Baron Ector, Would-Be World Conquerer

   Here we have a possible build for a new character for the Twilight Isles game – in this case, a dimension-lost human. Given that humans are rather weak compared to the usual races of the setting, Baron Ector is starting out a bit higher level than usual and gets a package deal – which most of the other characters do not.

   Baron Ector Utgard-Loki

Level Five Supervillian Overlord (Craniomancer)

   Baron Ector is a card-carrying member of the League of Villainy, a flamboyant supervillian with a tendency to overplay his part as an evil overlord. Personally, he’s a dabbler in Witchcraft and a specialist in the mystical powers of the voice – most notably and the Path of the Unforgotten Word and the Voice of Doom, the ability to create and destroy with the voice alone.

   Like a good many of the League Supervillians, Baron Ector isn’t a particularly bad guy outside of his belief that the world is far too full of incompetent idiots and that he – of course – should be in command. That way something worthwhile might get done.

   Unfortunately, his latest scheme for world domination was – once again – disrupted by some overly-meddlesome superheroes, and he was forced to attempt to employ an aspect of the Path of the Unforgotten Word that he had not yet fully mastered – the ability to open the ancient gates between the worlds.

   Now, at least for the moment, trapped in the Twilight Isles, Baron Ector is seeing what the locals have to offer. Who knows? This may turn out to have been a profitable loss after all! Those pesky heroes may have defeated him, but his plans will soon be further along than ever!

   Personally, I see Baron Ector as a bit like Ming the Merciless, but that’s just me.

   Available Character Points: 144 (Level five base) +10 Disadvantages (Compulsive/tends to narrate his own activities, Obligations/being flamboyantly villainous, and Showman) +18 (Human, First, and Third Level Bonus Feats) +10 (Duties. As a supervillian, Baron Ectar is obliged to gloat, to put his enemies into elaborate death traps, and to explain his fiendish plans at considerable length.) +10 (Restrictions: As a mystic mentalist, Baron Ector cannot wear armor or rely on physical weapons ; it would be doubting his own powers – which would greatly weaken them) +10 (Wealth) = 202.

   League of Villainy Package Deal (Free):

   The “League of Villainy” is, more or less, a union and clearing-house for Supervillains, allowing it’s members to readily find replacement henchmen, team up with other members, obtain supplies and gear for their schemes, and find appropriate archenemies. Members are obligated to adhere to an elaborate code of honor – notably restraining them from most attacks on civilians and the more obnoxious criminal offenses in favor of dramatic confrontations with Superheroes. Knocking out the guards and robbing banks is fine, murdering non-heroes and burning down orphanages is not.

   In practice, that means that the independent (and often quite psychotic) supervillains are generally considered a much higher priority by the authorities than the members of the League. You can even get thrown out of the league, or even be hunted down with prejudice by your former “allies”, for breaking the rules.

   Unfortunately, the entire League of Villainy package deal is Corrupted; those who join the league will soon find themselves sought by heroes, with a Nemesis, a theme, and a flamboyant costume, and will find it hard to operate anywhere without being recognized.

• Innate Enchantment (8 CP): All supervillains gain some minor enhancements, with an effective value of 7000 GP. These usually consist of a few unlimited-use, personal-only, use-activated spell effects of levels zero or one at caster level one. They’re easy to disrupt, but are rarely a big enough factor for the heroes to bother doing so.
• Immunity/the normal XP cost of Innate Enchantments (Uncommon, Minor, Trivial, Specialized/only covers the enchantments in this package deal, 1 CP).
• Privilege/+1 bonus on Effective Wealth Level (3 CP). What self-respecting Supervillian would EVER be short of funds?
• Returning/unless the villains enemies make VERY sure to find, examine, and dispose of, the body, he or she will soon return, Specialized/will not work if the character intentionally makes a heroic sacrifice or dies in an exceptionally dramatic and final fashion (falling into a black hole, cast down a shaft into the main reactor, etc, 3 CP).
• Privilege/the villain can always find a ready supply of incompetent henchmen, guards, servants, and similar nonentities to serve as yes-men and has access to competent lawyers and technicians without cost (3 CP).

   That’s a total value of 18 CP, reduced to 12 CP by the Corruption noted above.

   Baron Ector’s personal enhancements include Shield (2000), Personal-Only Mage Armor (1400), Personal-Only Immortal Vigor I (1400), Fast Healing I (up to a limit of 36 points per day, 400), Personal-Only Inspiring Word (1400 GP), and Undetectable Alignment 2/Day (400 GP).

   Basic Attributes: Strength 14 (+2), Dexterity 14 (+2), Constitution 14 (+2), Intelligence 16 (18) (+4), Wisdom 14 (+2), Charisma 14 (+2).

• Base Power 7, Base Spell Points: 5, Personal Mana: 5 (1d6 +1d2 at L4).
• Total Power: 7 (Base) +14 (Witchcraft) +62 (Wilder) = 83

   Basics (49 CP)

• Saves:
  • Fortitude +3 (Purchased, 9 CP) +2 (Con) +1 (Morale) = +6
  • Reflex +3 (Purchased, 9 CP) +2 (Dex) +1 (Morale) = +6
  • Will +5 (Purchased, 15 CP) +2 (Wis) +1 (Morale) = +8
• Hit Points 20 (L1d20, 16 CP) +14 (L2-5, d4, 0 CP) +12 (2d6 Package) +14 (Con Mod x 7) +10 (Wealth) = 70

   Combat Information (18 CP)

• Proficiencies: Proficient with Small Arms (Specialized/only for personal Spirit Weapons, 3 CP).
• Armor Class: 10 (Base) +6 (Mage Armor +2 Wealth) +2 (Dex) +6 (Shield +2 Wealth) = 24
• Move: 30′
• Initiative: +2 (Dex) -3 (Showman) = -1
• BAB: +5, Specialized for Half Cost/attacks made using this BAB only inflict stunning damage to living targets (15 CP).
• Preferred Weapons:
• Voice of Doom: +11/+11 (+5 BAB [causing it to do only stun to living targets] +2 Dex +3 Martial Art +2 Wealth +1 Morale -2 Rapid Shot), 2d10 (base) +3 (+2 Wealth +1 Morale), Critical 20/x2 plus knockdown. Targets of huge size or less who are not immune to critical hits must make a DC 17 Fortitude save or be disoriented (20% spell failure and a -2 circumstance penalty on attacks, armor class, and saves) for 2d4 rounds on a critical hit.

   Martial Art Kaijitsu (Chr)

   Kaijitsu – the occult art of power words – focuses on augmenting its user’s sonic powers. While would-be practitioners must already be capable of actually stunning or injuring people with their voice alone, the art can notably increase the potency of such talents through the use of secret Words of Power and the focus and discipline it develops. Unfortunately, however, this means that it has few direct defensive applications – although there are rumored to be secret Words available to the grandmasters of the art that have direct magical effects.

• Requires: The ability to inflict physical damage with your voice.
• Basic Abilities: Attack 4, Power 2, Synergy/Perform/Oratory, Synergy/Diplomacy
• Advanced and Master Techniques: Battlecry, Blinding Strike, Mighty Blow, and Rapid Shot.
• Occult Techniques: Inner Strength x2, Focused Blow, Ki Block,
• Techniques Known (7): Attack 3, Synergy/Diplomacy, Blinding Strike, Mighty Blow, and Rapid Shot.

   Well, that’s a specialized form – but he is from a supervillian world…

   Special Abilities (135 CP):

• Upgrade Human Fast Learner to +2 SP/Level (3 CP).
• Fast Learner/Specialized in Skills for +2 SP/Level (6 CP).
  • Both of these would have been purchased with his human bonus feats and disadvantage points – and so take effect at level (-2). As of level five, that’s +32 Skill Points.
• Adept: Pays half cost for Diplomacy, Knowledge/Arcana, Perform/Oratory, and His Martial Art. (6 CP).
• Initial Wealth Level: Well-Off . +2 Wealth Bonuses to Diplomacy and Perform/Oratory.
• Current Wealth Level: Affluent (6 CP, purchased at level zero). Effectively Wealthy due to package deal bonus, gains training bonuses as per the Imperial wealth level due to access to bizarre mystic trainers. This provides:
  • +2 Intelligence.
  • +2 SP, HP, and CP per level gained while this template applies (currently 10 each).
  • Armor and Shields gain a +2 Wealth Bonus.
  • Weapons gain a +2 Wealth Bonus and may be considered of special materials as desired.
  • Use of seven Charms and three Talismans.
  • A free 6 CP Companion, in his case an Otter Familiar which grants him Augmented Bonus/May add his Intelligence Modifier to his Charisma-based skills.
  • +2 Nameless Bonus to Diplomacy, Gather Information, and Intimidate.
• The Voice of Doom: Ranged Spirit Weapon (HK G3 assault rifle, 2d10 base, Critical 20/x2, 90 ft Range Increment) with Exotic Appearance (12 CP). Causes nonmagical sonic damage.
• Witchcraft I, II, and III (18 CP). This provides +14 Power, a Will save DC of 15 against them, and the powers of:
  • The Adamant Will.
  • Dreamfaring.
  • Glamour and Advanced Glamour (6 CP): May produce telepathic effects of up to level 1/2/3 for 1/2/4 Power.
  • The Hand of Shadows.
  • Healing.
  • The Inner Eye.
  • Shadowweave and Advanced Shadowweave (6 CP): May create illusory effects of up to level 1 for ten minutes for one power or produce illusory effects of levels 2 or 3 for 2 or 4 Power.
  • Advanced Witchcraft:
    • Pact/Susceptibility to Nightiron, Pays for Voice of the Dead.
    • Pact/Hunted by The Children of Light. Pays for Spirit Binding.
    • Pact/Advertising. He must regularly blatantly display his power. Pays for Divination (Allowing the use of Simple/Detailed/Penetrating divination effects at 1/2/3 power per ten minutes of use).
• Eight Levels of the Wilder Spell Progression based on Int (48 CP). Provides +56 (Base) + (Int Mod x Caster Level/2) Power, knowledge of five powers, and a wilder caster level of eight.
  • Known Powers:
    • L1) The Subtle Tongue: Provides a +10 Insight Bonus for one minute per level on Charisma-based skills.
    • L2) The Tongue of Heaven: Cast as a Swift Action, the Tongue of Heaven allows the Voice of Doom to affect a 20′ radius burst or a 40′ cone for the next round.
    • L3) The Soothing Voice (Charm Monster).
    • L3) The Greater Voice: Cast as a part of a full attack, The Greater Voice allows the user to speak with the Voice of Doom with two Enhanced Strike options.
    • L4) The Eldritch Voice: Provides the Voice of Doom with any desired combination of “plusses” or special weapon powers with a total value of +3 or less for ten minutes per level of the caster.
• Path of the Unforgotten Word (6 CP). Sadly, he can only manage level four effects at the moment.
  • L1) Commanding the Spirits (Astral Construct).
  • L2) The Walls of Air. Creates a one-round (D) “Wall of Force” with Hardness 10 and 10 HP +5 HP per power spend on augmentation. It can be cast as a swift action to block attacks.
  • L3) Mystic Chains (Ectoplasmic Cocoon).
  • L4) Warden of the Mind (Intellect Fortress).
  • L5) Beyond the Gates of the World (Plane Shift).
  • L6) The Bonds of Time (Crystalize).
  • L7) Mystic Chains, Mass (Ectoplasmic Cocoon, Mass).
  • L8) Immortal Victory (Astral Seed).
  • L9) The Grandeur of Creation (Genesis).
• Countermagic (6 CP).
• Rite of Chi (6 CP).
• Skill Points: 6 (6 CP Spent) +32 (Fast Learner) +10 (Wealth) +30 (Int) = 78

Skills:	SP	Base	Att	Bonuses	Net
Bluff	5	+5	+6	+1M	+12
Concentration	5	+5	+2	+1M	+9
Diplomacy	4	+8*	+6	+6 Sy +2W +1M +2N	+27
Gather Information	5	+5	+6	+1M +2W +2N	+16
Hide	1	+1	+2	+1M +7M	+11
Intimidate	5	+5	+6	+1M +2N	+14
Kaijitsu	4	+8*	+6	+1M	+15
Knowledge/Arcana	4	+8*	+4	+1M	+13
Listen	5	+5	+2	+1M +4Ma	+12
Move Silently	5	+5	+2	+1M	+8
Perform/Oratory	4	+8*	+6	+1M +2W	+17
Sense Motive	5	+5	+2	+1M	+8
Speak Language	5	+5	+4	+1M	+10
Spellcraft	8	+8	+4	+1M +4Sy	+17
Spot	5	+5	+2	+1M	+8
Use Magic Device	8	+8	+6	+1M +2Sy	+17

• *Adept:
• May spend one Power and use Witchcraft to gain a +6 Bonus on most skills
• May spend three power and use The Subtle Tongue to get a +10 bonus on Charisma-based skills.

   Equipment:

• Acquired 2-CP Relic: The Eye of Harmony (+8 Bonus Uses of Rite of Chi).
• Charms (7): All Weather Cloak, Captain’s Torc, Elfin Cloak, Sands of Time, Seeing Crystal, Serpents Tongue (Black Magic), Wraith Gauntlets.
• Talismans (3): Rubydraught, Haunting Pipes, Pocket Secretary.

   Like all characters designed for the Twilight Isles, Baron Ector is quite high-powered for his level – but probably won’t increase his power all that much for a long time to come, although his reserves will tend to increase.