TEXT: DARREN WATTS & STEVEN S. LONG
  
  Hero SystemTM ® is DOJ, Inc.’s trademark for its roleplaying system.
  Hero System © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Champions © 1984, 1989, 2002 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Fantasy Hero © 2003 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Dark Champions © 2004 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Pulp Hero © 2005 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  Champions Universe: News Of The World © 2007 by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.  
  All rights reserved.
  Star Hero, Justice Inc., Danger International, Western Hero © 2002 by DOJ, Inc. 
  d/b/a Hero Games. All rights reserved.
  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, 
  electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or computerization, or by 
  any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the 
  Publisher:  DOJ, Inc., 1 Haight Street, Suite A, San Francisco, California 94102.
  Printed in the Canada. First printing March 2007
  Produced and distributed by DOJ, Inc. d/b/a Hero Games.
  Stock Number:  DOJHERO225 • ISBN Number:  978-1-58366-061-4
  http://www.herogames.com
  A Setting Book For Champions
  Author: Darren Watts, Steven S. Long
  Editing and Developing: Steven S. Long
  Layout & Graphic Design: Andy Mathews
  Cover Illustration: Ted Kim
  Interior Illustration: Peter Anckorn, Nate Barnes, DT Butchino, 
  Robert Cram, Jr., Storn Cook, Andrew Cremeans, Keith Curtis, 
  Kurt Dinse, Jeﬀ Hebert, Nick Ingeneri, Ted Kim, Eric Lofgren, 
  Bryce Nakawaga, Greg Smith, Chris Stevens, Derrick Stevens, 
  Mack Sztaba, Derrick Thomas
  SPECIAL THANKS:
  Darren would like to thank the following, Heroes all:  Jim Barr for 
  the “Goodman Institute”; Jason Walters and Dave Weinstein for the 
  basic ideas for Black Rose and Bravo; Riley McLaughlin for Proteus; 
  The Masonic Avenue Irregulars (Jason Walters, Dave Weinstein, 
  Mark DeVries, Tom Rafalski, Dan Reiley, and Chris Galatti) for gen-
  eral field-testing; and the Hero Chat denizens for “Rictus.” 
  
  INTRODUCTION ............................................ 4
  CHAPTER ONE:  “MEANWHILE, IN 
  MILLENNIUM CITY...”
  MILLENNIUM CITY ......................................... 6
  THE CHAMPIONS ......................................... 7
  THE CHAMPIONS 2007 ................................ 13
  PROJECT MONGOOSE ................................. 23
  OTHER HEROES ........................................... 31
  CHAPTER TWO:   
  “DOWN IN VIBORA BAY...”
  VIBORA BAY ................................................ 38
  The Superhuman World ........................... 38
  CHAPTER THREE:   
  THE SENTINELS
  THE SENTINELS .......................................... 46
  BLACK ROSE ............................................. 49
  DIAMOND .................................................. 51
  DIADEM ..................................................... 54
  BRAVO ...................................................... 56
  The Griffon .............................................. 59
  DR. VOX ..................................................... 60
  PROTEUS ................................................... 62
  Sentinel Island ......................................... 65
  CHAPTER FOUR:   
  THE JUSTICE SQUADRON
  THE JUSTICE SQUADRON ............................ 68
  BLINK ........................................................ 70
  BRAWLER III ............................................... 72
  THE DRIFTER ............................................. 74
  FLASHOVER ............................................... 77
  SUPERSTAR ............................................... 80
  TOMAHAWK II ............................................ 82
  The Justice Squadron Mansion ................ 84
  CHAPTER FIVE:   
  “IN OTHER WORLD NEWS...”
  AMERICAN HEROES .................................... 86
  HERO TEAMS ............................................. 86
  SOLO HEROES ........................................... 88
  THE MESSENGER ........................................ 89
  ORGANIZATIONS .......................................... 91
  UNTIL ........................................................ 91
  THE TRISMEGISTUS COUNCIL ..................... 93
  THE GOODMAN INSTITUTE ......................... 94
  AROUND THE WORLD .................................. 97
  EUROPE ..................................................... 97
  RUSSIA ...................................................... 97
  THE MIDDLE EAST ..................................... 97
  AFRICA ...................................................... 98
  INDIA ......................................................... 98
  THE FAR EAST ........................................... 99
  AUSTRALIA ................................................ 99
  ENEMIES ................................................... 100
  ENEMY ORGANIZATION ............................ 100
  MASTER VILLAINS .................................... 101
  VILLAIN GROUPS ...................................... 103
  SOLO VILLAINS ........................................ 103
  HIDDEN LANDS ......................................... 105
  SELENUS ................................................. 105
  THE CITY OF THAAR ................................. 106
  CHAPTER SIX:   
  THE ROGUES’ GALLERY
  EXISTING VILLAINS .................................... 108
  THE WARLORD ......................................... 108
  ANKYLOSAUR .......................................... 110
  ANUBIS ................................................... 111
  THE BLACK PALADIN ................................ 113
  HORNET .................................................. 115
  LADY BLUE .............................................. 116
  THE SLUG ................................................ 117
  TALISMAN ............................................... 119
  UTILITY .................................................... 121
  ZEPHYR ................................................... 123
  ZORRAN THE ARTIFICER ........................... 124
  ENEMIES UPDATE ..................................... 126
  ENEMY ORGANIZATION ............................ 126
  MASTER VILLAINS .................................... 127
  VILLAIN GROUPS ...................................... 127
  SOLO VILLAINS ........................................ 127
  NEW VILLAINS ........................................... 126
  AUTOMATON ........................................... 128
  BAYKOK ................................................... 130
  BLOODRAGE ............................................ 132
  HURRICANE ............................................. 134
  PANTERA ................................................. 136
  THE SHADOW QUEEN ............................... 138
  SPEKTR ................................................... 141
  STALKER ................................................. 143
  VALAK THE WORLD-RAVAGER ................... 145
  CHAPTER SEVEN:   
  THE GM’S VAULT
  CHAPTER ONE ......................................... 148
  CHAPTER TWO ......................................... 149
  CHAPTER THREE ...................................... 151
  CHAPTER FOUR ....................................... 152
  CHAPTER FIVE ......................................... 153
  TABLE OF CONTENTS
  
  4 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  I
  t’s been nearly ﬁve years since the publication 
  of Champions Universe, and in that time Hero 
  Games has published many other Champions 
  books that expand the setting in nearly every 
  possible direction. Champions gamers are often 
  asking questions like, “What would happen if such-
  and-such group teamed up with this group?”, “What 
  are the members of the Sentinels like?”, and “What’s 
  Dr. Destroyer been up to?”.
  Champions Universe:  News Of The World 
  attempts to answer those questions, and many 
  others, but reviewing what’s happened in the 
  Champions Universe over the past ﬁve years. It 
  can’t cover every single aspect of a setting that’s so 
  large and detailed, but you’ll ﬁnd plenty of informa-
  tion about everyone from the movers and shak-
  ers of the Superhuman World to lower-powered 
  street heroes like the Black Mask. You’ll also get to 
  meet some new characters that you’ve only seen 
  mentioned here and there in Champions books but 
  who’ve never been detailed before.
  Chapter One, “Meanwhile, In Millennium 
  City...”, covers the latest events in the City of the 
  Future — things like city expansion, the activities of 
  the Champions (including new members coming 
  and some old members leaving), how the events 
  depicted in Champions scenarios like Sharper Than 
  A Serpent’s Tooth played out in the oﬃcial game 
  setting, what the kids at the Ravenswood Academy 
  have been up to, and the fracturing of PSI.
  Chapter Two, “Down In Vibora Bay...”, does 
  the same thing for Champions Universe’s lower-
  powered, more mystical city. Here you can ﬁnd out 
  what menaces the Black Mask and Dr. Ka have had 
  to deal with, how Juryrig’s war on VIPER has pro-
  gressed, and the eﬀects of Hurricane Katrina on the 
  Queen City.
  Chapters Three and Four cover two of the 
  Champions Universe’s most prominent superhero 
  teams, the Sentinels and the Justice Squadron. Here 
  you’ll ﬁnd character sheets for all the current mem-
  bers, a history of each group, and other fascinating 
  information.
  Chapter Five, “In Other World News...”, 
  expands beyond Millennium City and Vibora Bay 
  to cover the rest of the setting. It includes brief 
  descriptions of the major superteams in other 
  American cities, what’s been going on with organi-
  zations like UNTIL and the Trismegistus Council, 
  and events around the world since the publica-
  tion of Champions Worldwide. It introduces a new 
  organization, the Goodman Institute, to help your 
  heroes with their war on crime and injustice. Last 
  but not least, it reviews what’s publicly known 
  about the most important activities of supervil-
  lains and criminal organizations like VIPER, Dr. 
  Destroyer, and even Foxbat.
  But if you want to know the non-public infor-
  mation about those characters, you have to be a 
  GM. The last two chapters of the book are for the 
  GM’s eyes only. Chapter Six, The Rogues’ Gallery, 
  provides revised character sheets for several vil-
  lains to show how they’ve become more powerful 
  (or just diﬀerent) in the past ﬁve years, and also 
  describes what various villains have been doing 
  that the public doesn’t know about. Chapter Seven, 
  The GM’s Vault, provides the secret, GM’s-eyes-
  only, information about what’s covered in the other 
  parts of the book.
  INTEGRATING NEWS OF THE WORLD INTO 
  YOUR CAMPAIGN
  The information presented in this book, like 
  that in Champions Universe itself, is provided 
  largely by way of example and to show how things 
  play out “oﬃcially” to provide a backdrop for other 
  Champions books. It has absolutely no bearing on 
  your own campaigns and characters if you prefer to 
  do something diﬀerent. If you’re running a Cham-
  pions Universe-based campaign and you want the 
  Champions roster to remain just the way it’s been 
  for the past ﬁve years, go right ahead and keep it 
  that way. If you think that Armadillo should join 
  the Ultimates and Dr. Destroyer should build a 
  hidden mountain stronghold instead of an artiﬁcial 
  island, do it! Nothing in this book, or any other, 
  makes those “wrong” decisions or in any way invali-
  dates or changes what you’ve decided to do with 
  your own campaigns and characters... unless you 
  want it to.
  If you’re not running a Champions Universe-
  based campaign (whether with some Champions 
  Universe characters added in, or not), you can 
  use this book as a source of inspiration, ideas, and 
  resources. For example, it’s easy to transplant the 
  Giant Mechanon adventure or the Goodman Insti-
  tute into your game with very few changes. If you 
  like the idea of a team changing the way the Cham-
  pions have but you don’t use the Champions, just 
  do something similar with a prominent NPC team 
  of your own. Like any other gaming sourcebook, 
  this one is full of material you can use however you 
  like... or ignore if you prefer.
  INTRODUCTION
  
  chapter one:
  chapter one:
  “MEANWHILE,  
  IN MILLENNIUM CITY...”
  
  6 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  M
  illennium City has continued to grow 
  explosively in the ﬁrst few years of the 
  twenty-ﬁrst century — not just in popu-
  lation, but economic strength, techno-
  logical sophistication, and cultural and scientiﬁc 
  importance to the rest of the United States and the 
  world. Most of this growth has been fueled by the 
  continuing boom in high-tech ﬁelds such as robot-
  ics, computer software and hardware, materials 
  manufacturing, and pharmaceuticals. Companies 
  with strong ties to the City of the Future, such as 
  Binary Corporation, Drake-Victoria, and Harmon 
  Industries, have led the charge. In fact, it’s increas-
  ingly become the case that companies in high-tech 
  ﬁelds need to have a signiﬁcant presence in Millen-
  nium City, if only because it’s a powerful magnet 
  for researchers and highly-qualiﬁed graduates look-
  ing for jobs or sponsorship.
  But Millennium City has faced some inevitable 
  problems resulting from its growth. The population 
  has surged well past four million in the last four 
  years, and the original “city limits” have put tre-
  mendous pressure on the infrastructure as the city 
  “bulges at the seams.” Housing costs in the pricey 
  suburbs like Grosse Point and Harper Woods have 
  skyrocketed, and even more traditionally middle-
  class areas have gone upscale. At the same time, 
  the need for land for corporate oﬃces has led to 
  the city’s general expansion westward. At the cost 
  of tens of billions of dollars the city has moved 
  the Millennium Highway (“the Loop”) outward in 
  most places by more than a mile, expanded past 
  the county line (a move not without repercussions, 
  and many battles, in the state house and nearby 
  counties’ governments). This has led to a minor real 
  estate speculation boom in the newly-encompassed 
  parts of the City of the Future, causing the cost of 
  houses and land in those areas to skyrock. Between 
  all of the expansion and the extensive repairs 
  required in the wake of many of the destructive 
  events described below, construction has been one 
  of the most proﬁtable industries in Millennium 
  City in the last ﬁve years.
  CITY POLITICS
  One of the beneﬁciaries of all of this success 
  has been Mayor Calvin Biselle, who was re-elected 
  in November 2004 by a large margin over Republi-
  can James Holland. (Holland was a sacriﬁcial can-
  didate oﬀered up by the GOP, a sixty-ﬁve year old 
  lawyer who ran on a no-taxes platform, since the 
  party knew that Biselle would have to leave in 2008 
  due to term limits and decided to save its big guns.) 
  Biselle clearly has bigger things in mind, since he’s 
  already begun lining up support and favors for a 
  gubernatorial run in 2008. Towards that end he’s 
  been grooming his own replacement in Millen-
  nium City, Lena Schroeder, despite her continuing 
  diﬃculties with the conservative wing of her own 
  party (whose members worry that she’s angered too 
  many of the corporations that make up the bulk of 
  the city’s tax base with her populist rhetoric). Victor 
  Eversole, the city’s liaison to the Champions, has 
  emerged as a rival candidate thanks to his high pro-
  ﬁle whenever the Champions perform a public ser-
  vice or save the city. Eversole and Biselle also have 
  a good working relationship (though neither trusts 
  the other for a minute), and while Biselle would 
  clearly prefer Schroeder he clearly thinks Eversole 
  is a tolerable alternative. For now, he’s content to let 
  the two ﬁght it out for the next eighteen months.
  Meanwhile, Fourth District Councilman 
  Alistair Currie has the Republican nomination 
  all but sewn up. In the past few years he’s become 
  Biselle’s strongest rival and shown his ability to 
  work with local businesses, whose power in the city 
  is ever-increasing. Currie has strong support from 
  several major local companies, including Drake-
  Victoria and Harmon Industries.
  Seventh District Councilman Philip McAu-
  liﬀe was revealed in 2005 to be a member of the 
  “cultlike” self-help organization Mind, Inc., and to 
  have been manipulated by the criminals of PSI to 
  steer some city in ﬁnding their way. His trial was a 
  sensational media event in early 2006. With repre-
  sentation by high-powered lawyer Stanley Bounds, 
  whose ﬁrm provides corporate counsel to Duchess 
  Industries, he was acquitted of most of the charges 
  except for some minor tax issues that resulted in 
  trivial ﬁnes. McAuliﬀe resigned his seat when the 
  scandal broke; his replacement, Virginia Prentice, 
  won re-election easily.
  MILLENNIUM 
  CITY
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  7 
  THE CHAMPIONS
  Millennium City’s most famous superhuman 
  defender remains the Champions, a relatively 
  new team formed in early 2002. Over the last five 
  years the team has been extremely active, and its 
  fame has risen alongside that of the vibrant city 
  itself, even to the point of occasionally eclipsing 
  the older and more established teams like the 
  Sentinels or Justice Squadron in terms of acclaim 
  and attention.  However, the Champions have 
  also been subject to controversy... and occasion-
  ally tragedy.
  MAY 2003:  CAZULON EMERGENT!
  In May 2003, the Champions worked with 
  former Sentinel Dan “Microman” Collins to 
  recapture the alien monster Cazulon, who’d been 
  kept as a shrunken display in the Millennium 
  City Zoo. For reasons still not clear, on the 18th 
  the miniaturization in effect since Microman’s 
  1965 defeat of the monster wore off. As terrified 
  families and tourists fled the scene, it smashed 
  its way out of the zoo, across the Loop, and into 
  Millennium City proper before the Champions 
  could assemble to attack the beast. Cazulon’s 
  rampage destroyed several buildings downtown, 
  but the heroes were able to keep the death and 
  damage toll to a minimum until Microman could 
  bring his newly-enhanced Shrinking Ray to bear 
  on the alien monster. Cazulon was subsequently 
  returned to his cage at the Zoo, and the Champi-
  ons received the accolades of a grateful city (not 
  to mention a considerable amount of favorable 
  national attention).
  JULY 2003:  ATTACK OF THE BLOB
  Just a few months later, the Detroit Day cel-
  ebrations of July 2003 were also marred by a giant 
  monster — in this case an extradimensional “blob” 
  accidentally summoned to Earth’s universe via an 
  “energy mining” device created by Dr. Abnel Ali. 
  The city suﬀered a dangerous blackout and several 
  more destroyed buildings as the ever-expanding 
  creature sought new sources of positive energy 
  to feed on before the Champions lured it back 
  through Ali’s portal with a transmitting “beacon” 
  built by Ali, Dr. Silverback, and Defender.
  LATE 2003:  CHAMPIONS BATTLEGROUNDS
  Beginning in the summer of 2003, a new 
  villain appeared on the superhuman scene... 
  and he decided to make his mark by defeating 
  the Champions! Interface, a powerful cyborg, 
  decided that the best way to attack the heroes 
  was to learn as much about them as he could by 
  arranging a series of battles that would allow him 
  to study them in detail.
  First, in August 2003 he hired Utility and several 
  other mercenary supervillains to stage a bombing 
  in Memorial Park. As the Champions responded, 
  defused the bomb, and defeated most of the villains 
  (Utility himself escaped), Interface used hidden 
  cameras and sensors to gauge their reaction time, 
  general tactics and procedures, and basic powers. In 
  September, he gathered more information on team 
  tactics and abilities (especially Witchcraft’s diﬃcult-
  to-quantify magical powers) by tricking both Foxbat 
  and the super-thieves of GRAB into attacking the 
  recently-opened New Urbana Galleria, a mall just 
  outside Millennium City.
  
  8 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  In mid-October, when the new Omegaworld 
  Amusement Park opened, Interface learned that 
  Black Harlequin was planning an attack there. 
  Quickly getting some hirelings and sensors in place, 
  he found out just how well the Champions respond 
  under severe crisis conditions when the evil jester 
  took the entire park hostage and kidnapped the 
  stars of To Save The World! To their credit, the 
  heroes were able to rescue the actors, defuse the 
  Harlequin’s deathtraps, and catch the villain himself 
  without the loss of a single life — including that of 
  the Harlequin, who spent ﬁve months in the hos-
  pital recovering from the beating Nighthawk gave 
  him before the rest of the Champions caught up to 
  the two of them.
  Now Interface needed just a little more data 
  before he was ready to ﬁne-tune his ultimate plan. 
  He got it by “hiring” the mutant energy projector 
  Holocaust to attack a construction site. What was 
  supposed to be a simple confrontation between 
  Holocaust (and his hirelings) and the Champions 
  became a potentially deadly and destructive three-
  way battle between the mutants, the heroes, and a 
  squadron of mysterious robots that showed up to 
  join the fracas. After allying with Holocaust long 
  enough to keep the robots from killing any com-
  batants or bystanders, the Champions were able to 
  defeat the villains when one of Holocaust’s minions, 
  the weather manipulator Stormfront, ﬂed the battle. 
  After Interface’s involvement was revealed weeks 
  later, Defender and Nighthawk concluded that he’d 
  sent the robots as part of his “testing procedures.”
  With all his databanks now full, Interface 
  launched his ﬁnal plan. A “defector” from ARGENT, 
  Keith Rawson, went to Homestead and told them 
  that Interface was building a “master weapon” with 
  which to destroy Millennium City at his base on 
  Heine Street. The heroes charged in to stop the 
  plot... only to ﬁnd themselves captured by death-
  traps designed to exploit their individual weak-
  nesses! That might have been the end for the team 
  if a quick-thinking Sapphire hadn’t found a way to 
  use her powers to overload the deathtrap holding 
  Defender. The armored hero was then able to link 
  his powered armor’s computers with Interface’s 
  systems and make the whole complicated complex 
  grind to a standstill. Before Interface himself could 
  make a getaway the heroes burst into his control 
  room and subdued him.
  After a review of his ﬁles indicated the true 
  extent of his scheme, Interface was put on trial, 
  convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment in 
  Stronghold, where he resides as of early 2007. The 
  Champions, UNTIL, and PRIMUS also recovered 
  enough information about ARGENT from him to 
  put a serious dent in that organization’s operations 
  for years to come... and prompt it to put out a con-
  tract on Interface’s life.
  (For more information on Interface and his 
  plan, including how to run it in your campaign for 
  your heroes, see Champions Battlegrounds.)
  OCTOBER 2003:  SHADES OF BLACK
  During the periods between Interface’s attacks, 
  the Champions dealt with many other threats. The 
  greatest of these was around Halloween of 2003 
  when the Black Paladin commenced a scheme to 
  resurrect his centuries-dead lover, the witch Chan-
  tal. Nighthawk had been investigating a series of 
  strange murders of women, and when his work 
  revealed a possible occult connection, he got help 
  from his teammate Witchcraft. They soon discov-
  ered it was an even darker plot than they realized 
  when the Black Paladin lured the Champions to a 
  confrontation in a surburban neighborhood and 
  then captured Witchcraft! As they later learned, 
  he deemed her the “perfect vessel” to embody 
  Chantal’s spirit. He ﬂed with her to the Delacroix 
  Mansion near Millennium City, a site of mystic sig-
  niﬁcance, with the Champions hot on his heels.
  At the Mansion, the Paladin and his allies per-
  formed a hideous ceremony that allowed Chantal 
  to take over Witchcraft’s body, ﬁnishing it just as 
  the Champions arrived! A titanic battle ensued, 
  with the heroes trying to ﬁght Black Paladin, his 
  demonic minions, and Chantal in Witchcraft’s 
  transformed body. But Witchcraft’s spirit still 
  struggled against the evil witch, weakening her 
  just enough that Nighthawk was able to seize her 
  enchanted dagger and stab her with it. Her spirit 
  was banished, perhaps destroyed, and Witchcraft 
  able to return to her own body (which she trans-
  formed back to its usual self with her own spells). 
  Humbled and defeated, the Black Paladin was sent 
  to Stronghold. As of early 2007 he still resides there, 
  gripped by a depression so deep he hasn’t even 
  tried to escape.
  (For more information on this event, including 
  how to run it in your campaign for your heroes, see 
  Shades Of Black.)
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  9 
  FEBRUARY 2004:  SHARPER THAN  
  A SERPENT’S TOOTH
  Another new threat reared its ugly, serpen-
  tine head in early 2004 — a fiend in man-serpent 
  form who called himself King Cobra! A former 
  VIPER researcher, King Cobra was determined 
  to break away from that organization and chart 
  his own evil course. To cover his tracks he 
  tricked the Champions into finding and destroy-
  ing a VIPER Nest in the southwestern United 
  States. Then he announced his existence to the 
  world — and his intention to conquer it! — by 
  unleashing the Ophidian Plague on Millennium 
  City. Overnight the Champions found them-
  selves fighting ordinary citizens transformed 
  into hideous serpent-men. As if having to defeat 
  these people without hurting them wasn’t tough 
  enough, the heroes had to confront the villains 
  of the Ultimates, who’d contracted the Plague! 
  Several of the Champions nearly got the dis-
  ease themselves during the fight, but ultimately 
  they prevailed. (After the initial stages of the 
  crisis passed, scientists from several organiza-
  tions, most prominently the Goodman Institute, 
  devised a cure for the Plague.)
  Eﬀorts to trace the source of the Plague soon 
  led the Champions to a hidden headquarters main-
  tained by the villain Cybermind, who’d assisted 
  King Cobra with the ﬁrst part of his scheme but 
  was now under attack by COIL, the master villain’s 
  organization. After saving (and capturing) the 
  cyberkinetic crook, the heroes followed a trail into 
  the sewers of Millennium City, where they eventu-
  ally discovered a secret underground jungle-ﬁlled 
  bio-facility! After ﬁghting their way through COIL 
  agents, giant snakes, and other menaces, the heroes 
  confronted King Cobra and his Inner Circle in the 
  facility’s observation center. During the battle King 
  Cobra’s hideout and plans were smashed, and his 
  Inner Circle captured... but he himself escaped! 
  He hasn’t been heard from since, but no doubt he’s 
  lurking out there somewhere, plotting another 
  attempt to take over VIPER, or the world....
  (For more information on King Cobra, the 
  Inner Circle, COIL, and their plans, including 
  how to run the events described above in your 
  campaign for your heroes, see Sharper Than A 
  Serpent’s Tooth.)
  MAY 2004:  THE REALITY STORM
  In May 2004 Earth was struck with the series 
  of unnatural disasters collectively referred to by 
  the press (after the coining by Dr. Silverback) as 
  the Reality Storm. Millennium City was hit par-
  ticularly hard by the disaster, which was marked in 
  Michigan at ﬁrst by torrential rains and ﬂooding 
  that lasted for several days. Severe electrical storms 
  blacked out many neighborhoods and city systems 
  despite the state-of-the-art shielding and safeguards 
  in place. Even worse, as the storms hit their peak a 
  small volcano began to form on the ﬂoor of Lake 
  St. Claire. It soon grew past the lake’s surface and 
  belched molten lava into the water, creating massive 
  clouds of steam and endangering shipping for miles 
  in all directions. 
  During this crisis, Millennium City’s premiere 
  superteam, the Champions, disappeared right in the 
  middle of rescue activities. For several days the city 
  was unaware of their fate, and in fact most people 
  presumed they were dead. It was later learned 
  they were teleported to a strange dimension and 
  separated. There they mistakenly fought their coun-
  terparts from an alternate Earth. When they discov-
  ered their error, they teamed up with them to defeat 
  the plans of Dr. Destroyer and his mysterious allies, 
  and free the cosmic entity Entropus (who returned 
  all the heroes to their respective homes).
  Fortunately other Millennium City heroes 
  stepped in to ﬁll the breech. Some were known 
  quantities, like Cavalier and Hydro, but a mysteri-
  ous new group calling itself the Millennium City 
  8 — Commando Rubberbando, El Aguijón (The 
  Sting), Lady Liberty, Megaera, Psiphon, Raaktor, 
  Stalker, and Steadfast — performed some of the 
  most important work. (The MC-8, as they’re most 
  often known, have since served as a sort of reserve 
  auxiliary for the Champions on several occasions.) 
  The eﬀorts of these heroes kept the loss of both life 
  and property to a mimimum, though both were still 
  considerable:  nearly 800 people were killed within 
  the city limits,  and property damage estimated at 
  $6 billion. Best of all, it turned out the Champions 
  not only survived the Storm, they were instrumen-
  tal in ending it. The St. Clair Volcano sank back into 
  the lake over a few days after the Storm ended.
  (For more information, including how you can 
  use the Reality Storm as an adventure in your own 
  campaign, see Reality Storm from Hero Games and 
  Guardians Of Order. For more about MC-8, see 
  Digital Hero #13.)
  
  10 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  EARLY 2005:  BAD PUBLICITY
  In January 2005, several “concerned citizens” 
  groups, ranging from parents’ associations to the 
  Insitute for Human Advancement, began a pub-
  licity campaign calling for the Champions to be 
  forced to leave Millennium City. Pointing to all the 
  recent destruction and danger the city had faced, 
  these groups claimed that without a major super-
  hero team in residence, Millennium City wouldn’t 
  be subjected to so many attacks and threats. They 
  requested that the Champions formally disband 
  and that the members leave the city for good... and 
  that if the Champions wouldn’t do this voluntarily 
  they be forced to do it by the city government.
  In its initial stages the campaign received some 
  public support, since it was diﬃcult to look at all 
  the repair work going on around the city and not 
  wonder if having superhumans around was a bad 
  thing. After initially choosing to ignore the prob-
  lem and hope it would go away, the Champions 
  enlisted the help of Sapphire’s publicity machine 
  and responded vigorously. They pointed out that 
  most of the attacks on Millennium City would have 
  happened whether the city had a superteam or not, 
  and that without a team in place to handle those 
  sorts of emergencies the loss of life and property 
  would have been much, much higher. Various vic-
  tims’ rights group and other organizations voiced 
  their support of the Champions, and public senti-
  ment started to shift. In response some elements of 
  the anti-superhero coalition, most notably the IHA, 
  turned up the rhetoric a notch, but their strident 
  extremism only further alienated the people they 
  tried to appeal to. After a few months the whole 
  issue died away and the Champions went on ﬁght-
  ing crime just as they always had.
  AUGUST 2005:  THE FRACTURING OF PSI
  By August of 2005, Kevin Poe, son of PSI’s 
  original founder Sebastian Poe, had raised enough 
  money through the criminal activities of his Purple 
  Gang to purchase not only an impressive arsenal 
  of weapons and anti-psi shields from underworld 
  armorer Wayland Talos, but also a mutagenic 
  treatment from Teleios that gave Kevin himself an 
  impressive suite of psionic powers. Poe’s timing 
  couldn’t have been worse for PSI.
  Only a week earlier a PSI raid on the Mil-
  lennium City oﬃces of the Institute For Human 
  Advancement had netted the group ﬁles on several 
  superhuman registration bills the IHA intended 
  to bring before Congress over the next year. These 
  bills would greatly increase the level of restrictions 
  placed on non-registered metahumans, as well as 
  drastically increasing the criminal penalties for 
  using metahuman powers in the commission of a 
  crime. When she learned about these ﬁles, Lancer 
  decided this world was rapidly approaching the 
  same turning point her own parallel Earth had 
  faced, and that she needed to take control of PSI 
  sooner rather than later to thwart the anti-metahu-
  man forces gathering. 
  Lancer and a team of PSI rebels loyal to her 
  (Deuce, Torment, and the more recent recruits Gos-
  samer and Reﬂex) launched their own attack against 
  the core PSI leadership team of Psimon, Medusa, 
  Mind Slayer, Trace, and Edward Cummings from 
  the inside... at almost the same time the Purple Gang 
  attacked from the outside. The resulting running 
  battle aﬀected much of the city. Hypnos, Soulﬁre, 
  Inquisitor, and Bodyjacker switched sides from 
  moment to moment based on perceived advantage, 
  which only heightened the chaos.
  The Champions, with some help from students 
  at the Ravenswood Academy, did their best to con-
  tain the battle and capture the various villains (and 
  their mind-controlled allies). When the dust settled, 
  Lancer and her team had escaped after arranging 
  the disgrace of several congressmen on IHA’s pay-
  roll; Medusa, Trace, and Inquisitor were dead; both 
  Kevin Poe and Mind Slayer were on the run from 
  the law; and most of the other members of PSI 
  (including Psimon) were in UNTIL custody. Mind 
  Inc. was revealed to be a PSI front organization, and 
  the discovery that many of its followers were city 
  employees involved in siphoning public funds for 
  PSI activities was a scandal that fed the local papers 
  for months.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  11 
  FEBRUARY 2006:  NIGHTHAWK AND  
  PROJECT MONGOOSE
  In February 2006, Nighthawk was pursuing a 
  solo case in Millennium City involving an illegal 
  arms dealer named Ignacio. In the course of his 
  investigations, he encountered the notorious mer-
  cenary Lady Blue and had to make a split-second 
  decision whether to pursue her or Ignacio. He 
  chose to allow Lady Blue to make her escape rather 
  than lose his original target, whom he considered 
  the more dangerous of the two in terms of the 
  threat posed to public safety.
  A few nights later, Lady Blue repaid the favor 
  by sending Nighthawk a tip about a mysterious 
  underworld “ﬁxer” named Malcolm James, who was 
  reputedly recruiting a lot of superhuman “talent” 
  for a new criminal organization. Nighthawk brieﬂy 
  considered calling in the rest of the Champions, 
  but quickly dismissed the idea — after all, Defender 
  and Ironclad weren’t very good at being subtle, 
  Witchcraft was a poor liar, and Sapphire was in 
  Los Angeles recording her newest album. This job 
  was going to take some quiet work, and Nighthawk 
  knew he did this sort of thing best alone.
  Instead, Nighthawk contacted Hazard, the 
  mercenary hitman with superhumanly good luck. 
  He and Hazard had come to a sort of understand-
  ing after their last couple of encounters. Hazard 
  had recently had an attack of conscience regarding 
  the earlier stages of his career and had decided 
  mostly to take only jobs that let him sleep better 
  at night, ones involving other criminals or corrupt 
  government oﬃcials. Hazard also owed Nighthawk 
  a favor, and the dark avenger chose to call it in. He 
  asked Hazard to set up an appointment between 
  James and a new mercenary villain named White 
  Lightning (secretly Nighthawk in disguise using 
  some “borrowed” VIPER equipment to duplicate a 
  few basic electricity-based powers.)
  James had White Lightning perform a rob-
  bery for him as a test, which put the disguised hero 
  in a couple of rough spots. But he found a way 
  to pass the test and was welcomed into the new 
  group, called simply “The Alliance.” Nighthawk 
  discovered this small army of supervillains was 
  being organized and trained by the Champions’s 
  old enemy Holocaust, and included members such 
  as Ankylosaur, the Basilisk, El Jaguar, Esper, Fenris, 
  Frag, Freakshow, Leviathan, Lodestone, Ogre, Rip-
  tide, Tesseract, and Thunderbolt II (fortunately 
  for Nighthawk, he’d thought ahead and included 
  an anti-psionic shield in his costume). Holocaust 
  intended to take this group of disparate, powerful, 
  but largely undertrained and unsuccessful group 
  of mercenaries and build them into a formidable 
  army, perhaps capable of rivaling groups like Euro-
  star via careful tactics and intelligent planning. 
  On one of White Lightning’s ﬁrst jobs for the 
  Alliance, the team ran afoul of the Champions and 
  Nighthawk had to think and move quickly to avoid 
  being recognized by his teammates. Deciding the 
  mission was too important to be compromised, 
  Nighthawk created a fake job for a squad from the 
  Alliance and then worked with the Champions to 
  thwart it. He secretly rigged the battleﬁeld (a Mil-
  lennium City manufacturing plant contracted to 
  build vehicles for PRIMUS) in advance, and then 
  apparently “died” in an explosion. His horriﬁed 
  teammates searched fruitlessly for his body in the 
  wreckage, ultimately concluding that their friend 
  had been vaporized in the explosion. 
  While the Champions and the city mourned 
  him, Nighthawk continued to work undercover to 
  sabotage the activities of the Alliance, causing several 
  of the members to be captured by various heroes. 
  He was ﬁnally unmasked by Herculan and delivered 
  to Holocaust for execution, but he covertly got out 
  a signal that brought the Champions and several of 
  their allies to his rescue in a colossal free-for-all in the 
  streets of Millennium City. 
  Though the Champions were glad to see 
  Nighthawk was alive, they were all hurt to varying 
  degrees by his deception and lack of faith in them. 
  The matter quickly escalated to the point where he 
  and Defender actually came to blows. Nighthawk 
  decided to leave the team before even ﬁnding out 
  the results of their vote on whether to expel him.
  MARCH AND AUGUST 2006:  FRESH BLOOD
  With Nighthawk’s departure, the Champions 
  were significantly weakened, and not wanting 
  to leave the city at risk they began looking for 
  qualified candidates to fill out their roster. At the 
  top of the list was Kinetik, the Millennium City 
  speedster they’d worked with successfully on sev-
  eral occasions. They put on the full-court press, 
  and despite some misgivings Kinetik joined 
  the team in March as the new fifth member. He 
  hasn’t regretted it; being a Champion has raised 
  his public profile, given him a chance to help 
  even more people, and even alleviated some of 
  his financial and personal difficulties.
  But even with Kinetik, the Champions felt 
  they were still missing something. They needed a 
  hero who, like Nighthawk, was a little closer to “the 
  street” and the mundane underworld than any of 
  them were. After considering and rejecting several 
  possible members whose abilities ﬁt the team’s 
  needs, in August 2006 they extended an oﬀer of 
  membership to the martial artist Nightwind, who’d 
  recently helped the team during a crisis (see below). 
  Flattered to be asked to join one of America’s pre-
  mier superteams, he accepted immediately. He’s 
  worked hard to become a valuable member of 
  the team and ﬁll Nighthawk’s shoes, but so far the 
  team’s still suﬀering from the lack of a true “detec-
  tive.” Nightwind has learned a little about criminal 
  investigation (Criminology 8-, Forensic Medicine 
  8-), but so far he’s nowhere near as well-versed in 
  those subjects as he (and the team) would like. For 
  the time being the Champions have to rely on the 
  assistance of the Goodman Institute with diﬃcult 
  criminalistics matters.
  
  12 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  SEPTEMBER 2006:  ATTACK OF THE  
  FIFTY-FOOT MECHANON
  In the early autumn of 2006 Nightwind 
  got his ﬁrst real test with the team as one of the 
  Champions’s oldest and deadliest foes — the life-
  hating sentient robot Mechanon — returned with 
  a vengeance. After his previous defeats, Mechanon 
  decided to study human psychology so he could 
  better comprehend the behavior of sentients and 
  thus exploit or counteract it. He concluded that 
  humans seemed to be particularly frightened of 
  things that are very large (aircraft carriers, heights, 
  movie monsters...) and things that are very small 
  (insects, viri, bullets...). He decided to plan an 
  attack on his most recent adversaries, the Champi-
  ons, with one of these factors in mind.
  Early on the morning of October 15, com-
  muters were terriﬁed to see one of the skyscrapers 
  under construction explode apart, then reform 
  to create a Mechanon sixty-ﬁve feet tall! Nearby 
  buildings were soon reduced to rubble, and then 
  Giganto-Mechanon began a march of destruc-
  tion across the city. The Champions responded 
  quickly, but when they arrived Giganto-Mechanon 
  unleashed a surprise:  a Flight Interference Ray that 
  drained the target’s ability to ﬂy. With Defender, 
  Sapphire, and Witchcraft thus slowed, the mon-
  strous menace was able to grab them and Night-
  wind in one of its gigantic hands and slowly begin 
  to squeeze the life from them.
  That left just Kinetik and Ironclad able to 
  attack. Realizing that even Ironclad’s strength 
  couldn’t pry open Giganto-Mechanon’s grip, they 
  chose to attack the enormous robot’s legs. Ironclad 
  went to work on one, holding it in place and tear-
  ing it apart as best he could, while Kinetik used 
  his super-speed powers to begin disassembling 
  the other. Giganto-Mechanon’s forward progress 
  slowed, then halted... and while it was distracted, 
  Nightwind wormed his way free and ran up the 
  robot’s arm to its head. As it bent down to try to 
  swat Kinetik away, Nightwind made a ﬂying kick 
  and smashed into Giganto-Mechanon’s right eye, 
  partially blinding it. As Ironclad and Kinetic con-
  tinued their assault, Nightwind battered his way 
  further into the robot’s head, soon destroying a 
  vital relay that controlled the right hand. This freed 
  the other Champions, and together the six heroes 
  made short work out of what was left of Giganto-
  Mechanon. The cost in destruction and loss of life 
  was steep, but far less than what it would otherwise 
  have been had the Champions not been there.
  The heroes’ only worry now is this:  what if 
  Mechanon decides to rebuild itself in a form that 
  has all its powers... but is only an inch tall?
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  13 
  Membership:  Defender, Ironclad, Kinetik,  
  Nightwind, Sapphire, Witchcraft
  H
  ere’s what the Champions look like as of 
  2007. For their original writeups (built 
  on a total of 350 points) see Champions 
  (and Champions Universe for Kinetik). 
  Nightwind’s character sheet from Millennium City 
  isn’t reprinted here, since he’s basically the same 
  now, just with a few more points’ worth of detective 
  Skills as described above.
  DEFENDER
   Val 
  Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15+40*† STR 
  25 12-/20- Lift 200 kg /50 tons; 
  3d6/11d6 [1/5]
   15+10*† DEX 
  30 12-/14- OCV:  5/8/DCV:  5/8
   15+20*† CON 
  30 12-/16-
   
  12 
  BODY 4 
  11-
   
  20 
  INT 
  10 13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   
  15 
  EGO 
  10 12- 
  ECV: 5
   
  20 
  PRE 
  10 13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   
  14 
  COM 
  2 
  12-
   
  6 
  PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  31 PD (25 rPD)
   
  6 
  ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  31 ED (25 rED)
   3+3* 
  SPD 
  25  
  Phases:  4, 8, 12/  
  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   
  8 
  REC 
  4
   
  30 
  END 
  0
   
  35 
  STUN 
  7 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  163
  *:  OIF (Powered Armor; -½)
  †:  No Figured Characteristics (-½)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  3”/6” (11”/22”)
   
  Flight:  25”/50”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  33 
  Power Pack:  Endurance Reserve  
  (250 END, 25 REC); OIF (-½) 
  0
  50 
  Weapons Array:  Multipower, 75-point 
  reserve; all OIF (Powered Armor; -½)
  5u 
  1)  Electric Blast:  Energy Blast 14d6;  
  OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  2)  Pulse-Blast:  Energy Blast 10d6,  
  Autoﬁre (5 shots; +½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  3)  Focused Blast I:  Energy Blast 10d6, 
  Armor Piercing (+½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  4)  Focused Blast II:  Energy Blast 10d6,  
  Penetrating (+½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  5)  Enhanced Impact Blast:  Energy Blast  
  8d6, Double Knockback (+¾); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  6)  Modulated Blast:  Energy Blast 10d6, 
  Aﬀects Desolidiﬁed (+½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  7)  Accurate Blast:  Energy Blast 10d6,  
  No Range Modiﬁer (+½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  2u 
  8)  Overload Blast:  RKA 4d6; OIF (-½), 
  Increased Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½), 
  Activation Roll 14-, Burnout (-¼) 
  24
  5u 
  9)  Neural Scrambler:  Energy Blast 6d6, 
  AVLD (Mental Defense; +1½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  10)  Focused EMP Pulse:  Dispel 20d6,  
  any Electricity power one at a time  
  (+¼); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  11)  Electro-Bolos:  Entangle 7d6, 7 DEF;  
  OIF (-½), 15 Charges (-0) 
  [15]
  7 
  Searchlight:  Sight Group Images, 1” radius,  
  +4 to PER Rolls; OIF (Searchlight  
  Generator; -½), Only To Create Light (-1),  
  No Range (-½) 
  2
  63 
  Powered Armor:  Armor (25 PD/25 ED), 
  Hardened (+¼); OIF (-½) 
  0
  5 
  Psi-Shielding:  Mental Defense (13 points 
  total); OIF (-½), Costs Endurance (-½) 
  1
  5 
  Internal Force Field:  Power Defense (10 
  points); OIF (-½), Costs Endurance (-½) 
  1
  9 
  Sealed Armor Systems:  Life Support  
  (Self-Contained Breathing; Safe  
  Environments:  High Pressure, High  
  Radiation, Intense Cold, Intense Heat,  
  Low Pressure); OIF (-½), Costs  
  Endurance (-½) 
  2
  33 
  Boot-Jets:  Multipower, 50-point reserve;  
  all OIF (-½)
  3u 
  1)  Standard Mode:  Flight 25”; OIF (-½) 
  5
  1u 
  2)  Supersonic Mode:  Flight 5”, MegaScale  
  (1” = 1 km; +¼); OIF (-½), Increased  
  Endurance Cost (x4 END; -1½) 
  4
  6 
  Communications Suite:  HRRP; OIF (-½), 
  Flashed As Sight And Hearing Group As  
  Well As Radio Group (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Heat Sensors:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  8 
  Onboard Radar:  Radar (Radio Group), 
  Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees); 
  OIF (-½), Costs Endurance (-½), Flashed  
  As Sight And Hearing Group As Well As  
  Radio Group (-½) 
  2
   
  Perks
  2 
  Contact:  famous scientist (GM’s choice) 11-
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Weapons Array
  5 
  +1 Hand-To-Hand
  9 
  +3 with Electronics Skills (Computer Pro-
  gramming, Electronics, Systems Operation)
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  3 
  Electronics 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  THE CHAMPIONS 
  2007
  
  14 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  3 
  Inventor 13-
  1 
  Language:  French (basic conversation; Eng-
  lish is Native)
  3 
  CK: Millennium City 13-
  2 
  CK: New York City 11-
  1 
  CK: Washington, D.C. 8-
  3 
  KS: Superhuman World 13-
  3 
  Mechanics 13-
  2 
  PS:  Play Chess 11-
  3 
  SS: Chemistry 13-
  4 
  SS: Physics 14-
  3 
  Systems Operation 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 12- (14-)
  1 
  TF: V-Jet
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  357
  Total Cost:  520
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  DNPC:  Wendy Brooks (the Champions’s 
  housekeeper) 8- (Normal)
  20 
  Hunted:  Dr. Destroyer 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  20 
  Hunted:  VIPER 11- (As Pow, NCI, Capture)
  10 
  Hunted:  Cybermind 8- (As Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fearlessly Heroic; 
  Risks His Life Even In Obviously Lethal Situ-
  ations (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Common, Total)
  5 
  Psychological Limitation:  Must Live Up 
  To Family Reputation For Achievement 
  (Uncommon, Moderate)
  15 
  Reputation:  do-gooder superhero who’ll 
  help anyone, 14-
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (James 
  Harmon IV) (Frequently, Major)
  10 
  Social Limitation:  Famous (Frequently, Minor)
  175 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  520
  Defender Update:  Since 2002, Defender has gone 
  through a lot. First and foremost he’s worked to 
  expand his knowledge of, and skill at working with, 
  technology, and the result has been a signiﬁcant 
  expansion in the capabilities of the Defender armor. 
  The most fundamental improvement has been to the 
  power generation and transmission systems, resulting 
  in stronger batteries and more eﬃcient functioning 
  overall. This has made the servo-musculature stronger, 
  the blasters more powerful, and allowed Defender to 
  install some systems that would previously have been 
  too much of a drain on his reserves (such as life sup-
  port, psi-shielding, and personal radar).
  As Defender’s enemies have learned to their 
  chagrin, he’s made signiﬁcant strides in improving 
  the power of his weaponry. He can now conﬁg-
  ure his Weapons Array blaster for a much wider 
  range of eﬀects, his Electro-Bolos are stronger, and 
  he added a Neural Scrambler to help him defeat 
  people without harming them. He also signiﬁcantly 
  improved his Boot-Jets, and can now reach speeds 
  of up to 9,000 km per hour if necessary.
  LOVE IS IN THE AIR
  But the real bright spot in James Harmon’s 
  life has been romantic rather than technical. 
  After a series of short-term romances that ﬁzzled, 
  including dating the likes of celebrity astrono-
  mer Bernadette Rosenbaum, Lions cheerleader 
  Courtney Gallagher, heiress Helen Constantinos, 
  and actress Karen Blackmun — not to mention 
  a bizarre “date” that Defender had with Gravitar 
  on April 12, 2005 as part of a deal to persuade the 
  French supervillainess to stop attacking the city 
  of Seattle — he ﬁnally discovered, by accidentally 
  overhearing a conversation between Witchcraft 
  and Sapphire, that Witchcraft was attracted to 
  him. It hit him that he hadn’t been able to form 
  any lasting attachments to other women because 
  he was likewise interested in her.
  So began a rather rocky road to romance. Nei-
  ther of the heroes was entirely comfortable with 
  the idea of dating — would their dates constantly 
  get interrupted by alien invasions? would it impair 
  team eﬃciency? But they couldn’t resist trying, and 
  it proved to be a risk worth taking. They’ve had 
  their ups and downs, and more than their share of 
  misunderstandings that brought things to a halt 
  for a while, but they seem to make a good couple. 
  James has yet to introduce Bethany to his parents; 
  she’s terriﬁed of the idea, they haven’t come up with 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  15 
  a good cover story to explain what she does all day, 
  and Mrs. Harmon keeps trying to set her son up 
  with “good society girls.”
  Although at first the couple decided to try 
  to keep their relationship to themselves, it didn’t 
  take long before their teammates realized what 
  was going on. Now everyone on the team knows, 
  though it remains a secret from the general 
  public (and a continued source of speculation 
  on many “superhero romance” fan websites). 
  Defender and Witchcraft have developed a habit 
  of kibbitzing in French, to the mild annoyance of 
  the rest of the team; when they do this, Sapphire 
  mocks them by speaking to Ironclad in Spanish, 
  and he pretends to talk back though he doesn’t 
  understand a word of the language.
  THE CYBERMIND SYNDROME
  The summer of 2006 was particularly diffi-
  cult for Defender. Throughout that year Harmon 
  Industries had struggled financially after losing 
  several major contracts, and the company’s Board 
  of Directors believed that at least part of the 
  problem was caused by Harmon’s own laziness 
  and inattentiveness (since they were, and remain, 
  unaware that James Harmon IV spends so much 
  time away from the office due to his role as 
  Defender). Harmon agreed, but was not willing 
  to leave the Champions, especially in the wake 
  of Nighthawk’s apparent death. Instead, he built 
  an artificial intelligence computer, DEFTRON 
  (Defender Tactical Research ONboard), into the 
  latest version of his armor so the armor could 
  operate independently as “Defender” while he 
  stayed in the Harmon offices and worked on 
  rebuilding his company.
  The suit underwent three successful tests, 
  resulting in several new patentable ideas Harmon 
  worked out while developing DEFTRON that he 
  hoped would position HI as the new leader in the 
  robotics ﬁeld. But it malfunctioned in both of its 
  ﬁrst two missions in the ﬁeld, and the Champions 
  became distrustful of it. Harmon worked inces-
  santly on “ﬁxing” his armor and clearly was under-
  going a great deal of stress that worried his team-
  mates. Harmon began to question his own sanity 
  when the suit seemed to start operating under its 
  own volition and spoke to him when no one else 
  was around. Eventually he concluded that the suit 
  itself had achieved sentience... and a not particu-
  larly pleasant form of sentience at that. He had to 
  put on an older version of his armor to battle the 
  new suit when it went on a rampage that destroyed 
  part of Harmon Industries’ Millennium City facili-
  ties. With the help of the other Champions, Nigh-
  twind, and Dr. Silverback, Defender discovered that 
  the suit was actually under the control of Cyber-
  mind, who had learned Defender’s secret identity 
  and was maneuvering to take over Harmon Indus-
  tries for himself. When Defender and Sapphire 
  destroyed the suit, it causes an energy feedback that 
  surged into Cybermind’s brain, badly damaging it; 
  ever since then he’s been in the Stronghold inﬁr-
  mary in a deep coma.
  IRONCLAD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   70 STR 
  60 
  23- 
  Lift 400 tons; 14d6 [7]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   35 CON 
  50 
  16-
   25 BODY 30 
  14-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV: 5
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   12 COM 
  1 
  11-
   35 PD 
  21 
   
  Total:  35 PD (35 rPD)
   35 ED 
  28 
   
  Total:  35 ED (35 rED)
   5 SPD 
  20 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   25 REC 
  8
   70 END 
  0
   80 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  280
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  25”/50”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  15 
  Gladiator’s Eye:  Find Weakness 12-  
  with Punch
  17 
  Ironclad Perseid Physiognomy:   
  Hardened (+¼) for 35 PD/35 ED 
  0
  44 
  Ironclad Perseid Physiognomy:  Damage  
  Resistance (35 PD/35 ED), Hardened (+¼) 0
  10 
  Iron Body:  Life Support (Extended  
  Breathing [1 END per Turn]; Safe  
  Environment:  Low Pressure/Vacuum,  
  High Pressure, High Radiation, Intense  
  Cold, Intense Heat) 
  0
  10 
  Iron Skin:  Lack Of Weakness (-10) for  
  Resistant Defenses 
  0
  5 
  Perseid Eyes:  Sight Group Flash Defense  
  (5 points) 
  0
  14 
  Iron Body:  Knockback Resistance -7” 
  0
  5 
  Iron Body:  Power Defense (5 points) 
  0
  11 
  Super-Strong Legs:  Leaping +11”  
  (25” forward, 13” upward) 
  2
  6 
  Bracer Communicator:  HRRP; OIF (-½), 
  Flashed As Sight And Hearing Group As  
  Well As Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Skills
  30 
  +6 Hand-To-Hand
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Combat Piloting 13-
  1 
  AK: Malva 8-
  3 
  AK: Dorvala (Phi Cassiopeia IV) 12-
  2 
  CK: Millennium City 11-
  2 
  KS: Superhuman World 11-
  2 
  Language:  English (ﬂuent conversation;  
  Perseid is Native)
  2 
  Language:  Malvan (ﬂuent conversation)
  2 
  Navigation (Space) 12-
  21 
  Power:  Brick Tricks 22-
  2 
  PS: Etch-Sculpting 11-
  2 
  PS: Superhuman Gladiator 11-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  3 
  TF: Science Fiction And Space Vehicles, V-Jet
  2 
  WF:  Perseid Small Arms
  
  16 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  223
  Total Cost:  503
  200+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Firewing 11- (Mo Pow, Kill)
  15 
  Hunted:  VIPER 8- (As Pow, NCI, Capture)
  10 
  Hunted:  Herculan 8- (As Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Physical Limitation:  Weighs 2,000 Kilograms 
  (All The Time, Greatly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  destructive and dangerous, 11-
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Ironclad, 
  alien superhero)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Magnetic 
  Attacks (Uncommon)
  163 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  503
  Ironclad Update:  Of all the Champions, Ironclad 
  has changed the least over the past ﬁve years. 
  Accustomed to the discipline of being a soldier and 
  a gladiator, he’s developed a simple daily routine 
  that he follows almost without fail. After rising 
  early and eating breakfast, he spends two to four 
  hours (depending on his duties, such as watch-
  ing the Homestead monitors) working out in the 
  gym or solo training. Thanks to his dedication 
  and intense training regimen, he’s quadrupled his 
  lifting capacity, vaulting himself into the ranks of 
  the world’s strongest superhumans. This came as a 
  particular surprise to Durak, who’d come to think 
  of (and refer to) Ironclad as a “weakling”; during a 
  2005 encounter he learned to his sorrow that the 
  metallic hero was now his match.
  Ironclad’s also been practicing how to use 
  his super-strength for various eﬀects other than 
  punching, lifting, and throwing. So far he can’t do 
  any “brick tricks” reliably (i.e., he only has the Brick 
  Tricks Skill, he hasn’t paid Character Points for any 
  actual tricks), but he hopes to develop an arsenal of 
  abilities as time goes by.
  After training, Ironclad usually spends one 
  to three hours reading, following the news, or 
  watching what he calls “video entertainment of 
  worth” (documentaries, movies of noted artistic 
  value, and so forth). It took time, but he’s slowly 
  overcome his initial ignorance at human culture 
  and customs and become at least as culturally 
  literate as the average American.
  Ironclad’s “study period” ends at lunchtime, 
  when he eats with his teammates or whoever else 
  is around; he doesn’t like to eat by himself. He 
  often prepares his own food to make it taste “more 
  Dorvalan,” though Wendy Brooks has learned a 
  lot about how to make meals that suit him. After 
  lunch he usually has some sort of duties to attend 
  to (monitor watching, attending a charity func-
  tion, helping the city government with a demoli-
  tion project...); if not he usually has training ses-
  sions with his teammates. These responsibilities 
  carry him through to dinner, and after the evening 
  meal is his leisure time. That’s when he works on 
  his etch-sculpting, reads or watches whatever he 
  feels like (he particularly enjoys “reality TV”), 
  or occasionally goes out on the town. He has no 
  strong social relationships other than those with 
  his teammates, and they often worry about him... 
  but there’s only so much mixing and mingling a 
  2000 kilogram metal man can do.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  17 
  KINETIK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   30 DEX 
  60 
  15- 
  OCV:  10/DCV:  10
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV: 5
   12 PRE 
  2 
  11- 
  PRE Attack: 2d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   9 PD 
  6 
   
  Total: 15 PD (6 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total: 14 ED (6 rED)
   10 SPD 
  60 
   
  Phs: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  2
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristic Cost: 180
  Movement:  Running:  6”/12”
   
  “Flight:”  30”/480”
   
  Mega“Flight:”  1-30 km/Phase
  Cost Powers 
  END
  75    Super-Running:  Multipower, 94-point 
  reserve; all Only In Contact With A  
  Surface (-¼)
  7u 
  1)  Hyper-Running:  Flight 30”,  
  x16 Noncombat, No Turn Mode (+¼);  
  Only In Contact With A Surface (-¼) 
  9
  7u 
  2)  Overdrive Running:  Flight 30”, No  
  Turn Mode (+¼), MegaScale (1”=1 km;  
  +¼); Only In Contact With A Surface (-¼) 9
  75 
  Speedster Tricks:  Multipower,  
  75-point reserve
  6u 
  1) Vibro-grip:  HKA 2d6 (2d6+1 with  
  STR), Penetrating (+½), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  3u 
  2) Supersonic Finger-Snap:  Energy Blast  
  6d6, NND (defense is Life Support  
  [Safe Environment:  High Pressure] or 
  armored head-covering; +1); No Range  
  (-½), Gestures (must hold hand near  
  target’s ear; -¼) 
  6
  6u 
  3)  Dizzying Spin:  Drain DEX and CON 
  5d6, DEX and CON simultaneously (+½); 
  Requires A DEX Roll (-¼) 
  7
  2u 
  4)  Let’s Wrap This Up:  Entangle 6d6, up  
  to 6 DEF; OIF (appropriate materials of 
  opportunity; -½), No Range (-½), Extra  
  Time (at least a Full Phase, and often  
  longer, depending on how long it takes  
  to get the materials; -½), Defense  
  Depends On Materials Used (-½),  
  Cannot Form Barriers (-¼) 
  6
  5u 
  5)  Some Disassembly Required:  Dispel  
  Technological Object 20d6, any one  
  Technological Object power one at a time 
  (+¼); No Range (-½) 
  7
  4u 
  6)  Sonic Boom Attack:  Energy Blast 6d6, 
  Area Of Eﬀect (6” Radius; +1¼); Must  
  Pass Through Intervening Space (-¼),  
  Does Not Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  7
  2u 
  7)  Supersonic Thunderclap:  Hearing  
  Group Flash 8d6, Explosion (-1d6/1”;  
  +½), Hole In The Middle (the one hex  
  the character is standing in when he uses  
  the power; +¼), Does Knockback (+¼); 
  Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), No Range  
  (-½), Restrainable (-½) 
  5
  4u 
  8)  Vacuum Attack:  Energy Blast 6d6,  
  NND (defense is Life Support  
  [Self-Contained Breathing]; +1),  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  Must Pass Through Intervening Space  
  (-¼), No Range (-½) 
  3
  6u 
  9)  Whirlwind Arms:  Energy Blast 8d6, 
  Double Knockback (+¾); Limited Range  
  (5”; -¼) 
  7
  3u 
  10) Fast Work:  Change Environment  
  8” radius (clean, do chores and tasks,  
  and so forth), Varying Eﬀect (+½) 
  3
  6u 
  11)  High-Velocity Phasing:  Desolidiﬁcation 
  (aﬀected by  sonic-, vibration-, and air-based 
  attacks), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 0
   
  Martial Arts: Speedster Martial Arts
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  5 
  Flying Dodge  — 
  +4 
  Dodge, Abort, 
  FMove
  5 
  Flying Grab 
  -2 
  -1 
  Grab 2 Limbs, 
  40 STR, FMove
  5 
  Passing Disarm -1 
  -1 
  Disarm, 40 STR, 
  FMove
  5 
  Passing Strike +1 
  0 
  6d6 + v/5, 
  FMove
  5 
  Passing Throw 0 
  0 
  6d6 + v/5, Target 
  Falls, FMove
  5 
  Rapid Punch 
  +1 
  -2 
  10d6 Strike
  12 
  +3 Damage Classes (already added in)
  29 
  Protective Aura:  Force Field (10 PD/ 
  14 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Only When Moving (-¼) 
  0
  12 
  Protective Suit:  Armor (6 PD/6 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Lightning Calculator
  4 
  Speed Reading (x10)
   
  Skills
  3 
  Breakfall 15-
  2 
  CK: Millennium City 11-
  2 
  KS: General Knowledge And Trivia 11-
  3 
  Power:  Speedster Tricks 15-
  2 
  PS: Crossword Puzzles 11-
  2 
  PS: Scientist 11-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 15-
  3 
  Scientist
  2 
   1)  SS: Biochemistry 13-
  2   
   2)  SS: Microbiology 13-
  2 
   3)  SS: Physics 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost: 327
  Total Cost: 507
  
  18 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  200+ Disadvantages
  30 
  DNPC:  Joyce, Ronnie, and Phillip (three 
  younger siblings) 11- (Incompetents; 
  Unaware of character’s Social Limitation:  
  Secret Identity)
  5 
  Hunted: The New Purple Gang 8- (Less Pow, 
  Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Hunted: VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture/
  Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Very Aware Of 
  His Public Perception As A Black Superhero 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Brendan 
  Grant) (Frequently, Major)
  20 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Chemical 
  Attacks (Common)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x BODY from Chemical 
  Attacks (Common)
  157 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points: 507
  Kinetik Update:  There’ve been two big changes in 
  Kinetik’s life over the past several years. The ﬁrst is 
  that he’s gained a lot of experience using his powers 
  to ﬁght crime, making him a much tougher oppo-
  nent. He’s learned how to apply his super-speed for 
  all sorts of “speedster tricks,” like creating mini-
  sonic booms or wrapping someone up with loose 
  cable or rope in the blink of an eye. He’s a much 
  more versatile combatant than he was when he 
  started ﬁghting crime.
  Second, in early 2006 Kinetik joined the 
  Champions (see above). He’s enjoying the increased 
  prestige and access to crimeﬁghting resources; his 
  teammates, in turn, really appreciate the added 
  tactical and non-combat ﬂexibility he brings to the 
  team. The team has put in long hours training, inte-
  grating Kinetik’s powers and combat style into the 
  team’s “playbook.”
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  19 
  SAPPHIRE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   23 DEX 
  39 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   10 BODY 0 
  11- 
   12 INT 
  2 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   9 PD 
  6 
   
  Total:  29 (20 rPD)
   12 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  32 (20 rED)
   6 SPD 
  27 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  4
   90 END 
  20
   35 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  172
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  75 
  Sapphire Energy Blasts:  Multipower,  
  75-point powers
  7u  
  1)  Power Bolt I:  Energy Blast 14d6 
  7
  7u 
  2)  Power Bolt II:  Energy Blast 10d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  7u 
  3)  Rapid-Fire Bolts:  Energy Blast 7d6,  
  Autoﬁre (5 shots; +½), Reduced  
  Endurance (½ END; +½) 
  2
  7u 
  4)  Sapphire Bolt I:  Sight Group Flash  
  12d6, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  3
  7u 
  5)  Sapphire Bolt II:  Energy Blast 10d6  
  plus Sight Group Flash 5d6, Linked (-½) 
  7
  7u  
  6)  Stun-Bolt I:  Energy Blast 7d6, NND 
  (defense is ED FF; +1) 
  7
  7u 
  7)  Stun-Bolt II:  Drain STUN 5d6,  
  Ranged (+½) 
  7
  4u 
  8)  Focused Bolt:  RKA 4d6; Increased  
  Endurance Cost (x2 END; -½) 
  12
  60 
  Solid Energy Constructs:  Multipower,  
  60-point reserve
  12m 1)  Basic Constructs:  Telekinesis (40 STR) 6
  12m 2)  Restraints:  Entangle 6d6, 6 DEF 
  6
  12m 3)  Barriers And Bubbles:  Force Wall  
  (10 PD/10 ED, up to 5” long and 2” tall) 
  6
  12m 4)  Personal Shield:  Force Field  
  (+10 PD/+10 ED/10 Mental Defense/10 
  Power Defense), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  60 
  Force Shield:  Force Field (20 PD/20 ED), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  60 
  Power-Riding:  Flight 20”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
  6 
  Reputation:  world-famous singing star 
  and superheroine (throughout Earth) 14-, 
  +2/+2d6
   
  Skills
  3 
  Conversation 14-
  3 
  High Society 14-
  2 
  Language:  English (ﬂuent conversation; 
  Spanish is Native)
  3 
  PS: Singer 14-
  3 
  PS: Singing 14-
  3 
  Seduction 14-
  3 
  Teamwork 14-
  1 
  TF: V-Jet
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  398
  Total Cost:  570
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  DNPC:  boyfriend of the week 11- (Normal)
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mutant (Not Conceal-
  able; Always Noticed; Detectable Only With 
  Unusual Senses)
  20 
  Hunted:  Mechanon 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  20 
  Hunted:  VIPER 11- (As Pow, NCI, Capture)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Showoﬀ 
  (Common, Moderate)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus 
  Killing (Common, Total)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Corazon 
  Eldora “Corrie” Valenzuela) (Frequently, Major)
  10 
  Social Limitation:  Famous (Frequently, Minor)
  10 
  Susceptibility:  takes 1d6 damage per Turn 
  from hard radiation (Uncommon)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Magnetism/
  Gravity Attacks (Uncommon)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x BODY from Magnetism/
  Gravity Attacks (Uncommon)
  220 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  570
  Sapphire Update:  If Sapphire’s life was a whirlwind 
  of attention, action, and nonstop activity ﬁve years 
  ago when she joined the Champions, things have 
  really taken oﬀ since then. Two multi-platinum 
  albums, Persuasion and Sapphire Skies, have taken 
  her from superstardom to megastardom, making 
  her one of the most-recognized and famous people 
  on the planet. She’s given two world tours, perform-
  ing before millions of people, and her face can 
  be seen everywhere from posters on music store 
  windows, to ads for her Ardent Sapphire line of cos-
  metics, to promotional materials for the dozens of 
  charities she supports.
  And as if that weren’t enough, there’s the whole 
  superheroing thing. Far from letting her career 
  interfere with her heroic activities, if anything 
  Sapphire’s put the slowdown on her music so she 
  can remain on active duty with the Champions. Her 
  record label often reminds her that she could have 
  produced two more albums since 2002 if she wasn’t 
  “wasting her time” ﬁghting crime and protecting 
  the Earth. She just smiles and ignores them.
  All the media attention has gotten Sapphire 
  over her insecure need to show oﬀ... more or less. 
  She still likes to pull a ﬂashy move in combat every 
  now and then, but compared to what she was like 
  when she ﬁrst started superheroing she’s become 
  a much more mature, clever, tactically-minded 
  
  20 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  combatant. On the other hand, her growing fame, 
  while sometimes helpful because people recog-
  nize and like her quicker than they do the other 
  Champions, has led to a whole slew of minor but 
  annoying problems — stalkers, criminals commit-
  ting crimes so she’ll come ﬁght them and they can 
  get her autograph, and so on. Ironically, despite the 
  fact that some people still think of her as a “dilet-
  tante” superheroine, because she’s gotten into so 
  many solo adventures while touring to promote 
  her albums she’s actually probably the most experi-
  enced crimeﬁghter on the team in some ways.
  Realizing that her powers were fairly limited, 
  Sapphire has worked hard to increase her power 
  and expand her capabilities, with notable results. In 
  addition to developing more ways to use her basic 
  energy bolt attacks, she’s learned how to create 
  “solid energy” constructs that she can use to move 
  things, catch people in bubbles (to restrain or pro-
  tect them), and protect herself better. To a limited 
  extent she can shape the constructs; for example, 
  her Telekinesis might manifest as energy ﬁelds 
  taking the shape of enormous hands, scoops, or 
  mallets, depending on what she’s trying to do. After 
  some battles you can practically read by the light of 
  the faint blue glow coming from her Entangles.
  On the personal front, Sapphire’s dated a suc-
  cession of men ranging from famous rock stars she 
  met through work to nobodies she’s encountered 
  while heroing. None of them have been able to 
  hold her attention for long, though. That used to be 
  because she was attracted to Defender, but a couple 
  years of working together on the Champions 
  convinced her the two of them made more sense 
  as friends. She’s really happy that Defender and 
  Witchcraft’s romance has blossomed, though she 
  feels the occasional small twinge of jealousy that no 
  “Mr. Right” has come along for her just yet.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  21 
  WITCHCRAFT
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   23 DEX 
  39 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   23 EGO 
  26 
  14- 
  ECV: 8
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   18 COM 
  4 
  13-
   6 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  6+ PD/rPD varies
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  8+ ED/rED varies
   5 SPD 
  17 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   8 REC 
  4
   40 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  141
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  140 
  Witcheries And Thaumaturgies:   
  Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool),  
  100 base + 50 control cost; Only Magic  
  (-¼), No Power Can Have More Than  
  60 Active Points (-0) 
  var
  75 
  Combat Witcheries:  Multipower,  
  75-point reserve
  7u 
  1)  Witchﬁre:  Energy Blast 12d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  3
  7u 
  2)  Fascination:  Mind Control 12d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  3
  7u 
  3)  Glamour:  Mental Illusions 12d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  3
  7u 
  4)  Irresistible Slumber:  Ego Attack 7d6 
  7
  7u 
  5)  Terrors Of The Dark:  Drain PRE 5d6, 
  Ranged (+½) 
  7
  5u 
  6)  Man Into Frog Spell:  Major Transform 
  5d6 (humans into frogs, heals back if  
  target is kissed by royalty of the opposite 
  gender or Witchcraft voluntarily “dispels”  
  the magic); Limited Target (humans; -½) 7
  45 
  The Eye Of Horus:  Multipower,  
  45-point reserve
  4u 
  1)  Farsight:  Clairsentience (Sight Group), 
  x32 Range (3,200”, or about 4 miles)  
  4
  4u 
  2)  Perception Of Peril:  Danger Sense  
  (any danger, any area, sense) 16- 
  0
  10 
  Magesense:  Detect Magic 13- (Sight  
  Group), Analyze 
  0
   
  Perks
  6 
  Contact:  The Trismegistus Council 11-
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Membership:  Library of 
  Babylon
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Combat Witcheries Multipower
  1 
  Cryptography 8-; Translation Only (-½)
  8 
  The Librarian’s Scroll:  Deduction 16-; OIF 
  Bulky (-1), Extra Time (takes a minimum of 
  1 Minute to make rolls; -0)
  3 
  High Society 13-
  2 
  CK: Vibora Bay 11-
  1 
  CK: Paris 8-
  1 
  Language:  French (basic conversation;  
  English is Native)
  1 
  Language:  Latin (basic conversation)
  3 
  Navigation (Astral, Dimensional) 13-
  27 
  Power:  Witchcraft 25-
  2 
  PS: Painting 11-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 14-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Teamwork 14-
  3 
  Scholar
  4 
  1)  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 15-
  2 
  2)  KS: Dimension Lords And Cosmic 
  Entities 13-
  1 
  3)  KS: Demonology 11-
  2 
  4)  KS: Thaumaturgy 13-
  2 
  5)  KS: Witchcraft 13-
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  407
  Total Cost:  548
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  DNPC:  Sunshine, her black cat familiar 11- 
  (Normal)
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mystic Aura (Not  
  Concealable; Always Noticed; Detectable 
  Only With Unusual Senses)
  20 
  Hunted:  Circle Of The Scarlet Moon 8-  
  (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture/Corrupt)
  15 
  Hunted:  VIPER 8- (As Pow, NCI, Capture)
  10 
  Hunted:  Talisman 8- (As Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus  
  Killing (Common, Total)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Bethany 
  Duquesne) (Frequently, Major)
  243 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  548
  Witchcraft Update:  Witchcraft’s been almost as busy 
  as Sapphire, between crimeﬁghting, developing her 
  relationship with Defender (see above), and trying 
  to lead some small semblance of a normal life on 
  occasion. Her experiences as a member of the 
  Champions have had two signiﬁcant eﬀects on her.
  First, they’ve greatly expanded her arcane 
  prowess. The chance to use her magic in combat 
  on a regular basis has been excellent “on the job 
  training,” giving her a chance to broaden her 
  mystical horizons. Though she still often favors 
  “witchcraft”-style special eﬀects for her spells, 
  she’s become quite accomplished at the general 
  use of Thaumaturgy (the magic practices by 
  super-sorcerers; see The Mystic World for more 
  information and sample spells). She’s also gained 
  a new power, the Eye of Horus, as a result of help-
  ing the Egyptian gods during an adventure in 
  Vibora Bay (see page 38). The hawk-god himself 
  inscribed the symbol of his Eye on her forehead in 
  silvery light. It’s only visible when she activates the 
  power, which allows her to see things up to four 
  miles away or to perceive danger.
  Second, and perhaps more importantly, they’ve 
  done wonders for her self-conﬁdence (which in 
  turn makes her a better wizardess). Gone is the 
  shy, deeply introspective girl who was all too often 
  aﬄicted with doubt and hesitation, replaced by 
  a strong, powerful woman who’s learned she can 
  
  22 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  take the worst the Multiverse has to throw at her 
  and deal with it. She’s still got a touch of shyness to 
  her at times, but it’s not the sometimes-debilitating 
  problem it once was.
  SISTERLY CONFLICT
  In the past ﬁve years Witchcraft has clashed 
  repeatedly with her sister Talisman, both as one of 
  the Champions and in solo adventures. Talisman’s 
  jealousy and hatred of her sister have reached new 
  heights, leading her to plot her own sister’s death on 
  several occasions. What’s worse is that Talisman’s 
  evil might has grown just as Witchcraft’s power 
  has, making the two an even match. For the most 
  part their clashes have ended indecisively, with 
  Talisman’s schemes failing but the villainess herself 
  escaping to begin another one.
  But one encounter, in July 2005, worked out 
  particularly well for Witchcraft. Talisman had 
  secretly taken over the minds of several leading 
  members of the Department of Anthropology at 
  Millennium City University, then through them 
  extended an invitation to Witchcraft to deliver 
  a lecture on medieval magical lore as part of the 
  department’s Visiting Scholar Series. Witchcraft 
  arrived, prepared to give a lecture... only to find 
  the building’s decorative gargoyles coming to 
  life to attack her, and the faculty and students 
  transformed into demons! During the course of 
  a harrowing battle, Witchcraft found a way to 
  take control of the gargoyles and turn them on 
  her sister. To protect herself Talisman froze the 
  gargoyles in place in a block of ice. A few min-
  utes later, Witchcraft tricked her sister into firing 
  an attack that passed through the ice... with 
  the happy result of lifting the Curse of Frigid 
  Despair that Talisman had placed on her years 
  before. Now no longer vulnerable to Talisman’s 
  winter-spells, Witchcraft wrapped the fight up 
  quickly and saved the nearby civilians... but Tal-
  isman once again escaped.
  LIBRARY “BORROWING”
  As her powers have expanded so has Witch-
  craft’s scope of operations; she now often ﬁnds 
  herself traveling to other planes of reality to defeat 
  mystic menaces or study new forms of magic. 
  Her favorite places to visit are Faerie (the Land 
  of Legends) and Babylon, the City of Man. She 
  sometimes takes Sapphire with her to go shop-
  ping in Bablyon, and she and Defender have had 
  some enjoyable (and occasionally bizarre) dinner 
  dates there. But usually she goes by herself, to 
  study at the Library. During one of her visits the 
  staﬀ requested her help. The Librarian had discov-
  ered, quite by accident, that someone was stealing 
  books from the Library! This was supposed to be 
  impossible, and neither he nor any of his “employ-
  ees” had been able to solve the mystery. Knowing 
  Witchcraft was well-versed in such matters, and 
  not sure who in Babylon he could trust, he asked 
  her to look into the matter.
  After getting a few tips on investigation from 
  Nighthawk, Witchcraft set out to ﬁnd the thief. 
  Her quest took her throughout the Library, into 
  Babylon itself, and to several other planes, and 
  there were times when she wasn’t entirely sure 
  she’d survive the experience — including one 
  particularly unpleasant encounter with Skarn the 
  Shaper. In the end, though, the trail led back to 
  Earth, to the doorstep of her old foe the Demo-
  nologist. Taken by surprise, he quickly conceded 
  defeat and turned over the books as well as the 
  secret of how he’d stolen them... but he also 
  vowed a horrible revenge against Witchcraft.
  To repay her for her services, the Librar-
  ian rewarded Witchcraft with two things. 
  The first was a full-access membership to the 
  Library itself, allowing her to read books in the 
  restricted sections. The second was the Librar-
  ian’s Scroll, a sentient scroll whose purpose is 
  to instruct and enlighten. When Witchcraft 
  faces a difficult problem, she can sit down with 
  the Scroll and discuss it. Through a process of 
  gentle questioning and insightful observation, 
  the Scroll uses its superior knowledge and 
  wisdom to guide her to the solution.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  23 
  PROJECT  
  MONGOOSE
  A
  lthough no longer a Champion, Nighthawk 
  has not been idle. Having analyzed the 
  successes and failures of his undercover 
  mission against the Alliance, he decided 
  that what the world needed was not another reac-
  tive superhero team, always on the defensive and 
  responding to emergencies the way the Sentinels, 
  Justice Squadron, and Champions did. Instead, he 
  was far better suited to a more proactive strategy, 
  one that would use some of the underworld’s own 
  tactics against it. He decided to form a new, covert 
  team dedicated to a single, overarching goal — the 
  absolute destruction of VIPER, his nemesis since 
  his earliest days as a costumed crimeﬁghter. 
  This team wouldn’t wear bright costumes 
  and perform for charities to win the public trust 
  — indeed, he’d work hard to keep the world from 
  ever learning of his new team’s existence. Instead 
  of engaging VIPER in the streets, he’d learn their 
  structure, their plans and strategies, and then 
  develop his own to counter-strategies inﬁltrate and 
  undermine the snakes. He decided to call his new 
  team Project Mongoose, a tongue-in-cheek refer-
  ence to the traditional natural enemy of snakes.
  Obviously, such a team would need mem-
  bers more suited to subtlety than direct action. 
  Nighthawk began to covertly recruit superhumans 
  known to have their own grudges against VIPER. 
  In Millennium City he met the Signal Ghost, a 
  thief who’d stolen a high-tech “phase suit” from a 
  dead VIPER scientist, and who’d grown tired of a 
  life spent on the run from both superheroes and 
  VIPER itself. From Vibora Bay he recruited Juryrig, 
  who’d only recently recovered from the brutal beat-
  ing he’d received at the hands of several Dragon 
  Squad members in 2005 (see page 39). The gadge-
  teer immediately set to work designing devices and 
  vehicles for the new organization.
  Over the next few months Nighthawk also 
  brought in more suitable recruits:  the second Scar-
  let Archer, a young woman who idolized the previ-
  ous holder of that name and wanted to help bring 
  down her mentor’s old enemies; the second Micro-
  man, inheritor of the fabulous shrinking devices 
  of the aged celebrity hero Dan Collins; and Duke 
  Steel, a former member of VIPER’s own Dragon 
  Squad who’d been betrayed by his former team-
  mates and captured by UNTIL.
  Nighthawk also continues to rely on his 
  underworld contacts like Lady Blue and Hazard... 
  though he keeps their involvement with Project 
  Mongoose secret from the other members.
  NIGHTHAWK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   25 DEX 
  45 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   23 INT 
  13 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV: 6
   28 PRE 
  18 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  5½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  23 PD (15 rPD)
   6 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  21 ED (15 rED)
   6 SPD 
  25 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   40 END 
  0
   35 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  163
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Swinging:  15”/30”
   
  Leaping:  7”/14”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts: Kung Fu
    
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
   Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
   Dodge 
  +0 
  +5 
  Dodge all 
  attacks, Abort
  4 
   Knife Hand 
  -2 
  +0 
  1½d6 HKA (3d6 
  with STR)
  4 
   Punch/Kick 
  +0 
  +2 
  12d6 Strike
  3 
   Throw 
  +0 
  +1 
  10d6 +vel/5, 
  Target Falls
  4 
   Tien-hsueh Strike 
  -1 
  +1 5d6 NND (1)
  24 
  +6 Damage Classes (already added in)
  6 
  Left Bracer/Mask Radio:  HRRP; OIF  
  (-½), Flashed As Sight And Hearing  
  Group As Well As Radio Group (-½) 
  0
  10 
  Right Bracer (Linegun):  Swinging 15”;  
  OIF (-½) 
  1
  24 
  Combat Vest:  Armor (12 PD/12 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Mask Lenses:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  15 
  Billy Club:  Multipower, 30-point reserve;  
  all OAF (-1)
  1u 
  1)  Hitting:  HA +3d6; OAF (-1),  
  Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
  1
  1u 
  2)  Throwing:  Energy Blast 6d6; OAF  
  (-1), Lockout (can’t use other slots  
  until Charge is Recovered; -½),  
  1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼) 
  [1rc]
  1u 
  3)  Blocking:  +4 OCV with Martial  
  Block; OAF (-1) 
  0
  1u 
  4)  Deﬂecting:  Missile Deﬂection (all  
  ranged attacks) with +2 OCV; OAF (-1) 
  0
  SIGNAL GHOST  
  AND JURYRIG
  For the character sheets 
  for Signal Ghost and 
  Juryrig, please see 
  Millennium City and 
  Vibora Bay, respectively 
  — neither has changed 
  signiﬁcantly from the 
  writeups in those books, 
  though GMs may want 
  to take some of the 
  suggestions for increas-
  ing their overall power 
  levels slightly. 
  For Microman II’s 
  character sheet, use 
  Shrinker’s character 
  sheet from Conquerors, 
  Killers, And Crooks, 
  but add a few gadgets 
  (Rocket Boots providing 
  Flight 10”; a helmet with 
  polarized lenses [Sight 
  Group Flash Defense], 
  HRRP, and Infrared Per-
  ception; wrist blasters 
  doing Energy Blast 10d6 
  damage; and so on).
  
  24 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  1u 
  5)  Swingline:  Swinging 15”; OAF (-1),  
  Lockout (cannot use any other slot in  
  Phase in which Swinging is used; -½) 
  1
  5 
  Backup Billy Club:  Another Billy Club  
  (see above)
  20 
  Utility Belt:  Multipower, 30-point reserve; 
  OIF (-½)
  1u 
  1)  Mini-camera:  Eidetic Memory; OAF  
  (-1), Visual Images Only (-½)
  1u 
  2)  Mini-Recorder:  Eidetic Memory;  
  OAF (-1), Sound Only (-½)
  1u 
  3)  Smoke Pellets:  Darkness to Sight  
  Group 2” radius; OAF (-1), 8 Charges  
  lasting 1 Turn each (removed by winds or 
  rain; -½), Range Based On STR (-¼),  
  Limited Eﬀect (Normal Sight only; -¼) [8cc]
  1u 
  4)  Flash Pellets:  Sight Group Flash 6d6;  
  OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾), Range Based  
  On STR (-¼) 
  [6]
  1u 
  5)  Thermite Pellets:  RKA 1d6, Armor  
  Piercing (+½), Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; 
  +½); OAF, 6 Charges (-¾), Range Based  
  On STR (-¼) 
  [6]
  1u 
  6)  Sleep Gas Pellets:  Energy Blast 3d6,  
  NND (defense is LS: Self-Contained  
  Breathing); OAF, 6 Charges (-¾), Range 
  Based On STR (-¼) 
  [6]
  1u 
  7)  Throwing Blades:  HKA ½d6 (1d6  
  w/ STR), Range Based On STR (+¼); 
  OAF (-1), 6 Recoverable Charges (-¼) [6rc]
  1u 
  8)  Weakness Darts:  Drain STR 2d6,  
  Ranged (+½); OAF Fragile (poisoned  
  darts, poison is easily washed oﬀ or  
  spoiled; -1¼), Must Target Non-Armored  
  Hit Locations (-¼), 6 Charges (-¾) 
  [6]
  1u 
  9)  Rebreather:  Life Support (Expanded 
  Breathing:  Breathe Underwater); OAF  
  (-1), 1 Continuing Fuel Charge  
  (1 Hour; -0) 
  [1cc]
  1u 
  10)  Monocular:  +6 versus Range  
  Modiﬁer for Sight Group; OAF (-1) 
  0
  6 
  Athletic:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  2
  3 
  Athletic:  Leaping +3” (7” forward, 4” 
  upward) 
  1
  5 
  Jumpboots:  Leaping +13” (20” forward,  
  10” upward); OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  6 
  Disappearing Act:  Teleportation 9”; Can 
  Only Teleport To Places Character  
  Could Normally Go (-½), Must Cross  
  Intervening Space (-¼), No Noncombat  
  Multiple (-¼), Only To “Vanish” When No 
  One Is Looking (-½), Requires A Stealth  
  Roll (-½) 
  2
   
  Perks
  3 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 Overall
  16 
  +2 with All Combat
  8 
  +1 with All Noncombat Skills
  8 
  Moving Defense:  +4 DCV; Costs Endurance 
  (-½), Only If Nighthawk Makes A Full Move 
  Or Half Move (-1)
  3 
  Acrobatics 14-
  3 
  Acting 15-
  3 
  Breakfall 14-
  3 
  Climbing 14-
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Contortionist 14-
  3  
  Conversation 15-
  3 
  Criminology 14-
  3 
  Demolitions 14-
  3 
  Disguise 14-
  3 
  Electronics 14-
  1 
  Forensic Medicine 8-
  3 
  Interrogation 15-
  2 
  CK: Millennium City 11-
  2 
  KS: The Espionage World 11-
  2 
  KS: The Military/Merc./Terrorist World 11-
  3 
  KS: The Millennium City Underworld 14-
  3 
  KS: The Superhuman World 14-
  3 
  KS: VIPER 14-
  3 
  Lockpicking 14-
  3 
  Mechanics 14-
  1 
  Mimicry 8-
  3 
  Security Systems 14-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Streetwise 15-
  3 
  Systems Operation 14-
  3 
  Teamwork 14-
  1 
  TF: V-Jet
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  304
  Total Cost:  467
  200+ Disadvantages
  5 
  DNPC:  Julie Morgan, crime reporter (ﬁancee) 
  8- (Normal; Useful Noncombat Position)
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  scars on face (Easily 
  Concealed; Noticed and Recognizable)
  15 
  Enraged:  when takes BODY damage in 
  combat (Common), go 8-, recover 11-
  15 
  Hunted:  organized crime boss of the week 
  8- (As Pow, NCI, Capture/Kill)
  20 
  Hunted:  VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  15 
  Hunted:  Mechassassin 11- (As Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Obsessed With 
  Crimeﬁghting (Very Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  reckless vigilante, 11-
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional (with Defender)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Mark 
  Whitaker) (Frequently, Major)
  122 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  467
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  25 
  Nighthawk Update:  The 
  major changes and proj-
  ects in Nighthawk’s life 
  are described above. Com-
  pared to ﬁve years ago, 
  he now spends less time 
  patrolling and more time 
  on undercover work. It’s 
  less viscerally satisfying, 
  but ultimately it lets him 
  strike more telling blows 
  against the underworld, 
  and that’s what counts.
  The other major 
  event in Nighthawk’s 
  life was revealing his 
  costumed identity to his 
  girlfriend, Julie Morgan. 
  As he began doing more 
  and more undercover 
  missions, hiding his activi-
  ties from her became too 
  much of a strain, and he 
  wasn’t willing to lose her 
  over it. While it took her 
  some time to adjust to the 
  idea, she ﬁnally accepted 
  it, and in late 2006 they 
  became engaged. Julie’s 
  also discovered that 
  having such a great inside 
  source of information on 
  the underworld has done 
  wonders for her career as 
  a crime reporter.
  
  26 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  DUKE STEEL
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   50 STR 
  40 
  19- 
  Lift 25 tons; 10d6 [5]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   12 EGO 
  4 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:   4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   28 PD 
  18 
   
  Total: 28 PD (20 rPD)
   20 ED 
  14 
   
  Total: 20 ED (20 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   19 REC 
  6
   60 END 
  0
   66 STUN 
  6 
  Total Characteristics Cost: 194
  Movement: 
  Running:  10”/20”
   
  Leaping:  18”/36”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  47 
  VIPER “Jackhammer” Blaster Riﬂe:   
  Energy Blast 12d6, Autoﬁre (5 shots; +½),  
  32 Charges (+¼); OAF (-1), Limited  
  Range (250”; -¼) 
   
  Martial Arts: VIPER Agent Training
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Martial Block +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Martial Dodge -- 
  +5 
  Dodge, Aﬀects 
  All Attacks, 
  Abort
  4 
  Martial Strike +0 
  +2 
  12d6 Strike
  3 
  Martial Throw +0 
  +1 
  10d6 +v/5, 
  Target Falls
  20 
  Steel-Hard Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  5 
  Steel-Hard Skin:  Lack Of Weakness (-5)  
  for Resistant Defenses 
  0
  4 
  Tough: Life Support  (Extended Breathing 
  [1 END/Turn]; Safe in High Pressure; Safe 
  in Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  0
  8 
  Strong Legs:  Leaping +8” (18” forward,  
  9” upward) 
  1
  8 
  Strong Legs:  Running +4” (10” total) 
  1
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  4 
  +2 OCV with Martial Strike
  2 
  +1 OCV with Blaster Riﬂe
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Interrogation 13-
  2 
  KS: VIPER 11-
  1 
  KS: The Superhuman World 8-
  1 
  KS: Military/Mercenary/Terrorist World 8-
  7 
  Power:  Brick Tricks 15-
  2 
  PS: VIPER Agent 11-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  3 
  WF: Small Arms, Blades
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  151
  Total Cost:  345
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Enraged:  when humiliated publicly  
  (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 14-
  20 
  Hunted:  VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly 
  Punish)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves Military 
  Life; Needs “Structure” (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves To Fight, 
  But Not A Killer (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Wants Revenge on 
  Dragon Branch Members (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Leo 
  Stratski) (Frequently, Major)
  5 
  Unluck 1d6
  45 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  345
  Background/History:  Leo Stratski only wanted to 
  live an exciting life. High school was boring, but 
  thanks to a persistent football coach who really 
  wanted to keep him in the backﬁeld he barely 
  passed. After graduation he signed up to be a 
  Marine, but that only lasted a few months before 
  he mouthed oﬀ to a superior oﬃcer and found 
  himself back in Nowheresville, Florida. He took 
  a job with a private security ﬁrm, but months of 
  sitting in front of video monitors drove him crazy 
  with boredom, so he “borrowed” a company car for 
  a little trip to New Orleans and got himself ﬁred 
  again. Then an acquaintance in a Gainesville bar 
  turned out to be a recruiter for a VIPER Nest, and 
  Leo jumped at the opportunity to join Cobra Divi-
  sion as a basic combat agent.
  Leo had only been with VIPER for a few 
  months when one of the periodic physicals they 
  gave him revealed a genetic predisposition for one 
  of Professor Mathewson’s latest superhuman-cre-
  ation projects:  an attempt to replicate PRIMUS’s 
  Hyperline treatments that empower the Silver 
  Agents.  VIPER transferred him to a lab Nest in 
  Vancouver, where he was subjected to a painful 
  combination of drug cocktails and electroshock 
  treatment. After two weeks of torture Leo emerged 
  as one of Mathewson’s rare successes, with steel-like 
  skin and the ability to bench press a bus.
  Needless to say, Leo was thrilled with this new 
  development in his life. He’d always known he wasn’t 
  the loser his dad, teachers, and employers called him, 
  and now he’d have the chance to prove it. He was 
  transferred to Dragon Branch, VIPER’s superhu-
  man mission squad, where he dubbed himself Duke 
  Steel (because he thought it sounded cool). There he 
  underwent many weeks’ training alongside the likes of 
  Sidewinder and Delusion. At ﬁrst Leo worked hard in 
  the program — after all, it was a lot like high school, 
  with the superhumans being treated with the appro-
  priate respect due the jocks by the rest of the kids. 
  The trouble was, Leo didn’t really ﬁt in with the other 
  members of Dragon Branch. A lot of these guys were 
  real hardcases, and Leo... well, Leo liked to ﬁght, but 
  the word quickly got around that he didn’t have that 
  killer instinct. It took a few weeks, but eventually Leo 
  started to notice that some of his “comrades” made 
  fun of him behind his back. This made Leo angry, and 
  unfortunately when Leo got angry he also got careless.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  27 
  Duke Steel’s squad was doing a smash-and-run 
  job, stealing some medical supplies and chemicals 
  from a warehouse in Kentucky, when Leo acciden-
  tally tripped a silent alarm. Before they knew it, the 
  Dragon Branch team was surrounded by UNTIL 
  agents packing some serious armament. Sidewinder 
  shouted for Duke Steel to cover a door, which he 
  did with enthusiasm. In all the confusion it took 
  him several minutes to realize his “teammates” had 
  abandoned him to make their getaway.
  Leo served two years in Stronghold, with 
  time knocked off his original sentence in 
  exchange for what limited intelligence he could 
  provide on Dragon Branch, Mathewson, and 
  other VIPER activities, and was released in late 
  2005. He drifted around for a bit after that, half-
  heartedly trying to get hired for some mercenary 
  work and quickly discovering what the under-
  world thought of snitches. He was nursing his 
  sorrows in a Chicago bar when Nighthawk, who 
  thought Project Mongoose could use both his 
  muscle and his experience with Dragon Branch 
  to good effect, tracked him down. Thrilled at 
  the prospect of busting the heads of his former 
  teammates, Duke Steel signed up immediately.
  Personality/Motivation:  Despite his fearsome 
  appearance and checkered past, Duke Steel has 
  never quite been able to be the cold-blooded 
  menace he thought he wanted to be. He enjoys a 
  good rumble, always has, but killing people is a 
  line he can’t cross. What he’s really searched for all 
  his life is an opportunity to be respected, and he 
  hopes he’s ﬁnally found that in Nighthawk’s new 
  mission. Of course, he’s never gotten past the idea 
  that people will only respect him if they’re scared 
  of him, so he’s promptly put oﬀ several of his new 
  teammates with his noisy boasts and declarations 
  of what a badass he is. Already Microman and Jury-
  rig have dismissed him as a blowhard only useful 
  for lugging around heavy objects, and it remains to 
  be seen whether the rest of his team will ever give 
  him the chance to grow up and become useful. 
  Quote:  “Yeah, well, wait’ll they get a look at these 
  beauties. <ﬂexes his muscles> Duke Steel’ll bring 
  the whole damn base down around their ears!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Duke Steel is a classic brick — but 
  pretty small potatoes in the superhuman commu-
  nity. His strength and defenses are outclassed by 
  many other powerhouses, and while his training 
  courses from the Marines and as a VIPER agent 
  make him a decent hand-to-hand combatant, he 
  can hardly be considered a master of that arena 
  either. An early raid on a small Nest in Milwaukee 
  netted him one of his favorite weapons from his 
  previous profession, a “Jackhammer” blaster riﬂe. 
  He cheerfully hauls it around, ﬁring it with one 
  hand; it partly makes up for his limited mobility.
  Tactically, Duke Steel isn’t stupid, though he is 
  a bit unimaginative and deﬁnitely prefers the fron-
  tal, noisy approach whenever possible. He has the 
  sense to follow orders, and if Nighthawk or some-
  body else he respects tells him what to do he’ll go 
  down to his last breath trying to obey. He usually 
  serves as cover for his sneakier teammates, drawing 
  ﬁre from VIPER Combat Squads while Microman 
  or Signal Ghost steal the gizmo or download the 
  computer ﬁle.
  Campaign Use:  Duke Steel is Nighthawk’s ﬁrst eﬀort 
  at recruiting some serious ﬁrepower for his team, a 
  role he’s clearly not quite ready to ﬁll. His childish 
  behavior should add some interesting dynamics to 
  the team — what might happen if his new team-
  mates also have to choose between rescuing him 
  from a bad situation or 
  leaving him behind? 
  Any veteran heroes 
  the group encounters 
  might remember him 
  or have read ﬁles on 
  his brief tenure with 
  Dragon Branch, which 
  might lead to distrust 
  of all of Project Mon-
  goose. And of course, 
  Duke Steel makes a 
  decent henchman/thug 
  for any occasion in 
  campaigns not using 
  Project Mongoose at 
  all — his vague desire 
  to better himself might 
  inspire sympathy in a 
  PC, or he might have 
  found work in the 
  underworld before ever 
  meeting someone like 
  Nighthawk.
  To make Duke 
  Steel more powerful, 
  make him more of a 
  “brick” by increasing 
  his STR and defenses. 
  You could also expand 
  his Martial Arts, per-
  haps by making him 
  a competent boxer or 
  wrestler. To weaken 
  him, reduce his STR 
  to the 30-40 range (and his defenses proportion-
  ately) and get rid of his Combat Skill Levels with 
  HTH Combat.
  Duke Steel doesn’t Hunt anyone. He doesn’t 
  have that kind of drive.
  Appearance:  Duke Steel is an enormous, heavily-
  muscled man with the build of a power-lifter and a 
  slight metallic blue tinge to his skin. His hair is buzz 
  cut, and he has an eagle tattooed on his right bicep. 
  He generally wears Army-surplus camouﬂage pants, 
  a black sleeveless tank top, and heavy work boots, and 
  usually carries his oversized VIPER “Jackhammer” 
  blaster riﬂe. He’s vain about his appearance; occasion-
  ally someone catches him ﬂexing in front of mirrors 
  or any other reﬂective surfaces.
  
  28 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  SCARLET ARCHER II
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   23 DEX 
  39 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   13 BODY 6 
  12-
   16 INT 
  6 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   16 EGO 
  12 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   7 PD 
  4 
   
  Total: 15 PD (8 rPD)
   7 ED 
  4 
   
  Total: 15 ED (8 rED)
   5 SPD 
  17 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   32 END 
  0
   34 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  120
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swinging:  20”/40”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  35 
  Bow And Trick Arrows:  Multipower,  
  70-point reserve; all OAF (-1)
  2u 
  1)  Sharp Arrow:  RKA 2½d6, Armor  
  Piercing (+½); OAF (-1), Beam (-¼),  
  12 Charges (-¼) 
  [12]
  2u 
  2)  Blunt Arrow:  Energy Blast 8d6; OAF  
  (-1), Beam (-¼), 12 Charges (-¼) 
  [12]
  3u 
  3)  Net Arrow:  Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF, Area  
  Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½), Entangle And 
  Character Both Take Damage (+¼);  
  OAF (-1), Cannot Form Barriers (-¼),  
  12 Charges (-¼) 
  [12]
  2u 
  4)  Knockout Gas Arrow:  Energy Blast  
  5d6, NND (defense is Life Support  
  [Self-Contained Breathing or appropriate 
  Immunity]; +1), Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex;  
  +½); OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾) 
  [6]
  2u 
  5)  Blinding Gas Arrow:  Sight Group  
  Flash 6d6, Area Of Eﬀect (3” Radius; +1) 
  OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾) 
  [6]
  3u 
  6)  Smoke Arrow:  Darkness to Sight  
  Group 6” radius; OAF (-1), 6 Continuing 
  Charges lasting 1 Turn each (removed by  
  high winds or rain; -¼) 
  [6cc]
  2u 
  7)  Strong Flare Arrow:  Sight Group  
  Flash 12d6; OAF (-1), Beam (-¼),  
  6 Charges (-¾) 
  [6]
  2u 
  8)  Grenade Arrow:  Energy Blast 9d6,  
  Explosion (+½); OAF (-1), 6 Charges (-¾) [6]
  2u 
  9)  Tracking Arrow:  Images to Radio  
  Group, +3 to PER Rolls, Increased Size  
  (32” radius; +1¼), Usable As Attack  
  (allows character to “stick” the Image  
  to a target; +1), Continuing Recoverable 
  Charge lasting 1 Week (stops functioning  
  if it gets wet or experiences severe radio 
  interference; +1); OAF (-1), Set Eﬀect 
  (detectable signal; -1), Image Only  
  Perceivable On Special Radio  
  Frequencies (-0) 
  [1rc]
  1u 
  10)  Swingline-And-Grapnel Arrow:   
  Swinging 20”; OAF (-1), Lockout (cannot  
  use other slots while this slot is in use; -½), 
  12 Charges (-¼) 
  2
   
  Martial Arts: Basic Self-Defense
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  5 
  Defensive Strike +1 
  +3 
  4d6 Strike
  4 
  Martial Block +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Martial Dodge -- 
  +5 
  Dodge, Aﬀects 
  All Attacks, 
  Abort
  3 
  Martial Grab 
  -1 
  -1 
  Grab Two 
  Limbs, 30 STR 
  for holding on
  5 
  Oﬀensive Strike -2 
  +1 
  8d6 Strike
  4 
  +1 Damage Class (already added in)
  10 
  Armored Costume:  Armor (5 PD/5 ED);  
  OIF (-½)
  8 
  Concealed Radio:  HRRP (Radio Group);  
  IIF (-¼), Aﬀected As Hearing Group As  
  Well As Radio Group (-¼) 
  0
   
  Talents
  3 
  Absolute Range Sense
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Bow And Trick Arrows Multipower
  20 
  +4 with Ranged Combat
  3 
  Acrobatics 14-
  3 
  Breakfall 14-
  3 
  Climbing 14-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Electronics 12-
  5 
  Fast Draw (Bows) 15-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  Inventor 12-
  3 
  AK: Millennium City 12-
  3 
  KS: Superhero Trivia 12-
  3 
  Lipreading 12-
  3 
  Lockpicking 14-
  3 
  Paramedics 12-
  3 
  PS: Bartender 13-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Sleight Of Hand 14-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  2 
  Survival (Urban) 12-
  2 
  WF: Common Missile Weapons
  8 
  Weaponsmith (Muscle-Powered Ranged) 15-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  211
  Total Cost:  331
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  29 
  200+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Dependent NPC: Bradley Winston (mentor) 
  8- (Infrequently), Normal, Useful Noncom-
  bat Position or Skills
  20 
  Hunted:  VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Harshly 
  Punish)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Thrillseeker 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protects The Little 
  Guy And The Oppressed (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Friendly, Outgo-
  ing, And Flirtatious (Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Sarah 
  Grainger) (Frequently, Major)
  5 
  Unluck 1d6
  46 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  331
  Background/History:  Sarah Grainger was born in 
  Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1980. A “super-groupie” 
  in her teens, Sarah was a massive fan of the Sen-
  tinels, and was the vice-president and treasurer 
  of the Scarlet Archer Fan Club, ignoring the jibes 
  from her friends about how “old-fashioned” he 
  was compared to the hip new heroes like Diadem 
  and Amazing Man. She even met the hero in 
  1993, not long after his retirement and public 
  revelation of his secret identity as restaraunteur 
  Bradley Winston. When he signed her copy of his 
  book, The Arrow’s Flight, with the inscription 
  “To my biggest fan, Sarah — keep fighting the 
  good fight,” she knew what she wanted to do 
  when she grew up.
  Sarah practiced archery religiously through-
  out her teenage years, eventually becoming good 
  enough to be an alternate on the US Olympic 
  Team in 2000. But she had other goals in mind. 
  A few days after her twenty-ﬁrst birthday, she 
  presented herself at the doorstep of  Winston’s 
  Millennium City restaraunt and asked him to 
  train her and let her carry on the mantle of the 
  Scarlet Archer. Winston, somewhat embarrassed 
  but also ﬂattered, and remembering his own 
  days as a young fan of the original 1940s Scarlet 
  Archer, agreed to take her on as a student. Sarah 
  studied with him for more than two years, mas-
  tering both the bow and the various trick arrows 
  Winston had designed, while also working as a 
  bartender at Winston’s restaraunt.  
  In 2003 she oﬃcially adopted her mentor’s 
  costumed identity with his blessing and began 
  ﬁghting crime on the streets of Millennium City. 
  While she mostly stuck to street-level activities, 
  she did cross paths with the Champions sev-
  eral times and particularly won the respect of 
  Nighthawk with her spunk and unorthodox but 
  eﬀective style. When Nighthawk left the Cham-
  pions, he recruited her into Project Mongoose by 
  reminding her of all the times her mentor fought 
  VIPER and how proud of her he’d be if she 
  brought them all to justice.
  Personality/Motivation:  Scarlet Archer has waited 
  her whole life to be a superhero, and now that she 
  is one she’s determined to make the most of it. She’s 
  lively, friendly, and bursting with energy, and she 
  makes sure to savor the thrill of each new experi-
  ence. Most of the time her enthusiasm is charming, 
  though she occasionally needs to be reminded that 
  being a superhero isn’t always fun. So far she hasn’t 
  had to make too many tough choices or deal with 
  any major tragedies; when she does, it will probably 
  be a sobering experience for her.
  Her idealized view of the superheroic life 
  extends to other costumed adventurers she may 
  encounter, especially if they were active during her 
  “super-groupie” years of the early 1990s or were 
  ever a member of the Sentinels. She’s also had to 
  promise Nighthawk to cut back on the autograph-
  signing and general fan-friendliness out in the 
  ﬁeld, something she grew really fond of in her ﬁrst 
  couple of years of active superheroing.
  Quote:  “Don’t worry, kids, the good guys are here!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Like both of her costumed pre-
  decessors, Scarlet Archer is an excellent shot with 
  her bow, and has a wide range of trick arrows 
  (mostly developed by Winston, but she’s added 
  a couple of new ones to the arsenal). She’s mas-
  tered pulling just the right arrow, drawing, and 
  firing in a single fluid motion.
  
  30 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  The Scarlet Archer works well with a group, 
  preferring to stay away from the center of most 
  melees and use her arrows to set up attacks 
  by her teammates (the various Entangles and 
  Flashes work well for this). But she’s also got a 
  taste for living dangerously, and occasionally 
  this overpowers her prudence on the battlefield 
  and leaves her a little too close to the action. Her 
  defenses are quite low, and when she finds her-
  self in trouble she usually Aborts to Dodges until 
  an opportunity arises to use her swingline to get 
  to a safe distance and resume her role as a sniper.
  Campaign Use:  Scarlet Archer might make an 
  excellent NPC hero to help ﬁll out a team — she’s 
  versatile and clever without being powerful 
  enough to overshadow the players. Apart from 
  the simple appeal of the weaponmaster character 
  archetype, Sarah is also a third-generation hero 
  and her connections to the Winston, the other 
  Sentinels, or even the original Golden Age Archer 
  might provide story hooks. In Project Mongoose, 
  she gives Nighthawk a trustworthy ally... a rare 
  commodity he’s coming to value greatly.
  To make the Scarlet Archer tougher, give 
  her some Ranged Martial Arts with her bow and 
  arrows, and perhaps expand her arsenal of arrows 
  to deal with more specialized situations (such as an 
  “electro-burst arrow” for disabling robots and elec-
  tronic machinery). To weaken her, reduce her DEX 
  to 20 and halve her number of Combat Skill Levels.
  Scarlet Archer is a clever and cautious 
  hunter. If possible she prefers to observe her 
  quarry, noting any behavior patterns or weak-
  nesses she can exploit.
  Appearance:  Scarlet Archer II is a white female, 5’9” 
  tall with an athletic ﬁgure. She wears a “bulletproof 
  spandex” bodysuit in two diﬀerent shades of red 
  (dark scarlet with lighter highlights and trim) and 
  a large scarlet domino mask. Her hair is cut in a 
  short, stylish bob in her secret identity, but in cos-
  tume she wears a long, ﬂowing brown wig. Her bow 
  breaks down and ﬁts in the boxy quiver she wears 
  on her back.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  31 
  Here’s what’s been happening with some of 
  Millennium City’s other superhuman protectors.
  Cavalier
  Cavalier, the armored mercenary hero with 
  dozens of corporate sponsorships, continued to be 
  active in Millennium City (despite his increasingly 
  ugly rivalry with Defender) until the Reality Storm 
  outbreak in the spring of 2004. He was present 
  when the Champions apparently died while rescu-
  ing bystanders from the Lake St. Claire volcano, 
  and had an epiphany and change of heart. While 
  he didn’t outright reject his corporate sponsors 
  (after all, they had just paid for his newly upgraded 
  armor), he began to concentrate on doing good 
  deeds for their own sake. At the same time, his 
  manager Ellis Wheatley was pushing him harder 
  to do more corporate “security work,” and the two 
  began to quarrel so much that Cavalier ﬁred him. 
  Outraged, Wheatley began secretly hiring various 
  supervillains to ﬁght and publicly disgrace him, a 
  plot that was uncovered by Cavalier with the assis-
  tance of the Champions not long after their heroic 
  return from Limbo.
  For several months Cavalier worked side-by-
  side with the Champions, most notably Kinetik 
  and Witchcraft, trying to learn how to become a 
  real hero. However, several others of the Champi-
  ons, most notably Defender and to a lesser extent 
  Ironclad, continued not to trust Cavalier, and 
  finally Cavalier and Defender had an extremely 
  nasty slugfest over Defender’s lack of interest 
  in crediting him for his change. After the battle, 
  Cavalier left Millennium City and moved to Los 
  Angeles, where he has become one of the city’s 
  more notable solo superheroes.
  Hydro
  HYDRO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200.0kg; 3d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   17 CON 
  14 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   14 INT 
  4 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   12 PRE 
  2 
  11- 
  PRE Attack:  2d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  18 PD (12 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  18 ED (12 rED)
   4 SPD 
  12 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   7 REC 
  2
   34 END 
  0
   34 STUN 
  7 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  88
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Swimming:  20”/40”
   
  Flight:  15”/30”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  Turbo Suit Oﬀensive Systems:  Multipower, 
  60-point reserve; all OIF (-½) 
  3u 
  1)  Green-Tuned Laser:  Energy Blast  
  8d6, Armor Piercing (+½); OIF (-½),  
  No Knockback (-¼) 
  6
  2u 
  2)  Electrical Packet Charge:  Energy  
  Blast 6d6, Explosion (+½), Personal  
  Immunity (+¼); OIF (-½), Only Usable 
  Underwater (-½), Limited Range (40”; 
  -¼), 8 Charges (-½) 
  [8]
  3u 
  3)  Suit Electriﬁcation:  RKA 1d6,  
  Damage Shield (+½), Continuous (+1),  
  Personal Immunity (+¼); OIF (-½) 
  4
  43 
  Electro-Net Launcher:  Entangle 4d6,  
  4 DEF, Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½)  
  Transparent To Linked Attack (+¼);  
  OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) plus Energy  
  Blast 6d6, Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½);  
  OIF (-½), Linked (-½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  37 
  Gadgets From His Lab:  Variable Power  
  Pool (Gadget Pool), 30 base + 15 control 
  cost; OAF (-1) 
   
  OTHER
  HEROES
  
  32 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
   
  Martial Arts:  Comic Book Style
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  3 
  Armlock 
  -1 
  -1 
  Grab Two 
  Limbs, 30 STR 
  for holding on
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Right Cross 
  +0 
  +2 
  6d6 Strike
  4 
  +1 Damage Class (already added in)
  24 
  Turbo Suit:  Armor (12 PD/12 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Turbo Suit Flare Screen:  Sight Group  
  Flash Defense (10 points); OIF (-½) 
  0
  10 
  Turbo Suit Life Support:  Life Support   
  (Safe Environments:  High Pressure,  
  Intense Cold, Low Pressure/Vacuum;  
  Self-Contained Breathing), 1 Continuing 
  Fuel Charge lasting 1 Day (+0); OIF (-½) 0
  15 
  Turbo Suit Swimjets:  Swimming +18”  
  (20” total), Reduced Endurance (½ END; 
  +¼); OIF (-½) 
  1
  20 
  Turbo Suit Airjets:  Flight 15”; OIF (-½) 
  3
  6 
  Helmet Radio:  HRRP (Radio Group);  
  OIF (-½), Aﬀected As Sight And Hearing 
  Group As Well As Radio Group (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Turbo Suit Visual Sensors:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Helmet Sonar Array:  Active Sonar  
  (Hearing Group); OIF (-½), Sense  
  Aﬀected As Sight Group As Well As  
  Hearing Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  25 
  Base: Lakebottom Lab
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
  3 
  Contact: Defender 11- (useful Skills or 
  resources)
  12 
  Contact:  Great Lakes Area Coast Guard 11- 
  (useful Skills or resources, access to major 
  institutions; organization)
  12 
  Contact:  Great Lakes Area Police Depart-
  ments 11- (useful Skills or resources, access 
  to major institutions; organization)
  12 
  Contact:  Great Lakes Area Fire Departments 
  11- (useful Skills or resources, access to 
  major institutions; organization)
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Turbo Suit Oﬀensive Systems  
  Multipower
  3 
  Computer Programming 12-
  3 
  Electronics 12-
  4 
  AK: Great Lakes 13-
  5 
  Mechanics 13-
  2 
  Navigation (Marine) 12-
  3 
  Paramedics 12-
  5 
  PS: Underwater Search And Rescue 14-
  2 
  SS: Great Lakes Marine Biology 11-
  5 
  SS: Power Suit Mechanics 14-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  TF:  Large Motorized Boats, Small Motorized 
  Boats, Submarines
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  354
  Total Cost:  442
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  DNPC:  Marco (boyfriend) 11- (Normal; 
  Useful Noncombat Position or Skills)
  15 
  Hunted:  Cresse Mob 8- (As Pow, NCI, 
  Harshly Punish)
  10 
  Hunted:  Blackbeard 8- (As Pow, Harshly 
  Punish)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Swashbuckling 
  Personality (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protective Of the 
  Great Lakes Area (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus  
  Killing (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Christian 
  Bloom) (Frequently Major)
  147 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points: 442
  EXAMPLE GADGETS FOR GADGETS FROM 
  MY LAB POWER POOL
  Rebreather Set:  Sometimes Hydro needs to provide 
  companions with the ability to breathe underwater 
  for a while. In that case, he just hands out these 
  devices, which look something like high-tech surgi-
  cal masks.
  Life 
  Support 
  (Self-Contained 
  Breathing), 
  Usable Simultaneously (up to eight persons at 
  once; +1) (20 Active Points); OAF (-1). Total 
  cost:  10 points.
  Sonar Beam Widener:  By attaching this module to 
  his armor’s helmet, Hydro converts his sonar from 
  being unidirectional to omnidirectional.
  Add Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) 
  to Sonar. Total cost:  2 points.
  Searchlight:  Sometimes Hydro ﬁnds a powerful 
  searchlight helpful during his underwater missions.
  Sight Group Images, 1” radius, +4 to PER Rolls 
  (22 Active Points); OAF (-1), Only To Create 
  Light (-1), No Range (-½). Total cost:  6 points.
  Speargun:  There are times when a little extra oﬀen-
  sive power not involving electricity is a good tacti-
  cal option.
  RKA 1d6+1, Armor Piercing (+½) (30 Active 
  Points); OAF (-1), Limited Range (30”; -¼), 1 
  Recoverable Charge (-1¼). Total cost:  9 points.
  Background/History:  In 1993, Christian Bloom was 
  a technician working for the Wayne County Sher-
  riﬀ’s Underwater Search and Rescue Team; his job 
  mostly consisted of maintaining the department’s 
  boats and assorted rescue gear. He was also a pow-
  ered-armor suit hobbyist who’d studied intently any 
  information available about the armor designs used 
  by heroes like Rocketman, Tetsuronin, Defender, 
  and others. He worked on his own design nights 
  and weekends developing a powered armor suit 
  that would be eﬀective for underwater activity, 
  with the intention of selling it to the County or the 
  Coast Guard for mass production. But his initial 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  33 
  design was far too expensive for mass production, 
  and he’d nearly run out of money of his own to 
  work on it further.
  A fellow hobbyist named Leese contacted 
  Bloom, oﬀering to set him up with a private inves-
  tor who might be willing to buy Bloom’s design. 
  Thrilled, Bloom provided several prototypes he 
  built with the cash advances Leese provided. As he 
  continued working, however, he became frustrated 
  and annoyed with the intense secrecy about Leese’s 
  benefactor. One night he secretly tracked his latest 
  shipment. He was horriﬁed to discover that Leese 
  worked for the Cresse mob (see Millennium City)... 
  and that the gangsters were using his suits to rob 
  freight shipments running from Millennium City 
  to other ports on the Great Lakes!
  Bloom returned to his workshop and added 
  several reﬁnements to his master suit prototype, 
  including several electricity-based weapons. Then 
  he confronted Leese and his gang (now known as 
  the Great Lakes Raiders). His victory in the ensu-
  ing battle satisﬁed a need for excitement and justice 
  he hadn’t realized he possessed, him, and when he 
  turned the Raiders over to the authorities it was as 
  Hydro, protector of the Great Lakes.
  Hydro was a minor sensation as a new Mil-
  lennium City-based hero, but Bloom was still 
  struggling for money. A chance encounter with 
  Defender led to several discussions over lunch 
  about the life of a powered armor superhero, and 
  the two swapped tips and tricks about mainte-
  nance and design. Defender was impressed with 
  several of Bloom’s innovations and arranged 
  to have Harmon Industries buy them for con-
  tracted projects for UNTIL and PRIMUS (and 
  he secretly incorporated some of them into the 
  Defender armor as well). Bloom used his gener-
  ous royalty checks to improve his armor further 
  and build a small base at the bottom of Lake St. 
  Claire, from which he continues to patrol the 
  lakes, rescuing boaters in trouble and battling 
  lake-borne smugglers and criminals. He stays in 
  touch with Defender and the other Champions.
  Personality/Motivation:  Bloom loves two things in 
  life:  the Great Lakes themselves, especially boat-
  ing or other recreation and appreciation of their 
  natural beauty; and ﬁddling around with powered 
  armor suits. Now that he’s pretty well oﬀ, he’s able 
  to devote his life to both pursuits, and he considers 
  himself one of the luckiest guys around. As Hydro, 
  he’s a minor celebrity devoted to helping people, 
  and as Christian he’s got a committed relationship 
  with his boyfriend Marco, enough money to take 
  care of himself and fund his “hobby,” and a cool 
  reinforced-glass base under eighty feet of water 
  from where he can peacefully watch ﬁsh, weld 
  metal, and keep one ear on the Coast Guard radio 
  band. He knows he’s not really in the same class as 
  the city’s other costumed heroes — he’s quite happy 
  to serve as an occasional specialist and spend most 
  of his time protecting the Great Lakes and the 
  people who use them.
  Quote:  “Okay, people, just hang on a little bit longer 
  — I’ll have you out of there in a snap!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Hydro wears what he refers to as 
  the “Turbo-Suit,” a set of powered armor specially 
  designed for underwater use. Unlike many such 
  suits, the Turbo-Suit has no particular strength-
  enhancement features; he sacriﬁced those to main-
  tain a sleek, streamlined design that allows for fast 
  movement both beneath and above the surface. 
  The primary oﬀensive weapons of the suit are vari-
  ous modules drawing electricity from miniature 
  power cells, either to project small charged “particle 
  bursts” that conduct well through fresh water, or 
  to electrify the surface of the suit itself for defense. 
  Hydro’s suit also contains electriﬁed-net launch-
  ers, lasers optimized for underwater use, and at 
  any given time several other experimental designs 
  Bloom might be working on.
  Despite these features, Hydro isn’t really a 
  front-line fighter. He prefers it when his usually 
  non-powered opponents surrender without a 
  fight, so he usually leads with an impressive light 
  show using his lasers or electro-bursts as part of 
  a Presence Attack. If facing an opponent obvi-
  ously powerful enough not to be impressed by 
  that, his first action is usually to radio the Cham-
  pions or MC-8, then try to avoid getting killed 
  before the cavalry arrives.
  Hydro has excellent relationships with the 
  local Coast Guard, police and ﬁre departments, 
  most of them welcome his assistance at the scenes 
  of disasters, wrecks, or other crises.
  
  34 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Campaign Use:  Hydro makes a useful ally for any 
  team planning an underwater mission, and his con-
  nections to various relief and rescue agencies mean 
  he might show up in the background of any story 
  where innocent bystanders are at risk from natural 
  or unnatural disasters. Also, he’s made permanent 
  enemies in the Cresse Mob and the VIPER Nest 
  Leader Blackbeard, and their eﬀorts to eliminate 
  him might be part of any story about Millennium 
  City’s organized crime scene.
  To make Hydro tougher, improve his suit so 
  that it does boost his STR, DEX, and other appro-
  priate Characteristics. You could also boost the DCs 
  on his weapons; while they’re tough enough when 
  he faces ordinary foes, against supervillains they 
  may be a little weak. To reduce his eﬀectiveness, 
  decrease his inches of Swimming and/or get rid of 
  his Electro-Nets.
  Hydro generally doesn’t Hunt anyone.
  Appearance:  Hydro is a six foot tall white male 
  with a trim but not overly muscular build. His hair 
  is black, his eyes grey. His Turbo-Suit is a sleek 
  piece of powered armor, with small “ﬁns” on the 
  back, arms, and legs for streamlining and a tapering 
  “teardrop” helmet. It’s mostly black, but has white 
  and yellow highlights and white stripes down the 
  sides so that he’s highly visible during his rescue 
  eﬀorts. If he wants to be stealthy, he covers the 
  white highlights with black plastic strips.
  Ravenswood Academy
  While the adult heroes of Millennium City 
  continue to protect the city (and sometimes the 
  world) from supervillains and other menaces, the 
  heroes-to-be in training at the exclusive Raven-
  swood Academy have not been idle. Some class-
  mates have left, and new ones have joined the 
  ranks.
  As a whole the students have developed a 
  strong adversarial relationship with Generation 
  VIPER. The two groups have clashed on several 
  occasions, though never conclusively since they 
  usually have to avoid alerting their instructors 
  about their activities.
  THE CLASS OF 2006
  In the Spring of 2006, the members of the class 
  of 2006 graduated and went out into the world.
  Teddy “Chain Lightning” Jolsen made moder-
  ate progress in learning to use his electricity powers 
  during his last year in school, but still has relatively 
  little control over them compared to a typical 
  superhuman. With great eﬀort (i.e., Concentration 
  [½ DCV] and x3 END) he can project a blast of 
  electricity at a single target (Energy Blast 8d6 or 
  RKA 2d6, depending on intensity). By day he’s a 
  PRIMUS trainee; at night he takes classes at com-
  munity college.
  Soﬁe “Flicker” Jeﬀerson left the Millennium City 
  area to attend UCLA after graduation. She’s study-
  ing journalism and has no plans to user her powers 
  for crimeﬁghting or anything else; her ambition is to 
  become a television reporter, not a superhero.
  Robert “Impact” Johnson now lives in Dallas 
  and uses his powers in the private sector. He 
  joined several other Ravenswood alumni work-
  ing in corporate security for Amaranco, a multi-
  national oil and energy company with facilities 
  all over the globe. He no longer has any sort of 
  Social Limitation pertaining to his identity; it’s 
  not commonly known by any means, but a little 
  digging by a trained detective would uncover his 
  name easily enough.
  James “Putty” Puttermeyer also departed 
  Millennium City for the sunny shores of South-
  ern California. He’s waiting tables at restaurants 
  in the Los Angeles area while he works on his 
  stand-up comedy routine at various clubs. He 
  and Flicker stay in touch, and while he’s not 
  exactly a crimefighter he has used his powers to 
  help people a few times.
  Lisa “Trance” Bauer is the only member of the 
  Class of ’06 to stay in the Millennium City area. 
  She’s now majoring in Physics at the University of 
  Michigan. She rarely uses her powers.
  THE CLASS OF 2007
  Jennifer “Cheer” Jacobson continues to use 
  her powers to brighten the day of everyone around 
  her... whether they want it or not. She’s expanded 
  her powers to the extent of being able to make 
  her target feel sad as well, but she hates to do that. 
  Her instructors remain convinced she’s got greater 
  potential, but until she has reason to tap it she’s 
  never going to have access to it.
  Alexandra “Diva” Moreno has become some-
  thing of a leader in her class; under Rowan’s 
  gentle prodding, she’s developed her powers 
  for combat uses and shown herself to be a fine 
  tactician. Despite this she still seems intent on a 
  career as an opera star.
  Elrico “Slumber” Jurado spent a large part 
  of 2006 in a coma, apparently as the result of 
  some nightmare he glimpsed that was so horrific 
  his mind simply couldn’t handle it. Months of 
  psionic therapy brought him back to conscious-
  ness, but he refuses to talk about what affected 
  him so deeply and has become more introverted 
  than ever (much to Cheer’s chagrin). He’s had to 
  work hard to catch up so he could graduate with 
  the rest of his classmates.
  Rick “Velocity” Donovan ran away from 
  school in the fall of 2006 and has not returned. The 
  authorities believe he’s responsible for a series of 
  late 2006-early 2007 robberies in Millennium City 
  that bear the marks of having been committed by a 
  speedster. Rowan is increasingly concerned about 
  what he might do if his time-manipulation powers 
  grow, but has had no luck contacting Captain Chro-
  nos or anyone else she thinks could help.
  THE CLASS OF 2008
  Susan “Brainwave” Bender has matured for the 
  better in recent years. In late 2005 her mother was 
  forced oﬀ the road by a reckless driver and nearly 
  killed. Deeply aﬀected by the incident, Susan reded-
  icated herself to becoming a hero. Although she’s 
  still got an excellent sense of humor, she’s stopped 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter One 
  35 
  being such a prankster and has buckled down to 
  her studies. Her discipline has been rewarded; her 
  mental powers have broadened and grown. Experts 
  brought in to analyze her predict that she could 
  become one of Earth’s most powerful telepaths. She 
  and Impulse have been dating.
  Bobby “Brawn” Richardson has finally accli-
  mated to Ravenswood (though he still misses 
  his old friends and the chance to play football). 
  He’s led the Ravenswood polakios team to two 
  consecutive victories, and plans to make it three 
  before he graduates.
  Monique “Chill” Perenaud has gained a lot 
  of self-confidence and control thanks to the tute-
  lage of her Ravenswood’s instructors. Although 
  she still doesn’t particularly care for crowds, she 
  mostly keeps her powers from activating invol-
  untarily when she gets nervous, and using them 
  in combat and crisis situations has become much 
  easier for her.
  Eddie “Impulse” Nguyen has made progress in 
  learning to use his powers. While he still works best 
  with inanimate objects, he can now exert limited 
  telekinetic control over animate ones (including 
  people). Rowan believes that by the time he gradu-
  ates he’ll be a full-ﬂedged telekinetic.
  Chiri “Root” Gyaltsen’s powers of plant control 
  and manipulation continue to develop normally 
  for a Sha-Prylen of his age. He’s become a fairly 
  headstrong and proud young man, and sometimes 
  talks about wanting to reclaim his world (and his 
  family’s throne) from the Hzeel.
  THE CLASS OF 2009
  Abigail “Dance” Murrow has been training 
  to make her powers more “impulsive” so that she 
  can use them whenever and however she likes, 
  rather than depending on a planned “routine” to 
  take full advantage of them. So far the regimen 
  developed by her instructors seems to be doing the 
  trick; her need for “routines” has become much less 
  pronounced since she was a freshman. On the aca-
  demic front she’s developed an interest in literature 
  and often tries her hand at writing poetry.
  Stewart “Function” Schroeder remains basi-
  cally the same as he was during his freshman year. 
  His powers, while fascinating and potentially very 
  powerful, haven’t really changed, though he has 
  learned more ways to apply them eﬀectively. Row-
  an’s arranged to have him train some with Mentiac 
  of UNITY in the hopes of further developing them. 
  Socially he remains inept, often accidentally insult-
  ing people with his seeming inability to keep from 
  expressing any thought that pops into his head... 
  and his thoughts about other people, particularly 
  their intelligence, are rarely ﬂattering.
  Jamal “Updraft” Peters has improved his con-
  trol over his powers. He can now engage in limited 
  ﬂight (though it’s still much easier for him to glide 
  using manufactured wings) and manipulation of 
  objects (Telekinesis). By having him work with 
  Wing (see below), Rowan has curbed his aggres-
  siveness and thoughtless behavior... a little, at least.
  Michael “Wing” Eisenmann spent a lot of his 
  freshman year either in the training room or in 
  therapy, learning to use his wings and overcome his 
  fears and anxieties. To Rowan’s relief it seems to be 
  working. He’s learned how to ﬂy (in part with the 
  
  36 ■ “Meanwhile, In Millennium City...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  help of Updraft, who could 
  use his powers to “catch” Wing 
  if he began to fall during a 
  training session), and while 
  he still doesn’t care much for 
  heights he can tolerate them 
  enough to use his powers. 
  Rowan thinks that by the end 
  of high school he’ll be a fully-
  functional ﬂyer, probably one 
  suited for using his powers in 
  the private sector as some sort 
  of surveyor or messenger.
  THE CLASS OF 2010
  The new Homeroom 
  Gamma contains several 
  interesting students.
  Andy “Crawler” Bell-
  ingham seems as if he might 
  possess some sort of insect-
  based powers, but so far his 
  abilities have only manifested 
  in two ways:  ﬁrst, he can walk 
  on walls and ceiling like a ﬂy; 
  second, he’s superhumanly 
  fast and graceful. It’s uncer-
  tain who’s more dexterous, 
  him or Dance, and the two 
  have a sort of semi-friendly 
  rivalry going. Andy stands 
  and walks in ways that are 
  subtly insect-like and disturb-
  ing, so he has few friends.
  Teresa “Scrambler” Urabazo possesses one 
  of the most unusual power sets Rowan and the 
  Ravenswood faculty have ever seen. She has the 
  ability to manipulate most types of metahuman 
  abilities — shut them off or boost their effective-
  ness temporarily, “scramble” a metahuman power 
  into something else (though she has no control 
  over what it becomes), and even to force two 
  superhumans to “trade” powers for a short time. 
  Her powers are tiring to use, but Rowan believes 
  that with practice that will change. While her 
  powers aren’t much good for solo crimefighting, 
  as a member of a superhero team she’d be a phe-
  nomenally effective combatant.
  Scrambler’s “partner in crime” (they frequently 
  get into trouble together) is Madison “Amazon” 
  Murphy, who’s superhumanly strong and tough. 
  She already has the ability to lift nearly 25 tons, and 
  Rowan suspects that will more than double by the 
  time she’s a senior thanks to Ravenswood’s training 
  facilities and instructors.
  Kevin “Cloud” Sinclair, a rather scrawny-look-
  ing kid even for a freshman, is a super-scientiﬁc 
  genius. While he can build all sorts of things, his 
  greatest talent lies in the ﬁeld of nanotechnology. 
  His clothes are laced with nanobots of his own 
  design. On his mental command they swarm out 
  around him in a distinctive glittering cloud (hence 
  his codename) and then form themselves into 
  whatever he wants — a defensive shield, a weapon 
  of some sort, a tool, you name it. Rowan hopes that 
  his predilection for bypassing and breaking rules is 
  merely adolescent boundary-testing and not indic-
  ative of some deeper inclination toward villainy, for 
  it seems likely that his nanobots will make him a 
  powerful, even deadly, superhuman as he becomes 
  better-versed in combat.
  Rounding out the class of 2010 is Juanita “Ano-
  dyne” Jeﬀerson, who has the power to heal injuries 
  and relieve pain. She has no particular interest in 
  being a superhero; her ambition is to become a 
  doctor. She pays a lot of attention in biology and 
  chemistry classes and virtually ignores other sub-
  jects; Rowan’s worried the girl might ﬂunk out not 
  due to lack of intelligence but simply because she’s 
  too focused on a single ﬁeld.
  
  chapter two:
  chapter two:
  DOWN IN VIBORA BAY
  
  38 ■ “Down In Vibora Bay...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  A
  lthough it’s often thought of as “sleepy” 
  or “placid” compared to the likes of Mil-
  lennium City, New York, or Los Angeles, 
  Vibora Bay has been far from quiet in 
  the past several years.
  CITY POLITICS
  Richenda Barker ran for re-election in 2006 
  and won a tight race against City Controller 
  Earl Jamison, the Republican candidate. Jamison 
  received the support of his party only after a bitter 
  backroom battle with various Florida GOP heavy-
  weights, who preferred Tom Stanko, City Councilor 
  from Midtown’s Ward Eleven. When Stanko didn’t 
  get the nomination, he instead ran as an indepen-
  dent third candidate, dividing the city’s Republican 
  minority and pretty much guaranteeing Barker’s 
  victory. Stanko has maintained a high proﬁle in the 
  city after the elections; he’s openly and vocally criti-
  cal of Barker and her policies.
  HURRICANE KATRINA
  On August 28-29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina 
  struck the Gulf Coast of the United States, making 
  land in Mississippi and threatening Vibora Bay 
  as well as other nearby cities like New Orleans, 
  Mobile, and Biloxi. UNTIL’s top weather team, led 
  by Tempest, blunted the main force of the storm, 
  which still did $8 billion in combined damages and 
  killed nearly two hundred people. An oil rig under 
  construction broke loose from its moorings and 
  threatened to crash into the Easton shore,  but was 
  turned aside with the help of several whales sum-
  moned by Amphibian. Vibora Bay suﬀered severe 
  ﬂooding and power loss, but nowhere near what 
  it would have without superheroes to protect it. 
  Rumors claim the hurricane was caused by some 
  sort of water-demon, and some people even claim 
  to have glimpsed it brieﬂy in Vibora Bay, but there’s 
  no proof and Dr. Ka (among other heroes) has 
  ﬂatly denied the charge.
  The Superhuman World
  While Vibora Bay lacks a superhero team like 
  the Champions or the Justice Squadron, its inde-
  pendent heroes have kept plenty busy defending 
  the city from various superhuman menaces.
  NIGHT OF THE MUMMY
  Ever eager for greater power in the world of 
  men, and to cause evil and suﬀering whenever 
  possible, the god Set chose Vibora Bay, and more 
  particularly its hero Dr. Ka, as the object of his 
  attention in early 2005. Through Ka he had a “link” 
  to the world, and being so far away from Egypt kept 
  his adversary Ma’at from being able to try to stop 
  him. Under his inﬂuence, and sometimes direct 
  orders, the remnants of Serpentine’s cult made their 
  way to Vibora Bay and began preparing for a great 
  ritual. When the time was right, Set at long last 
  revealed himself to his servant Anubis (page 111), 
  granted him even greater power, and sent him to 
  Vibora Bay to spearhead the plot.
  Doctor Ka sensed Anubis’s arrival, and with it 
  the growing mystic threat to the city. Since Brother 
  Thunder and Sister Rain weren’t available at that 
  time, Dr. Ka sent an emergency request for assis-
  tance to Witchcraft and the Champions. Using her 
  arcane powers, Witchcraft transported the team 
  to Vibora Bay to join Dr. Ka in confronting Set’s 
  minions. They arrived at a local cemetery just in 
  time to witness the culmination of the ritual... one 
  that brought dozens of people back to life as beast-
  headed mummies!
  The ensusing battle was long, ﬁerce, and destruc-
  tive. Newly imbued with Set’s power, Anubis was a 
  match by himself for the heroes... and he had cultists 
  and mummies to back him up! When direct action 
  failed, Witchcraft decided indirect tactics were called 
  for. While the other heroes kept Anubis and his 
  minions occupied, she had Dr. Ka attempt to disrupt 
  Anubis’s control over the mummies... while she herself 
  attacked the connection between Anubis and Set! The 
  eﬀort nearly killed her, for a mortal, no matter how 
  powerful, is no match for a god. But she survived long 
  enough for the other Egyptian gods to notice what 
  was going on and come to the rescue. As Horus, Isis, 
  and Thoth approached, Set ﬂed back into the outer 
  darkness, abandoning his plans and his followers for 
  now. In recognition of their heroism and sacriﬁce, 
  the gods gave both Witchcraft and Dr. Ka the Eye of 
  Horus (page 21).
  JURYRIG VERSUS VIPER
  In late 2005 Juryrig’s war against VIPER had 
  reached a tipping point. He’d become all too success-
  ful at disrupting operations by all four of the Vibora 
  Bay Nests, and in concert with heroes like Black Mask 
  and Dr. Ka he’d completely scuttled a major mission to 
  steal a shipment of expensive pharmaceuticals, costing 
  VIPER millions and putting dozens of top agents in 
  federal custody. Monique Fontaine decided she’d had 
  enough — with this constant level of harassment her 
  plans to consolidate the city’s Nests under her own 
  control had been delayed several times. She swallowed 
  her not-inconsiderable pride and requested the assis-
  tance of several Dragon Branch operatives from the 
  Council. The Council sent her Freon, Boa Constrictor, 
  and Diamondback.
  VIBORA BAY
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Two 
  39 
  Fontaine began to bait her trap, setting up a 
  false mission and making sure word of it got out to 
  the city’s underground gossips. Sure enough, Juryrig 
  arrived at a dock on the Easton shore after midnight, 
  planning to thwart a VIPER attack on an electronics 
  shipment. Instead, the three Dragon Branch agents 
  surprised the young hero, overpowered him, and beat 
  him nearly to death. Diamondback hurled his insen-
  sate body far out into the water.
  When he hit the cold water, Juryrig regained 
  enough of his senses to ditch his heavy equipment, 
  and with his last bit of energy before falling uncon-
  scious activated the radio signaler Black Mask had 
  given him in their last encounter. Amphibian was 
  able to triangulate on the signal and rescued Juryrig 
  before he drowned. Juryrig spent the next several 
  months in intensive care at Walton Hospital recov-
  ering from multiple fractures and a collapsed lung.
  Juryrig emerged from the hospital in April 
  2006 a changed man. Gone was his sense of playful-
  ness and his overconﬁdence regarding his personal 
  war with VIPER. He’d seen how powerful the orga-
  nization really was, and despite his injuries he was 
  more determined than ever to destroy it once and 
  for all. He went back to his workshop and began 
  rebuilding his arsenal, and when Nighthawk con-
  tacted him in July about joining his special project 
  Juryrig signed up without a moment’s hesitation.
  THE JANUS KEY
  In March 2006, the Cirque Sinister acquired 
  the Janus Key, a powerful magical artifact used 
  by the 1960s supervillain Dr. Macabre to move 
  between dimensions on the Cosmic Axis. Amnesia 
  had heard of the Key, but knew nothing about it. 
  One day she woke up to ﬁnd it on her bedside table. 
  At ﬁrst she didn’t recognize it, and she certainly 
  had no idea where it came from. A little research 
  revealed the item’s true nature... and once she real-
  ized what it was, she somehow intuitively became 
  aware of how to use it.
  Within days the Cirque had used the Key to 
  remake all of Vibora Bay into a Boschian night-
  mare. From the outside, it appeared that a black, 
  featureless dome nearly ten miles across had sur-
  rounded the city, cutting it oﬀ from all outside 
  contact. For several days, various mystical and tech-
  nological superheroes attempted to penetrate it to 
  no avail, while those who were missing family and 
  friends inside the dome waited anxiously for news.
  Meanwhile, the residents of Vibora Bay found 
  themselves in a garish landscape, with purple skies 
  and rampaging demons. The buildings and structures 
  of the city were replaced with twisted approximations 
  carved from black rock or white bone. The heroes of 
  the city gathered at what was previously Sister Rain’s 
  Pierre Street Community Center. They organized 
  themselves into small teams to save lives and ﬁnd a 
  way to reverse the transformation. After much travail, 
  Black Mask, Robert Caliburn, Sister Rain, Brother 
  Thunder, Dr. Ka, and Al the Alligator Man, with 
  assistance from Prof. Carlota Sylvestri, succeeded in 
  ﬁnding the Cirque’s headquarters — what was once 
  the decrepit San Sebastien Sanitarium but was now 
  a gothic castle, complete with giant vampire bats and 
  headless stone gargoyles as guards. While the other 
  heroes fought their way into the castle and engaged 
  the Cirque, Caliburn and Sylvestri were able to make 
  contact with the Skunk Ape (who had been impris-
  oned within the castle walls) and through him the 
  
  40 ■ “Down In Vibora Bay...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  spirit of the swamp itself. They drew upon the power 
  of the swamp to create a magical feedback loop that 
  overwhelmed Amnesia and broke her contact with 
  the Key. Unbeknownst to the heroes, Sylvestri then 
  tried to betray her allies and steal the Key for herself 
  as the false reality shifted around them, but it burned 
  her hand and slipped through her ﬁngers into the 
  muck and mire of the swamp itself. The black dome 
  faded as the city returned to normal. The members 
  of the Cirque were captured and imprisoned, with 
  Bobby returned to the custody of L’Institut Thoth 
  despite Amnesia’s protests. The quartet all currently 
  reside in Stronghold.
  THE BLACK MASK
  Jennifer Ward, the tenth Black Mask, has expe-
  rienced a series of catastrophic events in her life over 
  the last three years. First, in autumn 2005 she took 
  on a new partner, the psychic teen Nocturne (see 
  below). Ordinarily Black Mask would be against the 
  idea of a teenager risking her life on the mean streets 
  of Vibora Bay, but Nocturne’s remarkable ability to 
  absorb knowledge and skills from nearby people, 
  combined with her determination and general spunk, 
  wore down Black Mask’s resistance, and eventually she 
  agreed to train and mentor the teen.
  Black Mask’s time was also taken up by the 
  debut of a new supervillain on the streets of the 
  Queen City, a crafty vampire known only as the 
  Stalker. The Stalker began to run up an impressive 
  body count in the city beginning in December 
  2005, and as his list of victims grew so did Black 
  Mask’s determination to stop him. They had two 
  brief encounters in January, both of which ended 
  in stalemates when the ﬁend narrowly escaped her, 
  but in February they fought in an alley within the 
  Tangles. This battle ended with Black Mask suﬀer-
  ing severe leg injuries, drained of several pints of 
  blood, and near death. Only the coincidental arrival 
  of Robert Caliburn on an unrelated mission of 
  his own caused the also-badly-beaten vampire to 
  retreat rather than ﬁnishing the job.
  Black Mask gave up her costumed identity 
  temporarily while she recuperated from her injuries 
  with the assistance of her occasional boyfriend, Dr. 
  David Wulatin. While she was under enforced bed 
  rest her relationship with David, always strained by 
  her nocturnal activities, grew considerably stronger. 
  At the same time, several of Vibora Bay’s other cos-
  tumed crimeﬁghters, like Brother Thunder and Dr. 
  Ka, stepped in to take over some of her patrolling 
  and continue Nocturne’s training. Nocturne herself 
  was infuriated to have been left out of the eﬀorts 
  to capture Stalker and tried to pick up his trail on 
  her own against her mentor’s wishes. Terriﬁed for 
  her young partner, Black Mask asked several of her 
  friends to shadow Nocturne on patrol... and when 
  Nocturne discovered this she took it as a breach of 
  trust that led to a temporary rift between the two 
  crimeﬁghters. Nocturne tried going after Stalker 
  herself and almost succeeded, but the vampire 
  escaped once again, and eventually the two hero-
  ines reconciled and resumed their partnership.
  In the meantime, Jennifer was surprised but not 
  unhappy to discover she was pregnant. Jokingly call-
  ing herself an “old-fashioned girl,” she proposed to 
  David that month, and the two are still engaged with 
  a wedding date planned for early 2007. Jennifer gave 
  birth to Benjamin Ward Wulatin in December. She’s 
  currently training herself back into peak ﬁtness to 
  resume her crimeﬁghting career alongside Nocturne, 
  who regards “baby Ben” as her little brother.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Two 
  41 
  NOCTURNE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV: 7/DCV: 7
   16 CON 
  12 
  12-
   9 BODY -2 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV: 4
   14 PRE 
  4 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   7 PD 
  4 
   
  Total: 16 PD (9 rPD)
   6 ED 
  3 
   
  Total: 15 ED (9 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  2
   24 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  80
  Movement: 
  Running: 6”/12”
   
  Swinging:  10”/20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  Psychic Skill Mimicry:  Variable Power  
  Pool, 30 base + 15 control cost; Only  
  For Skills Known By Someone Within  
  2” (-½), Cannot Keep A Slot Active For  
  More Than 1 Hour After Leaving Target’s 
  Presence (see text; -0) 
  var
  33 
  Knowledge Absorption:  Telepathy 10d6, 
  Invisible Power Eﬀects (Fully Invisible;  
  +½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Limited 
  Normal Range (2”; -½), Receive Only 
  (-½), Does Not Provide Mental Aware- 
  ness (-¼), Only To Absorb Facts Known 
  By Target (-¼) 
  0
   
  Martial Arts: Tae Kwon Do
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Arm Sweep 
   
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  Disarm; 28 STR 
  to Disarm
  4 
  Dodge 
  +0 
  +5 
  Dodge, Abort
  5 
  Flying Side Kick +1 
  -2 
  7½d6 Strike
  4 
  Front Kick/
   
  Punch 
  +0 
  +2 
  5½d6 Strike
  5 
  Roundhouse 
   
  Kick 
  -2 
  +1 
  7½d6 Strike
  3 
  Takedown 
  +1 
  +1 
  3½d6 Strike; 
  Target Falls
  4 
  +1 Damage Class (already added in)
  15 
  Smoke Pellets:  Darkness to Sight Group  
  3” radius; IAF (-½), Limited Range (12”;  
  -¼), 6 Continuing Charges Lasting  
  1 Turn each (-¼) 
  [6cc]
  9 
  Throwing Disks:  Energy Blast 6d6; OAF  
  (-1), 4 Charges (-1), Range Based On 
  Strength (-¼) 
  [4]
  8 
  Throwing Blades:  RKA 1d6, Autoﬁre  
  (3 shots; +¼); OAF (-1), Range Based  
  On Strength (-¼), 12 Charges (-¼) 
  [12]
  12 
  Padded Leather Costume:  Armor  
  (6 PD/6 ED); OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Mask Mike:  High Range Radio  
  Perception (Radio Group); IIF (-¼),  
  Aﬀected As  Hearing Group As Well As 
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Mask Mike:  +4 to PER Rolls with  
  Normal Hearing; IIF (-¼) 
  0
  3 
  Mask Lenses:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group) (5 Active Points); OIF (-½) 
  2 
  Lockpick Set:  +2 with Lockpicking;  
  OAF (-1) 
  0
  10 
  Swingline Gun:  Multipower, 20-point 
  reserve; all slots OAF (-1)
  1u 
  1)   Swingline & Grapnel:  Swinging 10”;  
  OAF (-1), Lockout (can’t use other slots  
  in same Phase in which Swinging is  
  used; -½), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼) [1rc]
  1u 
  2)   Swingline II:  Leaping +20”  
  (10” upward); OAF (-1), Upward  
  Movement Only (-1), No Noncombat  
  Movement (-¼), Cannot Add Leaping  
  From STR (-¼) 
  2
  1u 
  3)   Grapnel Attack:  RKA 1d6+1; OAF  
  (-1), Limited Range (10”; -¼),  
  1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼) 
  [1rc]
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  10 
  +1 Overall
  6 
  +2 with Tae Kwan Do
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Acting 12-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Computer Programming 12-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  3 
  Criminology 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Disguise 12-
  3 
  Electronics 12-
  1 
  Forensic Medicine 8-
  2 
  CK: Vibora Bay 11-
  3 
  KS: Organized Crime In Vibora Bay 12-
  1 
  KS: History Of The Black Masks 8-
  3 
  Lipreading 12-
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 12-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  2 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  268
  Total Cost:  348
  
  42 ■ “Down In Vibora Bay...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mutant (Not  
  Concealable; Always Noticed; Detectable 
  Only By Unusual Senses)
  20 
  Hunted:  Guy Sweetland 11- (As Pow, NCI, 
  Harshly Punish)
  25 
  Hunted:  Black Mask 14- (Mo Pow, NCI, PC 
  has a Public ID or is otherwise very easy to 
  ﬁnd, Watching)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Brash, Headstrong, 
  And Stubborn (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates Injustice 
  And Predators (Common, Total)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Mistrusts Authori-
  ties (Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Amy Jo 
  Woods) (Frequently, Major)
  33 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  348
  Background/History:  Amy Jo Woods was born in 
  1988 in a small town in Missouri. From an early 
  age she was able to telepathically absorb skills and 
  information from people near her, a mutant talent 
  she learned quickly to cover up so she wouldn’t 
  stand out. Her parents weren’t quite so easy to fool, 
  and as Amy got older she began to use her parent’s 
  secrets as ammunition in their regular ﬁghts. Noth-
  ing that awful, mind you, but the sort of mundane 
  secrets everyone has — enough that the Woods 
  began to suspect that Amy Jo had the touch of the 
  devil about her somehow.
  Finally, one day in 2004 Amy’d had enough of 
  the ﬁghting and ran away, to her parents’ not-so-
  secret relief. She lived for a while on the streets of 
  St. Louis, using her powers to become a fairly suc-
  cessful thief (the job’s much easier when you can 
  learn safe combinations by standing ten feet from 
  the store teller.) One of the members of her little 
  gang suggested to her that she should try moving to 
  Vibora Bay, since that city was well-known for the 
  weird and supernatural and a freaky little girl like 
  her should ﬁt right in.
  Amy decided to give Vibora Bay a try, and 
  soon found the city very much to her liking. One 
  lovely summer day Amy was sitting with some 
  other teens at a free reggae concert in Cypress 
  Grove Park, which she’d made her temporary home 
  along with a number of other young street folk, 
  mostly druggies and thieves. Amy didn’t like most 
  of her new associates — while she wasn’t against 
  stealing a little from a store to live, she didn’t like 
  doing it from actual people, and besides, most of 
  the stoners were boring.
  As usual, when Amy was a little stoned, her 
  mind tended to wander and she picked up surface 
  thoughts from various nearby concertgoers. It was 
  a complete surprise to her, then, when she suddenly 
  realized that the thoughts, memories, and skills she 
  was idly leeching belonged to Jennifer Ward, better 
  known as Vibora Bay’s most prominent super-
  heroine, Black Mask. She knew so much — how to 
  ﬁght, pick locks, use computers, set a broken bone, 
  climb the side of a skyscraper. Amy was fascinated, 
  thrilled, and envious, and at that moment she 
  ﬁnally realized what she wanted to do with her life.
  Of course, it wasn’t that simple, even after 
  Amy had scraped together a mask and costume 
  and presented herself in Jennifer’s apartment 
  (through the window in the middle of the night, 
  of course — not a good idea to risk the secret 
  identity, Black Mask’s memories had taught her 
  that). Black Mask fought the idea of a “teen side-
  kick” for quite a while. But Amy’s persistence 
  and fervent, genuine desire to make something 
  better of herself, along with her ability to pick up 
  new skills, finally overwhelmed Jennifer. Black 
  Mask agreed to train Amy as a partner, helping 
  her fashion the costumed identity of Nocturne. 
  The two fought crime together on the streets for 
  several weeks until Black Mask found herself in 
  a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the vampire 
  Stalker. The encounter left Black Mask hospital-
  ized for weeks with torn ligaments in her legs, 
  during which time Amy took over Black Mask’s 
  patrols and activities for her, and when Jennifer 
  was up and around again she soon found out 
  about her pregnancy. Black Mask remains on 
  limited costumed duty while she takes care of 
  baby Benjamin, and Nocturne continues to act as 
  one of Vibora Bay’s crimefighters under Jenni-
  fer’s careful management.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Two 
  43 
  Personality/Motivation:  Nocturne is a headstrong, 
  stubborn teenager, full of energy and determina-
  tion to become the world’s greatest detective and 
  crimeﬁghter and make Black Mask, one of only a 
  few people she really respects, truly proud of her. 
  (Of course, her own blind passion makes it very 
  diﬃcult for Amy to see how proud Jennifer already 
  is.) Nocturne’s powers give her a tremendous head 
  start on the training that has taken the Black Masks 
  many years to perfect, but stolen facts fade quickly 
  in Nocturne’s mind — only hard work allows her to 
  retain what she acquires so eﬀortlessly. Hard work 
  is something new to Amy, but she’s taken to the job 
  like a duck to water.
  Her primary weakness right now is an instinc-
  tual mistrust of authority ﬁgures apart from Black 
  Mask herself. Anyone claiming to be an expert on 
  anything is liable to ﬁnd themselves challenged 
  pugnaciously by the teen, and she has little respect 
  for laws she doesn’t personally see the point of. On 
  the other hand, she has a very strong internal sense 
  of justice, and knows she’s done some wrong things 
  herself in the past. She now holds herself to very 
  high moral standards and works hard to repay soci-
  ety for what she took from it for those ﬁrst couple 
  of years on her own.
  Nocturne has primarily dealt with mundane 
  threats on the streets of Vibora Bay so far — street 
  gangs and mobsters, with the odd non-powered 
  costumed crazy like Poison Pen or the Buzzard. 
  She has dealt with a few mystical threats, mostly 
  alongside Brother Thunder and Sister Rain (whose 
  company Nocturne enjoys a great deal). She hasn’t 
  really crossed paths yet with a seriously powered 
  opponent, and Black Mask can only hope that 
  truly deadly criminals like Stalker, Black Paladin or 
  Leech stay away until Nocturne’s ready for them.
  Quote:  “I know what you’re thinking, and shame 
  on you!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Nocturne is a mutant with the 
  psychic ability to absorb information from people 
  within 10-12 feet (2”), whether it be simple facts or 
  actual skills and learned abilities. (She cannot learn 
  Powers, Talents, or other extraordinary abilities this 
  way, just information and Skills.) Given only a few 
  seconds of contact she can absorb enough informa-
  tion from a person to duplicate one of his skills at 
  the same level of ability the target has (unless, of 
  course, becoming that good would require more 
  points than she has available in her VPP). She can 
  only hold a ﬁnite amount of this information — if 
  she absorbs too many skills at once, she loses others 
  (though she can choose to consciously forget new 
  information to make room for newer stuﬀ). The 
  information she learns this way fades from her 
  mind within an hour unless she takes particular 
  care at the time to commit her newfound skill to 
  long-term memory (in other words, unless she 
  spends Experience Points to actually acquire the 
  skill permanently; in the case of raw facts she can 
  just write them down before she forgets them). She 
  can choose which skills to mimic from her target, 
  and can hold onto skills from multiple targets.
  In game terms, her Telepathy represents her 
  ability to absorb factual information not repre-
  sented by speciﬁc Skills — things like a person’s 
  middle name, the name of his childhood pet, or his 
  computer password. She can’t “read” any nonfac-
  tual thoughts or impressions, nor can she use her 
  telepathy to communicate.
  Nocturne has learned most of what she knows 
  about crimeﬁghting from Black Mask, and there-
  fore like her tends to concentrate on thinking and 
  investigating ﬁrst, with any necessary violence 
  coming later. She’s fairly skilled in hand-to-hand 
  combat, but is overmatched against many powered 
  opponents — her primary tactics when facing them 
  will be to dodge a lot, take cover, call for help, and 
  hopefully get close enough to glean some useful 
  facts or skills from her opponent to help her later.
  Campaign Use:  Nocturne makes a nice alternative 
  for Black Mask in a street-level campaign, whether 
  set in Vibora Bay or elsewhere. She’s clearly a hero-
  ine on the rise, but despite her own assuredness and 
  stubbornness she’ll be out of her league against the 
  bigger guns of supervillainy if they turn up. If your 
  campaign doesn’t include Black Mask she might 
  make an interesting potential “sidekick” for a skill-
  heavy PC.
  To make Nocturne more powerful, extend the 
  time over which she can retain absorbed skills and 
  information to as much as a day, or even remove 
  that restriction entirely, allowing her to “re-access” 
  any information or Skill previously learned. To 
  weaken her, shorten the retention period to as little 
  as 5 Minutes, and/or remove at least a half dozen of 
  her Skills (or downgrade them to Familiarities).
  Nocturne has yet to Hunt anyone except Stalker.
  Appearance:  Amy Jo Woods is a lovely eighteen 
  year old with a thin frame and long brunette hair. 
  As Nocturne she wears a black-and-purple padded 
  bodysuit with prominent gloves and boots, a 
  short purple jacket, and a wide belt with multiple 
  pouches for her various weapons and tools. Her 
  mask resembles that of her mentor’s, with opaque 
  white eyelets and a “joined diamond” pattern.
  
  44 ■ “Down In Vibora Bay...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  
  chapter three:
  chapter three:
  THE SENTINELS
  
  46 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  F
  rom The Oﬃcial Sentinels Handbook, 3rd 
  Edition, published in 2005 by the Oﬃcial 
  Sentinels Fan Club, written by Kristina 
  Brunner, Club President.
  THE TEAM IS FORMED (1961)
  Most everyone knows the story of how the 
  Sentinels got together in the first place, but in 
  case you’re a new fan (and don’t feel bad, every-
  body in the club was a new fan once, too), here’s 
  the simple story.
  It all started in a place called Fort Brewster, 
  Maryland, in 1961. Fort Brewster was an Army 
  base, and a man named Michael Colpitt had a job 
  there designing computers. He wasn’t in the Army 
  himself, but he was a contractor, and the Army had 
  hired him to build it a computer to help it run sim-
  ulations and wargames.  The computer was called 
  ULTIVAC, and as it turned out Colpitt was too 
  successful at the job. Somehow, the computer devel-
  oped a mind of its own, and it started to get some 
  ideas about how the best thing for the planet would 
  be if it were in charge. And the best way to do that 
  would be to take over the nuclear missiles of both 
  the US and USSR, threatening to destroy both 
  countries if they didn’t put ULTIVAC in charge.
  Well, that sounds pretty awful, but after all, 
  ULTIVAC was just a computer, right? How danger-
  ous could that be? Well, ULTIVAC had also devel-
  oped a little trick. By manipulating the light emitted 
  from one of its monitor panels, it was able to ﬂash 
  a signal that was at exactly the right frequency to 
  hypnotize human beings by synchronizing with 
  their brain waves. (Don’t ask me exactly how — I 
  barely passed physics my junior year. Microman 
  tried to explain it to me once, but I have to admit I 
  still don’t get it.)
  Anyway, ULTIVAC used this method to hyp-
  notize Colpitt into building hand-held versions of 
  the mind-control device, and with those it soon 
  took control of the minds of all the soldiers on the 
  base, from the commander on down. Then it turned 
  to the next part of its plan. In 1961 everybody’s 
  computers weren’t connected by the Internet, so to 
  take control of the missiles it needed to physically 
  be in the same room. Controlling Colpitt again, 
  ULTIVAC created two “drones,” smaller versions of 
  itself that could be connected to the computers that 
  sent the launch codes to the missiles. One needed 
  to be taken to NORAD’s headquarters in Colorado 
  Springs (remember, this is before they moved into 
  the Cheyenne Mountain base — in fact, the build-
  ing they were in in 1961 is now the US Olympic 
  Training headquarters) and the other one needed 
  to be brought directly to Moscow itself.
  So ULTIVAC concocted another devious plan. 
  Having already cracked one of the secret Russian 
  codes it had come across while being programmed, 
  it sent a secret message to a Soviet spy in Washing-
  ton that the Army already knew about. He passed 
  that message — which detailed a weakness in Fort 
  Brewster security that would allow an agent to steal 
  top-secret military ﬁles — to the Soviet superagent 
  Boroh. ULTIVAC expected Boroh to try to steal 
  the ﬁles himself, at which point the ﬁendish com-
  puter would take control of his mind and give him 
  a drone to take back to Russia. While all this was 
  developing ULTIVAC sent a coded message to Dr. 
  Phantom, the American super-scientist, saying that 
  Soviet spies were planning to inﬁltrate Fort Brew-
  ster and she should investigate. When she arrived, 
  ULTIVAC planned to take over her mind too. She 
  could then use her powers to inﬁltrate NORAD 
  and activate the second drone. Pretty sneaky, huh?
  Well, Boroh showed up as planned, but 
  what ULTIVAC didn’t know was that another 
  American superhero, Rocketman, had recently 
  defeated and captured another Soviet super-
  agent (the Super-Soviet) and obtained some 
  of his secret documents. He was using them 
  to quietly track down the rest of the Russian 
  super-spies in America and was hot on Boroh’s 
  trail when Boroh got to Fort Brewster. In fact, 
  the two started fighting on the Fort’s grounds... 
  and was Rocketman surprised when the military 
  police showed up and arrested them both! The 
  mind-controlled security guards brought both of 
  the mystery men before ULTIVAC, who decided 
  Rocketman was an even better choice to bring 
  his drone to NORAD. It brainwashed both of 
  them, gave each a drone and sent them on their 
  respective missions.
  Then Dr. Phantom herself arrived on the scene 
  and was barely able to avoid being taken captive by 
  the mind-controlled soldiers. While hiding out on 
  the base, she sent a brief distress signal on a high 
  frequency she hoped the Fabulous Five, whom she’d 
  met on an earlier adventure, would receive. Unfor-
  tunately for her, the Five were on an adventure of 
  their own that had taken them into the Shadow 
  Zone, so they weren’t around to get the message. 
  But the message was picked up by another super-
  hero in the New York City area — Microman. He 
  promptly set oﬀ to Maryland to rescue the Doctor.
  Rocketman arrived at NORAD’s headquar-
  ters in Colorado a few hours later. One of the 
  guards recognized him and asked what he was 
  doing there. He was answered with a backhanded 
  punch that sent him sprawling. Several other 
  guards reacted to this, shouting threats and then 
  THE SENTINELS
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  47 
  opening fire, all of which the slowly-advancing 
  man in the metal suit ignored. The sound of gun-
  fire alerted the staff inside, who called for a base 
  lockdown and ordered a full alert.
  The unfamiliar sound of the sirens carried 
  all the way to the nearby city of Colorado Springs, 
  which was home to yet another hero of the time, 
  the legendary MeteorMan. Fearing the worst — an 
  attack or accident at NORAD’s headquarters — he 
  quickly changed into his familiar black-and-gold 
  costume and ﬂew oﬀ to investigate.
  Meanwhile, Dr. Phantom had been sneak-
  ing past various squads of Fort Brewster’s military 
  police, searching for a clue to what was going on 
  here. She arrived at the lab building that held ULTI-
  VAC’s mainframe and slipped past the guards into 
  the main room. ULTIVAC surprised her with a burst 
  of light from its brainwashing device, and Dr. Phan-
  tom began to slip under the ﬁendish machine’s con-
  trol! Just as she was about to fall completely under its 
  spell, the lights suddenly shut oﬀ. Phantom blinked, 
  and as she came back to her senses was delighted to 
  see Microman standing on the computer’s console 
  dangling several loose wires he’d just yanked from 
  the computer’s processing unit. “Looks like I got 
  here in the proverbial nick, huh?” said the diminu-
  tive daredevil. Phantom smiled. “My hero. Let’s see if 
  between us we can’t get this thing rewired and free 
  these soldiers from their brainwashing.”
  Back in Colorado, Rocketman had reached 
  the doors to the main control center, where a small 
  squad had gathered in a last-ditch defense to keep 
  him away from the computers that controlled 
  America’s nuclear arsenal. Bullets whizzed through 
  the air, striking the armored hero dead in the chest 
  and bouncing away harmlessly. Slowly, the befogged 
  Rocketman raised his right hand to ﬁre a devas-
  tating energy blast at the helpless troops, when 
  from out of the sky lanced a beam of pure white 
  energy that formed a protective shield between the 
  advancing dreadnought and his targets. “Not so fast, 
  big fella!” shouted MeteorMan, and he swooped 
  down to confront the strange armored ﬁgure.
  At Fort Brewster, Microman and Dr. Phantom 
  succeeded in freeing the soldiers from ULTIVAC’s 
  brainwashing with a strobe-light of their own 
  and also revived Dr. Colpitt. Colpitt ﬁlled them in 
  on the rest of ULTIVAC’s plan, and Dr. Phantom 
  had the base commander put her in touch with 
  NORAD while Microman worked on picking up 
  Boroh’s trail.
  MeteorMan and Rocketman were battling each 
  other to a standstill in the air over NORAD headquar-
  ters when Dr. Phantom got through on the radio. She 
  quickly gave one of the base’s engineers the info on 
  how to use bright ﬂashes of light to free Rocketman, 
  but when the soldiers trained a spotlight on Rocket-
  man he destroyed it with his electrical blast. While 
  he was distracted, the engineer gave MeteorMan the 
  same information, so he was able to free Rocketman 
  by creating a strobe eﬀect with intense ﬂares of energy 
  from his ring. Once his mind cleared, Rocketman was 
  horriﬁed at what he’d almost done and smashed the 
  drone with his own hands. The two heroes headed 
  back to the East Coast.
  At the same time, Microman discovered that 
  ULTIVAC had hired the notorious supervillain 
  Captain Claw, a modern-day “pirate” with his own 
  submarine, to ferry Boroh back to Moscow. He and 
  Dr. Phantom set oﬀ in hot pursuit. What they didn’t 
  know was that while Claw was waiting for his “cargo” 
  in New York City, he decided to pull oﬀ a quick bank 
  robbery, that was interrupted by the local superhero 
  Beowulf. Claw and his gang retreated back to the 
  sub, where the mind-controlled Boroh was waiting 
  for them, just in time for Beowulf, Microman, and 
  Dr. Phantom to arrive at the same time. The resulting 
  brawl was a spectacular one, with the three heroes 
  coming out on top and the last ULTIVAC drone 
  being lost at the bottom of the Hudson River, where 
  it would lie undisturbed until it was found by the 
  supervillainness Stingray some years later (but that’s 
  a whole other story).
  Once the dust had settled and the heroes had 
  overseen the dismantling of ULTIVAC into spare 
  parts, they agreed that it would be a good idea if 
  they were to organize themselves into a formal 
  team, in case another emergency arose that one 
  of them couldn’t handle on his own. MeteorMan 
  had several suggestions based on his mentor’s 
  experiences with the Defenders of Justice, and they 
  agreed to meet formally in a week to establish how 
  the group would be organized.”
  THE SIXITES AND SEVENTIES
  The Sentinels remained a private “club” for 
  superheroes for several years after their founding. 
  They met regularly in Dr. Phantom’s Connecticut 
  mansion to coordinate their activities during the 
  comparatively rare times they worked together, 
  but maintained their various solo careers as super-
  heroes. MeteorMan and Rocketman in particular 
  only came to the area for meetings or special proj-
  ects, as both were kept busy in Colorado and Vir-
  ginia respectively. The other three members all were 
  in the greater New York area, and Microman and 
  Dr. Phantom took on some responsibility for help-
  ing Beowulf adjust to the modern era. Gradually a 
  romance developed between the two scientists, who 
  spent more and more time working together and 
  improving the team’s base than adventuring solo.
  The team had no “oﬃcial” standing with the gov-
  ernment or any particular law enforcement agency. 
  But both Dr. Phantom and Rocketman had extensive 
  contacts within the Defense Department, and Meteor-
  Man had worked several times with the FBI, so in 
  those more “freewheeling” days the group met little 
  oﬃcial resistance to their activities. In fact many times 
  local police departments, city oﬃcials, or govern-
  ment agencies called on them for assistance, which 
  the Sentinels always provided. Over the next eighteen 
  months all ﬁve members only worked together six 
  times, battling enemies like Dr. Macabre, the Mocker, 
  and Korrex the Time-King (during one of his periodic 
  visits from the future to try to add the Twentieth Cen-
  tury to his list of conquests).
  In 1964 Rocketman met the solo hero Scarlet 
  Archer on one of his adventures. Although the two 
  initially came to blows over a misunderstanding they 
  soon became fast friends, and Rocketman invited him 
  
  48 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  to join the Sentinels. He did so, moving to New York 
  City in the process, but was dismayed to discover that 
  team members weren’t paid (since each of them had 
  plenty of money on his own, and most held steady 
  jobs). Doctor Phantom set up a small trust fund for 
  the team that would cover their expenses and provide 
  a modest monthly stipend, which continues today.
  The group now had four members in the imme-
  diate area. They gradually stopped operating solo and 
  worked together far more frequently. This quartet 
  acted as the Sentinels core, with MeteorMan and 
  Rocketman only showing up occasionally (such as 
  when the team battled the ﬁrst invasion by the Qularr, 
  or when John Devil tried to hold the White House 
  hostage with his force ﬁeld projector). Sometimes 
  circumstances forced the group to split its resources, 
  such as when Dr. Dekkar’s monsters simultaneously 
  attacked ten diﬀerent cities in March 1965.
  In 1967 Dr. Phantom became pregnant, and 
  around the same time Beowulf left the team on an 
  extended adventure in his home dimension. Micro-
  man and Scarlet Archer recruited two new members 
  of the team to replace them, the illusionist Hex and a 
  superstrong Texan called Ranger. This began a period 
  of regular turnover. Over the next decade members 
  would come and go frequently:  the Native American 
  shaman Rainmaker, the blind martial artist Black 
  Mantis, and the mysterious Lightwave would have 
  the longest tenures, but others included Iron Maiden, 
  Goldﬁre, Tiger, and Archon the Empyrean. During 
  this period, as the team maintained a more active 
  group presence in the Superhuman World, it began 
  to eclipse the Fabulous Five and even to a certain 
  extent the Justice Squadron in public awareness. The 
  Sentinels’ eﬀorts in stopping the Atlantean invasion 
  of Florida in 1968, thwarting VIPER’s plan to seize 
  military control of America later that same year, and 
  dealing with the villainous debuts of megathreats like 
  Dr. Destroyer and Dark Seraph in the 1970s kept the 
  team on the front pages.
  THE EIGHTIES AND EARLY NINETIES
  The Sentinels entered the 1980s as one of the 
  world’s most powerful superhuman forces, rivaled 
  only by a few other teams, such as the Justice Squad-
  ron, the People’s Legion in the Soviet Union, and 
  the Tiger Squad of China. Nearly a dozen strong 
  most of the time, the group was still led by Meteor-
  Man in his mid-40s, and included veterans like Dr. 
  Phantom, Hex, and Diamond (who, since his gemlike 
  body didn’t age, was still active after the retirement 
  of his teammates in the Fabulous Five), as well as 
  new younger heroes like Dreadnought, Brainstorm, 
  and the Soviet defector Felis. Early in 1980 the team 
  battled a seagoing madman called Scamander, and 
  upon his defeat the team took possession of his arti-
  ﬁcial ﬂoating island base. By this time Dr. Phantom 
  and MeteorMan had developed an excellent working 
  relationship with the city of New York. With the help 
  of Mayor Ed Koch the team arranged for the island to 
  be safely and semi-permanently moored oﬀ Manhat-
  tan. The new base, nearly a mile long, gave the Sen-
  tinels the capacity to expand their lab facilities and 
  maintain a landing strip for their two jumpjets, and 
  improved their response time to emergencies in the 
  greater New York area.
  Around the same time, Dr. Destroyer’s near-
  success in taking over the US government had 
  thrown a scare into the Defense Department, and 
  Congress passed the American Superhuman and 
  Paranormal Registration Act. Recognizing that they 
  needed to maintain their friendly relationships with 
  various American agencies, the Sentinels agreed 
  to register with the BATF. They also signed several 
  additional agreements that made their identities 
  known to certain oﬃcials, accepted a government 
  liaison to the team, and agreed to share techno-
  logical secrets. In exchange the Sentinels received 
  complete national police powers and extremely 
  high security clearances, as well as limited ability to 
  cut through government red tape during emergen-
  cies. This arrangement became the blueprint for 
  all further superhuman sanction grants through 
  DOSPA when that agency came into existence in 
  1986. Some members, like Brainstorm, balked at 
  the agreement and left the team, but most were sat-
  isﬁed that the sacriﬁces were worthwhile because 
  they let the heroes keep doing their jobs.
  The team generally continued through the next 
  decade as it always had, with new members like Star-
  ﬂy and Eclipse joining and several older members 
  (including Hex and Rainmaker) retiring. MeteorMan 
  was replaced by his own successor after his death in 
  the Secret Crisis of 1985. In 1986 the Department of 
  Justice debuted PRIMUS, and that agency quickly 
  developed a rivalry with the Sentinels, who’d been 
  regarded as the government’s primary agency for 
  national defense in paranormal aﬀairs. Though there 
  were several territorial skirmishes, by 1990 the two 
  groups had largely learned to work together and had 
  even built a certain measure of mutual respect.
  This era came to a tragic end in July 1992 with 
  the Battle of Detroit and the loss of nearly sixty thou-
  sand lives. Though teams like the Justice Squadron 
  took the worst of the casualties, the Sentinels were 
  not untouched — Tiger was killed, and Eclipse was so 
  badly injured that she had to retire. After the Battle, 
  the Sentinels underwent yet another roster shakeup, 
  this one reducing their membership down to a more 
  manageable seven members under Diamond’s reluc-
  tant leadership and including Peter Renton, the son of 
  the original Amazing Man.
  THE MODERN ERA (1993-PRESENT)
  The Sentinels have maintained their place as an 
  institution among superhero teams in modern times, 
  passing on their tradition of heroism despite a steady 
  turnover of membership and crises like the team’s 
  betrayal by former member Shrinker in 1995, the ﬁrst 
  appearance of the Ultimates in 1999, and the debut of 
  Gravitar in 2000. Indeed, the last few years have been 
  among the most stable of the team’s history, with the 
  only signiﬁcant changes being Marus’s retirement 
  from active heroing to concentrate on his duties as 
  Atlantis’s ambassador and the wedding and subse-
  quent “retirement” of Amazing Man, followed by the 
  recent recruitments of Dr. Vox and Proteus as their 
  replacements. The Sentinels continue to have solid 
  relationships with DOSPA and UNTIL, and a slightly 
  less warm but still manageable one with PRIMUS.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  49 
  BLACK ROSE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100.0kg; 2d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV: 7/DCV: 7
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   23 EGO 
  26 
  14- 
  ECV: 8
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack: 5d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   6 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  26 PD (20 rPD)
   10 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  30 ED (20 rED)
   6 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   7 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  2
   27 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost: 146
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Teleportation:  25”/200”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  73 
  Sorceress Of Lythrum:  Variable Power  
  Pool (Magic Pool), 60 base + 30 control  
  cost;  Magic Only (-¼), all slots Only  
  Usable In Lythrum (-1) 
  var
  30 
  Darkness Manipulation:  Elemental  
  Control, 60-point powers 
  32 
  1)  Call The Dark:  Darkness to Sight  
  Group 5” radius, Personal Immunity (+¼)  6
  30 
  2)  Mask Of Night:  Sight Group Flash 8d6, 
  NND (Defense is ED Force Field; +½)   
  6
  45 
  3)  The Numbing Darkness:  Drain END  
  5d6, Ranged (+½) 
  7
  30 
  4)  Shadow Blast:  Energy Blast 12d6  
  6
  30 
  5)  Forced Through The Portal:   
  Extra-Dimensional Movement (to  
  physical point in Lythrum corresponding  
  to physical location in Earth’s dimension), 
  Usable As Attack (defense is Extra-Dimen-
  sional Movement, Teleportation, Desolidiﬁ-
  cation, or a Power Defense Force Field; +1), 
  Ranged (+½), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼) 
  2
  7 
  Place Of Power:  +20 PRE; Only When  
  In Lythrum (-2) 
  0
  40 
  Mantle Of Night:  Force Field (15 PD/ 
  15 ED), Protects Carried Items 
  4
  15 
  Dual Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (20 points total) 
  0
  10 
  Mystically Defended Spirit:  Power  
  Defense (10 points) 
  0
  2 
  Mystically-Enhanced Body:  Life Support 
  (Longevity:  400 year lifespan) 
  0
  10 
  Armored Costume:  Armor (5 PD/5 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  37 
  Step Through Lythrum:  Teleportation  
  25”, x8 Increased Mass, x8 Noncombat;  
  Extra Time (Extra Phase, -¾), Side Eﬀects  
  (6d6 Presence Attack on ﬁrst-time users; -¼) 7
  23 
  Travel To Lythrum:  Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement (to any physical location in 
  Lythrum), x8 Increased Mass, Extra Time 
  (Extra Phase, -¾) 
  4
  5 
  Darksight:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Darksight:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  Darksight:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Aristocracy/
  Higher Nobility of Lythrum
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
  5 
  Contact:  Empress Kella of Lythrum 11- 
  (useful Skills or resources, very good rela-
  tionship with Contact)
  12 
  Contact:  DOSPA 8- (access to major institu-
  tions, useful Skills or resources, good rela-
  tionship with Contact, Organization)
  2 
  Reputation:  leader of the Sentinels (in the 
  US) 8-, +2/+2d6
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +1 Overall
  16 
  +2 with All Combat
  3 
  Bureaucratics 14-
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Conversation 14-
  3 
  High Society 14-
  2 
  CK: New York City 11-
  4 
  AK: Lythrum 14-
  3 
  KS: DOSPA Procedure And Protocol 13-
  4 
  KS: Lythrum’s History And Denizens 14-
  2 
  KS: The Mystic World 11-
  3 
  KS: Thaumaturgy 13-
  3 
  KS: The Superhuman World 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 13-
  17 
  Power: Thaumaturgy 20-
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  7 
  Tactics 15-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  1 
  TF: Sentinels Vanjet
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  563
  Total Cost:  709
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Distinctive Features:  Otherworldly,  
  Discomforting Aura (Not Concealable; 
  Always Noticed; Causes Major Reaction; Not 
  Distinctive In Some Cultures)
  10 
  Hunted:  Shrinker 8- (Less Pow, Public  
  Identity, Harshly Punish)
  20 
  Hunted:  Lord Stolas 8- (Mo Pow, Public 
  Identity, Harshly Punish)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Feels Responsible 
  For Lythrum (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protects The Weak 
  and Helpless (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Rose 
  Pilston) (Frequently, Major)
  414 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  709
  
  50 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Background/History:  Born in 1965, Rose Pilston was 
  the daughter of a human mother and a father who’d 
  come to Earth from the dimension Lythrum as an 
  explorer-scientist. Although inhabited by a species 
  that’s basically identical to humans, Lythrum is a 
  realm suﬀused with dark mystical energies where 
  people accomplish things as much or more with 
  magic than technology. From birth Rose had the 
  ability to open portals to Lythrum, though she 
  didn’t actually learn to use it until her teens when 
  her father revealed her true heritage to her.
  Rose practiced with her powers to develop 
  them, but had no particular thought about what 
  she wanted to do with them until her senior year in 
  college, when she accidentally opened a portal so 
  big that she traveled through it to Lythrum herself! 
  Since her father was related to the royal family that 
  ruled the dimension, she was welcomed with open 
  arms and shown all the wonders that Lythrum had 
  to oﬀer. She spent several years there, got involved 
  in various adventures, and even fell in love with 
  dashing Crown Prince Halmar.
  Unfortunately, becoming involved with 
  Halmar was not all romance and roses. The Lythru-
  man court was a complex web of internal politics 
  and clever maneuvering, and that meant a man as 
  highly-placed as Halmar had plenty of enemies. 
  One of them was the emperor’s vizier, Lord Stolas, 
  a powerful mystic. By playing on Rose’s naivete 
  and using his spells he tricked her into accidentally 
  poisoning Halmar. As he lay dying in her arms, 
  her intense grief brought her full mystic powers 
  to the fore, and they were augmented when part 
  of Halmar’s soul and consciousness entered into 
  and bonded with her (something the Lythrumans 
  considered a powerful and long-lost manifestation 
  of magic). She turned on Stolas, battling him to a 
  standstill right there in the royal court. The ﬁght 
  seemed to go against him, and she nearly killed 
  him, but in her inexperience she weakened and 
  faltered, giving him a chance to escape... and as he 
  ﬂed Lythrum for another plane, he killed the aged 
  emperor with a curse.
  Saddened by the deaths of the Emperor 
  and the Crown Prince, but pleased that a part of 
  Halmar lived on in Rose, the Lythrumans oﬀered 
  her the throne. She declined, not wanting the 
  responsibility, and suggested Halmar’s sister Prin-
  cess Kella instead. After a few days of discussion 
  and political maneuvering, the Lythrumans chose 
  Kella to rule them as Empress.
  Rose remained in Lythrum for another few 
  months, but was increasingly eager to ﬁnd a way 
  back to Earth. When the superhero known as the 
  Drifter chanced to pass through Lythrum, she took 
  the opportunity to travel with him back to her 
  home dimension. Learning of her gifts, he agreed 
  to tutor her. Under his instruction she learned how 
  to master her abilities, including the power to open 
  portals between Earth and Lythrum to pull dark 
  mystic “matter” through for a variety of eﬀects. (Her 
  spells of general Thaumaturgy, similar to those used 
  by human wizards such as Witchcraft, only work in 
  Lythrum itself, a restriction 
  that often frustrates her.)
  The other thing Rose 
  learned from the Drifter was a 
  sense of heroism and respon-
  sibility. With that in mind she 
  joined the Sentinels in 1987, 
  and soon became known as 
  much for her unﬂappability, 
  cleverness, and quick think-
  ing as much as her powers. 
  She also displayed a ﬁnely-
  developed sense of tactics 
  that came from having part of 
  Halmar’s self within her (for 
  he had been one of Lythrum’s 
  ﬁnest soldiers). During Amaz-
  ing Man II’s tenure as team 
  leader she often served as a 
  ﬁeld team combat leader, and 
  when he retired in 2005 she 
  was the unanimous choice to 
  succeed him.
  Personality/Motivation:  Black 
  Rose is a calm, centered 
  individual with years of expe-
  rience dealing with every 
  imaginable sort of superhu-
  man crisis; very little gets to 
  her or shatters her sense of 
  determined professionalism. 
  A true hero, she constantly 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  51 
  goes out of her way to protect the weak, helpless, 
  and innocent, stop evildoers, and prevent disasters. 
  She feels particularly responsible for the dimension 
  of Lythrum, which has some mages but few truly 
  powerful sorcerers, and often responds to Empress 
  Kella’s requests for assistance.
  Quote:  “There’s more light in my darkness than in 
  your heart.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Black Rose is a supermage with 
  several related sets of powers. First, she can open 
  portals to the dimension of Lythrum and draw 
  forth the dark mystical stuﬀs that permeate it for 
  various eﬀects — everything from deadly “shadow 
  blasts” to ﬁelds of impenetrable darkness. Second, 
  she can travel to Lythrum itself, either to go there 
  for some reason or so she can instantly travel back 
  to Earth at some other point (Teleportation). Third, 
  within Lythrum she’s a powerful mage, able to cast 
  numerous spells and create all sorts of magical 
  eﬀects (see The Mystic World for dozens of sample 
  Thaumaturgy spells appropriate for her Variable 
  Power Pool).
  In combat, Black Rose makes eﬀective tactical 
  use of her powers. She prefers to open by establish-
  ing one or more Darkness ﬁelds, since they blind 
  her opponents without aﬀecting her, but she knows 
  they may interfere with the other Sentinels’ tactics 
  so she tries not to overdo it. Once she’s got her 
  opponent at a disadvantage, Shadow Blasts and 
  Numbing Darkness are the order of the day.
  Campaign Use:  Black Rose oﬀers all sorts of cam-
  paign hooks for the GM due to her connection 
  with Lythrum. She might need the PCs’ help to 
  protect Lythrum against an invader (such as Lord 
  Stolas, who’s come back to bedevil her and Lythrum 
  on many occasions), to deal with some sinister 
  aspect of court politics, to rescue the Empress from 
  kidnappers, or the like. And the attractive-but-still-
  single Empress might just take a shine to a hand-
  some male PC....
  To make Black Rose more powerful, remove 
  the Limitation from her Variable Power Pool that 
  prevents her from using it on Earth. You might also 
  consider playing up the idea that part of Prince 
  Halmar’s self resides within her — give her some 
  WFs, Combat Skill Levels with HTH Combat, or 
  other abilities appropriate to a Lythruman warrior.
  As a Hunter, Black Rose is cautious and clever 
  — she’s not the most oﬀensively potent superhu-
  man out there, and she knows it. She studies her 
  quarry carefully, then chooses the best opportunity 
  to attack.
  Appearance:  Black Rose is 5’7” tall. She has thin, 
  elﬁn features and skin a lovely shade of deep blue. 
  Her hair cascades in soft, black ringlets past her 
  shoulders. Her costume is a black single-piece suit 
  with a high collar, accented with golden jewelry 
  (mostly large gold interlocked rings) at her neck, 
  belt and wrists. She’s usually surrounded by a thick 
  black mist that partially obscures her.
  DIAMOND
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   75 STR 
  65 
  24- 
  Lift 800 tons; 15d6 [7]
   17 DEX 
  21 
  12- 
  OCV: 6/DCV: 6
   50 CON 
  80 
  19-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV: 6
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack: 4½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   45 PD 
  30 
   
  Total:  45 PD (30 rPD)
   45 ED 
  35 
   
  Total:  45 ED (30 rED)
   5 SPD 
  23 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   25 REC 
  0
   100 END 
  0
   83 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  308
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  15”/30”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  60 
  Brick Tricks:  Multipower, 60-point reserve 
  2u 
  1)  Shockwave:  Explosion (+½) for up to  
  75 STR, Hole In The Middle (the hex he’s 
  standing in when he uses the power; +¼); 
  Extra Time (Full Phase; -½), Only Aﬀects 
  Targets On The Ground (-¼), Only Does 
  Knockdown, Not Knockback (-0), Requires  
  A Brick Tricks Roll (-½) 
  5
  2u 
  2)  The Big Wrap-Up:  Entangle 6d6, up  
  to 6 DEF; OIF (appropriate materials of 
  opportunity; -½), No Range (-½), Extra  
  Time (at least a Full Phase, and often  
  longer, depending on how long it takes  
  to get the materials; -½), Defense  
  Depends On Materials Used (-½),  
  Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½) 
  6
  3u 
  3)  Thunderclap:  Hearing Group Flash  
  8d6, Explosion (-1d6/3”; +1), Hole In The 
  Middle (the one hex the brick is standing  
  in when he uses the power; +¼), Does 
  Knockback (+¼); Extra Time (Full Phase; 
  -½), Requires A Brick Tricks Roll (-½) 
  6
  3u 
  4)  Flick Of Unconsciousness:  Energy  
  Blast 6d6, NND (defense is Lack Of  
  Weakness on defenses covering the head,  
  or any innate rPD protecting the head;  
  +1); No Range (-½), Requires A Brick  
  Tricks Roll (-½), Side Eﬀects (if roll is  
  failed, opponent takes character’s full  
  STR damage; -¼) 
  6
  2u 
  5)  Mega-Punch:  Double Knockback  
  (+¾) for up to 75 STR; Extra Time  
  (Full Phase; -½), Increased Endurance  
  Cost (x2 END; -½), Requires A Brick  
  Tricks Roll (-½) 
  12
  30 
  Diamond-Hard Hands:  HKA 2d6  
  (4d6 w/STR) 
  3
  22 
  Diamond-Hard Body:  HKA 1d6,  
  Damage Shield (+½), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Continuous (+1); No STR 
  Bonus (-½), Only Works When Hit, Not 
  When Grabbed/Grabbing (-½) 
  0
  
  52 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
   
  Martial Arts:  Superheroic Brawling
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Charge 
  +0 
  -2 
  17d6 + v/5 
  Strike, FMove
  4 
  Crush 
  +0 
  +0 
  19d6 Crush, 
  Must Follow 
  Grab
  5 
  Grappling Block +1 
  +1 
  Grab One Limb, 
  Block
  4 
  Martial Escape +0 
  +0 
  90 STR vs. 
  Grabs
  3 
  Martial Grab 
  -1 
  -1 
  Grab Two 
  Limbs, 85 STR 
  for holding on
  4 
  Martial Strike +0 
  +2 
  17d6 Strike
  3 
  Martial Throw +0 
  +1 
  15d6 + v/5, 
  Target Falls
  4 
  Reversal 
  -1 
  -2 
  90 STR to 
  Escape; Grab 
  Two Limbs
  3 
  Takedown 
  +1 
  +1 
  15d6 Strike; 
  Target Falls
  45 
  Hard Body:  Hardened (x2; +½) for  
  45 PD/45 ED 
  0
  45 
  Hard Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (30 PD/30 ED), Hardened (x2; +½)  
  0
  30 
  Diamond-Hard Body:  Missile Deﬂection 
  (Any Ranged Attack), +5 OCV 
  0
  31 
  Inhuman Metabolism:  Life Support   
  (Immunity:  all terrestrial diseases,  
  biowarfare agents, poisons, and chemical 
  warfare agents; Longevity:  400-year  
  lifespan; Safe Environments:  High  
  Pressure, High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum) 
  0
  10 
  Heavy Body:  Knockback Resistance -5” 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
  4 
  Reputation:  well-known celebrity hero (in 
  the US) 11-, +2/+2d6
   
  Skills
  30 
  +6 HTH
  3 
  Breakfall 12-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 14-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Computer Programming 12-
  3 
  Demolitions 12-
  4 
  AK: Earth Locations With Known Superhu-
  man Or Paranormal Activity 13-
  1 
  KS: Mining 8-
  3 
  KS: DOSPA Procedure And Protocol 12-
  5 
  KS: Earth Superhumans 14-
  5 
  KS: History Of Superhumanity  
  1960-Present 14-
  5 
  KS: The Superhuman World 14-
  3 
  Mechanics 12-
  4 
  Navigation (Air, Marine, Space) 12-
  1 
  Paramedics 8-
  17 
  Power:  Brick Tricks 19-
  5 
  SS:  Geology 14-
  5 
  Tactics 13-
  4 
  TF:  Combat Aircraft, Large Planes, Small 
  Planes, Spaceplanes
  2 
  WF:  Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  450
  Total Cost:  758
  200+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  anyone from the Fabulous Five’s 
  Rogue’s Gallery 11- (As Pow, Public Identity, 
  Harshly Punish)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Inconvenient Size and 
  Weight (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Sense of Touch 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Still  
  Somewhat Grumpy, But Mostly For Show 
  (Common, Moderate)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Never Quits Once 
  Committed (Very Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Usually Sides With 
  “The Little Guy” (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Super-Celebrity  
  (Frequently, Major)
  10 
  Unluck 2d6
  453 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  758
  Background/History:  John “Whit” Whitley was born 
  in the Bronx in 1928, a tough kid in a tough neigh-
  borhood who didn’t let his circumstances keep 
  him from getting a solid education. He delivered 
  newspapers during the Depression and World War 
  II, and after the war got a degree in geology and a 
  good job with a top mining ﬁrm. In 1959, his old 
  college buddy Michael Renton, now a top scientist 
  himself with a number of government think tanks, 
  asked him to come along on a mission into space. 
  Renton’s goal was to destroy “Comet X,” which was 
  hurtling on a direct course towards Earth, as the 
  team’s geologist and explosives expert. Despite his 
  doubts, Whitley agreed — never suspecting that 
  the crew of the Jules Verne would encounter the 
  remains of the alien species called the Kuzane, for 
  whom Comet X was actually a spaceship on a mis-
  sion to ﬁnd new homes for their disembodied intel-
  lects. Determined to save Earth from these incor-
  poreal invaders, Whitley and Renton destroyed the 
  Kuzane’s ship’s computer and the comet itself. They 
  and the other three crewmembers were caught 
  in the resulting explosion, which bombarded the 
  Verne with bizarre radiation. When the Verne 
  crash-landed on Earth, each of them found himself 
  transformed by the experience. They soon became 
  known as the Fabulous Five, perhaps the most 
  famous heroes of the 1960s and early Seventies.
  Of the Five, Whitley underwent the most 
  startling metamorphosis. His ﬂesh and bones 
  transformed into a sort of organic silicon, shiny 
  and hard like diamond and just as indestructible. 
  Now nearly eight feet tall, he could lift enormous 
  weights. While he reluctantly joined his crewmates 
  as celebrity superheroes, he spent the ﬁrst several 
  years of his career searching for a way to turn him-
  self back to “normal” — he was willing, even eager, 
  to sacriﬁce his power and celebrity to feel a human 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  53 
  touch again. But repeated eﬀorts all failed, and in 
  time he learned to accept his lot in life.
  As time passed, Diamond realized he wasn’t 
  aging normally. The Fabulous Five gradually grew 
  older; Renton and Kid Chameleon died, and Siren 
  and Streak retired. In 1980, still apparently as 
  young as ever, Diamond joined the Sentinels. He’s 
  served as the team’s cornerstone and powerhouse 
  ever since, with the longest consecutive term of 
  any of its storied members. He’s now regarded as 
  the “grand old man” of superheroes, with a level 
  of respect that’s unrivaled. His “nephew,” Amazing 
  Man II, has just stepped down recently as team 
  leader (with Diamond as his top advisor), and 
  the assumption was that at last Diamond would 
  become the team’s leader. But as always he declared 
  himself “too smart for the job” and instead sug-
  gested Black Rose.
  Personality/Motivation:  Diamond is everybody’s 
  favorite grumpy old uncle. He’s been there, done 
  that, and very little in the “hero biz” can surprise 
  him after nearly five decades as a professional 
  crimefighter. He’s seen his teammates age and 
  die, while he goes on unchanging, and he’s start-
  ing to wonder how much longer he can keep 
  going. The thing that most invigorates him is 
  the energy of youthful heroes around him — he 
  loves to see them grow into the job, and he takes 
  the responsibility of mentoring them very seri-
  ously. Of course, his usual means of “mentoring” 
  is to razz them mercilessly while working their 
  tails off in the gym, but an entire generation of 
  heroes has done pretty well learning this way and 
  he has no intention of changing now.
  Personally, Diamond is mostly renowned for 
  his toughness, both physical and mental. He never 
  gives up, never loses faith, and the sheer amount 
  of punishment he’s been able to withstand in his 
  career is legendary. Of course, he laughs oﬀ any 
  eﬀort to compliment or thank him; such accolades 
  are usually met with a gentle cuﬀ on the head, a 
  grumbled, “aw, whatever, kid” and an invitation to 
  join him for a beer and cigar.
  Quote:  “Who’re you expectin’, Santa Claus?  
  Yeah, it’s me, and I’ve got an itch to give some-
  body a pounding!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Diamond’s powers are straight-
  forward — he’s eight feet and about seven hun-
  dred pounds of pure strength and toughness. If 
  there’s a battlefield, he’s right in the center of it, 
  and if there’s a slugfest, he intends to be the last 
  one standing. That said, despite his enormous 
  strength and fearsome presence, Diamond is sur-
  prisingly crafty; every so often he still gets to use 
  some of his scientific knowledge, and he’s been 
  in enough fights in the last 48 years to know not 
  all of them are won by straightforward displays 
  of violence. Sure, many are, but....
  As a Sentinel, Diamond defers to Black Rose 
  and Diadem as leaders. When he quietly oﬀers a bit 
  of advice, both of them pay close attention.
  Campaign Use:  Diamond is the wily veteran hero 
  every serious team needs, and the brick’s brick. He 
  knows just about everybody in the Champions 
  Universe, and they all know him as well, so he 
  could plausibly turn up just about anywhere and 
  ﬁt in. He’s an example for young heroes, many of 
  whom make him a bit uncomfortable by treat-
  ing him as a legend instead of a person. The GM 
  should look for opportunities to surprise players 
  with his intelligence, since even PCs are likely to 
  underestimate him once they’ve seen him punch a 
  hole through the side of a building.
  Diamond generally doesn’t need to be any 
  tougher, but if you want him to be, increase his 
  defenses until he’s as invulnerable as his namesake. 
  You might also increase his Leaping so he can travel 
  more quickly, or increase his SPD to 6 to represent 
  his years of combat experience. To weaken him, 
  reduce his STR to 60-65 and his defenses to 30-32.
  Diamond generally doesn’t Hunt people; he’s a 
  grumpy curmudgeon, not a vengeful one.
  Appearance:  Diamond is a near-neckless crystal-
  line humanoid nearly seven feet tall; the rocky sub-
  stance composing his body is usually a light brick-
  red in color, shading to slightly lighter hues at the 
  extremeties. His costume is a featureless bodystock-
  ing in shades of blue — dark blue gloves and boots, 
  slightly lighter center chest panel and trunks, and 
  lighter still side panels and legs. Out of uniform 
  he favors heavy trenchcoats and other concealing 
  clothes when he’s in public; in private he wears little 
  more than a pair of blue trunks.
  
  54 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  DIADEM
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   8 STR 
  -2 
  11- 
  Lift 75 kg; 1½d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   9 BODY -2 
  11-
   25 INT 
  15 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   28 EGO 
  36 
  15- 
  ECV:  9
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  10 PD (5 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  10 ED (5 rED)
   5 SPD 
  20 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   8 REC 
  6
   28 END 
  0
   20 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  131
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  Mental Energy:  Endurance Reserve  
  (200 END, 20 REC) 
  0
  60 
  Mental Powers:  Multipower, 75-point 
  reserve; all Visible (-¼)
  11m 1)  Mental Blast: Ego Attack 7d6; Visible (-¼) 7
  11m 2)  Mindscapes: Mental Illusions 14d6;  
  Visible (-¼) 
  7
  11m 3)  Telepathy:  Telepathy 14d6; Visible (-¼) 7
  11m 4)  Nervous System Override:  Drain  
  DEX 2d6, Ranged (+½), Based On  
  EGO Combat Value (Mental Defense  
  applies; +1), Continuous (+1); Visible (-¼) 
  7
  7m 
  5)  Nervous System Override II:   
  Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, Takes No Damage 
  From Physical Attacks Limited Group  
  (+¼), Based On EGO Not STR (+¼),  
  Based On EGO Combat Value (Mental 
  Defense applies; +1); Mental Defense  
  Adds To EGO (-½), Cannot Form  
  Barriers (-¼), Visible (-¼) 
  8
  4m 
  6)  Psi-Static Field:  Darkness to Mental 
  Group 4” radius, Personal Immunity  
  (+¼); Visible (-¼) 
  2
  7m 
  7)  Mental Passenger:  Clairsentience  
  (Sight And Hearing Groups), x32 Range 
  (5,600”), Mobile Perception Point (can  
  move up to 6” per Phase); Only Through  
  The Senses Of Others (-½), Visible (-¼) 
  6
  2u 
  8)  Psychic Translation:  Universal  
  Translator 14-; Visible (-¼) 
  0
  75 
  Mind Sense:  Mind Scan 12d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  3
  30 
  Telepathic Channels:  Mind Link, any 8  
  minds at once 
  0
  10 
  Well-Shielded:  Invisibility to Mental Group  1
  20 
  Well-Shielded:  Mental Defense  
  (26 points total) 
  0
  30 
  Well-Shielded:  Mental Damage  
  Reduction, 50% 
  0
  9 
  Precognitive Dreams:  Clairsentience  
  (Sight And Hearing Groups), Precognition;  
  Extra Time (requires at least 1 Hour of sleep, 
  and sometimes more; -3), Precognition Only 
  (-1), Vague and Unclear (-½) 
  5
  10 
  Padded Costume:  Armor (5 PD/5 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
  4 
  Reputation:  Member of the Sentinels (in the 
  US) 11-, +2/+2d6
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  15 
  Combat Sense 14-
  30 
  Danger Sense (immediate vicinity, any 
  danger) 14-
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
  3 
  Lightning Calculator
  3 
  Lightsleep
  4 
  Speed Reading (x10)
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Mental Powers Multipower
  25 
  +5 DCV
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 13-
  3 
  Computer Programming 14-
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  Electronics 14-
  3 
  AK: New York 14-
  3 
  KS: History 14-
  3 
  KS: Literature 14-
  3 
  KS: Religion And Philosophy 14-
  3 
  KS: The Superhuman World 14-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 14-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  516
  Total Cost:  647
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  DNPC:  Paolo (husband) 11- (Normal, 
  Useful Noncombat Skills/position)
  15 
  Hunted:  Members of the Sentinels’ Rogues’ 
  Gallery 11- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Very Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Mistrusts Magic 
  And Most Magicians (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Shy (Common, 
  Moderate)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Stacy 
  Armitage) (Frequently, Major)
  362 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  647
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  55 
  Background/History:  Diadem is a “legacy hero” 
  — she’s the daughter of the rock-skinned hero 
  Mountain, who was active on the West Coast 
  from 1975 until his death in 1990. Her real name 
  is Stacy Armitage, and her father Mark was a 
  radio disc jockey whose late-night shows fre-
  quently included various whackos, conspiracy 
  nuts, and New Age mystics as guests, mostly for 
  Mark to make fun of. One of his shows went 
  a bit too far, though, when an angered guest 
  responded to his taunting by actually summon-
  ing a demon on the air, which ate the mystic 
  himself and incidentally transformed Mark into 
  a gigantic, stony “monster.” Mark’s wife Gillian 
  ran away that night, taking little Stacy with her, 
  and despite his best efforts Mark (now known as 
  Mountain) was unable to track them down for 
  nearly three years. Eventually the couple recon-
  ciled (though never got back together), and Mark 
  was able to at least be an occasional part of his 
  daughter’s life for several years.
  Gillian’s worst nightmares did come true 
  one day in 1985 when Mountain’s archenemy, the 
  occultist Apocalypse, took Stacy hostage to force 
  Mountain to perform “a few simple tasks.” While 
  Mountain searched for his daughter, Apocalypse 
  performed several mystical experiments on the 
  terrified young girl, one of which activated and 
  supercharged her already impressive psychic 
  potential. She used her powers to help guide 
  Mountain to her so he could 
  defeat Apocalypse, and the 
  two were happily reunited.
  Realizing Stacy needed 
  help to cope with her enor-
  mous psychic power, Moun-
  tain contacted the Justice 
  Squadron for assistance, and 
  they put him in touch with 
  their old teammate Rowan, 
  who was just starting up the 
  Ravenswood program for 
  superheroic youth (see Teen 
  Cnampions). Stacy became 
  one of the ﬁrst students of the 
  Academy, graduating in 1989 
  and joining the Sentinels 
  soon afterwards as a form of 
  “post-graduate training.” As 
  a Sentinel she was present 
  when her father sacriﬁced his 
  life to stop a demonic inva-
  sion of New York City, and 
  though that tragedy aﬀected 
  her greatly for many years, 
  she was able to recover with 
  the love and support of her 
  new teammates.
  She was romantically 
  linked to fellow “superkid” 
  Amazing-Man II for several 
  years, but the relationship 
  ended amicably in 1999. 
  In 2002 she married Paulo 
  Vizcaino, an UNTIL techni-
  cian. She’s one of the world’s foremost psis, with a 
  breadth of abilities that makes up for her lack of 
  sheer power, and she generally serves as the team’s 
  levelheaded psychic “coordinator” in the ﬁeld.
  Personality/Motivation:  Diadem has grown into 
  her role as one of the foremost heroes of “Gen-
  eration X” and been a key member of the Senti-
  nels for more than fifteen years. She’s earned the 
  trust of her teammates for her calm and rational 
  approach to emergencies, and she’s also been 
  the team’s emotional core, always available to 
  listen empathetically to her friend’s problems. 
  She’s still shy, and her strong sense of duty and 
  justice occasionally clashes with her desire to 
  live a normal, peaceful life. Her placid and pleas-
  ant exterior belie her bravery and tremendous 
  strength of character.
  Diadem’s experiences with her father and 
  Apocalypse left her with a strong distrust of magic 
  and its practitioners. It’s taken her a long time to get 
  over that attitude where Black Rose and Bravo are 
  concerned. It’s not that she questions magic’s exis-
  tence or usefulness... but she’s certain that at some 
  point using it will backﬁre tragically.
  Diadem’s been trying for years to have a baby, 
  and only her closest friends know how diﬃcult that 
  eﬀort has been for her and Paolo. If they succeed 
  she’d probably retire from active heroing rather 
  than put a child through the same sort of trauma 
  she herself experienced.
  
  56 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Quote:  “Can everybody hear me okay? All right, 
  Diamond and Proteus will hold the line, while Rose 
  and Vox teleport behind the creatures, and... hey, 
  where’d Bravo go?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Diadem is a powerful mental-
  ist. Though her power is dwarfed by, say, Menton, 
  there are few others who combine her breadth of 
  ability with her sheer force of will. When she uses 
  her powers, most of them manifest a purple glow 
  in the center of her forehead, as though a shining 
  gem had been placed there and reﬂected light in all 
  directions (hence the codename “Diadem”). With 
  practice she’s learned to dampen the glow when she 
  uses her Mind Link.
  Apart from her ability to link her teammates 
  psychically (perhaps her most commonly-used 
  power), she’s also a formidable mind-reader, can 
  overwhelm her enemies with blasts of psionic 
  energy, or shut down selected brain functions 
  temporarily to cause clumsiness or paralysis in her 
  opponents.
  Despite her vast powers, Diadem has relatively 
  little defense against physical or energy attacks. 
  Her telepathic senses are attuned to sense when 
  somebody is about to attack her and how (in game 
  terms, her Combat Skill Levels with DCV), but in 
  general she tries very hard to stay oﬀ the battle-
  ﬁeld and out of range when the Sentinels go into a 
  melee, or at least to quickly ﬁnd cover and use her 
  powers to snipe. Her Danger Sense, Stealth, and 
  Concealment are also helpful in this regard. If she’s 
  absolutely needed front and center during a con-
  ﬂict, Diamond usually volunteers to provide physi-
  cal cover for her.
  Campaign Use:  Diadem rarely works as a solo hero; 
  PCs will usually only encounter her with the Senti-
  nels. Her mistrust of magic and magicians can lead 
  to interesting roleplaying, though she’s not usually 
  open or aggressive about her feelings.
  To make Diadem more powerful, you can do 
  several things. First, you can expand the range of 
  her mental attacks by giving her more abilities, 
  including other forms of powers she already has 
  but with Advantages (such as a smaller Ego Attack 
  that’s Continuous). Second, you can give her some 
  telekinetic powers as well. Third, either as part of 
  a telekinetic power suite or as a gadget you can 
  signiﬁcantly increase her defense so she’s not so 
  vulnerable in battle.
  Diadem doesn’t Hunt characters except as part 
  of the Sentinels, in which case she follows whatever 
  plan Black Rose comes up with.
  Appearance:  Diadem is 5’3” tall, with long brown 
  hair parted in the middle and a hint of freckles 
  around her nose. She wears a brown hooded cloak 
  over a utilitarian jumpsuit in varying shades of 
  brown, and her hood shows enough of her face that 
  she also wears a brown domino mask to hide her 
  features. When she uses her powers, a purple glow 
  emanates from her forehead, giving the appearance 
  that she’s wearing a magniﬁcent jewel there.
  BRAVO
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   30 DEX 
  60 
  15- 
  OCV: 10/DCV: 10
   26 CON 
  32 
  14-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV: 4
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack: 4d6
   18 COM 
  4 
  13-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  23 PD (18 rPD)
   9 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  24 ED (18 rED)
   7 SPD 
  30 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12
   9 REC 
  0
   52 END 
  0
   38 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  178
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Swimming:  3”/6”
   
  Swinging:  8”/16”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  30 
  Magic Sword:  Multipower, 60-point  
  reserve; all slots OAF (-1) 
  3u 
  1)  Blade:  HKA 2d6 (2½d6 w/STR),  
  Armor Piercing (+½), Aﬀects Desolidiﬁed 
  (+½); OAF (-1) 
  6
  1u 
  2)  Flat Or Hilt:  HA +4d6, Aﬀects  
  Desolidiﬁed (+½); OAF (-1), Hand-To- 
  Hand Attack (-½) 
  3
  7 
  Main Gauche:  Multipower, 15-point  
  reserve; all slots OAF (-1) 
  1u 
  1)  Blade:  HKA 1d6-1 (1d6+1 w/STR), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  OAF (-1) 
  0
  1u 
  2)  Hilt:  HA +2d6, Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); OAF (-1), Hand-To-Hand 
  Attack (-½) 
  1
  1u 
  3) Parry:  +3 OCV with Martial Block;  
  OAF (-1)
   
  Martial Arts: Fencing
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Cut 
  +0 
  +2 
  Weapon +2 DC 
  Strike
  4 
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  Disarm; 30 STR 
  to Disarm roll
  4 
  Lunge 
  +2 
  -2 
  Weapon  +v/5; 
  FMove
  4 
  Parry 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  5 
  Takeaway 
  +0 
  +0 
  Grab Weapon, 
  30 STR to take 
  weapon away
  5 
  Thrust 
  +1 
  +3 
  Weapon  Strike
  16 
  Enchanted Rope:  Multipower, 40-point 
  reserve; all slots OAF (-1), Lockout (-½)
  1u 
  1)  Swingline:  Swinging 8”; OAF (-1),  
  Lockout (can’t use any other slot in the  
  same Phase when this slot is used; -½) 
  1
  1u 
  2)  Tangler:  Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF; OAF  
  (-1), Lockout (can’t use any other slot in  
  the same Phase when this slot is used;  
  -½), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼) 
  [1 rc]
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  57 
  1u 
  3)  Moves Of Its Own Accord:  Telekinesis  
  (20 STR); OAF (-1), Limited Range  
  (8”; -¼), Lockout (can’t use any other slot  
  in the same Phase when this slot is  
  used; -½) 
  4
  3 
  Naturally Tough:  Damage Resistance  
  (3 PD/3 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Magical Cloak And Costume:  Armor  
  (15 PD/15 ED); OIF (-½) 
  0
  16 
  Lucky Charm:  Luck 4d6; IIF (-¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  46 
  Vehicle:  the Griﬀon
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
  2 
  Reputation:  Member of the Sentinels (in the 
  US) 8-, +2/+2d6
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
   
  Skills
  15 
  +5 with Fencing
  3 
  Acrobatics 15-
  3 
  Acting 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 15-
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Contortionist 15-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  10 
  Defense Maneuver IV
  4 
  Gambling (Card Games, Dice Games) 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  3 
  AK: Faerie 13-
  2 
  AK: Seas Of Earth 11-
  4 
  Navigation (Dimensional, Marine, Space) 13-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 13-
  3 
  PS: Poet 13-
  3 
  PS: Lutist 15-
  3 
  Seduction 13-
  3 
  Stealth 15-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  5 
  TF:  Equines, Large Rowed Boats, Large 
  Wind-Powered Boats, Small Wind-Powered 
  Boats, Sentinels Vanjet
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  285
  Total Cost:  463
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  DNPC:  girlfriend of the month 11- (Normal)
  15 
  Hunted:  Members of the Sentinels’ Rogues’ 
  Gallery 11- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Unfamiliar With  
  Earth History And Culture (But Learning) 
  (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Chivalrous 
  (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Showoﬀ  
  (Very Common, Strong)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other swordsmen 
  and swashbuckler types
  188 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  463
  Background/History:  The man known as Bravo on 
  Earth is actually a native of the Lands of Faerie, 
  the mystical realm beyond Earth’s own dimension 
  that is home to beings of hman legend and myth 
  (see The Mystic World for more information about 
  Faerie). More particularly, he was a denizen of 
  one of the realms molded by European fairy tales, 
  complete with beautiful princesses, swashbuckling 
  adventurers, ogres, giants, and talking animals. He 
  remembers his own youth there, but the passing 
  of time in that realm is a far stranger thing than 
  it is on Earth, so he has no idea of his precise age. 
  Like many adventurers, he was an orphan, raised 
  by a wicked witch who treated him cruelly until 
  he tricked her and escaped by leaving a disguised 
  broomstick in his bed. Traveling the endless lands 
  of Faerie he passed from one adventure to another, 
  always relying on his quick sword and quicker wits 
  to escape peril while wooing an endless series of 
  fair maidens.
  In the year 2000 by human reckoning, the 
  Sentinels traveled from Earth to Faerie by mis-
  chance and spent some weeks trying to find their 
  way back home. Bravo (for that was one of the 
  many names he went by) helped them with a 
  small matter involving a hideous troll and an evil 
  queen who secretly was actually a dragon, and he 
  was struck by their bravery, their unique abili-
  ties, and the absolutely fascinating stories they 
  told him of their own lands. Thus, the only boon 
  he asked of them was to be allowed to join them 
  for a time and visit this wondrous world of giant 
  steel buildings, horseless carriages, and strange 
  magic. With his help they found an old wise 
  woman who was able to return them to Earth 
  (only, of course, after they’d done her a series of 
  favors) and Bravo happily went with them.
  Since then, Bravo has been on his greatest 
  adventure yet. The land called New York in fact 
  far surpassed even his wildest imaginings when 
  it came to mystery and adventure, and he’s had a 
  tremendously enjoyable time of it righting wrongs, 
  aiding the poor and downhearted, and romanc-
  ing women of all varieties. He has no particular 
  desire to return to his homeland anytime soon, 
  though he’s happy to leave the matter to fate. As 
  long as there are fearsome foes and grave injustices 
  to be met (and this world seems to have no end of 
  either), he’s quite content to ﬁght by the side of his 
  newfound friends.
  Personality/Motivation:  Bravo is, to put it simply, a 
  caricature come to life. According to current mysti-
  cal theory, he’s an archetype given human form, 
  the dashing and handsome hero of a thousand and 
  one tales, always ready with a quip or a ﬂourishing 
  blade. He’s Robin Hood, Zorro, or the Scarlet Pim-
  pernel, exactly as such heroes have been imagined 
  by humans for decades or even centuries. That said, 
  he’s also a genuinely human person, capable of 
  true emotion and full of wonder about the world 
  around him. Although he’s not fully acquainted 
  with Earth culture by any means, seven years here 
  have given him enough experience to pass as an 
  ordinary human — he’s ﬁgured out how things like 
  
  58 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  phones, banks, and airplanes work (though demo-
  cratic politics still seems to do nothing but frustrate 
  him). He hasn’t yet lost one bit of his passion for 
  excitement, adventure and novelty, though, and 
  his biggest weakness as a superheroic teammate is 
  his easy boredom with peace and quiet. If there’s 
  no adventure to be found in his immediate vicin-
  ity, well, then, he’ll go stir some up, be it a barroom 
  brawl that ends with his opponents becoming his 
  drinking buddies, a sojourn at a dance club from 
  which he returns with three or four lovely coeds, or 
  in the best-case scenario a bank robbery to thwart. 
  He’s become very emotionally attached to each of 
  his teammates, and would gladly risk his own life 
  for theirs. Diamond points out that Bravo would 
  also risk his life for a mug of ale, which is only 
  slightly unfair.
  Quote:  “Zounds! That’s a big fellow. Ah well, m’lady, 
  we’ll have to continue this conversation another 
  time. My friends need me!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Bravo’s agility and swiftness are 
  borderline supernatural, and he’s a master fencer 
  with an unorthodox style. Most of his other abili-
  ties come from the array of magical items he 
  acquired during his travels in Faerie. His sword 
  is extremely light and sharp and has the ability to 
  cut ghosts and other immaterial beings as easily 
  as it does solid ones. His cloak and other clothes 
  protect him as well as the strongest plate mail 
  without slowing him down in the slightest. His 
  cloak is fastened by a silver 
  pendant shaped like an oak 
  leaf; it’s a gift from a former 
  lover, and he claims it’s a 
  lucky charm.
  Beyond those relatively 
  simple enchanted items, he 
  owns an unbreakable coil of 
  rope that moves of its own 
  accord, climbing up walls or 
  through small spaces like a 
  snake and even occasion-
  ally leaping at an opponent 
  to snare him in its tendrils. 
  Bravo treats the rope like a 
  pet, occasionally even arguing 
  with it (when Bravo is mad 
  at it, it “sulks” in the corner 
  until he forgives it, at which 
  point it dances with joy). He 
  also owns a magical ship that 
  made the journey here from 
  Faerie with him, the Griﬀon 
  (see below).
  Campaign Use:  Bravo makes 
  excellent comic relief as an 
  NPC when a campaign has 
  gotten too serious and the 
  players need to feel like heroes 
  again. His enthusiasm is infec-
  tious, and he’s guaranteed to 
  start something anytime the 
  story starts to slow down. 
  Also, his home realm is an 
  excellent source of stories and conﬂict; see the 
  GM’s Vault for a particularly nasty menace from 
  his home town, but pretty much any other ﬁgure 
  of fairy tales could turn up looking for revenge, a 
  favor, or just to reminisce about good times.
  To make Bravo more powerful, give him 
  more enchanted items — seven-league boots, a 
  cap of invisibility, a belt of giant’s strength, you 
  name it. A pet falcon from Faerie might also be 
  appropriate. To weaken him, reduce his DEX to 
  26 and his SPD to 6.
  Bravo isn’t much of a Hunter — he’s not that 
  kind of serious. He’s more likely to remember a 
  particular foe and always seek that foe out during 
  battles, rather than constantly pursue a villain and 
  attempt to catch him.
  Appearance:  Bravo is a tall, muscular young man 
  with brown hair in unruly curls, stunning blue eyes, 
  a brown neatly-maintained goatee, and always a 
  hint of laughter in his expression. His costume is 
  rather like a fairy-tale pirate’s, with a red vest over 
  black leather (and a fairly deep neckline to show oﬀ 
  his manly chest hair), high-cut cavalier’s boots, and 
  a belt with scabbards for both his sword and dagger 
  as well as a coiled length of thin rope. He wears 
  oversized leather falconer’s gloves and has a silver 
  charm in the shape of a ﬂower around his neck. His 
  left ear is pierced with a large gold ring.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  59 
  THE GRIFFON
   Val  Char  Cost   Notes
   12  Size  
   60    16” x 8”; 400 tons; -12 KB; -8 DCV
   70  STR  
   0   Lift 400 tons; 14d6 [7]
   10  DEX  
   0   OCV:  3/DCV:  3
   22  BODY  0
   7  DEF  
   15 
   4  SPD  
   20    Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12
    
   
   
  Total Characteristics Cost:  95
  Movement:  Ground:  0”/0”
   
  Swimming:  5”/10”
   
  Flight:  20”/80”
   
  Teleportation:  1 km to 500,000 LY
  Abilities & Equipment
  Cost  Powers  
  END
  3  
  Magical Sailing:  Swimming +8”  
  (10” total); Surface Only (-1), Limited 
  Maneuverability (-½) 
  0
  30  
  Magical Flying Ship:  Flight 20”, x4  
  Noncombat; Limited Maneuverability (-½)  0
  12  
  Can Travel Anywhere In One Night:   
  Teleportation 5”, Safe Blind Teleport  
  (+¼), MegaScale (1” = 100,000 lightyears, 
  can be scaled down to 1” = 1 km; +5);  
  Extra Time (1 Day; -4)  
  0
  8  
  Can Travel Anywhere In One Night:   
  Extra-Dimensional Movement (any  
  physical location in any dimension);  
  Extra Time (1 Day, -4)  
  0
  17  
  Cannons:  RKA 3d6, Increased Maximum 
  Range (1,125”; +¼); OIF Bulky (-1), Extra 
  Time (Extra Phase, -¾), Limited Arc Of  
  Fire (180 degrees; Only on Same  
  Horizontal Level; -½) 6
  5  
  Cannons:  One more Cannon 
   6
  5  
  Lucky Ship:  Luck 1d6  
  0
  26  
  Large Boat’s Anchor:  +70 STR, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½);   (Partial  
  Coverage; -2), OIF Bulky (-1)
   
  Skills
  30  
  She Knows Where She’s Going:  Navigation 
  (Air, Astral, Dimensional, Hyperspace,  
  Land, Marine, Space) 20-
  Total Abilities & Equipment Cost:  136
  Total Vehicle Cost:  231
  Value  Disadvantages
  None
  Total Disadvantages Points:  0
  Total Cost:  231/5 = 46
  Description:  The Griﬀon is a magical sailing vessel 
  from Faerie. It’s equally at home at sea or ﬂoat-
  ing through the air (in fact, it’s become a fairly 
  common sight above the streets of Manhattan in 
  the last few years). It has a sort of magical sen-
  tience, much like Bravo’s rope — it behaves more 
  like a pet than anything else, though it’s fully capa-
  ble of steering itself and making similar decisions 
  without him. It also has a particularly wonderful 
  magical gift:  as Bravo puts it, the Griﬀon can travel 
  anywhere in a single night (or day), no matter how 
  far away the destination might be, or even what 
  dimension it’s in. While underway in this manner, 
  passengers can’t interact with anything oﬀ the ship 
  — the Griﬀon seems to be sailing though an orange 
  fog that only clears when a day’s travel has passed 
  (if possible, the ship prefers to end its voyages at 
  dawn or sunset, so the GM may adjust the travel 
  time accordingly as long as it’s not too far oﬀ from 
  1 Day). Leaving the ship while it’s a-sail this way 
  is a singularly bad idea — even Bravo has no idea 
  where somebody “lost overboard” would wind up.
  How Bravo acquired the Griﬀon is a bit of a 
  running joke among the Sentinels. Bravo frequently 
  promises to tell them the story, which he claims is 
  a breathtaking tale of derring-do full of adventure, 
  heartbreak, loss, and triumph, but he’s always inter-
  rupted just before he can get to any details.
  
  60 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  DR. VOX
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   11 STR 
  1 
  11- 
  Lift 117 kg; 2d6 [1]
   19 DEX 
  27 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   17 CON 
  14 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV: 5
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack: 2½d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   4 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  23 PD (19 rPD)
   8 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  29 ED (21 rED)
   5 SPD 
  21 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   34 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  93
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  Pure Sonic Power:  Endurance Reserve  
  (200 END, 20 REC) 
  0
  75 
  Sonic Manipulation:  Multipower,  
  75-point reserve
  6u 
  1)  Focused Sonic Blast:  Energy Blast  
  12d6, Personal Immunity (+¼); Does Not 
  Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  7
  4u 
  2)  Sonic Cone:  Energy Blast 6d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼),  
  Personal Immunity (+¼), Area Of Eﬀect  
  (10” Cone; +1); No Range (-½), Does  
  Not Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  3
  6u 
  3)  Infrasonic Assault:  Energy Blast 7d6,  
  No Normal Defense (defense is Hearing 
  Group Flash Defense, being deaf, or  
  lacking human-type ears; +1); Does Not 
  Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  7
  6u 
  4)  Deafening Attack:  Hearing Group  
  Flash 16d6, Reduced Endurance (½ END; 
  +¼), Personal Immunity (+¼); Does Not 
  Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  3
  4u 
  5)  Deafening Cone:  Hearing Group  
  Flash 11d6, Personal Immunity (+¼),  
  Area Of Eﬀect (9” Cone; +1); No Range 
  (-½), Does Not Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  7
  3u 
  6)  Sound Eﬀects I:  Hearing Group  
  Images, -4 to PER Rolls, Increased Size  
  (16” radius; +1); Does Not Work In A 
  Vacuum (-¼) 
  3
  3u 
  7)  Sound Eﬀects II:  Hearing Group  
  Images, +4 to PER Rolls, Increased Size  
  (16” radius; +1); Does Not Work In A 
  Vacuum (-¼) 
  3
  7u 
  8)  Feedback:  Dispel Sonic Powers 20d6,  
  any Sonic power one at a time (+¼) 
  7
  4u 
  9)  Zone Of Silence:  Darkness to Hearing 
  Group 6” radius, Personal Immunity (+¼) 4
  24 
  Sonic Screen:  Force Field (10 PD/10 ED), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Does  
  Not Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  0
  14 
  Armored Costume:  Armor (6 PD/8 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  15 
  Enhanced Hearing:  Hearing Group  
  Flash Defense (15 points) 
  0
  40 
  Protection From Sonics:  Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%;   
  Only Works Against Limited Type Of  
  Attack (sonics; -½) 
  0
  9 
  Sonic Point Defense:  Missile Deﬂection  
  (all physical attacks); Costs Endurance  
  (-½), Does Not Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  1
  20 
  Personal Silence:  Invisibility to Hearing 
  Group, No Fringe  
  2
  32 
  Riding The Soundwaves:  Flight 20”;  
  Does Not Work In A Vacuum (-¼) 
  4
  20 
  Sonar:  Active Sonar (Hearing Group), 
  Increased Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees) 0
  3 
  Enhanced Hearing:  Ultrasonic  
  Perception (Hearing Group) 
  0
  8 
  Enhanced Hearing:  +4 to PER Rolls  
  with Hearing Group 
  0
  10 
  Enhanced Hearing:  Microscopic ( x100)  
  with Hearing Group 
  0
  12 
  Enhanced Hearing:  +8 versus Range  
  Modiﬁer for Hearing Group 
  0
  20 
  Enhanced Hearing:  Targeting for  
  Hearing Group 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  License to Practice Medicine
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  6 
  Combat Luck (3 PD/3 ED)
  3 
  Perfect Pitch
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Sonic Manipulation Multipower
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Bureaucratics 12-
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  3 
  Electronics 13-
  3 
  High Society 12-
  3 
  Forensic Medicine 13-
  3 
  KS: Anatomy 13-
  3 
  KS: Medicine 13-
  3 
  Mimicry 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 13-
  3 
  PS: Doctor 13-
  4 
  SS:  Medicine 14-
  6 
  SS:  Sonics 16-
  2 
  Systems Operation 13-; Medical Systems 
  Only (-½)
  5 
  Ventriloquism 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  470
  Total Cost:  563
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Howler 8- (As Pow, Public ID, Harshly 
  Punish)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fascinated 
  By Superhumans, Aliens In Particular 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hippocratic Oath; 
  Must Try To Save All Lives (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Takes Super-
  heroing Seriously; Is Somewhat Humorless 
  (Common, Moderate)
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  61 
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Kay 
  Churchwell) (Frequently; Major)
  293 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  563
  Background/History:  Kay Churchwell, nee Pressley, 
  was born in 1970 in upstate New York. She attended 
  medical school at NYU, graduating in 1996. That 
  same year she married her ﬁancé John Churchwell, 
  an architect with a prestigious city ﬁrm. They had a 
  daughter Lily in 1998, by which time Kay had taken 
  a post with Mercy Hospital in Manhattan.
  A brilliant doctor and diagnostician, Kay 
  was called upon to help Howler in 2002 when the 
  notorious supervillainess went into a mysterious 
  coma after battling the Sentinels in downtown 
  Manhattan following a botched jewelry store rob-
  bery. While studying her patient, Churchwell was 
  exposed to a sudden burst of radiation given oﬀ by 
  Howler’s Hzeel-technology amulet (unknown to 
  anyone at the time, the result of the amulet detect-
  ing the incursion of a Hzeel scoutship entering the 
  outer reaches of Earth’s solar system). The radiation 
  worked mutagenic changes on Churchwell as it had 
  on Howler, giving the young doctor sonic powers.
  While dealing with this remarkable change in 
  her life, Dr. Churchwell was swept into a running 
  superhuman battle when the Hzeel attempted to 
  kidnap Howler out of the hospital, which led to a 
  series of confrontations involving the Sentinels and 
  the War Machine, whose technology had also been 
  detected and targeted for retrieval. Churchwell not 
  only survived the ensuing 
  craziness, but made several 
  friends among the Sentinels.
  When she ﬁnally 
  returned to Earth, Kay at ﬁrst 
  tried to resume her medical 
  career with a new specializa-
  tion in superhuman medi-
  cine and speculative biology. 
  Despite being involved in 
  several interesting cases, she 
  continued to feel bored and 
  unchallenged. In 2005, when 
  Marus left the Sentinels to 
  concentrate on his duties for 
  Atlantis, Diadem nominated 
  her for membership. She hap-
  pily accepted, adopting the 
  superheroic moniker “Dr. 
  Vox” after rejecting several 
  sillier suggestions from Dia-
  mond and Bravo.
  Personality/Motivation:  Doctor 
  Vox is ﬁrst and foremost a 
  doctor at heart, despite her 
  newfound love of superhu-
  man adventure. She has a 
  passionate curiosity about the 
  unknown and a deep commit-
  ment to helping other people, 
  and ﬁnds that superheroics 
  and medicine satisfy those 
  sides of herself equally well. 
  Since her encounter with the Hzeel she’s become 
  fascinated by aliens. The prospect of interacting 
  with beings from other worlds will provoke her 
  into rare displays of emotion (she usually tries to 
  maintain a professional reserve around her often 
  more ﬂamboyant teammates). She gets along well 
  with the other Sentinels, especially Diadem, though 
  her reserved nature makes her the occasional butt 
  of Bravo’s jokes.
  For the most part she regards her transforma-
  tion as an unmixed blessing, though she worries 
  about the eﬀect her newfound celebrity is having 
  on her family. Her husband has been supportive 
  of her new career, though he’s had to endure gibes 
  from his coworkers about his famous wife and the 
  occasional intrusions into their privacy from tab-
  loid reporters. The Churchwells maintain a lovely 
  house on Long Island where they’re trying to raise 
  Lily as normally as possible, though she’s ﬁnally 
  reaching the age where she really understands how 
  dangerous and exciting her mother’s job actually is.
  Kay has also had to deal with the physical 
  requirements of being a superheroine — though 
  she’s always maintained an active physical lifestyle, 
  since gaining her powers she’s realized she needs 
  to spend long hours in the gym to keep up with 
  her teammates physically, and wonders how much 
  longer she’ll be able to perform at that level. She’s 
  considered asking one of her powered armor-wear-
  ing or gadget-building acquaintances about outﬁt-
  ting her with something that will allow her to keep 
  up as she approaches forty.
  
  62 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Quote:  “He’s gone into cardiac arrest! At least I 
  think so... anyone know how many hearts a Perseid 
  has, anyway?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Doctor Vox can generate sound 
  at a wide range of frequencies, and also manipu-
  late ambient sound. She can create many useful 
  eﬀects, from focused blasts of destructive energy 
  to infrasonic vibrations that cause incapacitating 
  headaches, as well as simply deafen opponents with 
  high-decibel screeches. She can also project a ﬁeld 
  of “solid” sonic energy in a standing wave around 
  herself to deﬂect incoming attacks, and even proj-
  ect pure sonic energy behind herself to ﬂy through 
  the air at high speeds. This variety of abilities makes 
  useful in combat — she can eﬀectively target either 
  single or multiple opponents with attacks that 
  many aren’t prepared for.
  Though she’s relatively new to the world of 
  superhuman combat and doesn’t have the breadth 
  of tactical experience that some of her teammates 
  do, Dr. Vox is a quick study and has been train-
  ing with Diamond to get better. She’s also become 
  the team’s general scientiﬁc expert since Amazing 
  Man’s departure.
  Campaign Use:  Doctor Vox is still a licensed doctor 
  and could get involved in any storyline that needs 
  someone with medical skills, like a plague outbreak 
  or dying alien. Her connection to the Hzeel makes 
  her a target for them any time they show up. Her 
  newfound celebrity status might lead to storyline 
  hooks, especially if her husband or daughter are put 
  in danger. (They’re not bought as DNPCs because 
  the family has taken steps to isolate itself from the 
  Superhuman World, but they can easily function in 
  that role if you need them to.)
  To make Dr. Vox more powerful, give her an 
  augmentation suit or other gadgets that enhance 
  her physical abilities, or maybe even give her a Vari-
  able Power Pool for gadgets as she becomes more 
  scientiﬁcally adept at ﬁelds outside the world of 
  medicine. To weaken her, increase the END cost of 
  her powers (and the size of her Endurance Reserve) 
  so she has to be careful about when and how she 
  uses her abilities.
  Doctor Vox has never Hunted anyone, and has 
  no plans to start.
  Appearance:  Dr. Vox is a black woman in her mid-
  30s with a medium build, brown eyes and close-
  cropped curly hair. Her bodysuit is dark blue with 
  metallic highlights at the arms, legs, ribs, gloves, 
  and boots, and she wears oversized clear goggles.
  PROTEUS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   26 DEX 
  48 
  14- 
  OCV: 9/DCV: 9
   28 CON 
  36 
  15-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV: 5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack: 4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   20 PD 
  14 
   
  Total:  30 PD (20 rPD)
   15 ED 
  9 
   
  Total:  25 ED (20 rED)
   6 SPD 
  24 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   56 END 
  0
   49 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost: 199
  Movement: 
  Running:  16”/32”
   
  Leaping:  16”/32”
   
  Gliding:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Malleable Body:  Elemental Control,  
  50-point powers 
  71 
  1)  Morphing:  Shape Shift  (Sight,  
  Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Groups, 
  any shape), Cellular, Imitation, Makeover, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  37 
  2)  Stretching:  Stretching 10”, Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  2
  9 
  3)  Stretching Or Flattening:   
  Desolidiﬁcation  (aﬀected by any attack), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  Cannot Pass Through Solid Objects (-½), 
  Does Not Protect Against Damage (-1),  
  Extra Time (Full Phase to activate, -¼) 
  2
  28 
  4)  Bouncing Ball Attack:  Energy Blast  
  6d6, Area Of Eﬀect (12” Radius; +1½),  
  Selective (+¼); No Range (-½), Only In 
  Enclosed Areas (-½) 
  8
  11 
  5)  Bodily Wraparound:  Entangle 6d6,  
  6 DEF; Feedback (-1), Lockout (-½), No  
  Range (-½), Cannot Form Barriers (-¼) 
  6
  30 
  Minor Shapeshifting Eﬀects:  Multipower,  
  30-point reserve 
  3m 
  1)  Bone-Blade Hands:  HKA 1d6  
  (2d6 w/STR) 
  1
  4m 
  2)  Shifts His Mass Into His Fists:  HA  
  +4d6, Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½);  
  Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
  3
  2m 
  3)  Slingshot Arms:  +20 STR; No Figured 
  Characteristics (-½), Extra Time (Full  
  Phase, -½), Only For Throwing (-½) 
  2
  5m 
  4)  Armoring Up:  Armor (10 PD/10 ED); 
  Costs Endurance (to activate; -¼) 
  3
  3m 
  5)  Flexible Dodging:  +4 DCV; Costs  
  Endurance (-½) 
  2
  4m 
  6)  Long Legs:  Running +10” (16” total) 
  2
  2m 
  7)  Springy Legs:  Leaping +10”  
  (16” forward, 8” upward) 
  1
  2m 
  8)  Glider Wings:  Gliding 12”  
  0
  1m 
  9)  More Limbs:  Extra Limbs (any number); 
  Costs Endurance (to activate; -¼) 
  1
  3m 
  10)  Pillow Body:  Breakfall 19-, Usable By  
  Other (+¼); Costs Endurance (to activate; -¼) 2
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  63 
  2m 
  11)  Suction Cup Limbs:  Clinging  
  (normal STR)  
  0
  10 
  Malleable Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Malleable Body:  Physical Damage  
  Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  11 
  Malleable Body:  Healing BODY 1d6, Can 
  Heal Limbs, Reduced Endurance (0 END; 
  +½), Persistent (+½); Extra Time (1 Turn 
  [Post-Segment 12]; -1¼), Self Only (-½) 
  0
  20 
  Malleable Body:  Life Support  (Immunity:  
  all terrestrial poisons, chemical warfare 
  agents, diseases, and biowarfare agents) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
   
  Talents
  3 
  Ambidexterity (only suﬀers a -2 Oﬀ  
  Hand penalty)
  4 
  Double-Jointed
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  9 
  +3 with Acting, Contortionist, and Disguise
  2 
  +1 with DEX Rolls
  3 
  Acrobatics 14-
  3 
  Acting 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 14-
  3 
  Climbing 14-
  3 
  Combat Driving 14-
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Contortionist 14-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  5 
  Defense Maneuver II
  7 
  Disguise 15-
  3 
  CK: Seattle 13-
  2 
  Lockpicking 14-; Mechanical Locks Only (-¼)
  7 
  Power:  Stretching Tricks 15-
  3 
  PS: Cab Driver 13-
  3 
  Security Systems 13-
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  9 
  Sleight Of Hand 17-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  2 
  TF:  Common Motorized Ground Vehicles
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  423
  Total Cost:  622
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  The Ultimates 8- (As Pow, 
  Harshly Punish)
  10 
  Hunted:  Rodney Covington 8- (As Pow, 
  Harshly Punish)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Long-Term Memory Loss 
  (See Text) (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus 
  Killing (Common, Strong)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Self-Sacriﬁcing- Wants 
  to Help Everybody (Very Common, Total)
  5 
  Psychological Limitation:  Quietly Nosy- 
  Likes To Know Everything That’s Going 
  On (Uncommon, Moderate)
  5 
  Unluck 1d6
  347 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  622
  Background/History:  Robert Covington was born 
  in Kansas, the older of two brothers and heirs to 
  a chemical processing ﬁrm started by their father 
  in the mid-1960s. Robert and his brother Rodney 
  took over the company in 1990 after their parents 
  died in a car accident. From the beginning, Robert 
  was the more serious brother, concentrating on the 
  administrative duties and keeping the company 
  running, while Rodney, who was charming and 
  intelligent but had no interest in working at a desk, 
  handled the sales and schmoozed the clients.
  One night in 1994, while running the num-
  bers for the company, Robert realized Rodney had 
  somehow secretly been siphoning oﬀ cash. He con-
  fronted his brother about it in one of the labs that 
  evening, away from the other employees. Rodney 
  lied for a little while, but eventually confessed that 
  he’d gotten into some deep gambling debts to some 
  Kansas City mobsters and had been stealing from 
  the company for years. He pleaded with Robert 
  not to turn him in, as he was sure he could “ﬁgure 
  something out” to ﬁx the situation, but Robert was 
  disgusted by his brother’s behavior and refused. 
  “Then you’re leaving me no choice,” said Rodney, 
  and drew a gun from his pocket.  
  Robert was shocked for a moment, but then 
  closed with his little brother and the two began to 
  ﬁght for the gun. During their brawl, several shelves 
  of industrial chemicals and solvents crashed down 
  around them, soaking them both in a foul-smell-
  ing and slippery mix. As they rolled on the ﬂoor, 
  Rodney regained control of the gun for a moment, 
  and shot his older brother squarely in the forehead. 
  Gasping in fear and wiping the stinging chemicals 
  from his eyes, he loaded his brother’s body into 
  the back of his SUV, drove to the nearby Missouri 
  River, and dumped the body in.
  But appearances aside, Robert was not in 
  fact dead. Somehow the chemicals he’d been 
  bathed in had transformed him on a molecular 
  level, allowing his body to repair itself while he 
  floated comatose down river for hundreds of 
  miles. Unfortunately, the bullet lodged in his 
  head caused his regeneration to go somewhat 
  awry, leaving him an amnesiac. He came to in 
  a forest in rural Missouri, with no idea who or 
  where he was or how he’d gotten there. But he 
  
  64 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  quickly discovered that he had the remarkable 
  ability to change and manipulate his own shape.
  Still unaware of his own name, Robert dubbed 
  himself Proteus and became a drifter, traveling 
  from town to town across the Midwest, taking odd 
  jobs and never staying in any one town too long. 
  Time and again he wound up using his powers to 
  help people. But a combination of bad luck and his 
  own near-paralyzing but unnamable fear that there 
  was still someone out to get him kept him from 
  making any real friends or settling down.
  Eventually he made his way to Seattle, where he 
  took a job as a taxi driver and fell in with a small band 
  of equally-odd metahumans who were ﬁghting an 
  undercover war against the local VIPER Nest. Enjoy-
  ing being able to help people as a superhero, Proteus 
  stayed there until 2000, when one of his friends 
  pointed out a newspaper article about what seemed to 
  be a shapeshifting serial killer active near Kansas City. 
  Remembering that he’d emerged from a river not far 
  from there, Proteus thought this might be a clue to his 
  own origins and decided to investigate.
  After he arrived in KC, several locations 
  seemed to spark some fragments of memory for 
  Proteus. Taking that as a good sign he continued 
  to dig until he found the Covington Chemical 
  Company, which had been run for the last six years 
  by Robert Covington, ever since the mysterious 
  disappearance of his no-good brother Rodney! For 
  several awful days Proteus feared that he in fact was 
  Rodney, but he captured the shapeshifting killer 
  when it attacked a young lady who had befriended 
  Proteus and discovered that it was Rodney, who’d 
  also received shapeshifting powers from their 
  mutual chemical bath, and who had been living as 
  Robert ever since to dodge his creditors. Most of 
  Robert’s memories returned during their ensuing 
  battle, in which Proteus defeated Rodney (who was 
  later sent to Stronghold by the authorities).
  Proteus returned to Seattle and resumed his 
  superheroic career there a happier and more stable 
  man. He was so successful there (and impressed 
  Amazing Man so much when they wound up 
  working together in 2003 against Mechanon) that 
  he was invited to join the Sentinels, which he did in 
  2006. He currently lives on Sentinel Island and has 
  begun exploring New York City, which he’s so far 
  utterly enamored with.
  Personality/Motivation:  Proteus is a deep guy, rarely 
  revealing everything that he’s thinking while care-
  fully paying attention to everything — a habit he 
  developed to help cover his amnesia but which has 
  stayed with him even though he’s now partially 
  cured. He still doesn’t remember most of his child-
  hood, and has trouble sometimes hanging on to 
  recently-learned facts or numbers. But he almost 
  always retains at least the gist of anything he con-
  centrates on, and he carries around several little 
  notebooks for jotting down reminders to himself. 
  He’s incurably nosy, but never pushy — he tends 
  to pick up gossip and other information simply 
  by hanging around in the background and letting 
  everyone forget he’s still in the room.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Three 
  65 
  Proteus is a standup, heroic guy, honest to a fault 
  and a complete gentleman. If anything, he’s a bit of a 
  pushover when it comes to sad tales, beautiful women, 
  crying children, and lame puppy dogs, and he’ll work 
  himself to the bone trying to help anyone who asks 
  him (and a lot of people who won’t).
  Quote:  “Please, let me help. It doesn’t have to 
  happen like this, really.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Proteus is a master shapeshifter, 
  able to stretch and deform his body for a variety of 
  eﬀects. He’s quite good at disguising himself as spe-
  ciﬁc people, and even better at “generic” types like 
  postmen or random bystanders so he can disappear 
  into a crowd. His ﬂexibility and physical coordi-
  nation are also remarkable, allowing him to even 
  dodge bullets by contorting out of the way.
  In combat, Proteus is a surprisingly eﬀective 
  frontline ﬁghter when he needs to be — he can 
  expand his ﬁsts to massive size or bounce around 
  the battleﬁeld like a rubber ball. But he’s truly in his 
  element as a sneaky scout who breaks into secret 
  bases or gathers information while disguised. He’s a 
  creative, lateral thinker who enjoys coming up with 
  new uses for his powers.
  Campaign Use:  Apart from his value as a sneaky Sen-
  tinel, the GM can also introduce Proteus at an earlier 
  point in his career, while he’s still amnesiac and drift-
  ing rootlessly from town to town. The PCs might then 
  get caught up in the ongoing search for his mysterious 
  past or wind up in conﬂict with his nasty brother (for 
  whom you can use the same character sheet).
  To make Proteus more powerful, convert his 
  Power Frameworks into one large Variable Power 
  Pool, Cosmic (+2) for shapeshifting and stretching 
  eﬀects (see The Ultimate Metamorph for dozens 
  of power ideas beyond the ones listed above).  To 
  make him less powerful, reduce his STR to 20 and 
  SPD to 5.
  Aside from his brother, Proteus doesn’t Hunt 
  people.
  Appearance:  Proteus currently appears as a thin, 
  bald white man in his early twenties with features 
  that seem vaguely multiethnic. He usually wears a 
  trenchcoat over a simple black bodysuit with green 
  stripes running down the sides from shoulder to 
  ankle — the coat doesn’t stretch with him, but the 
  suit does. To weaken him, impose END costs (or 
  greater ones) on his powers so they’re not so easy to 
  use, and reduce his Primary Characteristics above 
  20 to around 20-22.
  Aside from his brother, Proteus has never 
  Hunted anyone. If he had to, he’d use all his sneaky 
  tricks and investigative techniques to get close 
  to his quarry and attack from surprise during a 
  moment of vulnerability, thus minimizing the 
  chance of anyone getting badly hurt.
  SENTINEL ISLAND
  The Sentinels maintain their headquarters on 
  Sentinel Island, an artiﬁcial structure anchored oﬀ 
  the coast of New York City, anchored between Ellis 
  Island and Liberty State Park. Originally the team 
  maintained an informal headquarters at Dr. Phantom’s 
  Connecticut mansion, but as the Sentinels became 
  more of a true team and less of a collection of indi-
  vidual heroes who sometimes worked together, that 
  arrangement became increasingly inconvenient.
  Fate took a favorable hand in 1980, when the 
  Sentinels battled a supervillain named Scamander 
  who had declared himself “King of the Seas” and 
  intended to wage war on both Atlantis and the 
  land nations of Earth to back up his claim from 
  the security of an artiﬁcial island fortress he’d built. 
  After a long and grueling series of encounters the 
  Sentinels defeated him and he seemingly perished 
  (no trace of his body was ever found following the 
  explosions, but he’s never appeared since that time). 
  His island remained mostly intact, so the Sentinels 
  claimed it, repaired it, renovated it as needed, and 
  made it their new headquarters.
  That version of Sentinel Island lasted until 
  1987, when it was badly damaged in a battle with 
  Mechanon and, despite the heroes’ best eﬀorts, 
  sank. Rather than attempt to salvage it, the Senti-
  nels decided to build an all-new Sentinel Island. 
  That structure, completed in 1989 and thoroughly 
  renovated several times since then, remains their 
  headquarters to this day.
  LAYOUT
  Sentinel Island largely consists of two “layers” 
  — the “underside” and the “topside.” The underside 
  is the utilitarian portion of the base, consisting of a 
  concrete layer honeycombed with ﬂoat and ballast 
  stations, power plants, temporary containment cells 
  for supervillains, hangars for various team vehicles, 
  storage chambers, and other such workaday facili-
  ties. There’s even an ocean entrance for submarines 
  and aquatic heroes like Marus.
  The topside is what most people think of 
  when they think of “Sentinel Island.” A thick 
  layer of earth and topsoil was put on the under-
  side and then carefully sculpted to give the 
  impression of a true natural environment. Most 
  of it is well-manicured lawns and fields, but 
  there are copses of trees, a few hills, and a small 
  but delightful beach along part of the northern 
  shore. Most of the Island’s main facilities are 
  located topside in buildings erected on the soil. 
  These include:  Sentinel Hall, where the team 
  conducts meetings, press conferences, receptions, 
  and similar functions (it also includes a trophy 
  room, lounge, and dining room); the control 
  tower, from which the Sentinels and their staff 
  can monitor the Island’s operation and steer it if 
  necessary (their World Crisis Monitoring Room 
  is also located here); residential quarters for the 
  Sentinels themselves (including several guest 
  rooms, a less formal dining area, a library, and 
  a patio/sundeck); a training room/gymnasium; 
  and a building of medical facilities and science 
  
  66 ■ The Sentinels 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  laboratories. All in all it’s a very pleasant place 
  to live... despite the occasional alien invasion, 
  attempted takeover by supervillains, or extradi-
  mensional attack.
  STAFF
  The Sentinels can’t run the entire Island (or 
  their entire operation in general) by themselves 
  — they have a support staﬀ of two to three dozen 
  individuals who help keep the place running 
  smoothly. These range from highly specialized 
  technicians and mechanics to general maintenance 
  and cleaning personnel. Each has undergone exten-
  sive security checks and received basic training in 
  how to respond to various crises.
  First among equals on the Island’s staﬀ is 
  Agatha Anderson, invariably referred to as “Mrs. 
  Anderson” by everyone who knows her. A feisty 
  63 years old, she’s the Chief Cook and oversees 
  the staﬀ of maids, butlers, secretaries, and other 
  personnel who deal with the Sentinels’ personal 
  comfort and business. Besides being a top-notch 
  chef, she’s known for her insightful advice and 
  sometimes (politely) nosy manner; no one’s better 
  at “mothering” the Sentinels and their friends than 
  Mrs. Anderson. One of her specialties is setting 
  superheroes up on dates, though these rarely seem 
  to work out as well as she eternally hopes.
  While the Sentinels are the primary line of 
  defense for the Island, they also have a security staﬀ 
  led by Gerard Armstrong, a retired Army colonel. 
  He’s as no-nonsense as anyone who’s so highly-
  regarded in his line of work, but he has a friendly 
  manner and way of getting his point across that 
  disarms people who tend to be diﬃcult or want to 
  quarrel. In emergencies, he and his staﬀ wear light 
  powered armor suits that help them resist attacks 
  and the eﬀects of ﬁre, and which even provide 
  underwater breathing capabilities for up to an hour.
  The Sentinels employ a number of talented 
  scientists and technicians. The youngest (and per-
  haps smartest) among them is Jeremy Ingalls, an 18 
  year-old computer whiz who originally came to the 
  Sentinels’ attention when he successfully cracked 
  into their computers in 2003. Rather than prosecute 
  him, they hired him as a computer security special-
  ist to make sure no one ever did something like that 
  again. While he often tends to get ﬂustered around 
  his famous superpowered employers, particularly 
  the heroines, no one’s better than he at maintaining 
  the Island’s information systems.
  To ensure that relations with the United States 
  government and its agencies remain smooth and 
  as eﬀective as possible, the Sentinels have a full-
  time DOSPA liaison, Patrick Kelly. Kelly is a former 
  NASA astronaut who retired from the program 
  after an accident during a 1999 mission in outer 
  space cost him the use of his left eye (details of the 
  accident are classiﬁed, and he deﬁnitely doesn’t like 
  to talk about it). His eyepatch gives him a rather 
  sinister look, but in fact he’s amicable, dedicated to 
  his job, and as helpful to the Sentinels as he can be 
  while still following his boss’s orders.
  
  chapter four:
  chapter four:
  THE JUSTICE SQUADRON
  
  68 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  N
  ew York’s other major superhero team 
  is the Justice Squadron, which has had 
  a friendly rivalry with the Sentinels that 
  spans more than forty years. Unlike 
  the Sentinels, the JS has maintained a remark-
  ably stable membership, with retiring members 
  frequently replaced by their hand-picked succes-
  sors. “The Sentinels are a team, but the Squadron 
  is a family,” Brawler once said, and that distinc-
  tion still stands today.
  THE WAR YEARS (1942-1946)
  The original Justice Squadron was founded 
  in the early days of 1942, not long after America’s 
  entry into World War II. A better-known super-
  team, the Defenders of Justice, placed itself 
  under the command of the US government 
  through Project Rainbow in the weeks following 
  Pearl Harbor. When the DoJ became aware of 
  the magical spells protecting Axis territory from 
  Allied superhumans, it divided itself into two 
  teams:  the Defenders, made up of the superhu-
  man members of the original team with a few 
  new additions, who would protect the homefront 
  and were primarily located on the East Coast; 
  and the Freedom Battalion, who were nonpow-
  ered crimefighters and mystery men that could 
  operate in the overseas theaters of the war.
  The Justice Squadron, a third team, had no 
  oﬃcial standing with the government at ﬁrst 
  (though its members were given special sanction 
  and limited government approval in 1944). It was 
  located primarily on the West Coast and consisted 
  of superheroes who were ineligible for the draft 
  for various reasons. Assembled by the mysterious 
  Drifter, the original team included Brawler, a non-
  powered two-ﬁsted crimeﬁghter from Los Angeles 
  who had been inspired by the legends of the Black 
  Mask, and who was already too old for the military 
  at 37 in 1942; Tomahawk, a teenage hero from the 
  Timasjomi tribe, who was originally from Wiscon-
  sin and wielded mystical weapons given to him by 
  his tribe’s shaman; Vita-Man, a Los Angeles-based 
  pharmacist whose childhood sickness had left him 
  wheelchair-bound ordinarily but had developed 
  special vitamins that gave him superhuman abili-
  ties for short periods of time; and Skygirl, who had 
  received her power to cancel the eﬀects of gravity 
  on herself or others from an accident in her father’s 
  laboratory near San Francisco.
  The ﬁve heroes maintained active solo careers 
  as superheroes during the war, only gather-
  ing together as a team when the Drifter needed 
  their assistance with a major threat (such as the 
  attempted invasion of California by Lemurians in 
  late 1942, or the emergence of the monstrous Mar-
  doom-Thah from his tomb beneath the Antarctic 
  ice in 1944). After the war was over, like many cos-
  tumed heroes Brawler, Vita-Man and Skygirl retired 
  from active costumed activities, while Tomahawk 
  and the Drifter remained active in secret, primarily 
  by battling occult menaces.
  VANGUARD REFORMS THE TEAM (1962-1979)
  In 1959, explorer and anthropologist Jeﬀrey 
  Sinclair discovered a mysterious Tibetan palace 
  containing a strange golden statue that transformed 
  him into the powerhouse superhero Vanguard. 
  After several years of solo activity, Vanguard and 
  the Drifter teamed up to battle a splinter coven 
  of the Circle of the Scarlet Moon, and they found 
  their working partnership to be particularly eﬀec-
  tive. Vanguard appreciated the Drifter’s greater 
  awareness of the scope of the Mystic World, while 
  the Drifter could only marvel at some of the amaz-
  ing feats Vanguard was capable of. They worked 
  together several times after that. In in 1962 when 
  Bram McFarlan trapped the Drifter in another 
  dimension to keep him from interfering with his 
  eﬀorts to revive the demonic Mardoom-Thah, the 
  Drifter managed to get an astral message to Van-
  guard asking him to recruit the former members of 
  the Justice Squadron to help save the world.
  Vanguard found Tomahawk, now an active 
  adult superhero in Wisconsin, and the two went in 
  search of the other former members of the team. 
  Unfortunately, Skygirl had died in a car accident 
  some years earlier, and Vita-Man was far too sick 
  to participate in any further adventures. However, 
  Vita-Man’s niece Cassie was able to use some of his 
  discoveries to become a second Skygirl and joined 
  the team, along with Brawler’s own son who’d 
  long been training for a career as a masked crime-
  ﬁghter. After the four heroes freed the Drifter and 
  reimprisoned the monster they decided to remain 
  together as a new Justice Squadron.
  In 1964 the team underwent a bit of a 
  change in direction, since both the enigmatic 
  Drifter and Vanguard had very busy solo careers 
  as heroes and weren’t regularly available for 
  meetings or any sort of long-term strategic 
  planning. Brawler II wanted to make the team 
  more like the Fabulous Five or the Sentinels and 
  THE JUSTICE 
  SQUADRON
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Four 
  69 
  mildly resented the popular opinion that his 
  team was nothing more than “Vanguard’s pals.” 
  He recruited two new members, a young Finnish 
  mutant named Rowan with force-manipulation 
  powers, and a flashy scientist called Starburst 
  with a suite of light powers. He also set up a 
  regular headquarters in a mansion in Brook-
  lyn Heights. Though the Drifter and Vanguard 
  remained members and frequently worked with 
  the team to handle particularly large menaces 
  (something the team faced with greater fre-
  quency than either the Sentinels or the Fabulous 
  Five), the team also actively pursued villains 
  like Dr. Macabre or the Destroyers and regularly 
  opposed the plans of VIPER.
  The team added its eighth and ninth members 
  in 1967. The brilliant inventor William Carr aided 
  them on a mission and found he liked adventuring. 
  He built himself a suit of powered armor and chris-
  tened himself Digitak. Later that year a teenage 
  mutant named Juanita Heredia, who could shape-
  shift into the form of a giant jungle cat, helped the 
  team on a mission in Peru and joined under the 
  name of Ocelot.
  The Justice Squadron was one of America’s 
  premier hero teams throughout the 1970s, main-
  taining a friendly rivalry with both the Sentinels 
  and the Fabulous Five (who the JS began to eclipse 
  once the original members became less active).  
  Tragically, the young heroine Ocelot was killed 
  during the team’s ﬁrst encounter with the menac-
  ing Dr. Destroyer in 1975. Rowan left the team in 
  1979 when she began to have diﬃculty controlling 
  her powers, and eventually started the Ravenswood 
  Academy for superhuman youngsters (see Teen 
  Champions). The original Tomahawk also stepped 
  down after his ﬁftieth birthday, passing his weap-
  ons on to a young man from his tribe who’d been 
  trained and prepared by the shamans. Brawler 
  developed superpowers of his own on a mission in 
  Siberia when he was exposed to bizarre radiation at 
  the hands of Spektr (page 141) and gained super-
  human strength. As the group continued to grow in 
  skill and power, it concentrated more on the ever-
  increasing number of large-scale menaces to Earth 
  instead of pursuing costumed bank robbers, and 
  Vanguard and the Drifter both spent more time 
  actively working with the team.
  THE MODERN SQUADRON (1980-PRESENT)
  As the 1980s dawned, Starburst retired and 
  was replaced on the team by Crusader, a masked 
  vigilante who had some knowledge of the occult. 
  Unlike the Sentinels, who seemed to change their 
  roster every few months, the Justice Squadron 
  were closer friends and had a less formal team 
  structure (perhaps one of the reasons government 
  oﬃcials largely stayed out of their aﬀairs). By the 
  late Eighties, as they passed more than a quarter-
  century of working together, both Brawler and 
  Skygirl retired to less stressful lives. The former was 
  replaced by his own son, a mutant with far greater 
  strength then either of his predecessors. Skygirl’s 
  place on the team was taken by Goblin (a mysti-
  cal shapechanger from an alternate Earth ruled 
  by demons). The team’s roster was reduced by one 
  in 1987, when Crusader was killed by Takofanes 
  during the Archlich’s initial destructive rampage 
  across the Midwest.
  Unfortunately, that loss was just a prelude to 
  greater tragedies in the 1992 Battle of Detroit. Both 
  Goblin and Vanguard were among the casualties 
  of that fateful day, the former directly at the hands 
  of Dr. Destroyer and the latter while smashing 
  the swarm of deadly asteroids the master villain 
  intended to use as horrible weapons. Digitak was 
  badly injured in battle against Grond and had 
  to retire, passing his technology on to his own 
  daughter Electron. The Justice Squadron was badly 
  shaken by their losses, but eventually recovered and 
  began anew under the leadership of Tomahawk 
  II and Brawler III. The roster was bolstered with 
  the addition of Blink, one of the ﬁrst graduates of 
  Ravenswood Academy, in 1993.
  In 1996 the team accepted as a new member 
  the ﬁery Flashover, daughter of one of the team’s 
  oldest enemies and herself a reformed supercrimi-
  nal, though this caused considerable stir in the 
  press. The resulting lineup (Brawler, Tomahawk, the 
  Drifter, Electron, Blink, and Flashover) became the 
  longest stable lineup the team had ever seen, lasting 
  nearly a decade until Electron married Amazing 
  Man II in 2005 and left to help found the Good-
  man Institute (see Chapter Five). In her place, the 
  Squadron recruited another one of Rowan’s former 
  students with a questionable past, the cosmically-
  powered Superstar.
  Today the Justice Squadron is widely regarded 
  as one of the most powerful superteams in the 
  world. The mere presence of the Drifter alone 
  practically qualiﬁes the team for that distinction, 
  and when you combine his mystic might with the 
  enormous strength of Brawler, the raw ﬁery power 
  of Flashover, and the cleverness and talents of the 
  other members you have a nearly unbeatable com-
  bination... as the JS’s enemies have often found to 
  their chagrin.
  
  70 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  BLINK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   13 STR 
  3 
  12- 
  Lift 150 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   15 PRE 
  5 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   18 COM 
  4 
  13-
   6 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  21 PD (15 rPD)
   5 ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  20 ED (15 rED)
   5 SPD 
  22 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   25 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  80
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Teleportation:  30”/60”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  45 
  Teleportation Power:  Endurance Reserve 
  (200 END, 25 REC) 
  0
  90 
  Exoteleportation:  Multipower,  
  90-point reserve
  3u 
  1)  Self-Teleportation:  Teleportation 30”; 
  Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1) 18
  9u 
  2)  Basic Exoteleportation:  Teleportation  
  30”, x16 Noncombat, x8 Increased Mass; 
  Cannot Use Slot Unless He Carries At  
  Least x2 Increased Mass (-0) 
  9
  3u 
  3)  Long-Range Exoteleportation:   
  Teleportation 10”, x8 Increased Mass,  
  MegaScale (1” = 1 km; +¼); Cannot Use  
  Slot Unless He Carries At Least x2  
  Increased Mass (-0), Increased Endurance 
  Cost (x2 END; -½) 
  8
  1 
  Safe House:   Fixed Location  
  (JS HQ in NYC) 
  0
  137 
  Exoteleportation Abilities:  Multipower,  
  137-point reserve
  27m 1)  Exoteleportation Attack:   
  Teleportation 20”, x4 Increased Mass,  
  Usable As Attack (defense is Teleportation, 
  Extra-Dimensional Movement, or Power 
  Defense; +1), Ranged (+½), Reduced  
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Increased  
  Endurance Cost (x2 END when power  
  is used against living matter; -0) 
  6
  12m 2)  Exoteleported Missiles:  RKA 2d6,  
  NND (defense is Teleportation, Extra-
  Dimensional Movement, or Power  
  Defense; +1), Does BODY (+1); OIF  
  (small objects of opportunity; -½) 
  9
  6m 
  3)  Dropped Objects:  Energy Blast 8d6,  
  Indirect (always from above target; +¼);  
  OIF (heavy blunt objects of opportunity;  
  -½), Limited Range (50”; -¼) 
  5
  2u 
  4)  Exoteleportation Point Defense:   
  Missile Deﬂection (all physical missiles), 
  Range (+1); Costs Endurance (-½) 
  3
  58 
  Exoteleported Arsenal:  Variable Power  
  Pool (Gadget Pool), 50 base + 25 control 
  cost; all slots OAF (-1), Very Limited  
  Class Of Powers (only gadgets, weapons,  
  or other items he keeps in JS HQ; -1), 
  Requires A Teleportation Tricks Roll  
  (-1 per 20 Active Points; -¼) 
  var
  10 
  Armored Costume:  Armor (5 PD/5 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  36 
  Force Field Belt:  Force Field (10 PD/ 
  10 ED), Protects Carried Items, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); IIF (-¼) 
  0
  6 
  Squadron Communicator:  HRRP  
  (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Aﬀected As  
  Sight And Hearing Group As Well As  
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
   
  Skills
  8 
  +4 with Exoteleport
  9 
  Targeting Skill Levels:  +6 versus Size penal-
  ties with Exoteleportation Attack
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Computer Programming 12-
  3 
  Deduction 12-
  3 
  Electronics 12-
  3 
  Inventor 12-
  3 
  Mechanics 12-
  15 
  Power:  Teleportation Tricks 18-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  518
  Total Cost:  598
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  JS Rogues’ Gallery 8- (As Pow, 
  Public Identity, Harshly Punish)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Enjoys The Lime-
  light  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  Wealthy Celebrity Hero, 11-
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Craig 
  Nguyen) (Frequently, Major)
  323 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  598
  Background/History:  Craig Nguyen is a half-Ameri-
  can, half Vietnamese man who was born in 1965 
  to parents who were UNTIL agents who met while 
  on duty in the Philippines. His childhood was a 
  fairly normal one (though the family moved a lot), 
  but that changed in 1981 when he manifested the 
  power to teleport. At ﬁrst he could only teleport 
  other people or objects, not himself. At the time 
  UNITY did not yet exist, so his parents weren’t sure 
  what to do about teaching him to use his powers. 
  Fortunately, the retired superheroine and educa-
  tor-in-training Rowan (see Teen Champions) heard 
  about him and arranged to meet with the Nguyens. 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Four 
  71 
  As a result of that meeting she began working with 
  Craig to train him. When she founded Ravenswood 
  Academy, he attended, graduating as part of the 
  Academy’s ﬁrst class in 1982.
  During his time with Rowan and the Acad-
  emy Craig learned how to use his teleportation 
  powers only on himself, but his real strength 
  still lay in teleporting other people and objects 
  (either separately or along with himself). Recog-
  nizing that this ability made him ideally suited to 
  working with a team of superheroes, in 1993 she 
  introduced him to the Justice Squadron, which 
  accepted him as a provisional member. The rela-
  tionship worked out beautifully, and he’s been a 
  mainstay of the team ever since.
  Personality/Motivation:  Blink is one of the most 
  upstanding members of the JS. He was raised by 
  professional super-crime “cops,” and thus spent 
  all of his life on the periphery of the Superhuman 
  World. He absorbed its ethos and beliefs whole-
  heartedly — he’s a hero because he thinks it’s right 
  and proper that people with superpowers use them 
  to beneﬁt humanity rather than hurt it. He’s as 
  “simple,” and as profound, as that.
  But he’s not all duty, duty, duty — he knows 
  how to have fun too. He’s got a clever, puckish 
  sense of humor that appeals to almost everyone. 
  He’s a bit of a showoff, enjoying the chance to 
  display his powers and steal the limelight a little. 
  He’s even more inclined to do this when there 
  are pretty girls to show off too; despite a string of 
  romances he has yet to find Miss Right... though 
  he never stops looking.
  Quote:  “OK, time to take a trip!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Blink’s powers revolve around 
  what he refers to as exoteleportation — the abil-
  ity to teleport other people and objects. He can 
  teleport only himself, though he can only do this 
  for relatively short distances and finds it tiring. 
  It’s much easier for him to teleport objects or 
  other people — even if he travels with the other 
  people or objects. The JS has worked out a wide 
  variety of combat tactics that utilize Blink’s 
  powers to the fullest, and he’s always on the look-
  out for new ways to use them creatively.
  Besides exoteleporting people and things just 
  to move them, he can use his powers in several spe-
  cialized ways. For example, he can teleport physi-
  cal missiles away from himself or others, or can 
  teleport small objects into people to inﬂict grievous 
  wounds. Even better, he’s something of a gadgeteer 
  and can teleport weapons and other devices from 
  his lab at JS headquarters right into his hands. (The 
  GM should deﬁne what devices are available to him 
  for any given ﬁght, if necessary; generally he can’t 
  reconﬁgure his Gadget VPP in the ﬁeld.)
  Since Electron’s retirement, Blink has served 
  as the JS’s resident computer expert, scientist, and 
  tinkerer/engineer. He’s nowhere near as skilled in 
  those ﬁelds as she was, but he gets by just ﬁne most 
  of the time.
  Campaign Use:  For campaigns with PC teams that 
  lack either (a) a gadgeteer, or (b) means of rapid 
  travel, Blink makes an excellent NPC teammate or 
  acquaintance. He’s usually happy to drop whatever 
  he’s doing to help out his friends in the Superhu-
  man World.
  To make Blink tougher, remove the restrictions 
  on his powers so that he can teleport easily whether 
  he carries other objects or just goes by himself. You 
  could also give him more “Teleporation tricks” (see 
  The UNTIL Superpowers Databases or The Ultimate 
  Speedster for dozens of examples). To weaken him, 
  reduce his SPD to 4 and his Endurance Reserve to 
  100 END, 10 REC.
  Blink doesn’t Hunt people except as part of a 
  Squadron mission, in which case he follows orders.
  Appearance:  Blink is an Asian male, 5’6” tall; he’s 
  in his mid thirties and has short black hair and a 
  thin build. He wears a blue bodysuit with red ﬁn-
  gerless gloves and knee-hight boots; on his chest is 
  a red design of six arrows pointing symmetrically 
  outwards from a central circle. Over this he usually 
  wears a dark blue leather jacket. He usually carries 
  some interesting piece of technology from Justice 
  Squadron headquarters.
  
  72 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  BRAWLER III
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   80 STR 
  70 
  25- 
  Lift 1.6ktons; 16d6 [8]
   16 DEX 
  18 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   40 CON 
  60 
  17-
   30 BODY 40 
  15-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   11 EGO 
  2 
  11- 
  ECV:  4
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   35 PD 
  19 
   
  Total:  35 PD (35 rPD)
   30 ED 
  22 
   
  Total:  30 ED (30 rED)
   5 SPD 
  24 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   24 REC 
  0
   80 END 
  0
   90 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  275
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  16”/32”
  Cost Powers 
  END
   
  Martial Arts: Brawling
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Martial Block +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Martial Escape +0 
  +0 
  95 STR vs. 
  Grabs
  3 
  Martial Grab 
  -1 
  -1 
  Grab Two 
  Limbs, 90 STR 
  for holding on
  3 
  Martial Throw +0 
  +1 
  16d6 + v/5, 
  Target Falls
  20 
  Eﬃcient Strength:  Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼) for 80 STR  
  0
  33 
  Radiation-Charged Body:  Damage  
  Resistance (35 PD/30 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Sturdy:  Physical Damage Reduction,  
  Resistant, 50% 
  0
  15 
  Sturdy:  Energy Damage Reduction,  
  Resistant, 25% 
  0
  10 
  Tough Skin:  Lack Of Weakness (-10)  
  for Normal Defenses 
  0
  8 
  Tremendously Heavy:  Knockback  
  Resistance -4” 
  0
  1 
  Enormous Lungs:  Life Support  (Extended 
  Breathing: 1 END per Turn) 
  0
  5 
  Sturdy:  Life Support  (Safe Environments:  
  High Pressure, High Radiation, Low  
  Pressure/Vacuum) 
  0
  5 
  Fast Healer:  Healing 1 BODY, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); 
  Extra Time (Regeneration, 1 BODY per 
  Hour; -2¼), Self Only (-½) 
  0
  6 
  Squadron Communicator:  HRRP  
  (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Aﬀected As  
  Sight And Hearing Group As Well As  
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
  4 
  Reputation:  One Of The World’s Strongest 
  Heroes (A large group) 11-, +2/+2d6
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
   
  Talents
  5 
  Resistance (5 points)
   
  Skills
  25 
  +5 HTH
  3 
  Breakfall 12-
  3 
  Climbing 12-
  3 
  Combat Piloting 12-
  3 
  Demolitions 12-
  2 
  AK: New York And Environs 11-
  3 
  KS: DOSPA Procedures 12-
  4 
  KS: History And Enemies Of The Justice 
  Squadron 13-
  1 
  Language:  Spanish (basic conversation; Eng-
  lish is Native)
  2 
  Navigation (Air) 12-
  3 
  Paramedics 12-
  15 
  Power:  Brick Tricks 18-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Teamwork 12-
  3 
  TF:  Combat Aircraft, Large Planes, Small 
  Planes, Spaceplanes
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  245
  Total Cost:  520
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  DNPC:  Mom 11- (Incompetent; Useful 
  Noncombat Position or Skills)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Large (almost eight feet 
  tall and weighs about 700 kg) (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  Oversized/Clumsy 
  Fingers (-2 to appropriate DEX Rolls) (Infre-
  quently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Hunted:  JS Rogues’ Gallery 11- (As Pow, 
  Public Identity, Harshly Punish)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Devoted To Being 
  A Hero And Doing Good (Common, Total)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Chivalrous 
  Towards (And Occasionally Clumsy Around) 
  Women (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other bricks
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Doug 
  Ashmore) (Frequently, Major)
  205 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  520
  Background/History:  Doug Ashmore prepared 
  himself all his life to be a superhero. His grand-
  father, Walter, was the original Brawler, a two-
  ﬁsted masked adventurer who began his career 
  in the 1920s. Inspired by the legends of the Black 
  Masks, the ﬁrst Brawler used his wits and his skill 
  at ﬁsticuﬀs to battle crime on the streets of Los 
  Angeles until the outbreak of World War II, when 
  he helped found the original Justice Squadron 
  along with the Drifter. Walter’s son Ronald inher-
  ited the name and mask in 1960 and joined the 
  team’s second iteration when it started in 1962. 
  In 1965, Ronald was exposed to a strange form of 
  radiation while battling in a mad scientist’s lab; he 
  spent several weeks in the hospital being treated 
  for burns, but when he emerged he discovered 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Four 
  73 
  his strength had increased to 
  superhuman levels. Ronald 
  was quite concerned when 
  his wife Frances became 
  pregnant the next year, but 
  their son Douglas seemed to 
  be a perfectly healthy boy.
  Douglas grew up among 
  the various members of the 
  Justice Squadron, and despite 
  his parent’s eﬀorts to give 
  him a “normal” childhood 
  he was always fascinated by 
  the exploits of his father and 
  father’s friends. When he hit 
  puberty he began a growth 
  spurt that soon proved to be 
  extraordinary — by the time 
  he was sixteen he was nearly 
  seven feet tall and already as 
  strong as his father. In 1985 
  Ronald gave him permission 
  to adopt the Brawler name 
  and costume and replace him 
  on the team.
  As Brawler III, Doug 
  has been one of the Justice 
  Squadron’s mainstays for 
  twenty years. His large size 
  and friendly demeanor 
  have made him one of the 
  country’s most recogniz-
  able and popular celebrity 
  superheroes, a role he takes 
  extremely seriously. For many years he was 
  romantically linked with Electron, the team’s 
  beautiful gadgeteer, but in the late Nineties they 
  grew apart (Electron eventually fell in love with 
  Amazing Man II of the Sentinels, whom she 
  married him in 2005). His father died of cancer 
  in 1997, but his mother remains a well-known 
  celebrity in her own right, having written sev-
  eral books about her husband and some of the 
  Squadron’s most interesting adventures.
  Personality/Motivation:  Brawler is living the exact 
  role he’s prepared for all of his life. Being a super-
  hero is everything he expected, and he’s only a little 
  bit sorry now that he never tried anything else. He 
  occasionally expresses desires to have a “normal” 
  life, but he’s not entirely sure what that would entail, 
  and he’s never really taken any of the opportunities 
  that have come along to try it out. After all, there’s 
  always another villain to chase after or another 
  alien invasion to thwart... and even if there isn’t the 
  headquarters needs some repairs or DOSPA needs 
  some paperwork ﬁlled out.
  Brawler is a good soldier slightly miscast 
  as “team leader.” In the ﬁeld he usually defers to 
  the advice of Tomahawk or the Drifter, but the 
  younger heroes deﬁnitely look to him for guid-
  ance, and nobody on the team is more concerned 
  about the Squadron as a group. Brawler makes 
  sure the members get along together and train 
  together. He does a lot of the work to maintain the 
  team’s good image, so the others tend to defer to 
  him pretty much everywhere outside of combat. 
  The Drifter’s rarely around during downtime, and 
  Tomahawk’s emotional reserve and cynicism don’t 
  lend themselves to creating a “team atmosphere,” 
  so if it wasn’t for Brawler the group would prob-
  ably eventually fall apart. The younger members 
  of the team have gotten used to having Brawler 
  around as a sounding board for advice (Flashover 
  and Superstar in particular go to him for help on 
  dealing with the probing questions about their 
  pasts they get from the press). Brawler’s also sur-
  prisingly good at the bureaucratic side of leader-
  ship, maintaining good relationships with DOSPA, 
  PRIMUS, and UNTIL.
  Brawler believes strongly in the Boy Scout-
  ish “heroic code” as handed down by his family. 
  He’s also very aware of his role as a celebrity, 
  frequently taking time out to film public service 
  announcements, visit sick kids in hospitals, and 
  do other good works for charity without making 
  a big deal out of it.
  One of Brawler’s primary weaknesses is his 
  relationships with women he ﬁnds attractive. He’s 
  rarely “dated,” and spent most of his early adult 
  years in a long-term relationship with Electron 
  that was never really destined to work out. He’s not 
  misogynist or even particularly sexist, but instead is 
  shy (sometimes overpoweringly so) around women 
  he ﬁnds attractive and liable not to think too clearly 
  when one is involved.
  
  74 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Quote:  “I’ve fought for justice my entire life, and 
  we’re not giving up now!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Brawler is one of the ﬁrst heroes 
  that comes to the average person’s mind when 
  the term “brick” is used. He’s incredibly powerful, 
  nearly impossible to hurt, and fairly talented in 
  hand-to-hand combat despite his imposing bulk.
  Brawler’s had extensive training and experi-
  ence, but he’s often poor at improvising in com-
  pletely new situations or thinking creatively in 
  combat. He tends to lead with his chin, trusting 
  in his own ability to soak up damage to open up 
  opportunities for his teammates; after all, every 
  shot wasted on him is one that isn’t aimed at his 
  more fragile friends. He enjoys the rare times 
  he’s able to cut loose on opponents in his own 
  strength class, since so much of the time he has 
  to try hard not to accidentally injure anyone or 
  break valuable equipment.
  Campaign Use:  In combat, Brawler is as basic as 
  they come, and can handily ﬁll the niche of brick 
  wherever needed. There are much greater oppor-
  tunities for stories involving his own insecurities, 
  whether they come from his responsibility to the 
  legacies of the team or his predecessors, or his own 
  personal relationships. It’s easy to underestimate 
  Brawler and his importance to the rest of the team 
  — without his sturdy backbone, the Justice Squad-
  ron might collapse under the weight of its history 
  and celebrity.
  To make Brawler a tougher opponent, give him 
  a Multipower of “brick tricks” (see The Ultimate 
  Brick for dozens of examples). He can do a few such 
  tricks now just using his Power Skill, but buying 
  them lets him use them more consistently and 
  easily. To weaken him, reduce his STR to 70 and his 
  defenses slightly as well.
  Brawler only Hunts people as part of the JS; he 
  follows whatever plan or procedure the team devises.
  Appearance:  Brawler II stands about 7’8” (and is 
  nearly that wide) and weighs over 1,500 pounds. 
  He’s heavily muscled, broad-shouldered, and barrel-
  chested, with a squarish head and nearly no neck 
  to speak of. He wears a red bodysuit with metallic 
  highlights on the biceps, legs and belt, and white 
  boots and gloves. His cowl covers his whole head 
  like a wrestler’s mask.
  THE DRIFTER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   14 DEX 
  12 
  12- 
  OCV:  5/DCV:  5
   18 CON 
  16 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   25 INT 
  15 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   26 EGO 
  32 
  14- 
  ECV:  9
   33 PRE 
  23 
  16- 
  PRE Attack:  6½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  6 
   
  Total:  23 PD (15 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  23 ED (15 rED)
   5 SPD 
  26 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   36 END 
  0
   29 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  144
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Teleportation:  25”/1,600”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  60 
  Mystic Power:  Endurance Reserve  
  (300 END, 30 REC) 
  0
  375 
  Thaumaturgical Powers:  Variable  
  Power Pool, 150 base + 75 control cost, 
  Cosmic (+2) 
  var
  90 
  Mystic Wards:  Force Field (15 PD/ 
  15 ED/15 Mental Defense/15 Power  
  Defense), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 0
  60 
  Mystic Fortitude:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  50 
  Mystic Fortitude:  Life Support:  Total 
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  7 
  Mystic Fortitude:  Healing BODY 1d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Extra Time  
  (Regeneration, 1 BODY per Turn  
  [Post-Segment 12]; -1¼), Self Only (-½) 
  0
  75 
  Instantaneous Travel:  Teleportation 25”,  
  x64 Noncombat 
  7
  45 
  Walking Through Realities:  Extra- 
  Dimensional Movement (any physical  
  location in any dimension) 
  4
  9 
  Oracular Dreams:  Clairsentience (Hearing  
  And Sight Groups), Precognition, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Extra Time  
  (minimum of 1 Hour spent sleeping, and  
  often longer; -3), No Conscious Control  
  (-2), Only Through Dreams (-1),  
  Precognition Only (-1) 
  0
  15 
  See The Arcane:  Detect Magic 14-  
  (Sight Group), Discriminatory, Analyze 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
  3 
  Well-Connected
  2 
  1)  The Witness 8- (very useful Skills or 
  resources)
  17 
  2)  The Trismegistus Council 11- (extremely 
  useful Skills or resources, signiﬁcant Con-
  tacts of its own, Organization)
  25 
  3)  25 more points’ worth of Contacts and 
  Favors in the Mystic World
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Four 
  75 
   
  Talents
  46 
  Mystic Guardian Of Earth:  Danger Sense 
  (any location, any danger, sense) 18-
  24 
  Gift Of Tongues:  Universal Translator 18-
   
  Skills
  18 
  +6 with Thaumaturgical Powers VPP
  3 
  Acting 16-
  3 
  Analyze Magic 14-
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Conversation 16-
  5 
  Cramming
  2 
  Cryptography 14-; Translation Only (-½)
  3 
  AK: Earth 14-
  2 
  AK: Faerie 11-
  11 
  Navigation (Astral, Dimensional) 18-
  3 
  Oratory 16-
  3 
  Persuasion 16-
  3 
  Shadowing 14-
  3 
  Stealth 12-
  3 
  Trading 16-
  3 
  Scholar
  6 
  1)  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 18-
  2 
  2)  KS: Dimension Lords And Cosmic 
  Entities 14-
  2 
  3)  KS: History 14-
  6 
  4)  KS: The Mystic World 18-
  1 
  5)  KS: The Superhuman World 11-
  4 
  6)  KS: Thaumaturgy 16-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  1,003
  Total Cost:  1,147
  200+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Distinctive Features:  discomﬁtting aura (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction [dis-
  comfort, nervousness, “the creeps”])
  15 
  Hunted:  Circle Of the Scarlet Moon 8- (As 
  Pow, NCI, Harshly Punish)
  20 
  Hunted:  DEMON 11- (As Pow, NCI, Harshly 
  Punish)
  15 
  Hunted:  Various Evil Cosmic Entities 8- (Mo 
  Pow, Harshly Punish)
  5 
  Physical Limitation: Cannot Disguise Him-
  self (Infrequently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Tries to Pre-
  vent The Disasters And Evil He Foresees 
  (Common, Total)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Manipulative; Not 
  Above Playing On Other’s Weaknesses For 
  The Greater Good (Common, Moderate)
  842 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,147
  Background/History:  The Drifter — a name widely 
  thought to be short for “the Astral Planes Drifter,” 
  though that belief didn’t become common until 
  the mid-Seventies as a play on the movie title High 
  Plains Drifter — is a strange mystic hero with an 
  equally strange past. Jonathan Keyes was an an up-
  and-coming prosecutor in the New York City Dis-
  trict Attorney’s oﬃce in 1938 with a bright future 
  ahead. He was working night and day amassing evi-
  dence for his biggest case ever, in which he planned 
  to ﬁnally bring down notorious mob boss Matteo 
  Camorra. But Camorra learned what Keyes was 
  doing and decided 
  to make an example 
  of him. He framed 
  the young lawyer 
  for various crimes, 
  including suborn-
  ing false testimony 
  and embezzling 
  government funds. 
  And he did such a 
  good job of it Keyes 
  was found guilty 
  and disbarred. His 
  friends turned their 
  backs on him in 
  disgust, and Keyes, 
  who’d always drank 
  a little too much 
  anyway, slipped into 
  chronic alcoholism 
  and depression. He 
  soon lost his fancy 
  apartment and 
  wound up living in 
  a rat-infested ﬂop-
  house in the Bowery.
  One night 
  Keyes was sleeping 
  oﬀ a bender in an 
  alleyway near the 
  docks when the 
  sounds of a ﬁght 
  awakened him. 
  He saw a mugging 
  taking place — two young toughs were beating the 
  old ﬁsherman and taking his meager earnings for 
  the night. Keyes tried to intervene and protect the 
  old man, but the thugs overpowered him as well 
  and one of them stabbed him in the heart with a 
  knife. As Keyes fell to the ground in a small pool of 
  his own blood, the crooks ran oﬀ.
  Keyes awoke to ﬁnd himself in a misty land-
  scape, a dark wood obscured by fog. Standing next 
  to him was a being, who alternately seemed to 
  look like an old bearded man in a robe, a beauti-
  ful young woman, or an enormous owl each time 
  the dim moonlight caught him. His mysterious 
  companion spoke to him, retelling his life story 
  and commiserating over the misfortunes that had 
  befallen him. “You lost your faith in the world, 
  Jonathan, your faith in justice, law, and fairness. 
  Would you like an opportunity to set it all right, 
  to restore the balance?” Keyes, thinking this was 
  some sort of dying dream, laughed a little and said, 
  “More than anything.” “Done, then,” answered the 
  being, who raised its hands/wings and disappeared 
  into a choking mist that made Keyes cough. “You 
  will return to the world, changed forever and yet 
  unchanging, for as long as you have the will to ﬁght 
  for what is right.”
  When the mist cleared, Keyes was back in the 
  alley behind the ﬁshery. He felt somehow stronger, 
  more alive than he’d ever felt before. His mind 
  was ﬁlled with knowledge and wisdom, his body 
  with mystic power. Eerie visions passed before his 
  
  76 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  eyes, and secrets he was barely conscious of until 
  he concentrated on them ﬂitted through his brain. 
  He struck the alley wall experimentally, and was 
  strangely reassured by the pain.
  He returned to his rooms and tried to change 
  out of his ratty overcoat and bloodstained shirt... 
  but no matter what other clothes he put on, they 
  transformed before his eyes back into what he’d 
  been wearing when he died. The wound on his 
  chest remained too, no longer bleeding but still 
  there as a reminder of his strange encounter.
  Keyes used his remarkable new abilities over the 
  next several weeks, ﬁrst to bring to justice the two 
  thugs that had “killed” him and then to dismantle the 
  Camorra organization piece by piece, ﬁnally confront-
  ing Camorra himself in his penthouse apartment. 
  He narrowly avoided the mobster’s mad rush with a 
  knife, causing Camorra to plunge over the railing to 
  his death. But Keyes soon realized there was more to 
  his abilities than just ﬁghting crooks on the streets. He 
  was somehow attuned to the world, particularly its 
  mystic side, and could sense where he was needed. He 
  began appearing mysteriously to those in peril, help-
  ing them and thwarting the evil that attacked them. 
  More than one would-be victim later told report-
  ers about “that drifter who saved me”... and thus the 
  Drifter got a name.
  When World War II broke out, the Drifter 
  found himself regularly in conﬂict with various 
  mystics working for the Axis powers. Despite 
  the fact that he preferred (and still prefers) to 
  work alone most of the time, he joined the Justice 
  Squadron to protect the American homefront 
  from enemy activities. During this time he became 
  friends with the original Brawler and Tomahawk, 
  and when the war ended and the team broke up the 
  three remained friends.
  In the years after the war, few costumed 
  superheroes were active. The Drifter continued 
  to operate, but behind the scenes, in the shadows 
  where his enemies also lurked. He studied more 
  and more of the secrets of the arcane, becoming 
  an accomplished thaumaturge and traveling exten-
  sively throughout the dimensions. In 1961 he met 
  the young superhero Vanguard when both were 
  pursuing a pack of werewolves, and they struck up 
  a friendship. A few months later, Bram MacFarlane 
  captured the Drifter and tried to siphon his potent 
  mystical energies oﬀ to use himself. Vanguard 
  assembled a new Justice Squadron to rescue his old 
  friend, and when it was all over the Drifter joined 
  the team himself. For the next thirty years, until 
  Vanguard’s death in the Battle of Detroit, the two 
  heroes remained the core of the Squadron.
  Today the Drifter continues to be one Earth’s 
  foremost mystical defenders. Though he rarely partici-
  pates in the day-to-day activities of the team, they’re 
  always his ﬁrst choice when he requires allies to help 
  him deal with a major threat, and he’s always available 
  for the team to call on themselves when they encoun-
  ter a magical problem. He’s on good terms with other 
  mystical agents for good, whether groups like the Tris-
  megistus Council or individual heroes like Witchcraft 
  and Robert Caliburn. Some have suggested he should 
  be the next Archmage.
  Personality/Motivation:  The Drifter is a power-
  ful force for good in the world — one of Earth’s 
  mightiest mystics, and a man (some would say 
  “being”) of bravery, learning, and wisdom to 
  boot. Although he seems to enjoy being enig-
  matic just to frustrate those around them, and is 
  in human terms somewhat distant and detached 
  (not to mention, as Flashover puts it, “spooky”), 
  the other JSers know he’s a true friend and rely 
  on him and his advice extensively.
  In addition to being “deliberately mysterious,” 
  the Drifter can also be pushy and manipulative — if 
  he thinks something needs to be done, he doesn’t 
  care if people do it because they’re asked or because 
  he tricks them into it. All that matters is that it gets 
  done. He’s always focused on the “big picture” of 
  protecting humanity and defeating evil, and seems 
  to care little for the “small problems” of everyday 
  life (such as maintaining a Secret Identity, keep-
  ing dates with spouses or girlfriends, or the like... 
  something the other JSers and more than a few 
  solo heroes have learned to their chagrin when he 
  showed up out of nowhere to insist on their help).
  Despite all that he’s learned over the last sixty 
  years as a student of the occult and traveler among 
  dimensions, the Drifter still doesn’t know who it 
  was that ﬁrst returned him from beyond death 
  and gave him his original powers. He suspects that 
  it was some Lord of the Outer Planes, perhaps a 
  manifestation of Justice, though it’s possible he was 
  bonded with some spirit who seeks to right wrongs. 
  Ultimately it’s not important; what matters is that 
  he has a role to play in the destiny of the world and 
  intends to do so to the best of his ability.
  Quote:  “I dreamed last night of ﬁre and darkness. 
  You’re going to have to come with me.”
  Powers/Tactics:  The Drifter is one of the most 
  powerful good-aligned mystics on Earth; some 
  people even think he could give Takofanes a run for 
  his money (an assertion the Drifter rightly denies, 
  though the two have yet to clash). See The Mystic 
  World for dozens of thaumaturgy spells he can cast 
  with his Variable Power Pool. He’s also superhu-
  manly physically tough as a result of having died 
  and come back to life, but otherwise is similar to an 
  ordinary human physically in most ways.
  The power the Drifter’s best known for is his 
  ability to “walk through realities” — in other words, 
  travel among the dimensions. Sometimes he does 
  this to enable instantaneous travel over distances of 
  up to about 3 kilometers (Teleportation), at other 
  times he moves from one plane to another for 
  longer periods of time (Extra-Dimensional Move-
  ment). (If necessary for plot purposes, the GM 
  should let him use his VPP to apply naked Adders 
  and Advantages to these powers, such as Increased 
  Mass or MegaScale.) Among other things, these 
  two abilities allow him to “appear out of nowhere” 
  to warn someone or request another hero’s help.
  The Drifter frequently has precognitive 
  dreams, and also has a powerful mystic sense for 
  impending danger. These abilities allow him the 
  time to gather small groups of heroes to oppose 
  the threat — usually that means the Justice Squad-
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Four 
  77 
  ron, but sometimes his visions guide him to other 
  heroes, or he considers another team more appro-
  priate for opposing a particular foe.
  Despite his awesome power, the Drifter is 
  restricted in a few ways. First, in the interest of 
  maintaining cosmic balance, he prefers not to 
  use more than 60-75 Active Points in any given 
  VPP slot. He can use as much as he wants, up to 
  the full 150, but he tends to do that only when it’s 
  absolutely necessary. Too much use of powerful 
  magic could strain the fabric of reality too much. 
  Second, the Drifter cannot disguise himself in 
  any way, mystic or mundane. Any clothes he puts 
  on transform themselves into the same thread-
  bare overcoat, white shirt with small bloodstain, 
  grey pants, and scuffed shoes that he wears; 
  mundane disguises slough off him right away; 
  illusions unravel or shatter.
  Campaign Use:  The Drifter is a plot device par 
  excellence. His mystic powers could get him 
  involved in almost anything or with anyone, his 
  power to perceive dangers and threats gives him 
  a reason to warn people, and his manipulative 
  attitude means he’s more than willing to meddle 
  with someone if that meddling’s warranted by a 
  greater good. He’s also a superb source of informa-
  tion about All Things Mystic (and not a bad one 
  about All Things Everything Else, either). To keep 
  him from overshadowing your PCs you may need 
  to weaken him through such classic standbys as 
  “mystic static” or “got hit in the head and can’t 
  concentrate enough to use all his powers.” But one 
  thing’s for sure:  when the Drifter turns up, there’s 
  trouble brewing somewhere.
  The Drifter probably doesn’t need to be any 
  more powerful, but if necessary you can increase 
  the size of his Variable Power Pool, or give him 
  more commonly-used abilities outside the VPP 
  (don’t buy them in Power Frameworks so he can 
  use the VPP to augment them if necessary). To 
  weaken him, reduce the VPP to appropriate levels, 
  and/or get rid of some or all of the Cosmic (+2) 
  Advantage so it’s harder to use.
  The Drifter doesn’t exactly Hunt people. If he 
  senses a danger he’ll show up to deal with it, either 
  by himself or with the help of the JS or other heroes 
  he’s dragooned into service, but he doesn’t spend 
  his time tracking his enemies down. He’s more 
  reactive than proactive most of the time.
  Appearance:  The Drifter is a plain-looking white 
  man, apparently in his late thirties, with close-
  cropped brown hair and piercing blue eyes. He’s 
  5’10” tall with a slender but not athletic build. 
  He wears a slightly threadbare and dusty brown 
  overcoat over a white button-down workshirt and 
  pants, and scuﬀed black walking shoes. The shirt 
  has a bloodstain directly over his heart — it’s small 
  enough to cover up with the coat, but noticeable if 
  he’s not trying to hide it. He has a remarkable facil-
  ity for blending into crowds.
  FLASHOVER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   9 STR 
  -1 
  11- 
  Lift 87.1kg; 1½d6 [1]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   14 CON 
  8 
  12-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   17 PRE 
  7 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  3d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   3 PD 
  1 
   
  Total:  3 PD (0 rPD)
   7 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  7 ED (0 rED)
   4 SPD 
  10 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   5 REC 
  0
   28 END 
  0
   22 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  82
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Leaping:  1½”/3”
   
  Flight:  20”/80”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  64 
  Fiery Form:  HKA 2d6, Continuous  
  (+1), Damage Shield (does damage in  
  HTH combat; +¾), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); No STR 
  Bonus (-½), Only In Heroic Identity (-¼) 0
  60 
  Fire Creation And Manipulation:   
  Multipower, 75-point reserve; all slots  
  Only In Heroic Identity (-¼)
  6u 
  1)  Fiery Blast I:  Energy Blast 12d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  Only In Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  3
  6u 
  2)  Fiery Blast II:  RKA 4d6, Reduced  
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Only In  
  Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  3
  6u 
  3)  Fiery Blast III:  Energy Blast 15d6 ;  
  Only In Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  7
  6u 
  4)  Fireball:  Energy Blast 10d6, Explosion  
  (+½); Only In Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  7
  6u 
  5)  Dehydrating Heat:  Energy Blast 7d6, 
  NND (defense is Life Support [Safe  
  Environment:  Intense Heat] or having ﬁre 
  powers; +1); Only In Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  7
  6u 
  6)  Extinguish Fires:  Dispel Fire 20d6, any  
  one Fire power at a time (+¼); Only In 
  Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  7
  6u 
  7)  Flashover I:  Sight Group Flash 12d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); Only  
  In Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  3
  5u 
  8)  Flashover II:  Sight Group Flash 6d6,  
  Area Of Eﬀect (4” Radius; +1), Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Only In Heroic 
  Identity (-¼) 
  3
  17 
  Spark:  RKA 1 point, Area Of Eﬀect  
  (One Hex Accurate; +½), Continuous  
  (+1), Penetrating (+½), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Sticky (only  
  aﬀects ﬂammables; +¼), Uncontrolled  
  (ﬁre stops burning when it runs out of  
  fuel or oxygen, or someone extinguishes  
  the ﬂames; +½); Limited Range (30”; -¼) 0
  
  78 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  24 
  Fiery Form Powers:  Elemental Control,  
  60-point powers; all slots Only In Heroic 
  Identity (-¼)
  24 
  1)  Fiery Flight:  Flight 20”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Only In Heroic 
  Identity (-¼) 
  0
  24 
  2)  Fiery Mantle:  Force Field (16 PD/ 
  24 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½); Only In Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  0
  36 
  3)  Fiery Wall:  Force Wall (0 PD/10 ED), 
  Transparent (physical; +½), Reduced  
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Only In  
  Heroic Identity (-¼) plus RKA 1d6,  
  Continuous (+1), Damage Shield (+½), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼); Only  
  In Heroic Identity (-¼), No Knockback  
  (-¼), Linked (-½) 
  4
  14 
  Fiery Form:  +6 DEX; Only In Heroic  
  Identity (-¼) 
  0
  8 
  Fiery Form:  +1 SPD; Only In Heroic  
  Identity (-¼) 
  0
  8 
  Fiery Form:  +20 END, Only In Heroic  
  Identity (-¼) 
  0
  3 
  Fiery Form:  Life Support  (Safe  
  Environments:  Intense Cold, Intense  
  Heat); Only In Heroic Identity (-¼) 
  0
  10 
  Fiery Eyes:  Sight Group Flash Defense  
  (10 points) 
  0
  5 
  Fiery Eyes:  Infrared Perception (Sight 
  Group) 
  0
  10 
  Armored Costume:  Armor (5 PD/5 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  6 
  Squadron Communicator:  HRRP  
  (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Affected As  
  Sight And Hearing Group As Well As 
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
   
  Skills
  15 
  +5 with Fire Creation And Manipulation 
  Multipower
  3 
  Acrobatics 13- (14-)
  3 
  Breakfall 13- (14-)
  3 
  Bribery 12-
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  2 
  KS: DOSPA Procedures 11-
  3 
  KS: Supervillains Of The Seventies and 
  Eighties 13-
  2 
  Language:  French (ﬂuent conversation;  
  English is Native)
  3 
  Lockpicking 13- (14-)
  11 
  Power:  Fire Tricks 17-
  2 
  SS: Chemistry 11-
  1 
  Security Systems 8-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13- (14-)
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  2 
  Survival (Urban) 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  433
  Total Cost:  515
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Accidental Change:  changes out of Heroic 
  Identity when immersed in water or exposed 
  to large amounts of ﬁre suppressant 11- 
  (Uncommon)
  20 
  Hunted:  JS Rogues’ Gallery 11- (As Pow, 
  Public Identity, Harshly Punish)
  20 
  Hunted:  Teleios 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Public 
  Identity, Mildly Punish)
  15 
  Hunted:  Hurricane 8- (As Pow, Public Iden-
  tity, Harshly Punish)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protects The Weak 
  And Innocent (Common, Strong)
  5 
  Reputation:  reformed villainess, 8-
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Danielle 
  Beaudoin) (Frequently, Major)
  200 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  515
  Background/History:  Danielle Beaudoin, born 
  1976, is the daugher of Philip Beaudoin, who as the 
  supervillain Flashover battled the Justice Squadron 
  (and many other heroes) repeatedly in the Seven-
  ties and early Eighties. She grew up living with the 
  shame of her father’s career and defeats, and often 
  had to move from town to town (sometimes with 
  little or no warning) because of his crimes. After he 
  died during a battle with Digitak (allegedly from 
  heart failure, though she never believed that), she 
  ﬁnally settled in Buﬀalo, New York.
  In 1994, Danielle decided it was up to her to 
  avenge her father’s “murder” at Digitak’s hands. 
  Through some of her father’s old underworld 
  friends she got in touch with the villainous master-
  mind Teleios. In exchange for a variety of distaste-
  ful favors, he altered her DNA and physical form 
  to give her powers almost identical to her father’s. 
  Now suitably armed, she set out to get revenge...
  ...but her heart really wasn’t in it. She fought 
  the Justice Squadron a few times with other villains, 
  but she lacked the killer instinct, rampant greed, 
  or driving ambition that mark most supervillains. 
  In 1996 she and Brawler were trapped together in 
  a cave-in during one of her encounters with the 
  JS. The lack of oxygen soon caused her powers to 
  ﬂicker out, and lacking any means to ﬁght Brawler 
  she eventually began to talk to him. By the time the 
  rest of the Squadron dug them out, he’d convinced 
  her to turn herself in... and then join the Justice 
  Squadron as a provisionary member (an arrange-
  ment later formalized by the court as an extensive 
  community service burden put upon her as part of 
  a plea bargain).
  The result was a media uproar. The public 
  was astonished that the JS would allow so recently 
  “reformed” a supervillainess to join their team 
  — and privately several of the Squadronites agreed. 
  Flashover had to work hard for years to prove her-
  self, and while there are still some people who look 
  at her askance, her unblemished record of heroism 
  over nearly a decade has won public and superhe-
  roic opinion ﬁrmly to her side.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Four 
  79 
  Personality/Motivation:  Flash-
  over has gone from being a 
  somewhat confused young 
  woman to a tough, conﬁ-
  dent superheroine. In fact, if 
  anything she’s become too 
  conﬁdent; she has a tendency 
  to bite oﬀ more than she can 
  chew in super-battles, forc-
  ing Brawler, the Drifter, or 
  another of her comrades to 
  come to her rescue. In many 
  cases she prefers to use her 
  powers to protect innocent 
  bystanders from the eﬀects 
  of combat; she’s got a strong 
  streak of sympathy for the 
  hapless, the underdog, crying 
  children, lost kittens, and 
  anyone else who seems to 
  need a helping hand. (She 
  spends a lot of her spare time 
  doing charity appearances 
  and such.)
  Quote:  “Time to turn up  
  the heat!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Flashover 
  can transform her body into 
  a coherent mass of flame. 
  While in this state she can 
  fly by projecting flame 
  from the bottom of her feet, 
  project various blasts and 
  balls of fire to hurt her enemies, and create small 
  walls of flame to protect people. Nearly all of 
  her powers only work when she’s in “fiery form.” 
  The one thing she can do without being in Fiery 
  Form is create small sparks of flame to set things 
  on fire. Her ability to withstand bright flashes 
  of light and to see heat patterns also apply when 
  she’s in ordinary human form.
  In combat Flashover prefers to open with one 
  of her trademark blindingly bright bursts of light 
  — preferably against entire groups of foes so the 
  other Squadronites have an advantage against them, 
  but she can also focus the blast on a single person 
  for greater eﬀect. After that she uses whatever sort 
  of ﬁre-bolt best applies, and can even surround a 
  target with a ﬁeld of withering heat to make him 
  pass out without suﬀering physical injury.
  Campaign Use:  The most interesting plot hook that 
  Flashover oﬀers is the shadows of her past coming 
  back to haunt her. Who knows when some old 
  villainous colleague with some sort of hold over 
  her (blackmail, bonds of aﬀection, a favor owed...) 
  might try to convince her to do something against 
  the Squadron’s interests?
  Flashover isn’t the only member of her family 
  with superpowers. Teleios later lured her younger 
  brother Philip, Jr. into his lab and gave him exten-
  sive powers of air and wind control. Using the 
  name Hurricane, he’s fought Flashover and the 
  Squadron several times; he’s powerful enough to 
  take on the entire team, and maybe then some. (See 
  page 134.)
  To make Flashover more powerful, remove the 
  OIHID Limitation from most of her powers, allow-
  ing her to use them whenever she likes. (The Damage 
  Shield and Flight would be two of the exceptions 
  to this.) To weaken her, get rid of the Characteristic 
  boosts she receives in Heroic Identity.
  Flashover doesn’t Hunt people except as part of a 
  Squadron mission, in which case she follows orders.
  Appearance:  Flashover is a white woman in her 
  early thirties. In her normal form she has short red 
  hair, blue eyes, and freckles and stands 5’2”. Her 
  costume is mostly ﬁre red with gold sleeves and 
  legs and a “ﬁre” motif on the gloves and boots; the 
  neckline is a deep, rather revealing V-shape. She 
  wears no mask. When powered up, she has the 
  same general shape but seems to be made of bright 
  orange ﬁre, and her hair appears to be much longer 
  and leaves a contrail behind her as she ﬂies.
  
  80 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  SUPERSTAR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   14 STR 
  4 
  12- 
  Lift 175 kg; 2½d6 [1]
   21 DEX 
  33 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   15 CON 
  10 
  12-
   11 BODY 2 
  11-
   10 INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   13 EGO 
  6 
  12- 
  ECV:  4
   13 PRE 
  3 
  12- 
  PRE Attack:  2½d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  35 PD (30 rPD)
   8 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  38 ED (30 rED)
   4 SPD 
  9 
   
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12
   6 REC 
  0
   30 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  83
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  340”/960”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Cosmic Energy Stores:  Endurance  
  Reserve  (150 END, 10 REC) 
  0
  7 
  Cosmic Energy Replenishment:  +10 REC  
  for Endurance Reserve; Only When In  
  Direct Sun-/Starlight (-½) 
  0
  100 
  Cosmic Energy Attacks:  Multipower,  
  100-point reserve
  20m 1)  Cosmic Blast:  Energy Blast 20d6 
  10
  20m 2)  Eﬃcient Cosmic Blast:  Energy Blast  
  16d6, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  4
  20m 3)  Tuned Energy Blast:  Energy Blast  
  10d6, Variable Advantage  
  (+½ Advantages; +1) 
  10
  19m 4)  Energy Bubbles:  Telekinesis (50 STR), 
  Aﬀects Porous, Fine Manipulation 
  9
  18m 5)  Cosmic Energy Walls:  Force Wall  
  (10 PD/10 ED; up to 10” long and 3” tall), 
  Hardened (+¼) 
  9
  2u 
  6)  Protective Cosmic Bubbles:  Life  
  Support  (Safe Environments:  High  
  Pressure, High Radiation, Intense Cold, 
  Intense Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum;  
  Self-Contained Breathing), Usable  
  Simultaneously (up to 8 people at once;  
  +1); Costs Endurance (-½), All  
  Recipients Must Remain Within 4” Of  
  Superstar (-½) 
  2
  87 
  Cosmic Field:  Force Field (30 PD/30 ED), 
  Protects Carried Items, Hardened (+¼) 
  9
  10 
  Protected Eyes:  Sight Group Flash  
  Defense (10 points) 
  0
  80 
  Cosmic Flight:  Flight 30”, x32 Noncombat 8
  41 
  Cosmic Sensing:  Spatial Awareness (no  
  Sense Group), Discriminatory, Increased  
  Arc Of Perception (360 Degrees), Range, 
  Telescopic (+8 versus Range Modiﬁer) 
  0
  6 
  Squadron Communicator:  HRRP  
  (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Aﬀected As  
  Sight And Hearing Group As Well As  
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Cosmic Energy Attacks Multipower
  3 
  Conversation 12-
  2 
  CK: Philadelphia 11-
  2 
  KS: Stronghold 11-
  2 
  KS: The Superhuman World 11-
  7 
  Power: Cosmic Energy Tricks 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 12-
  3 
  Tactics 11-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  497
  Total Cost:  580
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mutant (Not Conceal-
  able; Always Noticed; Detectable Only By 
  Unusual Senses)
  25 
  Hunted:  IHA 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Public Iden-
  tity, Harshly Punish)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Prone To Moraliz-
  ing; Wants To Help Kids Avoid His Mistakes 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Black And White 
  Thinker; Never Trusts A “Villain” (Common, 
  Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Bit Of A Showoﬀ 
  (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Reputation:  supposedly reformed teen 
  supercriminal, 8-
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Gary 
  Stratton) (Frequently, Major)
  5 
  Unluck 1d6
  5 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x Eﬀect from Energy 
  Drains (Uncommon)
  275 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  580
  Background/History:  Superstar’s real name is 
  Gary Stratton. He was born in 1980 in Phila-
  delphia. His mutant powers of cosmic energy 
  manipulation manifested when he was fifteen. By 
  that point he was already a “troubled child” with 
  a long history of delinquent behavior, mostly 
  minor crimes like vandalism and petty robbery. 
  Once he got a grip on his powers, though, he 
  went on a robbery spree that only ended when 
  he was captured by the superheroes Atlas and 
  the Mechanic. He was sentenced to five years in 
  Stronghold, during which time he was visited 
  on several occasions by Rowan (see Teen Cham-
  pions). She felt there was still a chance to turn 
  the young man’s life around... and she was right. 
  Gary was very impressed by Rowan and decided 
  to give going straight a shot. He was released 
  early due to good behavior in 1999 and paroled 
  into Rowan’s care at the Ravenswood Academy. 
  School wasn’t exactly his favorite thing, but he 
  buckled down and graduated in 2001.
  After graduation he spent several years as a 
  part-time superhero while working as a student 
  counselor at the Academy. Remembering the suc-
  cess they’d had rehabilitating Flashover and rely-
  ing on Rowan’s recommendation, the members 
  of the Justice Squadron recruited him to replace 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Four 
  81 
  Electron when she left the 
  team to marry Amazing 
  Man. And so far they haven’t 
  been disappointed; he’s a 
  walking testament to a per-
  son’s ability to turn his life 
  around and become a hero.
  Personality/Motivation:  
  Superstar has adopted the 
  life of a superhero with a 
  reformist’s zeal. He’s com-
  mitted to doing the right 
  thing, and he spends a lot of 
  time lecturing young people 
  and trying to keep them 
  from following the same 
  path he did. His three years 
  in Stronghold among some 
  of the nastiest supervil-
  lains in the world definitely 
  “scared him straight.” He 
  feels most heroes don’t fully 
  understand the depths of the 
  depravity they face in today’s 
  supervillainy, and therefore 
  he constantly presses the 
  team to take a hard line on 
  any moral quandaries they 
  encounter — offer no quar-
  ter, accept no compromise. 
  While his teammates admire 
  his ability and his drive, they 
  worry that he’s in danger of 
  going off the deep end on 
  the other side, and hope he can moderate his 
  passions before they get the best of him.
  Quote:  “Yeah, like I’m going to take the word of a 
  crook like you!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Superstar is a mutant with the 
  unusual ability to manipulate cosmic energy. 
  Typically such awesome powers are reserved for 
  cosmic heroes and villains (see Galactic Champi-
  ons for many examples), but somehow Superstar’s 
  mutant physiology can absorb and channel ambi-
  ent cosmic energy to project devastating energy 
  bolts, erect defensive shields and walls, move 
  objects telekinetically, fly, and so forth. Rowan 
  and the rest of the JS believe he’s only begun to 
  tap his potential, and could in fact become much 
  more powerful with time and experience. (Some 
  of them worry about how he’ll handle that, if it 
  happens.)
  In combat Superstar is usually one of the JS’s 
  frontline fighters. He’s got awesome power and 
  he knows it, so he flies straight into battle, blast-
  ing and smashing his foes. He needs to learn to 
  pay more attention to defense and clever tactics 
  or more clever opponents will eventually start to 
  get the best of him no matter how powerful he is.
  Campaign Use:  As a young and somewhat troubled 
  hero, Superstar presents all sorts of story possibili-
  ties. The heroes could train him to improve his 
  powers, help him develop more mature and heroic 
  views about crimeﬁghting, investigate why he has 
  such unusual mutant powers, or the like.
  To make Superstar more powerful, increase the 
  size of his Endurance Reserve and his Multipower 
  reserve so he can use more powers at greater strength 
  at once; you could also give him slots featuring RKAs, 
  Ranged Drains, AVLDs, and other attacks that involve 
  more powerful or subtle manipulation of cosmic 
  energies. For campaigns that involve spending a lot of 
  time in space, some FTL Travel wouldn’t hurt either. 
  To weaken him, reduce his Multipower reserve and 
  slots to about 80 points, and some of his other powers 
  correspondingly.
  Superstar doesn’t Hunt people except as part of a 
  Squadron mission, in which case he follows orders.
  Appearance:  Superstar is a young white man in his 
  mid-twenties, 5’10” tall with an athletic build. He has 
  fairly long, stylishly-cut red hair, broad features and a 
  small “soul patch” on his chin. His costume is bright 
  blue and form-ﬁtting, with a large yellow “shooting 
  star” motif taking up most of his left side. He crack-
  les with energy when his power is in use, with small 
  golden sparks shooting from his hands or eyes.
  
  82 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  TOMAHAWK II
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   25 DEX 
  45 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   28 CON 
  36 
  15-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  4½d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   15 PD 
  7 
   
  Total:  21 PD (16 rPD)
   15 ED 
  9 
   
  Total:  21 ED (16 rED)
   6 SPD 
  25 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   14 REC 
  0
   56 END 
  0
   54 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  214
  Movement: 
  Running:  13”/26”
   
  Leaping:  8”/16”
   
  Swimming:  4”/8”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  22 
  Dawn Fire Tomahawk:  Multipower,  
  45-point reserve; all slots OAF (-1) 
  1u 
  1)   Striking A Blow:  HA +6d6; OAF (-1), 
  Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
  3
  2u 
  2)   Thrown Tomahawk:  Energy Blast  
  9d6; OAF (-1), Lockout (-½), Range  
  Based On Strength (-¼) 
  4
   
  Martial Arts: Grappling
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Choke Hold 
  -2 
  +0 
  Grab One Limb; 
  2d6 NND
  4 
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  Disarm; 50 STR 
  to Disarm
  4 
  Escape 
  +0 
  +0 
  55 STR vs. 
  Grabs
  5 
  Flying Dodge 
  -- 
  +4 
  Dodge All 
  Attacks, Abort; 
  FMove
  5 
  Kick/
   
  Knee Strike 
  -2 
  +1 
  12d6 Strike
  4 
  Punch 
  +0 
  +2 
  10d6 Strike
  3 
  Throw 
  +0 
  +1 
  8d6 + v/5, Target 
  Falls
  10 
  Tough Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED) 
  0
  9 
  Armored Costume:  Armor (6 PD/6 ED);  
  OIF (-½), Activation Roll 14- (-½) 
  5 
  Powerful Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (9 points total) 
  0
  5 
  Quick Recovery:  Sight Group Flash  
  Defense (5 points) 
  0
  5 
  Superhuman Conditioning:  Life Support 
  (Diminished Eating:  once per week;  
  Diminished Sleep:  eight hours per week; 
  Longevity:  lifespan 200 years; Safe  
  Environment:  Intense Cold) 
  0
  14 
  Runs Like The Wind:  Running +7”  
  (13” total) 
  1
  2 
  Swims Like A Fish:  Swimming +2” (4” total) 1
  9 
  Aware Of His Surroundings:  +3 to PER  
  Rolls with all Sense Groups 
  0
  5 
  Eyes Like An Owl:  Nightvision 
  0
  3 
  Ears Like A Hound:  Ultrasonic  
  Perception (Hearing Group) 
  0
  6 
  See Like A Hawk:  +4 versus Range  
  Modiﬁer for Sight Group 
  0
  13 
  Swift Healing:  Healing BODY 2d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Extra Time (Regeneration,  
  2 BODY per Minute; -1½), Self Only (-½) 
  0
  6 
  Squadron Communicator:  HRRP  
  (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Affected As  
  Sight And Hearing Group As Well As 
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  National Police Powers
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Security Clearance
   
  Talents
  3 
  Absolute Time Sense
  3 
  Bump Of Direction
  15 
  Danger Sense (self only, out of combat, 
  Intuitional) 13-
  3 
  Lightsleep
  5 
  Resistance (5 points)
   
  Skills
  32 
  +4 with All Combat
  3 
  Acrobatics 14-
  4 
  Animal Handler (Bovines, Canines,  
  Equines) 14-
  3 
  Breakfall 14-
  3 
  Climbing 14-
  3 
  Combat Piloting 14-
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  AK: Wisconsin 13-
  3 
  AK: Earth 13-
  1 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 8-
  3 
  KS: DOSPA Procedures And Rules 13-
  2 
  KS: The Mystic World 11-
  3 
  KS: The Superhuman World 13-
  3 
  Language:  Ojibwa (completely ﬂuent; Eng-
  lish is Native)
  4 
  Navigation (Air, Land, Marine) 13-
  3 
  Paramedics 13-
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  2 
  Survival (Temperate/Subtropical) 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 14-
  3 
  Tracking 13-
  3 
  TF:  Combat Aircraft, Helicopters, Large 
  Planes, Small Planes
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  283
  Total Cost:  497
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Baykok 8- (Mo Pow, Limited 
  Geographical Area, Public Identity, Harshly 
  Punish)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Protects The Weak 
  And Helpless (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Honorable War-
  rior (Common, Strong)
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Four 
  83 
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Thomas 
  Massaway) (Frequently, Major)
  20 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from non-Chip-
  pewa Magic (Common)
  197 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  497
  Background/History:  Thomas Massaway was born in 
  1960 in Wisconsin on the Timasjomi Indian Reserva-
  tion. He’s the second member of his tribe, an obscure 
  oﬀshoot of the Chippewa, to complete the mystical 
  Dawn Fire Ritual in this century. The Ritual is a gruel-
  ing feat that involves staying awake for an entire week 
  and then traveling to the Higher World (part of Faerie; 
  see The Mystic World) to defeat a ravenous skeletal 
  bear and receive the mystical powers and weapons 
  necessary to protect the tribe from its enemies, such as 
  the demonic Baykok (page 130). Several young men 
  of the tribe had attempted the ritual over the years, but 
  they all failed, most not even receiving a vision. Once 
  Massaway returned from the Higher World, though, 
  he was greeted by Saxon Heward, who had been the 
  superhero Tomahawk and a member of the Justice 
  Squadron since World War II.
  Heward and the tribe’s shaman, Uncle Two 
  Hawks, spent the next two years training Thomas 
  for his role as the tribe’s mystical protector. In 1978, 
  Heward formally retired and passed on the Dawn 
  Fire Tomahawk, a remarkable weapon forged in the 
  blood of a demon more than a thousand years ago 
  that was the tribe’s symbol. Massaway was attacked 
  by the Baykok that very night, as Uncle Two Hawks 
  had predicted — it was the ﬁnal sign that he was 
  indeed the chosen champion. Massaway barely sur-
  vived the encounter and has battled the monster a 
  dozen times since.
  Massaway also took his predecessor’s place in 
  the Squadron that year and has served with the team 
  ever since. At ﬁrst, he was resentful of how the Drifter 
  and Vanguard always seemed to be comparing him 
  to their friend Saxon, but eventually time wore their 
  sharp edges down and they became friends.
  Personality/Motivation:  Tomahawk is a stern (some-
  times harsh and uncompromising) man who’s thor-
  oughly devoted to his duty. His primary responsibility 
  is to protect the Timasjomi and other Chippewa 
  Indians against malevolent spirits like the Baykok; he 
  considers his job of protecting the whole world with 
  the JS just an extension of that responsibility.
  Tomahawk is known for being apparently 
  unemotional, even cold and somewhat cynical on 
  occasion. He feels things deeply, but he prefers not 
  to show it — if his emotions are roused he can be 
  a terrible warrior or a passionate lover. He refuses 
  to kill humans, but holds no such compunction for 
  nonhuman spirits or monsters.
  Quote:  “There are monsters lurking, within and with-
  out the world, and we must stand against them so that 
  ordinary people need never know they truly exist.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Tomahawk possesses several minor 
  superhuman attributes. He can lift three tons and 
  run as fast as a sports car, has remarkable animal-
  like senses, sleeps only an hour a night and can 
  heal from injuries much faster than a normal. He’s 
  armed with the 
  Dawn Fire Toma-
  hawk, a mystical 
  weapon with a ﬁery 
  blade that can deal 
  inﬂinct devastating 
  injuries in HTH 
  combat and always 
  returns to his hand 
  when thrown.
  Tomahawk’s 
  years as a super-
  hero have given 
  him a ﬁnely-
  developed sense 
  of super-combat 
  tactics. In battle he 
  often serves as the 
  JS’s leader, defer-
  ring only to the 
  Drifter in some 
  matters. If neces-
  sary he holds back, 
  taking a position 
  from which he can 
  observe the battle 
  and issue orders, 
  rather than mixing 
  it up in the thick of 
  things himself.
  Campaign Use:  
  Aside from his 
  possible use as a 
  friend or Rival 
  to a like-minded 
  hero, Tomahawk serves as a link between your 
  heroes and the various mystical beasts and 
  demons he was given his powers to fight. If a 
  situation comes up where he can’t handle the 
  Baykok or some other entity on his own, he may 
  ask the PCs for help.
  To make Tomahawk more powerful, give him 
  some additional mystic weapons and artifacts. 
  Possibilities include an enchanted bow or spear, a 
  “ghost horse” that he can ride through the sky, or 
  a medicine pouch that provides Luck. To weaken 
  him, reduce his physical Primary Characteristics to 
  the 20-25 range and his SPD to 5.
  Tomahawk is a fierce and tenacious hunter 
  who uses all his skills and powers to come to 
  grips with his quarry. He can track someone for 
  days if necessary due to his diminished need for 
  sleep, so as long as he has a trail or clue to follow 
  he stays on the job.
  Appearance:  Tomahawk II is a 6’5” Chippewa 
  male who appears to be in his late thirties but is 
  actually about a decade older. He has long black 
  hair kept in a ponytail tied with a leather thong. 
  His costume is a loose-fitting dark-green jersey 
  and pants, with a wide leather belt festooned 
  with pouches and a loop for his tomahawk, and 
  a hood that can be worn up or down. His toma-
  hawk is about 30 inches long and inscribed with 
  mystical fire and solar symbols.
  
  84 ■ The Justice Squadron 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  THE JUSTICE SQUADRON 
  MANSION
  The Justice Squadron headquarters is located 
  in a mansion in the Brooklyn Heights area of New 
  York City. The building was a hotel in the 1920s, 
  but was converted to the Squadron’s use in the 
  early Seventies. Although the nearby buildings look 
  perfectly ordinary, for the sake of civilian safety 
  most of them are actually a part of the JS headquar-
  ters — they’re connected to the Mansion itself via 
  underground walkways, tunnels, and conduits.
  The Mansion is seven stories tall and still 
  looks, on the outside, like a carefully-maintained, 
  elegant 1920s-era building. Inside it’s a diﬀerent 
  story, with the most modern of decor and high-
  tech furnishings and facilities suitable to one of the 
  world’s leading superhero teams.
  LAYOUT
  The ﬁrst two ﬂoors of the Mansion are devoted 
  to spaces that can be used by the public — a recep-
  tion area, conference and meeting rooms, a Squad-
  ron museum and trophy room, a small press room 
  where the Squadron sometimes holds press confer-
  ences, a dining hall for public functions, and even 
  a gift shop selling JS memorabilia (all proceeds go 
  to defray the JS’s expenses or to charity). Tours of 
  these two ﬂoors, primarily the museum and gift 
  shop, are held four times a day on most days.
  The third ﬂoor contains oﬃces used by the 
  Squadronites and their human personnel (see 
  below). The fourth and ﬁfth ﬂoor contain labora-
  tories, a training room for the Squadron, and some 
  temporary holding cells for villains who are to be 
  turned over to PRIMUS or UNTIL custody. The 
  sixth ﬂoor is the residential ﬂoor, with rooms for 
  the Squadron, visiting guests, and any personnel 
  who must stay on-site for extended periods. It also 
  includes two small rec rooms for “down time.”
  The seventh ﬂoor of the old hotel has been 
  converted into a hangar for the Squadron’s ﬂeet of 
  three Ultrajets, high-speed ﬂying craft capable of 
  taking the team anywhere in the world or even into 
  outer space. Robot mechanics (see below) keep the 
  Ultrajets in tip-top condition at all times.
  The roof of the Mansion was an open air café-
  style restaurant back in the hotel days, and the team 
  decided to preserve it in more or less the same con-
  dition. Now it’s a sort of rooftop garden/café where 
  the team and Mansion personnel can eat meals, 
  take a relaxing stroll, or watch the sunset.
  STAFF
  Compared to other superhero teams, the 
  Justice Squadron has very few human employees 
  — just some accounting, public relations, and legal 
  personnel, for the most part. The other “employees” 
  are all robots built by Digitak years ago, and since 
  maintained and improved by Electron and now 
  Blink. The robots look mostly human, but are obvi-
  ously robotic.
  
  chapter ﬁve:
  chapter ﬁve:
  “IN OTHER WORLD NEWS”
  
  86 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  T
  here’s more to the United States than just 
  New York City, Millennium City, and 
  Vibora Bay. Nearly every major American 
  urban center has at least a few superhe-
  roes patrolling it. In many cases those heroes see 
  the value of forming an association of some sort, 
  whether it’s a loose friendship whose members 
  exchange phone numbers or a much more formal 
  organization with bylaws, government ties, and 
  DOSPA approval. Here’s some information about 
  the American superheroes not covered in the 
  other chapters of this book.
  HERO TEAMS
  BOSTON:  THE NEW PALADINS
  Boston’s superteam dates back to the early 
  Sixties, although the current membership has 
  no actual connection with the original group (a 
  loosely-associated group of costumed solo heroes 
  operating throughout New England). The current 
  team consists of four teenagers mutated by a secret 
  ARGENT project; they’re mentored by the veteran 
  heroine Dr. Eclipse (who has extensive darkness 
  manipulating powers and is a brilliant geneticist 
  herself). Her team consists of Bodyguard (a nigh-
  indestructible brick), Lux (a light-manipulator), 
  Python (a stretching brick) and Tandem (who can 
  duplicate any power used against her). The team 
  has enjoyed some successes, including a victory 
  over Generation VIPER — but also its share of 
  defeats, largely due to (a) inexperience, and (b) the 
  tactical gaps in their overall power set (for example, 
  other than Lux, none of them can ﬂy or really have 
  any signiﬁcant movement abilities). The New Pala-
  dins have encountered the kids from Ravenswood 
  Academy and consider them semi-friendly rivals.
  CALIFORNIA:  THE CALIFORNIA PATROL
  Southern California was the home of several 
  superteams in the Sixties and Seventies, but the 
  last of these eclectic groups, the Justice Collective, 
  broke up in 1979. For over a decade there were no 
  superteams protecting California outside the Bay 
  Area. That changed in 1991 when several heroes 
  from the Los Angeles and San Diego area, includ-
  ing Downshift (who can create small timewarp-
  ing eﬀects, speeding up or slowing down time 
  for herself or others) and Firewall (a ﬁre/heat 
  manipulator), decided to create an informal group 
  to respond to threats too big for any of them to 
  handle. Basically they arranged for anyone who 
  wanted to be part of the “network” and who 
  received a vote of approval from the existing mem-
  bers to receive a special communicator (disguised 
  to look like a watch) so the other members could 
  contact him whenever necessary.
  Over the past decade and a half the Cali-
  fornia Patrol has achieved several notable suc-
  cesses, though its loose form of organization and 
  frequently-shifting membership has kept it from 
  providing the sort of “coverage” that teams like 
  the Champions and Sentinels can. It’s smashed 
  two major DEMON plots, exposed and defeated 
  a San Diego VIPER Nest, battled the Ultimates 
  and the Crimelords on several occasions, and in 
  2006 got involved in a fight-turned-teamup with 
  China’s Tiger Squad when the Patrol traveled to 
  the Far East in an effort to defeat a Chinese orga-
  nized crime group run by superhumans. In addi-
  tion to Downshift and Firewall, as of 2007 the 
  members include:  Faultline (an earth manipula-
  tor); Meteor Man III (wielder of powerful cosmic 
  energy like his more famous forebears); Sequoia 
  (a young woman able to grow over 100 feet tall); 
  the Silicon Kid (a moderately-powerful cyberki-
  netic, no longer a kid but stuck with the name); 
  and the Zodiac Man (a shapeshifter).
  CHICAGO:  THE PEACEKEEPERS
  Chicago has a relatively large and active 
  superhero community. Its best-known and most 
  powerful heroes are the members of the city’s 
  only superteam, the Peacekeepers. The team was 
  founded in 1973 by three heroes who got together 
  to ﬁght a gigantic sludge monster that had emerged 
  from Lake Erie and was threatening to destroy the 
  entire city. In the two decades since then the team 
  has undergone numerous changes in member-
  ship, including disbanding entirely from 1981-82 
  and 1997-99. The current lineup, one of the most 
  stable in the teams history, consists of ﬁve heroes:  
  Dwarfstar (a brick with gravity powers; the team’s 
  leader); Arc (an electricity manipulator and tele-
  porter); Inframan (who can transform himself into 
  electromagnetic energy); Jack Flash (a cocky young 
  speedster); and Zenith (who can render herself and 
  other people or objects intangible).
  The Peacekeepers are well-known for their 
  longstanding animosity toward VIPER (for among 
  other reasons, the fact that the snakes killed the 
  team’s last leader, the Huntsman). In 2004 the 
  heroes struck VIPER a serious blow, uncovering 
  and destroying one of the Nests in the greater Chi-
  cago area and capturing two members of Dragon 
  Branch, Verity (a precognitive) and Whipsnake 
  (a whip-wielding weaponmaster). The former 
  now resides in Stronghold; the latter in a federal 
  penitentiary until VIPER broke him out in 2006. 
  AMERICAN  
  HEROES
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  87 
  Additionally, in the past few years the Peacekeepers 
  have fought the Crowns of Krim, ARGENT, and an 
  invading army from a dimension called Keprizoth. 
  The heroes used some Keprizothian advanced 
  technology recovered from the invaders to upgrade 
  some of their own systems.
  The Peacekeepers maintain their head-
  quarters in the top floors of the world-famous 
  Kettrick Building. They’re formally affiliated 
  with DOSPA and enjoy excellent relations with 
  UNTIL and other authorities.
  DENVER:  THE ALLIANCE
  Based in Denver, this loose confederation of 
  heroes from across the Midwest is held together 
  by the forceful personality of Captain Glory, a 
  formerly ﬁctional comicbook character brought 
  to life by a teen psychic named Peter Filanger in 
  1994. Peter himself, now in his early twenties, is a 
  member of the team under the code name Contact; 
  he has powers of transmutation and illusion. The 
  other heroes in the Alliance include Crossbow (a 
  marksman and master hunter based in upstate 
  Colorado), Impetus (a kinetic energy manipula-
  tor from Lincoln, Nebraska), Mandala (a psychic 
  energy manipulator from Santa Fe), and the Silver 
  Scorpion (a Mormon ex-cop from Salt Lake City 
  enhanced by a drug similar to Cyberline).
  HOUSTON:  THE HERO CORPS
  Houston’s primary superteam is also one of the 
  youngest in America, having been founded in 2003 by 
  La Bruma, a Mexican-American heroine able to turn 
  into clouds of mist. She uncovered a plot by the insidi-
  ous Brain Trust, but realized she couldn’t take on the 
  entire villain team by herself. Through a combination 
  of personal charisma and appeal to their heroic ideals 
  she recruited four other heroes to help her:  the Green 
  Knight (a swordsman); Feline (a were-cat); Paradox (a 
  telepath); and Sparrowhawk (a teenaged mutant with 
  wings). Together the ﬁve of them defeated the Brain 
  Trust’s scheme and forced the group to ﬂee Texas 
  altogether to avoid capture by the Texas Rangers. Rec-
  ognizing the need for a team in the Houston area, La 
  Bruma convinced the others to remain together. In the 
  past three years they’ve fought the Brain Trust (which 
  wants revenge against them), ARGENT, VIPER, the 
  Ultimates, and various solo villains.
  MIAMI:  THE WATCH
  This collection of low-powered heroes originally 
  banded together to take down the Trujillo crime 
  family in Miami in 1989, but stayed together and 
  received sponsorship from DOSPA to ﬁght crime in 
  the greater Miami area. It often works closely with the 
  DEA to interdict drug smuggling in the Florida and 
  Caribbean region, and has opposed various VIPER 
  schemes on occasion. Sometimes its members travel 
  to Vibora Bay to help the Queen City’s heroes cope 
  with major menaces. The team includes Arsenic (an 
  expert markswoman and martial artist), Corsair (who 
  uses a powered armor suit), Jetstream (an amphibious 
  heroine who can telekinetically control both air and 
  water), Mage (a powerful mesmerist), and Voltage 
  (who generates powerful bioelectric charges).
  NEW YORK CITY:  NOVA
  As the home of both the Sentinels and the 
  Justice Squadron, you’d think New York wouldn’t 
  really need any other heroes or hero teams — but 
  in fact the city has far more than its share of super-
  human menaces, so it’s something of a magnet for 
  superheroes. Some of the more prominent solo 
  heroes who call the Big Apple home include Elec-
  trotitan (a powered armor wearer), the Brooklyn 
  Avenger (an acrobat and martial artist who primar-
  ily protects the borough of Brooklyn), Shadowman 
  (a stealthy, blaster-wielding hero), and Magneton (a 
  magnetism manipulator).
  In the eyes of most New Yorkers, the most 
  exciting event in the New York Superhuman World 
  was the 2006 capture and trial of the teen team 
  Nova. The teens had been on the run from the law 
  for years because one of their members, the mystic 
  air manipulator Arcane, was wanted for the murder 
  of a man named Hyrum Weismann. Despite that 
  the heroes kept up their longstanding conﬂict with 
  ARGENT... until ARGENT successfully predicted 
  one of their attacks and tipped oﬀ the cops. The 
  trial of Nova quickly became a media sensation.
  Things looked bad for Arcane and the rest of the 
  team, given the strength of the evidence againt them... 
  but then the Sentinels took a hand. Having uncovered 
  some information in their own ﬁght against ARGENT 
  that led them to believe Nova had been set up, the 
  Sentinels decided to dig further. The evidence they 
  uncovered, coupled with telepathy-based testimony 
  provided by Diadem, cleared Arcane of the murder 
  of Weismann and led to the issuance of a warrant for 
  the arrest of various persons now known to be associ-
  ated with ARGENT (none of whom have ever been 
  captured). The members of Nova were convicted of 
  obstruction of justice and other charges, but at the 
  urging of numerous renowned heroes the governor of 
  New York issued a pardon for those crimes. As of early 
  2007 the heroes of Nova are free people and legitimate 
  crimeﬁghters... though they continue to ﬁght the good 
  ﬁght their own way, rather than with the ﬂashy cos-
  tumes and high-tech headquarters of the likes of the 
  Justice Squadron.
  PHILADELPHIA:  THE LIBERTY LEAGUE
  Philadelphia’s primary hero team, the Liberty 
  League, has been around since the mid-Seventies 
  thanks to a fairly stable roster and strong ties to 
  DOSPA. It’s currently led by the Mechanic, who 
  has no true superhuman powers but wields a wide 
  array of gadgets (he also created the Starracer, the 
  team’s remarkable amphibious jet). His team cur-
  rently includes Atlas (a brick who claims to be the 
  genuine Greek Titan), Blue Flame (a ﬁre-wielding 
  lawyer), Oak (a woman made of solid wood who 
  speaks to plants), Streamline (a teenaged girl able 
  to ﬂy faster than the speed of sound) and Vortex (a 
  powerful telekinetic).
  Over the Liberty League’s history the team has 
  fought just about every super-menace imaginable, 
  including participating in the Battle of Detroit. The 
  Mechanic and Mechanon in particular are enemies, so 
  the ﬁendish robot often decides to unleash its schemes 
  in a way that strikes at or inconveniences the League.
  
  88 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  SAN FRANCISCO:  THE BAY GUARDIANS
  San Francisco’s best-known super-team is 
  an informal collection of heroes, most of them 
  mystics. They have no particular government 
  authorization or formal relationship with the city’s 
  government, but have protected both their city 
  and Earth’s dimension from threats (mystical and 
  otherwise) on several occasions. The team’s current 
  roster includes Eldritch (an eccentric but powerful 
  supermage), Blacklight (who draws psionic force 
  from emotions and creates “light” or “dark” energy 
  from them),  Druid (a mystical plant- and weather-
  manipulator), Hannibal Grey (a powerful mentalist 
  who can manifest his astral form), Stigma (a healer 
  who wields powerful “blood magics”), and Totem 
  (who mystically gains the powers and abilities of 
  various animal spirits).
  The Guardians’ most notable adventure over 
  the past few years was undoubtedly the team’s 
  conﬂict with the Devil’s Advocates in 2005. The 
  Demonologist decided that gaining control of the 
  many “sites of mystic signiﬁcance” in the Bay Area 
  could boost his power substantially, so he set out to 
  obtain that control through various means. Some-
  times he tried to gain access to them legitimately 
  through purchases or other means, but on a couple 
  of occasions he had to attack and seize a site to 
  make use of it long enough to cast his spells. The 
  Guardians narrowly missed capturing him and the 
  Advocates on several of these occasions, but fortu-
  nately at a climactic confrontation in Golden Gate 
  Park were able to defeat the villains and disrupt 
  the Demonologist’s spell. The only downside was 
  that protective magics prepared in advance by the 
  Demonologist spirited him and his followers away, 
  preventing their capture.
  The Freedom Patrol
  San Francisco’s other major superteam, the 
  Freedom Patrol, continues its slow slide downhill. 
  A major defeat by ARGENT in 1999 took the wind 
  out of the already-weakened team’s sails, and in 
  the past two or three years it’s barely been active 
  at all. The team’s longtime leader, the ﬂying “brick” 
  Condor, as well as other members like Windshear 
  (an air manipulator) and Retrograde (a limited 
  cyberkinetic), insist that the Freedom Patrol 
  remains in existence, but as far as most observers 
  are concerned it’s on life support (at best). It’s prob-
  ably only a matter of time before the remaining 
  members drift oﬀ to join the Bay Guardians, the 
  California Patrol, or other groups... or simply go 
  solo or retire.
  WASHINGTON, D.C.:  THE CAPITAL PATROL
  Compared to many major American cities, 
  Washington, D.C. has relatively few superheroes (but 
  also relatively less supercrime). The most active heroes 
  in the District are a loose but eﬀective team that calls 
  itself the Capital Patrol. Led by a martial artist/weap-
  onmaster with low-level super-strength who calls 
  himself the American Avenger, its roster includes Fal-
  conMan (a ﬂying hero), Pentagram (a supermage with 
  an “energy projector” emphasis), Monument (a brick), 
  and the Insider (a mentalist).
  SOLO HEROES
  Not every costumed superhero works with 
  a group. Some are the only superhumans in their 
  geographic area, some simply prefer the solitary 
  life, and a few just don’t play well with others. 
  Some of the best-known solo heroes in America 
  include:  Cascade, a water manipulator from Seattle 
  with a limited degree of power over other natural 
  phenomena; Fallout, the nuclear-powered hero 
  of Phoenix; Roundhouse, a brick from Kansas 
  City; Straight Arrow, archeress and defender of 
  Baltimore; Surge, a technologically-gifted pow-
  ered armor wearer from Atlanta; Thunderhead, a 
  weather manipulator from Cincinnati who ﬁghts 
  crime all over Ohio; Voodoo Doll, the gorgeous 
  female mystic from New Orleans; and White 
  Shroud, a mysterious, ghostly vigilante who patrols 
  the streets of San Diego by night.
  Among the most notable recent debuts was 
  that of Houston’s newest superhuman defender, the 
  evangelical Christian hero who calls himself the 
  Messenger. First appearing in late 2004 when a bun-
  gled bank robbery turned into a heavily-covered 
  hostage crisis, Jack Putnam captured all three of the 
  panicked gunmen alive without a single hostage 
  being harmed. The Houston media were charmed 
  by the young farmer, who took advantage of his 
  sudden celebrity to talk about his personal relation-
  ship with Jesus Christ. While he’s been criticized by 
  some (and admired by others) for his adept use of 
  the media to spread his evangelical beliefs, few have 
  had anything negative to say about his success-
  ful crimeﬁghting career (particularly his victories 
  against several southern US Demonhames) and the 
  help he provides during natural disasters and other 
  emergencies. His beliefs don’t seem to have harmed 
  his popularity — Messenger fan clubs have sprung 
  up across Texas, the Southeast, and the Midwest.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  89 
  THE MESSENGER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   21 DEX 
  33 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   16 EGO 
  12 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   21 PRE 
  11 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   7 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  36 PD (29 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  33 ED (25 rED)
   5 SPD 
  19 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  6
   60 END 
  10
   33 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  145
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  33”/264”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  35 
  Telekinetic Powers:  Elemental Control,  
  70-point powers 
  50 
  1)  Mind Over Matter:  Telekinesis  
  (50 STR), Fine Manipulation  
  8
  39 
  2)  Wide-Field Mind Over Matter:   
  Telekinesis (22 STR), Area Of Eﬀect  
  (3” Radius; +1), Selective (+¼)  
  8
  41 
  3)  Repulsion:  Energy Blast 8d6,  
  Double Knockback (+¾)  
  7
  36 
  4)  Telekinetic Flight:  Flight 33”,  
  x8 Noncombat  
  7
  35 
  5)  Field Of Force:  Force Field (25 PD/ 
  21 ED), Protects Carried Items, Hardened 
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)  
  3
  36 
  6)  Wall Of Force:  Force Wall (12 PD/ 
  6 ED, up to 6” long and 2” tall),  
  Hardened (+¼)  
  7
  21 
  Dream Messenger:  Clairsentience  
  (Sight and Hearing Groups), Precognition, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);   
  Precognition Only (-1), Only Through  
  Dreams (-1), Vague and Unclear (-½) 
  0
  8 
  Armored Costume:  Armor (4 PD/4 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Licensed Minister
  1 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Right To Marry
  5 
  Money:  Well Oﬀ
  2 
  Reputation:  well-known Christian superhero 
  (among most Americans) 11-, +2/+2d6
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with Telekinetic Powers Elemental Control
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  2 
  Animal Handler (Equines) 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Conversation 13-
  3 
  High Society 13-
  4 
  KS: Evangelical Christianity 14-
  3 
  AK: Texas 13-
  2 
  Language:  Spanish (ﬂuent conversation; 
  English is Native)
  9 
  Oratory 16-
  7 
  Power 15-
  3 
  PS: Preacher 13-
  3 
  PS: Football 13-
  3 
  Riding 13-
  3 
  TF:  Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, 
  Agricultural & Construction Vehicles
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  369
  Total Cost:  514
  200+ Disadvantages
  25 
  Hunted:  DEMON 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Public 
  Identity, Harshly Punish)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Evangelical Chris-
  tian Who’s Devoted To Spreading The Word 
  (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates The Sin, 
  Loves The Sinner (Very Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  publicly active evangelist, 11-
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Jack 
  Putnam) (Frequently, Major)
  219 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  514
  Background/History:  Jack Putnam was born in 1979 in 
  a small town in west Texas, the third of six children. 
  Both of his parents (as well as several aunts, uncles, 
  and cousins) worked for a large pecan orchard, and 
  from the time he was in high school Jack worked 
  evenings and weekends running the picking and sort-
  ing machines — at least when he wasn’t at football 
  practice. Football and church were Jack’s two real 
  loves, and when he went undrafted despite helping 
  Texas A&M to a highly successful season as a tight 
  end, he swallowed his disappointment and decided to 
  continue on to seminary school in Houston. There, he 
  met his wife Ellen, a marketing student at the Univer-
  sity of Houston, and they married in 2002.
  Jack became a full minister in 2004 and obtained 
  a position at a large church outside of Houston. In 
  September of that year he was in an almost-fatal car 
  accident on a rainy night when a truck lost control 
  and skidded sideways, smashing his car into the 
  guardrail. Jack suﬀered multiple broken bones and 
  was in a coma for three days, during which he under-
  went surgery twice to relieve pressure in his cranium 
  from internal bleeding.
  When Jack came to, all he could remember were 
  strange dreams in which he seemed to be invisible 
  and was walking through the city, seeing terrible 
  sights of people suﬀering, injured or dying from acci-
  dents, being robbed by criminals, or hurt by costumed 
  maniacs with superpowers. As he told Ellen about 
  these awful dreams, she suddenly noticed that the 
  glass of water by Jack’s hospital bed had risen into the 
  air under its own power. Paralyzed with fright, she 
  pointed it out to Jack, who stared at the glass for sev-
  eral seconds before it slowly lowered itself back to the 
  table without spilling a drop.
  “Ellen,” said Jack, “I think something’s hap-
  pened to me.”
  Over the next several weeks Jack experimented 
  with his newfound powers. He became convinced 
  God had both caused the accident in the ﬁrst place 
  and then given him these powers for a reason:  to help 
  other people and alleviate some of the suﬀering he’d 
  
  90 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  seen in his visions. Ellen was unsure, but eventually 
  agreed, and the two began to discuss how best to put 
  his abilities to work. In November Jack had another 
  vague and unsettling dream — he saw the Farmer’s 
  First National Bank in Houston, with several people 
  lying on the ﬂoor, a few crying, and a young man in a 
  ski mask waving a gun and clearly panicking. He got 
  out of bed and ﬂew to Houston, where he used his 
  powers to disarm the robber and defuse the situation, 
  which he later learned had begun several minutes 
  after he woke up from his dream.
  The Houston bank crisis made Jack a celebrity 
  overnight, and Ellen began to use her marketing 
  skills to manage his career. For the last two years 
  the Messenger has been one of Houston’s most 
  public and successful superheroes, and the church 
  he preaches at regularly has grown so quickly that 
  it’s built a second building to hold the overﬂow. 
  Personality/Motivation:  Jack’s fundamentalist 
  Christian beliefs affect everything he does as the 
  Messenger. He genuinely believes his powers are 
  a gift from God that let him do good and help 
  the unfortunate. In exchange God wants him 
  to spread the word about accepting His son as 
  everyone’s Savior. He fights crime where neces-
  sary, particularly in the case of DEMON (which 
  seems to have targeted him personally), but he’s 
  generally happy to leave that sort of thing to the 
  police and only pitch in when they genuinely 
  need his help. He prefers to use his powers in 
  a more direct way, helping build houses for the 
  poor, rescue people from accidents and catastro-
  phes, and protect people from floods, tornadoes, 
  and other natural disasters (which he believes 
  God sends as tests for himself and others). He’s 
  a genuinely good guy, though his beliefs have 
  made him a bit intolerant of those who haven’t 
  accepted Christ as their Savior or who practice 
  un-Godly beliefs, such as homosexuality or 
  paganism. In those cases, he tries to follow the 
  command to love the sinner while hating the sin, 
  but he also won’t reduce his efforts to change 
  their misguided ways.
  Quote:  “No, ma’am. Its not about me. Its about Him, 
  and all I’m here to do is give these people a hand 
  and hopefully show some of them the way.”
  Powers/Tactics:  The Messenger’s primary powers 
  are telekinetic. He can ﬂy at impressive speeds, 
  create walls of telekinetic force or mentally move 
  heavy objects with surprising grace. He hasn’t spent 
  a lot of time ﬁghting supervillains, except for vari-
  ous DEMON Morbanes, so he hasn’t developed a 
  wide range of tactics yet... but he’s a quick study 
  and will easily pick up ideas like using his telekine-
  sis to throw one of his opponents into another or 
  to deposit them someplace they can’t easily escape 
  from (like the top of a tower). He’s played enough 
  football to understand the importance of working 
  with teammates, and is perfectly willing to use his 
  powers to back up someone else’s play.
  The Messenger also has precognitive dreams. 
  He has little ability to control these visions, which 
  tend to be unclear in their subject matter but usu-
  ally are at least speciﬁc about where he needs to 
  be, if not exactly when and why. He’s tried to force 
  these dreams to happen, with mixed success. His 
  wife has suggested that he consider taking sleeping 
  pills when he needs some speciﬁc spiritual guid-
  ance, but so far he’s resisted that.
  Campaign Use:  The Messenger makes an interesting 
  NPC in campaigns that have already established the 
  existence of ultimate, personiﬁed evil in the uni-
  verse — if what DEMON or other villains claim to 
  have contact with isn’t Satan, then what exactly is it, 
  and what is the nature and purpose of God in such 
  a setting? He can create interesting friction with 
  some characters due to his combination of general 
  goodwill and speciﬁc intolerance; he’s such a nice 
  guy that his condemnation of sodomy, drinking, 
  gambling, paganism, and other “immoral behavior” 
  on the parts of other superheroes can present a dif-
  ferent face than most comics’ traditional hypocriti-
  cal, sermonizing preachers.
  To make the Messenger more powerful, you have 
  a couple of options. First, you can increase the power 
  of his existing telekinetic abilities, and/or add to his 
  suite of powers (see the Telekinetic Powers sections of 
  The UNTIL Superpowers Databases for dozens of pos-
  sibilities). Second, playing oﬀ his precognitive dreams 
  you could give him non-telekinetic mental powers, be 
  they more precognitive powers (again, see The UNTIL 
  Superpowers Databases for suggestions) or more gen-
  eral psionic powers.
  The Messenger doesn’t Hunt anyone; that’s just 
  not in him.
  APPEARANCE:  
  The Messenger stands 
  about 6’3” with a 
  broad, athletic build, 
  blonde hair, and almost 
  always a friendly, wel-
  coming smile. His cos-
  tume is a simple royal 
  blue spandex suit with 
  gold trim, with a white 
  cape that has a stiﬀ 
  ﬂare at the shoulders to 
  give it the suggestion 
  of angelic wings.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  91 
  S
  uperheroes aren’t the only ones working 
  to make the world a safer, better place. 
  “Ordinary” people have formed several 
  organizations with the same goals, and 
  they’ve been plenty active in recent years.
  UNTIL
  The United Nations Tribunal on Interna-
  tional Law never stands still, because supercrime 
  doesn’t either. In the past five years it’s expe-
  rienced several developments and launched a 
  number of important new projects.
  INTERNAL POLITICS
  Secretary-General Daniel Calderon was 
  re-elected for a second term in 2007, though his 
  strong support of UNTIL was used against him 
  by opponents who preferred other candidates 
  and claimed that the super-police organization 
  was “reckless, dangerous, and an unwarranted 
  extension of United Nations power.” Calderon 
  has shrugged off those criticisms and remains 
  firmly in UNTIL’s camp. The agency’s largely 
  positive and successful record during his term 
  has amply repaid his “patronage” in his eyes.
  For the past year or two there’ve been rum-
  blings on the UNTIL grapevine that Secretary-
  Marshal Eckhardt intends to resign very soon 
  to enjoy a hopefully peaceful retirement. These 
  rumors claim that everyone from Field Marshal 
  Ben-Israel, to Mentiac, to Patty “Siren” Renton, to 
  various Regional and Branch Commanders have 
  the “inside track” to fill the position after Eck-
  hardt leaves.
  UNITY
  UNITY was slightly weakened in 2005 with 
  the semi-retirement of Mentiac. Richard Burns 
  decided he’d rather devote his considerable brain-
  power to challenges other than the superhuman. 
  Since then he’s consulted with numerous UNTIL 
  scientiﬁc projects (including Manticore; see 
  below) and spent a lot of time improving UNTIL’s 
  general logistics. He’s done a tremendous job on 
  the latter task, upgrading the general eﬃciency 
  of UNTIL’s activities by as much as 35% in some 
  ﬁelds according to agency estimates. However, 
  some in the Diplomatic and Administrative 
  Corps worry that UNTIL’s becoming too depen-
  dent on him; with so much information and ideas 
  locked in his head, they’re concerned about how 
  UNTIL would function if he were killed... or 
  worse, kidnapped by an enemy.
  As of early 2007, UNITY has made no move 
  to replace Mentiac on a permanent basis. It’s sol-
  diered on without him, relying on reservists when 
  necessary. Quasar and the other members seem 
  to be waiting for someone who’s “just the right ﬁt,” 
  powers- and personality-wise, to joing them.
  THE HIGH GUARD
  Despite a deadly (and totally unprovoked) 
  attack by Firewing in mid-2005, the GATEWAY 
  space station has remained active and a vital part of 
  Earth’s astronomical research eﬀorts. A second sta-
  tion, AVALON, came online as scheduled in 2006. 
  It orbits geosynchronously over the Atlantic Ocean, 
  roughly opposite GATEWAY to improve UNTIL’s 
  ability to detect incoming alien invaders and simi-
  lar threats. UNTIL plans to complete its third space 
  station, ASGARD, in mid-2009.
  THE LOW GUARD
  UNTIL’s super-prison, the Guardhouse, has 
  become nearly full over the past several years 
  due to the successes of UNTIL and various allied 
  superhero teams. In 2005 UNTIL requested and 
  received a budgetary allocation to expand the facil-
  ity, increasing the number of cells by nearly ﬁfty 
  percent. Construction began in October 2006 and 
  should be complete sometime in early 2008... bar-
  ring disasters or other complications.
  PROJECT HERMES
  In response to increased activity on the part 
  of DEMON in recent years (see page 100), Project 
  Hermes has focused even more of its resources on 
  that evil cult. On several occasions astute research 
  and intelligence-gathering have allowed UNTIL 
  agents to get to the scene of a crime or ritual in 
  ORGANIZATIONS
  
  92 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  time to put a stop to DEMON’s literally ﬁendish 
  plans. Unfortunately, Hermes’s successes have not 
  come without a price — in late 2005 Major Violette 
  Boudreau, commander of the Project, was killed by 
  a DEMON Morbane during one of these raids. Her 
  replacement, Major Jacques Roger Gandolfo-Monk 
  of Spain, has ably carried on the ﬁght; he’s a char-
  ismatic and learned man who’s become immensely 
  popular among Project personnel.
  PROJECT MIND GAME
  Project Mind Game has done well over the 
  past ﬁve years. First, one of its existing members, 
  1st Lieutenant Isabella Maronni, has experienced 
  a signiﬁcant growth in her powers. In addition to 
  her telepathy, which has become quite strong, she’s 
  developed a suite of other telepathic powers (such 
  as mental control) and precognitive abilities. And 
  Mind Game researchers think she still has plenty of 
  room to grow psionically.
  Second, Mind Game has added two new 
  members, one in late 2004 and one in mid-2006. 
  The former is 1st Lieutenant Frank Loose of the 
  United States. Lieutenant Loose has limited teleki-
  netic transformation powers — he can manipulate 
  objects on the subatomic level to change them. So 
  far he can only do this slowly and with much eﬀort, 
  but Project scientists hope his powers will develop 
  and grow with practice. The second is 1st Lieuten-
  ant Andraya Koluani of Zambia, who can mentally 
  scan for people and objects all over the Earth with 
  great accuracy. Since she came on board no one 
  associated with the Project has ever had any trouble 
  ﬁnding his car keys.
  THE MANTICORE PROJECT
  After the loss of what’s now known as the 
  Ankylosaur armor in 1995 brought a halt to most 
  of UNTIL’s eﬀorts to develop practical powered 
  armor for large numbers of agents; the brass have 
  had to content themselves with a few dozen Peace-
  keeper suits. But the re-acquisition of the Ankylo-
  saur armor when that villain was ﬁnally captured in 
  2004 has kick-started the eﬀort once more, leading 
  to the creation of the new Manticore Project. Using 
  the Ankylosaur armor as a springboard, UNTIL 
  technicians led by Captain Robert Rothenberg 
  have been laboring to build a new suit of armor 
  codenamed “Manticore.” In addition to general 
  improvements over the original, the chief diﬀerence 
  between the two is that instead of containing a gre-
  nade launcher, the “tail” assembly is a sophisticated 
  energy blaster.
  While the Manticore armor remains relatively 
  expensive at this stage, Captain Rothenberg and his 
  staﬀ are conﬁdent that they can reduce the price 
  substantially once they’ve ﬁnished their research, 
  development, and testing and locked down a ﬁnal 
  design. In fact, they say they’ll be able to manu-
  facture a Manticore suit for less than a current 
  Peacekeeper suit... a claim many UNTIL higher-ups 
  consider dubious at best.
  MANTICORE ARMOR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   +30 STR 
  15# 
  +6 
  Lift varies; +6d6  [+3]
   +11 DEX 
  16# 
  +2 
  OCV:  +4/DCV:  +4
   +15 CON 15# 
  +3
   +10 PRE 
  7* 
  +2 
  PRE Attack: +2d6
    
   
   
  Total Characteristic Cost:  53
  *:  OIF (battle armor; -½)
  #:  OIF (as above) plus No Figured Characteristics (-½)
  Movement: 
  Running:  +12”
   
  Leaping:  +20”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  Internal Batteries:  Endurance Reserve  
  (300 END, 30 REC); OIF (-½)
  50 
  Manticore Tail Blaster:  Multipower,  
  75-point powers; all OIF (battle armor; -½)
  1u 
  1)  Tail:  +35 STR; OIF (-½), Only With  
  Extra Limb (-1), No Figured Charac- 
  teristics (-½) 
  3
  5u 
  2)  Blaster:  Energy Blast 15d6; OIF (-½) 
  4u 
  3)  Focused Beam:  RKA 3d6, Armor  
  Piercing (+½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  4)  Modulated Beam:  Energy Blast 10d6, 
  Variable Special Eﬀects (+½); OIF (-½)
  5u 
  5)  Autoﬁre Mode:  Energy Blast 10d6,  
  Autoﬁre (5 shots; +½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  6)  Wide-Angle Beam:  Energy Blast 10d6, 
  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u 
  7)  Flare Beam:  Sight Group Flash 15d6;  
  OIF (-½)
  5u 
  8)  Expanded Flare Beam:  Sight Group  
  Flash 7d6, Area Of Eﬀect (4” Radius; +1); 
  OIF (-½)
  5u 
  9)  Ennervating Beam:  Energy Blast  
  7d6, NND (defense is Power Defense;  
  +1); OIF (-½)
  33 
   Right Shoulder-Mounted Grenades:   
  Energy Blast 12d6, Explosion (+½);  
  OIF (-½), 3 Charges (-1¼) 
  [3]
  5 
  Left Shoulder-Mounted Grenades:   
  Another set of grenades (total of two) 
  [3]
  34 
  Right Gauntlet-Mounted Tangleweb 
  Launcher:  Multipower, 60-point reserve;  
  all OIF (-½), 12 Charges for entire  
  reserve (-¼) 
  [12]
  2u 
  1)  Standard Shot:  Entangle 6d6, 6 DEF;  
  OIF (-½), Requires 2 Charges Per Use (-1)
  2u 
  2)  Wide-Area Shot:  Entangle 4d6, 4 DEF, 
  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½); OIF (-½), 
  Requires 4 Charges Per Shot (-1¼)
  2u 
  3)  Broad-Area Shot:  Entangle 3d6, 3 DEF, 
  Area Of Eﬀect (3” Radius; +1); OIF (-½), 
  Requires 6 Charges Per Shot (-1¼)
  5 
  Left Gauntlet-Mounted Tangleweb  
  Launcher:  Another Tangleweb  
  Launcher (total of two) 
  [12]
  3 
  Tail:  Extra Limb; OIF (-½), Limited  
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
  50 
  Battle Armor:  Armor (25 PD/25 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  14 
  Flashbang Protection:  Sight and Hearing 
  Group Flash Defense (10 points each);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  93 
  13 
  Life Support Systems:  Life Support  
  (Safe Environments:  High Pressure, High 
  Radiation, Intense Cold, Intense Heat,  
  Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained 
  Breathing); OIF (-½) 
  0
  16 
  Motility Servos:  Running +12”; OIF (-½) 2
  9 
  Motility Servos:  Leaping +14” (in addition  
  to inches from STR); OIF (-½) 
  1
  3 
  IR Sensors:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Lowlight Lenses:  Nightvision; OIF (-½)
  3 
  UV Sensors:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  2 
  Hearing Enhancement System:  Ultrasonic 
  Perception (Hearing Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  10 
  Onboard Radar:  Radar (Radio Group);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  8 
  Telescopic Lenses:  +8 versus Range for  
  Sight Group; OIF (-½)
  8 
  Parabolic Hearing:  +8 versus Range for 
  Hearing Group; OIF (-½)
  6 
  Communications Uplink:  HRRP  
  (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Affected As  
  Sight And Hearing Group As Well As 
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Talents
  8 
  Onboard Computer:  Absolute Range Sense, 
  Absolute Time Sense, Bump Of Direction, 
  Lightning Calculator; OIF (-½)
   
  Skills
  11 
  Combat Analyzer:  +2 with All Combat; OIF 
  (-½)
  6 
  Combat Analyzer:  +3 versus Range with all 
  attacks; OIF (-½)
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  386
  Total Cost:  439
  THE TRISMEGISTUS 
  COUNCIL
  The Trismegistus Council has been hard at 
  work over the past half-decade, though as usual it 
  operates in the shadows — almost no one in mun-
  dane circles is aware of its existence, and even many 
  members of the Mystic World haven’t heard of it or 
  don’t understand its true nature and purpose.
  The Council’s eﬀorts have been devoted to two 
  primary goals. First, in the absence of an Archmage, 
  it has endeavored to halt, or at least blunt, mystical 
  threats to Earth and Earth’s reality. Usually it does 
  this by directly or indirectly prompting appropri-
  ate mystics (superheroes or otherwise) to deal with 
  speciﬁc dangers. Only on the rarest of occasions 
  have the Council’s members taken a direct hand 
  themselves, and then not always with the best 
  results — for example, in 2005 Orlando Rodriguez 
  was badly injured in a confrontation with some 
  Scarlet Moon mystics (though he gave as good as 
  he got).
  As usual, the Council’s two main enemies 
  in the Mystic World have been the Circle of the 
  Scarlet Moon and DEMON. Both have been more 
  active than usual in the past few years, and the 
  Council has sometimes been hard-pressed to 
  oppose them eﬀectively.
  The Council’s second goal has been to iden-
  tify the next Archmage and shepherd him into 
  taking oﬃce. Most Council members don’t want 
  to be as proactive as they’ve had to be of late. They 
  prefer the role of scholars, advisors, and powers 
  behind the throne... and that means they need an 
  Archmage to take point against their enemies. As 
  of 2007, the Council is almost evenly split between 
  supporting three candidates:  Dweomer, the Scot-
  tish supermage; the Hindu mystic Rashindar; and 
  Witchcraft of the Champions. (All of them — all 
  of them — are terriﬁed that Takofanes the Undy-
  ing may become the new Archmage, but they don’t 
  dare talk about that even among themselves.) Argu-
  ments on this subject have raged long and loud in 
  the Council’s chambers, but in the end no one can 
  say exactly how to identify an Archmage-to-be — 
  only when someone with enough power meets the 
  qualiﬁcations can the next Archmage be anointed. 
  So each faction works to support and advise its 
  candidate... and perhaps, by not throwing its weight 
  behind the correct candidate, only extends Earth’s 
  period of defenselessness.
  
  94 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  THE GOODMAN INSTITUTE
  One of the most interesting events in the 
  Superhuman World over the last several years was 
  the debut of the Goodman Institute, a new pri-
  vately-funded corporation that provides scientiﬁc 
  assistance to superheroes in the form of technical 
  consultants, skilled manpower, equipment, and 
  laboratory space in exchange for the rights to study 
  and possibly exploit new discoveries for the beneﬁt 
  of mankind (and, of course, a reasonable proﬁt). 
  Founded by billionaire software mogul Horatio 
  Goodman in 2003, the Goodman Institute has 
  hired some of the world’s most famous superheroes 
  and scientists and set up several facilities in the 
  United States. It has several more under construc-
  tion as of early 2007, and expansion plans for loca-
  tions around the world.
  HORATIO GOODMAN
  The Institute’s founder, Horatio Goodman, was 
  a proliﬁc software designer who in the 1970s created 
  some of the basic software that currently runs the 
  world’s largest bond-trading platforms. His patents 
  made him a multimillionaire, and his crafty invest-
  ments in other software companies, banks, hotels, and 
  power plants around the world multiplied his fortune. 
  In 2006 he was listed as the world’s ninth-wealthiest 
  man with a personal net worth of just under $25 bil-
  lion. Still only in his early ﬁfties, he’s married and has 
  two children. He maintains residences in New York 
  and Paris, though he spends most of his time on his 
  massive 400-foot yacht, the Arlequin. 
  Long a lover of science ﬁction and a fan of 
  superheroes, Goodman decided to use part of his 
  fortune to increase man’s knowledge of the universe 
  and solve as many of the world’s scientiﬁc mysteries 
  as possible. To that end he created the Goodman 
  Institute. Its mission is to work hand-in-hand with 
  the planet’s various superhuman defenders, who 
  regularly encounter aliens and alien technology, 
  strange creatures, ancient civilizations, and other 
  natural and unnatural wonders... and yet are rarely 
  prepared to fully deal with those wonders.
  Goodman began by hiring some of the world’s 
  leading researchers in their ﬁelds. He oﬀered them 
  comfortable salaries, but more importantly allowed 
  them the freedom to explore whatever avenues they 
  thought promising... as long as they agreed to serve 
  as advisors when needed by the superheroic clien-
  tele Goodman wanted to attract.
  When the Ophidian Plague broke out in sev-
  eral major cities in early 2004 (see Sharper Than A 
  Serpent’s Tooth), Goodman Institute scientists and 
  doctors were at the forefront of studying victims 
  captured by various superheroes. Working alongside 
  Defender and Dr. Silverback they provided tremen-
  dously important scientiﬁc support in the race for a 
  cure (which of course, was made much easier once the 
  Champions acquired King Cobra’s ﬁles on the plague’s 
  creation). Though Institute scientists didn’t ﬁnd the 
  cure themselves, their eﬀorts helped save the lives of 
  hundreds of victims and garnered the organization 
  plenty of positive publicity as well as the goodwill of 
  the Champions and the Center for Disease Control.
  In the spring of 2005 the Institute took a major 
  step forward when Peter (Amazing-Man II) Renton 
  and Marcy (Electron) Gibson-Renton joined the 
  organization as leaders of its Encounter Team of 
  ﬁeld agents. Until their marriage in February of that 
  year they’d been members of New York’s two most 
  well-known superhero teams, the Sentinels and the 
  Justice Squadron respectively. There’d been all sorts 
  of speculation in Superworld Magazine and other 
  tabloids about whether the two would maintain their 
  separate team memberships, or which of them would 
  join the other’s team. Instead, they surprised the world 
  by retiring from the world of crimeﬁghting to join 
  Goodman’s new venture. The resulting publicity did 
  wonders for the Institute, which soon was signing up 
  superheroes as clients and prominent scientists as staﬀ 
  by the droves. Goodman scored another PR coup a 
  few months later when the celebrity gorilla scientist 
  Dr. Silverback joined the Institute’s staﬀ.
  HORATIO GOODMAN
   11 STR 
  14 DEX 
  12 CON 
  10 BOD 
   18 INT 
  20 EGO 
  23 PRE 
  14 COM
   
  4 PD 
  3 ED 
  3 SPD 
  4 REC
   26 END 
  22 STUN
  Abilities:  Luck 1d6; Filthy Rich; Fringe Beneﬁt: 
  Head of Goodman Institute; Passport; Well-Con-
  nected and 30 points worth of useful Contacts in 
  the Business and Political Worlds; Bureaucratics 
  14-; Climbing 12-; Computer Programming 16-; 
  Conversation 14-; Gambling (Card Games)13-; 
  High Society 14-; Navigation (Air, Sea) 13-; Ora-
  tory 14-; Trading 14-; KS: The Business World 13-, 
  The Superhuman World 11-; PS: Financier/Investor 
  17-; TF: Small Motorized, Two-Wheeled Motorized, 
  Small Planes, Small Wind-Powered Boats, Large 
  Motorized Boats, Hanggliding, SCUBA, Skiing 
  (Snow & Water), Windsurﬁng; Languages: English 
  (native), French (ﬂuent), Japanese (ﬂuent)
  Disadvantages:  Psychological Limitation (Obsessed 
  With Expanding Human Knowledge); Rivalry 
  (Professional, Other Multimillionaires); Social 
  Limitation (Celebrity)
  Notes:  Goodman is rarely present at any of the Insti-
  tute’s facilities, preferring a life of world travel with his 
  family aboard his yacht. But he might turn up if one 
  of the labs is working on a particularly fascinating 
  or lucrative case, mostly to satisfy his own curiosity. 
  He also might be present at any sort of high-roller 
  party to wheel and deal, at a casino indulging his love 
  of high-stakes poker, or at a political event to make 
  contacts (and where he’ll use his wiles and donations 
  to make sure the Institute can continue to function 
  legally with minimal government oversight).
  GENERAL OPERATIONS
  Since 2005, the Institute has forged working rela-
  tionships with dozens of superheroes and teams, from 
  the Sentinels, Justice Squadron, and Champions to 
  solo heroes like Black Mask, Fallout, and Cyberknight. 
  It’s also come to a general agreement with DOSPA 
  and UNTIL, though PRIMUS remains concerned 
  about Goodman’s activities outside the United States 
  and the possibility of the Institute’s discoveries falling 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  95 
  into the hands of less-friendly nations. The Depart-
  ment of Defense also has reservations, but Goodman’s 
  eﬀorts lobbying Andrew Rochester as well as the army 
  of lawyers he has on retainer have so far kept the gov-
  ernment at a safe distance from the Institute’s aﬀairs. 
  Even so, the authorities have tasked several investiga-
  tors with keeping a close eye on the Institute to make 
  sure American interests aren’t contravened.
  The Goodman Institute is a for-proﬁt venture, 
  though Goodman says he’s unconcerned with the 
  organization’s bottom line as long as it pays for itself 
  — he’s far more interested in what the world can learn 
  from the encounters with the unusual that superhu-
  mans regularly face. The primary way the Institute 
  makes money is by signing deals with formally-orga-
  nized superhero teams or individuals to assist them 
  in scientiﬁc matters (the deﬁnition of “scientiﬁc” in 
  these contracts is extremely broad — Goodman’s 
  also very interested in extradimensional realms and 
  other ﬁelds that most people classify as “mystical”). 
  These contracts, which involve no exchange of cash, 
  allow the superhero to call on the Institute at any 
  time, 24 hours a day, to provide him with material 
  assistance in any matter. In exchange the Institute 
  gets the legal right to exploit any new technologies 
  that may result from that assistance. In other words, 
  if a superhero ﬁnds a crashed UFO, the Institute 
  might provide linguists to help communicate with 
  any passengers, metallurgists to ﬁgure out what the 
  hull is made of, engineers to study the engines, and 
  astrophysicists to help ﬁgure out where it might have 
  come from — but if there’s any money to be earned 
  from the discovery, it’s the Insitute that makes it. So 
  far, the Institute has actually lost money despite some 
  promising leads on manufacturing (from its extensive 
  look at Herculan’s armor) and some possible medi-
  cal discoveries (mainly from the chemicals it derived 
  from the Ophidian Plague samples). But the Institute 
  has a long way to go before it runs out of the money 
  from Goodman’s original bequest, and it expects to be 
  proﬁtable well before then.
  OFFICES
  The Goodman Institute’s corporate headquar-
  ters and largest single facility is located in Colum-
  bus, Ohio, which is both Goodman’s birthplace and 
  conveniently located midway between Millennium 
  City and New York City, the country’s two largest 
  centers of superhuman activity. Amazing Man and 
  Electron maintain their oﬃces here; Columbus also 
  has the administrative center and the facilities for 
  the Encounter Teams, including a private airﬁeld 
  for storing and maintaining their three jets.
  In Horatio Goodman’s absence, which is 
  common, Fernando Chavira, a highly-skilled 
  administrator, manages the Institute on a day-to-
  day basis. He’s most at home in corporate board-
  rooms and lawyers’ oﬃces, so he leaves the han-
  dling of the sometimes free-spirited scientists that 
  make up the bulk of the Institute’s staﬀ to Dr. Dani-
  elle McDougal. In addition to her world-renowned 
  work as a superhuman biologist, she oversees the 
  technical and research side of Institute activities.
  The Chief of Security at the main facility is 
  Gunter Hargen. He formerly worked as an engineer 
  at Stronghold and has developed a wide range of 
  restraining systems to deal with superhuman men-
  aces. Although he has a small staﬀ of guards, he 
  places most of his faith in technological solutions 
  to security problems.
  Beyond Columbus the Goodman Institute has 
  nine other facilities in the United States, with sev-
  eral more under construction (and the ﬁrst foreign 
  oﬃce, in Camden Lock just outside of London, 
  should be operational in the summer of 2007, with 
  Paris and Melbourne facilities not far behind). Most 
  of the smaller facilities are dedicated to researching 
  and dealing with a speciﬁc subject:
  New York City (has no specialty, but works exten-
  sively with the Sentinels, Justice Squadron, and less 
  formally UNITY)
  
  96 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Millennium City (specializes in genetic research, with 
  labs run by Dr. Silverback)
  Boston (specializes in marine biology)
  Dallas (specializes in medicine, particularly disease 
  control)
  Los Angeles (specializes in astronomy and astro-
  physics, with several high-powered telescopes 
  located in the desert near Barstow)
  Phoenix (specializes in studies of parapsychology 
  and psionic abilities)
  San Francisco (specializes in extradimensional 
  studies and “mysticism”)
  St. Louis (specializes in artiﬁcial intelligence studies)
  Seattle (primarily a manufacturing plant for high-
  tech equipment used by the other facilities and 
  Encounter Teams)
  The San Francisco oﬃce has received a lot of 
  attention recently. It’s hired several well-known 
  mystics (like the superhero Eldritch and the well-
  known Atlantean scholar Randall Kramm) to create 
  new scientiﬁc theories of how magic works. So far 
  the researchers have had little success, but Horatio 
  considers this a pretty promising avenue of explo-
  ration and has approved sizable research budgets 
  for the next two years.
  ENCOUNTER TEAMS
  The Institute does most of its ﬁeld work through 
  Encounter Teams — groups of typically no more than 
  a dozen Insitute scientists and experts handpicked to 
  deal with whatever situation the Institute’s sending 
  them into. For example, an Encounter Team sent to 
  help cope with a super-plague would primarily consist 
  of biologists and doctors, while one sent to investigate 
  a crashed UFO would include engineers, linguists, 
  astrophysicists, and the like.
  Except in unusual circumstances, Amazing Man 
  and/or Electron lead every Encounter Team. Most 
  of the situations the Institute sends a Team into pose 
  at least some danger and Horatio Goodman doesn’t 
  want to leave them unprotected. Similarly, unless 
  exempted for reasons of age or physical condition, 
  every Encounter Team member is expected to wear 
  special Institute body armor and carry and use vari-
  ous Institute-designed nonlethal weapons (either 
  stunners or restrainers). The Institute trains its per-
  sonnel in how to use these weapons and how to react 
  in a ﬁeld combat situation (though it doesn’t expect 
  them to be soldiers, just to protect themselves). A 
  scientist who refuses to carry or use the weapons is 
  unceremoniously booted from the Institute’s staﬀ.
  In addition to personal equipment, the 
  Encounter Teams have three oversized high-tech jet 
  aircraft equipped with mini-laboratories and other 
  facilities and gear to assist with a ﬁeld investiga-
  tion. The mini-lab sections are modular and can be 
  swapped out at the Columbus airﬁeld to “custom-
  ize” a jet for a particular expedition.
  INSTITUTE STAFF
  Apart from the various scientists and superhe-
  roes mentioned above, some of the Institute’s more 
  interesting personnel include:
  Kurt Stutsman
  Occasionally referred to as “Halbermensch,” a 
  name he doesn’t care for, Stutsman was a brilliant 
  German physicist studying higher dimensions when 
  one of his experimental devices exploded. Somehow 
  the accident “folded up” the left half of Stutsman’s 
  body into another dimension. Stutsman looks like 
  a healthy and functioning lateral cross-section of a 
  human being — from the left side one can see directly 
  inside him where half of his skeleton, brain and other 
  organs are clearly visible. But attempts to touch that 
  side of him are thwarted by some sort of force ﬁeld, a 
  “fold in space” leading to the higher dimension where 
  the other half of his body continues to function and 
  even thrive. His blood continues to ﬂow through his 
  body, apparently disappearing and reappearing at the 
  border of his visible body. Stutsman reports that he 
  can feel the existence of his body “elsewhere,” though 
  he reports no sensory input from that side’s eyes 
  or other sensory organs. Since Stutsman’s physical 
  appearance is fairly disconcerting, he spends almost 
  all of his time alone in his lab working on ways to 
  retrieve the rest of himself. He joined the Institute in 
  2006 and works in the San Francisco facility.
  Maxwell Armistead
  Doctor Armistead was once a brilliant surgeon in 
  Vibora Bay. He suﬀered a mental breakdown in 1999 
  and began performing unethical and illegal experi-
  ments on the Queen City’s homeless population. He 
  transformed some of them into half-animal hybrids 
  with bizarre grafting techniques and DNA modiﬁca-
  tion before the Black Mask tracked him down and 
  brought him to justice. After several years of therapy 
  Armistead was released from the hospital and now 
  works as part of the Goodman Institute’s medical 
  research staﬀ in their Dallas oﬃce.
  Colonel Joshua Wright
  Colonel Wright is the United States Defense 
  Department’s liaison to the Institute; he has an oﬃce 
  at the Columbus facility. His posting is one of the 
  concessions Goodman had to make to the US military 
  to receive a basic security clearance (at an equivalent 
  level to that of the Sentinels). It’s Wright’s job to (a) 
  keep his superiors informed of any threats to the 
  country the Institute discovers, and (b) approve all of 
  the security measures surrounding the known felons 
  the Institute occasionally studies.
  Wright is well known for having a dry, sarcas-
  tic wit that he conceals by pretending to have no 
  sense of humor at all. He takes his job very seri-
  ously, and many employees who don’t know him 
  well assume he’s a stickler for the rules. He actively 
  cultivates this image, even though he’s willing to 
  bend the odd regulation in a good cause.
  Wilma Masser
  Doctor Masser, despite her appearance as a 
  kindly, silver-haired African-American grand-
  mother, is the Institute’s top computer scientist. 
  She’s the designer of several prototypes of arti-
  ficial intelligence and head of the computer labs 
  at the Columbus facility. Colleagues have learned 
  to fear her wrath because of her propensity for 
  spectacular practical jokes.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  97 
  A
  lthough the majority of the world’s super-
  human activity takes place in the United 
  States, many heroes and villains live 
  and operate in other parts of the world. 
  Reviewing everything that’s happened in the 
  Superhuman World in Europe, Africa, Asia, and 
  elsewhere over the past two years is beyond the 
  scope of this book, but here are a few highlights.
  EUROPE
  The most important development in Europe 
  has been another increase in the ranks of Eurostar. 
  Less than two years after bringing der Westgote 
  onto the team, Fiacho introduced his compatriots 
  in terror to an even more vicious comrade:  a beast-
  woman codenamed Pantera. UNTIL agents and 
  superheroes who’ve encountered her report that 
  she might be the deadliest member of the team. 
  Although she posssesses only semi-human intel-
  ligence, she’s got bestial cunning (particularly in 
  combat) and her fangs and claws can inﬂict fatal 
  wounds on even well-protected targets.
  But Eurostar’s not the only one adding new 
  superhumans to its ranks. In mid-2006 the pow-
  erful supervillain Superior made his debut as a 
  member of Dragon Branch. With his assistance 
  a Paris Nest was able to pull oﬀ a daring robbery 
  of the Louvre that netted several irreplaceable art 
  objects. Immensely strong and durable and able to 
  ﬂy, he is a major boost to VIPER’s European assets. 
  As of early 2007 he has not been seen on any mis-
  sions outside of the Continent.
  RUSSIA
  In the summer of 2006 the Russian Defend-
  ers assembled to ﬁght oﬀ a menace threatening 
  Moscow itself — a gigantic protoplasmic blob that 
  oozed over the ground, parts its shape constantly 
  changing to manifest various animal aspects (deer’s 
  antlers, bear’s paws, wings, and so on). As it moved, 
  it crushed or corroded everything it touched. After 
  a two-hour battle in which the blob got to within 
  sight of Red Square, and during which Syeryebro 
  and Mamont were both badly injured, the heroes 
  ﬁnally defeated the blob... only to see it shrink 
  and coalesce into a humanoid form! Mystiﬁed 
  and vaguely repulsed, they watched as the shape 
  become more and more reﬁned. After a few min-
  utes they recognized it as their old comrade Taiga, 
  who’d supposedly been killed in battle by Eurostar 
  in 2004! They rushed him to a hospital, where he’s 
  still convalescing as of early 2007. His memory of 
  the time since his death is virtually nonexistent. 
  He believes that his metamorphic powers allowed 
  the various pieces of his body to slowly but surely 
  ﬁnd one another and form a greater whole, and 
  that only the ﬁght with his humanoid friends 
  “reminded” his body about its proper shape.
  Another major menace facing Russia, one the 
  Russian Defenders have yet to truly come to grips 
  with, is the threat posed by Slun. In the past two 
  years he’s expanded his organization to cover parts 
  of Russia outside St. Petersburg, and even extended 
  some parts of his network into Eastern Europe. 
  He’s even recruited a number of superhumans as 
  more-or-less full-time bodyguards and enforcers. If 
  no one stops him, there’s a good chance his evil will 
  soon reach America....
  THE MIDDLE EAST
  The ongoing conflict in Iraq continues to 
  dominate the Superhuman World as it does other 
  aspects of life in that part of the globe. The Iraqi 
  supervillain Turs al-Sh’ab has worked closely 
  with various insurgent groups and has clashed 
  with the American military, including members 
  of Ameriforce One. However, as of early 2007 it’s 
  believed he may at long last have been killed in 
  action. In September 2007 he fought Mercuria, 
  Gryffon, and a squad of soldiers, and fled the 
  battle after receiving several severe wounds... 
  wounds so bad that American analysts believe 
  not even his regenerative powers could have 
  saved him. He hasn’t been seen since.
  UNTIL recently uncovered links between 
  President Meklani of Taqiristan and several super-
  villain teams, including the Ultimates and the Brain 
  Trust. Apparently Meklani is willing to strictly 
  enforce his country’s non-extradition policy on 
  their behalf... for a substantial fee. While it’s not 
  always easy for a ﬂeeing supervillain to reach Taqiri 
  soil, if he can and he’s paid up he’s got a guaranteed 
  safe haven. Unable to do anything about this except 
  exert diplomatic pressure, UNTIL’s left to hope 
  that somehow this odious policy will backﬁre on 
  Meklani, perhaps even bringing down his regime in 
  the process.
  AROUND  
  THE WORLD
  
  98 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  AFRICA
  In the past two years, Africa has been relatively 
  quite as far as superhuman activity goes — or at 
  least it hasn’t been any “noisier” than normal. The 
  greatest threat in UNTIL’s eyes continues to be 
  Joseph Otanga, whom Project Hermes believes 
  props up his rule over Lugendu with dark magics 
  of some sort. UNTIL has tried several times to 
  inﬁltrate agents into Otanga’s inner circle, but most 
  of them have made no progress at all... and the few 
  who did soon went missing and were never heard 
  from again. On a brighter note, UNITY did beat 
  Otanga’s forces to a large chunk of kelvarite that 
  fell from the sky during an unusually spectacular 
  meteor shower over Central Africa in October 
  2006. UNTIL scientists are now studying the 
  strange alien mineral.
  INDIA
  In February 2006 the Slug launched a major 
  attack in southern India. The battle against Dr. 
  Destroyer in that region in 2003 revealed a previ-
  ously-unknown ruin on the Kistna River. Scholars 
  from several Indian universities began conducting 
  digs there in 2004, but while they found several 
  intriguing artifacts had not deﬁnitively established 
  the site’s origin, nature, or creators.
  As near as the authorities can ﬁgure, the Slug 
  somehow got wind of this site, decided it might 
  have something to do with the Elder Worm, and 
  came to ﬁnd out. Without warning he and his Elder 
  Worm followers appeared in the city of Nandyal 
  and began transforming its residents into more 
  Elder Worm. Widespread panic and countless 
  emergencies followed, forcing the Superhero Divi-
  sion and the military to deal with them. During the 
  confusion the Slug slipped away and attacked the 
  archaeological dig. Although he transformed most 
  of the scientists and workers there into Elder Worm 
  and took them with him, as near as the authorities 
  can ﬁgure he removed no artifacts from the site. 
  Apparently it wasn’t a ruin of Elder Worm origin, 
  and thus was of little interest to him.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  99 
  THE FAR EAST
  The Superhuman World of China, Japan, and 
  the rest of the Orient has been as busy as ever.
  OLYMPIC DOOM
  On August 8, 2006 — exactly two years before 
  the scheduled opening of the Beijing Olympics — a 
  gargantuan, ﬁery dragon appeared in the skies over 
  China’s capital. In a voice of thunder it proclaimed, 
  “Western athletic competition is not a thing of 
  China! Cancel the games or punishments like light-
  nings from heaven will rain down on those who 
  have turned their backs on the culture of their fore-
  fathers!” And then, with a thunderclap that cracked 
  windows all over the city, it vanished. No one has 
  claimed credit for the “attack,” but the authorities 
  believe Dr. Yin Wu is behind it. Convinced that he 
  will try to disrupt the Olympic Games (and thus 
  humiliate China’s Communist leaders), the govern-
  ment has ordered part of the Tiger Squad to dedi-
  cate itself full-time to studying and defeating him. 
  But so far their eﬀorts have borne no fruit.
  SINGAPORE SUPERVILLAINY
  In mid-2006 a new supervillain team calling 
  itself the Seven Great Furies debuted in Singapore. 
  Its members, who from their physical resemblance 
  would seem to be siblings, are relatively low-pow-
  ered superhumans whose powers mostly seem to 
  involve enhanced physical capabilities and limited 
  forms of energy manipulation (a diﬀerent type 
  of energy for each Fury — electricity, ﬁre, gravity, 
  light, magnetism, sonics, and vibration). Singapo-
  ran heroes like Silverwing and Shining Sword have 
  clashed with the Furies on several occasions, but 
  neither side has scored a decisive victory.
  BATTLE OVER TOKYO
  In November 2006 Tokyo had the misfortune to 
  be the site of one of the most devastating superbattles 
  of recent years. The Warlord apparently decided the 
  time had come to thoroughly ﬁeld-test the capabilities 
  of his improved battle armor (see page 108) — and he 
  decided to do that by attacking one of his oldest foes, 
  the armored Japanese hero Tetsuronin. While Tet-
  suronin was on patrol one day the Warlord attacked, 
  ﬂying at him out of the sun and ﬁring an energy bolt 
  more powerful than any he’d ever ﬁred before. The 
  blast knocked Tetsuronin out of the sky and through 
  two skyscrapers... but Japan’s greatest hero shook 
  oﬀ the impact and soared to the attack! For the next 
  ﬁfteen minutes the two of them battered each other 
  around with powerful attacks, in the process virtu-
  ally demolishing over two square blocks of Tokyo 
  (though by some miracle, not to mention fast action 
  by the police, there was no loss of life). Then, having 
  concluded that his armor was working properly and 
  at peak eﬃciency, the Warlord took note of the immi-
  nent arrival of the Tokyo Super Squad and teleported 
  away. Tetsuronin has vowed to ﬁnish the ﬁght at the 
  ﬁrst opportunity.
  AUSTRALIA
  In April 2006 the Dreamtime ﬁend Marmoo 
  (see Hidden Lands, page 94) once again attacked 
  Australia, attempting to destroy Sydney with a 
  plague of insects of every variety. How he gained 
  access to Earth is a mystery, since his usual routes 
  were blocked oﬀ or “watched” by the authorities or 
  various Australian superheroes. Unfortunately for 
  Marmoo, he chose a singularly bad time to make 
  his attack, for it just so happened that the Cham-
  pions were on vacation in Australia! They teamed 
  up with the Walkabout Man, Brigade, and several 
  other Aussie heroes to stem the six-legged tide and 
  keep the citizens of Sydney safe. Once again ejected 
  from this world, Marmoo is no doubt sitting in the 
  Dreamtime sulking... and perhaps planning another 
  attempt to destroy the world’s beauty.
  
  100 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  T
  he past ﬁve years have not been quiet ones 
  among the Superhuman World. Besides the 
  events listed elsewhere in this book, here are 
  some of the publicly-known notable activi-
  ties of various villains and criminals since 2002.
  ENEMY ORGANIZATIONS
  Despite the fact that they’re not always as 
  ﬂashy or destructive as supervillains, criminal 
  organizations like VIPER are just as dangerous and 
  deadly... if not moreso.
  ARGENT
  The leaking of data about ARGENT to the 
  authorities via Interface’s capture (see page 8) has 
  caused signiﬁcant problems for the organization 
  since late 2003. Several of its front organizations 
  were raided by the authorities within the two 
  months following Interface’s defeat, and it seems 
  that ARGENT’s Board of Directors ordered the 
  abandonment of several others just in the nick of 
  time to avoid more loss of personnel and resources. 
  Since then it’s mostly been quiet; UNTIL speculates 
  that it’s been reorganizing, rebuilding, and focusing 
  on its core business of selling supertechnology to 
  the underworld to reﬁll its coﬀers.
  DEMON
  In the past two years, DEMON seems to have 
  stepped up its activities considerably, with more 
  public crimes, and thus apparently more recruit-
  ment, than ever before. Museums, libraries, jewelry 
  stores and gem brokerages, various private collec-
  tions of antiquities, and even a few banks have been 
  the target of DEMON’s schemes. If there’s a single 
  thread linking all these crimes, neither the authori-
  ties nor the Trismegistus Council can see it.
  DEMON’s most ﬁendish plot during this time 
  was the creation of the so-called “Satan Furnace.” In 
  an isolated cavern in the Scottish Highlands several 
  Morbanes and a group of Brothers labored physi-
  cally and mystically for what may have been as long 
  as two years, forging an enormous furnace in the 
  shape of a demon’s head. When the work was com-
  plete, they stoked the furnace with special arcane 
  fuels and ﬁred it up. But instead of emitting smoke, 
  the Furnace belched forth warped mystical energies 
  apparently intended to “taint” magic on Earth in 
  ways that would make DEMON more powerful.
  Unfortunately for DEMON, its eﬀorts to 
  acquire the fuels for the furnace weren’t as subtle 
  as they should have been. The Irish mystic Dweo-
  mer got wind that something was going on and 
  began investigating. When he realized what was 
  going on, he knew he had to act at once... and 
  that by himself he wasn’t a match for DEMON’s 
  Furnace-augmented forces. He sent word to other 
  mystics aligned with the Light — Witchcraft, 
  Black Rose, Eldritch, the Technomancer, and 
  even Robert Caliburn — and they descended 
  on DEMON’s Highland hideout as soon as they 
  could. The battle was long and perilous, and for 
  most of the time the outcome seemed in doubt, 
  but at the last minute Dweomer hurled one of his 
  talismans into the Furnace, causing it to overload 
  and explode. The resulting devastation weakened 
  the Morbanes enough for the heroes to defeat 
  them and take them into custody.
  VIPER
  Chronicling all of VIPER’s plans, schemes, and 
  crimes over the past several years would practi-
  cally require a book of its own. Relatively few of its 
  plots have been of the Earth-conquering variety; 
  instead it’s focused on smaller operations more 
  easily carried out. One notable exception was 
  December 2005’s Operation Sunstroke, in which 
  VIPER got a solar-powered laser cannon into orbit 
  and threatened to devastate various major cities if a 
  colossal ransom weren’t paid. To prove its sincerity 
  it used the cannon to destroy a tiny island north of 
  Canada. But that was just enough for Earth’s track-
  ing technology to ascertain the general location of 
  the cannon, and almost before VIPER realized what 
  was going on the Sentinels found it, defeated its 
  robotic guardians, and destroyed it.
  In the wake of ARGENT’s troubles (see above), 
  VIPER has taken the opportunity to grab as much 
  “territory” in the underworld super-technology and 
  arms market as it can. VIPER’s labs have been churn-
  ing out a whole new generation of blasters, force ﬁeld 
  belts, and other devices it can sell to criminals for top 
  dollar. Some knowledgeable persons have pointed out 
  that these “new” devices are the same old VIPER tech 
  in new casings designed to look cool and impressive, 
  but that revelation doesn’t seem to have hurt sales.
  But VIPER’s activities haven’t been wholly crimi-
  nal. In August 2006, when Dr. Destroyer launched his 
  new Island (see below), VIPER apparently decided he 
  was a threat to its own plans and decided to help stop 
  him. It contacted various authorities through back 
  channels, oﬀering the help of members of the Dragon 
  Branch on the condition that they’d be allowed to 
  leave unmolested when the crisis had passed. Needing 
  all the help they could get, the authorities reluctantly 
  agreed, and VIPER sent ten of its superhuman agents 
  to join the battle. They were genuinely helpful, and 
  when the battle was over the heroes on the scene let 
  them go as agreed.
  ENEMIES
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  101 
  MASTER VILLAINS
  DR. DESTROYER
  For most of the early 2000s the fiendish 
  Doctor was fairly quiet — and that made the 
  world community veeeerrry nervous. And the 
  world had good cause to be concerned. In August 
  2006 Destroyer launched his latest plan for world 
  conquest:  Destruga II, the rebuilt and signifi-
  cantly improved “island of Dr. Destroyer.” As the 
  authorities now know, he’d been working on it in 
  secret for years in secret bases scattered around 
  the Pacific Ocean.
  Destruga II ﬁrst appeared south of the Cook 
  Islands heading west. Although it hasn’t been con-
  ﬁrmed, UNTIL believes Dr. Destroyer’s plan was 
  to attack and conquer Australia ﬁrst, then move 
  northward taking island after island until he could 
  attack and conquer Japan. From there, the other 
  nations of the world would fall like dominoes. But 
  as so often occurs, Zerstoiten’s megalomania proved 
  to be his Achilles’s heel — by revealing his plan and 
  giving his enemies a target he made himself vulner-
  able. Heroes from all over the world scrambled to 
  meet the threat, including the Justice Squadron, the 
  Sentinels, the Champions, the New Knights of the 
  Round Table, the Tokyo Super Squad, a cadre from 
  the Tiger Squad, and members of the Superhero 
  Division. The Australian and American militaries 
  also joined the ﬁght. In nearly a week of intermittent 
  ﬁghting, the heroes slowly but surely wore down the 
  island’s defenses and broke Destroyer’s weapons.
  Recognizing that his plan was foundering, 
  Dr. Destroyer began preparations to launch a 
  mind-control satellite he’d expected to put into 
  orbit after conquering Australia. A team of spe-
  cially-trained UNTIL commandoes inﬁltrated 
  the facility and shut down the launch in the nick 
  of time. At that point Destroyer set the island to 
  self-destruct... and that countdown wasn’t one that 
  anyone could stop. With a thunderous blast just 
  short of nuclear Destruga II detonated, killing a 
  dozen UNTIL personnel and two members of the 
  Tiger Squad in the process. The remains sank to 
  the bottom of the Paciﬁc and remain there (the 
  depth of the sea at that point makes salvage opera-
  tions marginal at best). Destroyer himself has not 
  been seen since; while some people hope he “went 
  down with the ship,” most authorities believe he 
  escaped via teleportation and is already planning 
  new schemes of conquest.
  GRAVITAR
  Much to the concern of nearly every leader on 
  the planet, in the past few years Gravitar seems to 
  have gotten much more serious about her super-
  villainy. The early part of her career she seemed 
  almost dilettantish about being a villain — as if it 
  were something she were doing for the fun of it, 
  because she could and wanted to see how much 
  trouble she could cause. But she ﬁnally seems to 
  have realized how truly powerful she is... and if 
  anything, her power’s grown over time, as she dem-
  onstrated in October of 2006.
  Compared to her usual bull-in-a-china-shop 
  way of attacking, her assault on Washington, D.C. 
  was planned, precise, and eﬃcient:  she literally 
  picked up the United States Capitol and lifted it ﬁve 
  hundred feet in the air, threatening to drop it and 
  kill every single member of Congress if the United 
  States didn’t capitulate and turn over control to her. 
  It was ruthless and calculated, nothing like what 
  UNTIL and PRIMUS had come to expect from her.
  Both the Justice Squadron and the Capital 
  Patrol responded to the attack — but they couldn’t 
  attack all-out at ﬁrst for fear that Gravitar would 
  make good on her threat. They had to have a way to 
  keep the Capitol from falling... and that meant the 
  Drifter’s magic. Unfortunately for them Gravitar 
  realized this too and kept the Drifter in particular 
  under constant ﬁre with gravity bolts and thrown 
  objects so he had to spend most of his time and 
  energy protecting himself. But eventually the 
  heroes found a way to protect him, allowing him 
  to cast a spell that caused enormous hands and 
  arms of stone to rise out of the ground below the 
  Capitol, grow upward, and grab it. At just the right 
  moment the other heroes focused their attacks on 
  Gravitar... and as promised she let the building go 
  so she could ﬁght them. But the Drifter’s magic-cre-
  ated hands caught it without it suﬀering any major 
  damage and lowered it back into place.
  Gravitar kept ﬁghting the heroes for another 
  few minutes but apparently decided it was a waste 
  of time. She ﬂed, leaving a grateful and relieved city 
  behind her. But the around the world, many people 
  took note:  Gravitar has decided to stop playing 
  around. She has yet to launch another scheme of 
  conquest, but the consensus is it’s just a matter 
  of time before she does. UNTIL is considering 
  creating a special team, tentatively named Project 
  Newton, to combat her.
  MENTON
  Menton made one of the most intriguing... 
  and most nearly successful... bids for world power 
  of the past ﬁve years in late 2005 when he mentally 
  manipulated the people of Guamanga into electing 
  him president. Thanks to some help from what the 
  authorities later discovered was ARGENT technol-
  ogy, he was both able to aﬀect thousands of people 
  at once with his powers and do it without leaving 
  psychic traces.
  The United States and the United Nations 
  mobilized their forces, but did nothing more at ﬁrst. 
  Although everyone knew what Menton had done, 
  there was no proof — and without proof the UN, 
  in particular, was not willing to overthrow a seem-
  ingly legally elected oﬃcial. That would have set a 
  dangerous precedent the UN desperately wanted to 
  avoid... so it found another option.
  Working through back channels, UNTIL hired 
  a team of mercenaries that included Raya de Plata, 
  Fenris, Venin Vert, and Lam Kuei. The team’s mis-
  sion:  inﬁltrate Guamanga and stop Menton...per-
  manently, if necessary. What the team didn’t know 
  was that it was simply a stalking horse designed to 
  distract the evil mentalist. The real team was led 
  by Utility and included his on-again-oﬀ-again girl-
  
  102 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  friend Mirage, Mechassassin, Shrinker, and Laser 
  — real pros with the experience and abilities to take 
  care of Menton and his core of bodyguards (which 
  included a few former members of PSI) and mind-
  controlled followers.
  Equipped with the last UNTIL psi-shields, 
  Utility and his team inﬁltrated the Guamangan 
  presidential palace. They were making  good prog-
  ress... but even the best UNTIL anti-psi technology 
  works poorly against Menton. When he realized 
  they were present, Menton attacked them full force. 
  The battle was not going well at all, but then fate 
  — or rather, Dr. Destroyer — took a hand. While 
  Menton was focused on ﬁghting the UNTIL team, 
  one of his “mind-controlled” followers changed 
  shape into Destroyer’s henchman Rakshasa! Pulling 
  out a blaster pistol, he shot Menton point-blank in 
  the back of the head. Menton collapsed like a pole-
  axed steer. Taken into custody by UNTIL, he now 
  resides in Stronghold in “hot sleep.”
  TAKOFANES
  The so-called Undying King has been rela-
  tively (and thankfully!) quiet over the past few 
  years. Most of his eﬀorts seem to involve trying 
  to track down and capture or kill the Crowns of 
  Krim. Experts on the occult assume he wants their 
  crowns, which may have some connection with his 
  own “Dragon Crown.” On several occasions Tako-
  fanes has appeared where the Crowns of Krim were 
  performing some mission. After trying to ﬁght him 
  once or twice, the Crowns have learned that their 
  only hope is to ﬂee and let local heroes distract 
  Takofanes long enough for them to escape. It’s been 
  a narrow thing so far, particularly during a Hal-
  loween 2006 encounter in Salem, Massachusetts, 
  but Dark Seraph and his followers remain one step 
  ahead of Takofanes... for now.
  THE WARLORD
  Through means unknown, but assumed to be 
  general technological development and improve-
  ment, the Warlord has signiﬁcantly upgraded his 
  armor. As discussed above, he was able to ﬁght Tet-
  suronin to a standstill, and that puts him at a much 
  higher level of power than most world superheroes.
  The Warlord’s organization as a whole has 
  remained busy in a strife-torn world, though as 
  always the authorities have only a sketchy picture 
  of what the Shadow Army has been up to. Some 
  reports indicate that the Warlord has sent Shadow 
  Army personnel into the Middle East to assist 
  insurgents and stir up trouble against the American 
  military so he can prolong the conﬂict and keep 
  selling weapons to the terrorists there. Central Asia 
  and central Africa are other “playgrounds” Shadow 
  Army personnel are known to have visited.
  Warning: The following subjects are 
  considered armed and dangerous. Do not 
  approach without backup.
  Top Ten Most 
  Wanted 2007
  Doctor 
  Destroyer
  NUMBER ONE
  Takofanes
  NUMBER TWO
  Gravitar
  NUMBER SIX
  The Warlord
  NUMBER FIVE
  Mechanon
  NUMBER FOUR
  VIPER
  NUMBER THREE
  Doctor  
  Yin Wu
  NUMBER SEVEN
  Fiacho
  NUMBER EIGHT
  DEMON
  NUMBER NINE
  Joseph 
  Otanga
  NUMBER TEN
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  103 
  VILLAIN GROUPS
  THE CROWNS OF KRIM
  As mentioned above, the Crowns have been 
  plagued by the attentions of Takofanes for the 
  past few years. As a result they’ve been much 
  less active and effective than in the past. They’ve 
  mostly shifted to quick smash-and-grab missions 
  or other less involved schemes so that they don’t 
  have to stay in one place long enough for Tako-
  fanes to find them.
  GRAB
  The superpowered thieves of GRAB have 
  added a new member to their ranks — a teenaged 
  girl they call Breeze who has powers of intangi-
  bility. She came to their attention when she tried 
  to rob one of their hideouts. Impressed with her 
  moxie, they recruited her. While she’s still a little 
  inexperienced when it comes to superhuman 
  combat, she’s developing into a top-notch thief.
  SOLO VILLAINS
  ANKYLOSAUR
  Ankylosaur enjoyed a career as a successful 
  supercriminal until 2004, when the odds ﬁnally 
  caught up to him and he (along with several other 
  villains he was working with) was captured while 
  ﬁghting the Peacekeepers. His powered armor suit 
  was taken away from him and returned to UNTIL, 
  where it became the basis for the new Manticore 
  project (see page 92).
  Not deemed a particular threat without his 
  armor, Paul Bressler was sent to a standard peni-
  tentiary on a combined life sentence. He quickly 
  proved to be far cleverer than the authorities gave 
  him credit for — less than a year later he engi-
  neered an escape that freed two dozen other pris-
  oners as well. With some help from his underworld 
  contacts, Bressler returned to Millennium City. 
  Using money he’d carefully saved in the event of 
  just such an emergency, he hired Wayland Talos 
  to make him a new suit of Ankylosaur armor. The 
  Talos-designed suit looks virtually the same as the 
  old UNTIL suit, but takes advantage of the latest 
  technological advances to be better in almost every 
  way. Talos also added a few features, such as retract-
  able claws in the hands.
  (In game terms:  GMs, see page 110 for a 
  revised character sheet for Ankylosaur.)
  ARMADILLO
  In the past few years Armadillo’s ﬁnally 
  overcome one of his big weaknesses:  his love of 
  announcing what he’s going to do before he does 
  it. He still likes to posture and show oﬀ a little, but 
  by and large he’s become a much more professional 
  super-mercenary... which makes him a tougher 
  opponent to face.
  (In game terms:  buy down Armadillo’s Psy-
  chological Limitation Announces His Actions Before 
  Taking Them from Strong to Moderate.)
  CAPTAIN CHRONOS
  The bizarre Captain’s activities continue 
  to baffle anyone without his knowledge of the 
  timestream and future history — which is to say, 
  everyone. His better-known appearances over the 
  past five years include:  thwarting a bank robbery 
  in Tegucigalpa, Honduras; briefly assisting with 
  the attack on Destruga II but leaving in mid-
  battle; appearing in the middle of the school day 
  at an elementary school in Wichita, Kansas to 
  hand out candy and savings bonds to all the chil-
  dren; helping the Crowns of Krim escape from 
  Takofanes during an incident in Chicago; alert-
  ing police in Seattle to DEMON activities there, 
  resulting in the uncovering and shutting down of 
  a large Demonhame; going on several dates with 
  Cateran; and endorsing several candidates for the 
  Senate during the 2006 elections.
  FIREWING
  Other than his attack on GATEWAY (page 91), 
  Firewing has been relatively quiet over the past few 
  years. He spends a lot of time in space contemplat-
  ing things, though he comes to Earth whenever 
  he’s in the mood for something to do. Sometimes 
  this just means seeking out interesting people and 
  talking to them, but if he hears about a superhu-
  man who sounds like he can put up a real ﬁght, 
  Firewing doesn’t hesitate to track him down and 
  challenge him to a duel. One such ﬁght in January 
  2007 against the Warlord ended in a draw, with 
  both combatants eager for another match; Firewing 
  would also particularly like to ﬁght Mechanon.
  FOXBAT
  The lovable lunatic of the Superhuman World 
  continues to attract more than his share of devoted 
  (and some would say demented) fans. After reading 
  on an Internet message board where one such fan said 
  he was “cooler than Elvis,” Foxbat decided the time 
  had come to conquer the world of rock ’n’ roll. With 
  what some would describe as unusual cleverness, he 
  reserved stadium time by pretending to represent Sap-
  phire, then spread the word secretly via the Internet. 
  To prepare for his debut, he learned to play passable 
  guitar, then went into the studio to record an album 
  of songs with lyrics he wrote himself, like “Knock Me 
  Back” and “Superheroine Chic.”
  On the night of June 10, 2006 a record crowd, 
  many attired in homemade Foxbat uniforms, 
  showed up at the stadium for what everyone was 
  now calling Foxbatpalooza. Foxbat’s CD sold out 
  even before he took the stage... and when the lights 
  went up to show him standing there with a guitar, 
  the roar of the crowd shook the building! Security 
  personnel called the cops, who arrived during 
  Foxbat’s third song, but the crowd kept them from 
  getting anywhere near the stage. The Champions 
  arrived during Foxbat’s second set, but noting noth-
  ing dangerous going on at the time decided to let 
  him ﬁnish before arresting him (though Sapphire 
  protested at having to sit through his repertoire 
  of “fourth-rate” songs). Calls by the crowd for a 
  Foxbat-Sapphire “Endless Love” duet were ﬂatly 
  rejected by the rock star superheroine. And then, 
  
  104 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  during Foxbat’s big ﬁnale, a 10-minute rendition of 
  “Inna Gadda da Foxbat,” there was a tremendous 
  explosion from the ﬂashpots on stage... and when 
  everyone’s eyes had adjusted and they could see 
  again, they discovered Foxbat had disappeared! 
  For perhaps the ﬁrst time in his life, one of Foxbat’s 
  plans worked out just as he intended.
  Numerous attempts by dozens of record pro-
  moters to contact Foxbat and sign him to a record-
  ing contract have failed.
  HERCULAN
  Herculan has become a criminal justice system 
  success story... of a sort. Over the past ﬁve years he’s 
  been involved in numerous super-battles (including 
  several against his old gladiatorial adversary, Iron-
  clad) and has spent some of his time in Stronghold. 
  During his periods of incarceration he was required 
  to undergo therapy. While it’s true that you can’t 
  help someone who doesn’t want to be helped, deep 
  down Tren Tarrec Dazeur has never really had a 
  criminal personality. His criminality results from 
  his guilt over abandoning his people combined with 
  his strong sense of proud and touchy Fassai honor. 
  Sensing this, his therapists found ways to appeal to 
  him, and they seem to have worked. As of early 2007 
  he’s been released from Stronghold under carefully-
  maintained watch (including electronic monitoring). 
  His modiﬁed Fassai space armor is being held for 
  him by the government. He’s managed to stay on the 
  straight-and-narrow, even using his super-strength 
  to get some high-paying work in various ﬁelds... but 
  it remains to be seen if his reformation sticks or he 
  falls back into his old ways.
  (In game terms:  reduce both his Overly 
  Aggressive and Hunting Ironclad Psychological 
  Limitations from Strong to Moderate.)
  HORNET
  Over the past ﬁve years Hornet has had 
  numerous brushes with the law and with super-
  heroes, but has managed to retain his freedom for 
  most of that time. On those occasions when he was 
  captured, he always found a way to use his power 
  to assume insect size to escape sooner rather than 
  later. He’s also developed at least one new power, a 
  “Chrysalis Blast” that lets him wrap up his foes with 
  a sticky goo he projects from his hands.
  (In game terms:  GMs, see page 115 for a 
  revised character sheet for Hornet.)
  LADY BLUE
  Lady Blue’s popularity has remained undi-
  minished over the past five years despite her 
  self-proclaimed involvement in numerous crimes 
  intended to benefit the poor and downtrodden 
  (even if it’s only by donating the proceeds to 
  charity). In addition to her regular “work” she’s 
  become an outspoken opponent of the Iraq War, 
  “America’s imperial ambitions abroad,” and simi-
  lar government operations.
  During 2004 and part of 2005 Lady Blue was 
  romantically linked to rock star Jimmy Caxton 
  (see Everyman) in the tabloids. Both of them 
  publicly denied any involvement, and the same 
  tabloids reported a “breakup” in April 2005 and 
  dropped the matter.
  (In game terms:  GMs, see page 116 for a 
  revised character sheet for Lady Blue.)
  THE SLUG
  The Slug has been busy in the past ﬁve years. 
  On two occasions — mid-2003 and early 2006 
  — he tried to take over a major city and transform 
  its residents into Elder Worms, much like he did 
  with New York City in 1980. His 2003 target was 
  London; his 2006 one Millennium City. In neither 
  case did he succeed (he was thwarted by the New 
  Knights of the Round Table and the Champions, 
  respectively), but both times it was a narrow victory 
  that resulted in much death and destruction. See 
  also page 98 regarding his activities in India.
  (In game terms:  GMs, see page 117 for a 
  revised character sheet for the Slug.)
  UTILITY
  Thanks to his penchant for planning and 
  knowing as much as possible about his adversaries, 
  Utility has enjoyed a successful career as a super-
  villain over the past ﬁve years. He’s had several 
  encounters with various superteams, including the 
  Sentinels and the Justice Squadron, but his pri-
  mary stomping ground remains Millennium City 
  and his main enemies the Champions. He’s fought 
  them several times, either on his own or in the pay 
  of a master villain such as Interface. His most tri-
  umphant encounter with them, a September 2004 
  robbery of a computer chip manufacturing facility, 
  he lured them into a factory he’d previously ﬁlled 
  with distractions and deathtraps and proceeded to 
  thoroughly thrash and humiliate them... until his 
  overconﬁdence got the better of him. Now knowing 
  who they were facing, the Champions regrouped 
  and made enough of a comeback that Utility chose 
  the better part of valor and ﬂed the battleﬁeld.
  (In game terms:  GMs, see page 121 for a 
  revised character sheet for Utility.)
  ZEPHYR
  Except for one three-month period, Zephyr 
  has remained free and active as a supercriminal 
  over the past ﬁve years. In the summer of 2005 a 
  botched robbery scheme resulted in her being cap-
  tured by UNTIL in Washington, D.C. She was held 
  for three months, but a malfunction in the power-
  draining technology in the prisoner transport car-
  rying her to trial allowed her to escape.
  Zephyr is still a “solo” villain who usually 
  works on her own schemes (though she’s always 
  available for hire if the price is right). She’s teamed 
  up with both the Ultimates and the Crimelords on 
  several occasions. According to the underworld 
  grapevine, both groups have hinted that they’d be 
  glad to accept her as a member, but she’s content to 
  let the matter rest there for the time being. Zephyr 
  and Thunderbolt of the Ultimates had a brief rela-
  tionship for several months in late 2004-early 2005, 
  but seem to have parted company since then.
  (In game terms:  GMs, see page 123 for a 
  revised character sheet for Zephyr.)
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Five 
  105 
  T
  hough Hidden Lands provided extensive 
  detail about several of the more bizarre 
  and unusual places and societies in the 
  Champions Universe, there are several 
  additional locales heroes can explore. The infor-
  mation here is not commonly known on Earth 
  (though just about anyone can uncover it with a 
  little research), but members of the Superhuman 
  World are generally aware of it.
  Selenus
  Selenus, a small, hidden city on the moon, is 
  home to the Selenites, three-foot-tall insect-like 
  siliconoids with long, narrow faces, beetle-like, 
  purple-gray chitinous shells, and ten limbs. The Sel-
  enites can withstand the cold and vacuum of space 
  unharmed and “eat” by absorbing sunlight or simi-
  lar energies (though they are not plant creatures).
  As near as the few Humans who’ve visited 
  and studied the place can determine, the city and 
  Selenites are apparently all that’s left behind of an 
  ancient observatory built by an unknown alien 
  species approximately 1 million years ago — the 
  remainder of the base is now nothing but ruins 
  long buried in lunar dust. A number of Earth 
  archaeologists have expressed the desire to inves-
  tigate these ruins, but so far no one’s come up with 
  the funding for such an expedition... 
  ...and there’s some question about whether 
  the Selenites would cooperate, for their interac-
  tions with Humanity haven’t always been posi-
  tive. In 1969 and 1970 the supervillain Revenger 
  discovered and conquered them. He treated them 
  as his slaves and used their city as a base to launch 
  attacks on the Earth. Eventually the Fabulous Five 
  journeyed to the Moon, defeated him, and freed the 
  Selenites, but they remain wary of most Humans. 
  In 1984 a Selenite rebel, inspired by Revenger’s 
  actions, took over the city in a coup and tried to 
  launch some of Revenger’s leftover missiles at 
  the Earth, but the missiles were stopped and his 
  scheme thwarted by MeteorMan II. Since then the 
  Selenites have had contact with a few Humans, 
  primarily Andre Almena (the Star*Guard of Earth) 
  and hero teams like the Sentinels. 
  Now it seems that a new crisis may be brewing 
  in Selenus. The periodic radio contact the Sentinels 
  maintain with the Selenites has ceased, leaving the 
  heroes concerned. As soon as they have time they 
  intend to visit the Moon and ﬁnd out what’s hap-
  pening... or they might deputize some other heroes 
  to do it for them.
  HIDDEN LANDS
  
  106 ■ “In Other World News...” 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  The City of Thaar
  The island of Thaar (site of the city of the same 
  name) is a mountainous, mist-covered speck of 
  land in the southern Indian Ocean, well away from 
  standard shipping lanes. It’s the home of the Bird-
  people, a race of humanoids who were mutated by 
  alien visitors (perhaps the Progenitors?) thousands 
  of years ago. Their “creators” gave them several 
  avian characteristics:  functional wings; feathers 
  instead of hair; lighter bone structure.
  The Fabulous Five discovered Thaar quite by 
  accident in 1965. At first warily welcomed by the 
  Birdpeople, they were acknowledged as heroes 
  when they saved King Gudra from assassination 
  by Gyrfalcon, his treacherous Captain of the 
  Guard. Princess Klee, Gudra’s daughter, became 
  the new Captain; Gyrfalcon fled in disgrace to 
  become a recurring villainous opponent to the 
  Five, though he was killed in battle with some 
  UNTIL agents in 1983.
  Princess Klee spent a great deal of time 
  with the Five, and later with the small team of 
  anthropologists who came to the island to study 
  her people. From them she learned much of the 
  ways of humans. In 1970, when the scientists had 
  finished their study and returned to America to 
  publish a book on them, Klee accompanied them 
  to see the world of wingless humans. While there 
  she became involved in a villainous plot hatched 
  by Gyrfalcon and his new ally, Revenger. Klee 
  and the Five defeated the villains, and she began 
  a romantic relationship with Kid Chameleon. 
  When Amazing Man and Siren retired from 
  superheroing shortly thereafter to raise young 
  Peter, Klee accepted Chameleon’s offer to join the 
  team as the superheroine Kestrel.
  Kestrel served with the Fabulous Five from 
  1970 until 1979. During her tenure the team suf-
  fered several tragedies, most importantly the 
  death of her lover Chameleon at the hands of Dr. 
  Destroyer in 1975 and the subsequent madness 
  of her friend and teammate Scirocco. When the 
  team ﬁnally disbanded, Klee returned to Thaar and 
  resumed her post as Captain of the Guard. King 
  Gudra died in 1985 of natural causes. The throne 
  was hers by law, but she abdicated in favor of her 
  cousin Kea, who rules to this day as Queen.
  Few humans have spent time on Thaar, and 
  most of them either superheroes or scientists; 
  the Birdpeople prefer to remain isolated from 
  the world and do not welcome tourists. Oﬃcially, 
  Thaar is a protectorate of the United Nations and 
  oﬀ-limits except with special permission, arranged 
  through the Atlantean consulate, which acts as 
  Thaar’s diplomatic representative. Prince Marus is 
  friendly with Klee and Queen Kea and takes his 
  responsibility for their security very seriously. The 
  Sentinels have visited there a few times recently 
  because Amazing Man III and Diamond remain 
  close friends with Klee and her family. Klee and 
  Gyrfalcon are the only Birdpeople to have visited 
  the world of men, though several of the younger 
  generation have expressed an interest in doing 
  so. Klee herself last came to America in 2005 for 
  Amazing Man II and Electron’s wedding.
  TYPICAL BIRDMAN WARRIOR
   10 STR 
  17 DEX 
  14 CON 
  9 BOD
   10 INT 
  10 EGO 
  13 PRE 
  12 COM
   
  4 PD 
  3 ED 
  3 SPD 
  5 REC
   28 END 
  24 STUN
  Abilities:  +4 versus Range Modiﬁer for Normal 
  Sight; Flight 10”, Restrainable; Life Support (Safe 
  In Intense Cold); Mind Link (Avians Only, Line Of 
  Sight Required); Absolute Range Sense; Bump Of 
  Direction; +2 With Polearms; AK: Thaar 11; Break-
  fall 12-; Language: Birdpeople (Native); Navigation 
  (Air) 11-; Survival (Arctic) 11-; WF: Common 
  Melee Weapons, Common Missile Weapons, Staﬀs
  Disadvantages:  Physical Limitation (Light Boned; 
  takes +1” KB)
  Notes:  Birdpeople are all trained from a  young 
  age in fighting with polearms, most frequently 
  a sort of halberd that does HKA 2d6 and has a 
  reach of +1”. Birdpeople are taller than humans 
  on average, nearly seven feet with individuals 
  ranging up to nine feet. Their wingspan is natu-
  rally 13-15 feet at full extension from between 
  their shoulder blades, but the wings can curl 
  down to only a foot or two from their bodies. 
  They usually have brighter plumage on their 
  heads than on the rest of their bodies, and their 
  faces narrow into beaks. Their eyes are oversized.
  
  chapter six:
  chapter six:
  THE ROGUES’ GALLERY
  
  108 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  THE WARLORD
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15+35 
  STR 
  5+17* 12- (17-) Lift 200 kg 
  (25 tons); 3d6 (10d6) 
  HTH damage [1 (5)]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV: 7/DCV: 7
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV: 6
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack: 6d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   10 PD 
  7 
   
  Total:  40 PD (30 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  38 ED (30 rED)
   5 SPD 
  20 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  4
   50 END 
  0
   50 STUN 14 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  186
  *:  OIF (Powered Armor, -½), No Figured Charac-
  teristics (-½)
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  20”/40”
   
  Flight:  20”/80”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  53 
  Battle Armor Power System:  Endurance 
  Reserve (300 END, 50 REC); OIF (-½) 
  0
  80 
  Conﬁgurable Blaster Systems:  Multipower, 
  120-point reserve; all OIF (-½)
  6u 
  1)  Standard Blaster Mode:  Energy Blast 
  18d6; OIF (-½) 
  9
  6u 
  2)  Lethal Blaster Mode:  RKA 6d6; OIF (-½) 9
  8u 
  3)  Conﬁgured Standard Blaster:  Energy  
  Blast 12d6, Variable Advantage  
  (+½ Advantages; +1); OIF (-½) 
  12
  8u 
  4)  Conﬁgured Lethal Blaster:  RKA 4d6,  
  Variable Advantage (+½ Advantages; +1); 
  OIF (-½) 
  12
  60 
  Other Weapon Systems:  Multipower,  
  90-point reserve; all OIF (-½)
  4u 
  1)  Micromissiles:  Energy Blast 10d6,  
  Explosion (-1 DC/2”; +¾); OIF (-½),  
  8 Charges (-½) 
  [8]
  4u 
  2)  Flamethrower:  RKA 4d6, Armor  
  Piercing (+½); OIF (-½), 8 Charges (-½) [8]
  6u 
  3)  Machine Gun:  RKA 3d6, Autoﬁre  
  (5 shots; +½), 64 Charges (+½); OIF (-½) [64]
  6u 
  4) Tangleweb Projector:  Entangle 9d6,  
  9 DEF; OIF (-½), 16 Charges (-0) 
  [16]
  6u 
  5) Electriﬁcation Field:  RKA 2d6,  
  Continuous (+1), Damage Shield  
  (+½), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  6u 
  6)  Taser Blaster:  Energy Blast 9d6,  
  NND (defense is ED Force Field; +1);  
  OIF (-½), 16 Charges (-0) 
  [16]
   
  Martial Arts:  Karate
    
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Atemi Strike 
  -1 
  +1 
  3d6 NND(1)
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Disarm 
  -1 
  +1 
  Disarm, 25 (60) 
  STR
  4 
  Dodge 
  +0 
  +5 
  Dodge all 
  attacks, Abort
  3 
  Legsweep 
  +2 
  -1 
  6d6 (13d6); 
  Target Falls
  4 
  Knifehand Strike -2 
  +0 
  HKA 1d6 (2d6 
  with STR)
  4 
  Punch/Snap Kick 
  +0 
  +2 5d6 (12d6) 
  Strike
  5 
  Side/Spin Kick -2 
  +1 
  7d6 (14d6) 
  Strike
  8 
  +2 Damage Classes (already added in)
  75 
  Battle Armor:  Armor (30 PD/30 ED),  
  Hardened (+¼); OIF (-½) 
  0
  40 
  Force Field:  Physical and Energy Damage 
  Reduction, Resistant, 50%; OIF (-½) 
  0
  26 
  Flashbang Protection:  Sight and  
  Hearing Group Flash Defense (20 points 
  each); OIF (-½) 
  0
  10 
  Psychic Shield:  Mental Defense  
  (19 points total); OIF (-½) 
  0
  10 
  Force Field:  Power Defense (15 points);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Internal Air Supply:  Life Support  
  (Self-Contained Breathing); OIF (-½) 
  0
  45 
  Jetpack:  Flight 20”, x4 Noncombat, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Instant Recall System:  Teleportation 1”, 
  MegaScale (anywhere on Earth; +1¼);  
  OIF (-½), Can Only Teleport To Fixed  
  Location (-1) plus Fixed Location (the  
  Flying Fortress); OIF (-½) 
  1
  8 
  Jumpjets:  Leaping +12” (22” forward,  
  12” upward) 
  1
  6 
  Swift Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  3 
  Visual Sensors Suite:  Infrared Perception 
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Visual Sensors Suite:  Ultraviolet  
  Perception (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Visual Sensors Suite:  Increased Arc Of  
  Perception (360 Degrees) for Sight  
  Group; OIF (-½) 
  0
  2 
  Audio Sensors:  Ultrasonic Perception  
  (Hearing Group) 
  0
  6 
  Communications Systems:  HRRP  
  (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Affected As  
  Sight And Hearing Groups As Well As 
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
  13 
  Radar Array:  Radar (Radio Group), 
  Increased Arc Of Perception (360  
  Degrees); OIF (-½) 
  0
  EXISTING VILLAINS
  Chapter Five includes 
  the publicly-known 
  information about what 
  various villains and 
  enemies have been up 
  to recently. Here, for the 
  GM’s eyes only, is secret 
  information regarding 
  villains not covered 
  above. If you’re playing 
  in, or plan to play in a 
  campaign based in the 
  Champions Universe, do 
  not read this section!
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  109 
   
  Perks
  80 
  Contacts:  numerous throughout the mili-
  taries, arms manufacturers, and mercenary 
  groups of the world
  15 
  Money:  Filthy Rich
  89 
  The Shadow Army:  8,000 Followers (see 
  Conquerors, Killers, And Crooks)
  133 
  Flying Fortress:  Vehicle (see Conquerors, Kill-
  ers, And Crooks)
   
  Any other Bases, Followers, or Vehicles he 
  needs
   
  Talents
  8 
  Onboard Computer:  Absolute Range Sense, 
  Absolute Time Sense, Bump Of Direction, 
  Lightning Calculator; OIF (-½)
  15 
  Combat Sense 13-
  6 
  Lightning Reﬂexes:  +4 DEX to go ﬁrst with 
  All Attacks
  3 
  Lightsleep
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 Overall
  24 
  +3 with All Combat
  11 
  Tactical Computer:  +2 with All Combat;  
  OIF (-½)
  6 
  Tactical Computer:  +3 versus Range with all 
  attacks; OIF (-½)
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Combat Driving 13-
  3 
  Combat Piloting 13-
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  7 
  Demolitions 15-
  3 
  Electronics 13-
  2 
  AK: Africa 11-
  2 
  AK: The Balkans 11-
  2 
  AK: Central America 11-
  2 
  AK: South America 11-
  2 
  AK: Southeast Asia 11-
  1 
  KS: Hzeel Starship Technology 8-
  5 
  KS: Military History 15-
  10 
  KS: The Military/Merc./Terrorist World 20-
  3 
  KS: Superheroes 13-
  3 
  KS: Supervillains 13-
  5 
  KS: World Military Weaponry & Vehicles 15-
  1 
  Language:  Serbo-Croatian (basic conversa-
  tion; English is native)
  2 
  Language: Spanish (ﬂuent conversation)
  3 
  Mechanics 13-
  5 
  PS: Arms Dealer 15-
  3 
  PS: Birdwatching 13-
  5 
  PS: Soldier/Mercenary 15-
  5 
  PS: Wargames 15-
  3 
  Security Systems 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 15-
  3 
  Systems Operation 13-
  7 
  Tactics 15-
  5 
  Teamwork 14-
  7 
  TF:  Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, 
  Basic & Advanced Parachuting, Two-
  Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles, Small 
  Motorized Boats, SCUBA
  7 
  WF:  Small Arms, Blades, Thrown Blades, 
  Grenade Launchers, Heavy Machine Guns, 
  Shoulder-Fired Weapons
  11 
  Weaponsmith (all categories) 14-
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  1,105
  Total Cost:  1,246
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Champions 8- (As Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  15 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (As Pow, NCI, Capture)
  10 
  Hunted:  another superteam of GM’s choice 
  8- (As Pow, Capture)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Powerhungry 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Revels In Combat 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hunting Devasta-
  tor (Uncommon, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  master villain bent on destruc-
  tion and world conquest 11- (Extreme)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Roger 
  Warwell) (Frequently, Major)
  926 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,246
  Warlord Update:  See page 102.
  
  110 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  ANKYLOSAUR
   Val 
  Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15+10*† DEX 
  30 12-/14- OCV:  5/8/DCV:  5/8
  10+40 
  STR 
  20# 11-/19- Lift 100 kg/25 tons; 
  2d6/10d6 [1/5]
   10+14 DEX 
  21# 11-/14- OCV: 3/8/DCV: 3/8
   10+18 CON 18# 11-/15-
   
  10 
  BODY 0 
  11-
   
  10 
  INT 
  0 
  11- 
  PER Roll 11-
   
  10 
  EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV: 3
   10+10 PRE 
  7* 13- 
  PRE Attack: 2d6/4d6
   
  10 
  COM 
  0 
  11-
   
  4 
  PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  29 PD (25 rPD)
   
  4 
  ED 
  2 
   
  Total:  29 ED (25 rED)
   3+2* 
  SPD 
  23  
  Phases:  4, 8, 12/ 
  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   
  8 
  REC 
  8
   
  30 
  END 
  5
   
  40 
  STUN 20 Total Characteristic Cost:  126
  *:  OIF (battle armor; -½)
  #:  OIF (as above) plus No Figured Characteristics (-½)
  Movement: 
  Running:  20”/40”
   
  Leaping:  30”/60”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  60 
  Grenade Launcher:  Multipower, 90-point 
  powers; all OIF (battle armor; -½)
  1u 
  1)  Tail:  +40 STR; OIF (-½), Only With  
  Extra Limb (-1), No Figured Charac- 
  teristics (-½) 
  2
  4u 
  2)  Blast Grenade:  Energy Blast 18d6;  
  OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  4u 
  3)  Fire Grenade:  Energy Blast 12d6,  
  Explosion (+½); OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) [4]
  4u 
  4)  Frag Grenade:  RKA 4d6, Explosion  
  (+½); OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  4u 
  5)  Concussion Grenade:  Energy Blast  
  12d6, Explosion (+½), Stun Only (-0);  
  OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  4u 
  6)  Flashbang Grenade:  Sight and  
  Hearing Group Flash 11d6, Explosion  
  (+½); OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  4u 
  7)  Smoke Grenade:  Darkness to Sight  
  Group 8” radius; OIF (-½), 4 Continuing 
  Charges lasting 1 Turn each (-½) 
  [4cc]
  17 
  Retractable Claws:  HKA 1½d6  
  (3d6+1 with STR); OIF (-½) 
  2
  3 
  Tail:  Extra Limb; OIF (-½), Limited  
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
  75 
  Battle Armor:  Armor (25 PD/25 ED),  
  Hardened (x2; +½); OIF (-½) 
  0
  14 
  Flashbang Protection:  Sight and Hearing 
  Group Flash Defense (10 points each);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  13 
  Life Support Systems:  Life Support  
  (Safe Environments:  High Pressure,  
  High Radiation, Intense Cold, Intense  
  Heat, Low Pressure/Vacuum;  
  Self-Contained Breathing); OIF (-½) 
  0
  19 
  Motility Servos:  Running +14”  
  (20” total); OIF (-½) 
  3
  13 
  Motility Servos:  Leaping +20”  
  (30” forward, 15” upward); OIF (-½) 
  2
  3 
  Visual Sensors:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Visual Sensors:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  2 
  Auditory Sensors:  Ultrasonic Perception 
  (Hearing Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  13 
  Onboard Radar:  Radar (Radio Group), 
  Increased Arc Of Perception  
  (360 Degrees); OIF (-½) 
  0
  6 
  Communicator System:  HRRP  
  (Radio Group); OIF (-½), Affected As  
  Sight And Hearing Group As Well As 
  Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Talents
  8 
  Onboard Computer:  Absolute Range Sense, 
  Absolute Time Sense, Bump Of Direction, 
  Lightning Calculator; OIF (-½)
   
  Skills
  16 
  Combat Analyzer:  +3 with All Combat;  
  OIF (-½)
  8 
  Combat Analyzer:  +4 versus Range with all 
  attacks; OIF (-½)
  5 
  +1 with Grenade Launcher Multipower
  10 
  +2 HTH
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  111 
  3 
  Climbing 11- (14-)
  3 
  Combat Driving 11- (14-)
  1 
  Electronics 8-
  2 
  CK: Millennium City 11-
  2 
  KS: The Superhuman World 11-
  1 
  Mechanics 8-
  3 
  Streetwise 11- (13-)
  3 
  WF: Small Arms, Blades
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  331
  Total Cost:  457
  200+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Champions 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  20 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vengeful 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hatred Of The Police 
  And Authority Figures (Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Reputation:  violent supercriminal, 11- 
  (Extreme)
  15 
  Unluck 3d6
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Sonic attacks 
  (Uncommon)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x BODY from Sonic attacks 
  (Uncommon)
  142 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  457
  Ankylosaur Update:  See page 103.
  ANUBIS
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   26 DEX 
  48 
  14- 
  OCV:  9/DCV:  9
   28 CON 
  36 
  15-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   12 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  35 PD (24 rPD)
   12 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  35 ED (24 rED)
   7 SPD 
  34 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12
   14 REC 
  0
   56 END 
  0
   60 STUN 11 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  224
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  25”/50”
   
  Teleportation:  1-25 km
  Cost Powers 
  END
  100 
  Ankh-Staﬀ:  Multipower, 100-point reserve
  10u 
  1)  Fire Of The Gods:  Energy Blast 16d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  4
  9u 
  2)  Hand Of The Gods:  Telekinesis (40 STR), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  7u 
  3)  Curse Of Scorpions:  RKA 1d6+1,  
  NND (defense is appropriate Life Support 
  [Immunity] or being in a hermetically- 
  sealed environment like a Force Field or 
  powered armor suit; +1), Does BODY  
  (+1), Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Limited Range (10”; -¼) 
  0
  4u 
  4)  Curse Of Blindness:  Major Transform  
  6d6 (sighted human into blind human;  
  heals back on Anubis’s command or if eyes  
  are bathed in the waters of the Nile  
  during a special ceremony); All Or  
  Nothing (-½), Limited Target (humans;  
  -½), Limited Range (10”; -¼) 
  7
  9u  
  5)  Pathway Of The Gods:  Teleportation  
  25”, MegaScale (1” = 1 km; +¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  7u 
  6)  Fiery Pyramid Prison:  Entangle 6d6,  
  6 DEF, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  Cannot Form Barriers (-¼) 
  0
  10u 
  7)  The Heat Of Set’s Desert:  Energy  
  Blast 8d6, NND (defense is Life Support  
  [Safe Environment:  Intense Heat] or  
  ﬁre powers; +1), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  4u 
  8)  Warping Set’s Bones:  RKA 4d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  Limited Range (3”; -¼), Only Works  
  Against Metals (-1) 
  0
  15 
  The Power Of Set:  +30 PRE; Only For Fear-
  /Intimidation-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 
  0
  100 
  Armies Of The Dead:  Summon 4 395-point 
  mummies (see HERO System Bestiary,  
  page 122), Slavishly Devoted (+1), Reduced 
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Arrives Under  
  Own Power (-½), Summoned Being Must 
  Inhabit Locale (-½) 
  9
  
  112 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  108 
  Shield Of Set:  Force Field (24 PD/24 ED/ 
  12 Mental Defense/12 Power Defense), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  75 
  Wings Of Set:  Flight 25”, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Ankh-Staﬀ Multipower
  2 
  AK: Egypt 11-
  2 
  AK: Millennium City University 11-
  2 
  CK: Millennium City 11-
  3 
  KS: Ancient History 12-
  5 
  KS: Egyptian Myth & Legend 14-
  5 
  KS: Egyptology 14-
  2 
  SS: Anthropology 11-
  3 
  SS: Archaeology 12-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  497
  Total Cost:  721
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mystic Aura (Not  
  Concealable; Always Noticed; Detectable 
  Only With Unusual Senses)
  25 
  Hunted:  Champions 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  20 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Must Fulﬁll The 
  Will Of Set (Very Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Broadcasts Inten-
  tions In Combat (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  destructive supervillain,  
  11- (Extreme)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity  
  (Ethan Neritski) (Frequently, Major)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Life/Holy 
  Magics (Uncommon)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Water 
  (Uncommon)
  376 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  721
  Anubis Update:  As discussed on page 38, the god 
  Set ﬁnally revealed himself to Anubis in early 2005. 
  He even granted his chief servant on Earth greater 
  power in the hopes of destroying Dr. Ka and estab-
  lishing a greater foothold in this world. Although 
  that plot ultimately failed, Set was not displeased 
  with Anubis’s conduct and allowed him to keep 
  most of his new powers. They include:
  ■ greater strength and swiftness (i.e., increased 
  STR, DEX, SPD, and so forth)
  ■ slightly decreased weaknesses to Life/Holy 
  Magics and to Water
  ■ stronger power in his existing abilities (more DCs 
  in attacks, more points of defense, and so on)
  ■ the Fiery Pyramid Prison, the ability to form a 
  pyramid of lines of god’s-ﬁre around someone to 
  keep that person from moving
  ■ the Heat Of Set’s Desert, the ability to wither a foe 
  with terrible heat and desiccation
  ■ Warping Set’s Bones, the ability to destroy metal (the 
  ancient Egyptians referred to iron ore as “Set’s bones”)
  ■ the Power Of Set, the ability to manifest a minus-
  cule portion of the god’s awesome might to intimi-
  date and terrify
  Although Anubis’s name and appearance are 
  generally unchanged (much to the annoyance 
  of some Egyptian gods, including Anubis him-
  self), when he uses his greater power or becomes 
  enraged his mask usually transforms to resemble a 
  Set-animal (a mythical beast from Egyptian myth 
  with a curved snout and long, square-tipped ears).
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  113 
  BLACK PALADIN • The Knight of the Crow
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   40 STR 
  30 
  17- 
  Lift 6,400 kg; 8d6 [4]
   27 DEX 
  51 
  14- 
  OCV:  9/DCV:  9
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   15 EGO 
  10 
  12- 
  ECV: 5
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack: 6d6
   16 COM 
  3 
  12-
   12 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  36 PD (24 rPD)
   12 ED 
  6 
   
  Total:  36 ED (24 rED)
   6 SPD 
  23 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 8, 10, 12
   14 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   61 STUN 
  6 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  218
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Teleportation:  20”/320”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  16 
  Crusher Of Hope:  HA +8d6; OAF 
  (enchanted mace; -1), Hand-To-Hand  
  Attack (-½) 
  4
  97 
  Eater Of Shadows:  Multipower, 194-point 
  reserve, all OAF (sword, -1)
  7u 
  1)  Blade:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1 with STR), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF  
  (-1) plus Major Transform 7d6 (ordinary 
  human into human with Unluck 3d6 and 
  Distinctive Features [no shadow], heals  
  back through special arcane ceremony) 
  (standard eﬀect:  21 BODY), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1),  
  Linked (-¼), Only Works If HKA Does 
  BODY (-½) 
  0
  4u 
  2)  Shadow Blast:  Energy Blast 12d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  OAF (-1) 
  0
  66 
  The Lance Of Unvanquished Pain:  HKA  
  2d6 (4d6 with STR), +2 Increased STUN 
  Multiplier (+½); OAF (-1) plus Drain  
  DEX 4d6, Delayed Return Rate (points 
  return at the rate of 5 per Day; +1½), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF  
  (-1), Linked (-¼), Only Works If HKA  
  Does BODY (-½) 
  0
  110 
  I Summon The Servants Of Baphomet:   
  Variable Power Pool, 100 base + 50  
  control cost; Only To Summon Demons/
  Devils (-2), 1 Charge (-2) 
  [1]
  27 
  Blinding Fog Spell:  Darkness to Sight Group  
  4” radius; Gestures (-¼), Incantations (-¼) 
  4
  60 
  Armor Of Wrathful Power:  Armor  
  (24 PD/24 ED), Hardened (+¼); OIF (-½) 
  0
  40 
  Demon’s-Head Shield:  Multipower,  
  60-point reserve; all OIF (shield; -½)
  2u 
  1)  Protection:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, 50%, Resistant; OIF  
  (-½), Activation Roll 14- (-½), Costs  
  Endurance (-½) 
  6
  3u 
  2)  Defense:  Combat Skill Levels  
  (+8 DCV); OIF (-½) 
  0
  5 
  Immortality:  Life Support (Longevity:  
  Immortality) 
  0
  54 
  Signet Of Baphomet:  Teleportation 20”,  
  x16 Noncombat, x2 Increased Mass,  
  Position Shif, Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼)t; OIF (-½) 
  3
  6 
  Swift-Limbed:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  32 
  Eye Of Souls:  Detect Souls 13- (no Sense 
  Group), Discriminatory, Ranged, Sense,  
  Targeting 
  0
   
  Talents
  30 
  Premonitions:  Danger Sense (immediate 
  vicinity, any danger) 12-
   
  Skills
  20 
  +4 Hand-To-Hand
  3 
  Fast Draw (Common Melee Weapons) 14-
  3 
  Interrogation 14-
  3 
  High Society 14-
  3 
  AK: France 12-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Lore 12-
  3 
  KS: Medieval Culture 12-
  3 
  KS: Medieval History 12-
  3 
  Language:  English (completely ﬂuent; Old 
  French is native)
  3 
  Language:  French (completely ﬂuent)
  3 
  Oratory 15-
  3 
  Riding 14-
  2 
  PS: Professor 11-
  2 
  SS: Archaeology 11-
  3 
  Tactics 12-
  3 
  Teamwork 14-
  5 
  WF: Common Melee Weapons, Lances, 
  Staﬀs, Whips
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  627
  Total Cost:  845
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mystic Aura (Not  
  Concealable; Always Noticed; Detectable 
  Only With Unusual Senses)
  25 
  Hunted:  Champions 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  20 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Moderate)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hatred Of Christi-
  anity (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves To Gloat 
  and Torment Prisoners (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  occult-powered killer supervil-
  lain, 14- (Extreme)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Giles de 
  Morphant/John Black) (Frequently, Major)
  20 
  Susceptibility:  to holy water, takes 2d6 per 
  Phase (Uncommon)
  490 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  845
  
  114 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Black Paladin Update:  Black Paladin’s depression, 
  referred to on page 8, is an act. It wasn’t at first; 
  he was genuinely despondent about Chantal’s 
  betrayal and had little motivation to do anything. 
  But a tool of evil as powerful as the Paladin 
  cannot lay unwielded for long. Baphomet, a 
  leading member of the Descending Hierarchy, 
  contacted the Black Paladin through his dreams. 
  In exchange for the Paladin continuing to spread 
  misery, woe, destruction, havoc, and misery, the 
  Lord of Wrath would grant him even greater 
  power... power with which he might one day take 
  revenge against Chantal, the Champions, and all 
  his other enemies.
  The dark flame within the Black Paladin’s 
  breast flared once more, and he accepted the 
  offer — for what was it asking him to do, that 
  he would not gladly do already? He pretends to 
  melancholy because he believes (correctly) that 
  eventually Stronghold will let down its guard and 
  he can escape.
  Baphomet has already increased the Black 
  Paladin’s powers in several ways, making him 
  stronger and swifter, and giving him the ability 
  to summon members of the Infernal Host to aid 
  him. The Paladin can only use the latter ability 
  once per day, and the more powerful the type of 
  demon he chooses to summon, the fewer of them 
  he can call to his aid. (For example, using the 
  character sheets in The HERO System Bestiary, he 
  could Summon one Lesser Demon [which he’d 
  have some trouble controlling] or two Slavishly 
  Loyal Demonlings, or whatever other combina-
  tion he likes... as long as the Summon doesn’t 
  cost more than 100 points.) He also used his 
  spells to remove the Paladin’s Vulnerability to 
  electricity. Furthermore, when the Black Paladin 
  regains his freedom, Baphomet will restore his 
  equipment to him, and in some cases replace it 
  with even better war-gear.
  But of course, arch-devils are fickle patrons. 
  Should the Black Paladin fail to satisfy Baphom-
  et’s desires, the Lord of Wrath might very well 
  take these gifts away....
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  115 
  HORNET
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   22 DEX 
  36 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   14 BODY 8 
  12-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   20 PD 
  14 
   
  Total:  20 PD (12 rPD)
   18 ED 
  13 
   
  Total:  18 ED (12 rED)
   6 SPD 
  28 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   11 REC 
  0
   50 END 
  0
   42 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  170
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  30”/60”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  40 
  Insect Powers:  Elemental Control,  
  80-point powers
  40 
  1)  Sting:  Drain STUN 8d6 
  8
  47 
  2)  Sting Blast:  Energy Blast 14d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  3
  32 
  3)  Chrysalis Blast:  Entangle 8d6, 8 DEF; 
  Limited Range (10”; -¼) 
  8
  33 
  4)  Wings:  Flight 30”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Restrainable (-½) 
  0
  50 
  5)  Insect Size:  Shrinking (.032 m tall  
  [about 1 inch], .0004 kg mass, -12 to  
  PER Rolls to perceive character, +12 DCV, 
  takes +18” KB), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½) 
  0
  12 
  Exoskeletal Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (12 PD/12 ED) 
  0
  5 
  Multifaceted Eyes:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  10 
  Multifaceted Eyes:  Increased Arc Of  
  Perception (360 Degrees) for Sight Group 0
  10 
  Wallcrawling:  Clinging (normal STR) 
  0
   
  Talents
  22 
  Insect Senses:  Danger Sense (self only,  
  out of combat, Sense) 13-
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Sting, Sting Blast, and Chrysalis Blast
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  2 
  KS: The Scientiﬁc World 11-
  3 
  SS: Biology 12-
  3 
  SS: Chemistry 12-
  3 
  SS: Entomology 12-
  3 
  Stealth 13
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  330
  Total Cost:  500
  200+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Enraged:  in combat (Common), go 11-, 
  recover 11-
  20 
  Hunted: UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  20 
  Hunted: VIPER 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  10 
  Hunted: Thunderbird 8- (As Pow, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Constant Bit-
  terness; Feels The World Owes Him (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hatred Of 
  Humanity (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Gerald 
  Byrne) (Frequently, Major)
  10 
  Unluck 2d6
  20 
  Vulnerability:  2 x Eﬀect from Chemicals/
  Poisons/Drugs (Common)
  150 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  500
  Hornet Update:  See page 104. To Hornet’s simul-
  taneous fascination and concern, his body has 
  continued to mutate, slowly but surely. This has 
  made him even more powerful in some ways 
  (such as his new Chrysalis Blast), but part of him 
  is concerned that the mutations may continue 
  until he’s some sort of hideous, six-limbed bug-
  man. Part of him doesn’t care.
  
  116 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  LADY BLUE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   20+10 
  DEX 30+15# 13- (15-) OCV:  7 (10)/
  DCV:  7 (10)
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   10 BODY 0 
  11- 
   25 INT 
  15 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  13- 
  ECV:  5
   18 PRE 
  8 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  3½d6
   18 COM 
  4 
  13-
   6 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  26 (20 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  28 (20 rED)
   4+2* SPD 10+13*  
  Phases:  3, 6, 9, 12 (2, 4, 
  6, 8, 10, 12)
   8 REC 
  4
   40 END 
  0
   40 STUN 15 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  150
  *:  OIF (battlesuit; -½)
  #:  OIF (battlesuit; -½), No Figured Characteristics 
  (-½)
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  20 
  Internal Batteries:  Endurance Reserve  
  (150 END, 15 REC); OIF (-½) 
  0
  50 
  Force Projection System:  Multipower,  
  75-point powers; all OIF (battlesuit; -½)
  5u  
  1)  Power Blast I:  Energy Blast 15d6;  
  OIF (-½) 
  7
  5u  
  2)  Power Blast II:  Energy Blast 10d6, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  5u 
  3)  Auto-Blast:  Energy Blast 10d6,  
  Autoﬁre (5 shots; +½); OIF (-½) 
  7
  3u 
  4)  Strength Augmentation:  +50 STR, 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  OIF (-½), No Figured Characteristics (-½) 2
   
  Martial Arts:  Generic
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Dodge 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge, Aﬀects 
  All Attacks, 
  Abort
  5 
  Kick 
  -2 
  +1 
  6d6 Strike
  4 
  Punch 
  +0 
  +2 
  4d6 Strike
  3 
  Throw 
  +0 
  +1 
  2d6 + v/5; 
  Target Falls
  70 
  Force Field:  Force Field (20 PD/ 
  20 ED/10 Sight Group Flash Defense/ 
  10 Mental Defense/10 Power Defense), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF  
  (battlesuit; -½) 
  0
  33 
  Force Barriers:  Force Wall (8 PD/8 ED,  
  up to 3” long and 2” tall); OIF (-½) 
  5
  27 
  Magnetic Field Manipulation:  Flight 20”;  
  OIF (battlesuit; -½) 
  4
  5 
  Mask Communications System:  HRRP;  
  OIF (-½), Aﬀected As Sight And Hearing 
  Group As Well As Radio Group (-½),  
  Costs Endurance (-½) 
  1
   
  Perks
  6 
  Reputation:  celebrity supervillainess (among 
  Americans) 11-,  +3/+3d6
   
  Skills
  15 
  +3 with Force Projection System Multipower
  8 
  +4 with Flight
  3 
  Acrobatics 13- (15-)
  3 
  Breakfall 13- (15-)
  3 
  Computer Programming 14-
  3 
  Electronics 14-
  1 
  KS: The Superhuman World 8-
  3 
  Oratory 13-
  2 
  PS: Public Relations 11-
  3 
  SS: Physics 14-
  3 
  SS: Force Field Physics 14-
  3 
  Stealth 13- (15-)
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  302
  Total Cost:  452
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  117 
  200+ Disadvantages
  30 
  Hunted: Champions 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  30 
  Hunted:  PRIMUS 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Thrillseeker (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Concerned With 
  The Welfare Of The Poor And Disadvantaged 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Tara 
  Lemick) (Frequently, Major)
  15 
  Susceptibility:  to high-intensity magnetic 
  ﬁelds or when attacked with magnetic 
  powers while wearing battlesuit, takes 3d6 
  instantly (Uncommon)
  102 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  452
  Lady Blue Update:  See page 104. 
  In her “downtime,” Lady Blue has improved 
  the eﬃciency of her battlesuit by incorporating 
  new and more advanced technologies. It now has 
  a much better power supply, so she rarely has to 
  worry about running out of “juice” anymore. Her 
  force blasts have become more powerful, and she’s 
  built force-projection systems into the suit so she 
  can create walls and bubbles of force.
  The reports about Lady Blue and Jimmy 
  Caxton are (by and large) totally accurate. The 
  breakup in April 2005 was just a matter of long-
  building incompatibilities.
  THE SLUG
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   26 DEX 
  48 
  14- 
  OCV:  9/DCV:  9
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   8 BODY -4 
  11-
   28 INT 
  18 
  15- 
  PER Roll 15-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV: 7
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack:  6d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   5 PD 
  2 
   
  Total:  25 PD (20 rPD)
   5 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  25 ED (20 rED)
   6 SPD 
  24 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   15 REC 
  14
   50 END 
  0
   40 STUN 11 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  185
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Tunneling:  9”/18”
   
  Teleportation:  20”/40” or 1-5 km
  Cost Powers 
  END
  62 
  Talisman Of The Elder Worm:  Major  
  Transform 2d6 (human Body into Elder 
  Worm Body, heals back through special 
  arcane ritual requiring the Talisman),  
  Continuous (+1), Reduced Endurance 
  (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), Limited Target 
  (humans; -½), Requires The Presence  
  Of At Least One Additional Elder Worm 
  Within 10” (-1), Linked (-½), Limited  
  Range (20”; -¼) plus Major Transform  
  2d6 (human Mind into Elder Worm  
  Mind, heals back through special arcane 
  ritual requiring the Talisman), BOECV 
  (Power Defense applies; +1), Continuous 
  (+1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  OAF (-1), Limited Target (humans; -½), 
  Requires The Presence Of At Least One 
  Additional Elder Worm Within 10” (-1), 
  Limited Normal Range (20”; -½) plus Major  
  Transform 2d6 (human Spirit into  
  Elder Worm Spirit, heals back through  
  special arcane ritual requiring the  
  Talisman), Continuous (+1), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OAF (-1),  
  Limited Target (humans; -½), Requires  
  The Presence Of At Least One  
  Additional Elder Worm Within 10” (-1), 
  Linked (-½), Limited Range (20”; -¼) 
  0
  83 
  Worm-Gem:  Multipower,  
  125-point reserve; all OIF (-½)
  5u 
  1)  Caress Of The Worm:  Ego Attack 4d6  
  (Alien and Human classes of mind),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½) 0
  3u 
  2)  Strength Of The Mind:  Telekinesis  
  (30 STR); OIF (-½) 
  4
  5u 
  3)  Paralysis Of Fear:  Entangle 4d6,  
  4 DEF (Alien and Human classes of mind), 
  BOECV (Mental Defense applies; +1),  
  Works Against EGO, Not STR (+¼),  
  Takes No Damage From Physical Attacks 
  (+¼); OIF (-½), Cannot Form Barriers  
  (-¼), Mental Defense Adds To EGO (-½) 0
  
  118 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  4u 
  4)  Gem-Blast:  Energy Blast 12d6; OIF (-½) 6
  40 
  The Yiinashc Ring:  Multipower, 60-point 
  reserve; all OIF (-½)
  4u 
  1)  Spatial Alteration I:  Teleportation  
  20”, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  1u 
  2)  Spatial Alteration II:  Teleportation 5”, 
  MegaScale (1” = 1 km; +¼), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); OIF (-½) 
  0
  4u 
  3)  Out Of Phase:  Desolidiﬁcation  
  (aﬀected by magic), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); OIF (-½) 
  0
  3u 
  4)  Warped And Deﬂected Attacks:   
  Physical and Energy Damage Reduction, 
  50%, Resistant; OIF (-½), Costs  
  Endurance (-½) 
  6
  45 
  Path Of The Worm:  Tunneling 9”  
  through 9 DEF material 
  4
  50 
  Humidity Suit:  Armor (20 PD/20 ED),  
  Hardened (+¼); OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Polarized Facescreen:  Sight Group Flash 
  Defense (10 points); OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Psi-Screens:  Mental Defense (14 points 
  total); OIF (-½) 
  0
  27 
  Humidity Suit:  Life Support:  Total  
  (except for Safe Environments: High  
  Radiation, Intense Heat); OIF (-½) 
  0
  45 
  Voice Of The Worm:  Telepathy 4d6  
  (Alien and Human classes of mind),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
   
  Talents
  4 
  Double-Jointed
   
  Skills
  4 
  +2 with Talisman Of The Elder Worm
  3 
  Contortionist 14-
  1 
  KS: Arcane & Occult Knowledge 8-
  3 
  KS: Earth History 15-
  3 
  KS: The Elder Worm 15-
  1 
  KS: The Mystic World 8-
  2  
  SS: Archaeology 11-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  419
  Total Cost:  604
  200+ Disadvantages
  0 
  Dependence:  must remain in an environ-
  ment of at least tropical jungle/swamp 
  humidity, or suffer 1d6 damage per 6 hours 
  (Very Common)
  20 
  Distinctive Features:  Elder Worm body 
  (Not Concealable; Always Noticed, Causes 
  Major Reaction [fear/disgust])
  25 
  Hunted:  Champions 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  20 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Mute (All The Time, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Must Destroy 
  Humanity And Cleanse The Earth For 
  The Return Of The Elder Worm (Very 
  Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdent 
  And Arrogant (Very Common, Moderate)
  20 
  Reputation:  monstrous threat to humankind, 
  14- (Extreme)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x STUN from Fire attacks 
  (Common)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x STUN from Magic 
  attacks (Common)
  5 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x STUN from Cold attacks 
  (Uncommon)
  239 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  604
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  119 
  Slug Update:  See page 104. When not planning a 
  major scheme of some sort, the Slug has kept busy 
  searching for Elder Worm artifacts, relics, and even 
  survivors. In late 2004 he followed cryptic clues that 
  led to the most desolate regions of the Queen Eliza-
  beth Islands in the northernmost part of Canada. 
  There he unearthed the remains of a former Elder 
  Worm palace and uncovered two relics. The ﬁrst 
  is the Throne of the Elder Worm, a massive chair 
  that roughly triples the strength of his Worm-Gem 
  Multipower when he sits on it. (Heroes are only 
  going to encounter him using the Throne in one 
  of his bases, of course, and while seated on it the 
  Slug is at ½ DCV.) The second, and worse from 
  most heroes’ points of view, is a ﬁnger-ring made 
  of some ultra-telluric metal. Just looking at it tends 
  to give humans headaches; it doesn’t seem to be 
  geometrically or topologically “right.” The Yiinashc 
  Ring grants the Slug the power to “fold space” in 
  ways that let him travel from one point to another 
  instantaneously, render himself “out of phase” with 
  reality to make himself intangible, and even protect 
  himself from attacks.
  Through his own connections in the Mystic 
  World the Slug has learned of the existence of 
  the Basilisk Orb, which has been missing since 
  DEMON’s attempt to use it in 1968 (see DEMON:  
  Servants Of Darkness). From the descriptions he’s 
  received the Slug believes the Orb is probably an 
  Elder Worm artifact, so he’s devoted a lot of time 
  and eﬀort to ﬁnding it. So far he’s failed to ﬁnd it... 
  something the world can be grateful for.
  TALISMAN
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   10 STR 
  0 
  11- 
  Lift 100 kg; 2d6 [1]
   21 DEX 
  33 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   21 EGO 
  22 
  13- 
  ECV: 7
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   5 PD 
  3 
   
  Total:  25 PD (20 rPD)
   8 ED 
  3 
   
  Total:  27 ED (20 rED)
   6 SPD 
  29 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  6
   76 END 
  15
   30 STUN 
  3 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  168
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  56 
  Witcheries And Thaumaturgies:   
  Variable Power Pool (Magic Pool), 40  
  base + 20 control cost; Only Magic (-¼) var
  75 
  Mistress Of Hellﬁre:  Multipower,  
  75-point reserve
  7u 
  1)  Hellﬁre:  Energy Blast 14d6 
  7
  7u 
  2)  Hellﬁre Gate:  Energy Blast 10d6,  
  Explosion (+½) 
  7
  7u 
  3)  Agonizing Hellﬁre:  Energy Blast 10d6, 
  Armor Piercing (+½) 
  7
  7u 
  4)  Writhing Hellﬁre:  Energy Blast 5d6,  
  Continuous (+1), Penetrating (+½),  
  Uncontrolled (+½) 
  7
  60 
  Mistress Of Winter Magics:  Multipower,  
  60-point reserve
  6u 
  1)  Winter’s Chill:  Energy Blast 6d6,  
  NND (defense is Life Support [Safe  
  Environment:  Intense Cold] or having  
  cold/ice powers; +1) 
  6
  6u 
  2)  Chains Of Winter:  Entangle 6d6, 6 DEF 6
  4u 
  3)  Icicle Dart:  RKA 2d6, Armor  
  Piercing (+½) 
  4
  4u 
  4)  Storm Of Blinding Sleet:  Change  
  Environment (create ice sheet) 16” radius,  
  -4 to DEX Rolls to move on, -2 to Sight 
  Group PER Rolls, Multiple Combat  
  Eﬀects, Personal Immunity (+¼); DEX  
  Penalty Only Aﬀects Characters Who  
  Are Moving On The Ground (-¼) 
  6
  60 
  Foul Sorcery:  Multipower, 60-point reserve
  6u 
  1)  Domination:  Mind Control 12d6 
  6
  6u 
  2)  Befuddlement:  Mental Illusions 12d6 
  6
  6u 
  3)  Spell Of Torment:  Ego Attack 6d6 
  6
  6u 
  4)  Touch Of Terror:  Drain PRE 6d6 
  6
  30 
  Helpful Witcheries:  Elemental Control,  
  60-point powers
  30 
  1)  Shield Of Sorcery:  Force Field (20 PD/ 
  20 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 0
  30 
  2)  Wings Of The Wind:  Flight 20”,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  30 
  3)  Visions:  Clairsentience (Sight and  
  Hearing Groups), 4x Range (600”),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  5 
  Magesense:  Detect Magic 13- (Sight Group) 0
  
  120 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
   
  Perks
  2 
  Contact:  a member of the Circle Of The 
  Scarlet Moon 11-
  4 
  Contact:  a Morbanes of DEMON 11- (very 
  useful Skills and resources, has signiﬁcant 
  Contacts of his own)
  4 
  Contact:  Dark Seraph 8- (extremely useful 
  powers and resources)
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with Mistress Of Hellﬁre Multipower
  3 
  High Society 14-
  3 
  CK: Vibora Bay 13-
  3 
  CK: Millennium City 13-
  3 
  KS: Arcane & Occult Lore 13-
  3 
  KS: Demonology 13-
  3 
  KS: Necromancy 13-
  3 
  KS: Witchcraft 13-
  1 
  Language:  Latin (basic conversation; English 
  is Native)
  3 
  Seduction 14-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 14-
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  498
  Total Cost:  666
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mystic Aura (Not  
  Concealable; Always Noticed; Detectable 
  Only With Unusual Senses)
  20 
  Hunted:  Trismegistus Council 8- (Mo Pow, 
  NCI, Capture)
  15 
  Hunted:  DEMON 8- (As Pow, NCI, Capture)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Corrupted Soul 
  (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Utterly Self-Cen-
  tered; Cares Only For Herself (Common, 
  Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Pamela 
  Duquesne) (Frequently, Major)
  371 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  666
  Talisman Update:  As noted on page 22, Talisman’s 
  power has grown in the past ﬁve years just as her 
  sister’s has. In addition to her hellﬁre powers, she’s 
  expanded her mastery of ice magics and of general 
  thaumaturgy. Although her battles against Witch-
  craft and other heroes have rarely gone as she’s 
  hoped, she remains free and able to wreak her evil, 
  which is a victory of sorts.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  121 
  UTILITY
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   20 STR 
  10 
  13- 
  Lift 400 kg; 4d6 [2]
   20 DEX 
  30 
  13- 
  OCV: 7/DCV: 7
   20 CON 
  20 
  13-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV: 7
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack: 4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   8 PD 
  4 
   
  Total:  20 PD (12 rPD)
   8 ED 
  4 
   
  Total:  20 ED (12 rED)
   5 SPD 
  20 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  4
   50 END 
  5
   40 STUN 
  5 
  Total Characteristic Cost:  152
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
   
  Leaping:  7”/14”
   
  Swinging:  15”/30”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  120 
  Armory:  Variable Power Pool (Gadget  
  Pool), 90 base + 45 control cost; Can Only  
  Be Changed In Utility’s Armory (-½) 
  var
  37 
  Omni-Pistol:  Multipower, 75-point  
  reserve; all OAF (-1)
  2u 
  1)  Electric Blaster:  Energy Blast 15d6;  
  OAF (-1), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  2u 
  2)  Laser:  RKA 4d6; OAF (-1), 4 Charges  
  (-1) 
  [4]
  2u 
  3)  Concussion Beam:  Energy Blast 8d6 
  (physical), Double Knockback (+¾);  
  OAF (-1), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  2u 
  4)  Focussed Magnetic Beam:  Energy  
  Blast 10d6, Armor Piercing (+½), OAF  
  (-1), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  2u 
  5)  Sonic Blast:  Energy Blast 7d6, NND 
  (defense is Hearing Group Flash  
  Defense; +1); OAF (-1), 4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  15 
  Billy Club:  Multipower, 30-point  
  powers; all OAF (-1)
  1u 
  1)  HTH Club:  HA +3d6; OAF (-1),  
  Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
  1
  1u 
  2)  Thrown Club:  Energy Blast 6d6; OAF  
  (-1), 1 Recoverable Charge (-1¼), Lockout 
  (prevents use of other Multipower slots  
  until charge recovered; -½) 
  [1rc]
  1u 
  3)  Swingline:  Swinging 15”; OAF (-1) 
  1
  60 
  Wrist Rockets:  Multipower, 90-point  
  powers; all OIF (-½)
  4u 
  1)  Explosive Rocket:  Energy Blast 12d6,  
  Explosion (+½); OIF (-½), 4 Charges (-1) [4]
  4u 
   2)  Shaped-Charge Rocket:  Energy  
  Blast 12d6, Penetrating (+½); OIF (-½),  
  4 Charges (-1) 
  [4]
  30 
  Shock Gloves:  Multipower, 60-point  
  reserve; all IIF (-¼), 6 Charges for  
  entire Multipower (-¾) 
  [6]
  3u 
  1)  Taser Touch:  Energy Blast 4d6, NND 
  (defense is ED Force Field/Force Wall or  
  an insulated suit; +1), Trigger (mental com-
  mand, activation takes no time, Trigger 
  immediately automatically resets; +1); IIF  
  (-¼), No Range (-½)
  2u 
  2)  Electrocution Touch:  RKA 2d6,  
  Trigger (mental command, activation  
  takes no time, Trigger immediately  
  automatically resets; +1); IIF (-¼), No  
  Range (-½), Requires 3 Charges (-2)
   
  Martial Arts:  Generic
   
  Maneuver 
  OCV DCV 
  Notes
  4 
  Block 
  +2 
  +2 
  Block, Abort
  4 
  Choke  
  -2 
  +0 
  Grab One Limb, 
  4d6 NND (2)
  4 
  Dodge 
  — 
  +5 
  Dodge, Aﬀects 
  All Attacks, 
  Abort
  4 
  Escape 
  +0 
  +0 
  55 STR vs. 
  Grabs
  5 
  Flying Dodge 
  — 
  +4 
  Dodge All 
  Attacks, Abort; 
  FMove
  4 
  Hold 
  -1 
  -1 
  Grab Three 
  Limbs, 50 STR
  4 
  Karate Chop  
  -2 
  +0 
  HKA 1d6+1 
  (2½d6 with 
  STR)
  5 
  Kick 
  -2 
  +1 
  12d6 Strike
  4 
  Punch 
  +0 
  +2 
  10d6 Strike
  3 
  Throw 
  +0 
  +1 
  8d6 + v/5; 
  Target Falls
  16 
  +4 Damage Classes (already added in)
  24 
  Armored Costume:  Armor (12 PD/ 
  12 ED); OIF (-½) 
  0
  20 
  Shunt Field Belt:  Physical and Energy 
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 25%;  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Omni-Visor:  Sight Group Flash Defense  
  (10 points); OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Omni-Visor:  Hearing Group Flash  
  Defense (10 points); OIF (-½) 
  0
  6 
  Strong Runner:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  3 
  Strong Leaper:  Leaping +3” (7” forward,  
  5” upward) 
  1
  7 
  Cling-Boots:  Clinging (normal STR); 
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Omni-Visor:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  3 
  Omni-Visor:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  7 
  Omni-Visor:  Increased Arc Of Perception 
  (360 Degrees) (Sight Group); OIF (-½) 
  0
  8 
  Omni-Visor:  +8 versus Range Modiﬁer  
  for Sight Group; OIF (-½) 
  0
  8 
  Omni-Visor:  +8 versus Range Modiﬁer  
  for Hearing Group; OIF (-½) 
  0
  6 
  Omni-Visor:  HRRP (Radio Group);  
  OIF (-½), Aﬀected As Sight And Hearing 
  Groups As Well As Radio Group (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  9 
  Ambidexterity (no Oﬀ Hand penalty)
  6 
  Lightning Reﬂexes:  +4 DEX to go ﬁrst with 
  all attacks
  
  122 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 Overall
  16 
  +2 with All Combat
  16 
  +2 with All Non-Combat Skills
  9 
  +3 with Omni-Pistol
  3 
  Acrobatics 13-
  3 
  Breakfall 13-
  3 
  Climbing 13-
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  3 
  Contortionist 13-
  3 
  Deduction 13-
  3 
  Electronics 13-
  2 
  CK: Millennium City 11-
  4 
  KS: Superheroes 14-
  4 
  KS: The Superhuman World 14-
  4 
  KS: Superpowers 14-
  4 
  KS: Supervillains 14-
  3 
  Lockpicking 13-
  3 
  Mechanics 13-
  3 
  Power: Gadgeteering 13-
  3 
  Security Systems 13-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  3 
  Systems Operation 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  3 
  Teamwork 13-
  Total Powers & Skill Cost:  606
  Total Cost:  758
  200+ Disadvantages
  25 
  Hunted:  Champions 11- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  20 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Moderate)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus Kill-
  ing (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Determined To 
  Prove Himself Better Than Superhumans 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Collapses Under 
  Torture/Interrogation (Uncommon, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  clever supervillain, 11-
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional (with Mirage)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (William 
  Chow) (Frequently, Major)
  423 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  758
  Utility Update:  See page 104. When not planning 
  a speciﬁc mission, Utility spends most of his time 
  training and practicing. He’s honed his skills to 
  even higher levels, and has expanded his martial 
  arts to encompass some of the quick-and-dirty 
  maneuvers of Commando Training. He’s also added 
  to his standard arsenal of gadgets, which now 
  includes an improved armored costume and Omni-
  Visor, cling-boots, a shunt-ﬁeld belt, and concealed 
  “shock pads” in his gloves that let him deliver a 
  stunning or lethal touch (though he only uses the 
  latter against robots and other non-living targets).
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  123 
  ZEPHYR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   30 DEX 
  60 
  15- 
  OCV:  10/DCV:  10
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:  5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   24 COM 
  7 
  14-
   8 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  28 PD (20 rPD)
   12 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  32 ED (20 rED)
   6 SPD 
  20 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   8 REC 
  0
   46 END 
  0
   30 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  153
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  30”/240”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  135 
  Wind Attacks:  Multipower, 135-point reserve
  9u 
  1)  Wind Blast:  Energy Blast 9d6, Double 
  Knockback (+¾), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼) 
  4
  6u 
  2)  Wind Gust:  Energy Blast 9d6, Area  
  Of Eﬀect (10” Cone; +1); No Range (-½) 
  8
  9u 
  3)  Tornado Blast:  Energy Blast 9d6,  
  Area Of Eﬀect (5” Radius; +1); Random 
  Knockback (see Champions, page 153; -0) 8
  9u 
  4)  Out Of Air:  Energy Blast 7d6, NND 
  (defense is LS [Self-Contained Breathing];  
  +1), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  9u 
  5)  Wind Manipulation:  Telekinesis (40 
  STR), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½)   0
  27m 6)  Fire Starvation:  Dispel Fire 15d6, all  
  Fire Powers simultaneously (+2) 
  13
  5 
  Pyrokinesis:  Telekinesis (10 “STR”); 
  Increased Endurance Cost (x3 END; -1), 
  Only Works On Fire (-1) 
  3
  40 
  Air Shield:  Force Field (20 PD/20 ED) 
  4
  7 
  Air Shield:  Life Support (Self-Contained 
  Breathing); Linked (to Force Field; -½) 
  0
  140 
  Air Travel:  Flight 30”, x8 Noncombat,  
  Rapid Noncombat Movement (+¼),  
  Combat Acceleration/Deceleration (+¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  11 
  Lithokinesis:  Tunneling 1” through DEF  
  5 materials; Increased Endurance Cost  
  (x2 END; -½) 
  4
  22 
  Sense Air-Currents:  Spatial Awareness  
  (no Sense Group) 
  0
   
  Skills
  6 
  +2 with Wind Attacks
  6 
  +3 with Flight
  3 
  Acrobatics 15-
  3 
  Breakfall 15-
  3 
  Climbing 15-
  3 
  KS: Con Games 12-
  2 
  KS: The Superhuman World 11-
  3 
  Lockpicking 15-
  3 
  SS: Meteorology 12-
  3 
  Security Systems 12-
  3 
  Stealth 15-
  3 
  Streetwise 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  470
  Total Cost:  623
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mutant (Not Conceal-
  able; Always Noticed; Detectable Only By 
  Unusual Senses)
  25 
  Hunted:  Champions 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, 
  Capture)
  25 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Code Versus 
  Killing (Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hatred Of 
  The Police And Other Authority Figures 
  (Common, Total)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Angela 
  Charles) (Frequently, Major)
  308 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  623
  Zephyr Update:  See page 104. 
  Zephyr’s powers have grown in recent years. Not 
  only has her control of air and wind strengthened, but 
  to her surprise she’s developed a small amount of con-
  trol over two other classical elements:  earth and ﬁre. 
  She can manipulate small amounts of ﬂame, shaping 
  it or moving it into contact with someone as an attack, 
  and she can make earth and stone shift to the side to 
  form a tunnel. Both abilities are tiring to use, however. 
  She hopes to get better at them, and develop other 
  powers, but she hasn’t had as much time to practice as 
  she’d like. In the meantime she’s trying to keep them 
  secret; her new powers are not public knowledge.
  
  124 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  ZORRAN THE ARTIFICER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [2]
   22 DEX 
  36 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   15 BODY 10 
  11-
   25 INT 
  15 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   24 EGO 
  28 
  14- 
  ECV:  8
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack:  5d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   8 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  28 PD (20 rPD)
   12 ED 
  7 
   
  Total:  32 ED (20 rED)
   6 SPD 
  28 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  4
   50 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  4 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  189
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  20”/40”
   
  Teleportation:  20”/40”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  75 
  Philosopher’s Stone:  Multipower,  
  150-point reserve, all OAF (-1)
  7u 
  1)  Transmutation:  Major Transform  
  5d6 (anything into anything; heals back 
  when touched by this or another  
  Philosopher’s Stone), Improved Result  
  Group (anything; +1); OAF (-1),  
  12 Charges (-¼) 
  [12]
  3u 
  2)  Burst Of Raw Power:  Energy Blast  
  20d6; OAF (-1), 2 Charges (-1½) 
  [2]
  52 
  Arcane Furnace Staﬀ:  Multipower,  
  105-point reserve; all OAF (-1)
  10m 1)  Belching Smoke:  Darkness to Sight  
  Group 6” radius, Personal Immunity  
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  OAF (-1) 
  0
  9m 
  2)  Arcane Shield:  Force Wall (12 PD/ 
  12 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END;  
  +½); OAF (-1) 
  0
  9m 
  3)  Gout Of Mageﬂame:  RKA 3d6, Armor 
  Piercing (+½), +2 Increased STUN  
  Multiplier (+½); OAF (-1) 
  9
  8m 
  4)  Arcane Wave:  Energy Blast 6d6,  
  NND (defense is Power Defense; +1),  
  Area Of Eﬀect (7” Radius; +1), Personal  
  Immunity (+¼); OAF (-1), No Range (-½) 10
  9m 
  5)  Lemurian Shackles:  Entangle 6d6,  
  6 DEF, Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); 
  OAF (-1) 
  0
  8m 
  6)  Flare Of Bright Flame:  Sight Group Flash 
  6d6, NND (defense is Power  
  Defense; +1), Area Of Eﬀect (7” Radius;  
  +1), Personal Immunity (+¼); OAF (-1),  
  No Range (-½) 
  10
  100 
  Arts Arcane:  Multipower, 100-point  
  reserve
  12m 1)  Bolt Of Power:  Energy Blast 12d6 
  6
  12m 2)  The Livid Lightnings Of The Loyal  
  Larethian:  RKA 2d6, Armor Piercing  
  (+½), +2 Increased STUN Multiplier (+½) 6
  12m 3)  Iskari’s Invoked Iridescence:  Sight  
  and Hearing Group Flash 7d6, Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  10m 4)  Iskari’s Invoked Imaginings:  Sight,  
  Hearing, Touch, and Smell/Taste Images,  
  -3 to PER Rolls, Increased Size  
  (8” radius; +¾) 
  6
  12m 5)  Spell Of Somnolence:  Ego Attack 6d6 
  6
  12m 6)  Mind-Shackles:  Mind Control 12d6 
  6
  8m 
  7)  Speed Of The Zephirim:  Aid DEX 4d6 0
  12m 8)  Zorran’s Withering Weakness:   
  Suppress STR 12d6 
  6
  12m 9)  Wizard-Hand:  Telekinesis (40 STR) 
  6
  4u 
  10)  Iskari’s Mantle Of Concealment:   
  Invisibility to Sight Group, No Fringe, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  6u 
  11)  Ascension Of The Etheric Form:   
  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by magic  
  attacks), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 0
  9m 
  12)  A Simple Spell Of Protection:  Life  
  Support:  Total 
  0
  12m 13)  Winds Of The Zephirim:  Flight 20”, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  12m 14)  The Mageroad:  Teleportation 20”, 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  90 
  Mantle Of Mastery:  Force Field (20 PD/ 
  20 ED/20 Power Defense), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  10 
  Shield Of The Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (15 points total) 
  0
  10 
  Demon’s-Head Mask:  Sight Group Flash 
  Defense (15 points); OIF (-½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Lemurian 
  High Nobility
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Talents
  35 
  Danger Sense (general area, any danger) 14-
  5 
  Eidetic Memory
   
  Skills
  9 
  +3 with Arts Arcane Multipower
  3 
  High Society 14-
  3 
  Inventor (see text) 14-
  3 
  AK: Lemuria 14-
  3 
  Mechanics (see text) 14-
  3 
  Persuasion 14-
  3 
  Power:  Mystic Powers 14-
  2 
  PS: Lemurian Sorcerer 11-
  2 
  PS: Noble 11-
  3 
  Stealth 13-
  3 
  Scholar
  2 
  1) KS: Arcane & Occult Lore 14-
  2 
  2) KS: Demons 14-
  2 
  3) KS: Lemurian History & Culture 14-
  2 
  4) KS: Lemurian Magic
  2 
  5) KS: The Mystic World 14-
  1 
  6) KS: The Superhuman World 11-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  648
  Total Cost:  837
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  125 
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Mystic Aura (Not Con-
  cealable; Always Noticed; Detectable Only 
  With Unusual Senses)
  20 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  10 
  Hunted:  Lemurian nobility 8- (Mo Pow, 
  Limited Geographical Area, Kill)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Determined 
  To Conquer Lemuria And The World 
  (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Noble Arrogance 
  (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Fre-
  quently, Major)
  20 
  Susceptibility:  to silver, 1d6 damage per 
  Phase (Common)
  527 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  837
  Zorran Update:  After several narrow brushes with 
  the Champions, the Justice Squadron, and other 
  heroes, in 2004 Zorran decided he needed even 
  greater power to compete against such costumed 
  fools. To that end he undertook two great tasks.
  First, he augmented his Philosopher’s Stone. In 
  reading more about the history of superhumanity 
  on Earth, he came across mention of the Silver Age 
  supervillain Presto Change-O and his Abracadbra 
  Wand (see Hidden Lands, page 108). From reports 
  and pictures he realized that the Wand was really 
  just a fragment of a Philosopher’s Stone — either 
  his or someone else’s, it didn’t matter. After much 
  research, a lot of exploration of strange places, and 
  some bargaining with otherworldly beings, Zorran 
  found the Wand. Using potent Lemurian rituals 
  he fused it with his Philospher’s Stone, making the 
  Stone slightly larger and more powerful. In addition 
  to its transmutative powers 
  it can now emit a powerful 
  burst of energy to destroy 
  his foes.
  Second, through a 
  long series of ingredient-
  quests and forging-ritu-
  als, he crafted himself an 
  Arcane Furnace Staﬀ — an 
  enchanted item of great 
  power referred to in some 
  ancient Lemurian chron-
  icles. The shaft of the staﬀ 
  looks like three strands of 
  dark iron braided together, 
  and at its top there’s an 
  octagonal cylinder stand-
  ing upright. From the top 
  of the cylinder the staﬀ 
  belches forth a sulfurous 
  smoke, and sometimes a 
  tiny burst of oddly-colored 
  ﬂame. It grants Zorran 
  several powers, from the 
  ability to ﬁll an area with 
  blinding smoke to emitting 
  a “wave” of mystic energy 
  that injures everyone 
  around him.
  Zorran remains 
  unaware of King Arvad’s 
  intentions for him (see 
  Hidden Lands, page 126). 
  Arvad is pleased that 
  Zorran has already found 
  one fragment of the 
  Mandragalore’s fuel core, 
  and hopes the renegade 
  sorcerer will soon decide 
  to look for more.
  Zorran continues to 
  search for a way to elimi-
  nate the curse that makes 
  him Susceptible to silver. 
  He’s weakened it, but can’t 
  yet break it.
  
  126 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  H
  ere’s some more information about villains 
  not covered above, and/or to supplement 
  the publicly-available information pro-
  vided in Chapter Five.
  ENEMY ORGANIZATIONS
  PAGE 100 — ARGENT
  UNTIL’s theory is correct — ARGENT is in 
  a “rebuilding mode,” not only because it needs to 
  restore its physical resources but to shore up its 
  underworld reputation. As of early 2007 it seems 
  to have succeeded, partly by shifting more of its 
  operations away from North America to South/
  Central America, Africa, and Central Asia. For any 
  other group this might cause logistics problems, 
  since its customers are mostly in the United States 
  and Europe, but meeting delivery schedules is no 
  problem for an organization with teleportation 
  technology.
  PAGE 100 — DEMON
  DEMON’s increased activity does have a 
  common purpose, but it’s one known only to 
  Luther Black. As February 29, 2012 — the day 
  of his apotheosis — approaches, he wants to 
  make sure everything goes off without a hitch. 
  DEMON’s increased activity is a way of (a) dis-
  tracting the authorities and superheroes by forc-
  ing them to react to one crisis after another, and 
  (b) tricking them into thinking DEMON’s only 
  involved in minor crimes and has no overarch-
  ing, long-term agenda. And so far his plan seems 
  to be working.
  The loss of the Satan Furnace was a severe 
  blow, though. The Furnace’s purpose was to poison 
  Earth’s magic with Qliphothic energies, thus weak-
  ening DEMON’s foes and improving Black’s ability 
  to accomplish his goals. He desperately wants to 
  get another one working, but he’s not sure if there’s 
  time enough to do it right... and doing it wrong is 
  worse than doing nothing.
  Unbeknownst to the authorities or the Mystic 
  World, DEMON has clashed with the Slug and his 
  minions on several occasions. The Inner Circle has 
  learned that the Slug’s seeking the Basilisk Orb, and 
  since DEMON wants the Orb for itself, the Slug has 
  to be distracted, slowed down, or eliminated.
  PAGE 100 — VIPER
  Operation Sunstroke’s failure wasn’t really a 
  failure. While the Council of Thirty wouldn’t have 
  minded if it had succeeded, the real purpose of 
  Sunstroke was to work on VIPER’s ability to launch 
  assets into space undetected, and in that it worked 
  brilliantly. VIPER wants to move forward with 
  Project High Ground, its planned space station, 
  and Sunstroke was a step along that path. It even 
  hired Menton to make Firewing attack the GATE-
  WAY station as a distraction so it could get some 
  materials and supplies to the still-in-progress space 
  station. The latest, most advanced cloaking devices 
  protect the station from detection.
  On the other hand, Project Mendel suffered 
  a severe blow in February 2004 when Dr. Timo-
  thy Blank defected from VIPER (taking most of 
  his notes and data with him) and transformed 
  himself into King Cobra. The Council of Thirty 
  estimates that VIPER’s plans to mass-produce 
  superhuman soldiers have been set back by as 
  much as a decade... though research continues on 
  many fronts. King Cobra is now considered third 
  on VIPER’s “ten most wanted” list, behind only 
  Dr. Destroyer and Secretary-Marshal Eckhardt 
  (displacing Gyeroy Vedun to #11).
  VIPER’s also been putting a lot of effort and 
  resources into the Generation VIPER project. It 
  knows the world’s current generation of superhu-
  mans is mostly lost to its influence, but it wants 
  up-and-coming generations to serve it. Aggres-
  sive recruitment efforts, particularly in the Third 
  World, have netted Mrs. Garter over two dozen 
  teenaged superhumans to try to mold into new 
  members of her team. They range in power from 
  the relatively weak (codename Babel, who has 
  the limited psychic power to interfere with other 
  peoples’ ability to communicate) to the prom-
  ising (Landmass, a growing brick with minor 
  earth-control powers; Solarion, a solar-powered 
  energy projector). If a new teenaged superhu-
  man appears anywhere in the world, VIPER is 
  likely to respond by either giving him the “hard 
  pitch” for voluntary recruitment or simply kid-
  napping and brainwashing him. If all goes as 
  VIPER plans, within a decade Dragon Branch 
  will be much larger and the carefully-constructed 
  “message” that VIPER wants to send to the youth 
  of the world via subtle propaganda and Genera-
  tion VIPER will make many people much more 
  receptive to VIPER’s goals.
  The Dragon Branch members who joined 
  the fight during the Island of Dr. Destroyer 
  incident legitimately fought against the fiendish 
  Doctor and his minions. But they also took the 
  opportunity to steal as many bits and pieces of 
  his technology as they could lay their hands on, 
  and VIPER’s scientists are now studying those 
  samples. Destroyer has deduced what happened 
  and vowed revenge.
  ENEMIES  
  UPDATE
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  127 
  MASTER VILLAINS
  PAGE 102 — TAKOFANES
  As hinted at on pages 102 and 133-34 of 
  Champions Universe, the Dragon Crown of Tako-
  fanes gives him some power over the other Crowns 
  of Krim. Speciﬁcally, it lets him track them to a 
  limited extent. When Dark Seraph and his fol-
  lowers make active, intense use of their Crowns 
  (such as when they ﬁght a super-battle or commit 
  a super-crime), Takofanes gets to make a PER Roll 
  to sense where they are. He’s often too distracted by 
  his studies to notice them, but when he makes the 
  roll he appears and tries to claim the Crowns for 
  his own. He’s researching ways to use the Crowns 
  to take control of those who wear them, but fortu-
  nately for the world he hasn’t succeeded yet.
  PAGE 102 — THE WARLORD
  The Warlord’s armor upgrades (see page 
  108 for his new character sheet) come from two 
  sources. First, he and his scientists have continued 
  to study “Blueboy” technology (and to acquire any 
  new samples that become available), and the more 
  they learn, the more they can enhance his armor. 
  Second, after ARGENT fell on hard times the War-
  lord was able to purchase its services cheaply to 
  assist with his upgrade process.
  The Warlord’s current activities other than 
  stirring up trouble in the Middle East relate to his 
  goal of wanting a country of his own from which 
  to launch wars of conquest. He doesn’t plan to rule 
  it publicly; he simply wants to be the power behind 
  the throne. He sees Central Asia and Central Africa 
  as holding the most promise for him, so he’s been 
  “conducting recon” by hiring the Shadow Army out 
  to leaders in those areas for discount rates. Once 
  he ﬁnds the optimal target, he’ll put a puppet in the 
  presidency and then begin plans for full-scale inva-
  sions of neighboring nations.
  VILLAIN GROUPS
  PAGE 103 — THE CROWNS OF KRIM
  Dark Seraph realizes that Takofanes can 
  track him and the other Crowns somehow, and he 
  assumes (correctly) that it has to do with the use of 
  the Crowns themselves. He’s trying to ﬁnd a way to 
  block whatever “beacons” the Crowns emit, but has 
  so far had no success.
  PAGE 103 — GRAB
  For Breeze, simply use a normal human char-
  acter sheet but add Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by 
  magic), Reduced Endurance (0 END). In time she’ll 
  probably develop other ways to use her powers, but 
  for now she’s only 18 and that’s all she can do.
  SOLO VILLAINS
  PAGE 103 — FIREWING
  Firewing still doesn’t realize that the attack on 
  GATEWAY wasn’t his idea — he thinks he did it 
  for the challenge. If he ever realizes Menton took 
  control of his mind, he’ll stop at nothing to ﬁnd and 
  destroy the insidious psychic.
  
  128 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  AUTOMATON
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   0 STR 
  -10 
  9- 
  Lift 25 kg; 0d6 [0]
   18 DEX 
  24 
  13- 
  OCV:  6/DCV:  6
   10 CON 
  0 
  11-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-
   25 INT 
  15 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack: 4d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   0 PD 
  0 
   
  Total:  0 PD (0 rPD)
   2 ED 
  0 
   
  Total:  2 ED (0 rED)
   5 SPD 
  22 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   10 REC 
  16
   90 END 
  35
   15 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  128
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Teleportation:  20”/80”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  99 
  Machine Possession:  Elemental Control,  
  198-point powers 
  0
  64 
  1)  Interface:  Telepathy 13d6 (Machine  
  class of minds), Aﬀects Physical World  
  (+2), Reduced Endurance (½ END;  
  +¼); Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation; -¼),  
  No Range (-½) 
  10
  63 
  2)  Control:  Mind Control 12d6  
  (Machine class of minds), Aﬀects  
  Physical World (+2), Telepathic (+¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation; -¼),  
  No Range (-½) 
  10
  63 
  3)  Deactivate:  Dispel 206, any  
  Electrical or Mechanical Device power  
  one at a time (+¼), Aﬀects Physical  
  World (+2), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation;  
  -¼), No Range (-½) 
  10
  57 
  4)  Manipulate:  Telekinesis (34 STR),  
  Fine Manipulation, Aﬀects Physical  
  World (+2), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Linked (to Desolidiﬁcation;  
  -¼), No Range (-½) 
  10
  60 
  Incorporeal:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected by  
  electromagnetic manipulation), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), 
  Inherent (+¼); Always On (-½) 
  0
  45 
  Incorporeal:  Invisibility to Sight, Hearing  
  and Smell/Taste Groups, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½), 
  Inherent (+¼); Always On (-½) 
  0
  50 
  Energy-Form:  Life Support (Total,  
  including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  45 
  Energy Form:  Teleportation 20”,  
  x4 Noncombat 
  4
  9 
  Merging:  Clinging (normal STR), Aﬀects 
  Physical World (+2); Only To Remain 
  Merged With A Machine If It’s Moved  
  Involuntarily (-2), Linked (to  
  Desolidiﬁcation; -½) 
  0
  140 
  Machinery Abilities:  Variable Power Pool,  
  80 base + 40 control cost, Aﬀects Physical 
  World (+2); all slots OIF (appropriate  
  machines or devices within 20”; -½),  
  Limited Class Of Powers Available (only  
  abilities of nearby devices; -½) 
  var
   
  Skills
  15 
  +5 with Computer Programming, Electron-
  ics, and System Operations
  3 
  Bugging 14-
  3 
  Combat Driving 13-
  3 
  Combat Piloting 13-
  3 
  Computer Programming 14-
  3 
  Cryptography 14-
  3 
  Electronics 14-
  3 
  Inventor 14-
  3 
  CK: Millennium City 14-
  3 
  KS: High-Tech Companies 14-
  3 
  Mechanics 14-
  17 
  Power:  Machinery Powers 21-
  3 
  SS:  Robotics 14-
  3 
  Security Systems 14-
  3 
  Systems Operation 14-
  16 
  TF:  Common Motorized Ground Vehicles, 
  Science Fiction & Space Vehicles, Agricul-
  tural & Construction Vehicles, Combat Air-
  craft, Helicopters, Jetskis, Large Motorized 
  Boats, Large Planes, Railed Vehicles, Small 
  Motorized Boats, Small Planes, Snowmo-
  biles, Submarines, Tracked Military Vehicles, 
  Two-Wheeled Motorized Ground Vehicles, 
  Wheeled Military Vehicles
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  782
  Total Cost:  910
  200+ Disadvantages
  5 
  Distinctive Features:  devices “possessed” 
  by Automaton have a distinctive high-end 
  electromagnetic spectrum signature (Not 
  Concealable; Noticed and Recognizable; 
  Detectable Only By Unusual Senses)
  15 
  Hunted:  Champions 8- (Mo Pow, Harshly 
  Punish)
  25 
  Physical Limitation:  No Physical Form (All 
  the Time, Fully Impairing)
  5 
  Physical Limitation:  can be aﬀected by 
  Mental Powers that aﬀect either the Human 
  NEW VILLAINS
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  129 
  or Machine class of minds (Infrequently, 
  Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Regards Himself 
  As A God Of Machinery (Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Hates “Meat 
  People” But Secretly Wants A Body Again 
  (Common, Moderate)
  5 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other cyberkinetics
  605 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  910
  Background/History:  Arthur Judge was a Mil-
  lennium City researcher developing cybernetic 
  interfaces between the human brain and computer 
  devices. One day he was hooked into one of his 
  experimental prototypes when a freak electrical 
  storm caused a massive power surge through the 
  system. The resulting blast incinerated his body, 
  but his mind was somehow transformed into a 
  coherent, invisible “cloud” of oddly-charged elec-
  tromagnetic particles. He soon discovered he could 
  “possess” any electronic or mechanical device and 
  use it as a “body.” Driven mad by the experience, 
  Judge believed he’d become a god, far superior to 
  his former “meat” existence.
  Initially he used his powers capriciously for 
  his own amusement, ﬁrst by causing machines to 
  harass and embarrass people who had annoyed 
  him previously. Slowly but surely he graduated to 
  killing people — he found the havoc and fear he 
  created energizing. But when he seized control of 
  Millennium City’s “Smart Roadway” system, he was 
  tracked down by the combined eﬀorts of Dr. Sil-
  verback and the cyberkinetic FBI agent Teknique, 
  who defeated him and trapped his consciousness 
  in a magnetic bottle. Automaton later escaped and 
  took Teknique hostage, intending to dissect her 
  and learn how she was able to control him, but the 
  Champions located and rescued her, in the process 
  blowing up a computer that Automaton was inside 
  before he could escape. His current whereabouts, if 
  he survived the destruction, are unknown.
  Personality/Motivation:  Arthur Judge has become 
  completely deranged as a result of his transforma-
  tion. He considers himself the ﬁrst member of 
  a new, perfect race, far superior to the humans 
  around him who now only exist for his entertain-
  ment and live and die at his whim... but secretly, 
  in his heart of hearts, he yearns to have a physical 
  form once more.
  Quote:  “Do you have any idea how disgusting your 
  bodies are? Meat and blood, ﬂuids and brains. I can 
  barely stand to look at you.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Automaton is a disembodied 
  mechanical “spirit” who can possess any machine of 
  suﬃcient complexity (the GM decides if a machine is 
  susceptible to his control, but typically any powered 
  device at least as complicated as a blender or toaster 
  can support his entire intellect). Once he’s merged 
  with a machine, he can physically control it, providing 
  it with power from his own essence if necessary, and 
  using it to perform any task it could manage itself as 
  well as some it clearly couldn’t without Automaton 
  manipulating its parts. For example, if Automaton 
  possessed a CD player, he could play music with ease, 
  but might also be able to ﬁre discs from its main drive, 
  or use the laser that reads the discs as a small but 
  nasty short-range RKA.
  Automaton’s Mental Powers work against the 
  Machine class of minds. He himself can be aﬀected 
  by Mental Powers that work against either the 
  Human or Machine class of minds.
  Campaign Use:  Automaton is a foe your PCs should 
  have diﬃculty coming to grips with, given how 
  ubiquitous technology has become in the modern 
  day (not to mention how common it is in most 
  superhero settings). The devices the heroes them-
  selves have probably oﬀer him plenty of opportuni-
  ties for mayhem. Make sure the heroes have a tough 
  time defeating him, but don’t make it impossible for 
  them to aﬀect him.
  If the campaign has a deﬁned “cyberspace” ele-
  ment, then the GM should give Automaton an Extra-
  Dimensional Movement power or other appropriate 
  ability that lets him access or “enter” it easily.
  To make Automaton a tougher foe, give him 
  a limited ability to possess “meat” bodies as well 
  — maybe half to two-thirds as many dice in his 
  Mental Powers. He ﬁnds it disgusting to use those 
  abilities, but sometimes it’s necessary. To weaken 
  him, give him various Physical Limitations and 
  Susceptibilities that make it easy to trap or hurt 
  him with focused electromagnetic pulses, magnetic 
  bottles, and the like.
  As a Hunter, Automaton can be deadly due to 
  his ability to surprise people... but he usually starts 
  oﬀ as more of an annoyance. He’ll use his powers to 
  harass and embarrass, not to harm. Only as a feud 
  grows and deepens will he turn violent.
  Appearance:  Automaton has no solid physical pres-
  ence and can only be detected outside of a machine 
  by specialized equipment capable of analyzing elec-
  tromagnetic energy in an area. When he possesses 
  a machine, he occasionally uses his telekinetic 
  control to reshape unnecessary components into a 
  crude approximation of a human face because he 
  enjoys the terror he can cause this way.
  AUTOMATON  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Automaton decides that 
  he’s the rightful ruler 
  of all artiﬁcial intelli-
  gences in the world and 
  begins attacking existing 
  robots or androids to 
  reprogram them into his 
  faithful followers. This 
  might, of course, include 
  any artiﬁcial superhe-
  roes in your campaign. 
  Once he’s worked his 
  way up to targeting 
  Mechanon, he’ll learn if 
  he’s bitten oﬀ more than 
  he can chew.
  Automaton decides that 
  if he is in fact the King 
  of a new race, he’s going 
  to need a Queen. Fixat-
  ing on one of the female 
  PCs or NPCs in your 
  campaign, he kidnaps 
  her and plans to recre-
  ate his own experience, 
  “freeing” her mental 
  essence to join him in 
  inhabiting machines.
   Automaton decides to 
  make his own existence 
  easier by starting World 
  War III and thereby 
  cutting down on the 
  number of humans who 
  could oppose him. To 
  this end, he might even 
  ally himself with Mecha-
  non, though each will of 
  course plan to betray his 
  “partner” at the earliest 
  opportunity.....
  
  130 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  BAYKOK
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   45 STR 
  35 
  18- 
  Lift 12.5 tons; 9d6 [4]
   29 DEX 
  57 
  15- 
  OCV:  10/DCV:  10
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   19 BODY 18 
  13-
   15 INT 
  5 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   23 EGO 
  26 
  14- 
  ECV:  8
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack: 5d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   30 PD 
  21 
   
  Total:  30 PD (20 rPD)
   30 ED 
  24 
   
  Total:  30 ED (20 rED)
   6 SPD 
  21 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   15 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   57 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  259
  Movement: 
  Running:  15”/30”
   
  Leaping:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  87 
  Bow And Arrows:  Multipower,  
  87-point reserve 
  0
  5u 
  1)  Fiery Arrows:  Energy Blast 14d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  Extra Time (Full Phase, -½), Limited  
  Range (30”; -¼) 
  3
  5u 
  2)  Invisible Arrows:  RKA 2d6, Armor  
  Piercing (+½), Invisible Power Eﬀects  
  (Fully Invisible; +1), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Extra Time (Full Phase,  
  -½), Limited Range (30”; -¼) 
  3
  6u 
  3)  Deadly Arrows:  RKA 3d6, Armor  
  Piercing (+½), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Limited Range (30”; -¼) 
  3
  13 
  Magical Club:  Hand-To-Hand Attack  
  +4d6; Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 
  2
  55 
  Takes Many Forms:  Shape Shift (Sight,  
  Hearing, Touch and Smell/Taste Groups,  
  any non-technological form), Instant 
  Change, Costs Endurance Only To  
  Change Shape (+¼)  
  5
  20 
  Demonic Form:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  50 
  Demonic Form:  Life Support:  Total  
  (including Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  45 
  Home In All Realms:  Extra-Dimensional 
  Movement (any physical location in any 
  dimension) 
  4
  7 
  Fearsome Gaze:  +15 PRE; Only For Fear-
  /Intimidation-Based PRE Attacks (-1) 
  0
  18 
  Runs Like The Wind:  Running +9”  
  (15” total) 
  2
  23 
  Find The Warrior’s Soul:  Detect Pure-
  Hearted Warriors 17- (no Sense Group), 
  Range, Telescopic (+6 versus Range  
  Modiﬁer), Tracking 
  0
  5 
  Demonic Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  10 
  Demonic Eyes:  Sight Group Flash Defense 
  (10 points) 
  0
  15 
  Demonic Will:  Mental Defense  
  (20 points total) 
  0
  15 
  Demonic Form:  Power Defense (15 points) 0
   
  Perks
  3 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  god of the Chippewa pantheon
   
  Skills
  20 
  +2 Overall
  9 
  +3 with Bow And Arrows Multipower
  9 
  +3 with Concealment, Shadowing, and 
  Tracking
  3 
  Acrobatics 15-
  3 
  Animal Handler (Equines, Raptors) 14-
  3 
  Breakfall 15-
  3 
  Climbing 15-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  3 
  KS: The Chippewa People 12-
  6 
  AK: Northern US and Canada 15-
  3 
  AK: Chippewa Parts of Faerie 12-
  3 
  Language:  English (Chippewa Native) (com-
  pletely ﬂuent)
  3 
  Mimicry 12-
  3 
  Navigation (Astral, Dimensional) 12-
  3 
  Oratory 14-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 15-
  6 
  Survival (Arctic/Subarctic, Temperate/Sub-
  tropical, Mountain) 12-
  3 
  Tracking 12-
  3 
  WF:  Common Melee Weapons, Bows
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  477
  Total Cost:  736
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Tomahawk 11- (As Pow, Harshly 
  Punish)
  15 
  Hunted:  Other Chippewa Spirits 11- (Mo 
  Pow, NCI, Watching)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Seeks To Con-
  sume The Souls of Noble Warriors (Very 
  Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves The Thrill 
  Of The Hunt (Very Common, Strong)
  5 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x STUN from Chippewa-
  Blessed Weapons (Uncommon)
  5 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x BODY from Chippewa-
  Blessed Weapons (Uncommon)
  451 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  736
  Background/History:  Baykok is a menacing crea-
  ture from the Higher Lands, the portion of Faerie 
  inhabited by the gods of the Chippewa tribes. It 
  has long plagued the Timasjomi tribe. The Timas-
  jomi swore centuries ago to oppose it in all ways 
  and were blessed with the Dawn Fire Ritual, which 
  creates warriors speciﬁcally charged with battling 
  Baykok and similar monsters. The current wielder 
  of the Dawn Fire magic and weapons is Tomahawk 
  of the Justice Squadron (page 82), who’s fought 
  Baykok on multiple occasions.
  Personality/Motivation:  Baykok is a demon who 
  feeds upon the hearts and souls of true warriors for 
  sustenance, though it certainly enjoys killing other 
  people for sport. It has a particular antipathy for the 
  Timasjomi tribe, which has opposed it for count-
  less centuries, but it happily feasts on warriors from 
  other cultures whenever the opportunity arises. The 
  BAYKOK  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Another god in the 
  Chippewa pantheon 
  scoffs at Baykok’s 
  boasts, pointing out 
  that he’s never even 
  been able to defeat 
  Tomahawk, who’s 
  just one human. 
  An enraged Baykok 
  decides to prove how 
  good he is by defeat-
  ing an entire group of 
  humans — the PCs.
  After suﬀering yet 
  another defeat, Baykok 
  decides he needs better 
  weapons. He’s heard 
  tales of a powerful 
  enchanted club, but he 
  can’t win it for himself 
  because only a true 
  warrior can pick it up. 
  To get it, he has to trick 
  the PCs into innocently 
  hunting for the weapon, 
  then take it from the 
  body of the PC who gets 
  it after he kills him....
  When the other gods 
  forbid Baykok to go to 
  Earth anymore, he ﬁnds 
  a way to take control 
  of a susceptible human 
  mind — that of a PC, or 
  someone the PCs know 
  and care for — and 
  use that person as his 
  human puppet.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  131 
  deﬁnition of a “true warrior” 
  seems to involve both a love 
  of martial matters in general 
  as well as a desire to protect 
  and defend others — thus, a 
  generally peaceful superhero 
  who only ﬁghts when he 
  needs to and seeks peace-
  ful resolutions to conﬂicts 
  wouldn’t qualify, no matter 
  how heroic he might be. On 
  the other hand, any hero or 
  villain who particularly enjoys 
  ﬁghting might, provided they 
  have some desire to protect 
  someone or something.
  Quote:  “Ssssss! I think your 
  sssoul will be particularly 
  tasssty, mortal. But please, 
  ﬁght me! I know you mussst.”
  Powers/Tactics:  This charac-
  ter sheet represents the sort of 
  avatar that Baykok can project 
  to Earth to work his will; in 
  its home dimension of Faerie 
  it’s considerably more power-
  ful. It ﬁghts primarily with his 
  magical bow, which shoots 
  ﬁery arrows, and a magic club. 
  It can also change its shape, 
  though it can’t assume the 
  form of any “technological” 
  object (meaning just about 
  any man-made device more complex than a Neo-
  lithic stone chopper). Its shapeshifting powers 
  make it easy for it to surprise or ambush its foes, 
  but once battle begins it’s a straightforward ﬁghter.
  Campaign Use:  Baykok is an ideal foe for any char-
  acter who, like Tomahawk, has some connection 
  to the American Indians or their culture. If there’s 
  no such character in your game, you can change 
  it into a similar but more appropriate ﬁgure — for 
  example, a Southeast Asian version might have six 
  arms, each wielding a distinct weapon.
  To make Baykok a tougher foe for your PCs, 
  increase its Characteristics until it’s at the right 
  level to really challenge your PCs. If it’s a bit too 
  tough already, scale back its Combat Skill Levels 
  and reduce its CON and DEX to about 25 each.
  Baykok is a dangerous Hunter, for it’s an expert 
  at stalking and tracking even if it didn’t have its 
  shapechanging powers to fall back on. It will trail a 
  character for days, leaping to the attack at the most 
  unexpected and inconvenient moment.
  Appearance:  Baykok is a skeletal warrior standing 
  seven feet tall; it wears buckskins and carries an 
  oversized longbow. Its eyesockets glow with small 
  red ﬂames, and it has a long forked tongue like a 
  serpent.
  
  132 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  BLOODRAGE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   45 STR 
  35 
  18- 
  Lift 12.5 tons; 9d6 [4]
   23 DEX 
  39 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   18 INT 
  8 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack: 6d6
   6 COM 
  -2 
  10-
   24 PD 
  15 
   
  Total:  24 PD (18 rPD)
   24 ED 
  18 
   
  Total:  24 ED (18 rED)
   5 SPD 
  17 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   17 REC 
  4
   60 END 
  0
   58 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  234
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  93 
  Instill Rage:  Mind Control 14d6  
  (Human class of minds), Telepathic  
  (+¼), Invisible Power Eﬀects (Fully  
  Invisible; +½), Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼); Only To Cause Anger  
  And Provoke Combat (-½) 
  6
  56 
  Claws:  HKA 3d6 (6d6 with STR),  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  2
  18 
  Demonic Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (18 PD/18 ED) 
  0
  16 
  Demonic Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (20 points total) 
  0
  10 
  Demonic Body:  Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  47 
  Demonic Body:  Life Support (Total,  
  except for Diminished Eating) 
  0
  30 
  Remaining Unseen:  Invisibility to Sight, 
  Hearing and Smell/Taste Groups  
  3
  20 
  Infernal Escape:  Extra-Dimensional  
  Movement (to a single location in Hell) 
  2
  22 
  Detect Anger And Rage:  Detect A  
  Single Thing 13- (Unusual Group),  
  Discriminatory, Range, Telescopic  
  (+8 versus Range Modiﬁer), Tracking 
  0
  14 
  Demonic Body:  Healing BODY 2d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Extra Time  
  (Regeneration, 2 BODY per Turn;  
  (Post-Segment 12); -1¼), Self Only (-½) 
  0
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (+¼) 
  0
   
  Perks
  2 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Member of the Lower  
  Nobility Of Hell
   
  Talents
  22 
  Universal Translator 15-
   
  Skills
  6 
  +3 OECV with Instill Rage
  15 
  +3 HTH
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Conversation 15-
  3 
  KS: The Descending Hierarchy 13-
  3 
  AK: Hell 13-
  2 
  KS: Earth’s Superhumans 11-
  3 
  Oratory 15-
  3 
  Persuasion 15-
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  405
  Total Cost:  639
  200+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Hunted:  Forces Of Light 11- (Mo Pow, 
  Harshly Punish)
  15 
  Hunted:  More Powerful Demons 11- (Mo 
  Pow, PC has a Public ID or is otherwise very 
  easy to ﬁnd, Watching)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves To See 
  Others Fight (Very Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fascinated By 
  Earth’s Superheroes, Especially Those With 
  Hidden Savageries (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fears More Pow-
  erful Demons (Uncommon, Total)
  10 
  Susceptibility:  Holy Items Or Attacks, 2d6 
  damage Instant (Uncommon)
  10 
  Vulnerability:  2 x STUN from Holy Attacks 
  (Uncommon)
  5 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x BODY from Holy 
  Attacks (Uncommon)
  524 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  639
  Background/History:  Bloodrage is a demon whose 
  native home is the Netherworld (a plane to which it 
  can return at will). As far as it can remember it has 
  always existed... and always found humans fascinat-
  ing toys to play with and feed oﬀ of.
  Personality/Motivation:  Bloodrage both physically 
  and psychically feeds on rage, particularly the 
  intense rage that occurs during combat. It uses its 
  powers to manipulate people into ﬁghting each 
  other so it can voyeuristically satiate itself on the 
  resulting emotions. During the twentieth century 
  it discovered that costumed criminals and crime-
  ﬁghters are particularly rich sources of both nutri-
  tion and amusement.
  Quote:  “Ahhh, delicious... a bold, righteous anger 
  with cinnamony whiﬀ of frustration.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Bloodrage usually lurks invis-
  ibly around people or places where it might have 
  the opportunity to feed. When a situation arises 
  that it things can spark a conﬂict, it uses its Instill 
  Rage power to fan that spark into a full-blown 
  ﬂame. Then it sits back and enjoys the fun. The 
  victim eventually realizes that he was subjected to 
  demonic Mind Control, but of course convincing 
  other people of that may not be possible....
  Campaign Use:  Bloodrage is a walking plot device 
  for when GMs want to provoke combat between 
  characters with no other good reason to ﬁght. 
  Heroes with Enraged/Beserk Disadvantages, 
  especially those who try to control these ﬂaws 
  and regret their failures to do so, are particularly 
  appealing to Bloodrage; it’s the surrender to the 
  primal emotions of combat that it ﬁnds tasty.
  To make Bloodrage more powerful, either give 
  BLOODRAGE  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Bloodrage 
  plot:  a hero or public 
  official who has dif-
  ficulty controlling his 
  temper (i.e., who has 
  an Enraged/Berserk, 
  or an appropriate Psy-
  chological Limitation) 
  finds himself getting 
  angry more and more 
  often... and sometimes 
  people are getting hurt. 
  He insists that some-
  one or something is 
  controlling him, but no 
  one believes him....
  What could cause 
  more fury than war? 
  If Bloodrage could get 
  close to several top mili-
  tary oﬃcials and make 
  them angry enough to 
  start a war, he could 
  stay in the war zone and 
  gorge himself for the 
  length of the conﬂict.
  Usually Bloodrage is left 
  to his own devices... but 
  now a powerful member 
  of the Descending 
  Hierarchy decides to 
  use him as a pawn in a 
  greater scheme. Perhaps 
  Baphomet “loans” him 
  to the Black Paladin as 
  part of some greater 
  plot, for example....
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  133 
  him more powers that it could 
  use to manipulate people 
  (such as Mental Illusions or 
  Telepathy), or give it a suite of 
  typical demonic powers (con-
  trol over hellﬁre, for example, 
  or even a Magic Power Pool). 
  To weaken it, reduce its dice 
  in Mind Control so that he 
  can only coax people into 
  anger, not outright control 
  them.
  Bloodrage might Hunt a 
  hero whom it found particu-
  larly susceptible to its powers, 
  or whose rage it considers 
  especially tasty. In that case it 
  follows the hero around invis-
  ibly, waiting for an opportu-
  nity to make him ﬂy into a 
  berserk fury.
  Appearance:  Bloodrage is a 
  horrible little demon with a 
  segmented black exoskeleton 
  bristling with spikes, overlong 
  limbs, and a pointed tail that 
  it curls protectively around 
  itself. Its eyes are bulbous and 
  yellow, without pupils, and 
  its face has a long snout and 
  a sneering permanent grin 
  showing lots of mismatched 
  teeth. It stands about four feet 
  tall, though the way it often 
  hunches over it’s diﬃcult to gauge its true height.
  
  134 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  HURRICANE
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   25 DEX 
  45 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   25 CON 
  30 
  14-
   10 BODY 0 
  11-/12-
   13 INT 
  3 
  12- 
  PER Roll 12-
   10 EGO 
  0 
  11- 
  ECV:  3
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack: 4d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   10 PD 
  7 
   
  Total:  40 PD (30 rPD)
   10 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  40 ED (30 rED)
   6 SPD 
  25 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   15 REC 
  14
   100 END 
  25
   50 STUN 19 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  190
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  35”/140”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  140 
  Hurricane Blast:  Energy Blast 12d6,  
  Area Of Eﬀect (15” Radius; +1),  
  Continuous (+1), Personal Immunity  
  (+¼), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼);  
  No Range (-½), Random Knockback (-0) 9
  105 
  Wind Power:  Multipower, 105-point reserve
  10u 
  1)  Wind Blast I:  Energy Blast 16d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  4
  10u 
  2)  Wind Blast II:  Energy Blast 14d6,  
  Area Of Eﬀect (One Hex; +½) 
  10
  7u 
  3)  Wind Blast III:  Energy Blast 10d6, Area  
  Of Eﬀect (20” Line; +1); No Range (-½) 
  10
  9u 
  4)  Wind Chill:  Energy Blast 8d6, NND 
  (defense is Life Support [Safe  
  Environment:  Intense Cold]; +1),  
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  4
  9u 
  5)  Sucking The Air From Your Lungs:   
  Energy Blast 8d6, NND (defense is Life 
  Support [Self-Contained Breathing]; +1), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  4
  9u 
  6)  Fire Extinguishing:  Dispel Fire Powers 
  20d6, any Fire power one at a time (+¼), 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼) 
  3
  45 
  Wind Power:  Elemental Control,  
  90-point powers
  45 
  1)  Hurricane Shield I:  Force Field (30 PD/ 
  30 ED), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  26 
  2)  Hurricane Shield II:  Force Wall  
  (14 PD/14 ED, 2” long), Reduced  
  Endurance (½ END; +¼); Linked (to  
  Hurricane Blast; -½), Restricted Shape  
  (always forms a ring around Hurricane; -¼) 3
  49 
  3)  Hurricane Flight:  Flight 35”,  
  x4 Noncombat, Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼) 
  3
  45 
  4)  Wind Shear:  Telekinesis (40 STR), 
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  34 
  Body Of Air:  Desolidiﬁcation  (aﬀected  
  by Ice/Cold or Aﬀects Porous  
  Telekinesis), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Cannot Pass Through  
  Solid Objects (-½), Accidental Change 
  (power shuts oﬀ on an 11- each Phase  
  in temperatures below freezing; -¼) 
  0
  9 
  Body Of Air:  Life Support (Safe Environ-
  ments:  Intense Cold, Intense Heat; Self- 
  Contained Breathing); Linked (to  
  Desolidiﬁcation; -½), Intense Cold  
  Does Not Protect Against NNDs (-0) 
  0
  17 
  Perceive Air Currents:  Radar (Touch  
  Group), Increased Arc Of Perception (360 
  Degrees), Range; Linked (to  
  Desolidiﬁcation; -½) 
  0
   
  Perks
  5 
  Contact:  Teleios 8- (Contact has extremely 
  useful Skills or resources and signiﬁcant 
  Contacts of his own)
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Wind Powers Multipower, Hurricane 
  Blast, and Wind Shear
  3 
  Acrobatics 14-
  3 
  Breakfall 14-
  3 
  Concealment 12-
  2 
  Gambling (Card Games)12-
  3 
  KS: Supervillains Of The Seventies And 
  Eighties 12-
  2 
  CK: Buﬀalo 11-
  1 
  Language:  French (basic conversation; 
  English is Native)
  9 
  Power:  Air/Wind Tricks 15-
  3 
  Seduction 12-
  3 
  Shadowing 12-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  5 
  Streetwise 14-
  2 
  WF:  Small Arms
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  628
  Total Cost:  818
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Flashover 11- (As Pow, Harshly 
  Punish)
  20 
  Hunted:  PRIMUS 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Cap-
  ture)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy (Common, 
  Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves And Hates 
  His Sister (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Public Identity (Phillip 
  Beaudoin) (Frequently, Major)
  5 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x STUN from Ice/Cold 
  (Uncommon)
  5 
  Vulnerability:  1½ x Eﬀect from Ice/Cold 
  (Uncommon)
  528 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  818
  Background/History:  Phillip Beaudoin was born in 
  1978. His father was Philip Beaudoin, the supervil-
  lain Flashover during the Seventies and Eighties. 
  In 1994 his sister Danielle, eager to avenge their 
  father’s many defeats at the hands of the Justice 
  Squadron, had the arch-geneticist Teleios transform 
  her into a new Flashover.
  When Danielle “turned soft” and became a 
  superhero and member of the very team she had 
  once sought to destroy, Phillip was disgusted. 
  Well, if she wasn’t going to get the job done, it was 
  up to him. He approached Teleios in turn... and 
  HURRICANE  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Hurricane 
  plot:  Hurricane sets 
  out to get revenge on 
  the Justice Squadron... 
  and nearly succeeds. 
  Now either the PCs 
  need to rescue them, or 
  they need to fill in for 
  the Squadron while its 
  members recuperate. 
  In either case the first 
  thing on the to-do list 
  is:  find and apprehend 
  Hurricane.
  Hurricane’s powers grow 
  to the point where he 
  can also manipulate 
  the weather, either on a 
  local or regional scale. 
  He begins using this 
  power so much he’s 
  starting to disrupt global 
  weather patterns, so the 
  authorities recruit as 
  many heroes as they can, 
  including the PCs, to 
  stop him before an irre-
  versible disaster occurs.
  The government wants 
  to recruit Hurricane to 
  use his powers to stop 
  an actual hurricane 
  that’s heading straight 
  for Miami. The heroes 
  have the unpleasant 
  task of finding him and 
  then convincing him to 
  help out.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  135 
  the master villain, amused, 
  agreed to grant him powers. 
  But rather than give him 
  the ability to control ﬁre, 
  Teleios chose to make him a 
  manipulator of air and wind. 
  Taking the name Hurricane, 
  Phillip has also taken up 
  his sister’s discarded goal of 
  getting revenge against the 
  Justice Squadron... includ-
  ing the traitorous Flashover. 
  When not involved in some 
  scheme to destroy them, he 
  usually works as a mercenary 
  supervillain for well-heeled 
  employers.
  Personality/Motivation:  Hur-
  ricane has a classic super-
  villainous personality. He’s 
  driven by two things:  ﬁrst, 
  a deep-rooted desire for 
  revenge for the “wrongs” 
  done to his father and family; 
  second, greed with a touch 
  of megalomania. He’s not the 
  sort of villain who wants to 
  conquer the world, but he has 
  no qualms about causing all 
  sorts of destruction to show 
  oﬀ his power and humble his 
  enemies.
  Quote:  “Fool! You don’t have a 
  chance against someone who can control the very 
  air you breathe!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Hurricane is an immensely 
  powerful air and wind manipulator. His name 
  comes from his signature attack, a swirling field 
  of wing 15” in radius that surrounds him and 
  hurts anyone who enters it, smashing them with 
  gale-force winds and then flinging them off in 
  some random direction. He can also fire directed 
  blasts of wind in various sizes and strengths, use 
  the wind to pick up (and even crush) objects, and 
  block attacks with shields of air. On the down-
  side, despite the fact that he can withstand ordi-
  nary low temperatures, his mutated metabolism 
  is vulnerable to ice and cold attacks (a weakness 
  deliberately engineered by Teleios in case he 
  needed a way to control his creation).
  Hurricane has little sense of tactics — he 
  charges right in and begins attacking the most 
  powerful foe he can find as a way of showing off 
  his power. He usually focuses on one target until 
  that target’s down, then moves on to another. He’s 
  not deliberately murderous, but he doesn’t care 
  if someone (be it a hero or innocent bystanders) 
  gets seriously hurt or killed because of the way 
  he uses his powers.
  Campaign Use:  Hurricane is intended as a foe 
  who, in the right circumstances, can take on a 
  whole team like the Justice Squadron and battle 
  them to a standstill (at least for a while). If he’s 
  not tough enough to fulfill that role in your 
  campaign, beef him up until he is; among other 
  things, consider adding some Damage Reduction 
  so he loses STUN more slowly. If he’s already too 
  tough, scale down his Characteristics some, and 
  perhaps reduce the DCs of his attacks. By reduc-
  ing his END you can restrict how often he can 
  use a lot of abilities at full power.
  Hurricane is an un-subtle Hunter. He may do 
  a little reconnaisance or planning, but usually he 
  prefers to track down his target and attack at an 
  inconvenient time. His favorite venue seems to be 
  when the Justice Squadron shows up for a charity 
  event, since that means the heroes have to spend as 
  much or more time rescuing civilians as actually 
  attacking him back.
  Appearance:  Hurricane is a 5’9” tall young man 
  with an average build and long brown hair falling 
  to his shoulders. He wears a red and blue jumpsuit, 
  obviously armored and with padding to exaggerate 
  his physique, including oversized shoulder pads.
  
  136 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  PANTERA
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]  
   30 DEX 
  60 
  15- 
  OCV:   10/DCV:   10 
   30 CON 
  40 
  15-
   20 BODY 20 
  13-
   5 INT 
  -5 
  10- 
  PER Roll 10-
   14 EGO 
  8 
  12- 
  ECV:   5
   20 PRE 
  10 
  13- 
  PRE Attack:  4d6
   14 COM 
  2 
  12-
   15 PD 
  9 
   
  Total:   23 PD (8 rPD)
   15 ED 
  9 
   
  Total:   23 ED (8 rED)
   6 SPD 
  20 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   12 REC 
  0
   60 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  193
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Leaping:  12”/24”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  45 
  Claws:  HKA 2d6 (4d6 with STR),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  10 
  Fang-Like Teeth:  HKA 1 point (½d6  
  with STR), Armor Piercing (+½),  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  7 
  Inspires Panic:  +15 PRE; Only For Fear-/ 
  Intimidation-Based Presence Attacks (-1) 
  0
  2 
  Tough Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (2 PD/2 ED) 
  0
  12 
  Runs Like A Cat:  Running +6” (12” total) 1
  6 
  Leaps Like A Cat:  Leaping +6”  
  (12” forward, 6” upward) 
  1
  15 
  Goes For The Throat:  Find Weakness 12- 
  with Claws HKA 
  0
  12 
  Animalistic Senses:  +4 to PER Rolls  
  with all Senses 
  0
  5 
  Cat’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  11 
  Fast Healer:  Healing BODY 2d6,  
  Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½),  
  Persistent (+½); Extra Time (Regeneration,  
  2 BODY per Hour; -2¼), Self Only (-½) 
  0
   
  Talents
  12 
  Combat Luck (6 PD/6 ED)
   
  Skills
  10 
  +2 HTH
  6 
  +3 OCV with Claws
  10 
  +2 DCV
  3 
  Acrobatics 15-
  3 
  Breakfall 15-
  3 
  Climbing 15-
  11 
  Shadowing 14-
  3 
  Stealth 15-
  11 
  Tracking 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  197
  Total Cost:  390
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Enraged:  when denied something she wants or 
  stolen from (Uncommon), go 11-, recover 11-
  30 
  Enraged:  Berserk when takes BODY damage 
  (Common), go 8-, recover 8-
  20 
  Hunted:  New Knights Of The Round Table 
  8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  20 
  Hunted:  UNTIL 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Capture)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Bloodthirsty, 
  Casual Killer (Very Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Greedy; Loves 
  “Shinies” and “Pretties” (Common, Strong)
  20 
  Reputation:  bloodthirsty, bestial killer, 14- 
  (Extreme)
  15 
  Social Limitation:  Secret Identity (Carla 
  Rosita Sanchietti) (Frequently, Major)
  30 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  390
  Background/History:  Aldo Sanchietti was a bril-
  liant biologist and geneticist... but also one with 
  some very peculiar ideas. Looking at the animal 
  kingdom, Sanchietti saw so much to admire:  
  swiftness, strength, acute senses, natural weap-
  ons, defensive adaptations — the list was practi-
  cally endless. And then he looked at humans and 
  was disgusted. Of course humanity had intelli-
  gence, but what matters intelligence in the battle 
  for survival? Humans were weak; they’d be much 
  better with more animal characteristics.
  Sanchietti began experimenting with 
  manipulating human DNA to introduce animal 
  characteristics, and with fusing animal DNA to 
  human genes. He kept his work secret for a while, 
  but eventually the university found out and he 
  was summarily dismissed for numerous severe 
  ethical violations. The university promised not to 
  bring the matter to the attention of the police if 
  he’d just disappear for good.
  Railing against his peers’ “lack of vision,” 
  Sanchietti continued working on his own, using 
  pilfered equipment and whatever other resources 
  he could scrape together. Fortunately, he had two 
  significant advantages. The first was his young 
  daughter Carla Rosita, who would make the per-
  fect test subject for his work. The second was the 
  secret patronage of Danar Nicole, better known 
  as the supervillain Fiacho, who saw much prom-
  ise in Sanchietti’s work. With Eurostar money 
  backing him, the fanatical geneticist soon had his 
  own top-notch laboratory facilities.
  A few years of hard work followed... and 
  then, success! A long series of drug therapies, 
  gene splicing treatments, and other experimental 
  procedures slowly but surely transformed Carla 
  into Sanchietti’s perfect epitome of humanity:  a 
  woman as much cat as human, with fingernails 
  like claws, feline senses, and a predatory instinct. 
  But the proud father had done his work too well 
  — one day while he was working with Carla, 
  training her hunting skills and senses by letting 
  her stalk mice around the lab, she turned on him, 
  killing him as casually as she killed the mice.
  PANTERA  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Pantera plot:  
  Pantera breaks free 
  from Fiacho’s control 
  and goes on a rampage 
  throughout some Euro-
  pean city. The heroes 
  have to search for her, 
  ﬁnd her, and subdue her 
  in an around ﬁghting 
  Eurostar, which wants to 
  do the same thing.
  Doctor Silverback 
  believes he’s found 
  a way to reverse Dr. 
  Sanchietti’s experiments, 
  thus allowing him to 
  make Pantera a normal 
  human woman again. 
  But that means Pantera 
  ﬁrst has to be captured 
  without hurting her, and 
  second has to be held 
  captive for about a year’s 
  worth of unpleasantly 
  painful treatments....
  More animal-human 
  hybrids begin pop-
  ping up throughout 
  Europe. Is it possible 
  Dr. Sanchietti has an 
  assistant who’s got all 
  his notes? If not, what’s 
  causing the problem?
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  137 
  As luck would have it, Fiacho dropped by the 
  Sanchietti villa the next day on one of his periodic 
  visits. Carla attacked him too, but he was much 
  better equipped than Dr. Sanchietti to defend him-
  self. Christening the now-unconscious cat-woman 
  Pantera, he set the villa on ﬁre and then carried her 
  out to a new life in Eurostar.
  Personality/Motivation:  Pantera barely qualifies 
  as human in many respects. Although she’s still 
  intelligent, the predatory instincts and bloodlust 
  she’s received as a result of her father’s experi-
  ments override her intellect almost all the time. 
  For example, she can speak, but rarely says more 
  than a word or three at a time (usually pertain-
  ing to food or killing). She can operate simple 
  devices (doorknobs, light switches, changing TV 
  channels, and so on), but can’t do complex tasks 
  like typing, driving a car, or preparing a meal. 
  (She prefers to eat raw meat anyway; she’s even 
  been known to cannibalistically feast on downed 
  victims, or at least to lap up their blood, until 
  Fiacho stops her.) She also has an animalistic fas-
  cination with shiny or pretty objects, and often 
  becomes angry if not allowed to have them. She’s 
  often difficult to control, though Fiacho’s beaten 
  her into submission so many times that she has 
  learned to instinctively defer to him. But that 
  might change if he ever showed weakness....
  Quote:  “Kill! Pretties mine. Mine.”
  Powers/Tactics:  Pantera’s superhuman abilities 
  result from having animal DNA (primarily from 
  felines) fused with her own. She’s far stronger, 
  tougher, faster, and more agile than normal, and 
  also has heightened senses and claw-like ﬁnger-
  nails. Although Pantera’s claws are a part of herself 
  (and thus not truly a Focus), they can be trimmed 
  so that they’re harmless — though of course this 
  requires that Pantera be restrained or sedated. 
  They’ll grow back to full size within 48 hours; it 
  takes 2 hours before they grow enough to give her 
  an HKA 1 point with them.
  In combat Pantera usually prefers to take a 
  Half Phase to assess her opponent (Find Weakness), 
  then leaps to the attack. If Enraged she simply leaps 
  with claws and fangs bared. She’s not much of a 
  team player, but does obey Fiacho’s orders (unless 
  she’s Enraged), and has learned that opponents 
  who are already ﬁghting one of her “packmates” are 
  easier targets.
  Campaign Use:  Pantera’s main purpose is to provide 
  Eurostar with more ﬁrepower... but unpredictable 
  ﬁrepower that may turn the tables in the heroes’ 
  favor if Fiacho loses control of her during a battle. 
  When she’s injured and goes Berserk, she’s as likely 
  to attack a teammate as she is an adversary.
  To make Pantera tougher, give her more 
  animal abilities — both from cats (such as greatly 
  enhanced Running based on cheetah DNA) and 
  from other animals. This may involve minor shape-
  shifting; for example, perhaps she gains increase 
  STR by making herself more bear-like for short 
  periods of time. To weaken her, reduce her Claws to 
  HKA 1d6, her DEX to 25, and her SPD to 5.
  Pantera is a consummate Hunter — that’s 
  what her father designed her to be, really. Once 
  she fixates on a target she stealthily stalks him 
  until the right moment arises for an ambush, 
  then she leaps on him and claws him to death. 
  However, unless Fiacho specifically orders her to 
  do something like that, she rarely becomes inter-
  ested enough in someone to deliberately Hunt 
  him on a repeated basis.
  Appearance:  Pantera would have grown up to 
  become a beautiful Italian girl... if her father 
  weren’t a mad, immensely-talented biologist. 
  Thanks to his genetic manipulations she’s a cat-
  woman, with cat-like eyes, claw-like ﬁngernails, 
  a lithe, graceful body, and an expression of crafty 
  ferocity on her face. On her lower arms and legs 
  there’s thick, ﬂowing, fur-like hair. She goes bare-
  foot and wears no gloves; her only concession to 
  modesty is a black bodysuit similar to a woman’s 
  one-piece bathing suit with a provocative plung-
  ing neckline. Her luxurious mane of black, slightly 
  curly hair reaches just below her shoulders.
  
  138 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  SHADOW QUEEN (DRAGON FORM)
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   75 STR 
  65 
  24- 
  Lift 800 tons; 15d6 [7]
   23 DEX 
  39 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   45 CON 
  70 
  18-
   35 BODY 50 
  16-
   25 INT 
  15 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   26 EGO 
  32 
  14- 
  ECV:  9
   45 PRE 
  35 
  18- 
  PRE Attack: 9d6
   18 COM 
  4 
  13-
   25 PD 
  10 
   
  Total:  25 PD (20 rPD)
   30 ED 
  21 
   
  Total:  30 ED (20 rED)
   5 SPD 
  17 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   24 REC 
  0
   90 END 
  0
   96 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  358
  Movement: 
  Running:  12”/24”
   
  Flight:  15”/30”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  94 
  Fiery Breath:  RKA 4d6, Armor Piercing 
  (+½), Area Of Eﬀect (38” Cone; +1¼);  
  Extra Time (Extra Segment, -½),  
  12 Charges (-¼) 
  [12]
  100 
  Dragon Sorcery:  Variable Power Pool  
  (Magic Pool), 50 base + 25 control cost  
  cost, Cosmic (+2); Only Fairy Tale-Style 
  Magic (-½) 
  var 
  45 
  Massive Bite:  HKA 3d6 (6d6 with STR)   
  4
  37 
  Rending Claws:  HKA 1½d6 (3d6+1  
  with STR), Armor Piercing (+½)  
  2
  25 
  Tail Bash:  HA +5d6, Area Of Eﬀect  
  (One Hex; +½); Hand-To-Hand Attack (-½) 4
  20 
  Scaly Skin:  Damage Resistance  
  (20 PD/20 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Tough Body:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  24 
  Heavy:  Knockback Resistance -12” 
  0
  15 
  Strong Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (20 points total) 
  0
  10 
  Mystical Form:  Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  20 
  Ponderous Winged Flight:  Flight 15”; 
  Restrainable (-½) 
  3
  12 
  Large Legs:  Running +6” (12” total) 
  1
  5 
  Night Sight:  Nightvision 
  0
  5 
  Dragon’s Nose:  Tracking with  
  Normal Smell 
  0
  3 
  Dragon’s Nose:  +3 PER with Normal Smell 
  0
  5 
  Tail:  Extra Limb, Inherent (+¼); Limited 
  Manipulation (-¼) 
  0
  106 
  Human Form:  Multiform (see other  
  character sheet)
   
  Skills
  24 
  +3 with All Combat
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Conversation 18-
  3 
  AK: Shadow Realm 14-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Knowledge 14-
  7 
  KS: Fairy-Tale Magic 18-
  3 
  KS: History Of The Shadow Realm 14-
  3 
  KS: Legends And Lore 14-
  3 
  Oratory 18-
  3 
  Persuasion 18-
  3 
  Tactics 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  644
  Total Cost:  1,002
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Gigantic (32m long, -8 
  DCV, +8 to PER Rolls to perceive her) (Fre-
  quently, Greatly Impairing)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Limited Manipulation 
  (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  20 
  Physical Limitation: Must Behave Like 
  Archetypal Evil Queen (Always, Greatly 
  Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vain, Jealous, And 
  Petty (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel And Venge-
  ful (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Reputation:  Monstrous Queen of the 
  Shadow Realm, 14- (Extreme; known only to 
  a small group)
  682 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  1,002
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  139 
  SHADOW QUEEN (HUMAN FORM)
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   15 STR 
  5 
  12- 
  Lift 200 kg; 3d6 [1]
   23 DEX 
  39 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   28 CON 
  36 
  15-
   15 BODY 10 
  12-
   25 INT 
  15 
  14- 
  PER Roll 14-
   26 EGO 
  32 
  14- 
  ECV:  9
   30 PRE 
  20 
  15- 
  PRE Attack: 6d6
   24 COM 
  7 
  14-
   13 PD 
  10 
   
  Total:  13 PD (10 rPD)
   17 ED 
  11 
   
  Total:  17 ED (10 rED)
   5 SPD 
  17 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   9 REC 
  0
   56 END 
  0
   40 STUN 
  3 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  205
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  140 
  Fairy Tale Magic:  Variable Power Pool 
  (Magic Pool), 70 base + 35 control cost, 
  Cosmic (+2); Only Fairy Tale-Style  
  Magic (-½) 
  var 
  60 
  Tough Body:  Physical and Energy  
  Damage Reduction, Resistant, 50% 
  0
  10 
  Tough Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED) 
  0
  15 
  Strong Mind:  Mental Defense  
  (20 points total) 
  0
  10 
  Mystical Form:  Power Defense (10 points) 
  0
  5 
  Night Sight:  Nightvision 
  0
   
  Perks
  10 
  Fringe Beneﬁt:  Queen of the Shadow Realm
  10 
  Money:  Wealthy
   
  Skills
  24 
  +3 with All Combat
  6 
  +2 with Fairy Tale Magic VPP
  3 
  Concealment 14-
  3 
  Conversation 15-
  3 
  AK: Shadow Realm 14-
  3 
  KS: Arcane And Occult Knowledge 14-
  7 
  KS: Fairy-Tale Magic 18-
  3 
  KS: History Of The Shadow Realm 14-
  3 
  KS: Legends And Lore 14-
  3 
  Oratory 15-
  3 
  Persuasion 15-
  3 
  Stealth 14-
  3 
  Tactics 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  327
  Total Cost:  532
  200+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Physical Limitation: Must Behave Like  
  An Archetypal Evil Queen (Always,  
  Greatly Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vain, Jealous, And 
  Petty (Common, Total)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Cruel And Venge-
  ful (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with any beautiful 
  woman to prove who’s more attractive (Seeks 
  to Harm or Kill Rival)
  15 
  Reputation:  Monstrous Queen of the 
  Shadow Realm, 14- (Extreme; known only to 
  a small group)
  5 
  Social Limitation:  Duties Of Royalty (Occa-
  sionally, Minor)
  222 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  532
  Background/History:  Brangomar, the Shadow 
  Queen, rules a kingdom known as the Shadow 
  Realm, which exists in the same part of Faerie that 
  was once Bravo’s home. Like most inhabitants, 
  she has no memory of any time when things were 
  diﬀerent from the way they are “now.” It’s entirely 
  possible, as some human scholars have theorized, 
  that she and the entire Shadow Realm were cre-
  ated by the collective unconscious of Humanity, 
  and therefore Brangomar actually has no real 
  “past.” Whatever the truth, Brangomar has been the 
  Shadow Queen for as long as she or anyone else can 
  remember... and she’s always ruled with cruelty and 
  caprice.
  Brangomar has been bedeviled by Bravo on 
  countless occasions. Their stories resolve them-
  selves diﬀerently every time but always return to 
  the “status quo.” Since Bravo came to live on Earth, 
  Brangomar has attacked him on several occasions. 
  Each time the Sentinels have defeated her by the 
  narrowest of margins.
  Few people within the Shadow Realm know 
  that Brangomar is actually a dragon who takes 
  human form simply because it makes it easier to 
  rule and more convenient to spend time in her lux-
  urious castle. She resumes dragon form for combat 
  and to hunt. Usually her innocent subjects assume 
  the dragon is a monster summoned by Brangomar, 
  if they associate it with her at all. While her dra-
  conic form is paramount in physical combat, in 
  human form she’s a more powerful witch.
  Personality/Motivation:  Brangomar behaves exactly 
  like one would expect the evil Queen or villainous 
  stepmother to behave in a fairy tale:  she’s petty, 
  vengeful, and vain on an epic scale. She’ll destroy 
  the lives of young milkmaids simply because 
  she feels threatened by their physical beauty or 
  general sweetness. She pursues anyone she feels 
  has wronged her to the ends of the universe. She 
  executes her advisors and henchmen with almost 
  comical regularity for failing her, and invents 
  complicated tortures for her enemies or condemns 
  them to permanent imprisonment in a cell on the 
  top of a mountain. While she’s capable of great sly-
  ness, she frequently fails to think her plans through 
  fully and almost always leaves a loophole or pos-
  sible escape route for a hero with suﬃcient skill and 
  bravery. She ﬂies into towering rages at the drop of 
  a hat, but can just as quickly become ingratiating 
  and honey-toned in attempts to deceive.
  Quote:  “Now you shall deal with me, hero, and all 
  the powers of Hell!”
  BRANGOMAR  
  PLOT SEEDS
  The classic story for 
  Brangomar focuses on 
  her need for something 
  of Earth — a magical 
  artifact, a pureblooded 
  princess, a golden 
  apple.... She sends 
  some agents clearly out 
  of myth and legend 
  to retrieve it, and 
  the heroes either are 
  dragged along acciden-
  tally when they return 
  home or deliberately 
  travel to the Shadow 
  Realm to get it back.
  Brangomar decides 
  that some appropriately 
  beautiful female PC or 
  NPC is too lovely to 
  be allowed to live, and 
  targets her for a curse 
  or snatches her for the 
  dungeons. Conversely, 
  she herself falls for 
  one of the male PCs or 
  NPCs, and scoops him 
  up for her own realm so 
  no one else can appreci-
  ate his manly beauty.
  The realms of Faerie 
  and normal Earth begin 
  to merge in disastrous 
  ways — monsters stalk 
  the streets, technology 
  disrupts Faerie’s magical 
  essence, natural catas-
  trophes occur every-
  where. Is this some plot 
  of Brangomar’s, or is 
  someone else at work? If 
  the former, can the PCs 
  persuade her to help set 
  things to rights?
  
  140 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Powers/Tactics:  As an archetypal “evil queen,” 
  Brangomar has always battled heroic adventur-
  ers, beautiful orphan girls who turn out to be 
  princesses, and clever talking animals. Though 
  she frequently experiences minor defeats at their 
  hands, the very magics that created her always 
  manipulate reality to restore her to her previous 
  position. Even if she’s apparently killed, maimed, 
  or deposed, as long as it happens in the Shadow 
  Realm circumstances arrange things so that she’s 
  back on the throne in time for the next story. 
  (The same sort of “story immunity” protects 
  Bravo as well when he’s in Faerie, but not any 
  humans who accompany him.) Of course, these 
  magics don’t protect her in the same way if she 
  should leave Faerie....
  Brangomar is an extremely powerful sorcer-
  ess in her human form, and in her dragon form 
  only slightly less puissant (and also enormous, 
  immensely strong, and able to breathe great 
  gouts of fire). But she can only use fairy tale-style 
  magic, which limits her tactically. Also, she can 
  only think in terms of fairy tales — she’s com-
  pletely incapable of controlling her passions, and 
  that’s her biggest weakness. If there’s a beautiful 
  woman among her enemies, she will be possessed 
  by jealousy and have to turn her attentions 
  towards defeating, imprisoning or cursing her, no 
  matter how little sense it may make tactically at 
  the time. Even Mind Control can’t override these 
  innate tendencies; they’re not thoughts, they’re 
  part of her very nature.
  Apart from these blind spots, Brangomar is 
  an excellent tactician, fond of hiring evil agents 
  to do her bidding. To them, she’s a tough but fair 
  boss — she rewards successful employees well, 
  but failing her is tantamount to signing your own 
  death warrant.
  Campaign Use:  Brangomar is a classical fairy tale 
  villainness. When she appears it’s usually a sign 
  that the heroes are hip-deep in a heroic quest of 
  some sort and that magic is in the ascendance. 
  You can play this to comic or horrific effect, 
  or even better with an element of both as your 
  PC team’s scientists and other mundane heroes 
  find themselves at the door to a dark tower on a 
  moonlit night, with icy rain, fog, and the far-off 
  beat of enormous, leathery wings....
  To make Brangomar a tougher foe, increase 
  the size of her Fairy Tale Magic VPP as much as 
  you need. To weaken her, reduce it (or eliminate 
  it entirely from her dragon form). You could also 
  make it harder for her to change forms.
  See above regarding Brangomar’s behavior as 
  a Hunter.
  Appearance:  Brangomar, the Shadow Queen, 
  is a tall, thin woman of evil, regal beauty. Her 
  skin is very pallid, as if all the warm life’s-blood 
  had been leeched out of her. Her hair is jet-
  black and cascades down to the center of her 
  back; she keeps it confined in a crown made of 
  some dark-purplish metal with tines that rise 
  to needle-sharp points. She wears a gown in the 
  same shade of purple cut to display her seductive 
  figure to best effect, and a black cloak that she 
  wraps around herself or sweeps open for dra-
  matic effect. In her dragon form she has purple 
  scales that shade to black on her back and the 
  end of her tail, and her eyes, teeth, and talons are 
  stark white.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  141 
  SPEKTR
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   30 STR 
  20 
  15- 
  Lift 1,600 kg; 6d6 [3]
   24 DEX 
  42 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   33 CON 
  46 
  16-
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   18 EGO 
  16 
  13- 
  ECV:  6
   23 PRE 
  13 
  14- 
  PRE Attack: 4½d6
   10 COM 
  0 
  11-
   13 PD 
  7 
   
  Total:  28 PD (15 rPD)
   20 ED 
  13 
   
  Total:  45 ED (25 rED)
   6 SPD 
  26 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   20 REC 
  14
   100 END 
  17
   50 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  240
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  30”/120”
   
  FTL Travel:  1 LY/year
  Cost Powers 
  END
  90 
  Mastery Of The Electromagnetic  
  Spectrum:  Multipower, 90-point reserve
  9u 
  1)  Microwaves Or UV Waves:  RKA 3d6,  
  Invisible To Normal Sight (+¼), Penetrating 
  (+½), Variable Special Eﬀects (+¼)  
  9
  8u 
  2)  Lasers:  RKA 3½d6, Armor  
  Piercing (+½)  
  8
  8u 
  3)  Visible Light Burst:  Sight Group Flash  
  13d6, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)  
  3
  9u 
  4)  Large Visible Light Burst:  Sight Group  
  Flash 9d6, Area Of Eﬀect (5” Radius; +1) 
  9
  8u 
  5)  Electrical Transmission:  Energy  
  Blast 16d6  
  8
  8u 
  6)  EM Power Manipulation:  Dispel  
  EM-Spectrum Based Powers 18d6, any  
  two EM Spectrum-based powers  
  simultaneously (+½)  
  8
  6u 
  7)  E-M Pulse:  Dispel Electricity-Based 
  Powers 8d6, Personal Immunity (+¼),  
  Explosion (+½), all Electricity powers  
  simultaneously (+2); No Range (-½) 
  9
  8u 
  8)  Photon Absorption:  Darkness to  
  Sight Group 8” radius  
  8
  8u 
  9)  Radio Interference:  Darkness to  
  Radio Group 16” radius  
  8
  26 
  Electromagnetic Spectrum Mastery:   
  Elemental Control, 52-point powers 
  0
  36 
  1)  Electromagnetic Field:  Force Field  
  (15 PD/25 ED), Protects Carried Items, 
  Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼)  
  2
  39 
  2)  Light Flight:  Flight 30”, x4 Noncombat  
  6
  26 
  3)  Lightbending:  Invisibility to Sight  
  and Radio Groups , No Fringe, Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½) 
  0
  10 
  Inhumanly Tough:  Damage Resistance  
  (10 PD/10 ED) 
  0
  60 
  Energy Mastery:  Energy Damage  
  Reduction, Resistant, 75% 
  0
  25 
  Energy Mastery:  Sight Group Flash  
  Defense (25 points) 
  0
  25 
  Energy Bending:  Missile Deﬂection (any 
  Ranged attack), Missile Reﬂection (any  
  target); Only Works Against Electromagnetic 
  Spectrum Energy Attacks (-1) 
  0
  19 
  Inhuman Form:  Life Support (Safe  
  Environments:  High Pressure, High  
  Radiation, Intense Cold, Intense Heat,  
  Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained 
  Breathing) 
  0
  10 
  Lightspeed:  FTL Travel (1 LY/year) 
  0
  19 
  Electromagnetic Sense:  Detect  
  Electromagnetic Fields 13- (no Sense 
  Group), Range, Rapid (x10), Sense,  
  Telescopic (+8 versus Range Modiﬁer) 
  0
  10 
  X-Ray Vision:  N-Ray Perception (blocked  
  by lead, gold, or Force Fields) (Sight Group) 0
  5 
  IR Vision:  Infrared Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  5 
  UV Vision:  Ultraviolet Perception  
  (Sight Group) 
  0
  15 
  Radar Sense:  Radar (Radio Group) 
  0
  12 
  Radio Sensing:  High Range Radio  
  Perception (Radio Group) 
  0
   
  Skills
  12 
  +4 with Mastery Of The Electromagnetic 
  Spectrum Multipower
  3 
  Bureaucratics 14-
  3 
  Computer Programming 13-
  3 
  Demolitions 13-
  3 
  Disguise 13-
  3 
  Electronics 13-
  3 
  KS: Soviet-Era Superhumans 13-
  3 
  KS: The Soviet-Era Espionage World 13-
  2 
  Language:  English (fluent conversation; 
  Russian is Native)
  3 
  Navigation (Air, Space) 13-
  15 
  Power:  Electromagnetic Spectrum  
  Manipulation 19-
  3 
  PS: Soviet Agent 13-
  8 
  SS: High-Energy Physics 18-
  3 
  SS: Astrophysics 13-
  3 
  Systems Operation 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  577
  Total Cost:  817
  200+ Disadvantages
  10 
  Hunted:  Justice Squadron 8- (As Pow, 
  Harshly Punish)
  15 
  Hunted:  Russia 8- (Mo Pow, NCI, Limited 
  Geographical Area, Harshly Punish)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Man Out Of Time (see 
  text) (Frequently, Slightly Impairing)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Fervent Commu-
  nist And Old-Soviet Patriot; Hates The Cur-
  rent Russian Regime (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Emotionally 
  Lost, Looking For A Cause To Believe In 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Psychological Limitation:  Isolated From 
  Humanity (Common, Moderate)
  10 
  Rivalry:  Professional, with other super-patri-
  ots (Seeks to Harm or Kill Rival)
  10 
  Unluck 2d6
  522 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  817
  SPEKTR  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Spektr teams up with 
  the Warlord to recon-
  quer the “former Soviet 
  republics” and restore 
  the Soviet Union. Of 
  course, assuming they 
  succeed, it’s just a ques-
  tion of which of them 
  will betray the other 
  ﬁrst and try to seize all 
  power for himself....
  Spektr decides that 
  since no heroes seem 
  to be doing it, he will 
  clean up Russia. He 
  goes on a rampage, 
  murdering gangsters, 
  corrupt politicians, and 
  anyone else he sees as 
  “betraying” Russian 
  ideals and glories. The 
  Russian Defenders ask 
  the heroes to help them 
  apprehend him.
  During a ﬁght against 
  some heroes (maybe 
  your PCs, maybe the 
  Justice Squadron...), 
  Spektr gets knocked into 
  a generator... but this 
  time, instead of having 
  his body scattered across 
  the ether, it makes him 
  more powerful. Much 
  more powerful. Your 
  PCs have to team up 
  with other heroes to 
  stop him, or at least 
  delay him, while Dr. Sil-
  verback and the Good-
  man Institute ﬁnd a way 
  to de-power him.
  
  142 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Background/History:  During the late 1950s and 
  early 1960s, Viktor Simolenko was a Soviet scientist 
  working to develop powerful new weapons for his 
  Communist masters. In 1964 a laboratory acci-
  dent during a test of an experimental “microwave 
  cannon” resulted in his body being bombarded 
  with microwaves and somehow being transformed 
  into “living energy.” As a result he gained power 
  over the electromagnetic spectrum.
  The Soviet military wasted no time “enlist-
  ing” him as one of its super-agents and christened 
  him Spektr. During the Sixties and Seventies he 
  was a frequent thorn in the side of American 
  superheroes, particularly Vanguard and the Justice 
  Squadron. But his supervillainous career came to 
  an end in 1984 when Vanguard knocked him into 
  a dynamo at a power plant. The resulting explosion 
  somehow discorporated Spektr’s body and pro-
  jected it into the ether.
  It took twenty years for Spektr’s conscious-
  ness to slowly, agonizingly, piece his energy body 
  back together again. In 2004 he re-appeared in 
  the exact same spot where he’d been when Van-
  guard hit him.
  Personality/Motivation:  Spektr now finds himself 
  still trapped... but in a different way. He’s living 
  in a world he cannot really understand, where 
  there is no Soviet Union and his beloved Russia 
  is being run by thugs and gangsters. The com-
  puters, the constant media bombardment, the 
  Internet, the cell phones, the global economy... he 
  can’t really wrap his head around any of it, and 
  has no idea how most of it works. He’s emotion-
  ally adrift and isolated from the people around 
  him (even his old foe Vanguard is dead), and 
  eager for a cause he can believe in and fight for 
  the way he once supported the Soviet Commu-
  nist regime. He works as a mercenary supervil-
  lain to make ends meet, particularly when he has 
  the chance to fight the Justice Squadron.
  Quote:  “What is it that your book says? “Let there 
  be light?” Very well, let there be light — and micro-
  waves, and electricity, and every other form of 
  energy I can use to kill you with!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Spektr has broad control over 
  the electromagnetic spectrum as a result of being 
  transformed into “living energy.” In combat he can 
  project microwaves, laser light, or electricity to 
  injure his foes, emit an EMP to disrupt electrical 
  devices, or “absorb” forms of energy to deny other 
  people the ability to use them (for example, but 
  absorbing light he creates ﬁelds of impenetrable 
  darkness). He’s got several other tricks, too, like 
  transforming his body into a semi-light form that 
  lets him ﬂy at high speed (or in space, at light-
  speed), or bending lightwaves around his body to 
  render himself invisible.
  Spektr usually begins combat with an aggres-
  sive attack. If that doesn’t work, he becomes more 
  defensive; one of his favorite tricks is to Flash his 
  opponent(s), then use his Invisibility to hide from 
  them while they can’t see. Then he can either ﬂee or 
  ambush them, as appropriate.
  Campaign Use:  Spektr oﬀers you a way to tie the 
  heroes into the Silver Age if you want, since he’s a 
  “ﬁsh out of water” historically speaking. He also 
  makes a great foe for patriotic characters, par-
  ticularly ones who are older and were part of the 
  American-Soviet struggle.
  To make Spektr more powerful — to make 
  him a true master of the EM spectrum — convert 
  his Multipower and EC into an enormous Cosmic 
  Power Pool. To weaken him, reduce his SPD to 5 
  and his Energy Damage Reduction to 25%.
  These days Spektr doesn’t Hunt anyone unless 
  hired to do so, and in that case he follows orders. 
  He prefers to stalk a target using his Invisibility.
  Appearance:  Spektr is 6’0” tall with a muscular 
  build, black hair cut short, and a neatly-trimmed 
  short black beard and moustache. He wears a 
  slightly out-of-date-looking golden bodysuit with 
  a lightning-bolt motif at the chest, under a clearly 
  padded leather jacket with fur lining and trim and 
  utilitarian work boots.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  143 
  STALKER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   35 STR 
  25 
  16- 
  Lift 3,200 kg; 7d6 [3]
   24 DEX 
  42 
  14- 
  OCV:  8/DCV:  8
   23 CON 
  26 
  14-
   18 BODY 16 
  13-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   20 EGO 
  20 
  13- 
  ECV:  7
   25 PRE 
  15 
  14- 
  PRE Attack: 5d6
   20 COM 
  5 
  13-
   15 PD 
  8 
   
  Total:  15 PD (10 rPD)
   10 ED 
  5 
   
  Total:  10 ED (8 rED)
   5 SPD 
  16 
   
  Phases:  3, 5, 8, 10, 12
   14 REC 
  4
   46 END 
  0
   50 STUN 
  2 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  194
  Movement: 
  Running:  9”/18”
  Cost Powers 
  END
  30 
  Fangs:  HKA 1d6 (2d6 with STR),  
  Penetrating (+½), Armor Piercing (+½)  
  3
  23 
  Blood Drain:  Drain BODY 1d6, No  
  Normal Defense (defense is rPD on the  
  neck; +1), Continuous (+1), Reduced  
  Endurance (0 END; +½); Fangs Must  
  Do BODY First (-½)
  47 
  Create Vampire:  Major Transform 10d6 
  (humans into lesser vampires, heals  
  back though special exorcisms and holy  
  rituals), Reduced Endurance (0 END,  
  +½); No Range (-½), Extra Time   
  (1 Turn; -1¼), All Or Nothing (-½),  
  Limited Target (humans; -½), Only  
  Works On Targets Reduced To 0 BODY  
  Or Less By Blood Drain (-1) 
  0
  70 
  Hypnotic Gaze:  Mind Control 12d6,  
  Telepathic (+¼), Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); Eye Contact Required (-½) 0
  9 
  Undead:  Damage Resistance (10 PD/8 ED) 0
  30 
  Undead:  Physical Damage Reduction,  
  Resistant, 50% 
  0
  15 
  Undead:  Energy Damage Reduction,  
  Resistant, 25% 
  0
  6 
  Undead:  Mental Defense (10 points total) 0
  36 
  Undead Vitality:  Healing BODY 3d6,  
  Resurrection, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½), Persistent (+½); Extra  
  Time (Regeneration, 3 BODY per Turn 
  (Post-Segment 12); -1¼), Self Only (-½) 
  0
  47 
  Undead Vitality:  Life Support (Total,  
  except for Diminished Eating) 
  0
  6 
  Swift:  Running +3” (9” total) 
  1
  10 
  Silent:  Invisibility to Hearing Group  
  1
  5 
  Vampire’s Eyes:  Nightvision 
  0
  27 
  Mist Form:  Desolidiﬁcation (aﬀected  
  by cold, heat, or wind); Cannot Pass  
  Through Solid Objects (-½) 
  4
  35 
  Wolf and Bat Forms:  Multiform into  
  Wolf or Bat form built on up to 150  
  Character Points 
  0
  52 
  Call The Creatures Of The Night:   
  Summon up to 16 Wolves, Bats, Rats,  
  or Insects built on up to 90 Character  
  Points, Expanded Class (+¼), Reduced 
  Endurance (0 END; +½), Slavishly  
  Devoted (+1); Arrives Under Own  
  Power (-½), Summoned Being Must  
  Inhabit Locale (-½) 
  0
   
  Talents
  15 
  Combat Sense 13-
  2 
  Trackless Stride
   
  Skills
  20 
  +4 HTH
  3 
  Breakfall 14-
  3 
  Climbing 14-
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Conversation 14-
  3 
  Disguise 13-
  8 
  Gambling (Cards) 16-
  3 
  High Society 14-
  3 
  AK: Southern United States 13-
  4 
  KS: History Of Serial Killers 14-
  3 
  Language:  French (completely ﬂuent)
  3 
  Mimicry 13-
  3 
  Riding 14-
  5 
  Seduction 15-
  3 
  Shadowing 13-
  7 
  Stealth 16-
  3 
  Streetwise 14-
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  545
  Total Cost:  739
  200+ Disadvantages
  20 
  Distinctive Features:  No Reﬂection (Not 
  Concealable; Causes Major Reaction)
  10 
  Distinctive Features:  Has No Soul (Not Con-
  cealable; Causes Major Reaction; Detectable 
  Only By Unusual Senses)
  10 
  Physical Limitation:  Cannot Enter A Dwell-
  ing Without Permission (Infrequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  15 
  Physical Limitation: Paralyzed In Deathless 
  Sleep When Staked Through Heart (Infre-
  quently, Fully Impairing)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Obsessive (Very 
  Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Considers Humanity 
  His Feeding Stock (Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Loves The Thrill 
  Of The Hunt (Common, Strong)
  25 
  Susceptibility:  takes 2d6 per Phase from 
  physical contact with holy items (Common)
  30 
  Susceptibility:  takes 2d6 per Phase from 
  direct sunlight (Very Common)
  379 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  739
  Background/History: The Stalker was once Billy 
  Hearn, born in Wyoming in 1852. Hearn was a 
  criminal, a cheater at cards, and an occasional 
  cattle rustler, and occasionally part of a small 
  gang of bank robbers. In 1878 he fell afoul of a 
  vampire called Carraway. The bloodsucker killed 
  Hearn and several of his friends, transforming 
  them into a pack of vampire henchmen to attack 
  his enemy, the sixth Black Mask. Narrowly avoid-
  ing being staked like his sire during their final 
  confrontation in a burning church near Soda 
  STALKER  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Stalker transfers his 
  attentions to a female 
  PC or NPC in your 
  Campaign City and 
  begins pursuing her at 
  night. At ﬁrst he’ll just 
  be trying to unnerve 
  her, allowing himself to 
  be seen in the distance 
  or emerging from a 
  shadow just to show 
  how easy killing her 
  will be. The more of her 
  time and attention he 
  commands, the happier 
  he’ll be, until at last they 
  come to a physical con-
  frontation.
  Stalker was present 
  the last time a mystical 
  MacGuﬃn was used, or 
  has some other piece 
  of information the PCs 
  require. What can they 
  possibly oﬀer him to get 
  his cooperation?
  As it turns out, Car-
  raway wasn’t perma-
  nently dispatched 
  either all those years 
  ago. When he returns, 
  the two vampires join 
  forces, first to take 
  down the new Black 
  Mask and then to rule 
  the entire city.
  
  144 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Lake, Hearn struck off on his own, traveling 
  south and east while leaving a trail of death and 
  horror in his wake. He soon began thinking of 
  himself under another name:  Stalker.
  After nearly 80 years of careful killing, during 
  which he encountered but escaped from several 
  of the great Pulp heroes, Stalker’s luck ran out. In 
  1957 in rural Texas he had a run-in with El Espec-
  tro. The masked Mexican wrestler, an expert at 
  ﬁghting vampires and other monsters, staked him 
  through the heart, leaving him a paralyzed skeleton. 
  El Espectro intended to burn the bones and kill 
  Stalker for good, but at that point the ﬂoor of the 
  printing plant they were ﬁghting in collapsed, and 
  the skeleton was lost in the rubble.
  Almost half a century later, in 2001, a Texas 
  construction company working overtime to 
  build a new shopping mall discovered a previ-
  ously unknown cavern beneath the site. A worker 
  found an intact skeleton inside it, with a wooden 
  stake running through the ribcage. Not realizing 
  what he’d discovered he removed the stake. A few 
  minutes later Stalker was alive again. He killed 
  the worker and escaped into the night, resum-
  ing his reign of terror across the South until he 
  made his way to Vibora Bay in late 2005. There he 
  encountered the descendant of his old nemesis, 
  the tenth Black Mask, and began a fateful game of 
  cat-and-mouse on the streets at night, culminating 
  in his physically defeating and nearly killing her. 
  He remains at large in Vibora Bay, hunting both 
  his revived enemy, her sidekick Nocturne, and her 
  friends and loved ones... as well as anyone else who 
  takes his fancy. Adapting to the modern world has 
  taken him a little time, but now that he’s used to it 
  he thinks it’s a ﬁne hunting ground.
  Personality/Motivation:  Stalker is ﬁrst and fore-
  most a predator. All of humanity is his prey, and 
  he greatly enjoys the stimulation of a challenging 
  hunt. However, he’s found that superhumans are a 
  little too challenging, so he’s begun carefully avoid-
  ing them. He’s content to stick with the likes of 
  Black Mask, who’s just a highly-trained and well-
  equipped human.
  Quote:  “The most beautiful music is when they 
  scream. Will you sing me a song, too, little one?”
  Powers/Tactics:  Stalker is a classic vampire, 
  with a vampire’s strengths and weakness. He can 
  transform himself into wolf, bat, or mist form; 
  he’s physically powerful and resilient; he can 
  drain someone’s blood (and if necessary turn 
  his victim into a vampire); he has no reflection; 
  he can’t abide the touch of holy objects or direct 
  sunlight. On the other hand he lacks some of 
  the classic vampiric weaknesses — he can cross 
  running water freely and doesn’t mind garlic at 
  all. This may throw your heroes for a loop if they 
  try those tricks on him. He may even fake being 
  affected by, say, garlic to lure a victim in closer.
  Stalker isn’t much of a stand-up-and-fight 
  combatant. He’s a hunter, and prefers to be in 
  a situation where he’s stalking his prey and the 
  prey has to react to him. He’ll patiently follow a 
  target, waiting for just the right moment of soli-
  tude and unawareness to strike. If the situation 
  changes to one where he’s having to react to what 
  his target does, he usually flees to await another 
  chance  to hunt.
  Campaign Use:  Stalker works well in any cam-
  paign where you have at least one hero who’s 
  “low-powered” enough for a classic vampire to 
  make an intriguing foe. He’s less well-suited as 
  a traditional superhero adversary, but he works 
  well as a lieutenant or henchman for a villain like 
  Takofanes, Dark Seraph, or the Demonologist. 
  (He might even be a suitable candidate for mem-
  bership in the Devil’s Advocates.)
  To make Stalker tougher, make him a “super-
  heroic” vampire. Increase his STR to 50, raise his 
  PD and ED to 25 each (with full Damage Resis-
  tance), and so on. To weaken him, give him all 
  the classic vampiric weaknesses.
  See above regarding how Stalker behaves as 
  a Hunter.
  Appearance:  Stalker is a thin man of indetermi-
  nate age, with a shock of white hair, pale skin, and 
  sunken eyes with tiny pupils. His features are drawn 
  and he gives oﬀ an air of almost frailty, at least until 
  he starts moving with his catlike grace. He doesn’t 
  have a regular costume; he prefers either ﬁnely-
  tailored suits or dark leather “clubbing” ensembles 
  when he stalks his prey at night.
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Six 
  145 
  VALAK THE WORLD-RAVAGER
   Val Char 
  Cost Roll 
  Notes
   100 STR 
  90 
  29- 
  Lift 25 ktons; 20d6 [10]
   21 DEX 
  33 
  13- 
  OCV:  7/DCV:  7
   45 CON 
  70 
  18-
   30 BODY 40 
  15-
   20 INT 
  10 
  13- 
  PER Roll 13-
   26 EGO 
  32 
  14- 
  ECV:  9
   35 PRE 
  25 
  16- 
  PRE Attack: 7d6
   4 COM 
  -3 
  10-
   25 PD 
  5 
   
  Total:  50 PD (50 rPD)
   25 ED 
  16 
   
  Total:  50 ED (50 rED)
   6 SPD 
  29 
   
  Phases:  2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12
   29 REC 
  0
   190 END 
  50
   103 STUN 
  0 
  Total Characteristics Cost:  397
  Movement: 
  Running:  6”/12”
   
  Flight:  20”/160”
   
  MegaFlight:  7 to 70 million km
   
  FLT Travel:  1 LY/2 minutes
  Cost Powers 
  END
  25 
  Can Fight All Day:  Reduced Endurance  
  (½ END; +¼) for 100 STR 
  0
  62 
  Cosmic Halberd:   HKA 4d6 (7d6+1 with 
  STR), Armor Piercing (x2; +1); OAF (-1)  
  plus Stretching 1”, Reduced Endurance  
  (0 END; +½); OAF (-1), Always Direct  
  (-¼), No Noncombat Stretching (-¼),  
  Only To Cause Damage (-½), No  
  Velocity Damage (-¼) 
  12
  100 
  Enhanced Psyche:  Multipower,  
  100-point reserve
  20m 1)  Psychic Shockwave:  Ego Attack 9d6 
  (Human and Alien classes of minds)  
  10
  10m 2)  Psychic Domination:  Mind Control  
  10d6  
  5
  10m 3)  Psychic Invasion:  Telepathy 10d6  
  5
  10m 4)  Psychic Sense:  Mind Scan 10d6  
  5
  11m 5)  Psychic Force:  Telekinesis (30 STR),  
  Fine Manipulation  
  5
  9m 
  6)  Psychic Defensive Force:  Force Field  
  (15 PD/15 ED/15 Mental Defense) 
  4
  20 
  Battle Armor:  Armor (10 PD/10 ED);  
  OIF (-½) 
  0
  25 
  Tough Body:  Damage Resistance  
  (25 PD/25 ED) 
  0
  30 
  Tough Body:  Energy Damage Reduction,  
  Resistant, 50% 
  0
  30 
  Tough Body:  Physical Damage Reduction, 
  Resistant, 50% 
  0
  30 
  Tough Mind:  Mental Damage Reduction, 
  Resistant, 50% 
  0
  50 
  Tough Body:  Life Support (Total, including 
  Longevity:  Immortality) 
  0
  50 
  Cosmic Energy Propulsion:  Multipower,  
  50-point reserve 
  0
  5u 
  1)  Atmospheric Flight:  Flight 20”,  
  x8 Noncombat  
  5
  4u 
  2)  Interplanetary Flight:  Flight 7”,  
  MegaScale (1” = 10 million km; +2),  
  Can Be Scaled Down 1” = 1km (+¼) 
  4
  5u 
  3)  Interstellar Flight:  Faster-Than-Light 
  Travel (30 Light Years/hour)
   
  Talents
  17 
  Psychic Language Convertor:  Universal 
  Translator 18- ; OIF (-½)
   
  Skills
  16 
  +2 with All Combat
  10 
  +2 HTH
  4 
  +2 OECV with Psychic Shock
  3 
  Concealment 13-
  3 
  Electronics 13-
  3 
  AK: Valak’s Galaxy And Worlds 13-
  3 
  Mechanics 13-
  3 
  Oratory 16-
  3 
  PS: Warlord 16-
  3 
  Systems Operation 13-
  3 
  Tactics 13-
  2 
  TF:  Military Spacecraft, Personal Use 
  Spacecraft
  Total Powers & Skills Cost:  579
  Total Cost:  976
  200+ Disadvantages
  15 
  Hunted:  Star*Guard 11- (As Pow, Harshly 
  Punish)
  10 
  Hunted:  Sentinels 8- (As Pow, Harshly Punish)
  15 
  Physical Limitation:  Does Not Understand 
  Earth Culture Or Technology (Frequently, 
  Greatly Impairing)
  25 
  Psychological Limitation:  Lives Only To 
  Conquer And Destroy (Very Common, 
  Total)
  20 
  Psychological Limitation:  Overconﬁdence 
  (Very Common, Strong)
  15 
  Psychological Limitation:  Vengeful 
  (Common, Strong)
  10 
  Reputation:  Ravager of Worlds, 11- 
  (Extreme;  known only to a small group 
  [some alien species and some Earth heroes])
  666 
  Experience Points
  Total Disadvantage Points:  976
  Background/History:  Valak, Ravager Of Worlds, is 
  widely regarded by many interstellar societies as a 
  myth — a story told to younglings at bedtime to per-
  suade them to be good or Valak will get them. But a 
  few planets have learned, to their eternal sorrow, that 
  there’s a great deal of truth behind the tales.
  Valak was born centuries ago on a world 
  somewhere in the Sextans dwarf galaxy some 
  300,000 light-years from Earth. A powerful mutant 
  among his own race, he conquered his own world 
  with ease, then sent his armies forth to do the same 
  to nearby planets. A group of worlds formed an 
  alliance against him, and their combined armies 
  overwhelmed his own, destroying them entirely as 
  well as reducing his own planet to rubble. But Valak 
  himself escaped, and over the next several centuries 
  attacked each of those worlds in turn individually, 
  destroying their armies, overthrowing their govern-
  ments, and slaying millions.
  Finally his enemies were defeated, but Valak 
  still burned with an unquenchable rage and desire 
  for combat. He left the burning worlds of his 
  home system and headed out into space, deter-
  mined to bring the glory of war and destruction to 
  VALAK THE  
  RAVAGER  
  PLOT SEEDS
  Valak’s incredible 
  physiology overwhelms 
  Stronghold’s hot sleep 
  technology, and he 
  wakes up. He breaks 
  out of Stronghold in a 
  spectacular fashion... 
  which of course allows 
  many other villains to 
  escape (some ﬂee, some 
  become Valak’s follow-
  ers, some join with the 
  heroes to defeat the 
  cosmic menace). His 
  ﬁrst stop will be the 
  Goodman Institute to 
  get his Halberd back, 
  and after that he plans a 
  visit to Sentinel Island....
  Valak’s unable to escape 
  on his own. However, 
  the Star*Guard’s arch-
  nemesis Mordace dis-
  covers the Ravager is 
  imprisoned on Earth. 
  He ﬁnds a way to juice 
  the monster back up 
  to his original planet-
  ravaging power level on 
  the (correct) assump-
  tion that the Guard will 
  be one of Valak’s ﬁrst 
  targets. Of course, Mor-
  dace has a mysterious 
  anti-Valak weapon in 
  reserve just in case he’s 
  misjudged the creature 
  — the enterprising PCs 
  have to ﬁnd out about 
  it and take it from him 
  if they can’t defeate the 
  World-Ravager any 
  other way.
  Valak’s unable to escape 
  on his own, but Dr. 
  Destroyer’s personal 
  follower within Strong-
  hold’s upper echelons 
  sneak the creature’s hot 
  sleep chamber on a fast 
  ﬂight to Javangari. Now 
  Dr. Destroyer’s got a 
  new weapon, if he can 
  just ﬁgure out how to 
  control it....
  
  146 ■ The Rogues’ Gallery 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  each and every one of the stars that shone in the 
  night sky. Eventually his travels brought him to 
  humanity’s portion of the Milky Way Galaxy, where 
  he destroyed several minor civilizations before 
  being trapped by the combined eﬀorts of dozens 
  of Star*Guards, and imprisoned at the center of a 
  small planetoid.
  It took Valak many years to escape, but at last 
  he did, and began traveling from Star*Guard out-
  post to outpost, killing everyone he found. By the 
  time he was approaching the Sol system in May 
  2006 CONTROL had ﬁgured out what had hap-
  pened and sent a message that Earth’s Star*Guard... 
  which he received while he was in New York assist-
  ing the Sentinels. They accompanied him into 
  space in an attempt to slow Valak down and save 
  Star*Guard’s support crew. Fortunately, his escape 
  eﬀorts and long years without sustenance had 
  weakened Valak, so the heroes were able to defeat 
  him in an epic battle that ranged from the orbit of 
  Jupiter to the streets of New York City. Valak once 
  again found himself imprisoned, this time via “hot 
  sleep” in Stronghold; his armor and Cosmic Hal-
  berd are being studied by the Goodman Institute.
  Personality/Motivation:  Valak 
  has precisely one dimension 
  to his personality — every-
  thing else has been burned 
  away by centuries of rage and 
  conﬂict. He lives to ﬁght and 
  to kill, preferably in the most 
  spectacular way possible so 
  that his name is spread far 
  and wide. Nothing makes 
  him happier than the sight of 
  crowds running away from 
  him, except perhaps for the 
  placing of his enemies’ heads 
  on pikes. He really enjoys that.
  Quote:  “Well done, little man! 
  I nearly felt that. You should 
  be honored, as your suﬀering 
  will now be legendary!”
  Powers/Tactics:  Valak’s char-
  acter sheet shows him at 
  only a fraction of his original 
  power level — it cost him 
  much to break out of the 
  Star*Guard’s prison. But even 
  at that he’s a terrifying oppo-
  nent, with vast strength, dan-
  gerous psionic abilities, and a 
  Cosmic Halberd he took from 
  one of his conquests; it can 
  cut through nearly anything. 
  He has little use for tactics 
  beyond “attack without respite 
  until your opponents fall before you.”
  Campaign Use:  Valak as he is now is a dangerous 
  opponent for most teams. If he were to escape 
  and ﬁnd an appropriate power source, you should 
  increase his abilities until he’s a threat not just to 
  your team of PCs, but to an entire world’s worth of 
  hero teams — the sort of menace that the heroes 
  have to team up with master villains like Dr. 
  Destroyer and Yin Wu to defeat.
  Valak doesn’t Hunt heroes. Sooner or later 
  they will all fall before him; what’s the point of 
  chasing one or two?
  Appearance:  Valak the World-Ravager is a human-
  oid alien nearly eight feet tall with navy blue skin. 
  Compared to a Human’s his head is slightly dispro-
  portionately large, with a mouthful of sharp light 
  blue teeth and a series of distinctive furrows run-
  ning from the bridge of his nose to halfway across 
  his bald scalp. His hands have three ﬁngers and a 
  thumb, his feet four toes. He wears a burnt orange 
  bodysuit with sleeves that end halfway down his 
  forearms, and heavy black boots. He carries a 
  Cosmic Halberd, a polearm-like weapon whose 
  oddly-shaped bladed head is surrounded by a ﬁeld 
  of purple-black energy motes that allow it to cut 
  through almost anything.
  
  chapter seven:
  chapter seven:
  THE GM’S VAULT
  
  148 ■ The GM’s Vault 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  T
  his chapter contains additional and/or secret 
  information about the Champions Universe 
  and recent events in the various Champions 
  settings for the GM’s eyes alone. If you’re 
  playing in, or plan to play in a campaign based in the 
  Champions Universe, do not read this section!
  CHAPTER ONE
  PAGE 6 - CONSTRUCTION
  Of course, with all of the money ﬂowing into 
  the coﬀers of construction companies, it’s also a 
  boom time for the shadier businesses that own a 
  piece of that action. Matthew Cresse has become 
  the undisputed “king of organized crime” in the 
  Millennium City area for two primary reasons:  
  ﬁrst, his legitimate businesses are doing very well, 
  providing plenty of cash ﬂow to help cover the 
  illicit cash that gets laundered; second, he formally 
  “bought out” the interests of the Sorelli family, 
  oﬃcially ending the days of Maﬁa control of any 
  part of the area’s organized crime networks and 
  transferring their assets (and in most cases their 
  employees) directly into Cresse’s hands.
  So far, Cresse’s had the good sense not to 
  get greedy and upset the apple cart with any big 
  splashes. Loansharking, drug dealing, and the casi-
  nos are all quite proﬁtable as currently run, and he 
  has little interest in VIPER-style operations that 
  only attract attention. Instead he’s concentrated his 
  eﬀorts on consolidating his empire and providing 
  for its future. He’s hired several bodyguards with 
  minor superhuman abilities to supplement his 
  already-imposing staﬀ, paying them well enough to 
  keep their loyalty without making them cocky. He’s 
  also started the process of grooming his son James 
  to take over his operations. Unfortunately for him, 
  James (who’s now 24) is proud, headstrong, and 
  has grander ideas and a good deal less subtlety... as 
  well as an impressive cocaine habit that only feeds 
  the family’s natural paranoia. Matthew’s completely 
  aware of his son’s failings, but largely dismisses 
  them as a phase he’ll grow out of.  His advisors 
  think he’s wrong and worry about Cresse’s health, 
  since a premature death could set oﬀ a war of suc-
  cession between James and his various lieutenants 
  that would deﬁnitely be bad for everyone’s business.
  PAGE 6 — CURRIE AND HARMON
  James (Defender) Harmon is one of Currie’s 
  strongest supporters and has held several fund-
  raisers for him. As a rule, the Champions try not 
  to let their political views become public knowl-
  edge, since they rightly fear it would hamper 
  their effectiveness as a team. But in private both 
  Defender, Witchcraft, and Sapphire are politically 
  active, and usually somewhat at odds (Defender’s 
  a fairly staunch right-winger, Witchcraft a right-
  leaning moderate, and Sapphire a dyed-in-the-
  wool liberal).
  PAGE 6 — MCAULIFFE
  McAuliﬀe, who was both a VIPER agent and 
  in the thrall of Madeline “Medusa” Bruner and 
  therefore a double agent, was discovered by VIPER 
  mentalists just before the breakout of the so-called 
  “PSI War.” McAuliﬀe renounced Bruner and PSI 
  and underwent a vigorous program of “retraining” 
  while his trial was going on, and was returned to a 
  minor post in the local Duchess Industries corpo-
  rate oﬃce as a reward (other than letting him live, 
  of course) for his successfully having copied all of 
  PSI’s ﬁles before their destruction in the Mind, Inc. 
  building ﬁre.
  PAGE 7 — CAZULON
  The cause of Cazulon’s de-miniaturization was 
  Peter Prentiss, a twelve year-old super-genius who 
  seems to be well on track to eventually become a 
  supervillain. Using bits and pieces from various 
  household devices, combined with some more 
  sophisticated electronic components that he shop-
  lifted, Prentiss built a de-miniaturization ray “just 
  to see if it would work” and for the fun of watching 
  Cazulon smash things. He was so thrilled with the 
  results that he’s planning more “pranks.”
  PAGE 8 — HOLOCAUST AND THE IHA
  Holocaust agreed to attack the construc-
  tion site chosen by Interface because the building 
  being built there was intended to house the new 
  oﬃces of the mutant-hating Institute for Human 
  Advancement. The robots who fought him were not 
  Interface’s constructs, but Minutemen robots serv-
  ing the IHA. The IHA’s involvement in the situation 
  remains a secret.
  PAGE 10 — THE PSI WAR
  Kevin Poe couldn’t ordinarly aﬀord Teleios’s 
  services. The master geneticist oﬀered him a 
  reduced rate in exchange for some future consider-
  ations once Poe had destroyed PSI. Teleios doesn’t 
  really think he’ll need the services that much, but 
  the boy’s determination and desire to eliminate a 
  group Teleios considered a minor threat to his own 
  activities amused him greatly.
  Of the apparently deceased, only Trace is actu-
  ally and ﬁnally dead. The Inquisitor was the recipi-
  ent of a multiple mental transfer by Bodyjacker and 
  wound up with his mind in possession of the body 
  THE GM’S 
  VAULT
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Seven 
  149 
  of Lewis Adair, 
  scion of the multi-
  media conglomer-
  ate family. From 
  this intriguing 
  vantage point he’s 
  plotting some new 
  criminal activities 
  (and gaining weight 
  at a remarkable 
  rate). Medusa’s 
  barely-living body 
  was not recovered from the rubble left over after an 
  explosion utterly destroyed the Mind Inc. corpo-
  rate oﬃces. It was stolen by Teleios, who considers 
  the opportunity to work on (and with) her neural 
  matter more than enough recompense for his 
  expenses in the matter. Her brain now resides in a 
  tank in one of Teleios’s labs, her badly-injured body 
  in one of his “spare parts” storage lockers.
  Mind Slayer has wound up in the employ 
  of Menton (see below), and surprisingly so have 
  Kevin Poe and his girlfriend Gina. Despite origi-
  nally being on opposite sides in the battle, the two 
  have buried the hatchet (at least temporarily) and 
  become two of Menton’s most eﬀective agents. 
  Mind Slayer continues to press Menton for a mis-
  sion to free Psimon from Stronghold.
  PAGE 11 — THE ALLIANCE
  GMs may want to use the Alliance scenario 
  to menace their own hero teams. Perhaps the PCs 
  encounter some of the Alliance members on one of 
  their early “fundraising” criminal missions, and ﬁnd 
  evidence that White Lightning is covertly helping 
  them by sabotaging their missions. Or instead, per-
  haps some or all of the PCs might take up the mis-
  sion of covertly inﬁltrating the organization them-
  selves! While the organization can be run straight-
  forwardly as written, it’s entirely appropriate in a 
  story involving as much deception and inﬁghting as 
  this one for the Alliance themselves to actually be a 
  front for an even more sinister plot; perhaps Inter-
  face and his group are being manipulated by yet 
  another group in order to distract or eliminate the 
  superheroes so another plan can succeed. Perhaps 
  the mysterious Malcolm James is in fact Rakshasa, 
  and the entire aﬀair is actually being run from the 
  dark heart of Javangari...
  PAGE 26 — DUKE STEEL PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Duke Steel:
  The classic Duke Steel plot:  VIPER comes 
  after Duke Steel seeking revenge. A treacherous 
  sneak attack lets the snakes capture him and take 
  him back to a Nest, where he’s certain to be tor-
  tured to death for information. Project Mongoose 
  needs to ﬁnd him in time to save him, so after all 
  his leads go nowhere Nighthawk swallows his pride 
  and asks the PCs for help.
  The steel-like quality of Duke Steel’s body 
  begins expanding inward — his inner organs start 
  to transform into metallic versions, thus matching 
  his skin. This is causing him a whole host of medi-
  cal problems, so he turns to the heroes for help to 
  ﬁnd out why this is happening to him and what 
  should be done about it. If there’s no external cause 
  the heroes may have to shrink to micro-size and 
  venture inside his body to ﬁnd the solution....
  Duke Steel decides he needs “a night out on 
  the town” to relax. Wackiness ensues.
  PAGE 28 — SCARLET ARCHER PLOT SEEDS
  Bradley Winston mysteriously disappears! 
  Scarlet Archer tries to ﬁnd him but comes up with 
  nothing. Concerned that he may have been kid-
  napped by an old enemy, she asks the PCs to help 
  her track him down.
  Warpath decides it’s time to prove who’s the 
  best archer in the world. She commits a series of 
  crimes in Millennium City designed to lure the 
  Scarlet Archer out for a contest. But of course the 
  PCs get involved in the whole mess by investigating 
  the crimes themselves....
  When she takes her thrillseeking ways just a 
  bit too far and ends up in the hospital, the Scarlet 
  Archer becomes concerned that the lack of her 
  presence on the streets will have a negative eﬀect. 
  She asks a female PC to “substitute” for her a little 
  each day for a few weeks.
  PAGE 31 — HYDRO PLOT SEEDS
  The classic Hydro plot:  something odd is 
  happening to one (or all) of the Great Lakes. 
  Either he can’t figure out what’s going on, or he 
  discovers it’s too big for him to handle, so he asks 
  the PCs to help him.
  A mysterious benefactor oﬀers to pay for 
  Hydro to upgrade his armor signiﬁcantly. Leery of 
  such an oﬀer after his experience with Leese, but 
  lacking the skill and resources to investigate it, he 
  turns to the PCs for help.
  Hydro seemingly turns evil, attacking ship-
  ping and sportsmen throughout the Great Lakes. 
  The heroes have to track him down and find out 
  what’s happening.
  CHAPTER TWO
  PAGE 38 — THE MAYORAL RACE
  Tom Stanko’s candidacy was supported by a 
  collection of businesses who felt that Earl Jamison 
  couldn’t beat Barker thanks to his straight-laced 
  attitudes and general unpopularity with the city’s 
  freethinking, eccentric majority. Stanko received 
  a great deal of money from Guy Sweetland and 
  his Easton mob, and was hand-selected for the 
  job by Soﬁa Sweetland. Sweetland was extremely 
  disappointed in the outcome of the election, and 
  privately attributes Barker’s victory at least in part 
  to secret eﬀorts by Clark Robinson and The Big 
  Picture to keep her in oﬃce. (This is partly true, 
  though less sinister than it sounds — Barker’s not 
  dirty, but Robinson ﬁnds her reliable and predict-
  able and certainly prefers to keep her in oﬃce 
  instead of Jamison [who favors his business con-
  nections] or Stanko [who’d would give Sweetland 
  entirely too much power for Robinson’s taste].) 
  Sweetland’s relationship with Robinson has soured; 
  
  150 ■ The GM’s Vault 
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  both police and the city’s street-level crimeﬁghters 
  have noticed an upswing in tensions on the street 
  between the two organizations, and fear that any 
  small incident amid all the tinder that’s been gath-
  ered recently might be enough to set oﬀ a gang war.
  PAGE 38 — HURRICANE KATRINA
  The rumors that Katrina was caused by a 
  “water-demon” are absolutely incorrect. But a few 
  people did see something in the ﬂoodwaters, some-
  thing that was fought by Dr. Ka, Brother Thunder, 
  and Sister Rain. None of them are entirely sure 
  what it was and are investigating; in the mean-
  time they haven’t said anything publicly because 
  they don’t want to cause any sort of panic. What 
  they fought was a Water Viceroy of Tyrannon the 
  Conqueror, sent to Earth on an espionage mission. 
  Tyrannon has ﬁnally noticed Earth and its dimen-
  sion and decided to “scout it out” at an opportune 
  moment. The defeat of his Viceroy there intrigues 
  him, and when he’s ﬁnished other projects that are 
  central to his current plans he may examine Earth 
  further — but that could be years from now, as 
  Earth measures time.
  PAGE 38 — NIGHT OF THE MUMMY
  To create the mummies that were a part of 
  this event, use the Mummy character sheet from 
  page 122 of The HERO System Bestiary, but give 
  it an HKA 1d6 to represent the fangs or beak of 
  its beastly head. Some of them may also have 
  HKA ½d6 claws.
  PAGE 39 — THE JANUS KEY
  The Janus Key “gave” itself to Amnesia. It’s 
  at least semi-intelligent, if not fully so (a diﬃcult 
  question for humans to resolve, since its sentience 
  is decidedly inhuman), and its mystic senses per-
  ceived how cleverly and destructively the Cirque 
  would use it. It remains buried somewhere in the 
  San Sebastien Swamp, an inviting target for mysti-
  cal villains able to detect its reality-altering power. 
  Carlota Sylvestri plans to make another eﬀort at it 
  herself. So far she’s kept its location secret from her 
  own family and the Sylvestris’ various rivals. She 
  wants to become the sole owner of the Key, and 
  to that end she’s both been studying every scrap 
  of information she can get on it, as well as quietly 
  recruiting a team of mystical mercenaries that are 
  powerful enough to help her but not so powerful as 
  to become rivals or truly know what to do with the 
  Key if they got hold of it. Of course, any other Syl-
  vestri might catch wind of this; so could just about 
  any other mystical villain, from the likes of Salt or 
  Valerian Scarlet locally to Black Paladin, Zorran the 
  Artiﬁcer, or pretty much the entire roster of Arcane 
  Adversaries. An entire “mystic underground war” 
  could break out as various villains and factions try 
  to obtain the Key. The Key itself seems content to 
  remain in the swamp... for now.
  The swamp itself has only a limited awareness of 
  the potential danger of the Janus Key, but feels a pow-
  erful urge to keep it hidden from humans. Therefore, 
  anyone searching for it also has to deal with the full 
  force of the swamp and its natural protectors. Perhaps 
  the arcane energies of the Key will begin to twist and 
  warp the swamp’s collective intelligence, turning it 
  into a menace. Or perhaps the Key is a vital ingredient 
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Seven 
  151 
  to Therakiel’s plans (or could become one...), which 
  means that now that it’s in place the Final Battle is at 
  last prepared to begin.
  PAGE 41 — NOCTURNE
  Here are three plot seeds for Nocturne:
  One of Nocturne’s old stoner friends sees her 
  on the news and ﬁgures out her secret identity. 
  Eager to cash in on this particular meal ticket, he 
  travels to Vibora Bay and begins blackmailing her. 
  She doesn’t want Black Mask to ﬁnd out about it 
  and can’t ﬁgure out a way to save herself on her 
  own, so she asks a sympathetic PC for help.
  After being struck with a magical “backlash” 
  while disrupting an evil voodoo ceremony, Noc-
  turne loses control of her powers, which begin 
  broadcasting nightmarish thoughts into the minds 
  of those around her. Sister Rain believes she can 
  reverse the process and restore Nocturne to normal, 
  but she needs some rare mystical components that 
  only the PCs can obtain.
  Nocturne accidentally absorbs thoughts from 
  a man who turns out to be Black Paladin! Learn-
  ing that he’s planning a major crime in Vibora Bay, 
  she decides to show Black Mask how much she’s 
  learned by taking him out herself! Unfortunately 
  she’s out of her league — in a battle broadcast live 
  on citywide TV, Black Paladin defeats her and takes 
  her captive, announcing to the world that she’ll 
  make a perfect sacriﬁce for his upcoming ritual. 
  Unable to leave baby Benjamin alone to rescue her 
  protegé, the Black Mask asks the PCs for help.
  CHAPTER THREE
  PAGE 49 — BLACK ROSE PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Black Rose:
  While recuperating from some battleﬁeld inju-
  ries, Black Rose gets word that Lythrum is under 
  attack! The rest of the Sentinels are in deep space 
  on a mission, so she asks the PCs to go to the help 
  of the darkling dimension.
  Black Rose believes she’s found a way to make 
  her thaumaturgical powers work on Earth as well 
  as in Lythrum, but it involves a long and arduous 
  quest. For some reason the Drifter advises her to 
  take the PCs along for help rather than her team-
  mates on the Sentinels. 
  Lord Stolas decides to get revenge on Black 
  Rose by using his illusions and spells to trick the 
  PCs into attacking her.
  PAGE 51 — DIAMOND PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Diamond:
  ARGENT contacts Diamond with an oﬀer. It 
  claims it can transform him back to human, and per-
  haps even leave him a little of his super-strength and 
  durability in the process, with no negative side eﬀects. 
  All he has to do for them ﬁrst is betray the Sentinels....
  Diamond’s body starts to become more 
  deformed — rockier, lumpier, even with sharper 
  edges in some places. When none of the Sentinels 
  can ﬁgure out what’s happening to him, he turns to 
  the PCs for help.
  One of the many heroes Diamond has trained 
  over the years is a PC. For some reason he keeps 
  paying a lot of attention to that hero — he’s con-
  stantly looking in on him, stopping by for a visit, 
  phoning with questions about his latest adventures, 
  and so forth. Why all the interest?
  PAGE 54 — DIADEM PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Diadem:
  Menton decides that a (suitably brainwashed) 
  Diadem would make the perfect bride, so he begins 
  devoting all his eﬀorts to “winning” her. Even the 
  Sentinels can’t stand up to an ongoing onslaught by 
  the world’s most powerful psychic, so Diadem asks 
  the PCs to help thwart Menton’s plans.
  Diadem’s husband Paolo has been kidnapped! 
  The mysterious ransom message insists that she not 
  tell the Sentinels anything about it or get their help, 
  or Paolo will be killed — but it says nothing about 
  seeking the help of other heroes, like say the PCs....
  The experiments Apocalypse performed on 
  Diadem when she was a girl did more than just 
  activate her latent mental powers... they primed 
  her to be the focus of an arcane ritual of immense 
  evil power. Now the time has come for that ritual to 
  take place, and Apocalypse needs to have Diadem 
  in hand. Rather than risk his own neck he decides 
  to trick the PCs into capturing her for him by fram-
  ing her for a series of crimes.
  PAGE 56 — BRAVO PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Bravo:
  The classic Bravo plot:  the Shadow Queen (see 
  below) or some other evil denizen of Faerie decides 
  that it needs him for some reason — maybe his 
  blood is the required element of a sacriﬁce, or only 
  with the help of a fellow Faerie-ite can this being 
  return home. Whatever it needs, it’s not some-
  thing Bravo’s going to do or give voluntarily, and 
  the being is too powerful for just the Sentinels to 
  combat. Time for the PCs to lend a hand....
  Bravo’s sentient magical rope falls in love 
  with a sentient magic item owned by a PC. 
  Wackiness ensues... especially if the PC is a beau-
  tiful female not particularly interested in Bravo’s 
  incessant wooing.
  The Griﬀon shows up one day at the PCs’ head-
  quarters (or a PC’s house)... but without Bravo on 
  board! Nor can the heroes reach Bravo or any of 
  the Sentinels. Time to climb aboard and sail oﬀ to 
  ﬁnd out what’s going on....
  PAGE 60 — DR. VOX PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Dr. Vox:
  While the other Sentinels are oﬀ-planet, a 
  disaster strikes — a tsunami, earthquake, volcanic 
  eruption, ﬂood, or whatever is most appropriate for 
  your campaign. It turns out the cause is a rampag-
  ing supervillain (choose an appropriate one), and 
  Dr. Vox needs the PCs’ help to get to the area and 
  defeat or sneak around him so she can provide 
  medical assistance to people injured in the tragedy.
  To test Earth’s defenses, the Hzeel broadcast 
  an energy wave that takes control of Dr. Vox via her 
  Hzeel technology-induced mutations. Now she’s 
  
  152 ■ The GM’s Vault 
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  destroying downtown and the PCs have to stop her 
  without hurting her.
  Doctor Vox wakes up one morning stone deaf 
  and with only partial control over her powers. After 
  an unrestrained burst of sonic energy lays the other 
  Sentinels low, the PCs are called in to ﬁnd out what 
  happened to Vox and correct the problem.
  PAGE 62 — PROTEUS PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Proteus:
  The classic Proteus plot:  Rodney Covington 
  uses his powers to frame Proteus for some hor-
  rible crime (typically murder), forcing the Sen-
  tinels and the PCs to go to great lengths to clear 
  their friend.
  One of Proteus’s most ardent fans decides to 
  become his hero’s sidekick by re-creating the acci-
  dent that gave the stretchy superhero his powers. 
  Unfortunately all that happens is that he gets trans-
  formed into a raging, gigantic, protoplasmic blob. 
  Proteus feels partly respsonsible for the whole mess 
  and asks the PCs to help corral the blob without 
  hurting it so Dr. Vox can work on a way to reverse 
  the transformation.
  ZigZag agrees to participate in a wrestling 
  match against Proteus for charity in exchange for 
  a slight reduction in his sentence. Proteus asks the 
  PCs to serve as security at the match, both to pre-
  vent ZigZag from escaping on his own and to keep 
  any of ZigZag’s villainous friends from breaking in 
  and freeing him.
  PAGE 66 — PATRICK KELLY
  If you like, the accident that cost Patrick 
  Kelly his eye could be a plot seed. For example, 
  perhaps while on an EVA (extra-vehicular activ-
  ity) work assignment Kelly was hit in the eye 
  with a micro-meteoroid carrying an alien life-
  form similar to the ones that gave Esper her 
  powers — aliens who now lurk within his mind 
  and body, just waiting for a chance to strike 
  against humanity and take over Earth.
  CHAPTER FOUR
  PAGE 70 — BLINK PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Blink:
  Blink teleports away one day to deliver a piece 
  of JS equipment to the NYPD... and never reap-
  pears. The JS is very concerned and enlists the help 
  of the PCs so the mystery can be solved as quickly 
  as possible. Did someone “snatch” him in mid-
  teleport, and if so how and why? Did he somehow 
  accidentally wind up in another dimension?
  Blink ﬁnally ﬁnds himself a girlfriend who 
  seems just perfect. She doesn’t even mind that he’s 
  a superhero! But after he introduces her to his 
  friends the PCs, something doesn’t sit quite right. 
  She seems awfully familiar. Could that be Lady Blue 
  in disguise? Howler? Riptide? Scorpia? Whoever it 
  is, what’s she up to?
  Blink comes to visit the PCs and socialize a 
  little... but then when they’re not looking he tele-
  ports them, and himself, far away! They end up in a 
  maze-like underground arena ﬁlled with traps and 
  puzzles. Blink explains that the Black Harlequin 
  kidnapped his parents and has trapped them here 
  to die unless he and the PCs rescue them. For some 
  reason the Harlequin requested that he bring the 
  PCs, not the JS....
  PAGE 72 — BRAWLER PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Brawler:
  During some of his “down time” Brawler 
  makes a charity appearance at a local children’s 
  hospital. One of the Squadron’s enemies decides 
  to take advantage of the opportunity to eliminate 
  Brawler once and for all, even arranging an oﬀ-
  planet distraction to keep the rest of the JS from 
  saving him. Desperate to protect the sick children 
  and everyone else at the hospital, Brawler radios 
  the PCs for help.
  Brawler agrees to participate in a tug-of-war 
  for charity against Diamond of the Sentinels. 
  When he arrives at the scene, though, he thinks 
  there’s something wrong with Diamond. He and 
  the other members of the two teams have to 
  remain in the spotlight during the event, so he 
  asks the PCs to investigate. Has some imposter 
  taken Diamond’s place?
  The Black Harlequin slips some hallucinogens 
  and paranoia-inducing drugs into Brawler’s beer 
  one night. Oh, the merriment!
  PAGE 74 — THE DRIFTER PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for the Drifter:
  The classic Drifter plot #1:  the Drifter senses 
  a great danger to humanity or the Earth — one the 
  PCs are ideally suited to deal with for some reason. 
  He appears before them and uses his powers to 
  drag them right into the thick of the matter.
  The classic Drifter plot #2:  the heroes need 
  information or some other type of help from the 
  Drifter. He agrees to give it... but only if they let 
  him come along to help, or do something for him. 
  As usual, he refuses to explain why — but that’s the 
  deal, take it or leave it. (If they don’t agree, some-
  thing really bad will happen, of course.)
  The Drifter doesn’t show up for a scheduled 
  JS meeting. That’s not entirely out of character for 
  him... but then he misses another... and another. 
  Now the JS is worried, and they ask the heroes (and 
  anyone else they can contact) to help ﬁnd him.
  PAGE 77 — FLASHOVER PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Flashover:
  Flashover discovers that her desire for revenge 
  on the JS wasn’t really her own idea... it was 
  implanted there by psychic mind control! Who 
  did this to her, and why? Was it Teleios’s intention 
  to drive her into his laboratory all along as part of 
  some grand scheme that hasn’t yet come to frui-
  tion? Concerned that the other Squadronites might 
  stop trusting her if she reveals what she’s learned, 
  she asks the PCs to help her investigate.
  Hurricane once again attacks the JS, and they 
  send out a call to the PCs for help. Hurricane seems 
  more powerful than ever... but perhaps at a price. 
  From what they can tell he’s literally burning him-
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Seven 
  153 
  self up inside to fuel his powers. Can the heroes 
  keep Hurricane from destroying the city without 
  eﬀectively causing him to commit suicide?
  Flashover contacts the PCs secretly and 
  asks for help. It seems that during her villain-
  ous career she had a brief fling with Holocaust, 
  and now he’s using that fact — including, so he 
  claims, pictures of some of the things they did 
  — to try to blackmail her into betraying the 
  Squadron. She will not do that, but she’d prefer 
  that the information not become public either. 
  She’d like the PCs to help her quietly find him, 
  defeat him, and take the pictures away from him.
  PAGE 80 — SUPERSTAR PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Superstar:
  It appears as if Superstar ﬁnally took the law 
  into his own hands and killed a supervillain in cold 
  blood. He claims that he’s innocent and is being 
  framed. The JS can’t investigate because they’re 
  under some suspicion as well for including him on 
  the team, so the PCs are asked to uncover the truth.
  Superstar starts hearing some sort of com-
  pelling call to journey out into space, maybe to 
  Mars or Venus (he’s not sure). Finally he reaches 
  the point where he can’t resist anymore; he has 
  to find out who or what is calling him. Knowing 
  how dangerous space can be, he asks both the JS 
  and the PCs to accompany him. Could it be that 
  he’s not really a mutant — that his powers come 
  from some outside source that’s now summoning 
  him to serve it?
  Superstar discovers that he has the power to 
  re-arrange matter (a large Major Transform, any-
  thing to anything)... and that he can’t control it! The 
  heroes have to join the Justice League to ﬁnd a way 
  to shut down his powers before he begins trans-
  muting entire buildings, or even cities!
  PAGE 82 — TOMAHAWK PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for Tomahawk:
  The classic Tomahawk plot:  the Baykok 
  returns to this world more powerful than ever. 
  He’s not sure he can handle it on his own, and 
  the other JSers aren’t available, so he asks the PCs 
  to help him.
  The PCs are about to embark on a wilderness 
  adventure, but none of them have any woodcraft 
  skills. They ask Tomahawk to come along... but of 
  course, he may have his own ideas about how to 
  conduct the hunt or ﬁght the bad guy.
  Uncle Two Hawks says that Tomahawk must 
  go on a mystical quest to another land to learn 
  information vital to the protection of the tribe 
  and to recover a new mystical weapon... and he 
  must take the PCs with him. Not sure why he 
  needs any companions, Tomahawk has to con-
  vince the PCs to join him.
  CHAPTER FIVE
  The “secret” or GM-only information for 
  villains and criminal organizations discussed in 
  Chapter Five is covered in Chapter Six.
  PAGE 89 — MESSENGER PLOT SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for the Messenger:
  The classic Messenger plot:  a villain looking 
  for revenge, publicity, money, or all of the above 
  attacks the Messenger’s church during services. It’s 
  more than he can handle alone, so the heroes have 
  to help him stop the bad guys... without getting any 
  of the terriﬁed civilians killed.
  The Messenger begins receiving much more 
  precise dream-visions from God — some of which 
  tell him to do things that don’t seem very Godly. Is 
  it really the divine talking to him, or an evil mental-
  ist manipulating him for some other purpose?
  The Messenger vanishes from the pulpit in 
  front of his entire congregation (and on live TV) 
  one Sunday morning. A stench of brimstone ﬁlls 
  the air — is it the work of Satan? Or has DEMON 
  arranged a long-range mystical kidnapping so it 
  can use one of God’s highest-proﬁle servants in a 
  sacriﬁcial ritual....
  PAGE 91 — UNTIL
  Secretary-Marshal Eckhardt has no inten-
  tion of resigning. The whole thing is just a stupid 
  “office” rumor around the organization with no 
  basis in fact.
  Firewing’s attack on GATEWAY was the result 
  of mental manipulation by Menton. The aim of the 
  attack was to distract the station, and in that it suc-
  ceeded. Menton’s employers? VIPER, whose High 
  Guard project needed to move some materials into 
  orbit without being observed.
  PAGE 93 — THE TRISMEGISTUS COUNCIL
  The leading candidate for Archmage as of 
  2007 is Dweomer. While most scholars think 
  (correctly) that Witchcraft will one day be far 
  more powerful than the Scottish mage, at pres-
  ent she lacks the depth and breadth of his learn-
  ing, experience, and mystical skills. In addition 
  to his copious powers and gifts deriving from 
  Faerie, in 2006 he took two more steps toward 
  qualifying for Archmage:  he tricked Mephis-
  topheles into giving him a powerful enchanted 
  item, a grimoire called The Illumination of Kal-
  chizadek; and then he received a gift from Ely-
  sium, the power to pronounce a special blessing 
  on others, as a reward for having thus mulcted 
  the Emperor of Pride. If he can obtain a gift 
  from Babylon, he’ll be in a position to learn the 
  Quaternion Banishment and thus become the 
  new Archmage...
  ...assuming, of course, that no one beats him 
  to it. Takofanes has long had gifts from the Neth-
  erworld, Babylon, and Faerie; if he could regain 
  the Crowns of Krim (see page 103) he might 
  have enough power to literally storm Elysium 
  and take a “gift” from there, thus qualifying as 
  Archmage himself.
  
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  PAGE 94 — GOODMAN INSTITUTE PLOT 
  SEEDS
  Here are three plot seeds for the Goodman 
  Institute:
  The Dallas branch of the institute becoms con-
  cerned when corpses begin disappearing from their 
  morgue. Has Dr. Armistead returned to his mad 
  science ways and begun performing insane experi-
  ments in the facility after hours?
  A group of individuals dressed and equipped 
  like an Institute Encounter Team (but in darker 
  colors) keeps showing up at “sites of interest” and 
  taking over or plundering them, seemingly on 
  behalf of some villain or criminal organization. 
  Who’s behind this “anti-Institute,” and what are 
  their goals?
  Electron believes that a traitor within the 
  Institute is selling its secrets and discoveries to 
  someone... perhaps Dr. Destroyer! But this sort of 
  investigation isn’t her forte, and in any event she 
  wants to avoid tipping the traitor oﬀ. She asks the 
  PCs to look into it.
  PAGE 97 — SUPERIOR
  Superior isn’t truly a member of VIPER — he’s 
  an agent of Dr. Destroyer’s previously kept hidden 
  from the world. Destroyer, who created him “from 
  scratch” using cloned tissue from various superhe-
  roes, ordered him to inﬁltrate VIPER as a way of (a) 
  obtaining more information about VIPER’s Euro-
  pean activities, and (b) preparing to strike a deadly 
  blow against VIPER in Europe when the time 
  comes to unleash Destroyer’s own plans to conquer 
  the continent.
  For Superior’s character sheet, use Brawler III’s 
  (page 72), but give him Flight 30”, Reduced Endur-
  ance (0 END; +½) as well.
  PAGE 97 — SLUN
  Slun’s growing power and obvious ambition 
  have made him a thorn in VIPER’s side — the 
  snakes don’t want any competition in Russia! 
  They’ve begun making plans to move against him, 
  though whether this involves frontal assaults, a war 
  of attrition, or tricking superheroes into doing the 
  dirty work remains to be seen.
  PAGE 97 — THE MIDDLE EAST
  Turs al-Sh’ab isn’t dead — he survived, albeit 
  barely, and has been recuperating and preparing 
  new schemes ever since.
  PAGE 98 — AFRICA
  There’s more going on in Africa than meets 
  the eye, though UNTIL’s suspicions about 
  Otanga, and their fears about his growing power 
  and influence, are accurate. But it gets worse. 
  First, Otanga either murdered or “brainwashed” 
  the missing UNTIL agents, who are now low-
  powered (built on 250 Character Points) mystic 
  villains slavishly devoted to him.
  Second, the October 2007 meteor shower 
  dropped far more than one chunk of kelvarite 
  — it scattered little bits of the stuﬀ over about half 
  the continent! The result could be an explosion of 
  superhumanity in the Dark Continent over the next 
  decade or so... or nothing at all.
  Third, DEMON has at long last gained a foot-
  hold in Africa that neither superheroes nor Otanga 
  has learned of yet. The new Demonhame is located 
  in a cavern complex whose entrance lies amid some 
  odd rock formations in the southern part of the 
  Sahara. According to DEMON’s researchers the 
  caves were once used by prehistoric men as the site 
  of foul religious rituals involving human sacriﬁce. 
  From this base of dark power DEMON plans to 
  spread over the continent like a shadow, taking 
  other mystic sites and artifacts to bolster its own 
  power. The Morbane’s long-term plan is to replace 
  Otanga with a puppet beholden to DEMON... or 
  better yet, to himself personally....
  PAGE 98 — INDIA
  The authorities are correct — the dig the Slug 
  attacked wasn’t an Elder Worm site. It’s a Lemu-
  rian site, but no one knows that because the only 
  people who were truly familiar with it are now 
  Elder Worm, and their notes and data were largely 
  destroyed in the Slug’s attack (or taken by him). If 
  Zorran or other Lemurians were to learn about it, 
  they’d focus their attention on it immediately.
  PAGE 99 — THE BEIJING OLYMPICS
  The Chinese government’s guess is completely 
  correct — it was Dr. Yin Wu who issued the warning 
  against “Western athletic competition.” He absolutely 
  intends to disrupt the 2008 Olympic Games in the 
  hopes of not only embarrassing the Communists on 
  the world stage but encouraging the Chinese people 
  to either revolt against them or rededicate themselves 
  to more appropriately Chinese activities. His plan is 
  simple:  after much eﬀort he’s located Li Chun the 
  Destroyer, and at the right time Dr. Wu will awaken 
  him and unleash him on Beijing....
  PAGE 99 — SINGAPORE
  The Seven Great Furies are in fact brothers 
  and sisters, and are the creation of their father, a 
  brilliant (if utterly deranged) scientist who built 
  a machine that can infuse certain people with 
  “fundamental energies” in a way that grants them 
  superpowers. It hasn’t yet been determined if the 
  changes are permanent, or simply long-term — or 
  whether they have any negative side eﬀects on the 
  subject. Fortunately for the world, the machine’s 
  creator is so insane that he wants to keep the 
  machine to himself and his family; in the hands of 
  VIPER or Dr. Destroyer, it would quickly become a 
  device of world-menacing capacity.
  PAGE 99 — MARMOO
  Marmoo’s “entrance” into the world came in 
  the form of the supervillain Hornet (see Chapter 
  Six), who was in Australia on a job at the time. He 
  apparently can function as a sort of “gateway” that 
  allows Marmoo to attack Earth. Hornet is totally 
  unaware of this, though he assumes that the timing 
  of the attack was not a coincidence and is a little 
  perturbed by it. He wonders if maybe it’s something 
  he can learn to control, but that would mean visit-
  ing Down Under again....
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World ■ Chapter Seven 
  155 
  PAGE 105 — SELENUS
  The situation in Selenus is left open for the 
  GM to use as he sees ﬁt. It could be as innocent as 
  a radio malfunction, or as serious as the Selenites 
  planning to use their advanced technology to 
  conquer Earth. Other possibilities include a disas-
  ter wiping them out (or nearly so), having been 
  defeated by some cosmic supervillain who intends 
  to use them as his footsoldiers, or the accidental 
  unleashing of some ancient super-weapon.
  There’s also the question of who built those 
  ruins, and what that “observatory” was intended to 
  observe. Could it once have been an outpost of the 
  Elder Worm, or some other species that would view 
  Humanity as slaves, targets, or food? Or is its pur-
  pose more benevolent, or at least neutral?
  PAGE 105 — HIDDEN LANDS
  There’s one more hidden land that even heroes 
  don’t know much (if anything) about:  the King-
  dom of the Apes.
  In 1796 a strange radioactive meteor fell to 
  Earth in the depths of the Congo, about a hundred 
  miles north of the Zambian border. The meteor’s 
  mutagenic rays transformed a small tribe of native 
  gorillas, granting them human intelligence and 
  mutating their vocal cords so they can speak in 
  a guttural voice (punctuated with growls and 
  whistles). The original tribe, which numbered about 
  forty, moved into a deep cave complex in the jungle 
  to avoid contact with humans and began build-
  ing a civilization of their own. They passed rapidly 
  through basic tool use and soon adopted agricul-
  ture and mining technology, smelting iron ore and 
  also making use of a rich lode of diamonds they 
  found deep in the caves for tools and weapons.
  As of early 2007, the Kingdom of the Apes num-
  bers nearly 2,000 gorillas led by King Simianus, their 
  nigh-immortal, superhumanly-strong ruler. Popula-
  tion pressures have forced them to the surface more 
  frequently than ever. Thanks to their faint memories 
  of human predation and a strident religious culture 
  that’s emerged over the past two centuries, they hate 
  the “Hairless Ones.” Environmental exploitation in 
  the regions near their cave has only made that hatred 
  stronger. Realizing their situation is rapidly becoming 
  unstable, the apes have been preparing for a war they 
  fear they have no way to win. Despite their greater 
  strength and intelligence, they have no gunpowder 
  and therefore must rely on stolen guns... at least 
  until an ape miner working deep in the earth breaks 
  through into an adjoining cave system and makes 
  contact with a distant Lemurian outpost....
  
  156 ■ Champions Universe: News Of The World 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Adair, Lewis .........................148-49
  Africa ............................................98
  Al the Alligator Man ..................39
  Ali, Dr. Abnel .................................7
  Alliance, the  
  (Denver superhero team) ........87
  Alliance, the (informal  
  supervillain group) .......... 11, 149
  Almena, Andre ......................... 105
  Amazing Man II ...................53, 94
  Amazon ........................................36
  American Avenger ......................88
  American heroes .........................86
  Ameriforce One ..........................97
  Amnesia .......................................39
  Amphibian ...................................38
  Anderson, Mrs. Agatha ..............66
  Ankylosaur ........... 11, 92, 103, 110
  Anodyne ......................................36
  Antarctic ......................................68
  Anubis ................................. 38, 111
  Apocalypse ..................................55
  Arc ................................................86
  Arcane ..........................................87
  Arcane Furnace Staﬀ ............... 125
  Archon the Empyrean ................48
  ARGENT .....8, 86-88, 100, 126-27
  Arlequin ........................................94
  Armadillo ................................. 103
  Armistead, Maxwell ...................96
  Armstrong, Gerard .....................66
  Arsenic .........................................87
  Arvad, King .............................. 125
  ASGARD .....................................91
  Atlanta ..........................................88
  Atlantis ................................ 48, 106
  Atlas ..............................................87
  Australia .......................................99
  Automaton ................................ 128
  AVALON .....................................91
  Babel .......................................... 126
  Baltimore .....................................88
  Baphomet ................................. 114
  Barker, Richenda .........................38
  Basilisk Orb ...................... 119, 126
  Basilisk, the ..................................11
  Battle of Detroit ..............48, 69, 87
  Bay Guardians .............................88
  Baykok ................................ 83, 130
  Beijing ..........................................99
  Ben-Israel, Field Marshal ...........91
  Beowulf ........................................47
  Big Picture, the ......................... 149
  Binary Corporation ......................6
  Birdpeople ................................ 106
  Biselle, Mayor Calvin ...................6
  Black Harlequin ............................8
  Blacklight .....................................88
  Black Mantis ................................48
  Black Mask ............................38-40
  Blackmun, Karen ........................14
  Black Paladin, the .................8, 113
  Black Rose .................. 49, 100, 151
  Blink .............................. 70, 84, 152
  Bloodrage .................................. 132
  Blue Flame ...................................87
  Boa Constrictor ..........................38
  Bodyguard ...................................86
  Bodyjacker ...............10-11, 148-49
  Boroh ............................................46
  Boston ..........................................86
  Boudreau, Major Violette ...........92
  Bounds, Stanley .............................6
  Brain Trust ...................................87
  Brainstorm ...................................48
  Brainwave ....................................34
  Brangomar, the  
  Shadow Queen ...........................138
  Bravo ................................... 56, 151
  Brawler III ...............68-69, 72, 152
  Brawn ...........................................35
  Breeze ................................ 103, 127
  Brigade .........................................99
  Brooklyn Heights ........................84
  Brother Thunder ...........38-39, 150
  Bruma, La ....................................87
  Brunner, KristinA .......................46
  Calderon, Secretary-General  
  Daniel .........................................91
  Caliburn, Robert ...........39-40, 100
  California .....................................86
  California Patrol .........................86
  Camorra, Matteo .........................75
  Capital Patrol ..................... 88, 101
  Captain Chronos ..................... 103
  Captain Claw ...............................47
  Captain Glory .............................87
  Carraway ................................... 143
  Cascade ........................................88
  Cateran ...................................... 103
  Cavalier ........................................31
  Caxton, Jimmy ................. 104, 117
  Cazulon ..................................7, 148
  Chain Lightning ..........................34
  Champions, the ...7-22, 38, 99, 101
  Chantal ...........................................8
  Chavira, Fernando ......................95
  Cheer ............................................34
  Cheyenne Mountain ..................46
  Chicago ........................................86
  Chill ..............................................35
  China ................................... 99, 154
  Chippewa .................................. 130
  Chippewa Indians .......................83
  Cincinnati ....................................88
  Circle of the Scarlet Moon ........93
  Cirque Sinister ............................39
  City of Thaar ............................ 106
  Cloud ............................................36
  COIL ..............................................9
  Colpitt, Dr. Michael ..............46-47
  Columbus, OH ............................95
  Comet X .......................................52
  Commando Rubberbando ..........9
  Constantinos, Helen ...................14
  Contact .........................................87
  Corsair .........................................87
  Covington Chemical  
  Company .............................63-64
  Covington, Rodney ..............63-64
  Crawler ........................................36
  Cresse, James ............................ 148
  Cresse, Matthew ....................... 148
  Cresse mob ..................................33
  Crimelords ...................................86
  Crossbow .....................................87
  Crowns of Krim ..........102-03, 127
  Crusader ......................................69
  Cummings, Edward ..............10-11
  Currie, Alistair ......................6, 148
  Cyberknight ................................94
  Cybermind ..............................9, 15
  Dance ...........................................35
  Dark Seraph ................................48
  Dark Seraph ........................102-03
  Dark Seraph ............................. 127
  Dawn Fire magic ............... 84, 130
  Defender ................................13-15
  Defenders of Justice .............47, 68
  DEFTRON ...................................15
  Delacroix Mansion .......................8
  DEMON .......................................... 
   .....91, 93, 100, 102, 119, 126, 154
  Demonologist, the ................22, 88
  Denver ..........................................87
  Destruga II ....................... 101, 126
  Deuce ...........................................10
  Devil’s Advocates ........................88
  Diadem ......................... 54, 87, 151
  Diamond ....................... 48, 51, 151
  Diamondback ..............................38
  Digitak ...................................69, 84
  Diva ..............................................34
  Downshift ....................................86
  Dr. Dekkar ...................................48
  Dr. Destroyer 
   ..........48, 69, 98, 101-02, 126, 154
  Dr. Eclipse ....................................86
  Dr. Ka .............................38-39, 150
  Dr. Macabre .................................47
  Dr. Phantom ..........................46-47
  Dr. Silverback ................................7
  Dr. Silverback ..............................94
  Dr. Vox ................................ 60, 151
  Dr. Yin Wu .................. 99, 102, 154
  Dragon Branch 
   ............26, 38-39, 86, 97, 100, 126
  Drake-Victoria, Inc. ......................6
  Dreadnought ...............................48
  Drifter, the ...............68-69, 74, 152
  Druid ............................................88
  Duchess Industries ...............6, 148
  Duke Steel ......................26-27, 149
  Dwarfstar .....................................86
  Dweomer .................... 93, 100, 153
  Eckhardt,  
  Secretary-Marshal ........... 91, 153
  Eclipse ..........................................48
  El Aguijón ......................................9
  Elder Worm ............... see The Slug
  Eldritch ......................... 88, 96, 100
  Electron ............................69, 84, 94
  Elysium ..................................... 153
  Entropus ........................................9
  Esper .............................................11
  Europe ..........................................97
  Eurostar ............................... 97, 137
  Eversole, Victor .............................6
  Eye of Horus ................................38
  Fabulous Five ..........46, 52, 105-06
  Faerie ................................... 57, 139
  FalconMan ...................................88
  Fallout ....................................88, 94
  Far East, the .................................99
  Faultline .......................................86
  Feline ............................................87
  Felis ...............................................48
  Fenris ................................... 11, 101
  Fiacho ................................ 102, 137
  Firewall ........................................86
  Firewing .................91, 103, 126-27
  Flashover ....................... 69, 77, 152
  Flicker ..........................................34
  Fontaine, Monique .....................38
  Fort Brewster ...............................46
  Foxbat .....................................7, 103
  Foxzbatpalooza ........................ 103
  Frag ...............................................11
  Freakshow ....................................11
  Freedom Battalion ......................68
  Freedom Patrol ...........................88
  Freon ............................................38
  Function .......................................35
  Gallagher, Courtney ...................14
  Gandolfo-Monk, Major  
  Jacques Roger ............................92
  GATEWAY ............91, 126-27, 153
  Generation VIPER ....... 34, 86, 126
  
  Champions Universe: News Of The World 
  157 
  GM’S Vault ..........................147-55
  Goblin ..........................................69
  Goldﬁre ........................................48
  Goodman, Horatio .....................94
  Goodman Institute, the ..... 94, 154
  Gossamer .....................................10
  GRAB ........................... 7 , 103, 127
  Gravitar ..........................48, 101-02
  Great Lakes Raiders ....................33
  Green Knight, the .......................87
  Grey, Hannibal ............................88
  Griﬀon, the ..................................59
  Grond ...........................................69
  Gryﬀon .........................................97
  Guamanga ................................ 101
  Guardhouse, the ..........................91
  Gudra, King .............................. 106
  Gyrfalcon .................................. 106
  Halmar, Crown Prince ...............50
  Hargen, Gunter ...........................95
  Harmon Industries .................6, 15
  Hazard ....................................11, 23
  Herculan ............................. 11, 104
  Hero Corps ..................................87
  Hero teams in America ..............86
  Hex ...............................................48
  Hidden Lands ........................... 105
  Higher Lands ...................... 84, 130
  Holland, James ..............................6
  Holocaust .................................8, 11
  Hornet ....................... 104, 115, 154
  Houston .................................87-88
  Howler .........................................61
  Huntsman ....................................86
  Hurricane ............................ 79, 134
  Hurricane Katrina ............. 38, 150
  Hydro .................................. 31, 149
  Hypnos ...................................10-11
  Hzeel ............................................61
  Ignacio .........................................11
  IHA ...............................................10
  Illumination of  
  Kalchizedek, The ..................... 153
  Impact ..........................................34
  Impetus ........................................87 
  Impulse ........................................35
  India .............................................98
  Inframan ......................................86
  Ingalls, Jeremy .............................66
  Inner Circle ...................................9
  Inquisitor .................10-11, 148-49
  Insider, the ...................................88
  Institute for Human  
  Advancement ............................10
  Interface .....................................7-8
  Introduction ..................................4
  Iron Maiden ................................48
  Ironclad ..................................15-16
  Island of Dr. Destroyer .... 101, 126
  Jack Flash .....................................86
  Jaguar, El ......................................11
  James, Malcolm ...........................11
  Jamison, Earl ...................... 38, 149
  Janus Key ............................ 39, 150
  Japan .............................................99
  Jetstream ......................................87
  John Devil ....................................48
  Jules Verne ....................................52
  Juryrig ..............................23, 38-39
  Justice Collective ........................86
  Justice Squadron ...........67-84, 101
  Justice Squadron Mansion .........84
  Kansas City ..................................88
  Katrina, Hurricane ............. 38, 150
  Kea, Queen ............................... 106
  Kella, Empress .............................50
  Kelly, Patrick ....................... 66, 152
  Kelvarite .............................. 98, 154
  Keprizoth .....................................87
  Kestrel ....................................... 106
  Kettrick Building ........................87
  Kid Chameleon ...........................53
  Kinetik .............................11, 17-18
  King Cobra ....................................9
  King Cobra ............................... 126
  Kingdom of the Apes .............. 155
  Klee, Princess (Kestrel) ........... 106
  Koch, Mayor Edward .................48
  Koluani, 1st Ltnt. Andraya ..........92
  Korrex the Time-King ...............47
  Kramm, Randall ..........................96
  Kuzane, the ..................................52
  Lady Blue .............. 11, 23, 104, 116
  Lady Liberty ..................................9
  Lake St. Clair .................................9
  Lam Kuei .................................. 101
  Lancer ..........................................10
  Landmass .................................. 126
  Laser .......................................... 102
  Leese .............................................33
  Lemurians ........................... 68, 125
  Leviathan .....................................11
  Liberty League ............................87
  Lightwave .....................................48
  Lodestone ....................................11
  London .........................................95
  Loop, the ........................................6
  Loose, 1st Ltnt. Frank ..................92
  Lux ................................................86
  Lythrum .......................................50
  Ma’at .............................................38
  MacFarlane, Bram .......................76
  Mage .............................................87
  Mamont .......................................97
  Mandala .......................................87
  Mandragalore ........................... 125
  Manticore Project .......................92
  Mardoom-Thah ..........................68
  Marmoo .............................. 99, 154
  Maronni, 1st Ltnt. Isabella ..........92
  Marus ........................................ 106
  Marus, Prince ..............................48
  Masser, Wilma .............................96
  Mathewson, Prof. ........................26
  MC-8 ..............................................9
  McAuliﬀe, Phillip ..................6, 148
  McDougal, Dr. Danielle .............95
  Mechanic, the ..............................87
  Mechanon ..........12, 65, 87, 102-03
  Mechassassin ............................ 102
  Medusa ...........................10-11, 149
  Megaera .........................................9
  Meklani, President ......................97
  Melbourne ...................................95
  Memorial Park ..............................7
  Mentiac ........................................91
  Menton ..............101, 126, 149, 153
  Mephistopheles ........................ 153
  Mercuria ......................................97
  Messenger, the .................... 89, 153
  MeteorMan ............................47, 86
  Miami ...........................................87
  Microman ....................7, 23, 46-47
  Middle East, the ..........................97
  Millennium City .....................5-36
  Millennium City 8 ........................9
  Millennium City Zoo ...................7
  Millennium Highway ...................6
  Mind, Inc. .................................6, 11
  Mind Slayer ...................10-11, 149
  Mirage ....................................... 102
  Mocker, the ..................................47
  Monument ...................................88
  Morgan, Julie ...............................25
  Mountain .....................................55
  Mrs. Garter ............................... 126
  Nandyal ........................................98
  Netherworld ..................... 132, 153
  New Knights of the  
  Round Table ........................... 101
  New Orleans ................................88
  New Paladins, the .......................86
  New Urbana Galleria ...................7
  New York City .............................87
  Nighthawk .......................11, 23-25
  Nightwind ....................................11
  Nocturne ........................41-43, 151
  NORAD .......................................46
  Nova .............................................87
  Oak ...............................................87
  Ocelot ...........................................69
  Ogre ..............................................11
  Ohio .............................................88
  Olympics ......................................99
  Omegaworld Amusement  
  Park ..............................................8
  Operation Sunstroke ....... 100, 126
  Ophidian Plague .....................9, 94
  Otanga, Joseph ........... 98, 102, 154
  Pantera ................................ 97, 136
  Paradox ........................................87
  Paris ..............................................95
  Peacekeepers, the ........................86
  Pentagram ....................................88
  Philadelphia .................................87
  Phoenix, AZ .................................88
  Poe, Kevin ................10-11, 148-49
  Prentice, Virginia ..........................6
  Prentiss, Peter ........................... 148
  Presto Change-O ..................... 125
  Progenitors ............................... 106
  Project Hermes ...........................91
  Project High Ground .............. 126
  Project Mendel ......................... 126
  Project Mind Game ....................92
  Project Mongoose .................11, 23
  Proteus ................................ 62, 152
  PSI .........................6, 10-11, 148-49
  Psimon ...................................10-11
  Psiphon ..........................................9
  Putty .............................................34
  Python ..........................................86
  Quaternion Banishment ......... 153
  Qularr, the ....................................48
  Raaktor ...........................................9
  Rainmaker ...................................48
  Rakshasa ................................... 102
  Ranger ..........................................48
  Rashindar ....................................93
  Ravenswood Academy ................... 
   ..........11, 34-36, 55, 69-70, 80, 86
  Rawson, Keith ...............................8
  Raya de Plata ............................ 101
  Reality Storm, the .........................9
  Reﬂex ............................................10
  Renton, Michael ..........................52
  Renton, Patty ...................See Siren
  Retrograde ...................................88
  Revenger ..............................105-06
  Riptide ..........................................11
  Robinson, Clark ....................... 149
  Rocketman ............................46-47
  Root ..............................................35
  Rosenbaum, Bernadette .............14
  Rothenberg, Capt. Robert ..........92
  Roundhouse ................................88
  Rowan ........................55, 69-70, 80
  Russia ...........................................97
  
  158 ■ Champions Universe: News Of The World 
  Hero System 5th Edition Revised
  Russian Defenders ......................97
  San Diego .....................................88
  San Francisco ..............................88
  Sanchietti, Aldo ........................ 136
  Sapphire .................................19-20
  Satan Furnace ........................... 100
  Scamander ...................................65
  Scarlet Archer III 
   ....................23, 28-30, 47-48, 149
  Schroeder, Lena .............................6
  Scrambler .....................................36
  Seattle ...........................................88
  Secret Crisis .................................48
  Selenites .................................... 105
  Selenus .............................. 105, 155
  Sentinels .....45-66, 87, 100, 105-06
  Sentinel Island .............................65
  Sequoia .........................................86
  Set .................................................38
  Seven Great Furies ............. 99, 154
  Shadow Army ........................... 102
  Shadow Queen, the .................. 138
  Shadow Zone ...............................46
  Shining Sword .............................99
  Shrinker .............................. 48, 102
  Sidewinder ...................................27
  Signal Ghost ................................23
  Silicon Kid ...................................86
  Silver Scorpion ............................87
  Silverwing ....................................99
  Simianus, King ......................... 155
  Singapore ............................ 99, 154
  Siren .......................................53, 91
  Sister Rain ......................38-39, 150
  Skunk Ape ....................................39
  Skygirl ....................................68-69
  Slug, the ............... 98, 104, 117, 126
  Slumber ........................................34
  Slun ...................................... 97, 154
  Solarion ..................................... 126
  Solo heroes in America ..............88
  Soulﬁre ...................................10-11
  Sparrowhawk ..............................87
  Spektr .................................. 69, 141
  St. Clair Volcano ...........................9
  Stalker (superhero) .......................9
  Stalker (supervillain) .... 40, 42,143
  Stanko, Tom ........................ 38, 149
  Star*Guard ................................ 105
  Starburst .......................................69
  Starracer .......................................87
  Steadfast .........................................9
  Stigma ..........................................88
  Stingray ........................................47
  Stolas, Lord ............................50-51
  Stormfront .....................................8
  Straight Arrow .............................88
  Streak ............................................53
  Streamline ....................................87
  Stronghold ...................8, 15, 86, 95
  Stutsman, Kurt ............................96
  Super-Soviet ................................46
  Superhero Division ........... 98, 101
  Superior .............................. 97, 154
  Superstar ............................. 80, 153
  Supervillains ........100-104, 108-46
  Surge .............................................88
  Sweetland, Guy and Soﬁa ....... 149
  Syeryebro .....................................97
  Sylvestri, Prof. Carlota ....... 39, 150
  Taiga .............................................97
  Takofanes the Arch-Lich 
   ..................... 69, 93, 102, 127, 153
  Talisman .................................... 119
  Talos, Wayland ................... 10, 103
  Tandem ........................................86
  Taqiristan .....................................97
  Technomancer ......................... 100
  Teleios ..10, 78-79, 134-35, 148-49
  Tempest ........................................38
  Tesseract .......................................11
  Tetsuronin ...................................99
  Texas Rangers ..............................87
  Thaar, city of ............................. 106
  Thunderbolt I ........................... 104
  Thunderbolt II .............................11
  Thunderhead ...............................88
  Tiger .............................................48
  Tiger Squad .................. 86, 99, 101
  Timasjomi tribe ........... 68, 83, 130
  Tokyo ............................................99
  Tokyo Super Squad ............ 99, 101
  Tomahawk II ...........68-69, 82, 153
  Torment .......................................10
  To Save The World! .......................8
  Totem ...........................................88
  Trace .......................................10-11
  Trance ...........................................34
  Trismegistus Council, t he .........93
  Turs al-Sh’ab ....................... 97, 154
  Tyrannon .................................. 150
  Ultimates, the ....................9, 48, 86
  ULTIVAC .....................................46
  Ultrajet .........................................84
  Uncle Two Hawks .......................83
  UNITY .........................................98
  UNTIL ................................ 91, 153
  Updraft .........................................35
  Utility .................... 7, 101, 104, 121
  Valak the World-Ravager ........ 145
  Vanguard .......................68-69, 142
  Velocity ........................................34
  Venin Vert ................................. 101
  Verity ............................................86
  Vibora Bay .............................37-44
  Villains .................100-104, 108-46
  VIPER ........................9, 26-27, 86-88, 
    ................. 97, 100, 102, 126, 153-54
  Vita-Man ......................................68
  Vizcaino, Paulo ............................55
  Voltage .........................................87
  Voodoo Doll ................................88
  Vortex ...........................................87
  Walkabout Man ..........................99
  Warlord, the .. 99, 102-03, 108, 127
  Washington, D.C. ........................88
  Weismann, Hyrum .....................87
  Westgote, der ...............................97
  Whipsnake ...................................86
  White Lightning .........................11
  White Shroud ..............................88
  Windshear ...................................88
  Wing .............................................35
  Winston, Bradly ..........................29
  Witchcraft ....14, 21-22, 38, 93, 100
  Wright, Col. Joshua .....................96
  Wulatin, Benjamin Ward ...........40
  Wulatin, Dr. David ......................40
  Yiinashc Ring ........................... 119
  Zenith ...........................................86
  Zephyr ............................... 104, 123
  Zodiac Man .................................86
  Zorran the Artiﬁcer ................. 124
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Hero System/Hero System - Champions Universe - News of the World dojhero225-OEF.pdf