Champions – Vortex

It was the dream again. Terrible creatures were pouring into his neighborhood – into his HOUSE! – and no matter where he tried to hide, or how hard he fought, he was being driven back, against the wall. Trapped, as the jaws (and stranger organs) came closer and closer! Where were his allies? He had to get away! He couldn’t let them get him! He tried desperately to push them away, to retreat further – and suddenly there was an electric tingling, a sudden surge, and a terrible noise, and he was falling backwards into the nothingness!

—————————————————————————–

Young Andres Carrillo dazedly opened his eyes to darkness and confusion – until his Father flung open his door and hit the lights. Most of his bed and mattress was just GONE – there was nothing left but sheared-off bits of the corners – and he was lying, most uncomfortably, on top of the shoes that had been underneath it.

The noise had been real enough – but it would be quite a while before the Carrillo’s figured out what had happened to their young sons bed.

—————————————————————————–

A few years later Andres had become used to his slowly-growing power – and his parents had learned to listen for the muffled “pops” of broccoli disappearing into the void, the faint sizzle of a disintegrating touch inscribing stuff on solid objects, and the howl of wind carrying leaves, snow, or trash into oblivion.

Fortunately money meant that their home could be well-isolated and that they could use private – well-paid and tight-lipped – tutors until Andre was old enough to reliably keep his abilities secret.

There were a few close calls, but the fact that his protective field – merely a more limited version of his disintegration field, but one that he practiced with until he could keep it on in his sleep – was dead black and basically featureless helped a lot.

It also tended to impress people, which came in VERY useful when a teenaged Andres took up being a minor superhero in his spare time. His parents, quite sensibly, didn’t try to stop him – for all they knew it was destiny or something – but they did make VERY sure that he had some sensible protective gear and a best-available-quality first aid kit. Yes, Andres seemed to recover from any injury with amazing speed – but he couldn’t share that gift with other people and you never knew when something would go wrong.

They still worried when he left for college to study architecture (a skill he has put to practical use several times locating secret doors, rooms, and passages, as well as in determining where he can safely blast holes in walls without risking a collapse) – but doesn’t every parent worry about things like that? Andres, at least, was well able to look after himself.

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Andre’s powers are fairly straightforward: he can annihilate matter and energy – although his fine control certainly leaves something to be desired. He can destroy what he touches, open great holes through obstacles, levitate himself with the howling winds resulting as the air rushes in to replace what he has disintegrated, and he can annihilate air to generate pressure waves and implosions. Even better, when he destroys material, a portion of it’s energies flows into HIM – swiftly restoring any injuries he has suffered.

On the downside, he is anything but stealthy – and is well known for accidentally annihilating clues. He’s also more than a bit accident prone, a likely a consequence of injuries healing so quickly that he forgets to worry about safety.

 

Vortex

Value	Characteristic	Points
15	STR	5
18	DEX	24
13	CON	6
10	BODY	0
13	INT	3
11	EGO	2
15/30	PRE	5
15	COM	2
3	PD	0
3	ED	0
4	SPD	12
6	REC	0
20	END	-3
25	STUN	0
	Total	56

 

Points	Powers	END
25	Disintegration Multipower (62-pt reserve); Variable Limitations: -½, -¼; Only in Hero ID: -¼; Visible (Absurdly attention-grabbing: creates howling winds vanishing into the darkness, small items being swept up, lights dimming, black lightning, etc. ): -¼; Generic Limitation (Occasionally accidentally obliterates small objects in the vicinity – such as car keys, clues, maps, doorknobs, utensils, food, and so on. ): -¼; Generic Limitation (Disintegration Effects Only): -½
u-2	3d6+1 Disintegrating Palm: Killing Attack (HTH) (Total 4d6+1); Range: 0; Reduced END: Half, +¼; Active Points: 62	2
u-2	Tunneling (12″ through DEF 12); Tunnels: Left Behind, +0	2
u-2	3d6 Black Lightning of Disintegration / Killing Attack (RKA); Range: 280; Reduced END: Half, +¼	2
u-2	20″ Flight (NC: 160″); Non-Combat Multiplier: ×8, +10; Non-Combat (MPH): 238; Reduced END: Half, +¼; Generic Limitation (He is being carried along by the wind going into his disintegration field, which he projects ahead of him. This makes it hard to see ahead of him and requires dexterity checks to maneuver, ): -½	2
u-2	3d6 Air Implosion Energy Blast; Range: 300; Versus: ED; Area Effect (One-hex): 1 hex(es), +½; No Normal Defense (Force Field, Life Support versus Pressure): +1; Active Points: 60; Autofire: 5 shots, ½; Reduced END: Zero, +1	0
u-2	Telekinesis / Vacuum Tendrils (STR 33); Range: 305; Manipulation: Coarse, +0; Reduced END: Half, +¼	2
3	Elemental Control: Disintegration (6-pt reserve); Only in Hero ID: -¼; Visible (Absurdly attention-grabbing: creates howling winds vanishing into the darkness, small items being swept up, lights dimming, black lightning, etc. ): -¼; Generic Limitation (Occasionally accidentally obliterates small objects in the vicinity – such as car keys, clues, maps, doorknobs, utensils, food, and so on. ): -¼
a-4	+15 PRE; Linked (Linked to Force Field): -½
b-10	Force Field (6 PD/6 ED); Reduced END: Zero & Persistent, +1	0
c-2	12″ Gliding (NC: 24″); Non-Combat Multiplier: ×2, +0; Non-Combat (MPH): 36; Generic Limitation (Only to avoid falling while Multipower is diverted from Flight.): -1
d-10	2d6 Aid: Damaged Abilities (Fade/turn, Max. 12); Range: 0; Affects: All Powers of Special Effect, +2; Reduced END: Zero, +½; Trigger (Whenever he uses his Disintegration Multipower and there is matter around to affect.): Set, +¼; Generic Limitation (Only works on himself): -½; Only in Hero ID: -¼; Generic Limitation (Healing Only): -½	0
6	1d6 30-Point Equipment Allowance Aid (Fade/month, Max. 30); Range: 0; Affects: Single Power of Special Effect, +¼; Extra Time: 1 hour, -2½; Only activates in armories, labs, or between outings: -1½; Personal Only: -1; Difficult to Dispel: ×4, +½; Increased END: ×10, -4; This allows a character to haul along 30 CP worth of customized gear.	20
5	Instant Change; Clothes: One Set, 5
77	Total Powers

 

Points	Skills, Talents, Perks	Roll
5	Money (Well Off)
10	+2 level w/Multipower
3	Acting	15-
6	Architecture	15-
3	Bureaucratics	15-
27	Total Skills, Talents, Perks

 

Cost	Equipment
22	Armored Costume; Focus: Inobvious Inaccessible, -¼; Generic Limitation (Conventional Technology): -1
(8)	Armor (6 PD/6 ED)
(3)	Built In Smartphone: Radio Listen and Transmit ; Champions Advantage (Smartphone Functions): +½
(1)	Architectural Reference Program: +3 to Architecture
(2)	Protective Lenses: Infrared Vision
(2)	Protective Lenses: Flash Defense (Sight, 5 pts)
(2)	Morphic Fibers / Instant Change ; Clothes: One Set, 5
(4)	Need Not Breathe / Oxygen Supply
1	Good Sneakers / Running (+1″, 7″, NC: 14″) 1; Non-Combat Multiplier: ×2, +0; Non-Combat (MPH): 3; OIF: -½
3	3d6 Generic Healing / First Aid Kid 0; Focus (First Aid Kit): Obvious Accessible, -1; Charges: +6, -¾; Concentrate: 0 DCV, -½; Concentrate: ½ DCV, -¼; Extra Time: 1 turn, -1; Gestures: Instant Power, -¼
4	Vehicle / High End Sports Car: 22
30	Total Equipment

 

100+	Disadvantages
15	Terrible Liar. +5 Bonus to any rolls to detect him lying. (Frequently, Greatly)
20	Honorable (Common, Total)
10	Carouser (Uncommon, Strong)
15	Secret Identity (Andres Carrillo)
10	Dependent NPC: Current Girlfriend (Normal, 8-); Skills: Normal, +0
10	Dependent NPC / Family Member (Normal, 8-); Skills: Normal, +0
5	1d6 Unluck
10	Watched: Police (8-); Capabilities: More Powerful, 15; Non-combat Influence: Extensive, +5; Geographical Area: Unlimited, -0; Only Watching: ×½; Punishment: Harsh, 0
10	Hunted; Barevi Gang (8-); Capabilities: As Powerful, 10; Non-combat Influence: None, +0; Geographical Area: Unlimited, -0; Actions: Hunting, ×1; Punishment: Harsh, 0 ; The Barevi Gang sells drugs, fences stolen goods, and otherwise subsists just above the street-gang level. They might hire some low-grade villainous muscle if something REALLY big comes up.
5	Doesn’t like crowds. (Uncommon, Moderate)
10	Vulnerability: “Cosmic” Energies (1½× STUN and BODY); Attack: Uncommon, +5
5	Accidental Change if Clothing involuntarily removed (8-)
125	Total Disadvantages

 

COSTS:	Char.		Powers		Total	Total		Disadv.		Base
	56	+	104	=	160	225	=	125	+	100

 

OCV	DCV	ECV	Mental Def.	PD/rPD	ED/rED	Phases
6	6	4	0	15/12	15/12	3, 6, 9, 12

 

Vortex is straightforward enough – although he’d very difficult to wear down with that Aid power. On the other hand… a really good shot will take him out all at once, which still leaves him reasonably vulnerable.

Also, making just-getting-started superhero characters is definitely helping battle my writers block. Go superheroes!