Two more supervillains from the labs of the Science Integration Network's SIN/NER division. This pair aren't quite the successes that Rush and Crush were, but with those two they do round out a four-man supervillain team for larger operations. I'm sure they'll shake down into a cohesive group eventually.
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Science Integration Network (SIN)
The Science Integration Network maintains a low-profile front as a global initiative to share scientific research data for the good of humanity, but its true nature is much darker and better fitted to their SIN acronym. A largely secretive conspiracy of would-be technocrats and fringe scientists, their ultimate goal is to dominate the world through the power of superior technology and free researchers from the stifling bonds of ethics, morality and other superstitions. Their goals are appealing to many technically-oriented super-geniuses, although most of them are too megalomaniacal to cooperate with others long enough to advance SIN's agenda much.
The organization has two main divisions, the Operations Directive and the Novel Engineering Research branch. The SIN/OD specializes in industrial espionage, internal and external security, and direct action against rivals. They employ cutting edge military-grade equipment when secrecy isn't a priority, and spy-fi gadgetry when remaining covert. SIN/NER concentrates on developing and testing new technology, including conducting research into the nature of super powers of all kinds. Most often found field testing experimental devices as part of the organization's overall goals, SIN/NER agents have also been known to hunt supers (both heroes and villains) for use as experimental specimens and test subjects.
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Lash
An argumentative and sour individual, Mateo Abarca Villalobos was never a perfect fit as a SIN/NER agent, which eventually led to a disciplinary review. When offered the choice between a chemical mind-wipe and permanent discharge from service or signing up for an empowerment program to "make something useful of himself" he grudgingly took the latter option. Better than waking up in a gutter somewhere with no idea what he'd been doing for the last five years.
He was one of the lucky ones, gaining the ability to project crackling whips of energy from both hands. These could drain a wide spectrum of exotic radiations, weakening most "superpowers" and interfering with advanced technologies as well. The absorbed energy was metabolically converted into vastly improved strength and durability or channeled back into targets to cause disruptive feedback. He quickly learned to use his whips for acrobatic maneuvering and even fine manipulation at a distance as well, adding to his versatility. He was also informed that he'd need regular treatment with the Q-radiation used to empower him to keep him from suffering a "catastrophic metabolic collapse" - ensuring his reluctant loyalty to SIN going forward.
SIN assigned Mateo the supranym Lash (which he quietly despises) and generally uses him alongside other success stories from the same series of experiments. He'd rather work solo or in charge of regular agents so that he isn't constantly having to restrain himself from siphoning his unwanted allies' power, but his superiors rarely trust him that far. Lash isn't a happy man, but that's pretty much his normal state of being anyway.
Description: A tall, broad shouldered man of Hispanic descent. He wears a single-piece bodysuit that covers everything but his head, with the upper half in navy blue and the lower half in dark red, and will often be found puffing on a cigarette. When his powers are active lashes of crackling yellow energy project from one or both hands, moving with impossible precision and extending several hundred feet at maximum. He has a raspy smoker's voice with a mild Costa Rican accent.
Gender: Male Age: Twenty-Something Height: 6'0" Eyes: Muddy Brown
Hair: Brown Buzzcut Skin: Light Brown Build: Broad-Shouldered
Approach: Dampening Archetype: Loner
Health: 35 + (5 x H)
Powers: Absorption d10, Strength d8, Swinging d8
Qualities: Close Combat d10, Acrobatics d8, Finesse d8, Grumbler d8
Status: (# of Other Allied Villains) 0 - d10 / 1-2 - d8 / 3+ - d6
Abilities:
Scourging Siphon (A) Hinder multiple targets using Absorption. While a hero has this penalty, reduce all their power dice by one size.
Stroke of the Lash (R) When a nearby hero that you can see invokes a twist, Hinder them by rolling your single Absorption die.
Unimpressed (R) When you would be Hindered, reduce the penalty to -1. When an Attack would reduce you to zero Health, reduce the damage to one.
Vicious Thrashing (A) Attack multiple targets using Absorption. Hinder each target using your Max die.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional, rarely when when working with other villain allies):
Power Dampening Field (I) +10 Health. While the scene is in the green zone, all heroes' powers of d8 or higher are reduced by one die size. In the Yellow zone all of the heroes' powers of d10 or higher are reduced by one additional step (two die sizes total). In the Red zone, all heroes' power dice are treated as d4. Heroes can remove this upgrade with three overcome successes. If a hero takes a minor twist while taking these Overcomes, they lose access to a power until this upgrade is removed.
Master of Enforced Order (I) If you have complete control over your surroundings, automatically succeed in an Overcome to organize rabble to accomplish a task.
Tactics:
Lash would really prefer to work without other powered allies around so that he doesn't have to restrain his energy-draining abilities to exclude them from the effects, but SIN often sends him out as part of a team whether he likes it or not. Against heroes he'll usually alternate between Scourging Siphon to weaken their powers and Vicious Thrashing to harm and hamper them with painful feedback. He'll use whichever reaction triggers each round as soon as possible, either making twists even worse with Stroke of the Lash or largely shrugging off Hinders or KO damage with Unimpressed.
On the rare occasions when he has his upgrade it will further weaken opposing heroes and might draw extra Stroke of the Lash reactions as heroes attempt to remove the field. His mastery makes him a very efficient leader for teams of standard agents and "Deadly SIN" operatives.
Unique Optional Mechanic: Lash frequently suffers from being a Loner forced to restrain his flailing multi-target abilities around allies, resulting in a low status die. If his Health reaches the Red zone and he's still at a d6 status the GM can decide he's had all he's putting up with and have him cut loose. If he does so, his status die becomes d10 until the end of the scene, his upgrade (if he has it active) now affects villains as well as heroes, and whenever he uses Scourging Siphon or Vicious Thrashing he automatically includes any eligible allied villains as targets of those abilities. Friendly minions and lieutenants aren't affected unless the GM decides Lash has gone totally berserk, as their lower (or nonexistent) power levels don't interact with Lash's Absorption tricks as violently. How his allies react to this is up to the GM, although they're likely to stay focused on their mission and deal Lash after the heroes.
Lash will suffer serious repercussions from his masters at SIN if this happens, and might wind up making a clean break and becoming a rogue villain rather than face the music.
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Crash
Louis Balland was a SIN/NER agent before being recruited for the division's ongoing empowerment experiments. He was thoroughly enthusiastic about the prospect of gaining super-powers, and while the physical changes that came with them were more severe than anyone expected there's no denying that he gotten some major power in exchange. As Crash he's become a human rocket, capable of propelling himself at incredible speeds with fiery jets projected from his hands and feet and surviving full-speed collisions with even the hardest targets. Those same jets can be used as impromptu weapons or tools as well, spraying blinding flames over a wide area as he spins overhead (the so-called "Gamera maneuver") or focusing down to cut like a blowtorch. Like other successful products of this program he's absorbed a massive dose of Q-radiation that resonates in a positive feedback loop with similarly-empowered superbeings, and his personal charge is the strongest to date.
Description: A very tall man with strange proportions, seemingly stretched out vertically with over-long limbs and a cone-shaped head. He wears a single-piece bodysuit that covers everything but his head, hands, and bare feet, with the upper half in dark red and the lower half in navy blue. He has a slight Californian accent and tends to shout to make himself heard over his rather noisy powers.
Gender: Male Age: Twenty-Something Height: 6'8" Eyes: Green
Hair: None Skin: Ruddy Caucasian Build: Distorted, Vertically Stretched
Approach: Overpowered Archetype: Predator
Health: 50 + (5 x H)
Powers: Flight d12, Momentum d10, Fire d10
Qualities: Human Rocket d8, Imposing d8, Alertness d6
Status: (# of Enemies Engaged) 0-1 - d10 / 2-3 - d8 / 4+ - d6
Abilities:
Blazing Jets (A) Hinder multiple targets using Fire. Use your Max die. Attack any target that gains a penalty this way that already had one penalty from you using your Mid + Min dice.
Jink (R) When Attacked, Defend yourself by rolling your single Flight die. Deal that much damage to a different nearby target.
Prep For Launch (A) Boost yourself using Human Rocket. Use your Max die. That bonus is persistent and exclusive. Defend yourself against all Attacks using your Mid die until the start of your next turn.
Rocket-Propelled Ram (A) Attack using Momentum. Use your Max + Mid + Min dice. Hinder yourself using your Max die. Deal Mid + Min dice damage to yourself.
Upgrades & Masteries (optional, usually in effect when working with Crush, Lash or Rush):
Group Fighter (I) +20 Health. When you take an action that lets you make an Attack, also make an Attack using your Mid die.
Master of Annihilation (I) If you can cause massive collateral damage without regard for casualties, automatically succeed at an Overcome in a situation where a show of overwhelming force would help.
Tactics
Crash is a straightforward fighter, and an enthusiastic one. He usually opens a scene with Prep For Launch to establish a lasting bonus for himself, then hurls himself at one target after another using Rocket-Propelled Ram until the fight is won or he KOs himself. Jink gives him a very strong reactive defense that also throws out some non-Attack damage (making it harder to protect against). He'll break from this pattern only if he sees an opening to go late in one round and early in the next, setting him up to use Blazing Jets back-to-back before the heroes can shed the penalties from the first usage, which can set him up to do a lot of damage and apply big penalties to multiple targets.
His upgrade amps up his damage and lets him spread it around a bit more, as well as letting him survive more rams. His mastery reflects his talents perfectly.
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