A mystical foe in the form of an other dimensional user of magic, one who doesn't follow quite the same rules as most home-grown wizardly types.
Syzygy
Syzygy may be a personal name, a description, or a rank in some incomprehensible hierarchy, but the entity who uses it as an identifier refuses to clarify the situation. Obviously inhuman and definitely otherworldy, the thing seems to employ opposing principles of magic and draw on conflicting dimensional planes for its powers, baffling even other mystics and sorcerers. Its interests seem equally divided, apparently serving many masters with wildly differing goals while seeking to seize ever greater power for itself. Syzygy seems to have an special interest in artifacts and places imbued with mystical power. This has led to it either clashing or cooperating with beings like the Watcher At the Breach and the Maiden In the Mirror as well as mystical heroes. It's also been seen with noted magical thief Cinnabar Red and mysterious chimerical creatures like BG Gruff and the Three Bears, sometimes as an ally and sometimes as a foe. In short, Syzygy is a mystic weirdness magnet who might appear almost anytime the supernatural is involved, with no fixed allegiance to anyone or anything.
An uncommonly versatile user of magic, Syzygy can conjure up both searing radiance and chilling darkness at will, open rifts to unnatural realms whose energies can rend a mortal's sanity, perceive the weave of time and manage all manner of lesser feats. It's particularly fond of bending reality to create dangerous distractions while it goes about its business - in game terms, creating a challenge by using an Overcome action with Unpredictable. While very potent against other supernatural opponents, Syzygy does have a pronounced weakness to the "alien arts" of science and technology, as well as struggling against truly strong-willed and single-minded opponents. Penalties created with with Science, Technology, Self-Discipline, Conviction and Technological powers all trigger its vulnerabilities, and players might be able to leverage suitable Principles and role-playing qualities as well with GM approval.
Description: A strange, semi-abstract humanoid figure hovering in mid-air. Its surface is mottled in black and white patterns. The slender limbs, hands, head and torso aren't directly connected to one another, merely hanging in close proximity like a psychedelic parody of the human form. Its face is an impassive mask quartered in white and black, and it speaks with a high, piping voice sprinkled with incomprehensible alien phrases and sounds.
Gender: None Age: Unknown Height: 6'0" Eyes: One Black, One White
Hair: None Skin: Irregular Black and White Build: Abstract
Approach: Ninja
Archetype: Formidable (Weakness: Technology, Scientific Principles, Single-Mindedness)
Health: 45 + (5 x H)
Powers: Infernal d10, Radiant d10, Flight d8, Precognition d8, Awareness d6
Qualities: Otherworldly Mythos d10, Magical Lore d10, Imposing d8, Persuasion d8, Supernatural Contradiction d8
Status: No Weakness Mods - d12 / Both Bonuses and Penalties - d8 / Only Penalties - d4
Abilities:
Dread Revelation (A) Attack using Otherworldly Mythos. Hinder that target using your Max + Min dice.
Eternity Foreseen (A) Boost using Precognition. Use your Max + Min dice. Remove all penalties on yourself.
Lashing Energies (A) Attack using Magical Lore. Use your Max die versus one target, your Mid die versus a second target, and your Min die versus any target.
Unpredictable (A) Take any basic action. Use your Max die.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional):
Hardier Minions + 5 Health. Gain Empowerment (A) Upgrade a number of your minions equal to the number of heroes in the scene by increasing their die size by one (max d12).
Master of the Unfathomable (I) If you are in a situation involving eldritch forces, automatically succeed at an Overcome to do the bidding of eldritch entities beyond human concerns.
Tactics
Syzygy generally opens a conflict with Unpredictable to perform a Max die Overcome that uses some element of the environment to cause problems, eg starting a Challenge of some kind. If possible they'll keep doing this sort of thing until someone actually harms or Hinders them. At that point they'll shed any penalties with Eternity Foreseen, then begin alternating between Dread Revelation against whatever single target draws their ire and Lashing Energies against whichever two or three foes seem most vulnerable.
If Syzygy has their upgrade they'll use it to buff up any friendly minions available, spending the action for it early in the scene in place of or in addition to Overcomes to create Challenges. They don't have a way to innately create minions, so either budget for a group or two of them when creating the scene or have an ally who can make them. Their mastery reflects their improbable connections to a whole spectrum of unearthly supernatural beings.
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