Tuesday, April 19, 2011

V&V A to Z: Prometheus

Character Name: Prometheus     Secret I.D.: Daniel Weller     Side: Evil
Gender: Male     Height: 5'9"    Weight: 160 lbs     Age: 28

Physical Description: A fairly average looking man in his late 20's with sandy blond hair and brown eyes.  He primarily wears casual clothes, especially while working.

STR: 10     END: 11     INT: 16     AGL: 12     CHA: 11

Level: 4th     XP: 12,112     Basic Hits: 4     Hit Points: 16     Healing Rate: 1.0/day
Movement:  33”    Power: 48  Carrying Capacity: 168 lbs     HTH Damage: 1d4
Damage Modifier:  +2     Accuracy: +1     Detect Hidden: 12%     Detect Danger: 16%
Inventing Points: 3.8     Inventing: 96%     Reaction Modifier: -0 good/+0 evil
Training: Endurance

Powers/Talents
Mutant Power - Hyperinvention  (INT is doubled for Inventing purposes)
Heightened Expertise: +4 to hit with all weapons he has invented or worked on

Equipment
Stun Pistol (act as Paralysis Ray, range 30", 20 shots)
Work Goggles (Heightened Senses - IR & UV vision, magnification up to x1000)
Disguise Belt (Illusions A, visual only, run up to 10 hours)

(the GM should feel free to add any other gadgets to what Prometheus might carry on him at any given moment - he will probably have various devices on his person to exploit any known weaknesses that various local superheroes might have)

Areas of Knowledge
Research/Technology, Scientist

Character Notes/Origin/Personality: In the heart of the city, in a back alley that many don't know about, there is a small electronics repair shop.  The shop doesn't seem to get that much business, but for those who go there, they will find the prices reasonable and the service excellent.

For those who know to use a certain set of code phrases, however, they are likely to receive an entirely different level of service.  Once led to a back room through a hidden doorway, the proprietor of the shop, who is referred top by those in the know as Prometheus, will display technical wares the likes that few have ever seen.

For the right price, Prometheus will build the customer (invariably supervillains or would-be supervillains) pretty much any sort of weapon or device that can be imagined.  A sonic pistol?  Not a problem.  A flying jet-pack?  Child's play.  A handheld magnetic wave generator?  A bit tricky, but entirely possible.  Of course, he can also repair any damaged hi-tech equipment that the customer may possess.

What they do with these technological wonders is their own business, of course.  Prometheus merely requests that his existence never be mentioned to law enforcement agencies, and that he rather be quietly recommended to those of the right temperament with suitable monetary funds, who wish to purchase a unique device such that can not be currently be otherwise obtained through more standard channels.

Of course, Mr. Weller, as he is known by his more mundane customers, could easily have made a fortune selling his various inventions to various businesses and corporations, but Prometheus has plenty of money for his needs, thanks to his unusual clientele, and besides, he much prefers a hands-on approach to science and inventing.  He feels no need to use his devices once he is finished with them, but he does feel no small amount of pride when he reads or hears a news report concerning how one of his inventions was used in a manner baffling to law enforcement and other crimefighters.

Campaign Use: If you have any number of gadget-based supervillains in your campaign, it's entirely possible that Prometheus built at least some of those technological wonders, or at least is helping to repair them when they are damaged.  Although he would never get directly involved in any criminal activities, he is nonetheless indirectly responsible for no small amount of crime and villainy.

If the PCs do eventually get wind of the master inventor's presence, they may well wish to shut down his operations for good, hoping to stem any future criminal activity based off of his work.  If they track him to his shop, they will find it heavily armed and fortified, with dozens of gadgets and traps designed to harass, stun, capture, and delay any would-be invaders, while Prometheus makes his escape through one of his many pre-planned escape routes.

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