Stuck for ideas, or just want to get a better feel for how the system works? Here are a few sample characters the GM team has put together. (Don't worry, they won't be showing up in play!) We've aimed to make this system as diverse as possible - dream big!
Super Name: N/A
Real Name: Alonso Fieri
Skills:
Powers:
Has a kind of ground sonar, can sense the structure of the earth beneath his feet within a few hundred metres, getting steadily less detail at greater ranges
Origin - Innate: Alonso was born with his ground sonar.
Manifestation - Magic: He has never found another who could identify how his sonar works.
Does not age, and heals from any wounds at an increased rate
Origin - Acquired: He gained his immortality in Xanadu.
Manifestation - Genetic: Alonso's new powers reside within him, never leaving his body.
Tropes:
Factions: None.
Background:
”In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree;
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.”
The city of Xanadu fascinated explorers for generations after rumours of it spread from the depths of China. Abandoned in the 13th Century, by the time Alonso was born in 1820 much of the ruins has been explored, but there remained rumours of great treaures beneath the surface. Using his abilities as an explorer, and his power to effectively see through solid rock, he set out to discover these treasures.
Amazingly, he found something. After detecting some kind of anomaly underneath his feet, he traced an underground river through winding caverns (the entrance of which was almost a week's travel away, and which would have been impossible to navigate without his talents), until he came upon a clearly artificial cavern studded with glowing gems. As soon as he touched one of the gems, he felt a surge of energy course through him, and the ground quaked, collapsing the cavern he had used to enter the chamber.
Realising he was trapped, for his powers showed him without doubt that there was no way out, he resigned himself to a slow death by starvation, but decided to explore the underground ruins further and chronicle everything he found in case future explorers discovered his remains. After a few hours, it became clear that he no longer felt thirsty. After a day, it became clear that he no longer felt hungry, after a week, it was clear that he required no sustenance to keep going. After a century, it was clear that he had somehow become immortal.
It's not clear how he kept his sanity through all that time. Certainly his journal records every aspect of his ancient prison, from the chamber where he was originally found, to the odd temple below, but it was certainly too small to keep his mind active. Perhaps his newfound ability to heal faster also prevented the deterioration of his mind.
Regardless, when an archaeological dig in 2055 found his chamber (he had known they were coming for some weeks, feeling every scratch they made at the earth above) he was reportedly “a little impatient, squinting slightly against the light, and in dire need of a bath”, but otherwise perfectly cogent. Unfortunately, it seems the dig disturbed some ancient aspect of the site, and the crystals began to shatter with steadily increasing energy. The team fled, taking Alonso and his few posessions (his journal and a curious statue he had found in the temple) with them. Following a media circus surrounding the immortal explorer, freed from his centuries long imprisonment, Alonso decided to set out into the world again, and find more such lost places. A return visit to Xanadu confirmed that nothing remained but the tiniest fragments of the cavern and temple which had been his home for almost 200 years.
Public Bio: Alonso Fieri, a 19th century explorer was discovered in an ancient temple beneath the ruins of Xanadu. As well as his natural talents for exploration, and his ability to see through the earth beneath his feet, it seems that the strange magics of the place had granted him eternal life. He has made a career in the modern world of seeking out other lost places, allowing historians to catalogue his findings.
Super Name: Captain Custard
Real Name: Okropir Lagunov
Skills:
Powers:
Captain Custard can create Custard out of thin air, and move it around at will.
Origin - Innate: Captain Custard has been revelling in custardy glory since he was born.
Manifestation - Magic: Captain Custard knows that Custard is magical, and that this knowledge makes him a magician. He has no notion that custard itself is fairly mundane and that it's his power over it that is magical.
Captain Custard rides the custard Stallion Brûlée.
Origin - Developed: Captain Custard spent long hours perfecting his familiar.
Manifestation - Magic: Like the rest of his custard, Brûlée is magical.
Tropes:
Factions: Captain Custard is notorious amongst the Heart, but is actually a vigilante working with Garuda.
Background: Captain Custard was born with the ability to create and control custard. He has used these abilities to great effect over the years, and has drawn quite a lot of attention to himself. In particular, Captain Custard is looked favourably upon by the Heart, who value his custardy abilities to keep things moving smoothly. Captain Custard is very fond of this notoriety, not least of all because he is actually a member of Garuda, having been recruited by them a long time ago. Captain Custard's goal in life is to infiltrate the Heart, and climb the ranks high enough that he might one day single-handedly kill their leaders, in one final display of custardy glory.
Public Bio: I am Captain Custard, the Captain of Custard. Does that not answer all of your questions?
Super Name: Seadevil / Firefly
Real Name: Jo Kulkarni
Skills:
Powers: Approximately once every six weeks I transform into a great beast, which bursts forth intent on taking life. Since I never have any recollection of the events, I have no idea what Seadevil is like.
Origin - Acquired: I only started transforming recently. Someone or something gave me this power.
Manifestation - Genetic: Whatever is affecting me is somewhere inside of me.
Tropes:
Factions: When I am Firefly, I work for the Lookout.
Background: Until three months ago, I was just a regular human being. Same mundane cares as everyone else. Then, on my eighteenth birthday, it happened for the first time. I woke up the next day remembering nothing of the night before. That was expected. What wasn't expected was the state of everyone who had been at my party. They were all dead.
The strangest thing, though, was that I knew I had done it. I had killed my friends. And I didn't care. I was slightly curious as to what had happened, but only so that I might find a way to make it happen again. And so my new life began.
I left home, and came to Capital City to find a ready supply of food for the Beast. Feeding left me glowing slightly, and I used this to declare myself a Super. My power? Unimportant. I was Firefly, the glowing one. Good enough for a spot in the Lookout. Good enough to get me where I needed to be.
My new name, like the identity it labelled, hid the real me from the outside world. In my head, I wasn't Firefly. I was Seadevil. Just like my namesake, I would use my glowing lure to draw prey towards me. Then I would strike, and Seadevil would eat its fill.
Public Bio: I am Firefly, a superhero who works for the Lookout full time. If you need anything doing, no matter how small, then I am the Hero to speak to.
Super Name: Nihil
Real Name: Mitashi Hattori
Skills:
Powers:
Can control electronic systems using hacks from computers and smartphones.
Origin - Developed: Nihil spent his entire childhood working with computers, and has become quite the expert.
Manifestation - Technology: If it has a screen and a keyboard, then Nihil is a master at using it.
Tropes:
Factions: Nihil sells to the Separatists and The Heart. He also takes commissions, if the price is right.
Background: Nihil learned quickly that computers and programmable chips are omnipresent in our world. Having a brilliant mind for problems, he started working with computers at the age of 5. By the age of 8, he had written his first programmes and by 10 he had successfully managed to hack the SPEAR network. When his parents died as a result of a SPEAR intervention in his neighbourhood, he decided to put his talents to use. He learnt every programming language he could get his hands on and created scripts to hack systems running them. Over time, he had not only become one of the best hackers out there, but he had also uploaded his best programmes to his personal electronic items. Now, the only thing that stands between him and total control over any system is a Wi-Fi signal.
Public Bio: Mitashi is a quiet teenager from the poorer parts of the City who recently moved to better surroundings. He’s constantly seen with some form of personal electronics and rumour has it that he has recently made some big wins on the stock market.
Super Name: Arachne
Real Name: Tatiana Petrov
Skills:
Powers: None
Tropes:
Factions: Arachne works for Oculus.
Background: Arachne is an Oculus infiltrator, with a particular talent for uncovering evidence of shady corporate dealings. Her various contacts will drop hints about any suspicious goings-on (Information network), and she'll choose which to follow up on. Her position as assistant to Jonah Gwenero, a member of the business subcommittee of the Capital City Committee (Friends in High Places) is enough to allow her to initially scope out the building, with her ocular implants (Augmented Reality) tagging likely entrance points for her to assess. Once she has the lie of the land, she'll sneak in, gather any necessary evidence, and ensure that it is passed to her superiors. Her effectiveness has gained her considerable recognition (Rank).
She lives by a few rules, chief among which is that she will never take anything from the scene (The Code) - she's a spy, not a thief. Of course, that doesn't mean she's entirely honest - some of her targets will get a hint that with a bit of money in the right place they can avoid an investigation (Dark Secret). Her only major concern is the activity of the agent known only as Sleeper, whose job she took (Nemesis).
Public Bio: Tatiana Petrov is the personal assistant to Jonah Gwenero, a member of the business subcommittee of the Capital City Committee. She is attending the meetings on his behalf as he is occupied with other affairs.