle an old score.
  While his primary specialty is manipulating ntetal, Harold is
  also a Gadgeteer. Characters needing a piece of specialized
  equipment could contact him; not only does he enjoy designing
  unusual devices, he can fabricate all of the pans he needs - and
  he docso't need a machine shop to do it!
  Personality
  Harold Wilkcsom is much more of a scientist than he is a
  crime fighter. He is insatiably curious, and still fascinated by
  metal. His apartment's relentless metallic motif usually unner-
  ves his few guests. Harold is not a shy person, but he is nOt
  social, either. He has few friends, but is loyal to them. He is
  very slow 10 anger, even in volatile situations; the exception to
  this is anything that involves TRADE, for obvious reasons.
  Abilities
  Blacksmith is able to affect metal with a form of telekinesis.
  He can lift several tons, and can propel small amounts at bullet
  speeds. He also subeonsciously maintains a force field which
  protects him from metal-based attacks. He wears a suit of body
  amlQr of his own design, construCted from synthetic fibers and
  special rnctallic alloys. The suit weighs around 60 Ibs., bUI
  Blacksmith's power neutralizes its encumbrance.
  Blacksmith has never tried his powers on "animate" metal
  objects (such as Alpha-? or Kid Chrome). He assumes thai they
  would work, but he doesn't know what effcct they would have
  -
  for instance, whether Kid Chrome's hands would stilt work jf
  he reshaped them -
  and doesn't really want to find out, for fear
  he could injure his subject permanently.
  Baltle Tactics
  Blacksmith has enough power to levitate himself, and he
  usually flies to trouble spots. He docs not have enough power to
  oom fly and use his offensive powers, though, so he will land
  before auaeking. He uses Bind against low-ST opponents first.
  He usually carries enough melal 10 wrap up three people.
  After that he will use any metal in the vicinity, which he always
  returns afterwards. If he percejves that someone needs to be
  taken out directly, he will hurl any available metal al them at
  high speed.
  Power Varia/iotls
  250-poinr version: Lower OX to II; lower HT to 10; drop
  Gadgeteer; lower DR vs. metal 10 +4; lower Magnetism Power
  to 16; lower Metal TK skill level 10 13; lower additional Metal
  TK Power to + I; drop extra Passive Defense; lower Damage
  Resislance of the body armor to +20.
  75O-poinr wrsion: Raise IQ to 17; raise Damage Resistance
  vs. metal to + 12; raise Magnetism Power to 40; raise Passive
  Defense of Ihe body armor 10 +2.
  - 19-
  Characters
  
  CLONf
  ST 13 (30 points)
  IQ 14 (45 points)
  DX 13 (30 points)
  HT 13 (30 points)
  Speed: 6.50
  Move: 8 (10 flying)
  Damage: Blaster 8d; Thrust Id; Swing Jd+3
  Appearance: Varies. His natural form is male human, white,
  age 29,6' 0", 200 Ibs., brown hair, brown eyes, la.rUlcd com-
  plexion.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Charisma + I (5 points)
  Combat Reflexes (IS points)
  Danger Sense (15 points)
  Extraordinary Luck (30 points)
  Musical Ability +2 (2 points)
  Patfan: Supcrtemps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Compulsive Behavior: Practical joker (-10 points)
  Delusion: Insists Elvis was a gifted character actor (-5 poill(s)
  Ouey: Supcncmps on 12 or less HO points)
  Enemies: Various meta-villains he's "betrayed" on 9 or less
  (-3D points)
  Secrel: Identity (-20 points)
  Unluckiness (-10 points)
  Weak Will-2 (-16 points)
  Power and Supe~Skills:
  Alteration Power 5 (60 points)
  Morph-18 (Humanoid forms only -I; 24 points)
  Morph Memory-I 3 (Can memorize fomlS from visual im-
  ages +4; Humanoid forms only -1; 20 points)
  Super Equipment:
  Vari-blaster (Breakable: DR 15, HP 75 -15%; Variable
  hardware configuration +5%; 110 points)
  Blaster Power 13 (Generic Crushing Missile)
  Blaster-16 (No Concentration +2; Variable special effect
  +2)
  Force Field (Breakable: DR 15, HP 60 -15%; 100 points)
  Force Field Power 14 (Generic Full Dcfense)
  Force Field-16 (No Concentration +2; No Obvious Effect
  +3)
  Jet Pack (Breakablc: DR 15, HP 40 -15%; 34 poims)
  Flight
  Skills:
  Acting-12 (11.! point); Acrobatics-II (I point); Bard-14 (2
  points); Brawling-14 (2 points); Fast-Draw (Pistol)-12 (11.!
  point); Fast-Talk-14 (2 points); GlUtS (Pistol)-14 (11.! point);
  Guns (Rine)-15 (I point); Judo-IO (11.! point); Karate-II (J
  point); Musical Instrument (Guitar)-14 (1 point); Pcrformallcc-
  16 (6 points); Running-12 (2 points); Sex Appeal-13 (I point);
  Singing-14 (I point); Stcalth-12 (J point); Ventriloquism-13 (2
  points)
  Quirks:
  Always keeps one of the Morph slots filled with The King
  Can't resist a piece of German chocolate cake
  Thinks teday's popular music is sheer commcrcialtripc
  Makes a trip to Graceland every year
  Story
  Charlie Wheeler was an Elvis Presley fan before it was cool
  or camp. He came by it naturally; his parents were fans since
  Elvis' earliest days, and their household had its share of Elvis
  memorabilia, from the velvet painting above the sofa to lhe
  figurines in the curio case.
  By the time Charlie was in seventh grade, he was on his way
  to becoming a prelty good Elvis impersonator. He adopted
  Elvis' early hair style and leather jacket, bUl he was still tOO
  short and his voice was too high-pilched. Still, he continued to
  emulale his idol.
  One day Charlie came down with a terrible cold. He stayed in
  bed, too weak to cha.nge the record 011 his turntable, listening to
  Elvis' early singles over and over again. The fourteenth time
  "Heartbreak Hotel" came arowld, Charlie started singing along
  and found that his voice had dropped over an OCfave and sounded
  like Elvis'! He dragged himself out of bed and looked in the
  mirror; a perfect image of Elvis stared back at him!
  Charlie realized he was a metahull1an and could transform
  himself into The King at will. Hc decided to keep this
  knowledge secret; he knew he would be pestered into perform-
  ing as Elvis all the timc ifothers kncw, and hc wanted to save his
  first performance for The King himself.
  Unfortunately, if was not to be; Elvis died beforc Charlie
  could perform for him. Undaunted, Charlie set off for Hol-
  lywood wilh fWO suitcases, a high school diploma and an idea
  for a television special memorializing The King.
  No one wanted to touch the idea, however. The only offers
  Charlie got were for Elvis impersonation contests and one-night
  gigs in bars. No onc understood that Charlie was serious in his
  tributes to The King!
  At about lhis time, Charlie fowld that he could assume fomlS
  other than Elvis'. He again went the rounds, trying to dmm up
  support for a television special. Only one producer showed any
  interest and he would only toucb the project if Charlie put up
  most of the moncy. Undaunted, Charlie borrowed almOSf
  Characters
  -20-
  
  $250,000 from friends, relatives and backers back home to
  produce the show.
  "Charlie the Clone Presents Elvis Presley" was a disaster.
  Charlie had figured 00 his talent to carry the show; in his
  naivete, he hadn't COWlted on technical details, supporting co-
  starS or any of the details of Hollywood reality.
  Soon after the special aired, Charlie received an offer to sign
  up with Supertcmps. They occasionally received requests for an
  exact double -
  usually a political leader or celebrity, but oc·
  casionally for movie stunt work. Charlie was skeptical about his
  ability to do this, but he figured it would pay the bills.
  As it turned out, Charlie -
  now cooe-named Clone -
  did
  quite well. He did everything from stand in for George Bums in
  a parade to posing with Stevie Wondcr and a wax double in an
  ad for Madame Tussaud's Exhibition. Hollywood eventually
  forgot (or stopped mentioning) the embarrassing special, and
  Clone began gelling more bookings than he could handle_ His
  favorite job was a thrce·man show with John Byner and Rich
  Little, and he shows up about once every two weeks or SO on
  lAte Night with DavidUtterman.
  One of Supertemps' more ambitious and dangerous, and
  therefore well-paying projects involved using Clone in order 10
  impersonate another metahuman. Many villains' schemes in·
  volved distraclions that would lead a hero team away from the
  true threat; with Clone on the job, a hero could appear to be in
  two places at once. Sometimes his presence alone would detcr
  the villains; at other times he would stall them until the real
  heroes could arrive.
  The plan proved 10 be highly successful, and Clone suggested
  that he would be able 10 do much better if he could simulate
  some of the superpowcrs of the heroes he was impersonating; he
  could assume their general appearance, costume and voice. but
  not their powers. Several Gadgeteers, including Blacksmith (p.
  18) and Skylord (p. 54) began working on a gadget that would
  generate a generic energy blast and invisible force field -
  two
  effects which could simulate a wide range of powers.
  Supertemps now deploys Clone around the country. This
  wide e:tposure helps to conceal the truth about his involvement
  wilh Supcrtemps; only law enforcemcnt groups (such as ISTs
  and the FBI) have any inkling as to what Clone does. Most
  people forgot about him after his embarrassing television spc·
  cial, which is just the way Clone likes it.
  Campaign Role
  With his ability to imitate anyone, Clone could fil into any
  super scenario as a diversion.
  He has devised an interesting, but dangerous, plan that Su-
  pcrtemps is considering: he plans to assume. the form of a cap-
  tured villain. He'll pretend to have brolcen out of prison and will
  contact the villain's former allies, then infiltrate their tearn.
  Once he does, he will contact a Defense Squad, who will come
  in to capture the complete team.
  This plan will probably only work if the villain team docs not
  include a telepath; Clone is currently working at his regular
  duties while waiting for a proper opportunity.
  Personality
  Despile all the ups and downs his life has had, Charlie has not
  become cynical. He enjoys life as much or more lhan the next
  fellow. His debls are slowly being paid off, and he can still find
  time to listen to his favorite albums.
  He has, however, become an accomplished practical joker.
  His favorite altered form is still The King, and most of the Elvis
  sightings reported by the tabloids are really sightings of the
  Clone -
  something no one seems 10 have figured out yel, even
  though the sighting generally occur somewhere near where the
  Clone is in action. He is also responsible for other manifesta-
  tions -
  for instance, he was behind the headline, "Elvis
  Collector's Plale Sings 'Teddy Bear'!!"
  Even when he plays practical jolces, be respects the feelings
  of those he mimics and never does anything that would injure or
  embarrass them. Occasionally, however, his jokes backfire; his
  most spectacular mistake was when he made himself look like
  George Bush and started directing traffic in downtown
  Washington -
  and was immediately surrounded by over a dozen
  Secret Service agents!
  Abilities
  Clone's only native metalluman ability is that of assuming the
  physical form of another humanoid. Usually this means a
  human, bUI he can also mimic alien forms such as the
  Rynkarians (see p. 56) and the bear·like Kodiak (p. SU75).
  Clone's transformations do DOt grant him any of the powers,
  skills, or memories of his "model." He docs, however, gain a
  copy of the model's costume if he was wearing clothes himself
  when assuming the new foml. The costume is removable, but
  doing so will cause it to reveT! to his original clothes. Since his
  own power cannot duplicale the metalluman abilities of others,
  Supcrtemps engineers devised some sophisticated equipment to
  do the job. All of the devices are sufficiently hidden so they
  cannot be directly targeted in combat, but each one is a sensitive
  instrumcnt, and will cease to operate if sufficiently damaged.
  The Vari-blaster projccts an energy beam that can be altered
  to appear in different fomts. A bolt of elcctricity, ajet of flame,
  a burst of laser light ... all can be simulated with the Vari-
  blaster. Configuring the weapon's appearance is no simple task,
  however; il requires a successful Electronics Operation
  (Weapons) roll. Thus, Clone relies on Supertemps technicians 10
  make this adjustment.
  A similar skill roll can configure the weapon's hardware in
  such a way that it fits neatly illlo the stock of a rifle or under
  Clone's cOStume. (This is the Gadget Enhancement: Variable
  Hardware Configuration +5%.)
  Clone's force field can extend from skin level to several in-
  ches away from his body. The visual shinmlering can be turned
  on or off. This pemtils him to simulate many types of defenses.
  from a flashy force scrccn (visual, away from body) to thick skin
  (invisible, at skin level). For extra protection, Clone prefers to
  be wearing Kevlar body amlOr when changing forms, as the
  transfomlCd COSlunlC retains Kevlar's protection abilities.
  A miniaturized night pack gives Clone the mobility to intitate
  a large number of metahumans. His speed is limited, though,
  and often some fast talking is required to maintain his cover.
  Battle Tac/ics
  Regardless of the foml he assumes, Clone always has the
  same powers: a blaster, force field and limited night. All of
  these will be used to best simulate a panicular metahuman, even
  if that means scaling down the blasler power. In most cases, his
  best course of action is to fool the enemy as long as possible,
  despite the added risks.
  Power Varimion
  750·point version: Add Alertness +2; raise Luck to
  Ridiculous; raise Alteration Power to 10; raise Morph sklllievel
  to 2.5; raise Blaster Power to 20; add Rapid Fire cnhancementto
  Blaster skill; raise Force Field Power to 20; raise Force Field
  skill level to 20; add Super Flightx2 to Jet Pack; raise
  Acrobatics skill level to 12.
  -21-
  Characters
  
  COMPACTOR
  ,,='~
  ST 11 (lOpoims)
  IQ 11 (10 points)
  DX 11 (10 points)
  HT 13 (30 points)
  Speed: 6.00
  Move: 5
  Damage: Death Touch 3d-2 imp; thrust Id-l;
  swing Id+2.
  Appearance: Male human. white, age 46,5' 9",215 Ibs..
  partially bald, remaining hair is black with increasing gray. blue
  eyes, usually chomping on a stubby cigar, oflen needs a shave.
  Point Total: 500
  Adl'antages:
  Charisma +2 (10 points)
  Comfortable Wealth (10 points)
  Luck (15 points)
  Reputation +2 (10 poims)
  Strong Will +2 (8 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Duty: Supertemps on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Glullony (-5 poims)
  Honesty (-10 points)
  Odious Personal Habit: Relentless stogie champer (-5 poims)
  Overweight (-5 points)
  Unauractivc (-5 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Absorption: 11d vs. Radiation (Only raises ST -2; 77 points)
  Invulnerability: Generic Energy (150 points)
  Power and Super-Skills:
  Maller Control Power 10 (70 points)
  Compress (Disintegratc)-14 (Does not actually
  disill~
  tegrate ./; Nuisance Effect: compressed matter is radioactive -2;
  Touch Only .2; I point)
  Death Touch (Generic Impaling Missile) Power 7 (42 points)
  Death Touch-14 (Armor Piercingx2 +8; Touch Only -2;
  48 points)
  Skills:
  Bard~12 (4 points); Brawling-12 (2 points); Driving (Car)-10
  (l point); Driving (Construction equipment)·ll (2 points);
  Gambling~11 (2 points); Guns (Pistol)-13 (2 points); Running-
  II (1 point)
  Quirks:
  Loves SyIvester Stallone movies -
  thinks Rambo should
  have woo an Oscar.
  Thinks hosting his own talk show would be a lot of fun
  Knows nothing about computers and is proud of it
  Collects decorative ashtrays
  Wants to lose weight, but never diets
  Story
  Morris Jakowski lived a comparatively normal life for over
  40 years. He grew up in Brooklyn, drove a cab for over ten years
  and finally got a job with the New York Department of Trans-
  portation as a heavy equipment operator.
  One aftemoon, while he was operating his backhoe on a high-
  way extension project, Morris wlcovercd an illegally buried
  cache of nuclear waste. He and his rig were bathed in let.hal
  radiation. Any normal person would have died, but Morris'
  Seeder genes kicked in, changing his body and saving his life.
  He blacked out; when he came to, men wearing lead-lined radia-
  tion suits were placing him in an ambulance.
  Morris was taken, not to the hospital, but. to a govemment
  testing lab at Fort Oix. Amazingly enough, even though twO
  men almost died of radiation poisoning in their attempt to rescue
  him, Morris was suffering none of tbe effects of radiation
  poisoning. In fact, the radiation he was emitting had a half-life
  of about 15 hours. Within two weeks it had disappeared entirely.
  Blood and tissue samples confirmed that Morris was indeed a
  metahuman, but other than the ability to survive radioactive
  contamination, no Oile (including Morris) knew what his powers
  were. He was subjected to a ballery of tests, all designed to sec
  how his now-metahuman body would respond to various types
  of stress.
  Since increased strength is a conmlOIl metahuman trait, Mor-
  ris was given several tests to determine whether his strength had
  Characters
  -22-
  
  been augmented in any way. Most of these produced no results,
  but when he was tested for grip strength he grabbed the lever,
  concentrated, and squeezed the lever into a dark lump. At the
  same moment, the radiation detector in the control booth went
  off and the testing technician's exposure badge staned turning
  black. The technician fled the room.
  Funher testing revealed that Morris was able to compress any
  object to a fraction of its originaJ size. The object retained its
  original mass, and therefore its original weight, when reduced.
  An unfortunate byproduct of this operation was a substantial
  release of radiation . . . but funher tests confirmed that by
  touching the object, Morris could absorb the radiation with no
  harmful effects.
  After several months the testing was completed, and Morris
  went back to his old job. But he also contacted Supertemps and
  discovered that they had been trying to get in touch with him.
  Botll Morris and Supertemps decided that his unusual combina-
  lion of powers held great promise for the problem of nuclear
  waste disposal.
  When working for Supertemps, Morris insisted that he wear
  a "heroic costume," even though he was assigned to the in-
  dustrial Division. Supertemps didn't mind, and one of the
  secretaries there even proposed the name "Compactor." His
  first assignments confirmed the feasibility of conmlCrcial use of
  his power; he would go to a landfill or other waste site, com-
  press the Wlwanted material into coin-sized slugs and absorb the
  attendant radiation, and theo place the slugs 00 a pallet to be
  picked up later (sometimes even by himself!).
  Compactor earned national attention wheo he tackled a barge
  full of trash that had been silting in New York harbor for several
  months, paralyzed by bureaucratic red tape. This gained Super-
  temps a lot of aueotion and support and earned Morris a spot 00
  a nationwide talk show. To everyone's surprise, Compactor
  [limed out to be witty and entertaining. His years behind the
  wheel of a hack provided him wilb countless Stories, and he
  showed a great sense of comic tinting.
  Morris' activities as Compactor took up more and more of his
  time, Wltil he eventually had to quit his job with the Department
  of Transportalion. He cheerfully admits it was "quit or be
  fired," but claims he doesn't mind -
  it gave him more time to
  work for Supenemps (which paid better) and accept invitations
  10 be on TV shows (which were more fun). He's very happy
  with his rote as a "working man's super" and minor celebrity.
  Almost everyone has heard of him, and the baggy orange jackets
  he prefers are tOliay's hottest new fashion trend!
  Campaign Role
  Anyone who watches TV or reads popular periodicals will
  have heard of Morris. He splits his time between his home in
  New York and television appearances and Supertemps assign-
  ments allover the country (he's panicularly fond of Southern
  California). Heroes who encounter him professionally will
  probably also be Industrial Division employees. Compactor
  wants nothing to do with the Guardian Division.
  Compactor can also be used for comic relief. He doesn't take
  himself seriously, and when he's on a job and the lelevision
  cameras are running, he sometimes keeps up a running
  monologue, often involving his (fictitious) ex-wife Zelda. (For
  example: an interviewer asked, "How do you condense things
  so quickly? What goes through your mind?" Morris: "Well, my
  ex-wife Zelda has been putting the squcczeon me for years now.
  Ijust picture her and pretend it's her tum. ")
  Morris realizes that his fame won't last forever (maybe his
  powers won't, either) so he has been investing aggressively.
  Most of these investments arc entertainment-related -
  he owns
  shares in several New York discos, a racetrack, a couple of
  casinos in Atlantic City and Las Vegas, a movie studio -
  and
  characters who frequent any of these places may see Morris
  there, keeping his eye 00 things.
  Andjust like everyone else, Compactor needs to relax and get
  away from it all once in a while. He bought into his favorite
  invcstment for just this purpose -
  be owns two cab companies,
  and every so ofteo he gets behind the wheel, both to relax by
  doing his favorite thing in the world and to see the look on his
  fares' faces when they find out there's a celebrity at the wheel!
  Persona/ily
  To most people's delight, Morris is the same in person as on
  TV -
  an amiable New York cabbie. He enjoys his new life and
  popularity, though off-eamera he lets others talk which, anm-
  ingly enough, adds to his fame as a conversationalist.
  Morris isn't married, and several ntiddle-aged (and younger)
  women have "popped the question" to him. His usual response
  is a wink and, "Aw, what wouldja wanna tie yourself down with
  me for? I ain't noillin' but a garbage man ill a fWlny suit!" III
  truth his first twO marriages ended in divorce, and two tries were
  enough for him.
  AbiJiJies
  Compactor seems to be completely invulnerable to hostile
  forms of energy. Moreover, he's able to draw temporary in-
  creases in strength from hard radiation. His primary power,
  however, is the ability to compress inanimate objects many
  times over. The Compress skill is modeled after Disintegrate.
  Objects that are affected dircctly (i.e., less than ten Ibs.) are
  shrunk down completely in one second. Larger objects are com-
  pressed as their DR and HP are destroyed as per Disintegrate.
  Heavier clements do not compress as much as lighter ones, but
  figure that most objects arc compacted to roughly 1150,000 of
  their original volume. A bowling ball would be compressed to
  about V4" in diameter but would still wcigh 16 poWlds.
  Even when his strength has been boosted by the radiation,
  however, he's unable to move very heavy compressed objccts.
  When it's safe, constmction equipment is used to transpon
  them.
  Battle Tactics
  Compactor has never been in a baule, which is just the way
  he likes it. It's probably just as well; Supertemps has on file
  repons from the metahuman institute that originally studied him
  that hypothesize what effect his powers would have on living
  tissue. It's gruesome, and Morris was never told.
  Supenemps does not plan to break: this secrecy, or ask Com-
  pactor to use his powers in this way -
  but in the event of a
  sufficiently devastating catastrophe, such as alien invasion, all
  bets are off.
  Adventure Seed: Barge on the Run
  Compactor is handling a routine ouclear-waste disposal job in
  New York. Unbeknownst to him, a team of meta-villains led by
  a superscientist (the GM should pick one from his campaign, or
  perhaps substitute TRADE (see pp. 5S50-51»), have fOWld a
  way to use this panicular type of waste for their own nefarious
  ends -
  but only after it has been compacted by Morris!
  The Pes hear about a barge hijacking over police radio, TV,
  from Supenemps itself, or whalever means sccm most con-
  venient. Compactor won't rcally consider using his power on tile
  villains, so he is effectively at their mercy Wlless tile characters
  can get tllere in time to save the super and his dangerous cargo!
  -23-
  CharaClers
  
  ST 10 (0 points)
  IQ 13 (30 points)
  DX 16 (80 points)
  HT 12 (20 poims)
  Speed: 7.00
  Move: 8
  Damage: Thrust Id-2; Swing Id
  Appearance: Female human, Oriemal, age 19, 5' 9", 130
  Ibs., long, straight black hair, brown eyes.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Charisma +2 (10 points)
  Patron: Supertemps on 6 or less (15 points)
  Status 2 (Minor celebrity) (10 points)
  Very Beautiful (25 points)
  WeaJthy (20 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Bad Sight (-10 points)
  Duty: Supertemps on 9 or less (-5 points)
  Enemy: Overzealous fans on 6 or less (-5 points)
  Honesty (-10 points)
  Impulsiveness (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot kill (-IS points)
  Phobia: Monsters (-15 points)
  Sense of Duty: Dancer's Kids (-10 points)
  Stubbornness (-5 points)
  Weirdness Magnet (-15 points)
  Super Advantage:
  Damage Resistance + 12 (No Obvious Effect +3; 78 points)
  Powers and Super-Skills:
  Mauer Control Power 23 (230 points)
  Animate-IS (20 points)
  Control Animated Object-IS (No Concentration +2; 28
  points)
  Disintegrate-16 (Only to create a "statue" -I; Takes Extra
  Timex2 -2; 2 points)
  Skills:
  Acrobatics-IS (2 points); Carousing-II (I point); Dancing-
  18 (8 points); English-13 (0 points); Fast-Talk-II (2 points);
  Japanesc-9 (l,.1 point); Judo-13 (l,.1 point); Jumping-IS (4
  points); Karate-17 (8 points); PcrfomlaJlce-14 (8 points); Run-
  ning-lO (I point); Savoir-Faire-ll (I point); Sculpting-IS (I
  point)
  Quirks:
  Collects videotapes of old movie musicals
  Always wears an ankle bracelet
  Loves ice hockey; attends live games whenever shc can
  Flies first class whenever possible (which, with thc moncy
  shc is currently making, is almost all thc time)
  Drops in unexpectedly at elemcntary schools to dancc and
  give "Just Say No" pep talks
  Slory
  Julie Yamashita's earliest mcmories arc of watching old
  Hollywood musicals with her maUler. But while her maUler
  lovcd thc songs and iJmocence, Julie idolized Cyd Charisse and
  Ginger Rogers. She began taking dance classes at age four.
  h was clear from the beginning that Julie had genuine talent.
  Her parents were careful not to push but they didn't have to, as
  Julie was driven from within. By age ten, ber teachers were
  saying that Julie had the drive and laleDl to dance professionally.
  Then al age II, Julie's father moved the family to a snlall,
  remote town in Iowa, 110 miles from ule nearest dance school.
  Julie was heanbroken but she was nor about to let isolation keep
  her from her dream, so she began to practice by herself.
  But she missed baving somcone to dance with. One day she
  was watching an old Fred Astaire movie and saw him dancing
  with a hat rack! Maybe that was an answer! She went to the
  closet, got a broom and Slarted practicing. Unfortunately, she
  didn't have Astaire's experience; she tried several moves, but
  none of them worked.
  In frustration, she threw ule broom against a wall. "Dance,
  dam you, dance!" she shouted, ulen closed her eyes as she tried
  to inlagine the broom dancing. When she opened her eyes. the
  broom was dancing - just as she had inlagined it!
  She continued to practice her new-found talent and tcst its
  limits, but never revealed it to anyone, though she occasionally
  used it to the benefit of others (such as one of the less popular
  girls at her high school, who found to her dclight that embarrass-
  ing things often happened 10 the "in" girls whcn uley tomlented
  her). She gradually learned the limitations of her powcrs.
  Characters
  -24-
  
  She could animate normally inanimate objects, but she had to
  consciously control them. She thought that these were interest·
  ing talents, but really didn't see much use for them in her desired
  career as a dancer (except for the fact that she never had to worry
  about finding a partner to practice with!).
  After graduation from high school, she got into an argument
  with her parentS, who did not want ber to go to New York -
  they feared for her safety. Julie insisted that New York was the
  one place where she eould go to study further, and that she
  would be all right. In the end they reached a compromise; Julie
  applied to and was accepted at Iowa State University. She had
  three months to "make it" in New York as a dancer. If by the
  end of August she was not dancing professionally, she would
  return 10 Iowa and go to college.
  Julie was good, and almost made the final cui several times,
  but ber inexperience always worked against ber. Several direc·
  tors took her aside and told her she had talent, and in a year or
  SO she could pick and choose her jobs -
  but she had less than
  two weeks left to prove herself.
  The first thing Julie had done when she arrived in New York
  was sign up with Supenemps' Entertainment Division; there
  were few jobs that called for her panicular talent, but the ones
  that did earned her enough money to live on and allowed her to
  attend tryouts. A co-worker on one of her jobs suggested an
  answer to her problem: at her next tryout, she danced a routine
  with a panner wearing an evening dress and a Phantom of the
  Opera mask. When the casting director called oul, "Thank
  you!" she and her panner took their bows. She then ripped the
  mask a.nd wig off her partner's head, showing it 10 be a plastic
  dcpanment-store mannequin who then danced a littlejig by him-
  self!
  A part was hastily written specifically for Julie. The play was
  a nop, but she was a hit and received an offer to dance in a video
  the rocle group Firewalker was making. The video, featuring
  Julie dancing with the group's instruments (including a
  vibraphone and the entire drum lei!) was a smash -
  especially
  when fans found OUt that she duplicated the scene in concens!
  She was dancing and famous.
  But fame has its down side. After a panicularly noisy pany in
  Phoenix, a Firewalker groupie cornered Julie behind the band's
  hotel and asked, Ihen insisled, that she go home with him. When
  she refused, he pulled a knife and pinned her against the side of
  the building. She looked around desperately for something that
  she could animate to save herself, but tllere was nothing to be
  found. not even a trash can. Nothing, that is, but th~ wall ofthe
  hotel . ..
  In desperation she closed her eyes and commanded the wall to
  save her. As soon as she did, she heard a horrible grinding
  SOWId, followed by a metallic c/ang. When she opened her eyes,
  she saw her assailant frozen in fear. A brick hand had sprouted
  from the wall and grabbed his wrist, causing him to drop tlle
  knife.
  Julie had always considered her power as a way to entenain
  people -
  never as a weapon. But this incident proved she could
  usc it to help others as well. Besides, she missed the people at
  Supcncmps. The Supcnemps Entertainment Division didn't re-
  quire its employees to belong to the Musicians' Union (of which
  Julie was a member), something tllat led to a union boycoll
  against the division. But the union said nothing about tlleir
  Guardian Division. She has volunteered to be assigned as her
  schedule permits, but she is trained as a danca. not a crime
  fighler, and is not quite sure what to do.
  Dancer's Kids
  Julie believes that illicit drugs arc the biggest danger to
  society today, and that drug education has to stan at an early
  age. In fact, she bas staned her own program called DaN:~r's
  Kids. To be a Dancer's Kid. all a child bas to do is send her a
  letter with their name and address, along with the name of their
  school, and write a few words or draw a picture to show what
  they know about the harmful effects ofdrugs. In return, they get
  a cenificate, a membership bulton and a letter from Julie (she
  has a computer generate foml lellers from an eXlensive collee.·
  tion of boiler-plate paragraphs, so each child gets a different
  letter) -
  and their infommtion is entered into a database. When
  she goes on tour or on assignment from Supertemps. she looks
  through the database to sec which elementary schools in the area
  she's received lellers from, and then phones ahead to schedule
  appointments to visit the schools. (Sometimes she chooses
  schools on the basis of not having received letters -
  on the
  assumption that the school may not have heard of the program.)
  The rationale behind the Dancer's Kids program is thai
  children are more responsive to a personal visit by a celebrity
  than to videos or classroom lectuTCS. So far, the program has had
  impressive results; studies by the U.S. Depanmcnt of Health
  indicate that schools Dancer has visited, or where significant
  numbers of the children arc Dancer's Kids, have a much lower
  percentage of drug use than other schools.
  Campaigrl Ro/e
  Player characters with a high public profile will probably
  meet Julie Yamashita at some point -
  possibly at a Firewalker
  concert, a special dinnerora talk show. Julie will also try to help
  the Pes deal with an emergency situation if she's in the area.
  This could make things more difficult for them, as they would
  have to deal with her inexperience. Because of her touring
  schedule and her Dancer's Kids program, it's possible that PCs
  could run into the Dancer just about anywhere.
  Persona/ily
  Julie Yamashita is enthusiastic, bubbly and always doing
  something -
  which, unfoTllUlalely, often makes people think
  she's an "airhead." When she's al work, however, whether
  fighting lllela-villains or on stage, she is a complete profes-
  sional. She becomes focused and intense, and when working
  with otlIers expects them to do the same.
  AbiJilies
  Dancer is able to make inanimate objects move as if "alive."
  She is also able to control them and is panicularly adept at
  making things dance_ When she aninmtes a humanoid object,
  such as a statue or mannequin, it can dance with surprising
  grace. Indeed, from a distance it is impossible to tell il iso't a
  real human. Her Disintegration power only allows her to create
  a "statue" of some kind by visualizing something springing out
  of the larger object, such as a tiger leaping from a block of ice or
  a hand emerging from a wall.
  BaJtle Tactics
  The Dancer will rely on her Karate skill when faced with an
  W13rmed opponent. She will kick rather than punch, often going
  for head shOls. Julie will use her power to create instant allies
  when up against multiple or amlCd foes. She will continue to use
  her nmnial arts prowess if the enemy's numbers are limited.
  Otherwise, she will allempt to nee whenever it seems possible.
  -25-
  Characters
  
  DBACOH BLlJB8
  ST 45 (156 points)
  IQ 13 (30 points)
  DX 13 (30 points)
  HT II (10 poinls)
  Speed: 6.00
  Move: 7
  Damage: Punch Sd·1I10d-l; Thrust .5dIlOd; Swing
  1d+ 11l2d
  Appearance: Male human, while, age 27, 6' 3" (12' 6"
  when Grown), 180 Ibs. (1,440 Ibs. when Grown), black hair,
  blue eyes, fair complexion.
  Point Total: .500
  Advantages:
  Charisma +3 (IS points)
  Handsome (IS points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 points)
  Patron: Supcrtemps on 9 or less (30 poims)
  Repulation +2 (10 points)
  Voice (10 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Dependent: Karen Retherford on 9 or less (-12 points)
  Duty: Supertemps on 12 or less HO poinls)
  Honesty (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot kill (-IS points)
  Sense of Duty: To rnetahumanity (-10 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Costume {20 poinls}
  Damage Resistance +30 (150 points)
  Growth x I (Quadruple growth rate +4; 21 points)
  Super Disadvantage:
  Uncontrolled Change (-10 points)
  Skills:
  Acting-12 (1 point); Bard-16 (8 points); Brawling-16 (8
  points); Climbing-II (1.-1 poin!}; Computer Opcration-12 (L1.
  point); Dancing-II (l/.! poim); Diplomacy-14 (6 points); Driv-
  ing (Car)-I J (11.2 point); Ecology-13 (4 points); Fast-Talk-12 (1
  point); History-ll (I poim); Judo-I4 (8 poinlS); Law-IS (8
  points); Leadership-17 (4 points); POlilics-16 (8 poims);
  Psychology-lO (v.z JXlint); Riding-II (t.1 point); Running-8
  (iii poim); Savoir-Faire-13 (I point); Spanish-II (1.1 point);
  Spon (Foolball)-12 (I point); Steahh-12 (I point); Tactics-IO (1
  poin!)
  QlJirks:
  Big "Crimson Tide" fan
  Never eats red meat
  Environmentalist
  Loves giving interviews
  USlens to Steely Dan -
  has worn out three cassettes of Aja
  Slary
  Joe Kazanski was jusl another graduate student in political
  science at the University of Alabama. working on his master's
  degree and waiting to start law school in the fall when he
  finished his thesis. (Curiously, a lecture on particle physics was
  being given that day at the university by Dr. Harvey Banks;
  there is a strong suspicion, but no hard evidence, that Banks was
  in the library area at the same time as Kazanski.) He had just
  typed the last three pages of his thesis, stored them on a com·
  putcr disk, and left the library 011 his way to the University copy
  cenler when he tripped and fell, dropping lbe disk onto a storm
  sewer grate.
  As he edged forward, trying 10 save a year's work and his
  ticket into law school, his fingers barely brushed the disk -
  which was enough to make it drop into the grate. He screamed,
  grabbed the grate, threw it aside and stretched as far as he could,
  retrieving the disk (fortunatcly the sewer was dry at the time).
  He didn't realize wuil he had calmed down a bit that the sewer
  was six fect deep, and that his legs were still on the pavement
  above.
  When he stood up, he fmUld he was about twice as tall as he
  had been before. He knew lillie about metahumans -
  just what
  he had read in Tinre and other magazines -
  and certainly never
  suspected he was one.
  Characters
  -26-
  
  His first reaction was fear. He wanted to start his own law
  practice, but was afraid no one would hire a "freak"; he also
  saw his mctahumaniry as a barrier to any future political career.
  In desperation, he talked his situation over with his girlfriend,
  Karen. She convinced him that he was the same person he had
  always been - just a little taller sometimes. Karen also pointed
  out that metahuman rights was a hot topic in legal circles, and
  Joe was now in a perfect position to make that his legal specialty.
  Together they mapped out a publiciry plan. Joe patrolled the
  streets of nearby Tuscaloosa, doing things like helping kittens
  out of trees, retrieving Frisbees from rooftops and hanging
  Chris[fllas decorations. Several newspapers did articles about
  him; one of these articles gave him his alias when it commented
  on his fanaticism for the Universiry of Alabama by quoting from
  one of Joe's favorite Steely Dan songs: "They call Alabama the
  Crimson Tide, Call me Deacon Blues."
  Joe's activities eventually came to the attention of Super-
  temps' Atlanta branch. He had never done any crime fighting,
  but Supertemps was impressed with his organizational abilities
  and offered to train him in crimonology and pay his way through
  law school if he would take cases for them once in a while. He
  agreed immediately and was very happy with the arrangement.
  He no longer had to worry about how to pay for law school, and
  the assignments Supertemps gave him were a welcome diversion
  from his studies. They also gave him practical insight into
  metahuman affairs. In fact, after he graduated from law school
  he stayed on for an additional year, both to take post-graduate
  classes and to teach a well-received class on "The Metahuman
  and the Law."
  Deacon Blues is nominally the leader of the Birmingham
  Defense Team, but these days he only spends about twO days a
  week in the field -
  not even that, if he's trying an important
  case. He also commutes around the country giving one-day
  seminars on "Metahumans, Super Powers and the Law." In
  fact, there's only one loose end in his life these days, and if
  Karen has anything to say about it, that particular knot will be
  tied as soon as she can get Joe to stand still long enough to say,
  "I do."
  Karen Retherford
  23 years old, brown hair, brown eyes, fair, 5' 4", 1201bs.
  ST 10, OX 10, IQ 11, HT 12.
  Basic speed 5.5; Move 5.
  Dodge 5.
  Advantages: Attractive; Language Talent + I; Musical
  Ability + 1.
  Disadvantages: Bad Sight; Claustrophobia.
  Skills: Acting-12; Computer Operation-II; Driving (Car)-
  II; Fast-Talk-12; French-12; Musical Instrument (Guitar)-12;
  Musical Instrument (Piano)-15; Politics-IO; Psychology-13;
  Singing-12; Tactics-II.
  Karen is a senior, nlajoring in music. She met Joe Kazanski
  in a psychology class when she was a freshman and he was a
  senior; as she puts it, "I chased him all through thai class until
  he finally caught me." They have been together ever since, but
  decided to postpone getting married until he could finish law
  school and she gOt her bachelor's degree. When Joe found out he
  was a metahuman, that set their marriage back even farther.
  They have both since come to tenus with his powers, and plan to
  be married soon, but they don't know whether Joe's metahuma.n
  genes would be passed on to their children.
  Joe's political ambitions are fine with Karen; in fact, she has
  ambitions of her own -
  to be a senator's wife and Georgetown
  hostess. (They think the White House would be a great place to
  live, but both figure, "One step at a time. ")
  She understands how important Joe's political ambitions are
  to him and is willing to help him attain them. She has been his
  strategist in all of his campaigns, from being elected president of
  the University Council to his drive to be accepted as a meta-
  human, and rnay have a future in her own right as a campaign
  manager.
  Campaign Role
  Deacon Blues is a well-known super and a staunch defender
  of mctahuman rights. He travels extensively and could be in-
  volved in any seenario where a metahuman, villain or hero, was
  being treated unjustly. If one of the PCs were to go on trial for a
  case involving use of their metahuman powers, Supertemps
  might send Deacon Blues to assist the PC's own lawyers.
  He is also an advocate of humane treatment of animals. If the
  PCs are involved in an animal-rights issue, Deacon Blues might
  be involved as well or could easily be approached for help.
  The Deacon will not nornlally get involved in any case not
  involving one of the above subjects (unless he feels that it is a
  politically "right" move).
  Personality
  Deacon Blues is a typical leader-rype super -
  kind, cour-
  teous, concerned for the welfare of others rather than himself,
  and he drinks lots of milk. But part of his personality is very
  unlike the inlage that he portrays. Joe KazansJd is very am-
  bitious; he wants to be a nlajor political figure in this country
  and many of the things he does are means to that end. He some-
  times stops himself from doing what he instinctively feels is
  right and instead tries to do what he thinks the public would
  want him to do.
  Joe is a very intense person; the only time he really relaxes is
  when he's with Karen -
  not often enough for either of them!
  Abilities
  In addition to his non-super abilities as an effective leader and
  public speaker, Deacon Blues possesses the ability to grow at
  will. At his current level of power, he can double his original
  height. Even in his nornlal state, he has tremendous strength and
  is capable of sustaining a great deal of damage, but when he
  grows to his full height his ST and damage increase dramatically
  -
  for damage, use the number after the slash when grown.
  Battle Tactics
  Deacon Blues likes to take charge. In team combat he will
  deploy members of his team against the opponents they seem 10
  be lhe most effective against, usually going up against other
  bricks himself (though he is not afraid to mix it up with other
  types of villains). He uses his great strength sparingly when he
  firSI enters combat, for fear of harming others and to see what
  his opponent is capable of. If things are not going well, he will
  try to surprise his opponent with ajudo throw, but he keeps this
  as a last resort.
  Power Variations
  250-point version: Lower ST to 25; lower DX to 12; lower
  HT to 10; lower Damage Resistance to + 10; lower Appearance
  to Auractive; drop Patron; drop Voice; drop Costume; lower
  Brawling skill level to 15; drop Judo skill; lower Leadership
  skill level to 15.
  750-point version: Raise ST to 60; raise DX to 14; raise HT
  to 12; raise Danlage Resistance to +35; add two more levels of
  Growth; raise Brawling skill level 10 20.
  -27-
  Characters
  
  ST 32 (130 points)
  OX 12 (20 points)
  Speed,6.00
  lFTE
  [Q 10 (0 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Move: 6 (12 flying,
  JOn in overdrive)
  Damage: Thrust 3d+ I; Swing 6d-l
  Appearance: Female human, while. ageJO, S' 8", 14.5 Ibs.,
  reddish-brown hair, green eyes, fair complexion.
  Point Total: 600
  Advantages:
  Absolute Direction (5 points)
  Acute Hearing + 10 (20 points)
  Alertness +2 (10 points)
  Attractive (5 points)
  Comfortable Wealth (10 points)
  Night Vision (10 points)
  Palron: Supcnemps on 9 or Jess (30 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Compulsive Behavior: Eavesdropping (-10 points)
  Duty: Supencmps on 12 or Jess (-10 points)
  Enemy: Various villains 00 9 or less (-30 points)
  Impulsiveness (-10 poinls)
  Reputalion: Troublemaker, -I from anyone who's beard of
  her (-5 points)
  Secret: IdcDlity (-5 points)
  Truthfulness (-s points)
  Weirdness Magnet (-IS points)
  Super Advantages:
  Damage Resistance +20 (Switchable +/; Only when flying
  -2; 90 points)
  Damage Resistance +5 vs. Air (Switchable +/; Only when
  flying -2; 140 points)
  Flight (40 points)
  Supcr Flightx8 (Must get a full night's sleep after each use
  -3; 112 points)
  Telescopic Visionx7 (42 points)
  Ski/Is:
  Administration-II (4 pointS); Area Knowledge (Chicago)-II
  (2 points); Area Knowledge (Los Angeles)-I I (2 pointS); Area
  Knowledge (New York City)-II (2 points); Area Knowledge
  (USA)-14 (8 pointS); GWlS (.44)-13 (2 p:>inlS); Lip Reading-IO
  (2 points); Navigation-t2 (8p:>ims); SteaIlh-11 (Ip:>int)
  Quirks:
  Won't pry into wrillen material, only conversations
  Always fixes her hair after landing
  Lilt.:es to "buzz" lhe Great Plains
  Prefers hotels wilh walerbeds
  Always orders room service
  Story
  Florence Lindham was born with an incredible curiosity
  about what other poople were saying.
  No one knows what fueled this curiosity; il certainly wasn't
  paranoia or spitefulness, and Florence never revealed anything
  she heard, or even tried to use the information. She just liked to
  know what other poople were saying.
  This compulsion pcrsisted throughout childhood, despite her
  pareDtS' allempts to break ber of it. It gOl Florence into trouble
  many times, bolh at home and at school. One problem was that
  she often gave herself away; she had greal ears, and could liSteD
  from a fair distance, but she would often sneeze, knoclt.: some-
  lhing over or do somelhing else to reveal herself.
  Florence was otherwise a well-behaved. likable girl. She had
  a few friends who realized she kept everything she heard secret,
  but most of lhe kids didn't like the way she would bo"er on lhe
  edge ofprivate conversations. No one could understand why she
  did lhis; they assumed she was gathering infomlatioo for some
  reason or anolher. Early in life, she picked up lhe nickname
  "Snoopy," and to this day she hates it.
  Once in a while, she was able to use her habit to her ad-
  vantage, such as when she heard (from across the stfCCt) some-
  one say the company he was working for was looking for new
  secretaries. She applied for and got one of thejobs. Her first day
  on tllcjob, she was just gelling ready to leave, when she noticed
  four men eDlering a vice president's office. The fact ulal il was
  Characters
  -28-
  
  late and the men looked out of place only served to pique her
  curiosity.
  So Florence listened through the VP's door and heard far
  more than the idle challer and business talk she had expecled.
  The four men were nOiorious metahumans (including Chem.ic.o,
  see p. SU72), and the VP was hiring them to murder a rival!
  As the group got down to specifics, Florence leaned in closer
  and hit her head against the door. She turned and ran as fast as
  she could, but one of the criminals could fly and took off after
  her. She made it to the stairs, but was 00 the teolll floor. 10
  desperalion, when she heard the stairway open above her, she
  decided to leap over the railing 10 the ncxt landing. But to her
  surprise, wheo shejumped she fell up!
  Florence continued to fly up through Ihe middle of the slair·
  case, pasl her Slartled pursuer. She had 00 idea what was hap-
  pening, bUI didn'l take lime to worry aboul it. Hcr pursuer
  regaioed his composure and chased Florence to the roof. Onee
  out in lIle open she could only think to will herself to fly fasr.
  And she did, leaving lIle criminal and the city behind in a mailer
  of seconds. When the adrenaline rush left her and she had to
  slow down and land, Florence found herself in the next state.
  She was tired and hungry and was only carrying $20, but she
  knew she had to do two things; she had to foil the murder plot,
  and she had to get home. She called thecxecutive's company and
  told them about the plot (she called a toll-freenumber from a pay
  phone and didn't give them time to trace the call), Ihen started
  flying. She didn't fly nearly as fast as she had the night before,
  however, and eonc.1uded she would only be able to malch her
  earlier speed when she was rested and unfaligued. So she
  stopped in the nearest big city and took a bus the rest of the way.
  When she gOi home the next day, the newspaper headlines
  screamed that two meta-villains had been caught red-handed in
  lIle murder allempt, thanks to an anonymous tip. The DlCta-vil-
  lain who tried to capture ber never told anyone what had hap·
  pened, mainly bocause he didn't want anyone to know bow
  badly he had been shown up, but he privately vowed to come
  back to get her.
  After she returned home, Florence did her best to lead a
  nom13.1life while Icsting the IimilS of her powers. She found that
  she had auained great physical strength and that her eyesight was
  now almost as good as her hearing. She decided one day that she
  had to be even more careful about her activities, when she ab·
  selll-mindedly lifted up a desk to search for her pencil (luckily,
  no one noticed).
  Then one night when she was working late, Florence went to
  take a break and found one of the n13.il clerks willl his head in his
  arnlS. She sal down next to him and got him to talk; be had
  promised to send a package out via next-day service for the
  company president. It was very irnponam, il had to be on the
  other side of the country by morning and he was probably going
  to lose hisjob because he'd forgotten to scnd it.
  Florence offered to take care of the package on two condi·
  tions; he was not to ask her how she did it and she wanted him
  to take her out to dilIDer 301 an Italian restaurant. Considering that
  it would save his job, she explained, it was pretty inexpensive.
  Three hours latcr Florence arrived at the target city. She spent
  the night at a motel, then delivered the package first thing inlhe
  moming. Finally, she flew back and worked the last half of the
  day, elaiming 10 have been sick that moming.
  The next week Florellce registered with Supcnemps. They
  tud some question aboul whether her power was n13.rkclable, but
  once it was advcniscd, it seemed obvious. She was inmlCdiatcly
  deluged with work.
  Only onc problem remained; Florence needed to find a code
  name. She briefly considered names Ii~e Mercury and Gossip
  (because "nothing travels faster") but finally settled 00 FTL.
  She tells everyone the initials stand for Faster Than Light, but
  she r~al1ychosethem because they're her initials. So far, 00 ooc
  has caught on.
  Campaign Role
  If the player characters arc to receive sensitive itenlS from
  Supencmps, chances are FTL will be the courier. She would be
  likely to carry sn13.11 gadgets or infom13.tion too hot to be lrusted
  to conventional communications channels.
  FTL's Unluckiness and Weirdness Magnet disadvantages
  represent her uncanny ability to overhear nefarious plOlS and
  then get spotted doing so. Having this happen when the PCs arc
  nearby could be the spark for a comic-relief or change-of-pace
  adventure.
  PenonaJity
  Florence Lindha.m is an upbeat, fonhright person. She speaks
  ber m.ind honestly, but avoids open criticism of others. She
  believes in the adage, "If you can't say something nice, don't
  say anything at all." Her most peculiar trait, almost an obses-
  sion, is her need to know what others are saying. She knows that
  eavesdropping is considered mde. but she can't help herself, and
  justifies her actions by saying that it's all right as long as she
  doesn't use or react to what she hears. She is extremely good at
  keeping a secret, and will only divulge what she overhears under
  tonure or other extreme pressure.
  Abilities
  FTL's prin13.ry ability is Flight. She can fly around 25 mph at
  will, with no Iimitalions on use, or she can go imo an "over-
  drive" mode which will allow her to fly at several times the
  speed of sound, but which is very fatiguing. Once she turns it
  off, she can't use it again withoul gelling a good night's sleep
  firsl. When flying, she is surrounded by a force field which
  allows her to breathe and otherwise withstand the tremendous
  pressure and temperature encowltered 301 such high speed. (This
  also allows her 10 fly high enough above the ground so tl13.t sonic
  booms are not a problem.) Her reaction time is also boosted, so
  she can fly at a low level without fear of slanmLing imo a moun-
  tain. Telescopic vision also helps in this regard.
  Battle Tactics
  Florence has no real combat training, so what she does in a
  fight depends on the situation. Usually, she'll try to flyaway. If
  she is able to use her Super Flight she will leave most attackers
  behind in a scc:ond or two; otherwise she will go as fast as she
  can to the local super-team or police.
  Supcnemps required FTL to learn to shoot a pistOl, and to
  carry olle at all times while on duty. She has never yet fired it in
  combat, and if forced to fight will have to make a Will roll to
  shoot at anyone. Otherwise, she will just punch and kick at
  random.
  Power Variation
  250-point version: Lower ST to 15; lower HT to 10; lower
  Acute Hearing to +5; drop Alertness; lower Patron to appearing
  on 9 or less; lower Damage Resistance to + 10; drop Damage
  Resistance vs. Air; lower Super Flight to x5; lower Telescopic
  Vision to x3.
  -29-
  Charaerers
  
  Truly Amazing Metahero
  Investigations,Inc.
  ST to (0 points)
  IQ 14 (45 points)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT 10 (0 poinls)
  Speed: 5.50
  Move: 5
  Damage: Thrust Id-2; Swing Id
  Appearance: Male human, white, age 27. 5' 10". 170 Ibs.,
  brown hair, brown eyes.
  Point Total: 100
  Advantage:
  Wealthy (20 points)
  Disadvalllages:
  Dependent: Chloe Vandcrlan on 9 or less (-24 poilus)
  Weirdness Magnet (-15 points)
  Skills:
  Accounting-12 (1 point); Administration-12 (Ih point);
  Brawling-12 (I pOint); Computer Operation-IS (2 points);
  Criminology-16 (6 points); Detect Lics-14 (4 points); First Aid-
  15 (2 points); GIllS (PisloIH4 (I poilu); History-13 (2 points);
  Hobby (Comic books)-13 (1 point); Hobby (Movies)-13 (I
  poinl); Hobby (Tclevision)-14 (2 points); Holdoul-16 (6
  poinls); Law-14 (4 poims); Literature-t2 (1 point); Lockpick-
  ing-14 (2 poillls); Merchant·14 (2 points); Occultism-12 (liz
  point); Rcsearch-I5 (4 points); Shadowing-I 4 (2 poilllS); Street-
  wise-14 (2 points)
  QuirkS:
  Sleepwalker
  Voracious reader
  Idolizes supers
  BLOCKBUSTER
  ST 65 (196 points)
  IQ 11 (10 poilllS)
  DX 13 (30 poilllS)
  HT 14 (45 points)
  Speed: 6.75
  Moye: 8
  Damage: P1.mch 7d; Thrust 7d + I; Swing 9d+2
  Appearance: Male human, white, indeterminate age, 6' 6",
  320 lbs., bald, gray eyes (no pupils), his whole body is the color
  of wei cement.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Combat Reflexes (15 points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 poims)
  Patron: Supcncmps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Night Vision (10 points)
  Characters
  -30-
  
  Disadvantages:
  Bad Temper HO poiDlS}
  Code of Honor: Hero's H5 points)
  Dc:pendent: Chloe Vanderlan on 9 or less H2 points)
  Duty: Supenemps on 12 or less (·IO points)
  Enemy: Local street gang on 6 or less (·IO points)
  Intolerance: Big-eity folks (·5 points)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot kill H5 points)
  Secret: Identity (-10 points)
  Stubbornness (·5 points)
  Vow: Never haml a woman (-5 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Body of Sronex 12 (72 points)
  Costume (20 points)
  Damage Resistance + 15 (75 points)
  Damage ResislanCe +4 vs. Crushing {16 points}
  Transformation (oo points)
  Ski/Is:
  Brawling-IS (4 points); Driving {l8 wheclerH2 (I poim);
  Driving {Car)-I3 (2 points); Driving (Conslruction CQuipnlCllt)·
  II (\.2 point); First Aid-12 (2 points); French-9 (\.2 point);
  Leadership·16 (2 points); Mechanic-13 (6 points); Running-II
  (~poin!); Singing·13 (~point); Tactics-IO (2 points)
  Quirks:
  Chews tobacco
  Has a Cajun accent
  Curses in French whcn angry
  ST 10 (0 points)
  IQ 10 (0 points)
  OX 16 (80 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 7.00
  Move: 8 (64 flying)
  Damage: Nova BurstlOd+ I; Thrust Id-2; Swing Id
  Appearance: Male human, age 26, 6' 4", 190 Ibs., short
  blond hair, blue eyes, tan complexion.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Combat Renexes (IS points)
  Handsome (IS points)
  Patron: Supenemps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Voice {l0 points}
  Disadvantages:
  Code of Honor: Hero's (-IS points)
  Compulsive Behavior: Carousing (-5 points)
  Dependen!: Chloe Vanderlan on 9 or less (-6 points)
  Duty: Supertemps on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Intolerance: Au!hority figures (-5 points)
  Lecherousness (-15 poillls)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot kill (·15 points)
  Phobia (Mild): Claustrophobia (·15 points)
  Secret: Identity (-5 poims)
  Super Advantages:
  Costume (20 poims)
  Damage Resistance +20 (Switchable + J; Physical Effect:
  Blue glow -1; 100 points)
  Flight (40 points)
  Super Flightx2 (40 points)
  Transfom1.3tion (60 poims)
  Powers and Supe~SkiI/s:
  Nova Burst Power 16 (Generic Crushing Missile, 96 points)
  Nova Burst-18 (No Concenlration +2; Rapid Fire +3; 40
  points)
  Lighl Power 2 (8 points)
  Flash-IO (No Concentration +2; Selective Effect +4; 12
  points)
  Ski/Is:
  Acrobalics-14 (I point); Acting-II (4 points); Bard-12 (2
  points); Carousing-12 (2 points); Dancing-IS (I point); Fast-
  Talk-IO (2 points); Judo-I4 (I point); Rwming-9 (~ point);
  Savoir-Faire-II (~point); Sex Appeal-13 (4 points); Singing-
  11 (~point); Steallh-14 (~point)
  Quirks:
  Showoff
  Loves to give interviews
  Doesn't drink
  Calls women "babes"
  Slory
  Ever since he was a lillie boy, Harold POtter wanted to be a
  metabero. He would sit in his room at home. daydreaming of
  being big and strong, stopping dangerous criminals. Unfor-
  l1111ately for Harold, his dreams seemed impossible. So instead,
  be set out to become the next best !hing -
  a policeman.
  BUI becoming a policeman was not as easy as Harold had
  imagined. At least, it wasn't as easy as it appeared on lelevision.
  He was in poor shape, and only barely managed to pass the
  physical just to enler the academy. Wecks of arduous training
  followed, but somehow Harold managed to persevere. Finally,
  all his hard work was rewarded, and Harold gradualed. He was
  at lbe bottom of his class, but he graduated.
  Then things really gOt difficult. Harold and his new panner,
  Chuck, were assigned to patrol one of the most dangerous areas
  of Hollywood. On !heir first night OUt, they were sent to inves-
  tigate a break-in at a hardware store.
  Two of the punks ran as soon as Harold and Chuck arrived,
  but the !hird pulled a gun. During !he ensuing mayhem, Harold
  was shOt and seriously injured. Chuck collared !he gunman, but
  !he o!hers escaped.
  Harold was placed in the hospital, where he recuperated for
  several weeks. After his release, Harold's insurance company
  infomled him that he was entilled to a large cash scttlemem as
  restitution for his injuries. He took the money and did what any
  sane man would do under the circumstances -
  he resigned from
  the force and used !he money 10 sct up his own private detective
  agency.
  Business was slow in the bcgiruling. Somehow, nei!her !he
  radio spots nor !he ad in !he phone book brought in cases.
  Harold blamed this on the business' name -
  Harold Potter,
  Private Investigations wasjust boring. He was about to change
  it when his first client walked in.
  -31-
  Characters
  
  Chloe Vanderlan was an oUI-Qf-work actress who picked
  Harold because his rates were the lowest in town. She asked
  Harold if he would track down her ex-husband, who owed her a
  lot of back alimony. Harold accepted the case and went to work,
  but finding Chloc's ex-husband turned out to be more difficult
  than Harold had origina.Jly thoughl. Afler three months, Harold
  still had no definite leads.
  Instead of feeling disappointed, though, he found that he
  didn't mind at all. During the course of the case, he had become
  quile fond of Chloe. Their regular meelings were the highlight
  of his week, even if he had nothing to report. Thus, he was
  crushed when Chloe called him to say Ihal her ex-husband bad
  jUSl sent her back alimony; Harold's services would no longer be
  required.
  Harold was unhappy, bUI look il in stride. There would be
  more clienls in the future; all he had to do was wail. And wait.
  And wail.
  Business had slowed 10 a standstill. To keep himself oc-
  cupied, and to keep his mind off of Chloe, Harold read comic
  books or watched television in his office. Soon, he once again
  began dreaming of being a metahero.
  Initially his dreams were vague -
  the kind where he'd wake
  up and never remember what it was he'd dreamed. Then they
  became more vivid. He dreamt that he was a large man of stone;
  he went back 10 the hardware store and pummeled the street gang
  that nearly killed him months before.
  The next day Harold was reading the newspaper; he barely
  noticed a two-paragraph report stating that two members of a
  street gang had been hospitalized after being assaulted by an
  unknown assailant.
  That evening, he had another dream. This time, he was a
  handsome, dashing young man flying about the cityscape. He
  swooped in and out ofalleyways, between buildings, and buu.ed
  the observation decks of local restaurants. Alone point in the
  dream, he noticed a building on fire, so he flew over to inves-
  tigate.
  Upon reaching the building, he saw that the local firemen had
  the situation well in hand, and started 10 flyaway. BUI then he
  noticed a girl trapped on the fiflh floor. Without a further
  thought, he swooped down and snatched the young lady from
  her impending doom.
  Again, when Harold awoke, his only thoughts were of how
  exciting his dream was last night, and how he wished he could
  be a hero! But that night the local news described a scene almost
  exactly like the one in his dream, Harold knew that something
  strange was happening.
  The answer suddenly hit him -
  Harold realized he had the
  abiliry to predict the future. Apparently it only worked when he
  was sleeping, so he needed to lest his new-found power, with a
  wirncss. Rushing to the phone, Harold called Chloe and asked
  her to meet him at his office. When she arrived, Harold tried to
  explain the strange events that had occurred. Chloe was under-
  standably skeplical, bUI when he pleaded with her and offered to
  show her proof, she agreed to stay.
  Harold sat her on a chair next to his bcd, explaining that he
  could only predict the future when he was dreaming. Chloe burst
  out laughing. She'd heard a lot of lines before, but this had to be
  the looniest! But Harold promised her that he was very serious,
  so she decided to wait and see.
  Harold men lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. When
  nothing had happened afler a half hour, Chloc decided she'd had
  enough. She got up to go, but before she could gel to me door
  she heard a gmff Cajun voice call her name and tell her to wait.
  She turned around and Harold wasn't on the bed any more!
  Standing nexi to the bed was a lall man with the complexion of
  wet cement. He was dressed in black, chomping a cigar and
  wiggling his eyebrows at her.
  Chloc panicked and began screaming al the top of her lungs.
  Against her better judgmenl, she picked up the chair and swung
  il at the intmder. It broke against his raised arm. He grabbed her
  by the arms and held her. She tried to break: loose, but he was
  much too strong.
  As she struggled, his features staned 10 blur and he began to
  shrink. When he released her, she stepped back and watched as
  his whole body began to change into that of Harold Paller.
  Chloe did the only thing that seemed 10 make sense at the m0-
  ment; she fainted.
  Harold revived her and asked her to describe what had jusl
  happened. As she lold him, he began to realize that he wasn't
  predicting the future al all. Instead, somehow he was able to
  transfornl himself into two separate mctahumans!
  This was his big chance. Now Harold could finally do all
  those heroic deeds of which he had always dreamed. But first, he
  needed to learn how to control the change. If nothing else, he
  had 10 make sure he wouldn't revert to his vulnerable hun14l.n
  fom} at an inopportune time!
  After several days of practice he became able 10 consciously
  control the change, but it required a lot of energy. Figuring out
  how to selecl which supcr he'd become was lrickier, but he
  eventually mastered the technique.
  Before he was ready for action, Harold had another problem
  to deal with. Occasionally, when Harold was in one of his other
  fOffilS, he found that foml taking actions that Harold did nOl
  approve of. When he tried 10 stop himself, he found that he was
  unable. with one important exception: he was always able to
  force either BlockbUSler or Heavy Nova to change back to his
  original form.
  Harold caRle to realize that each of his forms was a complete-
  ly separate ideDlity. When he was in one fom}, the other two
  were passive observers, with no influence on the host form. The
  sole exception must have something to do with the faci that
  Harold Potter was the "original" form.
  Harold was not pleased with this discovery, to say the least.
  Without any appreciable control of the others' actions, they
  might do things lhat he'd regret. Propcrty damage was his
  primary concern ... neither Blockbusler nor Heavy Nova ex-
  hibited much restraint.
  So a fear of expensive lawsuils drove Harold to contact Su-
  pertemps. He offered the services of Blockbuster and Heavy
  Nova to the Guardian Division, setting himself up as their
  manager. He now can continue to play super without having 10
  worry (much) what his "alternate selvcs" arc going to do to get
  him into trouble.
  To keep the detective agency alive, Harold changed its name
  to something more memorable. Today, •'Truly Amazing
  Metahero Invesligations, Inc." (TAMI for short) has more
  clients than Harold will ever need. And what with spending
  qualily time with Chlocand booking Heavy Nova for interviews
  and lalk shows, he no longer has much time for daydreaming.
  Campaign Roles
  As the premiere detective agency specializing in metahuman
  cases, Harold may be approached by player characters in need of
  his scrviees. His Iransfom13tions into Blockbusler and Heavy
  Nova arc conmlOn knowledge, bUI a client still might be sur-
  prised to find a stone man sining behind the desk.
  In his Heavy Nova form, a good method of introducing him
  to the PCs would be to have Nova fly in during a bailie in which
  the characters are stmggling. He would swoop down, explain
  Characters
  -32-
  
  loudly how he was here to save Ihe day, then join in on the
  good-guys' side.
  As BlockbuslCr, he would be more likely to run into the
  characters in a non-eombat situalion - just hanging out at bar or
  taking a walk through the park.
  Personalities
  Harold Potter and his alter egos are a wlique casco Each of the
  personalities presented above considers himself to be a separate
  and distinct individual. When one identity is spcak.ing, he al-
  ways refers to himself in the first person, the others in the third.
  Harold Potter is a nice guy with a very optimistic outlook on
  life. He now has everything he has ever wanted: a beautiful
  girlfriend, a successful business, and the ability to become a
  metahero. At times, he seems a little overwhelmed with it all and
  his idealism could be mistaken for naivete, but he is usually able
  10 get his act togedler and respond to the situation at hand.
  Blockbuster is big and tough and he knows it. He's never
  concerned for his own safety, only the safety of odlers. But his
  sternness is just a facade, and he is basically a "good 01' boy"
  at heart. He genuinely likes Harold and knows how he feels
  about Chloe, so is very protective of her.
  Heavy Nova is a fast-talking, high-flying bundle of energy.
  He will do anything as long as it gets him in the spotlight. He
  craves attention and female companionship, living life in the fast
  lane. He is supremely overconfident and has been known to do
  some very stupid things. This aside, he is a dedicated hero -
  he
  will protect the innocent, etc. He'll just make sure that he gets
  good press coverage while doing so.
  Heavy Nova doesn't care much about Harold and considers
  Chloe to be something of an annoyance -
  bur he would still help
  her if she were ever in danger.
  Abilities
  Harold possesses the ability to transform himself into either
  of two separate melahcroes. The mechanism by which the trans-
  formation takes place is not known; he might physically trans-
  form, or his body could be transported to another plane while
  one of the metahumans takes his place.
  Blockbuster, very simply, is a classic brick, with rock-hard
  skin and great strength. There are very few things that can ac-
  tually hurt him -
  a fact he takes advantage of.
  Heavy Nova has the ability to project blasts of lethal or blind-
  ing blue energy from his hands. He flies very fast and is
  protected by a glowing force field.
  Battle Tactics
  When it becomes obvious that combat is about to ensue,
  Harold will examine the Situation, then transform himself into
  whichever of the two supers he feels is best suited for the task at
  hand. If either would suffice, he will opt to change into Block-
  buster, as he is the more level-headed of the two.
  Blockbuster prefers to survey the scene before fighting. His
  first action will be to make sure that any bystanders are safe. He
  will then close to fight with the nearest foe and start pounding
  away. No surprises from this guy. Hejustloves to go toe-to-toe
  with anyone who looks like they can take it.
  Heavy Nova's first action is to make sure thai everybody is
  watching him. Ifhe isn't the center of attention, he'll launch into
  a grandiose monologue about how he is going to vanquish dle
  evildoers in the name of truth, justice and the American way. He
  prefers to fight an aerial battle, so he will fly up to a good
  vantage point. If anyone closes within range, he will set off a
  flash and then lay into dIem with his Nova Burst
  Were Harold ever to get in a combat situation and, for some
  reason, not be able to transform, his police training would take
  over. Sure, he wasn't the world's greatest cop, but he knows dle
  basics of what to do (and not to do) in a combat better than most
  people. He doesn't nomlally carry a gun, but if he even once
  finds that he has an enemy with dle ability to squelch his trans-
  formation, he will immediately begin carrying the biggest hand-
  gWl he can find (he already has a concealed weapon permit, he
  just doesn't usc it much).
  -33-
  Characters
  
  ST 10 (0 poinls)
  IQ 13 (30 points)
  :oX 12 (20 poinls)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 6.00
  Move: 7 (40 flying)
  Damage: Blaster 7d cut; Thrust Id-2; Swing Id
  Appearance: Female human, Hispanic, agc 29,S' 4", 110
  Ibs., long brown hair, brown eyes, fair complexion.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Acute Taste & Smell + I (2 poinls)
  Attractive (5 points)
  Eidetic Memory (30 points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 points)
  Malhematical Ability (10 points)
  Patron: Supertemps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Addiction: Smoker (-5 points)
  Alcoholism (·15 points)
  Bad Sight: Wears contacts HO points)
  Duty: Supenemps on 12 or less (-10 poinls)
  Enemy: Blue Demon (p. SU71) on 9 or less (-20 poillls)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot harm hUlocents (-10 points)
  Secret: Identity (-10 poinls)
  Super Advantage:
  Gadgeteer (25 points)
  Super Disadvantage:
  Vulnerability: Id from Sonic attacks (-10 points)
  Super Equipment:
  Bracus (Breakable, Unrepairable DR 30, HP 20 -20%; Can
  Be Hit at -6 -5%; 108 points)
  Blaster Power 14 (Generic Cuning Missile)
  Blaster-16 (No Concentration +2; Rapid Fire +3;
  Wall -3)
  Bodysuit (no modifiers; 110 points)
  Damage Resistance + 10
  Damage Resistance + IS vs. generic Energy
  Flight Pack (Breakable DR IS, HP 75 -15%; Can Be Hit at -4
  -15%; SO points)
  Flight (Requires air -I)
  Super FlightX2 (Requires air-I)
  Force Ring Cenerator (Breakable: DR 15, HP 30 -15%; Can
  Be Hit at-8 -5%; 42 points)
  Force Rings Power 5 (Generic Binding Attack)
  Force Rings-16
  Life Suppon Augmenter (Breakable DR 15, HP 75 -15%; Can
  Be Hit at-4 -15%; 18 points)
  Regeneration: Regular
  Sensor Helmet (Breakable: DR 10, HP 15 -15%; Unreliable:
  Activation 13.5%; 61 points)
  Nature Power 2
  Sense Animal-16 (Also detects humans +2)
  Sense Fish-16
  Skills:
  Area Knowledge (New York City)-13 (Vi point); Armoury
  (Body armor)-15 (3 points); Balllesuit-14 (2 points); Brawling-
  12 (I point); Computer Operation-13 (l.1 point); Computer
  Programming-13 (2 points); Electronics (Medical)-14 (3
  points); Electronics (Sensors)-15 (4 points); Electronics
  (Weapons)· I5 (4 points); English-13 (0 poiDls); Fast-Talk·14 (2
  points); First Aid-14 (I point); GUliS (Revolver)-14 (I point);
  Mathematics·13 (2 points); Physics-13 (2 points); Rescarch-14
  (2 points); Running-9 (l.1 point); Shadowing-13 (I point);
  Spanish-12 (l.1 point); Steallh- 12 (2 points)
  Quirks:
  Keeps a small boule of club soda in her purse
  Doesn't plan to quit smoking until after alcoholism has been
  licked
  Likes movies, but doesn't go to many
  Steers clear of the Empire State Building
  Always loses her disposable lightcrs
  SJory
  All of New York and mOSt of America knew the Javelin as the
  dashing, flamboyant metahcro who defended the streets of the
  Big Apple with deadly karate kicks and yellow lightning bolts
  thrown from his hands. Behind the thin, black domino mask,
  Serafin Espinosa was a show-off who enjoyed the attention the
  Characters
  -34-
  
  media gave him. And the press was quick to cash in on the hero
  that gave them such eye-grabbing headlines.
  But no one knew that the Javelin had a child. Espinosa had
  entertained dreams of a boy who would also exhibit control over
  electricity, and as father and son they would strike terror in the
  heans of evil-doers and receive the praise of those they de-
  fended. Instead, he had a daughter who had not a single meta-
  human gene. His disappointment was obvious to Barbara, who
  tried (to no avail) to gain her father's attention.
  When she graduated from high school, Barbara Espinosa
  used her father's considerable wealth toaUend Oxford. Later she
  returned to America, obtaining master's degrees in engineering
  and computer science.
  Instead of getting a job right away Barbara returned to New
  York: she wanted to give her father one last chance to get it
  right.' They talked for a while and seemed to be on the right
  track, bUljust as they seemed to be making progress he received
  a call for help. Before be left, be hugged and kissed Barbara,
  something he hadn't done in years. He simply explained that he
  bad a bad feeling about this assignment.
  Barbara turned on the television after he'd gone, flipping
  though the channels until she found one covering the appearance
  of Blue Den)()O (p. SU71) near the Empire State Building. She
  tuned in just in time to see Javelin arrive.
  He was outmatched, so be harassed the monster while waiting
  for other mctaheroes to arrive. Blue Demon crashed through a
  window and came back out with a woman in its claws. Javelin
  couldn't wait any longer; he took on Blue Demon by himself.
  The baule was quick and decisive; as America watched, trans-
  fixed to the screen, Javelin's broken body was hurled to the
  ground some 4S0 feet below. Then the abomination killed the
  woman and flew away into the night.
  The next day the entire nation mourned. Flags were flown at
  half-mast, and the city of New York held a memorial ceremony
  for their fallen hero, which Barbara allended anonymously. The
  Mayor made a stirring speech, at one point asking who would
  rise to take Javelin's place.
  Though she had never entertained such thoughts before, Bar-
  bara suddenly decided that person would be her. Javelin's will
  left the majority of his estate to Barbara. She used the money to
  finance a sophisticated lab in the basemen[ of her father's Park
  Avenue home, where she began researching and developing
  supcr-equipment.
  When she was finally ready, Barbara became New Javelin.
  But she kept her true identity as secret as her father's, and was
  careful nOt to reveal her relation to the deceased hero. The New
  Javelin was moderately successful, but the work took its toll on
  Barbara. Unable to deal with the stress of being a "hero," she
  staned smoking and drinking.
  Barbara realized the downward spiral she was in, and in an
  cffon to regain some structure in her life, she joined Super-
  temps. The company had some doubts about her psychological
  stability, so they assigned her to a Defense Squad led by the
  Apparition (see p. 12); a squad sometimes called the Mother
  Goose Patrol.
  The drinking problem came to light quickly, but Apparition
  held off -
  she knew something was behind New Javelin's self-
  destructive behavior. The restrain[ paid off; one night the grief
  JUSt spilled out of her and she told Apparition everything, in-
  cluding her identity as Javelin's daughter. As Barbara cried,
  Apparition promised the Mother Goose Squad would do every-
  thing they could to destroy Blue Demon if Barbara would seek
  help through Alcoholics Anonymous. With the help of A.A.,
  Barbara is slowly recovering, but it's still a daily struggle.
  Campaign Role
  Barbara Espinosa met some people bere and there while in
  school, but doesn't keep in touch with them any more. It's.much
  more likely that characters will be familiar with New Javelm and
  they'll remember the evening when the original Javelin died.
  Alcoholic characters could be in the same A.A. chapter as
  Barbara. In fact, a character that has recovered from the dcpc:nd·
  ency may be her parmer, responsible for helping her through
  difficult limes.
  Personality
  1be many years of neglect by her father left Barbaa intro-
  spective and secretive. She docso'l find making new friends. or
  communicating with old ones, easy. She is aware of and embar-
  rassed by this, however, and is trying to change, but she'll
  always be slow to trust others.
  It's hard to hide a drinking problem, bUI Barbara made a
  valia.nt anempt. The counseling she's gelling through A.A. reo
  quires her to acknowledge her problem, som::thing she finds
  dimcul!.
  Barbara is an attractive, single woman, but hasn't dated
  much. Barbara has been more interested in som:: companionship
  recently and occasionally goes to museums,
  I~brari~ and ~
  theater -
  anywhere she might meet an interestmg, stlmulanng
  man -
  thai isn't a bar.
  Abilities
  Barbara Espinosa possesses none of the fantastic abilities of
  her late father, but she more than makes up for this by her sheer
  brilliance as an enginecr.
  The sieck unit worn high on her back houses three compact
  air-breathing engines that propel Javelin through the air..The
  sophisticated scnsors mounted in the helmet can detect anlll131
  life of allY form within three miles. Her soit contains a mech-
  anism that wilt inject chemicals to quickly rebuild tissue or
  regcnerate blood.
  Behind the lightning boh emblem lies a complex energy
  manipulator that produces enclosing rings of force. If success-
  fully "applied" to an opponent, the victim is held unless he's
  strong enough to break the encrgy bonds. The rings themselves
  dissipatc after ten seconds.
  On each wrist Javelin wears shiny bracers. These are the most
  recognizable of her devices, owing to the fact that they sec ~he
  most use. Each fires a beam of destructive energy. (When USlOg
  Rapid Fire each hand fires once, at the same skill level. This is
  a special effect.) Unlike mOSt beamed weapons, these can be
  held for about a second, creating a wall of damaging energy.
  Ba1tle Tactics
  Javelin is most effective against grounded targets, at the same
  time being (usually) most threatened by them. Consequently,
  she tends 10 fly during battles, remaining close enough to the
  ground that she can still hit her foes.
  ..
  The force rings arc not strong enough 10 restram burly
  ~II­
  lains, so shc uses them against uncnhanced opponents, especial-
  ly those that aren't quick enough to dodge thcm regularly.
  Typically this means psis and some blasters. On the other ~d,
  if a manial artist has been momcnrarily stunned, the force nngs
  arc a very effective attack.
  When not discharging the force rings, Javelin commonly
  fires each of her wrist blasters at every avaiiable moment. One
  blast is enough to stagger most enemies, bUI some need a double
  dose. Javelin plays it safe by firing both at all times. This in-
  creases her odds that one beam will hit.
  -35-
  Characters
  
  KAlKIN
  ST 9 (·10 poinls)
  IQ 18 (125 points)
  DX II (10 poiDls)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 5.75
  Move: 5 (3 Levitating)
  Damage: Thrust Id-2; Swing Id
  Appearance: Female buman, East Indian, age 24,5' 4", 90
  Ibs., black hair, brown eyes, wears traditional Hindu clothing.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Beautiful (15 points)
  Danger Scnse (15 points)
  Intuition (15 points)
  Lightning Calculator (5 paims)
  Mathematical Abilily (10 points)
  Musical Ability +4 (4 poi.Dls)
  Patron: Supcncmps on 6 or less (15 points)
  Strong Will +4 (16 points)
  Wealthy (20 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Delusion: Believes she is an avatar of Vishnu (-10 points)
  Duty: Supertcmps on 9 or less (-5 points)
  Fanaticism: Hinduism H5 poiDls)
  Honesty (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot kill (-15 points)
  Secrcl: Idenlily (-10 points)
  Sense of Duly: To all humanity (-15 points)
  Shyness (-10 IX>inls)
  Social Stigma: Minority (-10 points)
  Super Advalltages:
  Costume (20 points)
  Lnsubstantiality (Switchable + J; 83 poinrs)
  Powers and Super-Skills:
  Alteration Power 1 (12 points)
  Morph~14 (I point)
  Body Control Power 14 (84 points)
  Astral Projection-I 6 (Only along communication lines and
  in computers -2; I point)
  Confusc-13 (Affects Substantial +4; Only whcn Insub-
  stantial -I; Touch Omy -2; I point)
  Psychokinesis Power 7 (21 points)
  Levitation-14 (I poi.nt)
  Telepathy Power 2 (20 points)
  (All Telepathy Power skills e:tcept Mind Shield have the
  following modifications: Compulers Only + 0; Can use com-
  munication lines to "touch" subject +3; Only when Insubstan-
  tial -I)
  Erase Signature-IS (8 points)
  111usion-15 (8 points)
  Mental Blow-13 (2 points)
  Mind Shield-IS (2 points)
  Mindwipe-16 (12 points)
  Telecontrol-12 (I point)
  Tclereceive-IS (8 points)
  Telescan-1S (8 points)
  Teleselld-IS (8 poinlS)
  • Telepathy Power +8 (MiJld Shield, 16 points)
  Skills:
  Area Knowledge (Houston)-17 (In point); Astronomy-IS
  (In point); Computer Opcration-20 (2 points); Computer
  Programming-22 (12 points); Dancing-12 (4 points);
  Diplomacy-I 6 (I point); Electronics (Computers)-17 (2 points);
  Eoglish-17 (I point); Hindi-19 (1 point); Mathernatics-16 (I
  point); Musical Instrument (Silar)-16 (I point); Research-17 (I
  poinl); Theology (Hinduism)-16 (I point)
  Quirks:
  Vegetarian
  Won't tolerate alcohol or tobacco
  Doesn't own a television (reads newspapers)
  Prefers the Kalkin fom} when at home alone
  Likes anything chocolate
  Story
  Shanu Srinivastllari was born near Delhi, India. As a girl, she
  studied the ancient scriptures of Hinduism (the Vedas,
  Upanishads, Mahabharata, Ramayana and Puranas); Ibis was
  somewhatlmusual, bUI her parcllIs were fairly liberal about such
  things. She especially liked the slOries of heroic figures such as
  Ranta, the Hindu trimurti (Vishnu, Siva and Brahma), the
  heroes of Ihe Mahabharata ... but her favorite was Krishna, one
  of the avatars of Vishnu.
  Characters
  -36-
  
  In some ways, however, Bbanu's parents were anything but
  liberal. For instance, at age three, Bhanu was engaged to be
  married to a young man from her village. He was a nice enough
  boy, bm he wasn't what she envisioned a husband to be.
  When she turned 14, Bhanu was prepared for the marriage.
  She stoically endured the many celebrations held for her and her
  fiance until time for the marriage ceremony. She was so dis-
  traught from the stress and the suppression of emotion that she
  "cracked" and her berelOfore latent metahuman powers
  manifested themselves.
  At the climax of the ceremony, the attendees gaped as Bhanu
  suddenly changed into a beautiful goddess. She announced that
  ber name was "Kalkin,"
  and that she was the last of the ten
  avatars of Vishnu. Kalkin spoke accuratcly about events that had
  occurred in the temple long before she was born, and then began
  to risc. As she reached the ceiling, she simply rose through it.
  People streamed out of the temple and saw the goddess float up
  and away into the clouds.
  Her parents, like everyone else, were too shocked, frightened
  and awed to do anything but go home. Bhanu was there, asleep
  in her room. Clearly, the marriage was off, but beyond that,
  Bhanu's parents didn't know what to do. They were afraid to
  stay in the village, so they moved to Delhi. There Bhanu went to
  school; she lost herself in the crowd and for scveral years was
  just like any other studelll.
  Bhanu was an eltccllent studelll, specializing in mathematics.
  She decided that she wanted to go to the Univcrsity, under a
  government program which encouraged women to study math
  and science. Her parents approved.
  At the University of Delhi, however, her studies were much
  more challenging. Olle evening before a final exam, Bhanu
  fOlUld herself wishing she could change into Kalkin again in
  ordcr to avoid the next day's test. As she completed the thought,
  she opened her eyes again to find that the transformation oc·
  curred!
  This time she was in command of the new form. As Kalkin,
  she drifted through the night air above the city, flying through
  buildings and streels. She eventually returned 10 her donn room
  and auemplcd to become Bhanu again. The transformation was
  instantaneous. She was 100 exciled and exhausted to study, so
  she went to bed ... and still did well on the exam.
  Bhanu knew that the mere presence of Kalkin would cause
  evil men (Hindus, anyway) to rethink their ways. So Bhanu
  wandered the Strccts of Dclhi searching for sacrilege and injus-
  tice. When she fowld it, she transfomlcd into Kalkin and com-
  nlatlded the offenders to SlOp. It always worked.
  Unfonunately, this practice had other consequences. People
  would mob her as they strove to touch an avatar of Vishnu. A
  few wcll·intentioned people had already discovered Bhanu and
  Kalkin were one and the same; it wasjust a mailer of time before
  others found out as well.
  In an allempt to continue her education and lead a more nor-
  mal life, Bhanu left India to study computer science at the
  University of California, San Diego. She did spectacularly well,
  eventually graduating magna cum laude.
  She refrained from becoming Kalkin in public, though at
  home she assumed Kalkin's form because she enjoyed it. As she
  studied, she discovered another talent: by touching a computer,
  she could directly sense its "thoughts." Even bener, she could
  transmit her own ideas directly to the processor, suoconsciously
  programming at the speed of thought.
  This seemed a strange ability for a Hindu goddess to JXlssess,
  but it did aid her in her carccr choice. Bhauu reasoned she would
  be unable to keep her' 'e1ectrotclepathy" a secret if she went to
  work for a computer company, so she went into business as a
  private computer consultant.
  A little research revealed Houston as a promising location for
  her new business. Becoming successful proved only as difficult
  as getting her first diem -
  once this was accomplished she
  found word-of-mouth was all the advenising she needed.
  After three years, Bhanu began to miss helping people. She
  cut back her consulling work and signed up with the new Supcr-
  temps branch in Houston, where she works pan lime in the
  Guardian Division.
  Campaign Role
  Bhanu may be familiar to computer science students who
  studied at the same university. Pes who once lived in Delhi may
  have heard rumors of a Hindu goddess, a.nd might have even
  sighted Kalkin once before.
  But the greatest possibility for interaction comes from her
  small consultation company. Texas businesses will have heard
  of her phenomenal professional record. Computer security ex-
  pens throughout the nation (including Watchdog, p. 60) will
  also be aware of Miss Srinivasthari.
  Kalkin can be used for adventures into the electronic world of
  computers and information networks. See the Introduction, p. 5.
  for an idea.
  Personality
  Bhanll maintains her Hindu beliefs. She is a stricl vegetarian,
  dresses in saris almost exclusively, wears a small red dot on her
  forehead and drinks no alcohol. Finally, she pcrfomlS or auends
  a puja rimal at least once a week.
  Abilities
  Bhanu is able to transform into Kalkin with a simple thought.
  The transfom13.tioo alters her body as well as her costume.
  Kalkin is best known for ber ability to fly, albeil slowly, and
  10 become insubstantial. However, her greatest ability is that of
  linking her mind to the processor of a computer. Ooee this
  connection is established, she can interpret a computer's
  memory as easily as her own.
  In addition to simply sending and receiving information,
  Kalkin can program a computer through her Telccontrol skill.
  She can search computer networks for a specific node (Teles-
  can), temporarily disrupt a processor's functioning (Mental
  Blow), erase memory (Mindwipe), falsify peripheral inpul (Il-
  lusion), and remove evidence of her aClions (Erase Signature).
  All of these abilities require that Kalkin be in some sort of direct
  contact with the subjecl, though a terminal will suffice. Kalkin
  can transpon her consciousness along communications lines,
  usually in order to reach a distant computer.
  The metahuman qualities thai defend her from hostile
  electronic feedback also protect her from conventional psionic
  auacks. She is unable to use ber telepathy on hunlatls, but at-
  tempting to do so usually sums the victim.
  Battle Tactics
  Kalkin is not equipped for skirmishes between supers. Since
  there is no reason not to become insubstantial at the first sign of
  trouble -
  013.ybe even earlier -
  she won't hesitate to do so.
  As long as her ghOStly state insures her safety, Kalkin will not
  involve herself in a fray. Instead, she will tap into some com-
  puter in an attempt to gain information that may tum the tide of
  the baltle. In cases where her own well-being is threalened, or
  when no computer is accessible, Kalkin will go on the offensive,
  using her Confuse skill.
  -37-
  Characlers
  
  ST 7S (216 points)
  IQ II (10 points)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 6.00
  Move: 5
  Damage: Punch 8<1+3; Thrust8d+2; Swing IOd+2
  Appearance: Male human, black, age 17, 6' 3", 375 Ibs.,
  Arscni.o Hall-like haircut, green eyes, very handsome, shiny,
  metallic skin.
  Point Total: 500
  Adl'antages:
  Common Sense (10 points)
  Handsome (15 points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 points)
  Patron: Supenemps on 6 or less (15 points)
  Reputation +2 (10 points)
  Strong Will + 2 (8 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Code of HOllar: Hero's (-IS points)
  Duty: Supenemps on 9 or less (-5 points)
  Enemy: Various criminal groups on 9 or less (-30 points)
  Honcsty (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot baml innocents (-10 points)
  Sense of Duty: To humanity (-15 points)
  Youth (-4 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Body of Metal x 15 (120 points)
  Damage Resistance + 16 (80 points)
  Damage Resistance +6 vs. metal (24 points)
  Increased Density x2 (20 points)
  Super Disadvantage:
  Dependency: Metal, weekly (-10 points)
  Skills:
  Area Knowledge (Atlanta)-ll (I point); Bard-13 (6 points);
  Bicycling-12 (I point); Brawling-IS (8 points); Dancing-13 (2
  points); Diplomacy-IO (2 points); First Aid-II (I point); Judo-
  11 (2 points); Leadership-IO (I point); Streetwise-IO (I point);
  Tactics-9 (I point)
  Quirks:
  Chews nails -
  literally! -
  when angry
  Anends cburch every Sunday (devout Baptist)
  Tolerant of others, to a point
  Takes the responsibility of being a role model seriously
  Tired of being asked if he likes "heavy mctal" music (he
  hears the joke several times each week)
  Story
  Stan Andrews, like most ministers' children, gOl into his
  share of trouble. Luckily, he also gained a strong sense of right
  and wrong from his father. The combination of the two made
  Stan a popular figure at school; he wasn't above "cuning up,"
  but he never did anything mean or malicious.
  The members of Stan's group changed over the years, but he
  was always the center. He was well-liked even among those who
  weren't in his circle of friends, and in his freshman year of high
  school he was elected class presidellt. He seemed to be dcstined
  to be a leader.
  Late one summer's day, Stan was riding his bike ncar some
  railroad tracks when he spotted a fomler member of his group
  tallcing to two strangers. As he watched, it became clear that he
  was witnessing a drug deal. When he tried to break up the buy,
  his friend staned running -
  and the dealer pulled out a gun and
  fired into Stan's chesl.
  As the assailant ran for his car. a passenger train rounded me
  bend. The passengers, including Harvey Banks (see p. SSIS),
  saw Stan clutch his chest and then start to change. His skin took
  00 the look and feel of metal. He stood and leaped toward the
  gunman's car. The pusher shot Stan six more times; the bullets
  bounced off hamllessly. Stan ripped the door off the man's car,
  pulled him out ... and realized that with his increased strength,
  if he hit the man, he would almost certainly kill him.
  Stan delivered the man to the police, and agreed to cooperate
  with them in the subsequent investigation. The pusher agreed to
  fUm state's evidence in return for a lighter sentence, but was
  killed before he could testify.
  Stan had to make some adjustments. He didn't know what he
  was going to do next; be bad no idea how, or whether, he could
  change back from his metallic form, and doubted he would be
  able to fit into society unless he could change back. In addilion,
  he fOlllld he needed to supplement his normal diet with various
  Characters
  -38-
  
  he found he needed to supplement his normal diet with various
  kinds of metal in order to survive. He carries a supply of nails,
  but doesn't like most over-the-counter iron supplements because
  of their high alcohol content.
  Finally, he had a feeling that God had given him his powers
  for some reason. His father believed this as well, and suggested
  that he sign up with Supertemps. Stan agreed, on the condition
  that he could continue his education. Atlanta's Supenemps of-
  fice already had sufficient metahuman resources, but a newly
  formed Defense Squad in Birmingham, Alabama, was looking
  for a brick -
  and the squad leader, known as the Poet, was an
  accredited teacher and would be willing to help Stan obtain a
  GED degree.
  It sounded perfect. The Poet was a nice fellow and treated
  Stan well, but the other members of the team were standoffish.
  Stan felt he was being observed a little too closely, but he wasn't
  cenain why.
  One evening, Stan overheard the tail end of a conversation
  between the Poet and another squad member. He couldn't be
  sure, but it sounded very much as if they were discussing the
  division of a payoff from a local underworld figure! If true, this
  would be very serious; no Defense Squad had ever been on the
  take before, and Supenemps, concerned about its public image,
  would consider the matter very serious.
  The next weekend, he went to visit his father for advice.
  Stan's father told him he had twO choices: leave the team and say
  nothing, or stay with them and try to leam more. The latter
  course was more difficult (and dangerous) but Stan believed he
  had no choice. He contacted Supertemps headquarters, ex-
  plained the situation, and was deputized to work undercover.
  Stan began paying more attention to his teammates' off-duty
  activilies. He "loosened up" a lillie, pretending his earlier
  reticence was due to inexperience and unfamiliar surroundings.
  As a result, the squad began to warm up to him.
  The Poet gradually cut Sian in on the lake. He stayed Imder-
  cover for a month, tracing the payments back to organized crime
  and a group of metallUman criminals. He finally called in the
  police when told that the group was supposed to "look the other
  way" during a planned bank robbery.
  The situation created quite a stir when it hit the news; it made
  Stan something of a celebrity. Kid Chrome, aided by the Super-
  temps publicity department, quickly developed into a teen idol.
  He is currently lOuring the country, staying a week or two with
  each Defense Squad while making personal appearances at local
  schools. Stan is very conscious of his status as a role model and
  pUiS up wim the hype because, as he says, "Beller me than
  people like Deathwish." He makes cameo appearances in TV
  shows and music videos, and at least one producer is interested
  in doing The Kid Chrome Story with Sian in the starring role.
  Campaign Role
  Kid Chrome travels constantly, and could team lip with any
  Defense Squad. Characters with connections in the entertain-
  ment industry could rub shoulders with the Kid.
  He's made several enemies in organized crime (nol to men-
  tion the meta-villains he's crossed!), and there's a price on his
  hcad. Investigative heroes may learn about a plot to collect the
  bounty, leading the PCs to come to his aid.
  Personality
  Somehow, Kid Chrome manages to be positive, upbeat, a
  practicing Christian and an all-around nice guy (the adjective
  "squeaky-elean" has sometimes been used) with not even a hint
  of insincerity or cynicism. The Stan Andrews people see in front
  of the camera is the same Stan Andrews they meet on the street.
  Stan is a devout Baptist, attending services every Sunday. He
  views his metahuman powers as neither a curse or a blessing;
  they're just a tool God has given him to help his fellow men.
  The Kid is very tolerant (which sometimes surprises those
  who don't know him), but this tolerance does not extend to drug
  dealers.
  Abilities
  Kid Chrome's body is composed of a metallic substance of
  unknown composition. He is heavier and far stronger than a
  nonnal human of his age. He is also resistant to most forms of
  attack, particularly if metal-based. Stan must eat about a quarter-
  pound of metal each week, in addition to a regular diet; other·
  wise he begins to feel ill. He doesn't know if a lack of metal will
  cause him to die, but he's not anxious to fmd out.
  Battle Tactics
  The Kid has DOt followed any special tactical plan in the past;
  he just finds a suitable opponent and charges. He will pull his
  punches unless he knows his opponent can take their full force.
  If acting under a team leader, Kid Chrome will attempt to follow
  orders to the letter. He recently acquired a copy of Sam
  Mitchell's The Metahuman in Combat (sec Watchdog, p. 60)
  and is trying to put its principles into action.
  Adventure Seed: Not A Happy Camper
  During the sUDuner, Kid Chrome keeps himselfbusy by visit-
  ing youth camps and retreats. The kids love him -
  twelve of
  them can wrestle him at a time, and he tells bener ghost stories
  than most of me regular counselors.
  On a particular Sanlrday afternoon, Stan is at Camp Sha-
  monaway in the Adirondacks. The camp is right next to a great
  swimming hole (not that Stan can swim -
  he doesn't have any
  body fat, and can't float!), a forest that has lots of hiking trails,
  and (best of all!) is across the lake from a girls' camp.
  It's also very close to a hunting camp owned by an extremist
  group (it doesn't matter which one; choose one that fits your
  campaign). The members of this group come up to get away
  from the city to shoot at each other with paint-pellet ammuni~
  tion. (The gUllS use compressed gas and don't make enough
  noise to be heard across me lake.) Of course, they also have
  "hunting" equipment such as MIOs, MI6s and Claymore anti-
  personnel mines stowed away in the cabin - just in case.
  While Stan is at the camp. the extremists are playing soldier,
  shooting away al each other -
  when a rival group of extremists
  drives into the camp, guns blazing. They knew tbe first group
  would be here and intend to take them out, once and for all.
  Of course, the first group will abandon their paint guns, run
  10 their weapons stash and start shooting back. At the same, time
  the sound of gunfire will carry across the lake.
  Kid Chrome, of course, will get the kids 10 safety and call to
  New York for help. In the time it takes the Defense Squad to get
  to the camp, the fighting will have spilled over to the edges of
  both of the youth camps (but no farther). The heroes' mission is
  to get the kids to safety and to stop the fighting -
  preferably by
  incarcerating the extremists.
  Power Variation
  25D-point version: Lower ST to 33; lower DX 10 11; lower
  HT to II; lower Handsome to Attractive; drop Reputation;
  lower Strong Will to + I; lower Increased Density to xl; lower
  Body of Metal to x9; lower Damage Resistance vs. metal to
  +3; lower Damage Resistance 10 +6; lower Dancing skill level
  to 12.
  -39-
  Characters
  
  ST 13 (30 points)
  IQ 12 (20 points)
  DX 14 (45 points)
  HT 15 (60 poinlS)
  Speed: 7.25
  Move: 9
  Damage: Laser 6d-2 imp; Punch Id-I/3d-I; Thrust Id/3d;
  Swing Id+3/5d+2
  Appearance: Male human, Amerindian, age 25, 8' 2", 320
  Ibs., slick black hair falls loose on his shoulders, brown eyes,
  dark, ruddy skin (tums bright red in sunlight).
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Absolutc Direction (5 points)
  Acute Vision +3 (6 points)
  Attractive (5 points)
  Combat Reflexes (15 points)
  Comfortable Wealth (to points)
  High Pain Threshold (to points)
  Patron: Supcrtemps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Bad Temper (- to points)
  Code of Honor: Never strikes the first blow, never attacks
  from behind (-to points)
  Compulsive Behavior: Gambling (-10 points)
  Duty: Supertemps on 12 or less HO points)
  Gigantism (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot harm innocents (-10 points)
  Sense of Duty: To friends and teammates (-5 points)
  Unluckiness (-10 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Damage Resistance +5 (Only in sunlight -3; 18 points)
  Enhanced ST + 17 (Only in sunlight -3; 67 points)
  Super Disadvantages:
  Dependency: Sunlight, daily (-IS points)
  Vulnerability: ld vs. Light auacks (-to points)
  Powers and Super-Skills:
  Darkness Power 4 (28 points)
  Blind-14 (12 points)
  Create Darkness-t4 Oncreased Areax2 +8; Variable
  light level + J.. 48 points)
  Light Power 8 (64 points)
  Flash-13 (8 poinlS)
  lIJuminate-14 (Increased Area +4; Variable light level
  + J; 32 points)
  Laser-16 (No Concentration + 2; 28 points)
  • Light Power +7 (Laser, 42 points)
  Skills:
  Bow-13 (2 points); Brawling-IS (2 points); Carousing-IS (2
  points); Driving (Car)-12 (1.-2 point); Garnbling-12 (2 points);
  Guns (Pistol)-18 (2 points); Pcrformance-to (1.-2 point); Run-
  ning-14 (2 points); Sex Appeal-IS (2 points); Shadowing-12 (2
  points); Sport (Surfing)-13 (I point); Steahh-14 (2 poinlS); Sur-
  vival (Urban)-12 (2 points)
  Quirks:
  Calls Alpha-7 "Alphonse" -
  helps him fmd flashy clothes
  Likes horse racing but ncver bets more than $2 on a race
  Visits Disneyland every chanee he gets
  Goes surfing every Saturday
  Fast foodjunkie (especially likes Taco BeU'")
  Slory
  William Raintree grew up on the wrong side of town. In a
  culturally and racially diverse section of southeast Los Angeles,
  he learned more lessons on the street than in the classroom.
  Under the best of conditions Billy was an indifferent student.
  He was never well, though; he always seemed to have a cough,
  or a cold, or both. The clinics his mother reluctantly look him to
  just gave him a few pills. The medicine helped while it lasted,
  but that was never loog enough.
  Billy skipped a lot of school due to his illness. His mother
  was indifferent; she bad only gone to school through the sixth
  grade and felt that education had never done anything for anyone
  she knew. When he went to school, he was so far behind that he
  was constantly embarrassed. He was growing much fastcr than
  his peers, and the othet kids constanlly called him a big, ugly
  idiot. Finally, ODe day when a teacher took him to task for nOI
  knowing what "parallel" meant, he left the school and never
  went back.
  Characters
  -40-
  
  He started roaming the streets, eventually joining a gang
  called the Talons. He was out in the fresh air and his health
  improved greatly. And he started to changc; his skin became
  tough and red, and when he was out in the sun it glowed.
  Billy also became stronger. Whcn his skin started glowing.
  he found hc was stronger than any of the members of the gang-
  even Guillermo (who was seven years older, six inches taller and
  weighed 100 pounds more than he did).
  Eddie, the Talons' leadcr, sensed that Billy wanted to take
  control of thc Talons. One day when the gang was meeting
  indoors, Eddie madc his move. He said Billy was a metahuman,
  a freak, and there wcre gangs in L.A. that would lake freaks but
  the Talons weren't onc of them. As he said this, four of Eddie's
  supporters pulled knives and turned them on Billy.
  Suddenly the room wcnt dark. When the lights wcnt up again,
  Billy was nowhere to be seen. He had dimmed the light in thc
  room and escaped.
  Billy went back to wandering the street. The next day, quitc
  by accident, he stumbled upon a film crew packing up to leave.
  He asked a bystander what was going on; the bystander replied
  that he wasn't sure, but had heard somcthing about the lighting
  being too bright. Billy found the director and asked if the scene
  needed to be darker. Whcn the director didn't reply Billy used
  his power to darken the area and asked again.
  The director looked up at Raintree, then at the dimmed area,
  and watched as the light returned and then dimmed again, his
  gaze finally settling on Billy's smile. Then he picked up a
  megaphone and ordered the crew back to work, and told his
  assistant to start the paperwork to hire the guy with the red skin.
  Raintree knew nothing about filming, but learned quickly as
  the director explained the moods and lighting he wanted. At the
  end of the day Billy had a substantial amount of money in his
  pocket and a finn job offer with the director.
  Billy took an apartment near the studio and sent some money
  to his mother (thus confirming her estimate of the value of
  education). The director did most of his lighting the old-
  fashioned way, using Billy for special shots. This left him with
  a lot of time on his hands, so to alleviate boredom he would
  often help the crew hands move equipment. As long as he was
  careful to stay in the sunlight he could lift a ton or more.
  He enjoyed his work and the money, but felt that with his
  talents he could do more. In particular, he thought he'd like to
  be a stunt man but didn't know who to talk to. He didn't know
  how to find a good agent, and didn't think a traditional agent
  would be able to manage a metahuman client. Over a round of
  beers one evening, a friend suggested he contact Superternps.
  Billy had only heard of the company's Defense Squads, but his
  friend assured him that they also specialized in finding
  "nornlal" work for mctahumans.
  Sure enough, Supertemps was interested in him. As soon as
  his original contract with the studio expired he signed on, took
  the trade name of "Luminar" and went to work.
  As part of his evaluation, Luminar underwent the standard
  battery of tests and discovered that he had an ability he had not
  known aboul -
  he could focus light into a powerful laser. Su-
  pertemps offered to train him in the use of this weapon in return
  for occasional Guardian Division jobs. He readily agreed.
  Luminar is currently on leave from the Industrial Division;
  he was sent to form a new Defense Squad in San Diego with
  Alpha-7 (see p. 8). The big Indian and the shiny robot are an
  unlikely pair, though they've become good friends and effective
  teammates.
  Campaign Role
  Since Luminar grew up in a crime-tom section of town, PCs
  with similar backgrounds may have crossed paths with him.
  Former police officers and heroes with long careers may have
  patrolled the neighborhoods Luminar frequented.
  Virtually everyone in the motion picrure industry knows of
  his involvement there. He served as a stunt man in several
  movies and even had a bit pan in a forgettable film.
  PersonaJiJy
  Raintree is more like an average citizen than an average hero.
  He looks out for number one, and treats his duty like a job. Of
  course, the responsibilities of that job include risking his life.
  He can become violently angry when fnlstrated, but would
  never lift a finger to harm an innocent person. He also possesses
  a self-sacrificing sense of honor; he will always wait for his
  opponenl to strike first, and never allacks from behind.
  Abilities
  Luminar controls and manipulates light. Within his area of
  effect be can raise or lower the ambient light level, from pitch
  darkness all the way to painfully bright. Each level of the In-
  creased Area enhancement (+4 levels) doubles the Area Af-
  feeted radius; thus, Luminar commands an 8-hex radius area
  with his powers.
  Instead of gradually allering the light level, Luminar may
  "pulse" a large quantity of light, producing a blinding flash.
  Also, he may remove all light from a particular location, such
  the area about an opponent's head, rendering that opponent tem-
  porarily blind.
  Luminar's most direct use of his powers is to channel light
  into a tightly focused beam -
  a laser. For aiming purposes he
  usually creates the beam from the tip of his left index finger.
  In the presence of sunlight, Luminar's skin becomes bright
  red. More importanl, he also gains resistance to danlage and
  great strength. Without exposure to the sun's rays, Luminar will
  weaken, become sick, and eventually die. The relationship be-
  tween his powers and swl1ight dependency is not yet understood.
  Battle Tactics
  Luminar will wear his costume (reinforced with Kevlar)
  when on patrol or when called to the scene of a crime. In a battle
  he will move toward any available sunlight, probably bringing
  the ruckus with him.
  tn most instances, Luminar has relied on his fingertip laser
  beam, blasting opponents while dodging their return fire. How-
  ever, his teamnlate Alpha-7 has suggested using the illumination
  powers to confuse their foes. Luminar does this occasionally but
  he can't see through the darkness either, so he uses it sparingly.
  Power VtJT'imions
  25o-point ~rsion: Lowcr ST to II; lower OX to 12; lower
  HT to 13; drop Combat Reflexes; drop Comfortable Wealth;
  drop Enhanced ST; drop ODe Increased Area enhancement from
  Create Darkness and IIIum.inate skills; drop No Concentration
  enhancement from Laser skill; lower Laser skill level to 14;
  drop additional Laser Power; lower Driving (Car) skill level to
  II; lower Running skill level to 10; drop Shadowing skill.
  75O-point version: Add Night Vision; raise Enhanced ST to
  +37; drop Vulnerability; raise Darkness Power to 8; add two
  Increased Area enhancements to Create Darkness and three to
  Illuminate skill; raise. Light Power (Laser) to + 18; raise
  Brawling skill level to 16; raise Carousing skill level to 16.
  -41-
  Characters
  
  ~YKX
  Sf 9 (-10 points)
  IQ 12 (20 points)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT 11 (10 points)
  Speed: 5.75
  Move: 5
  Damage: Thrusl Id-2; Swing Id-I
  Appearance: Female buman, while, age 16, 5' 6". 105 Ibs.,
  long, black hair, brown eyes.
  Poinl Total: 475
  Advantages:
  Animal Empathy (S points)
  Charisma +3 (IS points)
  Empathy (J 5 poiOls)
  Palron: SUj)Cncmps on 6 or less (IS points)
  Voice (10 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Abseol-Mindcdness (-15 points)
  Duty: Supenemps on 9 or less (-5 points)
  Honesty (-10 poims)
  Impulsiveness (-10 poinlS)
  Paciftsm: Self-defense only (-IS points)
  Phobia (Mild): Crowds (-15 points)
  Sense of Duty: Every living being (-20 points)
  Shyness (-10 points)
  Truthfulness (-5 pointS)
  Super Advantages:
  lnfT3vision (IS points)
  Speak with Animal (25 poims)
  Powers and Supe".Skills:
  Body Conlrol Power 10 (60 points)
  Damage Control-IS (36 points)
  Healing-IS (Self only -2; 28 points)
  Metabolism Control- t8 (36 points)
  NalUre Power 6 (30 points)
  Animal Comrol-18 (No Obvious Effeci +3; Only to
  soolbe .3; 36 points)
  Sonic Power I (5 points)
  Mimicry·18 (No Concentralion +2; 44 points)
  Telepathy Power 7 (35 points)
  SuggesH8 (No Concentralion +2; No Obvious Effect
  +3; Reduced Fatigue Cost +4; Only 10 soothe ·3; 60 points)
  Skills:
  Animal Handling·20 (20 points); Climbing-13 (4 points);
  First Aid·l) (4 points); Naruralist·17 (14 points); Riding·IS (16
  poims); Survival (Woods)·IS (8 points); Tracking-IS (8
  points); Veterinary· IS (0 points, from Animal Handling)
  (b4irks:
  Uncomfortable during full moons
  Likes the taste of diet soda
  Hates wearing shoes
  Vegetarian
  Doesn't like hunters who don't use whal they kill
  Story
  Betty Smith was born and raised in eastern Idaho, ncar Yel-
  lowstone Park and the Grand Telons. Her father was a forest
  ranger, and her molber a zoologisl, so Belly was always sur-
  rounded by the outdoors and its inhabilants -
  which suiled her
  just fine, since she could speak 10 most animals.
  Betty found she was able to talk 10 animals as soon as she
  could speak. She quickly made friends with most of the neigh-
  borhood fauna. She gOt along particularly well with dogs, and
  she liked birds, but found their conversational skills limiled.
  Of course her parents didn'l believe her. When Betty was
  liule they wrote her stories off as childhood play, but as she
  grew older they became worried and look her to a child
  psychologist. AI this poinl, Betty realized thai her ability was
  something unusual and best not spoken of, SO she pretended to
  be "cured."
  Betty continued to inlcract with the various crealures around
  her home, but in sccrel. Her relationship with her parents be-
  came somewhat slrained as a result, due to ber sneaking around.
  There was no real hostility, bUI BellY'S parents could sense she
  was shutting them out in pan. And il hun them.
  Most of Ihe kids at school thought BellY was "weird" when
  asked. They couldn'l say why Ihey (hought she was weird, but
  she was. As a result, Belty had few human friends and spenl
  more and more lime conversing with her animal friends.
  Characters
  -42-
  
  Beny's mother died when Betty was twelve. Her death had a
  profound impact on Betty and her father; he took it especially
  hard and, unable to deal with his own grief, could not console
  Betty. She turned to her animal friends, but for the most part
  they just accepted death as "something that happens" and could
  not understand why Betty was so deeply affected.
  One day Betty was talking to the family dog and her father
  noticed. Normally she would have beard bim coming and
  stopped, but at that moment she was too upset. In his grief, her
  famer berated her for being crazy and talk..ing to me dog. She ran
  away in tears. Later he regretted what he had said and went to
  apologize, but Betty was nowhere to be found. She had decided
  to go as deep into me forest as she could.
  Betty had learned survival skills from her parents, and her
  animal friends would help her as well. A search party went
  looking for her, but she easily eluded them. After Betty had been
  in the forest for three weeks, she stumbled across a sick,
  wounded bear. It threatened to attack her; she tried to reason
  with it, but in its pain it saw ber as an enemy and charged.
  In a last-ditch effort to save herself, Betty shouted to the bear
  to stop. As she did, she felt something strange happen to her
  voice, and a wave of sensation passed through her entire body.
  The bear stopped and she continued to speak: to it, dropping back
  into a soothing tone. Its panic and fear seemed to slowly melt
  away. Betty walked up to the animal and began stroking the
  coarse fur, continuing to calm the beast. Soon me bear relaxed
  completely and was asleep. Betty then tended to its wounds as
  best she could.
  Tbe bear was badly wounded and she had no idea how much
  longer it would sleep. Still, she decided to try to get aid for it.
  She hiked to the nearest ranger station and told him what had
  happened. The ranger was a family friend and insisted on ealling
  her father; she told them to meet her at the bear's location.
  They hiked back to find me bear, and Betty's father met them
  en route. The reunion was overshadowed by the matter at hand
  as Betty described the bear's condition. As they approached, it
  was still asleep, but when it heard them it woke up and snarled,
  ready for attack. The men reaehed for their guns, but Betty got
  between them and the bear. The rangers then watched in amaze·
  ment as Betty ealmed the beast down again. She stayed with it
  until it could be moved to a veterinarian.
  After the incident, Betty's father apologized and asked her to
  return home.Their reunion was strained at first, but gradually he
  eame to accept that bis daughter aChl3.lIy could talk with ani-
  mals. Eventually they grew closer than they had ever been.
  As Betty entercdjunior high school, she tried to shed some of
  her reputation for' 'weirdness." She made an effort to get along
  with people and made a few friends. Still, she missed ber
  mother. She also started to help her dad with his work -
  he
  found that having someone who could speak directly with the
  forest's inhabitants made certain pans of his job much easier!
  Still, Betty was considered something of a curiosity. Her
  story appeared in area newspapers, and a TV "reality show" did
  a four-minute piece on her. Then the novelty faded. and she
  went back to leading a fairly normal life . . . until two years
  later, when she helped solve the Osgood murders.
  The Osgoods were a prominent local family. One night,
  someone broke into their bouse and murdered all five of them.
  The only survivors were family pets: a dog, a cat and a parakeet.
  Police couJd find no coherent clues, but a delective investigating
  the case remembered reading about "the girl who talks to
  animals." He decided to ask if she would help. She agreed, and
  by questioning the animals was able to give the police a thorough
  description of the killer. The animals' testimony, though it
  would not be admissible in court, helped the police make sense
  of clues they had uncovered and eventually led to the arrest of
  the k..iller and his conviction on five counts of murder.
  As news of the case spread, people began to treat Betty's
  talent as more than a curiosity. Offers for her scrvices began to
  stream in -
  many more than she could handle. She decided the
  easiest way to screen the offers would be to work through Supcr-
  temps, so she regislered with their nearest office (in Salt Lake
  City!) as the "Lynx."
  Betty is still going 10 school, so she can't work fuji-time, but
  she does take cases she minks are important. She doesn't plan to
  make a career as a super; she would rather be a forest ranger or
  veterinarian, but hasn't yet decided which she prefers.
  Campaign Role
  Lynx could show up in any adventure involving animals.
  Characters who need to track someone or something through the
  wilderness may meet, or even hire, Lyru:.
  Personality
  Betty Smith is a nonnal. happy teenager. She is a bit shy,
  however. Her mannerisms and modes of speech are a bit un-
  usual, as she has adopted some perspectives and attitudes of the
  animal kingdom. She actively dislikes those who hunt for sport,
  though she accepts hunters who actually eal what they kill.
  Abilities
  Lynx is able 10 communicate with most animals. The degree
  of interaction depends on the creature's intelligence and disposi-
  tion. She doesn't necessarily get along with every animal she
  meets, however; for instance, despite her name, she isn't terri-
  bly fond of most cats -
  she finds them distastefully arrogant.
  She nearly always likes birds, however -
  even birds of prey.
  She is also able 10 calm animals and humans by talking to
  them. There is something about her voice which is naturally
  soothing to the ear.
  Baltle Taclics
  Lynx will use her calming power against any potential
  threats. If this doesn't work, she will try to nul. though at that
  point it might be tOO late. Animals in the area may come to her
  aid, but she would never ask them to risk their lives for her
  benefit. She will never endanger animals intentionally.
  Adventure Seed: He's Back
  Will Garfield was a model prisoner at the Idaho State Peniten-
  tiary; he kept his nose clean, did as he was told and read vora-
  ciously. After he'd served a year of his sentence, he was
  transferred to a minimum-security farm -
  and promptly es-
  caped. He was never found and remains at large.
  Shortly after he escaped, Betty Smith began receiving
  threatening letters. They were unsigned, and she didn't know for
  sure who they were from, but she could guess -
  Will Garfield,
  the man she helped send to prison for me Osgood murders.
  Betty reached the last straw when sbe found another threaten·
  ing note stuck to her door with a knife -
  and a bird impaled on
  the knife as well. She has called Supertemps and asked for a
  Defense Squad to help the police find Garfield.
  Garfield is psychotic, but not stupid; he has been following
  Betty's career and knows she can get infom13tion from animals.
  He has been very careful to stay hidden except when delivering
  his notes; even then he disguises himself. He doesn't plan to
  leave any more notes; he is waiting to get Betty alone so he can
  kill her, but he wants her to suffer first.
  -43-
  Characters
  
  NUCLEUS
  ST to (0 points)
  IQ 15 (60 points)
  DX 10 (0 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 5.50
  Move: .5 (10 flying)
  Damage: Flame Jet 3<1+3; Fireball 7d; Thrust Id-2; Swing
  Id
  Appearance: Male human. Mediterranean, age 31, 05' 7".
  145 Ibs., black hair, brown eyes, dark complexion.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Mathematical Ability (10 points)
  Patron: Supencmps on 9 or Jess (30 points)
  Reputation: +2 as noted nuclear physicist (10 points)
  Wealthy (20 poinls)
  Disadvantages:
  Duty: Supertcmps OIl 12 or less (-to points)
  Enemy: TRADE on 6 or less (-IS points)
  Odious Personal Habit: Constantly usesobtuse,lcchnicaljar-
  goo (-5 points)
  Secret: Identity (-10 points)
  Secret: Won', reveal his discoveries (-5 points)
  Snlbbornness (-5 points)
  Super Disad)'anlage:
  Vulnerability: 4d from Elecuical auacks (-40 points)
  Super Equipment:
  Nanosuit (Breakable: DR IS, HP 75 -J5%; Can Be Hit at-2
  ·20%; 411 points)
  Cosrume (Affects Olbers +4; Wallx2 +6)
  Damage Resistance + 105
  Flight (Affects Others +4; Wallx2 +6; Only when shrunk
  .1)
  Invulnerability (Very Rare): His own e:tplosions (Affects
  Others +4; Wallx2 +6)
  Shrinkingx 10 (Affects Others +4; Wallx2 +6)
  HeatlFire Power 3
  Fireball-16 (Explosive Effect +3; Only when shrunk ./;
  Touch Only ·2)
  Flame Jet·16 (Only when shrunk·1)
  • HeatlFire Power + 10 (Fireball)
  Skills:
  Area Knowledge (PboenixH6 (2 points); Area Knowledge
  (Southern Califomia)-15 (I point); Battlesuit-14 (I point);
  Brawling-It (2 poin[S); Chemistry·16 (4 points); Computer
  Operatioo·14 (~point); Computer Programming·13 (I point);
  Demolilion-14 (I point); Electronics (Computers)·13 (I point);
  Engineer (Battlesuit)-I4 (2 points); Guns (Revolver}-13 (2
  points); Guns (Sbotgun)-12 (I point); Leadership-13 (~point);
  Mathematics-I3 (I point); Musical Instrument (PianoH4 (2
  points); Physics-15 (4 points); Piloting (Single engine propH I
  (4 points); Research-I5 (2 points); Writing-I4 (I point)
  Quirks:
  Impatient with others
  Looking for a woman he can consider his intellectual equal
  Hangs arOWld with Skylord
  Always has to have the newest, fastest computer hardware
  Plays ragtime piano to relax
  Story
  Vincent Kyriakedos was always demanding of everybody -
  especially himself. He excelled in school, from first-grade math-
  ematics to high·school logic COUTSCS. Even if he hadn't been a
  genius, Vincent was so drj~n to succeed that be never failed.
  That drive distanced him from other students, who inevitably
  found Vincent haughty, blunt and overly competitive.
  Though he was rather small in build, even football players
  made sure to stay out of Vincent's way. If he got into a fight be
  usually won, but even when be didn't, his opponent always
  regretted the encounter.
  Vincent received full scholarship offers from allover the
  country; he chose to go to Harvard, where he maintained -
  possibly even amplified -
  his eccentric personality. After ob-
  taining his bachelor's and master's degrees in chemistry, he
  moved to MIT to work 011 his doctorate. His research advisor
  there was an older professor who was rapidly approaching
  retircment. He was just marking time, and didn't investigate or
  Characters
  -44-
  
  panicipate in Vincent's research -
  he was content to sign
  aulborization forms whenever they crossed his desk, which was
  precisely what Vincent wanted.
  The idea for his experiments came from a footnote he dis·
  covered in an obscure paper on particle physics. Vincent's cal-
  culations indicated that the scale of any object placed within a
  particular energy field (that he would develop) would decrease
  dramatically. TIlat meant that objects could be miniaturized to
  molecular or suJ>.molecular sizes!
  Test specimens placed within the nanofield (as be called
  it), including his pet cat, survived the experience, so Vincent
  began the next phase of his project: construction of a Mnosuit
  that would generate the shrinking field. The hard part (generat-
  ing the nanofield) had already been done, so the nanosuit was
  quickly completed. Of course he would not allow anyone but
  himself to test the suit; he put it on, started the field and became
  the first human to meet a molecule face to face.
  After thorough testing and documentation, Vincent built a
  spare suit, then dismantled most of his lab. His preliminary
  research was more than enough to serve as a dissenation and
  attract attention in a technicaljoumaJ, but Vincent felt the world
  wasn't ready for the scientific and economic repercussions of his
  discoveries. The material he did release would spark study in
  this area, and his results would eventually be duplicated, but the
  world would have enougb time to anticipate and prepare for the
  consequences of miniaturization technology. (It took Vincent
  seven years to generate the oanoficld, and he is cenain it will
  take other researchers longer.) Then, by following the progress
  ofnanofield experiments, Vincent could still publish his results
  well ahead of anyone else -
  probably earning a Nobel prize in
  the process.
  Dr. Kyriakedos tried teaching, but quickly lost patience with
  all but the most dedicated students. Rather than face the embar-
  rassment of being asked to resign, Vincent landed ajob with a
  major physical research lab. He contented himself with his day·
  to-day duties, then tested and improved his nanosuit in the even·
  ings.
  He also joined Dr. Amos Tolnin's fledgling STAR organiza-
  tion (see p. 55). STAR never really gO{ off the ground, and filed
  for bankruptcy within two years. By then Vincent had left to
  pursue another idea. TRADE (see p. SSSO) had recently been in
  the news, and Vincent saw that even though they were on the
  wrong side of the law (not to mention morality), their techniques
  were still valid. He had hypothesized the combat potential of the
  nanosuit, but was more interested in its other uses. Since be was
  by training and temperament a scientist and had no combat ex·
  perience beyond schoolyard fights, be decided to contact the
  expens -
  Supenemps. Within a week, be had two assignments
  from the Industrial Division and one from the Guardian
  Division.
  When his career as the "Nucleus" took off, Vincent got in
  touch with his old friend Amos Tolnin. STAR had gone into
  bankruptcy and Tolnin was having little success as a consultant;
  as sooo as be gO{ the offer, Tolnin packed up and moved to
  Phoenix, where he became Skylord. The two of them are one of
  Supcrtemps' few constant teams.
  Campaign Role
  Vincent Kyriakcdos has never been outgoing or gregarious,
  so it's unlikely that others will have encountered him in his
  normal identity. The exception would be scientists involved in
  suJ>.atomic physics, who may have read his papers or even have
  met him, and those who belonged to or worked with STAR.
  Nucleus, on theothcr hand, is a familiar name to anyone who
  follows Arizona news or metahuman events. With his ability to
  affect others by using the nanofield, he can be a vehicle for
  supers delving into the unknown reaches of inner space.
  Dr. Kyriakedos is still a brilliant chemist and physicist, and
  enjoys challenges. If a player character has an experiment in
  mind, and it sounds sufficiently challenging, Vincent might
  decide to take it on -
  but only if it presented a challenge.
  Routine problems, or problems that aren't sufficiently challeng·
  ing, simply bore him.
  Personality
  Vincent is hard to get along with. He is a "techno-nerd" -
  he can handle intricate scientific details, but has trouble dealing
  with people. Part of the problem is his chronic impatience; he
  finds it SO easy to understand concepts like atomie structure and
  organic chemical reactions, and can't understand why other
  people can't follow his explanations.
  Part of the reason for being Nucleus is to test the nanosuit,
  but not all. Dr. Vincent Kyriakedos's heart is in the right place,
  and he sincerely wanlS to help people.
  AbiliJies
  Nucleus' primary power is the ability to generate an enelosed
  field of energy that shrinks whatever it contains -
  the nanofield.
  The mechanisms that form and control the nanofield are con-
  tained in a special suit. Consequently, activation of the naoosuit
  shrinks Nucleus himself. There is no theoretical limit to reduc-
  tion capability of the nanofield, though Nucleus has never ex·
  plored below the subatomic level.
  When shnmk down to the atomic level, Nucleus "flies" by
  means of elcctrodynamic repulsion. A microprocessor con-
  nected to environment sensors on the nanosuit adjusts the
  nanofield to produce motion in the desired direction.
  Nucleus' primary offensive weapon is atomie explosion. He
  will select an atom, draw it into the nanofield and use a device
  built into his nanosuit to convert the atom into pure energy. By
  manipulating the nanofield, Nucleus can channel the direction
  and energy of the explosion. He has so far been unable to sum-
  mon the energies necessary to split an atom oursilk the nano-
  field.
  Recently Nucleus has discovered a way to extend the nano-
  field beyond the nanosuit a modest distance. This permits him to
  miniaturize others with him, as well as propel the whole group
  using his usual method.
  Battle Tae/us
  Nueleus shrinks before enlering a hostile situation, largely so
  that he can fly to the scene. If any tcanm13.tes are not capable of
  extremely rapid movement, he'll offer to take them with him in
  this manner.
  In combat, he relies on his small size to protect him from
  enemy attacks, though the nanosuit possesses some innate defen-
  ses. Area Affect attacks, especially. pose a defmite threat.
  His most direct offense is the most effective: Nucleus will fly
  directly on top of his opponent and initiate an explosion. He tries
  to avoid including his teammates in the blast, but they arc well-
  advised to look out for themselves.
  Power Variation
  75Q-point w:rsion: Raise OX to II; lower Vulnerability to
  Id; change Breakable gadget limitation to DR 30, HP 90; raise
  HcatlFire Power to 13; lower Research skill level to 14.
  -45-
  Characters
  
  Physician
  ST 10 (0 points)
  IQ 1.5 (60 points)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT 10 (0 points)
  Speed: 5.50
  Move: 5
  Damage: Thrust Id-2; Swing ld
  Appearance: Male human, black, S' 9",205 Ibs., black hair
  (graying al temples), brown eyes, black moustache and beard
  (some gray), wears glasses.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantage:
  Comfonable Wealth (10 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Bad Sight: Nearsighted (-10 points)
  Combat Paralysis (-15 points)
  Enemy: Those who want to use him on 6 or less (-10 points)
  Low Pain Threshold (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Total non-violence (~30 points)
  Sense of Duty: Humanity (-15 points)
  Vow: His life is dedicated to heal the deserving (-10 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Exira Fatigue +30 (Only to heal-I.. 135 points)
  Regrowlh (Affects Others +4; Area Effect +4; Movable
  Area +3; Docs not affect self -3; Only one limb at a lime -I; 68
  points)
  Power and Super-Skill:
  Body Control Power 26 (130 points)
  Healing-25 (Reduced Fatigue Costx5 +20; 132 poinls)
  Ski/Is:
  Computer Operation-IS (I point); Diagnosis-16 (6 points);
  First Aid·16 (2 poinls); Genetics-I3 (I point); Physician-l 6 (6
  points); Research-14 (l point); Savoir-Faire-lS (I point);
  Spanish-I5 (2 points); Surgery-20 (28 points); Teaching-IS (2
  points)
  Quirks:
  Has almost no sense of humor remaining
  Can go 48 hours without sleep
  Impatient with orderlies
  Checks his over·stuffed mailbox once a month
  Goes to the zoo to watch other families
  Story
  James Robinson never wanted to be anything but a doclOr.
  Other children changed their ideas about what they wanted to be
  almost as often as they changed their socks; if you asked James,
  his answer was invariable: "A doctor." Only once did he
  change his mind: at about age t I, he started telling everyone he
  wanted to be "a surgeon."
  James was fascinated by medicine and surgery. By the time he
  was fifteen, he had read every book in the public library on the
  subject and was visiting the college library to read the AMA
  Journal, His parents understood completely; his all-time
  favorite Christmas present was the most recent edition of the
  Physician's Desk. Reference.
  ~-I==I===1
  f
  His family didn't have much money, but they recognized that
  James had the drive to finish his studies, so they set aside a lillie
  money for his college fund. He studied hard to ert<;ure a scholar-
  ship and applied for every grant he could find. He proved to be
  eloquent in his iDlerviews and made an impression witb
  everyone he came in contact with. As a result, he came up with
  enough scholarships and grants to put him through pre-med.
  College was, if anything, easier than high school for James.
  He had never found non-science courses easy, and now he had to
  lake only a minimum of them. By taking extra class loads and
  attending summer school, James finished his undergraduate
  work in less than three years.
  Of course James had no problems getting into medical
  school, and again his progress was stunning. He was studying
  exactly what he wanted to, and immersed bimself totally.
  Several prominent physicians liked what they saw and took
  James under their wing, training him in advanced techniques
  that other students wouldn't even hear about for several years.
  Finally I his long years of work paid off. James received his
  medical degree and was certified as a surgeon. He set up his
  practice, renting an office and hiring a staff -
  and then dis-
  covered that he had been so busy gelting an education for so
  many years that he had almost no social life. He was highly
  successful as a surgeon and was helping others, but he was
  lonely.
  Characters
  -46-
  
  One night after the office closed, James invited his office
  manager, Cynthia, out 10 dinner. He explained his life and
  loneliness to ber and asked if she had any suggestions. "Well,
  yes, Doctor," she said. "I would suggest thaI you rind a nice
  girl, and then maybe take ber out to a restaurant and just talk and
  get to know ber. You might be surprised what could happco. II
  He was about to ask what could happen when be caught the
  twinkle in her eye. They continued to date and were married six
  months later.
  James and Cynthia bad two sons and a daughter over the next
  five years. He was enjoying the part of his life he'd been missing
  over the last few years. They did all the things be felt a family
  should do -
  read stories together, take long walks, go to the
  park. Sometimes they'd close the office for a couple of weeks,
  pile the kids into the car, and go on vacation.
  On one vacation trip, they stopped at a motel in the middle of
  the afternoon. James had a splitting headache and wanted to lie
  down for a while. Cynthia volunteered to take the kids over to
  the restaurant to get something to eat while ber husband got
  some sleep. He kissed her, dropped onto the bed and was just
  about to doze off when be beard the crash. A semi had plowed
  into the Robinsons' car.
  James ran over 10 the scene of the accident, arriving at the
  same time as the ambulance. Two of the children were dead at
  the scene, and Cynthia and one of thcir sons were alive but in
  critical condition. He rode with them in the ambulance to the
  hospital, but was not allowed to enter the operating room.
  He was able to convince the hospilal staff he was a surgeon,
  but hospital rules prohibited a surgeon from operating on mem-
  bers of his own family. Besides, James was distraught and in no
  coodition to work. Frustrated and unhappy, his headache grow·
  ing until it seemed like it would take over his entire body, he
  paced the corridor outside the emergency room, waiting for the
  chaplain or for word on Cynthia and their son.
  As be waited, paramedics brought in another emergency case
  and left the gurney in the hallway while a spot in the emergency
  room could be vacated. The man was in bad shape; he had
  apparently taken a shotgun blast in the chest at close range. One
  of the paramedics said he didn't know what was keeping the man
  alive.
  On an impulse James walked up to the gurney. Before the
  paramedics could stop him, he touched the man on the head and
  arm, and the crippling pain James had felt channeled itself
  through his arms and emerged as a glow which surrounded the
  man. As the paramedics watched, the man's internal organs
  began to knit, the bleeding stopped, his ribcage regenerated and
  skin grew over the wound. Within a minute, the man was com·
  pletely healed.
  James knew this was a manifestation of a metahuman power.
  He turned to attempt to force his way to his wife and son, but as
  he turned, he saw the surgeon in charge emerge from the operat·
  ing room, and the look on his face told James he didn', even
  have to ask. His wife and son were dead.
  The loss, and the knowledge he had had the power 10 save
  them and couldn't, devastated him. Worse, two days later, he
  was watching the news and saw a repon of a hostage situation at
  a nearby fast-food restaurant. The man lcillcd ten people and
  wounded 20 others and James was sick to his stomach 10 find
  that the killer was the man he had healed. Afler his family's
  funeral, he started drinking.
  James turned his practice over to other doctors and regularly
  drank himself into a sfUpor. refusing visitors and only leaving
  his bouse to walk to the liquor Slore. After four mouths, bow·
  ever, be came 10 the cooclusion that living the rest of his life in
  a drunken haze was not going to change the past.
  He spent a week drying out, then threw himself into a new
  project -
  learning everything he could about mctahumans and
  medicine.
  Jamesdcc:ided that he would use his powers to beaI only those
  wbo truly deserved it. Accordingly, be signed up with Super-
  temps as the "Physician. " His announced fee schedule starts at
  Sloo,OOO, but this is mostly to deter curiosity seekers or at least
  to part the fool and his money. He will work for free if be feels
  the circumstances warrant it; as an example, in the name of
  international goodwill he recently toured the site of the M·
  menian earthquake, healing the burned and injured victims
  without charge.
  Campaign Role
  The Physician could be brought in to help severely injured
  characters. He is likely to aid ethical, "heroic" metahumans
  who put the lives of others above their owo, and will DOC aid
  ruthless avengers who kill to achieve their goals.
  PenolUJ1iJy
  James Robinson is a profoundly lonely man. He is trying to
  alone for the loss of his family, and for the actions of the
  psychopath he cured. The few people who know him have tried
  to convince him his guilt is unfounded, but to no avail. He is
  friendly, but in a quiet son of way.
  AbUiJies
  The Physician can heal all but the most serious wounds, and
  can also cure most diseases. He is able to regenerate lost body
  pans, too. This takes time, and once the limb or organ has
  grown back, the Physician's power leaves the patient's body.
  Battle Tactics
  1be Physician will not raise his hand against another living
  thing. If this means his own death, so be it. It will be up to his
  compatriots to defend the Physician.
  Advenlure Seed: The Big Ones
  Supenemps regularly receives VIP tickets to sponing events,
  concens and the like; most leams and promoters welcome the
  publicity that having a mctahcro allend their event generates. So
  it's nOt surprising that there were half a dolCll metahumans in
  attendance at Candlestick Park on October 3, 1989, when an
  earthquake of magnitude 7.1 on the Richter scale struck San
  Francisco.
  James Robinson was also in San Francisco that aftemooo, but
  had no lime for baseball; he was to address a meeting of the
  California Medical Association that evening. When the tanh-
  quake hit, he was driving a rental car on the upper deck of 1-880
  and narrowly missed driving his car onto a collapsed section of
  the highway. Of course, he immediately got out of the car and
  began tending to the sick and wounded -
  just as the various
  metahumans at Candlestick Park were leaving to see what had
  happened.
  Something -
  no one knows whether it was the earthquake
  itself, or the suffering of those below -
  attracted the attention of
  another being, and the Blue Demon (see p. SU71) suddenly
  appeared in Ihe sky above Oakland.
  The mctahumans' mission is to protect the Physician (one of
  them will recognize him) while driving away the Blue Demon.
  The Physician has no offensive powers, and anything he can
  hide behind, the Blue Demon can tear away.
  -47-
  Characters
  
  ST 13 (30 points)
  IQ 11 (10 poinlS)
  OX 13 (30 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 6.25
  Move: 7 (12 Gliding)
  Damage: Thrust Id; Swing 2d-l
  Appearance: Male human, ethnic Arab, age 28, 6' 2", 190
  lbs., black hair, brown eyes.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Absolute Direction (5 points)
  Alertness +2 (10 points)
  Attractive (5 points)
  Combat Reflexes (15 poinls)
  Comfortable Wealth (10 poims)
  High Pain Threshold (10 poims)
  Reputation: +2 with large class (5 poinls)
  Strong Will +3 (12 poinls)
  UnusuaJ Background (10 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Bloodlust (-10 points)
  Jinxed (-20 points)
  No Sense of Humor (-10 points)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Secret: Identiry (-30 points)
  Sense of Dury: Hostages (-10 points)
  Vow: To rescue all hostages (-10 points)
  Suptr Advantages:
  Flight (Gliding -5; 20 points)
  lnfravision (15 points)
  lnsubstantiality (Affects Olbers +4; Can affect heavy en-
  cumbrance + 10; No Concentration +2; Switchable +J; Touch
  Only -2; 188 points)
  Invisibility (Can affect heavy encumbrance +10; Switchable
  +1; 84 points)
  Invisibility to Machines (Can affect heavy encumbrance
  +10; Switchable +1; S3 points)
  Psionic Resistance + 10 (20 poinls)
  Skills:
  Acrobatics-II (I point); Arabic-II (0 points); Armoury
  (Guns)·12 (4 points); Brawling-IS (4 points); Broadsword-12 (I
  point); Climbing·14 (4 points); English-II (0 poinls); Fast-
  Draw (Magazine)-14 (2 points); Fast·Draw (Knife)·14 (2
  points); Fast-Draw (pistol)-14 (2 points); Fast-Draw (Sub-
  machine goo)-14 (2 points); First Aid-12 (2 points); Guns (pis-
  tol)-16 (4 points); Guns (Revolver)·I5 (2 points); Guns
  (Submacbine gunH6 (4 points); Knife·16 (8 points); Knife
  Throwing·IS (4 points); Running-9 (1.1 point); Speed-Load·14
  (2 points); SteaJth-14 (4 points); Strectwise-II (2 points); Tac-
  tics-8 (1.1 point)
  Quirks:
  Plays soccer wben he gets the chance
  Never drinks alcohol (though he docs like pork)
  Listens to classical music (both Arabic and Western)
  Likes old cars (he drives a '53 Pontiac)
  Prefers to work alone
  Story
  Raben Haseem is the son of Palestinian immigrants who met
  and married after they arrived in the United States. They started
  a small store which sold Greek and Middle Eastern foods; by lhe
  time Robert was born, it was a modest success.
  Robert grew up speaking both Arabic and English. His child-
  hood was more or less nom1a1 until the sixth grade, when one of
  his parents' employees went mad and look them hostage. The
  SWAT team negotiated with him for almost 24 hours before they
  SlornlCd the building, but they were unable to prevent the gUD-
  man from killing himself and the Hascems.
  Young Robert took this very hard. He had been an outgoing,
  happy cbild, but DOw was sullen and uncomnl\~cative. Pan of
  the problem was bis home environment; after bis parents' death,
  be was placed in the home of a very strict uncle and his wif~.
  Where Robert's parents had been indifferent to religioo, hiS
  WlCle and aunt were Sunni Moslems who were determined that
  Robert would practice Islam. They even gave him an Arabic
  name, and would not call him anything but Rashid.
  Roben withdrew inside himself, playing out scenarios in his
  mind where he defeated the gunman and rescued his parents.
  One recurring fantasy involved his walking through a wall;
  whelher this fantasy triggered his latent powers or was a mes-
  sage from his subconscious was IUlknown, but one day in a fit of
  Characters
  -48-
  
  anger he put his hand through a wall -
  without leaving a hole.
  He soon learned that he was able to walk through walls, taking
  with him anything he was physically in contact with, and could
  make himself invisible as well. His guardians never knew this;
  00 his fifteenth birthday they told him that his refusal to submit
  to Islam nwked him as a creature of Satan and threw bim OUI.
  Moving in with a friend who had dropped out of school,
  Robert's disposition improved remarkably with the knowledge
  thaI be bad the means to avenge his parents' death in some way,
  and that he no longer had to submit to his uncle's discipline. He
  bad a small inheritance from his parents' business which he used
  to buy an old car, twO pistols and several throwing knives. He
  practiced as orten as he could with them, and would often drive
  up into the hills above Los Angeles for target practice.
  His first adventure happened almost by accident. He was
  returning from a trip to the hills when be drove past a posh hotel
  surrounded by at least adozen squad cars. No ooe would tell him
  what was happening, but me local al1·news station reported that
  a gunman inside the hotel bad hostages and claimed to have a
  bomb as well. He was demanding an unspecified ransom and
  free: passage to Cuba.
  lbat was all the information Robert needed. He turned insub·
  stantial and invisible, grabbed a pistol, walked through the
  police barricade and entered the hotel. Arter checking to sec if
  any explosives were present (none were), he entered the hotel
  restaurant, where the kidnapper was holed up, and rematerial·
  izcd facing thc gunman with his back to the hostages.
  The gunman turned to sec Robert standing in front of him. It
  spooked him, and he raised his weapon, but not fast enough.
  Robert put a bullet through the man's stomach.
  The kidnapper fell to the floor, dropping his weapon and
  looking up in surprise at lIle rescuer. "Who are you?" he
  gasped.
  Robert raised his gun to the man's head. "I guess you could
  say I'm the ransom," be replied, and pulled lIle trigger.
  Robert immediately turned invisible and left lIle scene, not
  waiting for the gratirude of those be had rescued. None of the
  hostages got a good look at him, although they described him as
  wearing dark clothes and having curly brown hair. The local
  news media had a field day describing the unknown vigilante
  known as the "Ransom. "
  Once he rcturned to his apartment, Robert began to "post·
  mortem" his actions (something he would do aftcr every en·
  counler, and which he feels is part of his secret for staying
  alive). First, he decided be should have killed IDe kidnapper
  immedialely upon his relUm to substantiality. Second, it was
  foolish of him to talk; he might in the future be identified by his
  voiceprint, and the time wasled could have cost him his life.
  Third, in the future he would nOl drive to the scene of the crime,
  his car was far too noticeable and could be traced.
  The Ransom appeared several times over the next year in the
  Los Angeles area. Public opinion on him was divided; some
  branded rum a cold-hearted vigilanle who should be brought to
  juslice. while others pointed out that he had never taken an
  innoceotlife and his use of force had always been justified. The
  police would have been bound by law 10 arrest him if they ever
  eaplUred him, but mOSt LAPD officers sincerely hope they never
  have the opportunily,
  One of the people Ransom rescued was a wealthy busi-
  nessman who offered him a $250,000 reward if he would claim
  it. Robert negotiated payment of the reward through Supenemps
  and gave them a 10% commission for their trouble. lbough he
  prefers to work alone, and almost never works excepc. in hostage
  Situations, he has assisted Supertemps on a number of cases.
  Any reward money he receives is paid through them (giving
  Supenemps 10%, of eourse).
  Campaign Role
  The Ransom can provide an added complication for cha.rac·
  lers during hostage situations. Groups whose members adhere 10
  traditional, heroic ethics will likely buu beads with the relative
  cold·bloodedness of the Ransom. Even characters willing to kill
  as readily as the Ransom will likely disagree on specific tactics.
  The Ransom also goes after terrorists in the Uniled Stales. so he
  could show lip during an antHerroriSI adventure.
  Personalily
  Robert Ha.scem is a driven individual. His goal is to save the
  lives of hostages; OIher considerations are secondary. Robert
  adheres to his own sct of clllics. He has no sense of humor, and
  works well with others only if it serves rus larger purpose. He is
  a profoundly lonely man. but be shoves this aside in order to get
  hisjob done.
  Abililies
  The Ransom is able to tum his entire body. and anylhing he
  is wearing or carrying, insubstantial. While insubslantial he is
  able to glide, albeit somewhal clumsily. He is also able to make
  himself invisible at will, but only if he is also insubstanlial;
  therefore, he must become visible in order to launch any attack.
  He also has infravision, which functions whether he is substan·
  tial or nOt. His focused willpower also imparts some measure of
  protection from psionic auack, though Robert is unaware of
  this.
  Battle Tactics
  Robert always carries a Colt .45 automatic pistol and two
  large knives. When going into action as the Ransom, be carries
  an Ingram SMG, two Colt .45s, several knives, spare ammuni·
  tion, and he wears prOloctive annar. Usually he wears Kevlar,
  but if faced with multiple opponents he will usc light body
  annor. His face is always covered.
  Ransom will investigate a situation firsl, locating the
  hostages and their caplor(s). He will then walk into the room,
  invisible and insubstantial. He seldom tries to take caplives; he
  believes the world is best rid of such men. His favorite tactic is
  to solidify right behind his opponent, kill him with the pistol,
  then disappear again. The Ingram is a last resort, used only in
  situations involving multiple captors. Robert'S main concern is
  hostage safcty, and he will not act if he thinks his actions will
  harm innocent people.
  AdYenture Seed: Find the Ransom
  By all appearances, lIle Ransom is widening his field of ac-
  tivities. Several times in the last fcw weeks, convenience store
  robberies have been thwarted by a man wearing a ski mask who
  suddenly appeared, shol the bandit, and then disappeared again.
  Because the mysterious vigilante is invisible (and apparently
  insubstantial -
  prox.imity detectors have not registered his
  presence) and because he uses a Colt .45, the authorities think
  the Ransom might be responsible and want him brought in for
  queslioning.
  Ransom is nor rCSJX>nsible for the vigilante shootings -
  bal-
  listic analysis of the Colt .45 the assailant used shows it is nol the
  weapon Ransom normally uses, though the police think he may
  be using two different guns. He is interested in finding out who
  is using his modus opuandi, however, and the Pes may have to
  find the gunman -
  if only to save his life!
  -49-
  Characters
  
  ..
  ... ..
  ..
  ...
  ill
  ::
  ....
  ST 10 (0 points)
  IQ 13 (30 points)
  DX 13 (30 points)
  HT 10 (0 points)
  Speed: 5.75
  Move: 5
  Damage: Stone Missile 7d+2; Thrust Id-2; Swing Id
  Appeal'1lJlCe: Female buman, while, age 24,5' 5", 100 lbs.,
  shoulder-length brown hair, green eyes.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Allractivc (5 points)
  Comfortable Wealth (10 points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 points)
  Patron: Supcnemps on 6 or less (15 points)
  Strong Will +2 (8 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Duty: Supcncmps on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Enemy: Various villains on 9 or less (-30 points)
  Greed (-15 poinls)
  Impulsiveness (-10 poiDls)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Self-defense only HS points)
  Stubbornness (-5 poinls)
  Vow: Never shrink from a challenge (-10 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Body orEanh (Swilchable +1; 44 points)
  Costume (20 points)
  Damage Resistance +22 (Swilchable +I,. 121 points)
  Move Through Earth (Based on Move Through Ice, Switch·
  able +1; 27 points)
  Power and Super-Skills:
  Earth Power 12 (120 points)
  Chains of Earth-IS (No Concentration +2; Rapid Fire
  +1; 36 points)
  Mold Earth-12 (8 points)
  Sand Jet-IS (No Concentration +2; 32 points)
  Stone Missile-I6 (Armor Piercingx2 +8; No Concentra·
  tion +2; 68 points)
  Skills:
  Accounting-13 (4 points); Administration-I? (10 points);
  Computer Operation-13 (I point); Detect Lies·12 (2 points);
  Economics-12 (2 points); Spanish-12 (I point); Japanese-13 (2
  points); Merchant-13 (2 points); Savoir-Faire-14 (2 points)
  Quirks:
  Only drinks bottled, imported beer
  Has set her sights on a green Jaguar X}-6
  Doesn't cook
  Won't cat red meat
  Works out at fitness centers
  Story
  Even though she had metahuman powers from a very early
  age, Kelly Lyons had a very normal childhood -
  primarily
  because her parents discouraged her from using those powers.
  At a very early age she was able to shift soil and sand with the
  power of her mind, and by age four she had discovered she was
  able to tum her body to earth!
  Using various threats, bribes and explanations, Kelly's
  parents got her to keep her powers a secret. They even went so
  far as to never let her play in a playground with a sandbox! She
  followed her parent's wishes, for the most part; kids at school
  who picked on her occasionally tripped for no apparent reason.
  Kelly developed a strong sense of self-confidence. and grew
  up believing there wasn', anylhing she couldn't do. Fortunately,
  she was willing to work hard to fulfill this attitude; she excelled
  at school and was in the forefront of most social activities. In
  fact, the only people who didn't like her were the oncs who had
  been on the receiving end of her powers.
  After she graduated from higb school, Kelly went 10 a local
  university. Even with a small scholarship and living at home to
  minimize her expenses, her parents could barely afford to keep
  her in college, so she worked at various part-time jobs her fresh·
  man year.
  College was harder than she expected, but she buckled down
  and made good grades. Her only problem was the jobs she
  Characters
  -50-
  
  worked at; she felt there must be a more dignified way for a
  business major to earn money lhan slinging burgers and sweep-
  ing out the basketball arena.
  In ber sophomore year, she decided to do something about it
  and applied to Supertemps. She explained that she would take
  either an administrative job that she could count as business
  experience, or a metahumanjob that involved her earth-moving
  power. She didn't know what they would have her do or what it
  would pay, but whatever it was had to be better than making
  french fries.
  As it turned out, Kelly worked in the office three afternoons
  a week and did jobs for the Industrial Division when she could
  take time off from her studies. Sbe adopted a costume and a
  name ("Sandblaster"), mostly to bide her new job from her
  parents. She tackled a number of jobs, from sandblasting the
  sides of buildings to earth-moving to judging a sand-castle-
  building competition.
  One Saturday afternoon, Kelly received a call 10 join a
  Defense Squad that was trying to end a hostage crisis downtown.
  She was more than a little worried about the idea of going into
  combat, but decided not to let fear dictate her actions. In spite of
  ber lack of combat training, she did fairly well but decided that
  a career as a full-time crime fighter wasn't for her. Still, she
  expected that she would be called into service occasionally, and
  started reading Sam Mitchell's 1M Mt!taJsuman in Combat (see
  p. 61).
  Kelly's parents found out about ber affiliation with Super·
  temps by accident one day when she left her copy of 1M Mt!to-
  human in Combat in the ftont room. She lold her parents the
  entire truth -
  she was assigned to the Industrial Division, but
  had served on a Defense Squad once and wanted to lcam more
  about it. They were disapJX>inted to learn that Kelly was using
  ber metahuman JX>wers, but happy that she was using lhem for
  good purposes and DOt in combat and decided that at some point
  they had to let her make her own decisions. Still, they worry,
  and often when Kelly is OUt of the bouse her mother will tum OIl
  the all-news radio channel to listen for reports of metahuman
  activity.
  The money Kelly was making at Supertemps was just enough
  to keep her in school without relying on her parents for SUpJX>rt.
  Tragedy almost struck, however; the plant her father had
  worked at for the past 24 years closed. She was now the family's
  sole support, other than a meager pension, and was afraid she
  would have to drop out of school in order to support her family.
  Kelly lold the local Supertemps office manager of her situa-
  tioo. The office manager made a pbone call to a friend of bers-
  Linda Ravenhair (Astronaut, p. 16). Ravenhair had established
  several scholarmips for female students, and one was available
  for the upcoming year. Kelly applied inmlCdiately and was ap·
  proved; now Kelly could go to school and support her family
  until her father could get back to work.
  Her last two years ofundergraduatc work went well. She was
  no longer at lhe top of her class. but she was close and had no
  trouble getting accepted into a prestigious business school,
  where she continued to do well and eventually received ber
  MBA.
  Kelly had met Linda Ravenhair through the scholarship pro-
  gram. 1be two found they had similar interests and goals, and
  became friends. Linda was impressed with Kelly'sdrive and ber
  business savvy, and offered ber a job upon ber graduation.
  Linda needed someone to oversee her scholarship program, and
  who better than someone who had been associated with it as a
  beneficiary'?
  During all this time, Kelly continued to work as Sandblaster,
  mostly in Industrial Division jobs but increasingly in the Guar-
  dian Division. Today she is in charge of the Ravenhair Scholar·
  ship Program, but still takes quite a bit of time off to do jobs for
  Supertemps. Since her boss is a fellow metahuman, bowever,
  lhis is not a problem.
  Campaign Role
  Characters who went to business school may remember Kelly
  Lyons as an ambitious student. Pes in need of a scholarship may
  be interviewed by her. Later meetings could take place on the
  battlefield, when Sandblaster aids a local super-tearn.
  Personality
  Kelly Lyons is a supremely confidem individual. She refuses
  to admit that she has limitations which cannot be overcome. Her
  straight-ahead, no·nonsense style wmerves many people. She
  bas lillie patience for those who aren't as driven as she. She will
  not hesitate to get what she wants, and rarely lets up.
  Kelly would rather be straightforward about her powers -
  she doesn'r like running around in a mask and eostume -
  but
  she keeps her identity secret out of consideration for her parents.
  She's afraid that if a mera·villain knew who she was, be might
  take ber parents hostage. Or worse.
  Abilities
  Sandblaster is able 10 manipulate earth with her mind. She
  can shape it, or project it in a high-velocity stream (hence her
  code name). She is also able to transform herself into a body
  made of sandy soil. While in this shape she can move through
  the ground, and alter her configuration as well. She has a strong
  sense of control, which gives her good resistance to damage.
  Her control is limited to dirt and sand; she cannot affect stone or
  mud.
  Baltle Tactics
  Sandblaster is essentially an amateurcombataot. She is trying
  to learn the ropes, but does not yet have a good tactical sense.
  She makes more miStakes than she likes to admit; for instance,
  she will sometimes use Chains of Earth against strong opJX>nents
  who arc not likely to be held.
  Her usual procedure is to bind enemies first, then go to the
  Sand Jet or Stone Missile. She will occasionally Move Through
  Earth to gain surprise, but not often.
  Adventure Seed: Close to Home
  As mentioned above, Sandblaster keeps her identity secret -
  partially because her parents don't really approve of her ac·
  tivitics, but also because she's afraid that if any of the villains
  she has fought were to discover that she had a family, they
  would be in danger.
  One day, the inevitable happens. A meta-villain puts two and
  two together and deduces Sandblaster's identity, then kidnaps
  her parents and demands that Supertemps pay a $1 ,000,000 ran·
  som for their return.
  But when Kelly calls her house, her mother answers the
  phone! The meta-villain was wrong in his assessment of who
  Sandblaster actually was. She will have to fmd out who the
  meta-villain Tt!olly kidnapped, make sure that whoever be thinks
  is Sandblaster is safe, and then try to rescue the innocent parentS
  -
  probably with a Ocfense Squad, since she is not yet sure of
  her abilities as a combatant.
  -51-
  Characters
  
  ~eaMawk
  ST20(I06poinlS)
  IQ II (lOpoinlS)
  DX 15 (60 points)
  HT 13 (30 points)
  Speed: 7.00
  Move: 7 (56 flying, 28 swimming)
  Damage: Karate ld punch, 2d+2f2d +4 kick; Thmst ld-I;
  Swing 3d+2
  Appearance: Female human, white, age 26, 5' 7", 1301bs.,
  long, pale-blonde bair, blue eyes.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Absolute Direction (S points)
  Acute Vision +5 (10 poiDtS)
  Anractive (5 points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 points)
  Night Vision (10 points)
  Reputation: +2 in the Seattle area on 10 or less (5 points)
  Strong Will +2 (8 poinls)
  Disadvantages:
  Dependent: Malher on 6 or less (-12 points)
  Duty: Coast Guard on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Honesty (-10 points)
  Impulsiveness HO points)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Self-defense only (-15 points)
  Secret: Identity (-5 points)
  Sense of Duty: Those in trouble (-10 points)
  Vow: Will never refuse a request for aid (-10 poinls)
  Super Advantages:
  Amphibious (20 points)
  Doesn'l Breathe (30 points)
  Flight (40 points)
  Nictating Membrane (15 points)
  Pressure Support (20 points)
  Regeneration: Regular (25 points)
  Super Flightx2 (40 poinls)
  Super Swimmingx2 (30 points)
  Temperature Tolerance (10 points)
  Super Disadvantage:
  Vulnerability: 2d from VibralOry attacks (·10 points)
  Super Equipment:
  Claws: Crushing (No Concentration +2; Switchable + J; 20
  poinls)
  Damage Resistance +8 (No Obvious Effcct +3; 52 points)
  Skills:
  Acrobalics·IS (4 points); Area Knowledge (Seallle)-14 (6
  points); Elcctronics Operation (Radios)·14 (8 points); First Aid-
  15 (8 points); Gesture-II (I point); Judo· 13 (I point); Karale-IS
  (4 points); Meteorology-9 (I poim); Navigation-II (4 points);
  Professional Skill (Air and Sea Rescue Techniques)-14 (6
  points); Survival (lsland/Beach)·ll (2 points); Survival
  (WocxlsHO (I poim)
  Quirks:
  Atheist
  Science fiction fan (reads every SF novel she can gel her
  hands on)
  Loves mint chocolate Girl Scout cookies; buys a case a year
  Plays praelicaljokes (bul not when she's working)
  Claims she'll teveal her secrel idenlity when the Seahawks
  win the Super Bowl
  Story
  Katherine Swensen's childhood in Klamath Falls, Oregon,
  was rather uneventful -
  or SO il seemed to the adults around her.
  The kids she played with knew better; she was stronger than all
  of the orner girls, and most of Ihe boys. No one dared pick on
  Katherine and her friends.
  Katherine's molber disapproved of school sports, so Karny
  found an oullet in sand-lot baseball and Girl Scouts. She loved
  the outdoors and wen! camping whenever possible. Oncc, on a
  camping trip, she and another girl wem OUI exploring on their
  own against the orders of their leader. They strayed too close to
  a cliff and the ground gave way under Katherine's companion's
  feel. Kathy somehow managed to grab onto her, but was pulled
  down as well. They started sliding down the cliff, when sudden·
  Iy the downward molion ceased and they started sliding uphill.
  Katherine was flying!
  Characters
  -52-
  
  Kamerine swore the other girl to secrecy about what hap-
  pened; she needed time to figure out what to do with her new
  "gift." Her parents were openly critical of metahumans
  (Katherine often heard me words "freak" and "abomination"),
  but like most teenagers, some of Katherine's heroes were
  metahumans, and she decided to use her power to help others if
  she could.
  She practiced flying when she could; in order to avoid being
  spotted, she improvised a costume and usually only flew in me
  early mornings, out in the back woods along the front range of
  the Cascades. She also paid for martial arts training; she ex·
  plained to her parents mat she didn't plan to live in Klamath
  Falls forever, and me big ci£y was a dangerous placc to live. She
  was an excellent student and her teacher encouraged her [0 enter
  tournaments, but again, she declined to avoid confrontations
  with her parents.
  After high school, Katherine enrolled at Oregon State Uni·
  versity. Out of the shadow of her parents, she began making
  friends and her grades improved noticeably. In addition, she
  continued her flying and martial arts practice.
  That spring, while most of the students at Oregon State went
  to the nearby beaches for spring break, Katherine and her friends
  went to Poget Sound, where one of the girls' parents owned a
  boat. As mey cruised among the islands in the Sound, Kamerine
  mought she saw another small craft in trouble. A few moments
  later she SPOiled smoke; the other boat was obviously on fire.
  The girls altered course to help, but they would not be able to
  reach the other boat for scveral minutes.
  As Katherine watched the swiftly burning vessel through the
  boat's telescope, she saw a man, a woman and a small boy leap
  overOOard to avoid the flames. They had no time to grab a life
  preserver, and it was dear they had trouble staying afloat.
  Katherine grabbed three life vests from her craft and flew to the
  rescue -
  much to the surprise of her companions!
  When she reached the family, Katherine dropped two of the
  life vests, then grabbed the child and flew him back to safety on
  her boat. As she flew back to rescue the adults, she saw the
  stricken boat explode. As she approached the area, she couldn't
  find the man or woman. Wilbout hesitation she dove into the
  water.
  Though a good swimmer, Kalherine had never spent much
  time underwater. That didn't affcct her much, however, as she
  swiftly located both of the boy's parents, brought them to the
  surface and kept them afloat until her boat arrived. The girls
  radioed the Coast Guard, who arrived within minutes to ad·
  minister first aid and investigate the accident. Katherine was not
  yet ready for the publicity that her metahuman powers would
  generate, though, so she asked her friends to keep her role in the
  incident a secret.
  Something unusual had happened while Kathleen was under-
  water; she had stayed underwater for more than ten minutes and
  hadn't needed to breathe! She tested lbis out over the rest of the
  spring break and found mat she could fly as easily underwater as
  she could through the air. She finished up the semester at Oregon
  State, then moved to Seallie to work with the Supertemps branch
  there.
  Supcrtemps was delighted to have her; Seattle was a major
  port and, while safer than many other ports, had its share of
  accidents. Kathleen designed a costume, bought a scanoer that
  would cover harbor and Coast Guard activities and went 10
  work. She was occasionally sighted around the Poget Sound
  area; when a humor columnist for me Post·lnreJlig~nc~r wrote
  that her blue-and·green costume reminded him of a Seallle
  Scahawks football uniform, people began calling this new super
  the "Sea Hawk." Katherine didn't mind; the name was rather
  exciting, and besides, she was a closet Seahawks fan.
  At first, her actions weren't entirely appreciated -
  she was
  shot at twice by smugglers and the Coast Guard accused her of
  interfering in their activities, but after negotiations with Super-
  temps and several nmable successes, the Coast Guard made Sea
  Hawk a reserve officer on special assignment. Today she oc-
  casionally patrols the area, but usually works on special assign-
  ment; she most recently worked with a Supertemps Guardian
  Division group from Victoria, British Columbia, which broke
  up a counterfeit-goods smuggling ring.
  Campaign Role
  Sea Hawk could become involved in any seagoing adventure.
  Characters in trouble on the ocean may find Sea Hawk aiding in
  their rescue. Though she operates primarily in the Pacific
  Northwest, she enjoys travcl and will go anywhere she feels
  she's needed.
  Katherine might also become involved in a land-based inves-
  tigation of drug smugglers mat are bringing their illicit cargo in
  over sea rOllles. She is easy to work with, and does her best to fit
  in with whatever team she is assigned to.
  Personality
  Katherine Swensoo lites wearing a costume, helping people
  and solving crimes. She would probably do it even if she weren't
  paid; she really likes the fact that she makes enough moncy
  working for Supertemps to live on so she doesn't have to inter-
  rupt a •'day job."
  Sea Hawk does everything she can to prevent anyone from
  dying as a result of one of her actions (or as a result of inaction)
  and is depressed when she can't save someone. She tends to have
  few friends, but is very close to those few.
  Every once in a while, Sea Hawk does somethingjust because
  she feels like it -
  like buzzing the crowd during Scahawk
  games. Occasionally she will fly up to the observation deck of
  the Space Needle, tell the gawking tourists "I didn't feel like
  paying to take the elevator," and leave. When she works,
  though, she's all business.
  Abilities
  The Sea Hawk's primary ability is flight at speeds of up to
  100 miles per hour. She doesn't know how she does this, as she
  has never subjected herself to study. This same power allows her
  to "fly" underwater at up to 50 miles per hour; in addition, her
  body is also able to function normally underwater. She is also
  stronger than most normal humans, perhaps as a side effect of
  her ability to withstand high pressure.
  The body amlOr and "talons" were later additions to Sea
  Hawk's arsenal, added after a particularly nasty fight with some
  smugglers. During missions she usually carries 50 feet of rope
  and a portable two-way marine radio.
  Battle Tactics
  Generally Sea Hawk tries to avoid combat situations; of
  course, this isn't always possible. If her opponents are armed
  she will immediately take cover, then use her movement powers
  in an effort 10 sneak up on onc adversary. She will attempt to
  disarm him if she can strike from surprise, and then go on to the
  next foe.
  Katherine does not like to use her talons, and will depend on
  her strength and flight as much as possible, using Ihe talons only
  as a last resort.
  -53-
  Characters
  
  ST 10 (0 points)
  IQ IS (60 points)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed, 6.00
  Move, 6 (SO flying)
  Damage: Elect~BlasterSd imp (stun); Thrust Id-2; Swing
  Id
  Appearance: Male human, while, age 39, 5' II", 170 Ibs.,
  black hair, blue eyes.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Absolute Timing (5 poinlS)
  Attraclive (5 points)
  Eidelic Memory (30 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Absenl-Mindcdness (-IS points)
  Compulsive Behavior: Insaliable curiosily (-10 poinls)
  Enemy: TRADE on 9 or less (-30 poims)
  Gullibilily (-10 poinlS)
  Hoocsty HO poiDls)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: CannO! harm innocenlS HO points)
  Vow: To improve the qualily of life through technology (-5
  poinlS)
  Super Advantage:
  Gadgeleer (25 points)
  Super Equipment:
  Concussion Beam (Breakable: DR 10, HP SO -15%; Can Be
  Hil at -6 -10%; 95 points)
  Air Power 4
  Wind Jet-16 (Increased Range +3,- Link +1)
  Body Conlrol Power 7
  Confuse-16 (Link +1)
  Electro Blaster (Breakable: DR 30, HP 90 -5%; Can Be Hit
  at -6 -5%; 135 points)
  Electrical Power 10
  Lightning-18 (Accuracyx4 +4; AmlOr Piercing +4; No
  Concentration +2; Stun Damage Only -2)
  Force-Field Generator (Breakable: OR 10, HP 10 -15%;
  Can Be Hit at -10 -0%; 79 points)
  Force Field Power 10 (bough as Generic Full Defense)
  Force Field-I6
  Force Field Power +5 (Generic Physical Defense)
  Jet Boots (BreaJcable: DR IS, HP 60 -15%; Can Be Hit at-6
  -10%; 75 points)
  Flight
  Super Flighl x 3
  P-Bombs (Can Be Stolen by Cootcst of OX -30%; 20 points)
  Anti-Psi Power 6
  Psi Static-I 6 (Limited Use: 2 per day -3)
  SmokeGrenade'i (Can Be Stolen by COOlest ofOX -30%; 18
  poiots)
  Air Power 6
  Smoke-16 (Limited Use: 2 per day -3; Touch Only -2)
  Skills:
  Administration-9 (0 poiDls); Area Knowledge (Denver)-I 5 (I
  point); Armoury (Beam wcaponry)-18 (4 points); Armoury (Psi
  wcaponry)-IS (V! poim); Brawling-II (V! point); Cbemistry-14
  (l point); Computer Operation-IS (V! poin!); Computer
  Programming-14 (I poim); Electronics (Force fields)-16 (3
  points); Firsl Aid-IS (VJ. poin!); Mathematics-IS (2 points);
  Melallurgy-I3 (VJ. point); Nuclear Physics-13 (1 point);
  Physics-IS (2 points); Research-IS (I point)
  Qpirks:
  Loves baseball, doesn't care for any other sports
  USlens to country music, especially wben he feels morose
  Often visits !be Grand Canyon. flying through the passages
  Doesn't sell his parents, just bolds on 10 them
  Dedicaled bird watcher
  Slo,.,
  Throughout his life, Amos Tolnin has always found il easier
  10 deal with science and numbers than with people. People are
  unpredictable, bUI science follows a deftnite set of rules. The
  troubles in Amos' life have come about when he trusted people
  to bebave in ways he thougbtlhey should, ralher than whatever
  way they pleased.
  Characters
  -54-
  
  Sometimes this bas worked in Amos' favor. As a boy he
  genuinely Jiud school; while this got him branded a "nerd," it
  helped him concentrate on his studies. Strangely, it also gained
  him respect in high school. At the time the U.S. was neck and
  neck with the Soviet Union in the Space Race, and Amos' high
  school yearbook predicted be would someday work for NASA.
  The prediction was correct, but oddly enough, Amos went to
  work for NASA's Quonaulical division. The space program
  was in its infancy, while aeronautical technology was already at
  a high level and offered more chances for exciting new ideas that
  would increase an aireraft's performance -
  what test pilots call
  "pushing the envelope. "
  Several years later, Amos first heard of an organization called
  TRADE (see p. SS50). His initial reaction was disbelief -
  tech-
  nology was supposed to improve the quality of life, and these
  people were selling it to high-tech murderers and bandits! When
  a TRADE scout contacted Tolnin to feel him out about working
  for TRADE, Tolnin sent me man packing with a bloody DOSe.
  ToLnin soon came up with the idea ofa technological consor-
  tium devoted to aiding humanity and reducing crime. His new
  company would be called STAR (Science, Technology and Ap-
  plied Research) and would recruit the best minds available to
  design and develop crime-fighting technology. He certainly had
  the cOlllacts gained tllrough years of attendance at teclUlical con·
  ferences, but at first could only persuade a few tojoin (including
  Dr. Vincent Kyriakedos -
  see p. 44).
  This didn't deter Amos; after all, mere was nothing wrong
  with starting small. Unfortunall:ly, STAR stlry~d small. It suf-
  fered from a chronic lack of leadership and faltered as its mem-
  bers researched their pet projects. There was little com-
  munication and even less cooperation.
  The members of STAR left, one by one, until only Tolnin
  was left. He never acknowledged to the media that STAR was in
  trouble until the day his lawyers advised him to file Chapter 11.
  In the meantime, Dr. Kyriakedos had become the costumed
  super known as the Nucleus. He enjoyed being a super, and
  invited Amos to do the same. At first he declined, but ooe night
  over dinner, Nucleus explained that being a super was exactly
  what Amos had in mind when he started STAR -
  helping
  mankind on an individual basis, through technology.
  When it was put to him in that way, Amos could hardly
  refuse. He went to his files, dusted off some reports and research
  he'd filed away years ago and began to design his arsenal. By the
  next evening he had plans for a set ofjet lxx>ts, a gloved coocus-
  sion beam -
  and a name: "Skylord."
  At Nucleus' urging, Skylord signed on with the Guardian
  Division of Supertemps and requested to be assigned to Phoenix,
  Arizona. Supertemps' planners resisted at first, worried lhat twO
  gadget-powered heroes defending the samc city would present
  an exploitable weakness, but Nucleus was able to convince them
  to go ahead with the assignment.
  Skylord and Nucleus make a good pair, and they become
  even beller as Skylord adds new devices to his inventory. Some,
  like his force field and Kevlar-reinforced suit, are standard partS
  of his equipment; others he uses only once or twice, mostly to
  demonstrate their use to potential customers.
  Campaign Role
  No! everyone recognizes thc name Dr. Amos Tolnin, but
  many people do know about STAR (especially its crash). Player
  characters may have been members of, or invited to join, STAR,
  if they have any scientific notoriety at all. Even if they refused
  the offer or left the company in frustration, Amos will be ami~
  able -
  he doesn't waste his time with petty bickering.
  Campaigns that have a need for a gadgeteer may make good
  use of Skylord. He doesn't have any reservations about loaning
  out some of his inventions, and would welcome the opportunity
  to design a specific gadget for a super -
  provided, of CO\llSC,
  tl1at he retains aU rightS to the invcntion.
  Persona/ily
  Amos ToInin is a likable fellow. Sometimes his head is in the
  clouds, to be sure, but he tries not to overwhelm his audience
  withjargoo. In fact, there's very lillie DOl: to like about this man
  (for anyone DOl working for him, at any rate).
  Despite his vast intelligence, Amos is a pathetic leader.
  Worse, he doesn't seem to recognize this fact. He'll cheerfully
  accept a position of authority, then sit back and expect every-
  thing to work out by itself. His lack of interpersonal skills is
  potentially amusing until cooperation is required; then it be-
  comes a serious obstacle.
  AbiliJUs
  Amos cbose the name Skylord because he wanted to project
  an image of mastery over flight. Though not me fastest super,
  his jet lxx>ts give him a speed advantage over most opponents
  Skylord encounters.
  His left gauntlet houses his initial offensive weapon, the con-
  cussion beam. Aimed at a single target, it can stun an opponent
  and knock him back. The Increased Range enhancement (+3)
  doubles the Wind Jet's norow range.
  1be second ranged attack is located in the right gauntlet.
  Skylord insistS that his own allacks are non-lelhal (and prefers
  his teammates' to be as well). The Electro Blaster was designed
  with this humane goal as well as greater attack strength in mind.
  Though the basic damage is not large, this impaling, amlOr-
  piercing attack is particularly effective against Kevlar-equipped
  foes (as well as lhe unamlOred).
  The force field supplements, rather than replaces, Skylord's
  standard Kevlar costume. The generator is unnoticeable under-
  neath his costume at the waist. Unfortunately, the act of activat-
  ing the shield gives away the gadget's coocealed locatioo.
  The smoke grenades and P-Bombs appear almost identical.
  Both are small spheres, about the size of a baseball, with an
  activation switch and safety mechanism.
  Battle Toe/ies
  Skylord usually attemptS to reason with his opponent while
  flying around. This is partly to show off and partly to make
  himself difficult to hit. In any case, when this doesn't work he
  will opt for the concussion beam (the force field will be activated
  as soon as trouble is suspected).
  Villains stunned with this beam are finished off with the
  Electro Blaster. If a heavily amlOred foe provcs unusually resis-
  tant to the concussion beam, Skylord will attempt a retreat,
  aided with smoke grenades and possibly P-Bombs. He will use
  his P-Bombs immediately if a known hostile psi is involved.
  Power VariDlions
  25o-poinl version: Drop AUractive; drop COIIcussioo Beam;
  drop Force Field Generator; lower Super Flight to x 1; drop
  P-Bombs; drop Armoury (Psi weaponry) skill; lower AmlOury
  (Beam weaponry) skill level to 15; drop Brawling skill; drop
  Electronics (Force fields) sk..ill.
  75O-poinl version: Convert all equipment to Unbreakable;
  raise Force Field Power to 30; drop additional Force Field
  Power (Generic Physical Defense); raise Super Flight to x7
  (gives Mach 3.5!); drop Area Knowledge sltill.
  -55-
  Characters
  
  'limekeeper
  ST 30 (126 po;ms)
  IQ 12 (20 poin..)
  OX 14 (45 points)
  HT 13 (30 points)
  Speed: 6.75
  Move: 8 (16 running)
  Damage: Staff 3d+2I1d+3 thrust, 6dI9d swing; Thrust
  3dJ7d+ 1; Swing Sd+2I9d+2
  Appearance: Male extraterrestrial (facial features are a com-
  bination of Oriental and Caucasian,leaning IOward the former),
  age 30, 6' 4".200 1bs., short black hair, gold eyes, lightly
  scaled blue-green skin.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Alertness +4 (20 points)
  Combat Reflexes (IS points)
  Danger Sense (15 points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 points)
  Strong Will + 1 (4 points)
  Disadvantages:
  No Sense of Humor (-10 points)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Pacifism: Cannol harm innocents (-10 points)
  Secret: 1be Timekccpcr is an alien (-10 poinls)
  Sense of Duty: To close friends and companions (-5 points)
  Ugly (-10 poin..)
  Vow: Protect the defenseless HO points)
  Weirdness Ma2net f-lS noints)
  
  Before they could do this, however, a warrior named Karant
  Rynkomorga.ni.zed a slrike force and Slaged a daring raid, recap-
  lUring the machine. As a reward, be and his heirs were appointed
  permanent guardians of the machine and given the lille
  Kwindk.om, which means "guardian of lime" or "time·
  keeper. " As time passed, the lille became more ceremonial than
  acrual, but the limekeepers continued 10 guard the machine.
  They discharged their duty for many years until a we1I-or-
  ganized group from a renegade clan again decided 10 try 10 take
  Ihe machine. The timekeepers fought as hard as they could, bUI
  the renegades overpowered them and made their way into the
  chamber where the machine was kept. Anral Kwindkom, the
  captain of the timekeepers, saw his duty clearly; he had 10 keep
  the machine oul of the renegades' hands, no matter whal the
  COSI. As the rebels approached the machine, Artral smashed il.
  As he did so, the machine exploded. The blast knocked him
  out; it also created a tcmporary rift in the space-time continuum
  which deposited him in 2Oth~ntwy West Virginia.
  Clareoce Hall, a retired lawyer, lived alone on a small ploc of
  land in central West Virginia, miles away from the nearest
  neighbor. One day be was sitting on his front porch, wben be
  beard a loud bang on the hillside behind his home. When he
  went to look, he found Antal. He wasn't sure what to make of
  the scaly, blue-green man, bUI he looked alive and hurt so he
  brought him home and cared for him.
  At firsl, the relationship was tense. Neither of the two knew
  whal to make of the other; Hall kepi his shotgun close at hand
  for the first month and the alien slept (figuratively) with one eye
  open. He soon regained his health and began adjusting to his
  new surroundings -
  especially the language, which he practiced
  for over a year before he could make himself understood.
  Antal remained on Hall's property the entire time, his only
  contact with the world outside coming from books, newspapers
  and satellite TV. He was a warrior by birth and training, and
  there seemed to be much on this new planet worth fighting for
  and against. Unfortunately, JllOS( of the fighting seemed to be
  done by "governments" of one sort of another, and Hall con-
  vinced him thai revealing his exislence 10 any of these govern·
  ments would be a bad idea.
  One of Hall's magazines mentioned a new organiz.ation called
  Supertemps. He suggested that Artral contact them and join a
  D:fense Squad; that would give him plenty of fighling in a good
  cause. Hall used his contacts to create a new identity for Artral.
  "Tom Kelly." His abnormal appearance was blamed on the
  catastrophic changes that gave him his powers.
  Artral joined Supenemps and took the name "Timekeeper"
  (TK for short). They assigned him to a Defense Squad based in
  Cincinnati. He quick.ly gained the respect of the other members
  of the tcam bot not their friendship; his peculiar manner and lack
  of a sense of bumor diSlurbed his teammates.
  Timekeeper quickly learned about his adopted planet and its
  cultures and languages. After he had worked for Supertemps for
  six months, he took a brief vacation 10 visil Clarence Hall back
  in Wesl Virginia. At that time he learned about something new:
  terminal cancer. Hall only had a few weeks to Jive.
  Amal took a leave of absence to be with his friend in his few
  remaining days. Hall had no close relatives, so he decided 10 will
  his modest estate to "Tom Kelly." The alien was honored by
  this, and when Hall died, Amal performed a RynJcarian death
  ritual reserved for family and close friends.
  When he returned to active dUly, Antal did his best bot was
  unable 10 contain his grief. His teammates could easily relate to
  this emotion. Since Hall's passing, the other members of the
  squad. have finally warmed to Timekeeper. He still has noc told
  them the final truth about himself, however -
  that he is from
  another planet.
  Nor has he told them something else he recently learned: in a
  recent report of mctahuman activity, one of the descriptioos
  sounded alarmingly like that of a Rynkarian! He had always
  assumed the space-time rift had only affected him, or possibly
  sent others 10 different planets; now be supposed it was possible
  that other RynJcarians had appeared on Earth.
  Timekeeper immediately took a leave of absence from the
  Cincinnati group and is now Iraveling from city to city, looking
  for evidence which will conclusively confiml or repudiate the
  suspicious reJX>rt.
  Campaign Role
  The Timekeeper travels constantly, looking for other Ryn·
  karians; he could easily meet up with the player characters in the
  course of his travels. If the Pes should learn thai TK is an alien.
  they would have to deal with this knowledge; if they reveal his
  secret, they are exposing him 10 pofential harm, and if they hide
  the informalion they are in violation of U.N. treaty.
  Personality
  The Timekeeper is an alien, so his behavior strikes others as
  odd. His sense of humor, in panicular, is out of step with the
  average American. TK docs nOI comprehend the human concept
  of laughter. He can be amused by some things, but the causes
  seem rather bizarre.
  The Timekeeper places a high value on personal honor and
  duty. This expresses itself in his devotion to his Defense Squad,
  and to prolecting the average citizen. He has tranSferred his vow
  to guard the Precursor time machine to an oath to shield in-
  nocents from harm. He has a dcep--rooted need to serve a cause,
  and he would fccl lost without QDC.
  AbiliJies
  Like all Rynkarians, the Timekeeper is able to boost his
  slrength and speed through an act of will. His clan practiced
  selective breeding, so be was born with grealer inherent and
  potential strength than others of his race. Amal was subjected to
  various treatments upon reaching adulthood, further boosling
  his power. He can only function at peak levels for a few minutes,
  so he will not aclivale his full powers unless absolutely neces-
  sary. The eXira ST he gains through concentration does not
  increase his Fatigue. TIle boost ability is panly psionic in na-
  lUre, so it leaves a trace other psis can detect.
  BaItIe Tactics
  The Timekeeper will augment his power wben faced with
  metahuman opponents. He will run toward a suitable opponent
  and attack with his staff. He prefers to face other hand-to-hand
  fighters, as he regards this as a true test of his skill.
  Power Variations
  l5D-point version: Lower ST to 20; lower DX 10 13; lower
  IQ to 10; lower HT to 11; lower Alertness to +2; drop Danger
  Sense; drop Strong Will; lower Damage Resistance 10 + 10;
  drop Damage Resistance vs. generic Energy; lower Enhanced
  ST to +23; lower Increased Speed to +3; drop Passive Defense;
  drop Mind Shield.
  75D-point version: Raise ST 10 80; raise DX to 18; raise
  Super Running to x2; raise Damage Resistance to +25; raise
  Damage Resistance vs. generic Energy to + 10; raise Passive
  Defense to +2.
  -57-
  Characters
  
  ST II (10 points)
  IQ 14 (45 points)
  DX 14 (45 points)
  HT 12 (20 points)
  Speed: 6.50
  Move: 8
  Damage: Thrust Id-I; Swing Id +I
  Appearance: Female buman, mulano, age 31, 5' 7", 120
  Ibs., light-brown haircut into a faddish style, brown eyes, light-
  brown complexion.
  Point Total: 500
  Advantages:
  Attractive (5 points)
  Combat Reflexes (15 points)
  Double-Jointed (5 points)
  High Pain Threshold (10 points)
  Patron: Supertemps on 9 or less (30 points)
  Toughness: DR + I (10 points)
  Disadvantages:
  Addiction: Tobacco (-5 points)
  Bad Sight: Nearsighted (-10 points)
  Code of Honor: Hero's (-IS points)
  Duty: Supenemps on 12 or less (-10 points)
  Enemy: KGB on 6 or less (-IS points)
  Overconfidence (-10 points)
  Secret: Identity (-20 points)
  Sense of Duty: To the underprivileged (-10 points)
  Srubbomncss (-5 points)
  Super Advantages:
  Cosrumc (20 points)
  Damage Resistance + IS (Only when in Shadow Fomt-2; 60
  points)
  Dark Vision (Can see colors + 2; Only when in Shadow Fonn
  -2; 25 points)
  Passive Defense +2 (Only when in Shadow Fonn -2; 40
  points)
  Shadow FornI (Can carry Medium Encumbrancc +5; Mute
  when activated -2; 65 points)
  Stretchingx3 (Only when in Shadow Fonn -2; 36 points)
  Power and Supe,..SJcills:
  Darkness Power 3 (21 points)
  Animate Shadow-14 (Can dispel shadows at will +2; Ex-
  tended Duration +4; No Conccntration +2; Rapid Firex3 + 9;
  80 points)
  Blind-12 (4 points)
  Create Darkncss-12 (4 points)
  Slcills:
  Acrobatics-14 (4 points); Acting (I point); Area Knowledge
  (Washington, D.C.)-14 (I point); Area Knowledge (World)-14
  (I point); Bolas-IS (4 points); Camouflage-14 (I point); Com-
  puter Operation-13 (Ill point); Criminology-IS (4 points);
  Demolition-12 (Ill point); Detect Lies-13 (2 points);
  Diplomaey-12 (I point); Driving (Car)-14 (2 points);
  Economics-II (Ill poin!); Electronics Operation (Communica-
  tioos)-13 (I JX)int); Electronics Operation (Security Systems)-13
  (I point); Escape-12 (I JX)int); Fast-Talk-14 (2 JX)ints); French-
  13 (I JX)int); German-13 (I point); Guns (Pistol)-16 (I point);
  Judo-13 (2 points); Karate-IS (8 points); Law-14 (4 points);
  Parachuting-13 (Ill point); Running-12 (4 points); Russian-14
  (2 points); Sex AppeaJ-12 (I point); Spanish·12 (Ill point);
  Stealth-14 (2 points); Swimming-13 (Ill point)
  Quirks:
  Dreads ber 40th birthday (can't believe she passed 30!)
  Drives too fast -
  often gets ticketed
  Never talks about her years with the CIA
  Watches TIle Comedy Channel on cable TV
  Never eats chocolate
  Story
  Jeanelle Atchison had a difficult childhood. She was the
  daughter of a while father and a black mother and grew up in
  northern Florida during the late 50s and early 60s; consequent-
  ly, she never really fit in with other children, and never really
  considered hcrself to be either black or white -
  more like a
  minority of one.
  The civil rights movement of the 60s had a profound effect on
  Jeanette. She determined that education was the road to success,
  and that more m.inorities needed to possess prestigiousjobs. Her
  father was a lawyer, and she decided to follow in his footsteps.
  In the heady atmosphere of the 60s, being a lawyer and Mlping
  Characters
  -58-
  
  lawyer and helping people was a great ideal. Jeanelle intended to
  work as a public defender.
  But after she had only fmished lhrec years of undergraduate
  work, her mother was stricken wilh a debilitating disease. The
  medical bills were enormous, and Jeanette's falher simply could
  not afford to bolh pay lhe doctors and keep Jeanette in school.
  Jeanette applied for every scholarship she could find; in
  desperation, she even starting claiming minority status on ap·
  plication fonus -
  something she had steadfastly refused to do
  before, but her grades simply wcren't good enough to distin-
  guish her from the other applicants.
  She realized lhat she would have to drop out of school until
  she could get enough money to return. Jeanette applied for many
  jobs and took alilhe civil service tests she could find. Eventually
  she got an interview wilh the Central Intelligence Agency. The
  CIA was impressed with her, and after a rather thorough back·
  grOlUld investigation, offered her a position.
  Jeanelte worked in lhe administrative branch of the Agency
  for two years before she was offered lhe opportunity to train to
  be an agent. She was somewhat nervous about the implications
  of being an agent, but rationalized that the CIA was helping
  guarantee freedoms around the globe.
  After her training, she was posted to assignments in embas-
  sies in eastern Europe, where she collected information from
  field operatives, processed it and sent it back to Washington.
  She did her work flawlessly, and was rotated back to the U.S.
  several times to be trained in espionage herself.
  Eventually, Jeanette was assigned to espionage work in her
  own right. The pay was better and the assignments were more
  exciting, but there was added danger as well. For three years she
  managed to avoid lhe danger, but it eventually caught up with
  her as she was attempting to photograph a Czechoslovakian
  munitions plant. A guard heard the whir of her camera, search-
  ed lhe darkness until he found her, trained a laser·guided rifle on
  her and fired lhree shots before she had a chance to react.
  Miraculously, Jeanette's long-dormant mctahuman physiol-
  ogy activated, transforming her into a shadow that instantly
  "fell" to the ground as the bullers sped past. The guard watched
  rhe spot she had occupied, but could find no trace of her (and
  was later reprimanded for firing his weapon without reason).
  Her subsequent report included her metahuman manifesta-
  rion, of course. The CIA was ecstatic to find that one of its
  top-Hne agents was a metahuman. They subjected her to tests to
  determine the extent ofber powers, then trained her in the use of
  them. Finally, they began to send her on highly dangerous mis-
  sions the CIA brass deemed impossible for other agents.
  JeaneUe still performed flawlessly, lhough she began to have
  doubts. She had joined the CIA by convincing herself that she
  was protecting lhe freedoms of individuals, but the missions she
  was being sent on involved lhe administration's panicular politi-
  cal agenda. After six monlhs, she decided she had had it and
  tendered her resignation.
  Of course, the CIA was not happy to lose such a valuable
  agent. They tried 10 convince her to stay, but ber mind was made
  up. She signed what seemed like volumes of non-disclosure
  statements and releases, and was once again an average citizen-
  except for her super abilities.
  Now that she was out of the CIA, she wondered what to do
  with her life. Going back 10 school again didn't interest her any
  more; she wanted to help people right away, without waiting
  anolher five years to be a lawyer.
  Jeanette had metabuman abiJities, and it seemed as though lhe
  easiest way to use tbose abilities would be to join a new or-
  ganization called Supertemps. They accepted her, suggested a
  name ("Twilight") and assigned her to lead a Defense Squad in
  Pittsburgh. It's been several years now, and she hasn't looked
  back; she works for the Guardian Division when they need her,
  and in her off time counsels inner-eity children.
  Campaign Role
  One of the PCs might have met Twilight at college. It's also
  possible she met one of them while in lhe CIA; lhiscould lead to
  an international scenario as Twilight and the PCs get involved in
  a plot that began in her CIA days.
  Personality
  Jeanette is driven by a desire to aid people. Her heart goes out
  to lhe poor and the victimized. As Twilight, she makes numer-
  ous charity appearances, and as Jeanette Atchison, she volun·
  teers some time every week to help charitable organizations.
  Her relationship with her father disintegrated after her
  mother died. When working in Washington, D.C., she was un-
  able to visit them as often as she would have liked, and when she
  was posted overseas, the CIA prohibited her from contacting
  them. Her father never lmderstood, and has never forgiven her;
  this disturbs her greatly.
  Abilities
  Twilight was trained by the CIA (to be blunt) as a spy.
  Though her primary duty was surveillance, she also received
  weapons and martial-arts training as a matter of course. She
  usually carried a Beretta 9mm pistol and a bola or two on her
  missions; more than being a flamboyant weapon, the bola saved
  her life a couple of times when her enemies weren't expecting it!
  All of her metahuman powers deal with manipulation of
  shadow, lhe absence of light, as a physical entity. Not only can
  Twilight transform her body into a two-dimensional shadow,
  she can project "darkness" into an area or at a victim's eyes
  (producing temporary blindness). When she takes the form of a
  shadow, Twilight can see in complete darkness, enjoys greater
  protection from injury, and can stretch portions of her body.
  She can also create shadows, which she can command to
  attack her foes. These shadows are easily destroyed, but she can
  summon them quickly -
  up to four per second. She may dispel
  them as she pleases, and they will never harm ber or her allies.
  BaIlie Ttu:tics
  In most skirmishes, Twilight'S first action will be to trans-
  fomi into a shadow (in order to ensure her own safety). Depend·
  ing on the situation, she may use the Animate Shadow skill to
  summon allies, or Create Darkness to cause confusion and dis·
  traction in her enemies. Some foes, especially powerful ones,
  are best dealt with using Blind. Though it does DO damage, its
  effects may permit a quick rescue or escape.
  Power Varia/ions
  25()...point vusion: Lower IQ to 13; drop Double-Jointed;
  drop High Pain Threshold; drop Toughness; drop Damage
  Resistance; drop Dark Vision; drop Passive Defense; drop
  Stretching; drop Extended Duration and No Concentration en-
  hancements; lower Rapid Fire enhancement to x I; lower Judo
  skill level to 12.
  750-point version: Raise ST to 12; raise OX to 16; raise HT
  to 13; add Super Running (Only when in Shadow Fonn -2); add
  Increased Speed +3 (Only when in Shadow Form ·2); raise
  Passive Defense to +6; add No Concentration to Shadow Form;
  raise Shadow FornI enhancement to Heavy Encumbrance; raise
  Running skill level to 14.
  -59-
  Characters
  
  "fi\TCtll)CG
  Sf 11 (10 points)
  IQ IS (60 poinlS)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT 11 (IO poiDls)
  Speed: 5.25
  Move: 2
  Damage: Thrust Id·l, Swing Jd+ 1
  Appeannce: Male human, black, age 45, 6' 0". 170 Ibs.,
  thinning black hair in military-style haircut, brown eyes.
  Point Total: 0500
  Ad~antages:
  Charisma +1 (5 points)
  Combat Reflexes (15 points)
  Eidetic Memory (30 poiDls)
  Empathy (15 points)
  Intuition (15 points)
  Reputation +2 (10 points)
  Strong Will +3 (l2 points)
  Very Wealthy (30 points)
  DisadYantages:
  Code of Honor: Upholds the law (but is willing 10 bend it),
  Won', break his word (-10 points)
  Enemy: KKKlWhile Supremacists on 6 or less (-15 poiOls)
  Hard of Hearing (-10 points)
  Lame: Paralyzed (-35 points)
  Pacifism: Cannot harm innocents (-10 points)
  Odious Personal Habit: Too truthful (-.5 points)
  Sense of Ducy: Veterans. acquaiDlances, business c1ieots (-10
  points)
  Tnllhfulness (-5 points)
  Power and Super-Skill:
  ESP Power 40 (120 points)
  Precognition-IS (No Obvious Effect +3; Reduced
  Fatigue COSI x 8; 96 poinls)
  Super Equipment:
  Anll-Surveillance Tool Kit (Can be stolen by Stealth, -10%;
  SO points)
  Invisibility 10 Machines (Area Effect +4; Affects Others
  4; Movable Area +3; Switcbable + I)
  Computer-Enhanced Surveillance Goggles (Breakable: DR
  2, HP 6 -15%; Can Be Hit at 4 -15%; 20 points)
  See Invisible (Switchable +I)
  Skills:
  Adminislration-14 (Li poinl); Armoury (Firearms)-14 (Li
  poim); Bard-IS (1 point); Camouflage-IS (I point); Computer
  Operation-IS (~point); Computer Programming-14 (I point);
  Demolition-IS (I poinl); Detect Lies-IS (I poinl); Driving
  (Car)-II (I point); Electronics Operation (Communications)-IS
  (I poinl); Electronics Operation (Security SyslemsHS (I
  point); Electronics Operation (Sensors)-IS (1 point); Fasl-Draw
  (Pistol)-13 (I point); First Aid-I6 (I point); French-13 (t.1
  point); Geneucs-12 (t.1 point); Gesture-16 (I point); Gwmer
  (Machine gun)-14 (I point); Guns (Assault rifle)-14 (I poiOl);
  Guns (Pistol}-IS (2 points); History (Metahumans}-19 (I point);
  History (Warfare}-19 (I point); History-13 (0 points); Holdout-
  17 (3 points); Intelligence Analysis-16 (3 points); Inlerrogation-
  IS (I point); Judo-I3 (S points); Karate· 12 (4 points); Knife-12
  (I point); Law-14 (I point); Leadership-IS (4 poinIS); Lock-
  picking-16 (2 points); Merchant-IS (I point); Poisons-12 (101
  point); Research-18 (4 points); Shadowing-IS (l poinl); Stealth-
  13 (4 points); Slrategy-17 (4 points); Survival (Jungle)-IS (I
  poinl); Taclics-21 (8 poinls); Tactics (Metahumans)-20 (7
  poiOls); Tcaching-17 (3 points); TrapsrrL7-18 (4 points); Viet-
  namese-IS (I poiOl); Writing-IS (I point)
  Quirks:
  Sings in the bathlub
  Likes breakfast cereal -
  often eats il for lunch and dinner
  Will not tolerale condescension or bigotry
  Prefers trains to airplanes
  Night owl
  Story
  As a kid, Sam Mitchell always seemed to know whal would
  happen next. He knew whal gifts he would get for Christmas and
  on his binhday, and from whom. He realized IDOnths in advance
  his parems would divorce when he was tco. And he knew when
  his teachers would give a pop quiz. Everyone, including Sam,
  just thoughl he was a good guesser. No one, least of all Sam,
  suspected he was a melahuman.
  Sam graduated from high school and went to West Point, then
  to the Infantry Officers' Basic Course, then was assigned 10
  Vietnam and placed in charge of an infantry platoon. Sam was a
  no-DOD5ense lieutenant, but he earned the respect of his men by
  listening 10 them and following their advice rather than slavishly
  "going by the book." His prescience helped him keep himself
  and his men alive.
  Unfortunalely, his prediclions weren'l always coougb 10 pin-
  point the source of danger. One hot, humid afternoon, while
  Sam and his men were out on patrol, he bad a feeling of grave
  danger. He ordered his men 10 take cover; as he was diving for
  a sland of bamboo, two rounds of rifle fire caught him in the
  back. The soldiers took out the enemy sniper, bUI Sam had
  earned a licket home the hard way. One of the bullels had
  severed his spinal cord; he was paralyzed from the waist down.
  Sam spent several months in the hospital, then retired with
  100% disability pay. He bad always wanted 10 be a soldier, and
  now that thaI option was closed 10 him, he didn't know whal he
  would do. Luckily, while he was in the hospital, several of the
  members of his platoon were discharged. One, Ben Wilkins,
  hadn't forgotten the lieutenanl who had saved his life several
  times. He persuaded his father to give Sam a job al the family
  business; the Wilkins Rifle and Ammunition Company, one of
  the largest firearms manufacturers in the Midwest.
  Sam staned out as a machine operalor, then moved imo the
  fronl office as a clerk. After a few weeks on thejob, his precog-
  nilive ability -
  which had been domunl most ofl.he lime he was
  in the hospital -
  warned him thai the factory would be broken
  into that night. Sam approached the foreman, who was skeplical;
  he then lalked to Bcn, who convinced his father to listen to Sam.
  The three of them double-checked the planl and found that an
  alarm in a sensilive area had been deactivated.
  Wilkins inuncdiately ordered a stakeout, caughl the thief in
  the acl, and found him 10 be the one of the plant's security men!
  1be next day Wilkins gave Sam the now-vacant post of Assistant
  Chief of Security in charge of special projects. This gave Sam
  Characters
  -60-
  
  time to research securiry systems, devices, tcchniques, corporate
  espionage and other related maUers he knew little about. He
  found the subject fascinating. When be had exhausted all the
  written sources be could fmd, he went to experts in the field,
  mostly other seeuriry officers -
  but even convicts willing 10 lalk
  about their mctbods. Finally, be pulled some strings to get infor-
  malion from friends in the Army's Criminal Investigation
  Division 00 cutting-edge technologies and procedures.
  When Wilkins' securiry chief moved on a year later, Sam was
  promoted to the posilion. He made several changes in thc depart-
  mcnt, revising procedures and making changes in personnel.
  The result was a well-Qiled security department and a dramatic
  drop in thefls, from 2.6% the previous year 10 less than .6%.
  Sam had donc his job too well; he began 10 feel bored. He
  asked permission 10 quil his full-time job 10 become a free-lance
  consultant. Wilkins agreed after Sam promised 10 conlinue to
  look after Wilkins' business as his first client. Wilkins was so
  impressed thaI Sam had bothered 10 request permission, he even
  belped secure Sam's first outside assignments.
  So Assured Security, Inc. was born. Sam started oul slowly,
  largely due 10 the expense often required to implemenl his
  proposals. BUI as lime went by, il became clear that companies
  protccled by ASI saved allcasl as much as they spent. Wilhin a
  few years, ASI had become a modcst success story with an
  impeccable repulalion.
  This reputation led a privatc metahuman team to contact Sam.
  Thcy had secured funds to convcrt an abandoned building into a
  base and wanted advice on how to protcct it. Sam was intrigued
  by the challenge and gladly accepted. He began to study
  metahumans and metahuman tearns in order to do the job right.
  Sam spent time with the group to identify specific needs. He
  noticed that their training sessions were well thought oul, but
  lacked any expert tactical knowledge. He made some sugges-
  tions to improve efficiency, and soon was hired 10 train them.
  The more Sam studied and worked with metahumans, the
  more be enjoyed working with them and the more he suspected
  his "huncbes" were a manifestatiooofa metahuman power. The
  members of the team agreed with him, and Sam had himself
  tested 10 make sure. Whcn the leslS came back posilive, the
  media had a ficld day. Sam becamc an instant celebrity; one of
  the newspapers tagged him
  with Ihe name' 'Watch·
  dog," which he found
  rather amusing.
  Sam registered with Su~
  pertemps in order to fa-
  cilitatc contact with other
  melabuman groups who
  wanled his services. He
  continues to study meta-
  humans, concCDlrating on
  their tactical slrengths and
  weaknesses. He has com-
  piled the largest known
  personal database of mela-
  human information, and
  used it to wrile his book,
  The MetahulTUln in Com-
  bo.t (New York: Quadranl,
  1986). 1M MetahumiJn in
  Combat is considered the
  definitive texl on the sub-
  ject, and is required read-
  ing for all Supertemps
  Defense Squads (and in the
  Uniled States Military Academy!).
  He continues 10 work as a securiry and tactical coosultant,
  and his schedule is extremely tigbt. His most noteworthy ac-
  complishment to date bas been the assembling of Presidenl
  King's metahuman bodyguards. Sam warned them an assassina-
  tion allempl was likely al King's inauguration; this forewarning
  was one of the reasons the White Wizard failed (see p. SUl(9).
  Campaign Role
  Anyone with an interest in security may wanl to hire the
  Walchdog. Groups moving inlO an new base may consult him on
  their security needs. Established teams may wanl to upgrade an
  old syslem. Teams that lack a good taclician may hire Sam as a
  consultant. Velerans may have served with him during the war;
  Sam Mitchell is known 10 have a soft spot in his heart for
  velerans (especially disabled and Vietnam-era), and will ftnd a
  job for a fellow veleran if he can. Watchdog could even become
  a supporting m:mber of a PC super-tearn, bul be obviously
  wanlS 10 stay away from the action!
  Penonality
  Sam Milchell is an easygoing optimiSl, despite his disabiliry.
  He is unflinchingly trulhful, however, which to some people
  comes across as tactlessness. He maintains a belief in hard work
  and personal integrity inslilled in bim by his father. He enjoys
  the company of other metahumans, due 10 the excitement and the
  fact thaI many metahumans view him as an equal, whereas
  "nonnal" people are often disturbed by him.
  Abilities
  Sam Mitchell's precognitive abiliry allows him to "see" the
  possible fulure. He seldom acrually sees visions; usually be
  simply has a gut feeling thaI something is likely to happen. Sam
  is particularly adept at sensing immediale danger; the allack
  which crippled him was a rare failure of his power.
  &/tIe Tactics
  Sam docs his level best 10 stay out of any combal, for obvious
  reasons. He employs two ex-Green Berels as constant body-
  guards, and they willlry 10 gel Sam away from any connict.
  -61-
  Characters
  
  White Sorceress
  Sf9(-IOpoints)
  IQIS(60points)
  DX 12 (20 points)
  HT II (10 points)
  Speed: 5.25
  Move: 5
  Damage: Thrust Id-2, Swing Id·l
  Appearance: Female buman, white, age 16, 5' 5", liS 100.,
  sboulder-Ienglh. wavy, deep-brown hair, violet eyes.
  Point Total: 500
  Ad~'antages:
  Ally: Andrea Northc1iffc on IS or less (IS points)
  Beautiful (15 points)
  Patron: Northcliffe Family on 9 or less (20 poinls)
  Patron: Supcncmps on 6 or less (IS poinls)
  Unusual BackgrOlmd (25 points)
  Disadvantages:
  COOt of Honor: Won', break her word HO points)
  Duty: Supcncmps on 9 or less (-5 points)
  Enemy: Dark Forces on 6 or less (-20 points)
  Pacifism: Cannol hann ilUlocenlS (-10 poims)
  Phobia (Mild): Acrophobia (fear of heights) (-10 points)
  Secret: Identity (-5 points)
  Sense of Dury: Everyone she knows (-10 points)
  Shyness: Severe (-10 points)
  Vow: To be worthy of the power given her (-10 poiRls)
  Weirdness Magnet H5 poiDlS)
  Youth (-4 points)
  Super Advantage:
  Extra Fatigue +6 (30 points)
  Powers and Super-Skills:
  Generic Full Defense Power + 13 (65 poims)
  Magic Power 12 (240 points)
  AutotelepoTl-16 (Physical Effect-I; Requires a magic
  word -I; Takes Recharge -2; Unreliable: Activation 14 -1; I
  poim)
  Erase Signature-I5 (Costs Fatigue: 2 per use -I; Requires
  a magic word -I; Takes Extra Time -/; Takes Recharge -/; v.z
  point)
  Flash-12 (Leaves Mental Signature -I; Requires a magic
  word -/; Takes Recharge -I; 2 poims)
  Generic Crushing Missile-IS (Leaves Memal Signature
  -/; Requires a magic word -/; 16 poims)
  Generic Binding Attack-IS (physical Effect -/; Requires a
  magic word -I; Takes Extra Time -1; 2 points)
  Generic Full Dcfense-16 (No Concentration + 2; Physical
  Effect -I; 16 JX)inlS)
  Heating-16 (Reduced Fatigue Cost +4; Physical Effcct
  -I; Requires a magic word -1; Takes Extra Time -3; Takes
  Recharge ./; v.z point)
  lIIuminate-14 (Requires a magic word ./; Takes Extra
  Time -3; Takes Recharge -1; I poim)
  llIusion-15 (Requires a magic word -I; Takes Recharge
  -I; Takes Extra Time -/; 2 points)
  Magic Sense-15 (As Psi Sense, but works only versus
  magic; 12 poims)
  Mental Blow-IS (No Conecmration +2; Emergencies
  Only -3; Physical Effect ./; Requires a magic word -1; Takes
  Recharge -/; I point)
  Mind Shield-12 (2 points)
  Precognition-15 (Only for events related to magic -4; 1
  point)
  Telecontrol-14 (Requires a magic woed -I; Takes
  Recharge -I; 2 points)
  Telereceive-15 (12 points)
  Telcscan-15 (Requires a magic word -1; Takes Recharge
  ./; Takes Extra Time -/; 2 points)
  Telesend-15 (Requires a magic word -I; 8 points)
  Telekinesis·13 (Requires a magic word -I; Takes
  Recharge -/; Takes Extra Time -/; v.z point)
  Skills:
  First Aid-IS (I poim); History (Magic)-17 (v.z poim); Hyp-
  notism-14 (2 points); Judo-I2 (4 points); Knife-12 (I point);
  Latin-14 (I point); Occultism-20 (14 poims); Singiog-13 (4
  points)
  Quirks:
  Likes popular music from the 60s
  Drinks only water, iced tea and RC Cola
  Wants to visit the family estate in England
  Talks to her teddy bear when no one else is listening
  Hates summer
  CharaClers
  -62-
  
  Story
  Marilyn Nonhclifrs paternal ancestors had always bcco ...
  well. eccenrric. The Northcliffe family tree included 9th-ecnrury
  druids. several alchemists and members of every Western secret
  sociery from the Freemasons 10 the Golden Dawn.
  Not all of the Nortbcliffes were proud of their heritage, how-
  ever. Marilyn's father, Howard Northclirre, felt his family's
  preoccupation with the supernatural was silly and moved from
  England (0 Canada to escape it, dropping the final 'c' from his
  name in the process.
  But onc day, from out of the blue, his atmt Andrea (who even
  the stranger members of the family considered odd) came to
  visil. She lold him that his daughter was destined 10 become a
  sorceress, and pOlentially a very powerful one. Howard was
  infuriated; he ordered his aunt out of the house and immediately
  moved to another province, oollcaving a forwarding address.
  Marilyn spent the next five years growing up in a small
  soolhem Ontario farming lown, with no conlact with the rest of
  her father's family. Then, when she was thinecn, she went on an
  overnight trip 10 Toronto with a church group -
  her firsl lrip
  away from her parents for any subSlanlial length of lime. That
  night her roommale went 10 anOlher room to visit with some
  friends. Marilyn, alone in her room, opened the door and was
  grabbed by a man with a gun. He released the safely, pointed the
  glm at her head ... and fell down, laking Marilyn with him. She
  stood up, screamed, and saw two totally unexpected things: a
  woman in a white kartan and an omale dagger in the man's back.
  Andrea retrieved her dagger, grabbed Marilyn's haud and
  rushed her OUI of the room before anyone spotted them. As lhey
  drove for the U.S. border, Andrea told her grandnicce about the
  Northcliffe family. Marilyn had been under conslant walch and
  protcction since she was two years old; she was destined to be a
  powerful sorceress. Unfortunately, cemin praclilioners of the
  Black Arts knew this too, and wanted her neutralized -
  she
  would be a powerful weapon in the fighl against them.
  They drove through the night, eventually reaching Boston
  before dawn. As the sun rose, Andrea pulled up in front of a
  small bookstore with no name in the window. As they walked in,
  the old woman behind the counter rose to greet them. "I believe
  this is what you're looking for," she said as she handed Marilyn
  a large book with a white cover. Marilyn took the book, and she
  and her great-awl! left the store. Just before they got back into
  the car, Marilyn looked back, but where the store had been
  moments ago, there was merely a boarded-over storefront which
  looked like it had been abandoned for years.
  Marilyn and Andrea spenl the next few weeks as the guest of
  a coven in upstale New York, while Marilyn read the book. She
  devoured its conlents, learning more and more about magic. As
  she turned the last page, she felt a surge of energy course
  through ber, creating a blinding light in her room. When the
  Iighl subsided and the energy dissipated, the book had disap-
  peared, and in its place was a hooded white cape.
  That night they left the protection of the coven. Margaret
  explained thai the area was no longer safe; the people who
  wanled Marilyn neutralized would have delecled the energy and
  would be looking for her again. In facl, the coven would aban-
  dOll their house and move, but dley would be safe in Iheir new
  location.
  Marilyn'sgreat-aunc moved her again and again, teaching her
  10 use her new-found powers. She missed her family, but real-
  ized that returning home would only bring danger to her loved
  ones, and when she explained whal had happened, her father
  might throw her out again. Sbe acCeplS her fale, bUI she slill
  cried the first lime she saw her picture on the side of a carton of
  milk. (She also realized she could be SpOlted, so she started
  wearing a pair of glasses as a disguise.)
  Supencmps was a perfect way for Marilyn to earn some
  money for them to live 00 and at the same lime lcam to use ber
  powers. She has done several assignments for them, becoming
  stronger and Jllore capable with each challenge. Being a member
  of Supencmps had other unexpecled benefits as well; Marilyn
  has tx:en attacked three times by her enemies since joining Su-
  penemps. The first time she and her great-aunt fended off the
  attack, bUI each attack was Slronger than the previous one, and
  she had 10 telepathically sunm}()n several of ber co-workers 10
  help them withstand the third attack. She is now on constant
  guard againsl her enemies, and is looking forward 10 the day
  when she will be strong enough to take the iniliative and go
  looking for 1Mm_
  Campaign Role
  Characters from ToronlO, Windsor. Niagara Falls or any-
  where in between (or who were in the area when the allempted
  kidnapping occurred) may remember the news reports of the
  murdered assassin and the girl who disappeared. (The incidenl
  meriled 20 seconds in Delroit and Buffalo, and little else in the
  resl of Ihe U.S.) A character m.ighl also remember seeing her
  picture on a "Have You Seen Me?" posler.
  A character might also belong to one of the secret societies
  the Norlhcliffe family is involved in. Some of these secrel
  societies are keeping track of Marilyn for their own purposes; at
  least one is protecting her. Another inleresting IwiSI might be to
  have a characler involved with one of the secret societies trying
  to lrack Marilyn down!
  To make things really interesting, add either a private inves-
  tigator, hired by MariJyn's father 10 find her, or (if Andrea has
  been linked to the disappearance) a U.S. Marshall with an ex-
  lradition warrant -
  or both!
  Personality
  Marilyn Northcliff has been forced 10 grow up much faster
  than anyone should. She is exlremely serious for her years, and
  a need 10 be suspicions of Slrangers has made her quile shy. AI
  the same lime. she craves affeclion and friendship. mostly be-
  cause they arc so hard for her 10 get. She desperately wants to
  succeed, and the pressure of her life places her under a great deal
  of strain. Her greal-aunt Andrea helps her over the rough spots,
  and Marilyn loves her dearly.
  AbiliJies
  While Sorceress can cast a wide variely of spells, which she
  learned from the myslerious while book. Her primary abilities
  lie in lelepathic skills. Many of her spellS require an incantation;
  she is unable 10 casl these if silenced in any way.
  A bright yellow aun surrounds While Sorceress when she
  uses skills with a physical effect. Her Magic Sense funclions the
  same as Psi Sense, but is used to detect magic. 11 will nOI pick up
  normal psionic use.
  Battle Tactics
  White Sorceress is hardly a fronl-Iine fighler, so she usually
  lries to remain at the edges of a conflict. She relies on Illusion as
  her main altack, occasionally attempting Telecontrol. She
  prefers not 10 project magical bolts of energy (her Generic
  Crushing Missile), but will if necessary. When attacked direcl-
  Iy, she will instioctively slrike black with a Mental Blow. If the
  threat persists she can still use the Menial Blow, hUI may opt 10
  use another power.
  -63-
  Characters
  
  Application for Employment
  Hero name (if any)
  Real name (optional)
  _
  Please provide an address, telephone number, or some other means through which you may be contacted.
  Describe your pcM'ers as precisely as possible. Indicate if they have been documented (news footage, eyewitness
  accounts, etc.).
  Vulnerabilities (optional)
  _
  Do you have a geographic preference?
  _
  \!\buld you be willing to relocate?
  0 Yes
  0 No
  Which division are }<)u applying for? (Check all that apply.)
  0 Guardian
  0 Industrial
  0 Entertainment
  Which types of teammates 'NOuld you care to work with?
  _
  This section is optional.
  Provide any character references 'fOu feel would aid Supertemps in its decision. Do nOlIist. relatives.
  Name
  Name'
  _
  Address
  Address
  _
  Relationship with applicanl
  _
  Relationship with applicant
  _
  Have you ever been convicted of a felony? (If yes, explain on the back of this sheet.)
  _
  Do you consent to a genetic examination, if necessary?
  0 Yes
  0 No
  All information and statements herein are accurate and true to the best of my knQINledge and belief.
  Signature
  Date
  _
  
  Who la Gonna Call NOW?
  When a pipe breaks, you call a plumber.
  When your roof leaks, you call a roofer.
  "Vhen your car breaks down, you get a
  mechanic. But what do you do when a
  gigantic lizard is destroying your high-rise
  in downtown New York?
  Simple. Call Supertemps, the world's
  only metahum3U employment agency!
  •
  Inside this book you'll find:
  Detailed descriptions of 29 new supcrs-
  for-hire, with powers running from the
  meek and mundane to the mystical and
  magical. Each comes with a fully-described
  character background, personality,
  philosophy and goals! Point totals range
  from SOO up, with details on raising or
  lowering the point value of some of the
  iJnportant heroes.
  The complete background and history of
  Superlemps -
  the company's goals,
  organization and hiring practices.
  •
  Adventure seeds and advice 011 how to
  =~~~~;~~;;;~~.inVOlve pla;ers in a Supertemps campaign,
  -
  including lnfonnation 011 how PCs can
  become employees of the company.
  •
  A Supertemps employment application.
  And much, much more ...
  \Vritten by Mark Johnson and Sean T. DeLap
  Edited by Creede Lambard
  Additional material by ROll Bailey, Loyd Blankenship
  and Creede Lambard
  Cover by David DoOrman
  Interior art by Dan Panosian
  S
  EV
  __CKSON GAMFS
  ISBN 1-55634-169-5
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/GURPS [multi]/SETTING/supers/GURPS 3e - Supertemps .pdf